41 replies to this topic

[JRPomazon]

The Bloodhounds proceeded to cut down every and all wayward trees that encroached on the path of the traveling group. According to the crude maps they had, the route to the capital would take several days, possibly weeks. There was plenty of time for a wayward band of savages to try and attack them. However, Solomon was more than prepared for an assault on the party. He rode next to the carriage with the diplomats keeping his eyes on everything around him. Something moved and a there would be a bloodhound to investigate. The humidity though, was less than desirable for anyone in the group to deal with. It was expected that it might drop by the evening hours. Regretfully, when evening came the humidity stayed with them. Moist, was a feeling and a word that would make anyone feel agitated.

It was quiet, aside from the various insects swarming around the foreigner group. Bugs and humidity, a foul concoction that can only be called a terrible joke. Morning arrived and it was back to the road. Beating Calatia to the capital was all that mattered. A running messenger was sent ahead of time to inform those of the capital of Vildmark that an imperial convoy was on it's way. But that was not his only purpose. Solomon went ahead of the group the following day and noticed something mildly disturbing. The messenger, that was sent previously had been located, his body mangled and bleeding in the middle of the path. Solomon approached the imperial servant.

"Please M'Lord . . . save me . . ."

Solomon looked down at the unfortunate man and sighed.

"They are using you for a trap, aren't they?" He asked callously.

Several arrows flew from the trees, striking the wagons and carriages along with unsuspecting guards. Most likely dipped with some sort of poison or toxin.

"All ranks! Assume defense positions!" He shouted as he jumped off his horse and drew his sword from the cloth holding it. He left the messenger where he was, the man was a liability until this matter was all cleared up and for all Solomon knew, he was already poisoned.

"Bloodhounds! Draw them out!"

The warriors in their signature crimson armor vanished in a instant, their protective heavy armor not limiting their speed in the slightest bit. They were swift and the cries of the hidden guerrillas hiding in the jungle began to resound from the trees. Solomon began to smile sadistically, the joy of bloodletting becoming more and more intoxicating. Some of the warriors, armed with decent weaponry lunged out of the trees and towards the guards, attempting to strike them down every invader in their territory. Solomon began to make light work of them as his bloodhounds drove them out of hiding.

[Steel Samurai]

OOC: I'm gonna jump in, since Ransom and I will be finished in Red Dawn soon and I have been meaning to do so for awhile.

Steel got to his feet, the water casks around him sloshing quietly as he got to his feet. He adjusted his loose canvas pants and thrust the dualist blade through the sash around his waist, then slinging the crossbelt for the odachi over his shoulder His black eyes pierced easily through the darkness in the ship's hold as he made his way to the ladder. Silently, effortlessly, he made his way to the ladder, ascending it quickly and then opening the trapdoor above him. He stuck his head out into the open, blinking at the bright tropical sun after weeks in the darkness. He walked over to the sentry, standing guard on the side of the ship facing the coast.

"Guard." The soldier wheeled, panicking at the sound of an unfamiliar and authoritarian voice. His eyes widened in shock, and then further as he recognized the visage of the man who stood before him, naked to the waist and wielding two swords and a countless assortment of knives and daggers. The second highest ranking noble in the land, with absolute control over both the queen's personal guard, the Koridai Praetorian, and (though this was only a rumor) the leader of both the intelligence and assassination arms of the military, responsible ONLY to Queen Chikara herself (though the soldier had gotten this from a friend who had it from his cousin who had it from a bartender who said a man claiming to be related to one of the Empire's spies in the Calatian Military had come in drunk one night and said that. The man was never heard from again.) The soldier scrambled to pull a hasty salute, painfully aware of the parts of his uniform discarded due to the heat.

"Ierghhahurm, Yes, My Lord Steel, I am surprised to see you, how may this humble soldier serve you?"

"At ease. How long has it been since Inquisitor Solomon and Lieutenant General Shadow left?"

"No more than six hours, my Lord, and through heavy underbrush."

"Good. I will be sending a man back shortly for my personal effects." He explained to the soldier where in the ship's hold they were, exactly, leapt onto the beach, and took off into the undergrowth.



* * * *


If you had asked him afterwards why, exactly, he had chosen to conceal his presence during the entirety of the trip, he would not have told you. Perhaps it was to observe Solomon without being observed, for a dangerous, unspoken tension had existed between the two from the very beginning, and Steel thought it likely that one day, the two would one day exchange something stronger than words. It was likely that the only thing that had kept one or the other of them from being slain at the other's hand up till now was the goddess' ban on all fighting between members of the Council of Four, the men who carried out her day to day wishes. Perhaps he merely wanted to ensure Shadow Link was behaving himself, Steel considered the former woodie to still be on probation after the events of the past. It had been his idea to come, the goddess agreeing that it was a wise course of action. Spy networks must be established in the foreign countries as quickly as possible, in case they should choose to betray any potential alliance. Also, Steel privately thought that it was likely that Solomon would anger the locals with his brashness and temper, rather than win them to the goddess' side. None save the goddess and Pope Toan had any control over his actions, certainly not the lowly diplomats who would do most of the actual talking, and so should the worst happen, Steel would need to do his best with damage control. Not to mention the fact that the Calatians had arrived early and would likely have gotten a head start on the talks. General Crimson knew Steel by sight, but most likely he did not know Ransom, which might be to their benefit. Regardless of all that, though, the important thing was to catch up to the party.


* * * *


The battle was almost over by the time Steel reached them. Leaping through the trees at a rapid pace, it had taken him a mere half hour to cover the ground the slow, heavily armored Bloodhounds had on foot, cutting their way through the dense undergrowth. Only one native remained, backed against a tree screaming at the Bloodhounds.

"GARGH DRU NESH AHREM! DRU PORAN TO AHURAZDA! HARGH TIE NO AHURA-" An arrow embedded itself in his chest, and he slumped to the ground, lifeless.

Steel dropped from the tree, landing silently behind Solomon.

"Inquisitor. You need to keep a better rein on your men. That native could have provided valuable information. I assume you had the foresight to bring a translator along."

Edited by Steel Samurai, 16 December 2009 - 07:11 AM.

[SL the Pyro]

Well, that fight was short. It's a good thing these men were more competent than the Alliance idiots that Shadow had accompanied the last time he was here. He himself had disarmed the native that the Bloodhounds had eventually cornered... but then they went and killed him. Damnit all, they would have to take after their commander, mindlessly killing everything with a pulse.

Shadow was about to voice his complaint, when someone else did it for him. "Inquisitor. You need to keep a better rein on your men. That native could have provided valuable information. I assume you had the foresight to bring a translator along." Okay, now Shadow was sure this world was going to hell in a handbasket. He would've have believed it was really him if he hadn't recognized his aura. Steel Samurai had arrived, and he didn't seem pleased with Solomon...

He decided to keep his mouth shut, sheathing his bloodless sword -- he was trying to knock the natives out before, but it was harder than he thought it would be -- and leaving them to their conversation. He knew these two didn't get along, and he didn't want to get mixed up in it if he didn't have to.

Edited by SL the Pyro, 16 December 2009 - 10:50 AM.

[JRPomazon]

Bastard, it figures that he would tag along. Solomon swung his saber at Steel, which was met with a clash between the blades of the both of them. Steel wasn't foolish to keep any opening around anyone, even his own comrades. But the word had little meaning between Solomon and Steel.

"To what occasion . . . do I owe the honor of seeing you here? Shouldn't you be buckling a swash? He asked, his green eyes consumed by rage conflicting his sadistic smile.

Solomon drew his red saber back, holding back his blood lust. Regretfully this was no time to be picking fights with anyone and personal feelings aside, having a man as powerful as Steel would prove to be in everyone's benefit.

"According to the reports and information General Shadow has given us, these savages are not of the capital."

He went over to a collapsed corpse of one of the attackers and lifted his arm. A tribal band of black ink was shown.

"This tattoo indicates that these men are slave traders. They render their victims unconscious with weapons coated with an unidentified toxin. Now that we have a sample of their tools, we can study them and even perfect them. All thanks to my men."

Solomon dropped the arm, plopping onto the dirt.

"The diplomats we have brought with us have been studying the native language and YES, we have a translator."

Solomon had covered every base he think to. Solomon turned back to his horse, the journey was far from over.

"Welcome to our convoy Lord Steel! Please enjoy taking in the sights and the culture! And feel free to drop dead at your earliest convenience."

Edited by JRPomazon, 16 December 2009 - 04:38 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Ahh... Shadow knew he'd experienced this moment before. These people were the native equivalent of pirates that he'd ran into before. Whether or nor they were from the capital or not -- he did not count on Solomon knowing everything -- remained to be seen, but he did recognize the tattoo. This could... be a bit of a problem. Shadow had led the band of soldiers that threw one of these pirates' slavery escapades awry, and he wasn't an easy person to forget. His purple hair is both a blessing and a curse in some ways. He silently hoped the Bloodhounds had disposed of all the attacking natives, because if one ran off, the pirate leader could be imformed of his presence on the island. And that would cause nothing bu trouble.

"Welcome to our convoy Lord Steel! Please enjoy taking in the sights and the culture! And feel free to drop dead at your earliest convenience."

Shadow felt like face-faulting then; was Solomon serious? He was sure Steel came here to keep on eye on him... maybe this time he should pay more attention to the inquisitor.

Oh well, at least they'll keep him amused.

[JRPomazon]

Aside from the brief interruption from the natives, Solomon has no desire to stick around in this particular patch of jungle. Time was still of the essence.

"P-please . . . someone . . . "

Oh yeah, the idiot who got used as bait. Might as well help him out. Solomon grabbed the wounded individual by the tattered shirt he was wearing and callously threw him over his shoulder.

"If you ever become a hindrance again and I assure you that you would be better off dead." Solomon told the wounded messenger as he brought him to a carriage to rest.

After the events of the early afternoon, the caravan made decent progress through the thick jungle as his bloodhounds continuously removed obstacles from their path. Evening fell upon the imperial visitors as they made their way to a patch of land not settled by trees and vegetation. It was a nice change of scenery. Solomon decided to be alone for a time, looking up at the stars as the other soldiers and diplomats enjoyed their campfire dinner. He needed to be alone from time to time or else everything just became more stressful to deal with. Time for a breather.

"M'lord, I come to report in."

Another of his men with a find?

"Report." Solomon said, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"As we defended ourselves from the natives, they mentioned a key word."

A key word? Yes, that is what Solomon had called them. A phrase or word that had something to do with an ongoing investigation. Mentioning of a Key Word usually meant that the person who said the word has some sort of prior knowledge to something they were investigating.

"They said "Ahrem" sir."

Solomon clenched his fist violently.

"You are dismissed." Solomon said, not wanting to be bothered by his own men any longer. So, these savages has some sort of knowledge to what that man from the cursed lands was talking about. "Ahrem" or rather, the goddess. Making peace with these savages would prove to be a great accomplishment for the empire after all. Solomon was bored of the heavenly lights and decided to bother someone he despised. However, it seemed that he had already found him.

"You seem to love the shadows more that I thought Lord Steel. Why do you hide away as such when in the presence of those who fight under the same banner?" Solomon asked. He hated how the ex-pirate haunted around like this, always planning something devious and vile. Men like him were better off having a pike through their gut.

"Regardless, there is a matter I have been meaning to speak with you about."

[Steel Samurai]

"Hiding, Inquisitor? I was merely taking in this heady tropical air. As burdensome as this heat is, the flowers smell lovely, do they not? Trust me, if I was hiding, you would not have a clue I was here. Which, I might add, is more than can be said for the men you have watching my manor in the Arbiter's Grounds. Really, Inquisitor, as much as it is the color of our goddess and glorious empire, is red really a good color with which to garb a spy?"

Steel faded out of view, and reappeared behind the Inquisitor.

"Now, what is this matter you wished to speak with me about, O destroyer of the enemies of the goddess?"

[JRPomazon]

"Hmph, perceptive as always. But to be honest, I've found black to be such a dreary color." Solomon said, jabbing at Steel's stealth garb.

"In the land encompassed by the light of the goddess, why would anyone wear such a color? For what sadness do they mourn? What tragedy hath befallen them? Nothing of the sort has befallen the empire in these golden days of progress and enlightenment, nor will it under her grace. But you, who has chosen to dwell on the ideals of the old world couldn't possibly no any better. The wretched Alliance or the gaudy Forsaken Fortress, you have long since been diluted by such corrupt properties."

Solomon turned to Steel, his pale green eyes holding the dancing light of the nearby campfire.

"I'll give you the pleasure of knowing that you are the only one that knows he is being spied on. Most of those who are being secretly investigated are either unaware, in prison, or dead. I assure you, this is quite an honor for you sea rat." He said, smiling sadistically.

Edited by JRPomazon, 22 December 2009 - 01:30 AM.

[Steel Samurai]

Steel merely looked at Solomon as the man ranted about, of all things, clothing choice. The fool. Subverting reason to fashion, cultural simulation. Had he said that it was cowardly to attempt to hide when the goddess was protecting you, that may have been more of a strong attack. But he had not. The inquisitor's board would hear of this when they returned. Chikara's choice was perfect, of course, but perfect for her own plan, part of which might involve the downfall of the person selected. Steel's eyes bored into Solomon's until the man stilled his voice. When he spoke, his voice dripped with contempt.

"Inquisitor, the fact that I am the only one who knows he is being spied upon fills me with sadness rather than pride, for it means you waste the resources given you by the goddess by spying on those who are of little consequence. It also means our citizens must be colorblind to a man. Now, out with it. Ask what question you would, or stop wasting my time."

[JRPomazon]

Solomon wanted to kill him right now. Just cut him open and drain him of all that infernal blood. His eyes showed his perpetual blood lust.

"I meant to grab you attention back when you and your clipped bird attacked that bridge, quite the performance." He said, giving Steel a soft clap.

"But you must already know who I wish to speak about, you with you wit as sharp as a tack."

Solomon placed his hatred and his wrath aside. A feat that was near impossible.

"Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear, according to my sources you were the last of his known comrades to speak with him on the day Khuffie's false empire fell. I want you to tell me everything you know Lord Steel."

Solomon paused, his neck began to ache but did not show he was in pain. No weakness on this planet would he dare show in front of Lord Steel.

"You should know that he is one of the empire's most wanted criminals, from property damage to heresy of a severe degree. His name pops up from time to time but he remains a malignant influence on Koridai. A man in your position would stop at nothing to support an investigation to protect the ideals of the goddess, would you not?"

[Steel Samurai]

"If I were convinced that it was the goddess' wish for me to support such an investigation, then of course I would do my utmost to aid however I could. However, Inquisitor, I feel it necessary to remind you that your word is not the goddess' word. Nor do your constant intimations of disloyalty reek of anything other than petty personal envy and jealousy. No . . . I shall tell you nothing more than you already know, not unless the goddess herself commands me otherwise. However, I must find myself curious as to why you have such an interest in this criminal . . . He is not a citizen of Koridai, and thus he falls under the jurisdiction of myself or Magnus, not the Inquisitors. A heretic, certainly, but your jurisdiction is the heretics within our borders, not those without. As it is, I do not see that he poses nearly the threat that others much more easily investigated do. Perhaps, Inquisitor, it would be wise for you to stop this line of investigation before you overstep your bounds completely. I am not entirely certain the goddess will be pleased to know you have come on this mission, replacing Marcoh and gallivanting off with your bloodhounds without her permission. I tire of this. Sleep well, Inquisitor." Steel faded into the shadows, leaving Solomon alone. Just as the Inquisitor relaxed, a voice carried through the darkness. "If you can do so, with the cries of the slaughtered innocents ringing in your ears . . ."

Steel found a tall tree in which to sleep, the heat quite stifling. Solomon was far too interested in Jordan for Steel's taste. He had caused damage with a few raids, yes, but that was not in Solomon's jurisdiction at all. And his insistence, the glint in his eyes when he commanded Steel to reveal all . . . no, this went far deeper than his usual zealousness. This was personal, or close to it. Interesting. Perhaps it was time for Steel to do some investigating into Jordan himself.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow watched the heated conversation between Solomon and Steel with utmost interest. Steel probably knew he was observing, he could sense auras just like Shadow could, but unlike previous occasions apparently decided not to bust him. He decided to ask him about this later, mystified, but not deterred.

Shadow knew they'd give him some juicy entertainment, as well as reaffirm his suspicions that something was amiss with the Inquisitor. Steel was right, Jordan's actions against the Empire couldn't have been so extreme as to involve the Inquisition of Koridai, otherwise everyone would've known about it, especially since Jordan used to be an elite; men so dangerous have big reputations. The fact that Shadow had heard nothing about Jordan other than from Solomon's own mouth meant that it was more of an issue for Solomon himself more than anyone else.

Enlisting an entire army to solve a personal problem is not only a big waste of time and resources, but a grand invitation for disaster. This is why Shadow always goes alone on his treasure-hunting escapades. The lazy fool... Solomon should get off of his bloody backside and find Jordan himself instead of getting precious soldiers killed doing it for him. He decided at that point to clamp his own mouth shut should Solomon try to get any information out of him.

Quickly and quietly, he made his way back to the main campsite, watching the blatant -- though not unsurprising -- difference in attitude between the diplomats and the Bloodhounds. The former were chatting about important things and the occasional humor and gossip, while the latter were just... sitting in their spots, eating their fill. They really are nothing but drones, aren't they? How pathetic... turning a man into a heartless killing machine does nothing to make them stronger or more efficient, it only provides the illusion that they are. Of course, he didn't count on Solomon to know the difference, he was no better than them with the exception of having a little more intelligence. After this mission, he made it a goal to avoid these morons as much as possible.

Now with nothing else to do for the night, Shadow decided to find a place to sleep. He hopped up into a tree that would keep him out of earshot of any snoring and talking, but still with the diplomats at a reachable distance. Good for privacy and for protecting them; defenseless idiots to be sure, but they beat out the rest of the potential company on this island...

Edited by SL the Pyro, 22 December 2009 - 12:59 PM.

[JRPomazon]

The cries of those he killed. Solomon was feeling his very core consumed by the rage he tried so desperately to hide. He did not deny that he murdered those people back then. In fact, he enjoyed it. He loved becoming a demon as he killed those people. However, such trivial matters were nothing more memories. The world had changed, it mattered not that he killed 100 or 1000. Steel was wrong, he heard no screams. He felt no guilt. There was only the joy of bloodletting. The weak devoured for the nourishment of the strong. Koridai would devour the weaker nations that would be rightfully subjected to the will of the goddess and her people would reign supreme.

He didn't expect Steel to answer his question, the bastard was far too difficult for being of any use to anyone. He was no better than a disobedient child, considering himself greater than other men because of a couple of scars and a behemoth of an ego. Pride was his sin and pride would be his undoing. To have such a man be so close in rank with himself and so close to the goddess . . . it was infuriating. Truly it was some sort of farce. However, the goddess allowed this to happen, there must have been a reason for her choice.

If he ever slipped up, ever chose the world over the goddess, Solomon would be there to make him suffer.

It was a long day, perhaps it was time to retire for the evening. The scar on his neck was still aching from the mentioning of Jordan, the pain would no subside for sometime. He looked back to the heavens and gazed upon the foreign constellations, his thoughts shifting back to days past.

1 year, 8 months and 19 days previous

The winds from the storm began to die down, the dancing sand sinking back into the earth. How long had they been fighting? Did it even matter? The blades clashes, the red saber and the silver spear of antiquity exchanging strikes as their wielders charged at each other again and again. The warrior in green backed away, the young imperial warrior's attacks becoming harder and harder to defend against. I was almost as though he was allowing a more savage nature take him over, something primal and frightening. The other imperial soldiers looked on in fright, this wasn't the first time they saw this.

"He's losing it again." Muttered one of the soldiers softly.

"He's going all out, huh?"

As they bantered on, the battles continued.

"Come now Viridian Knight! This can't be everything you have to offer me! I came here to kill a legend!" spouted the imperial warrior.

Again, it seemed that he reputation preceded the Viridian Knight.

"Che, a legend? Is that what they call me now a days?" He asked sarcastically.

He lowered his spear.

"What's your name?" The Viridian knight asked.

The imperial warrior offered no pause in his assault.

"I am Solomon of the empire of Koridai! And you will fall to my blade!"

"GUESS AGAIN!" The knight shouted as he grabbed a second spear from a sling latched to his back. He swung both of his weapons and gave new life to the sandstorm that had begun to die, conjuring a powerful gust that blew Solomon and the other imperial soldiers off the ground. As they flew, he released his spears as they began to spin rapidly in a rotating fan motion in mid air. He threw his arm forward, sending one of his spears towards the flying soldiers. The spinning polearm, sliced open their rouge armor, their blood mixing with the dancing sand. Solomon could only watch as his comrades were killed in what seemed to be an instant. He hit the ground first, avoiding the return of the spinning weapon.

The Viridian Knight had taken to the sky and came crashing toward the ground as he plunged toward Solomon intending to spear through the zealot's face. As he crashed, the sand around the two rose up and settled down in an abrupt manner. The spear did not strike Solomon face, but cut the side of his neck. His pale green eyes staring blankly at the man who had bested him. Despite the show of energy he just displayed, the Viridian knight's eyes were tired. Their hazel shine missing that familiar spark they once held in days past. But his conviction remained. He looked over his fallen opponent, pulling his spear from the earth and Solomon's pierced flesh.

"Whether you or your goddess choose to accept me or disown me, that is your choice. Judge me. Persecute Me. Whatever helps you sleep at night. But the man I see before me will not kill me. Return to your empire knowing that there remains those who refuse your goddess and will one day eradicate the avatar of chaos! I'm alive, here in this cursed lands that Chikara desecrated! Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear lives to destroy the false salvation of the goddess!"

It was at this moment, that Solomon truly learned fear. Fear of the heretics that had come to destroy the salvation that saved him from rotting away for the rest of his life in a dark cell. For the first time in a long time, Solomon's wrath was consumed by that of another.

Edited by JRPomazon, 23 December 2009 - 01:47 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow had found it somewhat of a chore to get to sleep; the tropical climate, combined with his innate, higher-than-normal body heat meant that he was in for a rough night. Despite it being more than two years since he acquired the Key of Fire, he could only control its power so well. Regardless, he'd managed to get some shuteye.

But when he woke up... damn, he was hot, and very uncomfortable as a result. This was not helped by the fact that the sun was up and warming Komitaa once again; was it morning already? He wiped some sweat off of his forehead before jumping off of the tree branch he was on, the motion giving him some very brief relief. He made a mental note to go for a swim when the opportunity presented itself.

But until then, he had worked to do. He turned his attention to the caravan to find things in full swing, people scarfing down a quick breakfast before they went out on the road again. He decided to get some food as well before he missed out; he hated working on an empty stomach.

[JRPomazon]

As morning rose over the foreign landscape of Vildmark, the preparations for travel had already begun. Fires were put out and items were packed neatly away. It was nice that the thick jungle was behind them and the more open landscape reminded the traveling caravan of their home across the sea. The horns resounded as the carriages and wagons were prepared to leave. A messenger was sent during the night, to prevent a similar incident like the ambush earlier. Solomon, riding his horse ahead of the others lead the way remaining quiet. His thoughts were slowly returning to the current matters at hand from the memories in the back of his mind. He had not reminisced of that day for a long time.

The following days were met with little problems. On top of the fact that the terrain consisted of rolling hills up and down, lost beasts of burden, a broken axel and a strange encounter with cat with a large and obnoxiously large smile ranting on about some place called "Wonderland" delayed their trip slightly. That cat was served as dinner the following evening. As morning rose on the final day of their trek, the capital city of Riddari appeared on the horizon. Solomon, who had long since placed the past back in it's place within his own memories, smiled deviously. Soon the goddess would bless this part of the world as well. Solomon slowed down to greet one of his men, who was riding in the wagon behind him.

"Inform the diplomats that we will be arriving shortly."

The city was vastly different from the Arbiter's Ground. The main gates were not high, almost as though they did not fear invasion and exuded a sense of pride. It was made of some sort of earthly stone, the buildings unusually tall for some architectural reason. The colors varied from deep browns to light grays. People walked the streets in unusual attire while others wore rags and were bound in chains. The most impressive display that the city offered was it's technologies, many of the imperial travelers (including Solomon) staring in awe as they witnessed a horseless carriage and other modern marvels. It was truly an entirely new world. The caravan stopped in the middle of the city, surrounded by tall buildings and shops. A solider of Vildmark, wearing light armor and a sash over his shoulder approached Solomon.

"By Order of Chieftain, I escort to diplomacy."

His mastery over the language of Verden was less than satisfactory, but it would suffice. The fact that they had actually tried to train this simpleton in their language with only so much time before their arrival meant that Vildmark was taking this seriously. The caravan was lead by a platoon of soldiers to a open location, some sort of city square or common.

The diplomats were escorted out by the bloodhounds, their crimson armor reflect the light of the sun above. Solomon and the other diplomats bowed in respect to the foreign emissaries who had come to greet them, the imperial messenger among them. This explained the lax defense from the city gate.

"On behalf of the Empire of Koridai, we thank you for opening you arms to welcome us to your nation." He said respectfully.

"I am Solomon, leader of the Imperial Inquisition and come with the other diplomats of the empire to discuss a proposal to bring great fortune to both our nations.

"I am Watori, the Chieftain of the People of Vildmark. His Eminence Takenin has placed me in charge of our diplomatic discussions."

Watori was dressed in foreign attire, draped in sashes over his robe as gold bands covered his arms and legs. His skin was a rich brown, his hair was dark and long but his eyes were bright. A well educated man, especially after such mastery of the language of Verden.

"His Eminence has chosen wisely." Solomon replied, complimenting the emissary.

Watori and his fellow emissaries led Solomon and the diplomats into a strange building, decorated in a gaudy fashion but most likely some revered structure. The bloodhounds followed close behind, some of them staying back to watch over the other guards. The last thing anyone wanted now was a international dispute. However, two gray cloaked travelers intended on making a scene. From the building tops the two watched the events unfold unnoticed by neither Imperial or Vildmarkian bystanders as they kept their faces hidden from the world below.

"Che, 'bout time that bastard got here. We've waiting here for days for those damn zealots to show up. You ready to go Willis?" Leona said, taking out a brown satchel from underneath her cloak. Two and a half days in a foreign country, not only making sure they weren't seen by anyone but by people that couldn't speak the same language.

"Yeah yeah, almost." He replied to his female counterpart, reading a large crossbow. He placed what appeared to be a spy glass on a custom made holder on the weapon and looked through it to take aim.

"Looks like they are sitting down now." he said looking through his scope.

"We'll let 'em get to talking a little bit first and then we attack. The Empire blames Vildmark, Vildmark blames the Empire or whatever. As long as we destroy any sense of peace these talks will fail."

"We have to make sure that we don't kill too many of the natives, only those zealots. After the damage is done, we get the hell out of here." Leona said, tying a small brown satchel with a small wick to a crossbow bolt.

"Why are we going over this again Leona? We both know the plan and this isn't our first rodeo." Willis asked, his eye on the scope.

"No harm in making sure we're on the same page you know. After all, our work is very delicate business." She replied in a somewhat sarcastic manner, handing Willis his first shot.

Willis smiled, always enjoying Leona's sense of humor.

"Yeah, I couldn't have asked for a better partner."

Edited by JRPomazon, 29 December 2009 - 03:37 AM.

[SL the Pyro]

(OOC: I thought SS was going to do something, but since this has been in suspension for too long, I'll jump back in.)

The diplomats safely in the capital and now under the care of both the Bloodhounds and the Vildmark guards, Shadow sighed with relief; at least the immediate part of his mission was over. Anything that happened now would be on Solomon's or possibly Steel's heads. Shadow had done his duty.

Once Solomon and the Vildmark chieftain had went into a room to begin the peace talks, Shadow found a place that was out of earshot -- the exterior of the building -- and promptly began to laugh as wildly as he could while trying to be quiet. To hear such respect coming out of Solomon's mouth... it had to be a farce. He'd probably gut this "Watori" if he had half the chance or motivation; had he practiced this pacifism by kissing up to Chikara, or did the Goddess simply beat some manners into him? He just couldn't prevent himself from cracking up at the possibilities.

Then, something made him stop laughing.

He could feel something... a strange... no, two strange auras. They weren't from the Koridian convoy. and not from inside the building either... it was coming from... Shadow pressed himself to the wall and looked around it, up at a rooftop. He could see two figures... or just the silhouettes of their heads due to the sunlight, why did it have to be there now of all times? But there was one shape he immediately recognized... a bow and arrow, aimed at the building. Party crashers. Typical...

Shadow weighed his options. He could grab their attention and divert the aim -- and possibly accost them -- so the peace talks would go unhindered, or he could let them do their business and ruin the chances of making a treaty. His sword arm was itching for action today, and it was the right thing to do in the case of him being a Koridian... but his real self, the one that wanted to see Chikara's ultimate downfall, told him that she didn't need any more power going to her head. Besides, it would likely be Solomon who was punished for it anywa--

A sinister, devious and truly genious alternative entered Shadow's mind then; it was like a light bulb turned on over his head. Solomon's motives were in question right now... perhaps... yes... a mad grin crossed his face. Shadow would choose not to intervene unless made to. He would wait and see what Solomon would do.

He decided now would be a good time to find Steel and inquire about his and Solomon's conversation last night... provided he wasn't participating in the peace talks, he should be easy enough to find.

[JRPomazon]

The negotiations began shortly after the two parties sat down in an odd chamber facing a wall practically over encumbered by windows, a design possibly inspired by some foreign philosophy or strange personal taste. At least the tables an chairs looked similar, although the black stone used to create them had a peculiar polish. Watori,the presiding representative, looked on smiling. It was out of politeness for obvious reasons, so Solomon reciprocated with a smile of his own. The talks started with pleasantries, describing the empire and it's economy while the Vildmarkians told of their home and financial standings. Solomon was bored the minute he sat down, waiting for some sort of saving grace to come and free him from this monotony.

"You have not spoken very much Friend Solomon." Spoke the echoed voice of Watori. The acoustics in the room were surprising.

"I merely wish to no interrupt the imperial diplomats, it would be rude of me to cut them off while they spoke of our home." Solomon replied.

"You are fond of your homeland?" Watori inquired, crossing his hands as he leaned in to listen.

"But of course Chieftan. And I would imagine that you would do the same for your home as well."

Watori laughed, his cry of joy booming over everyone in the room.

"I see we are similar Friend Solomon, with our love of being patriots."

Similar to him? Impossible. He couldn't fathom his devotion to Koridai and the Goddess. But ignorance is bliss, let the savage believe what he wishes for now.

"If I might be so bold as to ask Friend Solomon, what is the secret to the success of the Koridai? The nation you serve was born only two years ago, that is not nearly enough time to develop as much as you have and from what I have learned of your people you have managed to hold back some vicious enemies in the snow lands of Verden."

Hmm, so the chieftain can speak of more interesting matters.

"I believe you misunderstand my people if you believe we have gone as far as we have because of some 'secret'." Solomon replied, his face become less lax and more stern. Watori was flaunting his nation's pride in his face, it was only a matter of time before he felt the need to tear him apart.

"It is from our strength and the strength given to us by the goddess Chikara that we have had fortune smile upon us."

Watori leaned back in his chair, his hands still crossed as they lay on the table.

"Ah yes, this goddess I have heard so much about. Perhaps she is the great force that moves Koridai." The Chieftain said.

The Koridain diplomats looked back and forth at each other, worried Solomon's temperament would prove to get the better of him as talk of religion began to mend into the politics of the matter. If the end of this talk ended on less than good terms, then their mission would be in vain. However, Solomon knew this too and kept himself restrained as best he could.

"Perhaps she is Chieftain, but what might I ask moves Vildmark to the future?" Solomon asked.

"Is it your advanced technology that you hold dear, or is it the slave trade that you market in the streets? How far will these things take you if your neighbors were to decide that it was time to expand?"

Watori leaned back towards Solomon.

"What do you know about our neighbors let alone Vildmark, Friend Solomon? We are strong enough on our own to crush any dogs that come to claim what is ours!"

"And yet you could be stronger still." Solomon replied, smiling again. Watori shook slightly in his chair, his pride tugged and then released by Solomon.

"Because of our people's will and the goddess, we have grown to the size of an empire in less than two years. Imagine what fortune lies in wake for an established country like Vildmark with the aid of our goddess? That is, if you people have a strong enough will to become something greater."

There was a silence in the room, both sides too afraid to speak next. Solomon stared right at Watori, who stared right back at him. The Chieftain smiled.

"You are a very interesting man, friend Solomon. A very interesting man."

A soft thunk was heard outside, breaking what remained of the awkward silence. Then, without warning, a thundering boom echoed throughout the building as the massive glass windows shattered onto the stone floors. The diplomats were shook out of their seats, unsure of just what was going on. Solomon rose from his seat and rushed to the window to see what was happening. He arrived to view another horrific scene, as the imperial caravan exploded in the plaza in front of the embassy. He turned to Watori, his eyes filled with rage.

"What blasphemy is this!?" He exclaimed, directing blame to Watori and all of Vildmark.

"This is not our hand!" The Chieftain shouted back.

Above, Willis prepared another shot as Leona tied a small satchel to it.

"Alright, things have started to shake up!" Leona said, excited with her work.

"Yeah, gunpowder has a funny way of doing that." Willis replied as he took aim at the embassy again. He had to make sure some VIPs got killed, preferably Koridai.

"

[Steel Samurai]

"You are a very interesting man, friend Solomon. A very interesting man."

Steel sighed and sat back. A hairsbreadth. A hairsbreadth only, and Solomon would have ruined the entire negotiation process with his arrogance. There was a time and a place for such remarks, but initial negotiations were not it.

Thunk.

A crossbow bolt. There was no reason for it, the streets Steel had been down in this district seemed fairly safe. Thus . . . Steel leapt towards Watori, tackling him to the ground as the windows behind him shattered into a million pieces, the razor sharp pieces of glass whistling overhead. Steel got to his feet, helping Watori up. Gunpowder? How had . . . No time for that. Steel helped Watori to his feet.

"What blasphemy is this!?" Solomon screamed.

"This is not our hand!" Watori retorted.

Steel was already out of his ceremonial jacket. Daft hot thing. "Get the hell out of here. This room is likely the next target." He leapt out the window, grabbing a nearby beam and swinging up, then climbing quickly towards the roof. He looked down and narrowed his eyes. Shadow Link. Looking at something on the roof. Steel followed the man's gaze. Two figures, hooded in grey cloaks were standing on the roof of a nearby building, seemingly preparing another bolt. If Steel had been sure that Watori was out of the room below, he'd have simply let them try their luck. Solomon might still be down there. As it was . . .

Willis' finger tightened on the trigger of the crossbow, the tip of the bolt pointed directly at Solomon's chest.

"Go to hell, motherrutter."

A sharp pain in his right hand, and then nothing. The crossbow fell to his side.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I can't . . . I can't move my hand!"

"Let me see!"

A thin, sharp dagger had pierced his right hand through. The purple mingling with his red blood told even the most inexperienced eye that poison was involved.

"Quick! Fire the crossbow!"

Leona pried the weapon from Willis' paralyzed fingers, her own hands shaking as she raised the stock to her shoulder.

THKSH.

The weapon dropped to the ground as Leona screamed. She pulled the second knife from her hand. Green poison.

"Let's get out of here!"

They turned and ran away from the building. But they did not get far. Before they had taken three steps, a much larger, thicker knife seemed to grow out of the back of each of their knees.


* * * *


Steel put the two bodies down on the table in the room deep below the negotiation chambers, and motioned for the Vildmarkan guards to tie them to it.

"And now, my Lord Watori, you shall witness what happens to those who cross the goddess' emissaries."

[JRPomazon]

The bloodhounds in the room removed the hoods from their faces, to see the faces of those who tried so hard to ruin the negotiations. Leona had a fair complexion to match with her green eyes, a couple of scratches on her face with rough looking brown hair reaching her neck. Willis had medium length hair and a small patch beard on his chin, a dull brown as well with tired blue eyes. This could be the worst possible situation for the two of them to be in.

"These beasts are of Verden! You bring foul play to our lands, people of the Empire!" One of the Vildmark diplomats shouted, unconvinced that Koridai was not involved.

"Why would we send murderers to kill our own people!? Have you no sense?" Exclaimed an imperial diplomat.

Words were shouted left and right, creating a worse atmosphere than before. Solomon drew his sword and plunged it into the table. The diplomats ceased their banter.

"This isn't the first time you bastards in gray have attempted to exact a terrible plot on the empire, isn't it?" Solomon asked as he approached the two.

"But I have to admit, this is the first time I've had the chance to talk to any of you."

Solomon looked back at Steel, a combined sense of gratitude and hatred boiled in his heart.

"Stow it you damn zealot!" Shouted Leona, her eyes filled with anger.

"We came here to stop you from getting your way! Verden fell into chaos because of you and your precious goddess! How much more will be enough for you!?"

He turned back to the duo in gray, drawing his sword from the table and plunging it into Leona's chest. Her face was distorted by pain, her partner watching helplessly as she was struck. The room stood in awe as Solomon gave his final verdict.

"LEONA!" Willis shouted, his eyes focused on Solomon.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Solomon grabbed Willis and tossed him on the ground.

"There is no need to worry about two prisoners. All I need is one mouth to give me the answers that I need."

Solomon pulled his sword from Leona, the long crimson saber showing no signs of blood as it was removed, and promptly threw the girl from the table to the stone floor. He had done enough damage to the embassy's furniture. Willis looked over to see his partner, broken on the stone floor breathing heavily.

"Willis . . . it . . . looks like we botched it up big time . . . " She muttered. She tried to make a smile to comfort her partner one last time before finally closing her eyes.

"NO! Don't you go out on me Leona! Don't you-" Willis was interrupted by Solomon, who promptly kicked his while he was down.

"Friend Solomon!" Exclaimed Watori, who had seen enough "action" for one day.

"I can understand your frustration, if it were my people who had been attacked I would show my enemies no quarter. However, I will not stand by and allow you to show beastly conduct here in this embassy!"

Solomon clenched his sword, his piercing green eyes stared down the chieftain. Watori looked on in surprise as the inquisitor's eyes held such a greater intensity than before. He bowed before the Vildmarkian diplomats.

"My sincere apologies for both my conduct and these vile stalkers from our homeland."

As Solomon began to save face, Willis just stared at Leona's dead body. Tears began to form around his eyes, the pain of losing his partner had become too great to bear. He noticed that she had stored several satchels around her body underneath her cloak, each of them filled with a generous amount of gunpowder. That was it, that was what had to be done.

Yeah Leona, we definitely botched this one up.

"How is that scar on your neck? Does it sting on gusty days?" Willis asked softly, capturing Solomon's attention almost immediately.

Willis threw himself closer to Leona's body, the Bloodhounds quickly attempting to grab him. All according to plan. The gray cloaked shooter drew a single crossbow bolt and jabbed into his partner. Then there was light, followed by fire and an explosion which echoed throughout the large room.

[SL the Pyro]

A shame that Steel was indeed participating in the peace talks, but it seemed there would be no shortage of action today; the antics of those unknown assassins had caused enough of a calamity to halt the talks for the time being. But he wasn't so sure showing the Vildmark Koridai's torture methods was such a good idea... we're trying to make friends with them, not scare them into becoming allies, something that likely wouldn't work anyway with the Vildmark's pride. Chik, it was almost like being in a whole room full of Solomons, only less arrogant and more respectful of life.

But regardless, Shadow's plan was set in motion. An attack of this nature -- i.e. outside of the border of Koridai -- fell under Steel's or his own jurisdiction. But if he knew Solomon as well as he believed, the Inquisitor would likely take matters into his own hands. It would've worked better if the two assassins had been allowed to escape, but he hadn't expected such a miracle with Steel present, in fact he'd counted on it so the peace talks wouldn't get screwed up. Even so, Solomon would probably look into it himself anyway, angered because of an attempt on his life until he took sweet vengeance. And this would likely cause him to overstep his bounds, again. Only when that times comes again, Shadow will be there to give him his comeuppance.

Unless of course, Solomon's loyalty to Chikara fuels his common sense and makes him do his job the way he's supposed to, i.e. let someone else deal with the problem while he handles more pressing matters. This would prove that he has at least some reason to still be an Inquisitor and not a common soldier.

Yes, this is a test of Solomon's loyalty. He'll be fine if he does what he's told, but if he goes AWOL again, Shadow will make him regret it.

Shadow was disgusted with Solomon's conduct; there was no reason to kill that woman other than to satiate his own bloodlust. She should've at least stood trial. The vicious idiot...

"How is that scar on your neck? Does it sting on gusty days?"

Shadow took notice on how much of a rise this got out of Solomon, but a more pressing matter caught his attention; the assassin that was still living was reaching for one of those exploding arrows. Shit, that think had enough punch to shake the whole building; everyone packed into the same room with one wasn't good. He quickly threw up a Heat Lens around himself and those around him to protect from the explosion.

Edited by SL the Pyro, 08 January 2010 - 02:47 AM.

[JRPomazon]

As the smoke cleared, Solomon gazed at the scene before him. The battered bodies of both Leona and Willis were now charred black from the explosion. Three of the bloodhounds were dead from the blast while two diplomats were injured. It seemed these people liked going out with a bang. It was evident that the talks would be placed on hold until another day, the Vildmarkian diplomats excused themselves for the day. Solomon nodded to his remaining men and had them begin collecting what they would find.

The answers to his mysterious sting of attackers has slipped through his fingers once again. However, the last words of the assassin brought a new light to the surface.

He was still alive after all.


OoC: Alright, a couple more posts and I say we wrap this story up.

Edited by JRPomazon, 08 January 2010 - 03:33 AM.

[Steel Samurai]

Steel was mad. Furious, in fact. Incompetence. Infuckingcompetence. Solomon and his bloodhounds would be officially censured by Chikara herself for the activities of this day, if Steel had aught to say about it. Set aside the fact that two separate testimonies made it four times harder for either suspect to lie effectively. Set aside the fact that physical torture was the last, and least effective method Steel would have chosen to use on the pair, set aside even the fact that the Bloodhounds failed miserably at ensuring the prisoners were free of weapons or other possible sources of damage BEFORE the interrogation was begun, the fact was that Solomon had just squandered both an extraordinarily valuable source of information about the enemies of the goddess and goodwill from Vildmark. If it weren't for the fact that the bulk of the troops on the mission were Solomon's own, Steel would have had him in irons until their return to Koridai for obstructing the cause of the goddess. The information given by those two could possibly have saved the lives of many Koridaian soldiers. And now, because of the Bloodhound's incompetence and Solomon's . . . blind arrogance and cruelty, they knew absolutely nothing about the grey cloaked figures, their motives, their associates, or even their end goals. Well. Perhaps not ABSOLUTELY nothing. They knew the story of Solomon's scar. Steel himself had had to torture it out of a soldier who had been there that day, after noticing an occasional unconscious rub by the Inquisitor. The tale he was told explained much about Solomon's obsession with Jordan of the Whirlwind spear. And if the grey cloaked terrorists knew about the scar . . . it was likely they were in league with Jordan. Interesting. Even more reason for Steel to mount his own investigation into the matter. One thing could be said from this incident. It seemed that, in his heart of hearts Solomon's personal animosity towards Jordan was more important than the good of the Empire. And that was unforgivable.

[SL the Pyro]

When the bang had subsided, Shadow dispersed the Heat Lens from around himself and the two Vildmark diplomats beside him, who were agape with awe but mouthing sincere thank-yous.

But Shadow paid little attention to them right now.

At the moment, his focus was on Solomon, and his three killed Bloodhounds... or rather, the Inquisitor's lack of a comprehension of their untimely death. In fact, Shadow swore he could see a smirk on his face. A damn smirk. What in the name of all things good or bad could give Solomon cause to smile at a time like this!? This man's head was clearly in the clouds!

He cared nothing for his comrades.
His arrogance nearly lost Koridai the peace treaty twice in the last few minutes.
His interrogation tactics are crude, unrefined and -- as this situation had just proved -- dangerous.
His motives were unknown to all.

When Shadow returned to Koridai, he would be sure to put Solomon's position as Inquisitor under review. Right now, he desperately wanted to know how this vicious beast of a man had acquired such a high and prestigious position in Koridai. And it had better be a damned good reason, or he would do everything within his power to get him carted out of the Empire.

[JRPomazon]

The night had finally come to the Embassy in Riddari. Upon further investigation by Solomon's remaining men, several crossbow bolt shards were found at the scene, Their tips were made of common steel and flint, which if used correctly could cause an explosion if it came in contact with gunpowder with enough friction. After whatever evidence remained from the charred crater in the embassy was taken and examined, Solomon retired for the evening.

The following day, the talks continues in another room at the embassy with Solomon taking a leave from the table. It wasn't his wounded pride that kept him away, but the fact that even he knew that his presence would be bad for the empire. He felt the glares from Steel and Shadow pressing on him like an iron maiden, the air itself became more stale when they were present. Solomon stood in front of an odd painting of a face with two sets of eyes. His dishonor subdued his rage.

"You do not come off as one who appreciates art Friend Solomon."

Solomon turned to find Chieftain Watori, wearing another set of strange clothes.

"Good evening Chieftain. Are you hear to tell me more of your nation or just criticize my actions today?"

Watori chuckled as Solomon had given up his attempts at formalities.

"I will not lie and say that your actions have honored your country. Many of us have come to agree that you people of the empire should leave and never return. However, I do not believe one man should be an example for a nation. But might I ask what exactly do you believe your wrath can accomplish for Koridai?"

Solomon turned back to the painting.

"I was a man who killed to survive in a country that I had no place in. When the goddess descended, I was given a chance to start over. I believe the world has a chance to start over too, for the greater good of all. That is why I want to destroy the corrupt old world and on it's ruin we can establish a greater future."

There was a moment of silence.

"You truly are an interesting person, Friend Solomon." Watori said, turning back to leave Solomon.

"I shall offer you some good news then. After hearing of the events of yesterday, His Eminence Takenin was not angry at you or the empire as so many of my fellow Vildmarkians, thought. In fact, he was greatly amused by the story and told me that the empire would be a great ally on the battlefield if all men acted like you. It seems that our two nations will form a treaty after all."

So it wasn't an economy or traditions that Vildmark cared about after all, they had enough of that as it was. They wanted the ally with the bigger stick. It figures. Solomon turned to Watori and nodded, in his temporary lapse in arrogance the two had come to an understanding without the need of fear.

"But do not forget that it is never as simple as 'Starting Over' when it comes to building a future. The chieftain said, parting from Solomon.

Solomon headed back to the caravan of Koridai, which was being outfitted with some of Vildmark's technology. A fine token to bring back to the empire.

[SL the Pyro]

(OOC: Just want to get something out of the way, but if it's a problem, you can ignore it and continue on.)

Shadow was pleased and relieved when he learned that the convoy was returning to their homeland, with the blessing of the Vildmark. It was thanks only to Chieftain Watori's patience that it was possible. The caravan was being upgraded and outfitted with drive mechanisms better-suited for jungle travel to make for a faster trip, especially since the Bloodhounds had hacked down a path through the trees already.

Even so, preparations to leave would take time, and Shadow was itching to leave this disaster behind. He needed some activity to keep him preoccupied. And that was when he remembered that he still needed to speak with Steel. Maybe bugging him for a little while would let him retain his patience. A quick use of his magic sense told him that he was alone... not surprising, and perfect for his means.

Shadow went to track him down, and upon finding him said, "That was too close... we were a hair away from being chased out of here by angry Vildmark."

Edited by SL the Pyro, 10 January 2010 - 01:31 PM.

[Steel Samurai]

Steel sighed with exhaustion. It had taken several days of heavy negotiation, but he believed he had managed to relieve the apprehensions of most of the Vildmarkian politicians regarding Solomon's behaviour and how it would affect a possible alliance. Word had reached him that Takenin also approved of the treaty, the only positive to come out of this mad debacle. Solomon's conduct had been completely out of line during this entire affair, and as a result one of Steel's main priorities, that of establishing an initial intelligence network here in Vildmark, was going to have to be very rushed.

He walked back to his quarters at the building which was to become the new Koridai embassy in Vildmark and changed out of his ceremonial garb. The cumbersome outfit was not what Steel would have chosen for his role as head of the Koridai Praetorian, but Chikara was . . . particular about the clothes her subordinates wore on Divine business. He put on the Vildmarkan attire he had had brought to him by one of his aides and set out for the pub furthest away from this, the richest part of the city. Time to get a feel for what the real inhabitants of this city were like.

The further Steel got from the political district, the more dilapidated and rundown the city became. The advanced technology of the country, fairly subtle and unobtrusive in the rich district, was here stripped of its thin veneer of beauty and revealed for the raw, ugly copper pipes and ubiquitous steam that powered this city of the "future". In Koridai there was no such poverty as this. Beggers lined these dirty, rundown streets, their robes filthy and torn. One of them had obviously been in an explosion of some kind, the right side of his body a scarred mess. No . . . Not him. Too noticeable. What Steel needed was a fake, a strong, healthy, unobtrusive beggar. Steel narrowed his eyes. A pleasant, lilting female voice was coming from around the dirty brown brink corner of the alley. Steel stepped silently over, and looked for the person from which the voice was emanating, trying to see without being seen.

A girl, no more than 17 was singing to a brood of some 5 or 6 street urchins, crouched around a tiny broken pipe from which came a yellow flame, the only light on the street. She was around five feet 6 inches tall, and a harlot by her dress, with the dark skin, slim figure, and long black hair that seemed typical of the natives which had come to the city from the jungle. Interesting. Though nearly all in the city seemed to have somewhere around the same color of skin, the features of the upper class and the natives were quite distinct, though there were of course exceptions. From what Steel had gleaned, the upper class were the interlopers, having entered the region several hundred years ago and cleared much of the jungle, then building their technologically advanced cities, from which they had expanded their hegemony over the rest of the jungle and thus the natives. At this point Vildmark and Virrat were a single country, but Vildmark had rebelled, causing a civil war some fifty years ago and causing the split seen today. Vildmark had freed its slaves, which mostly consisted of natives, but Virrat had not. Regardless of their technical status, it seemed that the Natives and those descended from natives still formed the bottom rung of the social ladder in the country.

The girl's singing continued, and Steel tried to piece together what she was saying from the rather substantial amount of the language he had learned. He had acquired a book on the language some time ago, before the cataclysm, and had studied it in his free hours, fairly sure that one day it would be useful. The girl's song went something like this, in Verdian:

Hush my dear
Make no sound
Mahura roams
But so does Ahrem
Pull the blanket down
Cover your eyes
Let the sunlight not come in
For the new of yellow burns
And the cold of moon stings

Over the wall of the gods
Over the mountains to the north
To the gates of heaven
The gates of paradise
Where all becomes new
Where ahrem and Mahura are one
Where peace reigns joyfully
Where there is pain no more
And the Dragon sleeps with the mouse

An odd song, to be sure, and it would not be nearly so beautiful translated into Verdian. The references to Mahura and Ahrem were . . . interesting, to say the least. Something to ponder at a later time. For now though, he had work to do. Steel pulled his hood far over his face and rounded the corner, stepping into the light of the gas-pipe. The children looked up, startled, and scattered, leaving only Steel and the young harlot in the alley, he in shadows, she standing close to the pipe, the steady flame lighting her features. Steel examined her face closely. Her eyes . . . so tired, for one so young. So jaded. Her skin was still soft and smooth, but Steel could tell that within a year or two there would be lines of care growing from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm off work right now, sir." she said in Virratian, the official language of both Vildmark and Virrat.

"A pity, my dear. I was so looking forward to your company." He took a threatening step forward and she shied back instinctively, then seemed to recover herself and just stood there, gazing at her feet, as though she didn't care what happened next. "But not, perhaps, in the way you might think." She looked up, brow furrowed and eyes questioning. "How long has it been since you had a decent meal?"



* * * *



Half an hour later Steel was sitting across from the girl, whose name he learned was Hedelle, in a nearby tavern. She ate voraciously, as though she had not seen food in months. A small smile played across the corners of Steel's mouth as he watched her. He spoke to her as she ate, hoping she understood his broken Virratian. "How would you like it, Hedelle, if you could leave this alley, your brothel down the street, and this wretched life behind you?" She ate the last of the stew in front of her, and looked up at him, her eyes lighting up, and then she smiled for a moment. "You want me to spy for you."
"A clever girl. Good. That will stand you in good stead."
"How much will you pay me?"
"Three sovereigns a month plus accomodation and the option to move to Koridai after ten years of service with a full pension."
"For three sovereigns a month I'll become a slave to the ugliest, fattest, most lecherous man in the country."
Steel smiled "It may come to the point where you wish you were, Hedelle."
She tossed her head, the possibility of freedom from the slums putting light back into her eyes and hope in her voice. "Liberty with money, no matter the risk, is always preferable to slavery, no matter how safe."
"I like that attitude. Your duties will be simple. In a month or so a ship from Koridai will arrive. Ensure you pay attention, find out when it docks and who is aboard. The man you are seeking will be listed in the passenger logs as 'Mr. Black'. He will be your direct handler, trainer, and give you the money you need to do your job, which may involve recruiting others. Do you understand?"
They spent the next half an hour discussing more of the particulars in a low voice, and when Hedelle left the tavern it was with a shiny piece of gold in her pocket. Steel was about to pay and leave when a familiar purple haired ruffian joined him.
"That was too close... we were a hair away from being chased out of here by angry Vildmark." It sounded as though the general had something to discuss.
"Indeed, Sir Shadow, and had you brought more troops we could have perhaps punished the source of the problem already. What's on your mind that you would seek me out in this godforsaken tavern? Did you enjoy the view on the way here? Chikara takes good care of her citizens, does she not?"

[SL the Pyro]

Oh, so Steel blamed him for the lack of competent soldiers? He'd only brought the most prestigious fighting force in Koridai... or at least that's what he'd heard about the Bloodhounds. And it hadn't even been his choice.

"Did you enjoy the view on the way here? Chikara takes good care of her citizens, does she not?"

There was a kernel of truth in this. Shadow may not be a give-up-my-life worshiper of the Goddess like the rest, but she did take reasonable care of them. Vildmark, on the other hand, seemed to have knocked some of its citizens down a peg for the sake of industrialization. "Indeed... it seems Vildmark might've been a little too fast in their evolution."

"Anyway, I need to know what we're going to do about Solomon. This isn't the first time he's involved himself in my missions and thrown them awry, and to be frank, it's rather unnerving. Especially these reports about Jordan." Shadow told him. "I plan to put his position under review when I return to Koridai."

[Steel Samurai]

Steel laughed. "You? Put his position under review? Do not overestimate the importance of your position, Sir Shadow. You are a one-star general, promoted by Magnus due to your above average fighting potential and decent tactical skills. Solomon is Grand Inquisitor, one of the Quadrate responsible for ruling the entire empire, which is, as I bloody well hope you know by know, composed of myself, Supreme General Magnus, Pope Toan, and of course Solomon, headed up, when she deigns to take interest in mortal affairs, by Chikara herself. I hope you can see the hopelessness of such an act. Not that I disagree with you idea itself, mind you, merely the realistic effectiveness of such a course of action." Steel paused to think. "It would have been best, of course, to place the grand inquisitor in irons immediately pending a review by Chikara, but the fact that you brought a pittance of regular soldiers and Solomon brought more than twice the number of bloodhounds puts us at a severe disadvantage. We'll have to wait to take any action until we return, which means that the seriousness of the problem will have become less apparent due to the time between the incident and the reporting of such. This will only be aided by the perverse way in which his actions helped the progress of the treaty. The most to be hoped for at this point is an official censure, which will hopefully curb the mad dog's behavior for awhile, at least."

[SL the Pyro]

Well... crap, why hadn't Shadow figured in his rank before? He was so used to the troublemakers of Koridai being below his rank, and easily reachable... he'd forgotten that this wasn't one of those cases. He'd never grasp a full understanding of politics, that was for sure.

"The most to be hoped for at this point is an official censure, which will hopefully curb the mad dog's behavior for awhile, at least."

Shadow would've laughed if this were true. "Maybe... but I have a gut feeling that he won't wind himself down unless Chikara herself makes him." he said. The odd notion of Chikara punishing Solomon like a mother punishing her child entered his mind... he shuddered. "But even then, I don't feel like I can just stand by and let him throw resources and men away. Is there nothing I can do?"

[JRPomazon]

Quietly, a man in the tavern took his leave from a small table in the corner. He was a little lightheaded and he wasn't walking straight, clearly he had far too much to drink. No one paid too much attention to him, just another drunkard from the slums. He crawled out of the cracks just like most of the other people in the tavern. As he navigated the streets and alleys, his walking became less sloppy and his walking less hazy. Eventually, he made his way to a small carriage with the insignia of the Empire of Koridai sitting on the side of the street. He looked around and hopped in the vehicle as soon as he knew it was safe. As he climbed on board he removed his garbs, his facial complexion of one of Verden's denizens.

Inside, there were two bloodhounds sitting in the back.

"Lord Solomon's suspicions proved true. Lord Steel and General Shadow plot against him and possibly the inquisition. The Praetorian has already begun to buy off savages to become spies." The man in rags replied.

"We inform Lord Solomon immediately. We'll rendezvous at the caravan in front of the embassy. If we leave before you return, you know what to do." Replied the solider in red.

The man in rags hid his face in garbs and left for the alleys. He was to find his way back on his own, he was trained to take care of himself. The carriage took off shortly after, a casual speed to not attract anymore attention.

* * * *

Solomon sat in the embassy, inspecting the site where the two assassins had perished. The charred floor and the damaged interior were stained with black. It was clear that their intentions not only meant harm to the empire, but to him as well. But how was Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear related to these men? Was he among their numbers or perhaps something else? The answers remained elusive, but not for long. Once he returned to the empire, it would all be settled then. However, this private war he was holding had entered the open. Lord Steel would try to hang him for this. Damn him. Damn him to hell.

"Lord Solomon, we have returned."

Two bloodhounds reported in to see Solomon, nodding and bowing in respect of their superior. He sent many of his men out in the city, see what the savages see, what they do, how they normally act. Diplomats only offer what they want to show. Solomon wanted to know the human behavior of the common man. The darkness in men's hearts.

"Report." Solomon said, turning to face his men.

"We have received the information you requested. Lord Steel and General Shadow cannot be trusted."

Solomon brushed his hand through his premature gray hair, sighing as the news waned on his spirits. He didn't expect this, despite his suspicions.

"Your orders, M'Lord." The bloodhound asked.

"We stay. I am still in charge of this caravan. They wouldn't try anything too foolish and if they did now I am prepared." Solomon answered, grabbing the hilt of his crimson saber which was wrapped in a worn cloth.

Edited by JRPomazon, 11 January 2010 - 11:25 PM.