The Fruit of All Evil

[Smooth Detective]

As the sun dimmed in the sky, a great darkness emerged in the cover of night, wailing winds singing a song of terror. However, unafraid and bearing a smile, Mallia’s fingers gracefully plucked the strings of her harp, playing a tune that waged a war against the wind, and the darkness was driven away as the light of the moon shined in place of the sun’s.

Meanwhile, her father, the king, observed her from a balcony. Her song comforted the man’s soul, if only for a short while. Balder was grateful that the strife of the lands beyond hadn’t clawed its deadly hands into his kingdom. He prayed it would remain this way, but the reality was that he expected things would worsen. The Order of the White suspected the Blazing Host would eventually come for his kingdom. Balder considered his options, perhaps to try to speak with the neighboring sovereigns for a defensive alliance should the Host come for them as well. This restlessness had kept him away from home for quite some time, attending various gatherings to promote his relationship with the nobles of the kingdom; their bannermen would stand with him in the time of conflict, though one man in particular, Duke Richelieu, had been more pro-active and felt it best to support Apollon. Mallia in particular, though he didn’t like to think of her too heavily as a means to an end, would be useful in securing a worthwhile marriage pact if need be.

Turning away from the balcony, Balder would begin removing the plated armor he’d worn for the day’s training, having partially closed the door behind him. He wasn’t quite in his prime anymore, but that didn’t mean he’d let his skills die away with time. Truth be told, he could’ve removed it earlier; his wife had offered to help previously, but he declined and departed for some time to think alone. Having a servant would’ve mask the task easier, but it provided him additional time to think. All the while, the King was quite vulnerable, alone with no company other than the armor stand he had at his side.

 

[Nine1122]

Vale Do'urden

"Leave your armor on. It will help." Vale announced his presence from behind the king. It had been simple to get into the castle with all of the new powers the goddess had given him. Yet he found diminished satisfaction and maybe that was why he had announced himself. Then again, perhaps there was a different reason for Vale choosing to announce himself. "Do not call for help. You know better." As Vale continued to speak it would become more clear that they were alone. Well it would if Balder was looking for his guards. The castle seemed quite empty of guards. It had not been an easy task and an assassin with less years may not have succeeded. Vale had found the captain of the guard at his home and planted the seeds of madness while the man slept. Vale saw things differently now. He knew how to peer into the mind and where he needed to press to delude the wise. With the captain of the guard, Vale had chosen a very specific madness. Paranoia. He made the guard captain believe that his soldiers were not to be trusted. Over a week that paranoia was fed by guards becoming more and more antisocial and violent- also Vale's doing. Then he had forged some threatening letters and the guard captain made the decision that only he could protect the king tonight. He didn't tell the king out of fear the king would disagree. Vale had killed the guard captain on the way in and all things considered it was probably a mercy. The Order of the White had made it difficult to operate in the city... but not impossible. To deal with them Vale had simply administered the right herbal mixture to their food. They slept soundly at their posts.

Vale held both of his swords in his hand. He had been holding them the whole time. "Orric was a cruel man. He deserved nothing but the grave and so that is what he received. You are a kinder ruler but not a gentle one. You don't deserve to be murdered in your home. You deserve a glorious death on the field of battle fighting a war against everything I am the agent of." Vale paused and sighed. He thought this would feel better but it didn't. It was not the morality as much as it was his disdain for the woman the his goddess had spoken through. Why should he do this for her? His doubt was quelled by the feeling the rose in his body. The burning where the daggers had been. A reminder. Just like the blade at the back of his belt that the goddess had given him. Chaos was a hard magic to adapt to... but Vale would. "I respect those who use what they have to exact their vision, whether or not I share it. I respect you Balder, and so I will give you the closest thing I can to an honorable death." Whatever doubt Vale had seemed to fade from his voice as he tossed a sword to the king.

Alias: The Wraith | Profession: Assassin | Gear: Leather armor, Ten throwing knives, a magic dagger, and two shortswords

show spoilerhide spoiler

Keurig Thief

 

[Smooth Detective]

show spoilerhide spoiler

Nine1122

When the voice revealed itself, the king did not tremble, merely turning his head and lowering his hands from his gauntlet, fastening it as his adversary spoke. “I am no coward, nor am I a stranger to death. You have given me this chance to die as a man, for which I am grateful; I will not sully it with petty cries for help,” he replied, catching the sword in his hand and composing himself into a plow guard stance. He would die sword in hand rather than suffer the disgrace of a mere assassination, surely the gods were kind, even if he would not live to see the next day. He was accepting of death but not hopeless to life. His metal had been tested by battle, trained by great knights and raised as a beacon for his people, despite his strength not being as it once was. He only prayed he’d put up a good fight, for the gods were watching, always. It was a formal challenge in this regard, and by tradition, no vengeance would be sought for grievance, provided his body was positioned respectfully after to show it was a proper duel.  

[Nine1122]

Vale Do'urden

When Vale saw the king had prepared himself he gave a slight nod to signal that the end had begun. Vale gave only a moment after that for the king to truly brace before Vale lunged forward with his blade. His strike was parried and he quickly parried the king's riposte. Once that small exchange was completely Vale stepped back slightly and examined the king. Vale was measuring him. He was testing Balder's speed and ability to react. Balder had already exceeded expectations within that short exchange. Now Vale strafed slowly and Balder's footwork followed perfectly. Vale lunged again only to meet the same combination of a parry, riposte, and another parry only this time when Vale parried he drove his foot forward into the king's plate armor and sent the man back a few steps. Vale misread that to be an opening and continued his assault but Balder recovered quickly and slashed at Vale who's momentum betrayed him. Balder opened a cut diagonally across Vale's chest but it was by no means a deep one. Vale bounded backwards following the cut and this time it was Balder who went on the offensive. The king bounded forwards and brought his sword in an arc towards Vale who ducked under the swing only to find the backside of a plate gauntlet driven across his face. The strike disoriented Vale and caused him to stumble backwards before a more forceful kick sent Vale onto his backside. Balder brought his blade into the air and swung it down at Vale who blocked with his own but Balder's assault did not end. He continued to hammer down strikes against Vale's idle blade until finally Vale's sword gave out. Seeing the broken blade, Balder took a moment to aim his blade at the assassin's heart. Vale tried to crawl backwards and away but found himself pressed against the balcony ledge. For just a second he forgot about the rest of the world and saw only Balder standing there and aiming is blade. He thought death would come for him and then he remembered that death already had. Balder drove his blade forward towards the assassin but it would never strike true. Vale vanished and then reappeared behind the king with a shocked expression over his face that melted off as soon as Vale became aware of it. Vale looked down at the half of a sword left in his hand and tossed it to the ground. Then he reached back and unsheathed the dagger that spoke. Upon touching the blade as warm sensation spread through Vale's body like a chill would spread through most people.

"Behind you." Vale called out to alert the king and keep the fight as fair as possible. He felt some shame over using his powers because it could have been considered cheating. That was why he had altered Balder with words rather than a blade to the back. The moment the king was ready Vale struck again. Balder was larger and in plate armor so his strikes held greater force than Vale's but that meant they also needed more energy. Vale didn't have to beat Balder, he just needed to outlast him. If Vale hadn't teleported, Balder might have survived. Vale pressed forward with another lunge and as usual it was parried only this time when Balder attempted his riposte Vale did not parry it. He ducked under the blade and moved into Balder's space, driving the dagger upwards beneath Balder's armpit where the plate armor failed to protect him. Balder had been prepared and he caught Vale's right arm by the wrist to stop the blade. The two struggled there for a moment before Vale opened his right hand and dropped the dagger into his left before plunging it into the king's neck.

Alias: The Wraith | Profession: Assassin | Gear: Leather armor, Ten throwing knives, a magic dagger, and two shortswords

show spoilerhide spoiler

Keurig Thief