To See Your Face Again
Chapter 1
In the shadows violet eyes scanned the crowd that stood gawking and swearing at the small armed group standing near a large garbage truck.' If the humans act this way with them, she would just as well be treated the same if her presence was known.' Now looking more closely she spied her target. Stepping away from the wall then exiting the alley, she walked towards the throngs of people. None gazed her way, their eyes still drawn to the now small group entering the building in front of where clearly some disturbance was happening.
The team entered the opening that had once held huge ornate doors which now lay torn and split apart on the stairs.
"I'm sensing some things upstairs moving around" Abe stated with this palm facing outwards waving it around slowly.
"Any idea how many? " Hellboy asked getting his gun ready.
"Not sure yet. "
"Alright, let's roll people." He led the way with Liz, Abe, and a few agents close behind up the stairs.
The lights were out throughout the floor, but that didn't hinder Laraina's eyesight. Her night vision was very acute, so much so that she could see the fine details in the furniture and surrounding area. Lifting her head and sniffing the air, the scent of the creature carried towards her. Catlike, she creped carefully towards the smell slowing drawing out her two swords from her back. Coming to another corner, she peered around and spotted the creature near what was left of some human. The room had been torn apart.
Tufted ears picked up sounds coming from the opposite hall and turned its massive scaled head towards the noise.
Laraina, seizing the moment, attacked the creature from behind. Running up she slashed its side. It turned and lashed out with sharp claws aiming for her throat, but she anticipated its move and back flipped out of range landing near the hallway just as Hellboy and the others appeared.
"Whoa! Aren't you a pretty one? " Hellboy commented sarcastically looking at the creature before him. " Wanna play? "The monster just growled at him.
Then they noticed her standing nearby. She stared at the group for a second and them at her then all at the monster who roared. It hurled itself at them. Not waiting Laraina shot forward and launched herself straight at the monster's head with her swords raised. She cleaved its head from its body. As the body crashed to the floor Laraina sidestepped out of harm's way. Gazing up at the group one last time who just stared at her in awe, she sheathed her weapons, turned and left the room.
(Back at headquarters: Library)
"So this woman you saw, she had inhuman reflexes and excellent fighting skills?" Dr. Krauss questioned.
"Ya, kinda reminded me of his royal pain in the assness. She didn't speak to us either. Just put her swords away and left." He was leaning against the table arms crossed.
Liz stepped up to the table and asked "So, do you think she's from the unseen realm? "
"She looked human to me, but she could be some form of Fae creature. Perhaps she was using glamour to hide her true form." Abe suggested.
"Speaking about you know who, when can we do something about his latest outburst. It's gotten the agents scared again. No-one but Nuala can get near him right now. "Liz stated.
"I'll see what I can do on the matter. " Manning answered.
Nuala scanned her hand over the pad that would let her enter her brother's room. The door opened and she went inside to find her brother training again. Nuada stopped when he noticed his sister enter.
"Brother, I've brought food for you", going over to the nearby table, she placed it down then said "We must talk about yesterday. What happened in the cafeteria…."
"That filthy human deserved it. I really don't care what he felt." He came and sat down at the table and grabbed a piece of fruit from the tray.
"But brother, you broke one of his arms just for accidently bumping into you. Why can't you try to get along with the humans? Not all of them are bad people."
Nuada stood up angrily and began pacing the room, "I will not bow to them. I will not be made a pawn for their apparent amusement. They will stay clear of me those ignorant fools or more will have worse done to them!"
Nuala sighed then exited the room.
The Troll Market
'So it's true then,' thought Laraina, 'the prince and princess are alive and not dead as believed.' 'But where are they now.' She pasted by venders who were selling their daily wares. 'Perhaps the trolls will know, I remember one being Prince Nuada's friend sometime ago.' Moving further down the street and a few more turns brought her to one of the local pubs. Once inside she went up to the bar.
The troll turned to her. "Yea, what can I get you?"
"Information about our Prince and Princess. Do you know where they are? I've been told they're alive after Lord Nuada was defeated by someone named Hellboy. Do you know where I might find this person?"
The troll looked side to side then leaned over the counter towards her, "You don't know what happened? Where have you been? From what I've heard, they are staying at some place with the humans and other creatures like us."
"Prince Nuada staying with humans! You're lying! He would never do this."
"It's true. These humans have this Hellboy and his friends helping to protect them from our kind."
Laraina thought for a moment. 'Could this be the being she had seen yesterday?' She thanked the troll then left.
Walking back the way she had come, Laraina thought of a way to attract this Hellboy and find out more about his reason for holding their royal highnesses. Going around the corner, she spotted something red fly down one of the many back alleyways of the market. Knowing that the unusual was the norm and that violence could and had happened here; she still became curious and decided to investigate. Taking a shortcut through a side street, Laraina came upon a fight that was occurring between a few orcs and the same red creature she had seen before. He had just been thrown into one of the shop windows. A human woman came forward to see if he was ok. Getting himself up, he dusted off the glass then stated, "Is that all ya got? Cuss I'm not done yet." Hellboy ran back into the fight ready to do some damage.
One of the orcs stood his ground against Hellboy while the other one was fighting against the human woman whose body was now inflamed and had begun to shoot fireballs at him. Laraina saw the last orc and recognized him as one of the beings that she was searching for. The orc seeing her on the sidelines and giving a yell raised his ax and ran towards her eyes glaring red. Laraina instantly drew her blades and deflected the hit with her swords crossed then turning to the right came up behind him and stabbed his back which seemed to piss him off even more. He swung around and tried to slash her again, but Laraina flipped over missing getting cut.
By this time a small crowd had gathered to watch the commotion. Looking over to where Laraina was fighting the third orc, Hellboy said to Liz "Hey, what's with the elf over there? I thought they all left when Nuada was defeated." The orc who he had been fighting now charged him headfirst and he turned and slammed his stone fist into his oncoming head knocking him out cold.
" Ooh, that's gotta hurt." He winced and found an orc running away from Liz and began laughing. "I guess things got too hot for him huh? "
Liz turned off the flames and gazed back at Red. Now they both turned to see the elf pinning down the orc with her swords and talking angrily with him.
"Where is it thief? My People's precious Beholder Stone."
"You'll never find it! My master will never give it up!"
Laraina pressed her swords closer to his throat.
"You will tell me animal!"
Hellboy and Liz walked over and Laraina gazed up at them which allowed the orc to get free and start running after his companion.
'No, he's getting away.' She thought.
She placed her swords away and stared at the couple that had come before her.
"So elf", he pointed the way the orcs had gone. "Why did that orc attack you?"
Laraina looked over the couple again them answered. "Orcs are the enemies of my kind and that one has something of value that belongs to me."
"Oh really? Sounds like it must be something pretty important if it's got you so pissed."
"Yes, but it's nothing I wish to discuss with you. So if you're done, I've got to find them and finish my business. "And with that she began to walk away.
"Hey, maybe we can help you find whatever it is. " Liz suggested calling out.
Laraina turned and spoke. "Now why would I need your help? I can do this on my own."
"Well damn, excuse us for asking." Hellboy stated sarcastically.
"We can help you. We work for an organization that could assist you in finding whatever it is you're searching for." Liz continued.
Laraina thought this over 'Was this the place the troll had mentioned before. The place where Lord and Lady Silverlance were being held? Could this be Hellboy?'
"Where is this place you speak of?"
"Come with us and we'll show you. At least give us a chance. It would be better, I'm sure, if more people could get closer to what you're looking for."
"If I go and this doesn't work, I'm leaving on my own."
"Fine by us."
