Won were quite scary when they wanted to be.
While subtle, the other two waitresses fixated on Luke enough for him to notice. This old she-elf had certainly put Luke on the spot. Resting a hand on the hard wooden bar table while leaning back, rather than answer Lisandra, he asked Lilly directly, "Lilly, do you like ?"
The priest girl turned into a deep red and shifted rapidly in her seat, swinging her feet back and forth. What followed was a mishmash of 'I,' 'Um,' 'This is too fast,' and other confused and nervous nonsense.
Aware he wouldn't get a straight answer out of Lilly, he stopped ignoring Lisandra boring into him with her eyes, "I intend to see what sort of girl Lilly is. She seems sweet, cares about Sooty like I do, and treats well enough. Does that et your standard, Ms. Godmother?"
The bar owner lifted back her hair, "As long as you're not a sleaze out to corrupt Lilly, that can pass for a conditional probation period. I'm watching you, young man."
Gee, thanks. I'm so honored. Luke had the wherewithal to keep that thought back.
"Call Luke, Lisandra. This place looks busy, is this food bar popular?"
"It is, but you should be making conversation with the daughter and not the mother."
Luke brushed aside hair on Lilly's face, revealing a face that was still whispering madness, or likely closer to being a nervous wreck, "Lilly?" he said.
Lost in her world, Lilly did not answer. Resting his case, Luke glanced at Lisandra expectantly.
Breaking into a smile, Lisandra said, "Let get this ditz of a daughter to get her mind straight." She grasped an ear and tugged.
"Ah, ow, ow, stop! Lisandra, it hurts."
"Foolish daughter, you can't start any of those fantasies in your head if you never talk to the boy beside you. No flushing your cheeks, either. Repeat after . Con-ver-sation. Conversation."
"Yes, Lisandra," Lilly twirled her black hair, "We stopped in the middle, but what have you been doing since the Beast Divide, Luke?"
Putting a hand over his chin, Luke sifted through his recent experiences, "You wouldn't believe the next thing that happened, but you'll learn what ca next soon enough. I joined the Defier's guild."
Befuddled, Lilly said, "Weren't you in the Defier's guild before as a hunter? How can you join them twice? Why would you do that?"
The tora waitress and elf waitress nearby beca attentive to the conversation once more, checking in one their 'sister' as soon as Luke showed a hint of being strange.
Unfortunately for them, Luke was a very strange man. Normal people don't live when plopped in front of two goblins without a weapon. They freeze up, ask what the hell is going on, get bonked on the head by goblin clubs, keel over, and die horribly. The Reaver sighed, "Lilly, did you hear about a new person joining the ranks of the Defiers?"
"Mhm, I did! That guy must be crazy, but I'm glad soone is willing to face off against the hardest creatures that will co during the Tide. At least, that's what I've been told the Defier's do outside of trying to demolish the monsters inside the tower."
"That crazy guy is , Lilly. I'm not Hunter Luke, I'm Defier Luke. Rember all that ice you saw when we faced that horde of Chiras? That was elentalization at the peak of adept or level three from what I gather. Not a spell-sword ability, or, well, mostly, not the result of that." Luke tapped on his chest at the end, near the Spectral Heart.
Mortified, Lilly tried to backtrack, "I didn't an to call you crazy, ah, ah. I ruined the night now, I'm a terrible person. Sooty ignores , and I insulted the person who saved my life. I'll never find love…"
Cutting off Lilly before she spiraled into despair, Luke said, "I've been called a lot worse than crazy lately, Lilly. You're fine, I'm happy to spend ti like this, away from the constant battles and stress."
The food ca out and was served to Lilly and Luke, side-lining the conversation. On Luke's plate were a lemon custard, a strawberry-esque custard littered with fruit, which Sooty attacked in hunger, and a chocolate-looking one. Not the healthiest, but that's not what Luke ca for.
Digging in, the two were silent for the ti being. Lisandra coughed on purpose roughly a minute later and whispered sothing into Lilly's ear, mustering up courage. Lilly asked Luke, "Can we et up again soti?"
Luke poked Sooty near the beak, "What do you think, Sooty? Does she pass?" Luke wanted to fight back from being evaluated by three waiters and a bar owner. For his sche, the only one in his corner would be Sooty.
Sooty gave a hurried coo before continuing her assault on the fruit. "Sooty likes you, and so do I. Would you be interested in doing sothing similar to this in about five days from now?" Stealing a glance at Sooty, he continued, "I'll have so night cleaning to do for the next couple of days."
Perplexed at what 'night cleaning' was but unsure if it was appropriate to ask, Lilly said, "I would love to. Let's et here again?"
"Fine by . I've barely been asking about you. How's things been with Casandra's team and you? Anything special?"
Relaxing her body, Lilly answered, "Everyone's gone up a level from regular grinding. The dungeon dives lately are pretty monotonous, but I'm happy if I never et another Chira horde like that again. I started bringing better bandages with in case if I ever run out of mana and the potions are on cooldown."
Now, why can't I get a nice, peaceful dungeon run like those? Soone always wants to rob or kill . So bullshit.
Scooping up so custard, Luke said, "That's not all that bad. Go to the dungeon, kill so monsters, go back ho safe and sound. Have any hobbies?"
The Reaver and the Priest talked through a period of ti longer than the allotted two hours. After a while, Luke hugged Lilly goodbye, which flustered the girl. While leaving the food bar, Luke overheard the waitresses inundating Lilly with questions and giving their evaluations. To which Luke drowned out as a self-defense chanism.
Other won loved to rag on and examine another girl's perspective man. A trend Luke never understood and would not waste ti trying to. Above all else, he had to get his mind right for the cleaning of gangs tonight.
The night was still young, and the Reaver would not take the underworld, putting a bounty on both him and his companion lying down. Returning to the initial spot he spawned from using the city network of portals, Luke scanned the visible buildings. Sure enough, a portal station was within sight. Luke paid the typical fair, this ti eighteen silver, and chose to teleport to the South Gate.
Dry air brushed against his body, and unsavory eyes imdiately trained on him.
Good. Figured all the underworld bastards would hide like rats here.
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He used Reaver's Link to communicate with Sooty, giving a rough explanation. In short, Luke was going to use the mask tonight to track down the Purple Emperors, one of the gangs that also intended to kidnap Sooty if they could find her. In consideration of her recent trauma, Luke said he could drop her off at the Defier's guild with Lulu if she wished.
The crow scolded Luke with caws and clicks. She was not a defenseless baby bird. Those who wanted her in a cage would pay for trying to take her wings of freedom. Luke reminded, "You'll look like that eldritch tendril thing again."
Sooty hesitated but gave a reluctant caw after so ti.
Sorting out the details, Luke needed to procure a spot to put on the mask without eyes on him. He ca to the main road, and by this ti, people would know Xera could transform, so he thought nothing of returning her to sword form in the public view.
Luke ducked into a shoddily built bar, and asked for the bathroom after slipping the innkeeper so coppers. The aged man pointed out the bathroom, but Luke realized it'd be too shoddy a cover. Instead, he asked if a room was available for the night, one with windows if that wasn't too significant of an ask.
The middle-aged man quoted Luke an absurd ten silver for a night, but after pressing for details, it was due to him having to hire security for the inn and the surge pricing from desperate refugees.
It's not like I'm short of coin. If an extra ten silver makes sure people fail to identify as Rune, it's worth the price.
Plopping the ten silver on the Innkeeper's extended hand, Luke went to the inn's second floor. The cracked wooden floor had dirt marks. And so very…vigorous sounds were coming from the room next to the one he would stay at. Thankful he had no intention of staying the night here, Luke jamd in the key and opened the shoddy door.
He barely registered the furniture inside. Luke slipped on the black tal mask while swapping on his combat gear. His hair turned white, clothes black and red, Xera beca her dull white shortened form, and the auxiliary items, including Wayfinder, all silver or lifeless gray.
Sooty complained with a tendril tapping on Luke's chest. It was ti for Rune to return. He was much better at cleaning up without dealing with the headaches afterward.
_______________________________________
Rune jumped out the window, landing on a cramped side road.
The rank sll of sex and drugs ruined the area's aroma. Rune stepped next to a band of bottom-feeder outlaws and rogues. Distastefully, they were in the midst of negotiating a prostitution deal with three middle-aged n from different races.
A tora with a jagged scar and an enlarged dagger in his hand sighed, "Another weirdo, huh? Can't bed one without putting down coin? Well, money is money." He waved out his arm, gesturing to five scantly clad monic and human won, "If you bid high enough, any one of these are yours for the night. The tora and elf girls were taken already with a prior reservation."
Wayfinder bounced on Rune's chest, shivering in silent laughter. Rune did not bother to correct the mistaken impression given to him. He asked, "Where is the Purple Emperor's territory?"
Barking with scratchy antagonism, an extrely unkempt monic man inford, "Not sure where you get your information from, masked gnat. Everyone knows Sylen's South is cut up and divided by the Big Three. The Emperors barely oversee a small section and funnel most of their haul to the Red Gorrids over them."
Couldn't ask for more. I've been wanting to get back at the Red Gorrids since that assassin nearly did in. This is the icing on top of the cake.
Impatient to get to work, Rune flashed three silver between his fingers, "What is their section? This silver is yours if you tell ."
Scratching his neck beard, the monic man said, "Sure, sure, but you'll hand over the silver first. And we'll tell you all about their little hovel. Damn posh types are pushing too hard lately anyway. Actin' like they're a middle gang when they're little more than what the Green Vipers were before the bastards were wiped out by sothing nad Rune."
Word travels fast with these underworld types. Works for , won't be long before people can put a na to this mask without having to say anything.
Flinging with his wrist, the three silver coins landed on the dirt, inches away from the monic man. The rogue picked them up and sneered, "Info's going to have to cost you a little more. This here is a deposit, real cost is a gold. Pay up, you sleazy john."
Blue wisps started to co out Rune's mask, and chilly air pervaded the suffocating back way, "You had your chance. Rember that after what cos next."
The ring of six rough n exchanged looks before laughing, the monic man near rolling in the dirt. Catching his breath, the monic rogue taunted, "You? With what army? Think we're scared of odd-looking bastards with a fetish? Better pay the gold, or you won't co out this place in one piece. The snitchin' on the Purple Emperor's is off the table too now."
"I hate fools without perception. None of you lot are above level twenty. Does your boss keep you all alive? Too bad he's not here for you."
Grasping onto his dagger, the monic man unsheathed it halfway before his hand froze in a block of ice. Rune snapped his fingers. The monic man's stats were ager. The implosion ripped off the flash-frozen hand.
Now, he rolled in the dirt for a different reason. Ice had already enclosed around the necks and hands of the other five n. Witnessing what happened to the monic, they all slowly backed off.
The five prostitutes were screaming, searching for a way to leave the sudden combat, but Rune blocked the exit out of the alley.
The masked man gestured with his chin, "You're going to tell where the Purple Emperors are, and if you don't, you'll lose more than a re hand. Three."
Rune brought up a foot and smashed it down, closing the distance between him and the cowering criminals, "Two."
Frost layered onto the n, and the residual ice swept onto the won. No bets were off for Rune. Either they knew what he wanted to know, or they could go warm hell for him first.
A young human bandit cracked from the pressure first, "They're underneath the Lethward Chapel, three streets away from the orphanage."
Treading up to the young man, Rune put a finger on his forehead, and white ice rapidly spread, making the man chatter his teeth, "Wasn't so hard, was it? I like you. You get to keep both hands tonight. Congratulations."
"Uh..thank you?"
Turning the opposite way, Rune tapped on the side of the wall as he exited the ally. An aura whisper entered the other five bandits' sense of hearing, "I hope the three silver was worth it."
Rune commanded the ice around the n's hands to explode. Each had a hand crippled, and the monic man barely kept his. The five won rushed out of the alleyway, screaming with tears ruining their thick make-up.
Should co off as insane enough. Enough of the theatrics, the Purple Emperors are on my to-do list, and I need to put a line through their na tonight.
Keeping an eye on the prize, Rune sauntered through the South Quadrant, intentionally staying three roads away from the orphanage the entire way. No need to scare the kids with his appearance. Although, if one of the kids were fine with how Sooty appeared currently, his mask wouldn't be all that intimidating. Better safe than sorry.
Other small-ti gangs stared daggers at Rune as he entered the side streets and ca closer to the slums. The air slled of rot and burned trash in this forlorn corner of Sylen. Rotting construction material was his traveling companion, greeting him on both sides.
Lights were often cut off as Rune passed by. An out-of-place guard patrol followed behind him from a distance. Rune would prefer that they kept out, as the plan was to target particular gangs only.
Expecting them to piss off on their own was a poor course of action, but Rune mainly was unrepentant.
Let them see if they wish. None of the guards give off the air of being tier 2. Half of them have a stagnant aura in tier one. Does that an their level 50? Kelic has the sa effect around him.
A chapel in disrepair stood in a plot with a short courtyard. Gravestones occupied most of the free area, yet there was no dug-up or displaced dirt to contain bodies. Weeds poked out of black stained stone. A man in radiant white robes paced at the entrance. A torch was lit in his hands.
Rune stepped onto the plot, weeds crunched under his feet. For better or worse, the guards had returned to their patrol path. Pegging Rune as a weirdo and not a threat. Depending on what list you were on, they were right either way.
As he crept up the short gravel paved walkway, Rune peered up to the pastor, who stepped back in fright. The pastor said, "What manner of foul beast are you? Masked heathen."
What an apt na. I am the sin of greed, after all. If I'm not a heathen, then who is? This guy doesn't need to know that.
"Do you seek atonent, pastor? Your guilt is written all over your expression. Do the devils below seek shelter as they always do? Will you shield them, or will you let this heathen sin in peace?"
The pastor waved his torch, "This holy ground does not harbor devils, man of sin. You speak not of what you know."
Was the information wrong? I'd be impressed with the young man if it is. He had convinced. It'll cost him his hand if I find him. For his sake, he better have told the truth.
Concealing the inner doubt, Rune played his card, "Reveal to where the Purple Emperors hide. I have cleaning to do."
"Blasphe, this ground holds no rouges, no thieves, and no emperors."
"But it does hold a liar." Rune's wisps intensified, and Lilith floated off his shoulder, "This is the final rcy I'm offering, holy man."
The pastor's eyes nervously shifted, and his legs closed up, "Will you cleanse the land of every last one of them, heathen? This chapel cannot endure their backlash. The little ones who co to worship the World Spirit would suffer first."
I see, threaten the pastor with the orphanage nearby. True scum, do they extort the kids, and that's why they go hungry? What's the truth here?
"Let be a harbinger this night, priest of the World Spirit."
"So say thee, I shall reveal to you those due judgnt, masked giver of retribution."
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