Post by { o p a l } on Jul 31, 2013 20:55:33 GMT -6
This place truly was scummy.
It really filled Regina with disgust as she carefully sidestepped numerous piles of refuse and leaking sewage. Kalyani perched on her shoulder, eyeing the ground with distaste. Even an ocelot could tell when something was far too dirty. If an agent had arranged a meeting with her here, she would have slapped them.
Unfortunately, that would not do much to this particular agent.
Stepping into a dirty back alleyway called Ravenhold Row (the whimsical alliteration did little to lighten the air of the place), the Chief Executive's breath caught in her throat.
After a moment, though, she recovered. Tearing her eyes from the object that had startled her, Regina took in her surroundings.
She was in one of the dankest, shadiest alleyways of London. Normally at this time it would be crawling with unsavoury figures, but the presence of men in black suits standing on rooftops had a tendency to disperse a crowd quickly. The walls were dirty and several dark stains seemed to suggest that either blood had been spilled or excrement splashed. The street was dirty, a thin film of sewer water shining in the moonlight. Discarded bags were tossed carelessly against the walls, which were separated by but a few feet. Still, it was wider than the street she'd just came out of. Ivy was crawling all over the alleyway- just like the rest of London in this humid summer. Apparently the weather was very good for a certain type of oak vine.
Regina glanced upward with a sigh. The sky was cloudy, which would normally put her in a beautiful mood, but not with the taunt displayed in front of her.
Looking downwards again, the Chief Executive purveyed the cadaver laid in front of her. Mockingly, as if in a funeral, the man was on his back, hands folded on top of his chest. His eyes were closed.
"Agent Francis Courton," she pronounced. That's what the report had indicated. Striding forward, she knelt down in front of him. Fumbling slightly, she pulled out his official identification, which she'd withdrawn from one of their safes. Yanking out his badge, she carefully placed it underneath his cold, clasped hands. "May your spirit find peace flying with the Zodiac."
Standing, Regina turned her gaze to the insignia spray painted on the wall above him. Her eyes blazed.
A circlet of two entwined vines orbited a stylized eye. There were seven thorns on the vine, placed equidistant around the circle that they formed.
"Well, I haven't seen that insignia for a while." She smirked at it. "The Wardens of the Wood. Hah."
She dearly hoped she was mistaken.
Summoning storm energy in one hand, she formed a lash of electricity and slashed across the insignia. Stirred by some protective spell, the ivy suddenly raised, animated by some fae magic.
Quick as a snake, Regina drew her blades, slicing through the vines with ease. As swiftly as the combat had started, it was over, as the lightning-wreathed swords cauterized the vines, burning them as the electricity carried through the plant.
"Check them."
Kalyani leaped from her shoulder, landing atop a windowsill and nosing the vines. "I don't want to say for certain yet, but I do believe that we're in a state of emergency starting now."
Regina sighed. "Very well. Vincent, come out of your hiding place. I need a message sent back to Stonehenge and relayed to my top agents. Tell them that the Wardens of the Wood have returned."
It really filled Regina with disgust as she carefully sidestepped numerous piles of refuse and leaking sewage. Kalyani perched on her shoulder, eyeing the ground with distaste. Even an ocelot could tell when something was far too dirty. If an agent had arranged a meeting with her here, she would have slapped them.
Unfortunately, that would not do much to this particular agent.
Stepping into a dirty back alleyway called Ravenhold Row (the whimsical alliteration did little to lighten the air of the place), the Chief Executive's breath caught in her throat.
After a moment, though, she recovered. Tearing her eyes from the object that had startled her, Regina took in her surroundings.
She was in one of the dankest, shadiest alleyways of London. Normally at this time it would be crawling with unsavoury figures, but the presence of men in black suits standing on rooftops had a tendency to disperse a crowd quickly. The walls were dirty and several dark stains seemed to suggest that either blood had been spilled or excrement splashed. The street was dirty, a thin film of sewer water shining in the moonlight. Discarded bags were tossed carelessly against the walls, which were separated by but a few feet. Still, it was wider than the street she'd just came out of. Ivy was crawling all over the alleyway- just like the rest of London in this humid summer. Apparently the weather was very good for a certain type of oak vine.
Regina glanced upward with a sigh. The sky was cloudy, which would normally put her in a beautiful mood, but not with the taunt displayed in front of her.
Looking downwards again, the Chief Executive purveyed the cadaver laid in front of her. Mockingly, as if in a funeral, the man was on his back, hands folded on top of his chest. His eyes were closed.
"Agent Francis Courton," she pronounced. That's what the report had indicated. Striding forward, she knelt down in front of him. Fumbling slightly, she pulled out his official identification, which she'd withdrawn from one of their safes. Yanking out his badge, she carefully placed it underneath his cold, clasped hands. "May your spirit find peace flying with the Zodiac."
Standing, Regina turned her gaze to the insignia spray painted on the wall above him. Her eyes blazed.
A circlet of two entwined vines orbited a stylized eye. There were seven thorns on the vine, placed equidistant around the circle that they formed.
"Well, I haven't seen that insignia for a while." She smirked at it. "The Wardens of the Wood. Hah."
She dearly hoped she was mistaken.
Summoning storm energy in one hand, she formed a lash of electricity and slashed across the insignia. Stirred by some protective spell, the ivy suddenly raised, animated by some fae magic.
Quick as a snake, Regina drew her blades, slicing through the vines with ease. As swiftly as the combat had started, it was over, as the lightning-wreathed swords cauterized the vines, burning them as the electricity carried through the plant.
"Check them."
Kalyani leaped from her shoulder, landing atop a windowsill and nosing the vines. "I don't want to say for certain yet, but I do believe that we're in a state of emergency starting now."
Regina sighed. "Very well. Vincent, come out of your hiding place. I need a message sent back to Stonehenge and relayed to my top agents. Tell them that the Wardens of the Wood have returned."
