LoD Chapter 2 - The Legend of the Forsaken Brother

[Zephie]

"...Up on the palace wall, I don't want anything to get past."

"You say that every night, sir."

"Shut up and follow orders, gaurdesman."

Jen huddled back behind the wall as the three palace gaurds passed, listening until their footsteps passed the other side of the hallway. Stepping out then, he looked after and saw them muttering between themselves, and grinned again. Easy money.

As quickly as padded feet would carry him he snuck off down the hall, and made excellent progress when he heard more footsteps coming the other way. Holding his breath, he slid backwards against the wall and then sideways behind a large tapestry. The centurion never saw him.

Once he'd gone by, Jen peeked his head out and sighed in relief, then continued down the way.

***

After taking a quick detour through a dumbwaiter-type service shaft, he found himself two stories higher, on the level he wanted to be on. Opening the hatch, he looked out and saw nobody else in the room... of course. Who would be using a maintenance closet at this time of night, anyway? Stepping out, he hurried off outside and snuck down the hall, to the second door on his left.

The Chancellor's private suite.

Now this was the tricky part: even with the Chancellor out for the evening, he still had to find the item and then find his way out again, before the palace erupted with activity from Trevor's doings, no doubt occuring at that very moment. But then... for a trickster, no trick is too tricky.

He picked the lock easily and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. With his hearing he picked up a gaurd wandering by outside... but his step was regular, undisturbed. He had no idea someone was breaking and entering. Jen smiled to himself at that thought and went through the suite, searching for the item. Now where would he keep it... bedroom... den...

He made a cursory sweep of the foyer and den and didn't find what he was looking for, but just a couple seconds into the bedroom he saw it, sitting on a trophy mantle.

Ahhh, there you are, sweetie.

He scooped up the little figurine -- a golden sunburst with elaborate pedals to stand on -- and placed it carefully into his traveling pouch. With little time left, he made immediately towards the family room window and cracked it open, just as he heard distant noises coming from outside. Guess that's him.

He then tossed the rope over the side and tied it about one of the window frames, took one last look inside, and then swung himself over the edge.

Downward he plummeted, over three stories to the snowy ground outside... and all the way down he repressed the urge to shout out in glee. But it was over too fast, and he stumbled as he hit the ground, trying to regain his footing.

"There! You!"

Jen glanced over to his right and saw that one of the wall gaurds had seen him.

Right on time.

He bolted in the other direction as the gaurd shouted, "Stop! There, after him!"

An alert gaurd saw him running and prepared to cut him off, drawing a spear and assuming a squat stance. "You shall not pass, intruder!"

Oh, but I think I shall...! Jen thought, grinning.

The distance closed fast, and the gaurd lunged out with his spear. Jen sidestepped it easily and baseball slid past him, wrapped up his legs with his three tails, and yanked his feet out from underneath. The gaurd fell facefirst into the snow.

"Oof!"

As spare wall gaurds hurried down below, the defeated spearman got up on his feet and readied his weapon, preparing to face down the... the... ...

"...The devil? Where did he go?!"

He spun this way and that, oblivious to the fact that Jen had dove into a snow-hill and covered himself up. In fact, he stepped over that spot and ran past, looking for him still. "I've lost him!"

Jen lifted his head and looked at the man's back, and grinned. All too easy.

He got up quietly and let the mirage of snow fade from his back, while real snow also slid off. Then he snuck over to the side and joined the shadows again, hiding along the vines and bushes lining the walls until he found the water grate again, and opened it with the slightest of grace. He then took one last look as the peace broke down in the courtyard, and left through the grate, closing it once again behind him.

***

(( This all happens while just about everything else afterward occurs. ))

[Mintaro]

Karnok watches as Renetta runs off then turns to the group, looking irritated again. "She not be answerin me question. Guess we be stayin here." He then moves over to sit near the fountain, the warm steam from it flowing against his back and around his body. Karnok slowly begins to search through his bags pulling out various ingredients until he finds a blue root. He creates another small fire and begins burning the blue root. A guard begins to move toward him to have him put out the fire but thinks better of disturbing such a large creature for such a small disturbance.

Karnok closes his eyes and breaths the smoke deep into his body. His skin slowly turns a slight shade of blue and when he opens his eyes again they too are blue. His hair seems to have gone grey, though it may just be your imagination. This reminds you of the first time he did this in the portal. His body seems to become bent with age though still retain its normal shape. The effect dissipates like last time and his body returns to normal save his eyes. Without a word he puts out the fire and begins to pull out different powders and pieces of cloth. He appears to be mixing up small bags of powders.

[Toastburner B]

Connor watched Renetta leave, then back at the group.

"She'll need backup eithe way." the monk said to the group. "You guys should be able to handle whatever comes your way around here."

Without waiting for an answer, the minotaur ran off after Renetta.

[TheBlindMime]

Howl watched apathetically as the minotaur's imposing figure moved into the distance. "I'll wait." Howl growled as he raised his hand to a frozen flower bed.

A dim glow appeared under his palm as ice began to coil up towards his hand in an encircling pattern. Weaving and shaping to his whim, steadily becoming the figure he envisioned in his mind. Slow sloping curves with smooth rounded edges enveloped the chair, showing that even a throne of ice could be comfortable.

Howl crossed his legs and folded his arms together as he took up his seat, "Wake me when something worth killing shows up." His light blue eyes seemed to fade for a moment before they drew to a close.

[Raiden]

(OOC: I'm back.)

Samoht took a seat near Howl. He had been silent the entire time, only wishing to get the job done and get paid.

"What's the point of hiring me when we don't do much other than talk and look. I'm here to kill things, dammit!"

[Astral Harmony]

With her desperation and the relative size of Fariya, Renetta was at the palace in less than two minutes. She was hailed by the guards at the gate and explained herself.
"A mercenary? Yeah, we set up a guild request some time ago. Why is the request only being answered now?"
Renetta knew why, but didn't want to believe that Trevor actually frightened the local mercenaries into inaction. She was scared as well, but this wasn't just a regular job. The guards seemed to pick up on her silence and the one speaker continued.
"Well, it's fine, I guess. But weren't we supposed to know this from a guild runner beforehand?"
Renetta shrugged, trying to look professional. "I got here before the runner did. Can't you just let me in now? The assassination could occur any moment now."
The guards exchanged expression and the speaker stepped aside. "Fine. In you go. But if the guild runner doesn't come in fifteen minutes, we'll be looking for you."
Renetta thought this was stupid. Trevor would be attacking before that particular deadline. It was too easy to answer and then step inside, when she heard the tromping noises of the minotaur. Renetta drilled into her memory to come up with the name.
Connor. We didn't really talk but at least I got his name last night.
"Hang on," Renetta said, gesturing towards the guard. "I got a friend coming, looks like."

[Bosolai]

(OOC: it seems that Thanos has given up on his character, so I'll assume Gwyn as an NPC, cause the group still could use a healer)

Ian and Gwyn showed up shortly after Connor. The guard sighed, then led the four to just outside the courtyard. "Senator Roshkin is in there with his girl. Just... stay out of his sight, he doesn't like having people watch when they... you get the picture. I've got a front gate to guard, so start protecting."

Ian looked to and fro, then suggested, "Well, maybe our Fairy could get in without bothering them?"

"My name's Gwyn, and what do you suggest?"

"Well, you're small enough to fly and hide in a tree unnoticed, and you can use a blast of light to signal if you see Trevor."

"And I'm going to need to be watching them, won't I?" Gwyn asked, with a disgusted look on her face. Watching humans procreate was about as arousing to her as watching goats go at it. Ian nodded, and she shuddered as she flew into the courtyard. Almost immediately, she shot a blast of light.

The four ran in as fast as they could to see that the blast knocked down Trevor just before he got the chance to kill anyone. The less-than-clothed couple scrambled to run, and Trevor looked in awe at the supposed mercenaries. "Ren... Renetta? Is that you?"

[lazy man]

Kerith sat down on the edge of the fountain. He, like Samoht, didn't know why he was here, waiting. For some reason, something didn't feel right to him, but he couldn't tell what.

"Just be patient for once. You'll get your chance to kill something," Kerith said silently to Samoht. Then, saying to himself very silently, "Besides, you never spent six years in the pits... You'd tire of death after that..."

[Astral Harmony]

Renetta barely felt anything when her shoulder was shoved back as the target fled through the door, his girl really close behind. She just stood there on legs she forgot existed and stared at him. Her bottom lip hung slightly, her eyes unblinking, her cheeks rosy, and her blood felt especially cold. "Br...Brother..." she said simply. Her lips barely moved with what she said.

[Mintaro]

Karnok finished his third bag and placed it to his side. By now a few curious and unattended children had investigated the odd sight of what is a Minotaur in these parts. Particularly one making such odd creations. One of them ventured close and queried to him. "what, what are ya making there sir?"

Karnok looked up and smiled, his eyes looked old and tired and his smile looked friendly. "I am making boom bags. Do you know what they are?" He asks in return, his accent now gone for some reason. The child shook his head in response. Karnok smiled and picked one up and turned to face the fountain, placing one hoofed foot inside of it. He pulled out another fire stick and struck it. Lighting a small piece of cloth on the end of one of the bags he tosses it into the air over the fountain. As it is coming down and about to his the water. It bursts with a roar like a trumpet blasting near your head. It is accompanied by a bright flash of blue light. The effect is disorienting and everyone stops and stares as they regain themselves. The children shriek with delight at the show they had been given. While the guards are less then pleased, as well as the people relaxing and enjoying the day.

Four guards walk up to the Minotaur there fur lined armor rustling as they approach. "Who are you that disturbs the peace of this town!?" The lead one asks in a commanding tone.

"I am Karnok. I come from the far off plains. I create alchemist devices for entertainment and protection. That was just a demonstration for the children, there was no permanent harm done. Surely you can let an old giant like myself off with a warning, I have a weakness for the requests of children." Karnok indeed looked old again for some reason, it was the same double bodied effect he has had each time he has transformed.

The guards seemed somewhat soothed by Karnok explanation. More so they were soothed by the assurances of the children that it had been for them and there shouts to leave the beast man be. "No more devices while in this town." He ordered, "And I think you should refrain from any loud noises in general." The guards moved off some distance but were clearly staying close by to keep an eye on him. Karnok just smiled and bowed his head. He put away his tools and the two remaining Boom-bags. Then with a deep sigh exhaled smoke from his lungs and his body and eyes returned to normal. Karnok then put both feet in the hot fountain and tried to relax and enjoy the serenity of the snow.