Mission:
Charged with the job of assassinating Cusim, Lacroon went about his business alone. There was no one you could trust on a task such as this, he thought, gliding away from the Emperor’s quarters. No one but oneself, that is.

Glancing up at the night sky over the Island of Sampetra, he noticed that there was very little left of the summer moon. Tomorrow it would be new, and there would be no light to guide Cusim on his final trek, to Dark Forest’s gates.

Cusim the Conqueror, as many of the searats called him, was not difficult to find. When Lacroon entered the barracks, the first thing he noticed was the old windbag, surrounded by his legion of followers, telling another tale of his outrageous exploits.

“And, and, mates, y’knows what I says? I says, t’ the weasel, I says, ‘See y’ like fish, eh? Hahaar, hahaha!” he shouted the punchline. The crowd broke into unbridled merriment, tears flowing and guts wrenching, while their new leader took another draught of grog. “Oh, er, hullo there Lacroon, come fer another tale o’ mine?” asked Cusim, taken aback slightly at the sudden appearance of the polecat, as if from nowhere.

“Actually, no, but don’t let me interrupt you, Cusim, there’s just a slight manner of business to discuss. The Emperors business,” purred Lacroon, smiling in such a manner as to show off his rows of deadly fangs.

“Ain’t I the emp’ror now? Haharr, no but anyways, mateys, I’ll be right back now, have some grog y’all!” cried the corsair as he shifted from his seat and moved toward Lacroon at the door.

The two went out, closing the large door behind him, Lacroon motioned for Cusim to follow him a few paces off.

“What’s this aboot, mate? I was ’avin’ fun in there!” asked the searat groggily.

“Do not call me your mate. Emperor Ublaz wishes us to venture to the east point of the isle, for a ship to come in. He wishes us to travel there tomorrow, that is all I know.”

“But what does ’is ’ighnesh want wit a ship o’er there? Ain’t he got ’nuff already?”

“It is not for us to question his mightiness, only to obey. Shall I tell the Emperor that you will not obey his command?” Lacroon asked innocently.

“Ha, the ol’ windbag, why I could take ’im down a notch or three, hehe! But, no I’ll come with ya, matey.” The old corsair grinned and headed back to the barracks. You do that, toadbrain, you do that, thought Lacroon, slinking into the night.

“There it is, the cliff!” shouted Cusim, dashing ahead of his “partner.” This would be easier than Lacroon had first thought. Following Cusim, he walked the edge of a steep cliff, and looked down at the faraway shoreline, littered with giant boulders.

“Look out there, see the Death Gates?” asked Lacroon, sneaking up behind Cusim.

“Hey, wait a moment, I don’t see no shipper out ’ere--oops!” the heavy rat dropped like a stone, crashing a moment later into the largest of rocks on the tideline. Lacroon went about unrolling Cusim’s blanket roll and setting up an old canvas sail like a tent. By the time he was finished, it would look exactly like Cusim had rolled off the edge of the cliff in his sleep, and Lacroon would run back to camp that night innocently to spread the news.

And no one would be the wiser...