Shadows: Whisper | Assassin's Creed

[Mousia]

(G5 time! Who starts?)

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[i promised I would. ]

 

Kaethe

 

The sound of horse's hooves drummed in her ears. Sweat poured down her scalp and into her eyes, and into her mouth. The salty tang of it... It made her adrenaline pump more as she rode her fierce black steed ferociously, passionately.

 

Behind her was a horde of Thebian guards, screaming out at the young woman as she pounded down the countryside cliffs. Dust started to clot on her clothes, overturned by the horses' feet.

 

Kaethe grinned more and more as she rode her horse down to the river, where she forced her horse to swim through. The horse screamed, stressed, eyes lolling, but it made its way across anyway. She and her horse heaved themselves out of the water, and she turned to see the guards trying to get across the river again. However their horses did not allow them.

 

Kaethe chuckled and began to guide her horse back home. Well, of course, it wasn't her horse... Only the leaders and the Mentor and maybe even the most senior assassins had their own horses.

 

Breathing heavily, she made it safely to her home, the Thebian Brotherhood. As she hitched the black horse to a pole, she looked around. Hopefully no one had caught her stealing Aetios' horse. If he found out, she would be flayed for sure.

Edited July 12, 2013 by TwilightMoonDragon

[Mousia]

Helena smiled as Kaethe returned. Approaching the woman, she clapped faintly. She kept her voice to a soft whisper. "Good job, apprentice. You can use my horse next time, though. He's less likely to be the cause of your death." She looked down rather darkly and chuckled. "I didn't get to be Mentor by keeping my eyes and ears shut. But I won't tell a soul." The black-haired woman patted the apprentice on the shoulder lightly before walking away. Before she'd the chance to get far, a vice-like thing constricted her legs to prevent her from walking. She almost fell over. "Thais! How are you? Looking for someone to play with, is it?"

"Yeah! Mommy's looking so sad so I went to find someone to play with her and make her happy." The comment made the Mentor's heart rumble slightly with pain. Poor child... So unaware... "Zero," she called out to her brother. Her seemed to appear from out of the mist. He was blonde and blue-eyed, but quiet and not one to have much fun. "Take care of filing things in the library. I've got to do something real quick." He nodded and left without a word. Despite them being siblings and Helena being the Mentor, Zero, her brother, was only an apprentice. Ah, how siblings were different...

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[Moose~ Can Kaethe interact with Zero?

And post your forms~]

[Mousia]

(Sure. Anyone can interact with any of my characters.)

[IceFyr1928]

Devon slammed his fist onto the table, and shouted, "What do you mean they're dead? Are you telling me that those damn assassins are behind this?!?"

 

Cherun, his second in command, shuffled uncomfortably and said, "Only the bodies were found, sir. We have no proof that it was the assassins, as there were too many wounds to count." Devon sat back, and shook his head. He deeply sighed, and said, "Double the guard around the Ankh. I didn't become the Capitain for being careless."

 

Cherun nodded briskly, and strode out of the room that served as the command center of the Templar's headquarters. Above, the people of Athens went about their business, not knowing the extent of the catacombs mere feet below them. Parts of these catacombs had been converted into a complex headquarters for the Templar alliance, and they had yet to be discovered. Devon went back to his paperwork, putting his seal on the motions that would pass, and throwing the ones that wouldn't into the nearby fire.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Kaethe

 

Kaethe smiled sheepishly at Helena, and ran a hand through her sweaty hair. It was sticking to the sides of he face and the sweat was already being a bother to her eyes, and she nodded in respect to her Mentor and turned away. Zero was going into the library, wasn't he..? Ah, a good opportunity to tease him. He was very quiet... Very, very quiet indeed. Setting her hands on her hips, she walked over to the library and peeked inside.

 

With the many volumes of books came a dense smell of leaves. The leaves of paper were not like the ones that we used today, no. Much more thicker and yellower than others. She stepped inside and located Zero in an instant- other than Typhon, he was blond, and blonds could easily be found. She walked closer to him and hissed.

 

"The mighty hydra has returned!"

 

She giggled and set a hand on a table, looking at the papers. It has to be boring here. she thought. Even though Zero was much larger than her, he was much shyer.

[Mousia]

"Am I in your way? I can return to this later if you do not wish to be disturbed." His voice was barely a whisper as he replied to Kaethe. He tucked two papers into a shelf and hung his head. "I am sorry. So sorry to be in your way. I will finish sorting quickly and take my leave so you can study without my plaguing presence." He did just that. He sorted quickly, fingers moving quicker than what would be expected of a boy who was as large and capable as he. However, he detested pain, despite being able to endure quite a lot of it. Thus, he fought from a distance, never wanting to see the face of his enemy. Once all the things were sorted, he bowed to his fellow apprentice. "Please do not hit me...," he breathed.

 

Helena nodded as the apprentices left her and the child. Shortly thereafter, Kallisto approached. She looked fairly angry, but was very obviously trying to hide it. "I am sorry, Mentor. I should have watched him more closely. He should know not to bother grown-ups, especially not the Mentor." The black-haired woman simply shook her head. "Do not apologize. I love your son's company. He is sometimes much wiser than any seasoned battle strategist or elder." Thais simply looked down. "I'm sorry, Mommy. It's just that you looked so sad... I was going to bring someone to play with you so you would smile." Again. Right in the heart. An innocent child trying to solve his troubled mother's problems. It was just so sad...

[IceFyr1928]

Arcanus sighed as he traveled through Thebes, memories of a time he wish he could forget flooding him. A life past is best forgotten. He was a different man now, and it was rightful that he also go under a different name. It was almost too much to bear when he walked by the burned out bell tower that signified the old Assassin's headquarters. Walking on, Arcanus looked down to his right fist, where, as with all the assassins, his midle finger no longer was. Now, a blade remained hidden there, waiting for its next use. It too was a memento of his past life, though it was an integral part of this one as well.

 

He was in search of something that was starting to seem impossible. He was here to see whether the Creed had changed, perhaps a new mentor would fix things. However, he didn't have much to look forward to if he did join. Back down to the lowest level, having to struggle his way up, even if he was a few years older than whoever the unlucky soul was that was chosen to mentor him.

 

Arcanus shrugged these thoughts away, and The Wanderer continued on his way.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Kaethe

 

Kaethe's smile fell as she stared at the other apprentice. Zero was always so shy and kind, but he constantly thought that he was a stupid thing. She did not want that to happen.

 

"What makes you think I'll hit you?"

 

[bed.]

[Mousia]

"They hit me before...," he mumbled absently. "They hit me so many times... My sister says that she still has nightmares sometimes, so it's not odd that I still feel the effects of the Templars hitting us..." He stood upright and looked around, unsure. "But I am wasting your time. I should not be a nuisance." He took a book from the shelf and began to read. "Please pretend I am not here if I am an annoyance to you." He read and couldn't help remembering the dank quarters and the restraints. His sister was always telling him that it was okay. That he was strong. He could do it. And when he cried, he could sometimes hear her crying too, even though she'd never admit it.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Kaethe

 

Kaethe frowned when she heard Zero. He was hit by Templars, she remembered... That was a very sad life... She walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was something that she did to women and men alike, not because of sexual orientation.

 

"Don't worry." Kaethe said, smiling. "I'll protect you, Zero! Hey, wanna go and pick pomegranates with me? I love those... The color of the seeds is so pretty... And it's tasty!"

 

[Won't be around much today.]

[IceFyr1928]

[if anyone could bump into Arcanus, that'd be great...]

[TwilightMoonDragon]

[i'll bump into Arcanus in a bit. Leaving to a farm. ^^]

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Aetios

 

The large bird screamed loudly, flapping open its dark brown wings, its yellow beak gaping. The beady amber colored eyes it had proved frightening to some, but Aetios understood the hawk. Artemis was strangely colored, something he hadn't seen up close before. His glossy body was different shades of brown, but his tail feathers were a vibrant red. As he walked down the street of Thebes, donned in a Greek toga, he stroked the cap of the bird and smiled softly when it crooned.

 

There was a man wandering the streets, and he recognized him as Arcanus. Arcanus! He remembered when he left the Brotherhood. He was very angry for what he had done, but he was forgiven a long time ago. Aetios knew Helena; she was a pretty woman, with a son, and a very good Mentor.

 

Artemis screamed again, flapping his wings. He was probably hungry, or so he thought. He would catch a plump rat for him later, or maybe even a fat hare or fish. He was good with spearing, and his weapon was fastened to his back with rope at this moment.

 

"Arcadus?" he asked, keeping his distance. "Is that you?"

[Dusset]

((I'll just post with the character I know is accepted. TMD, if you could let me know about Hermes that would be fantastic.))

 

Cyrus carried Sophia as they walked into the new city. Thebes. At last. Sophia was exhausted from walking and had fallen asleep in Cyrus' arms. As they walked through the edge of town, she woke up and smiled as she looked around. "Let me down, Papa." She said. Cyrus obliged and took her hand. They walked at her pace in the city, he intentionally held her hand with his left. The missing finger was still odd to her. They walked through the streets, Cyrus' gear lightly jostling and his pack jumping softly on his back with every step. "Where are we going, Papa?" Sophia asked.

"We're trying to find some of Papa's friends." He answered back.

"Where are they?"

"In the shadows."

His answer was cryptic, it didn't satisfy her curiosity, but she didn't ask anything else. Wherever she was being taken, she knew it was safe if he was there. Cyrus' eyes were on the rooftops. Searching, looking, sifting. He had to find someone he could present his brand to. But if he showed it to the wrong person he could be in trouble.

"Watch for them, Sophia. Watch the shadows. The alleys. The roofs. Behind masks of normality is their favorite hiding spot. Look for what's not there and you'll find it." He instructed. If she was to grow up as his daughter she had best grow up as an assassin. Much else wasn't safe. Already, she had started learning. Just not formally.

[Mousia]

(I missed you, Duss. No long posts to make me self-conscious. )

 

Zero looked up. "Pomegranates...?" The food of the dead? It was so scary. He wasn't sure he wanted to go. But he also didn't want Kaethe to be angry. "I will go." He nodded, as if to affirm his boldness. "But I must notify my sister. She will be upset if two apprentices leave without anyone knowing where. I'm sorry." He bowed his head for a short time before leaving the library and poking his sister, who was still in the common, talking to people and socializing. "Sister," he started shakily. "Yes?" Her smile was warm and accepting. It made him feel better. "Kaethe asked me if I wanted to go pick pomegranates with her..."

"Go, then! You don't need to ask if you're just being social, Zero. Just make sure you both come back whole."

"I will make sure this happens."

"It's just a joke, brother. Go on, be merry."

[Dusset]

(('s what I'm here for. ))

 

Hermes vaulted over a guardsman and landed behind him. He sweeped his legs and laughed. Soon, he was running, his treasures firmly grasped in his hands. Golden necklaces with jewels embedded in them. "Uwhahah!" He laughed again as he ran up a wall and soared across the roofs. "You'll never catch me!" He shouted over his shoulder. Not only was he holding several necklaces, he wore rings on all his fingers. He bracelets on his arms and jingling pouches hanging from his belt. Clearly, he'd been up in someone's vault. "You guys should bury your stuff! Locks and guards can't stop me!" He noticed there were a few lighter armored guards on the roofs now. He was about to be ambushed by the patrol he'd seen three streets up about a half hour prior. Why else would they be chasing him the way they were? He suddenly halted. Boyishly balancing on one foot on the ledge of a roof, appearing to be burdened with his loot, as if he'd drop it if he moved. When the guards showed up, he suddenly unsinched his pouches of gold and flung it at them. In the second or so they looked away or were struck, he dropped into the streets, right into a cart filled with hay. He giggled to himself as the guards were flabergasted with his 'magic'. He left his treasures in the cart for the driver, who he noticed was elderly and a bit infirm, only keeping the two necklaces for himself. When he got out, he marched through the street with a bold grin on his face. "Told them they couldn't catch me. They didn't believe me." He said to everyone who was within earshot.

 

((Here's a longer one.))

Edited July 14, 2013 by Dusset

[IceFyr1928]

Arcanus' attention was snapped from the rooftops back down to earth, as a man approached, seeming to recognize him. He shrugged, and replied by saying, "They call me the wanderer now, actually." He continued walking, hoping the assassin, for that's the only person it could be, didn't push it further. He was a different person now, though it surprised him that the assassin used his new name as opposed to his original one. He'd only changed it after he had left, though he would not be fazed if the Creed had sent someone after him. To spy on him.

 

He gripped his walking stick tighter, and continued walking, only stopping at a street vendor for a few seconds to grab an apple before continuing.

[Mousia]

(Thanks, Duss. You never fail to make me feel so much better.)

 

Thais looked up at Kallisto, his mother. "Why are you so sad, Mommy?"

"I'm not sad. I just think a lot."

"You're sad. Frowning, Mommy."

"Don't think about it too much. I'm fine." But the child din't particularly believe her. "Let's go play." The woman just nodded and followed him to a small field nearby. "I'll run and you try to tag me. It'll be fun!" he announced. "That's fine. Start!" the mother responded. And he set off running as fast as his little legs would take him. Running and running and running. And the woman found it easy to keep up, but pretended it was not. And then it happened. Templars. They came from behind a large tree and scooped the boy up. He then began to whistle, scream, and bite. The group appeared to consist of about seven people. The assassin sprinted to catch up and drew her sword. She skewered one and received a scratch on her leg, but kept running despite the pain. Her son would live a long and happy life. She had to protect him for as long as she could. Then she cracked the skull of two others. Four left. One aimed a sword for her belly but she swerved away from the blade and killed another. And another. And another. And then the last one was still carrying her son away. So she dealt him a heavy blow on the skull and dodged as he fell backwards, deftly sheathing her sword and taking her son in her arms. Ah, what a rush that had been. She turned around and slowed to a walk, still holding her son tight. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

"It's okay, Thais. Mommy will always protect you."

"Always?"

"Always." And when they got home, they were both bloodied from the fight, but Kallisto didn't care. At least her son was safe and sound. That was the only thing that mattered. Keeping her son happy, healthy, and alive.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Typhon

 

The shadows of the overhang cooled down the warm day. The man had skin less strong than the olive skinned people of Thebes, and he burnt easily. He wasn't sure why. He was pretty sure that his mom and dad had dark skin... His blue eyes raised to the streets, and his light stubble twitched when he smirked. A few women in white silks strolled by... And their eyes were a warm honey, their lips like forbidden fruit.

 

Typhon was about to follow them, hoping for the two of them at once, but then he saw another sight. A man with blond hair walked with a girl at his side, and he gave a grin. Probably the woman he was with had abandoned him. Perhaps... Just perhaps. She had to have been a wonderful woman, as the girl was pretty.

 

Melting away from the shadows, he came over to them. He heard Cyrus's words and suddenly he became very cold. They... Were looking for them. Looking for the Creed.

 

"What are you muttering about?" he glared at them. "You better keep your mouth shut, lest you want something bad to happen to you... Or the girl."

 

Aetios

 

Artemis flapped his wings and screeched at Arcadus, his black talons digging deeply into Aetios' bare shoulder. He did not mind, since he was aware of the pain and could ignore it completely. This man did not want anything to do with him, did he not? He walked past him, and went to buy an apple. He watched the man closely and scratched at his chin.

 

"You have been away from the Brotherhood for a while." Aetios told him, walking to him again. The man was tall and slender, and his face was harsh, like a hawk. His green eyes remained focused on him, and he crossed his arms. Artemis screamed and flapped down to the stand, pecking at the wood. "Why is that?"

 

There had to be a reason. Arcadus was a good man, with a good heart... There had been no reason for him to abandon his cause.

 

"If you are looking for Helena, she is within the walls. I have to admit, I do not think she will be happy to accept you back. Maybe you'll hang from a noose from the olive tree. I don't want to see that."

 

Kaethe

 

Go ask his sister..? Really? That was for four year olds... Then again, Kaethe never understood Zero. She walked over to the bookshelves and set about her book down, before turning and walking toward the stables. The pomegranate trees were atop some mountains... So they would have to go on horseback.

 

She walked to the stables and saddled up a sable colored horse. It was a mare, a pretty mare, with a blaze up her nose. Kaethe smiled and pet the white mark, giggling when she heard it whinny. She wished she had a horse... If she had one, she would brush it and comb it and pet it.

[Dusset]

((TMD, I hate you. I just deleted a crazy long post to reply to this...

It's kay.))

 

Cyrus spun around, releasing the hidden blade and drawing his hatchet. He had the former to the throat of the man who spoke in seconds. "If you dare touch her I will gut you like a fish during a famine season. Speedily and without remorse." He whispered through gritted teeth, lest Sophia heard. His eyes burned with a passion few men could muster. "If you're smart you will leave us to our business. If you are stupid, you'll threaten the girl again." Sophia watched on. It was not uncommon to see Papa threaten people. But she wasn't sure what it was about this time. She tucked herself in behind one of his legs, having heard what the man said. She noticed, though, the lack of the man's right ring finger. "Papa. He's like you, look." She pointed at the missing digit and Cyrus glanced. Well, they'd found one. He withdrew his blade and hung his hatchet on his belt. He shifted his pack and shield before raising his right hand flat, palm facing the stranger. On it, was the assassin's symbol, branded. It covered almost his whole palm. "Just don't touch the girl." Was all he said, awaiting response.

[RainDash]

Calypso was watching in the roofs. She liked the roofs, people couldn't touch her up there. There was no one to be noisy or loud or even to scold her. Suddenly someone was yelling. "Get off, no one except-" She turned her head to look at the man.

"Shade." Was all she said before drawing her bow and shooting the man point blank.

There was no hesitation, no regret, not even a pang of sympathy. "Shades need to die... they don't deserve to be among the living!" She laughed manically. After a minute she stopped, breathing hard. This of course, drew the attention of other Templars who were nearby. Startled by the sudden number of Shades, she ran. She escaped them, slayed a few, and managed to get back to the HQ without another hitch. She was covered in blood, but she didn't seem to notice."Hi!" She yelled, chipper and bloody as she was. "Who's home~" She called, walking through, looking for someone to talk to.

[Dusset]

Hermes laughed as he tapped at one of the pendants. Calypso walked in and he called, "Head's up!" He threw the one encrusted with rubies to her. "Fresh off the nobleman." He said. "Poor sap had no idea. He was just walking around with all that bling. It called to me. Like a siren song. Mesmerizing." He voice floated off as he stated into the other one in his hand. This one was more intricate and had a variety of gems on it. "They thought they could cstcg me, too. Always so wrong."

 

((Swapped to mobile. Harder to write.))

[IceFyr1928]

[Dunno if it's just you, or some form of autocorrect, but Arcanus has an N, not a D.]

 

Arcanus snapped around, and said, "So you think I'm crawling back to your power-hungry ideals? Thanks, but no thanks. I work alone." He turned back around, and took a few steps before turning back to face Aetios, his own strong features almost the mirror of the man's hawklike ones. He then said in a much calmer tone, "So Helena made it to mentor, eh? She always was that bookworm of our generation. Tell her I said hello, and that I wish to talk with her. Alone."

 

Without giving Aetios a chance to respond, Arcanus pivoted on his heel, and took off at a brisk walk, turning the first available corner.

 

His destination was clear in his mind, and his ornately carved walking stick clunked on the street as he walked. People whispered as he passed, some with adoration, some with confusion, others with disgust. They said that whenever he came to a new part of Greece, he carved another design on his staff. They argued whether or not he had been to Italy by boat, or if he had walked. A select few, the wierdos, wondered if he was actually some sort of ethereal spirit or supernatural being. He ignored all of these. It may be quirky that he had been to almost every major city in Greece on foot over the past several years, but it was by no means supernatural. And despite various accounts, Arcanus had yet to set foot out of Greece, let alone travel all of the way to Italy.

 

He reached the towering inn within a few minutes, and checked in with the shopkeeper, who gave him the room key. He then went into this room, and set his bag and walking staff down, sitting on the hard packed mattress. He then waited for Helena, remembering the times that he had seen her. She most likely had lost the bouncy curls, though one never knew what kind of strange people the Brotherhood could breed. Take him for example. He leaves his home at a young age, renames himself, and spends the next nine years of his life walking all across Greece. He wondered what the numbers would be if he tallied up how much he had spent on sandals alone. Astronomically high estimates was all he could come up with.

 

He sat back against the wall, waiting for one of his only friends in the Brotherhood from his previous life to show up.

Edited July 15, 2013 by IceFyr1928