14th Arodus, 4712 AR
A cool breeze blew off the Lake Sorrow and graced Methodios’s brow. About time we got a break from this accursed Summer, thinks the young Chelaxian assassin as he finishes his ascent to the balcony. “The door will be unlocked,” they had told him, “She will be expecting someone - a paramour. He is to wake her and they are to pretend they have never met. Well, they will never meet again.”
Contact killings were bread and butter to Methodios. He did them well and he did them as often as his stomach required, but he took no joy in his work. Until now. This one, he was doing for free. This one is the b*tch who nearly killed him.
It had taken Methodios weeks to finally track down the one who had set him up. His last job was going so well, right up until the targets turned on him and opened fire. His anonymous employer, it turns out, was trying to kill him. How? Ambushed. Why? Methodios suspected it was to do with a merchant he was hired to kill: Kindrick Powell. Who? …well, it was this woman here. His contacts were definite about this one. She was only in Egorian for one more days, and tonight was Methodios’s last opportunity to see her dead.
The door was open as they had said. A slim, lithe body snored softly beneath the sheets. Her dark hair spilled over the pillows and her ample, milky white cleavage. Despite himself, his manhood stirred at the sight. Finish this, he told himself as he moved closer, his cold-iron battle-axe at the ready. Some assassins prefer a small weapon. Not Methodios. The bigger they are, the more damage they do. Most folk carry weapons anyway. The only real trick was drawing it while they weren’t looking. Much easier when they’re sleeping.
Drawing the enormous axe back, Methodios leaned in with all his might - only to strike some unseen force, ”Ow, what the f*ck?!” came a cry from midair - only a foot above the sleeping woman.
Sh*t! Invisible trickster! Probably a pet demon of some kind. Man, I hate this city sometimes. Methodios readied a swing for where he heard the voice, but the woman had already stirred. He could not help but pause and stare as the sheet dropped from her perfect, suddenly naked body.
”What do we have here?” she purred, seeming not to be concerned in the least with an axe-wielding maniac in her bedchamber, ”Not the man I was expecting. Someone sent to kill me, no doubt. Why don’t you put that away and tell me who sent you and why you’re trying to kill me. Either that, or I sick my invisible pets on you.”
Methodios looked around nervously. She had him. Even distracted as he was, he could tell she was probably lying about having more than one invisible devil around, but that combined with her wakefulness was likely more than enough to turn this battle against him. So, instead of fighting, Methodios found himself explaining the entire situation to her.
”Well, quite the tale,” the woman said, feigning being impressed, ”And they said I was a demon? Well, you can clearly see that isn’t the case. I am familiar with this man you have killed, Kindrick Powell. It is true, you did me quite the favor to have him removed, but not as much of a favor as you did whoever really hired you to kill him. You see, Methodios, there is an organization that operates here known as the Aspis Consortium. They are - or rather were - having an internal power struggle and I’m afraid you’ve stumbled right into it. Kendrick Powell was the leader of one faction, and the other… well… I’m not entirely sure who he is.
"You’ve been played, and you’ll no doubt want revenge,” her smile at that last word was most genuine, ”And I have an ideal way for you to get it. I take it you’ve heard of the Pathfinder Society? I’m traveling to Absalom tomorrow, as it happens. You cannot stay in Egorian any longer, that much is clear, so you will come with me and join the Society… where you will be provided with ample opportunity to face off against the Aspis Consortium, I can guarantee it.
”I have strong suspicion that you will provide me with… delightful company on the otherwise dull journey,” she turned and favored him with a smile that could make any man leave his wife and children in a heartbeat, ”By the way, my name is Zarta Dralneen. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
