The town of Grimsby was located on the outskirts of the Academy's territory, about a hour's journey by foot, where he should make contact with a specified individual and get the letter.
As he walked, Alexander couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Every so often, he would glance over his shoulder, but there was nothing there—just the trees and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind and save for a few birds flitting through the branches overhead.
"Relax, Alexander," he muttered to himself, trying to calm his nerves. "You're just being paranoid."
Shrugging it off as nerves, he continued on his way, keeping a brisk pace as he headed toward the nearby town. The sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape, and the cool breeze carried the scent of wildflowers from the fields that bordered the road.
After about an half hour of walking, Alexander stopped to rest by a small stream, taking a few moments to drink some water and catch his breath. As he sat on the grassy bank, consulting the map the clerk had given him. Then his gaze drifted upward, and he spotted a few crows circling high above him. Before him, the path split in two, and he was supposed to take the left fork, which would lead him to the destination marked with an "X".
After another half hour of walking, Alexander finally reached the end of the path, where the town of Grimsby lied. It was a quiet, unassuming place, nestled in a valley surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests.
As Alexander approached, he could see the rooftops of small houses peeking out from behind the trees, their chimneys puffing out thin streams of smoke that disappeared into the overcast sky. The streets were narrow and winding, lined with cobblestones that had seen better days. It was a place that seemed to have been forgotten by time, where the pace of life was slow and the people kept to themselves.
Alexander pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders as he walked down the main street, his eyes scanning the buildings for the address he had been given. The map he had received at the mission hall had led him here, to Grimsby, and he was supposed to meet a contact in one of the houses to pick up a package for delivery. The task seemed simple enough on the surface, but the generous reward made him wary. Nothing in the magical world was ever as straightforward as it seemed.
After a few minutes of searching, Alexander finally spotted the house he was looking for. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage with a sagging roof and peeling paint, nestled between two larger, sturdier homes. He approached the front door and knocked three times, just as the instructions had specified.
A few moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a tall, thin man with piercing green eyes. His clothes were plain and his hair was slicked back from his forehead. He looked Alexander up and down, and took a sniff.
"You must be the courier," the man said, his voice low and gravelly. "Come in."
Alexander stepped inside, his senses immediately on high alert. The interior of the house was dimly lit, with only a few candles casting flickering shadows on the walls. The air was heavy with the scent of herbs and something else—something metallic and sharp, like the smell of blood.
The man gestured for Alexander to sit, and then walked over to a table where a sealed letter and a small package wrapped in brown paper sat. "Delver Nox. And this is what you need to deliver," the man said, picking up the items and handing them to Alexander. "The letter and the package are both for Liliana Nox. She is the current head of the Nox family and lives in the city of Blackstone. Do you know the way?"
Alexander nodded, picking up the letter and package. "I've heard of it. It's one days' journey from here."
The man's lips curled into a thin smile. "Good. Liliana Nox is expecting these items. Make sure they get to her safely, and you will also be well compensated."
After receiving the package and letter from the mysterious man in Grimsby, Alexander quickly tucked them into his satchel. He felt a strange, lingering unease in the house and wanted to leave as soon as possible. The contact's behavior had been odd, but the encounter had gone smoothly enough—no dark magic, no sudden attacks, just a simple exchange.
"Thank you," Alexander said with a nod, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'll make sure these get to Liliana Nox safely."
The man gave him a curt nod in return, his eyes narrowing slightly. "See that you do. The Nox family doesn't take kindly to delays or mistakes."
Alexander nodded again, turning on his heel and heading out the door. He took a deep breath of the fresh air outside, the cool breeze a welcome contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside the house. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he walked down the narrow path leading away from the supression.
It wasn't long before Alexander noticed a man approaching from the opposite direction. The man stood out even from a distance: he was tall and muscular, with wild black hair and a rugged, handsome face marred by a jagged scar that ran from his temple to his jaw. Despite the intimidating scar, there was a strange allure to his rugged features, a kind of primal beauty that drew attention.
He seemed out of place in this quiet town, more like a hunter or a warrior than a villager. "Excuse me," the man said, his voice deep and rough. "I'm looking for Mr. Delver. Can you tell me where he lives?"
"Mr. Delver?"
Without thinking much of it, Alexander repeated, nodding slowly. "Yes, it's back that way, about a ten-minute walk." He pointed down the street, indicating the direction he had come from. "Just follow the road until you reach a small blue house with a crooked chimney. You can't miss it."
The man's eyes flicked in the direction Alexander pointed, a strange gleam in his gaze. "Thank you," he said, a smile pulling at his lips. "I appreciate it."
As the man turned to head in the direction Alexander had indicated, Alexander caught a glimpse of something unusual peeking out from beneath the man's long coat—a tuft of fur. A moment later, he saw it: a long, bushy tail slipped out from beneath the man's coat for just a moment before disappearing again.
Alexander's heart skipped a beat, and his mind raced with realization. A tail. The man wasn't human; he was something else, something dangerous. He glanced down at his satchel, his mind racing as he pieced together the clues. This man was after Delver Nox, and whatever was in the package and letter.
Suddenly, the contact's strange behavior and his bad feeling in heart made sense. Alexander's instincts screamed at him to get out of there, and fast.
Alexander spun around, heading straight back toward the town. He quickened his pace, his eyes scanning the street for any sign of a carriage or a means of escape. The town was small, and he knew he didn't have much time before the man realized something was wrong.
Fortunately, as he neared the town center, he spotted a carriage waiting near the market square. Its driver, a middle-aged man with a grizzled beard and a friendly smile, was chatting with a vendor, his back turned to Alexander.
"Excuse me," Alexander said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I need to get to Blackstone as quickly as possible. Can you take me?"
The driver raised an eyebrow at Alexander's urgent demeanor. "Blackstone, eh? That's a day's journey from here. It'll cost you a pretty penny."
Alexander nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the pouch of coins Cedric had given him. "I have some money. Please, it's urgent."
The driver's gaze softened slightly as he saw the pouch of coins. "Alright, lad. Hop in. But you better be ready to pay up when we get there."
Alexander climbed into the carriage, sinking into the worn leather seat with a sigh of relief. As the driver cracked the reins and the carriage started moving, Alexander leaned back, his mind racing with thoughts of the encounter with the man. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this task than he had been told.
Meanwhile, the tall man with the scar on his face approached Delver Nox's house cautiously, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The house looked just as Alexander had described—small and run-down, with faded blue paint and a crooked chimney.
He pushed the door open without bothering to knock, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit interior for any sign of Delver. But the house was empty. The fire in the hearth had burned down to embers, and the table where Delver had met with Alexander was now deserted.