"What do you mean he's dead?" Greyson angrily smmed the desk.

  She had just returned from the cil. She was overwhelmed with the cil's demands and the fallout. On top of that, she received regur updates from the uy that deyed her movements.

  "It was sudden," The sergeant began nervously. He stood at the position of attention, fnked by two enforcers, with more statio the exit. Sweat dripped down from his forehead. "The guards reported it immediately. We sent two ruo inform you... but they never reached you?"

  Sighing in frustration, Greyson rubbed her forehead. It was somewhat uandable given her stant movement, but the situatio strange.

  "Order those ruo be brought in for questioning," Greyson growled, gring at the sergeant who nodded sharply. "And show me the body."

  The sergeant stiffened, visibly panig. He realized he had messed up badly and dreaded his words. "The er already signed off on the paperwork. The body is being transported to the uy for burial."

  Smming the desk again, Greyson bellowed, "What?! This is a high-profile case! Get the er in here, now! He will stand behind bars within the hour!" One of the Enforcers immediately ran out.

  "And you- supetence!" Greyson jabbed a finger in his face. "Turn in your badge immediately. You're off the force!"

  Greyson uood that this was normal for uy practitioners ah cases, but this was uable given the circumstances.

  The sergeant paled. Realizing he was about to lose his main source of ine, he broke from the position of attention and raised his hands in protest. "But Sheriff, this is my first offense! I've served diligently for over five years without a single mistake!"

  "Yes, and nootless record is gone because of this 'mistake'. Mistake? You don't seem to realize the severity of this fuck up." Greyson scowled. She called past him, "Enforcers, take him away."

  "Wait- wait, please! Let me make amends!" The ex-sergeant cried out as he was dragged from the office.

  After he was removed and the sounds of struggle faded, Greyso out another frustrated sigh. She sat back down. "Send a runner, order them to return the body. At the very least, the boy should be buried somewhere det."

  "Sheriff!" An Enforcer sprinted into the office, panting heavily. "Riots have broken out across the uy!"

  Greyson stood up abruptly, armed. "What caused it?"

  "Marcus ehe Last Drop with some Enforcers and started a fight," the enforcer reported. Greyson's eyes widened in horror as he tinued. "Uy residents were injured- kids too. They are holding him hostage."

  Leaving her desk, Greyson strode past the rep Enforcer, shouting orders as she moved. "Have every lieutenant and sergea to me immediately. Put every enforcer on high alert and send reinforts to the bridges now!"

  -------------------

  "What a strange body..." A curious voice rang in Orion's ears as he started tain sciousness. "These scars are highly unusual."

  Orio a needle pierce his arm, followed by a kting into one of his scars to peel away samples. His body spasmed in pain, a shout esg him before he faded away again.

  "Remarkable!" An astonished voice cried out as he briefly regained sciousness. "These wounds-"

  He faded out once more.

  Silco's low voice slithered into his ears. "Will he survive?"

  "Yes, given time," An older, raspy voice replied.

  Orion's head rolled around as he slowly opened his eyes. He was in the observatory, the eerie depths of the sea visible through a nearby window.

  With a smirk, Silco taunted him from a velvet chair, "Back from the dead?"

  Coughing, Orion's body ached as he id on a metal table, new pains added to the old.

  "The time for secrets is over, Orion." Silco said with a cold gaze.

  Orion bli Silco, then at the unfamiliar man stepping into view. He blinked again- it was Singed, or Reveck, before his injuries from the explosion.

  Singed frowned as Orion's expressiorayed his reition. Silmed in amusement, "Oh? Ued."

  Sighing, Singed closing his eyes as though disied in Orion's apparent familiarity. His i was elsewhere.

  "Your previous wounds- I took a sample out of curiosity," Singed said. "I hope you don't mind."

  "What?" Orion croaked, gng down to see fresh patches on his shoulder, side, leg, and two other spots that were never injured previously.

  Coughing through gritted teeth, Orio Singed, "Why the fuck wouldn't you ask first? Of course, I mind!"

  "sider it payment, then," Singed chuckled softly with a pathy. "I'll be overseeing your recovery." His voice trailed off as he turned his attention to a lit up dish pte before looking back at Orion.

  Silained silent, his crimson gaze fixed on Orion with growing intrigue as he leaned forward.

  "You were receiving special treatment. Elixirs, correct?" Singed asked. Orion stiffened uneasily at the question, his mind flickering to the fresh patches on his old scars that had been previously healed with magic.

  Orion nodded slowly.

  "As I thought," Singe grunted in satisfa. "Unfortunately for you, however, I discovered your secret. You're capable of using magic, aren't you?"

  Orion didn't answer, at a loss for words. Singe eyed him and gruaking his silence as aowledgement before turning away.

  Silco's eyes widened with shock, his posture straightening at he stared at Orion. Apparently, Singed decided to wait to reveal it.

  "A mage in the uy..." Silco said in disbelief, running a hand through his hair. He paused, his gaze hardening as it fixed on Singed. "How do you know?"

  Singed, who had walked back to the dish, spoke with a mixture of fasation and envy in his tone. "I theorized mages have unique body positions, altered through the use of magic. Their bodies are more resilient, their tissues meive. Its araordinary alchemical quality- one I've dreamed of replig."

  He turned back to Orion, "Your existence proves my theory true. The manipution of magic leaves an imprint."

  "So what?" Orion groaned, disliking where this versation was headed. "You want to cut me up and use me for your experiments?"

  "Not precisely." Singed replied, his gaze studying Orion ily. It felt unnerving, as if he was a live experiment being observed.

  "A mage in Zaun," Silused, running a finger over his corrupted skin. "What the cil wouldn't give to see you banished or destroyed. gratutions, Orion. You're moving up in the world." He chuckled mogly toward the end.

  Orion sighed, his gaze drifting to the ceiling.

  "What type of magic are you capable of?" Singed asked with curiosity.

  A moment of silence followed.

  'Wait,' Orion thought, 'He has a daughter...'

  Wheurned his head back to Singed and Silco, it was quite a sight. Singed's eager, expet expression and Silco's wide eyed intrigue bore into him. There was no ing back from what he would say.

  "Many types," Orion said relutly, his voice low. "Including healing magic."