Aspen and Parvil: First Meeting

Several Years Ago

This time of day the streets were mostly quiet, more so on the separate side street where a body lay dead, as a second figure stood over the body. A human man with shaggy hair, wearing a simple white shirt with short sleeves and charcoal colored pants. Walking round the corpse taking in all the details. Writing notes as he found new observations, making new connections. He was scribbling down what he thought to be an apparent connection, when from behind him there was a faint ‘pop’ sound and a half second later footsteps on the stone.

“Freeze.” a female voice said.

The man complied as he heard the sound of wood scraping on the cobble. “A mage.” the man thought and raised his hands in a pose of surrender. “Its not what you think.” The man said smoothly. “I think we’re here for the same reason.” he added, quickly but without panic in his voice.

“Oh…you do?” the woman said with humor in her voice. “And what pray tell is what you think that reason would be.”

Hands still up, the man pointed with a finger on his right hand at the body. “Catching the sicko that did this.” Turning his head sideways a bit to try to catch the people behind him in his peripheral vision. “Am I wrong?”

Another voice cut in, a deeper unconfident voice, trying to fake it. “And why should we believe that you didn’t cause this?”

“I am Parvil Vaxis Killian.” Parvil said. “Would a killer held at … well staff point openly give their legal name?”

“Sure they would. If they believed they could get away.” The man said.

“Now how would I get away?” Parvil said. “Ask your mage there.” Parvil said, using his head to point at the woman. “No magic. And it's quite the compliment for someone I’ve only just met that they think I can outrun two mage police.”

“Leodin stand down.” the woman said, and returned her attention to Parvil. “For now you may call me Justicar Alamoore.” she said.

“That’s really long and it’ll take all day if I have to keep calling you that.” Parvil said. “But okay Justicar Alamoore.”

“Will you tell me what you are doing?” Aspen asked, seemingly to start the conversation over.

“Investigation.” Parvil said, “Can I put my hands down? They are getting tired.”

Aspen sighed, “Fine. But we are watching you. So don’t do anything stupid.”

“Can’t promise that, but won’t make any move that could be a threat.” Parvil said with a shrug. “Will that do?”
“For now.” Aspen said. “Now again, explain what you mean by investigating.”

“Right right.” Parvil said, flipping to the back of the book he was taking notes in, turning it to Aspen, and holding it out for her.

She took a moment to read the paper in the back, a document stating he was an investigator. “You are a private investigator?” she half scoffed looking over him. “No offence but you don’t look the type. Most investigators are mages of some skill, and you don’t look like you make much coin.”

“Observation is a better tool for solving the crime, sure I can’t get a b-line to the perpetrator but I get results, and I help people for what they can spare.”

Leodin spoke again, “So you consider yourself an altruist?”

Parvil shrugged. “I wouldn’t use that word no. I suppose you can.”

Leodin glared at Parvil a moment before turning to Aspen. “Are we just going to let this fool mess with the crime scene?”

“Consider me interested, Parvil. What do you make of the crime scene since you have a head start.”

Parvil took a breath. “Let’s see,” he began. “Well the body has been dead for at least six hours, it was moved here, it wasn’t a robbery, and the obvious wound wasn’t the fatal blow, and the killer wanted the body to be identified quickly.”

Aspen blinked, and raised an eyebrow. “Bold claims. Can you back them up?”

“Where should I start, Justicar?” Parvil asked.

“Are you really entertaining this?” Leodin asked.

“Hush.” Aspen said. “Continue, Parvil. Start with the time of death.”

“Body is cold, blood is cold, telltale bruising from the pooling blood in the body where its touching the street. And rigor has relaxed.”

Aspen blinked hard again. “Okay, what makes you say it was moved?”

Parvil moved his finger in the air tracing a lazy shape of the body “No blood splatter, and the blood on the clothing is brown, meaning it’s older than a few hours.”

“And what do you believe the purpose of moving it to this spot would be?” Aspen asked.

“Given the last detail I noted, I believe they wanted it found, but not too quickly.” Parvil said, “That part I haven’t figured out yet.” Parvil admitted.

Aspen nodded in understanding. “Have you determined the cause of death?” she asked, stepping forward looking over the body.

“It’s not the knife wound.” Parvil said. “That's a postmortem wound.” he said. “No indication of struggle.” Parvil added.

“Might I ask how you know that?” she said, looking at him skeptically.

“Not enough blood around the wound, and the shape is wrong for an attack wound.” Parvil said. “I’m sure you have better ways to tell than me.”

“I’m just asking questions.” Aspen said. “Lastly.” she said looking over the body one more time. “How do you know it wasn’t a robbery?”

“No turned out pockets, coins purse is still on his belt, but most glaringly…” Parvil knelt and pointed to the man’s neck. “Earth stone necklace…” then pointed to the man’s left hand. “Water stone ring.” Parvil stood again. “Mage tools.”

Aspen took note. “True but they aren’t worth much.” she stated.

“I would agree but…” Parvil said, trying to choose his words to not sound like he knew too much about the subject. “An amateur would steal them for extra money, anything can be sold and an amateur would take the risk. A professional killer would take them to make it look like a shake down with an unfortunate outcome. This…” Parvil pointed, “Was an assassination, or they were after something that we can’t track. Paperwork or something like it. But it's a message, they wanted us to find the body.”

“You got all that just from looking at the body for a few minutes?” Aspen asked.

Parvil shrugged. “I guess. A bit more time I could probably get more but I wasn’t prepared to move the body, and you got here before I could check any finer det…” Parvil stopped mid-sentence. In one movement he shoved Aspen out of the way, and his fist connected with something unseen in the air but soon flashed into view.

An elven man on the shorter side, wearing a hood, stood holding his nose. “How did you see me?”

“I didn’t.” Parvil said.

The elven man’s body started to shift, his limbs elongated, as he spoke a strange clipped magical language.

“Warlock!” Aspen shouted. Aspen shouted some magic of her own. Air drawing in and freezing at the end of the staff in a shape spear, she prepared to fire it at the warlock but it burst. Shattering before being fired. The warlock casting some form of anti-magic field.

Leodin, looked at the creature that was once an elf drew his sword…and dropped it. The blade clattered to the ground.

“Are you kidding…” Parvil thought. Parvil charged the warlock, ducking a wild swing of its clawed hand. As he dashed by he kicked the thing in the knee as hard as he could. It stumbled to the side and took a moment to get its footing back. Just enough time. Parvil grabbed Leodin’s sword from the ground and changed directions once again. Charging back towards the warlock. Who now, thinking Parvil had made a run for it, was towering over Aspen.

Aspen tried with desperation to cast another spell, as the thing laughed. Her spells turned to closed eye prayers to not die. But a sudden shriek made her open her eyes. To see the monster, a sword plunged through its chest from behind. Thrashing around trying to shake the attacker, but Parvil rode the bucking and thrashing till the thing fell forward.

Parvil pulled the blade free and lightly tossed it back at Leodin’s feet. “I think he found the killer…” Parvil said, offering Aspen a hand up.

“Thank you.” she said, shaken. “Not many would have stayed to help.”

“I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't,” he said. Parvil looked around. “You might want to call in some back up for this.” he said.

After hours of investigative work the case was more or less closed. Aspen and Leodin departed. However a few days later Aspen appeared to Parvil with a job offer.

“What happened to that Leodin guy?” He asked.

“Due to his lack of action in the field that would have caused the death of a Justicar he was reassigned. And due to your heroic action I was able to convince my superiors to give you a preliminary chance to assist me. You would be helping a lot of people.” she said.

“I usually work alone but let’s talk.” Parvil said, inviting Aspen inside.