I Know My Target {DragonSong}

[Lowen Thorn]

@DragonSong

Epirus had done exceedingly well blending into the halls of Wyrdwood Academy. In a short time, he became familiar with every corner and corridor without being obviously out of place. Today, he was just another student in a school littered with students.

He knew his target. He knew her name. He knew her face. He was precise. He even knew the course, the subject matter, of the class he found himself sitting in. He knew where she would sit, so he positioned himself in in the best possible seating a few rows behind to keep an eye on her without drawing suspicion. If she were just like any other prey, this would be an effortless task.

Yet, she was not any other prey. He had looked into the woman enough to know this would not be a simple request, so he needed to study her. He needed to be in the same room with her. Epirus was not the sort to downright attack his target. He needed to learn as much about her until he could stare into her soul to find out why he was asked to do this. Only then could he execute his attack.

The man's hallow gaze stared to the front of the room as he sat quietly in his seat. He had only made one mistake: he entered the class too early. There were a few students filing in, and one or two more already seated, but he was one of the first and his target had yet to make an appearance.

[DragonSong]

Rory was running late. Of course. She cursed quietly under her breath as she raced down the hall toward her classroom, books clutched tight to her chest.

She managed to slow down and collect herself a bit before she actually entered the room, so when the professor gave her a rather harsh look she could smile beatifically as she took her usual seat toward the back of the room.

There was a new student. The young mage paused as her eyes lit on him, then slowly sank into her chair. He seemed a little old to actually be a student. Perhaps he was simply sitting in on a few classes? Plenty of mages had done that in her time at Wyrdwood, people who hadn't received formal education in their younger years seeking it out as adults.

Putting it from her mind, she attempted to turn her focus to the lecture.

[Lowen Thorn]

Had she already noticed him? If so, she was just as expected. Excellent.

The man's mind stayed on Aurelia as his eyes and ears focused toward the professor's lecture. With the regular dull absence of his eyes, he imagined that would give off a look of non-interest or boredom - perfect for the classroom.

Aurelia Marigold. Rory. Summoner. Daughter to Theodore and Hero Marigold. Sister to Claudius Marigold. Sent to the Academy a little over seven years ago. A full-figured, beautiful young woman with many suitors - for obvious reasons. Coming from wealth, she was also wanted by many - dead or alive - for even more obvious reasons.

His plan was to study her silently throughout the lecture, but since she had already spotted him, he thought he might try something different.  Leaning up in his seat, he slowly turned his head to face her. His empty, shallow gaze absorbed everything about her - though he didn't meet any part of her body other than her eyes.

A small smile formed on his face as he continued to stare.

[DragonSong]

Growing up the way she had, Rory was quite good at telling when she'd drawn attention- wanted or otherwise. She could feel the stranger's eyes on her throughout the lecture, though she did her best to ignore it and focus on taking notes.

It was difficult when the theory being spouted at her was one she already knew. The less her mind was occupied on the lecture, the easier it was for her attention to be drawn toward the man just...staring at her.

Creepy.

Glancing at him sidelong, she tried to brush it off with a quick, polite smile, hoping an acknowledgement of the attention might steer it away.

[Lowen Thorn]

Epirus was locked in, persistently looking at the woman with his humble grin. His eyes were devoid of any sort of emotion - making it impossible to register any change when she acknowledged him.

Her reaction was fascinating to him. He never understood the human instinct to avoid eye contact in such situations, or any for that matter. She obviously knew the subject matter, so--

"Excuse me," the professor cut through his concentration. "You sir! Are you in my class? Even if you are just sitting in, I ask you to face forward and pay attention!"

The uninvited guest shot a quick glance to the older woman lecturing the class. His eyes, though brief, flashed a crimson red. "Yes," he replied calmly. The professor's eyes widened for just a bit before continuing her lecture as if that interaction never happened.

Epirus returned his gaze to the young woman of his interest.

[DragonSong]

Rory started and swallowed nervously, the eyes of half the class casting back to the corner where she was studiously ignoring the stranger's stare. Quickly enough everyone turned back to the lecture at hand, but the nervous fluttering in her stomach refused to fade.

Finally, the lecture ended, and she quickly began sliding her books into her pack, hoping to be on her way and perhaps grab something to eat before she needed to meet her adviser to discuss thesis work.

[Lowen Thorn]

The man's smile grew slightly as he watched the woman. She was nervous. That much was understandable. Most of his prey experience this nervous reaction, at times a flight or fight sensation, when he's narrowed in on them. Though he has yet to reveal his true intentions, they almost always have the primal instinct that he was no friend. Incredible.

He adverted his gaze away from her and placed the back of his hand over his mouth as if to suppress a gentle laugh.

As the lecture ended, Epirus quietly slipped out of the classroom before his peers, but not without shooting Rory one more glance as he headed out the door.

[DragonSong]

Well. At least that was over with.

Trying to shake the encounter off, Rory gathered up the rest of her things and slipped out of the classroom, hurrying down the hall toward the dining hall.

[Lowen Thorn]

The man quietly circled back around a corner to position himself behind the hurried woman. He followed her intently with only a handful of students in between them, with his stride being unusually slow for the amount of distance he was covering. His eyes flashed red with delight. The thrill of the hunt.

Epirus' pace picked up, steadily closing the gap between the woman and himself, only to duck off at the next intersection of halls.

[DragonSong]

As a few friends pealed away, either to study, head to another class, or find meals of their own, Rory found her step faltering. She still felt like she was being watched.

Swallowing, the mage drew one hand into the folds of her robes and began moving her fingers in a subtle dance, murmuring under breath.

A glyph appeared on the flood just behind her, silvery white and glimmering. As she continued the Summoning, the glyph glowed brighter and brighter, until finally a figure rose from it, a white knight that sort of shimmered at the edges, and seemed almost translucent when it moved.

Rory glanced at the Spirit Creature and nodded, satisfied. Maybe she was just paranoid, but she felt better with a little extra protection.

[Lowen Thorn]

The sound of a flute began to sweep the hallways. It was a beautifully melancholy tune, with an eerie undertone that clung to the walls. The man watched with blood-stained eyes from afar, tucked silently in a corner as he played his tune.

Only those of weak wills would truly succumb to the instrument's enchantment, but he was curious to see how the young summoner would react. And, of course, how her summoned creature would react. Only they, or maybe just she, could hear - that he made sure of.

He lifted himself out of the corner, still carrying the sound, and continued his slow approach.

[DragonSong]

The white knight swung toward the sound, eerily silent despite the heft of his armor. Rory shivered, an unnatural chill running down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder toward the sound, feeling herself sway toward it for a moment before she caught herself.

Enchantment. She frowned. "Look, whoever you are, powerful enchantments aren't allowed on school grounds without supervision," she called out, trying to see who was casting.

[Lowen Thorn]

The flute stopped.

There were a few moments of silence before a gentle, sincere chuckle echoed through the hallway. Without supervision. How beautifully innocent. Epirus revealed himself, moving away from the shadows and into the light as he approached the woman and her spirit creature. His overall demeanor was calm and collected, but his facial expression was that of delight.

"Quite right," he said with a quick nod. "Thank you. I haven't had a good laugh like that in a long while."

The tall man pocketed the flute and then placed both of his hands behind his back, cupping them together. "It is nice to finally meet you, Rory."

[DragonSong]

Rory took an instinctive step back. The white knight hefted his lance and raised his shield slightly. "Who are you?"

She winced at how harshly her voice cracked out and tried again, the polite tone of a well-bred young lady. "Forgive me, ser. I don't recognize you, so you seem to have me at a disadvantage, knowing my name." She tried for a small, polite smile.

[Lowen Thorn]

Epirus studied the white knight momentarily before returning to the girl. "Impressive," he said softly. "What is also impressive is how easily you resisted my enchantment. It has been a long time since I have actually had to put the work in."

He flashed her a smile of admiration. "I apologize for my rudeness earlier. My name is Epirus Clove," he introduced with a slight bow of his head. "I have been sent here to kill you."

[DragonSong]

Th mage's eyes widened. Without missing a beat, she called out something in a strange, crackling, echoing language as she turned on her heel and started racing down the hall.

Her Summoned Creature swung around to stand in front of the assassin, looming with his lance raised high, prepared to charge.

[Lowen Thorn]

They always run. Why do they always run?

The man looked at the creature before him for a few moments before raising his hand as to signal him to stop. "Easy," he said quietly. "I am not a threat to you."

The creature remained as he was, but something was different. He was immobile. He stared through the demon man as if he could not see him. With a satisfied smile, Epirus walked past and began following the young mage with moderate strides.

"Please do not struggle," he called out. "It will only make things worse for you in the end."

His pace steadily picked up speed until he was dashing after her. Narrowing in, he lashed his weapon forward and the whip darted toward her legs.

[DragonSong]

Don't struggle. Yeah. She was just going to make his job easier for him. Right.

Rory chanced a glance back over her shoulder and cursed softly. He'd done something to her Spirit Warrior, though she couldn't tell what. Did she have time to Summon another?

Probably not. Her best chance was to head toward the dining hall. He wouldn't attack her in a room full of witnesses, right? She turned quickly down a hall and continued running, hearing her breath wheeze and her heart pound in her chest.

[Lowen Thorn]

His whip missed its target. Damn. She was pretty fast for her kind. Epirus needed to close the distance between them before she could surround herself with other students. He had no business with them, after all, and it appeared she was attempting to reach the dining hall.

His eyes flashed red as he locked onto his target, his speed increasingly greatly until he was within arms reach. He placed a hand on her shoulder and then passed by her down the stretch. Whipping around, he came to a stop, his red deviled eyes glaring down at her.

"That is enough."

[DragonSong]

Rory drew up short, eyes wide and chest heaving as she panted. She was no sprinter, and fear could only move you so far. She glanced from side to side, shrinking back from the assassin with her arms raised protectively.

"I- I'll scream," she stammered out. "You really think you can deal with all the mages that will bring out?"