“Hey! What are you lookin at?” Gylippos ignored the group of men huddling together under a rundown stable, a pitiful little flame providing some semblance of warmth and illumination. The rotting planks of wood in turn providing protection against the wind and rain, both for themselves and the ever-important fire.

“Hey! You little shit! Are you ignoring me!” One of the men, the same one that had initially called out to the passing Gylippos appeared agitated by the young man’s response. The group of men looked like the kind you would normally see in the slums, malnourished, gaunt men, dressed in raggedy old cloaks and tunics. These kinds of men were the lowest rung of a criminal family’s ladder, sitting out in the cold harassing passerby’s, mainly slum dwellers. However, sometimes they get lucky and shakedown a traveler who got lost in the capital, a significantly better haul than the measly coppers those from the slums were able to provide.

“Shut up Pigres, look at him, he has nothing worth taking. He’s got the eyes of the dead that one, leave him to his suffering, won’t be much longer for the world anyway.” Pigres huffed in agitation, took one glance at the glazed look in Gylippos’s eyes and shrugged. Taking the advice of his superior he remained within the safety of the shed and continued to warm himself against the fire.

Truly the head of the criminal band was right, Gylippos wasn’t much of a sight on the best of days, today was far beyond the worst of them. His tunic was barely more than soiled rags at this point, a few red stains remained but most was rain soaked by this point. One could say that he possessed a gaunt frame, but it was more skeletal than anything, malnutrition was the norm within the slums, but he hadn’t eaten much of anything since his sister was taken a week prior. Having barely scraped by on whatever garbage he could find.

A living dead was the most apt description of the young man, an individual who had both lost the ability and will to live. From his appearance the group of men assumed that he would have nothing of value on him, had they known about the gold coin or searched him, then even that pitiful substitute for his sister’s life would have been taken. None of this really mattered to Gylippos, he simply continued his quiet aimless shuffle through the darkened city streets. For in the slums, even the cheaper glow lamps were a luxury few could afford.

Gylippos did not have a destination in mind, no purpose or plan, all that mattered was getting away from that place. Perhaps he wished to die somewhere different, a place far from the rat-infested slums he knew. He did not wish to die in darkness, to die alone and unknown like a diseased animal, to be feasted upon by vermin. So focused was he in his wandering that Gylippos failed to see the body lying in his path, slipping, and falling into the broken corpse splayed in the center of the street.

“What?” Gylippos slowly rose, wiping off the bits of flesh, and filth that had latched on. He did not appear particularly disturbed by the body in the street. He turned his attention to the cloaked figure, and the way the man had been crushed upon impact spoke volumes about his method of death. Suicide appeared to be the cause, although why the man was carrying weapons was strange. The building was a well-known brothel, a place Gylippos would never be able to enter, a broken window on the third floor convinced Gylippos of the suicide. “Maybe that would be a good way to go. Quick… Painless… I hope.” Busy conversing with himself the young man failed to notice the two shadows come tumbling over the edge of the opposite building. The large crash and sound of splintering wood woke him from his stupor, and rather than running he was curious and chose to approach the two shadows.

One of the men was already dead, his neck broken, and body pierced by the shards of wood. The other man yet lived, and he was clearly someone of means, both his clothing and well-maintained looks spoke of wealth. He was bleeding quite a bit, the most dangerous was a piercing wound which went from his back below the shoulder blade, exiting out from his right flank. Gylippos was unaware and thought it looked worse than it was, the main problem was the bleeding and at least at some level even Gylippos understood the need of stopping the blood.

Taking the cloak from the dead man, he used it to cover the wound, pressing down to limit the bleeding. For now, he lifted the man into a sitting position and left the dagger in his left shoulder, to keep him from bleeding out even more than he already was. “Why? Why… you… saving me?” Malakos in his half unconscious state was barely able to squeeze out a question to the unknown stranger.

“I don’t know. But if you are someone with power and I save you, then you owe me. Maybe with that I can avenge my family.” Malakos gave a simple nod of understanding, that sentiment was something he could place his trust in. A man who had something to gain could be trusted to do what was best in their own interest. For now, that was getting him somewhere safe, and help him recuperate while also escaping the monster.

“Listen… Get us far away… If you know an underground doctor… take us there. Just… stay off the main street… and get far away from that building.” Malakos was unable to maintain his strength any longer, the psychological and physical toll the experience took on him was damaging at the least. He finally passed out in Gylippos’s arms, having no choice but to trust that this stranger would help him in his time of need. If not, there was nothing he could do, either his wounds would kill him, or the monster would.

Gylippos didn’t know of any doctors, but he was aware of an old crone, an herbalist who was known for her fungal brews and healing pastes. It was she who had sold the medicines that helped with the symptoms of his sister’s disease. Whether the unconscious Malakos would accept it or not didn’t matter, this was the only option available, and Gylippos needed him alive. He could only hope that if a man from the noble quarters vouched for him, then maybe the city guard would crack down on Argades and his Taureas family.

Only then would he be able to rest peacefully in death’s embrace.

__________

Not long after Gylippos escaped with the unconscious Malakos draped over his shoulder, another who shared his features emerged from Retia’s Embrace. The brothel was silent, all that remained of the massacre were spattered blood along the floor and walls. Corpses were nowhere to be seen, just a broken brothel, its furniture turned upside down and shattered.

“Dammit, I don’t feel so good… I should not have eaten so much.” The impostor spoke as it licked its lips, savoring the blood upon its lips. “Nonsense, just give it some time to digest… We haven’t had a meal that large in a long time. Maybe we can snack on a child or two before we go to meet with the Scholar?” Although the words came out of the same person, it was as if another individual was talking. This back and forth would continue as the creature departed the brothel, walking down the deserted city streets towards the bridge across to Orlika island. Anytime a person was within earshot the voices would cease but continue again soon after.

“What of the target, we didn’t confirm his death and we couldn’t find his body either?” This was the main point of contention between the voices, some wanted to go back and search for Malakos and make sure he was dead. The others thought that they had wasted enough time, that if they dragged delayed his appearance for too long among his people, then they would become suspicious. They were assured by some of the voices that the target would likely bleed to death from his wounds, and they could just as easily remain on the lookout and kill him should he reappear. For now, they needed to continue the main mission, they would need to hold back on feasting until the job was done.

“Sir! We have been looking everywhere for you. Commander Maatilani has called for an emergency meeting. I will need you to follow me right away!” A soldier dressed in the red and silver livery of House Amyntas was quick to approach the Impostor. The creature in turn accepted the message and feigned a look of surprise and worry before following close behind the soldier.

Unaware of the dangers he was inviting, the people of House Amyntas would be oblivious to the monster in their midst. Like a fox in the hen house, the monster was simply awaiting its chance to feast.