A New Beginning

[Daven Logarthu]

A lone man stepped from a small fishing boat onto the large wooden dock in the Radasanth harbor. The warm salty air stung his nostrils as he took a deep breath and released it again. One could not tell from his appearance, but he was a Salvarian and the warmth was a godsend. To those in the arctic wasteland, warmth was very difficult to come by. Fires and animal pelts were the best methods of keeping warm, but even then one was never truly warm.

His loud footsteps echoing off of the dock, the man headed toward town. His platinum hair fluttered in the brisk sea wind and his thin wool cloak wrapped awkwardly around the staff that was tied across his back. Under his arm he carried a rolled piece of parchment, tied by a piece of twine. The document was obviously of some importance to the man, for it was clutched rather tightly.

Stepping from the wooden dock onto dry land, he grasped the parchment in his hand and stretched his back. It felt good to be off of the rather small fishing vessel and back on land. Replacing the parchment back under his arm, he headed into town. He was instantly immersed in a sea of faces of all races. Elves bartering with other elves over wood, dwarves showing of their finest weapons and metals. Humans, acting in their normal dominant fashion, did their best to control the chaos. Even the occasional demon stood, large in stature and rather aloof from the rest of the chaos.

The man simply blended in, making his way through the bustling streets to his destination. A wooden sign hung from the front of the building which he entered, a fish drawn on the sign. The building smelled of fish, which made since because there were numerous fish laying in ice within the entire room. The parchment carrying man slowly made his way through the room.

"Ah, Mr. Logarthu. I see you have returned. Did you think over the things we last spoke about?" The one who was speaking was a man who was standing behind a large counter.

"Please, call me Daven. And yes, I have thought about those details. I've got a contract here that I believe you will agree with." Daven set the contract down on the counter, toward the fish merchant. He began to look over the parchment when a rippling scream echoed throught the room from outside. The vigilante was outside in a moment. Nothing appeared out of place, except for a young woman who was sobbing outside of a nearby alley. It seemed that today was going to be one of those days.

((Closed))

[Raseri]

What happened?

Checking himself, Raseri recognized the garments he wore, the fang necklace hanging around his neck, and the small pouch of coins slung to his belt.

Radasanth...

Raseri reminded himself to remain aware, eager to uncover anything that might ring a bell and show him his memory. Thwarted, for the boy awarded him with naught but a name, Raseri turned to roam the swarming city, sweeping his eyes across each structure. Since finding himself in a small side street simply an hour ago, Raseri had marveled at the magnitude of this magnificent metropolis. He had hardly seen such splendor and could not remember being in as bustling a place as this.

At least I don’t think I do.

The solid, stone street stretched far and wide, allowing a multitude of people to pass through comfortably but not so large as to lose oneself in. Buildings with their wooden signs hanging above the doorway lined the path, their inhabitants diligently pressing through the days’ toils. The main road was filled with a slow-moving crowd that ranged many different races, although Raseri recognized few. Smaller, less crowded alleyways branched off of the main road. Almost everyone appeared occupied in trade, noisily quarrelling over cost, with a small group struggling to organize the horde in the heat of the noon hour. The faint scent of fish reached Raseri’s nostrils, and distantly down the path, he observed a harbor and the water's edge. The wharf was swarming with vessels of every size and stature, ranging from the smaller fishing crafts to the larger ferries. The dark harbor water reflected the bright sun’s rays back upon the world. A light breeze fluttered across the surface, rippling the water’s surface. Gulls tossed and turned into the air, occasionally dipping down for a fish. Even though this place was so peaceful and relaxing, Raseri felt a gnawing sense that he did not belong.

“Ugh!” What the…

A hefty man pushed past him, growling a hasty apology. The man’s long, black, unkempt hair hung back onto his shoulders. The clothing he wore was unwashed and large, hanging from his shoulders like drapes above a window.

Hmm…He must be in a hurry.

Suddenly, he noticed that something was missing, for he felt a little lighter than just a moment ago. Then, he realized what it was; the small sack carrying his coinage was not hanging from his belt anymore. Raseri searched to ground, but the sack was nowhere to be found.

That man…

Raseri glanced toward the man’s direction, but he had already gone along with Raseri’s wealth. Sighing moodily and turning toward the harbor, Raseri continued wandering.

Maybe there are travelers there that might know me.

With all the bustling, he decided to head down the alleyway just for the quiet, spacious walkway it offered. He weaved his way through the city, haphazardly walking south toward the harbor. After an hour or so, knowing he was close for the air was now thick with the aroma of fish, Raseri’s stomach started to ache. He could not remember the last time he had eaten, but the scent of fish coupled with his stomach ache told him that it had been a while. Turning into yet another alley that lead to the harbor, Raseri suddenly collided with a man who seemed to be in a rush. After righting himself and wiping off some dirt on his shirt, Raseri turned to apologize to the man, but the man was already darting away. Black hair, dark trench coat-

That is the man I ran into earlier today! You won’t get away this time.

Launching off after the man, Raseri turned from the alley and raced after the man. Watching closely, Raseri saw the man turn into another alley down the street. Unfortunately, the crowd was too thick for Raseri to keep up with him, so when Raseri turned the corner into the alley, the man had vanished.

[Daven Logarthu]

The woman was weeping openly, clutching her arms tight around her body. She rocked slowly back and forth, unaware of the people around her. For the most part the people around were unaware of her as well. Those that did take heed of the weeping woman merely looked disdainfully upon her. A single soul took pity upon her and dropped to one knee at her side.

The platinum haired sorcerer smiled gently at the woman, rather reassuringly. He gazed upon her dirty yet gentle features. Her black hair was taut and full of knots, while her clothes were torn and stank of filth and sweat. Her face was smooth and beautiful, yet the dirt and tears that stained her white skin masked her true beauty. Daven reached one hand out to her.

"M'lady. Are you alright?" She nodded silently in response. "What happened?" The woman continued rocking and crying, as if trying to muster the strength to speak.

"A man. He stole my life savings," she began, slowing her breathing. "I was taking it to purchase a small house on the outskirts of town for my children and I. I have been saving for three years now, waiting until I had enough to provide shelter for my family. Then he came and stole it all from me, I was too weak to stop him."

"Did no one come to your aid? Did no one step out and stop the thief?" Daven demanded of her angrily. He forced himself to calm down, fearing to upset the woman more. He gently stroked her tangled hair.

"I am a beggar of the streets. These people look down upon me. To them I am as the dirt. No one pays me any mind. Unless I am in their way." Fury filled the man's eyes as he thought about the idiocy of the caste system in Corone. People filled the streets with nowhere to live and nothing to eat, and the people just ignored them. In Salvar, if there is one without shelter or food, the people take them in and give them food, then they put them to work to pay for it. The Corone system was just barbaric.

"Please, ma'am. Tell me what the man looked like."

"He had black hair and a long black coat. I could not see his face. Will you find him?" she asked with hope. Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she looked up at him. With a grim nod, Daven stood and headed off into the crowds. He had no idea how to find this man, but that would not stop him. He pushed his way through the people, knocking one man from his feet to the ground. He did not care, the man was one of the people that ignored the young mother.

Daven wondered through the streets, gazing through the crowds for anyone that matched the description the woman gave. He wandered through the streets and wound up in the higher class district when he heard someone shout, "Stop thief!" Daven turned down a nearby alley toward the voice, when he ran straight into another man. He muttered an apology before righting himself and taking off down the alley toward the shout.

[Raseri]

Damn, he got away. Next time, if there is a next time, the lousy thief won't be so lucky.

Raseri slowed down to absorb his environs, gasping for oxygen to replenish his spent supply. Walking leisurely out of the alleyway, he avoided an assembly of loud ladies ambling by. As opposed to the atmosphere of the area around the water, the beautiful buildings and luxuriantly clad people around him obviously took care in their manifestation. The vivid colors of the clothing were dazzling, making Raseri appear nothing more than a commoner. The landscape before him had changed significantly, creating slightly steep rock faces. These petite cliffs provided stunning views of the city, and the locale grew isolated, fairly calm. The clamorousness of community grew distant, and then vanished altogether. A breeze, softly flowing through the vegetation, filled the silence, cooling Raseri as he wandered still further. The unsullied air brought the sweet aroma of some nearby vibrant flowers, already beginning to close its petals for the approaching night. A whiff of cooked fish found his Raseri’s nostrils, creating hunger pangs.

What am I going to do for sustenance, I wonder.

The day was not yet spent, however, and the sweet scent of the cooked fish provided him with an idea. With no money, Raseri had to settle with the next best thing.

Fishing. I’ll just have to return to the waterfront.

Turning suddenly and with resolve, Raseri nearly knocked over a smaller man walking hurriedly around him. The disheveled man definitely did not belong in this scenic part of the city, and he smelled strangely of fi-

“Hey! You’re the man from earlier, the thief!” Raseri started toward the man. Without hesitation, the man threw his cloak at Raseri and bolted, dodging through the maze of startled people.

Another chase… Raseri sighed as he wound his way through the crowd, trying not to knock over those in his way.

“Stop thief!” Raseri roared, catching sight of unkempt man moving to an alley that lead back to the more disorderly districts. Unlike Raseri, the pickpocket knew his way around, especially through the alleyways and side streets. Adrenaline coursing through him, Raseri accelerated, determined not to lose the burglar.

[Daven Logarthu]

As the sorcerer emerged from the alleyway onto the main street, he was nearly run into by yet another man. He was running at a high rate of speed and matched the description the woman had given him. Seconds later a second man ran by, in close pursuit of the first man. Not hesitating a moment, Daven joined in the chase, his finely toned muscles rippling in tune with his running. He might have been older than the other two men, but he was in excellent shape. In Salvar, exercise was the only way to keep warm in the blistering cold.

The crowds thickened as they ran through town. Daven was cursing himself for leaving his weapons on the boat he had arrived on. Fortunately, he was not completely helpless. He caught up to the other pursuer and ran alongside him for a moment, before they came upon a fruit cart. He sidestepped to the left to avoid the cart and barreled directly into another man. Rolling quickly, he got back to his feet and continued the pursuit, the black-coated man still in his sights. The other man had disappeared from his sight though.

Radasanth has too many people... he thought to himself as he ran. He was quickly tiring of the chase, his lungs gasping for air as he sprinted. With a moments concentration, he summoned a ball of fire to his hand. The small flame hovered for a second before he released it at the thief and stopped his pursuit. The flame, however, did not. It accelerated quickly and impacted the man's coat. The blaze quickly spread, engulfing the man in flames. He dropped to the ground with a shout, rolling quickly to put out the fire. The smell of burning fabric wafted to Daven's nose and he smiled.

The vigilante rather deliberately found an incredibly slow pace to make his way to the thief. Once he stood over the thief, he summoned a second ball of flame to his hand. He also brought one foot to rest comfortably on the man's heaving chest. Leaning down on that knee to look down at the man, his arms crossed under his chest and the flame still hovering in his right palm.

"Well, now. I believe that you have something that does not belong to you. I would appreciate it if you gave it back." Cold steel pressed up against Daven's neck and he slowly stood and turned. A younger boy, dressed very similarly to the man at Daven's feet, stood before the sorcerer.

"But, sir," the boy said, mockingly, "what if he doesn't want to? Who's going to make him? You? Gonna be hard if you are dead."