Colin's posts

Ryker just looked at Eke and... for the first time that Eke had seen... smiled.

"Heh." he chuckled.

"Here." he said, handing him the other large piece.

He then grabbed a couple more that he'd cut out, and started to cook them.

"Eat that one for now." he told him.

Chris just sighed again.

"Yeah, yeah." he said.

"I know." he told her.

The two of them then walked through the forest for close to 10 minutes, before they came across what looked to be a mound of moss and grass... however, when Ashley looked closer, she swore she saw tiny bits of what looked to be concrete and metal poking out in a few places.

"Here's the entrance to what's left." Chris told her.

"It's well-hidden, at least."

Chris remained silent as Ashley said what she did, and watched Vincent... until he couldn't see him any longer.

"....uhhh..." he stammered.

"Hmm." he mumbled.

"Loses his temper?" he asked.

"Why would-?" he started to ask further, before pausing.

"....ohhhhhhhh." he said.

"Oh. Right. That." he muttered.

"Seems Vanessa was finished with me." Chris said blandly.

"Yes, I heard." Vincent responded.

"I hold no personal grudge against you." he then said. "And though this place has been set up as a haven to protect those that need it, from the drows, I cannot guarantee your safety here, given who else lives here, and who might show up." he explained.

"I know." Chris responded.

"That being said, I will not go after you, nor will I tell anyone where you are." he then added.

Even though he seemed to be calm right now, Ashley could see something. Though Vincent's arms were crossed over his chest, she saw that his hands were clenched into fists.

Very tight fists. So much so, she could barely see his knuckles turning white.

Chris quickly followed, and used the ladder as well. They made their way down to the ground, where Chris looked at the manor in... almost awe.

"...never been this close." he muttered.

"It's... imposing." he said.

Then, before Ashley could answer, Vincent stepped out of the back door.

He looked at the two of them in silence, before sighing.

"Hello." he greeted them.

"............" Chris looked around, before biting his lip.

"I see..." he said.

"So will he be coming up here to greet us?" he asked.

"And if so, will it be a... kind greeting, given that I'M here?" he asked further.

"I... just... hm." he muttered.

"Excuse me if I'm a little on-edge, but surely you agree it's understandable?" he asked.

"............" Chris was silent.

"I know what I've done." he said.

"I can't change what I've done." he said further.

"Nothing will change how they feel about me." he went on. "Especially Casey." he reasoned.

"....that's all I have to say on it." he finished.

Ryker just shrugged.

"I've taught myself stuff over the years." he told him.

"That's all there is." he said.

"And it's almost done." he assured him further. "Fish takes a short time to cook." he reasoned.

Sure enough, about a couple of minutes later, the fish was completely cooked, and Ryker handed Eke a thick steak of it.

"Here."

"That works." Chris responded.

"Just... maybe we should be careful about who sees me." he said.

"...I'm well known to be associated with Vanessa." he muttered. "And... they don't like me there." he reasoned.

"Especially the Fyranes." he said.

"Odds are they'd kill me or worse."

"To cook the fist on." Ryker responded, putting the fish on the 'planks'.

"I need it to not catch fire, but I need something to put the fish on to cook." he told him.

He then grabbed some soaking sticks, and arranged things over the fire, so that the fish was cooking over the flames.

"....now, we wait." he told him.

"We'll eat this for breakfast, then find a town to sell the scales in."

Chris just sighed.

"I might know of one or two places." he said.

"There's one in the woods by the Remmington manor." he told her.

"It used to be one of Vanessa's secret labs, but it was ruined when there was an Acid Slug infestation." he went on.

"It's useless as a lab, but it's still sound enough as a hidden bunker kinda place."

"Wooooah!" Chris exclaimed, as he rose into the air with Ashley.

"HEY!" one of the drows yelled.

"GET BACK HERE!" they screamed, though their voice was little more than a whisper at that point.

"Huh." Chris muttered.

"This is... this is kinda cool." he said.

"It's... it's a hell of a view." he added, looking around.

The drows looked at Chris when Ashley said what she did.

"...well?" they asked.

Chris just shook his head.

"Just because you'll leave me alone, doesn't mean others won't come for me." he said. "I know what your kind is like. Obey the letter of the law, and snag people with the fine details later." he went on.

"That, and I actually feel safer with her." he then added, gesturing to Ashley.

"I'll stick with those that I feel are genuine with me." he finished.

"Your funeral, then." was all the drow responded with, as crimson mana started to flow around them.

After a moment of silence, a pair of drows stepped out from the forest cover.

"Merely scouting the situation." one said.

"But this is what it would ultimately come to, anyway." he shrugged.

"Though... truth be told, we'll offer you a deal." he then said further.

"We'll be satisfied if we can destroy ONE of you." he told them.

"So if one of you gives up the other... they can go free." he smirked.