From the Vaults of The BB - One Person's Loss...

[Kyo]

Every port in every city is always a bustling and jostling place of activity. Languages of all kinds bounded back and forth in the air creating a jargon that made even the most seasoned and well versed travellers scratching their heads in confusion. Crowds often became detrimental in such situations. But here Kyo used it to their advantage. So many people milled around that the eyes barely followed the presence of a few more foreigners. Just soldiers come to help, just sailors here to assist and perhaps maybe adventurers caught in the crossfire. Whatever the reasons their minds gave them she didn’t care. Back straight, eyes ahead, she moved with a purpose in mind.

Few people parted to get out of her way, but even fewer bumped into her. It was the persona she put out. Power and certainty. Weaker wills bowed to it. Single minded people moved away from it and those that sought a leader crowded around it. As the smells of the sea mixed with the smells of lingering smoke, sweat and spoiling food in the high noon sun, the ninja began to slip into the city. High walls of stone met her eyes, beautifully articulate and matched in her mind only by the walls of Donnalaich. Such architecture was never seen in her home. It held a complex and interwoven beauty that she was certain few if any human stone masons had the patience and the fortitude to learn to do.

Moving away from the port lessened the ringing of voices in her ears. The streets nearest the port were a camp for the unlucky, the wounded and the homeless. They waited inside buildings packed to the brim and outside them in tents made of cloth that provided no kind of shelter. The heart of war lay bare. It was never the countries that suffered, never the leaders that started it and proclaimed it, but always the families and the individual. But this was not a fight for her. Kyo was merely here to profit what she could from the situation. She played the role of saviour to no one. Ninjas only dealt in death and thieves in stealing.

Cutting through the streets, their grandeur diminished by the filth that seemed so present now, Kyo took the group into a small alley. No people lined the dark and rank walls here. It stunk too heavily of things better left unidentified.

“Kane, guard the entrance.” Kyo said offhandedly.

The elf did as she was told even though it was apparent to the ninja she would rather be closer to the conversation. If those pointy little ears of hers were any good then Kyo was rather certain she’d be able to catch most of what was said anyway. Saxon had asked to speak to her earlier on the ship, but it had been the wrong time. The ship docked and the time to leave at hand. What he needed to say could now be said in front of the group. A raid was no place to keep secrets.

Her ice blue eyes, met the cool depths of his as she nodded her head to him. “Saxon, show me what you’ve found.”

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Ruin and death, that’s all that lay in The Dead Zone. Homes destroyed, families’ torn apart and charred buildings. Fires still burned, their smoke rising into the distance and clouding what should have been a gloriously bright day. No rain poured down from the heavens to slake the thirst of the flames and no warriors of might and valour seemed capable of defeating the armies of Xum’Zund.

Kyo moved through the desolation. Rot hung in the air like a humid hand ready to choke. She could not tell if it came from the zombies or from the bodies of those who gave their life to protect something. Down streets littered with stones once piled high and columns now nothing more than dust. She did not slither through the shadows like a common criminal here. There was no need. They were the only things living in this place and she had yet to see a single undead. Their forms were either evading her eyes or they had yet to travel deep enough into the remnants of this once great city. To have seen it in the prime of its existence would have been something truly extraordinary for the ninja, yet none of her missions had ever led her here.

She was leading the group towards a western area of The Dead Zone, where Saxon had recommended something to be had. His observations were greatly appreciated and without him, this raid would have been much more difficult. The map he had created for her and updated each night as the dead moved farther into the city was a blessing and a reminder of how dangerous this could be.

“We’ll stick together as a group.” Kyo said to the others following behind her silent steps. “It’s too easy to get lost in this place and it’s too dangerous to separate. If you see something of interest go in pairs to investigate and inform someone else.” The last thing Kyo wanted was to come back with one less thief in her ranks.

[MiaKane]

Hell cast and borne deep into the wreckage that was the elven home land the group marched, well as much of a march as a group this way did walk. There had been a long talk off the bat about where they were headed first, which left the Ice elf with a bit of joy as of all the people, even the old dog of the group, she was chosen to be watch out. Which had been rather easy given all in all.

Hence they had walked into the lion's den in hope of riches. This was not the first time Mia had dealt with those of the dead life. At least this time she wasn't stuck in a barricaded and burning building.

Serenity perched on her shoulder as they moved, some cautious, some like herself, without a real worry in the mix. The undead were actually quite easy to deal with given the circumstances. A quick skull bashing and they were just plain dead once more.

Though one thing that was fun, was that she really had no idea where they were going. Which really made her just giddy with anticipation.