At the time of night the port city of Targas had entered, not many
beasts were walking the streets. Mainly they belonged to the many crime
circles, assassins and other beasts who operated outside the tentative law.
All in all, Eroket Nightblade fit right in.
The ermine mercenary has arrived back in Targas fifteen minutes before, a sizeable bag in his paw, hidden under the black cloak as not to attract attention from a pickpocket or a less savory beast who would try to slit Eroket's throat, take his money and dispose of the corpse in an alleyway. Keep word was 'try.'
Eroket had walked the streets many times before, he knew where he was heading; to one of the few beasts on the street Eroket could ever term his friend.
It was another fifteen minutes of walking the dark streets to find the object of Eroket's search: A large, well lit inn.
The sight of the cheery place always brought a smile to Eroket's face and a twinkle to his golden amber eyes.
The ermine opened the door and stepped inside, not surprised to find the place mostly deserted, except for the barmaid and tender on duty.
Eroket smiled at the ratmaid tending the tables, "Hey, Rhaya, I'm back."
Rhaya looked up in pleased surprise. "Ero? You're back so soon!"
Eroket nodded, "Yep...job wasn't too hard, anyways...Jihal's boys weren't exactly enamored with their boss...a bribe here, a gold coin there and I was in...paid the bastard back for what he gave me two years ago, too."
Rhaya gave an approving nod and a grin, looking to the large ferret bartender. "Guess this means Coris owes me some silver...we bet if you'd come back or not," Her broad grin and Coris's scowl showed the truth of the statement.
Eroket rolled his eyes, crimson paw reaching up as he rubbed his temples. "Am I the only one who values his time around here? Am I?!"
Rhaya couldn't resist a small laugh, and even Coris couldn't help from cracking a smile as Eroket rolled his eyes again and sighed. "Anyways, I'm gonna need to see Roz...know where she is?"
Rhaya nodded. "She's in the back...Either waiting for you or she's passed out..."
Eroket smiled fondly, "Yeah, she would be...alright then, I'll go see her, pay a visit, get the price of this bounty sorted out...you two take care, alright?"
They both nodded, Eroket swept by them, opening a door near the bar and strolling into the back room.
Usually used for shady dealings and the like, the room was quaint: A single table with two chairs, a couch on one side of the room and not much else save a bottle of brandy, two glasses and the weasel sat in one of the chairs, sipping brandy from one glass.
Rozatta was the closest thing to a friend Ero possessed on the streets. She had found him two years ago a mere tree days after the death of General Visla, had given him a quick job, simply take back some money from a thief.
Eroket had performed the job with quickness and efficiency, returning to the older weasel with her money and the news of a thief who require a bit of healing for his broken nose.
Roz, known to her employees and friends, was a respected inn owner and finder in the city of Targas. A finder received bounties, hits and prices from higher ups and prominent figure and handed them down to other mercenaries. Eroket had formed a tight bond with Rozatta after many jobs, Roz always protested Eroket never needed to give her a percentage of the profits, but Eroket always made sure she received her Finder's Fee.
It was nice, Eroket felt, to be appreciated.
Eroket plastered his customary grin on his face and sauntered over to the chair, certain Roz had already seen him but not announcing himself yet. Only when the ermine was seated comfortably in the fine wooden chair did Eroket actually speak. "Hey, Roz!"
Roz looked up, her severe gray eyes brightening, her short stature figure straightening in her chair as a grin split her graying face. "Ero! How are you? How'd the job go?"
Eroket grinned fondly at her, taking the second glass he knew was there for him and raising it, waiting until Roz filled it before taking a sip of the fine brandy, relating the specifics of his assassination of Governor Jihal. Roz bit her lip.
"For the love of-Ero, a governor of that area? Ohh...Ero, you'll have a price on your head for this one, mark my words!"
Eroket shrugged nonchalantly, "Roz, I doubt Jihal'll be missed...he did everything wrong and he was dirty as they come...his own guards just let me stroll in...plus, I owed him."
Roz nodded, "So what's the fee?"
Eroket smiled, "Well, they wanted to give me five hundred, but seeing as Jihal was an old friend...I figured two hundred was more then enough...I've already divided it up for you, so you have fifty, shiny new gold pieces to go towards your fine establishment!"
Rozatta blushed visibly, "Oh, Ero, that's not necessary, you know you're-"
"Won't hear of it." Eroket raised a paw, cutting her off as the second paw dipped in his cloak, coming up with a smaller bag, letting it fall to the table with a seductive clink of the coins within. "Fifty gold pieces and you've earned the lot."
"Oh, that reminds me!" Roz exclaimed, ignoring the gold on the table, she stood and walked to a small cabinet, opening it and rummaging through. "There's a note for you!"
Eroket blinked several times. "A note? From who?"
Roz shrugged, "If I had to guess, it'd be another job for you...I'm not saying you have to take it, but you should at least give it a look...I haven't even looked at it myself."
Eroket shrugged and held out a crimson paw, taking the folded parchment once Roz placed it in his paw, unfolding it and reading the written words aloud
"Greetings Eroket Nightblade.
"Your prowess as a mercenary has reached the ears of many, particularly my own. As a result, you are one of the select few hunters invited to participate in this hunt.
The vixen known as Vandashira, the Living Darkness is reputedly causing problems for my organizations, as well as many others. It is our best interest for Vandashira to be eliminated permanently.
"As expected, a target as high as Vandashira carries with it immense rewards, her head brings two hundred thousand gold coins, a mutually contributed from your employers, myself included.
"The known information of Vandashira is: She is a black furred vixen, green eyed, of over medium height a slim build. She is in her later thirties or early forties and is a skilled assassin and blade fighter. Information beyond this, concerning her contacts, associates and location is unknown.
"You are wished the best of luck, Eroket Nightblade. If you survive, rich rewards await for you."
Eroket finished reading, his eyes wide as Roz's as he set the envelope down. "Two...hundred...thousand..."
"Ero!" Roz snapped, "You aren't going to take this, are you? I've heard of Vandashira! Not a hunter who's gone after her has ever come back! Bad plan, Ero!"
Eroket seemed not to hear, "Roz...this money could make me..."
"Or break you!" Roz snapped, not to be deterred, "Ero, I'll lend you enough money, ok? This is akin to suicide!"
Eroket raised a paw, silencing her as he stood, arms crossed as he replied. "I'm setting out in a coupla days, Roz...in that time, find every bit of information you can on Vandashira...and you'll get your customary twenty five percent of my fee."
Roz's eyes went doubly wide as the prospect of so much gold, with a small sigh; she waved Ero off, knowing how stubborn the ermine could be. "Fine, Eroket, fine...I just wish a guy like you would just quit this life, find a girl, settle down, have a family! You aren't gonna live forever, not in this business!"
Eroket smiled slightly as he set his empty brandy glass down. "Not in this lifetime, Roz..."
Roz smiled slightly as Ero turned to walk out the door. "Say, Ero...I wouldn't be surprised if you ran into Jald Nightson on this job!"
Eroket flinched, and Roz was afraid she had hurt him by mentioning his rival, but Eroket only turned with a smile and a reply before he slipped out to his room. "I'd be very surprised if I didn't..."
All in all, Eroket Nightblade fit right in.
The ermine mercenary has arrived back in Targas fifteen minutes before, a sizeable bag in his paw, hidden under the black cloak as not to attract attention from a pickpocket or a less savory beast who would try to slit Eroket's throat, take his money and dispose of the corpse in an alleyway. Keep word was 'try.'
Eroket had walked the streets many times before, he knew where he was heading; to one of the few beasts on the street Eroket could ever term his friend.
It was another fifteen minutes of walking the dark streets to find the object of Eroket's search: A large, well lit inn.
The sight of the cheery place always brought a smile to Eroket's face and a twinkle to his golden amber eyes.
The ermine opened the door and stepped inside, not surprised to find the place mostly deserted, except for the barmaid and tender on duty.
Eroket smiled at the ratmaid tending the tables, "Hey, Rhaya, I'm back."
Rhaya looked up in pleased surprise. "Ero? You're back so soon!"
Eroket nodded, "Yep...job wasn't too hard, anyways...Jihal's boys weren't exactly enamored with their boss...a bribe here, a gold coin there and I was in...paid the bastard back for what he gave me two years ago, too."
Rhaya gave an approving nod and a grin, looking to the large ferret bartender. "Guess this means Coris owes me some silver...we bet if you'd come back or not," Her broad grin and Coris's scowl showed the truth of the statement.
Eroket rolled his eyes, crimson paw reaching up as he rubbed his temples. "Am I the only one who values his time around here? Am I?!"
Rhaya couldn't resist a small laugh, and even Coris couldn't help from cracking a smile as Eroket rolled his eyes again and sighed. "Anyways, I'm gonna need to see Roz...know where she is?"
Rhaya nodded. "She's in the back...Either waiting for you or she's passed out..."
Eroket smiled fondly, "Yeah, she would be...alright then, I'll go see her, pay a visit, get the price of this bounty sorted out...you two take care, alright?"
They both nodded, Eroket swept by them, opening a door near the bar and strolling into the back room.
Usually used for shady dealings and the like, the room was quaint: A single table with two chairs, a couch on one side of the room and not much else save a bottle of brandy, two glasses and the weasel sat in one of the chairs, sipping brandy from one glass.
Rozatta was the closest thing to a friend Ero possessed on the streets. She had found him two years ago a mere tree days after the death of General Visla, had given him a quick job, simply take back some money from a thief.
Eroket had performed the job with quickness and efficiency, returning to the older weasel with her money and the news of a thief who require a bit of healing for his broken nose.
Roz, known to her employees and friends, was a respected inn owner and finder in the city of Targas. A finder received bounties, hits and prices from higher ups and prominent figure and handed them down to other mercenaries. Eroket had formed a tight bond with Rozatta after many jobs, Roz always protested Eroket never needed to give her a percentage of the profits, but Eroket always made sure she received her Finder's Fee.
It was nice, Eroket felt, to be appreciated.
Eroket plastered his customary grin on his face and sauntered over to the chair, certain Roz had already seen him but not announcing himself yet. Only when the ermine was seated comfortably in the fine wooden chair did Eroket actually speak. "Hey, Roz!"
Roz looked up, her severe gray eyes brightening, her short stature figure straightening in her chair as a grin split her graying face. "Ero! How are you? How'd the job go?"
Eroket grinned fondly at her, taking the second glass he knew was there for him and raising it, waiting until Roz filled it before taking a sip of the fine brandy, relating the specifics of his assassination of Governor Jihal. Roz bit her lip.
"For the love of-Ero, a governor of that area? Ohh...Ero, you'll have a price on your head for this one, mark my words!"
Eroket shrugged nonchalantly, "Roz, I doubt Jihal'll be missed...he did everything wrong and he was dirty as they come...his own guards just let me stroll in...plus, I owed him."
Roz nodded, "So what's the fee?"
Eroket smiled, "Well, they wanted to give me five hundred, but seeing as Jihal was an old friend...I figured two hundred was more then enough...I've already divided it up for you, so you have fifty, shiny new gold pieces to go towards your fine establishment!"
Rozatta blushed visibly, "Oh, Ero, that's not necessary, you know you're-"
"Won't hear of it." Eroket raised a paw, cutting her off as the second paw dipped in his cloak, coming up with a smaller bag, letting it fall to the table with a seductive clink of the coins within. "Fifty gold pieces and you've earned the lot."
"Oh, that reminds me!" Roz exclaimed, ignoring the gold on the table, she stood and walked to a small cabinet, opening it and rummaging through. "There's a note for you!"
Eroket blinked several times. "A note? From who?"
Roz shrugged, "If I had to guess, it'd be another job for you...I'm not saying you have to take it, but you should at least give it a look...I haven't even looked at it myself."
Eroket shrugged and held out a crimson paw, taking the folded parchment once Roz placed it in his paw, unfolding it and reading the written words aloud
"Greetings Eroket Nightblade.
"Your prowess as a mercenary has reached the ears of many, particularly my own. As a result, you are one of the select few hunters invited to participate in this hunt.
The vixen known as Vandashira, the Living Darkness is reputedly causing problems for my organizations, as well as many others. It is our best interest for Vandashira to be eliminated permanently.
"As expected, a target as high as Vandashira carries with it immense rewards, her head brings two hundred thousand gold coins, a mutually contributed from your employers, myself included.
"The known information of Vandashira is: She is a black furred vixen, green eyed, of over medium height a slim build. She is in her later thirties or early forties and is a skilled assassin and blade fighter. Information beyond this, concerning her contacts, associates and location is unknown.
"You are wished the best of luck, Eroket Nightblade. If you survive, rich rewards await for you."
Eroket finished reading, his eyes wide as Roz's as he set the envelope down. "Two...hundred...thousand..."
"Ero!" Roz snapped, "You aren't going to take this, are you? I've heard of Vandashira! Not a hunter who's gone after her has ever come back! Bad plan, Ero!"
Eroket seemed not to hear, "Roz...this money could make me..."
"Or break you!" Roz snapped, not to be deterred, "Ero, I'll lend you enough money, ok? This is akin to suicide!"
Eroket raised a paw, silencing her as he stood, arms crossed as he replied. "I'm setting out in a coupla days, Roz...in that time, find every bit of information you can on Vandashira...and you'll get your customary twenty five percent of my fee."
Roz's eyes went doubly wide as the prospect of so much gold, with a small sigh; she waved Ero off, knowing how stubborn the ermine could be. "Fine, Eroket, fine...I just wish a guy like you would just quit this life, find a girl, settle down, have a family! You aren't gonna live forever, not in this business!"
Eroket smiled slightly as he set his empty brandy glass down. "Not in this lifetime, Roz..."
Roz smiled slightly as Ero turned to walk out the door. "Say, Ero...I wouldn't be surprised if you ran into Jald Nightson on this job!"
Eroket flinched, and Roz was afraid she had hurt him by mentioning his rival, but Eroket only turned with a smile and a reply before he slipped out to his room. "I'd be very surprised if I didn't..."