White Canvas Stained Red [Job/Solo Altair]

Job:

Altair awoke with a start. It was only a day after his talk with Asisiak, and he had planned on getting a head start on his training this morning. But looking at the sky, the moon was still high, and sunrise must have been over two hours away. Himejojo was at the door with a worried look on his face. "You might want to come outside. Someone's been killed. Bring your sword." He turned and went downstairs. Altair saw him out the window running down the street. Altair got ready quickly, throwing on an extra coat for the chill night air. He strapped Caim to his belt and hung Soul Guide on his back. "Someone's dead?" He thought to himself. There had to be an explanation. Altair headed out into the night. He followed the sounds of people, until he came upon a grisly scene. A boy and a woman, stabbed to death. Altair had to look away or risk vomiting. It was to brutal to describe. One killed in the heat of battle was different. But this... it almost felt like this person enjoyed the act. Someone came forward with their analysis. "Yep. It was a murder alright. Most of the stab wounds were inflicted after they had already died. Who knew Dantete was such a sick man?" This made Altair's ears perk up. "I'm sorry, did you say Dantete did this?" The coroner turned to look at him. "That's our only explanation as of right now. All of his things are missing, and he is absent from the area. If it wasn't for the blood running into the snow, we never would have known. We've cleared the bodies, but no one is allowed into the house as of yet. Come back in the morning if you want to take a look around after we've finished our investigation." With that the coroner walked away, leading four men, two of them each carrying a body on a bed. Altair tried to comprehend how this could have happened. He looked to Himejojo. "He could never do this, right? Dantete loved his wife and son! It couldn't have happened that way..." HImejojo was about to respond, reaching out to pat Altair's shoulder, when a commotion could be heard down the road a ways. It sounded like shouting. The pair hurried over, to see a group of Imuchakk men and women yelling, screaming, and threatening the pair of Human men from the Opportunity Initiative. Altair ran over just in time to block a punch aimed at one of the men with the flat of his sword. "BACK OFF!" Altair shouted. Them man recoiled, and gave him an odd look. "Altair, why would you defend their killers?! Are you with us or against us?" they shouted at him. Altair stood his ground. "We don't know who the killer is, but i know for SURE that it wasn't the men sent here to help you rebuild! How close minded could you be? Are you really so stupid as to blame someone who has nothing to do with them?" Altair shook his head. "I loved Dantete and his family as much as anyone else. They were my friends. And i'm going to stake my life and reputation on finding out who really murdered them. You can bet on that. Now, leave these men alone, and go home. I'll start my search in the morning after everyone has had a chance to cool off." Altair watched them men and women leave. It was going to be a long night.

~601/1500~

When the sun finally rose, Altair was waiting by Dantete's house for the ok to go inside. Once it was given, Altair rushed inside to see what he could find. The inside was a mess, signs of a struggle were abundantly clear. They had fought back against their attacker. But something was strange. There were three place sets on the table. Three plates, three glasses, if Dantete wasn't here, then who was? Altair returned to the bar to ask Himejojo some questions about their friend. "Yeah, he often goes out to his special fishing spot during this time of week. he's got an excellent place on the ice where the fish are abundant." Altair got the location and set out to find Dantete.

Out in the snow, there was a clear trail leading up to the site. It was a large, high hill, but as stated before, it dipped down again and there was the icy ocean, perfect for fishing. Altair got to the top of the mountain, and looked down. "Oh Ilah no..."

Altair slid down the hill to get a closer look. there, in the middle of the snow, was Dantete's body. Altair saw him in the same state as his wife and child, brutally stabbed to death. Altair felt sick. Why did this happen? Who could be responsible for all this? "WHOEVER YOU ARE!!! WHEN I FIND YOU, I WILL KILL YOU!!!" Altair screamed into the sky. He looked back down and saw something that fueled his fire. a track. Stained in blood, there was a trail of boot prints that led up the mountain. Altair got up, but not before taking up Dantete's unicorn horn sword. Whoever did this would be killed by Dantete's own weapon. It was the perfect irony in revenge.

The tracks led up and west for a long time. Altair counted almost fifteen miles. He was high in the mountains looking down a moderate slope when he saw a cabin. There, inside, a fire burned. And the tracks led perfectly up to the house. Altair simply stood there for a moment. how should he approach this? Should he go in sword held high, ready to strike? Or was a more subtle approach necessary? Altair slid down the mountainside. He would give this man the chance that Dantete, his wife, and his child never got. He would offer him a fair fight.

~1003/1500~

"WHOEVER YOU ARE, COME OUT!  I STAND FOR DANTETE AND HIS FAMILY!"  A grumble could be heard from inside the cabin.  Finally, a giant of an Imuchakk came out.  This man must have been twelve feet tall.  "What do you want, loud one.  I was just sitting down to eat.  You wouldn't want me to be disturbed now would you?"  he said, brandishing his sword.  "Oh, you mean like how you disturbed Dantete's family?  Did you eat before you murdered them in cold blood?  You would take their hospitality for granted?  I thought the Imuchakk valued family.  Isn't that right?"  The giant looked at Altair almost disbelievingly.  He then started to laugh.  slowly at first, but gaining in strength until it was a roar that scared birds from their nests.  "How'd you find out?"  Altair never broke his gaze.  "They set the table for three."

The giant suddenly leaped forwards, a crazy grin on his face, launching a fist towards Altair.  "Too easy."  Altair thought.  Altair threw the unicorn sword into the snow. He then drew his sword and used his Second Wasp's Dance to defend against the giant's punch, and immediately followed up with his Slay the Jackals technique.  the man stumbled, and then roared furiously.  He launched himself at Altair, sword coming down in a giant sweep.  He was angry.  Altair could use that.  Altair Quivered, putting himself between the giant and a large boulder.  The man didn't waste any time thinking, instead charging in, his sword held low against the ground, dragging through the snow.  Altair braced his sword against the rock and waited.  At the moment just as the man was about to swing, Altair let go of the sword and ducked underneath the giant's legs.  With so much momentum, the man couldn't help but run headfirst into the blade.  He choked, coughing up blood.  Altair approached from behind.  The blade had struck him in the stomach.  It probably had ruined a few internal organs.  Altair touched the blade, and put his Magoi into the weapon.  "Tell me your name so i know who it is i'm killing."  The man shuddered, coughed, and then chuckled.  "It's Lortza.  And i'm his brother."  Altair gave the blade a gentle push, Slaying the Dragon, and it simply fell through the giant.  His guts spilled out onto the ground, and he fell.  Before he died, Altair whispered into his ear.  "There is a special place in hell for those who murder Kin.  May you forever feel the guilt of your family's deaths." Altair then picked up Unicorn Horn sword from the snow, walked over, and cut off Lortza's head.

Altair brought Lortza's head back in a sack.  He gave it to the coroner who he then told the entire story to.  After a day of investigation, they confirmed that Lortza was indeed the killer.  Graves were made for the family, and Altair laid Dantete's unicorn horn sword across his body before they buried him.  The whole village was there to see him buried.  Altair walked back to the bar with Himejojo after it was finished.  "In all of my days, i'll never know why he did it.  But Dantete can now rest in peace.  May the Rukh accept him into its flock."  Himejojo nodded.  "Amen."

Abilities:

Magoi/Stamina: 150/250

~1533/1500~