Siirja

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Siirja
Player: @twylite
Origin:	'
Archetype:	Stalker
Threat Level:	50
Personal Data
Real Name:	'
Known Aliases:	'
Species:	Human
Age:	25
Height:	5'5"
Weight:	130
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Black
Biographical Data
Nationality:	Turkish
Occupation:	Business manager
Place of Birth:	Turkey
Base of Operations:	'
Marital Status:	single
Known Relatives:	'
Known Powers
'
Known Abilities
'
Equipment
'
'

She leaned on the fence, peering down the dark alleyway. Her dufflebag lay nearby, against the wall.

"Acar..." she whispered into the dark. "Acar, where ARE you?" But there was still no answer.

She checked her phone. Still no call.

She punched his number in and listened as it went right to voice mail. In frustration she snapped the phone shut. She'd already left four messages, one more wouldn't help.

She looked out into the dark again, then nervously returned to pacing by the fence where he had promised to meet her.

When the dawn came, she was still waiting.

* * Two Years Later * *

The distinguished looking gentleman sat staring at a computer screen that looked entirely out of place on the opulent, antique mahogany desk. He ran a hand through thick black hair, streaked with grey and jotted a few notes on a notepad. Behind him the window was open and the scent of lemon trees blooming in the orchard behind the house mingled with the spicy aromas from the kitchen. He was a handsome man, broad at the shoulder and more fit than most men half his age.

Siirja stood quietly, waiting for her father to acknowledge her.

Finally he looked up. "Ah, Siirja, You wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes, Father," she said. "I have come to ask a favor."

His thick brows moved upward in surprise. "All right," he said.

She took a deep breath.

"I wish to go to America, to oversee our family holdings there."

He rocked back, his thickly padded desk chair creaked as it rolled over the parquet wood floors. "You.. what?"

"I want to go to America," she said. "You have been talking about how hard it is to find an honest person to keep watch over the family's holdings since Nazim..."

Her father turned his head.

"Oh Father,I'm sorry," she said, "but he's been gone for over two years. In that time you have not found an honest man to take his place. They steal from us left and right. So, I beg you, for the good of the family, let me go there. I will make sure it is taken care of properly."

Siirja stood, balancing on her toes, controlling her breathing as her sword master had taught her. Her father was silent a long time, then slowly he turned and looked out the window.

"I have sent my best men to find what happened to your brother," said her father, his tone low and dangerous. "They all came back empty handed."

"They all came back," she said, "all but Acar."

Her father waved a hand dismissively. "Yes and good riddance." He turned to straighten a stack of papers on his desk. "He was a low born son of a field worker. It was only out of pity I gave him a spot on the security detail, and that is how he repayed me."

She balled her fists in contained fury. "But he was one of your best, you said so! You made him one of your body guards!"

"Yes and let that be a lesson to you. Breeding always shows, and it did for him. He showed his true colors when he sneaked off in the middle of the night. He was an ungrateful coward. Now," he said and looked directly at her, his gaze so intense she wanted to squirm, "why don't we talk about why you really want to go to America, hm?" He leaned back and steepled his fingers. "I'm aware of your little secret."

A terrifying chill ran over her.

"You have been training with the that Shadow Mage, even though I distinctly forbade it," he said.

She let out the breath she was holding. He still didn't know that she had found the truth about Acar hidden in his desk files.

"Do not deny it. The mage told us everything," he said. "You know you have caused me nothing but trouble. You refuse the suitors I send you, tho they would all make excellent political ties for us. I brought in the finest tutors to teach you languages and music, cooking and singing, all the things that would make a good wife. But no matter how good the teacher, you seemed to lack any talent at all."

He shook his head, "When you asked to learn the sword, I was sure you would cut off your own head, but you didn't. Instead you took to it like you were born to it." He looked off. "Almost as good as your brother," he mused, then turned his attention to her again. "But now Shadow Magic? You know that is why I had to put your mother aside. The family would not tolerate such heresy."

She nodded mutely.

"If your uncles or cousins discover you are a Shadow Mage, I will have no choice but to disown you."

She looked at her feet and concentrated on looking contrite. "I am sorry Father, but it is something I can't help."

He raised a hand. "Your mother said the same thing," he said. "I should have known. You are so like her in many ways, I should have known that you would carry the darkness." He paused and looked at her, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. "But I hoped..." his voice trailed off.

Then as sudden as it came, the moment passed, and with a intense decisiveness, he stood up from his chair. "All right, I will send you to America," he said.

"Thank you.. thank you, Father.. you won't..."

He put up a hand, "Do not thank me yet. There is a condition. You will go to America and you will watch our business, but you will also find what happened to your brother. If he lives, you will bring him home and you may live as you like. But if he is dead you will bring me proof that you have avenged him." He smiled but there was no warmth in his eyes.

Siirja nodded. "Yes Father."

"You have two years," he said. A lemon scented breeze rifled the papers on his desk. "If you have not discovered your brother's fate in that time, I will have you brought back here and we will burn the tainted magic out of you." He nodded, 'And then you will marry whom I choose."

She swallowed hard. She had seen what was left after the "holy men" had tried to burn the magic from the hapless young mages. It took the magic, but it also took their minds.

"I won't disappoint you, Father," she said.

Her father sat back down and turned back to his computer screen. "Very well, I will have the arrangements made. That is all."

Siirja bowed and quickly backed out of the room.

As she shut the door behind her, she ran her fingers over a simple silver chain she wore around her neck. "I will find you, Acar," she whispered. "I will find you,my love."

* * One Year Later * *

The afternoon shadows were lengthening into early evening in Faultline. On a bridge over one of the many waterways a Japanese man dressed in an ornate the red and black jacket and neatly pressed black slacks stood looking over the water. Behind him, from the pools of darkness that were beginning to gather under the arches of the bridge, a single shadow detached itself and began to move silently toward him.

"Hello Siirja," he said when the shadow was about 20 feet from him.

"Good afternoon, Kurono-san" she answered as she let the shadows fall away.

"The first thing you must learn," he said as he continued to look out over the water, "is that you cannot sneak up on me. I know you are there." With one hand he reached up and tapped his nose.

"So I have been told," she answered. "You asked to see me?"

"I did," he said and laid both hands on the railing. They were thick, strong hands laced with the scars one receives from hours of sword work. She flexed her own hands, which bore similar scars. "I have been watching you," he said.

"I am flattered to have attracted the attention of one so respected as you."

"I want to offer you a position within my organization," he continued, ignoring her words.

"Indeed,," she said and then paused. "But, I have to ask, why me?"

He turned his head slightly, watching her from the corner of his eye. "I have attempted to have you followed. My spies were not terribly successful."

She chuckled, "If they had been, I would be ashamed."

"From what little they were able to see and from my research I have found you to be quite good at your work."

She kept her face composed under the heavy hood she had taken to wearing. "I appreciate the compliment. But why would you need me? You yourself are known as one of the finest swordsmen alive. You were Ghost Widow's personal body guard and head of her spy network. Surely my talents do not compare to yours."

"And that is precisely why I need you." He smiled faintly. "The fact that is so commonly known makes it very hard for me to do some of the work I need done. I need someone who is less visible but just as deadly." He slanted a glance at her. "... or even more so."

"I see," she said. "So what does this opportunity pay?"

"Room and board," he answered. "Complete access to my fully-stocked base and all the equipment and supplies you find there." He paused and turned to face her fully. The passion suddenly visible in his eyes surprised. "But more importantly, the opportunity to see the balance maintained. It is that balance which is our only hope of survival."

"Ah, a noble cause," she said and chuckled. "I'm sorry Kurono, but fiery words and noble causes may be enough for a younger, less experienced person, but they do not cover my expenses, even with the supplied room."

The fire in his eyes was instantly replaced by a cold look of disgust. She kept her face calm. She was so close. She couldn't ruin it now.

He regarded her for a moment then nodded. "Always the business. I had heard that about you as well. Very well, room, board and a small stipend to cover your 'expenses', but for that you will make yourself available for assignments promptly, any time I need you."

She schooled her face, she could not appear anxious, not now. "Well, this deal is coming at a good time for me," she admitted. "I seem to be in need of a place where I can be, shall we say, 'out of sight' for a while. I accept your offer."

The Japanese spymaster reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an earbud and a keycard. He held them out to her. "Here is your communicator and your key card. They are personalized to you only. You will wear the communicator at all times when you are on duty. The key card will allow you access into our base and the various chambers within."

She smiled wryly. "Sure of yourself, aren't you?"

"Of course," he said. "I do nothing I am not completely sure of. Please come to the base this evening. We will have your room ready. That is all." With that he turned his attention back to the water.

"Until tonight then." She said then pulled the darkness to her and silently slipped off the bridge.

After she was sure she was out of sight, earshot.. and scent range (she had thought that was how he knew people where around him, he had just confirmed it for her) she pulled the items out of her pocket.

"I did it," she thought. "I'm in."

For the past six months she had been planning, posing and setting this up. She had caught the attention of Kasugano "Fate" Kurono, spymaster, leader of SHINOBI and the man she believed had made a deal with her father to kidnap Acar and deliver him to Arachnos for experimentation in the horrific "Super Soldier" program. She had to know and that meant getting as close to Kasugano as she could.

She nodded to herself. She would find that proof and she would find Acar. And if Kasugano Kurono had anything to do with it, as she suspected, then she would kill the Ghost Widow's Shadow.