Flashback [Sunset Quarters] To watch them toast.

[Eleazar Victor Syroin]

The 53rd day of Fall, 511AV The streets of the 'Sunny city' were busy with their normal hustle and bustle. Merchants sold their merchandise as their guards kept a close eye out for thieves. A few muggings were probably going on behind the corner of the alleyways, but overall it was peaceful for Sunberthian standards. The Autumn weather had been kind as of yet, with many sunny days gracing the city. Enjoying it whilst it lasted Eleazar was happily scouting around for a target to 'liberate' goods from. Not that one, too many guards. That stall's food made me sick last time. I'm sure those aren't worth enough to steal. Now that, that could work.. A stall was just being set up the owner of which was new to the city. Still unloaded crates and containers from his wagon with no extra help. A smug grin crossed the thief face and he wandered over to him, raising a hand in a friendly gesture. “Need a hand wi' 'ese?” The stall owner stopped his work and gazed at the thief panting. He was small and fat with olive skin and a greying beard. His face was red from the exertion of the work, making it clear he was unfit and in no shape to run. “Oh, if you would be so kind.” The grin became almost predatory as Eleazar strode forward to grab one of the crates. This fool was out of shape and out of his mind. You don't just trust strangers in Sunberth. You never trust strangers in Sunberth, least you end up dead. “It would be mi pleasure, dear sir.” Hauling the merchandise off of the wagon, Eleazar tested the crate's weight. It was hefty and a bit awkward to hold but not overly heavy. He could run with it if he wanted. Slowly wondering further from the stall, the teen prepared himself to sprint into the nearest alley. It was then a wave of people hit the market place, all screaming about some fire in the Sunset Quarter. Immediately Eleazar dropped his would-be-heist and sprinted down the street. His apartment was in the Sunset Quarter and with the weather like this, everything in the area was bone dry. That fire would spread quite easily, taking everything he had stolen with it as well. He wouldn't have anything else left; not even a place to live. His more recent pair of acquired shoes, made clouds of dust under foot as the pounding of blood pumped around his ears. His breathe became shorter and the taste of tin filled his mouth but still the sixteen year old ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Above the roofs he could already see the smoke, a warning to all of the fire. Slipping through the sea of people, he jumped down a back alley, ignoring the nastier deeds of the city going on around him as he soared towards the fire. It was only when he smelt the smoke did he catch a glance of the fiery light bursting down the alleys. Rounding a corner he ran smack into the back of a stationary tall man. Backing up and coming around to the front of the man, he meant to apologise but the man wasn't paying attention to him. He looked to be in his later years of life and had his firmly glued to something beyond the thief in front of him. Turning around to see what he was staring at, Eleazar froze. The orphanage was on fire. The orphanage was on fire. The orphanage was on fire. Great tongues of heat whipping up and down the building, claiming lives and possessions as they went. It was a disaster scene, a place of pain and death. In shock, it occurred to the thief that this wasn't anywhere his home. His apartment was many streets away, he had even passed it on his way here. But with the panic it had never dawned to him. Now here he stood, in front of an inferno, listening as the trapped orphans cried out to their no existent parents to save them, as they were roasted alive. It was sickening, they were going to die and no one could save them. Just like how it had been back then with that riot.

[Calden]

53rd day of Fall, 511AV The smell of smoke was thick in the air as the thief rushed towards the source of the flames. His lungs burned with the ash and strain from his labored breathing. His legs protested every step but he pushed on, needing to know if he had lost everything. His only possessions weren't much, but they were his. He turned the corner, eyes stinging from the thick, putrid smoke that hung heavily in the air. He could hear screaming now, the wailing cries of small children. The orphanage. It wasn't his apartment that was caught in the blaze. Relief washed over him in a cooling wave, soothing the panic and fear that had welled up inside him, only to make room for the vice-like grip of guilt. He was glad it wasn't his apartment, but those poor children...He hadn't realized he was still running until he saw the two men staring at the blaze. Calden slowed to a stop a few feet from the two, grey-blue eyes wide with fear and shock. He shouldn't be relieved about this. He could smell the stomach-churning scent of burning hair and flesh, and the cries of children echoed in his ears. Calden would never consider himself a good man, he stole he lied and he cheated his way to where he was now, but he would never condone death, let alone the death of innocent children. And there they were, in front of him. Burning alive. He couldn't take it. All at once his stomach heaved, and he lurched forward to empty his stomach of its meager contents and then some. His throat was raw and his eyes were red and watering when he finally straightened, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt, trying to catch his breath in the smoke-filled air. OOCSorry it’s not very good ;n;

[Eleazar Victor Syroin]

OOCYou improve as you go, I cringe reading my first posts. Don't worry it's a learning process the more you write the better you become. The sound of renching shattered Eleazar trance like state of shock. Turning around to see what was going on, he was just in time to see the puke spatter over the pavement. The smell of sick wasn't an improvement on the smell of burning flesh. Wrinkling his nose, the teen took a few steps back away from the puddle of bodily fluid. Eleazar's face was still pulled in an odd sneer of disgust; as his eyes flicked from the puddle back to it's owner as he straightened up. Allowing his eyes to check on the other occupant of the street; the man next to him hadn't even blinked, still glazing at the inferno beyond. Flexing his fingers awkwardly; the thief locked eyes with the sickly man. “You alright 'ere, Sir? You don't seem ta be doin' to well. Maybe a bit of rest would do you go? Stop you thinkin' to hard 'bout 'is......'is mess, behind mi.” Trying to smile; only to grimace., Eleazar edged around the puddle towards the other. Putting a hand on his shoulder he slowly turned him away from the scene, almost a motherly gesture if you think about it. It was then the elderly man gave a cry of. “I can't stand it! I've got to save them!” and began walking forward. The teens eyes almost popped out their sockets, by saving them did he mean? Oh Shyke. Turning on his heel, he sprinted after the other man, grabbing his hand, bringing him to a halt. “You can't save 'em, sir!” “WHY THE PETCH NOT, LAD!” “'ey're already dead! If you go in 'ere you'll be dead to!” “So what am I supposed to do stand there and watch like a coward!? Like you?!” “Ay may be a coward, but it's kept me alive! And I don't see the point in dying for someone who's already dead! Now come away from it! You must have someone waiting for you at home?” “But the children...” The man was in tears by now, so was Eleazar. It could've been the smoke in the air from the fire or just the horror of it all. But eventually the elder man let himself be walked back, partially dragged by a boy maybe twenty years his junior. Stopping by the other man who had been sick , Eleazar hauling them away from the carnage with tears flowing down his face, cleaning his cheeks and burning his eyes. As the smoke thinned in the air and as the street grew busier, the tears dried up and the thief's normal attitude began to shine through. Placing his arms around each man's shoulder, he gave a half hearted smile and steered the trio towards the docks. “You two up for a trip to the Drunken Fish, huh Gents? A bit of watery courage and all?” OCCHope you're okay with where I'm taking this. Also any ideas for a name fore the NPC Elderly man we have in tow?

[Calden]

Calden's stomach was just beginning to calm when the younger man approached him. He eyed the mess he made, nose scrunched up in disgust. He couldn't help it though, the emotion made his gut tight and his lousy meal from earlier hadn't been sitting on his stomach quite right anyway. He wiped his mouth again and cleared his throat before he spoke. "No, no. I'm fine." He shrugged off the friendly hand. "I don't need to rest, I just need to...to get out of here." He could still smell the atrocious stench of burning flesh and he was more than ready to just leave, but the elder man had suddenly declared that he was going to play a hero and kill himself trying, and most likely failing, to save the children. The thief scoffed and sneered at the man. He would've just let him go, but the boy stopped him. Calden didn't pay much attention to the conversation between the two; he was more worried about the fire spreading. He had half a mind to go grab what little possessions he had and move them somewhere the fire wouldn't reach when the young boy began dragging him in the opposite direction. He would've protested, but the tears on both of their faces helped him to hold his tongue. "You two up for a trip to the Drunken Fish, huh Gents? A bit of watery courage and all?" The dirty-blonde let out a bark of laughter then, deep and surprised. He could always go for a drink. He clapped the young man on the back and grinned, one that crinkled the corners of his eyes and showed quite a few teeth. "Only if one of you two are buying." He began walking with more confidence, the depressed gait slowly disappearing from his stride. In the rather unfortunate event that neither of them wanted to pay for a stranger's drink, he did still have some of his Mizas with him. OOCUh…I'm terrible with names, haha. How about "Alfred"?

[Arlana]

OOCI hope you guys don't mind me jumping in

The girl was on her way home, lugging the heavy bag on her shoulder. Sure, she could have left some of her tools at home, but you never know when a chance might present itself. Slightly bored, she spotted a fruit stall nearby. The old lady was too preoccupied with her chatter with another woman that she did not see the fleeting move a an arm extended, grabbing one of her goods. The gesture was so easy and natural, anyone would have been able to tell that the girl was used to stealing things. Of course, Arlana had enough money to afford and actually buy it now that she became a better thief. But old habits die hard.

Once she turned into a corner, she took a bite of the apple, tasting the tartness in her mouth. When she get home . . . The thought trailed away as she spotted a tuft of black smoke rising out from a familiar section of the city. The Sunset Quarters. Petch, it came from near her home. All around her people started pointing and gasping, not really doing anything better.

Arlana definitely couldn't afford losing her things and house to a petching fire, so she sprinted through the familiar streets, dodging cursing bodies along the way. Her feet pumped against the ground relentlessly, a shot of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

When she got close enough, Arlana paused. The black cloud was too thick for her to see anything or even dared herself to go nearer. One wrong move and she would be stuck inside, trapped and choking on smoke. Now that she was standing there, she could hear the muffled screams. Shrilly and high-pitched. The sounds of children. By the gods. It was the orphanage that was one fire. For a second she could see a fire flaring on top of everything else. No one would survive that. Especially not kids.

It took another few seconds to hear the scuffling noises from a few yards in front of her. Arlana could see three figures, slightly shrouded by the smoke, dragging themselves towards her.

[Eleazar Victor Syroin]

“Only if one of you two are buying.” “Fair game, mi friend.” The man was in better humour now, looking less sickly with a healthier glow to his ash covered skin. The old man was still a wreck though, tears streaming down his face whilst his lips moved silently. Exiting the dark smoke that threatened to choke them, the group hobbled past a beauty of a young lady holding an apple. Tall with wavy brown hair and a sweet face, the sixteen year old boy that Eleazar was, being a sixteen year old boy, gave a quick wink in her direction. “Mi lady! Would you care for a drink with mi and mi boys? It'll be on us.” Throwing a toothy grin her way, he motioned from her to follow them. The streets were more crowded now, as the population of Sunberth stared at the smoke in horror. Most of the city had some association with the orphanage, in a City like Sunberth there was never a shortage of orphans. Calyn, the Knower, had run it for years. She was a kind old woman, a rarity amongst the scum that filled the city. Eleazar had a small soft spot for her like everyone else of the Sunset quarters did. She had respected his choice to not living in the orphanage but his mother's apartment, as well as help him pay the rent, if he helped out with the snot nosed brats of the orphanage in return. Hopefully she would be okay, despite the inferno engulfing her home. Please let her be alright. Winding around the Seaside Market through the alleys, the silence finally drove the teen to starting up a conversation. “So....What's your names?” The old man under his arm jumped at the sudden question, still shaken by what had happened. His bearded chin wobbled about for a few chimes before finally finding words. “Alfred. Alfred. My name is Alfred.” “Alfred...Alfred what? Or are you just called Alfred, sir?” “Winkleman. Alfred Winkleman. I'm a labourer.” Raising an eyebrow, the thief regarded the man next to him He was bald, thin with a scraggly beard. Not the labourer type at all but knowing the city like he knew the city, he probably had been many years ago. Time would old men of them all; if it wasn't kind enough to kill them off first. “Nice name. Mine is Eleazar. Eleazar Victor Syroin. Common place thief and general trouble maker by trade.” Turning to the other younger gentlemen and the Beauty, he cocked his head back causally. “So what are your names?”

[Calden]

Calden couldn't help but grin. Free drinks. It was certainly a pleasant turn of events. He squinted, eyes still burning from the thick smoke as a blurry figure began to take shape in the distance. Once cleared of the black cloud, he saw the familiar chestnut hair and strong, feminine face. The thief straightened and cleared his throat, lips turned downwards in a condescending frown. "No, no. We wouldn't want to drink with the likes of her. She seems...plain, boring." He chanced a look back at her, fighting down the smirk on his face. "She'd probably talk about how much she loves sewing and dresses and gods know what else feminine and frilly. She can't handle socializing with us men. Isn't that right, girly?" He was probably going to--no, he was definitely going to get hell for what he said, but he couldn't be bothered to care. With a practiced flip of his head, he flicked his messy sandy-blonde hair out of his soot-covered face and turned back to the youngest of the males, Eleazar, and the elder man Alfred. "Ah, my name is Calden." He offered no last name. He hadn't used it in so many years he never offered it anymore. "Ah, thieves. Sunberth seems to be brimming with them," He added. OOCI will get longer posts eventually, I swear.

[Arlana]

Slowly, the three figures shuffled out of the gloom. Seeking a sense of security, her hand rested on the hilt of her gladius. Her eyes still stung from the smoke, but through her narrowed eyes she could see three men. A younger boy seemed to notice her first. “Mi lady! Would you care for a drink with mi and mi boys? It'll be on us.” As suspicious as it sounded, here in Sunberth, you rarely say no to a drinking offer. Arlana had learned that somewhere along her life. Still, she was a bit wary.

However, at the sight of the man with light brown hair, Arlana let down her guard slightly. "No, no. We wouldn't want to drink with the likes of her. She seems...plain, boring." At that, the girl rolled her eyes. "She'd probably talk about how much she loves sewing and dresses and gods know what else feminine and frilly. She can't handle socializing with us men. Isn't that right, girly?" Girly, really? That was the best thing he could think of?

Arlana made a mocking sad face. "Aw, you wound me, Cal. I thought we were going to discuss the lacing on that purple dress you showed me the other day in your apartment." She glared at him, before to the boy who winked at her, smiling. "Don't mind him, you'll soon find me a lot more tolerable than him."

Her dark eyes still darted towards the smoke behind them, worry churning in her stomach. She had hated the Orphanage with all her heart. The Sunberthan kids, at least, but it still pained her to see the building on the brink of destruction. All she wanted to do now was get out of there. "Arlana." Another thief, huh? This should be interesting.

[Calden]

"Aw, you wound me, Cal. I thought we were going to discuss the lacing on that purple dress you showed me the other day in your apartment." Calden feigned a look of shock as he took a few steps towards the woman. "Ma'am, I'm afraid you have me confused for someone else. Maybe we should get you to a doctor, I don't believe we've ever met. I'm sure I would remember someone such as...yourself." He emphasized the last word as he looked her over, eyebrow quirked curiously, but made no effort to explain whether he meant it as a positive or negative thing, only smirked confidently at Arlana. "But I suppose..." The thief sighed dramatically and moved to sling an arm around the smaller woman's shoulders, "You could come drinking with us, if you really, really wanted to. It'll just be us guys, getting completely hammered and talking about manly things that could never interest you. Like fighting and thieving and women." If he was successful in getting an arm around her shoulder he would squeeze the top of her arm gently as he gestured towards Eleazar and Alfred. "What do you say?" He didn't know what the other two would think of his actions towards Arlana, surely his fooling wasn't to be taken seriously? He wasn't trying to trick anyone, just being dramatic in an attempt to forget about the carnage that the three of them had just witnessed. Calden tended to do that, sweep his problems under the rug and forget about them rather than dealing with them.

[Dravite]

Eleazar Victor Syroin

XP Award:

• Body Building: 1
• Tactics: 1
• Acting: 1
• Running: 2
• Observation: 2
• Socialisation: 3
• Logic: 1
• Flirting: 1

Lore:

• Sunberth: Never trust strangers in Sunberth
• Fire spreads quickly in dry weather conditions
• Observation: The smell of fire
• Sunberth: The orphanage is on fire

Notes: Love your writing style, really interesting and enjoyable to read. I’m sorry to see this thread cut short as I believe it would have been a fantastic story. Enjoy the grades! Let me know if you think I have missed anything here and be sure to edit your grading request!

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