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Message: <blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 321244" data-attributes="member: 96">Session Four, Part Two: Dru's Decision"...so it sounds like Gallowglass has got a serious mad on for Kenzil, and nobody's sure why," Jemis was saying. "But whatever it was, Sol's willing to put down five large for anyone who brings him Kenzil's head.""Interesting," said Di'Fier.  "I wonder if it ties in with the contracts." His mind was already racing, trying to piece this fact in with the others."It seems like a heavy price to put on failure," Dru observed. "I wonder if there's something more behind it." She levered herself out of her chair and stretched.  "Let's see if we can find out anything about the war down by the harbor."  The morning had been full of Di'Fier's theories, and she'd had an earful of talk.  Maybe they'd get lucky and someone would attack them.<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />"Yeah, everybody's all worked up about it.  Naïlo ain't the only one bein' hit.  Finn lost a coupla-three guys too.  It looked like an overdose of chakar, but Finn ain't never let his guys near that stuff, not on duty.  He ain't stupid, it was a message."Di'Fier frowned at the informant Dru had dug up.  "How about the Blue Lantern Gang? Have they been hit?" He didn't think they had so much magical firepower, but..."They been layin' low," shrugged the beefy man. "Guess they're hopin' whoever it is don't take notice of them until the big boys are out of the way. But..."Shouts from down the street cut him off, and Di'Fier peered out into the rain. Was that a flicker of orange in the street?Alarm bells began to ring, and the shout came: Fire!<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Captain Donnach walked slowly down the dimly lit hallway that led to the Watch archives.  Another body without a heart, he thought.  An adventurer, an entertainer, a fleeing criminal, and now a small-time pimp.  He'd been over the files - hell, most of the senior Watchmen had been over the files - and although there had been a lot of theories, none had given any fruit.  He didn't really think the new murder would halp - in fact, he had the sinking feeling it would confuse the issue.The door to the archives was slightly ajar, and the room beyond dark.  Donnach frowned, and reached for the handle, pushing it open.  "Spruce?" he called, stepping forward.Five pounds of stone-ground flour hit him on the head.The Captain staggered forward through the white haze, coughing and swearing. In front of him, a heavy oaken table had been overturned as a makeshift barricade, behind which a tiny form huddled behind the massively menacing shape of a seige crossbow."Spruce!" bellowed Captain Donnach.The panicked archivist jumped, the giant crossbow slipping from his fingers. With a deep thrumm the bow discharged its quarrel straight up to imbed itself in the ceiling, the fletching slicing the tip of Spruce's nose on the way past."Just what in the name of all that is holy is going on here?"  Donnach knew what the archivist's words would be.  Dru and Di'Fier.  It's got to be them.  I don't know how, or why, but it's got to be.He could feel one of his headaches coming on. <img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Dru and Di'Fier stood in front of the Jolly Roger, watching as the flames licked from the front door and first floor windows.  Most of the inhabitants had made it out, and were clustered in varying states of undress in the street.As they watched, a window on the third story shattered, and a woman started to crawl through. Smoke poured through the opening behind her.She'll never make it, thoguht Di'Fier, his hand automatically going to the scroll tube that hung at his waist.  The rain splattered on the scroll as he read, making the ink run - but the spell held true, and he began to climb up the side of the building.He saw Dru quaff a potion and leap, pulling herself up to a window on the second story and climbing into the building. Then he was at the woman's window, and rather distracted by the state of her undress as she clung to him. He began to make his way back down the side of the brothel.Inside, Dru ducked low to avoid the smoke and raced along the halls, pounding on the doors and listening for a response.  Nothing on the second floor...nor the third. She heard the timbers of the building creak far below her as the fire did its work.  Was that a muffled sound behind the door? She pressed her hand against the cool wood for a moment, then stepped back and planted a firm kick.On the bed - no, chained to the bed, and gagged, clad only in a leather posing pouch - was Judge Alfred "Bloody" Ubu, the most violent sadist to grace the city's courtrooms. "Good evening, Your Honor," Dru greeted him cheerfully. "Living on the other side a bit? Don't worry, we'll have you out of those chains in no time." Ignoring his frantic mumbling around the gag, she rummaged around for the key. "No key?  Hmm."Out came another potion vial, and Dru's head swam as her perspective suddenly changed. Now her head scraped the ceiling of the tiny room, and the judge looked upon the elven giantess with a mixture of fear, awe, and...and she didn't particularly want to think about it."Let's try this," she said in a voice an octave deeper, grabbing hold of one of the chains and planting her foot on the bedpost. The wood protested as she heaved, but it still held."Need some help?" asked Di'Fier as he entered - taking the enormous Dru completely in stride. He nodded to the bound man.  "Hello, Your Honor.  Don't worry, we'll have you out of those chains in no time." The judge did not look reassured, but Di'Fier pushed back his sleeves and raised his hands, speaking a word that caused Dru's muscles to surge with even more power.Dru wrapped a cloth around her hand and took hold of the chain.  The bed emitted a splintering shriek as the wood finally relenquished its hold - a noise that was echoed by the timbers supporting the building."I think we'd better hurry," said Di'Fier, forcing the window open. "Good thing I've got one scroll of spider climb left." As Dru ripped the second chain from its mooring, he cast the spell on her.  The third and fourth chains followed in short order, and Di'Fier climbed out the window, a still gagged Judge Ubu following.  They started down the side of the building.Dru moved across the room and began to squeeze through the window.  It had been big enough - barely! - for Di'Fier and the Judge, but her new seven foot frame was too much for it.Her partner looked up from the base of the wall.  "Hang on, Dru!" he cried, as the building swayed. Got to get this just right, he thought. If I dispel the spider climb as well as the enlarge, she'll fall... Tendrils of magic rose at his command, picking apart the effects of the potion.  Suddenly released, Dru pitched forward, swinging down to catch herself on the windowsill and then rapidly descend the rest of the way.The rear of the building sank down in a majestic collapse, and the bucket brigades fought to contain the flames.<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Late that night, a figure crossed the rain-silvered streets of the Old City, bulky oilskin-wrapped packages under each arm.  It threaded through the mazelike alleys of the Kesir, stopping only when it came to a nondescript house on a nondescript court.  The figure stood in the rain for a moment, as if gathering its courage, and then stepped forward as the door opened, and spoke."Tell Papa I've come home."</blockquote>

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