“Welcome back you two. So how did it go do you have my things?”

Varon was sitting on a stool hidden behind a canvas. He had a plate covered in various shades of red pain and three different sizes of brush.

“ It went well. We have a guy in charge of the place and soon the iteams you and Sharsha requested should start rolling in.”

Ren said as he kneel in front of the painting. He than look up and asked “ Art sir?”

“ Yep! I am painting… why am I painting? Because I found good paints… or Kung did I didn’t find anything.”

Varon was wearing a black coat and no shirt. His short black hair had recently been cut although he looked a little pale it was hidden by his news feature. Bright red eyes that seemed to glow slightly. “ Where’s Adria?”

“I am sorry sir… she said something about needing to piss and I haven’t seen her in six hours… although I am sure she will show up.”

“ Thats fine… so you were telling me you assassinated one of the north’s most powerful nobles because you could and than what? Who did you put in charge?”

“ He was a merchant… as for how we will control him there are many options.”

“ So that means that there are many options for others?”

When Ren was asked that question it was like his heart stoped

“ Ahhh that is the case unfortunately yes.”

“ Well that’s fine… I have already made inquires about another subordinate who can assist me in matters such as these. You may go… also bring me Adria. You have thirty minutes.”

Ren faded away and not long after Mung stepped out of the shadow from behind.

“ My lord!”

The brush fell to the ground and Varon remained still but his hands were shaking. He reached forward and grab his hand and then bent down and picked up the brush and got back to painting.

“ It’s fine… also where is this place? It quite hidden do you have a lot of secret hideouts around the world?”

“ Yes sir… during a winter the original residents of this place died to the cold after Than this home was abandoned until I found it and have had a few weaker skeletons looking after it and performing the basic requirements to maintain this home. If it would please you there is some 300 hundred year old wine in the cellar.”

“ Oh really! That sounds great.”

“ Also this help? When did you make contact with this individual who may come and help?”

“ Oh don’t worry about that but I have a job for you are you willing?”

“ How long is it expected to take?”

“10 years maybe 20 depends on your level of performance.”

Kung stopped herself from mindless agreeing when she heard the amount of time it would require and once. She felt dissatisfied and it was clear as day that Varon was keeping secrets from her which angered her although she never let it show on her face she was also extremely worried.

Varon was struggling to hold the paint brush although he can hide it well, he cannot hide it perfectly. Something was wrong with him.

Varon got up and walked towards her and then he fell over and grabbed his head.

Kung rushes forward and caught him before he fell to far and then he stayed like that for three minutes before he placed a hand on Kungs shoulder and looked at her in the eyes.

Kung found them mesmerising but also focussed on the words he was about to say.

“ Materials… I need material to survive. A problem with my return or something… my soul is decaying.”

Kung shook violently at the words he said. Maybe only the two of them knew just how serious his situation was and how much weight was actually on her shoulders.

“ I plan on retreating in deeper two the mountain and train myself to attempt to even out the three parts of myself, currently my mind is way to far ahead of my body and my soul is equal to my mind but it is deteriorating. I can also use my ability to stem the flow of damage but I will never be healed without two things and I don’t know where they are or how to get one without asking you. I don’t have the slightest clues so I need you to find my three temples… also I can sense something coming…”

Varon quickly stood up.

Just then Adria kicked in the door and looked around until her eyes landed on Varon and her appearance told a story of tragic.

“THERE IS NO MEAT IN THIS HOUSE!”

Kung smiles and said “ Arr forgive me but I don’t eat meat I haven’t for a while however you will not go hungry.”

“ Unacceptable!” Before she turned around and slammed the door behind her. However she opened the door once more and than said that “ Sharsha wants to know how long it will take to get the materials she needs to do her research.”

“ Of Ren wasn’t lying than the first of it should arrive tomorrow.” Varon said as he walked out the door and past Adria down the hallway.

He smiled to himself. Soon Kung would leave and he would begin work on his desired project but first he would have Sharsha’s experiment go ahead to see how it would go and then it was time for an experiment of his own.

He laughed to himself because he knew that if it worked then he would throw a brick into everything.

Soon would be the coming of the star of the hero and with it the novel would officially begin… ten years. By ten years everything would be slowly falling to place.

But it was time for him to return home to his sister…

There was something on that mountain that he wanted to look at and find out if it would be what he expected it to be.

Everything was coming up Varon.

*****

Somewhere at some time a being was sitting building a deck of cards. The being smiled.

“ Fool the house always wins.”