The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Asher Exitium: V

Asher sat there with the shivering Markos for ten minutes, around how long it took to stabilize him. After a few moments, Markos stopped shaking. It wasn't a gradual process; it was an instantaneous switch. He stood up and left the room while Markos threw on his various layers of clothing. No longer shaking but still clearly afraid.

He walked down the steps from the Inn rooms and back into the tavern.

"I'll have one to go." Asher requested, grabbing Durnan's attention. Durnan nodded, pulling out a flask of ale and sliding it to him, paying promptly.

He made his rounds through the rooms, checking whether everyone was ready: Alekzandr, Herod, Adleth, and Riu. He got a pretty good look at each of them for the first time. He received sly looks and glances observations; it was interesting how much people looked at you, something he only realized when he'd dawned his mask. He stopped outside Alekzandr's room, the only guy who seemed fully prepared to go.

Alekzandr looked like the drunk he was. He was a decent height, probably five foot ten, and had light brown hair. His face looked weary; he couldn't have been older than forty-seven. His eyes, which were perhaps a pleasant sight at one point, were bright blue streaked with bloodshot veins. Alekzandrs's skin was a pale white, and he was dressed in a battle uniform, one Asher had seen before; winter boots and coat both dark brown, with white fur lining and embroidered with the blue star crossed by an 'AX-1' and a bottle of alcohol. The symbol of the Rushiki, his coat came down over his legs and opened in the center, probably due to the weather. He bit his tongue. Asher had so much he wanted to say to Alekzandr, but he decided on another day.

"Come on, let's get moving, guys!" Asher thundered as he pushed his way to the back. Herod was up next behind Alekzandr; he was clearly just a kid, probably somewhere between nineteen and twenty-one; his eyes were a natural forest green, while his hair was a light brown swept upwards in a recently fashionable cut. His face was small and ferret-like, with an angled nose and a subtle complexion. He had fair skin and was dressed in a green tunic with leather reinforcements across it. His pants were brown and grey, with brown leather boots at the end. At his left hip hung an intricate long sword. It didn't exactly have a sheath, more of a holster that exposed the blade; it was made of a dusky grey metal with pulsating green lines similar to that of dripping water running all along the sword, and the hilt had a metallic antler-shaped design and a leather wrap. The blade itself had an unusually intricate symbol at just the base of the blade, one Asher.. couldn't recognize. Yet also runes running the fuller's surface he could. Vestus would like it.

He moved past Herod swinging the door to Markos's room open.

"You ready?" He asked, realizing his tone was probably a bit too abrupt.

"Yeah.." Markos stood up and stepped out of the Shadows, he wasn't looking much better mentally, but he was dressed in light armor under black and purple robes adorned with various symbols. His pants were slightly baggy, but they, too, shared the unique hand-dyed black color. Markos donned a golden yellow cloak with tattered ends but no stains. His black hair was brushed lazily to the side, reaching just past his ears. Markos's face was odd for most; being a half-elf with copper skin, his face didn't look much like that of him. Feminine features, including a smaller nose, more enormous eyes, and lips, gave him a uniquely girlish look. Not to mention his giant purple eyes that constantly gave him a clear image of insanity. "Let's go find this non-believer" Markos walked past him holding his signature trident.

The group of them bounded down the stairs. As Riu and Herod ordered food, Asher watched Adleth casually talk to Markos, stepping closer to him as his friend backed away out of fear.

Adleth was an exciting figure, to say the least; Asher couldn't glean much from her; he hadn't seen her during the fighting, only at the end when they all sat together at the table, cooling off. Now in the tavern light, he got a good image of her; short, at around five foot, she looked like a twig. Clearly, a full-blooded elf with olive skin looking at her ears. She had simple emerald green eyes that gave you the impression she was constantly insulting you in her head; her face was pretty, that Asher could tell. She had long Auburn hair and wore a small sleeveless tunic with compact thief pants lined with pockets. At her sides sat two elven short swords with rings in their guards.