Culling Out the Rotten, Prologue

A refreshing summer breeze caressed the grass-blades of the Vahlaasi plains. It was a bright evening, the sun was shining still, its warm embrace filling the world with kindness and love. The serenity of this place could bring the fiercest warrior to the ground, felled not by blades slashing marrow and flesh, but by a sense of inner peace and happiness filling their soul. Truly, under the reds and purples and oranges of the approaching dusk, one can only stop for a moment, frozen in place, and admire what can only be described as "beauty". At least, that's what Shandias felt, spending his free day under the shade of a lone tree, quite a few hours away from the Throne City of Vahlaasas. It had been ages since the last time the halfling had so much time to spare... Ever since the last Peace treaty had expired, the tension was so palpable he could almost carve it with a knife. From harsher training exercises to random inspections, the entire garrison of the city felt the approach of something bad.

Shandias took a deep long breath in and out, contracting and relaxing his muscles, a simple exercise he learned from his old master, a brilliant Commander, a formidable fighter and, most important of all, a hand in the dark for a young boy left to rot and die on the streets of the Throne City. Doing this calming routine, it was as if he could bring a piece of the old man close to him. The boy stared at the pastel sky through the tree leaves, letting himself loose. Allowing the slight pain of loneliness linger for just a little while longer...

"...heyyyy Master where are youuuu the Commander requested for youuu you have to come right NOOOW unless you want the Commander to murder and kill and destroy youuu..." ... And the moment was quick to pass. Shandias could hear a strident voice making its way to his spot, alongside the head responsible for the yells that woke him up from his daydream, and the body responsible for carrying said head right where he was relaxing. The man groaned, cursing the day he met that stupid and annoying piece of halpurgian dung that was slowly approaching. Her very presence was enough to disrupt his train of thoughts, her mouth utterly ruin- "...we have to LEAVE NOW Master I know how quick you can move but still that is no reason for you to disappear like that in the middle of- OH HEY MASTERR!! I FOUND YOU MASTER HELLOO!!"

He cursed himself for choosing to have an attendant; he knew his anger for her would subside eventually - she was, after all, a very capable girl and he was happy to have someone skilled under his command. Still, her impertinence had to be punished. "Yes Kipsu, you have found meee, hahaa~" Shandias laughed softly, laying on the grass for one more fraction of a second before teleporting behind her and smacking her head. "IDIOT! I told you to stop yelling and to just SIGNAL if I am needed! Fates, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I weren't there to keep you in line." "Well you do have to be there to keep me in line, Master Shandias!" the girl called Kipsu exclaimed, ignoring the disciplinary action of her superior. "Now, we should quickly go and report to Commander Roxalia, or she will, uhhh..." Shandias sighed. "... She will rip both our heads apart and tie our tongues together and throw us like a makeshift bolas?" The girl shook her head. "No, no, that was last week. At least I think so." The man groaned loudly, then began doing some light stretches, preparing himself for a lightning-speed run back to the city. "Well, no matter. Kipsu, hold on to my back real tight. We'll be at the front door before you can finish your next sentence." Not waiting for her to react, he grabbed her arms and pulled her body on his back, making sure she was hanging tight behind him. "Wait, are you gonna use your secret techniIIIIIIII-" In a flash, the two vanished, moving faster than the eye can see, running like a blur across the streets, stopping only when they reached the Headquarters.

"What do you MEAN you haven't caught that fugitive?! Do you have NOTHING in that head of yours, sergeant??... I don't want to hear ONE WORD FROM YOU. You will go back, sergeant, and you will find that scum and bring them to justice. NOW LEAVE!!" A very shaky guard opened the door, excusing himself before sprinting down the hallway, passing Shandis and Kipsu without even noticing them. "She's in a pretty good mood, huh," the young Master of Combat thought. "Too bad those poor guys keep getting caught in the crossfire." Kipsu let out a giggle. "You're feeling bad for the guy, Master?" she teased Shandis, her eyes gleaming. "You surely thought 'boo hoo, that poor guard is an innocent victim,' didn't you? You did, you surely did!" Shandis just let out a small smile and patting her on the head. "Good job Kipsu, you are as sharp as aaaaalways~," he said, rolling his eyes. "Let's go. We shouldn't make Miss Commander herself wait any longer."

Commander Roxalia Qualiz was physically fuming as the two entered her chamber. Red glints and traces danced over her flawless tanned skin, forming at times what appeared to be runic patterns, from time to time materializing into tiny flames, letting both her mana and her anger dissipate slowly. She kept her long hair from falling over her face with both her hands, circling the rug in the middle of the room with a manic expression in her eyes, the clack-clack-clack-clack of her shoes echoing in the otherwise silent room. Roxalia stopped as Shandis entered, his attendant sneaking in quietly, looking not to incur the Commander's wrath. A stark contrast, Shandis was as relaxed as ever, not even acknowledging the palpable tension. "Shandis." The name fell from Roxalia's mouth, sharp with the promise of an explosion. Kipsu squeaked behind the man.

The Master inhaled and exhaled... and then he opened his mouth.

"What's going, you little vixen?~" he began, winking at his superior, pressing his lips as if he was smooching the air. The Commander felt her own tension rise and rise, until... she simply froze, unable to fully comprehend the situation, or maybe just having a very hard time deciding how to torture Shandis to death. "Seriously though, you shouldn't be so harsh with those under you, you know? We are looking around for an enemy spy, not a common thief - they're an Exalted, too. You should cut us some slack-" Roxalia grabbed him by the coat and stared into his eyes. "Give me one, one, only one little reason to not MURDER YOU ON THE SPOT!" she yelled in his face, almost spitting as she talked. "Well, how's this for a reason: it's illegal," he said, blinking from her grasp and back into reality behind her. "Also, you couldn't. Also also, please act kinder in front of my trainee."

Roxalia growled, regaining her composure. "I'm terribly sorry, Kipsu. You know how hard to handle your Master can be at times... At all times, really." Turning back to the man, she continued: "I have no idea how you can afford to sit idly and do nothing during such times. I don't even want to see you, but unfortunately... ahem, unfortunately, the King's Guard asks you for assistance." Shandis dropped the smiling and carefree attitude, doing a complete turnaround in a split second. He looked around the room, scanning for something that may or may not be there. "Is it safe?... Can you?..." he began before being handed a sigiled paper from the Commander. "You really are the same, aren't you, Shan. Open this, read it and burn it afterwards. You're dismissed from duty until you complete... what you have to complete." The Master lowered his head slightly, then turned towards the door, gesturing to Kipsu to follow him. "Oh, and maybe you should drop that act from now on. It doesn't help you, and it doesn't suit you either. And I might just cut you in half next time. Keep that in mind." Shandis looked at his Commander with seriousness for a moment, quickly covering it with his usual carefree demeanor. "Why, Commander Roxy? Afraid you will fall in love with- eek!" He quickly closed the door, just in time for a perfectly aimed book to miss his forehead. As he and his attendant left, he could hear colorful words coming from the office, aimed most probably at him.

"So... what was that all about, Master? Is the Commander your ex-girlfriend or something?..." asked Kipsu. "... Wait... she is???? No way!! You have to tell me all about-" Shandis palmed her mouth, forcing her to stop asking all those questions. She started licking and biting and spitting into his hand as a retort. "Bleh. Stop doing that. And anyway, that is none. Of. Your. Business." The Master shook his hand in an attempt to get rid of the saliva. "Besides. We have more pressing matters for now." He felt the corners of his mouth curl up as he thought about what the order could be. An order from the King's Guard... A job they cannot, and should not, be associated with. It was about to get really fun. "Come, Kipsu. We have work to do."