Like a specter, I slipped silently between shadows, shrouding myself with even more spells catering to combat prowess as I ventured to the second floor of the guildhall. I held the advantage, for the gang of riccen remained ignorant that they had been detected, and I had beco quite familiar with the building's interior by virtue of my many jobs for the guild and my trusted level of access gained. On occasion, I had to babysit certain ingredients lest they spoil, or drop things off after hours, and given my Platinum rank, I could co and go as I pleased, and so I took the liberty to familiarize myself with this guildhall as much as the others. I mused that they had not staked out the place, for they would have surely seen co and go at odd hours and would have recognized . Perhaps they thought I was gone for the night or deed the risk acceptable, but either way, they would soon find folly as their only prize of the night.
I did not want to kill them, or even injure them. Such would be trivial, and non-lethal takedowns would better test my Skills. With practiced effort, I wove spells for traps, ones that would cause happy little accidents to anyone foolish enough to trigger them. Such Skills had been useful in hunting to secure my prey, for while I could certainly take down almost anything in my dragon form, there needed to be a body relatively intact if I aid to harvest anything from them, and my breath attacks were not known for such subtlety. There were two stairwells to the ground floor, and at the top of one, I made my way back down again, trapping it up such that not even a house fly could make it down without triggering one.
Satisfied with my work, I made haste to the other stairwell, at least as much as one can while being alert and sneaky. No sooner had I found myself there than a loud crash alerted to the presence of at least one intruder, sounding less in the way a bookcase topples and more of the variety that a body had been flung across a hallway and into a wall. An oddly specific sound, granted, but my topmost trap had been designed to such subterfuge, so it fit the bill for what I would expect it to be.
Panicked scurrying could be heard from the second floor, and now that the ga was afoot, I made my way up the second stairwell, trapping it up as I went, such that they would have no way out unless they fancied self-defenestration. Such a tactic would break the legs of most without the aid of magical strengthening, for the first floor of the building was exceptionally tall in order to facilitate larger body parts from harvesting operations.
At the top of the stairs, I peeked around the corner and into the hallway, where a riccen, with breathing elevated by fear and eyes darting to every corner, tried to make sense of a job gone sideways. I waited until her back was turned to , and then using a great burst of magical speed, I closed the distance and grabbed her from behind in a hold. A terrified squeak escaped her throat before I silenced her with a knockout blow, one that she would live to feel in the morning. I opened a nearby room, deposited her body, and closed the door, all in the span of a few breaths.
Now the others were faced with a choice. Two of their own, accomplices to the cri, were out of commission. Would they tuck tail and run, or would they recover their comrades first before withdrawing? That squeak from my last victim gave away my position, but I had intended for it, such that they would co to find . I drew a dagger and left it on the floor, and with a trickle of magic, I animated it to lightly and rhythmically scratch at the door where my last victim slumbered. I traveled down the hallway in the opposite direction, planning to circle around anyone curious enough to investigate.
Two such brave souls took the bait. I lurked in the shadows, waiting for them to draw closer to the door. Their backs were towards , and painfully unaware, they inched forward. I could see their bodies quaking beneath their cloaks, and as I listened, their already quick breathing accelerated greatly. One of the two poked at the dagger sohow, for I could not see due to their cloaks, but I felt the spell animating my dagger cease. At that mont, I released a spell I had been channeling.
Shadows deepened unnaturally as wispy tendrils of inky blackness oozed from the walls, ceiling, and floor, twisting and twirling their way around the two unsuspecting knaves. Fear erupted in limbs bidden to flee, but they yet remained bound fast by shadow made manifest in the physical realm. With each struggle of flailing limbs, their fate beca sealed, as a durance of blackness enveloped them. Cocooned as such, the second phase of the spell began as it drained them of energy. Their enshrouded forms shifted within the blackness for a few monts, striving in vain to free themselves, before they ultimately stilled completely. As I relaxed the spell, two exhausted and unconscious figures keeled over onto the floor.
Satisfied with the results, I crept forward to investigate my handiwork. In but the briefest of monts, a warning spell detected murderous intent, and reflexively, I tumbled sideways and out of the way of whatever could be behind it. Not quickly enough, unfortunately, for a deep gash ford where blade raked flesh on my left shoulder and down my back. As I rebounded from my acrobatics, I turned to see the largest of the riccens coming at with another swing. He used his cloak to obfuscate his body, and while vexing, I remained ready to counter. His blade pulled back at the last second in a feint as another ca from his other hand. Surprised, I mitigated my mistake by taking a slash across my right forearm.
This close, I could see that shadow shrouded him in a manner similar to myself, and I took a ntal note to invest more heavily in skills to detect stealthy enemies. I would not say that I had mastered swordplay or close quarters combat by this point in my life, and that particular riccen pressed hard, inflicting more than a few cuts and blows as I tried to recover. He bounded off walls and ceiling alike, a whirling dervish of cloak, shadow, blade, and unconcealed fury. I took the defensive, dodging so and decorating the hallway red with my mistakes in judgnt. As we passed by a window, the light of the three moons revealed an unnatural glow to his blades, and such illumination unveiled the mystery behind how he could cut through like butter.
I channeled my healing magic to help regenerate. In the span of half a minute, he had scored over a dozen hits, and I had landed none. However, the pattern to his attacks, while paid for with my blood, beca closer to predictable. I rushed in on his next feint and landed a solid strike from my fist, careful to resist my rising anger lest I cave in his chest. It did more than just take the wind out of him as I made contact just below the sternum. As he laid there sprawled out on the floor, the scurrying of feet announced the remaining three had co to his aid.
While he had been difficult, these three verged upon unmanageable. Their coordination exceeded anything I had yet faced, for when one extended for a blow, another provided cover as he withdrew for his next strike. They pushed and pulled each other out of the way of my retaliatory strikes, at tis springboarding off one another to leap towards the ceiling, only to push off hard in a dive for . Would that there were light to see, the hallways would reveal a crimson history of my battle. I healed my wounds as fast as they ca, but replacing blood by benefit of magical Skills taxed my mana reserves and my capacity to keep up with demand. They gave no room to breathe or recover, so relentless was their attack, and I feared I may fall unconscious with not a wound to be found on .
I needed a decisive plan, and I needed it quickly. A reckless idea sprung to mind, and feigning cowardice and panic, I let them press back towards the first stairwell I had ascended minutes before. As I endured their onslaught, I maneuvered them to the top of the stairs, and so emboldened by their countless blows against , they gave chase with eager and bloody vengeance. At that mont, I released my counterattack. With a great gust of Air magic, I pushed the lot of them sideways and down the stairwell. Surprised squeaks and terrified screams followed as the three of them tumbled down the stairwell and into damn near every trap I had set earlier. Loud crashes thundered through the hallways as magic crackled to life in unbridled redemption against my attackers. And then, silence and dust greeted all present, for their bodies remained still. I released my hold on the rest of the traps, letting their energy dissipate into nothingness.
Ever wary of one playing dead, I gingerly checked upon their bodies. Fortunately, none were dead, but many bones were broken. Perhaps I had gone overboard in my precautions, for the stairwell and the ragged forms of my attackers were a ss. I would certainly need to clean and make repairs before the festival ended and this whole affair beca discovered.
I administered sleeping and healing potions to each of them in turn. I carried their bodies to one location, taking care to recover what personal effects that may have scattered in our scuffle. I checked them over, trying to uncover their identities. One of the females looked familiar, like I had seen her at the warehouse several nights ago. I could not be certain, for I had difficulty telling one from another, so unfamiliar was I still with their kind. I could turn them in to authorities, but a better idea ca to mind.
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After recovering for a while and letting my mana regenerate to respectable levels, I created chains of shadow to bind them together and levitate their still bodies off the ground. Leading them in a daisy chain as they floated behind , I made my way from rooftop to rooftop back to their hideout. I detected no lookouts, not even with my sensory Abilities active.
Boldly, and perhaps foolishly, I opened the front door to the warehouse and pulled my captives inside, closing the door behind . Only darkness greeted , but able to see well enough despite it, I made my way to the center of the warehouse with my prize in tow.
I could feel them, their many heartbeats, their shallow breathing, their beady eyes glaring at from all corners and hidey-holes. I was not alone, not by a longshot. I waited, and so did they, with neither of us making a move. I tried to sense their leader, but I could not distinguish him from the rest. I decided I would take the initiative.
"Pardon my intrusion, but I believe we have matters to discuss. I know you are there, so please cease this ga of hide-and-seek and share words with ."
The darkness yielded no response, and neither did those waiting within it. I waited in uncertainty, not knowing if I would be cut to ribbons in the next mont by a barrage of everything they had to offer. I had channeled Defensive Skills, the magic of which yearned to be released as I strained to manifest as much as I could without activating them. Then, a fla flared to life in the distance, small, barely more than a spark, but unmistakable.
The fire illuminated the face of their leader, a face that I could not detect in the darkness before. I knew not what Skills he had from his Blessing, but I could tell that he would give many Platinum Adventurers a hard ti. He strode up to with casual confidence and grace, yet his posture and effortless motions suggested that no re bravado proved to be the source of his strength.
As he approached, I could see the fla that hovered in his hand glowed with increased intensity, and with but a flick of a clawed finger, that ball of light launched itself into the air above him. As if on cue, the remaining riccen followed suit, and soon, daylight itself appeared to be summoned forth within the warehouse. Thick shadows lingered at the doors and windows, and so I knew that none other than us present would be aware of what would transpire.
"I see my children have learned much this night. Am I correct in surmising that you were their instructor?" ca a rather paradoxically soothing yet gravelly voice from the leader, like silk drawn across dying embers.
I arrayed my prisoners around like a shield, and the leader casually strode around the exterior, his knowing eye inspecting the fallen. At tis, he would reach out and touch a spot or whisper things I could not make out entirely, but his words sounded gentle at least.
"Indeed, it is as you say. These ones happened to find themselves inside the Harvester guildhall by virtue of unauthorized entry. I am sure we can co to agree that this was all a misunderstanding, one that will not be repeated."
The lead riccen continued his inspection, making full circle before coming before and inside the ring. Puzzlent and concern washed over , for while I had not taken my eyes off him, I could not say with certainty when he crossed that threshold. He brandished no weapons, nor did I detect any ill intent, but I felt legitimate concern that if he were of mind to give a good thrashing, I would be hard pressed indeed just to make it out alive.
"Of course, it can always be just that, a misunderstanding. But as they intruded there, so do you intrude here. Tell , why should I not show you the sa hospitality that you have bestowed upon them?" He punctuated his remark by gently running a clawed hand down a leather strap on one of my victims. A mont passed before the strap fell to the floor, the whole thing shredded to tiny pieces.
I took a mont to consider his words, knowing full well that a wrong answer would spell disaster. The other riccen, easily thirty in number, had moved forward, each one silently watching as they blocked every avenue of escape. I steeled my resolve, tucking away any fear I may have felt, calming my instincts to flee, freeze, or fight.
"In my experience, so of my best and most mutually rewarding relationships have started off from a misunderstanding. It is always reassuring to have friends you can count on in hard tis, and I think we could get along if we took the ti to understand one another."
He paused, as if to consider my words, but I suspected it to be an act, as if he already knew how this would play out. He continued his inspection, this ti from the inside of my now pointless barricade, but I kept my eyes forward as he circled into my blind spot. Once he had made it fully around, he turned to face .
"I see they all yet live and that many bones have been broken and nded, but they are otherwise unscathed in any serious way." He spared a mont to eye up and down, as if he had not already fully assessed . "I can tell by your bloodstained and shredded attire that they did not extend the sa courtesy to you. Such restraint does lend rit to your words, that you desire friendship, but how do I know I can trust you?"
He stood there, his gaze now solely fixed upon , and even though he stared up at , I could feel the pressure of his presence looming over , threatening to crush if found unworthy. Was this all but a test, and would I pass? I did not have a good answer for him, and so I decided to roll the dice and to be honest.
"You do not. We never know that we can trust people. But we can trust their motives, their desires, that they tend to work to their own benefit or for that of another. I am not here to be partners in our undertakings, rely to establish an understanding that we can stay out of each other's way, and perhaps in tis of need, lend a hand. It is useful to have friends that your enemies do not know about, ones that you can call in a pinch to turn the tables."
With a gesture from his hand, the other riccen stepped forth, stopping just before their chained comrades. With a snap of his fingers, my spell ended, and the unconscious bodies of my prisoners fell into dozens of waiting arms. The other riccen withdrew, leaving the two of us alone in the center of the warehouse.
"Now that you have lost your leverage, what will you do now if I decide to decline your offer?" the leader asked as he casually drew a dagger. He proceeded to juggle it with one hand, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I would say that it would certainly put a damper on our relationship, and if I made it out of here alive, I would bring snacks next ti I ca to visit, as is the custom." I hoped my joke would do the trick, as I had few options of getting out alive unless I wanted to go on a rampage as a dragon, which I most certainly did not.
Luck smiled upon , for he chuckled at my joke, with his mirth evolving into a full belly laugh. He slapped a knee as he doubled over in laughter, his eyes brimming with tears from his amusent, but his dagger never ceased its journey as one hand continued to send it aloft ti after ti.
"Perhaps," he said, pausing to chuckle once more, before all laughter ceased completely and his tone turned deadly serious, "Perhaps we could be friends. I have many friends, in many lands, both high and low in society. It never hurts to have one more, but I have had my fair share of friendships being terminated rather suddenly." His eyes narrowed as he finished speaking, and he paused to size up with his ever critical gaze.
With his free hand, he wove a series of gestures to , and I, feeling as if I should repeat them, mimicked them back to him. He nodded, and did it once more, which I followed. Satisfied, he extended his non-juggling hand forward to shake, which I took without faltering.
"Then we have a deal," he said with a buck-toothed smile as whiskers quivered. "Show that sign to one of mine and they will bring you to . We don't need nas around here, not yet at least, but I know who you are, Hydra Slayer. I won't ask you to commit cri on my behalf, and my children will stay away from your guilds. The day may co when we have need of one another, and I will honor that, if the price is right."
He withdrew his hand and turned away from , walking back towards his children as lights faded. "Now go, for the hour is late, and my patience for entertaining uninvited guests draws thin."
The light faded completely, and as the room descended into darkness once again, I detected no trace of even a single riccen nearby. Not one to overstay my welco, I bowed slightly out of politeness in the direction I had last seen him before I departed. Only after I was more than a block away did I let the adrenaline of the situation flood through my veins. My heart raced with fear at how close I had co to death. That encounter provided a strong and lasting lesson on how not all the strongest people in the world were Adventurers, and so with renewed caution and respect for the unknown, I made my way ho for my last night in the dorms.
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