[center][h3][color=ff9900]Vekyzz[/color][/h3][/center]
[hr]

The tiefling was stunned. Maybe he didn't look like it at this point, but he [i]had[/i] not expected things to unfold in this way.

People being egomaniacs full of disrespect for one or two other kinds of people was one thing, maybe even not that uncommon after all. High mist and the tiefling's homeland was a special case due to their vastly different culture in general, so Vekyzz had to acknowledge that he probably still lacked some of the profound knowledge natives to the lands here had about their own culture.

This wasn't even remotely suited to serve as any kind of excuse for what had just happened though. Right in front of his eyes one of his alleged party members had just thrown all of his will of self-preservation overboard. How far was this Karlus going to make it before his puny body would just give up in a whimper ? The city was packed with people on edge, but even in the most peaceful place of the world that kind of behavior that Karlus had just pulled of would trigger a lot of attention.

Vekyzz internally tried his best to just forget about the man with the scar in his face. That problem, given the information available, was pretty much a self-disposing one. A mage would have been a really nice addition for this endeavour, but a mage who obviously could not control himself for whatever reason was more of a danger than anything else. Much to the tiefling's disfortune the guards showing up already appeared to give him confirmation on that.

And then there was this one man constantly referring to him as a goat, but that was the very least of issues with this individal. While Sigemund had been busy unleashing this volley of instructions towards him, Vekyzz had tried to listen over the silent sound of his blood starting to boil. The tiefling's eyes had been blinking in quick succession and by now he had started to rub the leathery skin on his nose as if there was gold to be found underneath. Of course there wasn't. There was just utter disappointment about how poor of a selection Riverend had made for this party, near limitless anger about how selfish, arrogant and reckless these people behaved and... fear. [i]His own[/i] job was at stake here if he'd fail! Or no, rather his [i]life[/i]! Did any of those morons even have the mental capacity to understand what the Wayward was ? Vekyzz had serious doubts about this right now. The greatest scope of comprehension this idiots could achieve probably was that of a clan affair or some petty betrayal, not one's life being ruined by a near omnipresent institution that felt as if guided out from the deepest, darkest abyss itself.

Vekyzz convinced himself that this, as wicked as it looked, simply could not be a trap. Nobody would hire these kind of uncontrollable people in order to set up a proper ambush. No... this had to be a breakdown in the Company's organization and control. [i]Yet another[/i] breakdown. And that was reason why he, Vekyzz, could not just simply disappear right here, right now. Leaving this heap of flesh called Sigemund alone while retreating into the bovels of this town would have been perfectly reasonable and much easier to achieve than to try and salvage this operation, but it would also drive another nail into that big, monstrous coffin whose construction had become rather obvious for those with knowledge years ago. A coffin intended for the company.

Or in other words: This had to succeed. At almost any cost. He'd need to prevent both Karlus and Sigemund from making this any worse than they already were. The orc, as friendly and reasonable as she seemed to be, had already tried. So what kind of language did even madmen understand ?

Vekyzz watched Sigemund's stance. It was a quite impressive one from what he could tell about melee techniques, but it was also obvious that no human or elven being could pay full attention to things that happened in front of it and behind of it simultaneously -- and in front of Sigemund were the guards still struggling with the table. Would he be able to keep both them and a monstrous tiefling at bay at the same time ? 

[b]Clack.[/b] A heavy, metallic sound could be heard.

The turmoil that had followed upon Karlus' magic had caused his weapon to drop from the wall it had been leaning against, hit the floor and maybe even be trampled upon by one patron or another. But Vekyzz knew that this self-made creation was sturdiness itself, built solely for accuracy and power. In his more sinister life, Vekyzz could simply ill-afford a good shot being blocked by some kind of armor worn underneath nice noble clothes or that glass window in front of his target. He had made his decision: The language was violence.

[color=ff9900]"You have a ship at the docks, Hama ? You're a sailor ? A captain ? Then tell me: What is the price for mutiny ?"[/color]

Vekyzz knew that his rifle wasn't even loaded at this point. Keeping powder in the chamber for prologned periods of time without using it only meant that it was allowed to slowly absorb water, become unreliable to ignite and, in the worst case, even start to clog up the delicate mechanics with nasty residuals. However that was something this Hama did not need to know. Hopefully just seeing this humongously long and heavy barrel and noticing that Vekyzz could see his big fat chest right over the  muzzle brake at the end of it would be enough for this to work out.

[color=ff9900]"Because that's what you are comitting at this point. [b]I[/b] am in command here, not [b]you[/b]! And I won't put one foot aboard your vessel since I know that its crew's loyality belongs to you and you have already proven that you don't like my kind. Isn't that true ? Now unlike the man with the scar I'm quite fond of my life. Not to mention the Brith I have to be responsible for as well... And did you even look around the port when you came here ? I have seen harbors in High Mist that were more inviting! What makes you think that your ship would even make it out of there instead of just being blocked or even given the honor of being sunk right in place ?"[/color]

While maintaining his aim, Vekyzz took a slow step backwards. Wooden floorboards creaked in despair underneath his weight, but he didn't even look at them.

[color=ff9900]"It's also a very bad idea to talk to the Orc next to you and ask if she'll stay in order to 'tie them down' and then, within the same breath, to try and start negotiations with petty small talk about some war stories about limping legs. Maybe the imagination of me blasting away one of your knees will answer the question about how cricked legs can happen. Lucky for you I'm not in the mood for bloodshed either, so you will drop your weapon and help the guards in front of you to remove the table. Subsequently you will hand yourself over to them so I can rest assured you won't screw up while I will try and go for Karlus. And work quickly! I have a mage gone mad to deal with! Once I return, hopefully with Karlus..., we can start real negotiations and hopefully make clear that at least none of those of us who are present in this room right now has any bad intentions."[/color]

Vekyzz was counting on the guard's captain recognizing that, at least for the moment, he was on their side. And frankly he would enjoy giving this Elric, Hama or whatever his true name was a decent beating. That man had started to deserve it the moment he had entered the tavern.

[color=ff9900]"One more thing: You don't like a big mess of lies around you ? Well then better start with yourself next time as you clearly were the first one to spray around a lie about your origin here. And now get damn moving or I might very well just forget myself!"[/color]