Akira looked around for some time before Silencer came back for her. She had bought a nice Blue and white choker that was large enough to cover the mass of flesh now on her neck. After buying it she placed it on imediately.

She had also found a few various medicinal herbs for a very low price and hagled them to even lower, she had found an elven seller and she knew how to sweet talk him. She had even persauded him to give her a hand crafted elven flute that she had seen in his wares. Akira even gave a small test run with it and he had smiled to see how well she could play.

Akira asked about the elven tribe she was from and if any had come to this city? Sadly, none had and Akira's hopes were bashed.

When Scilencer came and got her, Akira followed him back to the Inn and went back in. She asked if he wanted her to look at his wounds... but didn't know if he'd let her. "I am a gifted healer and I could heal your wounds fully. It'd just take a few hours... three at max." Akira said as they both stood at their respective doors. They were staying in rooms side by side. She just didn't want to see Silencer hurt anymore than he already was.

Gareth looked down at the girl. He smiled and took some of the medical herbs she had. "I'll be fine." Thank you though. Don't worry, I've been in worse situations. He patted her on the head. "Nice scarf by the way. Now get some rest." He remarked as he went back to his room and locked the door. It now night fall and a storm had come up from the west. It was raining and thundering hard. "No time to lose." He thought. He poored out the contents of his sachel which included his armor and hood. He took off his clothing and grabbed a long strip of gauze, placing several of the medical herbs in the gauze and wrapped it around his stomach. It stung coldly as he wrapped it tighter but it had to be done.

It took him longer to fasten all the strappings on the armor because of the wounds but he managed to do it without too much harm. He peered out the window and saw that the shift change was about to begin. He crept up the window and climbed up to the roof of the inn, stopping briefly to glance in Aki's window to see if she had gone to bed. He didn't see her but didn't think too much into it and began his roof top run.

Thunder roared in the city, hiding the sound of the footsteps of the late night rooftop runner. He peered to the side of the street and sure enough saw the merchant heading the same direction he was. He was able to get ahead of the merchant who had to duck behind a back alley every now and then to avoid detection from a guard going to or coming from their shift. Gareth looked on and saw the gate to the waterfront was unguarded but the merchant was nearing it quicker than he thought. "Only one thing to do then." He thought to himself rather grimly. He picked up speed and launched himself from the roof and over the guard wall, landing hard on the ground below. He heard a pop come from somewhere, he didn't know if he cracked another rib but he knew that if he didn't, he certainly made the cracked ones a lot worse than what medical herbs alone can treat.

He quietly made his way to the abandoned shack and looked back to see the merchant hadn't even made it past the gate yet. He entered the shack and pulled back his hood along with pulling out his overcoat he had brought with him in his bag. He put the overcoat on loosely, keeping his hands out of the sleeves and placed the bottles of skooma on a table and then placed his hand in the secret pocket where he kept his dagger.

Five minutes later the merchant stepped into the shack. "Well?!" The merchant asked as Gareth sat down in a chair. Gareth said nothing but motioned with his head to the two bottles on the table. The merchant smiled and made a move for them but stopped. "How much?" Gareth stood up. "Oh I don't want any money." The merchant smiled and took one of the bottles. "Thank you!" and started to drink from it.

"No, thank you." Gareth said. With one quick motion, he took his dagger from its hiding spot and sheathed it in the merchant's stomach. A bubble came from the merchant's mouth in the bottle. "I wanted you." Gareth started with a smile. the overcoat fell from when he moved and the merchant saw the shoulder plate and dropped the bottle as Gareth twisted the dagger. "The Dark... BrotherHoooo..." Was all he could manage from the mix of blood loss and the skooma taking effect. The merchant fell to the floor, his eyes permanently widened.

Gareth then proceeded to remove any valuables from the merchant's body. Including the signet ring the merchant wore that he would need for proof of the merchant's untimely end. After removing anything of worth, he then took the bottle that fell from the merchant's hand and poored the remaining contents all over the merchant. Then, he took the full bottle and opened it and with an out stretched hand, sloshed it about so part of the shack would reek of skooma. Once the bottle was half empty, he slammed it down onto the wooden table. Taking the impromptu glass dagger he made, he thrust it into the dagger wound on the merchant, ensuring that when the guards searched tomorrow, they would come to the conclusion he wanted them to come to. He then took his overcoat and left.

It was still raining when he got back to the inn. It was even more difficult since the guards were fresh on their shift and getting back up to his room would prove harder than it was getting down. It agonized him with each pull upward he made. When he got to the window and stepped into his room, he heard a splash and looked down. A puddle had formed from the rainfall. "I'll get it later." he thought to himself. Not even bothering to take of his armor, he fell onto his bed and drifted off to sleep.

Akira was wide awake, the pain in her neck was worsening. She had taken off the choker and looked at her neck in the mirror. She could see the mass of flesh move, as the eye slowly opened and looked straight at her. It quickly closed as someone had brought her fresh hot water to bathe. She did so and got rid of the blood a grime that had accumulated over the last 24 hours.

She was saddened that Silencer didn't allow her to heal him, but she'd do it tomorrow morning. She felt a bad wind was brewing and knew that there was trouble afoot.

Finishing her bath and using some of the other herbs she had gotten to make a sweet smelling concoction. An old mixture taught to her by her surrigate mother, Akira rubbed it over her chest, shoulders and upper back. It was also something to relax and losen tence muscles. Plus, being an easy fall sleep remedy was a bonus.

Akira thought she heard footsteps in Silencer's room. She decided that he either had to use the bathroom, or he had to get a drink. She was still nieve that he was an assassin and in fact had just gotten back from a hit.

Akira simply laid down and listened to the storm, falling asleep to the sounds of nature that she was so used to. She'd dream of home tonight. Nightmares were sure to occur...

-darkeclipse had come to the inn. he had decided to stay in the lobby until he could steal some money from someone who didn't notice when he felt a demonic aura. it was coming from one of the rooms above so he ran up the stairs to go to where the aura was coming from. he was too far away to see but he thought he saw someone outside the room where the aura was. maybe it's just someone passing by he hoped, not wishing to have to fight from here, so he started running.-

Ami stayed in a room nearby Akira's at the inn. Ami rested in her bed and stared out at the rain peacefully falling. The sky was already dark, and the rain chimed against the windows preventing Ami from sleeping.

Ami sturred up from the bed and sighed. "I guess I shall have to continue my journey later on," Ami's thoughts raced through her mind as she walked over to her desk and pulled out a silver-purple journal. She whipped out a feather quill and began to write...

"Dear Diary,

My journey must come to a halt as of right now. I've yet to figure much of myself as well as my true parents. Are they both fairies as well? Was I born mutated? Was I an experiment in some laboratory? These questions are running through my mind everyday as I continue my journey for the truth. The truth about me and my family. And sadly, I may never know.

I'm currently staying in an inn right now to take a rest from my long journey. I set out nearly 3 months ago and success has been bitter. I have barely uncovered anything, but nonetheless, I have gathered a few things about myself. I've noted from experiences myself as well as what many people say is that I'm a very quiet person. I note that rarely, but still at times, when I get really angry a purple tattoo of a winding snake starts to appear on my arm. What could this mean? I certainly don't think a snake is a symbol of good but of evil instead! Could this be a clue as to what I am? Was I meant to be villanous or evil? Through my personality though, I am kind-hearted and gentle. Am I torn into two sides of life? The good or the bad? Or am I both?....."

Ami closed the journal and placed it in a drawer. "I guess it's time to try to take a nap," Ami thought to herself", "I just wish I could find some help on my journey." Ami's eyes began to close as the rain danced outside.

-darkeclipse tripped making a large thud on the ground, pulsing through the entire inn.- maybe i should've watched where i was going. -he said sprouting tears. he felt the aura of a -fairy? demon? he felt both. they were both near eachother. he decided to head toward the fairy. it was couriosity that got the better of him. he had never seen a fairy so he wanted to see one.-

Ami's eyes snapped open. Her hearing sense were sharp, and she had heard the thud. "What could that be?" Ami wandered as she arose from her slumber. As she rised, her glittering wings rised and shined. The mix of the purple,black, and silver gave a haunting but beautiful shine.

Ami slowly crept to the door and laid her ear against it to hear what was going on.

Gareth stirred in his bed as the rays of the morning sun crept in the room. He felt like he was slowly chocking. His breathing was rasping and his joints were stiff. A sharp pain streaked across his chest as he tried to stretch. He forgot he had left his armor on last night. It had taken him longer to put it on last night and it felt like an eternity to undo all the fastenings. The last fastening that held the locked the pieces of the armor together snapped back and hit him in one of his sore areas, causing him to yell. He stopped himself. He didn't know if he had woken any of the other travelers and didn't want to. After the last fastening came undone, he removed the chest piece of the armor and examined himself. The wound that had been red yesterday was now a dark shade of purple. He knew that he would need serious treatment immediately. One thing he also knew was that his Speaker wasn't going to happy about this. The wound alone would put him out of commision for any major contracts for a few days at the least and what good was a Silencer who could only lie in bed? Even with the armor piece off he felt it hard to breath and could only take small shallow breaths.

After getting dressed in his normal clothes, he limped down the hall and knocked on Aki's door. He guessed that his ribs weren't the only thing he worsened when he jumped over the wall and landed hard on the ground. "We're going to the market again." He told her. "I'm also going to need your help. I need a healer. I... slipped... In some water and injured some old wounds."

It was morning and again they would have to traverse through the waterfront to get to the market. This time though there was hardly anyone around. Though it was morning there was no one out performing their duties. The entire area was devoid of life, except for a squadron of soldiers and guards and a boy watching them but not getting to close.

"This place has been quarentined." One guard had walked up to them and stopped them. "There's been a murder." Gareth recognized the guard as one of the merchant's escorts.

"Murder?" Gareth asked. "Yes." The guard answered. "Most likely a drug deal went bad between a dealer and an addict but we can't rule anything out so until then this area is closed."

"Drug deal my ass!" another guard shouted and marched up to them. "You know as damn well as I do this was the work of the Dark Brotherhood!"

"The Dark Brotherhood?" A small voice asked. It was the boy who was watching the guards. The soldier peered down at him. "Assassins my boy. Murderers for hire. They care nothing for innocence and decency. They do not value human life like decent folk. They only value how much it would be to end it. They care for none but their own. They use and userp until you've run out of usefulness and leave you bleeding in a ditch. They would end your life for the right amount of gold and they would show no sympathy or mercy even if you are a child. For them murder is just business!"

The little boy became frightened and ran off. "I've told you before not to scare the residents twice now." the first guard told the second. "Better they know and not be ignorant. Better they know that someone could have just payed for their death sentence." The second one replied then marched back.

"I'm sorry..." the first guard told them. "We're all under alot of stress and he may be right. The victim was a witness to a very important case and now, we just lost any chance of tracking down the Brotherhood. In any case why are you two here?"

"We're just passing through to the market district. I slipped on some water and tore open an old wound." Gareth replied. "Please don't make us take the long way around." The guard sighed then huffed, "Move along."

They arrived back at the inn around mid afternoon. Gareth walked into Aki's room and showed her the wound. "Well... If you would be so kind..."

Akira was puzzled and had many questions. Expecially about what the soldier had said about Assassins. She would ask Silencer after treating him, when they got back from buying more herbs and other healing essentials in the market place and back to the inn.

When They returned, She asked Silencer to take a seat on her bed as she went over to all her wares and began to mix and crush them with a mortar and pestle, grinding all the ingredients to a fine powder and mixing some water and other things to it. MAking a paste and moving back towards Silencer after fiftenn minutes of preparations. SHe had also gotten a few cloth bandages made up and saoked in a diluted mixture of the same concoction with a few other ingredients. It smelled horrid.. but most healing agents weren't used because they smelled good.

Akira kneeled before him and put down all the things she needed and touched the areas that were discoloured. She found a few lumps and there were cracked ribs and one or two that were actually broken. She could tell, however, that none hade punctured anything vital.

Akira got to work and started applying the poultice mixture of medicinal herbs and rung out the bandages, Wrapping them around Silencer's Waist and lower chest. SHe could imagine the pain and stinging he must be feeling right now.

Akira stopped and looked at him. Getting up, akira grabbed a small crystal pendant and placed it around Silencer's next. "I need you to lay down now. I'll start the actual healing process. I hope you don't mind me sitting beside you when you lay down. As well as placing pressure to your wounds." Akira said as she waited for Silencer to lay down. She had grabbed a small bowl and placed a few other herbs in it and started then on fire. Snuffing out the flame and letting them smolder. The smell would calm Silencer's nerves as well as dull the pain he'd feel.

Gareth hesitated at first but decided it was best to get it over with. He sat on the bed and lied back. He winced when he felt her hands press against the wounds, but the pain was brief. He soon felt the effect of the healing magic. It felt warm as it healed his wounds, much different than the healing spell he knew that felt like a cold chill. The spell made him slightly drowsy and gave him a warm feeling in his head. He closed his eyes for a second until the warmth subsided.

After the spell had was over, he sat back up and stretched and worked the kinks out of his joints. He didn't say thank you to her but he did nod and smile. After putting his shirt back on, he started to walk toward the door.

Akira got up and sat on the bed, she didn't know how to ask Silencer. But it seemed to just slip out. "Why were they calling the murder that happened was done by assassins? I've never heard of them. But was what that Solder said true? Are assassins really that bad and ruthless? I'm not sure the outside world is any safer than the Forest of Talaim with the goblins and orcs now roaming around..." Akira said as she held herself closely around her chest.

The realisation was frightening indeed. She was lucky not to be dead already. But her intutition was getting the better of her and she'd soon figure out what Silencer really was soon enough, with or without his help to uncover the truth.

Akira looked outside and saw alot of soldiers patroling around. No one was allowed to leave the city, so it seemed. Akira was getting scared. She wanted to keep moving, or at least something inside her did. The pain in her neck came back and she remembered that her healing magic did take it's toll on her spiritual self. Clasping her neck, Akira swooned to the floor and sat there, huffing heavily.

Gareth went to Aki's aid and picked her up off the floor and placed her in her bed. An hour passed until she eventually stirred.

"Yes." he said as she came to. "Yes they are ruthless. What the soldier said was truth. Given the right amount of gold, they would murder anyone, even an innocent child, without mercy. For them, murder is an enterprise. But only if you're in the proper crowd are they truly dangerous. Only under extreme circumstances do you hear of regular people calling on their services. From what I've heard, they only take on jobs if there's enough to be gained and most of the time, the victims were merchants or members of high society. So you have no need to fret. So long as you haven't offended the wrong person..."

He smiled again. "Now let's end this talk about assassins and murder. Already people are in an uproar. No reason for you to be. Maybe a walk into town would do you some good." and once again they left the inn and headed out into town.

As they walked, Gareth looked down at Akira and smiled. "See? Nothing like an afternoon stroll." Yet Aki's health and mental state were far from Gareth's mind. The stroll was just an excuse. What he had in mind was a steak out. Though his physical wounds had since healed. The wound his pride had been dealt the previous day still needed to be avenged. A couple of yards ahead of them were the two guards who accosted him in the back alley. He had originally planned on leaving the night before but what they had done to him made him decide to stay an extra day for "personal business." Now that his main mission was over, it was time to remedy the situation.

He casually strolled and watched the guards as they headed into their barracks, the sun was coming down and he casually continued to stroll, his mind clear on what he would soon do. He didn't notice Akira wandering into the city library. His entire mind was focused on salvaging his pride. "Tonight." He thought to himself. "They will learn just what a street rat can do!"