Swaying with the Ravosala (Solo)

[Aello]

Fall 6, 511 AV Aello stepped down onto the dark wood boat. The sole of her foot curling along the gentle curve of the structure's base. Her grip tightened around her father's old bow as her things rammed into the center of her back, as the ravosala tipped beneath her weight. "Better get in faster, or the boat will flip," her contact announced, as the girl replied with a simple grunt. The dark water lapped against the side of the canal. The side of the slick wood. As Aello took a step further, towards the center of the boat, the structure moved with her, swaying from side to side, like a field of wheat in the wind. "This had better be good," Aello growled. "Or you're going to be the one paying for more than this little trip alongside the city." The man behind the mask chuckled. The white porcelain sheen shining ominously in the light of the sun. The rims around the eyes sinking into shadow. They were lined by a ribbon of black. "Who said I would be paying for anything?" he responded, as he drummed his fingers against his right leg. Aello's eyes darted to them. Watching them curl. Inch upwards slowly, and then back down. Rhythmically, silently. Aello's lips curled into a sinister smile. Her eyes flashed in the light of the sun. The cold of the dagger was sinking into her flesh, sending tiny tremors up the length of her leg, which filled her with a sense of power so overwhelming, that it was surprising to her that she didn't bother to pull it out to strengthen her coming words. "The one who walks with the dead demands it," Aello replied, her voice cold. Her words laced with a puzzle. One, the man should piece together easily enough, if he knew her as well as his messenger had let on. The man chuckled. "You're quite the feisty one, aren't you Aello?" he asked, as he raised the hand whose fingers were not drumming, and then patted the narrow wooden seat beside him, beckoning her closer. Reluctantly, Aello obeyed, taking several steps closer, and then kneeling beside him. Curling her body into the seat. Towards the masked man with the long black tunic. The black pants. Suede black boots, and white gloves. "Now what did you want?" Aello asked, unwilling to give up her cruel edge until she knew precisely what was going on. "Now, now, don't be hasty," the man teased. "Answer the question!" Aello hissed. "Testy testy," the man replied, as he pushed the top of Aello's bow away, easing it onto the floor of the boat, by their feet. He then turned to the seaman standing on the other wooden ledge of the boat, and just barely nodded his head. The man nodded back, and dipped his oar into the water. Stirring it, easing their ravosala away from the dock, and out into the center of the canal. "I asked you here so that we may have a little talk," the man finally continued, after they had traveled a short distance from their starting point. "Then start talking," Aello growled. The man chuckled, and stopped drumming his fingers. "In time my dear, in time." OOCSorry if this is a bit confusing, I've been favoring starting things in the middle of late.

[Aello]

Aello's eyes hardened as they stared into the awful cut-outs in the mask. Into the only bit of flesh she could actually see, save for his nostrils, and his blood red lips. She stared into his eyes, what little she could see, with the shadows the mask cast. "As you wish," she replied, somewhat reluctantly, an edge of ice still managing to make her way into her words. She took the time the man refused to speak to settle in. Placing her bag at her feet alongside her bow, taking the time to adjust her position upon her seat, and make herself more comfortable. To turn towards the masked man a little more, so that more of her slender form was exposed to his sight. So it would seem as though she were actually interested in him, what he had to say to her. After several chimes had passed, Aello broke the silence that hung between herself and the masked man. "Care to tell me why you invited me here?" she asked. "Your message said only that I was to come for a trip around the city, that you had something of interest to bring to my attention..." Aello allowed her voice to trail off purposely, in the hopes that the man would step in and fill in the blanks for her. Instead, he merely turned to face her, and curled his lips into a smile. "You know, this trip isn't exactly going to be a long one," Aello began, trying for another tactic. "We should probably start speaking now, lest we fail to finish before we return to the dock." The masked man chuckled. "You really are quite the impatient one... probably acquired that trait from one of your parents." At the mention of her parents, Aello's entire body tensed. Went rigid. Her muscles rippled beneath her flesh, and the veins that lingered beneath the flesh that stretched out across her neck became all the more prominent. Slender bright green lines ran down its length like a coursing river, hardly bulging, as the girl's right hand instinctually settled into a space directly above her cursed blade. "Answer, the bloody question," Aello growled, her anger scarcely contained. "What has brought the two of us together? Why ask me to come on this little journey down the lake with you?" The man chuckled again. "We have something in common Aello... many somethings, which can easily be reached if only, we bother to work together." The girl raised a single brow, waiting for the man to go on. "I'm listening," she hissed.

[Aello]

"You see, we both have an enemy in common," the man continued, as he picked up the pace of his drumming fingers. Aello eyed them idly, a part of her wishing he'd stop, for not only was the motion somewhat distracting, but it was getting both a bit tiring, and rather irritating. The man seemed to notice this, perhaps he discerned her feelings given her expression, for he brought his fingers to a grinding halt. Aello smiled weakly, as she cast her gaze back into his eyes. "I have many enemies," Aello commented, simply, her voice only marginally more neutral than before. "Of which one are you speaking?" The man's eyes glimmered. "The nuit." Aello's brow raised a little higher. "What is it you have against their kind?" she asked. "Many things, same as you. Although, the reason of our hatred for them differs. You see, you hate them because your goddess finds them abhorrent, and I hate them because we have a long history of unpleasant encounters, shall we say," the man explained. Aello lowered her brow. "Way to be vague," she muttered, under her breath. The man chuckled. "Wouldn't you care to ask how I have come to know this?" Aello sighed. "Is there a point to doing so? Either you have spied on me, and my companions, and know of my loyalty to Dira in that form, or you have some sort of magic which offers the information." Aello paused. "It matters not how you know, simply that you know..." The girl's voice trailed off for a time, allowing an uneasy silence to settle between Aello and the masked man. "Care to elaborate on why you detest the undead quite so much?" Aello finally asked. "They have a nasty tendency to foil my plans," the masked man replied. Aello simply nodded. "They do have a tendency to unbalance a great many things," she replied, simply. She paused for a few moments, as though considering his words, before continuing. "But what would you have each of us do about them?" Aello asked. "There are simply too many for us to rid this world of them. We would be killed trying, for sure. Sent into the very arms of the one who hates them so. The one who rules over death in truth." "I never said we'd be killing them... Well, at the very least, all of them," the man replied. "Then what were you suggesting?" Aello inquired.

[Aello]

"That we kill some of them. The most dangerous and difficult to be around of their kind... those who are looking for a new body to inhabit for a time. Someone's soul to steal," the masked man began. "That we let the rest live, but do our best to drive them from the city, through the use of various means." "Various means?" Aello asked. The man began to wave his hand a little, as he knocked various suggestions off the top of his head. "Oh you know, blackmail... scare tactics, give them small sums of money..." "You mean bribery?" Aello inquired. "If you wish to see it that way... Anyway, as you said, we couldn't rid the world of them. But we could get rid of a few. Those that pose a threat to the living. Those that we generally, don't like," the masked man continued. "Fair enough. I take it you have brought me along on this little boat ride because knowledge of my undying hatred for the undead has become something of legend?" Aello asked. "Or at the very least, talk of the town." The man nodded. "Something like that... and you do know the city rather well... and, I'm told, are rather deadly with that bow you carry around." Aello's lips curled into a slender smile. Her eyes sparkled. "That's true," she commented, before falling silent for several chimes. "So tell me stranger, which of the undead do you think we need to keep an eye on? Which of their kind do you think we should force to flee, and how?" The girl paused, "and my personal favorite, which do you think we should rid of this world this very instant?" The man chuckled. "There was another reason you have been asked to come along... you see Aello, we need you to take care of someone for us, as soon as you may. We'll be drifting by his house within a few minutes. Where we shall lay in wait for him. You are to destroy him before he destroys you. If you can, of course." Aello smiled weakly. "We?" The man shook his head, indicating that Aello should ask no further questions on that particular matter. "What has this nuit done, other than to merely exist, to warrant such a speedy... cessation to his pitiful existence?" she asked. Again, the man shook his head, bidding the girl to ask something else. "Do I get anything for this then, since you can't bloody take care of your own business yourself?" The man chuckled and shook his head. "No," he replied simply. Aello sighed. "Fine, but know this nuit only dies because my hands serve Dira, and she alone." The man chuckled once more before each fell silent. Listening only to the sound of the boatsman dip his oar into the water, propelling the ravosala forward.

[Aello]

The silence stretched out for several chimes, until a time in which the boatsman brought their ravosala to a halt, directly in front of a tall building crafted of dark wood. The wood seemed to have been finished, for it had this eerie glow about it whenever the light touched its surface. Its roof was on a slant which sloped upwards, the farther away it got from the front door, which gave Aello the impression that when it rained, all the water would pool onto the nearby street, and fall upon the head of anyone who wanted to poke their head outside. Two windows stood in the center of the building, which Aello knew had to be at least two stories, maybe even three. The windows were crafted of a thick glass, which seemed to absorb any nearby particle of dust, dirt, or other forms of grime, for they were so dirty, the girl could not so much as peer inside from where her boat rested. "Here we are," the masked man commented. Aello grunted. "Figured as much, considering we've stopped." The man chuckled again. "Cut that out, or I'll be forced to cut out your tongue," the girl growled. The man's chuckling came to a halt. "So now we wait," the masked one said. "Indeed... he should be easy enough to identify the nuit, no?" Aello asked. The masked man simply nodded. Aello turned to face the oarsman. "How stable is this ravosala?" Aello asked. "Will I be able to stand on it and shoot from here?" the man nodded. "Good," Aello commented, as she turned back to the masked man. "Just know you'll be the one retrieving the arrow that kills him," Aello growled. "Can't afford to be wasting things." The masked man's lips curled into a small smile. "We could always have my assistant fetch your things for you," he commented. Aello simply nodded as she eased herself onto her feet. "Best prepare, lest he come out sooner than we think," Aello commented, as she picked up her bow, and held it tightly in her left hand. The boat wobbled as the girl moved, as she took a deep breath in through her nose, and out through her mouth. This is no big deal. Unsuspecting nuit gets shot by a follower of Dira as she stands upon a ravosala not so far away... no big deal at all, she thought, as she stretched her right hand over her shoulder, and plucked a single raven-feather fletched arrow from her quiver. She held it delicately between her fingertips as she turned her bow onto its side, and then, laced the arrow onto the serving. When she heard a soft click, Aello knew the nock had taken to the string. She allowed the three middle fingers of her right hand to find the string, and hug the arrow. She inched it back, listening to the gentle creak. Aello lowered the point of her arrow, allowing it to be directed at a space just in front of her step. "Now, when he comes out, we shall be ready," the girl announced, annoyed that she had to wait at all. The masked man simply nodded. He was still amazed by how easily hatred for something could get anyone to do what he wanted.

[Aello]

Several chimes passed before anyone came out of the door. The figure that did was cloaked however, marring any clear view of him. This forced Aello to call her magic forth. For her pupils to dilate as her entire body seemed to shut down. She could no longer feel the beating of her heart. The rise and fall of her chest. Air being sucked into her lungs, and then released back into the universe. She couldn't feel the flow of her own blood as it coursed through her veins. Her pulse appearing in other portions of her body, areas beside her chest, such as her wrists and the side of her neck. She knew she was not breathing, no longer truly there. This is the one you have come for, the undead man that you seek. The one who you must bring down, in the name of your goddess. Send him into her arms, and she will be pleased... you shall be rewarded greatly for your aim. The shot that delivers him onto death... Aello's eyes sparkled as she raised her bow. As she closed her left eye and inched the string back, allowing it to creak all the more as it made its way past her right ear. The girl inched the tip of her arrow from left to right, trying to lock onto the nuit who was now closing his door. Got you, Aello thought as she moved her bow another fraction of an inch to the right, and then let go of the string. The arrow erupted from the bowstring, sending it into a series of rapid vibrations, which whacked the center of her left arm. The girl lowered her bow, and watched her arrow cut through the air, towards the undead. Aello's chest felt heavy as the arrow inched closer and closer to its mark. As the nuit moved away from his door, and her arrow lodged itself in a space a foot or so above the golden knob. Aello bit her bottom lip in frustration as she reloaded, as the feathers that fletched her arrow swayed in the wind. As the nuit looked up at her, as though surprised someone else was trying to kill him. Aello reached over her shoulder and plucked another arrow from her quiver, quickly reloaded, and raised her bow. Why isn't the nuit moving if someone is trying to kill him? Aello wondered, as two orbs of fire formed over his hands, and then, were hurled at her. Instantly, Aello pulled her teeth off her lips. "Get this boat to the dock now!" Aello hissed, as one fireball sizzled past her right shoulder, and another just above her head. The oarsman hesitated, "do it now!" Aello growled, which caused the man to hastily dip his oar into the water, and start steering the ravosala towards the shore. During this time, Aello raised her bow again. The nuit was pooling his res, preparing to start another fire. Aello inched her bow to the left, and pulled the bowstring back a little farther. She let go of the string, sending her arrow towards the nuit just as he hurled another fireball at her. The nuit ducked, allowing the arrow to lodge itself in the wall of the building behind him, as Aello stepped to the right, narrowly missing another fireball. Seconds later, the end of the ravosala clicked against the side of the dock. Hastily, Aello bent to grab her bag, and hurl it over her shoulder. Seconds later, she was running away from the masked man, over the length of the boat. Past the oarsman, and leaping towards shore. Her right foot met with solid ground again first, as the tip of the ravosala moved away from the shore with the force of the kick which propelled the girl forward. The girl was now standing on the street, facing the nuit, who was forming even more res. Her bow wasn't even loaded...

[Aello]

It seemed as though only a fraction of a second had passed before the nuit had managed to turn even more res into fire and hurl it towards Aello. The girl ziz-zagged as she ran for him, so that his magic would miss her. As she neared him, she pulled her cursed blade from concealment, and picked up her pace. Her belongings crashed into her back repeatedly with each step, as she drew her dagger out to the side, and then back in, in a wide arc. The nuit, either distracted by his magic, or unaccustomed to dagger fighting, failed to get out of the way. To anticipate the rudimentary attack. Thus, Aello's blade managed to rake across his chest, causing him to stumble back to the doorway, and then fall to the ground. Aello ran over to him, and bent down. Thrust her cursed dagger into his right shoulder. Splitting his already cracked skin, and spilling his ichor. Any res that had lingered in the air around him seemed to fade away into nothingness. The nuit grit his teeth as the pain of the wound sank into him. "Why'd you do that?" the nuit growled. "Because you are the undead, that which my goddess hates," Aello replied. "Why kill for him?" the nuit asked, as he pointed to the masked man. Aello growled. "Not for him, for Dira." "But we're friends..." "Friends?" Aello asked, as she tilted her head slightly to the side. The nuit nodded, and pointed to the masked man. His eyes were growing wide. Aello turned to find light refracting off a silver knife. A knife with a black handle. Aello ducked, allowing the knife to clatter against the door. The masked man cackled, and hurled another dagger at her. Aello sheathed her blade, and at the last second, lifted the nuit up and curled behind his body. Crouched low. The knife lodged itself in his left side. The nuit screamed as the masked man's laugh rang through the street. "Row faster!" Aello heard the man shout, as she peered up over the nuit's shoulder. Watched as the two men sailed away. Too far for her to get a clear shot. She looked down at the nuit. "Who the heck was that? And why is he leaving without finishing what he started?" Aello asked. "And why have me kill you when he could do it himself?" "Because he cannot risk being seen. Risk having his name known..." the nuit rasped. "But you know who he is," Aello said, as she watched the nuit's chest rise and fall. Hastily, she pulled the knife out of his chest, and tossed it uselessly away. The nuit nodded. "Then who is he?" "He is..." The nuit's body grew limp. His head lolled to the side. His eyes closed. "No!" Aello hissed, as she shook the undead man frantically with her free hand. "No! You can't die! You have to tell me who he is!" But there was no answer. For the undead had joined the deceased. OOCAfter the pain of the failure sinks in and tortures the girl, she would get her things and run away...

[Cantrip]

Did you want something? Aello: XP Award: Interrogation +1; Auristics +1; Shortbow +1; Dagger +1 Lores: Hunting Nuits; Shooting from a Ravosala; The Masked Man Additional Notes: I don’t have much to say. I thought you created a well-rounded story, which enough twists and turns, and an specter of mystery that made it easy to get hooked by. Poor Nuit.