Faces in the Darkness - Part 2
Night touched everything with the brutal touch of the Fury, the cold like blades. Erik had returned to the spot where he promised to meet Julian, but the old elezen was no where to be seen. He waited for some time, assuming the age of the man may have lead to his tardiness. That thought vanished when Erik heard a creaking from behind him. A small room found on the rampart used to give relief to chilled guards, its door opened slowly. Erik peered into the room to see Julian, dead and disfigured. Erik backed away from the door, his senses sharp, his mind true. Few who he called friend knew his true nature. He seemed such a gentle and kind man, always so caring, but this was just the face he let the world see. One who walked away from Ala Mhigo as it burned. One who killed his first man at the age of thirteen. One who had fought imperial forces, undead abominations, and even death itself and won. These were not the accomplishments of a kind man. These were the events of a savage life of survival.
Suddenly from behind Erik came a voice, "You are very far from home Captain." Erik spun on the voice, he had not sensed the man he saw before him, neither sound or aether. This unnerved Erik, it was all but impossible to sneak up on him, any man who could was not to be underestimated. To make it worse, laughter came from the empty room where Julian laid dead. Two men seem to emerge from nothingness. Three men who made no sound, walked in shadows, who could even conceal their aether, "You are Faces of Mercy?" he asked, moving his head to his front and back, trying not to give his enemies more of an advantage then they already had. The only one to have spoken, their leader, replied, "A good guess. I suppose you are rightly on our list. To be honest, I assumed it was an error. A highlander hyur, a Sultansworn of the sands? But here you are." The man raised a blue crystal that flashed a dim light. The light would refract off of elezen eyes, leaving them to sparkle for a few moments a rainbow of colors. The eyes of the assassins sparkled, as did Erik's. The leader laughed, clapping his hand, "Why Captain, you have your mother's eyes it seems. I must admit, I would never had thought such high blood would be found in one like you. Though you do seem cleaner then the average highlander. I suppose that proves you are indeed our prey. We shall be quick."
Erik nodded, "I will not delay you." Drawing his blade from it enchanted hiding place, he spoke his oath, "By my oath.... I will defend Her Majesty with all my courage and Fury." Light poured forth from the tip of his blade as he circled it around him. The red coat on his shoulders gave way to the plate of a Sultansworn. Erik turns the tables, this time surprising them, leaping from the rampart ten fulms to the roof of the inn. The three assassins recovered from the sight of a highlander leaping like an elezen, and moved after him. The two lesser assassins reach him first, their blows swift. Erik parried the first strike, and countered with a swipe of his shield, knocking the masked man back. The second was right behind, thin blades singing in the air as they swiped once, twice, again and again. Striking his sword to the roof they stood upon, Erik summoned pillars of light that threw the second from the roof entirely. This invited the third, the leader to begin swiftly running toward Erik, both blades and smile drawn. Erik swung his shield, knocking the man back nearly to the edge of the roof. As he stumbled, he caught himself, dropping his second blade to steady himself and to return to his charge. As he charged again, Erik lobbed his shield at the dark figure, only to be stunned by the sight of the assassin catching his shield with his free hand and hurling it back at the knight. As Erik reached to catch it, he left himself open as one of the other slayers appeared and cut deep into his left arm. Dazed by the blade touching bone, Erik shook himself and recognized the losing battle before him. He grabbed his shield from before his foot and ran to the edge of the roof. As he approached, the assassins closing in, Erik chanted, "By my oath.... I will stand before all, INVINCIBLE!" As the enchanting aura stretched over his body, he leap from the roof, falling several stories. Landing on his feet he turned to look to the roof, only to see his hunters, standing at the edge, looking down. He could have sworn he saw the leader smile before they all vanished from sight.
As a small crowned gathered around where a shining knight had fallen from an impossible height. As he watched for his attackers the pearl in his ear rang out with a crackle of voice, "Erik, are you there? Can you meet with some of us tonight to speak about the situation in Ishgard?" Erik, uneasy as he looked into every face in the crowd around him, making sure they were not the impossible man's face, "I am here Kiht. I am actually in Dragonhead right now. Where will the meeting be? I will be there."
Night touched everything with the brutal touch of the Fury, the cold like blades. Erik had returned to the spot where he promised to meet Julian, but the old elezen was no where to be seen. He waited for some time, assuming the age of the man may have lead to his tardiness. That thought vanished when Erik heard a creaking from behind him. A small room found on the rampart used to give relief to chilled guards, its door opened slowly. Erik peered into the room to see Julian, dead and disfigured. Erik backed away from the door, his senses sharp, his mind true. Few who he called friend knew his true nature. He seemed such a gentle and kind man, always so caring, but this was just the face he let the world see. One who walked away from Ala Mhigo as it burned. One who killed his first man at the age of thirteen. One who had fought imperial forces, undead abominations, and even death itself and won. These were not the accomplishments of a kind man. These were the events of a savage life of survival.
Suddenly from behind Erik came a voice, "You are very far from home Captain." Erik spun on the voice, he had not sensed the man he saw before him, neither sound or aether. This unnerved Erik, it was all but impossible to sneak up on him, any man who could was not to be underestimated. To make it worse, laughter came from the empty room where Julian laid dead. Two men seem to emerge from nothingness. Three men who made no sound, walked in shadows, who could even conceal their aether, "You are Faces of Mercy?" he asked, moving his head to his front and back, trying not to give his enemies more of an advantage then they already had. The only one to have spoken, their leader, replied, "A good guess. I suppose you are rightly on our list. To be honest, I assumed it was an error. A highlander hyur, a Sultansworn of the sands? But here you are." The man raised a blue crystal that flashed a dim light. The light would refract off of elezen eyes, leaving them to sparkle for a few moments a rainbow of colors. The eyes of the assassins sparkled, as did Erik's. The leader laughed, clapping his hand, "Why Captain, you have your mother's eyes it seems. I must admit, I would never had thought such high blood would be found in one like you. Though you do seem cleaner then the average highlander. I suppose that proves you are indeed our prey. We shall be quick."
Erik nodded, "I will not delay you." Drawing his blade from it enchanted hiding place, he spoke his oath, "By my oath.... I will defend Her Majesty with all my courage and Fury." Light poured forth from the tip of his blade as he circled it around him. The red coat on his shoulders gave way to the plate of a Sultansworn. Erik turns the tables, this time surprising them, leaping from the rampart ten fulms to the roof of the inn. The three assassins recovered from the sight of a highlander leaping like an elezen, and moved after him. The two lesser assassins reach him first, their blows swift. Erik parried the first strike, and countered with a swipe of his shield, knocking the masked man back. The second was right behind, thin blades singing in the air as they swiped once, twice, again and again. Striking his sword to the roof they stood upon, Erik summoned pillars of light that threw the second from the roof entirely. This invited the third, the leader to begin swiftly running toward Erik, both blades and smile drawn. Erik swung his shield, knocking the man back nearly to the edge of the roof. As he stumbled, he caught himself, dropping his second blade to steady himself and to return to his charge. As he charged again, Erik lobbed his shield at the dark figure, only to be stunned by the sight of the assassin catching his shield with his free hand and hurling it back at the knight. As Erik reached to catch it, he left himself open as one of the other slayers appeared and cut deep into his left arm. Dazed by the blade touching bone, Erik shook himself and recognized the losing battle before him. He grabbed his shield from before his foot and ran to the edge of the roof. As he approached, the assassins closing in, Erik chanted, "By my oath.... I will stand before all, INVINCIBLE!" As the enchanting aura stretched over his body, he leap from the roof, falling several stories. Landing on his feet he turned to look to the roof, only to see his hunters, standing at the edge, looking down. He could have sworn he saw the leader smile before they all vanished from sight.
As a small crowned gathered around where a shining knight had fallen from an impossible height. As he watched for his attackers the pearl in his ear rang out with a crackle of voice, "Erik, are you there? Can you meet with some of us tonight to speak about the situation in Ishgard?" Erik, uneasy as he looked into every face in the crowd around him, making sure they were not the impossible man's face, "I am here Kiht. I am actually in Dragonhead right now. Where will the meeting be? I will be there."
![[Image: Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5YSh8yMniHU/VlLStr_7SSI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/qLoOmtz-Jdg/s100-Ic42/Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png)
