Dantes waited in an abandoned house less than ten blocks from Mondego’s Manor. His coat sat on a rusty nail protruding from the wall where it dripped water onto the ground. It was cold, but Dantes didn’t notice. He didn’t even shiver. His eyes were closed as he moved vermin of all kinds into place and started to push his plans into motion.

Jayk, Jayson, and Zak were on their way, but had to be careful weaving their way through back alleys and over rooftops to avoid any of Mondego’s people who knew of their betrayal. He had a white rat ready to guide them the last few blocks when they got close. He wasn’t sure of where whatever former collared that was summoned by his silver coin was, but he did feel the coin in his pocket slowly growing warmer and warmer so he assumed that he’d see whoever it was soon.

Unlike Dantes who was able to channel his anticipation into preparation, Jacopo had to content himself with gnawing a rope in the corner. It was particularly unfair, because Jacopo wouldn’t be experiencing the emotion at all if not for his connection to Dantes. Not that Dantes would’ve passed up a rope to chew on himself at this point. His jaw was clenched, his small tusks drawing a bit of blood from inside his cheeks, and he felt as if he could leap out of his own skin as he sat there and waited.

A bat catching a moth nearby sensed movement in an alleyway that was growing closer, a nearby rat moved toward the movement and Dantes was able to see both Orebus and Wane approaching.

Orebus pushed the creaking door and stepped inside.

“Dantes? Are you here?”

“Yes,” he replied, standing to meet them. He clasped each of their arms drawing in for a short embrace before releasing them. “I’m grateful it's you two.”

“Who else would bother?” said Wane looking him up and down. “You look like more of a drowned rat than usual. Are you alright?”

“I was on a sinking ship earlier today. I've mostly recovered from it.”

Orebus muttered a few words in elvish under his breath and extended a hand. A small orb of light appeared and moved toward Dantes. It was warm.

“Thank you.”

Orebus nodded.

“I’m guessing you didn’t just call us to dry you and your clothes,” said Wane. It was a jest, but there was a bit of tension in his voice as well. He could tell something was off.

“I need your help. Both of you. Mondego, the one who got me thrown into the Underprison, the one who did this,” he held up his wooden hand. “He’s at his weakest. This is my only chance to strike. There’s a chance I could do it alone, but… My experience hasn’t exactly shown that to be the best idea lately. I know you’re both busy with whatever Merle is working on, but this isn’t a request to work with me permanently. I just need help for tonight and then I will be in both of your debts. Gold, women, golden women, whatever you want I’ll get it for you.”

Orebus and Wane exchanged glances.

“You really think this man is such a threat that you can’t beat him? Even with your abilities?” asked Orebus.

Dantes clenched his jaw even tighter. “It’s not that I think I can’t beat him. It’s that I don’t want to die trying.”

Wane shook his head. “I don’t think you're being reasonable.”

“I know Merle needs you, but-”

Wane raised a hand shaking his head. “Not about that. You said you would be doing it alone. Jacopo is right there for gods’ sake.”

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Jacopo nodded, appreciating the acknowledgement and the joke.

Dantes laughed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be taking him for granted.”

“I’ll help you Dantes. I assume you have a plan beyond us knocking on the front door and fighting our way through?”

Dantes nodded.

“Orebus?” asked Dantes, “I don’t think either of us would hold it against you if you didn’t want to get involved in this.”

Orebus chuckled. “I worked out my mind and body for decades in the Pit. An excuse to flex a bit in support of a friend who has promised me golden women? I’m an old elf, but I can’t say that’s not a tempting offer.”

Dantes nodded gratefully. “I will owe you both an eternal debt for this.”

“And we both know you’ll honor it.”

There was a sound at the entrance. Jayk, Zak, and Jayson had arrived.

Orebus and Wane tensed, with Orebus dismissing the warming orb he’d summoned, but Dantes held up a hand to calm them. “They’re here to help.”

He walked back to the entryway where the three of them were coming through, following the white rat Dantes had sent to guide them on the last part of their journey.

“Dantes,” said Jayson with a nod. “You need help with Mondego?”

He had been surprised when all three of them had answered his call, but grateful. He wasn’t sure if it was out of fear, respect, or camaraderie, but he imagined it was a little bit of each.

Dantes nodded. “Yes, but you can still back out if you want to. I won’t hold it against you and the positions and rewards I’ve promised you will still be in place if I manage this without your help.”

“I assume helping you here would mean an even greater reward?” asked Jayk.

“That’s the implication, yes.”

Zak stretched his neck a bit, making it crack. “Are we going through the front?”

“I’m more of a second story man, so no,” said Dantes with a smile.

Jayson nodded his head toward Wane and Orebus. “I feel like I’ve seen you two before. Back in the Underprison? Fellow escapees?”

They both nodded.

“What gang?”

They exchanged glances, clearly unsure of how much they were comfortable revealing.

“They’re collared,” said Jayk, looking them up and down. “Or they were. You ever seen an elf built like a concrete slab that wasn’t in the collared?”

Jayson nodded. “Mages? That makes me feel a lot better.” He looked at Dantes. “No offense.”

Dantes shrugged. “It’s fine. They make me feel better by being here too.” He went back to his coat and pulled out the two explosive hand crossbows he’d retrieved from Mercedes, noticing Jayk’s eyes widen as he brought them out. “These should make you feel better as well.”

Jayson and Jayk each took one, and turned them over in their hands, feeling the magic coming off of them in their own particular ways.

“These fire explosive bolts. Not sure of how much juice is left, or even the exact method of use, but I figure these two could help us out with that,” he said, gesturing to Orebus and Wane. “With these you can avoid any close up conflict and just pick people off who aren’t overwhelmed by my vermin.”

“How many guards does he have there now?” asked Zak.

“More than thirty, even with the two dozen he sent away. I think at least four are mages of some kind. The rest are brutes, archers, and the usual scum. There’s a good chance Mondego has gifted them with some enchanted items. When I last encountered him a number of them had some kind of shielding that kept my vermin from striking them.”

They all exchanged glances, but no one said anything.

“Mondego himself is also a threat, obviously. He is strong, and is using a number of enchanted items. He can at least summon a spear, shield himself from severe damage, cover that shield in flame, summon a wand that creates cold, and even summon possessed poison that makes it impossible to focus.”

Everyone exchanged glances again, this time with a bit more unease in their eyes.

“He’s off balance though, as are his men. We’ve been tearing into his organization piece by piece, and he has no help coming from anyone else. The reason he sent so many of his men away is because Mercedes has run off.”

Jayson whistled. “Damn, what happened to her?”

“I happened. She’s dead at the bottom of the docks.”

Jayk subtly nudged Jayson and indicated the still dripping wet jacket hanging on the nail nearby.

“So more than thirty men and a dangerous murderer with an unknown number of enchanted items who is expecting some kind of attack from you against two mages, a druid, and three thugs.”

“It’s not just us, it’ll also be the guard. They ignore midtown, and likely Mondego’s manor in particular, but if we cause enough of a disruption they’ll have no choice, but to get involved, and it’ll be a lot easier for us to avoid them than Mondego’s crew.”

Wane nodded to that, as did Jayk.

“Okay, it sounds more reasonable, but I still need to hear the full plan.”

Dantes nodded. “Alright, but I don’t have time to cover this more than once. It’s now or never. The plan starts with pigeons, gunpowder, and ignition runes.”