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[Colour=Silver][I]The man thrust the small dagger into his belly, sinking nearly two inches deep. With a grunt of dissatisfaction Norco slowly grasped the mans hand. Pulling it out, he stared into the petrified mans eyes. A moment of stillness. Norco forced the mans hand backwards snapping his wrist with a discernible crack. A blood curdling howl followed, bringing everyone's attention as the assailant buckled at the knees. With his other hand he gripped his throat, squeezing it like a vice. He slowly began to lift him into the air, his face reddened and eyes bulged. Forcing the small knife from the mans newly folded stump, Norco took the blade and placed it between the mans legs. Without so much as a blink he watched pain fill his eyes. He could not scream, so was Norcos grip, but everyone watching shuddered with an unwanted empathy.

Norco let the limp body fell to the floor in a bloody pile, the pouch of silver pouring out underneath his fresh corpse. If the people were wary before, they were terrified now. Some began to scatter, others didn't want to move lest they bring attention to themselves. Silence fell as Norco brushed the wound in his abdomen, he fingered the slight hole and brought the blood covered fingers into his sight. A flesh wound. Turning to leave a number of people flinched like gazelle spotting an approaching lion. He walked away unimpeded as people fell over themselves to get out of his way. Another man, scrawny and dirty rushed the still warm body and scrapped up all the silver he could before running off through the crowd. 

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It took a couple of hours for the Kulgan descendants to take their fill of women, ale and song. A couple had heard of the disturbance before not knowing Norco was involved, but in the eastern steppe such things were customary.
[colour=Gainsboro]"Great Khan! We are ready for the return!"[/colour] announced a man, still drunk with an equally intoxicated woman under his arm. They gathered around hoping they had not left is so late as to walk back home in the failing light, never a good idea.
 
[colour=Gainsboro]"The Capital. How far is it?[/colour] with blank faces the men needed a few seconds to collect their thoughts before answering. 
[Colour=Gainsboro]"Two, maybe three leagues from here?...As the crow flies."[/colour] Norco considered the answer. 
[Colour=Gainsboro]"This is where I leave you."[/colour] Blank faces turned to ones of confusion, the men looked at each other.
[Colour=Gainsboro]"Leaving? Why great Khan? are you not here to raise your kingdom once more? are we not the remnants of that kingdom?"[/Colour] asked the only one comfortable enough to speak to Norco directly.
[Colour=Gainsboro]"In truth I do not know why I am hear. I think I might find out in the capital."[/colour] Norco remembered what the small man had said, 'Did you hear about the capital? terrible news, lots dead'. The words echoed in Norco as if sent to him as a message. It almost felt like fate that the small man would divulge this news. News that would put Norco on a path treacherous and deadly, his kind of path. 
[Colour=Gainsboro]"We will meet again. I will return, some day. For now you look after your own, your young and old."[/Colour] Without saying anymore Norco left the stunned band of warriors, they were in disbelief. To have something so great happen for it to only be taken away later that day. It seemed, cruel. 

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Covering himself in grey shawl he had bought from the village, Norco walked from the outskirts down a dirt road difficult to follow. Rarely used it traveled directly to a major trade route that would eventually reach the capital, Kolantis. As he traveled the road he would have nothing to do but think on his reason for being here. Who brought him? Why? And why had he not been sent messages, signs anything that would give him some notion of purpose. For all his questions the tight grip he held on his infamous axe gave him peace, something familiar in a very estranged time. 

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