RPG Quest For Glory I

[The Unholy Newt]

ooc: Here goes . . .
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ic:

[i]Tyrael finally caught sight of the city of Spielburg, all the brochures about said it was beautiful, wonderful, fantastic. But the reality, well let's just say he was just a tad dissapointed. As a matter of fact it couldn't even be called a city. All it consisted of was a Police Station, manned with two men, a Magic Shop, an Adventurer's Guild, a Fish Shop, a Bakery, a General Store, a Tavern, a few houses and . . . [drumroll please] a Tomato Stand. To the north was the Healer's Hut, further north was the Castle Spielburg, behind the town was a Graveyard, south was the Brigand's Fortress hidden among the mountains and cliffs, behind the castl was Erana's Peace (The magical garden planted by the Archmage Erana) and that was about it. All in all pretty pitiful. But hey, the smaller the town, the less suspicious the townsfolk were, and the less suspicious, the crappier the locks.

Tyrael decided the first stop he would make would be the Thieves Guild. The mostly likely place for it to be was in the Tavern. Tyrael entered the tavern and went to the Barkeep, he ordered an ale and made the thieves secret sign.

"Talk to Rocko over there mate," he said pointing to a rather nasty looking Goon. So talk to him he did. He made the thieves sign and Rocko got up and opened a trapdoor The trapdoor lead to a rather dank looking joint. The Thieves Guild in Silmaria was a huge grand place and the Chief Thief sent him here. The dissapointment kicked in once again. Not wanting to hang around too long, he caught up with the Guildmaster, got his Spielburg Thief License and left to rob the town.[/i]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin sat on her wooden stool, her black eyes roaming the crowded streets of Speilburg. Every now and then a person would come up and inspect the stall's goods, if that's what they could be called, for in Alastuin's mind, dead fish and the term "good" did not fit together easily.
A young and rich looking lout swaggered up to her stall and asked her to show him what Haddok were. She stood and leaned to the front pallet, picking up a long, silvery animal and clouting the young man in the head with it. "Teach ye to look upon what'll never be yarhs!" She screeched after him as he staggered away, sorry that he'd ever chanced upon the young woman with the fish stall and the excellent cleavage. Alastuin sat down again and began to sort through the young man's wallet, having snatched it from him whilst he was drooling on her. Good life. The fish were good produce in this city, but nothing reels in the copper like big breasts and quick fingers.[/i][/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]OOC: Drool, dare he! We shall see about this! Or something.... Don't worry Dave, you knew it was going to go to hell anyway. Oh, and I'll just explain how I came by that employment I mentioned in my somewhat length bio...

IC: [I]The Archon was preceded out of his darkened room by a stream of annoyed invective. He looked around him, and swore a bit more. The thieves guild of Spielburg looked back at him, somewhat apprehensive. The Archon pulled out a long, black dagger. A kris knife, with strange hooks on the tang. He used those hooks to attach the dagger to his right bracer. He looked around him, and raised the knife.

Around him, people scattered. Not by choice either. Distracted by his more physical preparations, his building will had escaped their noticed. A shockwave of mental energy sent them all scurrying away. He walked out the door, stepping around several blubbering fools. He slammed it behind him, and stopped to listen.[/I]

Thief: We should get the new kid onto him! He's expendable after all.

Guildmaster: Don't be ridiculous. The Archon is unassailable to us.

Thief: We got him last night, didn't we.

Guildmaster: He allowed himself to be taken, make no mistake.

[I]Satisfied, The Archon straightened and looked around. He was in an alley, of course. A small road led up onto the main street. (OOC: Just what I remember from QFG V) He strode along it, his cloak shielding him from the accursed sun. Wrapped in his own thoughts, he nearly missed the buffoon coming towards him. He was holding his head, and muttering something about pretty women and Haddocks. He ran into The Archon, and received a knife in the ribs for his trouble. The Archon tossed him into the gutter, and looked around. Nobody commented. They seemed to know who he was. They could die later. He continued up the street, paying slight attention to the others around him now.

At one point, he stopped, doubled back, and approached a stall. His cloak showed nothing, he certainly did not resemble a normal city denizen, but the women did not seem concerned. The Archon looked at her for a long moment, then gave out a metallic laugh, the sound of one who only cruel humour in life, and that only rarely.[/I]

The Archon: I like your Haddocks.

[I]Leaving her slightly bewildered, he continued back to his lair, just outside the city. He could have lived inside it, untroubled, in any house he wanted, but that would be bad for business. Never seem too normal. As he reached the cave that concealed his abode, he paused, and sniffed the air. As usual, someone was waiting for him. He walked in, unconcerned. If the thieves were stupid enough to try and ambush him again, that would be a problem quickly solved. He wondered why they had tried in the first place. Probably jurisdiction problems.

The Archon entered, his eyes having no problem with the gloom. Seated at the single table was a man clad in a dark blue cloak. A noble of sorts, judging by the weave.[/I]

The Archon: Who, when, how, and do you want them to know a reason?

Noble: Actually, I need you to complete a quest for me. The Baron is offering rewards for a number of things, I'm sure you're aware of Spielburg's problems.

The Archon: I should be. I used to be foremost on the list. I suppose I'll do it, just to reclaim that status.

Noble: I thought you didn't care?

The Archon: Of course not. But it is good for business.

[I]The Archon's wicked smile seemed to unsettle the man. it should have, for the next moment, he was two feet of the ground, struggling to breathe. The Archon was still five feet away, but covered the distance in a blur, slicing his throat.[/I]

The Archon: Was there anything else? Didn't think so....

[I]The Archon strode back into town, deciding to pay the Baron another visit, for his business this time, not The Archon's....[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin sat bewildered, trying to think of the last time she had felt this way. Confused. Nothing ever confused her, everything was just too simple. But something else as well... She stood, and called to her Mama that she was going for a walk because she was sick of watching the fish rot. Her mother called something affirmative out through a mouthful of pesto, and Alastuin grabbed her black cloak and strode into the midday sun, following the nervous path of the man.
She had seen him before, at the Guild she disliked so intensely.
"Sure, steal all you want, but give us some."
"Why?"
"Brotherhood, sweetie, brotherhood." Never mind that she was the only female she had seen there... her rage boiled and she sniffed the air, finding traces of the man's scent through the lingering odour of fish and pesto.
She stalked further out of the city, and suddenly, as the last street dwindled and failed, the scent vanished. She sensed magic. Cursing, Alastuin stalked into the trees and awaited another confrontation. [/i][/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]For some reason, The Archon was less than surprised to see the person he still though of as the "Haddock weilder" had followed him. He absently leap into the trees beside the path, and traversed along them until he was only a few feet from her. Dropping down behind her, a low kick followed by a sweep knocked her off her feet. The Archon stood there, expecting her to be surprised. Instead, she landed, spun and kicked him hard in the shin. Enough to surprise him, though it didn't do any damage. He tipped an eyebrow at her, amused.[/I]

The Archon: Do you have any idea who I am?

Haddock-weilder: You would be The Archon.

The Archon: Amazing deduction. Now, you seem somewhat more intelligent than the average fool walking this world. Tell me, do you have any idea what kind of hell you're attempting to get yourself into, you haddock-weilding minx?

Alastuin: My name, is Alastuin.

The Archon: Answer the question.

[I]His voice had dropped to a whisper, and his stance shifted slightly. The slow rasp of a dagger being taken from its sheath rang out.[/I]

Alastuin: You expect to cow me?

[I]The Archon looked at her a long moment, then sighed, and leant against the tree he had earlier leapt out of.[/I]

The Archon: Alright. Who, when, where and do you want them to know the reason?[/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]Alastuin: Me, now, here, because I want to.

[i]The Archon's eyes widened and he took a step back. Alastuin laughed, pleased with herself.[/i]

Alastuin: Well, not many can say they've gotten [i]that[/i] reaction from you. Do you want to go back?

The Archon: Ok then, answer the question.

[i]Alastuin laughed again and sat at the base of the tree she leant against. She took an equally-nasty looking dagger out from her being and began to clean her long, black fingernails with it. Stareing up at him, she took her sweet, and what was looking to be precious, time. [/i]

Alastuin: You want to know what the answer to the question is. And that is why I am here... to know the answer to the question. So tell me, milord, what is the question?

The Archon: What are you doing, preferably here.

Alastuin: Exactly. That is the question I want to know the answer to.

The Archon: You want to know what you are doing?

Alastuin: Yes.

The Archon: That would indicate that you don't know what you are doing.

[i]Intending to point out her weakness, she noted this and threw him off with pure fact.[/i]

Alastuin: True. I have no idea what I am doing. I don't know why I am here, I don't know why I followed you, and I don't know what attracted me to you in the first place. I don't even know -

[i]Alastuin flicked a fish scale out from her claw, sailing through the air and landing exactly an inch below his right eye.[/i]

- if you know the answer to that last one.

The Archon: I don't. So I can't tell you. Please stop the pathetic mindgames and tell me what you want, or leave.

[i]Alastuin sighed, stood, concealed her weapon and walked away.[/i][/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]As always, people believed anything he wanted them to. He followed along at a discreet pace, though made no effort to hide. He was sure Alastuin was aware of him. She damn well better be, unless she had survived to this age by blind luck. He followed her back to her fish stall, and stood silently next to it. All of a sudden, the haggling seemed to stop. People seemed willing to pay much higher prices for some reason. Alastuin just glared at him.[/I]

Alastuin: You're taking the fun out of this.

The Archon: So what? Do you intend to hit me with a haddock?

[I]He caught the fish several inches away from his face...[/I][/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]Alastuin: I liked it better out at your place. Less sun, less... fish... you can keep that one. It's name's Berlin. I think it likes you...

[i]The Archon looked at the dead haddock lying limp in his hand. He smiled. Insanity was a good trait.[/i]

Alastuin: Listen, I don't know your name.

The Archon: I know, funny that.

Alastuin: It's not fair, really... you know mine, and you think that just because I'm not magical and because I love fish and dress like a whore you can not tell me your name and then annoy my and stalk me and intercept my fish. FISH! GALAHEBREAH! NE'EY BRUTHEN DOURH!!

[i]Several customers sailed to the stall. One of them had only one eye and a fishy smell of his own. Alastuin's father stalkd out of the building behind her with a filleting knife and began arguing with the one-eyed man in the native tongue. Alastuin edged towards the Archon. [/i]

Alastuin: Take me somewhere quiet...

The Archon: I'm no going to tell you my name or take you anywhere until you put the fish down. [/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Seeing she wasn't about to be persuaded, he sighed, and struck out, knocking the fish from her hands. Binding her psionically, he picked her up like a sack of meal, and started carrying her away. He did leave her mouth free though. Still, she didn't shout, though she did swear a lot.[/I]

The Archon: My my. Why should such a girl like you know such words?

[I]He laughed sardonically, tossing a wave to the gate guards, who were in stitches of laughter themselves. He sauntered along the forest path, taking his time. Reaching his lair, again, a voice rang out of the darkness.[/I]

???: Lo, the hero returns with the spoils of war.

The Archon: Ah, Virrus, what would I do without your humour.

Virrus: Probably nothing different, considering you don't find anything funny.

The Archon: At least I bother to fake it.

Virrus: And I've never worked out why.

The Archon: Because you are a useful tool.

Virrus: Gods you're a bastard.

The Archon: So they tell me. Leave now, I'm already hired, I have no need of you.

[I]Swearing, Virrus disappeared, further up the trail. Alastuin never even saw him.[/I]

The Archon: Hard to explain. He gets me contacts sometimes, so I tolerate his existance.

[I]He walked into the darkness, and without looking around, unconceredly threw her further in. She landed on a thin bed, soft yet springy. She looked up at him, somewhat annoyed.[/I]

Alastuin: As if I want to know the details of your sordid affairs anyway.

[I]The Archon's mouth quirked with what might have been the ghost of a smile. In an instant, it was gone.[/I]

The Archon: Affairs, that's a very good word for it.

Alastuin: You're innuendos will do nothing to unsettle me, oh high and mighty The Archon.

The Archon: Lacroix s'Xalerian.

[I]There was a shocked moment of silence. Lacroix drew up a chair, and released her mental bonds. She shifted around slightly, but made no attempt to leave.[/I]

Lacroix: There. Now you are caught up in my sordid affairs. You want to know why? Allow me to recount something to you.

[I]Lacroix slowly started telling her his bloody history, a tale which lasted many hours, and unsettled her greatly. (OOC: I'm not re-writing, so don't mention it. Check my bio if you want to remember it damn it.) At the end, she sat up, and looked at him with a strange expression. He lapsed into silent brooding, staring off into the darkness. Several times, he seemed to gather himself to speak, but each time, he stopped short.[/font][/color][/I]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]Remotely serious please. If I can do it, everyone else can.[/font][/color]

[The Unholy Newt]

ooc: Fireball isn't a QFG spell. The spell is Flame Dart. For other people who want to get spells, the spells you can get in this episode are, Flame Dart, Open, Calm, Fetch, Detect Magic, Dazzle and Zap if I can remember correctly.
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[i]As night fell upon the town of Spielburg, Tyrael decided it was thieving time. His first stop he decided was the place that had the crazy old woman in the rocking chair out front. He moved quickly and silently up the stairs and proceeded to pick the lock. He saw a shadow coming down the street so he quickly dived in the rosebush. He saw who the person was, it was the nightwatchman making his rounds. After he left Tyrael jumped up and finished picking the lock. He shut the door behind him in case the watchman came back.

Inside the house was your very basic old lady house. At the last minute he noticed a cat coming towards him, it leapt and morphed into a jaguar. Before it could get Tyrael, it fell to the floor with a dagger embedded in it's jugular.

"Sylvester? What's going on down there?" Came an old voice from up the stairs. There came footsteps as the old lady came down. As she reached the bottom, Tyrael crept around behind her and snapped her neck. After hiding the body, he went up to the cat and pulled the dagger out of it's throat and cleaned the blood off on it's fur coat. Tyrael thoroughly looted the place and then left for his next job.

On his way to the next thieving task, Tyrael came upon the Nightwatchman snoozing on the steps of the Sheriff's Office. What a perfect chance to get rid of that nuisance Tyrael thought as he cut his throat and hid him in an alleyway. He continued on to the Sheriff's house to clean the place out. He picked the lock easily and entered. First thing to do was to make sure the occupants couldn't discover him. He sneaked into the first room beneath the stairs. In it was the Sheriff's Goon, Otto Von Goon. Tyrael slit his throat and went upstair's to take care of the Sheriff and his wife. They were sleeping so peacefully it seemed almost a shame to kill them. Oh well. After taking care of them he cleaned the place out and left for the Katta's Tail Inn.[/i]

~TUN

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]OOC: Psionicism isn't magic, per se, but more an advanced form of natural physcokinesis. Just a curiousity. Anyway.

IC: [I]When the Archon looked up, it was night had fallen. Alastuin had not moved, and was staring at him.[/I]

The Archon: You are patient, for someone your age.

Alastuin: You can't be that much older than me.

The Archon: Perhaps not. There is more than one kind of age however.

Alastuin: I imagine so.

The Archon: Tell me than, do you intend to attempt to get back to town in the dark?

Alastuin: I doubt there is much out there that could harm me.

The Archon: You may be surprised. Still, I imagine the forest brigands would be smart enough to leave you alone.

Alastuin: Why is that?

The Archon: Because of who I am, and I showed an interest in you.

Alastuin: Men. You think you're reputation means anything?

The Archon: It got you here didn't it?

[I]The was a long moment of silence, before the pristine silence was broken by Alastuin's cursing.[/I]

The Archon: Ah, the proverbial fishwife. Now, are you leaving or not?[/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]Alastuin: Hmmm, after that speech about all the nasty things that could "get me" out there, I think I'll stay right here...

[i]Alastuin pulled another dagger from somewhere warm and began danding it through her fingers casually, indicating that Lacroix would probably not be the only protection she had.[/i]

Lacroix: If you think you are impressing me, I advise you to think again.

Alastuin: (glancing around) Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see the sign saying that I was not allowed to play with knives in here.

Lacroix: There isn't one.

Alastuin: Obviously. [i]She gestured to the bloodstains splattered up the rough walls.[/i]

Lacroix: Well, if you are staying, why don't you tell me about yourself.

Alastuin: I grew up with fish. I know how to catch fish... and I know how to fillet them. [i]Alastuin stalked forward until she was standing over him, and sat on his lap, legs astride. Flesh formed his view.[/i] I know how to catch people too...

[i]Lacroix grabbed at the knife she was scraping over his bare arm. He bent the blade easily back and forth, sighing. [/i]

Lacroix: A filleting knife. How ironic. Let me guess - this one has never tasted the blood of a fish?

[i]Alastuin smiled.[/i]

Lacroix: Enough said.[/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]Lacroix: Still....

[I]Lacroix took the knife by the point, threw it in the air, caught it by the point, and hurled it away, all in one motion. It struck one of the many skulls lying around. Through the eyesocket. [/I]

Alastuin: I'll need that back.

The Archon: Later. Now, I have two questions for you. a) are you intending to give me a more in depth history, it would be fair after all, and b), when are you going to get off me?[/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin stared dooen into Lacroix's terrifying gaze, smiling slightly. Her breathing became slightly laboured, but before Lacroix could mention it, she stood, smashed the skull with her foot, retrieved the filleting knife and curled up on the bed, falling fast asleep. Outside, a light rain began to fall. [/i]
[/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Lacroix looked at her a long moment. She didn't seem inclined to move. He walked over to her, and took the filleting knife off her...again. This time he stuck it in his belt. That done, he lay down next to her, and drifted slowly into the waking reverie that sufficed for his sleep these days. He absently wondered what her reaction would be when she woke up. [/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin was thousands of miles under the ocean, swimming and dancing with the eels and squid. Millions of silvery shards of glass schooled around her, each minnow detecting the will of the next and coordinating the moves perfectly. It was a beautiful display of light reflections, dark shapes floating around her, soft skin and scales sliding over her naked body as she surrendered herself to the sea.

Alastuin felt the water slip mind-numbingly fast around her as she awoke with a start, taking care not to move. She smelt rain, damp earth, and another... unfamiliar scent. A form pressed against her back. It was warm, and had a heartbeat. She moved into it to preserve her warmth and closed her eyes.

A minute or two later the water returned. Clear, white, swirling over her eyes, distorting the image of her mother as she held Alastuin under the water, laughing.

Alastuin woke again twice as quickly, the weight of sleep hardly pressing upon her before taking flight once more. She was breathing too heavily. She was too hot.

Taking care not to wake her host, Alastuin stood and walked to the entrance to the cave. The rain dripped onto her hair from the thick foliage concealing the entrance. Curling up on the dry earth, Alastuin held herself and shook violently as hallucenations plagued her once more.[/i][/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]The Archon waited several minutes before realising Alastuin wasn't coming back in. He cautiously raised his head up, fairly certain he was going to get knifed. Instead, he found her shaking violently, and mumbling slightly. He recognised it immediately. He'd been in far worse mental states. Demons do that to a person...

He silently got up, and walked slowly over to her, ready for any sign of violence. He knelt beside her, and touched her light on the back. She shook, but didn't respond. He gathered her up, easily, considering how light she was, and brought her back to the bed. He pulled a spare leather gauntlet out, and prised her teeth apart, forcing the leather in between her jaws. She bit into it, hard, and continued shaking. Then she started weeping. Immediately, he put her arms around her, muttering "You are going to ruin my reputation.", before softly comforting her. Nearly an hour later, she relaxed, and fell into a far deeper, peaceful sleep. He sat there, holding her, and waited.[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin awoke the next morning, alone. She sat up in the morning light, and realised that she was not alone - he was sitting behind her, with his arms around her. She sniffed the air - nothing had happened. But there was a black leather gauntlet lying in front of her, ripped to shreds by an animal of some sort... strange teeth configuration...[/i]

Lacroix: Sleep well?

Alastuin: What? Yes? No...?

Lacroix: We've been here for a day and a half.

Alastuin: What?! My parents -

Lacroix: I talked to your parents, they said they didn't have a child. They denied your existence, infact.

Alastuin: Then it has finally happened... the bonds have been severed. I am no longer a child of the marketplace, but a child of the alleyway.

[i]Feeling that if there was ever a time or a place for it, it would be now, she wept bitterly into the stranger's arms, her mind convulsing with hidden pain.[/i]
[/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]After half a night of comforting her, Lacroix was still by no means experienced, so he merely held her as her crying storm peaked, than slowly passed, until it was the grief of gentle regret, as opposed to heartbreaking sadness. He lay her down, and disappeared deeper into the cave for a moment. When he returned, he found her curled up, still weeping softly. He gently say her up, and offered her the cup of tea it was holding. She sipped it, then drank slowly. The herbs took effect quickly. Within a minute, she was again asleep.[/I]

Lacroix: Never thought alchemy had uses other than poison...

[I]When Alastuin awoke several hours later, she found Lacroix silently regarding her.[/I]

Lacroix: What do you intend to do now?[/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]Alastuin: Leave. And never see you again. Only three people have ever seen me cry - two were my parents, and they were the ones who forced my tears, the third an innocent girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I gutted her with one stroke and ripped her spine out and hung it on my wall. It was a reminder of what I vowed to do to my parents one day. I could not touch them as they ar Treiaska, and everyone knows the childer of those traders cannot harm thier parents, but their parents take delight in harming them... as I cannot kill you, through skill and magic you outbound me, and as I am indepted to you only for helping me, I must leave and hope to never come across you again. If this means ending my pathetic life, so be it. I think I can stand now. Goodbye, Milord Archon. May your past be exactly that.

[i]Alastuin kissed Lacroix lightly on the forehead before standing and walking away. She left her knife with him, scared of what she would do with it.[/i][/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Lacroix sat, surprised for the first time in years, before murmuring to himself softly.[/I]

Lacroix: The past can never be just that.

[I]Without thinking, he swirled his cloak on, checked his knife was loose, and bounded out after her, cloak flowing out behind him, though it never flapped or made a sound. For some reason, she had walked away from the city, further into the forest. He followed swiftly, surprised how fast she was moving.

When he found her, she was in a small clearing, surrounded by tangled undergrowth, and completely covered by the thick, dark canopy. A favourite site for ambush.

Sure enough, there were three brigands standing there. Two had weapons pointed at her, but were not advancing. The third was stumbling around, holding his eye with one hand, and his groin with the other. Lacroix winced in sympathy, he knew how sharp her nails were. He strode in to the clearing, noting the lack of surprise on Alastuin's face, in contrast to the shock on the two coherent brigands. The first yelled and attempted to stab Lacroix with a rusty sword. Lacroix tangled it with a delicate flick of his cloak, then responded with a knifehand strike to the throat. His right hand followed, with a knife to the throat. The next bandit tried to run, before running into an invisible wall. He was lifted off the ground, and suddenly started screaming. The screams slowly grew higher, than drained into a low gurgle. His mouth opened, and a rush of blood fountained out. He collapsed to the ground, boneless. The third bandit was lying on the ground, getting kicked repeatedly in the head. Lacroix walked over and bent down. He picked Alastuin's foot up, looked at her, and said in an almost conversational tone,[/I]

The Archon: You do it like this.

[I]... before bringing her foot down hard on his throat. He choked, flopped once, then died. Lacroix stood, and absently brushed himself off.[/I]

The Archon: My apologies your plans did not quite go as expected. Are you coming or not?

[I]For some reason, she followed him as he returned home.[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]
Alastuin: I don't know why I followed you home, I'm sorry... I'll leave now.

[i]Alastuin walked away again, confused, and in a state of mind he had not seen. She was scared. He grabbed her again and looked into her eyes, seeing that she did not want him to think ill of her, and was so desperate of pleasing him that she was at a loss of what to do. He swore softly and pulled her deep into the cave. She was not seeing what he could see. In his experience, he probably looked like a monster, or a king, or her father. He couldn't tell.[/i]

Lacroix: Stay. I want you to stay with me. You could defend yourself, but you don't know where you are going. There would be no point in staying alive.

[i]Alastuin looked at him confusedly before drawing a penknife from her wristband and holding it to her throat. He grabbed it and threw it away before she began to cut down. A line of blood trickled down her neck. Noting this, Lacroix slapped her hard across the face and she shook momentarily before coming to her senses. [/i]

Alastuin: Sorry, I can be a pain sometimes.

Lacroix: I know.

Alastuin: I was born in Thessaloniki, you know...

Lacroix: I know I asked, but don't worry.

Alastuin: I will tell you, I'm not afraid -

Lacroix: Don't worry. I know everything.

Alastuin: What?

Lacroix: You already told me. In your... sleep. What you didn't mention your parents did.

Alastuin: They would never...

Lacroix: They did, in their last breaths. Their spines are hanging outside for you, being cleaned by the ants....

[i]Alastuin stared into the darkness at the back of the cave, silently coping with the massive alterations made to her twisted, chaotic life.[/i]

Alastuin: And why am I to stay with you?

Lacroix: You're a danger to yourself.

Alastuin: Why do you care? Why do you want me to stay...?[/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Lacroix was silent a long moment. Before speaking, he got up, and stalking back and forth, gesturing as he spoke, in a calm, measured voice.[/I]

Lacroix: Why? The question that has plagued drunkards and sages alike since man's existance began. Why do I want you to stay? Do I think about going into a partnership, and believe you could be a fitting match for me? Do I believe that you are a useful tool?

[I]Lacroix suddenly spun back to face her, and when the words came out, they were strained, and he had a wild look on his face.[/I]

Lacroix: Or may it be that I desire your companionship! Allow me to inform you of something, something that may just bind you and blight you beyond perdition. When I saw you, at first, and still since, something unbeknownst for years struck me harder than any mortal being ever has. [I]I felt a measure of emotion![/I] I felt... a sympathy for you...that deepened into an ...affection, I suppose the word is. Here you are, daughter of fisherman, having corrupted and perhaps irreparably weakened the bastions of solitude I surround myself with, the walls of silence and unemotional mentalities are coming down like a tree stricken by rot at its core. What say you, to the knowledge you, at last, have made me vulnerable?[/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Alastuin stared up at him in shock. She knew nearly nothing of this person, but what he had told her indicated that she had done something rather unexpected. He was as confused and possibly scared as she was. Acting on impulse, she stood and walked to him and slid her pale arms around him. He tensed, then slowly relaxed and held her close in return. She felt his warmth and her head began to spin.[/i]

Alastuin: I hope you know what you are doing.

Lacroix: I don't.

Alastuin: It's ok, I never do either.

Lacroix: I hope I am not falling into a web of yours, or something...

Alastuin: No, this is not of my doing. I really want it to...work...

Lacroix: What do you mean?

Alastuin: I want to stay with you. Forever.

Lacroix: Don't say that...

Alastuin: I'm sorry, but it's true...

Lacroix: We'll see how things go.

[i]Alastuin leant back and stared at the tone ceiling, swaying back and forth.[/i]

Alastuin: Well, here's a practical application.... I can't fight, you can't catch fish, I can't weave spells, and you can't...

Lacroix: I can catch fish.

Alastuin: You can do everything. You don't need me at all.

Lacroix: I may not need you, but I like you and I want you to stay with me. And you could prove useful...

Alastuin: Great. 'Could prove useful...'[/font][/color]