《Aris Cretu》Chapter 30: The Viper's Burrow
Advertisement
Yarizos Elmid, Lord Cencin, entered the tavern hooded and cloaked against the fading light. He approached the barkeep, "Mrs. Escurco is expecting me."
The barkeep scrubbed another mug, watching him through hooded yellow eyes, "She's reserved the private taproom for the night. First hall on the left, third door on the right."
Yarizos nodded and left a silver coin on the bar, "thank you."
He let his claws tick on the floorboards, giving plenty of advance warning of his approach. It wouldn't do to startle the hired bodyguard.
The bodyguard stirred at his approach, hand drifting to an ironwood club, "lower the hood pleasse."
Yarizos snorted smoke but complied, "must we always do this dance?"
The bodyguard bowed and opened the door, "I take my tasskingss sserioussly Masster Elmid. The Misstresss will ssee you now."
Yarizos entered the private taproom and laid eyes on his co-conspirator for the first time in nearly a year. They had exchanged letters often, but these face-to-face meetings were inordinately risky at the best of times. Mistress Botheri, an assumed name if he ever heard one, was as stunning as ever. Her golden scales with their white highlights shimmered in the flickering candlelight. The green dress clung and floated in the most distracting manner. But little could hide the prominent brow-ridges, the absence of hair, or the diamond pupils slashing through yellow eyes.
"Madame Botheri, you are as stunning as ever."
"Masster Elmid, sso courteouss ass ever. Come, join me in drink and celebration! Come ssunup, Sshallahai will be no more, and we one sstep closser to our goalss."
Yarizos sat and took the offered wine glass. He toyed with the stem, "Your people removed the Agents then?"
Botheri refilled her glass with languid grace, "Agentss? Wavethunder only ssent one, and the venom sslew him three dayss ago. More have come hunting already?"
Advertisement
Yarizos leaned back in his chair, "two new ones, playing in the open and by the rules, asking after the dead one."
Botheri flicked her tongue, tasting the air, "Who are they?"
Yarizos shrugged, and took a delicate sip of the wine, "excellent wine. A dark elf of no note, and a human learned in Primordial."
Botheri drew in on herself, "Only two?"
Yarizos took another sip of wine, "only two announced themselves to me."
"Then you have been played for the fool. Connectionss. Wavethunder doess not take on Agentss for no reasson." Botheri locked eyes with Yarizos, "You will ssilence them."
Yarizos bristled, "I silenced the first and you slew him the same day mister Cretu arrived. They are no threat. And come dawn, Shalahai will be dead, the King abdicated, and I will sit on the Regency Council. You will have your friend in power, and I will have my shadowed blade."
"Sss... Thiss complicatess thingss. Too many loosse ends. Time to tie ssome of them off."
Yarizos drank deeply, emptying his glass, "then I will go home and be above suspicion when the news arrives."
"Sstay a bit longer, I inssisst."
Yarizos moved to stand, but found his legs unable to move, "You poisoned me? why?"
"Becausse our pathss were in parallel, but never the ssame. And becausse you know too many ssecretss."
Yarizos tried to speak, but found his tongue immobilized. He could think, desperately wanted to scream, but could not move.
"Sservant, Tell the barkeep that hiss blood ssaussagess will be particularly sspicy tomorrow. Dragonborn flessh and blood alwayss tastes sso disstinctive."
Advertisement
The Humble Life of a Skill Trainer
For Joshua Still, Skills were the lifeblood of his business. He wanted to understand them, collect many of them, and teach a few of them. Which was a problem because while his profession of a Skill Trainer was perfectly legal, it was frowned upon by most of the kingdom. After all, it wouldn't do for a non-tailor to teach Tailoring. Or, so says the Tailors Guild. The same could be said by the Blacksmiths, the Bakers, the Butchers, the Candlestick Makers, the Mages, and every other Guild with enough money and clout to complain. But still, Skill Trainers provide a valuable service, and so he has managed to start his business and keep it under the table. To a degree. With many a bribe. But his quiet anonymous life of research, practice, and training was about to change. When the Baron demands you pay him a visit, you have little choice.
8 300Reincarnation Monster
what do you do when you die and you see a spooky smile ?well i talked to it and you know what i dont regret it
8 192No Happy Endings? (COMPLETED)
It has been three years since Claire broke up with her husband who with she was married and who with she planned start a family. She thought that new life with a new man would give her that happiness back which she had when she was in the college but it gave her nothing but it. And on some point she doesn't know what to do no more.Life isn't full of happy endings or is it?EDITED: 12nd of March, 2017
8 186A sith dies, A huntsman rises.
The force surely works in mysterious ways, after his death, Darth Vader awakens in the world of Remnant. If he has truly been given a second chance, then he would make a symbol after the mask that had once terrorized a galaxy far, far away. He would create a beacon of hope. But he is nor a Sith nor a Jedi, he is only Vader.Highest Ranking: Number 1 in rwbyNumber 1 in VaderThe beginning is not my work. It is from fanfiction.net it stopped receiving updates, so I decided to take a crack at it.I have permission from the original author to continue this work.https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13756275/1/A-Sith-Ends-A-Huntsman-Rises Here is the link to the original story.
8 154I'm... Skeleton A?!
Ensign Jyun Asamoto is carrying out his reconnaissance mission in the Great Cold War of the year 2020 as the commanding officer of the nuclear submarine USS Atlantis when things go awry. His name to be listed among the first casualties of the war. Entering the cycle to be reincarnated, his soul is intercepted by a fledgling lich and thrust into the body of a skeleton. The prospects of his future seems dark, as skeleton A.
8 69charlie - corbyn besson
"there's one thing that might ruin this.""what?" "i want you to be her mom, but i also want you to be my girl."to my favorite corbyn besson fan, i hope you enjoy.*COMPLETED 1/26/20*
8 183