Dragon Codex: Knight of Chaos

Everscent spins around and finds a dark figure leaning against the doorframe leading to the room she's in. He's dressed in all black, and she can't see anything to identify him since a mask and hood similar to hers hides everything but his dark eyes.

Is he here to steal it too? Has word already gotten out about it being transferred here already? That's so annoying…

Ding

[Profile blocked from viewing.]

Everescent's eyebrows furrow as she averts her eyes from her system screen to her new guest. How strong does he have to be to do that? A+ strong or higher. A lower grade wouldn't have been able to get past the Honeycomb Barrier. Everscent narrows her eyes. If he truly is that strong, can he see her profile window? He isn't giving anything away that he does.

"Wha–" Her voice cracks, and she cuts herself off to clear her throat. Dang it. "Me? What about you?" She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks her hip to the right.

The guy doesn't respond at first, then he hums. He gazes up at something behind her and taps a finger against the fabric of his pants. Then he pushes himself off of the doorframe, and with his hands shoved into his pockets, steps closer.

"I asked you first," he shrugs.

Déjà vu hits her, and she tilts her head. Why does he seem so familiar? "I got curious." She glares at him. She takes him in from head to toe. "I wanted to see it."

"Seeing doesn't require touching, now does it, little thief?"

She can hear smugness in his tone. Ever's hands curl into fists. Who the hell is this guy? "It's your turn," she snaps, nodding at him. "Why are you here?"

"Just," he pauses, and reaches up to scratch the top of his head and then sighs, "doing some old man a favor."

Old man? Her eyebrows furrow. "What–"

He cuts her off. Suddenly, he's inches away from her, his eyes squinting as he smiles wide from beneath his mask. His eyelashes are so long. "You talk too much." He murmurs softly.

He slams a fist into her gut, and she goes flying across the room. The breath is knocked out of her, and gasps as she struggles to her feet. Did he just sucker punch her? One hand clutches her abdomen as she stands up straight and glares at the bastard. His hands grip the glass, but before he can lift it, she pulls out a dagger from a sheath strapped to her thigh, and throws it. It flies through the air, the tip inches away from driving into his forearm when he snatches the handle with quick reflexes.

"You recovered quickly." He chuckles, but Everscent isn't listening. She isn't leaving without that S-ranked item. She slips into the shadows, and vanishes from sight. The man tuts beneath his breath and scans the room.

"You're hiding now?" he mocks.

Everscent clenches her jaw to contain her irritation. He's acting as if everything is a joke. Either he's really got the power to act nonchalant, or he's egotistical. Everscent is convinced it's the latter. Darkness swirls into the palm of her hand as she watches him through the shadows. He turns to the glass, his fingers grazing the surface, when she throws the dark sphere. Darkness collides with glass and it shatters, shards flying everywhere.

The guy raises his arm to shield his face, and she makes her move. Ever is out of the darkness that hid her, her hands wrapping around both sheathed daggers. She steps back into her dark safety net so quickly, she has to crouch down to stop the wave of dizziness that hits.

When he lowers his arm, the S-ranked weapon is gone.

"Oh, okay. I know what you are now." He smirks, "You're a dark user, right? Chaos blessed after a Chaos blessed item. Makes sense." He chuckles.

Why is he so freaking casual?! He's talking as if guards won't just stumble upon him in a place he isn't supposed to be.

"Unfortunately, for you," he trails off, "Leanou blessed me."

Everscent gasps, her eyes widen, and then there's a beam of light. The shadows recede, and she is thrown out of their cold clutches, standing in the room with him once more.

"Fuck." She mutters, hands tightening around the S-ranked daggers.

"How about you be a good girl and hand the daggers over, hm?" The smugness in his voice is thick as he holds out a black-gloved hand and curls his fingers in a 'give me' motion.

Everscent scoffs. Who gave him the audacity to demand something that isn't his? Sure, the blessed item wasn't hers, but it is now. And she's definitely not going to just hand it over.

'Shameless is what he is,' her mother would say if she had witnessed this. 'Much like your father was at that age.' She lightly shakes her head and focuses on the present. She glances over his shoulder to the single door–the only way out.

"So annoying." Everscent mumbles under her breath. She was so close to snatching it without any trouble. She can see this situation playing out in a few ways. She fights him for the daggers, drawing attention to them from the guards, and they both get caught. Two, she gives up now, with no prize and no consequences. That doesn't sound appealing to her.

Or three. . .