Just Looking Around

[Albert Wesker]

He was still well out of range when what he was half-expecting and yet fully dreading happened. One of the energy bolts clipped the gryphon, sending a shower of feathers into the air and producing a terrible shriek, more of surprise and anger than actual pain, but all the same the beast wobbled crazily in the air, looking for all the world as if it was about to lose all of its flight strength and come crashing down to earth. And yet, somehow, the injury was either minor enough to not interfere greatly or the beast was powerful enough to control its descent.

Its flight path utterly ruined, and unable to regain its altitude under the threat of being dealt a solid blow, it glided down toward the earth. The pursuer slowed its pace, ceasing the barrage it had kept up, confident it had its prey within easy reach.

A terrible mistake, in hindsight.

In his slowed pace, Kuzan came crashing into him from behind, sending the strange being sprawling horns over elbows onto the grass. Planting himself solidly in between the strange figure and the gryphon, who stoon on indignantly, he tried to catch his breath from the sudden sprint and exertion. Without his full strength, even something as trivial as that was quite a task!

A deep rumble came from within the hood as the downed figure pounded a fist into the grassy earth. "Imbeciles! They underestimated a Prime again!" Slowly drawing up, he planted his feet on the earth, rising up to stand. "I should kill them myself just for sheer uselessness, if they aren't already..." While his face wasn't visible, it was clear he turned his gaze on the interloper in his pursuit. "AND YOU! Why are you even involved in this? What would a Prime have to do with this in first place?"

Kuzan was taken aback by the sudden question, and could only shrug, a blank look on his face. "I was asked to help the young man avoid some pursuers."

A mirthless laugh greeted his lame response. "Is THAT all! He didn't bother to tell you WHY we were after him, I suppose?"

It was true enough. It had bothered him how vague the request was, and how quick the young man had wanted to be off. That this strange man was bringing it up only made him more curious. "Well, then suppose you explain the situation?"

"HA!" There was a rustling of cloth as what looked to be a scroll was pulled from a pouch at his belt. "This is an inventory of what your friend over there has with him. It's very expensive merchandise. Useless individually, or to most people, but the right people could produce some very...interesting effects with certain combinations." The scroll crinkled as his fist closed around it tighter. "It's very illegal in the quantities it was purchased in, especially in the hands of mages."

"That, of course...just makes it more expensive." The scroll was shoved back in its pouch, and the figure lifted an arm to point an accusing finger at the young man still astride the gryphon. "And HE tried to steal the whole lot! Cast some simple spell to blind us and took off!" An exasperated sigh followed his statement. "I'm honestly asahmed it took us so long to catch him as it did. It's so hard to find good help these days, though. Taking nearly half a day to catch an apprentice, for Omni's sake...it's laughable."

"Well, well..." Now he had an understanding of the situation in full. Or, at least, as far as he knew it. "That explains a little more...but..."

"But why would he want it in the first place, right?" A cackle came from the man. "Lots of reasons. Those 'interesting' effects I mentioned are one. Though there are certain other ingredients to be used that can produce more normal effects, of course. Much less illegal substances, but to get a hold of these in particular....well."

"N-No!"

The sharp outburst from behind caused Kuzan to look over his shoulder, to see the young apprentice dashng forward. "There really is a good reason for everything! Even...even the lies, I swear! It..." He hesitated.

"BAH! I don't care what reasons you might have, or what lies you've been spilling!" Flames burst to life around the hands of the man who seemed to be a black market dealer of some sort. "I just want my payment. Now."

"Oh, my..." A difficult situation to be in the middle of, to be sure. On the one hand, both men were technically in the wrong. One was a thief and knowingly transporting illegal goods...the other was selling those goods and apparently willing to kill to get them back or get his payment. Neither side was going to be particularly good to stand with in this situation...