Katherine Alexandra's Story

Katherine blew the dust from between the pages of a yellowed book. What a glorious smell they made as they were opened, not having seen the face of anyone for years... It was almost honouring to be the first to re-discover their adventure.

She slipped down the side of the creaking old bookcase, her feet lightly hitting the polished granite floor tiles, before she bobbed up again to a low hover like a toy boat pushed underwater. A small chuckle, barely audible escaped her faded lips as she drifted over to the grand library doors. They were double, like a church's, with solid iron patterns binding the wood together and ornate glass doorknobs. Katherine took a heavy, worn ring of keys from her wrist she'd been wearing it around, and slid the correct one into the lock. With a twist and a wriggle, it scraped open on its old hinges to reveal the fresh, damp outdoors.

'Disgusting.' She thought. And with a quiet sigh she dropped to the ground and began to stroll along the muddied grass, water soaking through the fabric covering her feet and splashing between her toes. A few harsh sounds met her ears, and she glared up to the training courtyard in an instant. A fight, was it...?

Were people going to get hurt...?

Not really her problem, but interesting... Her tiny voice rung as she spoke to no-one in particular.

"W-What's going on heeeere..."

The alleyway’s Gurth traveled through were like a maze, someone not familiar with the layout would get lost. Fortunately Gurth had planned and memorized his escape route yesterday, just in case anything when wrong with his task. Looking over his shoulder Gurth saw nobody not that he expected too he was completely hidden by his spell. He slowed to a brisk walk no point in wasting energy. His brisk pace quickly brought him to his destination. It was small door in the side of the wall, covered in grime and dirt the old plaque on the door could barely be read. But Gurth knew it said ‘The Rotten Apple.’

Raising his hand he knocked twice in quick succession and waited four seconds before knocking lightly against the door. In less than a minute the door opened showing a short balding man who walked with a limp and whose face was uglier than a donkey’s rear end. “Wach ya wont Beaky” he asked “I’m here to collect payment for a job” Gurth said in a soft tone not caring about the insult. Nodding the man, known as Pretty Pete stepped back clearing the way. Stooping low Gurth entered through the door, closing it behind himself. Amazingly the bar was dirtier on the inside than on the outside. Gurth heard laughter and arguing descending from the main floor of The Rotten Apple. He was in the basement were business was conducted away from the prying eyes of others. Turning left Gurth went through the nearest archway into a large but almost empty common room with many different sized doors set into the walls of room. Here it was said your darkest desire could be granted for the right price.

None of this interested Gurth, making his way straight to the largest door on his left and opening it he walked inside and came face to face with his contact, A man by the name of Vlad. He had met Vlad yesterday and from their short conversation Gurth knew he could make money if he used Vlad as his go-between to contact potential clients. Nodding to Vlad Gurth held out his hand the message obvious. Without saying a word Vlad pulled out a small pouch and dropped it into Gurth’s outstretched hand. Nodding again Gurth opened it and quickly counted it confirming that the full price had been paid. “Do you have any more jobs?” Gurth asked breaking the silence. Vlad shook his head “Today has been slow which is unusual but it does not matter there are always lulls in business today is just an unlucky day. Gurth nodded again slightly perturbed at the lack of work but accepting it there would always be more work later. For now he would content himself with exploration of the city, it would be beneficial if he got more equated with the layout of his new home.

Leaving Vlad and The Lower rooms of The Rotten Apple Gurth entered the alleyway again intent on committing the city to memory. After a short time he found himself in front of a large palace the home of the King and the Magi. There was already a large crowd outside intent on seeing the inside but being held back by the guards. Casting an illusion Gurth walked up to the guards and saluted. To them he looked like another guard coming back from patrolling the city. Receiving a salute from the guards at the gate he walked right by.

Immediately Gurth noticed a number of odd things the first was a couple of men standing in the middle of a field talking with the body of three guards on the floor around one of them. The sound strange thing was the Fay and a Magi fighting, he had never seen a Fay before and for a moment a spark of wonder filled him but that spark was quickly stuffed out by logic. The Fay was dangerous that was all. The third point of interest was the man with hooves, he realized this was the leader of the Magi. A powerful mage but also a potential employer for Gurth and that interested him the most. The strangest thing to him was the woman walking across the field a book in her hand see seemed out of place when taken in context with the fighting going on around her.

An idea rose from the depths of Gurth’s mind. The Royals were fighting against the Rebellion so maybe they could offer him a job that was sure to pay a lot, but that would wait until the fight ended then he would seek employment from one of the Magi. The walls of the Castle provided an ample amount of deep shadows, walking into one he cast Shadow Cloak content to wait until the fighting was over to make his next move.

Irial shrugged, "Fine then. Have fun, Magi of Destruction." Resisting the urge to smirk in delight, he took some steps back, hands still in his pocket. He saw no point in getting into this fight. Why bother, anyway? It seemed taken care of. His multi-colored eyes of white, red, and green caught sight of a female further back, seeming curious about the fight. Irial felt that maybe he should get out of the way of the two fighters, as he knew how magic fights could get. Then again, Irial could easily protect himself.

Walking easily around the two fighting, he made his way towards the girl, his covered hooves pattering the floor as he walked. He took his hands from his pockets, smiling at the girl, "I suggest you move on and away from here for your own safety." Not that he cared, to be honest. He had to keep up the Magi leader's advisory affect.

Katherine's face soured.

"N-nooo..."

She mumbled in an almost whine-like tone, upset by the fact he thought she couldn't hold her own in a fight. The woman neglected to mention or even hint the fact she knew who she was being addressed by; and simply continued on as if she was speaking to a street urchin.

"I-I would very much like to see how this goes..."

As she said this, her pouty frown twisted up slightly into a small smirk. If her erratic changes in mood weren't enough to show him she was insane, her stammered manner of speaking was bound to.

"I h-hope they aren't stopping... It would make a good stoooory~" Katherine chirped, hovering in the air slightly to let her feet dry. 'I'll get away from all these crowded people once I'm done...' She thought.

The fight between the Fay and one of the Magi amazed Gurth, he had never seen such power wielded by anyone. The sheer amount of mana used could probably power the city for a week. Gurth tore his attention away from the fight, he wasn't here for entertainment he needed work. The one with hooves the leader of the Magi had walked away from the fight to stand beside the woman Gurth had seen earlier. Gurth quietly approached the pair when he was close he cancelled his spell, sneaking up on the leader of the Magi was not a good idea, particularly if Gurth wanted to remain alive. As he drew close he tapped his mask, a habit of his, before hailing the Magi "My Lord, I was wondering if you had any work for a ... specialist" pausing as the Magi turned towards him. "I can go places someone as powerful and noticeable as you can not. I also have an astounding lack of morals, all I ask is to be paid for each job." Gurth tilted his head from side to side as he waited for a response, his mask made him look like a large bird.

Irial shrugged his shoulders lightly, "So be it." He stepped to the side, standing next to the woman, who he believed he seen around before. Then again, he was always out and about, he probably seen many of the people at least once. Irial's multi-colored eyes watched the fight between one of the magi and the fay; they appeared to be enjoying the fight with one another.

"You're a writer, by the sounds of it. This fight might be worth mentioning in a book about pups if anything." He laughed lightly, not sure if his joke was funny or not. Oh, the fights he could conjure... That would not be a good idea right now. He was a reserved fighter; one that fought when needed be... Or when he really wanted to.

Irial shifted his weight, tempted to just go off walking again, but as leader of the magi, he should probably see this fight until it was at it's end, for one of his subordinates. When a figure suddenly appeared, he frowned for a moment before plastering on his fake smile once more. He noted the dark outfit and strange mask. He listened as the man spoke, asking if he had any jobs needing done.

Irial sighed mutely. Would the leader of the magi really call for an assassination? Maybe? Would Irial himself? Yes. He figured it would be a fine thing to do to give the man work anyway. He pulled out some change that would only be part of the pay. He could think of someone that needed put down, as they appeared as a threat to the Royal cause. Not that Irial cared about that cause; in fact, he wanted to destroy it, but he couldn't let that be known. He held out the coins for the bird-like mannered man to take, "This would only be part of the pay. There's a blacksmith on the south end, near the edge of the city, who I know has been supplying weapons secretly to the so-called rebellion. Shouldn't be difficult to find; he's the only blacksmith on that end. I can give you the rest when you provide proof of his absence."

Katherine giggled. A sort of eerie, celestial giggle, as she quickly nodded to Irial in a vague response to his thoughts. She bobbed down slightly, feet barely brushing the tops of the blades of grass as she reached out, lightly running a tiny finger down the plague doctor mask Gurth was wearing.

Her hand quickly shot away again, as if she was avoiding it being smacked. She paused for a moment, face blank.

"Whhoo are youuu?"

Her head tilted as she asked. It was unusual for her to see a new face, what with her spying from her tower window she often preferred to 'forget to mention'. Often her interest in people wavered from simply ignoring them to well.. This. She wasn't a very stable human being. It was probably the magic that was beginning to steer her astray.

Gurth nodded once to the Magi as he took the coin, he didn't ask why the mark was wanted dead, he didn't care this was just work. The strange woman who was floating suddenly brushed his mask with her finger causing Gurth's head to turn towards her with a snap and his hand to grip the hilt of his sword beneath his cloak. "Whhoo are youuu?" she asked Gurth relaxed letting go of his sword she was curious like a child and probably a little less than sane, that happened sometimes when one used to much magic. It happened to a hermit he had killed, he had spent to much time away from other people. "I am a Doctor, if someone has a problem they pay me and I make it go away." Gurth said an cold smile on his lips beneath his mask, he really was doctor or at least he could have been but instead he had chosen another path. Sometimes he even provided medical services to those who lead a life in the shadows like him, of course for far more than a normal doctor would charge.

Turning away from the Magi and strange woman he briskly walked towards the shadows cast by the wall of the palace as soon as his he stepped into the shadow he cast his Shadow Cloak disappearing from sight moving quickly he slipped outside of the palace and into the city. The mark lived in the south part of the city near then edge. The problem for Gurth was his outfit if he entered as he was he would raise suspicion and the man would be on guard making him harder to kill. Gurth sighed he knew what to do, he made his was to a different blacksmith whose shop was in a small alley the sign over the door was old and the door itself wasn't even properly on its hinges.

As Gurth expected the old man behind the counter wasn't doing anything except watching the door. "Smith I am here to purchase some things" The man looked up his eyes a milky white and his smile missing teeth "Well I no longer have anything to sell a blind smith is a bad smith so no one comes here for metal work anymore. So you can leave Birdman" the man said spitting a lugie "I was sent here by Vlad, old man and if you were truly blind you would not know about my mask." Gurth said. The man began to laugh and then he had a violent fit of coughing and spit up another lugie, "So Vlad sent you, well that changes everything. I only do work for those living in the shadows, since Vlad referred you to me you must be part of that crowd." Gurth nodded and the old man continued "So what do you need?" "I need a set or chain armor and a hand and a half sword the armor does not need to fit perfectly it just has to be roughly my size." As Gurth spoke he pulled out his coin purse and began to count out a number of coins about twice as much as they would normally cost but he needed to forge a good bushiness relationship with the man. The Smith pocketed the coins and entered the back part of the shop.

In a few minutes the Smith returned holding a set of chain armor and a hand and a half sword. "Here you go" he said handing Gurth the gear, nodding once Gurth turned and left. Slipping the gear under his cloak Gurth headed to a nearby inn called the Hogs Head where Gurth bought the cheapest room. In the room Gurth quickly changed from his cloak and mask into the armor strapping the sword onto his back. He was no longer an assassin but a warrior who needed a blacksmith to fix his weapon. A small illusion finished the look it removed some of the scars covering his face leaving only the largest scar on his face. A heavily scared man was noticeable, one scar didn't mean much when on the face of a warrior. Drawing the 'broken' sword Gurth raised it above his head and brought it down with all his force on to the stone floor of his room, the only thing that happened was pain shooting through his arms. That Smith makes good weapons Gurth thought as he placed the sword on the floor of the room, Calling upon his second element he covered the sword in ice freezing drawing his other sword the raised it and brought it down on the now frozen sword ... this time there was the pleasing sound of the sword breaking into two pieces. Picking up the pieces he slipped them into the sheath on his back, now he had a reason to visit his mark in the south part of the city.

Going to the window Gurth opened it and looked to the alleyway below it was empty climbing up on to the windowsill Gurth jumped landing in the alleyway softly. He had entered as a masked man if he left dressed as a warrior it would raise questions so he had left through the window. His mark lived in the south part of the city, walking at a brisk pace Gurth made his way through the city using the main roads instead of the alleyways, a warrior creeping around like a thief raised to many questions. When he arrived in the south part of the city he asked around for a smith and quickly where his mark was living and working. The shop where his mark lived was called the Thane and Son's it was well maintained and looked like it did a got a lot of costumers but luckily when Gurth entered the shop was empty save for the resident smith banging away at a piece of iron on an anvil. Reaching behind himself he touched the door calling upon his magic to freeze the door shut so no one would get in while he worked.

Clearing his throat he called the smith "Oi Smith you got a customer" Gurth called in a deep voice. Grunting the smith looked up from his work, placing the iron into a bucket of water he took off his gloves and laid his hammer down wiping his hands on his apron he approached Gurth. "Wat ya need?" the smith asked. Pulling the hand and half sword off his back Gurth laid the weapon on the counter in front of the smith. "My sword broke smith and I'm looking to have it repaired so I can get back to earning coin." The smith nodded pulling the broken sword from the sheath and inspected the blade. "Ya it broke, but it good blade I can have it fixed in a day." the smith said smiling through his beard,the man looked happy to have the work. Gurth smiled, the smile on his lips fake. "Can I have one of your swords while you fix mine?" Gurth asked smiling again. "Sure" The smith said smiling a toothy grin. as he pulled a sword our from under the counter. "Maby you love my sword and buy it, and bring your friends and bring me good work." The man said laughing a deep happy laugh.

Reaching for the sword Gurth asked "May I" the smith nodded, drawing the sword Gurth turned around and gave it a few experimental swings before turning to the smith again. "You like?" the smith asked. Nodding Gurth suddenly lunged forward the blade in his hand entering the smiths chest and coming out of the man's back. The smith stumbled backwards a pain and shock on his face "Why...?" The smith asked as he fell against the wall and slid to the floor dead. Picking up the broken hand and half sword He had brought Gurth strapped it to his back once more.

About to leave Gurth was stopped when words rang out behind him "Pa Pa I'm hungry, where are you." Turning Gurth saw a child standing in the doorway rubbing his eye's having just woken up. The child was no more than five years old. The child saw his father lying on the ground his eye devoid of light with a blade through him. "Pa Pa, what happened?" the child asked running to his father. Casting his Shadow Cloak so that he looked like a mass of writhing shadows Gurth answered the child "He is dead" The child looked back at Gurth noticing him for the first time. "Who are you?" the child asked tears running down his face. "I am the monster who killed your father." Gurth turned and left the shop leaving the child crying over the dead body of his father. It was late now he would go and collect his money for the job tomorrow, right now he would lay low in the inn and get some sleep.