"I am a fool...what have I done?"
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It had been a long time wandering for the restless Sihndar, Torlian Krakaine. He was a traveler now, a bounty hunter. A man who put wrongs right across the world, while his son remained in Drowvda, protecting the realm from other threats. Currently resting in the Northlands once again it was a tough life, having the war going on and all, though for the bounty hunters there was a whole host of people to hunt. Bandits raiding vacant villages, people who had fled from battle, etcetera, etcetera. Of course, today was a special bounty. Not as hard as it was just different. A Slizzar, who had disguised itself as a Maraya, who had apparently robbed another Maraya of most of what she owned, and had stolen her children away for unknown purposes. He had come all the way from Daendroque, and now Torlian was on his trail. While Torlian was no tracker or hunter, another member of his party was. A fellow Sihndar whom he had met with in his time in Drowvda named Llolth who was an expert in hunting and the duo began the hunt for this criminal for their charge and their money. Though Torlian did this more to help two children in need, remembering the time where he had to get his own little Lief out of the city from the deranged soldiers of a cruel, and corrupt noble.
The man's name was Ghell, and the mother's name was Lyal'amna...and she was offering a hefty price of 1000 regals for the safe return of the children which he had abducted. Apparently, the quarry was a well-known con-artist however, marrying single mothers across the lands, and stealing away their young and as much coin as he could carry before he moved onward, usually then using the children for dark means, or selling them to slavers for high prices. A scumbag who deserved justice for his crimes. Either to be brought in or ended then and there. But this Slizzar was good at this ''job'' of sorts, being highly skilled at hiding himself away after he completed the crime, which was obvious if he had come all the way up here from a place like Daendroque to escape. But it was a logical choice, due to all the war bringing so many widows to prey on, and there being a good few places to sell off slaves around. But the real question was...where was the bugger? Well they had followed rumors across the north for a few days, of a Slizzar in dark robes slipping across the ice and rock, surviving through his charming words and bribery. But they were hot on his trail indeed, perhaps more so than the mother had been.
After a few more days of hunting, and more and more rumors leading them one way they grew weary. A toll was being taken on them, and they decided to rest in a town, relatively untouched by war just about. They purchased a room in the tavern, getting out of the cold. The main area of the tavern was pretty empty, save for the innkeeper was still working away at her shift, and, apparently, a humble patron sitting down at a table, though he left after the others wandered in, entering one of the rooms inside quietly, with the duo barely noticing him. Questioning the tavernkeeper for rooms she told him "There are only two rooms available, as one has been hired by a family. Father and two kids." Llolth thought nothing of it and took rest in one of the rooms after paying her dues, though a creeping suspicion crept through Torlian's mind. He questioned the tavernkeeper about the man's whereabouts, and she replied to him that "Oh...h-he is outside taking a p-piss in the outhouse." stuttering slightly. Perhaps he scared her...or perhaps she was hiding something. Either way, the outhouse was a good lead, and believing in his skill he thanked her and wandered off. He needed to find that person and see what was what.
After a short walk, getting lost slightly, and finding his way back and to the outhouse he watched intently, waiting for the door to open. Would you believe it, leaving the restroom was a Maraya with suspicious looking dark scales across his form...though he was sly, and must have heard Torlian's approach, though he pretended not to, closing the door behind him. The Maraya didn't even turn as he drew a dagger from his pocket quietly, before then tossing the dagger back into the unsuspecting Sihndar's chestpiece, knocking the wind out of him and sending him backward with a grunt. The Maraya was cocky then, slowly moving over with a dark gaze, and a smile. He spoke to the Sihndar as he kneeled over the man, saying "I have evaded worse than you. And killed bigger too. Like your friend back in the tavern who I brutally beat and slaughtered. Hahaha-" before the harsh fist of Torlian crunched into his nose roaring in anger at the apparent death of his friend, knocking him onto his ass, with Torlian then pushing himself up and drawing his Khoptar, though again the Slizzar was a quick one, transforming into his true form as his tail then whipped out. While he parried a few shots from the tail another slash across his face from the knife caught him off guard, with the large tail then wrapping its way around him, beginning to crush him inward, with the dagger then entering his shoulder over and over as he could no longer move, yet for fruitless struggles.
In those moments the slizzar cackled, and Torlian merely kept tried to break free...though he knew death was coming. Pain flooded his being, and blood coated his clothing under his armor. Though all that filled his mind was his son. And his late fiance. He felt his life about to leave him before he heard the whizz of an arrow, and the sound of a screaming hiss as the head of his captor flung from his head from the swing of a Khoptar. As his air returned to him slowly, the visage of two loomed over him. One was unmistakably Llolth, and the other looked like a female Maraya with a scar down one eye, wearing dark robes, with an Arcol Bow in hand now looming over him. They dragged him off at that, taking him back inside the now completely empty tavern, as Llolth began patching up his bloody wounds, though he insisted he was fine. Llolth then explained what happened, with her entering her room only to find someone waiting for her there and knocking her out after a fight had ensued between the two, while Torlian had been lost. Then the Maraya ally there had found her, and got her back up again, guiding her outside to then find Torlian there broken. Torlian chuckled at that...though he felt a little ashamed. If he hadn't had gotten lost then she might not have been harmed.
There was then a gut-wrenching scream of agony and sorrow that broke the joking bounty hunters jovial speech. Perhaps it was a roar of rage that echoed out. Perhaps it was all of them. Torlian grunted as he staggered upwards, wandering towards the source of the scream. It was the room of the Slizzar and the two kids...he had forgotten about the two kids in that moment of battle, and so now his walk was one of purpose, though he staggered more than anything else, due to the injuries he sustained. He knew something bad had happened. Horror awaited him. Ahead he saw the Maraya woman on her knees, cradling two, skeletal Maraya children. They looked like they hadn't been fed much in days...not only that but they had their throats slit from ear to ear. A similar blade style to that of the Slizzar was used. Perhaps he was trying to cover up his trail...or perhaps he was just disposing of the children now he had dealt with them.
All Torlian and Llolth knew was that they had failed. Their mission was over, and innocents were gone. And all that Lyal'amna knew was sorrow, rage and emptiness. She was alone again.
The snow fell.
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