Surface- Jagged Coast Region

Kingdom of Rolling Sands- Village of Thistle Wood

The Bloody Dagger Inn

As Alex landed and rolled to his feet he looked around with his Rogue's Eye. No Stealthed figures jumped out at him, but that did not mean they were not there. These people had played them well once, they could easily do it again if they wanted to. Alex moved forward under Stealth, slowly circling the inn that had recently been a battlefield. The others would be taking the cooling corpses out the back of the inn to dispose of them while Alex scouted the immediate area.

Fifteen minutes later, he found his target. He was waiting under a nearby tree watching as Brounom and the other burned the corpses of the dead. Alex snuck as close as he could before lashing out. Shadowbite severed one of the stealthed figures Achilles heel tendon. Blood sprayed as the assassin screamed in pain and lashed out with his knives, but Alex danced backward before moving forward pummeling the collapsing figure into unconsciousness.

Alex looked around and waited, no other figures came running and after a few moments, Alex slung the man over his shoulder and walked back towards the inn. Time to get some more answers.

The Innkeeper had been more than considerate after Alex had handed over fifty Gold to the bastard for damages to his inn and payment to use his storage space below his building for talking with the sole survivor of the uninvited guests. Alex had never interrogated someone before, but he had taken plenty of beating from his family and some of their associates over the years. He knew what hurt and what would incapacitate someone.

So far, the Assassin was silent, based on his equipment, he was not an Assassins Guild member, but it didn't mean he wasn't one. Alex flicked his hand and the throwing knife buried itself into the man's thighs causing him to grunt in pain. Alex studied the popup, the Assassin health was about one-third filled, and unless Alex hit something critical the Assassin would be fine. "I won't tell you anything." the man told him. Alex nodded his head and walked up to the man and pulled out another throwing knife from his inventory before cutting into the man's stomach causing more blood to seep out.

Alex looked at the man and shrugged before cutting him across the pecks and nicking one of his nipples causing him to scream for the first time. "Why don't you just let me start lopping off limbs?" Mozil asked as he stood in the corner.

Alex looked at him and shook his head indicating the Berserker could not. Yet. "Sorry, my companion is a little bloodthirst, Berserkers, what can you do? I tell him he needs to learn to control those urges, but then we get ambushed by a bunch of people and he falls off the wagon.' Alex told the Assassin as the blade moved to the other nipple and sliced into it causing another scream of pain. 'I should say something dastardly and evil, but I don't feel like it. So, whenever you are ready to start talking feel free and I will stop. You know what I want to know, just spill the beans." Alex told him as he continued to cut.

Thirty minutes later Alex emerged from the basement frustrated and annoyed. The guy was a blubbering mess and had not revealed much about why they were there. Eventually, the disgust of what he had been doing had gotten too Alex and he had just slit the man's throat before walking off. "Well?" Brounom asked as he joined them at a nearby table.

"Nothing, either he was trained or a true believer. He only gave up his name and the names of his team members. So either he didn't know anything, or he was protecting whoever sent them. He did have several tattoos on his body and from them I got either they were followers of Set or Apophis." Alex told the Paladin.

"Two of the Assassins were Immortals, so whoever sent them will know their team failed," Brounom told Alex causing the Shadow Stalker to frown.

"I think we need to leave the Kingdom of Rolling Sands for a while and hide out somewhere else while we continue to level up. Any suggestions?" Alex asked the others but before they could respond a Quest Notification popped up.

Guardian Quest Issued: Shadow War

Description: Since the Egyptian Pantheon has come into existence, Apophis has done his best to destroy his enemies. This conflict has spilled over onto the Mortal Races as well. The followers of Apophis and Set have been in a cold war with the followers of Osiris for some time. The Guardians of Osiris reemergence has heralded the possibility of this turning into an all-out Holy War between the two factions. A war Osiris's followers are ill-prepared for.

The followers of Apophis are few in numbers but well organized, hunt down their nearby leadership and you can stall their plans and allow High Priestess Ashana Sa'Arin time to organize the followers of Osiris. Go to the nearby Caves of the Forgotten, infiltrate their depths and kill the nearby leadership of the Cult of Apophis.

Time to Complete: 48 Hours

Success: Slay the local leadership of the Cult of Apophis before time runs out

Failure: Do not slay the local leadership of the Cult of Apophis within the Time Limit

Rewards: 2,000 Experience, Increased Reputation with the Priests of Osiris, Unknown

Note* Due to being a Guardian of Osiris, and the only one in existence, this Quest is compulsive.

"Well, that plan just went out the window. Apparently, I have duties to attend too nearby." Alex told the others as he finished reading the Quest description and relayed everything it said.

Mozil started cursing as Rol looked around worriedly. "If this could turn into a Holy War I have to report this to my people's leadership. The followers of Set and Apophis could target the Priests of the other Gods, not just Osiris."

Brounom frowned and nodded, "Do what you need too lass, I assume this quest you have to do alone?"

Alex read through the text one more time, "No, but I don't want to draw any more attention your guy's way. Head into the city and hide out with Rol's people and I will contact you when I am done." Alex told them as he started checking his equipment.

"Very well, we will see you in a few days. Do not die!" Brounom commanded him before gathering the others and moving off.

"Ok I will, I am going to head into the city at dawn, buy what supplies I need and think I need before heading out. I will contact you guys when I am done and we can get clear. Ok?" Alex asked and the others nodded quickly. With one last wave, Alex disappeared into the night.

Surface- Jagged Coast Region

Kingdom of Rolling Sands- Outside the Caves of the Forgotten

Alex studied the two guards, they were both level twenty but that didn't matter if they raised the alarm. From what Alex had determined, there were three ways in and out of the cave system, if the Cult of Apophis figured out he was here, the leadership could disappear. Alex studied the two men absently as he held Gutter and Shadowbite low too the ground and slightly behind him as he crept closer too his target, he would have to overwhelm these two quickly before they warned the inhabitants of the cave, but he could still dish out some serious damage with the Backstab Skill and multiplier.

Alex was finally in position and Shadowbite slammed forward into the back of the first guards' skull as he triggered Backstab. The man's health bar appeared and disappeared in a blink as he convulsed once and collapsed. Alex turned as the man was collapsing and triggered Shadow Step and appeared behind the other guard before he could shout and raise the alarm, Gutter slammed into the guard's throat as he triggered Shank while Shadowbite found the mans' nearest kidney. The dual blows caused the man to convulse in pain as his health bar appeared and quickly bleed out as Alex looked around for any unseen defenders, but no one appeared.

Alex quickly moved the two bodies of the small trail and looted them before dropping back into Stealth and moving forward. Alex followed the small path deeper into the rocks until he came to an opening, he quickly activated Rogue's Eye as he scanned his surroundings and the opening itself. Nothing popped out and he slid through the rocks and into the caves.

Alex quickly but cautiously moved through the tunnels of the caves with his Rogue's Eye active to boost his chance at detecting stealth figures and any traps. Nothing popped out, so Alex was assuming the Cult was depending on their sentries to give them warning of any attack. Suddenly Alex slowed as he heard a very quiet conversation. Alex shook his head in disgust, the sentries were giving themselves away, but it helped his cause.

These guards were staggered, but one was up on a small platform that had been molded from the rock itself. He would be the more difficult of the two, Alex would have to use Shadow Step to get to the sentry without being detected. The question was, could he do it without the other man detecting him...Alex smiled as his hands flexed around Shadowbite and Gutter as he moved forward.

Gutter slammed down through the eye socket of the sleeping cultest, the body jerked once and was still as he died. So far he had found and killed over a dozen sleeping forms, but the Quest had not updated so Alex assumed whatever leadership they had was still alive. Alex quickly moved out of the sleeping quarters as he dropped into Stealth and pulled Shadowbite from its sheath as he heard figures walking towards him from further in the cave system.

Less than a minute later two forms were moving closer, both wore leather armor and had odd daggers gripped in their hands glowing green. A tag popped up over each of them, Poison Fangs Level thirty-two, before disappearing again. So either trained soldiers of the Cult or Assassins of some sort of the Cult of Apophis. Either way, Alex could not push forward until they were dealt with. Then the worst happened.

BATTLE ALERT...

Stealth has failed due to Piercing VIsion

BATTLE ALERT...

Alex cursed he triggered Ambush before throwing himself forward at the two men. Both Poison Fangs reacted lightning-fast and sprung away from each other and Alex, but their maneuverability was limited due too the tunnels. Alex snarled as he continued his pursuit of one while doing his best to keep an eye on the other.