The Hunted and the Hunter

[Corydon]

All day the town was silent except for the Guard that had come to Luvon’s door. He glanced up at Luvon and looked as if he was going to say something. Instead he merely nodded and continued walking. Luvon returned the nod with a hint of smile. He had tried another of his contacts but he had been as much help as Mel had been. In other words they told him the same thing he already knew. The Red Mask were coming, blah, blah, blah. Luvon already knew that. The only person that seemed to have a more indepth knowledge of the situation was the one place he was avoiding. It was late afternoon and it would not be uncommon for Luvon to retire for the evening. He made his way home surprisingly finding himself hoping that the Drow hadn’t skipped town without him.

Luvon returned home pausing outside the door. He concentrated and reached out with his extra senses.

~Is anyone there?
~One mind….elf….

Luvon wished his power had extended to reading minds rather then just affecting them. Still he was able to reach out and sense what was in a certain area and this proved the Drow, or some other elf, was inside. He opened the door slowly grasping his hilt. “It is I whom tended you last night,” he called in before swinging the door open, stepping in and closing it quickly. “We have not been introduced. My name is Luvon Nolbrae of the Vailor Forest,” Luvon said grandly. “I was hoping you would share your plans as we seem to be stuck in this situation together,” Luvon said taking his hand off his sword and extending it out in a gesture of friendship. Luvon found himself almost afraid of touching the Drow as if that touch would corrupt his mind. This was not a time for differences though, it was a time for survival.

[Jimmeh]

Adriac looked up and shook the hand. "Adriac Veras, my past is no man's business," he said, almost cruelly. "I haven't bothered to look over your notes, I know all about the Red Mask Terror," he started, "do you know what the Black Masks are?" he asked inquisitively. It would not do for his new ally to not know the nature of his foes. Adriac was ready to be on the move, and wished they could get out of this dreadful place before nightfall, but people were surely on the lookout for anything suspicious, and a Drow was as suspicious as it would get.

In his right hand he was twisting a small gem that was glowing. If he could contact his brother in arms, Llivendias, he would have a better chance of survival.

-------------------

The Black Masks waited in silence for the sun to set and to begin the journey to Noerdal. Whether the Drow was there or not, the trail would begin there.

[Manda-Panda]

It had been hard enough for her to tell him about her family, and how they were still alive with beating hearts while she…wasn’t. Now that they were on the subject she decided that she couldn’t handle talking about it anymore. Over the passing weeks she had been able to force them out of her mind, and suppress a monstrous pain that attacked her insides every time she thought about her family. Thinking or speaking of them was what fed this monster, and now that it was awake again inside of her…she felt as if she had to cage it again by taking away its food…taking away the memories of her family.

Alex was all right when she wasn’t thinking about them. If she went back now there was a chance of being rejected, and that would only open up old wounds. She felt that it was best for her to stay away, and to try and forget about them, as she was sure they would eventually forget about her.

Very talented at hiding emotion, it was probably impossible for Alech to see this endless war going on inside of her. There were no tears or even a frown upon her alabaster face now. Time would make things better for her.

“No, I cant…and I wont try.” She hadn’t been rude, but her words had still been firm. The stubborn tone in her voice even put the conversation to an instant end.

Then, as she choked the evil monster inside of her back into submission, she stared back into his eyes with a warming gaze. Alex decided things were getting too serious, so she offered a playful smile and reached across the table to take his hand in her own. Her skin against his palm was pleasantly chilly and smooth.

“I’m glad you still trust me.” She began, still smilingly brightly. “Having a vampire around might not be so bad.” And this was very true. Vampires had abilities that humans didn’t, and she could eventually prove to be useful. It seemed that just as she had taken his hand, she letting it go and placing her own hand back into her lap.

“Anyway…weren’t you hungry?” she asked, gesturing towards the menu that was written lamely on a chalkboard across the room.

[Corydon]

Luvon tried not to seem surprised. He had heard rumors of a secret sect of Red Mask elite assassins but never had he heard the term “Black Mask.” He immediately forgot about the snide remark the Drow made about his past. Luvon decided to take a chance and nodded.

“They are a secret sect of elite assassins within the Red Mask,” Luvon said with every bit of confidence he could muster. If the Drow had truly not looked through his notes he would not notice that there were absolutely none on any Black Mask. ‘That’s what you get for being cocky,’ Luvon thought to himself.

“My notes may not help but I have tracked the Red Mask and their gang. The maps I have in my possession detail their movements, numbers, and allies. They may help us,” Luvon explained to Adriac. If he truly knew far more then Luvon about the Red mask then there was more to adriac then met the eye, perhaps Luvon could not let his guard down around him after all.

[Jimmeh]

"There's more to know about them than that," Adriac began, "Only three have ever died in combat, one killed by a dragon and two killed by a group of powerful mages, often times one Black Mask is assigned to a killing and does it so perfectly no trace is left..not even Red Mask Terror agents know about them usually." "But for this case, the killing of a Red Mask, two to four agents will be sent after me and now you..they will follow my trail perfectly to your house no matter how hard we try to clean it up. There is no way to hide your trail from a Black Mask, only run and eventually die, we will need help if we are to survive a week." He paused for a breath to let it all sink in. "Black Masks only move at night but their mounts are swift..they will leave Friok in two hours and be here in 20 minutes..we will have to leave as soon as possible."

[Corydon]

‘No wonder none of my contacts knew about them,’ Luvon thought hopelessly. They left none alive to tell the tale of their death or witness thereof. Only run and eventually die… There weren’t many options there but his elven heritage refused to allow him to give up as easily as some humans might.

“I am always ready to leave at moments notice,” Luvon said as he moved to gather his traveling notes and maps. What he could not take he was rapidly throwing in the fireplace. “My notes may not be as extensive as your knowledge but nonetheless the less they are aware we know the better,” Luvon said to Adriac. It seemed that anything they could do that had a minute chance to help them was worth doing right now.

“I have traveling rations, water, supplies. Take whatever you need Dr….errrr Adriac,” Luvon said correcting his mistake. “I’m afraid outside of myself I can offer little help other then my contacts, which are plentiful all around this area,” Luvon said adding the last part as an after thought. He wanted some type of edge or usefulness to Adriac. It could stop a potential blade being stuck in his back like his kind were so known for in his lands.

[Jimmeh]

Adriac was practically ignoring Luvon. He was looking down at his arm, the bracer had been burning and spelled danger once again. He was sure he could trust the Elf, so who was he in danger of? Surely his bracer was not potent enough to pick up the Black Masks already? He put a finger to his lips and walked over to a window, opened it, and hopped out. There were sounds of a struggle and minutes later Adriac came back in, dragging an unconscious body.

The man wore dark robes and looked human, on his arm was the brand of the Red Masks. "Agent." was all he said as if it would be enough. His knowledge of the Red Mask Terror was coming in handy. "How skilled are you with a blade?" he asked, trying to get an idea of how hopeless the situation truly was.

[Empty_Being]

Alech realised there was no point pressing her for information she didn’t want to give, there was no leeway in the words she had spoken and the tone she had used. It was obvious that the subject was dropped, and he let it be changed. He still felt sorry for her, it must be painful to even think about, let alone talk about. He jumped slightly when she took his hand, but didn’t squirm away, it was the cold that had done it, her hand was icy.

He replaced the concerned look on his face with a smile that matched hers. He nodded in response to the comment. It was true that having a vampire travel with him could have many uses. He was in less danger of being mugged, he supposed, at least. He wasn’t sure how her enhanced senses worked but he was sure she’d know and be able to warn him of any danger encroaching upon the pair, ages before he sensed it.

“Yes!” Alech exclaimed as his stomach gave a painful lurch as if it were reminding him that it was indeed empty of food. He studied the menu for a few moments. “I’ll be right back.” He said as he walked over to the bar and told the first barmaid he saw that he wanted a large platter of meat and veg prepared for him as soon as possible. He handed over a few coins and walked back to his seat, sitting with a fairly smug smile on his lips at the prospect of food.

He suddenly had a thought. “Aren’t you hungry?” He asked, now knowing that she wouldn’t e interested in normal food. “Do you need to… Erm… Hunt?” He whispered. He was still getting used to the idea, but that didn’t stop him from being concerned. And it worried him slightly that he was more concerned about her comfort than the livelihood of the nearby villagers.

[Manda-Panda]

It seemed that as soon as he left, the men sitting around the room no longer felt as if they should shield their interest in the pretty girl in the back of the room. About three heads turned to stare in her direction, but she scowled at every one of them until they grew uncomfortable or even frightened at looked away. Perhaps they had thought that she was more vulnerable without Alech sitting right there. Now at least some of them thought differently.

To entertain herself until he returned she closed her eyes and zeroed in on certain sounds in the room, and tried to identify them. A scratchy sound that had a thunk to it was clearly a barmaid tapping her long, almost yellow, nails on the bars counter. She identified a buzzing noise as a fly, and when she peeked her eyes open she saw that it was flying around the shiny bald head of a drunk. Eyes closed once more she listened to a soft thud, and hurriedly opened them again when she realized that it was Alech returning to the table.

“Yes, I’m starving…” She sighed, leaning her elbows on the table and relaxing a bit. Alex looked more human when she slouched and looked exasperated. “But I’m not hungry enough to feed off of any of these humans in here. To be honest, their blood would probably make me retch.” Alex stated, meaning for her words to insult the people in the bar…but really they were lucky that they weren’t tasty to vampires. “I’ll hunt later…after your sleeping.”

Alex didn’t want to leave him just yet to hunt. His presence made her feel comforted and secure. For the first time in a few months she had a friend. She had someone that would listen to her, and talk with her. Plus, though she didn’t show it, she found him very interesting. Yes, he was just a modern man without a family…but his reactions to things were fascinating. Alech’s beating heart and the fact that a mere disease could kill him, made him, in a way, seem fragile to her. Alex didn’t tell him any of this though, since men usually didn’t take it well when women called them ‘fragile’. Then, he also seemed very strong to her as well. How he had lived alone most of his life willingly, was something she admired. Alex couldn’t be content like that living by her self.

[Empty_Being]

Alech’s head was full of questions nagging at his mind and thoughts for attention; he wanted to know more. He had known vampires existed, it had been little more than a legend though; they were so rare. But he had heard more than one convincing story of proof. But he knew nothing really about them. The things in stories about stakes and sunlight and crosses couldn’t all be true. She had travelled with him in the fill light of day and it hadn’t seemed to bother her. Sure she had her cloak hood up all the way, but that was nothing compared to what the stories proclaimed, that they would simply disintegrate if ever they were to come in contact with the sun.

He wanted to know more about her abilities, about what other abilities she might develop with time. He wanted to know about how she chose her victims, about how she knew who’s blood would taste the best and who’d blood to avoid. She was simply fascinating to him, it made him both nervous and excited just to look at her and think of what she was and what she could do if she wanted. “How can you tell?” he asked, “Who’s blood will taste good and who’s would taste bad?” He had an inkling that it may have something about how healthy they looked and smelled on the outside. These villagers stank even to him. And they certainly didn’t take care of themselves. It was mostly fat greying men with beer-bellies and a lack of personal hygiene in here, save for the occasional exception.

He looked up as the barmaid appeared with the meal he had ordered. The smell made his mouth water as it was placed infront of him and he bagan to spoon the contents into his mouth, savouring the texture and taste of the meat and potatoes, green beans and carrots.