Chapter one of Call of the Covenant
COTC Characters
Thought I'd clarify the rules:
1) Standard RP rules involving god modeing and typing apply.
2) This RP is meant to be based on real life, use of swearing is permitted for emphases when needed, don't over do it.
3) As this RP is based on life, things such as, violence, love, lust and other emotions are going to be present, occasionally resulting in what might be considered graphic behavior. Don't read if it offends you, but I allow it to keep the most realistic feel I can get from a fantasy RP.
4) At this point, no new characters, those that have not participated in a long time (Those of you that made only one or two posts) have been deleted.
5) I am very fond of this RP, misusing it disrespects me, the others who make use of it. Don't do it.
Standing out side of the doorway Marcus took a brief moment to gather himself for the kill. The door lead to an apartment in a good neighborhood. Inside lived Jacob Carter, his wife Martina and their six year old daughter Adriana. It was Adriana that he sought. She was special, very special, different from her normal parents, and of value to his masters, but not enough to do her any good now.
He opened the door, it had been locked but to him that counted for nothing. Stepping inside the darkened home he looked around, waiting. They should have been expecting him ever since they had refused to turn over their daughter to his masters.
He walked in a little farther, he did not have to wait long. From the shadows Jacob came, he held a gun before him. “G-get out of my house.” He was much too close. Without a word Marcus grabbed his gun arm, twisting it away from him he cut the tendons of the mans arm with his blade. The gun fell the floor. Jacob cried out but Marcus twisted his arm around his back, he knocked him to his knees. Before Jacob Carter had even finished his cry Marcus thrust his blade down into his neck where it met his spine, he died instantly.
Letting the body fall Marcus listened, he heard a scuffling sound coming from one of the bedrooms.
He found Martina clutching Adriana tightly, hiding behind the bed.
Purposely he stood before them, silently he whipped her husbands blood from his blade and put it away.
“Your daughter would have had so much more than you could have given her if only you had done as you were told.”
He drew a specially designed sawn-off shotgun and fired twice.
She grinned as they found her, the fools. They were a gang from a distant city, come to see just what those of her own city were so afraid of, the one called 'death'. "You done running?" The largest and apparent leader of the group called, a man of equal size cowering behind him.
"Benji, why're you hiding?" She asked coyly, ignoring the man's blatent disrespect towards her, she hadn't been
running. "Was it you that decided to call for help?"
"Listen here, little girl-" The large man started again.
Her ears twitched and she narrowed her eyes, "Little girl?" She seethed, "That's it, you've cost yourself your escape." She pulled the tri-bladed scythe from her back and held it out, "To think I was just going to let you go..."
"Ah, Darkar, you've made her angry..." Benji said nervously, taking off at a run down the street.
"Tch, coward. Shoulda known when we picked 'im up off the street." Darkar sneered, drawing a long pipe, his followers drew several knives, and one even pulled out a gun.
Enne waited for them to attack and struck out with her scythe, cutting the pipe into three thirds with a simple swing, nearly cutting off Darkar's fingers in the process. He snatched his hand back just in time.
His followers ran forward without a second thought and she twirled the scythe expertly, catching each of them with the tip of the spearhead and knocking their knives aside. The last one's hand shook as he held the gun up, taking careful aim. "What, you gonna shoot me?" She taunted, swinging her scythe around, "Go ahead and take your shot you coward." He pulled the trigger and a bullet bounced off of one of the scythe's blades, hitting the leader square in the chest.
Darkar stumbled backwards, "B-boss!" They shouted simultaniously as the man fell, blood pouring from his lips.
"You'd all better leave now or you'll face his fate as well." Enne twirled the scythe and tapped it's spearhead against concrete menacingly.
The men scrambled away, and several voices filtered back to her, "Those guys were right... she really is Death!!" They abandoned the body of their lifeless boss without a second thought.
Marcus left his victim’s home behind some time ago. He relived the killing in his mind, savoring the blood. He could have killed them all silently, but he had chosen to use his gun because the noise would draw much attention. He knew that the others like Adriana and the ones with children like her would now have a much better idea of what happens to enemies of the Covenant.
He retuned to the place where he received his instructions from the Council, the messengers of the Covenant. This place was well hidden. He entered the sacred chamber, a dark room lit by several candles. He walked to the center of the room and knelt before a blood red stone.
“I have come my masters.”
The stone shone brightly for a moment then three figures appeared. The appeared as dark figures, little more than solid silhouettes.
They were but mere projections thanks to the magic of the stone.
The one that always spoke for the others did so now.
“You have done well Marcus. You shall now have your reward.”
Still keeping his head bowed in respect Marcus smiled.
“The time has come to begin the strike against our enemies. As you know there are many different bands of fools in this city, many of them are our people. Go to their leaders, persuade them to join us, if they do not, kill them. Kill as many of their leaders and their replacements as you have to. Create chaos, disorder, kill. Even you will need allies in this
Marcus personally disagreed but would never dare speak.
“While we do not doubt you could destroy these fools yourself, it must be done with haste. Are you aware of suitable forces?”
“I am, my lords.”
“Then go.”
The figures vanished, the stone dimmed. Marcus stood up, he was positively glowing with delight.
James caught sight of a group of fleeing men as he wandered the streets, his hand buried in his pockets boredly. The scent of fresh blood still teased his nose, he'd just finished a mission after all.
""Evening, boys." He said smoothly, his fingers twitching with delight, they were members of some gang or other, he could tell just by looking at them, though they seemed rather frightened.
"Outta the way!" One of them growled at him, fear distinct in his eyes.
"And if I don't move?" James raised an eyebrow.
"We'll make you move!" Another said, drawing a knife.
"Are you threatening me?" James smirked devilishly.
"What, you think yer scary pretty man?" The first speaker snarled and the group stopped, "Yer nothing compared to
Death." The group visibly shuddered.
"You speak of Death as though it were a person." James was intrigued.
"You don't know the half of it..." One of the others muttered, as they drew whatever weapons they had on them.
James gracefully avoided the deadly swing of a chain, "You're all just such trash." He said, pulling out his beretta.
"Ya think we're afraid of a gun?" The group leapt forward and almost immediately their bodies were riddled with hundreds of bullets, spent cartridges sprinkling across the ground around them.
Their blood spread across the concrete and James stood over them, each holding pained expressions. He drew a small knife and slit each of their throats, enjoying the feel of their blood on his fingers. "So who is death?" He stopped curiously at the last one, who was struggling to crawl away.
He set his knife against the back of the frightened man's throat, the man's face paled considerably, "S-surely you hear the talk i-in town?" He stuttered.
"I don't listen to the folly gossip of this stinking pit." James said, digging the blade into the man's flesh.
"Death i-is the w-wielder of the tri-bladed scythe!" The man's whimper turned to a gurgle as James forced his blade through his neck.
James stood, looking over his handiwork with a smirk before leaving, making his way to a well hidden building. He entered the sacred chamber, passing another figure without so much as a backwards glance, and moved to the center of the room swiftly, kneeling before a blood red stone. "I have returned from my mission." His clothes were covered in blood, and his fingers left crimson imprints on the floor.
Marcus turned as the one called James passed him and knelt at the stone. James did not look his way,
Typical.
As James spoke the council's stone awoke, and the speaker spoke.
"Yes you have. Now it is time for your next task, the time to strike has come, are you ready?"
"I am ready for anything and everything." James' black eyes flashed with expectation.
"Good." He called out,but did not raise his voice. "Marcus return."
Marcus had not gone far and upon hearing his masters call hastened immediately to the chamber. He knelt unhesitatingly before the council once again.
"Will this one suffice your needs Marcus?"
Marcus cast a glance at James, keeping his head bowed.
"I believe he might my lords."
"What is it that you wish me to do, my lords?" James asked.
Enne slipped her scythe silently back into it's sheath and made her way down the street, she happened upon an old building, and upon entering several shadowed figures fled. She sighed heavily but moved inside and up a dilapidated set of stairs until she reached the topmost floor. There were several gaping holes, but these she easily remedied by stretching her shadows to cover. She kicked aside several crates and cleared a spot in the corner of the room where she leaned against the wall, closing her eyes.
The Voice spoke again, "The Covenant has tasked Marcus here with a very special task, he is to turn the gangs of this city to our cause. And eliminate any that stand in our way. You shall join him on this mission."
"It sounds like fun." James smirked and looked at his hands, "I can feel the blood of those that oppose us already..."
The stone flashed a brighter red for a moment.
"In this chamber you would do well to speak with more respect of us, we have chosen to ignore the blood you stain this chamber with, we will not tolerate foolishness."
"I apologize for my state, my lords." James said, bowing low, "But surely you understand that this blood is a sign of my dedication to
you."
"The Covenant are higher beings than the human animals, behave as one and you shall be treated as one."
The other two council members shifted.
"Now, you will follow Marcus and aid him on this mission, make no mistake, he is our messenger. Not you. You will obey his commands as they carry our blessing. Now go, both of you, complete your task."
"Yes, my lords." James murmured, glancing sideways at Marcus for a moment.
The stone dimmed, taking the council with it. Marcus stood, "Come, we shall begin at once."
"Where to first, messenger?" James stood as well, slipping his hand back into his pockets as he did so.
"I know of a small group of children, a young gang that is based nearby. They are all human and of no use to us, but their slaughter will stir the others up. Our kind will be drawn out of hiding, if we spill enough blood."
James grinned, "It sounds like fun. The blood of the young is the best kind to spill. Lead the way."
Marcus lead the way to an abandoned building. "They are homeless rats, they squat here. There shouldn't be more than 15 in there. I wouldn't even expect them to have a gun, lets see your style. Kill them."
"15, eh?" James slid out his beretta, "Aren't you coming as well?" He quirked an eyebrow.
Marcus leaned up against the building and smiled at him. "Why? Are you not up to the challenge?"
"Never said I wasn't up to it." James said simply, disappearing into the building.
He found three scattered around the first floor, and several more on the next. James left behind a pleasantly bloody mess in his wake as he moved up another floor.
12 down... He chuckled dryly to himself. The next two floors were surprisingly empty, and finally he ascended the last flight of stairs.
Marcus waited outside, listening to the sounds of pain from inside. He pondered where he would strike next,
I'm going to want the bloodsucker for this I think.
He peered around the top of the stairs and caught sight of a figure leaning against a distant wall. James help up his beretta, took careful aim, and came face to face with a tri-bladed scythe. "Who are you?" A woman's voice demanded.
He blinked, momentarily taken aback, before he spoke, "It matters not to you." He fired the beretta and the scythe flashed in the darkness, catching the bullets as the shadow that held the weapon leapt backwards.
"I will ask again, who are you, and how many have you killed here?" The moon shone through the broken window and he could barely make out the outline of a relatively small woman brandishing a weapon taller than herself, her sillhouette in the darkness reminded him of something that he'd been told earlier that night.
"Death i-is the w-wielder of the tri-bladed scythe!" The man's whimper turned to a gurgle as James forced his blade through his neck. James began to laugh as he entered the room fully, holding out the beretta once more and firing.
Again she deflected the bullets from her body, though she backed closer to the window.
Marcus sensed a shift in what was going on inside. He closed his eyes and after a moment saw James fighting someone, who was fighting back. He saw her nearing a window. He moved quickly, around the building until he was below that window. He glided upon the shadows quickly and silently and entered through the window, behind the girl.
James slipped the beretta back into it's sling once it had emptied itself and drew a longsword, he followed the girl's movements slowly, his gaze calculating.
Marcus watched James draw a sword, he had not been noticed by either yet. He stepped back and shrouded himself. He was now undetectable to either combatant. He watched.
Enne had felt another presence behind her for only a moment when it vanished, she looked back out of the corners of her eyes and saw nothing. Finally she turned her attention back to the man with the beretta, only to notice that he'd changed to a blade. "Losing that gun has cost you this victory." She said, running forward and swinging the scythe.
James backed away swiftly and raised his sword to block the girl's scythe, it's blades buried themselves into the steel, and he could hear the metal groan as it snapped into three different pieces. "That was my favorite sword..." He said as he threw the hilt aside.
Marcus chuckled silently, this would be fun indeed. He watched the girl fighting James, she was formidable. No challenge for him of course but, he was interested none the less.
Perhaps my first recruit? He would try to turn her after the fight, he expected her to still be breathing.
James held out his hand and flames engulfed it, "I have never had to use this before... it really messes with the blood after all..." He said, "but as I see it, right now my weapons won't do much good." He threw a pillar of flames at her and a wall of shadows threw themselves up, absorbing the flames. He lept to the side suddenly as the shadows then raised behind him and spit the flames back at him.
Marcus raised an eyebrow,
She manipulates shadows? Now he really was interested. He found himself not really routing for James to survive this.
This brat... James thought, glowering at her as he drew several small knives and threw them before quickly drawing his beretta again and releasing the empty chamber. He quickly reloaded it in the time it took her to deflect the knives.
Enne moved closer to the window.
A little further and I'll be able to escape this pointless battle... She thought,
I really do hate fighting right after I wake up...
Marcus stepped aside as she backed closer to the window so that she didn't bump into him. He backed away a little bit more so he didn't have to deal with stray bullets.
James pulled the trigger and immediately the girl brought up her scythe, it's blade gleaming in the moonlight as she took several more steps backwards. A stray bullet came back at him, just barely scratching his cheek.
There! Her foot found the windowsill and broken glass crunched beneath her shoes as she stepped back further still and allowed her furthest foot to touch open air.
Marcus debated stopping her, it was unusual for him to hesitate. Marcus made his decision, for now at least he wanted her to escape.
James is going to love this.
She smirked as she leapt backwards, black wings unfolding from her spine as she did so.
The hell... James raced towards the open window, firing still with his beretta.
Marcus extended his arm as James ran past him, clotheslining him to the floor. He reappeared with a shimmer. He looked down at James flat on his back and smiled, "Wait a second please."
"Just what was that for? She's escaping!" James said angrily, pulling himself to his feet and moving over to where the beretta had fallen.
"I can see that." Marcus telekineticly moved the beretta to the other end of the room. "As you may have guessed I want her to."
"And just why is that?" James asked, watching as she lowered herself towards the ground.
"You're not much of a thinker are you James? She's seen the death here, she's obviously a strong fighter, although I don't base that solely on the fact that she kicked your ass. Someone like her will have alot of influence. It is our job to convert those that will see the way and exterminate the rest. Now, get up."
James sighed, "You really have ways of fucking with someone else's fun..." He muttered, striding across the room and forcing the beretta into it's sling.
Enne glanced up at the building from the ground for only a moment, "Bastard... waking me up, couldn't you have just waited until dawn?" She turned and started to run down the street, re-sheathing her scythe smoothly.
Marcus stepped over and with a powerful blow knocked James to the ground. He placed his foot on his throat. "I always have my reasons, would you like to give me one to kill you?"
James began to laugh almost uncontrollably as he pushed Marcus' foot aside and stood up, "Don't act all high and mighty just because you're the messenger." He said simply, moving to the stairs.
Marcus waved his hand and James was flipped into the air and pinned hard to the ceiling. "I have been a loyal servant of the Covenant my whole life." He reached into James' mind and caused him to experience brief but considerable pain. "I treat you as inferior not because the Council chose me, but because you are inferior." He released his hold on James, who fell to the floor yet again.
"I may be newer to the covenant, but that does not make me inferior." James stated flatly, standing up, "Let's just go already, I bore of your speeches."
As soon as I find the bloodsucker I'm cutting his tongue out.
James leapt down the stairwell gracefully.
Cocky bastard, makes me want nothing more than to spill his blood...
I'm a cocky mind reading bastard you fool, do you really think the Council would have chosen anyone but their most powerful servant in this city?
James shrugged,
So you can read my mind, so what? Makes it more fun to think bad things about you. James' laugh echoed through the stairwell.
Marcus followed, "Were you born this big a pain in the ass?"
"Nope, it's bastards like you who've made me what I am today." James replied.
"And it was undoubtedly men like us that made that girl what she is. Do you know anything about her?"
"I heard from a man that I killed that the one carrying the tri-bladed scythe is known as death around here." James said simply.
"Huh, that actually seems like an honest simple answer. Was that really so hard?"
"You make it seem as though I don't give you any real information." James said, brushing a lock of golden hair behind his ear.
"What are you talking about that's the first time you've ever given me
any information."
James shrugged, "So?" He said simply as they stepped into the street.
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Come on, we're following her." He led the way.
James shrugged, "Whatever."
Enne's footsteps fell silently on the empty streets as she sought a new place to sleep She stretched, releasing a tired yawn as she entered an alleyway and leapt upwards, catching a rusting ladder that was pulled up. She climbed it to the roof silently.
To Marcus's eyes the trail left by the retreating girl might have well been glowing in neon. It was in fact shining with a pale blue light left behind by the girl.
"I hate when I can't find a decent place." Enne glowered as she leaned against a wall on the roof, "I especially hate being awoken in the middle of the night by an idiot with a gun."
Marcus led James into an alleyway. He paused and looked upwards.
Quite, she's up there and she seems unaware that we have followed her, guess she thinks you're too stupid. Can't say I blame her. Stay here, I'll go talk to her.
What!?! Don't you dare call me stupid! James' tone was agrivated.
Would you rather I lied to you? Either way shut up and stay here.
James growled,
Suit yourself, bastard. he muttered, leaning nonchallantly against the wall.
Marcus looked at him side ways for a moment.
No way I'm trusting you. Why don't you take a quick nap? He raised his right hand and a cloud of blue vapor shot forth, touching his body it rendered him in a deep sleep.
Marcus then rose up to the rooftop, and spotted the girl resting.
The figure of the girl melted into the wall and suddenly Enne stood before him, her scythe held out, "Who are you and what do you want?" She demanded.
"Huh, should have seen that coming. My name is Marcus and I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?" She didn't let her guard down, still keeping the scythe held firmly towards him.
Haha, you walked right into her trap. James laughed.
Marcus blackened the rooftop to observers, the girl would not notice. "I watched you fight today, it was most impressive. I wondered if you would be interested in a proposition."
"Continue." Enne said simply,
Just who is this guy anyway? Was he the presence I felt earlier? Maybe...
"We are looking for allies in an upcoming battle. A battle that will decide the future of all our peoples."
"What kind of battle? Listen you, don't try and beat around the bush by giving me minimal information. I'm no fool, I've lived in the streets most of my life."
Marcus chuckled again. "Very well. Let me ask you, why are you on the streets? You said most of your life. What was it like before?"
"I don't know," She replied evenly, "It's hard to remember events of the past. Why do you ask?"
"Because there are alot of people on these streets, people like you and me. Some of us had homes, families, until it was taken away from us. Not all lost it in the same way. I had a family, very religious.. When they found out I was different, they labeled me a demon and cast me out. Because of them our people life in squaller and despair, some are hunted to death, many of the greatest are gone." He gestured out at the city lights, "We wish to take back our lives, take our rightful place as equals."
"And you think that that justifies your need for battle? Tell me something, were you allied with that guy who attacked me earlier?"
"I am allied with him unfortunately yes. But I can assure you it was a poor choice of partner on my part. In fact, though I doubt you're interested, he's right down there in the alley, you could kill him if you like,you could replace him if you wanted." Marcus looked hopeful.
"Your quest for power, for
equality as you say, does not interest me." Enne replied, "And I am not interested in another battle this evening."
"Well suit yourself then." He turned to go, then turned back. "You sure you don't want to kill him? Please?"
"I am simply uninterested." Enne said simply, "I have no need to kill him."
"Damn it." He sighed. "You know my name, will you do me the honor of telling my yours?"
"Searienne." She replied, sliding her scythe into it's sheath swiftly as she herself turned to go.
"Well Searienne I bid you farewell tonight, but be warned, you are either with us or against us. You do not wish to battle again tonight and I will honor that, next time we meet I fear it may be different." He stepped off the roof and landed in the alley below.
She moved over to the wall and sat against it, "Next time I'll be well prepared to battle." She said.
"Well?" James asked boredly, pushing himself away from the wall.
"I'll kill her tomorrow, I've had enough killing for one day. Do you like Italian food?"
"Never had the stuff." James replied, "What's it like?"
"Pretty good, I know a place. We'll eat and plan a real strike."
"Oh good, I was just getting hungry." James said, "But of course I'll have to wash up before we eat..."
"Indeed." Marcus waved his hand and they were both in impeccable condition. "All this magic is giving me an appetite."
"Lead the way, messenger." he said as they moved down the street.
Lyden Sinclair sat hunched over a computer screen, has he had spent two thirds of his life. He chewed on a pen while muttering to himself, his fingers tapping out a near constant sound on the key board. Complicated groups of numbers and letters flashed rapidly across the screen.
"I gotcha now baby, oh I gotcha, gotcha now baby..."
"Ha!" He straitened in his chair and brought his finger down and hit one last key with a great show. The screen went blank. He slid a magnetic card into a device attached to the computer. A green light flashed once and he removed the card. He kissed and slipped it into his pocket.
What he had just created was a super computer virus he had designed to be transmitted into any card reading computer, once inside it would scramble any systems connected to the reader.
He pulled a chip from the computer then fried the drive with the touch of a few keys. He picked up his over sized blueish handgun, his kissed this as well and placed it into his holster.
"Now to have some fun."
On a rooftop somewhere, stood a dark figure. He removed his long, hooded coat and lays it on the ledge. The entire upper half of his body is covered in blue tatoos. He grabs his head as though in pain and drops to his knees.
Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here?
He leans over and places his hands on the gravel of the rooftop, staring at nothing, eye's wide, jaw clenched.
"There has to be someone here that can give me answers... hasn't there?" He asked himself in a low whisper.
"Voices... Who's voices?" He dropped to his stomach and inched his way to the ledge in the direction of the voices. "Oh, it's them again. Who are those people?" He'd been observing them from a distance for some time now. They seemed to be extremely powerful. "Maybe they know who I am... Even if they don't, they could make powerful allies. It looks like they're killing off gang members. This could be my chance to get on their good side..."
Shade's non-tatoo'd skin turned black as pitch as he stood and ran back accross the roof like lightning, grabbing his coat, straight katana, and gun in a flash, before leaping from the building's edge in a somersault and landing on the asphalt below with a dull thud. Eye's narrowed and teeth bared in a bloodlusting grin, he made his way to the end of the alley and into the street.
"It's hunting time..."
Marcus and James took a table at the back of the Italian place, and ordered. Nyx watched silently.... They began eating the food that the waitress brought to them. She waited. After finishing their meal she cautiously walked up behind Marcus, and snaked her arms around his neck. "You reak of garlic, its very unappealing. It makes your blood taste funny." She flashes her fangs at James. "Did you
want something?"...
.
Marcus took a sip of his drink, "About time Nyx. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to show up."
James merely ate silently, not really caring too much for the newcomer as he focused on finishing off his meal. After a few minutes he leaned back and began to sip at a glass of red wine, finally showing interest.
After about an hour, Searienne stood up and moved to the edge of the building, wandering nonchallantly around it's perimeter to assure herself that there were no dangers below. Silently she leapt from the rooftop, landing in a crouched position. She stood and brushed her windswept hair out of her face.
She made her way into the streets and began to walk, her hands in her pockets and her head ducked slightly as she sank into thought.
Lyden walked to a nearby currency exchange, he'd chosen this place for two reasons. One, they used a key card security system. And two, they had to lay off their security guards, there was no one here to stop him.
He walked brazenly up to the doors. And slid his special card into the reader. He patently waited a few seconds then the doors opened. Thanks to his virus the alarm was off, the cameras were down, and the doors were all unlocked. He went shopping.
She began to whistle a soft tune as she moved, gazing skyward, "Only a few hours left until dawn..." She said softly to herself, reaching a hand behind her back and fingering the shaft of her scythe almost without realizing it, "And still I've got to keep moving..."
With as much stealth as he possesed, Shade sped down the street, trying to stay in the shadows between the areas lit by street lamps. He could've taken a darker, more descrete path, but tonight he wanted a game trail that was clear of obstacles, to optimize his distance-eating pace. It wasn't long before he arrived at his pseudo-intended destination. Not looking for a particular location, just scouting the area for the heaviest signs of gang activity. This looked like as good a place as any.
He was memorizing the layout of the area when he heard their voices, "One... two... sounds like atleast five," he whispered to himself, "And just my luck", he added with a grin, "they're coming my way."
In one fluid movement, he jumped straight up, grabed a the arm of a street lamp, swung himself up into a crouching position on top and leaped to the roof of the closest building. He turned and looked down to get a bearing on his still-unaware prey. They'd be passing his builing any second now. "Six... not counting on that. Last one must be the quiet type. I'll have to be a little cautious with him..."
He ran to the rear of the building and jumped down into the darkness of the alley below, where he hid himself beneath the hood of his coat, and got down on all fours... and waited. It turne out to be a relatively short wait, as the first of the group appeared at the end of the alley with his hands in his coat pockets. Shade began his charade.
"God dammit, where is it? ... I know I dropped it around here somwhere... How dumb does one person have to be to lose a wallet. Even worse, how can you not notice one that fat?" He said as he crawled around on the ground, looking for nothing. He chanced a glance in their direction, and saw that his plan had taken it's desired effect. The one with his hands in his pockets stopped dead and grinned. He signalled to his comrades and they began down the alley towards Shade.
"Lose somethin' ol' timer?" The apparent leader spoke in a rather arrogant tone. I'll kill him first... cut the head off the snake, as it were...
"My wallet... I can't find it... It had my Paycheck in it. Please, will you help me?" He said, coaxing them to come closer before he sprung his trap. He crawled around until he found himself in an opertune position to strike... They'd taken the bait. All that remained was for them to bite down on the hook.
"Oh, sure we'll give ya a hand, wont we fella's?" Said the arrogant one, and broke into a loud laugh, joined by the others. This was it. They were close enough, and they weren't about to leave without the wallet that they still had no idea didn't exist. Before he even saw the motion, the supposed leader was chewing on Shade's katana. It happened in a fraction of a second. The man reached down to grab Shade's hood, and before his fingers could close on the material, Shade had thrust the blade of his katana straight through the mans teeth and out the back of his head, severing his brain stem. The others stood still and silent, in horror. Except for one, who took his place slowly, a few steps behind the other four. The largest of the remaining five grabbed a near-by piece of pipe and made one mad swing at the killer of their companion. Shade switched his blade to a back-hand position un ducked under the pipe, slicing the big mans ribs on his way through. Once he was behind the pipe swinger, he waited for the pain to sink in and watched him drop to his knees. Only then did he finish him by driving the katana into the back of his neck, all the way to the hilt. He withdrew it and shook off the blood. Three more attacked from all sides. Shade did a backflip to land himself behind the assailant coming at him from behind. While in the air, he took note of the weapons each was carrying: a small knife, a length of chain, and the third carried a claw hammer. Easy pickin's. This wont last long.... All three had fallen in a matter of seconds. This left only the quiet one. Why hasn't he attacked yet? ...Mapping my style, are you? Shade flew across the ground to land a final blow and claim his trophies, when the quiet man drew his own straight sword that he had hidden in his coat. The two blades colided in a shower of sparks. The adversaries exchanged blows for several minutes before all the cards were laid on the table. The quiet man drew another weapon from his coat. This time, a gun. He fired a round that grazed Shades lower ribs. The next round was easily deflected by the katana's blade. This guy's good Shade thought to himself as he deflected another round. This has to end... and soon. The quiet man was loading another magazine when Shade pulled his own gun. The unique-ness of this weapon alone was enogh to stop the quiet man in his tracks.
"W-what the hell...?" He studdered. "What is that thing?"
"This thing... is the Shadowcaster. And the last thing you'll ever see with living eyes," with that said, Shade opened the breech of the weapon, and slid a black shell with a thin yellow band around it into the chamber, closed the breech, and took aim, "This is actually a weaker shell, but it should be enough to make you dead." The quiet man scrambled to load his magazine and drew level with shade, but he was too slow on the trigger, Shade had already fired. A blinding torrent of golden energy blasted from the muzzle of the weapon and left nothing but charred bits of cloth of it's victim. "Hmm... that was a fun little skirmish," He commented as he returned to the alley to observe his handy work. One of them was still breathing. Shade walked over to him, "You know why I let you live? ...no? Well, I'll tell you. It's because one of you has to survive to tell of what happened here tonight. Kapeesh? Good. Now, why don't you quit being a wuss, stand up and run away. I want the whole town to know about me by tomorrow evening. Good dog. Now beat it, before I change my mind." The survivor got to his feet and ran full tilt out of the alley, carrying Shades story with him. "Huh... I may have just bought my ticket into the big leagues, and I didn't have to spend a dime. Maybe now I can find some real answers." With that, he faded silently into the shadows to wait for the results of his actions to take effect.
She stopped in her tracks, sniffing delicately at the air, "Blood." She muttered, "Why must so much be spilled within this damned city?" Enne wrapped her fingers around the shaft of her scythe cautiously.
"I did wait for you to finnish your meal. I was exercising my manners, how are they comming?" Nyx took the empty third chair and sighed. "So what is it that you wanted?" She cast a longin look at Jame's neck and turned her gazt to Marcus.
"I wanted to discus business, but first, are you hungry?"
"Famished,but unfortunatly I have that allergy to garlic.. Go on with your business. I'm listening." She said giving a flirtatious glance at James.
"I've been given a job by my masters, I could use you."Marcus sipped his drink again. "I a sure you there will be blood, your fills worth."
"Sounds fun, my clan is part of the Covenant. I'd love to bite him you know....is that at all possble?" She gave James her Sexual look
"Oh please do, I even took the liberty of not ordering him any garlic bread. You're welcome"
"Sadly, I do not kill in public, and he probably doesn't taste good anyway. Ths stupid ones never do, though I'd love to talk more about this mission of yours. Will you accompany me to my Loft?" She looked at the waitress for teh check
Marcus looked to James, "Not that I'm complaining about your uncharacteristic silence, but stay here. And don't argue." He stood up to follow Nyx,"And don't worry about the check Nyx, that waitress won't even remember we were here."
"You're so mean to him. As you say, he can come if he likes, it makes no difference to me." Nyx got up and left. He followed her to a loft on the eighth floor of a building four streets and nine blocks over.
"If you knew him you'd commend me on resisting killing him as long as I have." Marcus lounged against a wall in the loft. "Aren't you going to offer me refreshments Nyx? Where have your manners gone in our time apart?"
" My manners are as well as they'e ever been. What do you wish to drink? Feel free to sit where ever you like, I've no bodies lurking around. You know the rules..."
"No bodies eh? You must be hungry then..." He continued to lounge against the wall. "And what rules would you be referring too? I don't recall ever playing by the rules..."
"The no...oh never mind the damn rules. What d you want to drink?" Nyx stood half way between the two rooms
"Something with bite if you've got it."
"Name your poison, I've got things you've never heard of.... So what's this mission you were referring to?"
"Give me something I've never heard of then." He smiled,"What would you say if I offered you the chance to kill whoever you want, in what ever way you wish, and in as large numbers as you care to imagine?"
"Sounds like my kind of game... are we talking daylight or Darkiness? Messy or clean?" Nyx hands him a glass of a poison looking green color. "Don't ask what it is , just drink it. ZIt won't kill you.Trust me. Continue with this mission."
Marcus downed his glass in one shot without a reaction. "We're talking doing some surgery first, then when the time is right." He smiled wider, and winked. "We get as messy as we've ever been"
Nyx flashed a sly smile. "Did you like the after taste? I like messy... what kind of surgery?"
"Does everything have to taste like blood with you?" He raised his eyebrow at her. "Think of it this way, we want to attack the heart. Before we can do that we have to remove the immune system that stands in our way."
"You put your mind over your senses...it only tastes like blood because you're in the presence of vampire.... The immune system? As in the gangs...rough business. It cna be done.."
Marcus raised his empty glass to her,"Glad to see you're as quick as ever Nyx, hit me with another, I'm gonna try it out better."
Nyx smiled. "You don;t even know what it is and you want more." She hands him more. Tell me more,I'm getting hungary.."
Continued on CotC Chapter 2
Stumble!