[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][center][sup][h2]O[i][sub][sup]nce was a man who lived a life so mundane, it could only be true. [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] Practically invisible to the world around him, life carries on while he felt perpetually stuck treading water just to keep his head [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] afloat. Fortunately for the man, fate had different ideas and intervened with a heavy hand. Pushed into a corner, the man [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] was driven to hide amongst dusty shelves and heavy tomes. In the silence, he could hear his name being whispered, [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] over and over again, until his hand touched one particular opus. A worn book, bound in leather and tarnished steel. Though [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] sealed, it opened for a price, and upon spreading its pages, the man's life was changed forever. [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] [color=2c2c2e]_[/color] Now, he is the Warlock they call...[/sup][/sub][/i][/h2][/sup][/center][/INDENT][/INDENT][sub][hr][/sub][sup][hr][/sup][CENTER][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5661999][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019e83f9-259f-75fb-95e3-57387106ed18.webp[/img][/url][/CENTER][sub][hr][/sub][sup][hr][/sup][SUB][SUP][table][row][cell][INDENT][h2][b][COLOR=SILVER]L[SUP][SUB]OCATION:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]MILK STREET - POINTE BORDEAUX[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h2][/INDENT][/cell][cell][INDENT][RIGHT][h2][b][COLOR=SILVER]U[SUP][SUB]RBAN [/SUB][/SUP]G[SUP][SUB]OTHIC[/SUB][/SUP] #1.04[SUP][SUB]:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]HURT[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h2][/RIGHT][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/SUB][hr][SUP][SUP][table][row][cell][INDENT][sup][h1][b][COLOR=SILVER]I[SUP][SUB]NTERACTIONS:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]NONE[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h1][/sup][/INDENT][/cell][cell][INDENT][RIGHT][sup][h1][b][COLOR=SILVER]P[SUP][SUB]REVIOUSLY:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB][URL=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5663632]HEAVY IS THE HEAD[/URL][/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h1][/sup][/RIGHT][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/SUP][INDENT][INDENT][COLOR=C0C0C0][i]Ow.[/i][/COLOR] His head was spinning. His vision faded in and out. The smell of vomit assaulted Archie's nostrils as he found the strength to push himself up. One side of his face felt like a cat had mauled it from where his skin had roughly dragged against the coarse brick wall. The other side felt swollen and sore; his tongue felt around loose teeth while Archie slowly regained his bearings. He felt like he had been whalloped with a sledgehammer. The smell of vomit refused to dissipate before Archie suddenly realized it was his. He brought an arm to his mouth, vomit staining the cuff of his shirt before he spat the residual from his mouth. Vermillion mixed into the vile substance, as blood flowed freely from his gums and tongue. His eyes were still seeing stars as Archie tried to piece together what had hit him. He didn't have to look far, however, merely moving his head towards the sound of sneering laughter. Jeers echoed in the alley before another fist pummeled Archie, nearly dropping him to his knees as pain screeched through his entire being. The fist in question shot back, through the air, like a snapped rubber band, while the other dragged along the ground, retracting back to the elastic-like figure it belonged to. [COLOR=#E9967A]"Pretty Boy ain't lookin' so pretty now."[/COLOR] [COLOR=C0C0C0][i]Right, the @$$#@% from earlier.[/i][/COLOR] Archie rubbed his jaw before turning to look at his assailant. He was flushed from the alcohol and, despite the cooler night air, still warm to the touch. Even still, he felt the sting of his own blood dripping down the side of his face. Panicked eyes darted back and forth from the less-than-kind audience to the busy street towards the front of the club, rapidly surveying the dark alley for an escape. In a fleeting moment of sobriety, Archie cursed himself for not having left with Harri; instead, he was about to experience the World Record for the shortest time with a spine. [COLOR=#E9967A]"Does this look like a pisser to you, sweetheart?"[/COLOR] Jake asked, as Archie shook his head. The problem was that he lost his filter somewhere in the club. [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"Definitely looks like a toilet."[/COLOR] [COLOR=#E9967A]"Right,"[/COLOR] Jake let out a hollow laugh, winding his arm back before it suddenly shot forward, closing the gap and delivering a blow to Archie's abdomen. Unfortunately for Archie, apparently his stomach wasn't empty. It started in the back of his throat, before he exhaled harshly, followed by a retching gag. The limited remnants of a mostly liquid dinner spilled onto the ground in front of him while his eyes saw exploding stars again. The invasive smell of his own vomit caused a third gag while his body tried to empty itself further in revolt. His ribs felt like they were cracked, and his head was spinning. [i]Hell[/i], even his testicles felt like they had retracted deep into his perineum. Five minutes ago, Archie had considered drinking regularly; right now, he was wishing for the sweet release of death, and luckily for Archie, it seemed like Jake and his Dragons might actually grant that wish. [COLOR=#E9967A]"I forgot you were funny,"[/COLOR] Jake finished his statement. [COLOR=#E9967A]"Problem is, this is Dragon turf, and you're defacing Dragon turf."[/COLOR] [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"Safe to say I didn't hurt property values then."[/COLOR] Archie retorted, immediately wincing at his own words. [COLOR=#C0C0C0][i]Inside voice, go back inside now, kay?[/i][/COLOR] [COLOR=#E9967A]"You've got a cajones on ya,"[/COLOR] Longo smiled, [COLOR=#E9967A]"Surprised you've been hidin' this long."[/COLOR] [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"I wasn't hiding them,"[/COLOR] Archie straightened up, wincing as he took a deep breath. [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"Your mom was busy gargling them."[/COLOR] [COLOR=#C0C0C0][i]You definitely should not have said that.[/i][/COLOR] [COLOR=#E9967A]"Ain't nobody comin' ta save ya this time."[/COLOR] Jake sneered, cracking his neck before pointing towards Archie. [COLOR=#E9967A]"Kill him."[/COLOR] The order didn't exactly come as a shock, though cold-blooded murder felt like a slight escalation. In all of Archie's time in the District Attorney's office, he couldn't recall a single murder being attributed to the Dragons. But that didn't mean he was going to stand here and wait to find out. Archie pushed off from the wall, running as fast as he could out of the alley and onto the main street. Normally, running straight into Dairy Way traffic was considered suicide, but in this case, so was staying still. Frankly, Archie was more eager to become a hood ornament than a punching bag. A horn echoed past his head as he sprinted through traffic. If he had anything left in his stomach, he would have thrown up again. Behind him, the angry din of upset gangbangers echoed after him. But it was the one overhead that worried him the most as Jake used his Gray-abilities to sling shot himself through the air before flattening out and gliding above, easily over taking Archie again. [COLOR=#E9967A]"Ya know, I was really hopin' ya'd fight,"[/color] Jake quipped as he landed in front of Archie. [COLOR=#E9967A]"It'd be a lotta more fun for me if ya fought back some."[/color] In his life, Archie had been in a grand total of three fights. The common denominator? He lost. Everytime. [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"Believe it or not,"[/color] Archie huffed, it was only now, having stopped, that he started to notice how hard his lungs were working. [COLOR=#C0C0C0]"I'm not really thinking of what's best for you at the moment."[/color] Jake's face turned from a grin to a sneer before another fist rocketed towards Archie. He looked back and forth, trying to get his bearings for somewhere to run. His head was spinning, his knees felt like they could give out at any second, and his feet refused to move. Crossing his arms over his face, Archie closed his eyes and prayed for it all to be over. Only the punch didn't come. A scream rang in his ears, prompting Archie to open his eyes. They widened as black fur appeared before him, the large dog snarling loudly, spittle flying from the corners of its clamped maw as rows of razor-sharp teeth held Jake's arm pinned between them. Archie knew better than to knock a gift dog in its very sharp mouth. Angry shouts echoed in his ears as Archie began to run again, rounding the corner just in time to disappear before the rest of the Dragons caught up. A howl hauntingly hung in the night behind him, followed by more screams and a horrific crunching sound that Archie wouldn't be able to escape for at least the next week. Crossing another street, he came to a stop outside of a large bay window before looking around and finally admitting to himself what he had feared the most. He was lost. Patting down his pockets, Archie felt for his phone. A sigh of relief echoed down the empty street as he pulled it out, immediately tapping on the missed call notification. Hopefully, Harri would be able to help- The thought was interrupted as something collided with the side of his jaw. The phone clattered across the pavement just in time for Harri to pick up, and her frantic cries echoed into the night. Archie tried to scramble for the phone, but it was too late. Jake was already on top of him as another rubber fist impacted his rib cage, this time Archie knew for sure that something had cracked. He barely had time to stand before he saw Jake preparing another blow when out of nowhere red eyes appeared and a pair of heavy paws shoved Archie backwards against the fenestration. The window shattered under the force of Archie's weight being slammed against it. Glass shards flew across the floor while Archie crashed through a display. Numerous lacerations covered his body, pain felt like it was coming from everywhere. A metallic taste filled his mouth, barely noticeable between the numbness and lingering taste of his own vomit. Spitting, blood splayed across the cold wooden floor beneath him. A pained groan escaped from between his lips as his body refused to respond to his insistence that he move. A bark rang in his eyes, pure adrenaline beginning to take over as he worked solely on survival instinct. Numerous objects filled the dark shop, towering over Archie as he crawled along the ground, searching for a place to hide before finally coming to rest hidden beneath a towering bookshelf. [i][color=#FF4500]"[/color][color=#FF4A07]A[/color][color=#FF4F0E]r[/color][color=#FF5415]c[/color][color=#FF5A1D]h[/color][color=#FF5F24]i[/color][color=#FF642B]b[/color][color=#FF6932]a[/color][color=#FF6F3A]l[/color][color=#FF7441]d[/color] [color=#FF7E4F]H[/color][color=#FF7948]a[/color][color=#FF7441]r[/color][color=#FF6F3A]d[/color][color=#FF6932]w[/color][color=#FF642B]i[/color][color=#FF5F24]c[/color][color=#FF5A1D]k[/color][color=#FF5415].[/color][color=#FF4F0E].[/color][color=#FF4A07].[/color][color=#FF4500]"[/color][/i] The whisper felt like it crawled inside his head. His head whipped around side to side, crouching even lower to the ground as he continued to hide behind the bookshelf. Furious voices echoed from outside the shop before the sound of crunching glass alerted Archie that they had entered the store. The aged wooden floor creaked as the Dragons continued to look for Archie. He winced as a sudden crash echoed nearby. There was no doubt in his mind that they were desperate to tear this place apart to find him. [i][color=#FF4500]"[/color][color=#FF4C0A]H[/color][color=#FF5415]a[/color][color=#FF5C20]r[/color][color=#FF642B]d[/color][color=#FF6C36]w[/color][color=#FF7341]i[/color][color=#FF6C36]c[/color][color=#FF642B]k[/color][color=#FF5C20].[/color][color=#FF5415].[/color][color=#FF4C0A].[/color][color=#FF4500]"[/color][/i] The voice grew more persistent, [i][color=#FF4500]"[/color][color=#FF4703]I[/color] [color=#FF4C0A]c[/color][color=#FF4E0D]a[/color][color=#FF5111]n[/color] [color=#FF5517]g[/color][color=#FF581B]i[/color][color=#FF5A1E]v[/color][color=#FF5D22]e[/color] [color=#FF6229]y[/color][color=#FF642C]o[/color][color=#FF662F]u[/color] [color=#FF6B36]t[/color][color=#FF6E3A]h[/color][color=#FF703D]e[/color] [color=#FF703D]p[/color][color=#FF6E3A]o[/color][color=#FF6B36]w[/color][color=#FF6933]e[/color][color=#FF662F]r[/color] [color=#FF6229]y[/color][color=#FF5F25]o[/color][color=#FF5D22]u[/color] [color=#FF581B]d[/color][color=#FF5517]e[/color][color=#FF5314]s[/color][color=#FF5111]i[/color][color=#FF4E0D]r[/color][color=#FF4C0A]e[/color][color=#FF4906].[/color][color=#FF4703]"[/color][/i] A growl sent a shiver down his spine as it was followed by a scream. The sound of a body impacting against a wall shook Archie to his core. Another scream echoed across the store, and Archie's nose recoiled as he smelled urine; unfortunately, he quickly realized it was his. The whispering voice continued to crawl through his skull, it bordered on agony with how persistent it was. Archie's eyes darted around, looking for the source of the voice, before his eyes were drawn to a large book on the shelf above him. Bound in weathered leather and tarnished metal, he had never seen such a tome in any of his numerous visits to the library. From within its pages, an ethereal glow emitted in the darkness of the shop and a morbid curiosity arose within Archie. A shaky hand reached towards the book, touching it before almost instantly retracting. The book tumbled loudly to the floor, and Archie quickly pounced on it. If the situation were better, he probably would have laughed at himself for how futile that had been. [COLOR=WHITE]"There you are!"[/COLOR] Archie's eyes went wide as a Dragon rounded the corner, spotting Archie and the glowing book in the darkness. He slid backwards, the metal edge of the cover catching on his palm. A cry of pain came from between Archie's pursed lips as fresh blood spilled down the fore edge of the grimoire he gripped. It suddenly fell open in his hands, the once glow now nearly a blinding light. [i][color=#FF4500]"[/color][color=#FF4703]A[/color][color=#FF4A07]r[/color][color=#FF4C0A]c[/color][color=#FF4F0E]h[/color][color=#FF5212]i[/color][color=#FF5415]b[/color][color=#FF5719]a[/color][color=#FF591C]l[/color][color=#FF5C20]d[/color] [color=#FF6127]H[/color][color=#FF642B]a[/color][color=#FF662E]r[/color][color=#FF6932]d[/color][color=#FF6C36]w[/color][color=#FF6E39]i[/color][color=#FF713D]c[/color][color=#FF7441]k[/color][color=#FF713D],[/color] [color=#FF6C36]a[/color][color=#FF6932]c[/color][color=#FF662E]c[/color][color=#FF642B]e[/color][color=#FF6127]p[/color][color=#FF5F24]t[/color] [color=#FF591C]m[/color][color=#FF5719]y[/color] [color=#FF5212]h[/color][color=#FF4F0E]e[/color][color=#FF4C0A]l[/color][color=#FF4A07]p[/color][color=#FF4703]![/color][color=#FF4502]"[/color][/i][/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]