[center][h1][color=0054a6]Darius[/color], [color=red]William[/color], [color=yellow]Gun'tar[/color], [color=9e0b0f]James[/color] and [color=8493ca]Elyra[/color][/h1][/center]

Darius scoffed internally after Gregory finished. He had enough of this man's words and actions, and did something mentally that he has not very often. He prayed that in the future someone would give him a contract to take this man out. Darius did not trust him, not even a little. Everything about him screamed dishonesty and cruelty. Darius looked at William, and walked away. He was escorted to where the two dead guards were. Darius was fortunate that the guards had not been moved yet. His every move was being watched but Darius could care less. William watched him with curiosity. 

Darius first examined the surrounding area. It was clear a small skirmish had taken place. No....not even a skirmish, simply actions were taken here. Darius got to his knees and sniffed the ground, trying to detect any odor. There was plenty of blood on the ground, and as Darius stepped in it he dipped a finger in it. He held it up to his face and examined his finger. Then he followed the trail of blood and dead bodies until he walked into place where the theft had taken place. Even more dead bodies were on the ground, blood everywhere. A few artifacts had seemed to had been broken, and so their mess was scattered around. 

Darius walked over to where the stolen artifact was supposed to be and examined everything he could. Then he walked over to some of the dead bodies and patted them down, looking at their fatal wounded areas. When he was satisfied he stood up and walked out of the room. He walked over to William.

[color=0054a6]"From what I could tell we are looking for an older gentlemen, very powerful more than likely skilled in dark magic. On the ground, the pools of blood had a very putrid metallic scent, much stronger than how blood normally smells. Normally blood, if it has a scent, will have a metallic scent but it would be just that. This blood smells like eroded or rotten metal, and to the touch it feels almost burning like. Not enough to feel pain but you would know if you knew what to feel for. The wounds on the victims are very accurate. Too accurate for regular magic, meaning he is older. I would suffice to guess between 35-45. More than likely in his forties. It takes years of practice to be able to accurately use magic. I do not mean accurately as in being able to hit your target I mean accurate as in know exactly where to hit your mark and be able to do hit the same spot on over a dozen men at almost the same time. The wounds on the guards outside, they had slashed necks. At the angle of the wounds, it was clear he was behind them which means he may be old, but can move quite freely for someone his age. Gender I am guessing there is no clear distinctive mark for that. I would also assume that darkness magic isnt his or her only source of magic. Did you see the two guards that looked like they skewered each other? They had highly dilated pupils, and their eyes had an off color red tint to them."[/color]

William looked at the bodies and saw the distinct mark of Dark Magic in the wounds. Something was not right. There was no Dark Magic spell that could do this without killing the person who did the spell and none of the soldiers had the mark of draining upon them. 
[color=red]"My name is William. A pleasure to meet you? Assassin. Shadow? There is no Magic that could've done this. Not without seeing the Magi that used it among the bodies. I am a caster of Dark Magic and I know what I talk about. It's impossible to cast a spell this strong and live and as you suggested two types of Magic? It's also impossible. From what I gathered from the older Magi in the Library...only the Magi [i]before[/i] the war could do that but the war was 100 years ago. So..we are either dealing with a group of Magi or...someone that didn't age for more than 100 years? Maybe a Life Mage could prolong his life but by 100 years? It cannot be possible. Not at all." [/color] Said William a look of hope(?) on his face but also a look that showed that he was scared. 

Darius shook his head. [color=2e3192]"Just call me Shadow. And what you suggested is fine, but it can be nothing more than theory. We have nothing concrete that suggests the thief/killer prolonged his life. I am also in disagreement with you in the first thing you said. I believe sternly that darkness magic was used. However, it was probably very advanced. And I do believe he or she was older, so maybe he was taught. If that is true, then that would mean that this whole incident was given planned on the orders of someone else. That makes our job slightly more complicated. One thing is getting me though. I cannot make out the other types of magic used here. I am more or less used to identifying the harsher types of magic. What magic could be used so harshly that it could kill a man in such a way and it isn't darkness magic?"[/color]

Darius sighed.

[color=2e3192]"Ok we need to start moving out. Im headed to the group meeting spot."[/color]

Darius gave William a two finger salute and walked away. He arrived shortly later at the meeting spot and stood next to Elyra.

William nodded and was escorted back to his cell where he waited for the guards to let him go to the meeting spot. He had nothing to gather except his robe. He tried washing it in the water from the ground but without any light he couldn't do much. 

He waited and waited 'till the guards escorted him, chained of course, to the meeting place. Almost everyone arrived there. He nodded at Shadow and saluted the others.
[color=red] "Hello companions to be. I'm William and I'm a Magi" [/color] He said with a playful smile on his face.

Elyra waited and the others started to appear but they tended to give each other plenty of space. She also appeared to be the only one with so much stuff to take. The only bit of it that was hers was the backpack and the weapons. The rest was equipment she would need and medicinal ingredients.  

She looked up and saw Darius coming towards them. Elyra glanced at him and said nothing.

Gun'Tar arrived at the meeting place and saw Elyra holding so much stuff. He saluted her and said  [color=yellow] "Hey there Elyra. Need help with that luggage? I have free space in my backpack and we both know I can carry enough." [/color]  He said with a smile on his big face.

Darius looked over at Gun'Tar and raised an eyebrow. 

Elyra looked at Gun'tar and said [color=8493ca]"I have to have as many medical supplies as I can take. There could be a lot of injuries. So I decided pulling the travois would be easier. I hope we have a horse or mule or something otherwise we will have to pull it, but thank you that is very kind of you."[/color] 

[color=yellow] "It's my pleasure my lady. You took care of my wound more than once, it's the least I can do. I've known the Ascended Templar since he was a kid, Elyra...he is not the one that allows Magi free. Something bad happened. Like really bad. You've ever read the story about his great-great grandmother?"[/color] replied the big guy.

Darius sighed mentally. He decided, when he realized that the woman next to him was their healer that he would try to stay next to her or at least not keep too far of a distance. He had his bow, it could work. But if he had to listen to painful stories the entire time, he may turn his arrow on himself. Not litterally but still.

Elyra nodded, [color=8493ca]"I did a long time ago."[/color] She caught the tension coming from Darius and smirked slightly. [color=8493ca]"Mr. Shadow? Are you alright? I think we are all a bit stressed about this. I know I for one am not happy about my person being stabbed by something that I know nothing about."[/color] She rubbed the bruise on her arm. 

Darius instinctively touch the part of his arm where he recieved his injection. He rolled his shoulders back and cracked his neck. He looked at Elyra. Why does everyone need to know he is The Shadow? He had remained in the shadows for his entire career, and all of a sudden in one day more people than ever before now know who he is. Darius sighed mentally again.

[color=2e3192]"I am not stressed about any of this. This is just another job, with slightly more incentive."[/color]

Gun'Tar looked at Shadow and said [color=yellow] "A job in the most dangerous place of them all. I haven't been there since before it was called the Wasteland. Back then...it was enough to not pay attention a few minutes on the road and you've ended up dead. Now? It's probably worse Shadow. Elyra. That amulet's destruction is what caused the Wasteland to exist. It was the source of the Magi's powers. You guys understand what would happen if the thief found the others parts and somehow made the amulet whole?" [/color] He said with a look of fear in his eyes.

[color=2e3192]"This place becomes slightly either more annoying or interesting."[/color]

Elyra shook her head. [color=8493ca]"No but I assume it can't be a good thing. Does it hold extreme dark magic or something?"[/color]

Gun'Tar shook his head. [color=yellow]"That amulet is the reason why the Empire then called 'The Warrior Guild' appeared. The Magi used it to destroy Empera, (the capital as stated on the map) and it killed every single one of it's residents. That Amulet is what made them think they were "Gods". The reason why we annihilated the Magi threat in the first place. [/color] "

William had enough and interrupted Gun'Tar. [color=red]"That's enough. You keep talking about us Magi as we are the lowest scum of them all. But...have you seen how you treat us? Most of us are starving or go stark mad because of your food and cells. You kill most of us as soon as we are born. You think we wanted to be born with magic in us? You hate us because we are born like this. I don't say that the Magi of old didn't deserve their fate because they did...but...to hate and exterminate us all because of what? A few of us were bad...a hundred years ago?!" [/color] William lost control of his voice and the last sentence was not spoken but yelled.

[color=8493ca]"Please stop fighting! This is not going to help any of us on this mission. I'd like to know how we are supposed to get back because what are the chances that one of us won't get killed? And if one dies we all die...." [/color] Elyra had to raise her voice to make her point and she rarely did that. She normally was not tied to a bunch of people in such a way and it was very upsetting to her.

Darius watched in amusement. He had no other words on the subject other than a single thought.

[color=2e3192]"You are both fools. To live in a world with clear danger, and to say that it is unthreatening is more than foolish it is suicidal. But it is suicidal as well to stand there and suggest that the clear and present threat is as dangerous as it is now not because of how people reacted to it. Simply put, mages have been abused but for good reason. But it started out badly on the non mages side. They reacted poorly. Letting people loose with that much power was foolish, and it is man's nature to abuse power. Same as any non magical entity."[/color]

Elyra listened to Darius and nodded in agreement. [color=8493ca]"I agree with most of that."[/color] Elyra smiled slightly. Who knew she had anything in common with the assassin.

[color=9e0b0f]"Good to see at least two of you are focused on the task at hand, rather than bickering over the past."[/color] All heads turned to see James approaching from the direction of the training field. He nodded to the assassin and gave Elyra a small smile before his features hardened again. His eyes traveled over the assembled group again before they settled back on the elven nurse. [color=9e0b0f]"Are you going to be alright? With all this? You're a healer, not a fighter..."[/color]

Elyra put on a smile and said, [color=8493ca]"I dont think we get a choice. I'd rather go and die on my own terms than fight with them here and be guaranteed death. I would like to know how I got picked for this mission."[/color] Elyra appeared to be disheartened. [color=8493ca]"I think it had more to do with my father than it did with me. He seems to get into rough spots, it's a talent of his."[/color] She looked at the travois and said, [color=8493ca]"We'll need to take turns pulling this thing. It's loaded down with supplies. Mostly medicinal and some cooking."[/color] She looked up at him. [color=8493ca]"How is that place on your neck where they stabbed it into you? They could have paralyzed you stabbing you there."[/color]

[color=9e0b0f]"It's fine." [/color]James rolled his shoulder, only to wince slightly. [color=9e0b0f]"Ok, maybe it's not. I might have aggravated it while I was training. I can survive for now, but I'll probably need it looked at before we get into any real trouble."[/color]

collaboration post with [@Ashevelendar][@dabombjk][@shadow daedalus]

[@caits][@venku][@Gareth]