Over the years, she's had quite a few names, though she is Lucidity Dalton. One of the world's foremost bounty hunters. The last of a secret breed. They said elves never existed, but she knows better. However, at over six feet in height, there are few that would argue with her truth, if she stated it as such. A member of an elite team, they were sent to assassinate a prominent official in a land far from home. Based inside a centuries' old castle, guarded by well trained, and well armed sentries, they all knew when they signed on that their lives were on the line. The only one that had no fear from the imminent death was Luci. If she had a fear, it was so well buried within her past, that it would take another hundred years just to uncover it. When they entered the sewers to sneak into this fortress, Luci was amazed at the cleanliness of the sewers themselves. Walls that should have been lined with decay, mold, mildew, were well maintained. This put a horrid thought in the back of her mind, that they knew they were coming, and this was just a trap. But she pushed it aside, they had a job to do, and dwelling on thoughts like that would ruin it for all of them. Her team counted on her to bring them through this. But she was not prepared for what lay ahead of them. In the midst of it all, she recalled the sewers, and was amazed that these barbarians kept things so clean. Soon, she knew why. Streets were lined in blood. Garbage lay piled around, and men and women used the streets to relieve themselves. The running water below was clean, because it was a natural spring that had broken through some hundred years prior, but the sewers themselves hadn't been used since the castle was occupied by whatever lord or lady resided there last. Everything else was a blur. The sound of splashing water as feet ran through it. The cries of her comrades in agony. It was all shoved aside, pushed back into the deepest, darkest corners of her mind. They were realities she'd have to deal with later. Right now, there was only a hard push to escape this place, before they became trapped. Trapped like so many souls that were just more dead laying in the streets, unfed, unwashed, and unsaved. The sewers were a maze, and hours later, she had almost forgotten which way she'd come, and which way she needed to go. Through the late hours of the night, she tried to contact the others of her team through the communicator, but no one answered. Her body couldn't run any longer. Her muscles screamed out in burning pain which was like wildfire through her spine, burning her resolve. There was no saving her, she was convinced. However, turning the next corner, she found herself bathed in sunlight. Having reached the end of her journey, she nearly collapsed, staggering forward a few more feet, and then just stopped. Tired and defeated in mind, she sat on the cold, wet stone of the sewers, freedom from the dank darkness only a few feet away. She'd given up on calling to the rest of those that had once been on her team, and she couldn't deny the truth of it, that she was the only one to survive. It had come down to the wire, and though they fought hard, escape was the only option. She was thankful she didn't see her comrades cut down, life stolen from them as they ran.. ran like cowards. But now she couldn't move. She was too tired from navigating the maze of sewers to even begin to appreciate the second chance she was given. There was only loss, a lack of tears, and acceptance. Acceptance that she was going to have to face it all again, alone. Credit to my wonderful husband who helped by writing the story. Thanks for looking. Lucidity character by me, with my Molly texture. Rendered in Poser 4 and postwork in PS7. And when I uploaded it, it's blurred, and it's peeing me off, because I can't figure out why. ;) ~C