The Arrival

(by Issic)

He had graduated from the Guild of Shadows a few months ago. Since then
he had been sent on a few random missions. Nothing of any real
importance at all. More of idle tests per say. This time was no
different. He was sent to sneak into a house and do some recon, "they"
always kept a close eye on their political figures in the lands.
Sneaking into the house was easy, staying hidden was even easier. He
made no noise, no sound as he crept through the house looking for
papers, notes, any information that would indicate if the person in
question was conspiring with the enemy or not. He found a small safe in
a wall and managed to pick the lock. All he found was a deed to the
house, a will, and some coin. Nothing of any importance to his mission.


After some time had passed he found himself back in the guild of
shadows. The upstairs of the Shadows held the Mercenary barracks, below
that was the main hall, and further below that were a series of tunnels,
some trapped, some dead ends. Only graduated Infiltrators knew their
way around this area. After some weaving and passing through many
different tunnels he finally got to his destination. There were four
guards, two standing in the hallway, and two more standing before a
large door.

"Halt! What is your purpose here?" One of the guards questioned.

"Issic here to see the Headmaster on official business." He replied
back. The guards nodded and moved to one side. The door guards stood
there as Issic opened the door and walked in. There was a desk in the
middle of an elaborately decorated room. The desk was full of stacks of
papers, behind the desk sat a man, his head down reading over some
documents. Behind him where two very skilled infiltrators standing
guard.

"Sit down Issic." The Headmaster spoke to him without looking up from
his paperwork. Issic sat down and waited silently. "What did you find
out on your mission?" He questioned softly.

"He's clean. There was nothing found in his estate that showed
otherwise, nor did he have any hidden chambers or anything else that
could have hid important information. His safe only held personal
items, coin, a will, and a deed to the house. He himself never had any
"private" conversations that raised any sort of suspicion."

The Headmaster nodded and noted a few things upon his piece of
parchment. "Well done Issic." He reached handed Issic a small pouch
full of coins. "Go ahead and count it if you like."

"That's alright. I can feel here that it's all here." Issic replied
back.

"Good. I have another mission for you. One that is very different from
most you will ever experience. You've heard of one of our own Silas
have you not?"

"Indeed, any infiltrator has heard of him. He was one of the more
skilled of our profession. Well that was until I came." Issic joking
tested the waters.

The Headmaster looked at him and laughed. "Do not sell the "retired"
man short. I'm sure he's still got all of his skills to par, and is
still a very threatening foe. He currently resides in a pub in Goth
Harbor. Go there and aid him in any way he needs." The Headmaster took
a piece of parchment out and began to write a few things down, then
wrapped it up, letting some hot wax drop over the middle edge and sealed
it with the Shadows insignia. He handed the scroll to Issic and looked
back down at some of his other papers. "You may leave now." The
Headmaster spoke without looking back up.

Issic grabbed the scroll and got to his feet, turned towards the door
and left. He, like everyone else in these lands, was fairly familiar to
Gothwaite Harbor. He had stayed away from that area for some time
though, he hadn't been given any missions to go back until now. He
thought to himself, wondering why the Headmaster would send him to
Silas. Was this just lucky for Issic that he got to meet this ledgend
within the Shadows, or was there something else. And if it was
something else, why couldn't he handle it himself. He shrugged to
himself and continued on.

After a long horse ride to Avalon Marsh he was at the portal that bound
the Main Land to Goth Harbor. He stepped through the portal which if
you have never done so before is very disorienting, and people are often
caught falling to the ground the first few times. As he walked away
from the portal he was warmly welcomed by the dark sky and a thick cold
fog. Pulling the hood of his cloak over his head he headed towards a
pub. As he was walking towards it, he saw a girl walk out, sit down,
let her hair down and try to relax. She must of worked there and had a
long shift. She looked as if she was lost in thought and because of
which she hadn't realized Issic had walked up to her. He reached into
one of his hidden pockets within his cloak and grabbed a few coins and
placed them next to the girl.

"Because you look like you have had a hard night." Those were the only
words he spoke as he opened the door of the pub and walked in. There
were only a few people in the pub. A man cleaning up some tables and a
few drunks milling around.

"Pub is closed come back later today." Came from the man cleaning up
the tables. A few half hearted complaining came from the drunkards
still milling around, but Issic said nothing. He just stood there and
looked at the man they called a Legend within the Shadows.

Was this what it all came down to in the end he thought to himself. He
sighed softly to himself and walked slowly over to the man, the scroll
in his hand. "A message sir." Issic said softly as he handed the
scroll over to Silas.

As Silas turned he instantly knew what he was looking out. The look,
the way he carried himself, the way he walked, and even more so a
coldness in the eyes. This person played the "game" and probably more
then anything, loved every second of it. He looked to be a Saracen, of
medium height, fairly athletic build, his hair either a dark brown or
black he couldn't really tell with the shadow that cast over the face
from the hood. He glanced to the sides of the man standing before him,
no weapons, they must be strapped to his back under the cloak in
protective sheathes no less and laced with poison. Silas took the
scroll from this unknown figure before him and broke the seal.