MLIV C1, P3- "Virulent Acclaim"

"Virulent Acclaim" is the third Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's first Chapter.
It was released on 07.05.2022.
== Plot ==
Much to their surprise, Adam and his allies find a friendly townswoman in the middle of the battlefield. Emotionally scarred by the deaths of Nightgrove's supposed defenders, she willingly cooperates and takes the three of them for a walk around the town, showing them some of the more prominent landmarks that make up its troubled history.
Even though our heroes' guide seems friendly enough to be an innocent citizen, her eyes betray unnerving signs of untrustworthiness. Her smile seems genuine, yet hides some kind of malevolence beneath.
Could this be a trap of some sort?
== Story ==
As Jon and Akira look around, Adam approaches the woman who decided to give them a tour.
"By the way, you never told us your name."- He says to her- "I hate to be rude, but I want to know more about someone before I can trust them."
The woman nods.
"Ahh. I understand."- She says- "I am a renowned person in this town. It's not uncommon for people to ask me questions like those."
She smiles.
"I go by the name Ana Prado. As a long-time citizen of Nightgrove, I have been helping people since I was a teenager, like you are right now."- She says- "I began as a simple member of the cleaning crew in an inn not too far from here. The innkeeper was paying me little and I wasn't satisfied by the results of my hard work. I wanted to leave as soon as possible, to find a better place to live and work in. And yet, this was not the end of the tale. Far from it."
She smiles again, this time sadly.
"One day, our beautiful town was attacked by a group of bandits. Miscreants and malcontents who only did dirty work, in exchange for pay. And, unfortunately, we were in the middle of some kind of conflict."- She adds- "When those outlaws arrived in town, everyone shunned them because of who they were. And yet, they had the guts to threaten and rob them while leaving them alive as witnesses to what they were about to do. Then, without a warning, they entered the inn and aimed their guns at us Yelled that we were marked or something and that everyone would pay if they didn't cooperate. Of course, our innkeeper, that useless bag of bones that he used to be, stepped up and threatened them, forcing the bandits to shoot him on the spot. Many others were slain. We had no hope for salvation as more of them joined the gunfight and fired bullets at us. That was until he came."
She looks up at the sky.
"There is a man who's never been afraid of doing the right thing. Someone who became a true macho at the right time. And it was thanks to him that we made it out alive."- She says- "His name is Michael Mcguire. He answered our pleas for help, barging into the inn and jumping on one of the tables. Believe me, the bandits were very surprised when they saw him. Thus, what happened next isn't surprising. A bit of smoke and mirrors and everything was back to normal. All of the outlaws were dead. We were saved."
Adam smiles.
"It sounds like you have your own vigilantes over here."- He says- "Helping people is a truly honorable task. I am glad that there are people who are taking it to heart."
Ana nods.
"After those painful events, I was head over heels for him. Hearing that he was a bachelor made my heart beat much faster. I was in love."- She says- "One day, I met him while he was sitting in our bar. I talked to him, seduced him into watching me all the time. All of the girls were dreaming they could have him, but his eyes were on me. And then, we had our first kiss. It was so romantic, so exciting. We stayed together for months. And then, after a long wait, he proposed to me. He gave me the chance to become his one and only. And, of course, I accepted. Such a deal was once in a lifetime and I refused to let it go. When he asked me where we would like to live, I hinted that this place would be perfect. His love for punishing crime was going to be easily rewarded and my chances to watch my beloved defeat villains were more than enough. In addition, this place brings so many memories in my mind. It was the most wonderful honeymoon and I do not regret it."
Jon sighs.
"Yeah, yeah. We get it. Love was in the air. Birds were chirping. Leaves were rustling. Of course."- He says- "Can we just cut to the main course? I'm tired of having to wait like this, you know?"
Akira giggles.
"Oh, come on, Jon! You know that Gloria felt the same way about you, don't you?"- She exclaims- "When I first met her, she was so inamorated, so positive about making a proper family and getting away from that cold cave. She was always talking about you, hoping that you would return and take her in your arms. Yes. That girl was head over heels for you and she never stopped loving you, even after you had to leave her behind. If that isn't true love, I don't know what could be."
Jon blushes.
"She... she did?"- He says- "I never noticed that!"
Akira grins.
"Well, you will see it as soon as you return home."
Ana smiles.
"Hearing that there's people who love each other brings joy to my broken heart."- She says- "And yet, the boy is right. We must continue this ride."
She takes a step forward.
"So, why don't you come and join me?"
As Jon stands by her side, Akira leans closer to her brother.
"Umm, Adam. I hate to interrupt our fateful journey, but I think that I have a bad feeling right now."- She whispers to him- "Do you think that it's a good idea to trust this stranger? What if she turns out to be something else than, you know, an innocent bystander in the middle of this dangerous town? Should we be on our guard, in case something actually goes wrong?"
Adam thinks about this for a second. Deep within his thoughts, he senses the uncertainty that slowly makes its way further into his mind. He is well-aware that this could be a well-devised trap that their enemies have set up for them and that, in the worst case scenario, it could be understandably fatal.
And yet, he comes to the conclusion that they have no choice. Danger or not, it is morally wrong to abandon a friend in need to whatever darkness is haunting him right now. No matter the risks, they must make their way past the shadows and toward the light.
He sighs and nods.
"Yes, Aki. I think that I feel the same way. And yet, it is not worth turning back. If we do, everyone is going to be angry at us for not doing the right thing again."- He whispers- "However, I want you to rest assured that I will not ignore the evil that has seeped into every corner of this place. Should our escorts turn out to be on the other side of this conflict, I will be ready. And I want you to be, too. So, make your peace with whatever gods you believe in and stand by my side. I assure you that everything will be alright."
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"Do you promise that?"
Adam smiles.
"Normally, I cannot make any promises until I am absolutely sure of something."- He whispers- "But for you, I am ready to promise anything. So yes, I promise."
Adam turns to Ana and nods.
"We are ready to join you, Ms. Prado."- He says to her- "I think that we will find a mutual benefactor in this exploration."
Ana smiles.
"You will not regret it, mi hijo."
The four of them walk around the town of Nightgrove, admiring the beauty that is still unmarred by vagabonds and miscreants.
"Many people claim that our town is nothing more than a dot in the face of the world. A simple peon on the grand board that those above us use to to direct the events happening in this world."- She says- "And yet, we turned out to be much more than they expected us to be."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"So, what is so special about this place?"- He asks her- "Are those people just outright jealous of what you have done so far?"
Ana smiles and shakes her head.
"I assure you that Nightgrove is more than just a simple settlement."- She says- "For many years, our townsfolk have worked hard to provide numerous precious minerals for the outside world. Many people have stumbled into our inns and seeked their fortunes, hoping to make a profit out of a deal. With time, many trades were made. Our population grew and so did the size of our lovely town. Happy miners hauled out the raw materials that were hidden deep beneath the soil that we walk on and enthusiastic adventurers cleared out any monsters that dared to trouble them. Everything was going well for us, most of the time. And yet, we never realized something important. When you gain great power, you also gain great problems."
She sighs.
"As our population grew, so did the criminal activity."- She starts to elaborate- "Thieves, both from this town and outside of it, made their way into the mines and robbed the miners, the people who only wanted to live their lives and work hard. Many were horrified by those unjust acts, so they decided to act against them. A vigilante group was formed from many volunteers and armed itself against the ones who dared to threaten the peace. They fought the bandits on many occasions, scaring them off or, in the worst situations, kill them in front of their friends. After many months of showing them that they have no place in a town like this, the rest of their gangs were forced to flee. Everything turned back to normal, but at a terrible cost- the lives of our innocent civilians."
Akira leans close to Adam.
"You know, I think that I don't completely believe her."- She whispers to him- "I can see that the vigilantes managed to scare off the outlaws here. But what happened to the innocents who would normally walk on the streets, engrossed in whatever task they have for the day? Where did they go?"
Adam nods.
"I will find an answer to that."- He whispers- "Just stay alert. If there are any outlaws left in this town, they will not be quiet about what we just did to their friends."
Ana notices that her companions are feeling rather worried, but takes no action. Such an attitude is not unfamiliar to her and she shows little to no concern about it.
"So."- She says- "Do you want to know more about this place? Or is it enough for you?"
Adam nods.
"Lead the way, Ms. Prado."
The four of them continue walking around the town.
"You might notice that some of the buildings are rather scorched and... damaged."- Ana says grimly- "What happened back there was a pain to us, since it was nothing more than a simple accident."
Akira sighs.
"Sure. A simple accident."- She mutters- "Right. I believe it."
Ana looks around.
"A few years ago, there was a fire. Someone threw a lit match on the ground or something to that extent."- She says- "It doesn't matter, though. Not anymore. When the flames engulfed a large portion of Nightgrove, we were scarred by the things that happened. The screams of the doomed quickly faded into the night as our mages attempted to put them out. And I can still hear them. It was more than just a minor issue. What happened out there... was the act of god. We were punished for whatever mistakes we made in the past and paid dearly for being so weak. So, we learned from what happened back then and strengtened our defenses. Prevented anyone from carrying anything dangerous to us. But the pain remained. And I think that it will never go away."
Adam nods.
"Someday, whoever did this must be brought to justice, no matter if it was intentional or on purpose."- He says- "Events like those are what define us, however. Thanks to them, we embrace the past and stare at the future with a clear conscience. I am glad that you managed to stop the flames before they became more widespread."
Ana sighs.
"Maybe you're right. Sometimes, we think that we were just too soft with them."- She says- "And yet, this is what makes us feel whole. Learning from mistakes like those has been our priority for years. It is what made our citizens remember their true purpose in this world and act in favor of rebuilding what we lost, what we deserve to have for ourselves. And yet, we never forgot. Dangers are everywhere around us. Every moment that we spent being afraid of the dark... is a time when we failed to redeem ourselves."
Adam nods.
"And yet, to this very day and age, you still have to learn."
Ana smiles.
"Mark my words, my boy."- She says to him- "Ever since you are brought into this world, you start to understand all that is around you. It takes forever for some to learn all they want to know, but people like us learn fast. It's what makes us special."
As they continue to walk around, Adam notices a pool of blood near the entrance to one of the houses.
"Oh my god."- He says- "What happened over there?"
Ana notices this and shrugs.
"I'm sure that it's fine."- She says- "One of the butchers must have accidentally released an animal and killed it before it caused trouble. It's what happens here most of the time. Don't be scared of it."
Akira shakes her head.
"I'm certain that this didn't belong to an animal."- She says to herself- "Things are bad. Really bad. And if we stay here, we might... might..."
Adam sighs.
"I understand."- He says- "Is there anything else of interest left around here?"
Ana smiles and shakes her head apologetically.
"I'm afraid that our town's too small to handle anything else."- She says- "Now, do you want me to take you to someone else? Or do you want to... take your leave?"
Adam and Akira stare at each other for a moment.
"Maybe it's a good time to make our way out of here."- She whispers to him- "If we stay for any longer than this, I might lose my mind."
Adam shrugs.
"Take it easy, Aki. I am sure that we will be alright."- He says- "Besides, we still have to find out where Derek is. Maybe it is a good idea to ask around before we make our way further into the mess."
He nods to Ana. 
"We need to talk to the leader of this town."- He says to her- "Do you know where he is?"
Ana smiles.
"I'm sure that he would love to meet y'all."- She says- "Come along. I'll take you to him."
The four of them walk into a cramped building and meet a tall, worried man. He has a gun sitting on his desk, but it is clear that he does not possess the spirit of a warrior.
"Welcome, adventurers."- He says and shakes Adam's hand- "I'm glad that Ana brought help for us. It's invigorating to know that we'll finally get rid of our enemies."
He looks at Adam.
"You're here because of that... right?"
Adam sighs.
"We know not of any disputes you and your people might have."- He says- "All that we want to know are the whereabouts of our friend. Once we have settled that, we will leave without invoking your wrath. Rest assured of that."
The man sighs.
"It's always the same."- He mutters- "Every day, Wesley Mcguire is at the bottom of the food chain, forced to suffer while his comrades watch him from afar."
He looks up at Adam.
"We're aware of why you came here. This town is small, so it's easy to understand what our visitors want to do."- He says- "Yes. Derek Darkheart made his way in here. Said that he would free us from the evil that plagues us. And yet, he has only managed to cause trouble."
Adam nods.
"You want to get rid of him?"- He asks- "I am sure that it is not worth the trouble. He is an honorable man."
Ana sighs.
"I hate to say it, but our warriors beg to differ."
Wesley nods.
"Honorable or not, he must be stopped. If not, our peace may be blown to pieces."- He says- "We must organize a manhunt. Drive him out of his hiding hole and force him to pay for his crimes. And I want you to join them, for the sake of keeping the law intact."
Adam sighs.
"You keep talking about the law, but this not the way we should treat our brothers-in-arms, especially in a time like this."- He says- "Alright. I will help you out. However, I refuse to harm this man. Banish him from this place. Condemn him for life. Just do not try to harm him, or I will be angry."
Wesley nods.
"As you wish, young hero."- He says- "Whenever you are ready, my warriors will take you to him."
Adam nods.
"If you are lying to us, rest assured that we will not take this lightly."- He says- "Tell your warriors to lead the way."
Having said that, he wastes no time to join the people waiting for him outside on a hunt for the one he considered a friend ages ago.
Once they reach the location in question, a small house a few miles away from town, one of the warriors pulls out his horn and blows a single note, alerting whoever is foolish enough to stay outside.
"Don't think that I'll be tricked so easily, you fiends!"- An angry voice comes from inside- "You will never break me!"
One of the warriors turns to Adam and shakes his head.
"He's been like this for nearly two weeks."- He says- "All of our attempts to make him emerge have been in vain."
Adam takes a step forward.
"Derek, hold on."- He says- "It is me."
Suddenly, the door of the house. A blonde-haired man emerges and looks at him, unsure whether to believe what he just said.
Finally, he realizes that he is right. However, instead of acting overjoyed (or pretending to be, at the very least), he aims his gun at his forehead.
"Wasn't I clear enough, Adam?"- He says to him- "I said that I wanted to be alone. It's what I want to do right now. So, stand back or face my wrath!"
Adam shakes his head.
"I came all the way to save you. And you claim that you have already given up?"- He says- "Come on, Derek. Your brother is looking for you! What do you think he will say if I return home empty-handed?"
Derek shakes his head.
"Don't you get it? I'm a dead man walking. I can't go anywhere without running away from someone."- He says- "As much as I want to let you go, I think that I'll leave a message for Deugan. In cold blood, that i-- "
Suddenly, one of the warriors shoots a bullet at him, narrowly missing his head and forcing him to leap back.
Pulling out his pistol, he starts to shoot at his enemies.
"Hold on, Derek!"- Adam exclaims- "We do not want to hurt you! Just emerge peacefully and I will tell them to stop!"
Derek shakes his head.
"I'd rather be dead!"
Adam is forced to defend himself. He uses his magic to shield his new allies from Derek's attacks, hoping that he could beat some sense into him before he gets hurt.
And yet, the confrontation does not last long. As soon as the soldiers are given the chance to make a difference, one of them manages to shoot Derek in the left leg.
As Derek winces in pain, he glares at the soldiers and shakes his head.
"Yes, yes. I know what you want."- He says- "Kill me if you wish. But I ain't telling anything."
One of the soldiers smiles.
"You pretend that you know nothing, but we already know that ain't the truth."- He says- "And we have the perfect person to make you sing the truth for us."
He whistles to someone in the distance who approaches the area with his horse.
Once there he lifts his visor and reveals the face of a young man, possibly in his 30s. His face has the signs of many years of turmoil and his bare hands show the scars, both of victory and defeat.
"So, you finally found him?"- He says to his warriors- "Very well. Then, we can begin the next phase of our plan."
He turns to the rest of his comrades.
"Chain them."
Suddenly, the warriors who used to fight on Adam's side take him by surprise and slap a pair of magic-draining handcuffs on his arms. The magic in his veins is drained within mere seconds.
The same is done to Derek, Akira and Jon.
"Just what do you think you are doing?!"- Adam yells- "Are you aware that this treachery will not go unanswered?!"
The man smiles.
"Rest assured that you won't be alive to see what comes next."- He says- "Our master would love to know that we've got so many of you at once."
Jon takes a good look at his enemy and clenches his fists.
"Wait a second. I know you!"- He exclaims- "You're Michael Mcguire- the notorious bandit leader from Nightgrove. Am I correct?"
Michael nods and smiles.
"In flesh and blood, prince."- He says- "For years, I have been dreaming to make a big raid out there. Now that I've got you where I want you, the plan will be set into motion. My dream will finally come true."
Akira shakes her head.
"Aren't you aware that the leader of this town will soon find out what you did and punish you harshly?"- She says- "Nightgrove might be a place filled with criminals, but it is not entirely lawless!"
Michael laughs.
"It's very nice of you to assume that the old fool can actually do something, especially if his right hand woman is on my side."- He says- "Besides, he's my brother. If I tell him to stay out of my personal affairs, he's got no choice but to oblige."
As the soldiers take the four of them away, a woman joins Michael and smiles as our heroes look at her.
"Ana?"- Adam says- "Did you plan this all along?"
Ana smiles.
"It seems like you finally met my beloved husband."- She says- "Gorgeous, isn't he?"
To prove the point, the two of them kiss in front of him.
Akira shakes her head.
"You dirty, cheating, pathetic maiden."- She says to her- "I knew that you were a horrible person the moment I met you."
Ana smiles.
"But that doesn't matter now, does it?"- She says to him- "Where you're going to be taken, there's no chance to do anything else."
She motions at the area ahead.
"Take 'em away, boys."
The soldiers comply and take our heroes away into the mists ahead.
"We will make you pay for this treachery, Ana!"- Adam yells- "Sooner or later, your true intentions will be brought to light. And you will not stay unnoticed forever!"
Ana laughs.
"I've heard legends about you, Adam. You're always serious when you threaten a bad person."- She says- "And yet, I don't think that you'll be able to now. You're as screwed as everyone else."
Then, without thinking twice, she leaves with her husband and enters Derek's house, eager to extract whatever evidence they can before they get into trouble again.