The Guild Histories
A silent figure sneaked through a doorway and closed the small oak door quietly behind it.Once inside of the dark room, it crept over to a desk, ever searching for anything valuable with her piercing blue eyes. Suddenly, footsteps sounded from the hall, with the noise of a quiet conversation growing louder. The shadowy figure looked around in fear, searching for a place to hide. She quickly grabbed a black cloak hanging on the chair, draped it over herself, and crouched in a corner just as two men in deep conversation open the door. They were both tall guildsmen with long brown hair hanging over their cloaks. The insignia on their cloaks look like the one that signifies the wearer as a master tradesman, one of the higher ranks of the Guild, but it was slightly different, with a few minor changes that only a Guild expert would notice. The figure cowered back, trying not to be noticed, yet trying to hear what they say. She caught suspicious snatches of their conversation
"Did you get the - - in place?" inquired the first man, a balding man in his forties with a regal air and an untrusting tone.
"Yes, with - -, but - - - there without damaging it. I also made sure - - - - payment." replied the second man, a much younger and wilder person, matter-of-factly.
"Good. - - be handled delicately, or else - - - fail. After all, the - - - is extremely important to the plan" reminded the first.
"Yes, - - - - secret," acknowledged the second, "It is vital - - - - the Guild and the -"
"- - - important indeed! Wait. Quiet-- I think I heard something …" declared the first.
"What?" asked the second, clumsily forgetting that he was told to be quiet. Both of the men suddenly glance towards the door …
"My god and country! Hurry, we must get out of here before they catch us!" warned the first.
"Let us use the Thieves' Cloak!" suggested the second.
"Yes, a wondrous idea… that just might work!" commented the first, "… Wait, where is it?"
The second responded, "It should be on this chair!"
Both men suddenly realized that someone had stolen the cloak, which was the only way for them to escape successfully. Their eyes darted around the room, wide with fear, scanning for the intruder. Swiftly, a guard stepped into the room and approaches the pair. He was wielding a bright torch that revealed the room as an old study full of ancient books and papers, all of which looked very fragile and important. In the other hand, he wielded a short sword of a brilliant metal bearing the Guild's insignia on the blade. He was about to arrest the two men, when all three of them suddenly notice the girl with the cloak. Realizing she has been spotted, she darted quickly past them, making for the door. The guard reached out to snatch her, but she bounded onto the chair and over him, nearing towards the exit. At the last moment, one of the men leaped for her, and she dodged out of the way, slamming the door into his face. She quickly glanced left and right, absorbing her surroundings instantly, and headed for a small door farther down the corridor.
The guard charged out of the room and shouted "Intruder", then sprinted after her speeding figure. He was much faster than her, and was about to grab her when she was only about half way to the door, when she suddenly dodged to the left and tripped the guard. As he fell, his sword tip flipped upwards and gouged her arm and he threw out his right arm to brace himself. She lashed out with her foot, knocking his arm aside. He collided with the ground, making a satisfying snap as his arm shattered against the cobbled floor. His momentum carried him for a little bit, but he soon slid to a halt in the middle of the hallway with faint groaning noises emitting from his injured frame. The girl quickly ducked into the shadow of a doorway as some guildsmen who were following the guard raced past, their cloaks swirling behind them, and their livid shouts reverberating through the many halls. The first person who was following behind the injured figure tripped over his body, creating a domino effect through the line of people. Serving as a perfect distraction, the girl continued swiftly towards the door at the end of the hall, none of them looking up yet. Upon her arrival, she quickly opened the ancient door and entered, slamming it behind her.
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As soon as the girl was sure nobody was in the room, she inspected her surroundings. The room was ancient, coated with many layers of dust, yet it hinted at a grand past, with a splendorous and rich appearance. Though the chamber appeared unused, there were footprints in the dust showing that at least a few people had used it recently, for whatever purpose. In front of her, there was a short staircase with a fine mahogany banister that led into the large room with a vaulted ceiling. Fancy columns and expensive floor tiles gave the room the appearance of a front hall to a regal mansion. Torches in wrought iron brackets mounted around the room gave a flickering, ethereal sensation. Oddly enough, there was nothing in the room except a door at each end. With her back to one door, she grabbed a torch from one of the columns, and made her way towards it, ignoring the noises coming from outside. As she reached the door, she heard people trying to open the other door, and quickly darted through the smaller doorway. On the other side, she put her ear to the door and perceived more and more guildsmen gathering to the door as they tried to break through. I am trapped, she thought, and began searching the room for another exit.
The first thing that caught her eye was a large circular thing in the center of the room. It was a large ovular thing about as tall as a man, with the elongated part vertical so that it was almost door-shaped. It had jagged edges that moved and morphed in random patterns, giving it a hellish look. The edge was so dark a black, absorbing any light that went near it, that a moonless midnight seemed white in comparison. It had to be a time/space portal, as, through it, she observed another room which could not possibly be the same room she was in. Besides, she remembered a rumor she had once heard about the Guild involving such things. It was thought the Guild had been messing around with time and space magic for many centuries, ever since the creation of a dagger that could bend time itself. Not only that, but one night long ago, when her mother and father had just finished a successful Guild raid, she had overheard them talking about some sort of freakish door that some of the Guild men had escaped through. Many years after that, when she had been alone with her mother, she had asked her what they were, and her mother replied, "We don't know for sure, but as far as we can tell, they are some sort of warp in time that bends time so much it actually bends space too. We believe the Guild makes them with some sort of magical blade, but we haven't been able to find out anything about it. Apparently, it is one of the deepest secrets of the Guild." As she tried to see more through the portal, she noticed that the view became more blurred and stretched the closer you looked to the edge. It almost gave the impression that the portal was speeding through the other room, even though the view was not moving.She gaped at the unusual sight, but was jarred back into the present by a loud metallic noise from the chamber. The Guildsmen had broken through, and their feet could be heard pounding their way towards her door. She quickly looked through the portal to make sure the other room was at least safer than her current location, and then leaped through, holding her breath.
A second later, she lands on the polished floor in the other room and dives to the right. She stands up, and is shocked to see some form of fireless lighting and moving pictures mounted around the chamber she is crouching in. Glancing around quickly, she notices that this room is even grander and more unusual than the room she fled, occupying a much larger space and containing many more portals, each labeled with a fancy gold plaque in the Guild's alphabet. As she began to lose herself in the marvels of all the unfamiliar things around her, the guildsmen broke through the last door and paused, trying to locate her. Without hesitating, she ran towards a portal labeled "The Free Land" and sprinted through it. Once through the second portal, she quickly turned left so the guildsmen will not see her as she escapes. With hardly a second's pause, she briefly looked around to remember the location of the portal, and then ran out a pair of glass doors and into the night.
Being a Captain of the Guild is a high honor, only bestowed upon the purest and most devoted followers. One such follower is Lord Kelroth, who not only inherited his family's high position, but has been a dedicated follower of the Guild all his life. Though his position has required of him great sacrifice and dedication, it has paid him quite nicely. It gives him the riches to lead a wonderfully peaceful life, except when in his boss's company. He really doesn't know much about his superior, except that when he is mad (which he is quite often), he is quite annoying and dangerous. Lord Kelroth really hates the days that he has to spend in his company, and today is no exception. He is attending a meeting with his boss, Mr. Aden. Currently, Mr. Aden's stubbyfigure is pacing the meeting room as he chastises the performance of all present. As he draws a breath to continue his spiel, a guard crash in through the expensive double doors at the other side of the chamber, yelling "There is an intruder! She is stealing the Cloak!" and then darting back out to warn the other guildsmen. In seconds, the whole chamber is in chaos, people jumping up and shouting, running amok and trying to get out the doors and capture this 'intruder'. But most of all, the men and women in the room are worried about the cloak. The Guild receives its power through the large collection of magical and mystic items, and the removal of even one of them could seriously affect the Guild's power over the people. Either that or, maybe, they are worried that the boss will not be pleased with their performance.
Mr. Aden quickly instructed his private guards as to what they were to do, and then he started descending to the grounds. While he made his way, he heard the sounds of pursuit, then the noise that a mob makes while waiting for a blockage to be cleared so they may continue their rampage. By the time he arrived at the bottom, it was silent on the grounds, except for the quite footsteps of a few stragglers and a quiet throbbing from the vault. Noticing the decimated door which the guildsmen had broken down, he scurried towards it and stepped back in horror. Not only had the thief gone through into the sacred Guild Gate Room, but so had most of the guild. His boss would definitely not be happy.
Hearing the sounds of pursuit behind her, the girl pushes forward with the last of her energy, looking for somewhere to hide before they spot her. Seconds before they turn the corner, the girl sees an open gate and speeds through, closing it quickly behind her. She rests for a second on the wooden fence gate, and then turns around. She jumps with fright, because someone is standing right there. Observing the perspiring teenage boy before her, she knows that he could easily capture her and return her to the Guild, so she begins to flee. Before she can, the teenager says, "Wait! What are you running from?"
Soothed by the caring voice, she turns around and replies, "The Guildsmen. They are chasing me. I must get out of here quickly, before they find me!"
Pausing, the boy asks her, "Why are they chasing you?"
Without giving her a chance to reply, he continues, "I know a place that you can hide. Follow me, quickly." Lacking any other option, the girl quietly follows after him, hoping that she is making the right choice.
The Knight family is like something out of a James Bond movie. They are being pursued by the government, who is so incredibly intent on catching them that they had already destroyed a whole city block in trying to find them.Of course, no matter how hard they tried and how much they destroyed, they would never find them, because beneath all of the money and fancy equipment, they are still the government, forever tied to sluggish bureaucracy (Or, at least that is what the family wants to believe). Because of that reason, the Knight family has been able to move around from house to house quietly and avoid capture, while doing odd jobs to purchase food and pay rent.
Currently they are living in an apartment off Old Kent road, near Burgess Park. They had only been there for a week, and yet they were moving back out tomorrow, hopefully finding another place to stay in London so that they wouldn't have to change cities quite so soon. The stress that such secrecy puts upon a person is immense, and it is beginning to affect them. You can never get to know anyone well, never feel comfortable, and in Brian's case, never have friends. To make up for it, Brian rides his bike for hours on end to help unwind. Tonight, he had just come home from a light two hour ride along the Thames River when he hears noises coming from the alleyway. He opens the gate, and then jumps back, startled, as he spots a dark figure charging madly towards him. He quickly gathers his wits, intending to attack this figure, When suddenly a teenage girl, dressed in all black with a weird cape draped over her shoulders, charges through the open gate and swiftly closes it behind her. Realizing that the figure is not a threat and that she is not only injured, but is also being pursued, he quickly comforts her. Thinking on his feet, Brian offers to lead her to his house, and upon her acceptance, begins to lead her towards his family's apartment.
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Many hours of fruitless searching through the night led the Guild members to believe that the girl had simply vanished. After all, she had with her a magical cloak that made the wearer almost impossible to notice when used correctly, so it wasn't impossible. Unfortunately, their boss's boss was not satisfied with their performance, and so they continued to toil, searching every nook and cranny of London, forced to be silent and unnoticed in this other world. Because daybreak was coming soon, the weary Guildsmen gladly retired back to their halls, where they once again discuss trivial matters of little importance while a great debate on the matter at hand roared over their head.
In the highest chamber on the grounds, a special council had just come into session, for one reason and one reason only. This council was for the capture, maintenance, defense, retrieval and storage of all the Guild's magical items. While they had only been called into session a few weeks ago, this session was different. Here, they were discussing a matter of dire importance to the Guild, and so every hot headed politician on the council spewed out their self-centered ideas to reclaim the Cloak. Even so, all of them were aware of every minute they waste in democracy, because every second is slightly farther away the Cloak could go, and a bit more area that will need to be searched. Even with that thought hanging over them, they managed to whittle away many hours before they arrive at the conclusion that they must, in fact, risk retrieving the cloak. From there, they take a short break, so as to "gather their thoughts", and then come back into session with even more heated debates, being forced to waste precious time in striking down all the fanciful ideas that were proposed. By nightfall, they are still undecided, and so they plan to continue the session the next morning. But they never did, because Mr. Aden's boss intervened and forced action, sending out a squad of elite guards armed with many of the Guild's most powerful relics through the portal. She planned to end the inefficiencies of bureaucracy once and for all by making a swift and extreme judgment that would have taken days, if not weeks, in open debate. She just prayed that it works.
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After giving the girl some hot chocolate to recover and bandaging her wound, Brian talks to her and discovers that her name is Amber, and that she had been stealing from The Guild (which Brian soon discovered was the equivalent of his world's government) when she was caught. Up to that point, he had completely believed her, but when her story reaches the portal, he cracks up. He laughs at her and says "What is this, some kind of joke? A portal to another world? Hah! And I'm King Arthur!" It took her a long time to convince him, finally proving it by showing it to him from a distance, then saying "There, is that proof enough for you?" After seeing the anomaly for himself, Brian is ready to believe her story at least a little more, so they sit down and begin to discuss their next move. Because his family needs to move very soon, Brian is put in a hard spot, because when they do move, it will be much harder to reach the window and get Amber back through the portal. And then there is the cloak. After overhearing the men briefly talk about it, she is convinced that it is no ordinary cloak. So their second task (their first task being to remain undiscovered by either authority) is to figure out what the cloak does and how to use it. After deciding that they would begin to work on it after they moved tomorrow, they move on to getting to know a bit more about each other.
Brian asks Amber, "So, why are you stealing from the Guild? What about your parents?"
Contemplatively, Amber replies "Well, neither of my parents would have been happy about me stealing, except from the Guild, but my father is dead and my mother had to flee to escape the Guild's wrath. You see, both my parents, being brave and wise people, saw that the Guild was getting head strong and corrupt, so they began a rebellion against it, so that they could free the people of this world from its wrongful command. They and their followers would conduct midnight raids and do many other things to make life miserable for the Guildsmen. Unfortunately, one night during an especially daring raid, my father was captured and brought to the Magistrate, the leader of the Guild. Hoping for information to the whereabouts of the rebellion, The Magistrate tortured him, but his stout heart resisted the pain, and he died before he gave anything away. From there, the Guild tried to capture my mom, but she reacted too quickly, and out of necessity, fled the region and traveled from city to city for a few months to throw the Guild off her tracks, finally settling down in Cittàdifuoco. There, she was able to hide and take care of me as I grew older, until one stormy day. It was my tenth birthday, and we were having a small celebration in our meager house, when there was a knock on the door. My mother looked out the window to see who it was, and she was looking straight at The Magistrate and a company of elite soldiers. Fortunately, they hadn't seen her, so she quickly turned around and went to flee out the back door, yelling for me to follow. Just as we opened the door, the Guild's soldiers broke through and spotted us. We sprinted out the door and ran as fast as we could, but then my mother tripped, and I started to go back to help her. I stopped and turned around because she yelled at me to run on, her rain streaked face covered in fear and anger. She said that she would be right behind me. But she had sprained her ankle, and the soldiers quickly caught up with her limping pace. She fought like a demon, taking two of them out and wounding another one, biting, scratching, and doing anything to injure them. But in the end, their numbers and weapons prevailed, and they took her limp and bleeding form away into the night. After waiting for almost four hours, I returned to our house. The next day, as soon as I woke up, they came for me and took me off to an orphanage. It was horrible there, barely enough food to get the taste of, much less live off. I quickly decided that I must escape, and that I did. For the next year or so, I lived off the streets, stealing whenever I needed the money. And then I met you after trying for the biggest robbery yet, and trying for vengeance against the Guild and all they stand for. What about you? Why do we have to move tomorrow?"
After soaking up Amber's story, Brian begins his.
Brian started, "My family is also in a tight spot with the authorities, though we have done nothing wrong. A few months ago, my mother discovered something of great value during her research, and the government found out. Wanting it for their use, they first asked her for it, next offering to buy it, and, finally, they have resorted to trying to steal it from her. What exactly it is, I do not know, but my parents have specifically instructed me to, in case of their capture, take all of my mother's research papers and never, ever give them to the government. So far we have been lucky in evading them, but I think that we cannot run for very much longer, though we will continue to try until the end. They have too many sources and ways of acquiring information. That is why we must move tomorrow, to keep them off our tracks for a bit longer, while my mother continues her research to discover what it means. In the mean time, my father and I have been doing off the record odd jobs for people so that we can eat and have somewhere to live."
Brian yawned thoughtfully and continued, "Well, it is getting late, and tomorrow will be a busy day. We best get some sleep. Your room is down the hall, the second door to the left. See you in the morning." Realizing the need for rest Amber takes Brian's advice, and they both go to sleep quickly, savoring what little rest they hope to get in the night.
Brian hears the sound of more pursuers and thinks despairingly "How did they find us again?" He motions to Amber, and they leave the shadowy corner, heading for a darker spot farther down the alleyway. Before they reach it, the government's soldiers spot them and run towards them. Brian and Amber take off, running as fast as they can with what little energy they have left. While they try to break the chase and hide somewhere, Brian thinks of how horribly wrong he and his family had been about the government. They had been too leisurely, gotten to comfortable in their house, and feeling too secure, had held off moving for too long. His mom had woken Amber and him up during the night, telling them quietly that the government had found them, and that they needed to take her research papers and flee before the soldiers arrived. Brian's parents would try to stall them for a bit, then escape. Unfortunately, as Brian and Amber had fled away from the house, they saw the soldiers dragging his struggling parents into a van. They paused for a second, feeling sorrow, then a searchlight swept over them, and a watchman cried out, alerting the soldiers. The pair quickly darted off, but it was too late. They had been spotted.
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After running for most of the night, Brian and Amber had finally managed to lose their pursuers around daybreak when they had hidden behind some rusty garbage cans as their pursuers ran past, then climbed a fire escape to the top of an apartment complex. There they sat, watching the sunrise and thinking of what to do next. They quietly discus it, and soon decide that their best plan of action would be to go back to Amber's world and see if they can discover anything about his mother's research or the mysterious cloak that Amber had stolen only a day ago. Picking up his backpack containing the papers and some morsels of food, Brian set off down the fire escape, with Amber following close behind. After figuring out where they were (a long ways away from the portal, as the night's pursuit would have it), they head towards the entrance to the other worlds and try to remain unseen and unnoticed.
Upon arrival, they notice something immediately different about the portal room on the other side. There were normal people walking around in there, purposefully going straight from one gate to another. Both Amber and Brian realize that it was some sort of dimensional thoroughfare. Of course, because of the activity, they wouldn't be able to go through unnoticed, and they were pretty sure that there was at least one wanted poster or guard in that room with one of their faces on it. They decide to wait it out, but before long, Amber remembered the cloak. She suggests "Why not use the cloak? It seemed to work the first time I used it. I think that the Cloak works by making you seem unimportant or something, because when I was in the chamber, they didn't notice me until they really wanted to find me. Either that, or it works by bending light in some way. Still, in a crowd of busy people, it should work ok. Here, let me try it in front of you to see if it works." Amber dons the cloak, making sure to secure it tightly. Soon, Brian has trouble finding her, even though he is trying as hard as he can to stay focused on her. Soon after he loses her, Amber takes it off and says "Hah! I told you it works!" Brian jumps up, startled, as if she had just appeared out of thin air. Brian submits to the reasonable idea, but poses the obvious problem, "But will it work with two people?" So they drape it around both of their bodies and walk out straight in front of a passerby in a way that he would have to notice them. He glances upward, then right back down, because the thing in front of him is so boring and unimportant, and he calmly walks around them without even a second glance. Retreating to the alley, they take it off, glad that they at least have something to their advantage.
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After testing it once more, they head towards the portal, trying to be as small as possible to help their chances. Even in the bustling gateway room, nobody seems to take anything more than a glance at them, and they walk through uneventfully. Continuing on through the Guild's grounds, they prayed that the sunlight doesn't make them appear any more noticeable. So as not to press their luck, they find an unused room which they can hide in, and took it off, letting out a deep sigh.
"Well, I guess we are lucky that everyone is so busy right now!" proclaimed Brian after pausing a moment. Amber agreed, then looked around and paused, seeming to drift off. Brian looked at her questioningly.
"Amber? What is it?" Brian asked after almost half a minute of silence. She shook her thought off, and told him what she had discovered.
"I've been here before. Or at least I feel like I have. You know that feeling, don't you? This place just feels so familiar to me, but I can't place why … Ah hah! Now I remember. Before the revolution against the Guild, my mother used to do her studies her, and she would occasionally take me here. That's funny, though. I don't remember that door being there." She stated as she pointed to a sturdy door in the corner.
"It does seem to stand out a bit, because it looks almost brand new, while the rest of this room feels ancient…", observed Brian, "Maybe we should take a look!" As a precaution, they donned the cloak and tried to feel as unimportant as possible, then made towards the door…
"What do you mean it's locked?" Exclaimed Amber as Brian told her of the door's status.
"Well, I can't open it, so it's either locked or barred from the other side. At least if it is locked, we can do something more about it." Brian calmly stated.
"Well, then it is a good thing that I learned how to pick a lock while I was roving on the streets!" Amber observed as she moved towards the door. She threw her hood back, and Brian silently gasped, because it was the first time he had seen her with her hood off, and her hair was a remarkable shade of brown that surrounded her head with an almost godly sheen in the light, flowing down her head and into the back of her cloak. She swiftly reached up and pulled out a hairpin, expertly bending it to the shape of the lock, and began probing it.
Almost immediately, she gave up, claiming, "I can't pick a lock with all of this darn vibration!" Suddenly, at the realization of her words, the pair noticed the deep vibrations running around the chamber for the first time, and paused a second to wonder what was causing them. They were brought out of their thoughtful repose by the sounds of shouting and pounding at the door. Knowing that the guards had found them gave both of them swiftness, and Amber focused deeply; ignoring the turmoil around her and feeling the lock, she popped it open after a few intense seconds. They darted through just in time, because right as the door closed, the guards pounded in. They had been alerted by the Magistrate, who had a few nights previous installed alarms on the doors, and happened to be looking at the alarm panel when Amber and Brian had opened the door unauthorized. Of course, he had no idea who they were, but he still had sent guards to investigate…
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The four guards quickly figured out that the pair had fled into the other room, and so they followed. But when they reached the door, they faced a problem. Once on the other side, Brian had made sure to lock it again, making it much harder for their pursuers to reach them. Listening to the confusion on the other side of the door, Brian was glad that he had done that. It allowed them some extra thinking time, which they were in desperate need of right now. Looking around, he found that they were in the oddest room they had yet been in. It was fairly small, almost a storage room, but it was so grand and expensive looking you could almost smell the fancy perfumes and hear the crafted conversationsof rich people. Even stranger was that all the room contained was a row of cabinets on one side, each locked with complex mechanisms that even Amber couldn't begin to comprehend, and a small table in the corner, underneath the last cabinet in the row.
Laying on it was an unusual knife laying on it, with a blade made out of an unidentifiable black metal that gave off a matte sheen. The black wood handle curved upwards from the pommel stone to the crosspiece, giving an excellent grip and a unique effect to the dagger's facade. The most noticeable part of the knife was the brilliant jet stone mounted on the handle with bracings of pure gold that brought out and unearthly contrast of colors. While the blade appeared fairly dull, both Amber and Brian felt the power and danger of the blade, and they knew it was actually so sharp it looked dull, just as immensely hot water feels cold. Approaching the table for a closer look, Brian found that the solid black jet stone appeared alive, with a shadowy pattern of deep black and purple hues, shadowy grays, and cloudy greens. The seemingly random patterns slowly shifted upwards in a spiral to match the curve of the handle, then, upon arriving at the blade, began a rough journey up to the point, where the delicate and deep hues disappeared from whence they came. The cross piece added to the effect, having a small prong on each side of the wide dagger blade, giving the knife a three pronged effect. He called for Amber to come over and take a look, and they both stared at it, entranced by its ethereal patterns, until the guards finally figured out how to get through. They had brought a table over to the door and began using it as a battering ram, shaking the small chamber which Amber and Brian were in.
Seeing no other way out, Brian picked up the knife and planned to use it to fight the guards while Amber escaped. Realizing they had a short amount of time while the guards were breaking through the door, Brian walked over to one of the cabinets and sliced off the thick lock with one slice of the knife, hardly feeling resistance as the infinitely sharp blade severed the molecular bonds of the metal. Brian threw open the doors to the cabinet and gasped. Inside were dozens and dozens of jars of human heads, hearts, and other assorted intestines and organs. Before he could contemplate the horrible uses the Guild would have for such items, the guards broke through, their momentum carrying them all the way across the chamber and into the wall.
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Temporarily stunned by their collision, the four guards didn't stand a chance against the two desperate teenagers. They leapt upon two of them before they could gather their wits, punching, kicking, and just generally causing pain. Unfortunately, the other two recovered quicker than expected when they saw their fellow men under attack. One of them leapt for Amber and the other charged Brian. Expecting this, Brian turned at the last second and stuck out the knife, the man who charged him using his own momentum to drive it into his heart. Brian yanked the now blood soaked dagger out of the man's body, and ran over to Amber to help her. Before he can reach her, the guard he had attacked first grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. Brian's reflexes took over, and he bended down, reaching through his legs and yanking hard at one of the man's feet, slamming him to the ground. Before the other guard had a chance to reach him, he was at Amber's side, fighting off the man who was attacking her with his sword, which none of the other guards had been able to draw yet. After ducking and dodging a few of his fierce swings, Brian paused as the guard swung straight for his head, only to hold up the knife blade in front of him and smoothly split the guard's sword in half. The guard froze, only breaking loose of his paralysis when Brian began to swing the dagger at him. With a half crazed look in his eyes, the guard dashed off before Brian could stop him. The final guard was standing over in the corner, with courage and honor in his eyes that said, I am the last one left and I will fight you to the death, you who have killed two of my brethren and threaten the Guild!
Brian quickly whispered to Amber, "Hurry, take the Cloak and Dagger and run to our meeting point. I will finish this man off and catch up with you." He tossed her the knife as she prepared to dash away.
Turning back to his opponent, Brian picks up the swords from two of the fallen guards. Holding one in each hand, he moves dangerously in a crouched position towards the guard, preparing to spring. The guard, seeing what he is planning, braces his shield directly in front of him, with the tip of his blade sticking out threateningly to one side. Understanding how the Guild, or any government organization, for that matter, trains their guards, Brian fakes the move, and then cuts in sideways, only to be met by a surprisingly strong counter. The guard had smashed his shield outward, straight into Brian's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Brian takes a few staggering steps back to recover, and the guard sees his advantage. He launches himself forward with immense energy, discarding his shield in favor of a two handed grip for what he expected to be the final blow. Once again, reflex commands Brian, and he crosses his two blades above his head, forming a very effective block that reflects the other man's deadly blow. Brian then brings down his swords and makes a scissor-like cutting motion with the last of his strength, slicing deep into the man's sides. Watching the other man fall to the ground in his death throes, Brian drops the twin blades. The metal of the swords harshly clangs against the grand tile flooring. Suddenly, he becomes aware of a change in the deep throbbing, which had become part of the background. It had grown louder and deeper; vibrating the chamber so profoundly that one of the small glass bottles in the cabinet Brian had previously opened began to move slowly. Before Brian could stop it, the glass container falls to the ground and shatters, a slightly mutilated human eye rolling out. As soon as it left the cabinet, harsh alarm bells ring out, echoing through the halls and hammering Brian like a fist. Springing into action, Brian grabs a sword from one of the fallen guards and rockets back out into the hall, heading towards their meeting place.
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"How is this possible?" Screamed Lord Kelroth, "First, this petty intruder breaks into the vault, and now he has broken into one of the highly secure cabinets! Not only that, he has even stolen two of the magical items! Lieutenant!" As soon as he finishes cursing, the lieutenant on duty runs up to him and salutes.
Lord Kelroth commands, "I want you to send a whole cohort of men down to the vault and see what is going on. There may be a thief down there, so if you can catch it, bring it up to me!"
"Yes sir! … Wait, sir, did you just say a whole cohort? That is almost half the present guard!" exclaims the lieutenant.
"Yes, a whole bloody cohort! Now!" demands Lord Kelroth. The lieutenant runs out of the room and to the barracks to rouse the hundred men the Lord had requested. Waking up quickly, the soldiers run towards the vault. As usual, they are slowed by the expected throng of guildsmen at this time of day, but, oddly enough, they are also slowed as two children, at separate times, go racing by. Even though it is against the Guild rules to run, the men are on a much more important mission, and cannot spare time to reprimand the children.
Both Amber and Brian's journey to the meeting point at the very south of the Guild's grounds had been intense. Each of them, at some point in their excursion, had been confronted with the Lieutenant's small army. Thankfully, because they were ignored by the troops, they were able to continue on safely. Amber had also been confronted by a pious gardener and a drunken janitor, both of which received nice mid afternoon naps and lovely bruises.
Brian, on the other hand, had gotten slightly lost, and ended up wandering aimlessly for almost an hour around the Guild grounds before he found his way again. He had been forced to hide quite often, as it was the busiest time of day for the Guild, and many of the hallways had just the right amount of people that he could neither sneak by nor blend in with the crowds. His task was made even more difficult by the fact that Amber had the Cloak, so he was forced to move much slower and stealthier to avoid detection.
It is almost dark, and Amber is sitting alone at the meeting place, wondering why Brian is taking so long. She is looking around at the trees which surround the bench she is sitting on, when she glimpses a darting shadow approaching the clearing. She swiftly ducks behind the bench as the figure approaches, and looks up only when she hears Brian call, "Amber? Where are you?" She pops up, and they are both relieved to find that the other person had survived their adventurous travels to get to their meeting place.
Amber immediately questions, "Brian, what took you so long? I left the chamber almost four hours ago, and this spot is not far from there! I was worried about you when I heard the alarms go off!"
Brian replies, "Well, after defeating the last guard, something fell off one of the shelves, which set off one of the alarms. I took one of the swords and left the area as quickly as I could." Brian showed her the sword that he had taken. It was a plain steel blade and worn handle, not very sharp, but it was better than nothing. It had the Guild coat of arms imprinted on its leather-bound handle and a small number imprinted on the blade with a miniature forge stamped next to it.
Brian continued "After dodging numerous large crowds, I managed to get lost and wander around until I finally figured out how to get into the open. Once I was out of the main building, I began to run towards our meeting spot, but a guard spotted me running. Apparently, it is against Guild rules to run or carry a weapon! After a short pursuit, he caught up to me, and brought me to a little room at the corner of the south barracks, where he held me. Fortunately, he hadn't recognized me, so I played innocent, and after over an hour of sweet talking and innocently trying to convince him I was just a kid having fun, he let me go. Unluckily, just as he let me go, someone must have told him to catch me again. Hearing him approach the door which I had just come through, I took off, trying to get away before he could spot me. He sprang out the door just in time to see me, and, after a long chase, he was about to catch me, so I turned a corner quickly on the slippery tile of the courtyard. While he slid past me, reaching out to try and grab me while cursing and trying to regain his grip at the same time, I ran off, trying to hide. As soon as he had regained his grip, he sped off after me, and so we began a short game of hide and seek. I knew I couldn't just come here to hide, because then he would find us both, so I hid in a janitor's closet near here. I heard him approach the door, so I was able to prepare a little surprise for him. As he opened the door and prepared to spring at me, I chucked my sword at him, the handle colliding with his forehead. He staggered back in pain, and I kicked him in the groin. I swiftly picked up my sword and set off for this clearing before he could recover. And that is where I am now!" concludes Brian.
Amber observes, "With all the guards we have injured and killed, they are going to want to capture us even more than they did before. We need to get out of here, but there is only one door to the outside…"
Brian thoughtfully suggests, "Well, what time do they close? We can always leave right before they close, when everyone is the most tired and least attentive. We can employ the leaving crowd to our advantage, and use the cloak to ensure our success!"
Amber pauses for a second to remember the Guild's schedule, which her parents had used often to aid their cause. After recalling the timetable, she looks at Brian's watch, stands up, and replies "If we hurry, we can make it!" They run towards the entrance on the other side of the grounds, pushing for time.
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Lord Kelroth sat down in his private study, exhausted by the day's events, and about to check his personal mail, when a knock sounded from the door. Wondering who would call on him so late, Kelroth stands up and walks over to the door. After looking through the peep hole to ensure his safety, he opens the door, and finds himself gazing upon the guard which Brian had disabled on his way to the bench. A wonderfully colored bruise was beginning to form on his forehead where the handle had struck him, and when he saluted him, his voice was a bit high. Observing this, Lord Kelroth inquires, "What happened, and where is that brat that you captured earlier today who has caused so much ruckus?"
The guard dejectedly replies, "Sorry sir, but he got away, the little blighter. As soon as I got your message, I set out after him, and I almost had him, but then he pulled a fast one. He hid in a closet, and as I opened it, he hit me with something hard, and then hammered me in the groin. I went out like a light. After that, I don't know where he went, but since there is only one way out besides climbing the 50 foot high stone walls, he is probably still on the grounds. After all, who would do such a stupid thing as trying to walk though the only entrance, especially when it is as heavily guarded as ours?"
Lord Kelroth pauses, calculating, and then replies, "You did well, soldier. Go and get some rest. Oh, and why you're at it, take care of those wounds! And don't worry about the kid. I'll take care of him!" Seeing the devilish grin on his Lord's face, the guard thanks him and salutes, gratefully leaving the room to retire to the barracks. As soon as he closes the door, Lord Kelroth walks over to a large contraption in the corner of his room and begins speaking into it, holding a quiet conversation with someone on the other side…
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On their way back to the entrance, Brian picked up a scabbard for his sword from one of the guards they had taken care of earlier. Uneventfully, the pair made their way through the grand entrance hall and out into the dark street along with all the other men and women in the crowd, gratefully breathing in some air after their quite daring escape. After all, the more dangerous and risky the move you make, the less the enemy will expect it!
After finding a spot to sleep for the night, Amber officially welcomes him to her world, "Welcome to Cittàfuoco, the house of the Guild!"
Confused by the name, Brian asks her, "But what does Cittàfuoco mean?"
Pausing momentarily, Amber replies, "Well, I think it is Ancient Knalish for 'City of Eternal Fire' or something. Sort of a weird name for a city! I wouldn't want to live anywhere with such a depressing name!"
Brian states, "Yes, that is odd. I wonder how it got that sort of a title. What is Ancient Knalish? Or do I even want to know?"
Amber answered, "It is an old language that was created before the Guild, but when the Guild was founded, they decided to make it their official language, until was updated and made into Knalish, which is what we speak today."
Thinking for a second, Brian commented, "That is a weird name…I wonder who thought of that? Anyway, this discussion brings up a good point…How can we be from different dimensions, and yet still speak the same language?"
Pausing, Amber spoke in a slightly puzzled tone, "Well…I would imagine it was the portal, after all, it would be like impossible for it to be any other way…right?"
"Ya. That must be it. Anyway, good night, and hope that we will still be here in the morning!" spoke Brian. With that, the pair tried for whatever little sleep they could muster in the stark cold of the night.
Their short doze left them with much to be desired in the way of sleep. None the less, Brian still woke up before sunrise, and crouched next to Amber looking at the knife while waiting for her to wake. He found that when he stared at the pommel stone for long enough, he could make out a red glow coming from deep inside of it, far deeper than the stone itself. After trying to get a better look at this mysterious light for while, Brian stood up and stretched, glad to regain feelings in his limbs after the cramped sleeping location. Looking down at Amber, she began to stir, breaking free of the bonds of a dream with unintelligible mutters. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, looking straight into Brian's. The suddenness of her waking startled Brian, and Amber got up quickly while he began preparing a meager meal from the supplies in his pack. Even though they were in the city, neither had any money except Brian, who only had the money from his world. Besides, they could not risk a public appearance until absolutely necessary, as most of the city probably knew by now about them. So they instead made do with pathetic rations, and finished rather quickly, both of their stomachs still wanting more. There was a though buzzing in Brian's head about what happened yesterday, and he suddenly remembered about the weird buzzing. He explains to Amber about the odd vibration change while he was in the chamber, and they decide that they are going to go back and check it out. Concluding that the only safe way to do that is to climb the walls, they accept the necessity of going into town to get some money for a rope and supplies. Seeing as the only expendable thing they possess is the sword that Brian had taken from one of the guards, they make towards the rundown section of the town to sell it at a pawn shop. Leading the way, Amber leads them to a small courtyard type area with numerous decrepit shops, a few with faded shop signs hanging down from the rotting structures. After studying the signs for a while, typing to decipher their washed out letterings, Brian finds a pawn shop, and they walk into the dimly lit room. On the other side of the dirty room sits a grizzly man with a week or two of stubble clinging to his gaunt face. He sucks in a breath through a cheap cigar he is smoking, slightly illuminating their deteriorating surroundings. Seeing them, the man exhales the noxious fumes, and then inquires, "What would two such young ones as yourselves be wanting in my little shop here?"
Keeping calm, Brian replies, "We are in need of some money, so we would like to sell you this sword" Brian draws out the sword, setting it on the wooden counter in front of the shopkeeper. As soon as the man sees the Guild insignia on the handle, he cowers back slightly, as if afraid of the very essence of the Guild.
The man observes, "You do realize that this is no ordinary sword. It is that of a Guildsman. You do realize this?"
Amber replies matter-of-factly, "Of course we do. Is there a problem?"
A little fearfully, the man explains, "Well, you see, it is a crime punishable by death to be in possession of a Guild item without written permission. They are very hard to sell, even in these parts, so don't expect much from it. Anyway, how did you get your hands on such a dangerous item?"
Reacting before Brian can counter him with a rude exclamation, Amber lies, "Our father worked as a guard for the Guild, and he recently died. Unfortunately, our mother had died a few years earlier, so we were given his few possessions, one of which was this sword. We have kept it as memorabilia, but now we are hard pressed for the money. So, are you going to buy it or not?"
Yielding to the iron youth before him, the man replies, "Ok, Ok, that is good enough. Here are fifteen darellis. Now get out of here before the Guild catches you!"
Relieved to finally be out of the musty shop, Amber and Brian discuss what happened inside the shop as they walk away with their pouch of gold in hand.
"Thanks for saving us with that lie", comments Brian.
"No problem" replies Amber, "Though I can't believe he only gave us fifteen darellis for it! The metal alone is worth at least 35!"
"Oh well", states Brian, "At least we have some cash to buy supplies with now. How much can you buy with 10 thingies anyway?"
Amber explains, "They are called darellis, and a loaf of bread is about one darelli"
"Well, then I don't see what the money problem is. Ten should be plenty for now. Let's go over to that alleyway to sort out what we need to buy."
Deciding that their top priority is to investigate the throbbing, the duo resolves their supplies list, and goes to a small shop, where they spend all of the money on much needed equipment. Walking back towards the Guild, Amber and Brian discuss their exact plan, resolving the fine details of their break-in. Upon arriving at the perimeter wall of the Guild's grounds, they wait until dusk, when they promptly began preparations. They pull out the rope they had purchased and tie the dagger onto the end of it. They then throw it over the wall until the dagger cuts into something. Tugging one last time to make sure the dagger is anchored, Brian begins climbing, with Amber close behind. Upon arrival, the pair quickly put on the cloak and retrieves the dagger and rope, putting them away and making towards the main building where the vault is located.
They were forced to move slowly and cautiously, pausing alertly at every shadow that moved. Realizing their need to leave the grounds before sunrise, they became a bit hasty, and when they neared the vault doors, they began to run. Hoping that their echoing footsteps would not wake up the guards, they reached the door and found it locked.
Pausing, they heard light footsteps approaching them from around a corner, the sort that a person gives off before they are fully awake. Nodding to each other, Brian and Amber approach the corner and wait for the person to pass them. The person soon appears, and they both tackle him, Brian sliding at his legs and Amber smashing his head. After making sure that he isn't going to be waking up soon, they search his body and find a pair of keys. Taking them, they go back to the door and try them, but it still won't open. Glancing around, they try to find another room they can break into in hopes of accomplishing something by breaking in. They notice that the room next to them is the library, so they try the key on that door, and it swings open silently. They are confronted with a large chamber that they cannot fully see, because the only light is coming from the doorway.
"Guess it is a good thing we bought a few torches!" commented Brian as he pulled out a torch and some matches.
After lighting the torch, they were able to see much more of the room, but it was still too big to be fully illuminated by their torch, so they searched for the lighting level. They see it across the room, so they close and lock the door, then head over and pull the lever. Using the momentum of the pull, many matches are dragged rapidly downwards across rough surfaces and onto torches around the room. Giving the torches a few seconds to brighten, the pair was now able to see the complete chamber, which was a vast area filled to the brim with book and cabinets. Walking over to the nearest cabinet, Brian opened it and found neatly organized papers, which were in some form of chronological order. He called Amber over, and she informed him as to what they were.
"Those papers are the alarm records of the Guild…Wait…these are quite recent…in fact, here is yesterday's alarm record!" She proclaimed triumphantly as she whipped out a small packet in the very back.
Flipping it open, the pair discovered that they were not the only ones to rob the Guild yesterday. In fact, someone had actually robbed the library only a few minutes before they had entered the Guild! Starring at the paper, the pair was surprised when they heard a key turn in the door and someone enter the room.
The person was mumbling, "Darn Turis, I told him to turn the lights off" as he headed for the lighting lever. Brian motioned quickly for Amber to follow, and she grabbed the alarm record and rushed after him. Unfortunately, Brian managed to bump into something, and the sound alerted the other occupant.
"Turis, is that you? I thought your shift was over an hour ago? …Hello? Who is that?" Spoke the man loudly. After realizing that they were not part of the Guild, he quickly went over to his desk, where he pulled on a level that rung the alarm bell.
Cursing at himself, Brian sped up and just managed to escape with Amber before the man was able to shoot them with a crossbow. Skidding left, they made quickly for the wall, but found out almost too late that the guard was already swarming across them.