Hillstad was a busy castle, full of hustle, bustle, and excited chatter. The townspeople were quite evidently abuzz over recent reports of "suspicious activity" from the mage's town, Garnam. We weren't sure exactly what that was until Shayla stepped forward and asked one of the guards keeping patrol.

"Aye, they've got some o' the cursed mages in custody right now," the guard replied. "They're interrogatin' three of 'em down in the undercity even now." He continued, mentioning that all road traffic to Garnam had been completely blocked off. "What wit' them and the Guardian Arzak, we don't want 'em comin' through and causing 'avoc."

Scott yelped in excitement. Arzak? Were the mages somehow responsible for what had happened in Insburgh? How were we to get to Garnam to find out? Scott grumbled beneath his breath, as Shayla suggested that we go down into the Undercity to get a look at these mages who were being held.

We heard a vicious argument unfolding as we approached the questioning room. We stood just outside a large wooden door with a barred window, looking on. A young woman with long purple hair was having it at the guards.

"You can't hold us here! You have no right to. We haven't done anything wrong... we're just trying to protect ourselves... and hell, we're trying to protect YOU, too. It's funny that King Hills was friendly towards our town until two damn weeks ago."

The guards scoffed, evidently paying little attention to anything she was saying. But then, something happened that none of us expected.

"I don't have time for this. I have places to be, and it's illegal for you to hold me here." She let loose with a rather brilliant spell. A yelp of pain was heard, and the door fell down before us. The purple-haired woman tore out of the room and bolted past us.

"This is our chance!" Shayla cried. "Let's follow her!"

Little did we know where she would lead us...

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