Snippet #2247632

Jennifer watched the dark woman making a beeline for the two foreigners and widened her eyes in protest. What was she thinking?

Fukayna frantically scratched at her notepad and held up the message written upon it, "I'll take these two outside and prepare the horses--at least so that we can make a somewhat speedier exit."

Without waiting for further consent, Fukayna dragged the bewildered forms of Fay and the young elf with her, heading in the direction of the city’s gates. Perhaps it was the smarter choice on her part seeing as Jennifer was inches away from losing her self-restraint.

Like a caged animal, the mage released a frustrated sigh before returning her attention to Torak and Talon. Upon doing so however, she noticed a third party had disrupted the duel, the beggar much to her astonishment. Appearing like a ghost, the man waltzed through the aftermath of the flash bang, seemingly unaffected by its concussive affects. Jennifer hissed a cursed and raised her arm up at him threateningly. Whatever his purpose, she wasn’t going to wait to find out.

“Is he brain-dead?! There’s no money here,” she snarled, “You with the staff! Halt!”

She didn’t have time for further contemplation for Talon’s lithe form darted ahead. The battle which followed was swift and brutal. Torak’s gauntlet wove dark patterns in the air but Talon ignored it in his headlong assault up the stairwell, opening up with his signature throwing knives. Jennifer felt like she was forgetting something important. Just an inkling which had gradually crept up into her mind over the course of the action, but she knew the notion was impossible. It must’ve been a coincidence.

“World Fracture!” Jennifer growled as she unleashed another round of reality bending magic. The mage didn’t even hesitate to attack the drifter who’d unveiled his cloak, appearing to be a young man wielding a staff and stone gauntlet. She wouldn’t risk letting anything interfere at this stage. Landing deftly before the intruder, she stood between the young man and Talon. “Too bad for you, at this stage I don’t care about your intentions,” she gave a deliciously innocent smile and proceeded to launch a boulder the size of a carriage at him.

Whilst holding back the trespasser, Jennifer kept a tentative eye on the duel between Talon and Torak behind her. Both were desperately grappling for dominance as Talon attempted to drive the pointed edge of his dagger into the Steward’s throat. Abruptly, Torak laughed and broke free of the assassin's hold. “Talon!” the mage cried, her heart leaping into her throat as she was unprepared by what she saw next. Jennifer felt an impassioned ember of bitter distress as Torak’s crystal spear impaled her cherished assassin. Where was Torak getting this power? As Talon stumbled back a few paces, winded by the impact, Jennifer rushed forwards to heal him, temporarily ignoring the beggar.

"Go," Talon commanded, retreating warily from Torak. His blue-gray eyes had lost their earlier confidence, as if stricken by something they all couldn’t see.

Jennifer was seething though, her dark gaze already affixed to the Steward as the red mist consumed her mind. Her muscles tensed like a coil as she mentally fought between her desire to heal Talon or tear the Steward limb from limb. “You always sucked at magic, let me handle this,” she said.

"We're leaving! Quickly," Talon said once more, this time with urgency. His tone brought her attention to the faint humming which now vibrated the air and one glance at Torak was enough to convince her that he was right. “Fine,” she said. Grasping his hand as they fled, she poured the rest of her attention into his wound, “I never liked this place anyway.”