|
Post by sentranicia on Mar 22, 2010 21:25:15 GMT -5
The water swashed over the wood of the huge ship, wetting the mossy material with ever brush of its fingers. The sea begged to get inside, and the barnacles and moss pushed it away. The story of one woman's life aboard that ship was recreated by this ongoing scene. She stood on the main deck of the ship, one rigid figure among the scurrying crew members, looking straight ahead, never moving, never glancing to another place.
Her long red hair flowed in the heavy wind, sea spray dampening it just enough to hold small strands to her face, but allow the rest to dance about her shoulders and hips. Her slim figure seemed almost too small to be taking the rolling surf in such stride, but she held her footing without the slightest break or movement. Her fox-like eyes scanned the harbor they were speeding through, taking in the crowds of people.
And then the captain shouted. Not really hearing his words, the woman yet pulled a heavy white sack over her shoulder, her only movement in what seemed ages to most, but mere moments to her. Finally, the ship docked to port, and people began to come up from below deck to step onto shore. Unfortunately for them, a rather intimidating figure stood in their path. Yet unmoving, the woman waited for the ship to stop completely, holding back the now silent crowd behind her. They had grown to respect her over the journey, and fear her, and now they stood far back, waiting for her to step off.
Finally, her booted foot lifted from the ground, and with speed unimaginable at a walking pace, she set off into port.
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 1, 2010 20:20:03 GMT -5
Khordus gently wiped a thin tendril of juice from his mouth that was creeping down toward his chin. Eyes peering keenly across the top of the piece of fruit in front of his face, he took another bite of the juicy morsel, but it was clear his attention wasn't on his food. He kept his gaze confident, not pivoting his eyeballs around too much in case someone might be watching closer than they seemed. He felt as secure here as he could anywhere in Newdam, but that wasn't saying much. He didn't like staying around in one place, but he was here for a reason, and that required him to stay vigilant.
A lightly worn, brown satchel hung on his left side, just at his fingertips if necessary. He was beginning to worry that his gauntlet might be trademarking him too much, and in the heart of the Stamarian Empire, that was the last thing he would want people seeing; because of this, he had hidden it and the rest of his standard equipment in the bag at his side. Not that most of the people who would see him in this part of the city would much care, but better to be cautious than dead. He frowned as he was reminded just how ignorant most of the Stamarian civilians were to the war. They paid their taxes and got a reassuring pat on the back from their oversized leader. Newdam was one of the worst too; a city of the Empire from the beginning, and far enough from the fighting to not matter. The capital city was even closer to the Cher Plek front than here, and while the prospect of an offense for Stamaria was being well subdued by the Korin, the defense of the opposing force was still impregnable.
His birdlike vision picked up a boat on the horizon of the deep blue waters, and by sail he knew it was the one he had been waiting for. He'd received a tip-off not two weeks prior about a boat coming into Newdam, but the source had given very little more information on the matter. It had been a gamble deciding to come all the way to Newdam, but Khordus had been looking for an excuse for some time to look more closely at the inner workings of his enemy.
The boat was drawing nearer now, and Khordus dropped the core of his fruit onto the ground, falling back into the shadows. Almost immediately he faded into darkness completely, his body camouflaging to the textures around him. As the boat docked, he knew exactly what he had come for. Tracking her with attentiveness, Khordus' eyes followed the fast-paced woman, and he began moving from shadow to shadow without ever revealing himself in the slightest. His invisibility was now nearly perfect, and at a distance it would be virtually impossible to detect his shadow stepping through the streets.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 4, 2010 10:08:21 GMT -5
Xira continued at her fast pace for a while, making turns and avoiding obstacles with speed and ease. She rounded one last corner and slowed ever so slightly, gradually coming to a stop. She looked around for a moment and dropped her sack to the ground, staring straight ahead for a moment, ignoring the feeling that she was not alone. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a breath of the port city air, enjoying the emptiness of the alley around her. She had been cramped on that ship with such idiots for too long. A breeze blew through the thin walkway, blowing her shining red hair around her torso. Eyes still closed she breathed in the soft wind.
A crash sounded from behind her and she spun fast on her heel, gun pointed in the direction of the sound, sword drawn in the other hand and ready to parry an attack. She lowered her body into a crouch, eyes hard, lips tight, stance wide. Eyes scanning the alley carefully she pulled the hammer back on the gun and searched for the creator of the sound.
A heavy metal bucket rolled across the stone street and Xira slowly straightened. She sheathed her sword and flipped the hammer up on her pistol, holstering it quickly. Wind. Still, to be safe, she pulled the closest shadow toward her and whispered to it caressingly, teasing it and seducing it into the proper shape. Finally a man in a black suit with his face shaded by collar and hat appeared in front of her, "Search." she said, voice stern and confident, beautiful in a commanding way.
As the shadowy figure nodded and began to look around for whoever or whatever might have been around, Xira turned, pulled a white cloth from her coat pocket, and began to rub at the barrel of her gun, waiting for the rushed whoosh of the shadow returning to her side and giving her the all clear. Alert now, and listening intently for signs of another being nearby, she polished the last bit of her gun and holstered it yet again. Xira sat down in the shadows, leaning up against the wall with one knee bent and the other leg straight out. Her green eyes glowed brightly as she pulled her knife from her boot and began to clean her nails.
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 8, 2010 19:30:03 GMT -5
Khordus lurked through the shadows, but as he watched the woman's behavior he began to wonder if he was not as invisible as previously thought. Perhaps she had some sort of detection he hadn't considered, a device or an extra sense of some sorts. Keeping on his toes, he chained shadows faster and faster, never staying in a place for more than a moment. His speed got the best of him, however, and as she came to a sudden stop, his momentum carried him for at least two more jumps before landing him in front of her, the wind of his body carrying through the alley. Waiting in invisible silence, he watched as she pulled out a gun and fired a shot into where he had been a moment ago.
Keeping a close eye on the woman, Khordus watched as she pulled a shadow nearby to her bidding, warping the shapelessness into something defined and strangely human looking. Without waiting for a chance to see what her magic could also do to the shadows where he hid, the man stepped behind her own shadow and materialized, keeping himself close enough to the gun to make it relatively pointless.
"Don't freak out," he said slowly in a calm voice, "I just want to talk. Not here, though." It was a bold move to say the least. Judging by her gate and general stature, he judged that she could most likely deal a serious wound to him after he had present her with such a clear target. It was a risk he had to take. His feet stayed light, lifted slightly so that he was on the balls of his feet. She definitely looked dangerous, but if he could just survive then he'd learn than he could in a simple conversation.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 10, 2010 10:19:14 GMT -5
The moment the man appeared, Xira was on her feet, knife slipped from it's place in her boot, leg thrust out in front of her as she spun herself in a half circle to knock his feet from under him, her knife finishing the move as she came back to face him by slashing at his stomach. It wouldn't be a deadly attack, more one to put him in a place for her to assess him. Her words had barely hit her ears before instinct had taken over, but now she realized that he had not initially seemed threatening. Still crouched in a defensive position, her eyes scanned over his body. He was quite a bit taller than her, and certainly thicker in frame. Older by quite a bit too, she noticed. But threatening, no. That he was not.
Sliding her knife back into her boot swiftly, she stood straight and looked at him, crossing her arms and let out a breath, "That's quite a trick you've got there. I wouldn't recommend doing it again though." Her voice was firm and direct, "My blade may not be so forgiving next time." Her eyes fell downward to where her gun had fallen on the cobblestone and she hissed, quickly picking it up and inspecting her beloved pistol. She buffed a few scratches out and sighed, holstering the weapon with a soft thump.
Turning her attention back to the man who had just appeared from the shadows, literally, she cocked her head to the right, her hair curtaining over her shoulder and eye. Now she was truly curious, the full weight of his words finally sinking into her mind, "You want to talk to me?" She laughed, a beautiful sound from her soft throat, "And what would a man such as you want with a...creature like me? You appear to be of more importance than I, just judging from your attire. I should think that someone such as you would have more...noble people to talk to."
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 10, 2010 14:56:41 GMT -5
Light on his feet, as the woman sprung around on him, Khordus jumped backwards. His entire body vanished and reappeared a few steps back in another shadow, having leapt from one shadow to another to avoid her precise strike. Either his state of non-aggression or her own reasoning seemed to sink into her, however, and Khordus watched warily as she relaxed the slightest of bits. His hands were ready to grasp his weapons if necessary, but as she idly picked up her gun and examined it, he felt the potential danger decreasing with each passing moment.
As her eyes met his own, he felt an unusual amount of heat in his face. It wasn't often that a woman could make him feel flustered or unsure of himself simply because she was beautiful, and he desperately tried to balance this within himself by reassuring his primal instincts that she was still most likely incredibly dangerous. He tried his best to ignore the little gestures of subtle seduction, but he couldn't make the heat in his face vanish.
"Noble? Hardly. There is little noble about me save the cause that I've dedicated myself to. Again, though, here is not the place to talk about it. The silence of the alleys and crevices of this city are misleading at best. I'll lead the way if you promise not to plunge that dagger of yours into my back. Preferably not the bullet, either." As if to emphasize and put to the test what he had just said, Khordus turned his back on her, facing the exit of the alley. "It's up to you, of course. I could just be some creepy guy leading you to a bunch of my buddies to tie you up and the likes. Up to your discernment." He chuckled slightly as he said this, keeping his back to her but not moving until he received her response.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 10, 2010 15:32:51 GMT -5
Xira watched him carefully, noticing the redness in his face. She suppressed a snicker of amusement and listened to his words. His cause...she wondered briefly what that might be, but he began to request that they move to another place yet again and she narrowed her eyes. His accusations were all too correct. She would likely have placed a bullet in his head or a knife in his chest if it had been under other circumstances. But as it was, Xira could not see the benefit. If things turned suspicious, or more suspicious than they already were, she could handle herself easily enough.
It was his apparently joking statement that caused her alarm, but she settled as she realized that she had been in worse situations before, and rape was not something that should bother her in the slightest compared to other things she had dealt with, "Where are we going, then?" She sighed, an almost surrendering tone to her voice, "I don't have to trust you to know that I could escape any such plot as that." Pulling her heavy sack up over her shoulder again, she stepped to his left side and looked straight ahead, "You needn't test me that way. I wouldn't kill you. You haven't tried to harm me. Yet."
She flipped her hair back over her shoulder with a toss of her neck and sighed, "Lead on."
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 10, 2010 18:42:58 GMT -5
Khordus found himself genuinely surprised at her willingness to follow. Either she was a trustworthy type, which he doubted, or she was quite sure of her own ability to handle herself in any situation that he could present to her. Whether it was one or the other, though, the fact of her consent still remained, and Khordus moved himself in his loosely planned strategy into phase two.
While he had been idly surprised to hear that she would be arriving on a cargo ship, after talking to her even slightly he had sort of given up carrying expectations on the matter. Nevertheless, he had a place in mind that would be safe for them, where there were people, but only those whom he could trust not to do anything harmful to either him or his mission.
Chuckling at her last words, he began to walk out of the alleyway, knowing her quick pace would assuredly keep up with his casual one. Judging by her general aptitude as well, he didn't doubt that she could keep track of someone in a large crowd with ease. Sidling through large groups of people or taking shortcuts down back roads, Khordus moved through his enemy's city with surprising ease, walking down each practiced street with caution nonetheless.
Finally, he came to a stop at a back door in an alley. The large metal barrier between him and his location opened after a quick hammering on it, and Khordus gave a nod to the owner as he walked through it. A short hallway led them into a larger room that was a simple, worn, old-fashioned bar. Only a few men dotted across the room, some talking with one another, and some enjoying a drink on their own. Sitting at a small table, isolated from the others, Khordus motioned for her to take a seat across from him.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 11, 2010 17:31:53 GMT -5
Xira's eyes followed the man with ease as she lightly stepped through the crowds, trying not to look too much like she was following someone. The heavy burden on her shoulder weighed her down only slightly, stiffening her elbow by the time they reached the alleyway where he rapped on the door. She looked around shiftily until the door swung open and she quickly stepped inside. Finally they made it to the place he wanted to stop and she dropped her bag to the floor, rubbing and flexing her sore elbow as she slid into the shadowy seat. She leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs and arms, and watched him with great interest.
Surprise set in that he had brought her somewhere with more people than had been in the alley where they had met, but she supposed he had his reasons. The thought drifted through her head that these were his allies, and that she could be in a great deal of trouble considering they had come through the back door, but still she looked on and waited for him to speak. She let her hair fall loosely over her shoulders and eyes, her pouting lips only adding to the effect. She knew already that he had noticed her appearance; the redness in his face had given that much away. She looked him over again and decided that he wasn't unfortunate looking himself, though perhaps not her type.
Either way, it was his words she was here for, not his body. At least, she hoped that was the case.
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 11, 2010 21:24:29 GMT -5
Khordus slid himself into a comfortable position in the chair, ignoring the odd lumps or misshapen bits that came from its age. He was not particularly fond of the place as a whole, but it was safe and he had an agreement with the owner there. Beyond that, the owner had relatives in the Korin, and while he did not support it full-heartedly, he did what he could to help. Much of the same could be said for the individuals who lounged around the place. He knew every one of their names and stories, but he still found himself distrusting of anyone in Stamarian territory.
However, thanks to it being on of a few similar locations, he hadn't begun to pick up on any bad or nervous vibes from the inhabitants for abusing their residencies. Nevertheless, he'd rather not push his luck. Giving a slight wave of his hand toward the bartender, he turned to face the woman whom he'd brought with him, "I know this is a strange method of approach, but I appreciate you giving the matter some patience."
The bartender arrived with two drinks and a smaller glass, placing all three of them down in front of the male at the table. Khordus followed up quickly by pouring a small amount of each beverage into the smaller glass; he practiced a time old tradition he had been taught. Without a word, he drank the smaller glass in one swallow, so as to show her that neither drink was poisoned. Silently, he proceeded to slide her drink in front of her, the smell of alcohol drifting up to nose level.
"So," he began as he took a sip from his drink,"let's talk business. My name is Khordus Jorin, leader and Harbinger for the Korin. I've come to offer you a job. My source tells me you are excellent in many fields, but if you're interested at all I figured it would be best for you to choose, and perhaps we can arrange an understanding." He took another sip from his glass, releasing a slight sigh of enjoyment. "Prove yourself to us, and funding no longer need be a concern. Naturally, however, to prove yourself to us will require following through on something specific, but we'll get to that. So before I continue my rambling, what do you think? If you have questions or concerns before getting involved, I understand, so please," he motioned a hand at her cordially, indicating it was her turn to speak. He'd been quite bold and upfront with his pitch, but he wouldn't risk getting a half-hearted member, especially not when he was willing to pay as much as he was.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 11, 2010 21:54:04 GMT -5
Xira watched the man in front of her meld the drinks together before sliding one in front of her. Confident that the man was not attempting to poison or drug her, she took a large swallow and turned her attention back to him, nodding her acknowledgement of the offer. Though surprised at what he wanted, she remained stone-faced, not wishing to give herself away so easily. The Korin. It was a group she had been interested in for quite some time, though never really had understood well. Naturally there was a task to be completed to enter, but he hadn't even explained the situation to her. What would an established army like the Korin want with a humble pirate like her? She raised her right eyebrow curiously, "First of all, I've never really been taught or told what the Korin actually is. Second of all, why me? I'm not exactly well known."
That said she looked around the room, a single thought entering her mind. She turned an angry gaze back at Khordus, "How long have you been following me?" She narrowed her eyes fiercly, hand sliding to her pistol slowly beneath the table. Her green eyes scanned him, taking in his every movement, blink and breath, twitch and shift. There was something wrong with this, and she was not prepared to give him even so much as her name until she knew what it was. Xira spotted the bartender, cleaning a glass with a rag that looked almost dirtier than the grimy thing he held in his hand, and locked her gaze on him for a moment, taking him in. No one in the room looked particularly dangerous, but she wasn't sure she liked the idea that she had been followed long enough to know that she was a valuable soldier.
"And aside from that," she said, angry glare still scanning the men in the room, "What has the Korin to offer me? Certainly anything they can give me I can come by through other means." She smirked through her glare for a brief moment, returning her fierce eyes to him.
"Answer me wisely, Jorin. I'm not at all convinced of my security at the present time."
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 12, 2010 22:57:58 GMT -5
Khordus smirked slightly in return, choosing to answer her last question before the first, "If you are worried about your safety then perhaps you best be the one who speaks carefully. Naturally, these are all men of my own, and we are on my turf, but if I wished to harm you I would have done so already. You claim to be of relatively low status, at least in comparison to me I suppose, and so perhaps you wish for status? Wish for you name to be known? That is up to you. Wealth, power, or simply a piece of land to call your own, we can most likely make it happen." He smiled at her over the edge of his glass before taking another, longer drink from it.
"As for your first question, I've chosen you because my associate had informed me of significant talent aboard that boat. He couldn't give any more information than that, and so I must simply draw out what I can think he meant by that message by your actions. I do trust my associate, though, and he has yet to prove me wrong. This also answers your second question of how long I've been following you. Very simply, I've only been in pursuit of your talent since you stepped off that boat, whatever that talent may be."
Again, he was being bold, but he viewed it as necessary. While he was willing to detach himself from her should she turn him down, he had now become curious of what she was truly capable of. She was well armed, for one, and her physical shell proposed strong desire in the heart of almost any man who would be honest enough to speak about it. He knew little more than that she was dangerous, but his curiosity toward finding out how she was dangerous was still something he hoped to explore.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 12, 2010 23:26:27 GMT -5
Xira listened carefully, her ears perking up at the words wealth and power. She nodded her assent as she heard out his every word and let it sink in, taking care to search for any hidden agendas he may be attempting to conceal. To her surprise, she found him to be very sincere, and his flattery was certainly getting him somewhere with her. She was a woman who enjoyed being told she was desired, and this Jorin was certainly doing it well. She leaned back, relaxed once more and thought for a moment, "I suppose that if that's the case, I have little reason to decline your offer." Looking around she took note of the men around them, recognizing that most of them would not really notice, or rather care, if she began to prove her worth to the man at the table with her.
"Your men, eh? Then they won't mind a little show." She shoved her chair back, rising to her feet slowly. Her eyes turned to the shadows that rested beneath the table and their chairs and beckoned to them with a soft, caressing whisper. Her voice was almost motherly, nurturing, drawing the shadows in. They began to peel from the floor, twisting and twirling as she sang to them quietly. Finally, they began to take their shape. A thickly muscled black deer stood in their midst, his antler high over her head, his muscles tensed for battle. She ended her speaking and reached out, touching it on the nose, "This creature will do whatever I ask, and he's completely unable to be harmed. He's as strong as you are, though much faster and with much more stamina, and he'd be a great war companion."
She whispered again and the deer dropped its form, allowing the shadows to create a small black cat that promptly leaped onto Jorin's shoulders and curled around his neck, "That cat can gather as much information from a back alley as you need it to and report back without fear of losing a soldier." She beckoned to the shadow and whispered once more, returning the shadows to their places, "And I can make whatever you wish with the right number of shadows."
Xira grinned at her companion, "But naturally I wouldn't be much good if all I could do was change shadows. I am skilled with the sword and dagger, bold with the whip, and trained in hand to hand combat as well. Oh, and should you ever need a more elusive spy..." She closed her eyes and a whirlwind of color began to embrace her, growing ever smaller until finally with a flash it stopped, a small red fox in her place. She blinked up at him coyly, fluttering her eyelashes. She stepped forward lightly and jumped into his lap, flicking her ears playfully. She brushed her tail over his hands and jumped over the table to her seat where she promptly morphed back.
Xira cocked her head to the side. "That being said and done," she said, "What must I do to prove myself worthy of your army? I am prepared to join your ranks."
|
|
|
Post by Ribitta on Apr 13, 2010 20:11:31 GMT -5
Khordus watched her carefully, motioning to the men in the bar to remain calm despite the magic. As she presented each ability, he nodded with impressment toward the talent and her ability to utilize it, but his eyes widened a little as she transformed into a vixen, springing up into his lap. He took a moment, studying her carefully and picking his words slowly. His source had been quite correct in her potential, much more than he would have imagined when he began this hunt. "Talented indeed. I commend your ability, but I would like to know more about before we get down to tasks and figures."
He paused, thinking of taking a drink but wary of the animal that now looked up at him. Choosing against it, he continued, "First and foremost, naturally, would be your name. I was not told of it in advance, and it would most likely be a good thing to know. Furthermore, I would very much enjoy hearing more about you personally. Background, nationality, family, etcetera. The Korin pride themselves in keeping strong rank, and to do that, we wish to know those inside it."
She seemed certainly willing enough as well as just being generally capable of almost anything he could think to task her to. The challenge would not be finding a place to utilize her skill, but rather finding a place that would utilize it the most. Already his mind began racing, but he forced it to remain silent and focused on what she was saying.
|
|
|
Post by sentranicia on Apr 14, 2010 22:42:59 GMT -5
Xira listened as he responded to her episode, turning back at her with questions of his own. It was to be expected, she supposed, that he would wish to know more about her, but unfortunately even she wasn't sure about everything he wished to know. She could tell him only so much without having to guess at the truth. Thinking for a moment, Xira nodded and began to answer him, watching the eagerness in his eyes grow, "Xira Fondi. Daughter of a whore and rapist, born and raised in Rogueport of Cher Plek. I was a bartender as a child, which is where I picked up my sword and pistol skills. The shadow magic is a trick I picked up in Coracinduth when I made my home there. As for the morphing, it was a deal I struck with a witch in Rogueport when I was about sixteen years old."
She cocked her head to the left, "But honestly, apart from the magic and the bar-fights, my past is really quite bland. The future however, is what I make of it. My hope is to purchase a ship of my own someday and call myself captain. However, a pirate has only as much money as she can steal, and business is not good since people became more aware of the danger of a wallet in the back pocket." She grinned, laughing quietly to herself. She laced her fingers behind her head and reclined, crossing her legs at the ankle and looking carefully at Khordus. She wondered if her bland past would effect the decision at all, for better or worse. She thought for a moment and decided it didn't much matter. Nothing she had told him was particularly important. How could it be?
Yet she thought that perhaps it might have done her well to try and spice things up. Oh well, she thought, My skill ought to be enough to get me somewhere.
|
|