Atharen, A Fantasy Roleplay Forum

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 4:19 pm**

72nd of Ash, 120

From the low lamplight of his room, Arkash peered through the spyglass with both his hands to steady the tool. From the glass, he watched the warm yellow glow of the window he spied dim to black, though the rest of the windows remained lit. The estate never fully slept, but that wasn't to say that it's lord didn't. Arkash lowered the spyglass and squinted into the moonlit darkness that rested beyond his window. A glance to the left revealed all the plans and preparation the past few days had taken him, and all of a sudden, he was ready.
By a stroke of luck, Arkash had regained both his left arm and his eye earlier that day. He'd sworn to repay the elf that gave him his body back with a plethora of favors whenever the time came, and with the plans they'd set to meet in a few days, Arkash was certain that he'd someday live up to the promise. Still, he only had three days from then to kill the noble lord, retrieve his reward, then make it back to Lienburg before Taelian gave up on him. So, his own agenda had been pushed forward. Edward Vogen would die that night.
Edward Vogen, the name that Malafor's ex-accomplice had chosen, was a ruthless, honorless human. At the promise of a finer life, Edward had turned on the man he sided with and struck him down with a terrible curse. Thinking he'd won, and that Malafor would perish, Edward fled and claimed his status as celebrant, as awarded by the count. Only, Edward went on to inherit the entirety of the house when the woman he'd married to come into power died of a mysterious illness. Arkash knew the noble was a practitioner of bane, like Cyrus. He'd backstabbed his accomplice, murdered his wife, and tormented countless other innocents while under Malafor's guide.
The rathari had made a promise not to return to his despicable ways and meant it. It was because Arkash whole-heartedly believed that Edward deserved to die, that it was the right thing to do, that he continued his mission. That and the promise of power beyond his wildest dreams had completely enthralled him. Malafor had to die too, but only After Arkash had claimed his reward. He was steadfast in his decision, and remained so as he packed his bag with all the necessary gear he would need for the job.
He packed up the whole room, at least everything that belonged to him with the addition of a thin blanket, as he'd have to skip town that night if he was caught. During his cleaning, he stopped upon the steel shaft of his prosthetic arm and exhaled slowly through his nose. With both hands, he picked up the false limb and inspected the saddle on which his stump once rested. Pain filled his eyes for a moment, but he soon dismissed the thoughts of what had been and looked to the future. With a sigh, he set the arm down on the bed, collected his key and backpack, and headed out the door. The arm was left for the Innkeeper; a trade for the sheet he'd taken.

Once he'd returned the key to the keeper and paid off the at of his rent of the room, he made his way to the estate. The streets were far quieter at that hour. In fact, despite being a rather busy street in the daylight hours, it was completely empty in the moonlight. Arkash looked up at the glare of the moon from the dark of the alley; it was nice to watch the celestial body with both of his eyes once more. Once again, the moon would watch him as he stained the chrome of his knife with red.
After the patrolling Chevalier passed, Arkash drew the thin blanket from his backpack and ran to the bench across the street. He took a knee quickly and set his bag on the floor before he drew his knife and his shortsword alike and attached their sheaths to his hips on either side. With his teeth bared, he tossed a section of the blanket onto the fence and gripped the other end tight in his jaws. Using the full strength of his upper body, he pulled on the sheet and steadily lifted himself to the top of the wrought iron fence while his feed scaled the iron bars an inch at a time.
Once he was there, he gripped the bar with one of his hands, then released the sheet with his mouth and gripped the same bar with his other hand. In an impressive display of control and core strength, Arkash pulled his legs close to his body and fully extended his arms to hover as far from the fence as he could. He bared his teeth as he brought himself to handstand above the fence, then fully extended his legs in a powerful kick that saw him launch in a well-aimed backflip, then land on the snow-quilted ground with his knees bent into a low squat, and one hand pressed to the snow to support his weight.
His yellow eyes furrowed into a glare as he set his sights on the master bedroom from below, and lifted the lip of his cowl to cover his mouth. Low to the ground, he drew Brodie's knife from his belt and took his first few steps toward the estate once he was sure there were no Argent lying in wait.

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Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:10 am**

He slipped his gloves on, one after the other, and looked himself in the mirror. It was a common thing he did, these days -- always so concerned about his 'Aesthetic Cohesion', as the Covenant always stressed. He pulled a piece of fur that was beginning to come out from its seam, and ran his fingers through some of his front-curls to have them stand right. The man slipped a mint between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, and twirled it with his tongue so as to absorb it and savor its unique taste and scent. The mage sat back onto the bed after that, staring at the lacquered legs of his common room chair. He thought of the conversations he had earlier; with Arkash, then with Eloise, then with others.

It had been a long day. Every hour he spent... increasingly so. Yet -- it wasn't done with yet. He told the Pact he'd kill Vogen by the coming morning, and he still hadn't done so. Taelian waited for the night; to make it easier for him, but also because he wasn't quite in the mood. After performing more than a few kindnesses earlier in the day, it wasn't easy for him to switch into the mindset of murdering a man in his home. Worse, he knew the man had staff, and likely others; even guests. Taelian didn't want his cover so quickly blown, so he only had a few options... cull the entire house or do the killing discreetly. As good as he was at gathering and extracting information, he wasn't the stealthiest man. He could use Shadowbringer, but -- the fog would likely roll outside of the home, and alert the Chevaliers that something was amiss.

His Argent badge was helpful here, for things like that, but it wouldn't pass for an East Ender one. He'd asked the Pact to procure him one for the mission, but they needed more time; time that they would not give him.

The mage slipped on a pair of glasses -- fake ones, at that. He placed a newsboy-like cap onto his head, and wrapped himself in a simple grey coat of medium quality and make. He didn't bring either of his swords with him, instead opting to keep six hidden daggers within his pocket. He would use them as his Enkindled weaponry, and could rely on Gallow Warrior if necessary.

He wasn't thinking that he would need to, though. Taelian closed his eyes for a moment, before peering into the Darklands. He felt Tyrnac's menagerie; he delved into their order, seeking out the Caru to contract with him. Three peered out through the glassy fields, and followed his ether, coming to his side. They appeared through what could be described as a void, before perching along his two shoulders, one clinging to the edge of his wrist. Taelian spoke quietly to them in Silvain, before tucking them all into his coat, though they were poorly hidden -- small lumps coming out from random parts of his body. Luckily, it was late, and it would be dark. No one would notice a little oddity.

The mage forged a portal, and stepped through. He had to be efficient: he had already utilized a decent amount of ether in the day, and did not wish to be forced to openly engage in combat with the Lord Vogen. If he did, he could potentially be pushed to minimal overstepping -- a minor cost, but a cost all the same. Mageblight would hinder him considerably in the war against the Kindred.

Stepping out from the alleyway, he immediately made his way to higher ground, climbing one of the ladders of the tall buildings that faced opposite of the estate. He gripped the ledge and pulled himself up from the ladder, before running around the arch-shaped edges and balancing himself upon a ledge. Fortunately, he nearly camouflaged with the building in the dark, and was able to look across from it to the dimly lit interior of the estate. The mage pressed his fist forward, and performed Glare, punching a hole just small enough that a Caru could fit through. He didn't let it go too deep, either -- it was compressed, lessened, so much so that it didn't even raze through the curtains. The Knight breathed a hot breath; it was a close call. He had withheld a great deal of the incinerating heat from the beam, learning not to let it expand so violently after he cindered Arkash in the snowy field.

His three Caru fluttered out from his coat, each of them landing on the window sill before flying inside, one after the other. They had a simple directive: they would find the Lord of the house, and then combust as close to him as they could. After that, Taelian -- Stephan -- would leave through a portal, never seen or heard. The Caru already began to prowl the interior, hopping and fluttering through, as the mage stared through dual-framed, wide, steel glasses (or, binoculars) to allow him to look closer to the scene.

"Come on, bastard..." he whispered. He'd told the Caru enough to where he believed they would be able to recognize their prey, who he had memorized via sketches -- but if they failed, his target would be alerted, and the mage would have to do it all the hard way.

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:33 am**

A short dash across the front lawn landed Arkash at the foot of the home's front wall. No Argent had come by yet, but he was running out of time. So, Arkash sheathed his serrated shortsword and clamped the blade of his knife with his jaws as he gripped the stone wall. The texture of the bricks made for ample climbing opportunity, as Arkash could grip them easier with his claws. He hadn't attempted a wall climb with both his arms before, and he had yet to determine if it was easier or not.
On one claw, he didn't have the weight of the steel prosthetic to encumber him, but on the other, he didn't have the pick-like modular hand to help him climb. Strangely, he almost began to miss that old arm of his, even if he was able to grasp and grab it easier with a functioning biological hand.
Suddenly, there was a flash and a familiar crackling sizzle. Arkash gasped and ducked his head between his body and the stone wall, the grip of his foot gave out, and his claws skidded. The sound was that of impending doom; death had come for him, or at least that was what his instincts told him from past experiences. When no death or even any pain at all came to him, Arkash carefully unfurled his head from the gap of his body and looked to the source of the flash. Three amber dots flew toward one of the windows of the estate, and Arkash furrowed his brow with a squint as he tried to peer into the dark.
His eyes didn't work that well, not compared to humans and the like. Operating at maybe half the distance a human could see, Arkash was unable to spy who might have sent those birds or the glare, but with the mixture of past experiences and a whiff of a familiar elf-ish scent, Arkash could guess who was nearby. Was Taelian there? Trying to break into the estate? Oh no he didn't. Vogen was Arkash's kill, he'd spent too long researching and traveling through frosty wastes to spill Vogen's blood; he wasn't about to surrender it to Taelian, even if the man had given him his arm and eye back.
With his teeth bared, Arkash doubled his efforts and crawled toward the master bedroom along the front wall, only to slump his body onto the windowsill and catch his breath a moment. A glance to his right, across the street, revealed un-ending darkness, but he knew Taelian was there somewhere. A wave of his claws tried to catch the man's attention while he gathered his breath.
The birds were gone, already inside, no doubt. What their purpose was, Arkash didn't know.
As he turned his attention to the window, he drew the knife from his maw, and dressed it to the seam of the glass. There, he began to cut into the binding glue and traced the blade along the border to cut it free, only to catch a glimpse of something moving inside. His eyes widened, and his whole body contorted to narrowly evade the thrust of a blade that shattered the glass before him. The edge glided just an inch from his front and would have rent his leather clothes and scales alike if it had landed. Quickly, Arkash stomped the flat of the sword to the windowsill, then barreled to the left to break through the structurally-compromised glass, where he rolled across the floor and fell into a crouched, pouncing stance.
Arkash hadn't been able to see his attacker with the glare of the moonlight on the glass, but there, in the window, outlined by the light of the moon was a man clad in half-plate armor with chainmail to guard his joints. He carried both a longsword and a hefty heater shield that bared the Baringer crest. It was a Knight-Argent, and in the room with him was a hollow, the object of Arkash's fear. It rushed toward him as the knight lifted his crossbow. Like a deer caught in headlights, Arkash froze.

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Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 3:40 pm**

He held his breath in anticipation as the Caru roamed the premise of the estate, continuing to watch, and wait. The mage was tempted to call an Irokai to speak back the information garnered by the Caru, but without enough familiarity with the Archetype and given the circumstances, he did not wish to alert anyone -- or anything -- to his presence. As he began to mull over his options, though, the strangest thing occurred. From what was almost his peripheral view, he saw Arkash waving his claws at him, though the lizard didn't seem to actually know where he was -- it was like he was thoughtlessly waving out towards the darkness. The mage could only see him because of the dim light extending from the estate's windows, but he knew the Rathari's shape and visage well enough by now to easily determine that it was him. Taelian's brow furrowed, and he narrowed his eyes. Why was the man there, on the window? Had he followed him -- was he trying to help?

There was a considerable boom from the interior; one of the Caru had exploded. He didn't know what it had hit yet, though, and he wasn't entirely confident that it was his prey. He would need to collect one and speak with it, see if it could give him a detailed description of what it had seen and done -- but again, his eyes averted back to Arkash as he saw a blade rip through the window, attempting to divide through him. Taelian inspected the source of the blade, peering forward: a Knight-Argent, a member of the Baringer retinue no doubt. Only a season ago, he would have considered the man his ally had he been an Argent back then, but the Kindred had forced the soldiers of the two families apart.

Either way -- Arkash stood no chance against a Knight. That was what he could assume, at least, and if the man had come to help him... he wasn't going to let him die. Already, he began to hear panicking from the lower floors after the explosion of his first Caru. They would only have -- likely -- a few minutes to kill their target before the Chevaliers would be alerted, and at least some would come into the estate to investigate. This was already messier than he had hoped.

Behind the mage formed two great, fiery, dragon-like wings. They flapped as he leapt forward, before suspending him and propelling him safely to the window-sill before disappearing. As Arkash froze in opposition to the Hollow and its retainer-Knight, one of his daggers was lit by Emblem and Taelian cut downward, washing down at the Knight with Shrivenflame. With his shield, he blocked the wave and the swing, his eyes scanning the trajectory of the vertically descending flame and catching all of its reach with his magically-reinforced shield. The Shrivenflame still burned against its surface, but it didn't appear to melt, and Shrivenflame was unique in that it didn't spread.

Five daggers floated around him, as he swiped again with a forward lunge. Again, the Knight blocked, and Taelian strafed back as he tried to cleave through him with his longsword -- which was really more like a zweihander. The five daggers circled around him and began to try and cut at him like buzzards, but despite being Enkindled, they only slowly managed to saw and melt through his thick, reinforced plating. The Knight lunged forward himself as the Hollow attempted to prey on Arkash, and Taelian found himself forced to repel his thrust with a mere parry with his dagger. He yelled out as the heavy force of the Knight's attack nearly knocked the dagger from his arms, and forced a shock to run through his forearm. The Knight was strong -- unlike him, Taelian hadn't gotten his mutagens. He couldn't compete with his physique.

The mage threw his fist forward, his knuckles facing the Knight, and Glare escaped through his fist. The Knight pulled up his shield at last-second to block, only for Glare to rip right through his shield, before quickly searing through the lower part of his pectoral, revealing burnt flesh and even bone through a gap in his chest. The shield had a large hole in it now, but it was so reinforced that it managed to mostly absorb the power of the beam, sparing the Knight's life. Despite the hole through his chest, he didn't even appear to flinch.

He continued to swipe and lunge at Taelian, who Reverbed across the room, backing himself into a wall. He couldn't use Cleanse, or even Trail, as he would likely kill Arkash by mistake if he did. Instead, he continued to assault the Knight with his daggers, finally cutting through sections of his armor and breaking through those cracks, digging into and sawing through parts of his exposed flesh. The Argent began to wane, but with Taelian backed into the corner he swung horizontally one more time, only for the mage to quickly channel Vacuity to block and divert the blow in the last moment, the Argent swiping right through his clothes as if swinging into empty air. Taelian then pressed forward desperately, striking into his armored helm as forcefully as he could with his dagger, and embedding his Enkindled knife deep into one of his eyes as the heat singed the metal around it. The Knight fell back, landing hard on the floor as the five, floating daggers returned to the man. He frowned.

"Fuck," he whispered. "I need Ard Fuil for this. I forgot how strong these Knights are," the Argent said. He looked to Arkash, then, who he was certain would've dealt with the Hollow by then, and asked: "Why are you here?"

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:25 pm**

The bolt fired, though not with a proper aim to guide it, as the Knight had been caught off-guard by the impact of something in the window. Arkash saw it too, even as he ducked for cover from the bolt that landed in the wall a good couple of feet above his head. Taelian was there. He'd somehow conjured a pair of wings and soared to the windowsill. Why he hadn't just used one of his magic holes to get there, Arkash didn't know. He wasn't aware of any such limit on ether or anything of the sort, but he was certainly glad the man showed.
The knight turned to focus his efforts on Taelian, and showed his back to Arkash. There on his flank rested a rifle. Why hadn't he used it on Arkash? Perhaps his crossbow was just more accessible, or maybe the gun wasn't loaded? He didn't know, neither did he have time to consider as the hollow rushed him. If it hadn't been for Taelian's timely arrival, he wouldn't have been able to break free of his phobic panic. But, as he stared down the creature, those same anxieties stirred. Visions of being attacked, beaten to the floor, and broken in a series of stabs and heavy impacts filled his vision and receded just before impact.
Arkash was fast, but not that fast. The beast drove its fist into Arkash's face, and the rathari stumbled backward. The jolt was all he needed to wake up. If anything, it helped to wane the psychological barrier he faced while fighting those things, as it reminded him that he wasn't quite so fragile that he couldn't stand against them. Even if he did take a hit or two, he'd survive.
The golem swung at him again, and Arkash ducked beneath the swipe. His lips split to bare his teeth as viscous yellow saliva dripped from his maw. A series of frantic, but poorly aimed strikes came at him from several different directions as the creature did its best to break him, and Arkash lept backward with his dagger in hand, only to fall back and drive his footclaws into the construct's chin. he landed in a crouched position, then dove at the staggering beast and rolled beneath its legs. As the creature began to turn, Arkash again sprung off the ground and contorted his body mid-air to land squarely on the hollow's back. There, he dug into the hollow's hips with his foot claws and gripped its shoulder with his other set of claws. Over and over again, Arkash's dagger came down on the construct's skull, trying to break open the shell that housed its nexus.
But, he wasn't strong enough to so easily break the fake skull, and the golem ran back-first into the bedroom wall while Arkash clung to him. If it weren't for the way Arkash had sunk his claws into the beast's flesh, he would have been able to break free in time. But alas, he collided with the wall and wrapped his arm around the hollow's neck for support while his breathing stalled. He'd been winded, but it was sensation familiar to the rathari. Dangling on to the beast's neck with his fresh left arm, Arkash lined his dagger up with the hollows face and drove the point into its eye with a thrust. With his teeth bared, he ripped the blade from its eye and stabbed it again. The point of his blade was driving straight toward his chest, but he knew the hollow's skull was thick enough to shield him from the point of his own blade. So, he showed little restraint as he stabbed the thing over and over again, and mangled its face until it fell limp, slid down the wall, and allowed Arkash to fall beneath its weight.
Arkash panted and breathed heavily while he held the handle of his knife flush to the hollow's broken face, then let out a shaky exhale. He'd done it, he'd finally killed one of those evil machines. There was little time to revel in his victory, as he looked up from the body to spy Taelian as he drove one of his enkindled daggers into the argent's visor. Arkash widened his eyes in shock, then ripped his knife from the hollow's face and put it aside as he pushed hard on the hollow's corpse to drop it on the floor. His breath returned finally, and a hard cough rumbled in his chest as he pushed to his feet with his back to the wall.
Somehow, it felt as though he was in trouble as if he'd been caught stealing from the Savant's trash in Outer Nivenhain. He had done something wrong, after all, and he doubted Taelian would be pleased with him, especially after the promise he'd made. Arkash wrapped an arm around his stomach and squeezed gently while he recovered from the winding, only to straighten up his body and open his lungs while he eyed the elf. He didn't know what an Ard Fuil was, but he didn't need to know either, he supposed.
What was he doing there? Arkash paused a moment, then approached the fallen argent with something of a guilty look in his eyes. "Wow, three dehs wen' by fas', eh?" He asked in response to the question with an awkward smile. "...Me job," he answered truthfully. "But I swears i'ss th' las' one. Vogen's gotti' comin' with all the nasty shi' 'e's done, 'onest," he explained the best he could with as few words as possible, then spied the elf once more before he took a knee at the dead argent's side and gripped the body with both arms. With a firm press into his legs, he bared his teeth and strained as turned the body over onto its front, then collected the rifle that sat on its back by cutting the straps with his claws. "'Sides, gotta exercise me new arm, rite?" he asked with a reflection of his nerves in his brow as he grinned awkwardly.
"I wus gonna leave i' a few dehs jus' t' gatha' maw info, but I 'ad t' taek a few shortcuts t' get back 'ere t' meet 'ew on tiem." In his claws, he handled the rifle. It was s a fine piece of work, Arkash could tell just by looking at it. He'd not held a gun that big with two hands before; it felt a lot better than his hook did. With practiced claws, Arkash lifted the gun to the window, and peered down the iron sight with one eye shut. Beneath his shoulder, he held the stock of the rifle, then lowered it again to pull back the lever and checked the chamber. As he'd guessed: it was empty.
With an exhale, he kneeled at the body and began to search its pouches for ammunition. His back faced Taelian while he searched the corpse, both in a show of good faith and trust that the elf wouldn't kill him for the revelation: he was a blade for hire, a killer. "Youer turn," Arkash spoke as he wrapped his claws around a few shells, and began to load them into the chamber, and pressed down to feed them into the magazine. "Wha's 'ew doin' 'ere? I've gots a feelin' them birds was youers, that boom, too. You was afta' Vogen same time as me, rite?"
Finally, he turned to Taelian, but ket his finger off the trigger while the gun was lowered. "Lissen, This is th' masta' room, an' Vogen's not 'ere. I finks 'e's 'idin', an' I c'n sniff 'im out for 'ew if 'ew 'elp me wiv th' knights." With that, he shut the bullet chamber with a push of the lever, then shouldered the long gun. "This should 'elp wiv th' fightin' too, so I'm no' dead wei't ther' eiva'."

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Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:27 am**

As he listened to Arkash's explanation, the Argent leaned over the body of the fallen Knight and grabbed his zweihander, enkindling it so that he could use it as a proper weapon. One of his daggers went limp within the air and clattered upon the floor, Taelian bending down further to pick it up and place it within his pouch. He glanced towards Arkash with a sideward stare, as the man informed him of his 'job' - which was certainly not the honest, labor-focused trade he'd imagined him to be partaking in. It all sort of made sense, now: the wounds, being wanted in Nivenhain, the Argent going as far as to place bounty posters out for his head. He was ballsy enough to try and kill a Celebrant in his own home -- one guarded by Argent Knights. Even after the ferocious fight between Taelian and his East End peer, who now lied dead on the floor, the Rathari did not appear too phased.

Perhaps he'd underestimated him. No... he was certain now that he had. Arkash was no simple lizard, and now it was clear what he was: a killer. Even an assassin.

He supposed that meant they shared another thing in common. He'd become, himself, nothing more than another one of House Galbrecht's hired guns; a mage of incredible fighting skill, and little reservation in putting it to use.

"I see," he softly replied. The man stood straight and tall, now, holding the zweihander calmly within his hand as it was lit by molten veins. He peered down at the floor before him, examining the tile. His two remaining Caru were still in the prowl: still searching. Again, they didn't have much time.

"This man is an enemy of House Galbrecht," he said. "Any mage who swears fealty to the Kindred and betrays the hegemony of the Pact-Covenant will be destroyed. Such is my mission. I am not here in Lorien to do right by building bridges or to advocate for a higher national ration -- I am here to ensure that the war is won by killing every last enemy of the rebellion. Lord Vogen is one such man."

With that, and with little desire to speak given the circumstances, Taelian pressed his palm towards the tile floor and channeled his ether into it. He focused intensely on the beam, on the piercing rail, and before Arkash would know it a Glare far more focused would sear out from his fists, emitting a blinding light to any who peered at it directly as it came. It immediately melted through the tile and ran through the lower floors of the estate, before Taelian lifted his palm, the beam running upwards and effectively severing the home asunder. He continued to move it circularly around the estate, melting through the floor as his hand appeared to shake, harnessing the vast power of the Glare. Finally, the beam receded, not long after the mage heard a round of terrified screams. His Caru chased after the sound, and within moments, a second combustion was heard as the lower floor of the home was rocked by a fiery explosion. The entire estate was beginning to immolate, now, and Taelian knew there was no time to waste. He burst through the door and jumped down into the foyer, heading towards the area of the explosion. There were several corpses standing above and upon a staircase heading down, to what was seemingly a basement, some of them cut in half by Glare and the others immolated by his Caru, burnt alive.

Taelian directed his third Caru to fly down the steps and into the basement, which it immediately did. It zipped down and before he knew it, a third explosion occurred, a final burst of flame emitting from the basement below. That had to be where Vogen was -- he was certain of it.

He began to step through the fire and down the steps that would soon collapse. His boot landed on the helm of another fallen Knight, devastated by the Caru's explosion, with his leg beneath the knee-cap seemingly melted off by Taelian's Glare. He doubted that Vogen had any more guards than that.

As he stepped down and into the basement area, he immediately saw a finely dressed man channeling magic before him, attempting to defend himself from the Caru's flames through Warding. Unfortunately, he had not covered his flank or rear, and the fire that plumed outward had caught onto his clothing, the Celebrant flailing wildly as he attempted to swat away the flames with his barrier. Perhaps he would even be able to, but the Knight wasn't going to let that happen. Taelian aimed forward once more with his fist, closing it, and the fiery energy began to channel at his knuckles. He aimed for Edward's head, and fired, the Glare searing through his neck and practically welding his burnt flesh, his decapitated and cindered head falling onto the floor with a sickening thud before momentarily rolling.

The mage quietly grinned. He was satisfied.

"No need, Arkash," he yelled from within the basement. The mage opened a Lychgate and quickly stepped through, returning to the Rathari's side. "They call me the Covenant's greatest killer for a reason. Now -- we should leave this ashen estate before the Chevaliers come, or we will quickly be overwhelmed."

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:20 pm**

It was a risk to tell Taelian everything, but Arkash had grown comfortable with the elf. It wasn't as though he feared the man would strike him down for his choices until that point; it wasn't his fault he'd walked that path, and it wasn't too late for him to choose another. He could still make something great of himself, something fair and right. He just needed to finish that last job, then finish Malafor. He could be a good person, he and Taelian both knew so, but getting there would take more than a few hours notice.
Taelian was calm in his assessment of all that Arkash had relayed. Arkash gripped the handle of the rifle a little tighter. The size and ethereal glow of Taelian's molten blade filled the quiet gap in the elf's speech with a sense of dread; impending doom. Arkash couldn't help but feel he'd somehow wronged the man, that he was due retribution for the things he'd done. Then, after a pause, Taelian explained his own reasoning for being there.
Taelian was also an assassin, but one of a noble cause. He didn't do what he did for a fat bank account, nice clothes or good food. Taelian killed because it was his duty, his purpose. He served the pact covenant despite the blood he was made to wash his hands with; he was committed, resolute. It was inspiring to the younger Rathari, of course. He often dreamed of a greater purpose, of something to commit himself to when he grew into adulthood. Taelian already had it.
What came next, he couldn't have foreseen. Even though he'd mentally prepared himself to fight, the sight of the laser beam charging up brought him to flinch, and he ducked his head into his raised shoulders. His eyes shut tight and his whole body tensed in a display of fear, only to reel as the crashing energy of blazing heat ripped through the building. Arkash yelped and covered his eyes with his one arm to protect himself from whatever chunks of wood were propelled at him.
When the burning sting of being lopped in half never came, Arkash lowered his arm a little to open his right eye. Immediately, his vision filled with the bright amber glow of the Glare. The light illuminated his scales and washed his body in its warmth as it tore through the building and destroyed everything in its path. Screams echoed in ambiance to the destruction Taelian brought, and Arkash could do little but stare in awe. He wasn't trying to kill Arkash, he was just flexing.
He'd be a liar if he claimed that the display of destruction didn't impress him. Taelian really was a god mage, as Arkash had previously thought. The moment a second burst rocked the house's broken foundations, Taelian ran through the door and disappeared from view. Arkash took a step back from the burning floors and peered below to spy knights running around on the lower levels. What else could he do?
With his teeth bared, Arkash shouldered the stock of the rifle in the immolated house, and used the light of the flames to guide his iron sight. The moment a knight came into view, he squeezed the trigger, then fell back a pace as the rifle launched into the air. He almost lost his grip on the weapon from the recoil alone, but he found his footing and pulled back the lever to eject the used shell.
Following the blast of Arkash's gun, there was yelling, barkings of orders. The knight wasn't dead, he knew their armor was too thick to penetrate so easily, even if he had landed his mark, which he wasn't sure he had. His aim was off, unstable. He needed to calm himself, maintain perfect stillness if he wanted to land a real hit. At the very least, he'd distracted the men from running after Taelian.
They were sure to head to the floor he was at, so Arkash lowered his body to the ground once he;d finished reloading the weapon, and aimed his gun at the door. His eye narrowed as he peered through the sight, and he steadied his breathing while he stared through the rising flames. Very carefully, he squeezed the trigger but didn't pull hard enough to fire the weapon. Instead, he waited. He was a smaller target while laying, and he had the added benefit of stability to boot. What was more? The Argent could only attack him from one angle, and they had no idea where in the room he was. Arkash had every advantage if only lacking in skill.
So, The moment the Argent turned the corner and lifted their crossbow, Arkash exhaled to steady himself as he aimed, and pulled the trigger. An arrow was fired toward the ceiling as a boom sounded, accompanied by a deafening pop of collapsing metal. As Arkash had expected, the gun wasn't strong enough to pierce the Argent's armor, but he'd dented the helmet in such a way that surely left a mark. The whiplash of the strike on the Argent's neck was also a contributing factor to their fall as they hit the floor with a thud. From the ground, Arkash pulled back on the lever to eject the bullet and began to reload when Taelian burst into the room with one of his portals.
Arkash startled mid-reload and dropped the weapon, only to fumble with it as he stood, and began to feed another shell into the chamber. What was it Taelian had said after ignoring the rathari's offer to team up? No need? "...'Ew dun' mean 'ew killed 'im youerself?" Surely not. Vogen must have been on par with Taelian, being a powerful mage. But no, the man was dead. Arkash stared in the light of the fires at the man, then looked about the room in awe. Just like that, Taelian had ended an entire bloodline with its last scummy extremity.
As his eyes returned to the mage, he cocked the lever on the rifle and shouldered the stock once more. He'd thought he was so cool with his new gun, but Taelian... Taelian was on a whole other level. Even including when he'd fought Taelian, he hadn't seen so much power in one person. To think someone could force so much chaos; so much change in so little time inspired him. He really thought about it that night in the burning manor, and he came to realize that Taelian had everything Arkash wanted: Fancy clothes, a purpose, unimaginable power. Taelian was everything he wanted. Someday, somehow, he would also force such change with just as much ease.
When Arkash snapped from his thoughts, he found himself staring at the elf. With a sharp draw of smoke-laced breath, Arkash curled his nose and stammered. "S-so?! I culd'a dun' it fasta' ifI 'ad a clea' shot!" He wasn't impressed, he couldn't let the elf know he'd had such an effect on him. "Graetes' killa', an' graetes' mess-maeka'," he scoffed with a gesture to the room while it burned. "I'll give 'ew points fo' doin' i' flashy, tho'!" No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't deny that the elf made a more spectacular kill than he ever could.
With that, he slung the gun over his shoulder by the strap, then steeled his gut for his next question. He didn't like that Taelian had shown him up so thoroughly, but he was getting used to the feeling. "...Since 'ew stole me job, fancy lettin' me hop through 'ew pawtul? I'll taek th' traen back t' Nivenhe'n..."
Whether Taelian obliged him or not, Arkash would pause, look to the ground for a moment, then look at him again. "...'Ew dun' taek i' back do 'ew..? I can still meet 'ew in faw dehs?"

Image source.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:23 am**

He returned to Arkash's side right as the other man finished gunning down one of the Knights, it appeared. He supposed he was in a position of tactical advantage as he was, and it didn't seem that he was too bad a shot regardless. Taelian supposed he was lucky that the man hadn't finally decided to fire on him -- lest he have a hole in his neck.

"I killed him myself," he clarified. The mage rested against the banister for a moment, as his magic usage sunk in. He was on the cusp of overstepping, finally, though he didn't think it had actually hit yet. The portal he would craft for their escape would probably be the final straw -- but light overstepping was alright. He wasn't too concerned about a migraine or a nose-bleed. Not long into his momentary reprieve, Arkash looked back at him and began to yell, seemingly trying to convince himself that Taelian wasn't that special or impressive. He could've done it faster with a clear shot -- supposedly. The Sil'norai stopped leaning on the wooden rail and stood tall, again, stepping forward and looking at the Rathari.

"I guess you'll just need to get a clear shot faster next time. Not sure what was stopping you," he teased. Arkash only continued to almost jealously lambast him -- greatest mess maker, but, a flashy one. Oh, and a job thief. The mage rolled his eyes.

"I'll take you to Rainier," he said. A portal then opened; their escape from this burning home. He could already hear Chevaliers attempting to break through the door. Taelian grabbed one of Arkash's claws and pulled him through the vortex, the two of them coming out on the other end; the largest city in Breven, and, a neighbor to Nivenhain. It would be a lot easier for Arkash to get home from here, though he wasn't sure if taking the train was advisable given his wanted status. He couldn't even blend in, really, being a lizard-man.

Nevertheless. They stood in yet another alley between homes, with a quiet nighttime city before them. The mage closed the portal behind him and dropped the zweihander at his feet; he didn't need it anymore, and he'd forgotten to leave it at the scene.

"I'll meet you in Rainier on the 86th -- so, a fortnight from now. Aldrin, the leader of my organization, informed me midday today that he would like for me to handle a certain matter with him in Tyrclaid. As a result, I can't guarantee I'll be here in a few days... but I should be back by that date." He paused for a moment. Taelian supposed that Arkash was worried he wouldn't want to deal with him anymore, learning that he was some... lowlife assassin. It didn't really bother him, though; Taelian was one too, and if anything the coincidences that kept bringing them together intrigued him.

He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, and peered into his reptilian eyes. "It's alright; I'm not horrified by any means to learn that you're a hired gun. So am I, really, just for a different cause. So: I'll meet you at the Rainier train station, midday, on the 86th. Make sure to bring your most valuable belongings -- I don't think you should return to Lower Nivenhain after that. There is no cause to do so."

The mage paused. A certain anxiety swelled in his chest; being hunted, wanted, he worried that he wouldn't see Arkash again. He wished that he was familiar enough with Nivenhain's outer districts to take him to them directly, but Taelian had never even been to the capital. All he knew was that it was huge: the largest city in the world, apparently, by some leagues. But, he doubted the viaduct led to Lower Nivenhain directly, so the lizard would have to go through a hostile environment in order to get there.

He himself could die. He thought on it, for a moment, and frowned. Taelian... decided to warn the lizard as much, in case he came to Rainier's station on that day, and Taelian didn't come to meet him.

"I want you to know that if I don't appear on the 86th, it's not because I decided not to see you, or forgot about you. The mission I am going on in a few days is one that is fairly likely to cost me my life. Aldrin and I will be slaying a Dranoch Huntsman -- a being of almost God-like power. Any one misstep of mine and I will be bits on the floor. So; if I do not come by midday on the 86th, I want you to leave and forget about me. And most importantly, to remember that there is still a chance to turn your life around, and that there are people other than me who will be kind, and who will care. Time often brings people apart -- but the imprint they leave can still matter. I think it does, at least."

He felt a warm liquid running down his nose, as a hint of nausea began to overcome him. The mage frowned -- he still needed to jump back to Brandt, so his condition would slightly worsen. Taelian pondered for a moment; he would need to conserve all of his ether after today, in preparation for the battle with Helena in Tyrclaid. He'd been expending a lot of ether in the recent days, a lot of that involving Arkash, jumping from place to place to take him around, or accidentally almost killing him. Now, apparently 'stealing' his job.

The mage sighed. It was odd that they kept running into one another -- there was no denying that. He almost wondered if Saryn had a hand in it all.

Taelian said his goodbyes to Arkash, and offered the lizard the chance to do the same. Then, he opened another portal, causing for his ether-strain to harm him, a pain shooting through his arms. The mage grit his teeth and stepped through with a last wave goodbye, coming through the other end. He was within the Essen Diadrus once more, the palace-wing of the Galbrecht's that had allowed them refuge from the Kindred. The mage lowered his eyes as the portal collapsed behind him, and frowned.

He was tired -- a lot had happened lately, and a part of him wondered why he was doing all of it. He was glad to have helped change Arkash's life in a positive way, but... time was short. He wondered if he shouldn't just go south -- join the revolution now, leave all of the madness of Lorien and its war behind. It wasn't his war; the Elainian revolution was. And for the longest time, he felt as if he had failed them, becoming embroiled in things that - really - mattered so little to his life, and their lives.

Taelian could only wonder if he had been led here by an altruistic urge, or if he was simply a man of impulse; a fool, easy to lead wherever one wanted to guide him. Whatever the case, it would be nice to finally be able to do something meaningful for the Remedy, once he joined with Aldrin to fight Helena Flowers. He'd be avenging Elindra, too, and Tyrlan. And -- whoever else.

The mage coughed, and wiped the blood that had begun to accumulate at his upper lip. He stepped to the bed and began to lay down, staring up at the roof of the canopy as he often did. Then, he closed his eyes and allowed the fatigued feeling in his body a reprieve.

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:56 am**

A barrage of complaints and insults was the only way Arkash knew how to handle the situation he'd been presented with. Taelian was ridiculously strong, so much so that any reasonable mortal should have trembled with awe and fear before him. Though Arkash didn't shake, he was in awe for a spell. Taelian seemed to find amusement in Arkash's whining and boasting, at least, for he returned fire.
"Well!" He started with a raise of his voice and his claw in tandem. "...Sum'un cutt'a big fack-off 'ole in th' flaw!" He motioned his claws to the room as a portion of the burning floor collapsed in a burst of cinders. "See!" Of course, he was just making excuses at that point. He wasn't that good a shot, even if he could have found Vogen in time, it wasn't all that likely he would land his mark. Still, he'd dented a knight's helmet and put them unconscious as a result, and he got to look over his good work while berating Taelian.
The god-king-mage offered Arkash a trip to Rainier, wherever that was, despite Arkash's teasing; he couldn't have said anything too harsh. It was only fair, Taelian had stolen his kill, after all. Only, Arkash wasn't aware of the price of such a favor. Overstepping and strain were unfamiliar concepts to him. He couldn't have known magic had limits. in his own eyes, Taelian was able to destroy noble houses for miles without tiring, but he was soon to learn that wasn't the case.
It had never really occurred to Arkash to learn the geography of Lorien; he'd only ever been concerned with the darkened alleys and gang territories that littered Lower Nivenhain, as well as a few safer routes to the higher districts. As such, he didn't really know where Lienburg or Rainier, or even Brandt were on the map. To him, they were all long stretches of rail apart in different directions. How he'd get to Nivenhain from Rainier was a bridge he'd cross when he got to it.
His arm went tense as Taelian took him by the claw, but he offered no resistance. If anything, he was careful not to break the elf's skin with claws. Even if they were purposefully dulled for the sake of operating tools, they still had a habit of ripping things in sudden motions. As Taelian pulled him through, he realized three- no, four things. The first was that taelian was physically strong in addition to the magical prowess he bared. Sure, Arkash could have guessed that from the man's physique alone, but he'd not really thought about it in contrast to the laser beams and portals. The second was that even despite being heated through by the radiant warmth of Taelian's Glare, the elf's skin was still warm against his scales. The third was an odd one. Arkash had experienced a sort of anxiety earlier that season when Asmodei lifted him, but it was without fear. The feeling was akin to pressure in his chest and a curl in his stomach. It filled his throat and made his jaw ache with the mere thought of speaking. He experienced that same strange anxiety while Taelian pulled him along.
Fourth? The fourth he only realized after he stepped through the portal, and it was that he still wasn't used to the backlash from traversing the magical door. Vertigo overcame him, and a wave of dizzy nausea caused him to stumble.
His body was very slightly steaming in the cold air, releasing a steady flow of condensation that was only barely visible to the uppermost part of his form. They were outside again, in some darkened alley somewhere.
One set of claws fell upon his stomach while the other pulled free of Taelian's grasp to hold his jaws shut. He coughed briefly through his sealed lips, and let out some of the estate's smoke through his nose. It probably wasn't good to breathe in those fumes as he had been, but it only really affected him when he became exposed to the fresh air. "Haa.. fanks," he muttered as he leaned against one of the walls and shut both his eyes tight. That was three times in one day that he'd been struck with such intense dizziness, but it passed by quicker and quicker with every jump.
As taelian dropped his sword, Arkash felt about his back for the rifle he'd acquired: It was still there, that fine piece of kit. His eyes widened then in shock: His bag! He'd left his bag in Lienburg! Outside Lord Vogen's estate of all places! His teeth bared in a distraught cringe at the realization, but it was ultimately fine. Most of his money was stowed with Asmodei and Fayeth. He'd lost a few thousand at most, and his spyglass too? He'd make the money back with his new gun.
A deep exhale flowed from his nose as he cleared his throat, and taelian went on to explain that he would meet Arkash there, in Rainier, on the... Eighty-sixth? Of Ash? Arkash flexed a brow at first, then appeared to puzzle in thought while he counted backward from ninety-two. It was six days from the end of the season, which would mean Taelian wished to meet on... The twenty-fourth of Wither? Arkash wasn't the best at math, but he tried his best. He could always ask Fayeth for help, either way.
More of that anxiety stirred when the elf brought his hand to Arkash's shoulder and peered into his eyes. Arkash stared back despite the discomfort in his chest, but it was for a good cause. Taelian wasn't done with him, despite the darkness that had been revealed in the manor. A sigh of relief brought a gentle smile to his lips, but that pressure continued. It was weird; he didn't like it. Even so, it meant a lot to know Taelian didn't think differently of him. Arkash bowed his head and put his gaze on the floor between them. There wasn't much, and the thought disturbed him. Not out of fear, but something else.
"I'll maek i'," Arkash assured with a slight nod. He would; a new life was waiting for him, all he had to do was turn up on time. Or was there more? Taelian went on to explain that there was a chance he wouldn't make it to the rendezvous point at all after a brief pause for reflection. "'Ew fackin wot?" he was going on a mission that might cost his life? What sort of nonsense was the elf spouting? Why would he do such a thing?! "Dranoch-hun'sman? Th' fack 'ew on abou'?"
With his brow furrowed, he reached up to grab Taelian by the wrist that held his shoulder, and squeezed. As always, he was careful with his claws. "Taelian, dun' do 'at. Let'at Aldrin guy do it 'imself!" Was there really a being so strong that it could end someone like Taelian so quickly? A creature that made him fear, even despair? "Just blast'a cun' with 'ew laza'!" He pleaded. Something about the way Taelian spoke made it sound as though he was definitely going to die, and though it was sudden and unexpected, the idea still caused the rath immeasurable grief. Taelian was one of a handful of good people in the world, why did he have to be an idiot in the same breath?
Anger filled his eyes while he stared at the elf. Taelian went on to talk about good people in the world and something philosophical about imprints and the people that touch their lives. Arkash only squeezed the elf's wrist harder and shook his head. "Balls to 'at," he snapped in turn. "'Ew betta survive, I swea's to Rabe I'll be so pist if I dun' see 'ew again." Was that it? He wasn't sure. He'd only really gotten to know the elf that day, but even so, he found himself clinging to the man's wrist. Taelian had been so immeasurably kind to him, he cared about Arkash and his feelings on things, so much so that he cried with the lizard when he was restored. He'd never known such kindness... If all of that was just so he could die a miserable, pointless death, then what was the point?
"Shut up..." he spoke again, and looked away as Taelian stepped from him. His claws fell limp at his side. Could he help Taelian? Could he join the man on his mission with that creature? As proud and ballsy as he was, he knew he'd just be a liability. If anything, Taelian might have given his life trying to protect Arkash in the line of fire. There was nothing he could do, again, he was powerless.
Taelian said his farewells, but Arkash was quiet and still in the moonlit alley. His own thoughts consumed him while he breathed and steadied himself in the cold. Was he prepared to never see the elf again? That was how it felt when Taelian gave his farewells. He knew not why it hurt in his chest, but when he considered that he didn't say goodbye to Taelian in return, the pain worsened. Was he just being petty? Would it change anything if he accepted the farewells? Through Taelian's pause, Arkash was completely quiet, scornfully so.
A million thoughts rushed through his head, and he couldn't make sense of them all. Blind emotion guided him in his distress, and it said to remain quiet. What else could he do? Nothing would change Taelian's mind. He was powerless again, and he hated it.
Taelian stepped through the portal and disappeared from Arkash's side. Even in the glow of the vortex, he remained resolute, unflinching. It was only when the door closed that Arkash began to shake. His claws clenched and his breathing turned ragged while his eyes burned and watered on his right side. It wasn't fair, none of it was. What was the point of any of it? Why had someone so good come into his life just to disappear?
Though he tried hard not to cry, his next inhale came with a raspy sort of sob. That alone drove Arkash over the edge. "FACK YEW!!" he cried in a violent snap of his body and a stomp of his foot. it hurt too much to face, and so, he chose anger. "YEW STUPID CAN'!!"
"Shurrup 'ew fackin nob'ead!" called a voice from above, and Arkash drew his rifle to turn and aim at whoever had said such a thing. Some human in his nightwear was peering from his window until he spied Arkash's weapon. The rath only briefly aimed before he cocked the lever and pulled the trigger, which shattered the window. The human screamed and withdrew into his house at the sound of the boom and the broken glass alike. Arkash had missed.
"DUN' FACK WIV ME, CAN'!!" He cried furiously, then stowed his weapon on his back again. His body still shook and his breathing was ragged. He'd just tried to kill someone, so he couldn't stay there. Some Chevalier had probably heard the gunshot, too. He had to move, so, after a moment of hesitation where he stared at the spot that Taelian had vanished from, he turned and ran deeper into the alley. From there, he vanished into the night, cursing and spitting all the way.

Image source.

Posted: **Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:28 pm**

Oh Dear, you seem to have contracted a REVIEW!

XP:

Arkash - 16 XP
Taelian - 12 XP

Pieces of knowledge:

Arkash

Gunslinging: Rifle: Shooting downward.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Position is key.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Pull the trigger slowly for better accuracy.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Exhale slowly while you pull the trigger for greater stability.
Gunslinging: Rifle: As a rule of thumb, the more stable you are, the better your accuracy.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Shooting prone reduces recoil.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Shooting prone reduces you as a target.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Headshot.
Gunslinging: Rifle: Bodyshot.
Gunslinging: Rifle: The size of your round determines the lethality.
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[PC] Taelian: An assassin.
[PC] Taelian: You told him everything and he didn't mind.
[PC] Taelian: Stole your kill.
[PC] Taelian: God-King-Mage.
[PC] Taelian: Everything you want to be.
[PC] Taelian: Made you feel weird.
[PC] Taelian: Made you angry.
[PC] Taelian: Promised to meet on the 86th of Ash so long as he doesn't die.
[PC] Taelian: You might never see him again

Taelian

Leadership: Defending your allies
Acrobatics: Strafing
Tactics: Scoping out a target
Tactics: Striking from a higher position
Tactics: Limiting an enemy's field of movement
Tactics: Funneling enemies into an area
Tactics: Striking hard, before reinforcements can come
Tactics: Carefully positioning within your surroundings

Loot: Arkash: Lost all belongings (again) bar the weapons he carries and his clothes. Gained a tier 3 Rifle and four caster shells.

Injuries: N/A

Comments:

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, let me know. Enjoy your rewards!

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Arkash

Taelian