St. Elmo's Fire

[supernal]

Now that the heat on their backs had died down and the trio were in a place of relative security, away from the prying eyes and swords of the guards, Nero's mind settled back into a state of rest. When Kiran joined them fully, clad in a dress that contrasted her general demeanor sharply, Nero could not help but smile.

"Kiran, is that you? Why, I barely recognized you. You look like such…such a lady!" Was it at all possible that the monk was unaware that his specific tone and syntax might be cause for offense? Not at all. Nero knew exactly what he said, but he was also aware that Kiran did not know this, and so he attempted to let his insult slide under the radar. "Nice hair too. I actually believe you're someone's daughter."

The tailor motioned for Nero and, still smiling, Nero excused himself. When he returned a few minutes later, wallet far lighter than it had been in a while (he'd have to hunt for his food the next few days), Nero was dressed inconspicuously. It was the most common theme he could find, that he could recall from the time spent in this town, in the most quotidian tones.

He looked like any other man.

"They don't have to be very important themselves. If we found someone that was important to someone important, that'd be enough. Not the mayor, but the mayor's son. That sort of deal."

Not shortly after Nero spoke those words, they hadn't even been given enough time for their echo to fade, Mantus decided that the time for talk was done and the time for action as now. Chains struck the ground, made it shake with their weight, and in the next moments Mantus splintered the door and dragged the tailor behind him. Into the town.

Nero and Kiran were left in Mantus' wake. There were women screaming, the duo mostly ignored as they hadn't really done much to attract attention to themselves, and as Mantus trudged further into town, the chorus strengthened in volume and timbre.

"I guess that means we have a choice." Nero glanced sidelong at Kiran. "Either help Mantus, or use him as a distraction and escape."
[hr:2ahmztzl][/hr:2ahmztzl]Very few men tried to stop Mantus. Some, but very few, because they learned their lesson quickly enough. Easily dispatched, and for all the world to see, the town got the message. And then the sounds vanished. So did the people. The further Mantus went into town, the more spare the population became until there was nothing left.

And then? A volley of arrows brought shade to the streets and swore death to the bounty hunter.

[circa.cipher]

Kiran's lips thinned at the on-going events. Mantus couldn't be serious. It wasn't that simple. You can't just march into the middle of a city with a hostage. If he was that reckless, she was tempted to just run. She was curious, though, as to when Nero started to think of them as "we."

"I just want to get to my ship. Mantus isn't my concern."

Turning and heading toward the door, she shuddered at the restricted movement of the dress. This would be infinitely annoying, and she would be glad to get rid of it. She'd have a special bonfire just to rid herself of the painstaking thing. Starting off at a nice, slow walk, she followed the cleared path of the crazy man ahead of her. She had never thought that Mantus was particularly reserved, but this was insane. The streets were empty and quiet. No eerie feeling that she was being watched perturbed her skin, and so she continued with the cocky gait she had picked up from her life of piracy.

She itched her ringless eyebrow, cringing at the smooth skin there. She was so used to having the rings under her calloused fingertips that when they were gone it seemed unnatural. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Nero approaching, walking backward for a moment before once again turning to walk normally.

"So what's the plan, then?"

[Mantus]

Mantus was impressed by the indignation of the guardsman that swept the skies away with their projectiles. The rather hasty decision to fire upon sight, obviously no emphasis was place on the intention on saving the tailors life that literally tailed behind Mantus. As the flock in the skies migrated towards Mantus many different scenarios registered in his mind, common sense applies when it comes to realizing Mantus has none, however tactically hes somewhat of a genius. An interesting array of scenarios fluttered through his head as the flock grew more imminent. Slimming down the selection to the top two choices, he meditated.

Scenario A: Punish the guardsman for their hasty and uneducated attack, muscles would expand and contract, move and expel force. His eyes perceived all, every arrow from every direction, hands would grasp the chain that subdued the tailor producing the white knuckle effect as his impenetrable grasp strengthened. Rotating his hips and shooting his leg backwards and swinging his arms in the direction his hips twisted would cause the man to surface into the air. The direction the man soared was directly towards his demise, his body absorbing every single arrow. Not a splinter missed, every calculation correct by Mantus, the man's weight, height, momentum and force required to time the defense, he could thank Nero for the practice of hauling weight and swinging it, due to the scuffle they endured earlier.

The image superb and beautiful, however the choice was decided to not use that scenario, just like the guardsman it was too hasty, he may require the tailor. The imminent hail of arrows were upon him, and a slight adjustment to his neck was positioned. The force would explode towards the ground, causing a surplus of smoke and dust debris to fly into the air, as the dust began to settle the silhouette of Mantus remained. Completely cleared Mantus scenario had came to reality as he envisioned it, the first noticeable distinction his blood lust smile split across his face. His blood curling-laugh erupted the skies as the crimson fluid leaked down to the dust where spare arrows were intimately clung to the earth. After settling, Mantus stood still, not barging an inch. Arrows protruded his skin from every diabolical direction, besides his head. The swift head neck movement ensured his main artery was not pierced. He acknowledged the expert marksmanship of the guardsman, the arrows were calculated to hit based on the speed he was running at, and enough accuracy to stop before the tailor.

From shoulder to shoulder arrows pierced his skin, and the blood simply soaked into his clothes and joined the earth, next to the arrows.

"D-D-D.."

"Yer right, Demon."

The tailor was incredulous to the events that just played in front of his eyes, how was this man still standing, he had to be a demon!

A shriek would tear through the very fabric of the town, quite literally shredding weak compounds, a nearby townsman watching the battle would scream in horror, the same crimson fluid that leaked from Mantus' wounds would leak out of the man's ears. The damage to his eardrum was absolute, completely shattered. The tailor somehow immune to the laughter.

"What? That it? This wont even keep me awake"
The words escaped his mouth as he expelled an arrow from his shoulder.

[supernal]

Nero followed Kiran out of the door. He followed Mantus as well, but the distance between himself and the crazed half-demon was much more appreciable. Nero gave Mantus plenty of space to be crazy in. The monk shifted into a critical state of mind while they walked in the silent wake of the demon's ostentation. Before long, however, Nero held up his hand, indicating that Kiran come to a stop.

"I think we should leave. He's got all eyes on him. If he's half as good as he thinks he is, he'll have their hands full for a while. And while they're busy with him, I think we can sneak out. You can get back to your ship, and I can get back to…you know, the world."
[hr:3ld2xag4][/hr:3ld2xag4]

Demon!

Demon on the rocks!

Demon!

It was three distinct voices; three voices that then branched off and multiplied into dozens and dozens more. Unlike the tailor, these were not cries of fear or hesitation. These were cries that stank of something like determination mixed with a potent brand of protocol. They weren't shrinking away from Mantus' unique disposition and origins; they were further preparing for it.

Now that the dozens of men had spoken, Mantus likely knew that they had taken cover behind the rooftops that surrounded the demon and his hostage. They managed to shoot at Mantus with no negligible degree of accuracy without even having full or clear sight of him; this stood a testament to their skill as archers.

Five of them fell suspect to Mantus' horrific scream, clutching their ears and trembling in plain as blood streaked between their fingers. The rest of them were saved either by the rooftop covers, which buffted the sound, or by some intangible quality within themselves.

Holy arrows!

Holy arrows on the spit!

Holy arrows motherfucker!!!!

Another volley of arrows, the arrowheads glinting with a light yellow or golden halo lining their edges, and they had all been adjusted to Mantus' current location. Further away from the action, a captain grabbed a soldier by the scruff of his collar. He spoke three quick words and then shoved the soldier down the street.

"Call the pallbearers."

[circa.cipher]

Kiran smiled in amusement as Nero talked. Mantus had gone so far to help them out just to get a fight with Nero. He'd probably hunt Nero down if he survived this.

"You know, Mantus probably still wants to fight you. If he survives this, he might come looking for you. Not to say I don't want to leave because I do want to do that."

Her eyes darted around, still searching frantically for guards that may randomly appear. Her adrenaline was skyrocketing, and any sound she heard made her turn her head.

"Man, this is annoying. Let's get the hell out of here."

Starting to run slightly, a menacing glance down at the skirt of her dress lasted only a moment before she sighed in exasperation.

"I hate this thing. Fine. I guess I'll be walking."

Her lips pursed, she continued down the path, stopping at an intersection and choosing the left path. She was pretty sure that was the way they had come in from the city, and she also knew it to be a side road and not a main one because they gate they'd been at had had no metal gate behind it.

"We should probably take a side road."

[Mantus]

Glee absorbed into the flesh and bones of Mantus as his cheeks were uplifted, his feral grin striking fear into the hearts of the men. Intriguing arrows were now fired and streamed towards Mantus who concluded it to be within his own best interest to avoid the gleaming arrows. Among the stream of golden projectiles one object stood darkened and shadowed as if this being did not absorb light; or as if it had rejected it. His actions were quick and his speed phenomenal as he raced to dodge arrows. The attacks bewildered him slightly, not only were these people not afraid to stand before this demon, they attacked him .

Soon will they fear…

The illumination actually forfeits the projectiles subtlety; it was not difficult to dodge flashy attacks. This was thoroughly demonstrated as the soaring golden projectile ceased its attack, due to a firm grasp that captured the arrow pre-infiltration of Mantus’ flesh. Intricately swinging momentum backwards and launching his arm forward, Mantus launched the projectile, which pierced the guardsman’s armor, the momentum continued, only to collide into a building, where the guard’s lifeless body hung. Cause of death: The force of impact from the projectile piercing his skin.

Every aspect pertaining to Mantus became enshrouded with a more feral version, his breathing rhythm was changed, his eyes frivolously scanning, his body endlessly dodging, all moving parts were applied. Pressing onward, his attacks endlessly growing more malicious, his exaggerated grotesque actions becoming more apparent when his own hand placed upon the shoulder of a guard was used as leverage for his opposite hand to retract and while the terrified guard screamed, his attack was imminent, slicing his way through the mouth of the terrified guard,Mantus' hand protruded through the backside of the man's head.

"The name is Mantus, I would wan' to know the name of the man who killed me, so i do the same for ya'"

The greeting ended with a subtraction of the man's head from his very own shoulders.

Many deaths later his breathing rhythm reappeared, and his muscles shook due to the amount of adrenaline that was pulsing through his veins. His instincts acknowledged before his brain had, the battle was over, not a single guard remained. Victory was his and yet he felt dissatisfaction, not a single man posed a threat perhaps if he waited within the area, which resembled his clothes tattered and screened with blood.

Waiting for perhaps something more from this turn of events, Mantus quietly sat where he was standing, amass the lifeless bodies that lay before him.

[supernal]

It took them an hour to get from the hills, where five nameless men were killed and not even afforded the commodity of a grave or even a prayer, to the stream that told the troupe they were little under halfway through with their trek.

"If he can survive his own impetuosity, then I'll welcome him with open arms and closed fists. I know this must seem a bit savage to a girl who kills people for gold rings and gets cheap thrills out of stealing," His tone perfectly conveyed sarcasm, but mixed it with temperance. "But I like to fight. There is no moment in time when a human being is most honest than when it is fighting. Save for when it is making love, but I don't consider Mantus an option for that."

Kiran's proposition, to take a side road, was a logical option and one that Nero had no business ignoring. So, with a nod, he moved in step with her and together they made their way down the winding dirt road.

"It's not that I don't want to fight him, it's that I see no sense in risking my life and the lives of others for the opportunity to do so."

No doubt the two of them would be meeting up with guards soon at a checkpoint where their papers, which neither of them had, would be checked before clearance was given to exit the town.
[hr:1cug79cu][/hr:1cug79cu]
The massacre was one of horrendous proportions and showed no signs of slowing. What transpired between Mantus and the Muhirian guards of this small, nameless little town was a masterpiece of gore and viscera; an unhallowed chorus of pain and sorrow and penance. And sadly, no one would ever know about it. Because no one survived.

Then silence. Then rest came and settled like a blanket over the carnage staining the cobblestone ground and the walls of the surrounding buildings. Mantus, the bringer of death onto these unsuspecting souls, stood there. Alone. Waiting for something. For what? Yet unknown, yet unspecified.

But five minutes later, the world answered the half-demon's unspoken question.

Six pairs of footsteps that marched with such synchronized precision that they sound they issued forth into the world sounded more akin to a giant padding his way down the street. They did not shake the world with their presence, but by God they made sure it was known.

Mantus was in sight. The armored men acted quickly and shifted the mechanism, what appeared to be a large coffin that reflected no light with an aperture gaping at its end, from their shoulders and onto the ground. The consequent contact with the ground made it crack. With a pneumatic hiss for each one, six bars sprouted out from the side of it. One bar per man, and the thing was lifted up.

They were called pallbearers, because they carried death in their hands.

Teal power screamed from the mouth of the machine; a lightning bolt, but smooth instead of jagged and precise instead of random, fashioned from some untold arcana sought to not only strike the Black Mantus down, but to make nothing of him.

There was no man or demon in this world that could withstand such power.

[circa.cipher]

A soft noise of annoyance escaped from Kiran's throat as they approached the gate. It was somehow still guarded.

"Why are they still here?"

Her eyes were narrowed in scrutiny as she slid behind a house, trying to count the number of guards at the post. It looked like there were around seven. She was tempted to just rush in and take care of them all, but she figured that was probably risky seeing as everyone must be heavily armed because of the breech.

"Shit. There's no way. I'm sure the front part is even more guarded. Do you want to go for this, or do you want to see if we can find a hole in the wall?"

Her annoyance was most likely contagious. She was getting antsy at the lack of water that was usually surrounding her. She was also worried about not being on her ship. Felix must be pissed. She was probably already replaced.

"You know you, I just want to get the hell out of here. Can we please go?"

[supernal]

Something about Kiran's most recent comment was particularly annoying. He whirled around on her, his body language very clearly portrayed the message of restraint, and his fingers curled into a fist.

"You're not the only one that wants to get out of here Kiran, I think we established that. So if you could kindly stuff it and let me think, it'd be much appreciated."

Nero spoke through gritted teeth and his knitted brow held in their ridges a certain type of diluted rancor. He closed his eyes after turning away from her, brought his hands to his temples, and tried his best to massage his irritation away.

"It seems like most of them are closer to the center of town, dealing with Mantus. But they wouldn't leave all of their points unmanned. They're still looking for us no doubt. There's only seven. Can you fight without killing anyone?"

He pondered. "I can neutralize at least four of them."
[hr:36o8fubv][/hr:36o8fubv]
What was left behind in the wake of Mantus' rampage and the destruction levied against the town by the pallbearers was rubble, steam, and a decently sized crater in the ground. Mantus was in the center of it. The pallbearers strode forward in their awkward, mechanical unison and delved freely into the crater.

They were openly surprised that Mantus had somehow survived the blast. Their shock gradually assuaged, however, as realization dawned on them. Their weapon had not been faulty. Still, there was no man or demon alike that could survive a blast from their unique machinery.

But Mantus was not a man or a demon. He was both, and had the unique weaknesses, strength, and genetic composition to prove it. He had survived the attack, barely, and now lay unconscious in a crater, surrounded by chains of his own make, nude (his clothes had been blasted off), and struggling to breathe.

The pallbearers gathered his body, opened the coffin-like object, and deposited him inside of it. They were taking him to jail, where he would be treated and his power bound, so he could cause no trouble or havoc while under their watch.

[circa.cipher]

If Nero thought he was irritated, it was nothing compared to the anger that boiled up in Kiran's veins. She was not the calmest person in the world, but she was smart, and she knew arguing about it would waste even more time. So she kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the prize. She heard him saying something about attacking but not killing and looked in surprise at him.

"Why would we want to do that? That means they could wake up and chase after us."

Her eyes met the eyes of one of the guards and he froze. Pulling her head back against the wall quickly, she grew very still and quiet.

"Quiet, one of them saw me."

The guard stared for a moment at the spot and then wandered out of his post curiously, not quite sure he wanted to see what he was about to. He probably didn't. Kiran's index finger and thumb slid up her arm to a place were a thin ribbon tied three needle-like metal points. Pulling one from it's pocket, she turned her eyes cautiously on Nero. Her aim was as good as it had ever been.

"I've got three if you've got four."

[supernal]

Nero cocked his eyebrow at Kiran, even as the guard a short distance away showed an interest in their conversation.

"I don't know exactly how you plan to escape, but by the time they wake up, I'll be long gone. They'd be wasting their time chasing me, and that's only if I decided to leave a trail for them to follow. Whereas you, spilling blood and taking life like it was a game, are leaving behind a trail so thick that any grade-school diviner could track you."

The monk projected his voice slightly, not because he had lost his sense of caution or proximity, but because it had the desired effect. Namely that the guard, who had decided that perhaps it was in his best interest to keep his attention focused at his post, allowed his curiosity to get the better of him.

"You do what you like, it doesn't matter. We're splitting up after this anyway."

The guard left his post, walking towards them with the rolling gait of a man who had grown accustomed to the power that his rank gathered for him. He had come to investigate and laid his hand on Nero's shoulder. Poor ol' boy didn't even get a chance to talk; his lips parted and all that issued forth was a howling scream of pain.

Nero had grabbed his wrist and twisted it the wrong way. Hard. Then kicked his knee to the side and caused the guard to collapse to a genuflect position; a knee silenced him for the next hour and he fell to the ground limp.

"One down."

Three left a piece. Between the grown man and the still budding young woman, the guards separated their forces: four to Nero and two to Kiran. A mistake on their part, but one they would not realize they made until it was too late. The girl was quite the firecracker.

Nero's foot lifted straight up and made one guard's jaw close hard enough to crack his teeth; he stumbled back with his hands on his mouth, trying to dam the bleeding. Another guard went to draw his sword. Nero placed one hand atop the other's hand, the other on the guard's elbow, and threw him bodily into the third.

Those two weren't quite dealt with. A drop-down knee to the skull and a quick shot to the temple of the second man left everything squared away. Nero did not wait for the dust to settle.

He merely stood up, brushed himself off, and took off running towards the distant horizon. He trusted that if Kiran needed his help, an idea which generated a fair amount of doubt, she'd call for him.

[Exit Nero]

[circa.cipher]

Nero's annoying comments didn't cease even as the unknowing guard drew nearer and nearer. Kiran grew annoyed and ripped her skirt up the sides, before eventually just tearing the expensive fabric off.

"Too damn hot anyways."

Feeling like herself again in her regular clothes, she pulled the other two needles out between her fingers. They were all about half a foot long in length, but even at their thickest only two inches in width. They glint maliciously in the sun as she strolled forward casually. Assessing the two guards they had placed on her, she was impressed they hadn't just assigned her one. This would be cake. Unfortunately, the aim here wasn't to kill. That would have been even easier.

One guard rushed at her, and he was dealt with quickly as Kiran ducked under his clumsy arms and drove two needles through the soft spot that his kneecaps didn't cover and down into the bone. He'd probably... he wouldn't walk again. The other needle was saved for the coward. He had run to his post, searching frantically for something to do. Kiran took her sweet time as she approached him. She had always enjoyed a drawn out fight, regardless of where else she needed to be. The man had worked himself into a corner like the panicked animal he was, and Kiran apprehended his wrist with ease. Slamming it into a wooden post that held the roof over the guard house, she smashed the needle into his wrist without hesitation, twisting it until it stuck out the other side of the post. He wouldn't be moving any time soon.

Leaving the men to their wounded crying, she looked around at all the weapons lying in the look out. Shaking her head at what a waste it was to leave behind, she pat the man she had most recently dealt with on the chest and started off, noticing Nero was running off ahead of her.

"Glad to get rid 'o yeh."

-Fait