3 Chapter 3: Raven Gang

During the night, the city turns on for the nightlife. All along the city's main streets lamps light up the darkness. Filled with mana stones they cast enchanting colors across the city.

Soft hues of red, blue and green light up the darkness giving off a feeling of magic to the night. While in the city squares bands played music that whisked the crowds into merry fools.

The inns and bars open their doors causing a multitude of fragrances to rush into the streets. Strong aromas of freshly brewed hops and savory roasted food drift among the crowds.

From the brothels, scantily dressed women and men flood out to the streets. While the fools and swindlers come out to cause a stir in the festive night.

With the lights in the city's center bringing joy and merry mirth to the nightlife. The shadows creep further away to the alleyways and outskirts of the city where the slums and ghettos call home.

In the dark quiet places, the other inhabitants of the night crawl out to play.

Thieves, murderers, and gangs stretch their bodies as they spread out just beyond the lights reach.

Ensuring to stay out the city's guards sight as they wait for their preys to come into their open arms.

In one forgotten building, a group garbed in black gear whispered their plans for the night.

Far in the back of the building off in one of the side rooms, Trey slipped the last pieces of his gear on. Looking in the mirror that leaned against his wall, Trey took a deep breath as he looked at his reflection in the dim light from the moon. Staring back at him was an ageless face all to familiar and yet not.

'How many years has it been?' thought Trey as he released his breath.

Fifty years have passed since he died. Fifty years of struggling to survive on a system so screwed that he missed his life in a world that he thought was tailored to only the rich.

After dying and going to a new place, a place that his people thought would give one happiness and rest. Trey learned death is no escape from the hardships that the destitute struggle within their life. No, it's a world that only strengthens that. No rest for the wary...well, only if you want to cease to exist that is.

"Maybe it's time to fade away?" mumbled the gang leader.

Knock...knock.

"Hey, boss! You about ready? Everyone is starting to get antsy to get on with the heist," yelled Trey's trusty henchman Rico.

Swinging the door open Trey looks at Rico in the eye with a bored look, "Bah, let them dance a little. Fuck, the noobs have yet to even start to dream." with a yawn Trey stepped passed Rico as strolled toward the main room with a lazy gait.

Drawing closer to the main room, Trey could hear his gang leaders as they start to grow aggravated. Slowing his steps, Trey quietly approaches while listening to his group's discussion.

"Waargghhz whatz taken cap so longz?" growled Vlorg.

From the hall, Trey reached out a hand to Rico to ensure he stayed quiet.

"Oh shut up, you dumb mutt! You know boss likes to take his sweet time and check himself out before each raid. Thinks himself some real looker, always gots to look his best in his fancy Notrak gear. Bloody dwarves make some great stuff, but who cares. We ain't running a fashion show here." Shouted Trey's intelligence officer Weasel.

With his giant tusks reaching to the sky, Vlorg puffed out a hot deep breath as he growled at Weasel. "Bezt watch yerz self. I'z ain't in no mood andz I'z might juzt relieve youz of yourz perty little headz." Glaring at Weasel until the willowy man broke gaze first, Vlorg huffed in annoyance at the spineless thing called a man.

Across the table next to the one empty seat sat a dark elf. She was dressed in tight dark brown leather gear that hung to her body. Insinuating her moderate sized mountain tops along with her slim waist and thick hips.

Albino skin that was as gorgeous as it was cold caused the dark elf's beauty to deepen. In contrast, her deep violet eyes glowed with a warm but dangerous light.

"Boys... boys... boys, settle down else you might say something you would regret. Isn't that right captain?" purred the second in command Elilne a beautiful but deadly woman.

Hearing the dark elf's words, the rest of the officers shut up and all stood as Trey entered with his lazy gait.

"Ahh every time Elilne, you always ruin my fun." yawned Trey in false annoyance.

He knew he was found out by her with sharp hearing as soon as he drew within fifty meters of her. Though, he wished she would let him have his fun once in a while.

Though his officer of the brute force squad Vlorg should have heard him too with his orc hearing. The dumb brute barely ever paid attention to the small things. It was a testament to his luck he had not bit the dust in this world yet.

Taking his seat with Rico off to the side and behind him, Trey looked at his five officers. Elilne was his second in command and in charge of the Silent Reapers. Vlorg led the Berserker Typhoons. Then there was Weasel who was in charge of the Cryptic Stalkers. Sly demons able to learn anything and everything about a target.

Next to Weasel sat his trusty brother in arms Aero, with his sticky fingers that led the Empty Pockets squad. Last but not least was Rina. The other vixen of the group with her fiery red hair and gigantic chest that screamed to be pillows for Trey. She led his most powerful group Mystic Skulls filled with mages.

It took him many years to make a place he could call his own with a new family he could rely on. These were the reasons he chose not to give up on life. Them and the fact that running one of the larger gangs caused him to no longer struggle as he did before.

"Alright, you degenerates. I won't keep you all waiting anymore, we have fresh pups on the menu tonight." looking towards Weasel he asked, "What is the new total now since the new arrivals showed?"

"Yes, boss. From what we gathered, a hundred arrived today to the east lodging. This makes the new count go up to three thousand and forty-three unsuspecting fat lambs ready for the taking." Replied Weasel with a cackle.

With the numbers announced, the eyes around the table lit up with greed. Every few months the Ravens gang would set out to rob the new little twerps of their free soul gems. With a total in the thousands along with possible new slaves, they were going to make off like a king in the night.

The moon lit the world from the highest point in the sky bringing with it the deep quiet of the night. Hours passed since the nightlife found their way to their beds casting the city in a blanket of shadows. Only the guards were there to keep the evil hearts at bay, mostly that is.

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As the new arrivals tossed and turned with their fit of dreams or nightmares. The Ravens crept closer to their targets making sure not to alert the guards or the old man who ran the inn. A scary fool he was, one not to be messed with that was for sure.

This was a job meant only to rob some soul gems from easy victims, no killing or fighting. The only other agreed upon activity was to grab some pretties for the gang, boys and girls for those who desired them.

Silently, the more than three hundred dark robed specters ghosted through the cots as quiet as mice. Grabbing soul gems here and there and the occasional girly or boy toy was gaged and snuck out.

An hour passed in the silent night while the Ravens played their thieving game of finder's keeper when the silence broke with a roar.

"Shit!" cursed Trey before dashing towards the noise. He remembered that was where his second had headed off towards only moments before.