Crimson Thief: Demon's Dance

[Lye]

Lye's expression soured under Seth's blatant mockery. His daughter at stake, the demon's pride reigned over her well being. Lye hope for a more amicable result, instead the old thief opted for confrontation. The assassin shook his head as liquid metal poured from Seth's gauntlets. As though on queue, Amari's unmistakable scarlet locks crested over the edge of the tower's platform.

"You're wasting time, Seth," Lye chastised. His words met the winds howl and swept far away from Seth's ears.

Every minute passed meant more time Samantha spent under Cassandra's corruption. Second by second, the thief's daughter grew further estranged from her father and her mother.

"Scarlet!" Lye shouted. "Keep your distance!"

The Seth Dahlios of the past proved a cunning, resourceful man. If this older husk of a man held any semblance of his youth, or forbid even greater strength, no trick or opportunity would go unused.

Lye watched shimmering silver take form. Links of chain solidified and rang out. The assassin aimed to answer to challenge and after evoking the curse of famine's black horse, he drew his second blade. Seth's foot raised and Lye rooted his stance.

"Ort." The word slipped from Lilliana's lips and settled in the air out of place and foreign. Lye questioned its purpose. A curse? A boon? A cough?

Regardless, the tell tale signs of attack read throughout Seth's body. Ferocity and malice worked into his features and the fluid chains swept out. Lye dropped forward and his weight locked him into a full sprint. The chain chimed overhead, a near miss of its intended target no thanks to faulty footing.

Lye sped inward, the curse of war in his left and famine in his right. His blood heated in his veins, the adrenaline of nostalgia pounded in his chest, and the wild blood-lust of a man maddened twisted the assassins pale features.

[Dissinger]

Seth recovered his footing in time to bring chain wrapped forearms before him. The Crimson assassin closing the gap. He blocked the blows with his metal clad arms before the chains dissipated and the amulet formed on his right wrist once more. Blades were pulled from his waist as he turned to face Lye once more. He quipped casually, “Aw, he cares about the slave. So nice, have you found your emotions somewhere under the pile of failure you call your achievements?”

The Lavinian Demon squared off with Ulroke and sized up the man, he was still on even footing with the man, even if his wife had betrayed him to cause such an unfortunate result. It stung the betrayal, however he was more than certain he deserved it. He had left Liliana, left the Ixian Knights, left everything to begin his crusade against the Cult of Blessed torture. For what?

He didn’t want to dwell on that matter. He wanted to be carving Lye up and on his way to Liliana to figure out their next move. Instead he was fighting him on a relic from the past that should never have mattered in the first place. It was a frustrating situation to say the least, and he let his anger at it continue to simmer, he’d need it if he was going to activate the Wrath Engine down the road. The more actual anger he had, the stronger the effect would be.

Waiting for some sign of an attack from Lye he saw the man had yet to do anything, almost as if he was pulling his blows. I he didn’t want a fight why the hell did he demand Seth on his knees? What kind of a man would demand such a thing. It was only further cementing the beating he felt Lye needed as he dashed in, seeing Lye bring blades about in an attack meant to cover for any retreat.

You son of a bitch, you don’t evade that easy!

He pressed toes into the Onyx as he slipped a bit of a ways, knowing he couldn’t stop his momentum he used His blades to stop his from cutting deep. He panted a bit at the exertion as he locked eyes with Ulroke and could have sworn he saw frustration in the man’s eyes as well. A gauntlet clad fist was sent to hurt the man before he saw Lye wist away from the lock up avoiding the blow. He lashed out with another attack that should have connected only to see Seth parry the blow with a gauntlet and send it wide. A finger caught a lung popper from his belt and in a practiced maneuver launched it, clearing him room as he reset once more to facing off with Lye.

“You got better.”

[Mari]

*Bunnying approved from all parties*

Lye took a step back, gritting his teeth. “Scarlet. Now. .”

Her Master’s command was all she needed, Amari took a step forward, a brilliant golden light emitting from her hands as she approached Seth Dahlios. She wasn’t sure who he was, or what his plight was, all she knew was that he was a threat to her Master, to Ulroke, and that he was a force to be feared. Despite her Masters warnings, Amari felt no fear standing before the heaving powerhouse that was Seth.

She rarely felt such a thing.

The thief seemed absorbed in trying to slash and attack at Lye, who danced around, avoiding his attacks. He demon seemed to only get more and frustrated at the obvious delaying tactic, and that’s when he noticed Amari. He realized his folly as Lye began to go on the offensive harrying him and making him unable to get at the woman.

“Seth, right?” Amari asked as she approached, reaching out she rested her hands upon his tense arm. “You should rest.” Her light sunk into his flesh, just as Lye had instructed her, she focused on calming the man down. She was warned about his anger, and how he had used it. All she had to do was subdue him.

A gauntlet clad fist attempted to smack her off him as the tendrils sunk into his flesh. His breathing uneven as he growled out, “Get your thayne damned tendrils off me!” The swing went wide as he stumbled a step, fighting to hold onto his anger, as his eyes took on a distant look to them.

Amari braced herself, she stepped in closer toward Seth and wrapped her arms tightly around his hand, pressing her forehead to his shoulder. “I can’t. I will protect him at all costs. This won’t hurt. Stop fighting me.”

The knife clattered to the ground as he fought to hold onto his anger. Another stumbling step showing how hard he was fighting as a weak punch was thrown at Amari. He seemed to be fighting with everything he had, pushing as hard as he could to avoid losing at all costs. He sank to a knee as he struggled to hold onto his anger, to anything.

A slow clap started from Lye. “Well done, Scarlet.” He approached the two, looming over Seth and Amari. “You would have been too much trouble, Lavinian, your wrath engine is not something I can handle easily.” His thin lips twisted into a grin. “How are you feeling, by the way?”

He seemed sluggish as he swung wildly at Lye, who easily sidestepped the attack. Seth sank deeper into Amari’s embrace before he hissed, “You better kill me Ulroke, or I swear to the gods themselves you will regret it.”

Amari shifted, pressing herself closer toward Seth, her lips touched his neck as she shut her eyes. Pushing the entirety of herself into him. “No more death.” She whispered, almost pleading with the man. She too felt weary, a side effect of using so much of her wild soul magic in such a short and concentrated burst. “No more pain. Just rest.”

[Dissinger]

For the first time since he created it, he couldn’t feel the wrath engine at all. His mind couldn’t fathom how that could be. He reached a hand out, trying to grasp for the knife that had fallen. His fingers gently brushed against the familiar pommels as he felt the blade slowly begin to move towards his hand, before he saw the Crimson Assassin walk up to him.

Lye kicked it away. “You’re done.” He muttered dryly.

“Fuck you…” He muttered as his hands tried to pry her off him. He had nothing left in the tank, yet still he continued to fight.

The girl showed no fear and had a resounding level of obstinance. She smelt of flowers, and the forest and her magic sapped him of any his willpower. It felt like he was being put to sleep as he tried once more, pushing against the woman and hissed, “I swear to Sintyre itself get your damn hands off me before I stab you.”

She shook her head, silken strands of red tickled his skin. “No.” Her hands found their way to his chest, one pressing against his left side, his heart. “Kill me if you must, but I won’t let you go.” Her voice fell to a whisper, as she spoke words even Ulroke could not hear. “You’re hurting so much…” Her tone shifted to one of concern. “Please just let me help relieve you of it, just for a while.”

And he struggled to fathom why such a being was under Lichensiths control.

The engine was dead, he couldn’t draw from its well of mana. His blades were gone, he couldn’t fight, but he could spite, and he could struggle. He made eye contact and hissed, “You don’t know the true meaning of pain, Ulroke…”

Ulroke glared at Seth. “What do you think you-” His eyes widened and glazed over, his teeth clenched as he tried to steel himself. Ulroke fell to one knee and sweat began to form on his brow,

“Lye!” The girl, Scarlet called out to him, clearly concerned.

“Don’t let him go.” Lye muttered through shaking breaths. “You do, and we’re both dead.”

Seth took the moment to struggle against the girl, hoping to get away from her as he rolled hoping to throw her off. His hands went to his dagger belt trying to reach for another blade to attack the woman with.

She refused to let go, even after being slammed down against the floor. “G-gahh..” She gave a startled cry. The wind being knocked out of her. He loomed over her, with her hands still wrapped around his neck, she winced and groaned. Her eyes fluttered back open and she stared at him with her oddly coloured eyes. Hues of green and gold and smatterings of red.

He began to sag into her grip, feeling his energy fading. His eyes had tunneled their vision as his hand reached out vaguely for the knife. It splayed out seeking it to return to hand hand before slowly, ever so slowly it fell to the ground. His body began to sag. His breathing evening as he hissed, “Not this way...I…” He rolled and slapped his hand against the obsidian floor, the noise seeming to wake him more as he growled, “I refuse to let some fancy mage bitch shut me down!”

He tried one last bid for freedom as he reached a gauntlet for her throat and tried to squeeze as hard as he could. While it wasn’t full force, he could feel her skin give way to his grip as he hissed, “Not going to lose.”

She loosened her grip, if only for a few seconds as she gave a gasp for air, her hands shook as they found their way to his cheeks, thumb and forefinger gently running over his calloused skin. “I-It's...okay…” She struggled to gasp.

“You…,” He felt himself fading struggling to find anything to keep awake as his grip began to weaken, “Have…no clue...what you have….”

He slumped to the ground, his eyes closing before he finally came to rest. His body going fully limp in her grasp, as he finally succumbed to her.

[Mari]

Lye finally recovered upon Seth losing consciousness. He wiped the sweat from his brow and cracked his neck. “You should have been quicker.” He hissed toward Amari, he yanked Seths body off of her, then hefted her up to her feet by her throat. “What took you so long?” He snapped, gloved hand tightening over her throat. Bloodshot eyes wide as the adrenaline of the fight coursed through his veins. “What were you whispering to him!?”

Amari’s feet dangled above the ground, her hands gripped his tightly as she tried to pry his fingers from her throat. Her Master finally let her go and she tumbled to the floor. “That…*cough* was un..unnecessary…” Amari breathed.

“I need to take my anger out on something.” He spat. “Your inability to incapacitate him sooner caused me a great deal of pain.” Lye knealt down beside her and pushed her hair out of her face in a brief act of tenderness. “Now. What were you whispering to him?”

Amari shuffled uncomfortably, “Just telling him to allow me to relieve him of his pain, and to let me help.” Lye’s eyes narrowed. “It’s the truth!” Amari snapped back.

“Very well then.” Lye stood, and with a snap of his fingers, shadows encased Seths unconscious body and lifted him effortlessly into the air. “We will need to put you through more training, your inability to act swiftly will not be tolerated.”

Amari bit her lower lip, shifting her gaze to the floor. “Yes, Master…” She muttered. She had hoped she had done well, it was not often he took her on missions with her, and yet… no matter how hard she tried, he was never satisfied. She silently followed behind him as they began to descend the stairs down the Onyx Tower. All she wanted was to make him proud. To have him smile at her again, but at every turn. She failed.

At the base of a tower the brown haired woman stood, seeing the form of Seth hovering behind the two of them. She raised an eyebrow before she spoke, “You’re welcome. Now, payment for services rendered. I delivered him.”

Lye looked at her, “He put up a fight.”

“I told you he would if I remember. Do not complain when you bite off more than you can chew assassin,” She rebuked, “Now, I upheld my end of the deal.”

“She’s in Concordia, north of Underwood, about a days journey towards the Spider Magi,” Lye responded.

Liliana nodded before she spoke, “A pleasure doing business. I would say we should do this again, but I think we both can agree we’d rather never see the other again.”

“I may kill him,” Lye pressed.

The look Liliana gave him was calm, and detached, “Do it. See how much I’ll care.” She turned to go, walking away from the Onyx tower.

“Master...are you really going to kill him after all that?” Amari asked.

“Not yet, but he will die. He is a threat to the hand. Do not waste your time on him.” Lye said.

Amari gave a small nod. Feeling a little guilty for playing her part in it all. There was something off about the man. His soul, much like Shinsou’s was broken, but unlike Shinsou’s it was far more damaged. She felt it, she felt the pain and the ache he was experiencing, the man was a dangerous ball of rage just waiting to erupt, but there was something more. She gave her Master a concerned look, but didn’t voice her thoughts.

“Shall I keep him subdued until we reach the Sanctum.”

Lye nodded. “Yes, Scarlet.” There was a pause before he added. “You did well today.”

Amari smiled, that was all she needed from him, those small moments of appreciation, a glimpse into who he really was without the anger and bile, without the madness her Master endured. One day...she’d get through to him.

One day…

[Philomel]

Name of Thread: Demon's Dance
Judgement Type: No Judgement

Rewards:

Dissinger receives:
955 EXP
55 GP

Lye receives:
735 EXP
55 GP

Mari receives:
400 EXP
40 GP
Inclusive of Mari's Noble Commerce 15 % more GP ability.

Liliana Ambria receives:
150 EXP
25 GP

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

All rewards added!