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On the Trail of Copper Bloodhounds… [16August06]
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<blockquote data-quote="Monty Tomasi" data-source="post: 2970829" data-attributes="member: 40137"><p>Part XIII:</p><p></p><p>Perrin made his way back slowly down the street towards the fountain where the Abishai congregated. Several sat on the nearby roofs of shops and artisan’s quarters, tall black gargoyles calling out to each other in their dark, authoritative and sinister language. </p><p></p><p>The ones standing by the fountain were positioned in such a way as to appear as if they were simply casually standing around. But the fact that they were positioned strategically around the fountain and corners of the adjoining streets meant that Perrin had no doubt in his mind that the Abishai were guarding the location for a specific reason. There was only one shop that the creatures did not have covered.</p><p></p><p>“I need some kind of distraction,” Perrin muttered under his breath whilst he stroked the stubble on his chin. He watched the black reptilian creatures for awhile and noted the pattern in which they moved from one position to another. It reminded the Harmonium officer of watchmen standing guard outside an important building such as the City Courts.</p><p></p><p>As if responding to Perrin’s request two Harmonium officers appeared from the opposite direction and they were walking at a good pace towards the fountain. The male officer was average height, had spiky white hair and wore only a simple red shirt and trousers. The female officer had coppery red hair, wore a corset and tight-fitting leggings, with an assortment of small weapons about her person.</p><p></p><p>“Oh bugger,” Perrin said watching his two colleagues getting closer. They’d not spotted him, but they did not appear to be aware of the threat that the Abishai posed either. In fact as the two Harmonium officers got closer, it became readily apparent that the officers were in the midst of a heated argument.</p><p></p><p>When the two Harmonium officers got closer to the fountain, the Abishai once again lined up in a semi-circle this time fanning out their positions a little more to ensure that the pair would not slip passed the way that Perrin had. Oho noticed the Baatezu manoeuvring first and came to an immediate halt, he grabbed Ella by the wrist and stopped her in her tracks.</p><p></p><p>“Trouble,” Oho said stating the obvious.</p><p></p><p>Perrin began walking toward the fountain from the other direction, his mind trying desperately to formulate a plan. However, his attention kept coming back to the fact that the creatures had abandoned all of their positions except for one. They’d come off the roofs and away from the shops, but one of the creatures was now loitering in front of the shop that had not been guarded previously. The shop had a sign with a hammer and swirling aura of coloured lights around it, the words “Sephus’ Artificer Works” were painted in golden letters along the bottom.</p><p></p><p>“Sephus,” Perrin said aloud in an effort to jog his memory. He began to walk faster and sped up so that he was jogging towards the fountain at a steady pace. “He’s one of the Godsmen that we did not get to interview. His written testimony was the most detailed though.”</p><p></p><p>“Sarge!” Ella called out when she saw her superior coming from the other direction. The Abishai had surrounded Oho and Ella but had not attacked them yet.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t draw your weapons!” Perrin called back. He sprinted to the circle that had now formed around his colleagues and shoved his way past two of the reptilian gargoyle-like creatures.</p><p></p><p>“What?” Oho asked. He’d raised his fists and was ready to defend against an attack but Perrin’s command had caught him off-guard.</p><p></p><p>“Just do what I say and we will walk out of here alive,” Perrin said quietly when he got to the others. “These creatures were sent here to guard the location, chase us away if we got close but I do not believe that they are permitted to kill us.”</p><p></p><p>“You don’t believe…” Oho replied as his voice got a pitch higher.</p><p></p><p>“Just pike it Oho, ok? Belief’s all we’ve got at the end of the day,” Ella said. She’d drawn her pistols and after Perrin’s command had lowered them so that they were pointing at the ground. With slow and deliberate care she tucked them back in to her belt.</p><p></p><p>“Right,” Perrin stated. “We’re going to walk very slowly and without making any sudden moves to the shop there called ‘Sephus’ Artificer Works’.”</p><p></p><p>“Hey, that name is familiar,” Oho stared at the sign and his face lit up with recognition.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll make a blood hound of you yet,” Perrin said slapping Oho on the back and steering him in the direction of the shop.</p><p></p><p>The Baatezu responded by moving the circle that they’d formed towards the shop as well, keeping pace with the red armoured city guards without closing their distance. The creatures whispered to one another using their regimented and corrupting tongue. It sounded like they were cursing, threatening and offering traitorous alliances all at the same time.</p><p></p><p>“Just keep moving towards the door,” Perrin said calmly. </p><p></p><p>He’d taken each of his colleagues by the arm and was almost dragging them towards the shop. The aura of menace and fear that was emanating from the ring of Baatezu increased with each step and only Perrin remained unaffected by it. Through sheer force of will alone he was able to get them to the shop entrance.</p><p></p><p>Just when the three Harmonium officers reached Sephus’ darkened workshop the door swung open a small flame appeared in the darkness beyond outlining of two creatures with writhing beards, barbed glaives and hulking figures. Ella gave out a small, strangled cry and Oho’s face went as pale as his hair.</p><p></p><p>“You should not have come here,” one of the Barbazu growled in an angry tone. “You were warned to stay away.”</p><p></p><p>“The rules of the game have changed,” Perrin retorted. “The leader of your merry trio is dead and she’s the one who gave the order. Looks like she turned stag on you even after you thought you’d cut a deal with her.”</p><p></p><p>The Barbazu looked at each other for a few moments, one of the shook his head and the other turned to respond.</p><p></p><p>“How do you know that he’s dead?” the bearded devil asked seething with anger as its beard writhed faster.</p><p></p><p>“I saw the body,” Perrin stated and he briefly described where he and Oho had left the remains of the Barbazu. “If you don’t believe me then go check it out for yourselves.”</p><p></p><p>The Barbazu who had been doing the talking barked a savage, disparaging and scorn-filled command at one Abishai. The reptilian creature snapped to attention and it teleported away with a muffled popping sound, leaving behind an acrid smell of brimstone.</p><p></p><p>“In the mean time,” Perrin said as casually as he could muster. “We have Harmonium business to attend to.”</p><p></p><p>The creatures blocking the doorway stepped back to permit the three Harmonium officers entry. The devils’ beards writhed outwards as if seeking to grasp the three officers and they held their glaives at the ready.</p><p></p><p>Oho did not waste time looking around the artificer’s workshop, he spotted the trapdoor that was located near one of the workbenches and rushed over to it. Hefting the trapdoor up in one big pull Oho jumped down the hole and disappeared from sight.</p><p></p><p>“Could have waited for us,” Perrin muttered under his breath.</p><p></p><p>“Let’s jus get out of here in one piece Sarge, please? If I could keep up with Oho I would be running as fast as he is now. It’s just that those damn fiends have got me petrified with fear and every step is like climbing a mountain.” Ella broke away from Perrin’s grip and headed for the tunnel beneath the trapdoor.</p><p></p><p>Perrin leapt to catch her up and joined her in descending the stairs below the trapdoor. “She’ll have more guards than this,” the red armoured guard warned his colleague.</p><p></p><p>The pair set off down the tunnel that was illuminated with fading spiral runes which lit up and then darkened as they passed by.</p><p></p><p>“Which direction are we headed in Fey?” Perrin asked as he was less familiar with the streets and layout of the city.</p><p></p><p>“This tunnel leads in the direction of the Foundry,” Ella whispered. “Although if it does link the workshop to the Foundry I am surprised that it is not better guarded.”</p><p></p><p>“You mean less well guarded than almost a dozen Abishai and two Barbazu.” Perrin chuckled, but never the less his hand moved over his empty scabbard.</p><p></p><p>A little while later they heard running feet heading towards them from the other end of the tunnel. They each saw the runes light up and roll along the sides of the wall as if a cresting wave was headed in their direction. Perrin whispered a number and drew a dull red short blade and Ella drew her pistols.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t shoot,” Oho called out as he came sprinting towards them.</p><p></p><p>“Running back to take on the Baatezu all by yourself, eh?” Perrin asked, not bothering to hide his sarcastic tone.</p><p></p><p>“No Sarge,” Oho said whilst trying to get his breath back. “This tunnel leads to a chamber that looks like a side chamber for storage that leads to either a tunnel or a larger room; I could not make it out. But in the storage room are four men that we arrested less than a week ago.”</p><p></p><p>“The kidnap gang? Marco, Herstanz, Frendick and Gyzz?” Ella asked astonished at the fact that the kidnappers they’d arrested had somehow got free.</p><p></p><p>“The very same,” Oho replied. “Looks like this time they have even better gear than before. I recognised Valori’s crossbow and some of the other items looked like something she’d dream up.”</p><p></p><p>“Stuck between the Baatezu and the four very well equipped mercenaries,” Perrin mused, stroking his chin and trying to come up with a plan.</p><p></p><p>“Fear not Sarge, for I have a cunning plan,” Ella said with a sly grin.</p><p></p><p>“Oh dear. Does it involve us getting passed the guards, evading the Baatezu, capturing the erinye and freeing Valori?” Perrin asked.</p><p></p><p>“Well, not all of the above no,” Ella said glancing over her shoulder at the sounds of clawed feet marching from the direction of the workshop towards them in the tunnel. “But it’s better than waiting for them to come and catch us up.”</p><p></p><p>“OK,” Perrin stated folding his arms. “You’re in charge.”</p><p></p><p>“At last!” Ella shouted with joy, the looks that Oho and Perrin gave her soon brought Ella back down to earth. “It’s a simple plan really. We make plenty of noise, rush in to the room and then I pull my ace out of my sleeve.”</p><p></p><p>“Something tells me I’m not liking this plan,” Oho said starting to edge away from the direction the Baatezu were coming from. “But I don’t think that I’m in a position to argue.”</p><p></p><p>Ella grinned, Oho sighed and Perrin started to drag his blade along the wall which created a metallic screeching noise that reverberated in both directions of the tunnel.</p><p></p><p>“CHARGE!” Perrin roared as he led the assault with his two Harmonium officers towards the bowels of the Foundry. From behind them they could hear the sounds of clawed and booted feet running to catch up. From ahead of them they could hear the sounds of boxes being dragged in to position to form a barricade.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Monty Tomasi, post: 2970829, member: 40137"] Part XIII: Perrin made his way back slowly down the street towards the fountain where the Abishai congregated. Several sat on the nearby roofs of shops and artisan’s quarters, tall black gargoyles calling out to each other in their dark, authoritative and sinister language. The ones standing by the fountain were positioned in such a way as to appear as if they were simply casually standing around. But the fact that they were positioned strategically around the fountain and corners of the adjoining streets meant that Perrin had no doubt in his mind that the Abishai were guarding the location for a specific reason. There was only one shop that the creatures did not have covered. “I need some kind of distraction,” Perrin muttered under his breath whilst he stroked the stubble on his chin. He watched the black reptilian creatures for awhile and noted the pattern in which they moved from one position to another. It reminded the Harmonium officer of watchmen standing guard outside an important building such as the City Courts. As if responding to Perrin’s request two Harmonium officers appeared from the opposite direction and they were walking at a good pace towards the fountain. The male officer was average height, had spiky white hair and wore only a simple red shirt and trousers. The female officer had coppery red hair, wore a corset and tight-fitting leggings, with an assortment of small weapons about her person. “Oh bugger,” Perrin said watching his two colleagues getting closer. They’d not spotted him, but they did not appear to be aware of the threat that the Abishai posed either. In fact as the two Harmonium officers got closer, it became readily apparent that the officers were in the midst of a heated argument. When the two Harmonium officers got closer to the fountain, the Abishai once again lined up in a semi-circle this time fanning out their positions a little more to ensure that the pair would not slip passed the way that Perrin had. Oho noticed the Baatezu manoeuvring first and came to an immediate halt, he grabbed Ella by the wrist and stopped her in her tracks. “Trouble,” Oho said stating the obvious. Perrin began walking toward the fountain from the other direction, his mind trying desperately to formulate a plan. However, his attention kept coming back to the fact that the creatures had abandoned all of their positions except for one. They’d come off the roofs and away from the shops, but one of the creatures was now loitering in front of the shop that had not been guarded previously. The shop had a sign with a hammer and swirling aura of coloured lights around it, the words “Sephus’ Artificer Works” were painted in golden letters along the bottom. “Sephus,” Perrin said aloud in an effort to jog his memory. He began to walk faster and sped up so that he was jogging towards the fountain at a steady pace. “He’s one of the Godsmen that we did not get to interview. His written testimony was the most detailed though.” “Sarge!” Ella called out when she saw her superior coming from the other direction. The Abishai had surrounded Oho and Ella but had not attacked them yet. “Don’t draw your weapons!” Perrin called back. He sprinted to the circle that had now formed around his colleagues and shoved his way past two of the reptilian gargoyle-like creatures. “What?” Oho asked. He’d raised his fists and was ready to defend against an attack but Perrin’s command had caught him off-guard. “Just do what I say and we will walk out of here alive,” Perrin said quietly when he got to the others. “These creatures were sent here to guard the location, chase us away if we got close but I do not believe that they are permitted to kill us.” “You don’t believe…” Oho replied as his voice got a pitch higher. “Just pike it Oho, ok? Belief’s all we’ve got at the end of the day,” Ella said. She’d drawn her pistols and after Perrin’s command had lowered them so that they were pointing at the ground. With slow and deliberate care she tucked them back in to her belt. “Right,” Perrin stated. “We’re going to walk very slowly and without making any sudden moves to the shop there called ‘Sephus’ Artificer Works’.” “Hey, that name is familiar,” Oho stared at the sign and his face lit up with recognition. “We’ll make a blood hound of you yet,” Perrin said slapping Oho on the back and steering him in the direction of the shop. The Baatezu responded by moving the circle that they’d formed towards the shop as well, keeping pace with the red armoured city guards without closing their distance. The creatures whispered to one another using their regimented and corrupting tongue. It sounded like they were cursing, threatening and offering traitorous alliances all at the same time. “Just keep moving towards the door,” Perrin said calmly. He’d taken each of his colleagues by the arm and was almost dragging them towards the shop. The aura of menace and fear that was emanating from the ring of Baatezu increased with each step and only Perrin remained unaffected by it. Through sheer force of will alone he was able to get them to the shop entrance. Just when the three Harmonium officers reached Sephus’ darkened workshop the door swung open a small flame appeared in the darkness beyond outlining of two creatures with writhing beards, barbed glaives and hulking figures. Ella gave out a small, strangled cry and Oho’s face went as pale as his hair. “You should not have come here,” one of the Barbazu growled in an angry tone. “You were warned to stay away.” “The rules of the game have changed,” Perrin retorted. “The leader of your merry trio is dead and she’s the one who gave the order. Looks like she turned stag on you even after you thought you’d cut a deal with her.” The Barbazu looked at each other for a few moments, one of the shook his head and the other turned to respond. “How do you know that he’s dead?” the bearded devil asked seething with anger as its beard writhed faster. “I saw the body,” Perrin stated and he briefly described where he and Oho had left the remains of the Barbazu. “If you don’t believe me then go check it out for yourselves.” The Barbazu who had been doing the talking barked a savage, disparaging and scorn-filled command at one Abishai. The reptilian creature snapped to attention and it teleported away with a muffled popping sound, leaving behind an acrid smell of brimstone. “In the mean time,” Perrin said as casually as he could muster. “We have Harmonium business to attend to.” The creatures blocking the doorway stepped back to permit the three Harmonium officers entry. The devils’ beards writhed outwards as if seeking to grasp the three officers and they held their glaives at the ready. Oho did not waste time looking around the artificer’s workshop, he spotted the trapdoor that was located near one of the workbenches and rushed over to it. Hefting the trapdoor up in one big pull Oho jumped down the hole and disappeared from sight. “Could have waited for us,” Perrin muttered under his breath. “Let’s jus get out of here in one piece Sarge, please? If I could keep up with Oho I would be running as fast as he is now. It’s just that those damn fiends have got me petrified with fear and every step is like climbing a mountain.” Ella broke away from Perrin’s grip and headed for the tunnel beneath the trapdoor. Perrin leapt to catch her up and joined her in descending the stairs below the trapdoor. “She’ll have more guards than this,” the red armoured guard warned his colleague. The pair set off down the tunnel that was illuminated with fading spiral runes which lit up and then darkened as they passed by. “Which direction are we headed in Fey?” Perrin asked as he was less familiar with the streets and layout of the city. “This tunnel leads in the direction of the Foundry,” Ella whispered. “Although if it does link the workshop to the Foundry I am surprised that it is not better guarded.” “You mean less well guarded than almost a dozen Abishai and two Barbazu.” Perrin chuckled, but never the less his hand moved over his empty scabbard. A little while later they heard running feet heading towards them from the other end of the tunnel. They each saw the runes light up and roll along the sides of the wall as if a cresting wave was headed in their direction. Perrin whispered a number and drew a dull red short blade and Ella drew her pistols. “Don’t shoot,” Oho called out as he came sprinting towards them. “Running back to take on the Baatezu all by yourself, eh?” Perrin asked, not bothering to hide his sarcastic tone. “No Sarge,” Oho said whilst trying to get his breath back. “This tunnel leads to a chamber that looks like a side chamber for storage that leads to either a tunnel or a larger room; I could not make it out. But in the storage room are four men that we arrested less than a week ago.” “The kidnap gang? Marco, Herstanz, Frendick and Gyzz?” Ella asked astonished at the fact that the kidnappers they’d arrested had somehow got free. “The very same,” Oho replied. “Looks like this time they have even better gear than before. I recognised Valori’s crossbow and some of the other items looked like something she’d dream up.” “Stuck between the Baatezu and the four very well equipped mercenaries,” Perrin mused, stroking his chin and trying to come up with a plan. “Fear not Sarge, for I have a cunning plan,” Ella said with a sly grin. “Oh dear. Does it involve us getting passed the guards, evading the Baatezu, capturing the erinye and freeing Valori?” Perrin asked. “Well, not all of the above no,” Ella said glancing over her shoulder at the sounds of clawed feet marching from the direction of the workshop towards them in the tunnel. “But it’s better than waiting for them to come and catch us up.” “OK,” Perrin stated folding his arms. “You’re in charge.” “At last!” Ella shouted with joy, the looks that Oho and Perrin gave her soon brought Ella back down to earth. “It’s a simple plan really. We make plenty of noise, rush in to the room and then I pull my ace out of my sleeve.” “Something tells me I’m not liking this plan,” Oho said starting to edge away from the direction the Baatezu were coming from. “But I don’t think that I’m in a position to argue.” Ella grinned, Oho sighed and Perrin started to drag his blade along the wall which created a metallic screeching noise that reverberated in both directions of the tunnel. “CHARGE!” Perrin roared as he led the assault with his two Harmonium officers towards the bowels of the Foundry. From behind them they could hear the sounds of clawed and booted feet running to catch up. From ahead of them they could hear the sounds of boxes being dragged in to position to form a barricade. [/QUOTE]
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