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Author: nameless
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X – Escape from normality
I was alone again, I couldn’t go back to my apartment for any of my things…and without my papers I couldn’t access my bank account with all my money in it. The little I had on me I was forced to spend on a set of fake papers, pretty easy to get with no name…in fact the ones that I had before were fake as well.
So after all that I was back where I started. I found a small abandoned building to stay in while I thought about what I was going to do. I could easily make my money back again by returning to the underworld…I’m sure my notoriety didn’t disappear over night, but did I really want that? To be known only by criminals?
I had dreams once of being known by the entire city, being feared for my power but respected for my skills. Maybe I would just join the militia, start working for the city I had been stealing from my entire life. My thoughts plagued me as I debated what I should do before drifting off into a restless sleep.
I woke up with a rumbling in my stomach and slowly got up with a sigh. I searched my pockets for any copper I might have forgotten about but found none. With another sigh I tiredly left the building wincing at the hot Freeport sun.
I yawned as my stomach grumbled again and I decided I would have to steal some breakfast. I just so happened to be near a bakery, and slowly walked up to it looking around. There were no guards in sight, and only a few customers inside the shop, so quickly I took a step inside and grabbed a loaf of bread, the closest thing to the door and turned around.
My hopes that the store’s owner didn’t see me do it vanished as he yelled out at me. I didn’t turn around but just ran hearing him call for the guards. I never was a good thief but I needed to eat. I quickly made my way through the alleyways and finally stopped catching my breath looking around to figure out where I was.
I usually know my way around most of Freeport, but in my hurry I guess I must have gotten lost. I moved out of the alley and looked around realizing I was in Longshadow Alley. I continued to catching my breath wiping the sweat from my brow and fingering my scar as I wished it wasn’t so hot. As if on cue clouds began to cover the sun and I could hear thunder crack. “Great…”
I walked down the street eating the bread as I heard the faint sound of clanking. I turned around to see a guard and his minions looking around. Without thinking I quickly turned and went into the building in front of me and stopping short seeing a large troll asleep on the floor a few feet away from me.
“As I was saying, that depends on you.” A female Erudite was saying as I came in. I stepped back staying in the shadows hoping that I hadn’t been noticed looking around the room. Besides the Erudite there was a Ratonga, a Half Elf, a high elf and a dark elf. I couldn’t help but wonder what was happening here to have such a diverse meeting.
I didn’t have much time to think about it as the Troll stirred sniffing and standing up peering over at me. I watched as he turned to the high elf and whispered something, then locking his eyes on me poked the high elf. "While you all are standing there like frozen dolls, I think you should all know that there is another person in this room besides us." He said in a cocky way. “A human, I don’t know if he is with you guys or just another stranger looking for a good time.”
The troll laughed hearing the High elf’s sentence as he reached down and fingered a large axe latched to his armor. I decided I should cut my losses and stepped out from the shadows after shutting the door. “I’m not looking for a good time…” I said softly to the high elf. “Just trying to avoid a bad one.”
I looked again around the room, at a pool of blood near the troll’s feet and smirked. "I also did not mean to start any trouble, obviously you guys have something going on in here...and believe me I'm very sorry to interrupt, but if I were you I'd worry less about me and more about that Troll fingering his axe."
Glancing up at the Troll the Ratonga spoke “Inform your Troll friend to leave his axe where it lies. The stranger has shown no hostility, nor will he receive any in return.” His eyes narrowed as he continued, “Your help in the future is appreciated, however expect no pay in return. I have no desire to hire Mercenaries who’s only drive is the gold they receive when the job is done.” Again I was confused as to what happening, but stayed quiet as the Ratonga spoke to me.
“Your entrance was no secret, but what concerns me more is your attempt to evade the town guards.” His voice grew stern as he approached me, “If you bring unwanted trouble upon us I promise your death will be long and painful.” Turning the Ratonga assumed his spot between the Dark elf and Wood elf. “The floor is yours stranger.”
I rubbed the back of my head as I cleared my throat. "Well as I said I am very sorry for interrupting whatever you guys have going on around here..." I sighed deciding what to say, and decided on the truth...hoping that I had stumbled upon the one group of people who weren't totally despicable here in Freeport.
"I stole some bread from the local bakery..." I said softly staring at the floor ashamed.
"I tried to be sneaky about it but I'm no thief so they saw me and called the guards and I ran...ended up here. Totally by chance, again I had no intention of ruining your little party or whatever...and if you can point me to a back door I'll be happy to leave you and hopefully find an empty building to hide out in for the night."
There was a moment of silence before the Dark Elf stepped forward, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver coin, tossing it over to me. It landed with a small clink next to my foot. "There is little point in bringing such attention to yourself, or this hall, over such a trivial matter. Take care of the problem now before it gets any worse," he said in a rather bored tone.
I looked at the coin, and then again at the dark elf my anger rising. “Well I would say thank you…” I said leaning down and picking up the coin. “But the guards of Freeport aren’t well known to just accept apologies and let you go.” I took another look around the room and the faces of everyone staring at me before flipping it back over to the dark elf.
“That and I’m not a beggar. I can earn my own way in the world, even if I do have to steal sometimes. Besides, turning myself in and getting executed isn't my idea of a good idea, and you could just of easily pointed me to the back door rather then try to demean me in front of all your friends." I said angrily but controlled.
“There was no malice in my actions human. Only concern for my companions here," he said with a sigh motioning to those in the hall, "and our wish to not draw more attention than necessary to ourselves, although with recent events, this is proving rather difficult."
With that, the dark elf stood up, and looked at the Ratonga.
"I will show him the back door, unless you wish to speak further to him," he said.
Suddenly the sound of banging on the door jolted through the tense air. I slightly groaned knowing what was about to happen, backing away from the door to the other side of the room again hiding in the shadows as everyone whirled around to face the door. "This is the Freeport Guard!" a gruff and forceful voice shouted from outside the door. "You are harboring an outlaw! Open up and hand him over or you shall be held as traitors by the law of Lord Lucan!"
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