Shaddar takes his time reaching the second floor, carefully wiping his tentacles and face with a handkerchief to remove the blood and other remnants of his most recent meal. Vicacili watches him with wide eyes, wheezing with just enough breath to remain conscious – all that the heavy minotaur foot on his belly will let him draw. Shaddar tucks the handkerchief back up one sleeve and nods to the thrall.
Toothsnatcher lifts his foot off of the man’s body and he inhales a deep, shuddering breath.
“Men! Up here! To me!” Vicacili calls hoarsely.
Shaddar taps his fingers together as he responds to this outburst almost gently, “Your men are dead.” As he speaks Loolipo and Cutt walk past, bowing their heads respectfully to their master and head down to do the work Shaddar has ordered in cleaning up.
Vicacili listens intently for a moment and hears absolutely nothing. His face pales as he glances to one side and sees the pair of heads from two of his men, sitting where they finally came to rest after their removal by Toothsnatcher’s huge axe.
His eyes snap back to Shaddar’s fearful countenance and he stammers, “Who… Who are you? What are you?”
“I’m… The Boss.”
Understanding dawns. “You’re the Guildmaster.”
Shaddar nods graciously in acceptance of the title.
“You have some insolence!” Shaddar spits with acid in his voice, “Coming into my place of business? Assaulting those under my employ and therefore under my protection? Tell me: What did you think to accomplish? Coming here? With so few?” He pauses and shakes his head while sighing deeply. “And of such low quality? I’m insulted. I really am.”
Vicacili blinks rapidly as he hears the disappointment in Shaddar’s tone. He rubs his fingertips together rapidly as he replies, “But… we thought it was Hawke! And… and the man is blind!” When Shaddar continues his slow, sad headshake, Vicacili continues, “Obviously we were mistaken…”
“Hmm. Yes. About a great many things…”
The man swallows in nervousness and shock.
Shaddar turns away and walks into his room, while mentally telling Toothsnatcher to bring the human. The minotaur jerks the man to his feet and roughly guides him to follow his master.
Once Toothsnatcher has practically thrown the man into a chair, Shaddar shuts the door, locks it dramatically, and then squats down so his eyes are level with Vicacili. He puts one pointed claw under the man’s chin before he begins questioning his captive in earnest.
“Who sent you? Be specific.”
Vicacili begins to think quickly of what kind of a story will get him out of his predicament. Shaddar chops this branch of thought off before it can develop by pressing his claw up into the soft flesh of the man’s chin and stating in matter-of-fact tones, “Don’t bother lying to me. I know more than you can imagine.”
Vicacili is convinced and speaks quickly, “Flame. It was Flame.”
“The Guildmaster’s right hand? I see. And what was the purpose of your visit?”
“Hawke! He was a threat to the Guildmaster, years ago. The Guildmaster? He though that Hawke had become a threat again.” His thoughts reveal a most interesting couple of tidbits as they continue, “She doesn’t like threats. And we thought he wasn’t one anymore – not after she had me slip him the poison that blinded him.”
Shaddar thinks this is a marvelous bundle of information!
Vicacili continues, “So the Guildmaster was just worried. He wanted me to come and make sure Hawke wasn’t getting any big ideas.”
Shaddar swaps the gender of the pronoun nonchalantly, “Oh, she was worried, was she? About Hawke?”
“She? No, I mean the Guildmas–” Shaddar slaps the man suddenly to stop his speech. He stands his full height and glares down at Vicacili.
“Do you think we don’t know all about your pathetic organization?” Shaddar says with disdain.
Vicacili thoughts are running quickly: “How? How can he know about the Guildmaster? It’s not possible!”
Shaddar continues coldly, “We have infiltrated every level of your weak Guild, Vicacili…” his voice turns into a whisper, “All the way to the top.”
“Impossible!” Vicacili thinks furiously.
Shaddar spreads his hands and gloats, “In fact it is Flame himself who is our top agent. He sent you here… to die.”
“What?”
“Yes. I’m afraid you know too much and had to be… handled. A job well done, by our man Flame, would you not agree?”
Vicacili spits, “No! Flame would never betray the Guildmaster! You think I will believe your lies? With no proof?”
Shaddar returns his fingertips to their prior position of being pressed together and listens to the man’s thoughts continue, “He must be telling me that to confuse me. Or to throw us off the scent of his real agent. Flame would never betray her. But if he had… Mist Demons! Then this ‘Boss’ would have completed a quarter of the trials of challenge!”
Shaddar chuckles. “You think that Flame has betrayed me? That he is a double-agent? You don’t know how… persuasive I can be, Vicacili.”
“Of course he is! The Guild of Villains is not without its own powerful spymasters, you know!”
Shaddar puts his hands on his hips and murmurs, “Very well. I will have him eliminated then. I will not suffer treacherous agents. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” He pauses, seeing the consternation flicker over his captive’s face. Then he wags a finger in the air and speaks thoughtfully, “I tell you what, Vicacili. Because of this useful information, I will make you a bargain for your life: You tell me where you are to next met Flame, so that my agents can go there and assassinate him, and I will let you live. I will not harm a hair on your head… What do you say?”
Vicacili licks his lips and a stream of thoughts pass through his mind, “Flame? Betray Flame? How can I do that? I was just trying to make this guy question his information – not condemn Flame. How can I get out of this without really causing any harm to the Guild? Not that this ‘Boss’ would stroll into the Guildhall – even if I were daft enough to tell him where it was. But I don’t want to tell him that either… I can’t believe that this unheard of ‘guild’ of theirs has such a deep knowledge of our order… Ah-ha! I know just how to play this!”
“Since you know all about our internal organization and all our secrets,” Vicacili begins. Shaddar nods. “Then I suppose you know where the third secret hall is? That is where I am to meet Flame tonight to report.” Vicacili is quite pleased with his dodge as he thinks, “There is absolutely no way that he knows about the secret room under the arena of Goggo’s Fisticuff Pit. Only a handful of us know that one.”
Shaddar sneers and puts his hands on his hips. “Under that uncouth and revolting arena? Tonight? Ugh. I will need to bathe after I return from Goggo’s!”
Vicacili looks like he has been struck on the head with a falling tree. “Mist Demons! He knows! This proves it! He does have spies high up in the Guild! But who could it be? Not Flame, surely, but who? It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter! And he knows so much, then surely he has passed the forth trial – or he easily will when the time comes! But… At least this fellow is scrawny – there’s no way he’ll best the Guildmaster during the second trial of challenge – so the Guildmaster’s position is safe. But what about my position? This can’t be happening!”
The human stares at Shaddar’s writhing tentacles and asks, “Is that your real face or is it just an illusion?” He is thinking, “Please, oh, please! Let it be a mask! Or else the first challenge is lost!”
Shaddar flares his tentacles with energy as he replies, “You fool! If this were not my real face then how could I expect to pass the first challenge?” He scoffs and shakes his head gently as the blood drains from Vicacili’s face.
“Three of the four in the bag! Done! And the Guildmaster has no idea that this threat even exists!” Vicacili thinks in a panic, but then his thoughts calm as he accepts matters and adjusts, “She’s doomed. I must save myself and try to jump into this new and upcoming leader’s organization.”
Vicacili speaks calmly, “I’ll take your deal, Boss. Flame will be at Goggo’s the hour before dinner.” He continues with a slight smile, “It is clear that you will soon be running the Guild yourself. May I request that you retain me? My skills and services can be quite useful. And with my unique position in the current Guild I know many secrets and ways of handling things quietly.”
Shaddar laughs, “You have nothing inside your head that I do not already know!” How true this is, the human doesn’t fathom!
Vicacili’s voice takes on a bit of a pleading edge, “But I am gifted with poisons, Boss! I can be useful in other ways than just that!”
Shaddar tosses one hand in the air flippantly, “What? You think we don’t have our own experts in such things? What a low opinion you hold of my group…” Shaddar mentally summons Cutt to attend him. “In fact, you have reminded me of a small task I need to see to… Excuse me.” He walks to the door and ushers Cutt into the room.
The gnome is wearing a makeshift apron, that was once white. He is covered in blood and holds a bucket of red, soapy water. “Yes, master? You need me to do something? Anything, but this current task, I hope?” the gnome whines. Shaddar is pleased at the humility he sees in the thrall’s eyes.
“I require a blinding poison brewed. Can it be done with the reagents you have in stock here?” Shaddar asks in a low voice, which he is sure Vicacili has heard clearly.
“Well, not a fast-acting one, master. I do have some powdered Laroth Root. It’ll do, but the victim will be in a lot of pain for hours, maybe even days!”
“That would be perfect actually,” Shaddar coos, “The more painful the better, in fact. How soon will it be ready?”
“Oh! A couple of hours? If I get started right away?” the gnome asks hopefully.
Shaddar nods. “Yes. Begin at once. You can finish that other chore later.”
Cutt looks past Shaddar to the man who is straining to turn in his seat and see them both. The gnome leans in and whispers, “Is it for him?”
“Yes. It may be,” Shaddar says conspiratorially – for Vicacili’s benefit.
The wicked little gnome sets down the bucket and runs to his alchemy lab while cackling fiercely and singing to himself: “Fire ant stings? Yes, yes! Oh! And Char neddlethorn? Yes, I think so! Hee-hee!” The door slams shut behind the gnome and Shaddar turns to stare at his captive.
Vicacili’s calm demeanor has evaporated. “Please! What can I do? I will do anything! Spare me, sir!”
Shaddar pretends to be confused, “But I have granted you your life, Vicacili! What are you worried about? Did I not say that I would not harm a hair on your head?”
“But that albino midget is bald!” Vicacili thinks in a non sequitur that seems to make perfect sense to his hysteric thought process.
“There must be something,” the man squeals, “I don’t know where the Guildmaster lives, but perhaps I could tell you her schedule? Then it would be easier for you to challenge her to the trials!”
Shaddar looks mildly interested. “Very well,” he says, “perhaps we can make another deal.”
“If I tell you… will you allow me to remain… whole?” he asks fearfully.
“If your information pleases me, I will consider it. In fact, here is what I’ll do: I will leave that choice to someone else. Someone closer to your own station. Someone who distrusts and dislikes me, even.”
Vicacili doesn’t know if he likes the sound of that, but realizes that he has no other hope. He chooses to take a gamble that Shaddar’s riddle will work out to his good.
He talks in a rush, desperate to get the information out in order to save himself, “As you know the four trails of challenge must be performed in front of the circle of captains and any special agents, such as myself. Once you make the challenge publicly, she will have no choice but to accept – even if folks aren’t sure which person you are addressing.”
Shaddar nods with an overly-affected, bored sigh.
Vicacili speaks even faster, “The first trial: appearance. The reverse beauty-contest. No disrespect, but even your visage will defeat hers, as fearful as it is. But your face is more frightening still!”
“Go on,” Shaddar says with narrowed eyes.
“The second trial may be the most difficult for you as the Guildmaster is very strong and your arms have not the look of power about them. She is quite adept at the arts of combat and I know for a fact that she cheats, by using an undetectable poison. The trial of combat may be your undoing!”
Shaddar puts his hands on his hips and speaks with irritation, “Please! I think you grossly overestimate her chances…”
“Of course, Boss! Silly of me! Naturally you have nothing to fear from the third trial: the battle of wits. Or you would not if she did not cheat during this trial as well! She uses dark mages and vile palehair sorcerers in conjunction with a room full of sages in order to have the proper answers magically whispered into her mind! I don’t know how you can defeat this!”
Shaddar finds this most interesting. Not for the reasons that Vicacili might think, but still…
“And since you have penetrated the Guild so completely, it is obvious that you will pass the final hurdle: the trial of loyalty. I have no idea what percentage of the Guild currently report to you, but the number must be vast!”
Shaddar stands silent, tapping his fingers against his waist as the human stops talking. The quiet is heavy with tension.
“When were you planning on making the challenge?” Vicacili asks nervously.
Shaddar’s tentacles twitch. “Very soon,” he whispers.
Chapter 1 < Chapter 29 Chapter 31 >
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