To chase the greatest

Subject: To chase the greatest Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:59 pm

Naxx-Ja	The streets of the Ba Sing Se outer wall were as bustling as ever. Hundreds of flashes passed by every second, all with something to do, something on their mind. The skies were clear, not a cloud in the sky. Not yet, at least. It was early evening, and the sun had just began to set. The air was still warm, the daylight had not disappeared completely. The air smelt of fine grain, freshly cut earlier, when it was still morn. Nobody seemed to have a care, nor should they, what could possibly come to harm on such a fine evening? Who would interrupt such a relaxed atmosphere? Or, rather, who would want to? The answer is simple: Naxx-Ja was about to end the dreadful calm. A local farmer, 71 years of age, was twelve months overdue on a loan to the local mob. The farmer thought, that by hiding in Ba Sing Se, he would never be found. Too many people, too many leads. But, unfortunately for this old man, his hunter had been following him since the loan was first made. Naxx-Ja, the hunter, waited patiently on a park bench. Waiting for his prey to make the mistake of wandering too close. Naxx sat there, hood over his head, glaring into the distance. Passersby took no notice of Naxx, his cloak kept him hidden. Behind Naxx, a massive statue of the Avatar stood tall. However, the statue had been thoroughly vandalized, pieces had broken off, graffiti littered the base. Naxx-Ja began to think of how he would kill this target. Silently and quickly? Public mutilation? Viciously stabbing the target to death? No, Ja had tried all of those before. He wanted something new. Naxx wanted something... artistic. Just as the target wandered into view, Ja looked up at the statue, and had an idea. A cruel, idea. Naxx looked around, for any metal objects, and then remembered the statue itself. While examining his target, Naxx formulated a plan. Thinking, wondering, imagining. All the while, the doomed farmer drew closer and closer, unaware of his imminent demise. Naxx-Ja waved to the farmer, asking him to come over. Then, the farmer walked directly in front of Ja, a tad confused by the stranger's call. Suddenly, and out of nowhere, Ja jumped up, tore the legs off the Avatar's 9 feet tall metal statue using his metalbending, and hurled the whole thing at the now horrified farmer. After everyone around the incident had finished screaming and fleeing, and the dust began to settle, Naxx took a look at what was left of the victim. Only the man's two legs could be seen, the rest of his body had been crushed into the ground through the sheer weight and speed of the statue. Just as a pack of guards started running over, Ja thrusted himself forth into the air using a block of stone below him. Mission success. His next target? Something many times more illustrious, and dangerous, than a simple old farmer. Just a three months earlier, Naxx had received a list of twenty-four people the mob wanted dead by the end of the year. The first three people, Ja had slain with ease in a matter of 62 days. However, the last person on this list would require more than Ja's abilities alone. He had two options: either Ja would need more than his skills to accomplish this task, or just a faithful companion to watch his back. His "adopted" daughter was too young, only three years of age. She would be staying with Ja's most trusted ally, his own handler. Aside from that, Ja was searching for something big enough to kill a legend, but small enough to remain undetected by those who would seek to prevent this assassination. But first, he needed supplies. He had everything provided for the job, except a few extra tools, extra people, and a vial of deadly poisons. The Mob had already set up a contact for Ja, a young woman running a singe-person contraband business. The girl went by the name of Zehir Zeikte, someone who Naxx was told would interest him greatly...
Mood: Calculating Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:29 pm

Zehir	Zehir had always hated this part of her journey. After collected her malignant supplies she, of course, had to sell them. And the people who usually bought stuff from her were the scariest. The only way she got through these transactions was basically through silent deals, only speaking to name her price. In a dark alley, with her wares in a backpack, Zehir dealt goods, with her store's location and wares being spread around by word of mouth. It had been tough at first, but by now she was well known, and every dark figure of Ba Sing Se knew she was the source of supreme poisons. She also sold items like lockpicks and traps, but it was the venom that had given her a name. Her shy girl appearance was dampened by a black cloak she wore. It gave her an air of mystery that prevented her clients from immediately pegging her as an easy target. She also wasn't a particularly easy target in the first place. During her deals, Zehir always clung to a poisoned knife, ready to throw it at the first instance of trouble. It was usually her best poison too, she didn't want to chance anything in this dangerous sort of business. The day was coming to an end, and Zehir prepared for a night of interesting deals. She was sure to get at least a few customers on a clear night such as this. A dark figure cloaked in green appeared. Zehir swallowed, this was the beginning. He was tall, much taller than the usually petty thieves she saw. This man would test her nerves for sure. The hand she was holding a knife in was shaking badly, but the long, dirty cloak she was wearing hid this action in her sleeve. Zehir herself probably looked a bit silly, and she was slouched thanks to her usually anxiety. A slightly open mouth could be seen inside her hood, but her eyes were hidden in shadow. Could they be seen, they would reveal a scared little girl trying to get by. She nodded at the man, it was the only greeting she could muster. Her backpack was already open, and she had some bottles of poison on a box for display. She hoped the man would quickly buy something and leave.
Mood: Nervous Condition: Fine	Character Page

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:28 pm

Naxx-Ja	Ja wandered around until he found the alley marked by his handler. A couple scratches in the shape of a bear signified the drop. He peered into the alleyway, noting that the streets were too busy for him to be suspicious. Inside, the alley, he saw nothing but a thin silhouette, which he praring into the assumed belonged to his contact. After a short period of time simply staring into the alley, Ja took a step inside. Upon closer examination, Ja saw a table displaying a variety of jars containing all kinds of strange substances. Containers filled with extra materials scattered the ground, and a few crates were propped up against the alley wall. Naxx stood there for a few more seconds, and then took several sudden and large strides forward, and pointed directly at the girl's face, demanding: Are you Zehir Ziekte? The girl was quivering. Her arms were still, but her shoulders were trembling. Ja felt fear, and he savored it. How would this wretch interest him? She was nothing but a weakling as far as Naxx could tell. This girl was not acting scared, she was scared. She wore a damp robe, similar to his own. The girl's hair could be seen in the corners of her hood, as well as her chin. Her mouth stood still, as if to say something, but for the longest time, nothing came out. Ja was beginning to wonder if this was the right person at all. His two eyes glared out from his hood, a menacing scowl could be made out. If this wasn't the right person, Ja would have to eviscerate her on the spot, and in a twisted manner, he wanted to.
Mood: Calculating Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:01 pm

Zehir	Zehir's mouth opened wider. The man practically commanded to know whether she was Zehir. She wanted to scream, but the air wouldn't come up. She held tighter to the knife in her right hand and was pretty damn ready to throw it. But she wouldn't do that just yet. Finally words came out, "Y-y-es." She shook her head back and forth to try to shake off the fear, and her hood fell down when she did. Her huge brown eyes were visible now. They looked both afraid and...intimidating. Something was different about Zehir's usually stricken gaze. There was a sense of foreboding inside them. She would strike if this situation got dangerous. She put on a brave face and said, "S-so what are you...here for." She could see why a man like this would come here. There were plenty of things here to help someone as scary and intimidating as this man. At the same time, she doubted he was the type to use poison, he looked like someone who took more pleasure in rending someone limb from limb. She was worried he wasn't here for any sort of business.
Mood: Nervous Condition: Fine	Character Page

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:13 pm

Naxx-Ja	The girl looked up at him and mustered a "yes". Ja chuckled. This Zehir had an odd expression, almost a frown. She was staring up at him, and he was glaring back. Her eyes were outputting, but it would take a lot more than a creepy facial expression to intimidate Ja. He motioned to the table with the 'merchandise', and crossed his arms. "Whats the most painful, slow, and incurable toxin you have? Answer quickly, I have no patience for fools." Ja barked, his eyes still the only thing visible below the hood. The skies were getting darker. It was almost night, and curfew officers would soon be patrolling the streets. People began entering their homes, and the streets would soon be silent. Ja couldn't take too long, otherwise he would arouse unwanted suspicion. The air stunk from a mix of vermin and poison, and the smell likely would reach the nose of a prying guard. The shadows grew into the darkness, and the moon could be seen on the horizon. Ja waited for an answer, and got none. His daughter was likely in need of a meal, and Ja intended to provide one. When the girl continued to stare up, Naxx grew impatient. "I've a daughter to attend to. Hurry up and speak."
Mood: Calculating Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sun Mar 17, 2013 2:43 pm

Zehir	The man let out a chuckle which Zehir shuddered at. What a creepy man. He asked for a painful, slow, and incurable poison, and Zehir had just the thing. She had to shuffle through her backpack though as it was a difficult poison to get in large quantities. It was in a very small vial and was probably at the bottom of her backpack under a lot of pointy stuff. She carefully shuffled her items around and could hear the impatience behind her. "I've a daughter to attend to. Hurry up..." he said. Well Zehir found that very odd. This is last person in the world she'd peg as a father. Well, at least the last person she'd peg as a father who actually visited and cared for his daughter. Finally she grasped the tiny vial. "Al-alright. This is sandstone snake poison. Th-they bite people while they sleep in the desert and follow them around 'til they die, so they can feed. It takes a while to kick in, but when it does it's torture. Is that alright?" Zehir usually talked in short sentences, but when it came to snakes and poison she wasn't afraid to elaborate. "It's sixty silver pieces." she said. It was a high price, but this snake was incredibly hard to find. They matched the sand and you had to dig them up with a shovel. They were usually pretty small too, so they were easy to miss, and this also meant they gave very little venom.
Mood: Nervous Condition: Fine	Character Page

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:05 pm

Naxx-Ja	Ja was just about to try a more aggressive approach to 'batering', when Zehir pulled a vial from her bag. She explained it's origin and potency much louder and with more confidence than before, Zehir obviously was very knowledgeable on the subject. Naxx rummaged through his pack for the bag of silver coins provided for the exchange. He pulled out a hefty bad with the Mob insignia sewn upon it, and dropped it in Zehir's hand. "One-twenty silver. I really don't feel like sorting through pocket change, and I honestly don't care much for money." Naxx muttered. He snatched the vial from the girl's hand while she opened the bag and examined it. "You harvested this yourself?" Naxx asked, as he examined the vial. It was a dark yellow color with minuscule traces of blood swirling around within the liquid. The snake this came from would no doubt be a challenge to catch, let alone milk. Ja himself would have been bitten and killed soon after, he was too rough, too inelegant. He looked back at Zehir, and thought for a moment. This girl, if both her venom and method of obtaining it were both perfectly legitimate, she must be a master of finesse. To single-handedly gather and milk so many snakes would require a person with speed, co-ordination, and practicality. These were things that Ja did not posses. Naxx was slow, brutish and hard-hitting, preferring to shove a knife through someone over and over versus a simple throat slit. This stranger, this 'Zehir', might be of further use to Ja. "Tell me, what kind of weapons' training do you have?"
Mood: Calculating Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:16 pm

Zehir	Zehir happily took the extra money. She wasn't greedy, but she needed this sort of payment to survive. She could live off the land for a while, but there were some things like new weapons and bottles that she simply couldn't get on her own. She dropped the bag of silver in her bag, while the man explained how he cared little for money. He wasn't leaving yet for some reason, and that same anxiety from before crept in. There had to be some reason he hadn't gone away yet, and Zehir worried it was not for a benevolent reason. "You harvested this yourself?" he asked. Well that was alright. "Y-yeah. I get all the poisons...on my own." she replied. She couldn't say the same for the traps, weapons, and lockpicks she sold, they were merely resales from different areas of the Earth Kingdom, but the venom she harvested was her pride and joy. Talking about it made Zehir more comfortable and less nervous sounding. She fidgeted with her hair, pushing a strand behind her ear. Even at her most comfortable, Zehir still looked nervous. The man continued to question Zehir, asking what kind of weapons training she had. "Well uhh...I throw knives." she said. It had been a natural process. The poison she harvested paired well with the knives, and it allowed her to stealthily kill from afar. And while she needed the snakes alive in order to milk their venom, the knives were handy for cutting them up after she was done with them. "That's it though." She still held a knife in her right hand, and while she was fidgeting with her hair, Zehir had accidentally let it be seen. She hadn't noticed though.
Mood: Nervous Condition: Fine	Character Page

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:14 am

Naxx-Ja	When the girl spoke and scratched her head, Ja caught a glimpse of a blade in her hand. This was not entirely expected, and was unaware if this girl intended to use that knife. He immediately took a more cautious frame of mind and paid close attention to her hand moments. Zehir had just confirmed her ability with knives, although to no specific degree. The girl had done well to conceal the blade, Ja was unaware of it despite his metalbending abilities, which surprised him. A sloppy mistake, or perhaps intentional. Either way, Ja now had a quick test for the girl. Outside the alleyway, a drunk man could be heard stumbling in the street. Hobbling side to side the drunkard was practically falling over. He wandered into view, unaware of the deal going on in the alleyway parallel to him. Ja turned, looked at the lone person standing at the mouth of the alley. Naxx pointed at the drunk man, and whispered to Zehir. "Kill him." Ja's body was still, holding the pointing pose while Zehir looked up at him, and then to the drunk man. "I said, kill him."
Mood: Pondering Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:49 pm

Zehir	Zehir was startled. The man had just learned of her ability with knives and commanded her to kill a drunken man as he stumbled into view. She timidly shook her head, her big eyes flipping between the two men. One man looked like he wouldn't be much of a loss to the world. Zehir watched as he drunkenly fell to the ground, a steady target at the end of the alley. The other man looked like he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Maybe, Zehir could get away with not killing him. She could make it simply look as though he were dead. Yes, she already had her blade covered in a paralyzing poison, it wouldn't kill him, but he'd surely look dead for a while. She hoped, prayed she could get away with it. In a flash, the knife tumbled down the road and was thrust deeply into the man's shoulder. He might have been too drunk to notice, he might have already passed out. Zehir didn't hear a sound when the knife did its job. She looked up at the man for approval.
Mood: Nervous Condition: Fine	Character Page

Subject: Re: To chase the greatest Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:26 pm

Naxx-Ja	Naxx-Ja watched as the knife sunk into the man. Zehir didn't check to see if the man was truly dead, which confused him momentarily. Someone who hunts venimous snakes must be used to ensuring their quarry has perished. Ja drew his Kunai knife, and watched for any sudden movements. The that struck the man was likely covered in a potent toxin, knowing Zehir's business. He took a few steps forward, then watched. After he felt it was safe to approach the body, Ja took a stride forward. As he slowly stepped close to the body, he asked the girl a quick question. "You don't confirm your kills?" Regardless, Ja checked the man for vital signs. None. That must have been good poison. Twenty seconds, and he was cold. Naxx focused his bending on the earth, and buried the man under the road, the remains trapped indefinitely under the stone walkway. He turned to Zehir, and held out an even larger bag of gold from behind his cloak. He looked at Zehir for a good few seconds, making some final evaluations. Fit, fast, good with a blade, but probably exceptionally clever-- Just what he had been looking for. "How would you like to join my... misadventures? My quarry is a prestigious target. Helping me kill her will make your name go down in history. Providing I get caught. Which I won't." Zehir was obviously startled by the offer, and the job description. How she would react further, was unkown to Ja.
Mood: Calculating Condition: Alive and Well	Link: https://lastairbender.rpg-board.net/t1269-a-grimdark-character-for-a-change

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