Chapter 1: An Ordinary Mercenary Contract, Part 3
Syndicate Rising
The report begins with multiple scratched out paragraphs.
The first scratched out sentence on the page starts mid-sentence, like Zeldava kept starting it over and then throwing away the pages. At some point, the crossed out sentences stop reading like sentences that were trying to start a report and start reading like frustrated venting. Only one sentence remains after the dozens of angry lines, at the bottom of the page.
This isn’t going to get any easier, is it?
“Why are you following me?”
Rex stared at me through those stupidly happy eyes, with that tail that never stopped wagging. His head cocked to the side as he looked up at me from beneath my desk in Expeditions, like he was waiting on me to do something.
“You know what I did,” I said quietly. “You should hate me.”
More wagging, and an excited bark. I looked away from Rex, his honest and stupid grin too much to take. My hand wiped at my face as I stood, coming away wet. I needed to do... something. Something that wasn’t drinking and crying. Something violent.
My eyes drifted to the last contract I’d picked up for the Company, the one I’d accepted on the same day that...
Stop fucking thinking.
I grabbed the contract, read enough of it to know where to go, and left to get supplies from the Tavern. My hands needed to do something, rip the life out of someone, anything to stop the thoughts flooding my brain that I already knew a word is crossed out heavily she wouldn’t let me act on.
Of course the Tavern wasn’t empty. Aesla was there, laying on the couch. My mind darted back to the events of the prior evening, to her and Verr in the tavern, nearly murdering each other because of an argument I’d started, and I swore under my breath, gripping my fists until it hurt enough to burn away every other thought in my head.
Get supplies and go. That’s all I needed to do without her noticing I’d walked in.
But... well, she’s Aesla. She’s like me. Of course she noticed.
There’s more scratched out lines, like Zeldava spent a very long time debating exactly how much of this conversation to put in the report.
She asked about him, of course she did, and if she could help.
“If you want to help, you can help me scout Bangkorai.” I growled. “There’s rumors of Syndicate activity in the area.”
Did I hate being a bitch? Yeah. Did I hate talking about anything that had happened in the past two days more?
Do you even need to ask me that question?
If anyone ever tells you they love Dwemer Ruins, stab them, because they’re insane.
The ruins of Razak’s Wheel ticked, constantly, like some moron had let a dozen obnoxious children have a hundred equally obnoxious instruments. It felt like my head was being pounded by tiny metal drums, and I was going to murder whatever fuck face decided to setup shop in here.
“First rumors were around this area,” I said, drawing my great sword and resting it on my shoulder, “and if I were a creepy fucking Syndicate smuggling monsters, hiding in Dwemer ruins seems like a good place to do it.”
“Aye, it seems fit for them,” Aesla said, hand scratching the back of her head as her eyes shifted about the entrance. “I expect anything to jump at me, at this point, to be honest. Couldn’t they choose a sandy beach to hide in, for once?”
“Honestly,” I said, “sandy beaches would piss me off. Harder to get good footing. Let’s not spend any longer here than we have to.”
Rex barked happily. I flipped him off for contradicting me.
As we explored the ruins, it became pretty clear we’d stumbled into some kind of Imperial expedition. The Legion was looking for… something, but Aesla and I made relatively short work of the patrols we encountered. Thankfully, neither of us had to hold back. Eventually, we found the parts of the ruins the Imperials had yet to clear, the soon-to-be-corpses of the Legion’s foot-soldiers giving way to obnoxiously hard to slash Dwemer constructs. We paused, catching our breath in a stretch of the ruin that opened to the outside air, sunlight drifting in through the opening in the ravine.
“What now?” Aesla asked. “We haven't found any trace of the Syndicate.”
“You're not wrong,” I said. “I wonder if the locals just confused Imperial activity with weird behavior. We should finish exploring here, then go tell the jackass who spread these lies to stop being an idiot.”
Of course, the universe seems to live off making me look like a dumbass.
Voices rounded the corner, down a passage that led deeper into the ruins. There were two of them, one whose stuck up, self-righteous tones were unmistakably an officer of the Legion, and the other, quiet and slimy like a gurgling bog, was decidedly not of the Legion.
“You think the Legion needs your puny Syndicate?” The laugh of the Imperial officer made my ears cringe hard enough they tried to rip themselves off my skull. “What's stopping us from crushing you and taking the monsters you so exuberantly claim to smuggle?”
“Because if you lay a finger on me,” The bog gurgled, “I shall tear this reality apart and drop all of Oblivion upon you. The people I represent are skilled and our holdings vast. Perhaps a demonstration would prove my words? Tell me, how badly do you need your foot-soldiers?”
“If they lose to your monsters, then I'll buy enough to replace them.” Their footsteps faded away from us, deeper into the ruins.
“I really don't like where this is going,” Aesla whispered, as we moved down the corridor in the direction of the voices.
I nodded, gritting my teeth. “Makes two of us.”
We tailed them for a few minutes, until the ruins opened again into a large rectangular courtyard where the Imperials seem to have set up their camp. They patrolled, though their eyes were clearly on the Commander and the man dressed in Craglorn Syndicate robes who were mounting steps to a raised platform in the center of the courtyard.
“Allow me to demonstrate!” The Syndicate man pulled a dozen stones from a pouch on his hip, holding them and reciting an incantation as he slammed his staff onto the ground. “You look like the kind of man who loves Clannfear. Their claws are just so effective at tearing through Legion armor!”
I had barely enough time to push Aesla back into the corridor before the air lit up with the sound of screams and reality shattering. Dozens of portals tore themselves open, gaping wounds in reality, Clannfear falling like hail from the sky. They fell onto the soldiers, claws ripping through necks, limbs, torsoes, blood pooling into the stone of the courtyard’s floor.
The man in robes laughed. “Your men look… preoccupied, Commander Vallendus. Perhaps you should follow me to the mines, where we discussed our initial proposal, yes?”
Commander Vallendus shook his head, grinning from ear-to-ear, as he stepped into a portal held open by the Syndicate member. “I like you already, Ellivus.”
“We could still save some of them.” Aesla grunted, whispering among the sounds of snacking daedra. “If we move fast enough." Her gaze didn't leave the army of Clannfear before her.
I gave one last look to the dying Imperials, wondering if I might have been among them had my life taken a different path. I shrugged and turned back into the ruins. “They’re the Imperial Legion.”
“The fuckers deserved it.”
It only took Aesla and I another hour of scouting to realize how far over our heads we were.
We checked the mines near Razak’s wheel, and found a battalion of Legion soldiers loading crates marked with Syndicate symbols into wagons. Whatever they were doing, it needed stopped, and soon. Which meant, I once again found myself standing in front of a group of faces who trusted me to lead them, even when I wished I could tell them not to.
Given how little time the contract had been posted, I was surprised how many people where here to help. Aesla, of course, as well as Ascela, Azazel, Mercer, Taztha, and Verrjord. Enough to maybe, just maybe, stop whatever bullshit the Legion and the Craglorn Syndicate were planning.
“I'm not going to mince words,” I said. As soon as I spoke, I regretted how much whiskey I’d drank the night before. Being hungover and dragging Expeditions into a war with the Legion was not a good mix. “Today is going to be hard. The contract we got started vague, but scouting that Aesla and I did earlier has revealed a lot. The Craglorn Syndicate is back, in full force, as we suspected from our previous run-ins with them in Covenant territory. Worse still, they're active in Bangkorai, and they're making deals with a detachment of the Imperial Legion.”
I paused to give my throat time to stop screaming from being forced to function, before continuing. “Aesla and I saw the commander of that Legion detachment order the Syndicate to drop an entire army of Clannfear on his soldiers, just to see if the Syndicate was capable of delivering what they promised. We tracked the Commander and his division to the mines of Onsi's breath, where they were setting up camp to make a deal with the Syndicate. I don't know what they're doing, I don't know why they're doing it, but if the Legion is making this big of a deal with the Syndicate we are well and truly fucked if we do nothing. Our contract only asks for information, so our first goal is to figure out what the fuck they're up to. But knowing what the Syndicate is capable of, I'd like to personally ask for your help in utterly ruining their day.”
“I'd be glad to help,” Azazel said. “I think we’d all be.”
“Could you give me brief synopsis on who this Craglorn Syndicate is, Zel?” Mercer asked. “I've never heard of em.”
“Monster Smugglers,” I said. “They capture monsters in pocket dimensions, and release them on unsuspecting foes. They sell what they capture to the highest buyer. And I for one don't like the idea of the Imperial Legion having an army of monsters it can drop on top of whoever it decides needs to be pillaged and raped today. They're also murders, thieves, rapists, and other things you might commonly associate with pirates and smugglers. Oh, and they used to own this cavern, so they're not big fans of ours.”
That seemed to get most everyone to agree with the need for us to take action against the Syndicate. As usual, Ascela seemed excited for all the wrong reasons.
“Ooooh! This will give me time to feed my new adorable hound!” Ascela was grinning from ear to ear, bouncing on her heels. “She will be quite happy for this opportunity!”
As if I wasn’t worried enough already.
“So they’re rivals,” Taz mused, “but they suck too much to be good rivals. Nice! Let’s kill a bunch!”
I nodded along to Taz’s words, starting to speak, “Aye. Also, the Covenant isn’t fond of the Legion, so any soldiers we kill will get us in their good graces. Everyone in that camp has a price on their-”
Ever have a moment where your brain catches up to what someone said well after you started talking? Yeah, that was me with Azazel’s words. They trickled in as I spoke, finally sinking into my brain and punching a hole through whatever sentence I’d started.
“You don’t look so good, Zel.” Azazel said, crossing his arms. “Rough night at the bar?”
Thoughts started trickling back in through that hole Az had left. I blinked at him a few times before looking away, feeling my hands clench into fists against my will. “I’m fine, let’s just go.”
“If you say so,” Az said. “Just know you can tell us what’s wrong anytime.”
“She still looks hot to me,” Taz muttered.
Taz is really fucking lucky she was standing on the opposite side of the room and that I like my great sword too much to throw it. Honestly, if Aesla and Ascela hadn’t been there, Taz might have still died.
“It’s better if we take care of this problem as soon as possible, no?” Aesla said. “We should head off.”
“I can portal us there!” Ascela chimed in, skipping over to a vacant space and opening one with more dramatic flamboyance than I’ve seen anyone use to open a portal. It shimmered in the light, revealing the mines off in the distance.
Is it smart to jump through a portal as fast as possible, before checking whether the rest of the company is following?
Probably not.
But Taz’s life was on the line so I figured it best if I took myself out of the room before the Company had to kill me.
“If you’re going to keep following me, you gotta stay out of danger, alright?”
My fingers scratched between Rex’s ears as I fed him some jerky, waiting on the rest of the Company to stumble out of Ascela’ s portal. They all made their way through eventually, and we set off for the mines, finally stopping on a small hill near the entrance.
The Legion was already heavily dug in. My face clouded as I saw their banners flying over the walls, archers patrolling above the entrances. We weren’t going to get in easily.
“This is the place,” I said, ducking back and crouching with the rest of the Company.
“You sure?” Azazel asked, a smile on his lips as he looked at the enormous banners of the Legion. I debated punching him but settled for a glare.
“What’s the plan?” Mercer whispered.
“We storm the gates,” Aesla said. “Unless you all have a better one.”
“I will scout, if need be,” Taz said. “Been doing that for longer than you guys might know.”
I nodded, motioning to the vantage point Aesla and I had scouted from the previous day. “Aesla and I found a vantage point that might give us a better view of the camp.”
“You're such a good girl, yes you are...” Ascela’s words hit my ears as something moved up behind us. Something with a horrifyingly similar scent. The rest of Ascela’s words were lost on me as I turned to face what she’d just summoned.
It’s glowing red eyes felt like they were watching me personally, the sharp daggers full of teeth on its half-exposed skull dripping with saliva. Ascela’s hand ran over the red-twinged skin of her death hound.
A hundred images dashed through my head, pain blossoming in my palms as I squeezed my fingers shut. Every rational though in my head escaped out through the wounds on my palms. It was everything I could do not to the rest of this sentence is scratched out with dozens of angry lines.
I set off for the overlook to start scouting, praying to whatever fucking gods still gave a shit about me that Ascela and her hound would draw the attention of a hundred Legion archers on their way to follow me.
I bet the archers could use the fucking practice.
"I... did not expect this to be so small."
Aesla’s words were the first thing anyone said at the overlook.
Look, no matter how shit of a week I’m having, when there are important things that need to be said, I’m going to fucking say them.
“That's what she said,” I whispered, eyes surveying the encampment. I smiled thinly as I heard Aesla’s muffled snicker.
The camp was quiet for a Legion encampment, a rather small battalion of Legionnaires milling about their camp in organized patrols. They were mainly guarding a handful of wagons that were laden with crates marked with the logo of the Craglorn Syndicate. There were a few people in Syndicate robes were giving orders to Legionnaires loading more crates, as well as a few other Syndicate members standing near entrances deeper into the mine.
“I imagine it'd be much more widespread or at least... more concealed than this,” Az mused.
I shrugged. “The Legion never does anything subtly. It's our- their specialty.”
Fuck.
“'Our'?” Taz asked, looking at me. “You know the legion from the inside or summin'?”
“Long story,” I hissed through clenched teeth and clenched fists. “Remind me to tell it to you when we're not staring down a horde of soldiers. Anyone got any ideas about the best way to do this?”
“That depends on the end-goal, I think,” Mercer asked. “How do you want this to end, Zel?”
“A feast!” Ascela proposed, her disgusting hound wagging its tail.
“We need information, and we need the Legion and Syndicate dealt with.” I said, ignoring Ascela. “If there's more in the mines, they could do anything once they know we're here, since the Syndicate specializes in portal magic and being real obnoxious pieces of shit.”
Verr rubbed his beard. “Perhaps snuff out the lights? Or one of us whip up some cover?”
“I say we split up,” Azazel said. “The more agile people with us can bring about a distraction for all of us.
“Well, funny you mentioned them pulling beasts outta their pocket.” Taz said. “I can do similar. If Cara causes a commotion, the rest of us can catch them unawares, mm? But I may be out of commission while I concentrate on leading her
“We could start a fire,” Aesla said.
“Fire's not a bad idea,” I said, scratching at my scar. “But what happens when they put it out and we're still here?”
“Lass, I am quite skilled with earth magics,” Verr said, raising a finger towards me. “If need be... I could collapse some of the cliff face, crush some tents... they ain't exactly putting that out.”
“Aye, maybe a combination of plans then,” I said. “Verr collapses a rock face, to serve as cover for someone to use fire magic or throw a torch at a tent, and then we release some of their new toys on them. Only question… who’s starting the fire?”
“A fire bolt would be easiest,” Mercer said, “But I can throw a torch if anyone's got one.
“I second what Mercer said," Azazel nodded. "I suggest our more magically capable guild mates start the fire."
"I third that,” Aesla said.
“I can start the fire!" Ascela whispered in the same way that thunder might whisper. “I am quite efficient at starting fires!”
Of course she was.
“So it's settled. Verr does the distraction, we bring the flames, and then capitalise on the panic,” Taztha said. “Anything else?"
“How do we get in to release the monsters?” I asked. “Or are we just going to charge in and hope we get there before they realize what's going on?”
“Charging in doesn't sound that bad,” Aesla said. “But, we could send in someone who's not as heavily armored as the rest of us.”
Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain. The idea of charging into a fortified camp of Legionnaires was so stupid that my brain didn’t make any suggestions before my mouth ran to cover up that idea with an even stupider one.
“I've got one idea on how to get in, but I'd need a moment to get it ready,” I said, “and someone willing to be a prisoner.”
Why did I say that? Who knows? I just knew I was going to regret it.
“A prisoner?” Azazel asked, facing me with confusion in his eyes. “What are you suggesting?”
Play it cool, play it cool.
I grinned toothily at him. “Are you volunteering?”
“Sure, I guess.” He sighed.
“I look weak enough to be a prisoner,” Taz said. “And I've got a change of clothes underneath this that would make me look more prisoner-y.”
“Two prisoners,” I said with a chuckle I hoped sounded confident and not like I was trying to murder the half of my brain that had thought of this plan. “Neat. Come with me.” I looked over at Verr and Ascela as I departed. “The signal will be me yelling ‘Stendarr will not abide this heresy.’”
And then I left, before anyone could possibly ask why the fuck that would make sense as the signal.
Gods, I forgot how much this fucking armor itched.
I stepped out of the portal that led to my home, pulling uncomfortably at the straps of my breastplate. Dressing in the battle armor of a Legion Priestess of Stendarr wasn’t supposed to be done quickly. I was lucky I’d foundhalf of a name, DAR, is scratched out his old great sword to complete the look. I don’t think my usual choice of weapons would have passed even a cursory inspection from a Legion soldier.
“Aren't I glad we have you around,” Taz said, her eyes tracing uncomfortable lines up and down my armor. “Well, besides the fact you’re leading us.”
I swear to every god that’s ever existed, I’m going to kill her.
“I assume that's not stolen from a local temple,” Azazel said, looking up and down my armor in slightly less uncomfortable lines.
“Nope, standard issue,” I said, grinning. Gods, even grinning felt weird in this fucking relic. “Like I said, long story.”
“Do we need to change as well, then?” Az asked.
“You guys should be fine, just put these on,” I pulled two pairs of broken manacles from my bag, one for each of them. “The locks will open the moment you apply force to them.”
Yes, I need to have manacles like that. No, I’m not telling you why in an official report.
“What tragedy befalls me!” Taztha said, mockingly raising her arms to her forehead. “To be captured by such a strong legionnaire! Or whatever they're called.”
D.
E.
A.
D.
Azazel’s eyes hadn’t left my armor. There was a look in his eyes, the kind of look I was used to seeing on men and women who were a bit tipsy in a tavern and trying to figure out exactly how easy I was feeling. “Should wear that more often.”
“No, it goes back in mothballs when we're done here,” I turned on my heel, tired of being stared at in something I never should have brought up in the first place. I could hear their footsteps in the sand behind me as we marched for the gates.
“You sure you wanna do that?” Az said, his words playful. “It complements your eyes so well.”
Was… he hitting on me?
I pushed any thoughts I might have had about Az and how dead he was going to be when I got out of this fucking armor from my mind as we approached the gates. The disguise had passed the first check - the archers ignored us, and we were through the gates. I knew our anonymity wouldn’t last long, as any officer who knew what was going on here weren’t going to trust a random battle priestess waltzing in with two prisoners. My eyes scanned the camp for the nearest wagon, and I tugged Az and Taztha towards it.
“Ma’am, you shouldn’t be here.” The haughty male voice of a Legion patrol leader met my ears as the three of us rounded the corner of the wagon, mere inches from the crates we needed to check.
“I caught these prisoners,” I said, jerking my thumb at Az and Taztha and trying to remember how to talk like a colossal bitch. “Where should I take them?”
Of course they immediately drew their weapons. They’re the Legion. Being complete pieces of shit is what we do best.
“No one should be bringing prisoners here.” The Legion patrol officer started moving towards me, his compatriots following suit.
I sighed. “Well, it was worth a shot.” My right hand flew out, grabbing at the crate, a growl escaping my lips as I pulled hard, tipping it off the wagon. I pulled the sword off my back with my other hand, feeling its unusual weighting and adjusting my grip as I charged. “STENDARR WONT STAND FOR THIS HERESY!”
Chaos broke loose and shattered the sky, tens of portals ripping themselves into reality as the stones in the crate I’d pulled off the cart shattered. Everything from confused and hungry-looking tigers to Daedra fell from the sky, the screams of the Legion filling the night air. I ran my sword through the patrol officer as Az did the same for one of the other soldiers, Taztha summoning a bear to maul the third member of the patrol. A violent rumble tore through the camp as the sound of rocks crashing and earth shattering scratched at my ears. Smoke and heat tore at my nostrils as some of the tents went up in flames.
And just like that, we were doing one of my favorite things: murdering the Legion.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of blood and the thrill of combat to wipe away any painful thoughts of the past.
I wiped the blade of his sword on the corpse of the last soldier I’d killed. The rest of the Company had found their way to me over the course of the fight. They’d each performed admirably, taking down more soldiers than I’d expected. The only troubling part had been the sounds of Ascela’s hound doing… whatever the fuck it did.
Mercer’s axe flew back to his hand from the throat of the last man it had been lodged in. “We should head in before they all portal out of the mine.”
“I agree with the man,” Az said. “We oughta get there fast.”
I bit back panting and the blood rushing through my head that called for more violence. “I leave the choice of whether we go in the mines or search the camp to people less high on adrenaline who aren't trying very hard to stop themselves from rushing in and ripping some throats out. Not... that that's me or anything.”
Smooth Zel. Fucking smooth.
"Well I’m heading into the mines,” Verr said. “Earth shenanigans could come in handy, specially if it starts to collapse."
"I want in on this cave,” Taztha said. “If the big guy's going in, I'll be right behind him."
I followed them in, Aesla and Ascela just behind me. Ascela hummed as her hound made… noises, which I’m not keen on remembering.
As we approached the large open area of the mine, two voices could be heard chatting from the large rocky platform. I recognized them immediately: Commander Vallendus and Ellivus, from the ruins.
Scattered around the large room as we entered were benches and tables, workstations, strewn with blank stones. Large bags were packed and placed next to several areas with deep burn marks, like portals had been opened there repeatedly.
The Syndicate was moving out.
Ellivus’ voice filled the cavern. “It's been excellent doing business with you, Commander. The Syndicate wishes the Legion's triumphant return to power, and we are pleased to provide the army you so desperately need.”
“You've done a great service for the Empire,” Commander Vallendus replied. “I'm sure once I show my superiors the fruits of our arrangement, your organization will be propelled to the top of Cyrodiilic society.”
It was hard to keep her out of my voice. “Who wants to kill them? Not just me, right?”
“Just say the word,” Aesla whispered, “and I'm joining you.”
“So, the legion resorted to desperate measures for power," Azazel scoffed. "Ironic, isn't it? The Legion wants to regain their dignity using daedra."
"I want to touch them with my fingers." Ascela said, wiggling said fingers and emitting a foul-smelling green magic, continually reminding me that I don’t understand her priorities.
Taz just nodded and grinned, moving closer, while Verr took a knee, seeming to prepare for something.
“I'll wait for the fighting to start before making any moves.” He muttered.
I moved closer, quietly closing the distance between us and our targets. The others who needed to get close followed me, and we charged.
Taz was fastest, grappling Ellivus with a Shalk she summoned from the ground.
“Cut me loose, Commander!” Ellivus hissed.
In a single motion, the Commander severed the limbs of the Shalk, turning to face the rest of us charging him. “Oh, we have company! Excellent, I was hoping to try this thing out.”
The next fuck face who pulls one of those fucking stones out of their pocket and smashes it is going to get their head ripped from their torso. The portal tore itself into reality, a Hunger falling out of it, clacking its disgusting mandibles. It turned to face Taztha, lashing out with its tongue and grappling her.
And then, like always, we were fighting like hell. Ascela burned the commander with acid magic, Azazel severed the tongue of the hunger to free Taz, Verr used a pillar of earth to hurl himself at the Hunger, slashing it with his axe. The fighting devolved into a mess of swinging swords and daedric screams of pain.
When the dust settled, the Hunger was shattered into a million tiny pieces from Verr’s ice magic, and the Commander was lying on the floor, bleeding from the leg that Az had severed. Ellivus had slipped away through a portal in the commotion.
I fell on Vallendus, pinning him down with the my weight as I pulled his head up, resting my dagger on his neck. “You're going to answer any questions my friend have, and then I'm going to send you to the depths of Oblivion.”
Ascela was the first to ask a question, not even looking at the commander as she tended to the wounds of her hound, which she’d taken to calling Rattles. “So...how did you meet the Syndicate? And why are you using them? Of all allies you could have chose better...”
The Commander spat blood at her. “The Syndicate offers an instant army. Tell me where else you can buy that, slut.”
I tightened my grip on his hair and snarled. “I will murder you if you do that again, asshat.”
“An instant army... you could have bought that from Mercenary Companies bound together by money." Ascela glanced to her hound with a careful eye. "Also...don't insult me or the Hound is going to not be happy." Again, Ascela has odd timing with her grins.
“Mercenary companies aren't as reliable as monsters at our beck and call,” Vallendus said. “Once Imperial Command realizes this, I'll be a general for sure."
“Lad... ye won't even be alive to be a general...” Verr scoffed, chuckling to himself.
“You'll be a general in the damned dirt, you-" Aesla glared at the man, hands hovering over her weapons, before huffing, and turning back to the wall, arms crossed.
“Imperial command might recognize it. But you may not live long. You have done your service to your broken Empire.” Ascela sighed and walked away, back towards Rattles. “It baffles me so the lengths people go to in order to...g-g-gain! What they desire.”
Taz asked a question next, undeterred by the Commander’s insults. “Simple question: Where'd the dude go? Where's the portal lead to?”
“Portal could go anywhere,” Vallendus said, a little less forcefully, which was either because he was turning a new leaf and becoming a good man or because my dagger was pressed hard against his throat. “All I know is where he and I would meet to do business.”
“And... where do you guys plan to meet?” Taz continued.
“We meet wherever he sets this to take me.” He slid a small round stone towards Taz, the stone engraved with a single rune.
He’d told us how to find Ellivus. He’d answered plenty of questions. There was only one left that I needed to know. After all, I had a message for him to deliver.
I leaned down, and whispered into his ear. “Did you know of the Worm Cult plot? Did you support it?”
“I welcomed them with open arms,” His response was slow, measured, and exactly what I’d expected. “They would bring glory back to our empire.”
Aesla had had enough. She turned towards him, wordlessly slamming her axe into his back. As he coughed blood onto the floor, life ebbing out of him, I grinned slowly.
“Then give my regards to Molag Bal,” I growled, “and ask him to spare Lucien no mercy.” I hooked my dagger around the left side of his neck and pulled, the snarl tearing itself from my throat as I cut his neck down to the bone.
I could feel their eyes on me, the rest of the Company watching my movements. I grabbed my sword, brought it down on his neck, and took his head as proof of our completion of the contract. The job was done, and they were safe. At the time, I’d felt triumphant, exhilarated.
It wouldn’t take long to realize I’d broken something I never should have broken.
Members in Attendance and Deserving of Coin Disbursement:
Aesla Stout
Ascela Levazon
Azazel of Menevia
Mercer Brynnlaw
Taztha Necret
Verrjord Jotunsonr
Council Members in Attendance:
Zeldava Ellis
