They soon came upon their objective, nestled in the back of a boudoir that stank of ale and sex and was seemingly full of people: scantily clad elven women who grabbed clothes and ran screaming, and several thieves arming themselves with bottles and brooms. A boot smacked into the wood of the doorway besides Barrats's head and the trio took cover as another man, this one naked, raised a throwing knife. Fel returned fire around the frame of the door, and the naked man crashed to the carpet with an untidy red hole and arrow at his chest, grabbing a fistful of bedclothes as he went. Another shoe gouged the frame, and they once again ducked back. Roals drew his sword as two more bandits came hurtling down the corridor towards them, Fel joining in. 

"Lay down your weapons," called one of the remaining outlaws from inside the room, "and I'll consider letting you live." 

"I make you the same offer," Barrats said from behind the door. "We have no quarrel; I only wish to return that map of yours to its rightful owner."

There was a sneer in his voice. "Nothing rightful about your red-eyed kind."

"I won't ask again."

"Agreed."

He heard a movement nearby and flitted across the doorway. The other man had been trying to creep up on them, but Barrats sent a strike from his sword between his eyes and he flopped to the floor, his weapon, a board of wood, skittering away from him. The remaining bandit threw yet another article of footwear, this time a slipper, and made a dive for his companion's plank, but Barrats had already drawn back his sword and anticipated his move, slicing the top of his head off as he stretched for it. Like a wounded animal he jackknifed back tot he bed, landing in a wet mess of blood and bedclothes and staring up at Barrats as he entered cautiously, sword at the ready. The men exchanged baleful looks. This wasn't how they'd planned for their nights to end.

"Your kind has no need for maps, especially for those of a religious site," Barrats said, indicating the naked man's chest wound. "Who put you up to this?"

"Didn't go looking to make trouble with it," he wheezed, shaking his head. "Just so happened to come upon it during a job."

Throughout his time in the military, Barrats had met a plethora of men like the bandit who would do anything, it seemed - anything for a bit of coin. It was men like him who had invaded his village and ransacked his home. Men like him who set him on the path he walks today. [i]Just so happened to come upon it during a job.[/i] Somehow, through a veil of disgust, he managed to resist the urge to kill him.

"Well, those days are done. Tell your masters I said as much."

He raised himself slightly, perhaps realizing he planned to let him life. "Who do I say you are?"

"You don't. They'll know," he said. And let him go.

Roals began grabbing more loot while Fel took hold of the map, and they made their way out of the compound. Retreating was easier, most of the bandits having decided that dissection was the better part of valor and staying out of their way, and they made it outside to their horses and galloped away.