Murderous Mindset: Consequences Of Poor Planning

Three months prior to the explosion

Anais sat in the dining room of her manor, posture perfect almost statue like as she brought the fork to her mouth. Taking a bit of blue stake, being careful to not let the juice and blood run down her chin. A small price to pay for the stake she wanted, when around men she was forced to have her meat, what to her was grossly over done. She dabbed at her mouth with the napkin and chuckled to herself slightly.

From the strongest to the weakest all men who enjoyed the company of women were in Anais’ estimation identical, not in looks but behaviour. They would all wilt like flowers in a cold snap when a woman was to show anything seen as manly, or behaviour of the alpha.

Frankly she’d lost count of how many men she’s made vanish into thin air, or rather ashy air. Though details like that weren’t needed. The thing that always made her smile, the rare things that could even produce a real smile, was that not a single one was looked for in any meaningful way. Sure some people from the down would spread out through the woods and look for a few days, but given that the people she targeted were drunks, abusers, general monsters in men’s flesh, all of those. All to say they weren’t the golden example of humanity. And the searches were called off sooner than someone who’d be missed. Drunks wandering off, Lumber workers attacked by an animal or fallen somewhere out of sight and died, men with debts fleeing and leaving their loved ones to deal with it. All with reasons they could vanish. Though she’d slowed her killings, much to her annoyance it was a necessity. Too many people had vanished in the past months eventually someone would get wise and tell someone, even a drinking buddy where they were going. Even if they were sworn to not tell.

“Who Is Next?” she said to herself. “There is the miller’s son…” she thought. “No, no, his family is much too large, they would bother looking for him.” she answered herself, “Oh the cobbler…hmmm.” she half cooed, “But then again…” she said looking at her feet. “I’d have to go to a town over to get my shoes repaired.” Anais let out a breath of exasperation, before she went silent a moment, running down people that could make for targets. Something predatory flashed behind her eyes. “The mine boss’s son.” She said, “He’s always sneaking off there to drink, and the cave has plenty of drop offs where he’d never be found. Some of those holes are so deep they couldn’t check them if they wanted to.” Anais assured herself. Now to lay the trap.

–

Two months before the explosion.

The last victim had been a bust, rather unpredictable the mine boss’s son preferred the company of other men. Though that was a secret. The reason he snuck off to the mines was to meet his secret lover. Who was unsurprisingly the cobbler. And all his bravado in the everyday was a cover up. Surprising even herself she let the man go. Or never captured him in the first place. But he was no longer a target no matter the reason. She would have to start looking for a new victim. Maybe a passer through this time. Lone travellers were much easier to clean up. Plenty of places to disappear for an adventurer. As long as they aren’t that oddly dressed blonde man. If not for her wealth, and body the city guards would have believed him for sure.

–

One month Prior to the explosion

It had taken some time, and a lot of building of trust, but Anais finally had her next victim. A risky one to be sure, however the benefits outweighed the risks by her estimations. Though she knew nothing of the man, besides a few facts she’d pulled in conversation. Firstly he was an adventurer who came to study something they’d found in the mine, or at least thought they had, Secondly he was alone, and most importantly he was a mage, or at the very least a hedge mage. But beggars can’t be choosers. It would be nice to recharge the runes on the coffin. Sure she could do it on her own by just putting a little magic into it each day, but why snack when you can feast.

The man’s name was Keligrin, he didn’t look like much, he was skinny to the point of almost looking emaciated, his robes were over sized for his frame, eyes gaunt, and a puffy of messy brown hair that almost covered his eyes not unlike a sheep dog. A sight to behold and far from her usually strong and confident prey. But he had magic. The only problem was getting the twitchy man to trust her enough to come to her home. Ambushing him in the mine would not do. Even being skin and bones it would be hard to get him from there to her home.

–

One day prior to the explosion.

It had taken far more time than she’d ever expected but a plan had been hatched. Using her channels of influence or at least pretending, though the power was real the use of it was a fabrication. Feigning a desire to help the man, by buying rights to the mine, to allow him free reign for his research, so long as he remained quiet about the plans after that everything went as it usually went. A dinner of food and drink laced with toxins to cause paralysis and unconsciousness, dragging the man down to the cellar and pushing aside the stone casket’s lid. The man started coming to as she slid the lid closed, but rather than just trying to pull himself out as the lid closed he hurled a small ball of fire that crashed into the stone ceiling leaving a scorch mark. Just as the lid shut she couldn’t help but laugh a little. Both at the close call, and the desperation of the attack. “Foolish.” she said, the sound coming to him as a whisper. “I’ll make it slower for that.”

Anais whispered her words of power sending the magic down the metal bands on the stone coffin. “Goodbye.” she said, starting for the stairs, but before she took the first step up she heard a high pitched whine. Sharper than a tea kettle, but in a tone that oscillated, its pitch changing and hitting a note she could only feel in her ears but not hear. She whirled around to see the usually bright red runes glowing a forge hot white, the bands slowly heating to match. “What!?” she stammered in a panic rushing back over. Shouting the words to stop the spell the magic floated down her fingers and fizzled out, like it hit a wall. “No! NO!” she screamed and ran, as the stone box began to chip, flake and crack. She sprinted up the stairs, skipping every other one, through the dining hall, and foyer and burst out the front door, running for the tree line. Safe behind a large oak she turned to see her manor engulfed in a large orb of translucent light, like a soap bubble filled with a tornado of light. It suddenly as it came burst in a massive flash of incandescence, blinding her for a long moment. Leaving after images of the world around her in between blinks. When her senses were back to her enough to process what had just occurred she saw nothing of her manor remained but the stone path to the door, and a massive divot in the ground where it once stood. She ground her teeth, but quickly put on a smile. “Guess I have a reason to move.” she said, happily but her left eye twitched in annoyance.