Herald of death

The sun sets over the horizon as Ethan sits on the roof of a church devoted to Sylphira, the goddess of life. Russ comes to his side, stretching and whining before lying down. Ethan observes a manor hiding behind a tall natural fence through predator's sight.

'Viktor Blackwood,' Ethan begins in his mind. 'A rich merchant who rules over the city's maritime trade as its harbormaster. Talk about a conflict of interest. His name came up enough for him to be more than suspicious,' he thinks.

Russ lays his head on Ethan's thigh. "Yeah, I'm going to find you something to eat. Would you like some fish?" Ethan proposes. Russ's tail wags forcefully as saliva forms at the edges of his maw.

Ethan's eyes scan the perimeter of Viktor Blackwood's estate. He observes a steady stream of visitors entering and leaving the estate. Some arrive in luxurious carriages, while others arrive on foot. Ethan takes note of their attire, demeanor, and the frequency of their visits, searching for patterns.

The patrols around the estate maintain a vigilant watch, their footsteps echoing on the cobblestone paths. Ethan observes their routines, noting the rhythmic shift in their routes.

"That's going to be a pain," he says to Russ. "But if I want to act freely in this world, I need to lay some foundation." He jumps down the roof, landing in the church's garden. Russ follows him, and Ethan catches him in his fall.

Ethan dusts himself off. "Let's find you a place to rest for the night," he murmurs. They make their way through the winding streets of the city. 'I've made ten silver, or one gold, by bringing eight bandits to the guard and one of their crates. From what I gathered, five copper coins, or half a silver, can afford someone a room and two meals a day,' he thinks, fidgeting with a coin in his hand.

They come across a modest inn nestled in a quiet corner of a bustling thoroughfare. The sign above the entrance creaks softly in the wind, spelling out the name 'The Silver Hog'.

Ethan nods in approval and leads Russ inside. The innkeeper greets them with a friendly smile. "Welcome, traveler," he says, his voice warm and inviting. "How can I be of service to you this evening?"

Ethan returns the smile. "A room for the night," he replies. "And a hearty meal for both of us. Fish if possible." He gestures to Russ, who wags his tail eagerly at the smells escaping the kitchen.

The innkeeper nods, disappearing into the kitchen for a moment. He comes back with two plates of cooked tuna and leek, accompanied by white bread and an ale. Ethan slides a silver coin as he gives Russ his meal. 'Ok,' he thinks, allowing Russ to eat.

The innkeeper hands him a bronze key. "And could I get a name for the register?"

"Grim," Ethan answers. The man's brow furrows, and Ethan places his guild card on the counter. The innkeeper shrugs and inscribes the name.

Ethan mouths a piece of fish; the taste is undeniably that of tuna. 'Our worlds have so many species in common,' he remarks internally.

Finishing his meal, Ethan leads Russ up a flight of creaky stairs. They enter the room he rented. Its window overlooks the city streets below. Ethan settles Russ onto the plush bed, unlocking the window should he need to call his companion. "Bedtime," he says to Russ, who rests his head on the blanket.

He exits the inn, moving through the streets toward the Blackwood's estate. As he approaches his target, he slows his pace, taking note of the guards stationed at the perimeter.

Using the cover of night, Ethan silently slips through the hedge fence of the estate. He spots a lone guard patrolling the outer edge of the property.

Ethan closes the distance between them without a sound. As the guard passes by, Ethan strikes, delivering a swift blow to the back of the man's head. The guard falls unconscious, and Ethan drags him into the hedge. He strangles him just enough to ensure he will sleep for a few hours.

Ethan searches the guard's pockets and retrieves his weapons and equipment. He dons the guard's armor and places his coat in his haversack. He transfers into the guard's satchels the nearly exhausted vial of Ether potion, his last health potion, and a return stone. Ethan hides the haversack in another part of the hedge.

With the guard's attire concealing his true identity, Ethan enters the main building. He navigates through the corridors of the manor, his steps silent as he evades the patrols that crisscross the halls. He scans the surroundings with predator's sight, predicting the movements of the inhabitants.

As he explores further, Ethan stumbles upon a door guarded by two soldiers. His senses tell him that nobody is inside. He slips into another room, opening its window.

Using the outside floor's edge, Ethan reaches the guarded room's windows. He opens the first with a flick of his knife, lifting its latch. He silently enters a grand room adorned with opulent furnishings and lavish décor. A large ornate desk sits at the feet of the windows, its surface cluttered with scrolls, parchments, and quills.

Ethan begins to search through the papers, meticulously replacing everything in its original position as he moves on. He opens the desk's drawers, finding nothing but official administrative documents. An incoherence catches Ethan's attention; one of the drawers is shallower than the others.

He lifts the false bottom, uncovering a book. He flips the page, discovering years of criminal activities' financial history. 'That checks out. He invested two thousand golds in a plantation five years ago. And three years later, he starts receiving payments for the sales of Invulnara. But the activities of the Crimson Hand are only a small part of his revenues. He must be involved with other criminals,' Ethan thinks.

Ethan takes pictures of each page. 'He makes recurrent payments to a handful of people. The largest payments go to a woman named Isabella Cruz,' Ethan notes. 'I should investigate her; if she's his number two or a big name in his organization, I could use her as a puppet.'

Ethan places back the book and its cover. As swiftly as he entered, he exits the room and the estate. He gets his haversack back and places the armor next to its unconscious owner. 'I trust in you to be too ashamed to report what happened,' Ethan mocks internally.

As Ethan walks through the dimly lit street, he mulls over his next steps. 'Viktor's connections must run deep. If I assassinate him, I could attract the attention of dangerous people with abilities far superior to mine. The best way to get rid of him would be to reveal irrefutable proof of criminal activities without destroying what he built.'

Ethan reaches his temporary lodgings for the night. He joins Russ on the bed, petting his dog, who quickly returns to sleep. 'I must sacrifice one of his criminal suborganizations. I can force its leaders to confess and publish evidence of their financial dealings.'

He turns on the bed, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. 'I should investigate the names he pays the most, starting with Isabella Cruz,' he whispers in his mind as sleep comes to him.