22 July 2012
"Welcome to Signia, Tpek." Ryder's hoarse voice sounded in the room of the abandoned house that he, Tpek and Arys were currently occupying. "You smoke?" Tpek didn't really enjoy smoking, but he nodded anyway. Smoking could be useful. Ryder handed him a lot cigar. "This town," Ryder took a long drag on his cigar. "This town is one big melting pot." "Right..." Tpek wasn't going to argue with this man, at least not until they'd had a talk. But a "melting pot" sounded strange. "Hear me out. A melting pot. All the scum floats to the top, but there's riches beneath the surface. It's corrupt, and ready for a group of people such as us to... Utilise our talents." "A group of thieves?" "Entrepreneurs." Now it was Tpek's turn to take a long smoke on the foul cigar. "Where do I start?" ... "This way." Arys led Tpek slowly down the stairs of the cellar. She held a torch in the air, casting a long beam of light down the stone steps. "Where are we going?" Tpek asked, peering into the dingy darkness. "A safe place. A base of thieves." Arys reached the bottom of the stairs and held her torch aloft. A huge cave was illuminated. "No way." Tpek was amazed. The cave was huge, but when he looked closer at the walls it appeared man made. A huge round cave. In the centre the was a stone, with a strange carving engraved in the rock. Two hands, one open and begging, the other pick pocketing a coin. Tpek walked over to it, and saw a small inscription beneath the carving. It read: "The Thief and the Beggar know the truth. By one mans greed, the beggar starves. By the Thief's skill, that greed is broken. One man has the greed, one man is the beggar, and one man is the equaliser, the thief. The Thief does this out of no kindness, nor from greed. The Thief does it because he is the thief. But the true Thief, he has honour. This is how it should be, has been and will be. "What's this?" The carving worried Tpek. He felt that this stone explained his motives for stealing better than he could have himself. "Just some old rubbish written by a madman centuries ago." Ryder spoke as if he suspected more, but didn't plan on telling Tpek his thoughts. "Now. I think we owe you some explanations."
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Thief And Beggar - 2 • Opuss № I