Dreadlords How Many Have to Die?[Fate]

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria showed on her expression how pleased she was to hear him talk, to educate her that she was still in control despite it all. Control was all she ever cared for, especially when it came to any combat. Distract them with the knives she can pull from beneath her skin, devastate them with her decimation.

Despite her class being educated and trained the most in the times of the Revolution, Vittoria still racked up the highest kill count out of her peers. Some of the older Dreadlords she worked with had started to call her The Unmaker when she was just fourteen, and such a reputation only made her classmates steer clear of her.

Perhaps she did not need to befriend them all, but she would need to size them all up and figure what worth they were to her.

"Stepping stones." She said, the smallest of smiles on her face. "A means of getting through to what I want."

Her eyes fell to the rune and message, now complete, and canted her head. "Tell me, how does that work?"

 

[Erodin]

He tilted his head in a nod. "Precisely."

To believe that one could take on the whole world alone was folly. Erodin had understood that from the very beginning. Though he had been utterly ruthless at the Academy, he had always been sure to cultivate and build relationships. Just as he was teaching Vittoria to do now.

Relying on others to do things was difficult for people like them, but it was a necessity. Were it not for Cenric his own hand wouldn't reach half as far as it now did. That wasn't even to mention any of his other little rats skulking about Aniria and beyond.

"It's a simple thing created by Amelie." Erodin began as he turned to look at her. "The outer rune, here."

He showed Vittoria the inscription. "Tells the message where to go and what form to take, in this case, a bird. Here the inner runes..."

Erodin gestured.

"Is the actual message, coded of course." As the rune flew off towards the city below, the Dreadlord regarded it once more. "Rune Magic is foundational. It can be used for many things beyond what the Proctors have taught you."

A fact she had already learned, given the other rune he'd begun to teach to her. "They are far less limited than other forms of magic, because the barrier is not ones own power, but so so much more."

The Dreadlord explained.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

And to Vittoria, the Proctors taught her nothing in comparison of what was left for her to learn.

Her eyes watched over the runes, pinpointing each one used to make up the action it was responsible for. She smiled, a little crook of her lips as she paid particular attention to the lesson he continued on runes. "And the bird? What message will it carry for us?"

Her eyes flicked upwards, to the city they would raze if it meant another message needed to be sent and received.

"Have we ever had quarrel with Lumiria?" She asked, staring at the carved city that rose proud in the Savannah. "Disappointing that Lord Orren was not present, so he could not watch his wife expire before his eyes." Perhaps she could tell him of what Erodin did to her, what Vittoria could do to him...

No... Vittoria was not a great conversationalist. She rather liked demonstrating just how much pain she could inflict instead.

Looking back to Erodin, she waited for his next words.

 

[Erodin]

"I have a friend in the city." One of the hundreds of little 'rats' that he had spread over this continent. His information network rivaling almost that of the Vigilite's itself.

It had been one of the most important facets of his life, and a main focus of his career as a Dreadlord. Many missions had been spent bribing officials and cultivating friendships. Of course, when Cenric had joined him, things had taken off even more.

Now practically in every city in the world, scurried one of Erodin's rats. "He send word of where Lord Orren is staying, and get us into the city unseen."

"One of those disposable friends I mentioned." The Dreadlord mused, glancing down at Vittoria with a small smile.

"No war has ever broken out between our nations. They know Vel Anir is too strong, but we have long pressed them." He explained. "Eventually, you can only press something so far. The Republic is not yet strong enough to handle every threat it faces."

Not with the growing war in Cortos, Gilram, and two other Archon's on the loose. Erodin knew just how much danger the new government was in. Which, of course, was why they had chosen to support it. There was opportunity in danger, and they would be the ones to seize it. "Lumiria is a threat, one we will end tonight."

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

The power he spoke with as he mentioned the disposable friends sung to Vittoria like a siren's song. She wanted to feel that too, to collect these disposables loyal to her. Something she would assess once she returned to the Academy, returned to where she held court due to her ferocious approach to her training.
"Lumiria is a threat, one we will end tonight."

Vittoria looked to the city before them, a picturesque tableau against the sky. The clouds swirled with the winds, occasional gusts sweeping over the Dreadlord pair. "It is best for the future of Vel Anir to assist in the downfall of Lumiria. An important lesson to those that doubt the might of Aniria."

She would see the buildings flattened, no longer strong enough to stand. From every road leading to Lumiria would be littered with torn apart remains of it's people... but such a message may be too strong of a notion. Only at Erodin's instruction would she go about bringing down this threat.

"May I ask, Erodin, if I could be the one to... question Orren before his sentence to death?"

 

[Erodin]

Erodin's head turned slowly towards Vittoria, a bemused smile flickering over his features. "You are quite vicious, aren't you?"

He mused, not even a hint of judgment to his tone.

The impulse that Vittoria felt was one that he'd held his entire life. The need for proving oneself, to push to the razors edge, and to control all those surrounding them. It was a familiar feeling, and the echo of himself within the girl was something he delighted in.

"You'll have your chance." Erodin said with a smile, glancing down as he noted something slowly flickering towards them. "But first."

He said as he extended his palm. "We find him."

Slowly, his smile extended into a grin. "And then we slaughter all the rest."

As he finished, the floating rune that had slowly flapped towards them landed within his palm. The message within a simple answer, a way into the city. There was a tunnel not too far, and there they would meet Erodin's contact.

After that?

Lumiria was not long for this world.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vicious may only be the word to describe Vittoria when it came to getting what she wanted.

The scent of a hunt came with the breeze that brought the message of how they could both get into the city. Erodin could have chosen a Dreadlord over an Initiate, but she was grateful to be given this opportunity under his guidance. She read the message, feeling a pep to her step as she moved to follow Erodin to the tunnel.

Their entry point was not too far, but it held every imposing scent of dampness and darkness, no light to guide them. Hands to one wall, Erodin's to another, they mapped their way forward until a crossroads came upon them.

"This way." She murmured, careful not to let her voice echo. "Torchlight." Just as the message said, a signal for the right direction.

 

[Erodin]

Their way into Lumiria was dark, dingey, and entirely unhygienic. A part of him had wished they'd simply dropped from the sky into the city, but the chances of being seen would have been far too great. Better a few moments of discomfort, and the guarantee of success along with it.

Both of them remained silent until the first spark of light appeared within the distance. Vittoria catching it first as Erodin checked their surroundings with his ethereal sight. A few seconds passed before he answered her, a quick affirmation being all he offered before they ascended a set of stone steps. As they reached the top, a figure waited there. Small and hunched, no older than fourteen. His clothes were haggard, and his face was a mess of bruises.

“Arrakus sent me, My Lord.” The boy said, never looking directly at Erodin, but sparing a glance for Vittoria. “Here are the keys to a house down the street. Third door, number eighteen. My master has left what you requested inside.”

Erodin mused for a moment then plucked a small silver coin from a pouch in his belt. He flipped it to the boy, whose face lit up as though he'd just been handed a throne. ”Well done, lad. Take this, and tell your Master nothing of it.”

His eyes went wide, and then he quickly nodded as he tucked it into his own pouch before offering Erodin a set of keys. He did not wait a second after the Dreadlord took them, scrambling away so that the Anirian's mind could not change about the silver piece.

”One piece of silver.” He said, glancing down at Vittoria. ”That's all it takes sometimes.”

Erodin continued, stalking off towards the House that had been pointed out to them.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria smiled at the boy, although she doubted it put him at much ease when her smile was without kindness.

Everything was falling into place, and Vittoria had watched that silver coin flip in the air to be caught by the young boy, who pocketed it and kept it secure before running off.

It was as simple as that, just as Erodin proved, and Vittoria could only think how much coin she was happy to spare. She did not need coin to sway the minds of those residing in Lumiria.

Vittoria followed a few paces behind Erodin, keeping a watch on their surroundings as they moved into the city. It was a late hour, but there miraculously was still people milling about the streets, making their way home or to the next stop on the way. They walked by without fuss, and soon enough Erodin came to a stop before a door. It was the third door found, and there in iron numbers was 18 set against the old wood.

"I never need keys." The Initiate gave a short sigh and fitted the key into the lock, hearing it click before turning to unlock it. "Just two seconds and I can trick the system."

But she pushed the door open, taking initiative by entering first.