"Blah" – Talking "Blah" – Thinking "Blah" – Spell

~I do not own Guild Wars or Guild Wars 2, both are the property of NCsoft and Arenanet~

Chapter 1: Krytan Politics

She felt cold. It was a simple sensation but it was all Jai felt, she could feel nothing supporting her yet she didn't feel weightless, she didn't feel pain nor exhaustion just cold. Opening her eyes to a black void Jai looked down upon herself to see she was clad in simple leather vest over her black long sleeved shirt and leather pants. Unsure of what to do she did as instinct dictated, and took a step down from where she was suspended. As soon as her foot touched something solid the void melted away to the Ebony Citadel. Mouth agape as she stared at the identical replica of the inner sanctum she was not so immersed as to not notice a spike in magical presence behind her. Whirling around as her blades materialized in her hands Jai was met with a figure of glowing golds and oranges bright as the setting sun.

Recognizing her guest as an envoy of the goddess Kormir, Jai quickly sheathed her blades and bowed at the waist, "Hail, Seer of Truth."

The Seer was silent for a moment, blindfold doing nothing to hamper the feeling of being examined. She kept her bow, not once looking up nor moving until, "You have no need to bow to me, Lightbringer."

Jai swallowed uncomfortably, unused to the respect she was shown by the goddess' messengers after her long decades of naught but fighting the remaining demons within the Domains of Anguish "I-I beg your pardon Seer, but may I be enlightened as to the reason you are here?"

The Seer's face and tone was unchanging as it resumed speaking, "Do you not remember your sacrifices, Lightbringer?"

Jai bit back the acerbic reply of "How could I forget?" and instead took the chance to ask what had been bothering her since waking up and finding herself outside the Realm.

"How am I here? All who are Touched by Abbadon are forever imprisoned within the Realm, why am I not still there?" She nearly pleaded, desperate to know. Was this all fake? An illusion? It would crack what sanity she had left to be given this taste only to be forced back.

The Seer raised a hand palm facing forward, the simple gesture calming her down. "Our Lady Kormir wept for the darkness you endured, she despaired that your loyalty was repaid only in blood, death and never ending Torment. She sought to repay you, seeking to honor friendship you shared until she could at last set you free. The Touch has not left you, but it shall no more bind you nor affect others, the taint is your burden and yours alone." The Seer paused, giving Jai time to process her words before cutting her off as she opened her mouth to gape, "You have been Called, Lightbringer. Tyria has been plunged into shadow once more, and there was a ritual beseeching the Gods for aid. But their power has waned, for none could reach into the Hall of Heroes for a soul to send. But Lady Kormir had no need for such, for she had you." Another pause, "Seeing this as a chance to aid the people of Tyria and to set you free our Goddess sent you to the nearest true conduit of her power."

Jai looked down to her hands, nervously wringing her fingers as she choked out a whisper, "It never ends does it?" She asked rhetorically, "Of course it doesn't, a weapon is worthless when not in a fight." The words were bitter on her tongue. "But at least I am free."

The Seer was unchanged, "You are still changed by the Touch, but are no longer denied the chance to walk Tyria once more. Take this as an opportunity, use it for more than it is. Seek not your enemies, for you are already upon the right path. You must now Wake up." With those parting words the Seer vanished as the whole world around them wavered as if made of water before everything faded into smoke.

"Wake up,"

Jai was falling, "Wake up,"

All she heard was the strange voice, "Wake up ma'am."

And then she woke up.

When her eyes snapped open all she could see was the wooden framework of a house. "Free, I'm free. Oh Kormir, this is real. I'm really truly free of the Realm."

"Oh thank Dwayna! You're finally awake!"

Jai turned her head only to be met with a smiling cheerful face that was entirely too close. With a startled gasp she flailed slightly in an attempt to scramble away from the preppy person clad in blue and gold that was still smiling so wide it had to hurt. "Wha-?"

Somehow the woman's grin got wider, "I'm Priestess Amelia, and you were injured when the elemental exploded. Captain Thackeray brought you here personally. You've been unconscious for three days."

"Three days?!" Jai thought to herself in surprise, though she was also slightly surprised that Thackeray had carried her to the priestess. Normally she recovered much faster than that, though the delay could be attributed to a lack of the Realm's influence now that she was no longer in it. The priestess went on babbling in a chirpy tone, "You had lots of visitors: villagers you rescued, some Seraph….but the Captain's been visiting quite a bit once we found out nobody seemed to recognize you."

Her insides turned to ice, "Shit."

"Do you have any friends or family in the Reach?" The priestess asked, her head slightly tilted in confusion.

Giving a slight frown Jai ignored the old pain at the mention of friends as she shook her head before asking a question of her own, "The Reach?"

"You know silly," Amelia waved off, "Divinity's Reach!"

Jai's confusion didn't go away, and it must have showed on her face.

Now the priestess looked down at her with concern, "How could you not know Divinity's Reach? It's the capitol of Kryta since the Great Flood. Shaemoor's just outside its gates."

Her mind flashing back to the massive walled city she had wondered about last- or rather three nights ago Jai mused "So it's called Divinity's Reach huh?"

Her contemplation must have shown on her face, as the healer interrupted her thoughts, "You- you don't know?"

Amelia's concerned voice brought Jai out of her thoughts, the priestess having already crouched down to the assassin's level and began running a glowing blue hand on her head. Instinctively Jai started to swat at the hand, she felt fine. But the healer was stubborn only pausing when there was a dry creak as the wooden door to the room opened to reveal Captain Thackeray still clad in his polished armor though this time without the grime of blood and gore though this time his brown hair was dry with a soft wave. The man gave a small smile upon seeing Jai, though she swore that it was because of the amusement he got out of her predicament of prying the preppy healer off of her. "Am I interrupting anything?"

The priestess immediately froze with a blazing blush spreading across her face. Seeing her chance Jai finally shoved the woman off her before she began edging to her savior, not that she would ever admit to the man that he had saved her, or that she was hiding behind him, which she was not doing.

"Nope! No problems here Captain!" Amelia blurted out, "But she might have amnesia! Among other things."

Thackeray's grin immediately melted off his face, "Amnesia?"

"I know! Exciting isn't it?" Amelia let out a small clap before catching herself, "Not that amnesia's a good thing, but well- I've never had a patient with amnesia before! And, oh, sorry ma'am I don't mean to be happy about your condition but I'm also not sure if you have it. Amnesia that is, but who doesn't know about Divinity's Reach!?" She babbled, the entire paragraph tumbling out of her mouth in a rush. "And she's grey! Plus her blood's a bit weird. I thought at first she was a Risen, undead ya know? But her heart was beating and she had a pulse so she's not a Risen but still pretty weird…"

Jai felt her eye twitch; the woman was just to chipper for her to deal with right now. Or ever really. But she tensed as the woman rambled about her more unusual features, the ones that came from her exposure to the Realm. Jai was admittedly a pale shade of grey, her skin turned ashen as she was turned from human to Mists constructed entity over the long time she had spent in the Realm. She considered herself a demon, her human body having been corrupted by the Realm's influence but tempered by Kormir's interference she ended up as whatever she was rather than a Margonite.

Thackeray cast a scrutinizing gaze on her, "She is a bit grey, and that can't be healthy."

Looking up towards the man's suspicious face Jai mentally cursed as she still didn't know how long she'd been missing from Tyria, though she would bet a couple platinum that it was a very long time since it didn't seem like anyone recognized her, a blessing when she thought about it. It wouldn't do well to pretend knowledge that might be needed, or where her lying about knowing such would be obvious and the lack of honesty would cast even more suspicion on her which her features wouldn't help. "It's not contagious nor is it detrimental to my health. I ended up like this because of, extenuating circumstances that I don't want to talk about. I can still fight though." She tacked on stubbornly. Jai could handle being treated like an idiot, but not an invalid.

Thackeray just held up his hands in a jesting surrender position, "Never doubted your combat skills from last night, but…" His frown deepened, "What do you remember from before the Battle of Shaemoor?"

"I just woke up…" She muttered, "In a swamp, the statues of the Gods all submerged…"

"The Godslost Swamp?" Thackeray questioned, but she just shrugged. "What were you doing there? The place has been cursed since the old Temple was lost."

Jai just let out a breath, shrugging as she did so. "Probably that 'on the right path' crap the Seer was talking about. Scratch that, it is the path crap since I've never set foot outside of Cantha, the Battle Isles or Elona." She was just glad he seemed willing to drop the topic of her more demonic features for now.

The other two just frowned at her, but Amelia was the first to break the silence, "Well, the Captain's told me your name is Jai. What about a surname? Any family?"

Gritting her teeth Jai ground out a firm "No.", fists clenched at her sides. Her reaction garnered raised brows but they thankfully left the subject lie. For now anyway.

Looking around the room for something to change the direction of the conversation Jai spotted a strange metal tube propped up against the wall beside another sickbed, it was cracked and seemed broken but the purpose of just a metal tube with wood attached to one end in a square like shape escaped her. "What's that?"

"You don't know what a rifle is?" Thackeray asked, both brows raised incredulously.

Amelia also gave her an odd look, "It was left by one of the farmers; broken and nothing but scrap."

Seeing that no one was going to stop her Jai quickly leaned over and picked it up turning the opening of the 'rifle' to her face so she could see the inside. "Does the farmer store seeds in it?"

"Watch it!"

The device was quickly snatched from her hands by Thackeray, who was looking at her in disbelief, "You defiantly have some memory loss. Nobody would even risk shooting themselves like that if they knew what a rifle was."

Jai just crossed her arms, "Sure, pick on the displaced possible time traveler who has no idea what's going on or how long she's been missing." She thought sarcastically, though she kept the comment to herself. Giving another sigh she decided to risk sounding insane, but she needed to know, "What year is it?"

"It's the fifteenth of the Zephyr Season."

Raising a hand to stop the question Jai asked, "Year please,"

"1325AE." Thackeray said flatly, the confusion in his copper eyes only increasing as he saw her stricken face pale as all the blood left it.

The room began to spin. Jai reached out helplessly for something to ground herself as she felt faint. She didn't even feel the cold metal and warm hand on her shoulders as the others steadied her but she flinched away from them. "1325 AE," she thought to herself in miserable anguish, "…it was 1075 I think when I went to the Realm…almost two hundred and fifty years."

Dimly she could hear a voice asking; no, ordering her to calm down, to take deep breathes, that she was hyperventilating. How could he be so calm? Didn't he feel the whole world just shift? No, that was just her, he didn't know. Nobody knew. Nobody knew she was from two and a half centuries ago, nobody knew who she was, what she did, what she endured. And it was as that last thought went through her mind everything went eerily silent. "Nobody knows, my few friends are long dead. Nobody knows who I am. Nobody knows what I am." With that realization tears sprang to her eyes at the now solid proof that the few loyal friends and comrades she had at her side were long dead she vowed to herself that she would keep her origin a secret. "Nobody needs to know, I can have a new start. A new chance; free of my ancestor's sins." Slowly her breathing steadied as she reasserted control over herself, and once she no longer felt like shattered glass she raised a still shaking hand to wipe away the tears that had accumulated on her face and eyes.

"Dwayna's mercy! What the Torment happened?" Thackeray demanded. "You looked like I just told you your home was razed by Risen! Not the date!"

"I-" could she tell him? Just blurt out that she had missed two-hundred and fifty years to a stranger? No, she wanted nothing to connect her in even the slightest way to her past. "I don't want to talk about it." She said flatly, she knew her reaction was too severe to come up with a lie that would be believed.

Thackeray frowned, "Why? That's the second thing you refuse to answer."

She shrugged. Knowing it was suspicious but she'd be damned back to Torment before blabbing her past only to end up being run out of the country…again. "If I don't want to share, I won't. But I won't lie."

The Seraph Captain's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but it seemed he believed she was being honest at least. "I'm guessing you have nowhere to go? I'd be inclined to say that your 'amnesia' is fake, but you clearly don't know about some things that are known to everyone."

Jai looked down at her hands, "Wander around, do mercenary work." She shrugged to show that she really didn't have much of an idea of what to do; she'd always just been a person who rolled with whatever the situation was when the shit hit the wagon wheel.

Silence met her proclamation, the healer having crept out of the room muttering about seeing other patients. Eventually, after a long weighing glance Thackeray let out a sigh and uncrossed his arms, "You're coming with me."

Jai blinked in shock, giving him a skeptical glance.

"Clearly you don't trust me, and the feeling's mutual" He said bluntly, "But you fight well, and I might as well put you to use. I owe you for the help at Shaemoor. This way I can at least keep a personal eye on you until you decide to share more information. I guess you can consider yourself conscripted into the Seraph for all intents and purposes."

"I'll tell you about my past the same day Jadoth throws me a welcoming party in Torc'qua that doesn't involve ripping my innards out with his bare hands." She thought mutinously but shrugged in acquis, not like she had anything better in mind. And this way she might get some information on her situation, and a job.

Nodding in affirmation, Thackeray gestured to the door, a non-verbal command to walk ahead where he can see her. After getting to her feet Jai pulled her shirt down, trying to straighten a few wrinkles despite the futility of the action but still feeling slightly self-conscious next to the man's pristine armor.

"Thank you." She muttered to him as she walked past. If he heard he gave no sign.

It was when she opened the door that Jai let out a hiss of pain while quickly shielding her eyes with an arm. "Damn, it's too bright!"

When had she last seen the sun? She had been fine fighting at night; the darkness being what she had lived, and fought in since she first entered the Realm of Torment. Feeling a gauntleted hand on her shoulder Jai tensed and leaned slightly away from the hand as she tilted her head in Thackeray's general direction, her eyes still screwed shut and stinging viciously. "You alright?"

"…'m fine…" She replied stubbornly, before giving in, "…Too bright."

"It's cloudy." The man shot back incredulously but she just shrugged. "How about you spend two and a half centuries in an eternally dark Realm with only light being given off by raw magic, ghostly flames or the damned maddened spirits wandering hopelessly while wailing jiberish." Jai mentally snipped to the man.

Instead Jai reached down to the hem of her shirt, and with eyes still kept tightly shut she ripped off a strip of cloth to use as a blindfold. It was only once the material was tied firmly around her head that Jai opened her eyes again, sighing in relief that the light no longer hurt her eyes but she could still see through the thin material.

The hand on her shoulder gave a slight squeeze before slipping off to her relief, "Are you good?" Thackeray asked her, seemingly concerned.

She nodded but offered no other commentary; she probably just imagined the concern.

The two walked in relative silence towards the massive city, the quiet broken by exclamations of Thackeray's rank or name as soldiers would salute and villagers would wave, faces shining with respect. As they neared the gates Jai even heard children loudly arguing over who got to be Logan Thackeray of the famous Destiny's Edge guild and who would be the evil dragon. Hearing it all was hard for her. Swallowing the unexpected pain Jai schooled her face into a blank mask, she was never shown respect, not like Thackeray was getting. Years spent fighting mutated horrific monsters in narrow blood stained and filth ridden alleyways and sewer cesspools, yet the instant she thought for herself and not as a mere weapon of the Ministries she was run out of the very land she fought so hard to save, her name wiped from records and accomplishments attributed to others. She couldn't stop the slight stirrings of jealousy, only to ruthlessly stamp them down.

"So you're a thief?"

The question broke through her storming thoughts. Jai felt an initial flash of indignation; she was an assassin not a mere common thief! But she stopped herself before snapping out the first reflexive retort that could come to mind and remembered Thackeray's mutterings about thieves after seeing her skills. Instead she just gave him another nod.

Her companion shot her a slightly smug smirk, "And your 'amnesia' extends to the common classifications of magic and professions it seems. It took you a while to answer" He inferred.

Internally cursing the man to the Stygian Maw Jai crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders in slightly; upset with herself at giving that away and also upset that so much had changed in two and a half centuries. -"Gods, I could be considered Ancient!"- she laughed to herself at the tangential thought while keeping pointedly silent.

Hearing a sigh come from her left Jai snuck a glance at the man beside her while they walked amongst the sloping ramp to the second level of the city, it reminding her of a more organized, cleaner stone version of Kaineng City. "If I'm going to use you in the field I need to know your skills and how best to use you. I saw some of what you could do back in Shaemoor but I'd like to know more if I have to rely on your skills when lives are at stake."

Slightly taken aback at the serious tone Jai idly wondered just how high Captain was in the ranks before snapping to attention and giving a professional report born of many and long dealings with the Sunspears, and her own unofficial induction to the Order of Whispers.

"I specialize in stealth, disenchantment, hexes, scouting, single-target fighting, and dagger proficiency. I'm not very good at acting and I currently harbor no emotional attachments to anyone alive and owe no allegiance to any nation." It was the truth, but she omitted the Order of Whispers. The Order was undoubtedly still around, having been founded in 862 AE and was still operational in her time. She was betting on the Order still being active and the assassin didn't dare risk mentioning her allegiance to the organization in fear of the chance of any agents investigating why a person they never interacted with would not only know of them but be loyal to the Order. She didn't want to risk exposure of any kind.

Thackeray stopped, and Jai with him as he once more gave her an attentive glance so she took the time to study her surroundings. They were currently in a large garden, the hedges and greenery carefully sculpted with astronomical designs spinning around in large lazy circles as they hung from a massive mobile attached to the glass roof high overhead. Lowering her gaze from the sky to what lay nearby Jai was surprised to see a blue humanoid figure. Obviously masculine the being's skin was a steely blue, near identical to the metal armor he wore, in the place of hair he had greying branches with sparsely growing leaves. Realizing she was staring at the being Jai quickly averted her eyes but apparently her gaze had been felt as the blue-plant-person looked in her direction before giving a wave, "Captain Thackeray!"

The Captain inclined his head in greeting, "Afternoon First-Born Dagonet."

The being –Dagonet- approached with a polite smile, "And a good afternoon to you as well, who is this?"

Jai looked back to Dagonet upon being addressed, giving him a polite smile and a small bow which resulted in quirked eyebrows from both males to her embarrassment. "I am Jai."

Dagonet's smile took on an amused upturn at her answer, "A pleasure to meet you; I am Dagonet of the Sylvari First-Born, and diplomat of The Grove."

"Ah," Jai said apprehensively, "I'm afraid I am…unfamiliar with the Sylvari."

Both males' grins dropped, Thackeray frowning in contemplative confusion. "That is surprising," Dagonet confessed, "We may be only twenty-five years old as a race but we have spread far."

A new race? Were they like the djinn of Elona and guardians of the elements from which they sprang? Or like the Druids of Maguuma? Or perhaps a mix of both?

Jai scuffed the bottom of her shoe on the dirt, feeling uncomfortable with her ignorance.

"She has a form of 'amnesia'," Thackeray injected, "First time we met was when she appeared in front of a charging centaur and took it down in front of me before involving herself in the fight without so much as a by-your-leave." The Captain continued dryly. "She just woke up from her injuries when the Earth Elemental exploded."

"Truly?"

Thackeray nodded, opening his mouth to continue when-

"CAPTAIN!"

-The shout caused all three to look in the direction it came from.

"CAPTAIN THACKERAY SIR!" Two seraph soldiers, both read in the face from running while in full armor came to a stop in front of the person they were addressing. When one of them caught his breath he snapped into a salute, "There's a brawl breaking out in the Salma District bar sir."

Thackeray swore, "Looks like we have to go Dagonet,"

The sylvari waved him off, "I'm not one to keep you from doing your job."

"Right, let's go." Thackeray nodded to his soldiers, "You're coming with, I need to see how you handle civilians." He added, referring to Jai who nodded to show she understood.

The four soon set off, running through crowded streets. Jai easily keeping pace with the other three dressed in heavy plate mail since she was in a simple loose fitting black shirt and dark brown trousers. "I'll need to get armor soon." She thought, frowning at her currently unprotected state. Unable to do anything about it now the assassin called her daggers to her side, resting her hands on the hilts as the forearm length blades materialized at her hips. Reassured by the presence of her weapons Jai let her gaze wander, eyes following the stonework of high arches and cobblestone streets still littered with old confetti. It was astonishing to her how different this city was compared to the dark slums of Kaineng Center. Running through wooden doors and past an orphanage the four arrived at the scene to see the bar torn apart, bottles of alcohol smashed and a group of disgruntled ruffians being led away in chains by a guard force adorned in red emblazoned with a white hammer.

One of such soldiers turned around upon hearing their arrival and gave Thackeray a superiorly smug smirk. "Commander Serentine." Thackeray ground out, "What's the meaning of this? What are you doing here?"

The now named Commander Serentine simpered, "Nice of you to show up, Captain. I'm here keeping the peace, something you and your Seraph can't seem to do."

Jai studied the pub from her spot half hidden in the shadows. Most of the patrons were beat up; split lips, black eyes, roughly half of them leaning for support against either the walls or the few unbroken pieces of furniture. The ruffians and soldiers however were in nowhere near as poor condition, unless she counted the one covered in burns but those scars were old. In fact, as Jai narrowed her eyes in suspicion, the perpetrators merely looked bored rather than what would be expected of criminals or a gang caught by authorities; they weren't even cursing. Their behavior was nothing like that of the Am Fa or Jade Brotherhood gangs back in Kaineng, and while it may have been two-hundred and fifty years the assassin highly doubted criminals would behave any differently that what she had come to expect.

Serentine gestured grandly "Guards! Take the rest of these maggots to the prison. We're done here." She ordered boisterously when it became obvious Thackeray had no reply to her slight.

As the door slammed shut behind the last of the soldiers in red a woman with light blond hair in two pigtails called out to them, "Captain? Please, that ugly goon hurt my father. Can you help us?"

Jai and Thackeray went over to her, the assassin kneeling down next to the woman and looking at the wounded man lying on the floor. "Hmm. That looks nasty. It could take weeks to heal without the right medicine, and that medicine is expensive." Thackeray mused apologetically.

Walking over to the man and probing the wound that ran across the man's portly stomach while a good portion of the rest of him was already looking like it was going to bruise nastily. "Even with medicine there's still a good risk of infection and any movement could easily reopen the wound." She would know, as many times as she was cut open.

Unsheathing one of her daggers Jai was immediately restrained, "What the Torment do you think you're doing?" Thackeray hissed at her.

"My daggers heal their wielder when they draw blood." She stated,

They all looked surprised and a bit queasy, except for the unconscious man on the ground, "And who's going to volunteer getting wounded to test that?" The Captain growled to her, his voice hard.

"Me." And with that Jai tore her wrist from Thackeray's gauntleted grasp, wrapped the man's limp hand around the hilt and moved her hand to cut open the palm, coating the entire length of the blade in her blood.

Thackeray and the woman both made motion to stop her but the action was done too quickly for them to do so. Jai didn't flinch from the pain, but frowned when she saw her blood was still an inky black compared to the man's bright red. It wasn't long before the wound on his belly began to slowly shrink and become shallower as the dark blood soaked into the blade. Flexing her cut hand Jai wiped the excess blood off on the hem of her shirt before taking the blade out of the man's limp hand and sheathing it.

Jai got back to her feet, ignoring the woman's babbled thanks, "With a simple poultice and bandages he should be up in a week."

Coming out of his shock Thackeray joined the conversation "Talk to Lieutenant Francis at the Ninth Company's base camp. Tell him I sent you, and he'll give you all the supplies you need."

The woman nodded, a wide grin on her face, "Thank you both so much, I'll never forget this."

As they left the bar and the door closed behind them Thackeray dismissed the two seraph who had led them to the scene before dragging his hand down his face, "If Serentine keeps swiping our low-level prisoners, we'll have to start arresting a better class of villain."

Jai snorted, thinking of all the madmen, monsters and demons she had dealt with. "It'd be much easier to just point her in the direction of the 'better class villain' and let it take out the competition" she thought sardonically, but kept the thought to herself and just hummed noncommittally.

"And what was that?" Thackeray whirled on her, causing her to look up at him in surprise, "Don't deny it, I know what I saw. And I saw your blood. It was black and it isn't exactly normal for a person to be willing to cut their hand open to heal a complete stranger." He accused, grabbing her mentioned hand and prying it open exposing streaks of her darker blood still staining the skin along with the jagged wound.

Snatching her hand back and holding it defensively to her chest Jai glared at the man who merely glared back. Both were silent for a while before she sighed, "I don't want to talk about it." She replied stubbornly as she mentally kicked herself, "Not in the Realm, not in the Realm, tone down the demon-ness."

She could see Thackeray's jaw clenching before he forcibly relaxed, "Sensitivity to light, black blood, grey skin…" he sighed, "I really hope it's not dragon corruption. What the Torment are you?"

Jai flinched.

Realizing what he just said the man blanched, "I didn't mean- Never mind, I apologize I shoudn't have-"

"I've had it for a very long time." Jai admitted softly "And don't worry, it's a valid question." It really was, since she wasn't human. "But that's all he's going to get about the Touch."

"Alright, but let me know if it's affecting your health. You're technically one of my soldiers now." He groused.

A snort escaped her, "Too late for that."

The Captain strode past her while muttering under his breath, "Just like Caithe…" before speaking up, "Come on, I'm going to teach you how to at least fill out paperwork. If you're going to give me a head ache the least you can do is help around the office. And we'll get that cut wrapped up."

Quickly running after the man Jai felt a smirk on her lips, "The great demon slayer, stuck filling out paperwork. Oh if the Margonites could've seen me now." She snickered to herself before frowning. "Shit, I don't know Krytan."

OOO

Leaning back into his chair with a long sigh as he threw his quill onto his now empty desk Logan rubbed his eyes. Opening them again he looked over to the strange woman he had taken under his wing. She sat in the darkest corner of the room, having dragged her small temporary desk to the spot as soon as it was given to her and adorned it with only one small candle. Logan knew next to nothing about her personally, her past as shrouded in shadow as she currently was. In fact, if not for her candle he probably wouldn't have even noticed her presence. Admittedly she was quite open as to her skills, but that was the only facet about herself she would willingly share. In truth Logan worried about her, she was pale to the point of near ashy translucency and her frame was slightly emaciated, that she felt like a human version of Caithe to him only exasperated the feeling. But that was only the tip of the iceberg, above the seemingly permanently bruised bags under her eyes hung haunted purple eyes that lacked a pupil. Logan would have believed her blind but for the way her eyes had tracked his movements; when he could see them anyway, since she usually wore her makeshift blindfold when exposed to any form of sunlight. Pair all the above with her nearly black blood, lack of knowledge on the most common of knowledge, and her illiteracy and the Seraph Captain couldn't help but be worried about his newest charge. Not that she'd allow him to fret over her Logan thought wryly as he remembered the first night she had spent in the cells.

The cell was cramp, a small cot with a few blankets and a pillow that had long gone flat was shoved into a corner.

"Since we don't really know anything personal about you I'm afraid you'll have to stay here when I can't watch over you." Logan admitted with a scratch to the back of his head. "It'll only be temporary, and it's nothing personal but-"

The eerie woman cut him off as she pushed her blindfold down to hang around her neck, "I understand. Just protocol." That threw him off slightly, most would be protesting quite vocally to this situation but his quick query of "Are you sure?" only got a nod in return.

Walking silently into the room the strange woman just started to rearrange the blankets, spreading them out over the cot. His eyes drifted down to her twin blades, one strapped to each hip. "I'm going to have to ask you to hand over the weapons."

There was a brief pause, "I can't. They're soulbound."

That surprised him, eyebrows flying up Logan mentally added it to the list of things he knew about her. "Soulbound hmm? That's usually pretty expensive." He was fishing for answers.

She didn't miss a beat, "It took a while to save up for it, and cost me a few meals and a few nights sleeping under the stars but it was worth it."

Mercenary work was one of the options she had considered had he not stepped in, and the ability to always call one's weapon back to their side was admittedly useful in any combat-oriented line of work. Thinking about it Logan knew they were at an impasse, neither truly trusted the other but this was an opportunity. "A sign of trust then." He said, getting her attention, "I know you can recall them at any time, but allow me to have custody of them as a sign of faith until I trust you enough to instate you as a citizen of Kryta."

Her pupil-less purple eyes seemed to pin him down with the weight behind the gaze, making him almost feel like a green recruit again. Logan couldn't read anything from her, all of her mannerisms just slightly off from what he'd expect so he was honestly surprised when she did hold out her weapons for him. "A sign of trust." She repeated, "Though if I'm attacked I will call them back."

Logan shot her a small grin as he took the weapons. "That's understandable." as he locked her in for the night he felt that maybe, despite the flat out strangeness she wrapped herself in like a cloak, just maybe he could trust who she is even if he'd never learn what exactly she was. And as Logan woke up the next morning to see her blades still laying on the table where he'd left them he became just a little more sure that he could trust Jai.

Picking his quill back up Logan snuck another glance at his unofficial charge only to see she had yet another book cracked open. The large lettered "Learning New Krytan" facing him and various scrolls unrolled as she practiced the exercises he gave her to start recognizing the alphabet.

"This letter makes the 'a' sound?"

Looking up Logan gave a small grin, "Yup."

OOO

Two weeks later and Jai would never admit how thankful she was towards Thackeray for taking her under his wing. Though her reluctance to say so did not stop her from taking extra accompanied patrols, or even glaring at pompous nobles from the shadows till they felt unnerved enough to get to the point of their visit and then leave while making sure they didn't see her. If Thackeray noticed he made no mention of her actions, though she could easily see the laughter in his eyes whenever the particularly annoying nobles and ministers would start shooting nervous glances at the shadows of the room or would nearly run from the Seraph Headquarters as soon as they finished whatever inane task they had come for.

But Jai could also see that the Captain was… worried about her? She was unsure of what he was feeling but whenever she was just out of sight he would subtly look around; a stretch just a tad far enough to see behind a few pillars, a quick glance at the balconies that would linger over every dark corner of the room. It was new to her and admittedly strange to have someone so…concerned? Or was he simply and more realistically suspicious of her? She didn't yet know just what to call it as they had only known each other for nearing a week. "Though if he knew what I am…" the dismal thought was what made her bet it was more of the latter.

Mealtimes were another thing she had to get used to again, as oftentimes she'd forget about food unless Thackeray would drag her to the mess hall. Thinking back Jai had probably unnerved the Captain when she had simply stared blankly at the simple meat and vegetable stew and bread loaf he had passed her when he let her out of her cell, spouting off apologies for not getting her something to eat the previous night after forgetting that she had been unconscious for three days and had not eaten a thing. Rather than comment Jai had simply stared at the plain meal before practically melting at the heavenly smell. When was the last time she had eaten? Jai only remembered eating before she entered the Realm, having found she no longer needed to eat, drink or have other bodily functions while in the hellish dimension. She still didn't get hungry; having become a mist-spawned entity, but the simple stew had tasted so divine she had savored every bite, and probably scared Thackeray with her reaction to such a simple meal but couldn't find it in her to care at the time. Starting the next day however the man made sure she always had something on hand to eat.

Presently Jai was lurking between the bookshelves leaning against a nearby wall with an open book in her hands and her now ever-present blindfold dangling around her neck as she haltingly and slowly read from her children's book.

"When the moa wandered out of its pen, the farmer shouted "No, moa," but the bird didn't listen,"

"Jai?"

The assassin looked up, squinting through the beams of light filtering in through the windows to see Thackeray eyeing her with a report in his hand and a bemused expression. "What are you reading now?"

Closing the tome with a snap Jai flashed him the title, "No Moa!" As she pushed her blindfold back over her eyes, lightly sighing in relief as the world dimmed. Frankly Jai doubted her eyes would ever readjust to bright lights after her near two and a half centuries in the Realm, but it was a small price to pay for her newfound freedom.

Thackeray just shook his head, "Anyway, I've got a job for you-"

The assassin straightened up at the mention of a job, helping ferry paperwork and running escorted errands were good ways to spend the day but she was eager to finally get out and do something.

"-I got a report from Lieutenant Francis stating that some medical supplies had been stolen." The Captain continued, "He's tracked the bandits that did so to their hideout but with the Seraph stretched thin as it is I don't have enough men to clear it out and recover the supplies. So I'm sending you." He pinned her with a stern glare, "I don't want you engaging the bandits unless you have no choice. You're still recovering from wherever you were and I don't want you taking any risks. Get in, steal back the supplies and get out."

Jai's surprise at the order to not engage the bandits must have shown on her face as Thackeray repeated himself, "Do not engage the bandits unless absolutely necessary. And get out as soon as you can if you're spotted."

"And if I must fight them?" she asked.

Thackeray was silent, seeming to seriously consider her question, "I'll allow lethal force. If you weren't available I'd have sent a platoon to clear them out, planning on doing so later actually." He held out her blades, "But try to avoid fighting if you can."

His tone then lowered just enough for her to hear but too low for eavesdroppers, "I've gotten reports about nightmares." Jai felt as though her spine had been replaced with ice, "And for some reason you were obviously…conditioned…to keep them quiet."

"Yea, no shit I learned to keep nightmares quiet. The screams attract the demons." Jai bit back the scathing comment. It hadn't taken long for everyone who had entered the Realm of Torment with her to lean that fact. Waking up from a nightmare of a demon to an actual demon ripping your body to shreds; it didn't matter that the Realm would resurrect them after death, one would still vividly remember the pain.

Oblivious to where her mind had gone Thackeray had continued, "You're still too stubborn to tell me anything, but it's unmistakably clear that you are still affected by whatever, hmm-" he gestured vaguely to her, too polite to say anything possibly offensive. "You can't even go outside without a blindfold because it causes you pain." He sighed, dragging a hand down his face, "Just take things easy, okay?"

There was a pregnant pause before Jai decided to go out on a limb, "Why?"

Thackeray frowned at the quiet question, "I just explained why-"

She cut him off with the wave of a hand, "Why do you care?" She asked bluntly.

He was visibly taken aback, jaw slack.

"It isn't that hard a question is it?" Jai thought, "I mean no disrespect but you know near nothing about me, yet you are trying to trust me, gave me food, shelter and information. Why haven't you simply locked me up? Sent me away?" she paused, "Why do you…care?"

A strangled sound warbled out of Thackeray's throat to the assassin's amusement; the man pinched the bridge of his nose again, something she had come to recognize as an attempt to avoid an incoming headache, "I don't know what you went through," he said slowly after a long pause, "But despite whatever it was, you helped at Shaemoor when you had no obligation to. I respect that." He lowered his hand and his coppery eyes locked onto her own amethyst eyes hidden behind her blindfold, "I couldn't just stand by and do nothing when you needed help."

Jai felt her mind go blank, "…that's it?..." she felt off kilter, it was strange that someone would just, help her. No expectations of return or a price to be paid. Even the Forgotten and souls she had fought alongside had some measure of distrust for her simply because she was a demon. Giving her head a quick shake the assassin sent Thackeray an appraising glance, unsure of what to make of him now. Reaching out she quickly snatched her blades from the man's hands; she didn't know how to respond. In the end she swallowed thickly before snapping to a salute, "The medicine will be returned by tomorrow morn." She clipped out before hastily shadow stepping away, only relaxing her tensed posture when she reappeared just outside of the Seraph Headquarters.

Leaning against the stone wall behind her as the deep shadows from dusk hid her from sight Jai let out a long exhale. "What a coward I am." She thought bitterly, "Running away from a shred of kindness because I don't have a damn clue how to react to it." she cut off the thought before letting out a broken humorless laugh, "Like saying a simple 'thank you' would be enough." Jai had little experience with such open generosity, but Thackeray's words left a strange warmth in her chest, one she had only rarely before. Opening her eyes to the immaculate garden before her Jai got off the wall and started running towards the outer gates. As she ran she vowed to herself that she'd pay her debt to Thackeray: a debt was something she understood, a favor returned for mutual survival or a never ending duty to atone for her ancestor's sins, nobody ever gave without wanting in return, and it was a cycle she understood. Nimbly combining shadow step and augmenting her speed with her magic Jai sighed, Thackeray had gained a dangerous weapon; she had faced every horror of the Realm of Torment and stood atop a mountain of demonic corpses, these bandits stood no chance. She'd repay her debt to the Seraph Captain.

OOO

"Lieutenant Francis?"

A well build young man in heavy plate jumped nearly a foot into the air with an embarrassingly high pitched yelp. Jai bit her cheek to keep from grinning as the man across from her twirled around with his hand on the pommel of his sword.

"H-how-" He squeaked before clearing his throat, "How can I help you, citizen?"

The assassin flashed him the emblem Thackeray had given her when she started running errands for him, it was supposed to be clipped to her black leather overcoat but the reflective metal went straight into a pocket instead. "Captain Thackeray sent me to deal with the bandits."

He looked skeptical, "Alone?"

She chose not to comment on that. Instead she tilted the emblem still in her hand to flash the light of the setting sun. The non-verbal emphasis was all she needed for the Lieutenant to roll his eyes before giving her directions to the bandits' hide-out. "Follow the path till you hit Mepi's Moa Ranch, should be right past the trees nearby. And-" he hesitated, "If you happen to see a young woman of about twenty-three winters, pale blond hair in pigtails and answers to Petra would you mind helping her out?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "She came by to pick up some medicine for her father 'bout a week ago and we err- hit it off. She was supposed to meet me here an hour ago but I haven't seen her. I can't leave my post but it isn't like her to not to show up."

"Looks like somebody got stood up!" Suppressing a snicker Jai kept her face blank since she was on orders and had no desire for any lack of professionalism on her end to get back to Thackeray. Instead she just gave a nod of affirmation before taking off in the direction the Lieutenant had pointed out earlier.

As soon as the moa ranch was in sight Jai slowed her pace and dropped into a crouch in the tall grasses just off the path. The sun had nearly set, with only a few streaks of deep orange-red tinting the world in flames. Pushing her blindfold down the assassin blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the approaching gloom as she stealthily crept closer to the cave entrance hidden in the woods. By the time she reached the cave entrance the sun had fully set, and with an unseen pulse of her magic she shifted her form into the shadows themselves, shrugging off the bone deep chill that bit at her flesh with well-practiced ease as she stalked into the cave, brushing past the lookout who sat lazily against a wall.

He was nobody special, pale blond hair done in dirty dreadlocks and rough-hewn leather armor dyed red with some natural browns still visible and a cloth mask to cover his face below his eyes which were slowly drooping shut only to snap open with a yawn. "When's tha' bastard gonnna take his turn?" He muttered grouchily.

Normally one wouldn't be able to see any approaching figures through the pitch blackness of the cave, what little torchlight there was being too deep inside to show from outside. But Jai wasn't normal, and her darkness attuned eyes could easily pick out the incoming bandit. "Go get some shut eye Ryan. You wouldn't be able ta see a whole platoon of shiny seraph if yer sleepin' on the job."

"Ma name's not 'Ryan' it's 'Sharp-Eye'!" The sleepy bandit protested "Well that's ironic." but was waved off,

"Yea yea, wa'ever newbie."

Unseen and unheard Jai waited till even she couldn't see the sleepy bandit anymore before she made her move. Inching closer to the new lookout; whom had taken the seat on a stool used previously, she silently unsheathed a dagger that gained a deep blood-red aura that was quickly obscured by her shadowy shroud. In a single deft movement Jai lashed out at the neck, the hex on her blade converting to a paralyzing poison as soon as it came into contact with the bandit's blood leaving the only reaction to the fatal wound being a slight tensing of the body before he was frozen in place. Leaving her blade in the wound allowed it to absorb any blood that leaked out, removing any telling sprays of blood from escaping the severed artery. When the man finally stopped breathing Jai removed her blade, and without even a backwards glance moved deeper into the cave as the corpse remained sitting leisurely on the stool, the only sign of death being the red cut on his neck slowly dribbling blood.

Entering the cave Jai ducked out of the torchlight, confident in her enchantment to be capable of fooling simple human bandits but hard-driven instincts and habits borne from fighting demons were difficult to disregard. Most of the bandits were gathering at the tables under a tent, empty bowls and spoons clearly telling of what they were waiting for. Realizing the opportunity Jai leaned out from her hiding place behind one of the wooden scaffolds to spot the chef, and with her target in sight shadow stepped to the large stewpot that boiled vigorously over an open flame. Brushing a hand by her hip Jai send a tendril of her magic into the Rune of Holding she had tattooed there and with a quick mental command a small vial had manifested itself in her waiting palm. The pocket dimension had limited holding space but she had few items of personal value anyway, quickly uncorking the vial the assassin poured the poison made of powdered leaves from one of the Domains of Anguish into the soup when the cook turned around to shout at the others to shut up. By the time the cook turned back around Jai had already left and the black powder had disappeared in the boiling stew.

Ducking back into the shadows Jai breathed out unevenly as he mental timer reached zero and her form wavered as her enchantment faded away, the backlashing phantom pain tearing through her body electing only a clenching of her jaw. The enchantment was one of her most useful stealth skills but the backlash was nigh crippling for any assassin, including herself before she was lost to the Realm anyway. Now the pain was ignored as she hid in the shadows, black hair and blackened clothing disguising her as she waited for her magic to settle enough to recast the spell. Above her Jai could hear footsteps on the wooden scaffolding "I 'ate when Ted leaves Jake in charge. 'e just took all the loot away to 'organize' it.."

Another voice scoffed, "He'd better split it inta equal shares, or Imma gonna knife 'im. Ted or no Ted."

"Ya do that an I'll 'elp ya 'ide the body. We can even blame girly's seraph boyfriend fer killin' 'im, HA!"

As the footsteps faded away Jai frowned, "Didn't what's-his-name say a woman in pigtails hadn't shown up when she should have? What was her name, Peeta? Peah? P-something… I suck at names."

Looking back to the mess tent and noting that the cook still hadn't served dinner yet Jai figured she had time to investigate. She really didn't want to deal with a possible hostage situation. "I'm no monk-err-guardian. I'm only good at killing shit, not keeping people from being killed."

With that self-depreciation Jai recast her shadow form enchantment before shadow stepping away, quickly scanning the cave to find any possible hostages. She didn't have to go far before finding the same young woman whose father she had 'healed' at the pub. The woman was pacing her cage, a large stick held in her hand though it wouldn't do her any good inside the metal prison. Approaching the door Jai inspected the lock; it was different from any locks she remembered, though that probably should have been expected. Looking back at the captive who was now leaning against one of the barred walls of her prison the assassin decided to get some information. Walking up behind her Jai quickly wrapped an arm around the woman's waist through the bars while her other hand clamped shut over her mouth to keep her quiet.

It was a good thing she did so as Blondie immediately started struggling only to freeze when Jai whispered into her ear. "I am here on Seraph orders."

The woman paused for a long minute before nodding her head to show she understood.

"When I remove my hand, don't move, don't turn around." Jai instructed, she didn't want to risk anything and figured being over explanative would be best. When she got another nod Jai let the girl go only to get a quick whisper back, though Blondie hadn't moved like she had ordered.

"I'm not going to sit around and do nothing while you fight the bandits by yourself! Let me out! I want to introduce Ms. Timber to a few heads."

Jai blinked, "Ms. Timber?" before looking down at the stick in her hands before choking back a laugh. "I can't pick the lock, who has the key?"

The girl scowled, "Their leader, Twitchy Jake. The jerk bragged about making sure the key was all his." She then huffed, "You could try messing with the moas over at the cave entrance to distract the goonies."

The assassin shook her head, "I've got the… 'goonies' dealt with."

"But they're still in the cave?"

"I poisoned the stew." Jai said bluntly.

"Oh," The girl breathed, "So…you'll put them to sleep and sneak the key or something?"

She stared at the girl for a minute before grimacing to herself, "Is she that naïve? ...Or am I overly ruthless?" Jai thought morosely. Realizing she hadn't responded yet Jai shook herself, "Yea, something like that. The poison should give them…nightmares." She lied. "I-…" Jai paused, before reaching out and knocking the girl unconscious. Catching her now limp body in her arms before gently setting her down on the ground.

"I don't want her to watch what happens. Or to hear it." She thought to herself. That innocent question was something rare. Something she had never seen in anyone of the same age on the streets of Kaineng, the overcrowded city had stripped all fantasies from Jai as a child. Seeing the dead bodies floating in the sewers after one of the many gang wars between the Am Fah and Jade Brotherhood had taught her the cruelties of life very early.

Swallowing thickly Jai looked up at the wooden scaffolding; the bandit leader was most likely up there.

Jai slipped up the ramps between the bandits, careful to keep herself from coming into contact with any of them before making her way to the tents. It was there that she saw a bandit with higher quality leather armor, along with a red mask over his face and greasy auburn hair slicked back as he leaned over crates of silver and copper coins. Behind him the assassin could spot what appeared to be medical supplies. A series of popping and cracking sounds drew her attention back to the bandit who was twisting his back. As he twisted the other way the sounds came once again from his back as the bandit let out a sigh of relief before hunching back over to keep counting his coins. But the movement had been enough for Jai to spy the small bronze key he held looped to his belt. Casting a quick gaze around to see if there were any others nearby and finding herself alone with the bandit Jai unsheathed a dagger again and made to cut the string holding the key.

Then the screams started.

The bandit cursed before darting towards the edge of the platform, the movement forcing Jai to jump back or give herself away by the blade nicking him in a non-lethal area. Down at the mess-tent the assembled bandits who had ingested some of the poison were withering on the floor, screaming as the poison invaded their veins. The poison would have the same effect as though one were within the Foundry of Failed Creations. The enduring torment of the miasma like air in the Foundry caused pain with even the slightest movements; drawing breath, blinking, even feeling one's own heart beat would cause pain, and actively moving would worsen the sensation. It was a feeling Jai had learned to ignore for the most part though long years of exposure and her own adapting physiology, but the bandits were woefully unprepared as shown by their thrashing about.

"Rookies. Bleedin' useless." He muttered, before, "Hey! What the Torment is going on down there?!"

Behind him, Jai smirked, "Torment indeed."

The chef who apparently hadn't eaten any of her stew yet stammered, "I- I donno Twitchy Jake- sir."

Jake growled, "Well it's obviously some sort o' bleeding poison ain't it?"

He turned around just as Jai's enchantment wore off. The assassin grit her teeth in pain and annoyance.

Eyes widening in surprise the bandit crowed, "Well, well, well. If it isn't a sneaky sneak-thief, recruits! We got ourselves a clown to kill!"

The two bandits and the chef who hadn't ingested the poison quickly scrambled to reach their leader who lunged at Jai with his daggers. Quickly spinning away from the blades Jai smirked darkly as the small sharp half-daggers she had sewn into the hem of her overcoat flared out with the hardened leather and cut into Twitchy-Jake's calf before she retaliated, a spark of magenta and black smoke curling around her fingers as her hand slapped onto Jake's back as she pushed him further behind her and hexing him with a Mark of Death. Having to hold up one of her blades to block a retaliatory swing while the other lashed out at the approaching backup Jai couldn't help but think, "They really forgot what a Tahkayun is capable of…Oh well, what they don't know will hurt them~!"

The hex she had placed on Jake would hinder any healing magic cast upon him for its entire duration, Jai didn't know about guardian magic but from what she had read much of the guardian's spells were derived from the Monk's repertoire, a Ritualist's restoration and a Paragon's protections; all of which were undermined by her hex. Fending off another wild swing from Jake and ducking under a wide swing of a bladed spatula from the cook, Jai's hex made its sinister purpose known soon enough.

"Keep yer eyes open. We got a tricky one here, we do... Oi! Rocky! Gimme some mumbo and I'll gut this clown!"

A bulky bandit wielding a massive war hammer backed away from Jai and raised his hand, a blue nebulous shield manifesting around Jake only to flare and fade instantly after. "What the bloody-?!"

"BOSS!"

The distraction was all the opening Jai needed, with Jake busy yelling at his subordinate the assassin shadow stepped behind him and with a clean thrust impaled the bandit leader on her blade in a spray of blood. Gripping the man's shoulders to shove him off her dagger Jai welcomed the energizing rush as her blades' vampiric properties did their purpose.

As Jake's body thumped to the floor the chef stared at Jai in horror, "You- you killed Jake! He was Ted's right-hand man! An' you killed him!"

By now the screams were falling silent as the poison finished its job.

The other three bandits took one look at Jai and the corpses in the mess tent before turning to flee, only for one to fall with a garbled scream as one of Jai's daggers imbedded itself in his back and for the chef to meet the same fate as the assassin threw her other blade. Shadow stepping in front of the bandit with the hammer as she recalled her blades and forcing him to stop Jai watched with an impassive face as he blanched at the sight of her before he wildly spun his hammer, forcing her to jump back. As he palmed the shaft Jai lunged forwards ducking at the last minute as the bandit spun his hammer in a wide arc all around him, bright blue flames flaring up in a ring on the ground that when she tried to pass would flare up and block her way.

"No more fancy shadow-popping now!" Jai felt her eyes widen in surprise as the flames really did restrict her to within their bounds. "Damnit! I need to stop assuming everything's still like it was. SHIT!"

Jumping away from another heavy blow Jai miscalculated how far she went, so used to having a wider range of combat she realized too late that she had just dodged into the ring of blue flames that surged up to meet her. The flames didn't have heat, they didn't catch on her clothing or her hair, but they burned, and as Jai let out an inhuman shriek she felt the flames burn burn burn. "Holy flames," she realized distantly as she scrambled to get away while the bandit flinched away from her, "That…hurt, it burned- seared me like a monk's smite." Personal alliances didn't matter in this, she was a demon. She may have fought for and pledged loyalty to the holy goddess Kormir, but her body was recreated by the demonic energies of the Realm of Torment fusing themselves to her formerly human body. It didn't take long to realize her holy Lightbringer skills would only cause her pain if she used them though she continued to bear the title amongst the denizens of the Realm.

"Wh-what are you?!" Looking back to the bandit Jai took deep shuddering breaths, the burning pain lingering on her flesh as she pinned the now trembling bandit with a glare. "I'm a demon." She snarled at him before lunging, her blades meeting no resistance as the man's shock left him open.

The blue flames quickly extinguished themselves as the bandit fell to the ground, his throat slit. Jai let out a shaky breath as the blood on her blades eased the pain caused by the holy flames before she looked back to the young woman in the cage to make sure she hadn't stirred through the fight and found her just as she had left her. Regaining her bearings the assassin casually walked back up the wooden framework to Jake's body so she could get the key to the girl's cage. As she walked Jai mused about how the fight had went, "It seems I still have the slightly improved speed and strength I gained from staying in the Realm for so long. Though would I still reform myself should I be fatally wounded like in the Realm? It's not exactly something I could just test."

The Realm of Torment was a prison, plain and simple. But the demonic inmates had outnumbered the Forgotten wardens nearly one hundred to one, and most of the souls damned to the Realm were either too lost in the pain or madness to fight back or just wanted to be left to their misery. And in the end that's what they all were; souls, death was no escape from the Realm as a fatal wound would just result in blacking out before one's body would reform after some time, or if the soul had truly given up on maintaining its identity or sense of self it would be harvested for raw magic and return as a twisted demon. The only way to kill a demon was by holy powers; something that wasn't common in the Relm, in which case the demon would be utterly destroyed. This had resulted in the near endless war Jai had fought in the Domains of Anguish, culling the demonic hordes for a brief respite, a small window to send as many condemned souls who were unfortunate enough to be Touched and quarantined in the Realm by the gods to the Redeemed realm, which was really just a small portion of the Realm under Kormir's influence. She may have replaced Abbadon in godhood, but she had ascended in the place of an imprisoned god, and imprisoned so was she.

Sighing Jai deftly cut the key from Twitchy Jake's body before sheathing her daggers and picking up the crate of medical supplies. With the crate tucked under an arm the assassin strode over to the girl's cage and stuck the key in the lock, awkwardly balancing the crate on her thigh and hop-shuffling back when she needed both hands to open the door and keep the key turned in the unlock position. Muttering profanities under her breath at the inane locking mechanism Jai stared down at the still unconscious girl before resigning herself to what she had to do. "It was a good thing I did knock her out, I'll need to remember to look up whatever the Torment that bastard was. Something like that could easily expose me, though it'd take a lot of that power to kill me with how diluted it was. Still damn painful though."

Putting the crate down Jai threw the girl over her shoulder, swaying slightly at the weight and awkward positioning with her being draped over both shoulders the assassin cursed her thin frame. Her old friend Talkhora had called her 'willowy' and 'gracefully slender'; Jai just said she was like a bunch of sticks or a Thornbush, which were literally a bunch of walking sticks. Carefully bending her knees but keeping her back straight Jai somehow managed to balance the girl –"Did she just drool on me!?"- and pick up the crate in one arm before using the other to keep the girl on her shoulders.

"I feel like a damned Luxon Hauler Turtle…"

By the time Jai waddled out of the cave the moon was already high in the sky and everything was nearly as dark as the cave, which suited the assassin just fine as she hobbled down the road back to the lieutenant.

"Petra!"

As soon as she was in sight of the man the lieutenant had shouted out the girl's –Petra's- name before running over and grabbing the dead weight off of Jai to hold her bridal style. "Is she alright? What happened?"

Setting down the crate with a grunt Jai responded, "She was a hostage, here's the medical supplies."

The lieutenant gaped at her, "You snuck the supplies and Petra out under the bandits' noses? That's quite a feat. No wonder Captain Thackeray trusts you."

Jai shook her head, "I killed the bandits, that's why she's unconscious." She grabbed an elbow nervously, "…Didn't want her to see the fight."

The lieutenant's –"What was his name again? Francis? Sounds right."- questioning glance dimmed, "I see. So they're all dealt with?"

Nodding Jai gave her report, "Roughly eleven bandits dead, they were under orders of a 'Twitchy Jake' who mentioned a leader but he was not present."

"That scoundrel? Hmm. Report to Captain Thackeray. He needs to know about Twitchy Jake's early release even if the man's dead now." The lieutenant sighed, "And thank you, for rescuing Petra and for making sure she didn't have to see that. Soon as I get some men I'll clear out the hide out and see if there's any clues about their base of operations."

Snapping into a quick salute Jai turned around to head back to the city before she paused, "…um…don't touch the soup." She mentioned self-consciously, "I err- poisoned it."

She got a raised eyebrow in response, "I'll make sure to mention that to my men."

Giving a nod in return Jai turned back to the road, feeling the lieutenant's eyes on her till she took a turn out of his sight. "Oh yes, that wasn't embarrassing at all." She bemoaned in her mind as she walked back to Divinity's Reach. By the time she had gotten back to the city the moon was high in the sky and Jai had walked the streets alone. Having not felt the need to really rush things due to the late hour and the fact that she had said she'd be done by dawn of tomorrow- or could it be considered today by now?- the assassin took to sort of aimlessly wandered around the city, enjoying the early fall night. As she wandered Jai had found a few carts with books piled high, feeling curious she grabbed a random book only to chuckle to herself when she saw the title.

"Koss on Koss: Original Elonian Edition"

Cracking it open with a wide grin on her face Jai broke out in a grin that her luck was good enough to find it in a language she could read as she mused, "Of course that egotistic idiot would write his own autobiography." Finding the first page she started to read, hearing the burly man's voice narrate in her mind;

"This autobiography focuses mostly on the events surrounding the Ascension of Kormir in 1075 AE. I am Koss Dejarin, and I gave up a lot for the Sunspears. I lost promotions, a father, a sister, friends, and my home to fight for the organization. I became known as the bane of corsairs and demons. I fought for my country and my spearmarshal. Holy goddess Lyssa gave me Kormir and Melonni. One of the two I married. The other, I pray to. I love them both with all my being. I risked my life many times for Kormir, but she got what every great warrior deserves. She died courageously."

By the second sentence Jai's eager grin had turned melancholy, nostalgia of better but darker times welling up inside her. Skimming through the rest of the book had the assassin blinking as her eyes burned, "They...really did forget about me, didn't they?" She knew it had happened, but the hard proof was here in her hands.

"I should be happy." She told herself, "Happy that because I took the taint of their Touch into myself they could leave, they could live their lives free of the dark memories of the Realm." It wasn't a new thought. Jai had often repeated the same mantra to herself on long conquests against the demons, after nightmares of her old friends. Of the deal she made with Kormir, to take the corruption on their bodies and the chains of the Taint on their souls for herself to give them freedom but causing her own transformation into something demonic. This book that lay heavily in her hands was proof that she had succeeded, that her friends really were freed of Abbadon's Touch, and the only bad memories of Torment they had were written journals; the same journals she had gone through and torn out any mention of her. Yet she still felt betrayal, like she had betrayed them for having Kormir make them forget her, and that they had betrayed her for not trying to stop her.

And she hated herself for it.

Closing the book and drawing in a shuddering breath it almost pained her to set the book back onto the stand but she had no money to pay for it and she refused to steal. Seeing a simple painting of Koss giving that confident smirk he always used to looking up at her from the cover made her vision swim as tears came to her eyes but Jai was used to denying herself. And as one small shimmering tear fell to the cobblestone the night once more settled to absolute stillness but for the small flickers of shadow amongst the rooftops.

OOO

As the early dawn light crept into the Seraph Headquarters Jai stood in the shadows of the bookshelves by her desk. She had snuck into the office and spent the rest of the night there, unwilling to deal with Thackeray if she had gone to his home. Jai hadn't gotten any sleep though, old memories flashing across her eyes, so instead the assassin had written her mission report. Only to still have a few hours till the sun came up, so she practiced her alphabet characters.

Jai was just beginning to nod off in her chair when the doors were thrown open, Thackeray's heated voice and an even unknown woman's easily heard. The quick influx of light forced Jai to reflexively cringe back and screw her eyes shut as the hand not holding her place in the novel quickly but clumsily pushed her blindfold up and over her eyes.

"-Is under my command! And that is final!" Thackeray ordered sternly, nearly glaring at the woman dressed in blue aristocracy finery with smoothly cascading deep black-red hair.

It was at this point Jai decided to cut in, setting her book down and picking up her report the assassin emerged from her hiding spot and making sure that her footsteps were heard on the stone floor to grab attention.

Thackeray looked up at the sound, stern frown easing when he saw her. The woman showed no reaction but Jai could pick out a slight tightening of her shoulders. "Jai," The Captain called, a small smile on his lips.

"Mission successful, supplies returned, hostage rescued, bandits dead." The assassin responded bluntly with a bow and the written report held out for the Captain to take.

There was a pause,

"I thought I told you not to engage the bandits?"

Still in her bow Jai did move, "There was a hostage," She reiterated.

A new voice broke in, "And this is why I suggested you allow me to handle her orders Logan," The voice was coy, a hidden suggestion behind every word, "She is no mere thief, and her skills are clearly more aligned to my … specialties."

As the paper was taken from her hand Jai heard Thackeray sigh before she straightened, keeping her face impassive. "Allow me to introduce Countess Anise, Master Exemplar of the Shining Blade." The words were delivered in a dry and oft repeated tone.

Inclining her head in the woman's direction Jai spoke, "It's an honor, My Lady." Before turning to Thackeray, "Captain, a bandit known as 'Twitchy Jake' was present despite being arrested in the tavern brawl two weeks ago."

Thackeray and the woman had both raised an eyebrow at her dismissal of the aristocratic woman, the Countess being the first to speak, "Is that so? There's been no trial. Those troublemakers should still be in prison. Unless...they've been deliberately freed? But who would do that? And why?" She mused before her calculative eyes rested back on Jai, "Though I admit I am curious, your name and features, the bow and your…missing background." She trailed off suggestively, "One might think you were from somewhere quite…exotic."

It was a valid question; and a valid suspicion Jai admitted to herself, especially since she had heard that Tyria was cut off from Elona and Cantha both by the rising of the Elder Dragons when she sat in on a lecture at the Plaza of Kormir. "My family is of Canthan decent, my father being particularly traditional with me after my mother's death in childbirth." She lied, sort of, her adoptive father had kidnapped her from a whore-house. "However my father and I did not see eye to eye." Understatement, she had ended up killing the bastard personally, "With him being proud of the family's ancestry in the Am Fah. Whereas I saw them for the criminals they were. After he trained me I left." Truth, mixed with understating and leaving enough vagueness to let others draw their own conclusions. Oh the things one learns when in the prison of the fallen god of secrets.

The countess seemed contemplative, slowly digesting Jai's words. Thackeray on the other hand nearly pouted, "Canthan huh? So you'll tell her about your past but not me?"

"The Countess would not hesitate to assassinate me should she deem me a threat," Jai clipped, she knew from the instant she saw the other woman's eyes that she did not have the same morals as Thackeray. Rather she saw the eyes of a master manipulator, a spymaster. "Furthermore she asked a specific question that could be answered simply, rather than asking only for an entire autobiography."

Thackeray's pout morphed to a stunned expression, "Did you just joke?"

She didn't rise to the bait, though she could say so many things to answer that question instead she just responded with, "I was being serious,"

The man looked like he wanted to smack his forehead, he really did. The countess however had a gleam of amusement flitting through her eyes. "Oh; I like you pet, but we really should return to the matter at hand."

Jai tilted her head ever so slightly, "Did she just call me 'my pet'? Oh whatever, if I ignore it hopefully she'll stop."

Sighing in defeat Thackeray was the first to continue planning, "The bandits will never tell us willingly. I'd send someone to infiltrate their hideout, but they know my Seraph."

Jai shook her head, "Then send me."

"Won't they recognize you? You've been with me for a while now." The assassin waved a hand dismissively, "But I have stayed hidden for most of that time and when I have exposed myself I've been blindfolded." She grabbed her hair and with a deft stroke quickly cut the mid-back length strands to just above her shoulders with one of her daggers. Ignoring the exclamations of her name Jai then pushed her blindfold down and instead used it to tie back her bangs, fully exposing the scar over one eye that was normally hidden by her hair. The sunlight stung and nearly blinded her but by squinting she could function. "They won't recognize me like this." She had needed to cut her hair anyway; it would be a hazard in a fight.

A cultured chuckle broke through the Captain's stunned silence, "What a brave little soldier you are. You'll need a disguise, of course. Hooligans only talk freely to each other."

Thackeray dragged a hand over his face, "One of Anise's agents has found their hideout behind the Shaemoor Cemetery. All you'll need is an outfit from one of the bandits themselves, and you're in."

Giving another bow Jai spoke, "It shall be done"

"Are you sure? You just finished a mission, and Francis had reported seeing at least ten bandits." Thackeray asked warily but Jai crossed her arms, face resolute.

Throwing his hands up in mock surrender Thackeray coincided, "Fine, but undercover work is tricky. To pull this off, you'll have to eat, breathe, and stink like a bandit."

Jai just raised a brow, her deadpan all that was needed to convey her mood.

And to get the Countess to hide another grin behind a dainty hand.

Another quick run across the city rooftops and Jai was walking through the main gates once again. She could feel the lack of sleep already edging her consciousness but ignored it. A little cranky irritability would actually work in her favor for this mission. Strolling over to the cemetery Jai found a hidden alcove in the back, a guarded wooden door easily giving the hideout location away. "Are all bandits this stupid now? The Am Fah would never make things this damn obvious even when everyone and their ancestor's pet cockroach knew that we were based in the Undercity."

Shaking her head in disappointment Jai retreated before climbing a tree, hiding in the branches until a bandit left the hideout. She ended up waiting for nearly an hour before one did, muttering about something the assassin didn't give a shit about before she pounced. A dagger to the skull from above and the bandit was dead before he even hit the ground, with her blade absorbing any escaping blood and the single killing blow the man's outfit was left undamaged. Wrinkling her nose in disgust at the ripe smell of body odor and the already soaked armpits Jai grimaced before sucking it up and putting the outfit on, storing her own clothes in her rune of holding. She tugged at the outfit, her small figure already being swallowed up by the leather jerkin as she tightened the belt on it.

She took a few experimental steps only to have to swallow back bile at the cold and wet sensation at her armpits every time she moved. Looking at the sleeves Jai quickly unsheathed a dagger and cut them, along with the pit-sweat stained parts off, sighing in relief as the gross sensations were gone. But now her Am Fah tattoos all along her right arm were bared for the world to see, the tribal flame patterns in thick black twisting lines from mid-forearm all the way to her upper bicep. She hated the markings, to most of the Am Fah they were a symbol of belonging. To Jai they were just a form of branding, a mark of ownership that she'd never be able to escape. Giving her hair one last ruffle Jai sauntered up to the hideout, hands in her pockets with the thumbs hanging out and a grumpy scowl plastered onto her face.

Sauntering up to the wooden door Jai gave it a lazy look over before kicking it three times, making the whole thing shake and for dirt to scrape down the sides. "Yea yea 'm commin!"

The door was wrenched open by a disgruntled bandit, with messy black hair and a wide collared and roughhewn coat Jai was grudgingly glad she didn't pick him to steal the armor off of. "Another newbie eh? Well, come on in, fresh meat. You look soft, but we'll de-tenderize you until even Captain Thackeray won't be able to chew you up."

Giving a grunt of confirmation Jai couldn't help but think, "Gods their security sucks. Oh well, not my problem."

As she walked past the doorman he called out "Welcome to the barbeque, new meat. My name's Switch."

Jai just cast him a lazy stare, "Lou of the Flashing Blades, I'm new around here." She drawled out, using her father's name but didn't offer anything else, let the man assume what he wanted, she'd use it.

Switch grinned, "Free pardon, huh? Me too! Cheers for the Ministry, eh? Who'd have known they were such an "understanding" bunch?" he guffawed. Mentally Jai groaned, "The Ministry, it's always the damned Ministry."

The bandit wasn't done though, "We're gearing up for a big job this time. Make yourself useful and ask around for something to do. Lou." He chortled, obviously finding it funny that her 'name', rhymed with 'do'.

"Look at you, aren't you something? You're a poet and you didn't even know it." Jai shot back, normally she'd keep the comment to herself, but she was cranky, tired and weren't criminals supposed to sass authority anyway?

"Like you've got room ta talk Lou; ain't that a guy's name?" He scowled at her. Jai shrugged, "So?" and walked off with an airy wave.

Approaching the center of the camp Jai heard someone call out, "I'm Uptown Johnny, baby. Man plus." Turning to look over her shoulder she saw a well-groomed man with slicked back hair and a cocky smirk plastered onto his face. "I've never seen you before. Who are you sweetie?"

Turning to face him Jai gave him her face name, "Lou of the Flashing Blades, heard there was money."

The man's smirk turned to a leer as he looked her over, "Flashing eh? Mind if I can see? You could be a lying Seraph spy. Better change my mind, or you're dead."

Hardening her gaze into a flinty glare Jai unsheathed a dagger and sent it flying past his ear, the blade a streak of orange as it reflected the firelight before embedding itself into a wooden post with a dull thud. Johnny reflexively clapped a hand to his ear and pulled it away to show a thin streak of blood. "Try anything and you'll be floating pretty-face down in a sewer."

Blood draining from his face the man backed off, hands raised in surrender, "Okay, okay. I was just testing you. You're a feisty one, aren't you? I hope you're on my team."

Walking past Johnny and ripping her dagger out of the post it was embedded in with one smooth tug she countered, "Or I could just nail your tongue to a tree." It was immensely satisfying to see the pompous man close his jaw with a click. "I don't do teams, I work solo." She prompted, hoping he'd take the bait.

And he did. "Right. But too bad since teams are mandatory. We've got a big arson job coming up with two targets. Big Nose Ted wants both fires started at the same time, so we're splitting into teams. One for the orphanage and the other for the military hospital. This is Ted's best plan yet. I hope I get the orphanage. It'll be more fun."

Jai scoffed, keeping in her character, "What about money?"

Johnny shrugged "Ted's got a deal with the ministry. We make the Seraph look worthless–like they can't protect anybody–and when the council takes over; they let us do as we please. You'll get your money, plus interest."

Smirking at the info, but for different reasons than Johnny thought, Jai purred out, "Now that's more like it."

"Who ya chattn' up now Johnny?" A loud voice broke in. Jai looked to her left to see a mohawked woman leaning against a rifle –Thackeray had introduced her to the function of every weapon in the seraph armory after her incident with the first rifle she saw- Johnny eagerly introduced the assassin, "This here's Lou, Della. She's new."

Della sneered, "I saw what you did to pretty-boy, you think you're tough enough to join up with us, huh? Prove it."

Stepping in between the two women Johnny tried to interfere, "Whoa ladies, no need to cut up those pretty faces."

"Please, she's already cut up her ugly mug," Della jeered, Jai however just shrugged.

"Alright, alright," Johnny gave in, "Just no killing, we need all the people we can get for this job."

Della hefted her rifle up and put a hand on the trigger, "Whatever," and shot.

But Jai didn't waste any time. As soon as the rifle was moved the assassin quickly kicked out, not wanting to expose her blades' abilities nor her own shadow stepping skills. Her boot caught the tip of the rifle, angling it up towards the ceiling as the shot exploded from the muzzle. Following through Jai hooked her foot around the metal tube before pushing it down to the ground, and forcing Della to a crouched position as she refused to let go of her weapon before the assassin struck out at the woman's head. Unhooking her foot and twirling around the dazed Della Jai used her body to hide one hand snatching the key that dangled at the sniper's belt and deftly sent it to her Rune of holding before she was fully behind the brash woman and knocking her to the ground with another blow to the head.

There was silence before a small cheer rose up from the assembled bandits. This time the one who approached her was the same burn-scarred bandit she had seen being taken in by Commander Serentine's soldiers, "Heh, not bad newbie. It'll be nice to have you beating up those damned Seraph as I set those fuses. This next job is finally up my alley. Burning, mayhem, money, burning. I love it." He cackled.

Dusting her hands off on her pants Jai sent the man a sidelong glance, "You said burning twice." The man shrugged, "Something wrong with that? I like burning things!"

Rolling her eyes Jai soon settled down with the bandits as they started to organize their explosives. Knowing she had to play along or risk them changing plans with her exposure the assassin helped out, moving crates and cleaning weapons but she kept her eyes open, counting three large bombs and one smaller one. She was even sent to kill some drakes that had infested the back of the cave and made short work of them, even dragging back one of the carcasses and started cooking drake kabobs for lunch much to the bandit's approval. It was as she chewed on her own kabob that one of the bandits gave her a bowl of grey lumpy slop.

Giving the bowl a deadpan stare Jai said, "You know, I killed and cooked the drake to avoid that crap."

The bandit just chuckled, "Oh this ain't fer you. It's for our Seraph prisoner; just slip it between the bars."

"Fine."

Grabbing the bowl of slop the assassin went in the direction pointed out to her. Slipping the key she stole into the meal when nobody was looking. "Always steal keys, never know when they'll come in handy, or to just frustrate those who lose them." Jai mentally patted herself on the back.

As she approached the cage though the Seraph inside shot her a withering glare, one that Jai easily ignored, "Did you come here to gloat, thug?" The assassin easily ignored the barb, she'd heard worse from children, "Here's your slop, pig." She grunted out dismissively before pushing it through the bars and watching as it skidded across stone before bumping into the Seraph's leg. The prisoner never broke her glare but she did reach down to grab the bowl. For a second Jai thought the woman would try to throw the gruel at her but as her stomach let out a gurgle she instead settled down to eat as Jai walked away.

Settling back down at the campfire Jai noticed that the bandits seemed to be gossiping.

"I'm telling you! Twitchy-Jake and his whole crew; gone! Slaughtered by a demon in the night!"

Another bandit scoffed, "Please, demons don't exist. The only 'demons' around are Fleashreavers; and the kills were too clean for that. If anything it was some Shining Blade agents or even more likely the Seraph."

Jai leaned back on her elbows, a skeptical eyebrow raised as she listened in on the conversation.

"But last night you said-" the first bandit started only to be cut off again.

"And I lied! It was just a damn ghost story dumbass!"

"Oh… I wasn't scared."

"Shut up."

Smirking in amusement Jai chuckled softly to herself "Just a story huh?."

"Oi, babe! Lou!" Jai looked over to see Johnny watching her expectantly, "You got any spooky stories? I don't feel like hearing about them Ascalonian ghosts for a fifth time."

She deadpanned, "No."

The man pouted, "Oh c'mon babe." But Jai ignored him, "Bah, I'm getting some shut eye. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day and you all are boring."

Many of the bandits muttered in agreement, shuffling off to their bedrolls. But one of them spoke up, "Hey, anybody seen Smelly Pete?" Jai stiffened.

Della glared around at those beside her, but only one answered her, "Oh, he mentioned going into town for something. One of them Seraph probably got him. Not like it's any loss." The sniper scoffed, "Idiot, well I guess newbie can get his bedroll."

Jai's mind went back to the man she killed to get the disguise she now wore. "With a name like that I'll take the ground." She said flatly and got a shrug in reply, "Can't say I blame ya."

It wasn't long after that that lights out was called, and with the dousing of the flames the whole cave went pitch black. Jai laid down on a patch of rock just outside the main ring of the camp and along the path to the entrance and pretended to sleep, despite how tired she was the assassin couldn't sleep just yet. It didn't take long for her to be proven right. A quick spark of fuchsia and Jai's form was hidden from sight as the Seraph prisoner slowly crept by, the assassin following her until she made it just past the hideout entrance.

"I have a message for Captain Thackeray."

The former prisoner took in a sharp intake of breath and whirled around to face the now revealed Jai, arms raised to fight and body tense as she stared wide eyed at her. "It's you!" She whispered, "You're that new bandit who gave me the key in the slop."

Nodding in confirmation Jai approved when the Seraph remained tensed for a fight. "I have infiltrated the bandits under orders of Captain Thackeray. I need you to report that they plan on attacking the Salma District Orphanage and Seraph Hospital tomorrow."

The Seraph blinked, "Right, but what about you?" but Jai remained impassive, "Not all the bandits involved are at this hideout. I will accompany them and aid the Seraph when they confront whichever group I am in." The assassin wanted to deal with the bandits here, but if she did then the leader would escape and have the chance to plot again, that and she was out of poison and not inclined to test if she could still reform after fatal wounds just yet.

"Are you insane?" The Seraph hissed at her.

"Most likely, I did walk through the Gates of Madness." Rather than give voice to that thought Jai tilted her head. It was a clear enough signal for the former prisoner to continue, "I'm escaped and they'll know it was you. You were the only one who fought Della earlier and you were the one to feed me. Doesn't matter how dumb those buffoons are, even they could figure out you had a hand in my escape."

Letting out a sigh Jai combed her fingers through her hair. "Are you sure they won't change their plans with us gone?"

"Nah," She shook her head, "They've put too much time into planning this to quit now. They'll probably just take it as a challenge."

Sighing again Jai leaned against the wall, hand cradling her forehead as she realized her mistake. For so long she had been fighting demons not humans, and no matter how many times they were killed the demons would enact the same tactics and take the same patrol routes in their arrogance. She had gotten used to thinking that humans were the ones who changed, the ones who always did something different, the ones who reacted. "You're right."

Now the Seraph relaxed, face showing surprise, "Really? That quick?"

Jai rolled her eyes, "I was wrong, I realize that. What point is there in arguing?"

The two started making their way to Divinity's Reach, the former prisoner shrugging "Just not used to higher ranked officers accepting another's plan so easily. I'm Corporal Berra by the way."

Giving the woman a self-recriminating smirk Jai said, "I'm not even an official Seraph, just Captain Thackeray's new shadow."

"You're a civilian?!"

The assassin wasn't going to even bother with that comment.

OOO

The Seraph headquarters was abandoned but for two people. The candles burned low as Jai readjusted her black overcoat, glad to finally be rid of the foul and rough-hewn outfit she had worn when infiltrating the bandits. "I knew there was a reason I hated infiltration, spy from the shadows? Sure~! Mingle? Not on your life. I am not a Vabbian socialite." She thought with a weary sigh as she ran her fingers through her shortened hair, lips curling in disgust as her fingers came free of the strands much sooner than she always anticipated. The rough cut she had done prior to starting her little espionage mission had been trimmed up while she and Captain Thackeray waited on Countess Anise, now she had a simple pixie cut with long bangs draping over her scarred eye.

Across from her the Seraph Captain stood over his desk, arms braced on it as he looked down at a map of Divinity's Reach. Two stones lay upon the map; each signifying a location of the planned arson, a hospital and an orphanage both in the Salma District. Expelling a breath Thackeray dragged a hand down his face. "The Queen's Heart Orphanage and the Vanguard Hospital, we'll be stretched thin covering both sites. I'll have Lieutenant Francis lead one group and I'll take the other, is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Jai hesitated; she didn't think she had any authority to give an opinion on a Seraph mission when she was not a Seraph, but, "If numbers are an issue send the larger group to the hospital. The wounded would need help escaping, which would take manpower away from fighting." She assessed, remembering when she and her old comrades had to escort the injured Sunspears out of enemy territory right in the shadow of a massive Kouran garrison. "Also, one of the bandits- a leader- expressed a desire to go after the orphanage in particular and they had explosives so our first priority would be to evacuate and then to remove the enemy." Jai didn't notice Thackeray's attentive look as her eyes unfocused, mind whirling as she fully immersed herself into a commanding role as long held habits and her own reluctant familiarity with the role took over. "Our opposition has a jail then release partnership with the Ministry, that partnership can't continue if they are dead so they'd want a way to ensure survival. That means hostages." She laid a thin finger on the pebble signifying the orphanage. "Preferably ones who wouldn't think to fight back. If a smaller but more highly skilled group went to the orphanage they'd be more likely to encounter the higher ranked bandits, if they can distract them long enough I could sneak in to find and disable the explosives to buy our orphanage team time to handle any hostage situations."

"And with more men at the hospital that group would have more help moving the patients out and still have enough numbers to hold off any grunts." Thackeray interjected, his voice lightening with dawning understanding as Jai snapped out of her thoughts.

The man sent her a smirk when he saw her blinking owlishly as she quickly withdrew her hand from the map and started wringing her fingers, mentally berating herself for forgetting that he was there as a commander not a subordinate. "Looks like you're with me, then. Good work, by the way. If you were Seraph, I'd promote you."

Jai couldn't hold back the slight cringe, "Oh gods no." She groaned, "I don't like being center stage, I hate taking charge of anything." That was certainly not a lie, she'd much rather support from the side or help and the less scrutiny the better. But after so many times of being forced into the role of leading; the scattered remnants of the Sunspear invasion force after the failure at Gandara, the rest of the Nightfall debacle and the never ending conflicts in the Realm. She'd inadvertently picked up a few skills.

Thackeray's chuckle was cut off by a slow and steady clapping. Both assassin and Captain turned to the source only to see the Countess leaning casually against a wall by the staircase to the second level balcony. "Well we are just busy little bees aren't we?" She drawled, sashaying over to stand beside Jai and give her an appraising look, "You interest me, and not just because Logan thinks highly of you. You've got a certain panache of your own. Did you know that?"

Raising an eyebrow skeptically Jai simply shrugged, she was nobody special, or at least she didn't think she was. It seemed that Anise understood her thought though, "Actions speak louder than words, pet, and yours positively roar. Taking such risks without even a promise of reward." She purred, placing a delicate hand on the assassin's shoulder causing her to stiffen at the unwanted contact.

Shrugging off the hand Jai turned to lock her gaze with that of the Countess, "I seek neither glory nor fame." She stated, "Is it a risk if I have nothing to lose? I have nothing, I am nothing, my only worth is in conflict." The words were bitter but true to her. She had saved Cantha from Shiro Tagachi's vengeful spirit, but once the Afflicted were killed and the newly founded Ministry of Purity turned it's warmongering intent upon the Tengu race she had stepped in, hoping to use any favor she had curried from the nation to save the avian race from genocide only to be cast aside and become a fugitive as she did everything she could to save at least the Angchu tribe. To repay Talon Silverwing; the tengu who had been the one to take her from the streets of the undercity and teach her about honor. She had been hailed a hero amongst bloodshed and horror, and exiled as a criminal because of her compassion. It had never really been up for debate within her mind that she would be the one to sacrifice herself to close the rift to the Realm of Torment from the inside, to take the taint of Abbadon's Touch from her friends so they could be free. They had lives, friends and family to return to; she had nothing.

Having said her piece, Jai wanted nothing more than to sleep. "If that is all then we should get some rest. There is much to do tomorrow." She said wearily, only half-present mentally as her mind stayed rooted in melancholy memories. It was only by reflex that she caught the key Thackeray tossed to her, and with a nod she left, leaving the two behind in silence.

It was only as the wooden door shut behind her that Anise turned to Logan, "The mystery deepens…Has she always thought so little of herself?"

The man kept his eyes on the door, "How should I know? I've only known her for two weeks."

OOO

Feet pounded against cobblestone, behind her the heavy and resounding clanking of metal armor followed Jai as she ran alongside Captain Thackeray to the Salma district. She and the soldiers had been waiting nearby, pretending to be patrolling so as not to seem as though they were anticipating an attack. They had just received word of wanted individuals being sighted in the district and had immediately taken off, Thackeray shouting orders to Lieutenant Francis and gathering up as many of his men he had nearby who had been briefed earlier in the day. Running through the large wooden gates separating the northwestern district from the rest of the city Jai came to a brief stop as she saw bright orange flames already spreading through the orphanage.

Her glare at the already gathering crowd of onlookers was obscured by her blindfold as behind her the Captain let out a curse, "By the blessed Six! Stop them before the fire spreads! Francis, take your men and get to the hospital, NOW!"

Jai ignored the returning "Yes, sir!" as black smoke faded into existence around her hand only for her to clench her fist around the small magenta spark and slam it to the ground, her form dissipating from sight as she dashed into the burning building through a broken window, letting out a small hiss as she felt a shard of broken glass make a cut on her calf. The licking flames would make it harder for her to stay completely hidden but the chaos would help obscure her actions. The wooden shelf that had been pushed in front of the door was sent careening into the middle of the room as Thackeray lowered his leg after having kicked the door in, Corporal Berra behind him with a rifle held at the ready. Around her she could hear the screams of children as a few ran out towards the doors, frantic priestesses wearing white were ushering them out, casting protective magics as they did so. Chasing a kid past her a bandit jeered, "Look at 'em run, like vermin. Scurry, scurry, little rat."

Feeling a flash of anger Jai struck out an unseen fist at the man's head, knocking him out cold and letting the crying kid escape, pushing past Thackeray. The assassin stepped over the crumpled man, indifferent of the fire roaring in the room, she didn't care if he burned. Behind her she could hear Thackeray, "We're in! Corporal I want you to cover anyone trying to get out; evacuation is our top priority. Move!"

Beginning her search in the first room Jai hastily but methodically rummaged through the room, pushing aside bookshelves and toys, lifting blankets and looking out the windows. Distantly she could hear the sounds of Thackeray and Berra- fighting, getting up to enter what seemed to be a classroom Jai saw the sniper bandit she had fought in the cave with her rifle raised at Berra's back. Quickly unsheathing one of her blades Jai hefted it in one hand before throwing it, the blade hitting its mark as the sniper's rifle fell to the floor with a clatter and the bandit not long after with the blade in between her ribs after penetrating both lungs. Turning back to her search Jai pushed aside a corner bookcase and found what she was looking for, quickly drawing her other dagger Jai cut the fuse off before sheathing it and grabbing the bomb she ran back outside as her enchantment faded the pain nearly making her stumble. Gritting her teeth the assassin ran through the crowd, causing several women to scream shrilly as they saw what she was carrying but Jai ignored them as she placed the bomb on the ground across the street before running back into the building.

Finishing up the classroom Jai recast her enchantment, emerging on the second floor just as a white-clad priestess shouted at a particularly stocky bandit, "Get back, you animal! These children have suffered enough." The assassin glanced back down the stairs to see Thackeray crossing blade to hammer with the large nosed bandit, "Fine, you want a piece of me? Come and get it!" He sneered at the Captain.

In the background the priestess summoned a nebulous shield of blue magic which billowed out into a bubble around herself and the three orphans clutching at her robes. "Stay behind me, children. With Kormir's help, I will protect you."

Blinking in slight surprise Jai realized that the white clad priestesses were apparently followers of Kormir; something that she had found slightly strange since she arrived at this time period. To her Kormir would always be the friend for whom she always had to steer clear of thorn bushes or pull back from walking into something before the two would laugh at the situations her blindness would get her into. "How ironic that she would invoke Kormir with me here…"

A heavy metal clang drew the assassin from her thoughts as the large nosed bandit continued to taunt Thackeray as they fought, "You'll never find the bomb in time. Just give up!"

"So there was only one bomb huh?" Jai thought with a victorious grin. It seemed Thackeray thought the same as he began to smirk much to the bandit's confusion. Making her way over to Berra Jai gave her quick instructions to get the last few civilians out of the orphanage while the last bandit was distracted.

The corporal's actions didn't go unnoticed however, as the bandit ducked under another of Thackeray's swings. "Getting rid of your cover huh? Bad idea, NOW DELLA!"

There was silence.

Big nose's victorious expression began to slack as he had to hastily draw his hammer up to block another swing, now purely on defense the slightly heavy set man shouted for his back-up. "Where the Torment are you Dead-Eye! Shoot the bast-"

He was cut short, a bloodied blade having sprouted from his neck. There was no blood spray as the blade's absorbing qualities took it in before the dagger was withdrawn and the dying man flopped to the ground with a wet gurgle. Behind him Jai stood impassively, she jumped slightly though when a metal clad hand clamped down on her shoulder, "Good job, thanks for waiting till the children were out of the room." He turned to look down at the twitching bandit, a pool of blood slowly spreading out below him, "Good riddance, you murdering scum."

The two turned and ran out of the building- it was still on fire after all- and both emerged to see the fire brigade had finally arrived, ferrying buckets of water to douse the fire. As they approached the crowd however one of the priestesses; the one who had been on the second floor, threw herself upon Thackeray, hugging him. "Thank you! Thank you so much! Every child is safe, thanks to you… Kormir bless you!"

Her piece said the woman let the now flustered Captain go and he immediately began rubbing the back of his neck. "Just doing our job ma'am." He then half turned to Jai, but upon seeing her half hiding in his shadow his eyes narrowed a little and his mouth set into a determined frown. "But it wasn't just me." Jai's eyes flew wide open in shock as Thackeray's hand clamped down on her arm and dragged her in front of him. "She was the one who volunteered to uncover the arson plan, and the one who found the bomb."

Jai's mouth had opened into a small round 'o' as she heard Thackeray's words. But as she felt each pair of eyes turn to her she wanted nothing more than to slink back to the shadows. As she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her Jai might as well have been turned to stone with how much she stiffened, she didn't even breath as the priestess hugged her. "Oh thank you, you must have been sent by Kormir herself."

The moment was cut short; much to Jai's relief, as red-clad guards marched onto the scene, Commander Serentine barking imperiously, "The Ministry Guard will take it from here."

As the priestess let Jai go the assassin finally began breathing again, immediately bringing her arms up to hug herself as she hunched over slightly to conceal the slight tremors that went up and down her frame. She didn't like being touched; it always made her anticipate being attacked. "They don't know, they don't know, don't retaliate, just let them touch and let it go."

While Jai reasserted control over her instincts, Thackeray had stepped forward, "I don't see any nobles. This is Seraph business. My people will make the arrests."

Serentine sneered at the man, "If you insist. Tell me: how did you respond so quickly?"

Crossing his arms Thackeray's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "We were in the right place at the right time. Don't underestimate the Seraph, Commander."

The red-clad commander puffed herself up defensively under the Captain's withering glare, "Very well. Congratulations on doing your job correctly, Thackeray–for once. Ministry Guard! Clear out! …Out of my way, you peasant." With that she turned on her heel and marched out, her guard clomping out after her.

Sighing in exasperation, Thackeray turned to Jai, "All right, we're done here. Let's head over to the hospital and check on Lt. Francis. If it's anything like this, he'll need our help." The assassin just nodded, eager to get away from the crowd around her.

A short jog to the other side of the district and the two arrived at the scene, "Lieutenant Francis? What's the situation here?"

The Lieutenant turned around at his superior's voice and snapped into a salute, "We got most of the people out, sir, but so far we haven't found any-"

Jai felt it before she saw it. A low concussive boom bleed through the air and sank right through her very bones as she and everyone else were knocked flat onto their feet as the hospital lit up, roiling clouds of bright yellows whites and oranges billowing through windows and pushing out of the building as wood and plaster cracked and burst apart. It was still raining shingles and debris when Jai dazedly staggered up to her knees after the initial blast, her ears hearing just a solid loud ring as the rest of the world muted. She tried to look over to where Thackeray was, only to have to hold her head as the whole world seemed to lurch under her as she swayed dangerously. Swallowing enough times to where she no longer felt like she would puke the assassin tried again to see where Thackeray was, this time managing to find him arguing soundlessly with Francis, both gesturing to the broken burning remains of the hospital.

Eventually their argument ended with the lieutenant looking down in shame and the Captain pinching the bridge of his nose. When he opened his eyes again they sought her out, and with a self-recriminating grimace the man picked his way over to the fallen assassin. Crouching down beside her Jai saw his mouth move but she couldn't make out anything he said, so she gestured to her ears hoping he'd know what to do. It only took a second for realization to flash over his face and for him to bring up a hand covered in soft blue light and cup her ears. The assassin sighed in relief as she felt the healing magic take away the ringing, "Damn explosives,"

"Can you hear me now?"

Nodding Jai sighed, it had been a long day, "Casualties?" she asked, the grim face she got in return was all the answer she needed, "Damnit, at least we saved the orphanage." She muttered, trying to help his mood despite knowing she sucked at optimism.

Thackeray just frowned "That's not enough. We have to do better. Look, we've all been through a lot, and this isn't the time or place for a debriefing." He said dejectedly. The failure was clearly hitting him hard and Jai found herself wanting to help but what could she do? She had been long numbed to failure in the Realm, but there the dead would just come back and try again compared to here.

"Especially not with Serentine sniffing around." Thackeray continued, "She keeps turning up at these crime scenes, but always too late. I'm starting to wonder if there's a connection." He trailed off before meeting Jai's blindfold covered eyes, "Meet me in my office after you've had a chance to rest up. We'll discuss our next move then."

Jai just nodded in confirmation.

OOO

A few hours later Jai stepped down the last of the stairs to the Seraph headquarters' first floor, hair still wet from her brief bath as she walked into the main room to see Thackeray and Anise already engaged in conversation, "It's my fault. I never should have sent Francis alone. He's a good man, but he's not-"

The countess cut him off, her voice surprisingly gentle, "You're too hard on yourself, Logan. And on everyone else. The queen doesn't expect perfection. Why do you?"

Realizing that her presence still hadn't been noticed Jai hesitated slightly, she had been thinking about what she'd say to Thackeray since the hospital, but would it be her place to say anything? Swallowing thickly she stepped into sight. "You failed." She started, her voice causing both occupants of the room to look up at her, "But you also succeeded, sometimes you will find yourself in a situation where no matter what something bad will happen." Wasn't that the truth, having been in enough of them herself. "You may not succeed how you want but it's only a real failure if you don't learn from what went wrong. Besides, it's my fault too." She looked down, "I should have realized that the leaders wouldn't blow themselves up when I considered the possibility of them taking hostages. I even remember seeing four bombs, and the one small one was what I found at the orphanage. It all makes so much more damn sense looking back."

There was a brief period of silence, before Anise spoke up, "We can dwell on 'what if's till the sun goes down but we should move on. Captain Thackeray is eager to discuss his plans, but he doggedly refuses to do so without you." She ended by shooting an irritated glare at the man which he ignored, "This is a temporary victory. Commander Serentine's clearly helping the bandits. She's disrupting our investigations, and she's breaking the bandits out of the prison when we do catch them."

Jai laid her hands on her hips as a raised eyebrow revealed itself from behind her blindfold, prompting the man to continue, "We can't bring her to trial, not without hard evidence… or a confession. Serentine doesn't know what happened with the arsonists, so she might be planning to break Big-Nose Ted out of jail."

"Big-Nose Ted? Who-? Oh, that bandit I stabbed at the orphanage" the assassin grimaced, "I'm not going to have to go undercover again am I?"

Countess Anise grinned predatorily, "A brilliant idea, but we can't let you go in alone this time. I have the power to disguise us all. You'll need our help if Serentine refuses to surrender."

Shrugging to show her agreement Jai was just glad she didn't have to infiltrate anything again. The countess continued, "This will be as simple as snow. Hold still, my friends. This might feel strange, but I promise it won't hurt."

Ethereal purple and fuchsia butterflies obscured Jai's vision. Once she could see again the whole world seemed to be overlaid with a slight purple-pink tint, looking down at herself Jai felt an eyebrow tick as she saw instead the form of the thick-set Big-Nose Ted but accepted it with a roll of the eyes, it was just a disguise. At least this one was stink free.

Thackeray on the other hand wasn't so graceful in his acceptance of his disguise "Wait, what? What's up with my face? Why do I have to be the burned one?"

Countess Anise snipped at him "It's not permanent, so stop crying. We need to be in the cells before Serentine arrives. Let's move."

"Easy for you to say." Jai thought, seeing the sniper bandit's feminine form in the place of Anise. "Damn mesmers."

The three made their way down to the prisons, taking a different corridor than the one that led to her own temporary cell, "That explains why I didn't know about the break-outs," and sat down in a cell but left the door unlocked as they settled down to wait. The cold stone was hard and unyielding but Jai leaned up against it as she closed her eyes and let her head clunk against the stone. "Might as well get some sleep while we wait." She thought as the other two continued to bicker, the assassin occasionally catching "Francis" "responsibility" before she tuned them out and let sleep claim her.

All around her was darkness, massive spiked tentacles and cobwebs arching upwards to the black sky. As she was walking by though a voice cracked with age called out to her "Have you come to hear your fortune Cursed Child?"

Jai stiffened, blades out as an old crone hobbled out of the shadows dressed in rags, withered hand pointing directly at her, "Your only future is an untimely death! I shall corrupt your soul as I corrupted that of your ancestor. Blood calls to blood and his sins sing in yours!" The hag let out a cackle that turned into the deep demonic laughter of a monster as her form split apart to reveal the demon she really was. Then it lunged at her, bone and carapace arms cutting into her flesh as the dark laughter rang out all around her. "Betrayal and murder, betrayal and murder! BETRAYAL AND MURDER!"

Jai jolted back to wakefulness, heart pounding and gasping for breath, her body stiffened almost painfully in a now ingrained instinct to keep her from thrashing around. Across from her Thackeray and Anise had fallen silent as they stared at her. As she got her breathing back under control the assassin heard Thackeray ask her, "Nightmare?"

She shook her head, "Memory, and no. I don't want to talk about it." She shot him down, as she always did when he saw her have a nightmare. The man opened his mouth but was cut off by the grinding of stone, "It's coming from below," he whispered "-and that floor grate is moving. So that's how they've been getting in and out without being seen!"

Anise shushed him, "Patience, Logan. Hush, or you'll give away the entire game."

Commander Serentine herself emerged from the hole in the floor, turning around and groaning in annoyance, "Ted? Springing you is becoming a full-time job, you troll-faced goon. Come on, I'm getting you out of here."

Remembering that she was supposed to be 'Ted' Jai just let out a gruff scoff before standing up, not wanting to give up the ruse just yet.

Unfortunately it seemed the Captain didn't get the memo. "The game is over, Serentine. If you want to live, throw down your weapons. Now."

"Damn idiot."

Realizing that the gig was up Anise stripped the illusion, causing Serentine to quickly jump back behind the guards she had brought with her. "Clever. Finally one step ahead of me, eh, Logan?" she sneered before barking out "Too bad you won't live to brag about it. Guards—leave no one alive. That's an order."

Jai deftly unsheathed her daggers as Commander Serentine snapped out orders, "Rally to me! Shield formation! I can't be seen here, you idiots! Kill them all!"

Beside her Jai saw Thackeray shoot her a cocky grin, "What are we waiting for? Rush them!" with that he charged into the fray, yelling with his blade raised high and shield held out in front of him. Countess Anise reached out uselessly to try and hold him back but the man had already crashed against the enemy, "Logan, wait! Don't rush in!"

Gritting her teeth Jai exchanged a nod with Anise before charging into the fray. Narrowing her eyes as the guard she was approaching raised a large shield, his fellows weaving their own shields with his own Jai knew this fight wouldn't be as easy as the others. This time she was exposed, she couldn't just strike from the shadows like she used to, but as she shadow stepped behind her first target she couldn't help the slight feral grin that tugged at her lips. Finally she'd have a challenge.

Pumping her magic through her veins Jai felt her reflexes quicken, her crossed blades easily coming up in time to block an overhead swing from her target. Breaking the dead lock the assassin twirled away, the blades in the hem of her overcoat screeching horribly against the metal plate armor of the guards as she dodged a blow from the side. With a silent mental command Jai's daggers gained a blood red hue, the aura streaking her vision with the speed with which she struck, each of her blows barely being countered until she finally struck true. The dagger buried itself deep into the side of her target as she cut through the armor, the red aura splintering and the virulent magic acting as a poison as it hit blood. The guard reflexively clamped a hand to the wound, his guard lowered only for a vapory purple blade to cut him down, revealing an illusionary clone of Anise. The clone paid the assassin no heed before it moved on into the fray with its fellows and summoner.

Seeing all the clones; nearly six if she was counting right, Jai almost pouted, "Damn mesmers, always showing off."

Turning around Jai decided she'd have to step up her game. Running back into the fray she began to dredge up the last remnants of the magic she had within her Jai invoked the enchantment that had made her father so infamous on the streets of Kaineng Center. Her renewed and vicious assault taking the guards back they reflexively began to attack her, but this time each blocked blow would cause a jolt of her magic to jump from blade to the enemy's flesh and cause a blistering pain to shoot though their bones. The unanticipated pain made them easy targets for her as Jai cut each of them down, the blood on her blades soaking into the metal as she felt the flesh on her back stitch itself back together.

As the last guard's body hit the ground Jai looked up to see her comrades walking back to her, both of them splattered in blood though Anise less so than Thackeray. Behind them Serentine's body lay unmoving. Anise linked her fingers together and stretched her arms high above her head, her back popping as she extended it, "That was exhilarating… and effective. Commander Serentine's little "work release" program is officially shut down." She stated, appearing very much like the cat who caught the canary.

The red-headed woman shifted to rest one hand on her hip as she glanced to Thackeray, "You've won a major victory for your queen, Captain, but it wouldn't have happened without the help of our new friend."

Thackeray had a goofy grin on his face as he turned to Jai, "Anise is right. Congratulations are in order. You have more than earned the gratitude of the Seraph. And I think it's time you moved into the barracks."

The assassin kept her face blank as she stared at Thackeray, she didn't forget the idiot man charging out without a plan. Reaching out she smacked him upside the head causing him to let out a light yelp at the pain, "What was that for?!"

She sent him a withering glare from under her blindfold. "That-" she hissed, "-Was for charging out like a fool!"

The man just gave her a dumb look, "Fool?" Behind him Anise chuckled though Jai thought it was pretty close to a giggle. "Aww, it seems pet does care for her friends." She insinuated.

Jai felt her jaw drop, "Friend?!" She nearly yelped, "I owe Thackeray a debt! I can't repay him if he's dead!" she denied.

Thackeray grinned at her, "So you do care! I knew you weren't as impassive as you acted all the time." He reached out a hand to ruffle her hair causing her to squawk at the indignity. "You know, I meant it when I said you could move into the barracks." He told her.

She blinked. "So soon?"

Both Thackeray and Anise laughed at her, or in the latter's case chuckled in a refined manner. "And yet I don't think I'm going to regret my decision." The man said once he got his amusement under control. "Anise agrees with me in fact. You just care; you just don't seem the type to sit back when you can do something."

Thinking back to her old friends, remembering seeing their backs against the light of the portal as they left the Realm she looked down, unable to meet either Anise's nor Thackeray's eyes as she muttered, "Sometimes, I care too much."

Swallowing past the lump in her throat Jai spoke up, "You won't regret this. I'll make sure of it." She vowed, ignoring the bitter whisper in her mind, "But I might regret it."

OOO

May 16, 2015
Words: 21,696
Pages: 41

Glossary:
"Tahkayun" – Old Canthan for "Assassin"
Luxon Hauler Turtle– Used in GW1 PvP Jade Quarry, Luxon side. A turtle version of a supply Dolyak.
Shadow Step – I probably should have explained this sooner but think of it as a Naruto Shunshin thingy, short range teleportation that for the purposes of this fic is only from shadow to shadow. So same weaknesses as FMA:B's Pride's shadows.
Vabbi – Elonian nation known for its riches, ruled by merchant princes in GW1 but enslaved by the Lich Palawa Joko in GW2

Notes:
-"No Moa!"
and "Koss on Koss" were both quoted exactly from the game.
-Finally, Seeing as how I basically stated that Jai is a Torment Demon for classification purposes I'm just going to let those who wish to know that I'm basing her physiology off of Razah.
wiki. guildwars wiki/ Razah (remove spaces)