Dealing with the Devil

"You know the shadows, don’t you?”

Majvoc had been silent until now. There was something about that clown, the Harlequin, that made Majvoc's skin crawl. A chill had crept up his spine and sat on his nerves like a cold claw.

Majvoc remembered that face - remembered the smile. On the field of battle, through the smokes of the fog of war, that face had loomed out at him. And it made Majvoc feel... good. That sense of power the clown had among the dying helpless of that day, the frail and fragile human body overshadowed by the body of a God.

Have I finally found him?

'Shadows?' asked Majvoc, finally coming to his senses and addressing Luna for the first time. 'You mean those weird dark things in the corners of rooms?'

'No,' said Luna, 'And I think you know what shadows I mean.'

'Yes,' admitted Majvoc, 'Perhaps I do.'

'Oh do tell,' said Harlequin, rolling his eyes and leaning against a post of the tavern, 'We are all dying to hear it.'

'Jlarfjord,' said Majvoc, and the name alone seemed to be enough to instil a sense sorrow in Balar and Tiella.

'I never heard of that town?' said Luna, confused.

'No, I suppose you might never have done,' said Majvoc, 'But it was the bloodiest battle on record. And I was on the front lines.' Majvoc raised nodded in the direction of Harlequin. 'And so was he. Wrapped in shadows, strolling through the battlefield, and nearly all who even dared to look at him died.'

'Nearly?' asked Luna.

Majvoc looked eyes with Luna, the storm of memories playing out behind them. 'Nearly.'

'I had no idea you were at Jlarfjord,' growled Balar.

'Neither did I,' sighed Harlequin, 'You have such quaint names for such drab locations.'

'Okay,' said Majvoc.

There was a silence in the room.

'Okay?' asked Harlequin, 'Okay what?'

'What's your offer?'

'Okay!' roared Harlequin, 'Now we are talking! How does enough riches to quench that greedy soul of yours?'

Majvoc strode up to Harlequin and leaned into his ear, whispering something just softly enough for Luna, Balar and Tiella to not hear it.

Harlequin smiled a wide smile. 'You are a greedy, greedy boy, little thief. That's a done deal!'

'That's it settled then,' said Majvoc, throwing the bow over his shoulder, 'When do we head out?'

<<OOC - I sent you an email, Largehobbit, just in case you didn't get it.>>