Jellicle's Creed

Frozen Memories

Seqeunce 9

Memory 3: Chain of Memories

16 Feburary 2052

Marketplace District Den

Dawn

"In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes, only thing, death dont get worse every time Congress meets"

- Random standup comedy actor

Ever since the night before, When Mark once again returned home quite late, with a lady friend that was inot/i the queen, who held a scroll seemingly made of glass, it was rather interesting to say in thel east, the owman looked not familar one bit, brilliant long waist length white hair, amber brown eyes, and clearly strong. But it was late and Snowfeatrher never pressed for info from the strange woman who had a bird, a silver hawk or the like upon her chest, the sheer design of her dress alone screamed something about birds.

But it was much later when, after Fang had left the Den, that the Tigris members of the family within the Marketplace Den went to bed. Snowfeatherherself was on her last nerves thanks to recent aquisitions made in terms of a dozen unwanted houseguests that just wouldnt leave and let her sleep. A bunch of ghosts, they were all faceless things, yet they all looked alike. Each one looked alike, and each looked like someone important to their maker, unless they were something else, clones of one ghost maybe ?

It didnt matter.

Stepping onto the stairs Snowfeather looked up towards the second level of the den and saw one of the ghosts at the top looking down on her, goading her to attack, With a growl Snowfeather was on the ghostlike creature in a heartbeat, grabbing the thing by the belt while still on the stairs just a few steps below the creature, Snowfeather then rolled herself and laid backwards on the stairs head downwards towards the lower floor, rolling down the stairs and pulling the ghostlike creature off its feet and using her feet to launch the ghost at the door below. The creature slammed into it, then got back up unhurt.

Well this want good. Snowfeather sprawled on the stairs forced herself to her side to she then withdrew one of her many swords, the long blade had exceptional reach, buit in narrow spaces, either she was crazy or she had something planned as she stabbed the thing into the wall to bar the ghostly critters to getting up the stairs she then laid backdown, like a tiger trap of a sort.

In the bedroom however where three people slept soundly in the predawn hours. Something flicked Marks nose, the gentle thud of something hitting the floor with a muffled growling wafted through the buried in blankets head to reach the ears and waken the brain trhe same moment the face was touched. The albino Shadowling titled its head as Mark gave no initial response as the sibling to the strange creature had begun to tussle with the massive cat in the bed and the two had rolled off with another grunt. All this playing in bed had to wake the boy up somehow

Mark's eyes snappped open and he sat up, his arm reaching out and grabbing his Desert Eagle from under his Pillow, Anti-magic rounds loaded as he aimed for the strange creature in his room, and squeezed the trigger.

BANG the shot rang out throughout the building, followed by another, the anti-magic properties of the rounds searing the creature's flesh and forcing it to melt and disintigrate into nothing. Mark blinked, his eyes blazing Silver.

"'bout time you woke up, Mark." Kalda's words echoed. Mark didn't respond to that, but instead, wondered what the hell was going on.

"What the fuck!?" he yelled out, still sitting up in his bed.

An orange and brown furred hand snapped up as mark watched his sister fighting with a ghostly creature; One was gone, But there were still more to be had. With a feral growl Serena arched her back and with her foot sent the strange ghost into the closet door where it crashed against it. Serena threw a knife off her brothers belt, the ghost dropped at the last second, the knife slammed home but missed the ghost. "The hell are these things ?"

Serenity slept like a stone; her face nolonger bandaged she was slowly waking up not seeing her brother with his gun aimed at a gost reacghing for her own face like it had her brother. Serenity started to wake up. "Will you two please keep it down I'm tryi... WHOA!" Serenity freaked out, a ghost that close she kicked, hard as she could, sending the thing flying and slamming into her brother

Her gaze snapped towards the bedroom door where a hard THUD was heard from, What a way to wake up!

Mark Growled as another creature slammed into him, as it clawed at him he grabbed it by the throat and let another few rounds of .50 caliber anti-magic goodness into its body, it crumpled and disinitigrated. Mark sighed, looking to his sisters. "Put something on and help get rid of these things." He knew his sister, Serenity was pretty much naked under her blankets, a habit she gained from sleeping in the heat of the Egyptian desert while on missions where they needed to operate at night only, and sleep during the day. He stood and secured his belt ot his hips, on it were many knives, a few extra magazines of anti-magic ammo, and a holster for his gun, but he kept it in his hand for now.

He stood by the door and peered out of it, growling. "I'm not waiting, let's go." he growled, literally jumping down the stairs and drop-kicking the creature at the foot of them, the very one that Snowfeather was fighting. He used it to cushion his fall, and unloaded a round into its head. "Morning." he said to his adoptive mother curtly as he stood up.

Serenity grunted with a nod to her brother, Thankful that it was her brother and not a random stranger. With a flick of the wrist she grabbed up her clothing as her sister bounded out the door in her tiger form, For a brief moment Serenity was for wont of a better word, forlorn at the mere fact she couldnt do that at that moment. her hand briefly went to her face. which sans bandage was still very scarred. her aunt had healing abilites, but they didnt work exactly as desired right off the bat. Serenity grunted and grabbed up her swords. With one she implaed one of the ghosts still in the room before kicking the other out into the hallway.

Snowfeather, laying on her back, looked down to her son, "Good morning son, I hope we didnt wake you" She said before bringing up a foot allowing Serena to perch on it and fly to the next landing beside Mark and tackle a albino Shadowling dead on.

From the kitchen came a yell, cleaerly Blackmane unhappy about something important. "Oy! Get the hell outta my kitchen!" bKLANG/b Something got hit with a pan pretty darned hard because it went flying into the living room. When it started to get back up the cast iron fry pan slammed into the head of the thing beforeit faded into its own shadow.

Wait... What ?

Serena saw it and pointed a clawed hand towards it "Kan alllaenat dhillak ?" She asked in Arabic, translated as 'the fuck was that' Was she the only one that saw it... melt away ? Only for it to reappear directly between her and Mark, which allowed for Serentiy to slam dead into it like a runaway freighttrain, sword stabbing into it in six different ways before the thing once again melted away.

Mark shook his head. "Nah, woke up with one of these things tickling my face. Also I gotta pee but that's a different story." he said sarcastically. He was about to fire his gun at the shadowling between he and his sister before his other sister slammed into it and made it melt away. He stood and helped Snowfeather to her feet.

"I see Aunt Blackmane is still as protective as ever of her kitchen...good to know." He said idly.

Wrenching her sword from the door she implaed the thing on before it melted away Serenity grunted something. Pointing at the remains of the one in the hallway that her brother had shot and somehow destitigrated. "What was that ?" She meant the bullets, how the hell did he figure out how to make antimagic rounds ? Did he have access to a Piece ? "How did you kill it ?" Well she wanted to ask that only she couldnt as from behind her, and her sister another one of those things formed and whacked their heads together with a solid CRACK to knock them out

Which sadly got Snowfeathers undevided attention

Grabbing her sons hand to get to her feet she turned her smile disappearing as she heard her son speak of just waking up and to one of the things tickling his face, turning in time to see another one of the things clonk her daughters heads together to knock them, briefly, senseless. Oh that wasnt a good idea. With a feral growl Snowfeather was on the Ghost in a heartbeat. Briefly forgoing her sword still embedded in the wall on the stairs next to her son

She grabbed at the things throat. "Harm my children why dont you!" With a blast of energy she span off the thing, and a strange array of runes and designs swirled off her right hand with her claws, a beautiful grey hue pulled at thin air before the ghostlike creature, Energy was pulled from the albino shadowling, breaking it apart and pulling its power into Snowfeathers runes that span around her armwith strange designs swirling madly around her arm. This was possibly the only time Mark had seen his mother so pissed off. At least pissed off enough to form a Destrictive Array like she had within their own home.

Mark looked to his gun. "Car Key." he answered simply. With the appearance of more and more magical members of the world population, the CIA was being forced to adapt to changing targets. Their methods of figuring out how to work the bullets were not the most humane, but they worked. He cleared his throat and turned to face the newest addition to their attackers, only to see his Mother tear into it and rip it apart. He was stunned for a brief moment, having never seen her so angry, nor so violent magically. He blinked and shook himself out of that daze before using his Eagle Vision to hunt down the remaining shadowlings, headshots gracing their bodies from his gun as he found them.

It was the third shot from Marks gun that Serena came to, she growled, human then, and... dressed in pretty much a swimsuit. her typical sleeping attire as she normally slept in her feline form like her twin sister did. then again Serenity slept in the nude every night anyway even when in tiger form. Slender arms held her head, she saw stars after conking heads with her sister, Serenity laid on the stoop in front of the door in a heap, her burnts clearly visible and sticky, Serena's hand went to her forehead and came away with blood, damned thing managed to whack their heads hard enough for Serenity to get knocked clean out and her burns to bleed anew!

When their mother was done with the strange creature that had briefly knocked them out, Snowfeather dropped to one knee beside her daughter, just woke up and back to bed it seemed. "Get dressed, then go help your aunt and brother with our... guests. use the destructive rune only as a last resort" Serena nodded and scrambled up the stairs to their bedroom to get dressed as Snowfeather gently rolled her younger daughter over and sat her up. Energy gathered on her hands as she made a complex pattern before holding out both hands open twards her daughter. Energy like steam flowed from mother to daughter.

As soon as Serena was dressed a startled yell brought Marks attention to the back stairs as Serena grappled madly with another ghost. How many of the things were there anyhow ? Kicknig hard the elder twin dropkicked the ghostlike thing down the steps before getting tackled by another. Whipping out her own pistol she stabbed blindily at the creature trying to choke her before the two rolled down the stairs into the kitchen. Blackmane had to check her swing carefully to ensure she didnt smack her niece in the face.

"Breakfast isnt ready yet! Why do I have to keep telling you guys this ? I will call you to the table with the bell when its ready! I SAID GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY KITCHEN!" WHACK another ghostly creature took a solid smack to the kisser as Blackmane then held a hand for her Niece to get up "If you must know we're going to have pancakes, And I dont have ernough mixture to feed more than us five"

Mark rolled his eyes at this otherwise dead serious Aunt's antics, but cracked a smile anyway; it was refreshing to see some humor from her when she wasn't being the usual stone cold aunt that was more likely to cut him than give him a hug. He bounded up the stairs and ducked as another shadowling charged him. As it flew over him he emptied the last three rounds into its belly before dropping the magazine, and loading a fresh one. His arm was going to be a bit sore from firing it one handed this long. Most men his size and stature had trouble holding it with two hands, let alone one, but he made it look easy. And that was mostly due to his non-human genetic make-up, as well as all those damned pushups Blackmane made him do as a kid for punishment, where he was forced to alternate between palm and back hand to strengthen his wrists. He got through it by telling himself he was mimicing Jackie Chan.

Sighing, Mark continued, and did a clean sweep of the upper floor, killing four more shadowlings along the way and having to reload once more before dropping down stairs again. "If there's any left, they'r elikely in the basement." he said. "or the attic... but i'm not going up there; too damn tall." He said, using the fact that he was six foot two inches tall to his advantage again. Most men in Arendelle were shorter, five foot nine inches at the most, Kristoff was taller than that, but he was a strong man, too, and grew up with rock trolls of all things, so Mark didn't question it.

Mark moved to the kitchen, where the door to the cellar/basement was, and gave a mock "good morning" salute to his aunt before opening the door and being tackled by another shadowling, his back slamming into the kitchen island, and a rib cracking. He let out a grunt of pain and shot the thing before slumping to his knee for a second before wrenching his arm to the side, forcing the cracked rib back into its proper position before continuing. He'd worry about it later.

Blackmane returned the salute with the frypan she held, only to bring the thing down solidly on the strange ghostlike creature trying to get to its feet. "Good morning, todays menu, pancakes, sausage, and fox meat, now if could just grab the salt there." She whacked the next shadowling square in the nose, the ghostlikely creature dropped like a sack of grab only to get doused with salt... which only made it madder. "Whoops" Blackmane said with a solid CRACK of her foot against the things ribecage to send it sailing out the window with a crash where it disappeared into its own shadow

Serena gave a look to her brother when he mention the attic. "These things wouldnt be up there" She said jerking a thumb towards the stairs her brother had just come down. She ducked a wild swing by another albino shadowling. Why did they all look alike ? She didnt have to ask because her aunt beat her to the question

"Didnt I just knock you out ?!" Blackmane thundered from the kitchen as a solid CRACK was then heard, not the normal typical clonk or clang, but a solid very magical CRACK as the frypan glowed and sparked with blue energy dancing upon it as Blackmane finally put down a Shadowling, and it didnt get back up, because it had turned to dust like the ones Mark had shot, Blackmane pointed at the dust "Stay!" She said Using her magic she swept it away out the window

Dusting off her hands Blackmane said simply "Breakst will be served as soon as these... things are out of the house" She went back to work making the pancakes. plain simple pancakes, she didnt like anthing in her plain old pancakes. some sugar atop them with srype and boom she was set. Though Serena liked bacon with her pancakes, heck the whole family did.

1 hour later

Marketplace Den Library

In the library, which was vast to say in the lease, there was a single woman dressed in white and gold robes, clearly not from Arendelle yet the pearl headband didnt even give her away as her magic kept others from recognising her until the time was right. She was searching through books as Mark arrived in the massive room.

Upon seeing the woman, Mark immediately peered at her with his Eagle Vision to determine if she was a threat or not, however all he could see, much like when he would try with Diana, was a plume of annoying bright light. He bit his bottom lip before stepping closer, intentionally making his footsteps heavier so they could be heard easier. As the woman turned to face him, he stopped. "You have come a long way, stranger." Mark said calmly. "But I'm afraid this library is off limits to all but high-ranking Assassins and members of the Royal Family or staff." he explained softly, not wanting to cause a scene. His eyes narrowed. "So, how can I help you?"

The woman smiled and turned to look towards him, looking him up and down with her black eyes ringed in brillant blue "Hmmm.. I think you will do" She said taking a brief step around him as if inspecting him all the way around. "Yes, a strong Assasin for sure, able to do missions on the spot regardless of mission giver, I think you will do nicely"

Mark's eyes followed her as she walked around him, his claws shifted in the light, his armor shimmering as well. His hood covered most of his face still; he normally didn't let it down unless he was certain he was alone, or among trusted friends. Though he didn't look it, he was ready to strike within the blink of an eye if the need called for it. "You can see a lot for a stranger. What are you on about?"

The woman stared at him, blanching slightly at his question "What do you mean ?" as she stepped back a bit seemingly in thought, but faster than a blink of the eye the woman had Mark in a hammer lock against the table

Mark let out an amused grunt, she was playing coy. He opened his mouth to retort, and continue his questioning, but then he found his face being slammed into the red oak table, his arm twisted behind his back, any attempt to move was met with the resistance of a mountain and a half, he grunted and lashed out with his free arm, only for his head to slammed again. "Son of a... what the hell do you want?" He growled slightly muffled as his face was half smushed into the map on the table.

"Liberate this district on the map before you, and I'll make it worth your while!" The woman said, holding him, oddly strong with slender delicate hands "You got six hours"

Mark's eyes looked to the map, Turintao. Mark's eye twitched. "The teenage emo district?" He grunted. The woman's grip tightened and he hissed. "Six hours? Lady do you know how big that district i-" Again his head was slammed, this time into the bookcase at the front of the table, and then down into the table again, any harder, and either his head or the table would crack open. Mark was silent, growling under his breath, his claws curled into a tight, annoyed fist. "Christ, fine! Fuck... how the fuck am I supposed to do that?" He asked. Finally he was let go and he stood, turning his head to crack his neck and huff, heavilly annoyed.

"You'll know" The woman replied, then Kanwar left him. She left him so quietly he never heard her leave as he had his back to her at the time

He stood in silence then, blinking. He fell down into a chair and dropped his hood. Crazy bitch knocked his head so hard the hair tie Elsa gave him came out, and his hair was dropping into his face in thick bangs, giving him a sort of more exotic look to go with his jaw-hugging beard. He tied his hair back quickly and threw the chair across the room. "Fucking fuck!" He growled, opening a transport array. before he stepped into it though he stopped and looked at the map. "God... fucking shit... fuck." He growled, a mixture of confusion, pain, and annoyance in his voice. He grabbed the map, and took it with him through the array, cursing in every language he knew.

When he arrived at the destination he found his sister, after breakfast Serenity had cleaned up, but her scars showed clear in the sunlight, a glittery frozen red of crusted blood and blisters. Stupid Templars were learning fast than any of them thought. She stared when her brother arrived through the transport array, all those curses made her simply blink. "I dont think our before breakfast alarm is the reason for this new slingful ?" She said simply to her brother, she saw the map, the same one she had smacked into her face before he went to the library. "Let me guess... You spoke to that lady too ?" At least the pain on her face was gone

Mark growled and slammed it on the table, plates shaking from the force. "You want revenge for that burn?" he asked simply, staring at the mess of scars on her face for a brief moment. "Help me liberate this district. That woman gave me six fuckin' hours." he said with a growl. "Get your shit, we got stuff to do." He stormed upstairs to his room, grabbing the most flexible of his weapons besides his sword, which was on his back already. Some where around fourty throwing knives, his Desert Eagle with Standard Rounds and four extra magazines, a few rope-darts, and a few smoke bombs.

"You bet I want revenge, I was in so much pain when I got this, Diana took out the guy that did it. Next Templar Captain I see I'm just gonna rip their throat out" Serenity growled her eyebrow raised, six hours ? For the Turintao District ? Impossible, the place was a moshpit for sure! Serenity nodded, They had a mission, perfect! She went to the armory in the den, normally she kept her swords there until trecently she'd bee nsleeping with the things within reach. With her swords she grabbed up her daggerlike guns, so extesively modified no normal gunmaker could match them, but at least they sold the rounds. She grabbed up also a few bracers of throwing needles. The last thing she grabbed were some Hidden Blades.

She met up with her brother at the door as he came down the stairs. A finger was tracing the scars on her face as she viewed them ni a mirror, glittering like galss they were painless... for once. "Ready to kick some Templar ass ?" She asked, very briefly she considered going partly tiger like she liked, but didnt want to risk triggering the scars to bleed after that woman somehow stopped the pain when her mother and aunt couldnt. Serena was already on an Assassination mission outside Arendelle in Oslo as she left before her brother came into the kitchen with the map

Mark flicked his wrist, his family's crest apppearing in front of them, his Transport Array glowing bronze as usual. "This will drop us in different spots in the district. Go ape-shit." he said before all but diving through it.

Serentiy smirked "Lets do some damage!" and hopped into the mark, disappearing into smoke less than a heartbeat later and reappearing just as quickly in the desired location. Right in the middle of a bar ... Oh... crud

Arendelle

Turintao District

Moments Later

Mark appeared within the second of five hexagonal rings that formed the district, counting outwards from the central plaza, putting him in the middle of the district, effectively. As soon as he appeared with bronze flash, he darted for the first Templar he saw, using his Eagle Vision to give himself the perfect targetting system he grabbed the first man he saw, picked him up over his head, and then slammed theh man's head against the stone ground until it popped. The Citizens screamed and ran, while Templars poured forth from every door, corner, window, and cupboard that they could. Mark was surrounded immediately and he drew his sword and a fist full of throwing daggers. With a swish of his arm five Templars dropped to the ground with knives in their heads or throats. Following up the momentum, five more lost their heads to his blade.

Mark's eyes flashed Silver and he lifted his free hand up to the sky with his fingers opened flat. Gravity around him was reduced to nothing, the Templars flying upwards before he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it, and the Templars down, either knocking them out or killing them upon impact. He darted then down the road, knives flinging out and nailing Templars left and right. Rounding a corner into the inner ring, Mark's Eagle Vision located the foosteps of the Templar Captain, and he set about following them through the streets and buildings, arrows and bullets alike bouncing off his armor harmlessly as he ran after the Captain.

It led him to the entrance to the central plaza, a massive barricade lined with Guards all armed with rifles aiming at Mark. "Fuck." the Assassin transport arrayed himself to safety behind the wall before turning to climb the wall, his claws digging into the walls with ease and allowing him to climb with ease. He hopped onto the roof and squated. Good, no one knew he was up here yet. Looking around, he blinked, someone had been helping him... He stood and walked to the edge, a few explosive barrels of gunpowder set up to be accidentally knocked over. "Oops" he said, kicking them over the side and onto the barricade, taking out a Templar or two in doing so.

"What the fuck? Where'd this come from?"

"Oh good god... wait... where's the Assassin?"

"Fuck!"

"I told you! Keep an eye on the Assassin!" If the Templar soldier said anything further it was drowned out in a gunshot as Mark's gun went off, and the barricade exploded with enough force to be felt even where his sister was, wherever she ended up anyway. Mark leaned back just as a flaming arrow whizzed by his face and he turned to face the archer, shooting him without a second thought. The Assassin looked around, the trail ended here for the Captain, he needed a better view.

Sheathing his sword and holstering his pistol he clapped his hands together and then slammed them on the ground, closing his eyes before letting out a sickeningly loud Eagle Screech. On command, Ulnaus appeared from a flash of Bronze and Silver Light, He turned to the massive bird as he landed behind his Master and chirped softly.

"I need a bird's eye view. Show me the District." Mark commanded. Ulnaus paused, chriped and then took off, the wind from his wings flaring out Mark's coat as Mark sat and closed one eye, that eye then began to transmit what Ulnaus could see with the corresponding eye on the bird. Mark tilted his head as he took in the information, growling softly before Ulnaus found another cluster of Templars, one of them wearing the robes of a Captain.

Standing, Mark took off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as he then bounded towards the group as they shot at the massive bird above them. Grunting, Mark shot at those shooting at Ulnaus first, taking them out before needing to reloading, and dropping down to the ground, Gravity around him slammed most of the group down, except for the Captain and his guard, all hyped up on Speed as usual.

They couldn't feel the effects of Mark's limited Gravity Manipulation, which was enough to break the bones of the normal men around them. As gravity returned to normal, Mark flung the rope darts out, using them as two chain-sicles to slash and stab at them while they kept their distance from their assassin foe, who was able to see their hyped movements.

Soon however the ropes were cut and the weapons were useless. Throwing knives were deflected, and Mark was down to his gun and sword, but before he could pull the trigger the massive pistol was smacked from his hand. Growling, Mark clawed at the man's face with both hands, sword still in its sheath. Dispatching that man ended there, but as the other two attacked him, Mark was pushed back a few feet before he rooted himself and began to strike with such ferocity that even the drug-hyped Templars were beginning to become scared. It was that they couldn't keep up, quite the contrary, they were still faster than Mark, but Mark's strength was overwhelming them, and his armor was hurting them, despite the drugs. His hands slammed into their chests, grabbing at their organs or bones, whatever was closest, before pulling his arms out of their bodies and letting them drop. He dove for his gun and shot the last guard, and then lowered his sights on the Captain.

Turintao District

At that same moment

Serenity looked about, the bar was packed with punks it seemed like, it felt a lot like Egypt the design of the building, everything was hexagonal in design, even the building itself. Stepping past a few tables, Serentiy was given barely a glance from a few folk seated and by her appearance alone was sure to be judged with hostility, yet something about her stature and how she carried herself, a woman on a mission, not someone opening blaming anyone for anything, but to help someone in need. These people recognised that need by the mere way her eyes glowed, she saw blue outlines around everyone within the bar, innocent bystanders that could be of aid

She moved from one table to the nexct, nobody gave her a second thought once they were sure she wasnt there to harm them directly. The men and women at each table she passed were either complaining about something, playing cards, or doing makeup, or using their wristphones, of ther entire kingdom only the Turinato District was the most advanced outside the Marketplace Assassin Den she noticed it right off just by seeing how gothic punk everything was on itso wn.

Nothing could be this much like the Equator City and not be this Gothic Punk about it! Moving from table to table she heard snippets of conversation, some were content with the way things were, the others were complaining of not getting in on things and claiming their own district from these so called Templars, while others were asking about the weird group with the seven wings of white and one of black getting destroyed in the Daodojo district. Serenity smiled, she remembered her brother talking about the weird fight and how he met that new woman, named Fang

As she joined a group of the residents of the district, older folk who looked to her more of a friend then an enemy or someone not to be trusted right off, she remembered the words she had spoken to her brother mere moments before. She ewanted to rip the throats out of the first Templars she saw. So after giving the table a careful glance with her own Tigris Vision she was invited to sit at the table and join in the conversation.

There was an old man at the table, his hair was black as oil and he looked well learned from what Serenity could tell and by appearance the man knew quite a bit. Once she had taken her seat near him the old man spoke "It is not every day a Tigris graces us with her precense here in this kingdom" He said simply

Serenity stared at the man, how did he know she was a Tigris ? "I am sorry ? You mean there was another here ? Another Tigris ?"

"Yes, it has been some time indeed. Pray tell then young master, what brings you, a Tigris girl to be sure, all the way here to our... newly humbled district of Turintao ?" The old man said

"Newly humbled ? You mean the Templars ?" Serenity asked. The man nodded

"Yes, ever since they arrived and took over the center, things have become rather... busy here in this tavern. Tavern of Turintao this place was once called, but since we have been displaced it has become the Gothic Road" The man said he looked about the massive tavern "It is now home to many who once called this District home. In fact some of those here welcome our opressors because it generated business here in this tavern"

"Yeah, it gave us a home too, a place where the old man here can tell his stories without those idiots getting in his way and making us go elsewhere" Broke in another at the table. Serenity looked to the new speaker, a younger man of a sort, not as old as the old man, with long black hair and a regal air about him,. "As far as we know and heard, Old Man Iron Wolf here..." the man gestured to Serenity's conversation partner, "...was said to have seen a Tigris, the only guy in the district, he'd speak in the center in the theatre there about them, tell stories." The man took a drink

"Then why come here ?" Serenity asked, the old man watched the front entry, people seemed to running in two directions.

"Because we were forced out, we came here, that was ten years ago see. After the Great Winter that happened during summer."

"The real question, scarred lady, is why did you come here ?" Asked another young person at the table, the goth dressed woman gave Serenity a curious look. "Are you here for something ?"

"You could say that" Serenity replied, not entirely sure of giving away exactly why she was there, but it was clear by the crystalised crusted blood on her face from the burns what she sought.

"To be expected of the younger generations, when wronged they can only avenge the wrong by taking revenge" The old man replied as Serenity turned her pink eyes towards him as he spoke, his gaze however was on the street where men and women scrambled aftrer something and a few carrying ladders. "Either way I think you best get a move on, if you came for revenge you best get it while you can" He nodded towards the door, She followed his nod and saw out in the street the frantic level of activity. She recognised those outside in red outlines, her desired targets.

She turned back to th group at table with a slight bow she said simply "Thank you, Good health to you" She said before getting up and heading outside as the building suddenly shook madly stepping outside she saw smoke down the street towards her left, framed by what looked like a tower. Ah there was the District signal tower.

A Templar ran at her, she easily flicjked out her hand, her claws slashing the guys throat, she wanted to just reach out to the captain, and rip out fihs adams apple with her fingers, it'd be bloody, but it'd be worth it. Now where to find the guy. Easing her twin swords from her back she began methodically moving through the massive throng of Templars in the street.

She spotted he brother going rooftop to rooftop, well this was gonna be fun, She ducked the wild swing of another Templar, easily kicking the woman into her fellows before slicing open the stomach of the guy behind her and going without stopping to the next Guy in line. Innocents scrambled for safety while those she had spoken with had stepped out of the bar to watch the fight.

Four men and two women, the same six she had briefly sat at table with stood around an older dark haired man. "Should we help her ?" asked the younger man who had pointed out the older mans name to her.

Iron Wolf shook his head "I do believe they have this handled. Now the story will be told, a New Tigris is here, possibly more in fact" He knew his daughter in law qwas half tigris, and his grandson was also half tigris, but his knowledge of what his grandson was didnt know his grandson was also half dragon, and half eagle, and half human, a mutt of a sort.

"They ? But it was only her that spoke with us at table; who is with her ?" Asked the young woman who had asked what Serenity was after

"Look to the rooftops to see the salvation of your home children" Iron Wolf replied before patting his young charges on the shoulder and returning to the bar to his table, the group stayed and watched as Serenity all but ravaged the Templars on the ground before scrambling for a rooftop

Mark squeezed the trigger, and the gun clicked. A quick look would reveal that the dirt accumulated through use had jammed the slide, and the spent round cartridge could not be ejected. i'Knew I should've cleaned it last night."/i he thought before looking to the Captain, who now made his way towards Mark slowly, his eye twitching from the drugs, and a massive axe in his hand. Mark holstered the pistol and his grip tightened on his blade's hilt, dropping into his signiture stance that gave him the nickname The Scorpion.

"Come now, Assassin...There's no need for all this bloodshed, is there?" the Captain asked. "I'm sure this can be settled non-violently."

"You're not exactly giving me a choice here." Mark retorted calmly, his foot shifting, ready to pounce in any direction needed.

"There is always a choice" The Captain said, at this point his left eye was twitching he possibly had the nickname of 'Twitcheye', he thumped his axe handle in his hand. The weapon was heavy and not exactly the easiest thing to defend against when used by a pro, or a hyperdrugged crazy. At the edgde of the rooftop behind the man Mark saw brown hair and bright pink eyes peek over the ledge as Serenity came into view, she shook her head towards her brother, she didnt want the Captain to know she was there.

"For example" Captain Twitcheye continued oblovious to the fact he was about to get killed but not by the guy in front of him, "You could have not have come. You could have said no. You could have come with an entire army... Or you could have slept in"

Mark looked to the Captain, ignoring his sister for now, and then he laughed at the Captain's suggestions. This made the man raise an eyebrow. "Y'know, they always did call you crazy, Scorpion of the Assassins, but I didn't think you were crazy enough to laugh when your death was upon you!" He said, and with that, he stepped back, lowering into a stance ready to charge Mark and attack him.

Mark stopped laughing as soon as he moved, and with a flick of his wrist, lessened the gravity around the man keeping him still by making him float while Serenity snuck up on him. "You miscalculated, Captain; why would I need an Army if I can do this?" he smirked. As Serenity got closer, he'd more finely control the manipulation, keeping the man still while also keeping graivty normal for his sister until the last second, where he'd flick his wrist and restore the area to its natural graivity while spinning into a flourish and bow, sheathing his blade while he did so, as if finishing a performance for a crowd.

Suddenly the massvively drughyped Templar stopped moving, though he kept walking, in space. Though he didnt seem to notice as Serenity got onto the roof quietly, sheathing her swords on her back, from what her bvrother could see she also removed one of her armored leather gloves, her claws werent extended either "Yep, they were right, you're crazy... why the fuck am I not moving ?" The Captain finally looked down and saw he was inches off the rooftop. He hefted his axe, "Put me down or I'll stick you like a pig on a fire roast!"

He shut up however as a hand came out of nowhere as Grvity normalised and a very female hand latched ont the front of his throat. He stopped moving. Serenity leaned close. "You wont be able to eat, not after I rip it out..." Her grip tightened on his throast, the man started gagging, dropping his ax he turned and briefly the two parried and blocked with one hand each until...

Crack... slosh... thump... THUD

First was the crack, the breaking of the mans neck, the second was the removal of the adams apple directly, the thump was the ax making contact with the roof, and finally the thud was the body of the noew dead tyemplar falling flat on its face as Serenity simply tossed the apendage aside. She had a smile on her face. that felt good. She started licking her hands then to get he blood off them, Mark could see bits of brown and white fur on her fingers while she cleaned them off.

Seeing the dead on the rooftop she smirked "I see you had fun."

Mark quickly found the key to the tower in the man's clothing and nodded. "Indeed I did... like my handiwork?" He asked, gesturing broadly to the district as a hole, where dozens of ded Templars lay on the ground across the were likewise body parts strewn about from the explosion he'd caused of the barricade. Blood dripped from his claws and was splattered across his face and the chest plate of his armor.

Finding the key he stood. "would you like to light the tower? It was your kill after all." he offered the key to his sister, smiling gently.

"Very; you know how to make a show. Did they actually build a barricade for us to fight ? I felt the explosion in a bar... filled with displaced people too" She detailed the conversation she had in the bar with the small group, they were friendly, well, not exactly outwardly hostile to outsiders, but once seen to be what one of them had once seen long ago... In this case Marks own Mother and Sister...

Serenity smiled, It was her kill true. She reached for the key, but before her hand closed around it a new voice broke in from above "I'll break your wing if you dont drop me ya featherduster!" Her gaze snapped upwards, What the ?

Mark also looked up, clicking his tongue. Ulnaus obeyed and swooped down, dropping the owner of the voice on the ground between Mark and Serenity before landing himself, and beginning to preen his feathers. Mark raised an eyebrow at the bird, before looking to the person he'd caught. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked quickly to the person.

Serenity smelled another bird, but kept her mouth shut and snagged the key from her brother while the newcomer, clearly a woman of some form, with long black hair, dressed in white and silver, and what looked like olive branches tangled in her hair got to her feet and dusted herself off. The woman with bright green eyes looked over Mark carefully as he asked her the question "That's something of a personal question that first one, the second one is easy to answer though." She said. giving a pointed look towards Ulnaus she continued "I was minding my own business when featherduster there grabbed me and took off."

Serenity gave her brother a look before stepping backwards, she'd let him deal with this newcomer, see what she wanted, who she was, things like that were better off to him anyhow, normally since she was recently in a battle and the bloodlust had yet to really go away, trying to talk to her would only make things... weird. But as she left she heard the woman say "I am Dove Wezaki. Though almost everyone I know call me either Crazy Dove or Wezaki. But I thought you knew ? Wait no it cant be; must be thinking of someone else, someone I was supposed to meet here" Was this the woman the woman who gave them the mission meant to see when the liberated it ?

Mark crossed his arms and shifted his weight to his left hip while the woman talked, raising an eyebrow. "What were you doing so close that our feathered friend was able to grab you, Dove?" He asked sternly. "If you were truly minding your own business, Ulnaus wouldn't have grabbed you and brought you to me." he added.

"Now that's getting a bit personal" Wezaki replied criossing her arms as Ulanus sqauked, she glared towards the massive Eagle. "Like I said I was to meet someone here. I was down there" She pointed back to where the barricade once was, "Going through the bodies, finding anyone alive or almost dead when I was nabbed. I tried to fly away but... ah quái" She swore in Eagle, which of course perked up Ulanuse on the spot by those words

Mark let out an idle half grunt, half growl from his throat as she spoke, becoming a bit impatient as she started to avoid the question, when she answered him, his expression remained the same. "Looking for someone? Pray tell me who?" he asked. Below the hood his eyes glowed, searching the woman for weapons that might be hidden, or if her intent were to change from standing to attacking or running. He would be ready to counter her.

Wezaki's gaze went to the tower as Serenity climbed it effortlessly to light it. A moment later the one PM bell went off at the clock square. "Right on time. Looks like she was right. You do work good when under pressure." Well that explained it. Somehow this woman had ties to the woman that gave them the mission, six hours to liberate the place, and they did it with a minute to spare! Serenity leapt off the tower in a perfect leap of faith to the nearby rooftop debris stack before scampering out of it.

Wezaki crossed her arms a smug look on her face "I think I found who I was looking for, though I wasnt told there'd be two working it, just one. You. You the one they call Scorpion ?" She asked him as Serenity came back to them going through the pockets as she neared of each dead Templar until she got to the captain. Drug lists, the lot of them.

Mark nodded at her question of who he was, processing the information quickly in his head. That woman from the library sent someone else instead of coming herself. Annoying, but not un-ethical. He glanced to the clock tower. Six hours gone like that? It felt like only half an hour at the most to him while he was ridding the district of Templar influence. Interesting.

He narrowed his eyes. "I am the one they call Scorpion. What is your purpose, Dove?" he asked once more.

"Exactly what one would expect!" Wezaki replied. She got a good look at Serenity at that point "what in the blazes happened to you ? You look like you came across some darkfire or blackfire or something to make burns like that"

Serenity growled, how did this woman know ? "I dont trust her, she knows about my burn and where it came from. Who is she anyhow ? Did she say where she is from ?" Serenity spoke in their childhood dialog, it was something out of habit mostly, when talking privately with her brother or sister, or to drive others completely crazy

'She says her name is Wezaki the Dove. Though she won't tell me anything else, really." he growled back in the same dialogue before clearing his throat to get the Dove's attention.

"You still haven't told me what you're doing here, Dove. What do you want with me?" he growled, impatient now.

Seeing how Mark was acting Wezaki raised an eyebrow, pointing a thoughtful finger at Mark she said simply "Short waiting periods, I wasnt warned about that." She mused thoughtfully. Finally she tilted her heasd looking directly at him rather then sidelong towards Ulnaus. "I was told you'd know" It was true, the woman who gave them the mission said they'd know who to contact when they liberated the district, was it her ? Short asnwer, yup. Long answer, it remained to be seen.

"Wezaki the Dove ? A... Dove ? But that's impossible! Mother always said in her stories that the Doves were powerful healers and never left the Healing Wards in the Eagle Empire. Remember ?" Serenity replied to her brother, giving Wezaki a careful look she saw clearly the woman indeed wasnt human. she was Eagle...

Mark raised an eyebrow again, tapping his foot. "I wasn't told anything. Only "Here liberate this district and I'll make it worth your while" while getting my face slammed into a table." he barked. "Now tell me; what is your purpose?" He asked yet again.

Wezaki smiled, reaching into her sleeve she withdrew a crystal about as big as Marks index finger. She tapped it twice against her palm as if in thought before holding it out. "This is for you" She said simply. It was her job to hide it when it came to her, everyone that possessed the crystal by the data stored within it had to hide it somewhere, and it told her to get it out of the Mythic Realm. "The woman that gave you this mission wanted to ensure something, she wont tell me anything apparently in most things I'm better left in the dark."

She crossed her arms then, "Its said that you seek information, as much information as you can. Well, there's more in there. But I cannot unlock it" she said simply. She turned as if to leave. "You liberated this district inside of six hours. Impressive. She'll be happy to know."

Serenity crossed her arms, a finger tapping her scarred chin in thought. It was the same thing she had gotten only in this case she was told to "Look out for a dove. Dont attack her" And here was this apparent Dove standing right before her "I think she is our contact; I was told to look out for a dove and not to attack her. But I wasnt told her name or anything else. I was honestly exepcting a white bird, not a woman with olive branches in her hair" Serenity said softly to Mark

Mark took the crystal and examined it as she spoke. However he was zoned out by the time Serenity began to speak, turning away from them and staring into the crystal.

"You know what this is...don't you?" he asked Kalda internally. The Dragon nodded. "Well?"

"My private Journal...I must have left it on my ship a long time ago before my death." he answered.

"Why give it to me then?"

"Because you are me..." Kalda looked off into the distance and then back to Mark. "And we need to remember to wake up."