"...I see.  You wish to join us?"  Modya sat back down, crossing his fingers and looking thoughtfully at Audrice.  "It is very rare for us to take new members.  So few live up to our standards, you see.  You have quite a reputation yourself, but from what I've heard of your accomplishments, you still have a ways to go.  And that's assuming your exploits haven't been embellished along the way.  Still... I think you've earned the chance to try, at least."  He sat in silence for a little longer, then lifted a small crystal bell from his desk and rang it quietly.<br/><br/>In the center of the basement of the stone complex, in a room where the light of a single candle glimmered off a polished blade, a second bell rang.  The bells were enchanted, their identical crystal facets linked by magic, so that the ringing of one bell would sound the other at any distance.<br/>The sound of the bell signaled that a prospective client needed to be removed from the building--because they were being disrespectful, or making threats, or because Modya simply found them distasteful.<br/>The sword was carefully lifted from its stand, the light waving erratically.  A pair of pale pink lips drew near to the candle and gently blew it out.<br/><br/>In Modya's office, a shadow that fell just behind Audrice seemed to thicken, as a dark silhouette rose silently from the darkness.  An owl would have been jealous of the person's stealthy approach; not even the air was ruffled as they emerged from the shadow, jet black save for the silver sliver of their blade.