The dirty wooden frame rose up out of the slums like a broken dollhouse, gloomy with the weight of the depression that had settled over it. But to Laeleslin, standing with the others in front of it, Gaelan Bayle's home was a shiny beacon of hope that led to Imoen.

The thief was waiting for them inside, his abode far less shabby than the house let on. Laeleslin had been here once before, desperate to find her sister. Gaelan had promised her the path to Imoen… for a price. Not having the hefty sum asked by the thief, the party had sought adventure to raise the needed gold. The ranger recalled how fervent her desire had been to follow after Imoen and Irenicus, near to hysteria. Now Laeleslin was controlled and calm, but her will to find her childhood friend was as intense as ever. And this time she had the money.

Coins jangled against each other and a small leather bag landed at the thief's feet. "Here is your payoff, Bayle," Laeleslin said, watching Gaelan collect the payment.

"Coo," the thief responded, feeling the weight of the bag in his hands "I don't need to be counting it out. Just so you be knowing, you be goin' to the Shadowmaster Aran Linvail."

"Finally," Minsc roared, "we may get down to the butt kicking business!" The bald warrior lifted a nervous Aerie into the air and spun her about excitedly.

"Step carefully, me Lady," Gaelan warned Laelelsin, glancing sidelong at the beserker ranger. "The Shadowmaster does not suffer fools gladly. Here," he said, handing her an unremarkable package. "… a key to the Shadowmaster," Bayle explained. "Find the secret door on the first level of the Shadow Thieves' guild in the Docks."

Laeleslin turned to go, her mind racing ahead. She had suspected that the Shadow Thieves were the only ones in the city with power enough to oppose the Cowled Wizards. She was getting closer now… she could feel it. But the closer she got the more intense the danger would become. What darkness lay waiting ahead? "As unlikely as it seems," Gaelan's voice called her back as she left the house, "the Shadow Thieves will prove to be the least of all evils you will encounter."

While she wondered at his final warning, Haer'dalis moved to walk beside her. The two didn't say a word as the party backtracked through the slums. They walked so closely that Laeleslin's armor brushed up against the bard's elven chain mail with every step.

Minsc glanced over and his eyes sparkled with mirth when he saw the two together. "Look Boo," he whispered to his hamster with a smile, "our little friend has finally grown up."

The dirty cobblestone streets of the docks were the same as those that ran through the slums. The air was different though, Laeleslin thought to herself. Where were the children running and playing? She already knew the answer though. They were inside their homes, afraid of the corruption and vice outside.

Laeleslin led the party through the streets and alleys and into the dimly-lit Shadow Thief headquarters, watched by every eye in the place.

While she had come to know the guild hall well enough, Laeleslin kept her weapons at the read, leery. She had no qualms with thieves… but these were keeping too many secrets for her liking.

She had heard the rumors of another guild rivaling the Shadow Thieves. Who in Athkatla hadn't?

Somewhere out there was a mysterious upstart guild luring members of the Shadow Thieves to their own ranks. The fighting was evident. Bodies of thieves were not new to the Coin City, but now the streets were seeing more than their share of dead pursecuts. And then there was the fighting itself.

The first time the group encountered it had been their very first night out of the dungeon. Laeleslin, Jaheira, Minsc, and Aerie had just tied up the business at the circus and were leaving when several hooded figures rose out of the night shadows.

The rogue Shadow Thieves had been easy enough to dispatch… but the members of the other guild had a strength that was not of this world.

The ranger's thoughts faded as she approached the false wall leading to the inner thieves' sanctum. Running her hands up and down the door, she at last found the lock under a clever bit of molding and slid the key inside with a loud click. The door slowly opened inward with a soft groan…

The cold stone hallway led on through the darkness. Laeleslin glanced at her companions as she walked on. Minsc, her dear friend, was mumbling to Boo in the half-light. The berserker warrior's devotion to her and Imoen was clear; Laeleslin knew he wanted Imoen free of the Cowled Wizards as much as she did. She moved her eyes to Viconia and smiled. The drow priestess carried herself proudly, as always. She had a debt to pay Laeleslin, but the ranger had little doubt that Viconia would have followed her anyways. Aerie drew the Bhaalspawn's gaze next. The avariel's slight frame trembled in the gloom, but Laeleslin doubted it was the cold. She knew that the mage held no love for the close confines of dungeons and warrens; her soul was meant for the sky. Though Aerie did not know Imoen, she stood with the others out of friendship and gratitude.

And then there was Haer'dalis. He walked close by, his eyes straight ahead. Before, she might have questioned why he was here. She had saved him twice now, that was true enough. It seemed she had a habit of saving people. But the bard's personal philosophy was bound with the strange notion of entropy. All systems were in a constant state of decay. Nothing was changeless, everything was working its way to the end. In short, the group was bound to go separate ways. It seemed unlikely that he would find a reason to stay. But he had.

And she didn't question it.

The tunnel abruptly spilled out into a dimly lit room. "Hmmmm…" a soft, low purr was heard and a woman stepped out of the shadows beside the door. At a cursory glance she appeared to be a noblewoman. But something about her voice betrayed her for a harlot. Her dress was opulent enough for a duchess, but the neckline dropped far below the mentionable level. Her hair was neat and kempt but her face was painted in a slightly garish manner. At first, Laeleslin thought that the woman had addressed her. But she moved right past the ranger without looking and placed her body in front of Haer'dalis.

"So you're that adventurer that Aran was talking about." She was close to the bard, close enough to make Laeleslin nervous. The woman placed her dainty hands on Haer'dalis' chest and purred again. "My, my, but aren't you a cutie! I just love pretty things… don't you think I'm pretty?" She giggled girlishly and smiled coquettishly at him. Without missing a beat, Haer'dalis flashed a smile back and asked politely for the Shadowmaster. Laeleslin just stared in disbelief.

"Aran's in his chambers, yummy little man… go ahead and talk to him. I'm finished with him… for now." She repeated the little giggle and pointed towards a door along the wall as she slunk away. Every eye watched her as she swayed back and forth and retired in a chair, her skirt hiked up just high enough to reveal her small elegant ankles. Every eye except for Haer'dalis'.

As soon as she had taken her paws off of him he had silently let out a long sigh of annoyance. He could see how men would go for a woman like that, but to him it was nothing short of unappealing.

Laeleslin headed wordlessly towards the door the woman had indicated. Though she would never admit it to herself, she was seething. She noticed that her nerves and muscles were tense, and that she distinctly disliked that woman, but she would not concede to herself that she was jealous.

"My raven," Haer'dalis said as he moved to walk beside her.

Laeleslin was suddenly struck with a strong desire to avoid eye contact. Instead of answering him, she pushed open the door that led to Aran Linvail.

The corridor was long and dark and the party followed close behind one another. Laeleslin shut out all thoughts of the prior confrontation and concentrated on what lay just ahead. She would need her wits about her when facing the Shadowmaster of Athkatla.

Soon she would have her answers about Imoen.

They finally reached Linvail's quarters and entered. It was a beautifully lavish room… well-polished marble and carpets from Kara-Tur, a large bed with silken throws, a personal bath and row on row of books. Right in the thick of it stood Aran Linvail.

Like his mistress, Linvail was dressed in the finest: a flawless suit of chain mail gleaming under satin robes. Laeleslin suspected that the luxurious clothes and abode were meant to fool others into underestimating the thief. She was willing to wager that those who did wound up face down in the sewers.

"Welcome to this place," Linvail greeted her. "I've looked forward to seeing you. I am, as you know, Aran Linvail."

He wants to play polite, does he? Laeleslin thought to herself. I can play that too. "My thanks, Aran," she replied, smiling with all the gentility she could muster. "What would you have of me?"

"Right to the point, eh? That is fine with me." Linvail seemed to relax under his armor as he looked carefully at Laeleslin. "You seem a very capable person, and I wish to propose a trade of services."

The ranger suddenly grew impatient. She had waited months to find her sister and now she was trading barbs with a man who wanted still more from her. She had just shelled out ten thousand gold pieces; she had already paid her end! Laeleslin said nothing for a moment, letting her anger recede. Linvail was watching her carefully… it would not be wise to lose her temper. She returned his gaze, coolly. The Shadowmaster was the one in control here, not her. If she didn't watch herself she could lose the offer Linvail had extended… she could lose Imoen.

"It sounds good," the Bhaalspawn responded at last, hoping her voice was free of the irritation she felt, "though I must see to Imoen. What do you propose as a deal?" If the huge amount of gold had only been the start of the deal, Laeleslin dreaded the final tally.

"First and foremost, you will be compensated for the gold you have paid," Linvail said, as if reading her thoughts. "I will give you several magical items; they are yours to keep regardless of what comes."

Laeleslin swallowed another wave of anger. She didn't want the magic items. She wanted her sister. The line in her jaw tightened as she listened to the thief.

"Now I know you are eager to set off after Imoen," Linvail continued, "and I assure you that the time will come soon. It takes time to allocate the funds however."

Laeleslin said nothing as she stared at the Shadow Master. She was beginning to lose her temper again. A woman's life was in danger and he was playing games with her.

"Not too much time, I hope." Aerie said nervously from behind the ranger, filling the silence. Laeleslin quickly refocused and finally managed to stow her feelings. Linvail talked on as if he had not noticed the ranger's silence, but he undoubtedly had.

"I know you are tired and have worked hard already. I apologize, but this guild war… it prevents us going further. Strange things are afoot on the Docks. Shipments are disappearing, as are my employees with them. We are significantly weakened by this," Aran confessed, candidly. Laeleslin had suspected the guild business would surface some time or another… and she could see where this was going.

"I think it unlikely that you would be captured or wooed to the enemy," Linvail seemingly mused over his statement. "If you go to the docks and bolster the guard on the shipments, it will strengthen our position." Without waiting for a response, he continued. "Go at night, and you will find my present guard captain there already; a woman by the name of Mook. Take note of anything odd that happens and report to me."

Laeleslin nodded at him without saying a word and turned to leave. "Oh, and the bonus we talked of," the thief called her back. Laeleslin turned and saw a box at Linvail's feet that had not been there before. "Take these items," he gestured to it. "You will find them useful, I am sure."

Night closed over the group as they exited the guild hall and made their way to the docks. Thick, heavy fog rolled in from the sea and blanketed the streets, muffling the sounds of their boots scuffling against the stones of the street.

The ranger was so focused on what lay ahead that she didn't notice that Haer'dalis was talking to her until he touched her elbow. She turned her eyes slightly towards him but did not respond. She could not afford to be angry about Linvail's harlot now.

"Do you really think you should be jealous?" Haer'dalis asked quietly. The Bhaalspawn's jaw tightened again.

"I'm not jealous," she hissed back, and was surprised at the anger in her voice. The bard was looking at her keenly, waiting for something further. At last Laeleslin sighed, "I didn't like her touching you."

"That makes two of us, my raven."

Laeleslin finally turned her head to look at the tiefling. His wine dark eyes stared at her intently and his lips were curved upwards into a smile. In that moment all resentment towards the woman melted away. What she saw in those eyes lay aside all doubts.

"Lae, that woman has no mystery in her at all. Her body and spirit are on display for all the world to see. But you…," the tiefling's voice grew even softer and the night seemed to close about them, separating them from the group. "Your soul holds more mysteries than the deepest ocean… You are what I want."

In the stillness of the fog, the ranger's hand slipped into the bard's.

Somewhere in the darkness of the night Mook waited for them… and so did the vampire.