PROLOGUE
PICTURE
You hurry to the square. You see window-guard is missing, and various objects have been tossed on the floor.
A battle is happening on the main square! The hanged man is pelted with arrows. Brute, mannish things fight with axes and clubs against the citizens and conscript soldiers of the town. Many corpses are strewn about lifeless and maimed; but many have also left.
The lawmaker fights many of these deformed man creatures, cleaving them mercilessly; their gore flying, as pieces are hacked away by huge swings of his crescent axe. He seems to kill five, six or seven or them, their bodies pilling up dismembered near his feet, before shouting at you:
"You! The prisoner, is he dead?!"
"Yes! Something came from the shadows and got him! I failed!"
You feel cold eyes wash all over you . "You goddamn vermin! I'll get you later!"
The lawmaster kills another one. Blood paints the riverstream.
You hear a shriek come from the inn.
"You goddamn, blasting idiot!" He joins up with you to enter the inn. "They've come up through some passage we were not informed... Damn, I say the innkeeper betrayed us!"
The woman is nowhere to be seen. A man lies on the ground near a broken bottle. The innkeeper is gone. However, you see that a small breach on the wall behind the counter has been torn up to reveal a huge, gaping passage.
You know that the that the wheel of the gods has favored your life, that in this moment, whatever spirit is wagering for you has won a large sum. A cold yet brave breeze flows through the room and through your beating heart:
An object that was not there before seemingly appears calmly, as if placed by a gentle, soft hand. A hangman's rope sits on the countertop. It slides softly upon your hand.
A devious plan starts forming in your mind. However much tempered by your cowardice - even so, you know you must kill this man or he will kill you.
You know that you cannot let the other lawmasters know of this - if you even succeed.