p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Sixteen years after the death of Selerai, eighteen months before the reunion between the King of the Pentarchy and the Supreme Commander of Xadia./strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia had left Katolis in the dead night and sneaked across the border. If either of them knew, she was worried that they would try to stop her. She had to know what happened, because it had bugged her for years. But now, after a decade, she had almost every piece of it. All she needed was the name of the monster that killed Selerai, and she was close. The conspirators' network was not as secured as they had believed. A well-placed bribe here, a KT session of a housemaid, and even threats and blackmail./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She made sure to document everything in her journal. Copies of financial paperwork from nobles, receipts, and even worse. She was so desperate for the truth that had been using dark magic to trap confessions and even knowledge from the heads and souls of the conspirators. This became even worse and more common as she sought the monster that would kill a child. She had stopped caring how much noise she made, and now, they were onto her./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"By the time she had realized it, it was too late. She knew that she was already dead, it was only a matter of time before they found her camp. At least her journal was securely hidden, and she had sent word to Soren via one of the few travelling merchants who remained. By the time it reached him, if it even did, she would be long dead./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"But it was worth it. That Night had destroyed her as much as it did Soren. He may still be living, but his died heart the following morning. At least she had the comfort of her betrothed, even though it was not to last. By the time her bethrothed wished to have a child, the war had begun. Claudia couldn't imagine bringing a child into the world, not when it would be a target for assassination. Rayla would never have authorized any such thing, but by this point… Claudia had her suspicions./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The next year her wife left her as their arguments became more frequent, angrier. Claudia became more and more consumed with unravelling this conspiracy. The obsession lead to Callum trying to stop her. So, she fled; the local elves knew that she was out here, but they just kind of ignored her. I guess that her severely thinned scalp and haggard appearance did a lot to help her. Hags were still scary, right?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A rustle startled her out of her thoughts, as she froze. Watching. It may have been around noon, but the canopy blocked out a lot of light, especially this deep into the forest. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"In the bushes of the clearing/strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan had been wrenched from his dispassionate solitude, by the monstrous, eldritch horror of a person that was his ginger haired handler, a week earlier. He was told that he had to find, track, and kill this hag. Nearly half a foot shorter than himself, it looked straight forward. But he knew it wasn't, they never tortured him for anything but the most dangerous of tasks./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A shake from a bush across the clearing from him made her stand up, and focus on that spot. This was the opportunity he had waited for, as he leaped from the bushes and charged her bringing his blade into her chest, before knocking her to the ground. As this, hag reached for him, he recognized her. Claudia, the Dark Mage from Katolis, so when she reached for him, he chose not to react. To let it happen, after all these years./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Finally, he might suffer for what he has done. He deserved after his role in the Blood Night. It haunted his dreams and followed him everywhere. It why he cutoff his horns, he wasn't worthy, he had been a coward. That was when he felt the hag pull his magic from him, attempting to heal herself. He opened himself up to her and fell into his memories./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Sixteen years prior, the Blood Night, just outside of the capitol of Katolis./strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The Blood Night, Runaan had been outside of the city. He was going to surprise Rayla with a visit, when over a dozen Crown guards appeared from the side of the road. "Halt, you are under arrest!" cried a voice as they encircled him. Not wanting to cause any problems, Runaan halted, asking "Under what charges?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Under whatever charges I say!" as the owner of the voice walked out from the woods on the side of the road. Runaan recognized him, he was the Captain of crownguard after the dumb gimp had quit… Runaan couldn't remember either name at the moment./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Captain, I'm sorry but I forgot your name. I'm Runaan, Rayla's adoptive father? I'm sure that we can get this worked out- gaaah" Runaan began before the guards grabbed him and jammed a vial his right ear. He felt something crawl in before they let him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan dug at his ears for few moments, searching for any trace of what they slipped into him, "What the hell did you do to me?!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I ensured your co-operation, Runaan, assassin of Harrow." He explained, as he strolled forward. His small frame dwarfed by the elf, though he showed no sign being of intimidated. "I require the skills of a keen assassin. A personal enemy of mine has been vying for my position. I know that he does not like the princess Rayla, nor the Princess Selerai. Should he get my position, it would be very detrimental to the kingdom. So, I require an assassin, a moonshadow elf assassin, to abduct his daughter. After holding her for a day or two, we will be returning her unharmed. Thereby reminding my enemy at court of the dangers of crossing me." He finished with a kind smile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What was in that vial?" Runaan asked fairly sure he knew the answer. There were not that many ways to ensure co-operation./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""A creature, a very rare insect. It is a brain parasite; the contents of human and elf skulls are just the perfect temperature for the incubation of it's young. By midnight it will have chewed through your eardrum, unless you bring me the little girl, then I can provide a potion that will cause the creature to leave your ear and seek another host."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I can tell you were they will be, and you are to follow them and snatch her from her uncle quietly. If you fail or refuse to do this, not only will die from the poison, but I will be forced to take more violent measures with my rival. Measures that may cost the girl her life… Or affect the royal family." The man answered smugly./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan could see that this short man had him beat. "Fine!" he spat. He just wanted to get this over with. Though, he was snickering in his head. This stupid human was assuming that he wouldn't confess to Rayla and Callum about this. He gladly would, they would believe him, and even if he had to spend some time in prison. It would be worth it to remove this snickering snake from garden that his adoptive child, and grandchild lived in./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Back in the clearing, to Claudia's struggle for survival, and Runaan's struggle for punishment./strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia watched in horror, as she was sucked into her assassin's memories. She was wondering why he was doing this. She was using dark magic to drain his soul to try and heal her body. She gasped when she realized that it was Runaan, and it got worst. The then-Captain of the Crown Guard who had arrested Runaan, was none other than Captain Marcos. As a scout, Rayla had spared his life the night before King Harrow's death. However grateful he was, though, was overshadowed by his racism. He had been one of guards they had thought controlled by Viren and Aaravos. He must have been acting of his own free will./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia hoped that this memory wasn't what she thought. To have helped a monster like Marcos kidnap a child was… "Oh no!" She thought, "No one was kidnapped that night but Selerai." She could feel a cold dread growing in her soul, like ice, as she watched Runaan stalk human and a human child. It was then that she realized what the creature was they forced into Runaan's head. It was the same creature that Aaravos and Viren had used to control the bodies of guards during their uprising. They were altering his perception, making Soren and Selerai unrecognizable./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She was forced to watch, through Runaan's eyes, as he kidnapped the child and brought her to the ravine. She realized how terrifying this magic truly was, as Runaan's limbs glowed a sick purplish-green, and moved of their accord just after the illusion was broken. She tried to cry out and tear her eyes from what she knew was going to happen. She couldn't./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia watched the memory of Selerai's lifeless body rolling down the wall of the ravine, her blood staining Runaan's swords, left behind. As he turned ran as fast as he could. He had to be anywhere, anywhere but here. She could feel his panic and pain, and she understood. He was showing her this, and letting her take his life, because he wanted to die. He wanted the truth to be known about the monsters that forced, literally, into doing such a horrific deed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She could see the other lives they forced him to take, threatening to take Rayla's life. Though was a satisfying memory of Runaan choking Marcos to death. She felt for Runaan, these people had taken him and broke him. They may as well have been demons from mythology, just wearing human, elfin, and dragon skin. At least, he was getting something that he needed, punishment. She would have to tell Callum and Rayla about this./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"If/span she lived. She could feel Runaan's life passing, but… It wouldn't be enough she realized. So, she stopped draining him, causing both them to return to their bodies. She looked over as he collapsed to her right. "I'm sorry Runaan. You aren't enough to fix me." She said with a weak smile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "So be it. I will die here regardless, Claudia." Runaan returned as he watched her eyes gain that all too familiar glassy look, as the slight smile remained on her face. She had passed; Runaan could only turn his head to look up at the sky. Rain has started to fall. "Well," he said to no one in particular, "at least I get to see this." With his last amount of energy, he prayed to anything and everything, that Rayla and Callum could learn of this nest of snakes and destroy them. It was under that falling rain, in a clearing deep within Xadia, that Runaan closed his eyes and with his last breath whispered, "I'm sorry, Ray..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia had left Katolis in the dead night and sneaked across the border. If either of them knew, she was worried that they would try to stop her. She had to know what happened, because it had bugged her for years. But now, after a decade, she had almost every piece of it. All she needed was the name of the monster that killed Selerai, and she was close. The conspirators' network was not as secured as they had believed. A well-placed bribe here, a KT session of a housemaid, and even threats and blackmail./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She made sure to document everything in her journal. Copies of financial paperwork from nobles, receipts, and even worse. She was so desperate for the truth that had been using dark magic to trap confessions and even knowledge from the heads and souls of the conspirators. This became even worse and more common as she sought the monster that would kill a child. She had stopped caring how much noise she made, and now, they were onto her./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"By the time she had realized it, it was too late. She knew that she was already dead, it was only a matter of time before they found her camp. At least her journal was securely hidden, and she had sent word to Soren via one of the few travelling merchants who remained. By the time it reached him, if it even did, she would be long dead./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"But it was worth it. That Night had destroyed her as much as it did Soren. He may still be living, but his died heart the following morning. At least she had the comfort of her betrothed, even though it was not to last. By the time her bethrothed wished to have a child, the war had begun. Claudia couldn't imagine bringing a child into the world, not when it would be a target for assassination. Rayla would never have authorized any such thing, but by this point… Claudia had her suspicions./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The next year her wife left her as their arguments became more frequent, angrier. Claudia became more and more consumed with unravelling this conspiracy. The obsession lead to Callum trying to stop her. So, she fled; the local elves knew that she was out here, but they just kind of ignored her. I guess that her severely thinned scalp and haggard appearance did a lot to help her. Hags were still scary, right?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A rustle startled her out of her thoughts, as she froze. Watching. It may have been around noon, but the canopy blocked out a lot of light, especially this deep into the forest. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"In the bushes of the clearing/strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan had been wrenched from his dispassionate solitude, by the monstrous, eldritch horror of a person that was his ginger haired handler, a week earlier. He was told that he had to find, track, and kill this hag. Nearly half a foot shorter than himself, it looked straight forward. But he knew it wasn't, they never tortured him for anything but the most dangerous of tasks./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A shake from a bush across the clearing from him made her stand up, and focus on that spot. This was the opportunity he had waited for, as he leaped from the bushes and charged her bringing his blade into her chest, before knocking her to the ground. As this, hag reached for him, he recognized her. Claudia, the Dark Mage from Katolis, so when she reached for him, he chose not to react. To let it happen, after all these years./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Finally, he might suffer for what he has done. He deserved after his role in the Blood Night. It haunted his dreams and followed him everywhere. It why he cutoff his horns, he wasn't worthy, he had been a coward. That was when he felt the hag pull his magic from him, attempting to heal herself. He opened himself up to her and fell into his memories./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Sixteen years prior, the Blood Night, just outside of the capitol of Katolis./strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The Blood Night, Runaan had been outside of the city. He was going to surprise Rayla with a visit, when over a dozen Crown guards appeared from the side of the road. "Halt, you are under arrest!" cried a voice as they encircled him. Not wanting to cause any problems, Runaan halted, asking "Under what charges?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Under whatever charges I say!" as the owner of the voice walked out from the woods on the side of the road. Runaan recognized him, he was the Captain of crownguard after the dumb gimp had quit… Runaan couldn't remember either name at the moment./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Captain, I'm sorry but I forgot your name. I'm Runaan, Rayla's adoptive father? I'm sure that we can get this worked out- gaaah" Runaan began before the guards grabbed him and jammed a vial his right ear. He felt something crawl in before they let him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan dug at his ears for few moments, searching for any trace of what they slipped into him, "What the hell did you do to me?!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I ensured your co-operation, Runaan, assassin of Harrow." He explained, as he strolled forward. His small frame dwarfed by the elf, though he showed no sign being of intimidated. "I require the skills of a keen assassin. A personal enemy of mine has been vying for my position. I know that he does not like the princess Rayla, nor the Princess Selerai. Should he get my position, it would be very detrimental to the kingdom. So, I require an assassin, a moonshadow elf assassin, to abduct his daughter. After holding her for a day or two, we will be returning her unharmed. Thereby reminding my enemy at court of the dangers of crossing me." He finished with a kind smile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What was in that vial?" Runaan asked fairly sure he knew the answer. There were not that many ways to ensure co-operation./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""A creature, a very rare insect. It is a brain parasite; the contents of human and elf skulls are just the perfect temperature for the incubation of it's young. By midnight it will have chewed through your eardrum, unless you bring me the little girl, then I can provide a potion that will cause the creature to leave your ear and seek another host."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I can tell you were they will be, and you are to follow them and snatch her from her uncle quietly. If you fail or refuse to do this, not only will die from the poison, but I will be forced to take more violent measures with my rival. Measures that may cost the girl her life… Or affect the royal family." The man answered smugly./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Runaan could see that this short man had him beat. "Fine!" he spat. He just wanted to get this over with. Though, he was snickering in his head. This stupid human was assuming that he wouldn't confess to Rayla and Callum about this. He gladly would, they would believe him, and even if he had to spend some time in prison. It would be worth it to remove this snickering snake from garden that his adoptive child, and grandchild lived in./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"uspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Back in the clearing, to Claudia's struggle for survival, and Runaan's struggle for punishment./strong/span/u/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia watched in horror, as she was sucked into her assassin's memories. She was wondering why he was doing this. She was using dark magic to drain his soul to try and heal her body. She gasped when she realized that it was Runaan, and it got worst. The then-Captain of the Crown Guard who had arrested Runaan, was none other than Captain Marcos. As a scout, Rayla had spared his life the night before King Harrow's death. However grateful he was, though, was overshadowed by his racism. He had been one of guards they had thought controlled by Viren and Aaravos. He must have been acting of his own free will./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia hoped that this memory wasn't what she thought. To have helped a monster like Marcos kidnap a child was… "Oh no!" She thought, "No one was kidnapped that night but Selerai." She could feel a cold dread growing in her soul, like ice, as she watched Runaan stalk human and a human child. It was then that she realized what the creature was they forced into Runaan's head. It was the same creature that Aaravos and Viren had used to control the bodies of guards during their uprising. They were altering his perception, making Soren and Selerai unrecognizable./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She was forced to watch, through Runaan's eyes, as he kidnapped the child and brought her to the ravine. She realized how terrifying this magic truly was, as Runaan's limbs glowed a sick purplish-green, and moved of their accord just after the illusion was broken. She tried to cry out and tear her eyes from what she knew was going to happen. She couldn't./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Claudia watched the memory of Selerai's lifeless body rolling down the wall of the ravine, her blood staining Runaan's swords, left behind. As he turned ran as fast as he could. He had to be anywhere, anywhere but here. She could feel his panic and pain, and she understood. He was showing her this, and letting her take his life, because he wanted to die. He wanted the truth to be known about the monsters that forced, literally, into doing such a horrific deed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She could see the other lives they forced him to take, threatening to take Rayla's life. Though was a satisfying memory of Runaan choking Marcos to death. She felt for Runaan, these people had taken him and broke him. They may as well have been demons from mythology, just wearing human, elfin, and dragon skin. At least, he was getting something that he needed, punishment. She would have to tell Callum and Rayla about this./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"If/span she lived. She could feel Runaan's life passing, but… It wouldn't be enough she realized. So, she stopped draining him, causing both them to return to their bodies. She looked over as he collapsed to her right. "I'm sorry Runaan. You aren't enough to fix me." She said with a weak smile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "So be it. I will die here regardless, Claudia." Runaan returned as he watched her eyes gain that all too familiar glassy look, as the slight smile remained on her face. She had passed; Runaan could only turn his head to look up at the sky. Rain has started to fall. "Well," he said to no one in particular, "at least I get to see this." With his last amount of energy, he prayed to anything and everything, that Rayla and Callum could learn of this nest of snakes and destroy them. It was under that falling rain, in a clearing deep within Xadia, that Runaan closed his eyes and with his last breath whispered, "I'm sorry, Ray..."/p