Ladykylin

“Your dumb enough to be in the guard so I don’t see why it really matters where I came down.” Galis shot back, inwardly sighing, he really didn’t have any control over what came out of his mouth sometimes.

“Cocky bugger ain’t he.” the higher ranking of the trio said, his lips turning into a distatefull smile, that didn’t do anything for his appearnce.

“If you’ll frogive me that I’ll try to forget just how ugly of a bugger you are.” Galis said plenty loud enough to hear. The watchmen’s two underlings sniggered. Stupid breaks at work not being longer.

I’m so happy writeforten is back! I missed it. I really did. So now I’m going to write.

Galis woke with a distenct feeling of distress. He kept his breath quite as he listened, not moveing as he tried to figure out why he was so alarmed.

“I heard someone makeing a rucus, and I can’t do those stairs anymore and even if I could I’m not risking that it’s that dangrous theif everyones looking for. I’m to old for that nonsense.” The voice was all but shrill, and entirely demanding.

Right he was in the top floor of some anceint nobles house, it had seemed safe enough. After all who looked for someone from the docks in a nobles attic.

“You heard something up there last week,and the week before that.”

“And a dog was up there the one week, the mangy thing made a mess up there since you owuldn’t deal with it. This is what you get paid to do, now get up there and figure out who was yellin like they got stabbed.”

Galis grimanced, getting out of the bed with a cry of pain turned to a hiss of pain as theblood matted sheet ripped most of his scab off his back. This was not his best morning.

“Fine, but if it’s nothing again, then there will be a fee invovled.” The less then impressed guard said, and Galis cursed him, and the paranoid old man, under his breath as he made his way to the window as quitely as he could. Which is to say without makeing a sound.

He had to get out of here and to somewhere that he could actully deal wiht this wound. Which was only one place really, as there was only one person he would trust to not turn him in with that had been offered since he’d stoeln the sword, and had no doubt doubled over night, if not trippled.

Opening the window slowly revelaed the top of a garden wall, and the colourfull garden it protected, a good story and a half below him. It wasn’t that bad of a drop if he did it right. Even better ot do it not at all.

Scampering though the window, wondering why in the world he’d thought this was a good place to be at one point in time. Then the idea of a bed, and being protected from the rain that had been falling all night was remembered.

“I’m telling you soemone’s up there, don’t you hear those footsteps.” The shrill voice alled.

“Just had to pick the house of a parnoid gezer didn’t I” Galis muttered, takeing a solid grip on the window sill before takeing to the tiled roof, his steps slow and carefull on the slick tiles. “becuase there is no way he’s hearing me.” The yell when he’d been stabbed maybe, but footsteps not a chance.

“There isn’t anyone here.” The guard yelled back, he was as far as Galis could tell still a floor away from his. With cuatious steps he eased his way sideways, not wanting to go near the edge so close to the window.

“What the hell.”

“What is it Sir?”

“Blood, the old cook is right something happened up here.”

“It’s fresh, he can’t be far.”

Which was when the whistles started getting blown, which anyone knew meant the gaurds were about ot start rallying. He had to get out of here quick. (I just realized that the sheet sticking into Galis wound makes zero sense since he would have a shirt on, which didn’t get stabbed, becuse clothing deosn’t sleep. due to the lack of being alive. So I’ll just say it was cuase he moved or something. it deosn’t matter really.)

“Check the roof the window is open.”

“Yes sir,” with heavy and painfully audible steps the guard approached the windw whih Galis had departed from.

Galis cursed again, partly at his stiff back and partly at the guard. Easeing forward he let himself slid down the still slick tiled roof, leaping at what he prayed was a good time in an attempt otland on the wall below.

“He’s down there the crazy bastard lept off the roof!”

With a bnaged knee he was sure would bruise all kind of delightfull colors he manged to make the top of the wall rather then falling the extra floor and a half it stood. It hurt, but he’d taken worse. Ignoreing the pain of his soon to be swelled knee he took off on the wall, it was connected to many more like it. And it was a far surer bet then the road when it came to out running the watch that he could hear gathering to singaled whistle someone was blowing so preceisley in it’s ear periceing squel. That was just great.

“He’s up there, surround the block. Remember he’s wanted alive.”

That was something Galis was even more agaisnt, he didn’t want to die, but he was not going to end up in some flithy dungeoned tortured until they decided to publicaly excute him. That jsut wasn’t how he was going to go down. With quick steps he made his way farther along the wall, he coudl already hear the crowd gather. That was a good sign, it was easy for someone his size ot dispaer in a crowd, though he didn’t think the sword on his back would help in that regard. But he wasn’t going to leave it anywhere, that wasn’t going to happen either.

“Any ideas or should I just go full speed ahead and hope for the best, it ussaly gets half decent results.” Galis asked Selken who was following at his heels. He just meowed back repouchfully. “Full speed ahead it is.”

Quicking his pace to almost a run he quicly reached the other side of the block, where plenty of guard were already marsheled and watching. The walls and the crowd. He didn’t stop, he dropped from the ned of the wall, catching the edge of the wall with his hand and letting go just before it felt like his arm would be disloacated he hit the ground running.

“Stupid brat thought we were a good group to mess with.”

“Your dumb enough to be in the guard so I don’t see why it really matters where I came down.” Galis shot back, inwardly sighing, he really didn’t have any control over what came out of his mouth sometiems.

Anyway I’m really tired, and want to do this scene some justice so I’m going to bed. I hope ot be back tommorw.

(three time in three days whoo wee this is great.)

What to write, since everyone will have something interesting going on, Galis will be seeking out the rebles even though he thinks there morons, but it’ll turn out that Greg has buggered off somewhere.(not sure where yet) Cornell will no doubt have some kind of unpleasantness to deal with since Alten is pissed and he can’t make Zephane miserable cause he’s all but in a coma. And Zephane is in a coma like sate so not os interesting. Course I haven’t done anything wiht the rebls lately, screw it I’m writieng from the bady pov cuase I can. Plus Elrick’s going ot be whineing cause well Galis did a number on his hand and face. Cuase he’s awesome like that. (Also I keep finding it very funny that Elrick has next to no pain tolerance)

Alten sighed rather contempulously and looked at his inquistor, who was currently trying very hard not to sound completetly pathtic, and really not haveing much succes. He’d heard beaten dogs that whimpered less. “Get one of Kisen’s underlings and a black cloack to come here immedity.” He told one of hte guards that had been keeping Zephane in place, he hardly needed watching now. Or at all at least for a while.

“Well that hardly went as expected,” but he didn’t really mind, he knew the face of the thief, and would find him soon enough, and had had his suspcion about the sword confirmed, if he could just gain enough power to destroy, then everything would be perfect.

“I should hope that wasn’t how you wanted it ot go.” Elrick said, his voice more then a little touched with his pain, his hand really was a mess.

“Oh it was hardly that bad, between an acoylyte and a black claock you’ll be fine in a few days.” Alten chided lightly, “Hardly a high cost for the experince.”

“Should have just killed the elven brat.” Elrick said, winceing as he tried to move his hand and quickly decided it was a bad idea, his complexion paled as shock started to set in.

“Perhaps, but you’ll get another chance I’m sure. There are only so many places to run, even for him. Though I think approatie bait would be far more effient don’t you aggre?” Elrick however wasn’t in any condition to disagree or agree due to the fact that he had fainted. This brough a smirk that was something between amused and disaproveing to Alten’s experssion. (I don’t know why but I have taken a deep dislike ot saying on his face or something as far as faical experssions go) “Almost comical really.”

(Holy crap I’m writeing twice in two days!)

Zephane woke to the grit of sand beneath him, not really fully aware of anything other then the fact that the cloest thing he’d had ot a father was now gone. (There will be some kind of buildup to that whole scene cuase itshould be a heart jerker) Eventually he opened his eyes to a clouldess sunset stained sky.

“He’s awake, that’s a good sign right?” The relived voice of the theif asked.

“Yes,” Zephaen answered, not the least bit surprised by the less then healthy tone of his own voice. “I’m amoung the liveing” he added sitting up keenly aware of just how little his body wanted to move right then. His muscles ached from the abuse he’d endured.

“I knew you would wake.” Cornell said. Somehow the nomad’s confidence alongwiht Olma’s was incredibly reassureing. “You found something while you slept.”

Zephane looked down, in his good hand, he held an intricately made sundail(object subject to change) he hadn’t remembered takeing or even holding that. “Sol, he’s here now.”

“Um Good?” Galis asked.

“Very,” Zephane answered, his mood still very much subdubed.

“So now what? The sword is out of Alten’s lair, so now we gotta figure out a way to get you out, much as I really didn’t mind beating on Elrick you didn’t excatly have a good time of it.”

“I can’t leave, not until Alten’s dealt with. If he’s not stopped he will get to Taranta and what the mage towers guard would make him truly unstoppable. " Zephane said, " The taint would spread like a flash flood, if there is something I can do to stop that then I’ll endure." (And in Zephlia’s word I belive he did just man up Go him!)

“What do you mean dealt with?” Galis asked, his tone changing.

“Killed” Cornell interjected. “He is still mortal, not purely human but still mortal. He can bleed.”

“I know your up for anything invovleing the fall of this blight of an empire” Zpehane said meeting Cornell’s cat eyes, “But what about you Galis.”

“Depends on how suicidale the plan is really.” Galis shrugged, muttering something about being in for a dime and dollar. (only changed ot make sense with the currencty of the setting)

“Good, I’ll dream up something then,” Zephane smiled a little.

“I need to go.” Cornell said, the faint sound of feet paceing and unfriendly voices drifting on the wind. “Stay safe both of you.” He stood, turning away from them both before walking away, fading into a mirage and then nothing.

“Are you planning on sticking around here for a while?” Galis asked, the way he kept shifting as they spoke hinting at some agitation, “Becuase much as I would love to sit and have a proper possie where things can get properly explained I have no idea if where I left myself is safe at all.”

“Check next time you can, I should get some truly restfull sleep.” Zephane answered.

“Right, then I’m going to go and hope nothing to eventfull happened while I was away from the land of wakeing” Galis said, the sandy orange Cat leaping from his lap as he spoke.

“Don’t get cuaght, whatever happens.” Zephane said before he could start walking away.

“Never gonna happen.” Galis said with completete certainty.

Olma sighed, shakeing his head sadly his long white beard swaying, “You have just as much heart and will as she does, and you can dream weave.”

“I’ve tried, even with your help I never could do it. It always just kind of fizzled," He moved as if to pace, but coudln’t really, there wasn’t enough space.

“It’s becuase you don’t know what you want, a dream needs a purpose.” Olma said gently, “and it has to come from the here.” His hand rested over Zephane’s heart, the warmth that spread from it at least for the momment nuetralizeing the spreading pain.

Zephane shook his head, meeting Olma’s eyes for a quick momment “I just want to go home. For things to go how they were.”

“This is a dream, it must be bigger then you being homesick. “You have to understand that everyhing happening now, that has happened was inevitable. There is no one else to do this, to pull though if you fail. Your a linchpin as sure as your sister.” Olma said, “So stop thinking with you head so much.” He raised his hand, and flicked Zephane in the forhead, “It’s for mundane nonsense. This is not mundane nonsense. This is perhaps saveing the world nonsense which is quite possibly the most imporatnat kind of nosense.”

Zephane couldn’t help but smile, albit weakly at Olma’s gesture. “It would certainly be a pleasant dream if Alten was gone, along with most of his staff. The world would be a far happier place with them gone.”

“That’s a start. Your on the right track.”

“Along with the taint, Sealing whatever it came from, is that was this is all about? That thing had to come from somewhere, and it wasn’t from the netherplane. They hate the cold. "

“What it is excatly I can’t say, where it and the atint came from, the seal on the destoryer is always weakening.” Olma said with a pleases smile.

“So I have ot figure out how to defeat Alten, clean the taint, and seal the crack.” Zephane said, “taht’s not a tall order at all.”

“Chin up, you dealt with Allana for the last 15 years you can deal with this.” They both chuckled.

“What if I can’t? What if he’s right? What if he just kills me since he knows he can’t trust.”

“You can,when was the last time I was wrong, that didn’t invovle predicticing Allana’s behavour?” And he woun’t kill you becuase he feeds off misery like we do warmth and sunlight. "

“I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to know your really going to be gone, at least before I had hope that you could come back,” Zephane said, feeling embarrssed as he voice caught.

“Dear boy, I’m old, old and tired, I’ve lived longer then I’ve the right, Sol kept me in the moral world longer then he should have. "

“That was what was really happening when I kept haveing to wake you. You were actully here?” Zephane asked, “I thought you were ill.”

“Age is as an illness as sure as anything else. And I wasn’t here, close but You will be the first I’vek nown of to leave here to the mortal world(Mortal scape sound minorly better then Real scape) " Olma said. “And what would me saying anything have done, I kew I was dyeing and I didn’t want anyone mourning me before I’d gone and died. I don’t need that kind of drearyness. And I had enough knowing what was happening and not being able to do anything about it.”

“Then why can’t I bring you out with me?” Zephane asked, “There’s got ot be a way.”

“Not this time, I’m spent and I don’t have anything to wake up to anymore. " Olma said, “now you have to go before you get stuck, I’m not even sure Alten could get you out of here.” He held Zephane at arm’s length for a short momment, looking him over with a sad smile before pulling him in for hug.

“I’ll do it, I’ll find a way, " Zephane said, returning hte warm embrace, the familair and safe smell of scrolls ink and sunshine(that’s not cliche nope) filling him with a sensation of safety he’d not felt in a very long time.

“Dream one up.” Olma answered, his voice fadeing as he spoke, along with his physical presence, leaving only his scent and Sol’s warmth behind.

:We have to go dreamer: A voice much like Olma’s in it’s age, yet impossibly older, and somehow shareing his greif. :Time is short.:

“What do I do?” (I just realized htere should be some object or another that is connected to Sol and vice versa that would some how need ot be transfered here, meh, minor detail)

:Close your eyes and wake up: