The next afternoon, they finally saw what they had been hoping for these last few days: a cluster of buildings squeezed into the small valley below like mushrooms just waiting to be picked. Dragon's Peak was cradled by the Drakon like an infant in its mother's arms. City walls encircled the town. Beyond that, the land was a rolling patchwork of emerald greens, golden yellows and rich browns, with small farms sprinkled here and there amongst the fields.
"Look, Korlys! Our supplies!" Mario's lips spread into a wide smile. This would be fun.
Korlys' smile matched Mario's. He felt a little more relaxed, now that they had put more distance between them and Denerim. He doubted the Crows would have the manpower in Denerim to pursue them through the forests, but Nico must have heard of the wreck by now; reinforcements would surely come. The sooner he was out of Ferelden, the better. "This must be Dragon's Peak. We should see what we can scout out tonight, yes? If we split up, we should be able to hit all the shops and get away before daybreak. We can meet up on the outskirts of town, where the river continues." He turned to look at Mario. "We should decide what each of us will get, so we do not miss anything."
"That depends on where the shops are. Once we know that, we can split them among us." Mario hesitated. "Now, don't get offended and all mad again, but… you sure you can do it? You ever broke into a shop before?"
"Well... I am stealthy, and I can pick locks... simple ones, at least. I have had to break into a few houses while on missions. But I cannot pick very complicated locks, and I have never broken into a shop."
Mario nodded. "Okay. We'll wait until the sun sets, then we'll go scout the shops together and see which ones have a simpler lock. Show me your lockpicks."
Korlys shook his head. "I lost them when the ship went down. I lost just about everything. Most of what I have now I bought in Denerim. Do you have extra?"
"Of course I do. Who you think you're talking to?" He rolled up his shirt and unraveled the hem. Even though he had his set now, he always took care to have some extra lockpicks with him. "Never go anywhere without a solid lockpick," he said, handing Korlys two lockpicks and a tension wrench. "These are pretty good, won't break even if you rake a lock."
"Grazie." Korlys smiled. "We should scout together, then, and pick out the easier ones for me to take."
"Yeah, okay. But not on empty stomach." Lunch seemed back in the Blessed Age, and he was so hungry it hurt. "We can go over the things we need as we eat," he suggested. "It will make scouting and the work faster."
"Good idea." Korlys dropped his pack and started rummaging through it. He pulled out all the food they had left: acorns, a scrap of bread, and an almost empty bottle of wine. "I want to get some good wine when we go 'shopping'. This merda is not fit for a dog."
Mario chuckled. "Yeah, it tastes more like ogre piss than wine. Food is the biggest priority, though. We should get as much as we can, things that will last, dried meat, fruit… especially apples, if we can find them."
Korlys nodded, mentally adding cheese and hardtack to the list.
"Okay, so besides food, what do you want to get? I'll try to get new boots, maybe even clothes. Backpack, waterskin, rope." He counted on his fingers. "Did I forget something?" he asked, grabbing a fistful of acorns - Maker, but he was glad they would have something else to eat tomorrow. One more day of these and he'd turn into a squirrel.
The assassin pulled off a piece of bread and chewed it thoughtfully. "It would be great if we could find a tent. Then we would not have to rely on finding the right materials to make a shelter, or waste time building it." He reached for the wine and took a swallow. "Also, if we come across a bow and some arrows, I might be able to use it for hunting. I am not an expert bowman, but I do know how to use one. Maybe even bedrolls." The Antivan grinned as he started to daydream about all the luxuries they would find.
"Yeah, and let's take a wagon and a few oxen as well." Mario laughed. "You're really not used to this kind of life, are you? Bedrolls would be like a dream - but we have to carry it all on our backs, and we shouldn't take too much. Let's first see what we really need and if we still can carry it, we'll think of that. Do you still have some health potions? We should find an apothecary and get some."
Korlys chuckled. "I suppose you are right." He still planned to get a bedroll if he possibly could, though. Sleeping directly on the ground was for the birds. "I have three health potions, and a couple rolls of bandages, and a poultice. So we should definitely get more, if possible."
"So, we need to find a general store, a tailor, a shoemaker and an apothecary." Mario nodded, satisfied with the result. "The two of us should be able to do that in one night." He glared at the acorns and decided he could go without them for the rest of the day. "If you're done, let's go down and find a hiding place not far from the wall."
Noticing Mario's look of disgust, Korlys chuckled. "Sí, I am ready." He put the bottle back up, just as disgusted with the wine as Mario was with the acorns, then shouldered his backpack.
They climbed down on the eastern side of the town, taking care to stay hidden in the forest, or wrapped in shadows, when the forest ended. There were bound to be guards on the wall, and two guys hiking down the sloping hills instead of taking the road could be suspicious. Normally, Mario wouldn't be bothered by such details. Guards were too lazy to check on two random travellers a few miles away. But Korlys insisted there could be Crows there as well. If they had ridden to Dragon's Peak the day they left, they would have been there long ago.
They found a cave in the foothills not far from the city walls. It wasn't big, but it was dry and cozy. There were still ashes from a campfire, and few empty bottles of cheap wine, but they looked old and didn't reek anymore. Nobody had been here for at least a few weeks. The cave was partially hidden from view by bushes just like the one with those fucking berries that had made them sick.
"What do you think? It's not likely we'll find anything better," Mario said. "Should we cover the entrance more?"
Korlys' stomach hurt just looking at the bushes. "No, it would be too easy to spot any artificial cover among the natural vegetation. This will have to do." The assassin settled down to rest and watch the city walls as far from the bushes as he could get without being exposed. They needed to know the guards' routine before starting out tonight.
To spot what? Maker's cock, why can't he talk like normal people? But, Mario had to admit the assassin had a point. Watching the guards was quite clever, as well. Looks like he knows what he's doing, after all.
oOo
The city guards were as predictable at Dragon's Peak as they were anywhere else; one passed by about every fifteen minutes or so. The patience he had learned as an assassin served Korlys well, and the time flew by as swiftly as a crow.
Once the sun started going down, they headed towards the town. The hike didn't take long. Before they reached the city's stone walls, Korlys wrapped himself in shadows. The assassin saw Mario doing the same as they paused a moment to look out over the town. The sun had set, but there was still more light than Korlys would have preferred.
Dragon's Peak was nestled in a wide curve of the river, with small wood-frame houses clustered around the town proper. The streets turned from dirt to cobblestones where the shops started, with street lamps every so often, a new light flickering into existence here and there as the street lighters made their rounds.
The city was laid out in a grid-like pattern, and appeared to consist of a few major roads running roughly parallel to the Drakon, with smaller side streets crossing them. Sturdy buildings of river stone and rough-hewn timber lined the roads, and it was obvious by the bright light streaming from the windows which one was the local tavern.
The assassin turned to his companion. "Well, the shops are nicely darkened, at least. Shall we?" They could at least scout the area now, although there were probably still too many townspeople about to start breaking and entering. Korlys pulled up the hood of his cloak to hide his ears, just in case he was spotted.
Mario nodded, scanning the area with an experienced look. There was no trace of a smile on his face: this was business, and the slightest mistake might cost them hands… or heads. "Follow me," he whispered.
The shops on the main roads were always a bad idea. More fancy, more valuables, yes. But much more risky; fuckers who could afford shops in a fancy part of a town usually could also afford guards, dogs and Maker knew what else. Not worth it, not without a strong guild guarding one's back. Shops in the side alleys were a much better choice; harder to find in an unknown territory, but they had enough time.
Nobody noticed them as they crept through the streets, carefully avoiding the flickering light of the street lamps. Mario was pleased to see the assassin was as good at sneaking as he was. Almost. He also was more pragmatic than Mario originally thought - he was worried that the proud Antivan would try to prove how badass Crows were, and was pleased to see he had sense enough to let Mario do his work and scout the best targets, checking the security and escape routes as they went.
Two hours later, the thief knew enough. "Okay, we're done. You'll do the general store. I'll do the other three. Let's go back to the cave… or do you want to go to the general store one more time, to memorize the route?"
Korlys chuckled softly. "No, I remember the route to the store." No assassin would forget a route he had walked that quickly, especially not a Crow. It seemed Mario was still underestimating him.
oOo
It was getting close to midnight when Korlys pulled out his whetstone and sat down at the entrance to the cave. The assassin had stood watch for the past hour as Mario slept, and although he knew his blades were already wickedly sharp, Korlys never started a mission without this routine. He reached into one of his boots and drew out a stiletto, then started sharpening it carefully. The sound of the whetstone gliding against the blade soothed the assassin as he went over the route in his mind's eye, each possible ambush point and dead-end standing out clearly.
All the discomfort of the past week fell away like a shroud, and the Antivan felt himself back in familiar territory, even though his mission was to steal, not to kill. This was the part of his job he had always enjoyed: gliding silent and unseen through city streets as he scouted out his routes; the familiar, comforting routine of honing his daggers; going through his equipment carefully to make sure he had everything he needed. He loved the planning, the strategy involved.
Korlys would have imagined a thief's job to be much the same, but Mario's only concern when they had gotten back to the cave was that they both should get some sleep. Well, at least we reconnoitered the area. But, we should be going over the plan, now. We can sleep later, when the mission is over and we are somewhere far away from here.
"Mario. Wake up. It is almost time to leave, and we have not finished planning."
The thief sat up. We haven't? He ran through the list in his mind. They had found the best targets, the shortest routes to the wall, decided the time to start. There was nothing else they could do. But, Korlys was a rookie, no wonder he was worried.
"Don't worry, all that's left is- what are you doing?" He frowned at the stiletto in Korlys' hands. "You won't need that. You must not kill or hurt anyone! If you're noticed, don't fight, run. Understand? We're in deep enough shit already anyway."
"I will not kill anyone." If I can help it. "But, it does not hurt to be prepared, sí? That is why you also carry a dagger, is it not?"
"Not really. We were always told that we're honest thieves, not killers. To carry a knife and rely on violence during the mission was a sign of a lo- of a rookie," he corrected himself. No need to offend his jumpy partner right before the mission… and especially not right when he was sharpening one of his blades. "If you wanted to be respected and get the higher rank in the guild, you had to do clean jobs, without anyone hurt. I carry that knife because it is special to me… it's a long story. But, I've never seen a knife like yours."
Korlys raised up the dagger so that Mario could see it clearly; the sharpened edge glittered in the moonlight. "This is called a stiletto. It is an assassin's weapon of choice; it is easy to conceal, and it can penetrate heavy leather and inflict mortal wounds without leaving much blood because the entrance wound is so small."
"Oh, so that's the one you hide under your shirt behind your back," Mario said with a smirk before he realized what he'd just said. Fuck. I need to be more careful.
"No, this is not that one," Korlys said, his voice smooth as he raised an eyebrow at the smirk. The assassin returned to his task as he continued, "Perhaps I will show that one to you later, yes?"
Mario didn't like that tone much. I hope he won't show it to me by sticking it into my chest. How many daggers and knives did he have, anyway? Better to change the topic. "Yeah, okay. What I meant to say was, that after we finish the job, we will return here and wait for each other… For two hours, let's say. If you come first, and I'm not back in that time, it means there was trouble. In that case, run. I'll follow as soon as I can."
"Good plan. If I am not back in two hours, you run too. Cazzo, do not wait two hours. I only have one store to rob, so if I am not back before you, I probably will not be."
"Only one store, but a lot of things to take," Mario pointed out. "We don't know the insides of the stores, so you'll have to search the shelves. It can take a lot of time. Burglary is a hard job; don't underestimate it." He grinned. "Also, the things that are most displayed, on shelves at eye level, they're usually the worst shit that the merchants want to sell quickly. Look at the upper or lower shelves."
Korlys nodded. "Good point."
The assassin finished sharpening his blades, then shouldered his backpack. The moon was high overhead as the elves silently retraced their steps to the city's wall. They waited almost five minutes after the last guard had passed before scaling the stone wall. Korlys slipped into the shadows and made his way to the general store, his steps as quiet as a cat's.
oOo
The first on Mario's list was the shoemaker. The lock was nothing special; he couldn't have gotten inside faster if he'd had the key. One would think the merchants would put more effort into protecting their stores… not that it would help against someone of his skill. With a smug grin, he walked in and quietly closed the door behind him. All he could see were dark lines of shelves and the counter, but that was all he needed - in nineteen cases out of twenty, there was a - yes! His grin became even more smug as he found the candlestick on the counter. He took out the tinderbox from his pocket and lit the candle.
With a candle in hand, he started to browse the shop. It wasn't just a shoemaker, he was pleased to see - the shop was joined with a tanner and had all sort of leather stuff. Including backpacks. He chuckled under his breath as he picked one made of studded leather - black with copper buckles, nice wide shoulder straps and several smaller pockets. This merchant really knew how to care for his customers.
oOo
Korlys made it to the general store without being noticed. He pulled a lockpick and the tension wrench from an inner pocket and knelt down. Inserting the tension wrench in first, he delicately rotated the cylinder clockwise and felt it give a little. Then he rotated it counterclockwise. He grinned as the cylinder did not budge. Clockwise it is then, he thought, moving the wrench back to its former position, and rotating it enough to keep tension on the lock. He carefully inserted the pick, slowly tapping the top of the cylinder to count the pins, and to find the binding pin. Five. That is not so bad. He went back to the pin that had been a little more difficult to push up than the others. Korlys carefully applied upward pressure and grinned smugly as he heard the tiny click of a pin being set. I remember more than I thought. He retested the remaining four pins. Finding the new binding pin, he delicately pushed up; it was not long before it clicked into place as neatly as the first. The smug grin on his face gave way to muttered curses at the third pin, however.
oOo
Mario left the shop with more than he came for. He found a nice pair of black boots, made really well, of a good full grain cow leather, and immediately put them on, shoving the old ones into his backpack. They were a bit too big, but comfortable. And they were a set with a pair of black fingerless gloves and a practical belt; most likely custom made to someone's order. It'd be a fucking shame to leave them behind, so he put them on as well. He was ready to leave, when he noticed bulky packages on one of the bottom shelves. Curious, he opened one and pulled the pieces out. It took him a moment to realize what it was; then his lips spread into a cheeky grin. This should make Korlys happy. He stuffed everything back into the package and put it in the backpack, together with a candle. Target one: done. Full score.
He carefully peeked through the door before he sneaked out. The streets were dark and peaceful, the citizens of the Dragon Peak sleeping soundly in their beds. What a wonderful place to live. Especially for a thief.
oOo
Korlys struggled with the third pin for a few minutes before it finally slid into place, only to realized he had pushed too far, and now the key pin was stuck at the shear line.
The assassin looked around. He did not see anyone and had not heard footsteps. Yet. But this was taking too long already, and he only had two pins out of five set.
Let's try this again, Korlys thought as he carefully allowed the cylinder to rotate back into place, dropping the pins. This lock would be simple for Mario, he knew. I need him to teach me this as well as picking pockets. He took a calming breath and tried again.
He had finally gotten the first three pins set, and was starting on the fourth when he heard footsteps. And they were coming his way.
oOo
On his way to the next stop, Mario wondered how things were going for the assassin. He should be halfway through by now. Hopefully he wouldn't forget to take some dried apples and apricots. They didn't weigh much… unlike that thing he took for Korlys. If the spoiled brat wanted it, he would have to carry it himself, Mario decided, heaving the backpack on his shoulder again.
The tailor put more effort into protecting his store; an average burglar would have a problem. The standard hook lockpick wasn't enough, and he had to try several before the lock opened. He stepped inside and lit the candle on the counter - no need to waste his own. He had never broken into a tailor's shop before; they'd had an agreement with the guild. No wonder - otherwise every rat in Denerim would try to steal himself new clothes. All the clothes he had ever had were from the guild's own fences, cheap and worn out.
He took out a few things from the shelves, breathing in their clean, new smell, feeling the smooth fabric, and felt completely lost. What should he take? On his way here, he had been determined to take only a plain shirt and a pair of trousers, but… why couldn't he get spare clothes as well? And socks. And the vest. And a cloak, with a hood. In the flickering light of the candle, he couldn't see well, but that didn't matter. Anything would be better than his rags. The size was more or less okay and he picked dark colours, brown and dark blue… or black, he wasn't quite sure. He packed everything neatly into his backpack, feeling oddly guilty about taking so much.
But now that he had new clothes, it would be a shame not to take good care of them. He quickly scanned the shelves and finally found what he was looking for - a small sewing kit. It had all he could wish for: a thimble, straight pins, a heavy pair of scissors, a horn needle case, chalk, and some other things he couldn't even name, all packed in a leather pouch.
Satisfied, he stuffed it in his backpack and hurried out; he had spent more time here than he'd liked.
oOo
Korlys held his breath as the footsteps came closer. He did not want to remove the instruments, but even cloaked in shadows he wasn't completely invisible. Someone getting close enough might spot him, and he could not take that risk.
A burly man rounded the corner, accompanied by a giggling woman hanging on his arm. They were staggering and whispering, and every few moments a burst of raucous laughter escaped them.
Brasca. Korlys reluctantly removed the wrench and pick, then slipped into the alley beside the shop, hugging the walls as he did so. He crouched behind some discarded crates and waited for the pair to pass by.
Long moments slipped by before the couple finally made it to the general store. And stopped.
There was a slapping sound, followed by another giggle. "Yor right frisky tonight, Tommy. Woss gotten into yer?"
"Wot, then, eh, luv? Can't a man just be 'appy ter be wiv 'is favorite girl?"
"Oh, I'm yor favorite, am I?"
"O'course yer are, Jenny! S'truth! Yer know yor me favorite."
Korlys rolled his eyes. The next few minutes were filled with more of the same, punctuated by the sounds of very sloppy kisses. If those fools do not move on in the next ten minutes, I am assassinating them, and fuck the consequences.
oOo
And finally, the apothecary. So far, everything had gone smoothly, especially considering they had never been in the town before. Of course it went smoothly. I'm fucking awesome. Korlys was probably done by now, and having a late snack in the cave, the lucky fucker. Well, it shouldn't take him much longer now, either.
The lock was complicated, one of those new 'extra-secure' types locksmiths were selling for a lot of money, to make the miserable life of a burglar even more so. But, there wasn't a lock that couldn't be picked. After a few minutes of careful picking, it finally clicked open. He checked the street once again, but all was quiet.
Silent as a cat, he sneaked inside and lit the candle. The small space was crammed with shelves full of fat porcelain pots and colourful vials. He ignored the pots, and scanned the shop for health potions - their bright red colour was easy to recognize even in poor light. He put them in his pack and grinned. Almost done. Now only the soap… and his nose told him it was in the box behind the counter. He jumped over the counter, and was just reaching for two of the neat square parcels of soap when he heard a funny noise behind him.
Like sniffing. And huffing.
He slowly turned around.
A huge mabari gave him a toothy, hungry smile.
Oh fuck.
oOo
Korlys' hands were twitching towards his daggers when the couple finally continued on their way. He looked up and down the street, listening for more footsteps, but all was quiet. Taking out his tools, he started back on the lock, getting the first three pins set more easily than the last two times he had tried it. Now for the fourth. He started applying pressure to the pin, rotating the cylinder gently... there was the tiny click! Followed immediately by the realization that he had pushed too hard again, and the key pin was stuck. Korlys pulled out the pick and tension wrench harder than he probably should have, standing up and swearing under his breath like a sailor.
The assassin took a deep breath and knelt down to try again. I am giving it five more minutes. If the lock is not open by then, I am breaking the window and grabbing everything I can as fast as I can. Relief washed through him a few minutes later as the last pin was set and the lock finally rotated open. Giving one more glance around to make sure he wasn't being observed, he entered the store and closed the door behind him.
oOo
What kind of a lunatic leaves a beast like that in a store full of porcelain pots? And without any food, judging by that hungry look. If that thing gets me, not a bone will remain.
"Good doggie." The beast looked more like a rabid baby bear than a doggie, but Mario wouldn't risk saying that aloud. You could never be sure how much a mabari understood.
"Look, I'll put it back." He pretended to put the soap back into the crate while slipping them into his pack. He wouldn't fail his mission for a bag of fleas. Even if it was a big bag of fleas with a lot of sharp teeth.
The mabari wasn't fooled. It growled again and took a step forward. Mario cursed under his breath. He had nowhere to go, caught between the shelves and the counter. The only exit was behind the mabari. He judged the distance. It was a slim chance, but the only one he had. And he had to do it - now!
They jumped at the same time, the mabari hitting the place he had stood the moment he got over the counter. He sprinted for the door, arms wrapped around the still open backpack. The dog followed so closely he could feel its hot breath on his legs. He opened the door - thank the Maker they opened outward - and sprinted down the road.
The dog followed, barking at the top of his lungs - and a moment later, the windows of the two nearest houses glowed with light.
oOo
Korlys stood by the door, watching vague shapes appear out of the gloom as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. There was a little light coming in through the window from a nearby street lamp. Enough for him to move around without bumping into things, but not enough to make out what those things were. He needed a light source. Making out the counter area to his left, the assassin hurried behind it, looking for a lamp or candle and a tinderbox to light it with.
Finding what he was looking for, he lit the lamp. Korlys turned the flame as low as he could and hoped that no one else would pass by. He added the tinderbox to his pack and started down the aisles, mindful of how much time he had already lost.
Food, wine, rope... and anything else that looks useful. He followed his nose to the food first, picking up three small wheels of cheese, pausing, then throwing one more in his pack. Dried apples, currants, dates, figs, raisins, blueberries, cherries, and four loaves of hardtack soon followed. The elf searched until he found the dried meats and added as much as he could stuff in his pack, with just enough room left for rope and hopefully some decent wine. That should last a while. At least until the next town we come across.
He grabbed some rope on the way to the wine. Now... which ones? He tried getting the lamp close enough to read the labels, but most of it must have been Fereldan, because he had never heard of them. Only one way to find the good ones. Korlys unslung his pack and picked up the closest wine skin.
oOo
Mario turned the corner, cursing under his breath. After few seconds of useless fumbling with the buckles, he gave up on closing the pack, and just twisted the straps around its neck. For a moment he was half tempted to throw it all away; but the image of Korlys making fun of him and thieves was enough to change his mind.
The fucking beast wouldn't stop barking and following him, and more and more lights were appearing in windows. He needed to get on the roofs, but climbing up with the heavy backpack with that dog right behind was impossible. He needed something to -
There! Mario almost sobbed with relief as he saw a few barrels piled in three lines along the wall of a house. He sprinted towards them, throwing the pack on top first, then jumping up after it. The dog stopped, barking madly at the barrels.
The window at Mario's left flew open, and a fat woman leaned out. Mario pressed himself to the wall, holding his breath. But the woman didn't look his way.
"Button it! Struth! Stoopid mongrel! Oi!" Something flew out - a full chamberpot, judging by the terrible smell. The mabari yelped and jumped back. Mario sent an air kiss in the direction of the fat lady, and climbed onto the roof.
oOo
Korlys ended up trying all of them before finally settling on one, and added four of them to his pack. It took some time, but as far as he was concerned, it was worth it. It is bad enough I have to sleep on the ground. I should not have to drink... what was that Mario called it? Ogre piss. Sí, I should not have to drink ogre piss as well.
He closed his pack and slung it over his shoulders. Now he just had to get back and he would be done. Korlys extinguished the lamp, then carefully opened the door a little and looked out. Convinced that no one was around, he slipped into the shadows, feeling very pleased with himself... and slightly tipsy as well. Mario has probably been back at the cave for a while now. The assassin looked around. Maybe if I cut through some side streets I can get back to the wall faster. It will not be the same spot we climbed over, but I will make faster time once I leave the city, yes?
Satisfied with his logic, he turned down a smaller street and headed for the wall.
oOo
Mario sat down for a moment, listening for steps or voices, but it seemed the fat lady was satisfied with chasing the mabari away and went back to sleep. Once everything was quiet, he closed the pack properly and put it on his shoulders. Covered in shadows, he raced over the rooftops. Korlys must be at the cave already.
When he reached the wall, the guards were nowhere to be seen, but he decided not to risk it. He wanted to have a full fifteen minutes to get over the wall - one chase was quite enough for tonight. It proved to be a wise decision, as they arrived a moment later. Good thing Korlys thought of finding out their routine. He had some good ideas, that guy.
Half an hour later, he finally reached the cave. "Korlys?" he called softly, looking around, half expecting Korlys to suddenly emerge from the shadows. There was no reply. "You can come out. It's just me, Mario." There still wasn't any reply.
Could it be that Korlys wasn't here yet? But what could take him so long? It had been at least an hour and a half since they parted in town; he should be here. Maybe he had been spotted and was hiding somewhere?
He frowned. They had agreed on two hours, and two hours it would be. Then… he would have to go back and search for him. He promised to do all he could to get him to safety, didn't he? It would be pathetic to let him die in the first town they came to. Shouldn't have taken him with me - next time he stays behind and waits. He sat near the entrance so he could see any movement nearby, and waited, feeling more guilty and anxious with every passing moment.
oOo
A few minutes later, a store display caught his eye. The shop, Flourish and Blotts, looked similar to the Wonders of Thedas shop he had seen in Denerim. Korlys crossed the street and looked into the window, the street lamp behind him giving enough light to see inside. Some of the items were magical ones... or he assumed they were. It was hard to tell a normal ring from one with a rune on it in this light. There were also books written in a strange language - maybe they were spell books? A smaller section of books caught his eye. They were about different countries in Thedas, and right next to them were maps.
I wonder if they would have a map of Ferelden? That would help them immensely. Navigating by following rivers was tricky and inexact, and they would have to abandon it sooner or later anyway if they were to make it to Gwaren.
Korlys swayed slightly as he examined the lock. It seemed even simpler than the general goods store. Cazzo, I will try. If I cannot open it in a few minutes, I will just break the glass and grab as many maps as I can. Hopefully, one will be a map of Ferelden.
He knelt down and started working on the lock, mildly puzzled when it took him two tries to insert the tension wrench, and even more surprised when he had it open in a couple of minutes. I wonder why they would have such a simple lock on a store like this? Korlys opened the door and stepped inside. And was immediately frozen.
oOo
Two hours were almost over. Mario got up. He should get ready. Korlys had probably been captured and put in prison. It was unlikely they would sentence him right now - they would probably bring him to the bann or whoever ruled this shithole of a town in the morning. That gave Mario only a few hours to find the prison, sneak inside, pick the lock on the cell and get the fool out. Piece of cake. A very fucking big piece of cake. It was more likely he'd choke on it.
Well, it was useless to whine about it now. He opened the pack and took out the healing potions - if the guards here were like those in Denerim, Korlys would need at least two. He stuck them behind his belt, then went outside to find some safe place for his pack. This would be difficult enough without hauling it on his back, but he didn't want to risk a random drunk getting into the cave while they were gone and taking it away.
oOo
Korlys' lungs burned as he was forced to take shallow breaths. He reminded himself of his training, and ignored the physical pain while he cleared his mind so he could think logically.
I do not know how long this spell lasts, but it does not seem to be fatal. Which means it is designed to hold me until someone comes along. How do I get out of it sooner? He summoned the memory of his training with Carlo, his allenatore. Combating magic was all a matter of willpower, Carlo had said. To resist a spell, his will had to be stronger than the will of the mage who had cast it. The only way to melt ice was to use heat; he had to raise the temperature of his body. Korlys' mind stilled further as he began to picture himself engulfed in an inferno.
Tongues of flame crawl up his body and devour his clothing hungrily... his hair dances around his face like a corona as the updraft of heated air tosses it about, sending up sparks as his hair starts to burn... his skin tightens until it splits from the heat, then turns black and starts to smoke... his lungs are seared as he tries to breathe the superheated air... his nostrils are filled with the sickly-sweet smell of burning flesh... his senses are overwhelmed by the sizzling sound of flesh and hair being used for kindling... he opens his mouth to scream...
...and instead takes a deep breath as the ice melts off of him. Korlys was not sure how long that had taken, but he had a feeling that time was very short, now. I am not leaving without those maps, though.
He made his way to the display area as quickly as possible, which was not very quick at all since he had just been frozen, and grabbed a handful of maps from a nearby shelf, then shoved them into his waistband. Every step hurt as Korlys made his way to the wall, waited for the guard to pass by, then climbed back over.
oOo
Mario looked at the results of his work and frowned. It was far from perfect - he couldn't dig the hole big enough with a knife, and the cover would need more branches and leaves to look like a bush. But it would have to be enough. He could only hope that darkness would hide it from the eyes of random travelers… and that they'd both be back before the treacherous daylight.
He put on his new cloak, in case the guards had taken away Korlys' clothes. Breaking out of prison with a naked guy was not an experience he cared for.
And that was all. There was nothing else he could do. He covered himself in shadows again and set out down the path to the wall. But he had only gone a few yards when he heard soft footsteps. With a silent curse, he stepped off the path and pulled out his knife. If whoever it was wanted to enter the cave, he might have to kill him.
The steps passed by him, and he didn't see anyone. Not a drunk or a guard, then. He hesitated. He couldn't be sure it was the assassin. If it was, and he approached him from behind without announcing himself, the jumpy fool might stab him with those fancy daggers first and check who it was later. But if it wasn't… they would probably kill him, too. With that encouraging thought, he took a step forward, ready to bolt away at any second.
"Korlys?"
A/N:
Thanks to our wonderful betas, Oleander's One and Bloodsong 13T, for their help and encouragement, and to Oleander's One, VirusXYZ, Lucka, and Clafount for the lovely reviews.
allenatore - trainer
'Flourish and Blotts' is a bookstore in Diagon's Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.
Raking a lock - inserting the pick all the way to the back of the keyhole without applying torque to the cylinder, then quickly pulling the pick out, raking it upward against the pins while simultaneously applying light torque with the tension wrench. Theoretically, you could pick a lock just by raking it once or twice, but generally raking will only set some of the pins, and you will need to individually set the remaining pins. www dot wikihow dot com/Pick-a-Lock
