Fate - First Reply A Thousand Cuts

[Khari]

Altara - Eaglehead

"Not so tough without your magic, are ye girl?"​

Khari smiled, thumb running over the handle of the knife clinging to her thigh. The man in front of her was nearly thrice her side, an orc, or perhaps a half troll. His features were so obscured by a litany of scars that it was difficult to tell. Still, his muscles were more than clear, and she was none too eager to feel another strike from them.

The blade flicked into her palm, dragging back. "Well, wouldn't be fair with them."

She barely had time to get the words out of her mouth before the Orc charged forward with a roar. His meaty hands swung forward, reaching in quick successive strikes. Khari dipped beneath his weighted arms, dancing backwards and dodging beneath each swing. His knee came up, aiming to smash into her stomach, Khari quickly kicking the ground and sending herself to the side.

Her knife slashed across the Orc's rips, a ripple of pain running over his face as he spun on his heel and smashed the back of his fist directly into her side. The Daemonette was sent scattering to the floor, dust and dirt kicking up as the crowd all around the fighting pit launched into a giant cheer.

Such was the way of the Altaran Fighting Pits.

Famed for their gladiatorial combats, Altara had long been a city known for it's creation of mercenaries and killers. Men and women who were raised within the pits, fighters who could put even the best from around the world to shame. They were good, really good. A lesson Khari had learned over the last few days more than once.

She had come here at the behest of her Mother, or the closest thing she had to it. An Altaran assassin had been sent to Dornoch, killed by the Dynast's personal guard, but with no way of finding out who had hired him. So Khari had been sent. Commanded to ingratiate herself within the pits and learn as much as she could about who and why someone wanted the Dynast dead.

It was a task, that was proving more difficult that she had hoped.

The Orc barreled forward once more, charging quickly and smashing his leg forward in a kick. Khari quickly jumped high, her knife coming down to stab into the man's thigh as she grasped onto his torso and climbed atop his shoulders. Her leg wrapped around his throat, and with a wrench she pulled the man to the floor.

Around her the crowd exploded once more, the man beneath her going limp as consciousness left him.

Another fight won, another bit of trust earned. At least she hoped.

 

[Darkensand]

Dornoch - Dynast's Chamber

Darkensand had not met the Dynast since over a Decade Ago:
"Your living Conditions improved quite dramatically, since last Time, though your Security Measures are still in need of Improvement."

The Dynast attempted to speak up:
"I did not..."

"Really? Then I would not have made it in without a Fight, not that your Guards could have stopped me.
That aside, did you forget that I can sense Life Force?
Your little Welcome Committee did not escape my Senses.

"Oh. I forgot about that. Now regardless of that, for what Reason, does Arch Wizard Darkensand, honor me with his Presence?

"Darkensand still suffices. Mister Bones if you wish to reenact our first Meeting."

He still remembers it. That Child came up to him and greeted him with Mister Bones, back then she was the First Person to not only fearlessly greet him, in Spite of being weaker, but also make Fun of him.
And he could see it in her Eyes, her Naming Sense was not meant to be just a Childs Imagination, it was intentional on her Part.
He had not laughed back then since over Thousands of Years ago.
He then departed afterwards, not without countering her words with:

"Darkensand, Arch Wizard Darkensand, Remember that.
If you can, Li-ttle One."

It would take another 5 Years before they were fated to meet once more, this Time in less fortunate Circumstances.
The Dynast was seemingly trying to escape Assassins, but got cornered in a Side Alley, coincidentally Darkensand was close by and understood the Situation fast.
I do pay back my Debts
She did make him Laugh, and he had yet to repay her for that, so there could not have been a better Moment to repay it.

The Assassins were swiftly dealt with and after stepping over the Remains, he directed his Attention towards the Child:

"So what are you Little One doing here?"

His mind wanders back to the Present:

"That means?"

He had to gather his thoughts for a Moment, before he could answer her Question:

"The Assassin that tried to attack you, I am interested in finding his Master Just like you, so I guess our Interests align, so mind helping out an Old Friend and telling him where to start searching? And don't worry, I will even get rid of him for free."

"And why are you so interested in him? You don't do things for free, hell you despise People that act like that. So? We are Old Friends, aren't we? Then tell me Why."

"His Magical Aura. I could feel that he came in Contact with one of my Missing Fragments, and you should remember, how much even a Little One is worth to me.
So the least I can repay you with, is his Demise."

His Soul Fragment, she remembers it very well.

Directly after he had saved her, although she was certain she could have escaped on her own, he, not before calling her Little, grabbed her Arm and insisted that she told him when the last Time was that she had felt as if her Life was sucked out of her, even if it was only a little Bit. Initially she could not remember any such Moment, just before it dawned on her, she met a Mage in the Palace once, giving off a similar Feeling like Mister Bones and while she stood next to him, it felt as if her Life was sucked out of her.
She still remembers, that she initially, extremely confused was, about how he could have possibly known that.

"I do remember the Last Time and to what Lengths you had gone in Order to get it back.
Fine, the Altaran Fighting Pits, that is where you will find Khari, there she is gathering Information on Who ordered the Assassination and Why.
You will like her after all you like new Things and I doubt you have seen anybody like her, got Horns, lines of red embellished within her Skin, Violet Eyes and Hair that is Black and White.
Guess you will have to wear that Mask of yours though. Tell her I sent you, if she does not believe you, then I guess you will have to fight her, Hope you make it out Alive."

"And why do you think, I would not just kill her, if she attacks me? I certainly could find his Master on my own."

"Because you do not like to waste Time, killing her would increase your stay in Altara quite a Bit, therefore having to subdue her would be Time wise the better decision, and it should pose no Problem for the Great Arch Wizard Darkensand to knock her out, now wouldn't it.

...

Altara - Fighting Pit

She was not fully joking, Khari did not only piqued his Interest because of her Appearance, but also because of her Display as a formidable Fighter and Mage, knocking her unconscious without causing a Commotion, in Case she did not comply, could pose a serious Issue.
There was no Time to waste though, he could stand all Day and nothing would Change.

...

At the First possible Moment he took his Chance and Whispered, while walking, to her:
"The Dynast sent me. I will wait close by."
He walked past her and stationed himself somewhere close by, somewhere where his Presence would not be too unusual.
He started waiting for her, hoping that a Fight wouldn't be necessary.

Khari

 

[Khari]

Khari went from confusion, to concern, to anger.

The Daemonette seemed to huff for a moment as she stood in place. Closing her eyes and rubbing at her face for a few seconds. You always have to complicate things, mother.

Few could deny the Dynast of course. She ruled over a city that most would have dubbed large enough to call an Empire. Her whim was law, and the way she moved and danced in political schemes was better than most. Even those more powerful than her often fell to machinations.

Yet she always played things her way.

Even this little project was no excuse from that, now more evident than ever.

With a huff the Daemonette stalked over towards the creature. Violet eyes flickered up and down it's strange form with a frown. Her voice was low as she spoke, loud enough for only the two of them to hear.

"Undercover isn't your strong suit I take it." She said with a gesture towards the creatures garb, eyes lingering on the crown. "Whisky!"

Khari called over to the bar-tender, her boisterous demand echoing loud enough to catch immediate attention from the barman.

 

[Darkensand]

"My apologies, you are correct in the Assumption, that Undercover Work is not something I am incredible suitable for.
Regardless, I would assume, for someone with your Talent in Fighting, it shouldn't be too unusual to have a few odd Friends.
On that note, I am not really here for Information Gathering.
So unless you really require it, I only am here to eliminate the Problem ultimately.

She would certainly be displeased with your permanent Absence though, so I suppose making certain that it doesn't come to that, is also Part of my Job, should be the least I can repay her with.

Aside from that, were you aware, that one of the crowd, has been following you?
Pardon me, I suppose us now.

Ah, and Darkensand."

 

[Khari]

Of course.

Insurance was always something her mother wanted, demanded. After the last few times Khari shouldn't really have been surprised. Lips thinned for a brief moment as she looked up at the Lich, knowing that she couldn't fault the man simply for going about his own task.

"Khari." She said, the word bitten off more than she would have liked. "And yes."

The Daemonette said as she grabbed her drink from the bar. "He works for the man that I am trying to get to. I believe that man will have some of the answers I seek."

He spoke of 'solving' the problem, but the issue was that they didn't even know what the problem was.

Altara was a powerful city in it of itself, not as large as Dornoch, but with enough renown that a war between the two nations would be foolish and costly. It made no sense that anyone here would try to start a war, not unless there was something more behind it all.

That was what Khari was after.

 

[Darkensand]

So he was a contact Person...

Darkensand briefly searched his Belongings for a piece of Paper.

After an embarassing Amount of Time, he finally pulled out a piece of Paper and wrote something onto it.

Darkensand

Why would he write his Name down? As Decoy in So many Ways.

"If it would help, to know your Pursuers Location at any Time, then I would have to ask you, to hand this to him or somehow attach it to him.

After all he may be interested in who this Person with you is and they will need my Name to search informations about me.

If you find that to difficult, you could also try to get some blood from him, preferably fresh.

Now if you wonder what either has to do with tracking him down, you may have failed to feel it."

If she did feel it, she probably was also aware about what he was talking about and if that was the Case, getting Blood would definitely be the only Way to track him.

"If that is the case, then I did not mess it up."

He suddenly Hands Khari the Piece of Paper.

"Now to clear any confusion, the piece of Paper I just handed to you, functions as a tracking Rune, alas sadly there is no tine of how exactly the Rune works, but if you failed to feel it's Presence until now, then i did successfully it's Magic Flow.

As for the Matter with the Blood, it should be obvious what use it would have in tracking him down.

Now if you may excuse me, your only Clue seems eager, to initiate a Conversation with you and it would be quite impolite to stand in your ways.

If you need to contact me, just use a large amount of Magic."

If the Dynast did not praise her to much, this mich help should be enough for the Time Being to help her.

It was now Time that Darkensand started his own little Investigation, whoever was their Target, he certainly would be protected by some Kind of Magic and as tedious as it was, Darkensand would have to wander around and mark Places with unusual magical Energie Signatures.

Khari