Sluuph carefully shut the door of the house behind her, rubbing her eyes. She had been taught numbers as a child but cyphering was a painful process for her -- the ordered ranks of the numerals felt suffocating to her chaotic spirit. The new responsibilities her High Priestess had given her, though, required her to account for the Daughters of Xiosia treasury, and she was devoutly dedicated to her sisters. She passed through the Oldtown Gate along the Octarch's Way toward Kada-El's.
Movement on high caught her eye -- figures moving on the bridge across the Way. She squinted against the Crystalshine ... a Klyros, and a Ynnwn or Diaboli ... and was that Dannae? No, the long black hair was similar, but....
"Hello, Sluuph." Sluuph recognized her mentor's calm, low voice, but even as she began to return Qata's greeting the figures on the bridge turned. The Nolthrir was her guild sister Leicace, and the big Ynnwn was....
"
Ahriman!" She sprinted for the tower, knocking Nalri Grimtorr aside as she flung herself up the stairs and burst on the bridge, instantly casting Dazzling Light in the face of her captor, torturer, enslaver. The explosion of light dazzled all three figures, stunning them. Leicace and the Klyros priest would recover without harm, but Sluuph had no intention of giving Ahriman that chance. She hurled herself at him, her shoulder hitting him in the gut, her arms catching his legs, throwing Ahriman against the wall behind him with a crash.
Ahriman recovered quickly, his fists smashing down on Sluuph's back, driving the air from her. She staggered back as others arrive on the bridge in a tumult of voices -- Chessire's "Hey!" Mishka's wordless spitting hiss, Qata's calm question "Sluuph, do you need some help?" and Leicace screaming "Ahriman, no!" -- mingled with the sizzle and whine of spells.
Sluuph crouched, her eyes lambent, her open hands surrounded by coruscating nimbuses of Crystal energy. Ahriman shook his head with a low moan, then recognized his attacker and sneered in anger as he lunged towards Sluuph. Sluuph twisted to avoid his charge, her back against the bridge railing, and dealt two powerful blows to Ahriman's ribs, her fists impacting with actinic flashes.
On the other side of Sluuph, Mishka snarled ferally as her claws extended, the fur along her spine and bristling. "Hold! Ahriman, you little trepor! What does this mean?" cried Chessire, as Leicace stepped toward the crowd, trying in vain to protect Ahriman from the onslaught. The Klyros, whom Sluuph could now see was Esorono, appeared to have taken the worst of Sluuph's initial Dazzling Light spell, was only now beginning to move.
Ahriman staggered under Sluuph's thunderbolt blows, but shook them off, turning with a wild roundhouse that Sluuph easily ducked -- right into the uppercut that snapped her head back, hurling her against the bridge rail where she flailed for one excited heartbeat before toppling over it. Ahriman leapt after her as
Leicace fell to her knees in despair, wailing, "Please ... please stop...!"
Sluuph twisted in the air, landing in a crouch, catching her balance with one hand on the pavement while flinging an Energy Arrow at Ahriman as he fell toward her. Her shot missed him and he crashed to the pavement unharmed. He sprinted down and across the plaza, Sluuph in hot pursuit, firing more Energy Arrows.
As they passed the fountain, Ahriman suddenly turned, throwing Sluuph's aim off -- her volley of Energy Arrows blew geysers of water high onto the fountain's statue as they missed Ahriman. Ahriman threw his weight, over twice Sluuph's into a tackle. Sluuph caught his arm and dragging him around as she fell, both of them crashing to the pavement by the fountain. Sluuph wound her legs around Ahriman's, her powerful thighs pressing his knees backward; one twist would break his legs.
The others arrived only moments later. Chessire screamed, "That's enough" as she drew her swords directly into a cut at Ahriman's wrist. Mishka, arriving right beside Chessire, hissed and yowled furiously, her fangs gleaming sharp. Leicace collapsed, weeping uncontrollably.
Esorono called to Chessire, "You don't have to kill him Chess, he didn't do anything...yet."
"I'm not killing him" she snapped.
"Maiming is the same."
Ahriman writhed in pain, holding his wrist, struggling to escape Sluuph's leg-lock. "No! You don't understand...!"
Sluuph ignored Ahriman's desperate plea as she chopped the edge of her hand into Ahriman's biceps, bruising him deeply but missing the pressure point that would numb his arm. She tightened her legs, the pressure on Ahriman's knees reaching a critical level.
Chessire sheathed her blades, looking unsure. "I just hope I didn't cut his hand for nothing ... what's going on, Eso?"
Leicace leapt in a frantic attempt to restrain Sluuph. Sluuph saw only the sudden motion, and lashed out with a backfist blow that caught Leicace high on the forehead. Leicace's head jerked back with the force of Sluuph's blow and she fell but Sluuph's small hand suffered more damage than the strongest part of Leicace's skull.
Seeing his beloved fiance beaten to the ground, Ahriman swung furiously at Sluuph's leg. She spasmed from his enraged blow, allowing him to begin to twist away. Sluuph rolled with him and drove her hand down in a hammering blow on Ahriman's chest over his heart. Ahriman clutched his chest, curling into a ball. Sluuph threw her legs high, twisting on her shoulders, and brought her feet down toward Ahriman in a motion like an axe chop, but her boot heels hit only pavement as her movement was interrupted by Chessire pouncing on her.
Stunned by the sudden attack of the woman Sluuph thought was an ally, Sluuph raised her hands, instinctively trying for an arm triangle choke hold. Chessire grunted "Huh!" as Mishka shouted, "Esorono, get ready! Oh, no! The problem is not Ahriman but Sluuph!"
Leicace wailed, "Sluuph, stop! Remember your oath!" as the two Nolthir grappled, well matched in unarmed combat, each unable to gain advantage at first. Chessire greater experience and weight of armor was beginning to tell, when Sluuph cast Dazzling Light in Chessire's face at point-blank range. To her amazement, Chessire vanished from above her, her spell bursting high over the plaza, casting multicolored shadows. Ahriman, freed by Chessire's attack on Sluuph, had chosen not to flee but to throw himself flying towards Chessire with his full weight. Chessire took Ahriman's full weight on her and was knocked aside and thrown to the ground.
Leicace looked up through her dim eyes and notices Venorel, whispering "Ven, you came...." Venorel only snarled and drove her longsword into Ahriman's back. Ahriman collapsed over Chessire, bleeding from the deep wound.
Esorono stated thoughtfully, "I know you guys hate Ahriman, but he hasn't done anything since he was arrested."
Sluuph clambered to her feet, seeing the rapidly growing pool of blood under Chessire and Ahriman. She instantly slapped her hands against Ahriman, pouring Life Infusion into him, desperate to stop Venorel's apparent attempt to help Ahriman escape into the Death Realm.
Mishka shrieked, "
Leave Chessire alone!" and casting Might on herself, kicked Ahriman in the head just as Sluuph stomped on his knee.
Esorono murmured in bewilderment, "Ahriman was getting married and now they are attacking him."
Sluuph saw Ahriman near unconsciousness, unable to stop any blows, and paused, coruscating with Crystal energy, her fingertips arcing with power, watching Ahriman's limp form closely. Slowing her breathing, she cried out, "Guards!
Guards! Kidnap!"
Chessire raised her head to cry out, "Sluuph! Stop it, by the gods!"
Venorel stepped up to Ahriman and cut open his pants at his crotch. Sluuph gasped in shock and pushed Venoral back roughly, away from her captive. Chessire also exclaimed in surprise, "Ven!" Sluuph shouted again, "
Guards!"
Venorel looks at the others in disbelief. "For the love of Talad, why not?" While they were distracted by this exchange, Mishka threw herself on Ahriman's unconscious form and tore off his ear with her fangs.
Horrified, Chessire screamed, "Mishka!" pushing her friend back at the same time Sluuph turned to push her as well, the charge of energy in Sluuph's hands shocking the fenki. Mishka jumped away, hissing, and drew her longswords.
Sluuph shrieked, "Where are the Guards?!
Kidnap!" as Esorono stated "No one kidnapped anyone." Chessire grabbed Sluuph's arm "Take it easy," as Mishka hissed at Chessire, completely feral. Chessire simply gave Mishka a glance and turned her gaze from her.
Sluuph threw off Chessire's grip, and turning back and forth shouted, "Stand away, everybody! He is my captive! I will turn him over to the Guard. Back!"
Venorel glares at Sluuph in a challenge. Sluuph tensed in preparation, wondering if Venorel would try to free Ahriman. Sluuph could not trust any of the ones who had attacked her, but saw a new figure arrive on the scene.... "Glaciusor! Glaciusor!!! Help me! Bind him, please! I have to keep these people away. Bind him before he wakes up!"
Mishka sheathed her longswords, but shouted, "Glaciusor! Stay there!" as Ahriman's blood pooled on the stone beneath him. Sluuph slid a foot over to touch Ahriman, giving him another Life Infusion while watching the crowd surrounding her growing as more passers-by stepped up.
Leicace gazed unfeelingly at the ongoing scene, unable to bring herself to move. Two City Guards pushed through the crowd, glaring around them. Sluuph recognized Dahtess from earlier encounters, but the other was new to her. Later in the conversation, Dahless would address him as Fwentleigh.
They spoke together at first. "What's going on here?! Weapons away now."
Fwentleigh pointed at Venorel to reinforce the command. "You! Put those swords away, now!" as Dahtess surveyed the crowd. "Someone better start talking. Or we'll take you all in."
Sluuph was eager to begin talking. "Guard! I charge this Ynnwn with kidnap! I charge kidnap and slavery!" Leicace blinked a few times at the guards and also spoke. "This is all a ... misunderstanding...."
Venorel stared at the guards, not moving. Dahtess repeated Fwentleigh's order to her, "Weapons, now!"
Mishka suddenly began a rapid series of gagging coughs, which ended with her spitting Ahriman's ear out of her mouth to the plaza pavement.
Fwentleigh pointed at Venorel as well. "
You, Missy, better put those swords away, or you'll be spending the night in our nice little jail cells."
"Slavery and kidnapping on who?" asked Dahtless. She looked to Sluuph then to whom she was refering, "Is that Ahriman?"
"Me!" snapped Sluuph. "That is Ahriman, the kidnapper and slaver! Bind him over and try him! I charge him!"
Dahtess looked to Fwentleigh. "Let's take him in for questioning then." Fwentleigh responded, "Good idea," as Dahtess raised his staff and paralyzed Ahriman with powerful magic, adding a healing spell to stop the bleeding. Leicace reached out caress Ahriman's face as Dahtess raised his staff again and teleported Ahriman to the jail cell.
[TO BE CONTINUED]
