( I know I know this took me SO long but I'm back!!)

Chapter 13

With an agility that his small stubby body did not suggest, Graug jumped through the ghosts in front of him and passed right through their bodies and easily avoided their deadly claws. Spinning like a ball he shot through the air, turning head over heals before slamming both feet directly into the door. There was a loud groaning as the hinges on either side snapped from the sudden impact, bolts wrenching loose as both halves of the door toppled back and crashed into the corridor leading to the room. Even the ghosts appeared a little stunned.

Then it was the wizard's turn for action.

Sareth had seen Havez use a spell before during the tavern brawl with the dark elf assassins but it had been attempts at many defence spells and elemental magic. The magic he unleashed against the ghosts that surrounded them was most definitely not and for the first time Sareth saw the true potential of a fully trained and experienced wizard.

There was a blinding flash of light, a familiar tingle of lightning as an intensive amount of elemental power was unleashed and the scream that came from the ghosts was so loud that any other sound was drowned out completely. Sareth was vaguely aware that people were shouting and that Xana was calling him over the link they shared but he could not probably hear them. The shrieks of the ghosts combined with the detonating flash from Havez's spell had filled his ears with a ringing that was causing his entire body to shake.

Lethos was shoving him forward.

"Run Sareth!" He heard him say but the sound of his voice was intensely muffled as if he were hearing it through a layer of cotton.

What brought through and introduced him to the chaos around as the sight of a translucent blue face, filled with hunger and malice lurching at him with dagger like teeth.

Staggering back, he pumped into Graug who was shoving him forward.

Suddenly they were all running down the corridor as fast as they could, bolting for their lives with a swarm of ghosts behind them.

"Here take it." Sareth called to Havez, tossing the wizard the book. The older man caught it and held it up, even while they ran to examine it.

"Not now!" Graug snapped and snatched the book from him, tucking it into his own robes.

Jumping over the corpses of the Black Guards they had left, they bolted to the top of the stairs and nearly tumbled over each other trying to get down them. Their plan for escape was not very good and perhaps had they not been unexpectedly chased by ghosts, Lethos at least would have been able to get them out without a mad dash for their lives.

As such Sareth did not entirely find himself surprised to find that the door to the kitchen and the entrance through which they had come was blocked. Black Guards, alerted by the noise, were rushing out through that very door. All of them armed with swords and in full armour.

When they saw the intruders they let out a yell of alarm and charged, weapons drawn. For a moment it seems like they were trapped.

Then the ghosts came charging down the stairs, arms reaching out as they past through some of the wall to get to them. When the guards saw the ghosts they halted in mid step, their armour clanging against their fellows.

The ghosts it seemed had not been required to know friend from foe and swarmed down towards the guardsmen. The screams were horrible and thankfully Sareth did not stop to look. He was too busy running, recognising all too well the opportunity that had been given to them.

They burst into a side room and Havez quickly shut the door behind them. It was a useless gesture, given some of their enemies could pass through solid walls but it definitely made them feel better.

"Ten minutes." Lethos remarked as they said with the wails of the ghosts getting closer behind them.

"What's ten minutes?" Havez demanded still struggling with his robes full of the scrolls he had pilfered.

"Even running, it takes ten minutes to get from the Citadel to his house. Arantir will be back here in ten minutes, minimum. We have until then to get out."

"Can't we hold him off?" Sareth asked, trying to get his breath.

"Arantir? Don't be stupid." Graug snapped with a great deal of venom, he paused to take a swig of his canister. "We're all dead unless we get away." He looked over at Lethos. "Any others way's out?"

"The front door?" Havez asked half heartedly. Graug glared at him. "Desperate times need desperate circumstance. Right now I'd settle for a window."

"A window? But we're suspended a good hundred feet above the cavern floor!"

"Believe me, in this situation it will do."

There was another shriek outside, followed by another scream… this time dangerously close. There was a thump and the door shook as something stuck it from behind.

"Let's go!" Lethos declared, directing them to another door just across the room. All at once they dashed for it. They were all a foot away from the door when it opened on its own and several guards came in.

The two groups stared at each, neither expecting to find the other here.

"Get them!" One of black armoured men declared, breaking the momentary silence. Then were was the hissing of swords coming out of scabbards as Arantir's guards drew their weapons.

Havez swung both arms wide, his fingers arching around two points in the air. The spell he called forth was an elemental burst of fire. It was perhaps a simple spell, requiring more mana than was necessary but its raw potent affect more than made up for the inefficiency.

With a hot ripple passing through the air, his spell struck the leading guard in the chest and instantly the man was on fire. The intense heat burned his skin away in moments, the armour around him melting into a running molten metal the spilled out over his body as it collapsed into dust.

Another guard rushed at them from the side but Lethos was already there, rolling forward with the skill of an acrobat. His tumbling body knocked the armoured man's legs from underneath him and he tumbled to the ground, collapsing with a loud clatter. Before the man could rise again, the dark elf back flipped to his feet and spun about with his leg drawn back, expertly kicking the fallen back just below the ear. The man's head jerked to one side with the audible sound of snapping bone.

A third tried to come at Graug from behind but the Gremlin neatly side stepped and bashed the man's skull in with his mortar club.

Sareth's own blade was drawn in an instant, whistling through the air just as he had been taught, connecting defensively with the upper hand swing of the forth guard who had come at him.

Lashing out, he kicked then man in the groin and the guard staggered back, the armour protecting him by the strike was enough to stagger him. Using the opening, Sareth drew his sword blade and rammed it forward. The blade of the Dragon Tongue bit deep, carving its way though the armour and chainmail and directly through the torso with its tip bursting out the back. The man sagged forward on the blade, sighing out as the life drained from him.

Almost as if he didn't care Sareth kicked the body off his blade and it crashed down to the ground with a clatter.

For a moment he stood staring at the body of the man he had just killed. He had done it instinctively and without a second thought and even now in hindsight he could not summon the despair and regret that had overcome him when he had killed Thralsai.

He had heard it said that if a man kills, the first kill is always the hardest but ever after the act of murder is numb to him. Did this mean that now, with the kind of power emerging in him, he would go around killing people and it would not bother him?

"Really, this isn't the time to daydream." Graug stated as he contemptuously kicked the corpse Sareth had been staring at out of the way. "Let's go." He began to heard them towards the vacant doorway.

"Sareth, Sareth are you there?!" Xana's voice inside his head called to him and it was only then that he became aware of the fact that she had been yelling at him to respond ever since the ghosts turned up.

"Yes… yes I'm here!" He called to her and his returning thought was nearly a hoarse shout in his panic and confusion.

"What's going on?" She rdamned, apparently now put off by his tone of thought. "Leanna and I can hear screams out here, what's happening?"

"It's complicated." He replied "I don't have time to explain now but we need another exit and quickly, Arantir is on his way back."

"He is?" Xana sounded genuinely surprised but strangely not frightened although her concern was obvious. There was a brief pause before she replied again. "Leanna will keep a look out. I'll find you a way out."

"Thanks." Sareth replied but did not get a chance to add anything more as their small group came to the end of the corridor. Havez suddenly came to a stop, spreading his arms out wide either side to prevent anyone from passing him.

"Ah ah, fast not so my little dears." A new voice said, sweet and luring.

Sareth froze, skidding to a stop at the sight of the figure blocking their path. The chamber beyond was large and oval shaped with a tilted floor and roof. The ceiling was held up by many stone pillars at regular intervals and arched very high overhead. There was an alter at one end of the room with the visage of the same dark elf females Sareth had seen before in architecture around the city.

All along the outside walls were large stained glass windows that illuminated the roof with a soft multicoloured light. They showed pictures of dark elves in battle with the various races that their people had overcome through their history, each depiction showing the bloody history of their people.

First there were battles with Sylvan elves and told from the dark elf perspective were an oppressive race who had wrongly accused them of a crime they had not committed and had killed thousands of their kin as punishment. Some of the scenes were quite graphic of the arrows that down on helpless dark elf children.

Other scenes were of wars underground, clashes under immense mountains with the dwarves who were portrayed as greedy butchers who raided dark elf cities for their gold and jewels.

The theme was generally one of martyrdom and brave survival and viewing these clear exaggerations gave Sareth a glimpse into the character of the dark elf people.

At first glimpse this seemed to be some sort of private chapel although the dust in the room showed that Arantir did not make use of it.

Standing there alone directly in the centre of the chapel was a single figure with crossed arms over the hilt of a claymore blade. The sword was jet black as if carved fro the darkest obsidian as was the armour the man wore. Hanging down over his back was a short black cape, embroidered with gold along its outside rim.

The man himself was tall and had a handsome regular face with a square jaw. His long raven black hair was tied back into a pony tail at the top of his scalp.

Lethos drew its dagger but Havez put a hand on his shoulder restraining him.

"Don't." He said sternly.

"It's only one man." Lethos stated with a raised eyebrow. Beside him, Graug spat and hefted his mortar.

"That's no man." The gremlin announced.

"Then what…" Sareth started but then as his eyes grew used to the colourer light he made out more features on the face of their obstructer. His ears were pointed like those of an elf but clearly he was not an elf. His skin was pale, almost white but with a greenish tinge to it and when he smiled at them his canine teeth overlapped his bottom lip.

Phenrig had instructed Sareth on how to recognise and distinguish various supernatural beings as part of his basic tuition and so he knew a vampire when he saw one.

Vampires were beings created as experiments by the Necromancers just after their first spilt with the wizards of the Silver cities; made to be enhanced soldiers and assassins but they could not withstand the light of day and were forced to drink the blood of the living in order to sustain their immortality.

"Permit me to introduce myself." The vampire stated, bowing theatrically to them with a great sweep of his arm. He had a heavy accent the origin of which Sareth could not place. "I am Giovanni, bodyguard to Lord Arantir." He looked them over up and down, his lips pursed. "Interesting. I didn't realise that security was so lax as to allow such common beggars to infiltrate any of the master's homes."

Graug snorted at the derision through his nostrils but Havez shook his head firmly at his partner, motioning him to keep still.

"What do we do?" Lethos asked, his fingers curling and uncurling around the hilt of his daggers.

"Remain still, no sudden moves." Havez whispered back, sidestepping with a toss of his head for them for follow his example.

Graug followed instantly with Sareth and Lethos shortly after.

The vampire watched them coldly for a moment before he smiled and wagged a disapproving finger in front of them, his free hand left resting suggestively on the hilt of his own blade.

"What do you think I am; some rapid dog?" Giovanni asked. "Come no, lets all just wait her for the master to arrive. I'm sure he'll be merciful and grant you all quick deaths."

Not entirely sure of his own movements, Sareth reached over his shoulder and took a hold of the hilt of the sword across his back. It slid free from its sheath.

"Sareth, what are you doing?" The wizard asked, glancing back in alarm. Sareth said nothing and shouldered his companion's side, striding forth with a sudden confidence to face the vampire.

Giovanni raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.

"Oh so we have a fighter do we?" The satisfied grin that spread across his lips showed all his fangs. With no effort he heartened his heavy sword up and over one shoulder, holding it negligently at the ready. "Well then little boy by all means try to cut me if your butter knife."

"Sareth don't!" Graug barked, coming forward. "No one can match a vampire for relaxes in one on one combat."

The gremlin was stopped when Lethos put a hand on his shoulder. Graug looked back in confusion but the elf shook his head with a prideful smile.

"Let brother mine deal with this."

"Are you insane?"

"Possibly but I believe Sareth might just surprise us." He tapped his stomach twice with a flat palm. "A gut feeling."

"Your gut feeling is going to have Sareth's own entrails sprayed all over the floor!" Graug stated contemptuously.

Sareth had been listening to their argument but had no time to think any better of the course of action that he had unconsciously chosen. In the next instant Giovanni charged, his sword swinging wide in a deadly arch.

Sareth back stepped bending back to avoid the blade as its tip pasted very close to his throat and then ducked as the vampire brought the sword back again so fast it blurred.

The gremlin had not been exaggerating in the least and it took all the agility Sareth had in his young body to avoid the tip of the obsidian sword as it swung through the air, whipping back and forth in the hands of a clear expert swordsman.

The hours Sareth had spent in intense practise of swordsmanship, under the direction of Douglas, were now paying off. Every feint and parry, dodge and thrust he used against the vampire all came to mind easily and every time he used one of them, he remembered being taught these moves for the first time.

The memories were full of warm and affection and their taste was bitter for by now Sareth knew that they were lies, illusions Phenrig and the others had cast around him to hide the truth of their bloodthirsty intent.

The fact that what they had taught him was now coming to his advantage made him feel a little sick and soiled.

His blade bet Giovanni's in mid air and they paused, testing the strength of their blades and straining against one another before the young man acted on some initiative and shouldered himself forward slamming his body into Giovanni and causing him to stagger backwards.

He followed through, his blade lashing down to clank loudly on the breastplate of the vampire's armour. The dragon tongue blade bit deep, carving into metal barrier but coming up short when it connected the with chainmail shirt underneath.

Giovanni backed off, the blade sliding out and parried it aside with a slash. Sareth lashed back, trying to close in realising that the vampire had a disadvantage with such a long blade. While his own sword, while no means small, had a short blade length and with that he could get inside his opponent's defences.

Giovanni was no fool and recognised Sareth's strategy and back stepped every strike of their blades not allowing Sareth to get in close enough.

From the sidelines of battle, his companions watched with bated breath as the young man kept toe to toe with a vampire. It was remarkable to watch.

Havez knew that the Silver Cities mages dealt with vampires at long range, knowing full well that trying to out duel one was folly and yet here Sareth was keeping toe to toe with him.

The wizard and the gremlin looked sidelong at the dark elf in their group, who simply stood there with a large grin on his face.

Suddenly there was the sound of running feet and turning back to look they saw more of the Black Guards coming down the passenger way they had just come down. Their swords were drawn and when they sighted the intruders their leader yelled, jabbing towards them with his weapon as they charged.

Acting quickly Lethos slammed the door shut and then ran the bolt across it.

"That won't hold them." Graug commented dryly.

"And what will?" Lethos asked as the door slammed forward as the guards tried to force it open.

The gremlin grinned from ear to ear and ran one of the fist size metal balls down the length of his mortar, stuffing it in tight.

"This." He said and with a flick of his wrist fired his weapon with a spray of sulphurous cloud. The projectile slammed through the door, hitting one of the guards in the head. The impact caved the helmet and skull in, the blood, brains and fragments of bone blowing out the back of the shattered head.

The body dropped down behind the door with a thump but that did not deter the other guards who pulled the corpse aside and began hammering at the bolted door.

Lethos reared back and threw a bottle of his poisons through the gap in the door make by Graug's weapon. The small delicate glass vial broke open on contact with a guard's breastplate and the resulting cloud of green mist drifted up to fill the corridor outside. There were violent coughs and yells of alarm as the poison, Lethos own lethal mix, was inhaled.

Those closest the door fell dead with a clatter and the sound of running feet revealed that the others had fled a short distance.

"Say would you be willing to sell any of those little concoctions?" Graug asked, rubbing his hands together with relish.

Displaying his fangs in a snarl, Giovanni smashed his boot into Sareth's stomach and knocked him back spinning him around. The young man's sword grated loose and the pain of the blow caused Sareth to clutch at his front. He could feel bone grate on bone in his chest, a rib or two broken in the impact.

"Sareth!!" Xana cried out in his mind, sensing his pain. "I am coming Sareth!!"

Giovanni's leg swung around with the agility only a vampire could have, the kick connecting sharply with Sareth's back and knocked the young man to the floor with a crash. The Dragon Tongue blade was thrown from his grip and skidded across the floor, clattering as it went.

The taste of blood was in Sareth's mouth, a thick flavour of salt and copper that seemed to surge down his throat as he struggled to rise. Gazing down through stunned eyes he saw that dripping out of his mouth and nose was a steady dripping of red.

"Sareth! Lethos cried. "Move!"

Sareth did so without thinking, rolling to the side just as Giovanni's blade came down to sink deep into the stones of the floor. Stumbling back to his feet, Sareth dove for his sword but the vampire caught his ankle in one hand and tossed him back.

His head cracked into one of the stone ceiling support pillars and all sound was muffled.

He thought he heard someone shouting his name, or many people at once. He could only clearly make out Xana's cry of alarm and fear and knew that she was on her way.

In that stunned instant he watched Giovanni charge at him with his sword drawn back with a sort of calm detachment, as if he was merely an observer.

The surge that suddenly pulsed through his body a moment later was more than familiar.

It was a sensation he had felt more than once before. The first time he had felt it had been in the baths when facing down the bigot Vayshan and then again when he had helped fend off the assassins in the tavern. The last time had been when he had kicked Thralsai off the head of the Hydra and to his death.

This time it was like an unleashing, of all; rationality and thought being shoved aside and a raw powerful instinct breaking through.

As the sword flew towards him he not only dodged the lunge before also brought his leg up so sharply that his foot connected with Giovanni's chin and sent him flying.

Left unprepared and stunned by this strike the vampire recovered in the air but Sareth reared back both hands and cast forth at him a bolt of elemental lightning. With an act of acrobatics worthy of swallows Giovanni dodged it, twisting his body around so fast he blurred.

Trying to land he had to rapidly defend himself from Sareth's outstretching hands, each bathed in magical fire. It was as if suddenly he was fighting a different person. His sword swung wide trying to make this berserker back off but the young man dodged and wove, darting in close with fire.

Fire.. the one element vampires feared above all others. Seeing it so close Giovanni lashed out in desperation with a kick to Sareth's chest that knocked him back.

"Sareth, please… what is happening?" Xana was crying but all Sareth could hear now was the thudding of his heart in his chest and the fire in his veins.

He reached out to his left, palm up.

The Dragon Tongue flame sword on the ground nearby clattered against the stone before it leapt up through the air by itself and flew to his hand. He grasped the hilt firmly and when his fingers closed around it, the blade ignited.

There was a flash, a rush of heat and the sword in his hands leapt into flame. Its blade burned with fire, illuminating the chapel with an orange glow.

The feeling of such power and heat bent to his will was, to Sareth's sudden understanding intoxicating.

Giovanni looked a bit confused by the fire in front of him, his eyes reflecting the fire that was held before him.

"How…" He began but never finished, his sword drowned out in the roar of the flames.

The first slash caught the vampire across the chest, his black armour melting away even before the sword struck him.

The second flash struck across his left leg, the flesh underneath the chainmail scorching black near instantly.

A third strike knocked him down to the ground with his cape burning and his hair beginning to smoulder.

Sareth's friends watched in sudden awe at Sareth's power and his complete domination of an opponent which by all logic should have killed him.

Sareth's blade burst and slashed over and over, systematically carving away Giovanni's armour. The vampire had backed up against one of the stone pillars, the melted remains of his sword as his only defence. Still Sareth persisted, slashing over and over until Giovanni lay there, unable to move his skin near black with burns.

Sensing victory, the young man raised the sword over his head preparing to strike the final blow.

"My love!" The voice of a woman cried, echoing in the chapel. Sareth paused and glanced to his right as another figure slid out of the shadows. Her face was round but with well defined cheekbones, her eyes and hair jet black.

Her armour was similar to that of Giovanni only with a ruff of fur around the neckline.

Her pale skin pointed ears and fangs showed her nature.

Instantly she came to Giovanni's side. kneeling down beside him.

"Ornella… no, get away from me." Giovanni began through his burnt lips struggling to rise and push her out of the way. "Stay away, you mustn't get in the way."

"No my love, I came as fast as I could. Lord Arantir is on his way." She told him, clutching his arm. "And I will defend you until he arrives." With a fluid motion she rose and turned to face Sareth, a hidden blade drawn out from a scabbard at her side.

"You… you can't beat him." Giovanni gasped, straining to see.

Sareth just stared at them.

The image of himself, holding the fiery sword over this pair ready to strike them down flashed into his mind. He had enough power to incinerate these two, to burn them away to ashes.

He could do it, it would be so easy. Just one swing and they and anyone else who dared to stand against him would be out of his way. He was unbeatable, untouchable and no one would dare stand against his might. He could do anything he wanted. He could dominate all before him and kill anyone who dared to cross him.

With a hoarse cry, Sareth flung the weapons out of his hands. It flew through the air, still burning to clash into the wall and sank nearly up to the hilt in the stone.

The horror that ran through his mind was indescribable, for now he understood.

Why had Phenrig and the other cultists spend so much time teaching him how to fight and kill, the secrets of magic and the arts of stealth when they had intended to kill him in their bloody ritual?

The answer was now obvious. They had never intended to kill him. All this time they had not just been preparing him, they had been training him, moulding him over the years he had been in their sway until he had been suitable to become a monster…a creature of raw power and hatred. That interrupted ritual no doubt had been the finalisation of the process, but avoiding it had not helped him avoid that fate.

He had merely postponed it.

"Sareth…" Lethos began trying to approach. Sareth swung around, his hands in front of him.

"NO!" He cried harshly. "Get away from me!"

The vampire woman Ornella stood there stock still in defence of her lover but held two fingers to her lips and whistled. For a moment there was silence and then that silence was broken when the familiar screeching of the ghosts began to rise. The spectre guardians for Arantir were coming in their multitude.

"We don't have time for this!" Graug spat and without a moments hesitation came up behind Sareth was whacked him across the head with his mortar club. The blow stunned the young man and he fell forward, toppling unconscious into Lethos' arms.

Havez ran forward, his hand rearing back and then thrusting itself forward with muttered incantations. From his fingers a burst of fire blasted forth, soaring through the air and smacking into one of the stained glass windows.

The glass melted nearly instantly on contact and a gapping hole steaming hole opened up for them.

Graug grabbed the embedded Dragon Tongue sword and yanked it free, carrying it over his shoulder and running for their only way out.

As Lethos dragged the inert body of the young man towards the exit, ghosts began to slide forth from the walls; one at a time at first and then in their multitudes all screaming for blood.

About facing Havez held out both hands and with a commanding incantation summoned forth a barrier of fire; a single flash of magically augmented flame. Several ghosts that were flying in close with outreaching arms were caught in the immediate blast of release power and their screams cut off as the flames engulfed them. The two vampires, sensitive and vulnerable to fire were forced to shield their eyes from the flames. Ornella put her body in front of Giovanni's to protect him.

When the flames died out the four intruders were gone and the ghosts were screaming in the frustration of an escaped prey.

--

Arantir looked around the chaos, his gaze steady and unconcerned even at the extent of the fire damage. Calmly he crossed over to the injured Giovanni casually sidestepping the pool of blood. Beside him was his love and confidante Ornella, along with the corpses of several Black Guards. The men had been drained down to the last drop of blood and many of Giovanni's wounds were already healing.

"What happened here?" The Necromancer asked, looking him directly in the face.

"My lord." Giovanni began, brushing aside the arms of his woman to face his master directly. "I am afraid that your private study was broken into and some of your guardian spirits destroyed."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Arantir's face, he only emotion he had shown thus far.

"The Codex?" He asked but it was clearly he already knew the answer.

"Gone my lord, along with all your research notes." The vampire said and coughed once, blood spraying up over his battered breastplate. He was still not completely healed. "I am sorry master... I failed you. I accept full responsibility"

"You have nothing to reproach yourself for." Arantir assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It is clear that you did everything in your power to prevent it."

"Thank you Master." Ornella began, cradling Giovanni to her.

The Necromancer took some time to survey his ruined temporary study. Any side experiments he had been running were now completely ruined, his bed and tables reduced to blackened heaps. As Giovanni had said, the book, the Shazzar Codex was gone.

Its loss was a significant blow. It was a one of a kind tome, irreplaceable and Arantir had not yet had time to fully translate it. He had learned much from the book and with more time he would have unveiled more, perhaps enough for him to act to put an end to the Dark prophecy.

Now he would have to seek guidance elsewhere.

He knew who the thief was and he could not fault Giovanni for failing to stop him, even if he had been inclined to. The vampire had been out of his league.

If anything Arantir was impressed enough that he had delayed the thief for any amount of time. It suggested that their enemy, now finally arisen, was not yet fully mature.

Events were in motion now and he had to move with him if he were to make any difference. The duty Asha had bound to him took precedence over all else, even any alliance he might be able to attain from Raelag.

"We're leaving." He said, turning to the only surviving Captain of his Black Guards who stood behind him in the shattered remains of the door to his study. "Transfer all my remaining belongings to the caravans. We can do no more in these morbid caves."

The captain nodded once, remaining mute. Black Guards were never allowed to speak to the Necromancers who outranked them and only did so with express permission. Once the guard was gone, Arantir turned back to the podium in the centre of the room where he had summoned the Wight which had claimed the life of the Wizard Menelag.

Menelag had been marked for death ever since the end of Queen Isabel's war, a known cultist associate. But had Arantir had any idea exactly who had been in that group with Menelag then he would have summoned an army of undead to strike them down, not just a Wight a few expendable Ghouls. The wasted opportunity stung at him.

Or perhaps not…

Perhaps this theft was not so much a loss as it was another opportunity. Another chance to strike and destroy the threat in its infancy. His notes would lead his enemy from place to place along the trail, whereas he knew where to go directly.

Smiling, he looked up towards the ceiling.

"You will be done, Asha." He said, thanking his god for the second chance to serve her.