Dreadlords A Rope Around the Neck

[Gaage Eberwhit]

If you had the world's greatest artistic minds come together and collaborate on a painting that defined 'shit-eating grin'... It would probably look like Gaage Eberwhit as he sauntered his way back to Edric and Zael with the biggest fucking chunk of muscle in this entire prison following right behind. Oh, he was good. Eddy was giving him those 'I might just rip you apart today ' eyes already, and Gaage responded by spreading his arms as though he was asking for a deadly hug from the life-sucker.

He wasn't, but Edric probably thought about it if it meant not having to deal with him.

"Edric! Zael! This is Tial!" He turned to gesture to the obvious half-giant with her arms crossed behind him, looking down at the trio rather unimpressed. "Tial, this is Edric and Zael. There's another one too, but she's off somewhere doing who knows what."

Obviously, introductions had gone just swimmingly, an awkward silence hanging in the air like Ed and Gaage were slated to be. With a little sigh, Gaage wiped some of the blood from his cheek, nodding at the glares he was getting. "Alright, I got carried away and killed all her goons, but she said if we help her out of here she'll lend us her muscle. Figured having a half-giant backing us up couldn't hurt our chances, could it?"

Tial was narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Edric, seemingly picking up on some context clues. Clever girl.

"All of you are new here. Must have come in together. Where from? What are you planning?"

Gaage bit down on his tongue. Hopefully, Edric didn't decide she was being too nosy already. Gaage really didn't want to fight this crazy bitch.

Edric Zael Castomir Fennec

 

[Fennec]

Shortly after their motley crew gathered in the courtyard, the youngest, smollest, and final member arrived. Fennec strode out along the upper level that circled the entirety of the yard, looking down upon the others. She was not alone, but accompanied by that same older woman with the gravely voice from the stairwell. Fennec did not know her name but she did not need to. Upon approaching the crone and holding up Yorin's severed horns, an understanding made itself known.

The crone took a little bit of convincing with a display of unfriendly myste tendrils, but that was neither here nor there. As of present time, Crone was now taking orders from Girl.

Crone gaze down over the wooden railing, her gnarled hands gripping the top with white knuckles as she spied Tial standing below at the behest of the red-haired man. She frowned in displeasure - that woman was supposed to be taking her last breath at the hands of the Twisted Nails tonight. Since the Girl refused speak the Crone was left guessing as to the meaning of this little rendez-vous.

 

[Zael Castomir]

Holy shit, Edric's face wasn't paralyzed into an eternal scowl. Alright, exaggeration (mostly), Zael had seen him smile before (and saw the nearby mirrors break, zing), but you'd be kidding yourself if you said it wasn't rare. Now if he actually heard a genuine laugh from mister Big, Tall, and Angry himself in the same day he'd be down on a bet back at the Academy—better save for the jokes for tomorrow.

Edric cut off what he was saying, and Zael followed the track of his gaze. Saw the approach of Gaage and Tial.

Edric frowned (that's more like the lug we all know and love, heh) and made his remark. Zael snickered. Said, "Keep your horses in the stable, there ought to at least be a good story that comes along with this."

Shit, did Gaage ever disappoint when it came to wild stories?

Henelaus was just gawking at Gaage with that selfsame awed reverence as before—and at alternately at Tial with ill-concealed contempt—the whole time. Zael, glancing up at the half-giant who towered over all of them, grinned appreciatively and commented, "And that's a lot of muscle to lend, isn't it?"

Tial asked her question, and Zael's gaze just slid over toward Edric. His big assignment here at the prison, his ass on the line, so his call on how much or how little to say.

Edric Gaage Eberwhit Fennec

 

[Edric]

Edric looked up at the half-giant.

Few people at the Academy dwarfed him, though he had never minded those taller of his own race. There was something about this woman though that set him ill-at ease. He had the sense that even despite her bulk she could move in the blink of an eye.

That her fist would strike just as fast as his own.

Dangerous, but Gaage was completely right; useful. "We're taking the prison."

His voice was steady, even. There was no point in getting to who they were or where they from. This woman neither needed to know, nor would have time to understand. By the time they would get out of here Edric would see her dead.

If only so they betrayed her before she could do the same.

"All of it." He clarified, his face remaining impassive. "And then we're going to escape."

It was a simplified version of what they were doing of course. First their query would have to finish his work, but the less the half-giant knew the better it would be. If they could make her believe they were doing all of this to escape it would be easier to convince her.

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

While Edric had his little pow-wow with their new walking mountain of punch, Gaage slid over to Zael, slugging him in the shoulder with a grin. "How'd you get on? The prison isn't burning down, so I'd imagine things went alright." Gaage knew Zael wasn't the type to get so out of control as to burn entire buildings down on accident, but he couldn't help but needle the pretty-boy. "I guess we can't all get mobbed by smelly prisoners who want to eat you for lunch. I got pretty lucky, huh? Shoulda seen the way I was tearing into them. This one guy..."

As Eberwhit gave a very detailed and unnecessarily animated account of his fight with Tial's group to Zael and Fennec, Tial remained focused on Edric as he gave her bread crumbs of information. The half-giant didn't trust Edric as far as she could throw him, granted she could probably throw him pretty damned far. Anybody with a pulse could tell the feeling was mutual.

"You've got balls, little man." Tial half smirked. "Four kids and Tial might not be enough, but red-haired boy is strong. You all that strong, we might have a chance. I'm in." She flexed her shoulders, seeming to grow wider just by changing her posture. Narrowed eyes stared a hole through Edric. Tial was no genius, but she wasn't dumb. She wouldn't have had so much power within the prison if she was. "Hiding something, but doesn't matter. Tial will know if you try to trick me."

Edric Zael Castomir Fennec

 

[Fennec]

From her vantage point on the upper level, Fennec could hear everything in the conversation from below. Tial and Edric sizing one another up, Gaage distracting Zael with the story of the show of wanton gore from earlier.

Crone remained silent as well, her own withered gaze following the discussion from person to person, focused primarily on the giantess and boy with creepy eyes, then finally settling on the girl standing beside her. A look of sharp comprehension shifted over her wrinkled expression, "I've been in this prison for over thirty years and seen every failed attempt of escape," she looked then down to Edric, "what makes this any different?"

Fennec blinked at the Crone but did not answer and instead brushed past her to make way to the nearby stairwell that lead down to the ground level of the court yard. Upon stepping out into the open to join the other Initiates, she moved to stand by Edric and Tial, where the smallest of them all slowly canted her gaze up, up, up, up, and up some more to look at the behemoth woman.

Then lifted her hands and signed a message to the others.

[Old woman wants that one dead.]

 

[Zael Castomir]

While Edric was having his say with the giantess (and while Henelaus was making faces and giving said giantess, of a rival prison gang, the evil eye), Gaage came over. A nice smack to his shoulder, and Zael gave him an up-nod and returned the grin.

"Yeah, alright enough. Got to stretch my arms a bit."

Then came the good part: Gaage dropping the goods on his fight against Tial's lackeys. Zael loved listening to stories about how somebody got their ass beat. Every part of it was thrilling: the build up to said ass beating, the beating itself, the victory lap—and don't forget the smack talk. Yeah, every part of it.

Almost Zael's turn to regale Gaage with the same, but some subtle movement caught his eye. He glanced over. Oh, there was Fen. She signed a message.

And Zael instantly replied, not at all bothering to sign it back, "Well tell her lazy ass to come do it herself."

Hey, you know, he'd be up to watch. And, well, if they were picking teams for this prison takeover, Zael would've chosen Tial over "Old woman" any day of the week, but that was just him.

Edric Gaage Eberwhit Fennec

 

[Edric]

For a few seconds he stared at the giant. Pondering what to tell her, what not to. How much of it all actually mattered in the end. How much might betray them before the plot could even begin. Eventually his head just tipped into a simple nod to her.

Edric was starting to understand why most people dreaded managerial positions. Everyone always had to get a word in, their cut of the plan, everything had to be debated and discussed. It was all far more difficult than it should have been.

Slowly a breath flowed into his lungs as he tried to remind himself what all of this was about. They weren't here to make friends. They weren't here to be allies. They were here to guard one man and make sure his secrets didn't die with him. That was all. Everything else was just secondary. "She can wait."

Edric said Fennec's wordless declaration, trying not to leap up and strangle Zael as he added his own commentary.

If the Crone wanted Tial dead then...well he could make that happen eventually. He wasn't about to take the Half-Giant with them to Vel Anir after all.

Slowly he turned to the woman, unable to keep some of the annoyance from his voice.

"Its different because this time there's four Dreadlords here." None of them were technically Dreadlords, but close enough that the effect was the same at least. "And this Prison wasn't built to hold us."

He paused for a moment, then added. ”So let's quit arguing, and get started.”

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

Gaage fought a smirk at Ed's bluff. Dreadlords, huh? Well, give or take a few months, but he was damned right in that they were no ordinary prisoners. If they wanted to be out by now, they probably could have been. Taking care of the gangs and gathering some more muscle was just icing on the cake to make things a little easier.

Plus, they had to wait on that stubborn fuck and his 'project' or whatever it was anyways. Might as well have some fun.

Tial, for her part, seemed satisfied for now, even nodded a bit when Edric mentioned their faux-titles. The look she gave the old crone could probably have killed, but she made no move to retaliate towards the threat offered, probably because she couldn't understand Fen's signing. Gaage wasn't sure if Fen was actually mute or just a smart cookie.

Either way she was making her presence worth it, even if she wasn't the one being threatened with hanging.

"Alright then 'boss'. What's our plan of action? We've got four Dreadlords, a half-giantess, and..." Gaage peered over at the geezer, raising an eyebrow. "...A mumbling geriatric. That's a helluva dream team if I've ever seen one."

Patting Zael on the shoulder while giving Edric his best shit-eating grin, he continued.

"I'm guessing it's not so fun as just letting Z and I burn the place to the ground, but I suppose sacrifices must be made."

 

[Fennec]

"Well tell her lazy ass to come do it herself."

Fennec made a face of annoyance at Zael.

"Its different because this time there's four Dreadlords here." None of them were technically Dreadlords, but close enough that the effect was the same at least. "And this Prison wasn't built to hold us."

Annoyance quickly switched to skeptical curiosity.

"I'm guessing it's not so fun as just letting Z and I burn the place to the ground, but I suppose sacrifices must be made."

Nope, annoyed again.

Impatience became her next as she turned her sights directly to Edric. He was, after all, the one in charge here and so far had proven to be the one with the keenest sense of directive and action.

She lifted her hands and cut the letters plainly to him in a questioning manner.

[ F E R E N ]

The Crone narrowed her eyes behind her.

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael crossed his arms right after the pat on the back, smiling in anticipation of whatever Edric was going to say. He wasn't exactly known for his tempered solutions, was he? Nah, if the Republic wanted peace here in Ostdorf (ya know, things bein done quietly and all), they sure as hell wouldn't have sent him. And that suited Zael juuuust fine.

He caught sight of Fen's signing again.

Feren.

Yeah, the guy who was making all of this a hassle. The guy the Republic, apparently, wanted more than peace. Heh, Feren. Zael ought to be thanking him for being a hardass, honestly. Without him being a hassle, how else would Zael have had the opportunity to fight a bunch of Crimson Mark cultists and turn this prison into a fortress right in the middle of hostile territory? Doing all this with some of the best Initiates around?

See, take those gripes and twist em around into positives. Don't defeat yourself with a mopey mindset.

Anyway, Zael didn't have anything to add (and Henelaus was wise enough at present to keep his mouth shut and not piss off the half-giant). Gaage said and Fen signed everything that needed voicing or seeing right now.

Edric Gaage Eberwhit Fennec

 

[Edric]

Among his fellow Initiates Edric had never much been known as a thinker or strategist. He was a brick wall. A hammer that clashed constantly down onto the nearest anvil and crushed whatever came between it. For most of his life, he had accepted that, mostly because it had suited him just as well.

Now, after so much had changed, so had he.

”Down below.” He told the little pip squeak, still keeping as much information tightly wound as he could. For the other prisoners this was an escape, for them? This was a protection mission.

”We need to hold for a day, maybe two.” The conversation with the ever so clever alchemist had been a swift one. While the others had gathered their forces Edric had spoken with him. The man had been so all consumed with his research he’d barely acknowledged the Initiate. ”Zael.”

Edric said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. ”You and Gaage take the walls.”

He looked to Fen. ”Tial, Fen, Take the gates. Seal them shut.”

Then slowly he glanced towards the old crone, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do with her. ”And you…”

Edric trailed off with a frown not quite sure what to say.

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

Oh, right. Gaage had admittedly forgotten about the whole 'staying here' thing. Damn, they'd done all that work and they weren't even able to put it to good use yet? What a fuckin' cocktease. He couldn't complain too much; Edric, in what may have been the wisest and most admirable strategic decision of his young leadership career, paired him with Zael to secure the walls.

Well now, who was Eberwhit to refuse such wise counsel? Ed was the boss here, wasn't he? The grin splitting his face betrayed his feelings as he nudged the blonde Initiate beside him, nodding up to the large walls surrounding them with a quirked brow. "Hear that? We get to go up high and take little potshots down at anybody who comes too close. Same rules as before?" Last time the two of them had been posted somewhere together, they'd made up a little game of throwing flaming rocks at the enemy. There was a whole point system and everything.

Zael had won, but Gaage was looking forward to a rematch.

Tial seemed to scoff at the notion of being paired with such a tiny little thing, and she cast a rather harsh look at the girl; you could almost see the steam coming out of her nose. The Half-Giantess had a temper shorter than the Crone's vocabulary, but she had seen the deceptive strength the red-haired one had hidden inside him. She'd tolerate this pairing, if only because she wanted to know what the little girl could do.

Eventually nodding, she gestured at her diminutive partner.

"Come girl. Show Tial your strength and close gates with her."

 

[Fennec]

The young girl blinked at Edric and for a moment it might've seemed she were insulted at her assigned duties. Instead her brows lofted and her gaze shifted from the taller Initiate to the much, much, much taller Tial.

Fen smiled.

She said nothing in return to Tial, and perhaps the half-giantess had picked up by now that she said nothing at all, ever. That was fine, Tial could do all the talking. Seemed she could use the practice anyway. Fen nodded to the large red woman and fell in steps beside her, five for every one, to depart from the courtyard and back into the compound.


The Crone waited patiently until Tial was well away before turning to Edric, "I can provide you with countless eyes and ears." Holding up her pale, bony hand the material of her sleeve wiggled as a smallish rat trundled out to sit in her palm. With her other hand, she pointed upwards to the ramparts of the stone walls where several crows flocked and cawed. The Crone's eyes flashed green and Ed would see that so, too, did the eyes of the rat and crows... and about a dozen other visible sets of tiny eyes in the windows and about the grounds surrounding them.

"At your service."

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael whistled lightly when Edric produced the keys. Hey, good find. Fire-Jumping up onto the walls just didn't send the same "We're in control now" message as unlocking the very doors leading up to them.

Zael accepted the keys and tucked them into the waistband of his prison clothes.

"Same rules as before," Zael confirmed to Gaage with a big smile. That was a great game. Zael couldn't chuck fireballs from afar like a robe-and-staff pyromancer, and Gaage easily popping foes below with his body magic got a little dull after a while. A little bit of resourcefulness later in commandeering a big pot full of rocks and they were having a blast. Three lucky bullseyes right on some enemy helmets cinched the win for Zael.

"This way, Henny." Henelaus, devoted cultist amongst his new cult, followed dutifully (and plenty glad to be away from the heathen Tial). Maybe they could use him for a bonus round or something: see how many people they could bowl over by throwing him over the walls.

It was a long walk across the Spire's vast training yard, a few minutes' worth. Toward one of the guardhouses which featured access up to the ramparts they went.

And featured, as well, two heavily armored prison guards at either side of the reinforced door.

The one on the left eyed Zael and Gaage (less so the old and frail Henelaus) and said brusquely, "What the hell do you want?"

Edric Gaage Eberwhit Fennec

 

[Edric]

Well that was certainly helpful, creepy, but helpful. For a brief moment Edric studied the old crone, his lips flickering into a frown.

He understood Tial's motivations, the others now following Zael. They were straight forward, easy, but the old woman was...something else. No one wanted to remain in prison, no one would stay here a minute longer by their own choice.

Yet there was something strange about this crone. If she had all these eyes, why had she not escaped before?
Was it simply the age of her bones? "Alright."

There was a weariness to his voice, but he would not cast aside a resource if he could help it.

"I need the exits to the prison watched, big and small." Edric explained. "Gates, sewers, crevices."

Slowly he rolled his shoulders. "No one gets in or out until we say so."

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

Good. The game was on then, and this time Zael wasn't getting off so easily. It was good that they had Hannah Louis or whatever coming with them though; an impartial score keeper would be an impeccable addition to the great sport of Whomp-Ball. Truly, it was an evolving game.

Zael had paid more attention to where everything actually was in this place, so Gaage followed his lead to the guardhouses that led up into the guts of the prison. The big fellows standing guard at the sturdy looking door did their best mean-mugging scowls at the three of them, and Gaage almost applauded at the acting they put on display. There was a big theatre scene in Oban, he'd heard. They missed their calling in life.

They started slinging questions and being nosy though, and that just ruined it. They had a game to play, and these assholes were going to burn all their daylight. So to answer the guard's question, Gaage bent over and picked up a decent sized rock half dug into the dirt and tossed it up a few times to gauge its weight. Pretty decent...

"I want ten points."

The rock flew out of Gaage's palm and into the snarling face of the guard at a blistering speed, sending him down in a writhing heap as Hannah Louis jumped back with a short gasp.

Needless to say, the other guard took exception to that, at least until Gaage's leg swung up between his knees and into his groin, causing him to seize up and land on his friend with a thud.

"Gods, what are they paying these guys?"

 

[Fennec]

"Consider it done," the Crone replied to the boy with a crooked smile. Wetting her lips, she turned away from him to make her way toward the center of the courtyard. A gesture of a boney hand here, a hushed utterance there. Magic threaded itself around her intent and dispersed like wisps. The crows above their heads took flight with sullen calls, a buzzard that had perched motionless by a single peak shuffled off along the ramparts before hefting its broad self into the air to catch an updraft.

It circled above the complex.


Moving alongside Tial toward the the main gates of the compound, Fennec enjoyed the wide berth given to the giantess along the way. Crowds in the halls parted, inmates and even guards moved quickly down side halls or through doorways just to steer clear. Small wonder Tial hadn't orchestrated an escape from here as it stood given the nature of how she was treated.

Fennec kept just off her flank, traipsing several quick steps to match the woman's every one large stride. They turned down a narrow side hall and she watched as Tial ducked down to avoid slamming her head into stone or wooden rafters. Up ahead at the end of the hall a heavier patrol of guards awaited. They weren't budging.

Tial let out a snort at the sight of the large crowd of guards bunched together. "They weak alone, but so many of them make trouble even for Tial." A sneer found her lips, a hint of rage as she looked to Fen. "You have plan, little girl?"

There was no way to communicate with her. Not clearly, anyhow, but Fen voiced her idea through her sign language. If nothing else, perhaps some of the gestures might click. If not? Well, Tial wasn't all that fast in cramped spaces. She had time to enact her plan while Tial closed the distance. Fen gestured to the larger woman, made several signs, then drove a flat, vertical hand straight down the hallway at the guards. Then, gesturing to herself, a few more signs followed before a curving signal that she pointed to the windows lining the hall. An adult certainly couldn't fit through those narrow cutouts, but Fen could. The girl's hands fell still at her side as she gave Tial a moment to process.

But not a second longer. Two of the guards from the group were already on their way down the hall to investigate what Tial and a tiny girl were up to. Said tiny girl flitted from the giantess' side and slipped like a wisp through the narrow window to the world beyond the walls of the fortress with nary a sound.

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael watched the guards drop. As much as he admired the accuracy of that throw and all...

"Ten points?" Zael swatted a hand in the air. "Game hasn't even started yet. We gotta get on the wall first. Get the bird's eye view of the place. It's all about the beauty of—"

More guardsmen, roused by the commotion, stormed out of the guardhouse, forming a little phalanx. Their swords pointed menacingly over their shields.

"HALT!"

Zael glanced over to Gaage.

"I want ten points."

Then he bent over, grabbed a nice rock that might well have been the brother to the one Gaage had thrown, and hurled it (with a boost from a tiny explosion of fire magic at the back of his wrist at just the right time in the arc) at the head of the one of the guardsmen. His helmet dented horrifically and down he fell, a gap in the middle of the phalanx now much like a gap you sometimes saw in people's front teeth.

Yeah, people shit on a weapon as simple as a sling and a rock, called it uncivilized or whatever, but look at that. You can't deny that kind of effectiveness.

Zael drove his right fist into his left palm and his veins ignited orange, his Fireblood enhancing his physicality.

"Let's go, Gaage!" Zael shouted enthusiastically.

And into the fray he flung himself. Oh was he hoping there'd be more of them rushing down the staircase from the ramparts once they got inside the guardhouse. Heh, this was going to be the most fun he'd ever had climbing a set of stairs!

Gaage Eberwhit

 

[Edric]

For a brief few seconds Edric remained there. He watched the old Crone, his suspicions never leaving him. "Good."

His head turned, briefly glancing towards his companions as they began to see to their own tasks. He knew it wouldn't be long before chaos broke out in the prison. The Guards would be alerted and from there it wouldn't be long until the whole city realized that was going on.

That meant it was time to play his own part.

His neck cracked left, then right. Shoulder squaring as he glanced down at the Crone and made a motion towards one of the corners of the courtyard. "Wait here, I'll be back."

There was no need to drag the old woman where he was going.

This entire thing depended all on one person, their query. Edric had to make sure he stayed put, and on top of that had to make sure he stayed safe. With quickened steps the Initiate headed towards the inner building, intending to move down to the professors quarters and eliminate the men standing guard over him.

Edric wasn't going to risk anything happen to the man. Not now.

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

Gaage rolled his eyes at Zael's obvious attempt to cheat him out of his hard-earned points and threw a hand back at Hannah Louis. "Nah nah. You better be keeping track of this shit. And count that first one no matter what this dude says!" Hannah was just standing there, watching. Gaage almost thought he saw drool coming from his mouth. Christ almighty, did they serve rocks to these people or something?!

A steady stream of more guards started funneling out of the guardhouse, each one seemingly more armed and angrier than the last. Eberwhit thought it kind of looked like one of those festival sideshow attractions where the men with painted faces all stuffed themselves into a tiny carriage meant to only hold two. Of course, to anybody else it probably just looked like he was raving mad with how hard the visual made him laugh.

It was only funny until Zael decided to ruin things by taking an admittedly slick shot at one of the guards near the middle, sending him down in a crumpled heap. Gaage let out a whistle, smirking over at his partner. "So it counts when you do it then. I see how it is, asshole." Half of the fun was going to be getting up to the ramparts anyways, he supposed, and no sooner had Zael shot forward than he did as well.

While Zael took a more direct approach as they pushed into the guardhouse and up the long staircases, Gaage was stretching his creative mind, using his power to flex the leg muscles of the heavily armored guardsmen in such a way that caused them to lose their balance and begin tumbling down the stairs. Maybe he'd aimed one or two at Zael to see if he could jump them, even. Hell, you could make a game out of this alone!

It wasn't for nothing; Gaage hated to admit it, but he was still sore from that fight with Tial and this was a good way to conserve his energy...

 

[Fennec]

As quick as Fennec had disappeared, chaos exploded into the back of the guard formation just as quickly. Something speared in through the narrow windows, smashing two guards against the far wall of the corridor before dragging one of them back to the near wall with just as much force. The sound of metal armor bashing against stone and clattering to the ground filled the hall so loudly it was impossible not to hear it further into the compound.

The small wisp of a girl dropped in through the window at the back end of the hall, putting the remaining guards between herself and Tial. She leaned to pry a shortsword off one of the downed men, gave it a quick whirl to test the weight and balance and then turned her sights upon her quarry.

Tial, seemingly understanding her role in this impromptu dance, rolled up her non-existent sleeves and hitched a grin on her red face. The guards were now caught between something pointy and something hard.

"Alright little girl, show Tial what you can do," the scarlet half-giant then barreled forward in tandem with Fennec who quickly surged into the fray at their backs.

What followed was nothing short of a giant red massacre. No pun intended.

 

[Zael Castomir]

"Motherfucker, I was playin by your own rules!" Zael said as he almost casually twisted his body around the slash of a guard's sword and crushed his windpipe with a swift chop to the throat. His grin was immense though. Goddamn, did he love it when he and Gaage gave each other shit. What they had here was the right amount of seasoning on their interactions: too much pepper and one bantering remark would set two Initiates at each others' throats, too little pepper (more often the case) and there wasn't any repartee to begin with because both Initiates were too cold and standoffish and oh-so-serious for it.

Damn, Zael hoped Gaage got the same unit as him in the military when they graduated. Maybe they could shit-talk through letters if it wasn't the case, but that just lacked the same punch.

Up the stairs. Take some steps, fight off another alarmed guard, take more steps. Oh shit, they were tumbling over. Wait, legs don't bend like that. Gaage!

"Gaage!" Zael said his thought aloud. "You sly son of a—"

Zael hopped over one guard, his body bouncing and armor clattering as he tumbled past, and landed on the tips of his toes on the edge of a stair and wobbled for a moment and then caught his balance.

"Hey, who said I couldn't dance? I got crowned for it in Elbion! Another! Send another!"

Another guard did indeed have his legs tampered with and went tumbling down. Zael got a little fancy and kicked off of the wall in his jump to avoid that one. (Henelaus, for an old fart, was trailing after them up the stairs nimbly enough, especially with the tumbling bodies).

All good things came to a close, though. The ramparts were just at the top of the next flight of stairs, sun shining in through the still open door, and their current crop of opponents was spent. Hey, they did still have the game though. They were gonna be here a minute while Feren got his shit together.

Edric Gaage Eberwhit Fennec

 

[Edric]

"You have thirty hours." Edric's tone of voice left little argument to be had with him, though the half hunched over man immediately begged to differ.

"That's not enough time!"

Feren objected almost immediately, not seeming to notice the splatters of blood on Edric's face and clothes. His hands were filled with odd vials holding some sort of liquid, but the Initiate couldn't even begin to guess what was within them.

"It's all you have." Edric said plainly. "Finish in thirty, or I'll drag you out. Understand?"

The man frowned for a moment, glanced at his work bench, and then nodded feverishly.

"Okay, okay. Stay out of my way!"

Feren hissed, quickly whirling away from Edric and returning back to his work. The little man feverishly grabbing at half a dozen more vials and pulling them towards a nearby instrument that the Initiate couldn't even begin to decipher.

He watched for a brief moment more, and then turned on his heel. He walked out of the heavy steel door that lead to Feren's cell, stepping over the two corpses as he headed back towards the central courtyard.

Above him, things began to shift as the prison took note of what was happening. Cell blocks flowed into an uproar, what little Guards remained rushed to escape before they were caught in the violence, and the central office stayed quiet. It's heavy door locked, and Guard Captain Tillmen sticking true to his word. Holing up like a rat.

By the time Edric reached the courtyard, the prison would be theirs.

 

[Gaage Eberwhit]

Gaage didn't wish any serious harm on Zael, but it would have been really fucking funny to see one of the tumbling bodies take him out and sending falling down the staircase. It probably wouldn't even hurt that bad. Zael was quick though, enough that he was able to avoid the obstacles. When the blonde Initate cleared the way and made his way up onto the Ramparts, Gaage was quick to follow with smoke billowing from his ears at being shown up.

Hannah was in the way, unfortunately, and Gaage shoved him aside with one shoulder, reaching out behind him and grabbing the poor sod by the collar, dragging him the rest of the way up onto the ramparts. No way was Zael using the lack of a scorekeeper with un-broken legs from taking away his soon-to-be victory.

Once they were up there, Eberwhit dropped Mr. Louis and ran to catch up with Zael, spying more guards on the way from the other areas of the Ramparts. Once they cleared things up here was when the real fun started, but why not start a little early. Shoving an elbow into Zael, Gaage gives him a smirk. "The Legion of BAD now presents the preliminaries, the annual Lunk Toss event. Whoever can launch a guard farthest off of the wall gets a point handicap."

BAD stood for Badass Dreadlords of course, a fitting name for the duo that Gaage absolutely thought of one night when he couldn't sleep. Now for the coin toss. Eberwhit whipped his head back around to Hannah. "Hannah! Which one of us would you trust most with your life in a crisis?"

The word trust had barely left his lips before Hannah pointed at Zael. Fucking favoritism at its finest.

"Oh fuck you." He scoffed, turning to stand beside Zael as the last of the Rampart guards approached. "Fine, you get first toss."