Aust Two-stabbed

Once upon a time in a land far far away there was a little boy. He was not a normal boy – no he wasn’t. He grew up pickpocketing, and robbing, and swindling to earn his money. He was light on his toes and it is said he could hide in a fly’s shadow. His name was Aust. Aust became renown for his skills. The soldiers tried to lock him up but he was always too quick and clever. This was how the shadow guild finally recognized his potential. The shadow guild had always been watching him with eyes present in every shadow. They are always watching behind every curtain and cranny, looking for the most skilled people in the whole of the land to aid in their effort to protect the emperor. They had been watching Aust for a long time without his knowing, being even cleverer then him.
Eventually, the man of many names and faces (for no one knows his true name or appearance. Sometimes he looks like an old man bent with age and other times like a guards woman strong at her post and other times like a small child looking for a coin) approached Aust. He gave him the opportunity of doing great things by joining the shadow guild. Aust could use his skills to benefit the land, hunting down the emperor's enemies and using his skills for the good of all. He would be protected from the soldiers and have ample coin and food for all his days.
Aust took the man of many names and faces' offer. He began to work for the shadow guild and found many friends, people who were just as sneaky and clever as he was. He obtained unique magical artefacts of extreme power and grew prestige. His team was renown for successfully completing their missions and had a perfect record. Life could not have gotten better for Aust.
However, as is always the case for those whose ambitions rise too far, Aust got bold and tired with the status quo. He wanted more. Aust wanted power. Aust wanted renown. Aust wanted to work on his own so he would not share his glory and victory with others. Aust grew tired of following the wise advice of the man of many faces and names. All in all, Aust grew selfish.
One cannot just leave the shadow guild though. Aust, in its secret initiation, had signed on for life and this is what was expected. He knew many of the guild’s secrets and was a danger outside them. He had been trusted with the identities of many of the members, a special privilege. Despite this, Aust disregarded his promise and oath, clearly showing his fall into selfish evil ways. He began to work on his own. He betrayed his crew to their doom and left to quench his ambitions with greater power.

But this was not too be. The man of many faces and names learned what Aust had done and was sad for he had taught Aust many things and had high hopes for his future. But, if Aust was willing to go against the shadow guild he must be hunted down. And that is what the man of many faces and names did. Far and wide, high and low he tracked Aust. Through numerous countries and around the turning of the world he did not relent. Finally, he caught up.

by Ilya Plakhuta

At first Aust fought the man of many faces and names. He was a power to recon with! But the man of many faces and names was far more clever than Aust and has been alive for too long to be taken by the novice traps that Aust tried to set. Aust was finally subdued and begged for mercy. He groveled on the ground and pleaded for forgiveness, admitting he was weak and ignorant, a fool. The man of many faces and names looked at him and grimaced, for Aust had broken many rules and betrayed his emperor but he regretted needing to turn in one he had had such high hopes for, one with such potential. But the rules were the rules and, despite any misgivings, the justice had to be delivered.
The man of many faces and names bound Aust in cables so tight that even his nimbleness could not escape them. He took Aust back to the secret halls of the guild and, in the dark room in the center of the vast spider’s web he gave sentence: Aust was to die for his betrayal to the guild and emperor.
There was one caveat though. Do you what that is kids? The man of many faces and names recognized Aust’s intelligence, afterall, despite his mistakes Aust had been very clever. He knew that such intelligence could not be wasted. So he killed Aust by draining his brains through his ears (an extremely gruesome and painful process. It is said Aust's screams could be heard echoing through the entirety of the kingdom), storing them all eternity that the memories and knowledge obtained could serve future generations of the guild and not be lost to time. Then, with Aust’s mind and soul drained and the being known as Aust dead, the husk that was left was set to the mindless tasks for the guild, to serve for the rest of its days as a reminder to the other members.
That is why, kids, you need to use your skills wisely. Pacts, once made, are binding, and even in the depths of the darkness you will be unable to hide from those who enforce them. The shadows are always watching.
Aust Two-stabbed,
part of Earnest’s 12 Bedtime Stories,
forbidden literature in the Amiro Empire

Document Structure

Legal status

Forbidden literature within the Amiro Empire

Type

Imagery, Graphic Novel / Comic Book

Medium

Paper

Authoring Date

~2300ish AC

Location

Tangearin