The GraveWalkers

Chapter Two

Korran stared down at his home's intruder. Now that he got a good look at the man who had followed him from the small village of Halia, he almost laughed at his presentation. He seemed sinewy and tall, but the subject of his laughter was the man's clothes. 

He wore a robe, which appeared tattered but it was clearly artificial to any eye capable of contrasting a cow from a sheep. Despite its apparent ragged nature, the material itself didn't seem aged or like it was beginning to lose its color. Instead, it just appeared that someone had poked holes in a mud-brown robe.

"Hello there," the intruder said finally. "I come in peace."

Korran snorted. Just seconds ago the man had swung with enough bloodlust to burst a dam, and the strength to match. His hand still felt numb from his foolish attempt at parrying the sword. Still, he didn't need to know that. "I figured. What with you knocking politely with your sword and all. Very mannerly."

"Sorry about that - it's hard to stay polite when you're sneak attacked," the intruder responded. He had a thick city accent that couldn't hide from even the most clueless of ears - much less Korran's.

Sneak attack. That's what this man had called his attempt to subdue him and ask him what his business was because Korran could smell wealth from a mile away and the man reeked. Yet, the man was not just a silly merchant, considering he'd reacted off a fighter's instinct and managed to detect Korran.

Not many men could achieve such a thing.

Korran grinned and leaped down from the ledge, landing lighter than most men did in a simple step. He approached his cave's intruder with his daggers drawn and paraded on either side of him menacingly. "No problem, I'll make sure when I go for your jugular it's done from the front."

"There's no need for that," the man replied, even as he gripped his sword tighter. Korran had noticed him scanning the cave which was evidence of working with a trainer. You never wanted to be caught in a place your adversary knew well and you not at all. 

Korran stopped just out of reach of the man's sword. He trusted in his ability to dodge a swing and step past it to launch a counter-attack if the man decided to test his luck. "Out with it then, I've only a teeny amount of patience for uninvited guests in my humble abode."

The man briefly looked around as if searching for the abode but said nothing. Korran didn't care for his scrutiny. The cave had one entrance and exit, lit only by one torch at a time, making it a tall task for an attacker to catch him by surprise without knowledge of the cave's structure. Whatever mansion this city lamb had grown up calling a house was much less secure - he'd know, after all, he was sent after targets residing in mansions often.

"I've come with a job proposition," the man announced.

"Not interested. Especially not from royalty."

The man recoiled after the last word as if it had physically slapped him. "What?" He hissed. "How do you know?"

Korran gave the man a glance over. "Your disguise is terrible for one. It shows how someone of a higher standing views us common folk. Simply put, you lack the experience to mimic the reality of the people not born next to a golden dagger. Put that together with your obvious ambition to follow me this far without guards and arrogantly talk of a proposition, I'd say you're some form of royalty looking to quicken his step to wearing some crown or title. You've come to the wrong person - I won't kill your family members to end your family feud, I know who'll take the fall at the end of the day."

"I wish you wouldn't stereotype," the man replied. He'd regained his composure and put up a poker face that had holes in it. Korran imagined he'd be a bad gambler. "If one dagger of yours breaks do you decide that every single one after will?"