Guard Games

The sense of danger mingled with excitement in the solemn air as Aliyra crouched on the roof's edge calmly and confidently. Being a rogue, she was at home in the darkness. The Stormwind keep was as clearly visible to her as the cathedral on this cloudy night. She could hear the wings of the hippogryph as the Stormwind guard passed high overhead. She'd watched their rotations for an hour that night and continued to watch. She knew as well as anyone that the guards were the only ones with clearance to fly in the Old town where their base was located. If she was caught on the roof outside of the Command Center, she would be imprisoned and the jail-keepers would have free reign of what tortures they would use to force her to speak. She wouldn't let that deter her from her mission.

Tonight Aliyra did not plan to get caught. Her mission was an important one that she couldn't afford to screw up on. From her vantage point she could see a trio of guards pacing down the street. Her navy eyes charted their progress carefully. As they paced past her, she moved along the roof in the opposite direction; towards the command center in old town. For the last hour she had monitored the movement of the guards below. They seemed to keep to a regular routine, but that didn't matter as much as the fact that they were clueless as to what was about to happen. She'd had to suppress her energy; keep it locked up tight. In doing so, the energy had reflected upon itself and multiplied. It had seemed a lifetime but at last she was ready to make her move.

As another trio of patrolling guards she froze and melted into the shadows. Freezing as every patrol passed elongated the process of infiltrating the Old town but it was crucial that she got in unnoticed. Aliyra reached for the lip of the roof but her gloved hand couldn't find a firm grip. Her glove was slipping and catching more than her hands were. Panic overwhelmed her as the hand gripping the wall slipped minutely but receded as a single finger caught a rough surface of the roof. She tightened her grip on the roof and released her handhold to do the same with the other. When both hands held firmly, she heaved herself up and rolled onto her back. A relieved sigh forced itself from her lungs and she stood, ready to continue.

Aliyra crept along the rooftop and drew on the stored energy just like she drew on the thread for her sewing; slowly and steadily. If things went well tonight, she would not have to use the energy she'd built up…or the twin daggers at her hips. As always, she came prepared. A small satchel sat at the back of her right hip and the shuriken inside had been carefully placed so that they wouldn't clink upon the vials of poison she'd brought along. There were also other small things that she thought could be useful. The dagger in the waistband of her pants at the small of her back had long since warmed to her body temperature but her boot knife remained cool.

A plain black cape had been carefully drawn and tied about her neck. Its hood had been drawn up so the only visible part of the woman was her eyes glittering dangerously over her ebony mask. The cathedral bell tolled once…twice…thrice, and Aliyra launched herself to the next building to grab for a handhold on the window pane. Solidifying her core while flexing her muscles, she drew herself up the wall by gripping first the window pane then the solid brick wall. On the roof she paused to look at her next obstacle; the wall of the Command Center.

The clock finished its twelfth toll as she eyed the wall. The sleepy city once more fell into silence. Out of the corner of her eye she noted another patrol trotting out of the Command Center gate. She immediately froze to melt into the shadows. One man paused; looking directly at her roof then muttered something to his two companions, who had also stopped. They laughed and kept walking and Aliyra let out a soft sigh of relief.

The wall drew her attention once more and she spotted a handhold that she'd not noticed before on previous visits. Several gouges had been discreetly carved in a winding trail that went up. It was perfect! But there were two problems. First; the handholds started yards up from the ground, level with her eyes which were two stories up. The wall itself was around forty yards tall…Aliyra was only five feet two inches. Calling her hippogryph, Raven, would attract attention or else she'd have whistled him up from the start. She could fetch her horse, Nightstorm, but that would take up precious minutes of darkness to still not be able to reach them.

The second problem was that the wall was two yards away and if she didn't catch the handholds just right then she would fall and sprain something, break something, or both, and be unable to complete her mission. The patrolling guards would undoubtedly spot her. Few people wore complete black and walked (or limped as the case would be) around after midnight. Softly, she muttered a curse under her breath.

Aliyra crouched, staring at the first few handholds thoughtfully. Could she make it? Shaking her head, Aliyra stood and paced to the opposite side of the roof and glanced over her shoulder. After a moment's hesitation, she stripped off her gloves and tucked them securely in her belt. She stretches the leftover kinks from her muscles as she once more faces the wall. A patrol would be heading in and another out any moment. If she didn't hurry she'd be caught red-handed.

With a deep breath, Aliyra sprints across the roof. As she reaches the edge and is just about to leap, a hippogryph soars over the wall. The hippogryph shrilled in surprise as Aliyra soared through the air below it. She disappeared into the shadows, dividing her concentration. The rider shouted something in dwarvish to the hippogryph as it hesitated. Aliyra smacked into the wall and scrabbled at the wall for dear life. Her finger caught the crevice and she wormed her other hand into the one above and she didn't dare take a breath.

The bird shrilled again as Aliyra clung to the wall and prayed that the rider hadn't seen her. Beads of sweat trailed down the back of her neck and a shiver trailed down her spine where the droplet stopped. The rider hadn't moved on. Aliyra drew on her energy and decided to inch up. "There's nothing there ye great dumb beastie." The dwarf finally yelled as he tugged at the reins.

Ali finally breathed as the hippogryph flew away and with the last remaining strength of her body, she flung herself up the wall silently and as swiftly as she could manage. The top of the wall neared and Aliyra forced the height and the burn of her muscles to the back of her mind as she paused to readjust a foothold. Her muscles burned fiercely like someone was taking a hot iron to them she felt like she couldn't go any farther, but kept moving. Her weary hand found an unusually solid handhold so she raised her head to find herself at the brink of the top.

With renewed vigor she drew herself up onto the flat surface of the wall and back into a crouch as the burning subsided. The wall was just two feet across and on the opposite side of it she could see a guard patrolling with his bow in hand. She kept her cloak of shadows woven tightly about her and moved along the wall away from him.

Aliyra was just above the roof of the Command center even though it was a yard down and away. The jump would jar her and might even disrupt her stealth cloak. But the guard was nearing and might see. If she missed she could fall into the courtyard where the guards mulled around and trained their blades on the practice dummies. Steeling herself, Aliyra leapt as the guard reached her stretch of wall.

Her feet jarred against the roof with a soft clump. As she'd predicted, her woven stealth cloak wavered then disappeared. Panicked, she flung it back up and whirled to face the wall on jello legs. The guard continued walking with his gaze fixed on the outside of the wall. A sigh of relief brushed through Aliyra's lips. She moved around the roof to get a better view of the courtyard and counted the guards below.

Thirty strutted about in the practice yard alone while who knows how many more sat around inside. The odds were stacked very highly against her but she couldn't afford to stop. Inside the building three floors down there was a prison where a man sat in chains. To be truthful, he was little over a boy at the age of seventeen. Nevertheless he belonged to the League of Silence; a mercenary organization. He was facing a possible execution and the Lady of the guild had sent her most trusted spy to rescue him.

Aliyra crept away from the front of the building towards the back. Every muscle was tense and ready for action as she searched around the building for a window with which she could enter and possibly exit. A sharp whistle pierced the air and she dropped to all fours to be a smaller shadow. Her eyes shot about faster than a bullet and then focused on the only movement; the guard on the wall was waiting as a ladder was extended from the courtyard. One of many relived sighs fled from her lips. They were changing the guard of the wall.

Aliyra continued her search and pinpointed a window on the ground level that appeared to be open. The climb was slow-going and did nothing to ease her taunt muscles but when she reached the floor, she flexed them expertly. They loosened slightly and Aliyra crept nearer to the window, she didn't dare waste any more time. The ground floor was empty, but Aliyra caught a glimpse down the stairs. Two guards stood at the gate that led to the cells.

With a practiced hand Aliyra slipped a vial from her pouch and examined its color by holding it up to the light of the window. It shimmered a soft blue. She unsheathed one dagger to coat the edge lightly then the other. The entire process took only seconds. When she had tucked both daggers away carefully she leapt through the window to land soundlessly in her well-worn boots on the wood floor.

"I'm coming; be ready." She addressed her guild member through the magical link that each guild member was adorned with on entry. She shed her cloak and left it just outside the window. Her only cover now was a thin coat of shadows. More softly than a mouse she crept to the top of the stairs and assessed the situation. She bit her lip as she counted. A third guard sat in the corner idly chatting with the two. If she moved she would have to move fast. A single yell could bring the entire compound down on her and the only way out would be in chains if that happened.

She gathered her energy and stepped back to the corner where the shadows were deepest but kept the guards in sight. Aliyra closed her eyes, taking a deep and even breath and releasing it slowly to calm her buzzing alarmed nerves. Focusing on the first guard, she whispered a word and appeared behind him with her shadow cloak still intact. Her hand flashed out to hit his exposed neck and knock him cleanly unconscious. In the same instant, she slashed at the second but her knife only skimmed the surface of his neck.

The second guard still dropped like a rock. Aliyra grinned as she realized that the poison had done its job for once. The man would live but he would wake fifteen minutes to an hour later with a nasty headache as well as a sensitive stomach. She had experienced this first hand and did not envy the man. Her eyes snapped to the third and with her shadow cloak finally dissipated, she flung the dagger.

He moved quickly despite his plate mail. He'd leapt to his feet as his friends had fallen and now watched her with deep and knowing eyes. Her dagger glanced off of a glowing shield of light that appeared as her dagger approached. She took out a shuriken and flung it as the shield dissipated. She followed the shuriken; launching herself at the only thing that stood between her and the success of her mission.

The shuriken skimmed his cheek, leaving a paper cut's worth of blood. Aliyra sliced in a complicated pattern before herself to keep him from approaching as well as to back him into the wall. He opened his mouth as he drew his sword from its sheath. Panicking she dove into his chest to knock the air out of him. The tabard caught against her metal shoulder guards as she withdrew before she completely unbalanced herself too. The man tipped backwards and released his sword in the air, reaching for anything to help him keep his balance, including Aliyra.

His hand caught her unarmed wrist with an iron grip and his other arm went back against the wall. Swiftly, she slashed at the sliver of skin between his iron wrist guard and gauntlet. Shocked turquoise eyes met her own as he tumbled the rest of the way to the floor. His eyes rolled back into his head and deep brown hair that fell just past his ears cascaded everywhere.

Aliyra stared, her heart thudded ferociously in her chest. He had seen her. The dagger in her hand trembled as she knelt beside the young man and placed it at his undefended throat. He was no older than her companion in the cell. No older than her, even. She had killed before…this was no different. The pressure on her blade increased and the blade pushed the thin skin of his throat to the point of breaking. Abruptly she withdrew. He possessed an innocence and wisdom that was rare. This handsome young man would not die by her blade today. Without a backwards glance she retrieved her weapon then sheathed them both.

She sprinted across the room to the door and stepped over the bodies. She slipped a lock pick from the hidden pocket of her glove and got to work on the door. It clicked open after seconds that seemed like eternities to Aliyra. "It's about time!" A voice teased from inside. There were eleven cells; five on each side of the door which were small leading down to one large one at the end. He was in the third cell to the right. There were no other prisoners. Without hesitation, she darted to his cell.

"You're welcome, Raven." Aliyra retorted dryly as she opened the cell. Even though he joked, he was pale and wounded. The manacles on his wrists took longer than both doors combined, but when they clanked to the floor, Raven rubbed his chafed wrists. Aliyra fished about in her bag until she found the small and smooth green stone she was looking for. "Amaya made this. It will teleport you to our Lady. She will take you somewhere safe that you can wait until things have cooled down here."

Raven nodded and adjusted the waistband of his baggy brown prison-issue trousers. His black eyes expressed his concern even if his posture and voice didn't. "So how will you get out?" He shook his shoulder-length brown hair from his face and acted nonchalant.

"Don't worry about it. Just take it and go. I'll meet you on the outside." Aliyra stated. Footsteps sounded on the floor above. Aliyra shoved the stone into his hand as well as her equipment bag. "Just in case." She said somberly. "Go. Now!" Reluctantly, he nodded and gathered the stone between his palms. Aliyra waited until he disappeared in a burst of green smoke to sprint for the door. She readied her blades.

The first room was clear but there was a group of people sitting at the table on the second floor. Several leapt to their feet as she fled through the window, snatching up her cloak as she went. The shouts followed her as she crept around the building and tried to draw her shadow cloak about herself at the same time. All the people shouting inside provided an easy distraction for the majority of the guards in the training yard. As they rushed inside she slipped along the outside wall. The gate was even open!

"SHUT UP!" One officer roared as he shoved his way outside. The clamor of the guards immediately silenced. "Close the gate!" He shouted. Aliyra broke cover and sprinted for her last chance of avoiding imprisonment or worse. Guards began shouting again. All of them began to chase after her in their clinking chain armor. She slipped through the gate and dashed down the street towards the Trade district. If she could make it to the Stormwind gate where her horse waited then she would be able to ride off out of their area of expertise. They were not permitted to chase her past a mile of the Stormwind gate.

She turned the corner sharply and sprinted towards the bridge to the Trade district with the guards close on her tail. As the hippogryph landed before her, she jerked to a halt and whipped her blades out. The guards who had pursued her formed a loose semi-circle as the one who had shouted for them to close the gates dismounted before her. A curse escaped her lips then a silence more tense than a drawn bow reigned the night.

The guards waited for the man to give orders and Aliyra waited to gather another energy burst. "For trespassing on guard grounds without permission; you will be arrested. Resist and we will show you no mercy." He said. His men charged.

Aliyra released a short bard of laughter as she leapt to the side of the bridge. Using the edge as leverage, she shoved off. When she struck the water, she continued to run across. As long as she kept up speed. She could hear splashing and glanced behind to see the night elves who were druids in the water transforming. They were becoming seals to pursue her further! Their commander stood where she had leapt off, watching her as his men rushed by.

Aliyra stumbled then caught herself on the stone. She clambered up swiftly and changed directions. The harbor would be safest out of the city. She just prayed that a boat would be there. She would be arrested otherwise. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw men running down the opposite side of the canal. Because of their speed, she assumed they had been or currently were rogues. That made them dangerous.

The harbor entrance now in sight, Aliyra put on a last desperate burst of speed. Her side exploded in a sharp burst of pain. The ramps were torturous, but they kept her speed up as she charged precariously down. She could hear a bell tolling frantically in the city as well as the whoosh of wings above. She stumbled again, her side growing hot while a sharp pain made each jarring step more miserable than the last.

She reached the docks at last and saw a boat beginning to release its sails. It appeared to be in a hurry but Aliyra sprinted forwards. The boat saw her and some paused to glance at her then at the fifteen guards chasing behind. The sails fluttered loose and the ship began to move. With a cry, she flung herself the last few feet onto the deck. The guards charged to the end of the deck, but they were too late. Trembling with exhaustion intermingled with fear and adrenaline, Aliyra lay on the deck. Each breath she took was accompanied to a sharp pain in her side.

She pressed her hand to the pained side as crew members stared and her hand met something rough then something sticky. Aliyra looked down. An arrow shaft protruded from her side. A curse escaped her lips and a sharper burst of pain wracked her body as her eyes met the flag being raised to the mainmast of a skull and crossbones. Then everything blurred and the darkness consumed her.

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