Is coming. I hear footsteps drawing close. My heart is racing and thoughts are running wild. What if they ask me questions and I can't answer? What if they catch on?I can't fear now. I need to stay calm. Act tired. Don't talk. I can get through this. Just don't talk.
The door opens and before me stands another guard. Incredibly muscular and no armour on them at all. They wore shirts and the same scarves with armbands as the other guard. I freeze in anticipation.
"Hey! Clocking out now?" Oh right, snap out of it.
Wait, don't speak, just nod. The guard was much taller than me, so I have no chances of taking him head on.
"I can take over, but then you'll owe me. Also don't let Captain catch you, Murky." The second guard, who was sitting at the table in the back, spoke.
Murky? That guy's name was Murky? Seriously?
I nod and drag myself in this heavy armour across the room to the other door on the opposite end. This armour was really heavy, I had to push myself to the limit just to get one foot to step forward. Armour aside, the room was quite nice. The floor in this room was made of fine wood and polished. The lanterns' shine was reflecting off it. To the left there was a large table where the second guard was sitting with his drink. Further back was a window with a view of the town. The window was dirty so I didn't get much of a good look, but it was really bright. The first guy, who opened the door, locked it behind me. Good luck to Murky now.
I reach the other door, and place my hand on the table.
"Brother, What are you doing? That's the Captain's office?"
Huh? I look up and notice on the door letters in a weird language. They looked like squiggles to me. Does it say Captain? I almost just screwed myself over.
"Man you must be really tired." Said the first guy. Haha, yeah I must be…
I turn around and face the right side of the room where another door was, this helmet's visibility is so bad I didn't even notice it. More dragging for me… yay…
While halfway through the room, the two guys began talking again.
"He's so tired because he keeps mingling with the prisoners." The guy by the door said.
"Dim! The hell man?"
"Look Bright, he even got the armband on the wrong arm."
Huh? I did? Was it supposed to be on my left arm?
"Yeah, Murky, you should really drop that habit." Alright, so going back to the cell is ABSOLUTELY A BAD IDEA. Shit, I'm much more scared now. Must keep calm. I'm at the door anyway.
I turn the round handle, and step outside.
It was dark. I thought so, the sky really was completely pitch black. No moon, no stars, no gloom at all. Only a few lanterns were around to light up the area. Where do I go now? The town or away from it? If I go to the town, I can probably blend in and hide amongst the people. Maybe even get some information. Or back into the wilderness…
Town it is.
But I should drop the armour. I leave it right in front of the door along with the scarf and armband. Now, All I have is that guards oversized clothes. Maybe I'll keep the scarf.I don't want my pants to slide down. I tuck my newly found shirt into the oversized pants and tie it up with a scarf around the waist.
That should hold it.
Alright, all I'm keeping from the guard is his sword, scarf, and clothes. Should I also take the iron boots from the armour too? They were uncomfortable and loud. So I should probably walk barefoot, even though it hurts.
So, barefoot to town… I walk.
***
"My feet hurt!" I whined out loud. I didn't even care if anyone heard me. No, I hoped someone would hear me and show some pity. "I should've taken those boots!"
As I approached the town, I was surprised by its quietness. I was expecting loud noises and waves of people walking around, but surprisingly there were very few people. Makes sense, it is nighttime.
Right, I should stay away from public places.
What can I assess from this place?
The town had lots of dim lamp posts. One would ask what their point was, since most of the light that lit up the streets was from the very few windows of the buildings anyway. Talk of the buildings, most of them were one to two stories high, some further ahead were even three. This place looked like a medieval village you would see in history books. I heard loud laughter and yelling from buildings I presume were either taverns or bars. On the streets there were a few people walking by, but they couldn't care less about me. Kind of what I had hoped for. I am an escapee.
It was probably not in my best interest to walk around main roads, chances are still there for someone to get suspicious about me. I take my detours around the dark alleys of the town. Immediately I head to the closest one on my left.
As I walked through it a random guy in a cloak, slightly taller than I, bumped into me.
"Watch- oh, sorry old man." He continues walking.
Old man? I touch my face to remind myself of how I look. Right, I should probably shave and cut my hair. I'm going to need a mirror of sorts, but I don't see anything of the sorts around here? The only thing even remotely close was a glass shard from a broken lamp post in the middle of the alley. That'll do then. I sit over the glass shard and with both hands carefully hold the sword. I cut my beard shorter, as short as I could without cutting my face off. I cut my hair from waist to neck. There, it's much better now. I leave the hair on the floor in the alley. I get back to exploring.
These alleys were like a labyrinth, but I suppose most things are when you are new to town. I've been walking for a few minutes now, maybe more. So far I saw nothing useful, mostly just shady people making trades with each other, some acting mysterious, and some just going through alleys for a shortcut. I should probably sit down and rest. It's been a long…day. I chose to sit down against a wall in an intersecting alley. On the right and left were accesses to the main streets, and in front of me was another path further into the dark alleys. That way in case someone starts going after me I have a way to escape. The moment I sit down a loud noise from the main streets erupts.
"ATTENTION ALL CONDEMNED! WE HAVE AN ESCAPED PRISONER ON THE LOOSE! I REPEAT ESCAPED PRISONER ON THE LOOSE! THE MAN HAS LONG GRAY HAIR, BLUE EYES AND A DIRTY BEARD. HE HAS STOLEN AN ELITE'S CLOTHES, AS WELL AS HIS SCARF. FIND HIM NOW, THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER OF THE HIGH.*
The hell?! What do I do now? Will they know I am? I need to hide!
All the lights in houses lit up. People are waking up. I hear lots of complaining and shouting. They are angry, and most likely angry at me! If they catch me I can only imagine what they'll do to me. So much for blending in!
Out of the buildings people start walking out, everyone had scarves of many different colours on them that they wore in many different ways. I should have a head start. Now I'll just have to go to the darker alleys and stay away from people's line of sight.
"Hey you!"
Huh? They found me already? Towards me is walking a man in a tunic with a brown belt tied around his waist that also had a short axe on it. On his neck was a green scarf. He had a brown beard and short brown hair.
"Can you imagine them waking us up so late? It's crazy! You probably wouldn't understand, you must be another night roamer . Hey at least you got brains, checking the alleys where an escapee is most likely hiding. Don't worry old man, I can take it from here." OLD MAN?!
"What was that about night roamers? Your light loving ass couldn't take on a real struggle of hunting in the dangers of darkness." Another man came, he wore a cloak on top of basic leather clothes. He also had a green scarf that he tied around his face.
"Here comes one of 'em drama lords. What? Gonna read me another one of your speeches?"
"Yeah, one wouldn't expect a mindless bull to learn literacy."
"Maybe this bull should show your literate ass, why people don't bring pencils to the battlefields." He pulls out the axe from his belt.
"Hey brother, these night roaches giving you trouble?" Another guy approached, he looked similar to the bull guy but instead of an axe he had a club, and much darker beard and no hair.
The bull guy hit the new guy on the head. "Oh what is it?"
"Show some respect, there's an Elite here!"
"Ah right, sorry!" He bows his head down to me.
So a dark green scarf is a sign of an Elite.
"What is this convention here?" Another cloaked guy with a green scarf around his face comes. Oh god, another one?!
"I don't have time for this."
I walk away. Soon after I disappear into the darker alleys I hear them continuing their argument.
"See exactly what is expected of a literate higher up."
"You-"
Good thing I left before things got heated. And great thing I cut my hair and beard down. I don't know how things would've ended otherwise. If they were a smart bunch, they might've caught on. I followed further in the alley until I reached a courtyard. There was a table with two benches in the middle and bushes all around the place.
I heard heavy, metal footsteps approaching. Those guys again? What if they figured out the tired looking, barefoot walking guy is the escapee?! I need to hide. I jump in the bushes and soon enough another man comes. How many of them are there? It's one guy after another! Wait but this one had the same armour as the guards. He just doesn't have… a scarf. Wait, it's the guard I knocked out, Murky!
He walks up to the table and drops on the bench. He looks pitiful. Is that my doing? Nah, it's his fault for sleeping on duty. But why is he here of all places? How bad is my luck? Murky takes off his helmet, buries his face in his hands, and begins crying.
…
This is very awkward. I should go.
Slowly I sneak through the bushes into another alley.
Snap. I stepped on a twig.
Shit.
"Huh? Who's there?! Come out!" He squealed. Like I would expect.
What do I do now? I can't come out! If it was anyone else I might've. But this guy will kill me for what I did to him! And he knows I heard him cry! I still have the sword... should I? I'm killing a person... but if I don't I'll die myself. I have so much more to live for. I have a family. I got brothers to take care of. He's just a nobody. He isn't important. Actually I'm doing the world a favour in killing him, he doesn't even do his job. I'm doing what I have to. I'm doing what's right. I am... in the right. My hands are shaking. I can't have doubts. I have to steel my nerves. If I fail now, I will die. I will die. I will die. I can't die. What was it all for?
Murky is getting closer.
I'll kill him. I'll do whatever I have to. I cannot die. Not now!
"Hey! I said if anyone is in there come out now!" He unsheathes his sword. "Fine then! Have it your way!"
He starts slashing at the bushes. Leaves and twigs flinging all over the place. This is bad.If he gets close he'll cut me before I can do anything to him. It's alright. I'll be alright, I just have to… time his swings. He's slow. After each swing I get at least half a second to stab him. But most of his body is armored. It has to be the eyes. No, the visors are too small. It's a huge risk to take. Think, is there anything else?
…
the neck. Now that I see it, he doesn't have the scarf which exposes a gap in his armour. That's it! I can stab him in the neck. I just have to make it count.
He takes a step after two swings. In about three more steps he'll reach me. When he takes that final step I'll have to stab him. He'll walk right into it.
Step.
Swing-Swing.
Step.
Swing-Swing
1!
Step.
Now!
I plunge the sword straight into his throat. He tried gasping for air. The sword pierced right through. He falls down with the sword still embedded in his neck. His blood spilled everywhere. He made a few gurgling noises, but they quickly went silent. The blood pooled up and quickly got soaked into the dirt. He's dead.
I did it. I killed someone… because I had to! No, now isn't the time to waste. If they find him like this then-
My pants fall off.
Huh?
What just happened? At that moment the scarf I used to tie up my pants disappeared. Where is the scarf?Did it get untied? Maybe it fell in the bushes. I search in the bushes, but to no avail. No, nothing there. What? I proceed to hold the pants with one of my hands for now. I need to find something else to tie them with. Did Murky have anything on him? I searched for his just deceased body.
"Why hello there." A voice towering over me said.
Huh?