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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 10, 2023 20:56:29 GMT -5
During the day following the incident at the warehouse, Zarius reports back-- much to his embarrassment-- to the merchants who are less than enthused to hear the news that their warehouse was sacked during the night.
"The thieves got away?!"
A heavy slam of a fist bangs against the surface of a table set in the middle of a smoky room in the back of a lounge owned by one of the upper class merchants. Zarius stands before a heftier dwarven man in a gaudy coat with an ugly scowl on his bearded face. A few armed guards in scuffed up leathers stand against the walls, hands resting on the hilts of their swords in case they're needed.
"Ridiculous. I thought you were professionals and yet some costumed fools are giving you the runaround."
Zarius waits for the man to be done his venting. Being yelled at was not something he enjoyed, but he kept the boiling in his blood in check. He knew he was walking a very thin line with these people, and the wealthy folk of Darkveil were not the kinds to forgive easy. Or at all in some cases. It was possible that the damage had already been done and there was no turning back. But he owed it to his father to try and make up for his blunder.
"I have my best men working on tracking them down as we speak. Rest assured your supplies will be retrieved."
The dwarf leans over the table towards the tiefling. If he were a taller man he might actually be intimidating. For Zarius, it'd be comical if the stakes of keeping the short man happy weren't so high.
"They wouldn't have to be retrieved if you had done your job correctly in the first place!"
He slams his fist down again on the table.
Zarius isn't fazed. "My mistake will not be repeated."
The dwarf seems sour that there's no flinch or even a twitch from the tiefling. He sits back heavy in his chair with a huff.
"For your family's sake, that better be true."
Zarius' temper flares and he takes a threatening step towards the man. The guards quickly draw their blades, prepared to intercept should he take a single step further. The tiefling pays them no mind and speaks calmly to the dwarf who glances about on edge.
"Do not test me, or make idle threats, else your stolen trash will be the last of your concerns."
A bead of sweat drips down the man's brow from his widow's peak. Zarius takes a step back and looks judgmentally down his nose at him.
"Your supplies will be safely returned by daybreak tomorrow."
With that, Zarius turns on his heels and leaves the room swiftly. As he strides down the hall and exits the building into the ash dusted streets of the city, he is joined by Eirynor and Snow, flanking him on either side. The tiefling barely acknowledges them as he walks down the street.
"What did you find out?"
"We tracked their movements back to a small storefront in the Market District." Snow replies, still keeping a close eye on their employer's attitude.
Outwardly, Zarius seems calm if not intensely focused on the task at hand. What happened yesterday night was no one's fault other than his own. He should have waited for help. He should have found Cyran or Caedes or Iryla...well, probably not Iryla. It would have been hard to explain to Cyran how the kid ended up stuck to the ceiling or stabbed in the back.
He nods in response to the catfolk. "That is awfully bold of them."
"There's lots of people moving goods in and out of that part of town this time of year. They're basically hiding in plain sight."
Snow had a point. This was the busiest time of the year and many people were moving about the streets in order to visit family and conduct business before the turn of the year. The fact that Snow had managed to pick up the thieves' trail at all is a stroke of good luck they desperately needed. Maybe it was karma paying the tiefling back for the utter humiliation he suffered at the hands of the pale woman with the throwing knives and shadow magic. He wouldn't give her a chance to best him a second time.
"Not for long. We will stake out the location and conduct a covert raid to retrieve what was stolen."
The catfolk hesitates for a moment, shooting a unsure glance at Eirynor before looking back at Zarius.
"If I may, what was taken doesn't really seem worth all the trouble."
Zarius takes a deep breath and sighs. "I agree. But this is about more than just some stolen goods. This opportunity is important to my father and family, so it is important to me."
Snow and Eirynor exchange a look. It was true that they didn't have much of an understanding of the inner intricacies of Zarius' family's business, but they were still responsible for doing what they could to support these ventures. The pair want things to go well, not just for their own job security but for everything that is on the line should things go sour.
The awkward silence does not go unnoticed by Zarius. He knows it's a lot to ask of them, but he needed their faith right now more than ever. They had one shot at this. There would not be a second chance.
"Has anyone returned to the Rookery yet? We could use all the help we can get."
Snow makes a bit of an awkward face. "No. Master Caedes, Master Cyran, and Miss Iryla are still absent."
It's not news Zarius is thrilled to hear. Three was better than one, but would it be enough? What if the thieves had more than just the shadowy woman on their side? He doubts she would show him any mercy a second time. He rolls his shoulders as they continue down the street.
"We will just have to manage on our own then."
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Jan 12, 2023 14:59:28 GMT -5
“ The Market District?” Lyari is perched upon a crate the following morning as the crates and sacks are unloaded through the back of a small, insignificant storefront; already after sun-up, she jots down each new addition to her inventory in another book as it passes her. Ever-organized, ever-calculated as she always is. “ The holidays are a hustle and bustle, even in Darkveil City.” She drags her tongue across the pad of a finger, and flips the page of her book. “ Goods are being unloaded everywhere; people are in a rush to get places… no one’s got their eyes on us.” “ Hiding in plain sight?” Mei leans against an inner wall, out of line of the rising sun. “ Mm.” Lyari snaps her fingers as a half-orc individual places a crate in the wrong location; he looks a bit awkward, but nods and picks the crate back up to take it to where she gestures it should be going. Mei looks out into the Market District, watching— indeed— the bustle of the people. There’s a small Aviankin, a little finch, manning the front of the shop from in front of a traditional, ornate rug which cuts off view to the back for the most part— while their illegality goes on behind it. “ What do you need with all of this, anyways? Flours, oils, sugars? Not really your usual business transactions for your line of work.” Mei watches a goblin awkwardly drag a bag of sugar across the planks, taking it somewhere into the backroom, and does not bother to help him. Lyari licks the pad of her finger again, brushing to the next page in her small notebook. “ Wealthy men and women sometimes need to have the fear of whatever god they serve put in them; they get cocky, haughty, and think they can piss off all the wrong people without consequence.” Lyari stops scratching in her notebook long enough to look up at Mei from beneath shaded eyes. “ Sometimes, they need to be put in their place.” She looks back to her notebook, looking towards the half-orc, who has since returned with another crate. She jots down something else in her book. “ Less about the product, more about the lesson; just so happens they needed one after our last deal went south. We’ll bleed product into the markets little by little starting tomorrow, and make a profit; they can seethe and throw their wallets around as much as they like, but once it’s out of the port, it’s out of the port and they’re going to have a hell of a time relocating their merchandise within every city of Charon.” “ Hm.” Mei hums her acknowledgement, red eyes narrowing; she turns her head towards the goblin as he trots back, dragging another bag of something across the floor. She rubs her shoulder from where the assassin had slammed one of those damn bags into her; to the merchant’s credit, they didn’t skip on safe packaging. “ Is that it?” she asks him. The goblin stops, panting as he puts a hand on the bag and leans against it. “ Yah, las’ o’ it from the second wagon.” he answers, looking between her and Lyari. “ Need us for anythin’ else, misses?” Lyari scratches the last record of the bag in writing, Mei assumes, in her book. “ I’ll need a few of you here throughout the day, a few of you here tonight to keep an eye out. Were you tracked?” “ No sign o’ no one, Mei followed us up. Said we were clear.” Lyari offers Mei a glance, “ I certainly hope so.” “ The way was clear.” Mei answers assuredly, rolling her arms in a shrug. The goblin, assuming he’s done pitching in, starts to struggle with the sack. “ Only one guard was stationed, and I tracked the wagons on the way back; we separated them on forks when we could; we took all the precautions. No one came for us.” Lyari closes her book after reviewing its new contents, and breathes an exhale from her nose. “ I don’t know. I don’t trust it...” she remarks grimly. “ Why only one guard? They’re wealthy enough to hire a squad or two of mercenaries. You’re sure there was no one else there?” “ Can’t imagine they would’ve let me nearly kill the guy if there were.” she remarks. “ He could do magic I think, maybe they splurged on the one thinking he’d be enough for a night.” Lyari doesn’t look particularly convinced. “ Perhaps… but when you’ve been in the business as long as I have, these little irregularities raise an alarm.” “ You’re the one who gave me the location, Lyari. I was just following your conditions.” Lyari shoots her a bitter look, “ I know that. Word was it was under guarded, not that it was guarded by a single merc. It’s not usual.” The drow’s eyes soften somewhat, but she’s still looking ill-tempered. “ ... Regardless, it was good work; I sent you there, and you didn’t let me down.” She sniffs, running a hand through messy strands of hair. From outside, Mei can hear the finch calling: “ Thank you, have a nice day!” She breathes a sigh, looking at Lyari as the drow stands to her feet; she holds the book to her chest, eyes drowsy as she looks at Mei. “ I’ll want you here throughout the day, and throughout the night.” “ ...” Mei’s brows furrow. “ Guard duty for tonight wasn’t part of the deal.” Lyari seems to have gained some moxie in the days when Mei hadn’t seen her… because the Lyari who had been flustered and desperate for her help a few days ago is replaced by a different attitude. “ Well, it is now. I don’t love the looks of this, and I just want to be sure the product is safe until we can board it tomorrow morning. It goes off without a hitch? My assistance in the future will be unquestionably yours.” Lyari puts a hand over her heart, and the booklet she’s holding, as if swearing by it. “ Twenty-four more hours of your time is all I ask, until we can ship all this off.” Mei scowls, considering how long she’s already been gone from The Rookery… shit, she’s going to have some explaining to do with Zarius. Hopefully some kind of good news will ease any tension he might have over his absence; assuming he cares, of course.
Mei can never really be sure with him.
She leans her head back against the wall, exasperated, and rolls her neck to look at Lyari.
“Fine. Twenty-Four more hours. That's it.”
"Good."
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 12, 2023 21:52:05 GMT -5
An hour before sundown across the Ash Lands and after the thieves have successfully moved their inventory under cover. The streets start to empty a bit as most folks head inside the various lounges, bars, and taverns across the party city of Darkveil.
Zarius and Snow have found a little hidden corner of the Market to wait at, well out of sight of the businesses that start to close up shop as the streets clear. There they have stashed a wagon with a driver waiting to transport things back to the angry merchants along with a few crates Zarius had brought over from the Rookery filled with wine bottles.
Eirynor returns from scouting around the storefront, having completed a thorough sweep of the back alleys and surrounding rooftops while invisible.[1] He reappears near the tiefling and catfolk and signs to the both of them.
Two on the roof. Two in the back alley.
Zarius thinks for a moment. There were likely more than that but they had to take things one step at a time. From what he can recall about the thieves he saw loading cargo, they weren't particularly heavily armored or armed. The issue was if a certain someone was still around.
"No sign of the shadow woman?"
Eirynor shakes his head. He hadn't seen the woman anywhere in sight, even after peering through the windows on their way past the store front.
"Maybe they aren't there? Maybe they were just hired for the heist and nothing else?" Snow suggests, trying to keep a positive attitude about what they were about to attempt in the heart of Darkveil's Market District.
Zarius considers that possibility, but there is now way to be certain. Even if she wasn’t currently here, the shadow woman could easily come back once night falls, moving unnoticed in the shadows right under their noses. They couldn't rule her out of their plans, but they had few ways to ensure she wouldn't complicate his plans. The best they could do is just be aware of their surroundings and watch each others' backs.
"Possibly, but I would not bet on it. I am relying on you both. We cannot afford another slip up today."
Snow and Eirynor nod.
"Eirynor, you and I are going to handle the two in the alley. Snow, take out the two on the roof. Once the watchdogs are dealt with, we will have to work fast. Eirynor and I will seal up as many exits as we can, limit where they can get out of the building, preferably out back into the narrow alley. Snow, you pick off anyone who runs out. Aim to cripple, not to kill. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," Snow replies.
"If either of you see the shadow woman, do not be a hero and try to fight her."
The pair exchange a bit of a look between them. There was a chance that if either of them ran into that woman, that there wouldn't even be an option to flee. They didn't have as many tricks up their sleeves as Zarius, and if he couldn't take her down, there was no way either of them could on their own, especially in the dark.
Zarius pats them each on the shoulders and meets their looks of uncertainty. He was their boss sure, but they friends too. He wasn't about to let them suffer for his mistake or for his pride.
"I am serious."
"And if you run into her again?" Snow asks.
The tiefling thinks a bit, a look of consideration on his face before he smiles at the catfolk. "Then I hope your aim is more accurate than hers."
Snow is silent for a moment before they nod. It was a lot of responsibility to watch Zarius' back, but it was something they had always been ready to shoulder. They wouldn't have ever agreed to work with him otherwise. The tiefling's trust had not come easy, they weren't about to show him that the trust is misplaced.
Zarius steps back and throws the pair of them each a bottle from the crate with a toothy grin.
"Alright, gentlemen, we have work to do. After sundown, we give those 'Red Rogues' a Winter's Crown gift they will not soon forget."
After sundown, the streets have quieted down significantly with most people busy getting drunk and partying with their friends and families. While the storefronts finish closing up, one heavy wagon with a pair of draft horses trundles down the road and stops right up against the front of the target shop.
One of the guards in the backstreet circles around at the sound.
"Hey, buddy, move your wagon somewhere else."
"Why? Store's closed."
"You know what loitering is? Huh? Get a move on."
The two guards on the roofs glance down at the situation, curious about what the issue was and eyeing the cart with suspicion. Left alone in the back, the last remaining guard shuffles his feet impatiently. Eirynor walks up to the man, completely unseen and silent in his approach before he draws his blade and bashes the pommel of his sword into the man's head.[1,2]
Meanwhile, Snow has found a good vantage point on a nearby rooftop with a clear line of sight on the two rooftop guards.[3] They take a breath and aim an arrow at one's shoulder and release before quickly firing another arrow into the back of the other. The two guards don't go down completely silent, one letting out a surprised yelp which draws the attention of the guard on the ground with the wagon and driver.
The guard goes for their weapon just as Zarius sneaks up behind him and gets him in a chokehold while invisible.[4,5,6] The driver just takes a swig out of their flask while Zarius drags the guard off into the alley across the street and ties him up to be questioned later.[7]
Eirynor moves quickly, running around to the back of the wagon and grabbing a crate of wine while Snow gets into position with the back alley well in their sights.
Zarius circles around, jamming pieces of scrap wood into the windows from the outside to prevent them from being opened. He joins back up with Eirynor who is soaking some cloths in the liquid.
“Finally something I can thank that damn leech for,” he says as Eirynor passes him the soaked fabric. Loaded up with the dripping wet rags, he scales the walls up to the roof.[8]
Once he's up there, he quickly knocks out the two guards before bashing the top grate off the chimney stack. He lights his hands on fire, igniting the alcohol soaked rags before he throws them down inside the building.[9]
[1] Invisibility (Eirynor) [2] Silent Step (Eirynor) [3] Surface Scaling (Snow) [4] Invisibility [5] Silent Step [6] Iron Grip [7] Rope [8] Spider Silk Boots [9] Art of the Burning Fist (1/3 duration)
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Jan 24, 2023 22:02:52 GMT -5
“ Another day on this waste of my time, what was I thinking?” Mei sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose after seeing Lyari off and assuring her that she’d keep an eye on the cargo— no one would lay a hand on it as long as she had a say in things— whatever. Pleasantries. This all better be worth it; she could have bit back, or fought harder, but she knows when to bend and when to break; and when it comes to clawing through the underground… one really needs to know when to relinquish their hold on the plan. Disguised as a relative nobody with her employer nothing but a shadow of a mention, she didn’t have the kind of power she needed to put her foot down... Not without potentially outing her connections, and she wouldn’t put Zarius, nor the Rookery, in danger so foolishly like that. She breathes out, crossing her arms beneath her chest as she looks out into the back-alley behind the shop; left, and then right. She turns on the heel of her boots, and steps through the doorframe into the shop. “ Alright, boys! Who’s taking the first shift?”
“ You’re cheatin’!” “ I’m not.” Mei answers, placing her cards face-down on the crate for the grouchy half-orc and the goblin to see. “ I don’t cheat.” The goblin groans, dropping his head against the crate in exasperation while the half-orc snorts so loudly it nearly rumbles the earth under her feet. “ Don’t cheat my ass!” He scoops up her cards, eyeballing them like they’re going to change suites at a different angle. “ Pretty convenient that you’ve won the last three games.” “ Look, it’s not my fault you suck at holding a poker face; you folded the other two times. If you can't play, you shouldn't have suggested it.” Mei offers him an innocent grin, wincing back with a laugh when he throws her cards into her face and storms off into the next room with his hands up in the air; he’s so frustrated, he nearly bowls right over the aviankin closing up their shop from the windowless storage room. “ Oh! Goodness…” The little bird presses back into the doorframe to let him pass, then looks sheepishly towards Mei and the remaining goblin while the latter starts picking up their deck to put away. “ Um, I’m fixing to close up; are you sure everything’s going to be okay tonight?” the bird asks sheepishly. Mei takes a breath, clapping her hands against her knees as she stands up in a fluid motion. “‘ Course, we’re gonna have the place looked after.” The bird smiles, the corners of its beak twitching up, but they still seem nervous. “ This is my livelihood, y’know? I’ve got kids at home, and I just… I owed Miss Lyari, and she needed a place, and it was a good chance to get out of my debt, but…” They start to twitch, twiddling their talons as they look off to the sides. “ ...if things go bad, then the shop… it’ll be okay, right?” The aviankin looks back to her, eyes nervous. Mei stops stretching her arms over her head, looking off to the side at the bird for a moment with a slight twinge of sympathy, before breathing a slow sigh. “ It’ll be fine,” she assures the bird; she drops one hand to her hip, and waves the other dismissively. “ This isn’t my first job like this. We’ll keep a good eye out.” “ I just… I can’t really afford to fix it if it gets trashed.” The aviankin frets, even as Mei starts trying to herd them towards the door. “ I understand— listen, it’ll be fine. Go home, be with the kids, and you’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll all be gone soon as the cargo’s shipped off. Like it never happened!” “ Right…” the aviankin hesitantly agrees; it smiles up at her, wringing its feathers nervously. “ Like it never happened.”
With the shop owner gone, and the sun stooped low beyond the horizon, Mei had everyone take their place. Two guards on top, two guards on bottom, two guards on the inside— not including herself— as she’s pitched up in the storage room itself, perched haphazardly on one of the upper stacks of crates. Simply waiting. She breathes a sigh, tapping her pen against the lined notepad of her journal while she considers the wasted day; she wonders if Charlotte’s okay back at the Rookery. She’d be too shy to ask for help if Kvasir had already dropped her off after their little night out, though. She breathes a chuckle at the mere thought of Charlotte tapping her little legs on Zarius’ door; she’d end up ding-dong-ditching him in her sheepishness. In the darkness of the storage room, invisible and non-existent to the human eye (1), silence falls again; frankly, this whole thing is boring. She feels an odd wash of emotion that she can’t name nor entertain the thought of, because something else catches her attention. Mei jerks her head up at the sound of a distant yelp from up above. She holds her breath, staring at the door with narrowed red eyes, and listening intently; she doesn’t hear footsteps, but she does hear a distant thmp! from a window— enough to make her close her notebook and pocket it for now. Mei leaps off the top of the crate, landing soundlessly in the darkness of the storage room. Cautiously, she moves to the door, eyes narrowed as she reaches for the knob— —and before she can open it, it opens on its own. “ Miss Mei–eeeeee!” The goblin from earlier squeals when she puts a knife to their throat; she relaxes somewhat realizing it’s just them, but it doesn’t dissuade her anxieties. “ What’s going on?” she prompts, flipping her dagger’s blade towards her as she rises from her crouched position. She looks towards the half-orc for an explanation; he doesn’t offer it, though. He doesn’t have time. Neither does the goblin. Before anyone else can do a single damn thing, there’s a shatter of glass, a flash of light, and the roaring hiss of fire.
"What the hell—!?"
Shit.
(1) Shadow Dancer
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 26, 2023 14:28:19 GMT -5
The plan was working perfectly. Zarius shoves more fabric down the chimney to prevent the smoke from the alcohol soaked rags from escaping and to give the flames more fuel. Inside the shop, the room quickly fills with thick black smoke reeking of burnt wine flooding out from the chimney stack. The half-orc is stomping out the flames to keep the inside of the shop from catching fire, but the smoke still lingers.
"Dammit! Someone's trying to smoke us out!" The half-orc huffs and wafts the smoke out of their face. He looks back over his shoulder as the goblin and Mei appear on the scene. "Quick, open the windows, I'll grab the door."
"Right!" Hopping across the room, the goblin quickly grabs a crate and drags it over to use as a step stool.
The half-orc is about to unlock the front door when he peeks out through the glass and furrows his brow. What should be a view of the street into the Market District is blocked by a wall of wood. "Oi! Someone blocked the door with a cart!"
The goblin grunts and strains as they try to open the window. "The windows are jammed too!"
After unlocking the front door, the half-orc tries to force the door open and shove the cart out of the way. The cart however, doesn't budge an inch and keeps them from being able to escape into the street. The half-orc coughs and covers their mouth, giving up on the door and stomping across the shop over to the goblin.
"Fuck this!" Fed up with the shenanigans at play here, the half-orc slams his fist through the glass panes of the window in an attempt to get the building smoke in the room to clear. Unfortunately for him, a pair of boots swing down from the roof and slam into his face, knocking him back from the window and toppling him backwards over a stack of flour sacks.
The goblin screams and dives behind the shop counter, covering their head from the scattering of broken glass that clatters across the floor.
Zarius lands inside the room and almost immediately a cloud of smoke billows out from under his cloak, further obscuring vision within the shop and hiding himself from those within it.[1]
"Ugh!" The half-orc sits up rubbings his face, a drip of blood running from his nose. "What hit me-AAH!" He screams as something lashes around his leg and pulls him into the cloud.[2]
The tiefling quickly drags the half-orc over to him and slams his fist into their head to try and knock them out. The half-orc isn't going to go down so easily though, and brings up their arm to block the strike. The half-orc coughs as he draws a hand axe and takes a few blind swipes at Zarius. A few of the wrappings are cut clean through, but the tiefling catches the blade and wrenches it from the half-orc's grip.[3,4] The tiefling then chucks the axe out of the thick smoke cloud towards where the goblin hid, sinking the blade deep into the side of the wooden shop counter.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" The goblin scrambles up coughing and makes a break for the back door past Mei. They throw the door open and escape outside to the back alley, pausing for only a moment to catch their breath.
Just as they're clear of the building, an arrow sticks into the ground right by their feet.
"ACK!" The goblin jumps back in surprise before turning and bolting down the alleyway. "I'm not paid enough for this cra-AGH!" An invisible foot trips up the goblin before a hand grabs the back of their shirt and lifts them off the ground.
The goblin kicks furiously and tries to escape, their attacker becoming visible as they draw a silver blade and prepare to strike the flailing goblin down. "Miss Mei! Help!"
[1] Smoldering Cape (1/3 post duration) [2] Constrictor Wraps [3] Steel Catch [4] Iron Grip
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Jan 30, 2023 0:10:21 GMT -5
It’s lucky that her undeath favours her in this scenario. Mei listens to the huffs and wheezes of the two in the room as it fills with thick, black smoke; and though her vision is impaired she’s relatively unhindered by the effects of the smoke itself on her lungs. She waves through the black smoke, slipping quickly to the window, only to hear a click and a rattle as she pulls on it. A wave of embarrassment and anger washes over her when she realizes what’s happened. “ How did you let someone barricade us in here right under your noses!?” she barks; she can hear the goblin struggling and the half-orc slamming against the door repeatedly. Scowling, she swings her arm back, ready to pummel through one of the windows with the hilt of her dagger, when she hears the smash of a window behind her. No sooner has she turned her head does she hear the heavy thrum of an impact. Wood splinters and flour puffs into the grey, smoke-filled air as the half-orc goes flying across the room and smashes unceremoniously into some of the cargo. Mei jumps, taking a pace backwards into the darkness; but she can’t make out what or who— Something lashes out from the thick clouds of smoke, dragging the half-orc into a thick cloud of smoke that seems unnatural to the eye; Mei steps back, eyes wide at the screams and sounds from within; she staggers somewhat when a blade is flung from the smoke and sticks into the wooden shop counter. She grimaces, the goblin knocking against her leg in the process of their scrambling. “ Go get back-up!” she snarls, uncertain if they even heard her in their mad dash out the door. Where the hell are her other guards!? Are they seriously this incompetent? Or is she, for not directing them properly? For a brief second she finds herself overwhelmed: the deal is on the line, everything is falling out of sorts so quickly, she can’t see, and she doesn’t know the situation outside. She grits her teeth, knowing she’s not about to make a last stand against something she can’t see within the smoke, and so… she takes a slow step back, looks over her shoulder to the door… and chooses to book it, instead. Tactical retreat. At this moment, until she can recoup with the goblin and her remaining guards and figure out where they stand, it’s every man for themselves. She turns and flees through the back door; and allowing the darkness to be her camouflage, she passes through the doorframe and slams into the wall of the building adjacent after catching her boot on something in the doorway. Debris clatters from her impact; but the palms of her hand break her trip against brick and stone. She doesn’t stop to look at what she’s knocked over— within the smoke and the cover of night, she’s practically invisible— save for the noise giving away her position. She pushes off the wall with her palms, ignoring the sting of the scrapes in her skin from rough stone, as she spins around just in time to see the goblin’s attacker flicker into visibility. The goblin flails and shrieks beneath them, their voice carrying above the crackle of fire and cacophony of the chaos around them. Their attacker’s blade glints in the moonlight as it’s drawn. Mei sprints down the back alley; in the darkness of night, no longer illuminated by flames, she’s nigh invisible— her footsteps silenced by the darkness itself.(1) The shadows beneath her feet hiss, murmuring incoherently as she stretches out her hand towards the goblin’s attacker; it’s not that she really wants to help, but she needs this annoying bastard right now.
She needs some kind of messenger.
From the darkness, an inky swell attempts to latch onto the legs of their attacker, one thin thread launches from the cobblestone towards their wrist in an attempt to prevent them from drawing their blade any further. From her fingertips up, her skin transitions into an inky black as the magic is cast; her crimson gaze gives way to void black in a blink, and as she approaches them, she swings her arms forwards in an attempt to grab hold of them. If she could, claws burrowed into them, it would all happen quickly: a fiendish mutter from between pale lips, the spread of shadow beneath the attacker’s veins; and in a blink, their eyes would turn the same void black as her own (2) as her consciousness split between their two physical forms.
(1) Shadow Dancer (2) Curse of the Hag
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 30, 2023 20:01:44 GMT -5
In the cloud of smoke, the half-orc is still putting up a fight against the surprise assailant.[1] The disarmed half-orc manages to break free from the bindings and kicks out at the tiefling. Zarius catches his foot one-handed and brings his elbow down hard on the shin.[2] A sharp snapping sound emanates from the cloud as the half-orc’s leg is broken. The half-orc screams in pain and writhes on the floor before the brawler’s shoe swiftly meets the side of their head, knocking him out.
The tiefling glances about quickly for anyone else in the immediate vicinity. He just catches sight of movement in his periphery as the goblin flees out from behind the counter and back towards the rear door as anticipated. He's surprised to see there are no more additional guards inside, then a chill runs up his spine as he hears a unpleasantly familiar voice.
“Go get back-up!”
Damn.
The shadow woman was there, lurking about where he couldn't see. He is instantly on guard and looks around for any sign of movement amongst the shadows. He knows all too well that she could appear out of nowhere and use the shadows to her advantage. But it was possible to hide from her. He did so already with his invisibility, and it seems like the smoke is working just as well.
Circling around the room, he stomps out any errant fire threatening to spread and consume the whole shop. All this would be pointless if the cargo went up in flames. As much as he wanted to confront her, he had to keep his priorities straight.
Just as he finishes crushing embers beneath his boot heel, mindful of that the woman could appear at any moment, his attention snaps to the back door again. The sound of clattering and shouting from the alleyway tells him that Eirynor and Snow were after the goblin, but it seems like the woman is attempting to flee as well.
He curses under his breath and rushes to the door to provide backup to his allies. Just because he told them not to engage with her, that doesn't mean she won't blindside them if she can get out into the open and stealth through the shadows.
Before Zarius makes it to the back door, Mei has already made it out there to find Eirynor and the goblin.
The half-elf swordsman is just about to run the goblin through when he feels something latch onto his legs and lash around his wrist. He doesn’t get the chance to react before he is grabbed from behind and Mei’s claws pierce through his clothes. There’s no scream from the half-elf as black veins spread across his skin and his eyes flood with shadows. The resistance leaves his body and he drops his hold on the goblin.
The goblin scrambles away and up onto their feet. “Th-thank yo- look out!” The goblin points behind Mei as another arrow whizzes by her head and strikes the ground.
Snow swears under their breath and draws another arrow back, trying to aim for the shadow woman or goblin without striking Eirynor. Their angle is poor so they make a mad dash across the roofs to try and get a clear shot.
[1] Smoldering Cape (2/3 post duration) [2] Hands are Weapons
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Jan 31, 2023 14:29:15 GMT -5
The feeling is strange; and it’s one that she’s not sure she’ll ever get used to. Eirynor’s void black eyes blinks open at the same time she opens her own. The split vision is strange: she sees the quivering goblin from two different angles; one from a lower point, the other from a higher point; each split between her right and left eye. She breathes out, dropping the webs which bind the stranger under her control to free him just as the goblin is stuttering out its thanks— which is interrupted by the whoosh of air and a shouted warning. An arrow thrums into the ground as Mei swings behind the taller man, skirting her palm along his arm as she sways behind him; the man in sync swings around to face the other side of the alley, placing his long sword back in its halter. “ Stop wasting time and go!” Mei snaps back at the goblin, throwing a glance behind her as the goblin winces and starts to scramble. They book it through the alley behind her, zigzagging in hopes of avoiding the archer on the roof. Mei, meanwhile, unsheathes some of the throwing knives on her belt and offers a bitter laugh loud enough to echo against the alley’s framed walls— aiming to keep their attention drawn to her while the goblin escapes. “ I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” She calls up to the roof; she can’t see the archer, but she snaps the arrow on the ground beneath one of her heels when she steps back. “ Shoot at me and your friend might just jump in the way…” There’s something mocking in the tone of her voice, calculated to frustrate her attackers. “ That would be a shame, wouldn’t it?” Her void black eyes glint in the silver sheen of the moon that’s risen above Darkveil’s tallest buildings. With all of her focus on holding their friend hostage, it’s hard to slip away into the shadows like she otherwise might. With their companion stock still, beneath her control, Mei tosses one of her knives into the air; it shimmers in the moonlight as it changes angle; and she pulls their attacker back into her arms.
He goes willingly. She catches her knife over their shoulder; with the glow of the moon in one eye, and the darkness of the alleyway in the other, she presses the knife taut against the other’s throat. “ Stay where you are— all of you— and everything’ll be fine.” She steps back, hoping to take their ally hostage until the situation becomes too unwieldy for her to handle or until she can make it to one of the side-paths in the labyrinth of Darkveil’s backroads. She’ll unleash their own ally on them when she thinks she can make a break for it safely, forcing them to play defensive… assuming they like this guy enough to not to outright kill him, that is. She’s taking a gamble on this fellow’s likability at this moment, but it’s a risk she’s willing to take for the sake of this deal.
She moves backwards with him, attentively watching her pursuers, poised to slit her knife across his throat if anyone makes too aggressive of a motion towards her; but it’s in that same moment that she makes a mistake— inevitable, in her position. She looks at him— just a glance— to gather what she’s working with. Something akin to a horrified, strangled gasp emits from Mei’s throat; it’s audible, albeit perhaps not so much that it carries to her attackers. Almost as though suddenly burned, she drops the throwing knife held at his neck; it rings sharply, glinting in moonlight as it spins and clatters against the stone before coming to rest. The shadows slough from her hostage’s eyes like pitch black tears, staining his cheeks as his eyelids flutter closed; and as her mental hold on him fades, her vision starts to return to both eyes. No longer held up by her consciousness, his body starts to go limp; his head tilts back as he slides down Mei’s shoulder; supported only by her trembling hands just before his head and shoulders can hit the ground without support. Everything spins as she shakily releases him and starts to back away with a stumble in her step. “ Shit, shit, shit…” her voice comes tiny and pitched high, red eyes wide in panic as she looks down at Eirynor’s familiar face in the silver moonlight for only a moment, then jerks her head towards the alleyway. A thousand thoughts reel through her mind at once— desperately trying to make sense of why and how.
She feels her stomach sink, a feeling of dread; the chill of anxiety; and the horror of one particular realization comes to the forefront amongst all else: If Eirynor is here...
... then Zarius is somehow involved in this raid.
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 31, 2023 18:12:45 GMT -5
There's no resistance from the half-elf as the curse spreads throughout his veins like venom, robbing him of any awareness of his surroundings or control of his actions. His body moves as the woman wills it, and stands defensively between her and Snow who is perched above the alleyway, silhouetted by the night sky.
Snow glances down the direction the goblin fled, tempted to pursue until they realize that their half-elf companion wasn't fighting back against the woman. They pause on the edge of the roof and look down at the pair, noting that Eirynor was acting strangely and had sheathed his weapon.
"Dammit," Snow swears under their breath.
The woman must have cast some sort of spell on the swordsman. The catfolk can't take their eyes off her now and they keep their arrow nocked and ready to fly given the chance to separate the two. Their lip twitches into a snarl as she mocks them, but they lower their bow when the glint of the dagger catches the light.
Eirynor is in a bad spot, seemingly unable to fight back as the woman puts a blade to his throat. The catfolk isn't sure what to do other than hold their position. Zarius had already warned both Snow and Eirynor not to engage the shadowy woman. Yet here they were, caught up in her web whether they liked it or not.
Then something strange happens. The woman suddenly balks, dropping her knife from the half-elf's throat and letting it clatter across the cobblestone. Then Eirynor goes limp in her arms, slumping down to the ground.
Snow's breath catches in their lungs as they witness this. Had she just killed him? The possibility buries itself into the archer's mind. Snow lets out an audible snarl and fires an arrow at her out of anger. The arrow, wreathed in unholy fire, streaks across the alleyway. It only narrowly misses as the woman steps back from Eirynor's body.
Eirynor lays on the ground, unconscious and unmoving. His chest rises and falls shallowly with each breath. He was alive, though he would not be getting to his feet anytime soon. Not that Snow could tell from where they were.
Luckily for them, and unluckily for the woman, help was not that far behind. Smoke pours out of the doorway as Zarius exits the back of the shop and steps into the alleyway.[1] He quickly scans the back street and spots Eirynor collapsed on the ground and the shadow woman slowly backing away.
His anger flares and a burst of blue fire ignites at the ends of the smoke cloud that was starting to thin. Framed by the erratic blue flames, he stalks towards the woman. The shadows around the alley quiver from the unnaturally threatening aura given off by the tiefling.[2] His eyes flicker with the blue light as he approaches and his fists ignite.[3]
Knowing full well her strength lied in the shadows, he digs his heel in and quickly pitches a small burst of flame at her from one of his fists. The shadows shrink away as the blaze rapidly flies past Eirynor and towards her.
Out in the open, illuminated by the blue light, and outnumbered, she only had two options. Fight, or flee.
[1] Smoldering Cloak (3/3 post duration) [2] Invoke Fear (1/2 per topic) [3] Art of the Burning Fist (1/3 post duration; 1/2 fireball uses)
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Jan 31, 2023 22:27:44 GMT -5
Mei feels the rush of wind and heat that had come from the archer’s arrow as it brushes past her, narrowly scraping the sway of her red cloak in the darkness of the alleyway. She jolts, taking another step back as her red eyes tilt towards the rooftops; if Eirynor is here, then… Snow?But just as quickly, her attention is redirected by a burst of blue light from farther down the alley itself. Mei freezes up. Everything in her searches desperately for some way to recover from what she’s just done; but she’s drawing a blank. This looks bad; this looks incredibly bad; and Zarius is not just involved; he’s here. She opens her mouth to say something, but the words die before they can ever form on her tongue; Zarius skulks towards her, framed by a wildfire of blue flames which erupt from billowing smoke smothered by their illuminations. Shock at the sight of Zarius suddenly transitions into an inexplicable terror. It washes over her like a crashing wave in the very same instance that the shadows start to quiver in the tiefling’s presence. They shrink farther away with each step he takes; and like them, so does Mei. She staggers in her rushed steps, heel catching against the cobblestone as she unconsciously starts to back away. She barely catches herself before she hits the ground. She’s fucked up. Every rational thought she could have at this moment leaves her; it’s all replaced with racing anxieties, growing doubts, and gnawing dread that chills her to her very core. She grits her teeth in a desperate bid to control herself, fangs visible between red lips as she stares back at the tiefling. Backlit by the azure flames, she can only watch as even his fists ignite with the same blue fire that roar around him. Fuck.
She's not the only one who's been keeping something to herself.
But what she’s done here, in this moment, is almost as good as a treachery in and of itself; she can stay here and try to explain herself, but are they going to listen? After she held Eirynor hostage and openly mocked them? Shit! In a better situation, would Zarius even believe that she wasn’t actively going against him? Anyone in their right mind would doubt whatever story she could put together, no matter how well-thought, because— — How could she not know?The thought sinks in her stomach; settling and growing from a seed of doubt into something heavier and so much more burdensome until it breaks her rapidly deteriorating sense of self. Mei’s head snaps up, red eyes growing wide as the shadows dissipate around her from the incoming flames. In the same moment that the cyan fire passes over Eirynor’s body, she falls apart. (1)The flames separate through the smoke and shadows she has become, causing them to burst outwards like particles of ash as it pierces through. The cloud collapses inwards on itself, becoming serpentine in its form and motion as it shoots quickly towards the edge of the darkness, where it will begin to reform. Mei’s heels clack against the stone as she drops from the shadows; she trips up on an ankle, collapsing briefly on one knee in her rush, but not for long. Smoke and shadows slough like ink from her pale features as she scrambles back to her feet and books it, fleeing from the very same people she has associated with a new start, towards the shadows which had so fervently retreated from Zarius and the light his flames have cast.
(1) Demon of the Mist
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Feb 1, 2023 0:13:32 GMT -5
Zarius wasn't expecting to stop the woman from escaping. She was out in the open and had countless options to escape them. His priority at the moment was to get her away from his allies, and it seemed to be working. As she scrambles away, he lets her disappear into the night. With any luck, this would be the last time their paths cross. For her sake, she better hope so.
The flames wreathed around him flicker and die, throwing the alleyway back into darkness. Zarius kneels down next to Eirynor and checks his vitals.
"Eirynor, are you alright?"
While there's no response from the half-elf, there’s a sigh of relief as it just seems that Eirynor is out cold, not dead. The tiefling takes note of the strange black residue on his skin. Whatever happened to him at least appears temporary and non-lethal. With time, he should recover.
His attention snaps to the rooftops when he hears the clatter of roof tiles as Snow starts to pursue the goblin and shadow woman.
"Snow! Stop!"
The catfolk stops in their tracks and glances back over their shoulder.
"Do not follow them. We got what we came here for."
As frustrated as Zarius is, he's not about to get his men killed trying to take down a few escapees. They captured plenty of members to interrogate and they reclaimed what goods they could. The job was done. This should satiate the merchants and put negotiations back on good terms.
"But-"
"I will not hear any arguments!" He snaps as he drags Eirynor up. "We need to get Eirynor somewhere safe and load up the cart before any reinforcements arrive. I doubt this was their final destination."
Snow slowly lets their bowstring go lax. They look back down the way the two fled, having both disappeared from sight. A growl of irritation escapes the catfolk's throat before they stow their arrow back in their quiver and make their way down to the ground. They quickly run over to help the tiefling with their unconscious ally.
After a few hours, they manage to clean out the shop of the stolen supplies. The shop is a bit of a mess from the fight and the fire, but the building is otherwise still standing. The same can't be said for the several captured guards, all of which are tied up and unconscious.
Snow loads the last of the stuff into the back of the cart they used to block the front door before they walk back to Zarius. "What do we do with them?"
"We get answers." He reaches down and grabs one of the guards by the back of the shirt and drags them unceremoniously over to the back of the cart before throwing them on the ground behind it. "Load them up too and we will make a stop at the estate. Eameia can get a head start on extracting whatever they know while we make sure these supplies get back to the clients."
The catfolk glances back to the alleyway before nodding. "Yes, sir..."
Zarius glances at the catfolk. "What is it?"
"That woman...she's dangerous. How do we know she won't seek revenge?"
"We do not. But we cannot worry about that right now. Priorities, Snow."
"Yes, sir."
A few hours later in the early morning at an undisclosed location in Darkveil, Zarius meets up with the merchants after having dropped Eirynor and the guards off at the estate for rest and interrogation respectively. He stands before the same the same dwarf as he did previously with the same group of goons standing nearby with their weapons at the ready.
"Well, good to see you can do something right." The dwarf slow claps in the most condescending way possible.
Zarius refrains from rolling his eyes or making any threatening moves towards the man for the disrespect he was showing. He keeps a friendly smile on his face, as strained as it is. "I am glad we can put this unfortunate series of events behind us and get back to business as usual."
"Ah, not quite."
Zarius' smile falters. "Excuse me?"
"These thieves have hardly learned their lesson. If you want this deal to go through, you're going to have to do more than just retrieve goods you were responsible for losing in the first place."
The tiefling blinks slowly. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. This man was seriously trying to extort him? Really? He can't help but scoff as the acrid taste of smoke burns the back of his throat. After all that mess, this man wanted more. It was quickly becoming apparent that this was not a negotiation between equals anymore. The dwarf held far too many of the cards.
If it were up to him, he would tell the stout man off and punch his face in for good measure. The situation wouldn't allow him such a choice though. His hands were tied and he was duty bound to see this deal through on his father's behalf. He takes a deep breath and regains his composure.
"What would you have me do?"
"I want the ringleader of this whole operation. I want to know who thought they could get away with stealing from us and I want them to suffer for their foolishness."
"That may take some time."
"Sounds like that's something you need to worry about. I got plenty of other people I could be dealing with while the clock's a ticking. Best you figure out things real quick before I take my business elsewhere."
The tiefling stares at the man for a moment before nodding slowly. "I best get to it then. These meetings are always a pleasure."
The dwarf smirks with a self-satisfied look on his face as Zarius excuses himself from the room. The tiefling heads out into the streets of Darkveil once more, irritation at the whole situation making his blood boil in his veins, but none-the-less determined to see this threw to the bitter end if he must.
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Post by Caedes Oleander on Feb 1, 2023 19:22:23 GMT -5
In the lingering darkness the woman vanishes; but there’s no plans to use the shadows to her advantage this time; there’s only a primal desperation to get away from this situation. Her rushed steps are silent, and she spares no moment to even look over her shoulder to check if they’re pursuing or not as she books it through the labyrinth of Darkveil’s back alleys.
It’s not until the overwhelming terror starts to subside that she slows; palms reaching out to stabilize herself on the nearest wall. She doesn’t need to breathe, but habit is a hard thing to break; she wheezes as if she needs to catch her breath as she draws to a stop. Her red eyes search the alleyway ahead of her; then she looks over her shoulder. There’s bits of debris; scraps of trash, stone, and wood awkwardly laid out in piles or scattered in haphazard patterns.
No one followed her?
That’s good. That’s fine. That’s preferable, even.
“.... Gods damn it.” Mei collapses into the wall as terror bleeds into anxiety, and anxiety bleeds into a gnawing paranoia. She crosses one arm over her chest, feeling the heaving of her abdomen; she pinches the bridge of her nose with her opposite hand.
Of all the families in Darkveil he could possibly oppose at this moment, it just had to be…
“Zarius, are you fucking serious?” She rolls her back against the wall, sliding down until her cloak catches against the brick on her way down. She stares across at the adjacent wall, legs pushed out as far as they’ll go while she racks her brain for any evidence that she had missed; she can’t recall ever hearing the names of the merchants that Lyari wanted robbed, but… it’s also true that Zarius hasn’t exactly told her everything about how he conducts his family’s business in Darkveil.
… She keeps track of what she does know in order to avoid stepping on anyone’s feet— which she has done so very blatantly tonight anyways. “...Okay…” Mei takes a deep breath, exhaling heavily through cupped hands as she slowly rises to her feet.
This is bad; this is bad for her, specifically.
She’s carried out assassinations for things lesser than what she’s done tonight; and if Zarius’ family is anything close to her own, she’s put a huge target on her back from the seeds of doubt that would stem from an admission of actively going against, and threatening, their members. She can be honest as she wants, but there’s always going to be a mark on her from tonight even if she’s forgiven.
This was the point of what her father believed in; a trust that couldn’t be shaken; and she’s already betrayed that.
The thought that she’s just isolated herself foolishly from her only alliance in all of Darkveil is…
Mei closes her eyes, recalling the fury in Zarius’ amber eyes as she rises to her feet and pushes off the wall. A heavy, gut wrenching feeling settles in her stomach at the thought of the tiefling’s reaction to this; one that she doesn’t take the time to analyze or consider in full. Her safest option might be to leave Darkveil again, but she is not a coward; she’s fucked up and she can… she can’t fix it, but she can certainly ensure the safety of the family.
…
Mei snaps her head up; her red eyes narrow sharply; and she turns on a heel, sprinting quickly down the way she had come with the reinforcements she had called for at the forefront of her mind.
“Reinforcements have already arrived?” Lyari looks over her shoulder, eyes narrowing at Mei; the young woman looks back, hands behind her back; the panting goblin she’d sent ahead of her has collapsed against the wall of Lyari’s headquarters and looks at her, exhausted. “You look relatively unharmed for having been outnumbered so harshly.”
“I know when to call off a fight,” Mei counters, brows furrowing. “I was holding them off alone; did you expect me to stand my ground against a group of armed mercenaries?” Her voice comes off as blunt, face trained to remain neutral despite Lyari’s prying eyes. “I’m not foolish.”
“So this wasn’t worth your protection?”
“I never said that.” Mei furrows her brows, watching Lyari pace her frustrations out across the floor.
“What happened to your teammates?”
“...Currently unaccounted for; the majority seem to have been incapacitated before the incident.”
She feels a mildly concerned glance from the goblin at her answer— Lyari’s brows furrow sharply; and she takes a deep breath, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. “...Your teammates are unaccounted for, the cargo has been isolated and likely repossessed, and the shop may as well be burned down by now. Is that right?”
She ignores the wretched feeling in her gut. “Right.”
Lyari looks at her for a moment longer, then waves her hand at the guards and the goblin remaining with her in her office. “Leave.” she requests; after a shared glance, the guards nudge the goblin to their feet and the trio leave. The door shuts behind them, leaving Lyari and Mei standing together; her crimson eyes meet Lyari’s unwaveringly until the footsteps have faded into the hall.
“...”
Lyari breaks eye-contact to stride around her desk, where she takes a seat in her chair. “So, Mei.” she states. “Can you guess what happens now?” Mei stifles a breath, looking beneath her feet— but no rug’s been laid out here, so she’s either in for a reckless hit— or Lyari is about to propose something different.
“I cannot.”
Lyari crosses one leg over the other and looks at her with half-lidded eyes. “Normally, I would kick you out on your ass at best; kill you, at worst. This is a pretty big blow.”
“And you’re doing neither so far, so, what is it you want to imply?”
Lyari sighs, opening her eyes in full as she looks at Mei's face. “I’ve got smugglers coming in tomorrow for cargo and I cannot let them come here and leave empty handed; so…” She opens her hands, “I don’t do this often, but I’ll give you one last chance.”
Mei furrows her brows, searching Lyari’s face for any kind of insincerity.
“I need you to make one last delivery, to ensure we have something waiting for them at the dropoff… and we’ll reconvene once you have. Alright?”
Mei frowns; she’s uneasy, but right now… does she have a choice, really? If she could still manage to come out of this with something halfway decent… then perhaps this won’t have all been for naught? She pushes the visage of azure flames from her mind.
“You’re far too generous, Lyari.”
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