Once the sun rose, I gathered Kyla and the Phoenix Four.
"Tonight we have a job, but today you are all going to be heading out to find some information for me and to deliver some messages," I explained, and then looked at Fawna, and she nodded.
"Yes, I will stay with you," She said, and I nodded, appreciating her ability more and more for my lack of having to explain things to her.
"Good. Before I give everyone jobs, I want to know what you would normally be doing? You were spying before for Aquaking, so I want to know the things that you were looking into and who you were reporting to. You are going to have to keep reporting to them, but I plan on coming to meet with them as well," I explained, and Rax spoke up.
"Don't you think that will be a bad idea?" He asked, but Fawna turned on him with a glare.
"Stop asking questions that don't concern you and that you don't want to know the answer to! I can't protect you if Razor decides that you are too nosey and thinks you are better off dead!" She snapped, and Rax went pale and looked down. This girl was starting to grow on me.
"Enough yapping. Tell me about what you were looking into," I ordered, and Fawna turned back to me with a nod.
"We were mainly sent by Aquaking to infiltrate different businesses where we would use both our enchanting and illusion-casting abilities to either uncover secrets or manipulate people into giving us access to restricted areas. We were also tasked with gathering intel on Ned and any other rulers in rival countries. We often used disguises, magic, and shadow agents to remain undetected by law enforcement. Additionally, we were connected to criminal organizations like the Zaraki Family, Manta Clan, and Kaido Syndicate to gain access to valuable resources."
Fawna explained, her face serious and focused. It was clear that she was an expert at her craft and was invaluable to our cause. I thanked her for the information and then looked around at the others.
"I have jobs for all of you now. Rax, I need you to use your magic to gain access to a restricted area. Fawna, I need you to gather intel on Ned and his allies. Zarek, I want you to investigate any unusual magical activity in the city, and Coron, I need you to find me, someone who can help us uncover secrets that no one else can," I said, and they all nodded their heads before departing. It was time for them to prove just how valuable they could be.
"Where do you want me to gain access to?" Rax asked, seeming relieved with his job.
"Ned's Jail. I need to know where he is keeping the others like me and what else he is doing there. I don't want you to steal anything, just report what you see. This is something that you can do, right?" I asked, and the color drained from everyone's face.
"I know that we shouldn't complain, but that is as good as sending Rax to his death. There are too many magical wards in the castle to prevent illusion magic, and anyone that goes in Ned's dungeon never comes out after," Fawna pleaded, and I sighed, but I had assumed it might be too hard.
"Fine, then I would like to know exactly who is imprisoned in the city jail. I am sure that they have their own personal jail, right? Someplace for normal people that break laws?" I asked, and Rax nodded excitedly.
"Yes! This is something I can do! I actually know a lot of the people there, but I can get a full list and let you know which ones are more important than others. The Order of Salvation is known for making up charges to lock people up and hold them. They are always trying to put the crime families away, but too many of the city guards have their pockets lined by them or their families threatened," Rax explained, and I nodded.
"Standard tactics when it comes to the laws. Get me a list, and make sure to mark the names that show the most promise," I said; and Rax nodded his head excitedly, then Coron put up his hand.
"How am I supposed to find someone that can uncover secrets that no one else can?" The boy asked in confusion.
"Your task is not one that needs to be completed right away. You have a very powerful ability to control people's minds, so I want you to use this ability to gather information about the Black Blades and the Shadow Rats. From what I have been hearing, they are both fighting with each other and the other small-time gangs. I hear that people die almost every day in these scuffles, right?" I asked, and Fawna spoke up.
"Yeah, but we know that just The Kaido and Zaraki families squash any start-up gangs. If you look at the reports of people killed, there will almost never be any from the Black Blades or the Shadow Rats. They just make it look like a turf war between them, but they are actually working together," She explained, and I hummed at this.
"Strange for them to work so closely," I said, but Fawna shook her head.
"That is the only time that they work together. Any other time they go for the throat of each other. They are just more scared of the bigger families, so the smaller ones are forced to listen. They are basically the guard dogs for Kaido and Zaraki," she explained.
"What about Alizra?" I asked, and Fawna paused for a moment, then nodded.
"You mean the Grand Mistress Manta. She heads the Magic Council, so she has the mages to defend her and has no reason to fight for territory. Kaido and Zaraki both stay clear of Deaths Grove, Grand Mistress Manta's corner of the city, on the west side, but most people do. Many of the people she employs work with Necromancy, and Elos, God of Darkness, is feared by almost everyone. Thirty years ago, before we were born, Elos gained power and was able to descend for a year. That part of history is the first time that a god was denied by everyone, even his own people. He was still able to cast a shadow over the land that scarred the memory of the horrors the people endured at that time. So, now Necromancy is seen as bad, but because of the god, Elos, not because of the actual magic," Fawna explained, and I patted her head.