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Aurik sat at a wooden table in the bar, pen in hand and a half-pint sitting by the ink pot, diligently writing his report. The events of the day were still fresh in his mind, and he knew the importance of documenting every detail. The bandits, now secured in the village gaol, would need to be questioned, and their fate decided.

As he finished the last line, Thorne walked up to his table. “Aurik, the bandits are ready for questioning.”

Aurik nodded. “Thank you, Thorne. I’ll be right there.”

He stood up, finished his drink, and made his way to the gaol, where the bandits were being held. The three surviving bandits were seated on wooden benches, their injuries bandaged but still looking wary.

Aurik began by explaining the process to the bandits. “You are being held for the assault of an officer of Ithrill and for attacking a citizen of a protected village. I need to ask you some questions to understand the full extent of your involvement.”

He turned to the leader, the burly man with the scarred cheek. “Are any of you from Ithrill, or have you been involved in the criminal and punishment process there?”

The leader sneered. “No, we’re just simple bandits. We’ve never been to Ithrill.”

Aurik nodded, making a mental note. “And why did you attack us? You could have just let us pass.”

The bandit hesitated, then spat on the ground. “We were ordered to bring you in. That’s all we know.”

Aurik turned to the other two bandits. “You two, do you have anything to add?”

The second bandit, a lean man with a patch over one eye, spoke up. “Same story. We were just following orders. We didn’t know why we were after you.”

The third bandit, a younger man with a nervous demeanor, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we just followed orders. We didn’t know what we were getting into.”

Aurik’s expression hardened. “I see. Now, I need to ask you about the Iron Claw. Who is your boss, and what is the Iron Claw’s true purpose?”

The bandits exchanged nervous glances. The leader spoke up, his voice low and defiant. “We don’t talk about the boss. You can’t make us.”

Aurik leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “Fine. Let me explain what will happen next. I have already called for a magistrate council from the local landowners. Based on the crime of assaulting an officer of Ithrill and the attack on a citizen of a protected village, you will be sent to Ithrill for sentencing. This is a serious offense, and the punishment will be severe.”

He paused for effect. “The Crimson Bank has offered 10,000 barrels for the recovery of the stolen goods. Cazarian himself will probably bid for you, and it’s no easy work being part of the Dragon’s personal horde. It’s hot, dangerous work under the gaze of an ancient dragon, and he has been known to take care of those who attempt to steal from him.”

The bandits shifted uncomfortably, but none of them spoke.

Aurik sighed. “Very well. If you refuse to cooperate, so be it. But I will still get the information I need.”

He turned to Thorne. “Thorne, prepare the body of the bandit who died for questioning. I need to speak with him as well.”

Thorne nodded and left the room. Aurik turned back to the bandits. “You have until the magistrate council arrives to reconsider your stance. Your cooperation will be noted.”

Aurik left the gaol and returned to the village hall to finish his report. Once he was done, he sent a message to Ithrill, requesting the transfer of the bandits and the arrival of the magistrate council.

Thorne returned a short while later with the body of the bandit who died. Aurik performed a ritual to communicate with the spirit of the deceased bandit.

“Do you hear me, spirit of the bandit?” Aurik asked, his voice firm.

The spirit of the bandit appeared, its form hazy and ethereal. “I hear you, but I will not speak. My loyalty to the Iron Claw stays even in death.”

Aurik’s expression hardened. “You have nothing to fear from me, but your silence will only worsen your fate. Did you steal the carriage? What was stolen, and who is the Iron Claw?”

The spirit remained defiant. “I will not speak. My loyalty is unbreakable.”

Aurik sighed. “Very well. Your silence will be noted. But know that your actions have consequences, even beyond death.”

The spirit faded away, and Aurik ended the ritual. He returned to the village hall, his mind racing with the implications of the bandits' refusal to cooperate.

The next day, the magistrate council arrived at the village hall. Lord Eldric Hawthorne, a tall, imposing figure with a neatly trimmed beard and sharp, piercing blue eyes, wearing finely tailored deep green and black clothing; Lady Isolde Blackwood, a regal woman with long, flowing black hair and a commanding presence, wearing an elegant and intricate purple gown and jewelry; and Captain Cedric Ironwood, a robust and muscular man with a thick beard and a scar above his left eyebrow, wearing a practical, sturdy outfit. The three were greeted by Aurik and the local villagers.

“Thank you for coming, my lords and lady,” Aurik said, bowing slightly. “We have a serious matter to address. These bandits have been charged with the assault of an officer of Ithrill and the attack on a citizen of a protected village.”

Eldric nodded solemnly. “We will ensure that justice is served. Let us proceed with the hearing.”

The council convened in the main hall, and the bandits were brought in. The villagers gathered to witness the proceedings.

Aurik presented the charges and the evidence, including the bandits' refusal to cooperate. The council listened intently, asking questions and deliberating the appropriate course of action.

After a thorough discussion, Eldric addressed the bandits.

“You have been found guilty of the charges presented. Based on the severity of your crimes and your refusal to cooperate, you will be sent to Ithrill for sentencing. The Crimson Bank has offered a substantial reward, and as Aurik has already mentioned to you in questioning, Cazarian himself will likely bid for your services. You will serve a term of penal servitude, which will be determined by the Ithrill authorities.”

The bandits were then taken away, and the council adjourned. They were loaded onto a cart with a box containing the deceased bandit, chained down, and driven straight to Ithrill with six of the rangers providing a guard to the prisoners. As they looked overhead, a large dragon was high up. Word must have gotten to the bank already, and Cazarian must be taking a personal interest to ensure the prisoners got back to Ithrill in one piece.

As the court was dispersing, the magistrates called over Aurik and Luna.

Eldric asked, “What were you doing at Branodunum Castle, Victoria?”

Luna replied nervously, “I had a ritual to perform, Sir. As part of my chapel duties, I took it upon myself.”

Cedric laughed. “Can’t imagine what kind of ceremony needs to happen at that castle. It was ruined before the flooding, and the family were a bunch of evil scumbags. I think the locals at the time rose up and took care of them before the King of Corrith got word of their disappearance.”

“It was to check their evil hasn’t gone any further than the castle, Sir,” Luna replied, keeping her breathing slow though her heart was racing.

Isolde looked at her with a slight look of contempt. “Well, young lady, you need to make sure you take protection when doing your evil checking. You could have been captured, and who knows what could have been done to you by those ruffians. You might have been ravished or worse!”

“Sorry, Ma’am. I thought it was important, and the evil has now been checked,” Luna replied.

Aurik chuckled to himself. “Your highnesses, I don’t wish to take any more of your time, but I would recommend you keep your council for the moment. Any bounty hunters are going to sweep through town looking for the bandits, and if they capture them, well, you’ll need to hold the bandits. If they don’t, you may get some issues with the bounty hunters to deal with. Either way, once all is settled, the city of Ithrill will provide the requisite expenses and payment for the bounties.”

As the three magistrates left the makeshift courtroom, Aurik turned to Luna and in his serious voice said, “You are going to have to tell them everything, because the College of Contracts are not known for their discretion. They have a duty to warn the village of the demon portal in the castle because at some point, they will advise on how to protect the castle and make money from it.”

“How do I tell them, Aurik?” Luna asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

“I can advise you on the law, and I can advise you on the gods, but telling all of the people you know you have now entered into a contract with a demon in order to gain magical powers, that’s something you need to do. You could tell them you have married the Demon to protect the village as you were performing the ritual to protect the village.”

“Will that really work, Aurik?” Luna asked, still skeptical.

“Look, you’re better to do it while the Ithrillian Rangers are in town in case some of your local residents get all worried. So, they can step in if needed. Oh, and let them know you’re not going to curdle the milk,” Aurik said.

Luna took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, I’ll do it,” she said, her resolve strengthening.

Luna went off to her cottage to get dressed for the night at the bar, ready to break the news to the ones that knew her best and see their reaction.