Was I getting to ahead of myself, I thought double checking all the items I had equipped. Letting a large sigh, I grabbed my cane and secured the small bag of rations to my waist. "Guess it's departure time," I said looking in the mirror for a second before running towards the open window. With a smirk I leaped out, grabbing the windowsill with the cane and using it to turn myself to the left, landing on the balcony of the room next to mine.
"This is goodbye for now. Mother, Sister, Deloris, I'll miss you," I whispered with my hands clasped together in a prayer format. I hit the rooftop next to the balcony while I was still praying. Sliding down the stone was kind of soft due to the padding of the thick cloak I was wearing.
As my feet hit the ground I took off into a full sprint. "I need to go see Cilla before I leave," I thought slowing down as I approached midtown. It would be about a 30 minute walk, I took the main streets as to not draw any unwanted attention in the alleys I'd usually take.
I was finally nearing her house, it was dark but there was still a candle lit in front of her window. I smiled approaching and a knocking in a small pattern then whispered, "So you didn't forget me?" I took a step back and immediately after the wooden window came bursting open. "Hi," I stated a little awkwardly. She cared not as she immediately started to well with tears and throw herself out the window.
Tackling me she started sobbing as she tightened her grip around my chest and arms. "Where have you been," she almost screamed tears running on my shoulder. I just laid back with a sorrowful stare skyward. It had felt like there was a massive creature gripping my vocals.
I squeezed her tightly as well. My voice very hoarse I whispered, "sorry tension is growing with the Eagle Star. I need to leave." I could feel the tears beating at my eyes. "I wanted to spend some time with you before I left though," I said as I started to regain my normal voice.
"I missed you, why is it you have to leave," she said sitting up looking me in the eyes. "Why so sudden," she said recovering her wits. Making her way back through the window and dusting herself off.
I followed her, taking a seat at her table. About this time, Mrs. Calavin, Priscilla's mother, came bursting through the door. She looked at the hooded man sitting in her daughters room and raised an eyebrow. "Is that you Arty?" She asked walking over and lifting my hood a bit.
"Hello, Mrs. Calavin," I said looking up at her.
"Thank god it's you, I don't know what I would've done if she brought a boy home in the midst of night," She said with a loud sigh as she walked away. "A lot has happened, please talk with her, she needs her best friend right now" Mrs. Calavin said shutting the door behind her.
So we sat a the table and began to converse about what we'd missed in each others lives. I'll summarize, since we'd talked till a bit before daybreak. I had told her the story about how my father turned the castle turned into my personal prison. My father had started spewing lunacies and being assaulted from the safety of my room, whilst keeping my sister safe.
In return she told me about how her father, who owned a small clothing business, was brutally beaten for not paying enough money to the Eagle Star bandits. Also told me about how the some of the other nobles where bulling her when she took a trip to the capital for a meeting to sell some of her art.
From what I could tell is she really could've used my support through all of this. So, I comforted her then like a thief in the night left with a gift. She gave me a leather buckle with two small latches to attach to other material. Looking up at her I could feel my nose wrinkle a bit. Stifling a laugh, I looked up at her with a smile and in a questioning tone said, "thank you? I'll see you soon." I could tell she had things to say but didn't for my sake, which was the real reason I was thanking her.
Leaving the same way I entered, I could see tears in her eyes which encouraged me to move quicker. I was running for the first few streets, then I slowed down taking in the scenery of the night. After all, it will be the last time I see this place for a while. While I was walking, I noticed someone give me a second glance and I couldn't help but be spooked. So I diverted my travel, hitting the alleys, I began moving a lot faster.
I switched to the alleys so if someone did come after me I wouldn't endanger the civilians, even if some of them want me dead, I don't need unnecessary risk. While I was walking, I heard footsteps from a distance. Immediately I started running, so did they "Bastards I've got you now," I said with a nervous smile as I drew the punch dagger.
The footsteps started gaining on me, I checked back to see who was following me. I saw three people chasing after me, two where wearing cloaks designed as crimson eagles with a golden star on the good. The third, was dressed with black studded leather with the sleeves torn off, along with a tattered grey sash the lined hip to waist. That man was taller having an unrealisticly large sword slung across his lower back, might have been a merc. The two bandits came running at me, "turn yourself over to us and we won't shred you!" The man shouted attempting to slash me, drawing his shortswords. I backstepped with a nervous smirk.
I started to throw my brain into overdrive. I launched my foot into the air, feeling it slam into his jaw my smirk grew. I leaned back placing my hands on the ground, and with 1 fluid motion pulled my foot higher. Knocking the first man to the ground, the second was already launching his assault. I looked up to see a fist sized stone flying at my face. Slipping forward under the stone, channeling a small amount of source into my lungs, I let out a horrendous roar out. The caster of the stone bullet began shaking uncontrollably, he tried to block my knife. Laughing I dropped the blade as a feint, raising my opposite fist. My fist colliding with his jaw was enough to put him asleep, "payback's a bitch ain't it." I looked up to the merc in the back, he was taking both hands to draw the massive blade he wore. "You're a mercenary, correct?" I asked looking at the man. I sheathed my dagger and picked up one on the shortswords, I kept an eye on him giving the blade some test swings to get a handle of the weight.
"I am," he said firmly as he watched me closely. "I'm already intrigued, which means you can't pay me to stop now," he said with a small smirk. The man had ridges over certain parts of his skin that looked like black bone fragments. I queried about them mentally, finishing my last test swing I dashed at the man. The first thing I realized was he had been channeling source into his sword. He swung his sword, I slid under the swinging blade attempting a slash at the man's chest. With a gnarled smile the man brought his knee up, leaning his upper body back. His knee collided with my arms as I blocked with the outsides of my forearm, though the force still sent me skyward. I coughed laughing a bit, he prepared his sword to thrust up at me. He was really going to impale me, I thought a little confused I focused on channeling source to the cube that hung from my head. His sword rose to strike me as it did Ceritin my summon, the demonic songbird, grabbed my shoulders. All the man below me saw was a flash then me with wings, before I dropped on him at full speed. Slamming my foot into his face then, unsummining Ceritin I jumped back. While he was dazed and confused I took off running dropping the shortsword.