 Antar Noth pushed himself a little, lengthening his stride while walking across the commons of Sunberth, his eyes roving back and forth within the shadows of the waning light. He was ever alert, ever watchful for the predators that skulked in the night. Predators not born of magic, or of the wilds, but rather the depravities of the sentient beings which lurked in Sunberth's chaotic underbelly who reveled in things best left unsaid.
Not many people were on the streets right now, those who were which had no business in the night tended to scamper like field mice towards their burrows. Many of those trying to beat the sunset headed back to their meager homes and tents to the meager safety such places provided. Though such things would not do much good at all if the common person was attacked within the night. No one, probably not even family would lift a hand to help another in this town. Not without some benefit.
Such were the facts of this city, everyone was out for themselves.
At least that's what people said. As he walked near the bridge across the river he espied the entrance to stumble alley and wondered if he had time to play a little in there. Unfortunately, to get to the Pig's foot he'd have to cross the bridge close to the Temple of the Unknown and head towards the shores where the southern parts of sunberth's main docks were. He hated the temple of the Unknown, it just ranked as something spooky to him that was best left undiscovered. Though he had a feeling something ancient lurked either in or below its stones. Call it a hunch.
But when mists had swallowed the town a few years ago, rumors had abounded that some creature that was only whispered in Sahova, and Zeltiva had once been chained there. A creature he never hoped to encounter... a Journeyman. No, it was the one place in Sunberth, Noth would never try to sneak into unless his life depended on it.
But that didn't mean there were other mysteries around- his thoughts were broken by a sound of a woman's scream coming from the confines of Stumble Alley. Cries , and shouts of "No" and "help me, someone please!" as well as, "Get your hands off me. No!" All the signs of a victim. Glancing towards the bridge, Antar wondered if he should move on, perhaps leaving the unknown cry for aid apart. It wasn't his business after all. By Akajia's grace, the only reason he'd go into Stumble Alley before night came was if their was a discovery to be made, secrets to be gained.
But the woman's cries did not cut out for at least twenty seconds, so it couldn't be a simple mugging. If there was he would have heard the cries silenced as a throat was cut. It could just be a trap.
He wouldn't mind springing a trap to test his edge. But the last thing he would do if it came to being a trap would be to toy with any opponents he'd find. No... he was too good of a killer for that. His footsteps began to wander closer to the alley as he reached behind his back to unlimber his bow. Each foot brought him closer to the mystery of the cries and his curious nature had gotten the best of him now.
"Help! Please! Someone!"
"Shut up wench!"a voice cried before the distinct slap of a hand on flesh came to his ears.
Oh by now he was pretty sure of the picture, it was either a trap, or some dastardly knave was helping himself to a woman without her consent. Such things weren't his concern, save that either way... Antar viewed it might be fun. But he wouldn't take any chances. Putting one foot in front of the other. rotating from heel to toe, heel to toe Antar masked his noise as he silently padded his way towards the corner of the side street that lead into Stumble Alley. His eyes scanning all three planes for any watchers that might lie in ambush. The horizontal, the vertical, and the distance. All very useful for an archer who may have to loose a feathered arrow soon.
For a common person, entering the alley at night was a death sentence, a gambit of thieves and wrongdoers attempting to sate the aspects of their more indicative natures. But for him, he had survived nights in the alley before, utilizing the area as a means of testing his abilities with stealth. But if it came to trouble he wouldn't hesitate to use any weapon in his arsenal and he sure wouldn't 'toy' with any opponent to test his mettle.
The first rule of any engagement that he had learned was... Ego Kills. It was even a part of the tactics he'd learned. Any opponent he faced that proved a threat would be taken out in the most efficient way possible. Nor would he let any of them live if it came to protecting the knowledge of his abilities out.
If he had to resort to magic at all, he'd kill everyone he could see there. To keep himself anonymous, if it came to conflict he'd still probably just kill everyone there, the victim included if she tried to figure out his identity.
No loose ends would go un-snipped.
Reaching the corner, Antar quickly ducked his head out enough to only use one eye to view the alley in the direction the screams were coming from. The more he kept in cover, the better off he would be. But that was just common tactical manuevering. '
What awaited his eyes was the vision of three gangers from the old wolf's den currently accosting a female. One who looked to be a tavern wench ,with a frilled dress, save for an still form of a young child at her side. She was fighting off the men as her life depended upon it.
Which it probably did.
"Help!"
He was tempted to leave her, really. It wasn't his concern as these things happened all the time in Sunberth. Pretty much a way of the population to constantly refresh the orphan supply at the orphanage. But ... there was a small part of him that hated any woman being accosted. All going back to the thoughts of his past in Ravok, his sister being killed.
No, in one respect, even in sunberth, the actions going on here with a female would be the one circumstance that he'd step in. He weighed his odds quickly, thoughts flashing through his mind. There were on three of them. The best way to take one or two out before the third who lay on the woman could respond would be to fire and manuever.
Almost subconsciously in his decision making process, Noth laid the loot bundle from before down where he crouched as he surveyed the alleyway.
There were various points of cover between him and the scene, he could take a shot now and be nothing more then a fleeting shadow hidden in the dim light by staying to the cover on the western side of the alley where the setting sun cast long shadows from the side buildings.
He could take out one, maybe two before closing on the third , whom would hopefully be tripped up as his pants were down. He estimated, at most, it would take twenty seconds from start to finish if he was efficient about it. If the furthest was incapacitated he could strike the nearest, and then charge while the third man belted up his breeches.
Placing one knee to the pavement, Antar reached the common kneeled stance of an archer, keeping his profile to a minimum from what the targets could see. Two thirds of his weight on the knee, with one third on the opposite leg. Drawing two arrows from his quiver he knocked one to the string. The shaft of the second was placed between the forefinger and middle of his left gauntlet in order for a quicker reload. All he had to do was tilt his fingers and the notch of the arrow would fall back towards the string.Noth began to control his breathing to steady his aim all while sighting on the furthest ganger from him.
The target's torso was only capable of being seen over the lip of a protruding crate, with Antar drawing a bead on the man's center of mass, right on the line between the shoulder blades where the heart normally was. It was within the fifteen meter range any competent archer worth their salt could hit. But not necessarily definitive to guarantee a heart shot.
He loosed the string, only to see the arrow strike a little off from his target as the ganger let out a muffled sound. A lung shot. As the man collapsed the fingers of Antar's left gauntletted hand tilted the arrow back to where he quickly knocked the second arrow. Resighted upon the nearest enemy's center of mass, and loosed the string a second time.
The nearest enemy only had time to turn towards the disturbance of his fellows cry, only to gasp and spin around as the second arrow took the man in the side. It wasn't a clean hit by any means, as Noth saw the man struggle to draw a shortsword with his left hand.
Shucking the longbow back over his shoulder Antar launched himself to his feet. Drawing his kukri from beneath his cloak he took a single step forwards to adjust his stance for throwing the heavy blade as the injured man began to charge at him. With reflexes ingrained in him from the past, Antar shucked his grip on the kukri's hilt an inch lower , pulled his arm back and used the spin flip technique to throw the weighted blade. The momentum of the technique utilized the inherent qualities of the kukri's weight distribution, and the flipping motion in the air was designed for pure stopping power capable of breaching and penetrating even a third of an inch of steel plate. But all this was second nature to him now, honed by hours of practice.
The blade spun three rotations before slamming deep into the chest of the charging man, doing the job it's design required, knocking the man back off his feet allowing Antar to draw both of his gladius' before vaulting towards the downed man's direction. His legs planted in a half horse stance as both of his blades set to work.
His first strike was a two handed combination of blows, the first strike consisted of his right most blade to lock and knock away the man's shortsword long enough for him to step on the arm holding it to immobilize it against the ground. The second strike was to drive the point of his left hand gladius' deep into the man's chest to end the threat, and the ganger's life. Like before, to ensure his mobility he left the blade only to draw his second kukri into his left hand as he glanced towards the last remaining target.
By this time the third man had scampered to his feet, one hand holding his belt the other drawing his longsword. "Blooming Petch! You killed my brother, I'll kill you!"
Antar didn't care to respond, as he was already in motion. The man had enough time time attempt a downward strike that was met with a block and riposte from both of Noth's blades to turn the longsword to one side as Antar's body mass and momentum allowed him to place his shoulder into the man, turning what was a charge into a bullrush.
They both slammed into the wall of the alley, the ganger taking most of the force of the staggering blow. Antar capitalized on the opportunity to deliver a left armed elbow to the man's trachea. Something that bought him a few precious seconds to end the combination with a drawing strke of the kukri in his left hand to part the flesh of the man's throat as the gladius in the right hand was kept to keep the longsword at bay.
Darting backwards out of the dying man's reach Antar barely see the man fumble for a dagger for a dagger before collapsing from blood loss. Ever mindful of the tactical surroundings, Noth marched over to the first one he shot and made sure the man was dispatched by a double handed one - two strike of his blades at the fallen man's back with a twist to puree the heart.
Just in case.
It had been a wise decision as the lingering gasp noted the ganger had either been playing possum or collapsed in shock. Either way, as an arrow to the lung wouldn't necessarily take one out of the fight so easily, he knew he had made the right decision.
Without further ado, he pulled the cowl of his cloak tighter around the face as behind him he heard the sobs of the woman. "Keep your eyes down, and don't look in my direction!" Antar ordered , pitching his voice to make it rasping and lower then normal to mask any way of the woman to identify him.
Keeping one eye on her at all times, and one eye on his surroundings he gathered back his weapons and field stripped the corpses, finding two small coinpurses, two daggers, a shortsword, a gauntlet, and the longsword. Taking everything as loot but the shortsword and a dagger, Noth transferred a small portion of coin into one of the coinpurses.
He added the loot bundle he received from the three corpses to the loot bundle he had gained from his earlier welcome.
By this time the woman had drawn up to the wall of the alley, holding her child protectively against her chest. The victim glanced towards him as he came back towards her.
"Eyes Down!"he ordered again, keeping his voice masked as before, dropping a coinpurse , a dagger, and the shortsword at her feet."The coin is for the doctor, for yourself and the boy! You should be able to get a tonic to ward off any pregnancy from their assault. Keep the dagger for yourself and teach the boy the shortsword, even if he's young he's of the size to learn it."
The shaking woman attempted to raise her head, but Antar stopped that with another command, "EYES DOWN! You will comply! " The woman quickly buried her face in her child's hair. Noth turned away quickly to prevent the woman from seeing his face. When I leave your sight make your way to the doctor's. I'll be following to ensure you get there, but I won't step in unless there's trouble. I can't help you any more then this."
As he took the first steps into the shadows to mask himself from the woman's view, he couldn't help but hear the woman speak to the empty air two words. "Thank You."
Antar brushed the woman's words off as nothing but empty words from someone who lead an empty, meaningless life of struggle. But he did shadow the woman as she made her way towards the Doctor's clinic, twice maneuvering to loose a warning shot arrow to the feet of men who seemed to encroach upon her with malice in their eyes, and weapons in their hands.
They quickly scampered off, leaving Noth long enough to hide from the woman's glances around the area as she tried to spot him. Eventually, when she reached the clinic the victim turned and shouted, "Whoever you are: Thank You! Thank you for saving my child's life!"
He vanished back the way he came without much of a reply. Leaving the mother and her child to their own fate as he turned back towards the Pig's Foot this time breaking into a light jog. Putting one foot in front of the other at a steady pace, keeping to the grass as he entered back into the commons to cross towards the bridge.
Helping the woman and her child did very little to ease the pain of his memories. A man like Noth wouldn't have done such things for someone else... but perhaps his conscience was eased just a little. There were only varying degrees of innocence and morals in Sunberth.
Antar did realize one thing. If he came across the woman again and she recognized him: he'd have no choice but to kill her to protect himself. |
