The fifth installment of the Murders at Karlov Manor story begins by catching up with Etrata and Proft. The fugitive and the detective make their way back to the last place Etrata remembers being before coming to at Teysa’s party.
The assassin leads Proft through winding alleyways in Dimir territory before approaching an unassuming blank wall. In typical Dimir fashion, the wall contains a secret passageway that (allegedly) only Etrata is aware of. After putting in the secret code, the pair make their way into what is revealed to be Etrata’s place of residence. Upon entering Etrata’s living quarters, Proft gets to work, examining the area for any clues that could explain what happened during, or caused Etrata’s memory lapse.
Before long, the detective finds an unknown substance, described as being a yellow-gray dust, streaked across Etrata’s bedside table and onto her nearby pillow. Proft uses a knife to scrape the dust into a jar, and the pair make for the exit, aiming to get answers to what the substance might be. Before leaving the hideaway, Etrata hears a strange noise, and turns to see Proft being attacked by Massacre Girl, one of Rakdos’ best assassins. Acting fast, Etrata turns and tackles the assailant and puts herself between her and Proft.
With the attack having been neutralized, Massacre Girl calls out to Etrata, and the pair recognizes one another. Etrata asks Massacre Girl what she’s doing in her hideout, to which she responds by stating that she was sent to kill Proft as means of sending a message to the Agency, but hadn’t realized that Etrata was already out of Azorius custody. Etrata explains Proft’s role in helping her clear her name as Zegana’s murder, to which Massacre Girl puts away her weapons and respectfully leaves, giving Proft an aloof “sorry” on her way out.
Picking back up with Kaya and Kellan, the pair arrive in Selesnya territory and make their way to where they were told the Vitu-Ghazi would be. After having to relocate from attacks from the God-Eternals and most recently the Phyrexians, the Vitu-Ghazi now stands in a moor, described as an overgrown park with “mixed brush in greens and yellows covered the ground, some topped with tiny flowers, others bristling with thorns.”
As the duo press on through the brush, they are stopped by the growling of a large wolf. As it approaches, Kaya recognizes the beast as Voja, wolf companion of the Elf Tolsimir. Thankfully, Voja does not attack, and before long Tolsimir arrives to greet Kaya. He apologies for the less than warm welcome, but explains the increased security is in place due to the deaths of Zegana and Teysa.
Kaya then explains that Judith had told the pair to read the original Guildpact, and that it might shed light on what happened at the manor. Understanding the situation, Tolsimir takes Kaya and Kellan to meet with Trostani inside the Vitu-Ghazi. Situated amongst a great room filled with books, the Dryad greets the pair and directs them to the Guildpact.
In the chapter dedicated to the Cult of Rakdos, Kaya comes across a section that reads: “‘It is the hope of the founders that, by binding the demon Rakdos to a people of his own, we can prevent his continuing to instill murderous rage in the citizens of Ravnica. This disruptive pastime has resulted in random slaughter and rampages, with even the meekest of people turning on their kin without warning or due cause—.”
Alarm bells begin to ring in Kaya’s head, and she hypothesizes that the Rakdos’ tendency for random slaughter could be the reason why Etrata had no memory of the murder. Kellan responds by questioning why Judith would essentially implicate her own Parun, but Kaya is convinced that she would do it if it meant “saving her own skin.” The chapter ends with Kaya and Kellan setting off to deliver their newly acquired information to Ezrim and the Agency.
Read episode five in full from Wizards of the Coast.