Burning Today Options

[Olen]

Some of you probably remember my last piece, Yesterday's Shadow and that it had a rather unsatisfying ending. I spent the summer rectifying this and now have a sizeable sequel/ completion to it which is itself now finished. It would probably be better to read Yesterday's Shadow before this as it would make more sense, however you should get by without it. If anyone wants I'll put a synopsis here, though Yesterday's Shadow isn't very long so you could just read it here (enough plugs yet?)

Anyway without further ado:

Burning Today

Prologue

Dervas wore boots while he worked. Shoes didn't last long in the decaying mixture of blood, vomit, drink and drugs which floored The Black Guar. The dark man had finally passed out and for the first time Dervas dared look at him. A worn man with a broken soul. Who are you? The Black Guar didn't get passing trade – the mixture of pushers, heavies and racketeers who made up most of his patronage didn't appreciate strangers. In the first hour the man, who now lay face down on the table, had knocked two out cold and broken another's arm. They left him alone after that and he them. Dervas wiped the remains of a line of sugar off the bar and nodded to the bouncer who went to move the man to his room.

Someone knocked at the door. Dervas ignored it. They knocked again, for longer this time. He cursed and went to tell whoever it was where to go. It was late an he didn't need any more trade. He pushed open the door, a curse dancing on his tongue. A sack crashed to the ground, gold clinked within. A Breton in black clothes stood in the doorway.

“What's his tab?” There was no need to ask whose.

“Sixty.”

The Breton showed no surprise, and counted out the gold. “Listen,” his tone offered pain if Dervas didn't, “You keep giving that guy drinks, drugs, whores, whatever he asks for okay? For him happy hour doesn't end, tabs never have to be paid. Push as much as you can into him. Don't worry - I'll be round a couple of nights a week to pay you. That sack,” he kicked disdainfully at the one he'd just dropped, “Contains a thousand drakes, payment enough I'd say. If he asks don't tell him, just give him more drink. Understand?”

Dervas nodded, his mouth was dry.

The man disappeared into the night.

Dervas walked back into the bar. He looked towards the dark man's room. Who are you? he thought again, And what have I gotten into?

[Olen]

Well seeing as the last piece was short as I wanted to break where I did and this piece is short because it cuts before a long scene I'll post a bit sooner than I usually do.

Thanks for the comments, I think you have flagged a problem in the last bit. The bridge line wasn't really meant to be a laugh... as becomes clear.

SubRosa - rose was meant to be there (as a colour rather than a plant), now you mention it the sentence does read better without it though.

Haute - no nits?! Thanks for looking

mALX - thanks, I'm gald you liked the cut there.


31. Glitter

I stopped and slowly turned. "The bridge..." I paused not wanting to know the answer, "It's completely uncrossable?"

"Yes," Hides sounded slightly confused, "It's pretty much gone. The flow..." she broke off under our looks.

The first fingernail of the red sun broke the horizon and silence was master. Even the rushing waters seemed muted in my ears. The dawn light turned the river to blood.

The moment broke, "Hurry," I shouted, "Keel-ha get back and help her. Hides get moving now. The Fighters' mercenaries will come back here when they see the bridge. Move!"

"Fighters?" said Hides.

"We saw them across the ford and hid. They were making for the bridge so we started crossing here," said Keel-ha as he forged back through the torrent.

I didn't understand the tirade of argonian which emerged from Hides, but the look it evoked on Okun's face would have been priceless in other circumstances. I turned back to the opposite shore and strode for it as fast as I dared. How long would it take the Guild party? Would they stop? No, they needed to be across the river. But Loghash was unknowable. He enjoyed his work too much, even when friends I had wondered about his sanity. I knew what would happen if they caught us in the water. I needed to push on, the danger of tarrying was greater than that of hurry. But the filthy river held its own terror. Under any other circumstances I would have taken half an hour, maybe more, over the ford. Instead I found myself on the other side in a few minutes and blessedly alive. I muttered a quick prayer to any gods who might care to listen before Hassde and Okun emerged.

"Upstream a little," I said, "Try to hide a bit and engage the party before they can hit Hides and Keel-ha in the ford." I cursed my stupidity at allowing both archers to be incapacitated.

I made my way up the bank. The guild party shouldn't get here before we cleared the ford. With luck. I glanced round, the land on the southern bank was dotted with small groves of trees. We would sleep in one. There was little to choose between them so the one closest to the ford would do. Maybe we could get there before the fighters saw us. I turned back to see Grey-tail leading Tehei and Kieras to where Hassde stood a short way upstream. Hides and Keel-ha were two thirds of the way across and moving fast. I sat on the bank and watched and prayed, my glance fluttering between the pair on the ford and the fear to the west.

I sighed relief as Hides and Keel-ha made it to the shallows. I signalled the rest to join me. "How close are they?" asked Okun.

"How the hell should I know?"

"We need a place to hide," said Keel-ha, "And soon, they could be here any time."

"There's trees," said Hassde, "They'll have to do."

"We'll lie low in a grove and hope," I said.

"If its our best hope..." said Grey-tail, "Fine."

"It's our only hope," I said, "We must trust luck a final time."

"Never name the lady," muttered Okun. I was already running for the cover of the trees.

The grass grew near head high in places on the flatlands away from the riverbanks. I let my pace fall and trudged between the high stems, my legs were bone weary after the day's walk but there was at least some cover. With only my thoughts for company I felt strangely relaxed, our course was decided. I was comfortable it was the best chance and I would follow it. The result rested now in the fall of the dice. I could do no more. As we neared the grove I began to feel better. It had been close, perhaps as close a run as I'd ever had. We had won through and slipped the net drawn about us. The welcoming trees rose and the tall grass died back in favour of low woodland plants. I glanced back at Hides who walked behind me. She gave me a grin. I nodded back but even as I did the grin fell away in black dismay.

"No..." she whispered. Looking wide eyed into the trees.

I followed her gaze. A breaking branch lead mine and in the dawn's sanguine light my hope withered. "Form up." I called. My voice a knell.

There was a harsh shout from in front and I saw death in a pink shield and the glitter of glass.

This post has been edited by Olen: Apr 15 2010, 08:05 PM