He was watching her, Xayah could feel his eyes on her, almost as if his gaze were solid. She turned abruptly, amber eyes scanning the crowded market but in the evening sun she couldn't spot him. Remarkable, considering that the fool usually glowed like the sun. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she marched on. She would lose him eventually.
Rounding a corner into a deserted part of the village, Xayah brought the mission, the plan, back to the forefront of her mind.
It was quite easy, actually. Find the Noxian hunter that took the artifact and take it back. Easy enough. You'd think.
But it wasn't. The village might not have been big, finding the bastard was no trouble, the real problem was that he was guarded all the time. He hid in his mansion (the biggest damn building in all of Ionia for sure) that stood out like a sore thumb in the very center of the village. That was were Xayah was headed, to scout the guard shifts and what not.
Then she felt it again, his gaze on her, so clearly as if his hand was touching her feathers. The dancing skei' vyen may have been Vastayan himself, so pretty unlikely to want her harm, but she would still show him what exactly she thought of being followed!
She spun around, eyes narrowed and lips curled into a snarl with a feather dagger at the ready and had to take a surprised step back because her shadow was standing not an inch behind her. Xayah swallowed her indignant curse as she glared at him. She was about to put the fool in his place when her eyes took in the whole picture.
Rakan, as the crowd had called him before that damnable brawl broke out, was standing tall as he was, right in front of her with this proud smile of his. And one arm was extended sideways to another man that had apparently followed her. Only that he wasn't smiling. In fact, he looked about ready to cry. Rakan's hand was encasing his head, apparently with crushing force. The metal of the man's helmet had given in underneath the Vastayan's fingers. And while the man's brown eyes were flooded with fear, Rakan's sterling blue eyes shone with mirth.
Xayah didn't hesitate any longer and faster than the man could blink, a feather was piercing his heart. Rakan let the body drop instantly and moved forward.
This time, Xayah's instincts were sharp, noting the danger behind her. She spun on her heel, feather at the ready and nearly met a crossbow arrow head on. But it stopped half a meter in front of her, stuck to an invisible wall, just as a comfortable warmth pooled aruond her, almost hugging her. Magic, Xayah thought before launching a feather at the shooter. It hit him right between the eyes.
"Nice," Rakan chuckled against her ear. She was about to shrug him off when his hand gently laid against her cheek and turned her head. "There," he whispered, "Next one."
And indeed, just where she was now saving she spotted another crossbow man. He never fired his arrow. Rakan chuckled again. "Beautiful. Now its my turn."
And then he moved. And Xayah had to admit that he moved fast, very fast. There, in the direction Xayah had been heading to, were four armed men, all of them bore the skull that marked them as hunters. Or her prey, it was all the same. Rakan was upon them in just under a second, his coat gleaming beautifully with his magic as it dazzled the first man he passed - more like danced around. Rakan's hand was at the man's cheek, not unlike it had been on hers, turning his head as he speed past him. Xayah heard his neck snap from where she stood. If she had harbored any doubt if Rakan didn't want to harm her, it was gone now. He could have killed her in seconds.
The next three jumped back in surprise as he landed admits them before he expelled some magic and spread his cape like a lone wing. Then he jumped high, the air and magic around him and the three soldiers followed suit and catapulted them into the air.
"All yours, baby!" he shouted, pirouetting midair to face and wink at her.
Xayah had the sudden urge to roll her eyes but she got what he meant and three feathers left her hands, killing each solider midair before they ever hit the ground. But she had to admit, this wouldn't have been so easy if these fools had gotten the drop on her.
Rakan sauntered over to her, his cloak now glowing as it used to when she first saw him. "Not bad, huh?" he asked, smiling smugly at her.
She shrugged, ears perking up as she heard heavy, armored boots clack over cobble stone. "Could have been less showy. Let's get out of here. More of them are coming." She didn't need her cover more blown than it already was.
She was about to head back to the market to vanishing in the crowd, when Rakan grabbed her hand and drew her the other way.
"Hey!" she hissed, "What do you think you are doing!?"
He ignored her, just continued down the road until Xayah could almost see the group of a good dozen thugs running up to them. But before they could spot them, Rakan drew her into an alley and almost immediately into the firat alcove there was. She was pressed against the wall as Rakan's magic shrouded them both. Not wanting to be found, Xayah stayed silent, even when he pressed his forehead to hers, grinning. She frowned at the closeness but kept her eyes over his shoulder on the street. He was really warm, she noted absently.
The men ran past them, apparently not noticing them. How one could overlook a coat like Rakan's was beyond her. But then one of them stopped, a gruff and unclean looking one that appeared to have some experience as a mercenary. He eyed them and Xayah held her breath, a feather already gathering in her hand. But Rakan stopped her, taking her hand in his. He shook his head against hers, his hair tickling her skin.
The man then shook his head before running after the rest of them.
Xayah released the breath she had been holding and for a second, just for a second, enjoyed the warmth of Rakan around her. Then it annoyed her she had and she pushed him away. He laughed, spinning elegantly before bowing.
"That was fun," he said, his eyes sparkling, "Shame they didn't get to admire my cloak."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes yes, a shame. Truly." Looking around Xayah noted that she hadn't been here before, in this part of the village. Aside from that, night was fast approaching. She needed a place to stay. She knew that her target had far too many guards at night and she was not fond of failing before she even truly tried stealing the artifact back.
Ignoring whatever Rakan was saying, she headed down the alley he had dragged her into. There should be some way back to a tavern. But once again, Rakan did not seem to agree, his hand on her shoulder spun her around.
"What are-" she began but was cut off when he suddenly embraced her tightly. His magic pooled around her, stronger than before and the intensity almost took her aback.
"Quiet," he whispered right into her ear. It twitched a bit.
She was about to smack him upside the head when she heard a voice from behind him.
"Where the hell is that feather bitch?" someone ranted loudly. The voice came closer, she noted.
Someone spat onto the ground. The sound was even closer and she felt Rakan's body strain around her. Was he hiding them?
"They ain't here, ya fool," a second voice grunted. "Yer just blind on tha' lone eye."
"Fuck you," the other spat back.
Rakan's body was growing colder, she noted. This camouflage must be extremely draining. As quietly as possible, she readied a dagger and nudged Rakan's head to the side so she could see. His grin was tired and strained but he complied.
There were two man, one with an eye patch an no hair to speak off and the other was the gruff one that they had hidden from not a minute prior.
"Don't," Rakan whispered, his voice straining. "There are too many of them just up the street."
He was right, of course. But if he strained his magic like that...
Her worry must have shown. He winked at her. "Worry not, baby. I'll be fine."
Ah, for all she cared, he could die. Baby her ass. Fool, he was. No need for her heart to beat faster!
"Sod this," the gruff one said and began walking away.
"Come back 'ere you bastard!" the other shouted but turned an ran after him.
Rakan almost collapsed on top of her the moment his concealing magic went down. He was heavier than he let one, Xayah decided as she grunted under his weight.
"Fabulous, wasn't it?" he asked, wheezing as he was out of breath.
"Sure was," Xayah replied softly as she dragged him along, further down the deserted alley. Damn, where to now?
Rakan pointed a shaky finger overhead to a taller building whose roof was visible from down below on the street. "That's the inn," he said hoarsely.
"Got it." Well, scouting would have to wait till tomorrow anyways.
The inn had been closer than it appeared and Xayah managed to reach it before Rakan's weight became too much. The innkeeper, a Vastaya, she noted, raised an eyebrow at but nodded when he saw Rakan. They apparently had some kind of deal because the man just waved her to an empty room without any questions and free of charge.
"Good ol' Telman," Rakan mumbled into her ear. She shivered again, her ears were far too sensitive! "Owes me a lot..." She noted that he was growing cold. That wasn't good.
Vastaya were different from humans, the mortals, when magic was concerned. Unlike humans, who would simply be exhausted and unable to use it when they spent themselves at it, magic was the lifeblood of a Vastaya. They could use their magic so long they drew breath, even if it was fueled by their last heartbeat. And if one used too much, they would grow weak, cold, much like Rakan was at the moment, and eventually they couldn't sustain themselves anymore. She cursed under her breath.
"Why did you do it?" she asked sternly, pushing the door open to a one bed room. "You nearly killed yourself!"
He shrugged weakly, flashing her a smile. "You do hunt for that man in the mansion, don't you? You couldn't reach him if they found you."
"Idiot," she grumbled and let him down on the surprisingly clean bed. "I could have done that myself." There was no need to go to such lengths... not for her.
"Could you?" he asked, almost playfully. "I just couldn't let them get to you, baby."
"Stop calling me that," she said, though it lacked any venom.
Rakan chuckled as he shivered a little. "Dear me, I really over... did it."
He was growing colder, she noted, even colder than before. Almost sighing in annoyance, Xayah took off her hood and coat, placing it neatly folded on the nightstand. She locked the door, adding a bit of magic for good measure, and crawled into bed besides him. He sought out her warmth almost instinctively, warping his arms around her, and she began radiating a bit off magic to him so he would recover off it.
Even in the dark she could see his smug grin. "Don't get used to this," she deadpanned, pinching his side.
"Oh I think I will," he said quietly, "I think I will."
Xayah huffed. "Dream on, you fool." She had no idea how right he would be.