Making It Right

You turn around, looking towards the direction of the clapping sound and then you see him again. The well built man that stood just around six feet tall, his arms were toned as he was wearing just a regular cotton shirt that appeared to be cut off on the arms to showcase the entire length of them. Markings, tattoos and other pieces of art coated his right arm completely almost making it look like he actually had a sleeve on. His cut short jet black hair, a silver stud pierces through his left eyebrow and many other silver studs pierce through his left ear. His unkempt face starting to show the early signs of a beard growing in but also highlights his defined jawline. His crystal blue eyes never leaving yours as a welcoming grin is formed on his face. "Welcome to the Reach, Darien." he comes to a stop, standing right beside the last thug who is still pinned to the ground with your short sword.

Behind him, you see a few other Loner's Reach warriors, standing back, keeping themselves in the distance and out of direct line of sight. Lexie and Zoe take a few steps up the stairs, slightly confused by the man as they stop right behind each of your shoulders, watching him with curiosity.

That thug is slowly fading in and out of consciousness from his pain and blood loss. "Oh no no no no..." Shade grumbles out as he crouches down and brings his body right over to the head of the thug. He sits the thug up, allowing the thug to somewhat lean on Shade's body. Shade then wraps his arm around the thug's back and brings his hand up around his head, giving his cheek a few slaps "Come on now, don't pass out on us, not yet." he jests, letting a few laughs out as his hand continues to slap the thug's face, trying to keep him from passing out "Alright alright alright..." he moves his arm back around and fiddles with something in his waist. He pulls out a small pouch and begins to tilt it over the back of his left hand.

What looks like red sand pours out and creates a little mound on the back of his hand. He then puts the pouch away, reaches around the thug's back again to help hold him steady and then moves his left hand towards the thugs noise. He forces that red sand substance into his nostril which the thug happily sniffs it in. His body gasps for air as his eyes shoot open, forcing himself wide awake and no longer on the brink of passing out. "Good good good..." Shade jokes as he slaps his cheek a few more times.

The three of you look on quite confused, whatever Shade just gave him woke that thug up almost instantly. He was still groaning out in pain from your sword that was pierced through his calf muscle but at least he wasn't on the verge of passing out anymore.

With Shade still crouched down, he slaps the thug once more before moving his hand behind his head, gripping his fingers around his bald head and forcing him to look at Lexie and Zoe. "Ya know, these women, they're friends with Darien." he moves his hand, forcing the thug to look at you "Yeah, this guy. He's one scary mother fucker." Shade chuckles as he moves the thug's head like a rag doll, forcing his gaze back to Lexie and Zoe "You can't hide from the Shade." his hand leaves the thugs skull and grips around his head once again, slapping him a few more times "Now make it right... Apologize!" Shade's voice goes deep and is full of rage.

Was he watching you the entire time? Did Shade know that these thugs were calling your high commander's vile names and that's what caused this entire encounter? If so, why didn't he step in sooner? Was he just watching the fight in the distance just for the hell of it? Those thoughts and more shot through your head as you watched him toy with his wounded guard.

"Ughh.." The thug groans out, he coughs a few times, his body in complete agony but the **** forcing his heart to pump faster, keeping him awake but also causing him to lose even more blood "I'm...I'm sorry..." he grumbles out.

"What?!" Shade laughs as he playfully slaps the thug a few more times "What was that?" the man is toying with this dying person.

"I'm..ahh...I'm sorry!" he says louder, his voice echoing with pain.

"Sorry? Well, you're sorry for a lot of things hah hah hah..." his playful tone immediately goes deep with anger "Tell them what for!" he growls as he shuffles a little closer to the thug.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry for calling you a whore." he groans and moans, his skin beginning to go pale.

"Good good good good good." Shade slaps the thug with every word he says "Another hit, brother?" he asks.

"Y-Yes please..." his voice is so weak but his tongue wets his lips, almost as if his entire body is craving the dust.

You don't even know where the dagger appeared from but all of a sudden that three inch blade dagger that Shade twirled around his grip the few times you met him was now dancing around his fingers of his left hand. With such precision and grace that dagger flew into the thug, gutting his throat. "Ha ha! Another hit indeed." Shade laughs with joy as he watches the thug cough and gurgle out his last dying breaths. Then without any disregard he pulls the dagger from the thug's throat, quickly wiping the small blade off on dying man's pants and stands up, side stepping away from the pooling blood.

The three of you look on but don't say anything. The way Shade was toying with the thug, keeping him alive only to fuck with him, then instead of trying to save him, he just ends his life in an instant. You felt your stomach turn in knots from the display of this leader of Loner's Reach and you couldn't help but gulp as you know you are about to ask him for help.

He steps over the still cooling corpse of the last bandit, pulling your sword out from the ground and handing it back to you before he moves over to Lexie "Ahhh..." he smiles playfully at the Sunrider before reaching his right hand out, gripping her hand and moving it up. Acting like a chivalrous man, he gives the back of her hand a kiss "Pleasure to meet you, Lexie." he grins before turning towards Zoe "My my, you're beautiful." Shade's voice rings out "Zoe, you're one of a kind." he does the same thing, gripping her hand, pulling it up and giving the back of it a kiss.

"O-Oh, w-well, thank you!" Zoe blushes as her left toes dance around the ground below her "That's so sweet of you...thank you!"

You can't help but roll your eyes as Shade clearly flirts with Zoe and she just rolls with it. You're also quite amazed he knows both of these women even though he's never met them before. It just goes to show how much information he most likely has.

As he eyes over Zoe's entire body once more he gives her a smile "Perfection. Absolute perfection." he says again before moving back towards you, reaching out to give you a firm handshake "Welcome Darien. I can't say I expected you so soon but follow me, I'm sure there's a reason you're here and I think I know what that reason is." he gives you that sly grin of his before turning around and making his way back into the worn down castle of his, stepping over the now dead thug's body.

As the three of you follow closely behind Shade he comes to a halt and rummages in his pocket once more, pulling out that same little pouch that was full of that red sand like substance. He tosses it to the side, towards one of his guards "Clean up the trash and hire some more thugs." he laughs again as the guard grips the pouch out of the air, gives a nod and moves towards the pile of bodies you all just left. "The amount of people that will be loyal to you when you supply them with a hit of something fresh." he says over his shoulder.

Your eyes can't help but wander around the entrance to the castle as you follow closely behind Shade. There were bigger guards, just like the thugs you just disposed of but there were also others, hidden away in corners, up high or around pillars, hiding in the shade, ready to jump in and help out at a moments notice. Those were the ones you were nervous of because the big, bulky, thug-like guards you could handle. It's the hidden assassins in the shade that were the unknown entity.

The hair on the back of your neck stood tall and your spine would tingle with every step. You were constantly watched, consistently had eyes glued on your back and never took a step without being seen. It was nerve-wracking because you've never felt this way before and you were slightly curious if Lexie and Zoe had the same eerie feelings. The atmosphere of this castle didn't help one bit with the less than normal torches for light, the broken down walls and mossy pillars, the hidden passageways and upper levels. You felt uneasy, unguarded and exposed. As bad as your body tingled, you had to rely on Shade, he was your ally and as long as that was the case you push pass those feelings because you had to believe you were safe...