text: His plan is going to mess everything up and reporting him probably will just result in him getting scolded and he'll sneak off later anyway. You need to kill him. It's part of your overall goal anyway.
  
  The next few days you spend mostly in the training room, trying to get yourself ready for what will probably be a grueling battle. Quite frankly if you do it right, you won't have to fight him at all as you're going to try to catch him completely with his guard down, but if that doesn't work, you're going to have a struggle on your hands and you need to be prepared.
  
  Brother Shade helped directly train your magic skills, so as usual you're hoping your combat skills will be the deciding factor, but your major advantage will be the element of surprise. You make sure your blade is extra sharp and your arm crossbow is in good working condition. You fully expect Dendrin to harass you in your dreams, but that doesn't happen.
  
  When the day finally arrives you and Brother Shade take your leave of Gloom and head to Venji. Brother Shade and yourself travel under the cloak most of the time, though up keeping such magic is tiring business, so you rest a few times on your way. During your time together, you find out more about Brother Shade's thoughts. He goes on about how Master Ebon is not fit to speak for Dendrin anymore. Shade believes the old man isn't even in contact with Dendrin anymore as Shade knows that Dendrin would not want to wait any longer for the shadows to live under Empire rule. Shade knows that Dendrin would want action to be taken right now and that only those that prove themselves to be proactive in these times will be rewarded when the dust finally settles.
  
  You can't speak for Ebon, but from what you can tell, Shade doesn't really know shit what Dendrin really wants. You don't either, but then you aren't one of his blind sheep that follows his orders. Still, it's somewhat fascinating to see one of the shadows not fall completely in step with the rest. If Mr. Mol hadn't suggested his idea, you probably would've gone through with Shade's mission and try to sew a little more dissension on both sides to flame the fans of a shadow civil war. As it stands though, he needs to die, but you're still trying to build yourself up to do it. You have no idea why either, you've had the opportunity a few times and you're far enough away from civilization since you've been sticking to the back roads.
  
  Eventually the humble village of Venji is in sight, and you're going to have to kill Shade soon. You think you're going to pass the village, but Shade starts heading towards it.
  
  "We're not actually entering it are we? So far we've managed to stay out of sight."
  "And we'll continue to do so, I can maintain the cloak, but if you're feeling weak you stay here. I'll be back soon anyway."
  "But why are you going into the village?"
  "Because there's bound to be a couple of Empire soldiers stationed there. We're going to need a couple of disguises."
  "You're going to kill Empire soldiers?"
  "Yes, and why is that a problem?"
  
  It's not. Actually it's a perfect excuse for you.
  
  "No, I just didn't know the entire plan. I guess I'll wait here I am feeling a little drained from the magic and I wouldn't want to jeopardize the mission." You answer.
  
  Brother Shade grunts and turns his back to you, and just before he cloaks again, you raise your arm and fire your crossbow at him. Your aim is true and the bolt lands directly into the back of his skull. He's dead even before he falls face first into the ground .
  
  It's done and it was so quick. He didn't suspect anything or even see it coming. Now you've got to get rid of the body and think up a story. Nobody saw you leaving together, you made sure of that, but you've both been gone awhile. You figure you'll think of something on your way back to Gloom.
  
  You strip Shade of his robe, weapons, then you cut off his head and dig a small hole to toss it into along with his robe and weapons. You figure nobody is going to recognize him now and that's not even counting the wolves or other wandering animals that will probably find the body to feast on first.
  
  When you finally get back, you get several people asking you where you've been.
  
  "Where in Dendrin's name have you been? You just left without reporting to Brother Gray for assignment!" Brother Murk exclaims.
  "I was doing my usual patrols in the Quala province. I didn't think I was being switched from them any time soon, so I just left. Was it a problem?"
  "Well sort of, Brother Shade is missing as well, you weren't with him were you?"
  "No, I wasn't, I haven't seen him since I left Gloom a couple days ago either."
  "Okay, well you're going to need to explain that to Master Ebon, he believes Brother Shade went and did something rash."
  "Oh? Like what?"
  "Like defying Master Ebon and the will of Dendrin. Anyway, you better hurry to Master Ebon's office."
  
  You do as Murk suggests. You just hope you can convince him as easily.
  
  You enter Master Ebon's office and see him, Brother Gray AND Cyrus. You can guess what the first two are doing here, but you don't know why Cyrus would. He's giving you a dirty look from underneath his hood as usual.
  
  "At last, we can get to the bottom of this." Brother Gray remarks.
  "I certainly hope so, because there are some serious allegations going on and conspiracy in the air." Master Ebon says while looking at you.
  "I'm telling you I saw the pair of them together several times and the day they both left, he made sure to leave several minutes after Brother Shade." Cyrus remarks.
  
  And there it is. Cyrus is on to you, well maybe not entirely, but apparently he was skulking around spying on you when you thought nobody was looking. And here you were thinking he was on assignment or with his boyfriend most of the time.
  
  "So what if I left several minutes after Brother Shade? What does that prove? Am I supposed to wait hours? A day? What would be enough time for you? And what's this all about anyway? What did Brother Shade do?"
  "Oh like you don't know."
  "Brother Cyrus, quiet!" Master Ebon says before continuing. "And to answer your question, I'm sure you're aware of Brother Shade's recent behavior and his desire to move things along as far as our plan goes. He approached me not too long ago, about starting a war with the Felkan Kingdom, I told him no and he got very angry. Then he disappears for a few days when I specifically told him to stay here and concentrate on his prayers to Dendrin. We believe he's gone and tried to do this himself. You being gone without reporting to Brother Gray wouldn't normally be held to such scrutiny, but Cyrus here has said he's seen you speaking with Brother Shade several times before his disappearance."
  "So I shouldn't have spoken to him? I can't be the only one that spoke to him before he disappeared."
  "Yes, but you are the only one that left without reporting to Brother Gray first, not to mention up until then I've been told that you and he never interacted much. All of this seems very suspicious and it grieves me something like this is being brought to me, especially when so much is at stake right now."
  
  You're trying to remain as calm as possible, but the pressure is on. Cyrus looks on with a faint smug expression like he's anxious to see you get into trouble. You need to come up with an explanation and you aren't sure if outright lying is going to help you. Maybe you should tell them the truth... up to a point of course.
  > tell them the altered truth
  Blatant lying tends to complicate things and if you're caught, it's only going to make you look worse. You might be better off telling the truth and omitting part of it.
  
  "Alright, alright, I'll tell you the truth, but I was only trying to protect Brother Shade's memory... and I was ashamed."
  "What are you talking about brother?" Master Ebon asks.
  "(Sigh) Brother Shade did speak with me, but he was mainly complaining. Stating that you didn't really know the will of Dendrin at all and action needed to be taken now regardless of what you said. At first I thought he was just spouting his usual rants, but the last time we spoke he wanted me to go with him to attack a Felkan outpost. The plan was to kill everyone there except one maimed survivor to tell the tale. He hoped that would bring war quicker and you'd have no choice, but to act on the plan."
  "Why didn't you report this?" Brother Gray snaps.
  "I told you, I didn't want Brother Shade to get into trouble just for having a momentary lapse in judgment and I thought I could talk him out of it. So I followed him and I caught up to him I tried to convince him his plan was folly. I failed and when I tried to physically stop him, he beat me and warned if I tried again he'd kill me. Fearing for my life I ran. That was the last I saw him."
  
  Master Ebon is silent and puts his face in his hands. Brother Gray gives a look of disapproval and shakes his head. Cyrus on the other hand takes the opportunity to question you.
  
  "You really expect us to believe your lies? You probably agreed to the plan, got scared and tried to back out of it. You killed Brother Shade and made up this story to... "
  "Brother Cyrus that's enough! You are not the one doing the interrogating here! Know your place in Dendrin's shadow! There has obviously been too much of people overstepping their bounds lately and you'd do well to not follow that same path. In fact, you need to leave. Brother Gray and I will handle it from here."
  
  Cyrus looks a bit put off by this order, but obeys. He gives a dirty look at you before leaving though. You're left standing in front of Master Ebon and Brother Gray.
  
  "Brother, do you realize what sort of position you've put us in?"
  "I realize it's bad, but... "
  "No, you don't! All of our plans could be ruined because YOU didn't report this like you should have! For all we know Brother Shade has completed his rash mission and the war will be occur too soon!"
  "And that's the best case scenario." Brother Gray adds. "Brother Cyrus' theory, though accusatory, does make me question if what you're saying IS the entire truth."
  "It is! I swear to Dendrin!"
  "Perhaps, but due to your deeds, a punishment still must be decided... I believe the silence of the shadow will do since you prefer to remain quiet. When your tongue is removed, I believe you shall forever know the price of your failure. Brother Gray please escort... "
  
  You aren't about to let yourself be mutilated by these religious fanatics, you draw your weapon, but Master Ebon mumbles a few words and you're held in place.
  
  "Brother, cease your hostility NOW! You will submit to this punishment or you will face much worse!" Brother Gray shouts.
  "Never! I'll never submit to you! The Empire will live forever and your order will be ground into dust! Long live the Emperor!" you shout breaking all pretense of your allegiance, which causes a look of surprise from Brother Gray's face. Master Ebon however just shuts his eyes.
  
  "Dendrin will preserve us through this unforeseen hardship, and we will prevail, just as he has said we would centuries ago. Your actions will not stop what cannot be stopped." Master Ebon says calmly and with a few quietly spoken words, your heart stops killing you instantly.