Fable - Ask Under Cover of Sunshine

[Aila]

"Good." Aila said, deciding that she believed the man.

They had gotten one piece of information, and that would be a lead they could follow. The Half-Elf hoped that Kasimir had done the same, though they wouldn't learn that until they met back up again.

Before the man could pull away Aila put her hand on his head.

There was an odd flash of light, and then suddenly the man's entire body went limp. His eyes rolled back into his head, and the weight of him crashed down in on itself. A smile crossed Aila's features as she drew back her palm. She'd never used that magic before.

"We'll need to find a sorcerer soon." She said glancing at Nat and then the unconscious man. "I am running out of spells."

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira stepped back as the man's dead weight crumpled to the ground, her hands still raised where they had been holding him. "What did you do to him?" She asked, more out of curiosity than shock.

She slipped out of the latrine using her invisibility once more, moving slowly but surely and reappearing behind a large crowd where her sudden arrival would not be noticed. She looked back over to the courtyard... but Kasimir was gone. Her brow furrowed, she didn't like not knowing where her teammates were, but she assumed he had everything under control.

They should leave as well, the man's body would be discovered soon. "Perhapss we should make our way towardss the manor. Wesst of the palace."

 

[Kasimir]

"What.... is this?" Kasimir stared at the ice cream the mage handed him with a puzzled frown. Lilo laughed as she took her own and began to lick at the 'iced cream' as she had called it. Kas watched for a moment before tentatively following suit. He probably took a bigger bite than he should have for his first time and grimaced at the shooting ice pains that went up and through his teeth and brain.

"It's called a brain freeze," his companion laughed and started them on the path towards the mansion again. Her shift started soon and he had offered, like a gentleman, to walk her to work. So he would know where to pick her up from later, of course.

"This is an apt description," Kasimir laughed and rubbed at his temples to ease some of the tension there.

"Do you not have this where you come from?"

"It's a lot colder where I'm from, you don't need to ice your cream," the joke made her laugh again and touch his arm in a gesture his mentor had told him once was a good sign. They walked further out of the town now towards the manor and Kasimir was able to cover his curiosity for the building with the fake wonder of a travelling bard. "And you get to live here?" He let a little admiration creep into his voice.

"Yes," it worked for the woman turned to him smugly then pointed out helpfully the window of her room and then the others she cleaned. Truly, she was an idiot.

 

[Aila]

"I put him to sleep." Aila said with a slight frown on her face, glancing at the faded mark on her palm.

Her abilities allowed her to theoretically steal countless magical tricks and abilities, but they did not always function in the way they should. This one had gone right, but it had taken much more from her than it should have. Hence her comment about needing more magic.

A shiver ran up her spine.

"Yes." She agreed with Nat. "Let's go find our friend too."

A part of her wondered what the hell she was going to do when she ran out of mark. In the back of her head she began to count just what abilities she had left.

Had she the courage, Aila would have asked some of the Dreadlord back home for a piece of their powers.

It would have been immeasurably helpful, but she could just imagine the beating she would receive for even asking such things. "Do you think the sorcerer's in this place have their freedom?

She asked Nat quietly as they walked.

 

[Nathaira]

The city was truly, fantastically alien. The sands here were nothing like the beaches in Cortos, they were coarser and hotter. The sun continued its relentless assault from above, and although the glare was harsh, Nathaira enjoyed its heat. She moved quicker than normal, her muscles felt light and fast and her senses were amplified. Her ambers eyes darted across the crowds, slit pupils moving in a silent ballet.

Where has Kasimir and his "friends" gone? Her tongue lingered in the air, drawing up as much scent as she could. When it was delivered to her nose she had a vivid picture of their surroundings. Fruit stalls, animal waste, dust, meat both cooked and raw... but no Kasimir. He was drowned by the depth of this place.

She wondered where the women would have taken him. What did women like that do? Were they free to go wherever they pleased? Could they leave the city if they chose? Could mingle with whomever they chose? As if she had read Nathaira's mind (and for all the naga knew, she may have) Aila asked her question.

"Yess... I should think sso. Look at thiss beautiful chaoss. They could not control a tenth of thesse people." There was nothing "ordered" about this place, not in comparison to Vel Anir. The total lockdown of the magically gifted that the Anirians had achieved made sense if one even barely glanced at the city. Tall, regular walls. Stark battlements. Strict segregation.

Ragash was far in the opposite direction. It had law, it had custom, and the Empire was known for its strength in reforming and holding cities, but the people here and the pulse of this place was contained madness. She loved it.

The palace could been seen for miles, and so the pair angled themselves to its west. "I would think a ssorceror could lurk around any corner here." She eyed a particularly tall woman in deep blue flowing silks.

 

[Kasimir]

It turned out the pair had a little longer until she was due to start work so she not only invited Kasimir in the palace but up to her rooms. In truth, he couldn't believe his luck. He was taken up the servants way which was even more of an aid; nobody battered an eyelid. Nobody ever did when it came to the servants. The way Kasimir was dressed looked simple enough - he couldn't possibly be anyone important. And so he was able to get his first view of the inside of the palace.

It wasn't too dissimilar to the other palaces and manors he had visited though it was decorated different. Designed to keep the heat out and the cool air; something Kas could appreciate. It was also a lot less lavish in the way Anirian palaces and manors were. These people didn't seem to require as much... stuff. They let the natural beauty and workmanship of the architecture speak for itself.

Up they climbed to the smaller rooms of the servants and she laughed and pulled him inside with her, putting her finger to his lips.

 

[Aila]

The thought of a mage hiding around every corner made Aila somewhat paranoid

There was something oddly comforting about Vel Anir collaring it's mages. The idea of course was barbaric to some outsiders, but Aila had grown up in the system and been taught that she was dangerous. That was a part of the Rune of course, so that she and the others would not lose control and harm the others.

A sorcerer on the loose was a sorcerer untrained. More than once she and the other Forsaken had fought people like that, and it had almost always ended in disaster. Her fingers tightened for a brief moment, and then they turned a corner to the palace.

"I think I could reach out to Kas." She said quietly. "Though if I do I'll have but two spells remaining."

Which was drawing it close.

 

[Nathaira]

Nak'Ehim's manor was impressive. It was nothing compared to the royal palace, of course, but it was large and imposing next to the regular homes they had passed.

"Perhapss wait then," she suggested. Hopefully, the manor would be simple to infiltrate, but she suspected they would need Aila as well-armed as possible. As if to confirm her thoughts, she tensed when she saw the guards in front of the house.

It was not an army, but there were enough of them to cause trouble. They seemed to be... waiting for something? She couldn't say, but it looked like more men than necessary to guard a single entrance. The question was: had they come to the front from their normal posts and left areas unguarded, or was the house simply overstaffed with security?

She was confident that she and Aila would be able to dispatch with such guards, if necessary, but they had been explicitly instructed to avoid violence whenever possible. The back of her neck itched as she contemplated potential fights, guiding her towards stealth.

"The informant ssaid the information was hidden in a sstudy. Should we take a walk around, ssee if we can enter another way?" She whispered to her companion, her lips hidden from the guards by her hood.

 

[Kasimir]

Lilo informed him he could take all the time he wanted in her bed whilst she was on her shift. He quietly watched the ceiling as she got dressed and pretended to be slipping in to a happy doze as she pressed a kiss to his lips and left. He counted for five beats and then was hurling himself out of the bed and getting dressed. He couldn't waste the opportunity he had now he was inside. There were a few places he wanted to check out but the study was at the top of his list. If there would be any information it would make sense for it to be in there, or he would have kept it even closer to his chest and kept it in his bedroom. Perhaps there were even rooms the maids didn't know about.

He was lacing his breeches as he walked back down the corridor the way. Despite passing people they paid him no mind, he was a shadow. It took a lot more energy to use such tunnels here but at least inside beside the plants and the tables or book shelves there were some he could use without dipping too heavily into his reserves of power.

The black butterfly had been following the two quietly for some time but now it was getting closer to its master it was more impatient to get the women to the right place. After a moment it landed on Aila's nose, spread its wings once, then fluttered away towards the servants entrance.

 

[Aila]

Aila blinked as a creature of shadow landed upon her nose. There it fluttered briefly, and then began to slowly float away within the air. "I believe we have a way in."

Her voice was dry, but there was a small hint of a smile on her face.

Before Nat could answer her the half-elf quickly broke off and began to follow after the Butterfly, expecting the other woman to quickly follow behind. The Guards in front of the House would have been an issue, at least in the way of staying hidden.

It seemed however that the butterfly lead them away from such troubles, and within just a few moments they were in front of the servants entrance.

Aila peered at it for a moment, then motioned for Nat.

"The Maids were apparently helpful." She said, reaching out to once again take a bit of the half-Naga's magic.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira felt a shimmer of joy at the small inky creature as it fluttered ahead of them. Kasimir was ahead of them, it seemed. Clever boy. Of course, she took a small bit of pride in being the one to point him to the maids. Another flicker of annoyance at their faces, but it faded. There was work to do.

She took Aila's hand, felt the familiar cool rush of her powers being borrowed.

The servant's entrance was not unwatched, but the guards nearby seemed to barely glance in their direction as they approached. More serving girls arriving to ready the place for the Vizier's visit, no doubt. As they entered and approached the servant rooms Nathaira stopped, peering into a small empty chamber and eyed the wardrobe.

She looked at her own clothing. Thick, leathery wrappings that in no way marked her as a servant, or even a native of the city. She whispered to Aila, "I must change," and she slipped inside. Aila could either go ahead or wait for her, she knew the half-elf would decide what was best.

She quickly pulled open drawers and found long white silks. Perfect. Discarding and hiding her thick cloak she wrapped herself loosely in them. They were extremely light next to what she was used to, and she felt as though she may as well be wearing nothing at all. Nevertheless they covered her green skin, her belt of poisons, and her blades. She wrapped her hair in a thin hood and fastened the cloth over her face. She now moved like a flowing white ghost, just her eyes peering out from the fine but simple silks. As she left the room to see if Aila was still there.

 

[Medja]

Poking about for information that was common knowledge was one thing. Breaking into the former home of a traitorous wretch was another. The line of what these foreign agents could get away with unopposed had been crossed, and Medja's Onyx Hands would not stand for such a thing.

The Forsaken might notice security beginning to tighten around them, feel the weight of unseen eyes upon them, hear the whispers in the shadows around them. They were no longer alone, and they would not go unopposed in their mission any longer.

For the threads that Vizier Medja of Ragash wove were long and entangling, yet thin and elegant, making themselves known only when she chose. This intrusion would not go unpunished. Settra, Audun, and others still would see to that...

Far off in the Palace of Ragash, Medja smiled to herself, a small chuckle escaping her lips.
To think that Vel Anir would try something so bold in my city. Did those pompous fools really believe they could get away with such a thing? Like lambs to a slaughter, these 'suspicious foreigners.'
She mused to herself, sipping slowly at a glass of wine. Perhaps today the world would be reminded of why she had once been known as "Medja the Smiter."

 

[Kasimir]

The little butterfly stood waiting on the handle of the door. It flicked its wings twice when they were ready and then it began to move again.

There was... worryingly few people who had passed Kasimir on his journey down the corridors towards the study. There should have been more people at this time of day and in this section of the house. The tip of his shadowy blade slipped into the palm of his hand and he fought the urge to draw it fully. It would do him no good to be caught with a weapon. Instead he kept his footsteps light and in the shadows as much as he could.

It seemed an age before he got to the doors and he stood opposite them in the shadow of a large pot. His tail swished about behind him as he waited for the girls he knew would be making their way here. Though he was sure they could handle themselves, Kasimir was more eager for the group to reunite. Forsaken were strong but three was always better than one.

 

[Audun]

There were Anirian spies sent to uncover the documents of the former Vizier slinking about, according to his master. If there was one thing he learned in his time under her, it was that she was often correct about her information.

The estate was under an intent, lingering gaze that seemed to trap those who moved inside it with suffocating intensity as a result. Guards slowly trailed in, encircling the former traitor's abode at his behest. They may have already made it inside, but there weren't making it out—*especially with the documents they were looking for.

The Abtati agent walked down the halls of the estate, a hand idly resting on the hilt of a blade that hung on his side. The stone floor softened at the touch of his feet, dulling the sound so as not to alert any of their uninvited guests. Guards would occasionally pass by him, only to shake their heads and move to the next set of chambers. No luck. Audun didn't worry much; they'd be caught soon enough, security was tightening by the minute and he had no doubt that Medja would position agents to be able to catch them if they make the foolish attempt to escape.

He stopped in his place, taking a deep breath as he focused. Placing a hand on the stone wall beside him, he tried to sense any movement not of imperial guards or agents. A few seconds passed, and he felt faint ones above him, near the study. They felt too light to be of the guards, and he didn't recall any of them going to investigate there yet regardless.

Interesting.

With a motion to nearby guards to follow, silencing their footsteps with a small bending of the earth below them, he ventured towards the suspicious movement.

 

[Ashuanar]

And a set of heavy doors swung open, and Ashuanar himself accompanied by his four men made their way into the estate. The guards turned to see him, and Ashuanar noticed immediately the tension that was present in the air. He was approached, and he merely brandished the armband on his left, and he was regarded appropriately.

The Vizier had a different air about him now, that much was certain. He usually would spare words, but in this case he merely dismissed the opportunity for a debrief of whatever the hell was going on.

No, instead he seemed compelled. With the wave of his hand the guard turned away. Ashuanar and his men then proceeded onward, and began their ascent to the higher levels. He was on his way to the study. And he seemed ignorant of almost everything and everyone else.

 

[Aila]

Aila was still there, though with the bit of magic she'd stolen from Nat she was little more than a haze within the hall.

If one focused enough they could surely see her, but it would be near impossible to spot the Half-elf as long as she made no sudden movements. Nat would know of course, the snake woman being more than capable of recognizing her own magics.

Something was wrong.

After nigh on a decade of this work the Forsaken had gotten a feel for when things were...off. There was something in this House, something that sang of wrongness. Her lips were thing, and with a hazy finger she motioned for Nat to get out of the room and down the hall.

They needed to find Kasimir.

Unconsciously she drew the knife from the small or her back, running her off hand over the two remaining marks that sat on her arm. She feared that she would have to use them soon.

Without a word she stepped out into the hall and quickly made her way towards Kasimir.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira followed Aila. She could see her, but just barely. It was interesting watching Aila use her magic, and she often wondered what it would be like to have a deck of cards full of magical arts at your disposal, so to speak. With her hair wrapped up and her skin almost entirely covered, she walked quietly down the hall. She had gathered up her old clothes and folded them to give the appearance that she was simply moving linens or cloths. The alibi would not hold up to close inspection, but the goal was appear mundane enough not to warrant one.

The guards seemed more agitated, and there was a tension in the home. They may have discovered something was amiss in their stronghold, and Nathaira supposed it had been too much to hope that their mission would go undetected. Still, the Forsaken were an extremely well-guarded secret, and nothing would tie them back to Vel Anir should they be discovered. After all, why would the famously xenophobic kingdom employ sinful half-breeds? The runes branded into their bodies would ensure no secrets escaped their lips, and they would die well before they could compromise their masters.

They moved for the study, estimating its location as best they could. Soon enough, they reached it. Seeing that they were alone for the time being, she pulled down her scarf and flicked her tongue through the air. His scent was faint, but Kasimir was definitely here. She caught sight of the largest shadow in the room, a little darker than it should have been. She gave it a wink.

Footsteps approached. Many of them, with heavy footfalls. Replacing her scarf over her face she stood against a far wall, still as stone, and vanished from sight.

 

[Kasimir]

Kasimir had no concerns with where he was in the room. Unless they had a shadowmage amongst them or knew enough about him to look for something then there were no obvious signs that he were even there. He was listened with his head tilted to one side, the footsteps that were drawing nearer. Two sets of feather light ones. Trained ones. Then Aila and Nat were in the room. A very slow quirk of the lips was the only difference in him as he noticed Nat search the room and wink directly at him. Aila too, would be able to take care of herself but for a moment he did lower the shadowy magic, step forth from his realm of darkness.

"Ladies, how nice of you to join me. I can hear two different - men I think - approaching, we do not have much time," the blade slide from his arm into his palm in a shadowy wisp. "I think perhaps, it might be prudent to merely listen to what they have to say for now." Before he stepped back into the shadows.