Night had fallen and most of the people had gone home by the time that Dirk finally left the library. Really, he hadn't actually 'left' so much as he'd been practically shoved out the door by the stern-faced librarian. He didn't understand why, though; it wasn't like he was disturbing anyone and he had no intention of stealing any books or scrolls or anything like that. The librarian had patient for about an hour before kicking him out, and then she at least let him fill his arms with books after he'd bribed her with a lot of gold gotten from selling the paintings he did on a regular basis. Then again, he spent almost as much time painting as he did reading, so it was a wonder he knew what gold was; the only reason he did, he sometimes humorously speculated in his head, was that he needed it to live on. Fish was expensive.

Speaking of fish, he was terribly late to pick up some fresh salmon and crab he'd ordered a week ago. Fortunately, the man had waited up for him - albeit very impatiently.

"Thank you again - thank you very, very much. I'm terribly sorry!" Dirk kept saying over and over again as the man finally closed up his shop after trading the fish for the gold. It wasn't a large order, but the small net pack was heavy and bulky.

Dirk had only arrived in the port a few weeks earlier. He should have known his way around by now, but the only places he'd memorized routes to were the library, his home, and the fish market down by the docks - and even those were fuzzy still. It was odd; he had amazing memory when it came to books and such, but terrible memory when it came to everything else. Perhaps that was why he so quickly got lost trying to find his way back to his cramped, run-down third-story apartment; the place was a dump, but it was home. Right now, though, he was as far away from home as it was possible to be.

Stumbling around in the darkness with books and fish and crabs in their net sack weighing him down, huffing and puffing along the way, Dirk didn't immediately hear the scuffle going on nearby. When he did, he stopped. There was a scream, and then a shout of, "Catch it!" Then there was running. Soon the noises faded and Dirk resumed his labored walk. He was forced to stumble back in horror, screaming a silent scream, however, when what seemed to be some kind of giant spider (or maybe a scorpion - he couldn't really tell as it was quite dark out) appeared out of nowhere. His possessions flopped to the ground and he slammed onto his back. Then he scrambled back, wide-eyed, as the creature - whatever it was - quickly filled the whole street before Dirk. Not really thinking at all, he quickly uttered the first spell that came to his mind - a Light spell. A flash of blinding light made the spider - it was a spider - scream and scuttle backward. Then it rushed forward with an angry scream that drowned out Dirk's own as he attempted to crush and eat the puny little human...

The night was silent for the most part, which the young Lunar Guardian was pleased with. Not much was out except for the area in and around the Drital Qu’ellar Pub. She knew better than to go into that area dressed as she was. Anyone who saw her would shoot her on sight for her Holy plate and Selene, her holy blade shown without the aid of her cloak to hide it. The streets were pretty dark on the Port, but she had been through worse times in less light. Her armor gave off an aura as people who were still on the streets at night pointed and spoke different things and opinions about her. She did have to admit it is a rare thing to see a Half-demon fight for good and not evil. Suddenly something caught her eye from the building two houses over.

Turning around she saw someone scream and point, a long thin leg was shown in an alleyway as someone cried, "Catch it!" Umbra immediately followed the creature. She saw that it was a giant spider moving quickly around another building. Deciding it would be best to watch it from the sky Umbra ran and shoved upwards taking flight. Following the spider she saw it preparing to attack a man who was cowering in front of it. Quickly she grabbed her chakram and threw it towards the spider. Lopping of part of its leg the spider cried as she landed in front of the man. Drawing her Holy Blade, Selene she turned to him over her shoulder. “Stay down, it won’t take long” she said as two white lights erupted from her back and took form of two angelic wings. The spider tried to attack as green liquid dripped from its fangs as it lunged forwards. Umbra dodged to the side and sliced the spider. It howled in pain and took another attempt as a light surrounded Umbra’s right arm swirling until a sunbeam fired from it; the spider flew back and crumpled to the ground in a crispy charred heap. Nodding she spun her sword shaking her head, “It used to take half the time. I need to start training more” she muttered as she turned to the man who was on the ground. “Are you alright sir?” she asked kneeling by him to see if he was alright.

The horror of seeing a giant spider suddenly popping out of nowhere and trying to eat him had mostly passed now, replaced by awe. The woman was very attractive (at least to Dirk), for one thing - and she had wings. Very large wings. And she had just killed the spider - with magic. She had to be an angel - but she had a dark look to her, one that didn't match up with what little he'd read about angels. Maybe she was a fallen angel? Well, whatever she was, she was really pretty. And he didn't do well around pretty girls.

"Uh...I...um...that is, I...er...yes...I-I'm fine...th-thank you..."

Dirk cleared his throat as he slid himself backward slightly in order to raise himself up, his knees pointing skyward as he shrugged one final shudder.

"I-I...didn't see where that thing...you know, um...came from."

He cleared his throat lightly.

"Um. Thanks. I mean, thanks again. You know, for stepping in. I just saw that thing coming at me and I panicked a-and then I cast a Light spell and..."

He shut up. He always did that when he got around some girl that he thought was cute or pretty - talked too much. Way too much. So he just shut up. His fish and books were scattered around him and all but forgotten.

Umbra watched the man as he stared at her for a moment, he seemed to still be a bit disoriented from fright of being attacked, but Umbra was used to that now. "Uh...I...um...that is, I...er...yes...I-I'm fine...th-thank you..." the man stammered. She tilted her head to the side as she watched him for a moment. Giving a half smile she wondered if he was stammering from fear or another reason. The thought of him liking her really did not pass her mind, she never considered herself the kind of person to dress herself up and go out to look nice for people. She was the kind to strap on some kind of armor, grab a sword and jump into battle at a moments notice.

Smiling she put her sword back into its sheath on her back, the wings soon glowed a little and faded away as the magic of the sword was dispelled with its sheathing. The man cleared his voice and tried again, "I-I...didn't see where that thing...you know, um...came from." He said. She got up as he did, “I don’t know either, but as a Lunar Guardian it is my duty to protect people who travel at night.” She said smiling, “Even in cities” The moon reflected slightly off of her holy plate armor for a moment as she turned to make sure none of the spiders friends were coming to avenge his death.

"Um. Thanks. I mean thanks again. You know, for stepping in. I just saw that thing coming at me and I panicked a-and then I cast a Light spell and..." he said finally getting out a complete sentence. She giggled a little and looked at the books scattered on the ground. “Here, let me help you get these.” She said as she began to pick up the books lying on the ground. ‘Okay, something is definitely up with him. I hope the trauma was not too much for him to handle. I would hate to have to knock him out and take him to a cleric for stress healing’ she thought with a mental laugh.

He blinked. That was odd. Wasn't it usually a guy's job to do things for a girl - not the other way around? Which of course brought him back to the thought that this was in fact a cute girl that was helping him - which only made him blush. He got up.

"Thanks."

When he'd weighed himself down with books and the net sack of fish once more, he mumbled his thanks once more. Then he blushed even further as he spoke again.

"Um...sorry, but...I'm...well, that is - I'm...kinda...um...lost. I-I need to get back to my flat. You know, my apartment?"

Shut up, stupid! She probably knows what a flat is already!

"It's...it's a red brick building. With a green shingle roof. Kinda run-down...I can't really afford anything better..."

Wonderful! Just tell you're a hermit who spends all his time reading and painting while you're at it. Maybe she'll be nice and give you a free paint brush!

His thoughts were just dripping with sarcasm.

Umbra helped him gather his belongings as the man stared at her for a few moments, "Thanks." he said as she helped him gather the last of his things. When he was finally weighted down with his effects he turned to her mumbling his thanks again. Here was a guy who was seriously repetitive in his thinking. But she did not mind, she had seen worse in people, especially after being attacked by someone or something.

"Um...sorry, but...I'm...well, that is - I'm...kinda...um...lost. I-I need to get back to my flat. You know, my apartment?" he said then seemed to be scolding himself in his mind or something. His eyes certianly said he was acting a little odd around her. "It's...it's a red brick building. With a green shingle roof. Kinda run-down...I can't really afford anything better..."
he said again as he looked confused at something. She gave a smile, "Oh I know that building, Its three blocks down the road behind me on the corner. Can't miss it." she said as she looked behind her again. She thought she smelled something funny, but she could not tell what it was. Narrowing her eyes she listened but heard nothing, the night was growing older and no one, save them most likely, were out and about.

The light from Dirk's spell was now swiftly beginning to fade. He started at something gliding across the corner of his vision, though - something moving nearby. A shadow within a shadow...it was enough to make him wonder if he had seen anything at all. He quickly uttered the incantation for the spell again, but it failed. Of course...he needed the hand sign, too. Frankly, he was surprised (now that he had time to stop and think about it) that it had lit up in the first place.

Struggling a bit, he managed to get his hands into a barely capable position and performed the workings of the spell: directing it with one hand, forming the hand signs with the other, all the while uttering the incantation. Light flared up once more to reveal a heavyset and well-aged, yet nonetheless decently handsome man. Yet there was something odd about the man...something Dirk couldn't place. There was a glint in temporarily-blinded brown eyes as he squinted but seemed to see better than he'd thought a human could. What was oddest, though, wasn't his appearance or the way he was dressed - like a country innkeeper with a taste of city nobility that nonetheless gave him a slightly mishapen look - that caught his attention. Usually, Dirk had no trouble sensing the presence of others of a magical nature (unless he was being scared out of his wits by a suddenly-appearing giant spider trying angrily to eat him). With this man, though...he felt nothing. It was like the man didn't exist. Suddenly, though, the man had a dagger in his hand - a dagger made of onyx.

An onyx dagger...but this man isn't a drow. Perhaps a drow spy, controlled by them? They're good at manipulating people into submission, after all...or so I've read, anyway. But why would he be spying on me? Or maybe he's spying on the semi-angelic-looking woman standing near me...

"Or maybe he was with that spider..."

It took a moment for Dirk to realize that he was mumbling aloud - and then he was blushing. But a moment was all it took. The dagger was whistling through the air - and missed the skin of Dirk's jawbone, just under his right ear, by a hair's breadth!

"A warning shot? He wouldn't have missed otherwise..."

But then the man was running and quickly disappeared via a nearby alleyway beyond the aura of light now surrounding dirk.

"Why would someone be after me, especially a drow?" Dirk pondered aloud, his companion nearly forgotten and his brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to puzzle it out. Then he started as he realized that the girl was still standing there.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Er, I...um...maybe I could use a bit of an escort," he finished lamely. He hated to admit that he wasn't really in a position to be casting spells at the moment, but he was weighed down, after all. Besides, that man had snuck up on him so easily, and he'd been carrying a dagger much like those used by the drow - and he'd thrown it with great accuracy. He had to have been off on purpose. Those that trained with drow weaponry didn't miss unless it was on purpose. Plus, he didn't know how many people were after him - and it was him they were after...or at least, it certainly seemed that way. Perhaps he was just being paranoid.

Umbra smiled as the man thanked her for about the hundreth time, the light spell flickered a little, the time was almost up. Suddenly she noticed a movement in the shadows. Turning she watched as someone appeared in the shadows. The man flaired up his light once again she saw a man as he appeared through the shadows. He seemed to be dressed nicely but she senced a danger around him. Moving her hand back to her waist he pulled out a dagger of some sort."Or maybe he was with that spider..." Dirk had said.

The man threw the dagger just as Umbra hurrled her chakram at the man, the chakram sliced through the air as the man ran, she immediately smelled blood as she heard it clang against the stone wall and hit ground. 'I hit, but probably not leathal but enough to get a smell.' she thought as she turned to look at Dirk. He seemed fine but was still mumbling. "A warning shot? He wouldn't have missed otherwise... Why would someone be after me, especially a drow?" he thought. She looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

He seemed to realize that she was there again. "Oh, I'm sorry. Er, I...um...maybe I could use a bit of an escort," he said. Looking at him she knew she had no choice. As a Lunar Guardian she was responcible for his safety. She nodded, "Of course. I will help you out" she said.

He nodded.

"Thanks. Um...I...I'm Dirk..."

He cleared his throat slightly again. He had to grow a backbone. At the rate he was going, he'd never have a girlfriend. Then again, he'd never had any girl look at him twice and this girl didn't really seem to be the kind of girl he'd be interested in. Maybe if he could find another like himself - a witch just trying to make her way in the world - but for right now, he needed to focus. He mustered up what little backbone he had around attractive girls (he was surprised he had any at all) and spoke again.

"Once I have these deposited, I should be fine. I just don't have the free arms to cast right now...er...well, I guess that's pretty obvious...but, um...yeah."

Okay, that was seriously lame. I need to work on my tongue before I work on anything else. But I already knew that.

This, I think, is a dead topic...please close/delete. Thanks.