Quest Death in Thagretis

[Azlat Ushus]

"You don't," Alexandra explained, prompting a quizzical look from Azlat. She received an answer to her question, yet made no discovery of how this winged woman knew her name. Without an explanation, Azlat held on to her hypothesis that Alexandra recognized her out of either fame, or infamy.

Given the request for help that followed, the latter seemed thankfully unlikely.

"Surely, you both have heard of the troubles that plague the city?" Alexandra further inquired. Azlat gave a nod, relieved to not be known for something terrible, at least.

“Of c̵ourse – it's a pr̸essing m͠atter. Well, we are gr͜ateful for you̴r aid.” Azlat replied, maintaining a diplomatic tone and remaining in false belief that Alexandra had recognized her. It was rather nice to be known for something positive. Azlat still had no idea what that was, but Taayi appeared to be preparing to leave and inquired could be made later.

“Yes. Night is. Dangerous,” Taayi spoke, rising to depart and take her leave from the library.

“You've been aware too, Ta͜ayi?” Azlat asked to Taayi as she made her way past. Warning her against attracting suspicion could not be given in the presence of the soldier, but Azlat could still warn her friend of the ongoing threat against the city, lest she knew not.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Alexandra quirked a brow at the pale one's announcement, and her wings fanned with instinctual threat as a shiver ran down her spine.

But the adventurer said nothing, let the words of the priestess in to her ears as she watched the pale one move. Even that... was different. A strange stillness to her. Her tone flat, its cadence...

You've been aware too, Taayi?

The flyer had made out. Something was not adding up here.

"Let us escort you, Mistress Taayi," Alexandra said, with cool confidence. "Gentleman Corin here might even sing us a song," she said, with a smile that did not reach her eyes, warm as the words had come as she gestured to the armored man. "Least we could do during such troubling times,"

 

[Nere Ashorn]

Nere lifted the bowl up to her lips and took a long draw of the mixture inside. It had a slippery texture and tasted bland, like cartilage soup. She found it settled her empty stomach, and so she drank until the bowl was empty. Just as she was setting the bowl down on the bench next to her, there came a banging at the door.

"Open up! City Guard!"

The priest scowled at the disturbance. He went over to the door, unlatched a leather strip that covered a high-up peephole, and peered out with one yellow eye. Then he fell back on his heels and covered the hole up again. "Blasted guards," he hissed in irritation. "They've been trying to get me to relocate for weeks now."

Another loud round of knocks rattled the door. "We can see you in there! Open up, now!"

The priest grit his teeth, undid several locks, and flung the door open. "I already told you lot, I'm not going back to the palace. If I leave, this entire district will be without a healer."

The guard that had been knocking looked surprised. He lowered his closed fist, as his companion quickly bent low in a bow. "Sorry to bother you so late at night, sir," he said, seeming to recognize the priest as someone important. "But it's not safe here. There's been an attack just down the street - we're investigating it now."

Nere perked up at that. "An attack? Did that goo monster hurt someone else?"

The three of them turned to look at her all at once, and Nere suddenly felt very shy. "Goo monster...?" The priest echoed her words.

"I'm sorry, it got away," Nere said with a certain frankness. "If I wasn't so hungover, I might have been able to stop it."

Azlat Ushus Taayi Alexandra Alcantos

 

[Taayi]

Looking to Priestess Azlat, Taayi answered with, “Yes. Many people are. Concerned. There... are worry. Ing. Rumors.”

That was probably the longest single statement Taayi ever said to Azlat.

Then, Alexandra gave the offer of protection. And Corin’s singing.

Corin gave a startled, “Uh?” at being volunteered to be the women’s entertainment.

Taayi’s smile widened as she looked to Alexandra.

“Thank. You. It’s un. Necessary. I’ll be taking... the main roads.”

Compared to the slums, the main roads still displayed activity. Shops were winding down, but taverns, bars, “bars,” and more remained open or were just starting to open. More night watch presence could be seen on such roads, as well.

If nothing else came from Azlat or Alexandra, Taayi looked to depart...

---

“Goo monster?” one of the guard’s echoed as well as he rose.

The two of them looked at each other as they heard Nere’s words.

“You’ve seen it?!” the other guard exclaimed.

“Could you describe him? It? Her? What happened? Where’d it go?” the first guard asked all in rapid fire.

The second guard gave a cough. They were still in the presence of a priest, even if he lived a humble life away from the church.

They both bowed again with a, “Excuse us.”

“Could you tell us what happened?” the first guard asked, “And would you be willing to come with us to headquarters?”

A sincere question and offer. Nere was the first potentially credible person to claim to have not only seen these creatures, but also encountered them in some way. If the priest vouched for her in some way, the guards would be more receptive to her claims – if she made any.

 

[Azlat Ushus]

It was a relief to hear that Taayi was aware of the ongoing disappearances, and was further taking due care to keep herself safe. It was one less to worry about. Hopefully Nytam had arrived by this hour, too. Now that she'd found Taayi safe and well, Azlat was anxious to return home and see her eldest son for the first time in months.

Alexandra even offered to escort her, offering a song from Corin, the soldier at her side. Azlat raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, while Corin was visibly and audibly taken aback by the unexpected prompt to sing. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but it seemed like it might not matter, anyhow. Taayi refused the offer of accompaniment, for reasons that seemed sensible enough. She likely just wanted to return to the tavern and retire for the evening, Azlat imagined.

“Well, the night's still y̷oung and there's plenty of security ab͞out. Still, keep safe, Taayi.” Azlat replied, expressing farewell as she moved to depart. She had no reason nor motivation to keep her any further, seeing Taayi only as an old friend.

Any other activities that she had been up to evaded her awareness entirely. Azlat hadn't the first clue of the culprit's identity, and the notion that it might be Taayi had yet to even cross her mind.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

They both just turned away, and Alexandra could not help but feel like she had missed an opportunity.

Call it an Avariel's intuition, or just plain ol' gut feeling. Something was wrong about this.

As the other two walked away, Alexandra watched the one named Taayi and how she moved.

"You know..." Corin began. "I can't really sing,"

A loose hair fell over Alexandra' eye, and a quick shift of her wings set wind currents up to blow it back. Frustration, clear in the force of the small gust that followed.

"Well Corin, maybe I'm just holding on to a wee bit of hope, that somewhere in that rust bucket of yours, you have a talent that will help us figure things out,"

Corin blinked behind the vizor his helmet. "That was kind of mean,"

Alexandra walked away, following after the trail of Taayi. "Come on," no one said an investigation needed to be quiet.

 

[Nere Ashorn]

As the guards piled question after question onto her, Nere got the sinking feeling that she might've gone and done something troublesome. She opened her mouth to reply to the guards, but then closed it again. She couldn't think of anything better to say than sure.

"This is a very serious matter," the priest said, taking on an air of authority that he did not have before. He turned away from the guards and knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands in his. Her burned palm smarted, and she winced at the movement. "May I do something to you? It will hurt, but it will also give your word some power in this city."

Nere nodded her consent.

The priest pulled out a small silver dagger and, with a quick and practiced motion, slit a thin line across her thumb. Nere watched as red smeared across the mirror surface. Her blood on the blade burned up in a bout of flame, which flashed in the priest's eyes as he studied it intently.

Whoa, dragon magic, Nere thought. She had the frame of mind to keep the comment to herself as she looked on in awe.

The colors of the flame seemed to mean something to the priest.

"She's telling the truth," he said. "This woman has been in a fight recently, and sustained injuries of an... inhuman nature. I cannot make out the form of the creature."

Nere looked up to the two guards in the doorway. "I'll go with you," she said. "I want to help."

 

[Taayi]

“Thank you,” one guard told Nere.

Then with another bow to the priest, “And thank you very much, sir.”

The guards gestured for Nere to follow.

As their parting words to the priest, one guard told him, “Please consider returning, sir. The High Priestess is worried. Until next time...”

With that, the guards would attempt guide Nere away. One of them decided to run ahead and inform the city watch – and word of a living witness to the possible culprit would reach priests and priestesses such as Azlat Ushus.

Under the cover of darkness though, something stalked Nere from the rooftops...

---

Taayi gave a farewell nod to Azlat as she departed.

“You. Too.”

A nod to Alexandra and Corin followed. Then, Taayi left the library.

If Azlat journeyed home from there, she would have a message from the city watch. But, whether Nytam would be waiting would only be found out once she got there...

Meanwhile, Taayi walked down the main road. A few shop stands remained open while the majority continued to pack up for the end of the day.

Several people that got close to Taayi displayed a bit of discomfort in her presence and gave her a wide berth.

As she continued to walk in the general direction toward the Loving Harp Tavern, Taayi did little to interact with any remaining shopkeepers or others on the street. Her head panned around with her gaze catching a few signs and some leftover food some merchants were looking to offload.

But eventually, Taayi would take a sharp turn into an alleyway.

And should Alexandra and Corin continue their pursuit, following toward Taayi toward the dark alleyway would reveal the pale woman to be just standing in the middle of it.

She would turn to face the pursuers as soon as they could be viewed – regardless of where they came from.

“What. Do you. Require?”

 

[Azlat Ushus]

Azlat was taken aback by the rather undiplomatic words the winged one dispensed, giving a speechless pause as a reaction. But she spoke nothing, as Corin barely gave much protest. Alexandra had arrived to help, and that the soldier seemed to be accepting this abuse implied she held value that made it worthwhile. At a glance it seemed likely that she could take flight, and that alone would be a beneficial ability in their search for the cause of the disappearances.

Once they knew what they were looking for, which they presently didn't.

As they departed, Alexandra followed after Taayi anyhow, to her disappointment. Clearly, her friend had become a suspect anyhow, despite her own best intentions. Azlat juggled that worry along with her remaining concerns about Nytam. She knew he was probably safe, if he was well this morning, but Azlat needed to be sure. To be done with that concern would ease her soul and leave her more focused on the search to follow.

It was a short way to travel, and before long she was back at the front gate to her abode.

“Priestess Ushus?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve a note for you, from the city watch. There’s been another incident, but we got a witness for the encounter this time. The monster's human-like, but with black eyes and constantly dripping ooze.” He spoke, and Azlat listened in silent shock.

“I know, sounds terrifying, doesn’t it?” He added, and Azlat merely returned a small nod, speaking nothing further.

“...Well, don't worry. We'll eradicate this menace soon. No resource has been spared to restore a sense of security in our great city. In the meantime, please keep an eye out? And do keep safe, Priestess.”

“...I will. Tha͜nks.” Azlat meekly stammered out, holding the note in her hands while the courier moved onto the next house on his list. She read through it again, hoping there'd been some sort of mistake, but the words written on parchment matched what was spoken aloud. She could hardly believed Taayi was actually responsible, but it could be no one else.

Taayi must have made a mistake, or gotten careless her children within the city. Either way, Azlat held more questions than before, and wondered if Thykla had drawn the connection between the two yet. Azlat would surely have to give a report on what she knew. Though Azlat had troubles considering Taayi immediately guilty, she wasn't willing to wager her noble position on innocence. As much as she wished to not betray her friend, she could never betray her city and church.

All the same, she made the realization with a heavy heart. Tucking the note away, Azlat walked the rest of the way to the front doors of her villa. With a pull on the chain, the resulting brass-wind note could be heard muffled within the marble walls, summoning Dritalla to answer it.

Hopefully Nytam would be home.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

"You see that, Corin?" Alexandra asked, as they tailed the strange woman.

"I see much," Corin replied, looking at the eyes that trailed his winged charge, more than those that moved away from Taayi.

The Avariel huffed. "Great, now, look ahead, please." she said with forced smile.

Corin's metal mask turned, the slits turned forward. "Yes,"

"Do you see?"

"And... what exactly am I looking for? Adventurer?"

"Alex, Corin, please, call me Alex,"

"Alex,"

Alexandra motioned with upturned palm, as if she were offering something up on a plate. "Look," near everyone who moved about the strange woman, Taayi, gave her a wide berth. Not the sort people gave the rich and powerful, that sort of fear had a certain, tightness to it. Order.

This was more like squirrels and lizards, skittering away from something so foul they knew it would harm them. Like a wretched stench from a diseased corpse.

"I see," Corin said with the first hint of understanding. A sternness in his voice.

"Do you know who she is?" Alex asked as they kept their tail on her. "Taayi," she repeated the name the Priestess had said with such Familiarity.

Corin probed his memories. "I recall a report of a foreigner, showing sign of safe passage. But... it was granted by the priestess herself," the last phrase came harder than Alex liked. As if a shield held up to defend against a harmful barb.

"Well," she smiled as she saw the woman turn into a corner. One way in. A clear chokepoint. Classic shake. "No harm in a little more observation, hmm?"

"You mean to doubt the judgement of a priestess?"

Alexandra waved her hands and shook her head. "No no, of course not," she smiled sweetly. "Just being thorough, Gentleman Corin, exercising extreme scrutiny, for my own investigative purposes and the like,"

There was a beat of silence from the big soldier. A nod. "Only observation then,"

Alexandra nod. And followed after Taayi. When she turned the corner, she was only the slightest bit surprised. More by the woman's rotten look than anything else. Or maybe it was her strange voice. Lacking of the warmth of life itself.

"Require?" Alexandra asked with a half smile, and spoke in pleasant voice. Some city guards hustled about the street, hurry in their step and an urgency in the rattle of their armor. "Mistress Taayi, we require only the ensured safety of the good people of Thagretis, and all who pay it visit,"

Corin stiffened, his helm pointed to Alex. Even as the smell of sulfur grew thicker in the confines of the alleyway.

"I can't say I've ever seen eyes as lovely as yours, Mistress, from where do you hail?" she asked, roguish and friendly.

 

[Nere Ashorn]

“Please consider returning, sir. The High Priestess is worried."

"Convince the High Priestess to evacuate this area, and perhaps I'll consider it," The healer responded to the guard.

Soon after they left, Nere wasted little time in telling them about the creature she had encountered. The telling was true - save for one detail. She did not mention the elven child at all, instead claiming that she had wandered into the abandoned house on her own, looking for a place to stay the night.

Nere no longer thought that the child was innocent in all this. But he was still a kid, and she didn't want to know what could happen if the guards found him. Would they show him any mercy? Perhaps if she learned more about the guard who escorted her, she would trust him with the whole story.

"My name's Nere, by the way," she said after she'd relayed all the details she could still remember. "What should I call you?"

"Uh... Kazir," he said through his fluted helmet.

Neither Nere nor the guard Kazir noticed the soft clatter of roof tiles around them, or the shadow that blotted out the stars.

 

[Taayi]

Unfortunately for Azlat, Nytam remained absent from home – never having visited since leaving in the morning.

And he would remain so no matter how long she waited.

---

A silent smile answered Alexandra.

For a few moments.

She took a long blink.

Then, Taayi replied with, “Thank. You. I’m from… Hwen.”

The same answer when questioned by the guards managing the portal stone.

“Is that. All?” Taayi asked.

If Alexandra remembered the city layout and sewer map, she might remember that a large entrance into the passageways below laid just around the corner.

And in addition, two dark figures lurked on the rooftops above...

---

Nere and Kazir would soon approach a crossroads surrounded by tightly packed buildings.

As Kazir was leading Nere down one way, a loud THUD rang out from a path toward the left. At first, Kazir only affording a quick look down the dark corridor.

But then

HISSSSSSS

A familiar sound to Nere hissed out from the darkness.

“By the Dragon!” Kazir exclaimed.

 

[Azlat Ushus]

“Welcome home, Lady Ushus. Dinner has been prepared.” Dritalla greeted her upon opening the door. With fret over his safety, Azlat wasted no time before explicitly putting her question forth.

“Is Nytam home?” She asked, as both walked through the house to the dining room, where dinner was waiting.

“No, I’m afraid he'd not returned yet...” Dritalla replied, confirming Azlat’s concern. She slowly took her seat at the table, where three plates of freshly cooked food lay waiting. “It's ceartainly late for him to sill be out.”

“I'll w͝ait for him before I eat, but please don't hesitate on my behalf. I h̴ope he'll return home soon.” Azlat spoke.

“I'm sure he can't be much longer.” Dritalla responded reassuringly, starting into her meal while Azlat waited.

And waited.

Once Dritalla had finished her dinner, Azlat finally began to eat. By then, it had long grown cold. Distracted with worry about the whereabouts of her son, the meal was far from enjoyable. Azlat ate quickly, anxious and restless to do something to find her boy. Dritalla took notice, but could not bring herself to give Azlat assurances as before. By now, his absence had become quite unusual.

“Azlat, I'm worried. Nytam's never kept out this late without warning.” Dritalla confided

“I can't hide that I'm worried sick. They've had a s̷ighting. It's out th̶ere tonight...” Azlat responded, consuming a few more bites in a hurry. So stricken with panic, she could hardly eat much more. Pushing her chair back from the table, Azlat stood up and looked to Dritalla.

“If Nytam returns b͞efore I get home, light torches on the roof so that I may know.” She asked of her, and Dritalla returned a nod. There was but a meagre amount of solace in knowing that the signal would be given were Nytam to return. Azlat hoped her son was safe and that his tardiness was an odd peculiarity, but she'd not count on it. The night grew more dangerous by the hour.

Azlat departed from her dwelling and made her way towards the Loving Harp Tavern immediately. Taayi carried an appearance too similar to what had been described in the notice ti be ignored. While Azlat could not bring herself to blame her, neither could she shake her worry about the well being of her own son.

Upon arriving at the tavern, Azlat found the suite Taayi had been reportedly staying at. But she was not to be found there. Too fretful to stay and wait, Azlat departed the inn to continue her search, eyes and ears actively seeking any sign of Nytam, Taayi, or of the terror the messenger described.

Surely, the latter could not be one and the same.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Taayi didn't blink like a normal person either. And her smile, it was a cold and dead thing.

"Hwen," Alexandra responded, flat, though she managed false smile. "Yes, of course, Hwen,"

"You know of Hwen?" Corin asked, not hiding the disbelief from his voice.

Alex cleared her throat. "Well, no, Mistress Taayi, its, well, we were worried about you, you see," she went on. Made sure not to take a step closer to the woman as her feathers splayed and flexed, and her wings felt the air dying around her. Gods it reeked. "Isn't this the wrong way to the tavern?" she blurted out, some part of her mind recalling the quick sketch she had taken of the map.

The stench reminding her of sewers.

A bit of debris clinked and pinked and rattled its way down from above. Corin gazed up.

Taayi

 

[Nere Ashorn]

“By the Dragon!” Kazir exclaimed.

"Whuh, a dragon? Where?" Nere responded to Kazir's exclamation. She turned to look where the guard was facing. "Oh, that's just another one of them beasties."

The beastie in question hissed as it crawled out of the shadows. It had the same cadence as the one before, halting movements that were slow then quick, difficult to track. It looked at Nere in the same way too, calculating before the strike, as if it took effort to see through its dripping black eyes.

Except, this time, Nere knew what hurt them.

Kazir had drawn steel, a curving blade that glinted with the light of fine craftsmanship. "Get behind me!" he called out as he positioned himself between her and the monster.

The creature lunged with its full strength. Valiantly, Kazir met its outreached claws with a slash of his sword. While his aim was true, it did little damage. Kazir yelled out in pain as the creature clambered on top of him, pinning him to the ground with its spindly limbs. One hand clawed at his visor, and slammed his head into the cobblestone.

With a long, steady inhale, Nere stoked the forge-fire in her gut. She cupped her hands in front of her face, leaving an opening between her palms. The runes there were glowing white-hot, searing the already scalded flesh. She exhaled, and a gout of flame burst forward.

The fire enveloped the creature, and it screamed.

 

[Taayi]

The creature Nere set on fire screamed. It desperately rolled on the ground before getting up and making a run.

It soon leaped into a hole that led into the sewers below. A faint SPLASH could be heard as it did so.

Kazir groaned. Still alive despite his blood painting his armor and the ground.

“Where’d... where’d the beast run to?” Kazir asked as he tried to get up.

Kazir looked toward Nere. He attempted to hand his guard’s seal to her. Nere definitely proved she was not the source of these monsters – at least in his eyes.

“Go. Sound the alarm. We’ll -ahk! By the Dragon, we’ll rid the city of this plague.”

---

In the alleyway, Taayi stared at Alexandra with a smile.

More silence answered the Avariel.

Corin gazed up and saw a figure.

“Hey, what is tha-“ Corin began.

SWISH

COUGH

As Corin’s eyes had left Taayi, he failed to see her flick her arm toward him. A black mass flew forth from her hand in the shape of a blade.

It now sat halfway into Corin’s throat.

One of Taayi’s gloves fell to the ground – revealing that her hand was just some obsidian ooze.

Taayi turned to run deep – run into the sewers. And just as she decided to, the figure from the rooftops dropped down in an attempt to attack and maul Alexandra.

The same type of creature that had terrorized Nere.

---

While Azlat went to the inn, she unfortunately departed before thoroughly searching Taayi’s suite.

Perhaps the follow up investigations would reveal what she kept within.

Depending on where Azlat went, she may find chaos near the slums or back towards the library.

Or she may find a familiar shadow also tailing her...

 

[Azlat Ushus]

Azlat had convinced herself that Taayi couldn't be the culprit. Unsuspecting as she was, she wasn’t about to rifle through the belongings of one she considered her guest. There must be some mistake to recount, or an explanation to give that could clear matters up. She did not want to imagine that she’d allowed the threat to take hold within the city, largely out of distress. The notion was too odious for consideration.

Still, she couldn’t deny that her friend had become a person of great interest in the scenario that might now involve Nytam. Intentional or not, the connection between Taayi and the disappearances remained clear. Fear for her son trumped concern for her friend, and there was no stone too sacred to be left unturned when it came to the safety of her family. Azlat just needed to know that her son was safe. So wracked with worry, she could focus on nothing else.

While frantic, the search hadn’t any true direction to it. Having learned that Taayi was absent from the tavern, Azlat knew not where to find her. To remain still was hardly an enticing option. Aimless wandering of the immediate vicinity proved more useful than it should have. An audible commotion could be heard in the alleyway not too far away, and Azlat approached out of curiosity.

There, she saw a sight that caused immediate shock. Corin lay bleeding from his throat at the feet of the winged woman she’d met earlier in the library.

“What happened!?” Azlat asked, rushing over in a heartbeat with her eyes wide in disbelief. His wounds were grievous enough to be fatal, but not immediately so. Unsure of how long he had been there, Azlat could not be sure he was still alive. Shaken with fear, she remained stunned for a moment, before inhaling a deep breath and crying out.

“MURDER! There’s a killer at large!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, with her hands cupped around her mouth. Her attention turned immediately to Corin’s wound once the warning had been given. Drawing her dagger from its scabbard, she dragged the blade across the palm of her hand in preparation for blood healing.

“By the g̵race of the Gr̷eat Dragons sh̛all Their ch͠ildren be pr͢otected” Uttered Azlat. A crimson trickle of blood stained the blade, before burning away as payment for the healing magic she invoked. The gouge in his neck began to shrivel and shrink, with the spike formed of black ooze falling out from it.

She had managed to seal the wound, but Corin’s blood had pooled within his lungs, drowning him from within. Azlat paused for a second to assess. Pushing his shoulder to turn him over, she then tilted his head to the side before slamming the palm of both her hands against his chest. The force of it spurred some motion from him, yet failed to clear his airway. Azlat tensed up and raised her arms again, slammed her palms against his chest even harder than before.

CRACK!

Bone snapped with a sickening sound, followed by a cough that expelled the pooled blood from his throat. Corin finally drew a breath with a hoarse wheeze before seizing up in pain from the strain of his broken ribs. The soldier then rolled onto his side and vomited, clutching his chest with a hand while his whole body shuddered in pain. He certainly did not look well, but that he was also breathing again was an undeniable improvement.

The wound she’d sliced on her hand was still open, and she took the dagger to it again with another slice that burned away more of her blood. This time, she mended the damage she inflicted, fixing his fractured ribs through the invocation.

“And bl͟essed be Their wa͜rriors.” Azlat uttered in another prayer, while remaining watchful for improvements in Corin’s condition. After a moment, she was satisfied and turned her attention to Alexandra for answers.

“…Wh͞o or what did t͡his?”

 

[Nere Ashorn]

That was a lot of blood.

Kazir's gasps came out ragged through his helmet, and while he still had breath enough to speak, it was clear that he was running out.

"Nevermind that, let's take a look at you," she said in response to his first question. Though her hands were raw with pain, Nere knelt down next to him and managed to pull his helmet off. Underneath was a young man with dark brown eyes and a broken nose oozing blood.

“Go. Sound the alarm. We’ll -ahk! By the Dragon, we’ll rid the city of this plague.”

Nere grasped the offered seal in one of her blistered hands, but she did not have the strength to answer right away. Why did it always end up like this, with somebody else hurt, and Nere not able to do anything about it?

Dumbly, but with an admirable amount of determination, Nere pulled the guard up and heaved him onto her back.

"What are you doing?" Kazir said. "I'll only slow you down!"

She took a few testing steps forward, clearly struggling under the weight. "No complaining," she grunted out. Everyone in this city was too damn hellbent on self-sacrifice. "I don't know the way to the guard's outpost. So you're gonna live long enough to tell me where to go."

A second wind filled her lungs. She started to pick up speed.

"Just leave me--"

They were coming up to a junction. "Left or right," Nere called out through gritted teeth.

"Uh... right!"

---

A knock on the door. The guard on duty opened up and was greeted by the ghastly face of Nere, pale with sweat, and the figure of Kazir slumped across her shoulders, blood dripping down his clawed gauntlets. He'd stopped speaking some blocks ago.

"By the Dragon...!" The guard gasped out. It drew the attention of others, one of whom was the guard from before who'd run ahead. "What happened?"

"Quickly, take him," Nere responded, her grip on the injured man beginning to fail. "He needs to see a healer."

Two guards pulled Kazir away as gently as they could, calling out in order to make room for the injured man. The one who had been out on patrol with Kazir stayed behind, and pushed her inside to a different area of the guard's barracks. Nere was feeling real queasy. She thought the guard might be saying something to her - asking a question - but she couldn't make it out.

"Need a... bucket," she managed to heave out between breaths.

"A what?"

Too late! Nere lurched past the guard and reached blindly for the nearest bucket-shaped object, which happened to be a barrel filled with empty sword scabbards. She buried her face in it, and retched.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Wide eyed, she stared, as the glove fell and the black hand turned to sharp bladed edge, her feet pushed back, her arm reached for sword's hilt, and her wings flared wide across the span of the alleyway.

The arm shot out, caught Corin in the throat in a gush and a gout as Alexandra bared her teeth and hop stepped back. Her whole powerful back scrunched and arched as her feet just barely left the ground, and in a push, an expansion of chorded force that flared out along sinew and bone to the tips of her primary feathers.

The blast of wing powered air drove her back into flat dart, a hard bend and twist of her core, arms tucked, legs long, spun her like a harpoon, her wings wrapped around her figure, till flex and flare had her burst upright, sword drawn at the mouth of the alleyway as her feathers caught the street air and she landed on her boots.

The creature that had fallen down from the roof stanced up with horrid limbs outstretched. Its mere existence was a threat. Black ooze sludged down its gaps and cracks and splits.

Alexandra stared at the thing wide eyed as it hissed and chittered and screeched with a gnash and scratch of its mouths and limbs. She grit her teeth and drove at it with a wrathful cut of her cutlass, her wings lifting her up to pounce down. But it was fast. She only lopped a stray limb off, and it hissed and screeched but it jumped at her, but she'd kept her wings stretched high, kicked off the thing before her wings gusted her up toward the roof.

It hissed, bleeding and stunned, but she was already falling onto it again, false edge point of her saber hooked down like a searching talon. Steel raked across the thing, split bloated skin and changed flesh, but shallow. The thing bit and gnashed back, claws grabbed, squeezed. tried to bight as Alex pushed it back with the length of her weapon and grunt and growled.

What happened!? A voice shout out from the alleyway.

The thing let go and skittered away.

Scratched, and scraped, Alexandra stood wide eyed on the alleyway, boots in a pool of Corin's blood as adrenaline eased out of her. She kept her eyes on the dark as the priestess went to work. She dared not look away, and she dared not sheath her sword.

"Taayi," Alexandra answered flatly. "It was that thing... Called itself Taayi,"

 

[Taayi]

Corin gave a few loud coughs after Azlat cast her spell. She tried to speak several times, but each time would just prompt a fit of heaving.

A severed hand sat on the ground before Alexandra and Corin. Black ooze seeped from it.

Nothing else came out of the dark for them.

Nothing else popped out.

Just the stench of the sewer lingered.

Without much sound or prompting, the severed hand spontaneously stretched out its fingers. In rough movement, it cured its fingers to point with just the index finger. It drove the tip of its finger into the ground and drew a symbol.

It would appear as a crude replica of Azlat’s sigil.

The hand would continue to twitch for some time.

Suddenly, bells would begin to go off. Azlat would know this specific alarm as being that of the city watch – a call to gather.

Whether by Nere if she recovered from her fit of vomiting, or by the wounded Kazir, the city watch would get an eye witness testimony of what occurred in the slums.

They now wanted to round up people to make a push to investigate and hopefully end this plague.

Meanwhile, Nere would get attention in the form of water, food, anything to help her recover from Kazir’s partner. Kazir vouched for her – especially now after Nere saved him from almost certain death. If she was in good health and wished, she would have been invited to the gather of guards, priests, and others wishing to dive headfirst into this plague.

 

[Azlat Ushus]

Corin was in condition too poor to give her a response, but Alexandra reported with an unmistakable answer.

Taayi.

Azlat paused in shock at the accusation. Hesitant to believe it, she still gave the notion no protest. Alexandra had met her, and not only seen her but had received her name. Taayi's involvement was certain, though Azlat still did not wish to believe she'd inflict intentional harm upon them. Taayi had been a friend to her during her efforts to escape the Bhathairkians, and her very life was owed to the assistance she’d provided.

A severed hand nearby began to stir, and Azlat pointed at it.

“Hers?” Azlat asked anxiously. The hand gave her question a silent answer, drawing out the very symbol on the sigil she'd gifted her.

It was Taayi. There was no mistaking it, none other could draw the sign. Azlat sliced the tip of her finger with her dagger, letting out a drop of blood that burned away before hitting the ground. With the spell's cost paid, she sensed the origin of the severed hand. It was unlikely to reveal anything new, and merely provided confirmation that was hardly needed.

Only now did Azlat abandon her notions of Taayi. Her friend had attempted murder, and was unmistakably an enemy of the state. Yet, she wondered what the purpose of etching the symbol was. Such guidance was baffling, given her presumed hostility. But Azlat had little time to dwell on it, as alarm bells rang out though the city. A call to gather, surely spurred by her shouts of murder. A crowd arrived within a moment. Azlat took it upon herself to report, steeping forth to address them.

“I have provided he͠aling, but the attempt on Cor̶in's life was intentional.” Azlat spoke, gesturing to Alexandra with a look her way. “Taayi is the sus͡pect. She has pale skin, and black e͢yes. Much the same as wha̷t was described in the recently issued report.” She added, causing a small commotion among those that had received it.

“She's been qu͜artered at the Loving Harp Tav́ern.” Azlat added, turning back towards the tavern without further gesture. She walked at a quick pace, with some of the others following her.

The tavern keeper looked towards Azlat on her return, but said nothing. All within looked her way as well, with eyes seeking answers to the recent news of danger. Absent was the conversation and commotion that normally carried on within such an establishment. The alarm had left the atmosphere in the tavern far from lively.

“Taayi is a suspect of attempted murder.” Azlat tersely announced. “This is an investigation – we are searching her quarters.” Azlat continued, pointing towards the door of Taayi's room. It was no request. As an authority of the theocratic city-state, Azlat needn't make one. The keeper handed her the spare key so quickly she nearly threw them at Azlat, who caught it with both hands.

Azlat made her way to the door, but did not immediately unlock it. The door and handle was quickly checked for wards or enchantment first. Were nothing detected, Azlat would unlock the door and begin her hasty search.

Alexandra Alcantos Nere Ashorn Taayi

 

[Nere Ashorn]

Groggily, Nere woke from unconsciousness for the second time that day. She found herself horizontal, looking up at a basalt ceiling, lit by dusty candlelight. She sat up and rubbed her temple, discovering that her hands had been bandaged, and no longer hurt.

"Ugh, what happened?" She asked the room. To her surprise, the guard from before - Kazir's companion - answered her.

"You passed out, so I called the healer." He glanced at a stack of empty bowls beside the bed. "Then you woke up, asked for food and water, ate a lot, and passed out again."

'How unladylike', Nere thought with a squint embarrassment. She continued to stare for a few moments more, drawing up the vague recollection of the past few minutes, and then at the blur of everything else. The elven child, the stench of burnt flesh, the kind priest, and her last fight with the goo monster. She looked to the guard with a sudden thoguht. "Say, does Thagretis have any canals?"

"Canals? No. Why do you ask?"

"I think the monsters are traveling by water. I heard a splash earlier, when one ran off."

The guards expression twisted, face turning from polite concern to grim realization. Without saying anything more, he stood straight up, and ran out the door. From down the hall, Nere could hear him yelling.

"The sewers! They're coming from the sewers!"

---

Orders were given and guards were dispatched. Nere found herself among them, accompanying the guard from before, whose name she gleaned was Tunchen. She'd cleaned up a bit and, and was clothed more sensibly in standard Thagretan garb. A guardswoman had taken pity on her and let her borrow some of her clothes. They'd also given her a little device that held some firesteel, and a sword, so that she wouldn't have to burn her hands again.

Ahead of their party, a small crowd was forming around an alleyway. The commonfolk made way as the guards pushed past, to the scene beyond. Nere followed a slight distance behind. Despite the press of the crowd, she noticed no one brushed against her. Discretely, Nere craned her neck down and sniffed at her cloak. She smelled like how she always smelled, mostly saltspray and sweat but maybe there was the remnants of bile underneath. Was it really that noticeable?

In the alleyway, someone stood alone. A woman with, big, golden-brown wings sprouting from her back and a sword in her hand. On the ground, a guard lay, coughing in a pool of blood, but alive. Wait, was that normal? Wings?

"Corrin!" One of the guards with Nere recognized the guard on the ground, and ran forward. "Quickly, get him up and to a healer--" Two others came to help, and a cloth stretcher was produced. They started to haul Corrin the guard away.

Nere stepped forward and pointed at the ground to a strange pale thing. "Ew, is that a hand?" she asked.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

The smell was horrid, and it still lingered in the alleyway.

The priestess asked her questions, the alarm bells rang. But Alexandra's eyes never quite left the dark maw of the tunnel, her hand firm around the hilt of her cutlass, still drawn and gleaming as the dark ichor of that twisted thing slicked its edge.

Moments turned to minutes, and as the guards shuffled about and lifted their comrade from the stone floor, Alexandra went on. Staring at the maw.

Corin had looked away, and that thing. Taayi. It had slit his throat.

"Attention, winged one!" A guard called out to her. "Attention!"

Alexandra did not turn away from the maw. Did not let her eyes off of the darkness. "Yes?"

"The Priestess Says you were in company of Gentleman Corin prior to his being attacked?" It was near an accusation.

"Yes, I was aiding in the investigation of the disappearances, and was on the trail of a critical suspect, the one known as Taayi,"

"Sheath your weapon, adventurer... Alexandra, is it?"

Alexandra blinked. Must have been a report on her by now. She let out a long breath, her wings snapped and fluttered before coming to fold neatly at her back once more, and her sword returned to its sheath.

"Thank you," the guardsman motioned and two heavily armored men marched forward, took station at the mouth of the cave with shields raised and shorts-swords drawn. "We aim to sweep the sewers,"

Is that a hand?

"The bloody sewers," she muttered beneath her breath. "Yes its a bloody hand," Alexandra snapped. "Cut it off the fuckin monster when it tried to... do whatever it was trying to do to me," she felt the cuts and the scratches, still open on her arms and legs. Superficial, but nothing bleeding belonged in a sewer. "I'll join you," she said against her better judgement, and saw the dark haired lass that looked just as out of place as Alex felt. She gave her a chin raise. "Rough vacation for ya?" she smiled, and walked past her, following the guards who had pulled Corin off on the litter. Alex's large wings stirring the air in a trail behind her.

 

[Taayi]

The hand at the crime scene eventually ceased all movement. No more twitching.

The guards carted off Corin for further medical attention. A few thanks were given to Azlat for her healing before the Priestess departed.

A group of Thagretis guards stood near Alexandra and Nere – ready to enter with the outsiders.

For the time being, nothing would come out of the sewers. No other figures stalked from the rooftops near Alexandra and Nere.

Just the horrible smell of waste from beneath the street.

Should Alexandra and Nere enter the sewer, they would see it to be just like any other major city’s. For now...

---

No wards met Azlat at the door to Taayi’s room.

A more intensive search revealed several additional things. The treasure trove of which would be found in a writing desk.

First, Taayi collected several maps of Thagretis the city. Most appeared to be amateur recreations of a professional’s work. But there was a map for almost everything: a map of walls and defenses, of important Draconic Order buildings, a rough sketch of the sewers, and more.

Second, Taayi also procured maps of Malakath the continent. Or maybe even drew them herself? One showed the location of major cities such as Thanasis and Petakauna. A few notes of the known portal stones on the continent.

Finally, a stone would be found. It contained similar markings as the ones in the sigil Taayi gave to Azlat.

 

[Nere Ashorn]

Despite the winged woman's reassurance that yes, it was indeed a severed hand, Nere remained skeptical. Bending down, she grabbed the object and brought it up for a closer inspection.

"It's not a real hand," Nere thought out loud, her voice full of curiosity. She poked a finger at the severed wrist, moving some of the pale white outside to reveal gunky blackness underneath. It was certainly shaped like a hand, but it reminded her more of a sea urchin, than anything with flesh and blood. "Look, it hasn't got any tendons inside."

Tunchen leaned over her shoulder, flipping his visor up to get a closer look. "I don't think you should touch that," he said. "We don't know if its safe."

"Oh, okay." Nere seemed liked she wanted to keep fiddling with the hand, but she complied with the guard, dropping it back down on the ground with an unceremonious splat. She wiped the goo off on her borrowed clothes.

The remaining guards were preparing to go into the maw of the sewer entrance, lighting torches and checking their gear. The winged woman stepped closer, and she and her both seemed to gravitate towards each other. This was the natural magnetism of both being the odd ones out, Nere knew. She found some comfort in the woman's presence.

"Rough vacation for ya?"

"One has to have a job in order to vacation," Nere responded. She wasn't trying to be facetious, her voice innocuous and her expression frank. "I think I'm more..." Nere pursed her lips and tapped a finger against them. "Provisional?" She asked the sky, pointing upwards.

Soon, the guards started to move into the sewers. Their heavy metal boots splashed in the muck, stirring up the kinds of awful smells that always settled under cities. Nere was passed a torch by someone nearby, and she followed the guards' lead, having no context for where they were headed.