Dungeon Noble - Squire

Jake raced through the tight corners and back alleys of Casthorpe, using every little bit of advantage that he could to try and get ahead and away from the Triarchy guards chasing him.

Weeks of hard work and practice at running in the worst of conditions helped Jake keep moving at a good speed. His pursuers were wearing metal armour, which would slow and tire them swiftly. He just needed to keep ahead long enough.

Unfortunately, they were out of the part of Casthorpe that Jake knew now, and it wasn’t a big town, which meant he was running out of room. Casting aside his shield and pack to lighten the load, Jake put on some speed, trying to get just a little more distance from them.

Risking a glance over his shoulder, Jake took in the distance from him to his chasers and decided it was enough to risk something different.

Taking a hard turn, Jake ducked into a shadowed alcove and kept as still and silent as possible. Moments later, two of the guards went sprinting past in a thunder of clanking metal.

The echoes of their movements rang out loudly in the alley, masking any other sounds, so Jake gave it a moment longer before cautiously emerging and peering in the direction the guards had gone.

“I had a feeling you’d pulled a trick,” a nasal voice came from behind Jake, and he threw himself to one side right as a spear flashed through the space he’d been standing at heart height.

Rolling to his feet, Jake looked back to see the guard whose nose he’d broken glaring at him with a bloody smile. “You’re going to pay for what you did, Strovian scum, and then I’m going to make your pretty little friend scream.”

“Trike bastard,” Jake snarled, his sword held tight in his hand as his anger flared and overrode any thought of trying to run. “I’ll kill you before you touch her!”

The guard grinned maniacally, the smeared blood on his mouth a stark contrast to his pale skin. “You’re welcome to try.”

Jake poured Wyrd into his sword, waiting until it was filled with power before darting forward and thrusting straight at the guard.

The guard moved with surprising grace, sliding around Jake’s attack before driving him back with a few swift stabs of his spear. “I deem you a threat to the town and a lawbreaker. Your attack against me is the evidence I need.”

Jake frowned in confusion; he didn’t feel as though the guard was speaking to him, which made no sense. It was only when the guard moved forward and thrust his spear out much faster than the time before that Jake realised what was happening. The guard had some Trait or Skill that boosted him in specific circumstances.

Pain flared from Jake’s shoulder as he failed to dodge completely out of the way of the next thrust, and he felt blood start to flow down his arm and soak his tunic.

Jake had little experience against a spear and was struggling to get close enough to engage the guard without being stabbed in the gut.

The broad smile on the guard’s face did little to help the growing frustration Jake felt as he was slowly being cut to pieces. The hard truth was that he was outclassed; he needed to take some risks, or he was done for.

The next thrust came right for Jake’s heart, and as he twisted out of the way, he struck at the spear, knocking it wide. Taking advantage of the opening, Jake rushed the guard, bringing things into a grapple.

The guard was stronger, but this was where he was less experienced, and Jake threw his sword at the other man’s face, distracting him long enough for Jake to rip the spear away and conjure his dagger.

Jake’s dagger formed mid-strike, plunging down at the guard’s neck before halting just shy of his skin as the guard seized Jake’s wrist in an iron grip and twisted it nastily, forcing Jake to drop the dagger.

“Think I’ve never seen someone hide a dagger up their sleeve before,” the guard scoffed as he rammed a knee into Jake’s ribs and threw him backwards, catching the falling dagger by the hilt with his free hand. “Something so satisfying about killing a man with his own blade.”

Jake felt his eyes go wide as he realised that the guard had been looking away when Jake conjured the dagger. That was exactly the advantage that Jake needed right now.

Setting his stance and letting the pain in his side show through, Jake allowed his fear for Nepthys and uncertainty about this fight to play across his face.

The guard smirked as he took in Jake’s expression before lunging forward, bringing Jake’s dagger down in a vicious chop right toward Jake’s chest.

The smirk quickly faded to confusion as Jake lunged right back at him, the dagger disappearing from the guard’s hand to reappear in Jake’s as he rammed it right into the guard’s gut, pouring his Wyrd in as he did.

The chainmail resisted the strike, but the infusion of Wyrd Jake had given it let the dagger pierce through and sink deep into the flesh beneath.

The two of them slammed together forcefully, driving the dagger in deeper and making the guard gasp in pain, his eyes wide as he recoiled, a wild punch catching Jake and sending him tumbling to the ground.

Jake had the presence of mind to dismiss the dagger as he rolled into the fall, rising and turning to see the guard clutching his stomach as he went for the spear.

Cursing silently, Jake spat out the blood in his mouth and rushed after the guard, tackling him from behind and taking them both to the ground. The other man’s stomach was bleeding badly, and a knee to the gut winded him and gave Jake the chance to return the hit to the face with interest.

Black veins of poison were creeping up the guard’s body, but Jake could hear the distant clamour of other guards approaching them. He couldn’t risk them saving the guard and revealing anything about him.

Conjuring his dagger once more and sheathing it with Wyrd, Jake stabbed down into the guard’s chest, delivering a lethal dose of poison right to his heart.

Pushing off of the dying man, Jake dismissed his dagger, part of him noting that he had a mere sliver of power left within that manifestation.

Jake had thought he’d seen enough death recently to desensitise him, but there was something about the desperate look in the guard’s eyes as he choked on his own blood that struck a chord with Jake.

Thoughts of his dead family and of the butchery and death that the Triarchy had brought to Strovia rose up within Jake, and his eyes were cold as he turned away and retrieved his sword.

They’d made their choice a long time ago. This was simply a consequence of that.

Belting his sword back on, Jake channelled his Wyrd into his eyes and glanced back at the guard, noting the man’s soul had moved on.

The hue and cry of the pursuit was drawing close once more, so Jake expended a second manifestation to conjure an Orchard’s Gift as he swiftly left the scene.

A bright red apple formed in Jake’s hand, looking almost exactly like a Wyrdfruit at a casual glance. Taking a bite of it, Jake immediately felt a wave of energy flow down into his core and then out into his body, healing his wounds and revitalising him.

A single bite did little, but it was enough to get Jake going, and he swiftly devoured the whole apple. The energy built up in his core with each bite, flowing slowly out to heal him over time.

Already, Jake could feel the injuries the guard had inflicted on him starting to heal from the influence of the Boon, letting him move faster.

Picking up some speed and leaving that section of the town behind, Jake took the long way back to the inn, doing his best not to be seen.

The last thing he needed was to lead any issues back to the others.

Arriving at the rear of the inn, Jake carefully made his way inside, keeping his eyes open for any sign of the Triarchy having gotten here first.

Jake had no idea what sort of Skills the Seeker might have to extract information. This whole thing could be burnt already.

To Jake’s relief, however, he found Ari and Felix sat at a table with steaming mugs of tea, discussing something in soft tones.

“Felix, Ari!” Jake hurried forward, making both of them start in surprise. “The Seeker is here, and he’s captured Nepthys!”

Silence reigned through the taproom for a long moment as both classers looked at Jake in surprise before Felix’s eyes sharpened, and he started snapping out questions. “Where was this? How many guards did they have, and how many seekers? Were the others compromised?”

“On the way to the Dungeon, near where the fire one is, six guards and the Seeker, but I took one out. The others saw, but they weren’t included in the commands, so I don’t know.”

“Ari, find them, get them back here,” Felix said curtly as he got to his feet and loosened the sword at his waist. “I’ll secure our exit.”

“Got it,” Ari nodded, his expression grim as he grabbed his blade and rushed out the front of the inn.

Felix started towards the inn’s kitchen, beckoning for Jake to follow. “Come with me. We need to make preparations.”