[Shatter the Circle] Nexus 1:0 - Invocation & Invitation of Fates Intertwined

Who does the Wolf hunt?


For the average mortal, it makes not the slightest wit of difference.


For those something more than mortal - it makes all the difference in Creation.
 
Misuro has advanced but two paces into this hole-in-the-wall of a snake's nest, when behind him the giant white Wolf drops, lands, the killing intent all the more evident with the lack of warning.


The mortals inside who had backed up at entrance of the Prince of the Earth now scramble towards all rat-holes at sight of the Wolf.


Standing still is the stocky man, who appears at this distance to have a glint of phosphorescence in his eyes.


"Prince of the Earth. You don't really come to *talk* with Nar Naz, but to kill him. Deny the Wolf, kill it, and with full trust will Nar Naz meet with you."

Not normal; a bacterial emission, at best? Never the less - the fellow before you is quite dead.
 
Misuro eyed the Wolf as it made it's presence known. What a god was doing here in wolfshape, he had no idea, but it seemed like they shared a common interest at the moment. "The wolf's the least of your concerns at the moment. I would say you should worry more about your case of the undeaths." Misuro raised his blade and pointed it at mister glinty-eyes. "It was your smell that gave you away, if you want to know. Try perfume, it works wonders."
 
The un-man bows slightly. "I am Nar Naz's greeter when the unusual calls upon him. Is this so surprising? It is a satisfactory business arrangement for us both."


"Why are you here? Why should Nar Naz trust you, at all, or wish to invite you into his presence? And why hesitate with that," points at the Wolf. "Or is it yours?"
 
"To be honest, I'm just here to make sure you guys don't shakedown the owner of the local watering hole this month, or whatever your annual cycle is." Misuro said, planting the point of the daiklave on the floor and leaning on it. "He got some of his customers scared away due to circumstances beyond his control, so it would be unreasonable to expect payment he just can't provide." Misuro wondered if negotiations were at all possible, but he doubted it.
 
"Would said circumstances be anything like what you are doing now? Namely, brandishing a wolf and engaging in property damage?"
 
The wolf snorts derisively, casting her head toward Misuro with a dismissive flip of her tail, as if to say "Him? I'm not with him. I just haven't decided which of you to eat first."
 
"Maybe?" Misuro said evasively. "Look, sorry about your door. I figured I was walking in to an ambush, strike first and all that, you know?" Misuro hefted to daiklave up and rested it on his shoulder. "But since you seem to be somewhat agreeable, I guess I don't have to kill you all and work my way up to your boss. Yet." Misuro was not leaving out the possibility that A: They might be lulling him in to a false sense of security, or B: they could just decide to assassinate him later, which would mean he would have to kill them all to teach the other crime bosses in the area a less. "So how about we talk about the barman, and the payment you wont be extracting from him for a month or so."
 
A short pause, as the faintly phosphorescence eyes watch.


"There are certain difficulties, but perhaps those can be worked out. You care about the establishment, and, oh Prince-of-the-Earth, you carry a district's ransom over your shoulders. Perhaps you would be so kind as to make up the difference between what is owed, and compensation for the front door and scattered men? Persuading them to come back won't be easy."


A human motion, finally, as the undead strokes its chin.


"We, too, have our monthly quotas to meet, lest we be squeezed in turn."
 
Of course this stranger was bickering over price, indulging this...dead-thing as it reveled in the corruption that had soaked into Creation's bones. His men were scattered, as they should be, and her already ill temper reached a peak - she would simply dismember this cartel whole, starting with...


A bulky blur of white lunged forward, bowling down the undead official, and with a rather wet crack she tore his throat from him, tossing the rotted, useless meat aside as she continued to maul the abomination.
 
"I would have gotten around to it eventually." Whined Musiro after the Wolf-god ripped in to the undead. "Stupid gods, never do anything with any degree of tact when you can just smite everything in sight." He grumbled.
 
Tossing the broken corpse aside, the wolf turned its eyes toward Musiro, a low rumble in her throat. And then she wasn't the Wolf anymore, not properly. The creature that advanced toward him was low, heavily muscled and compact, but bipedal, like some sort of stalker-beast out of nightmare. Gore still matting her muzzle, she spoke, her voice low and dangerous, but clearly feminine.


"What are you? He called you Prince of Earth, but no Dragon Blood has charms like that. Speak."
 
Musiro narrowed his eyes at the newly manifested beast. Not a god, not even close. This was a something else, and a damned powerful something else if looks were any indication. "I'd prefer not to name names, but if you know what I think you know, then you should consider me a Prince of the old school."
 
The Wolf snarled, the sound deep and vicious and angry - full of an ancient fury and the sound of an unhealed wound.


"LIES!" She advanced slowly, circling toward one of his flanks. "They are dead. Have been dead for centuries. Their halls nothing but ghosts and dust. I will give you one more chance, before you follow the dead-thing to his fate."
 
In the least threatening manner possible, Misuro brought his blade in front of him and pulled back a segment of the tap. Not enough to expose it fully, but enough to show the gold glinting underneath the cloth. "Would I be able to swing this sucker around so freely if I were lying?"
 
The Wolf snorted. "The Dragon Blood wield their captured treasures like they were their creators, cavorting and breeding and fighting in the ruins of the Empire they toppled. A golden sword only labels you tomb-thief."
 
"That is... technically correct, I guess, but I prefer to think of it as reclaiming what was once mine in the first place." Misuro pointed his blade at the guards who were frozen with terror at the sight of the fully Transformed Wolf. "I'll tell you what, big guy. I have thugs to interrogate and a crime boss to depose, the latter will probably be very strenuous. I'm not about to give you a lightshow right now as it would bring more trouble than it's worth, but if you're willing to tag along and help out with that, you'll get it soon enough."
 
As the two talk, there is a rush of air, and the hint of an insubstantial Thing rushing through the wall away from them, behind the broken body which lies partially dismembered.


The guards yell in fear and run away, off down the corridors into the dimness.
 
"Did you feel that?" Asked Misuro, channeling his essence on his brow to peer beyond the veil of the mundane.


OOC


Activating Spirit Detecting Glance
 
The wolf-thing growls in response, nodding and casting her head from left to right, searching for the cause.
 
"Can you track ghosts?" Misuro asked the Wolf. "We got a runner, probably on his way to tell his master what just happened."
 
Sol's jogging takes him to a filthier and smellier part of town, which is really saying something considering this is Nexus we're talking about. After a couple of wrong turns, followed by a one more to put things right (two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights do make a left) he eventually makes it to the (presumable) hideout of Nar Naz. The strange fellow and the stranger canine are there; he can tell by the shattered door, wolf tracks, and the bootprints in some half-squished... muck, which are the same prints that Misuro left in front of the tavern from earlier.


Either that, or they've all gotten the wrong address and anyone inside is going to have a very bad day.


He peers inside, and is surprised to see Misuro and... some strange wolf-creature with a woman's voice and blood on the muzzle, standing over a corpse.


"I'm sorry, is the party over already?" he asks as he enters.
 
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The Wolf shook her head.


"No Thief-thing, I cannot. I do not hunt such trifling prey, though today I make an exception. This city is like a festering wound..."


She turns, growling as a second figure appears, once again positioning herself so neither is at their flank. She tilts her head to the side, thinking for a moment.


"But this Nar Naz you hunt, a local tough? A crime lord must enforce his will through force - we need not hunt the messenger, let him tell his Master." Her gaze turned to the few ruffians too slow to flee, who had instead elected to hide, her grin bright and bloody. "Let them all tell their Master of what they have seen, that the Wolf at World's Edge cares not for his power, for the fine words of his agents, or for his Jade. Tell him this ends in blood - his or mine, and as I grow impatient there will be nothing left for him to rule."


She let out a loud, entirely inhuman howl, before settling down on her haunches, looking content. "He will be here soon enough, or he will have fled and will prove no more threat to whatever designs you have. At which point you will answer my question."
 
Misuro frowned at the wolf's declaration. "Let's try to not endanger any more people than have to. Most of the city's residents are just victims." He said, before turning and greeting Sol. "The party is just getting started, follow me if you insist on joining, I'm about to track down a runner."
 

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