Steel clicking out among the darkness, Velvet's monotonous shuffling sounded out through the howling winds of the Jewel's peaceful night. Akin to gleaming stones of an isolated cavern, the stars above shone, with the gentle and soothing trickle of water pouring at a fountain's tip. Creaking closed, the door at her heel swung, and she remained the final member to emerge from the safety of this cozy, comfortable tavern.
With a shrill gasp and frightened hop, the mop of delicate blonde and whitened tips slipped behind the billowing cloak of the watching half-malak, who which looked on with cautious understanding. Refraining from commenting upon the young boy's skittish acts, the daemoness' gaze sunk away in an expression of sorrow, as the subconscious touch of her palm to grip a bandaged wrist came to pass. To make the rising tension ever worse, in the midst of Velvet's calloused show of shame, that sinful and sharp voice pinged her senses; like a colourful buzzing fly.
"Heh heh. Good thing I showed up in time," the Witch playfully belittled, smirking deviously at the scrunching of the daemon's features.
"Don't tell me you're coming too," the woman said with a defeated sigh of despair, pained realisation dawning as the magician childishly skipped about.
"Sojourn alongside the gloomy daemon-lady, and the exorcist controlling Bienfu is sure to appear!" A wonderous display of her dramatic antics ensued, and not one of the watching group could say they were pleased about this undeserved comeuppance. "I told my own fortune, and there it was!"
Stifled at Magilou's extravagant display of - expectant - deception, the Samurai grinned, "Do your fortunes actually hold water?"
"I've been in the castle before, you know. 'How useful to have Magilou along,' they said it the future."
"...Like a bucket with several holes in it." Sarid's clear show of dispassion rung the Witch's clearly disingenuous display. "Any room for anything else in there? Or -- are you just going to berate us along the way?"
"I'm not sure you would like to hear my fortune for that," she sang with relaxed arms, much to the displeasure and growing headache of all who stood.
"Get in my way, and I'll give you the boot." As the vibrant jester slunk away with a grin from this threatening growl, the atmosphere reigned heavy, and the Reaper stepped forth.
"It's the viper's nest. They're always watching."
"Yes, but therein lie shadows, too. Let's look for someone with a red scarf." At the scornful lady's order, the diverse cast formed up under the veil of malicious dark, and ventured into the city's winding streets, in search of a signifier to spark the beginning of their mission.
~~~
To cut through the seemingly unending silent of this calamitous night, the gradual steps of those who wondered its ghostly walls clacked under another great archway; the imposing silhouette of the royal villa ahead, blackened shape encircled this gleaming speckled blanket of kinly shadows. And, dotting this decored and lit courtyard that belied its fortuitous gates, were the ever immovable guardsmen. However, entrapped to wound around their necks, was a distinct crimson scarf that stood out on this lonely walk. Each one paid no mind to the crew's suspicious trek, and it soon became clear how the guild remained resilent and hidden in these dictatorial times.
The many soldiers, once thought loyal to the people, were faithful spies tied onto the very roots of this grand Capital.
Nonetheless, their reoccurring lines were abruptly broken, and the surveying misfits noticed one in particular stalking in wait behind the flourishing bushes. Velvet was first, venturing over with a knowing look, until he held out his armoured palm. "Let's see your papers," he mysteriously demanded, and the woman didn't hesitate to pass over the insignia of this fiendish guild. Eyes roved briefly upon the gilded symbol with garnered scarlet, and the soldier immediately passed the booklet back with an accepting nod. "Checks out." Metallic sheaves shifted from over a particular pothole, and the voice echoed out again; "This tunnel over here connects to the castle. It should put you inside the villa."
A single nod and a hardened gaze, Velvet's fingers dug into the grate, and swiped it away with ease; the clear form of a rotted oakwood ladder spiraling into the depths below. Without any word more, the daemon stepped forward without care, and plummeted down into the wafting sewers with a flail of her onyx tendrils.
Boots cracked onto the stoneward structure below, the winding Barona Catacombs of rushing water and visceral stench trailing every crevice of this hidden tunnel. It did not take long for the group to follow suit as the ravenette waited idly by, the final flourish of white to cascade down as the lone beam of celestial light grated to string. Darkness rushed over the starkly sewers, yet no member had a problem with the vision in the dead of night. All except for possibly one.
"Let's hope you can see this time, eh Sarid?" the Samurai joked with an expectant raise of brow, the half-breed shaking his head in response; peering glance of sharp amethyst slicing through unlike his once passive blues. It was fairly evident in the hitch of Velvet's posture that this issue had crept back, much to her expected annoyance, while the remainders of this crew twisted behind, perplexed.
"Don't worry, I'm not some baggage like before". From behind his veiling tailcoat, revealed a sizable stick bound in cloth; the stench of oil tickling nostrils. "And don't go parading your natural ability, this took work y'know."
Thwoosh!
The head of the object came alight with a snap of fingers, spewing a warming and disilluory to flood the blackened tunnels beneath. Sarid raised the torch aloft, its spitting shape flickering in the thick depths as he evaluated the positions of all around with a smirk.
Despite being human herself, Magilou easily pranced around the group with an eery shine to her verdant irises. Unfair Witchcraft.
Rokurou grinned with a dismissive shrug, stepping past while the group continued onwards, yet this particular topic remained at the forefront of someone's mind. "Huh? Sarid can't see in the da-!" the boy's sudden inquiry was cut off by a section of cracked cobble, catching his boot and sending the young malak tipping over.
Tumbling right into the ravenette's waiting arms.
Velvet's glowering look did not flinch while the boy remained in her arms, and the gentle grip was ripped away as she continued her ceaseless stroll without comment; cutting off the boy's gratitude and leaving him with a downcast expression.
"Watch your step, boy. There are giant crocodiles in these waters."
Laphicet sprung back with a shudder, eyebrows springing up and leaving a trembling lip while Magilou fiendishly looked on as her comment settled, verdant gaze nodding over to the vile and gloomy rivers surrounding. "Crocodiles?!" the boy cried out with clenched hands.
"A croc's favourite meal is witches."
Magilou's pompous and proud pose snapped to a lowly freeze, settled blankly as the pirate's words deterred her humorous warning.
"All right," Rokurou stated with a smirk of anticipation, "Onward and inward! Everyone but Magilou, tread carefully!"
At this, the Witch could only glower as she sank with an irritated shake. An arm tapped her shoulder as they meandered past, and as her gaze flicked over, the back of a cleanly white haori swayed in her vision with the strict ball aflame at his side. "I wouldn't worry, I heard they play with their food because they enjoy a witch's screams."
"Oh, come on!"
Up ahead, as her steel shoes rapped the strained and webbed stone throughout, Velvet's gilded glare narrowed at the side with a disbelieving cross of her arms, the words of her supposed allies ricocheting along everlasting caverns dripping with chilling residue.
"Some assassin's crew we are."
After quite the spontaneous altercation of a blubbering, lying witch and a pair of anguished limbs wrenching the fool into miserable waters she so heavily warned about, the group was free to explore and traverse these deathly cold and uninhabited tunnels; wracked with a searing stench that caused the two lone daemons to grimace continously at the fault of their enhanced senses. Along the way, they even located a pair of scouting Bloodwing members, that only scarcely evaded Velvet's wrath after mentioning she may get 'stuck' in some of the tighter passages.
Nevertheless, tredding these coiling pathways with clicks of bronzing switches and the draining of waterways, the venturing group tirelessly went forth. Echoes of their shrill clopping steps to bounce upon stone surfaces, with the gentle shimmer of accenting water ditches funneling along their path. It did not take long to find time to bear arms, as the suspicious mirage of hazy lavender passed before their eyes, and the itching sliver of dread crept between bones.
An eery sense of familiarity struck the half-malakhim, and so he was the first to be readied still with the torch in his left; a snarling exhale withered from empty and spaceless air. With a pitched screech of honed steel, the clothed hand tore the blade from its decorative vestments in one single clean slice among void, and Sarid smirked as the dire weight slid upon its edge. A ghastly gobun heddin rolled at the decrepit stone below, its rotting green floating head of strange meshy flesh and embroidered by a dreadful damson aura. Flailing in agony, the goblin's seething skull was rendered into pulp by a stomping metallic boot, and the group stood readied at his side as the visage of five more materialised from the never.
"Good eye," the Reaper commended with a respectful nod, clicking his fists with a weighty readiness.
Velvet's infamous limb rose to eye-level, the loose bandages around swaying in despairing winds as she looked on fiercely, "Cut the chatter," she ordered, as a chorus of cackling shrieks resounded from their bobbing heads.
"I remember you..." The torch was carelessly lobbed to the wall, its mildly disturbed form crackling against stone before a flying knife sunk in and threaded the wood in place. Flickering light washed over the dank ancient chamber. "Resistant to most elements, yet vulnerable to physical attacks," Sarid's eyes brimmed with malicious recognition.
Velvet grumbled at his constant ignorant chiming, "Ugh, you don't listen..."
Whoosh!
Flame sprouted from the mouths of jutted teeth, and each member swerved underneath the spitting chaos, darting to carve into each blighted soul with their supreme prowess. Velvet's ever impressive kicks careered right into the unsuspecting skull of a daemon, with the favourable attack sprung upon the rest; Eizen's driving hooks beating back one of the durable heads, Rokurou's whirlwind of slicing calcite gouging the flesh of another, Laphicet's coalescing parchment of embroidered artes whisking away the daemonic spells, and Sarid's swift movement and bladework lacerating the blundering ghosts with ease.
The daemoness unleashed a guttural yell, as a jumping spin kick crushed the protruding nose of a darting goblin head, the sprouting wristblade colliding with the ravenous jaws of another; until its cranium was scarred by the passing lunge of a grinning Samurai. As the hungry warrior's blow slashed it away, she twisted violently, the thundering heel bashing another afar to be skewered upon by the sudden sprouting of the Reaper's earth arte.
Another shriek of power, and the encircled runes ablaze signalled the incoming arte from out of reach, until lightning arced before the fiendish and soulless yellow eyes of the heddin, Sarid's palm brimming with swirling chromatic energy. Nonetheless, the beast's vile maws tore open to unleash its building fire right into the vulnerable half-breed. It roared out, a great smog aflame booming out like a cannon, before it hissed harmlessly against a shield of water; several paper tomes barring its way.
With a confident smile, the racing Shinobi thrust the orb of energy right into the still widened jaw of the unfortunate daemon, leaving the foe to whirl back with regurgitating torment.
Bwoom!
In a violent eruption of blinding white, the purity orb flared and the heddin's insides splattered across marred walls of ruinous rock.
"Sarid!"
A warning. At her abrupt call, Velvet dashed forth to snatch the skull of what beast was charging its well of power, yet noticed too late. Another splurge of a soaring blaze exploded among the chaos, homing in on the turned back of crisp white. With a devastating bound, the building fury simmering beneath bandage roared out with a crumbling snap of deforming flesh. Sarid did not flinch in alarm, instead, the brazen face of his masterful steel sang aflame too with its sputtering edge; and in a flashing swing after spin, battered away the encroaching arte into charging features of another undead.
As it flailed helplessly over scorched ground, the Pirate to the side caught a gleam in his stoic blues, and with a sharp glare; sprung forth towards this torched foe. Boots gracing the webbed floor, Eizen slammed down and leapt high to soar above this feeble creature; as a great shrouded darkness veiled his figure, with veiling blackened smog to form wings, like that of a legendary dragon. The Reaper's palms slammed together, the kindling wrath of fire bolstering within the sparks; "You're wide open! Burn!" In a sphere of crackling destruction, the beast below was reduced to ash with a shattering blast that devastated the charred rubble.
The original caster of the past brazen attack could only splutter out with blackened ivory, as an even greater maw of entrancing scarlet closed upon it brutally. Akin to an all-devouring black hole, the daemon dissipated among horrific shrieks, and Velvet's barred teeth did not falter at its savage defeat. Relishing in the fulfillment of her craving, she twisted on her heel and pounced back to the final beast Rokurou had reduced to an exhausted fading husk.
Its miserable tarnished pupils could only turn - as the Yaksha leapt away - before the daemoness' blade glistened with an icy azure; the ring threading her finger humming in earnest. "Lunar surface!" The snarling shout echoed out as she whirled in a spin, the outstretched sword slicing right through the gobun heddin like butter, flayed shards of creeping ice speckled over its wounds. Until suddenly, they detonated with a flare of cerulean, circling about the field in chilling frost as the beast split apart with an evaporating cry.
Flecks of glimmering ice hovered in the silent air, crisp gleams of biting cold settling upon unbothered skin. Velvet's hungering limb drank deep of the fruits of battle, the hollow carcasses boring into void as they sat empty and drained.
"I'll cut down anyone in my way..."
~~~
Passing around another corner that only remained as a maze-like similarity, the group eventually came upon a trap door sat unlatched at a thought-to-be dead end. The tunnels continued to wind even deeper, catacombs under exorcist watch filled to the brim with salivating beasts eager to tear the populace limb from limb. These sinful daemons traversed the depths merely levels below where the naive residents lived, dedicated to the faithful 'protection' ordained by the Abbey and their followers. Why would the so-called valiant protectors of humanity ignore a blighted infestation manifesting under their noses? Something didn't add up.
"Move aside!"
Wham!
With a debilitating shudder, the living armour stepped back as its bending steel creaked painfully, the magenta spirit within its rusted and battered vestments shrieking at the swift malakhim that stepped in like mist. Eizen's flapping coat flailed in the wake of his trembling strikes, bloodied fists creasing its oversized pauldron, then rocking the cavernous helm into a bend with a brutal uppercut. Another echoing groan as the ghostly entity stumbled back with its metallic stomps, before the pirate hooked his left thumb into a pocket with an unimpressed glare.
Waving his open hand back, the shrill cries of summonded winds spliced the daemon's back, and it rumbled forth into a desperate stab with its corrupted spear, only for it to plunge right past the man's casual turn. Eizen cast a blank look to the side, before his boot slammed down to snap the armament from its threaded place; jabbing a stunning elbow into its chestplate, swiping his nose with a smirk as glimmering amber earth sprouted from behind the bumbling foe. Knuckles hardened with an ochre sheen, Eizen plunged an stone-shaking right hook to thrash the beast right back and through the resilent arte behind.
"Fall under the Rangetsu style!"
And, the Samurai wasted no time in cleaning up the remnants of this crumbling opponent. Sweeping in like leaves blown from a storm, his calcite daggers shone with a weighty gold, both cleaningly ripping through its faded equipment with two dashing passes. His crimson glare grew bright, as the living armor crumpled in a heap to the ruined cobble below.
Across the shattered and splintered rock chamber, another battle waged, as the anguished cries of a savage Wolf sounded out. Velvet thrashed the durable armor of her foe with fierce growls, slipping out of its unrefined and robotic swipes with her impressive agility. Diving close, she scarred its worn vambraces and ducked through an arcing slash; pounding a crater into its plate with a lashing kick, before flipping out and above a low, sweeping swing.
As she did so, a whirling blade came in from the open space above, carving into its body like a saw that dazed the reeling spirit within. Cleaving back through the sky - whisked by the visage of opaque lime - it flew right back into waiting palm of a somersaulting half-breed, another withered lance rocketing just out of reach. As Sarid landed - the torch miraculously staying alight through swift movement - the darting blade of a sudden kunai split the ghost's chest at blinding speed, before the aggressive limb was sent spiraling into a clatter behind. Spinning with his ornate sword to sever the living armor in two, a plume of its dissipating indigo fog rising, Sarid snarkly rolled his eyes to the crumbled heap of tin. "Scrap metal..."
Capitalising on her opponents heaving state, Velvet twisted in a whirling spin, and cracked its gauntlet with a boot to send the weapon scattered in pieces. Golden medallions bolstered hostility, as the Therion's knee thundered into the ghostly flame of the manipulating spirit, wrestled its left arm in hand, and tore it off from a jumping kick to push away with. Violent miasma seeping from its wounds, Velvet discarded the useless limb and launched a gauntleted fist into the chest of the spectral foe, thrusting powerfully outwards as the wristblade sprung to shatter its body; collapsing the abdomen in siezing crash!
"...Waste of time," she spat, brushing excess dirt from parts of her mildly wounded figure. It didn't take long for Laphicet to come to aid for the injured, letting the pleasant rush of the young malak's healing artes to bless their lesions. "We're done here. Let's go."
Their ongoing venture to exterminate their target and any surrounding entourage seemed endless, as the winding staircases and labyrinthine sewers only grew longer and deeper as they descended each level; increasingly becoming more infested, dangerous and crooked. Nevertheless, they remained steadfast and focused, no hint of exhaustion slowing their consistent journey. Even still, the clone-esque halls and chambers became weary to bear, and discussion concerning their assassination target broke out.
Before the appearance of malakhim to the public eye became widespread to fend off the daemonic horde - the Advent - the Abbey and by extension, High Priest Gideon, were unheard of. And soon, many scrambled for the power presented in these positions, only to meet their end; one way or another. All who remained to finally take this seat, was Gideon, the newly appointed High Priest. No matter the position, the crowds clamored for the Shepherd, and the high priest remained suspicious and untrustworthy to the general public. But in the end, it did not matter who he was. He's on the hit list for the contract, so his fate is sealed.
Soon enough, however, the band of misfits encountered a new problem they didn't expect to explicitly become one. More specifically, one Velvet had hoped wouldn't be an issue.
"So... You think you can fit through there?"
Currently, the group was gathered around what seemed to be a small sewer grate holed through the wall which, judging by having explored the rest of the level they currently resided on, seemed to be the way ahead. One issue - big or small depending - was that the gap appeared to be a fairly tight squeeze. And, much to a particular daemoness' dismay, the Bloodwing member may have had a point.
"Sarid..." Velvet growled out with balled fists, while the half-breed raised a de-escalating palm to the snarling beast with a slight sweat-drop, holding the flickering torch to cast its light over the opening.
"Look, it's just an observ...ation- nevermind," he quickly corrected for his own safety, immediately snapping his vision away from the glowering Wolf before him that almost raised a fist higher than he may have liked. "Just being cautious, yeah, that's all," he explained, stepping back slightly. Sarid did not concede a glare of his own at the grinning Rokurou nearby, and the fiendish expression of the circling Witch.
"Thought so," the woman asserted threateningly, before crouching down to evaluate the potential opening they could pass through. Taking a second too long, the pirate at the side sighed, and openly splayed his hands to come up with an answer to this issue.
"Right, Velvet... would you prefer we all head through first? Might be easier to evaluate the size," Eizen reasonably asked, the muscles in his expression tensing ever so slightly as she glanced back with a deathly stare.
"That's probably for the best, then we can pull you through if you-"
Smack
The Samurai's words fell flat as a sharp elbow not so subtlety slammed into his ribcage, ripping a sharp exhale from his throat as the half-malak stood nonchalantly to the side with a casual smile.
"Why would Velvet have trouble fitting through?" At the sound of that innocent voice, the daemoness' frown only deepened, while the trio of men looked to the young and naive boy with conflicted expressions. Especially the Reaper, the usual member to explain anything the boy may have trouble understanding.
Before any answer could be given, a clothed palm ruffled Laphicet's head of tufted strands. "Eizen can tell you when you're older," Sarid declared with a victorious smirk, enjoying the deadpan he was struck with from the skipper. All only serving to further the young malak's confusion.
"Huh?"
Noticing the daring glint in the magician's emerald gleam, Velvet's blunt words stopped the dramatic skit aiming to annoy her from even forming in the jester's mind. "Magilou. Don't say a word, you know why you can fit through here easiest."
The Witch stood completely frozen with all emotion within cracked and shattered, the devastating shot to her heart blown off by the daemon's chagrin at the matter.
"If any of you look, I'm eating every last person here and finishing this myself. Clear?"
The trio of men passed around looks, chained in place by the malignant scowl she gouged each one with. Nodding silently, they turned away - a hand placing the innocent boy's head on a swivel - all unwilling to prod the bear any further. Eizen flicked his coin monotonously with a shake of his head, Rokurou idly admired his blades with a humorous smirk at the situation, and Sarid blew a long and quiet exhale while leisurely flicking his kunai about the right knuckle with the glaring warmth huing the left, having to futily cool a dusted red over his cheeks: just another cost of being part mortal. All the while, Magilou - the once pompous and proud - remained still in dead, cold shock.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
~~~
Past the 'too close for comfort' crawl space, the group located a ladder to traverse and make their way onward, dashing through hordes of malicious beasts up many flights of stairs. Yet, the incline declared that they were almost at the villa. Finally, as the final living armor was sent careening to crash against the scarred and bruised walls, ahead did they see it. Another ladder, the last one to climb before their contracted mission truly began. Grip creaking upon olden wood, one by one, the sneaking crew clambered up the entrance to the villa, prying open the trapdoor carefully, and soon set foot upon the sophisticated interior doused in dim candlelight.
"A library? This is unexpected," the daemoness stated as she surveyed the many lines, cupboards and cases of books surrounding their uninvited entrance.
"Wow!" Laphicet said in complete astonishment, pearls twinkling with glee and want.
Skipping over to one of the many bookcases that resided just within this backroom, the lively Witch appraised each one with a calculating look, swiping a slow and articulate forefinger along the spines. "Ohoho, well, isn't THIS a rare collection of tomes! You royals sure have coffers to burn." Until, suddenly...
Click, clack!
A particular book shifted in place and slid back from Magilou's sudden touch, and the bookcase as a whole clicked back onto a rail, a strange mechanism pulling it to the side and revealing another set behind. Laphicet hopped over excitedly as the Witch stood back in mock surprise, the sheer volume dust particles wafting from the unveiled crevices speaking much of their age. "Oooh! Books in the ancient tongue!"
The clacking-tap of steel boots creaking the boards below were pronounced, as Velvet sauntered over, scouring the unusual text trailing each delicate spine of these tomes. She couldn't make sense of a single one.
As the majority of the group surrounded the commotion, a half-malak roving eyes were caught by something else. A note, yellowed and jaded, was torn and stuck to a worn deskside; its inked lettering dignified yet smudged across the parchment.
There are currently around 3000 orderlies and 100 praetors in active duty. The following four have achieved the rank of legate:
Legate III: Artorias Collbrande
Legate II: Melchior Mayvin
Legate V: Shigure Rangetsu
Legate IV:
The final name was blotched out from the assumed record, all that was seen, was the statement 'Excommunicated' at its underside. Sarid's brows furrowed in interest, yet no more of the document remained.
Back to the main focus of the cast, was the hidden shelfs revealed at this mysterious switch. "Can you read it?" Rokurou questioned the boy, assuming from his burst of energy and recognition.
"Well, no, but... I just..." Laphicet's mood soured again, having one singular tome catch his eye, but no excuse to bring the valuable tome along.
"This has nothing to do with our job." Her voice cut through the haze of discussion, complete disinterest apparent at this chat and wasting time to be used on their assassination. However, as the boy's downcast expression lowered even further, the daemon rolled her gilded gaze and stepped close, fingers grasping the dusted crimson book emblazoned with golden sigils. Stalking past, the Therion dropped the stolen tome into the jolted hands of the small malak.
"Huh?"
"If you want it, just take it. Don't pretend to be noble, you're consorting with daemons."
Incredulous, the Samurai huffed at the constant dire mood that the daemoness seems so taken by, "Good grief, Velvet," he stated with a firm pair of hands on his hips, "Can't you lighten up for once in your life?"
Velvet's bitter stare bit back into the Yaksha's one of disbelief, "Lighten up? Did you forget we're here to kill someone?" she scolded, completely lost with the group she found herself side by side with. Stalking past the watching group, the woman led back at the side of an ornately solid door presumptuously leading to the rest of the royal villa. Her boiling gaze had reduced to a simmer, as she patiently waited with closed eyes.
"Hey, Rokurou," the half-breed started with a flick of the man's shoulder, "Just leave her be, whether or not she's right, you know how Velvet is." Raising a brow at the sudden defense taken by the man, the Yaksha did notice an underlying reason behind his cautious yet caring look. "Besides, the kid's happy."
"You really want that ratty old thing? There's gotta be way pricier ones."
At Sarid's gesture and ignoring Magilou's unfiltered moping, Rokurou settled his gaze back on the young malak that looked on indifferently. With a tight grip upon the faded hard cover, Laphicet stared right at the daemoness' unmoving form that led at the doorway side with a gentle smile of appreciation.