[IRP] The Dead One Calls

[Swift_Assassin]

Don't be a hero. Don't choose a bad time to be a hero. Your family just seems to be full of heroes. Shad's starting to notice a trend. Kalin referred to him and his family as being full of heros. Satsume warned of picking a bad time to be a hero. Even Eli said not to be a hero. Perhaps they were being kind, but they didn't mean hero. Well, Kalin might have, but what they really meant was reckless. Don't be reckless. Don't choose a bad time to be reckless. A bitter smile momentarily flashed upon his face. "No promises."

Shad walked cautiously through the path, feeling quite alone despite knowing that Eli was still in ear shot. This path was not like he imagined. He had some kinda romanticized path that lead them underground into some secret entrance hidden in the depths of the castle. But that wasn't what this castle was built for. This was meant to be a garrison, not a home for some noble. There would be no need for some secret path to escape. But someone made this castle a home.

A stray arrow hit the wall against him. Eli. He looked back the archer, understanding what he meant. Something was ahead, so get ready. He looked around the bend while Eli got into position. Cover. He ran over as delicately as he could. Fortunately, his sacaen garb was much quieter than his hooded coat. No chainmail interwoven into helped. He felt much lighter running in this than before. He glanced around cover and saw...a drunk. With a hatchet. Perhaps he could get information out of him.

As he went to take another sip, Eli shot her arrow. Shad waited until he heard the bottle shatter and jumped out from cover and sprinted full speed at the man. The man was covered in wine, covering his eyes and he let his hatchet slip out of his hands. By the time he opened his eyes, he saw Shad lunging with a left hook right to the face. The force of the falling fist, and the man attached to it, knocked the brigands head into the step behind it. Shad braced his right arm against the mans collar bone and swung again. Question him. And again. Interrogate him. And again. Capture him. And again. And again. By the time Shad realized it, the man's face looked like paste and a few of Shad's knuckles were in excruciating pain. He took out his sacaen blade and slit the mans throat. He was useless to them now.

"Carl?! You out 'ere? You're late reportin' in!"
"Come on! You can drink back at the castle!"
"We got more merchandise being collected right now! You don't want to miss on any loot, do ya?!"

Shit! More are coming. Shad got back up and retreated back to the crates. He held up three fingers towards where Eli was as he got back into position. Three voices. Three more brigands, at least. Merchandise? What does that mean?


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Maisie started cowering when she heard her doorknob rattling. The door was unlocked! Where did they get a key?! She heard a bang from somewhere else in the inn, and that was when the kicked down her door. The chair broke rather easily, almost as if it was intentionally weakened in case someone did this. "Help! Someone help!" Two guys ran into her room and she tried to fight them off. "Anyone?! Please! HELP!" She tried to run to the window but a brigand grabbed her by the nape of her neck and forced her momentum face first into the wall. She was a bit woozy from that hit and as she pulled her head away, the man smashed her face against the wall again, knocking her out cold.

The man picked up Maisie and began walking out. His partner went into the room next door where Taika was drugged asleep and picked her up without any trouble. They moved the pair to the common room, waiting for the others to be collected.