Friends are Foes [Flashback][solo]

by **Cadin Crouse** on February 16th, 2013, 3:45 pm

Spring, Day 45 489 AV

It was a relatively normal night for the young friends. Danill and Audrey were childishly flirting with one another in a corner, Robert spent his time sharpening a blade his father had given him before he disappeared into Sunberth's streets. Kym stood a few paces behind Cadin himself, she was never far from his side. The group was in the mouth of an unnamed alley, waiting for a promising target to stumble from "The Drunken Fish". Easy prey normal stumbled out of those doors several times a night.

The friends surrounding him, had seamlessly forced him to lead their little crime sprees. No other's had ever tried to announce their opinion, or take control for a night. It had happened by chance, Cadin had never wanted to lead anything. He always preferred to blend in, men who made themselves targets, became just that. Targets.

A sailor clad in dirty clothing and barely managing to keep his feet under him came half falling, half walking from their prime picking grounds. Looking toward Kym, Cadin nodded slightly. "Stay safe" He mumbled, barely audible to anyone except her ears alone. Forcing a fake, alluring smile on her young and beautiful face. She will be the cause of many men's heartache in her later years, Cadin thought silently to himself.

Spotting Kym advance on her target, Robert sheathed his blade. It was his job to pick pocket the man. Kym was merely a distraction so he could manage it flawlessly. Kym brushed past the drunken man, he nearly snapped his neck turning toward her so fast when she rested her hand upon his arm. Perfect, he will be an easy victim, Cadin thought to himself. Catching sight of Robert, Cadin nodded giving him the signal, the man was engaged with Kym.

Robert was within a few paces when things went terribly wrong. The man, whom Cadin had taken his eyes off of for just a short time to signal Robert. The drunken man seemed to visibly solidify himself. His form grew, no longer slouching from the pressures of heavy loads of alcohol. His legs were steady, no faltering or swaying. Kym was in danger, Cadin remembered the man's figure. He had caught a glimpse of him watching the groups little games a few nights ago.

Cadin pulled a dagger free, simultaneously trying to voice words of warning. Before Cadin could make it half a step forward, it was over. Kym was leaning on the dangerous man, her expressionistic eyes, showing nothing but fear and pain, before the life slowly fled from her face. A stream of blood began pouring from her lips, an image that would forever haunt Cadin's memories. A twisted, beautifully wicked looking blade protruded from her chest area, the source of her untimely death.

Another quick glance confirmed his fears. Robert had been taken from behind, never seeing his attacker's face. A sword with a slick red coat was still holding him on his feet. Both of Robert's hands were clawing at the blade, a useless attempt to fight for his diminishing life. Cadin turned toward Danill and Audrey, who had closed in behind him to watch the horrors take place. "Run!" Cadin roared at the dumbfounded others. With a quick gesture, Cadin turned and loosed his dagger toward the man who had slain Kym. The blade struck true, only managing to bury itself in the foe's hip. Still preventing the man from taking chase.

by **Cadin Crouse** on February 17th, 2013, 3:56 pm

How much time had passed? Cadin's legs felt like mush. Every stride was a forceful attempt to keep going, to keep harm from finding himself, Danill, or Audrey. The three friends had been running, dipping, dodging, and weaving in and out of streets and alleys. Danill had knocked more than a fair share of innocent bystanders down in their haste. Luckily only a few angry shouts had followed, no pursuers, or arrows toward their backside.

"Stop!....I can't run anymore Cadin. I'm exhausted.." The words came from Audrey, looking behind him he could see the strain on her facial expression. Slowing to a jog, and eventually stopping to lean on the side of a building. The alley they found themselves in was not familiar, the buildings themselves looked to be in far worse shape than majority of Sunberth, which was saying a lot.

With the adrenaline fleeting from his body, the reality of what he had just witnessed finally had a chance to sink in. And sink in it did, it hit him hard and fast. Kym was dead, murdered in cold blood. Robert was dead, never having a chance to lay eyes upon his own attacker. What had caused this to happen? Kym, young and beautiful as she was, sweet and..mostly innocent. She was a thief, as everyone in this city was in one aspect or another. She had never given anyone cause for murder. An attack that had been plotted, and planned. The attackers had known where Robert would be also. "It doesn't make any sense.." he said toward himself.

Cadin straightened his back, allowing Danill to lean in on his shoulder for support. The run had seemed to exhaust them all to the point of collapsing. Audrey took a knee, she appeared to be refastening her boots. Cadin noticed a string that had worked itself loose. Pushing Danill off his shoulder he began to lean forward, hands extended to point out the flawed boot.

A painful attack sent him staggering to his knees, arms outstretched keeping himself from face planting onto the cracked streets. Several dazed moments passed where all he could manage to do was gasp for air, while waiting for his vision to return. Everything was a blur of motion and colors inside his head. Looking up with pain in his eyes, Cadin realized it was Danill who had struck him.

Danill stood over him, his knuckles white from clenching a piece of rubble so forcefully. The stone had a crimson color now, Cadin's blood. "You...you killed us." Cadin's voice was weak,as he realized Danill was the one who set them up. The pain inside his head was nearly overwhelming. Cadin leaned back, a forced attempt to stand. He would not die this way, he had to avenge Kym and Robert.

He made it to one knee, when a new source of pain sent him instantly back to all fours. Audrey slowly backed away from him, blood on her right hand. She looked to be on the verge of fainting herself. Perhaps she was forced into this?. It wouldn't matter, betrayal was betrayal. Cadin reached toward his right side, where a dagger was now slowly draining the life from him.

Cadin looked up toward Danill, who was wearing the slightest smirk. "Money buy's loyalty, old friend" Danill spoke the words as if quoting someone. The look that Cadin shot Danill was one of pure hatred, hatred so intense that Danill could probably feel it pulsating from Cadin's body. As if worried the feeling could reach out and swallow him, Danill needed to escape. Another strike with the already bloodied stone sent Cadin into unconsciousness.

by **Cadin Crouse** on February 17th, 2013, 6:29 pm

Pain, that was the first thing that Cadin could remember feeling. That universal feeling, different people had different ways to say it. In common, which was all Cadin knew, it was just pain. That dreadful agony that kept reminding him he was only human. A human who was lucky to be alive today.

Awakening to find Krissy kneeling beside his cot head down on the worthless bed, he smiled lightly at her. "Sorry for worrying you mom.." Her expression lightened when she heard his voice, she must have been sleeping. "How long have I been out?" He asked curiously, there were no windows in the home, windows belonged to the more wealthy. Telling time in these run down buildings was impossible, nothing hinted at what was happening in the outside world. "Three days. Your breathing just began picking up yesterday. We thought you never would wake up. You had me scared to death." Her voice was calm and stern, sincere, and warming all in one.

"We?" He asked alarmed, quickly scanning the rooms dark corners. For an instance he thought perhaps Danill had came over to finish the job. Krissy would've been clueless as to what had taken place. "Yes, we. My friend Jonal, he carried you from an alley here. By the time he reached my door, he was covered in your blood....I have never been so scared.." A faint tear had formed at the corner of her eye. She knew Sunberth had no place for weakness, she would hide her concern as much as she could.

Cadin slowly leaned forward, coming to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. "Thank you, Jonal." Cadin nodded toward the aged man. Jonal looked hard, like a man who had seen all there was to see in the world. Cadin knew, from the look of the man, and from past interactions with him. That if he had been any other person, lying in a pool of blood. Jonal would have never hesitated in leaving him to die. They both knew he was only alive now, because Jonal loved Krissy.

"Kym and Robert are dead" The words came out before he realized he spoke them. No longer did he feel regret for what had unfolded. Every feeling had been replaced with a deep, constant aching for revenge. He could feel it pulsating inside him, hatred. Danill would die, a slow and excruciating death, and Cadin would be the one causing every ounce of his pain.

Krissy looked shocked, though she probably guessed as much from the way Cadin showed up on her doorstep on the brink of death. "What of Audrey? and Danill?" She asked slowly, worried Cadin had lost all his friends in one night. Cadin paused, taking a deep breath his eyes lowered to the ground. He did not want to be the one to admit his friends had betrayed him.

Krissy grew up with the harshness of Sunberth, it was in her blood. She could read his emotions like an open book, she knew what had taken place. Maybe not the specifics, but she knew Cadin had been betrayed and left to die. She asked no further questions, she had never been the prying type. Instead Cadin watched her as she stood up, gently laying a light kiss on his forehead, and walking toward Jonal where she whispered in his ear before stepping out of the room.

Jonal, with a face so hard it could carve stone approached slowly. He took a knee in front of Cadin their eyes leveling. Face to face, Cadin saw just how much this man was capable of. He was far more dangerous than he would ever have suspected. "What do you feel boy?" He asked coldly. What did he feel? What kind of question was that, he was in agonizing pain. He wanted to slay the world itself right now, he hated everyone. Except Krissy, he could never hate the woman who saved his life, twice now. "Hate" The word seemed far from actually describing what he felt. No words would ever be able to describe that feeling.

A quick blow to the bandaged wound sent a new found sense of pain into his mind. Cadin fell gasping for air, Jonal had landed a punch directly over the wound in his side. "Why?" Cadin asked in agony. Jonal lent a hand toward him, offering him aid to stand. Cadin eyed it cautiously. Then ignored it, instead, fighting back the pain and slowly rising to his feet without assistance. "Remember that feeling Cadin. The pain, the sense of betrayal." Another quick hand thumped him on top of his head, the wound there had barely had time to scab over. Still sensitive to the touch, the hit sent Cadin crashing down to one knee.

Refusing to fall to the floor a second time, Cadin slowly rose to his feet again. Jonal's face never broke expression. Cadin could tell this man was not enjoying this. Jonal was teaching him a lesson in life, one he should have learned a year ago. "Remember exactly what you feel now. Never let go. Never grow soft, there is no room in this world for softness. What do you want most right this moment?" Jonal's voice was emotionless, it was the simplest question.
What did he want most? It was an honest question. Did he want Kym back? No, he knew that was impossible. Did he want to leave, and live a life of peace and stability somewhere? No, he knew that was impossible. What he wanted was blood. Revenge on the men who took the lives of his friends. Revenge on Audrey for the dagger in his side. Revenge on Danill, the boy who had planned the whole thing. He wanted to feel Danill's pulse slowly stop, his life slowly bleeding away. To watch his the blood flow down into some unknown street only to be stepped and trodden on by men and woman who would never care, their muddy boots spreading every drop into every portion of this monstrous city.

Standing their, face to face with a man as dangerous as he's ever known. Cadin felt alive, more alive than he had ever known. "Blood" Cadin said evenly, not letting the enormous amounts of pain falter his voice or posture. Jonal took a step back, putting a little space between the pair. Jonal nodded in the slightest "I will find you one name, and the rest will be up to you. Take it as far as you wish young Cadin, the world has created you. Tried to eat you and spit you out twice now. It is your turn, teach this city a lesson." With that said Jonal turned and walked out of the room. Leaving Cadin to his own thoughts, how ever twisted and hateful they may be.

by **Magpie** on March 11th, 2013, 2:13 am

e

Cadin :

Notes :

If you have any questions or concerns about what was awarded, please don't hesitate to PM me.
e