Setting the board Pt 1.

Vinncent quickly found himself back at the intersection where he had left the sleeping Llorva. While the fire had died down to a pile of coals it still provided enough light to highlight her exposed skin in the dark mine. Looking at her under the effects of the light she looked like a jewel gently nestled against the wall. Unwilling to risk waking her Vinncent gingerly walked toward the entrance to the mine. Once a far enough distance away he began to move quickly toward the entrance. Sticking to the walls in a low prowl and just barely stuck his head out to check the corners of intersections. Nearing the entrance Vinncent slowed to a snail's pace to better notice any unusual movement. At the final turn he moved so slowly that his movements were nearly imperceivable. When he was able to see around the corner he couldn't decide if he liked what he saw.

In the gap of the broken boards the outline of a figure was illuminated by the moonlight. Its tall bulky body blocked most of the space between the boards. Vinncent knew it was an orc, but he couldn't quite make out the face to see if it was looking into the woods or into the tunnel. Soon he got his answer, a rustling sound from the forest caught the orc's attention and caused it to turn its head to look. The moon light made the side of the orcs head visible as it looked for the source of the noise. Just as Vinncent had feared the orc had been looking into the mine. If it saw him or not, he didn't know but, seeing an opportunity as the orc was distracted, he started pulling back into the mine.

Backing up slowly, Vinncent moved toward the previous intersection while keeping his eyes fixed on the tunnel ahead. Eventually he rounded the corner and with no sign of the orc in the previous intersection Vinncent turned and quickly crawled toward Llorvas location. Occasionally he looked over his shoulder to see if the tunnel was still clear. Reaching the corner of the last intersection he changed into his human form and tip-toed toward the sleeping Llorva. Crouching down in front of her he gently shook her shoulder.

"Llorva! Llorva wake up! We need to go now!" Vinncent eagerly whispered as he kept looking over his shoulders

"Wha- what's wrong?" Llorva groggily asked

"There was an orc at the entrance to the mine! I don't think that it's safe to stay here anymore."

"Then why don't we move down to a lower level?" Llorva asked confused

Vinncent shook his head before answering

"They might try to access the lower levels to see if they can find what caused the broken entrance. I would rather not risk the chance that they do a thorough search and find us. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I suppose now is as good a time as any to fulfill the rest of my deal with Kali. In the meantime, I think it would be best if we get you back to the hollow that we hid in two days ago."

"Wouldn't it be safer at the tavern back in the city? As far as we know the Eloyt family has called additional troops from their personal army to find you. Although you may have lost them in the forest after you killed the guards, that is the first place they are going to look and might set up a camp in the area."

Vinncent fell silent as he thought over Llorva's reasoning. She was almost certainly right about forest being the search area for the guards and the Eloyt's. However, could he trust the tavern owner to protect Llorva while he got Kali and her hive settled in the mine. Vinncent shook his head and sighed before he looked at Llorva.

"If you don't want to go to the hollow, I Won't force you. But are you sure that you can trust the innkeeper and his son?"

"Seeing as you have tasked his father to help you go against the church that he once fought for and risk the lives of him and his family I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt. Wouldn't you think that's appropriate considering the circumstances?"

Finding few flaws in her logic Vinncent could only begrudgingly agree.

"Very well but if this backfires, don't expect me to let you live it down."

Vinncent looked at Llorva as a portal opened behind him.

"I don't expect you to do anything besides. Although should it go seamlessly like I think, you're taking me shopping and you're buying everything I want." Llorva gave a mischievous smile as she briskly walked through the portal.

"Why do I feel like there's a small yet oh so important detail that she is leaving out." Vinncent muttered under his breath as he followed behind her into the portal to Arcadia.

(A.N. Name of the world/ dimension where Vinncent first spread his wings.)

Stepping through the portal into Arcadia he saw Llorva standing among the tall grass looking towards him. As the portal closed Vinncent opened another leading into an abandoned alleyway in Heustead.

"Are you going to elaborate on this bet of yours?"

"Nope. I'll explain when I inevitably win."

Llorva again quickly went through the portal leaving him behind in the gently swaying grassland. Vinncent took four steps and emerged in the alley. Garbage, some disheveled boxes and rubble littered the alley, the buildings on either side were falling apart and any visible doors or windows were haphazardly boarded up or in extremely poor condition. Llorva was once again waiting for him and had decided to gently sit on one of the nearby crates.

"Look if you want to evade answering my questions that's alright but please don't sit on those crates, I don't think even the boss knows how dirty those crates are."

"Relax, I made sure to clean off the dust and I'm sitting on the corner. It's not going to break."

"Let's get moving, I've gotta ask the innkeeper some questions and I would rather our interaction be as quick as possible." Vinncent said as he began to walk out of the alleyway.

"How far away did you put us from the inn?"

"Not very far, it's just a dozen or so blocks away. I had to ensure that we would come out into an unoccupied area, and I can't say for certain that would happen if we were deeper in the town. I also didn't want to bother waiting in that line to get in and rouse suspicion by re-entering the city after not leaving."

Llorva followed close behind as she listened to Vinncents explanation.

"Aren't you a little too cautious about all of this? I can understand not taking us farther inside the town. But would anyone notice if you hadn't left. How many people do you think go through the town's gates daily and how many more exit from different gates than those they entered."

"I may be overly cautious, possibly even a little insane. But hear this, if I can maintain an advantage no matter how small I shall maintain it should it not be high of cost. I shall bring a war that shall shake this world's very foundation. Armies will be shattered and nations shall burn all so that the people of this world shall learn. No man nor woman is less or more than the other. For every day the sun shall rise and every day the sun shall set even after the day of their final breath. I will succeed at my sacred mission no matter the blood that must be shed!" Vinncent had his right hand made into a fist and was looking at it intensely.

Llorva looked at Vinncent with incredible concern but said nothing instead she kept pace alongside him.

Silently they walked to the tavern, passing through sparsely populated streets and past vacant alley ways. Llorva enjoyed the quiet and serene environment of the town under the moonlight during the walk and upon reaching the tavern was sad that it was over.

Gently pushing aside the front door Vinncent walked inside to a nearly abandoned bar with only a bartender that he hadn't seen previously and a ragged looking man with a glass of water and an empty plate. Stepping aside, Vinncent held open the door for Llorva as the bartender noticed the duo.

"Evening! You folks looking for a room?"

"Yes, we are. I was also wondering if I could talk with the owner if that was alright?" Vinncent replied as he closed the door behind Llorva.

"The room will be three copper coins. As for talking to the boss you're out of luck he's retired for the night."

"I see, that's rather unfortunate as I had something pressing, I would have liked to discuss with him. However, I suppose it will have to wait until tomorrow."

"You still have the coins, right?" Vinncent asked Llorva unsure as to their location.

"Yeah, I picked them up when I got breakfast." Llorva responded as she walked to the bar and handed a silver coin to the bar keeper.

Taking the coin, the bar keeper walked into the kitchen and later returned with a small bag. Stopping by the cabinet at the end of the bar he also grabbed a key with a bear claw tied to it and brought them both to Llorva.

"Here is your change and your room will be four doors down on the left." The man said pointing to the stairs.

Vinncent and Llorva both thanked the man before they walked upstairs to their room. Once at the door Llorva unlocked it with the key and walked inside followed by Vinncent who closed and locked it upon entering.

"Alright I will likely be gone for the rest of the night and maybe even part of the morning. If you can, I want you to explain to the owner that circumstances have changed. I have to advance my plan quicker than anticipated. Tell him that he needs to warn everyone away from the abandoned mine and that it has fallen under a curse due to the disturbance of a tomb hidden far below the surface."

"Has it really fallen under a curse?!" Llorva asked surprised to which Vinncent wobbled his hand.

"The curse is no longer present but there was a tomb of some large animal and a couple of skeletons that were in a state I couldn't make sense of on the bottom floor. Although the curse is just a cover, I want Kali and her hive to move into the mine and don't want innocent people getting killed."

"What about the orc's won't they pose a problem? Also, who is Kali?"

"After tonight those orcs won't ever again see the light of day and Kali is a nice demon like the one I use who I 'might' introduce you too later. Strong emphasis on might."

"Is she that bad?" Llorva asked concerned.

"Maybe, she is kind of hard to read but I am sure I can trust her. I just don't know to what extent."

"Will you be careful then? Because this could be a massive mistake."

"I will be, have a little faith after all I am an angel!" Vinncent said with a smile as a portal opened by the door.

Shaking her head and groaning Llorva gave Vinncent a dull look and shooed him away with her hands.

"Get out of here with your terrible jokes and come back when you've gotten them out of your system." Llorva scolded

"Yes ma'am" Vinncent said with a salute and a goofy grin before walking through the portal.

Once the portal closed Llorva sat on a bed and chuckled.

"God, only you could be such a loveable dumb ass Vinncent."