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<blockquote data-quote="Aristoi" data-source="post: 2687623" data-attributes="member: 32975"><p>Adama snapped the compass shut and turned back to Kilmor and Elim. “There,” he pointed to a barge floating at the dock, just beyond the warehouse they were facing. They’d already been able to detect that S’lann’s key was in the warehouse, so that meant most of his gear was there too. </p><p></p><p>“Two archers on the roof, four at the door and four at the loading dock on the water-side,” Elim said, squinting through the darkness as his bow whispered in his mind. “I recommend subterfuge.” </p><p></p><p>“Agreed,” Adama responded and Kilmor merely nodded. “I may have a plan… do we still have those red cloaks?” </p><p></p><p>An hour later</p><p></p><p>The four guards stood at the front doors of the warehouse, the smaller entry door that opened in the larger cargo/wagon doors, making sure their boss’s stuff stayed where it was. They didn’t have many challengers- whatever people were out either moved by without looking, came through with body guards or moved through unseen by anyone else. </p><p></p><p>So they were doubly surprised when a small party of three rode up from the darkness, their horses carrying gear as if they were in the field, two with crimson cloaks marking them as agents of the Red Wizards and one wearing the badge and tabard of the Guard. Warily they abandoned their dice game and readied their weapons, though they kept them down for drawing steel on a red Wizard was tantamount to a fate more horrible than death. </p><p></p><p>“Who among you is in charge?” the Captain of the Guard asked. </p><p></p><p>“Who wants to know Captain?” one of the men called back. </p><p></p><p>“Guard-Captain Desore,” he replied, still mounted on his horse. </p><p></p><p>“Then that’d be me,” the man who had spoken first stepped forward, hand on shortsword, still sheathed, “Klessan. Whatcha need?” </p><p></p><p>“These two worthies have come to our city from Thaymount to seek an item that was stolen from their master, which is now apparently in that warehouse yon,” Desore/Kilmor replied. “Some kind of Demon’s Key, or some such.”</p><p></p><p>The four men laughed at the ridiculousness of it. “Here? A Demon’s Key? You jest!”</p><p></p><p>“No, surely,” Desore/Kilmor replied flatly. “I’m convinced and I wouldn’t challenge a Red Wizard myself.”</p><p></p><p>“And you shall not,” came the husky scratchy whispering as a pale and gaunt face revealed itself from under one of the red cowls. “We come at the behest of our Master, Zsass Tam, to retrieve the key. You will step aside now or else face our hunger.” </p><p></p><p>The other men started and cowered a bit but one didn’t get to be bodyguard and merchant/slaver guards without seeing a few horrible things in one’s life. “Hah!” Klessan burst out, not laughing, more as if to surprise everyone. </p><p></p><p>On the horse the undead thing began to whisper, its voice echoing and repeating as the chant seemed to take on a life of its own. With a graceful gesture it held out its hand, palm up and fingers hooked into claws as a small ball of fire appeared and hovered. “Who feels brave?” </p><p></p><p>The other figure with a cowl, who as of yet had not looked up, did so now. With a face that seemed made from open flesh, two strange yellow eyes looked out as two horns curled back and over the head. A long face surely, with a strangely deformed nose and a small mouth, the creature bade them now. “Look into the face of the Hells and know that I will send you there lest you stop this farce and let us pass. It is only my concern for the gold my master would have to pay yours for the destruction of you that has kept you alive! My patience is used up! Step aside. Now.” </p><p></p><p>“I ain’t takin no orders-“ was as far as he got before the gaunt figure tossed the ball of fire into his face, where it stuck and spread on his face and neck, making him shriek with fright and pain. Simultaneous a large sword, seen hanging at the demon’s side, flashed in the darkness once, twice and the burning corpse fell at the feet of the other guards. </p><p></p><p>Smart men would have fled. Smart men would have given way. Smart men wouldn’t be doing this kind of work or have allowed this situation to get this far gone. </p><p></p><p>A bow appeared in the hands of the Undead even as the other men started to move, one of the archers on the roof falling as the arrows passed through him. The other one started fired a crossbow bolt at the Demon, which bounced off of the mail he wore underneath the cloak, before dropping down to reload. </p><p></p><p>The Captain rolled off of his horse and stepped into the melee, performing a punch/kick combination that left one of the men reeling. </p><p></p><p>The other three surged towards the Demon’s horse and attacked with their shortswords though unable to score any hits on the rider. He, on the other hand, laid one out as he handled his horse expertly. </p><p></p><p>The Undead drew his bow again and took a bead, controlling his horse with his legs and put two arrows into the second archer, this time in the only part visible over the edge of the roof; his head. </p><p></p><p>The Captain and the Demon continued to lay about them with fists and sword, getting hit here and there until their foes dropped, which took but a few more seconds. </p><p></p><p>Adama stripped off his red cloak and pulled the melon-halves off of the sides of his head, rubbing some of the pigments on his face onto a rag. Elim was already at the door, bow cocked and waiting, his large sensitive ears perked forward. He motioned with his hands in a way Adama and Kilmor didn’t recognize, then he whispered with a big sigh, “There’s more coming.”</p><p></p><p>And then the door burst open.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aristoi, post: 2687623, member: 32975"] Adama snapped the compass shut and turned back to Kilmor and Elim. “There,” he pointed to a barge floating at the dock, just beyond the warehouse they were facing. They’d already been able to detect that S’lann’s key was in the warehouse, so that meant most of his gear was there too. “Two archers on the roof, four at the door and four at the loading dock on the water-side,” Elim said, squinting through the darkness as his bow whispered in his mind. “I recommend subterfuge.” “Agreed,” Adama responded and Kilmor merely nodded. “I may have a plan… do we still have those red cloaks?” An hour later The four guards stood at the front doors of the warehouse, the smaller entry door that opened in the larger cargo/wagon doors, making sure their boss’s stuff stayed where it was. They didn’t have many challengers- whatever people were out either moved by without looking, came through with body guards or moved through unseen by anyone else. So they were doubly surprised when a small party of three rode up from the darkness, their horses carrying gear as if they were in the field, two with crimson cloaks marking them as agents of the Red Wizards and one wearing the badge and tabard of the Guard. Warily they abandoned their dice game and readied their weapons, though they kept them down for drawing steel on a red Wizard was tantamount to a fate more horrible than death. “Who among you is in charge?” the Captain of the Guard asked. “Who wants to know Captain?” one of the men called back. “Guard-Captain Desore,” he replied, still mounted on his horse. “Then that’d be me,” the man who had spoken first stepped forward, hand on shortsword, still sheathed, “Klessan. Whatcha need?” “These two worthies have come to our city from Thaymount to seek an item that was stolen from their master, which is now apparently in that warehouse yon,” Desore/Kilmor replied. “Some kind of Demon’s Key, or some such.” The four men laughed at the ridiculousness of it. “Here? A Demon’s Key? You jest!” “No, surely,” Desore/Kilmor replied flatly. “I’m convinced and I wouldn’t challenge a Red Wizard myself.” “And you shall not,” came the husky scratchy whispering as a pale and gaunt face revealed itself from under one of the red cowls. “We come at the behest of our Master, Zsass Tam, to retrieve the key. You will step aside now or else face our hunger.” The other men started and cowered a bit but one didn’t get to be bodyguard and merchant/slaver guards without seeing a few horrible things in one’s life. “Hah!” Klessan burst out, not laughing, more as if to surprise everyone. On the horse the undead thing began to whisper, its voice echoing and repeating as the chant seemed to take on a life of its own. With a graceful gesture it held out its hand, palm up and fingers hooked into claws as a small ball of fire appeared and hovered. “Who feels brave?” The other figure with a cowl, who as of yet had not looked up, did so now. With a face that seemed made from open flesh, two strange yellow eyes looked out as two horns curled back and over the head. A long face surely, with a strangely deformed nose and a small mouth, the creature bade them now. “Look into the face of the Hells and know that I will send you there lest you stop this farce and let us pass. It is only my concern for the gold my master would have to pay yours for the destruction of you that has kept you alive! My patience is used up! Step aside. Now.” “I ain’t takin no orders-“ was as far as he got before the gaunt figure tossed the ball of fire into his face, where it stuck and spread on his face and neck, making him shriek with fright and pain. Simultaneous a large sword, seen hanging at the demon’s side, flashed in the darkness once, twice and the burning corpse fell at the feet of the other guards. Smart men would have fled. Smart men would have given way. Smart men wouldn’t be doing this kind of work or have allowed this situation to get this far gone. A bow appeared in the hands of the Undead even as the other men started to move, one of the archers on the roof falling as the arrows passed through him. The other one started fired a crossbow bolt at the Demon, which bounced off of the mail he wore underneath the cloak, before dropping down to reload. The Captain rolled off of his horse and stepped into the melee, performing a punch/kick combination that left one of the men reeling. The other three surged towards the Demon’s horse and attacked with their shortswords though unable to score any hits on the rider. He, on the other hand, laid one out as he handled his horse expertly. The Undead drew his bow again and took a bead, controlling his horse with his legs and put two arrows into the second archer, this time in the only part visible over the edge of the roof; his head. The Captain and the Demon continued to lay about them with fists and sword, getting hit here and there until their foes dropped, which took but a few more seconds. Adama stripped off his red cloak and pulled the melon-halves off of the sides of his head, rubbing some of the pigments on his face onto a rag. Elim was already at the door, bow cocked and waiting, his large sensitive ears perked forward. He motioned with his hands in a way Adama and Kilmor didn’t recognize, then he whispered with a big sigh, “There’s more coming.” And then the door burst open. [/QUOTE]
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