by Jeff Gunzel
* * *
Soldiers filled The Bleeding Duck.
The captain of the guard talked to Vega in the corner while the other guards examined the bodies. “So there is nothing else you can tell us,” said the captain in a slow, even voice as he rubbed his chin. He was a very tall man with a thick blond mustache and long blond hair tied into a ponytail flowing from under his helmet. As with all the other soldiers, he wore the customary red eagle on his breastplate. His eyes darted around the room wildly as he waited for Vega to reply.
“I told you everything. There was a man in a black robe who did all of this, and I never saw his face. Apparently, it was the same guy reported by the guards at the front gate.” The barkeeper sounded annoyed at the same question being asked over and over again. Vega had had a long night and was in no mood for this.
“Well, if you think of anything else, let me know,” the captain said with one final look around the room. “By the way, we found the owner of that hand. His name was Will Kalak. His body was found near the edge of the forest. All we know about him is that he was also a sword for hire...like these guys,” he said with one final look over his shoulder. He and the other soldiers left with the three bodies in tow.
Vega knew the way of things, and figured the assassin to be long gone by now, so he felt no need to lie and cover anything up to protect him. He knew it was done, and the assassin had gotten away with it. Plus, he had no love for those leathers. Rumors had already reached his ears about some dark-hooded assassin who had been picking these guys off for weeks. Dealing with so many folk from other towns and comparing some of the rumors had convinced him the stories were probably true. He knew it was the same guy the second he walked into his tavern.
