Open Chronicles The Depths of Sanity

[Adriwolf]

Jaken was on his way to town, always with his hoody on his head to hide fromt he rest of people. He was on the way to look for a bounty to accomplish, get the money, and move on. He needed a big bounty, with BIG pay. The forest neraby the town was peaceful, usually calmed him down and lets him meditate about his werewolf form and the magic around it.
A crack caught his attention, taking out his combat knife and engaging in combat position, he let out a llittle growl.
"Who's there?" he roared "I ain't got time for your games. STEP OUT NOW!!"

 

[Zilvra]

"Such ugly manners from such a handsome young man," a sultry voice came from the forest. The woman did not step out from the tress at first, instead she remained where she was, gathering plants into a wicker basket with her gloved hand. In particular, she was collecting a rather striking flower with rather intriguing red and yellow petals, ignoring the young man's presence as she did so.

When finally she stepped out into the open, she revealed herself to be a dark elf, wrapped in a cloak of black with purple trim and lining. The dress she wore consisted of similar colours, though heavily laced and tightly corseted, accentuating the curves of her figure. A hand went to her hip as the lady regarded the young man and the knife in his hand. "So on edge," she said with a teasing smirk. "Is it common where you come from to greet unarmed women with sharp blades and even sharper tempers? Perhaps you'd like to try that again? I'd suggest a casual greeting would be more appropriate."

 

[Adriwolf]

"Hmmm... you are not like any other creature I've seen. You are... different." he said, still with his knife on hand "But how about you first?" There was something about the creature. Something seemed off. He was not sure about what was it, there was something that seemed... calming about the creature. "What are you thinking, stupid kid" he whispered "Stay on guard, she may be hostile" Something about it made him reconsider his actions, he didnn't know if it was the creature's attitude, or the way she was so calmed in front of a werewolf, maybe it's confidence. An inner struggle begun between keeping his guard on or lower it. He was debating himself, but at the end, something made him take the peacful decision.
"FIne!" he barked, lowering the knife "I'm Jaken, Werewolf. And. you are...."

 

[Zilvra]

A smile twisted her lips when the young man referred to her as 'different'. Oddly, the woman considered 'different' a greater complement than 'beautiful', 'graceful', 'charming', or any of those empty words that men used to shamelessly flatter whatever pretty piece of skirt caught their fancy. The world was full of beautiful women, after all. But 'different'... Now that was an impression she was truly pleased to leave. "Are my kind so rare a sight in this city? I supposed it shouldn't surprise me. My paler skinned and simple natured cousins are a dime a dozen across the face of Arethil. My kind... Let's say we're a more solitary breed."

He still had the blade in hand... Unfortunate, but certainly nothing to fret about. He didn't seem to have any intention of using it, and she had no plans to give him one. Still, the fact that the young man still held the knife sparked her interest. Most would've sheathed their blade immediately and apologized profusely for the offence. But this man kept his guard up. Interesting... Very interesting. Did the boy have some affinity for magic? Then he introduced herself.

"Werewolf?" She asked, her smile growing wider, showing a predatory gleam of her teeth. That would certainly explain it. "So bold of you to own it. Most around these parts would be... Weary of you to say the least. I confess, it's been awhile since I met one of your kind. How very intriguing."

The woman bit her bottom lip as she considered the man. Such powerful beasts, werewolves. No wonder it took him awhile to let his guard down. Hard to tame, of course, but was not a temperamental tiger still worth more then the most placid of kittens? Regardless, he was certainly worth keeping an eye on, if nothing else. "Zilvra De Valle," she introduced herself. "I'd offer my hand, but I wouldn't advise taking it," she warned, using her gloved hand to lift one of the strikingly beautiful flowers from her basket. "Gloriosa superba," she explained. "More typically, Flame Lilly. Quite the beautiful specimen, is it not? Deceptively so, of course. Every inch of the plant is highly poisonous. Just a brush of the pollen from my hand to yours and... Well... I certainly wouldn't risk it."

She continued to eye the young man up and down. Quite a striking youth, this one. Dark hair and captivating dark eyes. Quite handsome in the rugged, unkepmt, boyish way. A little pale and on the slender side. He could do with a bit more muscle on those arms of his, but considering the lad was a werewolf, that was entirely beside the point. Vicious, bloodthirsty, uncontrollable beasts, werewolves... So many uses for such a dangerous creature. "So," she continued in her casual, friendly demeanor. "What brings you to the outskirts of our humble merchant city?"

 

[Adriwolf]

"Not much." he said, with his knife still in his hand. "Just looking for a bounty. That's how I survive. Hunting assasins, creatures... kinda like your type. However-" he put the knife in his pocket "You are not on my list right now, or else you might be dead. Who knows. As I said, you are... particularly different, maybe you have some tricks under your sleeve I'm not aware about." he passed his eyes all over her. Leaving behind what her personality might be, it looked somewhat attractive. For Jaken at least, her face. Her face was one of the most gorgeous he has ever seen: confidently dark. The clothes it possesed added that attractive darkness to her face, something out of a gothic fairytale remake. Red Riding Hood perhaps. He felt something inside him, could it be the wolf trying to say something about her? He looked at the basket the creature was holding, those beatiful yet lethal flowers. "Those flowers. Huh. Yeah, lethal. With some alterations, it is possible to create a poisinous gas bomb. Not a bad catch. Jmm... why not test that out? I'm on my way to seek out for a bounty. Maybe we could look for something and put that to the test. Maybe we can discover interesting things about one another. You said that it was intruiging to eet a werewolf. And I am curious about what you are. I see this as an absolute win. So... whaddaya say? I heard there are some good bounties over there at town." he offered.

 

[Zilvra]

"My type?" Zilvra asked with a vixenish chuckle. "And what type would that be, pray tell? Only a moment ago, you said I was unlike any creature you'd ever seen, though apparently you consider me worthy of a bounty based on my uniqueness alone. How very prejudiced. And this coming from a werewolf of all things." Despite her words, Zilvra didn't sound the least bit insulted. The tone of her voice suggested that she was amused more than anything.

When the young man sheathed his knife and explained that she wasn't on his list. "Oh, how very kind of you," she said sarcastically. "Always a pleasure not to be butchered." When Jaken suggested that the poison of the flowers could potentially be used to create a gas bomb, the woman's eyes lit up. "You don't say? Fascinating. You know, I never even considered using them for such a purpose. You truly are full of surprises, aren't you?" She asked as she fearlessly approached the man who but seconds ago was pointing a blade at her. "If you know of a way to craft these bombs then by all means, consider them at your disposal. It's been awhile since I've learned a new recipe."

When Jaken declared that he was curious about what she was, she was all too happy to indulge him. "Ah, well I'm afraid you may be disappointed. I fear my kind are not quite so fascinating as you might imagine. I am Svartálfar. More commonly known as dark elf, or drow. Not the kind of creature you're likely to find a bounty on, I'm afraid." Well, that depended where he traveled, really. In the few areas that her kind inhabited, they were well known for being fiercely territorial, and extremely hostile towards intruders. But, of course, the boy didn't need to know that.

"So, you're a hunter?" She asked, with a captivated smile. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. But tell me, Bounty Hunter, you say you hunt Assassins and creatures like me to survive. Still, if you kill for a living, doesn't that make you an assassin yourself?" The poor lad probably had know idea, but his answer to this question was likely to decide the future of any business ventures that may pass between the two. In short, she needed to know if the man had morals. Morals were such troublesome little things.

 

[Adriwolf]

"It is true. Killing assasin's makes ME an assasin. You have a valid point. And what about how things work in normal towns? They kill killers, the POLITICAL SYSTEM, nontheless. The system that is suppose to keep order and make sure that everyone else is ok, yet, they hang bodies of assasins and expose them to the public. And... lemme tell ya something." he aapproached the dark elf "I. Get. Paid. And that is enough for me. Don't you know? Money is the only thing that keeps you alive. Sure, I can hunt in my wolf form and feed on my prey, you may say. But-" he smuggly chuckled "What is the fun on being a werewolf if you can't show off your skills and be rewarded by them? Besides, I am not a mindless killer I kill for a reason, otherwise, I'd just be another mad killer. I'd never kill someone just because I feel like it. I only kill when I get paid or if it is in absolute defense. Kinda what I almost did to you. I thought you were hostile, so I engaged in combat. A wolf must always look out for itself, especially if you are a lone wolf, like me."
Jaken remembered that she mentioned she was a dark elf, a species he haven't seen a lot. Only heard about in all those stupid child stories "So you a dark elf eh?" he asked "Yeah, I've heard of you... beh. Not gonna point fingers only because of the stories of heard in my childhood, unlike what you did saying that I was... prejudicing. But forget that, I'm always up for new interpretations. And yeah, I could tech you how to make these beatiful flowers as bombs. Lethal. Lethal bombs. Now... are you coming for a bounty hunt-" he growled "Or not? I don't have time for this" black fur started to grow in his hands, showing that he was summoning the wolf inside him. For some reason, he was getting angry and impatient.

 

[Zilvra]

So, the boy didn't have any grand ideas of heroism or righteousness. Perfect. So many young men his age loved to play the role of bold, dashing knight, fearlessly setting out into the world to save damsels and slay dragons. It didn't suit them. Most were no more righteous than any other mercenary or sell-sword, they simply put on airs and graces and spun elaborate excuses of why the blood they spilled was somehow more honorable than the blood spilled by anybody else.

"Ah, a very practical attitude," she was forced to agree with him. "And I suppose rather intelligent too. Most men who kill for coin are forced to endure the risks of the law always at their heels. Not only have you found a way to use your skills with impunity, but the law actually pays you for it. You can practice your skills with no risk to yourself... Save of course that you pick a target that outmatches you. Though I suppose that's all part of the fun," she added with a playful chuckle.

When the werewolf admitted that he almost killed her, Zilvra seemed strangely enticed by the knowledge. Such a bold thing to admit to a lady. Certainly no knight in shining armour, this one. "You considered my hostile?" she asked, sounding far more intrigued than offended. "And pray tell, whatever gave you that impression? I am, after all, a woman alone and unarmed. Not once have I threatened, insulted, or so much as raised my voice to you. So, what in the world would cause you to consider me a threat?" Most interesting of all, of course, was that the boy seemed immune, or at least resistant to the soothing magics that surrounded her and tended to put others at ease so very easily. He was on to her... Though, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was a smart lad who kept his guard up at all times, and Zilvra had little use for fools.

"A hunt, you say?" she asked, liking her lips in anticipation. It had been awhile since she'd hunted anything herself. She had lackeys to do the dirty work for her. A hunt could be an amusing distraction. "I suppose that's a fair trade. My assistance in exchange for the recipe for those lethal bombs you promised." Zilvra seemed to be deep in thought as her eyes roamed over the man. He had piqued her interest, that was for sure, but the short tempered tone he was taking with her was causing the woman to reconsider. He was brash, petulant and disrespectful, and disrespectful was the one trait she could not tolerate. A man could be the greatest swordsman, most notorious thief or deadliest assassin in the land, but if he did not respect her, then she had no use for him. Everything Zilvra had built, everything she was hinged entirely on that respect... Still, the man was young. There was always time to teach him manners if they were ever to work together on a more permanent basis.

Zilvra took a few steps forward to match pace with the young werewolf. She certainly wasn't the type to follow. "So tell me, hunter, what happens if you fail to find a bounty to your liking... Oh, I'm sure you'll find a few postings on the board. Petty thieves and perpetrators of bar brawls that went too far, work beneath a born hunter such as yourself. Still, I imagine that's what brings you here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem like the well travelled sort. Wondering from one place to another, collecting all the highest bounties until you have brought down every target you consider worth your while, then moving on to the next town in search of worthier prey. Still, surely their are less glamorous ways to profit from skills such as yours?" A harmless, casual conversation, no reason for the man to get suspicious. But of course, Zilvra was deliberately prying for information. She already knew that this Jaken was not a man guided by morals. Now she just needed to consider his pride. Bounty Hunting was all well and good, but would he take on more menial tasks if the price was right?

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken heard Zilvra asking why did he draw his trusty blade to defend himself, even though he didn't know what was behind those plants in the peacfull forest. He had the perfect answer for it: "It is a dangerous world out here. All the creatures in this lands always pack something challenging. From humans to Demon Masters. They all have something lethal to them. No one knows for sure what do they have. I have learned throughout my years of bounty hunting: always stay on guard. That or you die. That's just how things work. As I said prior, not sure what YOU may have for me. Perhaps, you have a... what should I call it? Calming area around you. Your confidence, your looks, your clothes, it inspires serenity, in my opinion, even if you look like you could suck the blood out of any unsuspecting victim. You could easily persuade others to calm down and kiss your feet. Almost worked though, not gonna lie. How do I know this? Well, I guess it's just experience with supernatural creatures. So, I'm always prepared for combat. I'm onto you."
"What you said IS correct." he continued "I have been in different lands, met many contacts, many monsters. The pay isn't something to brag of, but it is money nontheless. Besides, this... job, if you will, leaves quite interesting experiences. And it will end when I die. Monsters are always on the loose, myself included, so, bounty hunts will never end. And that is what I like about this job: it never ends, I have fun doing it, and it pays enough to survive. I do not know other ways to make money. Normal, boring jobs in town would not accept werewolves. In fact, they'd do whatever they can to bring their heads to the nearest prize counter. Besides... I have learned that being a werewolf" he chuckled as he caressed the bite scar in his shoulder "Is not that much of a curse if you know how to use it to your benefits." he walked towards a rock that gave a clear view of the town neraby. He climbed on it, as the wind played with his messy and dirty hair and clothes.
"So." he said "Are you with me for some bounty hunt?"

 

[Zilvra]

Zilvra raised an eyebrow in surprised when Jaken lad suggested that she had a 'calming area around her'. So, he sensed it. How very strange. Most creatures felt it, sure enough, but very few actually realized what it was. "Perhaps," she agreed casually, "Still, if one's intention is to calm, I'd say it's safe to assume that combat is the last thing on their mind. I'm a drow, after all, not a vampire. I have no intention of draining your blood," she teased the lad.

As the werewolf stood atop the rock, Zilvra looked up at him considering. Should she trust him? If he wasn't interested in the job, he could cause some trouble for her. Still, no reward could be gained without a few risks along the way. And this man seemed like the adventurous type, not the kind to earn coin through sneaking and snitching. "Actually, I was wondering if you may be interested in a slight detour." The woman offered. "I'm sure the bounties will still be there when you reach town. And I myself half a slight... Inconvenience that I need taking care of."

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken looked back at her. With wind running towards the town. Carrying both their clothes in an harmonical way.
"An inconvenience." he said "Well, I guess I could help you. But." he jumped down and walked towards the elf, not caring about the poisinous flowers that she was holding "Bounties are like what you are asking, I help others get rid of things that result in an INCONVENIENCE for them. I'm a werewolf for hire. I charge for the help I give out. You'd have to pay me once this incovenience of yours is dealt with. And yeah, SOME, not ALL of the bounties might still be there once I come back." Jaken stopped talking and thought about what was he going to get into. The bounties he has fullfiled throughout his career were somewhat challenging. Creatures with resources and spells, countless humans in an army to protect his target. Zilvra was a different creature he has ever encountered before. So, someone (or something) new brings new challenges and threats. He was sure that whatever Zilvra had for him was interesting, and wouldn't want to miss the oportunity to gain experiences..
"Alright." he concluded "I accept. We can worry about my reward later. But you better pay." he growled "I don't take kindly those who run away with their coins once I finished the job. Now... what is this inconvenience of yours?"

 

[Zilvra]

"Why, of course," Zilvra replied when the werewolf pointed out that he expected to be paid. "A man with talents such as yours deserves his due. As for my inconvenience. Well... These riffraff have been causing trouble in The Shallows for more than just myself, I'm afraid. A rather nasty group of parasites leeching off the honest traders and exploiting every ship that docks in our harbour. Of course, this little "tax" forces the traders to raise the prices of the goods they sell. And as I purchase many of these goods in bulk... Well you can see why that would present a problem. For quite awhile now, I've been keeping my eye out for someone who could help me persuade these men to... Move along." Of course, the tone in Zilvra's voice suggested that such a peaceful resolution was highly on likely. In all honesty, it would be far more convenient for her if every single one of those men found their way to the bottom of the swamp.

 

[Adriwolf]

"Sounds like a town in trouble to me. Hmmm. A group of people threatening innocent people to give them what they want, no questions asked while also making the town destroy itself. Grr. Makes my inner wolf want to riip them apart." There was something that Jaken couldn't stand and that is bullies. People that abuse of their power and number of people to take advantage on those who barely eat a slice of bread every day. Zilvra made the right choice on asking for his help, he considered himself as a capable werewolf. With arsenal and skills that a puny human could not match, even with the latest technology. Besides, maybe to show their grtitude, the town would pay him an extra bonus. Sounds like a good exchange if you asked him "Very well. I will help you with your little problem. Sounds like fun to me. The amount of people that exploit, the weapons they may carry... yeah. Sounds like a fun afternoon for me. Shall we go there and find out how can I ummmm.... get rid of the party? Now that I think about it, if we DO encounter a big group, we can use those flowers over there to make the bombs I told you about."

 

[Zilvra]

The woman's face lit up when Jaken accepted the job. Not only did he seem interested, he seemed excited. This man could definitely be useful. After all, in her line of work, there were always more than a few 'inconveniences' that needed to be swept under the carpet.

"A brilliant suggestion," Zilvra said when the werewolf suggested crafting some of her flowers into bombs. After all, learning the recipe was one of her main objectives in keeping his company. "Perhaps you could teach me how to craft them on the way. I'm afraid this little group of vultures is not one to be trifled with."

(At the docks)

Zilvra led Jarek through the unsettled planks of The Shallows with the graceful ease of one who knew the treacherous swamp like the back of her hand. As expected, the agents of The Crimson Blades were gathered at the docks, right where she expected, ready to deal out their usual 'taxes' on any ship that pulled in to harbour. Right now, it was late enough that the last of the drunks would've passed out by now, but not quite early enough for the honest, hard-working folk to be rising. The perfect time to start an ambush without drawing any unwanted attention. Time to get rid of these pesky leeches once and for all. "So, my Master Bounty Hunter, how do you propose we make our move?"

 

[Adriwolf]

"Now this is interesting." he commented as he took out his scoped crossbow to take a better look "I can see a group of around 5 people chilling over there with a campfire. I could get rid of them by crafting a poisinous bomb. Maight take some time though, around 15 minutes, or I could borrow one of those flowers and throw it at the campfire, the fumes that will expell may kill the ones over there, slowly and painfully. 2 men are exactly where the boats arrive. Bet they take their stuff there. Mmm... I can't exactly tell how many men are there, guess I'll improvise. Let's see, the weapons. Pretty basic: swords, bows, maces. Pfft amateurs. But I con also see some pistols.. mm... 3 cannon italian pistols, 1 gun-dagger, and that is all I can see from here." his eye caught the glimpe of someone on the rooftop of a house. He enhanced the scope zoom to see with better detail "Interesting. We got a sniper: musket a good ol' classic. Maybe there more snipers around." he scouted the are and founded 3 more men sitting on the roofs "Man, there's a lot of them. I could go in stealthily but eventually I would get seen." he lowered the crossbow and noticed the sun hiding in the mountains "But this might help us. Ok Zilvra, I might have a plan. I'll try to go as stealthy as I can for as long as I can in my wolf form, it allows to be more faster and agile. You could stay back here and back me up with my crossbow, I don't care how many arrows you use. Or you can go in the front lines, using my weapons, but of course that would mean close combat, and no offense, but you don't look like the fighting type." he stood up and started undressing. He was going to transform but he would like to have something to dress on after the massacre. Leaving his underwear on, he let the transformation begin.
Fur started to grow in his skin as his muscles started to deform and grow in size. His nails and teeth expanded to reach the size of those of an intimidating and uncontrollable beast. His legs broke outwards and started growing, and growing. His feet deformed and reached the shape of a wolf's. The lower part of his spine stretched out to become a fluffy and big black tail. His mouth expanded to imitate the shape of the snout of a dog's. His eyes became blue slowly, replacing those pure brown eyes into the deep blue ones he possessed. And finally The Marks of Runes started to weakly glow on his back as the transformation was complete.
And the werewolf was out to have some fun. Jaken growled and breathed slowly as the peacfull and soothing (almost at ZIlvra's level) wind caressed his fur.
"Now," he said in a deep, demonic voice "What do you want to do? Back me up and be crossbow-sniper if things go south or go with me in close combat?" he asked as he look into Zilvra's eyes with his deep blue eyes.

 

[Zilvra]

Fifteen minutes to craft a bomb... She supposed there was no rush. But the suggestion of simply throwing the flower into the fire was a stroke of genius. "Perfect," she whispered, licking her lips in anticipation. "Of course, we'd need something to weigh it down. A stone would work, but then the flower may fail to ignite. Wood would be preferable." As her eyes scanned the docks, they fell on a collection of barrels that were often used to transport cargo to and from the ships. Inspecting them carefully, she managed to find one barrel that showed a few signs of damage, and broke off a large splinter from it's cracked remains. "I believe this will do nicely," she stated as, with gloves hands, she started to wrap the stems of a few of the deadly flowers. That should take care by the five by the fire, at least. Still, there was far more than just them to worry about.

Zilvra lifted her eyes when Jaken pointed out the snipers. "Now they could be a problem," she whispered. "I'd suggest taking them out first. If it's done quietly, the others won't be alerted, so we can take our time with the rest." Still, as the werewolf pointed out, it could be tricky to take down four snipers in complete silence without any of the others noticing. When the wolf offered her his crossbow, the woman politely raised a hand and shook her head in refusal. "I'm afraid a bulky weapon like that would be wasted on me, my dear. But do not fear, I have a few skills of my own." With that, the elf ungloved her right hand and wriggled her fingers with a wink. After all, it wasn't uncommon for one of the elven kind to have a strong affinity for magic. "Now, I do know a few aggressive spells, but I doubt they'll serve me well in this situation. A bolt of lightning suddenly appearing out of nowhere is going to draw attention, and we don't want that. What could be useful are some more... Subtle tricks I have up my sleeve. Observe," she said as she looked around for a target. "The one by the fire with the red kerchief," with her target in sight, she gave a slight wave of her fingers and whispered some kind of incantation. Shortly after, the man turned his head and looked around before addressing his comrades in confusion. "I'd wager that young man just heard a faint whistling coming from behind him, and can't for the life of him figure out where the sound came from. A useful little ruse when it comes to stealth attacks, don't you think? Distraction can be a more powerful tool than you'd think."

An eyebrow suddenly raised when the young man started undressing. "My, you are forward, aren't you? And you didn't even buy me dinner," she joked, without so much as turning her eyes away. It would likely have been the polite thing to do, but Zilvra wasn't some blushing maiden to become shy and awkward at the sight of a man with his shirt off. Besides, she wanted to be sure that her eyes were on him when he transformed. She'd seen werewolves before, a couple of times, but this would be the first time she actually witness the transition from man to beast. As one with a keen interest in all things magical, she certainly wouldn't want to miss that.

As Jaken began transforming, Zilvra's predatory grin grew wider and wider. This creature was magnificent. More incredible than she had even imagined. A monstrous beast that could obliterate everything that stood in his path... Yes. An animal like this could prove very, very useful indeed.

Now, how to go about this, that was the question. "I'm not one for close combat," she confessed without hesitation. She had absolutely no intention of risking her life in this quest. That's what she was paying him for, after all. "Here's what I suggest. You take those snipers out one by one. I'll keep my eye on things, cause a distraction if any eyes start to wander the wrong way, and a few illusions while I'm at it. Masking the blood shouldn't be difficult, and it's incredibly simple to make a dead body appear as a living one. Once those sharp-eyed bastards are out of the way, or if something were to go wrong, I'll cast the flowers into the fire. That should take five of them out, and the smoke and screams should cause a long enough distraction to deal with the rest... Then, well, you can see what other tricks I have up my sleeves," she suggested with a challenging smile. "What do you say, killer?"

 

[Adriwolf]

"Not used to teamwork." the wolf said, in fact, he hated teamwork, because he knew that someone will screw up, putting in danger the whole mission they put so much thought and strategy to it "But I guess if that is what you want. so be it. You could use that magic of yours to mask trails that I left behind. And if anything goes south, cast the flower into the fire. The distracction will buy some time to kill the remaining troops. I'd recommend to use the scope of my crossbow so you can see better, you don't have to shoot." he said as he lied down the crossbow on Zilvra's feet "I'll see what I can do... first, take out the snipers, the smell of blood won't rreach to anybody but me. Y'know, powerfull senses and all that. So, you wouldn't have to worry about any smells. The body's decomposition odor starts around 3 days, for what I've heard. So smells won't be a problem now. Ok... wish me luck."

Jaken was crawling through the big bushes, climbing trees to have a better view on his plan. The first and farthest sniper was sitting on a chair with a big glass of beer by his left and his musket on his right. He should be an easy victim. Jaken jumped to the edge of the building the sniper was, hanging in with his claws and his body suspended on the air. He slowly climbed the roof and approached in 4 paws to his objective. Swiftly, he covered the traget's mouth with his big hands and dragged him away form his position. Quitely, he choked the life out of him. One sniper down, 3 to go. The idea of using the musket to kill the remaining snipers seemed tempting, but that would alert everyone on ground. As tedious as it is, he would have to take them out stealthily. With a big jump, he vaulted over the roof and landed on ground, using the bushes to remain hidden. The second building was high, but not a challenge for a werewolf like him. The second sniper was looking to the other men relaxing on their position.There was a bit of light surrounding him, for better stealth, he'd have to attract him to the darkness. Jaken used his claw to create noise with the wooden building. It worked, the noise caught the attention of the stupid man. The werewolf took advantage of this and broke his neck with ease. 2 were left. SOmething about the second sniper caught Jaken's attention: it was an improvised crossbow with an arrow loaded. "How convenient." he picked up the crossbow and scouted the area for the two remaining snipers. One was in a building northeast of the wolf and the other one was in the closest building to the campfire. "I could use this to my advantage." he shot the third sniper with the crossbow bolt, impaling him in the skull. One more sniper. He sprinted in four legs towards the last building. He did not climbed it, but ran up, excited to kill the sniper and taste a bit of it's blood.
"Ey comrade!" said one man from the ground "Want a bit a beer?" Jaken stayed still in one of the building's wall. He could not afford being spotted now.
"Yeah mate! I'm in! Throw it." Jaken slowly reached the top of it and moved quietly towards the last sniper.
"Heads up!" a bottle of beer flew past the sniper's face
"Damn it mant You are drunk as hell!! You almost broke my face."
"Eh suck it up!!"
The sniper turned around to pick up the bottle, but he also saw was Jaken standing there, crouched, almost reaching him.
"WHAT TH-" Jaken jumped at him and covered his mouth. What Jaken did not realized is that the man took out a knife and stabbed him on the shoulder. A silver blade. Jaken did what he could to stay quiet even though he felt his shoulder burning up. He let a grunt out however. Not thinking it twice, he slitted the man's throat with his claw.
"You heard that?" asked a ground man. Jaken layed down on the ground, forcing his body to the ground the best he could to remain unseen.
"Ah, leave it, probably fell in." said another man.
Jaken leaned over the roof to see better the targets: 5 of them were still around the campfire, while another 4 were with the boats. No matter what he'd do, he would be seen in those 2 remaining groups. He needed a new plan. He looked back at where he came from, where Zilvra should be, observing the job getting down. He didn't know if she could see him with the darkness, but Jaken made signals pointing to the fire.

 

[Zilvra]

Zilvra nodded her head agreeably to his plan. "Perfect," she whispered under her breath. Masking the wolf's trails should be a simple task, as well as dissuading the rest of the men's eyes from wandering in the direction of whatever poor soul Jaken happened to be taking down at the time. A smile twisted the drow's lips when Jaken told her to wish him luck. "I doubt you need it, my dear," she said confidently as he stalked away after his first kill.

Generally, Zilvra tracked Jaken, and was pleased to discover that it was a more difficult task then she'd expected. The man was stealthy. Perfectly suited to the task at hand. The first victim he took down didn't make so much as a grunt. This was going well indeed. At one point, one of the men on the docks began lifting his head towards where his companion struggled for his life, but Zilvra simply distracted him with an illusion of a mosquito buzzing around his ear. The man battered the non existing insect away and went back to his business. Problem solved.

The woman grit her teeth when she saw the werewolf leap. Impressive as the jump was to behold, such a heavy creature was bound to make a noise on impact. She improvised by creating the sound of a clap of thunder in the distance as soon as Jaken hit the ground. This distraction was more difficult than the others, and perhaps some of the men might find it unusual, hearing thunder without a bolt of lightning proceeding it. Still, an unusual turn of the weather wasn't going to make anyone suspect foul play.

Now the second sniper went down like a dream. Poor soul didn't even have time to struggle. This young man truly was an expert in his craft. Not only that, but he used the sniper's own crossbow to take out one of the others. Genius... Unfortunately, the fourth man did not go down quite so smoothly. Not only was there an unwanted ruckus, gaining the attention of two of the other men, but it seemed as if Jaken himself was injured. That was unfortunate. Still, the four snipers were down. That left them only with the five men by the fire and the four at the boats. And once her flowers came into play, well... Then she'd have to see how the wolf fared in close combat.

At Jarek's signal, Zilvra cast the flower wrapped wood into the fire, quickly ducking back down behind the barrels once the task was done. A few gasps of surprise and confusion escaped the five men around the fire, but that was quickly replaced by wails of horror as they began to breath in the toxic fumes, dropping to the ground and convulsing in agony as the poison started to course through their bodies.

This, of course, drew the attention of the other four, who all cursed in outrage when they realized they were under attack. The men all started running in the direction of Jarek and Zilvra, weapons in hand. Luckily, Zilvra had one more trick up her sleeve. It cost her a great deal of energy to perform such a spell, but to be rid of these parasites once and for all would be worth it. Suddenly, a thick and heavy fog started to rise from the swamp, rising higher and growing denser until it forced the for remaining men to stop in their tracks.

"What the fuck is this? What's happening?" One of the men cried out in panic. "Where'd this damned fog come from? I can't see a bloody thing!"

With the dense fog to cover her presence, Zilvra fearlessly stepped out from behind the barrels and approached the injured werewolf. "Now, my dear," she whispered in her confidently sultry voice. "Would you be so kind as to rip those worthless maggots to shreds?"

 

[Adriwolf]

"Lovely." he took out the blade from his shoulder, holding the knife in combat position. Jaken leaped towards the action, throwing the knife to one of the men. It struck in his heart, leaving him vulnerable to any attack. But he could take care of that later, or probably he would bleed to death. The fog was in front of him, and he could not see clearly inside of it, plus, the darkness of the night made it a harder task to kill. SO he used one of his abilities:
"<<Blue Light.>> he thought. His blue eyes glowed even stronger and The Marks of Runes started to glow in his back. Jaken's vision brigthened up to see more clearly where the men were, making this job a bit more easy "<<TIme to die.>>"
"CALL REiNFORCEMNETS!!!" yelled a man.
"<<Reinforcements? So there are more. Can't let him escape.>> he jumped towards a man that was running away form the fog.
He dug his claws into the man's nape, killing him instantly. 3 more and job done. He grabbed the sword that the man had let go once Jaken killed him and threw it to one of the men, cutting him in half instantly. The werewolf sprinted towards the last man standing, tackling him. He waited for a bit to see the terrified man's face before he could sink his fangs into his neck, spilling blood in a big red, liquid explosion.

Suddenly, all sounds, smells and feels disappeared. His body stood still and his mind wandered off into nothing. There was only taste... the juicy blood. He always gets hypnotized with the taste of blood on his fangs, doesn't matter if it's humanoid or animal. It was something so relaxing and satisfactory that he could almost deny any reward for this job because the taste of blood was enough for him, but that would never happen. Why not have both? He did not realize for how long was he there, chewing on the guard's neck, ripping out every cartilage from the neck and tasting all the drops of blood he could gather.
The blood, the blood, the blood... so.... soothing.

A slight headache brought him back to the world, and his vision became normal again. He knew what this was about. One of the side effects of Blue Light: headaches. But the blood and meat made it worth it.
He looked back. Zilvra was looking at him. He stood up on his legs.
"Sorry you had to see that." he said with his snout full of blood.

 

[Zilvra]

It was perfect! It was better than perfect! The creature's stealth and quick thinking had been impressive, but the complete and utter brutality of the wild beasts savage attack on the remaining men... This werewolf was the real deal. An unstoppable force of nature. A natural killer. The things she could accomplish with this beast at her side... She wanted him. And Zilvra was growing very used to getting her own way.

As she approached the remains of the bloody scene, the drow clapped her hands together with a cruel, mocking laugh. "Beautiful, my dear. Absolutely beautiful! A more stunning display of raw power, I could not have imagined. You've more than earned your reward." But as the fog lifted and what remained of the scene was revealed though, the woman raised an eyebrow in concern. "But you are injured," she declared, drawing closer to inspect the wound. "Worse than I expected... Luckily, I do have some knowledge of healing herbs, if you'll permit me to take a closer look. You certainly don't want a wound like that getting infected. Either way, I'd say it's best we get moving now. That little scene caused quite a ruckus, and I personally intend to be gone from this place before the crowds arrive.

 

[Adriwolf]

"Yeah... sure." he covered his bleeding wound "Let's scram before anyone comes near."
Normally a knife wound would heal by itself in a matter of minutes, but any silver-caused wound would take longer time and a carefull treatment. He remembered the guard calling for reinforcments, that meant that there are more raiders like them. As he approached ZIlvra, he noticed a piece of rag on the clothes of the men. It had a symbol of sword impaled in a box. Jaken crouched and ripped it off "We might have something to work with over here." Jaken continued walking to Zilvra, for some reason, he knew that the elf would take care of his wound and heal him, even though they barely knew each other "Let's go somewhere secluded, don't want to attract any attention."

(In the forest)

They've been walking for some time, Jaken knew that his blood was running out, in fact, he was feeling a bit dizzy: one of the symptons of blood loss.
"Hold on!" he barked "I need to lay down." the wolf leaned on a tree and let his body slide through the log of a big tree "Ok... so..." he raised a hand in a signal of allowance "Do your magic."

 

[Zilvra]

Once in the forest, Zilvra inspected the area for anything she could use. It would've been much simpler to just take him back to head quarters, where all her equipment was kept, but she'd have to be sure she could trust the man before letting him know anything about The Crows.

"You can't rush art, my dear," Zilvra insisted as Jaken asked her to do her magic. "I have an affinity for healing, true, but even an experienced mage such as I can heal far better when she has something to work with. Ah, this should do nicely," she said as she discovered a purple flowering plant, with a tall, spike-like stem and a few fuzzy leaves. Picking a few of these leaves, she approached the werewolf and began to place them over the wound. "Lamb's ear," she explained. "The leaves both stick to the skin and help to prevent infection. Soldiers quite often use them as band-aids for smaller wounds. Now, lay still," she instructed.

With this order, she held her hand over the injury and began to work her true magic. The injury wouldn't heal entirely and the man would still be left with a nasty scar, but her spell would help to ease the flow of blood, as well as numb him to the pain. Unbeknownst to Jaken, however, the numbing spell had... A less benevolent side effect. It would numb the pain, true, but it also had the effect of numbing the mind. Very useful for those of a suspicious nature like Jaken. He'd take no harm from it, of course, but might make him a bit less guarded. More open to trusting others and speaking his true thoughts. She had to know exactly what she was dealing with, after all. She had no intention of doing business with a man who might stab her in the back later on. "There," she said softly, adapting a gentle and caressing tone as she placed a hand on the werewolf's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

 

[Adriwolf]

When Zilvra started to work with his wound with the flowers, he figures that it would be the end of it, but when he saw Zilvra using ACTUAL magic, he cecame defensive, growling and showing his teeth. He was injured, but he can also put up a fight. "Watch it lady." he roared "Try something funny and you will regret it." he threatened. But then, it was back: that feeling of relaxation and soothing when he first encountered Zilvra. He knew that it was taking effect.
Jaken fought it, as hard as he could, he could not let his guard down. He had to be always prepared for any type of attack. He could hear Zilvra whisper some spell, as well as some type of magical wave connecting with Zilvra's fingertips and the flowers in his wound.
Sooner than later, he felt his body relaxing, like if it was being shut down. His mucles were calming down and his respiration was becoming weaker and relaxed, yet he was still conscious. "I don't know what you are doing." he said "But I... I... I love it. It's hypnotizing." his mind was wandering off, he wasn't really thinking straight. It was like what makes him reason and think was slowly closing. He became more relaxed than his body was.
"Thank you..." he whispered "I thought i'd never receive help from anyone... us werewolves are targeted as monsters and must always be killed. I remember my first transformation: in my family's funeral. The bite I received made me transform the exact same day my family was being buried. Everyone screamed... everyone ran... everyone tried to kill me. I couldn't say goodbye to them." tears started to run down his face "Wish I could, but I had no control over my transformation. <<What are you doing? Why are you telling her this?>>"
Both his body and mind were closed. The headache by Blue Light plust the enchantment Zilvra was putting on him made him almost fall asleep.
He was vulnerable.

 

[Zilvra]

Zilvra raised an eyebrow in surprise when Jaken started growling at her. "You're welcome," she replied sarcastically. "And need I remind you that you're the one who asked me to 'do your magic'. Considering you saw what I could do at the docks, you can't blame me for taking that literally. Now, relax and stop struggling, you'll only make the bleeding worse." Eventually though, the magic began to take effect and the werewolf started to calm. "There, now doesn't that feel better?" he asked sweetly. His reply was incredibly honest. It seemed like her magic had had the desired effect. "Wonderful," she practically purred with satisfaction. "Yes, the magic does tend to have that effect. Quite the sensation, isn't it? Easing all the tension. Letting go of all that pain. By the looks of you, you've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders for years." No doubt about it. Creatures like Jaken always had a story... And the woman's face lit up as Jaken starting spilling his own. Poor lad. What burdens had he been carrying all this time? "I'm so sorry," she whispered tenderly at his confession, gently brushing her fingers over the fur on his forehead. "Your parents... What happened to them?" This was going to be interesting.

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken could only hear Zilvra's voice and nothing else: no trees, no wind, no leaves, no nothing. Just Zilva's perfect and relaxing voice. He was fully aware that he was under the control of Zilvra's spell. But he didn't care, it was making his mind and body wander off into a world with no worries.He holded ZIlvra's soft hand brushing his fur, the feel of her skin was lovely: soft and delicate. Maybe an angel's
"<<Could she be an angel?>>" he thought and laughed under his breath.
"I was 16." he began "My family and I were on a trip on a mountain nearby our town, we were celebrating my ol' man's birthday. That stupid happy-go-lucky person. I'll never forget him. We were in the middle of the mountain. We hiked all damn day until reaching a plain spot for camping. My sisters and I helped putting up the tents and a campfire. Everything went perfect, full of laughs and joy, maybe one of the best days I can remember. When everyone was asleep on their tents, I assume a pack of werewolves stalked us, because next thing I recall, my parents where being attacked by the wolves. My sisters and I ran down the mountain in panic. We thought we were safe, but the wolves caught us. They ripped her apart." more tears were dripping down his face "One werewolf managed to bite me, but I managed to escape using a knife my dad gave me before everyone fell asleep. I passed out due to the bite. Then I woke in a hospital. My shouler was burning up. I was afraid. I knew I was to transform into a werewolf. When the doctors told me about the death of my family, I didn't know what to do. I swore revenge on the pack that killed my family, but I don't even know wht pack it is, so... I don't think I'll avenge their deaths." he started crying "On the funeral, I... I transformed. Everyone tried to kill me, but I escaped. Since that moment, I have tried to dominate the werewolf transformation. Few days later, I encountered this witch that gave me The Marks Of Runes. Next thing I know, I've been spending my days as a werewolf and bounty hunter."
Jaken cried more, he would never imagine that he would cry in front of someone, especially in his wolf form. But for some reason, he felt that Zilvra would listen to him. Or maybe it was the spell on him, whatever it was the reason, he felt gratefull that Zilvra was here,
"Thank you."