To say that Rethen was elated would have been a drastic understatement.

His journeys away from La’To had been exquisite. The tiny burg had given up her secrets rather quickly, especially to someone so adept at coaxing everything from a body, willing or otherwise. No, the chaotic machinations of the Alchemist had long since been bored by the small down and her smaller minds. There were few here whose darkness even began to match his own. Their deeds were easily eclipsed by his own.

So he had sought out something new. Something Darker.

Heme was a large province, with scattered towns and enclaves and cities. So he had wandered, listening to the Night and the Shadows as they moved about. And he had been most pleasantly fulfilled. In every way imaginable, he had indulged himself. His particular favorite was the slew of murders near that seminary. Those little future padres had never stood a chance.

The Shadows were particularly pleased by that.

He had stumbled across Hellspawn a few times as well. Tino had stock his monotone head out of a hidey-hole once or twice to stare at him for long minutes before fading away again. And some of the more…adventurous of his infernal comrades had attempted to take Rethen for their own. Needless to say, his shop had some new reagents for sale.
In all though, his voyages had proved one thing directly; it was time for a change.

He threw open the doors to his house and store, reveling in the way the building seemed to know it was time to move. Things were slowly packing and compressing, the Shadows helping to prepare for the change. And he was pleased to hear their agreement in the back of his head: they were coming with him. To find and possess a new home. Perhaps someplace urban this time, where the bodies would not be as conspicuous when they went missing.

Street urchins were such a wonderful snack.

And Rethen laughed, standing and watching over the sleepy city of La’To as his Shadows rolled behind him. Yes. More darkness was coming. And he was going to be there to greet it.