The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

The way of the ninja 32, Part 123

The King led them into the grand throne room, the necromancer and guards close behind with weapons at the ready. The throne room was vast , with vaulted ceilings adorned with glittering mosaics depicting ancient battles and mythical beasts.

He settled himself upon the gilded throne, gesturing for the princess to kneel at his feet. She did so reluctantly, her eyes flashing with defiance. With a wave of his hand, the King dismissed the guards, leaving only himself, the necromancer, and the prisoners.

"Sit," he commanded, gesturing to the cold marble floor before his gilded throne. Ragnar, Mer-mer and Shadow-cat had no choice but to comply, sinking to their knees under the King's piercing gaze.

"You fancy yourselves master thieves," the King began, steepling his fingers. "But your skills are no match for one who was once the greatest thief in the land."

The heroes exchanged surprised glances. The opulent, powerful King - a former thief?

"Now then," the King began, his voice echoing through the cavernous hall. "Let me tell you a tale of a young boy born into poverty and despair, who rose to become the most powerful ruler in the land..."

He gazed into the distance, as if seeing into the mists of time. "I was but a street urchin, an orphan scraping by on scraps and stealing to survive. The streets were my home, the other beggar children my only family. We banded together, forming a guild of young thieves, picking the pockets of wealthy merchants and noble lords."

The King's eyes hardened. "But it was never enough. The hunger gnawed at our bellies, the cold seeped into our bones. I watched my friends succumb to disease and starvation, or fall victim to the brutality of the city guards. And so I vowed to myself that one day, I would rise above this miserable existence. I would have power, riches, respect."

He leaned forward, his gaze boring into Ragnar's. "I started taking bigger risks, planning more audacious heists. I recruited more street rats into my gang, training them in the arts of stealth and subterfuge. Soon, we were the most notorious band of thieves in the city, feared and revered in equal measure."

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, how the nobles howled when they discovered their precious treasures missing! But I was clever and quick, always one step ahead of their bumbling guards. With every heist, my coffers grew and my influence spread. Soon I had amassed a fortune that rivaled the royal treasury itself." "As I grew older and bolder, I discovered I had a knack for the art of burglary. I could scale sheer walls like a spider, slip through the tightest spaces, and crack any lock. I became a shadow, a whisper of the night. The wealthy trade barons and haughty nobles never knew what hit them."

The King spoke of daring heists and narrow escapes, his eyes gleaming with nostalgic pride. He'd pilfered priceless jewels from the bedchambers of snoozing aristocrats and snatched strongboxes from under the noses of tight-fisted merchants. The bounty of an entire city was his for the taking.

"But it wasn't enough," he sighed. "The more I stole, the more I craved. Simple treasure lost its luster - I yearned for something greater. That's when I first heard tell of the Eye of Night. Oh, even then it was only a legend, a fanciful tale whispered by superstitious fools. But I knew it was real. And I knew I had to possess it."

The King leaned forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "I spent years hunting for the Eye, following every rumor and half-remembered myth. I braved cursed tombs and ancient catacombs, battled monstrous guardians and rival seekers. The quest consumed me, drove me to the brink of madness. But at last, I found it."

He shuddered, remembering the feel of the artifact in his hands - cold and thrumming with eldritch power. But his triumph was short-lived. For the Eye's dark magic began to warp his mind, feeding his darkest impulses and ambitions."