Inside a cell that had been converted into a makeshift planning room sat seven people. If you simply glanced at the group you would not see any connection between them. They might have been the most unique group of people in all of Avon Arret. The group included a former soldier, a widow, a former spy, a hotel owner, a businessman, a stable worker, and a cobbler. But all these people had one thing in common, they were all master thieves. They belonged to a group called The Long Shadows. At that moment, they were in a meeting with two other people, one was the Thief Lord, Hihkantu the other was the new prisoner Hylar. Eight of them were leaders of the biggest undercover scheme in the Avon Arret. The ninth person was being interrogated. The Long Shadows asked tough questions, very tough questions.
The sat on stools in a semicircle around the man, the two woman in the group were at the ends, both had sworn to kill the other many times so it was always good to be safe rather than sorry. The man sat, his hands tied behind his back to the chair. A black hood fell over his head and over his face muffling his short, sharp breathes.
A man sitting on the edge of stool, second from the left, stroking his chin asked the first question. “What is your full name and where do you come from?” he asked keeping his voice level and emotionless. His cane leaned against his stool precariously.
“I am known by many names,” Hylar said simply earning him a slap in the face.
“Answer the question,” growled the man growing angry.
“I am Hylar Tyll, but I am known as The Shadow, The Farmer, and He Who Dulls Men’s Swords. I come from southern Avon Arret.” He said wincing from the blow to his cheek.
“Thank you” responded the man leaning back on his stool pondering the answers.
The woman to the left of him asked the next question, “Why were you trying to infiltrate the castle?”
Hylar paused then answered, “ I was trying to steal some gold from the museum wing,” he answered.
“What gold?” asked the woman narrowing her eyes.
Hylar sighed and then answered, “The King’s Compass.”
A flash of astonishment buzzed through the room. The woman looked back at Hylar, suspicious.
“Why?” she asked simply.
“Because that is what I wanted,” he said.
The woman nodded sitting back in her chair content with his answer. The man on the right side of her however, was not.
“What kind of answer is that!” he cried. “Answer the woman,” he demanded.
“I did,” answered Hylar coolly.
“Don’t talk back to me, don’t you know that we could kill you at any moment?” he said smugly.
“Yes, I know that,” replied Hylar, “But you won’t, you can’t” he said calmly.
“And why do you think that?” said the man pulling out a long curved knife.
“Because I am guessing that Hihkantu has ordered you not to harm me.”
There was a pause as the members of the thief group thought about the bold guess.
It was the man who broke the silence, “Well, to my knowledge we aren’t under any such orders,” once again he unsheathed his knife and ran at Hylar.
The man fell to the ground, pinned down by a giant of a man in a military uniform.
“Cobbler, control yourself,” he bellowed.
The Cobbler sat down, eyes wide, chest heaving.
“Now back to interrogation,” said Hihkantu.
Ironically, it was the Cobbler’s turn to ask the next question.
“Where did you get the necklace and does it have any magical properties?” he growled motioning at the necklace on a table wrapped in an oilcloth.
“I got it from a merchant on the coast; as for magical properties it is a safe charm,” answered Hylar.
“Didn’t do you much good,” said the former spy chuckling. A couple of the group chuckled quietly at the jibe, but most stayed stone silent.
Next it was the stable workers turn.
“Did anyone else know of your goal to steal the Kings Compass?”
“No”
Next came the former soldier.
“Have you tried anything like this before?”
“Yes” Hylar answered, “But they were only small businesses, never a castle.”
The spy asked the next question, “Do you have any formal weapon training or training in magic?”
“Yes, I was trained in swordsmanship but I have never received magical training.”
“And who was your teacher?” asked the spy following up his first question.
“The sword master Nesufrias the Great,” he answered proudly.
“Never heard of him,” said the spy.
The last question belonged to the hotel owner.
She asked, “Do you have any family in the surrounding area?”
“No” he said with a cold finality.
Cheers Everyone!
nAtHaN
