An Eliatrope's Journey Book 2

Rogues make the best informants

The Eliatrope stepped to the side, the bullet whizzing past his ear and embedding into the rock beside a rather large and burly Rogue that was standing behind him. "Oy! Watch where ya shoot that thing, boss!" The Burly Rogue protested.

"Don't stand behind him!" The first Rogue hissed as he prepared to fire another bullet. The Eliatrope leaped forward, his hand wrapping around the lead Rogue's neck. "Grk!" The Eliatrope didn't stop until he slammed the leader into the cobbled road. The Rogue would let out a shout of pain. Two Rogues charged the Eliatrope, ready to swing their daggers at him only to cut thin air as he leaped into the air, flipping over their heads and landing behind them. When the two Rogues faced him, his foot would connect with the left Rogue's chest and send him crashing into a wall.

His partner would prepare to stab Mikhail in the leg, but the Eliatrope moved his leg back before he kicked her in the gut and sent her flying into another building as well. The large, burly, rogue would wrap his arms around the Eliatrope and hugged him tightly. Mikhail hissed and started to struggle against the burly Rogue's grip. "Not letting you go." The burly rogue huffed as he lifted Mikhail, making sure his feet weren't touching the ground.

"Good job, big guy. We're gonna get a nice bounty we with this Eliatrope." The leader groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head. Mikhail smirked.

"Hm... the fight isn't quite over." Mikhail said, crystal blue eyes flashing in the reddish glow of Brakmar's lighting. The Eliatrope swung a leg out before bringing it back sharply. The resounding retaliation and loosening grip on him revealed that his foot had hit it's target. The Burly Rogue's groin. One the Eliatrope was free, he leaped to the side and swung the spear out of its sheath. In one single motion, he spun the spear and slammed the butt of it into the burly Rogue's back, causing him to fall to the ground.

"The larger they are, the harder they fall." The Eliatrope said before he ducked and rolled forward, dodging an attack from the two partnered rogues. Once on his feet, he spun to face his attackers and blocked the two daggers with the metal shaft of the spear. He would push them away before he leaned back, dodging the second dagger attack from the two. He would then roll to the side to avoid a bullet that would glance off the ground where he was just at before he swung, sending one of the partners stumbling back into the other. Taking advantage of this, the Eliatrope kicked both of the two Rogues into the burly rogue, sending them falling into a pile. He then charged at the leader.

"Kh!" The leading rogue pulled out a bomb and lit it before preparing to throw it at the Eliatrope, but Mikhail was faster. He spun the blade and cut the fuse, preventing the bomb from going off and used the butt of the spear to send it flying upwards into one of his portals before he stopped, the tip of his spear pointed at the neck of the lead Rogue. "I win." He said simply, crystal blue eyes peering deeply into dark brown. "Welcome to the team." He smiled as he stepped back. "And don't try any funny tricks. I actually have need of you." He put the spear back in it's place on his back as he waited for the Rogues to get back up. They were a motly crew, but he needed something from them.

"This would be a rather inconvenient place to speak... perhaps we should go to your hideout so that we may speak of what your responsibilities are now?" Mikhail asked the leader, a raised eyebrow enhancing his question. The Rogue leader sighed. "Yeah, yeah... fine." He grumbled before he started to lead the way. Mikhail would follow him as the pair and the burly rogues followed after.

~●~●~●~●~●~●~

Mikhail sat down in a chair at a rather flimsy table and leaned back, eyeing the group as they stood around the table. He then looked around the headquarters. It was a simple place with stone walls, matching flooring, and a slate roof. The windows had been boarded up, but some light shone through the cracks to illuminate the room. The female of the pair moved to light the candle that sat on the table as the male went to light the other candles. The Leader stood by the table, watching the Scientist as he looked around the one room house.

Crates, targets for targets practice, a corner full of dismantled weapons and other things, and a pile of blankets came into view as the room was illuminated. "So. You beat us. You said we were to be your bodyguards. I have a question though. Why did you pick us?" The Lead Rogue asked.

"Hm... good question. Probably because you guys were the first ones to challenge me." Mikhail said simply. "My turn. What are you're guys' names and specialties?" He looked at each of the Rogues.

"My name is Joan. I'm the leader of this group and my specialty is information gathering." The Leader said.

He then pointed to the male of the pair of Rogues. "That's Lynel and the girl beside him is his twin, Lyss. Lynel is our weapons specialist whereas Lyss is more of an assassin in terms of skill. Her ability to sneak is unparalleled." The twins nodded in introduction.

"The big brute over here is Markus. He's our brawn. While he isn't the smartest,"

"Oy!"

"He can lift a full grown Gobball and throw it across ten full gobbowl arenas." Joan looked over at Mikhail. "Your turn to introduce yourself." He crossed his arms, watching the Eliatrope.

"My name is Mikhail Scientia. And I am an Eliatrope Scientist." Mikhail said, smiling simply. Joan paused, as did the twins, before outbursts exploded.

"You're just a scientist???" Lynel exclaimed. Mikhail simply nodded in response.

"We should have been able to defeat you! How?!"

"Scientists should be all lab coats and books and vials!"

"You shouldn't even know how to land a punch, let alone swing a spear!"

"What's a scientist?" Mikhail simply sat back as he let the Rogues moan about their embarrassing failure. Eventually, they fell silent before Joan faced the Eliatrope. "How do you know how to fight and how do you fight so well?" He asked.

"That, my dear friends is a long story. And at the moment, I am a bit pressed for time." Mikhail looked at the group.  "Joan, you said you are good at collecting information, correct?" The Eliatrope asked. Joan nodded, frowning. "Then I need you to gather information regarding some people that have gone missing." He looked at Joan. "Around the time I arrived here, a group of people went missing and I acquired a curious gift." The Eliatrope pulled out a Noxine and placed it on the table. The others gasped, their eyes widening. "It seems as though Nox's rampage across the World of Twelve affects even those in Brakmar."

Joan glared at Mikhail. "Is he back?" He growled. The Eliatrope shook his head. "No. Someone else, another Xelor possibly, discovered them and how to bring them back using Wakfu." Mikhail looked at the group. "And I have reason to believe that this new Xelor here," he pointed to the Noxine, "has been abducting people for reasons that are yet unknown."

Joan frowned. "I have been hearing rumors of people of different races disappearing..." He commented thoughtfully, tapping his clean shaven chin. "But there have been no other information. People just up and disappeared. For an example, a Feca man disappeared while tending to some sheep just a while ago. Normally Brakmar residents brag about these sort of things, but nobody would claim to have done it. Which is odd."

Mikhail nodded in agreement. "Surely you are curious about these mysterious events as well. Want to join me in investigating?" Mikhail asked the group. Lynel would nod. "I'm curious." The male said. Red hair poked out from under his head scarf as he looked at his sister with excited green eyes.

The girl looked at her brother before she sighed. "Might as well." She sighed. "If there is going to be breaking and entering, you're going to need my help."

"Aw, come on, Lyss. Don't act like I'm pulling your arm. You know you want a chance to explore as well!" Lynel grinned at his sister. She smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Shut yer trap before I smack ya." She laughed.

"Yer'll want someone to throw people. That'll be my thing." Markus grinned.

Soon, all eyes rested on Joan. The brown eyed male looked at each of them. "What?" He asked. "What you gonna do, boss?" Markus asked. The Lead Rogue simply grinned. "Like I'm going to let you all have fun without me. Rufus' beard I'll join you all!" Mikhail smiled as he watched the group cheer. Now he had the help he needed...