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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr

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(dramatic music plays) . Episode 82:

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A Familiar Ranger.

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"Hey,

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you there."

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Rogers called out to an old man with a bald head
and graying beard, who was

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tending to a young boy nursing an arm in a sling.

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"What lies behind there, there, and there." Rogers
pointed to the three rows of

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houses that surrounded the cul-de-sac.

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There was no hope of defeating the Knight
Protectors, and fleeing was their only

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option. They had defended the Pit against Merchant
Guild guards,

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but Knight Protectors on horses were a different
matter.

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They would retreat to fight another day.

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"The Circle, the Pit Wall, and Sally's

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Lane."

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"The Pit Wall? What is that?"

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Rogers knew the other two locations.

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The Circle was the road that ran along the wall.
That would be deadly.

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Sally's Lane was some old road that ran through
the Flats.

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While it would provide some safety, it was
undoubtedly broad enough to offer

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little protection.

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"It is the stone wall that blocks the west side of
the Pit

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from the rest of the Flats."

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The old man shrugged.

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"It runs along the houses but doesn't make for a
proper wall, as it

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ends at the Circle and Sally's."

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Rogers nodded. He was hoping for some unknown path
or little-known

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alley that they could run through before fleeing
into the anonymity of the

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Flats. A wall was exactly what he didn't need.

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Looking up the road and past the pile of dead
bodies, Rogers came to the grim

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conclusion that everyone around him was about to
face a similar fate.

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It was his dumb luck that he had chosen to help
those at the Pit make a

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last stand. It was the one place where the thieves
had no real

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influence or knowledge. The sewers, safe houses,
the rest of the

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Flats had resources he could use, but the Pit?

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No one cared about the Pit, including the thieves.

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Shaking his head at Mailer and her predecessors'
inattention to this important

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part of the Flats, Rogers muttered. "You would
expect a place called the

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Pit to have more secrets."

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As he was about to put together a plan to split
into groups and escape via

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the Circle and Sally's Lane, the older man spoke
up.

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"We have our secrets."

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Rogers walked right up to him. "We need to escape.
Is there a secret tunnel?

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A path?

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An alley?"

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Rogers waved his arms around. "A place to hide?

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Anything. We are facing an insurmountable force.

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Retreat is our only option."

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The old man nodded. "Death's Sewer." "Death's

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Sewer? What is that?"

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Sewers ran all under Ness, but the places where
you could enter were

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well-hidden. Rogers assumed that this was one of
those entrances.

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But why call it Death's Sewer?

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"It is a sewer tunnel, a natural one, that leads
under the

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wall to Executioner's Hollow.

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The boys go down there to watch the knights
execute thieves, although we discourage it.

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Still,"

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the man shrugged, "they're thieves."

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Rogers knew better than to take issue with the
man's attitude.

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The Thieves Guild was secret out of necessity, and
the fact that they were the ones

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defending the Harvest Guild members who snuck out
to enjoy the execution of

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thieves was just part of the deal. Every thief
knew of

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Executioner's Hollow. Rogers was not one of those
who would go on rescue

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missions, but he knew of the secret path there.

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It was a noxious sewage tunnel that ended north of
the Hollow at the base of

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the wall.

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The iridescent mixture of clotted shit and piss
landed in a brown pool

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that seemed to seep into the ground. The knights
avoided it at all

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costs, and even the knights guarding the wall
walked past the pool

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briskly. Wait, Rogers thought, the sewer the
thieves used was an

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artificial one, not a natural one. Could there be
a second path to the

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Hollow? "This sewer, does it carry waste?

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How close to the Hollow does it exit the wall?"

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"No, it carries a stream of water. It is

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a natural cavern, not even a sewer.

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We just call it that."

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"Quickly, where does it end?"

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"Behind the Hollow, there is a pit where the
knights toss the bodies of

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the dead thieves. It ends there.

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The boys climb a ledge up from the pit.

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You can imagine why the knights don't investigate
there."

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Rogers nodded. A pit full of decomposing bodies
and

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skeletons. No wonder it was still secret, and no
wonder it was called

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Death's Sewer. "We must gather everyone to make
the trip through Death's Sewer.

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It is our only hope. We will exit the sewer and
make our way through the plains to the north

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and get to the safety of the outer fields."

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The entrance to the sewer was through a caved-in
portion of the Pit wall behind

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one of the houses at the end of the cul-de-sac.

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Running around and gathering healthy men and
women, Rogers spread the word that

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everyone would need to escape that way.

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His goal was to get everyone into the tunnel and
then somehow block

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it from the inside.... the knight and merchant
guild members would search the

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pit and find it empty.

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It would be if everyone had just disappeared.

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The trouble was that there were so many people
injured that family members wouldn't leave them

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behind.

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He cannot walk. You must trust that the knights
will show him mercy and provide him with care.

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Rogers' comment led to incredulous stares.

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Everyone knew that the injured would simply be
slaughtered.

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With no other option, Rogers simply denied the
possibility.

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We will free him from prison when the time comes.

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Most of the citizens had left for the sewer, but
there were still many others who were

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lacking in the urgency to leave for one reason or
another.

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Some were looking for some hidden family heirloom
to take.

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Others stayed with injured relatives, while some
simply refused to leave and

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swore they would defend their homes to the death.

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As he went to a group of men who were carrying and
assisting injured friends, a shout

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filled the air. A knight approaches!

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Rogers cursed. So many would die needlessly.

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He understood the desire to assist friends and
family, but it was foolish,

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and now the first of the knights was approaching.

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"How many?" Rogers shouted to the young girl who
ran up to his group.

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"It is but one," ... she replied, but her response
was

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unnecessary, as the knight had already turned into
the lane and was in clear

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view.

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He was large and imposing, yet there was something
odd about him.

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"He is guildless?" ...

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the girl asked.

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"No, he is a ranger."

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Rogers unsheathed his sword.

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He is the first of many.

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You all must flee, and quickly.

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Please, do not delay. I will take care of him and
then be behind you.

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The appearance of a real threat, and one that
looked

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imposing and frightening, spurred the remainder of
the citizens of the pit

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to flee. The injured were left in remote rooms to
wait for their chance

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to beg for mercy. Without waiting for a response,
Rogers strode

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forward. The ranger took long steps, almost
jogging forward.

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He was in a hurry, but refused to allow himself to
run, which would sacrifice

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some of his awareness and responsiveness for
speed.

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"He is a formidable one,

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this ranger," Rogers thought.

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As he prepared to clash with the ranger, multiple
realizations hit Rogers

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at once. The ranger had not unsheathed his sword.

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He looked familiar, even though his face was
covered with a brown cloak.

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And he wasn't just tall, he was huge. In fact, he
reminded

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Rogers of... "Allard?"

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Rogers?

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Rogers sheathed his sword and grasped the deputy
guild master's

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hand with a firm shake as he looked him up and
down.

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"A ranger?"

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Allard shrugged.

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We have not the time to discuss my journey or
mission. Do you have a force?

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38 knights approach, with four on horseback.

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They are clearing the houses one by one, but we do
not have much time.

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Before Rogers could reply, Allard nodded at the
pile of bodies.

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This will put them on guard. How much surprise
would you need? Perhaps we should attack first.

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Allard, they are fleeing.

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Look around you. Yes, there are plenty of blue
dead, but there are many more green soaked in

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red.

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They fight with broomsticks and pitchforks.

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Two dozen knight protectors and cavalry will leave
none alive.

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Allard's eyes looked odd, as if he had some fire
within that had been missing for

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a long time.

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He closed his eyes as if knowing that he was
revealing something he did not want to be

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known.

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Finally, he nodded and opened his eyes again.

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Do you have an escape?

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Yes.

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There is a natural sewer that leads to
Executioner's Hollow. You should follow me.

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You can help lead them to safety in the outer
fields.

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That is a wise plan, but I will never enter
Executioner's Hollow.

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As if assuming Rogers didn't understand the depth
of his commitment, Allard

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repeated-

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Never.

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Before Rogers could say anything else, Allard
continued.

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I will buy you time. Gather as many as you can.

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How will you buy us time?

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Allard reached over his shoulder and slid his
mammoth broadsword out of its

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sheath across his back.

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The sword was the most enormous weapon Rogers had
ever seen.

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That is not your concern.

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The tone of Allard's voice made it clear that he
was in charge, and there was no more

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room for conversation.

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Be safe, Deputy Guild Master,

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Rogers said as he turned and returned to a group
limping toward the pit

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wall behind the houses. With one last glance, he
looked over his shoulder.

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Allard stood like a statue in front of the pile of
dead, facing the end of the lane

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where the knights would approach. He appeared like
nothing more than death, preparing to

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add more trophies to the growing pile behind him.

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Rogers shuddered, not sure whether he should worry
about

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Allard or feel sorry for the approaching knights.

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(dramatic music)