Ultimate Villain

By Threetoe

The stable hand scooped manure all day. When darkness fell he crept into the stable master's house and stole a sword from the locked box in the cellar. He had snatched the key days earlier which the unknowing man had left on the dining room table. The stable master saw him running from the house and called out.

"Thief! Thief!"

Doors swung wide, flooding the street with light. The boy ran. People filled the street carrying torches.

He came to an alleyway. A grungy man grabbed him by the collar. "What's your name, boy?"

"Arnold."

"Give me that sword Arnold, and I will hide you."

Arnold gave the man the sword, twisting it in his guts. He kicked the dying man off his blade and stepped over him into the alley. There he found a cloth tent filled with trinkets. He stayed there that night while the crowd searched in vain. The next morning he donned the dead man's cloak and walked quickly out of town.

On the road, he meet a traveler walking alone. He passed the man, then drew his sword and drove it into his back. He searched the body for a coin purse when two kobolds leapt from the bushes. He waved his sword and shouted at them. They backed away into the trees. He ripped a metal medallion from the traveler's neck. Then he heard vicious barking from the woods. The kobolds had returned, bows drawn. He backed away and let the medallion slip from his fingers. More kobolds appeared and he turned and raced toward town. The guard were waiting for him. He tried to warn them about the kobolds but was shot through the neck by a crossbow bolt.