From the back of his mind, it registered to Vorian that Alyssa was
calling down to him, something to do with the kender being in
trouble. Oddly, the woman did not seem to be concerned so much as
being inconvenienced. Vorian sttod up quickly, his hand coming to
rest instinctively upon the hilt of his sword. Malakhi rose swiftly
with him and Xan closed his eyes momentarily, as though preparing
himself for the threat above. Kalesh pulled his blade out of the
sheath across his back and noted that it was glowing blue. With a
hiss, he threw his chair aside and charged up the stairs towards
Alyssa.

"What was that about?" Malakhi asked absently as he and Vorian
trudged up the stairs after their scaly companion, Xan trailing
behind slowly and calmly.

From across the street in a dank alleyway, the lone shadow continued
to watch the establishment with curiosity. He had not approached the
Inn as he had intended, instead focusing on another dark form
slithering up the side of the wall and slipping inside the broken
shutters. A faint squealing by his ear reminded him that it was
feeding time for his flying leathery companion. Drawing forth a
jeweled dagger, he pricked the tip of his ring finger until a bubble
of blood seeped out; he then let it run along the gutter of the
blade until it filled and then held it out to the bat like a feeding
trough. From his vantage point, the man could see a light come on in
the same room momentarily before it winked out. Then, there was a
flurry of commotion in the main room below. Silently he wondered if
Lheata had chosen to make her move now, or if she was waiting until
later as planned.

*********************************************************************

Much to the chagrin of the assassin, Foxpaw cried with glee when the
door slammed shut and his candle winked out. Outside, the kender
could hear shouts - particularly that of the enraged Kalesh as he
tried to open the door. It appeared to be sturdily built and was
likely reinforced with iron bars inside. Even the mighty slig would
be unable to barrel through those, Foxpaw noted. Without giving
another moment's thought to the other presence in the room, now
clearly visible in the moonlight flowing through the open shutters,
the kender moved over to the door, calling through it that he would
try to pick it open. It had been some time since Foxpaw had picked a
lock like this in the dark, and he was looking forward to it. His
eyes still not adjusted to the sudden darkness, Foxpaw fumbled for
his lockpicks.

*********************************************************************

Outside, Kalesh was ramming his shoulder into the door, startling
the other sleeping patrons in the inn and causing them to poke their
heads out into the hallway before quickly retreating back inside,
locking their doors and barring them with furniture against the
terrible reptilian form. Alyssa stood off to the side, picking up a
painting that had fallen off the wall during the slig's assault.
Vorian and Malakhi reached the top of the stairs and hastened to the
scene, wondering whether or not they should interrupt lest they be
attacked as well.

"I think I'll have this open in a moment," the kender called from
inside, but soon gave a shriek as there was a loud scraping sound
against the inside of the door. There was silence for a moment, and
Vorian thought the worst until he heard the kender's voice again,
taunting his foe.

Kalesh had redoubled his efforts to spring the door open as Xan
approached him, calmly laying a hand on his shoulder to gain his
attention. The slig turned on him, growling in a feral manner, and
Xan peered into the cold, reptilian eyes until reason returned to
them and Kalesh backed down.

"What do you sense, my friend?" Quai Chan asked the slig, curious as
to what had enraged the creature.

Breathing heavily from the adrenaline coursing through his veins,
the slig responded, "You have noticed my blade glow blue?" he stated
more than asked. "It will only do so when another of the wielder's
own race approaches with intent to kill him," he explained, then
added to clarify, "There is a slig assassin on the other side of
this door sent to kill me."

<Raist>