Thursk and I piled the corpses out of the way after looting them. Melody and Naomi were trying to settle the others down while trying to stabilize the injured. I had already sent off a message to Ayh about what had happened and that we needed the services of a healer.

  Neither the Priestess nor Medjay had responded to my messages yet. "This is bad, Seb will send more and possibly even some of the city guard he has on his payroll," Thursk commented. I don't know if it was my thoughts or the Lion-Kin's comment, but a Quest prompt appeared.

  --- Quest Alert --- Quest Name: Root and BranchDescription: Seb, the local owner of the Thirsty Cat, a pleasure house of ill repute has been ensving and using local men and women. The departure of the majority of the local Medjay has only infmed his activities as the man is hinted to have some of the city guards on his payroll. Go to the Thirsty Cat, kill or capture all the Svers and Seb before he can call upon the corrupt guards. Svers Sin or Captured: 6/30Seb Sin or Captured: 0/1 Quest Css: Personal; UniqueQuest Difficulty: HardSuccess: Kill or capture all the svers and Seb located in or around the Thirsty Cat.Failure: Do not kill or capture all the svers and Seb in or around the Thirsty Cat or allow them to escape and notify the local city guards. Consequences of Failure: Unknown.Rewards: Experience, Unknown.Accept? Yes or No --- Quest Alert ---I frowned as I read the information, but I accepted the Quest. "Bast!" I called out, the cat came scampering over to join us. I focused on her, 'How many of your spawn can you break off while keeping my family and these people safe until the situation stabilizes?' I thought my question towards the Goddess.

  I didn't want the others coming with me if this went tits up, 'Six, that is all.' I nodded my head in acknowledgment.

  I gnced at Thursk, "Keep them here and protect the people here. I will be back after dealing with Seb and his people." I told the Lion-Kin, who bowed slightly before turning to walk over to Naomi and Melody to help them with the injured and others.

  I turned and headed down the street, "Keep them hidden, I am going to try and do this myself, your spawn is my hidden trump card." I told the Goddess.

  Well, them, my mantel, and the God-forged weapons were trump cards, but that would blow the low profile I was trying to keep. I chuckled, 'You will be Pharaoh, you protect your people from all enemies, even their own that would use them for their benefit and pleasure.' Bast told me. I could tell she was slightly frustrated, and my thoughts caused her to respond, 'I tire of this hiding, you and your family should be up in the pace not living here in the slums.' I shook my head.

  It wasn't that simple, "If I fail, I could cause a drop in morale on the eve of another invasion. That could cripple them, and I won't do it, Bast. Not to mention I have no clue where the gateway is at this point, other than it's supposed to be under the temple within the city." I reminded her.

  Bast chuckled, momentarily distracted, 'It's there, and if the others cannot get you access, I will guide you myself.' the Goddess assured me as I checked my map.

  I grunted as I oriented myself on where I had to go, while the exact location was hidden, the general area was outlined that I had to search to find the whorehouse. "Do you have people watching the clergy and make sure none of them oppose my chance at attempting the test?" I asked the Goddess.

  Bast considered my words in silence. 'You think otherwise?' the cat asked.

  I could hear the honest curiosity in her voice, "Three hundred years of decay is a long time for a human, trust me while I don't doubt the majority of the clergy are loyal to their Gods, those that aspire for power and have it, will not give it up easily. Having a Pharaoh over them is just that. My word, not theirs will be the final say on all things." I told her.

  Bast gnced at me, 'Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell if your worries are correct or not. Now use Stealth, you have company ahead.' the Goddess advised. I looked up and nearly cursed as I triggered the Skill and faded from sight.

  Three figures stood at the corner where two streets met, they were talking in hushed whispers as I approached their position. [Sver] appeared above each of them in bright red colors, three on one, wasn't an easy fight, and while I could ask for Bast's help, I wanted to keep her and her spawn a secret for as long as possible.

  I skirted the small group and eyed the street where the whorehouse was located, there were more svers down the street where I assumed I had to go but no one was close to the small group near me. I moved towards the trio, and as I slid behind the nearest Sver, I shed out with my hammer as I triggered Backstab.

  A loud crack filled the air as the man bounced off the nearby wall. My kick sent him flying into the other two as the man's Health bar dropped into the critical range. The other two tumbled down to the ground in a tangle of limbs as they tried to draw bdes and whips from their belts.

  I quickly fired off Light Bolts into the mass, finishing off the first Sver and taking one of the others down to 60% Health while the third managed to get clear and roll to his feet. The Sver sent her whip sshing towards my face, I threw myself into a forward roll and shed out with my hammer as I came to my knees.

  I triggered Savage Strike as the hammer smmed into her chest, the blow bsted her off her feet and smmed her into the nearby wall, and her health dropped to around 50%. A Light Bolt smmed into her head, shattered her skull, and finished the Sver off as the st Sver finally got to his feet and drove a dagger towards my face.

  I managed to get my arm in the way, deflecting the strike but losing ten percent of my Health in the process. As I came to my feet, I smmed my head into the other man's head, his nose was pulverized and caused him to staggered. I twisted my hammer and swung, the spike smmed into the man's throat as I pnted my foot into his chest and kicked him off my hammer, causing the man to colpse dead in a widening pool of blood.

  'You are getting better; now, how will you deal with the rest?' the Goddess asked me as I kneeled and recovered from the short but intense fight.

  I grabbed my canteen and took a quick sip as I considered her question before looting the corpses. "Work my way around the back of the building, try to infiltrate it from any other pce than the front door," I told the Goddess as I quickly moved the new corpses to an alleyway. I gnced at Bast, "Good or bad pn?" I prompted her.

  I think I surprised her because her eyes bulged slightly, 'Good pn if you are trying to remain undetected, Alexander, eventually, that will come to an end though.' Bast warned me.

  I nodded and triggered Stealth again as I made my way across the street and I moved closer to the building protected by more Svers. I ducked down the alleyway that was the nearest to the two-story wood structure and about halfway down I finally found a wall I could scale and began to climb.

  As I neared the roof, I slowed my ascent and peeked over the edge and looked around, but didn't spot anyone on the roof of the building or nearby buildings, so I pulled myself up and onto the roof and id there for a moment before getting to my feet. I felt Bast's amused look, "Some of us are not cats and are not natural climbers." I softly told the Goddess, causing her to ugh as I made my way over to the edge of the building.

  Except for the alleyways and streets, the buildings were built so close to each other that I doubted there was more than a foot between them, which allowed me to cross the rooftops easily enough. Since I didn't want to draw attention to myself, I carefully made my way across since I didn't want to alert anyone within the buildings of my presence, which slowed my progress, but the tradeoff was well worth it.

  The Thirsty Cat was a different story, it was clear that Seb had tried to make this pce upscale as a well-manicured garden had been built in a walled area on the backside of the building. Infiltrating the pce from the back was out of the question as several men and women were talking, eating, and drinking. Keeping my attack on this pce would be all but impossible, "Recommendations?" I asked the ever-present Goddess.

  I could tell she was considering my words, 'I cannot interfere directly, my spawn can assist you in clearing out the svers. I recommend you enter the building from the roof with at least two of my spawn, the others will enter from other locations spreading you out and increasing your chances at killing or capturing all the Svers as well as this Seb. You just have to make the jump.' the Goddess advised.

  I nodded my head, "Where are your children?" I asked the Goddess.

  She chuckled and I watched as a pair of shadows detached themselves on the nearby roof forming into two cat people decked out in armor and weapons, 'They have been with you constantly Alexander, now go. I will be watching.' the Goddess expined before fading out of sight.

  I sighed and gnced at my new companions, "Is she always like this?" I asked, causing them to let out light ughter. I shook my head and backed up so I could clear the alleyway. I just had to remember to roll as I nded.