Noise and Shadows (Closed)

[Chamaeleon]

Spring 15th, 512 AV


When compared to Syliras, Sunberth was even worse than a dirty slum. It was a cesspool for the poor, the violent, and the needy. The people who lived here would not have been welcome in Ravok, where a man with irons could slap a person with the status of slave on sight. These people would have been forgotten in Syliras but for the guards who would eye them distrustfully.

All of this Chamaeleon would have thought, had she known this part of the world in her memories. For her, though, Sunberth was a new place to explore. The people glaring out of alleys were beasts to be catalouged. The rats were, of course, unpleasant, but she felt that she was more than a match for them with the venom in her fangs. She firm't consider diseases that the rodents may carry. That was beyond her, currently.

The pony she led, laden with the Ethaefal's meagre luggage, allowed itself to be guided deeper into the violent city by the seemingly Symenestra girl that led it. It's ears were pinned back slightly, but other than that it seemed rather ignorant of its surroundings.

Chamaeleon's violet eyes darted around the alley mouths. Even if her mind firm't recognise danger, her Symenestra memories having no memory of being ever in danger herself, her instincts were Sharp enough to tell her to remain wary, although for what reason she may never know. Sunberth was a dangerous city and instincts could be all that keep her safe.

[Neshassadassamo]

Dassamo leaned against the wall of an alleyway, swinging the dart end of the death-head stick in a slow circle. He had stashed his pack in an out of the way place not too far from here, in a place where it wouldn't be found, so it wouldn't hinder him if he needed to move quickly.

The reason he was here, waiting for someone to walk past was...complicated. He didn't really need the money. He wasn't looking for revenge. He wasn't even that hungry. No, the real reason Dassamo was here, waiting for someone to walk past so he could ambush them was because he felt like it. When he had woken up this morning he had decided that he was going to be randomly violent today.

It was part of his test, you see. He knew that the best ways to become well known were to be unfailingly kind or unvaryingly cruel. But the question remained: which made you more (in)famous? So he was going to carefully measure how much people recognized him after a week of cruelty and a week of kindness, and go on from there. This was the first day of his week of evil, and he was beyond ready to begin, so when he heard the 'clip-clop' of horses hooves on cobblestones approaching, he readied his weapon.

Just as the person leading the horse was about to walk past the alley, Dassamo stepped out, gripping the death-head stick tightly.
"Hello there" he said, doing his best to be menacing "I suggest you give me all your money and whatever valuable possessions you happen to have"
The person leading the horse was a woman, tall, pale and thin. She had what seemed to be a whip at her side, and didn't appear to be too strong.

[Davros Velutina]

Secluded in an abandoned building for the time being, Davros sat relaxed within his confines. It wasn't his per say, he only claimed it as his simply because it was empty. For more than a week, he'd watch the entrance, looked for signs of any friends who may stop by and knock on the door, but alas nothing came up. Perhaps the entrance was intimidating enough, after all it was in an alley. He had made a comfortable living here, stealing generators, replaced broken down machinery, and unclogging ventilation shafts. A mostly solitary being, Davros actually liked it here, where no one knew he existed and where no one could bother him. It was perfect. The only one that ever bothered to venture to this crime ridden corner was his Contractor, Blint. And even he rarely visited, usually demanding that Davros come to his quarters instead. Didn't bother him much though, Davros knew of the man's fear and as such took the command in an optimistic view, for little to no one actually commands Davros to do anything. Davros usually found himself sleeping away days at a time, waking up only to eat and to see if Blint has left a letter at his door. Davros' lack of social encounters, has left him out of touch with communicating properly with most people, and even when others are being humorous, he's usually cold and unkind. However, this day wasn't going to let him rest even for a moment. He heard footsteps near his door, which were rare, and he heard voices. Being in isolated places for long periods of times can make one's senses very keen. Davros had become a bit paranoid in his solitude and as such took everything around him, albeit small or major events, seriously. One major reason for this paranoia, was because other assassins would stumble upon his establishment and instead of fleeing once noticing it isn't abandoned attempt to fight. For all the warnings left in the opening room, they proceed anyway and are cut down. Their deaths had left Davros with an assortment of useless junk mostly, and bloodied clothes, all to which he threw away. Davros lay in bed fully dressed. To be caught off-guard is embarrassing, but to be caught off-guard half naked is even worse. Though it may seem funny, its one of the reasons hes always clothed, even when in bed. He sat up and listened for another moment before hearing the voices halt. It was definitely a man. He stood to his feet, grabbed his short staff and tucked it in his scarf, which was wrapped around his waist. The tip of the blade and some of the handle stood out, but his intention wasn't to hide it. He exited his room, and peered down the hall, waiting a few seconds for an ambush that never happened, and proceeded to the door. Before grasping it, he took a step back, kicked it with the tip of his boot, pressed his foot softly against the door, and gently took another step back and waited a few more moments before finally grabbing the knob. "Still no booby traps." Davros stepped out, kicking away the trash that had recently accumulated from yesterdays winds and looked to his left. The pale skinned assassin, looked at the young man, then to the young man's hand, looking at the tightly gripped weapon. Davros has seen criminals, and men of the such who are truly filled with malice and are in every aspect "evil." The one before him wasn't. Davros glared at him, then looked to the woman who was fair of skin, and apparently a Symenestra. He ignored the animal. The Golden-eyed Symenestra looked to his right, checking to see if anyone else was around, then proceeded towards the two in the alley. He walked towards them, with apparent caution and very faintly, displayed a brief smirk. He didn't doubt that an unarmed Symenestra could take this young man, giving their natural fighting abilities, but it wasn't particularly in Davros' to leave another of his kind alone in an alley, with an obviously ill-inteded man. "Fascinating." Davros said, his voice sounding like that of a Dignitary. "They say hope and evil alike, begins in the dark. But most, like you," he said looking closer, and with more intent "just flail around in the blackness, searching for a purpose."

[Roka]

In the dark of the alleys Roka treaded lightly, his grey hood pulled down, his eyes focused downward, but his ears ever alert. The city was favorable due to it's infestation of rats. Even he grew bored though, with little challenge in hunting large clusters of fleeing vermin. Practically no skill was involved and he was far from hungry.

He understood the city was full of crime, but seeing as he kept his eyes low, his ears sharp, and had nothing of value to steal, he wasn't all that worried. Still, he would flit from one side of the alley to the other, avoiding any contact, obviously sheepish of the inhabitants.

When a stranger approched, placing a hand upon his shoulder, he nearly flew, his attention had been elsewhere for just a moment. Roka made a gap between himself and the stranger, peering up at the the other's now insulted looking face. The stranger was a tall woman, with olive skin and lips so chapped they bled.

"You look lost, little one" she cooed reaching a dirty fingernail toward his face.

Roka pulled away from the hand, twisting his head to the side to avoid her. He glared up at her "I'm fine thanks" he answered and made a turn away from her.

"Mmmmhm, best be careful in these parts, little one" the woman called after him with a giggle.

He stopped and look back at her and showed a smile with sharp teeth peering over the corners of his lips. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself"

[Chamaeleon]

Between the two men, Chamaeleon would have readily admitted she preferred the unarmed one over the one with a weapon clutched in his hand. As both spoke, she briefly remembered back toban instancebin the wildlands where a wild animal reacted like this man did, defending what he perceived as his territory. Instinctively she put a hand upon the worn handle of her lash, hoping she could use it should he choose to attack. It wasnt in her to fight another person, even one as wild as this one, but she summoned the will to believe that she could.

"My money and valuables?" She smiled at him, ignoring the other man for a short while. Fangs glistened between her lips and violet eyes sparkled. She couldn't think of anything to do but smile and so she did. "And what will I live on? Sunshine?"

Her tone was light, it perhaps always would be, and yet she could be mocking him, for she could live on sunshine, but he didn't know that yet.

She looked at the other, the one to address her newfound friend with such a noble tone that she felt somewhat uncouth in comparison. Now as she looked at him, she noted the similarities between her form and his own. He was, it seemed, a fellow Symenestra in the same muddy, messy city. That was pleasant. She gave him a smile as well but said nothing. Her hand tightened on the rope with which she led her pony and she looked at her assailant again, watching him and awaiting the reply to come.

[Neshassadassamo]

Dassamo liked this woman. Liked her better than most others, anyway. She actually had a spine, unlike most in the city. Rather than immediately fleeing, she spoke back, with a hint of steel in her voice. Yes, Dassamo almost respected her, though that was frankly silly considering he had known her for all of 10 seconds. Still, when she smiled, he noted her violet eyes and fangs. Not human then. That seems important. he thought slowly. He realized that she had spoken and responded immediately.
"Why not? Sunshine seems a healthier diet than what else is served in this city. And you'll have no trouble finding it, no digging through garbage bins for sunshine."

Looking behind him as he heard yet another voice, Dassamo smiled broadly. A witness! Wonderful. Now, if he killed the woman, there would be someone else to spread the tales. The staff tucked into the man's belt made him pause briefly, but he shook his head. He knew how to handle himself in a fight, and the man didn't look to be too strong. In fact, he looked to be of the same race as the woman. Perhaps a relation? No, they didn't seem to be familiar with one another. Still, Dassamo knew if push came to shove, he could beat them. His smile widened at the man's words, in fact, he almost laughed out loud.
"I know my purpose" he said, starting to laugh "I need to be known. And you're going to help me with that." With these words, he whipped the skull end of his death-head stick at the man's face fast and hard.

[Davros Velutina]

Davros watched the comments between the two, and noticed how the man began to size Davros up. Could he possibly be thinking to attack me? A complete stranger, one he's neither studied nor knows anything about? He couldn't be that arrogant... Davros thought to himself. The Symenestra slowly removed his shortspear from his waist and held it in his right hand. He began to poise himself for an imminent attack, making sure he was light on his feet. He himself didn't know the capabilities of the Thug, but if he was to be attacked he would retaliate strictly with an ill-intended blow in which the man sought to place upon Davros. He looked to the Symenestra female, then back to the man, he twirled his spear once, then saw it as it came. The veteran Assassin saw the blow as the man released his swing,(assuming it was a regular horizontal strike from your strong right hand?) and bent at the knees, and simultaneously thrust himself forward. This evasive technique gave Davros the safety of successfully missing the aggressor's attack, and also put him the perfect position, which Davros liked to refer to as Tactical Advantage. A position in which the defender was at the advantage to do what he will, and the recipient having as little defense as possible. Davros continued to thrust himself, and then extended his right arm in a straight forward thrust, quick and deadly. Since the motion was simultaneous to the aggressor's, using the same hand to bat Davros' spear away would be quite difficult. One great factor is that fact that Davros' body was separating the man's arm from the rest of his body because thats where he chose to place himself after ducking and moving forward. The only thing his attack hand could do was swing at his back. Davros kept light on his feet and only got as close to him as he needed. Getting too close to an aggressor in this situation could be dangerous. Even if his attack was true, the wounded recipient could retaliate with his free unbothered hand and deal a damaging or even life-ending blow. So he made sure to only complete the first phase of making it inoperable for his arm to get down, and to let the reach of his arm poise the pointed spear to the Thug's stomach.

[Roka]

Roka continued along the alley, clinging to the walls, and scanning the floor to avoid stepping in anything too unpleasant, which was easier said than done. This whole city might has well have been a mixing bowl of trash and feces, at times his nose felt it would catch fire from the extreame smells that invaded it's caverns.

He came upone a group of voices, listening as it quickly escalated. He turned his view up to the now only a few mere feet from them. He knew at least for the moment he could remain unotice, under the down cast over the city and his light treading and careful steps. Two males in confrontation, and a female standing by. His intial thought was that perhaphs they were establishing dominance as a higher male for the females attention, but from the sounds of it, that was quickly ruled out.

"The gods, violence seems to be the only thing these people know, is it for a meal, defence or the pleasure of it?" He thought. To find pleasure in attack, was a manner he wasn't familiar with. As he watched he kneeled like a beast stalking it's prey. He was aware this wasn't a very human action to do, but it was how he felt most on guard at that moment.

He watched silent, with intense gold eyes darting across their movement, and a silent hum of a growl building in his throat.

[Chamaeleon]

Chamaeleon just couldn't understand it. Why couldn't anything go nicely? In her opinion these two men had a better chance of being friends than enemies.

As the altercation escalated, she had half a mind to jump in and push them away from eachother, but even to her the danger was evident. Instead, she stepped back, causing the pony to snort as it shifted to match her. Her large violet eyes caught every obvious movement in the dark alley. The fight was a quick flurry of activity and she wanted to be aware of who was hurt where.

She gasped as she stumbled on something underfoot, but.caught her balance. She didn't spare a glance to see what it was. Her hand slipped from the handle of her symenestran lash and she just watched and waited silently for this foolishness to end.

[Vaxes Darlo]

Vaxes watched the unfolding events between his kinsmen and the Dhani eagerly. He nearly lost his footing on the wall he has clinging onto. The Dhani clearly had no idea he was out matched and Vaxes saw no need for spilled blood in the course of a misunderstanding. So intervention was in order.

Vaxes pushed himself from the wall above them and landed mere steps from the spear that was about to enter this poor souls belly. With the handle of his right hand dagger, a switch thrust to the hand of advancing assassin would be enough to disrupt the attack. With the forearm of his left hand, he politely nudge the extended are of the Dhani upward to throw him off balance.

"Needless death has been averted. Your actions are unwarranted Dhani, and your ignorance will be your death."

Vaxes took a long look at the assassin to his left. Vaxes makes note of the darkened circles about his eyes, and the crest on the edge of the spear. He stepped backward slightly and crotched as he decided it was a better vantage point to lower his target area incase of counter attack. Hard to believe, all this had been caused by a woman.