The Assassin's Tale; The Gravagan District

Credits; Krell, Rea, Petra,

The Gravagan's of Stormguard had managed to capture the essence of their native lands perfectly.  As Krell came up the stairs to join Nao he noticed that the Gravagan's district tram stop hadn't been hidden away like the one in the Elven quarter.  It wasn't marked, but the little brick U that marked the top of the stairway was in the middle of a little park.  From the looks of it, it had been planted when the tram had been built.  The trees were tall, and the stones had been cracked as the roots had grown outward.  The buildings around it were of a very plain, octagonal design, most with vines growing up the sides. 
"It's nice isn't it?"
Krell paused at the top of the steps.  He had to admit, the Gravagan district had a very soothing sort of beauty to it.  The path had been lined with flowers, all geometricly shaped and colorful.  It wasn't a wild garden by any means, the trees had been neatly trimmed and the mulch in the flower beds was fresh.  Krell found himself wondering if his own Nielda had done so well in building their own district. 

Suddenly he heard the telltale pop of an incoming teleport.  A raven haired woman in a tunic appeared before him, with her back facing him. She spun around, braid spinning as she did. 
"Well gosh darnit, four meters and it would have been perfect."
"Who are you?"  Asked Krell in bewilderment.  She sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite recognize her. 
She stepped forward and stretched out a hand.  He noticed a set of rings, two silver and one gold, each with a single diamond of a different color.  It was too many to be an engagement, or even a wedding. 
"You can just call me Petra.  All my friends, colleagues, enemies, and most of my students do."
It may have been rude not to shake her hand, but Krell found himself paralyzed as he realized that he was face to face with the most powerful mortal in the history of the universe.  She was a legend of historical renown, and by reputation the greatest force for both God and Religion ever known to the Nielda.  She was the paladin, the destroyer of demons and slayer of shades.  Rea and Arcania both paled by comparrison, and he'd seen both in action.  And here she was, plain as day.
"I take it you've heard of me.  Well, that's only fair, I've heard an awful lot about you as well, Krell Casat.  I see you and TS have taken care of your Lichy little problem.  So if you won't shake my hand in friendship then at least let me shake yours in congratulations."
Krell broke himself out of the trance and shook her hand with great force and rapidity.  After all, it wasn't often one met the heroine of one's favorite childhood tales. 
"Sorry,"  Nao cut in,  "Do you two know each other?"
"Well, we both know of each other.  The man you've been so noble as to escort around town is none other than Father Krell, a noted theologian and recently cured Lich."
"Doesn't ring a bell.  How exactly do you cure a lich?  I always thought you had to choose to do that to yourself?"
"Get him to tell you the story some time Master Ranger, it's quite interesting.  Anyways, I'm not actually here for the sake of it.  Would the two of you mind following me at a distance; I expect to be run into by my old friend rather shortly."
She didn't have Rea's urgent pace.  It was much easier to follow Petra.  Krell zoned out Nao's questioning, and even Petra's patient, carefully worded non-answers.  He was still in awe.  Something about this time was different than when he'd seen her earlier.  Then she'd just been frustrated and fresh from battle, here she was in person, being personable, like any normal being.  Even when she wasn't fighting, she still wore her equally famous sword at her side.  Shadilne-thokan, Hell's gate in the high tounge of the Nielda, was its name.  With it she'd slain more shades and demons than any other immortal.  It was said that no magical artifact was more holy, or more powerful. 
"Hold here, and watch everything; something wicked this way comes."
"Hail Petra, daughter of Death."  A young man, by age most likely twenty-two, approached with a bared black knife.  "The Pantheon sends their regards."
"But it is not the Pantheon's good will you bring Elbret.  How long has that dagger mastered you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Give it to me, and tell the pantheon that they must wait until Wedensday."
"What use do you have for my knife?"
"Can you take it from your hand?"
"Of course I can."  He switched it between hands. 
"No.  Set it down, and go.  I promise you no harm will come to you if you do, but if you insist on holding it than harm will most definitely come."
He dropped the knife.  Petra was known for many things, but idle threats were not one of them.  The young man ran off quickly, leaving the knife behind in the street.  Their must have been some magic in the knife because the Gravagan passersby had formed a circle around Petra and the knife, almost as though by instinct. 
"Have you ever faced a shade Father?"
Krell glanced around and determined that he had addressed him.  "No ma'am."
"It does strange things to a person.  Once you've met the left hand of Hell you can't help but know which side you stand upon."
She put her right hand to her sword hilt and wtretched the left out towards the knife.  It hovered and oriented itself downward. 
"In the name of the King of Kings, come out and face me once again, old friend."
The knife shattered.  A black smoke issued forth from its shards and reformed into a man.  The shadows fell and a...a thing of pure black stepped forward. 
"Petra, Death's daughter, we meet again."
"Hello Shade.  Shall we dance or must we threaten each other further?"
"One day We will face you as one, and you will fall."
"Yes, I know."
The shade leapt at her, swinging a blade that issued from its arm.  She ducked under the blow and pulled her blade from its scabbard.  They spun, dodged and parried for nearly four minutes before she swept it's legs and plunged her blade through it's heart. 
"Not this time though."
The shade disintigrated.  Krell had always heard that a Shade screamed as it died, but this one died in silence.  Petra crossed herself and sheathed her sword before turning back to them. 
"Ah, hello there TS, had a nice..."
She sidestepped and grabbed Rea's hand as she stabbed from behind. 
"You forget yourself Feldain, we are not enemies."
"Let go!"
"Calm down."
"Let go of me!"
"Father, fourth door on the right, first street around counter clockwise; take the ranger with you.  TS and I shall catch up shortly, we need to talk."
Krell listened and went off with Nao, who had gone silent as soon as the shade had appeared.