Hide and Seek [Closed to Lilithis]

[The Huntsman]

The rumors had reached my ears near the end of my visit back home - faint whispers at most, careful and quiet, the speakers trying to avoid attention. But I had long been trained in following the soft trails of rumors, tracking back along hints of activity. At first I had discarded the rumors as nothing more than that, mere gossip, but the more I looked into the situation, the more I confirmed them. The more an aching anger formed in the back of my mind, a burning need to know more surging through my veins. Through the cities I moved, following the trail of hearsay and back door conversations.

There had long been a criminal organization operating in Alerar. I had dealt with them in the past, in fact - often ending up in Hunts against members of their group that had drawn attention enough to warrant more than just city guards taking an interest in them. Every so often they would rear their heads up, thinking that the lash against them would have died down. It had been a long while though, since I had heard of them engaging in this particular kind of activity though - for good reason, and as my angry suspicion was confirmed I was already planning on introducing the insides of everyone involved in this sick scheme to the air.

Child kidnapping. In the dark of the night, in blind alleys or in busy streets - children were vanishing from under the watchful eye of their families. If you were not consistently attentive to where your child was, there was a worrying chance that they would be taken. It was a slow process - never more than a few a month, but in my opinion that was already far too frequent. I dug deeper, tracking down city statistics and I found a nasty picture painted.

It didn't start recently. In the transcripts of a census in one of the larger cities, I found a terrible piece of information. Orphans, the children on the streets - they had been disappearing for far longer. My knuckles turned a dark blue-black as my fist clenched while I read through these documents, furious at the callous disregard the papers showed. For months, over a year even, youths had been going missing, there one day and gone the next. It only seemed to cause a concern, raise hackles in the public eye - to the limited extent that it had - when children of families had been taken from their homes.

I had no way of knowing, for sure, how many children had been taken by this group. So I set to tracking them down, hunting through the records of their activity. Slowly, patiently, I narrowed down their region of activity, following the trails of rumors to places where children had gone missing. Until I had trimmed away the possibilities, leaving only one of the larger cities as where their base of operations could be. Saw-Spear strapped beneath my coat, and protective attire firmly in place against the thick smog of the city, I made my way to one of the local bars.

------

“I tell you, we need to figure out how to increase the pressure! The manifold can handle a lot more than we’re putting into the system! Barkeep, another, please!” I stared, eyebrow raised, as a drow who was apparently an engineer called out loudly, demanding alcohol. I was becoming unwillingly impressed by his tolerance - the man had in just the time I had been in here, put down more than ten full mugs of beer - and he had been here far longer than I had. He had drawn the attention of those around him - and lost it, as he seemed to be just a scholar drinking himself to unconsciousness.

But I kept my eyes on him, fingers of one gloved hand drumming against the table. I had a simple reason - as I was coming in, he had looked at me and frozen for a moment, his eyes on the small badge sewn into my collar. Most people these days overlooked the Huntsman emblem - the group had fallen out of the public eye some time ago. These days, only Huntsmen were aware of it. Huntsmen, and those who dealt with us in the past. There was no matching emblem on this man, which narrowed down the options considerably. So, he was a criminal then, one who had had a run in with a Huntsman in the past.

He was obviously putting on this show for me - though he was doing a good job in not looking at me too much. Still, it was too late for that, and he had my focus. I spent my time watching the rest of the bar - just because I had one possible lead on this child kidnapping ring didn't mean he was the only option. Hopefully, not being the full recipient of my attention would also put my first target at ease.

[Lilthis]

Disgusting. Abhorrent. Guilt. These were just a few of the words to describe her mood upon her latest discovery. To the core of her very being the repulsion of this evil act sickened her tremendously. Meanwhile a burning pyre of sheer hatred threatened to consume her wholly. And finally, there was the sense of guilt. Personal responsibility to right the wrongs that had happened to her once upon a time. Lilly felt it to be her duty to ensure what befell her did not leech the innocence of youth from some other poor soul. But what really weighed on her conscious was that these victims were even younger than she had been.

Now, to solve the problem created a host of new issues. When the lithe dark elf was captured it was due to her family’s name. Their honorable status and her brother’s selfish political aspirations. However, with the vanishing of these youths it appeared to be entirely random. No set patterns, no obvious motive, and no children that turned up later to identify what ill fate had befallen them.

That confounded Lilly. The elven innovator was always eager to take a break from her mystical studies to throw a wrench in the plans of the Alerian underground. Especially when it was this personal. Though to the vigilante’s disappointment she had no clue where to begin. Her sleuthing skills were anything but refined and uncovering plots, breaking up criminal organizations, these were not the same as manufacturing steam engines or assembling mechanical devices. Foolishly she had assumed that if she could uncover the scum’s hideout she may be able to persuade a band of mercenaries to bust the place up for the reward money.

One thing was certain. All of this contemplation had been a bit tiring. Not enough to sleep, but exactly enough to drink. She stepped into the crowded taproom on her left.

“Gin,” she issued to the barkeep, while placing a single coin on the edge of the bar.

The purveyor behind the bar grabbed a cheap bottom shelf gin, she was tight on funds and gin was her normal go-to budget drink. Releasing the cork caused the distinct sound she was so familiar with. Anticipation rose as he poured a bit of the clear liquid into a foggy, plain, glass and presented it with a nod of his head. Her gauntleted left hand reached out and brought the alcohol to thin lips as she took her initial sip.

As the bitter liquor descended down the woman’s throat she performed mental reassessment of her day. When the charcoal skinned girl first caught wind of the disappearances perpetrated by the criminal element of Alerar she was clueless as to how to stop it. Eventually though her research led her to the epicenter of the kidnappings, this very city. Sadly, her first day here had proven to be... disastrous. Wandering around aimlessly proved to be a poor way to solve crimes.

To cement her misfortune, there was no peace in this saloon. A very loud Alerian elf was getting drunk out of his mind. He paid no concern to the volume of his voice either. From her seat at the bar Lilthis narrowed her pale blues into a glare as his merriment continued. She had not even noticed the menacing Huntsman that was also casting a dirty look towards the louder elf.

[The Huntsman]

"I am cutting you off, lout. You've drunk more than your share of my booze tonight. You go ahead and get on out of here before I call my bruises in on you." The gruff, booming voice that came from the bartender hushed most of the chatter and babble in the bar, cutting through and across everything to the drunken 'engineer' who was demanding more ale.

There was a hush following his call for a few moments, before the loud man stood up with an intense scowl on his face. He shot his glare around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone who was looking at him - of whom, there were quite a few, as he had been made the impromptu center of attention. He turned on his heel and finally began stomping out, tossing scowls and imprecations over his shoulder as he left. The babble slowly resumed, filling up the air of the bar once more as people picked back up their conversations where they had been cut short by the brief confrontation.

"Girl. You put that man out of your head, and stay in here for a time. Fellow is an old crook, and apparently he's finally done something bad enough to draw the attention of a Huntsman. I didn't know there were any of their ilk left, but you leave the crooks to them when you see them." he jerked his head to one side, where there was. Heavily shrouded figure sitting in a corner. Silver eyes pierced the gloom from above a leather mask, covering the lower half of his face, and a shock of white hair crept from beneath a jagged hat. The 'Huntsman's' eyes were locked onto the fleeing figure of the boisterous man.

---------

Good. As the man looked around the room, glaring at everyone who was watching him after the bar keep yelled at him, he wasn't paying attention to me. I was carefully not watching him at first - lure him into thinking I had put him out of my mind as nothing more than a drunken idiot being thrown out of a bar. I only looked at him after he had started walking away, at which point he was making a spectacle of himself.

Watching him move, I could see the outline of a dagger and a pistol tucked into the back of his belt line. A rare combination even here in Alerar - flintlocks were still unusual, and having one wasn't for everyone. No, this man definitely had my attention, and I watched him sharply until he was leaving the doorway. I stood up smoothly, dropping a few coins on the table beside my untouched mug, and slowly strode out of the bar, twisting and limbering up my muscles and joints as I prepared myself for a short chase.

I knew he wouldn't get far, so I didn't bother drawing out the Saw-Spear. No, having seen both a dagger and pistol, he had moved up my target list. There was a chance that this little worm had an idea about why was happening to the children, and I would make sure he told me every single scrap of information he knew bout it. The saw-spear would end it too fast.

[Lilthis]

“An old crook you say?”

Her hushed voice questioned as her mind was awash with considerations. If this wretched drunk had been involved in the criminal element for a time and had some sort of bounty hunter pursuing him then maybe there was information to gain. Perhaps he had knowledge of the child snatching ring going on in this city. He had to.

Cocking her head back the remainder of the gin rushed down her throat. As the other two dark elves were walking out of the pub the inventive elf knew she’d need to be close behind. Although, that didn’t mean she was willing to let her drink go unfinished. A bit of liquid courage could prove useful if the bartender’s warning had merit behind it.

“I appreciate it. I’ll be running home now,” she insisted. If this ‘crook’ wasn’t involved in the kidnapping ring she would likely find herself back at this establishment later in the evening. Would be wise to stay on the owner’s good side.

Lilly was unsure exactly what a Huntsman was but they sounded like they hunted things. And this one in particular certainly looked menacing as he followed the criminal out the front door. Maybe she could convince this ‘Huntsman’ to help her? Or at the very least persuade him to allow the young elf to ask a few questions of his target. The slate skinned woman was not about to let this opportunity slip through her fingers.

Using both hands she pressed her snowy hair behind both ears and pulled her black hood over the top of her head. As she stepped through the threshold of the taproom her left hand pulled the lower section of her cloak up over mouth and nostril. She was following two drow, though it was unlikely she did not want to welcome the unnecessary risk of either of them identifying her as Lilthis Shadefell.

As the dark elf entered unto the cold of night she could see the two figures ahead of her proceeding at a slow pace. Sulking behind Lilly hoped to go unnoticed until the bounty hunter made his move. At which point she could try and step in. However, what if the predator was simply looking to kill his prey? That would not do at all.

Her pace quickened as she hoped to intercept the chase. Maybe if she could get between them it would delay any violence until after she could uncover the gang’s hideout. Though that could put her life at risk if she tri-

One foot after another was the usual method of travel. Unfortunately in her rush to catch up one of legs crossed with the other as the slender drow collided with the ground, loudly. The crash was intense enough to garner the attention of the fleeing criminal and as he turned to examine the collapsed young woman he almost certainly caught a glimpse of the Huntsman who was tailing him.

[The Huntsman]

I was sticking to the shadows as much as I could, trying to keep the drunkard for realizing he was being followed. Step by step I drew closer as he walked down the street and I could feel my legs and arms tensing up. Soon enough he would pass by an alley, and I would rush him them, seizing him and dragging him into the darkness. It would be easier to drag answers out of him of I didn't need to be concerned with normal people seeing and freaking out over the questioning process.

All of my plans went out the window though, when there was a sound of a fall, and a heavy, fleshy thud a a body hit the ground. The sound came from behind me just as I started to move out of a patch of shadows into the moonlight. Poor timing - because the drunkard turned around at that point, drawn by the noise. His eyes locked onto me for a brief moment, swinging past to look to the sound, before shooting back to me and going as wide as dinner plates. He stood there, frozen for a moment, before he turned and I could see his body tensing up, preparing to run. I cursed under my breath.

There was no more time to wait. If I didn't want this to become some dragged out chase, I had to act then and there. So I did. Between one breath and the next, I sprang forward, my feet making divots in the ground beneath me as I launched myself at the crook. He was still turning, his body twisting as he started to run, when I slammed into him, tackling him to the ground. We rolled and bounced, I'm s tangling together as we flew down the street propelled by the force of my lunge. When we finally stopped rolling, I was beneath him, and he slugged my jaw once, hard, trying to stun me before he fled. My head rocked back, bouncing off the pavement - but my hands locked onto him, fingers digging hard into his legs.

I had not grabbed someone like this in a while - and so I didn't even think to control the amount of force behind the grab. My fingers tore through cloth and flesh, driving into his leg muscles. The man let out a scream of pain as I threw him off of me, curling into a small ball as his hands frantically grabbed at the bloody gouges in his legs. I planted a foot on him, though I doubted he would be going anywhere any time soon, and looked back down the street.

A young drow woman was behind us, slowly rising at this point. I narrowed my eyes. She had come into the bar my target and I had been in, not long before the man had been thrown out. My head tilted to one side, then the other, as I examined the young woman. Was she working with the kidnappers? Alerting this man to try getting him away? A woman would make it easier for the kidnappers to lure children in. Or was she just an unfortunate extra? My hand drifted down to the handle of my Saw-Spear as I ignored the whimpering, blubbering sounds from the man beneath my foot.

[Lilthis]

Hearing the sound of a scuffle Lilly tried to raise herself up. The physical damage she suffered was minor, skinned knees underneath her darkly colored trousers and a minor scrape on her right wrist. However, her pride hurt a hell of a lot more.

As the youthful elf finally arose the hood draped over her head fell back, revealing long alabaster hair still neatly tucked behind pointed ears. Brushing off her knees she peered several paces forward where the girl could make out the spectre of a menacing hunter stood above his downed mark. A lump formed in Lilly’s throat as the inquisitive elf noticed that the hulking figure was glaring at her and reaching what she could only assume was a weapon. She gulped, and tried to contemplate her options as she stood under the luminescence of a crescent moon.

Should I turn around and run? Not sure that I can outrun this guy, he seems pretty athletic. Maybe I can head back into the bar, pretend I saw nothing. Though if I do that he could come back for me, right? Ugh, no, I’ve wasted enough time today. If he’s a man of the law he may listen if I am up front. Honesty could prove to get me what I want and gain his trust. Let’s just hope these ‘Huntsmen’ have some kind of moral compass.

“Uhh, good evening, sorry that I startled you,” the raven skinned elf called out as her small hand caressed the back of her neck, “see I guess I can be a bit clumsy and so um.” Nervous laughter followed as her hand dropped from her neck and began playing with a gear on her gauntlet.

Just blurt it out Lil, you’re acting stupid.

“I’m tracking a group of deviants that I believe are trafficking children, possibly as labor and I really want to question that guy you just dropped because I think he may have information pertaining to it, see, I have been traveling for a bit and this is about the closest I’ve come to finding their hideout so it would really be helpful... if you don’t mind... I mean, I understand if you do so you can just tell me if,” she froze mid run-on sentence and buried her face into both hands briefly before looking back up at the intimidating figure before her.

Too much blurting. Should really read a book on subtlety sometime.

Out the corner of her eye amidst moaning she could see the crumpled victim’s face go blue. It was obvious from his reaction that he knew something. After her embarrassing outburst the would-be detective just had to hope the powerful man before her would be willing to give her a few minutes to ask some questions of his prey. Or at the very least Lilly wished that this indomitable force before her wouldn’t try to harm her for disturbing his business.

[The Huntsman]

"Enough." Sweet Moon, this girl ran her mouth at a mile a minute, didn't she? I watched as she buried her face in her hands. She apparently knew that she was talking too much - I wonder how long it had been an issue for her? I snorted and looked down at the wretch that was pinned beneath my foot, who flicked his eyes between my impassive silver gaze and the girl who was holding her face and peering at him now, from around the edges of her gauntlet. Did he hope that I would take mercy on him because this girl was asking for questions from him? Hah. No one would save him, not from me. I shifted my foot off of the man, who immediately curled up and held onto his legs, tears of pain running down his face. I ignored him, turning my attention back to the girl. She had frozen when I spoke, and was staring at me from behind her hands with wide eyes.

"You have questions to ask of this scum?" I kicked him lightly, and he whimpered. "Well then, you happen to be in luck, girl." I knelt down and grabbed the man, and lifted him bodily from the ground. He quailed, and I shook him roughly. "But it seems you are in luck for more than just the fact that I am going to be questioning this worm and I am willing to let you listen in." I grinned evilly, and I saw the man pale. Oh yes, he knew what I was. "You see, I am on the track of a child kidnapping ring, and have been tracking it for some time, and they are operating somewhere in this city as a base." Yes, there was that satisfying loss of blood in his face as he realized that there was no escape for him. I turned my gaze to the girl.

"Which means, girl, that you and I have very similar interests and a desire to question this particular individual. Now, isn't that lucky?" I swung my eyes back to the man, who was staring at me. "Well, lucky for us, not for you. See, you made a very serious mistake. One that some might say, was suicidal." I slowly walked towards the girl, still holding the man well into the air. I turned him around slowly, manipulating him so that his face was pointed towards the young woman. "See, you didn't only get someone normal involved in this business, friend. You got a Huntsman involved. I know there aren't many of us left, but you know what that means, don't you?" The man nodded, his hair bobbing around his head. Whatever alcohol had been in his system had been burned out at this point, by a combination of fear and pain.

"Good, smart man. Now, why don't you let this young lady ask her questions? If your answers are sufficient, then I won't have to ask any." I was not going to say I'd let him go. That was not happening. Things had been uneasy of late, and the criminal element had been getting more and more active. Made me regret that Huntsmen had gone out of style - a good crackdown and a Hunt was just what was needed to push them back into the cesspits of ignomity where they belonged. But no - I'd not be letting this one go. He answered the questions, and I wouldn't have to torture more information out of him. He'd just have to hope that the young girl was thorough.

[Lilthis]

Breathing returned back to normalcy. The powerful Alerian was on her side, what a relief. Maybe he could clear out the kidnapping ring all on his own and save Lilly the trouble of finding a band of mercenaries willing to do it. It would save the vengeful elf both time and money. Plus, mercenary bands tended to be smelly and unreliable. This hunter before her looked like a professional, he barely smelled at all, and he was scary as hell. Fear was a necessary tool when dealing with scum, though the bashful woman had no skill for intimidation.

Directly before her a lump of a man was suspended mid-air by a powerful arm. The captive was bleeding profusely from his leg, staining his clothes crimson. The drunken drow was shaking, breathing heavy, sobbing. It was a sad sight to behold.

Staring into his sullen face the girl couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity for him, until she reminded herself what he had done. The suffering he inflicted upon the defenseless.

Coating her words in venom she spat, “what kind of animal preys on children?”

Whimpering persisted but that question went unanswered. The gauntleted detective did not expect an answer, but she needed to say that. Let this monster know what she thought of him.

“Where are you holding the kids you snatched up?” she inquired. Asking directly seemed to be the most prudent she assumed. The sooner their heinous operation was shut down the better.

Through whimpering and tears the prisoner plead, “y-you don’t know what you’re getting into... I can’t tell you where it is, I do and I’m good as dead... c’mon plea-,” interrupting him the Huntsman grasped at his bloody gash. Hard. The wretch screamed in agony before continuing, “alright, alright, they’re operating out of a factory’s warehouse. Near the corner of Fourth Street and Orbyn. Please don’t hurt me.”

A warehouse? Thin gloved fingers tapped her scrunched lips. Lots of empty space, likely several entrances, a bustling manufacturing site nearby would draw little suspicion from authorities.

Placing her hands on slender hips the dark skinned elf looked the pathetic being over before prying further, “and how many guards? Especially at this time of night.”

“I-I don’t know! I usually operate in the day and I don’t count our guards or anything... maybe seven or eight,” the coward stuttered out.

Lilly knew his account of how heavily guarded the operation was couldn’t be trusted. It would be remiss of her not to at least ask though. The real question was whether or not he was over exaggerating to discourage the pair or under estimating to screw with them. She wasn’t that good at reading people so it was just conjecture either way.

“I’m through with him,” she issued, uncertain if she had missed any important details. The naive sleuth inquired, “so you will let him go now? Doubt he could go warning his associates in his condition.”

[The Huntsman]

"One more question for you, worm." I lifted him up and way from the girl, bringing his head back to my face. I turned him so his ear was pointed at me as I spoke very clearly and slowly. "Who told you to start targeting children?" I didn't think the man had it in him to go any bleaker, but he did. Interesting reaction, that. He shook his head rapidly, and refused to say anything, even when I tightened my grip on his neck and began strangling him. Very, very interesting.

Whoever had prompted these crooks to go after children scared this criminal more than a Huntsman did. That took some doing, for those like this lout that recognized us. I knew I wouldn't be getting anything else out of the piece of excrement in my hands. The girl might have had a point, with her final request. He wouldn't be going to anyone got with his leg punctured and bleeding, not with as terrified of both me and this mysterious individual as he was. But - just because she had a point, did not mean that it was one that I agreed with.

No. This piece of trash had been preying on the people of Alerar for far too long. And he apparently knew enough to be involved with the kidnapping. I kept my eyes locked on his, and I knew what he saw in them. Silver fire, anger - and nothing of the mercy that the naive girl wanted to sho him. He closed his eyes, and I saw him take a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

"Game.. Had to end some day, eh, Hunter?" He looked up. I nodded slowly, and he opened his eyes to stare at me. Then with a feral, sudden grin, he grabbed for the dagger on his hip, tearing it from its sheath. It came up, flashing towards my side -

Crack! The sound was wet, sharp as it rang through the still night air. The blade froze before falling to the ground, the crook's arm going slack. I let him fall to the cobblestones, and he landed with a meaty thud, loose limbs sprawling about the stone of the street. I clapped my hands, dusting them off as I looked down at the man. His eyes had gone blank and vacant in death, and I knew it wouldn't be long before the foggy film covered them. I knelt down and closed his eyes.

There was a short, sharp exhalation - a scream, that had me twist my head up. Right. I had forgotten the girl was watching. Well... Too bad. She was staring at me with wide eyes as I picked up the dagger before standing up straight, tucking it into one of the many pockets on my coat.

"You don't have to come along, girl. You can let this matter lie, return to the bar and drink away what you've seen." My voice was calm and measured as I began running my hands across my gear, checking each of the throwing spikes that were strapped to my chest, then running along the Saw-Spear. I wanted to make sure that everything was in order before I went after them. And judging from her wide-eyed expression, this girl wasn't used to seeing death. Best, perhaps, to spare her from witnessing any more. Especially as I tended to be a bit... Bloody when I worked.

[Lilthis]

Breathing accelerated up to, “dear god I’m going to die,” levels as the elven girl watched the monstrosity kill his victim effortlessly. When the glance of his silvery eyes met Lilly she felt as if her heart may burst from within her chest. The crow skinned woman had never seen death before, aside from her own near-death experience in that foul mine. It was visceral, shallow, and cold.

As she was about to begin pleading for her life, insisting she saw nothing and the menacing drow should just let her leave, the Huntsman opened his mouth and recommended she return to the bar and indulge herself in alcoholic comfort. For a moment that idea seemed exhilarating. Run as far from this gruesome scene as her legs would carry her into the comfort of those less terrifying than the necksnapper in front of her.

But no, that was not an option. She needed to see this through. In order to recover from her own trauma she needed to know she played some part, however small, in carrying out vengeance against those who had harmed her.

“You... you didn’t have to kill him,” she said weakly. Her mind still attempting to process what had happened. While the young elf knew death would accompany this venture she had not expected to be so incredibly close to it.

Lilly’s pale blue irises scanned over the corpse at her feet. Scarlet began painting the rounded edges of cobblestone as blood continued to rush from the gash in the dead body’s leg. The chilling look on his empty face matched the temperature of the frigid night’s air. The dark elf brute seemed unaffected. The young tinkerer felt like vomiting.

She broke eye contact with the fallen crook and looked over the threatening man standing over his handiwork. The girl steeled herself, clenching her jaw. There was no debating it. She had to press on, she had to finish this foolishness she had started. Hopefully this dark hunter was capable enough to carry out the task before them.

“I’m going to accompany you,” the resolute girl protested after several seconds of silence, “someone has to make sure you aren’t indiscriminately murdering people.”