Cashout

Alexej

cn gore, kiiiiind of toture but not really, mentions of alcohol

His heels hit the cobblestones in a steady rhythm. Not slow, but not hectic either. Their clacking reminded his prey of its very limited remaining lifespan as it tripped, stumbling through the urban labyrinth of the dock ward. It was raining, and the pouring muffled most other sounds. While he followed his victim around a corner, Alexej looked up to the sky. A bolt of lightning tore through the clouds, for a brief moment illuminating the silhouette of castle Waterdeep in the distance. 

In his mind, Alexej made a bet with himself. If his target was headed for the castle to turn itself in, he would not grant himself any of the Waterdavian mead he had craved since he woke up that morning. However, he did not believe he would have to abstain from that pleasure; Probably, that vermin was headed for the local Xanathar's hideout. Either would be unpleasant; He liked Waterdeep and its luxuries, coming here once a year had become somewhat of a ritual for him and running into the city watch or the Guild under such circumstances would most likely mean he had to lie low for a few years once the mages had recreated the scenario from the bloodbath.. anyway. He shouldn't drift off like this, and it seemed like he wouldn't have to wait any longer. 

In front of the desperate elf he was hunting, a crossroads presented itself. Turning for the castle would mean going left, while the Guild hideout was on the right. Soaked from the rain, the elf shot a glance over its shoulder. Alexej was still closing the distance at his ever so steady pace, his white coat dancing in the wind behind him like a flag carrying a peace offering, which of course could hardly be farther from the truth. The elf hesitated for a second.. to then turn right. Alexey smiled. Perfect. He would sit at a warm table in the Elfstone in less than an hour. Time to finish this. He reached out to his magic and shifted, and the next instant he was gone. His prey looked confused, but then quickly remembered where it was heading. It turned around and even managed to take half a step before its legs got impaled by a pair of shadowy tendrils. Its surprised scream got stifled by the rain and it broke down to its knees while the tendrils slowly withdrew and folded back into Alexej's shadow. He was standing in the alley in front of him, gently tapping with his feet, arms crossed. This had been too easy. Maybe next time he would take a more challenging commission, but first things first.

"Okay, let me get this straight." Alexej was standing in a shady storage hall, about two minutes from the site of the capture. "You stole that man's daughter, then you came back to steal his jewels, then you had the audacity to come back for a third run on his vault less than a full moon later and all that time you didn't bother to background check him? Are you really the bloody fool you look like, or was there more to it?" His response was only a painful moan. The elf hung in front of him, suspended in mid air with all its limbs spread like it was bound to an invisible cross. It was held in place by the same kind of shadows that had originally torn into its legs, but its mouth wasn't restrained at all. Maybe it was the blood loss or the shock.. or maybe the sleeplessness that kept it from answering him, but either way it was unacceptable. "I asked you a question!" He slapped it right across the face. "What made you do something so monumentally stupid?" 

Now the elf rose its head, its bloodshot eyes straining to fixate Alexej. "I.. he deserved it. That piece of trash built all his wealth on the.. on the shoulders of the little people. He deserved to get it all taken away. And he won't-" he coughed, "-get it back either. I gave it all away, I gave it all away!" Its head sunk down again, but the elf's body shook in violent, mad laughter. "You know what, I agree. He probably didn't. Unlucky for you though, I needed the money and my friend was hungry when we took the deal, so you go off the deep end. But if it's any comfort to you, I won't go after the girl, Bills are paid for the forseeable future, so there's no need. I.." Alexej felt a familiar tug in the back of his mind, composed of impatience and the hunger he had now already known for over two hundred years. "Anyway, I won't get caught up. I'll leave you to my friend now. Die well." With these words he turned around and left the pathetic creature with the exact same sound all of it had begun with; Clack, Clack, Clack. 

When he stepped out into the night again, the rain wasn't the only thing gretting him. There they were, wearing what they called their "negotiating costume" today. Long raven hair, a long black coat matching his white one. One could almost call them dangerously beautiful, but the eyes were always the same, hinting at their true nature: Pitch black eyeballs with a light in the middle. It resembled a distant star, and it flickered in a unsettling manner. To him, however, that had long ago stopped being frightening. "You got the payment?" His companion wordlessly pulled back their coat to show off a large bag under it. "Perfect." He grinned at that. "It's inside, not much left to do. Maybe hurry, though, it might be bleeding out." They just tilted their head, an unspoken question between them. "Oh, higher motivations." Alexej clicked his tongue in contempt. "And a bit of love. The worst kind of idiot. Have fun." They both scoffed and walked past each other. "Usual place, in ten?" No reply. He didn't need one. after such a period of time hunting together they had reached a level of understanding nearly impossible to match. They would be there. And tonight they would renew their pact. Alexey smiled again. Now, about that mead. He tapped into his magic again and the alley was deserted, nothing to be seen or heard but a faint cry and the rain hailing down on the city. 

A good day to be alive.