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    The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Arsene Mayura
    Arsene Mayura

    VIP- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Player 
    Lineage : Gingerbread Man
    Position : None
    Posts : 286
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Age : 26
    Mentor : Artenis Dagger
    Experience : 1,693.75

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Reflection
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Arsene Mayura 6th March 2019, 4:20 pm

    The Job:

    Approval:

    He had no proof. He had no real reason, or any real evidence in the slightest. At the very least, not a single admissible and tangible argument in any way to prove it beyond spite. However, there was no way for any person to convince Arsene otherwise: this was a punishment. After his last job with the Chariman, despite all his hard work and effort, ended with a chastise(threat), he didn't expected to receive another job invitation. Rather, the context of receiving it after that made it clear it was anything but an invitation. It was a demand, so of course he accepted it. As he read through the assignment, every part of his body sunk, melted into a wad of disgust and fear. They were going to go into the sewers and kill a rat king? If there was any doubt this wasn't a punishment, it was dispelled as he read through a description straight from his nightmares. He had no idea how anyone in Hidden Blades would know about his dirt aversion, but at this point he also knew better than to question anything inside their knowledge network. The Chairman definitely had found out, and he was definitely leveraging it as a punishment.

    Repulsion didn't even begin to describe his emotions as the Troubadour trudged through the dank sewers. Humid, pungent, and grimy at every turn, he feared touching anything in case it might permanently infect him. Hanging close to the mason walls, he avoided the brown stream to his right, pulsing with the remains and excrement of every living soul in Crocus. Maybe, when it was maintained and in it's heyday, this would have been a feet of architectural wonder. At least, the quality seen in the mason walls would indicate that. However, if the maps he had spent the last week putting together said anything, it may have been built well, but it's design was far from it. Twists turns and irrelevant bends plagued every corner, and had he not memorized the layout, he likely would never find his way out of here. Even now, he feared if he lost focus the way out would be lost as well, and he was waiting by the entrance for his partner.

    Arsene had thought long and hard about his superiors words. It was true, he lacked experience working with others, and his methods might not mesh well with how others operate. However, wasn't the principle of Hidden Blades that it was made of skilled members? Members who could be trusted to handle their own and keep up their end without you worrying and fretting over their every breath? That debate had raged on inside him this whole time, though it was more a thinly veiled excuse for him to defend his pride. Realizing this, he decided to concede the lost and play as his boss intended. With thorough, detailed communication. To prove this, Arsene had been the one to compile and establish their plan for the job. A 52 page, front and back, written report detailing the job, in his perfect, smallest font. Arsene may have accepted the loss, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a bit spiteful in return. The report was truly a masterpiece; a weeks worth of investigation and research, cross referencing maps made by various local and officials to form probably the most accurate map of the sewers to exist, details on all the know creatures and wildlife inside, plans on how to handle any outcome and multiples ideas for how to structure the job. It was truly his magnum opus, and a great display of his skill as an informant. It may have been partially driven by spite, but Arsene wasn't one to ever pass up an attempt to show off, nor let his emotions lead to shoddy work. Now, he waited in the designated meeting spot, listed on page 33, line 7, detailing the meeting place to discuss going forward with the plan. Of course, he'd memorized the whole report. Leaning against eh wall, he really wondered how sealed off this armor was against bacteria, and what cleaning agents he'd need after it.

    WC: 688
    Total WC: 688/14,000
    @Artemis Dagger


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Artemis Dagger
    Artemis Dagger

    Alt Account- Alignment Shift- Gain An Artifact- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Guild Master- S-Rank- A-Rank- Wanderer- Working Together- Forever Solo- Christian Minecraft Server- I Have Friends...- Teaming Up!- Unknown Powerhouse- Unknown Legend- Guild Creator- Achiever- Obligatory Beach Episode- Sticking Around- Richie Rich- Rich- Veteran Level 1- Character History!- Magic Application Approved!- Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Obtain A Lineage!- Join A Faction!- Novice [250]- Player 
    Lineage : Descendant of Jagers
    Position : None
    Posts : 605
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 2,399,882

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Incubus Soul Takeover
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Artemis Dagger 9th March 2019, 1:41 pm


    ~A few days earlier...~

    Artemis stretched against the leather chair in his office. He'd been here for a few hours now. His body stiff, his eyes felt dry from all the paperwork he'd been doing. He intended on going on a job soon; it had been a few days and his body needed to move around. Artemis who had always been the type to be out and about had just barely managed to adapt to such a shift in his lifestyle. He used to spend his days out and about; partying, fighting and enjoying the company of beautiful women. He had never been one to sit still and do paperwork, at least not since he had graduated. Even then, he had done the bare minimum to pass. But it was different now, now if he got out, it was rare, and even then it was most likely to do a job or some recruitment. He had managed to have one night, broken free of Blanche's clutches, gotten drunk and started a pub brawl. It had been a lot of fun, to be himself.

    He had such a strange person as the Chairman. He was so much more held-together, and yet sometimes it was a little dull. He missed the quips, the flirting, the few comments he could make to trigger an aggressive reaction from someone. He used to love getting under people's skin, especially those that looked down on him. But he couldn't do that now; he had done it once with the current Director of Combat. It had nearly ended in a fight, but instead, the man had stepped down. Stormed off, and muttered something along the lines of 'Cannot believe this guy is leading us now.' The disagreement had quickly gotten back to his father who had given him quit the ear-lashing, furious that he was working against his directors rather than with them. It had been a hard pill to swallow, but Artemis quickly realised that even if he was in charge, he had a long way to go before his staff took him seriously. Usually, he didn't have to care, but this was different. Something told him he was going to be trapped in this role for a long time, so if he was going to manage. Then he really had to embrace it.

    He heard a knock at the door, "Come in," He said gruffly, the door open and Blanche entered. She was looking at pristine as ever. Artemis had to wonder if the woman ever slept; she was so held together all of the time. She never so much as yawned or sneezed in front of him. He had suspected she wasn't human, perhaps she was some sort of android. It was a little farfetched, but he genuinely struggled to picture her doing normal things like 'sleeping' or 'eating'. She took breaks every now and then but what she did on those breaks was beyond the Guild master's knowledge. She approached his mahogany desk, a large stack of paper in hand, Artemis groaned. "Please don't tell me that's what I think it is." He mumbled, dreading the thought of having even more paperwork to go through, she laid the paperwork down.

    "It seems Troubadour has prepared a portfolio on his intentions for the mission you assigned yourselves to." Artemis blinked slowly. Staring at the paperwork, the last time he had seen Arsene was during that mission with The Shark when they had set out to sabotage the Lacri-Car engine. He sighed, the mission had gone well, the client had been pleased with the result. But still, it was a close call. Troubadour had taken matters into his own hands, using his disguise magic to develop a rapport with the Lacri-Cars CEO. A smart tactic, executed perfectly, and a good use of his skills. But he had been fundamentally flawed; he hadn't communicated it to his teammates, leaving Artemis and the Shark both in the dark. It had severely pissed off the Shark and created uncertainty that Artemis didn't like. Hidden Blades didn't require members to be amicable with each other. Indeed it wasn't necessary at all in their line of work. But still, at the very least they had to share an understanding. Working in teams meant being in synchronisation, working together in perfect unison, complimenting each other's abilities. This wasn't about taking the lead; there was no glory in this guild. It was about success, and nothing else. Still, he had to admire the kid's audacity; this was apparently his idea of retorting to the telling off that Artemis had given him. Artemis chuckled under his mask.

    "That little shit." He said in an amused tone, Blanche said nothing. "Can I get a pot of coffee Blanche? It looks like I'm going to be here a while longer." She nodded, turning to walk out. "Forgive me asking Sir, but why would you select Troubadour for this job? Wouldn't one of the more 'combat' focused members been a better choice; he clearly excels in Intelligence." Artemis smirked, surprised she was actually interested in the logic behind his decision. Artemis winked at her, "I have my reasons." He answered simply. She said nothing, only nodded and left. In fairness, she was right. This job was grunt-work if anything, someone like The Shark or even Meitritrice wouldn't be a better fit for such a task but still. Artemis wanted there to be more overlap, and the one thing he hadn't tested yet, was Arsene's ability to fight. He wanted to see for himself what the younger male was capable of and something like fighting 'The Rat King', as laughable as it was, seemed easy enough to do so. Artemis sighed, setting aside the others stacks of papers he'd been working through. He opened Arsene's report and began to read.

    ~The present day~

    Artemis was donned in the full unclassified armour; he had after a ridiculous amount of reading and several cups of coffee, gotten through the report. It had been a lot of information to take in, some great ideas too. But still, even Artemis knew that the likelihood was that it didn't matter how much you planned for it, there were always things you couldn't take into account. Variables that could throw entire plans out of whack, he just hoped that Arsene was good at improvising. Just in case. He arrived barely a few minutes before the recommended time, knowing Troubadour, he was already there waiting for him. The smell was intense, for the demonic senses he had, it was worse than most. He stayed composed despite its intense putrid stench, this really wasn't a pleasant job, but the client needed it done, and the clients came first. His spotted the man in armour, leaning against the wall waiting for him. Artemis approached.

    "Troubadour." He said with a greeting nod, eying the surroundings for a moment. Hopefully, they could get through this quite quickly. Artemis didn't fancy spending too long in the cesspit of Crocus.


    WC: 1171 / 7000



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Arsene Mayura
    Arsene Mayura

    VIP- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Player 
    Lineage : Gingerbread Man
    Position : None
    Posts : 286
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Age : 26
    Mentor : Artenis Dagger
    Experience : 1,693.75

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Reflection
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Arsene Mayura 28th March 2019, 12:32 pm

    Encompassed by the delightful smell of excrement and decay, with a hint of what was probably too big a mixture of gases to pinpoint a specific one that would explode when sparked, there were no proper words to describe the torment and agony Arsene was suffering in. There was genuine consideration that destroying his nostrils and preventing their use for the rest of his life was worth avoiding breathing it any longer. Even stationary his feet, which supposed to be above the solid stone brickwork laid down when this project first started, seemed to sink into an unidentifiable muck that had swarmed over and taken the ground as it's own. He thought it was mud, or was at least sure enough he'd wager on it, but looking again the odd specks of green and purple brought him to the conclusion that it wasn't worth thinking about any longer, else he risk his own sanity as he fell into the next grime-infested rabbit hole of a game that was "what infection will this cause me down the road". It was quite the eye-opener to himself; to think that this level of filth existed beneath the capital, and how many people survived in ignorant bliss, unaware of the true horrors a tiny stone ceiling saved them from.

    The sound of wet, moist footsteps penetrated the unnatural silence of the sewer. That in itself was a mystery to Arsene. Outside of the soft trickle of running water as the sewage slowly drifted by him, there were no noises coming from inside the crumbling masonry. No squeaks of rodents, or scampering steps of scavengers looking for anything remotely useful in nourishing them. As ungodly as this place was to him, he knew from the perspective of rats, mice, and every other creature he'd personally purge from the earth given the chance, it was a personal haven of hiding spots and scraps to feed off. The fact that none were present unnerved him, and it did seem both strange and validating to him: something unnatural about the rodents and other life down here did hint to something being off, and potentially validated the existence of this "Rat King". On the off hand though, not seeing any beady eyes watching them or even existing within the halls made that seem less likely. How can there be a king if there is no kingdom of rodents to rule?

    Turning his head to meet the steps that took him from his thoughts, Arsene was greeted with a ray of hope. The Chairman. In most circumstances, seeing him would be a damper on Arsene's day. However, in this case it was a godsend. Now that his company was present, the mission could begin, and he could start to see this hell ending. Internally his was grinning like an idiot, but that was covered by the uniform mask. Pushing off the wall, he found balance in the muck beneath him and mentally repressed the dread caused by his own footsteps, both the sound the made and the feeling beneath his feet. That was the currently goal here; mental repression of today's events and reality through sheer force of will. The role he would play today was a simple one; he was Troubadour, on a mission with his boss, in a clean, simple canal. It was not sewers, it was not dirty, and he was not suffering. Immersing himself in this new persona, he spoke casually and friendly, no hint of strife in his tone. "I'm glad you could make it. As per page 21, line 17, we would meet exactly 18 meters into the tunnel, on the right side of the water, at approximately 10 o'clock. I'm glad to see we're both on the same page here."

    He intended to quote that report all day, without remorse. There was no point in memorizing it all if he didn't use it. Besides, while he'd never admit it to another living soul, he did need to work on his communication if he was to succeed going forward. And, after undertaking a job like this on behalf of the guild, he planned to be running it down the road, for nothing else would make this investment worth the cost. Arsene shifted, looking down the canal into the growing darkness, as the brief light supplied from the entrance faded. "I mentioned it on page 53, but I believe he have to be careful about what light sources we use down here. I found traces of multiple gases that cause combustion, and I'd prefer a more glamorous death if I'm honest." Turning back to meet his partner, he stood proud and tall, making sure no signs of doubt or uneasy got through. This was a cut throat place, and his life was on the line with every action he took. He had to make sure he remained both useful and powerful, he had to be an asset. Anything less ran the risk of seeing him disposed of, a threat he'd already received once.

    The problem with that though, was the nature of today's job. Arsene knew his strengths; he could infiltrate and assimilate, he could find information no one ever knew, he could fool everyone and perform any role. However, in a fight, none of that matter. He was capable, and he knew how to use his sword, but he was no brawler. Going about a job like this, he had to be an expert assassin; kill the target before they even notice, because if they fight back then things become risky. Deception only gets you so far when there are people in this would who can have a house thrown at them and shrug it off. He'd seen mages battle before, and knew of how those fights went. And he wasn't engaging in that. For now though, first was locating the target. "My map I made is solid, but not perfect. We still have to be careful about getting lost. Stay on the right wall, and never leave it; we'll follow that as our guide to prevent getting off track. It'll be slower, but I don't think we wanna spend the extra timing losing our way here would cost." Starting to move forward, he stepped into a particularly mushy spot, and couldn't contain the visible shiver that overtook his whole being. Turning back to the Chairman, even though his face was covered, the expression of discomfort on his face shown through perfectly. "Also, I request a new uniform after this mission, entirely."

    WC: 1,112
    Total WC: 1,780/7,000
    @Artemis Dagger


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Artemis Dagger
    Artemis Dagger

    Alt Account- Alignment Shift- Gain An Artifact- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Guild Master- S-Rank- A-Rank- Wanderer- Working Together- Forever Solo- Christian Minecraft Server- I Have Friends...- Teaming Up!- Unknown Powerhouse- Unknown Legend- Guild Creator- Achiever- Obligatory Beach Episode- Sticking Around- Richie Rich- Rich- Veteran Level 1- Character History!- Magic Application Approved!- Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Obtain A Lineage!- Join A Faction!- Novice [250]- Player 
    Lineage : Descendant of Jagers
    Position : None
    Posts : 605
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 2,399,882

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Incubus Soul Takeover
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Artemis Dagger 5th April 2019, 6:13 am


    The man greeted him, immediately quoting the report he had so precisely put together. Underneath his mask Artemis rolled his eyes, this kid really was going for it. But Artemis couldn't be too mad, he only had himself to blame. Well actually it wasn't true, he had just been doing his job as Guild Master and teaching his subordinate the importance of communication. If anyone was to blame, it was his father, for sticking him with this job in the first place. Just another thing to add to the list of the annoyances caused by his position as a member of the Dagger family. Troubadour would continue on, talking about being cautious about igniting anything down here.

    "I will be mindful to avoid using any flames." He remarked simply, he did have some spells that creating fire. Although they were cursed flames pulled from the underworld, so he wasn't sure if they worked in the same manner as normal fire. But to be on the safe side he would avoid that. In addition, he could only really creating those flames should he allow his body to transform significantly. Allowing Morte to take over his body, which was something he really didn't want to occur. He would only even consider allowing it, if they fight became a life or death scenario. Which from what they had learned so far about what they were facing, he doubted would be a concern.

    Arsene would continue to talk about their means of travelling, and the risk of getting lost. Art nodded, moving so that he was following behind his companion. He was a particular set on letting Troubadour lead this one, it would provide him with another chance to assess his skills. On top of which, if it turned out that his combat abilities were lacking, it would be easier for Artemis to protect them both, if he had a clear view of the guy's movements as well as the freedom to cover the rear should anything come up behind them. He heard a distinctive 'squelch' as the younger man moved into place. Followed by a comment that quite clearly reflected his displeasure. "Sure, you can grab a fresh one from the armoury back at Ground Zero," He replied. He would have just had his washed, but if the guy was so meticulous that he wanted a fresh one completely. Artemis wouldn't complain, it wasn't like the guild didn't have to resources.

    Artemis didn't say anything further as they walked along the underground tunnel, instead, he would focus on listening. His sense albeit heightened was significantly affected by the overwhelming smells. He wouldn't be able to smell the rats, because that would be overridden by the sewage. So instead, he would need to really on his magical senses and his hearing. His magical sense would only be good in the creatures gave off a magical signature. He couldn't hear anything particularly ominous for the time being.

    Aren't you going to warn him about me?

    Artemis stiffened for a moment, this was surprising. He hadn't expected Morte to make an appearance on such a 'tedious' mission. He doubted such a thing would interest him. Yet, he was was, talking about inside Artemis's head.

    Not necessary because you're going to stay out of this one.

    There was a peal of malicious laughter inside Artemis's head, he didn't like the sound of it. Just what was the Incubus planning? This was just a mission to take on Rats, what did it have to do with the demon. Still, Morte had been surprisingly compliant as of late. It had been a relief, to enjoy some peace of mind for once, the only time he'd really gotten involved was to aid Artemis. Even if it had meant getting to devour the soul of a youthful fratboy.

    I like this one, he has an interesting soul. Its aroma is enticing I wonder what it'd be like to partake in a little...taste.

    Artemis fists clenched, what was the demon getting at? Was he playing around or did he really have a hunger for the kid's soul? This complicated things, Artemis resisted the urge to growl in frustration. Here he was finally taking on some actual responsibility, settling in as a guild master and even taking on the kid as a mentee. Now, his demon side was threatening to ruin it. He cleared his throat. Look like he didn't have a choice, Morte, in this case, was forcing him to reveal more than he intended to.

    "Troubadour..." He began, taking a breathe. "There's something I need you to be aware of. There's a factor to my magic that makes it... dangerous. Therefore If I tell you to get the hell away from me, I need to you do it okay? Don't ask questions, just run as quickly and far as you can." He said sternly. It was vague as hell, but he couldn't exactly reveal the details of his magic to the kid. But if the kid could run away, it would buy Artemis time, time to fight Morte should he attempt to take control...again. All he could hope was that Morte was playing around, but he never knew with the demon. He was a trickster for the most part, but sometimes, when he really wanted a soul. He would fight even his host to get to it. Artemis could not rely on the possibility that this might be a joke.



    WC: 910
    Total: 2081 / 7000



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Arsene Mayura
    Arsene Mayura

    VIP- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Player 
    Lineage : Gingerbread Man
    Position : None
    Posts : 286
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Age : 26
    Mentor : Artenis Dagger
    Experience : 1,693.75

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Reflection
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Arsene Mayura 20th April 2019, 7:49 pm

    Arsene naturally took the lead, having scouted the dank halls beneath the city before, and also having the best memory of the map. Luckily, for reasons unknown to him, the guild master seemed to follow that lead, following behind and taking the rear. That definitely wasn't what he expected, but Arsene was in no place to complain. After all, it made him feel much more comfortable having someone competent at his back. Arsene worked very well as a scout; sneaking ahead and looking for spots of entry and warnings, since he was able to cover large areas by himself and not be seen easily. That was a bit more difficult in the sewers, since it was tight and cramped, with little room to see anything that wasn't directly before you. That wouldn't last forever though; soon the pathways would start to open up and diverge, creating a massive maze of twists and turns, feeding back into itself. Maybe it was a stroke of architectural plumbing genius beyond his understanding, some clever way to manipulate the flow of waste easily and efficiently, but it made exploring it nigh impossible. Arsene was prepared for this, but even then, nothing told them what lurked ahead, and what ambushes would be awaiting them.

    With the promise of a fresh uniform in mind, Troubadour tried to ignore the soft squishes and hard, cracking crunches beneath each step. He tried to mentally suppress his imagination at what was covering his heels and toes, at what remains and bacteria were painting his legs. He tried to convince himself that this wasn't that bad, and that it'd be over soon. All ineffective methods that left him squirming inside his metal outfit, wondering with every breath why he didn't check it for bacteria resistance and for leak spots before. There would be hell to pay if any of it actually touched his flesh.

    Thoughts of various cleaning protocols and purge procedures on all his belongings were pushed out of his mind as the Chairman spoke again. Arsene paused with the call of his name, noting the guild masters tone. Meeting his gaze, he listened intently, taking in the gravity of the situation. While Arsene was still annoyed at his boss, and enjoyed ruffling his feathers, inside him was still a large amount of respect for the man, as well as the desire to do well in the guild. As such, when the times called for it, he could kill his attitude and give his chairman the respect he deserved. Listening intently, he paused after Artemis finished, processing what he said and analyzing it. In their previous job, Artemis had made no mention of this, which implied it was only sparked by direct magic use. The likely case was that it was some kind of close range spell that blasted the area; in these tight corridors, it would be very hard for Arsene to dodge that, but then again his tone didn't match that. This was something threatening, something that the Chairman clearly couldn't control. It sparked intrigue in the performer, his thirst for knowledge begging for more information, but he had to concede that point. Not the time, nor the place.

    "I appreciate the warning. In most jobs like this, it's typical for a partner not to care about the collateral; it clears up a loose end, after all. Time and time again, I'm reminded of the professionalism and forward thinking of this guild, and how I'm an investment rather than a risk." If Arsene wasn't valuable to them, no doubt the chairman would care little for his well being. Despite all of the potential Hidden Blades had to kill him, they had just as much reason to keep him safe. "In that case, I should respect that and make sure to maintain the investment, no? So no worries, I'll make sure to stay clear, hell or high water. I have no intent to die before I've retired, after all. Besides, I don't think this guild could afford the compensation I'd demand if you hurt me." Mostly serious, Arsene's voice perked up at the end, trying to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. He could tell the Chairman wasn't happy with whatever situation he was trying to avoid, so he thought it best to push past those feelings and try to lighten the mood. "After this though, I wouldn't mind going out for some drinks and asking all my questions then. My treat, of course."

    Pushing forward again, they soon approached the first break in the hallway. It spread three ways before them, in each cardinal direction. Arsene paused at the wall, clinging close and checking forward for what little he could see before the darkness consumed the halls. The water continued to gush beside them, with a series of small bridges crossing the gap being the only way to the other sides. With a snap, the air around Arsene shimmered and broke, three copies of himself appearing beside him. Without a word, they all took off, one going each way. They all knew their parts, needing no co-ordination from the get go. Turning to the chairman, Arsene stretched a bit. "I'll scout ahead for a few moments here, and see which way looks best. We've no signs of any rats at all, which is a bit concerning. Hopefully I'll see something to lead us forward."

    Casually, Arsene leaned against the wall once more, focusing on sorting out the information his clones sent it. Sharing their thoughts and sight, it could be hard to sort between them all at times, especially with how hard it was to see already. The east was a dead end, with nothing noteworthy, the clone shattering as it reach the end. North was stretching forward, so far with nothing of distinct note. As for the West-

    Arsene flinched, crumbling slightly off the wall. While he took no personal damage, feeling a clone die was still always a shock. "North is still going forward, nothing notable. East is a dead end. West was attacked and killed. It was attacked by a large rat; it came barreling out of a large crack and got my ankle. My clones aren't very sturdy, so that's not surprising. It's our first sight of anything though, so it looks like west we go?" With another snap, one more clone appeared beside him, taking his spot on the wall to watch as a sentry behind them. Arsene started to move for the bridge, hand on his hilt, waiting for his chairman's response.

    WC: 1118
    Total WC: 2898

    Magic Stuff:


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Artemis Dagger
    Artemis Dagger

    Alt Account- Alignment Shift- Gain An Artifact- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Guild Master- S-Rank- A-Rank- Wanderer- Working Together- Forever Solo- Christian Minecraft Server- I Have Friends...- Teaming Up!- Unknown Powerhouse- Unknown Legend- Guild Creator- Achiever- Obligatory Beach Episode- Sticking Around- Richie Rich- Rich- Veteran Level 1- Character History!- Magic Application Approved!- Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Obtain A Lineage!- Join A Faction!- Novice [250]- Player 
    Lineage : Descendant of Jagers
    Position : None
    Posts : 605
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 2,399,882

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Incubus Soul Takeover
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Artemis Dagger 30th April 2019, 11:57 am


    It was fortunate for Artemis that when he made the decision to fall in behind him, Arsene took this in his stride. Despite it being the most efficient way to move forward, Artemis knew full well that some would not adapt so easily, becoming flustered and confused about taking the lead. This wasn't the case with Arsene, it seemed the guy had his head on straight, even if he was a little quirky. They moved forward quickly, Artemis had done his best to remember the map that Arsene had prepared for him. There were moments where his memory failed him, then something would appear upon route reminded him at which point on the map they had reached. Arsene didn't have a single doubt about where he going. He really must have a brilliant mind. Artemis thought to himself, the man's report had been immaculate, the work he quickly worked through the clues Artemis had left for him when they had met. Artemis had only seen one mind as brilliant thus far, and that was of his younger brother Ren. Ren, with his impressive memory and knack for detail. It was surprisingly familiar, perhaps that was why Artemis felt so at ease with Arsene's mannerisms.

    Following Morte's eerie interest in the guy, Artemis had issued an order to Troubadour. Who seemed to take this in stride, Artemis expected some backlash, some arguing, some 'what do you take me for' remark. But it didn't come, instead, he would comment on the warning with appreciation. Talking about how most wouldn't care about the health or wellbeing of 'the collateral',  in this case, his partner. Continuing on about the manner of the guild, and his role in it. It was true, Arsene was an asset to the guild. In his employment, he had quickly shown his worth. Rising through the ranks speedily and even advancing into a specialised section to become an Intelligence Operative. Which had reflected pretty well on Artemis all things considered. So far during his reign of the guild, although he'd many to recruit quite a decent member base, the interactivity in the guild was limited. So many hadn't excelled past their unclassified rankings, something the Directors had become frustrated with. They needed those specialized operatives out there, it was imperative for the success of the guild. So far, since his leadership, the only ones to advanced had been Troubadour, Meitritrice, Stiletto and The Shark. Artemis knew he needed to work harder, to help his agents pinpoint their specialities to that they could progress. Such was the responsibility of the Chairman.

    Arsene continued on to acknowledge that he would heed Artemis's warning, a relief to the armoured red-head. The man's words became slightly lighter, expression a joke. Artemis smirked under his mask, "God forbid we went bankrupt cause Troubadour got a boo-boo." He said in his own joking manner, a little bit of his own nature slipping out. It was hard to maintain, this act of 'The Serious and stoic chairman of Hidden Blades'. Truly a difficult facade, when the real Artemis would much rather enjoy a laugh coupled with a nice beer. He would nod, "A drink sounds good, I'll answer any questions you have, within reason of course." He said, he was happy to explain what he could, although it really depended on the questions Troubadour asked. There were some things the man just couldn't admit to the younger man, no matter how much he wanted to. It was a matter of life or death, and he didn't fancy dying just to sate the curiosity of an employee.

    Arsene would stop as a slit; the hallway seemed to fork into three paths. Artemis waited, eyes falling on his subordinate, to see what he would do. It was moments like this he could analyse the man's capabilities, building up his own understanding of the employee. The distance ahead was completely black, it was impossible to tell which way would be the best route to take, even Artemis couldn't sniff it out, not with all this sewage around him. The air around Troubadour would shimmer, copies of mage appearing around him. Artemis arched a brow under his mask, listening as he commented about his plan of action. Artemis would nod, that was an impressive skill to have in your arsenal. He would watch as the man began to focus on the clones, saying nothing as he waited for information. He noticed the slight jolt in movement, before listening as he began to speak, explaining what had happened to each clone. One dead, one blocked and the other still going. "Seems like our best shot." Artemis agreed, following begin the man.

    As they moved along, the tunnel remained quiet, although occasional Artemis would hear the occasional scuttling of movement. He would stop every know to see which direction it would come from; only it would be already gone. It was fast, but not fast enough. The fortunate thing about having advanced senses was that all your senses were better than most and while his sense of smell was somewhat out of whack. His hearing was not. "Ready yourself Troubadour, it'll be here in ten seconds. " He instructed, pulling his magical energy from within. He was tentative as he formed an orb of demonic energy in his palm. He would wait a moment, wanting to see how the younger man acted before seeing to the oversized rat. Just as he'd predicted, the Rat scuttled into view, running at the tremendous speed. A monstrous beast, baring it's large yellow fang as it launched itself at Troubadour.




    WC: 934 | Art's Total: 3015 Thread Total: 5913 / 14000



    Last edited by Artemis Dagger on 17th May 2019, 5:59 am; edited 1 time in total


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    Arsene Mayura
    Arsene Mayura

    VIP- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Player 
    Lineage : Gingerbread Man
    Position : None
    Posts : 286
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Age : 26
    Mentor : Artenis Dagger
    Experience : 1,693.75

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Reflection
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Arsene Mayura 8th May 2019, 1:08 am

    Shattering all of this clones save the sentry behind him, Troubadour lead the way again. This time though, he adjusted his posture. The casual, loose gait he normally had vanished; in it's place was a much different display. Standing tall, still, almost rigid, he made almost no noise with each step. Silently skulking forward, watching for any sign of motion or life. To him, it was all an eerie still now. To match that, he became still himself. Slow, full breaths, both readying and relaxing his muscles. Now, Arsene had to adopt a new role, a new persona; that of the Hidden Blades assassin. A skilled killer, dedicated to taking life without a single wasted moment. While practiced to an extent, this was mostly a foreign role to him. Arsene never hid the fact that he was poor in a fight. Not only did his skills not align with it, he honestly disliked fighting; he disliked killing. Not for any particular moral reasons, but to him it just felt wasteful. Things had more value living. A corpse never made a good pawn to play. Through combination of that belief and his lacking skills, one could count his experiences fighting on one hand.

    There was amble experience in escaping. There was a ton of times he maneuvered his way outside of an ambush or a failed heist. Most of that involved avoiding conflict at all costs though. Here, that wasn't an option. No doubt, not only would it look poorly for Arsene if as soon as he saw a rat he ran all the way to Clover Town, but even then that risked the Chairman, albeit in the tiniest of ways. Still though, that was a risk, and your boss dying on a job with you never looked good on a resume. To some, the fact that they were only fighting a rat and not a person was an upside. It's a simple, mindless animal. No matter the size, it would surely be an easy feat. That made this much worse for Troubadour, however. A fighting style that relied on tricking and out maneuvering another person was very ineffective against a large rodent. No ways to really outsmart or outplay it. The encounter would come down to a simple test of strength.

    Gripping the hilt of Mirror's Edge tightly, Arsene nodded as the Chairman spoke. Not that he noticed anything himself, but he trusted the Chairman enough to know he was right. Steadying himself, he counted down the ten seconds in his mind. Turning the corner of an ahead tunnel at an unlikely speed, the massive mound of tooth and flesh flew at Arsene. For a small second, one might see what looked like a glitch in reality; as if for Arsene alone time hoped backwards just a second. At first, looking down the beast, readying to draw his sword, his arms seemed to drop slightly, followed by him starting to crouch down. Just as quickly as he started to bend though, he was sudden;y back in his exact previous position, the iconic shimmer of his magic filling the air. Drawing the blade, Arsene shoved it at the rodents mouth and braced himself, taking the brute force of his charge head on, but flocking his teeth and keeping it at bay with his blade. He held it out before him, one hand on the hilt while the other held the top of the blade, resting it's flate side against his palm. After a brief struggle as each attempted to push the other cover, Arsene managed to slide the beat back a bit; enough for him to back step and create some distance.

    Seemingly unphased despite having its face smashed by a sword, there was not a trace of damage to the creatures hide or tooth. Arsene had to guard with the dull side, so that was no surprise, but it was still impressive. Moving forward, he lunged at the creature, a downward swipe across it's face. The beast recoiled, sliding backwards to dodge the best it could, but was unable to entirely dodge, the tip of his blade nicking it's face and drawing some blood. That proved that Mirror's Edge was sharp enough to do damage, luckily. Letting out a pained screech, the creature lunged forward at Arsene, forcing him to press against the wall to dodge. Only now did the reality of the creatures size sink it. Standing almost 8 feet tall on all fours, the rat was large enough that it took almost the entire walkway by itself, leaving to Arsene being nearly crushed between it and the wall. A quick jab to it's flank force the rat back again.

    The rat was not as apt to let Troubadour have the first move again this time, dashing at him and forcing another side dodge. This time though, it didn't stop after he dodged, instead through itself sideways against the wall and slamming the assassin with it's momentum. Groaning in pain, Arsene felt the wind ripped from him. His lungs felt ablaze, desperate for air, and he struggled to maintain the grip on his sword. Lodged between the wall and the massive rat, it hung slightly above the creatures foot. Forcing all of his strength he had left to his arm, he thrusted Mirror's Edge downward, through the beasts leg. As if cutting paper, the mystical glass slid through the beast and into the stone walkway beneath them. The rat attempted to retreat once more, but found itself unable to, Arsene holding it;s backfoot hostage and locked down. Through desperate breathes, he forced out a sentence. "It's in...."

    With that, the air shimmered once more, Arsene appearing out of thin air beside the Chairman. Having replaced himself with his Understudy, a much more durable reflection, and Refreacted himself to be invisible to the rat, it turned all of it's focus to the clone, who worked as a test dummy for Arsene to make sure his plan would work. From Mirror's Edge, 5 copies of itself seemed to pop out, floating in the air around him. Arsene walked forward and the swords flew ahead, each aiming for another of the feet. Quickly, each foot was nailed down by the blades, the extra two going to hold it's tail in place. The rat shivered and squirmed, shrieking in pain, and still trying to crush the understudy, who couldn't take the assault for much longer. Arsene ran to the beast, his sword finding it's way across the rodent's neck before he jumped back. "Mind giving it the finishing touches? Don't worry about my understudy, he's used to dying." Arsene moved towards the Chairman, staring at the ball of demonic energy in his hand and making sure to make his distance.

    WC: 1,128
    Total WC: 7,041 / 14,000
    Personal WC: 4,026 / 7,000

    Magic Stuff:


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    Artemis Dagger
    Artemis Dagger

    Alt Account- Alignment Shift- Gain An Artifact- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Guild Master- S-Rank- A-Rank- Wanderer- Working Together- Forever Solo- Christian Minecraft Server- I Have Friends...- Teaming Up!- Unknown Powerhouse- Unknown Legend- Guild Creator- Achiever- Obligatory Beach Episode- Sticking Around- Richie Rich- Rich- Veteran Level 1- Character History!- Magic Application Approved!- Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Obtain A Lineage!- Join A Faction!- Novice [250]- Player 
    Lineage : Descendant of Jagers
    Position : None
    Posts : 605
    Guild : Hidden Blades
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 2,399,882

    Character Sheet
    First Skill: Incubus Soul Takeover
    Second Skill:
    Third Skill:

    The Worst Kind of Punishment Empty Re: The Worst Kind of Punishment

    Post by Artemis Dagger 18th May 2019, 8:03 am


    Artemis watched the event of the Rat's attack cautiously, the moment it appeared and launched itself at Arsene. There seemed to almost a ripple in the air, some type of distortion which Artemis could only pertain as having something to do with Troubadours magic. Artemis tried to follow what had happened but even with his demonic eyes it was a struggle to keep up, it wasn't exactly easy to witness in such a dark, confined space, and so much going on. What he did see clearly, however, was Arsene strike at the beast with his weapon, driving his blade at the creature's mouth, using the sword to hold back the beast. There was a moment where he would hold it there before Arsene was about to push the creature back. Meanwhile, Artemis summoned two more orbs of darkness, they hovered around him in wait. The Chairman manoeuvring his body slightly, taking a step to the centre of the tunnel, so if he needed he would have a good shot at hitting the rat, which would give him the time he needed in case he had to drag the Rat off of Arsene should it get the better of him.

    Arsene had been doing well enough, he even managed to cut the beast, however, the difference in their size became a factor when Arsene was forced against the way, Artemis went to move forward but stopped when he saw Arsene force the rat back with a jab. The Rat didn't seem to stop however, charging once more, the younger male would dodge at first, only to be slammed into moments later. Once again Artemis was prepared to intervene, however, the young man managed to get out of that too. Which was fortunately for the Incubus magic user, he didn't want to risk jumping in at this point and accidentally hitting his comrade should he get out of the attack and move in front of the rat when Artemis launched his spell. So he would wait a moment more, the redhead watched as the glass blade was driven into the rat's leg. Trapping the giant rat in place, he screeched in pain, trying to get away but unable to. He would hear the younger man talk and nodded, noticing him as he appearing next to him moments later. Replicas of the glass sword appearing around Troubadour, before they would fly towards the Rat who was trying to crush the 'fake' agent against the wall. The swords would aid in trapping the Rat in place, before Arsene landed a final attack, thrusting a sword into the rat's neck. As the man spoke, Artemis would nod, it would be easy enough at this point, albeit a little redundant. Arsene seemed well within his means to finish off the Rat himself, but for whatever reason, he had to request his leader do it. It was fine by Artemis, although it did make him wonder if there was a specific reason. Did Arsene not feel comfortable with killing? It wasn't something that would especially shock Artemis. He himself had certain struggles with instigating death, but only when it came to humans. Rats, monsters, and ...demons well they meant nothing to him, he felt little remorse about killing those.

    With a simple flick of his wrist, the orbs would swirl around him, before shooting forward. Slamming into the creature one by one, one in the stomach, the second in its chest and the third hitting it in the face. the rat screeched in agony as the demonic energy engulfed it. He stretched out his left palm so it was facing the beast, his armoured hands would move slightly, manipulated by his magic, it would allow it to pass through. Dark thorny vines would stretch more forth, moving towards the creature. The vines would split into multiple ropes. Wrapping themselves around the Rat neck, moving around the edges of Arsene's sword. The thorns would dig into its flesh, and the vines began to constrict the Rat throat. Squeezing tighter and tighter, before jolting so suddenly that there would be a distinctive crack as the bones of the neck of the creature were snapped, ultimately killing it.

    He would hold it there for a moment, before retracting the thorns. Pulling them back into his palm, they vanished completely. His armour closing over his hand once more. He would look at Arsene, "Not bad, it's fortunate that you can swap yourself out of such an attack, your understudies have it rough though." He thought in slight amusement, eying the body of the understudy with slight displeasure. It wasn't exactly nice to look at, see his companion like that, even if it wasn't the real Arsene. It was a bitter reminder of how easily he could have been killed. In fact, any of his employees could suffer from such a fate, they were in a dangerous line of work after all. It was high-pay because it was high-risk. That was one of the perks. Artemis wasn't quite sure how he would take it, losing someone on the job, a man or woman under his command. He wasn't exactly ready for such turmoil. I'll have to keep emotionally distant I guess. He thought to himself, although something told him, that it wasn't going to be easy.

    He looked to Arsene, "Let us continue," He instructed to Arsene, he could fall back into pace. However this time, he had created a few more orbs that would hover around him constantly. A precautionary measure, that fight had made quite a lot of noise, they couldn't rule out more rat's making their way towards them. And if more than one of those things turned up, he couldn't rely on Arsene to take them both on. The monster had been tougher than he'd expected, perhaps there was more risk to this job than he'd initially realised. He grinned, Maybe I'll even get to have a little fun. He couldn't help such a thought, despite how much he tried to play to 'serious and professional' Chairman. The young lad really loved a good fight.




    WC: 1019 | Art's Total:  4,034 Thread Total: 8,060 / 14000

    Magic Stats::



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