The Dark Escort (Maxie)

Job Information:

Maxie waited outside of the banquet hall, his hands place behind his back in a butler-esque fashion such as he'd witnessed his own demonic butlers doing before. It was a strange feeling being stood here without his parasol. It was almost like he felt...incomplete. Unfortunately he didn't have the time to dwell on the thought of his poor lonely parasol as a carriage pulled up on the road beside him. The door opened almost as soon as the carriage came to a full stop and out stepped a young woman with long black hair and wearing a long flowing black dress. She seemed rather pale not unlike himself and quite frail. It was clear this girl didn't get out much. A man - Maxie assumed it was her father - peered out of the carriage to look at Maxie. In fact, now that Maxie paid attention, he noticed many people were looking at him, including his charge. The older man simply shook his head, muttering something about 'crazy mage types' before motioning for his driver to move onward. Maxie simply disregarded their reaction to him and turned to face the young woman once more.

"Good evening milady...or at least, it will be."

The woman looked Maxie up and down once more, clearly enthralled by his dress sense. Who wouldn't be somewhat uncertain when your escort is wearing the brightest and most flamboyant combination of pink and white imaginable? After a few awkward seconds where Maxie found himself daydreaming once more, his client finally spoke. "You're...different." she mumbled, still taking in the man's appearance. Maxie bowed in response, his hat not moving an inch. "I appreciate the compliment milady!~
I am Maximilian Hexworth and it is a pleasure to be your escort this beautiful evening." He took the young woman's hand in his only to have it wrenched from his grasp. "Well...I suppose what those nobles have been saying about you was correct. You are rude...but then again your rudeness is justified is it not? But theirs...they are disrespectful..."

His client looked at Maxie completely shocked. "They...they talk about me?" she stuttered, on the verge of tears from this revelation. Maxie nodded with a sad expression, before releasing a sigh. "Come along milady...let us go inside and get a drink and I will tell you more."

"Remain calm milady. The last thing we need is for those pretentious souls to pay more attention than necessary." he spoke softly, trying his best not to giggle at the thoughts that were running through his mind. This young woman seemed to be incredibly fragile. Chances were he could easily manipulate her to do his bidding if he worded himself correctly. Of course he also had to be wary of the many people around the pair. Any actions or words that were accidentally made in the open...well, people would become alarmed and that would put an end to the show before it had even begun. Maxie couldn't have that happening now could he?

He led the way to a table on the far end of the room where the drinks were laid out, while also glancing around the room to take in his surroundings. For the most part it was a simple banquet hall. However there was a section in the corner to the left of the table that had private stalls for the nobles to have discussions away from the life of the party. As the God Slayer took in this information a plan began to hatch in his mind and a subtle grin crept across his face. Soon...soon it would be showtime.

~An hour later~

Maxie remained sat in a chair as his client - who revealed herself as Lucille Grove, daughter of Lord Jonathan Grove - finished her glass of wine, although exactly how many glasses she'd had were beyond counting by this point. She was knocking each glass back as if it was water and she were dying of thirst. Not that the dark mage minded so much. A fragile mind in a drunken state was a million times easier to manipulate than a sober one.

"So...Mr...Hexworth..." Her speech was beginning to slur ever so slightly, but that was fine. Her movement wouldn't be impaired just yet, meaning Maxie could still have some fun. "Please Lady Grove, call me Maxie." he replied with a warm smile. She responded with a giggle. "Maxie...have you ever been treated this way by others? How would you deal with it?"

Oooooh! The excitement was almost causing him to SHAKE! She'd given him the opening he required. "Well...I always believe that those who are disrespectful should be taught respect..." he replied in a low whisper. The girl looked back at him for a moment, looking him in the eyes as if trying to read what he was thinking. And then...there it was. That switch in her mind that caused her eyes to glint momentarily in a dark and evil glow with a sadistic grin that was matched only by Maxie's own dark expression. "Milady...may I suggest retiring to a stall to start the show?"

The girl nodded and giggled coldly before the pair headed to the far left corner of the banquet hall. Things were about to become a lot more fun.

The evening's entertainment was about to begin and by god was it going to be a heartstopping experience. The duo waited in the stalls silently, ensuring to keep the sign on the door as 'Vacant'. Then it was just a case of waiting and being patient. Maxie hid behind the door whilst Lucille his against the wall...with a small knife in her hand that she'd been supplied by none other than the Tartarus mage himself. In her drunken and angered state she'd happily agreed to letting off some steam and showing in no uncertain terms how much sweat and blood she'd put into her work since her mother's passing. To Master Hexworth however this was simply going to be a great show, planned, written and directed by his own hand. Hell, he was even making a cameo appearance!

It wasn't long before the show began as a pair of unsuspecting men entered the booth to discuss politics or some loads of crap that really didn't interest him. As the two men stepped in, Maxie shut the door behind them. Lucille immediately sprung on one of them and ended his life in a surprisingly quick and efficient manner. The Tartarus mage then decimated the second man as he scrambled around to find another exit. The mess was kept fairly minimal and the bodies were hidden in the corner of the room, out of immediate sight. Before long there would be considerably more bodies piled up in that corner.

The night was beginning to get on and the bodies were beginning to pile up. By this point Maxie had stepped back from the action and was now merely the audience as Lucille became more and more adept and increasingly more efficient with her kills. However, the sudden disappearances were starting to attract attention and Maxie knew it wouldn't be long before people would start searching the stalls. After the...what number were they on now? Somewhere around twenty or thirty bodies out of the hundreds out there. He put his hand on Lucille's shoulder and chuckled. "Lucille...milady...it's time to stop and to take our leave."

~~~~

The carriage belonging to Lucille's father pulled up alongside the road as the mage and his charge were just nearing it. With a silent smile Lucille stepped aboard the carriage as her father opened the door for her and looked down at the God Slayer. Without a word he dropped a bag down to Maxie, giving him a warm smile. "Thank you for a wonderful evening Maxie!" Lucille called out as the carriage left, leaving Maxie on the side of the road with a bag full of jewels. Oh if only the young noblewoman had waited around a little longer. The screams of panic and horror echoed out of the banquet hall so loud that the Tartarus mage could hear it from where he stood. With a grin he walked over to a nearby bush and reached in, before pulling out his parasol. He brushed off the leaves before opening it up, whistling merrily to himself as the noblefolk rushed out of the hall in terror. "Oh no dear Lucille...thank you." he spoke softly as he smiled.

When the reports would come in the news the next morning, there would be mention of the peculiarly dressed man walking with a parasol under the moonlight.