The Thief of Alvera

Curiosity bests your other feelings. You cautiously pick up the leather bag you carry all the time and follow the man, becoming one with the surrounding darkness.

The man turns his head back often, he seems really scared. You notice that masked amongst his panting is his low, scared sobbing. You suddenly feel pity for the man, he is obviously in a very bad state of mind. He soon begins to run, stumbling often. He runs blindly into the narrow alleys and lanes of the seedier part of the town. You barely manage to keep up with him. For such a weak and small body, the man has amazing stamina. But then, fear does strange things to people.

The man halts before a narrow gutter, leaning his exhausted body on a dirty tar-coated wall. The man is puffing and panting. His body has given up. The man slumps down against the wall, his body partly danging over the gutter. He glances at the object in his hands and sobs.

You hide among the shadows of a narrow, crooked alley, which gave you a very clear view of the man. Suddenly the man stiffens and makes a strangling noise. You hasten to his side. You are scared by the whole situation, but your conscience bests your fear.

"Are you alright?", you ask the man.

The man takes your hand in his and places the blue object - a fair sized gem, dangling one a heavy, ornate gold chain, in your hand and closes your fist. His hands are shaking, sweaty and cold.

"Take this to...Merloch..of..of Tyranop.", he says betwen puffs," and...and...tell him Reld gave it to you".

Those are his last words. A moment after uttering those words, the man's body goes stiff and falls limply into the gutter.

You are left with the wierd piece of jewellery and an even more wierd message in a dark lane, alone beside a corpse.

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