10th Bell - 52nd of Winter - Suberth's Streets
The morning was overcast. Thick, furrowed clouds blanketed the sky as the Syna's influence was stifled and smothered; today was destined to be bleak. From the grey clouds above snow shimmered down to ground with no signs of stopping as the fat, fluffy flakes rested gently on each other, making the city that so resembled a patchwork quilt that had been sewn by generations bland and indistinct. A lone man stepped out of an alleyway, his leather boots sending up clumps of thick snow in the air as he left a trail of deep footprints that would soon be filled up once more. Snow settled on the shoulders of the man's thin coat that was wrapped tightly around his thin body, fending off a fierce winter breeze that whistled through the streets of Sunberth, left a cold burn on any exposed skin as it whipped up the man's long, snow strewn hair.
"The effin' fortune teller was right" Erik muttered to himself as brought a pair of raw red hands to his mouth, breathing deeply into them in the hope of giving them some much need warmth as his breath streamed visibly through his fingers. Winter had hit home and hit hard. Food shortages were once again rife, only somewhat alleviated by cull of the old, weak and homeless by the vicious cold. Now, more than ever money was important to Erik and he had been working extra hours when possible just to make sure he had firewood to burn and food to eat but it was taking its toll on man. He wasn't as young as he once was and between the dark, heavy bags that hung under his eyes, the constant shivering as soon as he stepped out of the door and his pale, lifeless skin that yearned for some real food and sunshine; he starting to break down.
Some wild yelling caught the man's attention as a group of men ran across the street from alleyway to alleyway, not stopping to explain their intentions as Erik stopped dead in the street, his head turning to follow their direction down the alleyway as he cocked a quizzical eyebrow at the scene. "We've got 'em"
"Corner 'em off"
"Quickly, before they get away"
The continued orders faded then grew again as the group ran wildly around the block, disappearing and reappearing from view, though this did little to aid Erik's understanding until he spied a young lad running down the street after them.
Erik reached out and grabbed him roughly by the arm, gripping him tightly to stop him both slipping from his grasp and on the snow. "What the fuck d'ya want?" The dirty ruffian asked indignantly, staring up the mercenary without a sliver of fear in his young eyes, a true ne'er-do-well of Sunberth.
"Tell me what the fuck they're doin'?" Erik demanded, trying to make his authority clear to boy though that seldom worked with the youth of Sunberth. Or the adults for that matter Erik thought with a hint of a smile touching his lips.
"Some drunk fellas found 'em carvin' those bleedin' symbol in the alleyways. They're crazies though, beat two of 'em before they told me to get 'em some help"
"They on the run then?"
"Nah, those morons are chasin' some tramps that were hagin' around nearby. I tried explain' but once they get goin', they can't bleedin' stop".
Erik paused for a moment, thinking about what to ask next. Part of him just wanted to get back home, crawl into bed and sleep for the next ten bells; most of him wanted that actually. But these symbols didn't feel normal, whether they were magical or just some new gang symbol had been the hot debate for days now and when Erik finally came to his own conclusion, he didn't like it one bit.
"Fine, tell me where the fuckers are!" He demanded.
"Over there" The boy said, sticking out his finger in a vagualy east direction "Three alleys down, you can't miss the yellin'. Now can a go?"
"Hold a moment lad" He said, fishing three coppers out of his pocket before jamming them into the boy's hand as way of thanks as he had done countless times before for the ruffians of Sunberth.
"Cheers" The boy as he ran off but Erik had already dismissed him and set off in the opposite direction, ready if not eager to sort this situation out.
The morning was overcast. Thick, furrowed clouds blanketed the sky as the Syna's influence was stifled and smothered; today was destined to be bleak. From the grey clouds above snow shimmered down to ground with no signs of stopping as the fat, fluffy flakes rested gently on each other, making the city that so resembled a patchwork quilt that had been sewn by generations bland and indistinct. A lone man stepped out of an alleyway, his leather boots sending up clumps of thick snow in the air as he left a trail of deep footprints that would soon be filled up once more. Snow settled on the shoulders of the man's thin coat that was wrapped tightly around his thin body, fending off a fierce winter breeze that whistled through the streets of Sunberth, left a cold burn on any exposed skin as it whipped up the man's long, snow strewn hair.
"The effin' fortune teller was right" Erik muttered to himself as brought a pair of raw red hands to his mouth, breathing deeply into them in the hope of giving them some much need warmth as his breath streamed visibly through his fingers. Winter had hit home and hit hard. Food shortages were once again rife, only somewhat alleviated by cull of the old, weak and homeless by the vicious cold. Now, more than ever money was important to Erik and he had been working extra hours when possible just to make sure he had firewood to burn and food to eat but it was taking its toll on man. He wasn't as young as he once was and between the dark, heavy bags that hung under his eyes, the constant shivering as soon as he stepped out of the door and his pale, lifeless skin that yearned for some real food and sunshine; he starting to break down.
Some wild yelling caught the man's attention as a group of men ran across the street from alleyway to alleyway, not stopping to explain their intentions as Erik stopped dead in the street, his head turning to follow their direction down the alleyway as he cocked a quizzical eyebrow at the scene. "We've got 'em"
"Corner 'em off"
"Quickly, before they get away"
The continued orders faded then grew again as the group ran wildly around the block, disappearing and reappearing from view, though this did little to aid Erik's understanding until he spied a young lad running down the street after them.
Erik reached out and grabbed him roughly by the arm, gripping him tightly to stop him both slipping from his grasp and on the snow. "What the fuck d'ya want?" The dirty ruffian asked indignantly, staring up the mercenary without a sliver of fear in his young eyes, a true ne'er-do-well of Sunberth.
"Tell me what the fuck they're doin'?" Erik demanded, trying to make his authority clear to boy though that seldom worked with the youth of Sunberth. Or the adults for that matter Erik thought with a hint of a smile touching his lips.
"Some drunk fellas found 'em carvin' those bleedin' symbol in the alleyways. They're crazies though, beat two of 'em before they told me to get 'em some help"
"They on the run then?"
"Nah, those morons are chasin' some tramps that were hagin' around nearby. I tried explain' but once they get goin', they can't bleedin' stop".
Erik paused for a moment, thinking about what to ask next. Part of him just wanted to get back home, crawl into bed and sleep for the next ten bells; most of him wanted that actually. But these symbols didn't feel normal, whether they were magical or just some new gang symbol had been the hot debate for days now and when Erik finally came to his own conclusion, he didn't like it one bit.
"Fine, tell me where the fuckers are!" He demanded.
"Over there" The boy said, sticking out his finger in a vagualy east direction "Three alleys down, you can't miss the yellin'. Now can a go?"
"Hold a moment lad" He said, fishing three coppers out of his pocket before jamming them into the boy's hand as way of thanks as he had done countless times before for the ruffians of Sunberth.
"Cheers" The boy as he ran off but Erik had already dismissed him and set off in the opposite direction, ready if not eager to sort this situation out.
