Jimmy ran.
It was already getting very dark in the city of Krondor, and by the sound of it, most merchants were already packing away their items to go home. Jimmy heard his own stomach rumble and sighed as he made it down the narrow passageway in the sewers.
He knew, by experience and instinct, that there was a door coming up. Hurriedly, but with purpose and confidence, Squire James made it along the darkening corridors, listening carefully to every sound, as he went for the door of his choice. He noted the lack of activities and gave a soft sigh.
Recently, something had been chasing the Mockers out of the sewers. That was not a problem until lately, when the Mockers made their way out into the streets instead of dispersing out of the city. As a result, more murders and thieving occurred in the last few months than the past year. Prince Arutha promptly set James onto the case, and recalled Locklear back from his penance. Happy as he was to meet his old friend, James had other things on his mind. What had been driving the Mockers out of the sewers and onto the streets?
He made a sideways leap to avoid a pile of barrels nearby, then ducked immediately to prevent hitting his head onto a lowered pipe. Thought he was a Squire of the royal court of Krondor, he knows the way around the sewers like the back of his hand. He took a right turn at the very end of the tunnel, and leapt across the narrow waterway to the other side, and started to count. Five steps later, he stopped, quite confident that he was at the right place. He ran his hand softly along the wall, feeling every brick and every bump on the stony wall until he found what he was looking for. A slight bump followed by a hard lump of metal. Small, but noticeable.
Heaving a slight sigh of relief, Jimmy continued. He counted three rocks to the left, then two up, and pressed. With a loud groan of protest, the wall started to move aside, and James was forced to back up to give room to the wall, which was slowly moving forward. As it moved to the right completely, James uncovered his lantern, and the let the light shed onto a tiny wooden door with a brass handle.
Carefully, James moved his hand over to the handle and felt around it. The glittering metal felt cold underneath his fingers. He felt a tiny bump on the interior edge of the knob. He knew what he must do.
He took out a hidden rapier, and lightly tapped the bump, then immediately leapt sideways. A long needle, thin like a regular needle but at least a meter long, suddenly popped out of the key hole with a soft "pop" sound, to exactly where James was standing a few seconds ago. If h e had stayed, he would have undoubtedly been poked, and, probably poisoned, by now.
After the trap was sprung, James walked confidently over to the door and kicked it open, and let the full cover of the lantern fall off. Light entered the room, lighting it up immediately.
He could see that no one had been here in a while. A spider web was wounding its way in a corner, and everything here was covered with a thick layer of dust. No movement could be detected, but James had his rapier in hand, just in case. Accidents happens too easily, and James couldn't afford to be jumped on.
Moving silently across the floor, James strolled purposefully towards the dest at the end of the room, at which several scrolls rested on top. The paper was also dusty and yellow, one was ripped. Someone did not take care of these carefully enough.
James sighed and walked over to the desk, passing a table on his way, and was tripped. He was not watching where he was going, and something on the floor caught he feet and sent him sprawling forwards in an unstoppable motion. In his haste to catch himself, James dropped the lantern, which clattered onto the floor. The cover broke off with a slight crunch, but the lantern remained in tact.
With a forward somersault, James landed, rolled over, and resumed a fighting stance, his rapiers out, listening closely for any sign of his discovery. Seconds ticked past, and when there was no noise, James relaxed, and gave a prayer of thanks to Ruthia for the lantern not breaking. As he straightened up, he bent down reluctantly to check on what had tripped him. With a small yelp of surprise, James leapt right back.
It was a pair of feet, protruding from underneath the table, the skin was already starting to rot, letting James know how long it had been there. The rest of the body was hidden underneath the shadow of the table.
With a sickening, sinking feeling, James lowered himself to peer underneath the table at the rotting carcass.
It was already getting very dark in the city of Krondor, and by the sound of it, most merchants were already packing away their items to go home. Jimmy heard his own stomach rumble and sighed as he made it down the narrow passageway in the sewers.
He knew, by experience and instinct, that there was a door coming up. Hurriedly, but with purpose and confidence, Squire James made it along the darkening corridors, listening carefully to every sound, as he went for the door of his choice. He noted the lack of activities and gave a soft sigh.
Recently, something had been chasing the Mockers out of the sewers. That was not a problem until lately, when the Mockers made their way out into the streets instead of dispersing out of the city. As a result, more murders and thieving occurred in the last few months than the past year. Prince Arutha promptly set James onto the case, and recalled Locklear back from his penance. Happy as he was to meet his old friend, James had other things on his mind. What had been driving the Mockers out of the sewers and onto the streets?
He made a sideways leap to avoid a pile of barrels nearby, then ducked immediately to prevent hitting his head onto a lowered pipe. Thought he was a Squire of the royal court of Krondor, he knows the way around the sewers like the back of his hand. He took a right turn at the very end of the tunnel, and leapt across the narrow waterway to the other side, and started to count. Five steps later, he stopped, quite confident that he was at the right place. He ran his hand softly along the wall, feeling every brick and every bump on the stony wall until he found what he was looking for. A slight bump followed by a hard lump of metal. Small, but noticeable.
Heaving a slight sigh of relief, Jimmy continued. He counted three rocks to the left, then two up, and pressed. With a loud groan of protest, the wall started to move aside, and James was forced to back up to give room to the wall, which was slowly moving forward. As it moved to the right completely, James uncovered his lantern, and the let the light shed onto a tiny wooden door with a brass handle.
Carefully, James moved his hand over to the handle and felt around it. The glittering metal felt cold underneath his fingers. He felt a tiny bump on the interior edge of the knob. He knew what he must do.
He took out a hidden rapier, and lightly tapped the bump, then immediately leapt sideways. A long needle, thin like a regular needle but at least a meter long, suddenly popped out of the key hole with a soft "pop" sound, to exactly where James was standing a few seconds ago. If h e had stayed, he would have undoubtedly been poked, and, probably poisoned, by now.
After the trap was sprung, James walked confidently over to the door and kicked it open, and let the full cover of the lantern fall off. Light entered the room, lighting it up immediately.
He could see that no one had been here in a while. A spider web was wounding its way in a corner, and everything here was covered with a thick layer of dust. No movement could be detected, but James had his rapier in hand, just in case. Accidents happens too easily, and James couldn't afford to be jumped on.
Moving silently across the floor, James strolled purposefully towards the dest at the end of the room, at which several scrolls rested on top. The paper was also dusty and yellow, one was ripped. Someone did not take care of these carefully enough.
James sighed and walked over to the desk, passing a table on his way, and was tripped. He was not watching where he was going, and something on the floor caught he feet and sent him sprawling forwards in an unstoppable motion. In his haste to catch himself, James dropped the lantern, which clattered onto the floor. The cover broke off with a slight crunch, but the lantern remained in tact.
With a forward somersault, James landed, rolled over, and resumed a fighting stance, his rapiers out, listening closely for any sign of his discovery. Seconds ticked past, and when there was no noise, James relaxed, and gave a prayer of thanks to Ruthia for the lantern not breaking. As he straightened up, he bent down reluctantly to check on what had tripped him. With a small yelp of surprise, James leapt right back.
It was a pair of feet, protruding from underneath the table, the skin was already starting to rot, letting James know how long it had been there. The rest of the body was hidden underneath the shadow of the table.
With a sickening, sinking feeling, James lowered himself to peer underneath the table at the rotting carcass.