Darrik laughed wryly "No such good fortune, Toast. Thing with magic is, it's mostly like this. Evil stuff used to hide even worse evils. Rare t'find an exception t'that rule. This is one o'the few days I'm glad the battlemages exist. We'll get 'em involved as soon as possible. Let them tote all those bodies out." The dwarf examined Hyacinth and the ragpicker "We aren't goin' t'have a chance with Hyacinth. Too bloated now, and likely to burst if we try. But we can get Gladrags' chum back to his mates for whatever they call a proper send off. Here comes the fun part: I'll need you to hold the bag open. I'll take care of the less savoury bit of hauling the poor sod into it." The dwarf spat to the side "Damn me, but I'll want an hour-long bath after this, and several pints. And maybe a facefull of them spices at th'Rusty Wheel to burn away the taste and smell of this entire day. Hold steady mate, this is going t'be less than cheery".
That turned out to be the understatement of the era. About the only things the pair had in their favour was Darrik's experience in hauling carcases of varying sizes. The dwarf draped one of the canvas sacks over his shoulders and around his neck, like a scarf, to offer some protection from the joy of having to handle a sewage-drenched and savaged corpse. Darrik had Toast hold the other canvas sack open while he manhandled the head and shoulders into the opening. Then came the real bugger of the job. Knowing the gnome would be unlikely to sustain the full weight of the corpse if Darrik tried to take the least messy approach of slowly easing the body in, Darrik simply trusted to the canvas sack around his shoulders to minimise the amount of muck he'd have to clean off. It was the old knees-bent, back straight, get a hand-hold and a shoulder in, then up-and-over. As the body fell into the sack and one of his hands became free again, Darrik grabbed hold of the sack to assist Toast in handling the weight.
It was a hellish task, made all the more difficult by the poor lighting and footing, but they got it done. Then came the hard part: shuffling that little lot into the second canvas sack. It was a process which required a lot of swearing, which all working men knew aided concentration and scared the source of their frustrations into being a bit more co-operative. Eventually, the job was done, and the dwarf said as he started preparing the knots a simple rope net/haul-line to drag the sacks with "Toast, if I never have to do this again in my blimmin' life, it will be too damn soon. Let's bloody well get out of here, get cleaned up, and go hand it off to th'blimmin' battlemages. I think we've earned a break after this."
Shadows from the Sewers
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Following Darrik’s glance down to the bodies, the gnome was immensely relieved that the guard had no intention of trying to bag Hyacinth. That would have just been a horrible mess. And though he may not be able to smell it, the thought of having the body start crumbling into pieces under the pressure of their hands was enough to rattle his stomach, especially when going hand in hand with Darrik’s description of what exactly might happen if they tried to move it. No, no, he could really do without. Also, he needed to steel his nerves a little.
“You don’t say,” Toast muttered as he bent down to hold open the bag as the dwarf had asked him to do. He wasn’t envying the dwarf at that very moment. Keeping the bag steady was nothing in comparison to what he had to do, but it wasn’t quite as easy a task as he had figured it would be. The thing moved around quite a bit whenever he wanted it to not move, but they managed. It was utterly disgusting and sewage splashed everywhere, as much as Darrik tried to avoid it.
“This really isn’t an experience I’d like to repeat any time soon, you know?” Toast said as he straightened up again once they were completely done. “How many times did they already send you down here for this kind of thing? You seem very practised at this.” There had been a few bodies in the sewers from time to time, for various reasons, and it wasn’t anything that could be avoided either considering some parts of Marn, but Toast had always done his best to stay away from them so he didn’t know the first thing about body removal. Unlike his new partner. Then again, Darrik was a guard after all. They simply knew these things.
As soon as the dwarf was ready however, the gnome nodded frantically and gave Darrik a hand in heaving the thing back towards freedom and fresh air. He really wanted to get out of there quickly, because the sooner they were out, the sooner they were rid of the body. It was disconcerting to have a corpse so close to him.
“Hey, Darrik?” Toast called out hesitantly, keeping his voice low as he imagined he had heard something. They were close, so close to getting out of the sewers, they had already gotten around the last bend with the entrance they had used almost in sight, and the gnome was itching to get outside, despite the fact that he was generally quite fond of the sewers, as fond as anyone could ever be of these underground tunnels. “Did you hear that?” He couldn’t be sure, the weight of the bag was dragging on him and they were making a bit more noise than they had on their way in. But his ears had picked up something though it could well be nothing. Maybe he was just a little oversensitive because he was carrying around a dead body.
“You don’t say,” Toast muttered as he bent down to hold open the bag as the dwarf had asked him to do. He wasn’t envying the dwarf at that very moment. Keeping the bag steady was nothing in comparison to what he had to do, but it wasn’t quite as easy a task as he had figured it would be. The thing moved around quite a bit whenever he wanted it to not move, but they managed. It was utterly disgusting and sewage splashed everywhere, as much as Darrik tried to avoid it.
“This really isn’t an experience I’d like to repeat any time soon, you know?” Toast said as he straightened up again once they were completely done. “How many times did they already send you down here for this kind of thing? You seem very practised at this.” There had been a few bodies in the sewers from time to time, for various reasons, and it wasn’t anything that could be avoided either considering some parts of Marn, but Toast had always done his best to stay away from them so he didn’t know the first thing about body removal. Unlike his new partner. Then again, Darrik was a guard after all. They simply knew these things.
As soon as the dwarf was ready however, the gnome nodded frantically and gave Darrik a hand in heaving the thing back towards freedom and fresh air. He really wanted to get out of there quickly, because the sooner they were out, the sooner they were rid of the body. It was disconcerting to have a corpse so close to him.
“Hey, Darrik?” Toast called out hesitantly, keeping his voice low as he imagined he had heard something. They were close, so close to getting out of the sewers, they had already gotten around the last bend with the entrance they had used almost in sight, and the gnome was itching to get outside, despite the fact that he was generally quite fond of the sewers, as fond as anyone could ever be of these underground tunnels. “Did you hear that?” He couldn’t be sure, the weight of the bag was dragging on him and they were making a bit more noise than they had on their way in. But his ears had picked up something though it could well be nothing. Maybe he was just a little oversensitive because he was carrying around a dead body.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Darrik couldn't help but laugh "I've had to clear out about half a dozen bodies in my time so far. Most often we don't bother, but every now an' then someone kicks up the right kind of fuss with the right people, and an exception is made. And every time it's 'send in the dwarf, he knows how to haul bodies, and can fit down there better than your taller human guards'." Tying the last of the knots, the dwarf got the flotsam-sifter's sack ready for moving. "Now, I'm not saying they're wrong. Not much difference from moving a small human carcase by comparison to a large goat carcase, so long as you ignore the fact that the poor sod used to be somethin' to someone. It's good not to have an overactive imagination for jobs like this, though, I guess."
With the sack secured in a loose net of rope, Darrik used the rest of the rope to create a long handle, so the pair could drag it behind them with a couple of metres clearance behind them to minimise backwash of sewage on their legs. It was blimmin' tedious work and the dwarf was glad that, with every step taken, he was progressively getting closer to the freedom of open sky and fresh air. It was just his luck that, with the end in sight, something had to go amiss. The moment Toast spoke, the dwarf ceased movement and motioned for his partner to do the same. There it was. A wet shuffling sound, like water being quietly sloshed around with a broom. Or brooms. Darrik whispered as he unhooked his buckler and drew out his cleaver "Get ready to defend y'self Toast. That sound is too damn familiar. If things get too hairy, run." Darrik would give Toast a moment to withdraw whatever equipment he needed for defense while he whispered further advice. "Now remember, these things are vicious, and you ain't bein' paid t'fight these things, just t'help find th'bastards. Don't go getting y'self killed with misplaced heroics. I may have a duty t'risk my neck for th'good people o'Marn, but you don't."
It had been a while since circumstances had led Darrik down here to chase a single orcrat, but the incident was carved into his memories. It had approached slowly at first, then shifted to a charge in the final approach. The dwarf was of a mind to see if they could get out before the rats arrived, but circumstances were not so kind. Three large dogsized shapes could barely be made out at the end of the tunnel, where it curved away from the Ofriyu Mar, and Darrik had a hunch that not all the sound was coming from those three. The dwarf gauged they had about half a minute at most before the damned abominations were breathing down their neck: far too long to get the sack back to the entrance. The dwarf guard whispered as he took a good look around at the section of tunnel he was standing in. It was narrow enough to give rise to certain possibilities. "Might be a silly idea, Toast, but how likely d'ye reckon you'd be able to haul that sack to the entrance if I try to hold 'em up here?"
With the sack secured in a loose net of rope, Darrik used the rest of the rope to create a long handle, so the pair could drag it behind them with a couple of metres clearance behind them to minimise backwash of sewage on their legs. It was blimmin' tedious work and the dwarf was glad that, with every step taken, he was progressively getting closer to the freedom of open sky and fresh air. It was just his luck that, with the end in sight, something had to go amiss. The moment Toast spoke, the dwarf ceased movement and motioned for his partner to do the same. There it was. A wet shuffling sound, like water being quietly sloshed around with a broom. Or brooms. Darrik whispered as he unhooked his buckler and drew out his cleaver "Get ready to defend y'self Toast. That sound is too damn familiar. If things get too hairy, run." Darrik would give Toast a moment to withdraw whatever equipment he needed for defense while he whispered further advice. "Now remember, these things are vicious, and you ain't bein' paid t'fight these things, just t'help find th'bastards. Don't go getting y'self killed with misplaced heroics. I may have a duty t'risk my neck for th'good people o'Marn, but you don't."
It had been a while since circumstances had led Darrik down here to chase a single orcrat, but the incident was carved into his memories. It had approached slowly at first, then shifted to a charge in the final approach. The dwarf was of a mind to see if they could get out before the rats arrived, but circumstances were not so kind. Three large dogsized shapes could barely be made out at the end of the tunnel, where it curved away from the Ofriyu Mar, and Darrik had a hunch that not all the sound was coming from those three. The dwarf gauged they had about half a minute at most before the damned abominations were breathing down their neck: far too long to get the sack back to the entrance. The dwarf guard whispered as he took a good look around at the section of tunnel he was standing in. It was narrow enough to give rise to certain possibilities. "Might be a silly idea, Toast, but how likely d'ye reckon you'd be able to haul that sack to the entrance if I try to hold 'em up here?"
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
When Darrik stopped and motioned for him to do the same, Toast grew nervous. His first instinct was to go hide in a niche or a nearby storeroom but they were in a more deserted area when it came to that sort of thing. In addition, there were two of them and a friggin’ body as well. There was no way they could hide, and definitely not quickly enough in case something was actually in the sewers.
For a few heartbeats however, the gnome managed to convince himself that he was just overreacting. Hearing a sound wasn’t necessarily the same as something evil approaching. It could just as well be a harmless pack of sewer rats, the annoying kind that nibbled on everything they could get their paws on, especially the things they were supposed to leave intact. Of course, that lead Toast to think about the body they had left behind, which had been too decomposed for them to take along, which in turn made him realise that the rats had most certainly been feeding on it too, which made a cold shiver run down his spine.
Shivering, Toast rid himself of the thought and followed Darrik’s example, though his instinct remained to run. If this sound was produced by what the dwarf thought, then they were going to be in trouble if they stayed. Nonetheless, he reached around to his backpack and drew out his tranquiliser gun. With his left hand he reached back as well to wheedle out one of his other gnomish devices, though he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it. The tunnel shield still needed some work and Toast would rather not test it for weakness against an enemy such as the orcrats – that was what they were facing, if Darrik’s instincts and ears were correct, which the gnome didn’t doubt.
“Looks like they found us instead,” he muttered in reply as he readied himself for whatever sight might be presenting itself all too soon. When the things actually did come into view, they were like nothing he had expected. His eyes grew large and he broke into a sweat. “Aaaaah, I don’t want to burst your bubble, Darrik, and I’m sure you could handle them,” Toast said as he already took a couple of steps backwards towards their escape, “but I don’t think you should try and fight them.”
His eyes flickered from the bag to Darrik to the terrifying beasts and back to the dwarf. “Darrik, how about we forget about the bag and run? I’ll use my devices to hold them off, but let’s go!” When the animals came thundering towards them, Toast gave up all pretence about trying to be stealth and yelled. “Let’s go, go, go, go!”
Grabbing Darrik’s arm, but without actually doing anything about it, he forgot about the tranquiliser gun, knowing that in his haste he might not even hit anything anyway. He instantly threw the device which deployed into a magical shield that cut off the animals, but he couldn’t be sure just how long it would hold. The tunnel was a little too large at this point for the shield to fill it up completely but with a bit of luck the rats were too stupid to realise there was room along the edges and they would remain stuck behind it.
For a few panic-filled seconds, Toast thought he had completely messed up - he hated working under stress and having to take quick action as it threw him completely off course. The device bounced off the wrong way off the side of the tunnel and rolled around, and with every second they lost, the closer the animals got, the closer their possible demise might come. The gnome was cramping up in fear but before he could break into a complete panic the device settled and opened the shield the way it was supposed to. “It won’t hold up for more than seconds, so we better hurry!”
For a few heartbeats however, the gnome managed to convince himself that he was just overreacting. Hearing a sound wasn’t necessarily the same as something evil approaching. It could just as well be a harmless pack of sewer rats, the annoying kind that nibbled on everything they could get their paws on, especially the things they were supposed to leave intact. Of course, that lead Toast to think about the body they had left behind, which had been too decomposed for them to take along, which in turn made him realise that the rats had most certainly been feeding on it too, which made a cold shiver run down his spine.
Shivering, Toast rid himself of the thought and followed Darrik’s example, though his instinct remained to run. If this sound was produced by what the dwarf thought, then they were going to be in trouble if they stayed. Nonetheless, he reached around to his backpack and drew out his tranquiliser gun. With his left hand he reached back as well to wheedle out one of his other gnomish devices, though he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it. The tunnel shield still needed some work and Toast would rather not test it for weakness against an enemy such as the orcrats – that was what they were facing, if Darrik’s instincts and ears were correct, which the gnome didn’t doubt.
“Looks like they found us instead,” he muttered in reply as he readied himself for whatever sight might be presenting itself all too soon. When the things actually did come into view, they were like nothing he had expected. His eyes grew large and he broke into a sweat. “Aaaaah, I don’t want to burst your bubble, Darrik, and I’m sure you could handle them,” Toast said as he already took a couple of steps backwards towards their escape, “but I don’t think you should try and fight them.”
His eyes flickered from the bag to Darrik to the terrifying beasts and back to the dwarf. “Darrik, how about we forget about the bag and run? I’ll use my devices to hold them off, but let’s go!” When the animals came thundering towards them, Toast gave up all pretence about trying to be stealth and yelled. “Let’s go, go, go, go!”
Grabbing Darrik’s arm, but without actually doing anything about it, he forgot about the tranquiliser gun, knowing that in his haste he might not even hit anything anyway. He instantly threw the device which deployed into a magical shield that cut off the animals, but he couldn’t be sure just how long it would hold. The tunnel was a little too large at this point for the shield to fill it up completely but with a bit of luck the rats were too stupid to realise there was room along the edges and they would remain stuck behind it.
For a few panic-filled seconds, Toast thought he had completely messed up - he hated working under stress and having to take quick action as it threw him completely off course. The device bounced off the wrong way off the side of the tunnel and rolled around, and with every second they lost, the closer the animals got, the closer their possible demise might come. The gnome was cramping up in fear but before he could break into a complete panic the device settled and opened the shield the way it was supposed to. “It won’t hold up for more than seconds, so we better hurry!”
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Seemed Gladrags'd have to wait to perform the funeral rites for the dead flotsam sifter. Toast was right in that there was no way either of them'd get out of this alive if they tried to haul the body along that final stretch. What Toast was being a bit too optimistic about was the likelihood of outrunning the damn things with only an extra few seconds. Changers bollocks, Darrik wasn't built for running fast at the best of times, forget about the treacherous footing of a sewer to contend with. Still, no need to disabuse the young gnome of that notion. Besides, if Darrik did his job properly, Toast'd see the sun soon enough. So Darrik gave Toast one of the few lies the dwarf had ever told in his life as the gnome tugged at his arm "Sure thing, I'll be right behind you. Now, quit jabbering and run like you've got a pack o'bloody monsters chasin' your tail, y'hear?"
Darrik would only have a few seconds to make the lie convincing, making it seem like he was following Toast in those moments while the gnome's shield device activated and hopefully slowed the orcrats up a little. The device worked as Toast had advertised, and definitely bought them a few seconds. When the younger, faster gnome turned the bend to head down the final stretch, Darrik stopped. He trusted to Toast's heart-pounding fear and the ruckus the gnome was causing in the process to carry him to the exit without realising the dwarf's deceit.
Darrik didn't have much cover to speak of, just the curvature of the bend, but he had a much better light source this time. Which, thanks to Toast, meant he could see what he was doing this time around. Not that seeing made the experience much better. The situation was grotesque. The malformed monstrosities moved awkwardly, a feral look in their orclike faces as they pawed at the temporary barrier Toast had erected. They were jointed slightly oddly, and didn't look like they'd be able to make a sharp turn in a hurry. They could put on a burst of speed in a straight line though, Darrik knew, based on past experience. Funny thing, what a bloke can pick up being a butcher. Someone takes apart enough animals, they get a feel for how th'critters are put together.
But the guard wasn't given much time to appraise the three abominations before the barrier dropped. Darrik only hoped Toast would make it to the exit in time as he lowered his stance and readied his buckler and large butcher's knife. Jamming his back foot against a damaged section of the tunnel floor, and letting the sewer wall cover his left side, Darrik braced himself. It was grim, all things considered. But he had a simple choice: stay and fight, and Toast lived; or run, and they both died. It was, for a guard, a simple choice. And Darrik wasn't inclined to show his back to any damned abomination. Being determined to stick things out didn't change one thing, though. Darrik felt bloody under-equipped with only his breastplate and gorget on, steel armour-wise, and no room to properly swing a warhammer.
Then, a moment later, there was no room left for thinking either. The barrier dropped, and the three orcrats present charged. Being a dwarf was in Darrik's favour. He presented too compact a target in his lowered stance for all three orcrats to barrel into him at once. But the abominations seemed to know that, and the two bringing up the rear slowed their charge as the orcrat in the lead launched its large body at Darrik's head.
Darrik slammed his buckler into an uppercut against the incoming creature, rocking back slightly to absorb some of the damn thing's momentum. Wet stinking fur obscured the dwarf's vision and he could feel its forelimbs scrabbling against breastplate and shoulder as it tried to bite him from around the buckler and his leather-clad arm. With a tradesman's practical efficiency, the ex-butcher stabbed the creature in the throat, wrenching sideways to sever arteries. Darrik was used to the squeals of butchered pigs, but the noise which out of the orcrat was something to fuel nightmares. If it had been just the one, Darrik could have called it a job well done, like last time.
The day wasn't inclined to give the guard any favours. The glow from the dwarf's flashtubes cast a nightmarish glow over the hideous creatures. Darrik's peripheral vision could just make out the second orcrat preparing to tear into his side. The third was slinking around the second, trying to get behind the dwarf. With the thrashing weight of one Orcrat encumbering him, the dwarf had little opportunity to free his buckler. Instead of trying, the dwarf reversed his grip on the butcher's knife and stabbed into the dying orcrat's ribcage.
The knife was lousy as a makeshift butcher's hook, but it did the job as Darrik turned his torso with a twist of his hips, using knife and buckler to heave the creature's mass in the way of the second orcrat. It gave Darrik a cushion of dying abomination between him and the other orcrats' claws, though it wasn't enough to stop the damn thing's momentum. Darrik, and his burden, were slammed against the sewer wall with a ringing crunch of steel plate on filth-slicked stone. The dwarf had never wanted to be pressed against a sewer wall, or one of those creatures for that matter, but he had to make what silver linings he could.
Using the wall to steady himself, the dwarf heaved with buckler and dagger, pushing the dying orcrat and its partner away as he got his feet balanced beneath him. The moment the dwarf had cleared himself of two, the third pounced, thudding into the dwarf's right side. Darrik felt his feet slide, as the soles of his boots failed to find purchase, and a sudden painful pressure on his right arm where the third abomination had clamped down on his forearm with its oversized orcish maw. The dwarf dropped down on his right knee to regain balance and smashed the studded boss of his buckler into the creature's nose and eyes with a tight left hook.
Like a bulldog, the damn thing refused to budge, and Darrik could see the second orcrat had freed itself of its dying brother. Swearing, Darrik angled out his thumb and jammed it into the creature's right eyesocket. Darrik levered the third orcrat with his bitten arm in the path of its packmate. With the added encouragement of his buckler hand, thumb-deep in the orcrat's bony eyesocket, Darrik managed to intercept the second charge. The jarring impact shook the butcher's knife free of his grip, but the dwarf felt the thing's grip on his arm weaken at the same time. Desperately, Darrik pushed at the creature with his buckler hand, thumb jamming deep into the screeching creature's ruined eye. A moment later his arm was free.
The second orcrat had backed up to avoid its caterwauling packmate with the ruined eye, and Darrik used the brief respite to check his right arm for breakage. It was sore as fuckery, but still functioned, which was as close to good fortune as Darrik was going to dare hope for. Still, it wasn't yet sunshine and daisies for the dwarf. Sure, he had one orcrat disabled, and one currently pawing its ruined eye. But he also had one preparing to attack, and no blimmin' idea where he'd find his butcher's knife. The cleaver wasn't cut out for this kind of fighting, but it would have to do. Drawing his cleaver, Darrik advanced on the orcrat to reduce the distance it could charge him.
Darrik had experienced one or two street bravos turn tail when the dwarf pulled out his cleaver in an alley. Damn shame the bloody orcrat couldn't choose similarly. Rather than waiting for and receiving the charge, as he had first time, Darrik stepped into it. Leading with his right foot, Darrik cross-punched with the buckler-wielding left. The impact of buckler into orcish face shuddered down the dwarf's thick arm and collapsed his punch beneath the orcrat's weight. But the orcrat's momentum had been halted, which was all Darrik had wanted, as he slammed his cleaver into the creature's face. The abomination wrenched back, but this time Darrik kept a hold of his blade. Slowly, while the two living orcrats were focused on their painful new facial injuries, Darrik began to retreat.
For now, it seemed as if the creatures were content to watch the dwarf leave, though splashes in the distance suggested the battered dwarf guard didn't have much time to make good his escape before more of them arrived. Finally making good on his earlier promise, Darrik made for the exit, where he hoped to find safety, sunlight, and an intact gnome.
Darrik would only have a few seconds to make the lie convincing, making it seem like he was following Toast in those moments while the gnome's shield device activated and hopefully slowed the orcrats up a little. The device worked as Toast had advertised, and definitely bought them a few seconds. When the younger, faster gnome turned the bend to head down the final stretch, Darrik stopped. He trusted to Toast's heart-pounding fear and the ruckus the gnome was causing in the process to carry him to the exit without realising the dwarf's deceit.
Darrik didn't have much cover to speak of, just the curvature of the bend, but he had a much better light source this time. Which, thanks to Toast, meant he could see what he was doing this time around. Not that seeing made the experience much better. The situation was grotesque. The malformed monstrosities moved awkwardly, a feral look in their orclike faces as they pawed at the temporary barrier Toast had erected. They were jointed slightly oddly, and didn't look like they'd be able to make a sharp turn in a hurry. They could put on a burst of speed in a straight line though, Darrik knew, based on past experience. Funny thing, what a bloke can pick up being a butcher. Someone takes apart enough animals, they get a feel for how th'critters are put together.
But the guard wasn't given much time to appraise the three abominations before the barrier dropped. Darrik only hoped Toast would make it to the exit in time as he lowered his stance and readied his buckler and large butcher's knife. Jamming his back foot against a damaged section of the tunnel floor, and letting the sewer wall cover his left side, Darrik braced himself. It was grim, all things considered. But he had a simple choice: stay and fight, and Toast lived; or run, and they both died. It was, for a guard, a simple choice. And Darrik wasn't inclined to show his back to any damned abomination. Being determined to stick things out didn't change one thing, though. Darrik felt bloody under-equipped with only his breastplate and gorget on, steel armour-wise, and no room to properly swing a warhammer.
Then, a moment later, there was no room left for thinking either. The barrier dropped, and the three orcrats present charged. Being a dwarf was in Darrik's favour. He presented too compact a target in his lowered stance for all three orcrats to barrel into him at once. But the abominations seemed to know that, and the two bringing up the rear slowed their charge as the orcrat in the lead launched its large body at Darrik's head.
Darrik slammed his buckler into an uppercut against the incoming creature, rocking back slightly to absorb some of the damn thing's momentum. Wet stinking fur obscured the dwarf's vision and he could feel its forelimbs scrabbling against breastplate and shoulder as it tried to bite him from around the buckler and his leather-clad arm. With a tradesman's practical efficiency, the ex-butcher stabbed the creature in the throat, wrenching sideways to sever arteries. Darrik was used to the squeals of butchered pigs, but the noise which out of the orcrat was something to fuel nightmares. If it had been just the one, Darrik could have called it a job well done, like last time.
The day wasn't inclined to give the guard any favours. The glow from the dwarf's flashtubes cast a nightmarish glow over the hideous creatures. Darrik's peripheral vision could just make out the second orcrat preparing to tear into his side. The third was slinking around the second, trying to get behind the dwarf. With the thrashing weight of one Orcrat encumbering him, the dwarf had little opportunity to free his buckler. Instead of trying, the dwarf reversed his grip on the butcher's knife and stabbed into the dying orcrat's ribcage.
The knife was lousy as a makeshift butcher's hook, but it did the job as Darrik turned his torso with a twist of his hips, using knife and buckler to heave the creature's mass in the way of the second orcrat. It gave Darrik a cushion of dying abomination between him and the other orcrats' claws, though it wasn't enough to stop the damn thing's momentum. Darrik, and his burden, were slammed against the sewer wall with a ringing crunch of steel plate on filth-slicked stone. The dwarf had never wanted to be pressed against a sewer wall, or one of those creatures for that matter, but he had to make what silver linings he could.
Using the wall to steady himself, the dwarf heaved with buckler and dagger, pushing the dying orcrat and its partner away as he got his feet balanced beneath him. The moment the dwarf had cleared himself of two, the third pounced, thudding into the dwarf's right side. Darrik felt his feet slide, as the soles of his boots failed to find purchase, and a sudden painful pressure on his right arm where the third abomination had clamped down on his forearm with its oversized orcish maw. The dwarf dropped down on his right knee to regain balance and smashed the studded boss of his buckler into the creature's nose and eyes with a tight left hook.
Like a bulldog, the damn thing refused to budge, and Darrik could see the second orcrat had freed itself of its dying brother. Swearing, Darrik angled out his thumb and jammed it into the creature's right eyesocket. Darrik levered the third orcrat with his bitten arm in the path of its packmate. With the added encouragement of his buckler hand, thumb-deep in the orcrat's bony eyesocket, Darrik managed to intercept the second charge. The jarring impact shook the butcher's knife free of his grip, but the dwarf felt the thing's grip on his arm weaken at the same time. Desperately, Darrik pushed at the creature with his buckler hand, thumb jamming deep into the screeching creature's ruined eye. A moment later his arm was free.
The second orcrat had backed up to avoid its caterwauling packmate with the ruined eye, and Darrik used the brief respite to check his right arm for breakage. It was sore as fuckery, but still functioned, which was as close to good fortune as Darrik was going to dare hope for. Still, it wasn't yet sunshine and daisies for the dwarf. Sure, he had one orcrat disabled, and one currently pawing its ruined eye. But he also had one preparing to attack, and no blimmin' idea where he'd find his butcher's knife. The cleaver wasn't cut out for this kind of fighting, but it would have to do. Drawing his cleaver, Darrik advanced on the orcrat to reduce the distance it could charge him.
Darrik had experienced one or two street bravos turn tail when the dwarf pulled out his cleaver in an alley. Damn shame the bloody orcrat couldn't choose similarly. Rather than waiting for and receiving the charge, as he had first time, Darrik stepped into it. Leading with his right foot, Darrik cross-punched with the buckler-wielding left. The impact of buckler into orcish face shuddered down the dwarf's thick arm and collapsed his punch beneath the orcrat's weight. But the orcrat's momentum had been halted, which was all Darrik had wanted, as he slammed his cleaver into the creature's face. The abomination wrenched back, but this time Darrik kept a hold of his blade. Slowly, while the two living orcrats were focused on their painful new facial injuries, Darrik began to retreat.
For now, it seemed as if the creatures were content to watch the dwarf leave, though splashes in the distance suggested the battered dwarf guard didn't have much time to make good his escape before more of them arrived. Finally making good on his earlier promise, Darrik made for the exit, where he hoped to find safety, sunlight, and an intact gnome.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Glad that Darrik accepted his suggestion, Toast nodded frantically and rushed off down the sewer tunnel, heading for the exit in a mad dash, hoping against hope that nothing else was going to happen before they reached the door, and thus the outside. He ignored the splatter of the sewer water, most of his clothing had been treated and the bits that hadn’t been, well frankly, he couldn’t care less about that right about now. So what if he got a little wet? At least he wasn’t going to notice the stench, and as long as he got out of that place, he would gladly take the smell into account as well.
“Not far now, Darrik! We’ve almost made it!” The gnome panted, but he didn’t stop, making an impossible ruckus as the water splashed and the sound of his footsteps echoed through the tunnel. It wasn’t until he had almost reached the door into safety and already reached out his arm to grab for the handle as soon as he could, when he realised that the echo seemed a little faint after all. Most importantly, the ominous sound of the orcrats was far, far behind him. Which, under normal circumstances would have been a good thing, but there was no way his device would have held up this long.
Slowing his step to a complete halt, Toast ventured a look over his shoulder to check if Darrik merely hadn’t heard him or was too out of breath to reply. Surely, he had to be imagining things. It wasn’t just him making a run for it. No, no, there were two of them. However, as soon as his eyes fell on an empty tunnel behind him, the gnome stopped dead in his tracks, his heart rate increasing even more as he started to worry over his partner. What had happened to Darrik?
Now that his running footsteps weren’t all that echoed through the tunnel anymore, the gnome could make out the sounds of what could only be a fight. “Oh no, he didn’t…!” Toast didn’t think twice. For once, acting on impulse without thinking ahead came easily to him and he didn’t even consider the fact that generally he hated rushing headlong into a situation. Today, either way, had not been a day for anything going as planned. If the gnome had learned anything that day, then that was it.
“Darrik, you idiot!” he puffed as he ran back down the way he had come. The horrible screech he heard pushed him to run faster but he was nearing the end of his endurance and no matter how much he forced himself to run faster, he couldn’t. The more he forced himself, the more panicked he became, certain that he was going to be late and that he was going to find Darrik dead in the tunnel with the orcrats rushing at him instead now that their other prey was dead.
That thought almost stopped him in his tracks, but the gnome shook his head, scolded himself a coward and kept going. The fight kept going, his ears attuned to it now as he knew what to listen for and horrible images flashed through Toast’s mind, but he ignored them all.
When the battle suddenly died down, the gnome stopped running after all. Just for one moment. He needed to be sure they weren’t going to come after him now, he needed to be sure that the dwarf was still alive, as stupid as the whole manoeuvre had been. As the guard in question suddenly appeared round the bend, Toast heaved a sigh of relief, bending down to rest his hands on his knees in a feeble attempt to catch his breath. He was shaking all over from the exertion and he desperately wanted to shout profanities at Darrik, but he didn’t have the breath for it. Instead, he merely lifted his arm and shook an angry fist in the dwarf’s direction, hoping that would get his point across well enough.
“Not far now, Darrik! We’ve almost made it!” The gnome panted, but he didn’t stop, making an impossible ruckus as the water splashed and the sound of his footsteps echoed through the tunnel. It wasn’t until he had almost reached the door into safety and already reached out his arm to grab for the handle as soon as he could, when he realised that the echo seemed a little faint after all. Most importantly, the ominous sound of the orcrats was far, far behind him. Which, under normal circumstances would have been a good thing, but there was no way his device would have held up this long.
Slowing his step to a complete halt, Toast ventured a look over his shoulder to check if Darrik merely hadn’t heard him or was too out of breath to reply. Surely, he had to be imagining things. It wasn’t just him making a run for it. No, no, there were two of them. However, as soon as his eyes fell on an empty tunnel behind him, the gnome stopped dead in his tracks, his heart rate increasing even more as he started to worry over his partner. What had happened to Darrik?
Now that his running footsteps weren’t all that echoed through the tunnel anymore, the gnome could make out the sounds of what could only be a fight. “Oh no, he didn’t…!” Toast didn’t think twice. For once, acting on impulse without thinking ahead came easily to him and he didn’t even consider the fact that generally he hated rushing headlong into a situation. Today, either way, had not been a day for anything going as planned. If the gnome had learned anything that day, then that was it.
“Darrik, you idiot!” he puffed as he ran back down the way he had come. The horrible screech he heard pushed him to run faster but he was nearing the end of his endurance and no matter how much he forced himself to run faster, he couldn’t. The more he forced himself, the more panicked he became, certain that he was going to be late and that he was going to find Darrik dead in the tunnel with the orcrats rushing at him instead now that their other prey was dead.
That thought almost stopped him in his tracks, but the gnome shook his head, scolded himself a coward and kept going. The fight kept going, his ears attuned to it now as he knew what to listen for and horrible images flashed through Toast’s mind, but he ignored them all.
When the battle suddenly died down, the gnome stopped running after all. Just for one moment. He needed to be sure they weren’t going to come after him now, he needed to be sure that the dwarf was still alive, as stupid as the whole manoeuvre had been. As the guard in question suddenly appeared round the bend, Toast heaved a sigh of relief, bending down to rest his hands on his knees in a feeble attempt to catch his breath. He was shaking all over from the exertion and he desperately wanted to shout profanities at Darrik, but he didn’t have the breath for it. Instead, he merely lifted his arm and shook an angry fist in the dwarf’s direction, hoping that would get his point across well enough.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
The last thing Darrik wanted to see was Toast still in the sewers. The dwarf had no qualms speaking his mind when he saw the gnome shake his fist "Dammit Toast, don't make me give you an order. Get the fuck out of here! There are more coming, and I've only given the first three pause. There's no guarantee they won't decide the pain can be overcome. Now bloody RUN!" Next time, Darrik promised himself, he'd not leave things to fate. If it came down to the crunch, he'd give Toast a clear damn order to get the civilian out of harm's way.
Darrik jogged down the tunnel after Toast, wincing as his battered ribs and clawed flesh complained with every step. Of all the places to get cut up, it had to be a sewer. Darrik would have no choice but to visit the hospital. Seventri was a good doctor, but Fort Omenbryn didn't quite have the facilities to properly clean him up and ensure the wounds didn't turn foul.
Fortune smiled on them at last, and they reached the surface. Darrik slammed the door to the access basement shut, and took a moment to lean against it. "Coming back was damn stupid, Toast. You weren't trained for blimmin' fighting, which is why runnin' was the intelligent choice. Did you stop to think it through? If I was dead, you'd have been dead soon after, and nobody'd have got word back to th'battlemages. And then where'd we be? Left with nobody with th'right amount of experience in th'sewers to pick up where we'd ended." Darrik took a breath of fresh air as he managed the adrenaline "You're too young to play the hero, Toast. An' I'm old enough an' have the training t'do my job without regrets. So you jus' let me be the brawn when circumstances dictate, an' keep that brain of yours out of immediate danger, y'hear?"
Darrik jogged down the tunnel after Toast, wincing as his battered ribs and clawed flesh complained with every step. Of all the places to get cut up, it had to be a sewer. Darrik would have no choice but to visit the hospital. Seventri was a good doctor, but Fort Omenbryn didn't quite have the facilities to properly clean him up and ensure the wounds didn't turn foul.
Fortune smiled on them at last, and they reached the surface. Darrik slammed the door to the access basement shut, and took a moment to lean against it. "Coming back was damn stupid, Toast. You weren't trained for blimmin' fighting, which is why runnin' was the intelligent choice. Did you stop to think it through? If I was dead, you'd have been dead soon after, and nobody'd have got word back to th'battlemages. And then where'd we be? Left with nobody with th'right amount of experience in th'sewers to pick up where we'd ended." Darrik took a breath of fresh air as he managed the adrenaline "You're too young to play the hero, Toast. An' I'm old enough an' have the training t'do my job without regrets. So you jus' let me be the brawn when circumstances dictate, an' keep that brain of yours out of immediate danger, y'hear?"
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
At first, Toast could only blink and stare at the dwarf, while still trying to gain his breath and at the same time following up on the actual order and running back the way he had just come - again. Freedom finally awaited them and the door slammed shut with a sort of final thud. At least the good thing about being so out of breath was that he couldn’t have managed to really reply to the veritable torrent of anger and accusations that came out of Darrik’s mouth.
All he could really do was look indignant and hurt, which was what he felt. He had thought they were partners, and partners looked out for one another! There was no reason to yell at him for sticking his neck out – granted in a reckless move but it had been for a good cause. Toast wanted to protest and a pout almost began to form on his face and even the fresh air did nothing to improve his suddenly horrible mood. He had meant well!
But then Darrik reminded him of their mission and of what all had been at stake, and what would have happened – or rather, not happened – if he had gotten himself killed alongside the dwarf because he had ignored an order from a guard, who was basically higher-ranking than him, and Toast hung his head in shame. He was behaving like a little spoiled child who was told by his parents that he had been selfish. And in the end, that was exactly what it was. Toast knew it. No matter how much he wanted to tell himself that he had only run back because he felt like Darrik and him were on good terms and it seemed like the right thing to be, he knew, deep down, that he had also run back in the hopes of gaining a bit of fame through the manoeuvre. Really, how epic would it have been to have the local newspapers spread a story about how a gnome had saved the life of a guard.
“I’m sorry, Darrik,” he finally said after he had regained both his breath and his composure. “I didn’t stop to think, I merely acted. I now know why I always, always think things through before acting – because if I don’t this happens.” Laughing briefly but without humour, Toast retorted: “I might be too young to play the hero, but I’m too old to behave like a reckless idiot. I really do apologise.”
For most of this, he hadn’t looked at Darrik, too ashamed of what he had done and his reaction, but those final words he spoke while looking into his eyes, so the guard could be sure he meant it, and so he could make himself believe that he wasn’t a complete moron.
“So, hospital might be a good idea, don’t you think?” Toast said, gesturing to Darrik’s general appearance.
All he could really do was look indignant and hurt, which was what he felt. He had thought they were partners, and partners looked out for one another! There was no reason to yell at him for sticking his neck out – granted in a reckless move but it had been for a good cause. Toast wanted to protest and a pout almost began to form on his face and even the fresh air did nothing to improve his suddenly horrible mood. He had meant well!
But then Darrik reminded him of their mission and of what all had been at stake, and what would have happened – or rather, not happened – if he had gotten himself killed alongside the dwarf because he had ignored an order from a guard, who was basically higher-ranking than him, and Toast hung his head in shame. He was behaving like a little spoiled child who was told by his parents that he had been selfish. And in the end, that was exactly what it was. Toast knew it. No matter how much he wanted to tell himself that he had only run back because he felt like Darrik and him were on good terms and it seemed like the right thing to be, he knew, deep down, that he had also run back in the hopes of gaining a bit of fame through the manoeuvre. Really, how epic would it have been to have the local newspapers spread a story about how a gnome had saved the life of a guard.
“I’m sorry, Darrik,” he finally said after he had regained both his breath and his composure. “I didn’t stop to think, I merely acted. I now know why I always, always think things through before acting – because if I don’t this happens.” Laughing briefly but without humour, Toast retorted: “I might be too young to play the hero, but I’m too old to behave like a reckless idiot. I really do apologise.”
For most of this, he hadn’t looked at Darrik, too ashamed of what he had done and his reaction, but those final words he spoke while looking into his eyes, so the guard could be sure he meant it, and so he could make himself believe that he wasn’t a complete moron.
“So, hospital might be a good idea, don’t you think?” Toast said, gesturing to Darrik’s general appearance.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Darrik nodded "No harm, no foul Toast. It was an act of bravery, coming back, just poorly timed or thought out. We got lucky, making this a life lesson that can be learned from. Play it safe in future, an' don't go puttin' me in the situation of havin' to explain to your family that I got you killed, eh?" The dwarf guard added with a chuckle "An' I get the feeling Pink'd never serve me a rusty wheel again either, so I've a vested interest in you not becoming rat food or worse."
On the topic of the hospital, Toast made a good point. Darrik gave himself a quick once-over, starting with the areas where he knew the orcrats had found some purchase on him. Seemed like a good chance his lower ribs were cracked, which was probably where most of the grief would come from, pain-wise. His right arm was sore where he'd been latched on to, and some of the damn thing's teeth had punctured right through the leather sleeve. His left sleeve, up by the shoulder, looked a wreck from the first orcrat's efforts. Darrik was pretty sure he was starting to feel the sting of lacerations there but it was bloody hard to tell how bad it was. There was a definite aching sensation by his left ear where claws had left their mark.
"I reckon you're right about the hospital, Toast. Seventri's a good doctor, but Fort Omenbryn doesn't quite have the facilities to properly clean me up an' stop these wounds from turnin' into a festerin' mess. Still, we will need t'make one side-trip, so I can pour a few buckets o'water over me head. There's a family o'fishermen who do me the favour of providin' me with a bucket and rag. The doctors may be used to bad smells and worse injuries, but that don't mean a bloke shouldn't make an effort to scrub up."
It wasn't a long detour, and literally involved the dwarf upending buckets of water over his head and scrubbing the worst of the filth off his leather garments, gorget, and breastplate. It helped to mitigate some of the stink, and removed most of the muck "A'right Toast. Time for me to go mess up the nice clean floors of the Hospital. I think you've earned a couple of days of research time, which is code for having a bit of a rest. But do use some o'the time to update that handy map of yours. Maybe mark down locations where sections have been previously noted as closed off or blocked up. We found one fake wall. Who knows how many false walls might be hidin' secrets behind filthy magework down there. You'll also want to let your colleagues and family know to stay out of the sewers unless well guarded, just in case."
The dwarf shook the water out of his hair and beard, somehow managing to resemble a shaggy black-haired dog as he did so "As for the rest of today, I suggest having a damn good clean y'self, and maybe go tell Pink over a pint that you an' a guard faced down three abominations in the sewers of the old district and lived t'tell the tale. I'll back you up next time I'm in. I'll probably not get the chance to come in for a meal tonight, though. I'll have t'handle the bloody paperwork for today's mess of bodies, magic, and rats." Darrik wasn't looking forward to the paperwork, because no doubt Jack'd still be in. "I suggest we meet up in two days time, unless an official summons from the higher ups comes beforehand. Sometimes they can act pretty fast when it comes t'cleaning out magic."
Darrik hoped that they'd be able to palm the entire affair off to the battlemages. Let those tainted souls handle the mess. With any luck, they'd disdain an escort and Darrik'd be free of the sewers for a few days. It was a slightly soggy and on-the-nose dwarf guard who visited the Marn Hospital that afternoon.
On the topic of the hospital, Toast made a good point. Darrik gave himself a quick once-over, starting with the areas where he knew the orcrats had found some purchase on him. Seemed like a good chance his lower ribs were cracked, which was probably where most of the grief would come from, pain-wise. His right arm was sore where he'd been latched on to, and some of the damn thing's teeth had punctured right through the leather sleeve. His left sleeve, up by the shoulder, looked a wreck from the first orcrat's efforts. Darrik was pretty sure he was starting to feel the sting of lacerations there but it was bloody hard to tell how bad it was. There was a definite aching sensation by his left ear where claws had left their mark.
"I reckon you're right about the hospital, Toast. Seventri's a good doctor, but Fort Omenbryn doesn't quite have the facilities to properly clean me up an' stop these wounds from turnin' into a festerin' mess. Still, we will need t'make one side-trip, so I can pour a few buckets o'water over me head. There's a family o'fishermen who do me the favour of providin' me with a bucket and rag. The doctors may be used to bad smells and worse injuries, but that don't mean a bloke shouldn't make an effort to scrub up."
It wasn't a long detour, and literally involved the dwarf upending buckets of water over his head and scrubbing the worst of the filth off his leather garments, gorget, and breastplate. It helped to mitigate some of the stink, and removed most of the muck "A'right Toast. Time for me to go mess up the nice clean floors of the Hospital. I think you've earned a couple of days of research time, which is code for having a bit of a rest. But do use some o'the time to update that handy map of yours. Maybe mark down locations where sections have been previously noted as closed off or blocked up. We found one fake wall. Who knows how many false walls might be hidin' secrets behind filthy magework down there. You'll also want to let your colleagues and family know to stay out of the sewers unless well guarded, just in case."
The dwarf shook the water out of his hair and beard, somehow managing to resemble a shaggy black-haired dog as he did so "As for the rest of today, I suggest having a damn good clean y'self, and maybe go tell Pink over a pint that you an' a guard faced down three abominations in the sewers of the old district and lived t'tell the tale. I'll back you up next time I'm in. I'll probably not get the chance to come in for a meal tonight, though. I'll have t'handle the bloody paperwork for today's mess of bodies, magic, and rats." Darrik wasn't looking forward to the paperwork, because no doubt Jack'd still be in. "I suggest we meet up in two days time, unless an official summons from the higher ups comes beforehand. Sometimes they can act pretty fast when it comes t'cleaning out magic."
Darrik hoped that they'd be able to palm the entire affair off to the battlemages. Let those tainted souls handle the mess. With any luck, they'd disdain an escort and Darrik'd be free of the sewers for a few days. It was a slightly soggy and on-the-nose dwarf guard who visited the Marn Hospital that afternoon.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Toast grinned at Darrik. “You might be right about Pink,” he stated, trying to ignore the feeling of heat rushing to his cheeks. Though at least he could turn this around to his advantage soon enough and tease Darrik about his wish to get cleaned up before. But just before he could speak up and actually say something about it, he stopped himself, remembering that Darrik had mentioned a son but somehow there had never been a word of the mother of the boy, so the gnome preferred not to vex Darrik on this subject in case something bad had happened.
“A bit of water can definitely do wonders when it comes to sewer stench. Or so I’ve heard,” Toast simply agreed. “It isn’t as though I could smell it myself and the last time I was able to seems like so long away. Plus, us gnomes, we get used to this so quickly…” Maybe some day he would get that damn thing to work the way it should, but for now he had other matters to attend to.
Since they were near water, Toast used the opportunity to wash his hands and his face, deciding not to bother with anything else until he got home since he wasn’t going to stop by any other place on his way there anyway. “What is it with you and wanting to get me to talk to Pink?” Toast asked with a grin on his face, though again, the heat was rushing to his cheeks again. Hell, he hadn’t thought such a bit of teasing would make him blush. It was embarrassing, really! “Maybe I’ll just do that,” he said, a slight glint in his eyes, but he was already beginning to doubt it, and knew he was most likely going to end up in bed early or working on the map. It was the map that was nagging at him more than the fact that Darrik seemed to think he needed to impress Pink.
“Let’s hope they really will act fast,” Toast replied, looking Darrik over again now that the dwarf seemed a little cleaner. There were numerours blood stains all over his clothes and the way he held himself spoke volumes about what injuries he might have carried out of this battle. But at least he had stood his ground and come out a victor – so to speak. At least he wasn’t dead.
“Alright, in two days’ time.” The gnome nodded his agreement. “I will bring an updated map and should hopefully by then have a couple reports back on the happenings down in the sewers. I will get onto that right away actually so that it’s done. Just sending out a few warnings and telling people to keep their eyes out. I’m sure when asked about, a handful of gnomes will have something worthwhile to tell. It’s just a question of finding them and filtering through those that could be related to this case. I will have it all ready before we meet! The next meal will be on me by the way. I think I owe you that much.”
Sternly rushing Darrik off to the hospital – something Toast had learned to do rather well from his mother – the gnome smiled at the dwarf before they parted ways. No matter how much Darrik had shouted at him, he couldn’t be angry at the guard for doing so. He had been completely right after all and Toast really had learned his lesson from it. Though he still didn’t understand what had made him do what he had done. Not thinking things through…
He would however make up for that slip-up and present the guard with an incredibly well-updated map. Or at least that was the plan. There were still a couple of factors that were playing into this and not all depended on Toast himself. But he was sure he could get a great deal done. The fake wall worried him and he could only hope that there weren’t too many others like this one, but he wasn’t naive enough to believe that it was the only fake wall in the sewers. The question was whether they could manage to find the others. Or how many thereof and what they would find behind them.
“A bit of water can definitely do wonders when it comes to sewer stench. Or so I’ve heard,” Toast simply agreed. “It isn’t as though I could smell it myself and the last time I was able to seems like so long away. Plus, us gnomes, we get used to this so quickly…” Maybe some day he would get that damn thing to work the way it should, but for now he had other matters to attend to.
Since they were near water, Toast used the opportunity to wash his hands and his face, deciding not to bother with anything else until he got home since he wasn’t going to stop by any other place on his way there anyway. “What is it with you and wanting to get me to talk to Pink?” Toast asked with a grin on his face, though again, the heat was rushing to his cheeks again. Hell, he hadn’t thought such a bit of teasing would make him blush. It was embarrassing, really! “Maybe I’ll just do that,” he said, a slight glint in his eyes, but he was already beginning to doubt it, and knew he was most likely going to end up in bed early or working on the map. It was the map that was nagging at him more than the fact that Darrik seemed to think he needed to impress Pink.
“Let’s hope they really will act fast,” Toast replied, looking Darrik over again now that the dwarf seemed a little cleaner. There were numerours blood stains all over his clothes and the way he held himself spoke volumes about what injuries he might have carried out of this battle. But at least he had stood his ground and come out a victor – so to speak. At least he wasn’t dead.
“Alright, in two days’ time.” The gnome nodded his agreement. “I will bring an updated map and should hopefully by then have a couple reports back on the happenings down in the sewers. I will get onto that right away actually so that it’s done. Just sending out a few warnings and telling people to keep their eyes out. I’m sure when asked about, a handful of gnomes will have something worthwhile to tell. It’s just a question of finding them and filtering through those that could be related to this case. I will have it all ready before we meet! The next meal will be on me by the way. I think I owe you that much.”
Sternly rushing Darrik off to the hospital – something Toast had learned to do rather well from his mother – the gnome smiled at the dwarf before they parted ways. No matter how much Darrik had shouted at him, he couldn’t be angry at the guard for doing so. He had been completely right after all and Toast really had learned his lesson from it. Though he still didn’t understand what had made him do what he had done. Not thinking things through…
He would however make up for that slip-up and present the guard with an incredibly well-updated map. Or at least that was the plan. There were still a couple of factors that were playing into this and not all depended on Toast himself. But he was sure he could get a great deal done. The fake wall worried him and he could only hope that there weren’t too many others like this one, but he wasn’t naive enough to believe that it was the only fake wall in the sewers. The question was whether they could manage to find the others. Or how many thereof and what they would find behind them.
Re: Shadows from the Sewers
Darrik let Toast shoo him off to the hospital. The lad did remind him a lot of what Henrik had been like before Hylde's passing. Sometimes a lad just needed a shove in the right woman's direction, and Pink seemed a good sort. Darrik decided to give the gnome one more reason to blush before he tromped off for a bit of medical attention. "Well obviously, Toast, if you two get married because of my meddling, I can expect a discount on the food there, can't I?"
With the kind of smirk known best to mischief-making fathers, Darrik took his leave. He made a second side-trip, using the servants entrance at the Friendly Firkin as per his arrangement with Fredrik, to pick up a change of clothes from his room. Then the dwarf guard made his way to Marn Hospital.
With the kind of smirk known best to mischief-making fathers, Darrik took his leave. He made a second side-trip, using the servants entrance at the Friendly Firkin as per his arrangement with Fredrik, to pick up a change of clothes from his room. Then the dwarf guard made his way to Marn Hospital.