Ignissa never wanted to work on this ship, most of the workers are alright although a few of the more pompous nobles really make her skin crawl. But with her mother sick and her father gone, somebody had to step up and help out in the family if she was going to pay for medicine. As a 14-year-old, no matter how talented she was with fire, there was simply not much work going around, the job contract was short, had decent pay and most importantly she would be back in Eternia within the fortnight.
The journey to Esterstone wasn’t too bad, she mostly delivered meals, and helped the cook, the more personal work was handled by some senior staff. Her first night on the return trip was quickly becoming a nightmare.
It was difficult to concentrate and conjure flame to defend herself with the greasy bearded man grabbing at her, despite this she succeeded in igniting her fist. “None of that now” the man said with a mocking voice as he grabbed her wrist, her burning fist was quickly extinguished in his iron-like grip.
Before she could make another move to defend herself a knife suddenly found itself lodged in his neck, to her eye invisible strings pulled the knife back and it plunged in again. The man's eyes grew wide as he was quickly stabbed twice more. Ignissa felt hot blood fall on her face as she stared into his eyes with shock. He pushed himself backwards and she heard a thump on the floor.
The man held a hand up to his neck while staring wildly at the empty space before in front of the cabin door. Ignissa could see a faint green glow from his hand as he tried to cover his bleeding wounds. A white knife rose from the ground, she could make out runes etched into the blade and cross guard, glowing a faint daisy-like yellow.
With the knife held in a reverse grip the stowaway steps forward, determined to end this before the man could get his bearings and smash him to a paste. Stabbing as he moves towards the predator it is almost too easy. With one hand still trying to heal his bleeding neck, he holds up the other and tries to strengthen his forearm to block the incoming knife. Seeing the arm take on a brownish appearance, something he had seen Oak do hundreds of times, Liam quickly drops his arm and stabs inward. His efforts are rewarded with a gasp as the knife bites into his foe’s stomach. He quickly pulls back to avoid an overhead fist that would have probably broken his spine.
The man stumbles forward, off balance after his desperate move, trying to move backwards in the tight space he slips on the floor which is now slick with his own blood. Eyes wild with panic, he attempts to scoot away form the invisible demon before him. His vision goes dark as he feels something cold enter between his ribs.
Liam feels his concentrate over the mirror coat slip when his eyes once again glow blue and he sees text before him.
Harvick Wainstin defeated. You gain a small portion of his Spiritual Power.
8,500 SP
Blinking the notification away Liam felt like he was suddenly in danger. Looking up he sees the girl standing before him holding a crackling spear of fire, ready to gore him.
“Why are you here demon, come to take me for yourself? Move any closer and we are both going to see what the inside of your head looks like” she stumbles over a few of the words, but Liam can see how serious she is.
“What wait wait no I’m just a guy I snuck onto the ship and heard what this animal was doing I had to do something” his words jumble together as he replies in fear.
The girl edges the short spear closer to his eye and he recoils slightly back. “How were you invisible then, and why are your eyes blue ?” she questions further. “Ohh right, that’s just my spirit, I only awoke it today so I’m not too sure, I can kind of bend the light, no clue about the eyes” he counters back. He holds up a hand slowly, as it opens the room is filled with a warm yellow light. “See?”
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The spear seems to get sucked back into her palm and the girl hops off the bed. “Oh right ok then, sorry about the.. ya know.. threatening to kill you and all” a blush creeps onto her face “Slightly rattled after” she cuts off and kicks the still bleeding corpse.
“I’m Liam” said the teen as he stands up, extending his hand. “Ignissa” replies the young red-haired girl, shaking his hand.
“Now what the hell are we doing to do about this mess and why has nobody come to investigate the noise yet?” asks Liam “Well… his… behaviour is not exactly a secret amongst the staff, I wouldn’t be the first he has tried this way, just the last I suppose” she answers. “There’s a small balcony at the end of this deck, it should be empty at this time of night, you can stay here while I check” she moves past Liam and with a snap of her fingers a short but intense bright blue flame extended from her index finger. She uses this as a cutting tool to remove the wooden deadbolt the man created minutes before. As she opens the door to leave, she turns back and says with a slight smile “Thanks by the way”.
The door closes behind her leaving Liam alone with a leaking body. He bends down and removes the dagger from the man’s heart, it is buried hilt deep and he has to get some leverage to remove it. Wiping the blade clean on the dead man's robe he scans the room. Anything really expensive and bulky which he has purchased will be stored in the secure room Liam noticed earlier in the afternoon but there should be some interesting things lying around. The drawers on the table don’t have much to offer, just some ink pots, fine parchment and quills. Looking under the bed Liam spots a small wooden lockbox, it’s secured with an engraved steel frame and lock. The pockets of the man are empty besides a container of tobacco and well-made wooden pipe.
Looking in a small chest of drawers Liam searches through his clothes he feels a couple of keys in one of the pockets. “Bingo” he thinks to himself, grabbing the lighter silver one. The lockbox opens with a click, inside there are several shiny looking gemstones and crystals as well a small sack filled with gold and silver coins, more silver than gold Liam notes to himself. As he starts to loot the dead man’s money the door opens and Ignissa walks inside carrying some cleaning supplies.
“Sweet, how much did we find?” she asks. Liam quickly hands her half of the money and valuables. There aren’t an even number of gemstones, so he keeps a diamond for himself but hands her an extra sparkling ruby. She seems satisfied with this arrangement.
“I told Paul that he drank himself stupid and vomited” she says, “had a quick look around and it’s fairly quiet, there’s a newly wed couple up top making kissy faces under the stars, as long as they don’t come back in the next few minutes we should be all clear” Liam nodded and moved to start cleaning.
“No no, body first, cleaning after, we won’t be able to clean properly while this big lump is lying there” she spoke as if she had been cleaning up dead bodies for years. “you get the top, I’ll get he bottom, lets wrap him in the sheet first”. Awkwardly they rolled the rotund beast in the sheets and blanket. Before they continue, he holds up a hand indicating she should wait, he wraps the man's glass and jug of wine in two towels, putting one in his left pocket and the other in his right.
The girl opens the door and holds it open using a piece of wood. She bends down and with a grunt, picked up the lower part of the lumpy sheet she looked at Liam expectantly, he tries to lift but the man won’t budge. “Use your mana ya dolt” she hisses at him “How? I just got my power today” he whispers back. Sighing she says, “Just picture whatever weirdness ya use and imagine it boosting your tiny muscles”.
Ignoring her barb, he what she suggested. Imagining the light inside of him flow deep into his arms and legs he bends down again and picks up the top part of the sheet, it is difficult and he can feel several muscles straining but they make their way deeper toward the rear of the ship. Moving slowly and quietly the girl stops at the end of a corridor and opens a door, they move through it and Liam closes the door behind him.
A small balcony sits on the rear of the ship giving an excellent panoramic view, it is a clear night full of moonlight. Hoisting the man up onto the low railing they look at each other and with a grim determination, push his body into the black waters below. “Well, he’s raptor-shark food now” she jokes to him. “I think he would make the poor sharks sick” Liam retorts. Suddenly, he lurches forward and spews all over Ignissa’s smock and the decking. He feels ashamed and doubt starts to creep into his heart. “I’ve just killed a man, would my father be ok with this?” he thinks to himself.
His forlorn thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a smack, rubbing his face in pain he looks at the girl in shock. “Stop that, right now. Are you really going to feel pity or regret over this piece of shit? Way I see it.. world is a little bit cleaner now”. “Yes but, people can’t jus—” she quickly interrupts his argument with another slap. “Scummy. Bastard” she sounds out each syllable while pointing to the dark sea. “Sometimes bad people just need to go away, I won’t be shedding a single tear over that cunt and neither should you” Liam is a bit shocked by the young teen’s language but nods in agreement. She hands him a piece of cloth and points to his pocket holding the wine. “What’s that for ?”
“Right well, maybe this will work out” says Liam as he wipes his mouth clean. He takes out the glass first and carefully crushes it underfoot, secondly, he pours out the wine. It’s red liquid staining the wooden decking. “You tell the other staff that he drank himself stupid, puked everywhere and then demanded you leave him alone on the balcony”. He awkwardly continues with the plan “you might need to… like, make it seem that he did what he was going to do” Liam cringes as he finishes his thought.
She nods in agreement and the walk back to the room so it can be made presentable. They had a story to sell after all, and a room full of blood just wouldn’t do.