Private Tales For Great Justice

[Kalianna Romane]

The Masked Bard waved off the proposed reward from the jeweler. "Keep the Crowns, please. I don't need compensation." The pouch did indeed look like it had a not-at-all insignificant amount of Crowns within it, but her bardic talents and house helped her pay her bills well enough without it. Plus, it looked like that window of his needed some replacing.

"Glad to have helped you. Most of the thieves responsible have been dealt with and about to spend a little time off from their criminal activities inside of prison. One did manage to get away though, but me and Hawk here will be keeping an eye out for her, so don't worry," Kalianna explained to the man.

"If you see this elf-" As she said this, she held her palm up, where an illusion formed depicting the ringleader. "-don't hesitate to tell us. Telling the guards couldn't hurt either."

Glancing over to Hawk, she remembered his request from before. "Do you still fancy hearing that song?" Turning back to the jeweler, she added, "You can listen too, if you'd like and aren't too busy cleaning."

 

[The Magnificent Hawk]

The Hawk beamed on being asked if he would like to hear the Masked Bard. "O-of course!" he said.

The jeweler also smiled. "By the gods, not only do you go and retrieve my stolen goods, but now I get to see a performance?" he asked, seemingly dumbfounded by the sheer generosity he had been given. "Certainly, young lady!"

The Hawk leaned comfortably with his back against the wall, arms folded across his chest, and waited patiently for the bard to begin playing.

 

[Kalianna Romane]

Behind the mask, a grin formed. The bard took her violin from her back, setting the bow upon the strings as she drew a breath.

Slowly, a musical tune began, simple and slow at first. Kalianna began to pace around the Hawk, continuing to play as she gracefully spun. The song began to quicken, as the sound of other musical instruments emanated out of thin air around the group, mixing harmoniously with the violin. It was as if a band of ghosts and spirits had risen to play along to the jaunty tune.

Kalianna twirled away and hopped onto the wagon while she continued to play. Standing atop it, she began to dance, the sound of feet hitting wood accompanying the myriad of sounds that came around them.

As she played and danced atop the wagon, two illusions of the bard stepped out from behind it. They stopped and looked each other, locking gazes as the two simulacrums moved towards each other, the movement fluid and graceful with dances and spins equally done by both.

The song built up to its final crescendo as instruments both seen and unseen quickened in pace, the illusions twirling towards one another before colliding into a cloud of chromatic smoke. As the tune began to build, the mist was suddenly dispersed into an array of mesmerizing colors as a hawk flew through it, beating powerful wings. Shooting past the watching pair, the bird of prey turned to a pillar of mist, and when the music at last hit its final note, the mist vanished to reveal Kalianna in its place, violin in hand and breathing heavy.

The Masked Bard deposited the violin on her back and gave a bow to the two beside her. "There we go. How was it?" She asked, looking towards them both as she rested from the impromptu performance.