It Can't Be: LXXVI
"Thank you.. I... needed this opportunity.." Andraste gave a quick bow in Fala's direction looking over the small agreement they had made.
"Of course." Fala smiled, parsing out a nearby plant which seemed to droop over the desk. For the previous few hours Andraste had been working with Fala in the green house, the Corelon's crown. She was interested in finding some form of employment ever since she came back out of the yawning portal. "I do expect you to be here on a regular basis. However, I understand your.. More.. odd accommodations." Andraste tried to give them a hopeful grin.
"Apologies.. I.. didn't really expect to join this.. Uh.." She looked away, according to Riu even mentioning you were in their adventuring group was a poor idea something about.. Markos? She pushed the thought out of her head and continued just smiling to keep the job.
"Well, you can start tomorrow. I'm not really sure what you have to do right now. But I thank you for your help Andraste." They replied, she was grateful and happy to get that out of the way, something besides.. lessons, with Matrem. Thanking Fala she stood up the leaf, passing by the numerous plants, herbs, and druidic foliage.
"I hate stale air.." Andraste whispered, kinda an odd thing to say but the summertime midafternoon climate was off that day she couldn't put her finger on what was wrong. The streets were a little bit emptier than the day before, despite the festival ramping up.
"Pleasure ma'am" Andraste walked past a big burly giant holding planks of dark oak heading in the opposite direction of TrollSkull manor. The tavern which had been worked on for the better part of the week in which Andraste had lived there was nearly completed by the looks of it. Andraste narrowly opened the door to the manor taking a step inside.
"Hi." she nearly jumped, turning to see Markos sitting on the floor next to the door reading a book. Selune in heaven what the hell was he doing right there?? She put a hand on her chest taking long deep breaths holy hell that kid was creepy sometimes.. Was.. he a kid? Clearly half elf, but he had that look in his eyes like he was older than he let on.
"Uh.. Hi, Markos." Andraste responded by moving back into the manor.
"Have you.. Seen Asher?" the half-elf inquired. His voice was shaky and full of concern, Andraste stopped moving and frowned, come to think of it.. She hadn't actually seen him all morning.
"No.. I haven't, why do you ask?'' The audible sound of footsteps could be heard from the manors upper levels descending into the main tavern area. "And.. Why are you on the floor?" she shook her head rubbing a hand against her confused face. The door to the upstairs opened, revealing Riu, Alekzandr and Herod whomst all had a similarly concerned look on their faces. It was at that moment Andraste realized something was wrong.
"Have you visited the house?" Riu asked in a panicked voice, she had begun pacing on the first floor. It took Andraste a few seconds to figure it out, the house? Oh.
"I.. haven't. Not in some time.." Andraste recalled the last time she had visited the house of Selune, their holy temple gods.. Has it been that long? She knew she visited it directly before her descent into the underdark, how good it turned out to be. "Why are you all distressed? I.. is Asher alright? Is he actually missing or is something going on?" she felt confused it was only nearing the night so being out this late could be strange for Asher she didn't know.
"It's just a concern," Riu answered. Riu looked down at the half elf who was currently on the floor confusingly dazed by the whole affair. Andraste studied his face gleaning a sense of dread in his eyes.
"We.. we should.. Ask around.." Markos said suddenly, summoning himself from the floor. "I'm sure a guard or maybe someone else may have seen him? Riu said he left this morning but.. We don't know where he went."
"He's not in any of the bars." Andraste leapt when Adleth entered the house from the manors door, she was seemingly covered in sweat and was breathing heavily. "I asked some old friends.. They claimed the guards have been awfully quiet.. But no one has seen him." The elf woman looked more fearful than the others, well apart from Markos. "Here's what we know. He left this morning.. It's not unlike him to go around town and disappear for hours, but he never likes to be out too late." Adleth walked into the house placing a hand on Markos's shoulder.
"Well.. he's been out since this morning.. Did he go searching for employment? I mean." Herod looked rather calm despite the reactions of his compatriots who had far more concern it seemed at the moment. He walked quickly over to Markos kneeling down to comfort the half-elf.
"I-I'm gonna go ask the guards.." Markos explained, the boy jumped to his feet and pushed past Andraste running out the door. His voice was hoarse and rough, like he knew something the others did not. Andraste turned on her heel and headed out the door after him, was he planning to search the whole city? Look into every single guard until he found his answer?
"Wait for me!" Alekzandr yelled, running after the pair of them. The three of them walked up and down the streets. "Excuse me, sir?" Alekzandr waved to the first guard they encountered though he seemed rather confused when asked if he'd seen the masked fighter Asher.
"I don't.. Know what to tell you pal." the guard explained, waving his hands about. The city was still bustling with people yet, no one paid them any attention.
"Uh, guard man?" Markos led the next interaction grabbing a nearby city watch, shit. The guard couldn't have been older than eighteen, fresh out of some form of schooling he looked mildly panicked and confused, shaking his head and waving his arms to be rid of them. The guard's probably knew about Markos all too well. They were getting nowhere.. Their search brought them into the first few hours of nightfall, nearly four solid hours of questioning every guard in sight went on and on. By the time they were headed back to TrollSkull the streets were all but emptying.
"Markos.." Andraste whispered, the quiet panic he exuded was almost nauseating; he was spinning in circles even grabbing guards they had already talked to. "I'm sure Asher is fine.. He is probably back at the house right now.. So how about we-"
"No!" Markos yelled. "No. no. I know something is wrong she.. She told me." The half-elf was hyperventilating, gripping his hair and pulling out the short locks. Andraste frowned gazing over to Alekzandr he too looked very puzzled very on edge, who was.. This she?
"She?" Alekzandr quirried, he reached out, setting a hand on the cultist's shoulder. Markos looked ridiculous, the long golden yellow cloak purple and black cultist attire and his long grey steel trident strapped to his back. Despite everything he seemed capable of, Andraste couldn't really take him seriously. The half-elf hyperventilated.
"I-i.." he paused, he stopped in place and squinted. Markos closed his purple eyes and tilted his head to one side like he was offering an ear to a whispering individual. "Sir!" Markos screamed, Andraste had no time to react before Markos dashed over to an unsuspecting guard. What.. What was that? She and Alekzandr hurried over to stop whatever Markos was doing.
"I.. it's like I told ya.. I don't know what you're talking about." by the time they got into ear shot Andraste could see this guard was off, he was sweating visibly looking very nervous. He was tall with blue eyes and brown hair that went down to his shoulders. "Now please. I've got.. Official business to get to.." She could see how Markos was reacting; he suspected it of the guards twitching fingers and tapping toes. A silent conversation was had between herself and Alekzandr, this man was lying. Markos let out a sigh.
"You.. look a little nervous my friend." Alekzandr chimed in, lowering a hand to his rifle's stock. "Is anything the matter?" the guard seemed to glance around worriedly like he was afraid someone might hear him.
"I-i.. well." the guard stuttered. "Look I shouldn't be talking about it out in public.. It's.." the guard did not finish his sentence.
"You're right. You probably shouldn't." Markos's voice was more sinister now she saw his teeth grit bearing a pained smile while he stared at the ground. "But.. I'm going to ask you, a little less politely this time have you seen Asher Exitium, Yes or no?" Markos sneered, he was clearly trying to be intimidating while Andraste wished he had just tried being persuasive. The guard made a sour face and took a deep breath placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. The half-elf was.. In fact. Not scary.
"Ma'am- Sir. I'm gonna have to ask you to go back home. Or I'll involve the city watch." the guard replied condescending. He wasn't an easy push over, if they were going to intimidate then Andraste guessed she would have to intervene. Markos licked his teeth angrily, still looking at the ground with quiet rage.
"Yeah.." he whispered. "Cerdest? Show our friend.. A good time." Markos glanced up at his eyes an uglier lighter shade of purple like the blue to red ratio had been drastically shifted to the red spectrum. Instantly a portal opened above Markos's head as a pink winged squid creature came out, no bigger than a cat it's eyes glowed and the guard clutched his head. The voice was so searing even Andraste heard it within her own mind.
"Tell me what you know you son of a bitch!" the voice was psionic screaming into their brains, Andraste was instantly washed over with waves of grief and guilt, anger and solace. The voice kept screaming those words over and over. The guard jumped back cowering in fear.
"Ok-ok please dont hurt me!" The guard collapsed to the ground and he quite rapidly shifted moods suddenly faced with the flying creature. "I-i I'm sorry I-"
"Listen to me you little shit!" Markos grabbed the guard's collar and pulled him up to his knees. "I walked through Hell! I've not only seen the fucking far realms.. I've lived it. I have faced gods, devils, demons, and angels." Markos was currently yelling at the guard while Andraste gave a frightful look to Alekzandr, who was.. Drinking but shit did he have an actual disgusted face while looking at Markos yet keep drinking?? Oh that's just odd. "If you think you can lie to me.." Markos started chuckling. "Oh my friend you haven't seen shit! Now.. let's try this again.. Where is Asher Exitium? What. Do. You. Know?" His cloak began to almost float a little bit in the wind, the tattered edges flapping up creating an image like his tentacle instead though all around him. This emaciated, short, feminine looking half-elf actually looked intimidating for once.
"I.." The guard took a deep breath, still clearly terrified of the squid. "Some of our guards spotted him.. He.. he was walking towards the gralhunds.. We.. we heard some commotion and then.. Nothing. I-i I can't say much-just the guards are being really quiet right now.. There was so much noise... P-please dont hurt me." the guard begged quite pathetically. The Gralhunds.. The people they had saved the other day? Why would they be behind this?
"Thank you." Maros sneered sinisterly. "Now I promise not to hurt you.. If you just read this pamphlet." The cultist took out a yellow booklet from his side bag which looked far too small to hold the number of pamphlets he was using. She was starting to wonder if he really was charismatic or just held some poor man at gunpoint to write a convincing cultist paper. "Alekz. Andraste. Come on." the half-elf turned away and marched back towards the house, his familiar flying behind him. "We have nobility to burn."