A sheep among wolves

Job: Stop The Traitor!
Rank: A Rank
Location: The Town of the Guild you wish to work for.
Player Requirements: 1 A rank Minimum or 2 B Rank Minimum, Neutral and Dark Guilds only; guildless may be invited to help out a Neutral/Dark Guild member doing this job. 7000 Words Solo, 14000 Words if in a group.
Job Requirements: To find and neutralize the member of the guild who has began plotting against the Master and attempting to destroy the Master's plans!
Job Description:
Guilded Member: A member of your guild has begun plotting against the Master and destroying the reputation of the Guild along with selling its secrets! Find them and take care of them before they can reach the enemy!
Non Guilded: A Master of a guild has a traitor in their ranks who is selling their secrets! Find and stop them before they reach the opposing guild. Take them dead or alive.
Importance: High level.
Enemies:

Weak: 10x Hypnotised Villagers - C Rank: These people may be knocked out or killed depending upon your guild's ethics. They carry small or no weapons. - Takes a single B rank to bring down

Normal: 5x Rogue Mages - A Rank: Mages who will want a piece of the information, these mages magic will vary at the writers choice. - Takes a single A rank to bring down

Strong: 5x Members of opposing Guild - A Rank: These are members of the guild that want your guild's information! Bring them down by any means necessary. - Takes 2 A ranks to bring down each

Boss: 1x Traitor! - S Rank: This chap uses Hypnosis and illusion magic! it is strong and he likes to play tricks, he gained the nickname Loki so be wary of him! Bring him down no matter what. - Takes 10 A ranks to bring down
Reward: 50,000J and acknowledgement from your GM.

While gasping for air a middle-aged man struggled against Dahau's grip. His right hand clenched around the man's throat, squeezing tightly with every passing second. The man dangled in the air, as he was lifted up several centimeters into the air.
Other villagers fled the scene. Quickly they ran towards their homes and slammed the door shut behind them. Other went so far to even close their windows, not that it would help much, they knew that if Dahau wanted to, he could just blast away their entire house. This was the fate of the towns that lay in the shadow at the base of Mount Hakobe, the ever lingering threat of the mountain and its inhabitants always made sure that the villagers lived in constant fear.

'Let me ask you again, mister mayor' stated Dahau with a stern tone. Different from his usual arrogant one. 'Where is Polyphemos? I know he has been giving you money and that he is holed up somewhere in this wretched town... tell me or else I'll wipe out everyone in this town, starting with you!'

This was the third town Dahau and his fellow mages had to inspect. After they got wind of a traitor in the guild, their master had conducted a plan to force the spy to reveal himself, which turned out to be Polyphemos. An eyepatch-wearing mage, who just recently joined up. At first glance, it looked as if he was just another youngster eager to prove himself. It turned out he really was, but just not for Errings Rising, but for another dark guild namely Rotten Fox. Upon discovery, the young mage had made a run for it, for one of the towns down the mountain. Forcing Dahau along with two other mages to go after him and eradicate the traitorous mage. Unfortunately, the search didn't go so well, Polyphemos cleverly left tracks and scents at two other towns, so that Dahau and cohorts had to search through each of them. However the scent they were following stopped here, and Dahau was done with the detective approach. Right now it was time for harsh action, even if that action was about to cost innocent lives.

'I-I tell you' said the mayor between each breath. 'Just don't hurt me please!' He probably is at the Sleeping Giant inn, that's where he meets his contact!'

Dahau shook the man one more time. 'That's not all! Why is he even paying you! He could've just come here without telling you. Instead he goes out of his way to pay you money. Why?!'

'I Don't know! All I know is that I had to introduce him to some strong townsfolk! Please I beg of you! That's all I know! Just let me go please!'

'Now was that so hard' replied Dahau, right before a loud and single crack came from the mayor. Next, he just hang in Dahau's hand as if he was nothing more but a lifeless doll. Dahau had snapped the mayor's neck and now looked at him as he released his grip on the mayor's corpse so that it collapsed on the ground.
Next Dahau turned his head a bit and look at the two mages that had come with him on this endeavor. 'You heard the man! It's time we gave our fellow guildmate a parting gift.'

596/14000 WC

This wasn't exactly what the kelpie had imagined his first job with his mentee would be like. Maybe something simpler, easier? But that probably wouldn't be a good way to get stronger. Laurence tried to care that this was likely over his head, but it all fell under the very reasons that it was hard to find sanity or stability inside himself in the first place. The horse didn't know if anything was real or not, even himself. It was harder to care about danger or a lack there of with that sort of mindset. It's been hard to dismiss since waking from death, if that really ever happened at all. The end had felt so final, followed by a rest so calm and deep that it seemed as if nothing should be able to disturb it. Without a say in any of the matter the mans eyed had opened. It was like falling asleep with the purest heart of a harmless human, then waking a black cored kelpie. There was the feeling and knowing of still being the same person, and yet not the same. The body was the same yet different, along with every emotion, feeling, and craving. At the same time? If this was real, then he didn't want it to be over. This fae like had been better so far than anything as a human. Back then, Lott had accepting everything because there was no way life was going to pull him through the ranks. There was no way to get power, only work as honestly as possible. It had felt like everything was already decided, a path walked many times by many before him that was just being used another time. Even the worst days in the time of now were better than the worst days of before because there was an unpredictability and freedom.

That's right. It was a good thing that this job was so above the head, it wasn't a predictable outcome. In the time of now everyone has their own roads and he was in a guild of others with just as dark intentions. The person they were after today betrayed their group, the one thing the kelpie could never consider forgivable. In a world where everything felt so lost and hard to care for or about, the guild was the strange rock for him. A group that also saw how nonsensical it was to follow rules when people didn't even remember why those laws existed in the first place. There was no hint of fear in Laurence, not like that counted as courage for a second. It was easy to feel over your head and lack fear when reality itself was questioned to exist. Traveling around Mt. Hakobe wasn't terrible like it had been the first time, but the guild mark was to thank for that. It was all the more reason why finding the traitor was important, even if the faes reasons were nonsensical and selfish. There wasn't honor left inside, so there was no way to use that or such beliefs as a fuel or reason behind doing something anyway. This of course was what lead him to following his mentor into a town. The dark fae watched with a slightly agitated and bored expression, quietly following along. Long pointed ears that slightly sagged listened to every sound and nearby that they could pick up. There was no bother in listening to the threats with backing. The response given just gave more reason to not care. "One in charge of a town who doesn't care about threats on his peoples lives, yet fears for his own..."

It just felt obvious that the only part of his mentors threat that moved the person was on their personhood. Why did it bother the kelpie? He wasn't really sure, but it did. It was fine if they killed people, but being a leader meant being a leader, right? But, why did that bother him? Why even say it when that person was already dead, or still get annoyed by it? Than again, a normal person would get bothered by the actual murder, at least take notice in some way. Right now? The fae didn't even feel like they would be good meat fodder. "It sounds like a few idiots will be there." It felt a bit like they were going into a situation where using his lure form would be useless. As an ex guildmate, they would already know it's use. Any innocence it gave off would be wasted for that reason. Anyone who followed the traitor was a betrayer themselves. Everything felt strangely cut and dry. "I'll do my best to kill well, since my lure form wont be useful."

Words: 790

Kien watched the scene below him unfold absent minded. With his plated boots dangling from the roof of a building, he was mostly disinterested in seeing his guildmates terrorize a simple civilian. While that was fun from time to time, it gets old quick. What fun is there fighting a prey that does not squirm or wriggle or at the very least put up a futile resistance. The thrill of the hunt was all there. As far as things went around those parts, it seemed that no thrill would be had there. "Nothing to see up here, there's no trace of the fucker. At the very least not within this part of this stupid village."

It was like the other two villages. Well, ex villages. For how long would they have to aimlessly run around like some sort of headless chicken? If they wanted to keep going they would have to find someone else there cause another town and he was out.

The young werewolf got up and started taking a walk on the village rooves. He had to keep himself entertained somehow. He took a moment to glance around for the inn. Even if the mayor had told the truth, there was little to no chance of the whole job to actually be this easy.

"Hoi, you two." Kien called his partner in crime to catch their attention. He squatted down on the roof he was standing on and pointed to his left, towards the northwest section of the village. "I see no inn around these parts. Maybe its somewhere over there, it looks more like a commercial area. Still, are you two really expecting to find the guy there? I am pretty sure the slimy rat of ours is way more cunning that what the mayor thought. He's probably hiding somewhere or has already left the village. That'd be a shame, cause I'd love to play with him. If we wanna do something concrete, we need to find a way to box him in somewhere we can easily get to."

Whatever the plan may be, the little traitor was in for something worse than death. "Also, whatever you guys do, I want the guy alive. He has to tell me all about his guild before he goes six feet under. I would love to massacre a couple fools."

He was already preparing himself to the prospect of fun murder. It was surely way more interesting to think about that than bear the massive bother of a mission he had been assigned. As such, the lavender head got back up after his little interaction with Dahau and Lanwdence before making his way towards the are he had just pointed at, jumping from roof to roof without a care in the world and a disinvoluted stance.

WC470

'I think you're right' replied Dahau to Kien. 'He'd either run off or since he has been looking for a strong able man in this town, he might be thinking that he is safe. Maybe even laying out some sort of trap for us... but not to worry if we find him you'll get every chance to toy with him a bit'

It was safe to assume to traitorous mage would lay in hiding, waiting for them to come to him. In fact, he'd probably found some hired muscle, dumb villages who were thinking of earning a quick a buck.
It appeared that the Inn that mayor told the mages about wasn't anywhere near, instead, Kien saw something in the distance that looked like a gathering area. Maybe a square? That would be the most logical place for an inn to be. Dahau gave his the other mage Lott a nod to continue, while Kien jumped from roof to roof and probably reach the square before them.

It took a few minutes, but after traversing through some small streets they'd entered the communal area, which was indeed a shabby looking square. Several shops were located here and a statue of an old local hero was placed in the midst of the agora. On the other side was the so-called Sleeping Giant Inn. There were also people around, but there was something strange, for starters they didn't seem to move around. Instead, they'd just stood there, staring into nothingness. Their hand bungling next to their bodies as if they waited for something. Dahau gave Laurence a meaningful glance, telling him with a look to keep his eyes open, before stepping foot onto the square.
The moment he did, the eeriest thing happened. Suddenly all the townsfolk started to stare in their direction and started to trace them with their eyes as Dahau traversed the square. Right now they were all focused on him, still unaware of the other two mages that were lurking around.
These villagers had to be under some sort of spell, besides their erratic behavior there was also the fact that they were still outside. Even though mages of Erings Rising were wandering around, most of the time a mage of their guild entered one of the lower towns at the feet of Mt. Hakobe, the inhabitants would close the doors and windows shut. And hide behind their furniture, as if that would protect them from the wrath of a dark mage. So the villages had to be either brave and stupid, which they are neither or there was something else at play here.
Then out of nowhere, one of the villagers released a shrieked a high pitched scream. He and the others started to twitch for a mere second, only to follow up by dashing towards Dahau. Out of some of the shops, more villagers appeared, some of them even carrying makeshift weapons like a hammer or a butcher cleaver.

'It seems we've found the right spot!' shouted Dahau surprisingly pleased. Which he was, not only because he could finally blow off some steam. But also because this silly goose chase was over and they'd could finally take care of the spy in their midst.

wc:596+560 = 1056/14000

Laurence lazily looked towards Kien when the other male spoke before waving a bit. The werewolf spoke a lot, bringing up a few things that the kelpie didn't really know anything about. The water horse really had no idea how to track people, only how to lure certain people over towards his person. Why was the pale haired guy talking like he was in charge though? Wasn't Dahau? But it seemed their mentor wasn't phased by such things. People were confusing, as were interactions at times. Then there were the villagers. There were quite a fair bit of them. Everything had gone from mostly quiet to annoying very quickly to Lott. The young man had no issue in killing anyone, that wasn't the issue.
To kill or be killed held so little weight at this time, for reality was hard to take too seriously at this time. But it also meant that sometimes action running with a screaming frenzy to it didn't always catch his attention. They were all running meaninglessly to their deaths, there was no reason to him to get excited or interested. Maybe he could try to weed the traitor out? They were an ex member of errings rising, but clearly none of his lackies were. He could see the man sharing a bad amount of information about stronger members, but not of the green ones like him.

How scary could a new kelpie that spaces out and doesn't mind a few stabs or shots in his direction really be? But if that was the case, it might just be better to go as himself. There was no way to mistake the ex carpenter as anything remotely human, but it also might mean fighting. Well if violence comes then it would just have to be dealt with. At least for the moment it looked like none of it was going towards the faes direction. The muddled mind finally made a choice, the inhuman horse like eyes were replaced with a beautiful illusion of silvery blue.
The wild kelp like black and green hair was now of a pale blue silvery complexion. Yes, it was possibly not even a minute ago that the low ranked mage had said he wouldn't use the form, but it could be hard not to when it could possible be so useful. Nobody would be able to feel his sins anymore, nor would they be likely to think to if they didn't know who Laurence was. That being said, a random villager still tried to strike at him. Of course this meant he had been right earlier when saying that the lure form would be useless. "I wanted to get to the center main area where they sprouted from..."

Of course after moving from the attempted strike of a paring knife the man changed back. The lure form would be terrible for combat, as it couldn't attack. At the very least when the weapon did pierce the flesh it helped put Lott into action. The water horse launched a spell that looked like a gob of water, the spell killing the villager a lot faster than he actually expected. Of course it killed the villager, they had 120hp. All his attack spells had a 50% spell damage increase, meaning the advanced spell had done a total of 135 damage, which was 15 over.
Honestly it was a good thing they died fast, it meant there was no need to keep focusing for long. But the young fae also shouldn't be in a rush to use all his magic up. If you use up all your magic on the starters, then what would be left for fighting the final person? But he wasn't someone with battle experience, not really. The amount of fights the water horse had been in could have been counted with one hand, despite their strength and willingness to kill. Perhaps this was part of being a new yet not new person?

The young man tried to move around the villagers again, feeling annoyed in general with the situation. Annoyed they had to fight people that hadn't been able to resist hypnosis. Bothered that the person was using others to do it for him instead of doing it himself or getting his own allies to help him out. Why these mindless idiots?
Words: 721
Laurence's Total: 1,511