Oliver
His hood was pulled up over his ears as he walked down the alley just outside their latest target. Daggone trailed along in his wake, hand on his sword, head wrapped in a shawl.
The moon wasn't the only light on the street as there was a group of street lamps adjourning the sides of the road and a light swept down from the Archon's palace. More of a formality at this point given they weren't even on high alert.
He gazed out, noting the street traffic. A couple was necking each other in the shadow of a building, two old ladies walked home at a brisk pace, and a lone street urchin walked with the bold confidence of someone who walked the streets.
No patrols, no guards. Somehow that made him nervous.
"How do you get these targets anyways?" Daggone hissed in his ear.
Oliver frowned and turned his head just an inch towards him, "The rumor mill at the office suggests the Templars are looking into this library for being a Venatori front."
"And you believe rumors?" Daggone smirked.
Oliver shook his head, "Well until we get a break in the case then we must chase down any lead." He nodded towards them once the urchin rounded a corner. "Come on."
A few seconds later saw them vault over a low wall into the court yard and then off to the side into shadows as their was a group of two in the middle.
They waited for a second, making sure they weren't seen, but with their backs to them they didn't turn around.
"Venatori." Daggone's voice graveled out as he gestured, grasping his sword belt.
Oliver nodded.
Daggone took a tentative step forward with his hand on his sword and he marched forward.
"Wait!" Oliver hissed.
Another member joined the two of them at the heart of the courtyard, by his ornamentation Oliver had the passing thought of boss go through his head.
"Anything happening out here?" He grumbled to the two guards.
"All quiet sir," The guard slurred.
"Good. After we captured that Templar the boss wants us to stay on guard. We don't know how long before someone comes looking for her and we may have to move or defend ourselves."
"With respect sir," the second guard snapped, "shouldn't we be moving now if that were the case?"
Their boss shook his head, "no, Augustus wants to know what she knows and what she told the Templars before moving. We can't just move out without knowing where to go or if we are going to walk into an ambush."
The guards grumbled.
Their boss smiled, "I know, but stay here for the moment. Trust me we'll be leaving soon."
With his statement finished he began to spin around though for half a heart beat Oliver saw his smile hesitate.
It took a few more seconds but he shook his head and began walking up the steps.
"A Templar? Here?" Daggone hissed.
Oliver cocked his head then shook it, "I did say my contact told me that a Templar was working on this location in relation to the Venatori...it seems we've found her."
Daggone snorted, "Yes, so has the Venatori."
Oliver frowned underneath his hood, "we need to rescue her."
Daggone snorted, "Look maybe this is more we can handle right now, there is certainly a lot going on here. Not sure its the best time to play hero rescuing the damsel. Not after Dani."
Oliver had to fight the urge to growl but maintained it, "Look, we need someone who has been working on the Venatori. We need a lead. If we can save her then maybe she can work with us."
"Right Oliver, I-"
He shot him a look.
"Lead on."
The interior of the room building was clean and spartan as they moved in through a side entrance without being detected. Oliver had his bow in hand and his other hovering over the fletching of his arrows.
"Look, I-" Daggone started.
Oliver shot him a look.
"I just know how much Dani meant to you. How much her being charged with the crimes of the Venatori affected to you."
"You think I'm doing this just for her? To get some manner of revenge?"
Daggone looked levelly at him by way of answer.
He sighed, "I can't deny the thought of her isn't in the back of my head." He grunted, keeping the rage down. "The Venatori in our chain of command faked our orders to infiltrate that Qunari fort. They wanted us to confirm the Red Lyrium that was there. Then after they were caught trying to smuggle it they managed to frame Dani and our unit for it. She was the one who took the fall. So is this revenge? Maybe. But despite everything that has happened the Venatori are still a cancer, and I intend to rip it out. Now-"
"Shh." Daggone hissed.
Oliver looked around the corner and almost kicked himself. Two more guards.
"Come on."
The hallway divided around and let them approach them from two different angles, Oliver nodded at Daggone and the two of them both struck at once, he yanked his guard back and slit his throat and he heard the soft squelch of Daggone's sword penetrating flesh.
The two of them turned around to look down the hall.
"Now we have bodies, we're on the clock. They'll discover them eventually and this place is big for the two of us to search."
"Right, we need to move, but lets be quiet about it, perhaps we'll get-"
A very feminine scream came from down the hall.
"Lucky?" Daggone finished.
Oliver nodded.
They followed the scream to a door. There was also a stair case leading to the second floor. Another scream. Always hard to tell but it sounded like it was from the ground floor.
Daggone heard it and both crept forward, adrenaline pounded through his veins but he commanded himself to relax even then, rushing would do them no good.
The interior looked like an observatory for the room below, a small reading room. He could hear whimpering below and indistinct voices as they continued to move.
"-come on what good will it to torture her to death? We need to interrogate her Augustus, find out if the Templars have figured us out, figured out our mole within their organization."
Augustus snarled as the two of them peaked over the corner, the other man was the guard they saw earlier.
Augustus wrenched his hand from his grasp, "yes, we are on a clock though. If the Templars are looking into it we don't have time for your delicate sensibilities. We need to do this quickly."
The Templar on the chair began chuckling, despite being tied up and having bruising along her cheek, her tunic torn, she still looked defiant. "Yes, that's right, a whole contingent of Templars and the City guard is on their way at this moment." She spit a glob of blood on the floor.
Augustus crossed over to her in a few short steps and jabbed a finger in her face. "Don't test me-" he howled.
His finger recoiled and he looked down at it, "Templar bitch bit me!"
She chuckled again.
"You know second, maybe you're right. Maybe she is too much trouble to be kept alive." He said as he reached around and grabbed her by her throat.
"Augustus-"
Augustus howled as Oliver's arrow took him in the shoulder.
His second spun around.
"Its them! The Silver Rook!"
"Kill him!" Augustus snapped.
Oliver leapt down with Daggone trailing in his wake. "Go after the second I will take of everyone else I can."
There were more then the two of them in the room with them so they had to fan out quickly and engage.
He ripped his swords out of their sheath as the Venatori charged in at them. He checked one last time with Daggone bringing his sword and shield up to intersperse him with his opponents, cutting down one Venatori on the way to the second.
It was all he had time for as the Venatori came in, his blade wind milled back and forth with a spark of steel and fire.
Despite the numerical advantage of his opponents they didn't know how to coordinate their attacks which gave him the advantage. He managed to isolate them from one another and then dodged between them.
His dagger swung up and around as he buried it in the first guards neck.
"No!" The second one shouted.
He left it there and grasped his blade in both hands. His Venatori opponent flexed his blade around, he did his own.
The cloaked figure came in madly with a wild slash from up high, Oliver danced to the side, but almost panicked as he found it was a feint and the man continued to him him.
Still he deflected his blade away with a chop of his hand, letting him in close before burying his blade in the man's chest.
Movement out of the corner of his eye drew him in, two more came charging in. He launched two arrows into each of their chests dropping them at once.
"Oliver, behind you!"
A rush of feet from behind and a visceral yell of rage, but he stepped aside and dragged his feet tripping him.
"Stay down!" He growled.
"Never!" The enemy snapped trying to whirl his feet around.
He wasn't distracted as he shot him point blank in the heart with an arrow.
"Oliver huh, why does that name sound so familiar?" Augustus sneered.
He answered by bringing an arrow up intending to finish it, Augustus moved with surprising speed and agility for such a large man, ducking aside as the arrow grazed his shoulder.
His elbow came up and Oliver slammed his palm into his neck causing him to choke and double over. But the Venatori was still wily as he stepped on his foot then forced him against the wall punching him twice.
The Silver Rook pushed his opponent off of him then came up with his blade.
And yet Augustus was still faster, slamming into him full bore with his shoulder bowling him over.
He stood there, towering over his felled opponent, sword in hand, Oliver wanted to try getting up but knew whatever movement he did would just draw his enemies attention.
Yet Daggone tackled him around the waist sparing Oliver from making the decision.
He managed to get to his feet, his bow now in his hand, the back door burst open.
Oliver spun around to put two arrows into the chests of the reinforcements. The two guards that they ran into outside.
Just as he turned around Daggone buried his blade to the hilt in Augustus's guts.
When his body crashed to the floor the entire room became deathly quiet. Him and Daggone turned in place looking out over the entire room and seeing to it that they were truly alone.
As he became satisfied he snapped his bow around into an unthreatening position and looked over at the sole surviving Templar curiously. She looked back at him with a crooked and confident, crooked, smile plastered on her face. Her soft brown eyes sparkling.
He turned to Daggone, "you really need to use my code name in public more when we are in the middle of a fight."
He sighed, "I know, I just am not used to things being that much of a secret. The Qunari weren't in a position to care."
Oliver bowed his head before taking two steps over to the Templar's back and taking out his small sharp knife, "Are you ok, miss...?"
"Templar Aleia," as her bonds snapped free she rubbed her hands and wrists, "and you are Oliver...and since there are few Oliver's I know..."
His heart skipped a beat and he glanced over at Daggone.
"Relax, I'm not going to arrest you for vigilantism. At least...not yet. We have a common enemy and you saved my life. Since the position of the Imperium is a little on the...contradictory side when it comes to the Venatori I need allies."
He glanced at Daggone who shrugged.
"Now, you have worked with people it seems, care to take on one more?"
He nodded.
Back at the warehouse he had taken off his hood and stood in front of the Templar. Her examination of him was one of barely contained mirth.
"You know, most of my department has been taking bets on who you were. Most people seemed to think it was a Liberati...or even a Soporati...returned home from the war recently with skills they had picked up. But to see that it is the Oliver Mercar, magister." She chuckled. "My boss would have a field day if he knew."
"Will he?" Oliver asked, his hand flexing on his bow handle instinctively.
She couldn't help but glance at it, "No. I have no intention of sharing your secret with my superiors as long as you continue to fight the enemy's of the Imperium."
"A bold claim considering many might consider us enemy's of the Imperium. Maybe even you for helping us." Daggone cut in, folding his hands over his chest.
She shrugged, "I can't say I am entirely comfortable here, but I am even less comfortable with the Venatori. And so far the Magisterium isn't really willing to discuss the 'Silver Rook' or is undecided what to do about you specifically. I am sure you have noticed but you are a political issue Oliver, considering some in the Magisterium are thinking you are sent by the Maker to rid us all over the Venatori and that your activities will be of benefit to us."
He nodded, looked down, and tapped his foot on the ground.
"The question is, what can you give us?" Aleia pressed.
"Very little I'm afraid," The admission was bile in his throat, "its not like I have a list of targets I can just go after. I've been stumbling around in the dark trying to figure out where to go to unearth the Venatori operations within Minrathous, and if I can, beyond."
Her eyes narrowed, "But you have gone after targets."
"I do have my sources...most of them in the Magisterium," he chuckled, "if I get a solid lead to go after something, I pursue it."
"Well," she pursed her lips.
"And you?"
She shook her head, clearing it. "I know the Venatori are planning something, there has been chatter around the Order that they are trying to do something...a Summoning. That is why my boss asked me to look into this, because he believes that a Templar should stop ruinous magic even if we don't have the resources of our Southern brethren."
"Know anything more?" Oliver pressed.
"I don't. I was poking around there looking for a location, but Augustus and his guards caught me before I could get anywhere."
Daggone snorted, "A summoning, the Venatori have tried this before. Will they ever pick up new tricks?"
"Well," Oliver clapped his hands together, "whatever it is until we bring proof back to either the Magisterium of the Templars, we may be Minrathous's last line of defense."
Aleia nodded,
"So, tomorrow...we begin looking into it. Tonight. Unfortunately I have to go to bed because I have an early day voting on an appropriation bill." The sentence was so absurd it brought a small smile to his face, it carried him as Aleia said her goodbyes.