Part 3

The cold northern winds swept through Al de Baran and into the Suldam guild house. Lord Reginald Ituralde stood at the terrace looking down at the people who looked like ants from where he stood. The wind cut through his cloak though he refused to let the cold touch him.

There was a knock on the door and a servant put his head in. "Um…excuse me my lord…Master Haja wishes to speak with you."

"Did I already give you permission to enter?" asked Reginald, his voice as cold as the winter winds.

"Forgive me my lord… but I was informed it was very urgent. Please have mercy on me." said the servant lowering his head to the floor.

"Mercy?" barked Ituralde facing the prostrating servant "I don't know the word. It is something the weak use to hide behind of."

"Yes my lord…"

In a few seconds Reginald strode across the length of the room and sliced off the servant's head mid-sentence.

The door fully opened and Haja stood in the hallway. The assassin stepped back one-step. Though half his face was covered with a mask his black eyes were pools of fear.

"May I enter my lord" asked Haja while delivering a very deep bow.

Reginald looked at the assassin who still didn't get up from the bow and delayed a little longer before answering. "Yes you may."

Haja ripped the dead servant's sleeve and handed it to the Knight as he entered. Reginald looked at the ripped cloth in the assassin's hand and his eyes went up to Haja's face. His hand quickly snatched the mask. Haja flinched as his mask was pulled of his face and Reginald used it to wipe the blood off his sword.

"What is it that you have to tell me?" asked Reginald throwing the bloodstained mask back to the assassin. He strode to a nearby table and poured wine for himself. "Well?" he added before taking a sip.

"My lord Jared has begun to infiltrate Malacca. He has created a connection to Persha Melencarta."

The half empty glass shattered in Haja's face, cutting and drenching him.

"You do not speak that name in this guild house!" shouted Reginald, his arm still outstretched from hurling the glass.

Haja immediately went on all fours and prostrated himself before Reginald. "I apologize, my lord. Please have me…" Haja hesitated for a moment remembering the fate of the foolish servant who begged mercy from Lord Reginald. He himself was no fool so he twisted his sentence to fit the one he was speaking to. "Please have me whipped for my insolence."

Haja looked up, Reginald's fingers eased from their grip on the pommel of his sword.

"Fortunately for you, I do not have the time to arrange you whipped." said Reginald fully releasing his sword and turning towards the terrace. "So Jared has finally made contact with the dancer" Reginald's mouth tightened at the word "What else do you have to report?"

"Rodel Florsheim of the Aurum Guild has been successfully exterminated, and so has Edith Lanai of the Baltimore guild. Our spies in their guilds have the possible successors at each other's throats. Their quarrels will extend into the guild wars and Malacca will be less two strong allies." Haja said as clerical as he could

"Good…good. Have our spies push the arguments farther so that Aurum and Baltimore will decide to separate."

"Yes my lord, will there be anything else?"

"I want you back in Prontera and keeping an eye on Jared. Make sure he does what he is supposed to do and nothing else." said Reginald with his grave-cold voice. He turned his iron gray eyes at Haja and seemed to bore into the assassin's skull with his stare.

Haja bowed again before exiting the room and closing the door behind him. He remained a fast paced walk through the hall and let out a breath he did not realize he was holding. Not many people had this effect on assassins. His occupation called for killing people on orders but Lord Reginald Ituralde had an air about himself that just shouted deadliness. By the time Haja turned a corner he was running as fast as his feet could carry him