“Dev Von Fritz”, said Creed aloud, breaking his mental link and opening his eyes. It all came flowing back to him; the night watch had mistaken Von Fritz’s wife for a traveling merchant’s daughter following a masquerade party at the governor’s mansion a little over a year ago.

“Overzealous half wits and dull witted thugs,” spat the warlock referring to the corrupt city guard.

It had been too late; the blood ritual of the full moon almost complete; the ceremonial dagger in Creed’s right hand already in its deadly descent when she whispered her true identity with her last dying breath.

One mistake followed another as Creed bade Barras Von Luogo, knight of the empire and head advisor to Governor Pharus, to dispose of the mutilated body and see to it that there were no adverse repercussions.

When the corpse was found at the edge of the Twisted forest, Creed made his second mistake letting that perfumed fop of a Governor, Dandyar Pharus, handle the situation. When Governor Pharus ordered the matter closed and ruled that Mariana Fritz had died from wolf attack, her grieving husband went berserk. Trying to get at the arrogant Governor, Dev killed two of Dandyar’s body guards, paid mercenary’s, not of Khorian descent and wounded six others as Dev’s fellow knights stayed out of the fight.

Finally subdued Dev was imprisoned and sentenced to hang for treason and murder also against Primus Creed’s advice. The wizard knew this man meant trouble and urged that Dev meet a tragic end during his stay in prison in the form of a shiv in the back. But before any plot could be set in motion, the fallen knight escaped from the dungeons allegedly aided by rebels and spell casting druids.

“Could that be the masked life forces I sensed in the tunnels?” Creed muttered to himself. It didn’t matter now. The troublesome human was now within his grasp.

Creed could not afford exposure as there was growing rebellion in Isegoth opposing the city’s corrupt heavy handed governor. He could not allow these four interlopers to leave the sewers with fuel for the rebel’s fire. Creed had lived too long, been through too much to allow his plans of ruling the city through his puppet, Dandyar Pharus, to be jeopardized. Not only would the mage take care of Dev Von Fritz, but he would drink the blood and absorb the substantial life force of his unusual companions adding their skulls to his pinnacle of power.

“Surround, divide and conquer” thought Creed aloud. He was once a respected war sorcerer and strategist for the glorious Siraqen army of Ali Kademnon. As his mind worked out the details, his body quivered in anticipation.

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