User blog:Osteoporocis Scum/Problems

Chapter 1: Road Troubles 

            Problems. That’s what I’ve found moves me the most. If I have to move wood from the pile to the house I have to work out a solution. Sometimes I borrow the wheelbarrow from the Jensons next door, or just string rope around a pile and haul it to the house. Recently my problems have been more than just a chore. Like how will I pay this month’s medical fee? How can I make really fast cash with no effort? How can I avoid the lady with horns that waits for me at the crossroads every day at all hours of the day? Well I found a really easy-say hard-to-do solution to this problem. Give her what she wants.

Currently I was sitting at the local tavern with a full drink in front of me and open eyes to any easy targets. The drink remained full because as soon as I touch the stuff I get really strange. I once woke up in a stable covered in flour. Yeah, I still ponder that situation too. Then I saw him, the most perfect man for the solution to my problem. I was even more reassured the moment I heard him speak these words, “I ONCE FOUGHT OFF THIRTY MEN FROM THE GREAT CASTLE STEPS OF DURNOBLE!” Even better was he came in already half blasted out of good sense. As soon as he sat down I knew that I had to act before he got too drunk and couldn’t walk. Strolling over as calmly as a clam I sat down with him. “WASSSS THE MATTERRRR LADDD? YOU GOT A CRUSH ON ME?” He bellowed louder than a war horn. Looking at him he was wearing wanderer leathers and a sword at the hip. His head had the face of someone used to hitting himself with a stone slab in the face, and a very short haircut that was starting to go grey.

            “No, no, my good sir.” I said half chuckling, this was just too good. “I require the aid of a strong soldier, and I heard tales of the soldier from Durnoble and I was wondering if that was you on those steps.” His eyes seemed to get bigger just from the name of the city were a farmers rebellion was put down by one of the greatest military powers south of the Order’s Northern cities.

            “AYEEEE SONNEY IT WAS I WHO PUT THE DEMONS OF THE SOUTH TO REST! WOULD YOU CARE TO HEAR THE REST OF MY TALES?” He half said through alcoholic haze and the next ale he was already pounding down.

            “It’s always a privilege to learn from the legends.” I replied.

            After six more greatly exaggerated tales and 3 more drinks I set the next step of my plan into action. “Boy… I need to hit the can…” He carried on grumbling as he made his way out the back leaving behind the empty mugs and his sword. The sword was what I convinced him to take off and show me halfway through story time, and it was the next step towards being rid of the problem girl. Out of my pack I pulled a sword hilt with the cross guard and a 2 inch wood plank for a blade that thankfully fit in the sheathe of my victims former sword. It looked like a knockoff of the original design of his sword, so it was good enough. I passed the real sword to the owner of the tavern under the viable truth of keeping pointed objects away from drunks.

He came back in a few minutes later and thankfully didn’t say anything about the sword. “So sonny what’s the job you need Urie the Great to undertake?” He said in a very business-like manner despite the odor being emitted from himself.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Well lately I have been roughed up by a bandit on the crossroads on the way back to my house and lately He has been getting more ferocious and I want it to stop.” I said in the best defenseless voice I had. Already I saw the need to protect the weak pop up in his eyes.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Well boy I think I’ll accept this challenge free of any charges because of your attentive ears. COME! WE MUST FACE THE DANGERS OF EVIL!” He declared loudly and stomped outside with the fake sword on his waist. Awesome.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 1: Road Troubles 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 2: The Safest Plan 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            Walking home with Urie following behind was not fun. He kept walking off and I was worried he would be snatched by something else before we reached where I needed him. Then after a good thirty minutes  of extra time from my normal walk we finally came by the crossroads where she waited for me. The real bandit that Urie thought we were going up against had a broken arm, a puffy eye, and lowered self-esteem and was currently in the village jail. After she saw my display of “fighter’s spirit” while dealing with the bandit, she would wait all day where I dealt with the bandit in the hope of challenging me again. I hardly escaped the first and only time I ever encountered her and ever since then I have had to take a detour around through the forest and I didn’t know which path was the more dangerous option.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            Once we got close she saw me and immediately started to walk slowly towards us and started cracking all the knuckles on her hand and her neck, and shock out both legs readying herself for a fight. I just got behind Urie and pointed towards her. “Soooooooo, you’re the one *hic* whos been bullying me friend here*hic*?” Oh no. If he passed out here my plan will fail and then I’ll have to think of a new way to get rid of her. I had to get him to skip the predictable spiel about his honor that I knew was coming and draw the fake sword and start swinging.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “PLEASE SIR! I FEEL HE MAY THREATEN ME AGAIN!” I shouted while ducking for cover behind a nearby shrub. This must have set something off because he immediately drew the sword and screamed for "his" name.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “I am Tulla.” The ogre stated and just started walking towards Urie. Okay, this was good that meant the new challenge was with Urie not me. Now I just had to make sure she took him back to wherever she called home not me.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Tulla is a strange name for a bandit, but none the less, PREPARE TO DIE WRONGDOER! HAAAAAAAA!” His war cry seemed to reverse the alcohol in him and drive him towards Tulla at an impressive speed and then he just started groggily swinging at anywhere she was and missing very badly. Then the most awe inspiring feat of strength I’ve seen from a girl ever happened. She just swung and sent him easily ten fight through the air into a tree and down he stayed. Poor guy must have just had all that drink go from his stomach to his throat and back down again in a matter of seconds. But, now was the moment of truth. Whether she would come over to the bushes I was hiding in and continue to pursue me or take the brave soul she just catapulted into a tree. She took a step… and then another… towards him and away from me. I could hardly contain my happiness and relief. While I was rejoicing Tulla simply picked him up and walked away with her new prize.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Now you may be wondering why I didn’t just send a mercenary after her with a blade for blood. Well, I don’t think it’s right to kill her for her situation. These creatures need us to survive, and surviving is something granted to everything that can think above the level of an animal. Not to say the more animalistic of their kind don’t deserve it, but I’m trying to get across that they just want to live. Now, that doesn’t mean I’m ready to hanky-panky a spider because she gives me the good loving, I’m the more live for myself and pre-existing family kind of guy. And for my plan to work I assured no one would get any serious injuries from the encounter. I put a double safety on Urie with the sword and booze, and bet that Tulla wouldn’t maim a potential mate. So all in all good day for me. Now onto my more pressing problems. <p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 2: The Safest Plan 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;line-height: 200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">          <span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif"> Chapter 3: One Thing to Another 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            <span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Finally back at home without the threat of an ogre snatching me up I calmly un-nailed all the boards that covered my windows and undid all but two of locks on my door, not that it would do any good if something her size came by but it was more a psychological thing for me. Not that I couldn’t out run something like Tulla but it was more about where would I go if I was forced away from my cozy little forest shack. The surrounding area I had spent most of my saving on by plugging every nook and cranny with anti-lust wards straight from the Order workshops in Lescaite, that is, before it turned into monster fun land. That was a problem because they cost 15 gold a ward and I was very dry fund wise, so I stole them. I used my remaining funds to buy equitment for the heist. Granted it was easy because all the devote guards were either gone or busy with other business.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">During my time there I saw many interesting events like witches scattering stuff over monsters who were having sex. A snake orgy. A soldier shaming fest where Order soldiers were raped in a systematic fashion. Basically I saw a lot of sex. But, all the love making made it easier to break into the Order workshop. No one was guarding it, and there were very few disturbances in my cracking of one of  the largest vaults I’ve ever seen. It paid off, the wards I lifted are hard to come by and can only be made through god’s blessing. I stole seven.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">You can probably tell I’m not the most saintly role-model by my actions and career choice. I make money by stealing and pawning the stuff I stealand taking contracts from people wo want things that aren't theirs. My body is built for it too. Not to muscular like a knight, but well off enough to pull off the acrobatics used in sneaking into a mansion. With dark brown hair and a weathered beaten in face for my age, twenty-one, I wasn’t a stand out good looker and wasn’t ugly enough to be pulled out of a crowd, another good feature for a thief. I started as a pick pocket in a village north of Lescaite. There I was just some kid in rags ripping coin purses off the unlucky saps dumb enough to walk through alleys. Around fourteen I had to move because I got too old to be living just off 3 bronze pieces a week. While I wanted to be safe in a small village with one guard that knew my face, I saw better things in the lazy nobles of Lescaite. So then I moved south to the city and started by robbing a house and getting caught by the city guard. Luckily an opportunity presented itself and I got free.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">My friendly childhood flashback was interrupted by a banging at the door, and not the nice kind the Jensons did when I kept their wheelbarrow. Looking out the window I saw someone who I thought I had left at the bar. He was a friend, well as close to one as I could get. People usually didn’t like the guy that lives on his own in the forested area away from everyone else. Standing at an impressive five foot with the features of a pudgy squirrel, Gerald looked tipsy but sober enough to point anger in a direction. He was a woodsman by trade and hunter gatherer by necessity. He says he wants to start a lumber trade but can’t seem to get the work ethnic to actually chop the trees down, so he traps wild game instead. And sometimes sleeps with the more livelier ones. I opened my door and was greeted by more alcohol breath. “Hey friend why are you here and not at the tavern, I thought you were seeking employees for the business?” I inquired hoping he would leave as soon as possible.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Well I was,” Gerald replied while slurring the "s" sound like a snake, “until you ditched me for some other guy! Yeah, I heard from the others that saw you, you were chatting up a storm with some older warrior type and then left while I was puking my guts out!”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Alright listen man, I know you're mad, but I used that guy to get rid of the girl at the crossroads okay now shes and I are both happy.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“So, you fed him to and ogre? Man that’s messed up. Heh heh, but funny as all hell.” He said pushing past me into my home and crashing on my favorite reading chair, still chuckling to himself along the way. “Oh yeah someone said they wanted to talk to you about work. Said they were disappointed in your un-business like meeting hours, or something.” This was a problem. If someone reports to the higher ups that someone like me isn’t present for meet ups with a potential contact I could lose my job. The whole reason why I did the body swap with Urie tonight was because no one had come in for weeks, and i didn't see the harm in skipping one night.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">It didn’t take long to make up my mind between losing my only source of income or allowing a drunk residence in my hous eun-supervised for a while. No money versus puke on my rug. I threw on my jacket again and rushed out towards the town in hopes they haven’t left yet.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;line-height: 200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 3: One Thing to Another 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;line-height: 200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 4: The Contract 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            I came to a slow jog outside the village and a trot nearing the tavern so it didn’t look too unprofessional. Coming inside the tavern I saw that only one person who was wearing a cloak and sitting away from the void of would be people in the bar, and in the far corner near the bar I noticed and was acknowledged by the tavern owner and his wife, a werecat. I knew I didn’t have to worry about the two of them listening because they were in on the local operation as coordinators for the thieves around this area. If one of them acted out, his enforcers would deal with it, end of story. There were only a few pick pockets and myself in this town but it still seemed like he lived well for what he did. I made my way over to the person in the corner and before I sat down I was greeted by a very charming, very dangerous, female voice. “I have something for you.” Wow, not every day you hear something like that, she must be beautiful. It took me a while to get my mind out of the gutter and realize that she was already playing the monster card.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Please stop charming your voice, it’s hard to work. Give me the details and I’ll see what I can do.” I had to make this quick. I was a tough one to seduce but if I went up against the seductive effects of apophis venom or mothman scales there isn't much to counter their effects.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Very well, since you see no interest in entertaining me for a few moments with small chat, would you please steal a hero scroll?” She said in a flat, almost uninterested tone. I didn’t need to see the face beneath the hood to guess she was cracking a smirk at my disbelief. A hero scroll? Out of everything this woman could want she wants a hero scroll.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “You are insane. Hero scrolls are the most tightly guarded item out of everything the order has, besides the great traitor’s tablet.” A little background on hero scrolls are that they're each partial lists of future, current, and past heroes guarded by archbishops of the Order. They’re passed hereditarily so only one devote family will ever see the list. Mostly legend surrounds the seven of the known lists to the public, and the only reason we know of them is because the demon lord’s husband told her of them. “Attempting to steal from someone surrounded by valkyries twenty-four hours of the day is suicide. And ignoring the supernatural element, the human guard is made of the most zealous few of the Order’s followers.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Well," she said hanging on the "l", "you came highly recommended, Mason, so here I am, speaking to you about it. Oh, and don’t act as though the idea doesn’t excite you.” What she said was true, I really wanted to see what else the upper echelon of the Order had behind closed doors, and I’d make history. But that statement bugged me for one reason. But, at the moment, I could only imagine what others would say about Mason Sears, the man who stole from god. I was sold.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Where and When?” The hood jerked up as if surprised when I said this, as if she thought I needed more convincing. Was I really that simple to convince or did I fall victim to her charm, I will never know and it was too late to go back.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “In two weeks a ball will be held for the elite of the Order in Faultine. Rumor is an Archbishop heir and Father will be there, so that can only mean one thing.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “The scroll will be there too.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “Exactly.” This was a shaky plan and I did not like it. So far all I had was a location, a very broad location, Faultine had a lot of Noble houses all of which hosted Order ordained events by the dozen every year. Still, if an archbishop was there all other events would be much less popular.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “I'll see what I can do. Also, can I ask you a question?” I wanted to check something out.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “I hope you aren’t trying to bed me, I am married.” What? This woman is married and using that kind of voice with me? Wow.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “NO NO NO NO,” I quickly replied and then cleared my throat, “People in my organization don’t recommend specific thieves. They recommend a place to go to get a thief and most importantly names are never said. So how do you know mine?” This must have caught her offguard because she sighed unenthusiastically.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            “What a slip of my tongue. Excuse me but you came recommended by my employer from previous association.” Previous associates would come to me directly if they knew this was how I paid the bills and needed something like this done, so this was not someone I had a good history with, especially because of who they sent as proxy. “Now I bid you farewell and good luck Mason. I hope you succeed.” And then she sauntered out of the tavern, with a heart shaped tail swishing behind her. A succubus. Now I was really scared, after the demon realms change of management her kind went really high up on the food chain. So this meant that this employer was someone powerful. Awesome.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            I left the tavern after the keeper started to touching his wife a little too scandalously for my tastes, leaving my only money on the counter near the door. Then I remembered, I never discussed how and when she would pay. I got to distracted by her voice and proposition. This day went from great to bad in the span of two hours.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;line-height: 200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 4: The Contract 

<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Ω 

<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 5: Preparing the Wrong Way 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            After the stress caused by the meeting I wasted no time getting back to my house, and gratefully accepted the change of time it took now that no one was waiting for me on the short way there anymore. Once I got home and entered the front door I found my house vacant of someone who should have been there. Gerald must have half sobered up and left because my tiny house is three rooms, a small bedroom, a room that’s locked with a three layered warding system and three unique and high quality locks, and the living area. And he wasn’t in two of them and couldn’t get in the third so he had vanished from my house. That was fine with me. I locked up the locks on the main door got undressed and flopped onto my cozy, warm, and dependable bed.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman",serif">            When I finally crawled out of paradise I must have slept in later than usual because I didn’t hear the Jenson’s chicken wake me as I rose. I adjusted to its morning call because I figured everything else that wandered around here would be getting up at the same time and getting assaulted, while asleep in my bed was the last thing I wanted.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I had no idea where to start with this assignment. I had no transport to Faultine and no idea what house I was breaking into so I didn’t know what to bring. You may be thinking, just bring lock picks, a knife, a sack, and a cheap mask with a comical design on it. Well that might work for stores and the houses on the roads in a town square, but this was an Order noble’s dwelling, it would have nasty thing in store for people who came to steal their texts, staffs, and whatnot. With these kind of jobs you need to get more creative than going in the front door. Sometimes I can come in through their skylights and rappel down. Sometimes I can scale walls to a balcony with hooks and go in that way, but I didn’t like that strategy with mamono houses because balconies near valuables were usually connected to bedrooms, let your imagination figure out how that heist went. My personal favorite is walking in disguised as someone else, that normally works when everyone is a delivery man in a storehouse with low attention to their surroundings, but I can’t pull off the Order noble look for this one. But maybe I could be waiter or something of the sorts. It would have to be a temporary staff member because the head maids and butlers know the permanent staff like the backs of their hands. These parties often hire extra kitchen help sometimes but even then then the butler’s see them beforehand to rehearse the night. But what I really needed to see the layout of this house and more importantly what house it was. And there was an easy way to get this information, but costly.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">A short distance from the town tavern is a little shop selling knick-knacks to the kids around town. Stepping inside one would think that’s all it sells, with little dolls of non-threatening heroes on the walls for the girls around town to dream about stealing a real hero one day, and wood swords and shields for the boys to play soldier decorating the interior of the shop. Approaching the counter you can see the one employee that runs the shop. The owner is lanky man with half of the hair still on his head, and spectacles that cover from his mid-forehead to his cheeks, all while sporting a sleek nobles coat and trousers with a few patches here and there.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">But if a person had the right know how they would find much more interesting items in the back. All of it contraband, like anti-monster dust that burns hot when in contact with demonic presence, or prisoner fruit for the ladies around town. But his most prosperous business venture was information brokering. If there was something good going down anywhere that had even some relative worth behind knowing about he could tell anyone about it, for a price that is. Thst price could also buy you a horse and enough rations to make a top to bottom trip of the globe. I don’t know his real name and I doubt the name advertised on his sign “Mr. Friendly,” was his real name, but that’s what everyone around town calls him. I just call him Joe, mainly because he just calls me Dan, and added onto that, no one who charges 8 gold pieces for information about a lost mule is worth getting on friendly terms with. “I want to know what family and house in Faultine is hosting the gathering with the Order Archbishop who holds the hero scroll.” I couldn’t see behind the glasses and see what his eyes looked like, but they couldn’t be anymore gleeful than the smile his face wore.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“An excellent purchase Mr. Dan, and already purchased as well.” He said behind his grin and at the same time bending down behind the counter and picking up an envelope and handed it to me. It was closed shut with some pink seal I didn’t recognize.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Purchased? By who?” I asked in a concerned tone. Someone was purchasing things for me? I mean, it’s sweet and all but also scary that someone knew what I was doing.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Oh? Is that another information purchase Mr.Dan, the charge comes out to…” I didn’t let him finish that sentence. Not because I didn’t want to know, but because I did not want to be indebted to Joe. that also reminds me I would have been indebted to him with the first question but that bridge has already been crossed.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“No Joe it’s quite alright I’ll figure it out myself.” I quickly said as I turned to get out of the shop. I was just about free from Joe's toy filled domain when a short “ahem” came from behind me.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Mr. Dan, if you had let me finish you would know that this information has also already been purchased as well.” He said in a tone as flat as his expression at the moment. So, this person wanted me to know who they were, whelp, there was no point in not knowing.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Alright Joe enlighten me, who in this town could buy that information from you and still have a roof over their head?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Princess Druella.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">What did he just say? Did he say Druella? I started to breath really heavily. I felt like I was going to puke. This wasn’t helping me at all. This is the worst possible event to ever happen. My heart skipped a beat. Then another. And another. Then I passed out.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I awoke to Joe standing over me while snapping his fingers in my face, very aggressively, stating I was driving away business. I couldn’t stay here anymore. I had to get home and pack things up and leave for better lands. One’s that she couldn’t get to. I’ve heard stories about hundreds of men falling to a lilims gaze at once. Druella I’ve heard worse about. The whole reason I forfeited sneaking into Lescaite’s palace for some easily forgotten relics of an age gone by was her presence there. Well that and all the tentacles.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">This also explains the succubus from earlier saying she was here for one of my "previously known associates," Druella must have noticed me sometime while I was in Lescaite to steal the wards, because no other expedition for thieving I’ve ever been on has been anywhere near where she has been, or is located. I bolted out of Joe’s shop past a weresheep with her daughter and headed straight home. I ignored the cries and complaints of shopkeepers as I ran by knocking over their stands. I ran hard until I was forced to come to an abrupt stop.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">A very pretty lady in a blue kimono with hair that reached the ground stood in my way. Her name was Aoi, and she immigrated here from Zipangu about three months ago. At first I knew nothing about Zipangu because I had never been there and therefore didn’t need to know about what was there. So when she got here I just thought she had really long hair and I enjoyed talking with her. So, when I got done talking with her that day I took some books out of the town library and studied up on her home country to see what I could talk about with her the next day. Then I found out she was something called a Kejourou and that they raped people with their hair. I haven’t talked to her since then and made sure I never see her when I’m in town, but not today as she was standing outside her newly opened hair dressing shop. “Mason! I knew you would come back to me! At first I thought you ran away, but you running to me now in such a disheveled state…” She trailed off into deep thought as if trying to rationalize our meeting here on the streets. Others, both human and mamono, had gathered to see the possible connection between foreigner and social outcast. “You must have been kept by another woman from me!” Oh no. “But now I’m so happy you’ve returned to me, I loved talking with you when I first came here. I thought everyone in my new town would ignore me, but now I’ve made some new friends.” She gleefully said as hair started to entangle me. “But I’ll never forget my first friend.” I had to leave now. This was not the place to be with a lilim stalking me.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Look Aoi, I really have to be somewhere right now.” I said as I struggled against the hair creeping towards my torso. “It’s really important.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“But darling,” she said getting dangerously close to my face, “what could be more important than being with your future wife?” This got various “ohhs” and “ahhs” from the crowd and I could feel my head growing hazy with the magic from her hair. I need to get out fast.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“I left the stove running in our future home together honey. I don’t want to lose a place so very special to me to an easily stoppable house fire.” This got some reaction of both love and fear from her. She immediately let me go with hearts in her eyes.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Honey, please save the place where my children will live.” She said while pushing me onward and running inside, presumably close up her shop for a night with me that would lead into a life with me.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">That wouldn’t be so bad, I thought. She is very beautiful, and I am lonely. NO, I had to shake this train of thought. A lilim wouldn’t let me live a normaly with a monster wife if she was already after me. And I didn’t even want to have kids, they’re just so… gross, all whiny and snotty. So before Aoi came back out I had ducked into an alley and continued towards the wood where my house was. Sorry Aoi, but I’m not the one for you. Sure, I felt bad for her but she could always hit up Joe if she was lonely.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Once I passed the outer edges of the town and crossed through the woods I finally got to my house. I burst inside to start packing the essentials. My gear was behind my warded door so I would have to unlock everything which would take less time if my hands weren’t trembling so hard. I was just about done when I noticed a shadow behind me. I quickly grabbed and threw the arm that would have wrapped around my neck and the person the arm was attached to into the door in front of me and noticed two things. One she was a she, and second that she was a ninja from Zipangu, a kunoichi. Before I could knock her out or even question her she drove what looked like a kunai dagger into my left leg, just above my ankle. I screamed a bit, but not in pain, and the tired feeling in my leg must mean it was a demon realm silver weapon. The effects of said dagger not only made me feel like I just got a little weaker mana-wise but also made me drowsy. It had to have been laced with something. I recoiled back and she got up in surprising speed. She continued to press her assault by producing another dagger from some fold in her almost nonexistent dress and charged again. I was ready and picked up a chair from my table and put it between her swing and my right arm. Her swing hit the chair and the dagger fell but she just compensated by kneeing me in the gut. I dropped the chair and grabbed and pushed her kneeing leg up with both my arms and left foot roundhouse kicked her in the side, sending her through a small table and into the wall of my house. I stood over her regaining my breath and removing the dagger from my right leg. “Who are you?” I demanded trying to sound less fatigued and shocked than I was.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“I am but one of two.” She said through a choke.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Wha...” I tried to say something but was cut off when a hand grabbed me over the mouth and stuck another dagger into my lower back. I quickly lost consciousness trying to struggle against the superior strength of whatever held me from behind.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 5: Preparing the Wrong Way 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 6: Meeting My Employer 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">When I started to come back from the darkness of forced sleep I felt a very strong rope around my hands and feet. I was tied to one of my table chairs. This was humiliating. Not only was I bested in my own house, but fell for the one go in and one wait for the right moment tactic that every mentor I’ve learnt from taught me to watch for. I opened my eyes to two kunoichi, one in an orange outfit, the one I fought, and one in a purple outfit, the sneaky one that stabbed me presumably. I coughed and alerted them to my conscious awareness. The one in purple lifted my head up and looked into my eyes as if to see if they were working alright. “Mistress, he is awake.” She said to someone that must have been near my other two rooms behind where I was facing. Why is the third loitering by my storage room? Whenever gerald asks about it I try to cover up my immenseworry at what he will find behind it. A lot of illegal things for illegal deeds.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Good, I like it better when I can stare into my minion’s eyes.” That was a voice that scared me. The succubus yesterday was seductive, but this voice had power behind it, a lot of power. I went wide eyed with attention as she walked into my field of view. She was in my house. Druella. The white winged succubus that took over a kingdom on a whim and of her own initiative.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Hello Mason, it finally isn’t a meeting where I only get to see you.” She said while smiling. She looked like a kid with presents during the winter solstice, only she was a scary creature staring at me. Clothed in what looked like an all black, skintight corset with the middle missing and really revealing leggings. “Oh please, do say something. I didn’t gag you for a reason.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“What is this?” I stammered out.Her voice was something else completely. She giggled.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“This is my job orientation for new employees, though not as personal as I’d like it.” My initial hunch was right, she did hire me through that succubus earlier. But why hire me? If she was so powerful why not just take the scroll? Questions soared through my head and she seemed to sense it when I stopped talking for a whole minute with my jaw hanging open. She was so sexy. “Yes I did hire you, and why you might ask? Because you are good at what you do Mason.” When she said my name I shuddered. “I need someone to steal the scroll because I can’t.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">A being that sexed up the greatest warriors of Lescaite just said she couldn’t do something? That made no sense, so I formed the wordiest question possible at the moment to get an answer as to why she couldn’t. “Why not.” I said still slack jawed at the way she stood in front of me like a cat outside a mouse hole. This elicited a sly smile out of my captor while the two ninjas stood as a silent vigil, occasionally looking out of my windows.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Because the chief god is a stuck up prude that would never allow me near that party, and with that the way I normally do things won't work. And less preferable option, to go with a massive army following my wake isn't fashionable. It’s true I’m afraid, only someone devoid of demonic energy can near that party. So I need a virgin thief.” At this the two ninjas gazes snapped at me with something different in their eyes. Okay, so what I was a virgin, I just never got lucky with humans and monsters were not an option. “Oh stop blushing, I’m sure you’re as good as any man in bed, but fate favors your inexperience. You’ll slip right underneath the chief god’s sight as a pure little lamb and steal the scroll for me.” Then she leaned in really close, practically sitting on my lap, while pressing her lovely chest against my chest and said, “Then, you’ll, be…” leaning into my ear for the last word, “rewarded.” I didn’t even have any shame about the pressure building up in my pants at this point. It felt really good to have her against me. Is this what I've been missing with mamono? I really wanted to feel the next step.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Please… help me.” I breathed to her. This was getting unbearable. I didn’t care about anything anymore. The potential pleasure from release was too great to ignore anymore. “Please let me experience pleasure my mistress.” I saw an even slyer smile form as she got up from my lap.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Not today Mason. Gather your things that you’ll need and meet me by the rock formation north of here. Oh and please do read the letter Mr. Friendly gave you, I paid quite the price for its contents.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Then she left through my front door swaying her beautiful hips behind her and turning to blow me a kiss before disappearing. Before the other two left they cut my restraints then hurried after her, the orange one gave me one last look before leaving. Meanwhile, I ever so gracefully fell forward onto my face and faded into another blissful darkness.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 6: Meeting My Employer 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 7: Departure 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I awoke for what felt like the hundredth time today to Gerald knocking on my door and letting himself in. “Hey man I just wanted to thank you for last night and came to tell you…” He said as he let himself in and took a look around my house. “Good god man what happened here?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“I don’t even understand half of it.” I said groggily as I got up from the puddle of drool and at the same time felt the wetness in my pants.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Ah geez man don’t show that mess off, go change your pants!” Gerald yelled at seeing the results of having a sex goddess stand over you, but he didn't see it and probably wouldn't believe it.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Sorry,” I muttered as I turned red, “let me go change my clothes.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Do you even understand how furious Aoi is right now? She is turning the town upside down looking for the person who took her darling away from her again. I kept quiet about where you lived but that doesn’t mean the rest of the town will when they get fed up about you avoiding her.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“I won’t be around long.” I said as I came back out but this time dressed ready for a job in my boots and brown pants made to fit all my toys inside and the stuff I stole. I wore a dark shirt that over it I would wear my signature jacket that has served me well over the years. “Gerald leave and tell her I’m going south to get our engagement rings from Lescaite.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Okay, but don’t you feel bad for her? She just want someone to spend her life with.” He said sympathetically. Way to make me feel even better Gerald.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“I’m not interested, now go before she gets here.” I commanded and he obliged leaving without another word but grumbling about loners society. I opened my storage closet and saw everything where it should be. My mask with ocular enhancement zoom features, and black jacket with my knife and lock pick set, the two things I never go without. Then there were the big job toys like my wing-dings which were handy for distractions and the occasional knockout, and order issued cave diving rope, very slim and easy to climb if attacked because of its easy grip magic put on it. Now onto the more case specific gadgets. First I read the information packet Joe handed me, inside the package was a map and a sheet of more specific information, guard numbers, guest numbers, and the schedule for entertainment that night. First I scanned over the map. The host household was The Stralinburgs a very small influence in the Order hierarchy, strange, how did they get the privilege of hosting when only one son sits on a council seat in the Orders main city? Whatever, I shrugged it off as unimportant, their mansion was much more interesting. A five story plus basement architectural achievement just looking at the main house. Connected to the main house were two outstretching wings that branched into an opera house on one side and a square guest house with a courtyard in the middle on the other. The seven piece map showed every segment of the area, five for each floor, one for the basement and underground structures, and one for the outside. In the basement was the biggest golden ticket I’d seen yet. A water system leading from the lake a ways away to the mansion leading directly to the guesthouse. The pipe had the perfect dimensions to swim through. I had always wanted to try out a new toy I bought off Joe one day but never found a use for it. It was a little device with air runes engraved into two circles attached to a mouthpiece in between the two. It supposedly let someone breathe underwater without a seabishop's blessing. Joe was shady and expensive as hell, but nothing he ever sold was a sham. The biggest concern rasied was there was a big blacked out section in the fifth floor with the words “vault maybe?” scribbled in the corner. There were three other places with just “vault” written next to them, but this area was the largest of the four and by far seemed the most defended. It was located behind a “holy gate” as described by the map. I don’t know what that is, but it sounds hard to deal with and added onto the inevitable zealots and heavenly guards it would be no cakewalk. There was also the issue that besides the small chance of a vault on the fifth floor, the entire rest of the fifth floor was unmapped as well as the fourth floor. For the gear on getting in through the pipe I decided on the waterbreather and five pounds of dragon saliva, this stuff will dissolve a lock in a fiery style in a matter of seconds. I also threw a full body suit that would keep me dry while swimming and also easy to take off and store.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I put both gadgets and the suit into my close fit shoulder strung bag and read the more meticulous details. A total of seven hundred guests plus fifty original staff members and around one hundred hired staff would make it easy to blend in if I could avoid sticking around people. That is, if  I found an outfit taht suits me and fit. Entertainment was a performance of the play "Slaying of the Demon" by Stephan Worker, a sermon by reverend Gaben, and an orchestral performance by the local school. It was set so the guests moved from the opera house then to the main house then to the guest house. With each event being performed in a different area avoiding guests would be easy if I timed it right. Deciding it was time I set out and locked the door to my storage room.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Looking out on my homes current condition only made me angry and scared. She destroyed my stronghold then proceeded to violate my mind with the strongest charm magic I’ve ever experienced. I had to move on and be more prepared than I already was. I had six anti-lust wards around my house and she walked through it like it was nothing. Now all I had was the seventh one I had sewn into my stealth jacket. So I hoped for the best and set out for Deadman’s rock, where a lilim waited for me so I could steal one humanities seven great secrets.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 7: Departure 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Chapter 8: Journey to the Lion’s Den 

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Deadman’s Rock got its name from the old tradition to feed sacrifices to some dragon or lizard in the gorge behind it. Now the location is used as a rendezvous for the towns lovers. The rock itself is located on a grass plain that stretched on as far as the eyes could see from the edge of the forest I came out of. A single dirt road led from the forest past the rock and then onto the northern territory of the Order. It didn’t long to see my employer and, instead of the two kunoichi, she was surrounded by two men and two other women. Looking closer as I approached I saw that they weren’t human, and why would they be when around Druella, but two amazon warriors and what I guessed were their husbands. The two men had what looked like naval officer sabers at their sides while the two women had standard amazon swords. How the hell does Druella get these mamono to work for her? When I got closer the conversation they were originally having stopped and silence overcame the group. I came to a stop about three feet from their group and stood there as if waiting to be invited to the popular table at school. One of the Amazons spoke first, “So this is the coward we are using to get the item.” Did she just call me a Coward?

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Oh, I get it. Because your people are the warrior types, me being a thief doesn’t sit well with you. I can just leave if you want.” I thought that statement was well said. The perfect amount of authority and a threat combined made me feel somewhat confident in this meeting. It didn’t fly well with the other amzoness because she raised her sword level to my throat and retorted with something scarier mainly because of the weapon at my throat.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Try and run and you will fall to my blade, little man.” I leveled an equally deadly stare into the two amazons, while the two men just drifted in the breeze as if this was a normal interaction.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Well now, this isn’t how I would like our group meeting to start but one must adjust to circumstance.” When Druella finally spoke both amazons turned and backed down from threatening me. “Mason if you would please refrain from instigating a fight in the group that would be wonderful, and girls, if you could please have some respect for Mason.” She said while looking at me, “He is about to change the worlds power balance more than you two ever could with you swords.” While the ward in my clothes had somewhat worked her voice still made my knees jelly, that meant it was probably a good thing I was sitting down for our first meeting.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Only if one horn calms her warrior temper.” I said still confident to get the last word in.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Mason,” This time directly addressing me while staring into me, “please remember how our first meeting went. I would hate to have to revisit my introduction when I already thought you knew how to be a good minion.” I quickly shut up, and remembered how to be a good minion. “Now that everyone knows where Mason stands in this quest, Mason should know what the rest of our roles are." She said gesturing to the other four. "These fine ladies and gentlemen will escort us, discreetly, to Faultine's city limits.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">There was a horse bound carriage behind her. The carriage itself had a covering over the rear end and two horses pulled at the front. But the explanation as to why she chose amazons for the job and why they weren’t showing off their markings was easy to figure out now. They were all clothed in vagabond-like gear with mismatched articles of clothing. I was the only one that looked somewhat normal in the group. Also while amazons looked like humans if they covered their horn, they also fight better than most men as well. I had dealt with them before, I stole some ornamental spear from a ziggurat deep inside their territory.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">At the end of the talk from Druella where she laid out where they would be and what they would be doing while I was inside the mansion, she motioned it was time to leave. The two men got onto the front of the carriage, which left me in the back with the mamono. I sat at the far end from the back with Druella across from me while the two female warriors sat covering the entrance. The two amazons conversed quietly while Druella looked idly out the back. I, on the other hand, just fell asleep while looking at her chest.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I dreamt what I normally did, me coughing up a lung in an alleyway. They all looked the same. They were dark, filled with trash, and sometimes another person was there other than me. But what always changed was what was beyond the alley. A street with busy merchants selling things to people with money. A red light district that I didn’t get why they existed until I was older, but still never visited. A royal’s house with ornate iron gates and guards to keep degenerates like me away from the scraps of their tables. The world would be so much better without alleys, but they also gave me a place to sleep and hide. This time I was outside the bakery on the main street in Lescaite. I use to steal the discarded dough from the day and eat it. It tasted better than most of the stuff in the trash bins. I was digging through the bin when a presence appeared behind me. He must have been big because that’s all I remember about him, just a shadow with an apron in my dream. The baker had gotten sick of having to deal with knocked over trash bins and waited for me to show up. After a short scuffle and some kicking and screaming he roughed me up pretty good. Luckily he had some heart left in him because he didn’t break anything, he just kicked me hard enough that my pee wasn’t yellow but blood red for a week. I remember just laying far against a wall wallowing in circumstance, when another someone peered over me. At first I thought it was the city guard sent by the baker to get me put into some orphanage. Sure I would have been fed inside the walls of kid prison, but I didn’t fancy myself as a future Order foot soldier. Instead of a big man with a sword it was a small girl. She wore the same apron as the baker. I couldn’t move very well or speak through the blood in my throat so I just waited for her to scream or do something other than peer over me. But she didn’t. She just put something wrapped in a white cloth on my chest. Just like the baker, I don’t remember much about her other than she looked my age and wore the bakeries apron. She turned and quickly left when I started to close my eyes. The next day I woke up to the bustle of the streets and a clean piece of bread to eat. I didn’t go near that bakery ever again.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">When I woke up in real time it was night and I could hear the sounds of the cackle of a fire outside the now empty carriage. I wanted to stay inside and ignore my traveling companions, but damn was I hungry, and whatever was outside smelled really good. I gathered my courage and stepped out. Only the lilim sat around the fire. “Where are the others?” I said not wanting any tricks pulled by not knowing where they went.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“The two ladies are enjoying the male company.” She said looking happy.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Why isn’t there one for you?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Because I have to watch over you.” A mischievous smile came over lips. I now realized the peril I was in, alone with a lilim in the middle of what looked like Himmler’s woods, halfway to Faultine. “Oh don’t worry, I can’t touch you remember. You have to stay pure until after you give me the scroll.” I didn’t like the emphasize she put on “until after” but that was a problem for later.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Glad to hear it.” I said whilst picking up what looked like a rabbit leg from over the fire. I ate silently for what seemed like an hour until she spoke up again.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“If you understand the real nature of monsters and live among them, why not get with a few of them? I mean you had that girl in town saying that she wanted your kids, why not indulge in her?” She asked. Those were good questions that I often asked myself as well but it always had the same morbid answer.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Because I’m dying.” She went silent and the puzzled look on her face was worth a king’s palace. “Surprised? It’s a heart problem according to every doctor I’ve visited. The beat of it sometimes speeds up or goes down slower than what should normally happen and could one day beat faster or slower than the normal human can take.” At first she just sat there with a frown on her face.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“So you don’t want to leave anybody behind.” She said still looking at me.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Yeah, that’s about it. The only thing keeping me alive is some medical herb grown in the deep desert. I tried stealing some before but they deteriorate rapidly so there is no point in stockpiling them.” Added onto the loss in supply, I also realized that if I stole some from one shipment then security and price would go up for the next. Then I realized I was revealing life threatening information to a lilim and tried to regained my composure from the dying man act I was two seconds ago. “And believe me I’ve tried everything from a unicorn’s healing spells to anything else that won’t turn me into an incubus.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Well what is wrong with becoming and incubus if you get to live with a monster if you’re healed?”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Who said I wanted to become a monster husband? No offense to your kind, but I’d rather stay human.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“Your senses and tastes would change when you do to more accommodate you to your wife.”

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“But they would just be forced changes not ones I would willingly make. I already made up my mind long ago about love and stuff like that.” At that statement she just went quiet.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">“If you say so. Now I feel a need to sleep. Goodnight Mason.” Then she just got up and left for a tent set up a ways away from the carriage that I guessed was left for me to sleep in. What a weird and revealing exchange. I felt somewhat liberated knowing that someone else knew my biggest problem in life besides my doctors. This herb, because it was so hard to maintain, fetched a very high price that I could barely pay off with the earnings of some big jobs. I needed it pumped into my blood every three months then I was good until my next treatment. I worked constantly and was hardly ever around town  to pay for the medicine. That meant I could avoid the monsters with a crush on me back home, and when I got back the monsters with an interest in me before had either have gotten husbands or left town, but not Aoi.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">I finished my small dinner and got settled into the carriage for the last sleep I’d get before the biggest heist of my life.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">End Chapter 8: Journey to the Lion’s Den 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:center;text-indent: .5in;line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family: "TimesNewRoman",serif">Ω