Naivara Astamastazii Teaser

Part I – Black Night

As the night wore on a much deeper, chilling, pitch darkness enwrapped itself around Naivara and she began to feel as though she was submerged in a dark sea slowly sinking into the cold, unplumbed blackness. The illumination from the sparsely placed oil lanterns proffered indeterminate shadows, perhaps of the smelly mist, produced by those lamps that swirled through the tight alley but beyond the precarious glare the world was completely indiscernible for the average eye. No stars to light up the sky tonight, not even the sheen of the two moons could break through the impervious mask. Brimming with devilment and mischief, conspiring clouds had divined to stifle the lunar rays and black out the celestial beams that evoke enigmatic shadows and delinquent wraiths that haunt the wits of the imaginative. The clouds shed thick dark raindrops, the rain bore down mercilessly upon the heart of the city, pounding on the rooftops and turning the broken cobbled streets of the Downtown District into a warren of slick stones and muddy waters. Located only a stone’s throw away from the center of Chaop, the old wooden tavern known as the ‘The Kind Tea Cup‘ isn’t easy to find as it was tugged away in the alleys of the downtown. Though the warm light from its windows and the trailing smoke from its chimney serve as beacons of refuge and comfort to those caught out in the storm. With quick but light steps Naivara turned into the alley that was home to the ‘The Kind Tea Cup’. The cramped alley was almost empty; just three men could be seen. One man dressed in fine rich robes sat at a lone table with a bottle of exquisite wine and a candle, whose flame flickered in the cold breeze, on it, protected from the rain as it was one of the few seats under the balcony of the tavern. With an annoyed expression on his face he gently rocked the glass of wine in his hand to let the flavor unfold. The other two men stood beside his table, their eyes scanned the alley continuously. They boosted quality half-plate armor embossed with the emblem of a wealthy patrician family and fine swords on their hips. Naivara closed in on the three men; she slowed to a graceful walk and emerged from the shadows at a leisurely pace, she came to a halt about 10 feet in front of the table. The raven feathers that decorated the end of her hooded cape flew in a mellow gust of wind and the flickering of the candle flame reflected in translucent black pearls of the loose fitting pearl necklace that adorned her neck. Surprised at the elusive woman who just seemed to have appeared near them, the first reflex of the guards was to grasp the grip of their swords firmly, before realizing it was her, Naivara, who their master had been waiting for.

Part II – Deal with the Devil

“Took you long enough. “, the merchant sighed, “Well, how is my ‘friend’ faring?” he said with an intrigued voice. Naivara had doffed the hood of her cape and had just lowered the shemagh that hid her face, revealing her cold grin. “Nobody will find him. He died under horrible pain, just as promised… my duty is fulfilled.”. “Thank you for your service.” The merchant said wholeheartedly, before taking a sip from his glass of wine. Naivara’s grin vanished within an instant:” I’m here to collect the final half of my pay and you know that, don’t act dumb.” The merchant bristled with anger. “Your guys ruined my business here. If anything, you would be the one owing me money, but as the generous man I am, I’ll renounce your debt and reward you with a pleased thank you… you are dismissed.” he said, as if it was self-explanatory. „I WILL be paid in full.” Naivara said with calm but certain and threating voice; though she stood still, not in any way moving. But her gaze pierced the three men. Harshly the merchant replied: “You don’t get it missy, do you? We’re done here, get out of my sight!” The bodyguards made a step forward, trying to reinforce his master’s word and one of the guards spoke up: „You heard th-…” His words are cut short in the most literal way as Naivaras No-Dachi impaled him with a high-pitched screeching as the blade pierced the armor plate effortlessly. The guard… he looked down in disbelief as the air took the aroma of fresh blood and flesh. As if she just needed to flick her wrist she opened the man to the side, leaving his torso only half attached. Where there had been smooth skin was torn muscle and blood, as raw as any carcass at the butchers. In a fluid motion she transitioned to a rising cut, partly opening the other man’s abdomen and chest. Immediately blood started to readily flow from the long cut in armor, like a crimson fall. Using her high guard she proceeded to decapitate him the before wiping the blood off her blade sheathing and sheathing it in a second motion. Naivara headed straight for the merchant who had just jumped from his seat, knocking the table over while doing so, as he realized what just had happened. The bottle of wine shattered as the lifeless bodies crumbled under their own weight and a blood geyser burst from the open neck hitting the wet cobble stone a few feet next to it. “WE CAN TALK!” The merchant screamed as he cowered and put his hands up begging for mercy. Naivaras pace quicks as she gets closer, she motions to be going in for a jab to his face, as the merchant turns away, he is hit full on in the upper chest by her shin, it was a feint to lure him in.

Part III – Hopeless

Naivara grinned sadistically as she felt his ribs giving in. She was indeed right. Five of his ribs were broken; three of them shattered completely. The small fragments scattered and embedded themselves in his chest, only barely missing his lungs and other important organs. Her kick had lifted the merchant off his feet, throwing him to the ground. Searing fiery bursts pulsated around the wound; intensifying with each breath he was trying to take, jarring and brutal. With each breath he actually took the pain amplified, the bloody muscles quivered and his consciousness ebbed. Black mists swirled at the edges of his mind drawing him towards sweet oblivion. The merchant’s body didn’t know how to react, he tried to breathe but the pain paralyzed him; he tried to scream on top of his lungs, but only struggling choking happened. Naivara smirked and sat herself in front of him, her expressionless but seemingly gleaming crimson eyes indulged in her work. The merchant tried to form words, but only frantic gibberish came from his mouth. Naivara abruptly grabbed his neck firmly, depriving the man of the last bit of air he could grasp. “Shut the fuck up.”, she said calmly while she reached for her tanto as she went on,” This is what is going to happen -”, her grip tightened, almost crushing his throat. Simultaneously she rode along his trembling arm with the point of her tanto gently but with an impending sense of doom, scratching it. “Tomorrow… you will pay me.”, disappointed she let go of the man’s throat, as he threatened to black out. He hectically grasped for air and she went on explaining: “Coin for coin… don’t you dare to even think about paying just a single one less.” The blade reached his palm and their eyes crossed each other, his terrified while hers were dead serious. “Otherwise…” she hissed, while forcing her tanto through his hand, severing multiple of the close nit nerve nods in his palm. He cried and screamed, as she stood up to leave this most gruesome scene. The broken cobble was drenched with a mixture of the rain and the blood that poured in apparently endless streams from the mutilated corpses. The crying of, the under pain twisting and winding, merchant echoed through the alleyway. Naivara vanished in the shadows just as quick as she had appeared: instantaneously… She walked through the downpour, donned her hood and reached into her sling pack. The rain fell in crazy chaotic drops, the gusting wind carried them in wild vortices one moment and in diagonal sheets the next. It ran down her face as a thin layer, as cold as diminutive sheet of ice. From her sling pack she pulled a smokeleaf joint that she had packed with devilweed and laced with novacaine just a few hours ago. She placed it between her soft pale lips and with one hand protected it from the elements while she clicked her fingers with the other hand. A small purplish flame readily pushed through her glove from the fingers she just clicked, illuminating her with a faint eerie light briefly while also lighting her joint. She shook the flame off and took a deep hit. She slandered through the night on her way back ‘home’ and quasi-instantaneously felt the drugs rushing through her bloodstream…