Darkness befalls... Part 1

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Alezand, cloaked darkly, swept silently around the corner and strode up the heavy stepped staircase that lead to the living quarters of the selfproclaimed Grand Master, Vidar. He had receive a cryptic message about how the zealous leader wanted to speak with the warrior about something the Master would not say. It was Alezand's discretion to move silently and hidden, his entry unbeknownst to the castle guard. He did not want Vidar to anticipate his arrival anymore than the day set and did not want to chance the possibility of a guard going rogue on the opposing hero.

Voices approaching the corridor alerted the stealthy intruder and he alighted himself up into the nearest chandelier, a mere feat for one as trained as he was, but a tough one to most. A lower priest and an minor entourage passed unwittingly below. After they rounded the staircase, Alezand dropped back down lightly and proceded onward. Given the information of the castle layout and guard strength by Napeir and his furry avatar, Alezand knew well his path.

At last, after several minutes, Alezand reached the final corridor to the living chambers of Vidar. But already, Alezand felt uneasy, seeing the door only slightly ajar. He slowly entered the bed chamber, dim wiht only the flicking fire light from the fireplace, which silluetted a highbacked chair in which someone was sitting. "Master Vidar, I have arrived as per your request. What is so dangerous that it requires my personal attention?" Alezand anounced his presence, noting the open window. He made his way to face Vidar, wondering why the man had not replied, or even flinched at Alezand's voice. Surely the warrior had not been detected on his entry...

[Rylith]

"I see you have at long last arrived. I had been debating whether or not you might try to make a grand entrance and come barging in through the castle's front gates, but I suppose this method is all for the better. This way, there are a lot less potential complications, especially as you can be portrayed now as sneaking throughout the King's quarters in the dead of the night." came a voice from the chair, yet it was not one belonging to Vidar. Instead, the voice issued forth from the disfigured countenance of Rylith, whom the warrior may or may not have recognized once before from when they briefly clashed verbally in Augustine's shanty town.

“In a realm where one is surrounded on almost all sides by countless legions of enemies, both political and religious, once might deign to delve deeper within the confines of their own castle, for there are many secret chambers just as luxurious as the royal bedchambers, designed for just such circumstance should the more well-known location be deemed unsafe.” he said, standing and stepping away from Alezand, to put himself out of any sort of direct attack’s reach so he could continue his conversation without worry of harm.

Yet before he continued to speak to Alezand, he gave a soft gesture of his hand. At this, an ethereal creature materialized beside him, a specter that was of no true threat, as it’s incorporeal form could not actually make contact with anything, much less anyone in the room, “Go wake Vidar,” he said to it in a low hiss, “Tell him an assassin has arrived, seeking his head. Tell him that I have done my best to ward him off, yet will require some additional assistance.” Upon finishing his order, the specter vanished off through the floor on it’s errand, while Rylith turned back to Alezand.

“He didn’t seem inclined to listen to me, you know,” Rylith said conversationally, “Seemed to think you had some sort of incorruptible inner purity, or some other similar garbage. That’s why I lured you here, fooling you into thinking Vidar was the one whom truly wished to meet with you. Now you have come, and now you shall be framed, slain by the very one I believe you wish to make peace with, whom in turn shall perish, which shall most certainly leave his most humble and closest of cohorts in the position to take charge of the leaderless kingdom. Fortunately, it will be over with too quickly for you to even attempt to bring your case against me.” he said with a scornful chuckle.

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Occ, no offense, but I had a villain in mind for this setting, but however you want to work this, I still may be able to introduce Alezand's newest enemy...

Ic: "Is that so, then, my friend, I have to say that the brazen and somewhat foolish priest king is smarter than you seem to be. First, at this point, the people of Avaren are fearful and distrustful of Vidar, and my reputation is far reaching in this land will not be so easily smeared. I assistance to the people assures their trust and faith in me and my men. And even if every troop in the armory were to appear here, they would still have trouble holding me. As for you, you really need to think better on how to choose your foes and who you reveal your plans to. Besides, I have a feeling, given the one in question in which you plan on hoodwinking, that he won't trust you as far as my little finger. You stink of treachery and discord. And as jaded as Vidar is, he is inherently opposed to anyone "unnatural" or even looks like trouble. I'm surprised that he even let you approach in the first place, or did you beguile him in someway? Never mind, it matter not at this time. I suppose I have to get a move. I assure you, this is not the last you have seen of me."

He turned on heel to exit the room, but the stomping boots of an oncoming patrol stayed his retreat. With half a glance, he leaped out the open window and reaching in the darkness, his hand wildly ran across the stone as he plummeted. After a few seconds, his hand found a vine and his decent abruptly slowed. His wrist popped slightly, and he knew he would be feeling the effects later, but it didn't matter. He climbed down another further until he found himself by a window showing a deserted library. He neatly swung his lithe form though the portal and landed in the dimly lit room. It was expansive, he blinked a few times to adjust to the lowlight and headed down the row of cases his was in. No sound of approaching guards could be heard. He found a dark corner in which to settle in and think of his next move. This Rylith would prove to be a pain. But As Alezand had voiced, he still had the advantage of reputation to level the playing field. As he pondered what to do next, he realized he had the slight inkling that he was being watched...

[Rylith]

OOC: There’s no “villains” as I see it, only individuals working towards their own goals that may or may not be detrimental towards one another. In that case, I also think the more people involved, the merrier.

IC: "Heh heh heh," Rylith softly chuckled as Alezand leapt from the window, seeking to make his escape, "Run, fool, run; you only make things easier for me." Rylith reveled in taking any chance he could to smear Alezand's name. After all, the warrior had been correct in thinking himself to have a well respected reputation in this city, thus anything to make him look the part of a criminal did nothing but advance Rylith's cause. Although, he had also been wrong on an important second point, that being Rylith's personal influence. For Vidar was a lot easier to manipulate than Alezand seemed to believe. Then again, Alezand was an honest man, otherwise known as a ‘fool’. All one truly needed to do to buy the king's trust was feign a show of the same fanatical devotion to the church's god as Vidar and his followers had.

Now, however, Rylith needed to make certain Alezand was taken care of, for he had become the greatest potential threat to Rylith's mission. Stepping swiftly across the room, he looked out the window Alezand had thrown himself from in time to see the blurred shadow of his form, barely visible in the minimal torchlight emanating from other nearby windows, slip inside a darkened window far below.

With a resounding crash, the door to the room burst open, revealing a group of guards whom had arrived to execute the supposed assassin on sight, finding instead only Rylith alone looking out the open window. "He's down below." Rylith said simply, without turning to face them, making certain to keep his gaze on the lower window Alezand has escaped to so not to lose track of it, "Fan out, alert more guards. He can't possibly escape if we're all looking for him."

Once the guards had departed, Rylith himself lowered himself out of the window, using magic to prevent himself from simply plummeting to the ground, as he was nowhere near skilled enough to pull the same stunt Alezand had. Floating down the side of the tower to the location he had last seen Alezand, he landed softly inside, taking stock of his situation as best he could.

"Heh," He snorted in derision, not spotting the warrior anywhere, yet recognizing where they were, "This library is forbidden to everyone by orders of Vidar, including even myself. You've picked a horrible location to take refuge, though quite convenient for myself." Knowing that, if this place was of restricted access, it must surely have guards posted outside, Rylith turned to the nearest book shelf and promptly threw his weight against it, causing it to slowly creak backwards and finally come crashing down against the windowsill, sending splinters and books plummeting down to the ground below yet at the same time causing enough wreckage to effectively block the only window out of the room, as the bookshelf was much larger than the opening for the window. It should effectively halt any quick escape through that particular exit. Of course, an additional bonus to this action was that the sound would have alerted the guards outside, who would already have been on alert with the report of an assassin on the loose and bar that means of exit while they called for reinforcements.

[Ash Hygenysis,]

Now wasn't this delicious. Ash had to give this guy credit. He certainly knew how to toy with the hero. Oh and such a hero Alezand was, what a pitiful, predictable piece of righteous filth. But she would have to interfere, for her very own plans were coming to fruit.

There was a time, a long time ago, after the Hermione incident, but before Alezand had ever set foot in Avaren, when he would've died for Ash. Without thought, or care, he would've casted his very life away to save her. He loved her, a long, long time ago. He said he would always be there for her. But then the first war came, and then the travel to Avaren. Alezand was gone at the time when she needed him most, and she had to survive without him. She didn't even think he was ever going to come back. But he did, that summer when he and Tyanno resumed campaign at the edge of the kingdom. He found her, but it was too late. She saw his weakness and fallibility. She could not rely on him, and nor did she need to. She no longer needed his protection, and she was determined to make him feel the despair that she had when he left her. And the power she obtained was ever opposed to the knight, oh he couldn't stand it, and that was what made it so delicious. She had become what he swore against. She would be his bane, and it killed him inside. Twice had the man failed, twice did he lose a woman he cared for to darkness. But the difference here was she wasn't gone. She was reborn.

So here she had been tracking him for days and he was growing increasingly suspicious. Indeed, he was very attuned to her presence, but she was sly, silky and smooth. Oh the poor boy had no idea. She was invisible at the moment, swathed in her own magic. A powerful caster she had become. So now was the time to twist the knife. Oh it was so sweet, as he was sooo predictable. It was almost too easy, but worth it. Silently she watched him encounter the shade of a man that awaited him in the chamber, she followed him on his harried escape and now she watched as the veteran soldier crutched in darkness and gathered his wits and the pursuer laid the stage for Alezands procurement. But here she must meddle. Oh, she couldn't allow her prize be stolen by lessers, oh no. And that in its self made in more sweet, to lull the warrior into false hopes. But that part would be difficult. Alezand was no fool, and for the years earlier, she had quite a time hiding her intentions from the stout boy. She sauntered quietly over to the crutched troop. Sweet as the evening breeze, her voice whispered into the mans ear, "Come now, my dear friend, it does seem you are in quite a pickle. But not to worry, I would not want you to be taken by these ingrates. I do value your cause for arcane wielders such as myself. Just say the word and I will whisk you away from here with a snap of my fingers." She smiled darkly as the mans eyes grew huge at the recognition of the voice. Her keen elven ears picked up the slamming of locks and bars on the door that made the entrance to this room. "Doesn't look like even one with your talents is getting far without my help."

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Alezand's eyes indeed get wide, for that voice. He half hoped to never hear that voice again, and the other half missed it almost everyday. She had been his companion for many years, ever since his tragedy all those years ago. But she had turned, from the good and kind hearted woman he had grown up with and learned to love, to a twisted and deceitful harpy. She had blamed him for leaving her alone in a dark and desperate time, and he too, secretly blamed himself. But there was no excuse for how she repaid him, forcing him to watch her destroy the person she once was.

"An unexpected surprise this is, dear." He whispered even toned. "How do you suppose I should trust you now?" Though he was already weighing the chances, the outcomes and his choices. This was not looking good. He was confident, that what ever she had planned, he could defeat and escape. But this Rylith was a new player, and the ever cautious Alezand rather not underestimate the dark beings' plans. He at least knew Ash well, and had the chance of out witting her at her own games, difficult as they were.