A knife in the Dark
"What news do you bring, Thresyn?" asked Yrule, still looking through the oval window overseeing the crammed alleys of Spiritripper's Market."The Sprawl is buzzing with rumours about Hurrikhaine, Thanarch" replied the former Kabalite. "It has taken me some time to sift through them and I bring nothing certain. Yet, one of my old sources claims there's something amiss at the old docks around the Fading Obelisk. He's always been reliable in the past".
"What he says?"
"Some unsavoury characters, of the Wrack type, have been busy there. Both slaves and heavy containers have been brought into the buildings. Nothing came out of them, though. And the Bleaksouls have started hanging around the streets there. It's Lady Anielyn's patch, not theirs, but none of her cliques have opposed them".
"Well done, Thresyn" Yrule turned away from the window and smiled at the Kabalite. "It seems you have not lost your instinct for information".
"No, Thanarch. Though I now pity my little birds. I can smell their rotting souls and the soulthirst ravaging them. I wonder how they can be so blind".
"Do not worry, we'll bring them Ynnead's freedom. But first, let's give Verkhosian what he wants. Then we'll use his influence for a higher cause".
The Thanarch then closed his eyes and listened to the Whisper of Ynnead that bound together the spirits of the Ynnari.
'Excrucia' he called through the Whisper. 'Choose your crew. There's some of your old acquaintances from the arenas in need of practice around the Fading Obelisk. Have some fun. Thresyn is coming with you'.
Excrucia stepped lightly on the dock platform, Uless and Thresyn following close behind. The area seemed desert in the cerulean light.
Torc and Jair were already in the streets, cautiosly approaching a minor webway portal.
Barking like hounds, a clutch of Wytches stepped through the ruins of a Khainite temple. Clearly, they were not happy about the intrusion.
With her usual elegance, Torc darted through the webway portal and emerged on top of the Voidfall Tower. An arcane device trummed with energy in front of her. She set a plasma granade for delayed explosion and tossed it at the device.
A hunched Parched led the Bleaksoul Wytches in the open square, taunting Excrucia and her team to engage them. Letting the bitter spirits they had absorbed stunning the Bleaksouls, Excrucia and Uless were more than happy to obblige. Thresyn followed them, letting loose a plume of flame, but the Bleaksouls gracefully dodge it.
Jair emerged from the portal on the Voidfall Tower, her scanner screaching. "Get ready!" she shouted at Torc "Energy build up, at least two incoming!"
The portal flared bright again, Morghdrax and Bahreneq emerging from it, weapon ready and bloodthirst in their eyes.
Calmly, as tought by Asurmen, Torc opened fire. The shuriken salvo ravaged Morghdrax.
Down in the square, the Parched and Wytches returned fire at Thresyn with their splinter pistols and the Kabalite fell to the ground.
Before the Bleaksouls could close on Thresyn to claim him, Excrucia and Uless vaulted around them, their swords singing in unison like they had done so many times in the arenas. A Wytch fell but another kept fighting on, her body pumped full of stimulants.
Bahreneq screamed wildly seeing her Hekatrix felled. Her Hydra Gauntlets tore deep gauges in Jain's armour, but Torc stopped her from reaching the device.
The plasma granade detonated, showering the embattled Wytches and Ynnari with flaming debris. Torc vaulted down to the lower level of the ruined tower and disappeared in the gloom. The Bleaksouls stepped back, knowing full well when there was no longer a point in fighting.
Over the Whisper, Uless spoke to Excrucia.
'That was a good fight! It's been a while since I felt the thrill I was used to in the arena'.
'Yes, I felt it too! And you are once again lagging one kill behind!'
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