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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 14086" data-attributes="member: 143">Part 20The coach dropped the four companions off in front of their inn, a considerable three-story structure named The Laughing Elf.  It was late enough that the streets were deserted, although the sounds of talking, and appropriately enough, laughter, could be heard coming from the inside of the inn.  Apparently for some, the party had not yet ended this evening.  Benzan had stirred as his companions exited from the coach, and now he was awake, if swaying a little.  “What, you guys not gunna call it a night already?” he said.  “Lesh go find someplace fun, and have a drink.”“I think we could all use a quiet night of rest,” Cal said firmly, and he turned toward the front door of the inn. “Excuse me, sirs?” a voice said, drawing their attention around.  The speaker was a woman, perhaps in her late twenties, thin enough to be almost gaunt.  She was dressed in a threadbare cloak that did not fully cover the thin tunic and breeches she wore underneath.  “I’m sorry to disturb you, sirs, but could you spare a few coppers for my hungry children?  The night is cold, and there is no money for coal for our stove.”Lok immediately dug into his purse and offered the woman a few gold pieces, but Benzan stumbled drunkenly forward and leered at the woman.“I’ve got something better for you, sweetie,” he said, reaching clumsily for her.  “A treasure beyond all imagining… Why don’t you just come up to my room with me— Ouch!” he said, as Cal stepped painfully on his foot.  “Get away from me!” the woman cried, recoiling in horror from the drunken tiefling.  Without even stopping to take the money in Lok’s stony palm, she ran across the street and down the far sidewalk.  “Oh, smooth, very smooth,” Cal said in disgust.  “I’ll catch her, and give her the money,” Delem said, but he’d barely managed a half-dozen steps when suddenly, as they watched, a shadowy form reached out from a darkened alley mouth as the woman ran past and dragged her out of sight.  “Let’s go!” Cal said.  Lok was already jogging across the street, his finely crafted platemail making a small clatter as he ran.  The others were close behind, Delem all but dragging Benzan with him.“All right, all right, I’ll tell her I’m sorry,” Benzan said, clueless about what had just happened.  Slowed as he was by his heavy armor, the others caught up with Lok even as he reached the mouth of the alley.  Lok and Benzan could see just fine in the dark, but Delem summoned a flickering flame into being a short distance down the darkened corridor, allowing the rest of them to see clearly.  The light revealed two men in black cloaks, standing a good twenty feet into the alley over the struggling form that of the woman.  They looked up at the sudden illumination, their expressions clearly hostile.  “This is none of your business, move along,” the first said, drawing a long dagger from inside his cloak to punctuate his statement.“Delem, if you please,” Cal said.The sorcerer launched two bolts of fire from his hand, striking the first man solidly in the chest.  He staggered back, twin wisps of smoke rising from the charred holes in his jerkin.  He dropped the dagger, and along with his companion, ran deeper into the alley and around a corner.“Should we go after them?” Lok said.  “You and I would never be able to catch them” Cal said as they headed into the alley to check on the woman.  “Ordinarily, I’d suggest Benzan…”  He gestured toward the tiefling, who was looking around, a little disoriented.“Did I miss a battle?” he asked.  “It’s all right, miss,” Cal said gently as he neared the sobbing woman.  To his surprise, however, she suddenly jumped up, her expression shifting to a rueful smile.  “So sorry,” she said.  “Nothing personal, you understand…”“It’s an ambush!” Delem cried out in warning, as two more shadowy forms slipped into the alleyway behind them, blocking off their escape.  As the woman stepped backwards, more armed men emerged at the edge of the light cast by Delem’s flickering flame.    “Hey, what’s up, guys?” Benzan said, as his companions faced off against their attackers, Cal and Delem against the two blocking the alley exit, and Lok against the other two behind them.  For a moment, the two sides faced off in expectant silence, and then, to make things worse, the sound of several crossbows being cocked sounded ominously from the roof above.“Time to die,” one of the men said.</blockquote>

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