Work? what work? (private Gm Ladon)

[Lucuis Lyst'sreen]

The Month of Kalendryas in the
Season of Winter, of Era
II of the Celestine Mandate

Era XI Post Fractum in the Age of the Darkening,
the Mageocracy of Julos the Mad

Frosty winter breeze brushed against his skin, as he stumbled forward slowly. His vision was dark and blurry using his hands to feel his path. Screams of fright and help echoed around him as his lungs were filled with smoke and an intense heat could be felt from behind him. Slowly he moved forward, his legs growing ever weaker, his body just wanting to give up but he forced himself onwards, the heat cooling on his back.

His mouth tasted of copper coughing hard only to strengthen the taste in his mouth. His palms felt sticky as he stretched his finger tips fully out hoping to touch something. Stumbling forward his finger tips brushed against something rough and solid. Regaining his footing he once again stretched out with his left arm to find a wall. Lucuis edged his way along the wall, his head pulsing with pain as he grew weaker, relying more on the wall for support.

The screaming and other loud noises seemed to die as he edge his way along the wall stumbling forward over rubbish every so often. His head continued to pulse but his eye sight began to clear and the blur that was in front began to sharpen and focus. The narrow alley way he had journeyed down began to shape in his painful mind, where was he?

He lent himself up against the wall and slowly slid to the floor, his body giving up on him. His eye sight had improved slowly regaining his vision as he sat on the damp cold floor. His mind felt black and empty, pain echoed through his thoughts but soon he began to question himself and his emptiness. Who am I? Where am I? What’s happened?..... His question dragged on only causing more hurt.

Lifting his hands slowly from his side to inspect them, turning them over again and again only to discover blood. They were covered in blood as one of his hands reached around to the back of his head to where it stung the most. Around that spot his white stained hair felt sticky as well. His other hand clenched as his emotions flared, anger wanting to seep out from his inner self but all he could muscle was murmur. He turned his head slightly to the side to see flames licking the sky as black smoke poured into the surrounding area. His eyes slowly closed and his breathing eased.

[Ladon]

The lad had been in the area when he noticed the smoke heading into the sky. It was the sort of smoke that could only come from a house fire of some sort, and being in the business of finding out information, and also in the dealing of that information to others, he began to make his way over to the area of the city that was the source of the smoke.

As he looked around the blazing building that was now trying to be controlled by the populace around the area, the young lad noticed that a body lay prostrate on the floor. He moved closer to it, and thought about trying to rifle the pockets of this one, but then noticing that the body did seem to be alive, for there was a motion of breathing coming from the rising and falling of the chest, and on second thoughts, he thought better of it.

Serale? Errr…… you alive in there?........ Hey mister, you sleeping, or hurt or some’at.

[Lucuis Lyst'sreen]

Rippled through his chest as he breathed, the copper taste of blood had dried in his mouth. His head still pounding as he tried to search his memories but there was nothing but an echo of what use to be him. His red eyes remained closed as he felt his whole body wanting to give up but he still willed himself on.

As he sat motionless, only his rising chest moving, a boy neared him inspecting the Vysstichi to see if he was dead and had any valuables. However as the boy leaned in his words pinging Lucuis ears, his arm shot up as his hand grappled at the boys throat. His whole arm ached from that one motion yet his mind was determined to not to die, a rage burning like an uncontrollable fire kept him from giving up. His red eyes opening slowly as his hand around the boy’s throat tightened. For an unknown reason, he did not want this boy’s pity or kindness, maybe it was better for him to try and slowly seep the life out of the children while he had the chance. However this could be only chance of survival.

Lucuis attentively let go of the boy’s throat, his arm slipping back towards his side, the dried blood crackled. His red eyes became slits as they narrowed, ever looking at this young pickpocket. Still coughing and spluttering blood Lucuis spoke slowly letting words slip painfully from his purple lips.

‘What’s…………it…………look……like….boy……I…need……….to….be …………moved……. from…….here…….boy.’

His breathing become horsed, his strengthen still failing his as his voic was laced with anguish and pain. As it stood, this boy was his only life line, he had to use it no mater what.

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Hints of fear radiated from the little boy's innocent sapphire eyes as he gazed perplexed at the wounded Vysstichi, whose powerful fingertips gyrated around his throat and squeezed a pocket of air from the human's mouth. The child gasped as the thin slits of his orbs widened in terror, seemingly out of breath and consumed in an absolute fright! Soon enough though, this panic was released as he was pushed back some upon the un-curling of the Vysstichi's fingertips, which -to his relief- allowed his passage way to clear once more for easy inhalations. The child scurried back a few inches but his glance remained fixated upon the unorthodox dark elf, who whimpered and half-heartedly whispered out a few strings of words. The young boy had never seen the likes of Lucuis around these parts, and nor had his envelopments been known to house his type despite the lack of discrimination here in Riparia. However, he'd heard that they were a precarious breed, selfish and frigid to the very core. The child momentarily harbored the instinct to run, though even in the dark elf's weakened condition, it seemed as though he might prove an adequate pursuer. What then, did the child suppose he was to do?

"I-I-I...!" the kid back-peddled up some as he stammered, nearly tripping over his feet in the process of his abrupt escape, "I'll go get some help, mister!"

The diminutive boy was soon erected to his feet, though as he turned to run, the dark elf's ears would catch onto the familiar 'ptwang' of a bolt as it sailed through the air. Lucuis -should his glimpse be relatively settled upon the human- would notice the projectile as he spiraled at a high velocity through the air. The next thing he knew, there was a splatter of blood and sinew as the missile embedded itself deeply into the forehead of the young boy, whose innocent expression remained plastered across his face even as the blood began to paint his skin with a newfound crimson hue. He didn't even gasp or ail in pain for such was the expertise by which he'd been murdered. The kid slumped to the ground and soon remained prostrate, never to move or pickpocket again.

"I'm surprised you made it out alive." A voice flittered through the air behind Lucuis in a matter of seconds. The dark elf would notice a shadowy pair emerge from the shadows adjacent to the flame engulfed building. Both were cloaked in shades of the deepest black, though one obviously bore the physique of a shapely female.

"Yes, as am I." the woman was quick to put in. Her visage remained shrouded by a black bandana that held back her shimmering silver hair, though Lucuis would notice that her skin was pale and smooth even through the piece of cloth that had been tied just under her eyes. A pair of short swords remained situated along the sash at her waist. There was also a wristbow connected to her arm, delineating obvious signs of recent usage, "Finish the job." She canted her head to the side and gestured to the subordinate male, "We don't have much time."

The complementing man simply lolled his head to the side while a devilish grin folded under the cloth that veiled his face. Within a span of seconds he had produced a wavy dagger from the belt at his waist and approached Lucuis; the blade baring towards his neck. There was an unmistakably malicious gleam in his eyes.

[Lucuis Lyst'sreen]

He vividly watched the boy back-peddling in fright and anxiety, his squeaky voice and high pitched tone straining the Vysstichi ears as he tripped over his own feet. As the buy turned Lucuis ears twitched to the oddly familiar sound ‘ptwang’, his red eyes opening wide as the boy’s fresh blood splattered across his already stained cheek, his head being impaled with a wrist bow bolt.

Out of reaction his red eyes darted down to his left wrist that now felt naked. His ears twitched again at the voice, he knew that voice. His head began to burn as he wanted to scream out in pain but he held back snarling and gritting his blood covered teeth forcing himself to look up at the shadows. His red eyes becoming slits as two shadows moved, coming into sight, one that of a male and one of a woman dressed in black. Most of her face covered but her eyes, he could see and remember her eyes, his head burned even more as he let out a scream of pain and hatred.

Why did his head hurt? Why did he hate then with such malice that he wanted to rip their throats with his bare hands? Only if he had the strength to move, as he breathed deeply he snarled at his predators as he ached trying to will his weakened body on, to make it move however even with his own pain and anger it did not want to respond as all he could was watch and utter out a few muttered words.

‘I will… have my… revenge.’

His voice cruel and evil as he felt nothing but bitter hatred for the pair, he somehow knew they were linked to his past.

[Faust D'Rinishad]

"You'll have nothing, fool." the shadow clad warrior grinned malicioulsy through the cloth that covered his face. In one swift motion he elevated the position of his dagger-clenched hand, paused, and abruptly brought it sailing down in destination for Lucuis' neck. The moonlight reflected off the glinting steel as it descended, revealing its' precarious sharpness and the keenness of its' metal. There could be no doubt within anyone's mind that this blade would perform its' duty and to its' wielder's biddings. There was also a mysterious insignia fashioned into the rounded hilt of the weapon. The characters might seem slightly familiar as it involved a pair of daggers crossed and underlying a black bandana.

The tip of the dagger drew nearer to Lucuis' neck, however, it came to a sudden halt as the familiar sounds of the complementing woman's voice sailed through the air. The black figure that was attending to Lucuis' turned slightly in time to see another elf -Vysstichi- plummeting downwards from the rooftops in an acrobatic flip of the still burning building. Her white hair cascaded down to her shoulders and flowed freely and without restraint. Her garments consisted of nothing more than a neatly colored white tunic and a pair of matching shorts that revealed her shapely but toned legs.

"Who the hell are you, black skin? Get out of here if you know what's good for you!" the woman who had participated in Lucuis' attack spun to face the Vysstichi, whose beautiful and unhindered face maintained a mask of indifference. Drawing a dagger similar to that of her comrade's, the woman smirked and rushed towards the newcomer, who made no immediate gestures to defend herself.

The wristbow sporting male's attention was still diverted to his attacking accomplice...

[Lucuis Lyst'sreen]

The dagger came towards its destination, his neck, but he sat not able to move or defend himself, a helpless prey to its predator. Its sharp gleaming edge catching his red eyes watching it come closer as if time had slowed but suddenly it came to a halt as another woman’s voice sailed through the air.

Lucuis eyes looked over in the direction of the voice to see a woman’s body plummeting acrobatically from the burning building. Her white hair flowing freely without constraints drawing both his attackers’ attentions but from their reactions they didn’t seem too bothered from the newcomer but bothered enough to attack.

The male attention was now on his comrade and the new comer. Only if he had enough strength from his tattered body to strike his foe down but even when he tried to lift his arm he couldn’t feel anything left in him. All he could do was watch and wait for the outcome of the next few moments, his life might depend on it. Who was this newcomer and what was her purpose? Did he know her?

[Faust D'Rinishad]

The rhythmic clatter of pounding feet resonated through the air as the ebony garbed woman darted forth, drawing her dagger backwards in preparation to strike. Her target, the Vysstichi woman, had already anticipated the headstrong bumrush. She paused until the assailant slammed her dagger ahead, designated for the dark elf's heart. The woman, however, had expected such an action and nimbly ducked under the pressing attack, evading the attempt at her life and coming up under the black-clad woman, clenched fist leading the way until crashing powerfully under her chin. The assassin's head slammed backwards from the blow that came beneath her, sending a jolt of pain that sent her sprawling to the ground.

"Dreya!" the man called out, losing his composure and temporarily forgetting the dazed dark elf prostrate upon the ground. The assassin growled and raised his wristbow, allowing it to settle upon the woman. There could be no mistake that he was as skilled with the missile weapon as he was with his dagger, "You made a horrible mistake in interfering with us, fool." the cloaked man grinned maliciously, only to draw a passive stare from the Vysstichi woman.

Lucuis was currently situated on the ground still, though with the man's attention diverted to this newest threat. The Vysstichi woman had suddenly come to a standstill, as if realizing the futility of charging the missile armed man.