A set of poniards appeared in Viper's hands as he leaped toward his smaller opponent, bent on sinking both weapons into him. Gord blocked the thrusting points with his shortsword and sank his own dagger deep into Viper's thigh as the two combatants wheeled and spun round an invisible center point One of the twin blades sliced through Gord's leather jerkin but was stopped short by his shirt of eliin chain. All the while, a small, ugly little creature that had appeared but moments before clapped and cheered, laughed and jeered, as the pair fought for their lives.
Both foemen moved back to catch their breath.
Now Gord was silent, but Viper was angered by the presence and commotion of an unwanted spectator. 'Shut your foul little mouth, quasidemon, and assist me in killing this man!'
The little fiend laughed raucously at that. 'Can't handle him by yourself, big-mouth turdhead? Sorry, but fighting isn't our deal. Beat him yourself or die, chump.'
'You'll not get your prize that way,' the bleeding assassin gasped.
'Who cares?' the creature japed in reply, 'I got you then.'
Gord didn't wait to hear any more. He moved into another attack, lunging out to skewer the tall killer with a straight thrust. His point barely grazed the fellow, however. Viper was quick and a superb fighter. Both of his poniards flew at Gord. and then the assassin hurled down a vial that he had drawn from inside his tunic. When the glass struck the floor it exploded, and a cloud of thick, vile-smelling smoke hissed up and filled the room.
'What the hells!' Gord swung his sword through the cloud of smoke blindly, but the effort was useless. There was noise from the room beyond. Viper was escaping through the window in his bed chamber! The young thief sprang after the escaping assassin and arrived in time to see him disappear through the opening. Gord knew that Viper was easily capable of climbing down and escaping before Gord could prevent it. He looked out and down anyway. Perhaps he could use sword or dagger to bring the damned killer to his doom.
Viper was already about five feet down the wall and moving with assurance. Then an ugly little creature appeared and sat atop the assassin's head.
'Where's my talisman?' Gord heard the thing demand.
'Get the hells off my head!' Viper managed to scream. That was all he could do, for his hands were busy holding on for dear life. The little monster must have weighed a lot.
'Give me the talisman or else forfeit your contract.' the thing replied.
'Putter you and the amber too!' Viper shrieked. 'You didn't help me!'
'Sure did! You were warned, and you got the nine wererats I promised. Sorry, but you have to forfeit. .'
'What are you talking about, quasidemon? There was nothing in that deal about forfeit!'
'Sure there was, only it was written in small print. You probably didn't notice it.'
'Don't give me that dung.' the assassin managed to say as he tried to continue his descent. 'Demons aren't smart enough to put in that sort of stuff.'
The little thing began to do a jig atop Viper's head. 'Oh, yeah. That's the other part I forgot to mention. I'm not really a quasidemon after all — how could you have thought I was when you saw me as a rat and I brought wererats to you? I am an imp, after all!' With that, the foul little creature began lashing its barb-tipped tail downward. The appendage struck at Viper's face, lacerating his cheek, forehead, and chin before it sank deeply into the assassin's eye. 'Gotcha!' cackled the imp.
There was a long, terrible shriek that ended only when Viper's body struck the cobblestones below with a meaty thump. Of the imp there was no sign at all.
Gord stood staring down. What had just transpired was so terrible as to have frozen him in horror. Then he remembered about the saber-tooth! He sprang around, bringing up his sword. The massive cat was there, not six feet away, eyes fixed on him, small tail twitching. Useless or not, Gord brought his sword and dagger to the ready. The monster wavered and changed before the young man's startled eyes!
'Sheathe your weapons, Blackcat.' a large-muscled man with flowing yellow hair said. 'Someday, perhaps, you and I will meet under less constrained conditions — and then will we test our strengths and skills. Until then, we have no quarrel.'
'No? No, I should think not, for you have saved my life. Just who, or what, are you?'
'One sent by Rexfelis to aid you, and so have I done.'
'In truth, sir, in truth! How could he have known I would need help?'
'Who can say what the Lord of Cats knows? Or why he cares to do what he does?' the big man said with a rumble. 'Give over now the talisman of amber the one containing the purple spider, as payment for Rexfelis' aid, and I will leave you.'
'The talisman? Payment?'
What is free in life, brother?'
Gord sighed and turned away in resignation. He had dealt with the Catlord before, and he knew the futility of argument or trying to bargain. 'Here,' Gord said, handing the hemisphere of petrified resin to the strange man who could assume the shape of a saber-toothed tiger. 'You have the payment, and tell Lord Rexfelis that with it come my thanks and regards.'
The man turned and left without a word. Gord didn't care. He felt drained, exhausted, and there was yet much to do this very night. In a few minutes the men of the watch would be around to inquire as to what had occurred. When they arrived, he must be well away. It took only a minute to gather up his gold and a few necessary items. Then Gord was away into the darkness of Greyhawk. It would be a long time before the city was troubled by Blackcat again.
The next day Lord Mayor Gasgol had a full report of the incident in the Craftsmen's Ward. Viper's demise was a mixed blessing, but what of the thief? Gasgol's personal repute was on the line, yet he had no minion to serve him now. Word had reached the Thieves Guild of the previous night's happenings, and Arentol had put two and two together. 'Have you succeeded in eliminating the rogue, lordship?' the guildmaster inquired.
'Of course, my dear fellow, of course.' Gasgol avoided the guildmaster's gaze as long as possible as the conversation went on. Finally, after trying to fend off several pointed queries, the lord mayor said airily, 'How could I fail?' And as he so stated, he looked at Arentol, challenging him to continue the discussion.
Then Nerof Gasgol saw the look in the eyes of the oligarch and master of thieves. Trouble of the worst sort was brewing in the mind of the man. 'Indeed, sir,' said Arentol, 'you cannot fail — as all will know when Blackcat's head is high above the gates of the Citadel, just as you said it would be.'
Gasgol was ready with a response to that. 'I've had some time to think about that, and I fear that such a display could be disturbing to the populace. After all, the man was high in our circles.'
'Whatman?'
'Why, Blackcat, of course! I think it best if you and I keep this whole affair between us, dear guild-master. We have no need to upset the other oligarchs or the citizens of Greyhawk. By way of my gratitude for your cooperation, I shall end the strictures upon your guild this very day.'
'There is more, lordship. What of the losses we have suffered because of your orders? And there is the loss of face to be considered, too,' Arentol said softly, his tone almost honeyed.
Gasgol shifted uneasily in his chair and grumbled. This seemed very much like extortion to him — and he, of all people, should recognize extortion when he saw it. A lengthy bargaining session commenced, and in the end it was agreed that certain substantial sums would be transferred from the lord mayor's exchequer to the treasury of the Thieves Guild. Records were altered and the matter closed.
'An agreeable conclusion, don't you think, dear cousin?' Arentol said heartily as he slapped the lord mayor on the shoulder in comradely fashion. Nerof Gasgol winced, scowled, but nodded in concurrence before he stumped out.
Rumors circulated in the city, of course. It was whispered that the rogue calling himself Blackcat had been none other than Viper. It was said that the master of the Thieves Guild had devised a clever trap for the man, and the lord mayor had wisely agreed to the ploy. Thus, Viper had been brought to justice and once again all was well within the city.
Gord was among those who heard the tale, naturally. He applauded it and told it to others as often as possible. Any reappearance of Blackcat in the future would certainly be a matter for the innermost circles of Greyhawk. and never again would there be a reward offered for the offending rogue. After all, the lord mayor and the guildmaster of thieves had both personally accounted for the man. Ever afterward in the city, Blackcat was dead.
