Home Forums Shops Trade Avatar Inbox Games Donate
  
Not Logged In
Reply
 
Thread Tools
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #33  
Finally making her way back home -- more of a hideout, really, until she can find something more comfortable -- Tsaerri is ready to put the miserable events of her failed mission behind her. She didn't really need the money anyway, and this was one less burden on her conscience at least.

Checking out of habit to make sure she hasn't been followed, she unlocks the front door and steps inside.

Someone is waiting for her, a woman sitting legs-crossed in the only chair in the house. Almost faster than her brain can even register the detail, Tsae has her pistol out and trained on the intruder. Who does not seem particularly impressed.

Voice shaking a lot more than she'd like -- this is her safehouse, damn it. No one should know she even lives here. -- Tsae confronts her. "You have once chance to talk before I kill you: how did you find me and who sent you?"

Her threat is met with an unconcerned eye-roll. "Oh come now, dear, cut the theatrics if you will." And then the image of the woman vanishes, replaced by the point of something sharp pressing into Tsae's neck from behind. "We both know it's not going to get you anywhere."

The one time I forget my fucking blindfold! Godsdamned mesmers!

Reacting on pure instinct, Tsae whirls, ducking the knife and coming up with her pistol leveled, firing at point-blank... only for her arm to be knocked aside faster than she can even pull the trigger. She really should have seen the ensuing kick to the stomach coming. It sends her careening back, nearly falling over the chair her enemy's phantasm had been occupying.

Letting out a pained grunt that ends in a disbelieving laugh, Tsaerri meets the woman's eye and tosses her gun away, letting it dissolve before it hits the floor.

"Hope you're ready to die, I'm done underestimating you." Tsae snaps for both of her swords and falls into a fighting crouch.

"Good," comes the other mesmer's voice in her ear after a seamless blink. "You'll at least know you tried your hardest." The heel of her fist comes hammering at Tsae's ear -- she must want her alive, whoever she is -- but she's more than ready for it at this point, blinking away herself and splintering out three sword-wielding phantasms which immediately lunge at her attacker.

Except she isn't there -- of course she isn't -- and they vivisect the empty air. Tsae shatters them for a brief distortion -- transferring the force of the incoming injury harmlessly to her illusions -- just as the assailant's newly-conjured greatsword would have severed her spine.

What ensues is a flaring melee of countercuts and counterspells, teleports and invisibility bursts, and more than a few strategic portals, all thoroughly trashing her living space.

Yet it ends almost anticlimactically as Tsae's left-hand sword slips through her opponent's defenses, past the illusory blurring, and cuts the tendon of her sword-hand.

"I'll admit," she says, taking the leisure to slice through the tendon on her other hand, and then her ankles, "you're really fucking good. I don't recognize you from the academy, so gods know where you came from, but you and I are going to have a nice, informative chat on what you're doing bleeding all over my floor." She flicks her wrists and opens a pair of superficial cuts on the woman's face, just because.

To her credit, she's keeping the whimpering to a minimum. Thank Lys it's hard to do magic through shock and agonizing pain, otherwise she'd probably try to escape.

Tsae grabs her blindfold just to be safe.
Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 08-07-2016, 07:23 PM Reply With Quote  
Default   #34   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
The bar is reasonably slow, so after breakfast and another lecture from Petra about not being around enough, Syrgei heads back upstairs.

I guess this is a day off.

The room is relatively small, mostly occupied by his bed and dresser with various personal items haphazardly stored, except for his armour which hangs on a special rack by the wall. A work table sits out of the way in a corner on which his pistol parts are carefully laid out for care.

Entering the room and passing the dresser, Syrgei grabs a wide brush from its surface and sits on the bed, bending at the waist to let his hair dangle to the floor. He brushes it down towards the top of his head, then gathers it into a bundle more or less on the top of his head and secures it with a black tie.

“Better.”

He sits at the corner table and begins to reassemble his firearms.
Old Posted 08-14-2016, 07:14 AM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #35  
On any other day, she'd be weighed down with irritating memories of her childhood in the Salma District, visiting this place again for the first time since leaving almost ten years ago. Not today, though. She knows he shacks up here with that small-minded, petulant little harridan Petra at the inn by Rook's Row, and somehow, some way, this just has to be his fault. How else did she get the gods-damned white mantle after her, of all people? Either way, she doesn't exactly have anything in the way of friends, and taking on a cult of blood-worshiping assassins with delusions of political grandeur isn't something she's about to do alone.

Hopefully Syrgei's sense of overbearing justice and his need to help poor, distressed damsels would take priority over any memories he might have of her engaging in crimes that would make a syndicate of anti-monarchist terrorists balk in disbelief.

I mean, he hasn't turned me over to the Seraph yet, so that's a good sign I guess...

Blessedly back in her more customary attire and having had a relaxing shower (with the tied-up body of her prisoner stuffed into an out-of-the-way corner), Tsaerri is feeling much more herself as she stomps into the crowded tavern on the ground floor of the inn.

She pushes her way through jocular patrons and up to the counter, pounding her fist on it to get the stupid girl's attention.

"Hey, Petra, long time. Looking as rough-and-tumble as ever, I see. You've got a stain there, by the way." Tsae snaps for her pistol to point it out for the dunce of a woman. "Be a dear and get me something strong." She takes a seat at the counter, idly twirling her gun around her finger.

"Anyway, I know your boy-toy is around here somewhere. You should go get him before I get bored."

Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 08-15-2016, 04:56 PM Reply With Quote  
Default   #36   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
Petra considers Tsaerri a moment with an expression just shy of a glare, before grabbing a clean mug.

“He'll be down in a bit, probably, if you care to wait, but you can do your waiting outside unless you put that pistol back into your fancy skirts.”
Old Posted 08-19-2016, 04:27 AM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #37  
"Huh?" Tsae quirks a brow at the woman across the counter, feigning ignorance while she summons a phantasm right behind Petra. Sending her voice through the illusion's mouth, she speaks into the affronted barkeep's ear. "Oh, you mean this pistol?" The ethereal barrel caresses Petra's ear.

And Tsae pulls the trigger.

Sending a spray of harmless shadow-butterflies exploding out the other side of Petra's skull. She lets the phantasm fall away in a similar display and leans across the counter, letting the weight of the very real gun in her hand imply the threat in her voice as it slides sideways across the wood, now pointing directly at Petra.

"That was a warning. The next one will be real. Go get him."
Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 08-21-2016, 03:55 PM Reply With Quote  
Default   #38   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
Petra stood back and put her hands forcefully on her hips.

"You really want to try that? In a crowded bar? Those people that aren't smart enough to figure out it was you, will probably assume it, and I don't think Syrgei will be all that obliging afterward, either."

She slid the mug across the counter towards Tsaerri again, the drink inside threatening to spill over the lip and onto the bar.

"Now if you really need to talk to him, put your shiny guns away and wait nicely while I let him know."
Old Posted 09-09-2016, 03:21 AM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #39  
"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Tsaerri takes a gulp of whatever her hostess saw fit to give her -- no way Petra has the imagination to try poisoning her -- and tries very hard to avoid looking regretful as she forces the burning liquor down her throat. Elonian wine, it is not. Still, should take the edge of off.

Raising the mug in mocking approval at the outraged bartender, Tsae tosses her pistol in the air and lets it flutter away, the phantom butterflies harassing Petra's face before they dissolve out of existence.

Well that was a fun distraction, but it would be nice to actually get moving on this White Mantle problem.... The mesmer steals a nervous glance over her shoulder at the rest of the bar as Petra makes her way upstairs.
Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 09-09-2016, 03:37 AM Reply With Quote  
Default   #40   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
Syrgei stood for a moment at the landing part way down the stairs. From Petra's annoyed description he was pretty sure who was waiting downstairs, but was at a loss as to why she would be there.

"You want me to stall while you jump out the window?" Petra had suggested.

He walked down the rest of the stairs and entered the common area. Tsaerri stood out in no small way from the rest of the patrons, and he passed the seats to stand on the other side of the bar from the Mesmer, where Petra previously was, and leaned his elbows on the counter.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Old Posted 09-16-2016, 05:43 PM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #41  
She doesn't look toward him, or do anything to acknowledge his presence, just stares into her drink wondering how she got into this mess. She was always so careful! But... no one could really be invisible to a group like the one after her. That mesmer had probably tracked her down herself; she was good enough for it.

Tsaerri takes a sip of the vile drink in effort to quiet her nerves and quietly says, "There was someone waiting for me when I got home. A White Mantle assassin." She almost killed me. The feeling of vulnerability is making her feel absolutely sick. She's never had to rely on anyone for help, and to think that he would be the only person she'd have to turn to is an almost unbearable thought. It's more out of paralyzing discomfort than any effort of will that she avoids sobbing into her drink.

Why would you even help me? I've been nothing but awful to you. And you don't even really know how bad I can be, yet.

Her voice grating, Tsae adds, "I assume you understand what that means."

With a grimace, she tosses her head back and downs the remainder of the mug, digging her nails into the counter in attempt to avoid gagging. She slams the container back down with significantly less force than she meant to. Her hands are shaking.

Damn it.
Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 09-16-2016, 11:34 PM Reply With Quote  
Default   #42   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
Syrgei doesn't move much, but considered hers statement, and her current demeanor. Hardly normal for someone who would ordinarily be yelling at him right now.

He crosses his arms but still leans on the table.

"I've heard the name, though I haven't dealt with them myself. That's something the Shining Blade tend to deal with, I think. You tried talking to the Countess Anise? I think that's her territory."

He knits his brow slightly.

"Did the assassin say anything to you? Why they were there?"
Old Posted 09-16-2016, 11:53 PM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #43  
Tsae rubs at her head, wincing into her hands and trying very hard not to snap at the idiotic idea he just proffered. Her emotional nausea is quickly becoming physical as the disgusting ale roils in her stomach. Add that to the list of terrible decisions she's made since she got out of bed today.

"It must be nice," she says in as even a tone as she can manage, "to have that kind of life, where you can just dial up the most powerful mesmer in Kryta to deal with your problems."

Relenting and shifting to lean her head on her arm against the counter and looking at him for the first time with defeated resignation, she tells him, "I don't know how they found me. And I... didn't exactly give her a chance to explain herself. They probably had something to do with what went down at the manor today."

Closing her eyes, Tsaerri breathes deep, and exhales. "Look. I'm in a pretty bad place right now. If you can't help me, I don't really know where else to go." In a flat inflection, she adds, "I don't exactly want to be here right now, prevailing on your conscience, if that wasn't clear. But, I am, so."

She can feel the alcohol working on her nerves -- not even close to enough to get her drunk, watered-down swill that it was, but it's nice to imagine. It's making her hopefully-newfound ally's presence moderately more tolerable, though to be fair, he hasn't opened his mouth again yet either.


Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 12:23 AM Reply With Quote  
Default   #44   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
That's a little better, I suppose.

"I asked if you tried, I didn't say it could be done. I don't have an 'in' with everyone, you know."

He looks around the bar a moment; no one special or particularly un-special at the moment but better safe than sorry.

"Perhaps we should take this upstairs." He stand up behind the bar, then nods to her empty mug. "The better stuff isn't kept behind the counter, anyway."

Petra returns to the main floor, but ignores the counter to save for a mild sneer at the back of Tsaerri's head before seeing the the patrons at the tables.

~

Upstairs, Syrgei's room looks barely lived in, save for his armour on it's rack in the corner, weapon maintenance equipment on a table, and haphazard items sticking out of mostly closed dresser drawers. His sunglasses sit on top of the dresser. There is otherwise nothing to distinguish it from any other room at the inn.
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 12:45 AM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #45  
Tsaerri blinks.

"What is even happening today?" she mutters. "You just invited me to your room to get drunk with you and I'm not even going to threaten to murder you."

She pushes off of her barstool and warily follows him up to the second floor. Trailing him inside, she marches over to the window to look down into the street for anything suspicious.

The scene below looks terrifyingly normal.

"You can save your wine," she tells him, still scanning the dozen-or-so bodies she can see from her vantage. "I need to stay focused."

The thought intrudes upon her of what a strange situation this is. How many times has she found herself in a room like this -- granted usually with men less respectable than Syrgei, imbecile that he is -- only to coldly inform them that their life was about to end? She can't actually think of an occasion when it was something pleasant, instead. Not that this is pleasant, either.

Grabbing the chair nearest the window, Tsae spins it around and perches herself backwards on it, resting her arms and chin on the spine. She remains quiet, thinking, and waiting for her host to say something useful.


Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 01:00 AM Reply With Quote  
Default   #46   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
"'Drunk' is a bit strong," Syrgei says as he follows her into the room. "but you look like you could do with something."

After closing the door he sits casually in the chair by the table where he was previously working, and puts one foot up against the lip of the table, arms crossed over his chest; not looking directly at Tsaerri.

"It's not a lot to go on if it's personal. I mean, do we hunt them down, or wait them out? Talking to the authorities...is not really the best option, if it has to do with what was going on at the party."

...if it has to do with what you were doing.
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 01:48 AM Reply With Quote  
Suzerain of Sheol Suzerain of Sheol is offline
Desolation Denizen
Default   #47  
"You know," Tsae murmurs tiredly. "As bad as this day has been, I'd still take it over being in your room for any other reason." She rubs at her eye under her blindfold. "Sorry. Don't pay attention to me. Cruelty is how I cope."

She unties it and stows it in the pocket of her jacket, trusting that their won't be a phantasmal assailant climbing through the closed window any time in the near future.

"Anyway, to be honest, I'd have thought you'd be more concerned for the city than for me. But I mean, it's not like a long-dead order of Mursaat-worshiping assassins with an expressed agenda of destabilizing the throne of your beloved country just popped back up over night, or anything. Your concern is appreciated, though."

She tries to say that like she actually means it, since, well, she does for once, but it still comes out sarcastically. Oh well. He can deal.

Cold silence has a tendency
to atrophy any sense of compassion
between supposed lovers.
Between supposed brothers.
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 02:43 AM Reply With Quote  
Default   #48   Quiet Man Cometh Quiet Man Cometh is offline
We're all mad here.
"If there's a threat to the city, Logan will be jumping up and down about it in a day or two." Syrgei remarks, putting his foot back on the floor and turning in his chair to look at Tsaerri.

"Would you feel better if I wasn't being completely altruistic? Moving around where people don't want me is generally what I do, and if it's events at the manor that got somebody's attention..." he trails off, leaving her to fill out the rest.

Having a potentially marked woman currently sitting in his room was possibly not the best for his health, either.

"At the very least, two people are better than one, or...not sure how that works with mesmers, actually. So," he stands up and walks over to the dresser where he starts sifting through the drawers, pulling out little odds and ends and a couple small sacks, "if the White Mantle is angry enough at at least one of us to send assassins, I'm not inclined to stick around here. What do you think we should do?"
Old Posted 09-17-2016, 03:15 AM Reply With Quote  
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

All content is copyright © 2010 - 2024 Trisphee.com
FAQ | E-Mail | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Forum Rules
Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr
Return to top
Powered by vBulletin®