Andren had waited patiently atop the roof of a building near the mage's forge, idly biding his time while they talked and prepared. He checks his own supplies as he waits, realizing that perhaps he could use a few more things. He looks to the forge, then argues with himself in his head. He didn't want to miss their departure, but he needed some stuff, most notably food. He had enough gold to last him a lifetime, but was short on edibles. He had no idea how far they had to go to reach Aron.
He looks again at the door to the forge. They seemed to still be busy, so he leaps down and pulls off his mask and hood, quickly blending with the emerging townspeople as the sun rose. He stops by a few vendors, who had just begun hawking their wares. Purchasing some loaves of bread and a few pieces of fruit, he then stops by a small weapons shop, perusing the many blades before purchasing one, etched with foxes that danced about the hilt, ruby eyes gleaming. He then stops at a meat vendor, purchasing some dried rabbit and pork, packing them away in his small pouch.
He checks the position of the sun, which was now nearing the top of the long walls, and easily strolls through the stream of people, heading for the gates. It was about time that the trio would be heading out, and he had his duty to uphold. He reaches sight of the gates in time to see the small woman hugging a girl, who then scampers off with a serious expression on her face. Andren lifts an eyebrow and watches her path through the throng, then turns his attention back to the trio, who were now stepping from the gates.
He wanders after them, still attempting to blend with the people, which was hard, if anyone was actually paying attention. His cloak covered his clothes, which were far too fancy for the normal people, and his boots looked too clean. His features, now unobscured by the mask, were quite handsome, with a strong angular jawline and dark eyes that watched everything. His hair was dark and slightly long, held from his face by a thin silver band. About his neck, he wore a medallion, bearing a large ruby, surrounded by foxes and a scorpion.
Once out of the gates, Andren follows a small group of merchant's guards who were just leaving, then trails behind them quite a ways as they leave the serfdom and wander into the forest. He kept out of sight, but close enough to keep eyes on them. He thought as he walked. He had been doing a lot of that lately it seemed. He thought on the past, and on the future. Of what his life was to be like now, in the employ of this man, Reaper.
His thoughts were cut off at the roar, causing him to run closer, still silent, even on the forest floor. His sword is drawn without thought, but he pulls up as he gets close. Reaper had instructed him to fight from the shadows, and as much as he wanted to run in and protect the woman, who he now knew as Aela, he had his oath to uphold. So he waits, keeping himself hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching and waiting for whatever creature he must kill.
The Vraal leaped into view, and Andren gives a wry snort. "One of those again..", he mutters to himself, drawing out several small daggers, tipped with poison. He had just experienced a recent run-in with one of these creatures, on his way from Halien. Nasty creatures, with a lust for blood and flesh. He sighs and creeps closer, watching the ensuing battle for an opening.
The creature suddenly breaks through the mage's shield, sending him flying. The mage lads in a crumpled heap, and Andren's heart skips a few beats as the Vraal focuses on Aela. She dodges it gracefully, he notes with admiration, before Reaper finally get's it's attention and she scurries back to help the mage. Andren breathes again and takes his opening, while she is distracted with healing the wounded man. Reaper has started throwing fire, but Andren was all for the direct approach.
He darts in, pulling his shortbow out and sending a poison-tipped arrow through it's right eye, then pulls out his blades, which fly from his hands, seeking weak spots under the large lizard's scales. It swings at him with it's large talons, and he dodges, but not fast enough, receiving a wicked gash on his side, which he ignores. His sword slashes a hind leg, bringing it down to it's knees, and he jumps easily to it's back, clinging to it's spikes as he makes his way to it's head. He pulls out his shortsword as he reaches the top of the creature, then drives the blade down between it's eyes, just before it is engulfed in fire. It falls with a screeching, defiant roar, and Andren leaps quickly from it's head to land lightly on the forest floor once again. The creature kicks and thrashes, the poisons already wreaking it's body with convulsions, but Andren leaves it to be finished off by Reaper's fire.
His dark eyes seek out Aela first, sliding over her as she tends to the mage's wounds, oblivious to him. He then nods silently to Reaper before retrieving his many blades from the corpse and slipping once more into the shadows of the forest. He had fulfilled his purpose there, and had managed to not be seen by Aela or the mage. It had all been executed swiftly and precisely, without error. Hopefully Reaper would be pleased, despite the fact that he could have been seen. There would have been no other way. Flinging daggers from a distance didn't get the job done. But he was pleased with his own work, except for the gash that burned his side.
He retreats to a far tree, out of sight and hearing of the others, sitting against it's trunk. He doffs his cloak and pulls his tunic off, bearing his chest. If one were actually there, they could see the many scars that crisscrossed his back, testament to the beatings inflicted on him when he had managed to be caught once. He binds his side tightly with some long strips of cloth he procures from his bag, tying it off and re-donning his tunic and pulling his cloak back on. The wound burned, but he would have to wait until they reached the next village or city to get it properly tended. For now, he cleans and sharpens his blades, then re-sheathes them before picking himself up and padding back towards the trio, ready to follow them further.
