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| Into The Fire; Tzel | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 14 2009, 09:28 PM (188 Views) | |
| Drium | Jul 14 2009, 09:28 PM Post #1 |
 
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Bright sunlight bathed the desert city in almost overbearing waves of heat. It was about midday and the bazaar area of the town was brimming with activity. The sounds of people bartering prices, shop keeps attempting to sell their wares and the general public socializing filled the air. Wandering aimlessly through the town, Drium kept his hands in his pockets. The demon’s eyes were low, though not quite slits and he kept a tight lookout for anyone who might be paying him more attention than what he considered warranted. It was impossible for him to avoid getting any side glances or double takes, but he was used to that. It was the lingering, calculating stares of those who might have reason to actually approach him that he had to look out for. Not like anyone hadn’t tried to pickpocket the thief before. Though while he was slightly concerned with that possible occurrence, he was much more preoccupied with the thought of what he was planning to do in the city. He wanted a challenge; something that would entertain him and at the same time bolster his belief in his abilities as both a thief and combatant. The demon actually preferred to strike at night, but he had heard so much praise about the guards of Eldahar that he figured if he was truly going to test his abilities, he might as well test them fully. With that goal in mind, he waited for the right moment, stalking around the areas to see which were well guarded but not so much that he’d simply be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Drium paid little attention to the pedestrians, instead his eyes zoning to any guard that wandered into his range of sight. Only when he found a particularly good spot; not too crowded, but populated enough for a good audience did he finally decide to go forward with his idea. Drium grinned. “There.” The word was but a self directed whisper before he shot forward. The guard was nearly toppled over by the demon rushing him, letting out an angry yell of surprise. He and his partner glared at the demon, who merely turned and smirked back, mockingly waving the small pouch of gold the guard had been wearing on his hip. Surprise showed briefly on their faces, but that quickly gave way to anger and without hesitation started after the violet haired culprit. Drium didn’t have his weapons on him; the thief had dropped them off at a fairly trusted blacksmith for some light maintenance. Because of this, he would have to rely on his fists to defend himself. Dealing with the guards’ spears was fairly easy and he danced around their attacks, playing with them, agitating their anger as he thoroughly enjoyed himself. He kept this up for a while, smirking to himself as one more appeared to help. Every so often he’d knock the guards flat on their backs and between furiously attacking with their spears and being continuously tossed around, eventually weariness was taking its hold. His eyes gleamed at the sight of the incoming reinforcements, the fight momentarily pausing as the guards began to catch their second wind. The demon knew that he couldn’t keep this up without killing someone or remaining unharmed himself. He grinned before suddenly turning on his heels and taking off down a side alleyway; the city guards eagerly giving chase. The demon laughed as he made his escape, happy with the fight and guard’s humble amount of gold. He’d have to come back later that night to collect his weapons from the blacksmith, but for now he’d have a bit of fun before completely losing his pursuers. |
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| Tzel | Jul 14 2009, 11:04 PM Post #2 |
The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel was in a new city today. This lush beautiful city was unlike anything he expected to find in a desert. However, even in this faraway land, he felt safe and secure. Three times already he had bumped into the nicest people. They were always apologetic; but never stuck around long. Tzel didn’t mind. Today he was just as happy exploring on his own as he was with any new friend he might meet. Tzel had carefully hidden his “dragon blade” with his bag, outside of town. He was naive, but not that innocent. If he saw anything worth spending what little money he had, Tzel would do make a return trip for it. He had debated brining the blade with him; but to carry such a weapon into a city with a reputation like this one… seemed like a bad idea for an inexperienced fighter. The only thing on his person was his long roll of paper, and a few paper scraps in his pockets. Tzel moved through the city admiring the architecture and overall aesthetic feel of everything he saw. It was like one of his books about faraway desert kingdoms. One story in particular was brought to mind as he wandered through the marketplace. The tale of the Thief Lord. It had been one of his favorites. A book that told of many harrowing adventures of a mighty thief as he pilfered and plundered and made a name for himself. The thief was not always the type to give to the poor what he took from the wealthy. No, he was more a lesson in adventure, challenge, and an example to others of the fickleness of material wealth. Tzle had always enjoyed those stories and as he did with many of them, wished that he himself could be on such an adventure. As Tzel passed by a single guard, he suddenly heard several people shout as they were shoved aside. Then, a blur burst forth from the crowd and Tzel was almost certain whatever it was would collide with him. The whole world seemed to slow down for a moment and the blur became clear as it collided with the guard that stood beside Tzel. His eyes caught glimpse of dexterous hands grabbing hold of a purse, as powerful shoulders impacted the body of the larger person. He caught glimpse of the rust colored eyes of the violet haired attacker, and was almost certain that he was looking right back at him. As the man sprinted off, Tzel gasped. “Thief Lord.” Tzel shook his head to clear it from his dazzled state. He was hot on the heels of the guard, without being so close as to be suspect of wrongdoing. He pushed and shoved past the crowd to witness the fight with glee and amazement. The Thief Lord was truly a brilliant fighter. Every movement fluid and almost a blur. He fought with all the grace and elegance of his tales. Though this Thief Lord did not look like the one the book described, Tzel was certain that were it not a tale of fiction, this man would have to be a descendant or apprentice. Just as swiftly as he had arrived, he vanished. Tzel wanted to follow more; but out of respect he did not. For he doubted he would be able too, and also if he succeeded, he did not want to bring the guards to his new hero’s door. The rest of the day, that fight was all that Tzel could think of. He too wished that he could do battle in such a way. To be able to move with such elegance and grace, and handle the armed men with nothing but his bare hands. Tzel had seem how high he could jump and how fast he was, and was often noticed pretending to do the same in alleyways. He could not; but it was fun to try and pretend to be beating back the same authorities with force. Tzel continued to wander the streets hoping to see more amazing sights as the day passed. Nothing else transpired; but he was still pleased none the less. As the sun set, and the starts hung beautifully overhead, Tzel still did not feel like leaving. People were fading from the streets, and so entertainment was dwindling. His four tails swishing happily behind him, Tzel followed the sound of a hammer striking metal. Some blacksmith was pulling later hours than the others and Tzel hoped that perhaps he might learn something by watching him for a while before he moved on. It was not far away and so Tzel rounded another corner in this city ready for whatever surprises this strange place might have in store for him. |
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| Drium | Jul 14 2009, 11:53 PM Post #3 |
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From his perch atop one of the vine covered buildings, one leg draped over the side, the demon watched as the sun began to set. In one hand he shuffled the three pouches he had looted from the guards he had contact with, smirking to himself over his handiwork. Moving to stand on the very edge of the building, he stretched his arms above his head while letting loose a yawn. He figured it was time to head back to the blacksmith and pick up his order. The demon frowned slightly, hands going to lightly touch at the empty dagger sheaths. He had tried not to think about them not being there all day as their absence really made him antsy and sad. Shaking his head, the demon hastily made his way to ground, jumping off the side of the building and using the vines to low his descent. He wasn’t sure whether or not the guards were still looking for him, but he hoped that they weren’t. After all, he had only embarrassed them a bit and robbed them of what little money they had. He smirked. No doubt the ones he had interacted with were still sore about the whole ordeal and wouldn’t be quick to let it go. As he wandered the streets towards his destination, he kept an eye out, trying to make sure that if there were any guards about looking for him, he’d spot them before they spotted him. Getting to the area of the town where the blacksmith’s place of business was located was very uneventful, much to the demon’s relief. He could see the light coming from the opened building from down the street and the sight made him smile; soon he’d be reunited with his most prized possessions. There was someone else standing by outside the building too, but Drium paid them little mind at the moment, too caught up with having his weapons returned to him. Drium sauntered up to the blacksmithing shop, eyes shining with enthusiasm just as the blacksmith looked up in his direction. The two shared a couple words, negotiating payment, though it was obvious that the thief had little interest in much else besides having his things returned. When they finally were, he smiled wide, looking over the gleaming black blades of his dagger with detailed interest. Graciously he thanked the blacksmith before beginning to turn to leave. Perhaps he moved too quickly, or more likely the person he had been ignoring was standing too close to the store front. Either way, just when he was about to make his exit, he had to jerk to a stop to avoid bumping into the slightly taller other. He sneered, putting his weapon away. ”Watch where you’re standing, will ya…” |
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| Tzel | Jul 15 2009, 12:32 AM Post #4 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Finding the humble blacksmith shop, with door wide open, Tzel was able to stand back and watch the master work. For a while he was intrigued watching the red hot steel be placed into coals before it sat on the anvil to be pounded with such force. Slowly some form taking shape. Tzel tried to analyze the positioning of the mans arm before he swung as well as the way the shape was changing based on how it was struck. Bits and pieces were making sense to him but from this distance there was still so much he could not see and too little information for him to fully understand, still watching was amusing. Tzel had been lingering by the doorway for quite some time when he saw him. He could not believe his eyes. This fact was so true that he actually rubbed them to be certain he was not being deceived. Sure enough, nothing had changed save for the distance from him at which the Thief Lord was standing. Tzel moved closer straining to hear every word. It sounded like boring bartering over prices and such. Still, to Tzel even this was enthralling conversation. but the way that thief looked at those daggers spoke volumes. It was a look of longing and relief. Apparently those blades were of some value to the man who held them now. Tzel was so busy marveling at his new idol that he did not realize he was obscuring his path until it was too late. The thief lord spoke harshly to one blocking his path, and Tzel was that one. However that didn’t seem to reach his brain, he was too wrapped up in the fact that the Thief Lord had spoken to him. “Thief Lord! You’re the Thief Lord! I saw you today in the marketplace! You were amazing!” Tzel began to chatter in a whisper loud enough for the thief to hear quite easily but not so loud that it would carry on to other houses or to the blacksmith who had returned to his forge. “Is this one of your accomplices? Is this a secret safehouse where you store your stolen goods? How’d you learn to move so fast? Why did you pick that guard? How long have you been alive? Did you really meet a djinn before?” The questions overfloweth from Tzel’s mouth once more. In his ever present over-exuberance in the face of that which fascinated him. |
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| Drium | Jul 15 2009, 01:28 AM Post #5 |
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Drium had expected the guy to just move out of the way and let him be on his way. He had even expected him to make some snide comment before doing so, but that would’ve been ignored given the circumstances. What he didn’t expect, not in the least, was for the guy to suddenly start gushing all over regarding some thief lord. “Thief…. Lord…?” He repeated slowly after first hearing the term, not fully understanding what was happening. His right brow rose as he then turned and looked around him, searching for the subject this guy was talking about. Surely there was someone behind him who the guy was referring to. The demon may be a thief and a damn good one at that, but a ‘thief lord’ that was so recognizable? “The marketplace…?” Drium’s face betrayed his sudden realization of the situation, a vision of the incident he started earlier suddenly flashed in his mind’s eye. He suddenly understood that the guy was talking about him, which for some reason caused a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Wha…” As the onslaught of questions commenced, the demon’s eyes flew open in surprise and his feline ears flicked in time. “Whoa whoa whoa!” He exclaimed, backing away from the guy slowly, his hands raised helplessly in front of his chest. The questions made no sense to him and he didn’t understand how or why this guy could be considering him a thief lord. “Uh… Sorry to disappoint you, but I think you’re mistaken.” He said a lot more calmly now, looking at the guy with a look that could be described as sympathetic. “Accomplices? Safe house? Djinn?” He shook his head before offering a cautious half smile. “Yeah, you’ve got me all wrong, I’m no Thief Lord….” He paused before once more the ears that poked up from the top of his head flicked and he took a half step forward. ”Who are you anyway and why are you calling me that?” Though this was all a bit too sudden and weird for the demon to fully accept, he had to admit that the term Thief Lord wasn’t something he would be irritated to be known by. His interest was piqued now and he wanted to know more. After all , he had gotten his daggers so he had some time now, so why not spend it gaining a new reputation? |
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| Tzel | Jul 15 2009, 02:04 AM Post #6 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel heard the denial of the Thief Lord and felt silly for expecting different answers. Surely the Thief Lord would not allow himself to be found out so easily. He had to Test Tzel to know if he was for him or against him. He was a wanted man after all. Merchants and lords all over the world wanted him dead for the things he had taken from them. And any guard that recognized him would be rewarded handsomely for helping to see this man was locked away forever. Tzel beamed at him still with eyes full of fascination. His four tails waved excitedly behind him as he answered the questions asked of him. "It's Ok you can trust me. My name is Tzel and I'm no fiend plotting to rat you out. I know all your stories, or I suppose the book was old...perhaps they were your teacher's stories or your grandfather's stories? I saw what you did today, how fast and strong you were. How you took down those guards with just your hands. You have to be the Thief Lord! I've never seen anything so amazing before." Tzel paused nervously biting his lip as an idea formed. He knew it would probably be better if he waited to ask this but he could not. "Please teach me!" Tzel blurted out. "I'll do whatever you ask, I'll ear my keep, just help me to be started in the way! I want to know how to run and fight the law like you do! The thrill of the challenge, the joy of the achievement, and the never ending adventure. Please thief lord, I promise I will be worthy." Tzel pleaded but did not whimper or whine so as to not seem pathetic. Sincerity rang out from his every word. |
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| Drium | Jul 15 2009, 02:02 PM Post #7 |
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The look in the guy’s eyes told Drium that he truly didn’t get what the demon was trying to tell him. He wasn’t this Thief Lord person that he was so obsessed with, but the guy just didn’t seem to want to accept that. Drium stared at him blankly for a moment before becoming momentarily distracted by the four tails that were wagging behind him. Well at least he was an oddity too; that counted for something, though not much in the grand scheme of things. Drium had never been confronted with such, almost fanatical admiration before and it actually kind of startled him. Tzel was making him feel a little uneasy and he couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably in front of him, but soon he got a hold on himself. He felt weird, but not so much so that he wanted to leave. Quite the contrary, he was surprisingly kind of intrigued by the whole thing. He nearly jumped when Tzel practically begged him to teach him. The demon tilted his head to the side and scratched tenderly at his scalp while listening to the other speak, detailing what he wanted Drium to teach him. He was quiet for a little after hearing all that, brow furrowing just the slightest bit. His mind was racing, unsure of what exactly to do. A part of him said to simply rob Tzel, be done with him and laugh about it later, but another part had a completely different idea; one that he was leaning to more and more as seconds ticked by. A small smirk formed on the demon’s lips and his eyes flickered pleasantly. This could be fun. Someone who right off the bat who was seemingly completely devoted to you, the things you did and wanted to please you and be just like you? The demon purred light in his throat, perhaps this could work out better than he could hope. “Hmmm, alright…” He mused aloud before straightening himself. “I can teach you, yeah….” Drium snickered before looking Tzel over, sizing him up. “If you really think you can handle it… Prove it. Keep up or find me!” With that the demon took off down the street away from Tzel as fast as he could. He ran at his top speed, darting down streets at random before getting to his final destination; the oasis in front of the palace. He sat on the edge of the water, his back to the liquid, waiting to see if this Tzel guy would actually show up. |
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| Tzel | Jul 15 2009, 03:21 PM Post #8 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel couldn't believe his ears. Despite as much as he had wanted this, he had not expected it to happen so easily. He Was about to lose the internal battle with himself that prevented him from launching himself at the other man in an over excited hug that often turned into a tackling maneuver. However before he failed to resist the surrender to this impulse, a condition was announced. Tzel could have kicked himself in the head, as the shorter figure with too many ears bolted away from him. "How could i forget!? The trials of Abjul Nareem." He said mostly to himself as he tried to pursue the Thief Lord. Tzel knew he would not be able to keep up, but he felt that if he didn't try one might perceive him as cheating thanks to his superior foreknowledge. For figures like the Thief Lord, there was a certain honor among thieves of their caliber. He did not want to be labeled as one who lacked the same honor as other worthy thieves, so Tzel was cautious. On a similar note, as he slowed to a walking pace, he did not see how using what he knew would be unfair in solving the trial the way the first Thief Lord had done in his younger days. Slowing down, Tzel looked around for a ladder. The first Thief Lord had had a much harder time of things, his gambit had been against a kitsune with nine tails and grey fur, who used every trick at his disposal to keep from being found. Seeing a ladder he climbed it, remembering how the Thief Lord had had to climb the Mountain of Syndriel the Roc, to be able to see all the world. There he had had to ask the great bird if he could see the Abjul Nareem. Halfway across the world, Abjuul Nareem had been hiding in the smallest knothole of an oak tree in the middle of a forest. There was no Roc at the top of this roof, only chickens in a coop. Still, the view was far enough that Tzel saw all that he needed to. Squinting to focus, he saw the thief lord waiting for him by the oasis, in front of the palace. Tzel remembered how Abjul had seen the thief lord coming and so fled to hide elsewhere until the Thief Lord finally managed to sneak up on him. Keeping this in mind he decided it would be best if he followed suit. Carefully he made his way back down the ladder and wove through the city. He ducked low and slinked across the road hoping no one saw him before he slipped quietly into the oasis. Oddity that he was, Tzel loved to swim. He feared the ocean but a perfect span of water such as this was a treat to him. Taking a deep and silent breath, he submerged himself and swam beneath the surface all the way across. By the time he was almost to the other side, he felt dizzy. His lungs burned for air and his body felt itself constricting, pleading for oxygen. Tzel fought it all to reach his goal and in the shadow that the Thief Lord cast upon the water he finally knew it was time to emerge so he burst forth and shouted "Gotcha!" However, rather than tackling his target, he came up too far to his left and ended up simply throwing himself against the ground where he would have to sit dizzily for a moment and gasping for air as water dripped of his soaking body. |
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| Drium | Jul 15 2009, 09:08 PM Post #9 |
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Drium sighed as he sat at the water’s edge, waiting to see if Tzel was really going to show up. He watched the stars, his mind working over everything that could possibly stem from this encounter. The sound of the gentle waves of the oasis lapping against the shore soothed him and he smiled. He could make this work out pretty well for himself if Tzel showed up and he played his cards right. For once Drium wasn’t considering just himself in the equation either. Tzel wanted to be a thief which was something that Drium was very adamant about. Perhaps instead of simply using this guy for his own ends, he could actually make him into someone he could call an accomplice or friend. The thought was an interesting one for him and one he was actually kind of wary about. The demon watched the streets as time slowly wore on. He looked up at the sky. He’d give Tzel another ten minutes to show up before he left. Luckily Drium didn’t have to wait that long for almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, the four tailed other splashed out of the oasis and flopped onto the ground beside him. Drium blinked in surprise, not having heard the other’s approach through the water at all. He looked at Tzel and simply blinked blankly at him as he sat with a dazed look on his face, completely soaked. He smiled at the other, a genuine show of positive emotion. He had actually got a one up on the thief who was usually very aware of everything going on around him. Truthfully Drium simply chalked Tzel’s sneaking up on him up to having been distracted by his thoughts, but either way the action showed promise in the aspiring apprentice. “Even though technically you didn’t catch me, you were pretty stealthy.” He complimented with a snicker, standing up and looking down at the other with a faintly fond expression. “You were a bit slow though, but that could be worked on.” He shrugged, eyes moving away from the Tzel as he thought about his decision, humming to himself. “I think you could make a fine apprentice… With a little work of course.” He finally said, slanting his eyes back to Tzel. He paused then before grinning. “This isn’t a game though. If you really want to be a thief, you have to devote yourself to it fully…. Swear your allegiance right here and now and we can start training you immediately.” Drium waited patiently for Tzel’s answer. |
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| Tzel | Jul 16 2009, 12:53 AM Post #10 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel wanted to wave his tails happily and look at the thief lord as he spoke; but this was beyond his capacity for the moment as he fought to get air back into his system. Tzel did manage to recover to a state of clarity in time to look up and catch the grinning face and sideways glance given him by the Thief Lord. Tzel's heart almost skipped a beat hearing that he could make for an acceptable apprentice to his hero. However, just as suddenly as his ears had pointed straight up in delight, they quickly drooped to the sides at what was being asked of him. As a kitsune, there was nothing Tzel valued more than his freedom, particularly in his own case. Being a runaway from his own home and the loyalties and expectations there,only to be bound to this stranger, was not something that appealed to him. Tzel knew in his heart of hearts, that no matter how badly he wanted to live the legend, this was too great a cost. He opened his mouth to refuse sadly, when a smirk spread across his face. "Ah ha! The second trial! How could i forget? The test of spirit, "For a thief's greatest enemy is captivity, a true thief will not give that away no matter the cost." Those were the words of the first Thief Lord during the trials of Abjul Nareem. I will have to do the same. I'm a man of my word, and fully dedicated to this cause; but i can never give my freedom. You have my word that I will not let you down." Tzel smirked, with a look of triumphant confidence, at the Thief Lord. As far as he knew and believed, he had given the right answer in it's fullest. For if this was the hero he believed he was, no other answer would suffice. It had been one of Tzel's favorite parts of the books, the very thing he loved most. The idea of being like the Thief Lord, the freest man in all the world. |
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| Drium | Jul 16 2009, 03:13 PM Post #11 |
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He watched as the soaked kitsune struggled to catch his breath, slightly amused by the male’s resolve to push his limits to accomplish a goal. It was a good trait and one he’d like to exploit a bit if given the chance. Tenacity was always a good thing for one to have, the demon thought. At first Drium was pleased by Tzel’s reaction, watching the kitsune’s ears perk and waiting for him to agree to the demon’s terms. However his happiness turned to perplexity as they just as suddenly betrayed the Tzel’s discontent. The demon’s brows furrowed as he wondered why. Had he made a mistake and blown his cover? That would’ve been tragic error to make just as he was starting to get into this Thief Lord business. The smirk he spied told him that he hadn’t been found out and his ears twitched. His facial features relaxed as Tzel started to speak and he listened intently, eyes blank as once again the kitsune attributed the demon’s words and actions to some sort of thievery test. When the other had finished speaking, Drium was slightly taken aback by the response. It irritated him slightly, though this emotion was cleverly kept from showing on his face or eyes. He breathed, thinking things over for a second; the kitsune was right. Though Drium himself had no idea what the hell Tzel was talking about with the trial and first Thief Lord; captivity was indeed a thief’s greatest enemy. “Right, right…” He responded casually with a flick of his eyes to the sky. At least his would be pupil wasn’t stupid. That was both a good and a bad thing for the demon as it meant that his ulterior motives would likely need to be better thought out to be properly executed. The challenge that his presented wasn’t a negative though, quite the contrary; he figured he’d quite enjoy it. The thief would have to accept this answer for now, though it wasn’t particularly to his liking. He decided to look on the bright side of things for the moment however; even if he didn’t exactly get a pact bound slave right now, Tzel had given his word and that was enough for the time being. He grinned at Tzel. “Alright! Get up and get ready, there will be time for rest later. Come with me.” With that, Drium darted off, not nearly as fast as before, but fast enough to give the wannabe thief a little challenge and stay fairly far ahead of him. The thief knew that the kitsune was probably still not fully recovered from his swim, but he wasn’t going to go easy on his pupil. The first thing Tzel would need to work on would be stamina; it was something that would do a thief a world of good in the long run. Drium darted to a side alley and proceeded to use the vines that hung from the side of the building combined with his own physical ability to quickly scale the structure. It only took him a second or two to do this and when he reached the roof, he looked over the edge to where Tzel should be and called down to him. “Up here… We’re a lot less likely to be disturbed if we’re off the streets.” |
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| Tzel | Jul 16 2009, 11:39 PM Post #12 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel's grin of delight returned once more as he passed yet another test. As his mind regained stability from regular air supply, Tzel got to his knees. He began to wring out his tails watching the water pool around him, when he heard the Thief Lord give a command, and quickly snapped up to his feet. Tails waving behind him, he was ready as soon as the Thief Lord took off. Once more, he was weaving through town, though winded, Tzel was still able to keep him in sight the majority of the way. The Thief Lord finally darted around a corner and When Tzel entered the same alley, he was nowhere to be seen. Tails swishing with uneasiness his fears were soon relieved when a voice came from above. Looking up to see the Thief Lord he smiled and called back "Yes, Thief Lord, I'll be right up." Taking hold of the vines he attempted to pull himself up. However, this variety of climbing, Tzel was not used to. His arms not quite strong enough, and the vines seeming slick to him, caused him to slide down to the ground below. Tzel tried twice more to no avail. Finally he thought for a moment and had a much simpler idea. Pressing his back to the opposite building,he pulled his paper roll from it's sheath and was pleased to see it was not soaked. Tzel unraveled it a bit and stood on the end of the paper with his toes. Then with all is might, he tossed the scroll up to the roof where the thief lord was waiting for him. When it landed atop the building, the paper was wreathed in a flash of blue flames that produced no heat. Now stiff as a board, Tzel used the makeshift ramp to easily walk up to the top of the building, Upon reaching the roof, the paper flashed behind him again and he picked up the roll and quickly rolled it back up and stowed it in it's sheath. "What now Thief Lord?" |
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| Drium | Jul 17 2009, 08:37 PM Post #13 |
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He nodded at the kitsune’s reply, watching eagerly to see not only how fast the male could reach the top, but also in what manner he did it. Was he going to take the demon’s lead and follow him or devise his own way to scale the building? His eyes followed the other as he grabbed the vines and attempted to pull himself up. He didn’t show any type of emotion on his face as Tzel struggled with hoisting himself up. Each attempt was met with failure, of which the demon noted mentally, but said nothing about. He wasn’t going to offer any words of encouragement just yet; this was a kind of test in his mind. Though Drium was sure the boy wouldn’t give up, people did sometimes change their minds at the drop of a hat and needed to see if this would give up when there was a challenge. Drium tilted his head in curiosity when the roll of paper was produced, interested to see what the object was going to be used for. On the surface, it didn’t look like the roll of paper would be able to support the kitsune’s bodyweight if he planned on using that to climb up to the top. Drium kept an open mind though and didn’t write Tzel’s plan off at just this moment; it would be foolish to underestimate the abilities of someone he just met. Besides, if that thought did turn out to be truth, at least it would be funny to watch his aspiring pupil fall on his backside. Turning his head, he looked as the scroll of paper fell on his side of roof. His eyes widened in surprise as the thing exploded into blue flames, though he didn’t move. Still with the surprised look on his face, he turned back to Tzel and watched as he used his newly formed ramp to simply walk to the roof. So this guy could use a type of magic… His face finally relaxed when the other was atop the building with him and reclaiming his item. The thief’s lips curled up into a pleased smirk and he gave a quick clap of his hands. “Well done.” Though speed was a very good thing for a thief to have, so was ingenuity and cunning. The fact that Tzel was able to adjust to his circumstance and find an alternative way to reach his goal was a big plus. It meant that he wouldn’t really have to go into too much explanation about how to change one’s thinking to fit the situation. Drium turned, back to the edge and reclined against it; his elbows resting on the barrier. “Well… First, tell me about yourself. Who are you, where do you come from, why do you wanna be a thief? That sort of thing.” He was all ears, no pun intended, to hear Tzel’s story. At the very least it would give him some sort of connection to the one he was supposed to be teaching. |
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| Tzel | Jul 17 2009, 10:09 PM Post #14 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel beamed with delight and felt his heart was about to burst from his chest in glee at the compliment. He wanted to cheer and cartwheel inside, it showed in his eyes, smile, and swishing tails, but nowhere else. Tzel then heard his newest instructions and knew it was time for careful wording. Inwardly, he struggled with decisions, what to tell and what to keep silent. It was all a delicate situation. Though he knew the Thief Lord not to be the kind to blab secrets, Tzel was still worried about telling anyone his tale. Sitting down and crossing his legs he looked up at the rust colored eyes of his teacher. He seemed like the kind of man that could appreciate secrets, at the same time, Tzel got the feeling he would just as easily use that information to control someone if he needed to. He was quiet for a second his hazel eyes seeming to size up his instructor once more before he finally spoke carefully and calmly, his tails swishing in a slow and rhythmic fashion. "My name is Tzel, I am a wanderer and I preform for a living. I used to live in the forests long ago, and in the realm of kitsune before that. As a child, I grew up on stories from all over the world. Some stories old, some tales told by visiting family who had seen many things in this world. Ifell in love with all those stories and the prospect of adventure. One day, when i was seventeen, I could take it no longer. I wanted to be out in the world i had heard so much of. Away from people who judged me on their own terms. Ever since I've been out and about exploring the whole world... As for why I'd like to be a thief? When i was young, the stories of your ancestors adventures were some of my favorite. I used my memories of them to accomplish the tests you have put before me so far. I want to be a thief for the same reason I said before, captivity is the enemy of the thief, it is as a thief that one can experience true freedom. The abilities i can learn from you can make me stronger and faster and more like a member of this world of my dreams, rather than a guest or an observer. It will help me to survive, and really experience things like the stories I love." Realizing he might have sounded slightly silly, Tzel blushed slightly because of this. Silently he watched his teacher and waited to see what he would think of his new pupil. |
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| Drium | Jul 19 2009, 01:01 AM Post #15 |
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Tzel’s joy was almost contagious. Almost. Drium smirked at him, amused by the display. The way he acted reminded him of a puppy. Inwardly he laughed at the prospect that the kitsune could double as a pet. The demon assumed that a similar response could be gotten if he merely scratched behind the other’s ears. Reality caught up to him and he could feel that his smirk was widening and showing quite obviously on his face. With a wrinkle of his nose he corrected this, a much more placid look appearing on his face as he watched Tzel and waited for a response to his answer. In truth he did not expect the kitsune to give him a complete answer and wasn’t sure if he wanted one. Sure, curiosity was one factor and he’d love to actually know about the one was going to be dealing with, but at the same time, as a thief he knew that secrets were something to be kept close. He wouldn’t be one to blab anything that he was told of course, but there would be others who weren’t as trustworthy. He’d have to explain it to Tzel fully some other time. Drium listened intently as the kitsune speak; noting everything he thought might be of specific importance to be cataloged in his mind for later. When Tzel got to the part regarding his “ancestors”, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. It was going to be a tad bit difficult for him not to yell at his pupil in a fit, telling him that he wasn’t this Thief Lord person. He nodded when he heard of what abilities Tzel thought he could gain from being a thief. He agreed with it all and was happy his pupil had some knowledge. However there was another side to being a thief that the kitsune seemed to be passing over and if he really wanted to partake in the lifestyle, he’d have to realize and understand that one had to take good with the bad. When he finished speaking, Drium simply nodded at him, tilting his head to the side. He didn’t find any of what was said to be silly and accepted the explanation without judgment. “That’s all well and good, Tzel… Your reasons are acceptable and make sense. The qualities of a thief will surely make you stronger and help you accomplish your goals.” He commented offhandedly before closing his eyes and taking a breath. “But, at the same time…” He paused, knowing that what he was about to say the kitsune needed to hear. Opening his eyes, he fixed an intense gaze on his pupil. “Being a thief is not fun and games and happiness as you seem to be assuming. As a thief, you will be a criminal; the authorities will be after you endlessly if they ever get a glimpse of your face. You may be forced to kill others… Sometimes stealth is simply not enough and you cannot escape without spilling another’s blood. Also… You must know that when you steal, you may be taking something precious from someone else… Something that can’t be replaced, something that they truly cherished, the loss of which may break their heart beyond repair.” He shrugged. ”It’s a double edged sword, Tzel, and I can only teach you if you fully understand and accept the responsibility that comes with the knowledge and skills that I show you… If you decide to use them in such a fashion.” |
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| Tzel | Jul 19 2009, 02:34 PM Post #16 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel listened to what his instructor had to say, his grin grew wiser and his tails whipped excitedly at the initial response. He was glad to hear he had approval, and could truly get what he was after. However, as the other continued to speak, he felt his heart grow heavy once more. Not with sadness; but with the reality being forced into his world of fantasy. It made sense in his mind; but it was something, in stories, that you looked beyond. The words don't show you the plight of the victim, only the glory of the hero. When a story did mention their plight, it was someone who you felt little sympathy for. However, even in the face of reality, Tzel could call on his stories to guide his way. "Thief lord...I am no stranger to fleeing from those would would bring me to a fate I fear." he paused after this carefully worded sentence. "I know, that danger lies ahead, and in my life i have yet to be directly responsible for the letting of blood of another sentient being... I don't know, fully, what it is to kill. At present, I have no intention of going out of my way to hurt someone. But i do know what it is to fight for my survival, I suppose as i follow you, I will learn that first hand... As for the harm brought on by thievery itself... I hope, to be like those who steal for challenge more than profit. In that case, the chance that I will gravely wound someone's spirit with my actions should be less shouldn't it? I mean, there is no honor or glory in robbing a beggar, or poor person. Only the rich who have, but do not share, present true challenges worth regaling... Still, I know the chance exists, and I will just have to deal with that on my own, and find my own path. Just as everyone who lives in the world must do. Find our own lines for right and wrong, and stick to them. That is the only way to have true freedom." Tzel's eyes, for the moment, were not the glimmering over-hopeful eyes of the innocent youth a moment ago. He was looking out across the city from where he sat, as he picked his words, delving into the very nature of who he was. His solemn eyes turned to meet the rust colored orbs of his teacher as he spoke his final words on the matter. "I told you I wanted to truly experience that which i read about. That includes the good and the bad. The fantasy, and the sad reality." With that he fell silent once more looking with determination and passion, to the Thief Lord to see if he was still a worthy student. |
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| Drium | Jul 23 2009, 11:56 PM Post #17 |
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Reality was sometimes a smack in the face, this the demon knew full well. He watched Tzel’s reaction with a stony expression, willing the resurgence of memory to the back of his mind. This wasn’t about him and though he could feel himself growing a tad bit fond of his newfound pupil, he didn’t want to get friendly. Tzel had been mentioning bits and pieces of stories he had read regarding this Thief Lord person, but Drium was positive that they left out the nitty gritty details of what being a thief was like. It was easy to ignore the consequences of one’s actions when it’s only a book, just words on a page, but when it was actually you there committing the crime, things were a different story. Of course Drium himself never really truly had that particular issue, but he had to make some similar realizations when he decided to reevaluate what he was doing with his life. The demon listened to his pupil’s words, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared Tzel directly in the eye while trying to gauge the sincerity of his words. When the kitsune had finished and tacked on his final resolve, Drium smirked and gave a slight nod of his head. “Alright.” He said plainly, the serious look in his eyes melting away. He felt that he was in a rather weird position really and somewhat of an identity crisis. A part of him begged to say that it was impossible to refrain completely from hurting someone, but he wasn’t sure if that was the thief or the demon speaking. The other, which seemed to be dominant at the moment simply focused on the fact that Tzel would have to forge his own path through life, regardless of what the demon thief felt or wanted to say. Drium paused for several moments, unsure of where to start, his uncertainty clear upon his features as he looked past the kitsune to the scenery beyond. “Well, you should be aware already that I’ll teach you, but….” He trailed off for a second, scrunching up his face. “Where to start…. Tell me what you know, what you’ve experienced so far and I’ll build upon that.” |
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| Tzel | Aug 2 2009, 04:00 PM Post #18 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel's tide of joy was withheld. The heavy thoughts that had been placed upon him were ones that he would carry with him for a little while, and thus restrain, to some extent, his usual over exuberance. Rather than bouncing up to his feet or anything of the sort, he stayed seated as his tails moved a bit faster and his ears flicked once or twice to match his smile showing he was pleased with the thief lord's decision. Pausing he had to think about the question presented to him. He had never really been a thief before and was not sure what relevant things he had to tell. Finally, Tzel decided it would be best just to tell the story and hope not to be too boring. "Well, I told you I ran from home, so I have a little bit of experience in trying to evade capture and staying out of places where I'll be easily recognized.... I've been traveling around the world chasing stories and tales, so I have learned a little about how to tell some accurate stories from pure fabrication, and about keeping an ear to the ground for things that might be beneficial. I know the secret language of the bards, like the first Thief Lord did in his stories... Other than that, I can't say I know too much. A dragon taught me a little about fighting with a sword, and I've had to learn to defend and flee on my own to keep from getting skinned. That is pretty much all I've done in the way of the thief, or in my adventures at all..." It wasn't until this moment that Tzel was made aware of just how very little he had truly done despite how long he had been out and about in the wide world. It was not disappointing; but not exactly encouraging either....Still, he was about to add something knew to his list of accomplishments. |
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| Drium | Aug 14 2009, 10:32 PM Post #19 |
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He could tell that Tzel was a bundle of pleasant nerves right now and he couldn’t help but smirk at his eagerness and restrained joy. Drium listened to what the kitsune had to say, nodding to himself as the tale went on, making note of various things. From what he was hearing, Tzel’s tale through life was actually fairly tame and what he expected and he mentally made light of it all until there was mention of something that seemed to strike a cord in his mind. Drium’s eyes flickered and he started, interjecting. “A dragon?” He asked, brow rising as he suddenly regarded the kitsune a bit more suspiciously and closely. There was only one dragon that he knew of that was wandering around these parts and the thought of Drake popped into his mind, causing mild irritation that he withheld from showing upon his face. “This dragon wouldn’t happen to go by the name ‘Drake’, would he?” He asked curiously. The question was an innocent one as far as Drium was concerned. There was nothing he could do if Tzel and Drake had already developed a friendship and all and all it didn’t matter. The only thing that would prove to him is that it was a fairly small world. Or course, the only issue that would arise if Tzel was close to Drake would be if the kitsune caught wind of the little ongoing feud that seemed to be raging between the two. Letting the Drake thing go though, he breathed a thoughtful sigh when Tzel finished, now having a better idea as to what to try and teach the young thief in training. He had a few things going for him that would help in his quest to be a thief, but nothing that was directly on the track for pursuing the lifestyle. “Alright, well… Okay, I have an idea.” He said while starting to pace back and forth in front of Tzel. “Yeah… Yeah… Stealth, pick pocketing… All the things that go with those… Uh, defense, hmmm…” Drium stopped moving and looked at Tzel again. “Say, how do you defend yourself? What do you feel comfortable with? A dagger? You mentioned swordplay before, but I don’t spy one on you… Or are you strictly a magic kind of guy?” |
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| Tzel | Aug 31 2009, 02:24 PM Post #20 |
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The Snuggle Fiend
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Tzel nodded but did not stop talking when the Thief Lord interjected. When he finished He watched as the other asked if the name of his dragon friend was Drake. Tzel’s eyes and body showed no sign of recognition. He simply smiled knowingly at Drium as if having caught him trying to trick the young kitsune. “A thief never reveals his contacts names. Particularly those with enemies.” Tzel grinned happily having caught yet another trick. Drake or not, he knew better than to let a dragon’s name slip to anyone. Though he doubted the Thief Lord had anything against his friend, however he knew the code was in place for a reason. It had been a snuck in test of wit. Dutifully he watched in silence still smiling and his tails never stopping in their eager swishing as the other paced back and forth. His mind was racing all about as he wondered what would be next in his teaching, when he would actually start doing things and how much longer they were going to sit on this rooftop. Visions in his mind of flying from rooftop to rooftop with a black mask around his eyes and a sack of gold over his shoulder danced about in Tzel’s head, followed by cheering people as he threw the coins to the masses of the poor. Tzel was snapped from his fantasy when he heard the other speaking again. More questions, but he understood the importance of them, and perhaps this would mean he might be able to learn to wield daggers like his new instructor. “I’ve only got a little bit of magic, and I know a small bit about wielding a short sword, hardly anything of note as I haven’t had anyone to show me how. I left my sword hidden with my other things well away from here so they would not be stolen from me in the city. But I can still show you what I usually fight with.” Tzel stood up once more and pulled out his scroll once more. This time he tore off a section with an impossibly clean and straight tear, his magic working to aid this action. In a few seconds he had curled one section of the paper around to serve as a rounded handle, and tore it so the majority could lay flat. There was a small flash of the blue fire again and when he lifted the object, the paper was clearly stiff as metal, rather than falling over limply as it should. He waved his paper blade about a little to show it still did not fall and then with a simple gesture from his hand paper from the scroll shot up and he hacked it down to show his craft was sharp. Still the way he moved was apparent he had only a rough understanding of how to wield the blade, that needed sharpening. “I would like to learn better how to wield blades, the weapons of the thief; but I am at least more than defenseless.” He raised a hand and the scroll flew up to it rolling itself up in his hand and then he swiftly sheathed it again. His paper blade still held loosely in his right hand as he waited for whatever Drium had in mind for the information he had requested. |
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