"Would you like to hear a story?" a voice suddenly called out to you in a soft tone. Blinking several times, you began looking around the grandiose library, trying to figure out who said it, and from where. After a few seconds, your gaze finally settled on the two figures sitting by the roaring fireplace. You could almost swear that one looked like a dog, and the other looked like a duck as you walked over to them.
Briefly hesitating, you finally nod. The first figure—the one who looked like a dog—smiled before continuing on with "Come now, young one. Sit by us, and let me tell you a story; a story of a town the mafia once invaded." You tilted your head in confusion. You had heard this type of story a million of times, so what made this one so special?
Before you could ask, however, the figure laughed. "I can tell you're confused, but I can assure you, you most certainly have not heard this story before. This is the story of a town where nobody—not even the mafia themselves—knew what anyone else was truly capable of. All anyone had had known the day the mafia arrived was a single fragment of knowledge; one tiny clue as to what was possible, but no real way to prove any of it. Coupled with the rumors that a deranged psychopath, hellbent on killing all standing before them, had escaped a nearby mental hospital and was now residing in the town, I can assure you, you have not heard this one before. Now, let me let the stage for you, young one. Let me set the stage of the day the mafia began their plan. I wish I could tell you that it was a dark and stormy night when it happened, however, I'd be a liar if I said otherwise. Both of us can attest to that fact. It was just barely dawn when the mafia made themselves known..."
Silently stepping out into the cobblestone streets, the lone mafioso quickly glanced around the circular village. Nobody, save themselves, was wandering around the village this early into the day. They silently smirked to themselves, hurriedly running across the town-square, past the gallows-tree towards the mayor's house, jerrycan in hand. Throwing the can into the bushes, the mafioso knocked on the door twice before awkwardly fidgeting with their silenced pistol hidden behind them, running through their plan once again. They would kill the mayor, hang his body from the gallows-tree, then set the house on fire.
The mafioso tried to suppress their smirk as the mayor, Vex Vience, opened the door and greeted the,. "May I inquire who you are, and why you're outside my house at such an ungodly hour?" he drowsily asked, rubbing at his eyes.
"Do you mind if I step inside and tell you? I'm from the next town over, and it's related to...
that
problem you brought up a few weeks ago," the mafioso lied, feigning the most sincere voice they could manage. They stared directly into the mayor's eyes with a pleading expression, vainly hoping that he'd buy their act and that they had been given the correct information.
Instantly, Vex's face lit up as his eyes opened wide, a grin spreading across his face. "Yes, yes! Please do! I was wondering when I'd finally hear back about it! I've been concerned about the mafia for a while, and I was wondering what your town and your mayor had done to deal with it!" he happily remarked, stepping to the side as he waved the mafioso inside.
Laughing to themselves, the mafioso quickly pulled out their pistol and cocked it, aiming it at the mayor's stomach. A silenced bang echoed through the air as Vex groaned, frozen in place. He slumped against the wall, pressing both of his hands against the bullet hole as he fearfully stared into the mafioso's eyes. Cocking the gun once more, the mafioso silently whispered "The mob sends its regards Mr. Vience," before another silenced bang rang through the air. Hiding the gun once again, the mafioso peeked their head outside, ensuring that nobody had seen nor heard what had happened.
Once again, nobody, save the mafioso was wandering around this early into the day. Smiling to themselves, the mafioso walked over to Vex's lifeless corpse and quickly hoisted it over their shoulder before turning around and jogging towards the gallows-tree. With one hand, the mafioso grabbed the noose and slipped it around the mayor's neck as he let the body limply fall off their shoulder. The line went taut as the body fell, only to freely hang as the mafioso kicked out the nearby stool before leaving a blood-red rose at Vex's feet.
Running back to the mayor's house, they loudly fidgeted through the bushes, trying to find their jerrycan. Seconds later, they finally walked back inside, liberally dousing everything inside, the noxious scent of gasoline filling the air as they slowly snaked their way back outside, a faint trail of gasoline following them as they went. As the last bit of gasoline fell out of the can, they casually lobbed the empty canister inside before rummaging through their pockets. Producing a small matchbook, they stuck one of the matches, the acrid scent of burning sulfur filling the air as their eyes lit up, a wicked grin spreading from ear-to-ear. "Ignite," they softly muttered to themselves as they dropped the match.
Instantly, the trail caught as a roaring flame quickly rushed its way into the house, engulfing it in a fiery inferno as the mafioso ran away from their handiwork. As the flames grew louder and brighter, one-by-one, fifteen people—mafioso included—stepped out of their house and gathered around the gallows-tree to fearfully watch as their beloved mayor's house burn down before fearful gasps and whispers of panic started spreading as people took notice of the mayor's body limply hanging from the gallows.
It was only when Korina, one of the town's governors, finally stepped forth and raised his hand, did the crowd finally settle down. "I'm not here to state the obvious; we can all tell what has happened. Unfortunately, neither of us know who did it. We both wish we could tell you who did, however, we simply can't. We can tell you however, with absolute certainty one person who could not have done it," he began before pointing at Skellen. "Skellen has been with me and the worst since sundown, and we can confirm that they could not have done it. With that out of the way, me and the worst are afraid we must take on the role as executioner here. Discuss amongst yourselves who should be lynched, and we will take care of the rest. We have until sundown, and may God have mercy on all of us."