Zero
Lord of Altera
Running down the alley with the sounds of the guards heavy footsteps not so far behind. Water splashed up with each of his footsteps. Rain very harshly against his face as he ran. The small pouch of money held tightly in his hands. Quickly seeing an opening in a building up ahead to his right. He jumped into it and hid among the crates and other boxes. Hearing the sounds of the guards running pasted the building, he climbed out of the boxes and walked back into the street. It had been the fourth time today that he had gotten away with snatching a purse full of coin. A very fortunate thing in his line of work.
With a smile he tossed the small bag of coin up into the air before snatching it tightly in his hand. “One more of the books.” He thought as he started back toward the main road. Pulling down the small amount of cloth that covered his face he stepped back onto the busy road. Looking up into the early night sky he sighed. This may have been the fourth time today that he had gotten away with pocketing someone else's coin but luck would soon turn against him like it always had.
Walking along the road he soon found himself in front of the old town tavern. It had been home to him and his small gang before everything had gone down hill. He had everything at one point. Money, power, fame it was all his. Then that hunter known as “V” came along and started hunting them down one by one. It had start with the one that was at the bottom of the chain. Then it slowly started working its way up. Now it was just him and to make it worse, he was forced to go down to petty pick pocketing. The starter work for most thieves.
Pushing the door of the tavern open he stepped inside and made his way over to his normal spot to sit. It was the back most corner in the place. No windows, not many people, just quiet and peaceful. Thinking back as he sat down, all the contracts that he had signed back here, all the deals, all the new people that had come back here to sign up to serve under him. That was all but a good memoir now.
Resting his chin on top of his hands he looked out into the tavern. The low lights in the back gave the spot a nice little atmosphere. A calming effect really. The laughter of the people near the front filled the room. The sounds of jokes and a hardy brawl over in the front corner gave the place a nice touch as well. Still this was not the same place it was two years ago when he was at the height of his power.
Lost in his own thoughts he hadn’t noticed the girl walk over and set two mugs on the table. “Mind if I sit down?” She asked. Her tone was soft but had an icy edge. If they had been outside in the coldest of nights, he swore that if she talked you would not see her breath on the icy wind.
“Only if you are willing to pay for the drinks.” He said leaning back a little trying to get a better look at her. The little blue cloak floated around her body without touching it. Her hood drawn up hiding her face. Still this was normal for anyone in the line of work he was in. You never just show your face unless you are already known in the underworld.
With a nod she sat down across from him. Her hands resting on the table. She pushes one of the mugs to him before grabbing the other for herself. “To good fortune.” Her tone the same as before. That icy voice that could cut through hearts.
Raising his glass. “To good fortune.” He said. It was a half hearted reply. He knew things were going down hill and soon that hunter “V” would show up to take him out just as she had done to all his other boys. Still a good day was a good day. Four scores without being caught was always good. Still this girl made him feel off, the way she was so friendly toward him. Something was wrong but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
Slamming the mug back on the table after drinking most of it. He looked at her. A small grin had creeped across her face. Thats when it hit him. He tried standing and drawing the dagger that he had sheathed on his hip. His arm got halfway there before his muscles stopped moving. He went limp and fell back into his seat. The girl was standing now looking at him.
“Just take it easy for a bit, because good fortune smiles on one of us.” She said softly as she drew her hood back. Her jet black hair fell to the base of her neck, only her pointed ears poked out of the hair. She looked at him with a devil’s grin. The scar on her cheek told who she was very clearly. The “V” that had been burned there against her skin.
“So you have come to take me away like what you did to the rest of my gang!” He shouted drawing the attention of some of the other people in the tavern. She simply smiled at him as he shouted.
“Yes, I’m here to get rid of the trash that has been running around this city like rats.” With that she gave a short whistle that silenced everyone in the tavern. Everyone in the city knew that whistle and what it meant. Another thief had been caught. There was a small murmur from everyone in the tavern. “Another one?” “yeah, it must be that “V” person again.” “That guy must be getting paid well for all this.”
All this made the girl smile. Once the murmur died down six guards rushed into the tavern and to the back corner. The largest of the guards a bit better armored than the others walked up to the girl. “This the last one?” He asked. His tone deep but relieved that this was all over now. For ten years this city had been plagued by this thieves gang and now they were gone.
“Yes sir. This is the last one.” She said coldly. “The last piece of trash that plagues this city...” Added as she pulled her hood back up.
With a smile he tossed the small bag of coin up into the air before snatching it tightly in his hand. “One more of the books.” He thought as he started back toward the main road. Pulling down the small amount of cloth that covered his face he stepped back onto the busy road. Looking up into the early night sky he sighed. This may have been the fourth time today that he had gotten away with pocketing someone else's coin but luck would soon turn against him like it always had.
Walking along the road he soon found himself in front of the old town tavern. It had been home to him and his small gang before everything had gone down hill. He had everything at one point. Money, power, fame it was all his. Then that hunter known as “V” came along and started hunting them down one by one. It had start with the one that was at the bottom of the chain. Then it slowly started working its way up. Now it was just him and to make it worse, he was forced to go down to petty pick pocketing. The starter work for most thieves.
Pushing the door of the tavern open he stepped inside and made his way over to his normal spot to sit. It was the back most corner in the place. No windows, not many people, just quiet and peaceful. Thinking back as he sat down, all the contracts that he had signed back here, all the deals, all the new people that had come back here to sign up to serve under him. That was all but a good memoir now.
Resting his chin on top of his hands he looked out into the tavern. The low lights in the back gave the spot a nice little atmosphere. A calming effect really. The laughter of the people near the front filled the room. The sounds of jokes and a hardy brawl over in the front corner gave the place a nice touch as well. Still this was not the same place it was two years ago when he was at the height of his power.
Lost in his own thoughts he hadn’t noticed the girl walk over and set two mugs on the table. “Mind if I sit down?” She asked. Her tone was soft but had an icy edge. If they had been outside in the coldest of nights, he swore that if she talked you would not see her breath on the icy wind.
“Only if you are willing to pay for the drinks.” He said leaning back a little trying to get a better look at her. The little blue cloak floated around her body without touching it. Her hood drawn up hiding her face. Still this was normal for anyone in the line of work he was in. You never just show your face unless you are already known in the underworld.
With a nod she sat down across from him. Her hands resting on the table. She pushes one of the mugs to him before grabbing the other for herself. “To good fortune.” Her tone the same as before. That icy voice that could cut through hearts.
Raising his glass. “To good fortune.” He said. It was a half hearted reply. He knew things were going down hill and soon that hunter “V” would show up to take him out just as she had done to all his other boys. Still a good day was a good day. Four scores without being caught was always good. Still this girl made him feel off, the way she was so friendly toward him. Something was wrong but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
Slamming the mug back on the table after drinking most of it. He looked at her. A small grin had creeped across her face. Thats when it hit him. He tried standing and drawing the dagger that he had sheathed on his hip. His arm got halfway there before his muscles stopped moving. He went limp and fell back into his seat. The girl was standing now looking at him.
“Just take it easy for a bit, because good fortune smiles on one of us.” She said softly as she drew her hood back. Her jet black hair fell to the base of her neck, only her pointed ears poked out of the hair. She looked at him with a devil’s grin. The scar on her cheek told who she was very clearly. The “V” that had been burned there against her skin.
“So you have come to take me away like what you did to the rest of my gang!” He shouted drawing the attention of some of the other people in the tavern. She simply smiled at him as he shouted.
“Yes, I’m here to get rid of the trash that has been running around this city like rats.” With that she gave a short whistle that silenced everyone in the tavern. Everyone in the city knew that whistle and what it meant. Another thief had been caught. There was a small murmur from everyone in the tavern. “Another one?” “yeah, it must be that “V” person again.” “That guy must be getting paid well for all this.”
All this made the girl smile. Once the murmur died down six guards rushed into the tavern and to the back corner. The largest of the guards a bit better armored than the others walked up to the girl. “This the last one?” He asked. His tone deep but relieved that this was all over now. For ten years this city had been plagued by this thieves gang and now they were gone.
“Yes sir. This is the last one.” She said coldly. “The last piece of trash that plagues this city...” Added as she pulled her hood back up.
