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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Mar 23, 2011 15:17:46 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 23, 2011 15:17:46 GMT -5
{Yeah, not that great :/ Sorry about that. Trying to get back into it after writing so little over the break. Should at least suffice to get us started, though}
Nearly time.
Kvothe strolled easily along easily across one of the many catwalks that spanned the city of Roua. The Canyon City, the locals called it, and for good reason. The entire city was built into a stretch of the Olorun Canyon, and an array of bridges and walks stretched from one side to the other. Some were short, crossing only the river that drifted lazily through the middle of the canyon, splitting the city into two parts. Others were grand works that reached from one canyon wall to the other.
The one Kvothe found himself on was of middling length, and fairly empty at the moment. A few other souls were on it as well, but most seemed to be elsewhere at the city for the time being. His attention drifted up for a moment as speeder flew overhead, going off to some unknown place. Roua was a good city. A favorite city of his, after the capital city of Demas. He liked to visit when he got the chance, but today found him in the Canyon City on business for the Tower.
Not too long ago, one of the Unum moles that hid themselves within the ranks of the Mythics had gotten careless, and in their carelessness, they had been arrested and imprisoned. Interrogation (that Kvothe was not allowed to participate in, after the whole incident with Celena) followed, and with a bit of work, they'd been able to get some information. The Unum informant they'd captured was set to meet with another Unum member in Roua to report the information she'd been able to gather. That was where Kvothe came in.
He'd been dispatched to Roua in place of the captured woman, and he was to either capture or otherwise deal with the person she was set to meet.
Their fate's already sealed, he mulled silently as he walked along. Fas, his flickercat companion, strode along at his feet, with his long tails bobbing out behind him. Something in Kvothe's emotions caught the feline's attention through the link they shared and he looked up to stare at his companion with curious amber eyes. He'd been doing that often, lately.
Sure, Kvothe might see what the target knew, but by the time he left Roua, they'd be dead. There could be no other way. Nor could there be another justice that was as fitting for their betrayal. No remorse. No redemption.
A wind blew in from down the canyon, ruffling his hair and tugging on the end of his sash as he stepped off the catwalk and onto a street. He wore only his robes today; going armored would be far too obvious. Pietas, his bladed staff, was in hand as always, and Talio, one of his swords, was sheathed and behind him from where it was stuck through his sash.
Down the main thoroughfare he went, then through an alley and into another one that dropped him out onto a smaller street that was lined with the entrances to stores and restaurants that were built into the stone. It was a little busier here; a healthy crowd of people milled about, but it wasn't too crowded.
He was close, and a bit early. This was intentional. It gave him time to look around the area, and to start keeping an eye out in for the target.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for his senses to pick up another presence in the Mythos.
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Cain
Indignant
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*Indignation intensifies*
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Mar 30, 2011 22:44:47 GMT -5
Post by Cain on Mar 30, 2011 22:44:47 GMT -5
Lucias found himself, as he often did in recent nights, at the streams which flowed from the peaks of Mt. Kurokari. On Chinine, once every twenty years the planet's orbit moved it close enough to it's star to break the cycle of winter locked nights, and for roughly a month the forests would come alive. Insects which spent the majority of their lives dormant under ground would emerge for these precious few nights to mate, and in so doing cast an awe inspiring display of luminescence. Lights of green, blue and orange flickering in and out of existence danced, juxtaposed beneath the starlight, it was one of the few memories Lucias held of home which he looked back upon with fondness.
Down by the stream, Lucias sat alone upon an Isochro's bough, suspended over the flowing water and quietly taking in his surroundings. Lucias focused his attention on one particular insect which haphazardly meandered through the air. Drawing his lightsaber from his side, Lucias ignited his master's blade, holding the glowing blue beacon into the air. Hypnotized by the weapon's glow, the tiny bug spiraled down inexorably toward it's death. Lucias frowned sharply, feeling a pang of pity in the pit of his stomach for the little creature. The Force flowed even through these simple life forms, and Lucias swore he could feel its fear as its final moments passed. First there was fear, then all at once a blinding light, and.... a sharp pain in the gut?
THWACK! The pain struck Tenkai again in the ribs, and this time was accompanied by a few less than courteous vulgarities.
"Hey brat! No sleeping under the bar! If you're not gonna buy something then get out!"
Why don't you make me... Tenkai thought, though all that he was able to verbalize were some disgruntled gurgling noises. Tenkai had no idea where he was, or even if he were alive or dead. One of the more difficult aspects of losing his sight were those confused moments just after waking, moments in which Tenkai wasn't certain whether he was awake, or still dreaming.
Another sharp kick to the side reaffirmed that Tenkai was indeed awake again, as did the splitting headache and stale morning breath. Evidently Tenkai had stumbled into one of Roua's cantinas and found a comfy, shady spot beneath the bar to nap. Of course the bartender assumed he was just a drunk who'd had one too many and passed out where he sat, but truth be told Tenkai had never touched alcohol of any sort. Having spent half his life living outdoors, Tenkai was simply accustom to locating hiding places in which to curl up and spend the night so to stay warm and avoid predators. On urbanized worlds this meant cantinas. They were warm, they were open all night, and most patrons didn't bat an eyelash at the sight of a random bum asleep in the corner. The owners, however, were a different story, so Tenkai would have to hide himself well, lying under the bar and covering himself in whatever happen to be there with him. This time the predator had spotted him.
Grumbling and still slightly disoriented, Tenkai rose up from under the bar and stretched out his arms. The other patrons shirked away, and even the Twi'lek girl on the bar couldn't hold back a derogatory glance. Tenkai noticed none of it as he let out a yawn and ruffled his silvery white hair. Thrown back into the streets, Tenkai began his hunt for another prospective bed.
His wanderings led him out from the shadow of the canyon and onto one of the long catwalks which connected to the two opposing walls. The walkways were lit by lamp posts which stood every twenty or so meters along the path. Finding one that was to his liking, Tenkai scaled the pole and perched himself up on top of it. Tenkai was quite fond of high places, here he could center himself and get a feel for his surroundings. Each sentient life form within the city was touched by the Force, and through it, Lucias could see them, each and every one of them, tiny flickers of lights meandering to and fro. And then he sensed it, a light that burned more brightly then any of the others. There was a strange feel to this one, a coldness of purpose that might have signaled danger, but it was now far too intriguing to ignore. Tenkai found himself drawn to it.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Mar 31, 2011 20:37:47 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Mar 31, 2011 20:37:47 GMT -5
Kvothe drifted easily through the trickle of people. They moved out of the way respectfully, so it wasn't difficult to move, even if he was going against the main flow of the crowd. He could feel that person, that distant presence by some nearby catwalks that lead out onto the street. With a steadied mind, he reached himself out through the Mythos to better feel toward the person. A sensitive, definitely. But he'd known that the Mythos' spark was in them already; it made them stand out from the swarm of others that filled the city.
Could it be them? Could it be the Unum that was supposed to come to meet the one they'd captured? Kvothe felt his steps slowing to a stop. If it is I'll have to be ready...
Fas kept on going for a few paces before he realized that his master wasn't continuing on with him. Perplexed, the flickercat turned around and looked back to Kvothe, the flickers on the end of his three tails glowing a soft blue. Kvothe motioned with a finger for Fas to come back to him. Fas obliged of course, and trotted back, though Kvothe could feel a questioning sort of feeling coming back from the feline through the bond.
Whatever, he groused silently, looking around. There was another alleyway that split off the main concourse and into the wall of the canyon about fifteen meters down the way. There was one likely avenue of escape if the Unum tried to run away. He looked around him, taking in the environment, all the people. Hopefully things wouldn't come to violence, but it helped to be prepared. And you could never really know when dealing with the filth.
With gold coloring the edges of his hazel eyes and a steady resolve, Kvothe began to move again, toward the presence. If this was the one he was supposed to deal with, he'd get it over now. Some of that solid determination flowed through his link with Fas; the flickercat's stance was stiffer of a sudden, more alert.
As he looked over the heads of the people between them, Kvothe spotted a shock of white hair. His target was an Echani. It must be him. His grip tightened on Pietas' shaft. More gold edged into his irises, pushing away the natural hazel.
There they were. A young man with white hair, though their eyes were covered by a sash. Kvothe stopped and his eyes narrowed at the being, weighing him visually. He looked young; very young, but that hadn't stopped the Unum before. And why the sash over his eyes...
"Come back, Celena!"
She stopped and turned around to look back to the boy who'd called out to her. His name was Marn. He was a Miraluka boy, about the same age as her. They'd met on the day she and her family moved to the Canyon City. She liked him. He was funny, and kind, and he always knew how to pick her mood up when she was feeling down.
"I can't, Marn," she said with a little smile. "Mom and dad said they want me home early today. We're going somewhere, but they said it's a surprise."
"Aaww, but I didn't get to show you the back way down to the river!" Even if he didn't show it visibly, Marn was disappointed.
Her ears flicked as she chuckled and ran back over to pat him on the shoulder. "No worries, Marn. We can just do it tomorrow."
The Miraluka boy shook his head and toyed with one of the ends of that sash he always kept around his eyes, but she saw his smile. "Fiiiiiine. Go on Celena. Go have fun tonight."
Pietas lay on the ground, where he'd dropped it. He was doubled over, legs bent down into some weird half-crouch, with both of his hands pressed to the side of his head."Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit." He muttered to himself. It was another one of the flashback attacks. From Celena, the Unum girl he'd killed a short while ago. When she died, he'd had the misfortune of receiving her memorias spiritus ultim, and now it was like her memories lived on in him.
But they usually have to be triggered. Kvothe opened his eyes again. What was it this time?
Fas stood directly beneath him, looking up into his face with those big amber eyes of his. Kvothe straightened up and looked around. Some of the people had stopped and where looking at him apparent concern. He ignored him. Instead his focus swung around to the boy with the sash...
The sash.
"You," he growled at the youth. Irritation at having that flashback forced upon him welled up, bringing with it a growing pool of orange into his eyes. Pietas snapped to his hand with a single tug of the Mythos. Kvothe's grip on the staff grew tight. He barely resisted the urge to point the bladed end at the boy. "Who are you?"
"And what are you doing here?"
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Cain
Indignant
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Knight
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Apr 22, 2011 23:45:23 GMT -5
Post by Cain on Apr 22, 2011 23:45:23 GMT -5
Tenkai's curiosity had led him out of the shadows and toward a beacon which burned with the Force, a beacon which took a very peculiar form, a form unlike anything the boy had ever felt before. Kvothe was just too intriguing to ignore. As he moved, those around him seemed to part as if by magic. There was a weight to his presence that all beings could feel, even if they were not able to recognize it.
It quickly became clear that Kvothe was moving toward Tenkai with the same purpose in his steps as the young Kumori. The Force drew the two men out into a face to face encounter, and Kvothe had a curious reaction, dropping his staff and gripping his head. Tenkai could feel the Force working strongly with him, and rapidly recoiled, as if startled by Kvothe's strange behavior.
"You," the stranger growled upon collecting himself, pointing his weapon toward Tenkai, "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"
Tenkai grinned softly, shrinking slightly from the imposing Force presence before him, slowly tugging at the laces which held his bo staff in place behind him and drawing the weapon to his hands, "Who am I?" Tenkai replied with a giggle, "I'm no one. A lone shadow, certainly not who you're looking for, for who would look for me?" The boy shook his head, holding his staff out and readying himself in case Kvothe should attack, "Mm, no master, I'm just a dead end."
Pausing a moment to assess his prospective opponent, Tenkai could feel the irritation growing within Kvothe, and, in turn, within the feline creature that followed the Rilan. Through Tenkai's Force Sight, the animal's presence seemed to mirror Kvothe's. An interesting adaptation indeed.
"I like your kitty," Tenkai added with an inquisitive tilt of his head, letting his guard down slightly and cautiously moving closer.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 25, 2011 17:04:17 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 25, 2011 17:04:17 GMT -5
Shadows moved among the shadows. Three of them came together in a small, dark room two stories above the street where the crowd was gathering around the boy and the Mythic. A light appeared, the dim, flickering light of a candle, but it was light still. It touched the shadows, but it didn't give them any detail. They wore cloaks, each black as the heart of space. Robes of differing cuts and colors were beneath, but for now the cloaks hid all, just as the deep cowls hid their faces. Though they three could hear and touch the Mythos, their presences were wrapped tightly and pressed down, hidden as little more than the faintest of whispers on the wind. "It looks like suspicions were right," one of them said in a gravelly voice as he glided on silent feet to look at the scene in the street down below. "Jansen was cracked. And now the Mythics think to interrupt our plans." "They are fools to believe they can." This one was a woman. She stood quietly on the far side of the room, flickering candle held in her hand. "And who do they send this time?" "Looks like the Algaterra runt," the first answered. There was a moment of silence. "Algaterra?" "A fool." "A blind fool that believes he can see," came the voice of the third. It belonged to a male, though it had a soft, almost musical edge to it. Like the first, he slipped over to look down at the window, to the man and the boy, and the people that were starting to gather around them. "A fool who has been shown the light that we have found, but refuses to see it, choosing instead to cling to the Tower and its delusions." The first snorted. "Fool or no, Algaterra's dangerous. He needs to be dealt with." "If that's the case, then we have an opportunity to do that, don't we?" The second's voice was rich and sweet as she spoke. "If he has come searching for you, Kykryn, then perhaps he should find you." "Perhaps," the first muttered. "But let's see what happens between him and this kid first." The second lifted a brow within the shadows cast by her cowl. "Kid?" "There is a boy," the third explained. "I believe that Algaterra thinks him to be Kykryn." He fell silent for a long moment as he studied the scene below. "There is... potential in that boy, whoever he is." Kykryn turned to look at the third from the edge of his hood. "You suggesting what I think, Neir?" The third nodded slowly. "I may be." He reached up with both hands, exposing long, thin fingers as he took his cowl in an gentle grip and eased it from his head. His hair was dusty blonde, his was soft, almost feminine. His eyes were hidden by a dark red sash with a subtle serpent pattern embroidered into it wrapped around his face. Or, they might have been hidden, if he had eyes to hide; Neir was a Miraluka. "Come, Kykryn, Dani," he looked to each in turn and started slowly toward the door. "We have things that need doing." Kykryn spared a look to Dani as Neir passed by. She did the same, then shrugged slightly. She blew the candle out and the three became shadows once more. ----------------------------------------- Games. The boy wanted to play games with him. He gave an answer, one with twisting words that rang hollow. Kvothe didn't have the time or the patience to deal with this. Not when the Unum was involved, and certainly not when the memories were starting to flare up again. Kvothe eyed the boy's staff warily as it was drawn. His grip on his own tightened slightly. His eyes narrowed slightly as the orange filled more of them and darkened in warning. Why wouldn't he answer my question? Unless he knows who I am. Unless he knows what I'm here for.Could it be so? Could this boy be the one he'd been sent to find and deal with. He looked no older than the Cathar girl. But she had been one of the filth, just as sure as he was breathing... The air sighed softly around them, licked puffs of dust from the air, gently tugged at hair and clothing, and faded away again. It was no working of a natural wind, not with the way it'd happened. No, it was Kvothe's doing, gentle flexing of his power in the Mythos. It was a warning. "This is not the time to play games with me, boy," he growled. He lowered Pietas slightly as the boy began to move closer, looking at Fas. Something rippled in the Mythos. A feeling of interest, one that seemed genuine. Perhaps he was jumping to conclusions too quickly? No. They're tricksters. Liars. All of them. I can't let my guard down.Still, maybe being a bit more of a person and a bit less of a crusader would help. Maybe. Kvothe studied the boy again, not quite sure what to think. There was something odd about him. Something in his accent that didn't quite fit with one who'd been on Aiaru for long. "I'll ask you again, kid: who are you?"
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Cain
Indignant
491 posts
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*Indignation intensifies*
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Knight
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Apr 25, 2011 18:36:14 GMT -5
Post by Cain on Apr 25, 2011 18:36:14 GMT -5
Tenkai paid little mind to Kvothe's warnings, nor his growing irritation. The boy's attention was still fixed on Fas. Plopping himself down on the catwalk, Tenkai beckoned the feline forward by lightly tapping his fingers along the ground as if his hand were some small, wounded critter. The boy cooed softly, mimicking a baby bird that had fallen from its nest. To those who had gathered to watch the confrontation, Tenkai's behavior would certainly seem odd for a grown man. Tenkai was almost child-like, more interested in Kvothe's pet cat then engaging in any adult conversations.
"I'll ask you again, kid: who are you?"
Tenkai perked up, letting out a sigh as his efforts did little to coax the flickercat to him, "They call me Tenkai," the boy answered, picking himself back up and stretching out, "but what's in a name? As I said before, I'm not who you were looking for, master. A pity. I sense I would be much more thoroughly entertained if I were."
The Force surrounded Kvothe, and to Tenkai's "eyes", ebbed and flowed at his whim. Tenkai could not help but be intrigued. He could feel the intensity that radiated from Kvothe, charging the air, and what's more, Tenkai could sense Kvothe's intentions. Blood would be spilled here. It was a feeling that Tenkai had experienced himself not too long ago, and since had been all at once terrified and fascinated by. Part of him was eager to test Kvothe's powers directly, but that would not be entirely prudent, nor would it yield a genuine experience, as Tenkai was not the object of Kvothe's ire.
Patience would be necessary, "I could be useful to you, however," the boy conjectured with a smile, "Mm, I may be blind, but I see much. Take me with you, master. I promise I'll be good."
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Apr 25, 2011 21:50:26 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Apr 25, 2011 21:50:26 GMT -5
While Kvothe was no doubt very irritated by the situation playing out, his companion was not. Rather, not as irritated; their emotions were shared through their mental link, and so Fas always felt some of what his master felt. But now, the flickercat was intrigued, fascinated by this strange person that cooed and beckoned for him. He stood from his haunches and took a cautious step forward, tails flicking pensively behind him. The fluorescent bulbs at the end of each of the three, just beneath the deadly barbs, were blue.
Fas sniffed the air cautiously, looked to the boy curiously. Something was different about him. Even the flickercat could see that. But what?
Kvothe glanced down at the same time Fas glanced up at him. What is this boy doing? Boy? Why keep calling this one a boy? He was a man grown, or near enough, and yet the way he acted, going so far as to lay on the ground all for Fas' attention... It was bizarre, to say the very least.
"They call me Tenkai. But what's in a name?"
More than you know, Kvothe answered silently, lips pressing thin. Far more. Pushing the beliefs of his people aside, Kvothe focused on the here and now.
Tenkai, the boy had said. Jansen, the Unum prisoner they'd gotten the information from hadn't mentioned any Tenkai; Kykryn was the name they'd been given, and there hadn't been any mentions of such... strange behavior. It could be an act. A lie; they've done it before.
"I could be useful to you, however. Mm, I may be blind, but I see much. Take me with you, master. I promise I'll be good."
Kvothe furrowed his brows at Tenkai. The orange of his eyes deepened again, then grew light. The request, strange as it was, felt sincere. There wasn't anything about his person that made Kvothe think it was a lie, no whispers in the Mythos that spoke of hidden mistruths.
But it could be a trap. They're cunning. Devious. He might just stab me in the back.
He looked down to Fas. His feline companion's eyes were locked on Tenkai. Kvothe could feel him considering through their bond. What do you think, Fas? The answer came when Fas slowly stepped forward to the stranger and stopped near his feet, looking up at him with amber-colored eyes that glinted in the evening's light.
Kvothe felt himself relax a bit. He still didn't trust this one, not by a long shot, but perhaps there wasn't so much need to treat him like an enemy before there was proof. There was a time he'd never even consider doing that.
He looked around him, noticing the people that'd gathered to watch them. What had they come to see? A confrontation? A fight? Maybe it wasn't so far off from that. Kvothe sighed. Am I that paranoid now?
"Alright, Tenkai," he said, letting his staff's tip fall to rest on the ground as his attention returned to the boy. "But why do you want to come with me? You don't even know me." He paused and then took a few cautious steps forward and held out a hand to shake, though Mythos only knew how the strange boy might react. The Mythos was held ready, no more than a thought away, if Kvothe needed to deal with him reacting in a hostile fashion, however.
"I am called Kvothe."
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Cain
Indignant
491 posts
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Knight
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May 10, 2011 13:51:54 GMT -5
Post by Cain on May 10, 2011 13:51:54 GMT -5
Tenkai crouched down as Fas stopped at his feet, greeting him by gently scratching the flickercat behind it's ear. Tenkai had loved animals ever since he was a small child on Chinine. Master Anjuu was always adamant that there was strength in self reliance, but all the young Tenkai wanted was someone to talk to at his own level. The boy had taken to secretly making pets of the wildlife he found around the Kumori Village, typically just forest mice, certainly not anything as fun or intriguing as Fas.
"Alright, Tenkai, but why do you want to come with me? You don't even know me," Kvothe said, extending his hand to shake Tenkai's. Being blind, the boy naturally couldn't see the gesture, "I am called Kvothe."
Tenkai smiled, standing as Kvothe approached, "You have an interesting feel," he responded, "To that end, I would say I know you well enough, master. Mm," Tenkai gave himself a satisfactory nod, pleased with his words. Quite simply, Tenkai had felt Kvothe's murderous intent, and was curious as to where it might lead him. Raina had said there was tremendous power in such emotions, and it was true. Tenkai had felt it himself. Perhaps he could learn more in following this Kvothe.
Once the crowd that had gathered around Kvothe and Tenkai became satisfied that a brawl wasn't about to ensue, they began to disperse. Tenkai waited until most of them had gone before making his next inquiry, "So please tell me, master, who is it you mean to kill?" Tenkai's words were blunt, though where he was from, there was no use for tact.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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May 11, 2011 19:10:54 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on May 11, 2011 19:10:54 GMT -5
Kvothe watched the Tenkai. curiously as he spoke. I have an interesting feel? One of his eyebrows lifted slightly. The boy could touch the Mythos; Kvothe could tell that much simply from being near him. That was probably what he meant. Kvothe had been very near to starting a fight just now. Against an innocent person. Maybe. He sighed slightly and shook his head. It was times like these he very dearly missed Fides, his late Selonian friend who'd often acted as a voice of reason to Kvothe's high-emotion ways of acting.
Sure could use that now...
But Fides was over ten years dead. Nothing to do about that.
The people around them started to disperse and go back to whatever it was they had been doing, but Tenkai and Kvothe remained where they stood. Kvothe was curious about Tenkai, idly wondering if the Mythos had crossed their paths for a reason, or if it was simply just another turn in life's road.
"So please tell me, master, who is it you mean to kill?"
The answer to that was one that Kvothe considered quietly for a moment. In all likelihood, the boy knew nothing. But what if he does? What if he's really involved? Not to mention that the rocks themselves seemed to have ears, when the Unum was involved.
Finally, Kvothe sighed and shrugged lightly. "A man whose description was enough to make me think you were him." He rubbed his temple and shook his head. "And now I've probably made a right fine mess of it. No way he doesn't know I'm after him with this happening out in the middle of the street." Again he sighed and rubbed Pietas' shaft idly with his thumb. I can hear Bors chewing me out already. As if the man hadn't been displeased enough with Kvothe already.
"But maybe it's not all lost yet," he went on. I don't know what you seek to find from me, but if you're sticking with me, come on. I'm not ready to leave this city just yet. I know someone that might be able to help. I just hope she's home." An informant he could call on lived in Roua. She rarely knew much of what was going on within the Unum's murky ranks, but some hope was better than none. She lived in the city's lower level, near the river.
Kvothe called Fas to his side with two clacks of his tongue and began to walk toward a catwalk that led to the next level down. "I warn you, though, if this works the way I hope it will, there will very likely be violence. And I will do what I can, but I cannot guarantee your protection." If Tenkai came along, then he might be of some assistance, at least. If not, then things would be as Kvothe had thought they would coming in.
But as he walked on his way, he didn't notice the shadows, watching carefully from the rooftops, or hiding in the dark alleyways.
------
"You heard him, Dani?" Training was the only thing that kept Dani from jumping when Neir suddenly appeared behind her. That damn Miraluka could be creepy sometimes.
"Yes, Neir. You think he's heading to the rat?"
"It is the only place I think he might, if he thinks everything lost. We were wise to let her live to this day. Either way, it will be her last. Go. Run ahead and get to her before Algaterra and the other do. I will continue to trail."
Dani nodded once. "As you say. And Kykryn?"
Neir was silent for a moment before he chuckled once. "Kyrkryn will take his rightful place as the bait before we spring. It is he that young Algaterra came to kill, after all, is it not? Though he may find that task more difficult than he imagined."
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Cain
Indignant
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May 19, 2011 15:01:56 GMT -5
Post by Cain on May 19, 2011 15:01:56 GMT -5
When Kvothe began to move, Tenkai followed, finally securing his staff on to his back once again and happily falling into step behind the man he referred to as Master. It wasn't necessarily that Tenkai expected any sort of training from Kvothe, the boy was simply used to calling every adult he encountered Master... or, the one's he liked at least.
"I warn you, though, if this works the way I hope it will, there will very likely be violence. And I will do what I can, but I cannot guarantee your protection."
Tenkai chuckled, Kvothe's show of concern for Tenkai's well being was definitely something new, "Why would you divide your focus when faced with an enemy?" The boy inquired, "That will only weaken your chances at success, Master. Mm, a good Kumori looks out for himself."
Tenkai had been told those words so many times, they rolled off his tongue with a mindless conviction. A Kumori is one. Self reliance is power. Attachment is death. Kvothe's empathy had Tenkai second guessing how strong he might be, but even in defeat, watching the Rilan fight could still be entertaining, if not educational.
As the two moved toward Kvothe's contact, Tenkai could feel an air of malice crushing in on them from the surrounding buildings, as if the towers themselves were glaring at them with a thirst for blood. Tenkai knew better, though. There was something out there, something able to hide its presence even from Tenkai's "sight"... but it could not hide its intent. He wondered if Kvothe could feel it too, though he never considered mentioning it. That would be cheating.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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May 24, 2011 15:41:00 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on May 24, 2011 15:41:00 GMT -5
"Why would you divide your focus when faced with an enemy? That will only weaken your chances at success, Master. Mm, a good Kumori looks out for himself."
Kvothe glanced back over his shoulder at Tenkai. That was an interesting question, and one Kvothe could see the base reasoning behind, even if he didn't completely agree with it. What in the moons is a Kumori? It wasn't a species, or at least not one that Kvothe had ever heard of. Must have been whatever culture Tenkai had been raised in.
"Because," he answered, stepping onto a curling stairway that would take them down a level, "two fighting one gives an advantage. A good team can fight to look out for each other while fighting as one at the same time. I can't babysit you, but there's strength in numbers."
Sometimes, he added silently. It all hinged on things he didn't know; he didn't know how capable the boy was, and he didn't know how capable the man he was hunting was. Even if he found him, he wasn't sure that the target would be alone. Kvothe sincerely hoped he was. Otherwise things might get ugly.
"Knew I should've worn armor," he groused under his breath. But that would've made him stick out more than he already did. If only he'd known that seeing Tenkai would make him blow his cover the way he had...
Nothing to do for it now, though. So he kept on, leading Tenkai down a terrace and on to his contact's house. Hopefully something could be salvaged out of this mission. Hopefully.
As they walked, though, something began to feel wrong. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, his stomach twisted slightly in the way it did before a drop. He could feel no people, no enemy presence, but a sense of ill hung in the air. And it only grew thicker as they drew nearer to their destination.
"Stay alert," Kvothe said softly when they reached the house. "Something is wrong. I can feel it. " Fas could too; wariness drifted back through the bond and he moved with his body lowered slightly, looking all around them. The lights on his tails slow shifted from blue to red and back again.
Kvothe knocked on the door three times, and waited for a response. As he stood there, he looked around, making mental notes of the area around the house. It somewhat isolated, built into a cul-de-sac of sorts in one of the canyons' crevices. There was space between the two sidewalls, but the back went into the rockitself.
"She should've answered the door by now..." He furrowed his brows slightly and knocked again, louder. Then he waited. Still nothing. He reached out to feel into the house through the Mythos. He didn't feel anything. Maybe she was gone. No, something's wrong... That strange feeling, the feeling of wrong hung thick in the Mythos inside the house.
He reached pensively toward the door and gently tugged on it. It slid to the side invitingly. It should've been locked. Kvothe's grip tightened on his staff. His free hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
Carefully, cautiously, he slipped into the building. The living room as neat and tidy as always, with a book open on the table as if she'd put it down to get up to do something. A stench hung in the air, though--a stench he was too familiar with.
It was the smell of death.
"Be careful," he repeated to Tenkai as he moved carefully to the back of the house. Fas stalked at his side, ears pressed back against his head, claws extended. Both of them, Mythic and Flickercat, were on edge.
He passed by the dinner table, which was untouched. He paused near a door, one that led to the kitchen. Then he pushed it open and froze.
She was there on the floor, laying in a pool of her own blood.
Kvothe swore in Rilan as he moved over to her. She'd been stabbed. Several times. "Body's still warm. Blood's fresh..." He stood up and looked around, still gripping Pietas firmly. "This was done recently. But wh-"
A feeling in the Force cut his words off. Near the entrance to the house, a presence suddenly expanded. It was hot and twisted, tainted with the touch of the dark. Kvothe scowled and stepped past Tenkai to look out to see who it was.
"Ah, Algaterra..." Kykryn chuckled darkly, hand resting on the curved blade at his hip, as he saw the Algaterra come out of the kitchen. "Heard you were looking for me." He smirked at Kvothe and the boy with him. "Heard the resident here knew a bit more than she should've. And knowing can be such a dangerous thing when you're playin' this game." Metal rasped lightly on leather as he bared an inch of his sword. "Poor thing."
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Cain
Indignant
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May 26, 2011 20:27:47 GMT -5
Post by Cain on May 26, 2011 20:27:47 GMT -5
"Because, two fighting one gives an advantage. A good team can fight to look out for each other while fighting as one at the same time. I can't babysit you, but there's strength in numbers."
Tenkai nodded silently, not challenging Kvothe's logic, but instead just taking it in. He had a point after all, there was strength in numbers. However, such a team is only as strong as its weakest link. If Kvothe was going into this fight even considering having to spare some of his strength in order to protect Tenkai, than he is weakening himself. Tenkai didn't bother to bring this point up. He was here to learn what he could from observing Kvothe. The only way to judge the validity of Kvothe's philosophy was to watch it in action, untainted.
When they reached the home, Kvothe warned Tenkai to stay alert. Tenkai gave no response, standing back and watching as Kvothe knocked several times before investigating the door. It wasn't locked. Following Kvothe into the home, Tenkai instantly felt a familiar hollowness in the pit of his stomach. It was a spot where the Force had been disturbed, wounded.
"Be careful," Kvothe warned. He had felt it too.
This feeling, it was the same. The same feeling Tenkai had sensed in the village that day... the same putrid feel that oozed from every wall of the Temple on Chinine. Upon entering the kitchen, Tenkai froze. The first time he'd stumbled upon a murder, Tenkai had been overcome by emotion, but this time... nothing.
Tenkai stepped aside as Kvothe moved passed to investigate the front of the home. Tenkai was left alone in the kitchen, standing motionless, his focus trained on the void in the Force that was once occupied by the young woman on the floor. However she had died, it had not been peaceful. The Force alone told Tenkai that much. His interest in the deceased was interrupted by the sounds of voices coming from the living room.
Tenkai overheard the tail end of the conversation as he entered after Kvothe, "Heard the resident here knew a bit more than she should've. And knowing can be such a dangerous thing when you're playin' this game. Poor thing."
"Mm, is this the one you were looking for, master?" Tenkai interrupted, "He seems strong. You sure you'll be able to kill him?
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jun 1, 2011 19:34:13 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jun 1, 2011 19:34:13 GMT -5
{I don't know why but I could not find a way to make this not suck >_> Sorry. Will do better next time}
"Yes, this is him," Kvothe muttered at Tenkai's question. "This is the one." Kykryn just stood there, eyes still flickering with amusement, his sword still partly drawn from the sheath. As he studied the man, Kvothe's eyes shifted to a burnished gold. Determination. Determination to see this filth eradicated. Dedication to see the murder avenged. "And I'll be sure to kill him," he added softly, as if saying it more to himself than Tenkai.
"So sure of himself," said Kykryn, drawing the blade fully from its sheath. "Already certain of his victory." The Echani spread his hands to either side, smirking at Kvothe. "Come then, Mythic. Kill me."
Kvothe drew in power from the Mythos. The air stirred around him, even though them being inside would've stopped there from being any sort of wind. He glanced around quickly. Tenkai would prevent him from using some of his more potent abilities, like wave or repulse, unless he wanted to kill or seriously hurt the boy in the fight. But he was hardly helpless.
He muttered instructions to Fas in Rilan, and the Flickercat withdrew from the room. Kvothe didn't need Fas as a target.
Kvothe turned back to look at the Echani that stood across from him in the doorway. The Mythos swelled within him. Without moving his hand, Kvothe extended his will, his power into the air around him. It coagulated, seemed to thicken around them like jelly.
And then it exploded.
With a forward shrug of his shoulders and a shove, he forced the energy into motion, all toward the man that stood in front of him. To the man that had to die for the crimes he'd committed--had to die because of the filth he'd become.
The rooms furniture lifted from the ground and flew like toys at Kykryn. Kvothe's hair and sash whipped in the winds. Books, papers, baubles and doodads all hurtled toward one central point.
Kykryn just raised his hands and grinned.
A burst of his own power countered, knocking some of the lighter missiles back and slowing the heavier pieces enough that they fell to the ground where they stood. Faint ripples of energy echoed through the air between them as their power clashed, and then silence fell over the room.
"Impressive," Kykryn said wryly. "You might actually be a challenge." Something about that seemed to amuse him; one corner of his lip turned up in a smirk and his eyes glinted with amusement.
Kvothe just shrugged the comment off and began to step forward. The room was a mess now, like a bomb had gone off in the middle of it, but he ignored it. The dead didn't care what their homes looked like.
The Mythos eased into his muscles, and he lunged forward.
Wood met steel as staff and sword came together. Kvothe struck with the slender end of his staff at Kykryn's neck, then spun around the heavy end when that struck was blocked. The Echani ducked underneath the blow, thrust his curved sword at Kvothe's stomach. Kvothe stepped aside, place Pietas between his body and the sword's darkned steel. He stepped forward, planted his knee into Kykyrn's gut, then blasted him from the house with a heavy wave of the Mythos.
Out the Echani flew, and Kvothe followed, not willing to give up his advantage. Stopping just outside the building, he put his hands out to either side, forcing his will into the stone walls themselves. He pulled his hands together, straining as if physically pulling on something. A loud cracking noise echoed down the alley as the rocks broke free and flew at the fallen Kykryn in a wave of stone and dust.
So focused on killing this foe that he didn't notice the other two standing on the roof behind him until they revealed their presences.
{I'm sooooooooooo sorry >_>}
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Cain
Indignant
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Jul 8, 2011 11:53:55 GMT -5
Post by Cain on Jul 8, 2011 11:53:55 GMT -5
Finally, some action. Tenkai knew he wouldn't regret sticking close by Kvothe. The Rilan reeked with a stew of negative emotion that began to seethe and bubble upon the sight of this Kykryn. It reminded Tenkai a great deal of his former master, and that alone was intensely intriguing. The boy could feel the Force become disturbed within both men as they goaded each other, an early warning signal to their intentions. Tenkai took a few steps back away from Kvothe, propping himself up on top of an overturned love seat so to get the best view possible of the coming exchange.
Kvothe did not disappoint. Tenkai could "see" the Force as the Rilan drew it in from around him, concentrated it and then blasted it at his opponent. Kykryn was up to the task, countering the assault with his own pulse of energy. After a few more words the combat moved to staff and blades. This Tenkai could not see, only hear and feel the two powerful entities as they moved through the Force.
It seemed that the battle was a stalemate for the time being. Most frustrating as it yielded validation to neither combatants strategies. Tenkai couldn't help but wonder if Kvothe was not making good on his word earlier and holding back his full power out of concern for Tenkai's well being. It was possible, but he had to be sure. He would have to test him.
With the two men focused on each other, Tenkai drew his own weapon and slinked into the fray. He moved in behind Kykryn, making no effort to conceal his approach as he swung his staff at the side of Kykryn's skull.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Aug 21, 2011 11:39:40 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Aug 21, 2011 11:39:40 GMT -5
Rock and dust rode a wave of furious energy and barreled down the alleyway toward Kykryn. The Echani smirked to himself as he raised a hand in front of him. The Mythos flowed and swelled and roared from him to stop the oncoming onslaught.
The tides collided. For a moment, Kvothe's wave was slowed, but the power behind it consumed whatever the Unum fighter threw at it and kept surging forward, undeterred. Kykryn's eyes went wide with shock before it fell on him.
Kvothe watched the cloud of dust that rose up from the canyon wall as his wave--with Kykryn caught in it--stuck home. Are you still so cocky? he taunted silently, lip turning up slightly in the hint of a smirk. Most of his peers said they didn't take pleasure in killing, didn't revel in the knowledge that they often had to end a life in order to protect the Tower and ensure the continued stability of Aiaru.
Kvothe was not one of those people. He had been, for years and years, but lately, things had been different, not that he'd ever openly admit it to anyone. After all the pain they'd caused him, after all the suffering and sorrow, the Unum deserved far worse than what he did to them. And I have the right to a little satisfaction in my work.
Still, for all the satisfaction he felt, he knew the battle wasn't over. The Echani was likely hurt, but not dead. Not yet. He will be soon.
Again the Mythos flooded him. The air sighed around him. His hair shifted, the tip of his sash fluttered as a gentle breeze rose to a gale that circled 'round him, growing ever stronger and stronger.
A being emerged from the dust. Fingers of lightning abruptly lanced out toward Kvothe. With a simple motion of his hand, Kvothe dismissed the wind and made an ethereal blue barrier that arced in front of him. The lightning hit it with a loud crack!, kicking up dust and sending little pieces of stone flying away from the impact. Kvothe's barrier held, though. It pulsed and Kvothe's face showed the effort it took to hold the lightning back, but it held.
Until the lightning abruptly stopped.
Kvothe blinked at the suddenness of it and looked down the way to see that Tenkai had struck at Kykryn. The Echani was visibly angered by it, and was turning on the boy with sword drawn.
That's it!.
An opening.
A moment to strike.
With all the strength he could muster, Kvothe threw his hand forward and grabbed Kykryn. The Mythos closed around him like a vice, and Kvothe started to close his fist. I've got you, he thought with a grim satisfaction. He'd kill him here and now. Squeeze the life from him and leave his broken body for the vultures.
Then, out of nowhere, a powerful blast of energy slammed into him. He was thrown from his feet and across the alleyway to slam into the wall. He fell to the ground, barely keeping Pietas in hand as his head swam and his vision shook in all kinds of disorienting ways. "Wha... What was..."
"Mmm, such a proud little Mythic," he heard a feminine voice say over approaching footsteps. "And so single-minded." The footsteps stopped, and he looked up to see a woman standing a few paces away from him. A dark cloak covered most of her clothing, but her hood was down.
Her face was quite pretty, with features that were smooth and had a subtle sort of delicateness to them. She had eyes that were large and a pale grey, and her hair was a dark mahogany.
For all her beauty, he knew immediately that he hated her. There was a tattoo on her cheek. It was a circle, made of three parts that fit together, surrounded by a ring broken into three curved segments. She was Unum; it was their symbol, and she was one of the select who bore it openly.
Like his brother.
"Never stopping to think that there might be more players to this little game than yourself and the foe you know." She smirked as Kvothe pushed himself to his feet with his jaw tightly clenched. "You are just as Vorian describes you."
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Another one of the shadows emerged further down the alleyway. He stepped smoothly over the bits of rock and rubble that were strewn along the street as he made his way toward the boy and Kykryn, who was on his knees gagging for breath.
"Clever boy," he said in his lilting voice as he came to stop a meter and a half or so away from him, "sneaking up on dear Kykryn like that." There was an edge of amused contempt for Kykryn as he spoke, and he didn't much care to hide it. "I'd even be so bold as to say that if we hadn't stepped in, Kykryn here might have just finished going through an extraordinarily painful death. But here we are. And so he lives." There was a pause as the figure's cowl-shadowed face turned meaningfully toward the Echani on the ground. "For now."
The figure lifted his hands and smoothly pulled the hood from his head. He was a man, as was fitting his voice, but he didn't look very threatening, with his soft, almost feminine-looking face. Or the dark red sash that covered where his eyes should have been.
"Pity, though, that Algaterra is so predictable. I had hoped that he would have at least noticed Dani before she struck." He shrugged dismissively. "Oh well. Though I do find myself wondering something."
Neir looked down at the boy, studying him with his sightless gaze for a moment. "What are you doing with a man such as him, hm? You're certainly no Mythic, if the way he nearly attacked you is anything to go by... Is he your teacher?" He glanced sidelong down the alley. Algaterra was standing again, but Dani would be able to keep him in check.. "You could certainly do better than a hot-headed fool such as himself, you know. I doubt he'll even survive the day at this rate."
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