Gillia's Inquisitor academy was quiet. It was noon, and most of the battle mages in training were having lunch or running errands. There were only a few guards positioned outside. The structure was vacant otherwise. Save for the dojo which held a single member: Aer Pacifica.
Aer was doing drills with her staff. Her blood red ponytail followed her head with every bob and weave she made across the dojo floor. Aer wore a stern expression and stared down her invisible enemies with crimson eyes. Only the young woman knew how many of them she had taken out. If Aer's fret brow was anything to go by, there were a lot more to go. Or maybe the battle mage knew she had to fight that much harder because she was so small? After a few more swings, Aer stood at a ready position and bowed. It was standard to bow towards your instructors once you had ended a training session. She had done it through so much repetition that Aer would even bow when completely alone. Unbeknown to the battle mage, someone had had been watching her.
“Not bad for fighting air.” Aer's spectator was Heaton Eckenrode, Aer's former trainer. He was also a battle mage, one that was well respected by the Imperium. He had reached the rank of High Inquisitor long before Aer started training under him. Aer admittedly knew little else about her former teacher, except that he was an intense man who saw great potential in her. They were not always on friendly terms with each other, but Heaten had been nothing but supportive of her once she completed her training as a battle mage. Despite this, Aer was always a little intimidated by the bald man. His black and gold cloak added onto his intimidating presence.
“Heaton? I-I mean, Inquisitor!” Aer saluted her former teacher and stiffened up her posture. The man towered over her. Though it wasn't because he was especially tall. Aer was just small.
“Such formalities are fit for obedient pets. A lion is not ashamed of its roar. You need not assign me a title.” Heaton also worshiped lions, or any animal at the apex of its food chain. He was intense, but was easy to talk to once you understood his nature.
“Yessir!” Aer nodded. “I did not expect you to return so early today. Weren't you taking the trainees on a hike?”
“Hah!” The high inquisitor swung his hand, as if to deflect the comment. “They are no longer cubs, and can be trusted to walk their lands unsupervised.” He looked directly into Aer's eyes. “But young inquisitor, you have far more pressing responsibilities.” The High inquisitor pulled a scroll out of his cloak and handed it to Aer, who promptly opened it up. There was a picture of a young woman, followed by a brief description. “Sania is a prodigium magum. She is believed to have a good grasp on her water elemental magic. She is a heretic that allies herself with the rebels, but the Imperium feels her raw power could be molded into something we could use. So Sania is to be captured alive.”
Aer hesitated, but eventually found herself nodding along. “And who will I be working with?”
Heaten grinned. “Inquisitors do not always hunt as wolves. This one will be a solitary hunt.” His face became firm agin. “You will pursue your prey like a tiger would: Alone.”
“A-a solo operation!?” Aer had never gone on a mission by herself before. The battle mage would be kidding herself is she said wasn't a little scared by the idea of it.
“That brain between your pointy ears didn't fail you, I see.” Heaton folded his arms. “This will not be an easy task, but I have complete faith in your abilities. This particular mission was suppose to be given to all of the local inquisitors tommorow, but I'm giving it to you now.” Heaton turned around and glanced at Aer over his shoulder. “She was spotted recently, so you shouldn't have any difficulty tracking her if you act with earnest. The details are in the scroll. Should you complete this hunt, I will gladly spar with you till your heart is content.”
Aer had always wanted to spar with her instructor, but he insisted she would never be a match for him. Was this his way of saying he would recognize her skill if she was successful? It was hard to not be exited by the news. Aer wanted to thank him, but Heaton had told her on many occasions “Thanking is how the weak praise the strong, and you aren't weak.” The battle mage bowed to her instructor. “It would be my honor to take on this hunt.”
“I expected nothing less from you.” Heaton turned his head folward and made his way out of the dojo. It was time for Aer to change out of her dojo uniform and into something more befitting of an operating battle mage.
The atmosphere was much more relaxed outside the academy. Gillia was a thriving port town. Its booming economy was partially thanks to the good fishing spots, but more so to the harbor's ability to export goods. That wasn't to say there wasn't a slum or two hiding in the back of the large city. But for most, there was no better place to live.
It always felt good to get out of the academy. She liked some of the people, but Aer never really felt like she could be herself in there. When etiquette was taken to that level, it was difficult to feel at ease. Sometimes you just want to see someone laugh at a poop joke. Sadly, that was something she was more likely to find at a tavern with strangers than with people she had been training with for years. Aer wasn't even really proud of being an inquisitor. She kept her uniform hidden under a brown cloak when walking around Gillia. Aer was on a first name basis with most of the local shops anyway. Still, flaunting her status as an inquisitor always seemed to put people on edge. They had a lot of power, and aer didn't want to make anyone feel the way she felt inside the academy.
Aer eventually found herself walking into the naughty nymph tavern. It was one of those places where regardless of the time of day, you could find at least one person drunken out of consciousness. The lighting was left dim so that the waitresses looked better to drunken patrons. The naughty nymph tavern had earned its reputation as a seedy little tavern. Despite that, Aer felt at home here. The atmosphere reminded the battle mage of her origins, and so there was a sense of nostalgia mixed in with all the unpleasantness. At the bar was an overwight, middle aged man with an especially bushy mustache. Aer knew Buford well. He was the owner and bartender of this fine establishment.
“Hello, goblin!” Typically calling a short, red eyed, pointy eared woman a goblin was a grave insult. That was especially the case if they were an inquisitor, as it was seen as mocking the Imperium itself. But Aer and Buford had that type of relationship where such comments were mere formalities. They could talk like this for hours without upsetting each other.
“And hello to you too, orc.” Aer curtsied before going on. “I see you've bulked up nicely for winter. You're even trying to grow a coat under your nose.”
“Oh?” Buford tugged at his mustache. “No, I think this layer of blubber will do nicely for winter. I'm just trying to grow out a pair of pants for my skinny goblin friend. She only wears skirts and stockings you see, like she actually has something to show off.”
“Dear me!” Aer flicked her wrist forward. “No wonder you're trying to grow underpants under your nose! I knew you were the unsavory type, but you know it doesn't do much good to sniff them until she's tried them on first?”
Buford chuckled, his gut bouncing with each puff of his tired lungs. “Are you getting anything today?”
“Sadly no. Today I'm watching my diet. I just came by for the atmosphere, and your company of course.” The battle mage winked at the bartender.
“Ha! You're too skinny to walk out of here without eating something.”
Aer chuckled before looking for a quiet part of the tavern to sit down and read the scroll. Her usual corner table was empty, which was far away from prying eyes. Aer promptly took a seat and unrolled the scroll. She made sure to sit with her back to a wall to prevent others from seeing what was written within. “So, I have to capture you, Sania?” Aer thought this to herself as she read through the information she had been provided. Why did Aer feel so uncomfortable with this request? Why was it getting harder to smile?
