The Midnight Symphony }{ Tamasha after dark...

[rancidparagon]

Toya leaped the gap between two houses, landing in a roll, he was scrambling, he was shaken. Two things Toya Icebane rarely was. He had killed a man, as was his job description, but something had gone horribly wrong. Someone knew he was there. He had killed countless men before this one, and he escaped cleanly, but this time, he had just slit the throat of the sleeping politician when the guards bursted in, he dove out the window, spraining his ankle after the 20 foot drop. Now he was sprinting across the rooftops of the sleeping citizens. Sure, he made the kill, but it was sloppy, it wasn't his style. The alarm bell rang in the distance as he prepared his next jump, but he hadn't counted on the roof shingles being loose where someone had slipped earlier. His jump had no power due to the sliding section of the roof, and he lost control, hitting the opposing wall of the next building at full speed, dislocating his shoulder, and then slamming to the cobblestone. He lifted his head to try and gain his bearings when he saw it. Being an elf, Toya could see traces of magic and what he saw shocked him. His usual cautious nature overruled by his left arm hanging limply at his side, hoping for anyone who would be willing to help an assassin on the run. He pulled himself upright, but as soon as his injured ankle accepted his weight, he collapsed near enough to the opened shadow rift, to attempt to call for help, but ended up in the realm of shadows himself.

[Vexxus]

Just as Vexxus offered Hollow the torch, she heard a thump, and a crack, perhaps the sound of a bone breaking, or popping out of place? She turned quickly, watching as a body fell limply to the ground, looked at her, got up, and then collapsed again. But, not only did he collapse, he lunged forward and somehow managed to enter the shadow realm. His silver hair flowed in a ghostlike manner, as though gravity had no pull on it.

Vexxus wondered for a moment if this person had been to the shadow realm before, or whether they would discover their newfound form and powers for the first time. She was always excited to show people, though she had always been scared that someone with a true dark side would let it run rampant in the shadow realm.

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Vexxus dropped the torch and rushed over to help the man up.

[rancidparagon]

"Where am I? What's going on?" Toya looked around to see a ghostlike figure gliding towards him
"Stay away form me, spirit."He grabbed for his sword, winced in pain, and near blacked out. His shoulder was dislocated, his ankle was sprained, his wrist was more than likely broken, concussed, he was fighting to stay conscious.

[Vexxus]

Vexxus stopped at the word "spirit". She had forgotten that she was in her wraith form. When the man fainted again, she transformed back into her original form, kneeling beside him, knowing he was badly injured. Suddenly, she heard the sound of quick footsteps across the roof. Seeing that the man was dressed in darker, sleeker clothing, she figured he was some sort of thief or assassin, perhaps a spy. But, who was she to judge him before she knew?

Knowing that the yells and quick footsteps were people after someone, she took the liberty of assuming it was this man. Vexxus turned to Hollow and grabbed the man under his arms, starting to drag him towards the stairway.
"Help, Hollow! Get him onto the stairs, in the dark!"

(I'll wait for Hollow to get back before posting again )

[hollowstar]

Hollow catches the touch and not notice the figure that vexxus had just seen he turn to vexxus calling for help. He quickly poke the touch under his tunic he notices a shadow much like those cast by objects in the sun. He tires to help but find his hands pass thought this shadow "how can i help a shadow in-less he is in that shadow realm thing is there anyway i can get in?" He asks vexxus as he scratches his head puzzled at what lay before him.

[Vexxus]

Vexxus chuckles slightly at Hollow's puzzlement, and reaches out. "Hold still..." She touches Hollow lightly, shadows reaching out over his body like tendrils, pulling him into the shadow realm.

[rancidparagon]

Toya regained consciousness now that the initial pain of his injuries had faded. He looked at his surroundings, recognizing nothing, he looked to the woman holding him up and nodded his thanks. The assassin then saw Hollow for the first time, now Toya had little experience with magic and creatures of such nature, so the humanoid with fangs and horns startled him.
"What in the nine hells are you?" He asked, he looked around quickly "What happened to the ghost?"

[Vexxus]

Vexxus and Hollow had managed to get the man into the stair well before the ones chasing him scurried by, not even bothering to stop and ask them any questions.

The man began to look around and saw both figures in the dim moonlight. When he asked about a ghost, Vexxus chuckled. "Well, it's kind of hard to explain..." she managed to get him propped up against the wall beside the stairs. "But, that was me. I'm a shapeshifter, of sorts..." She scratched her head nervously, wondering if this man would be one that didn't like magic, or thought she was some sort of demon.

[rancidparagon]

"Alright, fair enough. Here, pull this until you hear a crack, then shove it back in." He said, offering his right arm.
"So what are you? Some kind of mage?"

[hollowstar]

All of hollows senses where muddled in the shadow realm, he felt uneasy but help out anyway the figure seemed shocked by hollow appearance. "I am dragon well part of at the moment." as he grins but his attention grow to his hand as the sensation of the shadows crawling up his arm still tingled. Hollow takes a big breath to sigh but find himself choking gasping for air, he was barely able to speak "Is..... it... always.... like.. this!" Hollow felt his own aura clashing with shadow realm, it was as if the shadow realm was forcing hollow out trying to protect it's self. The shadows that encroached Hollow's body been torn from his skin, his sense quickly returning to once that where. The last strip of the shadow floated back to where it once came.

As hollow breath came to an easy pace he mumbles out "don't think the shadow realm like me much." Hollow pull up his hood and turn to the fellow that vexxus and himself helped "Who? what? and where did you come from? I mean really how did not one of my sense not pick you up? in less you a." He quickly button his lip after realizing what this man might be hollow step back and whisper assassin.

[Vexxus]

"The shadow realm can be a bit jarring the first time you enter..." Vexxus chuckled.

When the man offered his arm, she took it, doing as he said as quick as she could. She knew that something had broken or dislocated, and knew that it was best to do it before he expected her to. Giving a hard yank, a loud crack was heard once again, and she pushed it back into place firmly. "We'll need some sort of a sling for it." She stated, unwrapping what appeared like the hilt of a sword, except there was no blade attached to it. It was simply a black, iridescent-like stone, intricately carved. Using the wrapping, she tied it into a sling on the man's arm, and slid the hilt into her belt for now.

"Well, I guess you could call me a shadow mage....I can't do much in the real world, but in the shadow realm, I can do quite a bit. I'm not from your world...technically. Like I said, it's complicated." She chuckled. "I'm also immortal." She added. Might as well drop it all on him at once.

"Now, what about you?" Vexxus asked, as Hollow bore his own questions, backing off to the opposite wall as he came to the end of his query. She heard him whisper "Assassin". She had known that this was probably what he was, but Vexxus was not one to judge people's choice of path. They were only a threat if they wanted to harm her or one of her friends.

[rancidparagon]

He sat up adjusting the makeshift sling
"Thank you." Toya said stoically. "Now, I don't know about you, but I am a wanted man. So I need to be moving. I appreciate your help." He stood up, but once his weight settled onto his hurt ankle, he nearly collapsed.
"On the other hand you seem like good people. You don't mind if I stay with you two for a while, do you?"

[Vexxus]

"I figured they were after you...that's why we moved you here." She laughed.

"Well, there's not going to be anyone after you down here...." She said, as she looked down the stairway. It was dark, but she could make out faint shapes and walls through the shadow realm. She looked to Hollow, wondering what he had done with the torch.

[rancidparagon]

"I think I was set up." Toya said flatly. "I've never been this close to being caught. I hope word doesn't get out. I don't need my reputation being damaged any more than is natural for an assa-... someone like me."

[hollowstar]

Hollow listen to the mans words but was drawn to some thing in his tunic he rummages around and pulls the touch out he looks around for something to light it. He sighs and inhales a large volume of air till the sound of his inhaling changed to a higher pitch he stops and as if swallowing the air. Hollow pitches his head back and spit out a flame that reaches the roof tops he place the touch within the jet of flames. The touch was now burning bright as he let of a few fire balls to empty his lungs "I scorched the roof titles." he mumbles to himself and letting of a grin. He looks to vexxus and the assassin for a congratulations but got something else instead.