[centre][color=gray][h3][u]Fae Nikia[/u][/h3][/color][/centre]

	This was really happening. Finally, on the stage in front of lords and ladies, generals and captains and those of other high importance in order to gain recognition from another persona. Though the recognition could possess some danger to his true identity, he could not care less. A goal that he always wished to pursue had finally been set into plan, and he was to succeed with the help of his friends, Rosalina and Ronan. The wonders that the life of tranquillity amongst some of the most well known musicians was truly enticing. If only they could play more than one song, maybe the name for themselves would be higher and greater! And now, gathered around the waiting queue of performers, they listened to what they were playing alongside.

	At the current time, a beautiful harmony of four reed-based instruments, unique to those of the players that used them. The originality to their pace, movement and instrument alone was enough to entice the audience, as quiet and almost inaudible whispers bustled around in appreciation and approval of their ability and skill. Jealousy would fling through anyone at this point, especially when seated next in line for a performance. Nerves would usually kick in at this point, but what was there to go wrong? Fae had practised this many times, over and over with the group, until they thought it was perfect. And to be honest, it could not get any better in how they played it. On the [i]Bass[/i] part of the song, Ronan would take that role for the specified song that they had chosen. Usually, Fae was known for taking that spot, filling in the necessary parts rather than the more impressive ones. However, Ronan himself thought that it were a better idea for Fae to get used to playing the First Part, Rosalina also taking the Second Part to mix in with the tune, darting in and out of it like a cage fighter.

	And so, he could hear the applause. All three of one another stared at one another. It was time, indeed. A good time, though. It was a festival of celebration, and in these next few minutes, they would lead the joy and happiness that was to come. Truly remarkable as an experience, and truly beautiful for the ideals of peace and unity. Just the way Fae enjoyed it.

	One by one, the three walked onto the open-air staging with claps from the audience. Despite the desperate times in the realm, no one here could resist but to smile, even Fae himself. The trio took the cushioned chair that had been laid out by the stage hands and organised them into a reverse arrow, pointing away from where they'd be playing. Ronan sat in the centre, Rosalina to his right and Fae to his left. This would balance out the focus, making Ronan, who had less boast of in this tune, more centred than the two actually playing more complex riffs. Towards the back, a session percussionist sat, waiting for the song to start. She'd practised the song a few times, as any session musician would do, and was prepared to simply add the basic backing beats to accompany them.

	And so, as the crowd had settled, one by one, they looked each other in the eyes. Fae to crowd. Crowd to Fae. Fae to Ronan and Rosalina. Rosalina and Ronan to Crowd. Crowd to Rosalina and Ronan. Ronan to the woman in the engineering clothing. The cycle continued forever, it seemed, before they gave the nod of rhythmic patterning. And eventually...They began to play...

[centre][hider=The Song, as just a reference, or something.][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyF7X8oH7A0
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	Some of the crowd smiled in appreciation as one by one the parts filled and mixed into one another's. Fae held a posture of complete concentration, not wanting to mess up any of the melody's notes or rhythmic timings. And to say from the perspective of both the crowd and the triplet themselves, he did a fine job at it. All of them did. Flawless in comparison to their practices beforehand, as if the audience in front of them had let out an inner perfection within their skill. Some of the guards posted even ended their conversations to simply listen. The synchronisation of both randomised slurred notes from both of the tunes, mixing with the staccato notes played by Ronan's backing.

	Within time, the song seized, and the uproar of hands clasping against one another repetitively brought more than just a smile to the three cellists. The took to their feet, and bowed as accordingly, arms resting on the neck of each instrument whilst the back did all the movement. And off they took, down to the stage's exit route. That was it. They were done.

[color=gray][b]"That was incredible! Did you see their reactions?"[/b][/color] Fae could hardly contain his self-approval and joy.

[color=0072bc][b]"If I saw that reaction again, I'd probably cry with happiness. And then do it all again...You guys really hailed the spot out there, and made sure to swing into their appreciation."[/b][/color] Ronan grinned uncontrollably. He held out the hand of a farewell, as they were all to retire to their homes for the evening until the end of the concert entirely.

[color=gray][b]"Not without your help and rhythmic synchronisation! Now...I'll get off to pop this lovely thing back into its case...I'll let you guys know when we're heading out again for the closing ceremony!"[/b][/color] Shaking the hands of both of his comrades in the musical industry, he lifted his instrument and headed off to the town's single-house district, where he hoped to settle down for a short while. If only that were the case...And the upcoming events weren't to distort that future he hoped to live.

	Time passed. The cogs within the clock ticked away as the silence was disturbed by a noise outside. It lasted for a while. Shouts of some sort. Maybe laughter over an act? Or the ruckus of a delay? It wasn't something he was going to investigate. He couldn't. He had to remain indoors.

	More and more time passed, and a sense of anxiousness would start to swell up in Fae's mind and body. The noise was loud, even though it was faint through the walls. But a creaking sound from the floors and supports made it something to become paranoid about. As if it were an issue that would lead to something horrendous, he simply waited. And in order to feel more comfortable, he headed into the main room, slipping on the webbing forged similarly to his Ty' Un gear from the days of the past. It gave a psychological thought of protection. Though itself was not a suit of armour like those of the Guardsmen that were now patrolling the area outside his windows and street, it gave a small amount of minor-stabbing resistance, as well as defence from impact on natural flooring and surfaces. The same room held his weaponry, one of which was the Thalburn Medium-to-Long ranged crossbow, designed to be more resilient than the typical wooden kind found by most mercenaries and villages. He was not expecting to use it, but that sense of safety was always a kind thing to deliver...Especially when the noises were getting more clear.

	As if it were a gust of wind, the door swung open, with a rush of heat pouring inside. That instant, that heat that rushed in...It only followed to one answer he knew that was right, one that was painfully annoying to know. Faran. And to his [i]real[/i] surprise, he was right...Except this time, Faran had a look of panic aboard his expression, as if there were an issue. As he entered, the supports in the roofing creaked...

[color=Aqua][b]"F-Fuck...Fae...Fae the-...They're here..."[/b][/color] He began with a mouth full of breathlessness. Air sucked in and out of his lungs with quick rapidity, as if it were a race. Something wasn't right...Why had he came here? And why would he be worried of all people? [color=Aqua][b]"It's...It's...The Bounty Hunters...the ones after me...A-And...And I saw things...On the roofs...Armoured men like no other...just...Leaping as if in pursuit of me...I...I don't know if they are after me...After you...You think it's about the Ty' Un? About our participation in th-"[/b][/color]

	The sound of landing boots forced them to break speech, swinging around. Fitting, only just, the description of what Faran had stated, draped with clothing that concealed the face. A dagger in one hand, and an instrument of destruction in the other. They met eye to eye, looking at one another in almost near silence. Another faded out of the shadows of the roof-struts, looking down from an open hole created in the side of the house. Their hands, both contained the same weaponry. A blade, supplied straight from the Thalburn armament. Fae could tell...The recent increase in handheld weaponry exports from MiddleSeed had risen by 20%, and those fit the same design as the ones he'd watch the blacksmiths make. The other tool, was of the new age weaponry. A handheld cannon, as it was nicknamed, it held canister ammunition designed to fire small shrapnel or metal projectiles out at a further, if not then similar, ranges as the crossbows of the majority's marksmen. Ammunition was generally made within villages like MiddleSeed, a foothold into their production as they hoped to eventually grow into a mass number. Once again, Fae knew this because of the plans he'd once exported to those of companions further up the villages, in the hopes they'd reach some form of Ty' Un Blacksmith.

	The [url=http://fantasy-faction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2013-June-Assassins-Arabian-Assassin-by-Kamikazuh-173x300.jpg]one on the floor[/url] made contact through vocalisation, speaking through the clothing that concealed her facial identifications, minus the eyes. It was low, threatening and slightly disturbing, seeing the weapons drawn alongside to what she was saying.

[color=a0410d][b]"Well, well, well...Two birds...One stone...Sweet of you to lead us to another comrade of yours, Mr. Ge'Cao...Gives us less time hunting and more time to relax..."[/b][/color] Fae could sense the grin of satisfaction from her tone. But that would've soon faded once Faran had used his burning hands to have propelled himself off of Fae's chest, pushing him down to allow himself to escape as he darted towards the window. A quick reflex from the hunter's left arm as she raised the Hand-Cannon, firing whilst the echo boomed through the confinement of the building. With the ring being a success, the projectile found its target into the wall, just right of Faran's head. He leapt, flinging his body through the nearest window as he continued his escape.

	But the Hunter in front of the staggering Fae did not move from her position, instead signalling for her companion to go after Faran, or to report the encounter...Either one was up for debate. Meanwhile, the clothed woman turned back to Fae, who was now standing, in  a defensive posture. His legs shuffled to the left, drawing his arm, holding him up whilst he leaned against the dining table, towards the display holsters for his trusted side weapons, the duel hatchets, equipped with a pike's blade on the hilt of one, and the hook of a farming scythe on the other.

	Watching his every movement, the Hunter narrowed her eyes, only then noticing him make the move for his weapons. Her body thrusted forward, like the projectile she had fired only seconds ago, as her drawn dagger collided with something of the same material. A quick reflex had saved Fae from the first strike, allowing a hardened boot to kick back the attacker. Furniture moved out of line as the steam-rolling hunter barged a path throughout their blockade. His hatchets now drawn from their display, a fair fight was on board...Trained hunter, versus experienced Guerrilla...She scrambled to her feet quickly, gaining an attacking posture.

[color=a0410d][b]"You just gave me a reason to gut you where you stand...I have all the proof I need to justify this..."[/b][/color] A battle-cry lunged from her lungs and lips, as she made another attempt to swing. There was not a chance that Fae could pull off another blockage through his Hatchets, meaning that he could only attempt to avoid her strikes. There was no chance of him ever using the Crossbow holstered onto his back, either...Especially with his ammunition elsewhere, and the time it would take to aim and fire at this close of a range. Darting across the marble floor, he slid a couple of metres to her left, trying to get past her. This only resulted in him colliding into her warpath, causing the two to end up on the floor once more. Fae grunted...This wasn't a generic one-versus-one, where swings and skillful move sets were brought upon one another to create quite a sight...This was a fight simply of improvisation, one that would end very quickly with one or the other dead.

	The hunter was closer to the door. The door itself was not of anything impressive. Weak material, only designed to keep the weather out, but not Guards of the Thalburn, it could easily be broken or simply knocked out of lock by applying sudden force to it. This hunter gained a footing, just about as the time Fae had also. The two were not fully in a stance ready to combat again, but the knowledge of his own homestead gave Fae a slight upper-hand. He ran, not even in a gripped posture, and tackled his arms and shoulders into her gut, pushing her back against the door.

	Unaware of who may be standing on the other side, a few seconds passed of the two recovering from the fall onto the stoned pavement outside. This was it, it was act now, or never act again. Without any hesitation, and sure enough regret that was soon to follow, he raised his left arm, containing the hatchet with the Pike's blade. It was instinct. The will to survive the fight...The arm came down, piercing her chest and lightly dabbed armour, before the blade dug out of her body, before the motion was repeated...again...and again...and again...Stabbing quickly without realisation, he totalled 11 thrusts before his arm stopped, as well as the struggling of the woman, who's scream had faded off. The hunter was dead, a hunter with an insignia of Thalburn Militarisation upon her shoulder...To think an hour ago, he was playing to an audience, and now killing the first human since the refuge of the Ty' Un...

[centre]He was not aware of who was at the outside of his door...[/centre]