They had made it. None of them knew how, but they had made it.

"I need to contact Cletran, or we're never going to make it to our actual destination," Avariel said. Without waiting for a reply she headed off.

"I wonder where we're supposed to be going," Jarlaxle said.

"Do you have a place you want to go?" Entreri responded.

"Point, neither one of us does."

"Pathetic, isn't it?"

"Not really," Jarlaxle said with a chuckle. "Tell me, these people seem intent on hunting you down. Why?"

Entreri looked up. How could he explain this without giving anything away? The image of Jori smiling flashed through his mind. It was followed by the image of all three of them, Jori, Aramil, and himself together and happy.

"It's hard to explain," he said simply.

Jarlaxle nodded; he understood completely.

9

"Somebody will be here at midnight," Avariel said triumphantly when she returned.

"For what?" Callahan asked.

"To get us where we need to go," Avariel said.

Nova smiled, understanding the message being conveyed, and took her own leave. There was still preparing to be done.

99

"Are you ready?" Nova asked Cletran.

"I hope so," the High Priest replied. "Are you?"

"No, but I think it will work."

Cletran smiled and began casting his spell. He only hoped that the Entreri was well-rested for the upcoming fight.

999

"It's about midnight," Entreri observed. He put little faith that a cleric would want to pick him up.

"Then I supposed I'm right on time," a voice from behind the group replied.

The whole group spun around to face the speaker. He was a short man, about as tall as Entreri, with black hair, dark skin, and gray eyes.

Avariel smiled. "I'd like you all to meet Cletran; he's the one who's going to transport us where we need to be."

Cletran nodded in accord and cast a spell. Entreri vanished. Before anyone could react, he cast another spell that transported the whole group above a maze. On one end was Artemis Entreri and on the other was the fake Assassin Lord.

9999

"Stupid priests," Entreri grumbled as he got up. He then began to look at his surroundings.

He was in a maze that seemed to be made of shadow. Why was he here?

Might as well wander around and find out, he thought. Drawing his weapons, Artemis Entreri began to move stealthily through the maze.

MAZE

Thoran slowly started moving towards the center of the maze. That was the goal after all. The center was the best spot to ambush somebody. Smiling the assassin moved closer and closer to the Son of Memnon.

MAZE

Entreri turned right to yet another dead end. He was really getting sick of this. Still, Entreri saw no other way. This way just felt so…right.

Slowly, Entreri approached the wall and put his hand through it. Smiling, he walked through the illusion and continued on his way, closer to the center of the maze.

MAZE

"What is going on?" Jarlaxle demanded. Cletran merely motioned for the group to keep watching.

99999

Thoran was finally at the center of the maze. He wouldn't be beat. He was ahead. Now, all that was left to do was wait.

MAZE

Artemis Entreri entered a large room. It had to be the center of the maze.

Thoran couldn't believe his luck. The man's back was lined up perfectly. Smiling, Thoran swung.

Entreri spun around with Charon's Claw in hand and cleanly sliced the man behind him in half. The effects of the people watching were immediate.

Entreri heard a loud cheer as the maze slowly disappeared he saw that he was surrounded by assassins, priests, and thieves. They were all cheering for what he had done, whatever it was he had done.

"Amazing, simply amazing," said a familiar voice from behind him. Entreri spun around to face Cletran.

"What was that all about?" he demanded.

"You are now Assassin Lord. It is clear that our Lady favors you over the now deceased Thoran."

Entreri's eyes narrowed dangerously. However, just as Entreri was thinking of how to respond, a loud bang sounded and High Priest and Assassin Lord realized that they were in the middle of an argument between Shar and Mask. Everybody else was wise and ran away.

Shar seemed to be holding a mask over a chasm, and Mask was clearly trying to get it back.

"What do you want?" the Lord of All Thieves demanded.

"Merely what rightfully belongs to me," Shar answered.

"Never!"

"Very well," Shar said calmly, dropping the mask into the portal.

Entreri dived and caught it right before it fell in.

Shar looked at the human. Why did it have to be the one that she didn't want to kill? Glaring, she simply vanished.

Mask went down to human size and approached Entreri as he stood up. The deity held out her hand, fully expecting the mask to be given to her.

Entreri looked at her. "Am I really your Assassin Lord?"

Mask nodded. Entreri looked at the mask, at his deity, and then at the portal. "You may want to change your mind," he said quietly. With that he threw the mask down into the portal. There was a moment of silence from everyone.

"Explain!" Isra demanded.

"I will not serve an item," Entreri said simply. With that he merely started walking away.

Isra just stood there for a moment, than she smiled.

"I sense…a burning?" Cletran asked hopefully.

Isra nodded. "You read me well."

Cletran smiled. "I hope this doesn't offend you, but it will be nice to be out of that stuffy mask."

"Indeed." Isra looked at the ground where the portal had been moments before.

It was decidedly the start of a new era for her and her followers. Smiling, she looked up in the direction of the man who had made it possible.

Author's Note: So Entreri now has a job. The next one is called the War of Shar and Mask.