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Assassin's Pledge: Awakening

Cre' Est

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a part of Assassin's Pledge: Awakening, by KumoriRyuu.

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KumoriRyuu holds sovereignty over Cre' Est, giving them the ability to make limited changes.

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Cre' Est

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Cre' Est is a part of Assassin's Pledge: Awakening.

7 Characters Here

Korriban "Aetrius" Borral [480] "They took everything that I had, and I will have my revenge."
Linde Xe' Almna [452] "Kyero is the Red-Eyed Demon, but he's also a human being."
Lonán Arzura [430] “By this sword I live, by this sword I will restore my family name.”
Kyero [239] "My purpose in life is my own to find. Nobody will tell me where I belong or what I can become!"
Josephine Dezantro [127] "I pray there is a purpose for me in this world."
Kieran Borral [103] "She's done everything she could to get me back, and I will make sure all of their efforts weren't for nothing."
Okumi Chrysanth [91] "... ...! ..."

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Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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As Aetrius sat there after she was done speaking, she wasn't prepared for Linde to grab her and cry into her arms, but she did and Aetrius held her tight as she held Linde close to her. Aetrius whispered soft words of encouragement and kindness to help cheer her up some, and eventually when Linde did calm down enough, Aetrius gently lifted her chin up and looked into her tear filled eyes, and gently wiped her tears away and held her face gently with both of her hands. "I'm sorry...truly, I am...I've just lived a life of self reliance for so long, that I had forgotten how to ask for help, and not seem...Not seem so weak...But there's nothing weak about asking for help..Being able to ask for help shows that you're strong enough to admit that you can't do it on your own, and I admit it. I can't do this on my own, or I will infact die. I will do what I can, but when the time comes, I ask that you, Lolan, Kieran, and Kyero fight beside me...If you wish that is..." she asked softly as she gently took Linde's hand, and just as she did at the night of the dance in Ukron, she gently placed a kiss on Linde's hand.

"We'll get her back, and we'll get her out safely. And then...I don't know what will happen. I know the others only came along because they felt obligated to, and will most likely end up going their separate ways afterwards. And I understand if you share the same ideal. Wherever you decide to go, or wherever fate takes you, Linde...I pray that you find what you're looking for..." she said softly as she gently caressed her face and then looked away. She had a feeling in her gut that once all was said and done in Veilbrand, that the others would leave and that Linde would be going with them, and she was beginning to mentally prepare herself for saying goodbye to Linde.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Linde listened quietly to Aetrius, and as she finished speaking she wiped the newer tears away with the back of her hand and smiled.

"I already found what I was looking for." She replied softly.

Linde leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Aetri's neck, kissing her cheek along the way and resting the side of her head to Aetri's.

"... I found you, my love." She whispered.

And with that Linde pushed with her feet against the ground to nudge Aetri off balance and cause her to fall onto her back on the bed with Linde laying on top of her. She held fast to Aetri's neck and would not move, content to remain here until the feelings had passed... Which was not likely to happen for some time.

Meanwhile.

As Lonan stood outside the door waiting for his chance to go back inside, a familiar figure ascended the stairs nearby. He wore the brown cloak, had all black clothing, and the tiniest hint of a red glow beneath the hood in the dim lighting.

It was Kyero.

And on his back was a massive backpack filled with supplies.

"Lonan." He said simply.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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LonĂĄn had his drink and made his way up the stairs and waited. When he heard someone ascending the stairs, he turned to look and he almost did a double take to truly see who it was. He recognized him all too well.

”Kyero.” He breathed in relief. ”You’re Back. I hope your journey went smoothly. We found out a lot of things while you were gone.”

He looked at the door. ”Aetrius and Linde are having a... private discussion. I’m not sure if we’re allowed to go in yet.” he explained as he rubbed the back of his neck trying to at least explain what was going on at the present time. ”The plan for today was look over what we do know now and how to plan it all from here. Once we’re back inside we can get you up to speed. It’s good to see you friend.”

He was now currently debating on telling Kyero that Linde and Aetrius have begun seeing each other in a romantic light and are going through their first actual fight. Heresta help him if he decided to do that, or break the news that his target was actually not the Slave Master.

Setting

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna
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Aetrius listened as Linde revealed that she had already found what she was looking for, and the answer honestly surprised her, feeling her cheeks turn a light pink as Aetrius heard that Linde had actually found her, and was content with what she found. But her face only turned even brighter of a red as she was pushed down and then cuddled by Linde. A shy and small smile spread across her face as she only laid there and gently cuddled Linde, holding her close. "What did I get myself into...?" she thought to herself, but chuckled softly as she only held Linde even closer, "I won't fail at protecting you, Linde...That...That I can guarantee..." she said to herself as she gently placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, holding her newfound lover close to her lovingly and protectively.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero listened to Lonan explain what was going on with Linde and Aetri inside having a moment, but after traveling all this way and going through what he had to in order to get all this stuff... He was done waiting.

"Hmph."

He pushed the door open without waiting for a knock which surprised Linde causing her to jump a little, but she still didn't leave Aetri's arms or try sitting up with her. She did, however, glance over her shoulder to see Kyero enter the room. And at that, she offered him a small smile.

"May I presume then that your mission was a success?" She asked, eyeing the backpack he wore.

Kyero nodded.

He set the pack down as Linde finally pushed herself up off of Aetri and sat on the edge of the bed, helping Aetri sit up as well before wrapping her arms around Aetri's waist and leaning against her for comfort.

Kyero sat down in his chair, waving Lonan into the room.

"So... What did I miss?" He asked nonchalantly.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius was happy to now be cuddling with Linde comfortably and innocently, only for the room's door to be thrown open and for none other than Kyero to step in. Aetrius felt her face flush red as she made eyecontact with Kyero as Linde was still on her, and thankfully she was relieved when Linde finally got off from her and sat next to her and asked Kyero how his mission had gone. She quickly sat up and tried to act as casual as she could, and hoping Kyero didn't notice them when he first came in, but knowing her luck he did, and she'd probably have to explain what happened to Kyero sooner than she had originally planned.

"Ahem, hey Kyero. How'd you mission go?" she asked casually as she sat with her legs crossed and began to calm down and become not as flustered as she currently was.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero looked at Linde and Aetri, and then glanced at Lonan as he walked into the room.

"The mission was a success on my end. A total of about eighty five Gold has been acquired, in a small chest in the backpack. And I found a stash of noblemen's clothing for Lonan and Aetrius to choose from to fit the occasion. There's also some jewelry in there too to help complete the facade."

He crossed his arms.

"How has it gone for you all? What have you found out? Did you find out if the Te'i Sai agent was the Slave Master?" He asked.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Lonán, after awhile walked into the room to regroup with everyone. Now they could truly begin their discussion over the past few days as well as formulating at long Last, the Plan. At Kyero’s asking how things went he said plainly;

”Crazy and swimmingly.” He took a breath before continuing. ”We found out where the Auction is taken place and the past and present people who has Kieran. Yesterday, I discovered something else Kyero. You probably won’t be happy to hear this, but Kieran’s current Master, a woman known as Mariah, is the Slave Master. I approached her as an up and coming merchant as well as addressing Aetrius as a noble interested in attending. We don’t know what the Te’i Sai agent is doing because of it.”

He hesitated for a moment looking at Aetrius remembering what just transpired only hours ago. ”Hopefully the Jewelry can make up for...thirty five gold pieces we lack? Mariah estimated Kieran as a main event last item to be sold for one hundred and fifteen gold tops. If we can’t afford that or anything higher we will need to plan how to get her accordingly should we get outbid.”

Lonán wasn’t sure how well the Red Eyed Demon would take the news that his target didn’t coincide with the Slave Master. ”I’m sure that means he’ll just want to take him out now more then ever before this man becomes a threat somehow.”

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero nodded in understanding.

"I'm surprised to learn that about him, but at the same time... I guess it makes sense that he's not who I thought he was." He said.

He leaned forward in thought.

"Hmm... So you need thirty more gold, thereabouts, to equal the projected price for Kieran."

He set his elbow on the table.

"I think it's best that we fell short of the estimated price to purchase her, to be honest. Because if a newcomer just swoops in and steals the greatest Slave in Valoc that's bound to raise some eyebrows. And if so, you're likely to be stopped and interrogated by Mariah, and potentially others. It's safer to come in and make a good impression, fight for the prize, but walk away empty handed. That way when the winner leaves I can capture them at the entrance. If there's no reason to use any emergency exits, such as a brawl or some kind of man hunt for you breaking out, then the winner will likely leave through the Lion's Head Inn to make everything seem official and normal. I can apprehend them when they gain some distance from the Inn afterwards. Let everything seem like it's okay."

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius felt her eyebrow twitch at the notion of not going for the killing blow at the auction, but to stand by and just try to make a good impression and gain more intel, and not to raise eyebrows if they were to win the top prize. She internally groaned and wanted to argue with Kyero, and tell how she wanted to go about things, but the more she thought she realized she couldn't, that she'd have to go about it Kyero's way, until it proved itself to not be fruitful anyway. She nodded silently, "Alright. That will be the plan...Until all goes to shit if it does, and we'll need a failsafe plan. What then do you propose, Kyero?" she said with a somewhat sarcastic tone.

She stood up and crossed her arms casually, "If your, peaceful way about going about things doesn't work, what then? Do we just let her slip through our fingers after all of this, or do we just go for the killing blow and flee Veilbrand after we get her. We can't always rely on peaceful ways to do things. Diplomacy isn't always what people abide by, you should know that first hand considering who you are." she said a bit harshly as she took a sip of her drink and leaned against the wall.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero didn't much care for Aetri's tone, evidenced by his narrowing eyes and the subtle increase in the intensity of the glow emanating from them. Linde had to grab Aetri's arm and give her a gentle tug back as she shook her head. A warning not to push her luck with Kyero.

Meanwhile, Kyero stood up and walked forward stopping right in front of Aetri glaring down at her.

"This isn't diplomacy. It's espionage. We're gathering information and preparing to act on it. If you don't win the auction and everything works out, then we'll get Kieran back by the end of the auction night. If things don't go so well, it will not be because of you. It will be because of someone else being upset at losing the auction."

He backed down and sat in his chair again, but he was still glaring at Aetri.

"If something goes wrong and it's not because of you, then you are in the best position possible to analyze the situation at hand and act accordingly. All focus is on whoever's causing the problems. And when things go wrong in situations like this it creates a tunnel-vision effect for those most directly affected... Such as Mariah, as she's in charge of it all. If things go wrong it's on her head and her reputation. You can bet she'll be fighting to fix the issue as soon as possible. And if she does, that's where her focus will be."

He took a breath.

"In the meantime, while she's focusing on the issue, you can focus on Kieran. Worse comes to worse you have Linde's nerve strikes. She can knock Kieran out and you can carry her to safety in all the confusion. If anyone comes after you, give her Kieran and the two of you can handle the enemies who come after you if you take some items along that I brought back for you. Particularly these."

Kyero reached into his backpack and pulled out a small bag, tossing it to Aetri.

"Smoke bombs. But special ones. They generate a gas that triggers both coughing fits and burns the eyes of anyone caught within it. A near perfect escape tool But there's only three of them. So use them wisely." He said.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius remained silent all the while Kyero spoke, even when Kyero had gotten right in her face and glared at her, remaining emotionless and silent as he did so, not even fearing the danger that literally loomed over her. She remained unmoving as he moved about the room, keeping her eyes on him and listening as he spoke, and she caught the small bad that was thrown to her, and looked inside, seeing three small smoke bombs in it, and nodded. Placing the bad down on the table she turned back to him, "Alright. We'll try your tactic. Until then, I'll be practicing more...I need to warm up with my fighting, just in case." she rolled her shoulder and was about to talk, but her stomach growled, audibly enough for everyone in the room to hear it. She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled, "D-don't suppose anyone wants to get some food with me?" she asked, as not only a means to detract from the subject at hand, but possibly lighten the mood as she was beginning to not only get too heated, but was beginning to get a little awkward. Hoping the others would join her for dinner, as well as a way to relax and not be so hostile.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Lonán stroked his chin in thought trying to figure out something in contribution to the planning stages. He took everything he had heard into account. ”Well, considering what I’ve heard I can only give out free advice on the tactic used. For one if we’re having to be quiet about all this then maintaining the guises I gave Aetrius and myself is a must. Which means under no circumstances are we to give ourselves away at the auction. Lastly Fighting our way out must be last resort if things get too heated.” he contributed.

”However, I do have one problem with this if all goes well Kyero, whilst the Lion’s Head Inn is a priority exit, What if the Winning bidder has an exit conveniently closer to their home? There’s the rub. We need a contingency for such an occurrence.” he noted. ”We should least get a rough idea on where these other exits might be, and if any Nobles live near them. That way, one of us could relay to Kyero (if there is no distractions), where the bidder may be going. The last resort of that being one or two of us follow the winner and Kieran and then strike before they to the exit and then make their way out that way.”

He heaved a large inhale. ”But I digress. The Old Wolf said to check if the enemy has a back door, and I’m deeply concerned we might run into one here. We can discuss more on this after dinner.” He said, standing up and preparing to join Aetrius for supper.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero considered Lonan's words carefully.

"... That does present a problem. An oversight on my part to neglect that possibility."

He took a deep breath.

"I will think on that. And as you say we'll discuss it more after dinner."

Linde nodded and followed Aetri to accompany her for her drinks, bidding Kyero farewell as she knew he would not accompany them to such a public space. Kyero elected to wait in the room for them to return so they could discuss further what their options were.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius nodded at Kyero and left with Linde and Lolan, they'd bring back Rose and Kyero food later. Once they arrived to the tavern Aetrius sat down in their usual spot with a big sigh and slumped into her chair, pinching the arc of her nose. Internally she was screaming at Kyero, only to be blasted out the wall, then another instant in her mind she attempted to suplex him, only to be suplexed herself. She growled angrily and rubbed her forehead in annoyance, and after they ordered food, Aetrius stood up and slowly and clearly angrily walked over to the bar and ordered a whole tray of drinks for herself, and yo can bet all of them contained some sort of level of alcohol in them. Once she was back at their table she sat back down and immediately started downing some of her drinks, and in between she mumbled annoyidly about Kyero and him always being right in most situations, "Wh-who does he think he is anyway, eh?" she grumbled, downing another drink as her eyebrow twitched. She sighed heavily and crumbled into her chair more, her head mainly being the only thing you were able to see poking above the table, as she was clearly still upset and annoyed with Kyero, mumbling all the while not caring if the others thought she was being childish. If there was one thing Aetrius hated, it was her pride being burnt, and burnt it was after how Kyero talked down to her, literally.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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As they went downstairs and Aetrius began to drink and slip into drunkedness complaining about Kyero, Linde's heart went out to her.

Perhaps it was foolishness. Perhaps it was a desire to share the burdens once again. Perhaps it was just love. But whatever it was led to a first in her life experience for Linde.

... Linde grabbed one of Aetrius' drinks and downed it, making a face having never tasted alcoholic beverages before. She shuddered and cleared her throat, tapping her chest a few times.

"Kyero's not exactly a nice person. Never has been. But he has a wealth of knowledge about dangerous situations and how to improvise methods of ensuring a safe in and out." She said.

She took another drink and downed it before anyone could say anything, and because of her lack of experience with alcohol and the fact that she naturally had a low tolerance genetically with both her parents being light weights, it didn't take more than a few minutes for Linde's face to flush and for her to start rocking unsteadily in her chair trying to lean on Aetrius while holding her hand and slurring her words trying to make her feel better.

"Younno Iluvu righ? Evennnnif Kyerrish righ... *hic*... Istillluvu." (You know I love you, right? Even if Kyero is right, I still love you.)

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius chuckled as she saw Linde become incredibly intoxicated and stopped her from taking anymore drinks after her second drink, clearly being way too intoxicated now. Clearly Linde was a newcomer to drinking and Aetrius wasn't going to let her get overly wasted for her first time and possibly hurt herself or cause trouble. She pushed all drinks away from Linde and gently patted her hand, "No more, Linde. You're overly drunk, and this is coming from me." she said as she gently held Linde's hand, and stood up, "Lolan, I'd advise you to be the one to bring Kyero and Rose food. Linde is....too trashed to do anything other than going to bed. So, goodnight, Lolan." she gave him a nod and gently helped carry Linde back to the room and knocked, Rose unlocking the door and letting them in and Aetrius sat Linde down on the bed and shook her head, "What am I supposed to do with you, Linde?" she said as she gave a chuckle and shrug of her shoulders as she looked at the incredibly drunk Linde.

Aetrius chuckled and helped Linde get to bed as Kyero had left when he saw how wasted Linde was, only shaking his head before he left. Aetrius had gotten out of her armor by this time and was in her casual wear and got into bed with Linde and cuddled her drunk ass to sleep, and soon fell asleep herself as she finally felt how tired she was. Eventually the next morning came and Aetrius was up bright and early, letting Linde sleep in longer as she would have an immense and painful headache by the time she woke up. Aetrius bathed, prepared their outfits for the day, and even made breakfast for the two of them, and a special tea she made for Linde as a way to help lessen the headache pain as Aetrius made the tea herself. When Linde did awaken, Aetrius smiled and offered her the warm cup of tea and breakfast in bed, hoping Linde would like the food as she wasn't the best cook ever. "Morning, after breakfast I figured I'd let you wake up a bit and clean up and then decide what we do after that for today. Sound good?" she asked as she sipped her own drink and sat back on the bed as Linde had her breakfast.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Lonán watched again, the scenario unfold as Linde took two drinks and was instantly intoxicated afterwards. ”By Heresta What was that drink?” He wondered aloud, asking in his head also if Linde ever really drank alcohol before. At Aetrius’ suggestion he nodded and bought two more meals to take to Rose and Kyero, should the latter want any, if not then it’d be more for him. Then he’d figure on turning in afterwards.

It was an insane day and he had a new outfit from Kyero to check out.

——

The next Morning, Lonán stretched his back and cracked his neck. He had a good feeling. Another day another time for planning for the auction was on his mind for the day. If anything else happened he wouldn’t be opposed to it. Even if it meant assisting Kyero with the concerns that was pointed out concerning the Exits. Whatever happened, he was certain today was going to be a good day.

He walked downstairs to have breakfast by himself, humming the tune he sang earlier yesterday. ”This day seems to be starting out good, I hope it’s a sign from Heresta that Luck is on our side for today.” he mused as he munched on some bacon.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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The next morning, Linde woke with a hangover which was unlike any experience she'd ever had before. Her head throbbed and ached, and she was a bit unsteady on her feet at first. Aetri's tea and breakfast helped a bit, but it was really the ice water she drank and the rest she had which were working the best for her right now.

"Sounds good." She replied.

Meanwhile Kyero had remained in his room to wait for an opportune time to begin his work.

Last night, after Linde passed out, he met with Aetri and Lonan to discuss the contingency.

Since there could potentially be multiple exits, Kyero read the directions to the location and memorized the details. The Lion's Head Inn, cellar, secret door leading to an underground stairwell. Today, as it was less likely to be guarded prior to the event, he would sneak in and find out if there were any other such exits. If there were, he would find out where they led and set markers for himself on the rooftops so he'd know where to go.

For Phase One, presuming things went well, Aetri, Linde, and Lonan would come find him after it was over and tell him which exit the winner took and Kyero would bring Aetri with him to fetch Kieran while Linde and Lonan returned to the Pony to wait for them.

For Phase Two, if things did not go well, the plan was for Lonan and Aetri to follow the winner as they dashed away with Kieran while Linde came to fetch Kyero and tell him which exit the winner headed towards so he could give chase and assist. Aetri and Lonan's jobs were to simply follow them and keep them in sight, occasionally doing something to help Kyero find them such as one of them taking to the rooftops, likely Aetri, while the other chased on foot.

But Kyero had to be the one to bring down the winner. If any of the others did, they'd be marked for death if they ever came back and that wasn't something he was willing to allow to happen to them. He was already the Red-Eyed Demon. If anyone would appear before a noble and either take their life or knock them out, he'd make sure it was him who was seen so word would spread that the Red-Eyed Demon interfered and stole the prize. That way Aetri, Linde, Lonan, and Kieran would all be free of any guilt or suspicion.

With the plans set in motion, Linde and Aetri gathered up their resolve and took off for Mariah's estate. Aetri was determined to meet her and find out more about where Kieran was and what she'd been treated like, and she wouldn't take "no" for an answer. But before they left, Linde gave her a cup of tea of her own to say "thanks" for the tea Aetri made her earlier.

Kyero departed locate the Inn and check the underground so he could memorize its layout and report on any other exits that were usable and where they led so everyone would be prepared for later. Lonan, in the meantime, was free to occupy his time however he wished. But Kyero wanted him to come with him later tonight to find out more about the Te'i Sai agent, so staying out of trouble was the order of the day.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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After Linde had awoken and eaten her breakfast, her and Aetrius went over their roles and plan once more, deciding they'd be going to see Mariah today and they couldn't afford to mess up, not this close to the auction. As Aetrius was getting dressed in the new outfit that Kyero had procured for her, Linde had offered her a cup of tea, as a way of saying thank you for looking after her the night before, she smiled and drank it. The tea tasted a bit unique to her and she only thought it was just because she had never had that specific tea before, she only shrugged it off and awaited Linde to finish getting ready.

When they were ready they made their way out of the inn and into the town, making their way to Mariah's house. Which eventually they did which took a while, but they eventually arrived at the house that Lolan specifically described in detail to them this time, and they stood outside of it for a moment, looking up at the massive structure. Now...Now we figure out where Kieran is. And I will figure out where she is even if I have to strangle it out of Mariah, or gut her like a fish to figure it out, I will find her...But only if she doesn't co operate, remember that Aetri...Co operation and diplomacy for once, not violence...Not right away anyway..., she thought to herself. She looked back at Linde and gave her a nod, and with fake confidence she knocked on the door and awaited for either a servant or Mariah herself to open the door and let them in, so they could speak with her about what they were there for. While all in reality they were gaining intel on what to do next and how to find Kieran the best way possible, but little did Aetrius know that what was going to transpire next would be the exact opposite of what she wanted to find out.

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Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna
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Following the knocking at the door, a brief wait began. Approximately eight seconds later the door was unlocked and opened by a young female servant, likely sixteen years or younger, wearing a maid outfit who bowed and welcomed them to Lady Nelrin's home.

Lady Nelrin. So that was her 'name' in this city when not going by Mariah. Linde thought.

Once inside, Mariah approached and gave them a curtsy.

"Welcome to my home, my darlings." She began, pausing as she saw Linde.

"Oh my... Your young lady is positively stunning, darling. Might I ask where you acquired her?"

After they were let in, Aetrius made certain that Linde stayed close enough and in sight if anything were to happen, again. They followed the young girl that led them into a main room where a woman stood, who she immediately understood to be Mariah, Aetrius gave a nod of her head and a bow in return to Mariah's curtsy. But upon her question of where she acquired Linde, her mind immediately started calculating different answers and how they could possibly end, good and badly. Finally she thought of her answer very quickly and casually as she could engaged in conversation with Mariah, "It is a pleasure to be here, darling. As for where I acquired my most prized servant? Well, she was, as you could say gifted to me by an old friend years ago. One of a kind, to be rather honest." she gave her a slight smirk and then remembered why they were there in the first place, "Please, let me introduce myself. I am Lady Casandra, my servant Viktor Griffith told me about his visit yesterday with you and I decided to personally make it an important goal of mine to meet you first hand before the auction, in a more, personal level, my dear. It is but a pleasure to properly meet you in person." she said as she gave her a nod once more, hoping and praying to Heresta that her acting was believable and as good as it used to be.

Mariah appraised Aetrius from head to toe before glancing once again to Linde, standing with her eyes averted, a calm and empty expression on her face, and her hands clasped in front of her groin.

She then looked back to Aetrius.

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you. Please, come. Have a seat." She offered, gesturing to her twelve seated table.

"You may sit wherever you please, darling. Now then. Let's talk, shall we?"

When Aetrius took her seat, Linde stole a quick glance at her to check her physical condition.

... No signs yet. She thought, not that she wanted any signs to appear as it was. But still, for Aetrius' sake she hoped they kicked in sooner rather than later.

"I remember Viktor. An odd one, to be sure. But likable." She said casually, sipping at a cup of wine as Aetrius was brought several bottles to choose her drink from.

"I am told you seek the ultimate prize of the auction. The finest servant this land has ever seen. Am I wrong, darling?"

Aetrius followed Mariah to the dining room, which was one of the biggest dining halls she had ever seen, besides the one's she had seen in her time of being a thief, but now wasn't the time for that. She took a seat close enough to Mariah's seat and sat down, and was offered multiple bottles to choose from, after she picked one she listened as Mariah spoke of Lolan, or in this case [Viktor[/i], and nodded at her comments of him being odd, and then her inquiry of her real business.

She nodded, and took a sip of her drink and spoke as casually as she could, but also just as calmly as she could, "Yes, my dear. Viktor is...As some would say, odd. But that is what makes him one of my favorite servants." she gave a bit of a chuckle, but remained calm as she spoke of her real business being there, "But yes. I am here for business, and business alone. I acquire some of the rarest and most sought after slaves and servants that money or bargaining can buy. Usually I get what I want as money isn't an issue for me. But before I truly commit, dear. Please, tell me more of this prized slave that I've heard so much about. I want to make sure what I'm possibly investing is in...good enough. You see, I desire nothing but the best for my....collection." she said as she reclined back in her chair, but kept her posture well enough, even though she started to feel slightly off, not sick, but different and she wasn't exactly sure why, but managed to keep a straight face all the while.

Aetri could hide many things, but she couldn't hide how her body was reacting from Linde's experienced eye. The first symptom, discomfort, had arrived. She hid it well, but not well enough. The second symptom would be arriving any time now. And that symptom would be thirst.

For now, she continued looking at the table.

"Ah, a fine taste indeed darling. I too desire only the best for my collection. And I must say, your servant there is... The most beautiful I've ever seen. I don't suppose she would be on the market for the right price? I can name any you ask." She said with a tilt of her head.

Aetrius cleared her throat at the notion of Linde being up for sale, and took another sip of her drink before speaking, but this time the sip was a bit longer than just the last. Aetrius cleared her throat again and looked at Mariah as she spoke, "Sorry, my dear. But no. This one...This one is not up for sale at all. No price could compare to her...usefulness." she said calmly, and took another sip of her drink as she continued to stay calm and collected, allbeit she was rather annoyed with what idea Mariah was proposing.

Mariah sighed.

"I understand, darling. Such a shame. I wish I'd found her sooner. I can only imagine how she's served her previous masters before you."

Mariah noticed Aetrius drinking more and arched an eyebrow.

"Would you care for some water, dear? You seem to be in great thirst." She asked.

Aetrius nodded as Mariah suggested water, and once it was brought over she thanked the servant and then turned back to Mariah after taking a sip of water. "Sorry, my dear. I suppose that having been indoors for so long, and then now coming out from my own place of temporary residence has uh, how you say, taken a bit of a toll on me? But I am otherwise perfectly fine, I assure you. But as for my servant here, again my dear. I am sorry, but she isn't up for sale." she cleared her throat and got into a more comfortable position and put the cup down, "But now, my dear. About the servant or rather, slave in question. What can you tell me about her? Is she all that I've heard of? Or are the rumors just false?" she questioned innocently enough.

Mariah sat up a bit straighter and smiled.

"She is all the rumors say and more, darling." She said proudly.

"She's obedient, yet feisty and combative. A near perfect blend, actually. She'll do as you ask, but not unless it's done her own way. Even fetching a cup of water is done her own way instead of how you might otherwise request it. If you don't like it, she'll simply tell you that it's done and there's nothing left for you to complain about."

She gave a wave of her hand.

"Her beauty is quite staggering, though not as much as present company." She said, eyeing Linde again.

"Still, she is beautiful. She has a fine figure, a pretty face, and beautiful red hair not unlike your own. Indeed she's currently my prized possession, and I'm almost sad to give her up. But when you love something, sometimes you have to set it free. I'm afraid her feistiness is just a little too much for me." She chuckled like only a noblewoman could.

"Still, I suppose the one thing I loved the most about having her is the dazzling displays she'd put on for me. If I asked for a "fun time," she'd perform a wonderful strip tease for me showing me everything my heart could desire. If I may let out a secret, darling, I enjoy the sight of women as much as men. And having her in bed was... Oohh." Mariah shuddered at the final line.

Linde was starting to get nervous, but the third and final sign she was looking for was arriving at last... Drowziness. Aetri would be getting tired before she could cause too much trouble. If she could hold back, all the better. But still it would be easier to prevent a catastrophe if she was too tired to rise and try to kill the woman.

Aetrius listened patiently and was calm all the while, until Mariah got to a certain part of her talk of Kieran. That, that was indeed the final straw. But, why...why was she suddenly feeling so heavy and even, tired. Why? She slept enough, and even ate and drank back at the...house...That was it, that tipped it off to Aetrius, or at least that's what she thought. Did...Did Linde...? No...she couldn't have...Could she? she thought to herself, but shook her head and looked back up at Mariah the best she could without wanting to shoot up, jump onto the table, pick up Mariah and strangle her slowly, but only after she found out where Kieran was. But, whatever over came her over time, was winning and she had to remain calm and casual about this, not letting her emotions get the best of her. "I see...Obedient, but resilient...And beautiful as well....Hmm...A prize I'm sure of. Must indeed be a great loss for you, but I do have my eyes on such a thing as that, and now my interest is even more peaked, my dear. Thank you for your time and hospitality, and now that my interest is in the works, I can assure you, I will indeed be at the auction. And may the highest bidder win, my dear. But now, we must go. We've spent long enough here. We will be seeing you soon enough, Lady Nelrin. Till then." she slowly rose to her feet, and motioned for Linde to follow suit.

Linde inwardly sighed in relief as Aetrius held herself together and bid Mariah farewell. Linde followed her out of the estate and to the outside before gently pulling Aetri into the alleyway near the house and helping her sit down.

”I'm so sorry, Aetrius. I had to do something to make sure you didn't kill that woman.” She said, cupping her face with both hands.

”This drowziness will last for about an hour. So here. Lean on me and I'll take you back to the Pony.” She said, trying to help hoist Aetri to her feet so she could lean on Linde's shoulder.

Aetrius walked with Linde as they left, and was almost thrown off balance literally when Linde pulled her into an alleyway and sat her down. What came next to say the least surprised her, but not as much as it would have if she was any dumber. She looked at Linde as she spoke and apologized for drugging her, and as much as she wanted to be angry and get upset with Linde, she couldn't. She understood Linde's reasoning for drugging her, and nodded and walked with her as Linde brought her back to the Pony, "I understand, Linde....But still...There was no reason for it...I caught on as soon as I started to get tired...Next time, just...let me know ahead of time? And also, I'll get you back for this ,love...but only after this wears off...you better..." Aetrius said as she yawned, and whatever else her threat was melded into slurred words and mumbles, all the way back to the Pony did Aetrius mumble things and slur her words, to anyone she looked like a noblewoman that had too much to drink and her slave had to bring her back, and that may have been closer to the truth than some may have thought.

Linde brought Aetri back and, as she’d done for Linde, laid her on the bed and lay down with her to cuddle with her as she shook off the effects of the drug. All the while she gave Aetri gentle kisses on her temple, cheeks, and once or twice on the lips to help keep her calm and relaxed as her body flushed the drugs from her system.

She just hoped Kyero was doing well with his job and that Lonan was finding things to do with himself.

Setting

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Lonán did a plethora of things as the day went by. He went to the Stables to check on Hawk, who simply once more seemed to want to play his best (and worst) critic of his master’s behavior during the past few days. He stroked the horse fondly. ”We’ll be out of here soon Hawk. This little adventure is going to give us a good chunk of honor to the family name. Enough to probably restore it a bit maybe. Think then I can patch it up with Beatrix if possible?” He asked the last sentence jokingly as the horse shook his head. ”Yeah, I didn’t think so either. Probably Married a Noble House Heir.” Lonán speculated.

On his way back towards the Pony, he gave a blind beggar two silver coins as he passed by him. Then he entered his room and meditated for much of the early afternoon. He then strapped on his armor and got his weaponry together and walked downstairs to meet with Kyero as the late afternoon rolled in. ”Kyero. How went your exploration?” Lonán asked, ready for the task he and the Red Eyed Demon would undertake.

Setting

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Kyero sat under the protection of his cloak to hide from the eyes of other patrons as he looked towards Lonan.

"I found three possible exits, all of which I've marked on the rooftops for my own benefit. Two of them open near the slums, so they're not likely to be used by nobles. But the third could be, as it opens in the Noble District in the far North."

He sighed in an irritated fashion.

"It's likely that this will be the exit used by the winner as well due to the fact that it's directly behind what I presume is the stage where the slaves will be put on display. Something of a quick getaway to prevent possible brawls or other ugly fights from happening. Not a bad idea, honestly."

He glanced back over towards Lonan.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to investigate the Te'i Sai agent. I'm concerned about why he's here in Valoc and why it is that he hasn't been hunted down as the deserter he surely must be."

Lonán nodded at Kyero’s explanation of the possible exits. The third one at the north district was concerning. Thus he memorized the location of the exit as well, so that he could tell Kyero after the auction if all goes well. When Kyero mentioned going after the Te’i Sai Agent, he looked at him with a concerned look on his face.

”Alright. I take it you’re not just telling me this just to let Linde and the others know are you?” He asked. If he recalled when Kyero talked of him, it seemed like this man was a dangerous person, he would need help to bring him down. ”If so then when do we start?”

Kyero grimaced.

"I actually was going to simply have you tell them. However, i suppose it wouldn't hurt to bring you along."

Kyero stood up.

"If we find him, you let me handle fighting him. Te'i Sai's combat style is lethal by design and purpose. It's not even combat. It's simply death walking. Understand?"

Lonán paused as Kyero said this, and took a deep breath. He walked right into a fine mess indeed. One false move from this point onward, and it could mean the end of his Clan. Unless of course, his uncle had a few bastards somewhere laying around that he can easily pick up and claim on the spot. Zedar was the more, active of the twin wolves after his Brother’s retirement. Lonán swallowed hard as he listened to Kyero’s warning well and good.

”I understand, as Heresta is my witness, I will not draw my sword against this man.” He swore as he took a side glance. ”Besides, I’ve a feeling if I did tell them, Linde would have my head for letting you go off and handle him alone, not that I doubt your skills my friend.” Yes indeed, he did fear what anger would rise out of Linde if she heard Kyero went out after a dangerous individual alone.

Kyero nodded.

"Mm. Let's go. I'd rather not waste anymore daylight."

Kyero led him out of the Pony and to the location where they found the Te'i Sai agent the first time, and by the time they arrived the sun had fallen beyond the horizon. Kyero and Lonan waited on the rooftop, watching for signs of the lights all going out everywhere else so that they knew it was safe to enter.

When the lights went out, Kyero removed his cloak and folded it up to set it under a spare brick to weigh it down so he could come back for it later without carrying it around.

"Stay close." He whispered as he descended down to the nearest window to enter the building.

Lonán followed Kyero’s command and followed him to the location and waited as dusk began to set on the city. He marveled for a moment at how from the rooftops, this city was beautiful for a brief moment, hiding the true ugliness that lay within. It was a place of suffering and pain. But for a moment, it felt like his memories working at the Carnival. Comparing it to a beautiful day, before it ended with the fall of night.

And on that night, LonĂĄn the Mercenary was born. He could not deny that a part of him waited for a time to go out in the world and be a Warrior.

When Kyero gave the signal he nodded, following him to the nearest window and heading into the building after him when signaled. ”Hope we find what we’re looking for.” thought Lonán. ”Because if we run into this man and Kyero can’t defeat him... he could fight me. And if he does....Oh Lonán!”

Kyero kept Lonan close behind him and they snuck through the building as quietly as could be. With his clothing being tight to his frame, his boots being thick but padded, and his steps soft and coordinated he created next to no sound as he moved.

He heard the approach of an individual and pushed Lonan into a nearby open room and hid beyond the door frame. The individual walked by, clearly a maid with cleaning gear, and continued on through passing them by. Kyero breathed and led Lonan further in until they reached the room where the Te'i Sai agent dwelt.

Kyero approached the door and carefully picked it, allowing them entry as he noiselessly opened the door. He walked inside, carefully, eyeing the room for any signs of traps or other dangers. He had to think about how he might booby trap a room in order to ensure that he and Lonan stayed as safe as possible.

Weapons adorned the walls at all angles. It would be more than easy to find something to use against them if a confrontation broke out now.

"I don't see any obvious traps... And I can't hear any signs of him being here. See if you can find anything related to the auction, and watch yourself." He whispered.

LonĂĄn followed Kyero as quietly as he could with his leather armor on. At the pause at the maid passing by he held his breath for a moment or two before he knew they were safe from being spotted. Eventually, they reached a room as The Saharan watched the Assassin pick the lock and enter the room.

”Right, let’s see if he is involved with this little event in some way.” He said at Kyero’s orders, and began searching carefully around the room, looking for something, anything that could link this Te’i Sai agent to Mariah’s Auction.

”Just got to watch out for the traps and find evidence. That’s all that needs to be done.” He thought. He was about to take examine a shelf that seemed to have papers, when his hand paused and slowly drew back. They were searching for clues in a place belonging to a man with the same possible resourcefulness as Kyero. So the very thing that made him feel worried about just outright examining something was what exactly was booby trapped and what wasn’t.

”Heresta Help me...” He prayed, knowing full well it might not help the situation he was in, but it gave him the confidence he needed to keep looking about.

Kyero searched the room for any clues he could find. Paperwork and parchments. Clothing styles. Scents familiar from the underground location. Anything that could possibly alert him that this man was involved.

He spied a parchment on a desk near the back of the room and approached it. However, as he drew nearer his eyes alerted him to the fact that there was a near invisible string attached to the desk. Kyero picked up a small wooden doorstop.

"Lonan... Don't move." He whispered.

He tossed the block at the string, and as it made contact the string instantly snapped leading to the release of two daggers from behind a cabinet door nearby that came shooting out at high speed across the front of the desk into the wall nearby. Kyero was wary, but inched closer to the desk. However, as he walked he felt something strange underfoot. The floor was weakening. He looked down and saw a single board had been moved recently, evidenced by the small gaps between it and the boards around it, free of any dust or detritus from years of people walking on it, and he knew that had to be another trap.

He glanced around to check that all was clear and stepped around the floor board and looked at the parchment. Taking out one of his orichalcum daggers, he poked the parchment and saw an oily substance on the blade as he brought it back.

"Some kind of poison." He mumbled.

Kyero pulled the parchment off the desk using his blade and read it once it fell on the floor. It was a letter of promise from this agent to Mariah stating that security was tight and everything was under control.

"So he's here for security, is he?" He said quietly.

Lonán’s eyes widened in shock as he thought his heart would stop. The two daggers surprised him and the way Kyero began to walk carefully meant the desk’s area was most likely the most guarded and therefore probably had more traps. When Kyero examined the parchment Lonán took a small intake of breath.

”Security? Why not hire a mercenary? Does Mariah want...” He whispered before trailing off as he thinks back on what Mariah herself said to Viktor. ”Mariah’s security measures are frightening now that I remember talking to her.” he noted quietly. It was beginning to make sense now.

An Assassin with Kyero’s skill set would ensure any problems were dealt with before they even became a problem. ”He’s got to go. We stand no chance if he’s at the auction.” He thought, keeping alert and trying very hard to not panic over the revelation discovered here. They needed to find a way out of this death trap of a room and find out where this man is so Kyero could kill him.

Kyero grimaced at the letter and thought about the implications of a former Master Assassin being in charge of security. He already said the last time Kyero observed him that even if he was killed nothing would change because of how he set his operation up. But if he wasn't around to pull the strings or guide the dogs, then perhaps that would at least make things a little safer for the others.

But Lonan was right. He had to go. No way could or would Kyero allow a former Master Assassin to take part in this auction.

And no sooner had he thought about that then he heard a shuffle. He looked up too late and was sent flying into the wall from a kick to the side of the head by the Assassin in question who stood up tall and sneered at them both.

"Gentlemen... Intruding on my humble abode is a serious personal offense. Especially on your part, Demon." He said as he glared at Kyero who had managed to stand up as well.

The two of them both standing tall at their full heights and glaring each other down was almost like a scene out of a play where the good guy and the bad guy squared off. But with Kyero's glowing red eyes it was anyone's guess who the real bad guy was in this scenario.

However, Lonan was not out of danger or out of the scene. The Assassin smiled at Kyero and then darted at Lonan. He managed to make it to Lonan's position and grabbed him in a lapel hold before being rammed off his feet into the wall by Kyero who shoved Lonan back and out of the way putting himself between the Assassin and Lonan. The Assassin grabbed a dagger off the wall, and Kyero pulled one of his orichalcum daggers... Specifically the one with the poison on the tip.

And both took their stances.

Lonán was once more in shock. How did the Enemy get in without anyone knowing? Did he know they were here all along?! Kyero’s warning flew by his thoughts as he braced for being thrown by this man as Kyero, after getting a hit to the head managed to push the Saharan and the former Assassin apart, leaving the Demon to ready a stance.

Lonán’s instincts came roaring at him. They wanted him to either fight or run away from this. Lonán knew Kyero was capable of fighting but he knew that even Lonán would feel shaken up. He knew he had to help his friend, he just didn’t know how. Options were whirring in his head. Sword, Crossbow, anything to tip the odds to a more even field.

”Shoot At him to distract him, get him to lose his footing and maybe fall for his own traps. Grandfather forgive me. If I die, Let Granny punish me in Heresta’s Halls.” He thought as he prepared to draw his crossbow and at the moment he sees his chance to tip the scales in Kyero’s Favor. Wolves worked together to bring down a kill, Lonán was more then willing to make his contribution.

He was a Warrior of the Arzura, and he wasn’t planning on just lying down whilst danger was staring at him in the face. When his moment came, he’d take aim and fire.

Kyero gave his head one good shake to clear it from the blow he took earlier. He was a little bit rattled by that kick as he hadn't been expecting it to come from nowhere like it did. He was sure he'd have heard the agent approach. But this served to inform Kyero of just how large the gap in experience must have been.

He was a rogue Te'i Sai agent, and he was still alive. He was in his mid 40's, and almost all of that would have been spent continuing his practice and keeping his skills sharp. And with likely 15+ years on Kyero it came as no surprise to imagine that his skills were that much sharper than Kyero's despite his being the Red-Eyed Demon.

Kyero readied his blade and the Assassin his.

"Tonight a Demon meets his end." Taunted the Assassin with a dangerous grin.

Kyero's eyes narrowed and the Assassin lunged forward with almost frightening speed for one his age. Kyero managed to put the flat of his orichalcum blade up to protect himself, but following that lunge the Assassin also aimed a stretched kick towards Lonan's midsection.

Lonán must’ve jinxed his good day by agreeing to come here. Because the assassin managed to attack them both at the same moment, with himself having to raise his left arm in an attempt to block the attack. Then he grasped his crossbow with the other arm and pulled it out. He glared at the Assassin with a hard glare as if saying he was fine letting Kyero fight, but now he struck at him. He had to return the favor with a strike of his own.

He aimed at the Man’s shoulder. ”Kyero! Snap out of it!” he shouted as he fired his shot. ”Scratch What I thought earlier, if I survive this, the first thing I want to do is find another Barmaid to flirt with to take my mind off of the crazy few weeks I’ve been having!”

That was his possible plan for tomorrow and he meant it.

The Assassin's kick landed on Lonan's arm with Lonan countering with his crossbow. The bolt was fired, but due to a lack of coordination from Kyero and Lonan, Kyero had pushed the Assassin away from himself which shoved him out of the way of the crossbow bolt as well. He staggered back but managed to remain on his feet with Kyero in hot pursuit. The pair of them locked blades for a few minutes before the Assassin's experience showed and he managed to get the best of Kyero by slicing his side and kicking him away.

He then turned his sights on Lonan, charging at him with blade drawn intent on lopping his head off if Lonan didn't get out of the way somehow.

Lonán cursed at missing the shot whilst holstering the pistol. He’d have no time to load it in close Quarters like this! He had to think of another plan quick if he was to keep his head. Kyero held him off for a while as Lonán was about to grab his sword to draw it from its sheathe. However that plan changed when Kyero was knocked back.

With the assassin’s intention to take his head now apparent he gripped his sword and took a dive to the left of the Assassin, intent on dodging the deadly maneuver and give himself time to draw his sword and get in a ready stance. He was starting to feel angry about this fight. He had to rein in the anger however. One wrong move and the Assassin could take his head. But he wasn’t willing to let that happen. No matter what, Kyero had to kill this man!

Kyero observed the Assassin dive past Lonan in a failed attempt to take his head. Lonan seemed to be ready to draw his blade and ready for the fight, but Kyero had to keep them apart. He checked his side and found the wound not as bad as it could have been. He just had to put the pain aside and fight.

And that's what he did.

Kyero drew his second blade and once again put himself between Lonan and the Assassin as the latter readied himself to re-engage in the fight. The pair of Assassins squared off once again and dove into a lethal dance of blades where any clean strike, had it made it through the other's defenses, would have ended the fight in one shot. Both were precise, fast, and filled with a deadly determination to survive the battle.

The pair of them finally ended their fight when Kyero had enough and twisted his blade to land blade against blade, and the orichalcum showed its power by slicing through the metal of the Assassin's blades. The blade-less daggers were thrown to the ground as the Assassin then dove to the wall and drew a fresh pair, facing off with Kyero again before kicking another box-like protrusion on the wall which opened up a trapdoor in the ceiling above Kyero burying him in a heap of rubble and random objects that all fell on top of him.

Lonán couldn’t believe his eyes. These two were almost equal in ability it was almost impossible to tell who’d win. This was where it got dangerous for both of them. The moment Kyero’s blades showed their strength and destroyed the Assassin’s his heart lightened with hope, the Assassin Pulled a Trump card that left Kyero buried in rubble and objects.

”Kyero!” He shouted in concern and anger as he drew his blade and gripped it much like he always did, with his less dominant hand held by two fingers and his thumb whilst the other two curled under the Pommel as he sliced through the air to try and hit the assassin. Lonán didn’t care if he hit him or not, or even gave him a glancing wound. He just wanted the Assassin to know the Rage of not only Lonán Arzura, but the rage of his Ancestors that he knows were cheering him on in this fight.

”Go To Hell!” was the only thought on his mind.

The Assassin deftly dodged Lonan's attacks and smiled at him all the while. He said nothing, but the smile on his face was mockery enough of his lack of ability to keep up. Eventually he kicked Lonan away and cracked his neck.

"You've got spunk, kid."

He flipped the blade in his hand before turning towards the rubble Kyero was buried under. The rubble began falling away as Kyero lifted it off of himself and tossed it aside, trudging out from it to face him with daggers drawn once again.

Of course, he was a little the worse for wear. He had a nasty cut above his left eye which was bleeding enough to force his eye shut, and it was clear that holding his left arm was causing discomfort. Potentially a muscle strain or some kind of break/fracture in one of the bones, likely in his shoulder somewhere. But he was up and ready to fight which drew the Assassin's attention.

However, the Assassin didn't wish to be distracted from the secondary prize and threw the flipped blade at Lonan's shoulder aiming to pin him to the wall.

Lonán was kicked towards one of the walls by the Assassin. His glare was all the evident at the man when he heard Kyero coming out of the rubble and his eyes flickered to him for the moment. That was the moment Lonán realized he forgotten his Arsehole of a Father’s bare handful of lessons compared to the rest of his family.

He forgotten, that you never take your eyes off your enemy. The pain that erupted when his shoulder was hit by the blade and pinning him to the wall made him growl out his anger as he returned his glare back to the assailant. Obviously he was now away and not a hinderance to him. ”You idiot Lonán...had to go and get yourself in this mess just to screw up?! What would they think of you?!” he scolded himself as he had no choice but now watch as Kyero was on his own now.

With Lonan pinned to the wall by the blade in his shoulder, Kyero was no longer distracted with trying to keep the Assassin between them. He could fight more freely.

As the two re-engaged it became clear that despite his injury Kyero was more than skilled enough to hold his own. The two of them fought on even ground for a minute or so before Kyero's injury was targeted by his enemy. Several jabs and elbows to the shoulder made his left arm all but unusable after a time. And eventually, with only one arm to use, Kyero was overpowered and his throat sliced open before he fell lifelessly to the ground.

The Assassin whipped the blade to clean it of blood, and looked at Lonan.

"You and the Demon did well. It's been a very long time since I exerted myself like this."

He approached Lonan and stood within one arm's reach, preparing to kill him.

"Farewell, brave soul."

He prepared his dagger for a killing blow but was stopped when what felt like a gust of wind erupted from behind him accompanied by an overpowering crimson glow. He turned around and saw Kyero's body engulfed in a black fiery aura with a bright red glow emanating from the wound on his throat. Kyero stirred and began to rise, much to the shock and fear of the agent.

Kyero stood up straight and as his eyes opened they were pure red. No pupil. No whites. No identifiable iris. Just two purely glowing red eyes.

The black aura began releasing small waves of energy out around his body which crashed into the walls breaking paintings, cracking the wood beneath his feet and on the ceiling above him.

But suddenly, the aura began dissipating to nothing and all seemed to return to normal... All save those glowing red eyes which were still pure red.

"Is... Is this your true form, Demon?!" He yelled as he staggered away a few steps.

As Kyero spoke, he did so with a double-voice effect. His normal voice plus a much deeper, darker, guttural, primal voice added on speaking in unison.

"... Die!" He growled.
Kyero's orichalcum blade was drawn and in an instant he dashed across the room and slammed the blade into the agent's chest through his heart, splashing Lonan with his blood as the blade was ripped skyward and out the top of his skull. The blade was then ripped straight down, slicing the man through to the groin and splitting his body into two perfectly equal halves which fell to the floor at either side.

And slowly the red glow in his eyes faded, returning Kyero to his former state.

LonĂĄn blinked once. Twice. Three times to process exactly what in the Holy Name of Beloved Heresta had occurred. For one moment He saw Kyero defeated and dead on the ground, his throat carved open and he himself was about to join the Halls of Heresta.

He prayed to Heresta to allow him entry there if possible, but added one final request. ”However Heresta, if it is not my time to join you, please, let me find the one I’m meant to be with so the Arzura name doesn’t become lost. Do not let this day be My Clan’s last.”

Whether his prayers were answered or not, he saw something...almost unnatural as Kyero rose and was healing from his cut, his red eyes glowing more fiercely. As the event seemed to die down, LonĂĄn took an inhale before Kyero literally cut the Assassin into two perfect halves and splashing him with his blood.

”Augh! What in Heresta’s name-!?” He blurted out as he closed his eyes from the splash before squinting at Kyero. ”You literally scared me seven times over. You owe me a very stiff drink my friend.... After we get cleaned up.”

He was about to move before a pain in his shoulder made him wince in remembrance. ”Uhm...little help?” He asked hesitatingly.

Kyero sighed and slumped to one knee, breathing hard and coughing up a little bit of blood into his hand. He wiped it and stood up, analyzing the blade in Lonan's shoulder pinning him to the wall.

"Move with me. It's best if Linde removes this at the inn rather than take it out now." He said.

He gripped the dagger with one hand and Lonan's shoulder with the other to help keep the blade where it was.

Lonán nodded and with the help of Kyero, managed to free the knife from the wall as he sheathed his sword with his good arm before using said arm to clutch the wounded shoulder as he made ready to leave with Kyero. ”On a scale of one to ten Kyero,” Lonán began to ask as he felt ready to go back to the Pony, ”How mad is Linde gonna be at us?”

Kyero helped Lonan off the wall but left the dagger in his shoulder as he helped guide him out of the building safely. After reaching the rooftop, Kyero fetched his cloak and gave it to Lonan to wear to hide the dagger as they descended to the streets to let Lonan walk on even ground back to the Pony.

And as they entered the door after knocking, Linde immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"Lonan? What's wrong?"

Lonán had a very sheepish face by the time they reached the Pony. But it gave way when Linde showed her concern. ”We had a bad night Linde. Got anything in your doctor skills for a shoulder shishkebab?” He asked as he took a seat and very much reluctantly, pulled off his cloak to show Linde and anyone else in the room his injured shoulder.

So much for having a good day and staying out of trouble.” He thought.

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Linde stared at Lonan with blank eyes for a moment before shaking it off and giving him a calm, cold glare.

"... Sit down, Lonan." She said in a voice that was half an octave lower than her normal voice.

She made Lonan take a seat on a chair and set her bag with tools over on a small stool which she pulled up next to her. She removed from it a scalpel, glaring at Lonan.

"Call it woman's intuition, or whatever you want. But I've a feeling this wound could have been avoided if you were more attentive." She said calmly.

She tore the fabric of his shirt away so she could see the wound more clearly, and began using the scalpel to carefully make incisions in the skin at each end of the blade. It stung like mad, but didn't hurt any more than the blade already in his shoulder. She repeated the process on the other side of his shoulder, and then put a hand on it beside the blade.

"This is going to hurt, Lonan."

She then gripped the blade and yanked it straight back towards herself, pulling it free of his body in one swift motion. Blood spurted from the wound and dripped heavily down against his flesh, but Linde held him still as she tossed the blade away.

"Now comes the really painful part." She said, again in that all-too-calm voice half an octave lower than her usual.

She took a bottle of liquid from her pack and began pouring it over the wound which ignited pain like a searing flame had just been pressed into it. The disinfectant was not meant to be pleasant, after all. It was the most powerful one she had. The stronger the medicine, the stronger the effect and reaction of the body. Once finished, she grabbed a small tub of a salve she'd made with new supplies from Kyero's journey and began using it to dab inside the wound at some key points to help bind muscle tissues back together.

The blade had cut clean through his shoulder blade bone, no fraying or stray bits of bone to be seen. That was good. The bone would heal eventually. But the flesh and muscle around it would need time. And a lot of it. She estimated when all was said and done that he'd not recover fully from this wound for at least six months. But revealing this was for later. For now, she needed to finish her work.

About fifteen minutes later she finished his stitches, and just for good measure she gave them a good yank on the final stitch to make him wince a little and glared at Kyero.

"And you, Kyero... You can take care of your own wound." She growled.

The wound on his throat was 100% gone. The Demon healed it completely. But the cut on his side needed attention, and Kyero knew how to tend to his own wounds just fine. He nodded and got to work on himself while Linde sighed and looked at Lonan, giving him a small knock on the forehead with her knuckles.

"Be honest, Lonan. You could have avoided this wound, couldn't you?"

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Character Portrait: Korriban "Aetrius" Borral Character Portrait: Linde Xe' Almna Character Portrait: Kyero Character Portrait: LonĂĄn Arzura
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Aetrius had been in an unpleasant state ever since they got back to the inn, she had been going in and out of a drunken stooper as the drugs began taking affect. Everything around her was in a haze and her vision and hearing were just as hazey. But when she slowly woke up, she found that she was in bed cuddling Linde, only to be quickly awoken to a knock on the door, and quickly sat up and watched as Linde went to the door and unlocked it, revealing an injured Kyero and Lolan. Aetrius shook her head silently as she rolled out of bed and watched at Linde attended to them, clearly not wanting to get in the way of her wrath, she kept to the backround until she knew her anger was mostly gone, and she moved past the three that were occupying the main part of the room and went into the kitchen to fetch some water, as the drugs had mostly worn off and she was in need of a drink, one that didn't contain alcohol for once.

She leaned against the counter and watched as Lolan explained what had happened, and made a snide comment which was mainly to herself, "That's how it feels..." she mumbled and looked back up at the others and strode over to the table and sat down on one of the chairs.

"What's important is that you're alive, and from what I can tell you are for the most part...Except for Linde's wrath...That...That's truly frightening." she gave a small chuckle and looked at Linde nervously, and then quickly looked down and away from Linde, "At least it wasn't me this time?" she asked as she nervously peered up at Linde and gave a small tilt to her head, and expected to be hit at least gently for her rather rude sense of humor.

Linde chuckled and walked over to Aetri with a purposeful stride. If they didn't know her better they'd think she was going over to physically reprimand her or bonk her on the head or something. Maybe Aetri did think that, but that's not what happened. Instead, Linde wrapped her arms around Aetri with another chuckle and planted a kiss right on her lips, holding fast to her shoulders so she couldn't get away.

Aetri responded in shock, eyes widening and face going a deep red as Linde kissed her. But after a few moments of embarrassment over the public display, she slowly melted into the kiss and relaxed until Linde separated their lips.

"A little humor is what we need now, I think... Thanks, love."

And suddenly Linde reached behind Aetri's back and gave her a slap on her backside, causing a small "SMACK" to echo through the room followed by a sharp and high pitched "EEP" from Aetrius who straightened out upon impact. Linde gave her a chukle and kissed her cheek before walking over to her bag to put her tools away, leaving Aetri bright red and wondering how any why she just got a quick spank followed by such a charming and playful walk-away from Linde.