Thorns In The Blood -- Episode Three: No Escape

"Thief" by idriu95

Xander did more than a simple look around. He made sure he took mental pictures of every single escape route he could find. The key to being a great thief is that nobody can catch you. What kind of thief would he be if he couldn't manage that simplest task. He definitely wouldn't be known as the world's greatest thief, that much was certain. In some ways having a photographic memory was a blessing and a curse. There were plenty of scenes he wished he could forget, and there were some that he embraced. For instance, there was the time in Raven's Port, one of the largest thieves conventions in all the realms, and Xander was surrounded by pirates and swashbucklers from here to kingdom come.

"The Shackles Elf Pirate" by Nagashizzar

He had angered one of the locals. Not that he much cared for what the locals thought, but it turned out this pirate was a navy captain under cover portraying himself as a deck hand. Of course this law abiding citizen saw one glimpse of Xander and instantly there was trouble. Xander couldn't go anywhere without trouble lurking in the shadows. So here he was, minding his own business, and this deck hand yells, “Look it here mates. If it isn't the greatest thief in all the realms! Xander Creed!” The guy had the nerve of pointing Xander out from the crowd, and the next thing you know Xander's head is nearly stripped from his neck. Rushing out of that place wasn't easy, but he managed to perform some amazing feats of escape. Till this day Xander hasn't returned to Raven's Port. Not even if he was offered the greatest jewel in the universe.

“Wait here,” the guard muttered as if his lips were having trouble opening to words escape.

“Sure thing Fat Lips. I don't mind dawdling around here for a bit.” Xander couldn't help but to mock the poor guy.

"Hallway" by Independently Conceal

The guard continued down the hall and knocked on one of the two doors just ahead. He seemed to be arguing with someone on the other side, but the doors opened none of the less. Xander loved to see it when thugs argued among themselves. It left him a reason to poke around in their heads. Distract them in some way, or set them aflame among one another. Most of the time it would work, but who knows how Lady Luck would work this day. The guard waved to him with his abnormally large hand. Note to self, don't let that guy grab you by the head. Guy looked like he could crush a watermelon with that thing.

Just as Xander walked through, the doors slammed shut behind him. So much for escaping out that way. He took a good look around the room he was in, and couldn't imagine any worse a place for a rogue. There were shiny trinkets of all kinds scattered in glass cases upon their respective pedestals. Paintings scattered across the walls as if it was an art museum. Xander's hair was pricking up just thinking about all the money he could make off from this stuff. Trying to keep his wits about him, Xander moved towards a plaque of one of the exhibits: 1645 – Benedict Adams, “Key to the Throne” from the Midwestern Plains of Fort Laird.”

“This piece belonged to the King of Laird nearly four hundred years ago,” Xander muttered among himself in silence as to not attract anymore attention to himself.

“It also belonged to his personal assistant,” a voice from behind Xander replied. It sent shivers down his spine. Nobody has ever sneaked up on him without his notice. Whoever this person was, was better than he'd thought. He turned around to face the shadow lurking behind him. “It is a shame that the assistant died delivering it to the new fort in Veranda.”

Standing before Xander was the one person he was dying to meet. The Black Hand. Except he wasn't expecting the delicate face that he saw.

“You're a woman,” he asked puzzled. She had long blonde hair that was braided up to a top knot. It looked like a whip in which to choke someone with. She had gray eyes that shimmered in the darkness, and a stern look was set upon Xander. He looked at her up and down both curious and intrigued.

"Female Warrior" found on Pinterest

“Yes. I am a woman. Does that bother you?” Her voice didn't reveal anything less than intimidation. Perhaps she was offended, but then again Xander highly doubted it.

“I was expecting...”

“A man. I know.” She crossed her arms as the leather suit she wore crumpled and made an awkward rubbing noise as she did. “Can we proceed with business, or are you here to just look at me like a baboon with a banana stuck in his mouth.” Oh how snappy this woman before Xander was. It nearly made him break a sensual sweat.

“Depends. What is it you are offering me?” He couldn't help but be sarcastic in a moment like this. It was in Xander's nature to do so.

She silently waved her hand towards a couple seats and a desk. Apparently offering Xander a seat to talk. “I prefer to stand if you don't mind.” She shrugged without a care and proceeded to her desk. Xander took a quick look around. For the first time in his life... 

There was no escape.

Thorns in the Blood: Episode II -- Blood In The Water

"Blood in the Water" from Sharks Diving

Silence filled the air with a bittersweet symphony that was too cacophony to be quiet. There was an oddness about it that was a little unfamiliar to Xander. Normally he would walk down these slimy alleys that smelled of piss and shit, not to mention the sewage that filtered up from the bellows of the hell below the city. This smell would linger upon Xander's nostrils like flies on rice, but this night it didn't. This night Xander had all his attention on the blood diamond he now held in his hands. It's delicate curvatures from the fine cuts upon its surface shone a pure reflection of red upon his face. Almost like there was a fire burning deep inside the wondrous gem. Or perhaps it was his own desire that he felt. Either way he had a change of heart that surely would make some new enemies. Then again Xander Cross was well known for making enemies.

"Iron Gates" by Helen's Journal

By the time he had arrived at the wrought iron gates, Xander knew he would be facing hell's open gates sooner than later. “What do ya know? Looks like someone is expecting me.” The mansion's garden had a water fountain spouting out a red ichor that resembled blood, but it was indeed a putrid dye from the city's horrible water plant. On top of the fountain was an angel of mercy crying with tears of blood. Surely a symbol that the big boss isn't someone to be screwed around with. The whole time that Xander had worked for the Black Hand he realized he was playing around with the big guys. No seriously, these guys were ripped with muscle and have the scars to prove it.

Xander took his time walking up the vine covered steps that led up to the front door of his reckoning hour. He mapped out ever single route he could take if anything “bad” would happen to him. One trade a renown thief possessed was the ability to scout ahead for escape routes. There were a couple opportune places that he could see. Either he could escape to the roof of this abnormally tall mansion and leap to his doom, or he could trek through the unbearable sewers of the city's finest. “What have I gotten myself into?” Xander kept his head low as he ascended to his doom. Just enough that he could still see what was around him, but low enough that everyone else couldn't see his cynical grin.

"Ugly Orc" from the Digital Art Gallery

Standing before him was a tall, gruff, and ugly scruff of a man. His brows furrowed downward and were bushier than an elephant's armpits. Xander chuckled a little bit and the guard uncrossed his bulky arms. Black Hand guards were known for strangling people to death, and Xander was ready if that was about to happen. His dagger was only three inches from his waist, and his hands were well hidden underneath his cloak's garments to not give away his movement. The guard reached out and Xander's heart rapidly thrusted forward as the adrenaline slowly built within him. Next thing he knew, the guard was patting him down looking for weapons. “Watch it there bud. Those precious jewels aren't yours you know.” The guard didn't break for a single moment from Xander's sarcasm. Without a single word the porch door swung open, and Xander was ushered in.

“Welcome to hell Xander,” he muttered to himself, “there is no going back now.”

Thorns in the Blood: Episode I - The Black Hand

When your heart stutters a beat at the sight of jewels, 

that is the exact moment in which you know you are a thief.

"Rogue" by Sabin Boykinov

The streets could never have smelled any more fresher. Steam vents breathing exhaust from the factories whose interiors were lit up like the fourth of July. The asphalt wettened from the acrid rain that fell from the grayest of sky as if it was pollution itself. The street lamps flickered in and out. Dark shadows crawled from one alley to another. No doubt from the street rats and tom cats that prowled their corridors. They were small threats compared to the likes of me.

I'm the one that a loan shark calls when they need their money from some bum who was down on their luck. I'm the one that the many sewer guilds called when they needed some dirt on someone, or perhaps a little bit of leverage. You could say that I am a bit of a street dilettante, but then that would be all too charming for someone such as myself.

The name is Xander Cross. Night time cat burglar and artwork extraordinaire.

So you may be asking yourself, “what are you doing in a slum town?” Well, let's just say I have a bone to pick my teeth with. Some poor bastard is about to be robbed for everything they owned, and I will be smiling the whole time.

"Friar Gam" by Eva Wildermann

Vincent Del Toro, master jeweler, and a scum bag. His brother Gregario Del Toro was suppose to deliver a finely cut diamond to the Ace Club on 45^th Miracle Street, but it turned out that Gregario had some plans of his own. He turned on his brother Vincent and sold the diamond to a pawn broker a couple of days prior. Apparently Gregory here owed someone a lot of cash, but not nearly as much as he owed now that he lost all of that money in an ante tournament the other night.

Now it was time for the Del Toro brother's to pay up. See Vincent didn't know what was going down, and probably better that he hadn't, because then that would be two heads I needed to bag tonight. Guess the Almighty is giving him a lucky break. But in order to get to Gregario, I first needed to get close to his brother Vince. Shouldn't be too hard considering the guy hasn't got a clue that I've been following him along the roof tops for the last couple hours. Guy doesn't seem to have any awareness of his surroundings at all.

"Thief" by James Ryman

Vince came up to the front porch of 22^nd King's Street with no mind that anyone was watching. Made it good for me because there would be no problem stealing the mark. He searched for his keys on a bronze ring. I had exactly forty seconds to leap from this here building and land into the open window across the way. Then I had exactly thirty seconds till Vince has hanged up his cloak and begun to move up the stairwell into his office. All I needed to do is make sure I can find the mark in that time.

I shrugged and some rain fell off from my black hooded cloak. I took a deep breath and lunged to the window. The cold air smacking me against my face as the adrenaline from the fall threw the beating of my heart into a surge. Coming closer to the edge of the window sill I threw myself at it aiming to grab a hold of its slippery surface. Time came to a standstill and everything seamlessly fell into place. As I touched the outside rim of the window I threw myself legs first inside the building with the momentum I built up from the fall. What can I say? I have the agility of a panther.

The room was pretty dank and cluttered with all sorts of dust, clothing, paperwork, and tools Vince used to cut his gems. According to my informant Vince enjoyed collecting art work by the infamous Van Klough. It was a good thing that I specialized in paintings because any other thieving smuck would have lost his way as soon as they made it to this point. The only work of Van Klough I could see was hanging just over Vince's work desk. What an idiot. Who would leave their most valuable safe right behind their work desk?

The door downstairs creaked closed and footsteps were certainly eminent in the air. I didn't have much time left at all. Swiftly I made for the Van Klough and removed it from the wall. As I had guessed, there before me was Vince's private safe. A few twists to the left, and a hard twist right, just a smidge more to the left, and... click! Ding goes the bell of triumph. The door swung open and there was the prize sparkling red glows in my eyes. The biggest blood ruby that I've ever set my eyes upon. Surely worth more than the lousy money Greg owed, but semantics meant nothing at this moment. I had exactly ten seconds to get out of this place. 

"Dark Alley" by Sinfar

Leaving behind the safe I leaped out of the open window, and landed safely upon a mattress I had set up earlier today just below. Stole it from a bum living on 33^rd, probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, but it was worth a lot of money to have. Who would have thunk.

It wasn't long before I heard a loud yell from across the alleyway between my escape route and the hit. I couldn't help but to laugh. Here I am holding the most valuable jewel on the planet, and I needed to give it away. Oh my what kind of thief have I become. Guess it is time to bring this beauty to the bank. Right into the Black Hand.