Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
The Drow did not shift one single muscle. Seemed to make no move until he grabbed the blade from his lap and brought it hissing toward Chaz's eye. It stopped, the tip only a hair from the orb. The voice came low, calm still. Horribly calm. The calm that only comes from absolute assuredness that the path is true.
"Your child need not suffer, cur, though if you profane our glorious tongue one more time then I shall feed you strips of her skin. Am I completely clear?"
It became completely and utterly apparent that the Drow was mad. True fanatics always are, and his eyes had the righteous gleam in them on second look, like the glowing embers of some hideous fire. The knife was placed back in his lap. His voice was calm once again.
"You shall have no parlay or clemency. I answer to an authority higher than the Council. They are wise and benevolent and kind. They have not the stomach for this work, though their inability to cease it shows that the gods favour us."
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
His breath stopped, jaw quivering as he squirmed under the blade. His eyes closed again as the man retreated and his breath came back...but his heart ticked faster and louder. Chaz backed up against the trough, voice shaky and wavering.
L-look. Just let her go. I have people in town that will take care of her, you can do whatever you want to me. He tried to wiggle onto one knee, as if to beg.
Don't bring her into this. She's innocent.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Sadness, honest sadness, crept into the hard eyes of the assassin for a fleeting moment as he uncurled from his sitting position, blade in hand. He moved to the sleeping child, though did not lift the weapon to strike, instead sheathing it before picking up the baby so very carefully, as not to wake her.
"Yes. She is. And for that you must be thankful. The gods are merciful, far more merciful than any mortal or immortal being on this plane. They will see that the essence of the child is cleansed of the taint and she is returned to the mother tree to spring forth anew." He smiled a small, quiet smile as he placed the sleeping babe in her bundled blankets in front of her father, kneeling down next to the child. He looked up, drawing the blade again, face becoming cold once more.
"I shall give you a moment to bid her a safe journey to the mother tree. To apologise to her for bringing her pure soul to an impure body and to have to experience the trauma of being put into the cycle again so soon. And you have my word that if you swear it was all your own doing that this came to pass then the mother shall be absolved and no harm will come to her." He tilted his head slightly "You have only your dignity left now, cur. Do not taint that as well."
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
He watched, helplessly, as the man picked up his daughter, straining and trying to get up. His heart ticked faster now, becoming a near-solid buzz in his chest. He was panting now, brain going haywire, trying to think of a way out and failing. As the assassin put Nikole on the ground on front of him, it became too much. The sight of his daughter comforted and horrified him simultaneously, and he shook his head, hissing to himself.
No no no...no...
There was a pause, his head hung low. His heart, the loud buzzing noise, stopped. Completely.
Tick....tock....tick...tock...
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
The Drow seemed to move in slow motion, bringing the blade up, the point hovering just above the tiny girl's throat. One thrust would put the wickedly sharp dagger through the throat, sever the windpipe and drive into the brain stem. It would be quick and painless for the child, she would never wake.
The werelight of the moon streaming in as the clouds parted to let it pass glinted from the metal of the blade, glittering horribly cold there ready to snuff the life only new made. The assassin, the mad zealot sent to 'purify' them whispered in his native tongue.
"El lu' ragar gre'as'anto..."
The girl was about to die.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Chaz's head shot up, eyes glimmering manically and a wide grin across his face. His teeth shined in the dim light, and a voice escaped his mouth that didn't sound like him, hissed and malevolent.
Praaaay....
The metal trough behind him shot forward, slamming into the assassin and quickly retreating back to Chaz. His hands were still bound, but with a metallic groan and a loud pop the trough came undone, wrapping about his torso and forming metallic, rusty, jagged blades that came from his back, like a spider. The Cathian didn't move, but the blades gently lifted him to his feet and wrapped around the baby, bringing Nikole to his chest. Chaz still grinned, but his eyes were glassy and vacant. His heart was still completely stopped, silent.
Pray to your gods, your Council. Maybe they would help you in the forest, little elf. In your precious Overwood. Look around you. Steel...iron...steam....fire. This is Kloquirk's domain. My domain. You come here so brazenly, confident the old gods would protect you. Your faith fails, little elf. This one is small, frail, but he is faithful. There was a pause, and a clicking as the spiderlegs brought him closer.
This one is mine.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Sprawled and bleeding from a gash to the forehead the assailant was not slow to regain his feet. His eyes were now wide with nothing short of disbelief. He was far too far into insanity to feel fear, only incredulity that anything could prevent him from his noble task. His voice was a venemous hiss.
"The Drow are pure...we are the truest race on this world and we will bring you all low. The child must not live!" He hurled the blade with a practiced motion. A thrown knife isn't much of a killing weapon in most situations, but he was well practiced and the target was a frail child.
The knife never reached its target. It slowed in its flight, the point a bare inch from the still sleeping child. A miracle that in the screaming of metal it had not stirred yet, perhaps the waft of the vapours used to incapacitate Chaz. The knife quivered a second then fell with a glassy sound to the floor.
The dark elf paled, rage and hate causing him to babble half-words in Drow, actual flecks of foam forming at the corners of his lips. Outside the shop not a sound was to be heard. None would hear what was about to transpire. For all his noble talk and calm zeal it was only now that he was laid bare as the brainwashed madman. If Chaz had been aware he might have felt presences around and behind him, as if scores of eyes looked coldly upon the assassin from behind whatever veil separates life and death. And as one those eyes would burn and mouths would scream words of vengeance and justice in tones no mortal could hear.
The elf realised then the true difference between himself and the smith in that moment. He was alone. Chaz was not.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
The blades shot forward, slicing along the elf's chest, the jagged edges tearing flesh from bone, splattering the ground with blood. Clothes tore away and the blades flashed and groaned in the air, drawing a six-pointed star in blood on the elf's chest, spearing him through the center and impaling him on the wall.
Metal has no mind, little elf. Technology no direction. It must be pointed, guided along. The point is...this isn't me. I'm just giving him the power. All this is what he would do if he could. He may not be aware of it, but...this is what he wants. I'm just leverage. The legs brought him closer, and he raised his head slightly to look the elf in the eye. His own were cold, steely.
You can hear it, can't you? They're not mine. They're yours. I don't know what lies beyond for you, but I know they'll be there....every step of the way. Goodbye. And good luck. And with that, one of the blade slid upwards, and another slid down. There was a wet, organic slump in the dark and Chaz staggered back, the legs sliding off his body, cutting his arms as they did. The bundle, the little baby Drow was put into his dazed hands as he panicked and came to his senses. He saw the blood on his legs, on the floor...on the wall.
No...no no no no no...
He walked backward, nearly tripping on the bloody tangle of scrap that was the trough, and mindless with fear slumped against the far wall, rocking back and forth, holding Nikole tightly to his chest, his eyes closed and humming the song that Dominic had taught him.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
The crystal winked out, the silence still reigned. The elf hadn't screamed so much as squealed. What the terrified little blacksmith didn't know was that hundreds of miles away - in a private citadel in one of the places of highest honour - a dark elf who fancied himself the future ruler of the world felt something he'd almost forgotten. As his scrying cut off with the snuffing of the assassin's life it came through to him as clear as the image that had just ceased.
Fear.
Chaz may have been afraid, but that fear would pass in time. But the man who had watched his agents kill scores of children, fathers and mothers from the comfort of his chambers would never be truly rid of it. He'd fancied himself and his men untouchable, protected by divine right. He'd been proven wrong this night. Dead wrong.
The only problem with fear is if it becomes anger. Anger can cause even the most cautious man to retaliate. This may not have been the last the little smith would know of the supremacists and their machinations. But at least for now he, and his child, were safe.
Last Edit: Feb 16, 2012 22:54:08 GMT -5 by Dominic
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
The scent of blood was unmistakable. The lingering smell of fear was likewise unmistakable and it was this very pungent combination that had Grayell break through the door of Chaz's abode, sword drawn and eyes hurriedly taking in the entire room.
A dead... naye a mutilated body and Chaz, looking altogether lost clutching a small babe. Drow. As was the body. It did not take a genius to put this together.
But the blood.... was everywhere. This was not a scene for Chaz nor his child, it was horrendous. Accustomed as he was to such gory displays murder, Grayell acted calmly and quickly.
His sword fell into it's sheath as his hands weaved and worked the blood into quick streamers that fled from the floor and walls, found every last crack and opening in the building and drained quickly from sight. It took but a moment and Grayell was swiftly kneeling beside the Cathian.
Come, this home is not safe. You're staying elsewhere. Are you ok? Is she ok?
It was still covering his lower body, eyes closed and the child held to his chest. She was beginning to wake up, cry a little, put her hands on his face. Chaz panted, his breath shallow and ragged, not looking up at Grayell.
I didn't do anything. I woke up like this. I didn't do anything. He was there and he had a knife, Gray, and I woke up and he was like that. He pushed against the wall, sliding himself up and getting to his feet shakily.
He had a knife and he was talking about his gods and then there was blood on me. He finally looked up at Gray, eyes wild and searching.
I didn't do anything. I don't remember.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Grayell seemed entirely unbothered by Chaz's statement. He worked quickly to help the Cathian to his feet, careful to make sure he could hold his child. One hand on Chaz's shoulder, he checked the room once more.
Now is not the time to worry Chaz. I'm getting you to safety and then I'll take care of him ok? You need some rest, we can worry about what happened in the morning.
He nodded, slowly, grabbing a blanket from the floor and shaking it off, using it to wrap up Nikole and try and head for the door with Grayell's help. He didn't look at the body or anything else as he left, too far gone to do more than trust his friend would take care of it.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
What was left of the door closed behind them. Morning would only shed light on a room devoid of blood, no body to be found and the damaged furniture being replaced. The new door had a much sturdier lock, as did all potential entry points.
But the newest addition was a cot. It was not overly elegant but had to come at no small cost to whoever provided it.