Lai Shan was in a good mood. Considering the narrow escape from Queensmen capture into an unknown painting dimension, things were going rather well. The labyrinth in the painting has thus far shown little resistance, and has even been helpful in some regards. There was supposed to be treasure here and the job would have been closed out on a good note. Lai Shan was in a good mood.
But not anymore.
There he was, staring down at her with cold, judging eyes, watching her every move. His razor-thin lips curled at just the tips in the smallest of smirks, as though something about his pupil's shortcomings bemused him. All at once the sensations came back; the cold stone floors of the old temple, the frigid air sending a chill crawling across her skin. Lai Shan's normally carefree smile had swiftly retreated, the optimistic shine in her eyes was gone. Her teeth were clenched, her lips were quivering, and she clutched herself with both arms, as though to shield herself from the cold, but also because his very stare felt as though it were exposing all of her weaknesses and vulnerabilities. She wanted to hide. She wanted to disappear. But where? He taught her everything she knows about hiding, about fighting, about lying and deceiving and using others. Even if she did hide, he would find her. Shura was always watching.
You're going to die, you know.
His lips didn't move, but she remembers the cut of his voice like it was yesterday.
All of us are. It is the nature of this business, you see. But those of us who work for it at least get to choose how we die.
"Stop it..."
Most of us are content to die with our knife in some governor's back, or having stoked the fire that burned down the grand cathedral, or beheaded at the behest of a grief-stricken baron for the murder of his only heir. So long as we leave our mark, we are fulfilled.
"Stop..."
She tried to cover her ears, but the voice was in her head.
But you're not one of us...are you?
"I said stop...!"
Of course, there is no mark for you to leave. Try as I may, there's only so much I can do with a lowborn student.
She could hear his voice and feel his oppressive stare upon her back, even as she fled through the rainy temple steps. He was there when she left. He could have stopped her at any time, but he didn't. Maybe he can just find her at his leisure, any time he wanted. Maybe he was tired of dealing with her. Or, in the most likely case, maybe this was his way of telling her that she isn't really free.
Honestly, it has been a challenge for me as your handler. But in the end, a lowborn is a lowborn, and no matter what you think you'll accomplish, you'll die in the same place we found you; deep in a rainy gutter.
"Leave me alone!"
By the time she had the courage to open her eyes again, Lai Shan found herself on the other side of the room, with Sharis, Seth, and Ashen beside her. Her eyes were damp with tears and she was in a cold sweat. She wiped her eyes clean, took a deep breath to steady herself and took a fresh glance of her new surroundings. One hall to the west and one hall to the east.
"Okay, so according to some information I got, this is the Medusa's 'private collection'. There ought to be something here. I'll check the dark areas, since I can see in there."
Fastening the belt around her sword's scabbard, she departed Eastward.
"I'm already getting tired of this place."
Little World
Sable
@ 8:11 AM May 16th