Private Tales Things That Fester in the Dark

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh had been in the middle of a test. Or rather, she was finished, really, but if she ever completed a test too fast then Proctor Palahniuk always got upset with her. He was constantly assuming that she snuck into his office and stole test answers just for herself. First, if she was sneaking into his office for test answers, it wouldn’t be for her to cheat. She’d use those answers to get someone to gamble with her. Secondly, she didn’t need to cheat. She actually did study contrary to popular belief. And it always felt better to get a high score based on her own efforts than just cheating.

Proctor Palahniuk didn’t care about that of course. He just liked to make sure his status of having the hardest tests throughout academy remained that way. So Everleigh obliged and made sure to only turn in her tests after three people had turned it in. She was slowly writing her last answer— it was a game at this point, to see how perfect she could make each and every letter— when there was a knock at the door. Proctor Palahniuk got up from his desk and went over to open the door. A brief exchange of whispered words. Everleigh could make out her name. She began writing quicker.

Proctor P came over to her with a melodramatic sigh. “Initiate Ebersol,” he said, “you’ll have to finish this test at a later time, you’re needed for a mission.” Everleigh finished the sentence and then looked up.

“Actually, I just finished.” She said and handed the proctor her completed test before shooting him a cheeky grin. “I’ll head right on over though.”

---

In the office Everleigh was standing up straight. She had her gear already issued to her and now she was just waiting on the dreadlord that she was supposed to be supporting. It felt nice to hear that. She wasn’t shadowing any longer— although she hadn’t been for years really due to her aggressive nature— but for them to finally say she would be supporting a dreadlord? It was most definitely a step in the right direction. Maybe they were finally seeing that Everleigh wasn’t as fragile or that despite her lack of overall destructive power and strength she was still quite a force to be reckoned with.

“It seems Initiate Titus’ injuries were more grave than we had imagined,” proctor Novgorodoff murmured, looking over the papers that must be the reports granted to them about the city. “Or else he’d be supporting Dreadlord Vale.” Everleigh’s lips twinged down into a slight frown. Oh. So she was just someone’s replacement then? And of course, it would be for Titus, the obnoxious initiate who always acted like he was so strong because he could create any weapon he dreamed of and manifest it out of thin air. It was hard for the poison eater not to roll her eyes.

“But I’m sure you should do fine in his place. This might be up your… alley.” He said with obvious disdain. The initiate kept her eyes neutral, even if she wanted to go up and punch Novgorodoff and prove to him that she’d do better than Titus ever could.

Vale

 

[Vale]

Pieces were falling in place quickly and it put a timeline on Vale. The Dreadlord's long stride carried him through the halls of the Academy as he made his way to Proctor Novgorodoff's office. Preferably, he worked alone, given the nature of his powers and the type of work he found enjoyment in. But, he could only be in one place at a time and that meant he had requested the assistance of an initiate to cover ground. Unfortunately, Titas, after being given a location to canvas, had been practically beaten to a pulp and left him out of commission.

Not only did that pronounce the importance of what Vale was tracking but that it was dangerous enough to hurt even a Dreadlord in training. It also left him little time to find a replacement, falling on another named, Everleigh. It had been a quick screening but her impressive record made her stand out enough to be selected.

As he navigated through the building, his presence earned a few looks as he rarely made an appearance but specifically because of what happened around him. Initiates passing would be able to see shadows around curl and move as if they were alive themselves and only when within his pressence. Vale had grown used to them long ago and pressed on.

Eventually, the door to the office swung open as Vale finally stepped in, his gaze first drifting to the Proctor's and then to Everleigh's after. The stark long white hair would highlight the scar over his right eye and the color of his eyes themselves, his stature and lean frame towering over her. His piercing silver optics were practically the color of the moon as they locked on Everleigh before they inspected the rest of her body, as if he could form a picture of what she was like just based on her appearance and the way she stood.

As he did this, for Everleigh, it wouldn't feel as if it was his gaze just judging her but more than just his residing in the shadows. She would be able to hear faint whispers that touched only her ear softly, practically undecipherable but able to be discerned that they were about her still. It would last for a few moments and pick up in intensity until it came to a halt when Vale finally spoke himself, his smooth voice breaking the silence, "She'll do. Thank you, Proctor Novgordoff." The man would give a nod back before gesturing for the initiate to follow the Dreadlord.

Vale would exit from the office, expecting her to follow as it was clear they needed to be somewhere. The Dreadloud wouldn't turn his head to speak to Everleigh but continued to face forward, "How many times have you been out in the field?" It was a simple question that dictated many factors depending on the answer.

Everleigh Ebersol

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh kept her violet gaze cool and steeled for anything, more of Proctor Novgorodoff’s unneeded suggestions or insults did little to phase her now. Each second that passed caused her to focus more on the mission at hand. Novgorodoff rattled on about the more important details, getting Everleigh up to speed as she waited to Dreadlord Vale to arrive. Just as the proctor had finished, the door opened, and Everleigh knew better than to turn around a stare.

She didn’t need to.

The moment Vale stepped into the room, she felt it. Her entire body tensed up, her violet eyes widening, she had to focus on not baring her teeth in a feral snarl. There had only been a few times in her life thus far that she felt fear from just a single person merely existing. None of her fellow initiates caused her to feel this way, only one proctor (who had disappeared after the revolution) made Everleigh feel so incredibly small. And she hadn’t even looked at the dreadlord in question yet.

But she heard those whispers well, her heart beat racing. She hadn’t felt fear like this in a long time. Out of a very bad habit, she grinned, her violet eyes glimmering with a voracious appetite. What a lovely treat for her to partake in. Everleigh couldn’t wait to feast.

She made sure to place that demure mask back on, she had to make sure that she was, if anything, professional at all costs. The wolfish grin from earlier had been wiped clean, her gaze seemingly dull and uninterested. The poison eater glanced at Vale, hearing his question.

“I’ve been out many, many times.” It was true, she had been. “I would’ve graduated before a year before the revolution, but when my magic was less refined than it is today, I was often sick.” Sick hardly explained it, she was on death’s doorstep, in a limbo that only she understood, teetering on the edge between life and death. “The exact number of my missions is currently ninety-eight. This will be my ninety-ninth.” She said without a hint of pride. It just meant she was here longer than the others. Not necessarily a good thing.

Vale

 

[Vale]

As they walked through the halls and he listened to her answer, it would be noticed that his footsteps created no sound. In fact, nothing on him made a sound, not even his clothing crinkling together. He moved truly in silence and just a side effect of his powers, one he rarely thought about, after years of having it.

Hearing how many missions she had been on and that she still hadn't graduated was viewed as a double-edged sword by him. Vale could at least count on her being experienced but there was always a reason someone was held back. The Dreadlord simply hoped this sickness for her wouldn't flare and it resulted in another injured initiate he would need to take care of. However, just from a simple first impression, she seemed able to take care of herself. A short, "Hmmph," was given back, not really revealing whether he was pleased or displeased.

The rest of their walk would be quiet until the two exited from the Academy, both greeted by the bright rays of the sun. A general buzz of the city could be heard around them but there wouldn't be a falter in Vale's steps. His long stride remained as they would enter into the streets, a few people glancing their way but avoiding their gazes. Vale slithered through the crowds with ease, either people stepping out of the way or him just narrowly slipping by.

When there was a break in the crowd, he asked another question, "This... sickness that's connected to your powers. You have a sufficient handle on it now?" Basically asking if he would have to worry about her suddenly and violently vomiting during their mission. Another glance wasn't taken still but from what he saw in the office she appeared healthy enough. There was a reason he selected her powers to work in tandem with his over others and he wanted her able.

As they walked on, Evie would begin to notice they were entering the poorer sections of the city. The density of the people slowly subsided as did the quality of the environment. Beggers became more visible and would actually be the only ones who offered the Dreadlord their gaze without fear as he passed.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh never knew how to best explain her magic, it was completely unique to her. There was another initiate only a year younger than her that could also create poison, but she was completely immune to it to begin with. Everleigh had to build her immunity, whether she wanted to or not, the academy didn’t give her much of a choice on the matter.

“I haven’t been introduced to a new toxin,” Everleigh said, “in a few months.” At this point she had so much. Spiders, scorpions, centipedes, snakes, snails, frogs, jellyfish, fish, octopi, lizards, various monsters and predators such as basilisks, poisonous plants and roots, strange toxic chemicals, shit, even dead carcasses covered in maggots, and so much more in her fourteen years at the academy. “Last time I was sick was a few months ago.” She further reconfirmed.

“But I doubt anyone, even in this part of the city, has a poison that could affect me. Or you for that matter, at least as long as I am here.” The poison eater finished. She didn’t want to go into how versatile she could be, especially on a mission that required more stealth. Her control of her magic, her innovative thinking and sheer, intense hunger was the only reason why she had managed to climb to the top percentage of her class.

“Proctor Novgorodoff read me the most recent reports but… didn’t clarify what happened to initiate Titus exactly.” She said, glancing at the less unfortunate. Too bad they didn’t have a child that was magic, then they would never want for anything. Or at least, that’s what Everleigh had been told. She raised up her hood. She was certain that were getting closer and if that were the case, she didn’t need eyes being drawn to her just because of her hair color.

Vale

 

[Vale]

When Everleigh brought up that most known poisons would not have an effect on her and as a result, him as well, he would finally bring his gaze back to her. Vale's face would remain passive but curiosity would flicker beneath his eyes. Now, he was really skeptical about how she was still an initiate, especially with her track record. But, it seemed she told the truth about the last time she had been sick and that eased his worry.

Vale would suddenly exit the street and turn into an alley as the sun began to set, its golden rays beginning to withdraw from the city. They would be avoiding the crowds altogether, lights planted on window sills and above becoming naturally muted as he passed. The Dreadlord remained silent at first to her question about the first Initiate that had been selected. He would just walk with a purpose to his stride and cut through the veins of the city as if a part of him.

The two would eventually arrive at the mouth of another alley and enter into another street, the cobble-stone more spaced out and damaged, houses more worn and broken down as it was where the fighting had been the roughest during the war. Vale would simply stop at the corner and nod toward the spot right next to him for Everleigh to take.

The Dreadlord leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest as the shadows would slowly start to edge toward the two of them. They would come from the walls, above, the ground, and the two would shortly be submerged in a black pool. Tendrils and walls of shadows would bend and contort, cloaking them in darkness and allowing them to "stand out in the open" without worry. They still had to be quiet as sound still passed through.

From their position, Vale would nod at the tavern a couple of buildings down from where they were. He finally answered Everleigh's question, "I told him to canvas this area. Last he reported was activity at this tavern. After that, he ended up in the infirmary. Broken jaw, ribs, arm, punctured lung, lacerations. Even with magic, his wounds are taking longer to recover." He listed off the injuries like he had burned the report into his memory. Vale then brought his gaze down to her's, his silver eyes glimmering with an intensity almost unnatural as he spoke, "Reports indicate this is a local gang's turf called, The Crows. I intend to get answers."

But when he peeled his gaze away from, scanned the tavern and then the sky, he murmured out, "But now we wait."

Everleigh Ebersol

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh followed along with Vale’s movements. It was strange, often Everleigh never felt like she was someone who talked often, but Vale was incredibly quiet. No, it wasn’t from his lack of words, but rather, that lack of presence— which was strange because the moment he had stepped into the room, Everleigh’s body had seized up as if warning her of him. The thing was, Everleigh was quiet, or at least, between her focus on stealth and preferring to wear light armor, she was on the much quieter side of the initiates. Vale was not quiet. No because to say one was quiet was to imply sound still formed.

It was like he was completely and devoid of sound.

The initiate obeyed, leaning against the wall as Vale had instructed. The hair on the back of her neck pricked again, and that moment of utter fear she had felt from before came back again. It was like being dunk into a Luke warm water, but blindfolded. Everleigh could feel it, yes, and decipher what it was, but the fact that it felt like she was completely submerged is what caused her heart to beat faster. Instinctually she wondered if there was a end to the shadows. But she knew better. The greater the light, the greater the shadow, and Lessat and Pnumberia were rising high in the sky while the sun sank below the Great Walls of Vel Anir.

Looking out to the tavern. It was a much older establishment, the architecture used for it was rather outdated considering it lacked width but made up for that in height. A window was completely boarded up, most likely due to a broken window that needed to be prepared but the owners could care less about. Even from their place of hiding, Everleigh could hear the rambunctious shouts and yells whenever a customer would head inside, the door only held open for a second but sound would fill the streets for that brief moment regardless.

“Titus is hotheaded.” Everleigh said, as if that explained everything. But it didn’t, whoever was in that tavern, they weren’t some nobody. Titus may have been a hothead but he was still an initiate of the academy and the proctors had always felt like his chances for graduation were high. Higher than hers even, if one only looked at his magic. There was one vital piece of information that did make Everleigh rather curious about.

“Do you think they have some sort of magic suppressor?” It could be a null, or null gear. Everleigh had seen quite a few: injections that inhibited one’s use of magic, magical collars that shocked the user for even attempting magic, magical armor that the blackguard wore and allowed them not to be affected by magic.

Vale

 

[Vale]

Eventually, the sun finally retreated and was replaced by the moons that greeted the city with their soft rays of light. Even with the city less illuminated, Vale could see perfectly with his gaze fixed on the tavern and occasionally flicking to either end of the street. He was completely at ease, familiar with the waiting game, and had conditioned his patience years ago.

For Everleigh, it would be a slightly different experience from his within their bubble of darkness. The air for her would be colder, able to pierce her clothing and skin but still not chilly enough to create shivers, unnatural compared to what she knew. The whispers she had heard earlier from the office arrived back once more but softer, kissing the edge of her ears as they would once again be undecipherable. The sensation would be strange but it would be akin to knowing that there were gazes upon her, even in the small space they occupied but in their domain.

As she pointed out that Titus was hotheaded, a response wasn't given but Vale agreed within his mind. He had pieced that together from the Initiate's file and also had been a reason why he had been selected. If he had been endangered during his watch, it would have allowed the Dreadlord more free reign in how he would like to operate like now. The only issue was he hadn't suspected local gangs being able to adequately fight against him, let alone severely injure him. There were many questions he had about what happened with Titus unfortunately being unable to talk.

Vale was then asked if it was possible the Crows had null gear and he answered truthfully but with a rare undertone of anger as voices were able to be heard coming down the street. "I don't know." Either that was possible or somehow they had gotten their hands on enchanted weapons? The slow healing left him little to retrieve from Titus.

Either way, the Dreadlord would hold up a finger as the voices from the street grew louder and louder. A group of four men would pass them without a worry, all of them dressed in full black. They each wore a sort of black overcoat or trenchcoat, proudly stating their affiliation. Laughs bubbled out from each one about something they did earlier. The group would swing the door to the tavern wide with a roar before entering the establishment.

Without a moment of hesitation, Vale used his elbows to push off the wall, "Let's go." The pool that had been crafted would come crashing down like a wave around them as shadows returned to their normal position. Warmth would return slowly to Everleigh as the whispers would disappear as well like a breeze in the wind. Compared to her, however, they acted differently for Vale. Black wispy strands of smoke rose from his shoulders, a portion of the shadows clinging onto him as if wanting to embrace him again before he freed himself as he walked out across the street.

The door to the tavern faced toward the alley instead of the street and he made his way straight there. As they entered the new alley and neared the doorway, both of them could hear multiple voices inside but muted. Vale would walk up to the door slowly before he stood right outside of it and extended his hand. He placed it flatly against the door as he closed his eyes momentarily. After a couple of seconds, the flames and lights outside would flicker, and even the lights inside the tavern but unnoticed. Multiple whispery voices would assault Vale's ears, the lights dimming outside until he finally opened his eyes and they returned to normal.

The Dreadlord backed up a few steps before he took a glance at Everleigh and gruffly said, "There are seven men inside. Flush them out." It was time to see her powers for himself.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Dreadlord Vale’s shadow magic was thrilling and frightening all at once, a combination that Everleigh truly enjoyed. The translucent hairs on the back of her neck would rise, partially due to the cold but also for the unique sensation being inside the shadow brought her. Whispers, it sounded close enough to common tongue but the more Everleigh tried to focus on them, tried to figure out what was possibly being said was when it seemed like the whispers were speaking an entirely different language.

Then there was the fact that it felt like all eyes were on her. The worst part of it, more than the whispers or the chill or the unknown or even the thought that Vale could slit her throat at any moment and no one would ever know. One thing Everleigh hated the most was the notion that people were staring at her. She often got stares because of her unusual hair. But this felt like there were eyes penetrating her, seeing everything within her, delving deeper than the surface of her skin and finding only poison and decay within her body.

She was grateful for Vale to bring her back from her anxious thoughts with his voice and she nodded, and steeled herself when he prompted that they leave. She was two steps behind him, a respectable distance, and allowed him to do his part.

Everleigh’s eyes glowed purple and she pulled out two daggers, deftly using her tongue to coat them in a mild poison, a fast-acting but nonlethal neurotoxin. A paralysis and inflammation of the muscle but nothing to keep them from breathing as long as she didn’t get it close to the main location of their respiratory system. The dreadlord she was shadowing didn’t want them dead, but she was not going to risk ending up like Titus. Her eyes went back to normal and she nodded her head in response. Voices could be heard, although they rose with panic due to the lack of light.

The poison eater slipped inside through the front door and immediately crouched. A dark vision was immediately active when she stepped aside, a handy little addition she had learned from her fellow initiate Alistair. With the door opening, the people in the tavern had stilled. They also grew as silent as a corpse, and Everleigh could see them turning their heads and reaching for their weapons.

She threw one dagger at a bench and immediately the three men in that area charged towards the noise, knocking into one another. And then swung around frantically. She held back a laugh as one man accidentally gave his buddy a sizeable gash in his bicep. Cursing and yelling and shouting ensued, a perfect distract that allowed Everleigh to move to a better position that could get these men moving out of here.

Position in a corner, she threw a dagger, hitting one man in the thigh. He howled for a moment and gripped at the dagger, pulling it out as she moved to be behind him, kicking him at his lower back so he would fall down to his hands or knees. He wouldn’t be able to stand back up and she grabbed back her dagger just in time as one of his friends came to his aid.

Their eyes had adjusted much better to the dark it seemed, able to get a sense of where Everleigh was, but not so much so that he was able to step over his friend without tripping. When bad guy number two stumbled, Everleigh pivoted and crouched low, swiping the back of his knee before rising up to her full height and delivering a roundhouse kick. She leapt over the table just as the group began to swarm over to the corner, and swiftly she grabbed her dagger that was still embedded onto the wooden bench.

She threw both daggers then at the thighs of another man. Three down, four to go. Her eyes glowed purple as she recreated that same venom and she pulled out four flat blades, two in each hand that were positioned securely between her index and middle finger and index and thumb, once again using her saliva to coat the blades in her poison.

“Got ya now!” One growled, seeing the glowing purple eyes and four men charged in her direction. Everleigh bent her knees, her feet wide apart, prepared to face them head on. A dagger was thrown, the first man dogged but it only hit his buddy instead.

Four down.

The man in front swung a short sword at Everleigh’s midsection and she crouched down low to the floor as if she were about to start crawling about, only to slash at his thigh and calf. The man cursed and brought his sword over his head, prepared to stab down at Everleigh but she punched his knee cap as she rolled out of the way, bringing another man down to his knees.

Five down.

The final two men were dumbstruck and looked at each other and then at their two comrades writhing on the ground, moaning about how they couldn’t get up. Everleigh took advantage of that moment, able to get back up to her feet and then lunged at both of them. One was smart enough to leap out of the way but one instead raised his sword to block. One of the poisoned flat blades flew from Evie’s hand and found purchase in the soft skin of the man’s cut where his stuffed vest didn’t cover.

She evaded the few strikes and sweeps of his sword, keeping an eye on the final man who then ran out towards the door of the tavern. Right as he opened the door he gasped in pain. Everleigh had thrown the final two blades at the center of his lower back and one at the back of his thigh. He stumbled and fell face first into the filth of the alley, right at Vale’s feet.

Vale

 

[Vale]

One simple order was given and Everleigh required nothing more than that, earning a quick glimpse with his silent approval. As he took his steps back, she stepped forward with blades in hand and muscles tense, her focus on the task at hand. Vale stood behind her quietly and patiently, his silver optics tracking her smoothly before she slipped inside and disappeared into the establishment. Once she was gone, the Dreadlord would take another step back until his back pressed against the opposite wall. Both of his arms crossed over his broad chest as he waited, his gaze routinely flicking between the two entrances into the alley and then the bar itself.

Not truly understanding Everleigh's powers, his expectation was for her to gas them out and leave a few for him to deal with too. Instead, she wanted to take this up close and personal, blending within the darkness almost naturally with Vale's assistance from the outside. The plan made one of his eyebrows arch in curiosity to himself but his feet remained planted where they were as he waited outside for her to finish. He wished to witness how capable she really was.

Vale would get his answer relatively soon as a commotion broke out inside the bar. Yelling and screams of pain could be heard, not one that sounded like Everleigh. To avoid drawing attention, the Dreadlord lifted one hand and aimed it toward the building subtly, his fingers flexing as the shadows layered around it began to curl and twist. They would cover the cracks of windows and doors silently, muffling the sound and leaving all those inside in their own world basically as someone could scream as loudly as they want but it would be to no avail. The act required his concentration and he closed his eyes to focus on the move, the rune etched into his neck producing a faint white glow that began to burn into his skin.

As the seconds ticked by, the yelps and screams would be silenced one by one, the initiate efficient and methodical. When the last man burst through the front door only to collapse to the ground with the daggers in his back, Vale scoffed softly before dropping his hand, the shadows returning back to their natural location as the rune also lost its glow. She appeared to have good aim.

Vale strode forward, his steps once again not even making a fraction of a sound as he almost glided off his feet like a wraith. Both of his silver optics didn't lift once to Everleigh and instead flicked to each man on the ground. As he passed the one that almost made it out, the body would be dragged back in by the shadows on the ground before the Dreadlord closed the door softly behind him and locked it. Vale walked through the room slowly, visiting each paralyzed man as he used the tip of his boot to flip them over if he couldn't see their face, his silverine gaze scanning them thoroughly before he moved on.

As he did this, Everleigh would be able to hear the whispers once more but not directed toward her. They centered around Vale, once again undecipherable as they almost seemed to act as his counsel. When he neared the last of the men, the intensity of the voices picked up to almost deafening for both of them. The Dreadlord would halt in place before he slowly spun on his heel and faced the man who was on his stomach. Flipping him over with his boot, the man could only let clenched breaths, his teeth clamped shut and the rest of his body paralyzed. Sweat profusely poured down him as his eyes focused on Vale, the only part of him that was able to move.

The Dreadlord cocked his head slightly as he stared down at the man, specifically at his chin and the scar that was there. Immediately, flashes of what Titus had done came back. He wasn't able to speak and had only indicated one thing when questioned, his chin. With cold steel to his voice, Vale called him out, "You." Bending over, his hand came down and grabbed a fistful of the man's clothes, earning a few muffled grunts and whimpers as he attempted to move. Physically dragging this one, Vale brought the man over to the table before throwing him on top of it, the whole piece rattling from his weight.

As the Dreadlord took a step back, he glanced over to Everleigh, "Remove the paralysis." She would be able to see shadows in the room start to slither toward the table, curling and circling around it like a pack of wolves, lurching towards the criminal and then back again. They almost grew thick with weight as they writhed with anticipation. Everleigh would discover just one facet of his power and why he tended to find himself left alone by the others. No other instructions would be given as the white-haired Dreadlord would just stand there patiently for her.