Saiben Ciora had been the leader of a local well known gang for years before Cleonora even set foot in Rostov. He made money through every means he could. Thievery, smuggling, moving flesh, anything. Nothing was too much or too little for Saiben if he could make a profit. How little he cared for mortal life was legend in the streets, and how smart he was kept him far from the authorities. Till the Pale Butterfly came into town. At first she didn’t even bother with him, how could she? There was far worse to deal with first… at least that is what Cleonora believed. Till the night she was killing one of his lieutenants. They had been harassing a family to pay a debt, and had threatened taking their oldest daughter as payment and having her work as a whore.
When Cleonora tracked that man down and interrogated him like only she could, he told her all about Saiben Ciora… the heartless, or the blackened hearted. It was then and there that Cleonora set about to trap and kill this Saiben. The woman was more intelligent than to just go barging into his headquarters. So the nights after her classes in her magical academy, she would watch his hideout. She got the feel for him and his men, and found his pride was the easiest thing to attack… along with his greed.
Using that Cleonora spread rumors through the vine about a large shipment of magical items coming in. They had apparently been smuggled in, which meant they weren’t on the ship’s ledgers. The ship wouldn’t be able to repot them if those items got stolen. Thus it would be all gravy to Saiben. With that, Cleonora just sat back and waited till a few days before the supposed ship would be in. It was then she put the rest of her plan into action. She told the highest person in the command chain that she could find wasn’t connected to Saiben’s gang by being paid off about their attack. They set up an ambush of their own, and while the guards took on Saiben’s men, Cleonora set her eyes on their boss.
She expected the worm to do everything he could to get out of this little trap, and she was right. Cleonora descended upon Saiben in a back alley in his weakened state; he wasn’t a match for the Pale Butterfly. A few well placed rays of Enfeeblement, a glitterdust, and some rope, then Saiben was at the Pale Butterfly’s mercy.
”You make coin at the cost of other’s well being.” Cleonora said as she made sure the ropes were tied down properly. Then she straddled Saiben cutting this vest and shirt open as she continued. ”They call you heartless… or black hearted.” She moved the cloth out of the way. The fighting in the distance could still be heard. ”Let us see which it is. Will it be shriveled and black? Or will your chest be empty?” Cleonora asked before she drove her blade into his chest. She worked till she drew out Saiben’s heart. ”Well look at that… just a normal man after all.” She stated as she got up and walked away, his heart being tossed into the alley for the animals to have. And above the body, a fluttering butterfly made of pale white light.
That was almost eight months ago… Those of Saiben’s gang who were loyal, either through fear or money, found Saiben’s emergency coin. It took them longer than they wanted to admit, and by the time they brought Saiben back it seemed the Pale Butterfly had flown on. But Saiben wouldn’t allow that… no no, the now Scarlet Spider has a prize to catch. He first set his own house back in order with the same brutal nature he once ran it with, rebuilt his wealth… then spent it on hunting this Pale Butterfly. Till it finally came to him… her name. Cleonora Petalouda. The foolish woman thought she’d run from the Scarlet Spider? She wasn’t aware how far his web reached. He wouldn’t leave this to an underling no. He wanted her under him at his mercy like she had once had himself. When news of an academy was opening in the area she was supposedly at, he sent one of his own undercover to get information he could use to get close to the little butterfly… then he would strike. Then, he’d steal her heart like she dared take his. He’d never forget. Even with healing, with resurrection, his body showed her scar.
(I can either choose of the professors I'm still working on, or make his informant be like a ground keeper or something.)
