Personally, Aegin had thought his entrance was pretty good. He'd clearly struck terror into the hearts of Sevis and Tigin…or at least enough for them to draw blades. It was perhaps not the run-for-the-hills variety, but Sevis in particular was a tough nut to crack. If they all got out of this, which they would, he'd surely make it a life goal. Of course, right now, grand entrances were not going to play in his favour, especially when he had to clear a path in less than an hour. A feat that would be much harder if he was fighting Yashi.

Thankfully, after Aegin drained the first four guards he'd come into contact with – no time to be picky – the shadows were more responsive.

It took a couple of tries, luckily his failures allowed him to trial the allure instead. An ability that he found he had without a doubt failed to use in this first attempt just after being turned. The allure was also far more complex than he imagined. It required eye contact first and foremost, which wasn't much of a problem once Aegin had established it as the ability forced his target to keep eye contact like a moth to a flame.

Following the initial contact, Aegin had two choices, either he could forcefully push an order or thought upon them, supported if he uttered the words himself, or he could erase a memory. Both however, required Aegin to actually take a step into the individual's brain, and that was not an easy task. The first time he'd tried, the experience had been so jarring that Aegin had snapped his eyes shut to break the connection. Poor guy didn't even have the time to get past his confusion before Aegin's claws sunk into his throat.

The second time was mildly more successful, Aegin managed to withstand the onslaught on information, but it took him several wasted minutes to figure out what was next. Even worse, every mind he stepped into was different, so it was almost like learning all over again every time.

After the tenth time, Aegin seemed to get a handle on it. He discovered that the initial onslaught of information was actually the most helpful part of the entire process if he learned to read through some of the information. It would tell him not only the memories he sought, but also what to say or do that would meet with the least resistance. Because there was resistance from his targets. The more power he pushed at them, the more likely they were to comply, but that just made him hungry.

Twenty times practicing his allure, and Aegin needed to drain a few more bodies.

Shadow Magic was helpful in his stealth, but because of what he knew about chaos, about how it was a spiritual force and not an elemental one, Aegin found it hard to connect with them as shadows. The best he could manage during the time before the sun rose, was to cloak himself in an existing shadow. Not overly helpful to a fight that was no doubt going to occur during the day.

Still, his wings were pretty cool, even if he couldn't use them at the moment for the sake of his stealth. Wings probably wouldn��t help him in his fight with Yashi though. Especially against a wind that could likely cut through them. That was sure to be more of a hindrance than a help.

Aegin took another mouthful from the groaning Tribesman he'd caught unawares on his patrol. He held the blood in his mouth, dropping the body on the ground before he spat the blood out onto his hand. Now coated in the stuff, he dragged his hand across the sandstone wall at the edge of the alley, before painting an arrow head on the end of it. He stepped back to admire his artwork with a smile.

The Tribesman at his feet groaned again.

"I know I'm not an artist, mate, but I think the path is pretty clear now," Aegin sighed, "Now, I feel it's really unfair to leave you like this, so think of it as your bad luck. Your boss has got my friend, and I may be holding a bit of a grudge against that Djinn he's holding in his back pocket. So, sorry, but you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Aegin finished his meal, then headed north to the other side of the city as dawn rapidly started to break in the East.

***

In the hour that he made them wait, Rima would have appreciated it if Gryffyn had bothered to dress properly. But it seemed that even during urgent matters, the Chieftain of Black Sands was far more concerned about the speed at which he could be naked than the threat to his life. Judging by the hurried mumbling and pacing that Yashi had been doing, and the added glare he now didn't even bother to hide, the Djinn was also less than impressed.

"This better be good, Yashi," Gryffyn huffed.

"The Vampire came into the city last night, Master," said Yashi, "He escaped".

Gryffyn glanced at Rima, "He clearly did not succeed, thought I am still disappointed in your lack of ability".

Yashi's glare did not diminish, "He was not after Rima, he was after you, Master. Or rather, something close to you".

Gryffyn frowned, then his fingers crept up to the medallion around his neck.

"If he is still a threat, he should be eliminated," said Gryffyn, "Why didn't you take care of him?"

Yashi sighed, "He will surely be back, Master-"

"Why didn't you take care of him, Yashi?"

Yashi gritted his teeth before he spoke, "He caught me by surprise-"

Gryffyn chuckled. Yashi did not share his amusement. Gryffyn's chuckle died, "I told you to take care of uninvited visitors. The Vampire is not welcome here. Do as you have been told, Djinn".

Yashi opened his mouth to protest, then he paused, and looked towards the north, out of the window of the room they were meeting in.

"What is it?" asked Gryffyn.

A slow smile appeared on Yashi's face, "Very well, Master, I will go to take care of the Vampire. I advise you to stay here with the Little Blue Princess, it could get messy".

Rima's eyes widened as she too looked north. At first, she saw nothing, but then she noticed something out of the ordinary, the smoke, dark, thick and rising quickly. A fire had started in the dawn light.

Yashi took three long strides to the windows, then flicked his hand and smashed the glass before he dove out into the air.