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Mission Code Name: An Unlikely Ally
Contract Patron: BADI
Rank: B
Mission Description: Two days ago, a BADI Squad returning from a completed mission was ambushed by an assassin known as 'Hanzo Hattori'. One member, a lizarian, was killed, and the other three were badly injured. This attack was seemingly random, but may be linked to the recent guild disappearances. Regardless, the assassin's attack will not go unnoticed. Intel has it that he's currently staying in the Bad Omen Inn, at the edge of The Swamp of Shadows. An agent has been dispatched to weaken him through the poisoning of his food and drink. A squad is needed to attack, subdue, and transport the criminal back to BADI, where he will be interrogated.
Mission Objective: Capture Hanzo Hattori alive, and return him to BADI.

Leader Needed: No.
Number of Agents Required: 4
Notes: Due to a lack of guild members, and the likely simplicity of which this mission will be carried out, any agents of D-class or higher may join. A healer, support mage, and two melee specialists are desired, but any agents will do.

Agents Participating: (Anyone who signs up will be posted here)

• Anika
• Merenwen Coamenel
• Winter
• The Rider

Special Participating:

• Hanzo_Hattori
• Sartana-kun (towards the end)

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All: It seems that the Swamp of Shadows is always cloaked in the draperies of night, such is the hazy darkness that consumes the land, no matter what time of day. A thick fog surrounds at all sides, and figures further in the mist shift and stumble across the sodden ground. It's common knowledge that wards were constructed centuries ago to protect those who walked these forsaken roads, but standing on them, listening to the whispers of insects and horrors that lay in wait at the water's edge, one begins to wonder if the protection spells are really present, or if they were just rumors to ease the minds of travelers.

The road before you is straight and unwinding; you may go back, to lighter lands and the mysteries of The Misty Forest, or ahead, to the Bad Omen Inn. Your BADI contract should make up your mind.

OOC to All: Be sure to read the information on missions before posting. This is the first BADI mission, so if you have any further questions, be sure to post them in the BADI sign-up topic. The posting order will go as follows: DM, the four of you, Hanzo, DM, the four of you, Hanzo, DM. Hanzo will be posting from inside the tavern, remember. You five may post in any order among yourselves, but please remember that after you make a post, you must wait for the DM to post before you can post again. Below is what you should do for your mission. Please be creative, and keep the posted mission etiquette in mind. Also, since we haven't asigned you agent numbers yet, you can call each other by your regular names.

(What follows is the mission info slip you were given at the BADI guild hall.)

Mission: A couple miles ahead, following the road, you should arrive at the Bad Omen Inn. Be wary of attacks from swamp creatures. Hanzo's poison will be taking effect when you arrive. You must overcome him quickly; he is a powerful adversary. Enough wounds, coupled in with the poison running through his veins, will knock him unconscious, but be wary of killing him. Resurrection is a costly and difficult spell we'd like to avoid using. Once he's unconscious, or captured, carry him back to your mission start point (where you're staying). The transport should have arrived by then, but if you have other, quicker means to transport him to the guild hall, by all means, use them.

Good luck.
-Randalf, head of missions.

When Merenwen heard about the mission she had been intrigued. She had met Hanzo Hattori before, had actually worked side by side with him, so to hear that he was involved in the assassination of her fellow guild members had surprised her greatly. Previously he had been involved in a quest to save unborn souls from a dragon and his being involved in that had made her believe that he was good, but it seems she had been wrong. He must have been involved only for the money, she thought to herself as she contemplated the mission. She was very curious as to who he really was, what went on inside that head of his, and so she had agreed to take part in the mission to capture him.

Having fought against and with him before she knew that the assignment would not be easy, it would take hard work and the whole team would need to work together. He was greatly skilled in hand to hand fighting, an area in which she was highly lacking. Then again, he did not seem to have any special aptitude for magic and she hoped that would give her and her fellow guild members an edge. With one very highly skilled fighter, one very competent fighter, a young mage, and herself she thought they might have a chance. It would not be easy, especially needing to subdue him and take him in alive, but with teamwork she believed it would be possible. This mission was important to her; she wanted answers and would do her best to insure they got them.

As for her fellow guild members, there was only one whom she had met before. The others she had only met at the outset of the mission and though she was beginning to understand them she would not say that she could predict their actions. It would be hard, working with people whom she had never worked beside before, she just hoped none of them decided to attempt to go it alone. They all seemed competent and she didn’t think they would have been chosen if they were not believed to have the necessary skill for the job, but only time would tell.

Either way, she was here now and there would be no turning back. She would go on to there final destination even if the others chose to turn back. She did not see that happening as she could not see any of her fellow guild members choosing to run rather then fight, but if it did then she would go on and attempt the mission with those who chose to stay. She did not like this lace, it was not that is was a swamp that bothered her but the shadows reminded her too much of the dark shadow that was running through her mind. It was the shadow of the person who had killed her in her last life and she had not yet been able to get a clear picture of the person. Her mind was also still filled with the memory of her parents death at the hands of the Guardian of Shadows and that only made the shadows she stood in now seem even more foreboding. She did not know what lay before her, neither in the sense of objects or her fate in this mission, but whatever it was she knew she would push on and hope that all would come out well.

After reading the mission slip she turned to her accomplices and searched there faces for knowledge that they were ready to see the mission through to the end. Though they had discussed some of their plans before heading out she wanted to be sure that everyone was ready and so she scanned each person in turn. They would need to start out soon if they planned to succeed, but first she felt a need to speak, to be sure that everyone was ready to play there part. Swallowing the pool of saliva that had gathered in her throat she said, “As I am sure you all know, this will not be an easy task. I have met Hanzo in the past, I have seen his work first hand, and he is a force to be reckoned with. I feel that I must use a form other then my own for if he sees me he may become suspicious which would only make our task that much harder. If it is agreeable to all of you then I will change form and go in first, though not to speak to him. I could go in and find his location so that when the rest of you enter you will know who it is you seek. I know we were given information on his appearance, but I still feel as though our best chance is to have someone on the inside. I will not go up to him, I will not speak to him, I will just be there ready when the rest of you come forward to point him out to you and then do my part to assist in his capture from there. Does this sound agreeable to the rest of you?”

She waited silently to hear each of their replies. She would not go against there wishes if they did not like the idea but if they did then she would be ready to do whatever she could. She was also ready to hear any of there plans, but knew that they must make it quick. They needed to be there at the opportune moment, just as the poison was taking full effect, and that would be happening soon.

"Anything good?"
Morkus, Winter's vaparic tag-along, had been waiting for her while she was being briefed on her mission, however he was unable to join in any of the fun himself. His usualy cheeky grin was playing across his face.
"Merely to track down and capture," Winter replied "nothing complicated, in theory anyway."
Morkus chuckled softly: "That attitude of yours is going to get you killed one day," he warned.
"I doubt it," Winter replied simply.

She wandered off in the general direction of the woods and the swamp, Morkus following behind her.
"I wonder," he mused "do you ever consider not fighting? How about just giving him the whole peaceful negotiations a shot one in a while?"
"I considered that," Winter admitted "but if he killed the way they say he did then he may not wait to listen to logic." She tightened the strap holding her 'X' shaped scabbard to her back, hoisting it up a little higher "however, I will only fight if I need to."
Morkus gave a short chuckle.

"You're walking, right?" He said "you sure you'll get there on time?"
"I have my methods," Winter replied.
Morkus sighed and stopped walking, turning around to walk back.
"Later,"



A while later, Winter arrived with at the start of their destination with her three companions present. She gave the swamp a quick, half hearted examination before setting her sights back in front of her. She had journeyed here before to get rid of a plague of giant insects, however this was a different area of the swamp and was entirely new to her. The odd splash sounded as a nearby creature darted across the marsh. Winter then took her time to look at her companions, a mage, a guardian and The Rider (a person who she'd had meetings with before). From the way she saw it the team seemed to be assembled with two for fighting and two for magical support. Already Winter was having doubts about this, mainly because she didn't like relying on other people for help, one of her lesser qualities, and also that she wasn't fond of magic either. However for a mission like this teamwork was a vital element, and Winter never argued or questioned.

Since she was already here she wasn't going to turn back. The main reason she signed up was her dislike for killing and unnecessary battle, and she wanted to make sure the assassin had a very good reason to do what he did, and she would have liked to bring him back without resorting to any violent measures.

Right now Winter stood with her arms by her sides, hanging loosely, a little way off from the others. She did this a lot when joining a team of people, she didn't like to interact with others that much and didn't attempt to make friends. To her these people were merely after the same goal as her, so she would therefore work with them to achieve it.

After a while, the water guardian spoke. She sounded nervous but she defiantly knew what she was talking about. Having met the assassin before she would most likely be able to tell if he was going to prefer a fight or a talk, Winter was most in favor of the latter, despite the two katana on her back. The guardian's plan sounded simple enough, and the only flaw Winter found in it is if the assassin would grow suspicious of at least two armed and skilled fighters entering an inn at practically the same time, she had even considered leaving her katana behind. For the moment though it seemed like the best plan they could come up with, and if the pre-sent poison was enough to prevent a fight she had no quarrel with the guardian, she was, after all, the guardian of Winter's main element.

The path through the Swamp of Shadows was a dark one. Strange noises came from within the swamp, the buzzing of insects, the bursting of bubbles in the murky waters, the calls and cries of whatever beasts claim the murky lands home. The shadows made young Anika nervous and jumpy. As a seer she loved it when everything was clear too her. The strange shadows that played with the mind kept vision to a minimal.

Anika was even more nervous because she walked this path with a group. This seemed pretty backwards for a young lady, but Anika preferred being alone. She had never had any luck with people. It was the fairy curse placed upon her family. She trusted few, being a slave for so long, and being sought after for even longer. She knew that greed could drive the most humble of men to do horrible things.

Anika was always looking to belong though. She was left alone in the world since she was a toddler. She had never had a mother that loved her or friends to play with. The only thing she was given were nobles that lusted for her power and servants that did as they were told as long as Anika's visions kept true.

Now she finally found a family, or at least she hoped so. She found a group of people devoted to good. It was definitely a change from the shady characters she usually found herself with. She did not know how these knew friends would accept a young roguish gypsy girl. Would they look down upon her like she was an object to be used rather than a person to be loved. She could only hope that they would take her into their ranks, no matter what dark deeds she had done in the past. Her insides were like mush as she foreboded over these new family members.

Anika was an actress though, and she masked her true emotions well. Even though she was a scared lonely gypsy, she could put on the face of a strong, confident, and well behaved young woman. She moved through across the dark path with a dancer's grace. She held her head high as if she did not care what the others thought of her.

Anika noticed two, small, green, glowing eyes from in the distance. She knew them only to be her panther Alexia. Alexia was her guardian and protector. It had watched over her since her mother left her. Anika thought of it as her mother's final attempt to save her.

Alexia had come in handy over the years. She was watching Anika, but never came to play with her like a pet did. The gods above only know how many times that panther had intervened to save Anika while she traveled the world alone. She may even save her on this mission.

As the group walked the only sounds heard were the clinking of weapons, the jingling of Anika's jewelry, and the sounds of what lay beyond those shadows. Finally Merenwen, the guardian of water, spoke up about a plan. It sounded reasonable enough. Then another girl with strange blue hair and eyes to match put her two cents in, pointing out a flaw. Anika felt as if it was time to let her voice be heard " Well we do not necessarily need to all go in at once. Why not let Merenwen go in first, since she will look nothing more than a civilian. Then we can wait a bit and I will enter with one of you fighters. We can leave the other fighter outside watching the door if he catches on and tries to leave. But if a Fight breaks out than by all means enter as soon as possible."

Seraphiel’s breathing was steady, but his mind was not. He was restless; the sounds behind him, the shifting of the shadows, all made him wary. His red eyes shot back and forth as if he were searching for something, and though the rider was unafraid of the dangers of the swamps the putrid stentch and vile creatures that inhabited the area was the cause of his tripdation. He road his mighty steed with one hand firmly on the reigns, and the other upon the hilt of his blade. Its heavy black hoovesteps upon the soft ground made hardly a sound, but when the earth was saturated with water a distinct suction could be heard. Already in his journey he had cut down several goblins and he was just getting started, for the journey had just begun and he still had to follow the same road for home.

In the coming hours he crossed the wastelands that made the bog, but the foes that crossed his path did not diminish. Seraphiel was forced time and time again to engage enemies from the saddle, but his skill was not in bound combat. Long before he reached the meeting point his cloak was torn and his tunic was bloodied. He had left his armor behind but carried both of his blades, and was thankful that he had decided not to leave one of them behind.

When he arrived at the meeting place for he and his comrades, he was surprised to find that the three of them had already arrived. He seemed to always be the last one to enter, and when he came closer he removed the letter from one of the saddle bags on horses rear.

“I suppose we’re all here for the same reason?” he said casually, holding up identical messages that the other three had. His voice was a thunderous roar, thought it was not loud, but in comparison to his attitude only a short time earlier he was far more apprehensive about being around the three of them than walking alone in the swamps. He felt somewhat out of place, a giant man alongside three women; giant black horns spiraling from the top of his head forging the sign of infinity, pale skin and red eyes, and long black hair falling to his chest. He had to admit to himself that of the four of them he was the least attractive.

He watched the rest of them with some interest; the one he knew, the younger fighter. He had met her before, and knew how she worked. The second woman he had no previous knowledge of, however. She was a mystery to him, but if he had to guess he would have thought that she would be a cleric, healer or mage. He thought just by the look of her that she would be no fighter, but then again he had been wrong. However, the third he knew only by reputation. She was the Guardian of Water, and a powerful warrior at that, but she was more to the rider. She was a memory long since forgotten – a bit of nostalgia that he could now place, but he paid it no real attention. He thought of the coming storm, of their mission and of how to go about completing it, and he was already formatting a plan of attack when Merenwen spoke up. Seraphiel generally liked the plan, but he had an idea to add when Anika and Winter agreed.

He cleared his throat, and casually stated, “The idea sounds good, but I suspect he will know what’s happening if all enter one after the other and confront him together. It may give him too much foresight. If you like, I’ll wait until you’ve entered and taken your place, and I will come in to get a room for the night. Then we could have Winter move in through a back door. When we are all set up, this young woman,” he stopped for a moment motioning towards Anika, “could come in and initiate his capture. If he resists, the Guardian and I will step in, and Winter could come in afterwards as a surprise.”

The Bad Omen Inn within the Swamp of Shadows was packed for the night, people of many different races all sitting and having a drink although out of all the dark figures one stood out amongst them. Perched up on a stool at the bar table was a man wearing a long dark blue coat, which had been made from something known as a Winters Embrace. He also wore a long pair of black pants he had made himself from a powerful Cloak of Neutrality while his top was sewn from another cloak of Balance known as the Cloak of Equity. It was clear the man had the money, or know-how to obtain the items he had for those were not the other rare items he had upon his person, no this strange man also wore armour below his long coat, the armour holding the powers of balance deep within it. His face however is what made him truly stand out among the others, for only months ago this man would have been seen wearing some kind of ninja mask to hide his form but now he had given up on that life after losing one of his eyes in the war, his right eye to be exact. Now with a black eye patch over his right eye this man was setting forth for a new life!

Closing his good left eye the man began to think back a few days ago, he had come across a group of travellers and one of them happened to have been a Lizarian, just the sight of said beast had sent the man, who was known better as Hanzo Hattori, into a fit of rage which caused him to not only attack the beast but to kill it in its tracks. Since that day Hanzo had spent his time at the Bad Omen Inn drinking away his problems more and more with each passing night. The ties to his past with the Lizarians still held a strong bond over him, they had killed most of his old clan and for that Hanzo would never forgive the race. They were the only ones within Arda he held a strong hatred towards, and Hanzo knew for sure he would always hate them no matter what happened during the rest of his life.

Reaching out his left hand towards his large glass of ale Hanzo felt somewhat strange, yes he was a little drunk but that was not what he was feeling. Unknown to the Dhamphir someone had slipped a poison into his drinks and it was finally starting to effect him, slowing down his basic reaction time and sending waves of pain through his body ever now and again. Of course Hanzo thought all of this was just an effect of whom much he had been drinking lately, but he was not prepared to stop yet. Once drinking more of his ale and setting the now empty glass back upon the table Hanzo rested both of his hands on the hilts of the blades he had sheathed at his sides. Both were Blades of Destruction, however Hanzo had named them Devotion and Discord and the pair had since become his most used weapons proving his mastery of being able to Dual Wield. Hanzo was a very capable skilled fighter, though did not know much of the Arcane Arts within Arda. That being said though, he could still hold his own against a power hungry mage, the only challenging part of the battle would be getting close enough to attack with the swords.

With his drink finished Hanzo pushed himself up from his place at the bar and began to walk towards one of the empty tables in the bar, though there were not exactly many to pick from, once at said table the Dhamphir sat down gently on the wooden chair before he placed his large armoured boots up onto the table and closed his eye. He was all set to have a relaxing night in the bar, free from fighting, free from being given a new target. As the man relaxed where he was he could hear some movement coming from outside, the movements had come from a large Dire Wolf called Kotaro whom was with Hanzo, the large wolf deciding to stay outside in the moonlight while its master continued to drink, its beautiful white and silver coat glimmering in the light that hit against its form as it waited. Hanzo was finally getting to start his life as Blade Master although deep within him something was lurking, trying to find its way out of his ever weakening body, something that was trying to protect Hanzo from the poison that was taking its effect upon him. That thing which was lurking inside him was none other than Hanzo thirst for blood forced upon him from his Dhamphir traits, the thirst was taking over at an increased rate in the hopes that consuming some blood might just stop the effects of the poison. It would not be long now until Hanzo Hattori would be fully overtaken by his thirst and would have to prey on those within the Bad Omen Inn. The true test for this night was yet to begin!


((Sorry it took so long guys, live has been hell :lol: I will be more active now!))

To The Rider, Mere, Winter, and Anika: While you stand and discuss strategies, it's hard to shrug off the eerie feeling of being watched. Indeed, with the swirling mists about you, shadowy figures traversing the swampy ground, and unearthly sounds of the night, it's hard to tell just how many creatures know of your presence at the moment, which you've done nothing to hide, talking as you were with one another.

At once, Merenwen's 'detect aquatic beings' spell flares. There's something large beneath the murky waters to the right of the road. It's not shaped like any fish; several appendages sprout from the bulk of its form. Winter, with her uncanny ability to 'detect evil' in the hearts of beings, can also sense the creature if she concentrates; it's obvious that it's intelligent enough to consciously wish harm on others.

Whatever it is that lives below the black swamp water is slowly making its way towards your group, attracted by voices and vibrations on the ground. Now would be a good time to get moving, lest you became engaged in a meaningless struggle.

To Hanzo: You may be unaware of the poison coursing through your veins, due to your alcohol, but it's doing more than sending surges of strange pain through your body. Your movements are becoming jerky, and off-key, while the vision in your one good eye slowly fades. These complications, added to your drunk state, will do much to inhibit your melee prowess, even if you are a master swordsman.

OOC All: Whoo! Keep going guys, and don't be afraid to get creative. You're all doing fine so far.

As Merenwen awaited the response of her accomplices her mind ran through everything they would have to do. She shifted her eyes from one to the next and though that the fighter girl, Winter would be the first to speak. It looked as if she had something on her mind, but whatever it was she chose not to say it. Instead, the other girl was the first to speak. Her comment made sense, for all of them to enter at the same time would be too suspicious. Suspicion would only make things that much more difficult and Merenwen wanted things to go as smoothly as possible.

Even as she was thinking this she could sense something else out there. There was some creature in the water and it seemed to be getting closer. Somehow she knew that the advancing creature was not going to be a good thing. She was unsure as to what the creature was but being in the swamp, she could think of nothing good coming from it. The fact that the creature made no noise as it moved through the water was also not a good sign in her mind. Something wasn’t right, they needed to get moving, not only because they had a mission to finish but because they were in a dangerous place and standing still as they were gave too much chance of someone, or something, sneaking up on them.

She listened as the last member of the group, the fighter who she expected would be the biggest asset physically, spoke on his concerns. He seemed to have the same concerns as the girl and she knew that they were both right in those concerns. She liked his idea; her only worry was about having the girl be the one to initiate the capture. Still, it made sense in because Hanzo would not feel worried if she approached him; if either of the other two were to do so then he would be more likely to have some idea of what was going on.

When he finished speaking she was once again hit by the feeling of some creature moving through the water towards them. She looked at each of them and said, “I will agree with what has been added, it makes sense. Now, we need to get moving, something is out there moving towards us and I don’t think it’s good. I will go in first, I will transform now so that you will know what I look like. Give me at least five minutes to get into position, but I would not advise waiting here. I am not sure where I will be sitting compared to Hanzo as I do not know the layout of the inn, but find me and I will give a small nod in his direction.”

That said, Merenwen took a short step away from them and began to transform. She grew to a height of 5’8’ and her weight was at 125 pounds. Her eyes turned to a hazel green, and became more almond in shape. Her hair became longer, straight, and a deep, dark brown. Her face lengthened slightly and her cheeks became slightly more prominent. In all, she looked much more delicate and nothing could be seen of her ordinary form. After completing the change she made sure that her cloak was covering both her armor and weapons before looking at the others one last time. “I am going to head in now, again I advise not to continue standing here as something is not right.”

With that, she turned and glided across the ground towards the inn. When she reached the door she caught sight of a beautiful wolf, one that she recognized, standing near the door. She recognized the wolf as a companion of Hanzo and seeing it assured her that he was still inside. Checking one last time that her weapons and armor were covered she pushed the door open with a delicacy that matched her look and steeped into the room. She looked around as if she was lost and was seeking a place to rest. On her first glance around the room she missed Hanzo, but when she looked again she finally caught sight of him. He had changed a lot since the last time she had seen him, not only in what he wore but he had lost an eye. She tried not to look too long and again ran her eyes around the room in search of a place from which she could sit and still have him in her sights. All the tables were taken and if she sat at the bar he would be behind her.

Slowly she came to a decision, one she hoped her accomplices would not be angered by. Her eyes once again moved to Hanzo but she made them show an emotion of exhaustion, of needing a place to sit. She let her nerves show on her face and hoped that he would take them as the nerves of a woman who wasn’t sure about the decision she had come to. Slowly she moved across the room until she stood in front of him and said, “Excuse me sir, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I were to sit across from you. It seems there is no other place aside from the bar and I was just hoping that you wouldn’t mind if I sat here because I am afraid that in my exhaustion I may fall out of my seat if I sit at the bar.” She made sure her voice shook a little with fear and exhaustion, and that her body was marked with the signs of a tired woman.

((I’m not sure if this will work because I am then standing there when the others come in if they come in this round so if anyone feels it would be best to change it PM me and I will try to work something else out.))

Winter still chose to remain silent, it wasn't that she didn't trust her opinions or thoughts to her companions but she didn't really think it was necessary, since most of them seemed to share the same outlook on the situation as she did. So she did not take part in the discussion of the guardian's plan, in fact she barely even looked at them, she merely glared ahead of her with a blank, cold stare. Had she been a more emotionally dominated person, she might be growing doubts of the water guardian, she seemed far too nervous for a person of such a high position, if she was the guardian of water then surely she need not fear whatever lurks in the swamp. However since Winter wasn't the sort of person who judged others she did not doubt the guardian's abilities, she had her own flaws after all.

The same result also came from her opinions of the other two, none at all. However she suspected that the Rider would probably be doing most of the actual fighting and the other one supporting somehow, or else there might not be a fight at all for all she knew, and perhaps the elusive Hanzo would choose to come quietly. Winter preferred this outcome, and if it did come to a fight she'd rather lead him outside rather than expose him to defenseless civilians. All she truly cared about was learning the reason behind the attack and making sure he never did it again, it was a small step but it was at least something to do rather than wander around and hope she'd bump into the event just like that.

Something interrupted her thoughts, something besides the guardian's transformation into her disguise. Upon the words 'something is not right', Winter's own intuition had sparked briefly. Suddenly aware of whatever was lurking nearby, Winter turned about her face displaying a look similar to a mix between a mad rage and shock. One of her most unique skills, especially for a being like her, was the ability to detect the evil in the hearts of others, therefore using this to judge them rather than their behavior. But this time was different, she felt it in none of her companions, but it seemed to be coming from somewhere in the mist. Automatically, a hand reached up slowly and grabbed the handle of one of the twin katana on her back. The mist was obscuring her vision greatly, and in this environment her frontal focus was the worst characteristic she could have, barely being able to see ahead of her and completely oblivious to just about everything behind her. However she watched the mist ahead of her, trying to search for the evil heart again and seeing if she could use that to pinpoint the creature's location, as she focused her pupils seemed to grow thinner and she became unaware that Anika and the Rider were even there.

Anika listened too the Rider's plan, feeling a little unsure of it. He wanted to give her the position of confronting the killer, putting her up in the front lines. Anika knew that bravery did nothing but get people killed. Those that flee when danger comes live to see another day. She really did not want to disappoint her new allies though. She wanted to make a good impression and nodded her head in agreement to the plan.

Alexia became unnerved in her dark retreat. She gave out a hiss, letting Anika know of danger nearby. The warning hiss did not make Anika fret, for she had heard it often. Alexia warned. She did know to trust her panther though, for Alexia never lead her astray.

The guardian then spoke up, telling of danger lurking about in the shadows. The other woman in the group seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, hand on her blade. The young seer's heart began to beat fast with doubt. Maybe this was not such a good idea. She had survived this long on her own, why would she need a family now? Danger lurked in the shadows and danger awaited her at their destination. Anika could care less if this Hanzo was caught. She was doing this for herself. She needed companionship. She needed a change.

Anika watched as the guardian transformed herself. She was envious of such a power. How often had Anika wished to be someone else? She would not care if she lost her youth, pretty face, or her foresight, as long as she lost the problems that came along with having the Moore name! But that was but a dream.

As soon as Merenwen disappeared into the shadows Anika cleared her throat and spoke, letting her voice ring out above the sounds of the swamp " If staying here is going to put us in danger then I suggest that we set out on our plan. I am going ahead, but I will not enter till we are all in place." With that she broke away from the comfort of the group and set on down the road, her panther following from a distance in the shadows.

When Anika arrived at the door of the inn she bent down on the ground. She took out a few ingredients from her pack and began to work some of her family's gypsy magic. She wrote a few shaky symbols in the dirt and made a circle with sea salt. She then sprinkled certain symbols with either volcanic ash or coal dust. Lastly she took out some spider silk and covered the whole circle with it. If any patrons of the inn passed through the circle nothing would happen, but If Hanzo tried to make an escape, The circle would trap him inside. That way both the front and back door would be covered.

Perhaps it was the smell of the humidity of the swamps, or the sudden change of the guardian’s appearance, but whatever it was the rider was put on his alert. He did not have the magical prowess that his companions possessed, but something deep inside put him on alert although he could not really well what it was or what force, or forces, was moving against them. The wily old general had that feeling in the pit of his stomach, and could taste the anticipation in the air. It was not until moments after the guardian departed and Anika spoke that he snapped back to reality; a cold sweat forming on his brow in small beads. His breathing was shallow and quick, and his eyes darted back and forth nervously from shadow to shadow. Rarely was he so skittish, but this was a task that he thought they needed to get done as quickly as possible.

As soon as he judged that the optimum amount of time had passed by he spurred his horse in the sides and set it into motion. He passed through a spot that was cold, and sent a shiver down his spine, but he paid it no heed. By the time he arrived at the front of the inn there was no sign of his associates, which meant that he was the last one to enter the party and that they were already inside. Still nervous though not nearly as much as before he slowly moved his horse towards the stable, and hopped off when he got it settled. He removed the Nightmare’s bridle and its saddle, and sat them both atop the wooden gates of the pin. Khazid’hea went about his usual pattern of eating, and he turned and went inside quickly glancing backwards. It was not as if he was scared, but he was apprehensive about leaving the horse out there by himself. Khazid’hea was one of his closest companions, and he could not bear the thought of losing him again.

The door creaked lowly like that of a dying anima as he stepped inside, and he glanced around quickly like a man on the edge of losing control. He spotted the assumed form of the guardian, and noted her position. However, he gave no notion that he saw anyone else other than the attendant behind the bar. He approached quickly and his hand shot down to his side where he untied a small leather pouch. To the attendant he said, “I need a room for the night, and a meal.” The bag fell upon the bartop with a resounding clang, and he turned his head left and right quickly to eye the room. His was a devious stare like red ice, and when the attendant handed him a key all he did was nod.

Seraphiel quickly retired to the confines of his room, but only long enough to remove his cloak, gantlets and his armor and fix his undershirt in the lackluster mirror. His features were distorted in the pale silver shine, but he could tell that he had not slept in a good bed for a few days, and that a warm bath would do him good. The scars on his face were dark black, and seemed darker than usual, but it might have simply been his imagination. His weapons were still belted to his hips, and as soon as he had adjusted himself and pulled back his hair he was quickly moving back downstairs to go to the bar. He took a seat several stools down from the guardian and Honzo, and he waited for his “meal” to be served. The bartender fixed him and a drink but he did not indulge himself yet, finding it more prudent to stay sober for the coming events.

[Smallish post]

Resting, his eye closed and his body becoming more and more tense with each second that seemed to pass by, Hanzo Hattori was finally starting to realise that something was wrong with him. He had not felt his body react in such a way for many years but the Dhamphir was still unable to place his finger on what was wrong with him, or how whatever was wrong with him had infact happened. At that moment in time his thoughts started to drift back to when he had killed that Lizarian awhile ago as well as injured the ones he had been with, keeping the thought of said event in his mind Hanzo could feel his hidden thirst for blood slowly building up from within the pit of his vampiric body, Hanzo had to feed and he had to do so as soon as possible!

As the one eyed being continued on his train of thought he eventually heard the sound of the wind entering the Inn once more which of course meant that someone had just walked into the building. Slowly opening his eye Hanzo attempted to scan the room and locate the one that had just entered the establishment, however he found his vision had become more impaired that it had been before hand. Shaking his head slightly and trying to focus his eye better Hanzo finally locked his eyes onto the form of a young woman whom had not been in the building beforehand meaning she must have been the one that had entered. Pushing his form up from his seat and into a more comfortable position Hanzo soon heard the voice of the young woman asking him if she could sit at the table he was at. Looking at her once more the Blademaster casually nodded his head before saying in a slightly dark tone, due to his bloodlust like state, “If you wish to sit there then you can, I just hope you don’t expect me to socialize much Miss as I am not exactly in the happy go lucky mood right now.” With the last of his words passed his lips Hanzo curled his entire hands around the hilts of the two magnificent blades at his hips before using his basic skills in Telekinesis to push out a chair for the woman to sit on.

It was only after he had spoken to the woman that another seemed to enter the building, a man clad in rather heavy and bulky armour. This man had asked for a meal as well as a room for a night, after this he had been shown his room and had headed off towards it. He was not sure why but Hanzo was starting to think that the Inn was getting rather busy for that night, with it being located in the Swamp of Shadows and all. The Dhamphir slammed his left hand hard upon the wooden table he was sat at and grit down hard on his teeth, it was only at that moment in time that Hanzo started to think he was ill, that he had eaten or drunk something that did not agree with him. It would not be long before the one eyed dragon finally clicked that he had been poisoned, and when that was to happen who knew how Hanzo would react, at worst his fury would take over and he would not stop until he found out who had poisoned him!

Still gritting down hard on his fanged teeth Hanzo had said another word to the young female, soon the pain started to slowly pass from his body and he once again saw the form of the armoured man coming back from his room. His appearance had changed somewhat now, as, from what Hanzo was able to see from his somewhat blurred vision, the man did not have his armour across his form anymore but still had his deadly weapons strapped onto his side much like Hanzo had his own blades. Pulling his vision away from the man and back to the young woman Hanzo said slowly, “Sorry about slamming my hand against the table like that… anyway I am going to rest for a bit, if you want a drink just give them my name and they will put it on my tab. I have become somewhat of a regular here of late… names Hanzo…” Gently the eye of Hanzo then closed and a sigh passed along his lips, he needed to try and relax and try and let the pain subside.

((OOC: Sorry it kinda sucks ^_^; ))

OOC All: Not much to say. Winter, you may wish to continue with the rest towards the tavern, lest you become engaged with the underwater beasty. That's all. I'm looking forward to the confrontation here, but remember when fighting Hanzo—he's still a vastly superior opponent, even under the affects of the poison. Be careful, and realistic!

Hearing the dark tone emanating from Hanzo’s voice when he responded to her request made her wonder how lost he had become in the drugs and his own bloodlust. She was glad that he seemed to have no recognition of her, for if her were to catch on to who she really was then she expected he would be on guard immediately. She could see that he was not feeling normal though, and the comment about his not being in the mood to socialize only increased her belief that the drugs were taking effect. She hoped the others would be ready to start the task of capturing him soon, for even in the drugged state it would be hard, if he began to regain full control then taking him alive would be a much more difficult, nearly impossible task.

She slowly slid herself down into the chair across from him after noticing that he must have moved it out for her in some way, likely with telekinesis. When she had slid fully into the chair she said, “Thank you kind sir. I am not worried about socializing; I just need a little rest.”

She slumped down in her chair and let her eyes fall near to closed, with just enough of a slit that she would be able to see what he was doing and when her accomplices would enter the room. She really hoped they would arrive soon, she knew that acting on her own was highly advised against, but she also knew that the time was near. She hoped they would be able to draw him outside to keep anyone else from being injured and that none of them would be badly injured in the ensuing fight. The chances of getting away with no injuries was near to impossible, but it would be good if they at least only suffered minor injuries.

It was then that she saw Seraphiel enter the establishment. He did as he had said he would and got a room before heading off. She knew that he would not be gone long and she was glad for that because she knew that he would be the one she would likely look to most for help in capturing Hanzo. She was sure the others would be competent, that they would be of help, but from what she had seen so far she suspected that he had the most skill and knowledge.

When Hanzo slammed his hand down on the table Merenwen jumped a little and her eyes flew to him. They had come open with the noise of his hand slamming down and when they caught on his face she knew that he was being heavily affected, either by the drugs, his own blood lust, or a combination of both. Either way, he did not seem to have full control of himself and she expected that given just a little more time he would be at the best point to attempt the capture.

Merenwen next saw Seraphiel come back out into the main room with his weapons but without his armor. She didn’t know if it was a good idea, his removing the armor, for though it may help in keeping Hanzo off guard it would leave more chance of his being injured were a major fight to break out. Still, he had his experiences to base things on and she was not going to worry. If he wanted to do this without his armor then that was his choice, she would do her part and trust him to do his own. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he sat down at the counter and awaited his meal, but was careful not to let her interest in his actions show.

She slouched back in the chair and allowed her eyes to from back into small slits through which she could see but it would look as if she was near sleep. When Hanzo spoke she allowed her eyes to slowly open and rest upon him again. She nodded in response to his words and said, “It is nice to meet you Hanzo, my name is Melody. I will admit you frightened me a little, but it is alright. As for the drink, I am afraid I have never done well with any form of alcohol so I think I will pass, but thank you for the offer.” She had come up with the name off the top of her head and hoped that neither it nor her decision not to drink would cause any suspicion.

When he had closed his eyes she moved her own towards Seraphiel in hopes of catching his attention. She couldn’t make any noise that would give her away and so she hoped that he would look over at her and see that the time had come. She shifted slightly in her own chair so that she would be able to stand up more easily and prepared to begin the capture.

((Sorry this took so long and is crappy, been busy and I didn’t know what else to do at this point.))

Whatever the beast lurking below her was, it seemed sentient, or at least intelligent enough not to attack her without first estimating her abilities. She took a step backwards, eying the spot where she had felt the creature's heart. She stopped and stood where she was, making sure there were no spots too close to her where any form of gorilla attack could be sprung from. While doing this she noticed that her companions were absent, and hadn't noticed her lapse from reality. She seemed to pull herself together all of a sudden.

I don't like fighting, people get hurt! A childish voice spoke in Winter's memories.
She sighed and bowed her head, a defeated expression of her face.
"Ah, that's right," she muttered to herself "I shouldn't go looking for a fight I needn't get involved with."
She turned to look in the direction of the inn, although the mist shrouded all but what was directly in front of her, still she could tell it was the right way. Hanzo, and the others, were defiantly in position, waiting for the perfect moment to begin, however Winter felt no evil intent in the hearts of the inn's occupants.

She narrowed her eyes and moved forwards, ignoring the eerie sounds hidden within the mist, she wasn't about to be disturbed by a simple thing like paranoia. The shadow of the building was soon within her sights, as was the mage girl waiting at the entrance for Hanzo to come out. Winter gave her the briefest of glances and moved on, skirting the edge of the building and doing her utmost to avoid being heard by those inside, however stealth wasn't her specialty; more something she lacked. Once she reached the back she scouted about for the back entrance. Attached to the back wall was a crude stable, made up of a short stone wall and a porch. A single chestnut horse was tethered there, munching on some hay. Winter noticed the door directly behind it.

She walked over to it and vaulted over the wall, giving the door a cold glare. She pushed it half-heartedly but it didn't give.
"Locked?" She muttered.
She bent down and placed an ear next to the crack between the door and its frame, but heard nothing but air coming through it. She narrowed her eyes and glanced behind her, fixing her cat-like pupils on the horse. She reached out and yanked its tail before rolling forwards before the horse's hooves kicked out. When they did, instead of hitting Winter they struck the door and kicked it open, most likely breaking the lock permanently.

The horse gave a loud neigh and made to charge at Winter, however it was tied in place and unable to move more than a few feet. Winter stood up straight and walked through the door, ignoring the horse's complaints. She closed the door behind her as best it would go, hoping nobody thought anything of the horse's noise. Looking around she found herself in a back storage room, one side of the room was filled with stacks of crates and barrels, most of them covered in cobwebs and one in the corner even had fungi growing on it. The air in here was old and musty, not the sort that Winter would prefer to breath in, but no matter. She moved forwards, noticing a door ajar at the other end of the room, she crouched down next to it and peeked through, noticing the main barroom sitting beyond it.

She picked out Merenwen's guise, however she was unable to see the man sitting opposite her, she moved her ear to the crack to try and make out what they were saying. A movement behind her made her look up, odd; she never usually heard what was behind her especially when she was focused on a target. Looking round she noticed a rather irritated looking bartender standing over her.
"Whas all this noise a'bou, huh?" He asked "I just came in t' back and found t' ol orse going crazy, nutting to do wit yew is it?"
Winter gave the man a characteristically cold glare and stood up straight.
"It was yelling like that when I got here," she said "it looked like it had kicked the door open, I was wondering if anybody had snuck inside."

The bartender drilled a finger into a rather hairy ear, making a 'yeehurrahh' sort of noise.
"Well don't go sneakin' aroun where yer not wanted, huh!" He said gruffly.
Winter stepped out of the way as the man walked past her and through the door. She watched him go through with a cold expression. Once he was out of sight she bent down next to the door again to listen.

His stomach was growling lowly, hungry for more than just a leg or lamb with a side of roasted duck, no there was a much hungrier look in his eye. The rider knew what he was in for – he knew what he was about to do, and he had the mentality that he wanted to get to it and get it done quickly – there was simply no room for error in the plan they had set. That was why he did not begin to move on Hanzo immediately, and why he saw fit to partake of food and drink and remove his armor. He knew that the fight would end as quickly as it would begin. And if he was meant to be injured he would not fight until he had a proper meal. No one ever knew which would be their last.

So when his food came the rider seemed to ignore his comrades, at least for a few moments. He sipped his mead and he filled his stomach with lamb and duck, and he kept a slight smile on his face the entire time. It was as if he did not have a care in the world. And when he had reached a point that he felt was adequate he pushed his plate away, and leaned back. Sera had to take another moment just to let his food settle, but finally with an appeased groan he stood to his feet, and stretched to the sky. Every single muscle that comprised his towering formed seemed to ripple beneath the veil of thick bronze skin. The rider yawned, and then began to move, but not up the stairs to his room. He turned on his heel and moved towards Mere and Hanzo, ready to throw the smack down. His expression had become very stern and demanding in those few second.

“Hanzo Hattori-” he said as he approached the pair, taking a stand within blades length of the man, “-Under jurisdiction of BADI, I request that you come with me. If you do not comply peacefully I will use force to bring you to my employer.” He said sternly, but not rudely. He had heard rumors of the assassin already, and he offered him his respect. He didn’t even interrupt the conversation between the guardian and the assassin.

Seraphiel as ready for the coming storm too. His fist were balled up, tightly coiled by his sides, and his knuckles were white. His body was ready to take blow after blow, for he knew that though he was skilled with a pair of blades the assassin would be the victor if it was one on one. However, he knew this fight, while tough, would be mostly one-sided especially with the guardian on their side. He might have preferred if the god of air had been there too, to keep Hanzo on the ground, but he was nothing going to be picky. For the most part he was just happy that they had a power-house on their side. He could not be said to be so skilled. He knew five spells and could deftly wield his blades, but compared to the guardian and the assassin his skills were lacking.

(Probably the shortest post I've ever written.)

Anika sat outside in the dark. The warm glow escaping from the windows of the inn pushed back the darkness, giving the area a pale in between look. The laughter, chatter of life, sweet smells, and warmed was calling to her, tempting her to leave her post and enter the merriment. She was strong willed however. Anika was the youngest, physically the weakest, and did not have the most moral background. She had the most to prove to her guild, in her eyes anyway. She was not going to be the one that screwed this mission up. She was going to stick with the plan.

Anika had sat and listened to the sweet temptation of what lay behind that wooden door until she seen winter pass by. She was sure that her partner had seen her as well. All Anika would have to do now is let her get into place and then she would enter and confront their target.

After a few restless minutes Anika pushed through the door, spilling into the inn. A wave of life ran over her as she left the dark, quite, lifeless night and entered the illuminated bar filled with life. A few patrons turned to see the knew arrival. Anika did not feel that she was too suspicious, she was obviously a gypsy, her appearance and clothing choice giving that away. She was a born traveler and this was an inn, what was more natural than that.

Anika's mismatching eyes, one a deep purple and the other a deep green, began to scan the crowd diligently. It did not take long to find the table because the voice of The Rider rang out, all other sounds becoming background noise “-Under jurisdiction of BADI, I request that you come with me. If you do not comply peacefully I will use force to bring you to my employer.” The show had started without her. She felt her heart flutter, her nerves taking over. Time seemed to drag on, the course of action all depending on one response.

Sitting there with his eye still closed Hanzo began to see images of the Lizarian he had killed not to long ago, its body laying lifeless upon the hard surface of the ground with one of the Dhamphirs’ daggers impaled within its rough neck. In truth Hanzo had not even been able to get said dagger back as the blade had snapped off when he tried to remove it, he knew it was a mistake to leave the evidence behind but he did not really have a choice it was either that or be caught while trying to remove it. The other image that continually flashed within his dark mind was that of the Lizarians blood flowing along the ground like a beautiful crimson river of pain. Of course this image seemed far greater than normal to Hanzo because of his thirst for blood at that moment in time, the beast in his heart wanted more than anything to feast upon the pathetic mortals around him, more so the woman that sat at the table with him.

As the one eyed dragon continued his train of thought the poison was making its way farther into his body, if it had not been for the vampire instinct to feed then Hanzo would have most likely been in serious pain from the poison. It was just his luck, on the one day he takes his guard down just a little and tries to relax with a few drinks someone manages to drip poison into one of them. Eventually Hanzo heard the sound of footsteps coming towards him but he did not pay them any special attention since it was a high chance it was only someone heading up towards their room for the night. However that was not the case, the footsteps had been heading in the direction of Hanzo and had stopped near where he was sat, once the steps had stopped he heard a voice unfamiliar to him saying his name and also mention he was from some organisation known as B.A.D.I that Hanzo had never heard of in his entire lifetime on Arda. What was next said by the male voice is that Hanzo should go with him peacefully to this mans employer or be taken by force.

Just that last word, force, caused a dark and sinister smirk to spread along the lips of the Dhamphir warrior. Slowly opening his eye Hanzo looked directly towards the man that had been speaking to him and noticed right away it was the man who had come in adorned with armour and got a room before coming back down. Rolling his eye ever so slightly, but still not moving from his seated position, Hanzo said towards this man; “Under jurisdiction of B.A.D.I huh? Well I have no idea what that is, or what I have done for that matter. So why don’t you just move along and play with your toys child.” His voice paused for a moment before continuing on with, “Trust me, taking me by force shall not be in your best interest. I would wipe the walls of the building with your corpse if you tried. For you see I am not a weakling like so many others in this pathetic world we live in, no, I can say with utmost confidence and truth that I am very skilled in the art of war. If you wish to test yourself against me then so be it boy!” With this word said Hanzo pushed his chair slowly backwards and then pushed himself up to his feet.

Standing at just over five feet eleven in height Hanzo was not a short man by any means, and he already had his finely crafted silver armour on under his large blue cloak. With the same dark smirk along his lips Hanzo looked towards The Rider once more, of course unaware of his name, and lowered his hands down towards the hilt of the mighty weapons at his waist. Wrapping his fingers around the blades Hanzo swiftly withdrew each of them and held them in a death grip. Ready to battle the Azure Dragon spoke once more; “I was starting to get bored anyway, this should keep me awake!” Right after finishing he winked his good eye and instantly vanished from sight, soon appearing right next to the bar with both Blades of Destruction pointed towards the one known as “The Rider” Out of each blade and blast of red chaotic energy shot forth towards this man that wanted to take Hanzo in. It looked as though the Dhamphir was about to get the fun he so desired, and with luck maybe even the blood he was lusting for at the time.

((OOC: Not a great post, but I hope it works!Even though I have changed Hanzo he will be the same as he was in this topic as he was when it started.))

IC to all: The bustling innards of the tavern—the clatter of plates, voices of patrons—halted as Seraphiel stopped at Hanzo's table. His voice, though not terribly loud, caught the ear of each customer, no matter how drunk or occupied, so that every eye turned to the encounter. Nothing moved, save for the lanterns dangling from the ceiling. Their light brought dancing shadows about every inch of the tavern. Hanzo's voice was edged with a toying condescension, free from all fear or worry—for good reason. He was one of the most renowned assassins in Arda.

At once patrons were crawling over each other and knocking chairs aside, escaping from the impending fight. Crashes and the shattering of plates broke through the air. Like spooked cattle they clamored out of the tavern, until only five individuals remained: four BADI agents, and their enemy.

OOC to all Whoo! Battle time! Oh, but one request: can we stop with the ending comments on your posts? They're fine. No need to say it's short, or terrible, or rushed—just post and be happy that you posted. Thanks!

Merenwen was glad to catch site of Sera coming in her direction. She did not know if he had seen her nod to him, had noticed that the poison had taken effect, or was just ready to get things going, but that didn’t matter. The time had come, and she could only hope that no one was badly hurt in the process. She especially wished to be sure that no innocent bystander would be wounded because of any fight that might break out. It was not only her job to complete the mission, but to protect the people around her as well and she would always keep that in mind. She was ready to use any measure necessary in order to finish the fight quickly and keep people safe.

When Sera reached the table Merenwen’s eyes lifted to watch him and see what approach he would take. Her face showed curiosity that she hoped at least for the time would be taken as only curiosity as to what some random man was doing coming up to there table, and that none of the recognition and true curiosity would come across. When it was time she would return to her original form, but it had not come yet. She hoped that when she did change back into her regular form it would have some effect on Hanzo, maybe make him more willing to come peacefully, but she didn’t put any weight in that possibility. They may have gotten along fairly well in the past, but things were different this time, they were on opposite sides of the line.

In some ways Merenwen was a little surprised by how Sera had decided to approach the situation, but she could also understand that it would be better to be straight forward and hope that he would be agreeable then to just grab and know that there would be a fight. Still, she could not see any way that Hanzo would be willing to come just because he had been requested to do so and that meant that the time to fight would soon be at hand. She could make a out a bit of a defensiveness in Sera’s stance and was sure that he was also aware of the fact that chances of things ended without a fight were very low.

Out of the corner of her eye Merenwen noticed that the young mage, Anika, had entered the room. She trusted that Winter was following through with her task to come in from the back and was relieved to see that thus far everyone seemed to be following with the plan. Still, only the easy part had been accomplished thus far. The hard part was yet to come, and would be coming soon.

She heard Hanzo’s response to Sera’s comments and could see that the other customers were coming to understand that trouble was at hand. As the customers scurried for the doors she slowly stood up and her hand slipped slowly under her cloak. It seemed that all of Hanzo’s concentration was on Sera, though she couldn’t be sure how much else he was still noticing. She knew that he did not lie when he said that taking him by force would not be in their best interest, but what he didn’t know was the numbers against him. She also knew that he did not lie when he boasted of his skills in war and it was those skills that could take them out if they did not work in tandem. She and Anika would have to use their powers while the others fought in order to take him, and even so the fight would not be easy.

When she heard Hanzo comment on how he had been getting board and the fight would keep him awake she knew, even before he disappeared before her eyes, that the fight was on. She swiftly transformed back into her regular form, allowing her blonde hair to flow freely about her shoulders. Her cloak flew back showing her armor and weapons as she once more became the guardian of Water. Sure, she had never been anything else, but in the eyes of those standing nearby she had been nothing more then a mortal. Everyone else may have left the room, but still, Hanzo would know who he was going against, and maybe he would be more willing to calm down.

By the time Merenwen had finished her transformation Hanzo had already reappeared and sent a spell in the direction of Sera. She did not see a way that she could stop the attack, but hoped that Sera would have the speed to avoid it. Rather then let herself get distracted worrying about him she raised one hand towards Hanzo and prepared to use her first spell. She also placed her right hand upon her sword and pulled it from the sheath, holding it down by her side. She would give him one more chance, and only one more chance, before she released her full powers. If he continued to attack even after he knew who he was up against then he would feel the full power of her Guardian powers.

Looking into the eyes of the Dhamphir Merenwen spoke. “Hanzo, it has been a while since I last saw you. Know that I am here with B.A.D.I. as well and if you do not come peacefully then I shall also do all that is in my power to capture you. We are not here to cause you any harm, we merely need answers, answers that I am particularly interested in receiving. This does not need to turn into a bloodbath, but if you continue to attack, I shall use my powers against you.”

Waiting where she was wasn't really boring for Winter, but time did tend to drag on in these sorts of situations. The next few minutes seemed almost twice as long as normal as Winter waited for something to happen, she wasn't keen on her current position of spying on a room of people just because one of them happened to murder a B.A.D.I mercenary. As she watched she saw that Seraphiel was moving over to Hanzo's position and was preparing to announce their missions objective to him. Despite wanting to get this over with quickly, Winter felt herself growing skeptical of The Rider's tactics, this was a little sudden and far too open.

Winter braced herself for any hostilities from Hanzo, he appeared to have been growing giddy whilst drinking the poison in his drink and had grown more blood thirsty. Winter could feel slight traces of annoyance in herself, she was never against the idea of poisoning Hanzo but she had a bad habit of fighting with no advantages, so if it did come to a battle between her and Hanzo she would have to forgo her beliefs for the moment.

The battle started, fortunately no innocent bystanders were senseless enough to get in the way, though Winter would proffer them to give the combatants a wide berth in case they should get caught in the crossfire. As she watched she saw Hanzo vanish from sight and reappear again close to her position with his back turned to her, firing something at The Rider from one of his weapons. By now most of the people had left the room aside from The Rider and Merenwen, who was now returning to her normal self. Two against one, and one was a guardian. She didn't doubt Hanzo's potential against The Rider (who he was probably best suited for a standard fight with Hanzo) but she knew that he wasn't much against a guardian in terms of power.

Rather than let an unfair fight break out and destroy what would be perfectly good building, Winter stood up and walked through the door as Merenwen addressed Hanzo, saying pretty much everything Winter would have said in the same situation. She was no expert in stealth, but she did her best not to let Hanzo hear her whilst using Merenwen's brief monologue to disguise the sounds she made. Carefully, she shut the door behind her and folded her arms, there was no need for her to draw her weapons unless Hanzo made a break for it.

"Well that pretty much sums everything up," she said, giving Hanzo a cold glare "I'd rather not get wound up in any unnecessary fights either, so lower you weapons please."
Anything else would probably be repeating what the guardian had already declared. Right now Winter thought of three possible outcomes to their current situation; Hanzo could ignore the warning that she and the guardian had given him and continue fighting; he could make a break for the exit in which case it would be Anika's job to prevent his escape, or he could give in peacefully and save the group a lot of time and energy.

There was a look of surprise on the general’s face – mainly because he was too close to Hanzo, and realized that there was nothing be could do to avoid the dual blades of Destruction. So he did the only thing he could do – he dug in. Seraphiel crossed both arms over his chest in an ‘x’ shaped block, and he put his head down. One of his feet pressed back to brace himself, but there was no way he would be staying put. Every muscle in his powerful Aesserian arms and legs bulged, but when both blades of chaotic energy smashed into him he went flying. For a moment he stayed put, but for only a moment. The energy hit him hard, perhaps harder than anything had ever hit him before, but he did not roar out in protest though searing pain coursed through his form.

The rider was picked up off of the ground, and sent flying across the room. His hulking frame did not touch the floor for a few moments, and he held his block in protest to the waves of energy, but the moment he hit the ground he lost control and went sprawling across the floor. He knocked over several tables and chairs, crushed a few even, and laid their for just a few moments trying to control himself. His arms were sizzling from the energy, and he thought to himself, ‘I want one of those.’

His body groaned in protest as he slowly pushed himself to his feet grimacing the entire way. The Rider’s anger had suddenly flared, and he looked at Hanzo with seething flames in his black eyes, but he did not act on them yet. He was letting them build to the right moment, because when he finally unleashed them he wanted to make a point. Suddenly, this fight was no longer about capturing an assassin for interrogation – it was about teaching a young punk a lesson. Sera’s pride had been hurt a bit, for he had never seen such a young man with such skill or powerful weapons, and he also had to redeem himself in his own eyes.

So slowly, he drew both of his blades, the resplendent countering longsword, and his jeweled longsword, but he noticed suddenly that all was not perfect. His left shoulder and elbow had taken more of a beating than he first suspected, but then he remembered something – he put his right foot back, which put his left shoulder a bit forward for it to take the force of the attack. It was a bad omen, and he was very worried, but he could not let himself show it. He looked up to see that Merenwen had changed forms, and in good time. The fight might have finished then and there had the young woman not been ready to move in, because in his eyes Hanzo was ready to move in after the initial attack.

However, none of them were out of the clear just yet. Sera saw Winter out of the corner of his eyes, and as she piped up he became a bit worried. If Hanzo shot at her the same waves of energy he had shot at Sera then she might be in trouble. So, without pause, he spoke up – his voice, however, was a bit more hoarse than before. It was obvious that, while he appeared fine outwardly, he was far from unscathed.

“I would do as she says were I in your position,” he said as he slowly rotated his blades in semi-circle arcs, “You wouldn’t want to hurt yourself now.” His voice was confident, albeit weak, and all he could think in those moments were: kids today…

Anika had nothing too say to Hanzo. She was not the type to take the front while in conflict, rather sinking back into the background. It was safer there. Anika did have to fight past the mobs of fleeing and drunk people however, as she stood in front of the door leading out into the rest of the world.

As soon as Anika was able to make her way back to the battle she watched Hanzo's blades discharge balls of crackling energy slamming into Seraphiel who had braced himself. Anika felt a sinking feeling begin to grow within her. She was here to make sure him and Winter did not get hurt, and the violence had already started while she was preoccupied. Would she be strong enough to help, too hold up two people who entrusted their lives in her. Her nerves were trying to get the best of her.

Anika then remembered she was not alone in this. The guardian of water was at her side to help. She had too be strong to obtain such a title. This thought restored her confidence and cleared her head. The first thing she did was push a table away, making sure she had enough space for what she planned to do next.

She opened a pouch around her waist and pulled out a smaller pouch of sea salt. With this she formed a large circle, filling what space she had. She then dropped too her knees and began to scribble a few signs on the hard wood with her chalk. She was trying to create another circle, but it held the exact opposite power than that of the one that wait outside in the dark cold. This one would repel Hanzo and supply a safe haven for her and her friends. All she would have to do is complete it before any attention was drawn to her. She didn't see how this would be a problem as the others loved to chat with the opponent.

Hanzo watched in delight as the one who had wanted to take him in was sent flying across the room of the tavern, however as that happened the woman whom had been sitting next to the one eye-man stood from her seat and change forms. The Azure Dragon instantly knew who the woman was once she had changed; it was that blasted Merenwen, The Guardian of Water! Yes Hanzo had met her several times now and had thought highly of her, but just seeing the woman standing up for the pathetic man made Hanzo sick, and he only felt worse once she had finished her pointless act of speech. The Guardian was saying that if Hanzo was to continue his attack she would use her powers against him, now hearing this really made Hanzo want to test the abilities of this Guardian and prove to her that the mortals of Arda were not to be taken so lightly in power and sheet skill. Although it was not just the Guardian whom had spoke, no a rather young looking woman with blue hair and eyes had appeared behind Hanzo somehow and also said something towards him although in truth the Dhamphir paid no attention to her words as his mind was already set on what was going to happen.

Before Hanzo had been able to say something of his own he noticed the horned man getting back to his feet and then also speak although he did was enhance what the Guardian and young girl had said before him. Rolling his eyes Hanzo dropped one of his Blades of Balance to the round and then looked over to his left, that was he seen a forth person! This B.A.D.I must have really wanted Hanzo if they had sent four of their members after him with one of those members being a Demi God. As he kept his eyes locked onto the other woman, still not saying a single word, Hanzo just placed his left hand towards the woman with a devilish smirk across his face. Without even a single word spoken the roof of the Inn exploded in a flurry of flames as a large bolt of lightning crashed through it and headed straight towards the young woman who seemed to be drawing upon the ground.

The path Hanzo had chosen to walk down had now been made clear and the Dhamphir turned his head back to the other members of the group before once again vanishing from sight. This time he appeared sitting on the roof of the Inn peering down at the others from the hole that had been made from the Lightning Bolt. Pushing his left hand out again Hanzo used another rather powerful spell; one that would truly put his hunters lives at risk! A large wave of burning lava shot forth into the Tavern section of the Inn and if it was to damage those inside the room the burning could cause scaring, that was of course if they lived through the intense heat of the lava.

With this done Hanzo continued to smirk before saying, “Well boys and girls, if you survive and still want to play I will be waiting out here for you, however for now… hope you have you enjoy the chance to get a permanent tan!” Right after his words had finished Hanzo quickly leaped up from his placement on the room and landed a few feet away from his Dire Wolf outside of the building. He could clearly see the marking drawn at the outside of the doorway but did not pay it much attention, instead Hanzo just winked towards Kotaro and said, “Better be ready boy! I have a feeling the fun is only just getting started, this night is indeed going to be fun.” It was after saying this that Hanzo turned round a little to fully face the imminently burning building where he presumed the four fools were. However instead of running away like most people would Hanzo formed a dark smile along his lips and carefully sat down upon the hard ground with his eyes set onto the building. He was going to wait, wait and hope that these four beings sent to him by B.A.D.I were all strong enough as a team to withstand such a basic attack and if they did not survive then Hanzo would just have to find the leader of this B.A.D.I and challenge him to see if even he was worth the time of the Dhamphir.