Shadow Guild

Kardo paced back and forth in the small room, his thoughts racing. He had been waiting for Lirien for what felt like hours, but it had only been a few minutes. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

The goddess had warned him about the danger he was in, and Kardo knew he needed to come up with a plan to get out of this predicament. He thought about his skills, wondering if he could use them to his advantage.

Kardo took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. He had always been good at keeping his cool in high-pressure situations, but this was different. He is in a foreign world, surrounded by unknown dangers, and he has no idea who to trust.

As he waited for Lirien, Kardo began to formulate a plan. He would try to pick the lock on the door and slip out unnoticed. If he could make it out of the building, he would use his agility to scale the walls and make his escape.

But if he was caught, he would have to rely on persuasion to talk his way out of trouble. And if that didn't work, he would have to use his dagger mastery to defend himself.

Kardo knew it was a risky plan, but he didn't have any other options. He couldn't just sit around and wait for someone to rescue him; he had to take matters into his own hands.

As he heard footsteps approaching, Kardo quickly stood up, ready to put his plan into action.

Lirien walked into the room with a tray of food, her eyes glancing at Kardo as he welcomed her. But then she noticed something different about him. There was a nervousness and apprehension that she hadn't seen before.

"Kardo, what's wrong?" Lirien asked, setting the tray down on the table.

Kardo hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell her the truth. But he knew he couldn't keep it hidden forever. "I know what you did," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lirien froze for a moment, her eyes widening. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I mean, I know you weren't sent to heal the owner of this body," Kardo replied, his eyes locking onto hers. "You were sent here to kill him."

Lirien's face paled, and she took a step back, as if realizing Kardo knew too much. "Who told you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kardo didn't answer. Instead, he got up from his seat and walked towards Lirien, his eyes never leaving hers. "It doesn't matter who told me," he said. "What matters is what you're going to do about it ."

Lirien laughed, surprising Kardo. "Well, you're a smart one, aren't you?" she said, grinning wickedly. "But you've only figured out part of the truth."

Kardo's eyes widened as Lirien's form shifted, revealing her true identity as a dark elf. He instinctively reached for his dagger, but Lirien held up a hand.

"Relax, Kardo," she said. "I'm not here to harm you. In fact, I think we could be very good partners."

Kardo raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Partners? What do you mean?"

Lirien leaned in closer, her voice low and conspiratorial. "I'm a member of the Shadow Guild, a group of rogue sorcerers and assassins who operate in secret. If you're telling me the truth, then that means my job here is finished. If Darian is dead and you're not him, I can let you go, or you can join us."

Kardo's mind raced as he considered her proposal. Could he really trust a dark elf who was also a sorcerer and assassin?

Kardo looked at Lirien with a mix of fear and anger in his eyes. "Why did you have to kill Darian?" he asked.

Lirien shrugged nonchalantly. "It was just business," she replied. "He was getting too close to the truth, and I couldn't risk him exposing me."

Kardo's fists clenched. "So you just killed him like it was nothing?"

Lirien's expression grew cold. "I'm a professional assassin, Kardo. Killing is what I do."

Kardo's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. He had stumbled into a dangerous game, and now he was a part of it whether he liked it or not. He took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts.

Kardo felt a wave of anger wash over him. He couldn't believe that someone would hire an assassin to kill an innocent person like Darian. "This is wrong. No one should have the power to take another person's life like this," he said firmly.

Lirien nodded in agreement. "I know, Kardo. But unfortunately, this is the reality of the world we live in. The strong prey on the weak, and the powerful hold all the cards. It is up to us to survive and make the best of what we have," she said.

Memories of his past life as a thief in Manila flooded his mind. He remembered how he used to steal from unsuspecting people on the streets, always careful not to harm anyone. He was street smart and always knew how to stay out of trouble.

But now he realized how naive he had been. His wrong judgments and actions had led to his death in his previous life, and he had been given a chance to start anew. He couldn't afford to make the same mistakes again.

Kardo sighed, feeling a sense of hopelessness creeping in. "What can I do now?" he asked.

Lirien placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a reassuring smile. "You can start by staying alive, Kardo. The Shadow Brotherhood is always watching, and they will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in their way," she said.

Kardo nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Lirien. He knew that he had to trust her if he wanted to survive in this dangerous world.

Kardo takes a deep breath and then looks up at Lirien with a serious expression. "Can you tell me more about the Shadow Guild?" he asks.

Lirien nods and takes a seat across from him. "The Shadow Guild is a secret organization that operates in the shadows. We are hired by various clients to do jobs that require discretion and skill," she explains.

Kardo paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before he finally asked, "So how can I join the Shadow Guild?"

Lirien raised an eyebrow in surprise, as if she hadn't expected Kardo to ask. "Well, I did offer to recruit you earlier," she said with a smirk. "But if you're serious about joining, there are a few things you need to know first."

Kardo nodded, eager to learn more.

"The Shadow Guild is a secret organization that operates in the shadows, as the name suggests," Lirien began. "We work for the highest bidder and take on jobs that require a certain level of skill and discretion. We're not some common band of thieves or cutthroats. We're professionals."

Kardo listened intently, already intrigued by the prospect of joining the guild.

"If you want to join us, you need to prove yourself first," Lirien continued. "Complete some jobs, show us your skills, and earn our trust. If you're good enough, we'll consider you for membership."

Kardo nodded again, determination in his eyes. "I'm in. What do I need to do first?"

Lirien handed him a small piece of paper with a few words scribbled on it. "Here's a job for you. Prove yourself with this, and we'll talk more about your future with the guild."

Kardo took the paper and looked at it. The job seemed simple enough, but he knew better than to underestimate any task given to him by the Shadow Guild.

Kardo scanned the task that Lirien had given him, his eyes narrowing as he read through the details. It seemed like a simple enough job, but he knew that nothing was ever as easy as it seemed.

The task involved stealing a valuable artifact from a wealthy merchant in a nearby town. Kardo had done his fair share of thievery in his past life, but he had never stolen anything quite like this before. He wondered if he was up to the task.

He looked up at Lirien, who was watching him with a curious expression. "This is what I have to do to prove myself?" he asked.

Lirien nodded. "Yes. We need to know that you have the skills and the nerve to carry out a job like this. Once you've completed it, we'll consider you for membership in the Shadow Guild."

Kardo nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. He knew that this could be his chance to start over and become someone new in this strange world he found himself in. But he also knew that failure was not an option.

"I'll do it," he said, folding up the piece of paper and tucking it into his pocket. "When do I leave?"

Lirien gave him a small smile. "Tomorrow night, the merchant will be attending a party in his mansion, so that will be your best chance to sneak in and take what we need."

Kardo nodded, feeling a surge of adrenaline at the thought of the challenge ahead. He knew that he would need to be at the top of his game to pull this off, but he was determined to prove himself to the Shadow Guild.