CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Apr 23, 2023 13:07:30 GMT -5
There was good humor in Cyran’s eyes as Javal finally brought up the question of his age, though he was not offended in the slightest. “About three and a half centuries, give or take. When you get as old as me, you stop keeping track.” Not to mention there was really no reason for him to bother when he didn’t really celebrate the day of his own birth. He had to conceal a laugh at Javal’s innocence. “There were no dinosaurs, not really. Though I suppose I could tell you a bit about what life was like back then, if you’re truly curious.”
He wasn’t sure he had any stories that might constitute as interesting, though. His youth, contrary to what one might expect, was not filled with adventure and travel, but rather, books and business and the language of the trade, sequestered in a lonely mansion. It was not a particularly exiting life, he was sure.
He nodded at Raoul when the younger man announced that here was where they would part ways. Cyran and Javal, off on their mission - and Raoul, to gather more information for them on the other Lords of Chaos. Before he left, he tossed Cyran a coin. The assassin caught it deftly in his palm with no problem, flipping it around between nimble fingers before examining both sides. A dragon’s skull, and a tooth.
A favor, or a warning? Cyran wasn’t sure. He tucked it in his pocket all the same.
For a long moment, he debated sending Oriole after Raoul. The young apprentice was adept at covering his tracks. Not just to keep an eye on Raoul, but to help gather information on the Lords of Chaos… but no, everything he’d said before to Cyran had been the absolute truth. No deceit in his voice. If Cyran found out he was attempting to pull one over the assassin, it would not end well.
As a sign of goodwill, though, he would leave Raoul be.
He sighed, all of his age and weariness showing for a moment before he covered it up with a wane smile. “Now, are you ready to set out? We’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on Apr 24, 2023 22:49:01 GMT -5
“Woah”, Javal says with earnest curiosity, “You’re 300 years old, I think you're one of the oldest people I know. How does it feel to be that old, is like a year a day to you, how old am I in comparison, how much have you seen, how many fighting techniques do you know, what do you do with all your free time?”Javal blurts out earnestly, “Tell me everything you can Cyran”.
“Woah”, Javal said as he saw Raoul get tossed one of Raoul’s coins, “You’re lucky Cyran, Raoul usually never gives out those coins unless it's someone he trusts. It’s a symbol that you know him and are under his watch. I once got free root beer for a tavern here after a bartender saw me have it”.
Javal smiled widely as he got ready to set on their journey, “Yep, let’s head over to Stormgale, I have Nadia, Bootsamon, and Asleipmir only a little ways away from here scouting the area ahead".
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Apr 25, 2023 20:46:39 GMT -5
The sudden onslaught of earnest, excited questions through Cyran off guard. He cataloged them, trying to answer the stream as best he could.
“Time passes for me the same as it does everyone else, I suppose. I’ve not exactly lived a human lifespan, so it’s difficult for me to compare my experiences to yours.”
The next question was a little more difficult for him to answer. “Well, how old are you? I would guess… twenty, yes? Elves age like humans until they hit around that age, but we do not become full-fledged adults until we reach… one hundred, thereabout. So perhaps you’re around there?” He shrugged.
“I guess I’ve seen my fair share. Though that can partially be attributed to my lifestyle and not just my age.” He continued, grateful that these questions were easier. “Fighting techniques… I am a bladesman, so I know a fair few with my knives, I suppose? I usually rely on my speed and precision rather than utilizing any set maneuvers. And my free time… the same thing anyone does with their free time, just more of it. I like to birdwatch and stargaze. You know, boring things.”
He laughed sheepishly.
“I suppose I should ask what you like to do with your free time, and about your fighting techniques as well. It’s much more impressive to me to meet someone with so much talent at such a young age, you know.”
Cyran fell silent, considering Javal’s words. A symbol that he was under Raoul’s watch… a symbol of trust. He supposed he would have to grant Raoul with the mark of the Specter, as well. He doubted it carried the same weight as the coin weighing heavily in his pocket, but the Specter’s runes were a well-recognized symbol in the criminal world.
Speaking of…
Cyran ruffled Javal’s hair, huffing out a burst of fond laughter. It figured that Javal, when given the power of a detective’s influence, would be excited about receiving a free root beer. “Well, you know. There’s one thing us old folks like to do, and that’s give trinkets to younger people. Here.”
He held out his hand, where a small piece of cloth manifested in the shadows playing across his palms.[1] It was nothing special, like a coin - merely, a small, dark handkerchief, with runes emblazoned on the front. He doubted Javal would recognize them, but Raoul would.
Peace. Stability.
The mark of the Specter.
Odd runes for an assassin to claim, but that was what made them memorable.
Cyran handed Javal the handkerchief. “Here. If you ever find yourself in trouble with criminals, flash this at them. They’ll leave you alone.”
He would give one to Raoul, too, once they crossed paths again. One good turn deserved another. Protection for protection.
The small gift exchanged, they set off for Stormgale. Nadia, Bootsamon, and Asleipmir scouted ahead, while Javal and Cyran followed a couple of hours behind. And taking up the lead were Cyran’s own apprentices - Oriole and Andromeda, who kept an eye out behind them to ensure that the group was not followed.
Travel through the Cradle was tense, filled with inclement weather and raiders. But with Javal’s employees scouting ahead, Cyran’s keen vision, and Javal’s familiarity with the land, they kept a quick pace through the raging storms. It wouldn’t be long before they reached Stormgale - and the next calamity. 1. Summon: Possession
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on Apr 26, 2023 2:31:01 GMT -5
“I’m 21 years old, I turn 22 in a couple of months actually”, Javal says excited to hear more about Cyran’s wise stories, “You don’t turn into an adult until your 100, does that mean I’m like older than most elves that are age 100”, Javal pondered.
“I’d imagine being a cool mysterious elf makes you see a lot right, speaking of Cyran what do you do? Are you just a passing-by adventurer like me or do you have an actual job? You should teach me some of your blade work one of these days. It's really quick. I can try to implement your style into some of my techniques".
Javal shouts excitedly, “I love bird watching and stargazing. One time I went birdwatching with Raoul and it was so much fun. I watched those birds so hard my eyes almost fell off, Raoul was mostly watching them in peace. My team and I usually sleep among the stars at night due to not having a mobile home on land. It’s beautiful just seeing those stars above you, it’s calming almost".
Javal chuckles, “I don’t do much besides trying to make friends wherever I go, I like to practice my swordsmanship, dancing, and puzzles in any game really”!
Javal laughed as Cyran ruffled his hair. It had been a long time since anybody had done that. The last person to usually do it was…his old captain, he was saddened for a second as he thought this but decided not to ponder that thought for long.
Javal yelled out, “What no way what is this, are you sure I can keep this? It looks so cool, I love pieces of cloth!”
Throughout the rest of their journey, Javal kept asking Cyran a multitude of questions. At first, Javal thought the journey was gonna be more difficult but thanks to his team clearing out any threats ahead of them. Javal knew Dragon’s Cradle like the back of his hand so traversing the treacherous area was no sweat. Soon they were almost halfway to Stormgale before he heard yelling and metal clanging.
“Hey Cyran, let’s check that out. Maybe it’s the team that ran into some problem”, Javal says as he runs forward tracking the origin of the sound.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Apr 27, 2023 7:29:00 GMT -5
“Twenty-one?” Cyran no longer found himself surprised by the young age of the adventurers he encountered on the road. Two decades was an unimaginable age for him to be old enough to be on the road. And yet, he was beginning to understand that humans operated differently. “You’re about the same age as my goddaughter, then. She’s an elf, the same as me, so she’ll have some years to grow before she’s considered a full adult. Though maturity really depends on the culture -“ he paused. “But we don’t need to get into the semantics of elven aging.”
He blinked in surprise as Javal continued to ask about himself, face flushing a darker color at the compliment.
“Cool? Mysterious?” He repeated. Those weren’t usually words people used to describe her. “Ah… I’m a hunter, I suppose you could call me. And I run an orphanage in Darkveil. Hardly what one might call a proper adventurer, but I am experienced with a blade and know how to make use of it.”
Even more of a surprise was the request for training. Cyran supposed it shouldn’t have, given Javal was clearly a dedicated swordsman who valued his craft. “I suppose I could show you a thing or two, if you’re interested. Maybe we could even spar at one point, if you are amicable to the idea.”
There was a moment after Cyran ruffled Javal’s hair that the young man grew silent, drew in on himself, that made Cyran worry. Had he overstepped his bounds? But then Javal continued on, as happy as ever, as if that hadn’t happened. Cyran tucked his hands in the pocket of his trousers, careful not to make the same mistake and cause Javal discomfort again.
“It’s a handkerchief.” He laughed. “And I have one for Raoul, too, once we see him again. It’s not much, but I would be very happy if you kept it.”
They continued their trek, Javal sending rapid-fire questions at Cyran, and the elf trying to answer them to the best of his ability. The peace was interrupted by the sounds of battle ahead. Brigands? From here, Cyran had no way of knowing. Cyran’s soft, more easygoing nature disappeared once more as it hardened over with layers of ice - it was time for work. He turned to Javal, a stern look in his eye.
“I’ll scout ahead - I can get there faster. You follow my lead.”
Before Javal could answer, a pair of dark, spectral wings burst from Cyran’s back, and he took to the sky.[1] Closing his eyes and clicking his tongue, he could sense all of the creatures in the vicinity. Javal below him, Oriole and Andromeda behind, and… Javal’s party up ahead, blocked by something large. Something fast.
In the blink of his eye, Cyran summoned Spell Slicer and Cold Steel back to his hands and took off in the direction of the battle.[2]
It didn’t take him long to find the source of the chaos. Nadia and the others had been waylaid in the middle of some ruins outside Skypeak Village, the remains of what looked like a partially collapsed outpost, and in the middle of it, coiled along one of the stone pillars, was a Spire Viper.
And it was prying open its jaws, preparing to launch itself straight at Nadia.
“Udún!” Cyran hissed in elvish between clenched teeth, moving before he could think. Behind him, an invisible ghost manifested - an elven woman, not that anyone could properly see her.[3] There was nothing Cyran could do but throw himself at Nadia before the viper could strike, wrapping his arms around her to bodily shield her from the blow. Behind him, the ghostly woman held up a single hand, a coy smirk playing on her lips. The viper struck the ghost, her form flickering wildly for a moment, but holding steady - and the viper recoiled in shock.
Cyran pulled himself away from Nadia, worry evident in his only visible eye as he inspected her for injuries. “Are you okay? Did it get you anywhere?” 1. Bat Wings (post 1/3) 2. Summon: Possession 3. Spirit Guardian (hit prevention 1/2)
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on Apr 27, 2023 10:37:22 GMT -5
As soon as Cyran gave the word about what he was going to do he started sprinting behind him at full speed. Eventually Javal stopped and touched the bottom of his sandals freezing it he immediately started sprinting like before but this time Javal was practically zooming by. He stops almost tripping and falling but manages to make it right behind Cyran. He’s amazed at Cyran’s ability; he successfully saved Nadia from a deadly attack.
Nadia immediately gives Cyran a short bow, “I’m alright just small cuts and bruises I’ll live. Thank you Sir Cyran for saving my life, I can’t thank you enough”.
“Thanks for saving Cyran. Hey Nadia, are you alright?”, Javal shouts
“Yes, Boss I’m alright but we have bigger problems the Spire Viper is rampaging around. We were surveying the area, and everything was fine enough until suddenly we were ambushed by it”.
“Oh my goodness Bootsamon”, Nadia yells as Bootsamon gets grabbed by the Viper and suddenly gets his right hay-made arm ripped off.
“Shucks, my arm has been ripped off. This is gonna take like a whole week to remake and so much hay to buy”, Bootsamon says exasperated
Nadia and Javal run over to help Bootsamon up; he beckons his black horse from distracting the viper towards them, “Asleipmir please grab Boots Amon and try to get away from here. We can handle this”.
Asleipmir grabs Bootsamon by the hay neck with his teeth and gallops away, the viper tries attacking the fleeing duo until Nadia and Javal begin attacking it making the viper shift its attention to its remaining prey.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Apr 30, 2023 9:52:34 GMT -5
The spire viper was fast - it would almost be too fast to track if Cyran’s keen eyes weren’t capable of tracking its movements as it jumped from pillar to pillar. But even if he could track its movements, it still wasn’t enough to stop the beast from darting out and gripping Bootsamon’s arm with its maw, ripping it clean off with savage force.
Cyran did his best to cover Bootsamon’s escape on Asleipmir while the other two went on the offensive - only when the nightmare steed was just out of sight did Cyran take to the skies once more, flying until he could see the entire battlefield below him - Javal and Nadia on the ground, and the viper darting viciously back and forth, avoiding their blows.
They needed to slow it down, somehow.
Cyran’s eyes narrowed, suddenly as cold and calculating as he’d been in Javal’s office speaking to Raoul. A few seconds watching the beast’s movements, and…
There!
Cyran clicked his heels together, triggering the mechanism in his boots that unleashed the hidden knives.[1] and all at once, the shadowy wings that simmered behind Cyran disappeared, and the assassin sunk like a stone -
Landing straight on the viper, blades embedding in its back.[2] The creature let out a screech, writhing and bucking in an attempt to rid itself of its unwanted passenger. But the assassin was sure-footed, and graceful even as he was yanked about. With one free hand, Cyran grabbed onto the viper’s scales, focusing on pulling all its energy towards him.[3] He could feel its life force thrumming underneath him, and with all the force he could muster, he yanked at it, drawing it into his own body. The viper hissed and squirmed, but with its energy drained, it began to… slow.
Just enough for Javal and Nadia’s attacks to make their mark.
“Now!” Cyran shouted, still holding the viper in a death grip. He only hoped this would be enough. 1. Ice Skates 2. Cat’s Grace 3. Vampiric Touch
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on Apr 30, 2023 19:44:08 GMT -5
Javal and Nadia were trying their best to hit the spire viper but no matter how fast they were they just couldn't catch the swift serpent. Every blow they nearly hit was swiftly dodged and then followed up by a quick tail swipe. Javal was barely able to keep up with all the quick movements, any wrong move and the serpent’s tail would catch him and he’d surely be smashed into something nearby. He was relieved that Asleipmir and Bootsamon managed to escape with Cyran covering them. He’d have to thank him for it later but for now they had bigger snakes to kill. Suddenly as Nadia and Javal were trying to catch the snake Cyran crashes into the snake with bladed feet enough to stagger it significantly. Its movements all but slowed and just as Cyran yells for action Nadia and Javal come running as Cyran holds it still.
Javal yells, “Javal Style: Lotus Breaker”, and swings his sword upwards then comes down for a downward slash against the serpent’s head
Nadia simply charges forward and slams her bow into the beast's neck.
It seems like they finished the beast off as it screams slowly fade and body goes limp.
Javal cheerily yells,”Woah, we did it guys”.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on May 3, 2023 21:42:08 GMT -5
Cyran’s opening gave Javal just enough time to use one of his moves, sword slicing upwards the air before he brought it downwards with deadly strength, cutting through scale and bone until the serpent’s skull was sliced into ribbons. Nadia immediately jumped in to help, whacking the viper with her bow. At the same time, Cyran raised his hand, shadows gathering along his fingertips until they morphed into ebony claws of pure shadow. His expression dripped with vitriol as he raked his hand down the viper’s back, leaving deep, blackened gashes that seemed to fester with a shadowy rot.[1]
Their combined attacks seemed to do the trick. The beast writhed, but it could not muster the energy to escape. Underneath Cyran, it went limp, collapsing to the dirty ground. Cyran jumped off of it, rolling to a stop before pulling himself to his feet.
“Is everyone okay?” He called, examining Javal and Nadia for injuries. Only when he received confirmation that both were unharmed did he relax, shoulders slumping as his energy left him. “Good. That could have gone much worse than it did.” If he hadn’t been quick enough to react, it was entirely likely that Nadia would have been seriously injured… but there was no point focusing on the would haves. He turned to pat Javal on the shoulder where the young man was still celebrating his victory over the spire viper.
The relieved elation that often accompanied a victory in battle didn’t last long, though, given the reminder of the insurmountable task they had ahead of them. They had still yet to reach Skypeak village, where the calamity of lightning awaited them. He turned his attention back to the road, the storm still raging around them.
“We shouldn’t dally. We’re still only halfway to Skypeak village, and I’d rather not run into any more dangers on the road.” 1. Death Swipe
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on May 13, 2023 23:19:52 GMT -5
“I’m alright, No scratches or wounds on me”, Javal says proudly.
“I’m okay, I’m a bit shaken up and have a couple of scratches and cuts but nothing severe enough that could slow us down”, Nadia says quietly.
She then bows her head towards Cyran, “Thank you Sir Cyran for saving my life from extreme danger. I swear that it won’t happen again”.
Javal, seeing Nadia thanking Cyran, also bows his head towards Cyran, “Thank you Cyran for saving Nadia. I will pay you back for this my friend”.
Aslepimir then galloped by stopping next to the group with the straw man Bootsamon in his mouth.
“Oi, How’s everyone”, Bootsamon asks
“We’re alright but how about you Bootsamon do you think you could push on or do you want to go back”, Javal asks
Bootsamon just chuckles in response, “I’m alright to go on. A little missing arm doesn’t hurt anybody after all, especially when I can easily make a new one. Just another perk of being made out of straw”, he says laughing loudly.
As Javal Bootsamon and Asleipmir started celebrating their victory by cheering and dancing, Nadia left to take a look at the spire viper’s deceased body, something about it unnerved her.
As she started looking around the snake's body she noticed some weird things that piqued her interest and she then yelled, “Hey Guys come over here. It appears that the serpentine enemy we faced has some odd features on its body. It has a lighting symbol on its stomach that is starting to fade away and it has an eye on its tail that’s still blinking”.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on May 21, 2023 21:08:48 GMT -5
Cyran perked up when he noticed Nadia investigating something near the spire viper. He started making his way to her side when she called out to the others, beckoning them over - sure enough, just as she described, was that symbol. A jagged, twisted maze of unfurling branches that seemed to pulsate, a bolt of lightning mid-strike. It seemed to throb and pulsate, almost like a web of interconnected veins, though with the snake’s death, it was quickly beginning to fade. And on its tail -
Shit!
Cyran immediately raised his hand outwards, a burst of shadow gathering at the tip of his pointer finger. The miasma of dark energy made the very light seem bleaker and dimmer around them, until he fired off a bolt of energy straight into the eye.[1] It burst with a loud POP, turning blackened with infected shadow as chunks of eye and tail flew everywhere before dissolving. Cyran huffed, forcing himself to calm.
Spire Vipers didn’t have those kinds of appendages. Someone must have placed those there - this beast wasn’t just a guard dog.
It was the alarm system.
But for who? Given who they were after… Cyran couldn’t bring himself to believe that it was a coincidence. They’d already tipped their hand before they’d even made it to Skypeak.
He grimaced, turning to the others. They’d lost the element of surprise, but they still had a chance to tip this in their favor. The lord of chaos knew they were on their way, but he didn’t necessarily know their true mission. They just had to lay low, play their cards right.
“Come on. We need to get to the city as fast as we can. Our cover's been blown." 1. Chaos Bolt
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on May 29, 2023 2:43:21 GMT -5
“Woah, what was that? What just happened?”, Javal asked curiously, “I’ve never seen a spire viper with a lightning mark or a third eye before whoever made this beast must be some sort of evil genius”.
“I believe that we’ve been watching this the entire time. Any aspect of surprise that we had before has been diminished. The enemy now knows that we’re coming, what should we do now that we’ve lost the element of surprise”, Nadia remarks.
“Who was watching us anyways”, Javal asks, “Also good catch Nadia and Cyran I didn’t even notice the weird features on the spire viper before”.
Nadia responds to her liege, “Most likely suspect is the lord of chaos that resides in Skypeak it seems whoever they are there very careful to control their land”.
“Cyran’s right, let's get there as fast as we can”, Javal says, now running while Nadia Bootsamon and Asleipmir are quickly in tow behind him.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Jun 1, 2023 7:29:34 GMT -5
“Probably the same evil genius we’re here for…” Cyran murmured to himself, lost in thought as Nadia described the conclusion he’d already come to - their cover had been compromised. Cyran ushered them forward, the group making their way towards Skypeak.
Cyran couldn’t claim he’d ever truly visited this city in the past - his trips to the Cradle had often necessitated he avoid them, or work brought him away from them altogether. So it was an entirely different experience when the group was stopped at the gate by a handful of guards demanding, “State your name and business.”
Cyran suppressed a grimace. He couldn’t imagine that the security here was lax on regular days, but with all of this added guard presence around, he couldn’t imagine that it was coincidence. He sent a look towards Javal, shaking his head ever so slightly, as if to say, I’ve got this.
He stepped forward, pulling out a bundle in his pocket bound by corded leather. Cyran would have preferred not to use this, not in front of Javal and not right off the bat. It wasn’t smart to flash these papers around without a care in the world, or bring attention to them. But they needed entrance to Skypeak.
Without hesitation, his voice cold and authoritative in a way Javal wasn’t used to, Cyran spoke. “Mrithun Bhishak. I’m leading this group of tourists into the city and I’ll be on my way.”
The guards narrowed their eyes. One of them stepped forward, inspecting the identification Cyran had offered as if checking for any signs of forgery. But he would find none. These documents were detailed enough to be the real deal, as close to a legitimate identity that a fake could be. It was a risk, especially since it meant exposing these men to the forgery, no matter how small that exposure may be. The guards glowered, though there was no denying them entry.
“Don’t linger around and and sightsee, if you catch my drift.” He warned.
Cyran didn’t bother responding. He merely gestured for Javal and the others to follow, heading off in search of an inn. “Come on.” He whispered. “We’re fine for now, but I don’t know how long they’ll let us stay. We need to hurry up and get to work.” Their next objective - find the calamity of lightning, and Cyran would be the one to fell the storm.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
21
Renown
Human / Fellblood Hybrid
Wicked Fiends Beware
1,248 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Javal Zarrias on Jun 7, 2023 1:42:50 GMT -5
Javal was excited to approach the city while Nadia was slightly worried trying to keep calm, asleipmir simply neighed in boredom while Bootsamon was grumbling about his torn-off arm.
Javal was about to answer the guards' questions before looking over to Cyran and seeing a glance on his face that told Javal just to be quiet and let him handle it. Javal would let Cyran do his thing as he’d probably mess up their entrance and make unnecessary problems.
Nadia then speaks up and speaks in a snobby tone in elvish, “We are simple travelers here to sightsee, we’re traveling across the land trying to explore all of life’s wonders”.
Javal followed behind the group making sure they were safe from any sneak attacks from the back. He was cautious this time; the whole city seemed like a total 180 from the last time he’d been here. The environment itself seemed odd and skittish as the group made their way to the nearest inn. The inn they’d found was called the Serpent’s Boot, it was a fairly well-kept inn. The group then approaches the desk person to ask for a room to begin to make a plan and execute it.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS ONLINE
27
Renown
Ash Lands
Despite everything, it's still you
1,326 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Jun 9, 2023 11:03:52 GMT -5
Nadia helped Cyran seal the deal, though Cyran was under no illusion that they weren’t being watched all the way to the nearest inn they found - the Serpent’s Boot. The owner didn’t give them a second look as the group rented a room for the evening, not bothering to request food or drink yet. Just to be certain, Cyran brushed his hand against the tavern owner’s as they left, obfuscating any memory of himself in the shadow.[1] At the very least, it would cover their tracks for a little bit.
Rationally, he knew it was just damage control at this point - the Lord of Chaos knew they were already here.
Back in their room, Cyran instructed Javal and Nadia to perform a cautionary sweep to ensure they were alone while he made sure the doors and windows were locked. Only when they were certain that everyone was alone did Cyran gesture for the others to get close. The group gathered on the ground, Cyran pointedly allowing Javal to take the comfort of the bed. “Alright. Here’s what we know so far…”
What they knew so far turned out to be frustratingly little. They knew that the lord was posing as a religious leader, but short of visiting every temple in the village and waiting for someone strange to show up, they didn’t really have much more information. And Cyran wasn’t too keen on the idea of causing a commotion to lure the demon out from his hiding place. Their prospects were looking grim, and the clock was ticking.
Cyran sighed, trying not to let Javal see his weariness. In his line of work he was much more accustomed to having a complete picture of what to expect when going after a target. But in a city of people where the demon could be disguised as anyone, that task became significantly harder.
“Okay.” He announced after a couple of hours of going back and forth with ideas. “Okay. This is getting nowhere. We should… try to get some rest and reassess tomorrow. Perhaps we could split up and check out some points of interest.”
He stood, brushing dust off of his jacket when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. To someone whose eyes were less adjusted to the shadow, the figure outside the window would have been imperceptible. But the assassin’s gaze was keen, able to spot shifting figures that didn’t want to be seen.[2] It was only that sharpness that allowed him to spot the figures seconds before the air began to crackle with ozone, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge.
“Get down!” Cyran shouted, moving to push Javal out of the way just as the window exploded in a burst of lightning. 1. Fade from Memory 2. Shadow Sight (Shadow Dancer I)
|
|