Chapter 1A: An Evening of Threats and Promises

[Darien Gulath]

The strange feeling simply isn’t passing, As if he had lost a battle. He was seduced by a duke and had accepted the quest. But Darién’s previous hostility for this high bunch of nobles had not gone away completely. He couldn’t be hostile one moment and satisfied a next. He did not like the idea of being a puppet controlled by anyone. It was a mere power play, And Darién was quite aware of it that he could not impress the lands of authority and law in this particular case. This was the first time the duke was now an ally. But nevertheless Darién felt like a pawn. He rather worked off his own scheme. But he grinned “maybe it’ll still come to that’. I’m pretty sure that I will have plenty of opportunity to exploit my business here…

Darién thought about the men he was supposed to kill tonight. Even tough these men’s lifespan would not be very long, they where still lucky to not have met him…

Darién waited, Getting more drunk by the moment. He would’ve rather left now, But there still seemed to be a reason for the duke to keep them here even tough it was allready in the midst of night…

Darién’s mind; Something beyond normal humanity. He had been here in this city for over two months now? He hereby had lowered his lifespan drastically; that was if he would stay in the city. Yet the more of a challenge it became for him. The Duke had offered him this reward and thus it was Darién’s mission now.
For the rest of the evening he waited, Secluded in a dark corner. Not sure of what to think just eager to start the mission. And to try out his reward for the night.

[Rheine]

Rheine noticed the pale bald elf approach Nystacea from behind, and grew rather stern-faced as she peered over at him behind Nystacea's shoulder. Feffing elves. They didn't like humans, and humans didn't like them. Why couldn't they just stay hidden away with the faeries in their feffing forests instead of lurking around here. At least most of them looked somewhat good, but these two elves here were both quite ugly. She sneered at him as he asked Nystacea to come to the duke's room, and narrowed her eyes at him as he walked away.

She turned her glance over to the other elf, who was, of course, also now approaching them. Great. Rolling her eyes, she glanced at Xaod and stated, "Have fun." then spun on her heels and walked over to one of the waiters to get another drink and some more things to eat. She had no intention of having anything to do with that elf who was supposed to be a part of their "group".

Grabbing a glass and then taking a bite out of something that tasted far better than most of the food she was familiar with, she turned and look around the room. The man who had just been inside with the duke was brooding in a corner now. Might as well join him, she figured. Taking a sip from her glass, she began strolling over towards Darien.

-----
"She wants to go home, but nobody's home
It's where she lies, broken inside,
With no place to go, no place to go
To dry her eyes, broken inside."
-Nobody's Home, Avril Lavigne

Edited by: Rheine at: 11/18/05 9:48

[The Ghost]

The GHost saw the duke's advisor take the bolder of the two women away, but that did little to ease The Ghost's boredom.

Hopefully this entire thing would be finished soon, The Ghost did not like to be bored in this cramped room with nothing but overconfident fools, weaklings attempting to be strong in their steel coffins, and the musicians. O how The Ghost LOATHED Musicians.

One of the most dangerous moods The Ghost could ever bein is that of boredom. With boreddom comes being forced to think, with thinking comes remembering, and the unfortunate side of remembering things is the fact of having the memories themselves. The Ghost tried not to remember things he knew should not be remembered, but he could not repress it. He started seeing images, fuzzy at first, but growing in clarity. His son, lying dead and mutilated at The Ghost's feet. His wife, killed and ravaged in The Ghost's bed, her blood smeared on the walls. Alinna, impaled by The Ghost's own sword.....

The Ghost started filling with anger, with Hatred. Anger so profound one cannot articulate the extent of one's ire. Hatred so intense, the worst of punishments are not good enough for the cause of said hatred. The Ghost saw red, and lost himself to his Anger. He became rage incarnate, little more than an animal. He screams in his anguish, and attacks the closest person near him, Xaod, like an animal, With tooth and nail.
The Ghost wildly swings his fists, with no semblance of technique. Just an all out, rage filled, offence.

I am the Darkness between the stars.
I am the Silence between whispers.
I am there in your darkest of dreams.
I am The Ghost, and you cannot escape.

- The Ghost

[Xaod Shadow]

Xaod watched perplexed as Rheine walked away, telling him to have fun. Hearing footsteps behind him, the assassain spun around, sending a kick behind him as he did so.

As soon as he completed his spin, he saw the Ghost attacking him like an enraged animal. Catching several blows to the ribs, Xaod tried his best to deflect the elf's attacks, which shouldn't be too hard since the man was attacking in anger. Backing up as he fended off the pale one's attacks, Xaod's back encountered the food table.Growling, the assassain launched an aimed kick intended to take out the Ghost's hip.

[Nystacea Korlsdaughter]

Pangs, Ducal Guard

Pangs is somewhat amused by the Ghost's behaviour with the cup, but when the elf attacks Xaod, Pangs' body tenses.  There is something different about this, he thinks, his years of training and eventful service as a guard asserting themselves.  Images of the elf's previous behaviour flash across his mind, and he remembers calculated, cold purpose to his actions.  This - this is desperation, he thinks.  What is going on here?  He looks to his captain where he stands by the throne, who gives the signal to approach and restrain the elf.  Six of them move forward from Pangs' side of the room, behind the Ghost, and two others approach from the other side, ready to restrain Xaod if necessary.

Nasty Lady

[Kain Cristar]

The pale elf stands in his cell, softly muttering an incantation. As he speaks the words he can feel his mind lighten and everything become clearer. In this enlightened state he cerebrated his how he had come to thie dungeon. Several men, presumed to by soldiers, mercenaries, or gaurds of some sort, had found him. He had just cleared his mind of the insanity. There had been several deaths. He had killed the residents of a large farmstead, at least three generations of humans. He had come in the dark of the night; there was a man just comming in from the fields, a quick slice and he would never see his wife again. Then the wife, she had screamed so deliciously. Shocked at the depravity of his own thoughts, Kain pulled away and opened his eyes. I must stay in this moment, I must leave this place. They have taken by physical weapons. Mo'epher is gone, I must find him.

They had taken everything, and he was now robed in filthy prison garb. Yet they had underestimated him, he could still cast magic. Too bad to, for the man who suddenly opens Kain's cell. Not good to scare a man like that. Without even thinking the elf realizes that this was his chance. He grins darkly and mutters Goodbye my friend, the dawn you shall never see. Maybe the gaurd hears it, maybe not. Kain stoops down and searches the spasming, smouldering body. He finds a ring of keys and a long sword, they will have to do. He outside of his cell and begins to search for his equiptment.

It is not long before two other gaurds had felt the shock of a well placed Static Bolt running through their veins. He found his clothing neatly stacked in a room just outside his cell, almost as if they had ment him to have it. Odd, but even enlightened, he did not have the time to think about it, there were anxious footsteps echoing down the sweating stones. His weapons were not here, somewhere else then. He decided to go up, before the gaurds realized just what had happened. They seemed very occupied, maybe otheres had escaped.

Kain sprints down the gilded palace halls. As he runs he tightens the last of his brass buckles and pulls up his hood. His mind lays behind him, racing with images, flashes of the recent past. There's too much blood on his hands, there is so much blood. He takes a sharp corner and slides, almost falling to his knees. The rushing boots of the gaurds speed his movements. Without even looking up he charges down the hall, seeking his blade, he must have Mo'epher. With that dark blade, the nexus of all his anguish, he could burn these gaurds to the ground, and escape. An intersection, were to go? He looks right, then left, then behind his shoulder. The elf growls more than a few of his favorite explicatives. They were comming from every direction, he was surrounded. They only beat him alittle. Not even a drop of blood. They seem to be careful about that.

Four or five gaurds begin to drag him away; he doesn't bothered to count. His body is too busy aching and bruising to feel anything but those ribs which a well placed heavy boot hat bruised. His mind is too busy tearing itself to peices. He is worse they any of the men he had killed. He is terrible and vile. How they had screamed! Little girl, her eyes dark smouldering sockets, charred flesh and dried tears. Strong young man, bowels sliding from a gaping wound, eyes wide in fear and amazment. They all swirl in his head and scream their accusations. He doesn't even notice what the gaurds are saying to him, their jeers just mingle with the rest, scorn and spittle upon his sinful soul.

He is before a large gilded door. It's like a palace, he thought, as two men in perfectly polished armor swing the doors open. The room before him is guilded and very richly adorned. There are many more gaurds and some shady looking characters. Some of whom he recognizes from their wanted posters. Most of all, he recognizes the Ghost. His thoughts are dashed as somebody slams their boot behind his knee. He falls to the polished floor, grunts, and is silent. He will give them all a sample of his powers soon.

One of the men holding him mentions that he should be watched closely, and that they had found more than one of their fellows with strange wounds. After that they let go, and exit the room. Kain crawls to his feet, and ponders. Why would they bring him to a palace room, throne and all? Why had the gaurd come into his cell in the first place. Why are all these scoundrels here? Something odd is happening.

You have lived a life of cruelty and atrocity, you have bathed in the blood of the innocent, you have considered every act of depravity and your corruption knows no bounds. I am the angel of justice, I am the accumulation of all of your sins. Prepare for your redemption.

-Kain Cristar, Divine Aspect

Edited by: Kain Cristar  at: 11/23/05 22:38

[The Ghost]

The Ghost was not daunted by the hard kick to his hip. He continued his attack, wanting only to destroy life around him.

So intent on his objective was The Ghost, that he took no notice of the six guards who came up to The Ghost, or the newcomer. He knew not of their existence until they grabbed him. Even one of The Ghost's strength can do little against six guards holding them, but that doesn't mean one can't try.

The Ghost thrashed in the grip of the guards, he spit, he hissed, If a hand came towards his mouth he bit. He tried everything to get the guards to release him, but to no avail.

I am the Darkness between the stars.
I am the Silence between whispers.
I am there in your darkest of dreams.
I am The Ghost, and you cannot escape.

- The Ghost

Edited by: The Ghost at: 11/24/05 21:02

[Nystacea Korlsdaughter]

As Nasty slips back into the throne room, her thoughts are held by the Duke's offer.  Not really seeing the people around her she descends the stairs and wanders back toward where she stood before, sipping liquor from the goblet she brought out with her from the anteroom.  

Nasty Lady

[Darien Gulath]

Darién looked up as some new events had been set in motion. The pale figure seemed to have snapped, Some kind of strange insanity took a hold of the guy, Triggered from out of nowhere.
Darién watched closely as the man attacked Xaod and even tough he received more damage himself he simply kept coming not feeling a grunt of pain. Strange creature… Darién thought. Only a few moments later the guards surrounded Ygryssias and restrained him, Well at least tried to restrain him,…
Darién noticed Rheine who had left Xaod just one moment ago.
Just in time,… Nearly caught in battle!… He said to her with a amusing smile.
His attention then focussed on the other side of the room where the doors opened and a newcomer was brought in… Another assassin was his guess. Even tough Darién didn’t know the man, he somehow sensed that this guy was different then the others…

Edited by: Darien Gulath at: 11/26/05 19:48

[Kain Cristar]

Kain steadies himself and clears his enlightened mind. He turns and faces Gulath, who is staring right back at him. A deadly man for sure, though with certain weaknesses. Another man he wanted dead. It was the woman next to Darian that intrigues Kain. Her beauty wraps around him and for a moment, there is a strange warmth in the pit of his belly. His cold, dead eyes focus in on her. He feels something strange, a new kind of feeling. He finds no hate or ill will towards her. He feels something entirely different from such emotions. The mage searches his emotions, hoping to find something he can grasp, something he can understand. He finds it. Kain is jealous that the woman stands beside Darien, and hates Darien. Darien and his ilk are the cause of his pain, they ruined everying. Darien would pay for this insult. This hate Kain could grasp, this hate was normal.

As his emotions drift out and in of reality, Kain drinks in the stark wierdness of the current affair. His cunning worked the situation, found questions that needed answers, and gave quick, logical, answers. A group of villains eating like royalty. Obviously they were being used. Somebody wanted their services. With that in mind, he draws deeper into himself and ponders what this group's purpose could be. They would have to be needed for something outside the law. What would this aristocrat want that he could not obtain within the current set of societal rules? Kain quickly scans the room, searching for easy clues. Gilded walls, a giant throne, curtains and velvet. The man obviously is burdened with his own pride. Power? Yes, he wants power. An assassination perhaps. But what would keep them loyal? Once outside of these city gates, they could no longer be threatened with pain. This group of misfits will spilt as soon as the opportunity arises. That or kill itself. To keep this bringands in line, this noble would need seduction. He would need compensation. Things began to fall into place. They would proabably be paid, and each something very differant. As each person wished for someting unlike what which the others wanted. He doubted that this noble was a fool. He would know that niether he, nor the ghost lusted for gold or power. They would need something special. He wondered if that was what the blonde had just come from, but could not be sure. The washroom could be behind those curtains for all he knew. Believing himself to have a basic grasp of the situation around him, Kain moved onto the next objective.

First he makes quick profiles of each of the individuals in the room. Gaurds are insects, he decided, and shall not be considered sentient. That one girl was really quite beautiful, he felt a deep lust rise up in his throat, yet at the same time his lust disgusted himself. That was strange. As he studied her he noticed that her eyes had the look of a kack sniffing whore. An obvious weakness. The Ghost was thankfully restrained, Kain wonders what has brought him into his blood rage. He seemed to be slightly damaged, and had obviously fought today. Darien was getting drunk and sniffing sluts. His body alone showed his prowess, though his actions flashed his dire weaknesses. The dark robed man, who seemed to have only one eye seemed to be strong and agile, yet one eye would give him a weakness also. And lastly there was the blonde. Kain almost ignores her. He can not tell much from her and has never hear nor seen of her before. A wild card, though she did not appear to be threatening. Once again, Kain's eyes stray to the red headed human. There is something about her. I feel something. Something powerfull yet hidden.

You have lived a life of cruelty and atrocity, you have bathed in the blood of the innocent, you have considered every act of depravity and your corruption knows no bounds. I am the angel of justice, I am the accumulation of all of your sins. Prepare for your redemption.

-Kain Cristar, Divine Aspect

Edited by: Kain Cristar  at: 11/27/05 11:32

[Nystacea Korlsdaughter]

Guoranala

Having returned to his place at the left hand of the throne, Guoranala watches the main doors open and close and considers the new arrival.  Kain Cristar.  A small smirk curves his thin, blackened lips as he considers the irony of a self-ordained hero with such a dark path.  Reviewing the information he has on the styros, it is some time before he is satisfied with his conclusions and he allows his eyes to stray from the other elf's tattooed countenance.

Observing the group from his vantage point in the shadow the Iferhem's hooded gaze comes to rest on another type of Shadow, his red eyes lingering on one ruby orb.  He steps forward into a pool of illumination cast by the candles in the half-chandeliers on the walls, and speaks.  "Xaod Shadow" his rusty voice scrapes out.  "Your presence is required," he continues, making a mocking bow in callous reference to Xaod's heritage as he indicates the side door which leads to the anteroom.



Nystacea

Nasty looks up from her introspection as the bald elf speaks Xaod's name, taking a short, startled breath which comes out as a quiet gasp.  She has not forgotten the Duke's thinly veiled threats against her family and the look on the adviser's face makes her insides churn with apprehension for Xaod... until the hardened part of her kicks in and she stomps the butterflies down ruthlessly.  

The slight wide-eyed expression on her face changes to a small frown as her internal dialogue rages. What, I think the man can't take care of himself? she thinks.  Argh! I- her mental voice shouts, I don't even care! Who is this man to me?  Some hot-headed, useless... her ranting peters out and her frown turns into an unreadable expression as she looks at him.

Nasty Lady

[Kain Cristar]

Kain realizes that he wants to get a closer look at the red head. At first he shuns the thought, and clears his mind. Yet he is drawn to her. Instead of appear as a gnat drawn to the sun, he slowly starts off towards the drinks. Maybe he would catch her name. He is suddenly thankful for the coverage the cloak provides. As he begins the short journey to the food table, he does two things. First he avoids the struggling ghost. Second, he studiously keeps his eyes away from the girl, instead he takes time to contemplate the blonde.

She suddenly grows apprehesive. Because of the one eyed man, perhaps? Her ruby lips gape at the mention of his name. Then a stern expression covers what had existed before. Could she be worried about him? Surely had he cared for the man he would worry. That elf had the look of death about him. Perhaps she had a soft spot. Despite himself, Kain grins.

That is, knocks into the servent he had been aproaching, if it were not for the man's obvious care and training, Kain would have been drenched with honeywine. His gutteral growl and menacing glare dare anybody to comment. With a savage grace, he grabs a goblet of sweet wine from the silver platter on which it rests. Leaning his head back, he shakes his hood off, and lets it rest haphazardly on his shoulders. He lifts the cup to his thirsty lips and sips slowly, feeling the soft radiance slip down this throat. As the smooth elegance swims down his pallet, he finds himself staring off again, back to that beautiful girl. He basks in her beauty, drinking it as her were dying of thirst. He contemplates her existance and his attraction to hers over the wide rim of his vessel. Yes, in image she stuns the observer, yet beneath she is as rotted as the rest of our kind. Yet, how could such a beautiful gift from Ava's plentiful bounties be tainted with such companies as we are? From whence could such a demon of seduction have risen but the soul of the shadow? Yet what do I shun but Ava's gifts, and what am I but an instrument of the shadow? So could this attraction of sorts be justified? Why would she call me with her insidious charms, what spells had she summoned over my weary mind to blind him from her faults, and fashion me from her downfall into her burden, her serf? As he internalizes these feelings, his eyes burn over the lip of his goblet and across her being. Coals of smouldering greys and blues swirl and clash across her soft flesh, the fire of his spirit wreathing itself about her core.

You have lived a life of cruelty and atrocity, you have bathed in the blood of the innocent, you have considered every act of depravity and your corruption knows no bounds. I am the angel of justice, I am the accumulation of all of your sins. Prepare for your redemption.

-Kain Cristar, Divine Aspect

Edited by: Kain Cristar  at: 12/2/05 1:30

[Darien Gulath]

Darién’s attention focused back on the struggling ghost, kept trying to evaluate him, yet he couldn’t. What could drive a man into such insanity..? he kept wondering until he noticed the newcomer to have approached. Eating, and then staring into their general direction. Almost seducing Rheine with his eyes…

Darién didn’t know what to think of it. He wasn’t a jealous kind of man, he had no intend in knowing the woman’s feelings. The love in his heart died with almost everyone he knew back in his youth. Vague memories of Zharock and Demion crossed his mind. Also Luciana glimpsed trough his thought, And then her bleeding corpse which he held in his arms. He shook the memory, hating the past. The remaining love he now had could best called lust. He often visited hookers but never had gotten close to anyone. Darién was not an open book. It was also a necessity; for everything he gave away could be used against him by his many enemies.

Something Darién does like is a good competition, and he already considered Rheine to be his property. He stopped studying the newcomer and ignored Kain, looking back in the general direction of where the ghost was still struggling with the guards. The guy would have to go trough him in order to get to any of the woman. And this was something he wouldn’t see happening even tough Darién had no knowledge of Kain. He watched how one of the guards caught a heavy kick and bounced away only to regroup and take a hold of Ygrassias once again.

Darién saw how the fight continued but didn’t feel the need to interfere. He knew that he could stand his ground, and by showing off his talent he would lose something which could be a critical element to win against one of these guys. Underestimation… When one of these guys would attack him in the future he would show them that he loved to battle more then any single one of them. Yet he felt no need for it now. He had no general disliking for anyone yet. He like the fact that these weren’t ordinary criminals. No everyone of them was unique. They had talents he too could use. He wondered how easily his team could be manipulated. Something he self was quite immune for. Except in the duke’s case that was of course. He had no certainty. It was a bet. Yet reaching the bait was something that would be the question.

Edited by: Darien Gulath at: 11/28/05 1:58

[The Ghost]

As fast as it came, as fast as it left.

The Ghost suddenly regained total and complee control of himself. He 'woke up' to being in the arms of six guards, something he did not appreciate at all, something he made the guards aware of very quickly.

Unhand me now. The Ghost menacingly warned.

I am the Darkness between the stars.
I am the Silence between whispers.
I am there in your darkest of dreams.
I am The Ghost, and you cannot escape.

- The Ghost

[Xaod Shadow]

The assassain continued to fight off blows from the Ghost, receiving several in the process. Before he had a chance to strike back, six guards came to restrain the Ghost. Xaod watched in amusement, holding up his hands as two more guards came to restrain him, showing that he wasn't going to cause trouble.

Wondering what drove this pale creature to such insanity, Xaod decided to evaluate him later. At the sound of the doors opening, Xaod looked up to see a newcomer dropped onto the floor. The new elf turned his gaze to them all, evaluating them, occasionally looking to Rheine.

Before he could think further, the assassain was distracted as Nasty walked from the sideroom with a thoughtful look on her face. Gazing at her as she walked, the assassain admired her beauty. The rusty sound of the bald elf's voice brought Xaod out of his reverie.Glaring at the creature, the assassain wondered how the elf knew of his last name. It probably wasn't too hard, it was the name he had given himself when he took up being an assassain, and all the wanted posters must carry it. Still, the mocking bow showed Xaod that this elf, and probably the Baron, knew something of his heritage.

Looking once more at Nasty, Xaod took note of the apprehensive look on her face. Pulling his hood up over his head, Xaod turned on his heel and strode silently into the sideroom, growling "Let's see what this pompous fool has to offer"

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