A/N: What exactly happened in Araphen that caused Crow and the Blackwings to become fugitives from it? A Jack Crow:Rogue Tactician oneshot.
Jack Crow leaned back against his chair.
"Alright, Blizzard, put it past me again."
Blizzard, an emotionless man with black hair and gold eyes, sighed.
"...the smuggling ring is located within Araphen. To be precise, five blocks down from our current position. We believe it may have mercenary bodyguards of considerable skill, on par with the Black Fang."
Kalut, a young thief with spiky blond hair with red highlights, grinned. "Well, it shouldn't be nothing too serious, should it?"
Fane, a man of Sacean descent with his hair pulled back into a ponytail, sighed. "Kalut, please try to take this seriously..."
"Alright, alright, sheesh...it's not like its the end of the world or anything..."
"Shut up." Crow snapped at them. "Alright. Here's the plan."
He pointed at the map, and slowly started to explain to them...
**One hour later**
Kalut crawled back against the wall. One of the mercenaries, a tall silent man with red hair, was protecting the ringleaders.
'Kalut. How goes it.' Crow sent him. Kalut sighed. He would never get used to the telepathy.
'One of the mercenaries is here. I don't like the look of him.'
'Observe. Do not strike.'
'Of course, Crow. Do I look like an idiot?'
'...you really don't want me to answer that.' Crow cut the link.
Kalut sighed. Then he heard the group talking.
"Everything is in place?"
"Yes. The Marquess shall be dead by the dawn."
"Good." The red-haired man's companion, a tall mage with more than a passing resemblance to what would be a female version of Blizzard replied. "Lord Nergal will be pleased. Jaffar, you know what to do."
Jaffar inclined his head. The mage turned to the sweating smugglers.
"Remember. The Fang do not take failure lightly."
That was when Kalut dropped his knife in shock. Jaffar's head whipped up.
'...time to leave...'
He slipped out of an open window, just as Jaffar came to check around.
Nothing.
**
Kalut appeared next to Fane and Crow.
"This officially just got bigger. The Fang are here. The smuggling was a plot. The Marquess is in danger."
The trio exchanged glances, before dashing off towards the castle.
Blizzard glanced at them from the shadows, and then glanced again at the female figure as she appeared next to him.
"All goes well?"
"Very well, Ephidel."
"Excellent, Limstella. Return to Nergal. I can handle it from here."
Limstella warped away and Blizzard, also known as Ephidel the Morph, grinned maliciously.
"And so the pieces fall into place..."
**
Crow slipped silently into the Marquess' castle. If he was correct, he should be preparing for dinner with his son right about now...
Wait.
There!
Jaffar was good, but so was Crow. He sent a brief telepathic message to the rest, and got ready for one hell of a fight.
...there was something wrong. Jaffar didn't move that slow...
The next thing he felt was a kick to his ribs from behind, and he dodged just as one of Jaffar's killing edges swooped where his neck had been.
"Illusion. Impressive." Crow muttered, drawing his scimitars. "En Guarde, then..."
The two met in a whirlwind of blades, kicks, and grapples.
**
The Marquess of Araphen's son was called Gawain.
Not that it was important, as when Kalut reached him he was already dead, his throat cut by Jaffar.
"...shit..." He cursed. "Fane, you better reach the Marquess in time..."
Crow ducked under one of Jaffar's high swings, and smashed the hilt of his scimitar into his foe's belly, driving him back. His follow-through high kick stunned him as well, but still Jaffar managed to deflect his killing blow.
"You are impressive. Not many can withstand the attacks of a trained Elemental Style combatant." Crow admitted. "Maybe I should switch style..."
Where before his attacks were graceful, fast, and relied on being chained together, like the wind, now Crow's attacks were harsh and brutal, but just as fast.
Like fire.
Unfortunately, they were even easier to block, although each one sent jarring pains up Jaffar's arm and forced him back, step by step...
**
Fane was crouching on one of the roof supports high above the dining hall, glancing around. Then he saw it.
Marquess Araphen was reaching for a cup that a servant he had recognised from their earlier raid had touched...
No hesitation, one movement.
Arrow loaded, aimed and fired.
The cup shattered, and the poison beverage splashed all over the table.
And then cries of assassin were heard, and Fane decided it was time to leave when a fire spell skidded close to his head.
**
Crow succeeded in bypassing Jaffar's guard...and was rewarded with a punch to the face for his troubles, sending him sprawling back. Jaffar sheathed his swords and ran away, knowing the guards would be here soon if the plan had worked like it should have.
Fane came rushing up to Crow. "We have to go and get Kalut..."
Crow nodded. "Aye."
The two dashed towards Kalut's location, unaware of what they would find.
**
Marquess Araphen was storming towards his son's chambers.
"Milord, the assassin is still in the castle grounds, please return to a secure location..." A guard pleaded with him. Araphen cut him off with a glare.
"I am not going anywhere until Gawain is safe!"
Crow burst into Gawain's room.
Kalut looked up at him, covered in Gawain's blood. Fane turned at the doorway.
"...not good."
The rest turned as well.
Marquess Araphen stared in disbelief.
"Blackwings...I brought you here to end a smuggling ring...and this is how you treat my judgment? BY MURDERING MY SON!"
Crow opened his mouth to talk, but Araphen just levelled a finger at him.
"KILL THEM!"
Crow shut his mouth.
"Time to leave..."
The group jumped out of the nearby window, rolling when they hit the ground. Araphen rushed to it.
"I SHALL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS DEBACLE, CROW! YOUR NAME SHALL FOREVER BE TABOO IN ARAPHEN! IF YOU EVER STEP FOOT HERE AGAIN, YOU WILL DIE!" Araphen screamed at them. "THIS IS MY CURSE APON YOU, BLACKWING!"
Crow cast one last glance at them and dissapeared, seething with fury. The assassination wasn't the plot. Neither was the smuggling. The real plot was to trap the Blackwings.
Which beg the question...who could have known what they were going to do? His plans were always told through gestures and telepathy. The only ones who could have known how they would act out were Kalut, Fane and Blizzard...
That was when Jaffar struck again. Fane went down, blood spurting from his chest. Kalut turned, drawing his knife, and managed to deflect a few blows before the Angel of Death's fist smashed into his face, knocking him out.
Crow turned to him, scimitars drawn, and the two collided once more. But Crow was tired, and mentally weak. He couldn't keep this up forever. In desperation, he started switching combat styles rapidly, but all that did was tire himself out even further.
Jaffar seemed unfazed, and disarmed the exhausted Crow.
"You're good." Jaffar admitted, grudgingly. Then Blizzard appeared, and shot a blast of light magic at him. Jaffar jumped out of the way, diving back into the bushes and dissapearing again.
"I'm glad to see you." Crow admitted, as Blizzard busied himself with the healings.
"I figured something was wrong after you didn't make your regular checks. What happened?"
As Crow began to explain the night's events as they headed to the stables, he noticed a brief spark of amusement in Blizzard's eyes.
He was going to need watching.
Ephidel, also known as Blizzard, smirked inwardly.
Exactly as Lord Nergal planned...
***
A/N: Plot device solved, and replaced with:
Cliffhanger
Exposition
Plot thread
...why is it that any time I try to solve something, I just end up creating more loose ends? Hope you enjoyed it.