Borrowing Back Taken Magic

[Talion]

April 20, 122PW

Talion drank in the girl's magic, letting it fill him with an energy that the drug had not done. Somehow the drug had not given him the full effect it normally did. It had not granted him the same magical high that he was used to. So the girl had made up for what he was lacking.

She fought him. They always fought when they discovered what was going on. For some reason other people seemed to attached to their power and never liked losing it. They didn't even like to let Talion borrow it. It was too late though, Talion had already got his claws into the girl and was draining her of her power.

The the demon girl jumped in the fight. he wasn't fully sure that the strange woman decked in gold was a demon but the powers that she demonstrated with changing shapes seemed to confirm this idea within his mind. In the form of a large cat, the demon ripped out the throat of the other girl. Lucky for Talion, he didn't have to use this newly gained power of his. Now he could save this extra magic and use it at a more opportune moment.

He cared little for the blood that stained his pale skin and clothes. Where once his skin had been a sickly white color, now it was speckled with much darker red drops. It would wash off but he didn't see the point to wasting good blood like that. Blood could always be put to better uses.

With the girl dead, Talion looked up at the cloaked figure standing in the room watching him. Master, or so he thought it was. The cloaked demon was being unusually quiet. Perhaps he had been pleased with this sacrifice for he had not insulted or belittled Talion like he usually did. He gave the old demon a toothy smile and limped back across the room to gather his clothing.

When his shirt, vest and cloak were attracted properly, Talion made his way to the door and followed the demon lady out of the house into the night. They had a book to steal and waiting around with a corpse wasn't going to get it done any quicker.

"Are you going to join us Master?"

[Yyan]

Yyan stood there and watched as the pale man and the golden woman killed the other girl. Stood there and watched, and did not try to interfere. It was the slaver’s training that held him rooted. He had seen people die before, in his master’s household, right before his eyes. Every slave lived with death hanging over their heads. If that was the fate in store for you, there was no option of fight, nor of aid. It simply was. In some warped way, this pitiless execution seemed more natural than anything that had witnessed since coming to the city. Yyan did not know what the girl’s crime had been; her murder could have been because she simply knew too much. It did not matter. It was the golden woman’s will, and her power pressed so hard that any notion of interference with her will would lead to certain death.

When the deed was done, Yyan forced himself to study the corpse, to gaze long at the dead girl’s face and memorize her features. He could not save her, but at least, for as long as he held his life, she would be remembered.

As Hyalith was.

The other two vacated the house. Yyan followed, once again huddling within his jacket against the chill air.

“Are you going to join us, Master?”

Yyan looked at the pale man with an expression of unease and pity. Then he looked at the street before them. Please do not call me that, he told his companion.

[Tsaikatlaua]

Tsaikatlaua led the way as they moved into the streets, staying near to her small group so that they didn't get seperated. Dawn was breaking and it turned the buildings almost pretty with a subtle pinkish glow, but nothing to Tsai would ever be as beautiful as her rainforests and rivers.

She fell in step alongside the two others, murmuring softly. "As we have dispatched of our theif, we must endeavour to find a new one. Do either of you have a suggestion?"

She was a bit miffed at the loss of her 'professional' thief--indeed, Tsai doubted that any thief could make an honest profession out of their line of work, but Tsai had never been bent up on too many legalities. "Keep your eyes open, both of you, for any dubious looking types."

Tsaikatlaua let the two settled their 'master' debate between themselves. She had no want to get caught up in loyalities or technicalities. As far as she was concerned, as long as they served their purpose they could decide their own hierarchy.

[Talion]

Just great, it's morning already. Had all night really been spent in the old tavern and the house of this strange woman in gold? He know it was late or rather early but not by this much. How had the night completely slipped away? Well now he was glad to have had what power the girl had given him; with the sun rising and the shadows disappearing into the few dark corners that would protect them from the burning ball of fire as it made its pass over the city.

Now even if he had wanted to, Talion was unable to flee the small group. He needed to shadows to preform such a task but with the coming of morning, the shadows would disappear leaving him without a chance to get away. Is that why master is here?

"Please do not call me that." The new voice called to him. It was coming from master right? The voice sounded different then usual; instead of a dry raspy voice, this new voice sounded younger and more lively. Then came the normal voice of Master. "Incompetent fool, of course I am here. I am always here. You will not get rid of me that easily."

He wanted to make some sort of acknowledgment to the demon, some way of expressing his thanks for company but was interrupted by the gold woman again. She wanted help finding a replacement for the woman he had helped kill. Other then the demon beside him and the lizard at his feet, he knew no others within the city. "For more of your plants I can help you but the only being I know within this land is the cloaked demon here by my side and his minions. You should ask him."

[Yyan]

As they trod through the brightening street, Yyan gripped his jacket tighter and slipped the old hood on to protect his neck from the chill. Somehow it didn't seem to be getting much warmer, and that concerned him somewhat. He knew the fever was still hovering at the edges, so why then the susceptibility to the cold?

The golden woman fell into step with Yyan and the other man, then asked a question of them. Ahh... so their victim had been a thief. The thief their guide needed to steal her book. Yes, that would pose a problem.

Yyan considered, hardly paying attention to their pale companion's reply to the question. He himself wouldn't be of too much use there, but he had experience in keeping a watch out for them on his trips to the outdoor market on errands for his master's household.

I believe this city has a marketplace, Yyan told them. Perhaps we should relocate there. That seems to be the prime workplace for practicing thieves. We might be able to spot one.

[Tsaikatlaua]

Tsaikatlaua nodded. Searching a marketplace was a likely place to find a thief, especially as she was still decked in her gold. Adjusting a few of the thick cuffs around her upper arms, she looked at Talion. "Whatever our new friend is, I doubt he is a demon. Are you?" She directed the last bit at Xeis, along with a raised eyebrow.

It was quickly becoming clear to her that neither of her two conscripts were altogether there in their minds. She didn't particularly mind, as part of her culture was centered around mind-altering drugs and gaining visions and guidance from them, but she did need them able to function enough to help her. "You will have your plants after we find my thief, so I suggest you think as swiftly and well as our cloaked friend. Now. Where is the marketplace? I am new here and do not know my way around."

Despite her comment, she again took the lead and walked at a quick pace, briskly motioning her companions to follow swiftly.

[Talion]

"Hmmm...a market place would be a good place to look but not an open market place, no we need some place that is cramped, close quartered, somewhere were a thief could pick pockets without being noticed." Talion mumbled to himself while turning around on the street trying to establish a sense of direction. "We spent yesterday wandering the streets of this city and I stumbled across such a place in my travels, if I remember correctly there was such a place not too far from that building you showed us last night."

Making yet another circle, barely avoiding tripping over his own walking stick, Talion looked to the North for about the third time before stopping. "I think it is this way. I think. Hmmm..." His head turned up to glance up at the rising sun and then back to the ground again."Yes North, this way."

[Yyan]

Privately Yyan was relieved that his suggestion had been judged useful to their powerful employer. A pleased master was inclined to be lenient, and he had no doubts that for the present time, the golden woman was his master.

He was, however, taken aback by her seemingly pointed question. Yyan had no clear notion of what a “demon” meant to her. In his studies with Hyalith, demons had always been a varied subject. Some were lowly, more like guardian spirits or mischief makers, while others were powerful, worshipful, and evil.

Then she appeared to lose interest in the subject, or at least judged that their present task was worth more consideration than his status in the astral hierarchy. Their pale companion set them on the proper path to the city’s market. Yyan was content to follow, however dubious any guidance from the obviously mad young man was, for he was still preoccupied with the demon question. It seemed that she had probed him… perhaps trying to determine if he would be a threat to her? He was unsure, but it seemed unwise not to at least address the matter.

Falling into step with her again, he opened his thoughts to both of his companions. To your question, mistress, I wished to let you know that I am no demon. I have… one or two unusual abilities, which I will be happy to use in your service until your book is recovered. But a demon? No.

[Tsaikatlaua]

Tsaikatlaua couldn't care less about what Yyan was, and she said as much as she followed the pale Talion as he led the way. "To me, it matters naught what you are, only that you help me. I myself and not entirely human anymore... as you doubtless remember."

She gave him a smile, complete with a slight touch of jaguar fangs. She adjusted the gold bangles as she stepped up the pace to fall in with Talion, ensuring that the intricatly worked gold flashed in the weak sunlight of the growing dawn. "A closed market is exactly what I need... you will have your plants, do not doubt."

[Talion]

Slowly Talion led the strange group through the streets of Marn. Marn right? He had spent but little over a day in this city and already others were counting on him to not get them lost. He just hoped that he wouldn't let them down.

He traveled forward at a slow pace due to his limp and it didn't help much that his walking stick seemed to catch every little uneven patch in the cobblestone streets. never before had he been one to led anyone, it made him feel important even if he felt a little guilty for the slow pace they were keeping. Talion couldn't help but feel that the others might be somewhat annoyed with him and his disability but he tied not to let that get the best of him.

He turned another corner, somewhere on the back roads behind that government building he guessed. From what he remembered, the market should be somewhere around here, crowded into one of theses little alleys. The first time he had stumped upon it, earlier the day before, he had had a hell of a time getting himself out without bumping into too many people and tripping over all sorts of crates and other market supplies that lay scattered on the ground.

At the end of the street, he finally picked up the sound of the nearby activity. Men and woman could be heard advertising their wares as well as those of customers and vendors bartering their goods.

"We must be close." He turned back to address the others as he slowed his pace to a stop.

[Yyan]

“To me, it matters naught what you are, only that you help me. I myself and not entirely human anymore… as you doubtless remember.”

Yyan shivered at her feral smile and massaged his aching ribs. Indeed, he doubted he would ever forget the sight of her cloaked in the form of a sinuous, man-eating snake. Fear was an interesting thing, he realized. Sometimes it made one slow, their actions clumsy and stupid. Other times, like now, it masked certain pains and heightened others, sharpening your focus to the edge of a knife. Yyan could feel his heart pounding—great stars, but the golden woman unnerved him—but for the moment he was glad that the fear had temporarily burned away the disorientation of the returning fever. Perhaps, if he kept it close, he might just make it out of this situation alive…


(OOC: Certainly not my best... not even remotely interesting, really, but it should be enough to spur a bit more activity on my part. I know Nia is somewhat off and on right now. Just know that I should be around considerably more often than the past few weeks.)

[Tsaikatlaua]

Tsaikatlaua knew that she was unnerving Yyan, and that was fine by her. The other man could be bribed, and the silent one could be scared into submission. All was working well with her rough, make-it-up-as-you-go plans.

Reaching the market assulted her senses with a deluge of information--shouts and cries of vendors, barking of dogs, frazzled women looking at the morning's goods. She brushed by most of the carts and stalls, these northern foods not in the least appealing to her tastes, as she was accustomed to the delicasies of her people that doubtless wouldn't be here. Tsai curled a lip in distaste of the northern foods--there would be no speared monkey or seared caiman here, or the ceremonial jaguar that tasted like power.

"Come," she said quietly to her followers. She was having a difficult time coming up with the right word for them--slaves was harsh, minions sounded ridiculous, companions was too personal. And while followers made her sound like a religious diety, according to her people's way of thinking she was as close to a god as a human could get. So followers it was. "Keep your eyes open for unscrupulous looking people."

[Talion]

Talion tired to do as the golden demon-woman demanded of him but he kept getting distracted by the glare of the sunlight that peaked over the top of the nearby buildings and popped out of misshapen holes left in the openings between tents. Spots of light hit the dark ground, making strange shadows dance on the ground as they darted in and out of sight. They hid under and between the congestion of loiterers that filled the tight street.

Too many people were crowded into such a small space. They bumped into each other and caused far too many obstacles for a crippled boy to circumnavigate them all. He tripped over wooden crates in his path and nearly kicked a dog as his eyes followed the paths of the carrion birds that swam in the dark spaces between all the shoppers. The large avian creatures flickered in and out from view, at any given moment they would flap their large wings against a woman's side and the next moment they would be gone, leaving only a small shadow cast by the large bag she hung over her shoulder.

Demons. They were everywhere.

Slowly, Talion turned around to take in the sights. Watching the birds served to be a dizzying act in and of itself. Mixing the bird watching with the smells of many poorly washed bodies and the strange human food, he started to feel sick to his stomach and more then a unsteady.

The market around him looked hazy and distorted the longer he tried to take it in. Not only were the birds fading and reappearing out of nowhere but he felt as if the eyes of every person in the vicinity were on him, they were staring at him, judging him. He tried to turn again, turn away from the condemning eyes but all he managed to do was to trip over that mangy dog that had been hovering around his feet.

He hit the ground in a less then graceful manner and was certain that anyone who hadn't been staring at him before surely was now. What a pathetic sight he made for these onlookers as he emptied he insides in a nice purple liquid in the middle of the street.

[Yyan]

As the unlikely group navigated through the closed market, it became more apparent to Yyan that their crippled companion was not doing well at all. He began to trip and stagger over every obstacle in his path, and his eyes darted nervously from one dark corner to the next, his face seeming to pale by the moment. Already he had annoyed several market patrons, who snapped insults like “Clumsy oaf!” at his back, but he didn’t seem to hear. Yyan tried to keep closer to their mistress and distance himself from the alarming display, until he saw the man collapse to his knees. With a wince, Yyan stopped.

Mistress, please hold a moment, he said, and moved over to their companion’s side. For the first time, Yyan took a very good look at the pale man. The object of his scrutiny was young, troubled and altogether pitiful, the taint suffusing his aura saddening rather than disconcerting; he was no threat to anyone, except perhaps himself.

He was also making an absolute mess of himself and drawing a lot of attention.

Yyan got his hands around the man’s thin shoulders and pulled him upright. Come on, he whispered to him. We’ll find someplace quiet where you can rest a while. When’s the last time someone fed you anyway?

With a bit more cajoling Yyan managed to get him back on his feet and slung an arm around his back to make sure he wouldn’t tip over again. An apologetic look was directed at their golden employer. I’m sorry, mistress, but I think he is about done in. In this state, he’s more likely to scare away any prospective thief, if they think he has some sort of plague. It might be better to hide him away someplace quiet until he is steadier on his feet.

[Tsaikatlaua]

Tsaikatlaua, being extremely introverted, had neglected to notice the condition of the drug-addicted one. With a sigh she stopped and looked a bit closer at him, then nodded to Yyan. "You must be the expert on these matter. My powers do not include healing, and perhaps it would be best to do as you say."

She turned off the main road into an alleyway, a cooler place and away from the masses of morning shoppers. "Here for a time, maybe. It's not the Chalice, though that isn't a wonderful haven anyway, but it will do. Now, what do you think is wrong with him, Yyan?"

Tsaikatlaua thought that Yyan had a point about the plague and scaring away prospective thieves, at the very least. Sick-covered stumbling men did little to attract prospective people of questionable morals, despite the amount of gold dangled before their noses on the arms of a modest, harmless looking girl.