Prologue:
The first raindrop that fell from the sky landed onto the window by my right; the first raindrop of many, many more to come. I watched it glide down the glass diagonally, the wind pushing it back. As it moved out of sight, my vision roamed unto the city in the distance. Crystallink: the newly-built city, the kingdom of machines, the beginning of the future. After hearing all the rumors of this new city, I just had to come see it for myself. As it turns out, all the rumors happen to be true. They really have discovered something called electricity, and I'll speak for everyone when I say that they've found many uses for it pretty damn fast. The new founded technology is wonderful; a year ago I wouldn't even believe the concept of a train, and feeling the floor below me rumble and vibrate now is as contradicting as ever.
It's too bad I can't relax on this train, however. I look down at my feet and see the massive pile of clothes and other wear on the floor, knowing of the object hidden inside. Just thinking about the heap of attire on the floor makes my stomach feel nauseous. The trouble I could get in. . .
I hear more raindrops splatter on the window to my right and on the roof of my train-car. Dark-grey clouds are starting to take shape up high above Crystallink, which is getting farther in the distance. . .a good thing. In a couple of minutes, this train will ride on a bridge which goes over the circular river that surrounds the new city. Taking in a deep breathe, I close my eyes and try to steady my breathing, for I am restless. I listen to the rain as is gradually increases in volume. By now it is at a steady drizzle. This calms me.
The sliding door at the front of my train car slams unshut, causing my eyes to shoot open. I'm sitting in the 6th booth in, out of the 10 rows of booths in my car. First, I glance at the large pile of clothes at my feet, then I lean out of my little corridor to see what is going on. Up ahead, I can see two Aegnap Train Marshals. Both wore a sword at their hips, most likely steel. The worst is how behind the two marshals was one of Crystallink's finest guardsmen. . .of course it was this guardsman, the one who remembers my face.
I lean back into my booth and try to think of a plan out of my situation. Sadly, none came up. I was never any good at thinking on my feet.
Further up, I could hear faintly of a conversation. "Evening, Miss. Might you have your train ticket on you? This checkup is only to ensure the safety for all passengers." And then, "thank you, Miss. Do have a good evening."
I took in a shaky breathe, as I heard the footsteps come closer after each row they passed. Listening, I could tell that the guardsman in the back was staying behind, never speaking. Finally, after holding my breathe for what seemed like a minute, I exhaled through my nose while clenching my jaw shut. I looked at my open palms coming out from the black coat I had on, and then down towards the pile of clothes.
The first train marshal marched into the open doorway. He looked at me and then at the pile of clothes at my feet. "And what might you be doing on a train headed to Wolfspost?" he asked, eyeing me up. The other men stayed behind the first marshal as I could not see them through the frame.
"Just visiting some family there, you know how it goes," I replied, giving him a fake no-teeth smile.
"No, I certainly do not know how it goes," he returned. Then he looked down, his eyes telling me how confused he was. "What's this?" he asked, gesturing towards the pile of clothes.
I truly couldn't think of anything good to say. "This was here when I sat down. I figured you train marshals were too lazy to clean anything up around here, so I figured it wasn't my problem to pick it all up." I almost thought that that was going to work.
Out of the corner of the doorframe that the marshal was in, the Crystallink guard came into view. Behind the marshal's shoulder he looked into my eyes, and I looked back into his. The dark expression on the guard's face told me nothing.
The guard stepped back out of view and pulled the first train marshal with him, whispering something to him.
Gods damn him to hell, I thought to myself. I felt dark all of a sudden, and I was no longer nervous.
The marshal came back into view, this time with the second train marshal right behind him. "Those clothes," he said. "Pick them up, why don't you?" His face was more alert than before, and his left hand was on the scabbard of his sword attached to his hip.
"Whatever you say," I nearly muttered back. I got down onto one knee and turned my back to the marshal. I shoved my arm into the pile of clothes and. . .I gripped the hidden object. Behind me, I heard the faint noise of metal on metal. . .the sound of a sword being unsheathed.
Instantly, I spun around with my object. Clothes seemed to fly everywhere and the next thing I know, the marshal dropped to his knees. Blood hit the floor, for my object was the a blade! A blade darker than night, and sharper than arrows.
The marshal dropped his sword, and it clattered on the floor. The gash I left in his upper-chest was long, but not too deep. . .he'll live.
"AHHRRGHH!" he shouted in pain, clutching his chest.
The other marshal and guard seemed to be shocked in this moment, so I took off running. I heard muffled screams on my way out of the train car, mostly the women there screaming for the Gods to give them safety. I slid the train car door open, went through and shut it right away. The two other men were very close behind. Looking up, I see a doorway to the roof of the train. My decisions. . .
I get a blast a fresh air, and my hair is swept back and dampened. I carry my large sword in one hand as I climb out. The rain was still at a drizzle, but the train's roof was still very slippery. I stood up and put my hands out for balance, my sword not making anything easier.. Concentrating, I made my way towards the back of the train.
I didn't turn around until I was in the middle of the last train car. There I found both men only one train car behind mine, they'd followed me.
"Hey kid!" the guard shouted over the wind. "You've caused enough trouble. Come here so I can slice you up and feed you to the pigs!" His eyes were wide with insanity, and he looked like he was about to explode.
I looked down. The train went onto the bridge that goes over the river that surrounds the city. Below me, the river seemed extremely far down, and I could make out little wooden cargo ships sailing along. I looked back up at the two men. "I don't think I'd taste very good!" I shouted back, it being hard to hear and all.
"You think I'm kidding?" the guardsman asked as he stepped over the small gap from his train car onto mine. "I'll personally make sure that your body goes straight to the butcher after I'm done with you!"
I don't really feel like dying today. I shove my hand in my pocket and pull out my newly obtained ring. The ring was obsidian colored and it had a smooth feel to it. I lift it up to eye-level and look at the guardsman through it.
"All this trouble for this, huh? It must really be important," I said, although I'm not sure that the guard heard.
I put the ring back into my pocket and then raise my hands up, sword in my left hand. I stared at the guard for a moment, and then I threw my pitch-black sword over the side of the train, and it fell into the river, hundreds of feet below.
The guard was much closer now, and his sword was still out. He smirked and said, "any last words?"
I looked at him in the eyes and replied, "Yea. I hope I float."
And I hopped off the train.