"What're you doing here?" Virgil snapped his head up, eyes opened to find Clara standing in the doorway of her apartment. She looked tired, too tired to deal with him, and yet a slight look of concern painted her expression as clear as day. "I asked you something."

"Oh, sorry," the humanoid apologized. "I think I- I must've fallen asleep."

Clara groaned. "Whatever, just get out."

"No, Clara," Virgil said. He hurried off the couch, and started wading through the sea of clothes. "Not until you tell me what's going on here."

"Nothing's going on here," she replied. The girl filled a glass full of water from the kitchen sink, and continued to evade her gaze from the visitor. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yes, there is," Virgil argued. He pressed on until he made it into the kitchen, approaching the girl until he had her cornered. "Clara-"

As quick as she was to turn away, she wasn't quick enough. Virgil had seen the bruise, and in a low voice, asked, "Clara, what did he do to you?"

"It wasn't him!" she shouted. "And it's none of your business!"

"Clara, what he's doing is abuse- I would know!" A burning boil in his blood was reaching its steaming point within Virgil. He felt himself grow red in the face, and his nails begin to lengthen into claws. "The Clara I know would never tolerate this from anyone. Just tell me where he is, and I'll kill him!"

"NO!"

"Why not?!"

"Because he's all I got!"

Time stood still in the apartment as the two processed what had been said. Virgil couldn't believe his ears. All she had? Clearly, she didn't remember the war. "Clara, you always had me and Jules to-"

"No! No," the woman shot back. "No, I don't. Not since the split. You saw how angry Jules was with me when I chose to go with Edison instead of her. She'd never forgive me. Never! And Finnegan died, Virgil, I saw him with my own eyes. I watched him bleed out on that bed. He's not coming back!"

Clara collapsed into tears, barely holding herself up as she fell into Virgil's arms. The humanoid held her close as he tried to calm her down. It was a moment before any real words were said, sobbing turning into crying and into sniffling. When he felt Clara has quieted herself quite a bit, he started: "Clara, Jules could never hate you. You were her closest friend. If anything, I bet she missed you after all these years."

She sniffled. "Really?"

"Yes. And Clara, I watched him die just the same as you. If anything, I was the reason he died. But I watched him get up from that bed and meet with Edison and Jules before he left camp that night. I know he's alive. Would I lie to you?" Clara shook her head. "That's right, I wouldn't, so please, believe me when I say Jules loved you like a sister, and Finnegan is alive, okay?"

The woman paused, lifting her head from Virgil's embrace. "I can believe you with Jules, but...I'll need to see Finnegan to believe it."

Virgil released Clara from his arms and nodded. "Fair enough." The humanoid began walking toward the door. "I'll be back to check on you later. Stay safe, okay?"

She smirked. "No promises."

As Virgil left the apartment, his resolve hardened back at its full force. Not only would he avenge his wife, he would avenge her friend, too.

With all those clothes, Virgil gathered that Clara must be in some sort of show, and what better place for a show than the casino? At the heart of Orfcynn stood a massive circular building, stretching from floor to ceiling of the caverns. It was a majestic structure, made of gold-colored bricks and obsidian pillars towering above him like a temple to wealth and misfortune. The neon lights of the games inside beckoned onlookers to make their way inside and test their luck on the machines, risking it all to make a few bucks. He could already smell the booze and cigarettes.

Virgil clenched his fists and exhaled. He'd find that crooked mayor and get to the bottom of this mystery if it was the last thing he did. The sentient made his way into the building, and immediately hid behind a large plant by the entrance when he saw two people: Finnegan and Edison.

What is Finnegan doing in Orfcynn? Virgil thought. Isn't he still fighting with Edison? Their meeting was highly unusual, given their history during the war; Virgil had to find out more. He followed to two as they made their way across the casino floor, past the slot machines, through the poker table area, and all the way to the back of the casino. The two stopped, turned to make sure no one was watching, and waited. The outline of a door frame slowly slid into the wall, and turned inward to reveal a secret passage. Finnegan and Edison made their way down the staircase and out of sight.

Virgil was shocked, but not surprised the casino had a secret tunnel. Obviously, there had to be areas where prying eyes couldn't see; how else would high limit gamblers make their bets? But was Finnegan just another gambler? Virgil didn't have much time to think, as the door to the passage was closing, and he had to decide whether or not to follow the two. The humanoid sprinted from his hiding place behind the poker table and slid through the opening just as the door slid shut, trapping him inside. That was close, he thought. But just as he was about to start his descent, the door opened again to reveal- "Clara?"

"Oh, don't act so surprised to see me," she retorted. "I know what you're doing, and I'm here to stop you."

Virgil could still hear the sound of echoing footsteps down the spiral staircase, indicating the two leaders were still close by. He shushed his friend and said, "Clara, I need to go."

"No, you don't. We're going back to my- hey!" Realizing he wouldn't be able to make Clara go away, Virgil knew he'd have to bring her along. He yanked the girl inside the tunnel just as the door began to close. It was too late to turn back now. Clara hit the back of Virgil's head. "What'd you do that for?!"

Virgil shushed the girl again. "Quiet. They'll hear us."

"They? You mean Edison, right?"

"No, come on."

The humanoid led Clara down the stone stairs as quietly as possible, slow to keep their footsteps as silent as they could. It took a while, but eventually, the two wanderers came to the bottom of the staircase. They clung to the entrance of the doorway before Virgil peeked in and his jaw dropped. The hallway opened up into a massive room, one nearly as large as the casino floor upstairs, curving up into a rocky dome above him. Sconces lined the walls of the hollowed out cave, illuminating the mystery cavern to the secret onlooker. A dozen tunnels or so ran off in all different directions, each lit by a line of torches going down them. Mine carts stood positioned before each one, ready and willing on a set of rails. It was an underground railroad in the making.

Virgil couldn't believe his eyes; it was a revolutionary concept, surely, one that would impact everyday life as he knew it. Travel between the kingdoms would be cut down dramatically. Commerce would increase, and isolation would be a thing of the past. It was extraordinary, but why was it a secret underground? And why was Finnegan here? Was he partners with Edison? Virgil had too many questions with too little answers, causing him to remain frozen as he looked on in awe.

"What?" Clara asked, irritated by the wait. "What is it?" The blonde quickly peeked from behind the entrance and let out a theatrical gasp. "It's-" Virgil dove form his spot and tackled Clara to the ground, out of sight behind the entrance. He curled around the girl and held her mouth fast as she struggled and cried. He knew she'd seen Finnegan, and he knew she'd ruin his plan to secrecy if she wasn't stopped. Eventually, the girl turned around in his grip and collapse into tears. "That man looks like- He looks like Finnegan!"

"I know," he whispered. "I know.

"Why would he dress like Finnegan? He's dead! Dead!"

"I know." Virgil could only comfort the girl as he tried to calm her down. He hoped to the Muse that the two leaders hadn't heard her. Strange, he didn't hear anything coming from the caverns. Maybe they had-

"I should've known you two would be here." Virgil flinched and Clara gasped again in the presence of none other than Edison. The mayor looked down on them with frustration and suspicion, his arms crossed and his frown deep. Annoyance emanated off the man in charge, only adding to the intimidation factor he held over the two. Virgil gulped. He knew the mayor was ruthless, but how ruthless?

Edison grabbed Clara by the wrist. "Get up." The man violently pulled Clara to her feet and threw her against the wall behind her. "You're coming with me. Virgil, Finnegan would like to see you. Let's go." As Edison marched Clara back up the spiral staircase, Virgil slowly came to a stand. What could Finnegan possibly want with him? Heart filling with anxiety, the humanoid entered the large cavern to seal his fate.

The cave was empty, and considerably darker; all the torches lining the tunnels had been put out except for one. Virgil approached the lit tunnel, curious as to why this one had been left untouched. But when he finally reached its entrance, Virgil could barely believe what he saw: a sign next to the entrance of the tunnel read "GICELA". It was a railway leading to where he lived.

Oooh what are Finnegan and Edison planning?? The mystery continues in the depths of Orfcynn! What'll happen next? You'll just have to wait and find out! Stay tuned!

-Zym