A Brush With: LXVII
Asher rode comfortably in the cart. It had been a little while since he could relax so he took every chance he got. The Nimblewrights body was in the back stored carefully over a bed of hey, Asher was lucky the merchant who rented them the cart didn't have any questions over the wooden body. Would he assume it was a sculpture? He sure hoped so.
"Just like resupplies huh?" Asher attempted to jest with Alekzandr, the old sniper was sitting in bowseat though in this case he was holding a gun.. So more like a sniper seat? There had to be a word for the non driving spot but Asher wasn't really sure. He started thinking about the old war, the damned slow resupplies, the bitter cold weather, gods of olympus, why did he insist he needed to head out on his own? Vestus was probably laughing and cracking dad jokes for years over all that. Huh.. Asher thought, he should probably send a letter to the old man to see how he was doing, check in with; Exitium house.. Maybe contact his kids..
"Ha! This would only be like the resupplies.. If we were being given the hardest bread, and our balls were currently inside of us. Comrade let us enjoy the ride." Alekzandr clasped a hand on Asher's back. He chuckled, reaching over to pluck.. Was that another flask? How many did this guy have?
"Ugh, this sun is blinding, how much further to TrollSkull?" He held a hand up to block the light, the horses clacked against the pavement of fillet alley. Alekzandr pulled up a rather large map of waterdeep the whole thing extended over his legs and across his arms.
"Well, let's see here." Alekz started reading the map, making little grunt and mutters at every turn.
"Let me see that!" Asher snatched at it dear god's there were a lot of streets and dots on it. 'How was anyone supposed to read this thing?' He ran a finger down one line seeing the faintest words TrollSkull manor. "Ok down that way two... lefts and a right? God's be damned this sucks." he crumpled up the map and tossed it behind him.
"Comrade, we must rejoice."
"Rejoice? Rejoice what? The fact that we got a ride back home for almost nothing while everyone else is walking?" Asher asked with a chuckle. Alekzandr smiled.
"Exactly that." The two laughed together in unison, slapping a knee Asher was careful to not let go of the reins. The two rode in a jovial silence for several minutes, taking the time to admire the small crowds of people who littered the sidewalks. Luckily none had been too bold in walking through the street Asher would.. Love to run someone over.
"I've got to ask.. What happened?" Asher broke the silence, the question floating in his mind. "I mean.. You were THE scout of the rushiki, the creator of the first rifle.. What.. I know why you left." Asher paused, seeing a growing look of anger on Alekzandr's face. "But like.. I've heard the stories Alekzandr.." Asher felt the fear that spilled from every captured Ercelans mouth, the frightening sensation they gave off when talking about Da Belaya Kavir. "You were a crack shot.. Deadly to a fault. What are you doing here hanging out with a bunch of rookie, first time adventurers?" The question stung a little, Asher knew it was weird for him to ask, seeing he was there too, not like he cared.
"I got rusty."
Asher decided to not push the subject any further, he could feel all the mild contempt he held against the drunk Rushiki, and didn't change a damned thing. Though.. If he had stayed, maybe it would have changed Rushiv's fate. Ares, he can't think about whether he was really to blame for Rushiv? 'It's.. it's what Dmitry asked for.' It's what he was told to do. And good soldiers follow orders. Asher put his eyes down and focused on the road, periodically checking the crowds for who knows what reason. "What..." He whispered, slinking in and out of the shadows in one alleyway he spotted a face staring, no. Beaming at the cart with soft purple eyes, blue skin furled upward until a wild wicked grin appeared. Judging on the silverish hair and the creepy demeanor Asher's mind raced for a quick answer.
"Alekz." Asher grabbed the drunk's arm and shook it a bit. The soldier was a little slow but narrowly he came to look at what Asher was staring at, the head turned a little on its side creepily he thought. Alekzandr raised Segiri and racked the action.
*Chn-flink*
Asher gave the drow figure a stern look, it didn't matter, the thing looked more amused than threatened.
"Yes?"
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Asher reached for one of his swords.
"Go in the other direction?" Alekzandr suggested.
"Oh absolutely! I got a feeling we both know who that is." Asher pulled the left rein and pushed the cart left a little bit early. The entity in the distance held a hand up, as if he needed anymore hints Asher could see the design of a very intricate dagger in the drow's grasp.
"Let's take another way to the uh.. Manor comrade-" Alekzandr stopped dead in his tracks Asher tackled him to the right sliding down an alleyway.
"I smell it too." The two of them rolled for a second, Asher ducking his body. He looked up to see the back of their cart smoking with something. Either fire or something more.. Sinister.
"The cart!" Alekzandr cried, the Rushiki held up an empty flask and rolled his eyes. Asher wanted to roll his head. He got a good look at the runaway cart, a figure hopped into the driver's seat and pulled the reins bringing the whole thing to a stop. Like a scene out of a play the figure steadily stepped out blue hands gripped the side of the cart and lowered itself to the ground short silver hair parted out of the way for a slightly menacing looking face. Asher backed up a bit, now back on his feet they had dove into an alleyway, honestly not the best idea in hindsight Asher admitted, but it was what they had to work with. The drow was dressed in leather and cotton clothes, light armor resembling that of a rogue's attire. He austasiosly held his head up smiling at Asher and his friend. Behind the drow, he spotted the smoke had stopped. Asher frowned. Did this fucker just get them out of their cart? Was he gonna steal their cart?
"Hey buddy can I have my cart back?" Asher held out his hands.
"As much as I don't show respect for anyone Asher, I recommend showing respect here." pfft respect? 'Who needed respect?' Asher wondered.
"I.. don't need this cart." The drow sneered seemingly a little taken aback, that was good he thought, keep him a little confused.
"Cool! Why are you bothering us?" Asher was playing with fire, but hell was he going to at least get some funny lines in if he was going to die. "What have I done? Need me to state my name, rank and intention? Exitium, Commander.. and Destruction."
"You've given my.. Employers a bit of a headache lately, of course they are all calling for your head. However, I like to play with my food." The innocent murderer jested.
"Were.. oddly in the middle of public sir. Couldn't you do this another time, like when we're in the sewers again?" Asher asked. Honestly this was just poor timing. His mind began to race, the walls.. They were nearly fifty feet high, so scaling them wasn't an option, Alekzandr was behind him, a rusty old soldier not someone he could leave behind. His eyes darted around a nearby trashcan.. The metal looked thin if he slashed at it and then timed a good spell from Alekz it could drench the innocent murder, what to do what was he supposed to do?
"Ha you think I care.. How adorable." Adorable? Asher thought, he could at least buy him dinner first.
"Honestly I don't care either Asher, he's just talking to us I guess."
"So.. you've come to bother two.. Out of the seven people your employers want, do I have that right?" Asher prodded, he wanted to see the reactions of this 'hunter' if what Riu said was right he knew all too well about creatures who played with their food.
"If it is to be honest." The drow said with a sophisticated voice. "I came here to test you.. And I'm not all that impressed."
"That's.. Saying a lot for a mass murderer." It was that line that made the innocent murderer frown. "Oh, you didn't think I'd notice? The disappearances, the litter of bodies mangled and beaten up, honestly you think I wouldn't overhear the guards? A child could connect those dots!" The drows face twitched in anger, insulting his job of murder.
"You.. did pull a knife on us." Alekzandr added, they were steadily backing up the alleyway putting distance between the three of them. "If I'm going to be honest, if we are encountering someone whom we know is dangerous? Mine comrades are going to obviously back down."
"Not with the two of us!" Asher commented.
"Two versus one? I don't see the issue." The drow spoke in that nasally unnatural voice that didn't even come from the body itself, instead from a different source. "Do you?"
"Well, two people versus god, doesn't sound like great odds." Alekzandr sighed. The alleyway was filled with tension with each step backward the drow seemed to grow more and more amused, it was broad daylight this was absurd that no one would hear or see this.
"Who said I was a deity?"
"Who said you weren't?" Asher remarked. "I don't think we want to take the chances here.. So if you would excuse me, We'll be taking the cart, and I'm sure you have.. Other things to do." Asher stood steadfast in front of Alekzandr, forming a plan in his mind of how to get out of this.
"Wow.. so boring." the drow replied despondently. "Not even an attempt?" no.. it would not end here, fuck that. 'I still have to further my family.. Fix all of this.' He thought desperately.
"An attempt for what?" Alekzandr inquired. He had to buy time, Asher knew that, he had to get time. Markos was at the house of inspired hands, the guy was crazy but also.. Crazy powerful if anyone could bail them out of this. It was the teleporting madman Markos Amanodel. In blinding speed Asher watched the drow raise his dagger almost like he was tossing it, and a black image flashed past him shaped like the knife itself. "Korhazr shchit." Asher felt energy swell behind him and the sound of something shattering filled the air.
"A shield huh?" The innocent murderer smiled even wider.
"Mrgh.." Asher heard Alekzandr grunt behind him, he turned his eyes over to see a small stab wound in Alekz's left shoulder.. His friend had been.. Injured. A quiet rage began to swell in him, fate had taken his parents, his life, his platoon, and separated him from his children. Now it wished to injure his friends? Alekzandr reached into his coat pocket pulling out a flask and took a drink. Pouring a little bit of the alcohol on his wound.
"It was a valiant effort, really." The innocent murderer joked. Asher moved his eyes to the drow, brimming with anger.
"Is this really your whole game plan?" Asher asked accusatively. "To just single bits of us off, too scared to take all of us at once? That sounded wrong. Just like you."
"Oh no, when I genuinely attempt to deal with you. I'd much rather fight your whole party, at least let me get a work out."
Asher rolled his eyes. "Then why are we fucking around! God's.." Asher exclaimed. The drow seemed a little upset at that, on edge. "This is like Zeus fucking everything that walked.. Or.. I don't know Vestus was better with the myths." He muttered. Not able to think of something to compare it to.
"Because." The drow spat. "It's entertaining to see how the hunted react to the hunter." The drow took a deep breath trying to hold himself up a bit more, Asher was still at least three inches taller. Dear god's he had such an inferiority complex Asher thought, this was something he could use. To what degree? He wasn't sure, he might be a bit too rash though.
"I don't see a hunter." He sneered amusingly. "I only see a little man with a tiny butter knife." He was done letting his men get injured. The drow's eyes flared in anger and it looked like he was shaking a little, that worked for him. Asher pulled both his blades from their sheaths, the glint of them only barely visible in that alleyway. The drow, Ant'tran, his face twitching and his hand darting down for the knife. Asher grinned, he set him off just like he expected-
*Vroofth*
His body exploded in pain, like a searing burning sensation; his leg was lit on fire next came his chest. The drow moved with blinding speed faster than he could ever anticipate. Asher wildly swung a long sword, beating it against the barrage of attacks. The blue figure held the dagger at a distance suddenly holding a reach no knife could ever have. He parried at the.. scythe before him. The drow's eyes were full of rage as he swung his.. Dagger? Asher could barely make it out the knife that was once so much shorter shimmered as red spectral energy danced around it. A ten foot long scythe of crackling power arced through the air hissing with every strike. It looked like spectral black lightning unwrapping the arms to form this scythe now a foot long blade.. Asher's left sword deflected a glancing blow and then another.
*Evcsseeshnk*
For three brief seconds he held the deathly weapon at bay. The sound of it cutting through the air reminded Asher of whistling metal, a similar noise to that of Markos's trident made when he swung it like a sword. Yet.. so much more terrifying. It gave off the sensation of death, rotting corpses, eternal burning blames of hell itself, dark mystic energy surrounded the drow as he cut into Asher's flesh. One slash into his left shoulder cripled his arm, another chaotic whistle of the blade knocked his right hand aside, the long sword adorned with his family clattered to the alleyway pavement below. His body felt as if it was being ripped in two gashes along his stomach gripping him like a plague. Pain pulsated with every breath and every twitch Asher's knees buckled under him and pure fear filled his bones. He had been.. Cut down so easily.
"Where's your snark, Keeper?" The drow spat, arrogance dripping with every syllable. "I thought I was not a hunter? Why do you kneel like prey?" Asher looked down to the ground and his vision filled with red and black spots as if he were going blind. A million thoughts raced through his mind.. God's he thought, he might die..
"Live, FOR us" He felt a warm sensation cover his face and a woman screamed at him screaming his name.. Begging him to live. This was a memory. He knew that. It wasn't real. The drow, the innocent murderer was still standing in front of him taunting him "LIVE -!" Asher heard the calling of voices behind him, tones and phrases he hadn't heard in so long. His name was somewhere in there but he didn't want to hear it. How foolish was he? All these years of running away.. All these years of hiding himself denying his children their rightful name?
"Asher Exitium.. Such an odd name. I learned so much about all of you. The little child of that snarky elf.." The drow was monologuing above him Asher knew that, memories tugged at his brain, the drow was talking. He was kneeling on the ground, Asher took a slow inventory of the situation like he was convincing himself of what was going on while his body was consumed by the worst pain of his life.
"Es- please you must, you must live to pass us on, to ensure we-" No. Asher protested. 'NO.' He was not that. His father could go to hell, this was not time to regret this was not time to think! This.. was no time at all. Asher's eyes focused, the red and black dots began to fade. He struggled to lift his head staring up at the drow figure who still held that scythe of death. Fear filled him. Yes. but so did determination. He was Asher Exitium. That was it.
"It wasn't hard to learn about that half-elf.. Hell some towns couldn't stop muttering his name.. The pharaoh.. My oh my he really was an insane one.. But you?" The drow paused, Asher watched him raise his head at the sky intrigued. "My spy couldn't learn anything about you.. That name isn't even a real one. Asher. Exitium. The most we could find was some orphanage. Exitium House.. But even then that doesn't tell us anything about you.." The drow grinned a little and shrugged. He kicked Asher square in the chest causing him to fall on his back and his head rolled a little giving him a glimpse of his only compatriot standing behind him. "Not that it really matters. It appears you.. Are out of time-"
*KRABOOM*
The sound echoed like a cannon bouncing off the alleyway walls with the force of hither to undreamt of. Asher's body shook with pain. 'No..' he thought. 'Alekzandr don't..' His eyes fixed to the distant darkness where Alekzandr stood. His rifle was leveled to the air pointing upward with a soft trail of smoke wafting off of it. Alekzandr stood in the distance, his back straight and his eyes shrouded in cover. *Chn-flink*
"Oh, so the rushiv soldier acts at last. Was it your friend being cut down? Does the prey wish to join him-"
*Vrboom*
A red bolt of fire blazed past the drow's face, Asher was barely able to see it as smoke rose singed hairs taking the place on his head. For once. The drow looked shocked.
"Ten meters." Alekzandr's voice was low and sullen; it was deeper than Asher had heard, he sounded serious.. Deadly.
"Did you... just." The drow breathed heavily, Ant'tran, Asher tried to call him by his name. Look.. Irritated yet so curious. As if he couldn't fathom the audacity but loved the spirit. He wasn't threatened.. Only entertained. What kind of sick creature were they dealing with?
"Ten meters divided by the bolt speed of Segiri if you carry the darkness, and stepping back mine comrade.. I can fire fifty three and a half spells before you even move." Asher watched Alekzandr raise his head and lower his eyes. The blue specs were filled with the red light of the spell he had fired into the air. "The spell I fired above is called shatter.. Mixed with a blue firebolt.. The guards will be here in less than a minute.. Ant'tran." Alekzandr spat the name like it was an insult. On the ground Asher saw Alekzandr's flask tilted over with alcohol spilling from it across the stone. "In half that time.. A member of the harpers will appear. I have no doubts of your power.. Mr innocent murderer. But I ask you. Do you question mine?" Asher witnessed Segiri as she was raised in Alekz's grasp a single blue eye stared down the barrel with a fury of war. The red glint of the firebolt above them was still the only source of light that illuminated his face. Blue pinpoints in the darkness glinted with a stare of death.
"Ha. HA" Ant'tran chuckled. "Doubt your power you drun-"
*Kraboom*
*Selvrrom*
One spell was let off after another, Asher saw white shots of frost, flaming green balls of fire, and crackling blue lightning explode from Segiri's barrel.
*Chn-flink*
The signature sound of Segiri's bolt being pulled back echoed off the walls. With every shot Asher caught colorful glimpses of Alekzandr, his blue spectacles shining in the flashes he did not resemble the drunk man Asher encountered every day.. He was.. "Da Belaya Kavir." Asher thought. This.. this was the last thing Ercelan soldiers saw in the field. The last fleeting sound they heard as they ransacked towns. As they tore Rushiki families apart. Asher no longer saw Alekzandr Ikorov. He saw only; The White Death.
"Run." Alekzandr muttered.
"You dare?! I only don't attack you so someone can spread the word of what happened! Care to push your luck?"
*Chn-flink*
"I said.." Alekz's rifle began to glow with orange and blue arcane runes; the whole alleyway basked in its soft light like an erupting volcano brimming to explode into an inferno. "Run."