Private Tales Give Me Bloodsport

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria's face was impassive as she overlooked from the man made wooden tower of the outpost the Anirians had constructed. It had been abandoned once the forces had advanced further into Cortosi land, but it served as shelter as the Initiate and her partner were tasked with a mission. She had been doing a lot of those since being deployed into the war. It was the Dreadlord's way of keeping her occupied as they waited to call upon her specific talent to turn the tide.

This time, she was on a mission to send a threat.

"Kael." She called out aloud, summoning the other Initiate that was tasked to work with her. They were told to use stealth before dealing the blow that would throw their enemy into disarray. "Go see if that road is being used to cart supplies, will you?"

At first, she did not like being paired with the likes of Kael and his ability to shift. It was too similar to that of faeries and elven magic, but she soon saw past that thinking the moment he became helpful.

They had taken up this position to get a better view of the map before them. First they would chart a course, then they will use it to pin down where their enemy hid, and lastly, Vittoria will send a message from Vel Anir.

Simple, straight forward.

 

[Kael]

“It is.” Kael responded in almost dull fashion that denoted confidence and boredom. The tracks were not so far off than an eagle’s eye could not make out the wear of recent hoof prints, or the trail of a wheel.

“Activity no more than a week’s past I’d guess.” He affirmed. Was it their target? He didn’t know, but someone had been there that wasn’t supposed to be. It was odd being paired with Vittoria. The attack on Altera was much more of what Kael expected. Every ability there was focused, even subtle. The focus of quiet killers of men. Such things were not beyond Larrainth, but she had a raw unmistakable strength that suited her for the front lines in ways few ever could be. If she was here with Kael it meant one of two things. Either the target held truly monstrous strength, or they were here to send a very public message about the lack of privacy Cortos had. There was also the possibility one or both of them were being implicitly trained in each other’s field. Kael considered that remote enough to put out of his mind for now.

"Would you prefer the hunt or the snare?"

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

It was a question that sparked quite a delight within her.

Her gaze flicked to the side, preceding her head moving in his direction, and Vittoria gave him a small smile of amusement. "Hard to decide, you see, Kael." There were exciting notions to both options, but of course, they would need to choose one and form a plan around it.

"There is a thrill when it comes to the hunt. Especially when your prey catches wind and are aware everything it not as it seems. Watching them be alert, to ignore fear... Rewarding once you do catch them." She leaned against the wooden railing, it moving with her little weight of pressure, as if she knew any further and she would be falling forward with the loose rail. "But a snare is a game of patience and victory. To lull them into a sense of security before they are trapped within your game."

Vittoria bristled out air, debating on her answer carefully.

"The latter, then. What better way to send a message than to make that camp realise they were being watched?"

 

[Kael]

The snare then. Kael had a preference for such things, as they could choose to gain information prior to springing the trap. Today that meant more days, or perhaps even weeks, spent with the young lioness. And unlike say, Kil or Nas, the probability Vitt would do something upon discovery was certain. There was no margin for error, but then again there never was.

“Find out who’s coming, where they’re hiding, why they’re here, then stop it and send a message.” Kael summarized. “Simple enough.” The pairing made a bit more sense now. They were both an intimidation tactic. They could pick one Cortosi off and Kael could replace. When the time was right bring Vittoria in. Let a survivor see Kael change from a friend’s face. Observe the wroth of Larrainth. Come back home and tell them any familiar face could be the enemy. Tell them of the power displayed by one still a child. It was a tactical cruelty Kael could appreciate, were it for the repulsion it caused him.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria's lips lifted at the corners.

"Except, we do not need to know why they are here, Kael." She shifted to stand upright once again, turning to face hhim. There was something there in her gaze, something rarely shown until she began courting Kilien. It was a warning, a harbinger. "Our mission is to send a message."

Snaring them was half the fun. They would ensue panic, perhaps only a few would escape, but they needed bodies to deliver their message to their Cortosi numbers.

"If you do not have the stomach for it, Kael, I do not mind doing this alone. What I have planned for them is... perhaps too gruesome for even the most seasoned Dreadlord."

 

[Kael]

Kael resisted rolling his eyes. While Vittoria’s words seemed honest from her mouth there was a certain theatre to them. Few could repeat them with the same tenor. What was the ‘proper’ Dreadlord response?

“Gloating is beneath you Vittoria.” Kael said, deciding on a response. It was almost a kindness to be excluded from what was to come, but such things were always noticed. He would rather stand here than in interrogation with Harkenov on why he didn’t have the guts.

“If Cortos has found a hole, or an informant, it’s worth discovering and reporting.” Kael pushed. “But if it’s a message we’re ordered to send it shouldn’t affect our timeline. Agreed?”