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Post by Vincent on Aug 13, 2014 22:47:56 GMT -6
The shop keeper had a furrowed brow for Dayan, muttering about just trying to be polite. Looking at Neil he began to promote his wares. "Always, always a discount for bulk. Unless it is last minute of course. That can muddle things so much, you know? But if you give me time to acquire the goods then we have no issues. Are you looking to help supply your team? Or just stocking up?" The shop keeper looked the boy up and down. "Actually... you don't look much like a fighter. You must be a supplier then. Tell you what, I'll bring you a chart of all my deals." The man walked into a back room for a moment leaving the two men alone.
Vincent produced a small bag of about 100 coins. "This ought to buy a few trinkets." It was the bag Borgus had given him previously. Somehow he still had yet to use any of the money. When this job was over maybe he could be his next target. Him and that gang of his. He'd love a rematch with Baako too.
"Yes... quite. But, erm... Why would you want any blades when the one you carry on your back is so powerful?" The seller either had a good eye or knew something. How would he know? He had gotten it from the loot of bandits.
"Uh... well, I wouldn't want to damage it and ruin it. I want to use it for special or desperate occasions only. It is a sword of high quality after all."
"Yes it is." The shop keeper was on edge. He gripped the edge of the desk so tightly his knuckles were white. Vincent was quickly growing uncomfortable and was ready for fight or flight. "Tell me, have you ever been to Sacae?"
Vincent's blood ran cold and it showed in his face. "Who are you?"
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Sonneillon
Shaman
DEAD
"You will pay for what you've done..."
Posts: 142
Profession: Student of the Elder Arts
Affinity: Dark
OoC Alias: Ryu
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Post by Sonneillon on Aug 14, 2014 19:42:50 GMT -6
As the shopkeeper returned, holding a worn notepad, Neil relaxed and let the darkness he'd been mustering dissipate slowly. Looking over the deals, Neil shook his head slightly. His dissatisfaction was evident on his face, his eyes hard lines and his lips pursed.
"Is this the best you can offer? These deals would be far too expensive to supply a small mercenary group, much less... Never mind. Just tell me, can you sell me even more arms, for even cheaper? I'm talking about quite the large-scale operation here, not some podunk little band."
The shopkeeper's eyes widened slightly, and a small smirk came to his eyes.
"You want a lot of weapons. Hmm... Well, maybe. But now, mind you, we're talking a lot of coin. I have to make a living, you know."
Neil smiled.
"Good. I'll be back presently, to finalize the amount and shipment location. Thank you, sir."
With that, the pupil bowed and left, walking briskly across the street and into the other armory, moving up behind Vincent without a word.
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 14, 2014 20:28:08 GMT -6
Dayan listened and waited. He heard what was perhaps the most pathetic attempt at information gathering he'd ever been privy to. What, exactly, did that kid just think he'd 'figured out'? He'd tried to place a bulk order, haggled slightly, and then walked out without even bothering to try and actually glean useful information.
Congratulation, the shop keeper can fill large orders on request. Truly startling information.
It would arouse too much suspicion if Dayan left quietly now, so he walked up to the counter, meeting the gaze of the man. Dayan reached into his pack, pulling out his sickle with the severed chain. "Have you ever seen this kind of a weapon?"
The shopkeeper looked for a moment. "A sickle, sure. But what's the point of the chain? In case you toss it?"
Dayan just sighed. This man would have no idea how to properly repair his weapon. He stowed the weapon again.
"Nevermind. Good day," he said, leaving the shop. Unlike the trigger-happy mage, Dayan did not enter the other shop. It would look far too suspicious. Instead, he leaned against the wall by the door, listening quietly to whatever might be happening on the other side.
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Post by Vincent on Aug 14, 2014 20:38:47 GMT -6
The owner tilted his head forward darkly before shaking it and looking around like he was lost a moment. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" The owner appeared genuinely confused and now so was Vincent.
"Uh, no I think I'll be fine thanks." He turned to be surprised by Neil standing there a bit close. "Uwaah!" Jumping back with a yell he slammed his back into the desk's corner. "Urgh, grr. Ahh, when did you get there?" He rubbed his back to ease the stinging. "Never mind. I need to talk to you outside, NOW." Stressing his last word he quickly walked outside and looked straight at Dayan before he continued to walk a ways out of earshot.
"The man inside was acting odd. He seemed to know me and looked angry and stressed just before... well... before forgetting he'd talked to me. It's odd. But what did you find?"
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Sonneillon
Shaman
DEAD
"You will pay for what you've done..."
Posts: 142
Profession: Student of the Elder Arts
Affinity: Dark
OoC Alias: Ryu
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Post by Sonneillon on Aug 14, 2014 21:07:55 GMT -6
"Psst."
Speaking in a hoarse whisper, Neil motioned with his eyes to the man who was leaning a ways away.
"That guy was in the shop with me... Do you think he's tailing us?"
Rubbing his arms nervously, Neil shook his head.
"I didn't get a lot out of the shopkeeper, except that he can definitely provide a lot of weapons for a fairly good bulk rate. I don't get it. I have no idea how we'll nail this guy down, Vincent. It just seems too damn difficult. We need a miracle now, or some sort of lucky break. Damn it all. How are we supposed to find a smuggler with no connections?!"
Looking furtively over his shoulder at the man standing idly, Neil grimaced.
"What's so odd about a guy seeming angry? He might've mistaken you for someone else. Hey...We have to get rid of that guy. He's bothering me."
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 14, 2014 22:00:25 GMT -6
Dayan was able to hear what the swordsman said, but the spellcaster had resorted to whispering. Well, he'd aroused his suspicion now. Dayan had to wonder if the kid was just naturally suspicious of everyone. He let the thought get away from him. There was no way to tail them now, they'd be looking for him.
However...
The swordsman seemed convinced that he'd found something of note in the shop he came from. That meant they would be returning there... it also meant...
Dayan pushed himself off the wall, standing up straight and walking into the shop the two of them had just exited. As he crossed the threshold, he took a deep breath.
"Good morning!", he called in a loud voice, clearly audible from outside. "What an auspicious day it is for you, my friend!" he declared with a wide smile, stepping up to the counter.
"Is there... something I can do for you, sir?" the man asked.
"Perhaps," Dayan answered with a child-like grin. "Or perhaps the better question is what I can do for you. I saw a request that you might have a 'rodent' problem around here." now he spoke softly, a more casual tone, though his demeanor stayed cheerful. "Worry not, my friend, I have just the thing to take care of such noisy little critters. Let us say that it would benefit a... 'mutual acquaintance.'"
It was fair to note that Dayan had no idea if this man was really part of the smuggling or not. Still, it was as good a place to start as any. If anything, his rapid change in demeanor should throw off suspicion from the brats.
Or maybe make them do something very stupid. Even rodents could be excellent bait for something bigger.
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Post by Vincent on Aug 16, 2014 13:10:38 GMT -6
The shop keeper kept his voice low. Who was this man? "For whom does the dirge play?" The shop keeper asked. It was clear that whether he was the man or not Dayan stumbled into something. That was clearly a password question.
Vincent glanced at Dayan from afar during their meeting. He did look out of place. Before Vincent could make any suggestions about where to go from there or confront the stranger the man strutted into the shop and began to speak loudly.
Vincent realized quickly they were intended to hear the conversation. Why? The man had to have been following them, so Neil was right about that. But why? Vincent listened closely and snuck up aside an outside window.
Whispering he began to form a plan, "this guy knows something or is up to something. When he walks out we nab him before he gets us. He might be on our side but. Well see."
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Sonneillon
Shaman
DEAD
"You will pay for what you've done..."
Posts: 142
Profession: Student of the Elder Arts
Affinity: Dark
OoC Alias: Ryu
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Post by Sonneillon on Aug 19, 2014 18:22:49 GMT -6
"Right... We'll have to incapacitate him quickly or force his surrender quietly. We don't want a scene, but we have to figure out if this guy is connected to the mark. We need all the leads we can get, so we cant't afford to let him get away. I've got a plan."
The amateur tactician grinned cheekily. This was a risky maneuver, but... They could definitely pull it off.
"You'll be standing alone near the door, as a sort of bait. When he leaves, you accost him and try to detain him. Meanwhile, I'll hide nearby and ready my tendrils, so that I can snag his legs. Then, we can ask him questions, since we have the advantage."
If it worked, it could be quite the lead... Otherwise, it didn't much matter. Just meant they were still at square one.
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 19, 2014 19:15:03 GMT -6
Dayan sighed, looking annoyed at the shopkeeper. "And the eastern owl hoots at the passing of the lame camel. Honestly now, didn't they tell you to pick an inconspicuous greeting? I swear..." He raised his hand, placing two fingers on the bridge of his nose as he shut his eyes for a moment.
He kept his voice low, giving the man a downright murderous gaze. "Those kids are sniffing around. If you think they know anything, you get the word out. We don't need this mucked up by two kids playing hero," he instructed, turning on his heel.
Dayan wasn't sure that his bluff was all that believable, but he'd dealt with people like the shopkeeper before. He wasn't a 'hardened criminal'. He'd break easily under stress, especially if someone took command of the situation as he had. What Dayan had overheard from the kids and the way the man reacted was more than sufficient for him to make a suitable ruse.
He walked confidently out of the shop, not bothering to look for the kids as he passed the archway. If he was right, they wouldn't have gone far. His loud voice when he walked in had been with that goal in mind. The important thing now was to wait and observe this shopkeeper. The kids were too obvious with how they gathered information, and the man would likely be informing his real contact about them. All Dayan needed to do was wait, and the solution would present itself to him.
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Post by Vincent on Aug 19, 2014 20:09:18 GMT -6
The shop keeper eyed Dayan oddly. Did he trust the man? That code was set up by the boss himself. But he seemed so confident in his approach that he was left unsure staring as he strutted away. But he knew one thing that white headed boy was the cause of five of his fellows deaths. He'd see to his vengeance even if it went against his new master's orders.
Dayan was clever yes. He had predicted the amateurs movements sure. However he had not been prepared for the pinnacle of stupidity. That was his one error. He passed Vincent as he was looking through his bag. At the moment Vincent was out of his peripherals Vincent grabbed him from behind attempting a blood choke. If successful he wouldn't need Neil's involvement and the man would regain consciousness quickly if not a bit confused.
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 19, 2014 21:21:57 GMT -6
Dayan's body tensed as he felt, rather than heard, the presence behind him. He didn't move fast enough to get away from the arm attempting to cut off blood flow to his head.
The shortness of breath he felt told him that he didn't need to. He'd turned his neck enough, out of reflex, to turn the attempt into a suffocation hold. This was a much longer and more difficult maneuver for his attacker. Even in such a dangerous situation, Dayan's reactions were smooth, crisp and clean. This was not the first time he'd been in a hold.
He jerked his leg back, catching his attacker squarely in the shin, and weakening his base. With the moment of distraction, he managed to pull himself out of the lock. His hand went for his sword, but he hadn't yet drawn it when his mind caught up to him. The 'attacker' was one of the kids from before.
One of.
Dayan instantly jumped to the side, expecting some kind of a surprise attack to be coming. The other one was a mage, as the encounter in the first shop had indicated, which meant an attack could be coming even if Dayan couldn't see him.
Still, Dayan remained silent, his eyes scanning the area for some sign of the other. How would this encounter develop?
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Sonneillon
Shaman
DEAD
"You will pay for what you've done..."
Posts: 142
Profession: Student of the Elder Arts
Affinity: Dark
OoC Alias: Ryu
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Post by Sonneillon on Aug 19, 2014 21:47:10 GMT -6
There! Vincent charged out, and went straight for the grab. Even as his friend was charging, Neil flipped his hair out of his eyes, raised his hands, and began a rapid incantation, his eyes focused and his tone strong and confident.
"Aeternis tenebris, circumda tibi nectens tuum sit!"
The tendrils of shadow instantly spurted out of his fingers, four from each hand. They briefly coiled, like cobras, before plunging into the cobblestones of the street, leaving the pupil standing alone, watching the confrontation. The man was slippery, it seemed. He'd just broken free and leaped away from Vincent, getting ready to make some action, perhaps drawing his weapon. Well, it was too late for weapons now.
The pupil's hands, which were trembling with exertion, their palms facing the ground, suddenly flipped as Neil snapped his wrists, bringing his palms up. Then, in a fluid motion, he raised his arms high and slammed his spread fingers together, intertwining them, and then brought his hands down again.
The mystery man would no doubt enjoy Neil's surprise. He'd been working on this technique with Vincent in their training sessions... And now he would see it come to fruition.
Around the man, eight ropes of shadow punched upwards from the ground, whirling, twisting, and crossing themselves up into a forbidding coil, a veritable cage of shadow, before collapsing down on the man. While not at all lethal, it was designed to certainly make him more agreeable to talk to them and parley with them... It remained to be seen what would happen, of course, but for now, the pupil was proud of his skill. He'd grown quite a bit, he mused with a sigh, as he cautiously moved out of his hiding place and advanced towards the man slowly.
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 19, 2014 22:09:34 GMT -6
Dayan saw the tendrils of shadow come up around him, forming a cage. There was a possibility that the cage would hold like this, but there was also a possibility that it would turn much more lethal. With his sickle broken he had no ranged weapon, and maybe seconds to act. He couldn't beat them into submission, so he had to make them unwilling to continue the attack.
He took a deep breath, seeing the cage start to constrict around him. "GUARDS!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Dayan was not a large man by muscle, but it was quite surprising how much volume proper breathing could generate. If the call reached the ears of a guard, he wouldn't know, but it most certainly carried at least a block or two through the town.
He was not strong enough to push against the magic coils, nor did he find the need to. Assaulting someone in broad daylight, at the very least in earshot of the two shop keepers, was probably one of the dumber things he'd ever seen. Perhaps the call for guards would make them realize this, perhaps not.
Perhaps they'd just kill him and run. That was also a possibility.
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Post by Vincent on Aug 19, 2014 22:25:11 GMT -6
Vincent's eyes widened as the man called for guards. The two would be let go due to their reputation with the chief but that didn't mean they wouldn't be hassled enough to let their one lead get away. Vincent and Neil had gotten too comfortable taking jobs so freely in and around town they acted without thinking. "Be quiet! We just need to talk to you!"
Suddenly their plan was revealed to him as just how bad it was. It was true they just wanted to talk, and they didn't know if he'd be hostile or not. There was no reason to have ever taken an aggressive initiative with him. But at the same time not following through would be difficult. They almost needed to lest he'd never cooperate after this... assault. "I'm sorry!" Vincent yelled as the cage vanished, and he struck Dayan with the hilt of his iron sword.
Hopefully this time he had actually knocked him out. But he also hopped he didn't do any real damage. In the meantime the shopkeeper watched the chaos unfold. "That boy is a monster indeed, and there is a mage. It must have been a dual assault." The owner reflected on that night. Their horses tails were lit in flames and he was one of the ones who gave chase. After hours he returned to find four of their own slain. It must have been the two boys.
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Dayan
Thief
Posts: 40
Profession: Doctor
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Wyatt
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Post by Dayan on Aug 19, 2014 22:54:23 GMT -6
Dayan had been patiently, and rather amusedly, watching the two boys panic. They clearly had not thought this through. He could see the moment of realization that they had just assaulted a stranger dawn on the swordsman.
Children...
The boy apologized and moved his blade. So, this was it, eh? Taken out by a pair of kids who got in over their head? How pathetic. He always assumed he'd get killed after bungling a job or, if things went well, pissing off enough nobles to have them hunt him down. Oh well, no use worrying about it now. He was well and wholey, as the saying went, screwed.
It was a surprise when the pain that shot through his body was not coming from his gut, but from his head. "Gah! What in the flaming hells is wrong with you idiots?!" he shouted, now having a terrible headache in addition to blurred vision and feeling dizzy. He could diagnose it, but right now thinking kind of hurt. Had they... tried to knock him out? What, did they think this was some children's story? The kind of force required to knock someone unconscious could easily kill them!
"Get off me, you psychopath!" he shouted, attempting to push Vincent away from him. It was difficult for three reasons. One, Dayan was on the ground. Two, Dayan wasn't really a strong guy, anyway. And three.
He had a splitting headache right now.
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