OOC: Yes, it is turning out we will have multiple lines, though they may sequentially turn into each other.
Anyway, time to introduce Bean and his character.
IC:
Sefeya stepped into the inn on the south side of one of the poorer sections of Dracol, supposedly they would find their target here.
Her black and silver cloak rustled slightly as warm air flowed out of the common room, the silver hemmed hood hiding her long blond hair and jade green eyes.
Her two guards stood outside, waiting for a signal from their mistress in cas she was in danger.
Many heads turned to regard her, most of them turning unfriendly at the sight of a Dragon clan royal. The inn keeper bowed deeply to her, quickly heading back behind the counter when waved away.
She glanced around the common room, eyes never quite settling on someone until she found who she was looking for.
He was dressed in plain clothes, black being the predominant color. But he was unmistakabley their target, Sefeya Dracomia never forgot an employee.
She silently strode over to his table, a black gloved hand resting on her tachi.
Silently sitting across from him, she pulled her hood up to reveal her face to only him, "It's been a few weeks, Wraith."
Wraith looked up from the meal in front of him. Dark blonde hair fell over his forehead, threatening to obscure his gaze.
"Hello, Sefaya-dono." His hard emerald gaze met her jade colored eyes curiously. "Is there another job for me? Or was there a problem with the last bounty?"
Sefeya smiled, "We have a long-term job for you." Her voice was hushed, pitched for him to hear only, "And it involves a member of the royal family."
Wraith raised an eyebrow, and continued to eat. He swallowed a mouthful of the stew in front of him thoughtfully.
"I thought your own security forces handled that kind of thing." He commented after a moment. "What happened, did one of the royals upset the wrong person?"
Sefeya's eyes glinted slightly, "We need to move a royal that isn't recognizable as one to Stathon without being detected, our guards would tip off the people targeting her to her identity. As would her own abilities to defend herself. So we're hiring neutrals to guard her. Part of the group is already put together and will arrive in two days. We just need a final member to be her full personal bodyguard. This could extend beyond the timeframe of the trip to Stathon as well..."
Wraith winced slightly, his first overt show of emotion.
"I like working for you, Sefeya-dono. You get me the information I need, and pay me well...But...A bodyguard? I don't know if you'd noticed, but my...'talents' lend themselves more toward taking lives than defending them."
He rubbed at his chin, frowning. "Who are you looking to guard them from, anyway?"
Sefeya smiled, "We know where your skills are focused, and that's why we'd like you. She needs someone to cover her back in a fight since she can't use her full abilities."
"We don't know exactly who's targeting her, but we do know they're fairly powerful. Most guesses lean towards a rogue from the Jade Magi Guild and several companions."
Wraith nodded. "What kind of material backup can I...er, we expect? Hm...You know, I'm not all that good at fitting into groups,"
He blinked. "And, you must have a dozen contacts more suited to bodyguard work than me...so why'd you come to me?"
Sefeya nodded, "There are six other bodyguards. You're only expected to work with the girl and get along with the other guards. Your job would be to work with her if she engages in combat."
She shook her head, "But those would still indicate someone of great imortance being guarded. Since you are relatively unknown and yet still skilled, we would like you to take the job."
Wraith nodded. "Tell you what. You helped me out with the last bounty, so I'll give it a try." He conceded
"Take me to this group, and we'll see if I'm a good fit for this job," he said, taking another few bites. "If it doesn't work out, no hard feelings and all?"
Sefeya nodded, "Very well, the group will be arriving at the citadel morning after tomorrow, the guards will be expecting you."
She stood, "Though our primary concern is how well you'd work with the girl, not her other guards."
She pulled out a carefully wrapped cloth bundle around the size of Wraith's fist, "Just to secure your arrival, Wraith." She set it down on the table in front of his stew, completely silent.
Wraith picked up the cloth bundle, startled, but not visibly so. He hefted it in his hands for a moment, gauging the weight.
"This...is a bit more than I expected. You weren't kidding about it being an important job..."
Sefeya smiled, "Nope, just make sure you show up, because that's not much compared to the final pay. And I'm sure Captain Asrana will be able to persuade you to join." She smiled reassuringly before standing up and leaving, completely silent as she walked in betweeen tables and out the door.
OOC: Yes, I'm at school and hating every minute of being on a comp that is blocked from e-mail and won't support AIM Express. I want my reading material (aka, AIM logs)! ><;;
Wraith finished up his meal, contemplating the money. It was a lot more than he'd ever been paid, for any bounty he'd ever brought in.
Hmm...This alone could last me months. and it's not the full amount? Guess I WILL give this a shot. Money like this is nothing to sneeze at...
Two rather burly fellows stood once Wraith had finished his meal, making sure to look around for Sefeya before heading to his table and taking seats.
"So, yer workin' fer the Dragomir's, little guy?" The one to Wraith's right chuckled darkly once he had spoken.
Wraith looked up at the two large men who sat down in front of him. As he stared, his expression went eerily blank. He responded with one word.
"Yes."
Both men smirked, rough faces topped with tangled hair, staring at Wraith.
The one to his left began chuckling with his friend, "I don't think ya understan', that's not a good thin' around here. Us independent types get cut out of the good soldierin' contracts by the Dragomirs and Jade...and yur one of 'em."
The inn keeper retreated into the kitchen, a look of fear in his eyes as patrons slowly shifted away from Wraith and the burly fellows.
The man on Wraith's right nodded, drawing a heavy dagger. "But if ye'll just hand over that package ya got from that Dragomir bitch, we'll let you go. Fer now."
Underneath the table, Wraith's leg snaked around the leg of his chair, hooking it over his foot. His left hand, also hidden below the table dropped straight down, and the throwing knife hidden in a sheath on his sleeve dropped into his hand.
As he did this, not a single bit of expression crossed his face, though his eyes began to glint slightly.
"No."
OOC: And don't forget your kodachi somewhere on you... ^_^
note: I'll be on Soulriders 'till 7:35 or so your time, Bean
IC: The burly fellow's eyes narrowed, a low growl escaping his throat, "I don't think you understand us...give it to us...or die..."
His face remained blank for the threat. He looked at the speaker, carefully keeping track of the other with his peripheral vision. His hand flexed briefly around the knife, then relaxed into a throwing grip. The leg that was coiled around the leg of the chair tightened briefly as well.
"No."
Both men growled, one to Wraith's left standing and drawing a short blade, the other lashing out with the dagger in a screaming arc for Wraith's face.
Wraith's knife hand flashed up in a short arc, sending the throwing knife flying straight for the throat of the man wielding the dagger.
Almost at the same time, Wraith pushed himself back, the front legs of the chair rising into the air as he jerked his head out of the dagger's path. Just as he was nearly about to fall over backward, he shifted his free leg, and his weight, sharply to the right, overbalancing the chair.
His free leg caught his fall, and as the chair continued to fall, he made a kicking motion with his left leg, still coiled around the chair leg.
The kick snapped the chair loose, sending it flying into the man wielding the short blade. While his attackers were occupied, he quickly drew the kodachi he kept secured to his belt and move to an attack stance...
OOC: Hmm...something we never covered: First Kenhin/Aoshi battle style kodachi or like the one he added to his armament later?
IC:
The dagger armed ruffian tensed as the throwing knife ripped through his throat and windpipe. Blood gushing from his neck, the ruffian collapsed on the table, his dagger skittering across the table and thumping against the wooden floorboards.
The remaining opponent barely managed to catch the chair with a slash of his blade, and was now trying to pull the blade from the wood.
OOC: Like the first one, almost a katana, just short.
IC:
Wraith closed the distance between the two as the other man struggled to free his sword from the chair.
He grasped the chair leg and pulled it to the side quickly, and lashed out with the kodachi in his other hand in a brief slashing motion at his opponent's neck...
Wraith's opponent had freed his blade and was beginning to raise it as Wraith's slash bit through his neck, almost severing it.
By now the common room had been deserted, leaving Wraith alone with the two bloody bodies.
Wraith flicked his wrist, letting the blood slide off the kodachi in a neat spray before resheathing the sword.
He walked over to the other man, and pulled the knife from his neck, and began wiping the blood off on the dead thug's clothing. After it was clean, the knife disappeared back up his sleeve.
He turned and considered the bodies for a moment, some life returning to his eyes. He sighed and picked up the money bundle that the dead men had spent their lives attempting to obtain.
Removing a few pieces of gold and setting them where the caretaker of the inn could find them easily, but others wouldn't think to look, Wraith left the inn and walked out into the night, frowning marginally at the need to find alternate lodgings for the rest of the evening...
The streets of Dracol were dark, deep shdows cast by the few torches and lamps mounted on the fronts of inns and taverns.
Noone appeared to be out, the only sounds the whispers of flame and occasonal murmurs from common rooms along the street.
Wraith wandered the streets for a time, observing the inns and watching for the quietest, most unobtrusive one.
Best to avoid public places for a bit after the bodies were found...
Wraith found a likely choice down a dark sidestreet, fewer torches and lanterns creating dark stretches of shadowed road.
The inn was visible by a single lantern, and in surprisingly good repair for the area. Worn wood walls and a signle metal bound door were what could be seen of the two story structure, any windows obscured in shadow. It's lantern hung from the same chains as the sign, a reddish board of wood with 'The Ceral Inn' painted on it in black letters.
Wraith nodded to himself, satisfied that he would be relatively undisturbed here.
Unfortunately, places like this tended to cater to others who didn't want to be found. He resolved to watch himself around the other patrons, (If there were any).
Warily, he pushed open the door to the inn and stepped inside, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his kodachi...
The common room of the inn was gloomy, though it lacked the normal stuffiness and smell of greasey smoke that pervaded other inn and tavern common rooms.
Behind a bar to Wraith's right stood a lean and dark man, several scars criss-crossing his face. He wore totally black tunic and trousers, the tunic's sleeves cut in mid-upper arm.
His hands were gloved in black leather, each casually holding the opposite elbow.
The rest of the room was filled with sparsely occupated tables and chairs, each person keeping to themselves and shifting closer to the large blazing fire on the other side from Wraith.
Wraith approached the bar slowly, after taking a measured glance around the room to assure himself of his surroundings, idly wondering briefly at the difference in atmosphere, and making sure he hadn't stepped into a worse situation than the one he'd just left.
As he approached the bar, he decided to keep communication direct, and short.
"I'm looking for a room for the night," he told the barman quietly, though he phrased the statement as a question.
The barman nodded, "Five pieces of gold, breakfast comes with the room." His voice was worn with years that did not show, but still gruff like many younger men in his position.
As he removed a key from beneath the counter, Wraith got a look at his eyes. They were golden and weary looking, though not completely unfriendly.
Wraith nodded, removing a small amount of gold, without bringing the package out into the open. The barman looked as though he was a decent as people got in this end of the city, so he wouldn't insult by asking anymore questions.
He laid the gold on the counter, relieved to note it was five pieces. Demonstrating he had more would be begging to get robbed.
He looked up at the barman, wondering briefly about his eye color.He decided it wasn't urgent, and simply waited for the key to be placed on the bar, and directions to his room...
Dropping the key in front of Wraith, the barman gestured to a staircase on the far end of the room, straight ahead of Wraith.
"Up the stairs, on your left at the end of the hall." He nodded to Wraith sightly, eyes flickering betweenthe rest of the front room and the newcomer.
Wraith thanked the man and followed his direction, heading to the room he was offered.
He entered the room, and locked the door behind him. He glanced around momentarily...and decided to be cautious. Instead of collapsing on the bed, he pulled the sword from his belt and crossed over to beneath the window.
Settling down into the nearest corner, Wraith lay the kodachi on the floor, and braced his back up against the shadowy corner. Then, prepared for unpleasant surprises, he slumped slightly, drifting off into a light slumber...
The night passed uneventfully as nights often did.
Golden light lanced through the window as the next morning came, lighting the room only barely.
All was quiet.
Wraith awoke.
As was his habit, sleep dissolved instantly, replaced by alertness. He looked around briefly, frowning. He had a day to occupy himself before he had to be at the citadel.
He thought for a long moment, reviewing the previous night's 'interview'.
If he was going to fight, He'd best use the downpayment he'd been given to aquire appropriate tools.
That decided, he left his room and headed to the common room for breakfast...
In a different part of a town, a different tavern stood. Relatively clean, it still harboured the usual crop of 'undesirable' individuals, which the locals studiously avoided. A single, slightly broken sign hung out over the door, with "The Li--s Cr-st" written on it in what might have once been bold, colourful writing.
Inside the tavern, the lights were low. Only a few individuals were about during the early morning. A few broken tables and chairs attested to a barfight earlier that night, and one man was huddled against the wall, trying to remove a dagger from his shoulder.
The few individuals that were at the bar were completely unharmed, though, and didn't looked interested in the situation. One of them was clearly not a local...
Dressed in a pair of torn, black, baggy pants which were frayed at the edges, and with her forest-green vest in no better condition, she looked decidedly worse for the wear. Her slim body and pale complexion made her look anorexic, and out of place, considering her slanted eyes and pointed ears, marking her as an elf.
In contrast a massive, perfectly crafted longbow lay on the chair next to her. The bow itself seemed to be made of metal, and had runes inscribed all over it. Even the string seemed metallic..
A short, crudely made scimitar was tied to her waist, and a crossbow hung of a hip holster. A bandoleer of knives would be visible across her chest, if she was sitting upright.
Braided black hair hung behind her like a rope, frayed at the edges.
She raised her hand to the barkeep, who approached with another glass of liquor. Taking it, she began sipping it.
The barkeep was saying something about how she should stop drinking, but she didn't hear him. She was too busy trying to silently cry to listen.
But she had no tears left...
Sefeya glanced around the tavern from her shadowed corner, the glint of her armor, weapons, and insignia halted by her spell. She wouldn't be revealed until she wanted to.
There, the one with the bow. She was alone again, and probably for a while longer too. It may not have been the best of times to approach the woman, but it would have to do.
Seemingly to flow out of the deep shadows, Sefeya dismissed her magic, tachi held vertical along her left arm, the hilt hidden beneath her cloak, still ready to draw. A Demonia carrying position.
Her soft boots made almost no sound as she glided across the tavern floor, silver trimmed black cloak staying around her, the deep cowl shadowing her face. Only the silver along her cloak hem and the ring on right ring finger glinting in the dim light.
Reaching out once she had reached the table, she drummed her black gloved fingers on the table once. "May we talk?"
A voice... swirling in from the haze around her.
Serilliyus, for that was her name, pulled away from the table, and looked up at the speaker. Her vision was spinning, it seemed...
Chiding herself for letting herself go, Serilliyus looked straight into Sefeya's eyes. They seemd hazy.. predatory.. or mabye it was just the fact that she was drunk..
"What do you want?" she replied in a low, hard tone.
The common room was barely habitated when Wraith entered, only the inn keeper and three tenants there.
Each tenant wore dark clothes like Wraith, keeping to their own parts of the common room, silently eating.
The black clothed and goldne eyed inn keeper stood where he had the night before, seeming to have barely moved.
Wraith went up to the bar and eyed the man behind it briefly.
"Excuse me." he said quietly, to get the man's attention.
Sefeya smiled grimly, "I, would like to request your services. Any reasonable reimbursement we can provide is available for your services."
Serilliyus nodded, slowly comprehending... after all, if this woman had been in the bar a few hours ago..
But for money? Well... right now, Serilliyus had none of that...
And while the barkeep had offered her free drinks for dealing with those thugs a while back, she doubted that would sustain her forever.
"...who do you want dead?"
Sefeya laughed, a dark but soft chuckle that chilled most everyone that heard it.
"I don't want anyone dead, I'd like you to be a part of an escort tomorrow for a member of the royal family to Stathon."
The black clothed inn keeper turned to Wraith, golden eyes glinting, "Yes?"
"E.. escort?" murmured Serilliyus. "Royal family?"
Serilliyus, of course, had no idea what Sefaya was talking about. Having only recently arrived in this world, the politics of the place were beyond her...
But her mind began putting things together. A royal family. Royal families were targets for undesirable people. Unless they were tyrants..
An royal escort was, to the best of Seri's knowledge, merely a formality. There were very few assassins with the means to take on a standard royal guard.
So why did this particular group need a special escort? Subterfuge? Did they know they were going to be attacked, and preferred to use dispensable mercenaries instead of highly trained and expensive soldiers?
"...why do you need protection?"
Wraith returned the Barman's gaze calmly. "I'm looking for some...'hard to find' items." He said, stressing the partial truth. "Is there somplace I could ask about them...or where to locate them?"
Sefeya's lips twitched, a genuine smile pulling at them, at least she was intelligent.
"Because we don't want anyone knowing this member of the royal family is being moved, and so she won't be able to use her full abilities to defend herself nor can we send her bodyguards with her. So we need an independent group to defend her."
Sefeya seemed to shrug under her cloak, "And I'd hopefully finish up the group with you."
The barman snickered, grinning slightly, "Depends on what kind of 'hard to find items' you're looking for..."
"I see..."
Well, the one thing Serilliyus needed was a means of survival. If she was escorting a royal guard, she should make a comfortable profit..
And the people she had seen so far seemed relatively content, so the ruling class couldn't have done too bad a job...
...and she was drunk, which was an ever present reminder of how fit she was to make decisions.
Still, her tattered state demanded that she needed money. Now. And this could be the only chance for a while...
"I'll take it... how much are you paying me?"
Sefeya grinned, removing a fist sized cloth bundle, identical to the one she had provided Wraith.
"This is the preliminary payment. The full payment is recieved in Stathon and is either a set amount of gold or a specific equipment request. Requests will be handled by the royal you are guarding."
Sefeya internally sighed in relief, her princess would be safer now.
"Tomorrow morning, the guards at the palace willl let you through the gates. You'll meet your charge and the other bodyguards there. After that you all have one week to train, get to know each other, and enjoy yourselves before setting out. Quarters in the palace will be provided."
Wraith relaxed slightly. At least the man wasn't paranoid...maybe he wouldn't have to be ridiculously circumspect in his questions.
"Narcotics." he said simply. "Preferably hallucinogenics."
"I see..." replied Serilliyus. "One thing I must make absoulutely clear.
If, for whatever reason, I choose not to continue with this job after meeting my... associates, I will repay you as best I can, but I will refuse to continue. I cannot abide working with fools in any operation."
She drummed her fingers on the tabletop, thinking for a moment.
"And... where can I find the equipment I need? An apothecry or chemist, an equipment shop, a magic shop, and.."
A slightly embarrased look came to her face.
"A tailor."
OOC: May, Serilliyus wants to sleep of her alchohol (go the 4 hour Elven trance!) and go on a shopping spree. I *need* to talk to you, so can you make sure you're around when I am when next you wake? Thanks.
Chuckling he barman held out his hand to Wraith, "Ten golds, and I'll tell you where. But the Jade Dragons will know about it."
Wraith pondered. After a long moment, he withdrew the requested amount, and dropped it in the barman's hand.
"Possibly." He agreed. "I don't mind."
Smirking, he pocketed the gold, the grim expression returning. "Well...since I'm gonna assume you're working for or have worked for the Jade Dragons, I'd say Jaleen's place. It's over on the north avenue off the market square. Just say who you're working for or tell her Danel sent ya and she'll open the back."
Shaking his head, the barkeep began polishing a mug, keeping his eyes on his work.
Wraith nodded, and decided he wasn't really hungry.
Best to get started right away, anyway. He walked to the door and opened it, stepping out into the morning...
The side street on which the inn sat was nearly as quiet as it had been the night before. Only the distant hum of the market disturbed the silence of the street.
Sunlight flickered over Wraith's face, shining through brief openings in the clouds as the autumn winds rustled leaves in nearby yards.
Wraith smiled faintly at the silence on the street. He liked the silence here. He decided to look into buying a permanent room in this inn after he finished the job with the Dragomirs. He was well suited to moving around like a gypsy, as he had no ties to anyone, or anything...but it would be nice to have a semi- permanent residence in a place like this.
With that thought, he headed off in the direction of the market, his head lowered in thought.
Sefeya smiled, "Do not worry about the initial payment, it's a gift from the royal family to encourage appearence."
Nodding, her voice became a little more business like. "A tailor we can take care of at the palace. As for the other things, talk to my mistress when she arrives. She will guide her guards in acquiring the equipment they require."
Pulling her cloak a little tighter around herself, Sefeya's eyes shifted around the room for an instant. "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, nothing.. except sleep."
Serilliyus stood, hefting her Runebow and placing it on her back. "Am I to travel to the palace now?"
Sefeya blinked, "Well...if you wish we could make accomodations at the palace now. There won't be anything to occupy you until tomorrow morning though. My mistress will not arrive here with most of the other guards until then."
She shrugged minutely, "Though if you wish, you may come back to the palace."
Serilliyus shrugged. "What could amuse me here?" she replied, failing to add that very little amused her anywhere these days. "Besides, I quite plainly need a tailor, and if the palace shall provide one..."
As Wraith neared the market, the silence retreated into a low murmur, the voices of craftsmen and customers pervading the streets.
Moving out of the crafters district, the murmur grew louder, merchants and vendors hawking their wares on the main streets of the city.
Ahead of him, Wraith could see the main market square, an area one-hundred meters on each side. A throng of merchants and buyers frequented the square, all manner of transactions being finalized with exchanges of money and a faint smell of sea salt from the harbor.
At the center of the market stood an old fountain, still in near perfect condition despite the rumor that it was as old as the city itself. Made primarily of black marble, a bench of snowy marble ran along the rim of the basin, broken only by the crystalline arches that supported a high spire of blackened steel, gold, and red crystal wrought and twisted together. There was always a slight clearing around it, as if by agreement business was not to reach the beautiful monument.
And beyond the square, up the northern avenue, stood the basalt and granite Dragon Citadel. Towering above the city and glittering blue waters of the Dracon Sea, it imposed itself on the edge of everyone's awareness, it's true massiveness hidden by familiarity with it's presence except to those new to the Dragon City.
Entering from the eastern side of the market, Wraith was quickly hit with these images, the sounds and scents of the market assaulting his other senses.
Sefeya smiled, "Very well then, you may come bac to the palace with me. I am Sefeya Dracomia." She bowed slightly, obviousl expecting Seryllius' name in return before they started moving.
Serilliyus nodded. "Serilliyus. Kel'thara Serilliyus."
Wraith glanced around at the goings on in the market place, and headed up to the nothern avenue, as the barkeep in the inn had instructed.
As he walked through the crowd, he was careful to keep his head up, even making eye contact with a few of the merchants and customers.
In large crowds of people, take care to make eye contact, and observe your surroundings. NOTHING is more suspicious in a crowd that a man who stares at the ground and refuses to make eye contact.
He sighed slightly, unable to remember more than the words themselves. But, it had been long enough that he was beginning to grow accustomed to it. He paid careful attention to doing as the memory instructed. Someone had taken great care to drill that into him, so it was likely sound advice.
As he headed up the northern avenue, he wondered again what possessed Lady Sefaya to hire a bounty hunter as a bodyguard.
With the equivalent of a mental shrug, he dismissed the matter. Ill-suited or not, he owed Lady Sefaya a great deal, for the work she'd given him, and for her kindness. No matter what she hired him for...he'd give it his best effort.
Wraith was payed little attention by the merchants of the market, not many even trying to sell him one product or another.
Of course, not many noticed him either way,, their eyes looking more for the richer of townsfolk.
Up the north avenue were a number of craft shops, many that one would expect to be supportred by the Dragon clan and Guild, such as armorers, sword smiths and even a few alchemists.
Amongst those shops were a smattering of miscellaneous ones, and a quarter-way up the avenue, was an apothecry named Jaleen's. It was a plain building made of black stone, matching the basalt road in color and visual texture.
Two windows were set into the walls on the front wall, to either side of a heavy wooden door bound in metal.
Wraith stopped in front of the apothecry, and faced the heavy wooden door. The urge to take a look into the building through a window was nearly overpowering, but he restrained himself.
Best to avoid poking his nose where it didn't belong, he decided. Facing the metal bound wooden door, he knocked once, loud enough to be heard but not loud enough to draw attention...
A few moments later, the apothecry door slid open in front of Wraith.
Behind it was a youngish woman, probably in her late twenties, dressed in complete black. A cascade of midnight hair was held back from her dark brown eyes by the same style of silver combs and earrings Wraith had seen on a few of Sefeya's guards.
"Yes?"
Wraith examined her briefly, and bowed slightly. "Jaleen?" He asked politely. "You were recommended to me by Danel, as I'm looking for certain...supplies..."
The woman's eyes narrowed, "Who do you work for? Danel doesn't send me any normal mercenaries..." Brushing a glance over Wraith, she waited tensely.
Sefeya grinned to Serilliyus, adjusting something under her cloak and briskly leaving the tavern, barely making a whisper on the floorboards that creaked and groaned for everyone else. Taking a moment to reattach her tachi outside while waiting for Serilliyus, she surveyed the sidestreet.
It was light now, the sun cascading through clouds to light the streets. It was early enough that these streets were mostly uninhabited, but that wouldn't matter in the end. They'd have to go through the market to get to the citadel.
Serilliyus walked out the tavern. Despite her less-than-intact clothing, and her dishevelled appearance, the massive, metallic longbow she held by her side managed to give her a somewhat threatening appearance.
Restraining a headache, (Never, ever drink again,), she walked towards Sefeya, ready to follow wherever she might go..
"I'm employed by Lady Sefaya Dracomia." Wraith said simply and politely. He casually glanced over her shoulder, and behind him to see if anyone was paying undue attention...
Sefeya smiled slightly to Serilliyus, walking northerly along the street, staying far to one side, he cloak billowing slightly around her.
Serilliyus stayed to one side as well, but used every shadow and every hiding spot to advance her position without being seen.
I need new clothes. There's not telling what some moron might try in my state... and these aren't that great for hiding in, either.
The streets remained deserted, the huge basalt pavement blocks clicking slightly underfoot.
Sefeya grinned, this one was a might paranoid...may as well use it. She ducked into an alley, gesturing for Serilliyus to follow...
Serilliyus followed, staying as close to shadows as reasonably possible.. not exactly an easy task in her slightly drunk state.
Sefeya's attitude changed almost entirely once they entered the narrower quarters of the alley, her cloak blending into the few shadows and seemingly swallowing light when she couldn't hide.
Following a winding series of alleys, Sefeya led Serilliyus through the city, eventually stopping in front of a stairway leading down under the streets, a fork in the backway to their left.
Her eyes flickered between the paths and Serilliyus, hands tensing slightly under the cloak. "We can go through the public market square...or the underground one used by the more...extra-legal merchants. Which would you preffer?"
Noone appeared to be paying attention to Wraith and JAleen, many seeming to actively keep their eyes away from the conversation as they walked by.
Jaleen relaxed slightly, stepping back and opening the door wider, "Alright, come in..."
Wraith nodded his thanks and stepped inside the doorframe and to the left, out of the way of the closing door, taking a discreet look around before returning his gaze to Jaleen.
Serilliyus shrugged.
"The public marketplace... I'm in no condition to deal with... the 'people' I might meet down there..
Not that I could afford anything they have to sell."
The interior of Jaleen's shop was lined with shelves, each packed full of bottle or ceramic containers and labeled in what would appear to be a very old script of Draconic, and Common.
Wraith's boots clicked slightly, the green marble floor reflecting the light of two yellow orbs that supplemented the sunlight streaming through the two windows.
Jaleen closed and locked the door quickly, turning and eyeing Wraith. "So you work for Sefeya, eh? What brought you to my simple apothecry, most obviously skilled sir?"
Sefeya shrugged, turning away from the stairway and heading down the other alley. "Very well, though it is not much of a risk these days."
She was quick and silent as she moved, still ducking between shadows.
Serilliyus followed suit, taking note of her surroundings and filing away the information for later use..
The alley was straight, paved with the same black basalt as the streets, but narrower and with smaller blocks.
Several of the buildings surrounding it had balconies or overlooks, most appearing at least a little fortified.
Sefeya kept going at a steady pace, her boots never making a sound until she stopped behind one of thebuildings. The loud murmur of the market could be easily heard as she removed a key from her cloak and unlocked a backdoor, slipping inside and waiting for Serilliyus.
Serilliyus slipped inside, and afforded a quick look at her surroundings.
Wraith blinked. "Well, I'm looking for extralegal narcotics." he said, politely, but bluntly. "Fast acting hallocinogens, preferably. That's why Danel recommended you..."
Jaleen smirked, "Aye...he would indeed suggest me for such a thing if Sefeya told him you were working for her."
Walking behind the shop's counter and unlocking a door, she darted inside, gesturing for Wraith to follow...
Around Sefeya and Serilliyus were boxes and barrels, an inn store room. It was very dim, almost too dark to see even with Serilliyus' elven eyesight.
Sefeya was drumming her knuckles against a wooden wall without any supplies, her attention obviously on the activity.
A moment later, something clicked, and Sefeya pushed the wall in, creating a hole to slip into what looked like a normal inn room.
Serilliyus raised an eyebrow at the... elaborate means of getting around, but shrugged, and headed through the hole, eyes darting about and absorbing her surroundings..
The inn room was fairly normal. To Serilliyus' left there was a bed and nightstand, an unlit brass lamp set on its surface. Across from the bed and nightstand was a wardrobe, its dark and battered wood filling up most of that corner.
Sefeya smiled, producing a key from inside her cloak and unlocking a door on the far side of the room. She ducked through, gesturing for Serilliyus to follow into the hallway.
Serilliyus continued to follow Sefeya...
Sefeya lead Serilliyus through a normal inn halway and into the common room.
Smelling faintly of smoke and cooked meat, the common room was sparsely populated with mercenaries, the almost downtrodden type that were hired by merchants unable to afford one of the draconian mercenary guilds.
None of them payed much attention to Sefeya as she lead Serilliyus through and into the market; Serilliyus being given even less attention by the locals.
Emerging into the southern side of the market, Sefeya and Serilliyus didn't have an immediate view of the harbor. WHat towered in the forefron of their vision though, were the ornately wrought crystal and metal of the fountain and the glossy black granite and basalt of the palace.
The fountain remained unchanged from Wraith's entrance minutes before, black marble benched with white, crowned in blackened steel and gold twisted around red crystal, the spire supported by arches of clear crystal painstakingly carved and faceted.
Sefeya smiled at the sight, stopping momentarily to enjoy it before cutting into the crowd, expecting Serilliyus to follow...
Wraith followed the Jaleen quietly, glancing around as he did.
"Also, I'd like to know the properties of the drugs, if you don't mind. I need one that is quite flame resistant, as I need to be sure my method of delivery doesn't ruin the product..." He added softly.
Jaleen raised an eyebrow as she looked around the room they had entered. It was small, and filled with shelves of thick glass jars and metal boxes.
"Alright...how exactly will you be delivering it? There may be interactions between the compounds..."
Wraith looked thoughtful.
"I was hoping to create a few...drug laced smoke bombs," he explained slowly. "If you understand my meaning. "Perhaps some other method, of that's not feasible...aerosol style delivery maybe? Which is why I wanted somethng fast acting, as well..."
OOC: These people can make explosive smoke/drug bombs?
/me needs better poisons. o-o
IC: Serilliyus raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of her. It was, to date, the most impressive thing she'd seen since coming to this world..
Shrugging silently, she began tracking Sefeya through the crowd, avoiding people as much as possible..
OOC: No, Rat. They're not quite explosive. It's just good alchemy and exotic compounds *yes, Ginn, I know I should've read a chemistry book first, but I don't want to =P*
It'd simply be integrating a halucinogen into the chemicals for a smoke bomb and delivering it via the smoke.
And NO, your poisons are fine as is ~_~
IC: Jaleen grinned and shook her head, "Sefeya really knows how to pick 'em..."
Her eyes flicked over the jars and containers in the room, frowning and evaluating. "I could come up with something in a few days...how long will you be around and how long until you need this?"
Wraith blinked, wondering how to interpret the first remark...then decided to focus on the last.
"I meet with the people I've been asked to work with tomorrow. I haven't been informed of travel arrangements, but it seems likely they won't dally long. Can you have it ready by tomorrow morning?"
Sefeya lead Serilliyus through the crowd, a barely perceptible wake forming behind the royal enforcer as she cut through the sea of people.
Heading up the northern exit of the market, the number of people thinned, reducing the visuality of the space afforded Sefeya.
Going past Jaleen's, Sefeya's eyes flickered to the door, smiling oddly before moving on quickly.
They passed shops of a bizarre variety on the way to the citadel, everything for jewelers to blacksmiths lined the long street, all with one thing in common: They were all very well off, and from all evidence it was because of the royal family.
A few dozen meters more, and they were at the gates, Sefeya's fingers flickering signals to the guards, too fast to be registered.
The citadel was looming mass of granite and basalt, sharp spires clawing at the sky around the massive central keep. The keep itself looked like it had been at some point a much smaller keep surrounded by towers, but over time it had expanded and engulfed them, now an imposing amalgm of basalt and granite, with arrow loops littered amongst fortified baclonies and walkways. Everything was connected, walls ran between towers and keep, making cutting any one part of the fortress off near impossible. Even above them, heavily fortified bridges spanned between the heaviest inner towers and the keep.
Through the gates of blackened steel, Sefeya lead Serilliyus into the courtyard, one that retained the original terrain of small and moderately forested rocky hills, necessary buildings carefully kept to clearings.
Sefeya smiled as she entered the ground, almost visibly relaxing. Her boots made sound now as she walked, the aura of silence and shadow no longer permeating her movements. She didn't keep to the shadows, and no longer seemed to swallow up light as she continued towards the keep.
Jaleen peered at Wraith, "Well...delaying other requests, I could have half a dozen done by tomorrow...but I know the Jade Dragons...and they wouldn't be taking off that soon. Lady Sefeya in particular be a very patient one..."
"To do 'em proper like, and especially if you want more than a half dozen...it'd take me three days."
Wraith looked thoughtful.
"I would prefer them done as properly as possible," he agreed.
"Though I also would like to have them ready as soon as possible. Can I have you proceed as though I have 3 days, and If I have less, I'll notify you as soon as possible?" He offered. "Then I'll simply buy whatever you could make up...."
Jaleen nodded, her eyes distant and measuring. "Yes...I can do that..."
Hmm...Sefeya can indeed pick them. That one's got a great deal of potential...but there's something else about him...
"So how many of 'em will you be needing?"
Wraith watched her carefully as he spoke. Her gaze was a little too searching for him to be completely comfortable, but he wasn't getting any of the customary danger signals...
"At the bare minimum, I'd like three or four." he told her. "Though more would be welcome. If we can discuss price, I'll let you know what I can afford."
OOC: IT class. 40 minutes. Nothing to study; nothing to play; therefore, longish post! O_O
IC: Serilliyus, still wary of her surroundings, nonetheless stopped her shadowy movements and walked normally, or at least as normally as she could in her state.
She reflected on the world she had seen around her. It was totally different to the one she came from.. and yet, exactly the same.
It obviously wasn't a theocracy; Serilliyus hadn't noted any distinctive churches or temples, and holy symbols seemed nonexistent. The area she was in now, which she assumed was the main palace, had little to no recgonizable religious artefacts.
Her own world had been ruled by a corrupt church, and she was wary of anything resembling fanatical or corrupt relgious figures, two things she had seen far too much of...
It came across to her as a either a republic or a monarchy. Either way, the people seemed content, so the rulership must be doing *something* right.
Serilliyus had seen several kinds of leaders. Foolish rules and stupid rulers were most common. Sometimes she had come across timid rulers, or extravagent rulers.
She rarely met capable, competent rulers, and all too often they seemed beseiged by troubles that they didn't deserve when they lead so staunchly.
She wondered what kind of rulership this kingdom had... but, not to show her ignorance, remained silent.
Jaleen grinned, her eyes once again growing distant, calculating. Silence pervaded the room as she thought, the sounds of the market not peetrating thethick walls of the apothecry.
"Since ya work for Sefeya...I can do 'em for fifteen golds a bomb. Sefeya be due to order some more smoke bombs anyway."
Wraith blinked. He'd expected to have to make them himself, so this was a welcome price, and he didn't bother to try and haggle, as his employer gained him a discount already.
"In that case, if we don't leave overly quickly, I can afford nine or ten comfortably." he replied. "I'll send word before nightfall if I need them sooner."
Jaleen smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll be waiting for word from Sefeya or yourself."
She headed back into the open area of the shop, the sounds of the street murmuring in the background.
Wraith smiled faintly as she left him alone in the shop. he took one last look around, then left the shop the same way he'd come.
Once out on the street, he looked around briefly, and headed off in the direction of the citadel, hoping to encounter Lady Sefaya...
The street around Wraith was a slow bustle, the well off craftsmen going about their trades if they weren't talking to a customer.
The faint ringing of a smith's hammer on steel drifted to Wraith's ears, not quite drowned out by the din of business. Noone payed much attention to him, he was just another mercenary to the locals.
Only a small breeze was blowing off the harbor and into the streets, rustling Wraith's cloak a bit as he came to the main gate of the citadel. He caught a bare glimpse of Sefeya's blond hair as she ducked through the massive gates, followed closely by a somewhat shabbily dressed woman with a large bow across her back. From across the cross-street, Wraith wouldn't be heard if he called out, and soon the gates were shut again...
OOC: I know, the timing compared to the other posts is off.
Wraith frowned slightly as walked the same way Sefeya had gone, heading for the gates.
He supposed it was better this way, as he'd be able to find out how quickly he'd gain access to the citadel, though he didn't anticipate problems. Lady Sefeya was remarkably thorough regarding details. It was one of the things that made her one of his favorite clients...
The pair of visible guards at the gates seemed calm as wraith approached, their fingers only tightening slightly around the hafts of their halberds. They were dressed in the characteristic black and silver armor of the Dragon clan, and the characteristic tachi of the clan at their sides further bespoke their allegiance.
They waited for Wraith to fall under the shadow of the expansive gatehouse, an imposing structure that would've rivaled the old keep if not for the apparent expansions to central fortress.
"What is your business within the citadel?" the one to Wraith's left asked, his voice low and commanding. His face and expression were hidden beneath the chainmail hood of his armor, but there was a bare hint of recognition in his tone...
Wraith bowed, and moved his hands out of, and well away from his cloak, raising them slightly.
"I'm looking for Sefeya-dono." he said in a calm, clear voice. "I was hired by her yesterday, and I have questions about the job schedule."
The guard paused, for a moment, looking Wraith up and down before murmuring to the other guard in what Wraith recognized as cut down draconian, a form of verbal short-hand. His companion looked Wraith over much as the first guard did before nodding.
"She mentioned you, Wraith. Just head straight for the keep. You'll either catch up with her or you can ask for her at the gate, the guards'll notify her." As the first guard instructed Wraith, the second was cracking open the gate enough for Wraith to slip in...
Wraith nodded his thanks and slipped inside the gate. Taking a moment to looke around, orienting himself to the inside of the citadel before heading for the keep.
The grounds around Wraith were the same Seriulliyus and Sefeya had passed through just earlier. Trees loomed around him, filtering out most of the morning sunlight with their interlocked branches and casting a faint gloom throughout the courtyard. As Wraith passed tightly clustered grove of trees, raven calls went up in a chain. As each raven call died, another one, more distant from Wraith and closer to Sefeya picked up the patterned cawing and repeated it until it reached the blond haired enforcer...
A small ways away, Sefeya stopped, motioning with her hand for Serilliyus to do so as well as the ravens cawed. When the last echoes died, Sefeya stayed put. "...hired ghost..." she mumbled, frowning slightly. She repeated it under her breath, trying to decipher what was meant. "...ghost...Wraith." she chuckled as she figured it out. "Take a rest Serilliyus, we'll be having company in a bit..."
OOC: Bean, you can react, but don't arrive until after Rat reacts to Sefeya and you talk to me.
Wraith inclined his head slightly, listening to the rythmic cawing of the ravens for a moment.
A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Announcing me, are you?" he murmured aloud. "Well, go ahead. Nothing to hide..."
With that, he pressed on, moving slowly through the trees...
Serilliyus raised an eyebrow, but leaned against a tree.
So strange... she didn't recognize any of the trees in this land, yet each seemed familar.. like a different version of her home forests.
That tree *might* be Willowbark, but it was too rough. That tree *would* be Rosewood, but it was too tall.
It seemed so alien..
Sefeya smiled softly, leaning against an old lorken tree. Well...at least the new ones will get to know each other. And Wraith will need to learn how to be more social anyway...
The forest around the three grew quiet again as the ravens became silent. Every now and then, a small rodent would skitter across the bark of a tree or a bird would take off from the ground, momentarily breaking the quiet.
Wraith slowly made his way through the trees, heading in the direction of the faintest raven's caw.
After a few more moments, Wraith caught sight of Sefeya, and her companion. With a few minutes of quick walking he caught up to them.
He inclined his head respectfully. "Sefeya-dono." he greeted his employer.
Sefeya smiled and nodded to Wraith, standing straight again. "Hi, Wraith. A little early?" she asked softly, her voice a tad teasing.
Wraith looked at the shabbily dressed woman, taking in the general look of her face at a glance. He turned back to Sefeya, and a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Yes." He agreed. "I was picking up supplies, and realized I had nothing to go on by way of a schedule. I didn't think I'd need it, but with specialty items, Jaleen needs more time."
He paused, considering. "Since I really had nothing else pressing to do, I came to find you." He shifted slightly, never fully turning away from the woman he didn't recognize, watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Serilliyus had her head bowed, but she still had Wraith in her peripheral vision, analysing him and waiting for Sefeya to introduce them...
And hoping that in the 9 hells of the abyss that she'd get some rest to get rid of this bloody alcohol before she said something stupid.
Sefeya nodded, mentally reprimanding herself for the slip in providing information to her employee. "I already told you your charge is arriving tomorrow morning, as for other scheduling...a week of training and familiarizing yourselves with her are planned. The royal family is covering all reasonable expenses in that time for the group."
She glanced towards the keep, now only a few dozen meters away. "And there are some arrangements I need to talk to you about privately now that I think about it, Wraith."
Looking to Serilliyus now, Sefeya nodded to Wraith. "Serilliyus, this is Wraith. He's the other team member here at the moment. He and I have worked together for several years..."
Her eyes turned to Wraith, "And Wraith, this is Serilliyus, she'll be the primary long range element of the group if she accepts and if what I've gotten about the incoming group holds true."
Wraith turned fully toward the woman and bowed politely...the faint, but distinctive scent of alchohol reached his nose.
He raised his eyes to her looking closely. "Pleased to meet you," he murmured, and threw a questioning look at Sefeya. She bore the distinctive look of one of the elven races, and if she smelled of alcohol...
Does she even know I'm here? he wondered.
"The pleasure is all mine," replied Serilliyus, in a tone which indicated the complete opposite.
"Shall we be going?"
Sefeya raised an eyebrow at Serilliyus' snippiness, hoping it was simply the alcohol.
Shrugging, Sefeya gestured for Wraith to walk with them as she headed for the keep again. Leaves and sticks crunched underfoot, the occasional forest rodent scattering with the noise.
Te guards at the entrance of the keep, much like those at the front gates, quickly and silently opened the metal bound doors with only a flicker of Sefeya's fingers for command. Past the heavy door was a long hallway of basalt and granite, lighted every few feet by a glowing yellow orb. If they looked to either side, every half meter was a narrow slit, an arrow loop, changing the side they were located on each time.
Leading her employees through a twisting almost maze of hallways, Sefeya stepped through a reinforced door, and the hallways seemed to shift in appearence. Where windows were absent in the previous complex of hallways and doors, here they were one of the primary light sources, allowing the morning sunlight to stream in. The floors were no longer smooth hewn basat and granite, but plated in mirror finish black marble. Coming to a short side hallway, at least in comparison to the other hallways, Sefeya stepped into it.
Plated in the same black marble as the hallways, it had four doors on each side, well interspersed, and one at the end.
Walking to the second door on her left, Sefeya produced a key from within her cloak and unlocked the door. "These are your quarters, Serilliyus. There's a spare set of clothes on the bed, I'll come back with a tailor in four or five hours." she said quickly, handing the key to Serilliyus before gesturing for Wraith to follow her further down the hallway...
Wraith followed the two women silently, committing what he could of the passages to memory. He watched impassively as they stopped in front of Serilliyus' quarters, making a careful note of it's location.
As Sefeya gestured for him to follow, he turned and silently shadowed her down the short corridor...
Serilliyus took the key.
"Thank you..."
After the two left, Serilliyus shut the door...
...and resisted the compulsion to slap herself.
"What the hell is wrong with me... it's just the alcohol. Dammit, Seri, why did you have to do something so *stupid*..."
Sighing to herself, he set her weapons aside, and got changed from her filthy rags into something more intact.
She ended up in a loose-fitting pair of olive pants and a black shirt, obviously intended for a man.
Unfortuantely, most of the other articles of clothing within the dressingroom either didn't fit or weren't exactly her outfit of choice.
Well, her current outfit wasn't exactly designed for combat, but it wasn't like she was going to get into a fight anytime soon.
Sighing to herself, she decided to practice going through a few sword motions.. .something she desperately needed work on.
Sefeya kept going down the hallway, nearly to the end. Turning to the last door on their left, she withdrew another key from her cloak and unlocked it just like she'd unlocked Serilliyus' door.
Unlike Seerilliyus' though, Sefeya ducked through this doorway, gesturing for Wraith to follow. Inside were plainly furnished quarters, a dark wood table in the center of the front room with three heavy chairs around it.
Sefeya set the key to the room on the table, pulling out a chair and dropping into it.
"I didn't quite tell you everything about the job, Wraith...but now, when we're inside the palace, I guess I can." she smiled tiredly, removing one of the rare maps of Draconia from her cloak.
"Sit down, and I'll start."
Wraith nodded and pulled out another chair, sitting down opposite Sefeya, making sure he had a good view of the table top. Assuming an attentive posture, he waited for her to begin.
Sefeya set the folded and wrapped map on the table, weariness shadowing her face for a moment.
"The royal you'll be protecting isn't some cousin of the King and Queen, it's the Crown Princess. She'll be traveling to Stathon to be welcomed into adulthood by the Jade and Demon clans. My own security forces have found trails of a plot to kill her before the Winter Solstice, the time she is supposed to be confirmed. We also found evidence pointing to rogue Jade Magic Guild members as the ring leaders. To use some of the magic they have, these would be senior members of the guild.
If the Princess was escorted by Jade Dragon royal guards, area effect spells could be used to kill them all at once." she paused, letting that sink in for a moment before continuing.
"Since the princess' physical appearence has been kept hidden most of her life to all except her guards and other members of the family, we want to use a group of relatively unknown proffesionals, such as yourself, to escort her anonimously to Stathon. Your assignment is to be her personal bodyguard. Except for her bedroom and bath, you would need to accompany her at all times. And even durign those times, you would need to be nearby. She can hold her own in a battle, but to maintain secrecy, she will not exercise her full abilities. So it would be your job to cover her back."
She slid the map across the table to Wraith. "When you feel you can completely commit to this job, memorize the map completely and destroy it. If you cannot commit to this job by the end of the training week, destroy the map." Sitting back, Sefeya seemed almost a little relieved, waiting for any questions Wraith had.
Wraith nodded, taking the map off of the table. He considered it for a moment, then tucked it away in a pocket of his cloak.
"All right." He agreed, staring at the tabletop thoughtfully. After a moment, he looked up. "What's the motive, Sefeya-dono? Assassination is easy enough to understand, but why the princess specifically?"
Sefeya smiled, "The politics of Draconia are peculiar here. Despite the Jade Dragon Alliance having been in power for three-hundred years, Princess Asrana is among only the second generation of Jade Dragons. Her parents were in fact the people that managed to unite Draconia. Thus, if she dies, symbolically so does the dynasty. Added to which, she stands to inherit direct control of both the Dragon and Jade clans. So even if she wasn't crowned queen, she'd still effectively control Draconia with two thirds of the land, the largest army, and the Jade Guilds."
Her gloved fingers traced the grain of the table's wood for a moment in silence. "Add that some of the older Magi in both clans still harbor grudges, the princess is a very tempting target, don't you think?"
Wraith nodded in agreement, thinking hard. "Okay...Is there a specific person you suspect as heading up the attempts?" he asked, after a moment. "If there is, do your security forces have file or something that I can review?"
"Hmm...Also, what information do you have on their methods of attack and operation, both as individuals and as a whole?"
Sefeya sighed tiredly, passing a hand over her face. "We don't know much at all, Wraith. We've been able to use magic in listening to some old conversations they didn't cloak with their own magic, and follow some traces of their magic...but otherwise we're still mostly in the dark. What we do know in that area is it's at least two magi on par with senior members of the Jade Magic Guild, they have the reources to hire off-plane mercenaries, and they'll be abke to summon some very nasty creatures. Including but not exclusively demons. Though with the current situation of the underworld, they won't risk large and destructive creatures."
Pushing her chair back, Sefeya looked up apologetically. "I'm tired...and may be forgetting things. Is there anything else you need before I leave?"
Wraith bit his lip thoughtfully.
"Just two more questions, Sefeya-dono. First, what kind of materiel backup do we have access to? And secondly...Is there any comprehensive information on biological statistics and combat abilities of the likely summons that the magi are prone to using?"
Sefeya closed her eyes in thought for a long moment, emotions of concern and even nervousness flashing across her face as she relaxed to remember.
"Material resources...the backup supply for my security forces and the princess' treasury and personal collection. Probably more than you can spend in the way of liquid assets." she sighed, "As for what they could summon...I can only offer the vaguest generalizations for them. I never studied summoning in depth...I'd suspect some of the creations that are similar to humanoid insects...exo-skeletons like steel plates and probably clawed arms that may or may not be poisonous... Any of them will likely be fast, and definitely with enhanced reflexes...but they may very well summon something else entirely."
Wraith nodded. "Well, it's a place to start. Do you retain anyone who has studied summoning?" He asked, after a moment of thinking. "I'd like to form a general idea of possible countermeasures for things I can't kill with my sword..."
He looked carefully at Sefeya. "Hmm...Sefeya-dono..." He said thoughtfully, "I understand the situation is serious...I mean...I've never seen you on edge before..." he began, awkwardly. He frowned at his verbal ineptitude and tried again.
"....Are you all right?" he finally asked, quietly.
Sefeya smiled slightly, a bit of surprise flying across her face at the show of concern. "I'm alright, Wraith...it's just a little stressing to have the princess coming back when people who want to kill her are still out and about. Even after trying so much to eliminate them." she replied calmly, keeping her voice low.
"As for summoners...the Jade Assassins' Guild has none and the ones of the Dragon Guild are few and quite spread out. I'd suggest the Queen when she gets back, and the princess will know how to fight most of the creatures, but won't necessarily remember off the top of her memory..."
Wraith nodded, watching Sefeya closely for a moment, accepting the explanation. "I...see." he murmured, again, slightly awkwardly, as though he wanted to say more, but didn't know what to say.
He promptly jumped onto more comfortable ground. "Would it be possible to speak briefly with the queen?" he asked curiously. "The princess' input will be valuable, but I'd like to gather all the information I can..."
Sefeya nodded slowly. "It should be possible...when she arrives with the princess. But with matters as they are...we will have to see how things fall."
Sighing softly, Sefeya adjusted one of her black gloves. "Is there anything else, Wraith?"
Wraith shrugged. "Not that I can think of." he said mildly. "I won't keep you any longer."
Sefeya nodded, "You have free reign of the palace unless told by a guard you can't enter an area, if you need directions, ask one of the guards." she stood up as she spoke, sliding the key to the room across the table to Wraith.
Walking the few steps to the door in near utter silence, Sefeya turned with the it half-open. "And Wraith...thanks." She darted through the door, closing it with a gentle click behind her.
Wraith pocketed the key, smiling faintly. Well, it's lots nicer than my room at the inn...I guess I'll stay here.
He though for a moment, then left the room, locking it behind him, and headed out into the hall to locate a library of some sort. He had research to do...and for once, the resources necessary to get it done....
The hallway outside Wraith's room was near silent, the only that of his boots on the polished marble floor.
As he came to the end of the short hallway was the passage they had followed to get here. Nothing appeared to his left, where they had come from, or to his right.
OOC: Rat, I need you to post again before Serilliyus can move.
After doing a few exercises, Serilliyus sleeps..
Wraith wore a bemused expression, and glanced down the passage the way he had come...and decided that exploring the area until he came upon an archive of some sort seemed like a good way to pass the time, and promptly turned to the right, and slowly made his way further down the passage.
The passageway went on for a little ways, wide windows letting in dapples of sunlight through the tree canopies outside.
About a hundred feet from the side hallway, Wraith came to an intersection. A corridor approximately the same size as the one he was currently traveling through ran to his right and left. At the corners of the intersection were large basalt carvings of winged demons, bony plates and horns protruding from thier rock hide and their ruby eyes glowing in such a way they looked almost alive, the batlike wings about to unfurl to take flight...
Below eacj gargoyle was an armored draconian soldier, the one forward and to Wraith's right the only one apparently female amongst them. Armed with long spears and tachi, they calmly waited for Wraith to take some action.
Wraith stopped his approach well clear of them and eyed the guards. They seemed alert, and he wouldn't chance having them misunderstand his intentions.
"Excuse me." He inquired politely. "I'm new to the building and looking for a library or an archive of sorts. Do any of you know where one could be found?"
Wraith's instincts kicked in as soon as both of his opponent's hands were pinned.
He was moving almost before his mind had caught up with Sefeya's gambit, diving in close, past the pinned arms, and twisting himself and the kodachi in a blurring arc, contining to turn, adding all the force he could muster...
Wraith's kodachi ground into the exo-skeleton of the insectoid creature's neck, a grinding noise emnating from where the blade was quickly sliding through the armor. A moment later, the blade caught, pulling Wraith around in a tighter arc...
The moment Wraith felt the blade catch, he pulled harder into the arc, bringing his other arm into it, winding up and slamming his fist in the mune of the blade, grimacing as his knuckles struck the metal...
Wraith heard a loud snap as his fist struck the blade, chitinous armor buckling beneath the pressure. The blade continued inward, cutting almosthalfway through neck of the creature before it's force was stopped by plates of it's neck and the tough windpipe.
As it went limp, Sefeya sighed and pulled her blade away. She ignored the gurggling noise emnating from the thing's neck as its oxygen slowly seeped away through the blackish-blue internal fluids that were pouring out of the wound.
Wraith pulled his blade from the neck of the creature, snapping his wrist to allow the fluids to sluice off the metal.
His vision resturned to normal, no longer 'highlighting' the enemy. He grimaced in pain and shook his sore hand.
"Sefeya-dono? What was that all about?"
Sefeya stuck one of her boots beneath the creature's shoulder, turning it over. "Dunno...I have so many people or things that want me dead, this ccould be any one of a number of people, and the minion of any one of a larger number..."
Wraith blinked. "It seems pretty distinctive...wouldn't you remember something like this?" he asked, bending down to prod the corpse with his blade.
Sefeya shook her head. "I haven't encountered this thing before. Similar creatures are used by some mages for soldiers and spies...but they're distinctively different from this."
A moment's pause later, and a group of guards made it to the corridor. Sefeya started barking orders in Draconian, and some of the guards began dragging the body away while the remaining ducked into Serilliyus' room, their boot heels clicking on the polished marble of floors.
Turning to Wraith, Sefeya brushed a lock of blond hair behind her ear. "Wraith...if you would wait in your room, I'll be there in a bit. We have to do a few things with the traps that you aren't supposed to see."
Wraith blinked at Sefay for a moment, and nodded, turning toward his room and opening the door, slipping inside without another word...
Sefeya waited until Wraith's door had closed, and walked down to the doorway at the very end of the hallway. She slid her boots slightly over the floor to keep them from clicking within earshot of her employee, her careful steps taking her to where the basalt arch of the last doorway jutted slightly beyond the marble plated walls. Removing a stiff piece of wire about five inches long from the silver embroidered hem of her cloak, she ran her finger down the width of stone jutting out until she found a pinhole, and slipped the wire in. A nearly inaudible click echoed, and one of the marble floor stones a foot behind her popped up, revealing several dials within a sunken chamber. Twisting three of them, she closed the trapdoor and removed the wire from its place. "That takes care of that..." she murmured, walking normally over to Wraith's door and knocking on the dark wood.
Wraith opened the door immediately, smirking. "Finished?"
Sefeya smiled in amusement, her arms crossing. "Yes, may I come in?" she asked, her eyes moving to look beyond Wraith for a moment before returning her gaze to his face.
Wraith grinned and stepped aside. "By all means." he said, bowing slightly.
Sefeya slipped past Wraith, her smile only a slight upturn of her lips now. "As for your earlier question, yes, I would remember something like this if I encountered it before." she said softly, shrugging and sitting at the table in Wraith's quarters. "But, that could have been a type of creature I hadn't seen or heard of before, or someone I've never met, or someone I have met that was using a transformation of some sort." Drawing her tachi slowly, she removed a cloth from within her cloak and began clearing away the ground chitin along its edge.
Wraith nodded, and cleaned his knife that he'd retrieved from the corpse.
"Hmm...any significance to the timing, or just bad luck, you think?"
Sefeya re-sheathed her tachi, frowning. "It seems to just be bad luck, but if that was a transformation, it'd probably be well timed. Those spells take a lot of resources, too much to waste just charging after me as soon as possible." Tapping a finger on the polished wood of the table absently, she eyed Wraith. "Which would mean someone wants to remove me before the princess gets here."
"If it was a transformation..." Wraith nodded, "Then you're probably right. I assume you have someone autopsy the corpse, looking for those sorts of things?"
Sefeya nodded. "Yes...though the only clues we have to things like this are how well adapted to our world they are. Creatures summoned usually live in environments different enough to change their anatomies significantly," she explained, , removing her gloves and letting her fingernails tap the polished wood.
Wraith frowned.
"So no matter how much information the corpse yields, we'll be no more enlightened than we were before, right?"
Sefeya shook her head. "No, we should be able to tell if it's a summon or transformation. hich will give us possible clues to how this was done."
Wraith nodded. "Well...I suppose so. And thus begins the legwork to trace it backwards?"
Sefeya nodded, "But that won't be a job for us, by the time the autopsy is finished, the princess will be here. She is your mission, and mine."
Wraith's dubious expression, the same one he'd worn when Sefeya had contacted him for the job, returned. "Right...Sefeya-dono, what're the restrictions on this job?"
"If someone threatens the life of the princess and you're not told to capture them for questioning, you may kill them. While the princess is your commander, you do not need to clear everything with her, but please clear anything major with me or her, and tell one of us about any bodies that are not already public. Otherwise, you're to be a combatant paired with the princess."
Wraith blinked slightly. "That's...a fair bit of latitude, Sefeya-dono." he commented, impressed.
"Leaving my to my own devices won't cause trouble?"
Sefeya grinned. "I'm counting on the princess and the other guards to keep you from going overboard. And stay with the princess, you're supposed to be her combat partner, and she'll be counting on you some of the time." Still smiling softly, Sefeya stood up. "Any other concerns?"
"Nothing that I can think of." Wraith admitted. "This is a bit out of my area...I'll have to play it by ear." he said, leaning back.
Sefeya nodded, flexing the fingers of her right hand absently. "I'm assuming you'd rather eat alone and not in the officer's mess, so your dinner will be brought up to you in about an hour." Her smile remained, but it had become slightly weary again as she headed towards the door.
OOC: Bean, remind me to talk to you about this on AIM tonight. *thinks we're a couple posts from finishing o.o*
*Timeskip!*
Wraith stood from the small table, pushing the chair back gently as he did, ignoring the remains of the small meal left on his table.
Morosely, he stood and walked to the window, staring out at the view of the palace yards pensively. After a long moment, he turned back toward the bed. He considered it briefly, but the memory of the attack earlier was still fresh in his mind. Pulling himself up and sitting on the windowsill, his back against the frame, he closed his eyes...and slowly fell asleep, sitting in his window...
Calen adjusted his equipment minutely as he waited. He barely moved or made any sound as he did that.
Nabiki shuffled around in the entranceway, wondering where the heck was the others.
Kaye nodded as he shifted to a more comfortable standing position, and like the others, simply waited for the person Asrana was expecting.