Outside of web of minds

He had worked out the collection of runes he’d need for the first doll, easy enough being a copy of another work, and solid progress was being made for the second, when his landlord, Imaya called up to him, saying he had a visitor.

Zorian frowned, face setting into a hard line. He didn’t have any meetings planned for the evening. He sent out a pulse trying to get a read on whoever was out there, but couldn’t catch anything. Well, it couldn’t take up that much time, he thought to himself. He’d go down and chec-.

He stiffened, almost painfully as he ran through what just happened in his mind. He had sent out a pulse, and nothing had responed. Zorian’s pulse quickened as he tried to calmly make his way down to the landing.

This was the worst possible situation he could have run into. An unknown, one who knew who to remove themselves from the web of minds, one who had at least some skill as an assassin, was in his house. While Zorian himself was likely in little danger, if that killer new any necromancy, he could say good-bye to his sister for however many years it took him to escape.

As he walked into the dining room an inconspicuous man was sitting at the table, chatting quietly with Imaya. Upon seeing Zorian, he turned towards him.

“Hello there. I hope I don’t take too much time, though I think you might have plenty of that.” Innocent words, but the knowing look in the man’s eyes were a cold comfort.

Even standing in front of him, straining his mental sense, he couldn’t detect a thing. Charging enough mana to blast this side of the house to nothing, Zorian gingerly sat across from the stranger. “I always make time for guests. What do you want?”

As Imaya clucked at his rudeness in the kitchen, the man slowly placed an orb on the table top. “I want to offer you a deal. My name is Phane, and I work in entertainment. I think you might be perfect for my next show.”

***

Sign ups, Season 6, Talvasha