03 | Gem of Amarra | OTA

[herotherhalf]

Harth was stunned.

The sun was bright and brilliant, gleaming off of his glasses. Even as a human he had seen so little of it under the blanket of smog over Haddyn. You had to give it to whoever was in charge, creating the universe, be it god, demon, powers that be, they had a particular poetic ism when it came to beauty. The sun gave life, life that sustained even those who were no longer living.

He walked through the courtyard, clumsily climbing onto a stone slab that seemed to have served a purpose at one point, but no longer. He sits there, enjoying the sun on his face warming his otherwise room temperature skin.

It was so warm.

But that warmth only served as a reminder about how much he yearned to have a decent meal. He he was starved, and no amount of birds or rats would satiate him. He needed a meal. Human. The problem was finding someone naive enough and gullible enough to follow him.

What he'd give to have that witch in his clutches, just now. Watch her scream into his hand before he bit her. Bonus? He wouldn't have to deal with her exposing him. But that would be too easy.

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[foolnornovice]

There's a noise from the side - a grunt and suddenly there's a body on the ground nearby, rolling to break the fall from a jump he misjudged. Straightening up and standing on his two feet once more, he took a look around, noticed the stranger. Raising a brow, he watched for a moment to make sure that the other was real, not a trick of the mind.

[herotherhalf]

...

Certainly the first new person he meets in days isn't such a spazz. He just cast his eyes on the man, flinching only slightly to keep up his frail image.

"Who are you supposed to be? Friend of Kadar?" The clothing gave him away.

[foolnornovice]

Approach with caution, Harth. He hardly relaxes with that flinch, not sure how to approach at the question. His cover was already out at this point, so he lowered his head.

"If I am? What is your relationship with him?" That brow quirked, his eyes never left the other.

[herotherhalf]

"If you are, nothing. I've met him once. Not sure what to make of him." Harth admitted. A homesick needs at first glance.

[foolnornovice]

"You have your answer already." Shoulders lifting for a moment, they dropped with his exhale.

"How can you expect to know someone after only a single meeting?"

[herotherhalf]

"I didn't imply that I knew him. Only that I was aware of him." Don't put words in his mouth.

[foolnornovice]

"Fine then." He raises a brow to the other. "Shall we leave it at that?"

[herotherhalf]

"If that's what you want to do." He shrugs, raising his own brow. He didn't really have any business with the assassins at the moment, but he knew from Malik and Kadar that they were clever enough to be careful around.

Didn't know about Vampires, he suspected. No need to worry about getting in a broil.

[foolnornovice]

Nodding in turn, he shifts for a moment, steps to the side towards a small patch of shade. "What are you doing out here?" It's curiosity speaking - the words have no heat behind them, no accusations.

Vampires? Hardly. It is part of that territory with witchcraft, and is something that Altaïr would rather not want to know.

[herotherhalf]

"Killing time." Being hungry. Doing nothing. All sorts of things. He resumes his relaxing in the sun he's never felt, looking up at it without pain, but only briefly.

"I am probably not the best person to be exploring with." He shrugged. "Picked last at school for everything." And this man had no idea what he meant.

[foolnornovice]

The last few set of words are definitely lost on him - picked last, he can somewhat understand but it's another reference he's yet to figure out. Rolling his shoulders, he tilted his head to the other.

"I wasn't going to suggest it. I've had my fill of stone and deadends for today."

[herotherhalf]

The next question was to Harth, obvious. Necessary.

"How far have you made it?"

[foolnornovice]

"One of the higher levels," he says in turn, not skipping a beat. It wasn't necessarily accessible by anyone who was used to stares and lifts, but Harth had asked. "That was as far as was allowed, from what I could see."

[herotherhalf]

"Can you elaborate? How'd you get there. Who with?" There lies his curiosity as far as the castle goes. Clearly these men were useful for exploring. Quite skilled in fact.

[foolnornovice]

"A woman - the walls are easily climbable if you know the way." Just basic answers, as he remembered that he was not exactly supposed to. A hand lifted and he waved it as he explained.

"There was a mechanism that blocked a way that seemed to go further within, once we got to that floor."

[herotherhalf]

Not supposed to what? It was the same with many of the people around here, giving him only vague answers. He'd learned more invading the dreams of others, although he didn't quite remember this one. Even so there was a hint of memory from this man from Kadar's dream.

"A mechanism. Hm. 'Fraid I'm not particularly useful as far as exploring goes."

[foolnornovice]

"So where are you of use, then?" It was more a curious question than one accusing anything. Watching the other, he shifted for a moment, moved to place his weight on one heel instead of the other.

[herotherhalf]

"I don't know. I'm just a kid from Haddyn. I can't fight, not those shadows, not lurks. Nothing." He was weak, or at least, he used to be. As Harth Fray the boy he was nothing, if not half the slayer. Now he was much more than that.

[foolnornovice]

"Would you like to learn?" He quirked a brow to the other, just continued to look for any indication that the other was speaking truth or falsities.

[herotherhalf]

Learn? To be an assassin? Or something lesser. He gave a sheepish smile.

"What would you teach me?" Boyish excitement. Let's see where this leads.

[foolnornovice]

"How to fight - climbing is not something I am certain I could teach you." Considering that was something one learned more towards doing, less with words and technique. He watched the other, briefly saw a hint of Kadar in that smile. "Though if it would help you to explore, it is worth an attempt."

[herotherhalf]

"I don't think I'm strong enough." He turns his head away, then slid off the stone he was one. He walked over to one of the thick wooden sticks laying about and grunted when he picked it up.

"I can barely lift this."

[foolnornovice]

Watching the other demonstrate his ability, his mind worked to figure out possible solutions to the dilemma. "Stealth, then - avoiding detection from those creatures seems ideal."