It was dark, but that was not surprising considering the time of day. Despite that, there was still the dim light of the celestial bodies to light the way. The ruins themselves were labyrinthine, but still rather open. Most of the walls and structure had long since crumpled to a pathetic state, and looters and adventurers had long since ransacked these ruins.
But that was not why Ialla-raug was here. He gingerly stepped further into the ruins, cradling his crossbow in hand. He walked into what seemed to be a courtyard of sorts, with benches around a center mural. He leaned down to look at the mural, and saw the a faded symbol he didn't recognize at first, though he was working on expanding his knowledge base.
He stood back up, and his muscles tightened. And then something slammed into him, and knocked him into a crumbling wall. His crossbow went flying, and so did his hat. He wasn't sure which he was more upset about. His assailant walked over and grabbed Ialla-raug's vest, and pushed him against the wall.
"I am going to crush you elf!" the attacker roared, revealing himself to be a half-orc.
"I am Ialla-raug, the demon caller, and I'm not an elf!" The half-orc just growled, and raised his ax. Ialla raised a free hand, and arcane energy whirled about it, and then a blast of acid shot out and splattered the half-orc in the face. He roared in pain and staggered back. "Might be an improvement. And I'm a half-elf."
"I'm going to cleave your skull apart, half-elf or not."
"Maybe so, but you might want to look behind you first."
"I don't know you've heard, but half-orcs are not stupid."
"Suit yourself." The half-orc raised his ax, infuriated at the half-elf standing nonchalantly before him. And then he heard a noise behind him, and felt a presence. The last thing the half-orc saw a the shadow of teeth closing in on him. The headless half-orc toppled to the ground. Shadow spit the head out out, and turned to Ialla.
"You seem to be alive."
"I am. Thanks for caring...I think we have more company." Another half-orc, followed by a half-elf charged from the dark ruins at them. The half-orc wielded a halberd, and charged right at Ialla, with great fury. The half-elf raised a rapier, and then whispered something. The rapier was bathed in arcane light. And then the magus charged at Shadow.
The half-orc's first swing glanced off, or more like caught the edge of Ialla-raug's leather armor, and sent him off balance. Ialla fell backwards, and landed with a thump. The assailant raised his halberd, and brought it down. Ialla rolled backwards, and the weapon slammed into the dirt. Ialla came up facing the half-orc, and raised one hand. Arcane energy whirled about his hand.
"Losta..." The half-orc's face became confused as Ialla spoke, and he stood there, hands around the halberd, still lodged in the ground. Ialla-raug stood up and walked to where his hat had fell, and placed it back on his head. "Now, that's better." He took another step and picked up his crossbow. "And right about now, you should be coming around."
Ialla-raug turned just as the half-orc regained his senses, and turned to charge him with an animialistic roar. He pulled the trigger on his crossbow, and smiled at the satisfying twang. The bolt flew the few meters between them, and embedded itself right in the half-orc's chest, punching right through the hide armor. The thug looked stunned for a moment, its polearm still raised over its head, and then toppled backwards.
"...Barbarians..." muttered Ialla-raug. "You finished with that magus yet Dae?" the half-elf called, turning in the direction of his Eidolon. A slim arm with a remnant of cloth and leather armor plopped on the ground in front of him ten meters away or so. "I guess that's a yes."
"Half-elves tastes bad you know. It's why I haven't eaten you yet."
"Are all Eidolons as disagreeable as you?"
"Oh, I'm quite the friendly gentlemen on my plane."
"Its true what they say, that a summoner and his Eidolon became similar. We both have the same sense of humor, and it isn't funny."
"We have more company." Dae growled, waving a clawed hand deeper into the ruin. Several more figures burst forward, led by an elf, whose eyes glowed with arcane energy, wearing tattered robes over a chain shirt. He was accompanied by a dwarf and two humans, all wielding weapons, and being close to the ugliest specimens of their respective species Ialla had seen before, which was saying something.
"There they are...get them!" yelled the elf, his voice abnormally high pitched, making the command rather not intimidating or commanding. His companions were not impressed either, but charged forward to attack nonetheless. The two humans charged at Shadow, who had slightly less of a height advantage on them. The dwarf decided to charge Ialla, rather than face something nearly three times his height.
He swung his ax with a yell, but Ialla dodged out of the way, and punch the dwarf in the back of the head with his spiked gauntlet. The dwarf swung his shield around behind him, and caught Ialla in the chest, sending him staggering back. He gasped for breath, but managed to step back, out of the arc of the dwarf's next swing. The dwarf swung again, and managed to slash part of Ialla's coat.
"Now, there's no need to take your anger out on my cloak." Then he punched the dwarf in the face. The metal gauntlet slammed into the nose piece of the helmet, breaking the dwarf's nose in a splatter of blood, though not for the first time. The dwarf staggered back. "Tell me if you heard this one before..." Ialla paused for a moment, as the dwarf spit out some blood, and then advanced towards Ialla, shield raised, with a bit more caution. "I'm going to make short work of you."
"The last person who said that is dead, as you will soon be." And then a blob of acid cught the top of his shield, and splattered across his face and shoulders, wisps of smoke raising everywhere it touched. He charged and swung, missing again. Ialla stepped back, and raised his hands again. The dwarf raised his ax, but before he could swing again, acid splattered down his arm. He dropped his ax as burning pain engulfed his bare hand.
"Make sure you can back up your threats." Ialla stepped up and let loose one more punch, and the dwarf toppled to the ground. Ialla looked up to see how Shadow was doing. He hadn't been focusing on their mental link, but when he stopped for a moment, he could tell Dae was in trouble.
The first human to attack shadow missed, his two-handed sword barely swishing pass. Shadow blocked his second swing with a clawed hand, and slashed out with the other, catching the thug on the shoulder. The other attacker charged in from the side, and landed a solid punch with a spiked gauntlet, but his second strike glanced off the Eidolon's thick hide.
The first assailant swung his sword low, and caught his hulking opponent in the leg, unleashing a grunt of pain. Shadow opened his mouth, which expanded into a terrifying maw of fangs, but the teeth bit down on empty air. His first claw strike glanced off the swordsman's breastplate, but the second sent the spike-fisted brawler staggering back.
Shadow and the swordsman stepped back from each other, and took a moment to plan there next strike. At the same moment, the two shot forward. Shadow's claw swiped over his opponent's head, but his opponents sword slashed into his side. The other opponent began to rise to his feet. At about this time, Ialla finished his fight, and turned to help Shadow out.
Ialla unleashed some of his arcane power with a whisper in elvish, and a burst of arcane power coursed through the Eidolon. Shadow struck out, and missed completely, staggering forward and crashing into a crumbling wall, setting a few more chucks loose.
Ialla winced as Shadow's mental reply went through his brain. "Get the wizard, and stop trying to help me."
"Fine, you were doing so well anyway." Shadow just sent back a mental growl. Ialla turned to face the elf, who was standing smugly on a crumbling platform,where once had most likely been chairs for the nobility of whatever this ruin had once been.
"So, now, we see who is the better master of the arcane," the elf said, drawing himself to his full height. "Won't be much of a contest I think." And he raised his arms, and arcane power began to swirl about them. And then, with a shout, he unleashed a white bolt of energy.
Ialla side-stepped the bolt, which hit a wall, leaving a frozen chunk of ice. He raised his crossbow and fired back, but the bolt only nicked the sorcerer's arm, but it did draw some blood. The elf actually shrieked, and sent a blob of acid flying back, which Ialla dodged, but wasn't able to reload his crossbow.
"I am going to end you, you pathetic mage."
"I'm not an enemy you want, you hired thug."
"Try and dodge this, you impudent half-breed." The elf prepared to cast another spell. Ialla just smiled. There was a faint sound of a cork popping in the darkness beyond the sorcerer.
"You're in trouble now."
"No, you are...Magic..." The elf was cut off was a figure bolted from the shadows, and a slim blade slashed through his neck. His head rolled off and landed in front of Ialla. For a moment, his body remained upright, and then the spell fizzled out, and the body toppled to the ground with a touch of drama.
During the little wizarding duel, Shadow continued to tussle with the other two thugs. The swordsman tried to take advantage of Shadow's unfortunate tumble, and charged in. Shadow let the sword bounce off his armored hide, and then slashed one arm with his claw, and then leaned in. The swordsman visibly paled as the Eidolon's glowing eyes filled his vision. And then the savage fangs bit deep into his shoulder.
Shadow lifted the swordsman and threw him across the courtyard, where he rolled to a stop at the feet of the newcomer. The remaining thug charged in, and sent one armored hand slamming into the side of the massive Eidolon, but it didn't seem to do any damage. Shadow smiled, which was not a pleasant thing to behold, and then swung his clawed arm. The thug looked up, realizing just how outmatched he was. And then massive claws, crackling with arcane power, ripped his arm off.
The last living assailant tried to get to his feet, likely to run, but the newcomer drover her sword through his undamaged shoulder, pinning him to the ground. "You don't get to leave yet. I have a few questions."
"I'm not answering any questions...until you heal me."
"Your not in a position to bargain." She leaned down, and bared her mouth, revealing two small fangs. Then she reached under his shirt and pulled out a small medallion, and looked at the insignia. "Interesting."
"Do you recognize the symbol then?" asked Ialla.
"A newer group of mercenaries around. The completely amoral and ruthless type." She turned back to the thug. "So, who hired you?"
"The never betray our clients."
"Oh, I know you do, but only for money."
"Heal me, and I'll tell you everything." The woman looked at him a bit longer, and then shook her head.
"You're lying. I don't have time for this." She removed the sword from his shoulder, and walked over to the fallen elf, and wiped the blade. She then slid the blade back into the cane, and locked it in place. "Glad you could make it. Still going by Ialla-raug?"
"I am. I assume you didn't know about the ambush?"
"Of course not, but I was afraid something might happen." She stopped and turned to Ialla. "Do you know any healing or stabilizing spells?"
"I'm afraid not," the summoner answered.
"Me neither." Cilva began walking out of the ruins, towards the city. "I'm glad you replied so quickly. I may be a bit in over my head."
"Just a little," Ialla said, waving his hand over the multiple corpses. Shadow approached the two, and stood solemnly beside them.
"Hello Dae. Your claws have gotten bigger, and your hide is much thicker."
"Hello Cilva," the Eidolon growled. He looked between the two. "What, no hello kiss?"
"Sorry Dae, extra-planar entities aren't my type," the woman responded. The Eidolon just growled a little. Ialla shot him a mental reprimand. "Let's go. I want you to come with me to meet one of my clients. I have been hired by two different people, a member of the Council of Ushers, and an independent merchant, to investigate another member of the council."
"Oh? Is Magnimar still corrupt?" Ialla added sarcastically. Cilva rolled her eyes, and then twisted one finger in her brown hair. "So, why have you been hired, detective?"
"Well, the possibility of undead, necromancy, and illegal power grabs. And of course the Lord-Mayor can't be bothered, as the noble in question has been very generous."
"Or course."
"Come on, let's hurry. We need to get there and finished before the sun rises."
"Right, it gives you a bad rash." Cilva smacked the half-elf lightly on the arm. Inside Ialla's head, Shadow gave him a mental smirk. "We are getting near the city. I don't want to cause any problems with the guard." He raised his arms, and with a flash and a wumpf, and the massive Eidolon was gone.
"You'll have to tell me about your adventures when we have a chance, but right now, lets hurry and get to the gate." Ialla nodded, and the half-elf and dhampir dashed off across the dark land towards the still glowing city ahead, a massive cliff face and ancient bridge dominating its skyline.
The two entered the city through a small gate in the wall. Its purpose was to allow people to leave the city during a siege, but it was used mostly by the unsavory, and those who hunt them. Ialla-raug and Cilva had used them many times in their work. They slipped in, and headed though the lower class area of Lowcleft, and then up to the Summit, the higher class area of the city, particularly the district of Naos, and into the neighborhood of Grand Arch.
Grand Arch was one of the nicer districts, though it was looked down on by the older families in the city. A good many wealthy merchants made their home here, leaving many houses empty most of the year. The streets were largely empty, save for a few patrols, and a few servants. Cilva lead Ialla on a rather winding path, keeping to the back alleys, avoiding patrols, while still appearing nonchalant to the servants. They weren't criminals, but Cilva especially didn't want to have to deal with the guards.
They had been walking for nearly half and hour, in the city itself, before Ialla finally spoke. They had nearly reached the Alabaster district to the north. The city had not changed much, but Ialla's memory was beginning to fade, and Cilva's erratic path further confused him.
"Cilva, I still remember most of Magnimar's layout." He waved his arm around at the various houses. "Who exactly is your client?"
"A wealthy merchant, though not the wealthiest, and connected to some important families."
"Does this client prefer to remain anonymous? You do know who hired you, right?"
"Yes, of course. And we are almost there."
"Really? My mother hired you?" Cilva just huffed, and turned away and hurried up the street, swinging her cane about. Ialla hurried after her, finally catching up a few blocks up, at a rather nondescript door. "Well, sorry to guess the surprise."