Salty Talk- A Medieval Fantasy Tavern (People Needed)

[The Vansin]

Vansin raised his brow.

"I have no power to order it over you, but I'm sure your help would be invaluable." He said, still slightly surprised.

He then looked to Viviana, obviously wondering if she would accept it. It was not his mission to lead, as the Captain of the Venom Signet, and his second in command, she was the highest ranking servant to go on the mission, and so it's leader. It was her choice to allow Eirwyn to go.

Vansin doubted she'd say no.

[Elliterate]

.:.Night Kroww!.:.

"Ah." Viviana, who had been walking briskly to the door paused. "But of course, the more the merrier." She replied to Eirwyn's request, "As Vansin said, your assistance will be invaluable! But I must ask you to please make 'aste. Time is, after all, of the essence."

[She-Lich]

"Very well," Eirwyn said, smiling slightly. The wad of parchment and kitten calendar were placed in her bag, which was shouldered. "Haste I can do," she said. She may not be what she had been in her youth- magic having consumed her heart as well as stripping her of her athletic prowess- but she wasn't slow, either.

[The Vansin]

Vansin nodded at Viviana's decision and stepped back to let the two women prepare and set off. There was little that needed to be said. Bisarr knew the woman, so they needed to find him first. After that Viviana was more than capable of leading the team, with Eirwyn being able to possibly even cast divination spells to aid their tracking, not to mention the dark powers which she likely could call to her aid once the target was actually found.

Vansin was confident sending Bisarr alone, to have these three together assured the fiend his will would be done.

[count_zantara]

As Vansin played his cards and went after the paladin with his snow demon companion, the cleric found himself not in the least bit surprised at this turn of events. When you put this many people who's very nature was at polar opposites in the same room someone is going to get bloodied. And with Vansin's past nature as a collector of sorts, a paladin would obviously be a tempting prize.

Sighing slightly as he went back to eatting, the cleric was somewhat glad with the choice of his seating arrangement. Looking up to only notice the Paladin running out the door like a scared little girl, he realized something about her which the demons probably already had. That paladin was Fallen of sorts. No paladin worth their weight in salt would have run, even from a battle such as this.

It was just not done.

Frowning slightly as the instance between the two demons and the arrival of "The Other", Zantara turned back to his food, digging deeply into the sea bass and chips meal. As more and more of what seemed to be a hoard of Vansin's minions, the cleric found himself chuckling softly. Oh this was becoming more and more amusing when it was concerning the old friend. If V was gathering an army of sorts, then the world was going to be in a s**t load of pain.... which would just horribly amuse the Cleric of Dark all the more so.

Chaos, disorder and destruction.. How much fun could be had.

[The Vansin]

It had not yet been twenty four hours.

Nevertheless, Vansin was in the Salty Talk, sitting at the bar, facing away from the door, and did not seem to be in the highest of spirits.

He had not been in the bar the entire night. He had returned to his ship, the Capita, shortly after the hunters left to lock himself into his quarters and fly into the fit of rage that had been tearing him at the seams as he'd restrained himself before his minions.

His mentors, his master, his allies, they had all warned against doing exactly what he had done. The devil's tool was subtlety, not poorly planned violence! They had always scarred his reputation as a devil without foresight, a man who preferred speed over planning, action over patience. Even on the material plane, where things moved as fast as light, the devil was too hasty...

But it was not all for nothing. At the same time he felt shame he experienced a rush of excitement. His kind missed the beauty of uncertainty, the thrill of the unknown. It was why he researched, why he experimented and tested constantly with his magics: to learn, to find the thrill of discovery and risk the plummeting submission of failure. Even now, when this Paladin could have been marshaling an entire army of her kind to move against him, the devil felt proud and at risk, as though his life could end at any minute.

A mortal feeling, his contemporaries would jeer. Even so, it was one he cherished.

[count_zantara]

His platter of somewhat lousy fish cleared away by the waitress long ago, the cleric just sat there as the day went by sipping on a cup of coffee, having it refilled ever so often. And once Vansin returned and did not seem to recognize him nor seem to even realize that he was still here, the cleric just sat there for the longest time, his deep set violet eyes half-closed as a sly smile grew.

"Predictability is a sin you know?"

He finally said to the demon, placing his heavy boots on the edge of his table, leaning back his chair on two legs. Finally coming out of his meditation and fully into the present, Zantara's eyes took on a bright purple glow as he pulled a small cigarette holder from up his sleeve along with a black ancient lighting device.

Chuckling softly to himself, the cleric opened the small tin and removed one of the handrolled cigarettes allowing it to dance over his knuckles back and forth as he watched the back of the demon for his reaction before placing the cigarette in the corner of his mouth and lighting it. Blowing a ring of smoke into the air, he just sat there that somewhat superior look of high amusement on his face.

[The Vansin]

"I wouldn't know. I've never been predictable." Vansin said calmly, not turning around to look at the cleric. He didn't need to, he was well aware of what the man looked like. Instead, he tapped his fingers along the bar table and continued to stare blankly at the far wall.

His senses extended into his ring, he began to poke around in the minds of those who wore his signet...

Bisarr was separated from his ring. There was only one explanation for this- his head or finger was severed. This didn't necessarily mean that he was dead, but it did hint that he was in danger. As for Viviana...she wasn't responsive. There were reasons for this, as well, none all too frightening. It was possible to hide from his senses, after all.

[T e l a z o l]

"Don't be ridiculous, we're in the middle nowhere. Who could possibly interrupt us?" A feminine voice broke the silence of the night as she spoke to her beastly companion who followed not far behind her veiled by the shadows. His silhouette revealed another slump figure hanging limp over his broad shoulders.
"Let's bury him over there. Mei will be pleased to hear Mal wont be around to bug her anymore. However.." A wince could be heard in a breathless sigh.
"Leave out the details. She doesn't need to know I bloodied my hands again." Nothing but a snort of approval left the beastly man's lips as he dropped the body near the clearing and began to dig.
"I'll be right back..." The woman's voice echoed in the darkness as she wandered off, slipping into the clearing to admire the ancient stones. Something about them seemed familiar, and something about them seemed to call to her. She stepped within the circle, her long dress and fur lined cloak dragging along the grassy carpet as soft fingertips grazed along the rough stone.
"Kuma, you must come take a look at these, they are absolutely magnificent. I should like to take them home with us." A collector of such things. But before any plotting on the matter could be done, a strange feeling overtook the woman, bringing her down to her knees before her companion could do much but watch her vanish.

-----

Ana awoke to the familiar scent of the sea. Odd really, she hadn't remembered being at the sea or anywhere near the ocean but she had to admit it seemed to cure the homesickness that resided deep in her cold heart. Eyes like perfectly cut diamonds peered into the night sky for a brief moment before she pushed herself off the ground, her hair of iridescent pink curls loose in its bun. She took a moment to take a look around, obviously not where she had been last. And by the looks of everything, not in the same time period either.
"Well this is certainly new.." A few thousand years old and she had never traveled through time, at least not backwards. Her clothes were not much different. The same crimson color though adjusted to fit the current period in time, and her black cloak all the same. If her memory served her right, beings of her type were not yet revealed to the public, and despite the use of magic she decided to play it safe. Her eyes darkened to a stormy gray and her hair, though keeping its silken curls morphed to the darkest black. Even her pale skin became a soft tan. There was little else she could do to adjust her appearance, since it was unlikely the Siren would give up her precious jewels that drenched about every limb.

"Now let's see what exactly is going on.." It was unnerving to be without Kuma for protection but Ana had gone many years by herself and could do just fine until she figured out where she was and how exactly to get back. Opening the door she had apparently been brought to, she stepped inside, surprised really. Such strong magic for a place that appeared to be so....simple.

[count_zantara]

"Oh?"

He asked, somewhat amused that perhaps what he had seen had not been exactly what it all seemed. Blowing a ring of smoke into the air, the cleric straightened out his long legs, moving his left foot over top of his right on the edge of the table.

"It would seem to me that your falling into the same trap that you have seen so many others fall into. The Oni-No-Ashita. The Bloodbath. The Lubu. When a group is formed it lasts only as long as it's leader.... and the leader only lasts as long as he or she is stronger that the rest."

He said with a wicked sort of grin, it growing almost larger than any normal grin should ever be.'

"You have seen the fallacy of such actions time and time again.... or so I hope you have Vansin. Like a ancient group once said, the Rule of Two is the most logical. But that begs the question... why would Vansin be gathering an army of sorts? What purpose could be so great that you would follow the same path that you have seen others go down so many times before and be destroyed? It is this that interests me horribly so."

Looking up as the door opened, the cleric raised his cup of coffee in a toast to the lady with a small nod of his head.

[The Vansin]

"The rule of two is a cowardly, self preservationist method. It's outdated, it's weak." He said, standing up, though still not looking anywhere but at the wall. Emotions of his compatriots surged through him. Bisarr felt victory, pride...

The mission was a success. Suddenly, Vansin felt none of the insecurities, only the benefits. It had been a gamble, to let her run, but to gamble was to embrace the thrill of an unmastered fate. It was something beautiful, after all.

"I am the strongest creature that has ever walked these lands. If I am not, then I will die and my legacy will crumble behind me. I promise you I will not be around to care. But I oath that before I fall, my legions will sweep over these lands like a wild fire, Zantara. If I am to follow those who have failed, then my failure will be the most glorious event of the age."

His voice had an at once proud and annoyed drawl to it. He was confident, again, and utterly nonplussed by the cleric's probing. What did Zantara care? Didn't he have some grand scheme of his own to distract himself with? Did he not have better diversions then this?

[T e l a z o l]

She hated to feel so uneasy, it wasn't natural for her, but the whole situation seemed unnatural. Dark oceanic eyes picked out the details of the inside, glancing briefly at the patrons but not long enough to care about what was going on or what was being said. Anamitra desired her privacy and so showed others that respect. However cold her heart she was still polite and so returned the nod with a polite smile. But it was the lovely brunette barmaid that won Ana's true smile. Nothing like a good drink to make the lady glow.

"Good evening my dear, could I trouble you for..." She paused, the slender black brows pursing together with mild frustration. What did they provide? It had been a long time and her memory had never been the best.
"A drink. Anything you would suggest?" As her lovely gaze lifted to meet that of the woman, Ana found herself a seat at the bar, taking the time to adjust the long velveteen skirts. Ugh, she would kill for a good pair of jeans right about now. She wondered what Kuma was up to, if he had tried to find her or if he simply returned home. It wouldn't be the first time Ana had just up and left. Considering he wasn't here, she decided he must of left, perhaps to find Mei or maybe he simply did not care. Ah, whatever. She was here now she may as well make the best of it.

[count_zantara]

"And the Rule of Many means your only as strong as your weakest ally. Which is just as weak-minded as the Rule of Two. You have seen some of the greatest grouping of individuals fall and crumble, dear Demon of Mind. What makes you so arrogant and cocksure of yourself?"

The Cleric said in counterpoint noticing that slight straightening of Vansin's spine, the subtle little hints that the demon was pleased. Could he be enjoying the little fencing between the two of them? No that wasn't it. Perhaps his little project had just received a well deserved boost. Tilting his head slightly as the Demons excessive arrogance and boasting, the cleric was suffice to say almost about to start laughing his a** off.

"Oh someone has lit a fire under you a** hasn't they? I have not heard you speak in such ways in years, my old friend. It is good to see the old demon once more."

Blowing a ring of smoke into the air, he chuckled softly, allowing the warmhearted sound to resonate through the entire tavern like the whole world was laughing with him for just a brief moment. Vansin could even feel his own black heart somehow beating in time with that sound that he felt to his very, very dark soul.

"A wild fire you say? And a glorious remaking of the world? You amuse me so, my dear dear Vansin. These are words that I have heard from old companions from long ago. Dodgen....Setto.... Dramon.... Wyvern. Great Gods and Demons in their time. But they all have fallen short of that great goal of making this world theirs."

Removing his boots from the table corner, the cleric dropped them to the floor with a loud echoing ka-boom that shook the entire room sending dust into the air from the rafters. Placing his palms on the table, the Count left the cigarette burning in the corner of his mouth as his deep set violet eyes glowed all the more brightly.

"Can you do better then they can? Can you bring death, destruction and chaos to these realms in a way that has never been done before? Can you make the very Gods tremble at your name like they have never trembled before?"

His bare fingers gripping the edge of the table, Vansin might catch the scent of wood smoke as the Cleric's fingertip dug deeply into the wooden veneer, the passion and power behind his words flowing through his entire body in an actual physical reaction.

[The Vansin]

A woman had entered. Vansin turned and his eyes flicked towards her for a moment. There was no more open speaking, now. He had no reason to divulge his conversation with the cleric before some stranger. He looked at Zantara.

"I have made it the case that what belongs to me is as strong as I am. There is no weakness, for I have no weakness." He said, walking past Zantara and towards the exit door. There was only so much talking to be done in the presence of another. Before he cleared the open door, however, he spun on his heel and turned to look at the cleric.

"And for the record, Zantara, I am a devil. A devil. I've killed for lesser insults."

And with that, the lord of the Venom Signet exited the building. They would have to talk again some other time. As usual, the fiend had other business to attend to. He had a prize waiting for him...

[count_zantara]

"Interesting."

He said simply, loading that word so much that it almost seemed like he had put a entire speech within those four syllables. And it was, to him at least. Vansin seemed to be coming up in the world... but what did it all mean to the Cleric and his own purposes? Would their paths cross in conjunction or in opposition?

But in any matter, Vansin, like Roen before him was still touchy about that little distinction. Which was exactly the reason that the cleric had made such a obvious error that was not an error at all.

Demon or Devil, Angel or Archon, Sinner or Saint.

These were just distinctions that labeled a individual. And those who dealt in such distinctions, dealt in absolutes. And as to Zantara's line of thinking, the minute you think in absolutes, you have lost, no matter the game.

"Haven't we all Vansin? Haven't we all?"

He muttered softly as the Devil left, a sly smile on the cleric's face as he wondered briefly where his wonderful hostess might be. Vansin had offer the cleric a puzzle of sort and this was a Cleric who just loved a good puzzle. She just might have a few more pieces that he could use to broaden the image he was forming.