[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jqElIwt.png[/img][/center]

Wanting to avoid as many interactions as possible, Shade made himself scarce outside the general store where his new ally had begun procuring a light source for herself and the archer. Shade was going to manage well enough without one, and it was becoming more evident with the morning light continuing to hurt his eyes. Growing up in a cave, and conducting most of his active training at night time, Shade had grown far too used to a lack of light. His sense of hearing was quite fantastic, and his ability to see in the dark was outstanding, but this left the boy with a handicap. He felt halfway blind on the bright surface. It was almost shameful to share these senses with something as despicable as goblins. Shade’s father had told him of the vile creatures, and their homes made in darkness. 

Indeed, Shade had hunted goblins with his father on more than one occasion, and while the boy lacked much of what could be considered critical information concerning the monsters, he knew of their features. They saw well in obfuscating darkness, they had an amazing sense of smell, and apparently, they were all male, which explained the kidnapping of females. He had always wondered about that, why goblins displayed such a habit in bringing the fairer sex back to their lairs, where they would otherwise simply kill the men. They could evidently breed with any species, and the result was always another goblin. 

Be that as it was, Shade shifted his attention back to his current quest. He had an opportunity to fight goblins once more, but it was a quest he had forsaken in favor of this far safer option. Some would perhaps consider it cowardly, but what differentiated an assassin from a knight, was that one of them operated through logic, while the other pursued passion.

Shade picked up his pace and followed the armored girl as the started towards the tavern. It was only when they reached the establishment that confirmations were made. There was indeed a manhole behind the structure, and Shade wasted no time in kneeling down next to the metallic lid. He did find it rather fascinating how human cities had developed so far. Sewers were not of a simple design. They were the underbelly of any city, and they harbored that of which people wanted to disregard and scorn. Considering how elves survived on fruits and vegetables alone, their biology was somewhat different from a human’s. Where eternal elves could indeed survive on a few apples a day, humans would quickly find themselves wanting. 

The boy tugged softly at the metallic lid, before he tilted his head. Naturally, the path was locked. Officials would not have wanted anyone to actually slip into the sewers without proper permission. Shade was, however, not quite the law-abiding citizen one might have expected. As if a reflex, the elf produced his lockpicks and began working on the metallic lid possessing a large lock halting their path. A keen observer would have been able to count thirty full seconds before a click was heard, but Shade did not seem to consider the situation appealing. “I need to be able to do that twenty seconds faster,” he sighed. Half a minute on one lock? Unacceptable, but he was still learning. At the very least, he was willing to admit that. 

Pulling the metal lid aside, Shade slipped down towards the ladder which led into their designated quest area. His movements were fluid and most certainly agile, and once he felt the moist, damp floor beneath his feet, the boy reached for his short sword and released the weapon from its scabbard.