P.A.L.E. G.A.S.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Rules: 1) The Vices are required to tell their candidates of the existence of Tournament and its rules.

Preparation Period -- Day 1/7

Location: Naigona, Kail -- Eastern District

Harland Nox sprinted around the corner of the building with a sharp "whoop", the threatening shouts of those who were pursuing him echoing off of the walls. As he slipped into a narrow alleyway, the young man slid down the dark, reddish brick until he was seated on the ground, chuckling the entire way.

The shadow of the building hid his form, and he watched, reasonably amused, as the small crowd of Enforcers sprinted past in an attempt to stop the thief.

Har caught his breath, still quite proud of himself, and slipped his old, ratty newsboy cap from his head, leaving his chocolate brown hair to slowly settle itself back down in its rightful place. Parts of it remained still, set in place by the sweat on his forehead and neck. But Har didn't care. Not at this particular moment.

He slipped a small satchel from his trousers, also rather worn and patchy, and carefully caressed the soft velvet before undoing the drawstring that held it closed like a flower before bloom. As he tipped the bag upside down and dumped its contents into his hands, he couldn't help but be entirely enchanted by the small ring of silver in his palm.

Har carefully weighed it in his hand, his brow furrowed as he tried to judge it accurately. It was definitely enough to get his mother out of the hands of that grubby landlord who was constantly breathing down the back of her neck.

The man had demanded money.

Har smirked to himself. Payment would be the last thing on his mind when he saw this. It was true that the silver ring with the jade emerald was worth more than he had demanded from Har, but the sight of it will most likely push the man into accepting the deal regardless. After all, the ring belonged to his wife.

Har pocketed the ring and stood up, leaving the small, velvet sack in a small, murky puddle settled among the cobblestone. He donned his cap and straightened his vest, still just as used and worn as the rest of his clothes, and strode out onto the street.

Skilfully sliding among the crowd, Har kept his head down, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped forwards just enough to make it clear that he wasn't welcoming company, but also not so much as to draw unnecessary attention to himself.

As Har finally reached the end of the street and diverged from the normal crowd onto a separate street lined with tall, thin houses placed almost directly next to each other with just a foot of grass and a fence between them, and as he stopped in front of a house with brick that had once been white, but was now stained with odd growths of black, he failed to notice the figure following him, jumping from shadow to shadow and wearing a grin worthy of a demon.

"Excellent," the Vice murmured to itself. "Payment for his mother. How . . . kind." And with that on the tip of his tongue, Avarice sauntered down the street he had arrived on.

Preparation Period -- Day 3/7

Location: Naigona, Kail -- Central District; The Manor of Lord Morris

"I said not to speak unless spoken to, didn't I?" the fury in the man's face was enough to make her flinch and take a tentative step backwards. "I believe I have just asked for an answer!"

The sound of his hand connecting with her cheek resounded around the impressively furbished room, and the silence that followed seemed to be louder than the slap heard moments before.