Open Chronicles The Lost Children

[Aramis]

Aramis folded himself into a wingback chair by one of the three fireplaces, though the only one not occupied. A few of the other Dreadlords gathered quietly put books or games down and made their way out of the room, few with a nod of respect to the painter who absently picked at a dried spot of paint on his scarf.

"Fill you in?" he asked absently then glanced up at the foursome before him and seemed to partly remember that this was no ordinary returning home from work. The second job, right. He waved his hand to the other chairs in a bid for them to rest just as Lars appeared with a tray that contained an elegant decanter and a set of five tumblers. He set it down, gave the group a hard look, the left.

"You must excuse Lars, it takes him a while to warm up to people," he followed the blonde with sigh. "But he is an absolutely marvellous model," his lips quirked and then he turned his attention to the brandy which he begun to pour for all who indicated they wanted it.

"We can get to the rest of it later, but first I'd like to hear a little more about all of you. Our Mutual Friend was quite scarce on the details."

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh noticed the girl staring at Osbert for certainly a few seconds to long. He looked back at him an raised an eyebrow suggestively at him before they were ushered into the drawing room. While they walked, he quickly leaned in close to Osbert and whispered "How come you are such a ladies' man Bert? You are going to run out of arms."

He smirked one more time before lazily plopping himself down into one of the seats offered. Shiloh looked at the soon-to-be-offered beverage thirstily, before focusing back in on the conversation.

"Not much more to tell. Some dreadlords, former I guess should come before that, that got tired of being told what to do. Now, I am going to drink and fight until I am happy. You know, have a little fun."

 

[Osha]

Mutual friend?

Osha's dark brows darted upwards along her pale face. Fingers stilled along the cards that she fiddled with in her lap. Leaning forward, she took one of the goblets, sniffing the liquid before taking a tiny-burning sip. The ghost that had threatened Aramis walked straight through one of the fireplaces and disappeared into the wall. The black dog at her side brought its attention from around the room to Shiloh.

Unnerving in the way the animal never seemed to blink.

She had her reasons for being here. But instead of admitting them and trying not to focus on the boy with those jeweled eyes she said, "Rumors brought me here. A place where dreadlords who left Vel Anir behind were gathering."

For a moment, Osha's gaze focused on a spot just above the red-headed girl's head. A frown on her lips. "Stop," she whispered before her eyes darted back to the living as if nothing odd had happened. "Wanted to see if the rumors were true" With that, she tipped the rest of the contents of the glass back into her throat and went to pour her petite-self a second glass.

 

[Osbert]

Os gave the wand-slinger a wink but didn't bother with a response. Partially out of necessity, they were whisked into the room adorned with fireplaces at a brisk pace, and partially because for once in his life the young Dreadlord didn't have a quip to respond with.

Not out of embarrassment simply due to the fact that he was trying to take in as much information as he could. Locate exit paths, gather information, all while retaining every word this Aramis fellow was speaking.

But then the brandy arrived and damn was it good. He felt himself relax for the first time in... well... weeks.

"He's not really a friend," Os said while taking another sip, "god this stuff is good. Where's it from?" Once they ran this place that'd be the first crate of goods they'd order. "I'd say our mutual acquaintance."

His eyes narrowed as he studied Aramis to the best of his ability, flashing a glance at Sybille who reacted in a similar manner as he when they'd met the disgraced Archon. There was something off about him and his idea to fight Vel Anir wasn't just insane but it was the exact opposite of what Os, Syb, and Shiloh were looking for. A life free from all of that nonsense back home.

If Aramis and the others were actually in league with that zealot, well, maybe they'd be departing at day break for gods knew where. There was always work for muscle in Alliria though the pay would likely be middling.

But the tip to come to Syzemore? Well, here they might actually be able to build a life for themselves.

Tension left his shoulders once more and Osbert relaxed, putting on a cheery smile. "I'm Osbert, as you know. Third Level back home. As our bar brawling friend says we're just looking for a bit of that life of luxury we were promised." One more sip of that sweet nectar, this time he let it sit on his tongue a few seconds longer before swallowing. Remembering when he tasted similar succulence back at the Banick Estates. "After we seize the city, of course."

 

[Sybille]

Sybille kept her expression as flat as she possibly could. Almost straining not to show any emotion at the small back and forth between Os and Shiloh.

Her eyes danced around the halls as they were escorted around the Manor. Her hand raising only briefly at the introductions as she tried her best to have some semblance of animation. When finally a glass of brandy was thrown into her hands Sybille seemed to relax ever so slightly.

She took a small sip of her drink, closing her eyes for just a brief moment she reveled in the taste.

Brandy was hardly her favorite, it wasn't even close.

Yet it wasn't the taste that elicited her reaction. No. It was the slip of comfort. A flavor that she had come to associate with luxury she had never thought possible. Warmth spread through her core, a smile that did not last long flickering on her face.

Until Aramis mentioned him.

Thoughts of the wayward Archon immediately made that ball in her stomach flinch. The unpleasantness that had surrounded the man almost manifesting in the room at the mention of his name. Acquaintance was right. None of them would be mad enough to stay near the man.

"Sybille." She added her own voice to the Chorus. "Second level."

Her voice was soft, almost hard to hear. Lingering close to Osbert.

 

[Aramis]

As the children spoke, Aramis lit another cigarette taken from a slim silver box that he set to one side. Taking one deep draw whilst he loosened his tie, he then released the smoke upwards so as not to offend anyone with the smell should they not like the slightly sweet tang. Aramis might have not appeared the typical cunning lethal blade most Dreadlords styled themselves to be but that did not detract from how ruthless he was. There was a reason he had been the lone survivor of his class after their turn atop the Tower, and it was that razor sharp mind that now analysed every word, every look, every action.

He was quietly pleased his choice of words had raised at least two hackles.

"Well, that is exactly what those of us here want my darlings," he purred. "Luxury, the life we were promised after that hell," he all but spat. There was no question what hell meant. "If they won't give it to us there, we'll simply take it here. This mansion," he waved his hand. "Is just a little crumb of what we can have, that port just a drop. There is money here. The city's blood is made of it. Now," he reached down to the briefcase he had been carrying earlier and pulled out a stack of parchments. Some were stunning sketches, heart-wrenching paintings, and half finished etchings. But there were a few papers among them with bits of cursive writing which he passed to Osbert.

"Here is your assignment."

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh did not mention his level. He did not like to bring that shit up. Vel Anir had only cared about the flashy stuff. On paper, they saw that Shiloh only really used one spell and they slapped him with a fourth level before he could even explain himself.

He could kill more third levels and maybe a 2nd level if they weren't paying attention.

Shiloh was taking from his brooding to look at the paper quizzically. An assignment? He shot a glance to Os and then Sybille with a small frown reaching his lips.

"An assignment? Not too much different from Vel Anir then is it?"

 

[Osha]

With a second-glass or alcohol winced down, she felt a tingling in her toes and fingers. And a sweet relief from the ghostly figures that patrolled the sitting area. She knew they were still there. But their details began to blur and smoke away. And their voices weren't so loud.

Not so demanding.

Her face normally pinched and full of tensions and distraction began to ease. Even as pale eyes carefully watched those papers that were handed off to Osbert. Silently, she filed the names away: Osbert, Sybille, Shiloh. And for a moment, a much different deck of cards pulsed within an inner pocket of her blue coat. Their fortunes were calling to her.

 

[Osbert]

Osbert nodded in approval as Syb spoke but kept his focus on Aramis. Everything the painter said sounded perfect to him as he scooped up the parchment that came out of the Dreadlord's briefcase. Pausing for just a second as Shiloh raised his concern, "the difference is we don't have to split any reward with a bunch of spoiled nobles whose only claim to fame was being born into the right family."

Not to mention if any of them disliked the idea of this job they could probably just pack up and move on.

He read it over once before reading through what it detailed a second time, then he passed the parchment around to the others so they could read it for themselves. As soon as the paper left its hand and went to Sybille he cleared his throat and recited the main gist of the contents from memory.

"We're to go to the Kivren District. One of the major ports of Syzemore runs through there. Apparently the place is ran by the Ichthyes Tribe." Os scratched at the back of his neck as he took in everyone in the room. "I don't know much about kivren but according to what's written there the Ichthyes Tribe are the equivalent of their nobles. They've got a big palatial estate on the waterfront."

He downed the contents of his glass as all of the ways this mission could go wrong went through his head. Long ago he learned to think of everything that could go belly up first to limit the number of 'surprises' once on an actual job. Sybille would be furious, she hated the water. Shiloh might do okay. Os knew almost nothing of this Osha girl. "A bunch of humans poking around a district made up of ninety-percent kivren might stand out."

They'd need a cover story unless they wanted to go in fighting.

 

[Sybille]

Sybille scowled almost the instant Aramis said the word assignment.

Her lips parted as she was about to speak up, cut off by Shiloh raising the same sentiment. Gaze flickered over towards him, head jerking in a tight nod. "We don't get given assignments."

She growled, looking between Osbert and Aramis.

There was a strength to her voice this time. Not anger or ice, but a firmness.

"If we do this that part of the city is ours." Sybille insisted. She'd heard 'palatial estate' but in truth that wasn't one her mind in the moment. All she cared about was keeping the freedom she had now. The choice she had. "This isn't a mission."

She had been given too many of those. She had walked away from those. "This is an opportunity."

It was a small split of semantics, she knew, but it mattered. "Yeah?"

Her gaze flickered to Aramis, setting intensely upon him.

 

[Aramis]

Aramis calmly turned his gaze to the small ember-girl and whilst his smile was as sweet as honey, the energy that burned behind it was not so kind.

"What you claim is on behalf of all of us, dearie. There's no room here for yours and ours," he leaned back in his chair and raised his glass to take a sip of the port. "It was that kind of thinking that led to the Dreadlords being divided and, eventually, being defeated," it had been a weakness the noble houses had ensured they all had built into them. The singular focus to think of just themselves. With a bare movement of his fingers the ink on the parchment Osbert was furiously scouring for information dripped off the paper and in an arch of droplets arched back to Aramis' hand where it pooled in one small sphere of darkness.

"What I'm offering you is not just a mere rock to rule over and grow bored with in a few months. What we offer here is a new way of life. A new place to belong.

If that's not to your liking, you may leave."

 

[Shiloh]

"The Dreadlords fell because we let other people hold the reigns. To be fair, if they would have just let us take mansions for our own then I feel like a lot of us would have been fine staying around."

Shiloh added as his fingers absent-mindedly tapped on his chair. Instead of using duty to control them now, they were just using brotherhood. He was glad Sybille often mention it. He wasn't the only one that noticed it.

"Well, I at least call dibs on staying in the mansion once we kick 'em all out."

Osbert already sounded like they were doing the mission, and Shiloh had no intentions of ditching him or Syb, so he would play along.

"As for the Kivren, they are a little weird but not too bad. Give me a bottle or two of good alcohol and I think we will be fine."

 

[Osha]

Anger flashed through her. The black dog let out a low growl at her side. For a moment, her fingernails became white as she squeezed one arm of the highback chair she perched in. With a slow breath, her grip relaxed. They went back to the cards in her lap as she began shuffling them. The rustling-swish sound filling the gaps of silence between the group.

Pale eyes lifted as she turned over the first card.

"There is usually a lot of death around kivren. Get me close and I can provide us with," another card was turned over. "A distraction. But," she paused. Turning one final card and bringing it up to tap against her lips. Eyes fell to Osbert.

"I will need a blood sacrifice."

 

[Osbert]

"Aramis is right, we can certainly learn to be hospitable," he said with a sly grin towards Sybille and Shiloh, "the city's big enough for all of us."

Working together would surely be their best bet for survival. However, Os wasn't about to become subjugated to some new king. Nor would he let Syb or Shi suffer that fate either. If they took the kivren district it was theirs and they'd play the "helpful comrades" game only so long as it suited them.

And if Aramis was as intelligent as he looked he'd make sure whatever the eventual arrangement was suited all of them. "We're going to build a better life here for all of us Dreadlords."

Before he could say anything else he was caught off guard by the unusual girl who finally chimed in with her two cents. They'd surely welcome any help they could get but...

"A blood sacrifice?" Was this girl like Ceja? One of those sadistic psychos that the academy routinely popped out. "Can you um, elaborate at all?" To make matters worse the girl was just staring at him. Maybe he'd limit himself to a single glass of the port tonight.

 

[Sybille]

The tight ball of anxiety that had been sitting in Sybille's stomach suddenly lurched into her throat. She couldn't help the frown that plucked at her lips, the expression forced back into abject neutrality as Os finally said his piece.

Her eyes flickered to him almost immediately, bright blue nearly turning to fire.

What Aramis said, what Os said, what they all said always sounded good.

Dreams and cooperation, fun and friends. It was what they all yearned for. A place to be, a place to belong. There was no doubt that Sybille wanted that. There was a reason she had stuck with Osbert for so long, why he was her only friend.

She trusted him.

But these people?

How could they trust these strangers? How could they know this wasn't another trick or plot to use them just like they'd been used by Vel Anir.

It was a relief when Os shot her a smile. That sly sparkle in his eye offering just the slightest bit of assurance.

Only for it to immediately be ripped away when the strange girl that had joined them talked about Blood Sacrifice. Her head almost immediately whipped towards Osha, and she took a loooong step to move behind Osbert. Her fingers furling into a fist.

 

[Aramis]

He would have to watch these four though no more than the other Dreadlords who he did not know but welcomed here to help further his vision. Aramis had no desire to rule, but what he did desire he would have. Whether these four stayed alive long enough to share it with him was yet to be seen. The ink that swirled about his palm suddenly sunk into his skin and crawled up his sleeve to where or to what final form was anyone's guess.

Taking a final sip of his port to finish his cup, the painter stood up.

"On that note, I shall leave you four to get to know one another and to plan," the easy, charming smile was back and he took his coat off the back of his chair to drape it over his arm. "Goodnight gentlemen, ladies," he inclined his head and then turned and marched from the hall, his boot heels clipping until the threshold of the room after which they fell silent, giving no indication of where he might be heading.

 

[Shiloh]

Shiloh had leaned back in his seat and poured himself another drink, looking at the situation with a raised eyebrow. His gaze flickered back and forth between Osbert and Osha...a very weird standoff.

He looked away long enough to offer Aramis of wave in goodbye wishing that he could go with him and leave this strange cross between a gothic love triangle and an Allirian standoff.

It wasn't a new feeling, but it was easy to pick up on when Shiloh felt like the odd man out of this little staring contest like the other three were playing some weird game with strange rules. Meanwhile, Shiloh was playing tic-tac-toe with himself.

"Well, if no one else will say it then I will ask." Shiloh finally interrupted as he looked at Osha.

"You ever think the reason there is a lot of death around the Kivren is that people keep asking for blood sacrifices to distract them?"

He did not know exactly where he was going with that line of question. To Shiloh, it was just a genuine question that he thought might have an interesting answer.

 

[Osha]

She paused and gave Osbert a strange look. As if he was asking the weird questions now and not her. She didn't turn as Aramis stood and left. But the black dog at her side stood suddenly and trotted after him, stopping at the threshold of the room and sitting down. It's luminous eyes trained on the hall and beyond. Tail not wagging.

And it was clear that Sybill and Osbert were sleeping together. Osha just wondered for how long they'd been lovers. And although rare among dreadlords, perhaps they were married. Good for them because she couldn't imagine being married to anyone now. Perhaps never.

Pale gaze went to Shiloh next as she was about to answer Osbert. Did he fail the Academy lore classes? Was this what others would call a joke? Spirits didn't usually joke so Osha was never really good at reading humor. She frowned as a flicker of anxiety crossed over her face.

"Kivren are sirens and kill men like you often," she would answer it seriously. A turn back to Osbert. "Most spirits require very little. Perhaps a pinprick of blood. Perhaps an entire chicken. A few require something else entirely." A shrug over her slight shoulders that were robed in the oversized jacket.

 

[Osbert]

Osbert gave a nod of his head towards Aramis as the older man walked away. Maybe the dark-haired girl had simply been making a crude inside joke or something and with the absence of the older guy things would settle down.

"That's a solid theory, Shiloh." It wasn't. But the room could certainly use the humor.

Then the strange girl started talking about spirits. And chickens. And some ominous, 'something else.'

He blinked his eyes and was glad that he had Sybille to his back and Shiloh off to the side. After letting silence permeate the room for a few seconds he finally regained his composure and spoke up. "Alright. So you need to prick one of our fingers and then what?"

Was she going to turn them into kivren or something?

 

[Sybille]

Sybille let out a loud snort.

Her head shaking as a small flicker of amusement plucked a smile at the corner of her lips. She did have to hand it to Shiloh, he was funny sometimes. Though she wasn't entirely sure that it was ever intentional.

The moment of brevity swiped away, the weird girl continued to talk. This time mentioning that a chicken might do. She frowned for a moment, trying to remember the name of that other girl at the Academy who had talked to spirits.

Her name escaping Sybille in that moment.

"Count me out for the bloodletting." She commented dryly, though for more reason than one. "I doubt the spirits want Lava."

Which as far as Sybille knew, was all she had to offer.

 

[Shiloh]

"Well, they can't be too bad if they get a whole section of town to themselves. If they did not like interacting with humans a little bit, then they would just leave. I don't imagine getting stared at all funny or being distracted by undead chickens is fun for them."

Shiloh quipped back before walking over and pouring himself another drink. If it was here, then he did not want it to go to waste.

"That being said. I'll give you some blood to see what you do with a chicken. It will make a great bar story."

Yes, in Shiloh's mind, this girl was about to summon several undead chickens that just chased the Kivren all over the place while they slipped in unnoticed.

 

[Osha]

Mildly inebriated gaze focused on Osbert first. Painful to look at him. Too much like her brother. Hands stilled in her lap as she stopped fiddling with the playing cards.

“It will get the spirits’ attention and they’ll do what I say,” she swallowed.

Freak.

Sad little OSHA.

Can your invisible friends protect you now?!

Where are they?

Pathetic girl—

Pale eyes squeezed closed for a moment, before refocusing on Sybille with a hint of curiosity. Lava? “She began to explain more. “Spirits require trades for their um, work. They’ve always liked blood.” Another small, helpless shrug as her gaze cast downward. How to explain a world that only she could see? That swallowed her whole every day? That never stopped talking.

Reaching forward, trembling hands poured another port.

Always talking unless she was high or drunk.

And she didn’t correct Shiloh. Or discuss with him that the Kivren probably stayed because they were close to a fresh, convenient food source. Instead, “thank you,” she mumbled in his direction as she threw back another half glass.

She’d probably be sober in time for this mission. 50/50

 

[Osbert]

"Sounds like Shiloh is volunteering," Osbert said with an enthusiastic grin. He wasn't really sure why spirits would want blood as a trade. He definitely didn't want them to use his blood for whatever it was they did with it.

Although seeing what would happen with the chicken did intrigue him...

He didn't address the pale girl's concern about Sybille's lava conundrum. He'd let her answer, if she felt like it. Instead he let himself pour another glass of the brandy, satisfied that the strange girl they'd just met didn't plan on brutally murdering them tonight. She just had a peculiar kind of magic.

Probably.

Os took a sip of his newly poured glass and leaned back in the plush chair. "So, tomorrow, maybe by mid-morning," they were definitely sleeping in now that they had a proper roof over their heads, "we head to the kivren district. We let our new pal here trade some of Shiloh's organic matter for ghastly favors and then we forcibly evict the Ichthyes from their manor."

Easy as pie.

 

[Sybille]

"My blood is lava." Sybille explained curtly, still somewhat hesitant for any of them to offer their blood.

The explanation was reasonable, it made sense, but the arcane wasn't something she much liked dealing with. Though as magic as the rest of them, her own abilities always felt far more natural in manner than most other Dreadlords.

Something like this? Ghosts and spirits? It was strange to her even now.

Sybille cast a weary look over towards Shiloh, her lips thinning as he volunteered his blood. She was about to speak an objection, but then quieted as Os agreed.

Though she knew one of her companions far better than the other, she still liked Shiloh. Trusted him at least enough to travel with him, something that did not come easy for her. "Sounds good."

She said quietly with a nod.

"Now." Her head swiveled. "Bath?"

The girl asked hopefully.

 

[Shiloh]

"Well, I was going to take one by myself, but we can all go together if you really want Syb...Didn't know you were into that type of stuff."

Shiloh said with a grin hidden behind the glass that he pulled to his face. He was glad to see that no one was urging them to do this tonight. Shiloh needed a nice long shower and a few more glasses of whatever alcohol he could find around this place.

Shiloh liked Syb and Os. He was sure they would have been friends if they were in the Academy together, but he could not help but notice Syb was always really tense. He knew that wasn't her fault, mainly the Academy's, but he was hoping they could all relax a little tonight before they had to do the dirty work.