Private Tales Bad Stakes

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer

Isak Lavelle

Rising Crime Lord
Banned
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328
Character Biography
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Isak walked through the damp streets of Alliria's Outer City without much care for the hard rain falling that night. People all over the streets were running to find shelter in nearby houses or simply standing next to each other and raising their cloaks, but he wasn't bothered by the fact that his hair and coat were soaking wet, the water slipping through his gloved fingertips.

He lifted his eyes the moment he finally stepped in sight of his destination - the Raven Club, in all its splendor. It had been a few months since the heist he pulled off along with the rest of his crew in the Black Forge Keep, near Elbion. It was a dangerous job, but it brought them all together into a ever growing alliance that would bring them many riches in the future, along with the watchful eyes and the backing of the Briarthorne family. The Father had been kind enough to bless their newly formed enterprise in the criminal underworld, and Isak already had plans to expand their influence in the city, but he'd worry about that some other night.

As he approached the entrance, the guards quickly recognized him and pulled aside, letting Isak inside with respectful nods, bidding him only a good night. To see that place brimming with clients emptying their pockets in beer and dice was always a welcome sight, Isak had put a lot of money to see the Raven Club become one of the most popular locations in the Outer City, and his clientele could attest to that. Of course, the usual brawls over cheating accusations or broken cups of drink still remained the same, but he had a good time seeing that place so lively, after restoring it from its dusted and empty old self.

Still, he had hoped to see a few familiar faces there, but only Ogden came to greet him as soon as he stepped foot inside. "The meeting went well, I take it?"

Isak looked down towards his right hand, holding a red hardback book with a golden sigil in the front. He could see the dwarf's eyes sparkling in a way he hadn't seen in a long time after noticing the book, and he knew exactly why. "Mister Lundenholm was kind enough to offer some of his supply lines of Cortosi wine... at a honest discount." Isak replied followed with a short smile, handing the book over to his associate, who quickly grabbed it and went on to make sure the rain hadn't ruined the scriptures. Isak had only just arrived from a small trip a few days away from Alliria to secure a business deal with a wealthy wine merchant whose name was growing ever popular in the noble circles of the city, but it was no surprise to see Ogden more interested in the wine above anything else.

Old habits die hard, and he knew all about old habits.

"Any word from the others?" Isak asked nonchalantly as he walked past the dwarf, and Ogden soon followed him across the lobby. He would never admit it, but Isak missed having the rest of his crew around. They all went on to take on different jobs or take care of their own business after the heist, and he caught himself missing their banter and bickering. Ogden just shrugged and shook his head in denial, the disappointment clear on his face.

But more than anything, Isak missed seeing a certain golden eyed healer with the most gentle soul he had ever met. She was in his thoughts every day for the past couple weeks, when she told him she had a few personal matters to take care of. Her soothing presence had helped him to not lose his mind over the resurface of his past a few months ago, and he could never thank her enough for that. Isak missed her dearly, and he put Ogden on alert to warn him as soon as she returned, though a small part of him hoped she'd just appear out of nowhere one night, unannounced and with that bright smile of hers.

Isak waved Ogden off once they reached the stairs, the dwarf knew he could use some rest and the calming silence of his office after that tiring trip. The young businessman quickly made his way up the staircase and onto the large corridor in the second floor, opening the door to his room and breathing easier after realizing he could finally get some much needed comfort now. He could already feel and savor the heat coming from the candlelights on his desk and in other places across the large room, but his clothes were still dripping with water.

He needed a long and warm bath, but most importantly, he needed to get rid of those drenched clothes.

Eilerias
 
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Eilerias knelt in front of the altar, newly built in an old chapel she was able to rent with the coin from the heist she took part in a few months ago. It was a relief, having somewhere to pray and heal outside of her home. No more strangers bleeding in her bed was very much a welcome feat.

The church was small, but it was hers. She even gained a small following of the light since its establishment a few months ago. Her dream was coming true- she was becoming a priestess of the light.

Eilerias stood up and wiped the dust off her knees before snuffing out the candles that surrounded the altar as she did before going home everyday. Back to the small, stone house across from the Raven Club.

She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't disappointed everyday, coming home to see the guards outside, but no owner anywhere. To be honest, she had no idea where Isak disappeared to. She visited to ask Ogden where he'd gone at the beginning, but the man was stubborn and overall loyal to his friend.

Gwendolyn, who was like a mother to Eilerias, had retreated to her archives and refused to see anyone....even Eilerias. She felt alone with everyone going about their business. It was like she was back in the orphanage as a child surrounded by the shadows. She tried her best to ignore them by lighting candles or staying in the sun, but eventually everything went dark and she would talk back.

Eilerias put on her cloak and headed out into the rain, taking a moment here and there to shelter in an archway or under a buildings awning. After what felt like forever, the girl could see the lights of the Raven Club. It lit up the whole street these days. She often wondered how it became so prosperous on her walks home, but she didn't question the business ethics of Isak.

Something seemed different. The guards looked more well behaved than usual. Was he back? She wondered as her feet automatically took her in the direction of the club. She didn't show her face as she approached the guards, but rather distributed coins between the two of them. Of course, the guards allowed her inside, where she made a beeline directly to the bar and sat down.

"Water please," She said to the barkeep, peeking from underneath her hood towards the staircase Isak had just gone up.
 
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"Sodding gods, we need more ale!"

Ogden was as dedicated to keeping that place up and running as he was disciplined as a warrior all those years ago. He was once a mercenary, and a damn good one at that, roaming the lands between Amol Kalit all the way to the Allirian Reach, killing everything from monsters to other mercenaries, and he built his reputation as a fierce warrior, until that was taken from him.

A clean cut to his sword arm, in and out, like he always told Isak. The once great dwarven mercenary warrior fell, and his legend became of no use anymore. He found himself wandering alone through the streets of Alliria, losing himself over food and drink to the last of his money, until he met Isak one night. Isak was younger at the time, but he still had that look in his eyes, the look that he always had when planning something risky and mischievous.

That night, they became companions over drink, and that same night they put up a plan to use all of Isak's money from his escape from slavery to buy shares of the old club. A month later, Isak had successfully acquired all the major shares along with Ogden, and they were soon rid of the previous owner. The Raven Club was reborn then, renovated from a crumbling pile of ashes, dirt and cobwebs into a real spectacle that now attracted people from all over the city, from drunkards to gamblers and even noblemen in need of stronger drinks.

The dwarven mercenary warrior had become a bartender, and a damn good one at that.

"Go and grab some sodding ale from the storage, human!" Ogden grabbed the young barkeep by his arm, forcefully leading him all the way from the bar to the back. The young human was still new to the job, having only worked the early night shift, but Ogden didn't care for that. "Pricks have some sort of hearing problem, I swear!"

He froze in his place as soon as he saw a very familiar face, bits of her white hair falling under the hood that she kept up. The dwarf opened a huge smile on his way to the bar counter, a cup filled with water already on his hand. He had missed seeing her around, as well as the others. Every associate of Isak was a dear friend to him, and especially that woman. Ogden already knew how much Isak cared for her.

"Lady priestess! You arrived in a sodding good hour, you know?" He put the water filled glass on the counter and pushed it slightly towards Eilerias before pointing with his head towards the stairs. He knew she would pick up on that cue instantly, as he caught her glancing towards the second floor a few times. Isak would be relieved to see her again.

"Boss just got back from his trip, got us a new supply of the best wine around! Praise be to whatever god you worship lady, that man knows his way around money!"

----------

In his room, Isak slowly undressed of his long white shirt. He had a thing for wearing a very similar set of clothing, from long sleeved white shirts to his elegant dark coats, as well as the black gloves made of the finest fabric in the region. He liked to spend his money on such trivial things like clothing, paintings and drinks, at least to make himself feel alive and occupied with matters beyond planning for heists and other criminal activities.

He had prepared his long bathtub with warm water, already anxious to feel his skin relax under it and let his mind wander off to a calmer place. He never slept well on the road, especially when he had to take care of important business, like on his latest trip. At least the restless nights bore him some good fruits, and he could already see the Raven Club growing even more with the new wine, ahead of his competition in the city.

An ambitious man never really sleeps. A wise man once told him that, and he enjoyed reminding himself of that ever since.

A small smirk formed on his lips after remembering that, finally throwing aside the shirt to reveal his toned and scarred back. It was hurting more than usual, as was the rest of his body after travelling on foot for a whole day so he could reach Alliria a day earlier.

Isak walked to the nearby basin filled with water, a mirror hanging on the wall above it. He spent a few minutes just looking at his reflection there, wondering if he could really get a good night of sleep after all this time. He wondered if he could sleep at all, without his nightmares haunting him yet another night.

He was feeling something else in the air, although he couldn't exactly tell what. Only that it started to make him feel more at ease.
 
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Eilerias sat patiently, paying no mind to the brawling patrons or the unlucky fools who were gambling away their entire salaries. It brought her back to the night that she became fully involved in the world of criminals. Memories of the attack that happened in her house flooded her memory and she shut her eyes tight, trying to push it back out of her mind.

Fortunately, the booming voice of a familiar dwarf broke her concentration. "He's really back?" She asked, a large smile creeping across her face. Ogden nodded and told her about the new wine deal. Eilerias still hadn't touched ale or wine or really anything other than water, but she cheered and gave a small toast with her glass. Maybe one day she would try it, but now she had more important business to attend to.

She picked up on his cue that Isak was upstairs, no doubt drying off from the rain. Her cloak was soaked, yet still she hadn't touched it since entering despite the protests of a young human employee asking if he could take it to hang up and dry so she wouldn't mess the place up. "That's wonderful news Ogden." She smiled, walking around to the back of the bar to give the dwarf a big hug. She noticed he flinched a bit, but gave in to her overwhelming affection. Perhaps he was still afraid of her 'freaky light stuff' she once threatened him with.

She slid the cup along the counter, and turned on her heels, quietly making her way up the staircase. She traced her fingers along the details of the wall paper and picture frames, once again bringing herself back to the memories of that night. As she walked, her eyes picked up on a faint ashen footprint on the edge of the rug that ran down the hallway. It was her foot print.

Eilerias approached Isak's room and placed her ear to the door. It was quiet, but she could sense him in there. She cracked the door open and slid in. She had become quite adept with being sneaky and silent in her movement in recent months, courtesy of the shadows she had been talking to in her lonely nights.

Her face was still obscured by the darkness of her wet cloak as she approached him from behind, but if Isak truly knew her, the warm vanilla and cinnamon scent of her skin would give away that it was Eilerias beneath the cloak. "So you have decided to come back after all."
 
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Isak could feel a presence looming around soon after he heard the door to his room being slightly opened, but it was far from the dangerous sensation he was expecting to feel. He knew he had enemies who could eventually threaten his life at his own place, but that presence now was calming, a soothing feeling that made him open a wide smile like he hadn't done in weeks. A presence that smelled of vanilla and cinnamon that he would recognize anywhere, because Isak had grown used to feeling it close to him and he could never forget it now.

He heard her soft voice then, raising his head to look at the mirror and glance upon the reflection behind him. It was really her. After all this time he could see Eilerias again, and Isak thought his heart would burst out of his chest at any given moment, but he did his best to sound as calm and confident as he usually was. Even though he knew Eilerias could see right through him, like only she could.

"I could never leave this city... or you." Isak said, his voice rougher after all the time he spent on the road, under heavy rains. He threw some water on his face and passed his fingers through his already messy and soaked hair, trying not to make it uglier than he already felt it was.

Taking a deep breath and some precious seconds to collect his thoughts and not jump straight into her arms in fear he'd end up scaring her away, Isak slowly turned around to face her. Even with her drenched cloak and the hood up her head, he could still catch a few glimpses of her beautiful face, the one he kept dreaming about whenever he managed to get more than a few minutes of sleep in his travel.

He couldn't hide his cheeky sideways smile, looking like a boy who hadn't seen the worst of life. He usually felt that way when he was with Eilerias, whenever they spent some time together, far away from her shadows or his own troubled thoughts. When they could be just two people who found some measure of peace and comfort in each other.

He was only in his trousers, with water still dripping down his torso but Isak dared to take a couple steps forward until he was dangerously close to Eilerias, her head barely reaching his chest due to how tall he was in comparison to her. His calloused hands carefully put down her hood so he could get a better look of those eyes that he loved looking at. Isak rested his right hand on her cheek, softly caressing her with his thumb.

"You're really here..." He didn't mean to say it out loud, but Isak ended up whispering those words in close to her, loud enough that she could definitely hear them. But in that moment, he only cared that they were finally together after all that time away from each other.

Isak slowly leaned in, his forehead touching with hers as he closed his eyes and drew in a long breath, taking the time to feel her soft and warm skin again. He tried mustering up enough courage to ask her a bold question, but one that he couldn't simply let slip by.

"Join me in this bath?"
 
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"You should really tell someone before you disappear for months." Eilerias responded in a tone that was not great for hiding that she was hurt. Isak's voice was different. Not bad, but different.

She studied him as he turned towards her, noting that he needed a haircut. Her own thoughts made her chuckle aloud as he pulled down her hood, revealing her long white hair in soft curls. She reached her hand up to his face instinctively as he leaned down, tracing his strong cheekbones.

She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from tearing up in this moment. She was a mixture of angry and relieved. She had missed him for months and assumed he was not coming back. No one had told her anything when she asked for information. It was heartbreaking. They had just kissed for the first time and then he disappeared from Alliria.

"I never left." She said before he pressed his forehead to hers. Her first response was to try to soothe him with her touch. He was always so...focused...on business and money. She hadn't seen him in this light before. He didn't need her magic.

She stayed there for some time before his question came out. She felt her skin go hot as she blushed. She pulled away, trying to not make it super obvious that it shocked her. She debated in her head whether or not she should do it. Would her god be mad? He had already seen her at least half naked, but she wasn't fully there. What if Ogden walked in? He would have a heart attack and she would have to heal him naked. That would be mortifying.

"Fine," She responded nervously. "But you can't look!" She laughed awkwardly as she untied her cloak and dropped it to the floor, revealing her typical white robes she worshipped in. She tied her long hair up so it wouldn't get wet. She looked away as he got in the bath, and waited for him to promise he wasn't going to look at her. She slowly untied all the laces on her robes and let them fall to her feet before she got in the hot water, facing away from Isak. From behind her, he could probably see her dark purple birth mark on the back of her shoulder. It looked like a bruise, but the oblong shape had been there at least since she had been able to see herself in a mirror.
 
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He could feel his heart sinking only slightly inside his chest with her words, but Eilerias was right. Isak had left, simply disappeared one day without warning, leaving behind a note to Ogden that he had to escape his own thoughts for a time. While leaving the city, he caught word of the wine merchant a few weeks of travel from Alliria and saw it as a opportunity to fill his head with thoughts other than that burning sensation that Isak felt could melt him whole every time he thought about Eilerias.

For the first few days, he could still clearly feel the taste of her lips on his, as if he had never stopped kissing her. It made his skin crawl and burn with a pleasure that was foreign to him, and Isak soon felt his whole body aching for more. His mind was a strong haze for that whole week, unable to even focus properly on his business with Mister Lundenholm and his Cortosi wine without thinking of Eilerias.

But even though those feelings terrified him, Isak also felt a new kind of peace and happiness coursing through his entire being. It was her light that pushed away some of his nightmares, and soon after he could no longer hear the haunting voice of his old master, scratching him at the back of his mind, telling him of the miserable life he'd lead to the rest of his days. Isak knew that he would eventually prove that man wrong.

Eilerias saved him, in more ways than he could imagine. But he ended up hurting her, and Isak couldn't even begin to think of how hard it was to Eilerias after he left without warning. Ever since he started his journey back to Alliria after securing that wine deal, he thought of ways to make it up to her. He at least owed her an effort to pull himself into some semblance of a man that she deserved, not that broken monster that Isak had always been.

It was a slow progress, but Isak felt better by the day.

He took a fair bit of pleasure in seeing her blush, trying to hold back his rasp laugh as she turned back to remove the rest of her clothes, with Isak quickly doing the same for his trousers and getting into the hot bathtub, turning his head away and closing his eyes. It was a torture not to take a peek, even though he had seen her half naked before, but he had made a silent promise not to look as she undressed, and he'd start making good on his promises to really be deserving of her.

Isak could still feel her touch on his cheek, as soft and soothing as it always been. He knew she always used her magic to try and take some of his pain away, like she did with so many others. He could feel that sometimes it exhausted her, as if she was taking all that pain to herself, and all he wanted now was to do the same for her.

He was a stupid young man, too lost on his feelings to think clearly, but he enjoyed that sensation. Better that than the nightmares of his past life. He wasn't in a gilded cage anymore, he was with Eilerias now. Alive and well, free to live his life like he always dreamed to.

A crime boss and a priestess, quite the unusual duo.

Isak looked at her bare back after she got in the tub, sitting closely in front of him, the warm water touching bits of her hair that escaped the bun she made to not let it all fall down. He was mesmerized again, admiring her pale skin, with barely more color than his, as well as the tiny birth mark on the back of her shoulder.

Suddenly, his voice low and unsteady sounded off to fill the sultry air. "I'm... sorry."

He was sorry. For the first time in his life, he had truly apologized to someone, and he had never been this sincere before. It was the hardest thing he had done, even harder than the lies and the murders. He shouldn't have left her, especially without saying something before. But now that he was back, Isak didn't want to let go of her again.

His fingers slowly traced her back aimlessly, taking in all the details and the different sensations it gave him. He could feel his body getting hotter, and now it was Isak's turn to blush. He was glad that she was not facing him now to see him like that. His reputation as a dangerous crime boss would surely take a hit if that happened.

That thought made him chuckle slightly, but loud enough that Eilerias could hear too. He took a bit of water in his hands, gently washing the side of her neck, relieved to see that her bruises weren't there anymore. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her like that ever again.

It was one of the many vows he wanted to make to her. "I won't leave again. You have my word, priestess."

He remembered saying those words a long time ago, when Gwendolyn found Eilerias after she left the church and brought her to the Raven Club. The night when Isak promised that she would be safe with them, with him.
 
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Isak's touch sent a shiver down her spine as he traced her back. She shut her eyes and leaned her head back. It was strange. She never thought she'd be doing something so...lewd. She took vows to be as pure as the light, but it seemed like none of that really mattered in the moment.

She stayed still for a while as the candlelit room seemed to dim around the pair, but the water didn't get any less hot as the time went on. It was comforting to have someone so focused on her for once. It wasn't bothersome to serve others as she did, but it was rare for anyone to make her feel good.

Maybe it was a temporary lapse of judgement, but Eilerias turned her head at the sound of his laughter. Her body followed as she faced the young man. "I know you won't." She said, her voice confident for once as she smiled. "I won't let you." She didn't give him time to respond before she had her face to his. Her lips pressed up against his.

Her eyes, like the lights, faded from golden to a deep purple-black and she shut them only to be greeted by the black and white image of herself and Isak in the bath.

How...?

HELLO?

ISAK?

She wanted to speak but nothing came out. She looked left and right to be greeted by nothing but the shadows in the room. Was she watching them from the shadows? She could feel everything as she watched her body move as though she had done this before. How did she do this so naturally when she vowed she would never do it at all?

Her vision regained color as she opened her eyes and could see Isak's face and her body on top of his. Her face probably showed her confusion, but she said nothing as the two carried on.
 
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Isak managed to let out a short smile before Eilerias advanced upon him, her lips hastily pressed to his. His body relaxed upon her wet touch, even though he was slightly staggered at first, his hands carefully cupping her face as he kissed her back.

It felt like they were both melting in that moment, and Isak let himself truly enjoy that feeling, closing his eyes as their lips and tongues moved to a tune of their own. That was when he felt a strange sensation on his gut, something that seemed to shake his entire body and crawl to the back of his neck. Isak tried to open his eyes, but it felt like his body wasn't responding to his commands anymore.

He heard a voice, coming from deep inside him. It was deep and violent, almost like a howling beast, clawing against the edges of his soul. Isak knew that beast all too well, the source of his magic, and could feel his devilish eyes staring right at him. For Isak however, it was like looking straight at an abyss, a place void of any light or warmth other than the burst of flames coming from the demon.

The demon spoke something to him, but Isak couldn't make any sense of his strange words. He knew the beast always spoke in unknown languages, but it never tried to fight against Isak's control before and just preferred to slumber away in darkness. That time, the demon seemed to be wary of whatever had happened the moment Eilerias put her body over his, her kisses becoming more and more intense.

It didn't feel like her, it didn't feel like the shy girl that just moments ago made Isak promise that he wouldn't look while she undressed.

After a few seconds, Isak managed to regain control of his body and open his eyes, breaking their kiss and looking straight at Eilerias' eyes. They were slowly regaining their natural color, light gold taking over the bits of purple dark that were slowly fading away. Judging by her confused expression, Isak realized she didn't seem to know what had just happened as much as him.

"Eile, are you alright?" His first thoughts were to make sure she was well, without realizing he had called her by a shortened name, a more intimate display of affection. Her breathing was uneven and she almost looked startled and afraid. He looked behind her to see one of the candlelights slowly burning bright again, as if they were blown out just moments ago. The whole room started to feel warmer again.

The shadows, it had to be. He remembered all those months ago, back at the ship when they were sailing towards their mission in Black Forge Keep, Eilerias shared a bit about what troubled her mind, telling him of the shadows that talked to her when she was alone.

Isak knew she was afraid of those shadows, of the corruption they could bring to her faith, always lit up in her god's light.

"Was it the shadows? Did they talk to you? Did I..."

Was it his fault? Had his own darkness almost corrupted her to a point she could not face her god again?

That possibility hurt Isak more than any injury he had suffered before. But with his silence, only the pained look in his eyes could give away those painful thoughts. He slowly looked away from Eilerias, terrified that he might've hurt her again.
 
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As her eyes faded back to their usual golden glow, she was perplexed. Her first instinct was to look in the direction she was observing them from. There was nothing there. Nothing but darkness in the corner of Isak's room.

She looked back at Isak's face, showing concern. "Y-yeah." She stammered. She didnt move from her position on top of Isak as she noticed the lights grow brighter. "I'm alright. That was strange."

She knew she was terrible at hiding her emotions and he could definitely make out the confusion and fear in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Isak's neck and leaned in with her face against his chest. He seemed more toned than the last time she was in this room. Did she change as much as he did over the past few months?

She began to feel pain as Isak questioned her about the shadows. Immediately, she tried to soothe him. "They were not talking." She said, leaning back and staring into the corner of the room. "I don't really know what just happened. It was like we swapped places...except I could feel everything. I was just watching from over there." She pointed to the corner.

She stared at the corner for a few more seconds before sighing and laying back on his chest. "Its not your fault." She whispered, holding him tight. "It's just the room. It's too dark."

She didn't know if she was telling him the truth. She knew he had a lot of darkness in him, but she couldn't tell if it was him amplifying her own darkness. She took a few deep breaths to calm down before breaking the silence. "So this wine deal...what did you have to do to score something so luxurious?"
 
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Isak felt like the weight of the world left his shoulders once he saw that Eilerias was back in her self, even though she looked back at him with concern on her face. At least he could feel she was really there, and not slipping away like he felt moments ago.

He let out a heavy sigh before taking her in his arms. She could probably hear how fast his heart was beating, how scared he was that something had happened to her. Isak thought of her old bruises again, and how powerless he felt every time he looked at them and realized he hadn't been fast enough to protect her.

He wouldn't let those shadows take Eilerias away, even though he knew their allure was sometimes too great to resist. Isak himself had experienced that, as he used his own bit of darkness to his power. It was a dangerous bargain, and a choice that had been taken off his hands when he was forced through his master's old rituals.

Isak felt relieved to hear her voice, his fingers still slowly tracing her back as she leaned against him, her head resting on his toned chest. He closed his eyes again, enjoying that tender moment for a while longer before she explained what she had felt moments before, and talked of the darkness in his room. He wasn't really sure what to say, he just wanted to make her feel better now.

"Well, perhaps I should make some changes to the room. Would you also like a bigger bed?" He asked with a cheeky smile as Eilerias raised her head to look at him again. Carefully, he put a few strains of her hair behind her ear and bit his lip. She was so beautiful.

Isak felt like he could disappear into her eyes at any given moment whenever she looked at him like that. She was holding him tight, seeking to comfort him after feeling some of his pain. She was always trying to heal him, even though it took a toll on her as well. He remembered his master's lessons about kindness, and wondered what he had done to deserve Eilerias' kindness, even as crooked and wicked as he was.

Isak smiled again after she asked him of the wine deal. He loved when they could have some easy conversations like that, far from the schemings and the roughness of their criminal lives. "It wasn't that hard, really."

He paused for a moment, his eyes wandering to one of the paintings across the room, hanging on the far wall above his bed. It was a oiled painting of a vineyard that he got a few years ago, one of his best pieces.

"We talked and haggled for a few days, then Mister Lundenholm offered to show me his vineyard and his wine cellars, they were enormous." He always spoke of his more legal business with great joy. Even though the act of businessman was just a facade to his true profession as a crime boss, he enjoyed conducting deals and negotiations that didn't involve threatening and murder.

"I told him about the growing interest in his wine from some unpleasant Allirian merchants, and of a few mercenary companies that could seek to harm his business. I lied, of course."

He chuckled a bit. Isak would never let an opportunity to gain leverage for his acquisitions slip easily by his fingers. And it had been easy to convince Lundenholm to sell him a small share of his business for protection. Isak wasn't really lying in the end, no doubt one day soon the corrupt merchant kings of Alliria could turn their eyes towards that fast growing vineyard and seek to control it through their own violent means.

Lundenholm had a wife and a small daughter, and he made a promise to the little girl that they would be safe from 'the bad guys'. He intended to keep that promise.

"And how goes your church? Is everything well?" Isak slowly traced a few circles on her cheek with his thumb. He knew she used some of her reward from their last heist to set up a church, a small place of worship, peace and healing for herself and for others. They spoke about it a few times, before he left. He was glad to see her following her dreams of becoming a priestess, even though he still loved to rile her with jokes about her god of light.

He also put a few mercenaries to discreetly guard the church from a safe distance, without her knowing. She'd probably resent him for placing armed men near a sacred place but he could never take any chances. Not when she was involved.

He just couldn't bear to see her hurt again.
 
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"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She repeated as he took her into his arms. She felt terrible for the pain she caused him. She knew he still hadn't forgiven himself for a mistake that was never meant for her. "It is not your fault. Please don't blame yourself any longer." She begged.

She let him trace her back, using the time to slow his heart rate and calm him down. She couldn't stop herself from chuckling at his comments. "I would like that." She stared at her own reflection in his dark eyes for a few moments. She hadn't changed like he had. He looked stronger than when he'd left and she just looked soft.

She smiled and turned back around as he began to talk of the wine deal. "Mister Lundenholm" she said with a posh accent, mocking the rich man. Of course Isak lied about the threats to the man's business. She didn't like that he had to be so devious with his plans, but part of her was impressed that he never got caught in his lies. She worried, of course, that it would come back to bite him at some point and people would find out there was no real Mr. Lavelle, but she would be there to help him.

His mentioning of her church made her turn her head so she could see him with the corner of her eye as he touched her cheek. "It's going well. There are not many people willing to turn to the light here," she admitted. This place wasn't exactly known to be anything but grim and threatening, "but I have a few people who seemed eager to be guided." She smiled. "Of course, Gwendolyn still sends people my way. I owe it to her to heal her colleagues. Even if she refuses to see me right now." She turned back towards the wall. "I don't know why she's been so distant, but I think she would probably kill me if I pried to much into her personal affairs."

By now the water was getting cooler and Eilerias shivered a bit. Without saying anything, she slid from the water and dried herself with one of the towels left, no doubt by Ogden. She made her way to the bed and laid down on top of it. It was still the same soft bed with exotic fur blankets she saw months ago. It looked untouched. "So why did you actually come back?" She asked. It was sort of sudden, but she felt like he had some more motives beyond introducing a new wine to his club.
 
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Isak could hear Eilerias saying she was sorry as she leaned to his chest, begging him not to feel guilty about what happened to her. She always left him stunned with her kindness, thinking that the world couldn't possibly deserve someone like her. Like he could never deserve someone like her. But even so, he wouldn't give up on trying to be more of a man to her, to show her that he can be more than a crime boss whose only motive is money.

He couldn't help but laugh a bit after she started mocking his accent, a poor attempt at imitating how he talked but one that he enjoyed listening to. Isak worked a lot on how to present himself as a well educated and eloquent young man, at least to grab the attention of his 'peers' and earn their respect. It was a strategy he learned during his training, to play his cards close to his chest and let people see only what he wanted them to see.

To the merchants and nobles of Alliria, Isak was just another prodigal young businessman, likely raised by a wealthy father and taking forth his business after his retirement. That's what he wanted them to see.

But now, only Eilerias knew about him as a whole. He told her everything - his past, his hardships and traumas, and how he turned them into his strength. She was the only person he could truly trust with anything, especially his fears and worries. The only person he knew who would never betray him.

Isak paid close attention as she told him of her church, admiring her will to always help people no matter where they come from. No doubt Alliria wasn't a city of believers, but it felt good knowing that there were people willing to change things. Isak had his own way of bringing forth that change, but he loved to see Eilerias trying her way of changing people, through patience and kindness.

He only hoped life wouldn't try to taint her pure essence, Isak knew that the world could use more people like her. "This world really doesn't deserve you, priestess."

After Eilerias talked about Gwendolyn, Isak himself began wondering what that woman would be up to. For all he knew, she had locked herself in her archives after the heist and never sent word again. No doubt she discovered something important during the journey, and was now solely focused on that. Gwendolyn valued knowledge above all things, and Isak respected her for that.

He tried his hardest not to but Isak took longer than he should have when looking at Eilerias slowly get out of the tub, covering herself in one of the white towels nearby. Isak pushed down whatever lewd thoughts were forming on his mind and waited for her to turn around and sit on his bed while he got up and grabbed the other towel to cover himself.

He made a short pause to think upon her question, the water dripping down his body and wetting the wooden floor. Isak wondered how to say that she never left his mind when he was away, and how he wanted to come back and embrace those feelings that filled his chest whenever he thought about her, but he was afraid that he could end up scaring her off. He then remembered there was also another reason for his early return.

Isak made his way to the chair where he had thrown his coat over, swiftly reaching for one of the pockets and grabbing a small letter. He made his way towards the bed and sat next to Eilerias, looking at her for a moment without saying anything.

Something important had come up, but this time he didn't want to leave her. He knew he was being stupid and selfish about even thinking of asking her to accompany him, but Isak had decided to never push her away again.

"Khet sent this. I need to go to the Shallows again, tomorrow." He showed her the letter. The rains had ruined much of the scripture, leaving the writing messy and near unrecognizable save only for a few words here and there.

'Help. Favour. Shallows. Dangerous.'

"Will you come with me?"
 
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Eilerias stuck a finger in the air, tracing out the ornate details in the ceiling. She ignored him as she looked over the room, lost in her own thoughts as she took it all in. The soft furs hugged her body as she lay there.

"You don't have to call me priestess, you know." She rolled her eyes.

She wondered how many woman had been in this very bed with Isak and it upset her. Certainly he found comfort in woman prior to their meeting or on his long trips to foreign lands. She grabbed one of the down pillows and hugged it to her body. Though she was no longer treating grievous wounds in her own bed, it still was uncomfortable to sleep in her own bed and she favored her floor with some blankets.

A certain name came up for the first time in a very long time. Khet. The man who left Isak dying in the streets. His name made her blood boil, though she knew he was not an enemy. She sat up, still hugging the pillow to her chest.

"What could he possibly want?" She hissed. "Does he have more plans to siphon off your power and leave you bleeding to death again?" Her brow was furrowed as he showed her the letter. "Are you sure that's what it says? It's hardly legible."

She was reluctant, but agreed. She refused to let him do that again. Dying alone in the pathways of the Shallows. "I'll go." She huffed, "But if he tries anything, I'm not sure I can hold back the shadows." She admitted. "Unlike me, they are not known to be very kind."
 
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Isak took his time admiring Eilerias from afar, watching how she cuddled to the big and soft furs on his bed, paying attention to her every movement. He let out a short chuckle in response to her words, shaking his head a bit while covering his waist with the towel.

Isak really loved to rile her, it was one of the rare moments where he allowed himself to just play around and take in her reactions as if they were the most precious things he had ever seen. He realized that she blushed a few times when he tried to joke around, probably a sign that she enjoyed seeing him like that, but he could never know for certain.

It was so unusual for Isak not be able to read someone, regardless of the situation. He was a master of extracting the tiniest bits of information from anyone with as much as a glance, but he couldn't figure out what to think of her reactions whenever Isak tried to tease Eilerias.

After another look though, Isak wondered if she was upset about something else as she traced a few circles on his bed with her finger. She was so focused on the linen sheets, before she grabbed one of the pillows and pressed it tightly to her. All Isak wanted to do now was just jump on that bed and be close to her, but he needed to search for the letter.

He also didn't miss the bothered look on her face after he spoke of Khet. She probably hadn't forgiven the man for attacking Isak a few months ago, leaving him to bleed out in the dangerous pathways of the Shallows. Isak wouldn't hold that against her, that whole deal caught him by surprise, but he owed his freedom to Khet.

When that man needed a favor, Isak would answer it unequivocally. And judging by the fact that he had written a letter to Isak, calling for his help all the way from the Shallows, made something inside him tickle with great curiosity.

"The rain erased much of the letter, but I can't just ignore it. He won't try anything stupid Eile, I'm sure of it." There it was again, calling her by a shortened name. No doubt she would find it strange, but the words just rolled out of Isak's tongue by now, whenever he was close to her.

Sitting next to her at the bed made him strangely nervous, his body feeling hotter than normal. Even hiding behind the pillow, Isak could see by the corner of his eye that she was still covered with only a towel, and he tried his best not to think of anything stupid.

At least the bath had been successful in easing some of his pain, and having Eilerias there also made him forget how tired he really was after walking for a whole day, nonstop. He let himself fall backwards close to her, resting his head on one of the other pillows that he had at the bed and sighing in relief.

"I could get Ogden to bring us some food and drinks, and perhaps more candles to light up the place, or we could just stay here and..." Isak tried not to meet her gaze, and it was almost impossible to hide the fact that he was blushing now, thinking of Eilerias just laying there, on his bed, by his side.

He had never been with a woman before, not even desired to. He took greater pleasure in striking deals or beating his enemies to bloody pulps, but Isak had never thought much about what would it be like to lay beside a woman. He knew it was a very intimate moment, but he always thought he'd never trust someone else enough with such intimacy.

Isak looked at her again, and his light brown eyes were shining bright like the moon outside. He trusted Eilerias, and she was special to him. He would die to know what she was thinking at that moment, to know if she trusted him too. He wanted to know if she trusted him enough to keep her shadows away, to embrace her in a way that they could never reach her again.
 
Eilerias smiled at the nickname he had given her. It was new, but she liked it. It made her feel close to Isak. "I am serious. If he tries anything I will kill him." She locked eyes with Isak and smiled devilishly.

She worried Khet would attack her for her magic. She had no doubts he could sense the darkness in her and the power of her divine magic. She knew Isak would not let him hurt her, but she wanted to cause Khet pain for what he did to Isak. She forgave almost everyone, finding the good in them, but Khet was a stranger and she knew almost nothing of him.

She felt her skin go hot, matching his as she blushed. "I think there's something we should do before our potential murders by a magic hungry man." She grabbed his arms and yanked them, causing him to lose his balance and land on top of her. She bit her lip and stared deep into his eyes.

"I want to do this." A heavy breath escaped her lips as she pulled her towel off. She was nervous and felt a little guilty breaking one of her vows, but she wanted Isak in that moment in a way that was unfamiliar to the both of them. She began to kiss him as she pulled his towel and let it drop to the floor.

She prayed Ogden wouldn't come in to the the Priestess and Crime Boss in this compromising position. He would be disappointed in the both of them. Mixing business and relationships, but she couldn't help it. She needed him.
 
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Much to his surprise, Eilerias had grabbed his arms and pulled Isak closer, his towel almost falling off when he regained some sort of balance while towering over her, his arms on both her sides. He almost felt like he forgot to breathe once he saw the look on her face, the desire in her eyes. She was blushing just like him, but now Isak didn't care that she was seeing him like that.

It felt different. It was different from moments ago when they were in the bath, or when they kissed and stood close to each other. His whole body was on edge now, and Isak had to fight back the urge to devour her lips when she bit them before leaning upwards to kiss him. Without second thoughts, Isak kissed her back like he was faminished.

He watched Eilerias take off her towel and throw it to the floor, and suddenly he felt like his body was moving on its own, his ravenous kisses going down to her neck, taking a few surprised gasps from her. It took all his strength to stop for a moment and look back at her again, just standing over her while trying to even out his breathing.

The whole room felt so hot, as if the candles were burning stronger and brighter, but Isak just stood there and allowed himself to get lost in her golden eyes. He wanted to make sure, he wanted to be certain that he wasn't just invading her and forcing his desire upon her. "Are you sure? I've never..." He asked her tenderly, his voice breaking down into barely a whisper while he admired the beautiful lines of her face, carefully tracing them with his finger.

Once she nodded in agreement and took off his towel for him, Isak knew that Eilerias really wanted that. They both did, and it felt so special that he wished he could stay there for the rest of his life, just melting over each other while their bodies joined one another in a hot and intimate dance. Even though he felt like lust was driving him, Isak could feel his heart beating and bursting with a happiness that he had never known before, every time that they whispered each other's names, their voices heavy with pleasure.

It had been like that for the whole night, and it had been perfect.

In the morning, Isak woke up first. He was used to sleeping only a short time. He could feel Eilerias' soft touch as she slept peacefully beside him, her hand resting on his toned chest while he carefully played with a few loose strains of her white hair. This time, he didn't feel like leaving. He wanted to stay there, next to her, watching over her sleep like a guardian angel, like her own personal angel. He almost laughed at the irony of it once he imagined that her god could've put Isak, of all people, on her life to do that.

Perhaps he was wrong about the gods after all.

He was far from a angel, but Isak owed her his best imitation of one, at least. He knew they had to meet Khet in the Shallows, and even though Isak was cynical over his beliefs in gods, he prayed that they could grant him a few more precious minutes to lay there with Eilerias, far from the world's troubles.
 
Eilerias slept way longer than Isak and she snored softly as she held onto his chest. For once, she didn't hear the shadows calling to her all night. Maybe it was the fact that she was distracted, or because she had done something they were whispering for her to do since the last time she had been in Isak's room.

The sunlight began breaking through the dark curtains in Isak's room and she began to wake up. She opened her eyes slowly, yawning as she took in her surroundings. "So it wasn't a dream" She said out loud, accidentally. She sat up, pulling some of the blankets to her chest to hide her body. "Sorry." She laughed. "I didn't mean that in a bad way."

She looked at him and smiled. He looked peaceful for once. For once he didn't look like he was scheming or calculating something that would better his business. She looked around the room. She had never seen it during the day. It was beautiful and everything was so ornate and unique. The letter from Khet caught her eye and she turned to face Isak. "Khet. Shallows. We have to go."

She stood up and began putting on the robes she wore last night. "I need to run home and change." Her voice was a little frantic, but also excited. She was going to face someone that caused harm to her closest companion. A mysterious man with a terrible past. "I think I'll just try to sneak past Ogden. Do you think he'd be up this early?" She asked as she did the final touches on her robes. She knew Ogden and Isak had quite the past and she feared his disappointment as though he were a father figure to her.

"I'll meet you back here shortly and we can leave, okay?" She said before slipping on her shoes and making her way down the creaky staircase. She could hear the dwarf downstairs and contemplated trying to figure out the way through the secret entrance rather than alerting the man that his boss and the priestess had just broken one of her vows. A vow she had preached about to anyone and everyone that would listen.
 
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Isak watched her in awe as Eilerias left the bed and started putting on her clothes. Throughout the whole time, he had a smile reaching from ear to ear, and didn't even realize that until she turned to face him. He was still processing what had happened last night, all the good sensations that he felt whenever they touched and kissed each other. No doubt, it had been the best night of his life, and funnily enough, it involved someone else, not money or vengeance.

Just the two of them.

Isak was taken from his thoughts after hearing Eilerias talk of the Shallows, reminding him that he still had someone to visit. Ever since he got that letter, Isak wondered what could be so important to make Khet write to him, and even be able to track down his location to send it. He had said to nobody where he would go once he left Alliria a couple months ago, but somehow Khet knew. Isak wasn't really surprised, just intrigued. Khet had never written anything to him before, so something must've happened, and Isak suspected that it was something bad.

He started to slowly get up as well, sitting on the edge of the bed as Eilerias finished dressing up, covering himself with one of the sheets. He let out a short laugh once she spoke of Ogden, probably worried about what the old dwarf would think upon seeing his boss laying in bed with a priestess. Isak figured out that it was about her vows, and he understood their importance and what they meant to Eilerias and her faith, but he'd never let any sort of gossip ruin her reputation.

Reputation was something he knew about all too well, and Isak also knew how to control it around that city. He wouldn't have been successful as he was without that knowledge.

"He's probably sleeping over one of the crates at the ale storage, drunk beyond his conscience. You don't need to worry about anything, I promise." He said, getting out of the bed and walking towards her, quickly closing their distance. Isak tried his best to calm her down and to ease some of her worries. They were standing so close to each other again, and suddenly he had a urge to reach down and kiss her, as if his lips were already missing the feeling of touching hers.

Before she left, Isak took her hand and looked at her passionately, his own worry now starting to show. He remembered the last time she went home alone, but now he had doubled the guards outside the Raven Club and had some of them always watching her house for any strange movement. It was also early in the morning, which gave him some small measure of comfort that it wouldn't be easy for any man with ill intent to attack someone in the middle of the day, even in a city like Alliria.

Still, his thumb slowly circled over her hand as if he was trying to ease his own worries, and he spoke tenderly, almost begging her. "Be careful. I'll be waiting for you in the lobby." He finally leaned in and touched her lips softly, a quick kiss to bid her farewell for the time being. He watched her blush with a smirk on his face before Eilerias cautiously opened the door, inspecting the corridor to see if there were any people left who could see her leaving. But in that time of day, there was no one at the club but them, and Ogden of course, snoring out loud with a bottle of beer on his hand and his small body on top of the bar counter.

Isak quickly went through his morning routine, washing his face and his hair who had grown a bit too large for his own liking. He took out one of his long sleeved shirts from the large wardrobe across the room and swiftly put it on, followed by his usual dark coat, knitted with fine grey leather lines. It was a expensive piece, but very comfortable.

He put on his black gloves before going downstairs to wake up Ogden, taking the bottle out of his hand before emptying a glass of cold water on his long bearded face. "Good to see you hard at work so early, my dear dwarven partner."

Ogden screamed in shock and anger, almost jumping straight at Isak's neck before realizing he was about to assault his own boss. Isak didn't even flinch, just kept watching him with a serious look on his face. Looking at his silvermade pocket watch, Isak realized that the Cortosi wine supply would arrive at the club soon, but it would be at the same time when he and Eilerias would be off to the Shallows to meet Khet.

Isak only hoped that Ogden would be sober enough to sign the delivery papers in his place.
 
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Eilerias managed to successfully sneak past a snoring Ogden. She tried to keep the giggles from escaping as she opened the front door and left, skipping across the street to her front door. She took a minute to admire the early morning sunshine-something she felt like she hadn't seen in months.

She took a deep breath, cherishing the moments that the warm rays of light melted against her skin before she opened her front door. She glanced around, ensuring nothing was out of order- a practice she began taking up after her attack. Charity and Gwendolyn lectured her regularly to check her surroundings before, but she never took them seriously until it was too late.

There was a new rug. Ogden put it there to cover the stains from the blood that wasn't fully able to come out. She was very appreciative of his efforts to clean up while she was gone on the heist. Now she had a suspiciously expensive and luxurious asset to her otherwise plain home.

She walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out her typical priestess garb. Unlike Isak, she didn't have expensive jackets and shoes made from the hides of species she had never heard of. She handmade every piece she owned. She never had money and the money she was given went back into her practice.

She had been so happy only minutes ago, but now she felt guilty. She thought it was ironic as she slipped into the pure, all white attire. Pure, unlike her. Could she really preach the same after last night? Lying to her followers and herself. She was no better than the shadows if she gave into their sneaky and manipulative nature.

She slipped on a pair of flat and comfortable shoes, knowing the walk to the Shallows was a long one. At least she wasn't making it to the Shallows barefoot in the freezing weather this time. She reminisced on that night, the dying man in the streets and the shadow looking out to her from his run down home, as she let her hair back down from the messy updo she slept in. It was a little messy, but it would do. Khet wasn't interested in her.

"Good morning!" She chimed, making her way back to the Raven Club's lobby as though she hadn't spent the night just upstairs with it's owner. "Ready to head out?"
 
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Isak was checking out a few notes with accounts of the club when Eilerias walked in, her sweet voice almost instantly grabbing his attention as he turned his head to look at her. She was wearing her priestess garb, all white and glittering as the sun rays hit her beyond the opened front door. It was like the sun had walked into his club, and it almost took his breath away. They had a very interesting dynamic - the crime boss, always wearing all black clothes from head to toe, and the priestess with her white robes to represent her pure faith.

He thought about her vows again, and even though Eilerias said to him that she wanted to do what they had done last night, Isak hoped she didn't regret it. He certainly didn't, and his stupid mind was even betraying him into thinking about doing it again. He wanted to be with her again, and he wouldn't deny that.

Isak walked away from the bar to speak to her, but Ogden arrived from the kitchen carrying a small crate full of black bottles and singing one of his old dwarven ballads. "Lady! I think I saw you here last night? Soddin' gods, I need to stop drinkin' on the job." Isak did his best not to laugh once he took a glimpse of Eilerias' reaction to Ogden's words. It was a good thing that dwarves loved strong alcohol more than anything else in the world, else he would've seen her leaving Isak's room that morning. And even Ogden could've then put the pieces together to realize what they were doing last night.

"You really should." He said to Ogden, hiding the tiniest of smirks not to give away that he was joking while trying to lecture his associate. Isak's eyes wandered off to look at Eilerias again, as they did many times when they were close to each other. It was a magnetic pull at this point, and he never tired of looking at her.

"Ah, did ya like the new stuff I put in your house, lady? Boss 'ere paid for everything! Meself thinks he's goin' soft for ya!" Ogden pointed to Isak, who's shocked expression gave away his surprise. He did know Eilerias intended to hire Ogden to help her clean her house and take care of it once they were away for the heist at the Black Forge Keep, but once Isak learned of it, and knowing that the priestess barely had enough money for herself as she was always giving it back to her god as tribute, he went out of his way to pay extra for Ogden's services and also bought new furniture for her house, hoping to make it a more pleasant place to live after she was attacked.

Isak cleared his throat, almost running from Eilerias' gaze as he took a few of the previous papers in his hand and showed them to Ogden. "I trust you're sober enough to handle the Cortosi wine delivery, then? They'll be here shortly, and I have business to attend to." Ogden laughed shortly and nodded in response, taking the papers from Isak's gloved hands and doing his best not to fall on his butt with that sudden movement. He was definitely not sober yet.

"I'm ready. Shall we?" He spoke softly to Eilerias, almost a whisper once he approached her, his hand standing close to her lower back as he started walking next to her to the club's front door. Isak waved goodbye to Ogden and the two of them casually made their way to the Shallows. And it was a long walk, and the markets had only just opened, the streets starting to get crowded. Isak and Eilerias earned a few side glances as they walked by, but he paid no heed to them, only worried about what she would think after seeing a few curious people looking at them.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the foggy marshes of the Shallows, taking a moment to glance over the withered wood structures and the terrible smell coming from the dirty swamp. The pathways were all but empty, with the people of the Shallows preferring to wander around at night when it's colder and without any visitors from the city.

They stood in front of Khet's house for a moment, preparing themselves to face him. Isak had lots of thoughts about it, but he didn't want to trouble Eilerias after already having asked her to accompany him. He only wanted to be ready in case Khet tried anything, even going as far as putting him down if he sought to harm her. He wasn't one to put lives in a scale, but Eilerias was too important to him - more so than anyone else he knew at that point. He had gambled with many lives, but never with hers, and if Khet wished to harm her, Isak wouldn't hesitate to fulfill his old promise and kill him.

"If he tries anything with you, I'll put him down." It was his own twisted idea of comforting her, but Isak had really meant those words, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "Ready to go inside?"
 
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Eilerias was relieved that Ogden wasn't suspicious. "Good morning to you too!" She responded to his comment about drinking on the job. "That may be a benefit to you if you were to stop" She chuckled, agreeing with Isak.

"Yes, thank you Ogden. I really appreciate that you were able to take care of everything while we were gone." She looked up towards Isak, who was now approaching her. "Thank you too. I owe you." She smiled softly.

The house was still plain and modest, to her taste, but there were some more expensive items set up around the place. It was nice to have somewhere to keep her clothing and the few books Gwendolyn had allowed her to take ages ago.

She let out a burst of laughter, watching the drunk dwarf struggle to maintain his balance and nodded at Isak. "Let's go." She turned to glance once more at the dwarf, trying to send some sobering magic his way before they left the club.

The walk was long, but significantly better than her first trip to the filthy swampland. Against her better judgement, she decided to try some of the sneaky tactics Charity once tried to teach her. She chose a particularly busy bakery stall in the street and managed to swipe a croissant, which she split in half and gave the bigger half to Isak. She shot a sly smile up to him as she handed him his half and began to eat hers. "Thank Charity for this one."

Finally they had arrived to the Shallows. It was even more bizarre during the day. The neon banners from exotic fabrics that had somehow made their way into the trading looked more dull than they had before. Everything looked more run down and sad. They made their way up one of the shoddy pathways to the house. She remembered it vividly from that night. "Don't." She told Isak as he threatened to kill the man. "I'll do it myself." She was serious. She had never set her intentions to hurt or even kill someone, but this monster infuriated her. He got under her skin and it was as though she almost wanted the excuse to hurt him like he hurt Isak.

"I'm ready." She said, tightly gripping Isak's gloved hand.
 
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After feeling her hand slowly entwine with his, Isak gave Eilerias' hand a soft squeeze and nodded, content. It was refreshing to see her so determined and focused, even if her words about killing someone had surprised him. She had changed while he was away, and Isak was glad to see that fierce look in her eyes. He never doubted her strength, Isak knew that Eilerias was a formidable woman, but he also feared that her good will could get her in trouble in a place like Alliria.

He didn't want her to become a killer like him, but he feared that life would eventually push her over the edge like it had with him. Isak still remembered the blood of his first kill in his hands, his numb fingers gripping the weightless and bloodstained knife after it cut the neck of his former master and left him dead on his feet. He remembered how good it felt to see the life slowly vanishing from that man's eyes, and how it made Isak feel at ease after killing many people after him.

He didn't want that for Eilerias, not if she'd lose the one thing she loved above everything - her faith.

With their hands still joined together, Isak and Eilerias took a couple steps forward to push open the ragged wooden door, but it moved before they could reach it and opened on its own. Isak quickly turned his head and searched for any signs of movement nearby, to find only empty pathways and the endless fog clouding most of his vision.

Something beckoned them inside, and so they entered the house. The place was dark and cold, with a single candlelight at the table a few steps in front of them, barely illuminating the surroundings. A few runes seemed to react to their presence and started to power up, giving more color to that darkened ambience. Khet walked out of the darkness and put his hands on the table, leaning forward a bit. He almost looked troubled as he glanced upon Isak and Eilerias.

"You've received my message then. What took you so long?" He talked from afar, looking straight at Isak who didn't seem to move an inch.

They both took a few steps forward now, standing close to the table and having a clearer sight of Khet. Something felt off, but Isak would hold his curiosity for now. "That's none of your concern. How did you manage to track me?" Khet just let out a dry smile in response, shaking his head and looking at a few bloodied papers at the table. Isak also noticed a knife there, drenched in blood.

"You and I are bound by service, my slave brother. We are connected. The name 'Khet' is but a reminder of that past, as is yours... 'Isak'." He hissed, and suddenly the memories rushed back to Isak's mind. He didn't remember the name his mother gave to him, only the name his old master had decided to call him by. Isak. He remembered fully accepting that past life when he chose to embrace that name as his own, and so it remained. One of the few things that remained.

And yet, Khet was right, he would never truly outrun that past. The scars and marks were all over his skin, as well as his own name, forever reminding him of his former cage. But at least he was free now, and no one would take that away from him again. When Isak came back from his deep thoughts, he saw Khet now glaring at Eilerias with a look that he couldn't decipher. He couldn't tell if the man wished her harm or if he was simply curious about her presence there, but Khet seemed to recognize her from that night, all those months ago.

"You are a fool, sparrow. Involving her in the twisted thorns of your life..." He laughed, cynically. "She must be special, to glimpse at your darkness and not run away." Khet slowly circled around the table and approached them. His look was more inquisitive than before, almost as if he was feeling something coming from them. Khet could feel the flow of magic in the very air around him, and he seemed to be tasting the energy coming from both Isak and Eilerias as he got closer. But suddenly, the malformed man paused, looking at Eilerias as if he had stumbled upon treasure. He switched his gaze back and forth between her and Isak, his eyes sparkling with discovery. "Oh, but I suppose the priestess of light also has some darkness of her own." Isak wondered if Khet had felt the presence of her shadows, and if they had been powerful enough to startle him like that, although he seemed more intrigued than scared.

Isak took a step forward, almost running out of patience for Khet's puzzled words and enigmas. He only wanted to be gone of that place, and he wouldn't stand for him talking to Eilerias like that. "Choose your words carefully, or I'll grant you the peace you so long wish for." His words of intimidation seemed to work, with Khet slowly backing away. Isak continued. "Tell me why you called me to this place." Khet merely ignored him and walked back to the table, taking a seat in his chair before he pointed at two other chairs nearby, inviting them.

"Sit with me, you are my guests." Khet smiled as he waited for them to indulge his request, pushing forward a few of the papers into the candle's light. "I need your assistance with something, a matter of great importance."

Isak had a quick look over the papers before glancing at Eilerias, concerned about what she'd think of all that.
 
  • Nervous
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As the crumbling door opened, Eilerias was hesitant to enter. It was dark. So dark. Aside from a lone candle, Eilerias could only make out the shapes of the shadows lingering in the house. There were many, but who's shadows they were she did not know.

As they approached, some strange colors began to light up. She had no idea what they were or why they lit, but she assumed it had something to do with their powerful presence.

She studied Khet as he spoke, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. He spoke, but Eilerias was only hearing the darkness whispering loudly in her ears. She tried to maintain an interest in their conversation, but it was obvious she couldn't hear him as he called Isak a fool. She noticed the strange looks and the voices dulled. He mentioned her darkness and she began to get nervous.

She wondered if he knew about shadowmancy. Would he tell authorities that she had the banned magical discipline running through her veins? She tried so hard to use the light to drown it out, but in this dark room, there was no running from it.

Maybe it was the runes that glowed softly, but she felt like every part of her magic was being amplified. The light and shadows were almost overwhelming as they fought to take over her mind. It left her feeling more vulnerable than before they set foot inside.

She smacked Isak in the side as he threatened the man with death. There was something about him that left her curious. She wanted to hear how he had tracked Isak down and more importantly, why he needed him so desperately.

"I am a priestess of the light. Nothing more." Eileras' voice was calm as she feigned confidence and proceeded to take a seat at the table. She urged Isak to do the same and waited for him to take a seat. "It is my sworn oath to help others, so tell me what I can do to aid you."

She took comfort in the flames, watching them move like they were dancing, rather than Khet or Isak as she waited for a request.
 
  • Popcorn
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Isak watched as Eilerias sat in one of the chairs, seemingly calm amidst that confusing situation. He wondered if his suspicion of the man had been clouding his judgement, but Isak couldn't help but feel something strange coming from Khet. All those years without a single word once he found a place in the Shallows for him to live, and it had only been a few months ago the first time they've seen each other after their revenge on their former master. He had every reason not to trust Khet, but Isak felt more at ease to see Eilerias taking charge of the situation and be open to hear him out.

She also had her reasons to dislike the man, but if she was willing to put that aside and listen to him, so would Isak. He took a deep breath before following suit and sitting next to Eilerias, stealing another glance at her before focusing on Khet again.

"Your aid will do me nothing personally, priestess. It's for other people, like your precious companion here, that I fear." Khet responded to Eilerias, perhaps more harshly than he intended to. Isak could see him worried, his eyes now falling towards one of the letters at the table. Isak could see only a few glimpses of it, realizing that there were only bits of strange symbols, like a encrypted message of sorts. It didn't look like it was written by Khet, which greatly increased his suspicions.

Khet took one of the letters and brought it close to the candle. Some of the writings started melting off and giving way to a single symbol at the center, and Isak could already recognize it. The mark of slavers, similar to one that his old master had.

"You know what this is, don't you?" Khet asked, glancing at Isak. "I've met some interesting people here in the forgotten outskirts of your beautiful city. People from far away, from darker lands than these. And they told me of a group of men who deal in the same business of our former master - in blood, young and innocent."

Isak could feel the anger slowly rising over his body, coursing through his veins like poison. He knew there were plenty of other slavers out in the world, but his travels didn't take him that far from Alliria and he didn't have the time or resources to chase every single one of them. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, unable to tear his look away from the symbol in the letter. Khet put forward another piece of paper, a map, which caught Isak's attention.

Khet pointed to a spot previously marked on the map, far down south. "The Black Bay, a very dangerous place." It was home to many kinds of bad people, from slavers, to murderers and even petty thieves, that place even had a fortress they called home. A beast in its own right, impossible to be breached, even by the people who had broken into the famous Black Forge Keep to steal a ancient sword. Isak didn't have the rest of the crew at his disposal now, it was only him and Eilerias, and he would never put her in the same kind of danger like that.

"Do you know the people behind it all?" Isak asked, without taking his eyes off the map. He was trying his hard not to show how affected he was by all that. Khet merely shook his head, looking almost disappointed in himself. It looked like it would be up to Isak to investigate that and bring those people to the same kind of justice he had shown to his old master. A bloody retribution.

But then, he looked at Eilerias, his eyes seemed like he was trying to find comfort and hope in her soothing voice. He already knew what Khet would ask of him, and he could never decline. If other people were suffering the same fate that they suffered all those years ago, he had to at least try and do something about it, but he wouldn't ask Eilerias to come with him in such a dangerous job. She had already risked her life so many times, for him and for many others, it wouldn't be fair to put her through that again.

"Eilerias, I..." He tried to say something, to make him feel less guilty that he was about to accept Khet's request and leave on another mission that could end up getting him killed, to make him feel less like a monster for hurting her again after he vowed not to. He didn't want to leave her again, not when he was so happy to be with her, but he couldn't just ignore that plea for help.

Deep inside him, a selfish voice was almost screaming at Isak. Don't leave her. Take her with you.

He closed his eyes and reached for her hand beneath the table, trying to push back those screams. He wanted her to come with him. He wanted to, but how could he ever ask of her something so selfish?
 
  • Bless
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