Snippet #2306884

Gurth nodded once to the Magi as he took the coin, he didn't ask why the mark was wanted dead, he didn't care this was just work. The strange woman who was floating suddenly brushed his mask with her finger causing Gurth's head to turn towards her with a snap and his hand to grip the hilt of his sword beneath his cloak. "Whhoo are youuu?" she asked Gurth relaxed letting go of his sword she was curious like a child and probably a little less than sane, that happened sometimes when one used to much magic. It happened to a hermit he had killed, he had spent to much time away from other people. "I am a Doctor, if someone has a problem they pay me and I make it go away." Gurth said an cold smile on his lips beneath his mask, he really was doctor or at least he could have been but instead he had chosen another path. Sometimes he even provided medical services to those who lead a life in the shadows like him, of course for far more than a normal doctor would charge.

Turning away from the Magi and strange woman he briskly walked towards the shadows cast by the wall of the palace as soon as his he stepped into the shadow he cast his Shadow Cloak disappearing from sight moving quickly he slipped outside of the palace and into the city. The mark lived in the south part of the city near then edge. The problem for Gurth was his outfit if he entered as he was he would raise suspicion and the man would be on guard making him harder to kill. Gurth sighed he knew what to do, he made his was to a different blacksmith whose shop was in a small alley the sign over the door was old and the door itself wasn't even properly on its hinges.

As Gurth expected the old man behind the counter wasn't doing anything except watching the door. "Smith I am here to purchase some things" The man looked up his eyes a milky white and his smile missing teeth "Well I no longer have anything to sell a blind smith is a bad smith so no one comes here for metal work anymore. So you can leave Birdman" the man said spitting a lugie "I was sent here by Vlad, old man and if you were truly blind you would not know about my mask." Gurth said. The man began to laugh and then he had a violent fit of coughing and spit up another lugie, "So Vlad sent you, well that changes everything. I only do work for those living in the shadows, since Vlad referred you to me you must be part of that crowd." Gurth nodded and the old man continued "So what do you need?" "I need a set or chain armor and a hand and a half sword the armor does not need to fit perfectly it just has to be roughly my size." As Gurth spoke he pulled out his coin purse and began to count out a number of coins about twice as much as they would normally cost but he needed to forge a good bushiness relationship with the man. The Smith pocketed the coins and entered the back part of the shop.

In a few minutes the Smith returned holding a set of chain armor and a hand and a half sword. "Here you go" he said handing Gurth the gear, nodding once Gurth turned and left. Slipping the gear under his cloak Gurth headed to a nearby inn called the Hogs Head where Gurth bought the cheapest room. In the room Gurth quickly changed from his cloak and mask into the armor strapping the sword onto his back. He was no longer an assassin but a warrior who needed a blacksmith to fix his weapon. A small illusion finished the look it removed some of the scars covering his face leaving only the largest scar on his face. A heavily scared man was noticeable, one scar didn't mean much when on the face of a warrior. Drawing the 'broken' sword Gurth raised it above his head and brought it down with all his force on to the stone floor of his room, the only thing that happened was pain shooting through his arms. That Smith makes good weapons Gurth thought as he placed the sword on the floor of the room, Calling upon his second element he covered the sword in ice freezing drawing his other sword the raised it and brought it down on the now frozen sword ... this time there was the pleasing sound of the sword breaking into two pieces. Picking up the pieces he slipped them into the sheath on his back, now he had a reason to visit his mark in the south part of the city.

Going to the window Gurth opened it and looked to the alleyway below it was empty climbing up on to the windowsill Gurth jumped landing in the alleyway softly. He had entered as a masked man if he left dressed as a warrior it would raise questions so he had left through the window. His mark lived in the south part of the city, walking at a brisk pace Gurth made his way through the city using the main roads instead of the alleyways, a warrior creeping around like a thief raised to many questions. When he arrived in the south part of the city he asked around for a smith and quickly where his mark was living and working. The shop where his mark lived was called the Thane and Son's it was well maintained and looked like it did a got a lot of costumers but luckily when Gurth entered the shop was empty save for the resident smith banging away at a piece of iron on an anvil. Reaching behind himself he touched the door calling upon his magic to freeze the door shut so no one would get in while he worked.

Clearing his throat he called the smith "Oi Smith you got a customer" Gurth called in a deep voice. Grunting the smith looked up from his work, placing the iron into a bucket of water he took off his gloves and laid his hammer down wiping his hands on his apron he approached Gurth. "Wat ya need?" the smith asked. Pulling the hand and half sword off his back Gurth laid the weapon on the counter in front of the smith. "My sword broke smith and I'm looking to have it repaired so I can get back to earning coin." The smith nodded pulling the broken sword from the sheath and inspected the blade. "Ya it broke, but it good blade I can have it fixed in a day." the smith said smiling through his beard,the man looked happy to have the work. Gurth smiled, the smile on his lips fake. "Can I have one of your swords while you fix mine?" Gurth asked smiling again. "Sure" The smith said smiling a toothy grin. as he pulled a sword our from under the counter. "Maby you love my sword and buy it, and bring your friends and bring me good work." The man said laughing a deep happy laugh.

Reaching for the sword Gurth asked "May I" the smith nodded, drawing the sword Gurth turned around and gave it a few experimental swings before turning to the smith again. "You like?" the smith asked. Nodding Gurth suddenly lunged forward the blade in his hand entering the smiths chest and coming out of the man's back. The smith stumbled backwards a pain and shock on his face "Why...?" The smith asked as he fell against the wall and slid to the floor dead. Picking up the broken hand and half sword He had brought Gurth strapped it to his back once more.

About to leave Gurth was stopped when words rang out behind him "Pa Pa I'm hungry, where are you." Turning Gurth saw a child standing in the doorway rubbing his eye's having just woken up. The child was no more than five years old. The child saw his father lying on the ground his eye devoid of light with a blade through him. "Pa Pa, what happened?" the child asked running to his father. Casting his Shadow Cloak so that he looked like a mass of writhing shadows Gurth answered the child "He is dead" The child looked back at Gurth noticing him for the first time. "Who are you?" the child asked tears running down his face. "I am the monster who killed your father." Gurth turned and left the shop leaving the child crying over the dead body of his father. It was late now he would go and collect his money for the job tomorrow, right now he would lay low in the inn and get some sleep.