Can You Keep a Secret?

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:38 pm

Time Stamp: 10th of Summer, 510AV
Location: The Blue Bull, The Bridge over the Waterfall.
Who: Duron

Sitting at table in the far corner, the Cerulean's dull green eyes scanned the bar from under his hood. He wasn't interested in the revelry in the tavern. At the moment he was watching a human male with long blond hair. Duron wasn't interested in men sexually, but he was interested in him because he was on a assignment from his superiors in the Taluka Outpost to watch him. Supposedly, he murdered two women prior to tonight, but the authorities can't prove it, so the cerulean were called in to put a stop to his terror without a trial. The reject wasn't sure what why the superiors wanted him to watch him because it would be just easier slitting his throat. Regardless, he wasn't supposed to engage in combat unless he was provoked first. He was just supposed to blend into the crowd to not arouse suspicion. Suddenly, a human woman with dark black hair walked to his table and said with a sweet smile on her face, “I know your trying to be mysterious, but you can take off your hood.” Duron glanced up at the woman and took off his hood revealing the intricate tattoos that decorated his face. The akalak gave her a look of annoyance for a tick, but he shook his head in defeat, “You have to understand that I stand out like sore thumb in here, so I was trying to drink in peace without attracting attention to me.”

Duron was happy the woman bought his excuse for keeping his hood up because it was strange for someone to where a hood inside. The people who took notice in him lost interest. The waitress said with a laugh, “Do you think those drunken fools care right now. Most are to busy beating each other senseless. I think you will be fine stranger. As long as you don't join the brawl, but you should be able to hold your own. What would you like to drink?”

Duron didn't usually drink on a job, but he was doing surveillance in a tavern. It would be odd for him to sit here and not order something. Looking at the waitress, the reject said with a smile, “Can I have a mug of a Syliran wheat beer?” Reaching into his pocket, the cerulean pulled out three silver mizas and placed the money in front of her.

The black haired waitress said with a smile and nod, “I will get it for you shortly, honey.”

Duron turned his attention back to the blond human male who was talking to a brunette human female in her twenties. The human was a charming little shyke because he had been making out with the brunette woman for half a bell. Before he met the brunette. The blond man was moving from potential victim to potential victim four a couple hours before hand like a wolf stalking a deer. As he observed the blond hair human, he noticed that he preferred victims who seemed shy and kind of petite women who didn't look like they could handle themselves in battle. If he was a normal akalak, he would feel piety for them, but Duron had a cold view of the world, so he figured if they were stupid enough to get involved with the blond than they weren't worthy enough for a akalak. However, women were a rare and vital to the survival of the akalak species, so even the naive needed to be protected to give birth to a potential akalak child regardless of the physical, mental, and emotional strength of the woman. Tapping his fingers on the table, he suddenly heard a woman's voice coming from the table to his right, “Can you keep a secret?”

ledger3sm for beer and tip

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:40 pm

Duron turned his head to the sound of the woman's voice and saw a blue skinned woman with silky black hair with a mixed drink in her hand. The cerulean couldn't see a lot of her features because she seemed to be shrouded in a shadows, but the dark beauty of the woman made the akalak heart start to race. He never saw a woman as beautiful as her, so he took his eyes off the murder and shifted his gaze to the woman. The cerulean gave her a smile and said with a nod, “I wouldn't be a good cult member if I couldn't keep a secret....”

The woman smirked at his response, and she leaned forward out of the shadows. Duron had to admit the darkness around the woman seemed to moving on it's own. It almost felt like the darkness was as thick as ink and moved on it's own. It was unnerving, but he seemed drawn to her dark mystique. The woman just said bluntly, “Even if you are man of loose morals, you do have principles. I ask you again. Can you keep a secret regardless of your duty?”

Duron raised an eyebrow at her question and tapped his finger on the table as he thought her question. The akalak looked her dead in the eye and said simply, “Aferan had principles. I don't. If you want me to keep a secret, I will bring it to my grave. Secrets are as powerful as magic or a sword if used correctly, so if you tell me your secret than I might use it to my advantage, or if it is useless, I will just keep it in the back of my mind till I die.” Duron gave the woman a dangerous grin and asked sternly, “You dangle your secret in front of me like a carrot in front of a horse. Now my curiosity won't be sated till you reveal your it to me.”

The mysterious woman's grin widened when he told her that he wouldn't be happy till her learned her secret. It was like he answered her question correctly. The woman leaned forward and pointed into the crowd at the blond human male, brunette human male, and lastly a akalak male. She turned her face to him and said simply, “Two out of the three people will die tonight, Duron...” Suddenly, the waitress set the mug of beer on his table and said with a smile, “If you need anything else, let me know OK.” The reject picked up the mug and turned back to the blue woman, but the blue woman and the shadows were completely gone. Now the table seemed like every other table in the tavern. Duron stared at his drink wondering if he should even have some of it if he was starting to imagine things. Taking a sip out of his beer, the cerulean watched the trio through the crowed room.

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:43 pm

Duron started to watch the akalak the mysterious blue woman told him about. This man was large about six foot five inches, and he kept his eyes trained on the two humans. You could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't happy. The brunette seamed to engaged with drinking to noticed the akalak's glares, but she seemed happy to accept the blond man's affections. Sipping his beer, the reject looked around for the strange woman from before who told him about the fate of the three people. It was unnerving how easily she was able to leave the tavern without anyone noticing her. Suddenly a drunken akalak stumbled over to his table. The blue brute was clearly intoxicated because he couldn't walk straight and had to lean on his table for support. The akalak leaned over the table, and Duron could easily see the tattoos on his face. The akalak said loudly in thick tukant, “I don lik ya. I should punsh ya for being so ugly!” Duron couldn't smell any hint of liquor on the akalak's breath, so his dark brother was putting on a pretty good act. The “drunken” cerulean asked quietly, “What is the situation, Duron?”

Duron figured that he play the act, so he grabbed the edge of the table and shoved it as hard as he could into the stomach of his cerulean brother. Watching the other akalak stumble backwards, the reject rushed pushed aside the table spilling his drink on the floor. Get into his fighting stance, Duron keep his left foot int front of him while his right foot was behind him. Keeping his left fist in front of his foot, the reject put his right fist by his right rib. The “drunken” akalak threw the first punch at his stomach, so as he stepped to the side, he brought his left hand up and across to block the incoming punch than threw a punch of his own towards the face of the akalak. Duron made sure he turned his fist as he got closer to the akalak's face since the akalak was supposed to be drunk, he feebly tried to defend the punch, but he was to “slow” and the punch connected with the akalak's jaw. Duron still in his stance watched his cerulean brother make his next move.

When the akalak rushed forward with his head down, Duron knew this was a bull rush, so he jumped out of the way and stuck his foot out into the charging man's path. The blue man tripped over his foot and landed in a heap on the up turned table. As he tried to get up, Duron kicked out his arm that was helping him get to his feet, so he fell back onto his face. Kneeling down, Duron grabbed his hair, turned his face towards him, and yelled drunkenly, “Yoush spilled my drank! Why shosh I lesh you go?”

The other cerulean turned his head to Duron and whispered, “Is the wolf stalking his prey?”

Duron looked at him and said quietly with a nod, “He found his doe, but there is a buck following him. I will follow the hunt.”

The other cerulean nodded and said out loud, “Finz I am Shorry! I goes now.”

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:46 pm

Duron let got of the man's hair, stood up, and brushed off his outfit. His cerulean brother wandered back into the crowd. When the fight was over people went back to their drinking, fighting was common in the Blue Bull, so he didn't attract to much attention to himself except for a couple of minutes of cheep entertainment. Duron started to up turn his table, but he noticed the blond man was leading the brunette outside. Swearing to himself, the cerulean was about to run out of the tavern, but he saw the akalak who seemed to know them was getting up to follow them. Duron put the table back in place and slowly made his way out the door of the tavern. Putting up his hood, the reject stayed close to the buildings, so he wouldn't easily duck behind something if the akalak thought that he was following him. Carefully, the cerulean tried to avoid as many obstacles as he could as he shadowed the large blue man down the empty street. As much as he could, Duron tried to avoid the obstacles, but he carelessly stepped loudly into a puddle. Seeing the akalak stop, the reject knelt down behind a large planter. He doubted the man would be able to spot him in this little light, but he wasn't going to take any chances leaving his hiding place.

When Duron heard the footsteps continue down the street, the cerulean stood up from behind the planter and continue walking down the street. As the akalak got to the edge of the bridge, the reject ducked behind a edge of the building. Picking out from behind the edge, the cerulean saw the large blue man pull a lakan from it's sheathe. When the man stepped out on to the large bridge, the sound of the falls seemed to mask any foots steps from him as he approached the humans. Duron walked out of his hiding spot and watched the scene unfold. Even though Akalak's were a stoic race, they do succumb to bouts of passion especially when it involves their mate. The blond human clearly must have seduced his wife because the man's hand was clearly up his dress as he was kissing her. This was clearly a case of infidelity, but the woman didn't realize the man she was having a affair with already murdered two women. The cerulean didn't seem interested in stopping it, so he just sat on the bridge and watched with a amused look on his face.

The blond human seemed to busy fumbling at his belt to realize the the akalak was behind him with his lakan raised. However, the woman saw her husband and started to scream as he plunged the dagger into the back of his rib cage. Ripping out the lakan, the akalak grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around and plunged the curved dagger into his stomach. Duron smiled from under his hood because the enraged husband was already doing the job for them of disposing the murder. The cerulean looked and saw the four other cerulean's perched on the stone railing of the bridge watching the jealous husband rip apart the blond male. When the blond human slide to the ground dead, the jealous husband looked at his wife with the bloody dagger in hand. Duron nodded to his brother's and started to walk slowly towards the akalak and said softly to them in Tukant, “Make sure nobody disturbs us my brothers...” The sound of the rushing water was enough to mask his approach towards the “star crossed lovers”. The reject couldn't hear what the couple were talking about, but the akalak rushed his mate and stabbed her in the heart. The women died in his arms and the large man started to cry. Cerulean just chuckled to himself at the tragic scene that played out before him.

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:50 pm

With a slow clap, Duron said in tukant with a amused smile on his face, “Some people would pay a great deal of money to see such a performance in a theater; however, you preformed marvelously for free.”

The jealous husband look up with a confused look on his face and asked in tukant, “You saw everything? Who are you?”

Duron stopped about ten feet from the crime scene, leaned up a stone railing on the side of the bridge, and looked up at Leth who was shining brilliantly in the sky. Duron watched as two of his brothers were walking the railing past the crime scene to the other side of the bridge, so they could keep people away from the crime scene. The other two stood watch on his side of the bridge to keep watch, so nobody disturbs them. The reject just looked from under his hood and said simply, “Does it really matter? I am just a witness to a double murder, so I guess that I hold all the cards now...”

The akalak stood up with his lakan in his hand and growled at Duron, “Are you trying to blackmail me? It a really stupid move since I just killed my wife and her lover!”

Duron chuckled to himself and shook his head and said quietly, “Triple murder! Wow your going to swing for this one, friend...”

Akalak said softly, “Petch you!”

Duron looked at him and said with a smile, “I guess you are smarter than you look. Well, the government thanks you for your service in dispatching our assailant.” Duron nodded to the blond man. Looking at the body of the female the akalak's feet, Duron said with a chuckle, “However, you murdered your wife, so you will swing after all.”

The akalak voice started to break and pleaded, “I didn't want too. She just betrayed me. I lost my mind for a tick now she is dead....”

Duron looked at him and said with a laugh, “And they say my brothers have no control over our emotions.” Looking at the body, the cerulean commanded with twisted smile, “Slit her throat with his dagger...”

“What? Why? Didn't I do enough to her already?”

Duron sighed and said simply, “If you don't listen to me, you will swing for murder. Now do what I say.”

The akalak took his dagger from the human's sheathe and slit her throat from ear to ear. The cerulean said with a smile, “See it wasn't to hard. Besides her body is just a empty shell now. She probably happier now than she was in life.”

“Are you trying to comfort me?”

Duron laughed out loud and said with sneer, “No. It amusing me. Why you would tear up over something as useless as a corpse.”

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:57 pm

The akalak seemed more embarrassed than anything following the cerulean's commands. In truth, he wanted this akalak to live, so he live out the rest of his life in torment for murdering his wife. It was a more fitting death than execution. Living out his life was a slow death where he would most likely destroy his own life with his own hand. Maybe he was doing this out of envy because the man took away the companionship of mate in a senseless fit of rage. He should have the facial tattoos not him. Duron said with nod, “Now want you take his dagger and plunge into your leg. Make sure it doesn't hit anything vital. I don't need you dying on me too.” When he stabbed himself, Duron just smile and said with a smile, “You good at taking commands, akalak. Now put the dagger in his hand and close his fingers around it. Make sure you smear some blood on his hands too.”

When the akalak was finished with his commands, Duron said with a smile, “Now you will be a hero and live out the rest of your life in nauseating bliss with some other women.” The cerulean started to tell him the story to tell the authorities, “The man you killed was a murder, and he was being hunted by the state. You saw your wife being accosted by him on the bridge, so you went to stop him. When he killed your wife, you killed him in a fit of rage.” Duron looked at him from under his hood and said sternly, “If you want us to keep your dirty secret than you will live the rest of your life as normal akalak. I promise you that my brothers and me will keep your secret till the day you die. I am helping you with your problem because you help the city by killing the blond human. Understand?” The akalak just nodded with a dumbfounded look on his face. The reject could tell the blue man understood and said simply, “Enjoy your life. I hope to never have to meet you again...”

When Duron turned around to walk away, he walked past his brothers and said in tukant with twisted smile, “We are done here. Our hero will live the rest of his life in agony. It was a good day.”

The cerulean next to him said with smirk, “It would be better for him if he just threw himself off the bridge.”

Duron shook his head and said simply, “It wouldn't help the akalak plight if he offed himself now. Give him a few more years to produce a son than he can throw himself off the bridge for all I care.”

“You are a awful person, Duron.”

Duron just looked at him and said with a laugh, “How can you call me awful when I just saved him from being executed. I deserve a medal for my act of mercy...”

by **Duron** on July 24th, 2015, 9:59 pm

Opening the door to his room in the Takula Outpost, Duron opened the door, walked over to his table and lite a large single candle in his room. The candle illuminated just enough space in the room around the table to leave the outer edges of the room dark. Taking off his dark blue shirt, he tossed it on the chest in his room and sat at the table. Looking at the candle, Duron thought about his encounter with the strange beautiful woman from before, Two out of the three people will die tonight, Duron. Duron paused for a moment and thought to himself, How did she know my name? I never gave her it. Suddenly, Duron thought he saw the darkness around him starting to get darker by the passing tick, and he saw figure of a blue skinned woman on the edge of the darkness. The reject stood there frozen as he saw a creepy smile appear on her face while she looked at him. He didn't do anything at first, but he asked with a look of curiousity, “Again you appear in the shadows. Who are you, stranger?”

The woman walked out of the darkness and the shadows cast by her seemed to move by themselves in the flickering light of the candle. The shadows seemed to manifest shapes on their own without the help of the strange woman. Taking a seat on the other side of the table, she said with smirk, “I want you look closely at me and tell me who I am cerulean.” Duron looked at her, and he remembered the time his father took him to the Night Tower as a child and recalled a statue of a woman. He never went inside the temple, but as a boy, he always had a curiosity about what secrets the tower must hold. The reject dull green eyes widened and the akalak said simply, “Akajia...”

Duron just stared at the goddess in silence when she said simply, “I was impressed by the way. You kept the man's dark secret safe. The only people who know that he murder his wife. Is him, your cerulean partners, and you. However, you went above and beyond to keep his secret safe, Duron. You orchestrated a plan where he saved face in a moment of great shame. With the use of his secret, you saved a condemned man's life from the hangman, and you condemned him to a long life of pain and torment for his crimes against his wife. Good work, Duron.”

Duron listened to the goddesses words and said simply, “Execution would be to lenient on him. Better him destroy his own life for destroying another person's life. However, what does his life matter to me in the end. It was a job. Now, I hold a man's life in the palm of my hands...”

Akajia gave him a smile of satisfaction and added, “All because of a secret...” The goddess stood up and walked around behind him and said simply, “Duron, you can definitely keep a secret, and I feel you will guard those secrets with your life and use them appropriately to your own benefit. I want to bestow a gift on you that will help you in your quest for the knowledge not readily spoke out loud. May the shadows of mortals be your hounds to gather knowledge spoken in the dark. May you guard your secrets with your soul and not let any mortal use them to their own whim. Here is my gift, Duron.” Feeling the her hand touch the middle of his back, he felt a warm of acceptance fill his empty heart. He could feel Aferan stir in the back of his mind, but Duron wanted this moment to be his own moment of triumph, so he suppressed in the back of his mind. When the warmth was gone, he turned around to thank the goddess, but she was gone too. However, he felt changed somehow. He felt whole. Suddenly, the cerulean started to laugh out loud at his dining room table.

by **Gossamer** on July 31st, 2015, 4:25 am

Moderator Intervention

The Issue(s): Starting gnosis threads are only allowed to be posted in the HD at the start of a character. It might take us a while top approve the. All other gnosis threads need to be moderated.

PM me when you have the above issues corrected and this intervention will be removed.