Another kind of Trouble

[chaoskeeper]

Well that had been an interesting romp through the lands of Borran. Dropped a Wind spy in the confused lap of the mysterious Halfling Master. Who is he anyway? There was no longer a reason to worry about the woman though, not any more at least. Met a fascinating little illusionist. He overtly thought something of himself though the unexpected hand out of Earth’s dungeons had not gone unnoticed.

And then to run into that dog again! What a stroke of luck to get another chance. But then that wraith never showed again. Disappointment. Oh well! Another door. Maybe she would walk through yet another. He could only hope as chaos seeks the fire to thrive and grow.

Stepping back through into the physical world, his bare dirty feet stepped down into another land – the lands of Fire blessed by Pyran and protected by Lord Hito. His eyes opened up into an alley nearby the one he had disappeared into the week before. Flames flickered in the windows of nearby homes and shadows danced to welcome him back to the local pubs. But the pubs would not have his company tonight rather he would have rest.

He was a man with no home. Beyond that he was a trickster with numerous cashes. Then again, he is not exactly a man.

Turning around into the street, Xander Shade reintroduced his presence to the local people. Here like in other places he was only another familiar face without a name to it. Quietly, the tall man strolled through the streets of Feuergeist hands in his pockets and sword on his back. The sword being his only visible weapon he fit right in even while wearing his black amongst the national military wandering the city.

Another turn opened into the tough part of the city – his kind of place. The presence of another caused the hairs on the back of his neck rise though not in tense fear. Rather than walking the short distance further to his ramshackle place, he turned short into a narrow alley on the right. Immediately he stopped to face whatever impertinent bastard who decided to tail him.

[:x: Hyacinth :x:]

Times are nothing like they were. Peace once reigned, races of all kinds prospered, death was not an ordinary scent in the air. The lands flourished with greens, animals cooed, rivers flowed; crystal clear water unstained by blood. The streets of Feuergeist were no different from the rest. Inhabitants were blind of whatever existed outside its walls. The shallow green eyes of Sakkaku Tamashii scanned their surroundings intently. The unknown miscreant absorbed everything. The lands of Fire were much different from the lands of Earth. The Gods Borran and Pyran had their controversies on what they saw as "safe" and "paradise."

Wind whispered up to his presence. Sitting atop a dusty home, Tamashii's eyes gazed down upon the people of flame, having no thought they were being watched. The young human, if that's what he really is, leaned back letting his weight be held by his gloved hands. The tip of the concealed blade within his right hand dug lightly into the wood of the roof. Wind whisked his black hair, waving over his blank eyes. The white sash lightly flapped with the dusty breeze, and a slight metal clanking could be heard only to the most keen of hearing.

As the world of Alraenia went on, as the birds flew, as the wind blew, and the waters splashed, everything seemed to stop. A world frozen in time faded into his eyesight. A dark aura; human... no... demonic? Such a feeling. His eyes remained blank, but no doubt the hair atop his head seemed to stand on end, as if a breeze was coming from underneath him. His head moved slightly looking down to the right. Everything seemed to be frozen except from one being. This feeling... Green eyes laid on a sword on the back of a man. Him... The man seemed to move easily around through the crowd in the alley ways.

Sakkaku moved to his feet, stood there for a few moments taking in his aura... his essence... He never felt one like this before. Wicked... He moved swiftly atop the roofs of Feuergeist, barely landing before the next step was taken. The unknown target moved into the rough grounds of the town. His eyes narrowed. This one was definitely different from any other being he has come to face. This one... he knew of Sakkaku's presence. As the one with the sword moved into the narrow alley, Sakkaku had slid down the wall of the alley only seconds before he turned the corner. He rose from the ground after landing, slowly. Pale green eyes scanned upward soon followed by his head. Sakkaku remained in the shadows. Half his face was hidden from the world. His expression was blank. Only a slight flicker from a candle lighted his dark being.

[chaoskeeper]

Watching silently, unmoving and still, the Halfling followed this new encounter’s every move with only cold eyes. He was fully cloaked in shadow had he need to disappear with a whim though he doubted he would draw on that ability… the only natural ability he possessed of his own. Instead, he took quick inventory of those abilities he could use to abuse and confuse. Honestly, he would rather this one not know of his personal agreement with shadow before he knew of this one’s own twisted abilities.

And that is how this man felt to Shade – twisted and sick and some how… not his own. This one gave off the feeling of dozens of disguises and plenty of blood despite current peace times. This bold man with green eyes had the attention of the feit within the human. His power seemed black and the vague sense of it almost seemed familiar. That familiarity crawled under his light weathered skin with tingles of excitment.

Silver eyes glared down at the shorter man daring him to explain himself.

“Something interest you?” he asked short.

Xander’s voice was both as indifferent as his eyes and as playful as his devious twisted heart. It was laced with an underlying power. His presence in the alley called the subtle yearnings of darkness from an unseen world. The shadows called for him while pushing away the other strange man. He was blatantly unwelcome around their master.

“Come on,” the assassin rush the man on silently. He knew he was coming to the end of this run. Even as a being with higher than average stamina, energy, and ability, Xander Shade needed his rest and has yet to fully sleep since the week he dropped Storm off the lieutenant. The wall approached slowly, but the young shadow master had always preferred to not push his limits despite his need to find new heights and push everything to the edge.

“I don’t have all day ya know.”

[:x: Hyacinth :x:]

The air fell dead. No breeze. The flame of the candle stood still as no wind dared to grace its stability. Two men stood in a dark alley only gazing at each other, reading each other. Sakkaku was no match for this intriguing stranger when it comes to height intimidation. No matter, Sakkuku never used height before, but only cunning, stealth, and flexibility.

The power of the other man was definitely present, stronger than what Sakkaku felt before. The dark, demonic aura; it was intense. It was oddly familiar. The familiarity is what drew him in. Green eyes looked directly into silver. The words of the man cut the silence between them. The eyes of Tamashii narrowed at his shortness, but the hidden lips of the miscreant curled into a smug smile. Devious. They were alike in some aspects. Both had sick and twisted hearts, and both auras seemed to clash and want to tear each other apart.

The unknown miscreant took one step closer to the one with the sword. The light of the still candle still gave Tamashii's face the lightest of glares. He hooked his chin up to meet the silver eyes of the stranger. The eyes were deep and definitely not human. Tamashii's excitement grew to this finding, but not a trace of his feelings were sensible. A new voice was heard as Tamashii's voice entered the conversation. His lips moved underneath the mask that concealed Sakkaku's most sacred thing, his identity.

"Your aura..."

His expressions remained the same. It was coy in a way, but calm, leaving all emotions untraceable. His head titled slightly to the side.

"You're nothing like the people here."

Sakkaku memorized the intensity he felt with this man. He memorized the first feeling his encountered when he entered this village. Shadows engulfed the area. Time felt like it stopped. All of nature's aspects; the wind, the water, the birds, frozen in time when this man's foot stepped in. Incredible.