“Kai, Do not remove your mask.” I tell Kai with exaggerated motion and pointing to the mask.

“I understand just fine.” He replies. These are the last words before we go out of the carriage, the game begins.

At the entrance to the venue the greeter stands and greets the guests with his list.

The masquerade can be seen through the gate, a bit farther down the lane in the park the nobles rented.

It is like the center of the park is the only thing on Mythos that is lit and happy and the rest is either darkness or lanterns guiding toward the celebration.

“Ahh, my heel!” Esra screams, and falls down to the ground. Everyone rushes toward her, the guards and greeter too. Leaving the list vulnerable.

They help her get up “My heel, it broke, it must have rolled over there.” She points to a point in the small cluster of people waiting to be greeted in.

After a short moment “Found it!” Wren proudly presents a piece of wood that would fit as a heel for a shoe. One that was in his pocket this whole time.

“My servants will fix this after the party, I will simply have to continue bare foot.” Esra takes the heel piece and continues to the gate.

“Yes… we just need to check you on the list, miss…” The greeter waits for an answer. “That is not miss, but Lady. Lady Selene.”

She says with a slightly arrogant tone. “Ahh, Lady Selene, how nice of you to join us. Are these your companions.” He points at me, and Weber.

“They are… acquaintances. Sheith Simon is a rich Mizran merchant and Sir Dubroix is connected to the Bourbons.” She introduces us as if she has known us this way for her entire life.

“I don’t recall these names… but the list is more noble than I. Right this way, through the gate and forward all the way.”

We three move slowly, so that Kai and Wren will catch up. “It only just began, we need a few more hours and a couple of more guests to arrive.” Wren says when she catches up.

“Then what will we do until then?” Weber asks.

“Just have fun” is the answer he gets but he is displeased with that answer. Most of all, Kai looks as if he wishes he never came here to begin with.

“I will take care of Kai, you three have fun.” I let them know before taking a faster stride to the light, one that Kai struggles to keep up with.

The wine is fine, and the women are also delectable to see. Most of all I like the recreations.

There is art of sculptures and some hand wrestling areas, and the pillowed carriages are probably my favorite.

“Stop running, I don’t want to participate.” Kai is reluctant to do anything.

“You’re just bad at it, so you don’t want to try it.” I provoke him. Eventually he caves and tries the Pillowed carriages with me.

I hop into one and grab the wand, I am not too good at magic but I can at least do this.

The carriage moves straight to Kais Carriage, who struggles to get his going. BLAM! He shakes.

I move on to bump into other carriages. In the end I was appearantly right, Kai was bad at it.

“I expected more mastery of magic from an elf.” A stranger I bumped into frequently decides to open up a conversation.

“Not high elf… wood elf.” Kai says, trying to seem less suspicious. “Ridiculous, a wood elf in here?” He dug himself in.

“This is my friend and servant, Dinh.” Kai is so angry right now I called him a servant.

“Let’s try apple in the barrel next.” I run toward the barrel when I see another recreation site.

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The barrel is filled with beer and you need to catch an apple with your mouth. It truly is fun to just play, although some are clearly too drunk to continue playing.

If there was some elven brew inside Kai would maybe more interested. “A children’s game? no way!” are his words, but I can tell that he is not honest.

“We cannot play this game, we have work to do and we cannot have you drunk.”

He’s right. This is the most fun I’ve had in years, too bad we came as assassins instead of guests.

The sound of trumpets tears the air all around, everyone divert their attention toward it’s source in the center of the park.

Some drunks in the buckets fall out in confusion, impressively one with an apple in his mouth.

“To all guests who arrived, we are pleased to have you here. The organizer of the event will soon give a few words.”

Most people around us walk towards the stage in the center, these are the noble's friends or ones who want to become friends.

We on the other hand need to regroup near the statue of the elk. “What do you think? should we do it during his speech?” Weber asks.

“The speech is an unforeseen event. We planned on doing it during the play, and display the body in the play only after we already escaped.” Wren explains. “If we do it during her speech, we will no doubt be apprehended.” She looks at me and waits for me to confirm.

“I am here for these sort of things, right? unforeseen events.” They all still look cautious.

“a few guardsmen, maybe some knights in the crowd, without armor or weapons though…” I mumble to myself. “Alright, I can stand there for about 5 to seven minutes, probably, if you can teleport us away by then…”

I look at Wren who doesn’t look enthusiastic. “With three I can make it just beyond the gate, to the carriage we set up.” They all have hesitant faces, even Kai.

“Don’t you worry, I won’t charge you extra for this, hahaha.” It is settled, and with good timing, the speech just started.

“It is a wonderful night, and I am so happy to have you all on my side. I will remember each and every one of you as a benefactor of Calcampo.” The crowd claps to that “We will soon be able to build another three lanes of the best houses in Uesteroza, and you will be the first to receive my gratitude.”

While the crowd roars with enthusiasm, the shadows behind the speaker begin to move.

Three poisonous ninja darts fly into his back, sealing his fate. what happens next is just for show.

The poor speaker is frozen in place, no doubt the shock, but a ninja launches from the shadow and his sword through his back for all to see.

The guards now get out of their shock and into action, as I predicted a man in the crowd seems to look for his sword, remembering he did not bring it to this event.

Behind Kai and the newly dead Organizer the rest of us walk forward, and show ourselves too.

Wren is unfortunately too busy concentrating on the casting of her magic, whatever that means. Weber will have to take her place, And I step off the stage to apprehend the guards.

“Ladies and gentelmen, it is so nice of you to join us. I Am Weber, and these are my friends, a last minute addition to the list of guests. You may see me as a vile villain but my forgery is dwarfed in comparison to your lovely corpse of a noble here who repurposed orphanages as resort houses or millitary camps. Who destroyed neighborhoods for high class shop districts…”

Weber truly is good with words, he can capture the attention of hundreds of people. I on the other hand use swords and I can only apprehend six guards.

I am trained in techniques made for taking on multiple opponents though, so I can manage at least that.

First take out the spears, most guard spears are made from rather cheap wood, A cleave with my left sword destroys their functions with a single swing.

My right sword is light and durable, and slightly longer than most. Any swordsman is no match for it, slashing their hand is enough to make them hesitant to try and approach again.

I was told not to kill anyone unless if it is the Organizer, but I might have to take down the remaining three swordsman if I have to survive another few minutes.

More ninja darts come out from Kai’s hand, warning the guards from approaching. “Amir, the spell is ready! come here!” I knew he cared more than he showed.

I use his cover to climb back onstage and a bizarre portal walkway connects the stage and the location of our escape. After we walk in Wren breaths heavily, The stage through the portal seems wider and more far away, until I cannot make sense of what I see and it closes.

“That was close, but it was undoubtedly worth it.” Esra sighs with relief.

“Yes, *huff* talk about *huff* sending a message *huff*.” Wren smiles and looks at Weber who did an excellent job of telling the guests what a body found in a play never could.

“I guess this is where we part, ways, Amir.” She looks at me. Kai seems a bit less relieved after she says that, maybe just to my eyes.

“I will take my pay tomorrow. What did I tell you? I’m not cheap, but I am the best.”

Weber comes closer to me “Would you like to join us? We still have more wrongs to right. You could do so much for the poor-” I cut him off with my word.

“It did cross my mind, but I think I’ll stick to these jobs. They are a lot more fun than you imagine, and you get to find new friends.”

Kai looks this way “I was also a mercenary before I joined the group. Think about doing something greater in your life.” Kai gives his own story, but mine is not exactly like his.

“I will remember you, for the better, but I think I don’t like to kill, I want to enjoy myself in other ways.” I tell them all “So if you call me for a beer barrel apple game, I will be more inclined than for another job. If you do need a job though, don’t hesitate, I am the best, and I will give you a good price.”

I only use my skills to get money, and money to have fun however I like. Next time I will be in an event like this one, I plan on being a real guest. I might invite Kai too, I think were friends now, but you can never tell what a drow thinks.