Between a Thief and Her Loot (Zenai)

[Shai]

Shai rose an eyebrow, was her stance so bad that he had to choke down a laugh? This was going to go worse than she thought. Her previous fears were confirmed when he drew his blades, they weren’t for a show of force they were for real force. She caught a glance of the light reflecting from the blade, it made a chill go up her spine, it implied they were more visible than she’d originally assumed. The wind tugged strands of hair out of her braid, framing her face with a more exhausted appearance.

Her eyes shaded in grim determination as Zenai made his charge first. She didn’t have time to think, she had to react in the best way she could see to. Shai made a horrible parry against his left hand strike just enough force to stop the blades not enough to push or even hold the position, her rapier rebounded off his swords. To accompany her parry Shai tossed herself off to her left in a tumble that ended with her rolling back onto her feet. She watched the swordsmen complete his second strike in the air of the place she had stood only heartbeats ago. She didn’t stand a chance if she couldn’t get beyond his offense, her real weapons were in close quarters the swords needed to be negated. He was fast though, turning quickly to face her new position he continued his assault. She jumped and spun constantly mindful of her feet keeping them moving to both avoid his attacks and his feet. The Symenestra prayed for his ignorance of her race, if he knew that by stomping on her foot he could effectively shatter every bone and cripple her indefinitely she had no doubt he’d take the chance to do.

The strange tune of swordplay seemed to seep into her steps letting her find a rhythm in the chaos. She couldn’t name any of the moves Zenai used nor did she have the vaguest idea of the proper counters. But her blood sang to the combat’s rhythm, adrenaline rushing forth to combat the danger. After precious moments spent dodging and parrying, Shai finally saw her opening. Zenai was after her from both directions at once with his blades, she surged forward and slammed the blade of her rapier in between the weapons effectively forcing him to withdraw them or push against her. She didn’t know there were counters to every counter but Zenai seemed to. He withdrew his right blade, holding her rapier in a parry with his left, and struck with the flat of his blade against the rapier’s hilt sending the blade out of the thief’s hands and clattering behind her.

Shai jumped back a few feet, this would pose a serious problem. “Well that was entertaining, how about we call this fair and I’ll just take my shiny sword and head on home?” The spider was breathing hard but apparently she had just enough to be a tiny bit witty. She crouched down her left hand reaching for the rapier was a bluff. Her right hand snaked out behind her and grabbed a pile of dirt. Staying low until the last moment Shai flung herself forward as soon as she was close enough she lifted her posture and threw the dirt at Zenai's eyes. She followed it up by trying to get around his blades and tackle him.

[Zenai]

There was something peculiar about her fighting style as if she was just winging it and making it look clumsy and awkward on purpose. He swung his sword wide against Shai’s right but she managed to block it. Zenai then deliver another strike from the opposite direction but yet again, she blocked it barely by bringing the rapier to her left. In response, Shai slashed and stabbed as soon as Zenai was done with his cycle of attacks. Shai tried to stab Zenai but the Half-Inarta side-stepped to the right. Missing her target, she withdrew the rapier and fired another stabbing attack against Zenai but Zenai brought his blade to bear and swung it. The clash sent Shai’s less-than-powerful stab away from Zenai and Shai herself almost lost her footing. Zenai was about to press on but Shai was able to get back her footing faster than Zenai had anticipated. He still pressed on and sent another barrage of attacks.

Time seemed to slow down as the fight went on, Zenai watched as his sword slowly moved through the cold air. It took awhile before it actually hit something, Shai’s rapier. Sparks flew and Zenai saw that the sparks itself danced and flew as if they were fairies of sorts. Zenai exhaled, seeing his breath fogged into the cold night. He also Shai exhaled as well and breathing out her own fog. Her fangs glinted in the moonlight. He could also see the sweat from the borders of her hairline gathering before slide down forehead and into her eyebrows. She blinked when the sweat skirted her right eyes. Zenai immediately deliver a strike against her blind spot. Petch! His arm is moving too slow and from Zenai’s perspective, it took several blinks of an eye. Shai need only blinked her right eye thrice before it was clear to see the oncoming strike. Shai ducked under the swing and Zenai sent an under-stab her way. She backed off, not wanting to be skewered by Zenai’s talon sword.

In reality, both Zenai and Shai attacked and defended fast. One block instantaneously followed by a parry then again, by a dodge. A stab against Shai’s right came right after downward slash from Zenai’s right sword which is then accompanied with an upper cut from the left. Each clash ignited a spark as if two flints were knocked together. If Zenai didn’t know any better, they would start a fire. Fortunately, the air was too cold and damp for an accidental minor spark to create a fire monster that would spread destruction and havoc across the city. Persistence and skill seems to be working to Zenai’s advantage as he noticed that the thief was getting sloppier with her blocks and parries. Zenai decided to kick it up a notch and send a double-sword strike from two sides. Shai backed off and blocked the double attack with just the rapier. Holding her rapier at bay with his left sword, Zenai freed his right blade and went to hit Shai’s hands so she would lose her grip on the rapier.

The rapier dropped to the ground and rolled away from them as Shai jumped back well away from Zenai’s talon swords. “Well that was entertaining, how about we call this fair and I’ll just take my shiny sword and head on home?” The Spider said to the Guppie. Guppie took his fighting stance. “No can do. I will be taking that sword and YOU will be heading on home if you know what’s good for you.” Zenai must be ready to sprint least she takes the rapier and run off again. Despite his warnings, Shai lowered down to reach for the rapier. Petching stupid… Zenai charged, not waiting for the thief to run off. Then came an expected surprise, Shai used her other hand to scoop up some dirt and threw it at Zenai’s face. Really petching stupid. Zenai lifted his left arm to protect his face from the sand-attack then he could see Shai coming for him as if she wants to bump into Zenai and say “Sorry about bumping into you and taking your sword. Here’s your sword. Bye!”

Zenai decides to expose more of his technique by taking a feint attack against Shai with his two swords. Like Zenai predicted, Shai dodged the weapons and wanted to go for Zenai for a tackle but Zenai quickly raised his left knee to kick Shai in the stomach. As she bent over in pain, Zenai would then grabbed her by back of her head and twirl around her, pushed her and letting her fall forward into the ground, clutching her aching belly. Zenai now had her cornered but he’s not exactly done yet. He went for the finishing move; kicking her while she’s down. Zenai would then hover over her limped body and pressed the tip of his talon sword to her neck then asking her to submit. Zenai has to keep in mind about his legs otherwise Shai could try to trip him.

[Shai]

There was a single instant in which Shai realized she’d been fooled. He’d known what she planned but it was too late to change her momentum. She had braced for the tackle and that helped her absorb a tiny bit of the impacts. The knee it stomach wasn’t what she had expected but it did the job she hunched over effectively stopped and before she even had time to curl her arms in the compliment blow hit her in the back of the head. It was a dangerous idea for someone who wanted their victim to live it could both cause unending unconsciousness and complete expiration. Additionally, as he hit the back of her head she lost her grip on the rapier letting it fall behind him again. He was far more serious that she had anticipated. He flipped her before her body had time to fall; consequently she fell onto her back, hard. If the stomach blow hadn’t already knocked all of the air out of her that would have.

Shay had only a moment to think before the next blow but she expected it. She would have done exactly the same thing, she’d braced for this one and that brace was the only thing that kept the kick from break bones. Lying on her back with her chest working overtime to pull air back in, Shai turned her eyes up to Zenai. Hovering his blade at her neck he waited for her to concede victory but oddly enough that scared her less than his blows before had, it was one thing to die it was leagues of difference to be crippled for the rest of your life. It was going to come down to a dirty trick, she hated that idea it was the cruelest thing she could have done but this tussle was getting very near terminally dangerous. Eventually he’d get an arm or his face to close and she’d bite him, that was all there was too.

Before she had any chance to enact her plan, there was a glint from behind Zenai. The rapier. There was a shadow picking up her hard stolen goods. Her eyes bulged spotting the thief, he wasn’t alone in the alley beyond there was two more shadows. She wasn’t even sure if Zenai would be able to see that far without enhanced vision. She shouted at him, I might have startled him for its divergence from her normal hushed tones but she doubted he’d startle at this point “Behind you, you fool!! The sword!” It would never work he’d never turn around, it sounded like a lame attempt to distract him. What could she do? Her body still hurt from the blows she doubted she could move fast enough to get the sword back without assistance. She had to do something, then it hit her maybe he’d understood a code fast enough. Maybe a code from a time when they had worked together to mutual benefit. “Rat chariots!” she wheezed out. Her early shout had taken all the breath she’d managed to get back.

She then did the only thing she could think of to get away. She bent her knees up from the ground, microscopic hooks extended from the bottoms of her bare feet, and shoved against the ground as hard as she could. Her shove caused her to scoot back which left the blade at her neck to slide down her chest. Unless he pulled it back the sword would slice the tie on her cloak and slit a shallow cut down the center of her chest to her sternum where her tiny body grew even slimmer and could avoid the blade. Once her pelvis had cleared the blade her turned to her right take the cut on the left of thigh. It would burn but not nearly as much as the hurt she’d already sustained and was still working under.
It was really the principle at this point, she’d rather let Zenai take back the rapier than let some bottom feeder take it from her like this. She kept her distance from Zenai and rolled up into a crouch. From the crouch she ran as fast she could forcing her body upright as went , her breath finally returning to her lungs and there was no time to waste. One man hand her sword and he had two friends it looked like. If either of them wanted that sword they would need each to get it back.

She flung herself at the wall the chance that she would be hunted as a monster didn’t matter now. Now that she recognized the guard for Zenai there was no use hiding a secret from someone who already knew it. In addition, there was no way she’d let these men live. She nearly didn’t make the jump that she had used to often in the past; her vision must be impaired from the blow to her head. She had to keep that in mind along with her slower reaction times due to the other damages she’d sustained. She latched onto the wall and skittered around the corner down the alley way to block off the men’s only escape route, unless of course they were Symenestra’s which she highly doubted. Shai hopped down off the wall into a shadow at the alley’s mouth where the light could best play on her least human features.

Shai opened her mouth wide forcing her fangs to extend to their full length, almost too long to close her own mouth without hurting herself. A predatory mien took over her face; there was no escape for these thieves not so long as Zenai caught on. She was ready to scamper back up the wall and cut her losses though if he left her out to dry.

The three thieves took defensive stances two facing Zenai and one watching their backs and Shai. Of the two facing Zenai one held a long sword and another wielding the rapier. The one facing Shai held two daggers.

[Zenai]

“Rat Chariot?” Zenai raised his eyebrow in stunned bewilderment. “And what does she mean behind me? Of course, there’s the rapier.” However, Zenai’s paralysis gave enough time for Shai to escape his blade and climbed away from him. Zenai watched her and from the corner of his eye, he could see dark figures going for the shining sword. He quickly turns around to face them. This is FAN-tastic… Three more thieves appear to look for easy prey and that easy prey was Zenai and Shai. Petch! Zenai had almost forgotten there would other thieves, raiders and looters about, and Shai is just one of them. Zenai took a ready stance while Shai climbed over and blocked the thieves escape route. Now, they’re caught in a pincer move by Zenai and Shai. Zenai quietly thanked Shai for sticking around to help out. Maybe he won’t turn her in for stealing from them. Still he needs that rapier back.

“If you fellas know what’s good for you, you will give back that rapier.” Zenai declared. “No. Petching. Way. This rapier will fetch us a good amount of mizas. Totally worth stabbing you lot to make it worthwhile.” The head-thief with the rapier laughed. Zenai has to do it the hard way with them and he is quite obliged to do so. There were three of them and while Zenai faced two of them, Shai bear her fangs at the last one covering the other thieves’ backs. Zenai don’t think intimidation would work on them and she better have some real combat skills or at least hold them off somehow. The head-thief also looking like he doesn’t know how to use a rapier got into a fighting stance. “Get them, boys!” The head-thief and the thief-swordsman charged Zenai.

Zenai took a defensive stance with his arms out. The first one came, the thief-swordsman; Zenai blocked the thief’s downward cut by bringing up his talon sword to block the cut. Meanwhile, the head-thief came stabbing at Zenai who then dodged away to the left and whacked the rapier with his own talon sword. This would be a perfect example of why dual-wielding works. Zenai’s dual-wielding fighting style allowed him to fight two opponents who used one-handed weapon styles; one sword against another sword. Zenai had two swords so he can fight two opponents each with one sword of their own. Zenai blocked both their attacks then twirled around so both of his blades would block the other thief’s attack. One thief came forward to strike at Zenai first but Zenai parried and twisted the thief’s long sword away. The other thief then came to take a hit against Zenai but again, Zenai parried the attack away. Zenai went for the offensive; he brought both blades down hard against the two thieves but both were blocked. Zenai withdrew both of his swords. His second attacks were a stab against the thief with the long sword while Zenai went for a wide swing-slash against the thief with the rapier. Zenai managed to put a superficial wound on the long swordsman’s sides when he dodged while the head-thief barely blocked the slash. This was a perfect case example of how a dual-wielder would fight two opponents at the same time; one sword for each opponent and he has two.

However, defeating two opponents at the same time could only be done by a master dual-wielder. Zenai is competent enough but for a master. Still, he didn’t have to defeat them both at the same time as he could still defeat one before going the other. He just needs to paralyze one quickly and long enough to him to have to deal and finish the other off. His opportunity came when the head-thief came at him with an amateur’s rapier upward cut which Zenai parried easily but then, Zenai immediately came forward so he would be in very close quarters with the head-thief. Again, time slowed for Zenai and as he breathed out, the fog of his breathes over the eyes of head-thief who blinked. Zenai send a powerful headbutt-knee-kick combo into the head thief. Zenai’s helmet and leg greaves helping to softening the recoil on himself while the head-thief would feel the full brunt of it in addition to have being hit as if it was by a cooking pan. The head-thief fell backwards and rolled on the ground.

Zenai, satisfied that he knock out the head-thief for a couple of rounds, turned against the long swordsman-thief. The thief came for a wide slash but Zenai bend over; just enough to avoid the blow but not enough to fall over. The blade hovered along Zenai’s body and it came so close, Zenai could lick the blade. Confident that the blade has passed over, Zenai surged forward and delivered a headbutt into the thief’s skull. The thief staggered backwards, almost dazed from having his head smashed into by a helmeted attacker. Zenai leaped forward and went for a whirlwind attack against the thief. Zenai’s two blades positioned to Zenai’s left and when he was in range, he brought his swords extremely hard to the right while spinning on his toes like some kind of ballerina-sword dance of death. The thief recovered enough to get his footing stable and blocked the double-bladed attack. The swords made contact; sparks flew and the vibrations caused travelled throughout the thief’s body. It didn’t mattered because the thief had almost had his sword knocked away from his hands and tried to get a firmer grasp on his sword while almost tripping from blocking Zenai’s power attack. Zenai came around for the second blow but in addition, he added a low kick. The thief barely blocked the swords but one of his legs was tripped by Zenai’s low kick. The thief dropped to one knee while stabilizing himself with both hands; which also means he can’t bring out his sword to block the third attack. Zenai’s still had the momentum for the third attack, another double sword strike at the thief’s exposed neck as he looked up in horror. The last thing the thief saw was an eagle bringing its talon to bear and tearing out his throat. Blood splattered all to the left of Zenai but he brought his talon sword about for another slash across the thief. He does it again from right to left thus slashing the thief’s throat for a total of three times with his dual talon swords. The corpse simply fell to its left. Blood poured out of the neck wound and onto the alleyway. Zenai heard a noise from behind him.

Zenai spun around and in a fighting stance. He saw an angry look on the head-thief’s face. He bears his teeth and flared his nostrils as if he actually cared and outraged at his associate’s slaughter. Zenai’s face was a face of tranquility and peace but some would call it a face of a murderer. Zenai had a duty; making sure he escorts the merchant’s merchandise safely and to dispatch any thieves, raider and looters even if you had to kill them. This was Sunberth; the only justice you would get is from your own blade and the judgment he has put forth against these low-life opportunistic rats of thieves is death. “Damn you, petcher! I’m gonna gut you like a fish, you vagik-bastard!” The head-thief swore in anger. Zenai simply replied, “Come at me, ser.”

OOCYes, I did the "Matrix" I killed the thief with long sword but left the head-thief for you and I to deal with when you're done with your guy

[Shai]

Shai took on a feral grin. The daggers for me? Lovely. The longer weapons had an advantage over her in most combat the reach kept her at bay. Here the daggers had no such advantage but when she went in she would need to be quick because his blades could still be used in close combat. Stalking forward slowly the Symenestra taunted the man with her inaction. He was already trapped in her web, there was no rush.

The man was positioned more or less in the middle of the alleyway, Shai walked along the right side running her hand along the night chilled bricks. Finally her chance came, Zenai had killed one. Daggers was momentarily distracted by his comrade’s death knell and Shai took every advantage. The hooks extended from her hand and quickly accompanied by her right and then a quick jump gave her a quartette, the spider sped across the wall closing the distance she’d been slowly eating away since this encounter had begun. The spider spoke into the night as she completed her charge, “The blood I spill here shall sing for him.” She pounced on the man who’d only just returned his focus to her as she spoke. It was far too late; one should never take their eyes off a predator. She gave him no time to react, her first act was to use her extended reach to rake across the tender muscles of his underarm, Daggers would lose control of his daggers and the wounds would probably kill him but too slowly for current circumstances. So as the two fell to the ground Shai pulled her right claw up and ended his life with four crescent shapes of gore across his neck. Blood fled from the wounds onto Shai but the Symenestra hardly seemed to noticed. “Moz seh krevas dav’ene us obris zhevat.” She whispered into the blood more than the dying man beneath her.

Lifting herself off the dying body she watched the remaining man her alien purple gaze seeking weaknesses. She was much farther away from this third man so it was logical when he turned towards Zenai, attempting to flee. Shai removed the option quickly. Her arms still hurt but her legs worked just fine; she used her greater stride and lesser bone weight to rapidly catch up to the man. But instead of striking a fatal blow she raked her claws across the backs of his legs limiting his mobility to effectively nothing. The man released the rapier and fell forwards towards Zenai who he had been attempting to fight his way past. Shai quickly snatched the rapier as it hit the ground and jumped back from her crouch. She let the body give her a distraction and a small physical barrier. Taking this small advantage, Shai latched onto the wall, rapier's hilt in her mouth, and began to skitter upwards. She couldn’t leave her cloak behind it was too important, her last piece of home. So instead of fleeing like she should when she got to the roof she stared down from two stories above at Zenai and their small massacre.

[Zenai]

The rapier-wielding head-thief sent a flurry of stabs against Zenai out of sheer anger and frenzy. Now, with just one opponent with just one weapon, Zenai was able to easily block and parry the frenzied, incoherent attacks. However, just like an angry badger with a rapier, the thief was on an all-out offensive and doesn’t seemed to care whether he died or not in his attempt to kill Zenai. Zenai let the thief tire himself out while Zenai managed to counter most of the thief’s attack without overreaching his limit. Zenai side stepped and ducked against stabbing attacks while slashes were either parried or blocked. Some of the attacks hit home but luckily, his armor was able to take most of the brunt of the attack. Zenai would just need to take care of bruises caused later when this entire ordeal is done. Occasionally, Zenai would see a window of opportunity and fired a few attacks himself. Most were countered by the thief and even though some were able to hit, the thief, still intent on doing harm against Zenai above anything else, ignored the injuries and the pain the wounds entailed. Zenai came to the conclusion that he needs to kill the thief outright to disable him and get back that rapier.

Zenai was about to unleash a series of attacks that would put the head-thief out of commission but he screamed and suddenly lurched forward in pain and in turn, dropped the rapier onto the ground. From behind the thief, Zenai could see it was Shai that attacked the thief from behind having dealt with her own thief. Her “hand” was bloodied and Zenai surmised that she clawed the man’s tendon thus rending him immobile. She then gone for the rapier and climbed up the wall like the spider she was, leaving Zenai to deal with the thief. He looked down on the thief trying to tend to his wounds. With his talon swords still in his hands, Zenai wondered if he would need to finish the man off. The thief suddenly looked up at Zenai, apparently realizing that Zenai was staring down on him and judging him for his crimes. “Pl-Please! I-I-I beg you! Mercy upon me head! Fo-for-forgive me, milord! Please don’t kill m-me-me!” The thief begged and cried. It was a pathetic display even for someone as compassionate as Zenai and some of that compassion was dulled by his upbringing and his time in Sunberth. Zenai weighed his options; on his more merciful side, they argued that one should show mercy whenever possible and this was that opportunity but on his more “pragmatic” side, they argued that he should just end his life right there and then to prevent the thief from taking revenge. At first, he wanted to kill the man outright and do away with him immediately. They were not of the Daggerhand or the Night Eyes but just petty thieves looking for easy pickings. Their deaths would be of little consequences. On second thought, he decided to let him go and taking pity on his already sad situation. Then again; on a third thought, he stabs the thief in the throat and when Zenai pulled out his sword, blood poured out of the wound and the thief fell over backwards with a slight kick from Zenai. Having dealt with the situation, Zenai sighed and he thought he lost both Shai and the rapier. Maybe if he could track her down, Zenai could find the rapier again and clear his name and reputation. Maybe Old Leg won’t make him swim with his “cousins” too. Zenai sheaved his weapons and rubbed his bruises.

Zenai looked around for anything that would lead him to Shai; anything at all like foot tracks, trails of blood and whatever. He then saw the cloak left behind by Shai. He went over and picked it up carefully as there’s no telling what the cloak had in it. Booby traps, a nest of spiders, poisoned knives and venomous blades were just the few things that could be sprung from Shai’s cloak. After inspecting it, Zenai concluded that it was just a regular cloak. Zenai looked at it further so he may find anything that could lead to Shai’s home. Satisfied he could not find a clue on just the cloak, Zenai looked around for additional clues. Nothing in the alleyway itself so he looked up where Shai climbed up to escape Zenai and the thieves as well as running off with the rapier. It was then he could see a figure ducking back in beyond his sights. Zenai took a wild guess. “Shai? Shai! Get down here. I know you’re there. Get me back the rapier and maybe I would not consider beating you to a pulp. Do you hear me? Hey! Hey! Hey! For the love of petch, get down here!”

[Shai]

Shai watched Zenai as he searched, he had her cloak. Directly beneath the rogue was a trail of bloody handprints that ran half way up the wall. Being so far away from Kalinor and family meant that cloak was worth one hundred rapiers. Not to mention her thief’s tools were secured inside its inner pockets. Stabbing the rapier into the thatch roofing, letting it stick out and clearly visible from the street, Shai began to move away from it. The rapier shone in the moonlight throwing small reflections from the gems onto the walls of the alley below. This would need to be done delicately if she wanted to get away with her cloak and the rapier. Slinking away across the roof top, until she stood above Zenai, Shai spoke in a calm even voice like one might use on a spooked horse. “I under estimated you once Zenai, I will not do so twice. Return my cloak?”

She bent forward and began crawling down the wall; she stopped her descent just out of reach of his swords. The Symenestra needed her cloak back, but she couldn’t let him know the garments true value to her. “There is plenty of loot and weaponry on these three corpses to easily make up for one little rapier. Surely the merchant would be appeased?” In some ways Shai had earned a grudging respect for the young man, she wasn’t certain she really liked him but often there are things more important than personal preferences. She was waiting for any chance that he might loosen his grip on the cloak, she’d snatch it and flee back up the wall and then be on her merry way home. She would also watch out for Zenai’s convoys in the future, they probably weren’t worth the trouble required to get away with the loot. Alternatively the thief considered returning the rapier for her cloak and all the goods she could scavenge from the corpses in the alley. It was a decent option at this point.

[Zenai]

Zenai had the feeling that the cloak was worth more to Shai than it seemed to be. Zenai didn't care for the cloak but for the rapier. If she wants her cloak back, she would need to give him back the rapier. Zenai hid the cloak behind his back. "If you want your cloak back, you WILL return the rapier to me. Do not expect me to climb all the way up there after giving you the cloak." The ball was in Zenai's court and he is not about to waste it on the expectation of Shai doing the right thing. "You will give me the rapier back and at the same time, I will give you back your cloak. Agreed?" Zenai was not an ignorant man; he knew why Shai came out and stolen the rapier from his caravan. "Once I have the rapier in my possession, you may loot these bodies yourself. My duty is to the merchant and that sword is his. They, however,..." Zenai directing Shai's gaze at the dead thieves. "...would not be needing their material possessions anymore. I have little interest in looting these dead bodies." Zenai tried to make his case and persuading Shai to do the "right" thing. Still, he has to be wary of any of Shai's tricks. If she agrees to Zenai's terms, he would swap the cloak for the rapier and let her loot the dead thieves for any loot while Zenai runs back to the downed wagon where Carsten and hopefully, Lug would be waiting for him. If Shai refused the deal, when Zenai would have to keep the cloak as evidence and a clue to her whereabouts when Zenai would want to track her down later. Zenai also made sure he's able to bring his sword out at a moment's notice in the unlikely case that Shai decides a much more violent course of action. Zenai would prefer the more peaceful solutions.

[Shai]

Shai gave a sigh Zenai he knew the cloak was important. The transaction took no further thought she skittered back up the wall and retrieved the rapier. She returned for her cloak in exchanged for the rapier. She simply couldn’t give up her last bit of Kalinor for a single sword. She muttered under her breath a little but took everything she could from the bodies including the daggers and long sword. The daggers would fit inside her cloak’s pockets, the long sword she had to carry though. She also retrieved their coin pouches and whatever weapon their leader had originally held. It wasn’t such a bad haul but it was nothing like that rapier would be. On the other hand her cloak, these items, and not getting any bones broken was well worth it.

The Symenestra turned her amethyst eyes on Zenai. “Well this has all been lovely, really. But I think I will have to turn in early.” She used her cut cloak tie to attach the longsword to her belt, she couldn’t turn upside down and her pants threatened to leave her but it would do until she got home. As she finished ascending the wall for the last time, she turned back to get one last glimpse of the rapier before heading off. She made certain to retrieve her mizas from her hiding spot before heading home. Shai’s next big plan was to sleep for the next two days straight because when she woke up tomorrow night she would be too sore to much anyways.

[Zenai]

OOCSilly me. I forgot to do my ending post Anyway, here it is!


Zenai cautiously took the rapier from Shai’s spidery hands, least she had any tricks left up her sleeves. She grabbed her cloak as if it was the most precious thing in her own little spider-world. Whatever. Zenai was glad to have the rapier back and the Guppie will most likely not be swimming, sleeping and living with the fishes. He then thanked her for the cooperation. “Finally, thank you, sera. I hope, Shai, that you will learn one day that you should steal from other people.” Zenai had no hope for Shai would turn a new leaf but he would just be glad enough that she won’t be stealing from him or anything under his guard. “Anyway, thanks for having my back against those other thieves. Hope we meet under better circumstances. Bye.”

Zenai looked around for something to wrap the rapier in; not willing to let its shining gems and glistening steel attract greedy eyes especially when the moon is out and shadows are all around them. Finding nothing, Zenai cut up one of the shirts the bandits were wearing after Shai had picked them clean. They were dead anyway and wouldn’t need the shirts. He wrapped the piece of cloth around the rapier, making sure that nothing was exposed. Zenai looked up as Shai climbed up the walls like some freaky spider woman she was. He shivered, not from the fear of her kind, but from the cold. He wrapped his arms tightly around his body and rubbed his shoulders and arms. The night was getting colder and the sooner he was done with this, the sooner he can head to an inn and hopefully sit by the hearth fire.

He looked around for anyone or anything that might jumped him; no one. He was alone in that alley. He sighed and made his way back towards wherever Carsten was. Does he know this part of city? Probably not. He would just need to go with his gut instinct and look for landmarks. Shyke! Everything looks both the same and different at night. The streets and houses look all the same and the landmarks and roads you’re supposed to recognize by day looks different by night. He looked around again to make sense of his surroundings and any dangers. Maybe he was being paranoid; true if you were in Syliras but this was Sunberth and anything could happen. Such is the life of a lowly mortal in a dangerous world.

Zenai just made his way towards the direction where he came from while he was pursuing Shai or that’s what the direction he thought he came from. He just kept on walking on the reason that he would eventually stumble into something he recognize and finally get his bearings. The sounds of his stomping boots echoed throughout the streets and alleys. It was a quiet night and he would be glad if Akajia would be kind enough to leave the rest of the night as so. Most likely not but it doesn’t hurt to try. Zenai continued on his way and eventually, met up with Carsten and Lug who just loaded another wagon with the crates from the other wagon. Zenai would need to do whole lot of explanation and lying to keep himself and Shai out of trouble. Well, at least, he got the rapier and that should be worth noting. Carsten nodded her approval and they set off towards Cherry Bay.