Fantasy Broken Bloodlines [Main]

[AncientBird]

Bart mostly just stood and listened to his new companions speaking. He wasn't much of a person who like chitchat... Not anymore since he became a loner...

Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, the huntsman saw something... Something he had been looking for. A figure was walking among the crowd and quickly slinked into an alley not far from there. The figure was a young man, lanky with red hair and most importantly, a pair of pointy ears raising high above his head.

"Pardon us, we have to go now." Said Bart to the others, tipping his hat and quickly turned around. He made a sharp whistle. Karrax's head immediately poked out of the shadow of the alley they had disappeared into, fully alert and ready to take their master's order. "Come Karrax!" Called Bart before hurriedly stormed off into a direction. The fox hound bolted after their human companion.

Bart entered the other alley he saw the figure disappeared into. "Sniff him out." He spoke to the hound while looking around. Karrax immediately put their nose on the ground and quickly picked up the track. There were no other people there, so they were free to investigate without attracting unwanted attention. Both man and beast followed along the trail. Finally, Bart could hear a cheerful hum, coming from behind the corner. "The bastard is over there..." Said Bart grumpily. He peaked from the corner of the building and saw his target was just strolling about, seemingly enjoying his alone time.

Before the cursed young man with short red hair could realize he was being followed, his body was already tackled. Bart's strong arms pushed the much thinner figured into the building, pinning him against the dusty brick wall. "Ouch! What the he-" Cried the young man just for him to recognized his attacker. "Oh hey! Isn't this my favorite huntsman?! Barty! How're you- Ack!"

Bart's firmed grip locked on the man's throat, cutting out his breath. "Four and a half tails Fil..." Bart growled menacingly. "You appearance here just made my blood boils... Tell me, how the hell are you strolling around when you are supposed to be in jail for 5 more months!" Said the huntsman, demanding answer. Karrax growled ferociously by Bart's side, seemingly ready to pounce the sleek young man at any moment.

"Let... My... Throat... Go!" The young man gasped, trying to breath. Bart realized of his over tight grip and released the man, but pull out his crossbow instead. "You nearly choked me!" Said the cursed man as he gasped for air. "...Not that I complain, it did actually feel good." Added the red hair as he rose up, smirking at Bart. "You disgust me, you worm... Now tell me why you are here and not behind the cell!" Bart growled more and shoved his crossbow at the man.

Filius Faladae had been Bart's usual bounty, a small criminal and con artist that had been playing the game of mouse and cat with the huntsman for as long as Bart had taken up this career. Most of the time, Bart just caught and sent the cursed criminal to whatever prison nearby, but Filius just kept coming back...

"Oh, you mean the prison near Kisumu's border? Well, apparently I had been very well behaved, so they let me out early." Answered Filius as he dandily brushed dust of his clothes. "Liar!" Bart scowled. "Hey, I swear!" Said Filius. "I have even repented and now taking a honest job too!" Bart frowned like a man who just heard something totally ridiculous. "As if I would believe you. You have always come back and causing trouble left and right!" Said the huntsman as he shoved the crossbow closer. "Hey, I speak the truth! Have you never thought of why I was doing crime and illegal stuff? I have no choices! People hate and scorn cursed people like me! I had to steal and lie just to survive... it was only recently that I was taken in for a honest job."

Fil then smiled at the huntsman, only for it to fade once he saw that Bart totally didn't believe him. "Fine! I can prove you. Come with me then, you and your little Boggart." Said Fil as he beckoned Bart and Karrax to follow. Bart growled, but eventually lowered his crossbow and walked after his nemesis. Karrax followed suit, sticking close to Bart.

 

[Nephalem]

Idoria's lips parted to speak, but her mysterious friend interjected before she managed to form a word. He murmured a pardon, tipping his elaborate hat before spinning at the heel and leaving. His gait was hurried and purposeful. There was a clear goal driving his hasty withdrawal. Bart summoned his hound with a short, sheer whistle. The beast emerged from the alley, answering its bipedal companion's beckon with immediate attentiveness. Idoria simply shouted, "It was nice meeting you, Bart and Karrax!" after them, a bit concerned by their sudden intensity.

A gust of wind swept through Idoria, rustling her hair and cooling her perspiring neck and scalp. Idoria inhaled the sweet aroma of sugared fruit and baked dough. Since her most recent transformation, Idoria's sense of smell had doubled in effectiveness. This, paired with the unfortunate period of time that had passed since her last bite of caramelized fruit and flaky pastry, made the scent inebriating. She pushed herself onto the tips of her toes to try and spot the sweet source. Without any luck seeing through the vast crowd, Idoria slumped back down, disheartened. Nearby, a bell tolled twice, causing Idoria to wince in both surprise and discomfort. As if beckoned, the masses around her pushed forward, heading towards a destination with buzzing excitement. The muffled sound of tuning instruments arose from the direction of interest.

"Well," Idoria clasped her hands together with a sudden frission of excitement. "I suppose I’ll have to delve into this adventure myself!”

Suddenly feeling some sort of camaraderie with Karrax, Idoria pushed as politely as possible through the crowd, intent on following the warm wafts of sweetness and devouring whatever tasty treat they were sourced from.

Featuring: AncientBird

 

[AncientBird]

Bart and Karrax followed Fil out of the alley. The huntsman still had his crossbow on his hands, ready for whatever would happen if the cursed kitsune had some funny idea. However, Fil only looked back and started coughing and nodding at Bart's crossbow. "What?" Asked Bart.

"The crossbow!" Said Fil.

"The crossbow what?"

"Oh...I don't know, do you want guards to come running at you for having a loaded crossbow out in the public?"

Bart grumbled but put his weapon down and unloaded his weapon. "That's more like it! Don't worry, you still have that boggart if I try to escape... whichhh I won't, so keep the mutt in check, will you?" Said Fil, smirking for finally having his advantage over Bart. Karrax growled in their throat, seemingly wanting to tear the lanky man into pieces but without Bart's permission, they stayed put.

Fil eventually led Bart to a group of workers, laboring around several wagons with lots of crates and barrels. "Ah, welcome to my working environment! Where we tirelessly slave away in the sun, lifting and pulling heavy stuff, while receiving feathery light money in return... But hey, it's a honest job, yes?" Said Fil cheerfully.

Bart squinted his eyes as he looked at the workers and Fil back and forth, seemingly not buying into the cursed's word. "What?! Still don't believe me?! That's it... Here watch me... Hey, Mazzie! I brought the wax as you said!" Shouted Fil at one of the workers while lifting up a small sack that Bart seemed to not notice that he had been carrying it the entire time.

"Good, good... Now shut up and get over here to help us, you little cursed! These barrels need to be unloaded before the main ceremony begin!" Said the worker Fil spoke with, albeit quite rudely toward the cursed man.

"See, believe me now? I am part of these workers! I do a very honest job, so will you stop being all frantic about chasing me down and doing unspeakable thing to me?" Said Fil.

Bart grunted grumpily... he didn't want to believe this sly, little man... Not after all he had done to other people... However, it seemed clear that he was really the part of this working labor. "Fine..." Said Bart bluntly. "But if I catch you doing something nasty again, I swear I will have Karrax bite all your hands off!"

"Or... You can just choke me again, with your firmed, strong hand... Come on, I know you want to do it... Crushing this naughty me to death in your palm... Huh? Barty, Bruty, Barty daddy..." Said Fil as he smirked teasingly and start poking Bart with his finger. The huntsman could do nothing but growl grumpily... If Fil had really become an innocent citizen, Bart had no power to beat the crap out of this unbearable, son of the vixen anymore, no matter how much he wanted to.

The huntsman brushed the cursed man's finger away in disgust. Fil, no longer under any threat by his nemesis, laughing out loud before heading off to do his job. "Well, then... Smell you later, big guy!" Said the cursed man cheerfully...

Bart walked back to the main street again. Karrax trotted along beside him, seemingly aware of their company's disappointment. "Can't believe that little slime of a person get away again... But if he really is a changed man then there isn't much we can do anymore." Bart spoke softly to Karrax. "Hopefully he is true to his word this time... Which would be the first time in forever." Said Bart once more as he stopped to lean on a wall nearby.

His sole reason to come here was to capture Four and a half tails Fil... However, as the situation had changed, Bart no longer had any mission on hand... He didn't know what else to do.

"I guess we will be leaving then..." Said the huntsman to the hound. Karrax however had something else in mind and they looked over to the food being sold on the street. Bart looked after the hound and sighed. "Or maybe we could stay and enjoy the festival while it lasts..." Said the huntsman as he took out the zucchini he received from the noble lady earlier and started eating it.