A Reluctant Killer

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Yuki grinned. "Well, the whole city is inside a high, stone wall, and the only way in or out is through either the North Gate or the South Gate. There are lots of buildings close together, many of them nearly twice as high as building in normal villages. In the center of the city there's a castle, called Heathenrow Mage Academy. All learning mages and sorcerers go there to learn, it's one of the top academies in the continent. When you get close to it, you can see runes and spells carved into the walls in designs, it's very beautiful. I'll show you the dragon someone carved into the Southern wall when we get there, okay?" Something nearby was making her uneasy, but she just dismissed it as a chill from the wind.

Niko half-listened to Yuki talk with interest. He had never been inside the city before, but Yuki had explained to him often the complex runes all over the place. She had promised that as soon as he was freed from Shadow, she'd take him inside to see with his own eyes. "You sure you don't want to go with them?" He asked Irene quietly. He still held onto her hand gently.

 

[Blah76]

Bana smiled happily as tail wagged from excitment. "Wow! I cant wait to see it all!" Bana said happily as imagined it all.  

[Blah76]

Listu got closer to the group hoping to be able to hear some of there conversation but still staying in the trees. 'Hmmm this might get me in trouble what goods a spy that dosnt learn anything.' Listu went farther into the forest then jumped through the trees so she was ahead of them then perched herself in a tree not far from their path and hid herself. Listu sat in the tree as watched them walk. 'Hmmm, well they dont look like the deadliest group around, but they must be cause Mariah didnt seem like a weekling. A man who goes evil at blood and a girl with a necklace.' Listu saw the gleaming necklace 'Well both of them are easy to spot. And they look like a couple to, well that should make it harder for them to split and easier to keep both of them in my sights' Listu thought as watched them.  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Niko blushed slightly but smiled as well. He was glad he had met Irene, and Bana. Hopefully they wouldn't have to part ways for a long time. It was a foolish thing to hope, with so much going on, but he couldn't help but wish for it to be true.

Yuki laughed softly at Bana's excitement. "We'll be there soon, so no worries. It's on the other side of this forest, we should be able to see it when we reach the other end." She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but she didn't see anything whenever she looked around. Niko didn't seem to sense it at all, neither did Irene, so it must be just her imagination.

 

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

((Lol, figured as much xd You evil person ))

They were coming up to the edge of the forest. As they reached the edge of the trees, Yuki pointed. "See, way over there?" To the north just visible against the horizon was a stone wall encircling Heathenrow, the castle standing out against the sky. A few trees were surrounding the town, but other than that it was a meadow with a small stream running through. It was far away, but it wouldn't take too long to reach it at this pace.

Niko sighed softly as Yuki pointed out Heathenrow. The people there didn't like him. There were ancient enchantments all around Heathenrows gates to prevent someone with pure evil in their hearts from stepping through. Because the evil came from Shadow and not directly from Niko, he could sort of step through the barrier, but it was painful and he would last only minutes before losing conciousness. He could still remember the first, and last, time he had walked through the gate. He hadn't been idiotic enough to try since. But he had to admit that the spell made Heathenrow one of the safest towns on the continent. He didn't think even Shadow could break through the barrier for more than a few minutes.

 

[Blah76]

"Wow!" Bana stared at it eyes wide. "Its pretty! I cant wait till I can see it up close!"


Listu stood in a tree a little way from the group glaring at the meadow. 'Lovly...now to follow them further I ether need to make myself known or stay here and hope they dont go far. Wait, are they going to Heathenrow? Crap, well no point following them I can't get in that place...' Listu jumped to a tree with a better veiw of the group. 'Hmm but if he is evil that means he can't enter ether. If he ends up waiting outside it will be easier. But the real question is how close is he willing to go to that anouying place.' Listu leaned back in the tree a bit as watched them wondering what all they were planning if anything at all.  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Yuki smiled. "Then, lets go!" She led her mare away from the forest towards Heathenrow. She hadn't been back there for a while, but she doubted anyone would have forgotten her. She had trained hard in that place, and it was like a second home to her.

Niko smiled slightly at Irenes words, following Yuki as she started walking again. Looking at the happiness on his sisters face, he was glad that they were stopping by Heathenrow, even though he couldn't actually go in. Yuki was welcome there, that was what mattered. He had to wonder sometimes if she was homesick. He wasn't.

 

[Blah76]

"So how do you know Heathenrow so well? Is this your hometown?" Bana asked curiously.




Listu smiled when they split up. 'Well good news is that they desided to stay somewhere I could watch them, and even better news is that Bana wont be here when we kill her freinds.' Listu got confertable in the tree for the moment. 'So now its all a question of how long its going to take Mariah to get here...and how we are supposed to kill someone without blood...'  

[Blah76]

Listu twitched not liking that didnt notice Mariah before she was next to her. Listu nodded showing that she understood the orders then went back to watching the other four. 'Mariah and her six bandits are pretty quite, well thats what I get for thinking to much anyway' Listu thought as waited for Mariahs signal to attack.  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Yuki smiled but shook her head. "No, I just spend alot of time there. Niko and I grew up a long way from here, further up north. Neither of us have been there in ages." She visited their hometown every now and then, but Niko had only tried going back once since he left all those years ago. The memories had been just too painful for him, and the welcoming hadn't been all too reassuring.

Why did she have such a bad feeling all of a sudden? She glanced back at Niko and Irene waiting by the forest, then shook her head slightly and faced ahead again. They would be alright. If anything went wrong, she was sure that Niko would make sure Irene made it into Heathenrow; she would be safe there. And no one in their right minds would try anything around Niko. But why was she so nervous then?

The gates were up ahead. She smiled and waved at the guards, who recognized her and let her in without any hold-up. They glanced at Bana out of the corner of their eyes, but neither of them said anything. Yuki and Bana came out into the main street filled with people, many of them wearing the cloaks and tunics of mages. Not all of them were human; a fox-eared boy child nearly crashed into Yukis mare, grinned sheepishly and vanished down a side alley. "Welcome to Heathenrow, Bana," Yuki said.

Shops lined the street, merchants talking with those walking through animatedly. Runes and spell-dust could be seen on the stone wall that they had just passed through, as well as some of the buildings and cobblestones. Many of the wares being sold had some sort of charm on them. A few guards wandered around, making sure were was no trouble, but people seemed friendly enough. Everyone seemed to know each other, and a few called out to Yuki as she walked in.

Niko watched Bana and Yuki head towards Heathenrow. Finally they had vanished behind the cover of the trees, and in through the gates. He glanced up at the sun overhead. "Depending on what Yuki finds, they could be in there for a while," He said to Irene. "Was there anything you wanted to do while we wait?"

 

[Blah76]

Bana looked around excitedly at everything around her. "Its all so pretty!" Bana said excitedly as her tail wagged. Bana got a small headake but ignored it and smiled down at Yuki. "Wow, a lot of people know you here, are you famous?" Bana asked.