White Eyes [Ciroton]

[insaney]

It was a small place, not spectacular like those humungous and glamorous inns in large cities. This place was small, a tiny inn situated in a tiny town--and connected with a bar, they always have good business. The owner should be a lucky man. And lucky he was; this town never got any travelers or tourists of any sort, let alone a single performer who happened to be an unknown master of her art. Like everyone else who stared at her as soon as she strolled seemingly carelessly into town, the owner and manager of this place was surprised when she asked to perform.

Just a few moments, for a single night; she guaranteed that she would have the audience escape from reality.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“My name?” she responded to a question with a question, not sure if she should give out her real name just yet, and besides, people may have heard of her different name, if rumor traveled as it should.

“Lady Eyes.”

Such an odd name. Of course, the man had never heard of it before. Without hesitation, he called up a young boy who just happened to be lazing about in the bar, slipped him a few dollar bills and sent him out to ask around town about this mysterious ‘Lady Eyes’. As soon as the boy spied the bills, he bolted through the door hastily, as if the man had promised him another sum if he were to return successfully with information.

She sat right there, listening to every word around her while simultaneously dipping the tip of her index finger in her drink and rubbing the rim of her glass with it. It gave off a low sound, constant, annoying to some, soothing to others. She had already given her name as ‘Lady Eyes’, so there was no turning back now, she was already that person to these people. But still, they had never heard of her, so they doubted her.

The owner of the tavern turned back to her, about to continue the previous conversation, but he couldn’t. He stood in awe, mouth gaping, eyes fixed on the glass that this woman was holding. She smiled at him, holding the glass upside-down and twirling it around so that the liquid inside swirled around violently, with some reaching outside of the rim, only to fall back up.

The man stuttered and stepped back, stumbling. He bolted out of the door, calling out the young man’s name, along with “It’s true! It’s true!”

***

It was tonight. A week after she had strolled into town, the little concert was organized. The patrons in the audience entered free of charge, Jess finding it challenging to have people from this small town pay an admission fee. The little bar was filled to the brim, all of the patrons had heard of the little ‘incident’ with the glass, and had turned up to see it with their own eyes. Some turned up because they believed, and wished to see more. While others only came because they did not believe, and they wanted to see for themselves, or expose everything as some kind of scam, or trick.

But it is a trick. Or rather, there’ll be many.

She smiled, standing amidst the crowd, leaning on the counter near the shelf with all the expensive looking wines and brandies. Jess heard lots of murmurs from where she was standing as some people doused the lanterns around the crowded area and lit the ones near the cleared place--which had no chairs or tables, and near a wall on the far side of the room.

That was the stage.

The owner--bartender, manager, whatever you want to call him--stood in this brightly lit area and spoke to the small gathering.

“We-we’ve never done an-anything like th-this before,” he stuttered, “so, um…I p-present the source of this…um…fuss, Lady Eyes.”

And this…

She walked gracefully to the stage, her black ribbon loosely trailing behind her as more murmurs rose up from the crowd. There was hardly any clapping, no one knew her. But there was a single whistle from a drunk in the back. As she reached the clearing, she looked out of the corner of her eye at the crowd, twirling a single playing card in her fingers--an ace of hearts.

Jessica turned to the crowd with a bright smile on her face before bowing.

…was the performer.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! You already know my name, to let’s get right into it, shall we?”

She held up the card between her index and middle fingers, showing it to the front row of the crowd, since no one further than that would be able to see what was on it.

“In my hand, between my fingers, I hold a single card, an ace of hearts.”

Some of the crowd nodded, others looked away, believing that they were wasting their time.

Their minds would change soon enough.

Jessica offered the card to a person right in front of her and pulled her sleeves up to her elbows when he took it.

“Dear sir,” she spoke to him, “could you kindly inspect that card so that you are sure that there’s no sort of trickery hidden?”

The man turned the card over and ran his finger over the surfaces and edges a few times. Before long, he looked up at her and extended his hand with the card, muttering “There’s nothing.”

She smiled and took the card from him, twirling it around in her fingers.

“Now, good sir,” she said, directing it to that man again, “can you tell me how many cards you held in your hand just now?”

“Just…one…?” he responded, seemingly not too sure himself.

“Are you sure?” she smiled again, the man nodded. Yes, he was sure.

Jessica shook her head and held up the card to the crowd, starting to spread her fingers as if she were holding a hand of cards.

Before their eyes, that single card began to multiply in her hand.

“Because I count: two! No, three! Four! Five!” she pretended to gasp before her last word. Her other hand reached up and pulled a single card from the group. In that hand also, the cards began to multiply, “Six? Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten!”

Most of the crowd gasped at this, others were too stunned to even open their mouths. But for now, all eyes were fixed on this mysterious girl who continued her miniature illusion.

“Or is it just…” she put the cards together and held the ten pieces between her fingers, and waving it around, showing the thickness to the crowd before turning the ace of hearts to face them and then turning it around again, showing them that only one card remained in her hand, “…one?”

The audience clapped and shouted their ‘ooh’s and ‘ah’s. The drunk behind them all whistled again and shouted a loud “Yeah, baby!” making most of the tavern turn around to lay eyes on him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Thank you, thank you! So, I’m just going to rest this quietly down here.”

Jessica stretched out her hand and let go of the piece of paper. The crowd gasped once again as the card lay face down in mid-air, not moving at all. A woman even put her hand over her heart as she watched on intently. Jess moved off to the side of the stage and pulled two empty chairs into the middle of the area.

“For the next trick, I’ve asked the owner--kindly--to leave these two wooden chairs for me.”

With little effort, she ‘pinched’ the chair with her middle and index finger and lifted it up into the air, leaving it to float there. Jess put her finger against a corner and pushed, making the wooden structure spin around, as if it were dangling from a string. She grinned at the crowd, teasing them.

“Would anyone like a seat?”

Everyone was too stunned to answer.

Using the other chair, she stepped up unto the floating one and sat down comfortably on it, crossing her legs and smiling at the audience. Everyone gasped again, some afraid that she would fall, while others taught it too eerie to believe. Without saying anything, she pulled the floating chair out from under her and lowered it to the ground.

They didn’t even gasp this time; thoroughly stunned.

“And now!” she slipped off her invisible seat and landed softly on the ground, “my last trick for this evening…You’ve all been an amazing audience. So I have a little visual treat for you.”

The drunk at the back was heard once more, “Oh yeah, baby!”

“Not that kind of treat.” she called out to him, grinning.

Jessica plucked the floating card out of the air and bowed to the audience, simultaneously turning to mist form and creating the illusion that the mist is made of brightly coloured butterflies. They worked from her feet up, her whole body seemingly breaking down and turning into butterflies, which then flew over the crowd and out of the doors and windows.

A soft “Good evening, my dears.” was heard as the last butterfly slowly fluttered over the crowd which began to applaud the exhilarating performance.

A loud applause, a standing ovation; music to her ears.

[Ciroton]

Darkness: A veil of which evil and malice thrived on night after night. Vampire, werewolves, demons, and dozens of other creatures called the darkness home, all of them holding the common goal to decimate human society. All that stood between humans and utter chaos were a select few with the training and equipment to handle any situation that may come their way.

However, all thought of darkness and monsters escaped the woman as she made her way thought the streets of the small village. Despite being apart of that thin line between order and chaos, she needed to have some fun as well. The wind played with her loose clothing, causing it to flow and dance along with it. Overall, with the exception of a couple of clouds in the sky, the cheerful day carried something amiss in the gentle breeze.

Merchants peddled their wares as she passed, hoping to squeeze what little money she had left from her purse. Secretly, she longed to shop around and have a look at the wares, but alas, food and shelter came first. Even since she came to this region of England, she found work harder and harder to find since a fair number of her kin operated here.

“Hey, did you hear what happened to Mr. Smith yesterday?” Spoke a villager while the woman checked in at the local Inn.

“Yeah,” said the second, almost in a whisper. “I say a Vampire did him in. They found him with bite marks on his neck after all.”

“I know, he’s the second victim this week!” Continued the first villager, lowering his voice. “If it gets any worse, I’m going to move. I swear!”

Hmm, thought the maiden. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to get some cash. Clearing her throat, the woman turned to the two villagers. “I couldn’t help but overhear you guys talking about a Vampire.” In hindsight, saying that allowed probably wasn’t a good idea. Every eye in the bar instantly turned toward her, gazing at her as though she were barging in on private business. Felling the hostility begin to rise, she quickly continued her pitch. “You see, My name is Kristina Ellis, and I am a Demon Hunter.”

Instantly, loud bursts of laughter filled the hall, many people pointing at her as though she just uttered the funniest joke they ever heard in their lives. Partially enraged, and partially embarrassed by the all too predictable response, Kristina reached into her rucksack and bulled out her bow and an arrow. “Allow me to demonstrate then,” she spoke, pulling out a cork then throwing it in the air. Although many people still chuckled or giggled at her initial claim, she pushed their criticism out of her mind as she pulled back on the bowstring, aiming just above the head of a man sitting by the door.

Letting go, the arrow whizzed through the air, hit the small cork, and embedded itself in the wall, through the fat drunken man’s hat. All chuckles, and ever twitters ceased immediately after her rather impressive display. “Under the circumstances, I’d be happy to hunt down and destroy this vampire. For a small fee, of course.” Her ever prevalent smile spread across her face as the innkeeper, who coincidentally also acted as the villages mayor, negotiated her contract and fee.

“Before you leave,” the mayor spoke as Kris began to walk out of his room. “The local tavern, which is also my inn, is hosting a rather famous performer named ‘Lady Eyes’ tonight. Please, I invite you to go down and watch, as part of good faith on behalf of the town.”

Nodding her head, the demon hunter looked him in the eye. “Sure, I could use a little rest before I hunt down the Vampire anyway.”

*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*

Filing into her seat later that night, she began to wonder what exactly this ‘Lady Eyes’ was all about. Apparently, from asking around town she found that the person had some sort of magical powers she used to entertain. Surely, she figured this person must be new to the entertainment scene since she’d never heard of her while traveling with the troupe. A sudden wave of nostalgia passed her by as memories of her performing days came back to her as the employees made the stage.

However, before long all the seats filled up, leaving only standing room for the rest of the spectators. Gazing to each of her sides, she wished she had picked a better spot, for on her right hand side sat the drunkard from earlier that day. “Hey there, baby,” he said sluggishly. Glaring at him fiercely, he soon understood the message that she would not tolerate any explicit acts.

On her left hand, however, sat a rather distinguished and regal woman, appearing in her early forties at latest. Catching her eye, Kris quickly nodded her head as a way of saying ‘hello’ silently. Nodding back, the two women refocused back on the stage, the employees dousing the lamps to start the show. All eyes turned to the owner as he walked onto the makeshift stage, obviously nervous from the big turn out.

“We-we’ve never done an-anything like th-this before,” he stuttered, “So, um…I p-present the source of this…um…fuss, Lady Eyes.” Stepping to the side, he allowed the performer to take the stage. Sitting at the back of the audience, Kristina really couldn’t get a good look at her. However, she could tell she looked fairly beautiful, he attire consisting of almost complete black, save for a white shirt she wore underneath.

Quite contrary to the customs of the day, Lady Eyes wore black, shiny pants that reflected the candlelight playfully. Furthermore, part of her hair looked bloodstained, a crimson red bang that was nearly invisible against her black hair. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” She spoke. “You already know my name, so let’s get right into it, shall we?”

Diving right into her show, the female demon hunter could not comprehend some of the tricks she performed. Multiplying cards out of thin air, sitting on levitating chair, which in itself was a mystery, as well as turning into a flock of butterflies at the end of the show. All throughout, Kristina felt her mouth open in amusement and awe, unable to fathom how she accomplished these feats.

She could not help but stand to her feet at the end, giving a standing ovation as a tiny, “Good evening, my dears,” sounded from the last butterfly as it fluttered over the crowd. Satisfied with her performance, the demon hunter turned to head to her room. However, the woman she sat next to grabbed her arm quite suddenly, startling her a little.

“Hey,” she whispered. “Didn’t she seem a little strange. I mean… no human could really pull off those stunts.”

“What do you mean?” Kristina asked.

“I mean, well, I’ve head some Vampires can create illusions to confuse their enemies,” she responded. “What do you think?” The demon hunter pondered hard over the fact presented before her. Sure, she knew some vampires could create illusions, and yes ‘Lady Eyes’ did have a suspicious style of clothing, but could that really mean she was the vampire haunting the tiny village? Still, I guess it wouldn’t cause too much harm to find out. If she isn’t, then I can congratulate her on a brilliant performance.

Reaching her decision, the demon hunter picked up her rucksack and exited the inn, intent on following ‘Lady Eyes’ to confirm if she really was the vampire haunting the peaceful little village.

[insaney]

As the last butterfly left the tavern through the open door, as the last pair of hands clapped, Jess was already fixing herself to wander over to the next town, further deepening her own mysteriousness. For when the people of the town decided to seek out where she had disappeared to, they would find her nowhere near, but perhaps they would hear rumor that the mysterious Lady Eyes was performing somewhere else.

She wondered if they would wonder if this ‘Lady Eyes’ had teleported there from the tavern.

Jess smiled slightly as she leaned against the wall outside of the place she had just performed in. The last few patrons were leaving now; some stunned speechless by the show, while others couldn’t stop talking about it. Jess leaned in to their conversation further, ensuring that her entertainment was, indeed, entertaining.

A majority of mumbles reached her ears, but from what she could tell, they were more than satisfied, which made her satisfied. The gravel beneath her shoes crunched and grinded as she turned to walk away. Jess made a few steps forward, heading behind the tavern. She would move mostly behind the buildings until she met the road out, just to avoid being seen.

Jess turned a corner and put her hands in her pockets.

A few steps forward and she froze stiff.

What is that? She sniffed, taking a deep breath. That…smell? She looked around. Is that… her eyes spotted a pale, limp hand, barely covered by the grass. Jess rushed over and swept aside the various leaves and dirt to see a blood covered face of a young woman, the neck ripped out and they eyes still open, staring coldly into space. Stale blood, she thought, covering the person’s eyes, making them close, and the scent of another vampire…

She stood up, her mind rushing with thoughts. Two stood out; should she run? Get to the next town as fast as she could, before they suspect her, but doing such an action may make her seem even more suspicious. If she stayed, then she’d be easily suspected; it was a no-win situation either way, perhaps she should just leave as fast as she could.

Yes, that seemed to be the better route to take.

Jess bent over and gently took the dead woman’s arm and placed it nearer to the body. After that, she turned again, ready to make a dash out of town.

[Ciroton]

Walking out into the cold, brisk air of the night, she came to the realization she had no clue where to look first. Heck, the demon hunter didn’t even know if she still dwelled in the village. Alas, that would not stop her from at least trying. Waiting outside for the crowds to thin, she heard many of the compliments the crowd issued about the performance.

“Can you believe she turned into a flock of butterflies!? I still can’t get over it,” complimented a young woman, clutching what had to be her date.

“I know. I’m still in shock as well,” he replied. “Although, I personally prefer the chair trick she did.”

Precious time ticked away as she stood there, unable to act yet without reveling the true extent of her abilities. Not willing to stand around anymore, she entered a small ally off the side of the inn, away from the prying eyes of the public. Checking to make sure she was indeed alone, the woman bent her knees and jumped with unprecedented force for a human being.

Landing smartly on the inns tiled roof, the demon hunter carefully walked to the apex, hoping to get a good vantage point from the top. Looking around, she could see everything save for the small alleys running behind and to the side of the many buildings in the tight, tiny village. Sighing to herself, Kris began to think she would never find ‘Lady Eyes’ ever again.

I just can’t leave her be now that I have my suspicions about her, she thought as she walked toward the back of the inn. I guess I’ll check the back alleys first, then go from there. Reaching the rear end of the building, she looked down to make sure her landing would be safe. However, to her astonishment, she found ‘Lady Eyes’ with less effort then she anticipated.

“Huh?” She uttered when she observed a little closer. Lying on the ground near her rested a young woman, no older then twenty by the looks of it, dead with blood splattered all over. Kristina’s mouth hung agape at the sight; there could be no denying that something was afoot in this little town now. Seeing the suspect attempt to flee the scene, the demon hunter acted on instinct, dropping to the dirt road below.

As she fell, not willing to leave anything to chance, she drew her bow and quiver from her rucksack. Lacking the time to get her proper battle attire on, she decided to make this as short as she could, so that she could claim her pay, and put an end to the killer once and for all. Finally landing on the ground in front of the performer, bow and arrow at the ready.

“Suspicious, isn’t it,” she started. “Finding you looming over a dead girl after performing tricks no human could conceive?”

[insaney]

Jess found herself staring at the shining, sharp tip of an unusual arrow. A red haired woman was behind it. She seemed to be slender and light, almost flexible. But her shoulder length red hair and hypnotizing green eyes caught most of the attention, because they were close together, and they both shined softly in the glow of the moonlight. It would have reminded the young vampire of the Christmas season, if she were not staring at a person with an intent to shoot.

“Suspicious, isn’t it,” the woman spoke, glaring directly into the performer’s eyes, “finding you looming over a dead girl after performing tricks no human could conceive?”

At that point, a few different trains of thought had begun running through her minds. She could tell the truth, but circumstances surrounding the situation would twist it into a lie. She could also run, but if this person was some sort of demon hunter or vampire hunter, then no way would she give up on a pretty little score. And then, there was always the chance that this ‘hunter’ could be a demon in disguise, pretending to be one so that it would throw suspicions off of her and unto anyone she chooses.

Those several trains of thoughts arrived at different conclusions. Jessica could throw a random illusion into the ring and then bolt for all she was worth. She also could tell the truth--‘the truth’ being that she just found the body, and she’s just a performer; maybe it would shake the woman a bit and reconsider the situation. However, there’s also the chance that this is a vampire or demon just pretending to be a hunter, so Jess could attack…but there was also the part about not knowing how powerful she was, or if she was not powerful at all.

“Miss…” she began to respond to the question, “It’s…not what it looks like. I’m just a performer. And I found that body here.”

It seemed that the glare from the woman had increased, as if she were saying a sarcastic; “Sure, right.”

That was hint enough for Jessica. The woman that stood in front of her was a determined hunter, so convincing her that she was not a vampire may prove to be the wrong course of action. Jess sighed, convinced that the only way out would be to run, in any direction, on any road, as long as it took her far away from here.

Rain would protect me, wouldn’t he…?

Her mind fluttered about, falling on a line that she dismissed immediately, since it was no time to think such thoughts.

An arrow stuck out of her forehead as blood slowly ran down. The body of the performer fell limp, landing hard in the dusty alleyway. The red-haired woman gasped, looking down at her nocked arrow, making sure that she had not fired it. But she hadn’t. No arrow had been fired, and no one had been hit. A simple illusion thought up briskly on the spot, allowing a chance for the young performer to escape to the roads leading out of town, unscathed.

[Ciroton]

Eyes open wide, mouth agape: the ageless telltale signs of shock and disbelief. Looking at the now two bodies on the ground, the hunter looked around quickly to find the other archer. There had to someone else, anyone else, responsible for the arrow, right? Alas, despite looking as hard as her human eyes could, she saw naught but clothes in the breeze and buildings standing tall.

Little did she know that with each passing second, her prey gained an ever-increasing lead on her. Running over to the second dead body, she began to fear she might have been wrong, killing an innocent person instead of a bloodthirsty vampire. Kneeling over her, she found nothing abnormal, save for the arrow embedded in her skull.

Worry began to grow in her heart as she searched the body, not finding any of the distinct characteristics associated with vampires. “Oh, Lord,” she uttered in horror. “I-I’ve killed an innocent person!” Looking around, she began to panic, not wanting the brand of a heartless murderer. She needed to do something, and fast if she wanted to avoid the hangman’s noose.

Several thoughts began swirling about in her brain; the most logical of which being the burial of both, and her sudden disappearance, leaving only a small relic to make the townsfolk think she died. However, more absurd and far-fetched ideas came to mind, not excluding killing anyone who questioned her. No, I won’t murder anymore people, she resolved, looking at the body.

She could not stop some tears from escaping her eyes, saddened by the thought of deceiving or killing innocent people. Kris knew she couldn’t have killed her since the arrow remained in her hand, yet there was no denying she had died.

“Get a hold of yourself,” she said into the dark ally. “You did nothing, so you shouldn’t feel guilty. Instead, I have to try and fine the murderer.”

Standing up, with new resolve pumping in her veins, she turned to the dead body and began talking to it. “I swear, I will find who killed yo…” However, before she could finish her speech, she saw the body begin to fade away into nothingness. Leaving only the first body remaining, the demon hunter looked on blankly, slowly coming to the realization that her prey constructed the scene to allow her escape.

Countless thoughts streamed through her head as to where she could be, or what direction she ran in. However, she abandoned all thought as she forgot herself for one brief instance and shouted into the heavens, “Son of a b****!”

She must’ve ran in the opposite direction. It seems logical enough, Kristina rationalized as she bolted down the ally, doubtless this had to be where ‘Lady Eyes’ ran. “If she’s running, then she must have something to hide!” Resolve burning deep inside her heart, she gave chase, leaping onto the buildings to gain a better vantagepoint.

[insaney]

She reached through the thick bushes, smashing the ground and grass beneath her boots as she moved swiftly onward. She arrived at an area with lots of trees, their canopy acting as a ceiling overhead, and their roots, like a rugged carpet beneath. With a small grunt, she pushed off of one of them, using it as a spring-board to reach a high, steady branch. Without hesitation, she used that one as a spring-board also, reaching to the top of the canopy.

There was an echo ringing out through the air as Jessica glanced back at the village out of the corner of her eyes. It sounded as if someone had shouted a really loud “Bitch!”, the person being obviously pissed at discovering something that annoyed them thoroughly.

Now was no time to investigate, however, as that shout may have come from the one who held the arrow aimed at her. She may be persistent or insane, so the best thing to do was to keep on moving, hopefully losing the predator in the process.

With another magnificent leap from that branch, she cleared a few treetops, landing at the edge of the forest, but still no road. Jessica began moving onward again, hoping to find a road to follow. A road, no matter how long, always leads somewhere, to some place; hopefully, another town was on the way. She would stop, perform and rest, then head out again, with no trouble behind her.

Her boots went soft against the ground as they met the upturned dirt of a well-traveled road. She looked behind her; the town was far away, now, so the only thing left to do was move on to another place. Jessica dusted herself off, fixed her hair and tightened the knot on the ribbon around her neck, which had become loose during her leaping episode.

With a deep breath, she spun on the spot and began walking, following the road.

[Ciroton]

Anger burned deep inside those warm green eyes as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, hoping to catch up with her elusive prey. With each kick off, she sent small pieces of shingling flying, a testament to the force she exerted. Looking down like an eagle, she had yet to catch even a glimpse of the performer in the streets. Some people would guess she ran inside, but the demon hunter knew that if she did she would have to be incredibly stupid to corner herself like that.

Casting her gaze upward as she jumped off the final building before the green barrier of the forest, she could see a foot print in the mud; clear evidence her prey came this way. A series of prints led away from the source, a rather large puddle, straight into the heart of the woods. Stains of mud on the green canvas painted her path as she followed, until the tracks suddenly came to an abrupt end.

“What on earth…?” Kristina pondered as she inspected the final set of prints. Kneeling down, she gave the muddy prints a closer look. “Hmm… the ground seems indented, as if she jumped. I’m the only human with such jumping power, so she must’ve ran and jumped… into the trees! She probably knew her muddy shoes would make tracks!”

Following her prey’s suit, she jumped into the trees, finding it slippery going due to the mud. I love it when I’m right, the woman thought as she jumped from tree to tree, trying to best shadow her opponent’s movements. In secret, she hoped ‘Lady Eyes’ would continue to run and give her a good hunt. After all, she always preferred the hunt to the actual kill itself.

Soon, the thick forest gave way to fertile fields, fit for growing crops and raising cattle. Jumping from the final tree with as much force as she could muster, the demon hunter got a good bird’s eye view of the area. The wind whipped her hair and loose clothing playfully from her current height, about fifty feet off the ground. From her lofty, yet temporary perch, the woman could see a dirt path snake its way through the green sea of the fields.

A small thud came from the soft ground as her feet made contact, not more then ten feet from the gravel path ahead. Checking to make sure no carriages or horses would barrel down on her, the skilled hunter found tiny specs of mud on the tiny rock, indicating her quarry now traveled on the roads. Moving into the tall grass that flanged the thoroughfare, the woman began to follow the path, hoping to catch up with the fleeing vampire.

“She’ll rue the day she messed with me,” Kris muttered spitefully.

[insaney]

Sunrise. With a sweet kiss of warmth and rays illuminating a clear bowl of blue, the bright orb rose over the horizon signaling the start of a new day. The birds chirped their songs and fluttered overhead as the Lady of Eyes stepped into another, larger town. A smile spread across her face; she had walked all night to reach some sort of civilization, hoping to make another performance and pull in some money, while simultaneously forgetting about that incident…

“Suspicious, isn’t it, finding you looming over a dead girl after performing tricks no human could conceive?”

That woman’s voice slipped into her mind as she exhaled, opening the door to the nearest inn. It was a common, continuous thing--‘wash, rinse, repeat’. Jessica would find a town--any town--and enter it without hesitation, find the nearest inn or populated bar, and then proceed to introduce herself to the proprietor while convincing them with a trick or two. The owner would be astonished, as well as the patrons. Word would circulate extremely fast, hopefully pulling a large crowd and a good amount of profits to enable her to continue traveling around.

“Good morning, Madame,” she was greeted by a smile and a bow, “I am the proprietor of this inn, you may call me Ture. Are you looking for a room?”

Jessica smiled back and shook her head, “I’m looking for a place to perform.”

The man looked puzzled.

“The illusionist Lady Eyes,” she grinned, extending a hand with a deck of cards that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, “pleased to meet you!”

Ture looked down at the deck of cards. He watched each card fold up into tiny paper birds and fly away before his very widened eyes.

“T-That…That,” he stuttered as if his very breath was snatched from his lips, “a-ama-amazing!”

Jessica grinned again. A show here was guaranteed, now.

“Lady Eyes, was it?”

“Yes?”

He asked her if she wanted to perform right there, in his inn. She responded with a nod, while he let out a small ‘squee’ of joy. Surely, he’d benefit from this, with a crowd that this lady might pull, he’d sure to get some sales, some people might even rent rooms for the night if the show ran late!

“I’ll start setting things up at once!” he grinned enthusiastically, “please, tell me what you need!”

[Ciroton]

Thus the dawn came, both sun and moon continuing their eternal dance. Walking on the muddy side of the road, the hunter found that the mud penetrated into her shoes, turning her socks into cold, mushy shells of their former selves. However, as the dawn turned into morning light, she found no more reason to subject herself to this torture.

Stepping onto the gravel road, she stopped only to swap her filthy sock for a fresh pair. Quickly continuing her slow chase, she began to ponder if her prey moved off the road sometime during the night. No, Kris thought to herself. I bet she thinks she lost me. That would explain why she suddenly took the road. I’ll just follow this to the next town and ask around. ‘Lady Eyes’ is going down, it’s just a matter of time.

Birds began to sing in the trees of the forest road as the morning dew disappeared, rays of light bounced off the water to create a spectacular scene. Fatigued from an entire night of chasing, all these details failed to register with Kristina, her focus split between staying awake and walking. “I’ve got to keep going,” she spoke softly as she shuffled forward.

Her eyes grew heavy and she found her motor skill deteriorate as the minutes ticked by slowly, mocking her. Yet, she continued her trek to find and destroy the vampire. She would not allow it’s blood-sucking reign of terror continue. So long ash she could breathe, and blood pumped in her veins, she would not yield to the shame of defeat.

Suddenly, out of the haze of her sleep-deprived eyes, she saw several small buildings beckon to her. Smiling at the thought of rest, her mind memory finally kicked in again, reassuring her the vampire would be in this town due to the bright, cloudless sky overhead. A plan quickly formed in her weary brain as she stepped into the village limits; she would camp out on top of a building and rest there while waiting for night to fall. When ‘Lady Eyes’ came out to resume her activities, she would lie in wait and catch her by surprise.

Looking for a place to camp, the woman wandered into the town market to buy some food. Since the Great Famine ended, food became much easier to grow.

“Hey, did you hear,” muttered a village to their friend over the buzz of the market. “They say this performer, ‘Lady Eyes,’ is going to perform tonight at the Blue Moon. From what I’ve heard, she’s really, really talented.”

Brilliant, Kristina thought to herself. I’ll just find the Blue Moon, which I assume is a bar, and set up camp near there to get her! With a new strategy formed, she promptly left to find the Blue Moon Inn. To her great amusement, demon hunter only stepped down the road for a couple of minutes before finding it. “Finally, some luck!” Kris exclaimed. Stepping into the ally, she hopped to the roof of the building opposite the inn.

Perched upon the black shingles of the store, the demon hunter laid down upon the warm surface. Pulling a light blanket out from her rucksack, she pulled it over her to block out the sun. Coupled with her fatigue, the hunter quickly fell asleep upon the roof of the building.

[insaney]

From behind the counter at the Blue Moon bar, both Ture and Jessica looked on at the set-up. The performer noticed that the chairs were lined up neatly, with ‘aisles’ to the left and right, so people had easy access to the rows of seats and the stage. From the looks of it, she didn’t feel that she was going to be as cramped up as the previous town, so maybe her tricks would have a little more flare to them. Or maybe the show could be a little longer, with a more spectacular ending.

The ending, her mind lingered once again to that person. The woman who had nocked an arrow, ready to fire it into her forehead. Jessica wondered if she had given up or if she was still following her. With half of her conscience devoted to the train of thought, the other half easily made a miniature version of the green-eyed, red-haired hunter. About as tall as one of those ballerinas in her special music box, except, this one did not dance; it pulled out an arrow and nocked it, poised to attack.

The door to the tavern clicked as people began to arrive; and it was just midday! If the house was full before nighttime, the show would have to start early. Perhaps it would be better, she thought as her hand swept across the counter, making the little figurine disappear into thin air.

One by one, people started flowing in to the place. Ture stood at the door, collecting the admission fees. Jessica looked at him as he grinned at the patrons; she didn’t trust him much, as he seemed to be hungrier for money than that half-eaten cake he’d left behind on the counter earlier.

It was quite early, too early. Everyone was coming in now, and not at the time she had discussed with…Jessica looked up at the proprietor of the inn again; he was still grinning and for a second, his pupils seemed to change to dollar signs; not only was he greedy, but he was also impatient. She would have to ‘deal’ with him later; not kill him, but approach him as Lady Eyes and make sure the business is like it should be.

The seats were almost filled now; time to work. Ture closed the door as the last patron waltzed in and sat down in the last empty seat. There were no more places for now. With a graceful spin around the edge of the counter, Lady Eyes gracefully made her way to the stage with a small smile on her face.

Let the show begin.

[Ciroton]

“Argh! I can’t sleep!” Kristina exclaimed from under the covers of her blanket. For hours she drifted in and out of sleep, trying to conserve her energy. Alas, try as she might, sleep would not some. Resigning herself to the possibility of a few sleepless days, she reached out from under the blanket and pulled her rucksack under. “Well, I may as well prepare,” she muttered.

Reaching inside, she drew out her tights and tunic and began to change into them under the covers on top of the roof. Why do I push myself so hard? The demon hunter thought. I’m thirty-two years old, unwed, and chasing all sorts of creatures so late into life. In hindsight, I should’ve sticked to the troupe… yet I want to do more then just make people smile.

Sighing to herself, she emerged from the covers in her full battle attire, ready to take on the vampire no matter the time, weather, or place. Sitting upright, she pulled her dagger out of her hand, scabbard and all, and placed it on her belt while hanging her bow on her shoulder. Strapping on her quiver, she edged toward the end of the roof, perched outside the Blue Moon.

Like a bird of prey, she watched over the entrance, certain that ‘Lady Eyes’ would exit like she did before. When she did, there would be the hunter, primed and ready to deliver a tactical and deadly blow to the head with her blessed arrows. In the meantime, she would sit there and enjoy the view while remaining constantly alert for any sign of her prey.

Looking inside the windows of the dimly lit bar, she could see people sitting in a row, chairs and bodies blocking anything on the inside. The show already began. Tensing her body, Kris gave her undivided attention to the interior of the building. Maybe she could try and get in a head shot from this distance? Too risky. There are too many people around for me to hit in case I miss.

Holding her bow in front of her, she pulled out an arrow and held it close. The last thing she wanted was to miss her opportunity for a surprise attack on the vampire menace.

[insaney]

Eyes looked at the crowd, at their faces. They all sat and waited eagerly in the audience in the middle of the day. She had no time to prepare anything, not even her first trick. Lady Eyes wasn’t sure what she was going to do; it wasn’t that she couldn’t do much, the problem was that she had too much tricks to choose from. No time to prepare…for a second she glared at the innkeeper, who stood at the door, looking at her and grinning with a glimmer in his eyes. The shine of gold coins and the shape of dollar signs.

“Tch…” she turned her attention to the crowd again and forced a wide smile.

“Good day, folks!” she grinned, bowing elegantly, “It seems we’re starting a little early today, so let’s get on with it!”

Jessica curled her fingers into a fist and brought it up to her lips. In a swift movement, she spread out her fingers and set her lips, seemingly blowing a kiss out towards the crowd. As she did so, glittering dust swept over the area like a thick mist, moving aside slowly when anyone interacted with them or pushed them aside. Some of the crowd gasped, others became annoyed at the dust, moving or waving their arms frantically to get it away from them.

The performer waved her arms, making all of the dust come to her and circle around her. She waved her left arm, forcing the glitter to surround that limb. With a grin, Jess pointed at the crowd and launched the glitter dust over them, amazing the audience as the dust turned into a rabbit and hopped swiftly over them. Then, the animal burst apart, something akin to fireworks. The sparks from the fireworks formed yet another animal, a large, slithering snake, complete with hissing sounds that wowed the audience. Some of them gasped, others were too stunned to say anything.

She allowed the glitter to return to her, engulfing her, forming an elegant gown on her body.

Jessica winked, “Do you like my dress?”

[Ciroton]

Stakeouts, how I hate them so, Kris thought to herself as she remained perched outside the Blue Moon. Sitting in a single place for up to hours at a time… I can’t see how anybody would enjoy something as stupid and boring as a stakeout. Enjoying the actual hunt as opposed to the inevitable battle, the woman could not comprehend how some of her kin could sit in one place for long periods of time just for the sole purpose of ambushing their opponent.

Looking into the window of the establishment, she could see sparkly objects float above the crowd’s heads. Their exclamations could reach her ears, telling her the show had only just begun. If this performance would be anything like her last, then the demon hunter grew confidant that she would not be waiting around for much longer.

Oh how she wished to just jump off the building and charge in, ending this annoying chase one and for all. Don’t forget, she thought. This tricky vampire can make illusions. If I charge in there right now, she could do the exact same thing as last time and make me look foolish. Shifting a little bit to relieve pressure, she remained where she sat, intent on not becoming a fool again.

Keeping an ear on the bar, Kris began to let her eye wander. Form where she sat, she had a crystal clear view of the entire village and the forest beyond. If she had to guess, she would have to say this village could easily hod the last, easily being twice the size of it. Shifting her gaze over to the nearby market, she saw the age-old tradition of merchants peddling their wares and eager shoppers buying them to take home. Simple folk leading simple lives, free from worry of vampire, werewolves and the like.

A roar of cheers and a thunderous applause snapped her back into reality as she quickly refocused on the bar. People were getting on their feet in celebration, possibly the conclusion of her show. Kris scanned the streets quickly and carefully, looking for any hint of where she escaped. “I will not let her get away again,” she spoke to herself.

[insaney]

The crowd roared as she made the glittering dust swirl all arou