Alaster was finally on his way to Zolis. As he traveled, it was up to Fenrir to locate their first target, Quinn Reyes. It should not be too difficult as the name also came with the man’s last known address. It would take a little bit of time however to find the man himself.
Fenrir stood up and studied the area of the map before him, specifically the area Quinn supposedly lived. As he did so, one of his Shadows alerted him. Fenrir bonded with it and found that a man had not only spotted the Shadow, a feat in itself, but was also following it.
From the looks of it, the man was an adventurer, which was growing increasingly rare in the capital city of Zolis. Most had left the city to avoid the prejudice as many used or were friends with someone who used the so called ‘Dark Magics’.
The man was skilled. He had not used any obvious magic, but it was clear that he knew how to track magic and even how to appear casual. If the Shadow had not alerted him, Fenrir would have guessed that the man was simply going on a walk. Unfortunately, no one just went on a walk in the Slums, least of all these days.
Fenrir decided to use the Shadow Assassin to lead the man to him. He got the sense that the man was following the Shadow out of curiosity. He sensed no outward hostility from the man, but that certainly did not mean that it was not there.
Just to be safe, as the Shadow led the man closer to Fenrir, the animalistic body summoned some more Undead around it, filling the dark corners of the room. He also prepared another Shadow far from his current location in case he needed to [Swap] locations with it.
Of course, Fenrir had to make sure the man did not suspect he was being intentionally led somewhere, so he had the Shadow made a few detours, making it seem as if it had been working on some other purpose. Yet the man remained on the Shadow’s trail, even with the large mob of people, each going their own way.
Eventually, after nearly half an hour, the Shadow entered the small empty building Fenrir took up residence in. While he technically ruled over the Slums, he left the true command up to a few select individuals. Fenrir had only wanted to create a large group of people that owed him a favor.
The man watched the Shadow enter the building from a nearby corner, but did not immediately enter after it. The man remained on the corner, acting as if he was warming himself by a small brazier with two other people.
He remained there for another twenty minutes, quietly studying the building. Seemingly satisfied, or perhaps his curiosity overpowered him, the man cautiously moved closer to the silent building. The windows were boarded shut and there were no sources of light within, so he could not see inside. The door, however, was cracked open slightly.
The man slowly pushed on the rotted door with one hand, the other moving in weird patterns that Fenrir recognized as the preparations for a spell. The rotted wood of the door creaked as the rusted hinges whined as the door was opened for the first time in several years. Fenrir had used a Shadow Assassin to enter the building.
Cautiously entering the dark building, the tip of the man’s finger glowed brightly, like a shaded lantern, he used it to see in front of him, while ensuring the rest of the room remained in darkness so as to not reveal his position too much. He held his prepared spell slightly behind his finger as he slowly checked every crevice of the room.
Broken and age worn furniture littered the floor, which the man carefully maneuvered around. He was not as silent as a trained Assassin or Thief, but he was much quieter than Fenrir had expected. He cleared the ground floor of the building with practiced ease, his calm face revealed that he had done something similar many times before.
This man was not a simple Adventurer, he was more careful, more skilled, and more patient. Most Adventurers would have simply charged in waving their weapons about. Even the more careful Adventurers would not have been so careful or through. The man even checked inside one of the broken barrels.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Finally, after nearly ten minutes of quiet searching, the man finally turned to the stairs. The building only had two floors, and the second floor only had one large room, just like the first. Fenrir ordered his Minions to clear the door as he lit a small candle and placed it on the table in front of him, the large, detailed map disappeared into his small Ring of Holding.
Fenrir sat down in the chair and conjured another chair out of bone. The man had caught his interest and Fenrir wished to speak with him.
The man slowly creeped up the stairs, making much less sound than Fenrir had thought possible for stairs so old and neglected. Despite the little noise he made, Fenrir did not hear it even with his Expert Hearing, but instead only through the Shadows that filled the building.
The man was sensitive enough to discover a Shadow Assassin in broad daylight, which was a difficult task, but in the dark, it was nearly impossible, especially if the Shadow Assassins lined the walls of the building so densely that there were no natural shadows left.
The man cautiously opened the door, revealing Fenrir sitting at the table in the middle of the room, expecting him.
“Took you long enough.” Fenrir said calmly, “Why don’t you sit down so we may talk comfortably.”
The man was surprised, but did not let it show on his face. He kept his prepared spell at the ready as remained on the landing.
“Oh, do come in. It is quite rude to remain standing. Besides, you are surrounded.”
The man looked down the stairs to see a dozen figures in heavy armor at the bottom.
“You might be able to escape, but certainly not without causing a scene, which I imagine we both do not want. So come, sit, let us talk.”
Sighing to himself, the man released his spell and entered the room. The door closed behind him, and the man saw that there were at least two dozen more figures in the room. One of them stepped forward and pulled out the second chair. The man sat down and the figure stepped back against the wall.
“Now then, let’s begin with names. Mine if Fenrir, and yours?”
The man looked incredulously at him, “Your parents named you wolf?”
Fenrir’s eyes widened slightly, “An educated man? Oh, so rare these days. Yes, you could say that. What is yours?”
The man hesitated but ultimately answered, “Michael.”
Fenrir was instantly barraged with long suppressed memories. Memories that were not his, yet were. Memories of his childhood. A childhood that had been stripped from him so soon.
Far away, Alaster’s breath became heavy as his attention slipped away from the forest he was riding through and focused on Fenrir.
“Michael, perhaps you know of a man named Timothy?”
Michael’s eyes narrowed as the air in the room grew heavy, “What do you want?” he growled.
“An answer.” Fenrir responded, leaning back in his chair without a care.
“What do you know of us?”
“Of you? More than you would think. Less than you would expect. I know that you used to keep your hair long and unkept, and that it kept getting into your eyes, something your mother hated, yet you always seemed to vanish when she brought the shears out.
I know that you always loved to read and would always have bruises and scrapes because you would read while you walked, and I expect that you have yet another book in your satchel.
Yet despite knowing all that, I have no idea what you have been doing for the last few years.”
Michael’s eyes were wide and he hesitated to speak, “How do you know that?”
“I also know that Timothy was always a loud boy who was more stubborn than a mule. Many would call him stupid, yet he was not, and in fact seemed to have a supernatural sense about some things, even as a child.
I know that while he enjoyed working in the forge with his father, he never wanted to be a smith.
I know that the two of you were the best of friends, despite your differences, yet that it was never just the two of you.
I know that both you and Timothy helped the third friend with finding a birthday present for his younger sister. And I also know that on that same day, his family was destroyed.”
Michael’s breathing grew heavy, “Who are you?”
“Someone that is closely connected to you.”
“Alaster?”
Fenrir smiled, “Close, you can think of me as a direct connection to him though.”
“How?”
“Well, you see, I am somewhat of a second body. Same soul as Alaster, but also distinctly different. He can see and hear through me, and I through him.”
“No, I don’t care about that right now, I mean how are you still alive? Its been nearly a decade! What has happened?”
Fenrir sat straight, “It’s a long story, but Alaster never forgot his goal and despite the long years, he is finally ready to accomplish it. He is on his way here, as we speak.”
Michael nodded, “What does he need us to do?”
“That depends on what you can do.”
Michael smirked, “Oh, we can do a lot.”