“Oh my,” laughed the man, his accent gone fully, “My disguise works too well.”

Crewslayer examined the stranger closely.

“Lulaton?” he chuckled, “You’ve even colored your facial hair.”

“Well, I’m going under deep cover,” said the old man, taking off his hat and putting it on the table, “And I expect you to help me. I’m going to visit Velmytop and see for myself if the war is really coming. Since no one is fond of kinani guests there, I’m putting on another face.”

“Who would believe that tyrsenoi merchant have traversed that far through the cities controlled by our kind,” asked Ymdaton confusedly.

“Most of locals, trust me,” answered Lulaton with a grin, “Don’t you know that the hatred for tyrsenoi is not a common trait among kinani. No one likes them, true, since they are our rivals at the sea. But only people of Isary would spill their blood with such pleasure. Because our island was raided for generations by tyrsenoi, we possess such a deeply rooted loathing of them. Other city states do trade with their kind often and tyrsenoi merchants are not an uncommon sight in Qyris. Drevlyani do not know of our blood feud, that is why I am visiting them as a trader of different nation, not interested in local squabbles. That’s a perfect disguise.”

“I am willing to help you, if you answer but one my question,” said Ymdaton after the old man finished his speech.

“Do speak.”

“You sent Azandahy to invite me, to persuade me to assist you instead of the hunter. I heard Sumiaton telling unpleasant things about you. That you are a cunning and dangerous man,” he paused and looked Lulaton in the eye, “And he is probably right. However, I want to hear your opinion on him. Why should I support you over the acknowledged hero?”

“Tell me,” sighed the old man, “Have you ever observed something suspicious about him?”

“I,” Ymdaton skimmed through his memories, “I saw him talk the warlord into forfeiting the gold mine. That very gold mine that he bragged about yesterday.”

“Did you hear what words exactly he used?”

“No, they talked in private. Zasedany, a drevlyani practice of negotiation, you know…”

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“I know how it works,” cut him off Lulaton, “And here is my problem with Sumiaton. You see, once he came to Azytenisar’s father and talked with him in private. He was but an eighteen year old back then, unknown, unproven. Yet the old lord of Abeneewy gave him six warships with full crews and sent him to defeat a sea monster. No one knows what the hunter told him, not even I.

Weeks later Sumiaton sailed to Isary heavily wounded, on a piece of wreckage, the last remnant of his armada. He never told what happened, except that he has slain the beast. It is true, that he had a proof with him: the torn eye of the thing. It is also true that the attacks on our ships ceased since then. But did he truly defeat it by himself? How the ships were destroyed? How all his men died?

Later, the father of Azytenisar came to king of Isary and pleaded to entrust Sumiaton with the siege of Perusna. The man was not known for anything besides a single monster hunt. He certainly was not a known siege engineer. Yet the old lord told something to king that made him agree. It is true that the venator succeeded with his brilliant wall breaking machines. It is rarely spoken of how many lives of Isary warriors he spent that day.

And in that manner the story of Sumiaton continues. It is undeniable that he achieved much and his skills are proven. However, his rise to the top was always secured by shady deals. I was never able to unveil his secrets. I suspect that lord Azytenisar knows more than I, yet he refuses to talk about the hunter altogether. I do not trust him. He is ruthless in his quest for glory, ready to sacrifice anything. Agendas that brought him into his current position are unclear, and agendas which he follows currently are even more clouded.

Have I satisfied you with my answer?”

“Yeah, that is basically what I thought myself,” said Ymdaton, “I just could not put it into words earlier.”

“Will you assist me in my little mission then?”

“I will,” Crewslayer looked around, “Won’t I need some kind of disguise too?”

“Don’t worry,” smiled Lulaton, “I will send yours with a messenger in two days, when the time comes for us to depart.”