A little sight-seeing first

You leave Spook where he is in the roost in the United Armies' camp and walk into the great walled city on your own.

You can just imagine what Galeon and Alexia both would say if they knew you were risking the entire line of Kalion by wandering into a war zone on your own. Cease-fire or no, there are scores of men (and a few women too) who would be more than happy to plant a knife in your back. Actually after that shit-show of a meeting with the Lord High Marshal and his crew you are hoping that someone will be stupid enough to jump you.

You make your way into the seedier parts of the city where the streets get narrower and darker and the inhabitants of the dingy apartments look at you with open hostility. This close to the walls you see the damage that the great war-engines have done lobbing great stones over the high walls of the city. More than a dozen of the buildings are in almost complete ruins and you see gangs of youths rummaging through the rubble looking for anything of value. It is from inside one of these half-collapsed buildings that your keen ears detect the sounds of trouble.

Once inside the dark building you are able to determine this wrecked building was once a tavern and you are able to hear some of the troubling dialog more clearly.

"Why look what we found scrounging through our supplies." You dislike the owner of the gruff voice without even seeing him.

"This one's a dirty little street rat, but look here now, it's Dorothea from the stables!" The second voice, this one a raspy tenor, sounds as vile as the first voice and, as if to confirm your opinion, your fears are confirmed.

"Damn, now we're finally gonna get to have some fun with her." Quickly making your way towards the storage room behind the bar to save this Dorothea from being ****, you are met by a ragged-haired lad all but tossed out the doorway where he lands at your feet with a high-pitched squeak. Through the open doorway you can see into the adjoining room where a very buxom young woman is staring at her assailants much like a rabbit cornered by a fox.

A quick glance confirms that the boy is unhurt. In fact, he the street rat is pulling a dagger from inside his tunic and looks like he is preparing to head back to the back room. Somewhat surprised at both the boy's bravery you almost forget what you're doing until the two men wearing full armor and carrying spears push through the door drawing both your and the boy's attention. To your experienced eyes these men look like deserters who have decided to take what they can in the chaos of the fall of the city. The soft-spoken kid however, doesn't seem to care that these men are trained killers.

"Let Dorothea go you scum." The two men are just starting towards you - looks like they are ignoring the kid. Before you can teach these scum some manners, the four of you hear the panicked cries of the girl who has finally worked her way through her fear.

"Help! Someone help. I'm going to ****! Help!" The kid looks towards the door he just came flying out of and turns to you instead.

"You, Rider." The entitled tone of command is impossible to miss. "Help me take out these pathetic traitors of Athenapolis"

"With pleasure." You move forward smoothly, "I don't care much for rapists." These mercenaries might be scum, but they were highly-skilled scum. The larger of the two men blocks the slash of your right sword easily with his shield and you have to twist awkwardly to avoid the vicious thrust of his heavy spear. A second attack, this one to his knees brings down the heavy shield and you respond by jumping past his thrust and, clinging to the top of his shield, slitting the surprised man's throat with the razor-sharp blade of your other sword.

Galeon would thrash you if he saw that fool-hardy attack. You kill the man, but lose your balance as he falls backwards, pulling you from your feet. The awkward landing lifts your arm leaving your flank exposed to the other deserter's attack. The smaller man's spear stabs at the spot, piercing just through your skin but as he's about to push it in and pierce the heart of a god, the boy plunges his small blade into the deserter's neck just under his jawbone.

Before you can thank the kid, he disappears through the door to the storage room. You pull yourself up from the floor and follow the boy, shocked at what you see. The person you mistook for a boy of about fourteen, is unmistakably a young woman a few years older than that. Leaning on a wall, you put pressure on your wound and listen to the conversation intrigued by this fearsome young woman.

"Sandy!" Squeals the buxom Dorothea, "Thanks for saving me, again."

"You're welcome, Dory." Your unlikely ally kneels by the buxom blonde's side her side pulling at her bindings. "I told you we shouldn't come here, Dory, it's just not worth it."

"I know, but Thadeus explained that I could help some of the wounded with strong spirits." She explains cheerfully, "You know, to clean there wounds and I membered this tavern had a shipment come in before the siege-" she rambles on as Sandy struggles with the knots "-and thought the area was deserted because all those people were allowed to leave. I guess those bad men thought so too."

As the two women chatter, you evaluate your position. These deserters were likely part of a larger group and their friends could be close by.