A Family Outing [Flashback]

[Clandestine Duplais]

Summer 14th 502 AV The sun had only just risen from the horizon. The trio, armed as if ready for a war, had made their way out of their humble apartment and onto one of the many narrow passage ways. Vermsinthe breathed a breath of fresh air and then exhaled with a large grin. “Well, looks like a grand day to have a bit of fun aye Gallo?” Gallo nodded in response as he stepped out onto the stone street. “Clandestine is on her way, you know how long it takes her to get her hair done.” Vermsnithe chuckled. “Aye, it does take her quite a while. But at least she cares about her appearance,” Vermsinthe stepped down onto the stone next to Gallo, then muttered, “Unlike some.” The size difference was shocking. Gallo stood a good two heads shorter then Vermsinthe. It was almost as if Vermsinthe had looked into the past and pulled himself back to the future. Gallo though just a young boy, had a mind of steel and a determined look in his eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?” Gallo protested loudly, “I'd rather just go and do things. I don't understand why girls need to fix their hair. It isn't even cute!” Vermsinthe chuckled again. “Of course he still has his moments,” he thought to himself. “Well then Gallo, you just want to go huh?” Vermsinthe reached to the hilt under that sharp, crescent blade and drew his hooked sword. Gallo stopped his rant about his sister when he witnessed his father begin to draw his sword. A small smile began to creep across his face. He began to unfurl the cloth around his gauntlets revealing the blade along its side. “Shouldn't we wait till Clandestine arrives?” Gallo didn't seem like he minded one way or the other as to Clandestine was around or not as he stuffed the cloth into his pockets. “What happened to that go, go attitude?” Vermsinthe looked around before he swung the blade to his side and took an offensive stance. “Didn't go anywhere,” Gallo took an offensive stance as well, as he firmly planted his feet on the ground. “Good, now do not move your feet from that spot or you will suffer the consequence.” Vermsinthe warned before swinging his blade toward Gallo. Gallo did as he was told as he quickly brought a gauntlet up to protect himself. The metal connected with a loud crash. Gallo could feel the force drive through his arm like a wave from boat. The two withdrew their weapons, but Vermsinthe wasn't going to let Gallo have a moment to breath. Before his blade came from the other side. Gallo blocked that one as well and let his guard down only to have have the edge of Vermsinthe's blade land squarely on Gallo's side. Gallo's breath caught in his chest as he took a step away from the side. “Good thing I had the sense to blunt this blade years ago.” Vermsinthe chuckled and stepped to Gallo's side. Gallo clutched the side that he was struck, though it had no cutting power, the strike would still leave a lasting welt. “I thought you said you'd go easy.” “I am going easy, I've not used a blade in years. You're old man is well, old!” Vermsinthe laughed and firmly patted Gallo's back. Gallo oophed at the force, then chuckled as well, “Why did you not allow me to move from my spot?” “Well lets suppose you are incapacitated, you still have to have the ability to block attacks.” Vermsinthe replied and turned his back away from their door and toward the main street. “You see if you're out there, your enemy will not stop until you are dead. You must not stop until you are dead, you see?” Gallo nodded, “There was something else you told me the last time we did this.” “Oh what was that?” Vermsinthe's smile shrunk into questioning. “The element of surprise is always your friend,” Vermsinthe wasn't sure what that meant until he felt a weight latch on his back. Before he was able to figure out what had happened he felt cold metal rest along his neck. Gallo grinned and stepped away from Vermsinthe, “Morning daddy.” Clandestine whispered into Vermsinthe's ear. Vermsinthe's shock soon turned to great amusement, “You cheeky petches.” Gallo and Clandestine both grinned knowingly, “At least you've remembered my lessons.” Clandestine removed her blade from Vermsinthe's neck and instead kissed his cheek in greeting. “How could we forget?” Gallo replied. “Yeah, we want to be just like you.” Clandestine chimed in as she stepped off Vermsinthe's back.

[Clandestine Duplais]

Vermsinthe merely chuckled at Clandestine’s comment. “I hope not exactly like me, I hope you succeed where I wasn’t able to.” “We will,” Gallo said excitedly as he stood next to Vermsinthe. “I think you’ve succeeded more than enough,” Clandestine added and took up the space opposite of Gallo and Vermsinthe. Vermsinthe’s masculine face cracked a small smile and the twins knew that the smaller smile was more of a real smile than his bigger ones. It was a sign to them of genuine happiness, something that their father only expressed toward his kids and never to anyone else outside of the family. The trip began their walk from the docks and toward the center of Ravok. Gallo and Clandestine played with each other as Vermsinthe just walked smoothly and calmly. He seemed to enjoy the city around him and observed the unique architecture of the city made on a man made island. The contrast of youth and old couldn’t have been more striking as Clandestine played pranks on Gallo and vice versa all through town. Soon the buildings began to appear more eloquent and detailed as slowly the family entered into the noble district of Ravok. Gallo and Clandestine began to settle down with their playfulness when the citizens they bumped into appeared to be agitated by their annoyance. They slowly crept closer to Vermsinthe who maintained his confident stride. They moved through the streets toward what was known as the Pits. Though for Clandestine and Gallo both, it meant one thing, play time! Though most went to the Pit to fulfill the primal beast of humanity desire and need for bloodshed and violence or to supply their avarice with gambling only to find their winnings dwindle to nothing when their greed clouds their rational thought overcome with the fleeting fantasy of being a richer man. Alcohol relaxed the mind even more and made them more susceptible to the influences presented to them; it only added to the transformation from man to beast. Vermsinthe never frequented the Pits for the violence or the prospect of monetary gain, not immune to the siren’s calls, but stronger than their hooks that tear at his flesh. The scent of musk and violence aided the aurora of roughness within the Pits. The imagery of man at their most primal peak captured in one park of Ravok...