Fable - Ask Oban Outlaw..

[Wren Kingsley]

It was her last chance and she knew it, she powered back toward the grate. Wren simply couldn't afford to be brought before the King, the punishment that awaited her was no doubt worse than death, and she feared a cage beyond all else, still suffering from the effects of the last time she'd been locked away. It wasn't an option, she had to get to that sewer.

She'd been so close.. The silver talon gripped hold of her shoulder and a gasp caught in her throat, her hand already armed with a blade and in the process of lifting to drive it into his hand before a sudden sharp pain and her blade clattered to the ground and she fell limp and utterly helpless. There was only darkness.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He winced constantly as the fight went on. It didn’t go well, it didn’t even last very long. Wren had been beaten, knocked unconscious. He had to get ready to move.

Rob slowly walked along the side of the roof, scanning for a place to quickly get down. He jumped down slightly onto a balcony, before repeating the process to the ground.

He quickly ran into the nearest alley connecting to the street they had been on. Peering out from the side of the wall. He had to pay attention to where the hunter went from here.

 

[Szesh]

With a sigh of relief that this foolishness was at an end, Szesh replaced the spear on his back and knelt to pick up the unconscious woman, slinging her over his shoulder at her waist. He looked around the street after standing, checking to see if anyone were observing him. He thought it unlikely that anyone would dare interfere, except if that man in the painted mask were to return. Hopefully, he had done as Wren had commanded and fled.

Szesh could fly carrying her, but it would take considerable effort to get airborne with the extra weight. Given that his lungs still ached from the brief but potent attack moments ago, he decided to walk. He headed towards the inner city, seeking to leave these slums and deliver his bounty to the nearest royal guard station he could find. Given the sum he was promised for this woman he would of course need to deal with the Prince directly, or at least someone intimately in charge of coin.

On the way he would need to find a way to tie Wren’s hands and ideally gag her. He didn’t know how her magic worked, but in his experience many spellcasters were reigned in when their limbs were tied.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He slipped fowards, stepping silently behind a stall. He wanted to be as close as possible when the dragon started moving out, in order for it to be easier to follow him. In the meantime, he gave thought to where the hunter would go.

He wasn't exactly familiar with the layout of the city, nor much of the politics besides the snippets he's heard from the sisters, it didn't really concern him. Well, until now, he figured. Once this was over he should do some reading, he needed to brush up on recent events.

In the meantime, he thought up ways to deal with the hunter if the worst came to worst. Those scales would be a definite pain, and it would be hard to hit him with anything sharp. His best bet, as his hammer had demonstrated earlier, was likely blunt force. Besides, as much as a nuisance this hunter was, he didn't particularly wish to kill anyone.

 

[Szesh]

The problem with slums was that there was rarely anywhere that offered any useful services. If there were, well, the area wouldn't be a slum. It had been foolish of Szesh not to bring at least a rope with him. He had been overconfident, it was now clear, and while he did not need to bind Wren in order to transport her, he did wish to restrain her magic.

Windows were shuttered, doors were locked. Those that were not quickly became so as he approached. Luckily a gargantuan draconian who was carrying a human body with ease was not the preferred target of thieves or brigands, and so his walk was largely undisturbed.

Finally he found something worthwhile. A small shed that had been hastily tacked on to a larger building. Within it were basic carpentry supplies, most likely used in patching the crumbling home. There were a few boards, nails, a hammer, a saw, and rope.

Szesh set Wren down gently and leaned her against the shed. He retrieved the rope, his eyes leaving her only for a moment, and began binding her hands behind her back. Once secure, he would need to bind her ankles as well, and finally gag her mouth.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He continued to silently stalk the draconian. His clothes would do no good. He absent-mindly changed his mask for a non-broken one, after checking no one was observing, of course. As he stepped slowly along the path, he grabbed a small, brown cloak, holding it around himself. It'd do something to conceal the brighter colors of his outfit.

The hunter came to a stop. Rob settled in besides a wall, observing. It seems the draconian had found some rope, which was problematic. He thought quickly as the hunter bound Wren. It wouldn't be good if he succeeded, but he also didn't particularly want to give up the jig now. He'd have to think up a way to weaken or break the bonds without the hunter noticing.

 

[Wren Kingsley]

Wren's eyes twitched as the rain fell on her face. She was vaguely aware of the fact that she was being carried, and some part of her consciousness tried to force her to wake. Her brow furrowed and she let out a grumble as she felt the tightness of rope around her wrist and ankles and she blinked open her eyes with a wince at the pounding pain in her head.

She woke a little more as she was being gagged and she shook her head with a growl and tried to speak. She wriggled and tried to scream out. People here knew her, some loved her for what she did to help them, if she could draw them out, she was sure they'd be on her side. Her scream was muffled, but loud enough to cause dark windows to light up with flickering candle light. She kicked both feet out at the dragon and tried to wriggle free of her bindings.

 

[Szesh]

Szesh could hear Wren stirring as he tied her ankles, and he moved quickly to bind her tongue. The rope was not an ideal gag, and the rough fiber would rub the woman's lips raw, but it would have to do. He had barely secured it in her mouth before she started shrieking.

The kick hurt, and it caught him in the side of the chest, turning his body back a bit. He snarled, more to himself than to her, drawing back his lips to let the rumbling hiss escape from in between his teeth. He reached for her, and wriggling as she was, he muscled her back into his grasp.

He lifted her up again, this time carrying her in his arms instead of over his back. With the number of houses lighting up he may need his wings available. One of them still ached from the icy block that had struck him, and while he did not think his flight would be impaired, it would probably be painful.

He saw a few silhouettes of faces in windows, but so far they remained indoors. He opened his wings by a few feet, and made larger movements with his tail. It never hurt to appear a little more intimidating.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He carefully observed the ongoings. He’d have to think of something fast, Wren was stirring and the hunter was about to start moving again.

Wren let out a muffled scream, and the Draconian opened his wings. Instinctively, Rob shot out into the street, clattering stones before quickly returning to cover. He had thought the Draconian was about to try and fly, but he had assumed wrong.

 

[Wren Kingsley]

Wren continued to make as much noise as she possibly could, her throat feeling quickly raw as she screamed into her mouth. Her wrists burned behind her back as she pulled and writhed under the ropes. There was little else she could do other than squirm, but she was little match for the dragon's grip and she stared up at him.

Her anger had dwindled, all there was now was fear and panic and a sense of inevitability that caused her spine to run cold with dread. She was caught, finally, the dragon had managed it and her fate awaited her. Tears welled in her eyes and she let out a few muffled cries before screaming another effort at attracting aid.

A door up ahead opened and a man and his son ran into the street. A door opposite opened, and another. A small group of Men and women and a few children wandered out on to the dark and rainy street. Wren cried out again, and she heard a few muttered words exchanged, her name being one of them.

"Let the lass go, you ent welcome here dragon!" an older man called out and lifted up a pitchfork. A few others drew weapons, a woman held up a broom and a child brandished a toy sword.

These were her people, she'd earned their loyalty. Wren squirmed a little harder.

 

[Szesh]

Szesh held fast to his writhing burden as she squirmed. Mercifully, it seemed that binding her arms and legs had incapacitated her magic, and he was thankful for each breath he took, even though the smell was less than pleasing.

Wren's cries would not go unanswered for long, though. Apparently her favor amongst these people was great enough that Szesh's appearance alone would not deter them. They were not warriors, but their faces held more conviction than half the mercenaries he had fought alongside.

He stopped walking some distance from the gathered crowd. Wren should have been able to feel the vibrations in his chest as a quiet but deep rumble escaped it in irritation. Inky black eyes reflected the light from windows and lanterns, and the narrow street was very still.

Szesh was certain that these people could not kill him. Their weapons were crude and their skill... well... he wouldn't have wagered much on it. There were enough of them to be a problem, though, and although he did not fear death at their hands they could certainly cause him to lose hold of Wren and injure him if he was not careful.

A deep breath and a loud roar, meant to terrify and send the people scrambling. He saw some faces falter, hear a few surprised yelps and some wails of children afterwards... but the crowd did not move. He took a few steps forward. Still, they did not yield.

He spread his wings wider, and they covered the width of the street with ease. "I have no reason to kill you," he called to the mob in his reptillian accent. "Do not give me one."

 

[Rob Cooke]

Rob wasn't going to give up a chance when he saw one. He quietly slipped out of cover this time. Striding over to the same shed Szesh had acquired rope from. He snagged a loose wooden plank, and, stepping behind the hunter while he was distracted.

Now, if all wen't to plan. His swing towards the side of the hunter's head should, if not knock him out. Hurt a hell of a lot and make him reconsider the choice of pursuing this particular bounty.

 

[Wren Kingsley]

The dragon's roar caused Wren to flinch and close her eyes tightly, it seemed to rattle her to her very bones and her breathing pitched to frantic. Her eyes settled on the child with the toy sword, and she stopped squirming to look up at Szesh with a mute plea in her eyes. She'd go willingly, she wouldn't have children's blood on her conscience. She looked back to those who remained and shook her head, muffling for them to go.

She hadn't realised Rob had still been watching, nor was she aware that he planned on doing something extremely stupid...

 

[Szesh]

The mob stood firm, and Szesh felt his lip curl. Their loyalty and bravery were to be commended, but it would have been much nicer had they simply fled. Bounty hunters held a tenuous relationship with the law. Apprehending a wanted criminal was fine, and a casualty or two may be overlooked, but slaughtering a small neighborhood would likely not be so easily brushed aside. At least they were poor, the law tended to care less about them.

He yelled his threats, and as soon as he had finished he thought he saw the crowd waver. He realized too late that they were looking at something behind him, and before he could turn he was met with a loud crack and a heavy blow to the back of his head.

He dropped Wren onto the street, clutching at his head and stumbling forwards, his knee barely missing her as it drove into the ground. The street spun and all he heard was a loud ringing in his ears. A few blinks and a the world started to come back into focus.

 

[Rob Cooke]

That had worked probably the best way it could’ve, at least as far as Rob figured. The hunter was stunned, and Wren was at least somewhat free. Now all that was left was the follow up.

Rob hurriedly formed a ice shard in his hands while the hunter was still recovering, making it more of a chunk than a shard. As soon as he was finished he lobbed it straight at the Draconian’s head.

As soon as he was done he dropped down into a squat, quickly drawing a knife and cutting the binds from Wren, yelling, “On your feet! We really need to move!”

 

[Wren Kingsley]

The air was thrown out of her lungs with an oof as she landed suddenly on her back, and she quickly rolled out of the way of his knee and looked up, wide eyed to muffle a 'What the fuck!?' into the fabric that covered her mouth. Rob. He was a welcome sight, but she had little time to feel relief and as soon as her bindings were cut, she was scrambling to her feet and ripping the gag from her mouth.

"Go go go go go go!!" she grabbed hold of him and ignored the pounding headache as she took off into a sprint once more.

"Are you fucking mental!?!?!"

 

[Szesh]

As his vision began to clear he could see the people running closer. They had seen their chance and were taking it, but he would not allow them to thwart his work. It was unfortunate that they had chosen to interfere. Szesh would not feel guilt at their deaths, but he did not enjoy the prospect of harming the children. Sometimes these things were unavoidable.

He readied the furnace in his chest and was about to sweet it across the street as a flaming barrier when a second blow struck him in the head. This one was much larger, much more painful, and icy cold.

He hit the ground on his side, roaring in earnest and clutching at his horns. He could not hear anything but the ringing in his ears, could not see anything besides darkness and the whirling orange of candlelit windows and torches.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He gave one last second to turn his head at the townsfolk and yell, "Scatter, git! Get out of here!" Before running with Wren. It had looked like the hunter was out for the count, but he didn't really want to stick around and find out. He let Wren lead the way, since she knew the area better.

"Are you fucking mental!?!?!"

"I'm fucking mental? How!? Would you have preferred I did nothing instead and let him toast those guys? No one got hurt and you're outta there, so how the hell am I mental?!"

 

[Wren Kingsley]

The small mob rushed back inside their homes with a few loud slams of doors as the pair rushed past and Wren glanced over her shoulder to see that the dragon was still on the ground. She grabbed Rob's arm and swung them down a side alley, her feet splashing up the puddles from the dimpled ground and the echoes of their steps bouncing off of the walls.

"You just hit a fucking dragon with a plank of wood Rob, I've never seen anyone do anything as idiotic as that in my life!... But thank you!.." she added, though the anger in her tone didn't soften.

They seemed to have gotten a decent head start, but it didn't mean they could slow their pace. The streets were growing more and more narrow as they reached the outskirts of the slum and the small section of crumbling city wall was in view. She glanced over her shoulder once more, hoping they'd finally gotten away.

 

[Szesh]

Szesh pushed himself to his elbows, and then, slowly, to his knees. His vision was still blurry, and his head would not stop aching for some time, but he was alive. The streets had cleared, and he growled quietly as he realized that Wren and her companion had gone.

He managed to stand and took a look at the scene before him. He was alone, and a piece of wood and some ice shards lay on the ground next to him. He was dealing with two sorcerers, it seemed, sorcerers with allies among the common people.

The rain had done him a favor, for the street had turned muddy and footprints could be clearly seen. That same rain would wash away the prints with time, though, so he would need to move quickly. Wren and Rob's tracks were easy to follow until they mingled with the swarm of footprints from the crowd. It took Szesh at least ten minutes to discover a pair of tracks leading down the street by themselves, and at a run.

Szesh broke into a run as well. He had lost a great deal of time, and the pair could easily have gone into hiding by now. He did not want to start all over, not after all the trouble he had faced tonight. At least it would not be a total loss. He knew what Wren looked like, and what her accomplice looked like. He knew what they were capable of now and, if desperation required it, he had just found out that any given peasant in this town could likely give him information if properly... persuaded.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He hurried to keep up with Wren, keeping an eye on the surroundings. They were leaving tracks behind, which wasn't good. However, in the meantime, he'd had the mind to respond to Wren's comment. "I'll have you know that I had it all perfectly planned out." He didn't, but what was wrong with some hyperbole?

"More importantly, we are leaving tracks, might I suggest we climb up at the next crossroads? It's a lot less likely we leave anything of ourselves behind up there, and he might assume we found some way to cover our steps."

In the meantime, he started figuring out what to do next if that hunter showed up again. The whole flying thing would be an issue if it came to it. Maybe if he could hit the wing with another heavy shard, he could sprain or break it? But it might be time to change up his attacks, he'd being relying on the ice significantly.

 

[Wren Kingsley]

"Yeah sure you did.." Wren growled at him as they ran, but she couldn't help but blurt out a laugh in sheer relief and amusement of Rob's actions.. "You're my kind of crazy Rob Cooke!" she grinned, ignoring the pounding headache and the usual pain in her leg.

"Fuck. Right. Yes.. Climb." she agreed, the rain had stopped and left the streets muddy and she cast a glance back at the footprints they'd both been thundering into it. As soon as she saw the opportunity to climb she took it. "Here!" she barked at him and leapt up onto an empty stall, onto an awning and up onto the flat rooftop.

The city slums were so tightly packed that the alleyways were so narrow that leaping them wasn't a problem so long as they kept up their speed and watched their step. Trying not to fall through any rooftops was of higher concern.

If the dragon decided to take wing it would have no trouble in finding them, then again, she sort of hoped that he would. They continued toward the city walls, moonlight spotlighting them as they ran.

 

[Szesh]

Mud splashed loudly as he ran, sliding around corners on the slick, rain-drenched roads. His scales glistened brightly as sheets of water ran off them, and his breath fogged hot from his nostrils. The tracks of Wren and Rob were rapidly disappearing, and they were starting to warp and distort within the small rivers that were forming.

And then, as if the world decided he deserved a break from this night, the rain stopped. It ended nearly as suddenly as it had begun, and within minutes the rushing sounds ceased completely. It was quiet, a calm to follow the storm, and the only sounds were the water drops falling from rooftops.

The tracks ended near a stall. Szesh circled it, but there was no mistake, they simply stopped. There were no doors close enough that they could have leapt from the street, so then where...

His eyes snapped onto the stall: it was covered in mud. Far higher up that should have been splashed by rain. He followed it up, and saw more dark soiling of the awning above it. His quarry had taken to the rooftops.

Had his face been capable of such movements, he would have smiled. Perhaps the night was starting to go his way again. He was much to large to run around the slums, but the air was his, and his alone. Wings spread and legs the size of tree trunks thrust him into the black sky. There were many rooftops to search.

 

[Rob Cooke]

He hurled across the gap. He really needed to get out more. He was keeping up, if barely.

He kept his eyes shooting around. An ambush didn’t seem particularly appealing. He wasn’t sure if they would still work but the draconian still had wings.

Speak of the devil. “Don’t look back now but our pal will be on the way soon.” He wasn’t close yet, but it wouldn’t take long before he spotted them and moved to attack. Rob glanced to Wren to see her reaction while forming another shard in his hands. It hadn’t failed him yet.

 

[Wren Kingsley]

She did look back, and just in time to see the dragon lift himself into the skies.. "Let him come.. Keep running." Wren called to him between breaths and leapt a particularly wide alley and skidded and rolled back to her feet with a squeal of a sound as she staggered, only just managing to stay on her feet.

Wind whipped at her face, and she tried her best to keep a careful eye on her path over the labyrinth of rooftops whilst checking back on the dragon, her thumbs running back and forth over her fingertips as she waited to take her shot to give Rob a decent chance at hitting the beast. "Be ready..."