The guards walk down the hall while making idle conversation. Turning a corner, the light from their lantern fades away as they walk. Leaving the finely decorated walls shrouded in darkness once again. I wait until they are completely gone before I drop down from my perch on the ceiling. Landing soundlessly on my padded shoes, I continue with my search while listening for approaching guards. There were three rooms in this hall that I needed to search for my target which was a small ornate vase that gave off an aura of power. The first room was apparently used for storage, everything in here was covered in thick dust. It didn’t look like it has been touched in years, but I still gave it a quick search just in case. Sadly, my target wasn’t here, but I did find a small pouch of gold coins and a small scroll that gave off a weird feeling. I took them both and added them to the cloth bag I had strapped to my back and moved on. The next room was much more promising, it looked like an office and workroom for some sort of deviant occult practitioner. There was a desk in the middle of the room which I checked first, ignoring the tables on either side of the room that were covered in what looked like human limbs. The papers spread out on the desk were useless, just reports from various businesses detailing expenses and revenue. The drawers had much more useful items within. More pouches of gold coins and a magic crystal. But the final drawer was locked and protected by some sort of curse. I could sense the magic coming out of the drawer. This must be it, I took off my cloth bag and took out my tools and a scroll. I picked the lock first, waiting till I heard that satisfying click before I opened the scroll and said one word while focusing on the drawer.

“Remove Trap”

The scroll flared with a dull light and disintegrated. At the same time the drawer was covered in barely noticeable tendrils of light. After a second the tendrils disappeared, and the drawer returned to normal. I returned my tools back to my bag and open the drawer slowly. As soon as I opened it a nauseating aura washed over me, and I fought the urge to throw up. It was exactly as they described it to me except the aura wasn’t one of power. It just felt wrong, I immediately and carefully stuffed it into my bag. Wrapping it in the enchanted cloth I had to smother the aura and keep it from leaking out. I put the bag back on but waited for my stomach to settle before I left the room. My stomach felt like it was spinning in circles.

It wasn’t long before I finally felt well enough to leave. I had collected my target, now my debts will be forgiven. Why they wanted this puke inducing vase was unknown to me but whatever. I opened the door slightly and light poured into the room. I quickly backed away from the door and hid in the shadows. The guards must have come back around. It couldn’t have taken me that long to pick that lock, could it?

The brighter the light got, the closer I pressed myself into the dark corner. I realized I wasn’t breathing, but I couldn’t bring myself to let go of the breath I was holding. If I get caught I automatically fail, and the debt will double. I can’t pay 14 thousand in gold, I couldn’t even afford the 7 thousand I owe already. I felt like forever before the light finally started fading away. I let go of the breath I was holding and went back to the door to peek through. I opened the door a little more and saw the guards walking away from me, down the hall. I didn’t move till they were completely out of sight before dashing down the hallway in the opposite direction. I was being as quiet as possible while escaping as fast as I can. I ran into several patrols on the way out. The first two I could simply hide from but the third gave me a problem. The loose window I used to get in here was found, luckily, I closed it after I came in but now they were nailing it shut. Apparently, it started storming while I was in here and the strong winds pushed the window open as one of the guards were passing by.

It was unfortunate but nothing I can’t handle. At least they weren’t suspicious of an intruder. I Hid in a nearby room and pulled out a map of the mansion. I was on the western side of the mansion on the second floor. Last week I watched the mansion and marked several entrances and exits just in case. The closest one to me now is the fireplace in one of the guestrooms. I heard from some local masons that they were having the fireplaces replaced with larger ones. They shouldn’t have finished yet so maybe I could climb up the flue and reach the roof. I still had to get past the guards, so I waited until the hammering stopped and their footsteps disappeared before leaving my hiding spot. The guard that fixed this obviously had no idea what he was doing. There were nails sticking out in all directions and only a few were in deep enough to hold the window shut.

I followed the hallways east, dodging patrols and hiding whenever I can. Making my way through the oversized mansion till I finally reached the guest rooms. I cracked the door open and peeked inside, looking for any sign of movement. There was nothing in the room but a large decorative partition and some odd-looking wall decorations. Plus, a large hole in the wall where the new fireplace was to go. I got excited and entered the room, closing the door behind me. I started walking straight for the hole in the ceiling. Things were finally going my way for once. Ill get out of here, hand over this stupid vase and be free from my debt.

Vasily wasn’t very happy. First his son hated him for arranging a marriage for him to an airheaded girl who was the daughter of a high-ranking member of the iced dragon clan. Secondly, his wife thought his recent visits to a very expensive healer was just him buying gifts for his mistress. How could he tell her he was just worried he was going bald and was buying expensive tonics and potions to help. The latest tonic carried a strong pleasant scent that she mistook for his Mistresses perfume. She banished him to the guest room. She didn’t even care that it wasn’t finished and was freezing. Even with all his martial training it was still freezing in here. But there was hope, as he rolled over and tried to find warmth in the thin blanket he sensed that the door opened slowly. He assumed it was his wife coming to apologize and ‘warm him up’. He grew excited, it surely has been a while since he was so busy, and she always seemed angry at him for some reason. He ignored the cold and quickly pulled off his bedclothes underneath the blanket. Preparing to receive his wife with a big smile plastered on his face.

As I walked towards the fireplace I got my rope ready and attached a small metal hook to the end. I had just finished as I passed the decorative partition and froze. Apparently, the partition was hiding a large bed and on that bed was the patriarch of the Huan clan in all his glory. Completely naked with a large smile on his face. Which disappeared as soon as he saw me, replaced by an angry scowl. I dashed out of the room as fast as I could as he scrambled to cover himself with the thin blanket and scream for the guards. The only think I could think of was how fucked I am and how much I want to forget what I just saw.

“SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!” I needed to escape as fast as possible. Not only was I seen, but I was seen by the fucking patriarch of the entire Huan clan. Why the hell was he sleeping in the guest room anyway?

I abandoned all attempts at silence as I sped through the halls, desperate for escape. The halls were now completely lit as the amount of guards skyrocketed. I almost ran right into several big burly guardsmen and almost got caught a couple times. The patriarch was still yelling but it sounded like he was getting closer and closer to me. I started to panic until I saw the window that the guards ‘fixed’ and ran straight towards it. I could practically feel the hot smelly breath of the guards down my neck as I jumped for the window. Landing feet first my weight and the piss poor repairs caused the window to shatter, leaving me in a free fall. I would’ve been relieved in my escape had I not just remembered I was on the second floor. This was going to hurt.

I rolled when I hit the ground to lessen the impact. It would’ve worked as well, if only the gardener didn’t leave his tools out.

I rolled in the dirt, trying not to scream while I pulled the metal rake out of my shin. I couldn’t afford to stop, the patriarch’s voice was still getting louder and louder. I forced myself to get up and hobbled into the shadows. The sun was starting to rise so I was running out of shadow to hide in. Another reason I need to get out of here.

The mansion was located on a large hill on the edge of Pyei city. All I would have to do was get to the slums below and I could reach my hideout and fix my leg. The patriarch wasted no time with stairs and jumped gracefully out of the window. Landing softly on his feet, unfortunately he suffered the same fate as me and landed on some of the gardener’s tools. Sadly, it was only a dull spade. Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt though. I stifled a laugh as the patriarch hopped around holding his foot and cursing about the incompetence of the gardener. I used his distraction to escape and hobbled to safety. Down the steep side of the hill that was covered in rocks and shrubbery I struggled to stay hidden as I climbed down. Halfway down a queasy feeling was building in my stomach. I looked down, but I wasn’t too far from the bottom. The sun almost ruined my escape as the shadows were shrinking more and more every minute.

Suddenly I felt a chill and hugged the rock I was hiding behind. I froze and waited, hoping I wasn’t found.

Frantic footsteps were growing closer and closer. I hoped more than anything that it wasn’t the patriarch. Minutes passed with the footsteps getting closer and closer. Until they finally reached the rock I was hiding behind. I shrank down and tried to make myself as small as possible in the morning gloom. I sighed in relief when I saw it was a guard. Which was a terribly stupid mistake to make when hiding.

The guard heard me sigh and immediately attacked me with his already drawn axe. Almost severing my left arm as his axe cleaved right through the rock. I rolled away, completely forgetting about my fucked-up leg. Tears ran down my face as I fought through the pain. Dodging and rolling around while taking good care not to use my hurt leg again. The guard unleashing mighty swings and furious chops as I danced around him on one leg. I may not be a good fighter, but I made up for that with my expertise in dodging.

I was hoping to tire him out after a while and escape after tripping him or distracting him with something. Yet he seemed to just get more excited as I get more exhausted. Damn cultivators battle hungry maniacs the lot of them.

I couldn’t handle this anymore, I was covered in bruises and cuts while I haven’t even been able to attack him yet. I need to get out of here and fast. I took a deep breath and ran away from the guard, ignoring the tears on my face as I run on my injured leg. I’m so close to escape, I can see the edge of his property. A long pearly white wall that surrounded his yard. Even with one leg I can still get over that wall. Then blend in with the crowd and disappear. Almost there.

Then everything went black.

Vasily was outraged. Not only was he robbed but he was seen in such an embarrassing way by the thief. He flew around his property searching for the thief while spouting constant curses for the incompetence of his servants. It took several minutes before he noticed one of his guards was running after someone. Vasily scowled angrily as he flew as the intruder with as much speed as he could muster. This thief must die for what he saw. No one shall know of his embarrassment. He swooped down and delivered a swift punch to the back of the theif’s head, knocking him out instantly.

His thoughts were filled with nothing but how to get rid of this man. Till he had an idea.

He grabbed the man by the collar and flew off. Exiting the city as fast as he could Vasily went to the one place he knew no one would go.

It took him about 10 minutes to reach his destination.

A cliff about 10 minutes out of the city. The cliff was extremely high up and overlooked a raging river. Even if one survived the fall into the water they would also have to survive the hungry monsters that feed here and the jagged rocks below. It was surrounded on all sides by a thick forest that is almost impossible to cross by foot. With the unknown monsters and such. Plus he had his subourdinates spread rumors about this forest being cursed and haunted and whatnot. All sorts of things, it wasnt hard as this forest was already known as a place of evil. He loved having his own place to get rid of his enemies. No one knew about this spot but him with made it perfect to dump bodies and there would be no evidence.

He landed on top of the cliff and roughly dropped the thief near the edge of the cliff. He waited for a little bit but the man didnt wake. So he gave him a quick kick in the gut to wake him up. He coughed and sputtered before looking around. He had a really confused look until his eyes landed on Vasily. Then understanding dawned on him. He loved seeing that look on his enemies. When they realize that they are going to die.

I puked as soon as I woke up. Not only was I extremely naseous but I was also kicked in the gut. But once I saw who kicked me I realized that it didnt matter.

Im going to die.

Not only did I steal from him but I embarressed him. These clan patriarchs are known for killing people for stepping on their shoes and I embaressed him in his home. I looked up at his face and saw his smug smile and knew I was right. I was afraid, but I felt other emotions build up in me as well.

Anger mostly. Anger at myself for getting caught, also for getting such a large debt in the first place.

Ah, the debt. A debt I built gambling away my depression because of my family's death. At least I wont have to worry about that anymore.

I expected the patriarch to say something. Gloat over how powerless I am before him and how I am going to die for crossing him. But he didnt say anything. Apparently me seeing him before I die was enough.

Or not.

Out of nowhere he appeared next to me and started beating me. I couldnt even see what was happening. All I know was that I was in pain. I couldnt scream as everytime I opened my mouth my head jerked to the side as I was punched repeatedly in the face. He beat me for what felt like hours before he was satisfied. He made sure to break as many bones as many times as he possibly could before he finally stopped. Tears streamed down my face as my every breath was pure agony. He looked at me that same smug smile on his face before he picked me up by the neck and walked to the edge of the cliff.

And dropped me. Causing my nausea to escalate rapidly. Only then did I realize why I felt so bad. That thing I stole must have broken during the beating. It no longer matters now though.

I was always scared of death. But now that its here right in front of me. I welcome it. I was falling face first and could see my end. The rocks below me or the monsters around them. I close my eyes and embraced the end.

He watched still sporting that self-confident smirk as the thief's head smashed open on the rocks. He turned away and flew off before he realized his error. That man was a theif!

He should have excecuted him publicly to warn others not to test him!

Cursing himself for his haste he flew back to his mansion. Ready to have breakfast alone again. Thinking about how to fix things with his family.

Two Days Later

The river bank was peaceful despite the many monsters and creatures ready to devour anything stupid enough to go for a swim. Something shot through the forest, snatched something up from the edge of the river and sped off into the trees. A chunk fell off as the shadow ran away. If one would look closely, they could see the chunk on the ground was actually an eyeball that was still in its socket.

And it blinked.