One For the Road...

[Xanatos Etanial]

Iziz City

It was late, and the streets were beginning to thin out a bit. Down a dark alley a light from a door and a set of windows struck the darkness like a pulse. The sign out front was unreadable - years of wear and tear had rendered it worn and faded, but the sounds from inside were unmistakable, the bar was buzzing with activity, even at this late hour.

Sitting at the bar was a young man, no more than 22, his dulled blue hair a mess, his clothes mussed - but still those of someone of a more noble nature than his current surroundings would let on. He was laughing it up, and seemingly the center of attention at the middle of a small gathered group.

"Do it again!" A tall man called from the back, and the young man grinned wide. "Again?" He half slurred out. The crowd reacted with an affirmative response. "Buy me another drink," he already stunk of a days worth of drinking, "and then I will." The crowd was more than happy to oblige his request, and a shot of a thick clear liquor was slid down the bar to him, he downed it happily, and the crowd leaned in, waiting.

Still wearing a drunken smile he held the shot glass out in the palm of his hand, then moved his other hand over top in a circular motion. The shot glass raised off his palm by a few inches, then began to rotate in sync with his own movements. The crowd erupted in cheers...

[Razielle Alastor]

It was very late. The palace lights had been dimmed hours earlier. It would seem that only those in the service of protecting the Queen's safety were still up and about. The halls were silent, save for the ghostly echo of guards wandering their posts. Appearances were, as ever, deceiving.

At least one more figure still roamed the palace. Darting away from the guards and blending into the shadows, the form worked its way closer to the gates, closer to the city. It was more than just pure luck that no alarms were tripped. They had been tampered with and would not sound, but only for a certain window of time. She would have to move fast.

As the last of the guards marched out the gate in rotating shifts, the figure followed them, clinging to the shadows that made her form indiscernible in the night. It was easy after that, to slink away from the group.

Moving deep into the city, she was in search of the roughest, seediest looking establishment she could find. It was the very last place that anyone would look for the ward of the Queen, who was presumably tucked away in bed dreaming of sugar plums.

Not so. Tonight, she was more than just the Queen's childhood friend. Tonight, she was allowing the darker aspect of herself some free reign. Anxia prowled the city tonight.

Sliding into a seat at the bar, she made sure to keep her features hidden. Anyone could recognize her from her arrival to the palace recently. Likely not the types who hung out in this place though. From their ruddy skin and vacant expressions, many of them probably didn't leave here much.

After ordering a shot of their strongest, Anixa sat back and watched with a bemused expression the antics of another patron. Clearly he had been well into his cups, One simply did not go around flaunting such abilities publically without incurring some form of wrath. She would watch him for a while. Perhaps when he left, he could be someone to test her developing skills upon. In her mind she uttered only one word, if he wasn't too inebriated, he may even hear it.

Buffoon..

[Xanatos Etanial]

He laughed a bit and sat the cup down, calling for another drink. The crowd around him waited, and he glanced back up at the wide stares he was receiving. "I think... that's about it for tonight... I'm gonna have me one last drink - then I'm going to move on." He smiled at them warmly, the crowd did not return the sentiment. "That's it? No, no, no." The tall man from the back spoke up again. "I don't think so... we want to see more tricks, magician."

Xanatos shook his head somberly "That's the only one I know, and I'm starting to get kind of tired... I think I'll call it a night." He smield, "Sorry." As his drink was put in front of him, he drunkenly took hold of it and went to put it to his lips, only to find he couldn't. The tall man had hold of his glass now, and was glaring at him. "I said do another trick."

He cleared his throat slowly, "Sir, let go of my glass." The tall man yanked the cup from his hand and took a step back. "You can have this back after a few more tricks, magician." The man laughed and held the glass over his head, far out of X's reach. "Are you armed?" X asked the man bluntly. It caught the tall man off guard "Huh?" X stood up, and walked towards the man, drunk or not he was still stable enough to move decisively.

"Hey, HEY! Sit back down!" The tall man barked and handed X's glass off to a buddy of his and drew a vibro-blade, pointing it towards Xanatos "Or else!" X's smile grew, "Oh, good. You are armed. This makes it much easier, I don't fight defenseless people." Reaching into the folds of his jacket he drew a sword and took a defensive stance. "I'll try not to kill you."

[Salem Ave]

It wasn’t considered proper for members of the Royal court to fraternize with the cities underclass’s. A small matter of maintaining appearances meant that the only company they kept was one another. It was an often claustrophobic and deeply tiresome setting. Though he had the patience to endure such monotony, Salem Ave much preferred to move in wider circles.

Tonight his search for entertainment had brought him to a real dive. Inherit Arkanian arrogance flared in him as he regarded the motley crew of patrons, disgusted by their very presence. Many were the types who preferred not to be bothered and consequently asked no questions of shadowy visitors in black. Approaching the table at which his ward Anxia sat, Salem – or Callidus as he preferred to be known – saw what looked like the beginnings of a fight. Two men with swords were locked in a stand-off, awaiting the first strike. Slipping into the booth beside the wayward princess, he smirked beneath his cowl.

“Here I thought I was late, but it looks like I'm just in time for the show...”

[Razielle Alastor]

Pleased as a kitten to see her Master, Anxia was careful to show only a slight smile. Her adoration could very easily become a weakness. Shifting her gaze to the fight that was brewing, she gave the pair a somewhat more carnal smile.

"So it would seem.. I can only hope that the proprietor throws them out before it begins. I would so love to engage them at their play, but not quite so publically."

Running the palms of her hands down her ribcage to her hips, she indicated that she was likewise armed. "Its been far too long since you've seen me at play. What do you say?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

The heavy-set barkeep leaned over the counter and yelled towards the pair, "OI! No fightin' in here! Git out on the street with ye!" Xanatos made an acknowledging look in his direction and nodded, then returned his gaze to the tall man. "It seems the owner has asked us to leave. I'll give you an option, we can step outside, and finish this, or we can both leave without there being any violence."

The man's face upturned in a snarl, "PANSY! You just wanna walk away!" Xanatos shook his head sadly "I'm more than willing to fight you - I just wanted you to have the option to leave - you know, before I hurt you." Growling low in his throat the tall man stalked towards the door, keeping his vibro-blade and fixed on X. "Outside, magician, NOW."

X let out a heavy sigh and shook his head, following the man at a constant distance. "If you insist." The two soon found themselves on the streets outside the bar, looked once again in defensive stances and hard glares.

[Salem Ave]

“Patience,” Callidus chided, as he rose to his feet. The would follow the pair outside, under the cover of darkness, but he would not allow her to strike yet. There was much more to be gained from observing the fight, he felt – at least to begin with.

[Xanatos Etanial]

There was very little fight to actually be had - in all honesty. Even intoxicated, Xanatos' years of training at his family's estate had shown through. The man had basically lunged right for X - an easy enough manuever to counter, and the sweating tall man, now on his back, was scooting back from the tip of Xanatos' blade.

"You should have taken my earlier offer to end this without violence." Etanial sighed deeply, shaking his head. "However - as I make all attempts at being an honorable man - I shall grant you the opportunity to leave peacefully one last time." Xanatos stared hard into the tall man's eyes. "What is your decision." It was no question, but rather a demand for an answer. The tall man began to nod enthusiastically, "I'll g..go... peacefully!"

[Razielle Alastor]

Anixia arrived on the scene just in time to see the antagonist scamper backward, faced with the threat of having his throat sliced to ribbons. So the little buffoon actually did know what he was doing. With a weapon at least, it would seem.

He took notice of Callidus and Anxia with a nonchalant air. A pity for him. His troubles this night could just have begun. She needed only a look from Callidus and she would be on him. But it seemed her Master was somehow interested in this one.

As they were all standing about sizing each other up, the hothead from the bar chose that moment to avenge himself over being humiliated by the drunken magician. In the confusion of their arrival, he was about to spring from behind. Her gaze lifted to her Master's to see if he would like to interfere this time or let fate play its hand a second time.

[Xanatos Etanial]

She didn't have to wait for her master to answer, however. X had heard the attack, and with a sigh turned to meet it. The tall man blinked, surprised at a sudden pain he felt. The 'magician's' eyes were sad, sorrow glancing back at the man as he looked into them, and then looked down to his chest, and the sword buried in it.

The blow was decisive, a clean shot through the ribcage, and through his heart. The man would not suffer much, or linger. It was a killing blow. The man's weight grew heavy against his blade as he began to lose the ability to keep upright, withdrawing his blade, and letting it fall softly to the ground he laid the man back gently.

"You fool..." He said barely above a whisper, "you stupid, stupid fool." The man's breath grew even more shallow, as he slipped away. Xanatos laid his fingers against his eyelids and pulled them shut, then laying one hand upon his head, bowed his own and began to recite a prayer.