"We were both broken glasses, how could we have touched each other without bleeding?",
Shroud
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We were both unfinished stories, getting dusty on this chessboard of life. For a long time, we were in a stalemate, then...
When I look into Shroud's eyes I see fear. Not of others but herself, from herself. When I look into her eyes I see hopelessness given shape. I felt it, her desire to put an end to herself. That time when she almost moved forward to cut her neck with my dagger. She wears it well, that cloak of being the top predator. And yet she is willing to become the prey. Why? Have the sins of her past finally caught up to her?
In my bones, I knew I would end her one day, but now was not the time for it. I had plans for her. I would need someone as vicious as her to procure that taboot. And I knew she needed it for some reason as well. Not for the order. Oh No, her interest was more personal. Which was even better because it would mean that she would try for it harder. Hard enough to steal the map right from under her group member's noses.
"Where is the map, Shroud?", I said as I parried her blow.
Only a flash of surprise on her face.
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" You want it too, of course", She said with a faint smile. Her cruel lips turned up at the corner. She came at me again.
"Who doesn't?", I smirked, as I met her blow for blow.
" You already know it's not with the order members," She said, stopping my sword a hairbreadth from her neck with her own.
"I wouldn't say that, It might not be with everyone but it certainly is with one of them",
She raised an eyebrow. For a moment we were in a stalemate, my sword remaining connected with hers, both pushing at each other just the right amount.
" _ and who would that be ?",
I gave her a look.
She let out a short laugh. That bland look of utter disinterest vanished for a second. This close I could see that her irises were not entirely black, that there was a hint of grey around it.
"You think I have it",
My expression must have told her what I was thinking.
"Buddy, if I had it I won't _wait why am I having this conversation with you",
" Because we are two highly civilized human beings, who contrary to what they believe can hold a conversation without attempting to kill each other", I said.
She blinked.", _Human beings? Us?",
Right! I walked right into that one. We were not humans at least not entirely. And whatever part of humanity we had, we have both succeeded spectacularly in killing it. She was a Ghilman. Most probably one of the last ones. They were a race of jinn, servants of the Ifrits or they once were. Now there is just a memory of them left. They were wiped out a long time ago.
Brutal, very powerful, extremely alluring especially in their true forms with their poisoned tipped claws and wings. So powerful that they started surpassing their masters. That's how the history books described them.
