Shivash

The gambling parlour was dimly lit, with only candles to light the dreary setting. At this time of day there would normally be many games being played, but today all were crowded around a single table. Four dragons sat, a Guardian, a Snapper, a Bogsneak and a Fae. The Snapper was missing an eye, the Guardian half her tail, and the Bogsneak lifted a three-fingered paw to remove his fat cigar and let out a thick plume of smoke. They were experts at all manner of card games, and hardened gang members to boot. The Fae looked smaller than usual, and woefully out of place among the parlour's regulars. A few of the spectators were chuckling. But not at him. Not when the majority of the treasure was piled up his end of the table. The Snapper stood, his funds extinguished. "This is ****." He shoved his way through the jeering crowd to the door and exited, briefly flooding the parlour with light. The Guardian was next to leave, rage glinting in her eyes. The Bogsneak and the Fae played for hours, but it was clear who was in control of the game. The Fae flashed a crooked smile at he took the last piece of treasure from the Bogsneak. "Tell me, are you always this bad at cards, or was this just a *****y day for you?" Before the furious dragon could answer, the Fae swept up his winnings and waltzed out of the parlour.

It was dark now, and the Fae made his way down an alley. He heard footsteps behind him. He knew what was happening, had expected it as soon as he sat down at that table. He let the Bogsneak shove him against a building, let his greedy paws search him for the treasure he already knew his attacker wouldn't find. "How did you do it, Shivash?" The Bogsneak snarled, his eyes almost glowing with fury. "I know you cheated, but how? And were's my money?" The Fae ignored the second half of the questioning. "How did I do it? Like this." He grinned, a cruel feral smile better suited to his Bogsneak attacker. "Now you see me. Now you don't." And with that, the Fae vanished into nothingness, along with his attacker's bejewelled watch and the rest of his treasure. It would be a long time before the Bogsneak would notice his loss. Not that it mattered. He would never get any of those items back.