Intermission 9 Page 5

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“It’s okay, let him talk.”

“Who are you, and how do you know me?”

“My name is Amadeusz. I’ve actually sent word to you on a couple of prior occasions.”

“You may know me as “A Friend”?”

“Wait… YOU’RE the one who sent that letter?!”

“YOU let us know about the manor!”

“Yes, exactly.”

“That explains how she knows YOU, but not how YOU know HER.”

“You’re a sharp one. As expected of a former Champion.”

“As you’ve likely guessed, Ricki, I’ve been observing you for some time now.”

“Not just you, but many individuals who were victims of the Empire’s eradication and relocation policies.”

“Even early on I felt that you had the potential to do great things, and from what you’ve been doing with that property of mine since you liberated it, I’m pleased to see that I was right.”

“You OWN that estate?”

“Indeed. I acquired it long ago with the intention of using it as… a sort of test.”

“It took a long time and the unfortunate loss of many of my worg companions in order to ensure that the dungeon’s interior would meet my needs.”

“You see, the path ahead of you will be fraught with danger. I needed to know you were capable of surviving it before I fully committed myself to support you.”

“Some of us almost died in that “test”.”

“Almost. But you didn’t! And that’s exactly what I wanted to see.”

“And now that I HAVE seen it… I am here to join you.”