CH 1 - An Invitation

[pringerbeam]

     Before you have a chance to react Lord Blackblade slaps you in the face with a speed and strength that his bountiful flab would never have indicated possible.  The blow is enough to send you reeling.  "You may impune my name, but I will not let you desecrate the title of a dead comrade!"  A fire burns in his eyes.  "Apparently I was wrong about you.  You sir are a coward.  A man is dead and you think NOTHING of what that means beyond the safety of your own hide.  You think this is a game but you are wrong, it's a war.  A war for the very soul of humanity is being waged where cowards like you refuse to go.  If you are going to hide then start running now.  I'm sure you will find solace in whatever cave you choose to wait out your days in."  He took the ring off the trolly.  "I regret giving you this.  Apparently nobility is not a trait you have.  You may go.  I will uphold my end of the bargain and continue to provide you with a reccomendation and stipend.  I am a man of my word.  I will find others to take up the cause."  He turns his back to you.  His hands crossed at his back, he stares out the window.

[Mysticsage]

Jace takes it with gritted teeth turning in the process to face away from his now former employer sobering in the process, "I care not what others think of me I know the quality of my own character. And it is I, and perhaps few others who is uniquely qualified to understand what your friend was forced through, and the possibility  of what his soul must have suffered. I feel that pain most acutely myself. He was not in his mind, and if you find me inflammatory for saying that then take solice in his death because who knows what worse atrocities he may have been apart of that would ruin his name further. And if you don't have the stomach for thinking about that then it shows even more that you have no place crusading for anything." He paused for a moment before moving towards the door and opening it, "I've had my fill of needless death. If my words stop you from throwing yourself on your own rusted sword then I've done your friend the best eulogy I can for the dead do not wish for company. I am in this world those who but there is nothing in your duty that demands you be."

In that moment his rage gone he honestly seemed sad, to him Blackblade looked the former military general now lost in the flow of a new reality. But he could not have continued to work for a man who could not at the very least look at the full picture. In the kitchen if the runner was lost then the rest of the kitchen was doomed. He saw alot of his own future in Holt's actions and if Blackblade could not see the strings being pulled then he would not only have caused his friend infinitely pain but possibly destroyed the whole city. Fear was a useful tool for perspective, and a man who could not both accept and use fear to rally had no place in command. Jace wasn't afraid he was looking at the entire picture before letting his opponents make a better move.

As he walked down the hall he felt relief seeing Carlton he smiled honestly, "Well I hope now that the good knight won't have reason to haunt me. Do me a favor won't you Carlton? Cut off the stipend even I have my honor and he has better ways of spending his money that could help the city then looking after me or hunting in the dark. And apologize for me in a few days for his hurt ego."

[pringerbeam]

     "I have no reason to comply with your request.  You are no longer are a member of this house and I would not make any effort to help someone who kicks a wounded man when he is down.  You think you are the only one who has suffered in this situation but you have no idea what his lordship has expierienced.  He has lost a dear friend and geniunely cared for your welfare but you can't think beyond your own self.  His lordship has fought far more than you could ever imagine.  You think it is a curse to die or to lose yourself. but you have no idea the foes his lordship has fought up to this point, the perils he has faced, the comrades that have died.  He fights a faceless enemy and you have abandoned the fight, and him.  You have run afoul a single foe and it has already broken you.  I will not have your stipend canceled.  I will have it be a reminder of what you have done this morning, a reminder of your cowardice."  Carlson, never breaking his professional expression, opens the front door for you.

[Mysticsage]

"I'm a chef, screaming at the wounded is in our very nature why do think we're considered the lower class. When we fail we get yelled at and expected to rise or crumble." Jace chuckled, "If you see me as a coward like I said in there I know my own character and I could not live with myself if I simply followed orders and tried to do the acceptable thing and tried to console his grief. I watched his friend die blown to pieces who would I be not to attempt to save a man he called friend form similar fates? Besides I warned him well before he hired me that there was a chance I'd bite him. I am not ashamed nor will I turn away from the path I must walk. We are fighting against people here who are playing a game and I'm going to play it with both eyes open and try my best to not lose pieces without going to hell and back..

He sighed it was worthless to attempt to explain, "I'm not going to give up I'm done and if you ever need something don't hesitate to ask. Hopefully the next time we meet its under better circumstances. But I imagine we both need some time." He felt bad in the moment but if he hadn't he would have been not able to look Holt in the face when he was eventually dead himself. He continued out the door with his head held high.

[pringerbeam]

End of chapter 1