Of Wayward Shadows...

[Jereth Ingsbe]

The sun struggles to break its way through the gloomy afternoon mist as thunder rumbles in the distance. The meager light that yellow disc casts on the thin fringes of the northern forest manages to deepen the shadows enough so one might not see into their depths. Out of one of the deeper shadows, a grim figure scans the horizon back to the east, searching for any sign of pursuit. Seemingly cut from the shadows the grim watcher turns away, satisfied that either he'd gone beyond his pursuers limits or they'd realized the folly of even trying his wrath again. Steel and leather creak and scrape as he moves deeper into the wood he was well acquainted with, a place he had called home for sometime before he knew that no place ever could exist for one of his weal.

Finding grandfather oak near the center of the woods, Jereth reaches into a hollow and withdraws the package containing his worn but functional bronze plate armor, and after a furtive look around for any witnesses, he replaces the bloodstained black full plate within the hollow and is again banded in the bronze armor of his earlier days. Before he makes his way from the tree and the woods themselves, he turns over the black and gold band wrapping his left index finger, contemplating the piece and whether to leave it with the armor, but an external pang of reluctance changes his mind. However he'd have to see to it that the tendencies the trinket oft provoked of him were more closely maintained, his employer simply couldn't afford him to make such scenes too commonplace.

Leaving the small forest, he makes his way out into the open prairie thinking back on the task so recently completed and the instructions given for after the deed was done. The kill had been more difficult than most others, of course he'd expected that given the high profile of the target and its extensive defenses. It had made no difference to him, there were few that could stand before him and none he feared. Unconcerned about further pursuit, either from sheer distance or from the fact that he'd left so few alive to pursue, the hulking warrior grins wickedly as he makes his way down the road. Now to find some manner of distraction and keep from his employer's proximity for a good long while....

[Zee]

As the man turns away from his armor tucked into the tree he hears a slight rapping noise. Turning he finds a lithe man leaning against the tree tapping the armor with a stick. "nice work. Mark dead. Guards evaded. Body count, well foftunately my employeer and I don't care about such trivialities." stepping away from the tree the man tosses the stick aside. "got a job that needs doing. Want it?"

[Jereth Ingsbe]

Grasping the hilt of the huge blade slung across his back, Jereth whirls on the unwanted stranger. Scowling at the intrusion of this private place, the brooding warrior manages to sublimate his initial homicidal urges and considers the little man's words. His employer had made no mention of any further contact to be expected, nor did he recognize this lithe figure as one of her minions. Contemplating simply dispatching the intruder, Jereth begins to draw the blade but stops to consider that he was indeed looking for a distraction to occupy his now suddenly free time.

"You walk a dangerous line, sneaking around this place. Bad things have been known to happen."

Looking over the fellow more closely, he drops his mailed hand from the sword hilt, knowing full well weapons were the least of concerns for the lithe figure if he was foolish enough to provoke the warrior's ire. Placing what could only distantly be referred to as a disarming smile, inhuman fangs fully displayed,

"As I'm not sure what task you refer to as being completed, I do have some free time, and a desire not to spend it in boredom." His grin expands grotesquely, "Tell me of your offer."

[Zee]

The man smiles tapping his right canine tooth with his finger after a smile. "If your eye be as sharp as your fang then I would like for you to steal something." The man moves closer to the mountain of muscle known as jereth. "You keep what we would have you steal and we shal reward you. Gold, women, weapons? Whatever you wish, so long as it is reasonable." The man pauses for a moment waiting until jereth is about to reply he holds up his hands and cuts jereth off. "I know you keep everything and we seemingly get nothing. Truth be told we don't want what we would have you steal, no we would simply have it no longer in her possesion."

[Jereth Ingsbe]

Fingers unconsciously twitching as the smaller figure moves closer to his ever murderous reach, Jereth his eyes narrowing, crosses his arms to snub the urge to crush the impudent little man. Though as he listens to the man's offer a deep frown dominates his scarred face.

"Simple theft is what you ask of me? Why not have me cleave this woman person instead and render the matter of possession moot?"

The frown begins to take on a more fearsome and nefarious nature as his crystalline blue eyes tighten their focus on the man. Towering over the poor messenger, the ever suspicious and hateful Jereth speaks in a low voice full of menace and the promise of unreasoning violence,

"Am I then to take this thing and forever be 'rewarded' with the pursuit and vengeances of this woman or her ilk? To play pawn and face death at every waking moment? IS THIS THE TASK YOU ASK OF ME!?!?"

[Zee]

Where a normal man may have come if not actually emptying his bowels the man in front of jereth hides a chortle behind a hand daintily rested infront of his mouth. "That should surely cure you of your boredom. But yes, we would not have her dead as the pain of her loss would be to shortly lived. You see, it's a necklace." The man smiles widely as he takes a break to fold his arms and recline against a tree. "Well in truth it's a magic necklace. I have a feeling that the magic contained within this necklace may be of great interest to you. Oh and don't worry about her tracking you down, if indeed you would have been worried and you weren't just saying that."

[Jereth Ingsbe]

Straightening suddenly, the visage of fury gone in an instant, the ever chaotic Jereth replaces his toothy grin,

"No pursuit? Pity, that would have been more interesting. Is the magic of this trinket known to you and your employer? The thought that its dwoemer would interest me I find hard to believe. But that I would turn you down were it not for the fact that you wish to inflict lasting pain on this woman."

Laughing heartily at the notion of causing misfortune to another, the grim warrior seems more at ease than before,

"Tell me where I may complete this task, and know that our employer's foe will know sweet suffering."

[Zee]

The man nods "yes we know what it does." moving away from the tree he pulls a map from his tunic and hands it to jereth. Oddly enough their current location is already marked as is the location of the mark. A place about three days a way by foot through the forest. Jereth knows of no towns out there and according to the map it's within the boundaries of the woods. "she's a young lass, pretty most would say. Long red hair blue eyed and the necklace you're after she wears at all times. Her guards and anyone else there do as you wish but we would have her alive to know to know the sorrow of having her piece of shiny taken."

[Jereth Ingsbe]

Studying the map, noting the slight difference of the details from the map his mind had constructed of this wood from many years of habitation, he grunts his approval that the pathway would be less than difficult. Though he knew of no inhabitants the two legged kind he supposed the last several years of his absence was reasonable enough for some to have intruded.

Although still disappointed that his skills were only being used to steal some insignificant treasure from an equally (in his eyes) insignificant person, his mood lightens at the prospect of not only robbing this person of their necklace, but perhaps her companions lives. Jereth still suspicious of the little man, felt that if not his original employer was behind this, then certainly her cohorts would be, for the plan smacked of being pointlessly devious.

Having nothing more to say for the messenger and his interest at the prospect of cleaving skulls and hearing the lamentations of this woman, the grisly killer rolls up the map and with more stealth than would be considered for one so armored an of sheer size, he moves off into the forest intent on his task...

[Zee]

Jereth makes his way easily to the designated area On the map. Indeed it took two days cutting through the forest but it was a simple and eventless trip. Perhaps the animals wre afraid of him or perhaps he was a little rank smelling  either way, didn't really matter. He finds a small clearng in the woods a two story construction made from the very trees that were removed. Four guards, one on each corner of the house, no five guards. One of them making a circle around the house. Quite paranoid for someone considering the unlikely hood of anyone knowing this house is even there.

[Jereth Ingsbe]

From within his vantage point within the darkened brush just inside the wood from the clearing made for and from the small cottage, Jereth rubs his chin in thought. His preferred and most often effective attack would be to simply crash into the clearing and leave a path of death, bee-lining for the woman and her trinket, but in the rush he might forget himself and leave the victim among the dead.

No for this task he must get close to the target before she can raise defenses so that he'd be forced to kill her, but enough also so she could not try simple escape. But the wolf learns eventually from the 'wounded' duck. Gashing his left upper arm and drawing a bloody line across the side of his face, he 'paints' himself as wounded before staggering into the clearing, dragging his sword as if too weak with blood loss and expended endurance to hoist it proper.

"Gods forgive me! People... men! Ho, help a wounded fellow, torn by orc and ogre alike! On my trail they were, ware yourselves!"

[Zee]

As the man crashes into the small clearing the man who had just emerged from the door points towards jereth before jerking his thumb towards the door. Seeing the visible guards acknowledge he then bends his hand up to head level and makes a quick circling gesture. The two visible guards make a sharp whistle and repeat before charging over to jereth. By the time the two men arrive at his side the other two guards who were at the corners behind the house have taken up positions  at the corners on the door side. The main guard waits with his hand on the knob opening the door as the two other guards escort jereth into the building. The main guard enters and closes the door behind them and jereth can hear the rustle of armor as the other two guards take position outside the door. The main guard gives jereth a quick looking over "How far man?! Anything else with them?"

[Jereth Ingsbe]

Noting they were a well organized if too trusting group, Jereth keeps up the facade, his breath coming in great torrents sweat beading on his brow. Glancing around the interior of the small cottage he gasps,

"Five ogres, a dozen orcs at least, and I swear I could have heard the horns of bugbears on the hunt! They were at my heels before I made my leap across a stream some few minutes ago... close enough that I could hear their obscene taunts, saying they would roast my flesh though they far preferred womanflesh to play with before feasting, the dogs! I pray no wandering innocents fall in their path, be glad that you have not a woman among you, as that would drive the curs into a frenzy!"

Muttering curses and trying to 'catch his breath', Jereth clutches at the gash in his arm, panting he asks for water, while silently sizing up the groups apparent leader.

[Zee]

The leader of the men raises an eyebrow looking at Jereth, quickly dropping it he motions to a door at the end of the wall. "Come we've we water we can get for you. Rest well in here friend." He leads holds the door open for Jereth the other two still waiting by the front door.

[Jereth Ingsbe]

With a thankful smile, carefully not baring his fangs, Jereth makes to move into the room. Offering his hand in thanks he waits until the man takes the gesture of gratitude, then the smile widens exposing his bestial nature as his unnaturally strong grip exerts pressure that gradually increases from uncomfortable to painful to excruciating, bones creaking in the leader's hand as they compress and crumble.

"Now where is the wench?"

The only words he speaks as he begins to turn in a tight circle, whirling the doomed man about in a great spin. Jereth doesn't stop even as the man's body smashes into objects and walls, in fact angling his spin to put as many obstacles in the path of the leader's deteriorating body.