[center][h1][u]Elys Adair[/u] & [b][color=af002a]Theodore Valentin[/color][/b][/h1]
Collab with [@Estylwen] and [@ERode]

[b]//A3 - Adventurer's District[/b][/center][hr][hr]Theodore sized up the unknown woman. She was Divine, he could recognize that spark within her. Only, hers was still an entirely empty vessel. Could she tell his was not? Certainly, she was no blind woman, blindfold or not. She'd snuck up on him almost unnoticed, and she was clearly very skilled. An adventurer who'd been blessed maybe? Overall, a fight he'd rather avoid for now, if possible.

So, he smiled. It was a pleasant if a subtly sharp-edged smile. [color=af002a]"Looks like it,"[/color] he remarked to the supervisor. [color=af002a]"How unfortunate for you, then, that I have no business with you, Miss Murderer."[/color] He could smell that fresh human blood on her. Intriguing. Too bad she looked like she wanted to put him down to the ground too. Maybe some free intel for her would get her to reconsider, at least. [color=af002a]"If you want what I have, all you need to do is head to the Abyss. You'll get the same; you'll see what I mean if you stay in that hole for a little while, at least."[/color]

Elys' face tightened at the mention of 'murder'. How did [i]he[/i] know? Was his sense of smell really that acute? Or perhaps it was a trait his naturally possessed.

It didn't matter. What was done was done. He should really be more focused on himself. She listened to his intel, her curiosity partially satiated, before she took a step forward. Her staff was tossed to the ground. The [i]shling[/i] of her sword leaving its scabbard, sharpened tip pointing at center mass of the alighted one in front of her.

[b]"Why go through all that trouble when you're before me, and I can simply [i]take[/i] what I want?"[/b]

[b]"Come on now,"[/b] the supervisor sighed, shifting his stance to face her more directly. [b]"This isn't the backstreets. There are rules of conduct to follow."[/b]

Theodore's eyes narrowed as the woman unsheated her blade. [color=af002a]"A regular brigand, then,"[/color] he noted coolly. He and his followers shifted, ready to escape or defend if they would need to. Except, the way the lady kept focusing on him, he didn't think running was an option. It was as if he were a shining beacon to her. Was that the minuscule power he had gathered calling out to her? Was she akin to creatures from within the Abyss, recognizing and hostile to any Divine? 

[color=af002a]"Yet another monster after my ass,"[/color] he huffed, irritated. Surprisingly, the leader of the adventurer group pitched in. [color=af002a]"Oh, really?"[/color] Theo questioned him, though he never let the woman out of his sight, did not easen the grip on his shield and goblin spear any. [color=af002a]"So, if I don't want to deal with your everyday thugs and thieves, I don't have to? Or is it just more so a 'if someone wants to beat you up, there are specific ways they need to go about it' kinda deal?"[/color]

Elys seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, hung up on 'rules', and 'conduct'. And though she could agree with giving a human being, divine or not, their rights to freedom and health, this was something... she couldn't back down from.

The smell of smoke. The shrieks of her family. The worst day of her life when everything was taken from her. It showed her how powerless she was. Showed her that if she [i]ever[/i] wanted to right that old wrong, she would need to become a force to be reckoned with.

And staring right in front of her, ripe for the taking, was such an opportunity. She knew it was wrong. But she also knew her own wishes and dreams [i]had[/i] to be accomplished - [i]had[/i] to take precedence. For her family's memories. For her dream of getting to the top.

The dust ground beneath her feet as she coiled. [b]"This monster can't afford to back down now."[/b]

And she struck forward, her sword cutting through the air towards the upper portion of the alighted mass, aiming for the neck.

[b]“Of course. Adventurers are just vagrants and treasure hunters without rules. If you want to take something out on the surface, then you’ll have to offer something up to wager.”[/b]

The supervisor backstepped as Elys shifted to offence, apparently uninterested in stepping in to help Theo for free.

[b]“Now, you could cry for help, friend, but I wager that’ll also have a cost to it!”[/b]

Theodore stopped consciously listening the moment the blindfolded woman shifted. He adjusted his shield, his stance. Maris, who wielded the other spear, edged to the attacker's side. Ezra circled her, getting behind her, though he wasn't close enough to strike. Not yet. The man picked up her staff, then aimed a strike at her ankle.

Meanwhile, the dhampir was barely able to rise his shield in time. The woman was *fast*. Even with his weapon having a longer reach, she was too good - most times, she could close the distance faster than he could try to pierce her. Even with the other two assissting, they struggled to hold her back. She weaved in between them, as slipery and agile as an eel in water. As lethal as a feral, starving shark pinpoiting onto the scent of their blood.

[color=af002a]"What's the-"[/color] another parry, yet another poke of his spear the woman sidestepped, [color=af002a]"going rate?"[/color] He questioned Samuel. It was an acrid realization, that he'd need the help if he wanted to get out of this unscathed.

The parry of blows was like a symphony to Elys' ears. She spun, she danced as the attacks came. And, once again, she slashed forward at the alighted one, meeting his spear and cuffing it. She pressed, causing their faces to be inches from one another.

In that moment, she twisted her sword, shifting the weight, hoping to catch the alighted one off-guard and behead him.

But her blade stopped short.

Images flickered through her mind. Images of the Bladerights.

How would she face them, if they saw her now? How would she explain this.

Elys gritted her teeth, cursing under her breath and taking a step back from the other divine, sheathing her sword.

[b]"I can't do it. I've had everything taken from me, and I still can't-"[/b] A heave of air, of frustrated exasperation. 

She reached for her staff that had been picked up, and made to leave.

[color=af002a]"You still can't become someone who [i]takes[/i]?"[/color] Theodore filled in for her. He was breathing harshly by now, sweat lining his brow. He'd accumulated a few more cuts, but otherwise, he and his followers were still alive and kicking. [color=af002a]"For [i]fuck's sake,[/i]"[/color] the dhampir growled. He spat a glob of saliva and blood onto the ground. [color=af002a]"Just get into the fucking Abyss like I told you in the first fucking place, [i]you goddamn lunatic.[/i]"[/color] He watched her warily as she made to leave. The staff Ezra had 'borrowed' was thrown her way where the woman proceeded to pick it up. The trio she'd attacked out of nowhere was understandably tense. They watched. They waited. They were ready for another unpredictable attack. 

No response was given. The monster-slayer had already disappeared into the crowd.