The Thieves Guild,
by Jake Kerr.
Episode 138.
The Cursed Office.
It was after killing Cerris that Karch settled on a plan.
As he approached the guild master's office, Karch had to stop to catch his
breath.
Breathing heavily hurt.
He was still badly bruised and most likely had several broken ribs from the
sadistic blade vesper, but he was not so bruised that he couldn't take care
of Orion's pathetic nephew.
Still, feeling stabs of pain while he breathed was not a
distraction he wanted.
He flashed the guild master seal at the guard, a young man he had known since he had
first been put on tower duty the previous year.
"Do not disturb us."
The guard turned away.
Karch knocked on Cerris' door and entered without an invitation.
Cerris was on the sofa holding a half-naked woman with her head buried in his
neck. "By the gods, Karch, get out! I'll have your head for this."
Karch walked over to the woman, grabbed her roughly by the arm, and pulled her to
her feet. "Get out. I have urgent business to discuss with the guild master." The
woman stumbled and then stood up, arranging her blouse to cover herself.
"Now." "Guard, come in here this instant!" Before
Karch could literally kick her out with his boot, the woman rushed to the door and
out of the room.
Cerris stood up and made a fist. "Unless you are here to tell me that my
uncle urgently needs me, you may not survive my beating, Karch." "Your
uncle is dead."
The news stunned the young man, who dropped his arms to his side.
"What? How?" Karch walked toward Cerris and put his
left arm around Cerris' shoulder in a sympathetic manner, as if to comfort him.
Cerris had taken one step when Karch moved his other arm up and slid
his jeweled dagger between Cerris' ribs and into his heart, pulling him
close with the arm he had around his shoulder as the blade slipped in deeper.
"Oh, I'm sorry, my mistake. It isn't your uncle who is dead,
it is you."
Cerris' body slumped to the floor and Karch threw the knife on top of it.
After one last glance at Orion's nephew, Karch walked out.
The guard watched as Karch approached, wiping his bloody hand on his cloak.
"When I informed the guild master that the Outlanders were attacking, he cried out in
despair and killed himself. Please tell Dervish to take care of the body.
We can have an official funeral when things have calmed down." "That office appears
cursed."
The guard gave away the hint of a smile.
Karch patted the guard on the shoulder. "Yes.
In fact, block the door and leave the body inside.
I believe one of the reasons Cerris killed himself is that he was haunted by the ghost of Larsen.
It is better not to disturb such spirits."
The guard nodded. "Consider it done, guild master." "Guild
master."
It was the first time in his life Karch had been called that.
He planned on it happening many, many more times into the future.
He started toward his office. There were many reasons that Karch got rid of
Orion's nephew, but the main one was that he was Orion's
nephew.
Karch had no doubt that with Larsen dead, Polo's rage would be aimed at
Sax and Orion, and having Orion's nephew as guild master
pulled the Merchant Guild into the circle of Polo's rage.
The future was clear to Karch. The Rangers and Harvest Guild would defeat
the Knight and Craft Guilds. It was a foregone conclusion in his mind.
And with Trader's Bridge destroyed, a slash and burn assault on the upper quarter
like Larsen did in the lower quarter was now impossible.
The only question was, how could he join the Harvest Guild while they still
had little trust of him and his guild?
And to make matters worse, he was surrounded by Knight and Craft Guild
members who would immediately punish him for betrayal.
That may all have been moot, as the city was under attack by the
Outlanders. "The Outlanders! Of course."
They were the solution to everything.
Karch almost laughed out loud. His original plan was to have them
assassinate or be blamed for assassinating Polo.
That would have rallied the city to the Merchant Guild as the city protectors.
Now, he could do the same thing. It was almost comically appropriate.
The vile and dirty Outlanders who massacred his men outside their small
city in the plains and almost killed him were going to be the ones that
restored the city's faith in the Merchant Guild, and save his
life.
Karch turned from the staircase to his office and headed toward the garrison on the first
level and Dervish's office. Before they attacked the Outlanders, they
had to betray the Knight and Craft Guild, and Karch had just the idea for
how to do that and do it without risk.
It wasn't until they had climbed to the third floor that Mela met someone she
knew. It was a guard she had trained with when she was younger.
"James, where is everyone?" The guard's eyes went wide when he
took in Mela. "Mela, by the gods, we thought you were dead." He ran over and the
two hugged tightly.As they parted, Maela waved her arm toward
Dala.
I would be dead if it wasn't for this mighty Harvest Guild guard who saved me.
'Tis an honor."
James bowed his head.
The honor is mine, noble guard.
James looked over and noticed Prosper, who stood cold and dour in his
red.
"Someone who wears red? Who is this, and of what guild?"
I am Prosper. I was a senior wizard of the Magic Guild.
My home is Ness."
Prosper shrugged.
"Not this ness, of course."
"Magic Guild?"
Maela grabbed James' arm.
Never mind that. We can explain it later. Where is Allard? Raylen?
How come Felos isn't prowling about the lower floors?
I was expecting him to skewer me before I could get out. It was me.
"We don't know where Raylen is.
He left for a mission with the Outlanders, but then they invaded, so we're worried about his fate.
Felos is leading the guild in an attack against the Outlanders across the foothills."
James paused and lowered his head.
"Allard went on a mission to the lower quarter, and is missing."
By the gods, James, who is in charge?
"Assistant Guildmaster Raif is leading us."
Raif? Raylen's idiot friend?
James looked shocked.
"You should hold your tongue. Even Felos says that Raif has a brilliance we haven't seen in many
years."
Are we talking about the same Raif, the one whose expertise is taking the blame for Raylen's mischief?
With Maela still holding his arm, he started toward the wide
staircase up the tower.
"There is much you have missed. Raif can fill you in.
I am not privy to the conversations, but I heard Deputy Allard whispering to Felos about some of
Raif's mysteries. The deputy seemed impressed, so you should do well to pay attention."
Maela didn't like being lectured by James, but she admitted that there was much she
had missed out on.
If nothing else, watching Raif's shock when confronted with a member of a magic
guild he had never heard of would be worth a smile.
Then take us to him.
She would humor Raif while she awaited Allard's
return.
(dramatic music)
A Podcast Alchemy production.