How To Hire A Villain

[Stare]

contains some mature language.

With the thick scent of death and decay in the air, Stare strode though the kingdom of destruction. Her clawed feet clacked against broken stone and charred metal and soft grey ash spiralled around like rain. The remains of furniture and structure could be seen - from the truncated half of a table to the shattered remains of heavy-duty machinery. Machinery expensively bought and installed from the newest Aleraran engineers. This broken world lay around her as the aftermath of a great sorrow, blasting out in concentric circles like the rings of a tree. And at the epicentre of this mighty horror lay the remnants of the small incendary firework that had started this all - the mixture of saltpeter, sulphur and charcoal.

Shit, was her thoughts.

Seeing a small collection of ashy snow fall on her shoulder she swept up a hand to wipe the flakes away. The deep grey colour streaked across her black feathers like chalk on a slate, rubbing into the organic material with haste. Huffing through the high nostrils on her beak she darkly grumbled to herself, looking up again at the empire of smouldering terror that surrounded her, and she knew that there was only one man who could have done this.

Thesus Heysan. A merchant who had troubled Stare and her employer ever since he had cheated them out of payment ... then tried to kill them.

I see, came a quiet voice from in her head, and she knew he had been watching this entire time.

Him, Vitruvion Ellsmith, noble of Beinost and owner of this once mighty working mill and warehouse.

Also, he was a god, but very few people knew that.

Slowly Stare blinked, coming to a stop in her pacing. She turned, moving to peer now at the edge of the destruction where groups of people were standing and staring. Most of them were the remnants of the survivors - those who had been chased out by the desecrators before they set off the explosion.

Head back now, he ordered, with a sigh in his voice, Organise for the survivors to come directly to the Guard House.

Kicking at a small upended wall, all rubble and soot, Stare took a last moment to mourn this place. Then, with a ruffle of her feathers and a clack of her huge beak that took up the majority of her face, she twisted back to the people and made her way out of the wreckage.

As she strode forth questions silence fell. She was a kenky - the bipedal form of a crow, all black feathers and avian features - and thus a rare sight even in the grand scheme of the continent. Even rarer was it that she was the steward of these people's employer, tasked after six months of being his plaything and personal experiment to run the administrative side of his thirteen projects.

One of which was now lying in ruins.

Her eyes drifted around those who had made it out. Some who comforted the ones who had had it worse. Apparently they had been held up in there as hostages for over half a day before the final explosion had been set off. Some had been raped in that time - and not just women, but children and men the same. Some of them had been forced to stay behind - including the Manager, a one Bergen Holt, who had been a proud elf and a kind boss.A great man, now dead. He, along with other randomly chosen individuals, were now declared missing and likely dead, their charred remains very likely somewhere under wood and brick and ash.

Quietly she made her way to one of those who seemed to be organising things. Speaking in a low voice she told him of Vitruvion's plans, to have everyone taken to the Guard House - a once grand and now discarded pub that served as a base of operations on the outskirts of the city. In one of the more unpopular areas, where the proudest would never deign to go.

"There will be medical supplies there," she murmured to him, a tall Raiaeran with raggedy brown locks, "And safety at least for a time."

The man thanked her and smiled briefly to begin talking to his close friends, before sending them out to the general people. When this warehouse and cotton mill were rebuilt Stare was sure he would be a good and popular choice for the new manager. This day would perhaps change his life. Lucky him for having her chosen him.

And you, Vitruvion said, and Stare could simply hear the pain at the edge of his voice. The agony of loss, that only she and a rare few others seemed to glimpse in the strong-willed noble. She imagined him in his study at his mansion, standing at the window. His long white hair would be pulled back into a ponytail, and his eyes half closed as he focused on her. I want you to head into the city, Stare.

I want you to head into the main pubs and brothels and all the other places you might find a villain. Find someone new to this city, rare and unknown. Someone who is not you, or I. Find out when Thesus Heysan was last seen, and send this villain to him, to end him, to make him pay for what he did here.

We will end this. Now.

[Nosdyn]

One in their midst was an instrument of change and of utter violence and rage.

This one, a Demon of Haidia, currently found himself in Raiaera. The domain of Elves. Remaining calm was oft difficult for him...especially in the plain view of the enemy. For Demons like he, The Demon War's loss of ages past was still a painful memory. Nosdyn wore a scary mask those days to hide his face away from the masses. The mask did not have any Haidian markings, but his panic aura did. People oft felt uncomfortable around the burly Demon, oft to the point of outright hysterical fear. Nosdyn preferred things that way...it made things easier.

There were criminal elements in the world that associated with those like he...knowing full well what he was.

Only thrill seekers and those with a death wish usually approached The Haidian. Despite that, Nosdyn sat in one of the many pubs in the Elven city. Planning, thinking and getting ready to make his next move. His table was empty but he sat there drinking a strong ale. Purchased with dishonest coin but bought so that it could calm his troubled mind for a long moment. Of his house of Demons...only a few remained now and they had grown politically weak. Which was why Nosdyn was sent away from Haidia and left to his own vices. Nosdyn oft thought of the battlefields back home...things were simpler there. One followed the iron fist of the battalion they were a part of.

There was an Overlord named Zieg. He was mighty and proud. Nosdyn and many others admired their leader and wished to accomplished what Zieg had accomplished. Nosdyn observed the crowd. There were exotic dancers of all sorts...all genders. Some were attractive to the proud Demon's eyes but he would only consider mating with a Demoness and their ilk. There was a live band playing varying instruments in the pub, playing upbeat music. He hated the sounds but got used to it after several hours of the repeated songs. Nosdyn took a pull of the drink in his goblet and placed it gently on his table. He had not yet eaten anything...but would before the night was out.

For it was also rare to see Haidians up and about in that day and age...playing at being a daft Adventurer folks.

Nosdyn was a large framed individual his muscle sinewy and bulky.

He was deep in thought when one of the dancers carelessly danced up to his table.

"Would mi'lord like some company?" She was a pale skinned Elf. Mid thirties, and had long, blue flowing hair. She was handsome as far as Elves went...and in good physical shape. The question lingered in the air for a moment.

Nosdyn blinked for a moment and looked at the woman. "'Tis a free place after all. If you wish to have seat you may do so."

She nodded and grabbed a chair next to the Haidian. She moved the chair so she was right next to him.

Nosyn looked at her for a moment. "You are very brave to want to get so close."

"I know what you are..." She suddenly said and whispered something into his ear...

[Stare]

Somewhere, over in a grand mansion in Beinost's beating heart, in the governmental heart of the city, a man stood by the window. He had long, flowing platinum blonde hair, great blue eyes and a handsome physique. Dressed in the finest silk shirt and breeches, complete with brocade patterning, he waited, seemingly watching the bullseye straight driveway to the gates of the small estate. But what he was actually doing was something else entirely. His eyes were unfocused, after all, and seemed to be watching a part of the horizon that belonged to a another dimension.

Which was not far from the truth.

Because this man was Vitrutvion, also known as Sir Ellsmith of Farrier Heights: noble, master of thirteen less-than-legal projects, and physical-form trapped god. Invested in his mind he was focused, reaching through the metal of a small ring on his third finger of his left hand towards another piece of metal, bound around a wrist. The wrist of a focused kenku who was right now striding into the fifth pub.

Stare marched straight to the bar this time, ignoring all of the odd looks and raised brows. Most of the people here had never seen an animalistic humanoid, let alone a kenku. If they knew anything of Beinost city also they might realise that this kenku was the steward of one of the grandest noble houses in it.

So far the pubs she had been to had been no use. Even though she had sought out the grimiest, most notorious places possible, Stare had seen not been able to find the best of the villains. Thieves, lockpicks and slavers were there aplenty, but no fixers, no artists. All of them so far seem the part-time sort, those who spoke big but achieved little. They were clumsy, foolish, more interested in her than anything.

That, or Vitruvion, inside her head, dismissed them.

No, no, no, he kept saying, watching through her eyes as he stood there at the window.

Hopefully this public house, finally, would have something worth the massive amounts of money that would be on offer.

Straight to the bar she went and slammed a clawed hand on the scarred wooden bar. Her black eyes focused through the dim light, the dusk and the muttering other customers. She tried her best to ignore the current glares and stares, not willing to attract more attention than using the magic her own eyes offered. Instead she waited for the wirey-haired barman to finish dealing with another, and when he finally came she blinked twice. She did not smile - for she could not, and waited for initial shock of the sight of her beaked and feathered form to die down. Then she focused on him and asked:

"Beer, please."

The barman looked at her a while and shrugged, reaching over with a greasy hand to a greasier tap. Grabbing a glass that was clearly dirty he did nothing to clean it, and filled it up with some sickening, frothy liquid. Slamming it down on the wooden bar top he glared at her for a while and then turned away. She gave him a sly, malicious look and then turned away to survey the people in the bar.

Old and young. Gristled and fine. Ugly and beautiful. They were all there. Possibly also heroes and villains. She sucked in her breath through the narrow slits of her nostrils, set high on her beak and leant back, letting time pass by. Grey hair. Brown hair. Slim body. Fat body. She let others through, taking a seat in a distant corner.

Eventually all eyes fell off her, leaving her to her own devices. Rolling back her shoulders beneath that thin waste of a tunic she finished off the last of her beer as her sight evalutated every last one of them, studying their auras that lay beyond normal being preception, and what their personalities told her. Whether their hearts were in the right places or not. Whether they were capable of what she desired. What Vitruvion desired.

Shit.

As she stood to leave she saw a man stride in. A man of dark aura and grim physique. Immediately he caught her eye. As she set her empty glass down and considered him she saw a woman stride up and talk, and she knew that if she could, she would smile. Him, she thought, and Vitrivuion's voice in her head agreed.

Him.

[Nosdyn]

(Small bunny of Stare, hope you don't mind.)

The words lingered in the air for a moment.

For Haidian kind...some words were power...contracts.

Haidia was a Demon Society...a contract society... And Nosdyn was not immune to the effects of bound contracts. When she whispered in the tongue of the binders...the contractors...Nosdyn's eyes suddenly went wide as his mind was clouded. The woman's voice was honey and she looked at Stare for a moment with a nod.

Nosdyn stood up but stared into dead, empty space for a moment as if waiting for something...a command...a line...a something.

The woman walked right up towards Stare. "Use this document to control him." She said calmly and handed Stare a small handbook. "He's already under a contract and you can lay claim to him in that matter of speaking. I have been waiting for a long time for the change he is going to bring." She nodded towards Stare. Then walked out of the bar quietly.

Nosdyn was in a trance as he stood there.

Carefully staring forward. His mask drawn over his face. A few of the patrons in the pub were staring at Nosdyn at that point...but they quickly turned their attention away. The Demon observed emptiness ahead. The woman had triggered something in his subconscious mind...and all he needed was for the contract to be sealed...

[Stare]

Bunny away in this thread I think. I bunnied you here, let me know what you think.

In all honesty, the kenku had no idea what to do.

As she held the leather bound book, her thumb claw raking over the binding, she felt her heart beat thunderously. Quite casually, as seemingly normal as it had been to step into the pub and tell the dark man words enough to still him, the gorgeous woman sashayed from the building. Blue hair spiralled around her like a second sky, and she was but a beautiful hiccup in the dimness of the dusk. The door closed behind her and silence remained in the pub, unknowing, unusual, unsteady.

In little time at all, comments began once more. Murmurs, as those who apparently saw this type of behaviour every day turned back to their own boastful conversations. Leaving Stare to look between the masked man and the tiny book in her hands, listening to the whispers that repeated around her head, again and again.

"Use this document to control him. He's already under a contract and you can lay claim to him in that matter of speaking. I have been waiting for a long time for the change he is going to bring."

Control him? This man? Contract? Who the damnation was he and who the blazes was she?

Though some were going back to their own conversations, Stare saw the glances from the corners of eyes. Clicking her tongue behind her beak she realised that having a masked man standing there, seemingly stunned and the interaction that had issued between him, the blue haired elf, and the only kenku in Beinost ... well. Curiousity was a natural thing. At least it possibly meant that she had found someone to carry out this contract now.

Without consulting the celestial at the back of her mind, Stare went forwards and grabbed the hand of the strange man. A brief look into the aura that everyone had, but only she could see, and she saw his chaotic heart, his desire to lie, his dark intentions. Pulsating around a deep violet core - the core that she knew belonged to a demon. Possibly what she might need right now. Her claws that were not around that of the book closed around his wrist and with a grunt she tugged, causing him to stumble into her. Not having time to look at the odd book - whatever it was - and wanting to be out of that room before anything else bizarre happened, Stare half-dragged the man through a back door that led to a passageway and then the outside privy. Once there she found a good enough storeroom, decided that she had permission to use it and strode in anyway, pulling the contractor with her.

She dumped him unceremoniously on the floor. Then pushed the door behind her closed. Moving a box she used the last of her normal strength to drag it enough to use as a temporary door stop, and then she sank down on it.

And breathed out. Took a moment for herself to steadily inhale and exhale. Meditate. Fixate. Breate.

Well. He might just do.

Sighing, she looked over at the man she had placed there. He was rigid and still, like he had been in the pub when the elf-woman - whoever she was - had whispered the initial words into his ear. Precisely what she had done, and why she had chosen Stare was beyond the kenku, but at least for now that could be placed aside and more important things could be settled upon.

Perhaps it was because the woman knew that Vitruvion lay beyond Stare?

No, concentrate.

The elf woman said that there was some sort of code ... word. 'Speaking' she said, Stare looked down to the book. There was no lettering on the front cover and it was thin. Opening it she found fifty or so pages, naturally blank. A quick flip through told her it was all handwritten. And in some weird, foreign language that she knew not. Her eyes pierced the words, and they were descernible runes, but in some sort of language that was not common, not elvish, not even kenku as far as she could tell.

So she went to the front. And saw a single word calligraphically scribed there. She thought over their syllables.

Her throat formed the word, aching to slip past her beak.

Be careful, Vitruvion murmured in the back of her mind, watching every move, If this really is a contracted demon then he may be dangerous.

I will be careful, but do you want him or not? she retorted back.

The god thought for a moment, then nodded. Miles away, across the other side of the city. Yes, we can use him.

And Stare sat up straighter - and spoke the word.

[Nosdyn]

...At that moment...

His mind was chaotic, it spun out of control for a moment when the command word was spoken.

Then he relaxed with a deep breath and heard the word of Stare speak in the night air.

Nosdyn opened his eyes at that moment again and he understood that she was now Master of his Destiny. Contract were serious business for ALL Haidians and the contract was made. Nosdyn looked at Stare with a soft nod and sealed the deal. He knelt before her and her. "I pledge my blade by your side." Nosdyn said calmly. There was a strangeness in the way he spoke, a finality. For Nosdyn, he would honour their contract to the ends of time. He stood up after a moment and looked at Stare. "My name is Nosdyn. You lead...I will follow. I will obey. Always." The finality in his voice was ever present. The Contract sealed with the hint of the future and of what tomorrow would bring.

Nosdyn looked around for a moment. "What is your Order? My Master?" Nosdyn asked and carefully looked at Stare with that mask covering his face. He looked forward, no longer seeing into the abyss, but rather, directly staring into the eyes of Stare...there was something in them. A particular something...they were hiding something within. But it was not Nosdyn's nature to question those who had contracted him.

[Stare]

"Holy Kami!"

As soon as he dropped to his knee and offered his blade, Stare was taken aback. Immediately she dropped the book as he began to utter words of fealty. As it landed with a light thud he continued speaking, and looked up to her. Fully golden-amber eyes peeking through the holes of his black mask.

Hiding a face she could not see.

Slowly the kenku blinked and stumbled back a step, her hands up in the air. "I ... I uh ... Fuck."

Uneasily she ran a shaking hand over her head, pressing down and scratching through the feathers there with the claws. Dust and dirt fell, as well as a few tiny flakes of ash that were remnants of where she had been walking only a couple of hours before. As she thought rapidly, her own black eyes meeting his gorgeous ones she fretted and tried to actually realise what the feck had just happened. The few moments of the elf giving her the book. The words 'binding of the contract'. Him, here, now, kneeling in front of her. It all made sense plot-wise, but it really had not been what she had been expecting when she had walked into this pub.

I want to see his face.

"Eh?" she said out loud. And then she realised she had completely temporarily forgotten about Vitruvion here. Her master. Her bloody god.

"Fudge," she nodded, remembering he could see exactly what she did. "Yeah. Uh ..."

Leaning forwards she tried to smile, and failed as usual due to the massive beak on her face. Giving the kneeling man an apologetic look in her eyes she paused for a moment before gently touching the mask.

"Sorry, do you mind if I ... um ... take it-"

Unexpectedly the man suddenly nodded. He made no move to put up his own hand to offer to help, but rather tilted up his chin in a proud, but still accessible way that allowed Stare to easily reach the underside of the mask. Pausing, she took a breath, then very carefully fitted her claws beneath it, gentle enough to not break skin. With a slow motion, uncertainty still pulsing through her veins, she eased the mask up and over and off his face.

Her eyes blinked. And she looked at the man with features as alien as her own.

Deep like the ocean, blue-indigo skin. Sharp, handsome features. Exotic, seamless tattoos. Hair expertly and tightly combed back into a high ponytail. And those eyes that were as whiteless as her own - observing, profound, majestic.

"I am sorry," she said in a quiet voice, as she offered him back his mask. "But thank you. My name is Avis, but I am known as Stare, and I apologise for what I have forced you into. But I need someone to assist me, and assist ... well assist my own master." She tightened her spare hand into a fist, slowly bending down to pick up the book once more.

"Tell me, are you good at all in getting revenge?"

[Nosdyn]

Revenge...what she really means is Vengeance... Nosdyn hesitated for the briefest of moments searching for a proper response. The mask sat on the ground, in the gutter and forgotten about. Nosdyn blinked a moment or two and then looked at Stare once more. "I am trained to complete the mission...no matter what it entails." Nosdyn said calmly. "My people serve under Overlord Zieg." He was giving her more information that she probably needed...but she was the master now. "You lead...I follow." Nosdyn said carefully.

"...Always." Nosdyn added.

He felt the cool evening breeze against his exposed flesh. He'd gotten used to hiding behind the mask...it provided a small comfort. But it was gone now...no longer a necessity. Nosydn considered the change very carefully. He was a deep thinker and tried to think logically when his own rage would allow him to. It was an interesting conundrum. Nosdyn found Stare to be quite agreeable in nature. She spoke of a Master and the piqued Nosdyn's interest. Nosdyn knew Thayne oft walked the surface of Althanas...and sometimes in the deep places. He wondered if her Master was one such Thayne...or perhaps something else in entirety.

He did not know...there were too many unknown variables. I am bound now...I MUST obey. Nosdyn thought for a moment and considered the situation at hand. She needs to have someone destroyed...my kind of folks are rarely used to honest ends. This should prove quite entertaining. He continued to look at Stare with and nodded. "If it is revenge on something or someone you are seeking...consider using my sword arm." Nosdyn said. "I will get the job done." Nosdyn promised...he was trying to lay down ground work for how their relationship would work. She lead...Nosdyn would follow.

Always.

Being bound wasn't really that bad of a Fate as many cultures oft made it out to be. Bound Demons oft changed the flow of events in history herself. Nosdyn, at that point, thought about his youth for some reason. And undergoing the harsh training regiment of The Demon legions. He thought back to how Squad Lords would train their underlings and subordinates with an iron fist...He thought about what his training meant...what completing it had meant. I have to follow in my Father's foot steps...and eventually serve Overlord Zieg. In the mean time I must serve Stare and her Master. The fates have granted me a new purpose. Briefly, Nosdyn considered his current employer...known only as The Boss by surface dwellers and legal authorities. Will The Boss understand...? I doubt it. He might send sellswords after me...perhaps...I will be ready though.

"Where should we go now, Stare...? The night is young." And truth be told...Nosdyn was getting somewhat tired of the current location and wanted to be somewhere more appealing than that place...

[Stare]

Stare paused for a moment, thinking. Looking down at the blue-skinned man - who hadn't put his mask on as yet - she thought about what she could do right now with him. She had an opportunity now to even try to get away from Vitruvion. With a demon at her side - for he surely was a demon - she could try to face him. Fight him. Conquer. Or she could try to flee. Run over the plains and far away. With her own demon in tow.

But her heart hammered and she rubbed her temples. No, using this young man like that would be doing the exact same that Vitruvion had done to her. Even having him call her his 'master' was beginning to get uncomfortable. Slavery was not something she liked, or enjoyed. In fact it was a little bit insulting. If she could, she would curl her lip with distaste like she had seen humanoids do, but she had to opt for clicking her tongue against the inside of her beak.

"I ..."

Bring him here, came the voice.

And Stare blinked. Bring him ... To the mansion?

No, idiot, to the Guard House, Vitruvion answered with an impatient note. That was where you sent all the workers, remember.

Ah yes, the workers. The burnt down mill. Those who had died, and the point of all of this revenge-getting.

You want to take him ... into the Hollow? She asked, a little incredulous.

Vitruvion sighed and she could almost hear the audible clack of his boots and cane across the floor. No, not the Hollow, he said. But bring him to the room above the Mess. I will meet you there when I can.

Then he broke away, quite suddenly, leaving Stare with a pause of confusion.

"Oh right ..." She said, audibly, "Erm ..."

She looked down at the man before her. Her man.

"My master wants us to go to where he is now," she said quietly. "There will be many people there and they will ask questions as we walk through so you ..." She ran a hand through her feathers at her upper arms. "You should probably try to act normal. Normal would be useful to me."

She breathed through the nostrils of her nose and held out a hand and forearm to the man, clawed and scaley and irregular.

"I'm Stare by the way. What should I call you?"

[Nosdyn]

Nosdyn assumed she meant for him to take her arm...he conceded.

And felt his strong arm slide around her own.

A strange thing was their meeting...Nosdyn considered very carefully the situation at hand. She must want someone dead pretty badly... Nosdyn listened to her instructions. "I will obey." He said calmly and when she asked that last question...he nodded towards her. "Nosdyn will do. It is the name my sires gave me." By sires, Nosdyn meant his parents. Demon society was complex and not the same as the surface dwellers societies were. It was exotic and full of danger and intrigue. Nosdyn walked with her silence thinking about what the situation would be. The idea of having to face many people at once made him feel discomfort of a sorts.

Nosdyn figured that he could probably explain the intricacies of Demon society to her.

But at that precise moment was not the time. I have to think about the contract that now binds me and her together. I will give her my life if need be... He thought to himself. The moon above Raiaera looked remarkably large. His eyes were narrowed as he felt strangely calm by Stare's side. Nosdyn knew that the folks of Raiaera...namely the disgusting Elven folks...had been through a lot in recent times. Namely with the razing of Elluriand by the hands of The Fell Necromancer Xem'Zund.

Nosdyn was being guided somewhere.

Somewhere with a sad history he guessed...but he did not mind it. When they walked the night wind passed calmly through his leather clothing. It was a fairly warm night. Comfortable by Hume standards. Nosdyn observed folks as they eyed the strange pair, keeping their distance. Especially from Nosdyn and his infamous panic aura. It made the trip to their destination much less of a hassle than it otherwise would have been. Nosdyn half expected to be thrust into a battle from the moment they arrived...but that was The Fell blood speaking within him.

He waited until Stare spoke again before he saw the set of buildings they were advancing to.