The black hood is ripped off my head and I plunge back into the light. Blinking the darkness from my eyes, I take a look around the room.

It’s ornately decorated, with long tapestries adorning the walls and chestnut colored furniture placed tastefully throughout. Typical bureaucrats office in this part of the world. I’m in exactly the right place.

I adopt my most charming smile and turn my attention to the three men keeping me company. My kidnappers. Or escorts, depending on how you look at it.

“So what seems to be the issue, boys,” I ask, keeping my voice casual. “It seems I’ve committed some sort of party foul.”

The Neanderthal on my right answers with a quick punch against my chest.

I cough and drop low. My eyes scan the room again. My target is somewhere in here. I just have to find it. Eventually my gaze settles on a specific tapestry.

“We have some questions for you,” said the man in the middle. He’s tall, well-groomed and has a distinct air of authority to him. This guys in charge. Jacques de Lion. The mayor.

I regain my composure and nod. “I’m happy to answer them but first I need to show you something.”

Confused, the two henchmen look at the mayor. He waived them off. “And what is that?”

I motion to my jacket with my chin. “I have papers sewed into my lapel. Your security would have missed them when they were patting me down. They’ll prove my identity. I was sent here by the King to help you.”

The mayors eyebrow arches and he pauses. After an agonizing minute, he nods to his men and motions for them to check me.

I suppress a grin. This is my opportunity.

The man on my left bends down and starts searching my lapel. As soon as he’s eye level, I lash out and headbutt him sending him flying onto his back.

The man to my right acts swiftly and kicks at me. However, I’m already falling forward from the headbutt and his kick swings high.

I take advantage of him being off balance and strike his grounded leg with my own. He trips and falls backwards, his head striking the desk.

I pop up and turn to the now frightened mayor. He tries to escape to the door but my hands wrap around his shoulders. I throw him to the ground and sit on top of him.

“Now look here, old chap. I need the cypher to that safe you have hidden in here. You’ve got some information I need and I’m going to get it one way or another.” A smile slowly spreads across my face. “And I’d hate to have to get more violent than I already have.”

The mayor breaks instantly and blurts out a series of runes.

“Thanks.” I get up and kick him in the head, knocking him out cold.

I make my way over to the most garish tapestry in the room and rip it off the wall to reveal the safe behind it. “Now let’s see how honest our good friend the mayor was.” I breathe in deeply and input the runes.

A quiet click confirms he is. I smile again and rip open the safe door.

The safe is filled with all kinds of treasures. Gold, jewels and coins stuffed each shelf. It was enough to make any person rich many times over.

I, however, ignore all these. Riches are great but they’re not what I’m after. So I sift through the distractions until I find exactly what it is I’ve came for.

It looks like a simple, glass orb. Sterling green and etched with seemingly random patterns, it’s fetching but somewhat ordinary at the same time.

I take it out and smile once more. Finally, I found it.

Without another second’s hesitation I smash it on the ground.

All of a sudden, a swirl of green energy fills the small space. Winds rip through the office, sending furniture, documents and treasures flying.

I stand defiant of it all and wait for the chaos to still.

When it finally does, a woman is now standing at the center of the room. She blinks her eyes and smiles.

“It’s good to see you again, Irwin,” she says.

“It’s good to see you too, mother” I reply.

She’s finally free.