Fisherman's Wharf

[Renegade]

Ren

Why the hell did I agree to search the rooftops for the group in the first place? Oh yeah, because it would get me away from Vlad and his attitude towards me. I could see them from a short distance on the streets as they left the Inn. It seemed that we were to late now to save the poor souls of that tavern. Now we had to search for Cervantes and the man that the inhabitants had told us about.

As I move a little further ahead of them, my mind wonders on why I didn't just try and get away right now? I could easily just leave and never look back on this day. But there was something that told me this was something I had to see to till the end. Just then, when I leap onto the next rooftop, I hear a pair of foot steps infront of me. Looking infront of me, I see Cervantes staring back at me, his clothes still wet from before. He quickly notices me as an evil grin appears over his face.

"You!" he yells as he slowly approaches me, "You're the one that ruined my cloths earlier."

Taking a step back, I turn to see that I had gone to far ahead of the others for them to arrive on time. Clutching my two daggers in my hands, I tell him "You have alot to answer for buddy. And I'm not going to let you get away with what you've done." He looks bored at my warning as he continues to calmly approache me.

Acting on instinct, I throw my daggers at him at the same time just to see them enter his body and then be pulled out with little effort. Shit! I was losing these damn things by the dozen at this rate. There was some blood on his chest now, but he didn't seem to be bothered much by that injury. He keeps that smug look on his face as he continues to walk towards me. I had just about enough of this crap from him! "Let's do this," I tell him as I run forword and charge for his body.

Cervantes manuvers himself so that I miss him as he delivers a fist to the side of my head. With a loud smack, his fist collides with me as I am slammed onto the roof surface. Before I can figure out what happened, I feel a foot kick right into my side as I roll towards the edge of the rooftop. Right before my body goes over the edge, I'm able to grab hold of the ledge and keep myself from falling. Cervantes grabs my arm and, much to my surprise, yanks me back to the roof.

His hands wrap around my neck as he holds me up into the air by my throat. I try to break free as he looks into my eyes and tells me, "You're not getting off that easy. You have yet to pay for the damage you caused my clothing!"

The look in his eyes told me he was dead serious about all of this. As I look into those eyes, I learned the true meaning of what it was to live in fear.

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

Dropping Ren to the roof top Cervantes hovered over him. "So... Do I infect you like I did the whores? Or just kill you?" Ren could only shake his head. "WELL!? Its one or the other whelp! I let you choose... What do... You prefer?"

 

[RoseThorn]

Rose

Rose said nothing, watching Vixen and the old woman. It seemed, she thought bitterely, that everyone has friends and family but me. She sighed rubbing her eyes, feeling weary of everything...

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

watched the old woman fondly. She hadn't really wanted to come here... and perhaps... if it wasn't for the girl Rose she might have tried to heal herself... but she couldn't take those kind of chances with another person. She was starting to care... she could feel it. She hated when this happened. The girl reminded her so much of herself when she was just starting out... before she had become an assassin and later... well... she didn't want to dwell on the recent past.

She looked over at Rose and saw the exhaustion plainly writen across her features. Without saying anything she took the girls arm and led her to the simple bed in the back room. "Lie down for now... you're safe here... I'll let her check me first and we'll check you once you've rested."

She returned to the old woman who gave her a vile tasting liquid to drink. Vixen shuddered and slammed it down fast making faces all the while.

 

[RoseThorn]

Rose

Rose nodded slowly, she settled onto the bed, pulling the cloak arond her, she neglected the blanket. She didn't know why she trusted this Vixen, she shouldn't...She could easily come and tie her up now...Take her things again...Her eyelids closed slowly as she pulled the cloak more tightly around herself...

 

[Renegade]

Ren

Out of desperation, I try to move away but he slams his foot into my chest to pin me down. He continues to look down at me as he awaits my answer to his question. The man was so calmed, like he knew that nobody would be showing up in time to help me.

It would appear that I would have to choose my fate. Choosing my fate. That was something that many never get the chance to do in their life. They have little say in how they shall end their current life. And now I was being give this option. True it was being forced upon me, but the option that I was offered was more then others could hope to get.

Death now, or life as a beast that would be hunted and hated by those. The beast option was much like my current life lately. For the rest of my life, I would be alone if I had choose to become like him. Alone to live on the streets. Hated and feared by all those who knew what I was on the inside. I would still be alive, but what life would that be to live? It wouldn't be a true life. Just a living nightmare that I would have to go through. Alone and hated. But the fear of being killed was to great for me to have to allow myself to face.

Closing my eyes as they begin to water, I tighten my fists as I tell him in a low, defeated voice "Infect me..."

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

With a curl of his lips, Cervantes gave Ren a menecing smile. Then, without any more fan fair Cervantes's form twisted, his bones popped out of socket and shift about. It was truly a horrific sight to behold. But Ren's eyes were locked and could not tear away from it. It was as though Cervantes and this beast that now hovered over him had been two separate beings... Until now... There was no way to escape the horror of it any longer. They were one and the same. Cervantes was on the little whelp before he could draw another breath. Savaging him, like he had the little boy, but Ren had more to him and was not so easily ripped to shreads, he sustained several bites and the thing even clawed at his face. It was as though it were trying to make sure Ren was cut open sufficiently. Then he drew back. Ren was doing his best to not weep, but for the horrendous pain. Taking a gnarled and clawed hand Cervantes dug into his own flesh, letting some of his blood pour out onto Ren's prone and shaking form. With that Cervantes returned to his human form, which was no less horrid than it had been before. He then sat beside Ren fixing him with a taunting smile. "I will stay only long enough to see if you have taken to the infection whelp... Thats the least I can do I suppose..." Turning his eyes away and looking up into the sky he added. "It might do to rest now... Eather your wounds will be too sever for you to recover from or you will become like me... Eather way... Sleep is your best option now..."

 

[Renegade]

Ren

God this hurt so badly. My entire body was now ravaged by his terrible attack. I slowly began to wish that I was dead now. At least then this would all end but I had made my choice. Cervantes words spoke echoes into my mind at the time. He was completly right about what he had just pointed out to me. Laying back in my spot, I slowly rest my eyes as I let myself fall into a deep sleep. No matter what would happen, this was going to be my last moment on this world as a normal human...

As I lay there in my sleep, Cervantes grins as he sees the wounds slowly but surely begin to heal themself. He pulls himself up from his sitting position as he straightens out his cloths. Cervantes leaves the young man to rest as he heads out to continue his search for Vixen and Rose. He knew, that Ren was now one like him...

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

stared into space. The old woman sat down across from her. "You already know what I'm going to tell ye gel." The woman stated. Vixen closed her eyes as if to block the question. She lowered her head and nodded.

"I'm pregnant."
The old woman sighed shuffling her deck of cards absentmindedly before laying out a series of them before her on the table.
"Yer a stupid one, always wilful, always getting into trouble with no thought to how to get out of it..."
"I don't need a lecture!" Vixen retorted sharply. There was a silence after this. Finally the woman spoke again.
"The child will be gifted... he need not be of the same breed as his father... it will be hard to curb his hungers but not impossible... if you choose to keep it."
Vixen's head shot up. "Keep it?"
The old woman nodded watching her intently. Vixen seemed to think about it but finally her shoulders sagged and she shook her head. "No... no... that is not a choice for me..."
The old woman nodded her head as if she already knew this.
She continued to turn the cards before her.
"The girl... she is like a flower... only now blooming... she was put on your path for a reason."
Vixen looked surprised at this and she turned to look at the sleeping form in the next room.
"Will she be okay?" Was all Vixen asked.
"Aye... well that is hard to say... the beast was male yes? It is hard to say if he infected her, until she turns... if there was blood spilt then perhaps she is in danger... there is a potion that will subdue any reaction... but I don't have a cure... you'll have to travel to the far island for an antidote. Even so, if she turns before the antidote is given, then all is lost."
Vixen shuddered at these words. The woman looked at her knowingly but said nothing.
"Then make up the potion... I'll make sure she takes it until we can get the antidote."
The old woman nodded and started to take herbs from the jars she kept. She turned to Vixen and offered her a salve. "Here, go wash yerself in the river and apply this... it will help."

Vixen opened her mouth to say something but the woman's face was impassive. "Aye... thank ye." Vixen replied. The woman turned her back and continued making up the potion for Rose. Vixen slipped out of the hut and walked down to the river. She walked a bit further down stream, the great wolf that kept the old woman company followed her and sat on the bank as she stripped and slipped into the icy stream. She shivered as she started to wash away evidence of her couplings with the beast that was Cervantes. She winced as the water rushed between her thighs.

Finally clean she stepped from the water and sat apon a rock letting the water dry naturally. She dipped her fingers into the salve and applied it to her nether regions. It stung, but it was necessary. She almost gasped seeing the bruising and scratches on her body. She hadn't realised how ruthless Cervantes had been. Quickly she covered the marks on her body and finally she slipped on her clothes again. Once dressed she sat again on the rock looking out at the water. She wondered how she was going to help Rose.

 

[Roland Gilliad]

*The young man unfolds the package, inside are some stout leather boots, Long, Good Black a green tunic with a red, sleeveless coat, a Long Flowing Black Cloak, It had Two Glowing Daggers, Crossed across everthing else and a Small slip of paper that said..."Orcist Shagarito"...He slipped everything on, finishing with the gloves, he looked like an Expert Theif, Well, at least to the trained eye, he flipped his hood over his head and walked over to the weapons case, wondering exactly what to get..*

*Rolando Dumped the Herbs into the water, and a Healing Smell rushed into the room, he smiled taking a deep whiff, she slowly stirred, and he held her hand, hoping she would soon awaken..*

 

[Renegade]

Ren

Slowly, my tired eyes opened as I look around the area in fear. Jerking up into a sitting position, I check over my body as terror begins to fill me. Every wound that Cervantes had just inflicted on me less then an hour ago where now healed. The bastard had actualy done what he said he would. I was turning into a creature like he had become. My life had been spared, but at what cost? And what would the others do if they discovered what had happened to me?

Oh shit! It had probably been an hour by now. That means that everyone would be meeting up back at Rolandos place by now. But what I needed to do first was find Cervantes. Before I fully turned into a thing like him, I need to send him to his grave. The problem was, how the hell would I be able to find him now?

Just then I remembered one advantage to being turned. Now that I was like him, I could also have his advanced scent. Sniffing my cloths for his smell, I get his scent then use that to try and catch where he had gone. Sure enough, he seemed to be heading towards Vixen and Rose to finish things with them. Pulling myself up, I quickly begin to follow the scent to try and catch up with Cervantes at the meeting point.

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

He could smell Vixen now as he moved swiftly through the woods. Despite his intentions with her and the thief he had enjoyed her greatly. There! Ahead! A cabin... Cervantes came to the forest line and looked in toward the cabin. Her scent was strongest here but she was not in sight. So Cervantes took to the tree and hid, waiting, watching...

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

sighed as she realised she was well and truly dry now. The great wolf lay at the base of the rock watching her through hooded eyes. She smiled at him fondly. Remembering playing with him when she was younger.

She left her hair hanging loose as she collect the jar which held the salve and headed back towards the cabin. The wolf whinned nervously as they neared the cabin. Vixen looked down at him questioningly. He wagged his tail gently as if unsure and cocked his great head. Vixen looked around trying to see if anyone was around. She saw nothing.

"Come on boy... there isn't anything out there is there?"

 

[Renegade]

Ren

Cervantes scent was strong in the air but I had so little expierence with any of this that I could not track in on him. I could just go to where I knew he was heading, but then I risk letting him get the jump on me when I arrive. This was taking to long, but it was necessary for me to get through this alive.

Finaly getting past the town area, I return to traveling on the floor as I pick up my pace. It was going to take me awhile, but I would be able to get the drop on Cervantes by trailing him this way. This was turning out to be one hell of a day.

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

Lowering himself from the tree he had been hiding in Cervantes made no attempt to hide his presence. The wolf was on its feet and growling in short order but Cervantes, once his feet thumped to the ground, made his way toward them, paying the wolf no mind. "Ah, Vixen, good to see you again!" He said cheerfully, waving to her with a sharp smile. "I have come to see how you and the thief bitch fair..." He still used the same cordial tone even as he slipped the oath into his words. He stood seven feet from her now and took a stately bow. It was all show, or perhaps his way of mocking her...

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

her eyes widened in sudden fear. She tried desperately not to show it. Her knowledge was far too new to her. She felt edgy as she eyed him cautiously. The wolf was growling agressively but since Cervantes had stopped the wolf remained at her side with his hackles raised. Vixen let her finger tips brush the rough mangey coat of the beast as she continued to watch Cervantes.

"so now you come to mock us?" She jerked her head impatiently at his gentlemanly bow. Her eyes narrowed, she didn't know what had happened in the Inn after she and the others had left. She only hoped Vladamere was still okay. She dismissed this frightening thought from her mind. She had to keep Cervantes away from Rose. She tilted her chin so that she appeared to be looking down her nose at him.

"I can't say that either of us require a repeat performance, after all you weren't really that good... 'twas quite the disappointment after all I had heard about your kind..." she managed to add venom to her words as she stood her ground. Not willing to let him see her fear.

 

[Mackdaddy_74]

Walking up to the old stone house, Salvitore knocks on the wooden door. The door slowly opens revealing an elderly man
in a brown robe. "Can I help you?" the hermit asked, looking up at us with grey eyes that accented his silver hair.

"I am Salvitore, and this is Taril, we need your help if you can or will help us." he asked. "I will do the best that I can." the hermit stated. "Taril could you explain the problem please?" Salvitore asked, then stepped to the side.

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

Turning a sharp glance to the wolf at her side Cervantes showed his teeth. "Send the mut away or I will rip it to shreads... Whore." Cervantes's tone sent a chill through her. His eyes returned to her. "Now!" He barked loudly. "Or I will go after the thief bitch next..." Once more his tone was calm. He placed a hand to his cheek as though he were surprised. " Oh no... We wouldn't want that now would we?"

 

[RoseThorn]

Rose

Rose thrashed in her sleep, her eyes moved rapidly behind her eyelids. Thousands of things she didn't know...and did, invaded her brain. How to pick a pocket, how to bring down an animal, how to move like a shdow, how to track your enemy with only your wits and senses...

She jerked up and for a moment in the shaded darkness of the room, her eyes glowed yellow. Her nostrels flared and her earlier aches were gone. Her hair prickled and she stood, feeling herself being almost drawn forward. A threat. One of her kind threatened...Her kind? Yes...Her blood whispered. The old women said something as she walked to the door but she ignored it. Vixen needed her.

 

[poohlive]

You didn't think it was over, did you...

Joach woke up, a trail of blood leading down his cheek. He wiped at it nonchalently, looking back at the window. Someone was trapping him in here, someone who knew more magic than the wizard who had trained him.
He stood up, making his boots hit the ground squarely. This was no time for frogs, or small magical bullshit. He closed his eyes, raising his arms in the air. A small amount of wind circled his entire body, cleansing him of emotion, cleaning his soul form the very reaches of evil.
Somewhere out in the forest, a wolf howled.
Bright light began to cirlce him, protecting him, but at the same time giving him strength. It was small at first, mere fragments of an inner strength. Deeper, deeper he had the strength, if he could only tap into it. He didn't have the ability to do that just yet, besides he was scared to release his own power.
The wizard had said he needed to learn how to control his power, how to make it wield to his thoughts, his incantations.
This was not one of those times. The fragments, which had begun to grow, were raw magic. Purely raw magic, drawing from his own well, and thriving inside him. Joach could feel the floor leave him, he arose silently in the air. The lights swirled around him faster, making his hair whip out in all directions.
The time had come. He clasped both of his hands together. An immense light came from his combined forearms. A uge beam of magic poured from him, and into the open window. It stopped at the sill, from some barrier.
The protection barrier, a simple spell, but extremely effective. He doubled his efforts, making the magic surround the entire gate that seperated him from the outside.
A huge eruption shook the entire house. Even though his feet were no where near the ground, Joach felt it as well. The house itself was uprooting, pulsating, diminishing.
He could see the gate had been broken. Joach floted outside, landing on a small patch of grass. He turned around.
The house itself had broken. It's center drew in on itself, like a cracked rib. The house itself was being held up by magic. No wonder there was no escape. A protection barrier spell only worked for a room, maybe even two, but not a whole tavern.
Cracking his knuckles, Joach walked away from the place. He smiled demourly at the wonder he had created. He now knew control, he could finally...
As the magic left him his knees buckled. Joach fell to the ground, his power was gone. He had called upon something to help him, and it had. Joach used his hands to keep him up, his stomach turned in knots. His mind was clouded.
Possesing a power gave a magician so much power, it was physically painful when it leave. Joach felt that pain now.
He lay on the cool grass, waiting for it to pass. He turned to the side, throwing up last night's dinner.
He turned back to the open sky, wiping some drool that had travelled down his chin. He would just lie here on the grass for a while, lie here and wait.
For revenge would soon be his. He smiled, it would soon, but not now, for now he would rest.
Rest...

 

[Roland Gilliad]

Hold It. *The young man stated simply to the wolf man, his Eyes gleaming like a cold fire, He held in his hands Two long, Slender Sai blades that glistened in the light of the moon, They were at a perfect ready stance as he addressed Cervantes with a feirceness that couldnt be matched* You Heard me...Step away from the Lady...NOW! *his last word smoked with a fierce venom as he slowly walked towards him, It was hard to tell what the blades were wrought of, but they glowed an eerie silver light, and his eyes seemed to do the same...He saw the sudden look of surprise on Cervantes for a moment, then a sharp growl, his lips curled into a smirk, exactly what he wanted, as he was totally, and perfectly Calm...*




(And rolando is waitin on Trinity to wakey wakey..)

 

[Kepic]

Taril

"A creature has caused much harm in the town, and I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on its nature. Salvitore here said you were knowledgeable in such matters, and I can only pray you can help us."

I paused for a moment, though I had no need to catch breath, "I believe it is a were-hyena, it certainly seems a lycanthrope of some kind, though not apparently a werewolf. We need to know what can harm such a thing, wound it beyond the creatures ability to regenerate damage."

"A were-hyena?" muttered the old man, tugging on his long silvery-white beard, which was tucked through the belt he wore, "fire is a potent force against lycanthropes, they cannot regenerate burns as easily as other wounds, yet bringing such to bare is not necessarily easy... if silver does not effect such a creature, then weapons bearing strong enough magic..."

"My sword is forged of mithril, and the enchantments laid upon it are far from weak" I said, touching the hilt at my side, "yet it had little effect against it."

"Perhaps it's natural - or unnatural - healing power is supplemented by magic of some kind, also" the hermit mused, "that is what I would guess, at least. Silver does not harm were-hyenas as it does so easily werewolves, you would require blades fashioned of gold..."

"Thank you" I said, with a short bow, "that should prove helpful."

I turned to look at Salvitore, whose face was set almost in stone, his eyes burning.

"Thank you" he said, his voice hard and cold.

[Edited by Kepic on 12-20-2000 at 12:03 PM]

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

stood as if frozen to the spot. She couldn't believe her natural instinct was to do as Cervantes told her. She barely managed to stop herself from blindly obeying his harsh command. Just then... the strange young man appeared in the clearing. She was beginning to think the old woman's cabin wasn't so secretly hidden after all.

She looked from the young man to Cervantes. She wasn't sure when she had suddenly needed help to fight her own battles but she was more concerned now with protecting Rose and Maman. She whistled sharply and the great wolf jerked it's head to face her in response. It watched her as if waiting for some sort of signal.

Just then Rose emerged from the cabin. Vixen hadn't been expecting this.

 

[Moneytalks]

Trinity...

she stirs as if rising from deep sleep. Her nose twitches as she inhales the healing scent. Finally she blinks opening her eyes to find Rolando sitting by her holding her hand. She frowns as if unsure what has just happened.

 

[RoseThorn]

Rose felt her instintive human fear crushed by this new...thing. How DARE this male threaten what she had? Her eyes glowed a soft yellow as she stepped to Vixen's side.

OOC: RL, tell me if that goes ok w/ her inner hyena If not I'll change...