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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rafael Ceurdepyr" data-source="post: 1600210" data-attributes="member: 16566">Part 4, in which I die in a duelBy the next evening, people in the local tavern recognize the three as heroes, buying them drinks.  The bard sings about them—although the public version of events omits any references to the crocodile and lizard men.  A well-dressed man approaches, introducing himself as Frayle Brarsworth, 1st Hat aboard the ship the Ice Fang.  He says that one of the little girls rescued was his daughter and he contributed to the reward.  He gives them a card with his name and ship's agent, in case they ever need it.Two days after the freeing of the children, the three adventurers are now known all over town.  Emi shows up at their house, very affectionate toward Raef, and they share a very passionate and intimate afternoon together—angering Ari.  That evening people at the Sea Turtle are not quite as solicitous.  Raef tries to sing about their adventures, when suddenly a familiar voice bellows out insults.  It is Raynard Bankholm, the brother of the man Raef killed in the Heart o' the Dog Tavern.  He challenges Raef to a duel with pistols at dawn the next day.The duel takes place in a courtyard, with Kernwinson, a prominent retired judge overseeing the proceedings.  Raynard shoots first, hitting Raef in the shoulder, but Raef shoots Raynard. [The doctor later says he died of a drug overdose.] Raef feels iciness spread from the wound throughout his body—and then he falls dead.The Death of Rafael CeurdepyrYou cannot see, but feel as if you are swimming through turbulent waters.  You feel as if there is a great depth below you, and somewhere in those depths something is alive.  Alive and hungry, not simply with a desire to eat, but with a desire to chew and rend and swallow.You are also aware of a great expanse above you.  It is cold and bright and empty.  You feel that if you could just open your eyes, you would look up and fall into it. A breeze flows over your face.  It smells of roses and seawater and blood and metal.  Something warm brushes past your leg.Then there is only darkness.Four men who were standing in the shadows of the courtyard step into the light.  Ari recognizes two of them as Montecassinos, Hidalgo's cousins.  They draw their swords.  "You bastards!" Ari shouts, pulling a pistol and shooting one of them.  Levan draws his sword and stands beside the judge.  The judge, incensed by the behavior of the cousins, draws his sword and yells, "Lying dishonorable bastards!"  Ari chases one who runs, wounding him and bringing him back, while Levan and the judge take care of the rest.  The judge holds a sword to Rubin Montecassino's throat and demands to know what happened.His explanation: The Montecassinos wanted to get Raef out of the way as a gift for Hidalgo and Altagracia's impending marriage.  They got Reynald hooked on Fury's Heart and duped him into participating.  Bertram Montecassino gave him some pistols balls he said would take care of Raef.Kernwinson says there is a chirurgeon down the street.  A guard comes and speaks to the judge.  Bertram had intended to kill the judge as well.  The fighters are taken off to jail.  Kernwinson thanks Levan for his help, saying that the adventurers were in over their heads, but that Levan acted honorably.  He offers to train Levan in investigation techniques, an offer Levan later takes him up on. Ari searches Raynald's body and finds a box with two sticky pistol balls in it.  In his back pocket is a small envelope full of strong-smelling brown crystals—Fury's Heart.  She shows the balls to the chirurgeon.  Raef's bleeding has stopped and they take him to the chirurgeon's office.  The doctor says Raef has been poisoned, but should be conscious by the next day and better in a few weeks.  Ari nurses Raef back to health.</blockquote>

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