Solo Too Long Living The Same Old Life

[Zandelia]

Summer 45th - Pig‘s Foot Tavern


I remain the same, despite my grown abilities. Doing the same things, creating the same opportunities. Where is the ambition? Where is the striving into that which no one in this doomed city has ever seen? Killjoy, he was good. Am I better? I am still alive…for now. Not sure the same can be said for him. He was the spider…now I AM the spider. Shouldn’t I be doing something more? she asked herself once more.

The thoughts had been chasing themselves around her mind for some time now, she was tired of living the same old life. It wasn’t the hardship that she railed against, she had grown used to such over the years as Tanroa swept the river around her and she watched the ripples where she could. It was the growing sense of tedium. She tried not to be possessed of arrogance, gods knew she did but things were just so…so…simple. There was no other way of putting it, she had no one to truly consider an enemy of equal setting, a nemesis of a networker that could bring her up short and pose a problem that gave her a challenge. There were few frissons these days, work related ones at least. She craved more, of what she was not quite sure. Just more of whatever it was lurking at the edge of her senses.

“Here Web” came the deep tones of Merv, startling her from the thoughtful reverie.

He slumped into the chair opposite her, it was his tavern he could do as he pleased so long as he didn’t try to poison her and so she made no move to cease his motion. His tone was different and her mental tacking stopped its creative impulse and instead tuned its focus upon the man. He was not one known for sharing when it didn’t suit him and few knew when such times would be. Private to a fault it could be argued, he served his place in Sunberth well and never truly complained. He was fair to most and to those he wasn’t it was generally agreed that they deserved such treatment. So far sine returning to the city she had struck up a form of rapport with him, had even helped his workers here and there here she could. She had spent an inordinate amount of time in his company and, now that she was studying him closer, she could see something as wrong.

“What is it Merv?” she asked softly, fear rippling through that he might have bad news related to her partner. He heaved a deep sigh which served no purpose other than to heighten the sense of urgency, she barely restrained herself from grabbing him by his grubby apron.

“I’m sorry I gots to tell you, I really am” he seemed to be saying the words begrudgingly.

“Merv…what is it?” she all but demanded of him as her hands went white as they pressed into the table and held themselves there, bracing for whatever the shock would be.

“I don’t know how to do these thing you know I just…I need”

‘Merv,” she pulled upon the straps of his apron until they were nose to nose then and growled at him, “tell me what it is!”

“I need your help” he got out eventually, alarm in his vice and eyes.

Fingers snapped open as relief flooded through her, enough that the tension eased and she began to laugh, rough and ready laughter punctuated with the occasional snort as relaxation took up ascendancy and fingers shook from the momentary rush of adrenaline at her needless panic. She leant back in her chair and slapped the table as the cackles receded into chuckles made all the stronger at his affronted look and the imperious way he began to smooth out his crumpled shirt. She tried to gather herself but the nature of what had just happened suggested she was possibly insane. She had just grabbed the owner by his apron strings in his own tavern. She half expected an axe to come flying her way and wondered briefly if it would be better to duck of get it over with. As it was things remained calm as they both composed themselves, his troubled look did not improve however and that sobered her slightly.

“Don’t do that to me Merv, I thought you were about to tell me someone was dead”

“They might be soon”

“What?” she asked instantly, without thinking and suddenly found herself back in that uncertain realm.

“I got this given to me today. Had your name on it. I opened it, I admit it. Man who handed it was just…felt wrong. Read it”

“What does it say?”

“Read” he instructed her with a grimace.

She eyed him slightly, both curious and deeply troubled by his manner. He as not given to flights of fancy, dependable many saw him as. He spoke nothing unless he personally thought was true enough to warrant stating and he was shrewd enough to read people in an instant. She flicked the note open and began to read. It took a little while but the by end her mouth had dried up completely and was open slightly. She read it again, and again. Five times in total she went over it as silence was all she was answered with, stony and implacable. She placed it down carefully and with slightly shaking fingers grasped her mug to finish off the mostly full mug of ale with one long series of swallows. She breathed deeply as she placed it carefully upon the table once more, too carefully some might say. She folded the note slowly so that its contents remained hidden from the world at large. Only then did she meet his eyes once more and in them she saw something she had not seen before - fear.

“Who else saw it?”

“No one, I gave it straight to you and it’s been in my pocket since I opened it. It was sealed with wax. No one else” he told her wretchedly.

“And this man…you said he was wrong. Did you see his face?”

“No, wore a cloak and a mask. Eyes were damned mad though, like looking into a deep, dark…” his words trailed off after than and she placed her arm upon his forearm gently.

“Did he say anything”

“Said…give this to the spider. A little…game”

“Game?” she asked flatly.

“Game” he almost whispered.

“You know what this means?”

“That you’ve got a lunatic little shyke wanting to make you dance about for fun”

“Yes…fun. Well…thank you Merv”

“What will you do?”

“What I have to…play”

“You really want to see if its true?”

“I have no choice”

“there is always a choice Web…you could just…forget that it ever-”

“Not this time. This time there is no backing away. No running”

“Why?” he almost sounded like he was pleading then, perhaps scared of losing a good customer who had done something for him and his own.

“You know why”

He nodded and she pushed herself up and walked towards the fire, she threw the note in and watched as the parchment took the light and began to blacken and curl. She watched as its existence was erased from everywhere but her own mind and Merv’s. She doubted she would ever forget its contents. She made to leave and Merv stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Gods help you Web”

“They never did before” she stated flatly before pulling away and making her way to the door.

Those words…



It has come to my attention that you consider yourself a problem solver. I think of myself as a creator. We should be married but alas you will likely not live that long. A gift I give to you, a token of my respect for your abilities. A little game.

Five children I have gathered, in all corners of this city. You have a day to save each of their lives. Each will die in a different way, an homage to the creative forces. I hope you are successful, there is so much planned for your entertainment.

The first can be found where fading light lends its namesake.

Follow the notes

[Zandelia]

She was not sure what she should be feeling within, had never truly been given the power of life and death over children a tall let alone ones that were about to die - or so was being claimed. The one thing that she knew beyond doubt was that she could not sit idly by and allow it to happen. She was cold-hearted, ruthless and a long list of many other negative traits that in Sunberth gave her an edge where elsewhere it would lead to a summary execution in, she always imagined, a hideously ironic manner. Like being forced to swallow secret notes until she died of suffocation perhaps. She was not, however, capable of so callous a thing as murder children to prove a point. Or allowing it to happen if she had the power to stop its occurrence. There was a deep well somewhere, a conscience that had been growing of late and refusing to die no matter how much sordid machinations she tried to stove its head in with. This was more than a sense of honour, this was a sense of right and wrong. Something beyond even evil and, for some unknown reason, it had chosen her as its plaything.

Don’t be a fool, you were chosen because you were noticed. Clearly they are watching you. And they think they are smarter than you too, something to use perhaps. I swear to the gods if they really got children just…just to torment me…I’ll…I’ll… she began to think but thought ended and an inner wrath more powerful than she had ever felt outside of threat to Fallon began to kindle.

Her fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly as she paused against a nearby wall and took a few deep breaths to force calm composure upon herself as best as she could. At least she knew where the first location was, though area would have been a better term of description. The Sunset Quarters, it was as if they were intentionally giving he simple clue to lure her into the fray, the intellectual battle. That was an unsettling thought, that they knew her well enough to be able to do such a thing. But then the young were a motivating concept, harming them more so. It was possible that they just chose an emotive platform for their scheme…possibly. She heaved one last breath and pushed herself away from the wall and began the stalk towards the Sunset Quarters. She didn’t know ho much time she had and so she opted to cut through the warrens to half her travel time.

“Children, why did it have to be children?”

“To break you, you idiot”

“But why break me if they want to test me?”

“See if you’re worthy?”

“I’ll show them worthy!”

“To make sure you played then”

“Bit over the top though isn’t it?”

“Then perhaps it’s because they have easy access to…them” she drew up short and thought for a moment.

It was a decent supposition though bereft of any true evidence. If they could easily procure children it made the scheme more sensible, for a given value of sense that existed within the mind of the insane. They were easier to contain, control and inevitably force into what was wanted. People paid them no attention if they were not their own really, invisible street rats who just faded into the background. Adults would fight harder, scream louder and ultimately not be too afraid to enlist assistance. The more she thought upon the idea, her pace beginning again but slightly slower now, the more she was beginning to think that whoever was behind this game had resources behind them she would end up having to deal with too. But that was for another time.

Have to find them first she increased her pace, not quite running in case she wore herself out but certainly half-trotting as she skidded around the corners, calling up the mental map of the city and seeking the shortest route available from her current position. She turned a right, slipped a left and carried across a junction filled with refuse. Concentration was deeply upon the route, blocking out most of the rest of the world…

“Hello missy, I reckon you’ve got something for us eh?” the voice was darkly purred and possessed of the malice of a definite rapist, the words simply confirmed that as she snapped out of her mental navigation and stopped in her tracks.

“I’ve got nothing for dogs and animals, nothing but my boot which I would gladly apply to a certain part of you if you don’t get out of my way” she stated, voice distant and calmer than she thought it could possibly be.

She cast her gaze about, one in front of her and one behind, the crossing had two other avenues open to he but shadows were slinking down both of those as well, the trap laid neatly enough and meaning she had no way of escaping quickly. She was reasonably certain she could deal with them without much trouble, she as better at fighting in cramped conditions than she was in the open - she had been told more than once she had a mind that turned a wall into a skull crusher well enough that she should give up actually using weapons. As it was she pulled out the tonfa and readied them against her forearms, it was almost certain she would have to use them and if it gave them pause for thought then all the better. She stared at the leader firmly, the one who had spoken, whilst trying to keep the two to her sides in her peripheral, turning her head. She circled slowly as she tried to keep her ears open as best she could also. They were closing but did not get within striking range just yet.

“I reckon that’s cos you aint never been with one miss. Once in a lifetime experience”

“For you or me”

“Hah! Got a bit of fight in her this one. God, gooooood. Like to see ‘em bite and sceam a bit. Makes it more fun”

“I’ll say this once so you morons can hear it right. Back away and leave me alone and I will leave you with your balls enough to stick em up someone else”

“Hear that lads? She’s gonna kick us about something rotten indeed. Look lady, maybe you can’t count? We gots four and you gots you. Sound like a fight you can win?”

“And maybe you can’t see straight, I’m armed and know what I’m doing. You want to try me then stop mouthing off and get on with it. Oh wait…let me guess. You’ll point to your friends and let them try first so I don’t break your pretty little nose”

“Shut up you little strumpe-”

“No, you shut up. I’ve got places to be and I’ll not be stopping to teach idiots how to not get killed in the streets. You have ten seconds”

“Missy, you gots five”

“Oh good! saves time. Want me to count? Is four your highest number?”

“Petch this, he didn’t say anything about mouthing off. Grab her and out her against the wall so we can stuff her gob up tight”

The silhouettes moved as one, three sets of footsteps converging rapidly.

[Zandelia]

She didn’t have to watch to know how far away they were, the feet pounding into the ground told her well enough how far away they were. Trapped in a neat little variation of a pincer movement, it was almost worthy of admiration, almost. As it was they had little idea of how to work together and were arriving at different times, poor communication and a lack of experience with each other, these were hired thugs probably cobbled together from across Sunberth. The words spoken by the nominal leader told her they had bee hired, his mention of this ‘he’ was enough to confirm that. It was beyond coincidental that they struck just after she had been given the ominous missive - connection was to be found there. For a split second there was admiration then, procuring thugs from all over Sunberth meant it would be all but impossible to track the employer conventionally. It was fleeting though, subsumed by the needs for survival as her mind fired into gear, shifting to synergize with her limbs. She waited…waited…didn’t wait overly long.

Three…two…one… she counted mentally as she heard the steps from her right about to slam into her position.

There was no starting momentum, it wasn’t needed given that they were doing all of the moving for her. Just one, long indrawn breath at the approach and the flicking into motion from her position of stillness. She must have seemed an easy target, women often were in Sunberth despite the fact there were quite a few able to rip a man’s stones off with one tug. She spun on the spot, bringing her tonfa around as one in an arc, stepping backwards once before doing so in order to move out of the way. One quick pirouette to the right and the metal clubs cracked into the first assailants knees sickeningly. That, however, was not the amusing part of the motion. That came when the legs gave way, pain not yet blossoming from injury, and he staggered trying to keep his footing. She would have laughed as he barreled into his opposite coming from the side alley in a flurry of limbs and mangled curses had she not had another to deal with.

Time bought and two temporarily eliminated. Economy of movement, when will these street fools learn that? she asked herself as she found herself facing the third who had been coming up more slowly behind her.

There was the pulling of steel then from before and behind, almost in unison and she had a flickering that these two had at least worked together before a few times. They had waited, were too slow in moving and too quick to allow the other two to get into trouble. They didn’t care of the other two survived, just that they got what they wanted. A dangerous pairing then, though perhaps not as dangerous as they thought themselves to be. She smiled at the one before her blew a kiss with her lips before taking the tactical option of darting to smack her tonfa into the two upon the floor. The one who’s kneecaps were now likely broken was easy enough, a club to the back of the head and he slumped atop the other upon the floor. The second put up a fight of course, he grabbed at her cloak as she tried to flow past him and reposition. She was jerked backwards and her throat was constricted for a moment. He foot came up to stamp upon the fabric and pull it form his fingers, at the same time one tonfa lashed out at his temple to bring him the darkness she seemed to desire.

Turn, turn! she shouted internally and found that she was too slow.

As she turned to face the other two, footsteps closing in, she brought her tonfa up in a cross guard that barely managed to bock the sword swing, jarring her forearms and sending her stumbling backwards. She stepped back again, trying to find her feet as she swung her weapons in front of her defensively, creating a whirling barrier to deter a pressed advantage. They were in no rush, however, stepping around their fallen comrades as if they weren’t even there - didn’t care a whit, she had been right about that. They grinned at her, two swords pointing their tips at her, their grips were sue and the blades did not waver or wobble. Dangerous men indeed. She ceased her whiling as it became apparent they wished to toy with her, it was simply wasted energy, just as she was becoming ever aware of the wasted time at having the deal with them. Clearly this was part of the game, whatever the reason.

“Pretty move, can’t do it again mind miss. Nice though, acrobatic! Now, you gots two wells reasons blades pointing at ya. Why Don’t you come quietly, we gots the reach and the ability. No need to get all bloody now. Lasses like whats we do to ‘em” the leader’s tone was arrogant and cock-sure as before.

“And you have no idea who you’re dealing with”

“Oh we knows all about yer now, Web right? Spider seeker. Nice name by the way, very good. We laughed didn’t we Bert? Oh ho ho”

“Then you know I never lose”

“That’s right! He said that you were like that. Never lost…well much. Most an eye I see”

“Petch you”

“Ooooh, sore spot. Well let’s put it this way, you gonna lose right and proper this time”

“And who is this he that says that?”

“Dunno, just paid us to detain you. Not indefinitely, just for a few Bells of fun. Though I reckon we’d be able to sell you quite nicely. Slave markets could use a nice pair of ti-”

“Try it! Stop talking and put your swords where your words are” she snapped it him, her control was beginning to slip.

He knew it of course, he was trying to unbalance her. He likely knew that cool and collected she was a sure winner in their bout. But with the references to salves he had found something to anger her, that and this damned game where losing meant death ot a child. True a child she had never met but whoever had set this up knew her well enough to understand she’d go to a lot of lengths to stop a child being tortured. They knew her story likely, the motivation behind not wanting any youth to go through what she had had to go through. Ever. Again. She was running out of time, spending too long. Each second lost was like a pinprick in her skin, a multitude of them discomfiting her to the point where she would soon lose herself in the wrath. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

She had to strike quickly.

[Zandelia]

There was laughter in response and that was what managed to break her rapidly diminishing hand hold upon a sense of reservation – the idea that she could possibly get out of the current situation without killing them in the most demeaning way that was possible. She usually held a very firm grip upon reality, the rationality the guided her in her working. This was an entirely new game that was unfolding however and for the first time in a while she now felt nothing but a deep and abiding sense of loathing that bordered upon the psychotic. There was no way she was going to just kill the self-appointed leader now, that would be a release. No, she would make him damned well suffer. Breathing grew shallow and rapid, fingers tautening around the handles of her tonfa. She had to finish this quickly, yet as artfully as possible. A grim smile came across her lips, dark and foreboding.

“Think you can laugh when I feed your roasted stones to you one by one in a dingy corner somewhere?” she asked, her voice had changed now, it was deadened and hard.

There was no laughter this time, something about the threat of having your balls ripped off always brought men up to the point of what was unfolding. She presumed it had something to do with the fact that some of them held little of value beyond them. A calculated bait and it succeeded as they advanced towards her, weapons not so much glistening as possessing a dull shine – the kind of glimmer that came from season;s of use and wear. There was just a seriousness now, the way they tried to face her down. As if she would ever capitulate because she was outnumbered, they didn't even know who they were dealing with. Just another set of thugs looking for easy pay. She stepped forwards and they split apart as best they could, seeking the advantage of multiple sides of attack.

Idiots she thought to herself as the moment of suspense came and went.

Stillness and careful footing was rapidly replaced with furious movement, one their part more than her own it had to be said. Efficiency of movement, reservation of effort, they knew nothing of such concepts and instead opted for trying to hack her to pieces through sheer power. She would have laughed if she had the time to do so. She didn't even bother trying to block the first swings as she ducked underneath then and heard the blades jar against each other as she stepped behind them and pivoted to whip her tonfa around into the back of a single leg each of the opponents. Thudding of flesh and cursing as they repositioned as best they could, one getting a follow through to the shoulder and the other to their elbow. Simple motions, direct and fluid, that forced them backwards a pace and she had yet only moved one step.

She pressed her advantage by advancing once more, striving for economy of movement as she placed herself between them both now and batted their blades aside and darted in to land another series of blows to their sword arms, left and right weapons rolling after each other in that familiar rhythm. They did not drop them to their credit but their movement was surely impaired now as pain would blossom. Desperation would take root and she saw her opportunity as she opened her body, almost inviting the lunge of the leader. Useful idiots, that was what they were dubbed by her kind. Right tonfa swatted the other blade away as her left guided the leader's, almost lovingly, into the belly of his comrade as she turned her body and span away. He had killed his own man and his blade was now stuck in his guts. She lashed out and slammed her tonfa into hie skull to send him to hit the dirt below.

“Now...you stay here,” she purred as she picked up his friend's sword quickly and without so much as a word stamped on his wrist, holding it in place as his outstretched palm was pinned to the dirt with it – impaled amidst the screaming of fragmented consciousness, “I will be back to ask you questions” she stated as she spat upon him and broke into a jog followed by a full sprint.

Was there still time?