She did arrive, and to Woe's disappointment without the slightest nod to a stealthy approach. Rather, true to the curse of Vaelus she was upfront and transparent, as her speech had been during their brief interlude. Cobra entered through a side door. Woe didn't need to see as much as hear, as he crept along the corner of the alley. He found his way in through the subtle curvature of shadows on the grooves of the stonework, traveling by shadow. His passage was marked by ripples sin the low light, but Cobra's mind was evidently too occupied with thoughts of a direct incursion into the Court of Miracles. Too concerned with the obvious threats to consider that one wishing entry to the Court might employ a trick that they ought all be well familiar with.
Stealth and shadow.
Woe slipped in ahead of her as she entered through a series of tricky passages and false panels. He lingered in front of her, the rippling of his passage he was convinced might alert her, but the light was low enough that it wasn't a concern. He was almost disappointed with the inefficacy of the Court. They definitely needed better look-outs.
The mortalborn followed the curvature of the stonework and rafters, where they cast shadows from the lights below, as the final seal was broken. He didn't want to announce himself until Cobra made her crew ready. Plus, it didn't hurt to see what they had to say about things in general, and linger there in the shadow for a while longer to listen.
Cobra slammed shut the door behind her, and then sighed a breath of relief. The first to notice her was a portly man, with coal-black mustache who smelled of the stables. "Oy, Cobra. Tryin' to wake the Elements with that door slam? "s a wonder we haven't been found with the prejudice you treat my poor door with."
Cobra shot him a deadly look, "Watch your mouth Arthur. And have Kyari check the locks, make sure they're secure."
"Wah? Am I in charge of staff now?"
More of the members that were present in the location were beginning to come out of the woodwork, to see what the commotion was about. Woe recognized the former mortisse, that he'd cured in The Bones. That was his in, so he thought. The mortisse would vouch for him if he presented himself as he knew him. As the mysterious, shadowy figure of Erebus. The failed grafter owed him a great debt, afterall.
"My ears are burning." Said the aukari woman, who must've been Kyari. She walked over toward the door, checking the locks as bid by Cobra. "Yeah these should hold, unless you were followed by someone who can bust a simple lock." She smiled wryly, sardonically shrugging at Cobra.
"Well maybe we'd best find a better locksmith then, eh?" Cobra shot back at Kyari. "It's a wonder Mercury hasn't gotten us a new one by now..."
"If he could be bothered to show his face anymore. Where's that brat of his anyway? Haven't seen her in arcs either. Face it Cobra, We're on our own here."
Woe found this line of conversation very interesting, and informative. He wanted to let them go on, but then they'd opened up the perfect segue for him to introduce himself.
He traveled through the shadows, now dropping the shadow cloak so his approach would be more noticeable. He breathed shadow on the ground, and then had it coalesce as he merged with his shadow. Shadow illusions gave him the appearance of a flesh and blood man underneath his cowl, while a pair of long horns sprouted from his head, and shadowy wings at his back.
"Not so alone as you'd think." Woe muttered. "You really need better lookouts. I can find you great talent, if you've a wish to not get broken into easier than a run-down tenement."
A few blades were drawn, but Woe could tell just by looking at most of them, they'd not the skill to wield them with any efficacy. That said, a novice could be dangerous to deal with as any trained bladesman. So Woe was careful to raise his hands. "I'm Erebus, and I've come to offer my services to your organization, in lieu of Mercury's absence."
Cobra marched up to him, and shoved her blade against his neck, threatening to attack him. He took a gamble and decided that she wasn't trying to kill him, yet. "I'm the one that decides who joins, now." She said, pressing the chilled steel against his neck, without touching the edge to his skin.
"Well then, I've shown my worth have I not? As I said, I would infiltrate your organization. Is that not endorsement enough, or should Wraps vouch for me?"
Cobra turned her knife slightly in her hand, and then shot a look at the failed grafter, "Wraps? What's he talking about."
"Ah yes, that." Wraps said with a sort of cheerful angst. "He did cure my... ahem condition. He stopped the degradation, so I don't need quite as much care and attention as before."
This settled the group slightly, and Cobra was the last to put her blade away, drawing it away from the intruder's neck and back into its sheath. "Fine, we'll give you a shot. But this had better not bite us later..."
"Trust me, this will be the turnaround your Court needs." Woe said with a smile.
"Alright, 'Erebus'. Then you're in. Don't make us regret it." Cobra muttered, "There are rules though, that you ought to know..."
And so went Woe's induction into the Court of Miracles.
