"They are going well," the older man responded. "I have managed to acquire a seat on the ruling council and have been sending back regular reports of their activities."

"Excellent, then you can tell me all you know about Natalia Stormwind. It was you that alerted the Volstrum, was it not?"

"It was," replied Virgil. "News first came to us by way of another council member, a woman named Arabel Calderra."

"And she knows of our involvement?" asked Nezerov, with a hint of a threat.

"No, Lord, she only thought the woman was acting suspiciously. It seems they became acquainted on the trip to Corassus when the lady was returning from a trip overseas."

"And how did that alert her?"

"Well," continued Virgil, "she demonstrated her power of water on the trip, and later, when Arabel asked her what business she had in Corassus, she claimed to be looking for information about her family. The name Sartellian was mentioned."

"A strange choice of names to drop," remarked Nezerov.

"My thoughts exactly. Lady Calderra reported this information to the Temple Knights of Saint Cunar, they patrol the streets here. It didn't take me long to hear of it."

"And Natalia Stormwind, was she apprehended?"

"I'm afraid not," said Virgil. "She must have sensed a trap, for she never returned to her lodgings."

"What did you do at that point?"

"The Cunars took it upon themselves to investigate further. Apparently, she was in the company of a man calling himself Athgar."

"That name means nothing to me," said Nezerov.

"He's said to be a Therengian."

"What of it? Is he dangerous?"

"It seems he is capable of using Fire Magic," Virgil explained.

"Surely not," said Nezerov, "we wiped all of them out years ago. Are you sure?"

"We have corroborating witnesses. He demonstrated the use of fire several times during his trip here, and his control was said to be exceptional."

"Meaning?" asked Nezerov.

"Meaning he's been trained by someone proficient in the arts."

"Impossible," said the Fire Mage, "only the family can provide such training."

"And yet, the accounts are quite clear."

"An interesting tale," said Nezerov, "but my objective remains the same, the girl Natalia."

"And the other?" asked Virgil.

"He likely knows her secret and must be silenced. What steps have you taken to find her, so far?"

"We received a tip as to her whereabouts. During their trip to Corassus, they travelled aboard a Temple ship, along with a Mathewite known as Brother Cyric. He had just been assigned to take over the command of a mission his order maintains here in Corassus. Thinking he might be hiding them, we sent a group of knights to search the place, but they came up empty-handed."

"You sent knights?" asked Nezerov. "Where did you get those?"

"Yes, Temple Knights of the Order of Saint Cunar. We have a certain...influence over them."

"How many of these knights know of her connection to the family?"

"Very few," offered Virgil.