Plague Spreading Prologue

Prologue - Quick Deal/Quick Cigarette
“Don’t say a word” Saphrina murmured to the two cloaked figures behind her as she eyed the darkening clearing just beyond the foliage she cloaked herself in. Saphrina turned her gaze to the two acolytes that stared enthralled at the clearing. She gave them both a look of warning and silently looked back at the clearing. A single tree stood in the middle of the snow covered ground, and shadows walled the clearing as twilight slowly took hold of the forest about her. Saphrina Ayls nodded to herself and made a slight gesture with her hand testing the shadows about the clearing as one would test the water of a pond. The flows of mana returned to her from about the forest. Two men stood on the other side of the clearing also watching it.

“Our contacts are waiting on the other side of the clearing. Lets go.” Saphrina growled to the cloaked men behind her. Standing slowly, Saphrina took a quick step into the snow washed field. She walked silently to the tree keeping her black cloak tightly about her. When she came upon the solemn oak that stood dead in the moonlight Saphrina pulled down her hood and nodded to the two men to do the same. Khalad and Daelinde were two of Saphrina’s more trusted contacts in the north and she had called upon them both to assist her in this transaction. On the opposing side of the clearing two cloaked men stirred. She knew they recognized her. She had done dealing with the Cult of the Damned too many times to not be recognized by two high standing members that were coming to see this transaction through. The two Cultists entered the clearing slowly leading behind them a horse carrying three large satchels. The Cultists nodded to Saphrina when they saw hr clearly; she returned the nod with a small smirk.

“Shadow Embrace you Necromancers.” Saphrina greeted the Cultists with a second nod. Khalad and Daelinde also gave nods to the men with their own blessings. “And to you Shadow Walker. The Night is young yet. This an early time for such dark tidings to come upon our land.” The taller Cultist responded with a hint of black sarcasm. The man looked at Saphrina for a moment and nodded “You have the payment i expect.”

“As always. Five Hundred Gold coins. In exchange for what i asked for. To the letter.” Saphrina retorted; she never liked the Necromancers she head to do dealings with when she bought from the Cult. They were all quite obnoxious fellows with egos that rivaled Stormwind’s Magi.

“We would not be so dull as to deviate from what you asked for Shadow Walker. On that steed there. Three pounds of infected weaponry. Fifteen rounds of infected rifle shells, Infected poisons for the tipping of swords, daggers, the like, and Of course a satchel of Lorderan make cigarettes. From our own personal stores.” The Cultist said this all with a grim tone. His voice could be hard to understand at times. Probably beat to much as a Acolyte. Strangled too often.

“Very good.” Saphrina nodded to her friends and they exchanged greetings with the shorter cultist who then helped them transfer the packs from their steed to Saphrina’s on the opposite side of the clearing. Saphrina once again eyed the taller Necromancer and took a coin purse off of her belt. She handed it to him and then went through her pack pulling out two more hefty coin purses. She handed all three to the cloaked necromancer and nodded.

“There you are.” stated saphrina, looking to the sky she murmured to herself, “The Night grows upon the land surely you should begin to make your way back to your camp before day falls. Dont want to be caught by the Soldiers that come by here.”

The Necromancer nodded “Aye... The Cult is generous for doing its dealing with you so far south of our strongholds.” Saphrina chuckled at the comment “Generosity is no part of it. Your leaders dont want to lose the business of the the Black Hand” “Aye. Very well then. We must be going. Shadow Embrace you Shadow Walker. Im sure we will be doing business again.” Saphrina nodded and turned to her comrades “Alright lets head back to the camp...”

Nodding the two men lead the horse south Saphrina following behind them. She had three days to return to Stormwind to fur-full the orders she had from her associates. They could wait of course. No one was rushing her. The things she dealt were dangerous and patience was a virtue so that one may not be caught. Five years of doing these dealing had streamlined the process of course. But still. The day you stop taking precautions is the day you should quit your job.

Stepping into the day old camp site Saphrina nodded to Khalad and Daelinde to set up the tents. The sun was rising and Saphrina would send them hunting soon enough. She planned on starting her trek again in a couple hours. Saphrina took a cigarette out of her pack and snapped, a burst of fel fire lit the end. Saphrina took a drag of the cigarette. In three days she would be back home. For now she had more planning to do. For all was not well back at Stormwind she had heard. The law was slowly gaining ground that had been lost with the purge. Saphrina would adapt as always. But she would need to find a safer way to do business. Dantis Corisca was just praying for a reason to arrest her. She could feel it. Looking for a reason to have her exterminated. Saphrina smirked as she dragged her cigarette. She wouldent give him that kind of satisfaction. Stormwind had long been the property of the Black Hand and the criminals of the streets. His crusade for justice would die like the rest of them. Saphrina Stood from the patch of dry grass where she had been sitting. She dropped her cigarette and rubbed it out “It may be a good day yet boys. It may be.”

-Saphrina