System Break

The swoosh of the guildhall door opening was followed by a loud bang as it shut. Whoever it was, was alone and my guess it was an angry Alejo. I stood and swept out the door of Kysandre's room.

Alejo was taking the stairs two at a time. He saw me and said, "Bring her downstairs."

She squealed when my arms slid underneath, and I cradled her in my arms. "Stay still," I said. "You're still recovering."

"I can walk," she said but I held her tight. She sighed and put an arm over my shoulder before I brought her down the stairs.

She peered at the blood stained floor where she was stabbed, and I put her down on a comfy couch.

Alejo paced and all eyes were on him. "I think …," he said. "We should go to the docks and see if we can get you all on a boat. If the fisherfolk take you then they'll know it's by her choice."

"What?" she said.

He stared at her. "The best way is to get you out of the city."

"What about you?" she asked, and I knew what he was going to say. This guy had a serious hero complex. It takes one to know one.

"I'll stay. Sigwurd gave his word he wouldn't harm me, and I think he'll keep it even if he regrets it. And he won't want to weaken the city further."

I peered at him. "What about the duke? Did you go to him?"

Alejo held a finger to his lips. "I won't discuss my plans just in case."

I looked around, up and down. Demon bird was circling the air from high above. But I couldn't tell him no one was near us without revealing my qi-sight or at least hinting at it. Gisael didn't ask much of me but had warned me often enough to keep it a secret.

I shrugged.

Ailen said, "One moment." And he ran upstairs. 

"Are you suggesting we all hop on a boat?" Sakaala asked.

He nodded. "They could sail south or north. It may even save you time. This way the fisherfolk will see her go with you willingly. I can't think of anywhere else for her to go. Loctris will be right into the snakes' den, and Salastria almost as bad."

"The Dokkalfar stronghold is a safe place," Barrin said.

He shook his head. "She can't sail there. We could go down to the docks and explain, but I imagined taking off on a boat and you do the talking at sea. This way you'd all be out of the city sooner and not via the main gate."

"It's in the middle of the day, all the boats will be out," she said.

"No, there are four on the docks. They probably partied too hard last night and slept in. Or are under repairs. I don't know, I only know that I saw four on the docks."

Demon bird flew south and was there in moments. There were three still docked that he could see.

Ailen returned he had fetched some parchment and pencils. They were the thick sort that toddlers used.

Alejo peered at it and Ailen said, "You can write on here what you discussed with the duke." Alejo ignored him.

"We can't all go now," Sakaala said. "Someone has to sign the contract with the Duke of Salastria."

I nodded. "One of you two, sort it out between yourselves. Then get yourself to the Dokkalfar stronghold when it's safe."

"The Whitecloaks offered to take me," Barrin said. 

Sakaala looked at Ailen. "You already died. You should stay."

He shook his head. "I already died; I should go. And you know the details of the contract - I don't."

Sakaala swivelled and looked at me. "You decide." She smiled sweetly and looked at me demurely with her head bowed slightly.

"Okay, Sakaala you stay. Ailen has a point. If you die get the gatekeepers to bring you back to the glade."

Her mouth dropped open, but no noise came out. Ailen smiled like he won a contest.

I looked at Reyas. The colour in her cheeks had returned and her eyes were fiery. "You good?"

She grinned and nodded. "I'm ready."

"Kysandre?" I said and turned. "Are you up for a trip to the north?"

She considered me for a moment. "I'm not your third wife."

I laughed. "Is that all you can think about?"

Her face flushed. "No," she protested too much.

Alejo said, "You can return when it's safe. I'll get word to you somehow."

I indicated Barrin. "You could always send a message to the Dokkalfar." Then I thought. "Or the Reach, we should have a storeroom there which you will know if you ask the right people."

Alejo nodded. "When can we move?"

I turned to Gisael and she nodded. "We can leave now, won't take a moment to grab our packs."

"Supplies?" he asked.

"We are prepared," Gisael said. And we were. The packs had qi-cores and food. We dressed in our battle gear, it's not like we had multiple sets of clothing. Reyas' leathers were damaged the most and mine had a hole in them.

Alejo said, "I already grabbed Kysandre's gear and left it on the docks." I shot him a look and he waved his hands. "Don't worry they'll think she will go there to stay with kin - not sail away."

What was done was done. 

We ambled up the street with Kysandre holding on to Alejo. They took the lead and I was at the rear keeping an eye open for strong qi-cores and Demon bird was overhead.

The city was built on a peninsula with the docks on the calm bay to the south. From east to west it was five miles wide and from north to south it was three.

We looked down at the pier. The stone wall kept the tide from washing into the streets. The bay was calm, and I had no idea how high the waves rose, but they probably did during a storm. We took a half a dozen stone steps down from the high wall onto the wooden docks.

The first section was covered in shanties and warehouses. Then a long thoroughfare ran from east to west where the boats and ships moored. It was almost a mile long and a hundred yards deep. 

I could see water lapping beneath the walkway and the support columns varied. Some were wood and others were stone. There were six boats of different sizes moored and the pair led us west towards the larger boats.

I noticed a pair of large qi-cores come from between the shanties and I was about to warn Alejo when he halted.

"Stay safe," he said to Kysandre and drew his sword.

"Protectors?" I asked. 

The Bluecloak pair blocked our path to Kysandre's kin's boat. They had longswords like Alejo which could be wielded in one hand or both. I didn't recognise them which meant neither was the intruder from last night. Neither was Sigwurd.

With my qi-sight I watched them prepare qi body techniques and a couple I didn't recognise. The body techniques had similarities with the mountainfolk's, but they were certainly not identical.

I put on my mask while they pranced about like arrogant twats.

"Let us pass," Alejo said. "There should be no bloodshed between us. Not here where the fisherfolk can see."

"Then meet us in the garden."

"I will, but Kysandre is going to stay with her parents."

One pointed past him at us. "And what are they doing here?"

"Visiting," he answered and one snorted.

"Maybe the forestfolk will try to kill both of you; the evil horned creature cannot be trusted."

"Sigwurd gave his word and there are too many witnesses here."

"I didn't give my word and witnesses might get caught in the crossfire when we avenge your death. Not only did the forestfolk murder two of our own they caused havoc on the docks killing many innocents."

"I will go with them," Kysandre said. "I don't want anyone to come to harm."

Alejo shook his head. "You'd just be killing the forest."

I growled. "We can handle it, but they'll kill you and that's not something we will let happen. Your ability is priceless not to mention your life."

I moved forward and stood beside Alejo. "You sad sacks think its two against one. You've got no fucking idea who you're dealing with."

I had no weapon other than my limbs and my qi. Oh, and my anger. I was fucking angry. Demon bird squawked from above and showed me what he saw.

I turned my head and whispered, "Reds behind." Then with my hands behind my back showed them the number Twenty five. Their leaders had been reset recently but the sheer numbers were a lot for Gisael and the others to handle.

"Last chance Alejo," one of them spat. "You're about to condemn the lives of all these innocents." He waved his hand in a circle to show he was going to kill all the fisherfolk and any other unlucky sap in the area.

I pulled a qi core from my pack while I poured qi into my limbs – strength, speed, and agility. Then I bit down and sucked it dry.

Alejo said nothing and stared at his former comrades.

"Why do you bastards threaten to kill innocents and somehow it's our fault? Fuck that shit makes me mad."

The one on the right, the older one, looked down his nose at me and said, "You have no idea what you're dealing with adventurer. Where we know all about you."

I laughed. "The Chancellor has no fucking idea. And he won't lose a wink of sleep when you die."

A shade of doubt crossed his face. The bastard just confirmed it's the chancellor pulling the strings.

"They will attack any moment," Alejo said calmly, "They are ready." 

I grinned. He knew them and their methods, but I could see everything they did.

"Are you tougher than them?" I asked.

He shook his head slightly. "But I have something worth fighting for."

The Red's appeared behind us a hundred yards up the pier. Gisael did not hesitate and arrows began to fly.

For the second day in a row, it was clobbering time.