MagiStream

If Alethin ever figured out who did this, he'd ban them from his cart. He was grouchy, wet, dirty, and worst of all, bored out of his mind. Adela was taking her sweet time with her task and all he could do is wait and reflect on what had happened to bring him here, to this cell.

He had just been heading into town to set up his wares for the magi, it was still dark out, the moon hidden behind clouds. Which was why he didn't see someone as they shoved his cart, upsetting his careful stacking of potions and sending them into the stream. Whoever it was was gone just as fast as they came, and he saw ammits in the water, he had no choice but to flee his cart as the noise started attracting more and more of them.

After things had calmed down he went back to inspect his cart, no worse for wear but he wasted no time locking it up tight, only to be captured moments later! This was clearly not his month. He was tossed into the cell he still sat in, so he did what he could and scribbling a message, passing it down to Adela to go leave at his cart for the magi that would flock there soon enough.

Someone had clearly figured out his route, but he couldn't think of who it could be, though that might be the fact he hadn't slept in days. After Adela returned he'd come up with his escape plan and sent her off with another note for the magi on the way to carry out his plan. Of course he'd heard what had happened, ammit stalkers were popping up again because whoever decided to have fun at his expense contaminated the water and allowed them to breed.

Luckily nobody seemed to have connected that to him yet, as they were illegal to breed. Not that it was on purpose! He was just trying to help the magi with their breeding woes, make it easier for them, but what was done was done, and nobody could undo it.

As he was stretching out the kinks in his arms, he saw Adela finally returning, snake automaton at her side. He smiled and gave her a good rub as he picked up the snake, quickly turning it into its form of keys and breaking himself out of the cell at long last, Adela curled around his shoulders as he quickly snuck out, keeping the other snake close by. Who knew when he would need it again?

Once he was back in a safe house, he sent out a proper letter to the magi who had been worriedly searching for him, eager to help him in any way he could. It made him smile, warm inside at being appreciated. He could only hope that between his friends, enemies, and patrons, that someone knew who decided to assault his cart and call the government on him! He would get his revenge, but for now he just cared for Adela, grateful for her hard work, and waited for news to start pouring in.

Someone had to know who'd done this, all he had to do was wait, and come up with a reward for whoever figured it out.