A memory, or a dream: The City of Wyrvale, a nondescript alleyway.

Lodran Wyrashe strode forward without fear through the dark alleyway, lit only by the light of the moon above. He stopped just as two figures clad in dark cloaks stepped out of the shadows. Lodran held a letter between his fingers toward the figures.

"Why have you dared to summon me here?" He asked icily. "Speak now, before I kill you."

One of the figures pulled the hood of their cloak back, revealing lustrous silver hair and the pointed ears of an Aelfan, their face, however, was hidden by a black mask with a red smile painted on it.

"We know why you are here, my Lord." She stated. "To cleanse this land of Human filth, your work is such that we are greatly inspired and wish to aid you in this endeavor."

Lodran scowled. "And who are you to presume you could order me about?" He asked.

"We would never presume to order you about, my Lord." The other figure, a male, stated. His mask, while still mostly hidden, bore a painted scowl. "We merely wish to make known that we support you, and that we bear grave news indeed."

Lodran's expression darkened. "I sense no falsehood from you two. What is it?"

"The Human who takes lodging within your sister's home, he is a charlatan, and worse still, is a man who is fated to lead this world into darkness." The female said. "Indeed, he comes not from this world, but another, and whether by his blood or his will, the world shall fall."

"I care not for the ramblings of the mad." Lodran stated.

They bowed to Lodran. "Apologies, my Lord." They both said simultaneously. Lodran looked unnerved by their seeming synchronicity. The female stood to her full height and drew from within her cloak a silver box. She opened it and presented it to Lodran, whose eyes widened.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

The female closed the box and said, "How we gained it is of little import, it is a gift to you, should you wish to take it."

Lodran strode toward her and took the box from her. "I will confiscate this, gift or not." He said. "This is dangerous."

"There are two Humans within Lady Wyrashe's household who are dangerous." The male said. "The one who obscures himself to even Truesight must be slain, else all is lost, and the one who considers himself my Lady's most trusted servant has already fallen to his will. We cannot touch them."

"But you, a Lord, can."

Lodran looked at the box in his hands, and a smile crept across his face. "Indeed." He said. "To kill two beasts with one dagger. I shall accept your tribute, then." He looked up, but the figures had already vanished.

A memory, or a dream: A church, two years ago

I came only because Mom wanted me to come. It was a relatively new church, unlike the one we'd gone to before, however, it was a lot larger, and the people... Something about them creeped me out. But, Mom wanted me to come with her, so she wasn't the only one.

I dressed relatively nicely, kept any improper accoutrements at home. It was all relatively non-descript, nothing that your average Christian would get huffy about. We arrived relatively early, though I guess it would be on-time for your average Christian. Mom and I entered and saw the relatively sizeable congregation. We walked past a few people, Mom greeted them politely, and they glared at us. I bit my tongue, there was no use yelling at them. We passed by a trio of old women who were gossiping about something someone I didn't know or care about did, and how it was absolutely terrible. We passed by a man who was complaining about how his kid 'turned gay' and was asking for prayers to help them 'see the light'. Normally, things weren't this blatant, and I was mostly ignoring the people who weren't being asshats, but I knew Mom was not going to like it here. I didn't say anything, I kept silent.

We found a seat and made ourselves comfortable, though I slouched a bit so that I wouldn't stand out too much. I focused on a glamour, to make myself seem uninteresting, willing others to just ignore us.

"Excuse me." A woman about Mom's age stood right next to me. "You're in my seat."

"Sorry, didn't know there was assigned seating." I said, standing up.

"Excuse me." She said.

"No, excuse me." I said.

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"Ryan..." Mom started.

"I'm sure we can find a seat next to people as pleasant as you are." I said to the woman. She picked up on the backhanded compliment immediately.

"This is a place of God, young man. If you're going to be disrespectful, then you may as well leave."

I wanted to smack her, I wanted to punch her. I wanted to grab her and shake her and tell her she was being a huge cunt and that no true Christian would act like this. She took a step back and I walked past her and found a different seat. Mom joined me not too long after.

"Ryan." Mom said.

"I promised I would be on my best behavior." I said softly. "I'm trying."

"Then try harder." Some random asshole butted in. "It's people like you who-"

"Would you fucking not?" I asked. "I'm here because my Mom asked me to come, I'm not here to fit within whatever narrow niche of a good little boy you think I should shove myself into." He looked taken aback. "Now if you'd mind your own business for five seconds, I'd like to try to pay attention and maybe learn something instead of gossip."

"Don't you know how to respect your elders?" He asked. "Didn't your mother teach you better?!"

"My mother taught me better than anyone in this room could have." I snapped. "It's a failing on my part that I didn't pay attention closely enough, and it's a failing on your part for being such a shitty example of a Christian. Now practice what you preach and turn the other cheek."

He turned away and I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. In, "What kind of woman raises her son like that?" Out. "What a disrespectful boy, he says he's here for his mother, but he's not even trying." In. "If I were her, I'd just leave."

"Mom." I said. "You're not going to find any true Christians here, they're all assholes." I didn't try to be quiet. "I'm sure the other place is a lot more welcoming than this cesspit."

I stood up and walked toward the front doors while ignoring the glares. I stopped to make sure Mom was following, she was, but a woman piped up, "You don't have to listen to that heathen, my dear, we're perfectly welcoming."

It was the first time I'd ever seen Mom backhand someone. She caught up with me and we left.

"I'm sorry." I said as we walked to the car.

"Don't be." She said. "You were right."

"No, for cursing." I said. "I know you don't like it."

She smiled. "Thank you, Ryan." She said. "I forgive you."

We got into the car and I said, "That's the kind of forgiveness Jesus preached about." I said. "Forgiving people for their transgressions, not for some ill-defined sin that became irrelevant after his sacrifice."

"You don't have to try for me." She said. "I'll just accept that there isn't anywhere that actually has anyone who acts like a Christian nearby."

She started the car and we started driving home.

"I can't be what you want on that front." I said. "But I'm glad that you are what you believe, that you act in a manner that God would find pleasing. I think, at the very least, that you are an example of a good Christian."

"Thank you." She said.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too...

A memory, or a dream: The City of Wyrvale, a darkened room.

The orders were simple, yet tracking the target down had been something of a difficult task. The Kobolti stared out from the window, idly tossing a dagger into the air and catching it without looking, and without cutting himself. Light reflected faintly from his pupils as a trio of guards passed by below.

"We're targeting one of her guests." He glanced behind himself to look at the other Kobolti, who strode into the room without fear. "Are you absolutely mad, Spex?"

"The Good Lady does not have a monopoly on us." Spex stated. "We both are the best, I've already had a chance to spy on the Human."

"And?"

"And he's a weakling, can barely cast a spell, and his time at the Temple only resulted in him leaving."

The other Kobolti sighed. "Do you have a plan?" Spex nodded. "And?"

"Plan fifteen, the target barely knows anything, he'll fall for it without issue."

"The Lady will see it from Khenra away, why don't we just give the Lord his money back and tell him it's too dangerous a job."

"And ruin our reputation?" Spex asked.

"And risk the wrath of Lady Wyrashe, who so graciously allows us to have our primary gathering place within her very walls?" The Kobolti countered. "I've also spied on the target, he's had plenty of opportunity to ogle the Lady and... If he isn't twin-souled, then I don't know what's up with him."

Spex sighed. "If we don't kill him, the Lord will kill him in our place." He said. "He's already in the city, he is expecting us to do our job. The least we can do for the poor fool is slit his throat before he knows what hit him."

There was a tense silence between them. The Kobolti touched Spex's face and gently turned it. "Spex." She said. "Something about this contract reeks, we should consider our approach carefully. It may be wiser to let slip what we are meant to do and let the good Lady handle it."

"Certainly, and while we're at it, let's stop every contract we have because we're all just a group of loving, caring neighbors." Spex snarked. "I'm sure the Guildmaster would absolutely love to know we've grown a conscience!"

There was another long, tense silence between them, Spex looked back out toward the city. "Go, I can't replace him, but I can at least replace you so you can figure out what it is you are doing."

"This is not about Kashak!" She snapped. "Gods above, I do not regret the choices I've made, nor do I object to this morally! There is no good business to be had by slaughtering a likely innocent man who is a guest of one of our most prominent patrons!"

"And if he were not such?" Spex asked. "Perhaps if he were a slaver, or a child-rapist?" He looked at his compatriot. "Or maybe he is a Fel worshiper? Like the ones who-?" He threw the dagger into the floor and spat out an angry hiss. He cast a glaring eye at the manor of Lady Wyrashe.

"Or maybe he is like you, lost and abandoned, having been given mercy?" The Kobolti walked over to the dagger and pulled it out before handing it to Spex. "Would it be too unlikely for a Lord to seek to destroy us through the targeting of a Lady's guest?"

Spex sighed. "We commence soon." He said. "Study him, spy on him, do as you will. If you find any evidence this contract is a set-up, then we speak to the Lady, otherwise, we will kill the target as planned. Understood?"

The Kobolti sighed. "Of course." She said. She smirked. "Though, if I am right, this would be the perfect opportunity for you to become the next Guildmaster."

"I'm just as likely to become the next Archglaive." Spex spat angrily. "Or help the Hero Banhrat in his next holy crusade."

"He has never shied away from using our services to do what he couldn't do publicly." She remarked. "Have you ever done a contract for him?"

Spex began to relax, now that the conversation had changed. "No." He said. "Nor do I expect he'd tolerate me long enough to give me one."

"His son's a tinker, you know, and seems pretty bored with being the Hero's son. He might make a good recruit."

"And that is my cue to leave." Spex stated as he sheathed his dagger. "Gods know every time you have a terrible idea that will doom us all, I get blamed for it!"

Spex leapt into the air and vanished...