Re: Chaos Theorem

[Dobi Boshi]

"Well, lucky you then, huh," Melody, grinned, turning back to look at Garin as she leaned causally against the back counter. "We've got a couple of room left, though we don't get many Orks out here so the room might be a bit on the small side for you, but I'm afraid it's all we can do." She replied, pushing off the counter, but Gerard, having got up from his seat stretched over the counter to grab her wrist before she could go anywhere.

"Make sure and bring a town map with you when you come back," he instructed her, before rushing back to his duffle. Pulling the bag off the ground, he was quick to dump it on the counter and start pulling out a few things, busy searching for a book. "Gotcha," he murmured, pulling out An Introduction to Demons before flipping through the rather large tomb of a book until he was near the end. "I knew this didn't make any sense before," he was onto something already, he knew it.

Melody quickly returned a moment later, handing a room key, forty two to Garin before handing Gerard his map. But he waved her off, "Mark on the map where the sighting took place for me." He ordered, gaze still stuck on the page from his book. "On my way into town I found some Demon tracks, Bloodkin without a doubt. But that didn't make any sense, Bloodkin are servants of Baal, Dark Cultists usually only summon them when they want to burn a town to the ground, but Wellington is still here. Why do you think that is?"

Melody could only shrug as she handed him the map, and without even thinking, he took the stencil from her too and joined the little dots she made together. What he ended up with was two small triangles that stretched out from the town; one going north and one going west. I thought as much, he noticed that the Creator's Crypt was right in the center of the western triangle, he'd expected as much, but was was in the north...?

"The Dark Cultists are using them as guard dogs..." he was certain of it, "they've found something in the Creators Crypt that they want to keep hidden; they've set up a net using the Demons as guard, though that's not in their nature, they must be sneaking off to hunt, that's why there's sighting away from the Crypt." He wasn't sure if he was just saying his own theory to himself out loud or he was actually using Melody to bounce his ideas off of.

"If I want answers I'm going have to get into the Crypt. Somehow..." Ballocks. One of these days he was going to learn to leave well enough alone, but these Cultists had set up shop where he needed to go and there wasn't much he could do in ways of avoiding a conflict with them now. "Why can I never get something like a bunny infestation to deal with? It's always gotta be bloody thirsty Demons," he groaned, letting his head fall forward and bang against the desk. "Fuck my life."

[Book the Hero]

Raven smirked. "I hope I am that lucky, come on." She said with a wink, before turning around, and looking around, eventually finding the tracks. Yep, these were definetly demon tracks, but something was not right here.

These belonged to Bloodkin, which did not make sense. They were servants of Baal, but were usually used by Dark Cultists to burn down towns. But New Wellington was still there... Which means they're being used for another reason, and she betted that there were probably going to be a lot of them. Looks like she was going to need help for this job, the thought of which caused her to frown slightly.

---

OOC: Is it wrong that I had Raven figuring this out, using what Gerard just figured out from the book? Cause Raven is a Demon, and has extensive knowledge on them.

---

Garin, took the key with a nod, and was about to ask for a drink when the sorcerer began to get to work. Garin silently watched as Gerard worked, the spellcaster using some kind of system that the ork didn't understand, to track down the location of the demons. Garin could only understand fom the bits Gerard said, but he had a pretty good idea of the situation now.

"So you've found the location of the demons, huh?" Garin asked with a happy grin. "Would you like some help taking care of them?" He asked, eager to fight against the demons, his tone pretty much saying that he was going to come along, even if Gerard rejected his offer of help.

[Dobi Boshi]

OoC: Nope, I put that in on purpose for the Demon Hunters who need a little background on the Bloodkin, as you pointed out they're suppose to know this stuff.

---

Gerard chanced a small glance at the large Ork, he was hoping to sneak in and avoid a fight, but bringing the Ork with him would surely make them much easier to spot. Then again, Bloodkin are nocturnal Demons, they hate day light so whatever the Cultists are up to will be going on the evening, his armour might help him blend in a little better. And I could probably use all the help I can get...

"Help might be nice," he murmured after a moment or two, nodding stiffly. There were worse people to have help from, he supposed. "Bloodkin are nocturnal, though. Going out looking for them now would be redundant; they might be servants of a Lord of Blood and War, but if the Cultists don't won't them found then they won't be." He explained, trying to keep things simple so the Ork could follow him, the last thing he needed to do right now was piss off Berserker because of his own frustration because he couldn't explain the situation at a level which he could understand.

"I want to know what some of the Demons are doing away from the Crypt, but dealing with the source is probably a much smarter thing to do. We can leave any strays to the Demon Hunters when they show up." I wouldn't be surprised if there was one already here, he thought whilst yawning. Turning back to his half finished breakfast he decided he might enjoy what was left. "We can't really do anything right now. Our best course of action is eat, rest up and meet up again later to discuss exactly what we're going to do to take out these Demons; and the damn Cultists too."

[Big Uri]

"Bye now Raven, stay safe," Sabriel waved once over her shoulder, before turning around, putting her back to the tracks and heading deeper into the town, looking for the nearest inn. It had been nice to see Raven again, and to know she was the same as ever. She never failed to flirt with Sabriel, the elf thought with a hint of laughter before setting her mind to the task at hand. It wouldn't hurt to gather information there, she reckoned. That was how she found most of her work back in Imperius, scrounging around inns and seeing if she could find any conversations by eavesdropping.

She walked through the streets, footsteps silent as usual. She found the Blackthorne Inn quickly enough, having seen it on her frat day in New Wellington. She entered it quietly enough, not wanting to draw attention to herself, and made her way up to the counter, ordering a drink quietly and sitting down in one of the seats between Garin and Gerard. She was glad her hair hid her ears, masking her elven heritage. Of course, those who were familiar with elves and were observant enough could probably tell she was an elf anyway, but the ears tended to keep it hidden from your average inn patron.

She noticed the man from earlier as she had walked in, and she was also struck by the presence of a Berserker. An odd place to find one who lived his life by the sword to be sure, but maybe he had relations? Or, like her, had been hired for something out there, though it would be unusual for an Ork to take a job like that when the army was always looking for new recruits. Who knew, maybe the Ork was more pacifistic than that, she mentally giggled. Regardless, it was the map that interested her more.

"Interested in the Crypt?" she asked, looking at the map from the corner of her eye and noting the triangles. She then turned her head more fully, studying the man, her own dark eyes unreadable. She wondered what the dots meant, as she didn't have anyone to tell her where the demon sightings were and unfortunately wasn't omniscient. "Or was it the tracks that interested you?"

[Dobi Boshi]

"And why can't it be both?" Gerard retorted, still trying to swallow the last of the bacon. Casting a sideways glance, he looked at the young women who'd taken a seat between himself and the Ork. "That's rather odd get-up for an Elf; in town on business, I take it?" He chuckled at his own joke.

Adjusting his balaclava slightly, he took a drink of his juice, downing what was left. "It's rather rude to go around and look at other peoples things, you know?" He added as an afterthought. Though, he did have to admit he was rather impressed she was able to correctly guess the situation just by looking at the map. Or perhaps...

"You were the one watching me this morning, weren't you?"

[Book the Hero]

"Heh, I get it, so we need to wait for the chance to attack them, otherwise, we won't be able to." Garin said, taking a sip of the drink he had ordered off-screen. "Well, just come tell me when you're ready to go, then." He said with a grin.

It was then that the elf came in. Garin could tell it was an elf, having been around enough to tell, and from it's voice, was most likely a girl. She took a seat between him and the sorcerer, and seemed to deduce what the map was for. Garin was a bit surprised that she was able to deduce so much so fast out of context, but then Gerard said that sh was watching him earlier. Garin just chuckled, not even trying to understand anymore, before taking another chug.

[Big Uri]

"Bingo," Sabriel smiled, dark eyes twinkling as she did. He was an interesting case, and if she was guessing right, he had done a good job locating the Dark Cultists. Realistically though, the Creator's Crypt would be the first place any sensible being would check for supernatural conspiracies. Plus it was the most interesting thing in New Wellington for those brave enough, she reckoned. Of course, she could just be biased.

"And if you want to keep that private, maybe spreading it out on a bar counter isn't the best idea, eh? Eyes everywhere, even out here. And really, do I look that elven? Obviously you're more sober than your average bar patron," Sabriel replied. "Usually you'd get more people leaving inns at this time than entering."

[The Nexerus]

Atra let out a happy sigh. He was about five drinks in, but thankfully for a man like him that was just the first sip. This bar, tavern, whatever it was, the "Blackthrone Inn", Atra remembered, it was filled to the brim with fine brew. The place was quite popular, too, judging by the quickly conjured crowd. New Wellington was famous for places like this, but Atra had never heard of this fine establishment before. A shame that with all that was going on word never got out about places like this. Atra almost wanted to kick himself for having missed an opportunity to come here when he wasn't preoccupied with business. Deciding not to drink any more and risk staying the night, Atra paid his tab and returned to his seat.

Cats were Atra's favourite animal. They had great hearing, great smell, and they were stealthy killers, basically miniature assassins, and yet all the while were still loved and adored by virtually all. Atra liked to think of himself in the same way. He was as agile as a cat, and his senses surprised even him sometimes. Now, they were about to come in handy. Atra had learned many things during his time as a Demon Hunter. The most important of these skills centered around killing Demons (obviously), but a few of the tertiary ones gave Atra the ability to hear stranger's conversations, and pick up on things they may or may not be trying to hide. Sometimes, on rare occasion, these lesser, tertiary skills actually proved themselves helpful. Now was one of those times.

Striding up nonchalantly behind a group of incredibly obvious and very suspicious looking sore thumbs, Atra smirked and replied to the conversation n progress. "Why yes, my fine elven beauty", Atra remarked, glancing over the Elf's shoulder to take a quick peer at the map that the three bar-folk that been talking about. "You do show your race - at least to anyone who's looking close enough. Almost couldn't tell you were the exquisite woman you are, though, if not for that sultry voice of yours. Might want to do something about that, unless, of course, you're indiscriminate about things like gender... Miss?". Atra raised his hands up then, silencing anyone who was about to talk, and corrected himself. "My, I've asked your name, and I haven't even told you mine! Atra, professional Demon Hunter, at your service, m'lady", he spoke, bowing slightly, and all but ignoring the other two men sitting around the table. "Now, I couldn't help but notice that map of yours", he said, now upright and facing the man who was the apparent owner of the map. "And what was that you were saying about... Dark Cultists, was it?'.

[Book the Hero]

Raven sighed, standing up and walking away from the tracks. She was going to need help with dealing the Bloodkin, so she figured she'd go and find Sabriel. Going down the path she had seen the elf going, she eventually came upon the Blackthrone Inn. Figuring that this would be the place to find help, she went inside.

She raised an eyebrow when she noticed that her friend was talking to an ork, and what appeared to a sorcerer. She began to chuckle, when she saw that some punk walk up to her friend, and began trying to flirt with her.

Garin, meanwhile, just continued to drink his glass of alcohol, ignoring the newcomer, who was probably just trying to get lucky with the elf girl. Damn horny humans, and their hormones...

[Dobi Boshi]

Good grief, Gerard glanced at this latest arrival, trying not to roll his eyes. "It has nothing to do with you, Demon Hunter." He stated coldly, quickly removing the map from the table and rolling it up, slipping it into his robes. Pulling a few bills from his pocket, he paid the forty five Gems he owed Melody, thirty five for the room deposit and ten for the meal. "Your money's on the table, Melody," she quickly called back in conformation, and he nodded to himself, making to turn away.

Though he grabbed onto the forearm of the Elf who had taken up a seat next to him, pulling her a little closer to him so he could whisper in her ear. "I highly recommend you keep what you've learned to yourself. The more people involved the greater the final body count is going to be, and that will be on me and you. And I don't know about you, but I have bloody enough hands as it is." He was quick to release her once he said his part, shooting her a quick glance, warning her not to cross him. This has nothing to do with any of them. If I had my way the Ork wouldn't even be coming along but I don't really have a choice in that anymore.

Walking away from the bar, he detoured, moving to stand behind the Ork, handing over some money to the large warrior. "That should cover the cost of your drink, I appreciated the help. So I'll see you later." He might not have wanted the Ork's help at first, but he had it now so he might as well get the warrior on his side just to be on the safe side if he needed someone to call on again in the future. That was if the Ork even survived this whole Demon skirmish.

[Big Uri]

Sabriel turned around, giving him a smile, eyes twinkling with amusement as she took in the Demon Hunter. He was dressed plainly enough, she supposed, with nothing really jumping out. He did turn a few heads with 'professional Demon Hunter', though, something which she couldn't help but smirk at. Regardless, she didn't have the willpower to waste messing with a human in an inn. She had a few people to see, one of whom had just walked through the door. Well wasn't that useful, giving her a useful opportunity to elude further flirting, get her out onto the street. Not to mention, it would give her a lot of fun, doing something she'd been meaning to do for a while.

"My, my, that certainly was a fine attempt, but my girlfriend's here now, I have to go. Shame, it would have been nice," the 'elven beauty' replied, using her best 'sultry voice'. Might as well humour him. She winked at Raven, giving her a look that said 'go along with this'. She'd let Raven use her for free if she ever needed help killing a demon again, or else she'd just do a favour. In any case, she strolled up to the Demon Hunter, wrapping her arms around the woman.

"I needed a handy way out, I'll make it up to you however you want," Sabriel replied in a low whisper into Raven's ear. She didn't want to make the woman uncomfortable, but judging by Raven's usual actions, she wouldn't be bothered by it and would probably use it for further flirting material later. "Can we take the back way out, there's someone I want to tail. Pretty, pretty please?"

[Book the Hero]

Raven just grinned, going along with it, wrapping an arm around the Elven ranger. "However I want...? I like the sound of that." Raven flirtingly whispered to Sabriel, before nodding. "Sure, come on, let's get going, before we lose this person." She finished, before beginning to lead Sabriel to the back.

Raven was soon able to find the back exit, and the two women walked out of the Inn, hopefully evading the flirting man. "So, who is this person you want to tail? Know what direction he went in?

Meanwhile, Garin had accepted the pouch quietly, not saying anything. He wasn't going to pass on someone handing him money. He chugged down the last of his drink before standing up, taking his room key, and heading off to his room.

[The Nexerus]

Atra could only smirk and chuckle at the Mage's hostile response to his interjection. His reaction had told Atra quite a few things about him, and at the moment, in Atra's mind, it wasn't looking good. Suspicious looking magic-doer wandering about a Demon-infested town, having hush-hush meetings with what could be nothing but mercenaries? Atra had a hunch that this Mage was up to something. From what he'd seen of the map the Mage had ran off with, whatever he was planning had something to do with the Creator's Crypt. The evidence was near insurmountable. The points screamed that the Mage was a Dark Cultist, and Atra had to do something about it. No Elven vixen would stand in his way this time.

Atra waited until the Ork headed off to his room. Best the Cultist not have any guards around when Atra confronted him. Bringing his hand up from his side and fielding a gesture in the air, Atra watched as a seed of black sprang forth in the center of his hand, spreading outwards to encompass almost half of his arm. When the strange portal diminished, much more suddenly than it appeared, Atra was equipped with his rapid-fire crossbow, with a persistent black portal occupying the portion of the weapon where bolts were to be fed. Atra shot the Mage a sly expression. Being a Demon Hunter had its advantages. Levying the crossbow at his opponent, Atra expanded his eyes, simultaneously narrowing his brow at the Cultist. Whatever this being was up to, Atra was going to stop it.

"You! Cultist!' Atra yelled, making a point to speak loud enough for all those nearby to hear clearly. His voice had changed markedly from how it was when he was flirting with the Elf. He now sounded very stern, and all too serious. "Withdraw that map from your robe, then raise your hands and get against the wall! I'm a Demon Hunter, and I have reason to believe that you've been affiliating with their kin!". Atra kept watch of the crowd around him even as he paid attention to the subtle movements of the mage. His foe had accomplices, and Atra wasn't about to allow himself to be assaulted. If it came to it, and he felt threatened enough, blood would be shed, and a bolt would run through this mage's neck.

((OOC: You were being awfully suspicious, mate.))

[Big Uri]

Sabriel waited until they were safely out of sight, holding onto Raven tightly but letting a second or two after they emerged. She gave the woman her best smile as a thank you, peering back inside just to make sure no on had followed them. The new Demon Hunter was an interesting case. She and Raven knew each other, and Sabriel felt she could bend Raven to her will enough that her Demon Hunter stubbornness wouldn't be a problem.

However, the new one was a wild card. She wondered to herself with a mental groan if the town was to become as infested with demon hunters as it was with demons. They were too unpredictable, and their discipline seemed to enforce them with an iron certainty in their ideas. Still, one at a time, and she would have to see how to deal with this Atra before he became a nuisance.

She focused back in on Raven, realising it had looked like she was staring at her while she zoned out and thought about all of the demon hunters she knew. It occurred to her that while she thought she knew Raven well enough to get her in side and bend the human to her will, Raven had known her just as long, obviously. She knew that just like she knew what kind of strings to pull with the demon hunter, Raven probably knew how to get Sabriel to do what she wanted.

"Let's see if we can spy anything from the alleyway. I don't want him to see us following him, but he will be out in the main street. It's narrow though, so stick close behind me. I don't want to trip over trying to get a glimpse," Sabriel instructed, before smiling again, elven eyes twinkling. "And then when we're done with this business we can see about payment. You know I hate being in debt."

[Book the Hero]

Raven just nodded, figuring that whatever this was about, it was probably linked to the demons in town. And if she could get a favor from Sabriel, who didn't like being in anyone's debt, then it was probably important enough to help her with. "Ok, I'll stay closed, but stay close to me as well, I'll cover us in the void, so we can follow them more easily, without being spotted."

Raven walked up next to the girl, before concentrating, the void beginning to surround the pair. She wouldn't do this with just about anyone, but Sabriel was a good friend of hers, and she trusted her. She also began thinking of what she might have the elf do for her. Probably something that she could do soon, don't want to forget about the debt.

[that fang]

The wolf watched the mage-human through a window from its perch on the roof. Its quarry appeared to be conversing with an ork, a dark elf, and some hunter-humans. Then the mage-human moved toward the ork, who in turn left sight. The elf and the woman-hunter also left, leaving the man-hunter behind. Said hunter withdrew a killing device and pointed it at the mage-human's back; in response, the wolf reared back and snarled, hackles raised. However, its apprehension went unheard, and the wolf forced itself to lay flat on the roof and bide its time.

Instead, it surveyed the rest of the scene. The elf and woman-hunter were gone - had disappeared unnoticed. The ork had not returned to the scene, although a number of onlookers were gaping wide-eyed at a declaration the man-hunter had apparently made. The wolf crept down from its spot, passing by the crate route it had taken before (which would have led away from the scene). It chose a more direct route: leaping down from the roof straight to the ground.

It should not have been a soft fall; the impact should have hurt the wolf, or at least jarred it. However, the wolf landed quite well on all four feet, quickly recovering and sidling closer to wall of the building. To passersby, it would have looked like the ground had risen up to meet the wolf halfway. But the wolf knew it wasn't welcome in human-dwellings and made sure that no one saw its jump nor its subsequent flight to the building. Now grounded, the wolf no longer could see the mage-human; its ears and nose, on the other hand, were alert and ready to sense a skirmish.

[Big Uri]

"Oh great, staying huddled together in an alleyway, how very glamourous. Not what my grand vision of espionage for two daring young ladies," Sabriel replied sardonically to Raven, flashing her another grin but nonetheless staying close to her. Her awe at the void had passed some time ago, but it still made her jealous, she had to admit. That was one thing she wished with all her heart, that she too could use magic. She had been looking for the means to get it for a century or two.

She idly wondered if Raven knew that Sabriel envied her, though she doubted it. The elf was never sure how much went on behind that pretty face. While Sabriel was confident that she could play Raven like the flute if she ever had to, the workings of anyone's mind were hard to be sure of. Back to the present, she reminded herself, catching all of Atra's speech fortunately, the sound of his declaration sailing through the open windows. Ugh. Just when she was thinking about why she liked the Order, someone like this had to come along.

"The map's an ordinary map of the city with the points of demon sightings drawn on. I don't think the guy's a Dark Cultist. That said, I know nothing about him, so I'd rather just wait here and see how he reacts before making a move. Besides, here I get to stay huddled up with you," Sabriel explained, ending with mock-enthusiasm. It may not have been as cool, but sometimes waiting and watching was the best option.

[Book the Hero]

Raven just smirked as she watched Atra make his declaration. It looked like things were about to get good, but she made sure that both herself and her companion were completely covered. No need to attract attention to themselves, when some idiot was pointing a crossbow. If the mage guy was a Dark Cultist, that just made her job in this town a bit easier.

"I'm ok with staying hidden for now...especially if it means being so close." Raven said, jokingly flirting again. She loved completely ruining the tension to events that did not directly involve her. She smiled a little, wondering what her elf companion was thinking. She knew enough about the elf to be able to get her to do what she wanted on occasion, but there was no doubt in the mind that she probably could do the same. Just one of the reasons she liked having her around as a friend.

[Dobi Boshi]

"You know, people wonder why I don't like you Demon Hunters," Gerard mused, turning back around to look at Atra, having almost gotten to the door before he had a weapon pointed at him. "You, my friend, are the prime example of what no to do. Do you really think it's wise for you to declare that you're a Demon Hunter - in public, whilst declaring you intentions and accusing random people of being Cultists. Not clever at all."

Gerard shook his head, he honestly didn't know why he bothered. He offered the spectators watching the entire deal unfold a small shrug; the people of this town knew and respected him, he really doubted some random Demon Hunter accusing him of being a Dark Cultist was going to raise any eyebrows. Folding his arms over his chest, he stared back unflinching at the Demon Hunters gaze.

"Sorcerers get a bad rep for being arrogant, but you're not exactly the shinning beckon of humility, either," he added, almost as an after thought. "The map was given to me by the inn owner, using it to point out recent Cultists activity in the area as I planned on looking at the Creators Crypt whilst I was in town, the Ork agreed to help me out and given me a little extra strength just in case I run into trouble. That's why this doesn't concern you Demon Hunter, this was suppose to be an academic research trip to help with my studies, but the Cultists could screw that up and I'm trying to play it safe."

Pulling the map from his robe, he handed it to the Demon Hunter; "Feel free to keep it, it's just a map with a few lines and dots: I'm sure I can make myself another one." Without waiting for the Demon Hunter's reply, he walked away again, swiftly exciting the inn, walking out into the main street in front of Blackthrone. That was annoying, he scowled to himself bellow his covering, Don't want to let him know which room I'm in so I'll wonder around town for a little bit and come back in an hour to catch some sleep. With that decided he walked off into the centre of town, opting to stop by the old park and take a relaxing walk for a little while.

[Big Uri]

Sabriel watched the event with unconcealed mirth. Now that was how to handle an incident professionally. Despite herself, she was impressed, though she could not help but laugh at the Demon Hunter's misfortune. Oh well. He had the right motivations, and his heart may have been in the right place, but he had been woefully brash there. Those were the breaks, though. You take a gamble like that and you always have a chance of it going awry. It was just up to you whether it was worth it, and since the guy likely didn't care about the townspeople of New Wellington's opinion of him, it had likely been worth it.

Now, however, she was presented with a problem. She could leave the issue alone, let the others handle it, and get back to her work like a good little hired hand. But she was curious, plus the Dark Cultists at the Creator's Crypt were of great interest to her. She seemed to be losing out to curiosity more ad more and more lately, she realised. Oh well, it could very well pay off.

"Heeey, Raven, want to do me another favour?" she asked with a smile.

[Book the Hero]

Raven just sighed at the sight. Now boy was that embarrassing for the fellow Demon Hunter, she almost felt sorry for the guy. But that's what happens when you act before gathering enough information. Raven had been the same way, before she finally wizened up, and tried to get as much info as she could before doing something big, like dealing with a demon infestation, or accusing someone.

But it was nice to know that she wasn't the only Demon Hunter around, although what really interested her was the sorcerer. He spoke down on the male Demon Hunter, with obvious dislike, that seemed to go deeper then just being accused of being a Dark Cultist. Not to mention, from what Sabriel said about him, he was also looking into the case of demon sightings.

It was at this point that she heard her elven companion ask her for a favor. A smile popped up on Raven's face instantly. "Sure, but you'll owe me another one."

[Big Uri]

"Can you see if you can persuade that Demon Hunter on side? I want to go check out something, solo, and I don't want that guy having the wrong idea and breathing down my neck. Plus, you're the only one he'd listen to, you're a Demon Hunter," Sabriel pleaded, giving her the big eyes. She wanted to go check out their mystery sorcerer, she had a proposition for him. She was reasonably confident that either way it would work out well for her.

"And of course I'll owe you another one. Tell you what, I'll owe you three more if you can get him to calm down and not bother us," the elf replied. She didn't know if Raven remembered, but she already owed the Demon Hunter one from the last time they met. Of course, Sabriel didn't want to remind her that this would make it a total of five favours she owed her.

[The Nexerus]

Atra allowed the Mage to pass by, satisfied with his acquisition of the man's map. He hadn't spoken a word while his suspect had been rambling on. In all honesty, Atra probably couldn't recall most of what the fool had even said. He didn't care much for what the townsfolk thought of him for having taken the map, either, nor what he'd lost in regards to his identity. In most situations, Atra knew, it was beneficial for civilians not to be aware of your status as an active Demon Hunter. In this particular one, though, Atra mused, it might just be a handy boon.

Wasting no time, Atra unravelled the map and perused it thoroughly. There were two awkwardly shaped triangles drawn on it, which pointed in two directions. The one pointing west seemed to center around the Creator's Crypt. The fact that the Mage was hiding a map with the Creator's Crypt highlighted did nothing to quell Atra's suspicion of him. If he wasn't a Dark Cultist, he was up to something. Something he didn't want people to know about; and it involved the Crypt. Right now, though, Atra had a slightly more pressing issue to deal with.

The second triangle was directed north. It was drawn in the same style as the first, with small dots connected by lines to form a rough shape around a central point. This marking, though, didn't seem to have a clear central point. The triangle was placed virtually in the middle of nowhere. Perplexed, Atra gave the map another once over, checking for secret markings or some kind of insignia he could recognize. Nothing. Whatever it was this Mage was in town for, his sights were set on these two points. This second triangle seemed less obviously placed - and thus, to Atra, far more interesting.

His crossbow and bolts gradually disappearing over the course of a few seconds until they had completely vanished, Atra set his sights north. It was dark, but he couldn't spare any time with this, and made haste to his destination, following the map carefully, and making sure to keep his wits about him. If the Mage and his accomplices were interested in whatever was north of New Wellington, so was Atra. Sleep was for the weak tonight.

[Book the Hero]

Raven sighed, a smile forming on her face. Sabriel seemed pretty determined to do this, and who was she to deny her. Sides, the idea of the elf owing her five, and yes she did remember, filled her with a lot of glee. And it couldn't hurt to talk to the fellow Demon Hunter, if she got him to cooperate with them, then all the better. "Deal, now go on!" She said, getting rid of the cloak of void that surrounded them, allowing the elf to go off on her own.

Raven headed after Atra. "Hey, can I borrow you for a second, I need to talk to you for a moment." She said to the fellow Demon Hunter. Hopefully, he would recognize her as a comrade quickly. While Raven was sure they had never met before, it wouldn't be hard for one Demon Hunter to identify another one.

[The Nexerus]

Atra scowled. He was about to set off for wherever the marking on this map was placed, but now some woman had disturbed him. Atra had scouted her proximity early on, and turned to face her before she did anything intentional to catch his attention. She wasn't bad looking. A little on the butch side, same as every woman in this whole town, apparently, Atra thought, but attractive none the less. Figuring her for an ally of his, due both to her having bothered him after just haggling with a suspect and her trademark generically suspicious looking attire, Atra gave her the benefit of the doubt. Least he could do was listen to what she had to say.

Turned out, though, that wasn't much. Raising an eyebrow, Atra put a hand to his rapier, keeping a safe distance between him and this woman, and making sure he was ready to draw at a moment's notice. For all Atra knew, she was just dressed like a Demon Hunter, and was another accomplice of the Mage. "Borrow me for what, exactly?" Atra asked, his tone decidedly more casual than how he was really feeling at the moment.

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