4This is something I did originally as a character background story for a couple of NPC's in one of my D&D games. I have my own game setting that I built literally from the ground up, complete with gods, cultures, empires, history, geography, climates, and even plate tectonics and weather patterns. It's been almost two decades in the making, and still growing, but the main continent is called Anterris, and the kingdom and culture of this particular story is based around Spanish Colonial/North American Plains Indian with some tweaks of my own. Essentially, the main culture is Spanish California in flavor, with a neighboring land of plains Indian trial culture and the two interact heavily. Sooo... There wre plenty of iconic D&D creatures in this, as well as some that are less well-known, but have been around for a long time. Also, the main character is something of a mix of Black Cat from Marvel, and Zorro, so if she seems oddly familiar, that is why. Enjoy!
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Night of the Black Cat
High on the rooftop of the Cathedral of the Sky Father, the black-clad figure waited in the shadow of the church's bell tower, as silent and still as one of the cathedral's angelic statues. The sun had just sunk below the skyline, bathing the city of Yarmin in a red-and-gold glow.
On the streets below, the citizens of the great capital went about their evening business, closing shops and heading home, completely unaware of the living statue crouched high above them in the deepening shadows. A soft rustling movement came from inside a large pack beside the silent figure. Two small, furry faces with large pointed ears, bright green eyes, and long whiskers beside their twitching noses peeked out.
"Not yet, my friends," whispered the ebon-clothed woman softly, absently stroking each cat's head in turn. She had dressed for the hunt, her tight-fitting breeches and silk tunic tucked into soft leather boots and a narrow belt with several pouches attached, all in black. As if in answer to her words, the little black female nuzzled her hand and purred. Though slightly smaller than her white-furred sibling, Yang was the more dominant over her ever-curious brother Yin. They had been named for their uncanny resemblance to the amulets often worn by emissaries from the far-off and mysterious Chianzhou Empire.
Felicia Delagato had come upon the pair one day while engaged in her favorite past-time of stealing from the homes of some of the greediest of the wealthy class of Dons, or aristocratic landowners. They had been huddled forlornly against the body of their dead mother, mewing pitifully from hunger. She had been struck by their singularly unusual markings, each with a large spot of the opposite color on their heads. As a follower of the goddess Pashutsa, who was a patron goddess of cats, women, and those who lived by their wits and stealth, Felicia had known instantly that Pashutsa had guided her to them.
At last, she spotted her quarry exiting a small shop with a faded sign over the door that read simply "Curios". He was a tall, middle-aged man with dark hair and a well-trimmed fu-Manchu beard, wearing the black robes common to judges, priests of evil gods, or mages dealing in the darker magical arts. His name was Julio Ramon Valdez, and like her, he was a member of the landed aristocracy, a noble Don. Unlike most of his peers, however, he apparently made his wealth through shady business practices, extortion, and criminal networks. There were even rumors that he performed many unnatural magical experiments using the vile practices of necromancy and transmutation. He was known as a skilled alchemist as well.
That was why Felicia had been waiting for him; she had seen a vision- sent by the goddess herself- that Valdez had somehow captured a cat-lord named Felix, a being of the Outer Planes where the gods made their domains. The cat-lord was one of Pashutsa's favored servants. Now Felicia's task was to free him and all the other victims of the sorcerer's evil experiments, and steal a powerful artifact that he was using to control Felix.
She waited until he had reached the end of the narrow street, then picked up her pack and used the silver feather-fall ring she wore to drop safely to the ground some fifty feet below. Once there, she pulled her invisibility cloak- no self-respecting thief should be without one of these, she thought- out of the bag and put it on.
Soon the man arrived at an inn, and gestured to a raggedly dressed stable boy. The scruffy lad ran into the stable, and came back leading a huge black horse fearfully- and with good reason. Each time the beast's hooves struck the ground, a wisp of dark smoke rose up, and left scorch marks on the ground. Smoke issued from its flared nostrils as well, and the stallion's eyes blazed with a crimson glow unnatural in any earthly steed.
A nightmare- so the rumors are true, thought Felicia, recalling what she knew of the demonic steeds. Yin had poked his head out of the pack again, sniffing intently at a butcher's as she passed; the cat caught a whiff of the nightmare's scent. He hissed and growled in warning, his hackles raised. Felicia paused. Valdez had turned, half in his saddle, toward the sound. She waited breathlessly, afraid he would detect her through the magic of her cloak. At last, he sat down atop his demonic mount and rode toward the edge of the city.
Felicia watched him ride off, and wondered how she was going to get into his home to search for the cat-lord. She certainly could not follow him on foot, but trailing him on horseback would give her presence away. What to do? She saw the scorch marks on the ground, and decided that perhaps following him was not the best solution after all. All she needed was to get inside his hacienda to free Felix; if, perchance, she were invited there- so much the better.
Of course, she thought, suddenly smiling. What kind of "cat" would I be if I did not know how to use my wiles to get what I want?
Felicia turned on her heels and raced back to the inn. She ducked into a dark alcove, and quickly pulled a long skirt out of her pack, putting it on over her breeches, and letting her long black hair fall free from the braid she had put it in earlier. It simply would not do to have a daughter of one of Yarmin's most prominent families identified as a notorious burglar, even if the city watch and the officials who were charged with protecting the people HAD become corrupt and uncaring. She snorted in disgust as she retrieved her own horse from the stable.
The Republic is being run by a petty little tyrant with no spine, the true power is held by a ruthless wizard who is rarely even seen by day and bullies poor farmers into selling their daughters as "payment" for taxes, and the Republican Guard is led by a bunch of cursed Death Knights! Who has time to worry about one thief? She wondered. She did find it strangely satisfying to sneak into the villas of those very same officials and rob them blind, only to give nearly all the profits to the various temples of the city. After all, what need had she for the spoils? Far better that it provide some small comfort to those most in need. With the stories she had heard of the Presidente's new advisor and his supposed habits, the city and its people needed all the comfort she could give. Valdez was simply one more example of the depths to which the once-glorious Republic had sunk.
By the time she reached her own home, it was full dark, and most of the servants had gone to their quarters for the night. That suited Felicia's purpose just fine. She took care of her horse, then crept into the walled garden, and silently approached a large statue of Sorden Sky Father, the ruler and father of all the gods, and turned the eagle on top of his lightening staff. The statue began to move, making a soft scraping sound as it slid aside to reveal a deep hole with a narrow wooden ladder leading down beneath the garden.
Felicia climbed down the ladder into the darkness with practiced ease, until her feet touched the earthen floor of the cavern below. She found the lever to replace the statue and light the tunnel by instinct, and smiled to herself. No one in her family knew about this secret lair. Only one other soul in all the world was aware of its existence- her trusted servant Anna. However, she was deaf and mute, so would never tell.
Felicia's father had rescued the girl from a marauding band of goblins that had slaughtered her tribe when she was very young, and had raised her as a companion for his two daughters, even changing her name from the tribal Torawey. Felicia had liked the pretty plains girl instantly, and she and Anna had been fast friends ever since.
Felicia entered the large cavern that served as her training ground and secret sanctuary, and set down her pack to let Yin and Yang out. The two sleek cats stretched and yawned when they emerged, and went straight to a large bowl of chicken and cream that Anna had thoughtfully left for them. Then the pair watched as their mistress went through her daily routine of running through the elaborate maze of ropes, stakes, beams, and other obstacles that she used to hone her skills. She knew there were plenty of thieves in Yarmin who were perfectly content to be common cutpurses and con artists, but she preferred the challenge of the burglar's way. She had taught herself acrobatics, lock picking, and even how to recognize and disable traps and alarms.
The last skill would no doubt be of vital importance when she attempted to free Felix from his prison- assuming she could even find him. She wondered why the goddess had chosen her for this task, as she had never had any prior personal contact with Pashutsa before. Would not one of her own priestesses be better for such a daring rescue? Then she remembered that the goddess was fond of favoring those who made their own way, and decided that Pashutsa must know best how to aid her followers. After all, she reasoned, who would know better how to aid a cat than another cat?
After she had finished her regimen, she cautiously made her way up a narrow flight of steps through a passage that led into the back of the hacienda's storeroom. She checked a peephole to be sure no one was outside the hidden passage to see her, and then slid a panel in the wall aside to emerge behind a stack of ale barrels. She crossed the small room and came out in the kitchen- only to find Anna waiting for her with a look of mock disapproval, and a mischievous glint in her eyes. The tribes-girl shook her head, then handed her a plate with a few leftover slices of ham and a hunk of bread.
Felicia took it, grinning. She had known her friend would be waiting up for her to return from her latest caper. She sat down to the carving table, and began to eat as Anna poured her a cup of sweet wine. The servant was plainly curious to know what she had been up to, but was content to wait until she was ready to tell her.
Soon, she had finished the simple meal, and began to sign to Anna in their own secret language about what she had learned. The plains girl frowned on learning that Valdez had garnered the services of a nightmare, for she knew that such beasts only served the most evil of mortals. Then she asked in their private sign language how Felicia intended to free the cat-lord. Felicia smiled, and mimed out a rather suggestive ploy. That sent the tribal girl into peals of silent laughter. She knew very well how many wealthy young sons had tried in vain to court the lovely younger Delagato daughter. Felicia's sister Isabella was already married, and only her lack of a suitor kept Felicia in her family's ancestral home- which was precisely how she liked it, at least for now.
At last, she let Anna take her plate and glass, and Felicia went upstairs to her luxurious bedchamber to undress and get some sleep. For tomorrow would begin the first stage of her plan to carry out her goddess's wishes.
Early the next morning, she awoke to a knock on her door. She quickly put on a dressing gown and robe, and opened the door to find her sister Isabella standing there with a disapproving look.
"So, I see you finally made it home in one piece? I am surprised you were not accosted by some brigand, staying out so late. And what were you doing, anyway? I suppose you were out on one of your charity missions again?" She asked sarcastically. Anna slipped into the room behind her, and began setting out her mistress's wardrobe for the day.
"Must you always be so nosy, sister? You cluck like a mother hen!" Felicia said, rolling her eyes. She began to change into her day-dress with Anna's help, the young plains girl helping her into the tight corset and voluminous petticoats.
"No answer to that? Well, I cannot say I'm surprised. Disappointed, perhaps, but not surprised. You know, dear, people are starting to talk. I have heard rumors that you have been seen in some rather unsavory parts of the city. Are you keeping a secret affair with some commoner? Or simply giving it out to anyone who will pay?"
Felicia whirled on the older woman. "How dare you! I have no interest in any man! At least none that live in this moral sinkhole of a city. No, sister, I do not expect you to understand, but I have much higher standards than that. I don't go running to the first man to come sniffing around after my inheritance, nor do I play those political and business games you seem to enjoy so much."
Isabella gaped at the verbal slap in the face. "Well, in that case, I would suggest you start acting more like a proper lady should! Running around in breeches instead of skirts, riding astride like a man- it's disgraceful!"
"No, sister, letting the poor and weak suffer, while we live in excess, is disgraceful. You should do more than just give alms at the temple once a nine-day, and act more like the upstanding citizen you pretend to be, instead of making back-room deals with thieves and lecherous beurocrats."
Isabella opened her mouth to make a retort, but Felicia swept past her, slamming the door behind her to end the conversation. She fumed with righteous indignation. Affair, indeed. Still, she supposed it made sense that people might think she was involved in some illicit, torrid romance or other such nonsense. However, she had yet to find a man worthy of her attentions. For honestly, what man in his right mind would get involved with a woman who spent her nights slinking through other people's homes and businesses as a burglar, to aid the poor and oppressed masses?
Now, find me a man who has similar interests, and then maybe I'll be persuaded to fling myself at his feet like some swooning dove! She giggled to herself at the mental image as she headed for the kitchen. As always, the cook, Renaldo, had prepared a wonderful morning repast, with pears, cheese, flakey bread, and eggs with bits of ham and exotic spices rolled in. She made a sort of sandwich out of the fare, grabbed one of the pears, and a glass of fresh milk from her family's dairy barn, and went out to enjoy the morning sun.
Soon enough, Anna came out after her, and signed to ask what she wanted to do for the day. Felicia grinned. I wish to write a letter to ask for a dinner invitation, she signed back. She did not know what kind of man Valdez was, beyond his obvious interests in the dark arts and his wealth, so she planned to simply inquire of him as to the possibility of a future partnership, and let the man take it as he would. If he was anything like the rumors said, she had no doubt he would rise to the bait.
She went out to feed and groom her horse- for that was one task that she allowed no one else to perform- and then went inside to her father's large study and composed the letter. Once it was signed and sealed, she sent for a courier to take it to Valdez, and then settled down to her usual daily routine of needlepoint (which she secretly hated), practicing the lyre (another thing she despised) and walking in the garden. The last was something she actually enjoyed, often getting down in the dirt right alongside the gardener to weed or plant flowers and herbs. She strolled past the herb patch, and saw a clump of catmint. She smiled to herself, and plucked a few sprigs, hiding them in her corset. These would come in handy later.
After her walk, Felicia decided it was time for her daily ride to inspect her family's holdings. Normally this would be a task for the eldest son, but Don Paulo had no sons, and since Isabella had no interest in the day-to-day workings of her own ranchero, it fell to Felicia to do it. Not that she minded, of course. She often enjoyed these rides, roaming far across the vast pasturelands that comprised most of the Delagato lands. The rest was mainly orchards and vineyards, with a large plot for growing maize, potatoes, and cabbages.
The Delagatos were known for raising some of the finest cattle and horses in the entire Republic. Their vineyards, too, were famous for sweet, rich wines. Isabella was content to leave the running of such endeavors to the chief steward, Ignacio Sebastiano, but not Felicia. It was chiefly through her efforts and care that their lands continued to prosper.
She spent much of the afternoon out with the vaqueros, helping to bring in and brand the previous spring's calves. By the time she returned home, it was growing dark, and she was hot and dirty. Anna had anticipated her needs, and had a hot bath and fresh dressing-gown ready when she arrived. Soon enough, it was time for a hearty meal of veal, spiced potatoes, soft rolls, and a bowl of hot soup made from vegetables from the garden.
It was during dinner that the courier arrived with a message for Felicia.
She took one look at the seal on the letter he handed her, and smiled to herself. So, she thought, he has decided to answer already. Quickly she tore open the seal, and read the letter. It was just as she had thought. Valdez had more than risen to the bait- he had swallowed it, hook, line, and sinker.
The letter asked, in oh-so-polite tones, for her to accept an invitation to dinner the following evening, and for permission to request a suit. Felicia might have laughed out loud had she not been sitting at the dinner table, with her sister's eyes and those of her stuffy fop of a husband on her. Even Anna stood waiting in anticipation, obviously anxious to "hear" the full account of what was written. She could read as well as Felicia could, but that fact was a secret known only to the two of them. Isabella would no doubt have had fits if she knew her sister was teaching the servants to read and write.
"So, who is it from, dear? What does it say?" Isabella finally broke the silence of the table to ask.
"It is from Don Julio Ramon. It seems he would like to invite me to his hacienda for dinner tomorrow. Oh, yes, and there is something about a possible proposal, as well." She added the last part rather flippantly, as though it was of little importance. Which, naturally, it wasn't, since she did not intend to take him up on anything other than the dinner offer.
Isabella stared in shock. "Well! It's rather unseemly to go visiting a man- even a Don- without a chaperone! So, sister, dear, what are you going to do?"
"I think I shall go. If it upsets you so much, then surely it will be an interesting evening!" She smiled viciously at her older sibling, to make sure the jab did not go unnoticed.
"Ah! Such impertinence! It is no wonder you are still a senioritta with that attitude! No man in his right mind would wish to marry such a hellion!"
"Humph. I agree. My dear, if you plan to go on acting so un-ladylike, you will never find yourself a husband to support you." The normally silent Seniore Bernardo Esperanzo spoke up, once again reminding Felicia why she had not married. She rolled her eyes. She knew very well that her sister's marriage was only a matter of convenience. Bernardo seemed to have much more interest in the stable hands than in his own wife.
"Excuse, me, sister, but I believe I'll take my repast in the kitchen. The company there is much more to my liking." She picked up her plate, and left the pair gaping after her. She could almost hear Anna laughing to herself as the servant followed along behind her.
Early the next morning, she woke and hurried down to her secret sanctuary, barely even taking the time to dress. As she had expected, Anna was waiting for her, with her black thief's attire neatly folded next to her small pack of tools and magical items. It had taken months of careful searching to find them- a small key that could magically change to open any lock that was not specifically warded against it, her invisibility cloak, a bracelet with a charm that could enlarge to a full sized short sword, two healing potions and a vial of poison antidote. Her boots could be made to leave no tracks, and the gloves enhanced her already prodigious dexterity.
She made certain all was ready, then slipped everything on, and went through her routine blindfolded, paying special attention to the traps, while Yin and Yang looked on with typical feline impartiality. Once, the little black female mewed when she was about to step on a trigger-plate that she had forgotten about, and Felicia smiled at the cat's simple warning. Well done, my friend. You were paying attention.
She continued the regimen until she was certain she could navigate anything Valdez might have lying in wait, then snuck back up to her room to put on her best gown for the evening. Thankfully, Isabella and Bernardo were away on another of their extravagant shopping trips, so she had the entire hacienda to herself. She slipped her favorite pair of daggers into her boots, her feather-fall ring and the charm bracelet on her hands, and for a final touch, another ring that would mask the magic of all her equipment- she knew better than to let a powerful sorcerer learn that she was wearing a virtual arsenal of magic!
After that, there was little to do but wait for the Don's carriage to arrive for her. She had hidden her pack beneath her petticoats, but for once, decided against taking her two furry companions along on the caper. Against a man like Valdez, she felt they would surely be killed, should he uncover her true intentions; Felicia simply could not bear for them to be harmed. At last, the carriage arrived, and it was with great anticipation that she entered it and began the long ride to his home.
Much later, the carriage finally arrived at the hacienda of Don Julio. Felicia checked quickly to be sure her tools and items were well hidden beneath her gown, and then stepped out onto the drive of the estate. His home was imposing, to say the least. It was not a hacienda in the usual sense, being built more like one of the watchtowers on the walls that surrounded the capital city. It was fully four flights tall, with windows only on the upper two levels. It was built square, with only one entrance, and that was guarded not by men, but by four wemics.
Felicia frowned at the sight of them. Wemics were a race of leonine "centaurs" with the upper torsos of humanoids, and the lower bodies of huge, powerful lions. They lived out on the vast plains, and generally avoided contact with humans or other races. She wondered if these were mercenaries, but a quick look at the band around each one's neck proved otherwise. Slaves, then. She grimaced. This was yet another crime for which Valdez had to pay.
Although slavery of non-humans was not illegal, it was generally looked down on by everyone but the Presidente and his new Vizier. Felicia shuddered; that man gave her the creeps, for no particular reason she could discern. She had only ever seen him once, but that was more than enough. Felicia steeled herself, and strode up to the huge front doors. The wemics glared at her as she passed, their slightly feline faces clearly showing their hatred of humans, but did not challenge her. She followed the servant inside, to a large hallway that was decorated only sparingly. She saw little if anything to indicate that this was someone's home. No doubt Valdez spent his fortune on his experiments. She had seen no evidence of the nightmare mount from before, and no stable, either. He must have dismissed the beast on arrival, or it had been on loan from another master.
The servant led her into a room to the right, which turned out to be a stately, if somewhat unfashionable dining room. At least the man was savvy enough to keep up appearances for guests. There was a long table in the center of the room, a few worn tapestries and paintings on the walls, and tall candelabras in each corner. A smaller door to her left at the far end of the room led to what must be the kitchen. She was itching to explore the house and learn where Felix might be held, but her host was already seated at one end of the table, waiting for her. She hid her distaste and annoyance. The man hadn't the decency to greet her in the foyer? How rude, she thought. She delivered a polite curtsy, and moved to the chair that the servant held out for her.
"Ah, greetings, senioritta Delagato. I was most pleased to receive your letter, though I admit to being puzzled. Why this interest, senioritta?"
Felicia put on her best fake smile, and gave him a little nod. "It seems my sister is urging me to find a suitor, and of course, only the best family will do. I had heard that you were single, and thought it might be a good match. And if you don't mind my saying it, your home could use a woman's touch. It is not seemly for a man to live alone in such a big place- it is isolated and cold, Don Julio."
The man laughed, a chilling sound. He had changed his dark robes for a more acceptable formal jacket and pantaloons, but still there was no mistaking the aura of evil that surrounded him. Nor did she miss the two rings on his right hand, or the symbol of Crinos that hung half-hidden beneath his jacket. They practically oozed auras of magic.
Crinos. Suddenly this made a great deal more sense. He was the dark god of evil were-creatures and those who followed the path of violence and blood. His symbol, an eclipsed or dark moon, was feared by most- almost as much as those of Zellanos and Zoranna, the most powerful of the Dark Gods. If Valdez followed Crinos, he was a cruel and cunning man, indeed.
"Well put, my dear. You are correct, of course. I am flattered that you thought of me. I don't recall ever having met your family personally, but now is as good a time as any to remedy that. Please, tell me a bit about yourself while we dine, senioritta."
She breathed a sigh of relief. One hurdle down. Now that she had his interest, she needed to gain a bit of his trust to discover where the cat-lord was imprisoned.
Felicia pretended to be shy, batting her eyes coyly as she began to eat. She hoped he was buying her performance- the disgust she felt for this oily devil was almost more than she could stand. Even being in the same room with him made her want to shove one of her daggers in his gut. Yet she had to at least pretend to be interested in him, or she might never complete her sworn task.
"Please, Don Julio, there is nothing to tell! I am simply what you see, a woman in need of a man. Actually, I was hoping to learn more about yourself. I saw those wemics by the front doors- are there many banditos about, that you should need such guards?"
She waited, giving him a look as much as to say that she was worried about his safety. Get him to talk about himself- flatter his ego; that was the key to gaining what she needed, Felicia knew. She had already discerned that he was vain and arrogant. No doubt he assumed she was nothing more than some foolish, swooning maiden that he could easily seduce. Ha, let us see who is the one to be seduced, Valdez, she thought.
"Ah, my dear, it is nothing to be concerned with. They have been with my family for some years- it was my father who first hired them, may he rest in peace. But do not fear, my lady, you are perfectly safe here."
Enslaved, you mean, she thought with a surge of hate. Nevertheless, she only smiled, and continued her meal in silence for a few moments. But she was increasingly aware of his gaze upon her; she glanced up, to find that he was watching her intently. Had she made some mistake? Did he suspect something? She met his gaze, and smiled innocently.
At last he spoke. "Tell me, senioritta, what truly brings you here. It is not merely a desire for a liaison- it is clear you simply wanted a pretext to visit me. So what, pray tell, do you really want?" His eyes seemed to bore right into her, and for an instant, she panicked, thinking he must have some magic to read her mind and learn her true intent. Then she composed herself, and quick as any cat, used her wits to turn the game back in her favor. If wiles did not work, why not try candor?
"Very well, sir. You are most astute. The truth is, I have heard the rumors of your- pardon my saying it- peculiar- interests. I, too, have similar interests, and was curious to see if the stories were true. Perhaps I can be of assistance to you. For a price, of course."
There, if she could not use his libido to get what she wanted, she would use his greed and power-lust. That should certainly catch his attention.
The man laughed. It was a cold, dark sound, but one of genuine amusement. She smiled to herself, knowing she had at last found his weakness.
"Well, that is a surprise, my dear! I suspected you had come for some sort of parley, but I could not be certain. Very well, then, what did you have in mind, senioritta? What sort of assistance could you possibly be to me, hmm?"
She gave him her most devilish smile, and chuckled. She might loathe the man on principle, but she had to admit he was a worthy opponent. She decided to go straight for the kill, let him hang himself by telling him the truth- that she was the notorious "Gato Negro".
"I can get into places you could not, Don Julio, and I am quite adept at 'acquiring' items of value or importance to myself or others. Anything you want, I can get, without anyone the wiser."
He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled darkly.
"So, it is you then. The 'Gato Negro' is a bored, spoiled lady of the court? Ha! How marvelous! What would be your angle, then? Obviously, you do not do it for the money- so why, then? And what do you want from me?"
She grinned. "Oh, so you have heard of me, then? I'm flattered. I had heard you were a recluse who never bothered with gossip or politics. It's for the challenge, of course. And the sheer entertainment of knowing I can walk around right under the very noses of the Watch and they would never suspect someone of my station, much less a woman. What I want from you, dear Don, is to learn your Art. I'm certain that I could do so much more, with even a tiny bit of magical expertise. And in return, I could use my skills to acquire anything you might desire- one way or another."
She waited for him to take the bait. Would this ruse work? It had to.
She watched him closely to determine whether he was interested in her offer. Slowly, he nodded, and she was rewarded with that same sinister smile.
"Indeed. Your offer is intriguing, my dear. But, you must understand that a man of my- talents- must be careful in whom to trust. How may I be certain you do not simply intend to rob me blind as you have done to so many others?"
She laughed outright at his paranoia. "Please, senor! If I did, would I have told you who I was? That would be most foolish, don't you think?"
"Perhaps. Or you might have some trick for making me forget, or to hide the deed from detection until it is too late to do anything about it."
She shook her head. Obviously, Valdez had much to hide himself, or he would not be so suspicious. She decided to make the offer too tempting to pass up.
"Well, my original request still stands, senor. A more- permanent- arrangement, perhaps?"
Now he seemed to perk up. "What do you suggest, my lady?"
She gave him her most seductive smile, practically purring her response.
"Oh, Don Julio, I think you know what I mean. I would like a tour of your workshop, and in return, I shall give you a taste of things to come. And believe me, senor, I can be quite accommodating!"
He looked her up and down then, not even bothering to conceal the lecherous leer on his face. "Very well, then. I suppose it would do no harm to let you see what you are getting into. You are not easily frightened, I trust?"
"Oh, no. In fact, you might be rather surprised how difficult it is to frighten me!" To herself, she added, as soon as I learn where you have Felix, you may be surprised by a great deal more than that, you snake.
He rang a small bell, and a servant entered to clear away the remains of their meal. "Very well, my dear- let me show you your future!"
He led her back into the main corridor, then back toward the entrance. She was puzzled at first, until he entered a room just past the front doors, on the opposite side. It was obviously some sort of guard post, having only a small table, and a pair of weapon racks, with a large mat laid out over most of the floor, presumably for practice. He kicked aside the mat, revealing a large trap-door beneath. With a wave of his hand and a single word, the door unlocked itself and swung open. Felicia gasped in amazement. He smirked.
"Something wrong, senioritta?"
She grinned devilishly. "Oh, no, Don Julio! If I could do that, imagine how much easier my little hobby would be! Oh, the things I could do then!"
He laughed in agreement, and with another simple spell, lit a torch on the wall at the bottom of a flight of stairs below. They descended into the hidden basement, into a short, wide passage. There were two sets of double doors on one side, another pair at the end, and a single door on the left, near the other end.
Felicia took careful note of the layout, should she need it later. He led her first to the single door, where he took a key out of his pocket and unlocked it.
"Why do you not simply use another spell?" She asked.
"I will give you your first lesson now. Magic is not something to be wasted, senioritta. The spells I used a moment ago are simple, but each one requires a certain amount of my power. The more I use on minor magicks, the less I would have at my call if urgent need should arise."
"Ah, I see." She made a quick note of the information, and immediately began thinking of ways to trick him into wasting yet more of his power.
Valdez led her into a long, narrow room, with enormous bookcases on three of the cold, bare walls. And what appeared to be a small laboratory at the end furthest from the door. Felicia gazed around with an appraising eye, making quick note of anything that might be used to her advantage later. But there was no sign of Felix. Where was he keeping the Cat Lord, and how could he imprison a being who was in direct service to a goddess? She pretended to be suitably impressed, so that her enemy would not catch on to the ploy.
"Oh, this is quite amazing, senor! But I had thought your library was upstairs?"
He laughed darkly. "That one is mainly for show. This is my private collection. And this is where your studies will begin, senioritta. But come- there is more I wish to show you, now that we will be partners- and, I trust, so much more?"
He gave her a blatantly lecherous leer, and it was all Felicia could do to feign attraction to the man's evil presence. Ugh, what a pig! Never in a hundred years, you filthy-minded orc-spawn! She thought, disgusted.
They stepped back into the corridor, and he took another key and opened the set of doors at the end of the hallway. Valdez spoke a word, and the torches in the large room beyond lit up at his command. When she entered the room, Felicia barely managed to suppress her squeal of outrage. The room was one huge kennel, with cages of varying sizes built right into the walls, all of them with stone partitions and solid steel or adamantine bars and gates. Inside the cages- a baker's dozen in all- were an array of creatures, all of them feline of one sort or another. The largest, and closest held a huge manticore, a pitiful-looking beast which was losing its mane and had ribs poking out from lack of adequate food. In the next two cages languished a pair of snake-tailed nonafels, their once gleaming black coats turned dull, the nine snakes that formed their tails lying weakly, barely moving. Along the opposite wall were two cages with cheetahs in them. Her heart was crushed to see the proud beasts whimpering forlornly, unable to do much more than pace in their confined space. At the far end, a double-stacked row of cages held a group of the small winged cats known as tressyms, their feathered wings drooping and losing their once soft plumage. One of them mewed pitifully at her.
The last two cages held what could only be a pair of Cath Shee, the rare elven cats. However, these two were obviously under some sort of magical containment that prevented them from using their natural invisibility and enlargement abilities.
"Senor? What is this? I seem to be in some sort of menagerie!"
"Ah, these are some of my experimental subjects, my dear. Perhaps when your training has progressed, I might allow you to assist me with my work. You see, I have a patron who is very interested in using the abilities of these creatures, and he pays me rather well for my work."
Now she did not even have to pretend to be interested. Suddenly, he had her full attention.
"Oh? Who is this patron, Don? Perhaps I might like to make some similar arrangement?"
He laughed, and the sound sent a shiver running through her. "I am not yet at liberty to say, my dear. Let us merely say he is both powerful and dangerous. You would be wise to keep what you have seen here secret. This is only a part of my work here. The rest is in the other two rooms. Come, I will show you."
He brought her back out into the corridor again, and moved to stand before the two doors opposite the stairs. Again, he opened the doors and spoke the command to light the torches. And once again, Felicia had to use all her will to restrain herself from strangling the man for his audacity.
The room was similar in size to the previous one, but with fewer cages. Here was a pair of large cages in the center of one wall, with a door leading to another room beyond. A mated pair of griffons currently occupied the two cages, but they were in as sorry a state as all the other creatures he had captured. The remaining cages were all situated along the right-hand wall. They contained what she identified as a kirre, with its distinctive brownish tiger-striped coat, spiked tail, and long horns on the head; a dark, oddly glowing beast that she only belatedly realized was an actual hellcat, and two black, six-legged puma-sized animals with long tentacles sprouting from their shoulders that ended in spiked clubs.
Displacers? By Pashuta's paw! He has more dangerous creatures in here than a party of monster-hunters would ever dare encounter!
Felicia noticed a large case of shelves at the other end of the room, which held assorted containers that she assumed held food or substances to control the monstrous felines. She heard him chuckle, and realized that she had let her guard drop for a moment. She quickly recovered, and turned to him with a look if simpering admiration.
"Why, this is simply amazing! I have never seen so many magical beasts in one place! You even managed to capture a hellcat? No mean feat, senor!"
The man gave her a sly grin. "Well, in all honesty, Senioritta, I did not go out and catch them myself. I pay men to do that. But keeping them caged- well, that is a difficult task, as you said. Would you like to see my prize specimen? I'm sure you will be most impressed with this one!"
"Ah, you have more? Don Julio, just when I think you have no surprises left for me, you prove me wrong. Tell me, will I be able to control such creatures too?"
He made a slight shrug, and smiled. "Perhaps, in time, if you prove to have the talent for spellcraft. But it is a difficult art to master, my dear. Are you certain you have the head for it? Or the stomach, for that matter?"
She stood straight, and gazed steadily into his cold dark eyes.
"Oh, yes, senor. I have the stomach for much more than you might imagine."
He seemed satisfied with her response, and led her to the other door.
"Then let me show you what I have been working on. I hope you are not squeamish about experimenting with intelligent creatures."
"Like the manticore in the other room? Not at all."
Now he laughed darkly again, opening the door. "No, I was referring to him." He pointed to a large circle on the floor at the far end of what was most certainly his main workroom, in which sat a lone figure.
He sat in the center of the circle, with his legs propped up, his head down on his arms crossed over them. Felicia could see that his skin was dusky, almost black, and he wore what had once been an elegant black shirt and vest, with leggings to match, and soft black boots. Even his hair was black, though it was long and rather unkempt. She knew without doubt though, even before he lifted his head to look at her, that his eyes would be green-gold, with the slitted-pupils of a cat.
Felicia took an involuntary step toward the circle. The room contained a couple of bookcases, a table with strange magical equipment and bottles on it, and what appeared to be a large stone altar at the far end, near the circle. It was black, but covered with rust-colored stains. Blood? She blanched, realizing that the fiend had been making sacrifices to his dark god, perhaps murdering innocents. She gazed at the weakened Felix- for she had no doubt it was he- her mind racing to find some way to free him.
Suddenly she felt something warm against her neck. She whirled, only to find that Valdez had come up close to her; his lips were just inches from her ear, as he inhaled her perfume.
"Exciting, is it not? To be this close to true genius?"
She wanted desperately to get away from him, but steeled herself to play the part she had chosen. "Senor, I'm not certain I know what you mean? What is it you are doing here?"
He laughed, and it sent chills through her. "Senioritta, welcome to my world. This is where I shall create the warriors for my patron's army- an army of creatures with the powers of those beasts you saw. He is the key to controlling them. When I unlock the secret of his gifts, I shall use it to command my creations to take over this land, and to expand our empire all the way from the Borian Mountains in the west, to the Silverwood in the east, and as far as Deepvale and the Arian Desert. We will be unstoppable."
Now she understood his plan, if not who was the master behind it. Felicia was determined more than ever to free the Cat Lord and put a stop to this madness. She moved toward the circle; Felix's eyes followed her warily, clouded with fear and dull from despair. She saw burn marks on his clawed hands, and the clothes had been singed away in places. What had that monster done to him?
She reached out a hand toward the outer edge of the ring, when she felt a strong hand gripping her shoulder to jerk her back.
"I would not do that if I were you, my lady. That barrier is most deadly. If you are wondering how I can keep him chained within a simple circle, I assure you, he cannot escape. Observe."
He strode to a small cabinet near the worktable, and brought out a tiny, mewing tressym kitten from a cage within. He held it by its scruff, and approached the circle. She heard a low, angry growl from Felix, and was surprised to see that he had taken a hybrid form, that was somewhere between human and a large panther. She watched in horror as Valdez tossed the young tressym at Felix, chuckling cruelly as if taunting him. However, it never passed the barrier. In the instant the kitten crossed over the circle's edge, it was incinerated, and all that was left was a scattering of ash that floated to the floor.
Felicia gasped. Felix snarled, his green eyes filled with rage at the callous murder of one of his kin. She heard him speak, in a deep, feral voice that was barely human. "You'll pay for that when my goddess comes for me, bastard!"
Don Julio laughed. "I doubt that. Your goddess is a weak thing compared to the power of Crinos. And have you forgotten I hold this?"
He grabbed a large rod from the table, and held it out before him toward the Cat Lord. It was made of onyx and silver, covered in strange runes, with a silver cat's head with emerald eyes at one end. Felix seemed to flinch, and suddenly cowered in the circle's center.
"Ah, yes. Now you remember. I am your Master. I could make you throw yourself at that barrier if I wished it so. Do not cross me again, beast."
Then he turned to Felicia. "Forgive me, my dear. Sorry you had to see that little display, but these creatures must learn respect for their superiors. Don't you agree?"
She gulped, and tried to feign indifference. But she'd seen enough. Now was the time to end the charade. "Actually, senor, I rather agree with Felix there. You will pay, Don Julio. For you see, you seem to have forgotten whom you are dealing with. Did you never even wonder why I call myself 'el Gato Negro'?"
In an instant, she had called up the sword from the charm on her wrist. Quick as her namesake, she whirled on the sorcerer and tried to knock the rod from his hand with it. Yet he was fast, too. He stepped back just in time to avoid losing his hand, though not without losing some blood. A rip had appeared in his sleeve, and a line of red welled on the arm beneath. He cursed.
"Agh! Wench, you will regret that! I should have known you were nothing but a treacherous harlot! Now you die!"
With that, he pointed a finger at her, and uttered a few words. Felicia sprang, just barely avoiding the purplish ray of energy that crackled from his finger, blasting the wall behind her. She glanced back, to see that it had left a scorch mark on the stone.
She looked around frantically, searching for anything that might help her. She leaped at Valdez, her silvery blade flashing in the torchlight. She tried to attack him again, but he managed to hold her off with the rod, blocking her attack. He whispered a string of strange words, his hand clenching into a claw-like grip, and suddenly she felt invisible talons raking her back. She cried out, and dodged to one side, only to discover nothing there. Valdez merely laughed.
Inside the circle, Felix paced, growling in frustration. He was still in his hybrid state, his hands tipped with sharp claws, and his teeth elongated into fangs. He wanted to tear the sorcerer to pieces, but was prevented by the circle from reaching him.
Valdez laughed evilly. "You are no match for my power, woman. I was so hoping we could join forces, my dear, but, alas, now I shall simply have to kill you. You have seen far too much. And my Lord does not tolerate interlopers."
Felicia snarled. "You'll have to do better than that, Julio. Why don't you fight me like a man, instead of hiding behind your magic?"
He laughed again. "I don't need my sorcery to kill you. All I need is this!" He held up the rod, and spoke the strange opening command again. From the other rooms, she heard the ominous sound of numerous gates opening.
"Come, my pets! I call you now to feast on the flesh of this intruder!" Felicia turned around, only to see the two displacers, the kirre, and the hellcat, as well as two strange shadowy beasts she had not even realized were in the room with her. They had apparently been hiding in the shadows of two cages in the main laboratory that she had taken to be empty. It was only the flickering flames of the hellcat that made them visible now. She blanched, knowing she had no chance against so many of the dangerous magical felines.
Then one of the displacers pounced at her. Felicia found herself knocked backward, toward the circle. She landed on the floor, the displacer on top of her, its huge head bearing down near her neck. Then it stopped, and began to sniff. She lay frozen, as it suddenly changed behavior, and began purring loudly, nuzzling and pawing at her bodice.
Felicia was stunned. What had happened? The displacer continued the odd behavior, and she suddenly remembered the catnip she had hidden in her bodice earlier. I am saved by catnip? She thought, amused. Of course, that still left all the other creatures to deal with.
She pulled the sprigs out, and the beast began swatting playfully at her hand like a giant kitten to get at them. The others had begun to approach as well, but the first displacer held them off with a low growl and a slap from one of its long tentacle-clubs. Then the hellcat came close, and its heat caused the displacer to back away. Felicia held the sprigs out toward the demonic feline, praying that it too would be affected. One of the shadowy creatures pounced in front of it, and hissed. Then it, too, began acting like some huge playful kitten as it rubbed its head against the sprigs. A chill ran up through her hand as it did so, and her hand passed right through it. It was only partially corporeal, having no more substance than water.
Now it was Felix's turn to laugh. "Well done, my lady! You managed to bring with you the one charm against any attack!"
She glanced at him. "I did not intend it that way, but who am I to complain, if it works?"
Suddenly, an angry snarl came from Valdez "Curse you, woman! I will kill you myself!" With that, he let loose with another spell, this one a ball of dark, crackling energy that seemed to pull all the warmth from around her, and left Felicia feeling weakened. The animals seemed to feel it, as well, and shrunk back from near the sphere. One of the displacers backed too close to the circle around Felix, and its right tentacle touched the barrier. The cat let out a wail of pain, and the tentacle whipped back missing its spiked club. Blood dripped from the wound.
"You'll have to do better than that!" With a surge of her remaining strength, Felicia did the one thing he had not expected- she rolled underneath the ball, so close that she could feel the power of it freezing her skin, and slashed out at his feet. The surprised sorcerer was forced against the wall, unbalanced. He lowered the rod, and Felicia darted out the door and around the corner past the two griffons, which were too large to enter the spell room. They let out surprised squawks as she dashed past them. She opened her hidden pack, and reached in to pull out the cloak. She threw it on, and suddenly vanished from the griffons' view. Now, shrouded by the cloak's invisibility, she slunk silently back into the room. Valdez had managed to regain control over the animals, and had banished the strange magical sphere.
"Well, it seems that your would-be rescuer has lost her mettle! Foolish woman to think she could best me! But I shall bring her back, and make of her a sacrifice to Crinos!"
Felicia watched as he approached the door, and then removed her cloak as she made a flying kick at him.
"Think again, monster!"
He was so startled he could not even react as her kick knocked him backward, causing him to trip over the kirre, which had been following behind him. Instinctively it swiped at him with a huge paw, and he tumbled to the floor- directly against the magical barrier.
Felicia seized the opportunity. In an instant, she was on him, her sword swiping at his chest. She was startled when it seemed to bounce off, as if it had struck some sort of barrier. She let out a curse.
Valdez laughed, in spite of being only inches from the deadly circle. However, Felicia suddenly grinned, realizing she had him in the most compromising position possible.
"Laugh at this, sorcerer!" With that, she stomped at his groin. She knew it would do no more to him than her sword had, but she was counting on his instinctive male reaction to recoil. He did not disappoint.
He tried to roll away from her, only to have one arm cross the line of the circle, vaporizing it in an instant! He howled in pain, but Felicia barely noticed. For as his blood flowed out from the wounded stump of his arm, it touched the barrier, and sizzled, but where it touched, the lines and symbols disappeared. A moment later, the invisible barrier seemed to flare brightly into view, and then dissipated with an almost blinding flash of light that brought yowls of pain from the two shadowy felines, and a yell of triumph from Felix.
With a roar of utter rage, he landed atop his former captor, and with one swipe of a clawed hand, tore through the Don's magical protection. The next swipe tore through his throat, and Valdez's screams were silenced. However, the Cat Lord did not stop there. He slashed wildly, until Valdez was little more than a bloody mess on the floor. In moments, the starving animals, smelling the blood, fell upon his remains.
Felicia blanched. That is a terrible way to die, she thought. Fitting, but still terrible. She watched as the Cat Lord slowly reverted to his human form, finally composing himself.
"Forgive me, my lady. That was rather- unseemly of me. Immensely satisfying, though." He smiled to himself as he watched the magical cats devouring what was left of Don Julio. Then he stepped over to the corpse and picked up the rod Valdez had carried. He held it almost reverently, as if it were a great treasure.
"This should never have been allowed to fall into hands such as those. I wonder how he was able to acquire it."
Felicia wiped her blade on the sorcerer's pantaloons, before recalling it back to its charm state. "What is it?"
"A holy relic of Pashutsa's priests. They are called rods of the cat. They are rare, and this one was obviously stolen from a temple. I must return it to my goddess. She will know what to do with it."
He turned to Felicia, and bowed deeply. He managed to look noble and dignified, in spite of being weak, disheveled, and covered in gore. "Thank you, my lady. If not for you, I would be imprisoned still. Surely the Mother Cat smiles on you."
She chuckled. "Well, she does tend to look favorably on those who make their own luck. You are most welcome, friend. Tell me, what will become of these poor creatures? They cannot be left here."
Felix strode over to the cabinet, and pulled out the cage Valdez had taken the young tressym from. Inside were two more of the winged kittens. He handed her the cage, and snapped his fingers. Instantly, all the animals in the room raised their heads expectantly. As one, they all padded quietly over to his side.
"Trust me when I say, dear lady, that they will be well cared for. I shall take them with me when I return to my home plane. The kittens are yours to care for. As for the rest, you may take whatever you like from this place. In fact, there are a number of objects that will most certainly aid your cause, my lady."
That brought her up. "I'm curious- Don Julio mentioned that he was working for someone else, but he did not say who. Do you know?"
Felix nodded darkly. "Yes. I heard him speaking to someone through a mirror. I heard him call the man 'Your Eminence'. I believe his name was Angelo Delacruz?"
At that, Felicia gasped. "The Presidente's new Vizier? Impossible! Why would he be working with scum like Valdez?"
"Perhaps because of something else I overheard. Valdez called him 'Lord Daywalker'. No doubt, you are aware that my kind is nearly immortal. We live for hundreds of years, and in my time, I have learned many things in my travels for the goddess. I have heard that term used only twice before. 'Lord Daywalker' is the title taken by the wearer of a certain ring. That ring has only one purpose- it is useless to anyone but a vampire, for it was created to make its wearer immune to a vampire's weaknesses to sunlight and fire. It has other powers as well, or so I'm told, but the Ring of the Daywalker is a powerful artifact, and if this Vizier of yours holds it, then he is most certainly a vampire of great power."
Felicia frowned. "That would explain a few things that I have heard. Thank you, Felix. I know what I must do now. I shall work to bring him down, whatever it takes."
He laughed. "Well said, my lady. I am in your debt- take this, and if ever you have need of me, speak my name as you press the gem."
He handed her a small silver pin in the shape of a cat's paw-print, with a cat's eye in the center pad, then bowed as the felines- even the ones from the other room, and the two griffons and manticore just outside the door- all gathered round close to him. He spoke a word, and then all of them disappeared in a blue flash of light. Felicia was left wondering what to do. Then she spied one of Valdez's spell-books open on a table, and smiled. What better way to fight a sorcerer than with magic? She knew of a friendly mage from the local wizard's guild who just might be willing to help her….