Blood Banquet
The banquet hall was cool and stagnant yet the perfumes of the Royals filled the air with sweet aromaz. Even the smell of the blood that was in large bowl containers around the area smelled alluring. Even to those who did not partake the smell was not like blood. Therosi members turned the bowls of blood with metal spoons keeping it fresh & Herb's sprinkled Within made it appear appealing. Napkins were stained with red. Newer fresher blood was being auctioned off like fresh cattle. All within these dark halls seemed well. Even as within the Therosi quarters screams of agony and pleads for mercy sang within the skulls of all those within.
"J-just... kill me.." Strung up on a wall was a former member or rather a spy within their ranks. Bore the winged symbol of their mortal enemy. Blood trickled down from cuts across his naked body. A long blade kept his hands together and attached to the wall several feet from the floor. Blood Stained the wall. Several Therosi stood below interrogating him. "You'll die soon enough. Shame your blood is not pure. It would save us some resources." Spoke the white eyed man with nearly golden flesh. He stood next to the elderly Therosi man whom humbly stood by keeping himself up with a cane. The man with the gold tint turned to his men who seemed to be awaiting his orders. "It is clear they are trying to infiltrate and disrupt our business here. A common mistake.." He chuckled.
He waved a hand and the other Therosi subordinates began to lash the bloodied body with a black whip coated in blood. "There are easier ways to extract information. More subtle and effective ways..but this is more fun." The screams continued even as the victims voice went horse and dry heeves were all that was left. "Be on guard. Continue as if all is well and prepare for battle at any moment... Our master seeks only one thing.." As he spoke the door creaked open and a Nero guard entered. He froze in place as if taking in like what is happening within this room. Silence was in the room as all the Therosi within stared him down. The guard made a gentle hand movement to his neck and pulled on the black skin tight attire the guards wore to reveal a tattoo of a red droplet. "I have news to report." The door behind him shut closed locking soon after.
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Royals continued to enjoy their time around Lila. Even as she sat alone in silence. However as a new song began to play many found a partner and slow danced with each other. A hand slid across Lila's table and soon was followed by a gentle voice whose smile could be heard through his grin. A Nero royal man lowered himself before Lila. His clean smell was covered with a rare cologne few could afford.
"Excuse me. I can't help but notice your beauty within this crowd. You remind me of a rose growing within the dark. A rare sight indeed..Would you be kind enough to have me for a dance?" His voice was confident and smooth like any other royal but it had an air of youthfulness near Lila's age perhaps. His hand lowered to near Lila's. "I will guide you all the way."
@13org---------
Within a private room in the guest hall was a red haired woman and a scaled dragonkin with white hair. He sat on the bed while she stood and poured a drink of red. On her back was a single black wing. "Would you like one?" She looked back with her crimson eyes to him and he shook his head. "I will not partake in any leisures while I'm on the job." He grunted. She giggled lightly and shook her head in response.
"So serious. I guess that's why you're ranked higher than me." She sighed, her black wide dress dancing as she stepped on her heels toward him. Like a waitress she gently held the glass to him and gave a sweet smile. "Let us at least toast to our cooperation. Partner." She winked. He sighed deeply and grasped the cup reluctantly. "Fine if you insist. Whatever gives you an excuse to take it easy huh..?" He chuckled with a sharp grin. She held a glass of her own to his for a quick clang before they both began drinking.
Her red lipstick stained the glass and she leaned against a dresser. "So any leads?" She asked placing her drink down. The dragonkin finished his drink in a single solid gulp before speaking. "Best chance is to find what they're looking for first and use it as bait for their leader." He said through his large reptilian jaws. Tue woman hummed with thought. "But that sounds so hard. Wouldn't it be easier to torture a Therosi to find out what they know?" The man chuckled. "And what makes you think they even know what their leader looks like. There's a thing called spies yknow." This comment made the woman smirk. "Yes.. indeed."
The glass in the mans hand fell to the ground and shattered. His eye lids dropped and he began to lean to the left. "You.. poisoned me?" He muttered before collapsing to the ground. His eyes barely open he watched her across the room. "W..why...?" He managed to say under a fading breathe. She sipped her glass before setting it down on the dresser. She turned from him to look into the mirror at herself. "The Therosi pay me well. With you out of the way there's little chance of anyone finding their leader. And whether the Therosi succeed or fail is entirely irrelevant to me, same goes for the Dolofon and guess what? Same goes for the Aion. Playing all sides will be very profitable. Wouldn't you agree..? Number four...and I need this place on lockdown to put all sides on hold." She stepped over his fallen body which seemed like a corpse. "I'd think you'd last longer.."
Suddenly he sprang up from below her with clawed hands eager to grab her neck. His nails nearly touched her flesh before a long rapier was planted inside his chest. He fell back down and let out a final breathe before his eyes went blank. "Oooh.. nearly.. got me.." She sighed with relief. She stood up and with a wave of her hand a blood red and black portal opened and she walked through it before it closed. She was now within another guest room. She walked from out of it and casually walked down. Nero guards watched her from down the hall ever vigilant. She nodded to them with a innocent smile "Is this place free? My room is too close to the music." She asked before opening the door.
"Aaaaahhhh!!" She shrieked. "Oh my god! Is that a dead body!?" Her voice could hardly be heard over the music within the main banquet hall. Yet the Nero guards she had nearby rushed forward and saw the body of the dragonkin who had a blade going through his chest. "It certainly is..." One said. "Alert the others..." One walked into the shadows and vanished. He emerged from the shadows within the Nero guard head quarters within the castle. "We have a murder." He spoke standing upright to his commander who was cast in a veil of shadow. Next to him was a hooded woman with a clear orb before her.
"No one leaves. No one enters. But continue as if nothing happened..." A deep slow voice spoke from the dark. "But sir this might continue if we don-" "I am well aware. It is not I who wishes this. But the King himself. Consider it a strategic manuever." The guard replied with a simple bow. "Then I will do as you say. But what if one wishes to leave what would you have us say?" A deep sigh was let out. "No one will leave. What we offer here is pure bliss beyond any Royals dream. But if they do press... do remind them of this being the Kings party. Word of their absence will be... noted down by him." Fingers could be heard tapping a desk this commander sat on. The Nero guard bowed once more before shadow enveloped him and he vanished.
"Do give word to our king... it has begun." Said The commander. The woman with the orb began to whisper to it. A mist began to form within it before it gave a green light within the dark.
