Hadrian Kirkegard's Story

It had been a long and horribly dull journey to the capital city of Cre’Est. If it had been up to Hadrian, he would have stayed in Triveila. While it was a place with a multitude of strange notions, in particular in regard to women, he had enjoyed their port cities a lot more than the cities of Cre’Est. If his trade partner hadn’t been so important, he would have never made the journey. Unfortunately, the Kirkegard family would profit greatly from the deal and Hadrian had felt obliged to leave for the capital. For the family he was willing to risk the temporary discomfort of a journey.
This didn’t reduce his annoyance though. Ever since his arrival it had become clear the people around here didn’t realize how important he really was, despite his entourage and obvious display of wealth. Instead of allowing him to pass, people always seemed to focus on their petty little lives and even had the guts to offer him their worthless trinkets. Eventually he had given up waiting for their respect and ordered his men to make a way, with violence if necessary.

He had been relieved when he got off the streets and was able to retire to a luxurious inn. His meeting would only be in two days and while he had originally planned to explore the city, he had now settled for exploring his room with the aid of a bottle of wine.
Tomorrow he would probably write a letter to his father, to inform him of his arrival. For now he deserved some relaxation. The life of a noble was a harsh one, especially when in foreign lands. Sadly, despite its price, the bottle could only be considered mediocre at best.

Near the evening he finally left his room, partially due to a growing feeling of hunger, partially due to the emptiness of his bottle. As could be expected of an inn for people of his stature, the common room was calm and quiet. Some rich merchants were seated in a corner and a noble near the centre of the room was clearly a couple of bottles ahead of Hadrian. To his surprise his guards hadn’t returned yet. He had sent them out to find him an appropriate souvenir for his wife but seemingly their search hadn’t been too successful. Either that or they were off drinking again. He would have some harsh words with the captain of his guard later on. Their behaviour was simply intolerable. His stature allowed him to relax, but they hadn’t deserved that privilege yet.

Then the world started to tremble. Hadrian almost fell but managed to hold on to the door he had just come through. Before he could ask whether these earthquakes were common around here another rumble followed, accompanied by a series of explosions. This time Hadrian lost his balance and fell over. The same could be said for most people and objects in the inn. The chandelier came down with a crashing sound, its candles igniting a part of the tapestry.
Hadrian mouthed a curse as he got up and brushed the dust from his clothes. Seemingly something uncommon was going on. He immediately rushed back to his room, buckled his rapier on and collected his coins and letters. With a sad smile he studied his wardrobe, but realized he would never be able to carry all those clothes. When his door flew open, he turned around, his hand resting on his rapier. The captain of his guard came rushing in, followed by three more men. Hadrian raised an eyebrow as he let go of his weapon. He gave them all an appraising and irritated look before speaking:

“Finally. I would chastise you for your lateness but,” he was momentarily interrupted when another explosion shook the building, “but this is neither the time nor the place. You, you and you, collect my stuff! Take care when packing, if anything gets damaged or wrinkled, I shall have to be most cross with you all!” he commanded, pointing at the three guards in the back, “now, can anyone tell me what’s going on and where the rest of my guards are?” he asked impatiently.
“I'm not completely certain what's happening, but it seems assassins are at work m’lord. It looks like they’re wrecking the city. Half my men got killed just trying to get here. There are fires, rubble and explosions everywhere,” the captain responded nervously. Hadrian waved a reprimanding finger.
“You know I want to be addressed as milord captain. Now, as for the assassins, their actions annoy me. Go kill them please and bring me their heads. While you’re at it, try to find me a good bottle of wine,” he added, moistening his lips, “the wine here is horribly mediocre.”
“Kill them? M’lo- Milord, these are assassins we’re talking about. They’ll kill us in mere seconds. Surely it would be more advisable to-“
“No, no, no. You do as I say. I pay your wages, at the very least you can try to kill whoever I tell you to, no? Should this lead to your demise, so be it. Are you almost done packing yet?” he snapped, turning towards the other three.
“If that’s your order milord, I’m afraid we must resign. Let’s go men,” the captain mumbled tonelessly before leaving. The four other guards just nodded and followed their captain. Hadrian froze, opened his mouth, shut it once more and then started screaming:
“Get back here! How dare you! Wait until my father hears of this! You now what? You can’t resign, because I fire you! You’re all fired!” he was almost frothing now. Another explosion rattled the building, mortar falling from the ceiling. Hadrian’s anger disappeared quickly when he realized the predicament he was in. He mouthed a final curse before storming out of the inn and into the streets.

What he saw there shocked him. Wounded and dead people were lying amidst the rubble, fires raging everywhere. He swallowed and fought back the urge to run back to the inn. A part of the façade had collapsed and behind the windows he could see the flames. The place was finished and at this pace, the same would be able to be said for the city. It was time to find a calmer place, preferably some place where there was no fire. He adjusted his hat, surveyed his surroundings one final time and then started to run.

So far Hadrian’s search for a calmer hideout had proven fruitless. The entire city was in chaos, people were screaming and running, desperate to escape. So far it seemed they hadn’t been too successful. After running for some minutes Hadrian finally found an abandoned alley where he could catch his breath. He leaned against a partially destroyed wall and took a couple of deep breaths as he tried to calm down. The city had quickly become his private piece of hell. He wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible, but right now that was not exactly an option. While he assumed his meeting was probably cancelled after this disaster, he didn’t know how to get out of the city. His guards had guided him, Hadrian hadn’t bothered to pay too much attention to the road. He had been too busy comparing the capital to the average city in Veilbrand. It had turned out to be a most troublesome oversight.
He dropped to the ground, took his hat off and wiped some sweat of his brow. Here he was, all alone in a city. A city in the process of being annihilated by assassins. There was an opportunity here, of course, this whole mess would probably weaken the Cre’ Est empire. Veilbrand might be able to take advantage of this and that included his own family. Still, for now it was hardly a consoling thought. In order to profit from this, he would have to survive first.

He got up once more when he heard multiple cries in the distance. Rather than waiting for their arrival Hadrian started to run. People would probably be just as scared and confused as he was, but right now he wasn’t going to take any risks. He turned around the corner and found himself on The Demon’s Square. He cursed briefly. Not only was this the central square and was he probably even further away from an escape out of this town, it could also hardly be considered a good omen. He muttered a quick prayer to his god before surveying his surroundings. Chaos ruled supreme and the place was crawling with people. He turned around to trace back his steps, but then saw an imposing figure in the distance. An assassin. So far his prayer didn’t seem to be helping him too much.

He darted across the square, dodging people left and right. In the process he stumbled across a body and slammed to the ground. Face first he hit the ground. A cracking noise announced he had once more broken his nose and his hat had fallen off. For a second he remained still. A part of him just wanted to remain on the ground until all of this was over, but that was probably not advisable. He risked getting trampled and that would be a most ignoble death. He slowly rose and pressed his hand against his face. The blood was streaming down. With his other hand he placed his hat back on his head.
To his left were a man and a woman, seemingly trying to catch their breath. The man was scarred and seemed to be an experienced warrior. The woman on the other hand was rather pleasant to look at. Since they seemed to be some of the few not running away and screaming, he decided to approach them. As he waddled towards them, his left knee aching, he tried to maintain his dignity. Given the circumstances that was a futile attempt. He stopped in front of them and shifted his weight to his right leg before addressing them.

“Uhm, hello! I know this might not be the time given the possibly impending destruction of this city, but, well, would any of you happen to have a handkerchief? I seem to have broken my nose and I would hate to get blood on my clothes. They were made by some of the finest tailors in all of Veilbrand and it's hard to find a suitable replacement here in Cre' Est…”

The smoke was thinner in the open area of the square and honestly the pair was lucky that Zane's larger form and the sword at his side kept many of the fleeing civilians away from them. With taking a moment to breath, Sina had managed to calm down considerably. Unfortunately with the adrenaline gone the young woman started to show serious signs of fatigue. Sinas' legs shook and the small stinging in her back turned into a harsh burning sensation.

"We have to move." Zel ordered, taking a survey of the scene around them. People were still running ever which way and that really didn't help them. Their fathers' business with Cre'Est only took him to the capital city occasionally and so neither Zel or Sina had spent much time there. Now though, Zel wished he had at least accompanied his father on one of those trips. Sina was just as lost. Neither knew the layout of the city and with the current situation they couldn't follow any one of the people out either.

Zel grabbed a hold of his sister's hand, he didn't want to lose her. After taking a few steps it was obvious that Sina wouldn't be able to make it through the mob of panicked people on her own. Her legs were shaking terribly and her breathing was rather heavy. Zelic was worried and took another minute to stop and let his sister catch her breath.

Then a man approached them, pleasant in his speaking and appearing rather calm. Both siblings were about to reply that neither of them had a handkerchief, Sina had lost hers earlier in the chaos, but then as he spoke more something just snapped in Sina's mind. "You're worried about your clothes?! Are you kidding me?!" Zelic looked at his sister in shock, she was usually more charming towards people (especially men). Even if the newcomers reasoning was both ridiculous and insane, Zel had managed to bite back any remarks. Sina apparently was venting her frustrations on the man. "Maybe you don't notice the fire just about everywhere, or the dead bodies sprawled out on the ground, or even--" Zel covered his sisters' mouth, successfully cutting her off.

Her grey eyes looked up at him in outrage, but Zel continued to keep a straight face. "I need you to be calm, okay?" It took a few moments before she nodded and her entire demeanor seemed to deflate. Zel removed his hand, but took no time in scooping Sina up into his arms soon after. She let out a small scream in surprise before a loud hiss escaped her. Being carried bridal-style wasn't exactly comfortable for her back. "Sorry," He replied to the other man. "We don't have a handkerchief. Do you know how to get out of the city?" It wouldn't hurt to ask, but Zelic had little faith. The man was obviously a noble and a rich one if he was more worried about his clothing than anything else, which probably meant he had a chauffeur whenever he left his estate.

Hadrian was taken aback by the girl’s reaction. Obviously she had never learned how to behave in public, in particular not when addressed by a noble. Just another proof that the treatment of women in Cre’ Est had some disadvantages when compared to the Veilbrand approach. At least the warrior possessed a modicum of courtesy. His swift hushing of the clearly hysterical woman made Hadrian appreciate him enough to forgive him for his familiar way of speech. Given the circumstances Hadrian decided to forgive the girl as well. The commoners couldn’t be expected to have control over their emotions.

When he heard neither the warrior nor the girl had a handkerchief, Hadrian sighed. He had feared as much. His hands were covered in blood. While it gave him a grim outlook, it would make holding anything a bit more difficult. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to draw his rapier. Dying because his blade slipped from his hands would be most embarrassing. At least it seemed he had managed to keep his clothes safe from the blood. Regardless they would need to be thoroughly washed as soon as this mess was over. The smoke had a most outspoken and unpleasant smell. He focused back on the two, remembering the man had asked him a question.

“Alas, in that case I will just have to remain careful to ensure my clothes do not incur any stains. You have my thanks regardless. As for the bodies, yes I have noticed them, but it saddens me to say that in their life they would have probably never managed to gather enough money to buy clothes similar to mine. Their economic value pales in comparison to my clothes. As for a way out, I fear that I am just as lost in this city as you are. I do however know that our current location is a far from ideal place to be. It is the central square after all. On the upside, whatever way we go will probably be an improvement,” he mumbled, trying his best to remember the outlook of the city. In the meantime the bleeding had lessened and would hopefully stop soon. When he spoke once more he was completely focused on the man:

“Now, since we both are lost, may I perhaps propose a temporary joining of our strength? We could search for a safe escape together. The combination of your skills with a blade and my wit shall surely prove an answer to most problems. The girl can come along too, as long as she doesn’t prove too much of a burden for us men. Hell, afterwards I will even buy us a drink to celebrate our escape from this madness. But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. Partners should always know each other’s names, it makes for more reliable deals, no? I am Hadrian Kirkegard of the noble family of Kirkegard from Veilbrand. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I’d extend a hand, but I suggest we postpone that until after I have found the opportunity to wash my hands,” he added with a slight smile, “now who might you be and what do you think of my most generous proposal?”

Zelic's jaw twitch it anger, it was really the only sign of his displeasure. The swordsman wasn't sure if he had ever meant anyone as arrogant or self-entitled as the man before him. It kind of made Zel feel wrong in making Sina stop her rant on the man. With as many innocents in the city and with this noble being one of the ones who escaped death (for now at least), Zel had to sometimes wonder about how the Goddesses operated the world. It wasn't his place to judge though, just to trust in the destiny They had planned for them all.

The man was a bit useful he supposed, Zelic did realize that the open space of the square wasn't ideal, but usually there would be multiple ways of leaving it. It was the same in almost every big city and he hoped that Cre'Est's capital was no different.

Sina was in complete disbelief. How was anyone able to be so cavalier about people dying. She had met many men who disregarded the true worth of life, her father's business exposed her to most of them, but Sina was quite sure that the man before her was the one that took the cake. If she had the opportunity, Hadrian's clothing wasn't going to survive for long. The young woman now saw it as her duty make sure the noble's clothing wouldn't be so pristine for long.

Zelic saw the cogs turning in his sister's head. He gave her a bit of a shake to get her to look at him and once her attention was on him he shook his head. This wasn't the place or the time to be contemplating petty revenge. "By the Goddess…" He mumbled to himself as Hadrian finished talking. In many ways he felt as though he was dealing with two small children, something he was used to he supposed.

"I knew someone who acted like a donkey was from Veilbard." Sina shot off, looking off to the side and away from the two males. Her brother gave her one of those 'cut it out' looks before turning his attention to Hadrian.

"Look, there's no question that, 'the girl' will be coming with us. If you thought different you'd be on your own." Both siblings wondered if she'd actually be more use injured than the unpleasant man before them. While nobles trained in sword fighting, and Zel saw the rapier at the man's side, he wasn't sure if he'd be any good. Fighting with other nobles in a show of good sportsman ship was much different from defending ones' self against a group that essentially blew up a city. If worse came to worse, Zel would make the other man carry Sina while he fought off any possible foes.

"I am Zelic Maliq and this is Sina." Zel introduced, nodding his head towards his sister when he said her name. "Have you ever killed anyone?" Depending on Hadrian's answer, the noble could be having a very unpleasant experience soon.

Hadrian had missed the quick exchange between the two siblings but he couldn’t ignore Sina’s remark. He raised an eyebrow but did his best to keep his gaze on the swordsman. If living with his wife had learned him one thing, it was that ignoring vitriolic comments from women was usually the best choice.
Still, it was probably for the better that the man interrupted her once more. He took great offence to insults aimed at his homeland. He felt sorry for the swordsman, he clearly didn’t have the woman under control. At least tried to. Hadrian could sympathize with that; he had found himself in a similar predicament with his wife. His failure to keep her in check was the main reason for his presence here in Cre’ Est. It increased his dislike for her even more; without her he wouldn’t be in this mess.

The swordsman’s next words didn’t improve his mood much either. Hadrian gave a curt nod before grudgingly muttering a concession. Nevertheless it at least showcased a certain degree of loyalty. Hadrian could respect that. While the girl was probably not worth it, it went to show the swordsman was reliable. If only the same could have been said about his guards.
For the first time Hadrian started to doubt whether it had been smart to fire his guards. They would have been useful. Then again they were insubordinate louts. He would find better guards as soon as all of this was over. Until then he’d have to deal with this swordsman and the ill-mannered girl. A smile reappeared on his face when Zelic introduced himself and Sina.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. As for your question, I can’t say I have killed anyone directly,” he admitted. While he had given orders to accomplish someone’s death before, he had always succeeded at keeping his own hands clean.
“If it is to evaluate my combat skill, do not fear. I can assure you I have had a good tutor and many a straw man has been felled by myself. From what I’ve seen so far, most untrained fighters don’t move a whole lot more than them, so the average opponent shouldn’t pose too much of a problem,” he added with a nervous chuckle
A part of him wouldn’t mind if he’d get the opportunity to kill someone here today. His father had always claimed you only became a true man after killing someone. While Hadrian believed himself to be a man already, it wouldn’t hurt to reinforce his image, especially with all these impudent women and disobedient commoners in Cre’ Est. He just hoped his opponent would be some crazed peasant rather than an assassin. Some people didn’t mind a challenge. He did.

Both Zelic and Sina exchanged looks. Hadrian was truly beating around the bush with them. By saying that he had not killed anyone 'directly' Sina's opinion of him just kept falling. With just this simple statement it gave her the inside look into who exactly Hadrian Kirkegard was: a coward who manipulated or paid those around him into doing his bidding. Sina absolutely hated people like that, she believed that if people wanted something done then they should at least have the guts to do it themselves.

The older of the siblings was having the same thoughts as his sister. Being a swordsman though, he had insight into what it actually felt like to take the life of another person. Neither Sina nor Hadrian had such experience and while the noble before them talked with tough bravado, Zel could tell the man was nervous. It was a much different thing to practice against straw men than to actually take down an opponent in a real fight. With a real opponent hesitation could get you killed, something that Zelic knew well and as if on cue his neck throbbed with old pain. It was not something he was willing to risk with Sina's life at stake.

"Well, then Hadrian, you have a job that you'll need to do for me if we're going to get out of here safely." Zelic said confidently, not leaving much room for protest. He hefted Sina onto one arm, she threw her arms around his neck and hissed in pain. She was completely surprised by his actions, but as she watched him she knew what was coming.

"Zel, no. I'd rather walk myself." Her voice was serious, but her brother did nothing to really acknowledge her as he moved Hadrian's arms into the position he wanted them in.

Once he had the noble where he wanted him, Zel shot his sister an apologetic look. "Hold strong Hadrian." He said before gently placing his sister in the arms of the other man, trying to be as mindful as possible of the wound on her back. His arms held against Hadrian's so the man wouldn't drop her in potential shock. "Do not drop her." Zelic ordered firmly, looking the other man dead in the eyes with a serious look. "You carry her, stay behind me, and stick close. If anyone comes at us, do not engage. You stay with her and I'll take care of everything else." Zelic's left hand placed itself on the hilt of his blade. He needed his hands free if he was going to protect Sina and it was lucky that Hadrian had shown up to allow him that freedom.

Sina wasn't happy at all, it was not a position she wanted to be in. Especially because of the amount of hatred Hadrian was able to stir up inside of her within just a few moments of meeting her. She was pretty sure that if he got the chance, the noble would drop her and haul ass out of there as soon the instant trouble showed up. They were vulnerable like this, but she understood her brother. He wanted to make sure she got out alive and he was putting his faith in a spoiled, chauvinistic, poor-excuse for a man to do that.

Hadrian gave Sina a look not too different from the look somebody had when he had just found something unpleasant while rummaging in his drawers. He opened his mouth to protest but closed it again. He didn’t really know what to say. No one ordered him around, no one had ever told him what to do. For now this new situation had left him utterly speechless. So he just nodded fervently and made sure to hold her tight enough to make sure he had a steady grip, but no tighter than necessary. The last thing he wanted was being accused of taking advantage of the situation.

“No need to worry about anything good man, I won’t drop her,” he spoke calmly, “you have my word. And as many important people can testify, my word is a most reliable thing.”
He turned towards Sina and tried to convince himself she was one of those sets of porcelain teacups his father cared so much for. At least that way he could think of the thing in his arms as something valuable and act accordingly. Still, she didn’t make it easy for him. Usually teacups didn’t speak. He would have been more than eager to let her walk herself as she had suggested, but Zelic seemed intent on sparing her the trouble. Hadrian just hoped no other nobles from Veilbrand were around. If they saw him carrying a woman he’d never hear the end of it.

At least this gave him an excuse to avoid any further battle. While it robbed him of the opportunity to strike down peasants, it would allow him to leave all those nasty assassins to the swordsman, who at the very least would slow them down. Even better, as long as he held on to Sina, Zelic wouldn’t abandon him as he was vehemently loyal to the girl. Hadrian had no idea why, but it definitely improved his odds. As long as he held on to her, he doubted he’d risk being left behind once more. And in the worst case, she’d be a decent bargaining chip. He slightly adjusted his grip. If he were to drop her, he doubted Zelic would be pleased. He surveyed the square a final time, making sure there was nothing left for him here, before turning to Zelic:

“So, I’m ready whenever you are. Unless you have an idea for a particular direction, I’d say we try to head for someplace a bit calmer and less crowded,” he suggested, desperately trying to regain control of the situation. He felt slightly embarrassed for allowing the commoner to order him around.
“After all, there should be plenty of ways out. I prefer one that’s not jammed by hordes and hordes of commoners trying to get out. I’ve seen enough mindless animals trying to trample each other on this square,” he muttered with slight distaste, “I understand everything’s quite chaotic, but it seems as if some people don’t even try to stay calm.”

Sina could tell that Hadrian liked Zelic's arrangement just about as much as she did, especially when a rather nasty look crossed his face in regards to her. Zelic on the other hand, pointedly ignored any childish looks or protests from either of his companions. Now was not the time to let petty squabbles interfere with safety. The older male really hoped he could put his faith in the noble, Hadrian was carrying some of Zel's most precious cargo after all.

Taking in the other man's words, Zelic began to survey the area around them, trying to decide which direction would be the best to go. Just when he was going to lead their tiny group forward a woman approached them. Zelic instantly tensed up, his natural reaction towards women he did not know, but Sina looked at the other female with an expression of pure relief.

"Thank you so much." Sina replied to the offered help, the quicker she got back on her feet the sooner it meant that she would not have to rely on Hadrian. Their relief was short lived though.

Zelic instantly tensed at the sight of a group of men walking their way from the area that the new woman had just come from. Judging by her reaction, it wasn't hard for Zel to guess that they were coming from the opposite direction as well. The symbol they bore was an instant giveaway of who they were Roda Ah K'mht. He had seen the symbol before and knew that it was always in his best interest to stay away from it. Unfortunately, he was't sure that he or his group were going to find the chance to flee.

"Don't even think about it." One of the men said to Zel. His hand had instinctively moved towards his sword at the feeling of danger. The swordsman released his grip and instead lifted his hands in a show of surrender.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Zel mumbled as the assassin's rounded their group up. Sina was terrified and wished she was closer to Zel, instead she was still stuck with Hadrian. Her arms wrapped around his neck loosely, just to make sure he kept a secure grip on her.

Zelic remained in the back, three of the assassin's around him with Hadrian and Sina in front of him. He couldn't see past the noble and his sister, but he assumed that the woman who had joined them not long ago was still in the front with the 'leader'. Sina was looking over Hadrian's shoulder at her brother. He gave her a small reassuring smile, which caused Sina to give him one of her own. One of the men at Zel's side smirked at her and used his hand to demonstrate a rather suggestive and crude gesture. Sina didn't hold back the look of disgust that washed over her face or the sound the followed.

She ended up turning back to face forward, Sina knew that as long as she acknowledged him the man would continue being a pervert. The front view wasn't so nice either considering the poor woman with the leader of the group was being harassed. Sina was thoroughly grossed out by the time the walk ended and they were forced into a crowd of people

Zelic moved forward and grabbed Sina from Hadrian's arms. He wouldn't last long against one of Roda Ah K'mht's men, let along an entire group of them. There was really no point of having the noble carry his sister any longer. Sina felt considerably safer in Zel's arms and didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his neck. "Thank you." The older of the two muttered to Hadrian before both turned their attention to the Master Assassin speaking.

Hadrian resisted the urge to sigh when Linde arrived. Another woman, wonderful. And this one had the audacity to claim she was a doctor. He found the whole notion ridiculous, but perhaps her medical knowledge would free his hands up. Not likely, but it was worth a try. Before they could say more though, their conversation was cut off by the arrival of the assassins. Hadrian swallowed when he saw their imposing figures. Now he understood why his guards had been so quick resign.
He cursed himself for having lingered here on the square. He should have just continued running but instead he had searched for assistance. It seemed to have been a fatal mistake.
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. All his life he had tried to avoid assassins and now they were taking him to god knew where. He was at a loss of words and just followed the assassins. He was shaking like a leaf and knew all too well resistance would be indeed futile. He had heard and seen the average assassin’s prowess. Now they stood before him
At least the assassins seemed to preoccupied with harassing the women in their company. He just hoped he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention due to the fact he was holding Sina. The girl was once more nothing but trouble.

Finally they arrived at the western gate, which unfortunately wouldn’t allow for either an escape or help from others by the looks of it. It was merely a stage for what was hopefully not the final act of this sick piece. Hadrian felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter. He cursed his seemingly endless misfortune. One thing was for sure, if he survived today, he would never return to Cre’ Est again. This was as clear as omens could get.
He tried to blend in the crowd, hoping help would arrive before these freaks did whatever they intended to do. He doubted it would be something pleasant. At least Zelic took Sina off his hands. Hadrian just passed her along, his hands still shaking. It was a small mercy to have his hands free once more, though his shaking hands were all the clearer now. He considered offering one of the assassins a bribe, but he didn’t trust his voice. For now he’d just wait and try to calm himself. Surely assassins were no different than ordinary people in regard to gold? Everyone loved gold.

The master assassin interrupted his ponderings. He radiated power and death and awoke the sudden urge in Hadrian to crawl in a corner and pretend he wasn’t there. The noble managed to resist the urge, but still felt very uncomfortable. All he could do was try to remain as unobtrusive as possible. Maybe the assassins were only after some of them. Or maybe they truly just wanted to make an announcement? While the assassins didn't strike him as particularly honest, he had misjudged people before and surely his god wouldn’t allow him to die here? The slaughter of the commoners was understandable, but a proper noble like himself should be safe. The world needed him.

Ace was relieved when both women came to help him walk. Ace wanted to protest, but he wasn't sure his body would let him on this one. Although he didn't want to believe it, Ace's arm was in bad shape and required immediate medical care. One of the woman ripped a part of her tunic and tied it tightly around his shoulder so that he wouldn't bleed out. The walk was, to say the least, dreadful. Ace could her his heart beat with every step they took, the two women at his side stayed quiet throughout the walk. They walked slowly, but not too slow, it was still dangerous. Whoever had done this is probably still lurking around. Ace had heard rumors earlier that Assassins were the cause of all this but what could they possibly gain?

After a short while they arrived at an old house, broken in many parts. Most likely been hit by flying bricks or an explosion from nearby, or perhaps the house is just old. Ace was surprised to see that the inside was intact, in-fact it was somewhat cozy. "I'm really sorry for dragging the both of you into this...". Neither women seemed to acknowledge him, "“Take a seat." the shorter woman instructed in a somewhat commanding voice, but Ace was in no position to argue. He was helped to his seat and leaned back. After Aliana introduced herself the other women went into the kitchen and came back with water, and she also introduced herself. Ace tried to speak, but for some reason it was a challenge to even do that. He grunted as the women cleaned his wound. "My name is Ace. Ace Hieron, pleasure to meet the both of you."

The process didn't take long, and although neither Aliana or Kaska were doctors they patched up his would pretty well. Ace knew some medicine from the many times his mother had to patch him up, so he offered whatever help he could. The wound was sealed and the bleeding had stopped, he was sure it would heal in no time. "I really have to thank the both of you... Without you I would've been rotting in the street with everyone else. Ill- " He was interrupted when a loud bang came to the front door. He heard the door practically fly off its hinges. It was too late though, they were upon them in seconds. Four large man entered the room, all in odd attire... Could it really be? A man who looked like the leader spoke loudly and harshly, the look in his eyes was not a pleasant one either."I would advise the three of you to come with me. Any opposition would be inadvisable."

Ace moved his uninjured arm towards his sword, but found nothing. One of the other man grinned widely at him. "Looking for this?" he said as he pushed the dull end of the scabbard towards Ace's shoulder. The pain was unimaginable. Ace couldn't hold himself, he let out a scream. The pain wouldn't stop even as they were rounded up and led towards the west gate. None of them were allowed speak. Ace was made to walk in front of Kaska and Aliana, with the same man who jabbed the scabbard into his shoulder. The walk was tedious and the pain was harsh. When Ace tried to look back the large man hit his shoulder with the scabbard, but this time harder then the last. Pain tumbled but he tried to keep his composure. These man, they were of immense size and strength, perhaps they were assassins. The symbol on their clothes was that of the Roda Ah K'mht, but Ace was always skeptical of their existence. Even if Ace was fully healed, the most he could do is run away, but even that would be impossible, not to mention that he wouldn't dare abandon the two women that risked their lives to help him.

They finally reached the west gate, Ace noticed people being rounded up. They looked like survivors from the previous attacks. All around them were more men with Roda Ah K'mht symbols on their tunics, Ace's group was shoved to the front to join the other citizens awaiting their fates. A man walked up to the archway of the gate, he wore dark grey robes with a Roda Ah K'mht symbol.

"Welcome everyone! I have an important announcement for all of you!"

Hadrian just nodded throughout the speech. It could be that they were telling the truth, but he knew better than to blindly trust such shady individuals. He honestly didn’t care that much which one of the assassin organisations was to blame. It seemed that they were killing each other though, so whoever was truly responsible was dying by the scores. If some ‘innocent’ assassins died in the process as well, all the better. The only thing that really mattered was that he seemingly was going to survive.
He held back when most started heading for the exit. The common folk risked trampling each other this way. Hadrian held back, like a proper noble would. He liked to take his time for everything, better to do it classy rather than quickly. Besides, he didn’t feel like leaving the city just yet. He had lost most of his goods in the chaos. Someone would have to compensate him and he wasn’t leaving until that someone had been identified. He took a deep breath and tried to regain his composure, making sure to give anyone who ran into him a threatening glare.

Then the slaughter began once more. Crossbow bolts rained down from the sky. Hadrian ducked when a peasant next to him toppled backwards. He considered faking death, but he wasn’t sure these new assailants would fall for that. When a bolt flew past his head he decided to risk it regardless and dropped down, making sure to make an accompanying death cry, followed by some final gurgles. The people around him started to shout and run, and suddenly someone fell on Hadrian. A soft whisper escaped his lips.
“Oh god,” he cast a cautious look from the corner of his eye and saw a definitely dead man lying on him. Worse, he was bleeding. On Hadrian and his clothes.

The noble immediately jumped off and kicked the corpse away from him
“Goddamn peasant! You ruined my clothes!” he kicked the corpse a couple of times before realizing he was still in danger. He surveyed his surrounding, expecting crossbow bolts to come flying at him. Instead he saw a much different slaughter. The infamous Red-eyed demon and his sister had seemingly started to slaughter his assailants in an efficient manner. A slight smile appeared on his face.
“Yeah!” he shouted encouragingly, “show those bastards that no one, and I mean no one, messes with Hadrian Kirkegard!” he walked up to the nearby corpse of an assassin and spat on it. He considered taking a trophy, but the corpse seemed rather bloody and Hadrian already had enough blood on him. He sadly stared at the blood stains on his clothes and sighed. After all the trouble he had gone through to keep it clean, some good for nothing commoner had been stupid enough to bleed on him. Even in death they still managed to ruin his day. Well, he could do nothing about it now. He adjusted his hat, placed his left hand on his rapier and tried to look important. Surely someone around here would have the decency to attend to him?

Aliana had opened her mouth to speak again when they were approached abruptly by a woman. Almost instantly, her eyebrows furrowed as she frowned deeply and cross her arms tightly across her chest. Subtly she took a tiny step to her left, in front of the pair she had met in the suburbs of town. Ali felt strangely protective over these two people now that they had been thrust together in a sick twist of Fate. But the woman introduced herself as a doctor and offered a hand of help to Ace, who needed it more than most. Reluctantly, Ali relaxed her position and sunk back into the shadows of the building where they had been hiding. But her grey eyes watched carefully and curiously, narrowed in concentration and warning.

"We did the best we could with what we had..." Ali muttered, almost defensively as the woman looked at Ace's wound. She doubted anyone heard her, so she returned to her sulky, sullen silence and simply watched. When two others joined them, her eyes barely flickered in their direction. They were of little interest. It appeared they too had been helped by the strange woman, who offered help. They were giving her a variety of gifts that they happened to be carrying on them. Suppressing a roll of her eyes, their gratefulness was grating on her nerves. Could they not see she was tending a patient? However, she saw how invaluable the items were whilst she tended to Ace's shoulder. Begrudgingly she admitted that they two had been of help, even though it pained her to do so. Watching, now without interest, she crossed her arms again. Whilst she was concerned for Ace's wound, a greater worry gnawed at her. Where were her family? Hopefully safe, but who knew. Would her mother and sister have walked through that gate willingly? Craning her head, she peered through the bars that separated the dead from the town. It was impossible to see any faces or familiar assets that belonged to her family. The anxiety still twisted her stomach. It was then that her eyes fell upon a man who appeared to be fussing over his fine clothes. Tutting loudly, in disgust, she fixed him with a glare and shook her head. Some people simply did not grasp what was important in life. And his clothes were about the least important aspect of everything that had happened.

The doctor woman was talking again. Ali's attention turned back to her.

"Well, we thank you for your help," She replied shortly, though it was not really her place. "But we really need to get out of here. It is not safe. If we can make it to my farm..." But really, her suggestions ran out there. What could they do when they reached the farm? Most of the town was dead and for all they knew there were more assassins on their way right now. The thought made her shudder and she shook her head. "We just have to get out of here. I don't care which of you come with us, but make your mind up quickly." Pushing off from the wall, she drew herself to full height (which wasn't very high at all) and squared herself for a fight or a disagreement from these people. Surely they saw the danger that lay here?

Hadrian had been observing how the woman had tended to the wounded. She at least possessed a modicum of skill. He had to admit he was surprised. His previous assessment might have been too harsh. This opened up a lot of opportunities. While he wasn’t planning on getting hurt anytime soon, it would no doubt be a most wise precaution to stay near a doctor. The assassins had been taught a lesson, but he didn’t think they were fast learners. The way they had fallen to the Red-Eyed demon and his sibling showed a surprising lack of ability to adjust and common sense. He himself would have made a run for it at the first sign of trouble. Nevertheless, despite the fact that their intellectual capacity was lacking, their physical prowess was worrisome enough.
When he saw the doctor had finished tending to the wounded, he decided to approach the group. After all, he no longer risked being asked to help. When he came nearer he recognized Sina and Zelic. He gave a curt nod of acknowledgement with his head before focusing on the group. It seemed most of them were commoners, but at least there was a fellow noble among them. Finally someone worth talking to.

“Ah, hello everyone,” he spoke, nervously rubbing his hands together, “I am most pleased to see you all survived the past onslaught. I couldn’t help but hear you talks about leaving this place? In that case, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hadrian Kirkegard of the noble and powerful house Kirkegard from Veilbrand. I have just made the decision to join you. It seems no one is going to attend to me,” he snorted, “but I suppose I should have expected that by now. The empire of Cre’ Est truly has the worst priorities in the world. It makes you wonder how they’ve managed to stay this powerful for so long. Even worse, my retinue no doubt perished in these recent incidents. A just punishment for their resignation, but it robbed them from the opportunity to show remorse. But there’s an upside to all these unfortunate incidents, you now have the privilege of enjoying my company. Believe me, having me as your companion would be most beneficial for you all,” he gave them all a short smile.

“So, where do we go? I heard the suggestion of visiting the farm of milady here? While it is definitely below my normal standards, these are exceptional times. The recent destruction unfortunately ruined the inn I was staying at so I can't offer a fitting home for our group. Regardless of where we will go, I’d like to make a stop at a tailor. Some peasant had the nerve of bleeding on me,” he grunted, pointing at his stained clothes, “what is this world coming to,” he shook his head slightly and studied the group more closely. They had managed to incur quite some wounds. He just hoped it wasn't a bad sign. While this day had been horrible, no doubt it could still get worse.

Clearly fine was a bad choice of words, the doctor as it seems could see through him. Showing weakness wasn't part of Ace's personality, and neither was depending on others or putting anyone at risk. It was his fault, he was so careless throughout the city, if any of these people get hurt Ace would never forgive himself. "Well, I can't say that you are not the chivalrous one, but at the moment your wounds are the worst I can see. Anyone else who has wounds more grievous are either dead or fled this area where I cannot be of any assistance to them." There was no arguing with that fact, anything worse means death, and anyone with a lesser injury escaped to spare their lives. Another group approached, handing the doctor a beg with medical items. They looked battered up, perhaps the same doctor helped them before.

The procedure was, to say the least, unpleasant. If Ace thought he knew what pain felt like, he was wrong. The doctor began slowly and carefully, no real pain there but that all changed in a matter of seconds. When the doctor started to apply the salve into the wound it felt like the entire world was coming apart. Ace bit his shirt so he wouldn't scream, but that alone didn't help much. Ace tried to hold back, but he let out few screams now and then. He snapped his eyes shut and dug deep into his already ripped shirt. Suddenly the pain stopped, and he was offered help to his feet. He looked at his shoulder, and it looked pretty good. A real doctors work, it was still aching from before but it wasn't terrible.

"Sorry about digging the salve in like that, but believe me it will be worth the pain you went through when the wound heals over. Until then, you'll have to avoid using that arm if you don't want permanent muscle damage. You could permanently lose up to 7% of your arms physical potential if you don't rest it properly, and one who carries a weapon such as yours cannot afford such a loss I'm sure."

"Thanks, I really appreciate the help. Although it doesn't seem like I will getting much rest, not for the time being at least."

He heard Ali say something about getting to her farm, she sounded a bit defensive but it wasn't all her fault. "What Ali means is we would love for you to come with us. We could appreciate all the help we can get. My name is Ace Hieron pleasure to meet all of you." Another man approached, but this was looked a lot more familiar. “Ah, hello everyone I am most pleased to see you all survived the past onslaught. I couldn’t help but hear you talks about leaving this place? In that case, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hadrian Kirkegard of the noble and powerful house Kirkegard from Veilbrand. I have just made the decision to join you. It seems no one is going to attend to me, but I suppose I should have expected that by now. The empire of Cre’ Est truly has the worst priorities in the world. It makes you wonder how they've managed to stay this powerful for so long. Even worse, my retinue no doubt perished in these recent incidents. A just punishment for their resignation, but it robbed them from the opportunity to show remorse. But there’s an upside to all these unfortunate incidents, you now have the privilege of enjoying my company. Believe me, having me as your companion would be most beneficial for you all."

Ace did know this man, he lived in the same city as Ace, and the Kirkegard's were up the chain with the Hieron's. Hadrian has a certain reputation, but not knowing the man personally Ace wasn't the one to judge. Before Ace could speak the man went on “So, where do we go? I heard the suggestion of visiting the farm of milady here? While it is definitely below my normal standards, these are exceptional times. The recent destruction unfortunately ruined the inn I was staying at so I can't offer a fitting home for our group. Regardless of where we will go, I’d like to make a stop at a tailor. Some peasant had the nerve of bleeding on me,”

Great, another snobby noble that thinks he is above everyone. Hadrian's remark hit Ace right to the core though, who is he to talk about peasant's when they are the reason he is alive. Ace cleared his throat, he relaxed himself a bit, now was not the time to pick fights. "Ah, Hadrian, I see you reputation proceeds you."

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Linde nodded her head to the one who introduced himself as Ace and was going to speak further about his recovery when a noble made his appearance and interrupted he train of thought.

He was quite the snob, she had to admit. Talking about himself as if the world was beneath him and making it sound as if his company was a joyous occasion such as a festival or something. Linde instantly took a dislike to the man, but she knew that if he were ever to get hurt she would help him, as was her duty as a doctor. Regardless of whether she personally liked the patient, she was sworn to provide aid to any in need. Even the Red-Eyed Demon proved to be mortal once before when she...

Enough Linde! Get it together! She thought to herself.

"Ah, Hadrian, I see you reputation proceeds you." Ace said.

Linde recognized the name, as she was familiar with at least the names of many noble families from around the continent since she did a fair bit of traveling for work. However, she was not personally acquainted with many, if any, of them. This one was one she wished had just fled, as he didn't strike her as being the noble warrior type but rather the sleazy cowardly type. If trouble showed its head, his first instinct was to run, of that she was certain. However, another person in their company meant a slightly better chance of reaching their destination, wherever it may have been, and she knew how to speak to nobles as she put on a smile and turned to face Hadrian.

"Ah, my lord Kirkegard." She said with a full bow at the waist, keeping her neck and back straight.

Given her shirt's design, her bow showed quite a bit of cleavage to those directly in front of her, namely Hadrian.

Thankfully it was tight enough to her body not to risk her bust falling out, but still, the size of her chest didn't help the situation. However, that was what she wanted. Hadrian, like most nobles, likely had serious weaknesses when it came to women. Regardless of marriage status, which was largely decided without consent or love between the two parties involved, Linde's bow would at least get his blood going. Maybe he was a married man, maybe he was not, but she knew that it was highly unlikely that he would not appreciate the view she just gave him. Her bust was, after all, rather generous. Knowing his type as she did, Hadrian probably thought that Linde wasn't even aware that she had just given him a peek at her chest. But even if he surprised her with a statement to the contrary, she knew he'd never expect what she was about to tell him.

"Please do forgive our impertinence. We had no idea one so illustrious as yourself was present among our company. My name is Linde. If it pleases my lord I would be happy to serve as your new bodyguard for the time being until you find new retinue. I may not look it, but I have encountered, battled with, and survived against Te'i Sai Assassins before and I know how to avoid them when the situation demands it." She said with a smile.

The first reactions of the group were rather underwhelming. The young man had the urge to address him with his first name. Even though his clothes hinted at a certain status, the behavior definitely didn’t match them. He had dared to use Hadrian’s first name. And to make matters worse, he wasn’t sure whether the remark aimed at his reputation was meant as an insult or not. He decided to assume it wasn’t, his reputation was impeccable after all.

“Ah yes, naturally. I am glad some people are at least aware of my importance. I’ve been hard-pressed to find informed individuals as of late,” he paused for a second, slightly unsure how to continue. Luckily the woman introduced herself. Hadrian was pleasantly surprised. She displayed manners he hadn’t expected to find here and especially not from a woman. He smiled slightly but was taken aback when she revealed more than she intended. In this case he decided to forgive her the clumsiness that was so typical for peasants. Hadrian had always been one to appreciate a good view. Back in Veilbrand he had made sure to have experiences befitting a connoisseur like himself. He gave her a more inquiring look and smiled slightly. She was definitely a fine specimen. Perhaps God had finally gotten around to giving Hadrian the pleasant experiences he was entitled to. Mind you, he still had a lot to make up for after today.

Her offer took him even more aback, the smile momentarily disappearing. A woman as his bodyguard? The notion was almost as absurd as her claims. Still, it was seemingly the best offer that was going to appear any time soon. As long as no one important saw him relying on a woman for protection, it would be alright. Besides, he could always claim he had hired her mostly for her other talents. No doubt the other nobles would understand this after a short explanation. His smile reappeared.

“You are all forgiven. I understand we are all a bit shaken after the recent events. As for your offer Linde, I most magnanimously accept it,” he blurted, still a bit flustered after the view, “I’m sure you will make a wonderful bodyguard. You are after all one of the few people I’ve met in Cre’ Est that display the respect my status demands. By that alone you are already a step ahead of some previous people I have had employed,” he added in a slightly reproachful tone.

And if her skills as a bodyguard would be lacking, he was sure he would find another job for her. He was sure she would be able to offer other services. Anyone would do anything to remain in his service. Now there was a pleasant thought. He moistened his lips and forced those thoughts to the back of his mind. He would have time for that later.
“As far as payment goes, well, I’m sure we will be able to sort that out in a more convenient time. Given the circumstances, I’m sure you can understand I don’t have too much on me. I also have to keep the expenses for a new outfit in mind, but this is merely a temporary inconvenience,” he spoke with a slight hint of embarrassment.

Zel was quite impressed by Linde's knowlege and medical training. Medicine had always fascinated him since his near-death experience, but the swordsman knew he didn't really have the brains to focus on that type of stuff. He left the bandaging and stitches to Sina, but even she only knew the basics. Most people would be squeemish about sticking their fingers into an open wound of another person, Linde on the other hand didn't flinch. Yup, he was most fascinated.

"Don't stare, you're being creepy." Sina mumbled, giving her brother a nudge at his behavior. People would get the wrong idea about him if he continued looking at the other guys terrible wound with a goofy look on his face.

Both siblings then turned to one of the injured man's companions. She was talking about her farm and implying that it could be safer there. Zel had to wonder if that was true though. These assassin's were ruthless and although her place of residence was away from the city, it didn't mean that tragedy didn't befall them. He closed his eyes and gave a silent prayer of safety to the woman's family. Sina thought she was rather pushy and off putting. The young woman simply rolled her eyes at her aloof attitute, but Sina wasn't exactly in the position to choose her own fate at the moment. The numbing salves were ebbing away a bit and she could already feel the stinging of pain in her back. Zel would have to be the one to decide where they were heading.

And of course there was Hadrian. The minunte he sauntered over to their litte group, Sina's expression abruptly changed to one of disgust. She had thought the arrogant noble was horrible from the moment that they had met and watching him blatently disrespect the dead was almost too much for her. She had to quite literally bite her tongue to keep herself from blowing up at the man like she had before. His speech about his status and how the people of Cr'Est were beneath him left her with a tick in her right eye. Zelic saw the signs and he sat next to her sister trying to calm her with suggestions to ignore the man. But then Linde went an indulged the pigheaded man and Sina could just see tje wheels turning in his head.

Sina abruptly shoved her brother, sending the swordsman from his crouched position to sitting on his butt in surprise. "Ms. Linde!" She shouted, moving faster to stand than she should have, but her wound was still mostly numb. "You shouldn't indulge his disgusting behavior." The younger woman walked over to the two she wsa talking to, poking her finger into Hadrian's chest. "You forgive us? Are you kidding me? You're status should be dragged through a pile of steaming horse crap for the way you've been acting. You stupid bas-" Just as abruptly as she began she was lifted into the air by her brother and turned away from Hadrian and Linde.

Sina was screaming, raving, and cursing as Zelic carried her a few steps away and tried to calm her. He talked to his sister in a stern voice, begging her to calm herself and not to let Hadrian get the best of her. Once she was quiet, albeit still fiming with her arms crossed just below her chest, Zelic walked back over to Hadrian. "Sorry for her outburst to both of you. It's just been a long day."

Ace looked at the man with disgust, holding himself back from saying something. He was caught off guard though, Linde's reply to Hadrian's rude remarks was very surprised. Impertinent, is that what they were? Everyone else in the group was surely as surprised. That's when things took a sharp turn, his reply sparked some anger in the young girl standing by someone who seemed like her brother. The entire interaction was very amusing to say the least, she said everything Ace was holding himself back from saying.

Her brother attempted to calm her down, and it worked for the most part. "Sorry for her outburst to both of you. It's just been a long day." - That's it, he couldn't hold it in anymore, not after such a long and miserable day. Ace started laughing, especially when he saw Hadrian's face. Ace didn't want to risk his fathers relationship with the Kirkegard's, so he kept his mouth shut... for the time being. He looked at the group, some of them seemed very able with a sword, and others with support.

Ace wasn't sure how much help Hadrian would do if they got into trouble, he would surly run and hide. Standing around wouldn't do the group any good, it was time to go. "Very well. Shall we be on our way then? Standing around bickering will do us no good. Especially given our circumstances. Just a thought though Hadrian, if I were you I would stay out of her way." Ace smiled, feeling accomplished without letting his anger take control of him.

"So where do we go? The farm sounds like a good idea, I also have family in Triviela. What do you guys think?"

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Linde listened to each reaction which came one after another, and she nodded her head once Ace had spoken.

"I have to agree. After what has happened here the best possible place for us to be in is a quiet location that doesn't see much activity. Te'i Sai and Roda Ah K'mht are both organizations with plans for this continent, and they will be taking the majority of their resources and operatives to places of high activity such as the city of Cre' Est as we saw today."

She looked back at Hadrian and offer a bow of her head.

"My lord, I would request that you remain close by my side until we reach this farm. I understand that you wish to replace your bloodied clothing, but the longer we remain in this city the more risk we place on everyone in this group, yourself included. Roda Ah K'mht will not leave this place alone for long if they were willing to kill all of these people in cold blood. It's obvious they have plans for the city itself, and I dread to find out what those plans are. The best thing we can do right now is to move, and I promise that the first city or town we arrive at along our way I will personally accompany you to purchase new clothing."

She turned and looked to the others.

"Well then, let's be off without further delay." She said as she looked to Aliana.

"Please lead the way and we will follow."