Can i never get a break ? (rail, and zan.)

by **Ximal** on March 31st, 2012, 2:58 am

13th spring 512AV midday

Spring, how Xi hated spring, sofar this month it had caused him nothing but grief, though he now had a possible place to work if nothing else and even that was less than...wholesome. Still coin was coin, trudging down the main street of the market district, hunched, looking somewhat older than his time by a good thirty years his beard long , his hir longer and his face hidden for the most part by his hood, passers by giving him the occasional eye as if to say 'old fart move out of my way i'm busy' still Xi did not want trouble any more hi's anger had gotten the best of him already, costing him alot of his function but today that cut on his left arm was finally starting to close, the one on his right gone completely, though a fresh scar took it's place. Another scar, another reminder of my anger. Xi thought to himself as he hobbled along trying his best not to get noticed by the passers by incase one might be hunting him. Seven days, he's been able to keep out of harms way, the next time he did something so foolish he'd make sure that he had the ability to stop himself getting hurt this damned bad.

Helping himself along using the wall to brace him self, making it look like it was accentuating his age, when really he was just using the wall to keep from falling over when positioned like this. Not many people would be hunting him now, but he would wait until he found some way to change his face a little or at least acquire some protection before he, showed his face in public again. Still he'd gotten away with relatively minor injuries. for the stunt he pulled and for that he was thankful. his joins felt stiff from being over used in running but the last couple days that stiffness had died down. and he'd been feeling more fluid again the pose and way of walking was just for show and to help him hide. He prayed to which ever god would listen that nobody who was hunting him would find him he was in no state to fight, not yet at least.

by **Rail** on April 6th, 2012, 5:18 am

The twilight hours were exhilarating, Rail thought as he kneeled on the ledge of one of Sunberth's many single tiered buildings just breathing in the night air. With intense relish he scented everything around him the taverns down the road with their smell of old ale sweat and other things, the docks smelling of fish and salt, and something closer smelling of old blood.

After a quick moment of deliberation he decided to check it out and bounced up from his position taking off in search of this new smell. With even strides he bolted across the rooftops of the city from building to building until he reached a small gap made bye a fair sized alley. With an excited whoop of joy Rail ran straight for the edge and jumped, soaring over the few people going about their business in the alley below and landing with a thump and roll on the other side.

A manic grin spread across his face as he bounded on occasionally slipping on a loose tile or tripping over his own feet. It didnt matter though he was on a hunt. With a vicious little smile he slowed to a walk and crouched down crawling along the tiles until he could look over the edge of the building. Many people crowded into this particular street all bustling and jostling each other to the point where, for a moment, he could not find the one he hunted.

After a moments search he noticed what he was looking for. A figure hunched over like an old one or cripple and yet neither smelling of age nor decay but only the iron hard scent of dried blood. With the cold determination of his true form he slowly began to stalk this unusual figure.

by **Ximal** on April 9th, 2012, 11:14 pm

Xi headed down a side street and straightened up. Luckily there was no one here to cause a fuss with. Still Xi slid on his gauntlets just in-case. He felt better knowing he had some protection. As he strolled down the street he took a left and a right and then doubled back to check to se if anyone was following him. Quiet, too quiet. Your right there, though i may not like it. Liro, since the issue in the bar and the inn a few days back...He'd stolen that false name and assumed it as his own. Shut up i dont need to speak with you, your annoying me and that stunt you pulled with the girl... Tell me honestly you didnt want too...? I'm just the better side of us. And your the one with the reins... if you were the better side you'd have more control. You just happen to be good at manipulating people. Your right i am, but that's because i have a chance to do something unlike you you babbling buffoon. Xi ignored him and quickened his pace. He could feel something racing behind him. He didn't know what but his intincts told him somethign was following him.

Turing off round a street into a blind bend he hid agaisnt the wall, and waited for the follower to pass him by. If some one was following him he'd have them by the throat the moment they turned the corner.

by **Zandelia** on April 12th, 2012, 1:42 am

“Tell me Dasoma, why do you have us running around tracking down seemingly useless pieces of information for you? Once upon a time we were tracking slavers and money for you,” the young man dubbed Jalera, the nominal leader of the group before Zandelia, asked, “now you have us observing food stalls and dredging the markets for fools” he finished, to mutterings from the four other youths in the darkened alleyway.

Perceptive runts to be sure, but their wonderings deserve some form of an answer at least. Though I think he requires taking down a little this time, he goes too far she thought as, not for the first time, she was glad she had begun to use one of several aliases in her shadowy workings.

“I do not like your tone Jalera, so stop playing the hero, it merely gets people like us killed,” she intervened as she let them think of her as part of their unit, she always had been since meeting them after all, “you’re work is important even if you do not know it. I have something in mind and you will know about it when I am ready to tell you. Until then you will keep doing as I say or I leave. Remember what things were like when I wasn’t around? You scraped for little and earned less. Now you are healthy, well provided for and alive. Don’t spit at generosity” she snapped at them, gazing around and starting each of them down individually.

“Now, your next job is slightly more interesting. A building, in fact. You will find it near the docks down a grubby alley. You will know it by the guards that wear black leather and hoods. You will watch, wait and report. No heroics” she let the last comment hit home for Jalera.

There was silence for a few minutes as they each looked to one another, weighing up the more fitting task for them and nodded in unison. She smiled at them and handed over the coin – ten gold Miza – and watched he file out f the alley, true predators of the night and with weapons free. They had grown over the past few years, from a runty and broken group of strays into a killing machine. They were her hounds and they liked to catch the scents she wished them to. Recently she had been dumping menial tasks on them, she understood their frustration, but in the long run they would thank her. She did not want any of them to die for her own personal crusade. She was a harsh mistress, cruel when required to be, but she loved them in her own ways.

Time to leave the pups to do what they do best and get some task of my own finished this night, whilst time still remains she thought as she walked out of the alley, pulling her hood up and fading into the shadows.

The twilight held few terrors for her anymore, she had spent too many hours traversing them. She was not foolish, she was of course cautious. Still, it was hard to be surprised by things, including the dead body being devoured by rats as she passed. It held the colors of a minor gang, not worth noting for now beyond a further shrinking in their numbers. They were dubbed the ‘Grey Stalkers’ and were more a collection of directionless ambition than anything to fear. To her mind, unless they had recruited further, they merely had ten members left now. If she had not been Crimson Edge she might have even used them for her own ends. It was a decent idea but sadly unworkable. It was as she rounded a corner, squeezing through a tiny crack between buildings she had discovered a few weeks past, she noted aman run into the other end and slap himself against the wall.

Waiting, and wait he might…just not for whom he believes. He is either lucky or extremely unlucky she thought as she placed her feet slowly, methodically, into a sneaking pattern. Heels hit the ground first, rolling so that the weight of her body was evenly dispersed across the entirety of the sole of her feet – diminishing any sound. Coupled with her robes of clever design he had little chance of detecting her, concentrated as she no doubt was upon the other direction and pursuer.

“Well well, what have we here then? A stray running from a combatant? Shame on you, not standing your ground,” Zandelia purred at him as she flicked her spring blade from its sheath under her left gauntlet and let it snap out to cross his neck, close enough to keep him still, “I wouldn’t move if I were you. It could be…dangerous for your health. Now, why would you run? Escaping some gang members perhaps? You could be useful for reward if so” she ended as she kept her arm loose in case he tried to do something foolish.

I doubt it though, he has only but to move and he’ll slice his own throat. If he does that he is too stupid to be of any use she thought as she waited calmly, wondering if anyone would actually arrive behind the man.

by **Rail** on April 12th, 2012, 6:38 am

It was a funny sight the man setting up an ambush for him. He padded padded across the rooftops on bare feet barely making a sound, and was surprised by, possibly even respectful of the mans sense for danger. For a moment Rail wondered if he was a kelvic or zith but quickly dismissed the notion. He smelled of a different kind of beast. It was an intriguing smell and one he wished to explore.

Before he could find anything out, however, a cloyingly familiar scent emerged. It was also tinged with the scent of old blood but this.. this had the scent of fright on it as well. He was intensely interested now and couldt help but move to the next building for a better view. Now that he was closer he could smell it another hunter of the human, but a little off. It fascinated him the way she somehow managed so sneak through the alleyways of the city while still standing tall as a mountain.

With a grin he realized that the silent night stalker had caught sight of the unusual man in the next alley and sat back to watch what would happen. It was a quick action but he couldnt help but marvel at the skill with which she trapped the man. It was a well executed action and Rail could not decide whether to intervene or not.

With a lithe movement he slid from his hiding place and ran on silently padding feet to hop over the lip of the building one again so that he could land directly above them with a light scraping of tile. For a moment he held his breath expectantly but the tiny noise did not seem to alert them to his presence.

His most mischievous grin spread slowly across his face as he lowered himself headfirst over the lip of the building, his iron hard grip and determination to do mischief all that was keeping him from falling atop the pair," I believe madam that you are looking in the wrong direction." He said, hanging directly behind her head. He tapped her lightly upon the shoulder before yanking himself back up and sliding away from the edge of the building.

He was certain he had made no noise other than the rasp of his own voice and smiled silently at the thought of the woman's reaction to voices speaking from thin air.

by **Ximal** on April 12th, 2012, 7:27 am

XI had thought h'd gotten away. Letting out a deep sigh as he leant against the wall, breathing normally he then heard the voice of a woman. It couldn't be that bad could...The the knife was at his throat before he'd even made a move. Ivaks breath, can i never get a break? Xi exhaled and looked at her, slowly his dark black blue eyes shining beneath his hood. He breathed out slowly he didn't want trouble. He never wanted trouble. His eyes glazed over her. Green eyes and a long scar over the other. she looked well ready to kill him if need be. He let his demeanour freeze, auristics not needed to tell what he was thinking nor how he was feeling. His deep black blue eyes, froze in gaze he was analysing her more than anything else. Blotting out mos of that she spoke. She didn't look like much of a threat but he'd been wrong in the past. And now he had two searingly painful cuts to prove it. His frozen gaze looked into her eyes as he listened to what she had to say. Her voice was in such a way she seemed to be playing with him. Reward him ? He couldn't stop himself laughing. "I'd be worth less to you than a measly copper." He cocked his head a little beneath his hood, oddly he did enjoy looking at her, but couldn't quite place why. His face hidden by darkness no expressions could be seen even though he had a small smile upon his face. "Put the knife down. I've no reason nor cause to harm you. Besides i probly couldn't if i wanted to right now.

Letting his eyes cast over he it was clear she was an adept fighter, or at least good at sneaking, She had him at a point wehre he could not move. He lifted his arm slowly just to re shuffle his cloak then put it back down again. Right now she had the power and she knew it. Hence the playful tone of voice. Then another voice came louder. Telling her she was looking in the wrong way. This was either someone wanting to save his sorry hide or wanted her . So Xi asked again politely thawing the freeze in his voice, but keeping his emotional stability of being frozen. " Put that knife away and i cna help you. Ive no reason to harm you, i don't even know you. He could feel his dark side creeping on him hear the madness rising in him. Still he quieted it as he listened for any sound that could give away the voice. "If your intent on interrogating me, then perhaps we could move to somewhere where dis embodied voices are not common place." His tone had thawed but his exterior was still that of ice aas nd looked at her eyes. Looking her dead straight in the eyes. No flinching away at the scar. No anger in his eyes no hatred just annoyance that he'd been caught like this. "This is just my luck as of late i meet a pretty woman and the first thing that happens id a knife gets shoved in my face. This is not my gods damned week." He wasnt saying things to worm his way out of the situation but because they were true. He leant further back against the wall waiting for her to make her mind up about shanking his throat or letting him live. Beneath his cloak the cuts seared with pain but he let nothing show. Right now hw couldnt afford it. Let an opponent see your weakness and you die.

by **Zandelia** on April 21st, 2012, 9:54 pm

Zandelia looked closer upon the man before her, not entirely threatened by her words and the fact that she had a blade to his throat. She considered whether that was because he was more concerned upon those following him, whether he was insane or perhaps bordering upon the fact that he was overconfident at least. She kept her eye and ears focused upon his movements, the rising and falling of his chest and the passage of time that their unique tableaux spent frozen that way. It was then that her ears picked up what she thought was a flicking of cloth across a solid surface, dismissing it after a few moments as no further sound was forthcoming in the silence. She tilted her head and considered his words, noting how his dishevelled appearance would seem to corroborate his words.

That is, if one could believe anyone in this city were tellers of the truth. No, it would seem more likely that his appearance is some form of cover. Perhaps a worker for one of the larger organizations? I hear that there is one whom likes to work within the crowds without being noticed. He would fit the portfolio perfectly she mused internally as she held her position thoughtfully.

“No, you couldn’t. Smart thinking for someone in your position,” she stated simply as she locked her gaze with his now, “which tells me you are nobody’s fool. So either you choose to look like that or someone made you look like it. Either way it would seem interesting to me to know which one it was” she smiled then, a slow and dark grin.

It was then that her senses picked up a presence behind her, just before her shoulder was tapped and a voice spoke uncomfortably into her ear. Whirling around smoothly she slashed her spring blade at the night the voice had been projected from, according to her auditory assumptions, and her strike met nothing but air. She cursed under her breath as she let herself come back around to point her blade back at the other man as swiftly as she could – deterring any ponderings upon taking advantage of her momentary weakness. She now thought the situation to be entirely different, a trap woven to ensnare her for other parties. It was so simple and yet she had missed it! Vowing never to do so again she prepared to end the life of the one she could locate before fleeing the scene. It was then that he spoke to her, revealing his apparent innocence.

The lies grow bolder, weaving into a web thick enough for a human perhaps. It seems that I have little choice, however, than to assume he could be an ally against this spectral voice. By Akajia I hope it isn’t a rogue Craven the thoughts crackled at lightning speed within her skull, blocking out the memories of the night in the mist.

“There is not such a thing as a voice without a source, use your mind or else lose your life. This city requires common sense at the least to survive within its walls,” she told him sternly, “but you are right. You stay there and watch the entrance to this alley for others. I shall take care of this...voice” she finished as she stepped backwards to give some space and let the spring blade slide back into its hidden location within her left gauntlet.

She wasted no time in relaxing her muscles, feeling the energies within her as she was familiar with doing now, bringing up her powers from the centre of her body and up into her skull. It was from there, with a deep breath or two and some concentration, that she pulses its threads into her eyes, maintaining the connection to her mind where whatever she would see would be processed and analyzed. She could see the other man’s aura now, the colours flickering and sifting through each other as he went about his assigned task. There were a number of slivers of random shades in his aura, but for the most part his energies projected the sickly green of worry and perhaps even fear. She found herself wondering what he could be afraid of to use up so much of his aura for but it was when she noted a black streaking through the middle of it, jagged and rough, that she found a true mystery. She had not seen such a thing in all her time using her powers.

“Later” she whispered as she pulled the rope, always held at the small of her back for use, from its wrapped position and flicked it out to coil in her left hand. She left a good length loose as she held the noosed end in her right hand.

She let her eyes wander, stepping into the middle of the alleyways now and probing the darkness for the mystery assailant. Finding nothing upon the ground she moved her head to look upwards, just in time to see a flickering of colour disappear onto the roof. She smiled at the trickster, smart enough for her uses if she did not have to kill them. She stayed still, blending into the shadows she hoped, as she watched the aura materialize above her temporary partner now. It lowered down over the edge smoothly, a real stalker of a person, and began to reach out for her partner. It was as the assailant reach their prone position that she launched herself forwards. She leapt the gap in but a few strides as she brought the noose around to slip over the outstretched arm. She jumped back, pulling the noose closed as tightly as she could before yanking upon it with all her might, seeking to unseat the thing from the roof. Her powers were dissipated now, her natural vision returning slowly.

“Got you, sneak thief!” she growled as she heaved and tugged in her quest.

by **Jester** on April 22nd, 2013, 9:25 pm

Thread Graded!!

Ximal :

Zandelia :

Notes :

"The difference between a jester and a fool is that the jester knows he's a jester"

DISCLAIMER: If you think I have been foolish in grading your thread, don't hesitate to PM me. I am happy to take another look at anything you feel is in error, but keep in mind the other Storytellers and I have final say.