Greywind opted against the purchase of a horse. Instead, within the bustling port market, he sought out a dray belonging to an aging farmer named Kael, who was transporting produce to the inland hamlets passing near Silverhaven. After a brief bout of haggling, Greywind secured passage for 3 Gold, masquerading as Kael's nephew assisting with the haul.
The journey by cart was a languid affair, yet it possessed the virtue of anonymity. For two days, Greywind labored over crates and listened to Kael's meandering tales, his senses ever sharp for the ghost of a pursuit. Upon reaching the outskirts of Silverhaven, he offered his thanks to Kael and continued on foot. At the city gates, he donned the persona of "Gio" and slipped past the guards with ease.
Once entrenched within the city, Greywind secured a room at The Oak Shield. To bolster his facade, he paid a visit to the local Town Overseer, Torben, introducing himself as a young scion on a sabbatical of administrative study. Torben, suitably impressed by the forged credentials, granted him access to the public archives a perfect pretext to linger near the Valerius estate.
During his first night in Silverhaven, Greywind commenced his reconnaissance. From the shadows, he noted the vital rhythms of the manor:
The Guard Rotation: Sentries shifted every four hours with clockwork precision.
The Hound: A massive, likely ensorcelled mastiff prowled the inner courtyard after dusk.
The Tower: Light flickered in the western tower Valerius's private sanctum until the small hours of the morning.
The Contact: Mara, the kitchen maid listed by Michelle, departed for the morning markets daily.
The following morning, Greywind intercepted Mara at the market. Approaching with the practiced elegance of "Gio," he offered a discrete 2 Gold for her time. They retreated to a quiet corner, where Mara, seduced by the coin, spoke in a hushed tone.
"Lord Valerius rises late," she revealed. "He breaks his fast in the western tower at nine. From eleven until one, he receives couriers. His afternoons are spent in the library of the east wing. He is alone for now; his wife and kin are visiting relatives afar."
She continued, "Dinner is served at eight sharp in the small dining room on the ground floor. Afterward, he retreats to the tower and receives no one. The tower is guarded by Borin and Kaelen veteran soldiers of fierce loyalty. And beware Brutus, the mastiff. He is released at eight and can see through the cleverest of veils. The servants whisper of a locked vault beneath the tower... they say the air there smells of brimstone and echoes with low, guttural growls."
Mara also noted a crucial opening: the monthly wine shipment would arrive tomorrow. The rear gates would stand ajar between 6:00 and 7:00 PM. Greywind rewarded her with an additional 5 Gold, buying her silence.
Greywind contemplated a strike from afar. On a low ridge overlooking the estate, some two hundred and fifty feet distant, stood an ancient, gnarled oak. From its canopy, utilizing his Eldritch Blast augmented by his Spell Sniper prowess, he would have a clear line of sight through the dining room window at 8:00 PM.
The strategy held a stark allure: a safe distance, a predictable target, and a swift egress to the woods where he had stabled a hired horse. Yet, the risks remained sharp. The glass might deflect the strike, and Brutus might scent the gathering of arcane energy across the divide.
"Oh, Noble Gio~" Jannis's voice suddenly slithered like warm honey into his ear. The psychic sensation of a long, raspy tongue licked the curve of his ear from behind, a vivid illusion that made him shudder. "Thinking so hard will wither that handsome face of yours. A long-range execution? Dull... yet efficient. Imagine it: the bolt shattering the glass, the hot spray of blood across white linen... I shall savor every drop from here. Ensure your aim is true, darling. I crave the full ecstasy of the kill, not a half-measured agony."
Her phantom hands kneaded his shoulders in a mocking massage. "And if there is a diabolical guardian within those walls... do not slay him immediately. Let me... converse with him. We might find common ground."
By dusk, Greywind dismissed Jannis's warnings. "Enough talk," he muttered. "I end this tonight."
He ascended the ridge and climbed into the boughs of the great oak. His position was peerless. Through the dining room window, illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight, he watched as Lord Valerius took his seat. At 7:59 PM, Greywind leveled his finger at the distant glass. Dark energy swirled at his fingertip, condensed into a vortex of void. With his newfound strength, the distance felt like a mere heartbeat away.
Below, Brutus suddenly raised his head, an abyssal growl vibrating in his throat. Sentries turned toward the ridge, sensing a disturbance in the weave. They were too late.
Greywind took a breath. The count began. One...Two...Thre
THWACK.
It was not the thunder of his own spell, but the hiss of an arrow biting into his chest from the right. It was no common shaft; it was a verdant, smoking needle of pure caustic energy an Acid Arrow.
A searing agony erupted in his chest as the acid began to dissolve skin and bone. He gasped, his voice failing as he fell from the branch, tumbling through the leaves. Before the darkness claimed his vision, he caught sight of a figure standing amidst the trees on the lower slope.
Mira.
Stripped of her disguise, her chestnut hair whipped in the night wind. Her face was a mask of frigid hatred and cold satisfaction. In her hands, a magical shortbow hummed with the residue of the acid.
"I have found you, murderer," she said, her voice a flat, lethal promise. A green light began to coalesce at her fingertips once more. She was a caster.
Greywind hit the ground with a bone-jarring impact, the breath driven from his lungs. In the distance, Brutus's barking turned frantic, and the manor guards roared, "Intruder on the ridge! He fell from the tree!"
Alarms wailed through Silverhaven. Greywind lay broken, caught between the vengeful Mira and the advancing estate guards. And within the cauldron of his mind, Jannis's laughter erupted loud, merciless, and terrifyingly vibrant.
"HAHAHA! BEHOLD, THE HUNTER IS NOW THE PREY! HOW DOES IT TASTE, GREYWIND? DO YOU FEEL THE SAME TERROR YOU DEALT TO THE OTHERS? OH, I AM... POSITIVELY RAVENOUS NOW!"