Grabbing for his towel, Adelheid stepped out of the bath. His hands had been wrinkly for a while now, not being able to leave, as the warmth of the water were too pleasant. Far, far too pleasant. Even so, enjoying yourself was fine and all, but "What of the others?" Staying any longer would mean less time bathing for others, and that'd be very selfish. Not everyone appreciated bathing with other people present.

With that in mind he swiftly dried himself off as well as putting on some pants.
"Help! Everyone! There are people trying to hurt our friends! Please wake up!"
He reached for the door but stopped when he heard this familiar voice plea for help.
“So they have finally come to confront us at our most vulnerable.” he said to no one in particular. Ever since the disappearance of Pravus he had been anticipating it, but even then one could find themselves empty handed when the time comes. Adelheid peered through the door’s keyhole, and spotted an unfamiliar figure rush out of a room belonging to one of his companions.

Judging by his appearance and the shape of his wicked-looking knife, he was surely an assassin. And if that weren’t proof enough, he looked around the hall frantically to spot from where the voice came that foiled their plan. Adelheid, not wanting the assassin to harm his companions, had to think of something. Running to his room and grabbing his sword was a no go, as even if he could get past the assassin, he knows not what lays in wait in his room. Fighting the assassin hand to hand seemed to be about the only option he had, but even then he didn’t like his chances against someone armed. He briefly looked away from the keyhole to look around the bathroom. Nothing besides the bucket seemed immediately useful so he settled for that.

He again looked through his peephole and waited till the assassin looked in another direction before quietly opening the door. And then; as hard as he could, he slammed the door shut and crouched besides the door, bucket in hand. He waited in hope that the assassin would take the bait, and luckily he didn’t need to wait long. The door opened ever so slowly, inching closer towards Adelheid. The Assassin eventually passed the door, and that's when he struck. He threw the bucket towards the assassin where it collided against his nose. Distracted by the bucket, he came rushing from behind the door, and tackled him down to the floor, while grabbing hold of the hand holding the knife.
The assassin struggled against his hold, keeping as firm a grasp he could on his knife while hitting and pushing away Adelheid to no avail, who had him locked between his legs. The knife fell as Adelheid used his other hand to twist it out of his hand, grabbed it quickly before the assassin could, and struck, but was held at bay, two hands pushing back against his, with all the strength they could muster.

Adelheid would have none of this, so he did something particularly nasty; His free hand flew towards the assassin’s face, and drove his thumb in his eye socket. He howled in pain as his eye ruptured, throwing around obscenities as he thrashed beneath Adelheid. He grasped at his face, and Adelheid now free to do what he wished, took this chance and plunged the knife straight into the neck of his opponent, again and again, till he no longer moved. With the assassin now dead, he climbed to his feet, and wasted no time to get to the hall.

Taethion

Taethion did his darnedest to fight off the assassins, but these men seemed comfortable fighting in this enclosed place unlike he who isn't. More slashes came as he felt cuts across his arms, shoulders, and legs. He was starting to become a bloodied mess, he will have to use a healing prayer to get by. Unfortunately there seemed to be no stop on their onslaught and there wasn't any room to distance himself to perform such a task. It wasn't until the shouting of Anima that stopped their assault. The men looked to each other with a displeasing sight. "It seems, we've been spotted..finish him off." One of them spoke. Before they could attack, Taethion did as he swung at them hoping to catch them off guard. Despite not being on-guard they were quicker than him and managed to hop out of his range. His struggling ended when a sharp kick met with his face. Taethion was knocked out unconscious. "There end this miserable wretch...I'll finish with the others." The man spoke as he exited the room.

Once he stepped out, he once again notice that sticky substance from earlier. He didn't pay much heed to it when walking up the stairs. After all this seemed like a cheap establishment and didn't expect the place to be the most sanitary of living spaces. Except there was far more of it this time. "Something else is here, making this." He spoke underneath his breath. He decided to follow the trail as led him near the bathing rooms. One such room seemed to be occupied...an easy kill the Assassin thought. Before he could enter the bathroom to kill whoever was bathing, there came a shout from further down the hall. Someone has alerted the others of their presences, that person must die. Then just as he looked away from the baths he was attacked by Adelheid!

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Randionalia

"Dalin, what in the Hells is happening up there?" The assassin asked. The other killer checked and then spoke, "I haven't a clue but it seems we've been spotted!" The assassin responded as he drew his dagger. Back upstairs Randi quickly ran forth and kicked Taethion's door open as she saw the Assassin about to drive his blade through the Paladin's heart. His head quickly turned to see the intruder as she quickly dropped to one hand and performed a low spinning kick that met with the face of the assassin. This drew him away as his head hit the nearby cabinet. He felt blood flow from his nose as he quickly shot up and with an angry growl, charged the Elf. She avoided his stab by running up the wall and then jumping over him, while keeping her legs tucked as to not hit the ceiling. She landed her acrobatic stunt with a quick volley of three knives. Each one planted itself into the assassin's back as he turned around and took some slashes to Randi. Randi dodged the initial set as she jumped up and wrapped her arms and legs around the assassin's dagger arm, and with a quick shift of her body, her weight was enough to snap the man's arm. She quickly detached, spun around him and grabbed two handles of the knives in the man's back, and then brought her foot down on the back of the man's leg. He shouted in pain as he dropped to his knees as Randi forcefully removed two of her knives from the man's back as she quickly brought them both to his neck and made the killing blow. She slashed his neck wide open as the blood sprayed and spluttered all over the floor of the room. The assassin dropped dead in a pool of his own blood as Randi quickly kicked the Paladin in the head.

"Ow!" Taethion spoke suddenly jerked awake. "What the...who the!?" He sputtered as he quickly jumped up away from the dead body. "By the Gods!? Did you do that?" Taethion asked. "You idiot, you nearly got yourself killed." She spoke as she quickly cleaned her blades. "Now hurry up and heal yourself, there's more of them in here." She spoke as she left the room. "Oh uh...thank you!" He shouted. She then spoke back, "Don't thank me, thank Anima." Taethion nodded to himself and then began to speak a healing prayer.

_________

Florette (Lana)/Sylphine vs Orsen and Wellus

Meanwhile, in Florette's room, the two assassins were a bit confused by the girl's crying, perhaps she is just someone's little brat. "Well she seems normal." Spoke one in a hushed tone. "Perhaps...," The other responded and then he heard the ruckus and screaming for help from beyond their room, "...it seems we've been had, grab the brat Orsen, she will make for a nice bargaining chip." The assassin commanded. Orsen was about to grab her when a Green-Haired Girl interrupted them. "What the!?" Orsen spat as wind surrounded the child. The two men heard her threat as they looked at her unfazed. "What now, Wellus?" Orsen asked. "Don't worry, I got this one." He spoke as he quickly ran to the wall, and then jumped off it, using it like a launchpad to come in hot, as he tried to stab Sylphine.

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T'zigo and Randi

T'zigo continued to stare at the building while his men tried to handle the Hunters in the most discreet of ways. Yet it seemed their timing was for not and the whole thing was going down hill. He didn't know who was dead or wasn't it, but this assassination was taking longer than it should. And with the addition of the Flying Girl, added more numbers against them. The man then cracked his necks, shoulders, and knuckles as he took a running dive through the bathroom window. The glass broke around him as he rolled up to his knees halting his momentum, and then he stood. He knew that discretion was no longer an option and took no steps to silence his entry. He took a single step and noticed that the bathroom had all of this stickiness to it. Something he didn't like, this could provide them the necessary environmental advantage, considering his steps could be misplaced on account of how sticky and slippery this gunk is. He preferred to fight on smooth surfaces, or surfaces that were at least dry. Also the area was a bit too dark for a physical confrontation, although would be perfect for assassinations. Yet his noisy entrance was brought to the attention of Randi as she ran up to the door to the dark bathroom. To see this visage of an assassin.

T'zigo watched the arrival with interest as she quickly tossed his way three knives. Relying more on his other senses, he jumped up and high away from the knives as he launched himself from the ceiling and landed on the ends of the knives' handles. From there he then launched himself out the window with a few front flips as he landed feet first on the ground. Although it may have been from a second story building, T'zigo seemed unfazed from the drop as he quickly ran down the alleyway leading out into the street. Randi quickly moved to the window to see where her foe ran off too. This wasn't good, even though the one's she killed had some training, this guy was on another level. It would be difficult to point certain details out, especially if one is not an assassin like her. Yet, being of a similar profession, she could almost tell how another assassin would think based on her own experiences.

This one might just be on par with her, and that worries her. It was dark in the room, but like her, he must have noticed the sticky surface. She has, but luckily there wasn't as much of it in the halls. A trained assassin could find steps to avoid the troubled areas and still fight with as much lethality as if the slime wasn't there. Except this bathroom has one crucial difference, the slime was practically everywhere, Which means navigating these floors for safe spots, in this darkness? Not smart for a fight, he must have understood this, which makes his next actions fascinating. When she came in, she tossed three daggers at his position, which he quickly dodged by jumping away, but instead of jumping backwards he launched himself high enough to where his feet touched the ceiling. From their he pushed himself back down, upon the handles of her knives and from where he landed he could see and position himself to jump back out that window for an escape. It was smart, he landed in all of the places where there wasn't any slime to ruin his momentum...she inadvertently helped him to escape by giving him more slimeless surfaces to move around upon. Also this guy knows how to not only fall properly, but distribute the force from a fall throughout his body so none of his limbs would break.

She grumbled as she moved away from the window and picked up her knives. She hoped she that they could just have another quiet night like the last week's worth. Why did their have to be someone out there trying to kill them!? As much as she would have liked to leave them to their devices, now she can't very well turn away while a talented assassin like that man is still out there. She will have to hunt him down and kill him...herself.

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Taethion and Adelheid

Soon both heroes and villains attentions were diverted when Iator casted his charm. The Assassins downstairs grew anxious. "Wha-what? What's going on here!?" The Old Innkeeper asked suddenly afraid. In their haste the Assassin nearest the old man decided to knock him out with a swift punch to the face. "Dalin! We best withdraw, an assassin's work is best committed when undetected." The Assassin spoke. Dalin simply nodded as the two bounded out the front door.

Taethion had finished his prayer when he heard the Clarion Charm. He was worried about his friends as he ran out into the hall, nearly slipping on the ooze. "Whoa." He blurted. He moved down the hall only to run into Adelheid. "Oh Adelheid! I see you've fared better than I against these foes." Taethion spoke as he looked towards the assassin's corpse. "I just hope the others are as fortunate." Taethion spoke with worry. Then Randi appeared before the two Paladins. "Randionalia, did you encounter more of the villains?" Taethion asked. "Yes, and for that reason I must go." Randi answered. "Go, go where? We need to make sure the others are unharmed!" Taethion objected. "Then you two do it, I haven't the time to finish off the rest of the fodder...their leader is the one who must be dealt with!" Randi barked as she began to run off. "Wait, wait!" He shouted but the She-Elf was on a mission and would not stop for anyone. As she disappeared from his vision, Taethion turned to Adelheid. "Well looks like it's up to us...Iator I assume shouted, we should see if he is alright." Taethion spoke.


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Cletus

Meanwhile, Cletus skulked about the city etching closer to his hideout when suddenly he was surrounded. "Whoa boys, uh if yer looking fer some extra gold m'fraid you've chosen the wrong bastard to steal it from. I be just a drunken vagrant." He spoke with a hiccup. Then came a laugh from with in the hooded faces as the thugs parted to give way to their leader. "Hello again, Cletus the Black." He spoke as he walked up to the old thief. "It's been awhile." Garreth spoke. "Oi! Garreth that be you under there?" Cletus asked. "Of course," he responded as he removed his hood, "Glad to see you're not surprised." "Aye, not much surprises an old dog like meself." Cletus jested, "Good, then you won't be surprised when I take you prisoner...The Marderosian wishes to speak with you." Garreth spoke as he laid a hand on Cletus's shoulder.

"Wha? He still on about that one thing...or was it that other thing...or uh that one time, errrrr," Cletus was then suddenly interuptted, "Shut up you fool!" Garreth spat. "You're not talking yourself out of this one." He spoke as he prepared to drag him away. Then suddenly Cletus spoke once more. "Yeah...you're right, but I can help you." Intrigued Garreth turned to face him. "Oh yeah? With what?" "With finding those other people yer after." "Really? How?" "Oh I saw them knock over a few of your boys, took'em out quite easily. They're tough and fierce warriors, yer gonna need more than the men you've got if you wanna take'em out." Cletus spoke. Garreth mulled over Cletus's words and then spoke, "How can I trust you, the word of a thief?" "Well, you clearly got me outnumbered and well, I be a fool if I tried and resist. Besides I know what they look like, I can spot them out of a crowd for you. So c'mon just trust me on this one." Cletus smiled as he held out his hand. "Fine, Cletus, I'll listen to you but after I finish with these Dragon Hunters you're still coming with us." Garreth answered as he shook his hand. "Of course, I understand." Cletus responded as they cut off their handshake. "Lets go." Garreth spoke as the group wandered off.

Day 21
Belmere

Exchanging a few words with his partner, one of the assassins launched himself at Sylphine, an action which took her quite by surprise. She had expected an attack, but not one this abrupt...and more importantly, this fast.

Quickly composing herself, she raised her left hand, in which winds were still gathering, and detonated the sphere of air prematurely. The blast, which blasted in all directions for around half a meter or so, was not only intended to push her opponent back, but also blasted her backwards a small distance, keeping her out of the assassin's range...for a few seconds, at least. The moment I enter their attacking range, I'm done for!

She hadn't even finished sliding backwards before her foot kicked off the ground, sending her into the air. Flying under such a low ceiling was a really, REALLY bad idea, but it was still better than staying on the ground. Holding the staff horizontally behind her back with one hand, Sylphine bade a silent apology to the party's hosts. Then she swung the staff in another wide arc in front of her, producing a wide wind blade aimed at the first assassin. Whether it hit or not, it was bound to make a mess.

"Florette, get out of here NOW!" she ordered, flying backwards from the recoil of her own attack. "Find the others and stay with them for now--I'll take these guys down!" Hope I can make good on that promise...

------------------------

Not long after Sylphine had entered the building, the white masked man had descended from his lookout point and entered the building. Crap! He was too fast for me to follow! Letting out an angry growl, Pirika flew towards the window through which the masked man had entered, but had to fly back a moment later as he leaped back out of the exact same window, as though he were about to make a run for it.

Well, I'm not about to let that happen! Pirika decided, flying high above the man and flapping her wings furiously. Bursts of wind rained down from her wings, aimed to hit the masked man if he continued to run in the same direction.

(tagging everyone because it's to quiet in the pad)

There had been something bothering Bliston. At the edge of his senses he could smell something faint. It was part of his original plan to separate from the others (particularly that blasted blob of goo) in order to sniff out anything that might have followed them from Appleton and hopefully discern what had caused the grave diggers disappearance. With the ambiguous warning of the dwarf though now adding to his previous concerns, it was becoming clear to the ancient mercenary that this job had become much more complicated than originally expected. Which now begged the question, exactly who were the players involved. Duergen was clearly one, but Bliston doubted that he had anything to do with the vanishing shovel man.

This smell though that he picked up on the wind. Thought it was incredibly faint to the point of almost having missed it, it also was close and seemed to be keeping the same distance with him. And it smelled of the abyss.

He might have just found another player of this game.

"The Wayfarer's Bed and Bar is under attack! Attention, The Wayfarer's Bed and Bar is under attack!"

And apparently they had found them. "That was the gnome's voice." Bliston said as he stopped, along with a number of other people walking the street, and looked back the way he and Selena had come from. "Well, Duergen's so called warning wasn't idle after all."

It wouldn't take long before the first signs of trouble would appear at the other end of the street.