He was an interesting grey elf, tall and slender with an air about him like no other. His hair was slicked back and hung free around his shoulders, brushing against a robe made of extravagant silk. The one thing that caught my attention was the piercings the stranger had; his lip was pierced on the left, his nose pierced twice on the left side, and his right eyebrow was covered with piercings, as was his left ear. He smiled, cocking his pierced eyebrow as he stared at me with a look that held an emotion that I had never seen directed at me.

"Who are you exactly?"

"My name is Glandriss." His voice was sultry, a shocking sound coming from a person who looked like him. He raised a hand with three inch nails and dropped a few gold coins to the table. "I was told that you were looking for a job. You're in luck because I'm looking for some help."

I stared at the coins for a moment, weary about the man's sudden show of such wanton wealth. "I have my standers."

Glandriss smirked. "As do I; tell me about yourself."

"My name is Kanaloa. By trade I'm a hunter but I make my living collecting bounties." I paused for a moment and Glandriss motioned for me to continue. "My mother is dead and I left my father only a year ago to make my living; I wasn't needed in his home town so I travel and look for bounties or to sell leather in trading towns."

"How interesting. Now, tell me which one was the sea fairing elf and how you lost that pretty eye of yours?"

I stood up sharply, knocking my chair to the ground. The loud clatter went unnoticed in the noisy bar and so did the unsheathed short sword in my hand. "Those are questions you shouldn't ask."

Glandriss leaned forwards and looked down the length of the blade. "So I see." He seemed smug as he met my gaze. "Okay, my little half-breed, how much is your service?"

"Far more than you have." I sheathed my short sword and left without another word. I could feel his eyes on me, though, watching my movements as I slipped through the crowd. For the first time in my life I was feeling like the animals I had hunted as a child; cornered and frightened. Even though Glandriss was thin and seemed to lack the muscle to attack someone, he had a power that anyone could sense.

The moment I slipped through the door a wave of autumn air rushed me from every angle, sending a shiver through out my body. I muttered to myself, pulling up the collar of my cloak and wrapping it around me tighter than usual. The full moon hung low in the sky, casting shadows across the street as its light brightened the evening. It was a straight walk to the inn at the end of the street but I followed the stars, just to keep the ancient skill working in my mind.

Someone suddenly seized me by the arm and pulled me violently off the main street; I let out a shriek of surprise but had no time to react to what had happened. I was slammed against the wall of a building, my wrists being held together by a single hand. I began to struggle against my attacker as they drug me deeper down the ally and into the darkness. I didn't know exactly what was happening; this wasn't a mugging, they would've tried to take my money by this point. There was only one other possibility and I wouldn't let that be option.

Raising a leg I kicked my hidden attacker as hard as I could. I heard the person cry out in pain and felt their grasp loosen around my wrists. Seizing the moment I pulled away and unsheathed my weapons, grasping the hilt of my short sword in one hand and my long sword in the other. I growled in anger, trying to see through the shadows in the ally but my attacker seemed to have melted away.

A burst of light suddenly appeared in front of me. I let out a cry of pain as my vision faded and felt my attacker rip my weapons away. I could hear my swords clatter to the ground and once more felt my back up against a wall. The sense of helplessness began to settle in; it was the first time in years since this feeling had crept into my gut. My two companions were too far to hear me cry out and I doubted if the people in the surrounding buildings would even respond if I made a sound.

Something sharp and cold suddenly was suddenly placed against my cheek. I took in a sharp breath as I felt it trail down my cheek and down the length of my neck. My vision was shifting, slowly coming back to me; I urged it on and damned my body for not being able to react faster. My attacker was before me, their outline becoming more defined and as I blinked, forcing my eyes to adjust, I recognized my assailant.

"Why you son of-"

Glandriss put a hand over my mouth, a smile crossing over his face as he pressed me against the wall. "I'm not entirely used to being denied what I want, half-breed." He leaned against me and ran his hand up my leg slowly. I let out a scream that was muffled against his hand and struggled against him. Glandriss laughed, tightening his grip around my mouth and placing a hand around my neck. His nails dug into my flesh and his smile grew slightly when he saw the look of pain on my face.

"Now, you will work for me and I will pay for anything that you need. I will be going with you on this little journey because there is no map and only I know the way." Glandriss let go of me and took a step back, raising his hands and licking away any blood that may have gathered on his sharply trimmed nails. Our eyes met and he smiled softly, "I could show you the same, half breed; all you have to do is tell me that you want it."

Without warning I pulled my hand back and smacked Glandriss with all my strength. He staggered a step or two, holding his stinging cheek with a shaky hand. "I suppose I have to agree to help you but if you ever touch me again I will rip out those damned piercing of yours, one by one."

Glandriss straightened himself and looked at me, a mix of anger and lust dancing through his eyes. "I can handle that. I just wonder if you can." He turned away sharply and disappeared down the ally without saying another.

By the time I reached the inn my two traveling companions had retired to their rooms. A note was left on my door telling me they couldn't find work for us and hoped that I was fairing better. I ripped that note in half and threw the pieces down the hall before disappearing into my room. As I moved towards the bed I began to strip off my weapons and clothes. I pulled on an old shirt that I used to sleep in, not quite willing to sleep either naked or in my clothes, and crawled into bed.

Staring at the darkness around me I removed my eye patch, dangling it above my face as my mind mulled over past memories as I tried to forget what had happened that evening. I forced myself to remember my mother, her long green hair and golden skin. Her smile was warm but she treated me like I was nothing more than an unwanted pet, always returning to her own community beneath the placid lake that I was forced to live next to. Her death was a hodge-podge of brief pictures in my mind and pain; I lost my eye when she died by the hands of some strange creature. That was when my grandparents took me to my father and left me with him, a man I never saw before.

Before I knew it I had drifted into a soft sleep littered with memories and the feeling of Glandriss' nails ripping my skin. Every time I felt those nails run across me I would wake up, dripping with sweat and looking around the room for him and every time I knew it was in my head. I forced myself to sleep and damned myself for letting that man haunt my dreams.