Grab the series now!<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n
Chapter: 1<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nGreet the Reaper<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Grim slid through the shadows like a
\nspecter. The hour was late, and the moon sat high in the night sky. In spite of
\nthat the streets of Everharth bustled still. This was the city that never
\nstopped after all\u2014the capital of the Kingdom
\nof Harth<\/i>. The crown jewel of the West\u2026<\/span><\/p>\nGrim had spent most of his adult life
\nhere, and here was where he had mastered his profession\u2014killing<\/i>. He was an assassin by trade and a damn good one, too.
\nTaking his time to remain completely undetected, he crept from one back alley
\nto another, always on the move. Sometimes a group of city denizens would walk
\nwithin inches of him and not notice his presence.<\/span><\/p>\nThe assassin was so stealthy, obsessed
\nwith perfecting his art, he would avoid alerting even the local drunks who
\nroamed the capital\u2019s dark streets at night. And not just drunks, but horses and
\nlivestock as well. Anything with a pulse was a challenge for the dangerous man
\nto overcome. <\/span><\/p>\nHis target this night was a
\nnobleman\u2014as was often the case\u2014by the name of Orven Ogle<\/i>. He was not a particularly rich man, though certainly
\nbetter off than most of the poor souls who roamed the streets alongside Grim
\nthis night. What was this Orven guilty of?<\/span><\/p>\nThe assassin had no idea. He rarely
\nasked those kinds of questions. Easier to let his imagination convict his
\nvictim than hear the truth of why these pathetic noble\u2019s peers might want him
\ndead. Grim almost chuckled out loud at that thought. The noble lords and ladies
\nof Harth were a petty bunch and hardly needed a good reason to want someone
\ndead. All that mattered to Grim was that they paid him sufficiently for the
\ndeed.<\/span><\/p>\nAlthough, this particular contract had
\nmanaged to pique his curiosity. The man who wanted Orven dead was not another
\nnoble, but a godly man\u2014a rather revered Father of the Cathedral of Thondel<\/i>. It wasn\u2019t uncommon for the church to be
\ninvolved in nefarious business, Grim thought, but assassinations were a bit
\nextreme for them. No matter, he had been paid to do the job and that was
\nexactly what he was going to do.<\/span><\/p>\nPushing the thoughts from his mind,
\nthe assassin continued his silent trek through Everharth\u2019s Water District,
\nuntil he came to the base of the wall surrounding Orven Ogle\u2019s villa. The wall
\nstood twice Grim\u2019s height and was made of strong, thick stone, likely mined
\nfrom the caverns that snaked through the mountains just south of Everharth.<\/span><\/p>\nThe assassin wore no armor, other than
\nan iron gauntlet on his left hand, and sturdy, flexible leathers which were
\ncomplimented by a heavy black riding cloak. Grim briefly considered unfastening
\nthe cloak and scaling the wall without it but decided against that course of
\naction when he saw a trio of torch-bearing guards round the corner of the
\nvilla, some forty yards away. Their torchlight blinded them to his presence for
\nthe time being, but Grim knew that would not be the case for long.<\/span><\/p>\nNot waiting to be discovered by the
\nguards, the assassin quickly and quietly took a step back, before launching
\nhimself at the wall and half running half climbing, pulled himself atop the
\nthick stone barrier. He made almost no noise during his ascent and the trio
\npassed underneath him, completely unaware of his presence.<\/span><\/p>\nGrim quickly surveyed the interior of
\nthe villa before him. Directly beneath him was a large courtyard, dimly lit by
\nscattered torches, which were all burning extremely low. On the far side of the
\ncourtyard was the main building, a large two-story complex, surrounded entirely
\nby an elegant patio on the ground level, and a high-ceilinged deck atop that.<\/span><\/p>\nFrom where he crouched, Grim could
\nmake out six guards: two in the courtyard, two more by the front door, and the
\nlast two patrolled the balcony. Without a second thought, the assassin slipped
\ndown the wall on the inside of the villa and disappeared into the shadows cast
\nby the dying torches. Within moments, he was pulling himself up one of the
\nelegantly designed pillars that supported the second-story deck. At the top of
\nthe pillar the assassin waited, hanging from only his fingers, and bracing
\nhimself with his toes.<\/span><\/p>\nAfter several seconds, the first of
\nthe two guards on the deck passed above Grim. The guard was tired and likely
\nthinking of dawn, which was not far off, when he would be able to return to the
\ncomfort of his bed and finally get some sleep. The man marched passed without
\nsuspecting a thing.<\/span><\/p>\nWith little effort, Grim pulled
\nhimself up onto the deck and moved to open the window across from him. Locked<\/i>. Knowing he had less than a
\nminute before the other guard turned the corner, the assassin pulled out a
\nsmall pouch containing his lockpicking tools and deftly went to work. After
\nonly a few tense seconds, the lock clicked open and Grim slid through the window,
\nquietly closing it behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Orven
\nOgle sat alone behind his large oaken desk, playing a game of chess against
\nhimself in the light cast by the many candles that dotted his personal study.
\nThe room was covered with books, both old and new. They filled shelves all
\nalong the walls and even sat in piles on the floor. He was filled with many
\nregrets that night, but perhaps the greatest of all was the fact he would never
\nhave the chance to read all those books. To learn their secrets and envision
\nthe glorious tales their storied authors had to tell.<\/span><\/p>\nOrven was moving the white queen\u2019s
\nknight when he suddenly felt another presence in the room. He had heard
\nnothing, and when he looked out over his desk, he saw nothing, but he knew he
\nwas no longer alone. Swallowing his rising dread, he called out into the
\ndarkness, \u201cShow yourself, assassin. I know you are there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAs if Orven\u2019s words had summoned him
\nout of thin air, the assassin confidently strode forward into the light. Grim
\nwas a tall man, olive skinned and dark haired. He sported a full beard that
\nlooked to be meticulously maintained and well-trimmed. His hair, although long,
\nwas also well kept and hung down just past his jawline. The man\u2019s eyes were
\ndark gray and intimidating, and his facial features were strong and angular,
\nreminding Orven very much of a predator\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\nAll and all, the assassin struck quite
\na handsome figure, and somehow it put the nobleman at ease, knowing he wouldn\u2019t
\nbe butchered by some leering thug<\/i>
\nlooking to make a copper. This man was no thug. No, this was a true assassin<\/i>. One Orven knew well\u2014or
\nrather, knew of. The nobles called him Grim. He was distinguishable by his
\ntall, lean figure, and his unique black gauntlet and intricate sword.<\/span><\/p>\nOrven eyeballed that sword now. This
\nwas the weapon that would ultimately end his life unless the assassin had some
\nother method in mind. It was a long weapon, almost too long to be an assassin\u2019s
\nblade, but the hand-and-a-half sword fit the tall man well. Hanging diagonally
\nfrom his waist, it cleared the ground with several inches left to spare. It was
\nthe handle of that weapon that truly identified Orven\u2019s soon-to-be killer.<\/span><\/p>\nThe grip was long enough for the
\nassassin to hold with both hands and simple enough in design. The pommel at the
\nend of the hilt, however, was painstakingly carved into the figure of a wolf\u2019s
\nhead, and the crossguard was decorated with tiny reliefs telling the story of
\none of Harth\u2019s mightiest legions.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cMy lord,\u201d the assassin greeted. \u201cThe
\nhour is late. You should be in bed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHard to sleep knowing death courts
\nyou.\u201d Orven replied, almost chuckling at the hopelessness of it all.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cDeath courts us all, my friend,\u201d Grim
\nresponded, in a tone dripping with disinterest. He stalked toward one of the
\nbookshelves in the chamber and began sifting through the spines of the many
\nnovels housed there. \u201cThe key is to die of old age before it catches you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nOrven released a shaky sigh. \u201cI
\nsuppose that is an opportunity I won\u2019t be granted this night?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cNo,\u201d Grim admitted, finding a book
\nthat caught his interest. \u201cI\u2019m afraid not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nNodding in reservation, Orven asked,
\n\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nGlancing up from his book, Grim
\nreplied with mock surprise, \u201cMy lord, my loyalty cannot be bartered for. It
\nwould ruin my reputation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t mean to buy you out. I
\nhaven\u2019t the money left for it,\u201d Orven declared. \u201cI mean how much is he paying
\nyou, how much is my life worth<\/i>?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nGrim chuckled. \u201cSeventy gold coins, a
\nsmall fortune. Though<\/i>, the church is
\ninfamous for overspending their followers\u2019 hard-earned gold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cSeventy gold coins,\u201d Orven mused. \u201cIs
\nthat really all my life sums up to?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYes,\u201d Grim confirmed, placing the
\nbook back on the shelf and presenting Orven with his undivided attention. \u201cOr
\nat least, Father Bezind seems to think so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cTell me,\u201d the assassin continued.
\n\u201cAnd I know this is a bit unprofessional, but what does someone have to do to
\nmake a man so devout as Father Bezind want them dead?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI put out a hit on him first,\u201d Orven
\nadmitted. \u201cI nearly emptied the family vault to pay for some mercenaries from
\nthe Oval Islands to kill him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThis drew a raised eyebrow from Grim.
\n\u201cHiring men to kill members of the clergy, that is an interesting<\/i> way to spend your family\u2019s fortune\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nOrven\u2019s calm demeanor finally
\ndiminished, and he stood up, outraged. \u201cMembers of the clergy?\u201d the nobleman
\nscoffed. \u201cWhat a jest! They\u2019re liars and hypocrites, all of them. They take and
\ntake, until there\u2019s nothing left. Then they try to take more! And for what?
\nHope? The chance of a better afterlife? Unlikely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nOrven\u2019s sudden outburst had Grim on
\nedge, and he glanced toward the door, wondering who else might have heard the
\nangry nobleman. \u201cLower your voice, my lord, I implore you.\u201d The assassin
\nwhispered rather dangerously.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat does it matter?\u201d Orven smirked.
\n\u201cMy fate will not change. It seems I am to die regardless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThere are many different ways to
\ndie,\u201d Grim warned. \u201cSome much more painful than others. I get paid the same,
\neither way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nTaking the hint, Orven lowered himself
\nback down into his chair, glaring daggers at the assassin. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cObviously, the mercs failed,\u201d Grim
\ncontinued. \u201cEven a pompous fool like you should have anticipated that, so why
\ndo it? Why forfeit your life so knowingly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYou want to know why I did it?\u201d Orven
\nasked, his voice once again filling with rage. \u201cI did it because I had to. I
\ndid it, because that bastard<\/i> had to
\nbe made to pay for what he did to my little girl, Aleigh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat did he do to your girl?\u201d The
\nassassin asked, his demeanor suddenly darkening.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHe forced himself on her,\u201d Orven
\nsaid, through gritted teeth and teary eyes. \u201cHe forced himself on my little
\ngirl, five nights ago, when she was staying late at the cathedral for one of
\nher lessons. And this wasn\u2019t the first time. He\u2019s done\u2026 things to her before.
\nHe said it would help her be closer to Thondel. That it would secure our family
\na place in High Hathborn\u2014in the afterlife.\u201d He paused, holding back sobs. \u201cSo,
\nyou see, assassin, I did what I did, because I had no other choice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nGrim seemed very distant then, as if
\nhe was reliving an old memory, or was simply lost in thought. \u201cWe do what we
\nmust.\u201d the assassin finally declared. Slowly, he began drawing his
\nhand-and-a-half sword.<\/span><\/p>\nOrven finally broke into sobs and
\nlowered his head, defeated. Grim walked around the large wooden desk. He stood
\nbehind the nobleman and placed the tip of his blade on Orven\u2019s collar, just
\nabove the man\u2019s heart. The noble was prepared for death then in that moment,
\nbut the assassin hesitated and leaned down to whisper into Orven\u2019s ear, \u201cMay it
\ncomfort you, Orven Ogle, to know that Father Bezind is not long for this world
\neither.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe nobleman sucked in a shaky breath
\nbetween sobs and even managed a triumphant little smirk before Grim\u2019s sword
\nplunged down into his heart, killing him in an instant. The assassin stood
\nthere for a moment before removing his sword and wiping it clean on Orven\u2019s
\nfine pajamas. As he placed the sword back into its sheath, he heard a quiet
\nvoice from the door to the study.<\/span><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEiacyxaeXkzx4P_GRfi39uBNbzi2Cznxahf3WsQyxS0pkh6iiV1CtDB32xkoJ7qZgb67Q60ErrUYKoHcU0UA_yaPuOIoHg0PeLDuhypKd0oBpHkUGLcBb0n0FohmmFoVAxAmgvG09AeR0BFjh-6KpPjCCT8K-7vxX_nW1fzbmVOcwbRFQqH59cg42MUsJ_k\/s16000\/THE%20QUEEN'S%20REAPER.jpg\"\/)
<\/a><\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhp5UVgmrGugG_0Cpyje0rlQEEv0TVtNHe_vpARE5uMtAdp9O88BBTySPJeydFQDyoy2c87ZwynFeFmcmkb3_f6WehhHUC7IW4VPuVRJu_8SQvJ2ZnID_Fp4ZLN3f0VPnkMtXwo_sGQu7n3KpeGQxBHrqaOkr9Ee6mY9DrTOT72r4DAL1xxiIvwkbVUK415\/w266-h400\/The%20Queen's%20Reaper.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjFEjzvBA8xFQn1B1ldjNlOF789h2CrXQP9ZTTCPrRKurD4pAJnB6AaBotOiCSd_fXCLqzLCASnjG10EURJJP5jm6CdDF-Yq9qV5WM3FkWHEiOUQqinQ9FskBDfh-qn4xtuN7MW7fn8klVlGz6kVwS2H-nlXtkE3pYatRLQwhyqGPp5dJ8uQc3mpNAqGTun\/w640-h362\/3%20Books.png\")
<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n