The visitor in shadow

[Kaldryn]

The wind blew through the alley, the cobbled stones still warm from the days sun beating down upon them as the dark shadowed figure walked through their twists and turns that ran between the backs of various dwellings, consisting of either homes or shops, depending upon what turn one made. The dark cloak that covered the figure undulated and moved out both against and with the wind as it blew the debris through the pathways, it’s long tendrils licking out to touch the slick, damp walls of the building as if tasting them to know where it was headed, their silken fingers devouring any light that dare trespass on their path.

Kaldryn moved with purpose to his destination, that being a small home he had purchased under another name, he had been residing now in Karador for a few months, never seen but always making his presence known through one manner of dark magic or another.

Tonight, his path was taking him to his dwelling, using his regular route through the allies and back streets, for obvious reasons. That foul Cassius and his army of puffed-up wanna be men always seemed to ask far too many questions and Kaldryn was tiring of blanking memories and or killing off unwanted messengers. He had far better things to do with his talents than wiping sections of memories from dull-witted soldiers.

He was continuing on, his face secluded within its dark retreat when he heard a set of footfalls somewhere behind him, he stopped and then dissolved into the shadows of the ally and disappeared, seemingly from sight, not a trace left behind, nor would even the most keen of senses be able to detect him as he waited to see who it was that approached.

[Shéumal Deshku']

(( OOC: This is not my character, just a servant))

The dark of the night was silent, ominous, and dangerous - the shadow stuff of which nightmares were made blanketed the city, clinging to the cold walled buildings with tenacity. In this darkness, it would be impossible to see the shadow as it moved with impossible speed across the rooftops, following the cloaked figure, watching with large, luminous green eyes that were invisible to all those that the shadow did not wish to be seen by.
As footsteps echoed down the alley the cloaked man faded into the darkness, becoming one with the shadows around him, but the creature of darkness that pursued him was itself the stuff of shadow and had watched as the mage concealed himself expertly within the inky blackness.
An inaudible hiss escaped it's throat as the creature saw the man approach. A human, and nothing but a filthy guttersnipe. This was the fool that wandered the dark alleys alone at this hour? The one who dared to interrupt the business of the illumini - whether he was aware of it or not.
Silent and invisible, and with speed that eluded the eye the creature dropped from the rooftops, behind its unfortunate victim. Bright claws and teeth flashed in the dark as the shadow demon struck, felling the man in a series of blows that were impossible to follow with the naked eye. The man's back opened up about his waist, blood and guts gushing out of the gaping wound and his head slid forward, dropping to the ground with a sickening thud. The shredded corpse collapsed, dead before he even began to fall, spraying blood around the alleyway.
As the body dropped, an indistinct shape could be seen in the dark. It crouched, catlike behind its victim, claws raised and teeth bared as it stared into the seemingly empty shadows before it with large, snakelike, luminous green eyes.

"Dark Mage, leave the shadowsss tho thossse who are asss one with them. I bring you a message ffrom the Illumini" The creature hissed, into the darkness.
"The Lord High Priessst himssselff is disss-pleasssed with you. He sssays that you ffollow your own dark dessignsss and not the will off the great King Off Hells's depthsss. The Illumini will not permit trechery, and are watching you, sssorceror."

With those final words, the creature sprung up, disappearing into the darkness in the blink of an eye, leaving only the bloodied corpse of its unfortunate victim and the echoing hiss of its final, parting words.

[Kaldryn]

The dark cloak that surrounded Kaldryn slithered and snaked its way through the shadows towards the man who had been wandering the alley behind the Dark Mage. Its tendrils readying to smother the human but were denied their attack when out of the darkness a foul creature bounded in to rudely dispatch the guttersnipe before the Mage’s eyes.

As the Possessed creature turned and looked at Kaldryn, Kaldryn returned its glowing gaze with one of both amusement and distaste all at once. He had dealt with these creatures before, knew them for what they were, though despite the fact that they could be a help in defeating Kalista, they were not on his side either, this he knew, he wasn’t so naive as to assume they’d be wiling to aid him in any way as well, they would be more of a hindrance than anything else.

Once again, the undulating tendrils of black shadowy substance were reeled in by an unseen hand, to reside about the Mage’s form looking as nothing more than a normal cloak as Kaldryn listened to the creatures foul mouthed threat.

It wasn’t the threat that made the Dark Mage angry, no; that he found to be quite amusing in and of itself and would have sent a barrage of laughter after the shadowed creature in reply, had not been for the accusation. It was the accusation that tore the rising smile off the Mage’s features to render his lips into a sneer and started the low, menacing growl that now rose in his throat, like some inhuman animal, feral and angered, as it was Kaldryn himself who had unleashed the devastating greatness of the King of Hell that started the first rising of the underworld, it was Kaldryn who had stood at the side of his mighty lord and gave his own life in an attempt to stop the foul King of Karador in his tracks at sealing the gate, not this stupid, High Priest of the Possessed.

As Kaldryn stood there, knowing a retort would have been useless, his anger at the High Priest and his underlings rising in leaps and bounds, the earth itself began to shake, rubble began to fall and rattle on the ground from the buildings he stood next to as the earthquake continued, the cobbled ground at his feet began to crack with loud, gating thunder starting from where he stood, snaking out and down through the alley itself. It was not just the alley that shook however; it was the entirety of Karador, a quake the likes of which would certainly bring down some of the more dilapidated housing and any makeshift shelters that might be propped up around the Kingdome. After a few moments though, Kaldryn, with great effort, drew in his anger and clenched his fists, his red orbs still blazing as brightly as the sun, and turned to head home.

“Let that be my answer to that addlebrained, useless piece of snot rag.” He said between gritted teeth. Obviously, this Priest had no idea to whom he was speaking.

No longer feeling the need to hide himself, Kaldryn continued traversing his way through the alley, his glowing orbs settling back to their dull red, the snake-like pupils taking in every sight, his refined senses hearing and smelling everything about him and that cloak, once again crawling and slithering its way about and around the Mage, as if hunting dogs on the trail of some kind of game.

[Shéumal Deshku']

Somewhere out in the darkness another pair of large, luminous green eyes watched the mage from afar. Elongated, snakelike black pupils followed him as he moved through the shadows and the eyes of the Illumini cut through the darkness and devoured the distance, seeing the dark sorcerer as clear as any would in the brightest daylight.
The lord high priest watched with amusement from his well-concealed position. He was hidden with more than just shadows. Dark magic coursed through his insubstantial body and the air about him, crackling like silent black lightning. Kaldryn would not know he was here - it was far from time for the Illumini to make their presence known here in Karador.
Shéumal Deshku' grinned wickedly, his sharp teeth flashing as they caught the pale white light of the moon. Kaldryn would always be Kaldryn. His way was silent, mysterious and solitary, and he saw all others as either an enemy or a tool. The Illumini would be neither. Kaldryn had heard a threat, but the Illumini had only given warning.
The dark mage was becoming distracted by his undying thirst for vengeance, blinded by it almost. The Illumini had already had to silence a few mortals who had seen the sorcerer for what he was, and may have revealed his presence in the city to the humans - What disgusting creatures they were, though those they had slain appeared to be more than human. In their death throes they had talked of a legacy of some kind. Foolish, naïve creatures.
The Illumini, or as the crude legends called them - the possessed, were an army of the night, numbering in the thousands. Impossible to see, find and take hold of, and an enemy that none would be wise to give cause for vengeance. They served only Shéumal, and he served only the will of the King Of Hell. No sorcerer nor necromancer would command the Illumini, but should their intervention prove necessary to free the dark lord, then they would swarm out of the darkness, killing and maiming all that stood between the King Of Hell and his rightful dominion over this world – whatever, or whomever that may be.