Saviour Thief

The dark mage Vriola was intrigued by this situation.

Was a simple enough task, boring even. When that arrogant High Arche-Dolly gave her this task she was sure it was nothing more than a trick to rob her time and prevent her from study or practice any serious magic. Orsha was the one responsible for the rebel daughter of Wine-Island Marquis, queen’ s favourite niece, the brat. So, the redhaired weasel made a ritual without anyone’s permission, and brough some useless men from some random barbaric hole. Messing up with the Destiny Lines of the entire continent in the process, no doubt. Costing the nation who knows how many chances of get some real hero to solve some catastrophic crisis in the future. Only thing positive about that should be the fact that it was an Orsha problem. Not a Vriola problem.

Tragically, the High Arche-Dolly-Bitch was second cousin of the Emperor. And her position as High Arche Cocksucker Bitch technically allowed her to bossy around any wizard in the nation. “Public Service”, my sorry skinny, ass!

Still, it should be simple. Her Shadow Eye spell granted to Vriola the capacity to spy the useless boy from any shadow from anywhere. All she needed was a shadow close to that bag of fleas from Planed Herpes. Boy was barely on his own out of the temple and had already seduced two poor innocent cunts who had nothing better to do in their lives than jump in the cock of the first useless bag of bones available! Anyway, the accusation of ****. Serves him well, for not refuse the advances of a married woman!

He should have died, in the hands of the offended husband. Apparently some passing warrior intervened. Shame, since his dead would have liberated Vriola from this boring task of stay sitting in her library staring the Black Mirror to see the horny boy having sex with that indecent widow. Old enough to be the older sister of his mother, no doubt! Shameless!

Instead, the boy escaped. Just to decide to commit suicide like that. For no reason.

Who just runs in a narrow alley like that, in this city? For no reason, at all.

There was something off about that big she rat missing one eye. The other animals seemed to be legit sewer rats. Vriola was not sure if the rat lassie had lured the boy in the ally using some supernatural gift. Or was just being opportunistic.

Whatever the case was, the boy was history now. In a moment they would attack him from every direction. Without any weapon, combat experience, armour or reasoning skills, without even a gift, this fellow was easy meat.

For one instant Vriola considered the idea of try to scary the rats away using an Invasive Tentacles of Darkes spell. The timing was just right for it, sunsetting is the ideal moment to cast it since at that moment the spell costs practically no energy. The Dark Mage didn’t needed to do more than move three fingers.

“Why would I?”

In all honesty, she was curious about the boy now. Why did he entered that dead end?

Before Vriola could make her mind, a bottle felt from somewhere. Braking between two rats, right ahead the one-eyed lady. The Dark Mage felt the smell of oil immediately, and so did the rats.

The smaller ones where only scared, but their queen looked up with murderous fury.

Someone was holding a small torch.

_One…_said the feminine voice, coming from the person standing on one window.

_I am going to eat your fingers for that, thief !!_ screamed the one-eyes she rat, in inhuman voice. Still, clear enough.

_Two….

The rat was gone, back where she came. Most the others followed her, but a few where still licking the oil from their paws. Measuring their chances of make that kill.

Fire spread in all directions, sending the rats running in all directions. Two, less fortuned animals, as living balls of flames.

The light was too bright for a Dark Mage to sustain any vigilance, Vriola lost the connection, and found herself blind for a long few couple of minutes.

Find that fellow again latter would take some work. No use to think about this now. Public Service or not, she needed a rest.

Our hero saw the torch start falling before that ugly rat end her dissertation about gastronomic prospects.

The pile of garbage was **** in accept the seductive advances of fire, but there was enough oil burning to justify the hope of romance. Smoke was everywhere, and going thicker every second. No way to escape. There was some space between the flames and the end of the alley. Unfortunately there was also a ugly lot of flammable things around, all the way.

That lassie who lightened the torch throwed him a rope, without saying anything.

He never imagined that he could be able to climb several meters using only a rope. Surprisingly, in the heat of the moments, he figured out a way to do just that. Bruised and breathless, he managed to push himself through that window. Outside, the romance between flame and garbage was starting to flourish in a Spring of fairy tales

His rescuer said something fast, from the other side of what looked like a large warehouse. She was running away, and whether it was because of the light coming from the window. Or because of the authorities it could attract, our hero was not able to say.

In this uncertainty, he **** himself back to his feet, to follow the example of that lady. Feeling that would be rude from his part to do anything less.

She didn’t stopped, but looked back a few times. Allowing him to see where she was going. He was no climber, and some of those steps were tricky, but our hero acted on the assumption that keep up was the best chance he had. If he wanted to survive the night.

Moments later, he was standing on top of a building. Completely lost.

_ You are slow, homeless boy.

Said the girl. He tough she was speaking in English, until notice the pendant ranging between her chest advanced guards. Same kind he used to wear back in the palace, possibly.

He got a look behind her clothes. With that nice pickpocketing skill. Unfortunately it didn’t allowed him to focus the body, exactly. Only revealed a little of what was around the valuable items each person was caring. The girl had 3 hidden knives, in addition to the dagger visible on her belt. And she had all sorts of things in her pockets, and pockets everywhere too.

_You must be the ****. Everybody is talking about you!

_Thank you for save my live.

_Not going to say you are NOT a ****?

_What would be the point? I only have my word, and if that has any chance to be enough, is because it is unnecessary. Otherwise, the more I insist to claim innocence more guilty I will look like.

_Nice point. Probably right.

_You must be a very well positioned person in society, to wear a magic item like that. I was told they are expensive.

_Yes, they are! A priestess gave it to me, in exchange for a promise. If my path crossed a lost boy, about your size and complexion, any time in my live. I would do my best to help him out any kind of trouble he was facing. And back into the true faith.

_So, you are a religious person.

_I have faith. Sometimes. However, some priestesses are well know for their divinatory talents. They cannot use it for money, only to guide people “spiritually” in their devious, manipulative, way. Thing is, those devious and manipulative ways can be profitable enough in their own merit. When the person don’t mind too much being manipulated, some now and them. I can live with that deal, when the right sister is involved.

The hero’s rescuer started walking through the roofs again, this time without hurry. No one seemed to be hunting them.

In another moment she did some trick to open a locked door, and they entered some ceiling. Where she lightened an oil lamp. To reveal a sort of improvised camp, in the place.

_You cost me the night. I was planning to find some good stuff in that deposit. Merchants only bring their best items for those deposits, close to the Imperial Diamont.

_Should we not worry about that fire?

_Nah! Night is hot enough, but wet. Firefighters are diligent enough in this city, specially that close to the “heart of our nation”. I am sure the fire is controlled by now.

She offered him a bottle of wine, and started cutting a sort of dry meat pie between them.

_Are you not worried about your own safety? Being alone with a ****, in an isolated place like that?

_Is not as if I had never touched the throat of a pretty girl with the point of a knife myself, to coax her into shushing her mouth and spreading her legs. I saw that shy, teasing, waitress boy. She seems the kind that melts nicely under a little pressure. Unlike myself, boy. If you are thinking about getting inside me you must know that will take a lot more hard work.

_You are into girls, them?

_I am into take whatever pleases me, from anyone who is too weak or slow to stop me. What is the natural, holly, way of things. Like you said yourself, I am a woman of faith.

_Does not sound like the doctrine Sister Ekna advocates for.

_Now, that is an oyster a bit too expensive to me. Still, I would love to crack her open, if I could. Have you?

_Me? No! Neither I have done that with the waitress, actually.

_So, you two never…

_We did. What I am saying is that, I did not threaten the woman with a knife or anything like that. Was all, mutually consensual, that’s what I mean.

_Your loss.

The pie was really dry, and a bit undercooked. Salty too, more than would be ideal. The wine helped, it was too sweet, but the combination worked for him. After a long day fearing for his life, and without anything to eat or drink.

_What was that thing? The one-eyed monster in the street. It spoke!? Or I was hearing things?

_You were hearing things. The thing was she, speaking.

_It was a she?

_”It” is Pulha. I have know her since she was a toddler girl with golden hair and freckles, her family had a bakery south to the port. Wererats, one in three. They lost a fight for territory, and she ended alone in the streets. We walked together for a bit, but once we tried to steal from some nasty mage. Things didn’t went immensely well for us, and she lost half of her face to him. Still a hot ass in human shape, when she takes a bath. Sadly that don’t happen often. She is sliding more and more in her inner rat, killing people to eat them, even forgetting how to talk sometimes.

_Wow.

_I don’t recommend you stay here more than a day. Needless to say, this place is not mine. The owner could came back anytime, and they will kill or **** you if they catch you here. Kill most likely, slaver market has been working low prices nowadays, I doubt your ass worth the food needed to keep it alive.

_Thanks for the advice.

_Pay attention to the path I use to reach the streets. And remember to wait until darkness to try it yourself. The meat and sweets I left hidden here should be enough to sustain you until tomorrow morning. If I were you, I would wait until a little before sunrise, tomorrow. That way you get an entire day to wander around and find yourself another hiding place. Make some distance between yourself and this place, because Pullha has a very good nose and she will be seeking us for vengeance.

_Where should I go?

_Try the port. They always need new people to carry cargo in and out ships now, since the guild of Port-Workers recently managed to banish **** work in that sector. No one should be too curious about your past, and at very least you can count with earning yourself a coin every couple months, plus bed and food. Harder work than cleaning taverns, though. But should give you time to improve your conversation and think about what to do next.

She left. Without saying her name.