Show Some Skin | Ivy & Ryley
Chaotic nonsense bombarded sensitive ears, as a groan slipped past chapped lips. Clenching the fleshy skin together in a thinly veiled annoyance, as a rough hand ran through greasy hair. For each step he took, he could count the number of conversations lingering around the damnable city, and the countless calls of merchants who had nothing better to do with their time other then test his rather limited patience. And for each merchant that shrieked their memorized sales pitch, some snot-nosed brat started screaming at his parents that he wanted whatever fake deal they were scheming. Making it increasingly difficult to resist the all too tempting urge to slug the nearest person in the face just to let out some of the boiling rage forming in the pit of his stomach.
This was why he hated human cities. They were always noisy, needlessly so, and always loud. Not to mention just the sheer number of people made getting around in the compact dirt roads difficult, and navigating the awkward places of shacks and stores didn’t make matters any easier. Neither did the carts filled to the brink with supplies, and poorly behaved horses. Even the sound of shoes scrapping along the worn path was enough to make his ears ring. His list of complaints was nearly endless, and each time he entered the city he found it growing.
But a job was a job, and this happened to be the place he was stuck meeting the rest of the party that he would be joining. Evidently his employer was rich, and had hired every mercenary he could his grimy hands, and Ryley just so happened to be one of them, and this man had just so happened to place him in charge of the little band he had gotten together. Yet, money was money, and he wasn’t one to back down from a Demon hunt. The thought of which made a wicked grin over those clenched lips. What a perfect way to test his strength, and possibly pay back the bastard that bested him. Sure, it was centuries ago, but hey, a God never forgets. And most certainly not one like Ryley. Not when he could almost taste the sweet stench of revenge wafting through the air.
Shoving the thoughts out of his mind, he straightened out his hunched back, and tightened his grip around the shaft of his spear, as he slipped through a crowd of citizens. He could feel his skin crawling in anticipation, as he neared the location where he was supposed to be meeting the group he would be leading. He briefly wondered what type of people would be brave enough to willingly go Demon hunting in one of the most dangerous places in the world. Admittedly, they were either greedy, brave, stupid, they held a grudge, or they happened to be all of the above. Either way, he wanted nothing more than to bring back a corpse from one of those wretched creatures that had ruined the lives of his brethren.
He could begin to make out the small group. Just a typical group of hardheads, and sob stories he had heard at least a dozen times before. How disappointing, but he did his best to keep his opinion to himself, as he approached the group. “Hey, the name’s Ryley. The one Vincent put in charge,” He spoke firmly while still heading over to them. If he was being honest, he doubted they would run into Demons, and if they did, lacked faith in their ability to kill one, but he should at least try to keep his mood pleasant.
“So, ya’ ready to go hunting, boys? Or are ya’ gonna chicken out on me?” A small cough sounded from the group, and Ryley was quick to whirl his gaze around to the short man who had grabbed his attention. “What ya’ got a problem?”
“Uh, well, there’s a girl.” Ryley’s face drained of whatever color it had, as the man pointed towards a tiny, probably the smallest human being he had ever seen before in his life, woman. “What?” He breathed for a moment, before tugging on the hem of his shirt and trying to compose himself. “So there is.” Great. A girl. Just what he needed. He didn’t recall agreeing to babysitting. But, he supposed this made things more interesting. “
He took a step towards the small girl, reaching out a calloused hand to cup her chin within his palm. “Better keep up girlie, or we’ll have to leave ya’ behind, got me?”
