The figure stepped out the shadow looking at Ulrian with a slight grin on his face.
"Took you long enough" he said with a chuckle
"You've been following me the entire day haven't you?" Ulrian said, making sure to keep eye contact with the man.
The man smiled a little, his teeth white as the moon, reflecting the orange light of the lanterns around. He used his right hand to grab his chin as he smiled more
"Yes I have, good show by the way. The old drunk and depressed bar scene, A classic!"
As ulrian was gonna say something the man disappeared into the shadow behind him. Ulrian looked around and was about to walk where he disappeared when the same man appeared from his left in the shadow –ulrian ducked as soon as he saw the man about to punch his face and elbowed the man in the gut. As soon as the hit landed and Ulrian heard a rib crack the figure turned in black mist.
A shadow clone, Ulrian realized.
"Cute trick" ulrian muttered
As soon as he said that a clone appeared behind him, he moved to slow and the clone hit him full force in his stomach. Blood spewed from ulrian's mouth–two more came from his left before he could recover , he kicked one of them in the gut and it disappeared. The other one landed a hit on ulrian's face. Ulrian punched back but this one disappeared before the punch could land and ulrian fell to his knees. He stood up fast, and as he did two more showed up both in sync
Block. Counter. Step back. Slam.
One of the clones caught a kick to the chin and disappeared into mist. The other one tried to tackle ulrian from the back– real weight, Ulrian immediately grabbed its arm around it harder and did a flip and hit him spine first to the cobblestone street. It didn't disappear.
"I've got yo–"
Gone.
Before Ulrian could finish his sentence, he used the shadows in the wall and disappeared.
From the shadows all around ulrian heard the man's voice
"Not that bad for a disappointment - I've seen scarier tho"
Ulrian's jaw was tightening; he was getting more and more annoyed by this. Then all of a sudden in his head he heard that same wretched voice again, this time it seemed more demanding.
"Use me , you could have this finished in just a thought. Why do you regret me, it was your choice. Use it!."
The voice clawing his at his skull, unrelenting, Unforgiving
"I dont need you" ulrian snapped, the words clinging to his tongue like ash to fire.
"I am getting tired of your games!" ulrian yelled.
"You want games? Sure! Here you go big man" proclaimed the man loudly.
As ulrian looks around he sees in every dark corner-shadows-crack- eyes emerging. And then all as suddenly the eyes came out as dark figures lunging themselves at him. Ulrian starts fighting them getting hit on his ribs, stomach, face
The figures dissapeared at the slightest touch. But they hit hard. They're were too many. He couldn't keep up.
"How's this for games, Oh great caster!?" The man mocking Ulrian, who was getting overwhelmed.
Then for a second it seemed as time froze for ulrian he opened his eyes and spoke the words "yorfun". And as he spoke his eyes turned a shade of green and purple. A short current went over his body to his right hand turning into a small dagger pulsing with a purple light with a green accent all around it shining bright– ulrian plunged the dagger to the ground and sent a blast all around turning all the figures into dust.
The shadows for a split second disappeared, the fog cleared from the street- and then ulrian spotted him- still grinning, still standing. They were both a few feet from each other-Ulrian pulled out his hand, sending an invisible force next to his neck tightening it. The man's face slowly turned to purple from the lack of air, his chest tightening him trying to grab what was around his neck to no avail. Ulrian loosened the grip and threw the man to the closest wall. As he made contact with the wall a cracking sound spread through the entire street.
Ulrian brought the dagger-still emissive- next to the man's neck and spoke, breathing heavily from exhaustion.
"Now, let's start again. Why were you following me?"
Ulrian's eyes slowly turn back to normal, he lets go of him and backs off a little, but he still points the dagger towards him.
"You better start talking now" he said, his voice low."Who are you?"
The man still trying to catch his breath, looks at ulrian with a small grin
" The names hamza, local rat and lurker. Professional Nobody" he tilted his head a little. "You're welcome by the way"
Ulrian looked at Hamza with a bitter expression–still grinning at him.
"Why are you following me?" He asked. "What do you want, who sent you?"
Hamza looked at Ulrian, still trying to catch all the breath he lost–but never letting his smug grin drop.
"You're an... extremely interesting man"
Just that, nothing more.
Ulrian kept looking at him–this couldn't be the only reason. No one sane would think they can fight a caster or any other high ranking family and think they could win the exchange. This couldn't just be "curiosity".
" You fight a man you know you can't beat. Just because you were.. curious?"
Hamza laughed loudly at the question and responded
" I didn't fight someone I couldn't beat."
He said dusting off his clothes
"I fought the weakest of the caster bloodline–A man who was struggling with low level shadow forms and getting his ass handed to him."
Ulrian immediately clenched his knuckles.
He really Wanted to break his nose.
He sighed.
"Sure, just so you know i was holding back" he muttered
"Sure you were" hamza smirked
Ulrian thinking of what to do with the man. He couldn't just let him go, if this was indeed all for curiosity–He would come back. Then an unexpected idea came into his head.
" You have your own place right?"
Hamza stared at him with confusion. Why would knowing something like that benefit him?
" Yeah, I got a small place. What's it to you?"
Ulrian suddenly had a smile on his face after a long time.
"It's my first time in greyforn and i need a place to stay. From now on you're gonna be my guide and I'll be staying at your place. Got it."
Hamza looked at him in utter confusion, but then he thought about it for more than a second. This worked out for him.
A grin sliding back onto his face
"A curious arrangement" he said "I sure hope you dont snore"