The Whistling Inn

By the time Alek had turned to look upon Talos, he was already out the door, following Ellie. He'd already explained his plans as much as he could, so now he could only honor Alek's wishes that he guard his 'friend,' who was clearly more than that by this point. It brought a slight frown to Talos' face, but it was a strength, and men must take their strengths where they can find them.

After she had been silent for a time, and he had been following her, he speaks up again. "Where does this Vampire usually keep herself? Most of these creatures often live in seclusion, a cave or abandoned structure, or they live in the open, lavish mansions and the like. My estimate is that she would be the latter," he concludes, distancing himself from the personal dramatics of his charges. His duty was to destroy the Darkness, not take sympathy on the struggles of the faithful.

Ellie didn't go far. She couldn't go far. The elf-girl only ran down the hallway and stopped as soon as she reached the end of the stairs; the border between the Inn and the tavern below. Her thoughts raged around Alek but in her heart, she knew that he would be fine. He had not yet abandoned her and Ellie had a gut feeling that Alek would never abandon her.

For now, all she could do was help him in a way that she knew how. Information.

Ellie closed her eyes and shook her head. Her fingers clutched the banister until they shook. "I don't know. No one knows where she lives. Amelia is much smarter than other vampires. No one has ever found where she makes her lair and has lived to tell the tale."

"The only way to find out would be to send Alek to her but if we did that..." He'd never return. Ellie could not say the words. It hit too close to home on her current fears.

Alek immediately began to pull at the window as soon as they left him alone, his black eyes almost desperate now. Desperate to get as far away from Ellie as he could until he had fed. The window moved easily, for him at least, breaking off the nails as the pane raced up. The remaining pieces of nails tapped against the floor quietly. The investigation was still going on below, so instead he began to climb the fire escape up silently.

He would feed on a few victims tonight. He had gotten into the practice of not killing who he drained. People did not turn into vampires just by being bitten, as the rumor went. No.. It was more complicated than that. But none the less, he would return to the Inn from the entrance as he said he would, not a minute passed an half hour.

"Then," Talos begins, a gruff rumble of a voice, "We must plant bait. Even the most intelligent creature will blunder into a trap if it is prepared just so. Even if we do not slay her, I have ways of tracking the undead."

Despite its benefits, he was starting to worry that the emotional attachment between the two of them might be the downfall of this venture. Regardless, he would simply have to put up more effort himself to cover them.

"In the mean time, share with me how you plan to find this... 'Word.' I do not look to utilize it for our battle, but as a last-ditch plan, it may be necessary."

He had crossed his arms, leaning near the stairway back down. He felt out of his element, working with a... Vampire. And an Elf with no personal conviction to the cause. She was more than willing to give her all, but it was not for the destruction of the Vampire, at least not in whole. She did it for a man, a former man, and if he was lost, so too might be her strength. Or, it may grow. It was uncertain, and it bothered him.

Ellie disagreed with Talos and wished he would just go away. The Word of Unmaking was the only choice because she thought, for sure, that it would keep Alek alive. This man did not even want to use it unless absolutely necessary.

Wiping at her face with the back of her hand, Ellie dropped down onto the last step of the stairs and sat. She curled her knees against her chest and help them by wrapping her arms around her legs. "The Ancient Order of the Keepers. No one has seen them in a very long time," Ellie said.

"They were more prevalent about fifty years ago but recently there hasn't been a peek from the Keepers. Unlike most people though I know how to read and I know how to find their guild," Ellie said. "We will have to go across to the other side of the city to find it in a cemetery."

"The Ancient Order of the Keepers are the ones who discovered and studied runes and glyphs. It is our best bet to any leads on the Final Word."

"Then let us search," Talos replies. "But know this..." he gives her a serious look, keeping his arms crossed and trying to express the gravity of his words. "If this 'word' can be misused, by intent or lack of skill, for the destruction of this world... I will have no choice but to have it eliminated as soundly as possible. Your personal affections cannot rise above the grave duty we have before us."

He knew she wouldn't like him for this. Knew she didn't like him already. He could see it, in the way she spoke to him, in her posturing towards him. "Using this word could be more dangerous than even the Vampire. Until we have better options, however, that is what we will look for. So take heart," he adds encouragingly, standing straight and dropping his hands to his sides. "We will have victory, but it will not cost us all."

-

"Are we done here," Ellie snapped at Talos. She didn't mean to sound so rude or harsh but her nerves were on end with the man. It was hard to accept the consequences of her actions.

"I need to eat," she said before Ellie stood up from the stairs and walked back into the tavern.

Maybe there was a way to get rid of Talos. Alek and Ellie didn't need him. In all actuality they did, but Ellie did not want his help. There were probably others that were more fitting to their needs. He seemed to have just took charge and Ellie was not happy about that. Who was he to be invited into their mission and for him to just lead the entire thing?

Talos had to go. And Ellie began devising ways to do it.