Placeholder Four Leaf Clover [Pt.3]

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

76th of Spring 514AV The chirping of birds amidst the late Spring filled the air above Sunberth, the sky was clear yet dotted with the ivory fluff of clouds that drifted by, heading for Syliras. People had began to settle into the day by the tenth bell of morning as their souls finally began to wake, the streets littered with sleeping drunkards amongst those who were unfortunate enough to have not survived the former night. Senghor awoke to the sounds of the halls being filled with the loud clattering of glass and wood, the angry morning howls of the Benshira who's employ he was now in traveled from the kitchen to the rooms as he shouted at his kitchen staff, demeaning and demanding of them. The desert skinned warrior sat the foot of his temporary bed and looked down at the bandaged cuts on his skin, he peeled away the layer of fabric and saw the still raw cuts at his sides, yet now they'd began to heal as the skin slowly began to repair itself, the one on his arm was had already began to turn into a scab, the skin had already hardened in on itself and all that was left was for it to sink in back after it was peeled off. Seng ran his thumb along the slighty fresh scars for a moment, he was lost in the intricacies of them, so deep that he didn't even hear the banging on his door. It was when a voice from behind called out his name that he broke off from his trance, "Yeah?..." he asked the voice, clearly one of the guards. "Boss' calling for yer" he said, than the sounds of his footsteps leaving echoed behind him shortly after. This prompted Seng to prepare himself, he looked himself over and tightened his bandages, shrugging on his clothes and wasting a few chimes to find his boots. A click as the door closed behind was all that soon resounded in the halls as he turned and walked down the halls of his employers manor, the spacious fortress that housed mercenaries and killers as guards and watchmen. "Yes yes!, fuck man listen, go tell Jacobs that I'll see 'im in few bells from nuw!... Go yuu fuckin' idiot!" said the Benshira as Seng walked into the room, Yusis was talking a young man, a boy still in his teens by the looks of it. The boy nodded at the command given to him and walked way, leaving a disgruntled Yusis in his wake, the Benshira sat down and sat down by the large table and inclined his as he heard the footsteps of Seng, "Ah, luuk who's finally awake!" he said, turning back to the table which housed his breakfast, some eggs with meat, wine and sliced toasted bread. "Ai, ai, ai... Luuk at this shit, it's cold now" he said when he took a fork and plunged it into the meat only to push it away in disgust, he turned back to his bodyguard who'd raised his brow slightly and looked him over before speaking. "I want to send yuu to the... Pig's... Pig's... Pig's Feet tavern" he said, "Pig's Foot" Senghor corrected as he walked up to the table and took a seat, causing the Benshira to raise a brow. "Yea Yea whatever...." he said with a wave of his hand whilst turning away, mumbling something inaudible to Seng, "What'd you want there" Seng asked whilst looking at the foreigner who turned to him again. "I want yuu to get somethin' fur me" he said in a near whisper, bringing down his head lowly toward his bodyguard, "There's a man there, a shit old bastard named Malor" he whispered to Senghor who'd also down to listen to his employer. "What will I be getting?" he asked, "Doesn't matter!. Once you get there, get 'he package from 'im" the Benshira said as he leaned back, looking around the room of his manor, promptly Seng did the same and saw nobody else in the room beside themselves. Yusis was acting stranger than usual and his actions were only by the fact that his demeanour that days had been nothing but angry and uncivilized, just the previous night he was drunk as usual yet once one of the working girls there dropped a plate, he went berserk and struck her across the face. Were it not for Senghor intervening, the Benshira would have beat the poor girl again into unconsciousness, Seng had heard from one of the guards that yesterday that he'd done it before. "How'll I know who I'm looking for?" Seng asked, "He's one of the few old basturds in the Sunberth, stinks uf piss an shit, yuu'll know" Yusis replied, turning to call one of the maid-girls in the house, the girl walked in and much to Seng's surprise it was the girl that Yusis had hit the previous night, a purple bruise bulged slightly from her cheek. A pregnant silence hung in the room for a moment as she took the plates on the table, Seng could see that her hands shook in fear as she picked them carefully, she was scared of what might happen now that Yusis was sober, more violent and coordinated. A chime passed once nothing but the emptiness of her footsteps echoing filled the room did than that Seng stood up, luckily the table was had a fruit bowl, he took an apple and wiped it along his shirt to take a bite. Guess I better get going - he thought as walked out, "Wear some pants..." he said coldly before leaving the hall, finally telling Yusis what had been scratching at the back of his head since he'd walked into the room that morning, A chime or two later outside, Seng bit into the apple a few more time and threw it away as it was already finished. Senghor was a bit agitated by the fact that he had to walk to and fro the Pig's Foot, the walk would take him a three to four bells if he was walking at an average pace. Meanwhile... "Who hired you?" a graven voice asked, it held experience and tone of seriousness in it. "I... I... I dunno... I don't know okay!?" one replied, it was tired, weak and low, abused for hours it seemed. The man it came from was hanging from his wrists, naked and bound by rope and chain, bloodied and bruised from hours of torture, not from the man questioning him but from the hulking shadow that loomed behind him... "Sav, he's not talking..." the graven voice said figure behind him, it grunted and moved forward only to halted by the man, "But seeing as how he was able to be at Ruby's last night, cut his cock off" the man said, flatly with a commanding voice that tore through the torture chamber. The man hanging shook and writhed as he walked the man step out the shadows and tower over them both, his eyes wide in fear as his tongue loosened up, "Wa... Wait!... Wait!!... I'll talk, please!... I'll talk!!" "Sav, wait and let the man speak" the man behind the giant spoke, his hulking executioner stopping, the glitter of a butchers knife in hand reflecting what little light that came from the cracks within the walls and into the chamber. "H... He's name is Kaz... I don't... I don't know where he is now... But he was the one who ordered the raid... I was just a scout" the man confessed, he began telling them of what happened over a course of a few chimes. He told them that the young man was from Syliras and that he came to Sunberth with his friend, they gathered mercenaries from all over the city who were wanting to get rich quick and that the warehouse the man owned was filled with whatever they needed, all they needed to do was kill the guards and they'd be rich men after that. "Where is this Kaz now?" the shadowed man asked whilst looking at the trembling man with narrowed eyes, "I... I dunno... He disappeared... After he found out his friend was done in at the raid" the tortured said with a hang of his head, the shadowed stood there for a moment and kept his silence. "You're a good man, a very good man. And good men should be rewarded," he said, the grave manner of his voice unchanging. The tortured scout felt hope well up in his core and smiled as he began to utter thanks to his captor, "Thank you... Thank you ser..." "Aye, Sav?" the man asked as he looked up at the hulking figure, "Reward this man..." he said whilst he turned toward the door, "Feed him to the dogs..." he said coldly as he left the torture chamber, the stench of blood hanging heavily in it as it was now coupled by the howls of the captive, the scout who was to be fed to the dogs for their breakfast.

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

A sharp whistle tore through the manor that moment as the Benshira stood at the foot of the stairs, not long after, the audibly trudging clicking and clacking of horse shoes hitting on the pavement followed suit. As the coachman came from the stables he tugged firmly on the reins of the horses, the Benshira looked up at him, the glare of the sun in his eyes as sharp as blades and causing him to squint indefinitely, "Yuu know where tu take me, 'kay?" "Yes ser!" the coachman replied with a nod of his head and a tighter tug on the leather reins, "Les go than!" Yusis barked as he opened the carriage door and disappeared into it. The coachman tugged on the reins once again, with a raise of his arms and sharply brought them down, like a crackle of a whip across the body of the horses they began to move with a fluid pace down along the pavement of the manor and dipping into the streets of Sunberth... The Pig's Foot Tavern... Was not having the most eventful afternoon, it seemed that most of it usually patrons were still out and about making ends meet so they could visit the vista later that day. For a bell and near twelve chimes Seng had sat there in the tavern waiting for someone who had no intention of showing up. A scowl formed on the lips of the desert skinned mercenary as he sat there, counting the ticks going by in his head. A tick no farther and the doors of the Pig's Foot Tavern parted with a ear grabbing sigh and moan, a figure entered with the sound outside world at his back, he was an elderly man, he wore a heavy black robe with a leather belt wrapped around his waist, his stride was slow and methodical, his face was riddled with wrinkles which carved at each contour, a large nose and grey hair that was warily unkempt. Malor had a pegged stench about him, Yusis had seemingly exaggerated on it but it was a stench that was there, it was a mixture of herbs and manure somewhat, very distinctive as it rose from him and hung in the air. As the old came by and sat by the mercenary, it was clear that Yusis had informed him about who to meet just as Seng was. "Ahhh..." he cackled with a low, wise and jagged tone. He dug into the sleeves of his robes and pulled out a pipe, some herb nestled in the hollow cut wood, "Do you have a light?" the old man asked the mercenary who shook his head. A look of disappointed blessed the face of the old man as he put his hashpipe on the wooden table of the tavern, his eyes turned suspicious for a moment as his wrinkles pulled and he looked around the nigh-empty tavern, a few faces who'd already lost interest seemed occupied with their own devices that moment caused the man to dig into his sleeves again. A vial slid across the table and into the palm of Seng, he clasped it dearly and for a spilt tick gazed down at it, it being a small thick vial of a heavy liquid, a mash of green dotted with black, "There you go, worked on that one just last night" Malor said lowly to the mercenary, his milky eyes gleaming slightly with pride. "Two drops in food will do it, just two and all her suffering will end... albeit slowly" he said with another cackle coming from his curled lips, with those words any fool would know what the man was talking about. It's poison - he thought deeply whilst turning to the old man once again with a dead glare. "I'm not paying you for this," Seng said coldly, "Beh!... You couldn't afford it" the old man replied with another cackle, it was laced with a bit of fun and insult but Seng could hear it quite well, "Tell that there boss of yours to come visit again, my pouch and I will be quite glad to do business with him again" "Yeah, I'm sure..." Seng said as he stood up, the cackle of Malor seemingly following him as he walked out the tavern, the vial of poison fell into the heart of his pocket as he walked onto the street, it was a bit more lively at that time. What's this bastard doing with Poison - Seng asked himself as he turned down the street, his nose suddenly caught the stench of vomit and alcohol momentarily causing him to incline his head toward it, it came from a young man, he wore light armour and seemed to be unconscious from drink and fatigue yet that was quickly disapproved when he stirred and began crying, he mumbled the name of someone that Seng had never heard of nor did he care, this caused the mercenary to remember that he too was once in such a slump. The boy continued to mumble to himself and Seng decided to continue on with his stride back to the manor, he felt that he didn't have to intervene, not today. He looked down along the road and spat, thinking of how his employers always seemed to make him something of an errand boy... After few bells... The manor became more so productive, the guards were calling in for their lunch break and were lounging about as if they weren't being paid, a very sober Yusis poured himself some wine into the a glass and looked out at the shutters of his library, he never used it as he couldn't read but it came with the manor and Jacobs had always stressed that he must learn how too, but he never did. As he looked out the shutters and watched his workers lounge about, he began to wonder why he was filling their pockets with his gold, his lips parted to bark yet he was cut short by the sound of the doors of the library opening. Into the large room Seng stepped in and he looked at the man, an enigma who'd come from nowhere to come work for him, thoughts of doubt began to cloud his mind momentarily as Senghor closed the door, "Did yuu get it?" he asked, it was the most civil manner that Senghor had seen coming from the Benshira. Yusis and sobriety weren't friends, nor did they seemed to have a close relationship but on that day it seemed they had a close partnership. Seng looked around the library and saw something out of place, it was a rack which was covered over by a cloth, he could see the outline of whatever was underneath. Must have finally taken his protection seriously - the mercenary thought as he turned to the Benshira. "Yeah, I got it" he said he dug into his pocket and pulled out the vial of liquid poison, "He said two drops in food, and only two drops..." Seng repeated what the old man had told him. "Guud, guud..." Yusis said as he walked up to Seng and snatched the vial from him, "I paid guud money fur t'is!" he said, his monstrous bark returning as he looked at his bodyguard who's lack of questions about the vial only fed the Benshira's paranoia...

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

"I've sumething fur yuu..." the Benshira said as he inclined his head toward the rack by the wall, the poison vial had disappeared into his pocket and the wine glass was placed the table. His hands tightly grasped the cloth and he ripped it off to reveal a set of leather armour, it was black with slightly spiked studs at on the shoulder piece, leather straps and belts ran across the chest area whilst also one ran along the front of the abdomen to the back where a dagger could be holstered, the straps along the back led to the sheath fastened there, a tight leather pants piece whilst a thick thigh seemed to come with the armour with a pair of black boots sitting at the base of the rack. "I... I can't accept this," Senghor said as he looked at the leather piece, the armour was beautiful, dark in nature yet light, durable and simple and from all observation it gave off a grim atmosphere, its price was only debatable as it bordered from cheap or not, only Yusis knew in that area. "Nonsense, yuu're my protector, yuu need tu luuk the part!" he said, commanding whilst stating the obvious, this caused Seng be unsure at what he was doing, working for the Benshira would have obviously had its time limit yet with this act, the man was only making things difficult. Working for him whilst wearing what he bought bonded the mercenary to the Benshira, it meant that he was now in his permanent employ and Seng didn't like that one bit. Whilst he stood for a few ticks the Benshira became impatient and began barking once again, Senghor scowled as he walked up to the set and heard the doors of the library click behind Yusis. A few chimes passed with the sounds of clicking and movement coming the room, Yusis looked at the doors of the library open up and Senghor stepping out, he tightened the grip of that gloves and tightly fastened the belts, "Hugs tight..." he muttered lowly as he felt it stick to him like a second skin, the grim set was truly light and warm, it held onto him, it was flexible and allowed for swift movement, drawing his sword from the sheath at the back would be as simple as drawing it from his side. "Hugs well..." he said to himself as tightened his belts a bit more and brought his hand to the back, the dagger holstered there could also be swiftly held, drawn and holstered back. Seng wasn't one to admit to many things yet he could admit that he was liking this set of armour. The darkness of it, the grim nature of it all was commanding, serious and unpure, it was what all mercenaries needed basically, "Guud!, Guud!... Now yuu luuk like a protector!" the Benshira exclaimed as he walked up to Seng, patting him down to see how he was and how the feel of it was. "Now we mus' gu, Jacobs is waitin'!" the man said solemnly, after working for Yusis for the past days he'd forgotten about Jacobs, dealing with the Benshira was a handful and to be reminded that there was someone else, someone above him was just unsettling. "Where will he be?" Seng asked, "He's waitin' fur me at his place, I'd much rather gu tu Ruby's ofcourse!" he stated obviously whilst turning toward the halls and out of the house, Senghor followed suit behind the man. The two stood at the base of the stairs and Yusis raised his hand, one of the guards whistled on his behalf and the carriage came trudging along to the foot of the stairs. With a pull of the reins the coachman ceased the horses and the mercenary walked down with his employer. "So this Jacobs, have you known him long?" Seng asked whilst entering the carriage behind the Benshira, that question seemed to let off a spark in Yusis, "Arrgh!, 'he old bustard thinks I owe 'im my life!, always treatin' me like shit!..." he shouted whilst angrily banging on the wood of the carriage which began to move soon after. "Must be quite the guy," Seng said lowly whilst feeling the sway of the carriage along the roasted as it moved down the streets of Sunberth. Blissfully the ride was silent and had no complaints coming from the Benshira, he seemed so consumed by is thoughts the entire trip that he seemed like a different person. Sobriety with him showed the different dimensions of the man that employed Seng, it reflected on how the effects of alcohol and heavy drug use changed a man, Yusis seemed like a man who lived in the moment and nothing less, yet there he was deeply contemplating on something... It made Seng wonder what it was, what was going through the head of that man?... A bell later... "We're here!..." announced the coachman as he held the reins of his horses and entire carriage come to cease, Yusis was the first to step out as always, followed once again by Seng, "By Lhex..." was all he uttered lowly as he turned to look at the manor, it was nothing short of being a fortress, it had more guards than Yusis had braincells, it seemed that after the raid at the warehouse, Jacobs had heightened the number of guards at his place and the warehouse itself. He had men adorned in armour, some heavy and some light and none of them were sloppy like the men that guarded Yusis' place. Seng realised that Jacobs was the man who truly held the power between the two of them, Yusis could try but he contend with the man, whoever he was. Jacobs manor was slightly larger than Yusis', yet it was also modest and held an air of maturity and power, it was of a man who suited the title of a leader and a methodical killer at the same time, the compound was dry, stiff and serious. It was also quiet, not even the sounds the city bothered the manor... "C'mon, les gu... He's waitin'..." Yusis spat, obviously showing the dislike for the man who held more power than him...

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

Jacobs' knife dug into the flesh, it was tender, easily cut as he ran the blade along and into it, blood rose from the wound as he jerked his hand along the meat whilst digging his fork into the steak, once again it was done how he liked it, not raw yet moderately cooked at the fire, he enjoyed the silence just as he enjoyed the taste of fire and smoke that marinated the slab of meat. It was silent in his hall as he ate alone, to his thoughts and his plans, "Jacobs, yuu old bustard yuu!" chimed in Yusis as he entered the house, "Get out 'ere!?" the callous Benshira called over, breaking more the man's silence. He stopped eating and pushed the chair back, the handkerchief on his lap went up into his hand to wipe off any food around his lips, already the meandering voice Yusis was tiring him, aging him faster than he wanted to. He stepped out of the room and inclined his head toward the hulking bodyguard that stood there, motionlessly, stiffly and attentively, "Sav, come along" he said, his wise voice commanding prompting a nod from the giant man who followed behind him. Senghor entered in behind Yusis and was met in by a grant hall, large than that of the Benshira's manor yet articulately modest as it wasn't filled with nonsensical trinkets and flora, there was an echo of footsteps coming for ahead, at the base of a set of small stairs at had a connected to a a walkway that met two passages that parted into the east and west wings of the manor. A voice came from the right passage, "I told you not to make a noise in my house" it commanded, halting all of Yusis' childlike mannerisms. Seng watched as a man stepped out of the hall onto the base of the stairs, he was a man edging into his late fifties, he was rigid and moderately fit, a few wrinkles adorned his face yet it was the scars that ran along some points on his skin that showed that the man was battle hardened veteran, he had a sharp nose and dark eyes that complemented his neatly cut fair hair, he wore a something of a leather robe that fell down to his knees yet opened up like a jacket, a pair of black pants and leather boots, a belt wrapped around his waist and from the precise meticulous stride of the man he seemed far beyond the capabilities of a killer. Seng paused an looked at the man, but it was his shadow that caused him to step back warily. Behind the average man walked out a behemoth who even dwarfed Seng in height, muscle and intimidation, the man stood a seven feet - two inches, compared to Seng's much leaner body type, he was massive, a mountain of pure muscle and tight flesh, he wore no armour and that only made Seng fair more wary of him... Sav was a giant man with a darkened stubble and black hair, he was far taller, bulkier and intimidating than Seng, he had a ravaged yet rigid face and his eyes dipped into the shadow of his forehead so Seng couldn't tell what color they wore, a massive chest that proudly stood like iron whilst each of his arms were the big like steel, to exaggerate, his each individual one of his legs could be compared to three Eleazar's, after they'd gained weight. "What'd they feed you man?..." Seng uttered a common phrase in a whisper only heard by him, to say that he was intimidated by the seer size of the man would be an understatement, yet looking at him and his state of fitness only meant that he wasn't just big, but still held some speed to him. "Yuu want'd me 'ere, now I'm 'ere what's the problem?" Yusis asked, his voice seething with arrogance whilst he walked up stairs, a smile seemed to grace his face as he hugged the older man who shortly didn't return the gesture, "Business..." Jacobs coldly said as pushed the Benshira away a few short ticks after. "Argh, yuu an yuur business!" Yusis spat as he looked into the eyes of the older man, "Oh befure I furget!... Jacobs, 'hat t'ere is Senghor... Senghor is my protector!" he said with a laugh whilst turning back to the mercenary, Jacobs didn't even take notice of the mercenary and turned back to whisper into the ears of the Benshira. "Let's go continue this conversation my study" he said after a few ticks, the mood the room at that moment turned inevitably cold as Jacobs led Yusis away to his study, Sav followed suit prompting Seng to do the same, though his footsteps less audible than the other bodyguard. The party walked down a hall for a moment and came to cease when Jacobs told Sav to stand by the door, he and Yusis disappeared in the man's study after that and Senghor walked up to the silent giant as he stood by the door with his arms folded. Seng posted himself opposite the wall and looked up at the man, for the second time in his life he'd met something or someone that was taller than him, it was a terrifying thought. Behind the dark veil that hid the bodyguard's eyes, Seng could make sure whether he was being looked at or if the the man was in his own world. No words between the two men were exchanged after that... Meanwhile... Jacobs sat the Benshira down on a chair and placed his hands upon the man's shoulder, this was clearly uncomfortable for Yusis as he squirmed slightly in his seat, "Do you know what's happening at the warehouse at this moment?," Jacobs' grave voice deeply pierced into the cold room in question, "I... I dunno... Whut?" The older man tightened his grasp onto his right-hands shoulders, "My gold is being wasted because I had to get more guards... More men equals more equipment... Which equals less gold for me!" the articulate man said through grit teeth, "And do you know why?" "Wh..." "Because a piece of dirt like you couldn't keep his cock in his pants when he was Syliras, that's why!" the older man said as he slapped Yusis on the back of the head angrily, prompting swears to mumble off the Benshira's tongue, "Whut are yuu talkin' abuut?" "That raid the other night, it wasn't because some chancers wanted to get rich quick. No... It was because whoever sent those men wanted you dead!, which means that whoever they were wanted me dead" Jacobs said as he paced toward his seat that sat across the table, facing Yusis....

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

"Whut du we du 'bout 'hem 'han?" Yusis quipped, "We find whoever this Kaz is and kill him, that's what you do!" "I've heard 'hat name befure... But 'here?" Yusis asked himself lowly whilst looking down at the table, "He's from Syliras and with all the atrocities you've committed there, he seems to be one of those who came back to haunt you" Jacobs said whilst clasping his palms together and leaning into his seat. The thought didn't settle well with Yusis as he leaned in and looked up at the man, "'here's he?" the Benshira asked solemnly, the look on his face had changed and turned cold, his eyes were sharp with the deadly... Meanwhile... Seng stared down the massive bodyguard of the true boss, Sav done the same with a stare that would have made any man crumble and however intimidated Seng was, however fast his heart was beating and thundering like a humming-bird he knew that he had to stand his ground. "I'didn't know the boss was hirin' women as bodyguards now" Sav grunted with a cackle slipping from his dry lips, his shadowed eyes looking down at Seng, "Say that again and you'll turn you into one" Seng spat back, his eyes seething with anger at the remark. "You heard me, lil'girl" Sav tossed back, his words seemingly poking at Seng, "How'bout I get you a skirt and som' panties, make you my lil' bitch" "How about I cut you up and make you one instead?!" Senghor flung back remarks, he inched closer to the behemoth angrily and so did Sav, Seng brought his hand back toward the hilt of his dagger and emitted something akin to a growl, "Wha'd you say, lil' bitch?" Sav pressed on with his massive hands clenched. The door of the study clicked open with a moan, Jacobs and Yusis both stepped out with an air of gloom hanging over their heads. Sav stirred from his stiff post, "Sav, come who've business to attend too" Jacobs said as he turned toward the giant man ending the oncoming fight between him and Seng. "Yusis... Get it done, and return here when it's finished" he said, prompting a nod from the Benshira, both men parted ways with their bodyguards. As Seng and Yusis went back toward the carriage, the dark skinned mercenary mumbled to himself angrily, in his mind was forming a thousand and one ways to cut down that massive bodyguard and he was sure that his counterpart was doing the same wherever he was. "Aye Senghor!" Yusis called, snapping the mercenary back to his senses, "I've somethin' fur yuu tu du?" "So what does the boss want?" Seng asked, referring indirectly to Jacobs, "I want yuu tu gu kill a man..." Yusis said, he and Seng waiting for the carriage at the foot of the stairs, Don't you always? - Seng thought whilst turning to the sounds of the carriage trudging toward them. "H's name's Kaz, Jacobs says he's at that tavern yuu like goin' tuu" the Benshira said as he stepped into the carriage, "How will I know who I'm looking for?" Seng asked, "Yuu'll know, easy tu sput. When yuu're done, come to Ruby's, with h's head!" Yusis said... "I'm not an assassin you know?" Senghor reminded the Benshira, "But yuu work fur me, so... Get workin'" he reminded Seng flatly, he knocked on the wood of the carriage and the carriage began to trudge toward the whorehouse. "You've got to be fucking kidding me?" Senghor said as he watched the carriage depart, he kicked up some dirt with his hands on his hips. It was a long walk to the Pig's Foot... I better get a horse for all this bullshit work - Seng thought darkly as he began his stride toward the Pig's Foot Tavern. The Pig's Foot Tavern... As the night bloomed from the yoke of the dipping sun, whilst all the stars in the heavens seemed to dot the dark cold sky with a childlike carelessness, the booming haven for Sunberthians was once again at the reins of business that night. When one turned to a table, they would be met with sailors that had come deeper into the city to get a taste of what made the tavern so healthy and popular, their ruffian tendencies clear with the way they attacked. At another table, Braga's girls were at work, coaxing the dimmer sort to spend their gold on them, the girls clearly utilizing their bodies to tease anyone who gave them a stare. Most of the tables were occupied, with the usual sort, killers, mercenaries, sailors, prostitutes, all safe within the walls of the tavern yet at one table, ale and tears were a mixture of a usual kind as a young man looked into his drink to find his failure. Kaz had fallen, his expenses were dry and that there was his last drink in Sunberth, the mercenaries he'd paid had soon dispersed after the failed raid and at the death of their friends they told him that they wouldn't dare try something like that again, in truth only a handful of them were left anyway. From Syliras and Sunberth, all those years of planning, tracking and spending just disappeared all in one night, with Jaca dead, depression consumed the young man and after the first night of finding salvation at the bottom of a tankard it seemed that that's all he did now, he awaited Dira and her pale bosom to suffocate him, for death was all he needed... "Jaca..." Kaz whispered to himself, the ale touched the back of his tongue and flowed down his throat, numbing his senses, numbing his pain...

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

As the shadows crept into the tavern, aided by the flickering of candlelight and the mood of the tavern, the golden brown eyes of Seng watched from the shadows of a corner devoid of light. The mercenary had sat there for the past bell, his eyes looking at each one of the patrons that came and left and none of them were whoever this Kaz were. How am I meant to find someone without a description?, what kind of bullshit is that!? - Seng thought angrily at his predicament, Yusis was out whoring and drinking whilst he sat there in the tavern looking for someone akin to a ghost. Yet his ghost seemed to become flesh after a few chimes later at the tavern, amongst all the patrons there, there was one which seemed to have never left, he stared into that tankard for so long that he was who took Seng's intrigue, the young man had a sword at his side and wore lightly, he was actually wearing similar armour that the spear wielding raider at the warehouse seemed to have worn, it was the same kind, if not darker in colour. Must be the guy I'm looking for - Seng thought as he leaned forward slightly and looked at the young man from the shadows, the kid seemed to be mumbling into his drink, obviously drunk, or maybe deep in thought. If only Seng could read lips than maybe he'd decipher what he was saying. It took a few chime for him to pass by his drink and stand up, his head hung low, a few gold miza's fell onto the table as payment and he left out the doors of the tavern, deep into the encroaching sonnet of darkness and death. Meanwhile... Yusis, the Benshira looked into the eyes of the man seated in front of him with a smirk on his face, on the table golden mizas were spilled out enticingly from the stomach of the pouch that'd even hunched over from the sheer gold itself, "Du we hav' a deal?" the Benshira asked leaning back into his seat. After a few chimes of contemplating, a simple nod from the man slipped from him and the deal was sealed, all they had to do now was wait for the right day. On the street of Sunberth... Down the narrow streets that dipped into the apartments of the Sunset Quarters, Kaz walked down with a seemingly tipsy step to him, he was quiet and the stench of drink seemed to ferment off his very being, at his side was his longsword, the one Jaca had bought him a few seasons after they met, the moonlight elongated his shadow and that of the man following behind him... With a sharp turn into the next street, the young Sylirian man kicked the dirt beneath his feet and began running, running for his life, running from the death that he had welcomed naught a few chimes ago back at the Pig's Foot. His breath was heavy, laced thickly with alcohol and fatigue as he kept to his run forward into a more silent area, a more desolate part of the city, Seng followed behind like a predator stalking its prey, yet he wasn't sure whether the prey was the right one or not, it was matter of chance. As the young man turned another corner and disappeared into another street, he too done the same, only to be met with the tip of a longsword grazing at his armour right by his abdomen, "What'd you want!?... Who sent you!?" the young man asked, his voice bordering between sadness and rage. Seng paused, his heart leapt into his throat for a moment as he edged at death's door for a moment yet as soon as he saw the eyes of the young man, the young man who he had met before. At the Pig's Foot earlier today, he was the drunk mumbling to himself outside the tavern - Seng thought, recognizing a few features that returned from his subconscious, the boy was truly a mess, far worse than Seng had initially thought, from his hair down to his feet the signs of defeat were mapped on him well, anybody could see that. "You know who sent me, and you know what I want," Seng solemnly said, his own voice now laced with a piqued anger as he brought up his hand and held the hilt of his longsword, feeling the tip of the young man's own press farther into the armour with each inch his hand came closer to the blade. "Yusis!?... Or was it Jacobs?," he asked as he looked up at Seng, his eyes soon alight in realization, "Y.. You... You're the one, you're the one who killed him!, you're the one who killed my friend!" the young man barked, he retracted his arms slightly to thrust, yet Seng took the opening and lunged back narrowly missing the sting of the longsword. His own sword slipped from its sheath and he held the blade in both hands, whilst bending his knees to lower himself to meet his opponent, his legs parted and he loosened the tightness of his wrists. Kaz lunged forward, his sword arched from the head downward and hit into Seng's sword, who switched pose with his attack coming from the young man. As the sword came from the side and Seng deflected it, he was impressed at the young man's fight style, it wasn't amateurish nor was it mastered due to the drink taking hold yet it was a combinations of parries and blocks, followed by arching swaps and thrusts. He'd learnt the style from someone who knew the longsword well and whoever they were they be impressed deeply as Seng was with the exchange. How can he fight so well, he's fucking drunk! - Seng thought as he stepped back other evade a thrust followed suit with an arch, and caused Seng to evade out the way with a sidelunge. When his feet touched the ground, his wrists loosened and he done a pirouette, bringing down the blade onto the young man with force, Kaz brought up his sword to parry yet didn't expect Seng to turn on the offensive, a violent and aggressive offensive. Senghor repeated rose and brought down his sword, with each attacked some wind was knocked out both him and his opponent, yet he hopped that the alcohol and fatigue would work on his side and wear down the young man even more, and it did... With one final pirouette, he brought down his sword onto that of his opponent and knocked it from his hands. It slipped from his palms and soon after he felt a blunt pain stab into his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. Seng had reeled forward and brought his knee into the young man's stomach, one of his hands slipped from the hilt of his longsword and planted itself of the young man's face, shoving him forward so he could step back. Both winded and one disarmed, it didn't take long for words to be exchanged, "So... You're goin' to kill me now, aren't you?," the young man asked, his gaze furtive, "Seems so..." Seng replied darkly. "Why did you do it?, why did you kill Jaca?, why did you kill my friend?," "He gave me no choice.." Seng lied, the grip on his longsword tightening, whether it was the moonlight or his own mind playing tricks on him, glittering streaks trailed down the young man's cheeks "He has a little sister... And you took him away from her, from us!" "He gave me no choice..." Seng pressed, his jaw clenching at the realization of what he'd done, "The men you work for... Jacobs and Yusis... They're scum!, and when they're done with you, they'll do what they alway do. They will kill you..." Kaz sobbed. "Give me a reason not to do the same," Seng edged, looking at the young man with an intrigue, "Yusis... That bastard, that bastard you called your boss killed my family!, he slaughtered them all... All because my sister didn't give herself to him!," "He raped my mother, my sister and when he was done... When he was done, he slit their throats!, I was only fifteen when I watched it happen. And now because of him, because of men like you, become of men like Jacobs who support that piece of shit, I lost someone I thought of as a brother!... Elia..." he whispered the name, the name of the little girl... "She's only twelve, and because of you, because of Yusis... She'll lose everyone important to her!" Kaz spat with sadness laced with anger, anger toward everything that had transpired until that moment, "No... She won't" Seng said as he slung his longsword back into its sheath, he didn't know why he couldn't do it, nor what edged him too. Maybe when the young man spoke, he reflected the very things that happened in Sunberth every single day, maybe it was to break the cycle of a dark and twisted game or maybe, it was the orphans, whenever Seng had went to see Noven there, all those young faces were lost, all of them with a future unkind and unwanted... "Leave Sunberth... Disappear from this place because if I catch wind of you, I will not be this kind..." Senghor said, his voice carrying threats and truths that he knew he would have to execute if the a chance was given, "B... But why?..." Kaz asked, looking at the mercenary. "I... I don't know..." Seng said in a near whisper, his eyes shadowed by the position of the moonlight. A few ticks passed and the footsteps of Kaz fell beside Seng, "Let me get a look of your face," he asked, turning to look at the broad features, dark hair and dark eyes of the lean young man... A few chimes with Senghor standing there, before he turned around to look through the alleyways of Sunberth, the streets were littered with bodies, and to find someone similar to the young man would be a task in on itself...

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

It wasn't the smell of lust that filled the air nor was it that of sweat laced with ecstasy that made Ruby's a popular establishment for rich scum such as Yusis, it was truly what it was because secretly it was rich scum such as Yusis that made deals and made money in such in the walls of the 'sanctum'. Yusis sat upon a large couch, he reclined into the seat savoring his sex-ridden, bloodied hand betrothened life for a moment, he enjoyed the wealth, money and power and any man within the confines Sunberth wouldn't want anything less if they were him. A knock on the door brought the drunk Benshira back to the grim reality of existence, turned his head to the door and called out, asking who it was. "It's me," Seng replied, the tone of his voice flat and laced with annoyance. "Aye!, Com'in Senghor!" he exclaimed, standing from his seat in a drunken stupor whilst rearing his entire body at the opening of the door, the tall mercenary walked in, slung over his shoulder was a sack, the saturation of dirt had removed it of the colour it once harbored, its former state lost to a now murky, thick crimson-brown bag. Yusis staggered over toward Seng as he shut the door behind him, "Is 'hat 'im?" inquired the Benshira as he looked at the sack at Seng's back before looking up at the mercenary. Senghor nodded and presented the sack to him, spilling the singular content within. A severed head rolled upon the carpet of Ruby's, lacing its threads with the blood of an unknown young man, he had dark hair, dark eyes and broad features like Kaz, yet clearly their were strikingly different features, the head that Seng had was that of a slight older man, a few wrinkles tightened his skin and he had a scar running along his jaw. Yusis starred at the head intensively, as if he remembered how the boy looked like and that the head before him didn't belong to who he'd sent Seng to kill. The drumming with the confines of Seng's chest as Yusis knelt down to inspect the head hummed deafeningly in his ears, his breath began shallow as he watched the Benshira stand up and look up him. "Guud jub, very guud!", the drunk Benshira exclaimed as he tapped armoured chest of Seng, it was than that Seng realised that Yusis was so drunk he'd have believed him nonetheless, even if he'd brought him the head of an animal. Thank Lhex for drunks - Senghor thought as he watched Yusis around and plop himself back into his seat. "Now we celebrate!" he said heartedly, leaning into the table before him to get a bottle wine, Seng could only look at the disgusting, vile depraved Benshira as he knelt down to pick up the head, the man's eyes were shut, whoever he was he was, wherever he was, Seng was glad that he found him dead already in the bowels of Sunberth's inner alleys. To Seng it seemed that the man expired not too long ago, a day or two before Senghor found his corpse and picked the body part that Yusis ordered to have. As Seng put the head back into the sack, he heard Yusis wave for him to come join him, to get drunk as a pair of Ruby's finest would come entertain them that night. Senghor declined the offer, whatever code of morality he'd affirmed him to decline, though common to the routine of severed limbs, violence, drink and sex, at that moment it seemed that something clicked in his head, he wondered whether the path he'd chosen was truly worth such vile acts of human depravity? He soon scoffed off the thoughts entirely, it wasn't the time nor the place to delve into such things. After he told Yusis that he'd be waiting for him outside when the Benshira was done, he only got a hand waving him off, Yusis wasn't pleased by the fact that Seng declined his offer. When Seng took his post outside the door of the private room, the sack at his side by the door with him, he watched as a pair of beautiful girls walked passed and into the room, they were nearly bare and exhumed the very essence of lust. He dipped his head in recognition and leaned into the wall, liking that his armour kept his shoulder blades from being cold. He looked down at the set that Yusis had bought for him and admired its rigidity, its morbid sense of presence and somewhat cyclopean authenticity, the dark of the blade went well with his profession, a harbinger of death and violence it seemed to portray without much crass. His ears soon quite the all too familiar sound of false moans and all too real groans, he shrugged it off and waited, and wait he did...

[Senghor Vilhjalmr]

'Wine?' Jacobs asked as he poured himself a glass, Senghor declined the offer as he took a seat across the boss' table. 'Ah, professional to the last day. Not many hired killers are as professional as you are. It seems that nowadays the banner under your profession is raised highly by drunks and one-time killers. Take that guard before you, Elrich, an oaf that would quicker raise his axe than raise his intellect.' said the veteran as he sat down and took a sip of the vermilion honey. 'I see Yusis bought you some armour, he must trust you. Though the idiot that he is, he has a tendency to trust anyone who saves his life.' Jacobs drawled. 'You speak lowly of him. I'd expected otherwise.' 'You brought him back here didn't you? A drunken mess, prideful and arrogant. I took that boy from poverty and made something of him and how does he repay me? He rapes and kills. If it wasn't for me, the Syliran knights would have hung that bastard and forgotten him.' Jacobs spat angrily as he took a gulp of his wine before slowly pouring himself another. 'A bit ambitious isn't him?' Senghor said sarcastically, fueling the fire burning within Jacobs. 'Ambitious? You're ambitious my boy. He - ambitious isn't the world for him, once maybe but now... He's nothing but an animal.' 'Was he even ever human?' grunted Seng. A chuckle left the lips of the veteran as he looked at the desert skinned mercenary; he saw something of his own reflection within his eyes, once - he was like him. Ambitious, strong and hungry to conquer the world. 'I like your attitude my boy. Keep working under me and I'll make you a very rich man, I'll make you so rich you'll own a place like this one day. You know, I built this little empire of mine with nothing just like you, a hired-killer scraping at the dirt of men greater than me. But over time with hard work and a few bodies. I built all that you see here today.' 'Yusis told me the same thing and I've yet to be actually paid. I don't care who between you two I'm working for, as long as its for the right price and keeps my pouch full - I could be working for your enemies. It's all a matter of coin.' Senghor corrected. He looked at the man grimace momentarily and suddenly smirk. 'I work to survive. Whatever riches come my way are simply a matter of luck and fate. If I end you rich like this, thank the gods. If not, thank the gods.' 'And here you are. Working for me...' Jacobs said, drinking his vermilion nectar. 'Killing my enemies. Thank the gods.' 'Your price just happened to be right. Thank the gods.' Senghor murmured. 'I must congratulate you on dealing with our pest infestation, Yusis sent a page my way and told me you were handling it. I hope went as it should have?' Senghor nodded, 'They were nothing I couldn't handle on any other day. They'll never bother you anymore. Now if you may, I need my sleep. My boss tends to be quite a nuisance when coming down from a hangover.' Jacobs smiled at the news and felt the weight upon his shoulders leave him, he spoke with calm tone as he watched the desert skinned mercenary leave his study. 'Well done. You will be duly paid for your services my boy.' 'Keep working for me. And I will make you a very rich man. Very rich.'

[Amrita]

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