Portland In Black Aside 5

Prior to Portland In Black

Tyr sighed as he left the Amor y la Muerte stripper club feeling less than satisfied.  A tiny little joint that also tried to be a mexican restaurant, it wasn't out of place in Portland's usual cadre of weird places to eat.  Tyr sighed, rubbing the stump of his arm with his remaining hand.

He still couldn't shake the uneasily feeling he had in his stomach.  He'd lived for a long time.  He'd seen more than he ever needed to.  Feelings like the one he was having he'd felt before, premonitions of other things to come.

He heard a growl.  Tyr looked up to see a large wolf, licking her snout in his direction.

"Rose?"  Tyr asked.  He put a hand on her head.  The wolf shook him off, pointing her snout in another direction.  Tyr followed it.  "Oh.  You've come back."  

"More or less."  The young man told him.  Younger looking than Tyr by a lot, the man slumped down on the curb.  In his hands he held a mask covered under white canvas.  His fingers had become more scarred than the last time Tyr had seen him.  His dark brown hair hung over his face, obscuring the glasses he wore.  An old t-shirt emblazoned with stars and dragons hung loosely from him as well.  Red stubble grew on his chin.  But Tyr knew better than to rely on the same classic racial stereotypes many modern humans used- this man like he could change his phenotype to match others he spent time around.

"I am glad you're in one piece.  Have you and the mask-"

"I'm not here to reminsce, Tyr."  The man looked up at Tyr.  "The Wolf has need of your service again."

"I pledged my life to the service of your house, Canis."  Tyr said.  He resisted the urge to point out the arm he had given in that service.  "I will do whatever I can."

"Good."  Canis nodded, more to himself than to Tyr.  "You need to go meet with the undead monster who claims this city."

"She calls herself Black Anna, I believe."

Canis waved a hand in the air.  "I don't care.  You are my herald this day.  Give her a warning.  Try to retrieve a necromancer she's caught.  If she doesn't give up the necromancer, then fine.  I'll end her."

Tyr nodded.  "Canis... before I leave- I just want to ask you something.  Are you doing ok?"

Canis shrugged.  "I'm doing fine, Tyr.  Arizona and Australia were tests I needed to face.  Now I'm ready to perform the Task."

"Suffer no monster to live."  Tyr suggested.

Canis looked up at Tyr.  "You have your orders Tyr.  Be quick, there is a man involved here who doesn't deserve to be any monster's toy."

With that, Tyr left to go talk to Black Anna...