Chapter 38: The true evil



After the battle the survivors in the docks had retreated to another building in the docks owned by the guild. It hadn't been attacked, probably because it had been used only as a storage for a long time and there hadn't been many Shadow Thieves who Theroieon had wanted dead. Aran had managed to get help from very unexpected people. There were mages and healers helping the injured, and soldiers clearing the wreckage in the guild house and trying to find survivors, or bodies to be buried. Not one of them asked any questions, they followed Aran's orders and treated everybody like a friend in need. Shandara wasn't surprised, she knew that Aran had friends in high places, in fact she had helped him gain many of those friends.



She had woken up, ready to attack Entreri as soon as she could find him, but the last hour spent helping the victims had driven the anger toward Entreri away. In fact she was not angry at all, and when people around her were talking about Theroieon being captured and guessing how Aran would punish him, she wanted to order them to be quiet. There was all this destruction and suffering around them and they were only concerned how they could cause more suffering. True, Theroieon had murdered many of their friends and fellow guild members, but now the man was captured and could do nothing. At least that was what Shandara hoped. She couldn't be sure that there weren't Theroieon's followers who would revenge after their leader's capture, but she didn't see how torturing Theroieon would help those who were injured or had died. Like Mirjami...



She didn't have any false hope that when the rescuers would find any survivors when they finally reached the dining room and kitchen of the guild hall. Erik had crawled out, but he had survived only because of his charmed amulets. Rescuers... They would be body collectors, Shandara corrected herself. She was as calm as possible, and although she knew that she would lose control and burst into tears at some point, it wouldn't be now. It couldn't be now. She was alive and most of her closest friends were alive too. She and Jarlaxle, who hadn't been hurt at all, had forced tired and lightly injured Isaldora to rest, and she had also seen Oniya and Lenita, two young prostitutes she considered her friends. Aran was alive as well, she had learned it from the first person she had encountered after waking up. And from what she had gathered, Entreri was fine too.



Before she would have hated herself for being so worried about a man she was romantically involved with. But now it was different, as most things were with Entreri. Strong feelings were not forbidden. First she had been angry, but after she had realized that Entreri had stayed and fought she had been worried, but soon somebody had told her that Entreri had helped to capture Theroieon and was fine. Now he was helping Aran to interrogate Theroieon, something which Shandara didn't want to think about. More pain and suffering. But that was a part of assassin's job, wasn't it, she thought. She had wondered what Entreri would do if she said "I quit my job for you, now you should quit yours for me". Because the time for changes was at hand. The guild would have to be rebuild and changes would have to be made. She was ready to stay in the guild until everything was running smoothly, she owed that to Aran, but after that there would have to be change in her life as well. She had wanted change for some time, even before Entreri, but there had never been a good enough reason to leave. Now, with Entreri, there was a reason, and maybe it wasn't even as good as her previous ones, she admitted to herself, it was more intriguing, exciting and promising. She would have better chances surviving with Entreri by her side, that was sure. And, she added to herself, after listing some other practical reasons, I love him. Not practical, certainly not wise, but very promising.



*******************************************************************



"I'll never tell you anything," Theroieon hissed, spitting blood on the floor. Aran sighed and turned to look at Erik, Alenson and Entreri, who were standing near a table filled with various sharp instruments. "He won't tell us anything," he said. "What would you suggest to get him to talk?"



"Fireball?" Erik said, lifting her hand and looking at Aran. Theroieon's eyes moved on the gnome's scorched robe and then noticed the look in his eyes. He looked scared, but then composed himself. "A fireball in a space this small would kill all of you too."



"A small fireball, perhaps," Alenson said in a conversational tone. "Somewhere where it will really hurt."



"We know you didn't do this on your own," Aran said, turning back to Theroieon. "You couldn't possibly have collected enough wealth to buy all those fighters to yourself and... Well, you're not smart enough. I remember you, make no mistake about that. You were a Shadow Thief for about two weeks I think. Then you started to befriend the wrong people and wouldn't stop even after being ordered to. You were stupid then, and the only difference now is that you're stupid and vindictive. That might be why I never imagined that you could be behind this. You've even changed your name... Theroieon sounds better than Theodore? But I do not believe you did this yourself. So who planned this? Tell me now, and might ask these men to leave. If you don't tell me, they will stay and you will be begging for death very soon."



"Never," Theroieon said. "You brought this upon yourself and your ridiculous guild will be destroyed and..."



"Is there someone called Reanan who might have something against you guild?" a voice from a dark corner asked. Theroieon turned to look there, looking shocked. A Cowled Wizard stepped into the light and smiled to Aran. "He was so scared that I believe he would have revealed the name in some time. But this is faster. And I believe I can gather all other information from his mind as well, although he is almost denying it. He wants to believe that this is his personal revenge."



"Shut up!" Theroieon shouted and the wizard turned to look at him. "Make him be quiet and I'll go into his mind again," he said to Aran, still staring Theroieon.



"Reanan?" Aran asked, and Entreri noticed how surprised he sounded. "Are you sure?"



"Of course," the wizard said in an offended voice. "I know what I am doing and the mind does not lie. At least not in the level I am looking at. So you know this Reanan."



"Find out everything," Aran said. "Alenson, send someone to find Shandara. I want her here as soon as possible."



"What is going on?" Entreri asked. "Why do you need Shandara here?"



"She..." Aran stared at Entreri. "Never mind about that. This si something that..."



"Does she know this Reanan?" Entreri asked. "Is that why you need her here?"



"If she hasn't told you, it is not my job to do so," Aran replied. "Find out everything," he said to the wizard, who nodded and stepped close to Theroieon, pressing his fingers against his forehead. The man tried to say something, buut the only sound that came from his throat was a cry as the wizard penetrated into his mind and started to find the things he had buried deep within his mind.



*******************************************************************



"What is it?" Shandara said, staring at Theroieon, who was wailing quietly, and then turning her eyes to Aran. "I know him. He was..."



"Reanan's friend," Aran said. "That's what I need to talk to you about."



"Reanan?" Shandara asked, and Entreri, listening in the corner of the room, noticed panic in her voice. "What about Reanan? He's gone, isn't he?"



"Well..." Aran started, but Shandara rushed to him, staring into his eyes. "Tell me. What about Reanan?"



"This was his personal revenge," Aran said calmly and watched the look in Shandara's eyes chenge from angry to horrified. "Apparently he has risen to a high position in one of Calimport's guilds and he decided that he could use his power and wealth and punish us for driving him away from Athkatla. And that he should punish you for leaving him."



"What about him?" Shandara asked after a moment of silence, nodding towards Theroieon. "He was in the guild but you..."



"I threw him out because he was a friend of Reanan's," Aran said. "And Reanan convinced him that this would be a perfect revenge. He was a puppet that Reanan controlled and..."



"I am not a puppet," Theroieon hissed. "I am revenge, I am your death, I am..."



"Quiet," Alenson said, knocking him unconscious. "Go and find a safe place to stay," he said to Shandara and Aran nodded. "We'll let you know when we found out where Reanan is and when we have killed him."



"But.." Shandara started, but Entreri stepped out of the shadows and walked to her. "Come. They are right. And I'll be with you. I'm still your bodyguard," he said, and then touched Shandara's cheek gently. "And I still love you."

"Alright," she said, enjoying Entreri's touch. "Don't do anything stupid," she said sharply, turning to look at Aran. "The guild is important now, not revenge."



"The guild needs revenge to get over this," Aran replied. "It's the way we have always operated. Take good care of her," he said to Entreri, who nodded and lead Shandara out of the room.





*******************************************************************



Hark: Recommendations for films to watch: Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Saviour, Three Kings... Different films but the same message. (when your own words fail you, use words that will always ring true: peace)