Nights like this were something of a refreshing break from the norm, in Enoch's opinion. Rain would often cover what little sound he made during his less noble endeavors, and it would make tracking him difficult, at best. He enjoyed the cool cling of his clothes after being rained on, the water heightened the typically undetected scents of the roads and masonry, and the roads themselves were typically abandoned in favor of drier environments. Perfect for one who preferred to remain anonymous and unnoticed.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, that had not been his experience on this night.<br/><br/>The keen ringing of steel against steel caused him to clench his teeth and grimace as he stared down the man who had produced the noise. A fairly handsome, if not typically unkempt cutthroat stared him down, eyes glinting with dark intent as he dragged a pair of short swords over one another. He had been doing so for a few days now, at every encounter, building up to what he believed would be a dramatic final encounter in the city of Sharn. At first, it had simply been a ringing on the wind, and Enoch wasn't sure if it was simply a trick of his ears, playing with him in the early hours of the morning. Then, he would be given glances of his stalker's reflection. He would see flashes of bright metal out of the corner of his eyes, and he would feel hot breath on his neck as he moved through the odd crowd. And always, the ringing of steel.<br/><br/>To be honest, he was actually relieved that the time for an actual confrontation had finally come. It was the anxiety, more than the actual fight that was sure to follow, that made him uncomfortable.<br/><br/>"I take it you don't want my money." He guessed, doing his best to maintain eye contact as he held his cloak out a few inches to the side, displaying a small pouch that (unbeknownst to the stalker) contained little more than some lint and regret at the gouged prices of most taverns.<br/><br/>"Nay, but I'll be taking what valuables you have after I do what needs to be done." The man replied, surprising Enoch with the softness of his voice. It was almost paternal in nature, comforting and strong. Or, it would have been, had he not been brandishing the tools of his bloody trade.<br/><br/>"Fair enough." He let his cloak fall back into place, taking inventory of his surroundings. He had been stopped near a stall on the Menthis Plateau, in the Upper City, that sold trinkets during the day, as it proved a natural choke point for his stalker, leaving only a few feet of room between the edge of the stall and a sheer drop to the lower city. Behind him lay open street, and beyond the stalker lay some of the livelier night haunts of the local populace. Bars, taverns, gambling dens, the like.<br/><br/>A wooden bridge a bit to his rear had caught Enoch's attention as he passed. His thought upon seeing it had been "<span style="font-style: italic">Well, that looks like an accident waiting to happen.</span>"<br/><br/>Perhaps it would prove useful to him now.<br/><br/>"Before we get down to business, might I ask a few questions of you?" He asked.<br/><br/>"If you must. Far be it from me to deny a man his last request. Especially such a simple one."<br/><br/>"How courteous." Enoch muttered, shaking his head and turning to look out at the Central Plateau across the way. "Why have you been after me?"<br/><br/>"The pay was better than I usually get. Next?"<br/><br/>"Who hired you?"<br/><br/>"Old friends of yours, I'd wager. Seemed like they knew you since you were a lad."<br/><br/>"Mmm. One more thing."<br/><br/>"Well? Go on."<br/><br/>"Does this seem cursed to you?"<br/><br/>With a flourish, Enoch threw his cloak aside, his hand thrust towards the stalker's face, and alight with eldritch green light, matching the color of his eyes (which took on a similar glow). A blast of energy emanated from his hand, catching the stalker by surprise and causing him to reel back and clutch at his face wildly as he howled in pain and anger.<br/><br/>Using the opportunity to flee, Enoch did just that, turning back the way he came and darting across the bridge, before sliding to a stop and turning about to face the man, who had shaken off the initial surprise of the attack and given chase.<br/><br/>"Big mistake, dead man!" The stalker shouted, approaching from the wooden bridge. "No more last words! I'll bring your body back in pieces!"<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">How about a last syllable, then?</span>Enoch thought, his spine tingling and a cold sensation creeping into his gut as his mouth formed around the syllable in question. He took a breath, catching the expression on the man's face shift drastically as he did so, and unleashed his baleful utterance, spitting it towards the ground like a curse.<br/><br/>The air around the pair shuddered, as if in protest to the profanity that Enoch had just rendered unto the world, before a deafening series of sounds went off beneath the stalker's feet. Each of the wooden planks beneath the mans feet shattered simultaneously, opening a few feet of empty air beneath him. He gasped deeply in surprise at the weightless sensation, but Enoch didn't hear him scream until a few seconds later, by which time he lost sight of his form as it fell. A very final sounding<span style="font-style: italic">thud</span>notified him of the success of his trick.<br/><br/>Taking a deep breath, Enoch released a sigh and collapsed against the nearest wall, shaking visibly. He sat there for a few minutes, composing himself, before getting up and continuing on his walk, hoping that a few other people might dissuade any further attempts on his life.<br/><br/>After a bit of walking, he spotted something that looked promising. Beneath a bridge, likely in order to avoid the rain, a congregation of people had gathered.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Interesting...</span>He thought, making his way towards them. He noticed the shortest of them, likely a gnome, produce a few interesting effects. Fairly familiar with the works of bards and street magicians, he thought it might prove to be a decent excuse for an introduction.<br/><br/>Making his way closer, he pulled back his hood, eyes closed as he focused on dimming the brightness of his eyes (always a bit more difficult after a recent use of his eldritch abilities), and tidied his hair a bit, before opening his eyes once again (now safely a darker forest green in color) and regarding the group with a grin.<br/><br/>Once they reached a suitable lull in their conversation, he interjected.<br/><br/>"Do forgive my intrusion, gentlemen, lady, but I must ask something of your companion." He put on his best friendly tone and looked to the smallest of the assembled individuals. "I find you familiar, sir. Were you performing some spectacle near the markets earlier in the day? Or perhaps near one of the more reputable taverns?"