Note: Follow-up to Seven Breaths
The Devil's Plotting
The head of assassinations for the Ignominious Nine, Sai Shurevad, struck an imposing figure. An enlil with ebony skin and dark gray feathers, he had piercing red eyes, lit from within by an unknown power. Atop his head, the feathers were gray, kept short, nearly bald. He routinely wore a long black coat with mail sewn to the inside, and gold brocade around the shoulders and down the sleeves, usually open to his bare chest in the front where rested a red ruby on a golden chain. A matching ruby crowned the scepter he carried, made of lacquered black wood, with a pointed auritium tip and claws of the same golden metal holding the ruby in place.
After Culm delivered his charge, the office of Sai Shurevad erupted in activity. Pepunef Zhuzhush left immediately and Sai never questioned her judgment. Even without sharing a word, he was certain that she would be targeting the mercenary, and he could think of no one better to bring the unpredictable woman to task. A dark blade who had been instrumental in silencing the enemies of the guild, Zhuzhush also watched Sai's back, guarding against numerous reprisals from rival factions. Seldom did he want her to leave his side, but never did he question it when she opted to do so.
Informants and scouts were brought into the dark bureau, each sharing what they knew about the targets and the best opportunities to find them. Naevius Squalidus was simultaneously an easy target and a dangerous one: since the incident, he primarily went in between his home in Lapidus Silvarum and the hospital where Havital was being treated. Since the passing of Havital, he rarely left his home.
Sai wasn't foolish enough to believe that meant the man was insensate with grief. He knew enough about Naevius, both from personal dealings and from reputation, to believe the man knew he would be watched, and was certainly fortifying defenses in his own home. The chemist was erratic, chaotic, but intensely observant; for evidence of that, they had only to look at how long he had hunkered down in the months between Niketas being captured and the guards coming to speak with him.
A wry smile crossed Sai's lips as he reflected on what a poor judgment call Guadriar had made. Concerned about the reputation of the Nine, he decided the guards' visit was enough justification to target Naevius, against Sai's own advice.
"Let them wonder," Sai had suggested. "Let them doubt, but never be certain. We didn't lose Niketas, we rid ourselves of him. Strike against the chemist, and you tell the world that he crossed us."
"Perhaps, but it also tells the world what will happen to those who cross us." The assassin was certain that some other force was behind those words falling from Guadriar's lips. A certain blue-eyed enforcer, perhaps.
Then everything went wrong in spectacular fashion.
The attack on Naevius nearly killed a prominent guardsman, failed to kill Naevius, failed even to find information on Chara'nira. It brought the mercenary woman to their doorstep and made a mockery of their security and defenses. The Ignominious Nine had lost a great deal of respect from the rival factions in Lupanar, and Culm himself was diminished in the eyes of the populace. Culm, Garrett, Tigris, Ludicer, all gravely wounded.
However upset Culm was about the work that Guadriar was piling on him, Sai was certain that it was necessary. Not only did he need to take care of the problems that were cropping up, he needed to make sure people knew Culm was taking care of them, that he wasn't laid up or invalid, that their infamous enforcer was still there to solve problems.
"The trio will handle Naevius," Sai decided. It was an expensive call, sending three after only one target, but Culm had paid handsomely and the three men had never yet let him down. They were cautious, alert, and between the three of them, they had all the tools they needed to take care of the upper-class chemist without arousing suspicion.
That just left Chiffon Columba, the acting lieutenant after Havital's passing, and if reports were to be believed, soon to be official lieutenant. That was a tricky one. Her investigations into Havital's attackers was leading her to tread too closely to Lupanar. Some rumors said she was even violating several agreements between Lupanar and the metropolis' leaders, bringing the investigation into the Little City itself. Even if she was, they could do little about it: the attack she was investigating happened outside of Lupanar and if they found the evidence, then it would be clear that the Nine were in violation first.
They had already ruled out any Conexus involvement in Keydis Lysistrata's brazen capture of Niketas, so they couldn't pitch the blame there.
Sai dismissed everyone from the room, leaving him alone in the darkened bureau, backlit by the aquarium lights. He smiled and leaned back in his chair, reaching into the desk drawer to pull out the caelitium coin Culm had left him. After a brief pause to ensure that the doors were sealed, Sai returned to the desk and picked up x-shaped coin between his talons.
The red light in his eyes flared as he sought his deepest indulgence. He rubbed the coin and closed his eyes, his other hand stroking the ruby at the end of his scepter, focusing on the coin. The ruby began to glow, and soon after the ruby hanging from his neck joined in. Sai found himself in front of the Seventh Vice, felt the rapid beating of... no, not fear, this was excitement! He could feel the younger Culm's excitement over the plan, his smugness, his bloodthirst.
Sai let himself get swept into the memory, feeling the height of Culm's emotions during the infamous attack, the rush, the terror, the elation! When Culm held the exa coin in his fist, Sai basked in the sheer desperation and then, ecstasy! Letting out a groan of satisfaction, Sai realized he was holding the coin just like Culm did, with two points protruding from his fist.
Smiling, he pulled out a pouch of bigatium and began etching a circle in the air in front of himself. He sprinkled the silvery dust particles over the exa coin, locking the memory into it, a memory of Mensarius' office.
Never know when the new Banker might get targeted for assassination, after all.
He would likely relive that one again, just for the thrill of it, but that would come later. Before that, Sai withdrew the broken pieces of the vitatium spear that Culm had also given. This was more of a mystery but Culm would not have given it over simply for the value of the metal fragments. Sai held the broken spearhead in one talon, unconcerned about the potential toxicity of the dangerous metal, and began stroking the ruby while he explored what secrets the spear had to hold.
"Havital Vicarius," Sai breathed out as a sinister smile spread on his lips. Strong emotions were bound up in the weapon, memories he could walk in.
Now he had an idea how to get to Chiffon Columba.
The Devil's Plotting
Wordcount: 1,200
The head of assassinations for the Ignominious Nine, Sai Shurevad, struck an imposing figure. An enlil with ebony skin and dark gray feathers, he had piercing red eyes, lit from within by an unknown power. Atop his head, the feathers were gray, kept short, nearly bald. He routinely wore a long black coat with mail sewn to the inside, and gold brocade around the shoulders and down the sleeves, usually open to his bare chest in the front where rested a red ruby on a golden chain. A matching ruby crowned the scepter he carried, made of lacquered black wood, with a pointed auritium tip and claws of the same golden metal holding the ruby in place.
After Culm delivered his charge, the office of Sai Shurevad erupted in activity. Pepunef Zhuzhush left immediately and Sai never questioned her judgment. Even without sharing a word, he was certain that she would be targeting the mercenary, and he could think of no one better to bring the unpredictable woman to task. A dark blade who had been instrumental in silencing the enemies of the guild, Zhuzhush also watched Sai's back, guarding against numerous reprisals from rival factions. Seldom did he want her to leave his side, but never did he question it when she opted to do so.
Informants and scouts were brought into the dark bureau, each sharing what they knew about the targets and the best opportunities to find them. Naevius Squalidus was simultaneously an easy target and a dangerous one: since the incident, he primarily went in between his home in Lapidus Silvarum and the hospital where Havital was being treated. Since the passing of Havital, he rarely left his home.
Sai wasn't foolish enough to believe that meant the man was insensate with grief. He knew enough about Naevius, both from personal dealings and from reputation, to believe the man knew he would be watched, and was certainly fortifying defenses in his own home. The chemist was erratic, chaotic, but intensely observant; for evidence of that, they had only to look at how long he had hunkered down in the months between Niketas being captured and the guards coming to speak with him.
A wry smile crossed Sai's lips as he reflected on what a poor judgment call Guadriar had made. Concerned about the reputation of the Nine, he decided the guards' visit was enough justification to target Naevius, against Sai's own advice.
"Let them wonder," Sai had suggested. "Let them doubt, but never be certain. We didn't lose Niketas, we rid ourselves of him. Strike against the chemist, and you tell the world that he crossed us."
"Perhaps, but it also tells the world what will happen to those who cross us." The assassin was certain that some other force was behind those words falling from Guadriar's lips. A certain blue-eyed enforcer, perhaps.
Then everything went wrong in spectacular fashion.
The attack on Naevius nearly killed a prominent guardsman, failed to kill Naevius, failed even to find information on Chara'nira. It brought the mercenary woman to their doorstep and made a mockery of their security and defenses. The Ignominious Nine had lost a great deal of respect from the rival factions in Lupanar, and Culm himself was diminished in the eyes of the populace. Culm, Garrett, Tigris, Ludicer, all gravely wounded.
However upset Culm was about the work that Guadriar was piling on him, Sai was certain that it was necessary. Not only did he need to take care of the problems that were cropping up, he needed to make sure people knew Culm was taking care of them, that he wasn't laid up or invalid, that their infamous enforcer was still there to solve problems.
"The trio will handle Naevius," Sai decided. It was an expensive call, sending three after only one target, but Culm had paid handsomely and the three men had never yet let him down. They were cautious, alert, and between the three of them, they had all the tools they needed to take care of the upper-class chemist without arousing suspicion.
That just left Chiffon Columba, the acting lieutenant after Havital's passing, and if reports were to be believed, soon to be official lieutenant. That was a tricky one. Her investigations into Havital's attackers was leading her to tread too closely to Lupanar. Some rumors said she was even violating several agreements between Lupanar and the metropolis' leaders, bringing the investigation into the Little City itself. Even if she was, they could do little about it: the attack she was investigating happened outside of Lupanar and if they found the evidence, then it would be clear that the Nine were in violation first.
They had already ruled out any Conexus involvement in Keydis Lysistrata's brazen capture of Niketas, so they couldn't pitch the blame there.
Sai dismissed everyone from the room, leaving him alone in the darkened bureau, backlit by the aquarium lights. He smiled and leaned back in his chair, reaching into the desk drawer to pull out the caelitium coin Culm had left him. After a brief pause to ensure that the doors were sealed, Sai returned to the desk and picked up x-shaped coin between his talons.
The red light in his eyes flared as he sought his deepest indulgence. He rubbed the coin and closed his eyes, his other hand stroking the ruby at the end of his scepter, focusing on the coin. The ruby began to glow, and soon after the ruby hanging from his neck joined in. Sai found himself in front of the Seventh Vice, felt the rapid beating of... no, not fear, this was excitement! He could feel the younger Culm's excitement over the plan, his smugness, his bloodthirst.
Sai let himself get swept into the memory, feeling the height of Culm's emotions during the infamous attack, the rush, the terror, the elation! When Culm held the exa coin in his fist, Sai basked in the sheer desperation and then, ecstasy! Letting out a groan of satisfaction, Sai realized he was holding the coin just like Culm did, with two points protruding from his fist.
Smiling, he pulled out a pouch of bigatium and began etching a circle in the air in front of himself. He sprinkled the silvery dust particles over the exa coin, locking the memory into it, a memory of Mensarius' office.
Never know when the new Banker might get targeted for assassination, after all.
He would likely relive that one again, just for the thrill of it, but that would come later. Before that, Sai withdrew the broken pieces of the vitatium spear that Culm had also given. This was more of a mystery but Culm would not have given it over simply for the value of the metal fragments. Sai held the broken spearhead in one talon, unconcerned about the potential toxicity of the dangerous metal, and began stroking the ruby while he explored what secrets the spear had to hold.
"Havital Vicarius," Sai breathed out as a sinister smile spread on his lips. Strong emotions were bound up in the weapon, memories he could walk in.
Now he had an idea how to get to Chiffon Columba.