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Post by luscen on Nov 19, 2020 1:00:54 GMT -6
Delphi's jewel-like blue eyes looked into Sarkany's peculiar gold ones, her expression lacking any kind of surprise or alarm at his admission. “I saw,” she replied quietly. “Several moments where he was overcome by a figure with a knife and eyes like amber.” She looked away as she walked to the kitchen, her form shifting into that of a slender, small girl. “I can always see them, when he goes out for a Hunt. Branches where he makes a mistake, or whatever or whoever he's fighting gets lucky. The wolf had many. You had less, though I'd like to think that's because you found the existence of the key in most of the branches...”
The dryder trailed off as she made some tea, doing as Casmir had shown her. “And you're not entirely correct, but you're not really wrong, either,” she replied in answer to his statement about her people. “The N'Rlak were a powerful race who feared little, but we still shared much with our lesser kindred, the N'Rsra- what humans call 'spiders;' like them, we prefer the dark places, and strike when prey has fallen into our traps. The Seers, however...” she poured the tea into a cup, pausing as she looked down into the light brown liquid. “The Seers knew there were things that they needed to hide from. The shadows drifting through the strands of the Sra.” she looked over at Sarkany, then. “I wonder, suddenly, if you were one of those shadows...”
Delphi drank a bit from her tea, presumably to calm her nerves. She then stepped back into the living room, looking conflicted. With a sigh, she placed her tea on the coffee table, then put her hands together again. When she spread them apart, a glowing golden web appeared between her fingers, which pulsed in time with a similarly-colored aura around her. As Sarkany watched, the fine pattern stretched outwards, crisscrossing an infinite number of times until it constructed a diorama on the floor between them. A still-frame of a young dryder child in the silent ruins of an ancient library.
“I grew up alone, among the ghosts of my people,” Delphi began, sitting down on the nearby chair. “Eventually, I decided to leave the Underdark, and found my way to world above. I was scared, unsure, but I thought trying to find something in the outside world my kind vehemently avoided was better than the alternative.”
The diorama changed, the golden threads of light reconstructing the scene to show an anxious Delphi meeting with a friendly-looking red-haired man. “I was careless, and was found by a human when I was exploring one of their libraries. I wasn't sure what to make of him, but he seemed to want to know more about who I was, and we talked. And we continued talking, for several nights. His name was Samuel. He was a mage. He'd found me thanks to a strange magical signature, and he wanted to know more about my kind. About me.” Here, Delphi's expression fell; sadness and hurt evident on her young face. “Eventually I agreed to go with him to his home. He said he'd help me learn more about my own powers, and it was... it was nice to be able to have someone to talk to.”
The Dryder looked down at the floor as the diorama changed again. Her smaller self had been thrown into a cage, flanked by two figures in cloaks. Their hands glowed with arcane magic, which channeled into her. The child was screaming and clutching her head, obviously in pain. “It was all a lie. They were cultists. And I knew. I knew something about Samuel was wrong, but I... but I-!” she placed her head in her hands, silently crying. After a few moments, she collected herself, though she continued to look at the floor.
The diorama shifted, slightly, showing a young girl being assaulted by the mages, Samuel standing near Delphi's cage as she lay curled up on the floor, crying. “They used my power. Forced me to create a pull on children's Threads. The troubled ones, the sad ones... Used me to draw them in, then killed them. 'Sacrifices,' they said. To call their... their 'god' forth. To get its attention. I couldn't do anything to resist them, couldn't do anything to stop the butchery. Except to cry myself to sleep, and to be 'convinced' by them to help.” She wrapped her arms around herself, her nails digging into her skin. “They were very convincing.”
The diorama shifted again, showing Delphi laying in the shadow of a familiar figure; Casmir stood above her, looking down at her pitiful form. His face was a mask of calm fury, and his scarred eye flashed red. “That's when Casmir found me. I was so relieved, at first. So happy.” Delphi's voice broke at that. “I thought he was going to kill me. He seemed like the type. But instead he released me. Told me he would protect me. I still don't know why, even now. But unlike with Samuel, I never once doubted him.”
Once more, the scene shifted, this time to a field of sunflowers, the dawn breaking over them. The young Delphi looked on in wonder, Casmir's coat draped protectively over her, and his hand on her shoulder. “I promised to help him, that day. He tried to refuse, but I told him I wouldn't take no for an answer. His Hunt... its important. Very important. I... I can't see all the details, but it may determine the fate of the Sra. But aside from that, I want to help him. I... I want to help him,” she repeated, looking up at Sarkany as the diorama faded.
“I made this place to protect him from those who would hurt him, Nel'thar. To help him in his Hunt. Because he showed me kindness where others didn't. Because I owe him a debt I can't ever repay. And because I believe he is a good man.” She gestured to the where the diorama had been. “I've shown you my Thread. So, what is your judgment?”
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Post by MP on Nov 19, 2020 3:20:42 GMT -6
Standing there by the coffee table, hands in his coat pockets and craned politely forward to view the diorama, Sarkany didn't look like much of a judge. He leaned back on the balls of his feet as the image faded, his features mild. But in his thoughts, he saw a dragon pup, tiny and lean and nuzzling at his leg. Remembered its tremors and the dust on its hide as he preened it back to sleep.
"A man can do a good deed and not be a good man," he said gently. "And too many hunters take their deeds and sing them as the highest calling, when any witless beast can hunt." He shook his head, regretfully. "A worthy hunter kills only what he needs, and measures that life before he takes it."
When he turned back to Delphi, Sarkany's gaze had cooled. He offered a hand, palm outstretched, for her to shake.
"If you call your hunter worthy, then I will meet with him. I've been sheltered by a good man too. And before your hunter kills him, we'll reach an understanding. What happens then," his eyes gleamed with a hawk's cold light, "will be his choice."
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Post by luscen on Nov 20, 2020 6:25:19 GMT -6
Delphi tried not to sigh in relief, though she did view Sarkany with a mixture of curiosity and a bit of awe, now that the tension between them had lessened somewhat. He reminded her again of the Elder she knew, back in the Underdark. She had only known him a short while, before he had gone over to the Silent Darkness, but the two shared similar mannerisms, and she couldn't help but find various questions bubbling up about him and what he was. His Thread was unlike anything she'd seen before, and the fact that he'd managed to slip into the Safehouse without her key was... Well, it was terrifying, if she were being honest, but it also made her eager to know how he did it. She felt a desire for kinship that had gone unsatisfied for a long, long time.
“I think that he'd be willing to listen to you, though...” she ran her fingers through her hair again, anxiously. “He might be a little uptight over seeing you in here. So, you might want to be patient with him.” She hoped that Casmir wouldn't be too itchy with his trigger finger. He'd been dead tired when he walked in, barely saying a word to her aside from that he was going to bed. He likely wasn't going to enjoy waking up and finding his door wouldn't unlock, but she could see why Sarkany had set up the precaution, nonetheless.
“This man you mentioned... is he also the one you're worried Casmir is going to hurt? Maybe I can try to help you vouch for him, if you tell me something about him?” Delphi offered. She was curious as to whom this entity would be friends with, and whether or not she could convince him and her Hunter to find some common ground. It would be a shame, after all, to turn away the first guest they'd had in years.
She tried not to think about the nature of the guest's visit. First impressions weren't always everything, after all, were they?
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Post by MP on Nov 22, 2020 2:13:54 GMT -6
"The Mountain Devil is a maneater," Sarkany said with a shrug. "A requirement of his diet, among others. Powerful, territorial, and with a strong drive for dominance. That is his instinct. If your hunter can't tolerate a natural predator of men, we'll have nothing to discuss."
He lifted a forefinger, halting any argument.
"But if your hunter waits, he'll meet a reasonable beast who lives as civilized and thinks as deeply as any man. A chivalrous one, who won't bare fang to woman or child no matter his hunger. Who takes in strays and children and treats them as his own family. And if this still isn't enough to sway your hunter," a hint of steel in his tone. "Know that the local authorities sanction his lifestyle. He benefits from their protection, and he only hunts to supplement what their resources can't provide."
Sarkany spread his palms, gesturing at the flat around them.
"We're more than our instincts or our breeds, yes? The Mountain Devil lives as his needs demand. But he acts with the awareness and restraint of any man. All the more, because he takes nothing beyond his needs."
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Post by luscen on Jan 10, 2021 17:52:05 GMT -6
"Interesting story," said a familiar voice from behind them. Casmir was standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets, his red-and-blue gaze meeting the intruder's golden one. His red right eye seemed to be more vibrant, as if illuminated from an inner light, and his expression was stony. "I'm sure the fathers and mothers and friends who lost their children will be happy to know that the person they cared about was eaten by a noble demon that the cops let do as he pleases because he takes in orphan Supers."
"Stop it, Casmir," Delphi chided him, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. The Hunter's gaze shifted to her and his expression faltered for the briefest of moments. "He came here to talk; You should listen to what he has to say."
"Did he, now?" Casmir replied, skeptical, recovering his poise. "He seemed to have a lot to say back in the field. I must have had a hard time listening when he flipped my bike while I was riding on it." He turned to the gray-haired assassin, waiting for him to justify himself.
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Post by MP on Jan 10, 2021 19:07:36 GMT -6
Sarkany smiled and raised his hands in a gentle show of surrender. He'd released his command on the door once the spider had given her word. There was no point in riling the Mongoose up if they planned to negotiate. But he didn't plan to give him an easy time either.
"I wanted your life, that's true."
He shrugged in a small, 'what can you do' kind of gesture. Mistakes happened. Not accounting for a spell ward, for example. That wouldn't happen again, if things came to teeth.
"Men hunt monsters to protect their own; it's only natural some monsters do the same. We hunt the same thing, you and I. Except that men are in the position of power to judge, hmm?"
His eyes twinkled, as if taking his turn at some game between them. Behind the gentle tone and the laughing eyes, he was taking in the hunter's condition, his armaments, the set of his stance.
"The deer may name the wolf an evil. But the she-wolf has cubs of her own, a pack of her own, needs she obeys as much as any doe. Is she to starve because of the jaws she was born with? Should the Mountain Devil give himself to your mercy because he kills to live - even with restraint? There are men who can't boast the same. Or is the weight of a human life so much more precious than our own?"
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Post by luscen on Jan 10, 2021 21:55:37 GMT -6
“The wolf and the deer have no one to hold to account for their lives,” Casmir replied evenly. “Nor is the deer the only means of food for the wolf and her cubs. The laws of nature are absolute in that you either live or die by your own skill and luck. But men live by rules beyond simple Darwinism, and if the Stranger wishes to live among the men, then they must abide by men's rules, or else find themselves at odds with them.”
Casmir could see a dim, hazy white-and-gold flow of magic around the gray-haired man, rippling like a gentle nimbus. It was faint and.. strange, for lack of a better word. Because of the two's engagement earlier, he hadn't noticed it. Now, however, it was more visible, and it caused the Hunter to wonder what exactly their “guest” was.
“You speak a strange tongue, Stranger, suing for peace when you come here for murder,” Casmir said, taking a toothpick from his pocket and slipping it between his teeth. “Not that I fault you for the latter- it's not as if I've done differently, after all...” His eyes shifted slightly to Delphi, who had a stubborn set to her face and had placed herself just slightly between the two men, clearly against the idea of them fighting one another. The blonde had to suppress a snort in reply. “... But you left my weaver alone, despite having the opportunity to do so.”
“He wouldn't have been successful,” Delphi muttered, though she didn't look at Casmir when she said this. The Hunter didn't bother pointing out the air the golden-eyed man had; no sense in hurting the Dryder's pride more than it was, already.
“So I suppose I owe you for that. But understand that I only have your word to go on in this regard. And you don't look like someone fool enough to simply trust someone else on merit. You want me to spare this Mountain Devil? I'm not going to make that promise.”
“Casmir-” Delphi objected, only to pause when he held up his hand to placate her.
“I can't make that promise," he continued, placing his hand back in his pocket. “But I'll speak to him, and hear what he has to say. Maybe we'll come to blows, maybe we won't. But because you didn't raise your hand against her, I won't make the first move against him. That's my offer. What's you're response?”
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Post by MP on Jan 11, 2021 9:00:31 GMT -6
Sarkany chuckled and shook his head at that. There was the conceit of humans. The conceit of all species in their day. He supposed his own kind would have been no different, to assume that the world was and always had been rightfully their own. The Stranger indeed. But most creatures never lived long enough to see otherwise.
"Then speak with him, O mighty judge," Sarkany inclined his head in a little bow. "But on that day, remember: to those who live away from men, you will be the Stranger. Respect that if you want to reach an understanding. His little territory is a small thing to give when men claim all the world."
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Post by luscen on Jan 13, 2021 9:02:30 GMT -6
"Small territories can still breed great tragedies," Casmir replied. "But I'll be sure to keep your advice in mind, just the same." He didn't bother rising to the other man's jibe; whether simply having a go, or looking for an excuse to finish what he started, the Hunter wasn't one to let himself be riled by such flippancy.
Besides, Casmir couldn't be sure killing this Stranger wouldn't bring more trouble down on their heads; if he could bypass Delphi's wards, could his comrades? The concern was palpable, and the Hunter wasn't willing to discount it, just yet.
Delphi, meanwhile, let out a quiet breath of relief. "So!," the dryder exclaimed, clapping her hands together and turning to the stranger. "We're all sorted out now, right? Everyone nice and understanding and not going to hurt each other?" she bit her lip, obviously aware of the tension in the area. "Maybe you could tell us more about you, Saaaauhmeone who I don't know the name of!"
She quickly scrunched her shoulders down, shooting Casmir a furtive look, and scurried back around the couch, sitting down and taking up her tea. What exactly was it about their "guest" that had drawn her attention? Surely it wasn't simply the novelty of another entity in the household after so long- Casmir had offered to escort her out at times, to see other people, after all. Supervised, of course. She'd refused every time, however, that old terror of her traumatic excursion to the outside being drawn to the surface. What was it about this golden-eyed Osprey that enamored her so much?
The Hunter put it aside for the moment, turning his attention back to the gray-haired man. "I have a question, assuming you're not just blowing smoke about wanting to talk," he growled, keeping his eyes fixed on the other man. "Why go to all this trouble, exactly? Surely this 'Mountain Devil' can take care of a single, weak human? Or is the reason why no one has any details about this particular Mark because someone has been watching the BBS and been systematically dealing with anyone who takes the job to go after it?"
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Post by MP on Jan 13, 2021 13:39:02 GMT -6
“Mph.” Sarkany said through his teacup. He took a second to swallow, evidently enjoying the drink. “I wouldn’t say systematically. I have a life, you know. And better ways than killing. But sure, there’s some you try to keep away. The kind who'd set mines around your home, for example.”
He raised an eyebrow at the man.
“And it’s not just any hunter who can slay the dog - beautifully done, by the way. But you see why I might be proactive. Spirits, dragons, even humans from what I hear. No one wants that kind of record coming around.”
Sarkany took another sip of his tea. He tasted nothing, felt nothing amiss. But it never hurt to pay attention, given the weapons of spiders. A drugged or poisoned drink might be disorienting. Uncomfortable certainly. But it would simplify things.
“Well, no worries now,” he clapped his knee cheerfully. “You have a persuasive friend. And as for me, I’m alone, unarmed, unwarded, and here without anyone's knowledge. If that’s any peace of mind.”
The challenge hung in the air, no less present for its jovial tone. Sarkany hadn’t moved from his seat, or even glanced up from his tea. There was nothing threatening about him, slim and drab as he was. But to the trained eye, the natural easiness to his posture suggested poise, the potential to spring into motion, rather than any carelessness.
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Post by luscen on Jan 13, 2021 20:53:52 GMT -6
Casmir hummed in reply. So the Osprey had been watching him. A clever stalker, indeed. Still, it wouldn't do to hold that against him- the Hunter had to admire the man's shrewdness, if nothing else.
"Delphi," the blonde said, looking over at the girl. "Fix me a cup of that, would you?"
"Um, of course," the Dryder replied, giving Sarkany an sidelong look before making her way into the kitchen.
Casmir watched her go before moving over to stand closer to the sofa where their guest sat. "It's not poisoned, so you can stop nursing it," he said quietly. "She doesn't have the capacity to poison people, even if she had the ability; she's far too softhearted for that."
Casmir didn't have Delphi's unique ability to discern a liar- it was nearly impossible to tell an untruth in her presence, in fact. However, a clever wordsmith would have ways of slipping certain things around her, and this fellow had the air of someone who knew their way around a discussion. And that was just as dangerous as any knife. His Eye wasn't showing any signs of an enthrallment or some kind of sinister spellwork, so he wasn't a victim of the Mountain Devil's powers, whatever they may have been. But he could just as easily be a member of the Soundless, seeking to ingratiate himself to an asset like the phantom beast; It wouldn't be the first time they'd used subterfuge, rather than a show of strength.
"Why did you opt to spare her?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the Stranger. He couldn't see what Delphi could, but he had other methods- the dilation of the eyes, the flare of a nostril, the slight pause when picking words, or the pulse of a vein at the temple. Subtle signs that would indicate that this stranger wasn't what he seemed- Casmir wasn't about to risk bringing something else down on their heads, but if this man were a member of the Cult he'd been seeking to dismantle, then he couldn't let this honey-eyed assassin leave here alive.
Hopefully, the other man's response would see to it that such actions weren't necessary. Delphi would be upset by the blood on the carpet, if nothing else.
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Post by MP on Jan 14, 2021 0:00:30 GMT -6
"Spare her? Do I look like a killer?"
Sarkany looked at the man's expression. He bared his dagger teeth in a wry grin, leaning back in his seat.
"Well alright. Maybe I do. But I don't go around killing children just for their taste in housemates."
He took another sip of his tea. Without the fangs, he looked entirely normal. Relaxed, as if the other man weren't sizing him up for a fight.
"She's broken no laws, caused no harm - except for you. And that's entirely voluntary. Really it's skillfully done, for a loner." He nodded his approval at their surroundings. "I don't have a reason to harm her."
He tipped his head at the man, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Do you expect me to?"
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Post by luscen on Jan 14, 2021 13:05:51 GMT -6
"I expected to return home, get some sleep, and then wake up in the morning and make arrangements to travel to the Colonies," Casmir grunted. He did not, however, see anything to indicate the idea that the Stranger was lying. Which meant that either he was telling the truth, or he was exceptionally good at controlling his tells. The Hunter couldn't quite tell which it was; this Osprey shared the same kind of energy that older, experienced warriors like Roland did, his body appearing at rest, but clearly ready to move the moment it became necessary.
"Here you are," Delphi said, handing Casmir a cup of tea. The blonde took it and took a step back, keeping an eye on the other man as the Dryder returned to her seat on the nearby chair. She shot Casmir an annoyed look for standing and making things awkward, then turned her attention back to Sarkany.
"Your... your friend," she asked, obviously considering her question. "Has... he ever been the target of anything else aside from just Hunters? Like... Cults?" Casmir's mismatched eyes slid over to her in warning at that, but she discretely gestured at him to keep calm; she kept thinking about that man with the cruel, red eyes and the wound she had felt the golden-eyed man suffer. Further, seeing Casmir and Sarkany together, she could pick out a distinct resonance between their Threads- something the two had in common, and she wanted to try and figure out more about it.
The only problem was, would Sarkany even know who or what the Soundless were? For a being that seemed as old as he did, she was skeptical he was able to bother remembering one group of bad humans from another. Assuming he'd even had any further dealings with them. Or any to begin with. Still, if it could help Casmir find Atol, then she had to at least try, didn't she?
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Post by MP on Jan 14, 2021 13:49:30 GMT -6
Casmir's eyes flickered to Delphi; Sarkany's eyes went to Casmir, watching this exchange.
"Oh, I'm sure," he said lightly. "A being like that. Cults being the way they are. I doubt cults were the only ones. Or that they'll be the last. Take our Mongoose here."
He set down his tea, resting his cheek in one palm. A blotchy scar striped the back of that hand, just above the knuckles, emphasizing the lifeless fingers.
"I have no doubt that, promise or no, he means to do his research before he meets the Devil. Look into his history. Get a sense of his weaknesses, hmm? Just in case?" His tone was familiar, teasing, as if they were ribbing a favorite nephew. But there was nothing mirthful in his eyes as they turned to Casmir. "I don't plan to give you any leads."
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Post by luscen on Jan 14, 2021 20:31:56 GMT -6
"A judge who doesn't bother looking into his case is a poor judge," Casmir replied. "Context is everything, after all."
Delphi's sudden question had him on edge, momentarily; it was a dangerous gambit, to try and make the connection to the Soundless like that. Just because this man hadn't lashed out at them yet, didn't mean he wasn't a risk. If Atol learned how to breach this area, then they'd lose one of their few edges against him and his ilk. And yet...
He took a sip of his tea, his eyes once again watching this Stranger like a hawk. "Trust is a difficult thing, isn't it? It's like currency- it must be given, at least in some measure, before it can be received in kind. So, Stranger, consider this a token;" He closed his blue eye, so that the red was the only one visible. "There are cults, and then there are Cults," he explained, marking the difference. "Among the latter, there's one who's led by a man with eyes like the one I have, here. At the moment, he's after something in that city your Devil roosts over. And what he wants, he gets, one way or another."
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