The carriage carrying you and the young teen are in is rocking softly as it drives threw the ghetto and to the other side of the wall. The young teen is looking out the carts window to see a few wanderers running around trying to find something or some one. She quietly sits back and lowers her face from the window. “What’s your name young one?” You ask the girl who looks back at you with a defiant stare. “Your not a gentleman a man is to introduce himself first then a lady will answer back.” She said with her arms crossed over her small chest. “You’re absolutely right my…where are my manners. I’m Sir. Buck Talvers the knight who just saved your life.” She looks at you wide eyed in disbelief. “You’re a rude bastard even when you’re being polite. I’m lady Salvatore my gang calls me the red rose.” Red Rose says with a cocky grin. “A lady doesn’t have a gang…” You say as you stare out the window and notice you’ve crossed over to the human side of Bakersfield.
There you saw a few street vendors and light traffic of villagers and mercenaries walking about in and out different guilds. Guilds are where you can find skilled workers in different crafts or hire mercenaries. Most mercenaries where decked out in different kinds of armor some wore leather hides and then there was some with full suits of metal armor. Red Rose had her eye on a particular mercenary. “Look at that one! He has a huge sword made of Jed and some wicked armor.” She said showing her true age. You take one look at him and dismissively say. “He’s a idiot a dead man walking.” Red Rose didn’t like you making fun of her “future champion”. “Your just jealous. Look at his weapon it’s made of Jed the most expensive metal it can slice threw solid rock and most steel.” You then say, “Its too heavy look he has to carry it on his shoulders just to lighten it. If he had it sheathed on his side or back he would tip over.” Red Rose didn’t relent. “His armor would deflect any strike.” You chuckle heartily. “That armor? Sure it shines now but it was obviously made by a amateur blacksmith. I can see the kinks from here. I can shatter it in seconds. What’s a weapon worth if you can’t use it? He spent all his fiesta on his sword he couldn’t buy any decent armor.” You say while Red Rose frowned at you and stuck her tounge out she then decided to look for a better champion.
As she was looking out the window you noticed she wore tight but short leather pants that barely came above her knees. She had sandals that laced up her long legs. A plain beige long sleeve shirt that seemed to be too small for her as it seemed skin tight. Her body frame was tight and toned witch gave her a younger appearance. Her legs were toned and gave you the impression she ran a lot. Her arms were thin along with her body you can tell she doesn’t eat regularly. Her skin is light pale she does the majority of her running at night. Your eyes travel to her rear with its perfect upside down heart shape it was very alluring. Red Rose felt your eyes and sat down and crossed her arms. “Don’t be a pervert knight I practically felt your eyes ravaging my body as they roamed all around me.” Stunned you quickly change the subject. “Your a thief.” You say with a cold matter of fact tone. “No…I’m not…what no..what makes you think that?” You smile at her “Your appearance says you stay fit but don’t eat much plus you talk and act a lady but in reality your as crude as they come. Your eyes stick to looking at the expensive things and over look the rest even the fake shiny stuff doesn’t fool your eye. Also the way you dress you take care to look plain half the city wears leather pants and long sleeve shirts. You dress to blend in, but most importantly no lady has a gang.”
Red Rose looks at you dumbfounded she thought she was harder to read then that. “Lucky guess…besides your wrong the crimson streak is a lady of the North Island Royal Court and has her own gang. The crimson reapers. They wear a red hood over there heads and only obey the crimson streak.” You look at her then ask. “So you want to be like the crimson streak?” Red Rose nods her head yes. “Does the crimson streak rob people?”Red Rose looks at you with narrow eyes. “No…but I’m no thief I’m more of a…a balancer.” You scoff at her. “A balancer? What do you balance besides people’s coin purses?” She looked at you and made a goofy face that’s supposed to be mimicking your face. “I balance people’s greed. I don’t rob from the poor I only steal from those who have more then enough and too much greed. If you want to cure a person from being greedy all you need to do is rob them a little they get so obsessed with getting their money back they don’t focus on their greed.” She said in a matter a fact tone. “I only steal from certain people and sometimes I have to cross into the ghetto to get at my marks.”
You look at her and realize she is being serious. “Really? Ok well since your a balancer I bet you know a lot about what goes on in the city.” She gives you a coy smile. “I just might…depends on what you want to know.” You look at her then ask “Tell me about the cities ghetto I heard the Duke granted them non-humans more freedoms then any other non-human settlement in the North Island.” She looked at you then out the window and said. “Sure granted only by the wanderers getting the guards so hooked on sniff that they became more lax on them. The wanderers have complete day to day control over the ghetto and the Duke doesn’t care. As long as the taxes are payed and the gate to the outside is nice and closed at dark.” She said then continued. “The wanderers even lynched a human guard in the middle of the ghetto because he owed them so much fiesta from sniff. The duke didn’t even raise a finger he just cut off the guard support in the ghetto. That only gave the wanderers complete immunity to smuggle anything inside the city and can control the non-humans who live in ghetto.” You then ask her about the Duke. “Why didn’t the Duke find and kill the wanderers?”
“Oh that fat bastard is ill no one knows of what but his nephew Sir. Fillston a knight arrived shortly after the guard lynching to take control of the city…unofficially of course. The whole city knows the knight is in charge of the city and the daily duties of the Duke are held by him even has his own royal stamp to sign decrees. The Duke just ok’s them he’s to busy trying to sire a son before he dies. Its all the gossip the people talk about. You know he had nine wives and didn’t sire a single heir not even a daughter. He sent the other eight wives to a private estate but we know he had them axed. Its the common knowledge that every one knows but doesn’t talk about.” Red Rose says as she watches some mercenaries march into a battle guild. “I will join them one day at the head of them of course.”
You tease her a little. “A proper lady doesn’t parade with mercenaries.” Red Rose shoots you a exasperated look. “This lady does.” You shoot her a smile as she blushes. “What’s your full name Lady Salvatore?” She looks at you and mumbles “It’s embarrassing.” She sighs then tell you. “Camille Salvatore. You better not call me that though call me the Red Rose.” She says while waving her fist at you.
As you laugh at her threat something or more like someone catches your eye. “Shit.” You see the thin man from Knotsvill and the bounty huntress walking up to people with a paper. Probably a wanted poster and now you have them to deal with. Hopefully you can make it past them. Red Rose stomach growled loudly as she bends over and groans out of embarrassment. “Sorry. Its been a while since I last ate.” You grab a jar of pickled fruits that you took from the hide out before you left. “Here eat last thing I want is for you to pass out from hunger.” You say passing her the honey covered mangos. “Wow thanks knight looks like your not such a prick after all.” Red Rose says as she opens the jar and hungrily eats the mangos.
Luckly there’s lots of carriage traffic in this part of the city and you don’t stick out as much only thing is the heavy traffic is holding you up. You move to the other side and ask the driver to pick up the pace. “Hey driver can we move along any faster? I have a hungry child with me.” The driver tips his hat and cracks the whip sending the horses into a faster trotting speed. At easy you look over your to your right and see Red Rose suck every piece of flesh off the mango leaving a perfectly dry core of the fruit. She carelessly tosses it out the window. You see a peasant woman curse at her after she was hit with a core.
“Don’t be so rude a proper lady uses the waste collector.” You say as you point to a large sack on the carriage. “I knew that…it’s just been a while since I been in a fancy cart. Usually I hitch rides off some of the farmers carts and they don’t wast space on their carts for trash sacks.” Red Rose says as she run her tounge on the rim of the jar collecting the last drops of honey. With a giggle she puts the jar top on and hands it to you. “Thanks Buck.” You take the jar and stuff it back in your traveling case.
“I’m telling you the Knight would’ve ran out of here as soon as he saw your on his tail.” Johnny said as he chewed on his straw of hay. “If I had you chasing me I wouldn’t stop running until my legs gave out.” Vicky the bounty hunteress laughed. “Did I ever mention I hate compliments scarecrow?” Johnny hated being called scarecrow. “Look here bitch you said you could track them and all we’re doing is asking people if they saw a knight. Hell I could of done that.” Vicky turned around and had Johnny by the throat. “Why didn’t you then? You think I need some two bite crook to be tagging along side of me?” Johnny let his clawed melee glove side out from his sleeve and pointed a claw towards Vicky’s throat. Vicky let him go as he fell on his feet he looked into Vicky’s eyes.
“You weren’t complaining when I found you hog tied on your horse or when I untied you.” Johnny said as his hand slipped back into his baggy sleeve. “I could’ve escaped I was buying my time.” Vicky explained herself as she turned away and ran into a wanderer. “Watch yourself elf.” The wanderer stoped and eyed the Nathalion woman. “Shut it whore.” The elf said as he pushed pass her. Vicky was outraged and grabbed at the elf shoulder and clubbed the elf with her forearm in the neck. “What did you just call me elf?” Johnny was leaning on a lantern post as he watched the scene unfold.
“Who on the gift do you think you are woman?” The elf said then quickly turned himself around and had the point of his blade in between Vicky’s eyes. “I should kill you now right here where you stand delvan.” Vicky smiled as she pushed her small cross bow into the elf’s chest. “Do you think you can stab me before I shoot a bolt into your heart?” The wanderer was shocked he never let a delvan get the best of him let alone twice in the same week. “Delvan you insult my honor with your disrespectful ways. Your very existence infuriates me.” Vicky let the cross bow cock and was prepared to fire. “Lets fix the problem then Al’can.” Johnny had enough they would both kill themselves over nothing and he would have less help in finding the knight. He calmly stepped in between both of them and grabbed the paper.
“Before you idiots kill each other I have but on question to ask the elf. Have you seen this delvan in the city elf?” Johnny said as he shoved the paper in the elf’s face. The wanderer eyes got wide. “That’s the delvan that jumped me and my men last night.” He said as he lowered his blade and grabbed the paper. “Put a hood over him and I swear on the gift I seen him.” Even Vicky lowered her crossbow once she heard him. “You seen this knight Al’can?” The wanderer then looked at both of them yeah I have he is in the ghetto.” Johnny smiled showing his crooked yellow teeth. Vicky eyes grew with fury as she thought her revenge is nearly at hand.
The carriage made its way from the common area to the more upscale part of the city. Threw another gate you leave the smell of shit covered dirt streets and hear the horse shoes thud against the paved cobble stone streets. Unlike in the common area where there was street vendors and a open air market you see real shops. One shop caught your eye it had bright materials draped over in tight rolls. You imagine Eve wearing the shiny green material with bright gold trim. Red Rose was staring at a different shop an arms shop. Rows upon rows of different weapons but in a separate display case was a bestial flame cannon shinning in its bright cobalt blue. Red Rose began to drool as she kept her eye on the cannon. You noticed a few elves dressed in high end clothes traveling from place to place while others wore uniforms with different colors.
Eventually Red Rose noticed you looking at the elves. “Your elf fetish is strange knight and can cause you problems in this part of the city.” She said as you turned away from the window. “They allow the enslaved elves to wear clothes like that?” You asked pointing to a particularly well dressed elf who was following a young woman. “These idiots think that having their slaves well dressed and even having a level of schooling is fashionable and clears their conscience from the fact they own a life. How your slave dresses and acts speaks volumes of your social standing to these bastards.” Red Rose said as she tried to not look at the elves. “The Dwarves that live here employ the free elves to speak to the foreign slaves and even teach them to speak like a human act like a human but stay obedient to humans.” You looked around but didn’t see any dwarves. “Where are the dwarves?”
Red Rose pointed to a series of tall mansions that were built along the city walls. “Its really only two dwarf houses that run the shops here in the royal part of city. The Helsinki family but they are stretched thin and are a dying family mostly bad investments in foreign wars. The Suldunkia family is the new blood and is slowly pushing the Helsinki family out. That’s why the dwarves don’t ever go out with out a shit load of mercenaries and guards. You remember that parade of mercenaries we saw going into a guild? I bet a gold fiesta that a dwarf was in the middle of that.” She said as if her words were right out of the Allumis.
“You sure know a lot about the city where did you learn this?” You ask her as your carriage changes course and heads into the side streets. “I pick up a few things from my nightly excursions and plus I was raised in this part of the city. My family kicked me out for loving one of our slaves. They killed him in front of me only made me love and miss him more.”Red Rose said as she fought back a tear. “It doesn’t matter anyways we all die I just didn’t die with him.” You were shocked you never expected her to be from a rich family but the more you think about on it you realize it makes perfect sense. She knows a lot about the layout of the political scene in the city. You don’t know what to do but she then says. “That’s my favorite bakery they make the best pastries in the city.”
Its early you ask the carriage driver to stop but it doesnt. “Looks like we aren’t stopping until we get to our destination.” You tell Red Rose then the carriage comes to a halt. The oxal with the shaved face opened the door. “Who is she?” He asks with a snort. “My companion she goes wherever I go.” You tell him. “No. She is a thief a bad one at that she will blow your cover.” Red Rose get up and charges at him. “I’ll show you!” You hold her back with one arm and pull out your pistol. “She stays oxal she can provide valuable insight to the target even might get me close to him.” He grunts then turns around. “Come in the house then humans. The rules are simple don’t steal don’t break anything. This will be your safe house donated to us for a few days.” Then he passed you a envelop. “Your invitation to the Dukes event. Where you will kill him.” The oxal said as he got ready to leave.
Red Rose stops in her tracks. She looks at you and the oxal. “Try to be more discrete then you were in the ghetto.” The oxal says as he opens the door and leaves heading to the carriage. You walk in and look at the house it’s extravagant with fine furniture and rugs a few painting hung around the wall and a big fireplace. “Your an assassin Knight?” You stop standing in place almost frozen. “No. I was forced into a deal where I have to kill the Ma’dam of a whore house and the Duke in return I got the cure for Eve who was poisoned.” Red Rose stares at you dumbfounded. “Which whore house? Not the lusty lass right?” You nod your head yes. “You know you just killed the leader of the North Island wanderers right?”
You shake you head no. “I didn’t know that at all. She was selling bodies to a necromancer in trade for drugs.” Red Rose looks at you then scoffs. ” Well yeah she couldn’t use the Helsinki house to smuggle her drugs or the Suldunkia house who practice dark magic I doubt they actually agreed to work with her their house is so stuck up. I doubt they even give her the time of day.” You stop her. “Do they hire a necromancer or practice that type of dark magic?” Red Rose shakes her head no. “They practice dark magic not cursed magic. The only reason the Inquiry doesn’t kill them is because they have a strong connection with the golden hand guild. They will make the Inquiry as poor as the elves they persecute if the Inquiry trys anything against there family.” Red Rose looks around the house. “You might just have signed your death sentence the Suldunkia family may not like the wanderers tactics but they did support there efforts. Also Helsinki family probably isn’t to fond of the idea of having the ghetto go ruled over by one of the radical minded wanderers or worse the Duke.”
You may have just changed the political landscape of the ghetto and now you will change the political landscape for the humans too. You grab the secret stash of fiesta from you river rat coat. “Here get something from the bakery for us to eat. I have a few things to read I’ll go buy a suit for the ball will you come?” Red Ross laughs hard. “Me? No way I hate them stuffy parties with boring people talking about how they scammed a few good decent people to line their pockets with fiesta. I’ll wait for you outside the castle or in here.” You look Red Rose in the eyes “You don’t have to go with me your free to leave.” She looks at you in the eyes and says. “I have my gang in good hands and besides the wanders saw my face I’m a open mark in this city with the way you left them I’m way safer with you then on my own, besides I can use a change of scenery I kind of missed the beauty of the city not it’s ugly people though.”
As she left to the get a small meal you pull out the ledger and start to read it. The ledger contained a few juicy names and debts owed. Then you see a name that makes you do a dubble take its the Duke himself. You decide if you blame the death of the Ma’dam on the Duke you will have a good opportunity to kill the Duke and blame it on the wanderers. You study the wanderers blade you kept and decided this will be how you will kill him.
As you read the ledger you noticed a particular name that stuck out in the debt section of the ledger. Blake Copper your segregate brother. Across his name was a large sum of fiesta in bold red ink the letter “K” was next to his debt. “What have you been up to brother?” You ask to yourself in the empty room. A heavenly smell waft from behind you. As you turn around you see Red Rose carrying a large platter of bread and sporting a new blood red cloak. “Where did you get that?” You eye her in the fine silk cloak. “Bought it. With my own fiesta. The bread well you bought that. Thanks by the way.” She says as she bites a jam filled pastry. “Your dripping jam on your cloak.” You say with a smile as you grab a simple bread off the platter. “Devils luck! Shit I just bought this.” Red Rose says as she runs to the water pump to clean off the stain.
The day passed by you made notes of some key figures debts,times, and fetishes thanks to Red Rose help targeting the most rich and powerful names in the ledger. The suite you bought was of black and dark green colors of the North Island army. The invitation said you to be a royal brigade General from Eltsbow. A far remote fortress in the frozen lands of the North Island. Red Rose agreed to hold your change of clothes and wait for you to come out the castle once you killed the Duke.
The castle was very intimidating solid walls with no sight of wear. Then the iron and wooden door that stood at the very least twenty foot high. You and other guest were made to wait and drink in the garden as the last touches were made in the great hall. You walked past a few young ladies in waiting who eyed you. Desperate to marry into a fine family most women give you a dubble glace when you walk by. While walking around the guest you hear faint conversations. Mostly about the wars in far off land and how the King is doing a great job of keeping the North Island neutral. Some military personnel and even knights disagreed that the North Island taking such a weak stance on the subject.
You lean on a pillar and groan softly to yourself. Knowing very well that the North Island army hasn’t won a war on land in years. The naval forces is strong but that’s just it when it comes to fighting in land their warriors and soldiers wouldn’t last long. A woman came from behind you and startled you as she spoke. “They don’t know what their talking about do they?” She asked in a sweet voice with a eerie accent. You turn around and see the young lady wearing a light blue dress in the style of the Rolins family. The Rolins are the most powerful family of old ones. Their called old ones because they are said to live past two elves lifetimes. The also go by the name Vamperry but it’s too close to the name for a ancient demon so they prefer to be called old ones although some like to be called ancestors. Believing they are the true life form the gods based all others on and not the Titans.
She looked just like a human a bit pale even for North Island standards but they distinct tell of a vampeery is the in the additude of them. They hold no content for any life human or non human. The vampeery are the only living race that can accurately tell how a Titan lived and are revered as holy creatures, because they have seen the Gods and kept the Alumnus alive to serve the life that the Gods left on the gift only by enslaving dwarves to dig around for them. They even claim to have bloodlines that out date the Titans. Even though they have the longest life span on the gift they view life as a curse and death always follows a vampeery where ever they go causing wars and great misfortunes.
This vampeery woman had long straight black hair flowing down to her shoulder parted so it covered half her face. The dress she wore was a bright blue shade that accentuated her pale skin. With cold dark brown eyes she looked at you with a neutral face. “As a experienced commander you can tell that this nation has no chance in any skirmish let alone a war don’t you.” She said as she took a sip of her wine glass in her hand. You look over at the guards then to the generals and other royal guest who take command during war time. “If the Dukes personal guard is anything like the rest of the Army we are in a pitiful state. Look the guards are hunched over and more busy looking down a lady’s cleavage then standing guard. The generals are fat and I wouldn’t be too far of base if none of them seen combat in the past decade and we all know what happned last time a royal took command of the army.”
The vampeery woman chuckles lightly. “Lady Vulintine charmed I’m sure I never met a General who is so harsh about his realms army or king.” She offers her hand to you. Realizing you may have been too frank with her you take her hand and kissing it you introduce yourself as General Qenst from Eltsbow hoping she would look past your big mouth. Her eyebrow slightly rises as you finish introducing yourself. “Eltsbow my…my that’s a bit of distance you traveled to get to this party.” You bow your head in respect. “I was personally invited by messager I took a boat to get here. Frankly speaking anything to get out from the frozen lands of the north.” She turns her face to look at the sky. “Just our luck seems the frost followed you here.” You look up and notice small flakes floating down as they shine from the night lights surrounding the garden. “Seems it has.” You say with a sigh. Then the great hall doors creek open and a elf slave in a fine suite comes out announcing that the great hall is open and for all guest to make their way to the great hall.
Red Rose tucked her cloak tighter around her as she waited in the shadows behind the building. She needed air the place you had her waiting was a spice warehouse. The place reeked from all the herbs and spices. “I’m sure the cloak is going to stink for days after.” She said as the cold fog that came from the sea built around the castle. Then she noticed movement by the wall. A tall figure was making its way near her. Ducking down once she saw it wasn’t you she kept her eye on the figure.
Vicky the bounty huntress was limping her way from down the road. “Curses I won’t die from a elf’s blade.” She gritted as she held a blade that was embedded into her side. “Shut up woman. Your going to give us away.” A thin man said who Red Rose didn’t notice before. He pulled her to the side and shoved a drink into her mouth. “This will slow down your bleeding.” Vicky looked really bad her armor was bent and broken in places. “That elf got lucky is all.” Vicky said while she grabbed her side with the blade in it. “Yeah lucky in a few places look at yourself. Your a mess you sure you don’t want my special help?” Johnny asked while holding a small glowing potion. “Keep your foul poison scarecrow.” Johnny then looks up the castle walls. “Find your own way in then bitch.” Johnny crouched down and jumped and cleared the twenty foot wall.
“Hexted bastard thinks I will do his bidding. I’ll kill him after I heal up and kill that damn knight.” Vicky said as she slumped over. She starts thinking back on how she let herself get so injured so she doesn’t let this happen again. The wanderer who was leading them to the knight only lead them to a empty building with a trap door. Johnny didn’t like the feeling he was getting from the wanderer but decide to follow him along. In any case Johnny was hexted so he could deal with what ever trap the wanderer was laying. Vicky was of no concern to him after the death of his second in command back in the outskirts of Knotsvill he only had on thing on his mind the death of the knight. Vicky on the other hand knew of this place sort of. She had heard the wanderers set up shadow market places to sell off there loot and pilfered artifacts they come across.
It was such a place deeper up north that she had found an enchanted Titan sword that she learned held special effects on certain beings like vampeery and the so called dark elves. Both of witch she never seen so she mostly kept if safely sheathed away. If the knight was there then it shouldn’t be long until she gets her vengeance. Vicky grew up an orphan and had to live on the streets of the capital of the North Island Lancaster. There she picked up an apprenticeship with a mercenary who adopted her after he saw her fight off two grown men who tried to rape her in a seedy tavern. They were drunk and slow but she moved with grace and easily knocked them into the ground and snapped a table leg free and proceeded to club them near death. It was a common scene in a bar but the mercenary was taken by her beauty and fighting skill that he interrupted the fight by stabbing the men dead. Then taking her hand he took her out of the city on his horse. After years of proper training she took the skills she learned and became a bounty hunter killing men and other non-humans for bounties on there head. Her fame spread wide when she captured a whole group of bandits alive with their drawers cuffed around there ankles and chained up. After a ten mile march they reached the town and she got double the bounty for their capture.
As the both of them got in the hidden place they were confronted by a pack of beastkin. An oxal with a horrendous shaved face and two jackels. Jackels are a dog faced tribe of beastkin who aren’t very smart but make good soldiers so you can often see them taking orders from other beastkin. The wanderer demanded he be given the knight’s whereabouts. The oxal looked at him and sliced his skull in two. The elf’s cries reached out but came on short deft ears. None of the wanderers made a move as the jackels drew out there weapons consisting of a spiked orb on a long chain with a double edged blade on the hilt and a long whip with thorns sticking out from the whip to tear up the skin.
Johnny walked past the scene and acted as if he didn’t know the wanderer Vicky followed suit. The oxal looked at Johnny and took a big whiff of his scent. “Hexted human your not allowed in here.” Johnny didn’t refuse the warning and with his scythe out he calmly made his way back up to the ladder. Vicky didn’t follow this time she walked over to a vendor and discreetly showed him the drawing of the knight. The vendor looked around then pointed to the group of dwarf wanderers with a grin she went towards them. Inviting the dwarves for a drink they all went up to a near by tavern. There they talked about what happened down in the shadow market.
“Those blasted beastkin think they can kill off our people take over the market and we won’t do nothing about it!” One dwarf said as his empty mug slammed the table. A elf came by and was warmly greeted by the dwarves. “Exel come! Sit and talk this human is buying drinks!” The dwarfs cheered as Exel came and sat with them. “Who controls the beastkin? Only time a beastkin isn’t bought is when a chieftain is around only then is a beastkin loyal to another beastkin.” Vicky asked the tipsy dwarves. Exel answered Vicky after he took a sip of ale. “The only thing the beastkin answer to is fiesta and magic so look at the one who has both on his side.” Vicky hated when elves talk in riddles. “What in the seven trials does that mean?”
Exel wasn’t going to answer the human he lost a wife and a brother in the past night. His wife was killed by some human and he learned his brother’s body was found covered in arrows not to far from his wife. He was in no mood to deal with humans. “It means what the teller says and if you can’t figure it out then you weren’t ment to know.” Vicky was sick of getting the run around and slammed her empty mug on the table breaking it. “Damn you elf speak clearly or don’t speak at all.” Exel grabbed his dagger and embedded it into the table. “Clear enough for you?” He asked as his dwarf wanderers got up ready to fight. Vicky tilted her head and kicked the table over. The dawrves rushed at her but she was faster. Thrusting the table into the group of dwarves. While pinning them to the wall she noticed the elf wasn’t behind the table along with the dwarves.
Exel was instead coming at her with his fist. Landing heavy blows into her side. Vicky almost buckled over in pain but kept herself on her feet by turning and resting her body into the table. Exel kept swinging at her but Vicky managed to block every blow while she tried to decide what to do. If she killed them she would be hunted down by the wanderers until she left the city making her job of tracking the knight harder. So she decided to just leave them knocked out to avoid any more problems. She lifted her right leg onto the table and used it to bounce herself into the elf. Exle didn’t think she would be stupid enough to actually come at her directly. Once she did though he didn’t have anything to do but block his face with his arms. As Vicky landed into Exel she grabbed him and slammed his body into the floor.
The dwarves swarmed her immediately. They didn’t wast time they smashed at her armor which stared to crack. She regretted not buying a new set after her scuffle with the troll back on the eastern side of the North Island. She felt her armor start to fall off at the dwarves heavy punches. Dwarves may be strong but they don’t have much stamina and soon their punches began to slow. Vicky used this time to fight back. With her steel gloves she began to smash a few of the dwarves faces in. A mess of blood and teeth flew around after Vicky connected. Once she tried to slam a few of the dwarves she knew she won, but her Nathalion blood kept her going. Vicky raised her arm and clubbed a dwarf on the head and then kicked one right in the gut sending him two feet into the air.
Exel crawled over to Vicky and stabbed her in her exposed side with a dagger. Vicky turned around back handed him and stomped on the elf’s head three times crushing the skull under her boot. Finally with all the wanderers defeated or killed she heard clapping. It was Johnny who was watching her the whole time. “Now I know why they call you Vicious Vicky.” He said with a cruel smile spread across his face. “Come on now stop having fun we have a knight to find.” Vicky realized she let her pride get the best of her she wanted people to remember her from the troll slaying so she never changed her armor and in the following battles she was in it was slowly breaking apart. She laughed at herself as she slowly became unconscious slumped over in the cold street.
The main hall was filled with elaborate decorations and expensive treasures. You were glad Red Rose didn’t come she would’ve “balanced” the Duke’s hall until nothing was left. Lady Vulintine was near you so you decided to stay with her. She didn’t seem to mind having you and a few other men following her around. Even as a old one she kept single for many years and is often invited by the Duke’s nephew to any event he is in. She didn’t have a taste for men but liked the idea of controlling them with the faintest sense that she may lay with them. After seeing her accept a dance from Sir. Fillston the Dukes nephew so you hang around discreetly surveying the great hall and the guards.
A man was having a conversation with a.few other nobles. “See so enslavement is the only way the elves and other non-humans will have any sense of control over their lives. The Alumnus doesn’t say anything against owning another life. In fact the Alumnus says Humans will rule the gift to the very end. Don’t you agree?” The nobels nodded and mumbled their agreement but you disagreed. “One can make the argument for and against the enslavement of non-humans. Although the Alumnus says humans will rule the gift to the end it never says how the gift will end. Either by our own evil or by the eruption of the enslaved who we have oppressed.” The lead nobel scoffed at your words. “Evil? Look at my personal slave here.” He pointed to the well dressed elf with shaved ears and had his hair in a nice and polite style. “He is educated in how to act civilized his appearance is well suited and he hasn’t starved a day in his life. Look at his kin in the wild lands of the Middle Lands or the savage kingdom of La’Quin. Where a elf might starve for weeks if the huntsmen come back to the village empty handed. Evil? Far from it he is living in a far more blessed situation then his wild kin.”
“Would you not rather starve then to bow and be submissive to another man?” You replied while taking a cup from a slave carrying drinks around. “Would you openly serve under a elf or any other non-human because the Alumnus eluded to the vague idea that they have the right to rule the gift therefore they have the right to rule anything on the gift?” The nobel looked shocked at your words but didn’t let it show. Taking a good look at you then replying. “Of course what kind of brute would know about freedom hmmm? If the King asked you to jump on one leg right off a cliff to a fiery pit you would be obliged to do it with no complaints.” He gave you a contentious laugh and the other nobles followed his lead and laughed at you as well.
“Are you saying if the King asked you to do the same you would be a treacherous curd and not do as your king asks of you?” You shot back at him with a sharp tounge. The nobels laughs subsided once they heard your words. Just as the nobel’s face turned a dark red Lady Vulintine laughed politely at your wit. The Duke’s nephew Sir. Fillston clapped his hands at the verbal jest you threw at the nobel. “My with a sharp mind at the helm of our troops the Azgartins better stay weary.” The nobel turned around and left with his personal slave following trying to fight off a smile from his face. “I haven’t seen Lord Gunderstain that heated since his fifth wife was caught with the slave boy.” Lady Vulintine said with the faintest sign of a smile peeking out from her half covered face. “General Qenst here is a fine gentleman don’t you agree?” She said to the crowd of nobels surrounding you who all agreed.
“General Qenst? I don’t think we had the pleasure of meeting in last year’s Tourney did we?” Sir. Fillston asked you as you turn to look at him. “I’m afraid my duties at Elstbow keep me away and my men from the yearly Tourney.” Sir.Fillston studies your face and looks at you up and down “Eltsbow?You mean the prison fortress?” You sip your wine and answer him. “The very one but we like to think of it as the Dragons Lair. You were saying something about the Azgartins were you not?” Lady Vulintine interrupted you both “Let us please not talk of war and how the Relm is near the brink of destruction.” The Azgartins is a realm of the Green Dragon and third Godling. They live near the west are the most distinct of human realms and always skermishing with the Talviallny Empire. They are the most feared of warriors from infancy they learn of battle tactics even the Nathalions fear them for their fighting skills and war loving culture.
“Yes the Azgartins are claiming war with the North Island and her Allies. Its just talk from the jungle bushmen in the Green Dragons realm. They always threaten war if they don’t get their way. Savages…I saw one of their sacrificial offerings to the old Gods. Praying to Titans like as if they were elves and not human…its sickening.” Sir. Fillston said with a grave look on his face that obviously showed that his words didn’t match his own thoughts of the threats of war as mere words. “I need some fresh air mind if you take me out for some?” Lady Vulintine said as Sir.Fillston went to grab her hand she walked past him and held your hand. Surprised you accompany her to the balcony that was empty due to the cold air and occasional snow flake would dance down from the sky to the ground.
“So Knight what is your plan?” Lady Vulintine said as she looked at a snow flake that slowly fell onto the stone balcony. You look around but relax realizing that your safely out of ear shot from the party. “I…don’t know what you mean Lady I’m no knight.” You try to say as you reach for the blade tucked into your left leg. “Knight please try to remember your speaking to a Vampeery. My true age is more then my skin shows.” Lady Vulintine then parted her hair to the side her other eye showing. It wasn’t a eyeball but a huge gem the very same gem as the one Narcaliptal the necromancer used to blood seal your fate. “You think your the only one who owns a debt? Please knight your not that special. Climb up on the vines to the left of us. On the next level the hall should be empty. Make your way past the floors and up into the fourth floor. The knights who are guarding the king should be drugged and sleeping. Do be quick the only ones in the room will be the Dukes wife and of course the Duke himself. Don’t harm the lady she will be heavily sedated its the only way she lets her be touched by the fat but small Duke’s prick.”
Lady Vulintine turned back to go into the party just as the band started to play a new score of music. You wondered how far did this conspiracy go? There is no time to try to connect the dots instead you grabbed the wanderers blade into your mouth climbing up the wall. The air was bitterly cold as the light snow was cold and making the vines wet. Your fingers curled up on the window ledge. You pushed open the Window softly with the window being unlocked it seemed like luck was on your side. Climbing into the hall you close the window and hug the wall as you make your way to a staircase. No servants were running around and the guards were busy walking above the hallways near the great hall. With your hand tightly around the blade you came up to the fourth and last level. This seemed a bit to easy as your training as a knight and hunter gave you a sixth sense when a trap was coming.
Down the hall you saw two knights fully armoured slumped over on each side of the door. The closer you got to them you smelled it that iron rusty smell of blood. Lifting the knight nearest you it’s clearly visible the knight was poisoned. The eyes were bugged out and the faint smell of poppy seeds is still fresh on them. There was no need to kill them so you wondered what was really going on. The door was slightly ajar so you decided to peek in on the scene.
There you saw a half naked young woman on the bed looking like she was sleeping. Then the sound of fighting was coming from behind a closed door. Sneaking in past the woman you make it into the balcony where a elf woman was with the Duke. “How could you women? Haven’t I treated you right?” The Duke said to the elf woman. “How can I be sure it’s even mine? The sage I hired said I can’t sire a child.” The Duke said as he looked at the elf woman. “You deny our child!? Have you forgotten that you took me first and there never been a night we haven’t been together after that wretched woman is passed out or drunk where we haven’t been as one?”
The Duke tried to think of a moment where she hasn’t been with him. “I…I…can’t have a half breed as my heir let alone a son. The king will disown me or worse kill all of us to avoid the scandal.” The elf woman laughed to herself. “He won’t kill you then he will be a hypocrite let us not forget about his third born.” The Duke grabbed her by the shoulders. “Watch your mouth Kalisa that’s still your King your talking about.” Kalisa tried to push him away from her. “You’ll defend him will you then? Fine strike at me you fuck me as if I was your wife might as well strike at me like I seen you strike her.” The Duke pushed her away from him. “Who else knows about our child?”
Kalisa smiled as she told him. “I’ve been very careful on my way to get the money to pay the witch then to make sure she can’t ever bother us again I killed her.” The Duke embraced her and said “Then no one knows about our child then?” Kalisa smiled as she nodded her head. The Duke then grabbed her and plunged his blade into her stomach and gutted her. Her insides slumped out of the wound and fell onto the grown. With one last kiss to the Duke let her slipped out of the gift into the next world with thier unborn child. Horrified you stare at the scene before you the Duke slumped over his lovers body. He didn’t look like a man of royal blood. Instead he looked like a old fat man who was tired of life.
At least the person who poisoned Eve was dead but you didn’t want it to be like this. The Duke noticed your presence in the door leading to the balcony. “Assassin? Thief? Or are you just a gossiping curd?” The Duke asked as his blade fell to the ground. “None. I am justice.” With a quick slice you cut the Duke’s throat and saw him not struggle or try to defend himself. Instead he stayed there in silence on his knees next to the gutted body of his elf lover. You clean the blade the Duke used and place it on his body. The wanderers blade was dropped near the balcony’s edge and you placed the whore masters ledger on the table next to the sleeping woman. As you made your way back to the second floor you then go to vines and climb your way back down. Walking into the party you stand next to Lady Vulintine.
She hands you a handkerchief discreetly. Then she says, “Oh thanks I feared I have lost my handkerchief forever. Thank you for grabbing it for me. Must have been quiet a distance it fell.” You bow to her and tell her, “Its nothing my lady I assure you.” Kissing her hand as you make your way from her a bell tolls ring threw out the castle drowning out the band. “The Duke and his wife are murdered!” A guard yells out into the great hall. Sir.Fillston runs to the guard along with other armed knights. Lady Vulintine shoots you a look of disdain as the words of the Duke’s wife murder is repeated. Just as she starts to make her way to you a guard cries out. “There on the wall! The murder!” Everyone gasp and look at the direction. A thin man stands on the wall you recognize him immediately as Johnny the hexted human from Knotsvill.
Arrows are aimed and shot at him. Johnny used his scythe to knock the arrows out of the air. You yell out from the crowd. “He be hexted!” The crowd panics and began to run from the windows. You grab Lady Vulintine and run out to the other side of the hall. Taking one last look you see Johnny slice two guards down and then fall from the wall making his way towards the castle.