Escort (Mission with Niala)

mission:

For Ptolemy, walking about the golden city of Heliohapt was one of his few remaining pleasures. Gone where the traveling shows and with them most if not all the street entertainers,gone where the menageries their beasts long scattered. In fact it seemed as if the city lacked any and all things interesting or fun had fled with the slaves who had so recently escaped. Aside from drinking and whoring that is, and the one armed beast tamer had little interest in ether of those things.

"I need to travel." Those words, meant for no one but him self pretty much summed up what he had been feeling for the days and weeks since the revolt. " If only I had the gold on hand..." As if to punctuate his words his stomach rumbled and all he could do was grin. "Before we tackle that problem I may as well grab a bite... What do you say Aten? You feeling peckish as well?" The answering squeeze was all the encouragement he needed to hunt down some lunch.

Niala happened to be traveling about town, Inns happened to be just thing to meet people, and she was going to need to continue making connections with people. Walking inside, she noticed the usual sight, and one not too usual, a red haired man. Niala was reminded of Ayero, and thought this man was a fanalis, but then again it wasn't completely unheard of a human having red hair. What saddened her was noticing this man was missing an arm, his look was that a of soldier, or so she thought. He certainly looked like one.

Before she attracted too much attention, while having her hood still up, she approached the red haired man and gently squeezing his elbow to get his attention and gesturing for him to follow her outside. She wanted to talk but not here. When he did, she would introduce herself and ask a question, "Hi, I am Niala, where are you from?". It was almost silly, because who didn't know of the princess? With her friendly and pleasant personality, her actions easily seemed flirty, and maybe the red haired man may get the wrong idea. Her almost date-like questions didn't exactly help the appearance of the situation either.

Little did they know a lady was nearing looking pretty nervous during this time.

(200/1000)

On any other day Ptolemy may have had something to say about being dragged away from what might well have been the best meal of his life (Given he was starving), but given how bored he had become with his daily grind it was something of a relief. Of course Aten was not of a similar humor, and could be heard hissing as soon as the woman touched his master which caused more then a few looks to turn their way, seeing as jackets don't normally make such sounds.

Stepping outside Ptolemy got his first good look at the girl who had led him out, and had to wonder what exactly she was doing in that particular part of the town because to put it bluntly... She looked a tad better then well off. And as if she was reading his mind she told him her name. Smiling the one armed man swept his hat from his head and bowed flourishing his coat as he did so. "Good question that, but the easiest answer is here. Born and raised in this fine city, or at least near it!" He straitened setting his hat back on his head. "By the by the folks around these parts call me Ptolemy and I gotta say..." He looked her up and down with a merchants eye. "I've never seen you about before"!

Rounding a corner not to far removed from the pair scurried a harassed looking girl with a surely expression, looking as if she could use some help.

458/1000

Niala made a disappointed face before crossing her arms under her cloak. Shortly after she smiled, because this option could be just as useful! Thats when she noticed the girl who looked like she was in need of help, something was wrong. "Looks like she needs some help, lets help her first", Niala said to Ptolemy before hurrying over to the woman. "Ma'am you need some help?", Niala asked her in a friendly manner, which only gave a surprised look on the woman's face when she realized who she was. "Um... um...", was all the woman could mutter before a thief in black leather rush over attempting to take the letter out of the woman's hands.

Niala acting quickly pushed the woman out of the man's arm reach and delivered a leg kick to the side of the man's knee causing him to fall into the sand just as another thief sprung forth from a rooftop with daggers drawn trying to slash at the woman's new helper. Niala side stepped closer to build where the woman was that was holding the letter avoiding the man's reach as the 1st thief was making his way back to his feet. Thinking quickly Niala manipulated her left arm, Like a crab, causing it to resemble crab claw as she stretched it forward and snapped it shut. The thief that leaped from the rooftops just lost his right arm as he started losing blood. "Ptolemy could use some help!", Niala shouted to him as she noticed another thief enter the area looking to cut her down he she stood defending the woman.

(190 Stamina left)
(475/1000)

Abilities used:

It seemed that his day was blessed, or was it cursed, to keep getting more and more interesting. Ptolemy of course was not about to complain, given how his life had become something of a bore. So without thinking he strode towards the fray, not blinking as the woman's arm became something... Else. In fact he barely noticed her at all, such was his focus on his target. Without a word and with barely a twitch of a muscle Aten revealed himself for the first time, the ghost cobra striking with a sudden flurry, burring its fangs into the poor souls throat.

The snake retreated just as fast as it had moved, eyes searching the area for its next target, and finding it in short order. Rearing back, its long coils still falling out of Ptolemy's coat, the cobra spat and its venom went flying hitting its target squarely in the face. The thief for his part staggered a step and when he resumed his movement he was noticeable slowed. Not that it mattered of course, for soon after him came two more men, hell bent on liberating the letter this new woman carried from her body... Regardless of the cost to them selves. Of course Aten didn't care, and seemingly without command he flared his hood as Ptolemy took steps closer to the new trio of attackers and in a flash of light blinded all three of their would be muggers. Ptolemy could only smile as they nearly fell on each other in the sudden confusion.

Abilities Used:

Word Count- 715

Ptolemy had displayed an unusual beast of the likes she never seen before, it looked to be his jacket and a creature? She didn't have time to think about it, as the thief who suffered a leg kick made it back to his knees and slashed at Niala's shoulder. She tried to move out of the way in time, but she ended up getting a small cut that just broke the skin. Niala retaliated with cutting through his chest with her claw, just as it appeared 2 more thieves looking to overwhelm Ptolemy.

It was obvious this was about the girl, what could she have that was important enough to attack 3 people in the middle of the street in broad daylight? Niala didn't understand it a bit, as she held her arm and her claw out behind her defensively to protect the girl from any other thieves that wanted to suddenly appear from who knows where. Niala backed up with her girl behind her, up against a building to prevent getting flanked, before extended her tail bone into a controllable tail. It had a significant range for a tail, and she sent it thrusting towards one of thieves's thrusts at Ptolemy's side, deflecting it.

She had questions to say the least, for everyone here currently, but she doubted she would get any from the thieves. Was it money they were after? Some information? If it was, she should probably know about it, as she was the princess. It made her even more curious, what was her imposter brother planning that she didn't know about it? Or was this even a matter of state to begin with? Where were the guards? And what the hell was on this man's body? Regardless, Niala knew a snake bite to a neck should have done in the 1st thief, and hoped Ptolemy could deal with the remaining two after stopping one of their attacks.

(175 Stamina left)
(800/1000 Words)

Abilities used:

Thanks to some timely intervention Ptolemy did not end up on the end of some would be thieves blade. In fact, thanks to his new found ally he had a chance to rally. Taking a step back Aten would let most of his length fall out of Ptolemy's coat, his rippling iridescent scales shimmering in the sun light, his red eyes gleaming with amusement or something like it. As intimidating as this sight was, the thieves only hesitated for a second before moving in. Of course, that second was more then enough for the Serpent to Strike.

Aten lunged, covering the ground quickly and sunk his fangs into the foremost thieves neck. The second thief struck them, aiming his blade for the serpent, Aten of course was having no part of that and blinded the would be assailant yet again, causing the strike to fall short. With out another moments hesitation, Aten once again struck. His fangs ripping into his enemies body over and over again, the thief unable to fend off the assault blinded as he was. With a final groan, the last of the thieves fell over, rendered unconscious by the pain.

The bloody fanged serpent took one last look at its bloody deed before slithering once again to his master and climbing its way back into the folds of his coat. Ptolemy of course just stood there, a small smile on his lips as he turned his attention once again to the girl, her package and his would be ally. "Care to explain what this is about?" The girl just looked frightened, her eyes glancing from the men on the ground to her two protectors, her eyes lingering on Ptolemy for but a second before glancing away in what might have been fear. "I-I-I've no idea!" She finally manages to squeak. "I was just supposed to deliver this!"

Words:1031/1000

Abilities used- Heat Shimmer (Sustained) -5

Serpents Strike- 2pcd (Instant) -10

The snake like creature Niala saw before had again revealed itself from the man's coat. Niala had never before seen such a serpent, and wonder where in the world did this man find such a creature? With iridescent scales its appearance was beautiful in a way, as it stretched forth to strike the thief. Niala had undone her ability that caused her tailbone to extend and return to its natural form as she walked towards the new found ally that was cleaning up. Niala didn't fully understand what this was that caused strange thieves to attack people like this in her home.

"What ever this is, I hope it was truly worth it in the end", Niala said to the girl in a more than remorseful tone, even for those who attacked her. Things could have ended up much worse, there was no denying that, and Niala still had her life in the end. Even so, with results like these its hard to be happy about them. Even if it for her own life or the protecting of other's lives, she didn't like being forced into killing, or rather killing in general. "Thank you for your help in this however! Are you hurt?", Niala asked the man who helped her in a concerned tone.

(1000+/1000)

(finished)