Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2023 2:23 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Evanis held onto the ball as she walked off into the darkness.  He looked between the ball and the boy, wondering what he must have been seeing while he was under hypnosis.  It was around two minutes when the boy finally began to stir and his eyes fluttered open.  The young lad had a confused expression when he saw Evanis staring down at him.  The ball was transferred to the boy and he explained, "I know things might be weird now, but you must follow me, your mother must be worried about you."

He held out his hand to the boy, who hesitated at first, but then accepted and was pulled to his feet.  The two made their way through the streets back to the tavern where the bartender had a surprised expression upon seeing the child.  Evanis approached the bartender and said, "That boy's been through some wild times.  Where's his mother?"

The bartender gestured to someone nearby, who jogged out of the tavern.  Moments later, he returned with the boy's mother in tow, and the two family members, finally reunited shared a longing embrace.  Gratitude was given to Evanis by the mother, but he raised his hand and explained, "Someone else did most of the work to get him to safety.  They just tasked me to bring him here."

Regardless, the boy was saved and Evanis at last decided that it was time to depart Jayou.  He exited the tavern and made his way to the docks where a medium-sized vessel was transporting passengers down the river.  Payment was given to the man receiving the money, and he tipped his blue cap to Evanis saying, "You're lucky.  You've got the last spot on our boat."

Evanis nodded and stepped aboard, where he took the last available seat at the back and the boat made its way down the stream.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 4:18 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Having left her rage-induced haze, Shiloh's eyes looked Evanis' way. Although not having a mask made her seem less suspicious and more approachable, her deadpan expression made featureless clay appear to have more emotion. Rummaging through the sack of personal effects she had taken before the domain collapsed, she handed him the ball Theo had been playing with yesterday. "When he wakes up, give it to him. I found it nearby." It technically wasn't a lie, but she wasn't in the mood to explain. "The bartender from that tavern we were at knows his mother." She then turned to trudge off into the night, to parts unknown. The sack of trophies the black fox had kept of its victims was emptied gradually over the course of the week as the contents were returned with notices attached, addressed to whoever still cared about the deceased in question. 

The local authorities spread the story that the culprit behind many unresolved disappearances died in an altercation with one of their most recent victims, resulting in a fire that unfortunately consumed both. Theo was not mentioned at all, to give the boy and his mother privacy. Most in Jayou soon forgot the strange masked person who had roamed the streets for a short while and business went on as usual. As for the story presented to the public, Shiloh had planted the idea using omission and suggestion when she had reported finding Theo unconscious that evening. Nobody who wasn't involved needed to know what really happened, and she intended to keep it that way. Peace returned to the sleepless city, for now. In the end, not even the ashes of the black fox remained.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 1:40 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

A scent of something charred reached Evanis's nose when he arrived.  The gateway had been reduced to a complete wreck and found the figure with her mask off and fires near her.  He had no clue what happened beyond that dimensional rift, but when he saw the young boy lying on the ground, he was concerned and when she disappeared for a moment, he strolled over to check on his condition.  To his relief, the child was alive, but out cold.  He kept watch and as he did so, he gave the ruined gateway another glance and scratched his chin.  Whoever was responsible for this must have quite a hefty bounty on them.

As much as he would have loved to claim it, he knew that he most likely would not stand a chance against the target.  When the woman returned, Evanis turned to her and said, "It must have been hell on the other side.  I'm glad you were able to get the kid out.  Hopefully he can be returned to his parents."

He folded his arms.  His bounty was already collected, and while offering assistance was uncommon for him, he decided to extend a chance to her for help in case she needed it.  It was the least he could do after all as he asked her, "Would you like me to help you with anything ma'am?"

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:53 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

As the black fox struggled in her grasp, the walls of the domain began to collapse around them. The courtyard and ruined mansion gave way to the alleyway as the red gateway was destroyed completely, vanishing into thin air. The former three-tailed fox no longer had the strength to prevent this from happening and they re-emerged in Jayou. Shiloh barely acknowledged the woman who called herself a devil despite recognizing her, and once Natsumi left that was when Jin breathed his last. 

When Evanis returned, he would be greeted by the smell of dried blood and smoke as Shiloh stood over a fire burning the remains of the creature that called himself Jin. Not too far away there laid Theo, the boy who had entered the gateway in a trance, unconscious but unhurt. For a while she stared into the flames, waiting until every last discernible trace of the beast was consumed before putting on a mask of normalcy. There were superficial cuts on her face from when her clay mask had been broken which were already nearly healed. She momentarily left to find a member of the local authorities to report she had found a child lying unconscious in an alley and reviewed the missing persons posters from the past few weeks to see if she could match the items she had found in the fox's domain with any of them.

She then went back to the alley to see how things would proceed and planned to begin the long process of returning the personal items to the friends and families of the victims, providing both closure and a confirmation of their fates. Unfortunately, Saya would never return home. Her aunt deserved to know at least. No one would be able to claim that poster's reward but there wouldn't be any need for it either. 

Author: CodeAni, Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:37 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

With the messenger sent and the gate clear, I began working on “popping” that dimensional bubble. It wasn’t fragile. Clearly the conjurer possessed some amount of skill, but they hadn’t been able to make it impenetrable. This pocket could be broken, provided I put in the right amount of effort.

Meanwhile, a terrible bout of violence ensued beyond the veil. Shiloh had temporarily relinquished her humanity, tearing the tails off the malignant spirit one by one. My reaper merely stood there, witnessing the bloodshed to the hiss of his hourglass.

Outside the domain, I chanted.

“Scatter to the four winds this barrier. Begone, fragile pocket! Release your occupants unto the world, for I come upon this land with avaricious intent and woe be unto those who bar my path. I hereby banish you to the depths.”

Placing my hands against the gate, I finished the incantation and shattered the front of the pocket dimension into transparent shards. In a flash of illusory glass, the red gate had been felled, giving way to a new exit and the terminus of my spirit’s time.

Sadly, my assistance was no longer required by then. Beyond my minion lay a battle that had already been decided. I saw first hand the feral human stick a blade through the spirit’s chest, and I was not about to change that fate.

“Pardon me, detective,” I said while dismissing my omen from beyond the gateway. “I’m not in the habit of stealing other people’s prey, so I’ll take my leave of you and your ‘friend.’ Continue as you were.”


I turned to leave then, but the fox fiend spoke up before I could walk away.

“What the hell is that,” he asked with a pained voice? “It wears the skin of a fox spirit, but it’s no kin of mine. It’s not even a demon! What in the Void is that?” With naught but a playful smirk on my face, I responded to his question in an unsettlingly cordial manner.

“A devil.”

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 12:51 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Once Evanis finished his meal, and paid, he noticed some commotion outside.  He stepped out and spotted a crowd gathered around a man who to his confusion and disgust had a bloodied mouth with all of his teeth missing.  When he got closer, he realized that this was the man he had been searching for, Codillius Tree.  However, something seemed off about him.  His movements were unnatural, and his skin was blue despite his twisted smile, the deerman unaware of his fate beforehand.  Either way, this man had to be dealt with before someone else got hurt.

The woman who told him about Codillius's disturbance earlier was there, and pointed to the glutton shouting, "Get away, that's a cannibal!"

This declaration caused the onlookers to backpedal and run in panic, and the woman did the same in case he lashed out.  Evanis drew closer with his dagger out and said, "Shame about this.  You would have made a nice bounty alive."

He herded Codillius toward a back alley where there was a crate large enough to hide what he was about to do.  With no one watching, and some work with his blade, the severed head was dropped into a sack.  The headless corpse was abandoned in the alley and Evanis made his way to the office where he found the bounty in the first place.  He entered into the small room where the clerk looked at him and asked, "Watcha got there?"

The clerk was presented with the poster, and Evanis opened the sack to reveal the head of the cannibal inside.  A whistle came out of the clerk followed by a laugh saying, "Finally took the chicken's head off!"

He then poked the forehead and asked, "Why's he blue though?"

"Unsure.  Asphyxiation perhaps," Evanis guessed as the clerk produced the reward money for the capture and said, "Here you go."

Evanis took the money with a small, "Thanks," and departed.

He made his way back to the gateway that both the boy and the masked figure disappeared through before, curious to see if it was still there and if anything had changed.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 4:12 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Although Shiloh's appearance came as a surprise, Jin assumed he had the upper hand from his countless years of experience. The jig was up and he made no effort to hide three black vulpine tails tinged with red as he positioned a bewitched Theo in front of him as a shield. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't the only one who was skilled at using underhanded methods as Shiloh redirected her aimed attack at him without difficulty. As shadowy hands burst from the ground and grasped at him, Jin was able to slip away leaving his human meat shield behind–only to let out an agonizing shriek. The smell of blood joined the smoke as one of Shiloh's daggers was embedded in a severed tail pinned to the ground. Perhaps if he hadn't moved, he'd still have it attached. The shadowy limbs quickly pulled it into the darkness before he could get it back as the apparition of the reaper appeared to foretell his inevitable demise. 

Upon sensing and witnessing this disturbance to what should have been his domain, Jin's centuries-old resolve was shaken. He didn't even have the time to question if this ill omen was the masked woman's doing, as in the next moment Shiloh slammed him to the ground with a single-handed vice grip around his neck. An incredible, oppressive force bore down on him as he struggled to breathe, his remaining two tails writhing as he felt as if someone was setting the blood in his veins on fire. As he tried to break free, he saw Shiloh's other hand raise a two-toned sword with its point facing downward and made the mistake of making eye contact. In the eyes looking down he saw no vengeance, hatred, or spite–only indiscriminate and unbridled rage. "You won't die from this sword." She said, her words unsettling and calm. 

"Why–" His question was cut off by the Equilibrium's Edge stabbing into his chest. With those same wild eyes she answered in response: "You came too close to my family." A choked scream echoed in the ruined courtyard as another tail was torn off, and it was like his soul had was being ripped to shreds. By now his human disguise was severely weakened and more vulpine traits were now visible. Jin had never thought someone would hire a hunter to go after him. With only one tail left, he desperately tried to gather what strength he had to escape.

"Was it the girl?" He asked through strained gasps. Shiloh did not answer.

Jin's crimson eyes threw a glance where Theo was lying on the ground, unconscious. "Was it the boy?" She said nothing. 

It was then that it dawned upon him, and a chill ran through his body at what she had meant. She was no hunter; she was acting like an animal attacking someone who had gotten too close to her cubs. And as long as she thought he was a threat to them, he would die. As his vision began to blur he could still make out the figure of that spirit of death looming in the background holding its hourglass, watching like a crow.   

Author: CodeAni, Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 1:30 AM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

The rest of that night was filled with similar songs to the first. Ragtime piano always was one of my favorites, even as far back as freshman year at the academy. These were songs I knew by heart from all those days at the arcade: easy money for establishments like that tavern in Jayou. I sat there at the owner’s piano in a sapphire blue dress for hours, playing one classical song after the other; and not a one had ever been written by a Revaliir native. The end of my shift came quickly, driven by those memorable melodies.

“Thanks a lot, lass,” the tavernkeep said while placing a pouch of crescents in my hand to a rousing applause. “You helped me out of a real bind. Ol’ Charlie seems to have lost his soul ever since Miko disappeared.” Charlie was the drunken sod at the bar, the one whose shift I had stolen. He was passed out with a half-emptied mug of swill next to his head. Doubtful even the massive church bells of Abed could raise that man, though perhaps that’s why the owner hadn’t tried.

“No problem,” I told the shopkeep while fastening his payment to my waist with a leather string. “I’ll be leaving now. My hotel is down the way.” Most of the patrons had retired by then, leaving Shiloh and a handful of others at their table. Perhaps that’s why the tavernkeep stopped me as I turned to leave.

“Miss, I’d feel better if you stayed here tonight.” His grip was gentle, but unwanted. I stared at him out of the corner of my right eye with acute judgment, waiting for the rest of his explanation. “It’s dangerous out there lately. People are disappearing, and a beautiful, exotic thing like you-”

“Would be a perfect victim. Is that what you want to say?” I blurted out the question before the middle aged man could finish, catching him off guard before I pulled my arm away. “I assure you, Mr. Deiter. I can take care of myself. There’s no need to worry about me.”

I walked out of the tavern then, leaving behind an anxiety ridden owner. He was a good man, and, as fate would have it, a correct one.

Not long after I had left the establishment, I was waylaid in an alley by a portly man.

“Well don’t you look delicious,” he said while blocking my way. “And a fox too. Haza blood?” It was Codillius Tree, a cannibal who had been blatantly attacking people in Jayou. For some unknowable reason, he was still hanging around in town even though his face was on several posters. Was it arrogance? Gluttony? Who could say, but he did mark me as easy prey as he towered over me in that narrow passageway between ships.

“Oh no, you’re that cannibal, aren’t you?!” I recoiled from the fat giant as he advanced far more quickly than a man of his girth should have been able to. He grabbed me by my chin, then slobbered as he spoke.

“I’m going to enjoy this.” He tried to restrain me after that, but staggered as a result of the attempt. Great pain showed on his face as the sweat rolled down his forehead and his mouth started to foam. Suddenly, he fell to the walkway, writhing from the poisoned knife shoved in his gullet.

“Funny,” I said while finally dropping my act. “I was just about to say the same thing.” Codillius’s skin started turning blue around the puncture wound. It wasn’t long after that before he died from the lethal dose of poison I had given him. Yet his punishment wasn’t over. Soon as the body grew still, I brought motion back to it. With a pained moan, the cannibal rose anew.

“Hello Codillius, my fat cannibal friend,” I said while retrieving my knife from his gut and wiping it off on a cleaner part of his shirt. “Do me a favor and walk around town pretending that you’re still a living cannibal, but this time do it during the day and be incredibly obvious about your… tastes.” Throwing the knife over my shoulder into a storage portal, I walked past the former criminal to his grunts of approval.

“Yes, master,” he said before he was about to trudge off.

“Oh, but before that, go get yourself cleaned up with a fresh pair of clothes,” I said before he could, giving one final command at the end. “And Codillius? Tear out your teeth for me, would you?”

“Yes, master.”

For the rest of that night, Codillius stood on the boardwalk pulling his teeth out one by one. It was a shame that a corpse could not feel pain, but the self-mockery was good enough for me. A former cannibal’s corpse, doomed to romp around town gumming up random passersby. How that turned out, I wouldn’t know until much later. After the last tooth was pulled and the corpse’s clothing was changed, I released my control. He needed no guidance beyond that point. He would do what he was made to do.

Meanwhile, I passed time until the next night when I happened upon Shiloh following a boy through a red spirit gate. By this point I had changed into some black menswear, and I stared curiously at the obvious portal. I smelled blood from beyond its borders, and grinned at the possibility of another victim in the roster I had made since arriving in Jayou. Inside, a fierce battle was raging, one that was soon joined by a grim reaper holding a giant hourglass.

“When the sands fall silent, so shall you.” The phantom stood at the entrance to the space, holding nothing but the hourglass. He extended a bony digit from there, pointing squarely at the one called Jin. The next in a long line of killers had been chosen.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2023 3:26 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Evanis blinked twice when the boy vanished into the archway, despite the opposite end of the alley being visible.  The mysterious person went in after him, and Evanis considered going in after them, but decided against it.  He had no clue what was on the other side, and for all he knew it could have been an abyssal horror seeking to make mincemeat out of whatever poor sod was lured into its domain.  This dimensional gateway still remained, as if inviting him inside, but he refused to take the bait.  Instead, he decided that he would get himself a small dinner before he turned in for the night and continued gathering intel on Codillius tomorrow.

As he made his way toward a garden-themed restaurant that he had seen before, he kept the poster out this time in the hopes that it might spark some recognition in a passerby.  For once, fortune favored him as a woman made a disgusted face at the poster and pointed to it saying, "Ugh, I've seen that bastard before.  Glutton was…holy shit a cannibal!?"

He nodded and replied, "Yes, where have you seen him?"

The informant pointed at the restaurant he was heading to and replied, "He was in there earlier, bugging people and talking about how some of them would be 'ripe' for eating.  Shit, knowing this now makes that so much worse!"

"Thank you," he replied as he started toward the restaurant.

"Please lodge an arrow in his throat!" she called after him.

The restaurant had chairs and tables that were meant for the outdoors seated on fake grass that had tiny blue illuminated specks flowing upward from it.  Paper window shades were on the sides and back of the establishment.  The ceiling had a few potted plants hanging from it and waiters in green garb strutted about taking and providing orders.  Par for the course, glances and stares were sent his way before the patrons returned to their meals.  He approached a greeter who did a double take before he regained his composure and asked, "Hello sir, how many to seat?"

"Just one," Evanis replied.

A waiter walked over to Evanis and said, "Right this way sir."

He led Evanis over to a table on the right side of the dining room with four chairs and once the deerman sat down he informed him, "Check out the menu, a waiter will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," Evanis said as he both looked over the menu and watched for someone who might be in charge of the restaurant.  During his observation, three men burst in with faces tinged with fury.  The head of the trio was tall with curly blonde hair and had on a brown vest with brown pants.  He thrust a finger toward another man in white, disheveled clothing who was also seated alone on the opposite side of the room and roared, "I know you took her you sick voyeur!"

The accused's head swished to the ridiculer and shot back, "I didn't take anyone you numbskull!"

"Stop lying!" the betrothed snapped as he and his cronies stomped toward their suspect who rose from his seat with anger flashing in his eyes.

Waiters rushed at the impending brawl in an attempt to prevent it, but they were shoved aside and the three-on-one began.  The lone opponent was punched to the floor where the three above engaged in a stomping fest against him.  Onlookers watched on in helpless horror, while Evanis sat with a nonchalant attitude having decided on a vegetable salad.  It was around twenty seconds when the boots finally stopped their assault and the man lie on the floor with his face bruised up and his right eye swollen.  The ringleader dragged the man to his knees by his shirt and hissed, "Where'd you take her?"

"I didn't take her anywhere dumbass!"

His response was rewarded with a punch that dropped him back to the floor.  In a huff, the trio departed from the restaurant.  A few bystanders went over to assist the accused, and when normalcy returned, a waitress came over to Evanis's table and asked, "Hello sir, sorry about that.  What will you be having?"

"A vegetable salad with a glass of water," he answered.

The waitress jotted down the order and said, "Alright, I'll have them get your order ready."

"Hold on, before you go," Evanis showed the waitress the poster and asked, "Someone said this man was here."

The waitress sighed and said, "He was.  We were quick to remove him because he was harassing customers."

Evanis nodded and said, "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk more about that."

She nodded and departed to get his order ready.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Fri Jun 9, 2023 5:38 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

The boy disappeared as he walked into the gateway, even though you could see the other end of the alley through it. She knew what this was, but she had no choice but to go in. Powerful beings were capable of creating dimensional spaces within the fabric of reality, like hidden partitions in boxes. If she didn't enter now there was no guarantee she would be able to find it again if the culprit left either. Once she passed through the gate she found herself in an entirely different location. The street had been replaced by a long, stone and dirt path in the woods and the remains of an Ataiyan-style house up ahead. The boy was nowhere in sight, and there was a mist that gave the entire area an eerie atmosphere. The skies above showed the moons in the clouds, but she didn't believe that they or anything here could be trusted. The entire place reeked with the aura from the gate, and the gateway itself was gone too. When this happened, there were usually two methods to escape: obtain permission from the host to leave, or destroy the domain by killing the creator. 

With a headache beginning to gnaw at her temples, Shiloh entered the residence's courtyard and started searching. Her ability to navigate was getting worse as time dragged on and she was sure the layout was shifting to the host's whims. Most of the places she passed by were just empty rooms, but in one of them she found an old dresser made of lacquered rosewood. Pulling out the drawers, she found several personal items and trinkets like hairpins, scraps of paper with shopping lists, assorted jewelry of varying value, and the ball the boy had been playing with the day before. Not only did these items have little in common, but they didn't belong to the same person. She paused for a moment, debating what to do before emptying the drawers out and dumping the contents into a bag. This was evidence, no doubt about it.

Shiloh continued her attempt to find the source of this phenomenon when she stumbled into the courtyard again. Beneath the lone gnarled maple tree stood a figure with its back to her. She approached it with steady steps and spoke in a low voice. "Are you a spirit? Are you a demon? Reveal yourself." The figure turned around and it was Jin. There was a lit lantern in his hand and a look of shock that changed into surprise on his face. "How did you–wait, don't tell me I'm not the only one in here! What a relief, I thought I'd never see anyone else in this place. So, did you get lost too?"

In response she went silent and continued to stare at Jin from where she stood. Tension began to fill the air when she spoke again, repeating her previous words with the same severity. "Are you a spirit, are you a demon? Reveal yourself." Jin was beginning to look uncomfortable and took a few steps away from her. "Hey, hey…what are you trying to do? You're starting to creep me out." From behind him there was the sound of footsteps and the boy Shiloh had followed came out from a room behind a sliding door. Jin looked over his shoulder and a mixture of relief and concern was on his face. "Theo? Thank goodness, it's you! What are you doing here?" 

Before he could continue his questions further, a shadowy knife flew at his head. Jin immediately dodged, retreating towards the boy as the blade embedded itself into the floor. As he positioned himself in front of Theo, Shiloh caught a glimpse of the boy as the light from Jin's lantern briefly illuminated his face. Theo's eyes were glazed over, his expression dull like a sleepwalker. Beneath the pale light of the moon, Shiloh's eyes shone through the holes in her mask as she asked one last time, her ears buzzing with the noise of building magical energy.

In the next moment, there was an explosion as a bright flash of light shattered the uneasy stillness of the old courtyard. The smell of burnt hair and smoke was in the air as broken clay fragments laid scattered on the ground. Shiloh's mask was destroyed and she was locked in direct eye contact with Jin who was now behind Theo with a very different expression. The lantern was also smashed to pieces, and flickering flames came from its remains as the night's peaceful facade was finally shattered. With eyes still wide in a piercing gaze, Shiloh muttered through clenched teeth, her face in a spiteful grin. "So it was you." An axe appeared in her hand as she crouched low to the ground in preparation to strike. There would be blood tonight.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Fri Jun 9, 2023 3:23 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

When the performer finished at the piano, Evanis exited the tavern and found a place to stay for the night at the cost of a small sum of silver.  When dawn struck, he was one of the first bystanders into the street.  Up and down the avenues he walked in search of a butcher's shop.  After a couple hours passed, he gave up on locating one and instead made his way to a grocery store that he saw several times during his probing.  Three men walked out with bags full of goods and they all stopped upon seeing him, their eyes full of uncertain curiosity.

The awe soon passed, and the trio went on their way.  Evanis entered the store and found a large assortment of food items with the meat section positioned at the back that was being operated by a burly man with arms that could snap a tree trunk in half. The shopkeeper was a young man who lifted an eyebrow at the sight of the deerman, but said nothing as he went back to his business.  Evanis stepped up to the meat section worker with the bounty out, and when the man turned around and saw him, he asked, "Can I help you sir?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you've seen this man," Evanis replied as he showed the man the poster of Codillius.

The meat worker gave the portrait an inquisitive look before he tilted his head and said, "I think I might have seen someone like him come in here before.  Purchased some porkchops and that was the only time he was here.  Had other gorgers like him come in, but that's unfortunately all I can give you."

"Did this man have any interesting mannerisms?" asked Evanis.

"All I can say to that was a creepy grin," the man said with a shrug.

Evanis nodded and said, "That will be all, thank you."

"No problem.  Be careful out there.  Would hate to have you end up on this rack," the man warned.

Evanis scoffed and said, "I puke at the thought."

He left the store and his search for helpful leads continued.  Pedestrians were asked, but apart from probable sightings, none of them gave him any solid leads.  The day stretched into the night with his strongest source of info being from the meat worker.  As he was walking through an alley, he caught sight of the boy from yesterday walking alone.  Something was strange about him though; it was as if he was in a trance of sorts.

Moments later, the masked individual from the bar passed by.  He knew that whatever she was doing was important and that it was likely unwise to interfere, but something about this event piqued his interest and he approached the end of the alley to see where the two were heading.  He followed when they were far enough away, and this game of Follow the Leader led them to a small alley that the boy went down.  Evanis moved right toward a position where he could see where the boy and his tail were going without being spotted and found his perch to be an elevated area.

A red, out of place gateway was the boy's destination.  This peculiar situation made Evanis believe that something terrible was about to occur, so he equipped his bow and nocked an arrow, just in case someone or something appeared with the express intent of harming the boy.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu Jun 8, 2023 2:30 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

With some time to finally relax, she went back to her old habits of watching people in the tavern. As her eyes scanned the faces, she glossed over the person at the piano before doing a double take. Was that…? Shiloh was surprised to see her here of all places, she thought she preferred to keep to herself away from people. But she didn't question things too much on her. When memories change, so do habits. The aura she detected on the child wasn't hers, which cleared her suspicion.

As the hours dragged on and customers trickled out, she noticed a man clearly trying to wash away his pain with alcohol. Her lukewarm tea was now cold, and she overheard the barkeep giving his condolences to the man now there were less people around. The drinking man was still distraught, and shook his head multiple times as if refusing whatever consolation he was being offered. Through slurred speech and choking sobs she heard the man mention his despair and hopelessness now that 'she' was missing. It was clear those who disappeared didn't come back or were found, so his expectations were low. Shiloh felt sorry for him, but unfortunately she wasn't any more optimistic. Tomorrow she'd have a lot to do. 

Morning then noon passed, and as dusk approached she rose from the table to leave. The hour had struck–it was time to return to the gazebo for a confrontation. As she headed down the streets she didn't even make it to the willow-lined riverbank when she saw the boy from yesterday walking by himself at a steady pace. The direction he was heading wasn't to the gazebo, but instead as she followed it became clear his destination was leading towards the outskirts of the city. There was an unnatural stillness in the air as the boy kept walking towards who knows where. The skies were growing dark and it was just him and her tailing him like a shadow. The magical aura she had sensed the night before was highly concentrated on the child like a bonfire in the middle of a moonless night. As the boy made a turn down a small alley, there was a much greater source of magical energy radiating at the end. A strange wooden gateway painted in red stood in the alleyway, sticking out like a sore thumb. And yet the boy kept walking towards it without the slightest hint of hesitation. 

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Thu Jun 8, 2023 1:56 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Her answer made Evanis believe that she thought he was offering his bounty up for her to take.  Before he went to the other table, he corrected the record saying, "Actually, I was thinking we could work together.  I saw that notice outside and saw you with it and figured we could track down the poor soul together and hopefully save her before whoever took her or…the other man do something to her."

Back at the table, Evanis let out a light sigh.  It seemed that the potential alliance was out, and he would have to find Codillius on his own.  Sources said he liked to visit Jayou from time to time, so now might be a good opportunity to ask around and see if any citizens had spotted him.  He could only imagine the horrors and tortures that his bounty's victims had gone through.  His fingers slid away his empty glass as he looked to the singer that had begun to perform.

It was an unfamiliar tune to him, but nevertheless he dwelled on his plan of action tomorrow.  He surmised that Jayou likely had a local butcher, so he would visit that first.  Fresh meat would be attractive to cannibals like it would be to flies.  Unfortunately, so were lives.

For the time being, he listened to the song, taking in the melody and the voice.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Tue Jun 6, 2023 3:27 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

There was a new performer today in the tavern, but Shiloh had learned by now that places like these had a rotation of sorts to keep the atmosphere from getting stale. The music was lighthearted and carefree in stark contrast to how she was feeling at the moment. She had gotten some information out of the barkeep on the kid she saw and Miss Saya when the stag who had been following her around took a seat next to her. Aside from her looking suspicious, Shiloh couldn't guess what he wanted until he showed her another bounty poster under the counter. She had seen it before but ignored it because it looked relatively easy to handle. A trip to a diviner with something the cannibal had come in contact with recently would be enough to find his whereabouts. From her body language it would be clear to Evanis that his target didn't catch her interest. "Thanks for the offer, but right now I'm tracking bolder prey that grazes more than once in the same field in a short period of time." 

She had to be a bit more pushy with suggestion, but before she was interrupted Shiloh managed to wring out the identity of the kid at the gazebo. He lived on a nearby street with his mother, who worked all day in the kitchen of a small bed and breakfast. Because of that the boy was usually on his own until his mother returned in the evening after the last customers were served. His father wasn't around but this was a common sight in cities like this. It was easier to guess the reasons why than to ask and broach the subject. Unfortunately the barkeep didn't have anything on Saya that she hadn't heard before, but he didn't know the man named Jin she had seen at the gazebo. Shiloh assumed either Jin had recently arrived in Jayou, or that he had never visited this tavern or this side of Jayou before.

Based on her observations of typical human social interaction, it took more than three instances of direct contact over the course of at least two weeks to establish acquaintanceship. Greater frequency of contact or prolonged exposure under favorable conditions would increase the level of trust between two individuals to where they would actively share personal details. Based on these assumptions, one could guess that Jin and the boy were acquainted with each other for a minimum of two weeks, which coincided with the time when Saya was first reported missing. While normally it would take a certain amount of time to reach an intimate level of trust, that time could be drastically reduced through additional factors: such as sharing a mutual acquaintance. Right now Shiloh was trying to establish a coherent timeline of the relationships between three individuals in hopes of estimating the possibility of Saya still being alive.

She ordered a drink at last, but her convoluted instructions produced extremely watered-down, lukewarm tea. She took her tepid tea leaf water to the corner table she had been at for the past five days, and settled in. Tonight things would be peaceful; tomorrow evening was when she would need to stake out the gazebo.

Author: CodeAni, Posted: Mon Jun 5, 2023 7:14 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

As sunset crept over the riverbound city, the bright lights of the night scene came alive. Outside the tavern that Shiloh and Evanis met, the magical lights of Jayou’s nocturnal establishments flickered to life. The gambling halls switched out for their night shifts, and the more eccentric residents of vice city came out to play. New entertainment had arrived in the tavern as well, but its normal presenter was nowhere to be seen.

Every third day of the week, the tavern brought in a pianist to play tunes for its guests: something to ease the flow of liquor and distract from the watered down drinks. Normally, it was a duet: a husband playing the piano and his wife singing along. But the wife had recently gone missing and the man, now beside himself with worry, had taken to drinking away his sorrows at the same bar that Shiloh and Evanis sat.

Desperate for someone to fill in for the act, the bartender had approached me to fill in. He saw me playing in another venue, and though his offer left much to be desired I used it as an amusing side-gig. Shiloh’s return to the tavern marked the beginning of my shift that night, and I started with one of my personal favorites from back home: a song unknown to Revaliir called The Entertainer.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Mon Jun 5, 2023 3:40 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

When the figure began to head back the way she came, Evanis maneuvered himself around the tree to avoid detection.  Once she was far enough away, he followed, using the throngs as moving hiding spots, though he had to perform a quick juke to avoid knocking over a stack of pots that a stout man was carrying.  He trailed her until, to his surprise she reentered the tavern they had exited.  Evanis looked at the notice again before he stepped back into the tavern.

It was quick for him to locate her, and she was talking to the bartender.  He needed to tend to his thirst, so he walked up to the bar and requested, "I'd like a glass of water please."

As his drink was being received, Evanis looked to the figure and produced the rolled up poster of Codillius.  He held it below the counter so that no one else would see it, and if the figure was looking at him, he would mouth to her in silence, "I know you're seeking someone.  As am I."

When he got his water, Evanis handed the barkeep the silver and rolled up the poster before he made his way to an empty table at a far corner of the room with his drink.  As he took swigs from his water, he unfurled the poster and mulled over it.  The Zujiuchu Mountains would be a good place for someone like Codillius to hide after he struck.  Perhaps that was also where the niece had been spirited away to by whoever was responsible.  He doubted that Codillius and the niece's disappearance were connected, but there was always that lingering possibility that it was.  Evanis put the poster away and finished off his drink, satisfied that his throat no longer felt dry.  Now all there was for him to do was wait and see if an alliance would form between him and the figure that had been his point of interest for a while now.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jun 4, 2023 9:15 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

As Shiloh and Evanis watched the the two under the gazebo, the conversation turned in a different direction. The boy had an empty paper nougat wrapper in his hands and his ball was resting on the bench beside him as he looked out at the calla lilies in the riverbank. "Jin, you're Miss Saya's friend right? Do you know when she's coming back?" The man called 'Jin' paused before answering the boy, putting on a smile to ease his worries. "I'm sorry, but she didn't tell me before she left. It was so sudden too. Even if she had disagreements with her aunt, I didn't think she would run off without telling anyone." 

The young woman who had been reported missing was named Saya, there was no mistaking it. From the rumors Shiloh had heard in the past five days, Saya's aunt had been desperately trying to find anything on her whereabouts only to come up with nothing. Despite being raised in a wealthy home after her parents passed, Saya was well-liked among the community. She got along well with people from all walks of life, sometimes a little too well.That led to arguments with her aunt who was her legal guardian and wasn't as keen on letting a young unmarried girl mingle with strangers. Saya was a bit headstrong in some aspects and like all people her age, she had a rebellious streak which manifested in a desire to work outside of the family business. Apparently Saya knew this boy and this man named Jin, but were they already acquaintances or did they happen to know each other because of her? 

The rest of the conversation returned to small talk and soon Jin bid the boy goodbye, leaving as dusk was beginning to set in. The boy took his ball and started heading home. After he passed the shadow of the tree Shiloh was hiding in by several paces, she silently re-emerged and watched Jin's form in the distance. Using the fingers of both her hands, she made the shape of a box and held it up to her eyes as if spying at the man through a hole. She muttered something under her breath before returning to the tavern she had left to inquire for more information. It was clear there was something on her mind, like she might have found something important. As to what, only time would tell. 

This entire time she was aware that she had been followed by Evanis from the tavern, but did nothing about it. As long as he didn't interfere with her observations, what he knew or saw didn't matter. But if he caused a change in her plans or alerted the culprit, then she'd have to do something to keep him quiet until the job was done.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Sun Jun 4, 2023 7:58 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

So far so good, the figure that Evanis tailed did not look back.  Unfortunately, his mobile cover did not last long as the women all turned and entered into a small gambling hall.  He found another piece of cover to be a horse-drawn cart containing supplies that were stacked just high enough to hide almost his entire form save for the top of his antlers.  The cart was moving slower than the woman, and she was already gaining a considerable distance from him, so when the opportunity presented itself, Evanis made a short dash from the cart to a small group of people that were walking at a quicker pace.

Evanis was able to keep the figure in his sights all the way up to the gazebo.  The willow trees would offer a good number of hiding spots for him when the time was right to close in and talk to her.  He spotted a little boy going after a ball and saw the figure approach him.  This caused Evanis to grow concerned as he crept closer and took cover behind the tree that was furthest from the gazebo.  He only caught the boy's warning that he would shout for help if the person did not leave him be, and when he saw her leaving in his direction, he ducked behind the tree, taking a position that would hide as much as possible.

He figured that now would probably be a good time to advise her that talking to kids dressed like an assassin was not a good idea, but the rational part of his mind told him that doing so might very well be ill-advised.  Soon, a man who he assumed was the boy's father arrived and the two conversed with each other.  Evanis took out the poster of Codillius and looked it over.  The man with the boy looked nothing like him, and he was not interested in causing a scene unless something happened between the two parties that would constitute an active threat.  For now, the deerman lie in wait, his hand running along the frame of his bow for a scenario that he hoped would not happen.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jun 4, 2023 4:05 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

So the gazebo did exist after all. Shiloh found the place exactly as the barkeep described. It was a nice hideaway from the afternoon sun in the Ignius months and a quiet retreat during the other times of the day. Since most of the traffic was drawn to the busier main streets, this place hardly received many visitors based on the pristine patches of grass around the perimeter and beneath the willow trees. She had been prepared to fully investigate the area whsn a sound caught her attention from the trees. A ball made of tightly wound layers of coarse colored cloth fell onto the ground, and a young boy climbed down from a low-hanging branch to retrieve it. The child was ordinary in every way, but she sensed some strange traces of residual magical energy on him that wasn't coming from anywhere else. The unusual aura on him wasn't consistent, like when a person had a hint of smoke on their clothes when they passed by a place that had been making charcoal from wood. 

She approached the boy and spoke up so he could hear through her mask. "Hey kid, have you seen anyone–" As soon as the boy saw her he gripped his ball tightly and backed away quickly, the distrust in his eyes as clear as day. "Go away! Leave me alone!" She figured she'd get this sort of reaction, with her mask and all. Changing her tone of voice she tried to calm him down. "I just want to ask a few questions." She held up her hands to display she meant no harm but the boy wasn't buying it. "If you don't leave right now, I'll scream!" 

Seeing how defensive he was, she decided to back off. "Alright, alright." She turned to leave under the vigilant gaze of the child, but as soon as she got far away enough for him to think she was gone, she slipped into the shadow of a tree that had a view of the gazebo and disappeared from sight. Some time passed and the kid resumed playing by himself until another person came from a different direction–a young man with a wheat colored complexion, dark hair, and reddish brown eyes. However, at the sight of him the boy's eyes lit up and he ran to greet him in sharp contrast to how guarded he was towards Shiloh earlier. In the stillness of the area, bits and pieces of their conversation could be heard. 

"Sorry for being late, I brought some of that honey nougat you like. Did you wait long?" The man asked. The boy shook his head with a smile. "Nope. But a weird person tried to talk to me before you got here. They had a creepy mask and was covered up from head to toe, but I scared them away." 

The man raised an eyebrow. "Really? You should be more careful. Even though it's daytime it's dangerous to be alone by yourself." The boy kicked the ground and tucked his ball under his arm. "I'm not scared. Besides, if somebody tried anything you'd protect me." 

The two continued to chat as they went under the gazebo, however Shiloh could sense the same aura she had detected on the boy emanating strongly from the man whom he was treating like an old friend. Her instincts weren't always right, but when they were–that meant there was something very wrong.

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Sun Jun 4, 2023 2:58 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

His casual question received a brisk answer, which was of no surprise to Evanis.  The figure then watched the patrons entering and exiting the bar.  Evanis figured that the lone person was doing something important, and so as not to act like a deep splinter said, "Is that so?  I suppose I've lived in the forests for too long then."

Evanis's ears perked up at a close scratching sound and realized that the figure was dragging their fingers across the table.  That was the point that Evanis knew that something was definitely up and backed away to make them believe that he was going to leave them be.  Just before he turned around to add to the ruse, he caught sight of the person rising from their table and going over to the barkeep where she offered up some money.  He drew just close enough to overhear that she intended to go somewhere private, and when she exited the tavern, he followed, but stopped at the doorway to watch her go.

He saw her stop and study the notice regarding the missing niece, which made him wonder if Codillius might be involved.  Evanis glanced in the direction of the mountain range, knowing that it would be a good place for a cannibal like him to lay low after a bout in town.  When the figure began to move again, he followed, but made sure to keep at a far enough distance so that he could keep her in sight, but also lessen the likelihood of him being spotted by her and have her figure out that he was tailing her.  His antlers would no doubt make him stick out like a sore thumb should she turn around at any moment.  Fortunately, there was a group of lavishly dressed women wearing tall, fancy hats that would better conceal him from detection.

The women discussed business and their spouses with little attention spared for their surroundings, so Evanis strode behind them and peeked out from behind the hats from time to time to keep track of the person he was following. 

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Jun 3, 2023 2:09 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

Spend enough time in Jayou and you'd learn to spot who was a traveler and who were the locals. Without a doubt the same standards were being applied to her too. The featureless clay mask that covered her entire face moved towards the stag as he attempted to start a conversation with her. "There are some places you never get used to no matter how many times you visit, but in the end they're all the same." Her attention returned to watching people come and go from the tavern, not wanting to miss another chance at finding the next potential disappearance in the works. 

Her eyes scanned the room for people who kept to themselves, came alone, or were easy to miss in a sea of faces. Those who fit the bill were either a possible victim or a perpetrator. Even swindlers wouldn't stay in the same place for too long, so unless the culprit had a means to disguise themselves or accomplices, typically there wouldn't be this many incidents so close together in less than a month. If this had happened in Adeluna City or Arri, there would be more tension in the air and people would be on guard. But things were lax here and money was the law of the land, so unless it severely disturbed the peace, things like these were brushed off as everyday misfortunes. 

Five days of waiting and her patience was wearing thin. Normally another disappearance case would be in progress by now, so not seeing any signs made her uneasy. Did the culprit catch wind of people searching for them or was their latest victim still alive? Was she searching in the wrong place? As her thoughts ran wild, her nails began to scrape against the tabletop back and forth, giving away her underlying frustration. This wasn't working. Maybe she needed to become the bait herself. She stood up abruptly and went to the barkeep, pushing a small sum of coins across the counter. "Do you know any places here to get away from the crowds, somewhere with a view?" 

The man kept a professional attitude as he didn't touch the money being presented as he answered. "There's a small part of the riviera past the piers with a large public gazebo. There's willow trees nearby and it used to be a popular rendezvous spot for couples until other places were built. There's a small field of calla lilies growing around the gazebo giving the area a more private feel even during the daytime." 

Seeing that he didn't take the silver, Shiloh withdrew all but three coins before leaving. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." She passed by the place where the missing persons notice for a lady's niece was posted and paused for a few moments, then moved on. 

Author: Evanis Pinestill, Posted: Sat Jun 3, 2023 12:36 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

He had been to many active towns and cities before, but never one as energetic as Jayou.  The antlers and the face made Evanis a clear standout from the throng that mingled throughout the streets.  He had several curious and suspicious stares sent his way, and he even turned down a young woman who wanted to draw him somewhere isolated for some "private time".  Evanis had no interest in the joys and pleasures of Jayou, but he was rather here because of a bounty he was hunting.  The target was taken from a bounty board a couple days ago, and the expert drawing consisted of a portrait of a man with wide cheeks which led Evanis to assume that he was more on the weighty side.  The bounty's name was Codillius Tree, and his list of crimes were kidnapping, murder, and cannibalism.

There was a hefty price to be rewarded if Codillius was brought in alive, but the coin to be earned was also decent if he was dead.  It was mentioned in the bounty that he was an avid enjoyer of the nightlife but was usually an introverted person.  As Evanis walked through the streets, he caught sight of a notice for someone's niece that had gone missing on a storefront.  There was also information regarding a man that was with the missing lady.  He considered swiping the notice for an extra bounty and reward, but Evanis decided to focus on the bigger fish that was Codillius.  Second thoughts crossed his mind though on the other bounty and decided that if he should come across the man, then he would try to turn him in to the merchant alive if he could.

Evanis entered a tavern where he could feel the eyes of patrons who were unfamiliar with beastmen being cast on him, but he ignored it.  His throat was feeling a tad dry, and he was in the mood for a simple water.  As he looked around the tavern, Evanis caught sight of a strange, masked figure sitting alone at a table in an isolated corner of the room.  They no doubt did not fit the setting, but Evanis considered that they might be some sort of traveler with special skills and figured that they might be helpful to him.  He wanted to ask if they knew about Codillius, but he figured that the time at the moment would not be right.  Instead, he chose small talk as the better option.

He walked over to the table and asked the odd figure, "Is this your first time in a city as lively as this?  It sure is mine."

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Fri Jun 2, 2023 5:28 PM, Post Subject: The Silhouette [O/R]

I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango?

The boathouse by the river was lively as patrons came and went from the tavern. In Jayou, the city didn't sleep until the night dragged on past the midnight hour. Here the streets were brightly lit and the shops were open late until the nightlife died down. It was here where nobody batted an eye if a man visited three pleasure barges in one evening or if a group of women stayed at a card table well past dusk. This was Jayou, the city of pleasures that made profit. Even if she didn't care for the place, it was relatively close to home. And recently, young people had been reported missing. The issue wasn't a group of runaways indulging too deep in the wild pleasures of life, but young men and women who had a good head on their shoulders not returning home for more than a few days at a time until they stopped coming home altogether. It wasn't a big deal, at least until an imports merchant of a five-generation storefront posted a reward for the whereabouts of her niece. There was a vague description of a young man close to her niece's age listed as well and mention of an additional reward if he was captured. The lady was sure that her late sister's daughter had been seduced by some lowlife and convinced the girl to elope with him. The reward money and additional bonus was significant, but no one had picked it up due to the low likelihood of success. The girl had been missing for two weeks now. The trail, if there was one, was cold. 

But before that there was a waitress of a café by the riverside, a student who was spending a few weeks off from studying abroad, and a busboy from one of the cheaper gambling houses. They had no family to ask for them and so inquiries fizzled out within a week or so. They were all ordinary people you could find anywhere, people nobody would miss. People like her children. 

A waitress walked over to the barkeep with another order as she eyed the masked figure sitting quietly in the farthest table from the door. "Hey, it's been five days already. Should we ask the bouncers to have a talk to them or something?" She motioned discreetly. The barkeep sighed and handed two glasses of mixed liquor with syrup. "Forget about it. Nobody seems to notice them and customers haven't stopped coming. Nobody sits at that table anyways." As long as their business wasn't affected, it didn't bother him. In fact, business went on as normal.

Shiloh continued to sit in her seat without saying a word as she watched people come and go. Sooner or later, maybe that person might show up. As long as someone who nobody would miss appeared, the disappearance would happen again–she was sure of it.