Private Tales The Raven Club Gathering

[Eilerias]

After the meeting concluded, everyone made their separate ways. Eilerias headed back towards her small home directly across from The Raven Club to grab her essentials and change into something less unique. By now, the security Isak had set up kicked many of the people out for brawling. Looks like Charity was safe to pull her antics off for another day.

As she approached her door, she noticed it was slightly ajar. She always made sure to close it and lock it before she left, but still, she quietly pushed her way inside. "Hello?" She asked out loud as she scanned the dimly lit room. She gasped as she noticed several of her things were broken or thrown about the ground.

"Hello?" She asked again and to her suprise, a large drunken man from the club emerged from her bedroom. His feet loudly pounded the ground as he stomped over to her, slamming her against the front door. The door slammed loudly behind as he pushed her.
"Where the fuck is my money you little bitch?" He shouted at her. Money? Did he think I was Charity? Surely that brawl was caused by her. She always stole from people.

"I don't have it. That wasn't m-" She was silenced as he began to choke her. His large hands easily bruising her pale skin. She only had one option at this point and it was to use the small knife Gwendolyn had given her as protection after getting exiled from her church. Eilerias fumbled in her pocket while gasping for air and gripped the dagger tightly. She plunged the blade into the man's side, thinking it would cause him to leave or die, but he just dropped her. It was as though he didn't even feel her stab him.

"You scammed me out of my money." The man said as she hit the floor. His face was full of rage as he began tearing at her clothes. At some point it seemed as though he had lost interest in his lost coin and gained interest in her. He continued tearing at her clothes as she sobbed. "Please stop!" She tried kicking the stranger, to no avail. He grabbed her and she screamed, her hands glowing purple as she did so. Something had changed his man's mind. He no longer wanted money or the girl. Almost in a daze, he stood up from the half naked girl and walked out leaving the dagger behind with a small pool of blood underneath it.

Eilerias lay on the ground for a few minutes, silent tears running down her cheeks as she tried to muster enough energy to heal herself before she had to be back at the club.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

The meeting had finished, and Isak could judge it as being a success, for the most parts. He could sense everyone was already on edge with the job, the elaborate plannings and worried about what role would everyone play, if they would even make it out of there alive to have their pockets filled with coins.

Isak had said only a few words to Gwendolyn before he dismissed the rest of the crew, with everyone going back to their places to prepare for what would come next, while he slowly wandered back to his own office, closing the door behind him. He didn't even care for Gwendolyn and Charity's little tangling back at the meeting.

We all have our parts to play in this life, little Isak. The puppets and the puppeteers, which one are you?

The words again, they never seemed to leave his head after all those years, not matter what he's done to forget. His master's rough voice still clawed its way through Isak's head, taunting him after the beatings for failing a lesson.

Sat in his chair while contemplating the paintings at his office, Isak took a large drink of one of Ogden's ale, strong enough to knock a man down for a few hours, but even that failed to ease his thoughts. He had so much to think about.

The plans, the reasons everyone had for being there. Was their motivation other than coin? Isak knew that was only one of his own motives, but not at all the strongest. And yet, he needed coin. Everyone needed coin to survive in that world, even if it's taking from someone else.

He took another drink, and then his door was almost slammed open. Isak didn't even flinch, too busy dwelling on his own misery as Ogden quickly crossed the room to his desk.

"Boss! You might want to take a look at this."

---------

Isak had rushed over to Eilerias' house across the Raven Club after the news, now guarded by a few of Ogden's mercenaries to ensure that no one would try to come over and finish the job.

The young man knelt beside her, unsure of what to say as he watched her try and heal herself with her magic. He felt powerless, and he hated that feeling more than anything else in the world.

"I'm..." He tried to say something but paused, his eyes still fixed on her. "Let me help you."

Isak wanted to carry Eilerias back to the club and take care of her wounds himself, but he wasn't sure she would like him overstepping his boundaries, so he just kept silent, hoping that she trusted him enough to let him do that.

---------

Later, Isak and Ogden were at one of the Raven Club's lower deposits, surrounded by darkness and empty crates of booze and food. Between a pile of boxes, a man was tied up in a chair, his head covered by a bag. Isak took a few steps forward, his hands were trembling and his breathing was uneven.

Ogden said they captured someone across the street, leaving Eilerias' house. She was attacked and hurt, and it was Isak's fault for not paying enough attention. He should've doubled everyone's security, to ensure that they would all be well before the job. And yet, he was too busy losing his mind on what happened years ago, to someone he thought he had buried.

The dwarf took off the captured man's bag, revealing his face. He was a drunkard from around the area, known to be violent over his money and visiting the club frequently, and more often than not being "accompanied" outside by Ogden's mercenaries, there to ensure the club's safety and order.

Only, there was no safety and order now. Only rage.

"Do you like preying upon others over a few coins?" Isak asked, his voice seemed different. Unhinged and displeased, more than he usually was. It didn't feel as calm and controlled as it always was.

The answer never came, only a few laughs. The laughs again, the past clawing at Isak's back.

His eyes grew dark, and suddenly the whole place felt hot. Isak's gloved hand reached out to grab the man's face, pressing it with all his strength. His face was emotionless, but the rage inside him was bursting.

"The world has no use for the likes of you."

Isak's hand burst in flames, darker than the common fire. It didn't take long for the man to be burned whole, with Isak and Ogden watching his screams in pleasure. They knew that pain was the only justice he deserved, the only kind of justice men like that would ever get.

The world has no use for kindness, little Isak. You would do well to remember that.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias heard muffled commotion as Isak showed up, followed by guards. She watched him as she tried to heal herself, tiring out quickly. Her mouth opened as if she was going to answer him, but nothing came out. She nodded slightly, giving him permission to take her before her eyes rolled back and she went limp. She hated healing herself. It was a waste of power that she would need to help the others in their mission.

------------

Gasping for air, Eilerias shot up in bed only to be greeted by a dark, unfamiliar room. She took a few seconds to let her eyes adjust to the dark and looked around, wincing at the pain coming from her neck. There was no use wasting more energy to heal a bruise that would go away on its own after some time. She thought, touching the tender skin.

How long have I been out? She wondered. It felt like days but in reality it had probably been only a couple hours.

She pushed herself to the edge of the bed and got out. "My clothes..." she felt the fabric and noted they blended in well with the darkened room. "These are not mine". She spoke aloud to herself as she made her way to the door. She peeked out and to her surprise, there was a guard in front of it. She could make out the walls of the Raven Club past him. She tapped the large man and he turned around. It was one of Isak's men. "Can you tell Isak I'm alright?" She asked, taking a minute to think before she continued. "And could you get me something to eat?"

As the man took his leave, she went back into the room and lit a candle. There was a floor length mirror on the opposite side. She approached it and sat in front, using the candle to assess her wounds more closely. She had purple marks on her neck, but the rest of her appeared to be healed, though a bit sore.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

The elf made a beeline for Charity pinning her to the wall by her throat.

She had been noticing that glint in Charity’s eye and it hadn’t gone away after relaying the seriousness of this job.

“You are here because I vouched for you. Because Isak was shown by me that he could trust you.” She drew close until they were almost nose to nose.

“Do not let your greed get you all killed.” She hissed in a tone that could have frozen a glass of water solid outright. Her hazy grey eyes never leaving Charity’s. Once she was shown her point had come across she would release her and ruffle her hair.

“Good. Now be a good little thief and go get yourself filthy rich won’t you?” She tossed her a bag of coin as well. “Oh and here. For your bag of tricks. Tell that little pyro I said hello.”

Charity slowly nodded. She had forgotten how terrifying Gwen could be. She stood there and watched as Gwen left to make sure she wasn't going to get jumped by the elf again.

---

Arriving at the small inn where she resided, Charity quickly ascended the stairs to her large room on the top floor. Various trinkets and baubles sat upon a massive set of shelves, each one a prize from a previous job. A small canvas satchel containing lockpicks and a mix of other tools was located, and Charity hurried back down to the streets.

---

Abracapothecary was Charity's second favorite place in all of Alliria. An alchemy shop run by a young elf named Quoril, it was a perfect place for Charity to stock up on items for jobs.

"Miss Briarthorne! Welcome!" Quoril said cheerfully. "What sort of pranks are we planning today?" Charity looked at him for a minute. He was too sweet. She couldn't tell him what she was really planning. "Oh you know... the usual. Stink bombs in the guardhouse. That sort of thing."

They continued to converse as Charity bought what she needed for the job ahead. After carefully sorting out her bag, Charity waved to the elf and took her leave. "Thanks Mr. Quoril! Oh yeah! By the way Gwen asked me to say hi!" A large smile plastered itself on his face as he waved goodbye.

---

Charity made her way back home with her goods and flopped down on her bed. She knew it was going to take some time for the others to get prepared. Within minutes she was sound asleep.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak made his way back to the club's lobby, leaving behind the ashes of the burned man back at the storage room, to remain there, forever surrounded by shadows. He only hoped his soul would suffer as much.

It was midnight, the guards were closing up the club and telling the remaining patrons to finish their drinks outside. Ogden was already busy keeping tabs of supplies in need of replenishing for tomorrow, another day of work. Simple day to day activities, the kind that Isak used to enjoy sometimes, when he didn't need to be as focused as he was now.

His eyes wandered to the stairs that led to the second floor. He wasn't sure if he should wake Eilerias, but part of him felt that he needed to, or at least to remain there and watch her for the rest of the night, to make sure. Isak had put mercenaries on her door and on the corridor, but he still needed to make sure. The minor details were the most difficult to work with, but he needed to have them all down to perfection. He appreciated his partnership with Gwendolyn and Charity for that, they all worked their hardest on being good at their jobs.

You cannot make mistakes, boy. Or do you enjoy being beaten to a pulp? Should I give you another scar?

The voice had been on his head more often than not after the last couple weeks, like a bad omen. He wasn't superstitious, but Isak knew better than to ignore the signals he had come to learn over the years. His master's voice was one of them.

One of the guards approached him, carrying a plate filled with food. "Boss, the girl woke up. She asked for some food and water."

The perfect excuse to check on Eilerias.

"I'll take it to her." Isak replied, already taking the plate off the guard's hands, then quickly making his way upstairs, to the off limits area of the Raven Club, where many of his associates had come to use every now and then. They all had their own rooms and offices, after Isak had fully renovated and expanded. He had put Eilerias in one of the private rooms next to his office, he felt he needed to be close to her, in case something happened again.

He stopped in front of the wooden door, collecting his thoughts for a moment before knocking on the door a couple times, opening it slowly afterwards. The guard at her door had been dismissed. He saw Eilerias looking at the large mirror across the room, probably too distracted to notice his presence at first.

Carefully and in silence, he put the food plate on the small wooden table nearby. It was empty and cleaned, as was the rest of the room, used only in case someone needed to lay low and sleep at the club. Hesitating, Isak turned to her and dared to take a few steps forward.

"Are you well?" His voice was low and careful, much unlike his usual confident tone. "I brought some food."

He took a moment to inspect the white haired woman. Even from distance and in the dim light provided by the candles, Isak could see a bit of her bruises. He clenched his fist, trying to hide his frustration. It was his fault for not being perfect enough about all the minor details. He should've protected her-- all of them, better.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He meant it about her attack, but Isak thought beyond that. He wouldn't make mistakes anymore.

Tomorrow, he would be perfect about the rest of his plans. He'd go to the slums and face the figure of his past hiding there, the one that could enlighten them on the kinds of traps they'd face in trying to steal a enchanted sword of old, and to make sure that all of them would leave the keep alive, well and rich.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias stared at herself, quietly tracing the purple marks on her skin. Why did the man leave so suddenly? She thought, thinking of the dagger that was probably still on the ground in her house. Did Gwendolyn enchant it? She was deep in thought and didn't hear Isak enter the room or set the food down. When he spoke, she jumped, turning to face him. He apologized for her attack and she shot a confused look at the young man.

"Don't apologize." She was blunt, yet still somehow soft with her delivery. "It's not your fault, sir. He wasn't after me and, yes, I am well."

Eilerias stood and walked to the table, admiring the food. Healing took a lot of her energy, so she was always tired or starving when she worked. She sat down and immediately started eating as though she were the size of one of Isak's mercenaries. "I didn't know you had rooms in this place." She admitted, now with her usual cheerful voice.

After scarfing down the food like she hadn't eaten in months, she went back in the bed. "I wish Gwendolyn had put me up in a place with soft beds like this." She yawned. "I don't even sleep in mine because healing gets messy and it is kind of gross." She chuckled, patting the bed. "Sit, sit." She insisted.

"Isak." She said quietly, waiting for him to sit. "Please don't tell the others. Especially not Gwendolyn." She emphasized, "I know she thinks I'm stupid and weak, but really no one could have predicted someone Charity tricked would mistake me for her. It was just an accident."

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Gwendolyn made her way back to her archives.

The letter had been clear on where she was to them after her portion of the job had been completed. She felt bad for her interaction with Charity. The girl frustrated her so much with her careless greed. She cared for her greatly.

Gwendolyn had never had any children let alone many lovers, but she thought what she felt for the girl was the closest she would get to having one in this century or any other for that matter.

Even when she allowed the girl to stay in the archive as she got back on her feet.

Teaching her illusion magic..

Finding she was exceptionally skilled at illusion magic....

Regretting teaching her illusion magic.

Even in those days before she began to get her own place ..Her own jobs..she had had a very difficult time showing it.

Maybe this job would..

Her train of thought was stopped in its tracks as she opened the door to her true study in the archives.

Cleo, who had been following her boss stopped short as well.

The assistants short blonde hair swishing slightly with the abruptness of her halt. She pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Ms. Gwendolyn there are several..” She halted as the elf gave her a look. “Take the night off Cleo.” Gwen interrupted placing her hand on her shoulder.

“And tomorrow I will be away. I will not be seeing any clients. No one enters until my return.” She said in a brisk sort of sense. Like what she was saying was extremely normal and not the ground shaking deviation that it truly was.

“Y-yes ma’am but your..associates..and Isak’s plan-.” “My business with them and my part in this is complete. Dismissed Ms. Savoca.”

“That’s not what I meant they might.-“ She was stopped once more as the study door was slammed shut an inch from her face.

“Worry about you..”

She grumbled to the sturdy oak a few inches from her nose. Pushing up her glasses once more Cleo straightened the papers she was holding and walked back to the front desk of the archives.

While not open to the public at large every person that entered and was chosen as a client was given a unique coin with a rune enacribed on it.

The doors would only open if the user possessed it and the enchantment would weaken and wear off leaving the rune useless after a week. Only continued good standing with Gwendolyn would allow people to get new coins and as Gwen had canceled all appointments none would allow entry.

There was nothing Cleo had to do. The labyrinthine building always seemed to do as Gwen requested.

Only those with an extremely unique rune tattoo could enter now. Only two were in existence. Charity, and Cleo herself. Cleo remembered when Gwen had decided to grant access of that magnitude Charity. She had been quiet uneasy.

The idea of giving a sticky sneak thief like her free reign was close to insanity.

But it seemed things couldn’t be stolen from the archive.

Wether the girl had learned this the hard way or not Cleo didn’t know. As she finally made it to the front entrance the young woman made it to her desk and sat down behind it dutifully. Her eyes never blinking behind the lenses of her glasses.


.......................

“What do you want.” Gwendolyn spat. Her eyes narrowing to twin glowing chips of hazy grey hatred before she turned from her doors and on to the figure sitting in her study.

“Oh come now Gwen. I think I’m owed at least a few lines of bland niceties.” The figure remained shrouded sitting in her study chair.

“The only thing your owed is a quick and unpleasant trip to the abyss.” Gwen growled. “Now out with it.”

“Very well. The client you’ll be meeting later today. I’d like to know who they are. Lots of people asking. Lots of moves being made. Information brokers like ourselves have to stick together.”

“Get fucked.”

“Ha! There’s the Gwen I know.”

“I said get fucked now leave. You’ll get nothing from me about anything.” She said as the figure rose to leave.

“It’ be a shame if someone-“ thunder boomed through the room as a crackle of genuine lightening shot from Gwens fingers and blasted a mark in front of them.
“Fine. I’m going.” They said an seemed to melt into the shadows.

“Good riddance.” Gwen spat before she began packing her things for the short journey ahead of her.

Cleo flung open the study doors. “Ms. Gwendolyn! I heard a...noise...” The study was empty.

(feel free to post Gwens out of the picture until father joins the melee.)

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak watched Eilerias for a bit, pondering to himself if he should just leave and let her rest. He didn't quite know what to do in that moment, he had never known how to be a good company for those in need. He always thought only of work and coin, never giving enough care to other people around him. But something seemed to change inside him over the last few months, working and sometimes living alongside those people.

Perhaps it was that thought that made Isak unsettled, that his master would be proven right and those close relations would end up costing him. He just wondered what would be the price to pay - gold or blood.

He was brought back from his thoughts by the woman's soothing voice, as if beckoning him to keep himself ashore amidst those crippling waves of fear. It was so rarely that Isak felt like that.

The young man watched her as she walked over to the table and grabbed some food. She must've been faminished, with the whole meeting and then the attack, and it only made Isak feel worse for not looking to take care of her sooner, having preferred to enact his revenge upon the 'man' that had attacked her. He didn't want to feel so, but Isak was undoubtly getting too attached to those people, worrying more and more over their well beings than his plans and schemes.

He let out a quick laugh, unknown if it was in response to Eilerias or to his own stupid thoughts. Both his mind and his heart were betraying him now.

"The Raven Club was far smaller when I bought it." Isak answered her before taking a few steps and slowly sitting upon the warm bed. He suddenly felt himself missing the comfort of his bed now, indicative of his own need to rest.

After nearly admiring Eilerias casually eat some of the fruits he brought, Isak decided to speak again. "I can arrange that, if you want. And you can use this room too whenever you need."

The club had enough space for that and much more. And he still had plans to make it even bigger, for when his ambitions yield him greater fruits. Perhaps he would seek Gwendolyn's counsel about that, after the job. She would certainly welcome new ideas about expanding their business.

He barely heard Eilerias call for him again, her face dropping into a mixing expression of disappointment and maybe even sadness. Isak couldn't quite decipher it, but her words about being stupid and weak bothered him greatly, and he already knew that she wasn't the intended target of that man, which meant Charity was also in danger. Ogden had told him that.

She was far from stupid and weak, or else she wouldn't have survived a place like Alliria for this long. It wasn't her fault, the blame lied upon terrible men and their desire for being monsters.

He wouldn't let any of those monsters reach his associates again - he'd burn all their enemies alive if he had to. He didn't know if he could call them friends, that word was still very much foreign to Isak, but he had a responsibility to them and he would see it through.

"You're safe now, Eilerias. And you're not stupid or weak. That man chose his targets poorly, and he paid for it."

Isak had turned his face aside so Eilerias couldn't see the seething anger on his gaze towards the shadows of the room. He heard the screams of that man on his mind again, burning away in agony caused by Isak's demonic flames, a pleasing treat to the dark power inside him.

He slowly got on his feet, still unable to look at Eilerias before speaking on his raspy tone. "You should get some sleep. There's still one more thing to do before we can leave for the Black Forge Keep."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias' eyebrows raised as Isak spoke. What did he mean the man paid for it? Was that the burning feeling that woke her up? She wondered as he continued. Certainly he would not kill someone who made a mistake when Eilerias held no grudge.

She watched silently as Isak turned from her and stood. She didn't want him to leave. Not yet. She grabbed onto his hand and tugged gently. Her skin was warm and soft. She tried to ask him not to leave, but her mouth wouldn't let her interfere with his plans. She was quiet for a few seconds before she let go and said "please be safe."

She shut her eyes as he left, hiding that she wanted him to stay there with her for the night.

As soon as he was gone, she rolled over, facing the window and quietly prayed to the Light God. She felt like she had been failing at the one thing that meant everything to her, God. She was exiled from her church, she had been aiding in criminal activity, and now she feelings that would upset her God for someone who killed people. The biggest part of her being was her purity and now she wasn't so sure it mattered to the God that did nothing to prevent her from being attacked or kicked out of her church.

She could be heard begging for forgiveness by the guard outside her door over and over until she fell asleep.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak froze in place as he felt Eilerias' hands grabbing his. He couldn't really feel her skin through the fabric of his gloves, but he could feel that her touch was warm. She was reaching for him, trying to keep him there, to keep him grounded in a place dangerous even for him.

He was scared to show her more of his darkness.

Eilerias was light, always gentle and kind, always looking for goodness where that was none to be found. Isak was the clear opposite, and he would never deny that. Not if he wanted to keep her alive through their jobs. Not if he wanted to keep everyone alive.

She reminded him of his mother, the one person he loved and the person he failed to take care in her final moments. It scared him to think that he could fail again, even with all his wits and schemes. But he knew, that if he chose to stay with Eilerias, she would be at even greater risk.

Isak squinted, unable to hide the pain on his face as he took his hand away from her sweet touch and left the room in silence, leaving Eilerias to her rest and her prayers. He knew she would pray for his safety, but no one amount of prayer could ever save his soul for the things he did and would still do in that life. Power was the only god he believed him, and Isak knew that it could never fail him.

-----------

The club's lobby was all but empty, looking anew after Ogden finished cleaning it up. The dwarf was putting one of the chairs atop a gambling table when Isak appeared to him.

"I'm going to the Shallows." He had a much rougher look than usual, but his eyes still betrayed him for showing a bit of hesitation. "The others mustn't know about this. If Eilerias goes after me..."

Isak paused. He couldn't bear that thought. He wondered if she would follow him, but he hoped she was just fast asleep by the time he arrived at the slums. He wouldn't be able to see through what he needed to do if she were in danger again.

"Aye, boss. But if the lady throws some of that weird light on me, I'll sodding piss meself!"

Isak almost let out a smile. "Good to know I can always count on your loyalty, Ogden."

His gloved hand pat the dwarf only slightly on his right shoulder, before Isak left the building and started walking the eerie streets of Alliria at midnight, all by himself and to whatever dangers awaited him ahead.

-----------

The walk to the Shallows outside the city was a long one, the night's cold breeze blowing past him constantly and sending shivers all over his body every time. Isak already knew what waited for him once he got there, he had been the one to put it there after all. It was something he couldn't just throw away, not yet.

He didn't care about the possible cutthroats waiting in the dark alleys, looking for a opportunity to pounce on a poor wanderer at that time of night, he only cared about getting the job done. The others were doing their own preparations for the coming mission, and so would he.

Isak stopped in front of one of the wooden houses that made the scenery of that damp and forsaken place, all surrounded by water filled with garbage and disease. The marshes were almost a scene of terror for the people that weren't used to poverty, but Isak had seen his own share of it in his early life. The night covered most of the Shallows, especially at night, but it was still unsettling. And it stank terribly.

He pushed the frail door open and stepped inside, his gaze falling upon a table with two candles in each side. And behind it, a dark figure, malformed and covered in scars, his green veins popping out all over his body and his lifeless eyes raising to meet Isak's.

"Welcome, little Isak..." The man rose up and started slowly walking towards him, his voice had a tone so deep it rang uncomfortably even to Isak's ears. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

A piece of his past was in front of him now. It endured, like many terrible things. Like Isak himself endured.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias tossed and turned, unable to sleep long in the dark room. Her mind had been racing with questions about Isak's plans. She had a bad feeling about this contact he mentioned briefly and she could not shake it off. She was worried for the others as well, including the red stranger, but she had known Charity to get out of nearly every altercation unscathed, and Gwendolyn...well Gwendolyn was very intense. She could handle anything.

She pushed herself off the bed and went back to the large mirror to fix her hair into a bun that would not show when she put the hood of her cloak over her head. There were no shoes left out for her in the room, but she was not bothered. She tied the cloak, hiding the bruises on her neck and opened the door. Of course, the mercenary was still there.

"Pardon me, I need to step out for a moment" She said, tapping the man on the arm.

The mercenary didn't budge.

"Don't worry," she smiled, "I just need to speak with Ogden about something."

The man eventually stepped aside and allowed her to leave the room after this conversation went in circles for quite some time.

Eilerias walked down the hallway, admiring the paintings that adorned the walls. She couldn't help but wonder how many of them were stolen as she approached the staircase and went to club's lobby. The barefoot woman approached the Dwarven man. "Ogden," she said flashing a charming smile, "I don't suppose you know where Isak went."

The dwarf refused to answer, just as he was instructed to do.

Eilerias bat her eyelashes and used a more flirtatious and uncharacteristic approach. "I need to speak with Isak and I know you know where he is."

"Please don't make me pull answers out of you." She threatened, holding up her hands which had a slightly golden glow. It was only a minor healing spell, but it appeared to frighten him enough to answer her questions and more.

She smiled, walking past the scared dwarf and out the front door. "What does he have to speak to someone in the Shallows for?" She wondered aloud, heading east towards the outskirts of Alliria, still barefoot.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity tossed and turned as she slept. Her dreams were full of the strange red symbol from the letter. It floated ominously in the background of every dream, projecting an aura of disappointment and frustration. Suddenly it froze mid-air and split apart. It wasn't just one symbol, it was two overlapping symbols.

She awoke with a jolt as a wagon clattered loudly on its way down the street below. This wasn't good. One symbol was still a mystery, but the other one she knew all too well. Gwen had said something about meeting a client... Though she couldn't be sure exactly who the client was, Charity certainly knew the group of people it represented. This definitely wasn't good...

Charity jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs only to realize she was still wearing only her underwear. Cursing, she ran back to her room and hastily got dressed. Hurrying down to street level, she quickly made her way to Gwen's archives, growing more and more anxious the closer she got.

"Ah... Miss Briarthorne... I uh..." Cleo stammered as Charity threw open the door and passed her desk without acknowledging her. "Hey! Wait..." Cleo continued. Charity gave a dismissive wave as she approached the door to the archives. A rune tattoo, nearly the same color as her skin, on the underside of her wrist glowed a ghostly white, and the door silently swung open.

"Gwen..? Gwen?!" Charity called. She began panicking, running around the archives and looking between each row of bookcases. Gwen was nowhere to be found. Charity sprinted back to the front door. "See Miss Briarthorne? I tried to" she glared at Cleo. "Shut it, Savoca." she snapped as she once again slammed open the door and stepped out onto the street. Charity began sprinting down the street in the direction of The Raven Club. Maybe Isak knew who Gwen was meeting and where.

A hand reached out of an alleyway and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her off the street and throwing her into the alley. Charity instinctively rolled and drew her daggers. "Ello love! Its time to give me money back!" It was oneo f the men from the club. Charity growled in frustration. "I don't have time for this shit." she grumbled. "C'mon now. Give it back and we can all go home." the man coaxed. She just stayed there staring silently at the man. "Fucking bitch! I said give back me money!" the man shouted and lunged forward. Charity quickly side stepped and slashed in a lightning fast motion, leaving a long gash on the back of one of the man's legs. He wasn't gravely injured, but he also wasn't going to be getting up for a while.

"Hey! What was that sound?!" a voice shouted from the end of the alley. Charity quickly sheathed her weapons before a pair guards rounded the corner. "Right! What's all this then?" a stupid looking guard in dented, unpolished armor demanded. Charity did her best to appear innocent and frightened. "I was walking down the street minding my own business, when this mean old bully jumped me from the alley! He insisted that I owed him money and tried to threaten me!" The guards partner narrowed his eyes and stared at her. "So why is his leg cut open and why is there blood on you jacket?" Charity's innocent facade dropped for a split second as she tried to think of a reasonable response. This other guard was far brighter than the ones she usually encountered. "Ummm... He tripped while he was chasing me and... Ummm.... Gotta go! Bye!"

Before she could even start to run off, the dumb looking guard was behind her and had her in a tight bear hug. Tying Charity's hands behind her back, the smarter one led her to the nearest guard house and pushed her into a cell while the dumb guard took care of the injured man. Charity laid on a cot and sighed. She hoped for Gwen's sake that Eilerias was right and her god really was always watching over them.

Charity laid there in the cot staring at the blank ceiling. She knew she wasn't going to be in there very long. "Its only a matter of time before..." Her thoughts faded as she fell asleep.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak stared at the malformed man for a while longer, taking in all the details that he had almost forgotten about him, and their past. The house interior was so dark that he couldn't see a thing, if only the candles at the nearby table, until bits of light in many colors suddenly lit up across the room, enough to show bits of broken wood and junk stored in wooden crates.

It looked like some kind of shop, selling wares of obscure origins and suited to various purposes. Isak knew that one of those purposes would suit him well now, especially seeing as he already knew the owner. A man, or whatever was left of the man, going by the name of Khet.

He knew the man, lived with him for many years, and endured a brutal time alongside him. But they went their separate ways years ago, and Isak had no wish to relive the past now. What really mattered was the job, and Khet had something that Isak could use to ensure its success.

They stood in silence for a while before Isak took another step forward. "I'm in need of your magical knowledge, Khet."

"Of course you are." He replied in the same instant, blunt and unimpressed. Isak thought he almost saw a grin forming on the man's lips, but it soon disappeared into darkness, bits of his face being illuminated by the candlelight.

Isak took a parchment from one of his coat's inner pockets, opening it swiftly to reveal one of the scrolls that Gwendolyn had in the meeting. It showed a few sketches of the sword along with many lines written in unknown languages, as well as mysterious symbols. Gwendolyn had decoded much of it already, and one of the parts talked about the enchantments that powered the sword. He told Khet everything he needed to know about the mission, the Black Forge Keep and the sword of kings, waiting to be stolen.

At the end of it, Isak could see that he was really grinning, almost devilishly so.

"You've not changed, little sparrow. Always working an angle... You took after our dead master well."

Isak gritted his teeth in disgust and anger. "Do not dare compare me to that man, or I'll finish his work and kill you myself."

Khet shrugged, indifferent, before walking to the one of his crates in search of something. After a moment, he walked to Isak with a rock on his hand. A strange looking stone, but Isak couldn't feel any magic coming from it. It felt like a trick, but he said nothing for the moment.

"This is a Annulment Stone. Created to nulify magic or magical objects, such as a sword's enchantment." Khet put his hand forth, showing the stone to Isak for further inspection. "Use it wisely, its effects wear off quickly."

"I'll have the coin to pay you once I return."

Isak motioned to take the rock from his hand, but Khet acted faster and seized Isak's arm before grabbing his neck in a tight and cold grip. The scarred man's eyes, once lifeless and lacking in color, now had bits of magic seemingly spraying from them. Suddenly, Isak felt powerless to summon his own magic to try and free himself.

"I care not for your money, sparrow. I want something more from you."

His finger punctured the side of Isak's abdomen, followed by a short wave of pain that racked over his body. Isak tried to tear away from his grip before he felt his magic being drained from his body and flowing through Khet's abhorrent arms, pumping his veins with power.

Khet laughed to Isak's face. "Remember the debt you still owe me Isak, for freeing you from the gilded cage of our former master. You promised to free me from my pain..."

It was the last thing Isak heard before his eyes felt too heavy to keep open and his senses dulled. When he came back to himself, Isak was laying on the ground of one of the Shallows' ill made pathways, a few meters away from the garbage filled river, almost hidden away in the fog.

He had been successful. He had the stone and the means for Charity to steal the sword without falling into a trap, but now Isak felt too weak to return to the Raven Club by himself, or to fight against any malcontents in that rotten place.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“Hey. Wake up.” The smarter guard smacked his spear against the bars of Charity’s cell. “Seems your freedoms important to someone. Lucky you.” He said patting a slightly bulging purse on his belt. Cleo was glaring at her behind her glasses.

“Let’s go Ms.Briarthorne.” She hissed grabbing the girl by her shirt front and yanking her along and into the street. “I tried the nice way.” She spat through clenched teeth. Teeth that were jagged edges of an apex predator.

Cleo Savoca was a demon Gwen had captured a century ago. Savoca being the beginning of her true demon name, but with the fact of her full name causing mortals ears to burst into flame internally...She had given her Cleo as a nickname of sorts

In exchange for her services as Gwens assistant, and serving as the archives guardian she had relative freedom to do as she wished. But her lack of humanity left many of Charity’s antics to easily slip under her skin.

“Ms. Vollmund has gone to see a client. She also closed the archive to clients at the moment. Now can we go back to the archives so I can help you look for what you need?” The last part growled as her eyes began to glow red behind her glasses. Her fingers extending into nasty claws.

Before rapidly changing back to her human form as she sighed. “Because I’m worried about her..” She admitted. Though she didn’t care for the girl at times Charity was the only other person Cleo ever saw daily besides clients.. It felt strange to admit something like this to her, but she continued.

“I’m supposed to be her aide and protector...But she isn’t letting me...I don’t know what to do..” she paused looking to the ground. As she looked back up her eyes were thier normal blue.

“So we can figure out what to do together.” She finished holding out her hand for Charity to take if she wished to return to Gwens home. A pair of black feathery wings sprouting from behind her.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias' legs grew tired the longer she walked through the cold night. She huddled under her cloak, trying to maintain warmth as she continued her journey. She spent much of the walk trying to think of scenarios in which Isak would need to hide a trip to the Shallows. She didn't know much of the location, but from what she read while in the company of Gwen, they were not very kind people here. So what business would he have with someone there?

She knew she was getting close as she became able to make out brightly coloured fabrics outside some of the run down structures through the fog as she approached wooden stilted planks. She was quite scared of the swamplands. She heard stories of the bodies disappearing the thick, garbage filled waters from Gwen, after pestering her for more information. Maybe it was a threat to be less annoying or a warning to be more aware of her surroundings. Eilerias didn't know.

As she carefully made her way across, she could no longer tell if the fear of falling in was making her nauseous or the sudden pain in her abdomen, but she knew one thing: Isak screwed up. She knew better than to yell someone's name in the open here as she made her way around, so she went in a direction based off of how much pain she was feeling. The more pain, the closer she had to be.

It reached a peak as she made her way onto a sketchy pathway, kicking something that was hidden by fog. It was a body. Isak's body. "Isak!" She whispered, kneeling down and grabbing onto him. She struggled, but managed to get him to a less damaged platform. "You're bleeding." She pulled his shirt up, assessing the damage. It was only a puncture, she noted, but he felt so weak. At least he wasn't dead.

"What have you done?" She demanded to know as she debated whether or not to heal him there or try to get him back to the club. "Why did you come here alone?" She sounded more angry than concerned for his wellbeing. Now was probably not the time for a lecture, but she was upset. She knew she was a valuable tool for the group and, yet, it seemed like people wanted to hide things from her.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity slowly opened one eye and glared at the guard. There was no way that somebody had come to free her that quickly. They always took their sweet time so why the hell was he making all that racket?

“Seems your freedoms important to someone. Lucky you.” He said patting a slightly bulging purse on his belt. Cleo was glaring at her behind her glasses.

Hmm... Not her usual savior. But she would take whoever she could get. "'Lo Savoca." Charity said curtly as she was roughly hoisted off the bed by Cleo.

“Let’s go Ms.Briarthorne.” She hissed grabbing the girl by her shirt front and yanking her along and into the street. “I tried the nice way.” She spat through clenched teeth. Teeth that were jagged edges of an apex predator.

"Oh.. Right... Cleo's actually a demon." Charity mumbled.

“Ms. Vollmund has gone to see a client. She also closed the archive to clients at the moment. Now can we go back to the archives so I can help you look for what you need?” The last part growled as her eyes began to glow red behind her glasses. Her fingers extending into nasty claws.

Before rapidly changing back to her human form as she sighed. “Because I’m worried about her..” She admitted.

Charity nodded and took Cleo's hand and they rushed back to the archives. Once there, Charity found a piece of parchment and drew the two symbols on it.

"This one" Charity said pointing to the familiar symbol. "Used by the Greywood family. Extremely dangerous bunch. They run a large portion of the underworld here in Alliria. Most of the people my father worked with had this symbol tattooed on them." She paused. "As for this other one... I have no idea..."

"Either way, Gwen is in serious danger if she's dealing with the Greywoods. Any ideas on how to find her?"

 

[Isak Lavelle]

You promised to free me from my pain.

We can't always escape our pain, Isak.

Pain... He could surely feel it now, ravaging his body from the edges of his fingers and coursing like waves all the way to the small wound at his side, given to him by Khet. Isak put his hand over it, staining his dark gloves with a few drops of blood.

He coughed, but no blood came forth. At least he wasn't really dying, but Khet had done something to him. Something that stirred his insides, that disrupted his magic. He could hear the being inside him clawing at his cage, nervous and unrelenting.

Isak tried to get up but didn't find enough strength on his body to do so. He was sweating and panting, trying his hardest to steady his breathing before another wave of pain ran through him, and then he felt something hitting him near his foot. Suddenly, he could almost feel warmth surging through him.

It was Eilerias, and Isak could barely believe it. He tried to speak as she screamed his name and pulled his shirt up to check what damage had been done to him, but no words left his mouth. Only a tiny puncture on the outside, but the real damage was inside. His mind was a haze and his head hurt the most, he couldn't even think straight at the moment.

"You're supposed to be resting..." It was all he managed to say after a short while, breathing heavily. His eyes were closing again and he could feel himself slowly slipping away, before Eilerias started dragging him to a safer side of that clunky wooden pathway.

In that cold moment, being near to Eilerias was like a beacon guiding him to a safe place, to a warmer place. As she put her arms over him, he didn't want her to let go. She looked distraught, and even angry. And she was right feel like that. Isak didn't tell anyone the true nature of what he was doing there, he couldn't share in his shame and his fears.

But could he... Could he dare to trust her? Could he trust anyone? If not even his own shadow gave him enough confidence, could Isak relay his most obscure thoughts about his past to her? Something inside him made him wish he could do so, to tell her more of his plans and what he was doing there all alone, facing a figure of his rough past. To reveal more of him to her.

"E-Eile..." He didn't have enough strength to say her name fully, his eyes barely glancing over to look at her face, like it searched for something that could put him at ease. He took his time watching her, trying to guess whatever she was thinking of him now.

Better it should be her to see him like that, weak and exposed. He could never show weakness to other people, as his master had taught him. His damn master that was supposed to stay buried on the deepest parts of his mind.

When the memories of his past kicked in again, another wave of pain rushed through his body, but this time it didn't put him down. He gasped for air, feeling the strength slowly return to his fingers. Isak looked over to Khet's house nearby, to that eerie place that he felt like it was watching them.

They needed to get out of there, and he needed to gather enough strength to walk away from the Shallows and back to the Raven Club, to the warmth of bourbon and the safety of his schemes. But before he could worry about that, Isak looked at Eilerias again. His gaze was fierce and determined, like he truly meant what he was about to say next.

"I'll tell you. Everything that I can." But just to her. It would be a start, at least. They just needed to get back to the club safe and sound.

 

[Eilerias]

"Isak.." Eilerias held onto him for a while, kneeling on the jagged wooden path. She knew he wouldn't be able to answer her questions. Not in this state. Her voice was shaky as she began to cast a healing spell to take care of the puncture wound in his side. "Don't move." She shushed him, holding on to him as she healed. She welcomed his pain as it entered her, praying he would feel better. "I can rest when I'm dead." She smiled, barely visible from the shadows of her hood.

When that came out, Eilerias did not know if she meant that as a joke or if she was more scared of what Gwendolyn would do if one of her coworkers died in her care. She was conflicted. She didn't know what she was feeling. She just knew whatever it was that she was feeling, it was strong.

Something felt wrong. His wounds were sealing and the pain was dying down, but he still felt weak. "I..." she paused hearing him try to say her name. "I don't know what's wrong." She admitted as the light from her fingertips dulled. She was still incredibly angry, but relieved that he was at least alive. "There are no more wounds, but you still feel weak." She worried aloud. Usually she could trade their fatigue and give her energy, but it was not working.

Tears began running from her eyes. "Please Isak," she whispered, "I need you to tell me what happened so I can help you." She held him tighter than she meant to, trying to hide that she was crying. The fear of losing one of the closest things she has ever had to a family felt like a knife to the heart.

The second wave of pain shot through her quickly, and she finally sighed in relief feeling him grow stronger. She grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it before noticing that he was staring intently at a nearby shanty house. She followed his gaze and a shiver went down her spine. Something wasn't right with that house. She swore there was a shadowy figure staring right at them. Isak's voice broke her concentration and she looked down at him while he promised to tell her everything. "That is all I ask." She said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Are you well enough to walk?" She tried to help him to his feet. She absentmindedly grabbed the stone he was clutching and shoved it in her pocket. "We need to get back soon. Something doesn't feel right about this place...and Ogden might be on his way to kill either one of us right about now."

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“Greywoods..I think I might have something. The leads will be old though. Maybe a couple of years give or take but we might get lucky.” Cleo said with a nervous laugh.

“I thought Ms. Gwendolyn was meeting the person that put your job together..So does that mean these “Greywoods.” Might have a hand in it?” Cleo asked as she walked up to the archives entrance. “7,345,281 F-190.” She said with a quick snap of her fingers.

The sound of shifting shelves and rustling pages would great her ears as a book was footed towards her. Inside were notes and corespondent records and letters.

“Thank you.” She said with a wave and turned back to Charity and her desk. Placing the book on the surface before taking her seat.

“Pull up a chair please. I just cleaned this..” She said gesturing to the pristine black marble surface and knowing Charity’s fondness for placing her posterior right on top of it.

Mortals...Why invent something specifically made to sit on then have a portion of the species sit on whatever so strange.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak didn't know why, but he couldn't look away from Eilerias as she helped him up to his feet. Even in that cold and foggy night, her soft touch was warm and soothing and it made him even more confused about what he should do. It was a strange sensation, and Isak rarely felt himself out of touch with his thoughts, but his whole mind was a mess ever since he'd seen her bruised and hurt in her home.

"I believe I am." He said, fully getting back on his feet, followed by a short grunt of pain. His body was still in a bit of pain, but at least he wasn't feeling drained of his power anymore. Isak let out a small laugh in response to Eilerias' words, he knew Ogden would eventually let something slip.

But Isak felt different. He was almost glad that the dwarf let it slip, or else he would've had to crawl back to the Raven Club, all by himself. "I suppose I should thank him for being a poor keeper of secrets. And you, for saving me."

He was looking at her eyes again, almost losing himself inside them. He could see a single tear still wandering alone on her face and without a second thought, his gloved hand slowly approached her cheek, softly and slowly wiping it away. Something inside him wished that moment could never end, but it did as Isak lowered his hand and kept watching her.

He opened a small but genuine and heartfelt smile, the first one he had given in what felt like ages. "Perhaps your god wants me alive a little longer."

They walked the way back to the 'safety' of the Outer City together, with Isak sometimes leaning on her when the waves of pain quickly shot through his body, but he could almost feel comfortable for that short time together with Eilerias, the night still young and a few hours away from dawning. They reached the Raven Club without any issues, but Isak swiftly pulled her aside to a nearby alley before they approached the unguarded entrance.

The others couldn't see him like that. Hurting and weak. His mercenaries and Ogden, they had to believe that Isak was something that couldn't be put down so easily, a myth that couldn't be defeated. He looked at Eilerias, the only person now that had seen him so exposed.

"There's another entrance, a secret one." It was all he could say amidst the shame, walking past her and deeper into the alleyway, before they reached the back of the club. Isak put his hand in one of the stone walls, next to a empty and open wooden barrel, pushing further the loose tile a bit. Shortly after, the wall made a deep noise before opening like a door, with dust falling off the edges.

Isak took a nearby torch and waved his head at Eilerias before entering. The entrance led them all the way to one of the empty storage rooms, the same one that was used to kill her assailant earlier that night. Isak could see his ashes were still there but he said nothing, only ignored it and moved on until they eventually reached a staircase that would lead them straight to the reserved second floor.

There were no guards in the corridor, much to Isak's relief in that moment. He looked at Eilerias again, as if he was hesitant to ask her to accompany him to his room. Had he said something about it, she probably would've thought he was being indecent, or at least that was what Isak was telling himself.

But he knew about his promise from earlier, to tell her everything. At least in the privacy of his room, he could afford to share his secrets with her. He only hoped they wouldn't push her away.

It would be the last bit of his preparation before departing for a job that could change their lives forever.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias held onto Isak as they walked back towards the Outer City of Alliria. She tried her best to counter the waves of pain, but she missed a few here and there. "I should probably apologize to Ogden." She laughed when he mentioned his poor secret keeping. "I've never seen someone fear for their life from a minor healing spell." She looked up, thinking of how goofy it probably looked for the tall man to be leaning on the five foot woman. "Poor thing, but at least he's got good intentions"

She felt her face grow hot when he stared deep into her eyes as though he were searching for something. They shot down towards the ground as he wiped the tear away. "Yeah, maybe you shouldn't have made fun of my god after all."

In all honesty, Eilerias was bothered by her "coworkers" who often laughed at how much she believed in her god, but it seemed like Sol'Nityr was always there when someone truly needed his power. In that moment, when she was laying in the Raven club's bed, she was hearing whispers trying to lead her away from her beliefs but he was there to fight them back and provide strength to continue on.

The sudden movement towards an alley scared her. Charity often lectured her on the safety of streets and the people in the Outer City. She was told that alleys were a dangerous place and she should never go there, but her fear subsided quickly. She felt safe, even though Isak was quite obviously hurting and weak.

"A secret entrance?" She asked, her eyebrow raising as he messed with the stone walls and loose tiles. She waved the dust out of her face as he escorted her through the back door. "So what is this place?" She could barely see anything in the dark room as she walked through ashes, which she assumed to be dust, leaving behind small dark grey footprints on the cold stone floor.

Eilerias walked behind Isak in silence to the second floor and eventually in front of another spacious bedroom. She hesitated at the door for a few seconds, but ultimately followed him in and sat on the bed. It had a large blanket made of some animal's fur. Probably an expensive one, she thought.

"So Lavelle..." She tried to sound a little less like herself and a little more seductive and mysterious. "You promised me you would tell me your secrets." She stared at him, her eyes more golden than green.

She wanted to tell him the whispers she had been hearing, but she knew he would think she was crazy. The same whispers she used to hear from the shadows when she lived in the orphanage- before she became a Follower of the Light. The more she thought about the dagger and the confused attacker, the more she began to attribute it to the whispers. It felt like they were trying to drag her back to when she knew nothing of the light.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

It felt relieving to finally step inside his room, to the comfort of his sheeths and warmth of the candlelight, as opposed to the cold breeze outside. But Isak was still feeling tense once his gaze wandered towards Eilerias again, following her as the woman quickly sat on his bed.

There was no escape now, he thought. He could almost feel the curiosity coming from her, anxious to learn more about him, demanding answers from him. And he could sense that there was something else troubling her as her eyes evaded his gaze a few times. Eilerias looked like she was into a deep thought, so Isak took his time to get off the dirty coat, throwing it aside after a few pained groans.

He was wearing a long sleeved white shirt beneath it, which was also stained with the blood of his wound. The young man walked towards a small space across the room. It had a small sized bowl filled with water along with some clean cloths for washing his face, and so Isak took the liberty of slowly removing his black gloves, putting them aside before throwing some water over his face and hair.

He glanced over at the nearby mirror to see Eilerias watching him. Perhaps facing her through the glass would make it easier to speak.

"I was..." Isak started, but couldn't go on. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists, dropping his head a bit. "I was taken off my mother as a child. We were poor and hungry."

His eyes were fixed on his reflection on the water. "I was bought with a few coins and empty promises. That my mother would have a roof over her head, a place of her own, but I couldn't see her. Not until my years of duties were done."

A glorified slave. He almost let out a twisted laugh at the thought of that.

Isak raised his head to look at the mirror again, to look at Eilerias through the glass before he slowly removed his shirt and let it fall to the ground, revealing his back to her.

It was filled with scars and bruises that never properly healed. He also had a few marks written over him in unknown languages, consequences of the demonic ritual that they performed on Isak to further enhance his powers. He could hear his own screams on his head that day, the never ending pain and the silent plea for any god to take mercy on him and kill him to spare him of that suffering.

And also the silence that came after it. They never answered his pleas.

"The man who did this to me was a monster, and he also did it to other people before me. He was blind by his search for power, stepping over those he deemed weak and naive enough to fool. Like me, and my mother."

Like all the kids before Isak that he had taken from the streets and killed by his greed. A single tear escaped his eyes and fell to the bowl, rippling the water slightly.

"I found out about his true plans and tried to escape, tried to reach my mother..." His voice was heavy with grief now, even though he tried to hide it. "But she had been dead for months, and I never got word from her in all the years that he promised she was safe."

She died grieving over the son that she never got the chance to see again.

Isak turned, his eyes searching for Eilerias again. Even though he felt like he was losing himself in that moment, it was her presence there that brought him some kind of peace to keep talking, to keep reliving those painful memories.

The sad expression on his face from before now gave way to a fiercer look. "He taught me everything that I know, and I used it to murder him, and many others like him. I took up a fancy name to make me resemble more of a rich man than a slave."

Lavelle. It was not his name. It was only a small lie to make him feel bigger than he is, something to give him comfort.

Isak had no memory of the child he once was, only the man he had been forced to become. He barely remembered his own mother's face, but he still tried to cling to her fading features every night, to make the pain worthwhile.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias sat still at the edge of Isak's bed, her mind racing about whether or not she should share her troubling thoughts as he passed her and went to take his coat off. If it was shadows speaking to her, like she thought, she needed to suppress them for they were dangerous and working with them was banned in most regions. She wasn't even sure it was safe to confide in Gwendolyn, which she could about anything else.

Her attention was brought back by Isak removing his gloves, something she'd never witnessed before. It was strange. Her eyes gazed over him, studying the figure which was almost unfamiliar now without the only thing she'd ever seen him in.

She listened to his story, in silence, feeling his pain and sadness with each word of his mother and childhood. Destroyed by some monster in search of power. She studied each scar and mark, trying to make sense of it all. A mother selling her child?

Eilerias began to tear up. She had never met her family. She was abandoned at birth and raised in an orphanage in a city where being anything but human was looked down upon. She only had the shadows to talk to. She resented her parents for abandoning her, but she felt angry for Isak. Willingly giving up a child for money and food.

She was supposed to make the sacrifices for her child, not Isak and because of her actions, her son became a murderer.

Eilerias truly longed for a family and people were out here trading children like currency. It made her sick. Eilerias would have given anything for her children if she had them. She dug her jagged nails into the palm of her hand, trying to fight back tears as he continued with his story.

"Isak..."Her voice was raspy, rather than soothing. "I'm so sorry." She got out of the bed and approached him from behind. She wanted to heal him, but she didn't know if she was capable of healing wounds that deep and that old. Instead, she held onto him, her tears running down his scarred skin. She stayed there for a while, silent except for the quiet sniffling, before she was able to get out a question.

"Who was the man in the shallows?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

“Greywoods..I think I might have something. The leads will be old though. Maybe a couple of years give or take but we might get lucky.” Cleo said with a nervous laugh.

“I thought Ms. Gwendolyn was meeting the person that put your job together..So does that mean these “Greywoods.” Might have a hand in it?”

Charity nodded thoughtfully as Cleo summoned a book from one of the many shelves. It would makes sense. Only one of the largest and most powerful crime families in Alliria would have the resources and ambition to try and pull such a job.

A small smirk crossed Charity's face as she ignored Cleo's request and promptly sat her bottom down right in the middle of the black marble surface. The thoughtful look reappeared as she scanned the pages of the tome. Names, dates, places, inter-city dealings were all written across the pages in tiny neat handwriting. She was beginning to feel uneasy about this whole situation. Then... there it was.

"Amadeus Greywood..." Charity whispered. "Damn it!" she shouted slamming her fist on the marble. Though she was surprised, a mischievous grin slowly grew on her face. Of course. She should have known. Only he would have the gall to send people on such a dangerous mission.

"Umm... Ms. Briarthorne?" Cleo asked quizzically. Charity jolted. She had completely forgotten that Cleo was there. "Amadeus Greywood," she said pointing to a name in one of the lists. "Goes by the title of 'The Father'. He's the head of the Greywood crime organization, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Known to use multiple aliases and middlemen when organizing jobs. He's an amazingly brilliant man, and very few people know that he even exists." Cleo glanced at Charity with a genuine look of bewilderment. "You gleaned all that, just from reading a few pages?!"

Charity grinned at Cleo with a glint in her eye. "What? No. I'm not that smart. It just so happens that he also goes by the name 'Gilgamesh Briarthorne'." Cleo's eyes widened in shock. "Wha-" Charity grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. "We have to get to The Raven Club! I'll explain on the way there. C'mon!"

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“Yes ma’am.” Cleo said with a squeak as Charity pulled her out of her chair and towards the entrance.

“D-dont pull me around!” She protested as wings sprouted from her back once again and they were off like a bullet skimming over the rooftops. Cleo holding Charity’s hand by the wrist in a firm grip that spoke to the “woman’s.” Hidden strength.

Gwendolyn sat in her office. The client had changed the meeting place. She understood their paranoia but she had wished they hadn’t sent word when she was almost half way there.

She arranged her papers. Her misty grey eyes wandered the room somewhat lazily, but her body remained alert and ready to fight like the taunt string of a bow at full draw. Her mind wandered back to Charity however and Cleo the poor thing.. Maybe today she would..Something caught her attention..