The First Age

It proved to be a long-term investment. Weeks had passed since the Almaz and Ori's new acquisition. The injuries he'd sustained from White's beating were on the mend, bruises a kaleidoscope slowly fading against his bronze skin, no bones broken, fortunately. She visited frequently, food and water her gift, but he rarely stirred from the thicket of his den. The chains did not clink, but she could hear him breathing in the dark shelter she had offered him to recuperate. Sometimes she caught the feral glitter of gold eyes. A low warning growl.

The man had been plucked from the Underground; senseless, penniless and half-starved. Insane, by all accounts. Savage, more beast than man. Perfect for exploitation in the pits; a brutal fighter spurred, not by money or fame, but by the desperate will to survive. It served as both his motivation and his reward. But it was the yellow eyes that had fascinated her, and sparked the machinations of her presence that night at the club. One could not technically own another person. But she had brought his contract following his release into the crowds, and now he as good as belonged to her.

The smell of him was offensive, his clothes the stained remains of garments he'd worn in the fighting pits. His hair curled dark and wild about his head. Skeletal cheekbones razored above a thick and knotted beard. He was almost lupine in the shadows, coiled on all fours, crouched in the shadows. Though he was chained, she didn't underestimate the corded power of his muscles. Burnished eyes followed her movements. She did not go close. She was not afraid, but neither was she stupid. The food and water she placed within arm's reach, kicking away the remnants of her last visit. She retreated, twisted a chair, and sat. Waiting.

[This is related to the events in Blood Sport]

Manix, always quiet, used to listening to the winds of the sea, remained shadowed. Curious events in this damned city, so far from the Ocean he coveted. Strangers, artful beauty with the fell beast. He saw the "acquisition" but not went on after. With no where to go he simply stayed and watched, hidden like the shores on a moonless night. He seemed entranced, was it the beauty or the beast, he would ask himself? leaving only to eat or other bodily needs. He stayed clear from any that "residence", knowing nothing of who or what had happened, he only knew that without the money, his family's money, he could have been that beast.
Why? The beast, the fights, the carnage, has society fallen so low that the value of a life is only in what it can kill? *smiles* Killing is easy, this he knows first hand, living is hard. To stay and watch, maybe be caught, or continue the journey, the path to know what is happening within him? To learn of his own fate might unveil the fate of his sister, who died so suddenly. he methodically feels his pocket's, both seen and hidden, his weapons where there and brought some comfort. *wicked grin* Some would not think they all was weapons, but even a simple fisherman learns a trick or two. Absentmindedly he pulls out a book, he pays no attention to the word as it just lends credence to his current disguise. Stay or go?


Edited by Manix, Apr 11 2016, 09:27 PM.

It wasn't hard to find Giordano once she returned to Moscow. The long by land travels had only given her all that much more time to find the bastard who had killed Lucas. Lucas...

Aria's fury rose every time she thought about what her father had done to the man who was sweet and kind and generous. He hadn't deserved this. She hadn't deserved him. But he had turned her world around. Lucas wouldn't have liked her going after Giordano. He didn't like the fact that she killed. Aria didn't even remember if she'd told him the whole truth. The only one who knew the truth was Nox and he was off god knows where doing god knows what... god was the word for it.

She missed Nox, but he wasn't going to be the person she needed. He'd help her stay on the straight and narrow, but he wasn't capable of doing the deed himself. Aria could think of one who would but he was gone and Aria didn't care to think about what she'd done with him. But the feeling of that woman's death resonated inside of her with the fury to kill her father - to avenge Lucas is what she told herself but it wasn't that. She knew that. She knew it was the darkness drawing her deeper. Drawing her towards hell. Aria knew that's where she'd be - murder was murder no matter how you looked at it. There was a special place in hell for murderers.

But Giordano he was a coward. He had fled out the bedroom window of his daughters apartment. She had a sister. She had a brother. Half siblings anyway. The sister wasn't present but Luka was. That was his name - so similar to Lucas. Maybe in a different time and a different place she'd have liked her brother but he had stood in her way. Stood between her and her mark. He only fought a little. She hadn't even needed to touch him before he saw the look in Aria's eyes. He backed away when he saw the mark on her arm. He couldn't believe it. Aria was one of his enemies but he didn't stand in the way of her revenge any longer. Luka got to live, and if he left Moscow today he'd live a lot longer.

Aria didn't have any desires to hunt her brother. He was not her mark, not dangerous. She believed that - she had to believe Sentients were good somewhere.

Aria chased Giordano down the narrow alley ways and into the underground. Poor, poor man. How delusion is he to think he can get away in a place Aria called home. She and Nox had mapped the underground several levels deep. She hadn't brought her goggles, but her wallet had all the information needed in order to do the job. Wasn't as convenient but it would do.

Aria drew her sword. There was no telling what lie underneath the rubble. It felt good to have the cold unbreakable metal in her hand again. The man had been true to his word. He'd given it back. Whatever he'd wanted with it it came back the same as it had been. It hummed in her hand like it belonged there.

The hunt was on...


Edited by Aria, Apr 13 2016, 08:05 AM.

A wisp of smoke? No, it was a hunter he sensed, or did he see? Slipping his hand in the flask at his side he sent out very thin triennials of threads, mostly light blue and white, flung out in many directions. Closing his eyes he listened to the wind, many voices came to him, but he was not listening for a voice. THERE! The heartbeat strong and regular but slightly elevated, the heartbeat of a hunter closing in on the prey. Damn, Manix had no time to change into a more fitting disguise. Stretching his frame to full height and dis guarding the ratty coat, he actually looked "normal" at least to those who knew him on the high sea's. Dressed now in only his dungaree's and tee shirt, with let all the threads dissipate but the one on the hunter. He would need that thread to try to avoid being seen, the open thread was dangerous, he dare not try anything more complex. He learned the hard way that a small few could sometimes see them, he knew not how.
It was a shame to have to kill one of of em, he did not enjoy killing but like gutting a fish, you did what you had to do. He had made open threats, and Manix had not time or patience for stupidity. He left the Beauty and the beast behind to follow the hunter, carefully, using his talents to try to avoid the hunters instincts, would it be enough? He came here to search and to learn and that meant risks. Risk it would be, "never careful, always safe" the Lir family motto.


Edited by Manix, Apr 13 2016, 12:12 PM.

Aria headed down into the tunnels, she couldn't hear the fall of feet on the tunnel surface ahead of hear, but her father had cloaked himself from her ability. Godlings and Sentients were the only two types of beings that could hide from her ability. She felt nothing else near by. Nothing worth while anyway. There were humans residing in the tunnels her father had entered. As long as they stayed out of her way they would be fine.

She found herself missing Nox. The steady stream of the light orb he would fashion above their heads, the flaming whip at his side and his crossbow just in case. But he wasn't here and she only had the trusty sword in her hand. She hadn't realized how much she had missed it - almost as much as her heart ached for Lucas.

The memory of him fueled her anger and she followed her father deeper into the catacombs that lie underneath the first levels of tunnels in the underground. She caught sight of a figure rounding a corner ahead of her, she didn't feel the person so it had to be her father. Aria started walking faster, there were no surprises to come, the catacombs were empty save her and Giordano. She had wanted to make him feel what Lucas did, but killing him here would be just as worthy... to die in the dirt and slime of the underground where the rest of the monsters hailed.

But his death would not be swift no matter the way she did it... he needed to pay for what he did to Lucas for the way he made him love him. The way he had manipulated his feelings and then killed him with the weight of the world. No it wouldn't be a swift death!

Aria started down the cavern that her father had gone...

As Manix followed the lady further into the catacombs, he quickly calculated how close they were to his hide out. Feeling it was safe he could "feel" the range of tensions and emotions coming from his lead. He needed to make a decision, continue to follow or break it off. Why the hell was he being so nosy anyways, this wasn't like him. This time in the city has changed him. He decided.

Not only to follow to but help, a sense of "justice" flowed in the air and right or wrong, justice was important. It was dark, weaving a threads of red, white and brown, his vision was suddenly improved. He saw things in shades of red, orange, blue and white. He earlier figured out that it was heat he was seeing. Letting go of the air sense he could follow the residual heat of her footsteps.


On a impulse he send the same weave to the girl, watching it encircle her eyes then fade into iris, he smiled at what had to be a shock to her. Manix loosely tied the thread, it would dissipate in time. He would not aid much further, but once he involved himself in a cause of justice, he followed thru. Only if her life was in danger would he act.

Only now did he think: How careless how I've become.
I need to study and learn, not butt into other affairs. Maybe I've just been alone to long.

Aria's vision became like that of night vision and she stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around and stared into the darkness. Even with the yellows and reds of her foot prints behind her she couldn't make out other patterns in the cold damp place but there was a godling around.

And it was not Nox, he was safe someplace else - away from her desire to kill her father - to avenge Lucas and those her father had manipulated. He had admitted his weakness and left her alone - unable to do what he promised her he could do. She would have thought him weak if not for the fact that he survived where his family did not and she knew all to well the feeling of being alone. Even he hadn't thought to make this with his power, she would have to insist he learn.

Aria called out. "I know you are out there little godling. I don't intend to hurt you but if you don't come out I will hunt you down. You cannot hold the power forever and I will find you."


Giordano was slipping away, but right now there was a godling out here, and Aria wanted to know if he or she were friend or foe, she wasn't about to let a foe stay at her back. She would find Giordano again if she had to he couldn't hide forever either.

The small wisp of girl that was his daughter and Atharim had found him. He'd left Luka alone in the apartment with her and he regretted it every moment. If she killed his son he would have her head on a spike. But she knew what he'd done and she'd come hunting him like the Atharim before her.

Giordano could hide from her indefinitely, it was like second nature to him, but she, she never once cloaked herself from him. When in the tunnels he had fled she had pursued relentlessly. Until she stopped and he heard her call out. Godling? What was she talking about. That was a new term...

Giordano could have taken that opportunity to get away from his stalker, but Giordano was not a cautious man, he found other tunnels and he would circle around and surprise her, it was the only way to take this little girl down. She was no different than the other hunters who'd come after him, but she didn't carry a gun. She would die by his bullet today. He checked it in his hand and stalked his prey. Aria would die today...


Edited by Alex, Apr 26 2016, 08:01 AM.

A wicked smile crossed Manix's face. A small weave a blue and white put a small whisper in the wind, one that had no "direction" only sound. God-ling? Friend or Foe, will depend upon your own actions toward m'self! I am only me, for now, my gift is for ur benefit. Hunt me not, and you shall benefit from my protection, turn toward me to hunt, and u shall never hunt again lass!


Releasing the thread he watched it drift off. He did not mean to distract the hunter, there was something, some society he didn't know of? He knew his gift was dangerous to some, but God-ling? What did that mean? Less action Manix, more study.
he thought.

He admired the girl and would hold his word and his principal of justice, but his was the power to heal or kill, that choice would be hers and hers alone.

one more quick weave. hunt ur prey lass, not all of us deserve ur hatred!

Aria grinned at the voice echoing off the walls. Nox enjoyed throwing his voice like that at the most inopportune time; she remembered him calling a horde of ...whatever-they-were upon them with that little trick. "Your games don't impress me. I've seen men throw fire from their hands, I've seen Ascendancy's power up close and personal. I don't fear my death, godling. If what you say is true and you only want to help then come out."


She pointed her sword at the ground. "I've fought with your kind before. I don't hate your kind, you are a victim of your own body much the same as I am. But I will not move from this spot until you come out."
Aria laughed.

Dane had stalked her before, but he was not always hidden from her in the shadows. He was always empty but never gone from her senses - at least most of the time. The memories of him pulled at the darkness within, she didn't want a godling at her back, but she needed to hunt. And that need was growing stronger at the thought of Dane's similar actions. "Besides, if I know my father, he's trying to turn the tables on me and make a sneak attack. While he is no match for you godling, I would prefer the honor of killing the man myself. He has much to pay for."