Beneath the Shades

Beneath the Shades, Edwins Tale.

Halfling, The Assassin, Edwin Brooks Esq…

Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see.  Absolute horror.

“Edwin…Edwin, it is your master Gruel.  Can you hear me, Edwin?”

The voice was familiar but even more hollow than usual as if it were coming from far away and through a tunnel.

Steve is that you? Thought the halfling assassin.
Where am I?  I can’t see anything, in fact, I can’t feel anything or even ...feel anything …
Oh, I know.  Edwin thought again.

“Yes, Edwin” was that a trace of spite in the Necromancers voice?
“You are quite dead” Gruel's voice still far away but flatter now, disappointed.
“Can you recall what happened Edwin?”  A dark necrotic charm threaded through the words, Edwin felt utterly compelled to reply.
Edwin felt weightless, formless even, just conscious just a thought nothing else, in utter darkness, totally alone.
Well I suppose it’s nice and quiet he thought.

“EDWIN!  FOCUS! What happened, tell me I command you!”  The necromancer ordered.
With that, it seemed a breeze formed in the darkness or was it a sound Edwin couldn’t quite tell.  Something was pulling at his thoughts dragging him toward a building sound, a cacophony in fact of tortured screams.  Light sparked and glimmered and suddenly Edwin felt quite hot.  Now he could feel his thoughts being pulled apart and he started to recognise some of the screams, the screams of his victims, he recognised the pleading, the begging, please no, please let me live, please, please, please…
Oh bugger thought Edwin.

“Ok, Ok,” thought Edwin.
“Well Steve, as I recall it kicked off in the Shades”

“It was a busy afternoon; the Inn was packed with usual scum and there was a rather good halfling three-piece playing a jaunty jig.  I was giving the Slayers their orders, and wouldn’t you know it Aias and his crew appeared ... it was quite strange thinking about it…one minute they were not there the next minute there they were sitting smack bang in the middle of the common room.”
“Strange really.”
“Anyway, fatty (Aias) and ginger (Cole) charged, and I scrambled over the bar and down into the cellars hoping to lead some of them into the tunnels and ambush them, you know hit and run.  It started well.”
“As I tumbled into the cellars, I could hear the sisters savaging those redshirts, the screams oh they were bloodcurdling, it sounded as if the whole tavern erupted into a brawl.”  Edwin remembered fondly.

“A couple of them chased me into the cellar, Aias and the ginger one we captured in Zol-Cavar, you know Cole I think his name is, red-haired fella.  I let off a couple of bolts at them, poisoned of course and drew them through the secret door into the tunnels around the guild.  Got them caught up the guild security system good and proper, ha!”

“It was going well, hit and run, wearing them down.  I got that Garrick good a couple of times haha and the sexy half-elf, you know, the one you wanted for experiments.”  

“I drew them through the flame trap, past the hidden guild entrance, I think Garrick stabbed one of the guildfolk in the eye, they won’t be happy about that!”

“I got them again in the chamber of poisoned darts and drew the charlatan and the half-elf bitch into the pit where the jelly monster lives, fizzing bungholes Steve that thing gives me the shudders even in death.  I could hear them screaming as skipped into the sewers.  I was almost at the exit I heard the bang of Cole’s shooter and felt the back of my head crack like a rotten egg.”

“And that was that.  Here I am, or I suppose I am not…”

“Thank you, Edwin,” said Gruel.  “Aias and his meddlers left island shortly after your encounter with them, I had the Merrow follow them”.

“That will be all for now, but I will have use of you soon dear Edwin.”

Gruel, placed the polished halfling skull down on his entwood desk, leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers.  Tips of elven ears showed through the long dark hair that fell past his shoulders.

“You did well to bring me Edwin's remains Magwha”

Gruel bowed his head to painted half-orc.  This was the first time Gruel had met the beast Magwha and the Slayer lived up to his reputation.  Massive, savage and menacing, Magwha chief of the Slayers, his deeds were legendary along the coast, from the Pomarj to the Sinking Lands.  The rumbling growl that came from Maagwha was akin to bestial growl of a dire lion.

“You will be rewarded” Said Gruel.

“Aias crew kill Magwha sisters, Magwha brings blood feud to Aias and his children”

The half-orc stepped forward drawing a long curved and serrated blade.

“Magwha, will have Aias under his knife last of all, so Aias will know his tribe is dead and then he will die”

“But of course, dear fellow” said Gruel as he stood and poured expensive Briarwood Gold, his favourite brandy into a pair of exquisite crystal tumblers.

“Let us toast to the death of Aias and his crew” Said Gruel offering a glass the barbarian chief.

“May it be prolonged and agonising” said the necromancer then he flashed his most winning smile.

The villains touched goblets and took a long draft of the golden liquid.  Once finished they threw back their heads and began to laugh, the deep and menacing laugh of villains.

Once Magwha had prowled out of Gruels office, the necromancer padded across the thick Barrovian carpet, and cradled Edwin’s skull in his arms.  Gruel gazed out of the large glass window of his office.  The seabed was dark outside, great dark, finned shapes glided through a wreck in the distance.

“Do not worry my friend, you will have your revenge” Gruel held Edwin’s skull up in both hands looking into the deep eye sockets.

“I promise you will have your revenge”

....