Group role-play: Rodeo 6

Jaegos | Fieron | Jaegos | Fieron | Jaegos | Mailana | Faeline | Jaegos | Faeline | Jaegos | Fieron | Jaegos | Malrevon

Jaegos
The boy watched the blacksmith's every move carefully. His master was forging a masterpiece, possibly the best work he had ever done. Once again the flames roared with fury, again his master hammered the blade.

Both teacher and student marvelled over the finished piece, a sword worthy of even the great God Belar. Its blade was sharper than a dragon's fang and lighter than a dove's feather. Yet, it was strong and impossible to break, a good combination indeed. In the hands of a master swordsman, even an army of the strongest fighters would have to surrender.
"Master, this is indeed your finest work!"
"No, my young apprentice, it lacks but one final touch."
"Then hurry and finish it so that perfection may be born into this world!"
"You still lack the forging of the fire could time. Remember, perfection is but a distant dream to us mortals. As for the blade, its completion is not to be done by me."
"But who better than you to finish this work of art?"
"A sorcerer. Only after my friend adds the power of will to its creation can it truly be called a masterpiece."
"So when can we see this sorcerer so that he can complete the blade?"
"That would depend on how fast you can travel. There is much to be done here and your the only one i can trust. Now stop complaining, I’ll ask a friend to accompany you. Go get prepared for the journey."

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Fieron
The apprentice hurriedly threw some clothing into his backpack, and paused for a while, thinking. He absent-mindedly brushed a lock of black hair from his eyes, and briefly rummaged through his pack. He carefully took a long stave lying in the corner, and then selected a long knife from the cupboard his master stored his finished products in.
With that, he bounded out, the pack casually slung over his shoulder, and smiled brightly at the blacksmith. The burly man gazed critically at his eager apprentice, and gave a low chuckle.
"Well lad, for a start, you don't seem to have brought any food or water. Not even a blanket to keep you warm?" The boy started, remembering, and turned to dash into the kitchen when his master put a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder.
"Meros, you must always think before you act." he looked around. "Good thing I have someone who I can trust to take care of you." The apprentice blushed, and scuffled his toe in embarrassment.
"Is this the boy you want me to take?" A melodious voice drawled. The boy spun around, surprised.
"I didn't hear you come in!"
The woman drew back her hood, hefting a bundle in her hand, and raised an eyebrow at the boy. "I'm a ranger," she said calmly, in the unusually low voice for a woman. She peered into his open backpack. "No food, no water, not much clothing and no flint and tinder." She cocked her head sideways. "Very well equipped."
"Be nice to him. He is still young." the blacksmith chided her, handing her the wrapped sword. A hint of a smile touched her lips, and she forced the boy to turn around. He yelped, nearly falling over, but strong, bony hands gripping his shoulder prevented him from falling. He felt the yanking on the pack's straps, and the added weight dropped into it. He craned his head to see what was happening and was given a light rap on his head.
“Mind your own business." He ducked his head, and waited until she had finished, then turned around. A weathered and scarred face stared back at him, the dark brown eyes veiled, and an amused look crossed her face. "Enjoying the view?" The boy flushed again. The blacksmith hesitated, before posing a question.
"Mistress Ryna, will you be able to escort the boy to Melcene?"
Ryna's eyebrows shot up.
"Melcene?" A frown creased her forehead. "T'will be a long journey." She drew out a stained and tattered parchment out of her belt, and examined it. "Algaria, then Mishrak Ac Thall. A boat to Mallorea, and there I'm afraid I'll have to ask some of the locals. My map isn't that extensive." She folded it up carefully and tucked it back under her belt.
"Boyo, take this bag of money. And don't waste it." The blacksmith warned.
"Can we go now?" Meros fidgeted with the money pouch. Catching a look from the ranger, he stopped playing with the pouch and stowed it in his belt.
"I have some rules. First. Don't mess around with me, I'm not overly fond of children. Second. Listen to what I say. Third. Trust your instincts. And fourth. Use your head." The mistress flashed the blacksmith another small smile and gave Meros a little push. "Out into the fresh air you go."

The blacksmith leaned against the door, and gave a cheery wave to the departing pair. He slowly headed back towards the now quiet forge, and allowed himself for a first time a worried look.
"No help for it. I just hope no one realises what the boy is carrying." He thought aloud, shutting the door and bolting it.

As they left the city, Meros could not help but feel a little scared. However, he was firm on his decision: if he made one, he will follow it to the end. Nothing will stop him... At least, for now.
The apprentice shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. Various aches and bruises were clamouring for his attention. The leading ranger seemed happier out of the city. At times, he was certain that she was smiling with he eyes. They moved past the fields and pastures at a trot, and past the lumbering wagons and plodding mules. There was so much to learn about the world. He watched the farmers tilling the fields, but it soon lost its appeal. Finally, his curiosity overcame his shyness, and he asked,
"Mistress Ryna, why are there rangers in Sendaria? I mean..." he floundered "There're no trees. There's no monsters or anything here... and aren't rangers supposed to watch the forests? I mean, there's only farmland here... There're no trees." he concluded lamely. The ranger chuckled, her back to him.
"I don't belong to any country. I was on my way north to have a look at Cherek, but your master needed help. So I'm helping."
Meros felt that despite the impression the ranger made, she was actually a simple person. If someone needs help, help. Complete something by the fastest and shortest way possible. Rangers were not what the rumours had described them as.
"Boy!" A voice snapped, and the boy jerked out of his reverie, looking around wildly.
"Sorry!" He sawed wildly at the reins, only just managing to keep his mount on the road.
"Keep your wits about you! Now, I want you to brace yourself, and kick the horse. We're moving too slow." Then "No! Foolish boy! Pull on the reins! PULL! Oh BELAR!" A group of laughing people gathered around the riderless horse and the fallen boy, and the ranger dismounted, running towards him. She towered over him, arms akimbo. "What do you think you were doing, eh?"
"Sorry..." he mumbled, trying to regain his dignity, and was forced to stand up. Ryna scrutinised him critically, and snorted.
"Get back up on that horse." She turned around and glared at the uncertain horse. "Come here! Now up you go. One, two, three!" She heaved him into the horse, and dusted her cloak with disgust. "What're YOU looking at?" The on-lookers immediately found various interesting businesses to attend to.
Meros spent the rest of the day clinging to the saddle horn as the horses cantered towards Sulturn. He felt miserable, every bone in his body screaming at him. By nightfall, they arrived at the city, bone-weary. Ryna ignored his obvious exhaustion, and instead trained him in using the long knife. He barely had three hours of sleep before he was woken up again.
Four days passed by, the same routine drilled into him. Wake, ride, eat, sleep, wake, ride, eat, sleep...
They finally arrived at Muros, and Meros learned with a huge amount of relief that they needed fresh mounts. It was dampened when he realised that he had to follow her. Staggering slightly under the multitude of saddlebags, the apprentice entered the stables.
"These two and one gold coin, for those two." Ryna gestured. The merchant looked affronted.
"But madam! Your horses aren't worth that much!" So began the long bargaining. Meros had already honed his skills from the blacksmith, and thus realised that the ranger was incompetent, so he jutted in whenever he could. Eventually, he took full rein of the bargaining, and succeeded in lowering the price drastically. The ranger watched him sourly, but chose not to say anything. Feeling his spirits lift, Meros loaded the new horses, and swung himself onto them with ease. He looked around.
"Mistress Ryna?" There was no sign of her. He scanned the crowd. She was gone.

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Jaegos
Meros threw himself down on the bed and sighed. He had spent the whole day searching for Ryna but she was nowhere to be found. Just when his image of rangers was improving, she went and ruined it again. Who knew they were so touchy?
"Hmph... and she took majority of the money with her.. now I’ll have to turn back and get more from Master..."
With that, he took one last yawn and fell into a deep sleep.

Meros was woken up by a weird shuffling noise. "Ryna? No, she's too quiet, it’s one of the things she was most proud of..." he thought. Then he remembered the sword.
Panic engulfed him. What was he going to do? He was no fighter, he only had a few lessons with the dagger. Yet, he couldn't lay silent and let them take the sword, his master had entrusted it to him. What would he say if he returned empty handed? If only Ryna hadn't picked this day of all to ditch him. He had no more options. If the sword was to remain in his possession, he would have to defend it.

The good news was, the intruder probably didn't realise he was awake. His dagger lay on the table next to the bed. All he needed to do was jump up, grab the dagger and slay the intruder before he could react.
"Yeah, thats all I have to do" he thought miserably to himself. If he was even a second too slow, he'd be killed instantly. Worse still, he had never killed anyone before.....
A grunt of happiness from the intruder told him the sword had been found. It was now or never.
With a battle cry which sounded like a soul being tortured by Nahaz, he jumped out of his bed and reached for the dagger only to find it wasn't there anymore. Spinning around, he saw it tucked away in the man's belt. "Oh no, I'm going to die."
Five seconds later, the man was out cold on the floor with a figure standing over him. Ryna turned towards Meros and sighed, "Can't leave you for a second without you getting into trouble can I?"

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Fieron
The assassin slowly crept up to the forge, noting the glow coming from the cracks of the door. Drawing his black cloak tightly around himself, he cast a careful look around, careful to keep to the shadows. He silently climbed up the wall, hauling his large frame upwards, gripping handholds wherever possible. When he reached the roof, he cursed the moon, and was forced to creep on his belly to avoid being seen. The sharp tiles cut into his clothing, and into his flesh, but he could not afford to make a sound. Not while the blacksmith was awake.
Finally, he reached the chimney. Choking smoke was still billowing out from it, but soon, he heard a hiss, and steam replaced the smoke. A slam was heard, and the scraping of metal against wood reached the assassin's ear. Soft footsteps, then followed by the faint click of another door closed.
He waited.
A few minutes past, and the assassin sprawling on the roof was barely visible. A few clouds drifted across the moon, cutting off the source only of light. Pinpricks of light could be seen here and there, but soon, even those went out. Still the assassin waited.
Suddenly, he raised himself into a squatting position, and took the coiled rope from his belt. He lashed one end around the chimney, then gently lowered the other end down the chimney. He gave it a few experimental tugs, and nodded. He lowered himself into the chimney uncomfortably, grateful for the width of it. He slid down, a foot at a time, ears pricked up for any hint of the blacksmith's awakening.
Soon, he reached the large and sooty hearth, and he eyed the darkness in front of him warily. There was no sound in the room except for the thumping heart of the assassin.
The assassin's eyes adjusted, and he scanned the room, his gaze resting on each shadow with suspicion. He allowed himself a small smile, before approaching the door, as silent as a cat. He was careful not to step on any of the creaking boards, having visited the forge as a customer once. He consulted the mental map, and edged around a particularly squeaky patch of floor, and stopped before the door. He eased the door open quietly, and inwardly thanked the blacksmith for having regularly oiling the hinges.
In the blacksmith's room, there was a bed, a large cupboard and a desk. The bed was currently occupied with his target, and the desk was littered with plans, scrawls and intricate designs covering the parchment. The assassin grinned, drawing his blackened dagger, and padded towards the prone man.
Tensing, in case the blacksmith woke, he quickly plunged the blade into the man's heart, and leapt backwards. The lethal poison took effect, and the blacksmith thrashed in the bed, clawing at the air and gurgling. The assassin watched with satisfaction, and with a sadistic smile, patted the man on his head.
Wild eyes fixed onto him, and the blacksmith lashed an unexpected fist at the assassin, knocking him to the ground. Snarling, the assassin sprung back up, his eyes blazing with anger and fear. He realised that if the blacksmith was not weakened by the poison, he was fully capable of killing him with a mere punch. He quickly regained an iron grip over his emotions, and wiped his blade clean on the blacksmith's clothing, but avoided touching the blood. Then, he rummaged around the almost dead man's clothing.
"What... do you ... want?" The blacksmith wheezed, his eyes dim. The assassin ignored him, and tugged the key free from the necklace. He swiftly unlocked the cupboard, and threw it open triumphantly. Then the smirk on his face died when he saw only clothing, and a small box of gold. He spun around, to question the blacksmith, but he was already dead. He swore under his breath, rummaging through the clothing, but found nothing. He kicked the cupboard, then noticed that some articles of clothing were much smaller than the blacksmith's. He picked one up and examined it, and went back to the forge. In the scrap pile, there were a surprising number of poorly made weapons. He examined some, and growled.
"He has an apprentice." The assassin spat, and glanced outside. It was still as quiet as it was before, and the moon was completely hidden by the thick cloud cover. He sniffed the air. It was going to rain. He slipped out of the forge, rolling the tunic into a bundle around the poorly made dagger, and into the shadows. He was not looking forward to reporting it to his employer.

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Jaegos
Meros jumped up with a start. He had a bad feeling something bad had happened but he couldn't be sure what. Ryna was staring at him, silently questioning his behaviour. Sheepishly, he dismissed the uneasiness and sat himself down on the log.
They had decided to abandon the town after the appearance of the thief.
Although the thief had said nothing of his mission, it was clear someone knew about the sword and was determined to get it. Ryna had felt it would be safer in the woods where her skills could prove more useful. Secretly, Meros felt the real reason they were surrounded by trees was so Ryna could be more at home.
"Relax, no one could get through the traps I set without us knowing."
"I have full faith in your traps, Ryna. I'm just a little cold, that’s all."
Meros realised how lame his excuse sounded a few seconds too late. Now Ryna had an even worse impression of him but at least she had dropped the subject. Sighing, he took his journal from his bag and was about to scribble notes into it when a sound like the snapping of twigs followed by a shout of pain emerged from the forest.
This time, it was Ryna's turn to jump up. "Hurry up boy, it looks like we have company."

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Mailana
The two waited tensely, their weapons in their hands. Minutes passed, but no one came. Meros drew a shaky breath and felt his heart pounding in his chest, like it was trying to escape from fear.
"Do you think they've left?" the boy asked, his eyes wide.
Ryna remained quiet, her eyes scanning every shadow around them. She frowned.
"Follow me, boy, try not to make too much noise," she walked towards the direction of the shout.
They approached a figure slumped on the ground. The clouds parted and the moon illuminated the clearing. Meros groaned at the sight. It was a young man, not much older than he. One of his legs had disappeared in the ground. His other lay twisted in an odd angle on the ground. He lay still, it seems the young man had fainted from the pain.
Ryna shook her head. "Amateurs," she said in a disgusted voice.
The figure whimpered as he slowly came to. "Is anyone there?" he called out, his voice wavering. "Please, I need help!"
Meros felt sick. "He could be innocent!" he whispered urgently to the ranger. "Can't we help him out of there?" He winced as the figure started to sob loudly.
Ryna looked at Meros, her face unreadable. "Let's go back to the camp."
"We're not going to leave him like that?!" he said incredulously.
Ryna just turned and headed towards the camp. Casting a final look
at the trapped man, he shuddered as his eyes met his.
"Please help me! PLEASE!" the young man shouted after Meros.
Meros returned to the camp and frowned at Ryna who was sitting calmly by the fire. He winced as the man's voice pleaded for help once again.
"Let it go, Meros," the ranger said quietly.
The boy lay on the ground, and closed his eyes as tightly as he could. He heard the voice again, and Meros choked as he felt tears flow down his cheeks. He bit his lip, hoping Ryna would not notice.

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Faeline
It was late and night, and Meros was still unable to sleep. His dreams are still haunted with the cries of the dying man, or well, dead man most probably. He turned to look at Ryna, her face illuminated by the flicker dance of the fire, sleeping with a frown. She's still alert even though she's sleeping, Meros thought.
The forest was quiet, except for the occasional frogs, who lived in the pond they were camped next to. He slowly unwrapped the sword, and examined it.
"How long will it take me to get to Mallorea?" He muttered to himself.
He wrapped up the sword again, and placed it aside. He lied down and turned towards Ryna. She is pretty, he thought. Suddenly, Ryna opened her eyes.
"Hide the sword, quick!" She commanded Meros. "We've got company."
Ryna turned and took up her bow and arrows. She spun behind and waited. Meros, meanwhile, grabbed the cloth wrapped sword and hid behind Ryna.
Then, there was a rustle of the leaves ahead of them. Ryna released her arrow and took up another one. There was a loud groan and a tree shook. The leaves rained down the dead man, who fell against the tree with a loud thud.
Ryna took out a short sword and passed it to Meros. "Protect the sword and yourself."
Meros was shaking furiously as he took the sword from her hand. "But..." Ryna released another arrow. Another groan and loud thud. She waited.
There was some rustle of the leaves again, but this time, Ryna did not release her arrow.
"They are leaving, and it's not wise for us to stay here anymore. Let's pack and move."

It was morning, and the couple was riding towards Darine. The forest surrounded them still, and they were following a narrow woodcutter's path. The sunlight peeked over the leaves and showered them with a little warmth.
After the surprise attack, Meros was very badly shaken, again. He had a bewildered and stunned look on his face and stared unblinkingly at the light patterns on the head of his horse.
Ryna, on the other hand, was grumpy. "Stop looking like that, Meros, it's irritating." She nudged her horse. "I hate riding with someone who looks like that." She looked at Meros and sighed. "Snap out of it and ride faster. Do you want those people to catch up with us?"
Meros sighed and looked up at Ryna. "You look better when you're sleeping and not grumbling," he mumbled softly to himself.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Meros looked down again at the horse's head.
"Well, stop mumbling, and if we ride fast enough, we can get to Darine in two days and change horses." She sighed. "Why did I agree to this job?"
Meros nudged his horse to follow Ryna. He was stunned by Ryna's archery skill, and he knew that he had to depend on her until they reached Mallorea. He still carried the short sword, which Ryna gave him for self-defence, but he wished he had his hammer with him right now. After all, he is more used to hammering than stabbing.
He looked at the trees and sighed. He knew it wouldn’t be long until they leave the safety of the thicket and reach the highway towards Darine.

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Jaegos
Meros sat underneath the tree and began to wonder. Ryna had left him with the horses so she could scout ahead for danger giving him the perfect opportunity to think about the past few days.
His first thoughts were about the blacksmith and the forge, his family and home. With all the attempts for the sword over the past few days, he was worried for his master's safety. Ryna had scoffed at his concerns and reminded him that his master had seen his fair share of adventures in his youth. The uncertainty in her voice, however, told him that she shared his fear.
Then he remembered the man caught in the trap. Ryna had also seen the pain in his eyes. She was also aware of his fate if she did not release him. Yet, she abandoned him. Left him to die. He remembered the way she killed the men who had attacked them. So swiftly, without any hint of hesitation, could he really trust someone who took the lives of others without even a blink?
Suddenly, he saw something fly towards him and discovered an arrow buried in the tree a fraction of an inch above his head. Ryna emerged from the bushes and glared at him.
"If I had been the enemy, you would have been dead. Stay alert next time or it could cost you your life."
Without a word, Meros nodded quickly and the pair departed for Darine.

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Faeline
Meros felt some comfort in the crowd that surround him. Darine, being close to Cherek, had made it one of the few places in Sendaria which made Angaraks unwelcome. He ate his watery turnip stew without question, since taste made no difference to a hungry boy.

Ryna, however, did not look comfortable in cities. She constantly shifted in her seat, glancing frequently around her. She sighed and look at Meros, who was finishing his stew in an amazing speed.
"I can't believe you eat that... thing," Ryna sighed. "It's not food." She bit on a joint of meat.
Meros had been tempted to order ale, but Ryna very firmly told him not to. "You do not have very sharp senses in the first place. I do not need a drunkard to cause more problem for me."
They finally managed to leave the forest without any more episodes, and he remembered the incident where Ryna sniffed at the ground like a dog. He smiled at his turnip stew and continued eating.
"By Chaldan, you actually LIKE that... thing?" Ryna exclaimed. "Goodness." She rolled her eyes upwards in disgust.
"Ryna," Meros started. "Are the Da...Daga..." His mouth was covered immediately by Ryna's hand.
"Do not speak of them here, it is not safe," Ryna warned. "Yes, they are the ones." She said, whispering into his ears.

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Jaegos
The sea breeze blew through Meros hair bringing him the smell of the sea. This being the first time he had ever left his hometown, he was nervous about boarding the ship and leaving the safety of land.
Ryna noticed his nervousness and whispered sweetly into his ear "If you like, I could take the sword there myself..."
"Would you?!"
"Of course. But then, I'd have to leave you here. Alone. Unguarded. At the mercy of a group of bloodthirsty assassins. But of course... if that’s what you want..."
Suddenly, the land did not seem so appealing to Meros and he dashed onto the ship. Ryna allowed herself a smile before joining the youth.

The cabin was small and cramped. Despite having travelled light, he still barely had room to move his feet. Ryna was on the deck discussing certain issues with the Captain and had ordered him to stay put. To any person his age, this was the worse thing in the world.
Finally, he did the only thing he could. Lying back on his bunk, his thoughts began to drift and he soon fell into a deep slumber.

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Fieron
"Come in, come in." A tired voice sighed on the other side of the door. The Dagashi assassin bowed at the door, then stepped silently into the room. The assassin squinted in the sudden brightness. A merry blaze in the fireplace provided light, as well as candles that danced. A man in a night robe was sitting at a desk, his quill dipping periodically into the ink well, before flickering over the sheet of parchment. He did not look up as the assassin entered, but continued scribbling furiously.
"Well?"
"Sorry, my lord. The blacksmith had an apprentice, whom I believe took the sword." The assassin set the bundle down on the desk.
"Really? An apprentice?" The man stared critically at the parchment, then blew on the ink to dry it. "It's late. I suggest we rest a little? Then we'll talk tomorrow. Sleep now. That should do us good." The man gave him another friendly smile, gathered the bundle, and left the room. He disappeared behind the black curtain. The Dagashi was firmly led into another room, and the door was closed.
"So...Let's get down to business, shall we?" His employer rubbed his hands together vigorously, and picked up the knife and fork. Enthusiastically, he started eating his breakfast. The assassin watched him silently, hands folded on the table. "Sho wha happened?" he asked, spraying food as he spoke.
"The blacksmith was dealt with, my lord, but-"
"Yes, yes. Not your fault." The man waved a hand expansively at him. "My fault. I didn't think he was the type who would get an apprentice. Pity he died." The man sniffed. "I quite liked him." The employer broke a loaf of bread into two and offered it to the assassin, who carefully declined. Silence filled the room, broken by the occasional clink of plate and cutlery. The butler came to fill the pot of tea, then left.
"I want that sword. Please try to get it without any more split blood... Oh, and give the apprentice this letter when you take the sword. Dismissed." A letter slid across the table, and stopped in front of the assassin. The man left the breakfast table, vanishing into the study. The Dagashi looked at the letter, and nodded at the waiting guard. He slipped out of the house silently, and relaxed, blending into the crowd that streamed around him. He looked around for the stables, smiling pleasantly.

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Jaegos
This was perhaps one of the happiest moments Meros had felt during the whole trip. After days of dull travel at sea, land was finally in sight. According to Ryna, the city in front of them was Mal Camat.
Meros almost fell over as Ryna hit him over the head. "Stop looking so dazed" growled Ryna, "You know I hate it when you look stupid."

Dock workers hurriedly transported the cargo on board the ship into the warehouses. Members of the crew who had obtained permission from the captain, and some who hadn't, made straight for the tavern to rest their tired legs and fill their stomachs' with beer.
Ryna paid the captain and was motioning to Meros to get ready to leave when a large group of armored guards approached them. Ryna stepped in front of Meros and turned casually to face the guards. "How might I help you gentlemen?"
One of the guards stepped forward. Meros quickly deduced that this was their captain. "Are you the one called Ryna?"
"That would be me."
"Ok men, check her for weapons and bind her hands. This is a crafty one."
Ryna pulled out her sword and pointed it at the advancing guards. "On what charge are you arresting me?"
"Murder. And if you don't surrender your weapon, resisting arrest."
Ryna glanced at the guards, then at Meros and then back at the guards again. With a sigh, she threw her sword at his feet. The guards quickly advanced on her and followed their leader's orders. Within moments, they were gone.
Meros was stunned. What was he going to do now?

Lightning streaked across the sky just as the clouds began to release the unwelcome rain. Strangely, Lady Luck had finally chosen to lend Meros a hand and had allowed him to find sufficient, not to mention relatively cheap, shelter in a shady inn.
With Ryna in jail, he now had to do something he had rarely ever done. He had to rely on himself. After thinking about this for a while, he finally fully understood what it meant. Once again, fear took hold of him.
Taking deep breaths, he took an hour or so to calm himself and another to decide what to do. Ryna had been framed (probably) leaving him alone. He still had to being the sword to Melcene for the finishing touches. He was alone in a strange and unknown country with assassins lurking behind every corner.
He was so dead.
Normally, he would have taken the following moments to go into a fearful frenzy but a hard blow to the back of his head rendered him unconscious and made it impossible to do that.

Meros woke to find himself in total darkness. He knew his eyes were open but he could still see nothing. His arms and legs also refused to respond to his commands to move. "Oh no. I'm dead." he thought.
"Don't worry, Death is a much more interesting state, you should try it one day."
"You can read my thoughts??"
"Yes. It pays to know what is in the mind which doesn't come out of the mouth."
Suddenly, Meros' vision cleared and he could see again. He was alone in a small cell, which was bare of furniture. Of course, furniture was useless since he was stuck magically to the wall.
"Your a very negative person aren't you?" the voice sounded in his head again.
"That’s funny... Ryna used to say the same thing. Are you the ones who framed her?"
"Do you need to ask?"
"Is she ok?"
"That’s strange, from what I saw in your mind, you'd be glad to hear about her demise."
"Sh..?!"
"Executed at dawn yesterday. But if I were you, I'd be worried about my own safety."
The door burst open to reveal the outline of a man. He was right, Meros was starting to worry about his own safety.

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Malrevon
"So... Your name is Meros, apprentice of the blacksmith." The man chuckled unpleasantly. Meros stared at the silhouette of the man hopelessly.
"Wha... What do you want?" Meros licked his dry lips nervously, praying to the Gods he wouldn't be tortured.
"Torture? How uncivilised." There was a flash of white teeth as the man grinned. "So..."
Suddenly, he staggered backwards, and Meros slid off the wall and crashed onto the floor. A single cockroach scuttled across the bare ground.
The man stood up, and raised his hand, snarling something, when a ball of fire shot towards him. He cursed as he ducked. Meros, with his face against the ground, gaped in amazement as the cockroach changed into another figure.
"He is mine." A distinctly feminine voice declared. Meros could only see the hem of her cloak.

"In your dreams yes!" The man laughed, gesturing at the woman. Meros scrambled out from behind her, and begun to creep towards the door.
The entire cell lit up as an explosion rocked the building. Fire singed Meros hair. The man advanced on the woman, and Meros ducked out, running for his life.
Just outside the door, he saw his equipment, and skidded as he grabbed it on the way out.
"Let me go!" Ryna's voice exclaimed outside, followed by a number of grunts and curses by some men. Meros stopped, and hid behind a wall.
Ryna was being dragged out into the courtyard, and although she was bound, she managed to put up a spectacular fight. Meros winced as she kicked a man in his solar plenix.
"You-!" the man gasped, doubling over. Meros took his opportunity to charge at them, and accidentally skewered one of them.
"Ryna! Are you-"
"Shut up and FIGHT!"
Meros ducked a blow by a guard, and charged head first into his stomach. By coincident, the guard behind Meros was bringing his blade downwards, and neatly decapitated the man.
Meros ran over to Ryna, who had knocked out one guard and left another one groaning, and tried to cut her bonds.
"Foolish boy!!! Do you- WATCH OUT!" Ryna hooked his legs out under him, and the guard behind, unable to stop his momentum, tripped over them and flew head first into the wall.
"You are either really lucky, or the Gods have decided to watch this 'comedy'." Ryna snapped while Meros desperately sawed at the rope. Her hands came free, and she deftly untied her feet. "Which way out?"
Meros looked around. "I don't know!"
"Choose!!!" Meros hesitantly pointed west. Ryna grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him in that direction.
They came out of the corridor, only to see that the exit is guarded by two guards. Ryna snatches one of the swords from Meros and whaps one hard on the head from behind. The other spun around, and Meros reluctantly engaged the guard.
The guard launched a flurry of blows, which Meros awkwardly blocked. The last caught him in the leg, and the boy yelled in pain. He fell heavily onto the floor, and Ryna almost casually slit his throat.
"Come ON!" Ryna cleaned the sword quickly, and wrapped up their belongings into a cloak. She makes Meros put on a filthy one, and she dons a similar one.
"Uh... what are we going to do?"
"Disguise ourselves as garbage collectors! The Gods know that no one will want to look at us." She sniffed at the cloak and made a face. "Follow me."
Meros trotted after Ryna into the streets. A few passing guards scowled when they saw them. "Filthy buggers." he heard one of them say.
"Let's go to the docks." The hunched ranger next to him hissed, limping a little. Meros pretended to be blind, and clutched at Ryna's cloak.
After what seemed to be eternity for Meros, they arrived at the docks. There, Ryna picked a fishing boat, and they clambered in.
"How do you know whether there's anyone here or not?" Meros whispered loudly as he waited for his eyes to adjust.
"I just know." She tapped her head. "Instinct."
They started to fix the sails on the small fishing boat, and fortunately for them, the wind was blowing inland. The sails filled, and the boat began to move.

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