Beyond humanity

Despite all his power, all his schemes and all his connections. There were times that even Harrigan had to submit to the off chance that fate intertwined with his plans. Especially when it threw a rather familiar face on the magically created interface. Which originated from a magic known as Archive. It was a face of a person that even Harrigan thought to never see again. Namely Indar Black shield. The former head of the Pillar of Annihilation. A man that despite his calm demeanor was actually a raging sea. A force of nature itself. And somehow always was a tad different then the rest of the Savages, after all he didn't kill for the sport. No he just did, it was as normal to him as waking up and eating breakfast. He didn't discriminate in his victims, man, woman, child or a senile old man. Everything and everyone was the same. And now this man had appeared again, in Talonia of all places.

The information on it was vague to say the least. Nothing more then a small mention of him, a whisper of his existence. But nevertheless Harrigan would pursue, after all this man was to important to ignore. Even if it was just finding out what that man had been up to the past year.

His ship which was piloted by his newest asset, Rosetta, immediately set its destination for this famed city of the guildless. Talonia. A place that laid outside the law, where the rules of the council nor the Kingdom itself didn't apply. No the guildless run this place. Thieves, thugs and mercenaries. Unaligned with anyone or anything except themselves. A place that was as equally dangerous for Dark Mages as well as Legal Mages.

Several hours passed, and before Harrigan knew it. The ship had already landed in the outskirts of town. ''Rosetta'' said Harrigan ''I want you to shadow me, be my backup. Talonia is a different kind of place then most. There are ears and eyes everywhere. Some of which probably know of me. And if anything goes south, you know what to do''

As he said that Harrigan walked out of the ship, while being followed by two soldiers. Wearing the obvious garbs of their guild. Clad in black, a hood and a skull mask that hid their face.

As she heard the orders she placed a hand on Harrigan's back for a brief second adding him to her HUD system as a 'party member'. The guild soldiers would also be added. Now she could keep greater track of them even if they got seperated. What's more it also activated a communication array between the group. They would be able to communicate telepathically. They could choose to only speak to a few members that were attached to the team speak line, but all conversation would be heard by Rosetta. "Speak with your minds not your mouths." she ordered the soldiers. She would not dare order Harrigan. "It will be more impressive if you can seemingly work as a team without communicating. Do not worry...I will be watching as Master Harrigan has commanded though you might not see me." Her body began to ripple and her form changed to that of a large cat. The fur was mangy and horrid, but that worked for such a lawless area. The cat ran into the ship and came out through one of the ships many cannons. It dropped down silently and followed them in the shadows. In this form she was as powerful as her human form, but she was much less likely to be noticed. She'd considered a bird, but most larger birds wouldn't come near her willingly. So this was much more suited. As she got near the borders she leaped up onto a bin and then onto the roof where she waited and watched. She would be following Harrigan and keeping an eye on things. If she lost track of him she would soon find him via her HUD system. It was incredibly useful.

As she waited atop the roof she reviewed the information she'd gotten from Harrigan's mind about Indar. He would be a powerful asset and useful as a tool to proclaim that Savage Skull was back in business.

Drip....drop....drip....drop.

The blood was dripping down a wooden beam on the top of the small bar, it's barman carefully filling a drink for the bar's only customer as of this moment. There had been a bit of a rowdy night at the place, nothing out of the ordinary, that is until a ban wearing a skull mask and a black armor had entered. He seemed normal to the barman as he asked for a drink, payed for it and sat down in the middle of the room, next to a small table, drinking his whiskey.

Seemed like a quiet man, but it all changed when some thugs picked a fight with him, claiming the man had killed their friend outside, a bullet through the head from what the bar keep heard. This fight, was the worst thing anyone inside the Soul Bar had ever seen. Bodies were thrown around, limbs severed, everyone but the bar keep slaughtered. Even people who hadn't said a word were pulled apart by this man. He did it mostly with his bare hands as well, using a bit of magic here and there.

As his drink was brought to him, the barkeep asked for his name. Removing the skull mask on his face, Indar looked up and stated: ''My name isn't of your need, you need my money for the drink, but i'm sure you can find enough coin for your troubles in the pockets of these corpses, just take it as reimbursement for messing up the place. Now scatter, or your kids won't see their papa tonight.''

The barman scattered, not wanting to die at all. He left the bar in the state it was, overflowing with blood, as the man drank his spirit. He had left a trail of bodies to this place, anyone trying to find him, should know where he is now.

As Harrigan walked the streets of Talonia, it wasn't long he already picked up on something rather interesting. Apparently there was this whisper that something had happened at the Soul Bar. Something that distressed the collection of guildless mages that gathered in this law free town. The funny thing was, that it didn't seemed to be just an ordinary brawl. Or at least that is what Harrigan could conduct from the things he heard. After all, a brawl in a town such as this wasn't so strange. And in fact more occurring then you could possibly think. So when the guildless mages were actually upset or distressed by something that happened in a bar, then truly something had to be wrong. And be it as it may, Harrigan just couldn't shake the feeling that Indar might be directly involved with it.

From the corner of his eyes, Harrigan looked at the black silhouette on the rooftops. Just before it disappeared again. Rosetta would probably just as Harrigan came to the same conclusion, and was probably all on her way to bar itself. To secure it from any prying eyes, that might share similar interests with Harrigan.

As the extravagant man in the red velvet suit appeared the bar, he became convinced that only Indar could be the source of this rumor. As what he saw was just so very like him. While still being mostly intact, the bar did show a rather significant sign that something bad had occurred here. As the one of the windows was entirely busted. Broken apart as something, or better yet someone was thrown through it with a considerable force of power. Enough so for Harrigan to trail the the poor souls flightpath only to see his remains being splattered against a stone wall outside. ''I guess we are at the right place'' he stated and with a nod he ushered his two guards to stand watch outside. To not let anyone in.

Slowly Harrigan opened the door to the bar itself, which creaked and scraped over the floor. Only to bare witness to the glory that was Indar Blackshield, or better yet the glory of what he was capable off. The moment Harrigan stepped in, and could look around. He saw that the entire bar was filled in a puddle of blood. Limbs were torn, and bodies were thrown around. Landing in rather unsettling manners, one was eve pierced on the coat-rack on the wall. But what was far more unsettling then the pile of bodies, and the moist sense of blood under his shoes. Was the man sitting at the bar, who until now was probably enjoying the solitude he had created himself. A man with a plain expression on his face, unhinged at what he self had done. There was no shame, nor any delight.

''Indar...'' said Harrigan as if he was actually on a first name base with the former Pillar Head. ''I must say, that you really are one hard man to find... Yet here you are. Sitting at a bar''

The rumors had been heard by Rosetta indeed. Not just from the people in the streets, but by animals who had fled to the rooftops. From the information she knew of Indar it seemed likely this would be him. Even if it was not the mage they were looking for it was someone who would be of great interest to the guild, if only as somone to eliminate. After all, Savage Skull was meant to be the scary ones, not some nameless mage. However, if it was Indar or even another mage and they successfully recruited them then it would be for the benefit of the guild. As Harrigan entered the bar in question Rosetta leaped down and entered through a small window in the side and laid on the sill staring at the mages. Part of her vision was on the outside. The town was rather lawless, but if things went too bad then someone would intervene. Some might intervene purely to try and get a bounty or some fame, or infamy. She would keep her eyes open on the streets ready to strike should it be necessary. However, she would also keep one eye on the bar as well. She did not want Indar to do anything to hurt the guild master.

However, other than that there was very little for her to do. She just had to wait and watch. The level of power radiating from the man was impressive. It was nowhere near her own, but it was at least equal to some of the more powerful mages in the guild. A useful asset indeed and it seemed that he was indeed Indar. The rumours were quite true and in fact did not do him enough injustice. This was going to be interesting to watch.

Enjoying his solitude and his refreshing drink, Indar really hadn't been ready for the man who was going to walk through the door. He was used to being tracked or hunted by those wanting to end his madness or those who held a grudge. As it was quite usual for the young man to have taken the life of someone's family member or child or significant other or friend, but to him, it would just end up with another soul sent to the afterlife, to meet with the one they wanted to revenge.

But now, the tone had changed, Harrigan, the man he had served prior to his vanishing from Savage Skull had come to him. A snicker came from the man, as he placed the glass onto the table and looked at Harrigan. ''Still wearing those silly robes i see old man?'' At least this was a person he could talk to and not drive a bullet through, well, depended on his wants. If he was here to get rid of Indar, so that he didn't spill any beans on Savage Skull. The man hoped it wasn't this, he didn't feel like fighting right now, nothing to do with who he was talking to.

''I made myself hard to track, makes getting to know people harder, so i won't feel a thing when pulling out their spine.'' His voice didn't change, it was monotone, like killing was more normal to him than eating. Green eyes moving back onto Harrigan as the man tilted his chair back a bit: ''So may i get to know why you tracked me down?''

Indar seemed as mundane as ever, not bothered by what he just did. His eyes with a blank expression, almost as if he was bored. But that wasn't the truth now as it, Indar Blackshield didn't get really bored nor did he not care. It was just normal to him, he did like or disliked what he did. Nor would he find fault in it. There wasn't even any form of excitement in it. No to him killing, ripping apart a mans entire being. Was as normal as daily life itself. Similar as one would just use a pen to write down on a paper. You just did it, without thinking, without judging, without thinking of any consequences. This was his greatest feat, the very reason Harrigan feared him as well admired him. Why he needed him back.

''Hah'' cackled Harrigan shortly before replying ''I guess my clothes are a tad repetitive aren't they'' Harrigan doubted the fact that Indar would just make himself impossible to find, just so that killing a person would be easier. Especially as he didn't had any problem with it beforehand. ''Because Indar... I am once again in need of your prowess as a... well as the man you are'' continued the man clad in the red suit ''Simply put, we are getting the band back together. And for that I need you, or to be more accurate what you can do Indar. Because when it comes down to it, nobody can do what you do.'' In truth probably a lot of people could do the stuff Indar do, which was basically just living the life how you wanted it. But that wasn't what Harrigan was referring to. No what the conceited Crawford member meant, was the fact that Indar would do any task without question. Killing a subordinate done. Wiping out an entire village, slaughtering every inhabitant, done. Indar didn't derail from his objective, didn't bother with anything else. ''Indar once more, would you join the rank of the Savages''

The tone of his voice was monotonous, no emotion, no feeling, just words. In a way, his voice sounded even more emotionless then her own. He was a human unlike any she had seen before and she had peaked his interest. Now the question was would he accept Harrigan's offer or would he strike out? In terms of raw magical power they were about the same so the fight would be interesting. Of course, it would be a fight that wouldn't happen. The cat adjusted itself slightly and ended up with one paw aimed at the mage in question. One wrong move and he would have a new hole in his head, something that was fatal for most humans.

Mentally she spoke to the guards outside asking them for a report. They had not seen anyone yet or anything, but they were alert and ready. Odd, the commotion Indar had caused should of attracted at least some attention by now. She decided to take the initiative and ordered one of the men to go and scout out the area within 250m of them. From the end of her tail, draped outside the window so invisible to Indar and Harrigan, a small silver ball dropped which dropped and then split into many tiny insects who too began to scout out the area. She was taking no chances. Harrigan was a priceless treasure to her. She would see no harm came to him.