A Warrior's Redemption (The Warrior Kind)

I shook my head slowly in denial, "I don't think I'm the man for the job Sebastian. You're asking for a lot more than I think I'm capable of."

Sebastian smiled, "Which is precisely why you probably are the best man for the job. The Creator loves a humble heart Roric and if our people are to continue on it will take an act of the Creator to do so and people who know that they don't have all the answers and that instead look to the Creator for their help in time of need rather than themselves. You'll do just fine. Now back to the matter at hand. I have one more intelligence report to gather before you're off on your way back to the Valley Lands."

"You're staying? Surely there's no reason for you to stay here any longer! Why don't you come with me?"

Sebastian looked reflective, "Two reasons, one is that I would slow you down for you will need to move quickly if you are to escape. I also fear that the enemy may have become aware of my involvement in spying on them and I do not wish to pose a risk to your escape because of my notoriety."

"Why do you think that you have been found out?"

Sebastian quickly corrected, "Might have been, I'm not sure yet. A courier that we bribed in order to gain access to the letters he carried was replaced unexpectedly with another courier. We cannot find any clues as to the whereabouts of the old courier and his replacement seemed to cave in to easily in our attempts to bribe him. We had arranged to meet at a certain location, but I withdrew from the meeting place before it was time for us to meet, some sixth sense of mine I suppose. I sent a third party in my place that knew nothing of my involvement and the courier himself had never actually seen me either so he did not know that he was not meeting with me."

"It was a trap?"

"Yes it was. Most disturbingly was who was involved in the deception. The Zoarinians have a secretive sect in their higher ranks of hierarchy that oversee the most intimate affairs of the empire, including the actions and private lives of the governors themselves. They are very cunning and I have been told quite evil."

Interrupting him I said, "I think I know of who you're talking about. Are there many of them?"

"Nobody knows, but whenever they are involved its serious business. I have kept a low profile throughout most of my spying career, ever careful to never reveal too much at any one time as to my involvement in the spying community, but as of late I've had to take some risks, which men of their cunning could possibly piece together given enough time."