Assessing the Assassin

When they received the job from Amancio, Kristov's intuition told him that something was unusual about the master assassin's return to the trade. What exactly, wasn't clear. A myriad of motivations could be behind the action. Perhaps some personal reason was involved, or maybe their retirement savings simply ran out. What was clear however, was the need for more information regarding the assassin and their new job.

Though there were plenty of rumors afloat, it would be difficult to sort through them to discover the threads of truth tying them together, and discard the fog of misinformation. So Kristov would look at what little facts there were.

And so he paid a visit to Jeren, working at one of the archivists offices in Charterhall. An old, but lively, man, family friend of the Vale bookkeepers. Though most of his family and friends distanced themselves from Kristov after his turn to crime, Jeren remained as amiable as ever towards the young man, valuing his personal relationships above all other concerns.

Kristov's request to Jeren was to secretly lend him the case files for the assassin's past murders, in order to find any commonalities among them.

"And here I was, thinking that you only worked as a hobby."

Kristov chuckles as he takes the folder. He frowns slightly as he opens it up.

"Isn't this a bit thin?"

As a pretense, Kristov skims the file, before handing it back to Jeren. Nothing of interest stuck out to him, so it was likely that this Matheson fellow took everything good for himself.

"Hmm, won't lie Jeren, this major has hooked my interest as well. I can't guarantee any sort of truth, but expect a good story soon."

Moon looked around to make sure they were alone before opening the door of the abandoned water deposit. Freck and Kristov followed her, and closed the door. Once inside the deposit, Moon led the way climbing down a ladder that went deep into Duskvol’s intricate network of sewers and underground tunnels.

Once they reached the tunnels, Moon lighted up a hooded lantern she had brought for the occasion. She checked their maps once again (although she had made sure to learn the route by heart before leaving their lair), and started walking. The dense atmosphere of those tunnels and the absolute silence, only interrupted by the occasional drip, always made her feel comfortable and secure. That was a good place to hide, a place where nobody would find her.

It was a long walk until they reached their destination. Another ladder, which theoretically and if their maps weren’t wrong, would lead to the backyard of Matheson’s manor, within his outside walls.

"Well, here we are. Ladies first, right?", she mocked, and started to climb up.

Kristov walked up to the door, and knocked softly, three times quick, two times long.

The day before...

At the counter of the bar, a servant sobs over a mug of beer, Kristov sitting next to him.

"I can't believe it. She was the only one for me."

Nodding solemnly, Kristov thoughtfully comforts the servant.

"Most people feel the same way you do when they find out. But you deserve better than that. She was only after your position, but didn't see that the real prize..."

Kristov lightly taps the man's chest.

"...was right here. A man of true quality."

The servant, sniffling, looks up at Kristov.

"...You think so?"

A smile crosses Kristov's face.

"Of course. After all, would a man of true quality deny his benefactor a favor promised?"