The lights out on the front of the Opulent Pyre's yard danced, lighting up the sky of the otherwise quaint suburb. A far cry from the dry, barren desert of Senei, the air in the sprawling city of Barksano Landing a mix of car exhaust and salted sea water. The spotlights beamed from the inside of the building, giving shape to the lights that danced within the air. Music boomed through the district, the sound of the bass blasting through the nightclub's walls. No one in spitting distance of the neighborhood would be sleeping well tonight.

No matter the day of the week, the light of the Pyre never dwindled.

Several groups drunkenly scattered the front yard. Some laughing by the fire kept ablaze even through the rain with the help of fire-aspected crystals nestled underneath the fake wood. Others nearby were having teary heart-to-hearts, staring out from the edge of the grass towards the man-made beach. The line to the velvet rope was long, but nearing its mid-point, Kieryn leaned up against the ornate railing that wrapped around the plot of land. Those in front of him had already begun their festivities, flasks in hand as they danced to the sound of the bass from indoors.

He had contemplated going back to his apartment shortly before passing by the club to change into something more relaxed. Not many go to a nightclub in a full tailored suit and tie. Most in his situation would stick out like a sore thumb, but the horns upon the sides of his head did more than enough to draw attention. Those behind him already began puffing their seemingly bottomless cigars of Rockweed. Kieryn waved the smell away, back to the crowd. He hated the scent of the stuff.

As much as he may have wanted to escape from the groups around him, It wasn't much like Kieryn to waltz up to the front of the crowd and flaunt his name, not anymore. The Tetrinos family had all but vanished in the eyes of the public, with only those in the upper echelon of Rhenvale's criminal families even recognizing the name anymore.

Besides, it's not like the bouncer is the head of the Cardinal family. No one knows who that is.

Kieryn turned his head to look over the railing, gazing into the windows of the Pyre. He could see an endless wave of arms in the air, dancing in relative tune to the music that he could vaguely make out.

"Spending your first night of freedom waiting in line, Kieryn?" A familiar voice gestured towards him as he'd turn his head to meet Ava's eye. A far cry from this morning's outfit, Ava seemed ready for a night on the town. A long, deep crimson dress hugged her smaller build, just well enough to showcase the bulge of what was clearly a dagger sheathed underneath at her hip. It was cleverly placed close to the slit that ran up the side of the dress, to be easily drawn at a moment's notice. Both her hands were covered in long, black satin gloves that went to her elbows, but not quite enough to cover and restrict mobility. Her auburn hair was done up with such precision that it wouldn't surprise Kieryn if she spent all day after their meeting perfecting it in the up-do.

Kieryn cleared his throat, meeting the gaze of the woman with a small raise of the eyebrows. "Ava, fancy seeing you here! You look---"

Ava held her hand up, cutting the man off "Save the flattery," she'd say with a reserved, somewhat cocky smile. Kieryn retorted back with a reserved chuckle. "You nearly blew your only chance at getting that license today, I think you've pushed your luck more than enough, 'silver-tongue.'" He hated the nickname, but it stuck like glue. "Oh, come on. You think so lowly of me, Ava. You look good, leave it at that." He rolled his eyes in return, shrugging it off.

"Not as lowly as Mikael might. I swear, what were you thinking? Elijah and I expected a bit more formality out of you, you know."

"Mikael's publically had it out for me longer than anyone I know. Enough people view it as fanatical, I figured the two of you would too. All I was hoping was for him to show his hand."

"Quite the assumption to put your whole future on, wouldn't you think?" Ava cocked her hip to the side, crossing her arms.

Kieryn would simply react with a shrug. Much to Ava's displeasure, as much as the Ashenborn loved to talk, he also knew when to keep his mouth closed.

Ava sighed. She was used to it, by now, even if she didn't want to be. "Come on." She gestured her head just as she grabbed the Ashenborn's gloved hand, his brow raising once more, surprised at the strength of the grip. "What are you doing?" Kieryn asked as she tugged him along.

"Making sure your night isn't wasted." She'd say as she pulled the man to the front of the line. Several irritated eyes among the line gazed at the two as Kieryn fumbled his way behind Ava. They stopped at the front of the line, as the bouncer turned his head away from the next guests in line. Those stuck at the front were groaning, arms flailing over as various whispered insults were thrown.

"Business or pleasure tonight, Officer Fletcher?" The large bouncer spoke deep, looking down at the woman. Ava gestured to her outfit. "Do I look ready for business?"

The bouncer nodded, turning his head to Kieryn. "Who's the lizard?"

"Lizard?" Kieryn scoffed back. The slur became all-too-common over the years, with most Ashenborn living primarily in the east. "Well I'm glad to see the cities attitude towards outsiders remains relatively unchanged."

"A friend," Ava said, cutting off Kieryn. "Now, may we?" Ava tapped her hand lightly against the rope, which the bouncer quickly removed out of their way, for the two to step through into the elegant courtyard.

Fountains adorned the left and right of the walkway, with flashing mystical lights at the bottoms of them, in various shades of purple and blue. To the right, a small hedge maze where young lovers could get lost together, whisking away the night behind the cover of the maze. To the left, a large, stone, artificial fire pit wafting a cologne of fake smoke smell from it, with ample cushioned seating dotted in a circle around. It allowed everyone to relive their early days of campfires without fear of over-drinking and falling in. Further from that, benches littered the edge of the lot, overlooking the rest of the district and the ocean that sat at the end. No evening at the Pyre is complete without half-soberly staring at the sunrise over the Ocean.

"Friend? I didn't think we were very close." Kieryn quipped. 

"Don't get any funny ideas. I just hated to see you wasting your evening out there. I'm surprised you didn't try coercing your way to the front of the line. And you know, from all the stories you've told me about your family, I expected you to be more collected when confronted with words."

"Maybe back in the day, sure. Keeping up appearances hasn't really been my priority outside of you, Mikael, and Elijah. You and I both know there are two sides to that coin, flaunting my last name around like some VIP pass." 

"I suppose you're right. Either way, mocking the bouncer like that is a good way to get you thrown out of the line. Are you here on business, or pleasure?"

"Depends on where the night takes me. I just came for a cocktail."

"Hope you're not expecting the lounge. The bouncer didn't even know who you were."

Kieryn simply shrugged. There was a time where a tall Ashenborn wearing formal attire in a line would give people pause. That time had long passed from the public eye. "Well, if you can keep your cool for a change, perhaps that silver tongue of could get you more than a simple place to sit."

Kieryn raised his hands. "Guilty as charged. What are you here for, then? I'd figure the Azure Whorl would sooner close this place down than partake." He'd give a small smirk, and Ava rolled her eyes purposefully, lights from inside reflecting briefly off her green eyes. "We can't all be on the clock all the time, Kieryn. And remember, you can't officially begin work tonight anyway. Unless you managed to find an employee within the last eight hours."

Ava was right, Kieryn couldn't begin employment until he's filled out the ranks of the Raven. "Officially off, Ava. Promise."

"Good. Now, if you need me, I'm going to manage my way to the bar. Go have fun tonight." Ava would step through the door, leaving it open for Kieryn to slither in through.

The split-second Ava was out of Kieryn's vision, she vanished into the crowd of bodies dancing rhythmically to the high-volume, high-bass club music. The force of the bass was enough for Kieryn to feel it in his heart. The smell of rockweed filled the air, further adding to the smoke generated by the fog machines. The Pyre didn't really check for drugs at the door.

It would be counter-intuitive, given they're ones selling most of them around Lusterre.

Kieryn stood at least a solid foot over most dancers in the club, making it easy for him to navigate. Though he had a rather slender figure, the height he had still imposed enough to have people move out of the way.

It didn't take long for Kieryn to slither his way through dancing bodies to find himself at the bar. It was as long as the building, with people lined up the entire length down. Bartenders danced casually behind the bar, flexing their skills at the trade as they whipped the tumblers up the air as they shook them, seeking to put on enough of a show for any tip the patrons would provide. Just as Kieryn was fixated on one of the tumblers spinning in the air, he heard a voice shout over the music behind the bar. "Gotta be awfully hot in that get-up, Kieryn!" 

Kieryn turned his head to see a taller, tan, and muscular woman nearly meeting his gaze. "Irralath, I didn't know you were still around!" he shouted over the top of the bass.

Irralath clearly confused Kieryn's shouting for enthusiasm "In the flesh! Kind of!" The woman sneered, teeth unnaturally white, glowing from the dark lights in the room. Irralath was one of the few voidfallen who preferred to mingle with the human world, and one of the even fewer capable of taking on a human form. It was more annoying to Kieryn than anything, as when the carcasses Irralath possessed began to overstay their welcome, the voidfallen would show up in an entirely different body, constantly catching Kieryn off guard. This one was that of a Seneien woman, clearly a miner or manual laborer, judging by the muscular stature. She wore an over-exposing long coat, barely able to pass as a flimsy excuse for a shirt over her chest, though Irralath opted to wear baggy, functional pants that to most would be hidden behind the bar. Clearly dressed to gain more tips.

"Saw you come in with a looker, where'd she go!?" The shouting was getting on Kieryn's nerves, but Irralath might be Kieryn's into a quieter seating location. "She was just a friend! We showed up at the same time is all!"

"Isn't that how most of your love stories began anyways?" Irralath teased, causing Kieryn's limbals to flash to a different hue under the dark light, though the color was impossible to determine. "Is your boss around tonight, Irralath!?" Kieryn shrugged off the comment.

"Oh come on, I was teasing!"

"Not about that! I wanted to talk to her, or get somewhere a bit quieter!"

"Shouldn't have come to a nightclub then! Let me go see!" Irralath stepped away, through a door that was behind the bar but not before slapping down the napkin and short cocktail glass in front of Kieryn which she had idly made for him during their conversation.

Kieryn sipped at the drink, as Irralath came back out in short-order, waving Kieryn over. He flipped up the bar's door and slipped behind, grabbing the door as Irralath stepped back out to return to her shift.

The door led into a hallway, dimly lit in the shade of crimson. A few couples were pushed up against the walls of the walkway passionately, Kieryn averted his eyes for fear of seeing more of these individuals than he bargained for.

"Fancy dressed lizard slinking his way to the lounge, eh?" One of the patrons spoke up. Kieryn ignored it, continuing to walk in stride. "Don't see many of you around here."

Kieryn ignored the patron, making his way to the end of the hall. At the end of the hallway was a black door, a cushioned pattern on it to block the noise from the club. Golden writing was inlaid at eye-level of the doorway. Two initals, in opulent cursive writing.

G.L