I am just the messenger. (Tag: Nicole) COMPLETE

"When His Excellency commands something done, there is only one thing that you can do......" , the raspy voice spoke in the darkened alley of the Librian slums. He was speaking to the human man that lay at his booted feet. One of those boots drew back and delivered a swift toe kick into his ribs. The bone struck snapped even though there wasn't enough physical force. The destructive power came from an unnatural force born of skill and technique. A scream of pain echoed through the empty alley joining with the chorus of groans and whimpers. "... do not fail."

There were four other humans laying about the alleyway in heaps like so much trash. Their limbs were bent at odd angles. "You look confused, but then again you monkeys always look that way." Thade knelt down and pulled the ornate ring from the finger of the man that lay at his feet. After it was safe in hand, he gave the digit a sharp twist, causing cartilage and bone to snap.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" the human cried out in pain trying to move to cradle the newest break in his body, and only causing more pain. His other arm was destroyed at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, with some of the bones in between broken as well. "Why?!?!" he demanded through pain clenched teeth.

Thade stood from his crouched position, and held the ring up to shine in the lone electric light so that he could examine it before putting it in his pocket. "Five days ago you and your friends attacked a Child of Terra, and stole from him. It just so happens that he is a member of Shadow Court." Smooth steps carried him from the man who had the ring to one of the humans who was making an attempt to crawl away with his broken limbs. "You aren't allowed to leave," Thade said while stopping him with a boot on the back of his neck. "The emperor cannot allow such an affront to go unpunished."

Slowly Thade leaned forward putting the whole of his body weight on the back of the man's neck, and then gave a sudden twist. The sickening crunch caused severed nerves and sent broken limbs twitching wildly as the body died. "I was ordered to come to this disgusting nest you people call a city, to track you down, retrieve the signet ring you stole, and make you suffer before dying." Not caring to watch the death throes of his victim, Thade continued to carry out his orders. The next human had a boot heel slam into his windpipe. Asphyxiation was a slow and terrible way to die.

"Please...... Please." the four remaining voices started to speak out in an eerie chorus, begging for their lives. "You don't have to kill us. You got the ring. You can let us go. We won't tell anyone." They all just bled into one voice that carried no meaning to The Hand of the Shadow Court.

"You humans are all alike. You act with no thought of the consequences. You give no mercy, and then beg for it." He now stood leaning over another human. Two quick fists slammed into his chest one right after the other. They drove the sharp edges of already broken bones into the lungs that they were supposed to protect. Blood started flowing into the wounds, and soon he man began choking, drowning on his own life's blood. "You weren't happy with killing your own kind, so you killed ours starting this war. You expect to live after all that your kind has done. Even in peace you attack those who have done nothing to you. None of you deserve to live."

The remaining two humans who lay on the ground side by side began to cry out and protest, and try to crawl away, but their bodies were too broken. "NO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!! HELP!!! HEEEELLL......."

"Shhhhh. This thing was done the moment you decided to attack a Child of Terra." Their screams were muffled by iron grip of strong hands clamping down around their mouths, allowing his soft whisper to be heard by their ears. "I am just the messenger. Fi'la erumak nathral ku'lire" Thade's voice dropped into a reverent tone and his tongue perfectly formed the words he had spoken countless times before. The human eyes above his hands went wide, and broken limbs squirmed impotently.

The two men who had their heads pressed into the pavement with their mouths shut felt a strange heat growing on their faces. Their mouths had been opened trying to scream for help and that was their undoing. Thade had summoned the Dragon's Tongue. Flames erupted from his palms, and forced their way into the humans mouths. With no way of making it out passed their lips, the flames continued the only way they could, inward. They spread down the esophagus, branching out into the airways of the lungs, and down into the stomach. Thade watched each man writhe in agony as he was burned alive from the inside out. "Thy will is done my Lord."

With his task complete Thade stood from the burning corpses and straightened the dark jacket he work. Hands brushed at the seams that hung near his thighs because they had touched the filthy street and become soiled with dust. It wasn't the only thing that had been soiled. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hands. There was on his knuckles and along the backs of his fingers, human blood. His body was trained and hardened by Ny'zul Kan, the deadly fighting art which was his way of life. The bodies of the opponent broke beneath the hands of the Ny'zul Kan El, those who followed the Path of the Seven Rings, not the other way around. Stuffing the handkerchief in his pocket so that he would leave no evidence behind other than the ruined corpses of the Emperor's enemies, Thade left the alleyway for less offensive places in this filthy city.

Meanwhile, on the fourth floor of the decaying building on one side of the alleyway..

Nicole's slender figure was silhouetted in the pitch darkness of the room by the faint light of the Librium city showing through the window she faced. Her arms stretched above her head as she tilted her head back and breathed a sigh of relief. Razor sharp teeth lined her mouth, her tongue sliding over them gently as she savored the taste of blood still lingering on her lips. With her head tilted back she looked to the side, her naked shadow cast over the skinless corpse that lay on the floor not far from her feet. The nasty man wanted her innocence, like so many young girls before her, and he got just what he wanted easily from the fiend but at such a high price.

"This was not what we agreed on!!" He had screamed in vain at the sight of her razor sharp smile that appeared upon her lovely face as she sat atop him shortly after his release, struggling to get his arms under control when he lunged for her throat. She had laughed at him, clutching his sweaty wrists steadily," Isn't that what they always say?" She lunged for his throat, ripping into the skin with ease and his screams of terror filled her ears. It had been weeks since she had fed last, and although it was a waste of a perfectly sinful soul to reap Nicole knew she could not stave the hunger for much longer before it took her completely. She had made quick work of his body, peeling away the thick flesh as he lay bleeding out on the floor from the wound on his throat and writhing in shock and pain.

Now she stood washed of the man's blood but hardly clean by her standards, considering the grime-filled bathroom she had just showered in. Her arms dropped from the stretch above her head, her razor sharp row of teeth softening back to normal as she peered out into the new night of opportunities. There were still so many souls ready for the taking, despite the lack of war, but where to start tonight? Well, she would not have to ponder for long as the cries of struggle broke out from the alleyway directly below her. Nicole stepped up closer to the window, leaning forward to rest her palms on the frame and peer down at the fight that ensued in the darkness below her. It would seem one figure stood above the rest and spoke with such disgust for the men at his feet. Clearly, the group had offended someone great, but the show only got better as flames rose from the lone figure and devoured the writhing men at his feet.

" Intriguing."

The word escaped as a whisper with her breath and immediately she pushed away from the window to rush across the room and fetch her clothing. She threw on her strategic little Sun-dress and heels used to catch her predator and scrambled out the room, leaving the door slightly ajar with little care for who might discovered her mess. It would go overlooked for the most part in the slums of such a broken city for surely there were much bigger fish to fry, but secretly Nicole hoped someone might be following her gruesome tracks, they would certainly be a fearsome thing to behold. She hurried down the crumbling hall filled with junk furniture, low lights, and walls peeling flush white paint to reveal the concrete beneath.

Nicole popped out of the front of the building moments later, tugging on her beige jacket on as the damp cold of night surrounded her, her gaze wondering left than right at the quiet sidewalk where she caught but a glimpse of the shadow of a figure disappearing around a corner. She resisted the eager urge to follow and instead went striding to inspect the scene just around the corner. Anyone could kill, but was this shadow worth her tracking? She came to a stop beside the nearest body, stuffing her hands into her pockets while her gaze roamed over the burnt and disfigured bodies that lay at her feet. It was clear these men were meant to suffer for their transactions, but she had a sneaking suspicion that their fate had been far less than what was originally intended.

" Thy will be done my lord."

The raspy words of the stranger rung still in her ears, and it only drove her curiosity mad. Who be this great Lord? What was this murderers purpose? So many questions ran through her mind as Nicole sank down beside a bloodied figure, reaching down to swipe a bit of blood from his deceased cheek. She pressed the bloody finger to her tongue, savoring the metallic taste as well as picking up the scent of her murderer. As she hovered there contemplating there would come a ear-shattering scream from above, and looking up Nicole would spy a woman leaning out from an open window. " Oh My Gods!!! There's bodies, Leonard!! Leonard, come quick!" She squealed, disappearing back into the window. Nicole rose up and planning on not sticking around for what happened next she hurried out of the alley and down the sidewalk, disappearing around the corner she had spied her quarry heading as the woman's shrieks rose again behind her.

---------

20 minutes later...

Nicole stepped in from the now rainy streets, shrugging off the water as she snaked her way through the small hole-in-the wall tavern. The stench of the place was overwhelming, but it would be a strategical place to hide if being followed, which she suspected he might have felt. Gruffly faces turned to spy her lovely figured as she pressed past so many desperate men, but her bright hazel hues had already locked on the shadowy figure seated on the far end of the bar. Finally she had her sights set on the stranger, after following the fading scent through the dirty wet slums, and now she had a face for her assassin.

Her gaze lingered on him but she would slowly start to turn in place, a glimpse of a smirk appearing just before she turned her back on him to inspect her surroundings. She wanted to be sure she had not just walked into a nest of some kind, but drawing in a deep breath she discovered that most of the overpowering stench that lingered would be of fragile mortal origins. There lingered a few trace elements of power, but nothing she would suspect to be a threat to her well being. Perfect. Completing her full circle, Nicole continued forward, slipping through the loud laughter of a small band of men just beside her prey who fell suddenly silent at the sight of her and watched when she took the place beside the quiet figure they had clearly overlooked before. She slid her slender figure up close beside him, stretching one arm across the smooth surface of the bar as she came to lean against it and faced him boldly.

A smile of appreciation played upon her lips as her hazel hues trailed down the figure of her prey, " There are few that would appreciate your little light show earlier..." She hinted openly, wondering what sort of reaction she would get from him. Her now white-gloved hand drummed on the bar top, drawing the attention of the bartender and she lifted two fingers," Two shots of Absinthe, if you carry it." She requested without even looking up to the large man who merely huffed at the little woman and continued about his business.

After exiting the alley Thade kept a leisurely pace to his walk. When leaving the scene of a crime the worst thing to do was rush. It stood out. It drew attention among humans and Children alike. The long gait of his casual stroll allowed him to cover enough ground. He was long gone by the time the woman in the window was screaming for help. Librium was not unfamiliar to him since the Emperor had sent him here on a number of occasions, but this place always felt foreign. The tall buildings and persistent grey color made him feel boxed in. The grit and filth of humans devoid of the presence of nature made him feel unclean.

From above a few drops of water fell through the great distance to find the top of his head. First one, then three, and countless more to follow. Thade lifted his face to the sky and closed his eyes as he walked. He was a Child of Terra and their mother was crying for his plight. He felt washed clean by those tears, but they did nothing for the cesspool around him. Librium was beyond cleansing. He longed for the open spaces of Elyria, the place that was becoming home. Banishing wishful thoughts of home, Thade leveled his head, closed his coat, and drew up the collar.

Stepping into the bar, Thade didn't care that his hair was soaking wet. His coat was waterproof and protected what it covered from the water, but the rest would dry in time. This place was a hole in the wall but people didn't ask questions, nor did they answer them. His dress set him apart, and possibly marked him as a target for some. The looks were no surprise. They were human and it was in their nature to victimize their anyone, even their own kind. At the moment Thade appeared to be completely human. Magic had thickened his bone structure, rounded his pointed ears, and made facial hair grow where it normally would not, removing all traces of his true heritage. The process was painful, but it was undetectable by magics that saw through illusions or temporary changes because it was permanent.

"Bourbon," he said to the bartender and placed payment on the countertop. The amber distillation had a sweetness that appealed to his elven tastes. After the order was filled, he sat there pondering his next move. There was time to kill before he would leave the city with the morning chaos. Just another face in the crowd, they wouldn't remember him among the countless humans, and no one saw the true elf passing among them. Until then he would pass the time by watching and studying his enemy.

His blue eyes moved to the door when it opened to admit a human woman. Just like him she had been caught in the rain, and just like him she didn't seem to care. Men in the bar eyed her like wolves because she didn't belong, and the way her soaked dress clung to her supple form spoke to their base instincts. She would have been beautiful were she born an elf, but her heritage removed any chance of that. Few would openly admit how similar their peoples were, but war had revealed the true natures of individuals and their thoughts. During the war, some of his brethren had taken to defiling human females that they came across in the field. They claimed it was only fitting revenge for what humans did to their women. Noble born, Thade did not lower himself, and marked those who did. Any of them who stepped afoul of him were dealt with harshly during a challenge of vendetta.

The wet woman's path pulled the Elven assassin from his thoughts, because it ended right beside him. At first he dismissed it as her finding him attractive, and looking for company. He readied himself to deflect that interest, but her interest wasn't something he could afford to let pass. She had seen him..... worse, she had heard him. His insides went cold, but nothing registered on his face or in his eyes. Normally he killed quickly and quietly, but Dornorn wanted torture, he ordered the humans be informed of their crime. The Emperor of Shadows' word was carried out to the letter, because he would know if it had not been, and failure was not tolerated.

Silently Thade berated himself. He had been seen, he had been heard delivering a monologue, and worse he had been followed. Three mistakes that a novice would have made. He was too confident. He had become his own worst enemy. If he survived this, he vowed to correct it, but first this woman had to die. He bought time by turning his head, and taking his time to look her up and down. A human would take the time to appreciate such a beautiful member of his own species, so he would not disappoint. That time was taking to school his thoughts and bring them to task.

She had not called the authorities, but instead followed him quietly. She wasn't drawing attention to him by calling out his crime. She didn't even mention the crime for what it was. This woman spoke of it as some sort of artistry. His Master taught him that combat and killing were the two greatest arts one could practice, and they should be revered by the practitioner lest he become the canvas instead of the hand holding the brush. There was time. He could get her away from witnesses, and silence her. Until then, he would play along, and try to find out more about this woman.

"Few people would approach a performer after seeing such a show." he said to her in that quiet rasp she had recently heard delivering final rites. There was no point in denying what she saw or heard. Now he had to keep from giving any more away. "You seem pretty calm, and you aren't pointing me out to the police. That means you have another reason for following me here." Thade fell silent when the shot glasses arrived so that nothing else was given away. He took the one that was set before him, raised it in toast to her, and waited to see if she would give it words. Information could be gleaned from the simplest things, if one only gave the opportunity, and paid attention to details.

Not a hint of worry, nor a glimmer of fear showed through his hardened expression. Inwardly, Nicole felt the sting of disappointment at his lack of a reaction but outwardly her seductive smiles never faltered as she watched his icy gaze rake her figure. As he looked her gaze darted up to scan the surrounding black mass of men, many of whom looked in their direction and whispered among each other in a mixture of jealousy and disgust. Her smile grew with their hate, yet another deadly sin cultured here in the slums by someone so simple but than again, this stranger at her side could hardly be considered simple. Nicole turned her face back, locking bright hazel hues to his face as he addressed her words.

"Few people would approach a performer after seeing such a show."

Nicole turned her back on the crowded room, resting both her arms on the glossy surface as she leaned forward,"Oooh, but I am a huge fan." She countered with a devious grin, cocking her head to the side while she watched him. She wondered what went on in that thick skull of his, was he secretly panicking? He smelled and seemed nothing more than a mere mortal - But that didn't explain the flames she saw rise from his hands in that darkened alleyway. No, he had to be something more, she just couldn't taste it. Nor would she risk her aura cover to feel his for more clues. No, she could play the mortal just the same - For now.

"You seem pretty calm, and you aren't pointing me out to the police. That means you have another reason for following me here."

Her brows rose at his words, so he was indeed worried. She liked that, a smart man worried but didn't let it consume him, while a foolish man worried naught. Their shots appeared in that moment and Nicole took up one of her two, turning just as her assassin lifted his in toast. She straightened herself upright from her slouched position, lifting her chin with a look of confidence," May we not fail." Her tone was steady and just loud enough to be heard before she downed the green tinted liquid. A shiver ran down her spine at the harsh black licorice taste that washed down her throat and there came a deep sigh of relief just before she turned to snatch up her other glass and down it quickly. It was exactly what she needed after such a large meal, a good stiff drink to soften the beast within. Her body responded again with another shiver, but it passed by the time she laid the second empty glass to rest beside the other.

Nicole drew in a deep breath, holding it as her hazel hues darted up to inspect her companion again." We are not that different, you and I." She started, turning now to face the room and rest her back against the bar. She crossed her arms, keeping her smiles as she eyed the surrounding room and wondered if her assassin could sense the heated debate starting in the back of the room over who would steal her away and how. She tilted her head in his direction, but kept her gaze locked on the surrounding crowd," As a huge fan of yours, I only want more." She then turned against the bar to face him, stepping up to close the space between them," As a killer, I want to know your secrets. I want your...." She had drawn in so close against him so that he may better hear her whispered words in his ear, but she also had an alternative motive. Seeing her draw in so near set off the anxious men around them and before she could complete her words the little woman was snatched away from Thade's side.

The darkened landscape of the bar suddenly whirled around her and Nicole would find herself locked in the heavy embrace of an overpoweringly large man who backed away quickly into the crowd. In his defense stood a blockade of three clearly well wasted men with their arms crossed and heads held high, despite their swaying gait. " Just who the hell are you man?" One of them demanded while the other boldly reached out to give Thade's shoulder a sharp shove. " F*** OFF man." Which made the drunken crowd surrounding the scene rise up in laughter, drawing in closer to surround Thade and the three men. There were murmurs of a fight and someone shouted about taking bets.

Meanwhile, Nicole struggled to keep up with the large figure that held her tight within his grasp, pulling her along roughly until she felt her back come colliding against the wall. She coughed at the heavy force and stench of him pressed hard up against her, pinning her in the shadows of a corner. Laughter and shouts filled her ears as the crowds pushed in around the counter, and briefly a panic rose up within her at the thought of the fate of her would-be killer but than again, this was what she wanted. Souls ripe for the taking, why not partake? Besides, if he could not handle himself here than there would be no point in continuing their conversation later. It was with that last thought she felt large wondering hands upon her figure and the sharp cold breeze of layers being lifted before her lips were captured by her prickly faced captor. She closed her eyes, not fighting him as she focused herself away and let go of everything. In her place the beast rose, overpowering the man's demanding kiss with a hunger of her own that caused steam to rise from his head as she locked onto him. Unmasked, her true fiendish aura spread heavily across the room, but it was focused for the most part on the man attempting to defile her.

By the time he realized his failing health, it was too late. Her hands shot up to lock on either side of his cheeks to hold him there as she continued to bite at his now bleeding face, and steam rose from his entire hulking figure as she literally sucked the soul from within. The scene, for the most part, would go overlooked by the crowds that pushed together to watch Thade. In a matter of minutes, her captor was dead and unable to hold his heavy form standing she let him flop to the ground at her feet with a loud THUD. Nicole tilted her head back, revealing in the rewards of her sweet victory. An overwhelming tingling sensation washed through her entire body, better than any other feeling. Better than sex even. Breathing in heavily, she licked her bloodied lips clean while her hands slid down her figure to straighten her ruffled dress. Her aura withdrew as quickly as it had unveiled itself, masked once again by a weakened mortal mask she originally had in place. Lowering her head to inspect the scene unfolding before her, she was surprised to find only a few wide-eyed stares of shock, but that was nothing compared to what she saw next.


[ Fill in the blanks as you see fit. <3 ]

The liquorish taste was awful to the point that it made his eyes squint, and the thick liquor coated his tongue so that the aftertaste lingered. When he set the shot glass down Nicole could see by the look on his face that he wasn't pleased. He quickly raised his other glass to cleanse the offensive sensation from his pallet. His facial features were smoothed over by the time he set his glass of bourbon down on the bar. Even with one of his senses in distress, he wasn't distracted from the others. her words gave him a great deal to think about.

She was drawn to him because of what she saw him do to those men. She wasn't disturbed mentally, she openly admitted that she was a killer herself. Some people may boast or play at being one, but the way she said it spoke simple truth. The lowering tone of her voice peaked his curiosity, and he turned to look at her just in time to see her drawing closer. Thade refused to step back or do anything to stop her from finishing what she was going to say, but fate had other plans. Someone intruded on their conversation and kept him from knowing what it was she wanted.

Thade quickly turned towards the man that had accosted the nameless woman and took her away, only to find his way blocked by three men. He wasn't letting her get away. She was his puzzle to unravel. She was his witness to silence. These three men may have been bigger than him, but a quick assessment of how they held themselves told him that they were untrained, just like the men back in the alley. Even together they wouldn't pose much threat. If they wanted a fight, Thade would have to hold back. The bar only had fourteen people in it, he had counted them, but it was too many witnesses for him to use his true skill.

The first move was made while the question still hung unanswered in the air. The drunken man on his left tried to push him with his right arm. The motion was telegraphed, and the brute wanted to make an impression so he leaned forward to put his body weight behind the strength of his arm. He didn't even bother to widen his already sloppy stance to keep from over extending his balance. Thade turned his body and moved to the side at the last moment, removing the surface his opponent was counting on being there. A quick hand wrapped slender fingers in an iron grip around the intruding wrist, and yanked it forward.

Thade used the man's body as a counter balance to spin himself around a full 180 degrees, so that he was now standing behind where his attacker once stood, watching him fall awkwardly against the bar. The one standing in the middle, now next to Thade, was just coming to realize what was going on. Alcohol had dulled his senses and slowed his reaction time. That was enough of a delay for him to still be caught by surprise. The human faced elf reached up with his left hand, and grabbed the collar of his sweat shirt. Thade made his next two motions in unison like a well oiled machine. He kicked the back of the man's knees, causing them to buckle, and yanked hard on his collar at a downward angle. Without the ability to step backwards and regain his balance, the second drunk fell backwards like a tree being felled in the woods. His head bounced against the hardwood floor, and consciousness left his body.

By that time the third man had more than enough time to process what was going on and react. Cinder block fists clenched and he turned to face fade with a mean left hook aimed at the side of the elf's head. Thade brought his right arm up, bent it, and rested his head into the crook, bracing the muscles in his body for impact. The fist landed on his forearm, and the muscle and bone absorbed most of the shock. Thade stepped left foot out to the side to steady himself and then bent his knees to duck under the right cross follow up. Instead of attacking the man's open midsection like a boxer would, Thade attacked like a killer.

His left fist slammed into the side of the boxer's knee, causing it to buckle with a scream of pain. The man who once had a good three inches of height on the elf, now dropped to one knee with his guard lowered. Instinct had taken over, causing his hands to cradle the injured joint, instead of guarding his face. He didn't have enough time to realize his mistake because Thade was already on the rise with right elbow extended. Hard elbow met with the more fragile bone and cartilage of nose bridge. There was a crunch, followed by darkness, and finally the man fell over on to the floor. He was bleeding from his ruined nose, but still breathing.

Before the third and final drunken bully fell the land of the battlefield changed drastically. Because of is training, Thade could sense the flow and usage of energy, whether it be internal or external. While others boasted the ability to see auras and energies, Thade could only feel them as they moved. It was like a sixth sense similar to that of a dousing rod. When the beast hidden in Nicole's depths stirred, and her aura expanded to engulf the man kissing her, Thade felt it. It was like an oily lake overflowing its banks to taint the land. This was no ordinary woman. Instinctively Thade drew himself up. His breathing changed, and inwardly he set his own energies in motion.

Ki, chi, chakra, inner mana.... regardless the name, they were all the same. The body's life force, the power that connected it with that of Terra. Thade was trained in the art of circulating it through his body, to move and control it. That control could be used to bend it into a defense, or focus it into a weapon. He wasn't going to be caught off guard by whatever this woman turned out to be. Thade spun to face the source of the energy, his stance even, with his weight perfectly distributed. "What are you?" he asked as the steaming body was falling to the floor at her feet. His eyes were fixed on the blood stained cheeks and crimson lips of her all too innocent face.

Behind him, the man who had been thrown awkwardly into the bar had recovered his senses, and regained his feet. He couldn't see the gruesome fate that had befallen his friend, because anger had his eyes focused on the man that stood between him and the grisly sight. "Grrrrraaahhh!!!" he yelled out and all at once threw his weight forward in an attempt to tackle Thade from behind. It was the same mistake, but Thade was done teaching lessons. Without thinking, the elf stepped forward, angling his path off to the right, and slapped his left hand backwards.

The step took him out of the tackle's point of danger, and positioned Thade so he stayed within his own Ma'ai, his striking distance, his killing circle. The energy that continually flowed through his body like a great system of rivers, swirled and gathered in the palm of his hand. Although the strike was a simple slap backwards, when it struck against the humans sternum, the mana erupted outward. His target was untrained, unskilled, and his heart beat was already uncontrolled thanks to the alcohol impairing his system. He had no chance of fending off the attack or its effects. His heart burst in his chest mid beat. The pressure forced its way through all the blood vessels of his body. As he stood there dead on his feet, the delicate capillaries of his skin and eyes ruptured causing a spider webbed mosaic of blood and bruises to manifest across his face.

Thade didn't notice the cheering that had been going on for the fight, until it stopped. It died with the scream of the first person who noticed the bleeding corpse at Nicole's feet. It was then that Thade realized he made yet another mistake. Without thinking he had acted out of survival instinct. He had used his skills where others could see. People would remember his face in this bar, and someone may tie it to the killings that happened in the alleyway. Even if it wasn't his true face, he wasn't the type to leave loose ends. These people could not be allowed to live. "Nath'lai vena teleman qul." his skilled tone quickly intoned. Across the room the door to the bar slammed shut as the first person tried to open it. He had slammed a telekinetic wedge into it so that no one could escape short of breaking it down. With one exit closed off Thade turned his attention to the only other remaining escape route. He looked at the large glass window and gave a flick of his wrist. The iron gate that was meant to protect it during off hours dropped down and locked into place. Not understanding what was going on around them, people simply gave into panic. "I can't allow any of you to leave"

It was her prey, the assassin, that stood out among the shadowy figures that shuffled about the crowded space. A panic was rising among the men as they realized the man they originally thought to be an easy target was far more formidable than they had drunkenly assumed. While sparse few staggered back in shock to get away from Nicole as they registered the steaming body at her feet. All the while her seemingly glowing hazel hues were locked on the only man she felt posed a threat to her now, Thade. He radiated with power, a shifting red aura blooming about his figure like flames in the dark that only she could see. She could not comprehend it, but immediately she recognized it for what it could do.

Despite the loud chaos that ensued within the room, his question rang within her ears as if he stood there by her side. Still lingering in the tingling after effects of her collection, as well as the numbing effects of her two shots, Nicole did not have a care in the world at that very moment in time. She was sedated and so enthralled by the chaos enfolding around her that she couldn't help but laugh out loud, clapping her hands together in front of herself as a hulking figure rose up behind the glowing assassin and foolishly threw himself at him. The loud crack of his hand meeting the man's chest caused several men to groan in pain at the sight of it before a deafening silence settled over the room. To see first hand the gathering glowing force of his power focused so intently on his target was breath taking. Nicole had never witnessed such an event up close before, because who would want to within reach of that deadly force?

" I am Nicole." She spoke breathlessly in that tense silence, her hands dropping from their clasped position up in front of her. She looked to him with such a priceless look of awe, as if she had found some kind of golden ticket. All the while, gaping faces turned at the piercing sound of a nearby scream and the surrounding men suddenly realized the danger they were in. It was as if time slowed down for Nicole on the other hand. It didn't matter to her that people were running, and their yelling would go unheard while she held her ground and kept her gaze locked on the most dangerous man in the room at that time. Where did that control come from? Just as he no doubt still wondered what she was, she pondered the same but without realizing it he would drop the biggest clue of all...

"Nath'lai vena teleman qul."

The foreign words shattered her slow motion world, jerking her back to reality and everything suddenly sped up for Nicole. Elven. It explained it all, where his power, grace, and cunning came from but that just could not be! He did not carry the scent of an elf, nor did he have the smooth face or slender build. How had he masked his appearance? What sort of magic had they perfected? So many questions, and so little time. Men struggled to clear the room, but immediately they found no escape.

"I can't allow any of you to leave."

The elf's raspy tone rose up above the chaos and every man in the room turned to hear his carefully placed threat. It was in that moment of panic that nearly all of them drew forth a gun of some shape and form, and although those standing closest to Nicole aimed theirs at her, the bulk of them were pointed at Thade. There came a click, almost in unison, as they all cocked their weapons, and from behind the bar the tender rose up above the crowd as he positioned himself atop the bar" To hell yer are!! I am pretty sure we have you both out numbered, and I am positive you have only minutes before the officials arrive. So yer can either stand there and wait quietly, or we can turn over four bodies to the officers..Yer choice. Makes no difference to me!" He gave a sharp yank to load his shot gun before aiming it at Thade as well.

Nicole was surprised it had taken the group THIS long to remember their only saving grace, their guns. Her brows rose, her head swiveling back slightly with a flare of attitude as she took in their threats and found it all very amusing. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth while she let her gaze drift from one grimy face to the next," Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She spoke with a bemused laughter trailing after her words. " I'll have you know that we will both be walking out of here, and it is up to all of you now to decide whether it will be over your dead bodies or not." This time there was no laughter to follow her words, only an intent seriousness that hung heavy in the air. Her gaze locked on the bar tender standing high above the rest, and though most of them would only recognize it as a intense chill running through their bodies, the elf would no doubt feel her aura ripple throughout the room. She was scanning, preparing for some kind of attack to be sure.

At first there came a humbling silence, then the soft rustle of shifting feet and few in the back would lower their weapons." No, that is not how it works little Missy." The tender snapped when he realized he was losing ground with the others and in the blink of an eye she seemingly appeared at his side atop the bar. The man would barely have a chance to gasp in shock before she grabbed hold of his face and yanked it to the side forcefully. A low crack announced his death, then all hell broke lose.

Those standing in shock of the sight suddenly discharged, most of whom whirled around to aim for the bar and Nicole instead of Thade. Some ended up shooting each other, while others shattered bottles lined on the back wall, and others just dove for cover in the midst of the gunfight. Nicole had dropped to the ground on the opposite side of the bar, using it as some cover while scrambling in a crouched positioned to get to one end of the bar for surely it would not be long before someone dived after there.

"I'm Nicole."


As if that explained what he just witnessed, or anything that had happened since she walked in to the bar. Though the matter of fact way she said it made the possibility that it did less astronomical. Puzzling it out would have to wait for another time, since they were now the center of attention, and all the spectators had guns. The puzzle was going to have to wait for later. His attention was needed here to find a way out of this situation alive. Looking down at the body that had fallen to the side of him, Thade raised his hands slowly and shifted his gaze up to meet his new captors. "Come on guys. Let's not be hasty. You all saw that they started the fight. I just finished it." His raspy voice was calm, and he turned slowly to look about the room, eyes moving beyond the bodies to see everything.

The soft female voice speaking struck a harsh contrast to the surly grunting and drew his attention. She was drawing lines in the sand apparently. They were now a 'We' and he had one less person to take on at this moment. Luckily it was the most dangerous of them, but when this threat was over who knew which sides of the line they would end up on then. Thade had been mulling over the options available to him. Fighting his way out was a fool's errand. They had guns, and he had no illusions of being able to take them unarmed. Summoning a magical barrier to protect him from the gunfire would take too long and could not stand up to this much sustained gunfire. An attempt to affect their thoughts by magic would be seen manifesting by all. If one person wasn't affected and fired off a round, they would all snap out of the spell and start shooting.

Just as he was starting to run through creative solutions, Thade felt the surge of tainted power again. Once more the banks of this lake of energy were overflowed. This time it didn't stop. It flowed over one person after another and they were completely unaware of what was happening. Thade however knew it was coming and attempted to bolster himself against whatever it was that was coming his way. Forcing the circulation of his own energy to the outreaches of his body, the elf fortified his skin as much as he could against magical attack. She wasn't an ally so he wouldn't be foolish enough to leave his guard down to her.

Once the room was encompassed by her aura there was a quick surge of power and the crimson lipped young woman vanished from site. She had teleported. The spreading of her aura must have been a means of targeting or moving from one place to another. Her sudden movement changed the battlefield by unnerving the gunmen. Chaos, this was perfect. The sickening cracking of bones was quickly followed by the crisp cracking of shots being fired off. Thade dropped low as people shot at Nicole. He didn't see her drop down behind the bar because he was turning to face the men at the back of the group. "HEY!!! Don't forget about me!" he yelled out to them. As his body dropped into a lower stance, his hands dropped behind his back. He smoothly reached under his coat and pulled out as if he were drawing two pistols from hidden holsters.

He pressed his tongue to the top of his mouth in such a way that only the outer edges touched and began a deep droning hum. Thade could feel the magical energies empowering the sounds he made, making them incantation. His arms rolled out and hands pointed towards the five men that were finally paying attention to him. Their guns lowered from where Nicole once stood, their eyes widening in panic, because their lives were in danger. It didn't matter that his hands were empty. They recognized the drawing motion, and their minds filled in the blanks, placing them at a high noon showdown. The moment before Thade reached full extension and pulled the triggers he said one word, "G'lior!!!"

The moment he completed the word, Thade's body dissipated into wisps of light and smoke. The five men pulled their triggers instinctively. Bullets ripped through the empty space where he had once been, and found the backs of the men who were still shooting at Nicole. Human voices screamed out in agony before dropping, while others spun around to return fire, and human nature took hold once more. Using the Ethereal Jaunt spell Thade could instantly revisit any place he had been in the last hour. The spot he chose was right by the door he had entered through. It was safe from gunfire on the other side of the bar, and gave him cover to make his next move.

The elves middle and ring fingers pressed tips to thumbs and he focused his mind. In his mind's eye he saw a beautiful pattern of lights. Peeking up over the bar he looked between the men that were firing upon one another and the pattern of light manifested where all could see. "They are all under my control and going to kill you." Thade's voice resonated with an unearthly tone that empowered his words. They drove deep through the gates of panic and fear, making anything believable in this chaos. "You're going to die here."

All at once the gunmen began to turn on one another shouting in denial of their fate. None of them wanted to die and they would fight their way out of this place. Shots rang out one after another as panicked people emptied clips into one another. Bodies dropped, people crawled away, and blood was spilled until only one was standing. The bullet wounds he had were in non vital places. He was in pain but he would live. "HAH!!! HAH!! You can't kill me!!" he yelled out in a mixture of relief and triumph. The pattern was gone and the fighting was done, only leaving Nicole and Thade in their respective hiding spots. In all the confusion this man forgot about the two who had started the blood bath. Now he just wanted to get out of there alive before the cops came to ask questions.

And then there was one...

The loud crack and overpowering pop of so many guns being discharged all at once slowly fizzled until only a choking silence remained. Nicole had made it nearly to the end of of her cover, just a hop, skip, and a leap from the doorway out. So much had occurred in that short length of time it took her to crawl her way to the far side Of the wooden bar that served as her shield against the rain of bullets. She could taste the influence in the air, but it was not her own. This darkness ran far deeper than the loose strands she had spread earlier amongst the men.

"HAH!!HAH!! You can't kill me!!"

The shout broke the quiet of the room, announcing the end to the gun battle at which point Nicole dared to pick herself up to look over the edge of the bar. Spying the coast was clear, she rose up to stand upright. It was time to collect, and that same dark aura rose once again to pull at the loose strands she had spread among the men earlier. Her arms stretched out on either side of her as she reaped the benefits of so many lost souls at battle, returning her again to that euphoric state.

"What the fuck!" The lone gunman snapped, raising his weapon once more with a wince of pain from the bullet holes that riddled his broken, but not fallen, form. Nicole lolled her head to the side with a cheesy, a grin that would have looked silly upon her rosy cheeked face if not for the rows of shark-like teeth that now lined her mouth. Her arms felt heavy and she let them drop, her body once again sedated by the collection of so many souls. The lone man stood aimed but in shock of the woman who now sauntered out from behind the bartop. Her hips twisted in a sultry dance as she advanced towards him, her movements becoming a broken image as she moved too quick to be seen but with each pause there came a different pose until she was right up on the survivor.

A single shot rang crisp and clear in the tense moment when she reached the man, swinging a hand gracefully up from below for a swift upper cut to the man's jaw. The shot fired struck the roof as he flopped onto his back unconscious, but still breathing. Nicole now stood the only remaining figure on a battle field riddled with bloody bodies. She had her back to the doorway where her assassin had cleverly ducked for cover, but could care less if he still lingered there for safety. Her hands rose to her blushing face, smoothing her icy fingertips over the soft surface as she focused her powerful aura and tucked it back under the guise of a simple mortal.

Nicole let her hands fall to her side, stepping a heeled foot forward before she knelt down beside the unconscious survivor." Someone has to take the fault." She murmured, patting the man's cheek. Her free hand fumbled through the man's coat in search of something," Aha! " She exclaimed, flicking her wrist out to extend the blade of a pocket knife. Next she brought the blade up to the man's face, slicing the tongue from his mouth in one quick swoop. The body jerked when she cut, eyes wide open to stare up at the devilish beauty who smiled down at him. Her free hand grasped a handful of his hair, yanking him down while she shoved a handful of torn shirt into the man's mouth. Immediately his powerful hands reached for her skinny neck, at which point she pressed the blade against his cheek just under his eyeball.

" You want to live, do you not?" The man's hands tightened briefly, than loosened about her neck as he registered the blade pressing into his flesh. " On second thought..." Thade's raspy low tone rang in her mind, words spoken just moments before were repeated now by her," No one can leave this place." With that said she shoved the blade deep into the space between his eyeball and skull. His hands flailed against her face in shock, but she maintained her hold despite his futile assault while she mutilated his face than slit the throat. Abandoning the knife on the floor, Nicole rose up to stand with the blood still dripping from her hands.

It was time to go.

Shadows darted back and forth just outside the protective gate of the tavern, commands being shouted as the well trained men took up their fighting positions. Nicole swiveled around just as a bright light poured through the bars, a hand instinctively shooting up to shield her eyes from it. She was no fool to think she could take them on. Right away, her first instinct was to go up, but instead her gaze roamed the room in search of the dangerous stranger she had originally followed here - Where ever he might be. She would follow him now, as long as that wasn't an act of forfeit to the police outside.

Thade had peeked over the bar so he could witness the aftermath of the confusion he had instilled into the minds of these humans.  So eager to go along with their nature and kill one another.   "The world would be better off if they'd stuck to killing each other," he quietly remarked to himself during the show.  Nicole standing up from behind the bar was a pleasant surprise.  He was certain she would have taken advantage of the chaos to escape and be long gone by now.  Apparently not.  In silence he watched her approach the man, speaking to him in her dulcet tones, and then strike.  


He made no move to stop her, or draw her attention away from the task she set upon.  His keen elven ears plucked from the air, sounds of tires squealing to a halt outside the bar, and he paid no attention to them.  Watching with rapt attention, his head tilted like a child fascinated by something for the first time.  When she echoed his words after removing the man's tongue, and killed him anyway, his lips parted slightly as if to speak, but the booted steps outside the building stayed his tongue.  In that moment he made a decision and was setting it into motion along with himself.  


With a deadly grace that went beyond his elven birthright, Thade place a hand on the bar top, silently vaulted up, and then leapt over the center island counter full of ruined liquor bottles.  Just as he landed on the other side of the bar top, and shards of broken glass were crunched underfoot, the gates were lifted  from outside.  Nicole spun around to look, and saw Thade stepping down off of the bar towards her.  The same hands that took a life with a touch fell upon her shoulders and pushed her backwards. In those few brief moments the responding officers saw the back of a human body falling off the bar to the floor.  



Eyes like a deep blue sea with black flecks floating beneath its surface held her gaze.  With his hands busy making contact with her, and not wanting to give anyone the chance to hear incantation and spoil his rouse, Thade invoked the magic by force of mind alone.  The effort was taxing as always when not mitigated by incantation or gesture, but magic flooded through his being and passed into Nicole's.  It was invigorating, like being plunged into cool waters.  Thade's mind's eye was opened to the ether, and he suddenly became aware of all the places that he had been in the last hour, all the places that he could now go by just letting himself slip from this place.  WIth his destination chosen he willed them both there.


It all happened within the span of a thought.  One moment Thade was laying hands on Nicole's nubile shoulders, and the next they were simply gone as if they had evaporated.  Nicole felt her self falling from being pushed, but quickly landed upon a soft and welcoming surface instead of a gore covered tile floor.  Nicole would realize that she was now in what looked like a motel room, landing on a bed that she had been pushed on to.  Thade had rented this room while he was tracking down his targets.  He could feel his pathway burning around the room with each passing moment.  A few more seconds and she would have been landing on the floor next to the door, instead of coming to a soft landing.  Thade looked down at her and said in his raspy whisper,  "I know someone who will want to meet you.   He likes puzzles."