part 1-broken planet (auryn)
“Right, right, right, left…..wait…three rights makes a left…” Auryn stood on the outskirts of a broken-down human city. This place had obviously been abandoned a few years ago, and judging by the wreckage had seen some violence before then. “Riddle, could you see if you can find it?” The raven squawked, angry at being ordered, but rose into the air willingly enough.
Riddle returned a few minutes later, hovering in the air and cawing. Auryn followed him to a giant hole in the ground-what looked like either a massive blast or a gigantic dig site. Auryn climbed down the side, carefully avoiding the muddy patches. The guns on either side of her hips smacked against her sides, but she didn’t feel them. It was the katana she was worried about---and finding the knife.
There was a shallow glow of golden energy at the bottom of the pit, small enough to be overlooked by anyone walking by the pit’s edge, but so large up close that it couldn’t possible have been ignored by anyone standing close to it, even those completely insensitive to energy readings. probably only feel all warm and cuddly inside, Auryn growled to herself as she shoved mud aside with her hands. At last she hit something and pulled her hand back with a slight scream. The knife had cut her, though not deeply. Well the ballpoint pen guy was right about one thing, it is silver, She sucked on her hand for a second, more to stop the bleeding than for the taste of blood. She was too damn busy to be bothered with hunger. Lusting for blood was what Goth Vamps were for, not her.
Auryn carefully found the hilt of the knife and pulled it from the mud, wiping away the grime with the end of her jacket. “Finally, number four,” She said with a grin. “Only three more to go.”
Riddle’s angry squawk jerked her away from her feeling of accomplishment. She darted to and hugged the edge of he pit, knowing full well that if anyone looked down she would be plain as day no matter what.
A group of humans walked by without noticing her or Riddle, but it was enough to make her remember what she was here for. Auryn pulled a golden-embossed box-an artifact worth entire planets in some circles-from her bag and opened it. Inside were a pendant and an incense burner, things most people would judge to be worth only the gold they were made of. Auryn wrapped the knife in an old cloth and placed it inside the box, carefully closing the lid and with a happy sigh put it away. She climbed out of the pit and sat down by a heap of wood that had once been a house and pulled out an old leather-bound book and her ancient piece of paper. “What next, what next?” She muttered, pulling out a piece of bread to snack on as she read. Riddle hopped onto her shoulder and seemed to glance at the pages with her. “How about this: the Scarf of Binding. (Stylish and useful!- the ballpoint reminded her)?”
Riddle cawed and fluffed his feathers.
“Is it cold? I hadn’t noticed,” Auryn looked at the book for a second, and then realized what she’d said and laughed. “Sorry Riddle. Three hundred years and I still suck at being a Vampire.” The raven gave a low caw as though to agree, but sat obediently on her slim shoulder. “It’s supposed to be close by-105.06.7891…wait, that’s on this planet still…. which means it’s probably owned by someone who doesn’t want to give it up. Crap in a hat.”
Auryn sighed and looked at the leather-bound book, making sure she’d read it right, and with a sigh rose to her feet. The raven at her shoulder pecked at the picture with his beak. “Yeah, I know, we have to,” Auryn put her worn leather fedora on, grabbed her bag, and started walking.
Riddle returned a few minutes later, hovering in the air and cawing. Auryn followed him to a giant hole in the ground-what looked like either a massive blast or a gigantic dig site. Auryn climbed down the side, carefully avoiding the muddy patches. The guns on either side of her hips smacked against her sides, but she didn’t feel them. It was the katana she was worried about---and finding the knife.
There was a shallow glow of golden energy at the bottom of the pit, small enough to be overlooked by anyone walking by the pit’s edge, but so large up close that it couldn’t possible have been ignored by anyone standing close to it, even those completely insensitive to energy readings. probably only feel all warm and cuddly inside, Auryn growled to herself as she shoved mud aside with her hands. At last she hit something and pulled her hand back with a slight scream. The knife had cut her, though not deeply. Well the ballpoint pen guy was right about one thing, it is silver, She sucked on her hand for a second, more to stop the bleeding than for the taste of blood. She was too damn busy to be bothered with hunger. Lusting for blood was what Goth Vamps were for, not her.
Auryn carefully found the hilt of the knife and pulled it from the mud, wiping away the grime with the end of her jacket. “Finally, number four,” She said with a grin. “Only three more to go.”
Riddle’s angry squawk jerked her away from her feeling of accomplishment. She darted to and hugged the edge of he pit, knowing full well that if anyone looked down she would be plain as day no matter what.
A group of humans walked by without noticing her or Riddle, but it was enough to make her remember what she was here for. Auryn pulled a golden-embossed box-an artifact worth entire planets in some circles-from her bag and opened it. Inside were a pendant and an incense burner, things most people would judge to be worth only the gold they were made of. Auryn wrapped the knife in an old cloth and placed it inside the box, carefully closing the lid and with a happy sigh put it away. She climbed out of the pit and sat down by a heap of wood that had once been a house and pulled out an old leather-bound book and her ancient piece of paper. “What next, what next?” She muttered, pulling out a piece of bread to snack on as she read. Riddle hopped onto her shoulder and seemed to glance at the pages with her. “How about this: the Scarf of Binding. (Stylish and useful!- the ballpoint reminded her)?”
Riddle cawed and fluffed his feathers.
“Is it cold? I hadn’t noticed,” Auryn looked at the book for a second, and then realized what she’d said and laughed. “Sorry Riddle. Three hundred years and I still suck at being a Vampire.” The raven gave a low caw as though to agree, but sat obediently on her slim shoulder. “It’s supposed to be close by-105.06.7891…wait, that’s on this planet still…. which means it’s probably owned by someone who doesn’t want to give it up. Crap in a hat.”
Auryn sighed and looked at the leather-bound book, making sure she’d read it right, and with a sigh rose to her feet. The raven at her shoulder pecked at the picture with his beak. “Yeah, I know, we have to,” Auryn put her worn leather fedora on, grabbed her bag, and started walking.