Sarien's Prelude

20:39] phr00twurkz: Noon, Arjuf. A pristine sky gleams above the city, the sun shining brilliantly down on the city. A fresh breeze blows off the ocean, scenting the air with the wild blue beyond. Children play, adults work hard, and the city bustles.
[20:41] phr00twurkz: Within a luxurious townhouse in the city, its windows curtained tightly against the light, someone stirs, groaning. The light peeking past the heavy curtains burns its eyes as it rises from its bed.
[20:42] phr00twurkz: Cynis Sarien wakes to a dark room, floor strewn with bottles. His companions of the night before, four lovely ladies, slumber on as he clambers to his feet, head and bladder aching.
[20:43] phr00twurkz: ((Its morning. You're still feeling the aftereffects of last night's booze. You wonder if maybe you're dying. You also have to pee, real bad.))
[20:45] heavensgardener: Yeah. Always a downside to getting drunk. Trying not to trip on the bottles-because really, that would just cap it all-
[20:45] heavensgardener: Sarien goes to fix one of those problems, trying not to walk too loudly and aggravate his headache more. Too bad there isn't as easy a solution to his headache.
[20:47] phr00twurkz: You stand in the bathroom, all marble and gold fixtures, easing yourself as you consider the alcohol blurred memories of last night. A voice, from nowhere, comments "This is a story of a man named Cynis Falen Sarien."-
[20:48] phr00twurkz: "A member of house Cynis, he is a wastrel and a sot, spending his days in pursuit of physical gratification. But little does he know, today is the day he dies."
[20:48] phr00twurkz: It sounds female. Older, crisp accent. Slightly amused.
[20:49] phr00twurkz: "He currently stands over his chamber pot, relieving himself of last night's liquor, head aching as he ponders last night's indescretions."
[20:49] heavensgardener: "..." Shit. Instively, his head whips around, trying to find the source of the voice.
[20:50] phr00twurkz: The room looks empty. You don't see, or sense anyone.
[20:50] phr00twurkz: "He looks around, confused. Was he going mad? Was it an aftereffect of the alcohol? Did he take something he shouldn't have?"
[20:53] heavensgardener: Just what the fuck was going on, then? Green eyes narrow as their owner straightens slowly.
[20:54] phr00twurkz: The voice continues to narrate "Cynis Sarien glares around the room, looking for the strange intruder. Confused, angry and little frightened, he tenses in anticipation of ambush."
[20:56] phr00twurkz: ((If you had to say, you'd think it was coming from above. It doesn't sound muffled by the interposing stone and wood though, if its from the roof))
[20:58] heavensgardener: Sarien frowns inwardly. Well. This was certaintly extremely odd. The only place he could think of where the voice could be coming from was above...but it wasn't muffled.
[20:58] phr00twurkz: "He thinks to himself, considering the logistical impossibility."
[20:59] heavensgardener: "Damn right there's a logical impossibility. Not that I'm all that logical myself."
[21:00] phr00twurkz: From the room beyond, a sleepy voice yawns and querries "Sarien?" The narrator adds "The voice reminds him of his companions of last night. A trickle of guilt assails him, as he recalls that he doesn't even know their names."
[21:02] heavensgardener: "If you're my conscience, good job." the young Cynis muttered under his breath, at least arranging his clothes in a semblance of order and beginning to walk backward towards the door. Not that it would help.
[21:03] phr00twurkz: One of the ladies is sitting up in bed, hair awry from sleep. She's a pretty little blonde thing, surprisingly young. She smiles as she sees you, chirping "Good morning!"
[21:04] heavensgardener: It's a bit too cheerful for early in the morning, but Sarien does his best to smile back at her. "Morning."
[21:06] phr00twurkz: "He says, not realizing that it was past noon and growing later. The Cynis eyes the young girl, wishing he could remember all of last night and the things they did together. He also wished for breakfast. Or lunch, in this case."
[21:06] phr00twurkz: The girl clambers out of bed stretching and yawning hugely. She smiles at you "I had a real nice time last night, Sarien." She giggles
[21:09] heavensgardener: "I'm glad." he says, sincerely.
[21:10] heavensgardener: In the meantime, in the back of his head, he's just wondering when his life managed to take a turn into the surreal.
[21:10] phr00twurkz: She titters again and comes over to you, bottles clinking as she walks through them. She runs a hand down your chest and looks up at you, smiling "Really? Well, I'm glad you had a good time as well."
[21:11] phr00twurkz: "Said the girl, who couldn't be more than 16 at the very most. He has wonder if he did, in fact, have a good time."
[21:14] heavensgardener: Sarien mentally sighs, considering the merits of simply hitting his head against the wall until he was uncousncious
[21:14] heavensgardener: to get the voice to be quiet. Would you shut up? To the girl, he just makes an absent noise: non-committal, or assent, it's not entirely sure.
[21:15] heavensgardener: Great, now I'm talking to a voice in my head that's logically impossible.
[21:15] phr00twurkz: "He thinks to himself, still wondering about his sanity."
[21:16] phr00twurkz: The girl presses against you, still smiling upwards "So.. What ever shall we do for breakfast?"
[21:18] heavensgardener: Sanity? Hah, that flew away years ago. Absently, he pats her on the head, running his fingers through her hair,
[21:18] heavensgardener: and murmurs something about he's thinking about it. Yeah, right, not really, but who had to know other then him and the voice in his head?
[21:20] phr00twurkz: "He holds the young girl closely, not really thinking of her. Unaware that he'd be dead before tomarrow's dawn, he considers breakfast and how best to rid himself of his lovers."
[21:22] heavensgardener: "What do you want?" he asks her. Would you just *shut up*? Would it make you happy, whoever the fuck you are, if I just went and jumped out a window?
[21:24] phr00twurkz: "He asks the voice in his head, secretly wondering if jumping out the window would make *him* happy. It would certainly make the man waiting outside happy."
[21:25] phr00twurkz: The girl considers "I suppose we could have pancakes, with strawberries and cream if you'd like."
[21:28] heavensgardener: Aha. "I asked what you wanted." he reminds her gently, one eye looking to where he kept his daiklaves. Just what had he done to merit that, really (other then...well...doing nothing).
[21:30] phr00twurkz: "He eyes his daiklaives, anticipating the violence to come. Whoever they sent must be ready for a Son of the Dragons, which means he must be ready in turn. His stomache growls at him, unconcerned with the upcoming battle."
[21:30] phr00twurkz: She blushes and titters "Well, *I* would like them!"
[21:34] heavensgardener: "Then pancakes it is." he says, seeming completely unconcerned and not showing any sign of what he was thinking,
[21:34] heavensgardener: Is there any particular *reason* , other then malicious glee, that you are narrating the remainder of my life in your head?
[21:36] phr00twurkz: "He ponders the question, half expecting not to be answered." The girl brushes back her hair "Well, I'll go get started on them!" She heads from the room, still delightfully unclothed.
[21:36] phr00twurkz: "Sarien watches her go. Even with the odd events of the day, he can still appreciate the view as she leaves."
[21:39] heavensgardener: Damn right I can. Sarien mutters to the voice in his head, going to get dressed and making sure to put his chain shirt beneath his tunic.
[21:41] phr00twurkz: ((So, breakfast with your ladies, then you'll send them off I assume?))
[21:42] heavensgardener: ((yeah.))
[21:43] phr00twurkz: ((So, you get them fed, and then get them to leave, with much protest from the ladies and commentary from your invisible narrator.))
[21:43] heavensgardener: ((And probably much snarky commentary back at the invisible narrator.))
[21:44] heavensgardener: ((Amusingly, I think after a little while of this, Sarien probably started being a little amused by it.))
[21:44] phr00twurkz: "And now he was alone, the woman gone. He still didn't know their names and was unlikely to see them again. The man outside watched them leave with interested, readying his blade under his cloak for the work ahead."
[21:45] phr00twurkz: "He continues to watch the house, excited under his calm exterior as he anticipates the emergence of his mark."
[21:46] heavensgardener: Instead of leaving immediately, as he usually would, Sarien went to get his blades. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll come out when I'm good and ready."
[21:51] phr00twurkz: Your blades are tumbled into the corner of the room. The hilt of one is sticky and coated with something you'd rather not think about.
[21:53] heavensgardener: Grumbling faintly to himself-alright, he should really take better care of those-Sarien finds a cloth and attempts to clean off the hilt of the one.
[21:58] phr00twurkz: "He meditatvely cleans his blade with his good underwear, which he chose without bothering to look. The sun begins its slow descent into the western ocean, and time passes, the man's destiny ever encroaching."
[21:58] heavensgardener: Sarien cleans off the first sword, and just in case, cleans the second,
[21:58] heavensgardener: before finding the discarded sheaths somewhere in the dark room and sheaths the swords, before fastening them to their usual place at his hips, hiding that beneath his cloak. "Fuck destiny."
[21:59] heavensgardener: If someone, out there, had something Planned for him...well, he was just going to go fuck it up.
[21:59] heavensgardener: Or die trying, anyway.
[21:59] phr00twurkz: "Indeed, he would."
[22:00] heavensgardener: "Oh, shut up."
[22:01] phr00twurkz: You step out into the early afternoon, the brilliant light dazzling you momentarily. The road bustles with people, from a fine lady going downtown to shop, to common laborers moving goods, to the people sitting at a near by cafe.
[22:04] heavensgardener: Stupid light. Sarien squints against the light briefly as he steps outside, getting used to it again,
[22:04] heavensgardener: though his head doesn't like it that much. Even though he's putting on the facade of being completely unconcerned, he's completely paying attention and alert. For once.
[22:06] phr00twurkz: "The Cynis scans the street quickly. Wits, intellect, and eyes dulled by years of alcohol, he misses the man hanging back in the shadows across the street, watching him from underneath his straw hat."
[22:08] heavensgardener: Eyes I'll admit to, OK? he grumbles at the voice in his head, looking for a man in a straw hat across the street.
[22:09] phr00twurkz: "Was it fate that brought Sarien's eyes to his pursuer? The man in the straw hat was sitting undeath an overhanging, sipping from a rough bottle"-
[23:32] phr00twurkz: "He leans against the wall, face hidden by his widebrimmed straw hat. Threads hang from the edge of the hat, a bell dangling from each, chiming in the wind. He sits atop a rough bundle, just large enough to hold a sword."
[23:33] phr00twurkz: She continues "He watches Sarien look around with interest, considering how best to complete his task."
[23:34] heavensgardener: By stabbing me in the back. Sarien mutters inside his head, turning-slender hands at his hips, within easy reach of his sword-hilts, and beginning to walk across the street, pretending to pay no attention.
[23:36] phr00twurkz: The man also rises, picking up his burden. He doesn't seem unsettled that he's been noticed. Peering under the brim of the hat, you see a haggard, worn face and flat black eyes. His flesh is pallid and waxy, disconcertingly inhuman.
[23:39] heavensgardener: What the fuck? That definitely isn't fucking normal. he thinks to himself, not to the voice in his head.
[23:40] phr00twurkz: "Sarien watches as the man flips back the edge of his bundle, revealing a long hilt. The man reaches into a pocket of his worn robe, pulling out a heavy coin of reddish gold. He flips it to Sarien, watching impassively."
[23:42] heavensgardener: Sarien catches it half-instinctively, half-curiously in his right hand, left hand on the hilt of his sword.
[23:43] phr00twurkz: The coin is heavy and thick, made of a rare and precious red gold. A strange symbol is stamped upon it, a twisting dragon. Across the top, in an arc, is the name 'Mnemon Aliki' in High Realm. -
[23:43] phr00twurkz: Below it, crossing the bottom with a line through it, is your name "Cynis Falen Sarien."
[23:45] phr00twurkz: The man says, voice a cold monotone "By the laws of our ancestors, the Wind Serpent clan presents the blood token. By this coin, the one who hires us purchases the blood debt of our target."
[23:46] phr00twurkz: "She has purchased the vengeance of your ghost, once we have killed you. Your grudge will be with her. Not us."
[23:49] heavensgardener: Sarien tucks the coin away in one graceful movement, drawing his swords with the other. "Fuck that. You're so sure of yourself."
[23:50] phr00twurkz: He takes the hilt of his sword daintily, letting the silk fall away from the blade. The crowd around you is parting, gasps and shouts echoing down the street. "Yes. I have been sent to give you death in honorable battle."
[23:51] phr00twurkz: "Even if you survive, however, there will be others. Mnemon Aliki has payed us a considerable quantity of jade to kill you and deliver your head to her."
[23:52] heavensgardener: Sarien shrugs. "They can try, but I don't intend on making it easy for them." he settles into a fluid, graceful stance: swordplay was one of the things he knew well.
[23:55] phr00twurkz: The man lifts his sword, falling into a precise fighting stance. He shouts and charges through the crowd towards you, the wind whistling as his blade cuts through it.
[23:55] phr00twurkz: The man whips his sword through the air, shouting
[23:57] phr00twurkz: He leaps up in the air gracefully, rising above you. His sword flickers like thunder, as he slashes down at you with two blindingly quick slashes.
[00:01] heavensgardener: Sarien slides to the side, quickly, once, then again to evade the second attack, [00:01] heavensgardener: flowing as quickly as the flickering flame that runs through his veins, boots easily sliding along the ground, finding spaces in the rapidly thinning crowd to slide into to get out of the way.
[00:02] phr00twurkz: The man drifts to the ground, robes billowing around him. He nods to you "You are swift."
[00:05] phr00twurkz: The man flicks his sword again, wind singing on the edge. He raises it over his head and shouts out, in High Realm "Wind Serpent Howl!" and plunges it down towards the ground, the wind's song turning into a painful howl.
[00:06] heavensgardener: Sarien's swords flicker like jade lightning in his slender, almost fragile-seeming hands, red blades striking out, once, twice, at his foe, flickering flame almost seeming to run down their keen edges.
[00:06] heavensgardener: He is never still: he was trained speed over strength, evading and dodging, even as he attacks.
[00:07] phr00twurkz: The street shatters, cracks racing away from the tip as it plunges into the earth. His robes flap in a sudden hurricane wind that pours from the blade, swiftly growing in strength.
[00:12] phr00twurkz: The two blades hit home, plunging into the man's chest. He doesn't even wince. The gale force flowing from his blade explodes outwards with a scream, blades of wind tearing in every direction.
[00:17] phr00twurkz: Sarien is hurled backwards by the force of the explosion as the blades tear into him and the surrounding crowd. Blood splatters wildly, born up into the air by the hurricane force wind, falling back as a gorey rain.
[00:17] phr00twurkz: The warrior lifts his hand to the wound, black blood smearing his fingers. He nods to you as you rise, yards away. "A good hit."
[00:26] heavensgardener: Sarien pushes himself to his feet, seeing all the dead people around him. The anger in him burns brightly, like a banked flame, as he sees that they all died, because some bitch wanted him dead,
[00:26] heavensgardener: an anger that is reflected in green eyes, sparks beginning to burn in red hair.
[00:26] heavensgardener: He's in motion, pushing himself off a nearby wall to give him momentum to close the distance, [00:26] heavensgardener: falling upon the assassin like a falling star, blades lashing out, not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times, a flicker of flame skating down the jade-alloy edge.
[00:29] phr00twurkz: The man looks up, dead eyes widening. His anima, a swirling blast of icy wind explodes, slowing but not stopped Sarien's assault.
[00:33] phr00twurkz: The man flies backwards, black blood splashing across the slick cobblestones as Sarien's sword opens him up. He lands heavily, the rolls to his feet. You see his face, lax and half hanging from his head.
[00:33] phr00twurkz: Something scaled, with mad yellow serpent eyes lurks beneath the flesh mask. He hisses at you, and spits on the ground. The spittle is black and thick, smoking when it hits the stone. "Tougher than expected."
[00:34] phr00twurkz: He turns and leaps, anima roaring around him as he shoots through the air, arcing over the rooftops and disappearing from sight.
[00:35] heavensgardener: "Fucking bastard! You are not getting away that easy!"
[00:38] heavensgardener: Sarien concentrates angrily, taking a running leap and bouncing up to the rooftops, using various ledges and other such walls to give him momentum to continue higher.
[00:38] heavensgardener: Once he's on the rooftops, he fairly runs, pushing himself off each rooftop, to the next nearest one, and etc, refusing to let the assassin snake-thing get away.
[00:39] phr00twurkz: The man turns, hissing. His face has come off entirely, revealing a horrible merger between man and serpet. He raises his sword, anima gusting around him and rising to a fever pitch.
[00:40] phr00twurkz: He fairly screams "Mela's Fang! Scream!" He brings the sword down, sparks crackling around it. A torrent of air and burning lighting explodes from the tip, rushing towards you across the rooftops, tearing up tiles as it flies.
[00:50] heavensgardener: Sarien reflexively lets the flickering grace of the flame fill him, trying to move as fast as fire did,
[00:50] heavensgardener: boots briefly digging into the tiles as he leaps to the side of the roof that is slanting downwards, and away from the attack,
[00:50] heavensgardener: which crackled across the peak of the roof. He also doesn't stand in one place for very long,
[00:50] heavensgardener: feeling the flames of his anima-not too bad yet, but it would be if this kept up-beginning to scorch at the slate tiles,
[00:50] heavensgardener: and he knows perfectly well that there is wood beneath, continuing to move fast and flickering.
[00:52] phr00twurkz: The bolt of force tears across the roof, ripping up tiles after it. Sarien leaps away from it as it passes by, the bolt suddenly EXPLODING with a earth shaking howl!
[00:54] phr00twurkz: The force wave of the blast catches him, hurling him forward in a cloud of smoking tiles. The wind tears into him like a living thing, sending him tunbling across the roof as it cuts into his flesh and armor.
[00:56] phr00twurkz: The snake man lowers his sword to the roof, panting and pressing a hand against his deep wound. He peers through the clouds for you.
[01:00] heavensgardener: Sarien coughs, choking, as he gracefully kips to his feet, gritting his teeth in pain but trying to will the pain away,
[01:01] heavensgardener: if only for a moment, for as long as he needs.
[01:01] heavensgardener: Angrily, he begins to move, blades gracefully flickering through familiar patterns, as he lashes out, filling his strikes with Essence,
[01:01] heavensgardener: flames licking at the slate beneath his feet, wood beginning to burn, his blades fairly dancing with the flames themselves, four times.
[01:06] phr00twurkz: The swordsman gasps as Sarien bursts from the clouds, anima blazing hot. He lifts his sword, but too slow! The Dynast's blades rip into him, slicing through robe, flesh and bone.
[01:07] phr00twurkz: He falls back, scream of pain cut off in a gurgle, black blood pouring from his mouth. He falls to the ground. Moments later, his left arm and right leg thump into the roof, laying yards away from his body
[01:08] phr00twurkz: "He stands over his dying enemy, panting. Below him lie the innocent dead, slaughtered by this mad assassin during their duel. Sweat cools on his brow, the calm sea breeze brushing against him."
[01:09] phr00twurkz: "He doesn't know why this assassin came for him, or why his bride to be, Mnemon Aliki, hired him and his clan, but he knew one thing. The assassin mentioned others."
[01:10] phr00twurkz: "Even now, they must be watching him, preparing for their next attack. How many there are, he could not know, but the danger is very real."
[01:12] phr00twurkz: Down below, you hear the screams and cries of the wounded and dying, and the shouting of the Arjuf Watch.
[01:13] heavensgardener: Sarien mentally groaned at the voice, shaking the blood off his blades and sheathing them again, before making his way down from the roof, painfully. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
[01:15] heavensgardener: It hurt, even more then his wounds did. It hurt,
[01:16] heavensgardener: knowing that it was becaues of him, because his fiancee wanted him dead that they had
[01:16] heavensgardener: gotten involved in the first place, and it hurt that he couldn't do anything for them. He wasn't a healer. Hell, he couldn't even touch them at this point without burning them.
[01:17] phr00twurkz: "The Cynis mourns the deaths below, crying to himself at his own weakness. The coppery scent of blood fills the air, rich and tangy. He wonders what he could have done otherwise, if anything."
[01:19] heavensgardener: Would you just shut the fuck up for five SECONDS? Sarien climbs down, slowly. He doesn't know what he could have done differently, other then let himself die. Maybe that just would have been preferable.
[01:20] phr00twurkz: Down below, the blood stained cobblestones smoke as you tread upon them. The Watch is sorting through the piles of the dead and dying, cursing as they perform rudimentary triage while they wait for the healers to arrive.
[01:25] phr00twurkz: The wall near you begins to smoulder.
[01:27] heavensgardener: Sarien steps away from the wall, cursing because he couldn't do anything to help: he could try to drag dead bodies,
[01:27] heavensgardener: but that would mean killing the wounded since...well...fire isn't friendly to wounded people. Or people in general. All he could do was clear the area and hope to hell the next attempt came not on a crowded street.
[01:31] phr00twurkz: "The Cynis wanders back to his home, the crowded streets clearing as people avoid his burning touch. He takes a seat in the back garden, waiting for his anima to die away. Slowly, but surely, it begins to fade."
[01:31] phr00twurkz: "He starts when someone knocks on the front gate. A visitor? He was in no mood for a visitor."
[01:33] heavensgardener: "Fuck." Sarien muttered, pushing himself up from the rock where he had been curled in his garden. It was a nice rock, perfect for curling up on. Grumbling faintly to himself, he went to see who the fuck it was.
[01:34] phr00twurkz: The gate swings opening, showing a young cousin of yours. Cynis Danae, a young Exalt of your family. She's wearing an indecently short robe, and holding a nosegay of flowers to her face. She looks perturbed.
[01:36] heavensgardener: Perturbed. Great. "Ah, hello, Danae." he greets her politely, if a bit distracted, doing his best to paste his usual manner over the way he was actually currently feeling.
[01:37] phr00twurkz: She sashays inside, looking around distastefully "Did you SEE what HAPPENED out THERE? It looks like a BUTCHERS shop, and the WATCH was VERY rude to ME. They wouldn't LET me go through, so I had to go AROUND!"
[01:38] phr00twurkz: "His cousin exclaimed. A shallow little girl, he's found her. He had to wonder, exactly, how she managed to pronounce capital letters however."
[01:39] heavensgardener: "Yeah, I saw what happened out there." he says, trying to ignore how her voice grated on his ears (Dragons, how did she hit the precise high note?), and not mentioning the fact that 1) he had been in the
[01:39] heavensgardener: middle of that mess, and 2) it had been because of someone trying to kill him. Danae was better then the alternative, though: if it had been his older brother, Jalide, he might just have slammed the gate in his face.
[01:40] phr00twurkz: She waves her hands dismissively "Well, whatEVER. I just HOPE the Watch gets them ALL cleaned up, so that DECENT people are FREE to use the STREETS again without FEAR of getting blood on their SHOES."
[01:41] phr00twurkz: She holds out one foot, flashing quite a lot of leg "Just LOOK at my shoes! I'll HAVE to buy NEW ones! They have PEASENT blood on them! I should make SALIA buy them, since SHE sent me DOWN here."
[01:43] heavensgardener: Sarien's distracted by the flash of leg, but manages to get back under control: the aching pain from his wounds definitely helps with that. "Why did she send you?"
[01:44] phr00twurkz: Danae waves her hand "Oh, she had BUSINESS with that NERD you're going to get MARRIED to, someday. So she TOLD me to find something to DO, out of the MANSE. But I'm to be BACK by evening."
[01:44] phr00twurkz: "Because GRANDPA and your BROTHER are going to be BY for dinner. And she told me to INVITE you along." She looks around "I'm BORED. Are you doing ANYTHING fun?"
[01:47] heavensgardener: Sarien winces inwardly at the mention of Jalide, who he had wanted to throw down a very deep well for a veyr, very long time.
[01:47] heavensgardener: "I was in the garden just before you came." he says, praying that she doesn't notice the bloodstains on him.
[01:49] phr00twurkz: She asks "Did you CUT yourself SHAVING?" She looks you over curiously "Do you WANT me to LOOK at those? GRANDPA has been TEACHING me MEDICAL charms. I could HELP you."
[01:53] heavensgardener: Sarien tried to move as little as possible. Ow that hurt. He considered...he could let them heal on their own, which would take a while, and
[01:53] heavensgardener: put him as risk considering more assassins wanted to kill him-plus awkward questions at dinner tonight, if he had to go-
[01:53] heavensgardener: or he could just let Danae (try) to heal him, assuming she had managed to learn the charms. "...alright." he agreed, seemingly breezily.
[01:54] phr00twurkz: Danae smiles "GOOD, I've been WANTING to try this CHARM out on SOMEBODY, but I've NOT had the CHANCE. Take off your CLOTHES, ok?"
[01:56] heavensgardener: Slowly and a little painfully, he unfastened his green, now blood-stained tunic, and drew it off,
[01:56] heavensgardener: before taking off the rest of his clothes. Very, very carefully, as blood was more then lightly helping the cloth (and his chain shirt) stick to his skin.
[01:57] heavensgardener: Yeah, it was pretty obvious that the slender man had gotten into more then simply an "accident".
[01:58] phr00twurkz: The girl seems not to notice, as she natters on about Salia and the family. When he's finished undressing, she looks him over and says "You're cute. You shouldn't marry that Mnemon. I saw her, you know, at Salia's." -
[01:58] phr00twurkz: "She looks stuck up. You should marry me. We'd have beautiful children."
[01:59] phr00twurkz: She pushes him onto a bench and sits beside him. Bending down, she begins to lick his wounds. He can feel essence pouring into him warmly, dulling the pain as the wounds begins to seal.
[02:01] heavensgardener: Sarien sighs in relief as his wounds begin to close and she doesn't even seem to notice how large they are. "Ah, that we would,
[02:01] heavensgardener: especially pretty as you are...but you know I haven't a choice in the matter." And Dragons, he wouldn't marry her anyway...her voice would grate on his ears every day.
[02:02] phr00twurkz: She pouts "WELL, it wouldn't HURT to ask, WOULD it? ESPECIALLY since that WOMAN doesn't WANT you."
[02:03] phr00twurkz: Finishing your wounds, she leans back and licks her lips, stained red with your blood. "YOU taste GOOD. Do you WANT to have SEX?"
[02:06] heavensgardener: In simple answer, in desperation-spending that hour or so alone in the garden with only a bottle for company hadn't exactly done wonders
[02:06] heavensgardener: for forgetting, for getting out of that depressed state of mind he'd been in afterwards, seeing the abattoir the crowded street had become, he reaches up, wraps his arms around her shoulders, and pulls her down.
[02:07] phr00twurkz: An enjoyable time later, you two find yourselves entwinned on the banks of the Koi pond. Danae sits up and yawns "THAT was fun. You're not BAD, you know." She gropes for her short robe
[02:08] phr00twurkz: Danae asks "SO will you COME to DINNER? That Mnemon ALIKI shouldn't BE there ANYMORE. Grandpa is there and your BROTHER should be there SOON."
[02:09] heavensgardener: "...which one of my brothers?" he asks cautiously, taking a guess, but he could probably guess which one.
[02:11] phr00twurkz: "That JALIDE person. He was HERE to LOOK at some BOOK Salia found. The BROKEN WINGED something or other. She wouldn't LET me read it, even though I CAN read Old Realm and SHE can't. She had to call that WOMAN."
[02:11] phr00twurkz: Danae pouts as she pulls on her robe, flashing Sarien with her underthings
[02:14] heavensgardener: Sarien grits his teeth at the mention of his most-hated older brother. "...how...wanted is my presence at dinner?"
[02:16] phr00twurkz: "Sarien asks. His mind, against his will, turns back to memories of his childhood and his time with his brother. His flesh crawls, even in the heat of the summer day. He would avoid it, if he could, but fate is a cruel woman."
[02:17] phr00twurkz: Danae rolls her eyes "I don't KNOW, but I KNOW that GRANDPA wants to SPEAK with you and that SALIA told me to MAKE you come." She giggles suddenly "To the PARTY. Not the OTHER way, though I guess I DID cover THAT too."
[02:20] heavensgardener: Fucking....Sarien really wants to hit his head against something, but instead settles for
[02:21] heavensgardener: yanking a strand of his long, long red hair (which was all that he was currently wearing, as his clothes were inside). "Alright, just let me...get dressed first."
[02:22] phr00twurkz: Your cousin rolls her eyes "JUST hurry, ok? I'm BORED and I WANT to ask GRANDPA to make your parents CANCEL your BETROTHAL to that WOMAN. Then WE can get MARRIED."
[02:23] heavensgardener: Sarien inwardly groans. He does not want to marry her. Getting up slowly, he goes to get dressed.
[02:25] phr00twurkz: It's a bit of a walk up to the hills above Arjuf, scanning for assassins and listening to your narrator. You arrive intact, however.
[02:25] phr00twurkz: Purple smoke is pouring out of the roof of the Manse, and you can see guards hurrying around the compound. As you watch, you seem them carrying two unconcious people into the Manse.
[02:28] phr00twurkz: ((Well, you've got one guy all wrapped in black ninja chiq. The other one is a woman. Looks.. very familiar. You got drunk at her house and groped her servants. Mnemon Aliki)
[02:30] heavensgardener: Well. Sarien wonders just what the hell happened, but supposes he'll find out.
[02:31] phr00twurkz: "He steps forward, curious. The word's of the assassin, about who sent him, forgotten, he trails behind the crowd. Someone passes past him. The woman's servant, Calipe."
[02:32] heavensgardener: Oh fuck, not her again. Of course I fucking remember who sent the damned assassin. he reminds the narrator. There's always shaking answers out of her when she wakes up.
[02:33] phr00twurkz: Calipe gives Sarien a disdainful glance as she passes him, hurrying after her mistress. Danae tugs on Sarien's arm "SARIEN, lets go inside."
[02:37] phr00twurkz: "He's led into the Manse, to a sitting room within. The young girl pushes him down onto a couch and takes a place on his lap, giggling. Unknown to either, another man has followed them."
[02:38] phr00twurkz: "Jalide watches the two of them, disgusted at what he sees. His grip on his wine glass tightens as he watches his brother and cousin."
[02:38] heavensgardener: Sarien tenses a bit, at least appreciative of the narrator's forewarning.
[02:39] phr00twurkz: "He watches the smooth curve of his brother's back, thoughts going back to their childhood. An unpleasent smile crosses his face as he wonders if his brother still screams like a little girl."
[02:40] heavensgardener: Sarien grits his teeth against the memories those words conjure, fingers sliding instinctively to where he has the dagger hidden-if he had to be anywhere near his brother, he was sure as hell carrying it.
[02:42] phr00twurkz: Danae presses against you, giggling. She whispers "So, do you want to do it again? Right here in Salia's sitting room? Wouldn't it be fun?"
[02:43] phr00twurkz: "Jalide wonders if the Sarien still fought and screamed, or if he'd lost the urge to fight. He steps forward, rolling his eyes at the silly little girl and reaches out to stroke Sarien's shoulder."
[02:46] heavensgardener: Sarien whips his head around, green eyes hardening as he glares at his brother, fingers on the hilt of the dagger. "Keep your hands off, Jalide." he hisses warningly.
[02:50] phr00twurkz: Jalide looms over you two, a sly smile crossing his handsome yet cruel face. He steps back and stalks around the sofa, moving like a panther. He takes his seat on a nearby chair and pats his lap "Danae, come here."
[02:50] phr00twurkz: "Touch, aren't you Brother? I'd almost wonder if you weren't happy to see me."
[02:51] heavensgardener: "I'd prefer not to be in the same room as you." Sarien is not mincing his words, at all: he doesn't care to be polite to him.
[02:53] phr00twurkz: Danae moves from your lap, and takes her seat on Jalide's. He runs one hand over her leg "You wound me, brother! Is that any way to talk to family?" The Cynis girl giggles as he slides a hand up under her robe.
[02:54] heavensgardener: "It's a perfectly suitable way of talking to you." Sarien subtly tugs his cloak over him a little more.
[02:54] heavensgardener: "If I have to talk to you at all."
[02:55] phr00twurkz: Jalide looks at Danae "Did you know, our little Sarien was almost as girlish as you were when he was a child? I had to teach him how to be a man. Though I'm not sure the lessons took." He hmms "Yes, we were close back then."
[02:56] phr00twurkz: "Isn't it sad when family drifts apart?" Danae nods, looking up at Jalide, who turns back to Sarien "I heard you had a little trouble today, brother."
[02:58] heavensgardener: Sarien has to grit his teeth, hard, and not lose his temper (and by proxy not light anything on fire) at Jalide's first words about "teaching him to be a man".
[02:58] heavensgardener: He has to grit his teeth even harder: Dragons, why did Jalide of all people have to hear about that? "Oh?" he said, pretending to be airy (even though he wanted to light his brother on fire).
[02:59] phr00twurkz: Jalide combs his fingers through his long, black hair "Oh yes. Something about you going mad and killing a few dozen people." His own green eyes dance with merry cruelty "Or at least, thats the story being passed around."
[03:00] phr00twurkz: "I can't say it surprises me, little Sarien. You never did have a good handle on your emotions."
[03:02] heavensgardener: Sarien grits his teeth. "My, how untrue stories can be." he says, his eyes angry. He's keeping a rein on his temper, and his
[03:02] heavensgardener: emotions, only barely. Jalide knows just how to kick his feet out from under him, has always known how to do it, and he hates it.
[03:04] phr00twurkz: "Jalide laughs to himself at Sarien's glower, musing about how true a few rumors can be, with a few carefully applied charms. It was remarkable how Fate favored him, and went out of its way to fullfill his wishes."
[03:05] phr00twurkz: Jalide shakes his head mournfully "I wish I could believe you brother, I really do. But I've spent the past hour talking to the Watch.. People know what they saw."
[03:06] phr00twurkz: He leans forward, a false compassion in his gaze "I know its been some time since you've had one of your little spells.. Dragons, I do. I am the one who convinced Mother and Father to let you go after all.. but this?"
[03:06] phr00twurkz: He shakes his head "This can't be covered up."
[03:09] heavensgardener: "..." Sarien knows perfectly well that he's lying about 'convincing' Mother and Father to let him go-he knew perfectly well that Jalide wouldn't have wanted to let him go, and the false
[03:09] heavensgardener: compassion pisses him off more. "What the fuck are you getting at?" he snaps, knowing he isn't going to like the answer.
[03:10] phr00twurkz: "As he strokes the little Cynis, Jalide gloats to himself. His thoughts turn to the message he has, a response to his own sending just moments before. The Dragons really did love him."
[03:11] phr00twurkz: Jalide leans forward, Danae balanced in his lap and looks at you somberly "After I heard about the.. incident, I immediately rushed down to see what I could do to help you. When I learned all the details.." He shakes his head.
[03:11] phr00twurkz: "I had no choice but to contact Mother and Father. Our Cousin was visiting and her spell brought me their reply just moments before."
[03:13] heavensgardener: "..." his fingers tightened. Fucking, fucking, fucking hell, he knew his brother had fucking manipulated things, and he couldn't fucking prove it.
[03:15] phr00twurkz: Jalide draws out a scroll, giving you a pitying look "In light of your recent behaviour, and your avoidance of your duties, our parents order you to submit yourself to my custody and care, as I escort you back to the Imperial City."
[03:18] phr00twurkz: "Jalide smiles to himself. To any who knew him, this sincere, warm smile could be only a mask for the cruelty lurking in his eyes. He ponders the long weeks of travel and all the oppurtunities they afforded him."
[03:19] heavensgardener: Snap and bend and crack and break. That was it. That was it. Sarien's nails dig into his temples, hard enough to draw blood, but he
[03:19] heavensgardener: doesn't care, and he knows he's screaming, at the top of his lungs, but it doesn't matter, he can barely hear himself, and flames crackle about him.
[03:20] phr00twurkz: "The fires roar around him, burning the furniture and forcing Danae to huddle against Jalide in fright. Fury, rage, hate burn in Sarien's heart, their heat overshadowing the blazing essence around him."
[03:22] phr00twurkz: "Jalide looks up at him, eyes and smile mocking and contemptous. He shows no fear, merely a disdain for Sarien, for how weak he is and how the young man's lack of control plays right into his hands."
[03:23] phr00twurkz: "A sense of victory fills him, and he knows that, after this, they would let him have Sarien as long as he wanted, so long as he promised to 'fix' the young man."
[03:26] heavensgardener: He would be crying now, except the heat evaporates his tears, nails dug into his temples, screaming without words, shaking, years of bottled up emotions coming to the front, flickering in flames.
[03:27] phr00twurkz: "Jalide watches him, amused. He tells Sarien "Theres nothing you can do, Brother. You belong to me now, and you will until I cast you aside. You are helpless. Worthless. Just give it up."
[03:27] heavensgardener: Finally, exhausted, the flames of his anima die, and Sarien slumps to the floor, slender body shaking, trying not to hear but unable not to listen.
[03:30] phr00twurkz: "Sarien lays weeping. Jalide shakes his head and kisses Danae "See? He wasn't worth your time. He's just a little boy at heart. Always was. He wasn't good enough for you." The girl laughs shakily and nods, eyes wide and frightened."
[03:36] heavensgardener: Physically exhausted from the screaming fit or not, Sarien pushes himself to his feet, green eyes sparking angrily, as he draws the
[03:36] heavensgardener: concealed dagger, moving with anger-fueled grace, not even noticing the damage he had wrought, boots sliding on the scorched
[03:36] heavensgardener: marble floor, left arm stabbing downwards at his brother, with his body weight and all the bottled up emotions over years behind it.
[03:39] phr00twurkz: Jalide tenses, eyes widening as the boy lunges towards him. He wraps his hand around Danae's neck, her eyes tightening and lets the grace of the Dragons flow through him.
[03:40] phr00twurkz: He plows motes into his defensive magics, chief among them Safety Amongst Enemies. He pulls the Cynis between him and the knife, the blade sinking deep into her breast.
[03:41] phr00twurkz: Danae gasps, blood spilling from the wound and from her mouth. She stares up at Sarien, eyes wide with shock, pain and betrayal.
[03:45] phr00twurkz: Jalide tsks "You never could do anything right, could you?" His hand lashes out with terrible speed, wrapping around your wrist. He jerks you towards him, forcing you to plunge the knife all the way into Danae's heart.
[03:46] phr00twurkz: She gives out a strangled cry and the blood pours from her mouth as she goes limp. Jalide says idly "You know, the message just said I could evaluate you and report."
[03:46] phr00twurkz: "I intend to lie to them, I'll confess. But this? This works too."
[03:46] phr00twurkz: He releases you.
[03:47] phr00twurkz: "Innocent blood drips down Sarien's arms, hot and wet and coppery. Danae stares up at him, dead, glazed eyes accusing. A trickle of blood seeps from the corner of her mouth, dripping from her delicate chin."
[03:50] heavensgardener: Sarien releases the dagger with blank, doll's eyes. He can't scream. Instead, he slumps limply back to the ground.
[03:51] phr00twurkz: Jalide casually pushes Danae from his lap, the girl thumping to the floor, her dead eyes still glaring accusingly at Sarien.
[03:51] phr00twurkz: The older Dynast looks down at Sarien and asks calmly "Got it all out of your system, little brother?"
[03:53] heavensgardener: "..." he looks up at him, green eyes dull and blank. He doesn't respond.
[03:53] phr00twurkz: He reaches down and grabs hold of your shirt, dragging you upright with casual ease. "Good. I've booked us passage on the Azure Dawn. We're going home, Sarien." He smiles lovingly and runs a carressing hand down your cheek.
[03:53] phr00twurkz: "We're going home."