Misery at Milton Manor (Graded)

[Noth]

Vhalar 57, 717

He kneeled.

Noth could always appreciate it when his commandments had been obeyed, especially when they were given to those who weren’t technically under any obligation to follow them. It was not as if though the man before him had many other options given the current state of affairs, but it was still nice to see someone with a sense of self-preservation. The sword that had been tightly clutched within the palm of his hand was suddenly released as he recognized the danger of holding onto such a deadly weapon when he was so thoroughly surrounded, and whilst he did not cower, he did draw his arms towards himself.

The hybrid, in turn, lowered the bow which had been clasped in his own hand, sliding the weapon over his pauldron-covered shoulder as he stepped forward towards the last remaining guard of the caravan. His talons squelched gently against the ground as he drew near, the dirt having meshed with the spilt blood to form a sort of darkly covered mud, a gentleness in the soil that allowed his razor-like avian appendages to stab directly through the ground with each step, the floor suckling at the sharpened claws until he finally came to a stop.

Crimson eyes glared down at the fellow, analyzing him, taking note of the shattered chestpiece he wore, and the way that the armor broke off in chunks which lay scattered around the battleground. It was a wonder that he hadn’t been slain by a lucky blow from any of his goons’ slashes, but he supposed that was the purpose of armor. It must have been of absolutely terrible quality to have been damaged quite as badly as it had been, but perhaps he had been stricken a little more harshly than he had expected at first.

Behind him, the hulking corpse of a wagon brought to a stop, the image of merchant’s guilds the world over brought to a dreary stop in the blood-formed mud. A pair of arrows stuck out of its hide, one of them leaking a clear substance which he recognized as some form of provision, pierced accidentally by one of the archers in his company. He cast a glance at one of his own soldiers who crept forward from the bushes, his face coated in a thick layer of mud and grime who promptly nodded to the appraising hybrid, signaling that the caravan was filled to the brim. Noth nodded his approval, directing a finger towards the caravan, and sending the half-dozen soldiers standing around to begin unloading the wagon. They grinned to one another, knocking each other gently in the shoulders, feeding their desire for gluttonous greed as they proverbially feasted upon the loot within, stealing away the pretty things and clutching them to their hearts as if though they might somehow extend their vain lives.

“You’d be astonished how seldom people actually surrender.” He spoke, returning his attention to the fellow at his knees who he now realized was clutching at his leg, slowing down a gentle trickle of blood which flowed out from beneath his trousers.

“No poin’ fightin” He whispered resignedly, hacking a lung into the ground beneath him.

“Right you are. What is your name, mercenary?” He uttered, tapping his adamantite mace at his side impatiently.

“Aesh.” He spoke, finally casting his eyes upwards and meeting the eyes of the dark being which stood over him like a patient reaper, awaiting to steal away his life once he had finished answering his questions.

“Very well. I have an offer of work for you, Aesh.” He spoke plainly, reaching a gauntleted hand down to the man. “Of course, I’d imagine the alternative would please Vri, but this is Etzos, is it not?” He smiled mirthlessly beneath his armet.

The man seemed shocked by the sequence of events, but he was not so slow as to refuse the outstretched hand, and the offer of mercy from his captor. He took hold of the cold steel palm, and the Avriel hoisted him to his unsteady feet, allowing him to continue clutching at his wounded leg with his off-hand.

“Come mercenary. There is much to discuss.”

Breaks passed as Aesh was initiated into the ranks of those who served the Prince of Eternal Mercies, his wounds cared for as best as could be managed by the fledgling faction, and a share of rations granted to him in celebration of a successful robbery. The goods and supplies of the caravan were kept near the back of the cavern where they would wait until they could be transported somewhere safer so that they might be fenced to prospective purchasers by smugglers.

After the temporary celebration had finished, and the man’s wounds had been fixed, the Prince took him aside, drilling him for information as to who had hired them, who had fought with him, and other logistical knowledge that he required in order to perform the next portion of his plan. Night fell quickly upon the land, taking away any of the world’s heat, and condemning it to the steadily chilled winds of Vhalar. From the shadowy depths of the cave, the twilight hybrid, still equipped in his war-armament; albeit, having cleaned himself of any residual grime or filth which had attached to him in the midst of battle, promptly began his expedition towards the manor house where he had been directed.

Cornelius Milton was a fairly wealthy merchant, and his family owned several small businesses throughout Etzos, though none of immense prominence nor power. He was unable to sway the hands of any of the higher ranked political figures, it seemed, but there was little doubt that he had at least a few members of the Black Guard hidden away in his pockets, and enough coin to purchase the mercenaries necessary to protect his supply caravans near Etzos and the surrounding territories.

His manor stood at nearly three floors in height, with the lower two levels constructed of a well-chiseled stone, smoothed and set so that it took on a fair aesthetic, and the upper level formed of adobe which had been dyed so as not to stand out too heavily against the stone. The mild difference was detracted by a pair of long bands inset with golden filaments which acted as separators of the floors. A fence ran along the outskirts of the manor home, but it was entirely meant to act as a decoration, and it took little effort for the hybrid to simply vault over it, even with his armor weighing him down so substantially.

He was going to break in, and have a conversation with Milton over how better to direct his finances.

[Toan]

"Really? That's interesting..." A curious stroke at his chin followed a few times while the little beggar bounced frustratingly with impatience.

"Yeah yeah, now pay up you!" He commanded with his hands held out eagerly.

Toan chuckled and dipped a hand in his pocket then, a few good nel handed over for the nice tip he'd been given. "Keep up the good work." The boy merely scoffed and scooped his well earned Nel, determined to be on his way to buy himself a proper meal for the day. Milton's Manor had quite a scuffle in the kitchen's it seems, and some of the servants were looking to get even with the nobles by whispering to the lower people. Now it seemed set for someone willing to step in, take action, and make it known that the friends in other places have heard the word. Strangely enough their caravan's were the prime target of late with bandits, so it was only natural that some people on the inside were cracking. Which meant Toan had a bit of an opening now, thanks to a well placed word and payment in the hands of the streetear he'd personally tipped.

Now all that remained to be seen was to arrive at the Manor and head to the back entrance near the kitchen's, and from there the door should be unlocked for him to sneak in on his own. He headed onward without delay as he already felt a foundation of a trap would be laid, if these people were serious about getting even with their betters, for him to finish and in turn set up before the night was out. Who knows Toan might've actually found time to personally snoop, and maybe even swipe a few trinkets for himself before he'd head out with a task complete. When he got there however it seemed another was scoping the place out actually, a rather black feathered intimidating figure with just a sole wing sported at their shoulders. A half born Avriel? That would've proven interesting if he weren't so black and menacing to stare at.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but clearly your parents were both drunk or forced into the process somehow!" He chimed aloud as he passed the figure and peered beyond the fence, he noted the locked chain that kept it shut from unwanted trespassers in the night. They'd have to do better than that though! Toan knelt down to slip out a lockpick from the side of his boot, the end inserted into the lock as two fingers carefully clutched it. "Don't look like the sort to just hang out staring at mansions from afar, not unless you're lookin' at your next biggest investment just now. Pretty pricey from the looks of it too, I'd imagine that manor costs a pretty nel or two for a land title." He nonchalantly continued while he angled the pick a few times, his eyes stared down into the lock as he worked on the pins inside. Finally after a few more tries he got the damned thing to unlock, and with a sigh of relief he slipped the pick into the pocket of his shirt.

"Well that takes care of that." He shot a smirk to the half Avriel that seemed overly forced, mainly due to the fact he wasn't sure how to look at the individual. "Got business here I need to take care of, if you've got some as well now might be the time to join in." He implied as he slowly opened the gate just enough to slide in, already Toan was quick to walk around the yard rather than straight toward the building as anybody else probably would.

[Noth]

The twilight hybrid skulked around the outskirts of the proud structure, analyzing it for signs of weakness that might indicate a potential breach in security, or else for signs of the opposite, places where whatever guards were under the employ of the Milton family would be stationed. He could quite clearly see through one of the windows bordering the doorway of the structure, pouring a stream of light outwards into the surrounding darkness, banishing it away with the dancing flames of torches and lanterns. A person stood near the main entrance to the house, his or her hand clasping what appeared to be either a spear or a halberd of some model, and whilst they were clearly not superbly attentive; they were facing the door itself as opposed to patrolling around and glancing out of the windows, they would act as a suitable deterrent to any assaults upon the front door of the manor.

It was strange to consider that a family could grow so ridiculously wealthy that they could essentially own the people who worked under them. After all, the servants who scampered about the premises, performing menial labors for their rich masters were unlikely to ever attempt to escape to greener pastures; such ventures required funds that they would almost certainly never receive. Even if the Miltons had been an incredibly generous family, they would have had plenty for themselves, because their businesses had drawn in enough nels to keep them both satisfied and growing in their business ventures. Noth could only imagine that the disparity of wealth was even stronger in those countries which allowed an aristocracy of hereditary titles such as the nobility of Rynmere.

Noth was here to take part in some of the wealth that had been given to the Miltons over their several arcs of business enterprises and financial operations. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t intend to simply relieve them of their funds and promptly send them on their way, however, but rather was intent on creeping into the manor, locating anything of value as a blackmail good, and then coercing the Miltons into supporting his fledgling faction. With a family as wealthy as the Miltons supporting Al’Angyryl, they would be able to better operate their smuggling business, using the good standing and the contacts of the Milton family to expand their list of potential buyers, and perhaps even simultaneously receive assessments on which businesses were best to strike at when it became time to raid.

As he passed once more to the place where he had begun his examinations, he was greeted by an unfamiliar face which called out to him, stating that his parents must have been drunk or else that his conception must have been a forced event. The hybrid did not know his true parents well, nor really think of them fondly, because one of them had died immediately, and thus been unknowable to him, and the other remained unknown simply due to circumstances beyond his control. Nevertheless, the slight against him was not taken lightly, because it was an insult no matter how goodly natured it might have been launched.

Crimson eyes glared fiercely at the being who had chosen to slight him so foolishly, and he made a mental note to exact some terrible vengeance upon him. However, he promptly knelt at the locked gate; an obstacle that the hybrid himself had bypassed entirely by simply vaulting over the aforementioned fence, and began to pick his way through the lock. It seemed somewhat odd to the hybrid that he would waste the time of opening the gate when the fence was so easily avoided, but more fascinating was the fact that he possessed the capability to pick locks; a skill typically reserved for those thieves good enough to not be caught in their prime.

“I would advise that you mind your tongue.” He commanded, anger still burning within him, though now tempered with curiosity at the man’s business.

The lock was picked nonchalantly by the strange trespasser who cited that he simply ‘had business’ within, and invited the hybrid to follow if he desired. It seemed reasonable to conclude that the man had some manner of plan, and, given that the hybrid did not truly have an idea for how to enter into the structure without alerting the assorted guards or the family themselves, he promptly began to follow after the thief, accompanied by the gentle clinking of armor.

“I don’t suppose that the Miltons have acquired some vessel of exquisite power or worth that you’re seeking?” He questioned, allowing a mental image of such an item lying near a vestibule, awaiting the arrival of an intrepid wanderer to flicker into existence. “Because, clearly, that is your business, is it not, thief?”

[Toan]

Had he said something? Wait he did! He'd made a comment about the bird-thing's parents or so, and clearly that struck a vicious blow at the man's personal respect. Toan would've normally shrugged off the brief venomous warning he'd been given, had it not oozed malicious promise behind it's initial warning. This fellow had about him a rather staggering influence in the ways of impressions, and thus Toan found himself deeply rooted with a sense of fear towards the feathered figure.

Was he that scary? Probably not. Granted it was night time though... Well okay he was kind of scary to look at, definitely a mixed breed of fear and hate waiting to thrash a fool's face in at any given moment.

So Toan froze for a moment with a petrified gaze at the individual, his lips fallen into a somber scowl as the poor excuse of a joke came back with a vengeance. He would've came up with a smart rhetorical come back in that instance, but in that moment he just seemed utterly at a loss of word. Therefore after his brief episode of nearly shitting his pants, Toan resumed the act of breaking an entry and led the way for the both of them. "Oh so he does more than threat." He noted when the question about the Milton's came up. "Wonder if he flaps wings and caws like an oversized crow as well." That of course had been kept to himself as he looked over his shoulder, a wry smile forced on his lips as he came to answer the bird man's questions casually.

"Gee, you don't think there's such a thing here; do ya?" He mused with a finger curled over his chin. "Just imagine my luck if I make way with that kind of value, and here I thought the job would only include- oh right." The quieted thief knelt alongside a hedge and watched the gardens ahead of them, from the looks of it they would have maybe one or two patrols to look out for along the way. "I'm here on superficial business regarding the Milton's themselves, a few words heard from my people down below tipped me of the job in mind." He looked from over the hedge back to his newfound companion, his eyebrows furrowed as he found himself curious as to the business this lone individual had.

"Can't say you're here doing the same, must've stood outside the gate for Breaks before I came along?" The question more or less came off as a guess in actuality, as he looked back at the pathway of the garden they had to walk. It was pretty plain and straightforward with bushes and hedges decorating the first half, and really they only needed to avoid detection of the one guard before they reached the back gardens. "Okay," He murmured as he sidled up to a decorative pillar, "to get to the kitchen's we need to sneak past the guards.

If we can get there the door should be unlocked, and a little present will be left on the kitchen counters for us to use when we get inside." Just the thought of it plastered a devious grin on Toan's face, and with a look back at the bird man he nodded towards the path with one last question.

"Think you're ready for this?"

[Noth]

Noth had not expected such a strong response from the man that he had threatened. In honesty, he had half expected him to crack another joke, another sly remark guised in a compliment, but which would nonetheless simply become another insult to his heritage or perhaps his harsh personality. Instead, the man reacted in a way that was not altogether unlike the way his minions reacted whenever he threatened them. It was dark, but the hybrid could still see the tenseness that wracked through his body as he came to a standstill, a complete freeze of his actions as he must have contemplated what he had done to earn such ire.

The thief had already managed to paint himself in a bad light in regards to the twilight hybrid, but that did not necessarily mean that he would be done away with, because that would be wasting a potential resource. There were not loads of expert thieves out in the world; most were caught early in their careers when they were still inexperienced novices, and whilst he wasn’t sure whether or not he was gazing upon one, he did know that it took at least some skill to pick a gate’s lock.

Eventually the tension dissipated to manageable levels, and the conversation continued anew. The thief reacted to his question about the potential existence of some uncannily powerful or valuable artifact with what seemed like exhilarated sarcasm, like he didn’t truly believe something like that was here, but that he would be glad to find something of its magnitude. There was no outright denial of the hybrid’s accusation that the man was here to steal something, and in fact his brief remarks about the presence of the artifact did nothing more than solidify Noth’s impression that he was here for illegal purposes. Good, that meant he was unlikely to betray him unless they were caught, because to call the guards upon him would make him complicit in the act of breaking and entering, and he would still be detained regardless.

The creeping thief knelt nearby one of the local hedges, gazing off into the gardens, scouting them for signs of guards. The faint flicker of torchlight gave away the position of what seemed to be either a pair of guards, or perhaps a pair of patrols; it was difficult to count how many were actually in each group, but it seemed plausible that it could be either. The question about what he was here for was answered as they observed the patrols marching about the place.

“Superficial business? That sounds euphemistic.” He raised an eye at the fellow, the expression being cut off somewhat by the armet he wore upon his head. “Personally, I simply need to have a word with Cornelius Milton over his current financial state. I trust you’ve heard of the recent attacks upon his caravans? I’m here to bring those to an end.” He did not outright declare that he was the one who was assaulting the caravans, nor that he was technically here to extort the patriarch, but it would also not be a massive logical leap to come to those conclusions, especially given the covertness accompanying his actions.

It seemed likely that the thief had scouted out the place beforehand, because his plan seemed to involve getting in through a door which had already been left unlocked; had he unlocked it, observed it to be unlocked, or was it possible that he had someone on the inside, and that they would then locate a ‘present’ which would assist them. He wasn’t sure whether or not the indicated ‘present’ would actually assist him in his personal goal, but he doubted it would harm him. Solemnly, he nodded his acceptance of the plan, and began to creep along the path toward the aforementioned door.

The quiet click and clank of his armor made it somewhat more difficult for him to sneak along when compared with the uninhibited thief, but it served its purpose, and Noth recognized that he was not nearly stealthy enough to accomplish his goal entirely without conflict of some sort. That case became evident when, after only about a bit of movement, one of the torches twisted erratically through the air, cutting the darkness like a knife, and promptly began to race back towards the door. Noth listened to the gentle grunt of a human masked in the form of a silhouette as they drew near until finally…

“Hey! Who’s out there?” He called, his voice accusatory, but only as loud as a standard conversation, not a call of alarm. The twilight hybrid gazed as a predator at the fellow, observing as he drew ever closer, swaying his torch hither and thither in a desperate attempt at casting light upon a perceived threat. The torch twisted away from his position, and he pounced forward, his hand protected by his gauntlet as it slammed forward suddenly, jamming directly into the guard’s throat, eliciting a shocked gag and the fall of the torch.

There was no time to retaliate. The hybrid clasped his hands together, raised them above the curious inspector, and brought them down along his right jawline, cracking his teeth against one another with jarring force and sending him sprawling to the ground, blood leaking from his mouth where his lip had busted or perhaps where one of his teeth had jutted directly through it. Noth rubbed his hands together briefly, gazing down upon the unconscious form, snuffing out the nearby flame with relative ease.

“Continue.” He commanded, choosing to leave the form where it lay.

[Toan]

Euphemism was definitely a way of putting it, but there existed indirect truth where Toan had regarded superficial business. He was, in fact, here because he had a job to do; business to conduct with the owner's of the mansion. And it seemed as though this thuggish bird man seemed to have a similar goal, albeit his was more personal than Toan's own intent from the sound of it. "You don't say." He mused with a thumb pressed under his chin with curiosity. "And by bringing them to an end, I'm sure you must know something in regards as to the cause." He pointed out with a slight grin. "Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to sneak in unannounced."

It did seem a little curious to dwell upon, a shady figure scouts the outer perimeter of this manor; just so they can sneak in and discuss financial issues the owner is having. Something about that seemed a little off when one thought about it well enough, but Toan hadn't the time to bring out accusations or assumptions when he himself had a job to do. Besides... what harm could there be in having a second man joining the fun. "Drat!" He murmured just as it sounded like they were probably spotted, the fact his new companion wore heavier armor didn't make it easier to be stealthy. Of course taking into account the act of bashing the guard's throat, it became clear this hybrid of a bird didn't kid around with his jobs. "Nicely done." Toan commended with a minor frown of judgement, more or less fully aware that this wasn't somebody he wanted to royally piss off.

At the command to continue Toan signaled a wave to him with a smirk, and gave the comment "with pleasure" as he took to move forward once more. They'd made it through the first section of the garden now that one of the guard's was out of the way, and were now in the back area where another guard seemed to patrol. Rather than let his brutish companion wait for the opportune moment however, this time Toan took initiative and grappled a rock at it his feet. Just large enough to make some noise when he threw it where he needed to, he waited until the guard seemed close enough to where he needed to be. With the torchlight shone on a statue near the position, Toan took a trill to aim and threw it as hard as he could into the air, the height seemed proper enough to carry out it's direction. As for where it landed it seemed as though it missed the target, which had been in fact the statue near the guard. "Huh? What was that?" The guard murmured as he looked to where the rock landed, after it had caused a rustle in some of the shrubs.

"Damn..." He cursed as he remained hidden behind the hedge wall they waited beyond, however it seemed the noise had sparked enough interest to distract the guard away. For how long though? Perhaps long enough for them to make a break for the door... "What say you my brutish friend?" He whispered to the twilit hybrid. "Should we wait this one out or make a break for the kitchen door? It should be unlocked for us, as my sources have confirmed anyways." Toan wanted to bolt right away but he left it up to his partner to decide, if they could probably make it or if they were better off not risking the run.

[Noth]

Business could be disguised in many different forms. There was the standard form which people typically thought of whenever they considered any sort of economic establishment, the simple transaction of currency for the item or service they desired, and the subsequent requisition of such goods or talents. There were more vague divisions of essentially that same transaction; auctions, barters, and the like. However, there were far more intriguing forms of business as well, and one that spoke to the twilight hybrid was that of racketeering. Criminal? Certainly, but efficient as well, after all, why would someone waste their time and resources hunting down caravans or raiding trading outposts when they could simply receive money to not commit such violent acts.

The thief was plainly quick-witted, but that was to be expected of his roguish kind. He understood rather quickly that the hybrid must be responsible for the issue at hand if he was offering an end to it, and whilst that logic was necessarily flawed; a doctor was no more responsible for an illness than any other person, he had presumed correctly. Noth and his gallivanting horde of criminals and scum had been striking adamantly at the caravans of Milton, and now that the threat would be perceived as real and active, he hoped that the violence might necessitate an agreement between the pair that would save them both from the trouble of raids.

“A quick mind, thief. Be mindful that it does not lead you into oblivion.” It was the fastest moving beast that took no notice of the danger ahead that did not see the signs of doom.

It had taken such little effort to dispatch the guard. The hybrid wasn’t sure as to whether that was because his martial talents had improved rather significantly since he had first begun his quest, or whether the guardians of the manor were simply poor at their work. Perhaps it was neither, he supposed, considering that the man could simply have been caught unaware, and been unable to mount a defense in time to stop him. Nevertheless, he was not slain, and Noth had no intention of murdering him for the sake of spilling blood, and so he would be able to recount his tale to his allies of the monster that had assailed him, and learn from his mistake.

The Avriel took notice of the slight hints of a frown upon his companion’s face, highlighted only for an instant by the dancing fires which lit the land. That was a curious expression given that they were meant to be working together, and it had seemed rather clear to him that allowing the guard to spot them would have been detrimental to both of their goals. Of course, the answer presented itself after only a couple of trills of further thought. The man was a thief because he was inherently against physical violence. After all, the difference between a thief and a robber was the threat of the blade, and whilst the twilight hybrid had grown accustomed to the turmoil and toil, the thief likely avoided such conflict wherever possible with his skulking and stealthy movements. In the end, he neither desired nor required the thief’s consent to his actions, and so, without a word of response from the Avriel they continued onwards towards their respective goals.

The thief demonstrated his stealthy abilities by taking hold of a nearby stone and hurling it near to the guard. It was a basic trick without much ingenuity, but it seemed to do the trick, at least to an extent. The guard spoke out loud, likely reassuring himself that his post was not a dangerous one, and that whatever he had heard was probably of no consequence. It was the hint of a nervous person that they would speak to themselves whenever faced with potentially dreadful entities. The thief revealed that he had an inside person who had unlocked the kitchen doors so that he might enter without issue, and the hybrid nodded, acknowledging that new information. That would explain the rather roundabout path they had taken.

The question stood on whether or not they should simply rush forward in hopes that the guard would not spot them, or else await his return and hope that he might naturally incline himself towards some further point. Patience was the better part of many strategies, but never making a move was just as sure to lose a match as making dozens. He was admittedly uncertain, because so much could ride upon the general ignorance of a single guard.

“Toss another rock, try to get it into the hedge nearest him. If he thinks something is there, he might search for it, otherwise he might dismiss it for the wind. Once he’s searching, we will move to the door.”

[Toan]

"Oblivion? Doesn't sound like much fun if you ask me." Toan remarked to the warning with naught but a smirk, as though he dared to question the idea of death itself. Perhaps he was rather dumb to even dare such a thing, but for Toan to worry over something as easy as death, well it'd have to be pretty serious if death seemed a heavy factor in the equation. At that point when they'd reached their second obstacle and Toan somewhat mucked up his first shot, the question of whether they should risk it or not seemed to remain until his feathered companion answered.

Another throw then? Seemed like he was one who liked to improve their chances for stealth as well, a fact Toan took into consideration since it accounted for other things. For one it challenged time and the progress of their little venture, something Toan wasn't overly concerned about of course but the thug... well he definitely didn't exude patience in these sort of matters. Or perhaps he was and just felt like bashing a man's face in earlier. Yet they had another living individual he could've easily tried to dispatch, and somehow he decides to go along with the distraction and avoid the bloodshed itself? Decisions were everything when it came to learning another, and so far Toan determined this man to be a bit of a enigma already. Yet further time spent sneaking in would help clear this uncertainty in him, as the thief planned to observe his companion very closely once they were inside.

"Alright." He agreed with another rock grasped and his arm raised into an arch, he spent a several Bits on his aim until he felt pretty sure he'd hit his mark. With a lean into his back and a further pull before his throw Toan launched the rock a little higher this time around, the stone itself already lost within the dark of night as it soared above the two men. Sure enough his aim proved fruitful as their patrol guard seemed caught surprise by another noise, the distraction just enough to drag him further away from their area as the torchlight grew smaller in the distance. "Looks like that did it, guess you can thank me later." He jested as he rose to a stand next to his partner in crime, though he still remained slouched in the event he needed to fall into a crouch.

"Right then, shall we?" He implored with a soft jog for the back doors where the kitchen would be, once arrived he would look at the bird-man and grin. The door knob seemed to turn in his hand when he twisted the knob, and like some magic show he'd planned all along; Toan cracked the door open with a little "Awe" noise softly made. "What'ya know, the door is unlocked!" He mused as they both entered the kitchen area within, once they were inside he closed the door and turned to look among the counter tops near the hearth. "Now let's see where they left it... Aha!"

Quite eagerly Toan picked up a ceramic jug with a cork on it, both hands securely held it as he approached Noth with it. "It's here! Looks like they pulled through!" With a mischievous smirk on his face Toan looked from his jug, obviously his new toy, to the feathered man with a glint in his eye. Whether the brigand shown confusion or interest at all, Toan would pop the cork off and waft the aroma from inside for a smell. "You know what this is my friend? This is an invitation for fun and chaos, much different from the work you and I do." He spoke almost poetically as he carried the jug, as the smell of buttery oil permeated the air near Noth.

"See this isn't just a prank or a means to wreak havoc, this is justifying a petty lord's actions for those that work for him. You'll see... or rather hear about it later at least." He murmured as he reached the door that would take them further into the mansion. "Why don't you lead, I got us in after all."

[Noth]

The man seemed content to continue jesting around his warnings and threats. That was curious behavior, albeit he didn’t believe it was the first time that he had ever encountered responses like that to his terrible presence. Admittedly, most persons would be stricken with such fear at just the sight of him that it might cause them to behave differently, but somehow the hybrid believed that the thief before him was simply continuing as always. The idea that he was not afraid at all never occurred to the twilight hybrid, because it was simply a ridiculous notion; he had long since grown aware of the effect he had upon others, and it would take a soul of intense discipline to resist him properly. Nevertheless, he did begin to hypothesize that perhaps the thief dealt with fear by interjecting humor into a situation in an attempt to stave off whatever had frightened him in the first place. Could it be then that he was always afraid of something or another? Possibly, concluded the Avriel before continuing on the quest at hand.

The thief did seem to rely rather heavily on him to make decisions throughout their escapades. Was that because he was deferring to him to avoid any threat he might pose, or was it simply a matter of respect? He had already concluded that the thief was fairly talented in his work, because he had been quite logical and effective earlier throughout the presumed heist, and so it didn’t make sense to him that he would simply be listening because of genuine uncertainty. Nevertheless, the thief acquiesced to his decision, and went about the act of tossing another rock to distract the guard further. The Avriel had already dispatched one guard, and whilst he knew that he was more than capable of martially defeating another, he also recognized that it was far louder to fight someone than it was to simply distract them to another area whilst one passed by unnoticed.

The trick was far more successful in its application this time through, and the guard was promptly distracted by the potential threat lurking in the bushes. It seemed quite ridiculous to the hybrid that someone would be so preoccupied with a gentle noise in a bush, especially given the presence of birds and squirrels and other small woodland creatures which roamed the area. Nevertheless, the end result was all the same, and the pair were able to creep by the predisposed guardsman. Eventually, they reached the door which led into the kitchen of the home, and the thief displayed to him that the door had been left unlocked; potentially by an unseen agent on the inside. The Avriel entered, and the door was shut behind him. The kitchen seemed rather unremarkable in truth, but he didn’t fool himself into thinking that it wasn’t the room of a wealthy family; the bronze instruments, the tin glasses, and the silverware composed of its namesake were more than enough to indicate that the place was under the hand of a wealthy patron.

The thief promptly searched the room, coming to a stop near a jug which he quickly snagged from its place. He removed the cork from it, and began to waft it around. The odor was distinct, but he couldn’t quite remember what it was from, though he did observe the entire process with an analytical and generally curious eye. It seemed strange that the item he was intending to steal would be so close to the door, but he supposed that it was possible. That hypothesis was shattered when the thief began to spoke of causing ‘fun and chaos’ far different from their usual work. He had little interest in doing anything besides his work, but he supposed it wouldn’t hurt him to observe the thief to see what he was planning.

He gave a nod in acceptance of the offer to lead, and promptly pushed open the nearest door, talons gently raking across the ground as he moved through the home. He heard the genteel footsteps of souls hither and thither throughout the mansion, but they seemed to typically be based above them as opposed to around them. Eventually, he came to a large room which was evidently the entrance of the building. He heard the harsher footsteps of weighty guards patrolling the lower levels. In the midst of the large room lay a large stairway which twisted inwards upon itself and led to the next floor.

“Guards near. Wait for them to pass, and then go for the stairs.” He whispered as the footfalls of the guards began to approach once more. They very nearly passed, but as they neared the end of their patrol, one of them turned and stared almost directly towards the pair of hidden intruders.

Had they been spotted?

[Toan]

Now that Toan had the tool he needed to finish the job the only that remained was to use it, and make sure he applied its use well so Mrs. Milton would never suspect. Traps weren't always his best thing but Toan had always loved a good practical joke, and considering the stakes of this claim he thought it absolutely worth it.

He followed the feathered fiend into the next hall as they walked down into a larger room, the sounds of footsteps throughout the manner nearly unsettling to behold. This many guards in one place? Obviously there was something more at large here, what with the bird man wanting to meet for a sudden appointment. As they moved the thug warned of guards and for them to hold, the jug held close to his side as Toan pushed up against the wall. He had hoped that the two would move on, but from the looks of it one of them thought to notice something.

Shit.

"This isn't good..." He quietly muttered to his feathered companion. What were they to do? Toan looked past him from where they came, and noticed a door conveniently left cracked open. "Hey," He muttered once more with his spare hand used to nudge the thug's shoulder, "open door behind us we can use to hide behind." A solid idea but one that could've also backfired, since they hadn't the faintest clue as to who could be inside there. It was either that or get caught out in the open though.

Whether or not his partner in crime would follow or not, Toan ducked back to semi-quietly sneak his way to the door. He then sidled at the doorway to check inside, quick to notice that a single candle seemed to burn at a desk near the window. Someone was in there alright, doing a little bit of light reading in the comfort of their manor.

A young sport that was likely an heir to the owner or something, not that it really mattered to Toan at the moment honestly. His target was the madame naturally, since she was the one in the wrong. The thief tip toed his way inside and bent to rest the jug on the floor next to the doorway, so that both arms were free as he crept closer towards the chair the individual sat in. He raised both arms up when he drew closer and froze as the young man seemed to notice something, a flicker of the candle flame must've caught his attention perhaps.

Toan looked from it to the window to see that he looked towards that actually, the reflection of both him and the looming thief visible thanks to the light. Shit! The spooked man opened his mouth to either speak or shout, but Toan wouldn't risk his job being compromised by this idiot. Quickly he swooped his arms down to embrace the man's neck tightly, the crevice of his arms used to press the man's chin hard as the thief squeezed.

He started to struggle immediately now that he was caught, and Toan hoped his desperate movements wouldn't generate too much noise in the process. They were already close to being discovered after all, it would be absolutely terrible if they were caught and cornered like the rats they were. Well... Toan was considerably the rat, the birdman had to be something like.... a bird.

It was the best he could come up with right now, since Toan was in the process of strangling a man. The desperate flails continued but the motions were less fluid, already the lack of air seemed to affect his consciousness. Finally the damned individual stopped moving in his chair, and Toan released him from his grip. Was he dead? Probably not. If he was then Toan wasn't really worried about it, people died every day and there were worse ways to go. For all the others here would know, this poor chap could've just died from boredom well enough.

Toan looked over his shoulder to see if Noth did in fact follow, and that if their cover seemed at risk of being blown.