Welcome to Gaia! ::

Red's eyes quickly opened as if something had spooked her. She looked around the lightly lit room as only a candle was lighting the room. It was pretty bare expect for the bed she was lying in, a small end table at one corner of the room and a old wood stool that sat silently by her bed. A small sigh escaped her lips as she realized where she was. From the looks of it, Vossler didn't take her ship or with her luck, she was a prisoner on her own ship. With that thought on her mind she began to push herself up in bed but was quickly thrown back as a huge wave of pain coursed through her body. All but a small grunt had escaped her grasp as she laid waiting for the pain to die down.

Without a moments delay, she raised her head to take a look at what is causing this pain. A sheet was covering most of her body but lucky no blood stains could be seen. Aggravated, she took her right hand, even though it was shooting pain up her arm and grabbed the sheet. With a flick of her wrist she threw the sheet off to the side and to her surprise found herself wrapped in gauze from the chest down. Without thinking, she ripped some of the gauze off from her chest to find that the red crystal was still there. She let out a hard sigh as her head fell back into the pillow. At least she was able to know that wasn't the cause for whatever happened to her. All she can remember was when Vossler tried taking her ship and some of the people she meet, but anything after that is a mystery to her.

So, judging by the smell and the feel of the air, she would have to assume she was in Ater Nox. Well that means she's not a prisoner so thats a good thing. Next is to figure out what happen. Just then, the door burst's open letting in blinding light and the pattering of feet rushing in. Taking a moment for her eyes to adjust, she soon realized that it was a handful of her closest crew members staring at her with shock on their faces. From that, she assumed that she must of been in pretty bad shape for them to have had that look. The one closest to her takes a seat on the little wooden stool and cup's her hand. "Who done this to you captain? We will kill them." He asked as the shock was washed away and was replaced with the look of revenge. Even her crew members had no idea what had happened to her and that was very unusual. Feeling that he had handed her something, she quickly pulled her hand away and looked at the object. It was a Carten bean. This green glowing bean is known to numb pain immediately once its consumed. Without hesitation she took the bean and ate it.

Instantly the bean did its magic and her pain had run away for now. She then pushed herself up and threw her legs over to the side of the bed. She ran her hand through her short white hair as she let out another hard sigh. "I dont remember anything, but how did you guys find me? How long have I been out?" She asked raising her head to look at the matey that was sitting down. He took a deep breath before telling his tell. "Captain, you have been out for three moons and someone had dropped you off to us and didn't leave their calling card." Red just sat there as she racked through her brain as to what happen but again, nothing was coming up. "We'll discuss more about this after I get dressed and eat." He nodded before standing up and pushing the other four members out of the room and closing the door behind him.

((Im excited to be back smile ))

((Lol its okay, Im quite patient. I figure that I wouldn't have much involvement with anyone right away anyways.))

Mahli sat patiently in a old black chair in his office. Once belonging to his father, its history was a comfort that Mahli drew upon in times of distress. Questioning his mistress' intentions, he wondered where she could be hiding in this massive city. He hadn't heard from her in days and his only assignment was to meet Mason, the brave solider turned knight who aided in Aziz's plans. Many things had happened, all of which would prove influential to the Nox if they continued to play their cards right.

He wore a decorated black suit with deep purple designs at the edges of his sleeves and pants. Underneath his jacket was a black buttoned down shirt, pressed to perfection. During his time back in Ater Nox, Mahli had fallen back into his more relaxed home-town customs and habits. The nice suits, the well-groomed hair, pulled into a ponytail atop of his head, the quit space of his office, all called out home, to a man who spent most of his time in the alleyways collecting information.

Things had changed though. He could no longer pace the streets unnoticed as he had once before, not since his cleanup of Aziz's transaction earlier that year. His face was recognizable in the deeper darker paths of Ater Nox, and now it was no longer as a mere information broker who answered to a higher boss, but as someone who was deeply connected with the Syndicate. His influence in the upper rungs of black market dealings, too public to return to his more favorable position in the streets. It worried him that he had become a face of the Syndicate, but it also comforted him that overall Aziz's transition to power over the Syndicate was still relatively unknown.

Eyes growing weary of the paper logs before him, tracking all the recent acquisitions and trades made by Syndicate forces in the last few months, he called for a messenger. He heard a knock at the door before a small woman entered the room. She had very plain features, but dressed very well. She bowed slightly and stood before Mahli, awaiting orders. Mahli reached across his desk and handed her a vile of black sand, in the mix of it, a single red grain glowed brightly. "Deliver this to the eagle-eyed knight. Do not draw attention to your presence. He will know what to do." Mahli then sent her off watching the door close behind her.

Taking a deep sigh, he took out a cigarette and started to light it. He could only wait to hear from Aziz again, not knowing what kind of business she had that he could not accompany, he worried. A deep drag, Mahli stood up and went to his window. From up so high, he could see the entire city. His gaze rested towards the beach.

Mahli turned from the window and glanced at his watch. "How timely of you." Without the presence of Aziz the air between the two men was a tad bit more relaxed. Mahli was less defensive in his own realm, and without the worry of his mistress' safety he welcomed less hostile body-language towards Mason. He put out his second cigarette and walked towards Mason. Gesturing towards two chairs near the west-end of the office, Mahli grinned subtly at the other man.

"Congratulations are in order. You have made a very bold move in our benefit and for that thanks are in order." Mahli took a seat in one of the chairs and crossed his legs. "However Aziz won't be here to warm your ears with the soft coos of compliments. She sends her regards along with that vile. She hopes you find it useful." He smiled genuinely at the thought. "I have a task for you, if you wish it, it could do you well if you wish your place among us." Mahli reached into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette and put it to his lips, not yet lit, and watched Mason with interest.

He stepped into the room. Eyes wandered and inspected. "Nice. Nice. And nice. You classy well Malhi." He was referring to the space that was Malhi's environment. Manson lowered his suitcase and then let it drop on the hardwood. One free hand and the other holding the bagged item went to either side close to his shoulders. "Aziz- she knows how to keep a man happy. A lip fell and a head tilted following the direction of where the chairs Malhi had gestured to were and with that a left leg went forward and hands fell into the deeps of his coat.

He fell into the seat, making himself quite comfortable in a matter of a singular second. Arms were crawled and stretched equally on the armrests which ends were grabbed by Manson's hands. Eyes narrowed onto Malhi's cigarette quit desirably. A frequent man dedicated to his smokes, the smiling and insinuating Manson had run out of his own. "And what fun am I conjuring up this time?"

Opening his eyes for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Maliarc could barely look around. Every part of his body ached, excluding his arms of course, as he had already lost them fighting that witches demons. When he glanced around, what he saw unnerved him more than even a dead body would have. There was nothing. Everyone was gone. Maybe they had left, or maybe it was him who had left....but how? The last thing he remembered was sitting next to Lady Aaren, preparing spells.

Lady Aaren! Trying to lean up only hurt, but he had to find her. He had to figure out what had happened to her. As he eventually got to his knees, he took things slow, as moving without arms proved to be much more difficult than he had thought. There was no sign of anybody. Not of Lady Aaren, the young prodigy that was with her, the strange man and his giant companion, nor the witch. With all of them gone, he could only assume it was him who had gotten separated from them. Though the why escaped him, he could not just sit by. Even if he could not find Lady Aaren, he saw no reason to just sit here.

Concentrating on a single spot, he released a small amount of magic energy into the form of a bird. He gave the bird specific instructions to find the main part of Ater Nox, a land he himself was very unfamiliar with, and find someone high up. Once the bird reached the higher up, he would dissipate, giving way to a piece of parchment with one simple word written upon it. His name. Anyone who said his name would, most likely unknowingly, summon him. Whether it was by trick, or by purpose, someone would call his name.

Content to wait further, Maliarc sat down cross legged in the sand, focused all of his energy on his arms, and a few protection spells just to be safe, and waited.

Although it had taken a little while longer than he had thought and hoped, he finally felt a tug. He hated trying to go somewhere he had never been, especially if he didn't know the person that was calling him. Luckily, he had the note, and surprisingly, the bird to hone in on.

He closed his eyes and quickly prepared a spell to cast a small shield around him, in case there was a hostile response to him. He was unknown in this land, and in every other land when he thought about it, and it wouldn't do to have him killed by some person afraid he was a spy. His arms were still useless, so he would have to rely on the sub-par spells he had if it came down to a confrontation.

He began to focus on the bird, using it as a waypoint. Luckily, the reader of his not hadn't moved from the bird yet, so he could use both, making this much easier on his mind and body. He began to feel the tug more violently, before it felt like he was being pulled out of reality, and thrown back in. When he landed, he immediately fell to his knees, the force being too much for him.

He looked around and noticed he was on a dock. Looking up, there was a young lady clad in red standing in front of him, holding his note, with a not-so-welcoming look on her face. Maliarc decided that, instead of giving her a chance to become angry, he would just stand up, arms still hanging limp beside him, and introduce himself.

Bowing his head, he spoke. "Hello, and thank you for reading my note. I was growing quite tired of that beach. My name is Maliarc, previous guard to Lady Aaren of Lucidus Magus." he did not know what station this person held, nor who she was. When he looked beside him, however, there was a rather large looking structure, something Maliarc was extremely unfamiliar with. He would have to simply await to see what kind of reaction this woman would have.

Red stood in shock as a man appeared out of thin air right in front of her. Nothing ever surprised her but this, this was the first time. Before she could react he stood before her now introducing himself to her. So Maliarc was his name and that is who she summoned but the question is why? She has heard of him before but right now it wasn't coming to mind. "Hmmm....my name is Red and what brings you to my ship?" She is known to be ruthless but never rude and since he didn't appear to be dangerous at the moment their was no cause for alarm.