Fate of the Empires

I have failed. I have failed myself and worse yet I have failed Draccus. I lowered my guard when I, of all people, knew better. I have no doubts in my mind that Draccus has been taken by slave traders. Their kind can be found in abundance here. The question is did the Shadow Guild work an exchange with me all the while selling my Orrock companion to the highest bidder behind my back?

I have given Magnus and Leaia the task of searching for Draccus by normal means. The truth is I don’t want them witness to what I am about to do...to what I am about to become. Sometimes the only way into the darkness is to become a shadow. I will do what Ethan never could. I will infiltrate the Shadow Guild and not one member of its ranks will see mercy or compassion until I get the answers I seek.

This visit is not my first to Cove nor will it be my last. When Sasha and I were setting up the Black Rose Guild out of Akkarr we frequented here once every couple of months to trade and get inside information. We dealt with Elric on many occasions though he’d never recognize either one of us. We were always incognito. Merchants. Slavers. Diplomats. Once I even had to disguise myself as a woman, but that is a tale for another day.

Time after time we came here gathering what we could about the Shadow Guild. Learning its business fronts, its members, its safe house locations, its code of conduct, and anything else we could. It was then that I first met Jacob. Jacob Tarrigon. Of course that was before Ethan sent one of our operatives to kill him. And if our man had succeeded, Jacob wouldn’t have just a scar across his throat.

At that time Jacob was only a lackey, but I saw then the danger he would pose if he ever took a position of power in the guild. He is cold, callous, and unrelenting in his pursuit of power. After the failed assassination Jacob went into hiding. I was actually surprised that he greeted us on the docks. Now he is one of seven lieutenants that oversee the daily operations keeping the Shadow Guild in control of Cove. These lieutenants answer directly to the master of the Shadow Guild, Uzaki Ikazu.

Named after Uzakaizu, the god of Makai, the Densetsun underworld, Uzaki’s name roughly translates to “shadowed death”. Uzaki was once the leader of a clan of ninja in Densetsu. Ninja are the most highly skilled silent assassins in the known world. They have abilities that allow them to travel through shadows and even become shadows for short periods of time. Uzaki was head of clan Black Lotus, the top clan of Densetsu at that time. Uzaki was as ruthless then as he is now which led to his fall.

Ninja, though they are conscienceless killers, follow a strict code that dictates how they live their lives. Uzaki broke this code many times over until his second in command, Kuragari, turned on him. Kuragari rallied the other ninja behind him and they cast Uzaki out of the clan. Shamed by his dishonor, Uzaki fled to Athusia, but not before vowing revenge upon the man who caused his disgrace.

Once in Cove, Uzaki started the Shadow Guild. An organization in his image with no code of ethics to limit its possibilities. Kill or be killed and only the strong survive. Since the start of the Shadow Guild the ninja population has dwindled greatly. It is not known if Uzaki has been responsible, but it is greatly suspected. The other aspect of the Shadow Guild that is unclear is whether or not Uzaki is still alive. He is never seen. His lieutenants manage the affairs of the guild as though it were their own. I do know, however, that when business declines, those responsible within the guild seem to disappear without warning and others get their long awaited chance at the helm. Who makes those decisions? People fear what they can’t see and I think Uzaki Ikazu is indeed shadowed death.

The original intent of killing Jacob was to have a double take his place inside the guild. The agent we sent to eliminate Jacob was the double; unfortunately the mark proved more skillful than originally estimated and it was our man who wound up dead. It was shortly after that I was pulled from the Black Rose Guild to do field work in Western Athusia. And now here I am again, back in Cove trying to get into the Shadow Guild. I sure could use Sasha’s help right about now.

My first step is locating a safehouse for Jacob’s sect. I am sure to find one near the docks, but just blindly going there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, in Cove any information can be bought for the right price. One simply has to know where to look and who to pay.

I start out by going to the Gemini Tavern. My objective is to find the man I am supposed to kill this evening, Brock. The Gemini Tavern is conveniently located about a mile from the docks on the north side of the city. At first glance the only thing that stands out about the tavern is its name. Very fitting since everything and everyone in Cove seems to have two faces. It is a two-story building with a lot of windows, which makes it seem very inviting. There is no overhanging sign, but instead twin faces painted on the front door.

I can immediately tell that this is a Shadow Guild front. All businesses controlled by the Shadow Guild are marked by small runes carved into the wood above the main entrances of the buildings. The runes are subtle. If you’re not trained to look for them you won’t find them. The runes also help guild members decipher which lieutenant’s turf they are on. This particular business is owned by Kregen Hrothgar; one of the older lieutenants.

It is too early for the tavern to be open so I go around to the back of the building. As expected there is a back door and also a set of wooden stairs leading up to the owner’s living quarters on the second floor. A lot of proprietors live in or above their shops to save on the cost of renting both a home and a place of business. Lucky me.

I make my way up the stairs and check the door. It is locked by a latch on the inside. Not much of a challenge. I reach into the small tool pouch I wear on my back. I pull out a thin metal hook with a long handle. I slide the tool between the door and the doorway. I hook the latch and gently lift it until the door swings inward. The right tool for the right job I always say. I put the hook back into the tool pouch and peek inside the room.

It is a simple room. There is a bed, a table with a couple of chairs, and a few other pieces of wood furniture. Most of the room is taken up by barrels of ale. The owner must store his overflow up here, which doesn’t make for a very good living space. The owner and a woman lie in bed, asleep. They are both middle-aged. He has a full head of blonde hair. His beard is stained a reddish tone, probably from wine of some sort. He still has the empty bottle in his hand. She is a homely woman with long brown hair. She lays to his right and snores from time to time. It’s mid-morning yet these two remain in a peaceful slumber. Must have been a late night. Pity I have to wake them.

I pull out a dagger and hop up onto the bed. I crouch over the sleeping couple and tap the tavern owner on the forehead with the flat of the dagger blade. His eyes fly open and I move my blade to his throat. “I wouldn’t move if I were you,” I say staring him directly in the eyes.

The woman wakes from the sound of my voice. I put my free hand over her mouth. “As of right now, this does not concern you,” I say to the startled woman, “Keep quiet and it will stay that way.”

She nods. She is too frightened to do anything stupid so I remove my hand from her mouth. I put my main focus back on the tavern owner, but I keep my eyes on her as well. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I say to the owner, “I just want some information.”

“Do you have any idea who I work for?” the tavern owner threatens, “You’re a dead man.”

“And so are you if you don’t tell me what I want to know.”

I push the dagger against his skin just hard enough to draw a little blood. “I’ll see what I can do,” he says nervously.

“Who is Brock and why would one of the other sects want him dead?”

“How much do you know about our organization?”

“I know enough. Now talk.”

“Brock has recently been appointed as second to my sect’s leader, Kregen.”

“Why?”

“Kregen’s getting old and Brock is the perfect successor. He’s strong and skillful.”

“Then why would another lieutenant want him dead?”

“There’s been a lot of infighting amongst the sects as of late. Some leaders are getting greedy and want more control over the guild. If a sect were to be without a leader or second, another lieutenant could easily take control of it.”

“One last question. Where can I find a safehouse for Tarrigon’s sect?”

“The only one that I know of is a trading house on the south side of the docks. Uh…it’s the…uh, Golden Sun Traders. Yeah, that’s the name.”

“You’ve been very helpful, but if you have given me any false information I’ll be back and I won’t be as friendly.”

“Everything I’ve told you is true.”

“Good. Now, if I were you I would get word to Kregen that someone is after his sect.”

I hop off the bed, out the front door closing it behind me in one fluid motion. I bypass the stairs by leaping over the wooden railing. I barely touch the ground before I am around the corner sprinting towards the front of the tavern. I reach the road and continue on towards the southern docks.

It doesn’t take me long to find the trading house. Sasha and I did a lot of business in this district. Anything you want can be found in the numerous trading houses. Goods, labor, relics, ancient artifacts, magical items, pleasures of the flesh, anything. We did some recruiting by posing as slavers. We would purchase slaves…ones with the right skills and train them to become operatives.

Slavery. It is a disgusting trade. Slavers take defenseless women and children from their homes and sell them off to people with the deepest pockets. But am I any better than the slavers? Have I ever done anything to stop it? No. It was never one of Ethan’s concerns nor will it ever be. Mine is not a noble profession, but it’s what I do…for now.

The Golden Sun Trading Company. It is the third largest trading house in Cove. I never would’ve suspected it as a safehouse. Safehouses are not marked like business fronts are and for good reason. They contain detailed information about the sects themselves. The information within is hidden and highly guarded of course so this is not going to be easy.

The front of the large trading house is made up of mostly glass windows. They face east and allow plenty of light in during the morning hours. There is rush in the district as everyone tries to get in purchases before the trading houses close for lunch. I walk in with the rest of the patrons.

Even though the trading houses are converted from old warehouses you would never know it. The interior of the Golden Sun is elaborately decorated with Densetsun furnishings. Dark wood desks and display shelves complimented by deep blue fabrics fill the room. Each display shelf showcases one of the many desired items for sale.

My attention is immediately drawn to a room near the back of the building. It is closed off from the public with a guard posted outside. The rest of the trading house is alive with activity. I walk slowly through the crowds seemingly admiring the wares of the house. I case the room as I make my way around. I am looking for something very specific. You can tell a lot about people if you just watch them.

A couple in front of me pick out a traditional Densetsun rug. The woman keeps quiet, but her body language tells me that she has her husband completely under her control. The husband is assertive with the traders, but gets bashful when addressing his wife. The traders themselves are trained to read people and continuously present items that will appeal to the wife for they know the husband will buy them.

An older gentleman on the far side of the room keeps drying his hands on his breeches. He’s nervous. His eyes shift back and forth from the traders to some small jade statues. He can’t afford what he wants and is debating if he should make his move to nab it or not. If he doesn’t relax he’ll get caught.

A group of tough looking characters try to haggle some traders by intimidation. Pirates by the looks of them, but they obviously don’t know who they are dealing with. You can’t use outright brute force and threats to get what you want from the Shadow Guild. You have to know where to strike the snake so you don’t get bitten. These fools may never leave the port if they are not careful.

Ah, I finally see the…woman I am looking for. To anyone else she might seem like just another face in the crowd, but I know different. She commands the room. I notice slight motions and glances she gives to the traders that influence the way they handle certain guests. She takes note of me watching her, but never looks my way. She’s good. As always though, I’m better. She will be the one to lead me straight to Jacob.

I casually make my way over to her. She dresses as a man, but is not trying to conceal in any way that she is a woman. Her features are fairly common. Shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes soften her hardened exterior. I stand to the side of her and lean in. “I have some information for your boss,” I whisper in her ear.

She looks at me as though I am a fool. “My boss?” she questions with a laugh.

“Yes.”

“And who might that be?”

“Jacob Tarrigon.”

Suddenly her attitude changes. She looks around as though I just whispered the devil’s name. “Who are you?” she asks in a very serious tone.

“Can we speak privately?”

“Come with me.”

She leads me towards the back room, but stops at the guard. “We have some business to discuss,” she says to the guard, “Would you have the old man near the jade statues escorted outside before he does something stupid? And make sure he knows the penalty for what he’s about to do.”

“Aye,” the guard says as he steps aside.

I follow her into the back room. It is a storage area with many crates, some of which are open. We walk down a short hallway into an office. The office is small, but lavish. A large tiger skin rug sits on the floor in front of a black desk. A large wooden chair sits behind the desk. The back of the chair is carved to look like a mythical Densetsun dragon, which watches over the occupant of the seat. Two smaller chairs sit in front of the desk on the sides of the rug. The light from two, red paper lanterns enhance the color of the crimson walls.

My escort sits behind the desk and motions for me to sit in one of the chairs. I sit as she lights up a long-stemmed weed pipe. “You have two minutes to dazzle me with your information,” she says looking rather unamused.

“A man named Brock is making arrangements to have your boss terminated so that Kregen Hrothgar can take over your sect.”

“How do you know this?” she is still not convinced.

“I am in the employ of Jacob Tarrigon. I have been hired to kill Brock. I decided to gather some information about my target before I moved on him, which led me to the Gemini Tavern. It was there that I overheard the tavern owner talking to someone about the whole twisted plot. I don’t know how to reach Jacob so I came straight here.”

“Why come here?”

“I know this is a safe house for your sect. I knew that if anyone could get this valuable information to Jacob I would find them here.”

“What is your name?”

“Jun of Densetsu.”

“Ah, I have heard of you and I am aware of your obligation to the Shadow Guild. Still, I will have to look into this matter myself. We can’t have more distrust and infighting amongst our ranks from simple hearsay.”

“I understand. I just thought it safer to err on the side of caution by telling someone.”

“No, you were right to come to me and I guarantee that if your information is accurate you will have Jacob’s deepest gratitude.”

I nod. “Then if there is nothing further I can do I shall return to my assignment.”

“Good. I’ll see you out.”

I am guided back to the front of the trading house. I notice that the nervous old man and the group of pirates have vacated the room. She takes me all the way to the front door. “Thank you for your loyalty to our cause,” she says with a wink.

“Might I have the pleasure of your name before I go?” I ask with a laid on enthusiasm.

“Corinne Starre. If you are ever looking for anything specific from the trading house, I’m the one to see.”

“I have no doubt about that and I think I may already have something in mind,” I wink at her with a big grin.

She smiles and watches me leave all the while sucking on her pipe. I walk slowly away from the trading house until I am out of sight. From there I quickly make my way to the top of a building adjacent to the Golden Sun. I find a vantage point that allows me to see from the warehouse behind the trading district all the way to the docks. I keep a close eye on the Golden Sun and I wait.

It is an hour and a half after noon before I see any sign of Corrine. At noon the guests filed out of the trading house and the doors locked behind them. Most of the trading houses close for around an hour at noon to restock and rearrange their wares. The Golden Sun is more competitive and only closes for a half an hour. And right on schedule they reopened after lunch. More customers crowded into the Golden Sun to spend and trade.

I know my words have stayed on Corrine’s mind, but she is a businesswoman. She made sure the shop was locked up and she personally oversaw the restock. She was there to open the doors again to the public and while her traders made more gold she was in the back room counting the profits from the morning. Once the books were in order she knew she could get away.

I see her leave the trading house. She walks towards the docks. I know she can’t completely trust my story. She would be foolish if she did, but she would also be foolish if she didn’t at least report it to Jacob. Not to mention all that praise she promised me would really go to her since my name would probably find its way out her report. I quickly scale down the building I’m on and tail Corrine to the docks.

Corinne stops at dock forty-eight and speaks to three large sailors. They let her pass then stand guard in front of the dock. Corinne hops into a small, two-person boat and rows out to a large ship anchored in the harbor. Clever hiding place, Jacob.

Time to move. I charge the burly sailors at full speed. I don’t want to kill them, but I can’t have them conscious either. They don’t see me coming until it is too late! Each punch I throw is like a coiled viper striking its prey before it has time to react. These men are far stronger than me, but my speed and precision is their undoing. All three are incapacitated within seconds. I continue passed them and dive into the ocean water of the harbor. I swim as fast as I can towards Jacob’s ship.

Once at the ship I climb up the anchor chain. I am amazed at what I find when I reach the top. The entire top deck of the ship is walled and covered. It is at least three more stories high getting gradually smaller near the top like a pyramid. Many of the doors that lead inside are wooden sliders that are covered in rice paper like in Densetsu.

Wet clothes are the enemy of stealth. I lose my leather chest piece and tunic for they are well soaked and will only be a hindrance once I’m inside. I drain as much excess water out of my breeches as I can before I continue inward. I also leave my tool pouch, taking only my throwing daggers. Now that I am as dry as I’m going to get, I quietly make my entrance.

The first floor inside of this castle-like complex is a maze of darkened walkways with a few random rooms of no significance. I’m not sure if I should be going upstairs or downstairs. I hear footsteps! I look around, but there is no place to go except…up. I outstretch my hands and feet to climb up the walls. I suspend myself near the ceiling by pushing out against the walls with all my strength. A group of Shadow Guild rogues dressed as sailors pass underneath me in the hallway. They are engaged in conversation and are completely oblivious to my presence.

Once the hall is clear I hop down and decide to head downstairs. Jacob doesn’t seem like the type to put himself at the top of a tower. He would feel too vulnerable. I find the stairs to the lower decks and proceed down them. I move softly, but stop when I notice a guard posted at the bottom of the stairs. His back is to me so I quickly move. I leap down and wrap one arm around his throat in a sleeper hold while my other hand goes over his mouth. He struggles, but loses consciousness quickly. I should hide the body, but I don’t have time. I keep moving.

I hear voices echoing from somewhere further in. I follow the sounds through the empty corridors until I reach a turn. I use the reflection off my dagger blade to scan around the corner. At the end of another hallway is a closed door. In front of that door stand two guards. They are armed with crossbows. I mustn’t hesitate.

I run around the corner towards the guards. The moment they see me they take aim with their crossbows. I run up the left wall and leap off of it towards the guards. They fire! The bolts fly at me. I roll underneath them as I hit the ground. I spring up about ten feet from the guards. They both attempt to shout out a warning, but their cries are cut short by my throwing daggers, which bury into their throats. Both men begin to fall to the ground. I rush forward and ease them to the ground to silence their collapse.

I prop each guard back up against the walls on either side of the door and continue further into the floating compound. Beyond the door is yet another long hallway with many doors. I hear sound coming from only one door and it is at the end of the hall. I slowly make my way towards that door, stopping at every other door along the way to make sure the rooms behind them are empty. As I near the door at the end I can make out the voice of Corinne on the other side. The door starts to open! I am too close. I have no place to go! No place to hide! “Katachi kage,” I quickly whisper the dark magic of the ninja.

My body changes from solid flesh to a spectral form. I become a shadow in the darkness of the corridor. The time I spent in Densetsu training amongst their warriors has come in handy on more than one occasion. Corinne exits the room, still looking inside. “I will not fail you, Master Tarrigon,” she says as she bows and closes the door.

Corinne walks right passed me without notice. She heads towards the door on the opposite end of the hall. As soon as she exits I won’t have much time. It won’t take long to realize the guards are dead. She opens the door and steps through. “Katachi kenrou,” I whisper.

I materialize and am visible once again. I open the door and step inside the room in front of me. Jacob sits at a simple desk lit only by candlelight. He is writing something as I close the door behind me. “What more do you have to report, Corinne?” Jacob looks up as he speaks.

The shock of my presence spreads across his entire face. He reaches for a weapon, but I am already over the desk with a blade pressed against the scarf over his throat. It is an area that I know he is particularly sensitive about. “How did you get in here?” Jacob questions in a panicked whisper.

“Don’t worry about that,” I answer, “Worry about what I’m going to do to you.”

“What are you going to do?”

I cut the scarf free from his neck to reveal the jagged scar that spans almost from one ear to the other. “I’m going to finish the job that was started years ago.” I say, “You chose the wrong man to double-cross!”

“Double-cross? What are you talking about?”

“One of my men has gone missing. Draccus, the Orrock and I know that a healthy Orrock can fetch a very good price when sold to the right people.”

“We had nothing to do with that!”

“Don’t lie to me! The Shadow Guild is Cove. Nothing happens here without your order first. And if you didn’t order it, you know who did.”

I hear footsteps rapidly approaching the door from the hallway. “Master Tarrigon!” I hear Corinne shout from outside the door.

The door opens inward. I jump back over the desk and kick the door shut as I land. I feel the door slam into Corinne as it closes and the sound of her body hitting the ground outside assures me that she won’t be a further nuisance. I turn my attention back to Jacob who has not moved from his seat. He looks calm now. It is probably an act, but I can’t have him turning the tables in this battle of nerves.

“Look, you found us before we even came into town and now I have found you. A feat, until a few moments ago, you probably thought impossible. You now realize what I am capable of so I expect your cooperation.”

“Can we be civilized about this?”

“No, we tried this your way,” I grab his left hand and lay on the desk, “Now let’s try mine.”

I slam my dagger into the desk through Jacob’s hand. I see his jaw tighten up. It hurts, but he holds it in. He refuses to lose face in front of me. I pull the dagger out. Jacob takes his cut scarf and wraps it around his hand. We sit in silence for a while as he contemplates what to say.

“We had nothing to do with the kidnapping of your man…but I do know who is responsible and I will share it with you.”

“I’m listening.”

“It was a group of slavers that call themselves the Ocean Masters. They have a ship with the same name. Apparently they hired a band of thieves known as the Ring of Blades to assist in the capture.”

“You knew this and you did nothing?”

“It is not our business.”

“Oh but it is. Tell me where I can find them.”

“Their ship is on the north side of the port. It sails today for Densetsu.”

I turn to leave. “Wait,” Jacob stands.

“What?” I ask without looking back.

“We still have an arrangement and I expect you to do your job.”

I face Jacob. “Then I expect a ship waiting at the docks tonight to take me and my crew to Densetsu. If you can’t deliver then I no longer have faith your organization’s abilities and you can find someone else to do your dirty work.”

“You will have your ship,” Jacob replies.

“And if I don’t catch these slavers here I want the detailed information on where they are going.”

“Done.”

“Then consider Brock as good as dead.”

I turn to leave again. “I must say, you have impressed me. Your dedication to your team is astounding. If you’re ever looking to retire from the life of a hired sword there will be a place waiting for you in the Guild.”

How about that? I threaten his life and he wants to hand me a membership. This is what Ethan has been trying to get for years and I have done it in a day. I don’t ever intend on taking him up on the offer, but I am not about to throw it away either.

“We’ll see,” I say as I exit.

I close the door behind me and look down on the unconscious Corinne. She is going to have a nasty bump on her head when she wakes, but hopefully she’ll have learned to stop running into doors.

By the time I make it to the north docks the Ocean Master has long since departed. Again, I have failed. I’m sorry, Draccus. I will catch up with you in Densetsu and I promise to make those slavers suffer as others have suffered at their hands. My focus now is to kill Brock and get a ship. I must first return to the inn to get a change of clothes. All of my clothing and tool pouch are still wet from my swim back to the docks from Jacob’s ship.

By the time I will make it to the Black Widow, change, and return to the Gemini Tavern it should be early evening. Brock should not be there until late so I will be able to establish myself at the bar. When he arrives I will seem heavily inebriated. I will be belligerent and insult him until he attacks me. And if he will not be provoked then I will start a fight to upset the whole tavern and catch him in the mix. After that Brock will be no more.