Stalker's Lament

“Get up! You worthless louse, the mayor wants you!” a guard growled kicking a small pile of trash. Tired grumbles oozed from the junk the guard roughly nudging it with his foot again, “took me all morning to find you! Get up and be worth a damn!” finally rising from the filth Charles grumbled and groaned, a hand reaching up to scratch his unkept beard. Yawning he lazily gestured to let the guard lead the way. Rolling his eyes he turned on his heel marching towards the mayor’s home.

“Did she tell you why she wants to see me?” he quietly asked swiping an apple as they passed a stand.

“No, she never tells us why she always sends for you. Captain Ludwig just tells us to fetch you for.” The guard spat slapped the apple out of his hand.

Reaching the mayor’s house the guard immediately left as Charles casually walked inside. The guards pay him no mind. The many men not even acknowledging his existence. Walking upstairs he walked into her office the elven woman continuing her paperwork.

“You moved from your last spot, you avoiding me? You what I can do to you if you are.” She said a faint grin on her caprine muzzle. Sitting the pen down she looked at him with a sweet smile exposing razor sharp teeth. Mutely ordering him to sit down she produced a small folder tossing it in front of him, “this one’s a bit different than the usual, but you’re a good boy you’ll get it done.”

“Stealing from a church of Arbil Cynthia? This low even for you.” He huffed, tossing it back, marching towards the door.

“Sure, you can leave but then…” she happily trailed off her horizontal pupil boring into him. Pausing at the door Charles sighed returning to his seat. Cynthia’s smirk turning into a massive smile at the sight of him avoiding her gaze. “Now go wash up and get ready, I want my ore by the end of the month!” she cheerfully instructed while playfully shooing the human away. Taking the dossier, he went to her bathroom and meticulously cleaned himself. After almost an hour he emerged clean and clad in black cloth armor. Leaving her desk with a large tarp in hand she unfurled it, revealing a meticulously drawn glyph. Lifting his mask and lowering his goggles he stifled a tired sigh stepping inside. With a small flash he was gone leaving the pleased woman alone.

Appearing deep inside a forest he shook his head as a far too familiar giggle slithered into his ears. Ignoring it he silently slithered to the edge of the forest. Deftly climbing into a tree, he quickly nestled himself high in the branches, immediately going to sleep. As if on cue he woke up at the strike of midnight darkness consuming everything in his sight. Mutely landing he pulled up his glove exposing a small ring of runes on the back of his hand, “I shall move unheard and be unseen…” he whispered fixing his glove as the runes briefly glowed. Again, the soft smug giggle invaded his ears and again he ignored it slowly making his way to the church. Steps void of sound he allowed himself the small liberty of stepping on the crisp freshly fallen leaves.

A small smirk graced his face as the soft crunch cradled his ears. Quickly returning to the task at hand he easily slipped past the small handful of guards outside. Simply walking in he made his way to the Adjudicator’s office. Testing the door a frown ghosted over his lips discovering that it was unlocked. Walking in softly closed the door behind him.

“You know, I heard rumors about you during the war. Charles Wayne or should I call you The Umbral Prowler?” an orc said as he continued his paperwork.

“I was told a special ore is here. Just hand it over and I’ll be on my way.” He muttered scanning the quaint office.

“Oh that? I’m sorry but Paragon Alistair entrusted me with keeping an eye on it until he can find a competent blacksmith.” He retorted pen still skittering across the many pages.

“Shame, I was hoping to get this done without bloodshed…” he sighed exposing the brand once again, “I’ll defeat him with ease and find the ore.” Again, it flickered the human cracking his knuckles as the orc calmly sat down his pen.

“I’ll be honest, I was hoping I’ll be the man to-“ his words twisted into a pained gurgle as Charles suddenly appeared behind him. Catching the heavy body he softly laid it on the floor the black blade piecing the orc’s chitinous skin fading into wisps. With that taken care of he sat in the silence a sixth sense gnawing at him and directing him to a small cabinet. Walking over and opening it his hands instinctively went flew to the back. Firmly knocking it, the false back fell revealing a small chest. Taking it and sitting it on the desk he lazily opened it, revealing a matte olive-green cube. Stowing it away he quietly left leisurely returning to the forest. Just as he exposed the brand the familiar voice finally spoke.

“Cynthia got you on another errand and for a piece of polyphite no less!” giggling Haras, the goddess of ambition, appeared draping herself over his shoulders, “and it’s already charged with a boon. You know you don’t have to go back, right? I can help you find a blacksmith to put it to good use. You don’t have to worry about her ‘exposing’ you. You both have a whole graveyard worth of skeletons in your closet. Need I remind you how she became mayor in the first place?”

“…I can’t…I’m tired, just like you she won’t let me go. You know that…so please just…let me finish this so I can go back to sleep…” he pitifully groaned the goddess giggling in his ear.

“Oh, you’re no fun! Fine, I’ll take you back! I got others to entertain me anyway…” she pouted the pair disappearing in a faint flash.

Reappearing, the former agent found himself standing at the foot of Cynthia’s bed. Unfazed by her earsplitting shriek he lazily tossed the ore onto her bed. Fumbling for far longer than she would have liked she caught it. The older man glared at her for a long moment before turning to leave. A low almost bestial grumble fell from his lips feeling something tug on his arm. Tossing a glare over his shoulder he followed the vine back to its conjurer the now calm woman slowly lowering her hand.

“W-wait, sit down. I want to talk to you for a moment.” She squeaked her voice unsteady and barely above a whisper, “thank you, you came just in time. Was having a nightmare…”

“Is that all you want? To just talk?” he spat ripping the vine off marching towards the door.

“Charles Wayne! You get back here this instant or else!” she growled but her voice quivered snatching all the venom and confidence from her words.

“Or what, you’re going to tell everyone what I did during the war? Tell everyone you tricked me into forming a pact with Haras? Or the fact that you had me assassinate people including the previous mayor! Do it Cynthia I don’t care…not anymore…and not about you…” he trialed off with a heavy sigh slamming the door shut behind him.

Wiping the sweat from her brow she stuffed the polyphite under her pillow before leaping out of the bed and snatching up her robes. Rushing outside she frantically looked around calling out for him, but she was only met with the silence of the slumbering town. Cloaked in the shadows cast by her home, Charles solemnly shook his head before stalking off into the night. Ignoring the constant and erratic calling of his name and the slight twinge pain in his chest he quickly made his way to his hidden safe house. He snorted a grumble seeing his clothes washed and neatly folded on his clean and made bed. Meticulously collecting and packing his things he swiftly changed clothes. As he reached the door he exposed the brand again taking one last look before whispering, “this place alone will be reduced to cinders as soon as I leave…” as the soft clicking of the door closing rang out a cloud of sparks burst into sight instantly scattering.

Barely illuminated by the flames he trudged to the entrance of town. A few guards eyeing him with confusion and contempt. Ignoring them and his patron’s amused snickering he continued into the darkness.

“Ooh, you finally left her…again. So, what are you going to do now cause I have a few ideas…” Haras cooed far too much mirth slathering her words. He only grumbled the goddess happily continuing, “you know she’ll just make a pact with me to get you back or she might go to Ainam or worse Niosap. You know she loves people like Cynthia! With her boon she’ll find you easily and who knows what she’ll do to you once she finds you again! You should amend our pact and truly get rid of her!” she finished with a mischievous giggle only earning another grunt from the human.

After almost an hour he finally spoke, “let her do whatever she wants…” ignoring her thoughtful hum he continued trudging along the cool night air caressing his skin. The peace was smashed by the goddess’s soft hands doing the same to his face, hers nestling the other side.

“It’s a real shame you two couldn’t make it work! Was fun watching you two have you little spats.” She chuckled, which turned into gut bursting laughter as soon as he roughly pushed her off.

“Don’t you have others you can harass? I’m sure there’s plenty of other desperate and ambitious you can prey upon…” he growled subtly quickening his pace.

“Well, Jasper has been getting a bit uppity lately and I’ve been hankering for a pact with Cassius…” she trailed with a thoughtful hum. Shrugging she disappeared, finally leaving Charles alone.

Taking a deep breath, he stopped at a crossroad slumping his shoulders. Glancing at the hidden brand he continued heading straight. He wasn’t sure what he’d do once he finds home, but he knew it would be better than being under Cynthia’s thumb. He uttered a small prayer to Neres asking her for a long life of peace. As the last syllable fell from his lips a vicious pain lit his hand aflame and a smug snicker briefly tainting his ears. Rolling his eyes he pressed on hoping that the next stop is his stop home.