[MKGuild] "An Unlikely Story" Part 3

[a_lil_dudeinpr2 at hotmail.com]

And part 3:

__________________________________________________________________________

An Unlikely Story
Part 3
By Lurking Wolf

March the 11th, in the year 695, Cristos Reckoning

    Vincent Lois was having a bad time.  Ever since he had arrived in this =
small town, things had gone from bad to worse.  =


    Not only had the man he had been hired to assassinate entered the room =
just a few moments too early, but he had brought about fifteen soldiers wit=
h him.  Lois was fuming!  Someone had tipped him off, and when he found out=
 who it had been, he would make him pay=85  No one crossed Lois and lived t=
o tell the tale!

    Vincent was now in a small prison cell, left to fume over his situation=
.  He couldn=92t have invented a more convoluted mess to get into had he be=
en trying!  This was just too much!  Resting his head against the back of t=
he cell, Vincent tried to clear his mind, but only succeeded in making hims=
elf more distracted.  How he wanted to get the person who had pulled this o=
n him!  With people like this around, an honest assassin would have to be m=
uch more careful than he had any desire to be!

    Vincent had been so distracted for the last few days that he had even f=
ailed to come up with a viable escape plan.  He knew that it would come to =
him when it was needed, but it was always better to have one in mind.  So m=
any things could go wrong with an impromptu escape attempt.  Yet, try as he=
 might, he could think of nothing, not through the cloud that frustration p=
ut on his mind.  He was a little late anyway.  The =91trial,=92 so called, =
would be held in only a few hours.  Or was it a few minutes now?  Either wa=
y=85  It was so hard to tell in the dungeon, as there was no light with whi=
ch to differentiate night from day.  He thought absently of playing dead, b=
ut he doubted that the guards would be so easily fooled.  Besides, to fake =
dead would mean a lot of work if he was to do it right, and with the way th=
ings had gone lately, he didn=92t feel very confident in his chance of succ=
ess.

    A sudden sound outside the cell brought Lois to a few minutes later.  O=
r was it hours?  Once more he shook his head.  There was little profit in t=
rying to figure out which was correct, as he was destined for failure from =
the start.  As the door opened, though, Lois realized that he had little ti=
me for any thought.  His trial was going to begin sooner than he had origin=
ally hoped.

    As a trio of guards led him through the corridors that made up the dung=
eon, Lois kept his eyes firmly planted on the ground.  He had little idea w=
hat he would do.  This whole mess was driving him crazy! =


    Crazy=85

    That was it!  Lois felt a sudden thrill, but didn=92t show it, instead =
harnessing his body, all of its movements, all of the expressions and nuanc=
es with which he had familiarized himself over the years, and made sure tha=
t everything about his bearing was correct for the part he was about to pla=
y.  This would be no simple task, but he knew that it could be done.  For o=
ne with his training this was possible, but not without danger.  In fact, h=
e doubted that he could have conceived a harder escape attempt had he been =
thinking of one to suggest to a mortal enemy.  Still, his talents fit the b=
ill completely.  He could do this, but he needed to be able to control hims=
elf.

    For the next ten minutes, as the guards navigated the cramped halls tha=
t led upward towards the world outside the dungeons, Vincent set about maki=
ng sure that he had every detail planned, every eventuality accounted for, =
every line ready to be rehearsed.  No one would be able to predict his acti=
ons in the trial, even if they had known him for years.  There were certain=
 things that a man keeps to himself, and it was these that made him all the=
 more determined in his attempt.  Today, he would make the strangest escape=
 that the Midlands had ever seen!

    The guards at first didn=92t notice their charge was doing anything, bu=
t when they finally had enough light to see him, they noticed the strange d=
istance behind those eyes=85  Where was the mind of this man, who some said=
 was a great assassin?  He didn=92t look like much.  In fact, he looked as =
though he had never seen a weapon in his life.  He constantly glanced over =
his shoulder, those eyes staring beyond the guard in the rear, as if search=
ing for something=85  But what was it?

    The guards finally decided that he was looking for an escape, and so ma=
de sure not to give him one.  However, the closer they came, the more earne=
st the glances became, and the wider his eyes grew.  What strange torment w=
as filling this man=92s mind?  Was he utterly mad?

    They finally arrived at the court.  Though they called what was to come=
 a trial, they really had no intention of reaching a decision here.  They h=
ad already decided what they would do in committee several hours before.  N=
oticeably absent in the room was any defense for the accused.  Only the def=
endant would stand before the lord of the city, who would oversee the trial=
 which was but a mere ritual, intended to make the city appear as though it=
 was keeping up with the new developments in legal systems elsewhere in the=
 Midlands.  =


    As the nervous man arrived, those who would soon bring the case against=
 him latched onto him with glares that were as cold as ice.  This man was t=
o get what he deserved now: a cruel and painful death.  Besides these, the =
only ones present in the room were about twenty guards stationed at differe=
nt posts throughout the room and a few of the city=92s officials.  The lord=
 of the city was a great, fat man, with an insatiable appetite for anything=
 that could be termed through any stretch of the word edible.

    Lois was moved up to a small booth where he was to spend the rest of th=
e proceedings.  As he came to a stop in the booth he was left in it alone, =
with the guards moving to watch the doors and two new guards who flanked th=
e booth watching him, the lord stood and, without any ceremony whatsoever, =
began what he thought would be another routine conviction.  He had much bet=
ter things to do, and he still had five more men to proclaim guilty before =
dinner.  Such was the life of nobility=85

    He rushed straight through the proceedings, at times having to be remin=
ded of small matters that he accidentally overlooked, and soon had gotten a=
s much testimony as he could bear out of the accusers.  So he turned to Loi=
s, ready to begin the last part of the trial.

    =93You have heard the case that these men present against you,=94 he dr=
awled, boredom obvious throughout his body language.  =93Do you have anythi=
ng to say in your own defense?=94  The fat lord dabbed at the sweat on his =
brow with an expensive handkerchief. This life was too stressful for one of=
 his age=85

    Vincent gave another wide-eyed glance over his shoulder, then started h=
is plan.  =93Sir, I have only one thing to say,=94 Lois said slowly, with s=
everal glances to the empty rear of the room.  As he opened his mouth to sp=
eak again, however, he was interrupted.

    =93GUILTY!!!!!=94 screamed a new voice.  This voice was loud, urgent, a=
nd full of a strange passion.  It came from an empty corner of the room.  L=
ois stared at the corner, mouth open and eyes full of terror.

    =93GUILTY!!!!!=94 came another voice, this one from another corner.  It=
 was deep and malicious, with promises of death carried in every tone.  Loi=
s whirled around, grasping the railing around the booth as he tried to get =
as far away from the voice as possible.

    =93No!  You kept me locked up!  You helped them find me!=94 Lois cried,=
 fingers clawing at the railing as if he was in great pain.

    =93Who are you?=94 the lord asked of the corner from which the last voi=
ce had issued.  His eyes were as large as dinner plates, and he was pressin=
g himself back into the heavily-stuffed chair in which he sat.  The guards =
who stood around him closed, determined that nothing would harm their liege.

    =93We are Death=85=94 started the first voice.

    =93And Destruction,=94 finished the other, now coming from directly abo=
ve the lord=92s chair.

    =93NO!  Don=92t let them take me!  I beg of you!  It is more than a mor=
tal can=85  AAAUGHHH!=94  With this sudden exclamation, Lois was on the gro=
und, wailing and writhing around as if in agony.  =93Help!  They have=85  T=
hey have me!  Don=92t let them=85  AAAHHHH!=94

    Lois was against the rails that surrounded the booth, clawing at them a=
s if driven mad by some horrific pain.  He continued to babble, everything =
ending in a shout or scream which further compounded on the puzzlement of t=
he onlookers.  What was going on?  There was no visible sign of the attacke=
rs, but the fear of the voices that had spoken earlier kept any around from=
 trying to assist the man.
  =

    Suddenly, Lois stopped moving with a horrific scream.  He had worked hi=
s way up the rails and now was draped over them, with his face staring blan=
kly at the ceiling.  He lay there for a few moments before anyone dared app=
roach him.  As they moved, however, the disembodied voices once more were h=
eard in the room.

    =93He is guilty, guilty!=94 the deep voice sounded.  Oddly, the voice d=
idn=92t stay in one place, but varied in its position as it spoke.  The fin=
al word was echoed from opposite side of the room.

    =93His heart is black!  Kill him!=94 the other came.  Lois=92s limp bod=
y twisted horribly at the words, dropping him to his knees in the booth.

    =93No!  It wasn=92t me!=94 Lois cried in his defense, suddenly reanimat=
ed.  Hr turned to face the lord of the city, eyes pleading for mercy.  =93T=
hey made me do it!  They seek only destruction!  You must stop them before =
they kill us all!=94 =


    =93=94No, no, no!=94 the high voice intoned.  =93It was him!  Kill him!=
  Hang him!  Draw and quarter him!=94

    =93No!  They made me=85 YAH!=94  Lois=92s body gave a sudden spasm, and=
 he once more rolled around the floor, crying out in agony.  The guards rea=
cted quickly this time, one of them drawing his sword as he watched the wri=
thing figure in the booth.  Lois stood now, but still seemed to be struggli=
ng with something, now seemingly unable to breath.

    The lord=92s face was chalk white, and he wasted no time in giving the =
order.  =93Kill him!  Kill him now!=94

    The guard nearest the struggling man raised his sword and struck at the=
 man.  Suddenly, however, Vincent was in complete control.  Spinning away f=
rom the attack, he slapped the blade aside with a deftly aimed strike to th=
e flat of the blade, then jumped on the man, giving a strange, high-pitched=
 scream as he fell over the railing on top of the guard.

    Lois=92s eyes were frantic, staring at the man who was under him.  =93N=
o, you may not kill him!  He is ours, ours!=94  The voice was identical to =
the first of the disembodied voices that had been heard earlier, but it cam=
e from the mouth of Lois himself.  =93You will not kill him now, he will ki=
ll you!=94  With this the man took the guard by the hair and slammed his he=
ad against the floor with such force that it knocked him senseless.  Drawin=
g the dagger that the man carried as a sidearm, Lois turned towards another=
 one of the guards.  Giving a horrific cry in the voice that was not his ow=
n, Vincent launched himself onto his terrified opponent.

    =93Guards!=94 the lord cried out in a panicked voice.  The soldiers spr=
ang to action, heading towards where Lois and their compatriot were locked =
in close combat.  They were stopped, however, by another call from their su=
perior.  =93No, not to him, to me!  To me!=94

    The men looked for a moment to their superior, then reluctantly moved t=
owards their master in silence, weapons drawn and pointed at the possessed =
assassin.  Truly, Lois fought like a madman, using all of his skill in comb=
ination with raw rage and giving off several shouts that made everyone who =
was fool enough to remain in the room that he was truly not in his right mi=
nd.  Many of the small group that had been observing the proceedings had al=
ready fled, and the rest were gathered in terrified huddles in different pa=
rts of the room.

    Lois finished his battle with the guard, leaving his limp form against =
the side of the booth that he had occupied minutes before.  He was breathin=
g heavily, trying to regain his breath so that he could continue his ruse. =
 It was working quite well at the current moment.

    =93Who wishes to meet Death face to face?=94 the high voice cried from =
Lois=91s mouth, its tone carrying even more malice than the message it conv=
eyed.

    =93And who wishes to see what true Destruction looks like?=94 came the =
deeper one.  Once more, it was coming from an empty part of the room.  Howe=
ver, as some of the people turned to look towards the source of the voice, =
they were caught off guard by a sudden rush from Vincent.  He was making fo=
r the door with all speed.  Unseen by the other occupants of the room until=
 this point, the door had been left ajar by some of the terror-stricken peo=
ple who earlier had fled the scene.  None were close enough to do anything =
about Lois=92s escape, and he soon had disappeared through the doorway.

    =93Go!  After him!=94 the lord cried.  Then, as the entire group of sol=
diers took off, he cried out again.  =93No, not all of you!=94 he insisted =
with a panicked voice.  Only a few stayed, however, most of the rest having=
 already left to search for the escaped convict.

    For a good amount of time the men searched, but every time one would se=
e the man, Lois would give a chilling scream, then disappear, only to be fo=
und and lost a few minutes later.  Finally, they stopped encountering him a=
ltogether.  No one could quite figure out how he had escaped, but he was go=
ne, with no sign left anywhere.  Lois=92s escape was complete.  It was seve=
ral hours later when they found that he had recovered his equipment, as wel=
l as his money, and left town right under the noses of everyone.

        *            *        *            *        =


    Lois laughed quietly to himself as he lay lounged on a bed of hay on th=
e back of a farmer=92s cart.  He had pulled it off perfectly.  He knew that=
 as soon as everything had calmed down, the people that he had fooled would=
 come to realize what he had done to them.  He absently wished that he coul=
d be there to see their reactions when they did.  His thoughts turned, thou=
gh, to what lay before him.  It would soon be night, and when night fell, h=
e would make an easy exit into the countryside.  He had every intention of =
returning to that small city, but when he did, it would be under a differen=
t name, and quite a few years in the future.

    And so Lois had earned one more escape to his record.  It would not rec=
eive recognition as the strangest escape in Midlands history, though, as al=
l those involved in it refused to tell anyone else about what had happened =
once they finally did understand fully what had happened.  Lois couldn=92t =
have been less concerned.  It was in his best interests as it was.  He idly=
 wondered if his insurance had been successful=85

        *            *        *            *        =


    The merchant was fuming!  How had that assassin slipped their grasps?  =
He had heard that he had gotten all the way to the trial, and yet he had so=
mehow gotten away, and he had taken the money with him!

    On top of this, he had caused a good amount of damage to his property. =
 He hadn=92t expected Shade to light his personal library.  Now he would ha=
ve to buy replacements for several extremely rare volumes.  That would set =
him back even farther, and he still had the unwanted competition.

    In a huff, he sat down to work out how much it would cost him.  He stoo=
d again quickly as he felt a prick, he looked at the seat, expecting to see=
 a splinter, probably caused by that no-good assassin.  What he saw had def=
initely been caused by Shade, but it wasn=92t as trivial as the merchant ha=
d expected.  What he saw was the light glinting off the tip of a dart that =
had been planted there almost a week before.


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