::Piper seemed to either not notice (due to the concealment of the wire), or not care that Orp was preparing for an attack.::
"Now now. There is no need for violence. Especially since Master Tauer 'as gone through such trouble to get you out 'ere. Far away from town and any pryin' eyes and ears. And alone, I might add...
Good job, that, by the way...
But you can drop the ruse now, Mate. You know just as I do that Macavity is lookin' to expand 'is business dealin's. And Master Boon 'ere just 'appens to 'ave some connections, both in and out of town, that 'e 'as taken an interest in. Brokerin' trades an eyein' up mercenaries and all."
::Was that the sound of something scraping on the stone staircase below?...::
Tauer [M:150:160:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=540&page=1#18960][b]While the Light's away, the Shadows will play.[/b]
Macavity. Tauer had heard that name before, although he'd never met the elusive man in person. Joff had acted as if he was the boogeyman, while Nissa seemed convinced that he was a made up story. Either way, the demon didn't know anything about any business dealings, like Piper was suggesting, but was there any point trying to explain his innocence to Orp Boon?
Perhaps Macavity was the one approaching from the staircase. Tauer was almost certain now that someone was sneaking about below them. But he wasn't going to be taken by surprise. The demon prince kept one hand behind his back, secretly summoning the power of the shadows into a swirling orb of darkness an inch from his palm. If they were to be pounced upon by an unknown assailant, Tauer would be the first to react with his magic. And if it turned out to be a false alarm then maybe he would turn his power on the red-haired cathian. He didn't like the way Piper seemed so confident in himself. How should he interpret that? Was it arrogance or was there actually something about the cat that he should be worried about?
Tauer didn't want Piper to pick up on his defensive plan, so he tried to keep the cathian occupied with a little more conversation.
Ok, so I got you the guy who has the ledger. Where are the kids?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
"Ah, now there in lies the rub, Mate. See, Macavity don't really believe in "outsourcing" for work. Now if you would like to join the cause, 'owever, then I believe arrangements can be made. But 'e would require full and complete access to your books. To be sure things are on the up and up. I'm sure you can understand that..."
::Turning to Tauer almost dismissively. ::
"Once we're done with Master Boon 'ere, we will discuss your just rewards."
Silent as a shadow on padded feet...
Tauer [M:150:160:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=540&page=1#18960][b]While the Light's away, the Shadows will play.[/b]
The whole talk of business sounded dull and boring to the demon prince and he was certain that none of it was legitimate. The Cathian was a street rat, after all; a sneak and a thief, a law breaker, a- Tauer held his thoughts at the realization that he was also describing the very thing he'd become over the past year. It was all in the name of survival, of course, but what Piper and Macavity seemed to have planned was on a much bigger scale. They had become masters in their art.
And what if Mr. Boon here doesn't agree to your terms?
::A sly smile crosses the face of Piper as he looks Orp dead in the eye.::
"Why I believe Master Boon 'ere 'as already offered an alternative to 'ow we can get 'is ledger..."
((Sorry for posting out of order, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. lol))
Silent as a shadow on padded feet...
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Tauer [M:150:160:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=540&page=1#18960][b]While the Light's away, the Shadows will play.[/b]
"Tsk tsk, Mate. And 'ere I thought you wanted to 'elp your friends...
Very well...
Rats! Take them both!!"
::Piper backed away from the pair, his braced leg pounding heavily on the floor with each step. The door to the room above bursts open, hitting hard against the stone wall as two very young men (barely in their teens) rushed down the stairs holding makeshift weapons. At the same time two more enter the from the room below, similarly armed.
The four smile wickedly as they close in on Tauer and Boon. ::
Silent as a shadow on padded feet...
Tauer [M:150:160:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=540&page=1#18960][b]While the Light's away, the Shadows will play.[/b]
Much to his dismay, Tauer was caught of guard; a surprise visit from below had been expected, but he hadn't consider the possibility that anyone was hiding above them. The crack of the wooden door against stone pushed the demon into panic mode. He had been trapped in his own home by unruly children with weapons!
Survival instincts kicked in, forcing him to respond with his dark magic. He pulled back his arm and, revealing the ball of shadow he'd hidden behind his back, launched it at the duo rushing from the stairs above. Tauer had never tried this technique before so he had no idea what would happen.
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Orp gritted his teeth. He hated being ambushed. This is why he never acted as the muscle in his own endeavors.
Orp punched his hand toward Piper. The coiled wire around his wrist shot out in a helix towards Piper's throat. He dropped into a lower stance to get a more stable hold. He tried to whip the wire around his neck, constrict it and choke him out.
::The ball of Darkness hits the first kid in the chest, knocking him back into the second and sending the second boy over the side of the open staircase where he lands on the floor with a thud, but still moving.
The wire whips out towards Piper, but as it gets close Orp can see Piper's ratty clothes rustle about as if caught in a wind storm and the wire goes wide around him...
Unfortunatly Orp then has more to worry about as the two kids from below close in on him slashing wildly with there wicked homemade blades... ::
Silent as a shadow on padded feet...
Tauer [M:150:160:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=540&page=1#18960][b]While the Light's away, the Shadows will play.[/b]
Having momentarily dealt with two of Piper's gang, Tauer turned his attention back to Orp Boon in time to see his failed attack on the red-headed cathian. It appeared that the demon and the cyclops weren't the only ones with the use of magic. But Boon was about to get in to trouble with the two kids from downstairs.
Doing what he could, Tauer pulled a pair of shadowy ropes down from the ceiling and commanded them to wrap around the kids' wrists. If the cyclops died, it would be more blood on his hands and that just wasn't acceptable.
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Orp swore in a foreign tongue as his attack was rebuffed. The wire flew off wildly and Orp had to swing his arm nearly all the way around his body to retract it into his other hand.
He was caught off guard by the surprise attack by the kids and had no way to block their first attacks. He tried to punch one child in the face and push the other away from himself with his wire.
::The slash from one of his attackers cut into Orp's forearm. It would have gone much deeper had it not caught on the wire hidden under the sleeve. As Orp moved to respond, dark tendrils of shadow decended from the ceiling and bound the hands of the kids, making it much easier to strike back at them. The punch hit the first attacker square in the nose with a satisfying crunch and burst of blood. The wire shot out like a spring at the second attacker, hitting him in the chest and knocking him back. The tendrils stripping him of his weapon as he fell.
The two that had come from upstairs rose, and while fearful of the dark magic being used, they still moved in from different angles to put an end to the Shadowmage.
Piper made a dash for the stairs leading up. Not bothering to start at the bottom, he made a seemingly impossible leap from the floor to the top of the stairs. His clothes once again fluttering as if caught in the wind... ::