Rogue John belched and set his tankard down on the table before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "So you're telling me you want to break into the church and rob 'em blind?"

"No. We're not robbing them just for the sake of it," Jasper said. "Have you been paying attention to anything I've said?"

"Been trying, but I think I'm not drunk enough to understand. 'Nother round?" He lifted his tankard up, shaking it in Slade's direction.

The barkeep stood by the door with his arms crossed. The three of them were in the private room just off the common area of the tavern, and Slade was standing guard while Shiva the orc watched the bar. "Thought I overcharged?" he asked.

"You do, but I'm not paying for it." Rogue John grinned at Jasper.

The young wizard leaned forward in his chair. "I think you've had enough. Now listen to me-"

Slade came from behind him and placed a pitcher of ale on the table between them. Looking at Jasper, he said, "I've worked with John enough to know that he's almost useless unless he's drunk." Looking at John, he added: "Drink up."

"Gladly," Rogue John said, picking up the pitcher and drinking from it directly. "I'm gonna need a whole keg or two if I'm to even think about helping you bust into the church, boy. Better start saving now."

"If you help me get what I need from the church, you can help yourself to whatever you want outta there. Far be it from me to try and stop you," Jasper said. He truly didn't care at all what this rogue did once his was inside the church.

"Have you really considered the consequences if this thing goes south - which it almost assuredly will? And I mean really. There'll be no mercy. We'll probably get captured right away, tortured as demon-possessed heretics, and executed in the most brutal way imaginable. If we manage to get away, we'll be hunted until the end of our days. Nowhere will be safe."

Jasper took a deep breath. Would Cerana want him to do this? He already knew the answer. Would she forgive him for doing it anyway? He could only hope. He smirked and said, "You've convinced me. Sounds fun."

"Whoa there, lad, it isn't a done deal. You'll have to convince me with something other than money. I don't need any."

"You always needed money," Slade said.

"I'm set for life."

"Thieving business is that good, eh?"

"I've made some very smart investments. You think I'm still thievin' full-time? Bah! Grow up, man!"

"So what do you want?" Jasper asked, trying to keep him focused. He was determined to get the halfling's help - even if he had to promise away his very being.

"The girl you met in the alley - Vesper is her name. I want her off the streets." Rogue John took another drink. "I've been doing a lot of work in the slum community these past few years since the last time you saw me, Slade."

"What do you mean?" Slade asked.

"I've been training the urchins how to properly steal, so's they don't go gettin' their hands chopped off."

"How noble," Jasper quipped. "More thieves are what this city needed."

"Bold talk for someone asking for my help stealing," John retorted, cutting dagger eyes at him. "Besides, it's not the kids' faults they're on the streets. Might as well give them a fighting chance."

"So what's different about Vesper?" Slade asked.

"She's no good at it! She'll die if I don't find another line of work for her."

"Could've fooled me. The knife in my back felt pretty convincing," Jasper said.

"But you wanted to get robbed. She should've never fallen for that. She's a good kid, and she has a roguish heart, just not the roguish smarts."

"It's not like I can get her into the wizard college. I would if I could, believe me, but I'm not exactly pals with the Arch-Wizard. I'm an average student, at best."

John looked at Slade, who took a deep breath before saying, "I can't afford to pay her much, but I do need someone to watch the place while I'm gone. Shiva's a little loose with the inventory."

"Room and board?" John asked.

"I can make it work."

"Thank you." John raised the pitcher in a toast to Slade before taking a long pull. "All right, boy," he said, looking back to Jasper, "I'll help you. We're going to break into the church and rob them blind."

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"Hold on," Jasper said, raising his hands in surrender. "We're only going to take what we need."

"But what if we need it all?" John raised an eyebrow.

It was here that Jasper began to wonder what he was getting himself into. Maybe a part of him had never truly believed he had a shot at getting into the church to begin with and that his plan had just been a vain attempt to make himself feel better about his powerlessness to help Cerana. He couldn't forfeit now. He had called Artie a coward the other day for giving up, and so he would stay the course - no matter what.

"Then we'll take it all."

"I'm sure the three of us can carry quite a bit. Make multiple trips, if we don't get caught the first time." John laughed.

"I'm not helping," Slade said. "It's too dangerous and I'm too old. I just can't. John, I'd follow you just about anywhere..."

"But not there - I get it. I suppose we shouldn't be pressing our luck. We never should have made it out of half the scrapes we did!" Rogue John laughed again. "But, I'm a man of my word, so I'll help you, Jasper. And, damn it, it'll be a thrill!"

"Thank you," Jasper said, grinning.

"There's one more person that we should ask. The only person even close to being as stealthy as yours truly..."

----------------------------------------

"Have you talked to him since we all parted ways?" Rogue John asked.

"He comes by the tavern once every few years to catch up, but I haven't seen him in quite some time," Slade said.

"Time for a reunion."

As John knocked, Jasper - standing behind the two of them - shifted his weight from one foot to another in anticipation. They had told him that Udai Urnschall was a dark elf and had been in the army with Slade in their youth, but other than that the man was a mystery. When the door opened, there stood a slender, muscular elf with purple skin. His silvery-white hair was cut in a short fauxhawk, and the lobes of his pointed ears were pierced.

"Slade! Rogue John!" Udai grinned and reached out to give them each an embrace. "Good to see you both!"

"Been a while, eh?" John asked.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Slade and I catch up every once in a while, but I had no idea what you've been up to. You know you never gave any of us your address, right?"

Rogue John muttered something under his breath while Slade chuckled.

"Who's this?" Udai asked, nodding at Jasper.

The wizard stuck out his hand as Slade introduced him. "This is Jasper Hemlock. He's a fifth-year at the college and a friend. He's been a regular at my tavern for a while."

Udai shook Jasper's hand. "Must come from money. You know he overcharges for drinks, right?" The dark elf snickered and Slade rolled his eyes.

"That's why I try and go when Shiva's watching the bar," Jasper said, causing Udai and John to laugh.

It was Slade's turn to mutter under his breath before saying, "Udai, can we come in? We have something to discuss."

"Sure," he said, opening to the door and motioning them inside. "Aurora and the girls just stepped out for a bit."

They followed Udai through a warmly decorated home, upstairs into his study. There was a modest collection of books on the shelves, as well as some small relics and a variety of weapons. Everywhere Jasper looked he found musical instruments of all types and from all different parts of the world either mounted on walls or on stands. After taking a few moments to inspect, he joined the other men in the center of the room, where Udai had pulled up some chairs before handing a wine decanter directly to Rogue John.

"Udai, Jasper needs your help," Slade said. He explained the entire situation, with Jasper filling in the details, before finishing with, "And so, Jasper and John need your help breaking into the church."

The whole time, Udai had listened silently, uninterrupting. He had nodded at points, but the rest of the time he listened with his hands steepled before him. After Slade finished speaking, the man had taken a few more moments to contemplate the story he had just heard. Jasper could tell this man was strategic in everything he said and did. Everything to him felt as if it was considered like a move in a game of chess.

Udai said, "Jasper, do you have feelings for this girl?"

Jasper shifted in his seat, his cheeks growing hot. She was attractive, but... "No. Cerana's just a friend - a good one, and that's hard to come by."

"Indeed," Udai said, looking to Slade and John. "Why have you chosen to help?" he asked the halfling.

"Slade's helping a friend of mine, so I'm helping a friend of his."

"I see. That's a relief. I was worried you had come by a noble, selfless heart since last we'd met." Udai smirked.

The halfling huffed. "Why, I'd never!"

"Slade, you're not helping them?"

Slade cleared his throat. "Not this time... I'm too old... The church..."

"I understand." The dark elf looked at Jasper. "I won't help you either. I'm sorry."

Jasper straightened in his chair. "Please, Cerana needs your help."

"Lots of people need help. I can't drop everything for all of them, now can I?"

"But you can help this one."

"Much like Slade I have a lot to lose. I have a wife and two girls, and if I make an enemy of the church, they will have me arrested and executed, and likely do the same to my family."

"You're a coward." Jasper said, feeling his whole body tense. "You both are!" He pointed at Udai and Slade both.

"Easy, boy," John said.

"You're a coward, too! You're only helping because you get something out of it."

"Aye, and you're lucky for it. Now shut yer yap!"

Jasper stood, but remained silent at the raising of a calm hand by Udai. The elf said, "If the roles were reversed and I came to you - a complete stranger - and asked you to drop everything and help me steal from the church to help my daughter - another stranger - would you?"

Jasper didn't respond. He knew the answer, and so he stayed silent.

"You have a courageous heart, and no shortage of ambition. I wish you the best of luck."

Jasper sighed and looked to Rogue John. "I'm sorry. I guess it's just you and me."

"Death or success awaits! Let's get to plannin.'"

"Have you asked Ryujin?" Udai asked.

John laughed and shook his head. "You think I'm gonna ask that big, lumberin' bastard to join us on the stealthiest excursion I've ever been a part of? You're out of your mind! I wouldn't trust him to sneak into his own outhouse!"

"Who's Ryujin?" Jasper asked.

Slade said, "He was a part of our group when we were younger. Notoriously bad at stealth. More of the head-on type. C'mon, let's get out of here. I wanna get back to the tavern before Vesper shows up. I don't want her to pick up any of Shiva's bad habits right from the start."

While Slade and Jasper spoke, Udai leaned closer to John and said, "Be careful. Watch out for the boy and for yourself. Remember what the church did."

"Aye," John said, glancing at Slade. "How could any of us forget?"