Naivety and the Elements

[Massacre]

{Closed to Matt-o}


[Noon - The Hills Overlooking Anebrilith, Raiaera]

It was time for A'rei to conduct productive activities. Not only productive, but enough to gain respect amongst the members of her new family, the Audeamus. It was where she belonged as she had learned from Dan, her newfound master. She had traveled to Raiaera by land, trekking across the mountains from Alerar. She encountered no trouble surprisingly. She had finally gotten close to her destination though, the oldest city in Raiaera -- Anebrilith. From the few miles away she was, the city was of an epic scale to any she had ever seen. Even the trees homes of Dheathain hadn't been as impressive as the Elven architecture. She could tell even from afar that the city had been intricately built from the ground up, every stone placed carefully. It would be some minutes before she'd arrive closer to the monstrosity they called a city.


[Slightly Past Noon - Anebrilith, Raiaera]

As she approached the city entrance, the graceful bustling became apparent. The Elves were generally taller than A'rei as she walked down to cobblestone streets. They were graceful, gentle folk. Just the kind that are easy to kill, A'rei let out a visible smirk, so easy, just so easy... After being with Dan so long, the girl could only be so sane in her mind. Her new master was a crazed man, driven insane by the demon half of him. His hybrid body was powerful and had asserted itself plenty onto the girl by way of beatings. Now she was here to meet what would hopefully be a less aggressive but equally powerful member of her master's group.

A'rei glanced down at the letter she had been given by an agent of the Audeamus. The writing was scribbled quickly, obviously Dan's doing while he was busy with more important things than writing.



A'rei

Meet with Luc Kraus in Anebrilth, Raiaera. You will wait for him in an abandoned house near the docks, the address of which has been removed. It will be apparent to you which it is, and if it isn't I deeply regret trusting you to go by yourself.


Do not fail me in this, woman.

All right, down by the docks... A'rei set stride for the coast which was opposite the gate she had come, now she was heading east, the sun slightly behind her. The town was miles long until she would reach the docks. The girl gracefully weaved in between the Elves who were as equally lithe in their movements. The architecture was beautiful, intricacies were weaved throughout the buildings like the thread on a fine silk dress, simply beautiful. As the girl approached the docks though, some of houses became gross and caked with salt. They must have all been abandoned, the ones that were unkempt, the Elves were too nit-picky about their property and possessions to let that happen to their own homes.

Out of every abandoned looking house though, one stood out the most to A'rei. A small black leaf was painted onto the door, she recognized the symbol well, looking around, she proceeded to the steps cautiously. They creaked from age as she walked up them, dust lightly rising at each step the hit them. The door swung open easily as A'rei turned the knob. It was dark in the house, the windows covered with years of build up and grime. There was left over furniture from whoever had lived at the residence in the past, they were probably quickly removed and the home never taken by anyone else. It was a solemn scene, the white sheets covering the furniture had been unstirred for an eternity it seemed, along with the dust atop them.

She pulled them swiftly off, revealing rich and plush Elven furniture. All of the niceties in life were revealed under and the room seemed to brighten from the obscene amount of silver and gold that was uncovered. A'rei looked around to a plush chair and took a seat.

She would wait for this Luc Kraus.

[Cyrus the virus]

The wind was especially strong in the early evening, a fact that made Luc Kraus’ travel between Corone and Raiaera a breeze, so to speak. Windwalk had, as it always would, made him a gas that traveled at several hundred miles per hour. As he soared overhead, the mage could perceive his surroundings – though there was only water to behold.

Audeamus had provided for him a busy schedule, one which easily countered his old habits of studying ancient tomes for hours each day, and pissing away time at the bar. The group had given him a new sense of purpose, a meaning for his power and his abilities. It had made him smarter, more conniving and methodical. He thought more. In return, he would provide the Audeamus with something it could use, a vessel of greatness suitable for the principles – or lack thereof – that the organization upheld.

It was just a happy coincidence that he could use the opportunity to guide a youngling Audeamus agent through the process. With his mind craving more and more stimulation, stimulation that ancient scrolls had long ceased to give him, Luc wanted to teach once more. At the cost of some knowledge of archaic magics, the mage would resume the role of professor; though unlike his time at the Vara Moire University, Luc could now teach something he understood fully: selfishness.

Raiaera’s reaching mountains slipped under him as he came to pass the shore. Snow-tipped ridges provided a blanketing landscape that Luc altogether ignored. He was focused on Anebrilith, the old elven city, and a woman within named A’rei Ngoyu, one of Audeamus’ agents. She was supposed to be a beautiful thing, but Luc had not met her as of yet. Choosing which agent to string along for the ride had not been a difficult thing after he’d heard of her.

By the time a gaseous Luc arrived by the port of Anebrilith, night was just beginning to fall. He came into solid form by the docks, a half-dozen ships blocking the dwindling sunlight from across the sea. He gave them a quick glance, before turning toward a series of dilapidated, widely ignored buildings, the spires of Anebrilith’s tallest structures reaching high up beyond them. With cracked paint of blue, the nearby shacks and houses provided a slap in the face to anybody who held the elves in high regard. Luc, thankfully, did not.

He approached the appropriate building, bounding up the steps with a single, wind-assisted hop, the door blowing open at his command. He stepped inside, his small figure a silhouette in the doorway. In a seat by the far window was a figure so beautiful, so powerfully enchanting, that he had to take a sudden breath to catch his need to gasp.

As suddenly as her visage had struck him, Luc wiped away his shock and was himself once more. “Greetings, A’rei, I’m sure you know who I am” he said, approaching slowly toward her. He knelt down beside her chair, unable to tear his eyes from hers. Women would say that Luc’s eyes were his best feature, physically, but their beauty did not touch that of A’rei’s, whose eyes captured within them the very essence of everything Luc admired. Looking into them was like being lost in a hypnotic trance – Luc found he could not look away from her.

“We have time until night falls. Would you like a drink?” he asked, holding out his hand to summon a bottle of green liquid neither of them would have been able to identify. “Some food?” the bottle disappeared, replaced with a plate of meat and vegetables. As quickly as they had spawned in his hand, they faded away. “Anything you desire, you can have. In the meantime, have you had the chance to examine Anebrilith’s port? As you might not know, we’re here because I intend to pilfer a vessel for Audeamus. But that can wait for the morning. For now, we eat and discuss our plans.”

He stopped suddenly, aware that he’d been speaking very quickly. Trying to contain his anxiousness, Luc tried to remind himself of who he was and why he was in Anebrilith.

[Massacre]

[Slightly Past Noon - Anebrilith Docks, Raiaera]

A'rei sat for quite a while wondering where this high and mighty power of the Audeamus was. It worried her that he hadn't been there first, that perhaps she was in the wrong place, or perhaps she had been tricked. Dan would have her head if she had been tricked so easily. To try and ease her fears, she began to doze off, hopefully getting some rest before she had to deal with a cruel and sadistic man as her master was. She was restless though, nervous about what this man would be like, nervous about meeting him for the first time. At least meeting Dan hadn't been her own choice but a simple roll of the dice by the gods.

She decided instead to explore the house some more, the ungutted corpse of a house that it was. She found Elven finery everywhere she went, yet the outside was subject to the wear and tear of time. The girl couldn't stop wondering why whoever had lived here before simply covered their things and left. Either way, the rooms all shone with the beauty of Elven craft, their bedposts, chair legs, and table tops were all honed to perfection. It was impressive, to say the least. The girl quickly grew too anxious to meet this Luc though, she needed to calm down and simply sit. She went back to her chair after having uncovered nearly everything in the large Elven home and sat back down feeling the plushness of the chair relax her.

She finally dosed off...


[Evening - Anebrilith Docks, Raiaera]

The door flew open, A'rei flinched. He must have finally arrived, she could feel the violent energy the man asserted. It was quickly washed away as he walked into the room though. He seemed enthralled by the girl, chattering quickly and flashing various things in front of her. He was chattering quickly and nervously and suddenly just quit. What the hell, is this a joke? A'rei thought to herself, she spoke slowly, purposefully, "We can sit at the table, if you'd like to eat and discuss." The girl pointed lazily to the small round table she had uncovered. There were small candles and plenty of silverware set out, more than enough for the two of them. Whoever had previously lived here had lived in luxury. The girl rose from her chair gracefully and walked over to the table, beckoning Luc to come with her.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, glancing back at Luc, "So, what are we going to eat? Also, what vessel are we pilfering? There isn't much here to take that we can move on our own." The girl was shifting around, feeling uncomfortable around this man, he was locked onto her face endlessly, "Are you going to sit?"

[Cyrus the virus]

A’rei’s calm response and relaxed demeanor, whether they were true reflections of her thoughts or not, were sobering. They showed Luc how childish he must have seemed, falling over himself to entertain the beautiful woman with parlor tricks before they’d even discussed the business at hand.

She rose and moved past him, leaving the mage knelt down as she approached the dining table. He felt submissive then, even weak, but made no move to rise and assert his position as a full member of the Audeamus. She, though technically below him, held a command in her beauty that Luc had never before encountered. Unwilling to rise, Luc and his emerald eyes followed the swaying hips of the woman, before drifting up and down again.

But stand he did, after a time. When she sat and faced him, Luc wanted desperately to inspect the front of her body, surely just as delectable as her backside – but his eyes refused to move from her face. Framed with straight rows of raven-black hair, A’rei’s visage was one that promised more than just the joys of flesh. She would be a wild one, he knew, able to satisfy any primal urge a man had. Oh, how he wanted her.

Her final words snapped him from his trance. Before he could fall into it again, Luc bolstered his emotional defenses and sat down as quickly as he could. When he looked at her again, he looked through her face rather than at it.

“You eat, I talk,” he said, pointing a finger at the empty plate before A’rei. In a whirlwind of green light spawned a steak big enough to fill the plate, with a fully garnished potato and some green vegetables, steaming a buttery scent. By her side was a tall, thin glass, instantly filled with a bubbling crystal liquid as Luc pointed at it. For reasons he did not himself understand, it was not a drink summoned in order to tear down A’rei’s inhibitions, but one he thought she would genuinely enjoy. On his own plate he created the same meal, and conjured himself a glass of champagne as well.

“There are at least six boats in the harbor right now, but I haven’t bothered to inspect them. As for moving one back to Corone, it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with,” he said with a slight smile. “We need a ship that would accommodate all of Audeamus’ needs, and one that Daniel can’t break with his heavy, cumbersome self. So once we find one, we need to convince the crew to stick around, which won’t be an easy task.”

Luc took a moment to suck his teeth, thinking, staring down at his food. The potato rose, lifted by air, and he took a bite before it settled back down – the movement seemed altogether natural.

“I am persuasive enough. There’s even a spell in my repertoire that would enslave a single person. Perhaps if I can get to the captain of one of the ships, the one we want, I can use him to have the ship brought to where we want it to be. Then we may provide our own crew after we dispose of the elves.”

He looked at her again, nearly losing his entire thought process as he did. He was noticeably nervous, taking a sudden breath in through his nose and holding it. “I believe your… Physical characteristics could prove helpful in lowering the mental defenses of the captain of any ship we desire. From there you would need only call my name, and I would arrive to enslave him.”

Luc sat back, his glass floating to his open hand - the hand upon which the Audeamus ring for Wrath was. The liquid swirled as he beckoned it to stir, and he took a deep sip. It was more sweet than bitter. “Thoughts?”

[Massacre]

When the man across from her finally sat down, A'rei was glad. He didn't seem so chatty and suddenly became a bit more serious. The food that simply appeared in front of her was amazing. How he made it appear was a wonder, it was obviously magic, but how could it simply make food out of thin air, was the question on the girl's mind. He began speaking purposefully now, finally on with the plans. A'rei could hardly contain her excitement so she grabbed a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, cutting deep into the steak that lay in front of her. It was tender, the meat almost melted in her mouth as she bit down on it.

She looked at Luc while she chewed her food softly, stealing a boat would certainly not be easy. However with his ability to enslave it might be. A'rei's powers of getting down defenses was certainly up to par. Most men would melt under her deep gaze, but Luc's reaction had been unique. Most were only lustful and nothing else, a one night stand. Not the same interest that Luc had shown. He had to power to be showy and flashy, and the girl liked that, being with this man for the duration she would be would more than likely be enjoyable.

"I like your idea, but there's no guarantee all of the crew will follow their captain. Those elves look down on us humans." The girl swallowed down a sip of champagne, feeling the cool liquid pass over her throat, "Even the pretty ones. What I can do though, I will. I just fear that perhaps it won't be enough, then again, as a full member of the Audeamus," She glanced at the ring and paused, saying her words with a more casual tone, "you're probably powerful enough to enslave them, huh?"

Now she knew what they were there to do, to get a boat. How Luc was going to get the thing moving fast enough to outrun the other boats, A'rei had no clue. After taking another sip of the drink, she stabbed a vegetable that she had never seen before and ate it, tasting the salt that was evident. She was eating more quickly than she had realized and her food was almost gone. She pushed her plate a bit forward for it to only disappear which surprised her. She smiled at Luc and took another drink from her glass, setting it down carefully after it had become empty only for it to disappear as well.

"Where are we going now, then? I can't stand this place." A'rei asked as she shifted in her seat, looking at Luc in anticipation.

[Cyrus the virus]

The meat was moist and perfect, juices flowing across Luc’s tongue and cheeks as he bit into it. He was used to such elegant dinners, but something about A’rei’s presence made it more enjoyable. Perhaps it was nothing but the view, but Luc had never been attracted to the way a woman’s mouth moved when she spoke. That was something new – frighteningly so.

He placed his empty glass on the table when he’d finished it, a satisfied smack of his lips accompanying it. “Any elves who don’t follow the captain’s orders will die, I’ll make sure of it. I think we have ourselves a firm plan of action, so all we need to do now is pick a vessel.”

How could any being look down on you? he wondered to himself as A’rei spoke. The thought made him nervous, for he knew just how dangerous that line of thinking could be. All the same, he ignored it – something he was truly versed in doing. Unexpectedly, however, her challenge of his power evoked no feeling in him besides amusement. The fact that it didn’t make him feel the need to prove himself was strange, but again, he ignored it.

Her smile made his jaw drop, but it curled up into a smile as she suggested they leave. “All we have to do is choose a vessel suitable for our organization, that shouldn’t take very long. The evening is young, and Raiaera, though it is home to a plethora of insipid elven wretches, has some of the most beautiful architecture on Althanas. More than that, there are places of amusement and plenty of nighttime fun to be had.”

Considering for a moment, Luc rose and moved midway across the table, finding himself too frightened to approach any closer. “And there’s a view I would like to show you, as well. We’ve hours to spend, and money means nothing to a man such as myself. Come.”

Turning, Luc’s cape flapped purposely behind him, swayed by a sudden breeze that set it perfectly against his back. The door opened for him once more, and outside he saw that it was nearly dark. Even in this dilapidated edge of the port, tall stalks of black steel held globes of magical white light, presenting the way along the road to the inner city. It was a few minutes away, but Luc could already see hundreds of colored lights that undoubtedly hung from each roof, each sign, and each tree.

It might even be the Festival of Ages, now that I think of it, he thought. A remarkable opportunity for some fun and frolic.

Typically, Luc’s idea of fun and frolic would send chills down a man’s spine, but tonight he was focused on other things. One thing, namely, with enchanting eyes and a voice of persuasive fluidity. She had seduced him already, and they both knew it. If nothing else, the idea of being seduced by A’rei Ngoyu made the hair on Luc Kraus’ neck stand up.

[Massacre]

"Uh, okay." The girl spoke softly as Luc turned away to go out the door. A'rei quickly rose and followed the man, closing the door as she exited. Her steps were many as she kept up with the excited man, he seemed eager to bring her somewhere special. She could see the lights off in the distance. These elves seemed to use magic so nonchalantly, it made A'rei wish that she had been able to learn something so mystical and wondrous. Apparently Luc knew some and the girl wondered if she could learn from him, but she doubted she had the patience it took. He must have read and read more than is healthy.

The elves still weaved in and out of each other and the duo that now walked down the street. The girl happily trotted alongside Luc, he was truly different than Dan. While Dan and been cruel, sadistic, and a cannibal, this man appreciated good food and some measure of manners, though he didn't hold the door or pull out her chair. Both things she could deal with since she was used to beatings and Dan's horrible breath from eating the raw flesh and body parts of humans and various other things. The girl was still amazed by the time and effort that must have been put into the architecture that they were walking by. Every stone gleamed more perfectly as they neared the lights that the mage had seemed to be leading her to. I wonder where we're going... The girl looked at him and smiled faintly as she thought.

As they neared the plethora of colored lights A'rei could faintly here the sound of elven music and small cracks and pops, like small explosions. Suddenly, she heard a loud whistling noise and saw something faint go into the air. A few seconds later there was a loud crack and an explosion of color in the night sky. She had never seen something so magnificent in her life, it was simply an amazing array of colors that shot up after it. Vivid shades of blues, reds, yellows, and greens. There were different designs and shapes to the explosions in the air. They seemed to pose no threat though and were only a visual pleasure to be witnessed. The upbeat melodies of the elven music could be heard more clearly now, it made the girl smile and want to dance but she doubted that Luc would do such a thing.

As a member of the Audeamus there had to be limits to how far he was willing to go without being cruel and removed. Though he seemed to have wanted to initiate the fun evening. They had finally gotten within sight of the grand spectacle. There were elves everywhere, enjoying their good time. She saw a small group of wizards with their wands held toward the sky and witnessed as another round of the explosions launched from them into the air.

The duo was left standing, watching elves dance and explosions launch. A'rei looked to Luc and smiled.

"Dance with me, Luc."

[Cyrus the virus]

Anebrilith’s square, constructed and maintained by the most skilled elves of Raiaera, had been transformed. Often the meeting place for tourists and old friends alike, those ivory benches had long been used only to observe citizens and the old fountain, upon which the likeness of an elven maiden poured eternal water from a massive marble jug. During the Festival of Ages, a week-long celebration of Anebrilith’s history, that fountain’s water was turned to a rose-tint.

Those long stalks, which on a typical day shed white light upon the square, now glowed turquoise. Streams of multicolored ribbon dipped between the lamps, thousands of thin strands of ribbon dangling from each. A stage had been constructed, and six elves stood on it, playing several instruments and creating music Luc had never heard the likes of before, despite growing up in Raiaera.

Fireworks, as they were called, were a rare treat to him, though he had seen them before. Somehow, they seemed fresh and new, joyous even. Everything did, from the music to the vision of elves dancing in the square – it was all so unlike him, he realized, to be genuinely enjoying the environment. Rather than be scared of the revelation, he found himself getting lost in the moment.

A’rei tore him from it with a sudden suggestion – no, it was hardly a suggestion at all. Dancing was not something Luc had done much of, and he’d been sure he would never do it again. As he looked at A’rei, though, her lithe figure and the inviting, beautiful smile she had on her face, it occurred to Luc that he couldn’t help but do anything she asked of him.

He smiled, fearful, powerless to resist. Luc removed his Audeamus ring and tucked it into the pocket of his tunic, then slowly removed his gloves, putting them into his back pants pocket. The music was upbeat, but Luc made no move to dance to its rhythm. Instead he slid the fingers of one hand into A’rei’s, moving the other to the small of her back. She was warm, soft, immeasurably beautiful from so close. She even smelled divine.

The music felt too loud, the lights too hot. Luc struggled to keep his breath level as he began to move to a song neither of them could hear. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me, woman,” he said, “but I like it.”

He considered something for a moment, though his eyes never left A’rei’s. Then a playful smile presented itself. “Don’t be afraid of what I’m about to do,” he said, and suddenly they were gone from the square. With Luc mentally leading the way, the two Windwalking figures carried up higher into the air and due north.

In less than a minute, Luc and A’rei became solid again atop the replica of Velicë Arta, hundreds of feet in the air. Luc had A’rei firmly by her arm, but released her when it become clear she would not fall. Together, they could see hundreds of thousands of tiny lights, a dozen fireworks at once, and hear, faintly, many different songs coming from all around the city. He sat on the edge of the roof and beckoned A’rei to do the same.

“To think that one day this will all be ours,” he said dreamily. “I wasn’t sure until tonight, but I think this city will keep its festivals. I don’t care for the haughty elves, or for their ridiculous customs, but I can live with these celebrations.”

He reached into his pockets, replaced his gloves and the crimson Ring of Wrath. Finally he reached out his hands and summoned two bottles of scarlet liquid, already uncorked. One, he passed to A’rei.

Holding it up in a silent toast, Luc lifted the bottle to his lips and drank.

[Massacre]

Suddenly A'rei could feel the butterflies in her stomach, she was in the air. It must have made the drunken elves look up in wonder to see two humans simply flying into the air to be on top of the building. Looking down, and she sat on the ledge and taking the liquid from Luc's hand, the elves were only specks. Each tiny person was instead an ant, ready to be crushed under her foot. From high up the explosions of color amazed her even more, she was so close to them that she could now clearly hear just how loud of an explosion it was they gave off.

The girl raised her bottle as well and drank silently, gazing at the stars on what was now the horizon, not the sky. Each one was a speck like the elves that danced now, though they held still against the black canvas. It reminded her so much of the home she no longer missed, the way she'd sit out in the farm fields and gaze at the stars. Though she had been alone then, avoiding her abusing father, it wasn't so different. Instead she found herself under an abusive master, Dan, but he was a good trainer nonetheless. The girl had drank her whole bottle and not realized it, she gave a hiccup and dropped it by accident. After a few seconds it was lost in her sight, never to be found again. She secretly hoped she would hit an elf in the head and be able to laugh at a news headline.

"Oh, I didn't mean to drop the bottle, sorry!" A'rei blushed as she looked over at Luc. She quickly turned away, feeling different now. Whatever was in what the mage had given her made her feel tipsy, "Luc, Luc, are you as mean as Dan is? I sure hope not, I like nice people you know. That's what he told me my job would be. To act nice, I mean." The girl stopped, out of breath, and gave a hiccup, she kept rambling, "He said that because I'm attractive to other scum like me I would make a... a valuable asset..."

From whatever emotion the girl was feeling, or a blend of them, she began to sob and shake uncontrollably. Burying her hands into her face she said a few muffled words, "..m I.. just... ...asset?" The girl tried to compose herself but couldn't, it was her first time being drunk and with anything, the first time has the most effect. She looked up at Luc, her face streaming with tears, "Please don't hurt me like Dan, Luc, please..."

Without another moment of hesitation, A'rei slid over to Luc and buried herself in his torso, wrapping her arms around him sobbing more.

[Cyrus the virus]

Flashis, it was, and it tasted like cinnamon. It had long been Luc’s favorite, but he did his best to control how often he indulged. After all, too much of a good thing would ruin the flavor of it. This was a special occasion, though, a celebration of what was to come.

The change in A’rei shocked him, causing the mage to set aside his bottle and consider it. He’d been unaware of Dan’s unique relationship to the woman, and it was a revelation that made things complicated. As he saw the tears form in her eyes, Luc opened his arms and accepted her embrace. The feel of her skin was intoxicating.

He let her stay there for a moment, crying into his tunic. After her words had digested, he put his hands to her shoulders and gently moved her back. Though his gloves were on, Luc put a hand to each of her cheeks and looked into her eyes, tilting her face up slightly so that they could be level.

“I will never hurt you, darling, and anyone else who does will pay dearly for it. Stay close to me and I won’t let you be hurt anymore.”

He took a deep breath, running his hand up and down the back of A’rei’s head. “Let’s get some sleep. We need to rise with the sun if we’re to choose a ship. Just hold onto me as tightly as you can, and I’ll take us back.”

They rose together, A’rei struggling slightly to remain balanced. Luc took her in a hug, feeling her breath against his neck and her breasts against his chest. Her arms, smooth as silk but stronger than even his, wrapped around his shoulders. Then he stepped off of the roof, tilting horizontally in the sudden gust of air. As frightening a height as it was, Luc brought them lower to the ground as quickly, but gently, as he could, before taking them back to port and the home they would stay in.

To A’rei he gave the bed. The thought crossed his mind to see if she was willing to allow him it, too, but he left the room before he could succumb to the temptation. There was something about her, something that squeezed his heart and mind, claiming them in an iron grip. It was frightening and exciting all at once. All Luc needed to do was decide whether that excitement was worth the fear, worth the chance of it backfiring.

Luc went to the chair that the woman had been in when he’d arrived, sat in it, and marveled at the comfort. For a moment, and only a moment, he wrestled with the idea of sending Dan a Whisper. It was too soon yet, though, so he merely closed his eyes and tried to sleep – though in the darkness behind his eyes, A’rei’s face would not leave him.

[Massacre]

They had gotten back to the house safely enough and A'rei was glad for that. The embrace of Luc had comforted her well and she had stopped sobbing. The moment he left the room however, she began to cry. She cried over many things. Her entire past had been nothing but hell, an abusive father, being traded and used by men as a toy, becoming a slave trader, then there was the Draconians and Dan. There had been almost nothing good about any of it and she hoped for a better future. Maybe, just maybe this man could provide that for her but that was something better left for the gods themselves to decide. Instead she turned over and went to sleep, hoping the morning would bring something better.


~*~

When A'rei awoke, she felt hardly refreshed at all, her night hadn't been something she remembered well after drinking the spicy liquor that Luc had gave her. She remembered the feelings, vaguely, and the feeling of butterflies in her stomach from being in the air. Not much else was completely clear to her though. She was glad that Luc hadn't been in the room with her the previous night, though, she could feel the remainder of tears lining the outside of her cheeks. She wiped what she could off and got out of the bed, putting on her boots that Luc had kindly helped her take off in her haze.

Getting up, the girl walked over to the door, twisting the knob gently to find that Luc was fast asleep in the chair she had waited for him so long in. Instead, she thought it would be a better idea to go outside and have a look at the harbor and these boats she had heard of more carefully than simply walking by them.

She walked to the door and opened it up to find the morning sun greet her warmly, it was time for ship inspection. Hopefully she would see some of the crew and get a head start on what she was supposed to be doing. If she could charm the crew, the captain would be powerless to resist her, greed and lust would work their ways through. She turned towards the ships to the north to see what she could find. There seemed to be a few ships, in fact, exactly six as Luc had mentioned to her. It seemed that two of them were from Corone with human crew and captains on each. That could be to their advantage, if there was a human crew it would be easier for A'rei to use her beauty, though the sailors were more rough.

She quickly turned, forgetting all the sailors who were now staring at her, and stormed back into the house. She walked straight to Luc and shook him to make sure he was awake, "Luc, there are humans here that we can trick. They're much less wary of humans than elves. We'll play like we're wanting a ride to Corone, or... I am, and then it will be easy from there!"

A'rei was satisfied with the plan she had come up with, now she waited for Luc's response.

[Cyrus the virus]

Luc’s awakening would have been unpleasant, aggravating even, had his first sight not been A’rei’s face. She was talking quickly, but not enough that he didn’t catch the gist of what she was saying.

Rather than respond right away, Luc rose from the chair and rubbed his eyes, groaning away his sleepiness. It was early, though not as early as he’d wanted. Without a word, he walked past A’rei and to the door, peering out around the frame to take as much inventory of the harbor as he could. She was right – even from this distance, he could see that two of the ships were Radasanth-based, simply by the insignia on their sails.

One in particular impressed him. Large enough to carry at least three-hundred passengers, he guessed, it boasted Liviol wood from the Red Forest of Raiaera, stained red from the effect imposed by the Red Witch. Large sails of bone-white presented the insignia of Radasanth’s port guild, one of them anyway.

It seemed perfect. Seeing it brought Luc out of his sleepy haze and he called A’rei over.

“That’s the one we want,” he said, pointing ravenously at the vessel. “It’s perfect.”

He pulled back into the home, taking A’rei by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. “You know what you need to do. Do not let this strengthen your belief that you are only an asset, because you’re more than that. When things get heated, call my name. Not too loud, mind you, because I’ll be close. Closer than you think.”

He took a moment to think, then, absently squeezing A’rei’s shoulders with his gloved hands. “I don’t know how quickly you think you can accomplish this, but give me four hours. By then I’ll be there, ready.”

[Massacre]

The vessel was indeed, quite perfect. The tall sails, the red wood. It was all well built and this was a chance to get a strike at Corone, something that would indirectly benefit the Audeamus. Dan would be pleased. The girl looked over at Luc, wondering if it would be appropriate to kiss the man before she left. It certainly wouldn't hurt them, not yet anyways, but if Dan found out there would be trouble. She decided it would be best to avoid any confrontation with her master and this member of the Audeamus. Looking over at Luc, she spoke, "You know, I've been looking forward to this, though I don't like the possibility of these sailor's actually getting what they want. I'm trusting you with an awful lot here, Luc." With that, the girl turned her body and grasped Luc, quickly letting go and walking out the door without another word.

She glanced over her shoulder, letting her hair flap to the side and kept walking towards the boat that she was supposed to get them now. Everything depended on her, if the captain wasn't seduced, she didn't know the extent of Luc's ability to enslave him. She continued her stride down the elven street, stopping only after reaching the dock that led to the boat. A sailor took a break from his work and looked at A'rei, he spoke loudly, "What can I do for 'ou, lassie?"

"Please, please, I need to get to Corone and away from these elves, please. I got harassed at a pub and these drunk elves have no idea where I am, but they're looking for me. Please take me to your captain!" A'rei began to make herself tear. It was amateur acting at best, but it seemed to pay off.

"A'right lassie, calm right down, I'm sure 'e won't have a problem with ye' stayin' on the boat to Corone. Come 'ith me." The sailor beckoned the girl down the dock toward the ramp leading to the ship, they began to walk up, the sailor's all had a lustful look in their eye as they saw A'rei's gentle curves pass them. She was lead straight to the captain's quarters, who seemed annoyed at the entrance until he saw A'rei.

"Well now, what is this here?" The captain was dressed elegantly, obviously thinking he was superior to his crew of thirty or so.

"Please captain," A'rei walked to his desk filled with maps, compasses and various trinkets, "I need to get out of Raiaera, I'm a citizen of Corone, please help me!"

"Calm down, my girl. I'll take you, please, relax here while Leo gets you some food." The man who led her walked out quickly, he must have been Leo, "Let me introduce myself, I am Captain Niek Ranuaq of the White Mantle."

A'rei took a seat, "Oh thank you so much, I was so scared." The girl made sure the hysteria was evident in her voice. She took a seat in a chair and looked into the captains eyes, her own almost tearing.

"Listen here my girl, I'll bring you to Corone for free, no troubles." The captain took a bite out of an apple he had, "Just sit here and talk with me, I'll see to it that none of the crew will want to, shall we say, harm you in any way."

"Oh thank you, thank you so much!"

[Cyrus the virus]

A’rei’s hug set him at ease for a moment, the silky smoothness of her arms framing his face. She left as suddenly as she had hugged him, leaving Luc wanting more, staring at the door with expressionless eyes.

After a moment, he sighed, moving back to the plush leather chair. He sank into it, burying his face into the scales of his gloves. What was he getting himself into? He’d been bewitched, seduced so completely that he was willing to go against Dan, his ally and comrade. They’d had differences over the years, but between them there was always a mutual understanding of one another. The mage was stepping across a boundary made of fire, and an inferno could erupt at any moment.

Eventually he stood, mildly frustrated but feeling better. He felt bad for keeping it from A’rei, but there was another reason he was in Anebrilith.

The ancient city looked mild in the daytime, neutered from the state it’d been in the night before. Luc Kraus walked along the same road toward the town square, sobered compared to how enchanted he had felt only hours earlier. Despite the intensity of the festival, the streets were clean, completely void of trash. Elves valued the clean state of their city, something Luc admired. If he could make the city his, perhaps he could reform the generations-old customs of the elves to make them more humble. That alone would create a less irritating place to live, he thought.

After passing through the square, Luc crossed an ivory bridge that led to a residential area. Houses of stone, crystal and marble lined the sides of the road, several branches of cobblestone splitting off to provide alternate routes. The mage stuck to the main one, turning left only when he was approaching the end of the walkway. Eventually he came to his own, or rather, the one he’d lived in until twenty years ago. It looked exactly as it did the day he left it, fitting seamlessly in with the surrounding homes. The only distinct feature was a back yard bigger than the others, with a single pine tree in it. It had grown a remarkable amount.

He approached the door and knocked hard, impatience settling quickly in him. The response came quick, as an elven male who looked no more than thirty opened the door – Luc didn’t assume he was any younger than a hundred.

“I used to live here, twenty years ago,” he said as amicably as he could. “I was hoping to find my foster parents here, but it looks like they’ve moved on in life. Mind if I come in and take a look around?”

Without an answer, the elf closed the door and Luc heard it lock. The mage sucked his teeth, trying to contain his anger. It didn’t work.

The door tore off its hinges, buckling under the force of wind that pushed it, and the metal manipulation Luc was using on the hinges themselves. The portal flew just past the elf, who had moved slightly aside, and crashed hard into the far wall, shattering a mirror and several glass ornaments. The male turned quickly, but Luc’s hand was already extended, sending a flurry of wind blades into the humanoid. In seconds, he was down, a hundred slivers ripped into his flesh.

Luc moved past the bloodied elf and through the front rooms, a porchway and a hall, then climbed a flight of Liviol stairs that led to where his room used to be. The doorway burst open at his command, and he entered to find the chamber empty. His emerald eyes scanned the room slowly, notably the floor, trying to find the specific plank of wood that he’d etched a mark into.

He went to his knees and found the specific plank, jostled it with a few light punches, and lifted it up to reveal a small box below. A grin spread on his face – he only remembered one thing that was inside, a scroll with a spell inscribed on it that he’d been unable to learn as a child. Opening the box, he took the scroll, tied up with a black ribbon, and a single envelope. Not willing to read the contents of either just then, Luc tucked them away in a pocket in his cape, then replaced the box and plank of wood.

It had taken him an hour, so a little under three remained before he needed to get to A’rei. Fortunately enough, he had one final reason for coming to Anebrilith.

[Massacre]

It had been a long time talking, she was running out of stories to make up now. Nearly three hours had passed and it was time to play on the greed and lust all men possessed. This filthy rat would fall right into her trap, he couldn't help it, he was only a scumbag after all. Her skills would be put to the test now, reading the signs on his face would be easy. She could already see the lust in the way he spoke, the way his eyes shifted and glimmered the the sight of her breasts, the very thoughts he had were easily readable. There was one thing on the man's mind -- her.

A'rei's thoughts wandered back and forth, from everything that had happened under Dan's supervision, to now, and Luc's gentleness toward her that she adored. The captain was the least of her worries at the moment, she wondered what Luc was doing instead, hoping he wasn't causing any trouble that would lead them both into getting caught. The girl felt light and had butterflies in her stomach, like when she had flown with Luc atop the large building where they drank together the night before.

"...end of the story." The captain was staring into A'rei's emerald eyes, "Hey, are you all right?"

"Oh, sorry, yes," the girl took a deliberate pause, "I was just thinking..."

"About what, my dear?" The man leaned onto his desk as he asked.

The girl had to tear up one last time before she could make sure that the man was hooked for good. One slowly welled up and began to run down her face, "My... my dead husband." She began the episode, burying her face into her hands and sobbing endlessly. The captain got up and gently pulled her hands away from her face, using a hankerchief to wipe away the salty tears.

"Now, now my dear, we all lose in life." The captain guided her up gently by the shoulders, "Now you just take a rest in my bed, here, and sleep."

Too easy. The girl smirked in her head, "Please... please stay with me."

The captain spoke quickly after that, "Okay, my girl, I'd be uh, happy too." The man let out a grin.

As A'rei settled in, the captain lay down beside her, and wrapped his arm around the girl. The Scara Braen made the mistake of actually falling asleep, however...


~*~

She awoke facing upward, not the way she had fallen asleep. Her wrists and ankles hurt and she could see three figures standing over her, only silhouettes. They were all obviously men, one seemed like the figure of the captain, that one spoke, "Hello there, my dear."

The other two men looked at eachother, her eyes had adjusted now, there were two sailors and the captain. She knew what they were trying to do, her legs were tied as well as her arms, she had no chance to escape. There was only one thing she could do, "Lu--" Suddenly, her mouth was muffled with a dirty rag. The captain got over her on his hands and knees, almost slobbering like the filthy dog he was, A'rei worked on getting a wrist free, she wiggled it slowly. As the twine that had been used to tie her down loosened, the captain took notice. He tried to quickly repair her work but it was too late, the girl clasped the man's face, digging into the soft flesh of his scraggly cheek and making him bleed. She quickly ripped the rag out of her mouth and screamed, "Luc!"

[Cyrus the virus]

Not wanting to use a Windwalk spell to accomplish the task, Luc walked all the way across the city in order to reach an old Citadel. An old building that housed a museum-type atmosphere within, the structure was impressive, though it paled in comparison to the Citadel Luc had spent so many days in, fighting all comers. Gaining entrance was easy, for it was open to the public.

Inside, warm candles provided light from the walls, augmented by magic to be brighter than usual. An entranceway, circular in construction and holding a black desk as reception, presented to him a dim hallway that led to the inner area. The receptionist, an elven female with thin-rimmed glassed and a firm, stereotypical grimace, looked up from a book to regard him. Not bothering to speak, she pointed to a small sign on her desk which read, in several languages, that the price of entry was three gold pieces.

Irritated but not horribly so, Luc paid the fee and entered, walking briskly along the narrow path that led inside. Eventually it brought him to another circular chamber, though this one was massive, with multiple levels – balcony layers, accessible by staircases – that held bookshelves, glass cases and long parchments detailing what each display was. There was not a single other person inside, as far as the mage could tell. It would make his hunt all the more easy.

The museum was large about the base of the chamber, each rise in level presenting a smaller surface area to explore. There were many floors, however, so it was a painstaking process for Luc to look through each bookcase and every display.

Finally he found it, a parchment held delicately within the walls of a class cube, stretched open by golden clasps. It was a healing spell, one he (and evidently, the elven people of Anebrilith) deemed very valuable. Enacting his Ghost spell, Luc dipped his hand through the glass, unfastened the clasps, and pulled the scroll carefully out. Thankfully, no alarm sounded, and he was undetected. He delicately rolled the scroll up and tucked it into his cape pocket.

It was nearly time, he thought. A’rei would soon be calling on him, from a position she was bravely putting herself in for Audeamus’ benefit. Her courage put a slight smile on his face, and he used Windwalk to carry himself out of the museum without ever seeing the receptionist again. Surely she’d know it was him who took the scroll, but Luc wasn’t planning on staying in Anebrilith for more than another two hours.

He soared through the air, seeing the city with invisible eyes. Like an experienced pilot he directed himself toward the port, noting the position of the sun as he did so. He was there on time, but something didn’t feel right. Swooping in on the vessel, Luc brought his windy form to the door of the captain’s cabin, listening closely. Maintaining his stationary position and remaining as wind were difficult feats, but he managed them through intense concentration.

Luc waited some time before A’rei called his name. She sounded desperate indeed, so he swept under the door and materialized in the captain’s quarters. What he saw made his ring, the ring of wrath, glow red-hot.

A’rei was in a position that stripped her of her dignity, strapped down upon a filthy bed with three men hunkered over her. Luc could feel the heat of their lust even from across the room, where he observed, for but a moment, what was happening. The captain was the one he needed to Enslave, that he knew, but midway through speaking the words of the spell, Luc’s teeth clenched and his eyes caught fire. He instead swept his hands across the air, creating a violent wind that lifted the three of them and hurled them carelessly into the wall. Wood splintered and cracked as all three of the men were ripped away from the bed.

Seething, Luc summoned another gust to pull them up and into the ceiling, sending shards of wood falling to the floor. A third current threw them toward his feet, where the three men lay groaning, struggling to rise.

He looked at A’rei and summoned blades of wind to sever her bonds, but that was all he concerned himself with at the time. He threw his hands out to either side of his body, blowing each of the captain’s accomplices into the walls of the room with enough force that their bodies were shattered.

Something in the back of Luc’s mind told him he couldn’t kill the captain, but his body was already going through the motions. A blast of wind pulled the captain down as he tried to rise, pressing the fool’s back against the wooden floor with enough power that Luc could hear the wood cracking. With him incapacitated, Luc used the Slykrit Blade to make a fireball in his hand, which he promptly stuffed into the chubby face of the man held below him. The captain tried to scream, but Luc’s hand covered his mouth. The mage made the fire roar and tear at the human’s face until he stopped struggling. Only then did Luc rise and consider what had happened.

“Are you alright?” he asked after a moment.

Before he could do anything more, a rap at the door caught his attention. “Cap’n!” cried somebody from beyond the portal, “It’s loud ‘n thar, everythin’ alright?”

Luc groaned, quickly drawing a red wand from the back of his belt. He looked at the captain, whose face was blackened and burned to a crisp, and tried his best to imagine what the man had looked like when he was alive. With the image in mind, Luc pointed the wand at himself and was transformed into that image.

He looked to A’rei quickly, a look of concern on his new face, and opened the door just a crack.

“I’m busy,” he sneered. His voice was no different than it had been a moment before, a detail he realized quickly. In his best attempt to make his voice deeper, more rugged, he continued. “The lady’s ‘n here relaxin’. Take off fer Radasanth as quickly ya can.”

The sailor was clearly in disbelief, but this was the captain standing in front of him. He looked thinner, and as if he’d shaved a few moments earlier, but it was the captain alright. The sailor nodded and headed off to begin the preparations to leave, and Luc closed the door.

“I’m sorry I was not here earlier,” he said after a moment, keeping his back to A’rei. His disguise dissolved at his command, and he replaced the wand. “It seems our plans have changed a bit, but we should have no problems. Do you need anything, anything at all?”