"''He was going to prove Nellie was innocent, by any means necessary." - Nellies' Girls: A Rumor and A Cynic
32 Zi'Da 719
On the cold night of the thirty second of Zi'Da, Molly was walking from work to the run down but affordable shack she called a home when she wasn't at Nellies. Molly had been luckier than a lot of Nellies girls so far because she'd yet to be accosted by anyone on her way home and she'd have liked to keep it that way but she didn't know how to defend herself so she did her best just to avoid dangerous looking situations. It was that mindset that caused Molly to turn into an alley when the usual path home was blocked by some unfamiliar men who seemed to be watching her. Molly knew enough of Almund to know the alleyway would bring her right around those men and in her rush she hadn't thought about the dangers of dark alleys at night. For what was caution when you were panicked like she was?
Molly made it half way through the alley before she noticed the three dark figures at the other end. When she did, she turned to go back out the other end of the alley only for her path to be cut off by the two men she'd gone into the alleyway to avoid in the first place.
"Well, well, well, what do we 'ave 'ere, boys?" One of the three dark figures at the far end of the alleyway mused as the three began moving forward, slowly trapping Molly between the three bandits in front of her and the two behind.
"Another one of Nellies? Oh lucky us." The shadowy figure to his right chimed in. Now they were close enough that Molly could make out some features of their faces in the moonlight but she was took afraid to remember them.
"Let's give 'er what we gave 'er friends." The leader of the group said as he unsheathed a small dagger. Molly yelped fearfully as the man with the knife seized her by the arm but before he could do anything a sixth figure dropped into the alleyway from the rooftop. This figure seemed to glow and because of that it was easier for Molly to make out his features. His lean but muscular frame, his golden eyes, and his white hair. The sixth figure knocked the man with the knife's hand off of Molly and then spun in a low circle, propelling a gust of wind outwards in a circle around himself.
The wind knocked all of the bandits back but it also seemed to cause the glowing figure to lose his balance. Molly heard him curse under his breath slightly and then the figure took her hand and began running, dragging her along behind him. Molly didn't fight his grip out of shock and a basic understanding that he seemed to be here to help. They made it to the end of the alleyway before another bandit with a club came around the corner to block them off.
The bandit with the club took a meaty swing at the two of them but the faster glowing man caught the clubber at his wrist and then jabbed him in the throat to loosen his grip before twisting his clubbing arm to make him drop his weapon. With that done the glowing figure shifted his weight, turning and throwing the man who'd tried to hit them with the club into his five friends who were getting back up from the wind blast.
"Go! Run!" The glowing figure shouted to Molly who stumbled slightly before doing just that. Molly ran from the danger and the glowing figure- Balthazar, turned back to the six men in the alley. They'd all made it back to their feet by now but they weren't advancing, they seemed to be patting each other on the back. Balthazar produced a bag of nels from his pocket and tossed it to the group of men. "Well done, gentlemen." Balthazar said as one of the actors caught the bag of nels. He gave Balthazar a grin and a nod, then returned to the other crew members that he'd corralled for this scene. Balthazar, on the other hand, turned and ran off after Molly.
He found her catching her breath not very far from the alleyway that he'd told her to run from and it made Balthazar wonder if Nellies' girls hadn't all been beaten merely because they were unable to outrun a grumpy patron in the night... sarcastically of course. The thoughts were those of a judgemental mind and Balthazar was trying not to be judgemental so when he recognized the thought, he tried to silence it and refocus on the task at hand, fooling a prostitute into talking about their boss.
"Molly! Molly! Are you alright?" Balthazar asked as he slowed out of his run a few feet away from her. Molly nodded.
"Where'd they go?" Molly asked, looking around behind Balthazar to see if the brigands were in pursuit. She seemed a little relieved to notice they were not following the mage.
"They ran off once you were gone. They must have realized I wasn't as easy a target." Balthazar said before turning and making sure he could really see Molly's face for what he said next. "Why would Helen send them after you?"
"I don't know. This doesn't make sense-" Molly began but her eyes suddenly widened when she realized what she'd just said. "I mean- that doesn't make sense. Helen takes care of us, she'd never do this." Molly didn't look quite confident but Balthazar, who was not not the most skilled deceiver, was thrown off just enough by her quick change that he held out hope Helen wasn't involved, even as the facts began to pile up in his head.
There was still one test to try out.
"Molly, I need you to tell the truth if you want me to stop these attacks." Balthazar began and he could tell Molly was reluctant but he wasn't quite sure why. If he could figure that out it might be easier for him to persuade her to help. Did she not trust him because he was a mage? Or was it just because he was a man and she'd been nothing but hurt by men? Maybe Madame Nellie had made her feel some deeper connection that would ultimately make this impossible for Balthazar... or perhaps she was just afraid.
"I don't know anything... I can't help you." Molly said meekly. Balthazar's brow furrowed and he leaned closer to her.
"You don't have to say anything, just nod. Is Madame Nellie the one attacking her girls?" Balthazar inquired with a gentle voice but Molly stood frozen by her fear. Her eyes were darting back and forth as her mind tried to come up with some response to the detective but she had nothing. She didn't understand why Nellie would have sent the men to attack her but she was also too afraid to betray the woman who had given her everything since coming here.
"I can't." She finally whispered in response. Balthazar grimaced and nodded, recognizing that now there was only one easy way left to confirm his suspicions. Balthazar put a hand on Molly's shoulder, the warmth from his skin seeming to surprise and then comfort her some.
"It's alright. You don't have to tell me, but I won't stop looking into this. I'm going to find out who is doing this, one way or another." Balthazar assured Molly before stepping away from her. "If you change your mind I'll be at bazaar. I have a few leads there that I need to look into anyways." Balthazar said as he gestured for Molly to continue walking. He wouldn't escort her because it was imperative that he let her go wherever she desired with the new information she had.
Balthazar left Molly between Nellies and her home and made his way to the bazaar knowing that at this time of night it would be no where near as populated as it was during the day which made it perfect for what he needed.
