x
Running was exhausting, the bat had been deprived of his stamina by the alcohol, which also messed up his balance and general control over his body. After dashing for a couple of chimes the Kelvic’s legs felt like lead and lifting them for a new step became harder and harder the longer the two ran. His breath was coming out in pants while his sides heaved to take in as much air as possible. Like stated before, his sense of balance was quite off and many time it felt as if his legs would give away, a couple of times they kind of did and he found himself trying to push his falling body back up with his hands before assuming the correct position to run in.
Ardan seemed far less hindered by his state, Brandon guessed it meant the other Kelvic could hold his liquor a whole lot better than him. He hadn’t thrown up either, but that did not mean he had won the contest, no way! Ardan had thrown in the towel chimes before the thugs started to trouble them, Brandon’s act of emptying his stomach had happened long after the competition had ended. Not that any of that mattered right now, since the leader of the gang was trailing them, keeping up pretty well. It was not too surprising, he was sober and both of the thieves were drunk, so it was to be expected. It was strangely helpful though, the adrenaline freed by the thrill of being chased by a guy with a deadly-looking –though severely dented- longsword helped clearing his head and kept him going.
A quick look over his shoulder to gauge the distance between the thieves and the pursuer turned into Brandon tripping and falling on his side. Fortunately, the momentum was enough to make him roll for a bit so he could get up –or rather stumble back onto his feet- pretty quickly, though the distance between them had declined dramatically. Another glance revealed the mountain-apish guy having caught up to him and swung his blade with one arm, Brandon being within his range. “Whoooaaa!” the Kelvic yelled as he tilted forward and increased his speed, cold sweat pouring out of his pores. Ardan was still running with his steady pace, and Brandon kept dashing until he returned to the man’s side, wide-eyed.
Things seemed to be going well for a while, until Brandon tripped over a rebellious piece of pavement that had raised above the level of its peers. While it hurt too, what worried Bran most was the fact that he was able to cast a glance back once more, and saw their chaser having closed more than half of the gap between them. Ardan had noticed too it seemed, grabbing Bran and hauling him back to his feet while turning a corner. Wait, wasn’t this…? An obstacle of stones towering above both of the fleeing men blocked their path… a dead end. Hm, this was not good –was one way to look at things- but the cold night air had cleared most of the fog out of Brandon’s head. When had walls ever held him back? He could just scale it and he’d be safe, that giant wouldn’t be able to follow him over it.
While Ardan stalled a bit and the goon –who apparently was named Jaques or Jack or so- proudly stated his objective, thinking himself being in control of the situation, Brandon strained his eyes hoping to find the best way to get over the wall as quick as possible. There was a windowsill around the height of his ribs. That would probably be the fasted way indeed… He took a couple of steps back and dashed to his target, leapt onto it and immediately towards the upper edge of the wall. Arms were thrown over the ridge, anchoring him there while his body smacked into the stones and he was able to use his feet to crawl on top of it, standing upright and flailing in an attempt not to fall off. Crouching proved to be easier on him, so that was what he did.
And then there was a bright while light that flashed for an instant, blinded the bat for a couple of ticks. A fearsome roar bellowed and the sound of steel cluttering on the stones echoed through the otherwise silent city. When he started to discern figures and objects in the dark again, once more the light flared and again took away his sight. Once he had recovered, he saw Ardan getting dressed and heard him speak, the silhouette of a man lying on the stones in a puddle of some dark liquid. What the…? No, no, no! Jaq did not move, and what was more, other than Ardan he did not hear anything else. The other Kelvic’s words… no! NO! Why? Why did he have to kill the guy? Knocking him out would have done just fine, wouldn’t it? But this, this was murder!
With eyes wide of shock, Brandon stared at the scene in disbelieve, having sobered up instantly. On his high spot on the wall he could see it all, his night-attuned eyes noticing the ripped-apart throat of the dead thug, the steel of the sword being encircled by blood. He did not hear Ardan’s rambles, he could only stare, feeling the unease and finding that this approach was just wrong. There had been no reason to kill this guy, not even self-defense could be used as an excuse; Jaq hadn’t attacked first. They could have clambered over the wall or knocked him out to escape, Ardan could have fled the city if the man did not stop his pursuit. But murdering him? That was just wrong.
Only the last bit of Ardan’s words reached him, the Kelvic stared upwards into the bat’s dark orbs. The only person to worry about eh? Brandon guarded his tongue for a brief moment, standing up on the wall and looking down with an expression that was a mixture of disappointment and anger. Not anger for the man’s words, but for his actions. “I do not approve of murder,” was all he said for a while, turning away and readying himself to jump off before looking back and speaking up once more. “You’d better hide that body.” There was no warmth in his speech at all, no emotion in either of the short lines he’d voiced. Then he jumped, bending his knees upon impact to disperse the shock of landing and started running again.
Running away from the crime scene. Running away from Ardan. Running away from the lifeless body of Jaq. He did not want to have anything to do with this, he did not want to be involved in this. For all he cared Ardan could vanish from Mizahar’s surface, from his life. Though he knew the Kelvic had his own reasons for his actions, Brandon just couldn’t approve of what had happened, no matter the motives behind it. The shadows enveloped him gently as he distanced himself from the dead end, erased his shape as he headed home.
Damn it all, I wish I’d stayed at home!
OOCHow about we wrap this up?
Ardan seemed far less hindered by his state, Brandon guessed it meant the other Kelvic could hold his liquor a whole lot better than him. He hadn’t thrown up either, but that did not mean he had won the contest, no way! Ardan had thrown in the towel chimes before the thugs started to trouble them, Brandon’s act of emptying his stomach had happened long after the competition had ended. Not that any of that mattered right now, since the leader of the gang was trailing them, keeping up pretty well. It was not too surprising, he was sober and both of the thieves were drunk, so it was to be expected. It was strangely helpful though, the adrenaline freed by the thrill of being chased by a guy with a deadly-looking –though severely dented- longsword helped clearing his head and kept him going.
A quick look over his shoulder to gauge the distance between the thieves and the pursuer turned into Brandon tripping and falling on his side. Fortunately, the momentum was enough to make him roll for a bit so he could get up –or rather stumble back onto his feet- pretty quickly, though the distance between them had declined dramatically. Another glance revealed the mountain-apish guy having caught up to him and swung his blade with one arm, Brandon being within his range. “Whoooaaa!” the Kelvic yelled as he tilted forward and increased his speed, cold sweat pouring out of his pores. Ardan was still running with his steady pace, and Brandon kept dashing until he returned to the man’s side, wide-eyed.
Things seemed to be going well for a while, until Brandon tripped over a rebellious piece of pavement that had raised above the level of its peers. While it hurt too, what worried Bran most was the fact that he was able to cast a glance back once more, and saw their chaser having closed more than half of the gap between them. Ardan had noticed too it seemed, grabbing Bran and hauling him back to his feet while turning a corner. Wait, wasn’t this…? An obstacle of stones towering above both of the fleeing men blocked their path… a dead end. Hm, this was not good –was one way to look at things- but the cold night air had cleared most of the fog out of Brandon’s head. When had walls ever held him back? He could just scale it and he’d be safe, that giant wouldn’t be able to follow him over it.
While Ardan stalled a bit and the goon –who apparently was named Jaques or Jack or so- proudly stated his objective, thinking himself being in control of the situation, Brandon strained his eyes hoping to find the best way to get over the wall as quick as possible. There was a windowsill around the height of his ribs. That would probably be the fasted way indeed… He took a couple of steps back and dashed to his target, leapt onto it and immediately towards the upper edge of the wall. Arms were thrown over the ridge, anchoring him there while his body smacked into the stones and he was able to use his feet to crawl on top of it, standing upright and flailing in an attempt not to fall off. Crouching proved to be easier on him, so that was what he did.
And then there was a bright while light that flashed for an instant, blinded the bat for a couple of ticks. A fearsome roar bellowed and the sound of steel cluttering on the stones echoed through the otherwise silent city. When he started to discern figures and objects in the dark again, once more the light flared and again took away his sight. Once he had recovered, he saw Ardan getting dressed and heard him speak, the silhouette of a man lying on the stones in a puddle of some dark liquid. What the…? No, no, no! Jaq did not move, and what was more, other than Ardan he did not hear anything else. The other Kelvic’s words… no! NO! Why? Why did he have to kill the guy? Knocking him out would have done just fine, wouldn’t it? But this, this was murder!
With eyes wide of shock, Brandon stared at the scene in disbelieve, having sobered up instantly. On his high spot on the wall he could see it all, his night-attuned eyes noticing the ripped-apart throat of the dead thug, the steel of the sword being encircled by blood. He did not hear Ardan’s rambles, he could only stare, feeling the unease and finding that this approach was just wrong. There had been no reason to kill this guy, not even self-defense could be used as an excuse; Jaq hadn’t attacked first. They could have clambered over the wall or knocked him out to escape, Ardan could have fled the city if the man did not stop his pursuit. But murdering him? That was just wrong.
Only the last bit of Ardan’s words reached him, the Kelvic stared upwards into the bat’s dark orbs. The only person to worry about eh? Brandon guarded his tongue for a brief moment, standing up on the wall and looking down with an expression that was a mixture of disappointment and anger. Not anger for the man’s words, but for his actions. “I do not approve of murder,” was all he said for a while, turning away and readying himself to jump off before looking back and speaking up once more. “You’d better hide that body.” There was no warmth in his speech at all, no emotion in either of the short lines he’d voiced. Then he jumped, bending his knees upon impact to disperse the shock of landing and started running again.
Running away from the crime scene. Running away from Ardan. Running away from the lifeless body of Jaq. He did not want to have anything to do with this, he did not want to be involved in this. For all he cared Ardan could vanish from Mizahar’s surface, from his life. Though he knew the Kelvic had his own reasons for his actions, Brandon just couldn’t approve of what had happened, no matter the motives behind it. The shadows enveloped him gently as he distanced himself from the dead end, erased his shape as he headed home.
Damn it all, I wish I’d stayed at home!
OOCHow about we wrap this up?
x
credit goes to Euthisa
