Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Unseen Quarters

Marne looks about the crowded room, awaiting anyone's response to his cries. Yet a silent place is all it turns out to be. Eyes gawk at the pair of them as Yuler lays against the floor and Marne cradles her from neath her shoulders. Then, one man from beyond Marne's line of sight makes his way towards the front. A coat longer than Marne's own brushes the splinter-riddled boards underfoot as the silhouette continues to approach before coming to a stop only a yard or so away. The man, whose battle-hardened eyes have set themselves on the arrow, kneels down alongside Yuler and swiftly tears the arrowhead from her flesh.

"Ah-Hak!" Cries Yuler, now feeling for the injury, eager to soothe the pain.

"Why in Numen's name would you do that!?" Marne nearly lets Yuler fall in anger before coming to his senses and covering the puncture wound, attempting to prevent further bleeding. As he does this, he looks back to the man who is now pulling back his coat. Marne's eyes widen as he sees the contents beneath it. A row of vials filled with red liquid slosh about. The man pulls one free from its brace and passes it off to Marne, who in turn gives the man an appreciative nod and swiftly pops the cork. "Thank you." He says, looking back to the man as Yuler chokes down the beverage.

The man gives a nod of his own, then offers a hand to Yuler.

"Come. On your feet."

As the bleeding stops, Marne watches the wound begin to heal over. The miraculous concoction does as it has always done in the past, and within minutes, the wound is completely gone. The pair rest at a table across from the man who guided them over. Too shaken to speak, Yuler remains quiet as the others exchange words.

"Thank you, again." Marne's rattled voice offers once more.

"Never mind thanking me." Speaks the stranger. "You're hardly out of harm's way."

Marne and Yuler give a brief glance in each other's direction as these words are spoken.

"What does that mean?" Marne looks about the establishment, where all others seem to have gone back to their usual habits in almost no time at all. Searching for even the smallest of threats.

"The Bethel is not so forgiving. You will surely be hunted until you are caught... or long gone."

"We can't leave." Yuler states whilst rubbing at her shoulder. Though the wound is but a memory, the pain still holds for some time. "We've got business here that we must tend to."

"As do we all." The man assures, lifting a wooden mug to his lips and sipping at a harsh liquid. "But that is no matter of yours."

"Well, we certainly appreciate your willingness to part with a vial," Marne begins, "but we must be going if we are to make up lost time."

As the pair begin to get up from their seats the man raises a hand to them and speaks once more.

"You're searching for your friends, are you not?"

Marne and Yuler pause in their motions, then slowly sink back into their chairs.

"How did you-"

"We're not far from where Master Parcely has settled his business. Many witnessed the goings-on."

"Wait," Marne furrows his brow as he replays the man's words in his head, "'Master' Parcely?"

The man nods and takes another sip from his mug.

"I'm sure that tells you enough about me and my roots."

"Not quite." Assures Marne, who now leans against the table. "Why is he called that?"

"Because it is... was... his rank amongst Bethel Nostrum. Truly an inspiring leader." The man lets his eyes drift to the ceiling, seemingly in remembrance of times long past. Then allows the same sunken glare he had been carrying to take hold again. "But it is truly no matter now."

"Well, we still must be going."

"Stay awhile. Let nightfall shroud your travels. Not a soul here would rat on you."

"How could we know that?" Marne wonders, now examining the frames of the many other men and women within the tavern.

"Because not a soul here desires to be caught either." The wooden mug clatters against the table as the man lets out a belch before speaking once more. But not before Yuler is given a moment to brush the stench away from her nose. "Welcome, to our little resistance. Normalcy is but a cloak we wear here to avoid gaining the attention of the guards."

"Resistance?" Yuler questions, now straightening out her back and resting against the back of her seat.

"Indeed. Surely you couldn't have thought you were the only insurgents around, hm?"

Neither Marne nor Yuler speaks on this. They simply await the man to continue.

"Hmph." Shaking his head and grinning, the man turns his neck about, audibly cracking his neck in the process. "Await nightfall here. You will be safe for the time being and can conjure up a plan in the meantime. You'll need one if you intend to reach the dungeons."

"What's in the dungeons?" Marne questions, curious about what relevance the man's answer might have.

"Your friends, of course. Hauled off mere hours ago. I'm sure the warden will be thrilled to have finally brought in a couple of rebels. May Numen show mercy on the both of them."

As the man gets up from his seat ready to leave the two to their own devices he pauses briefly in place, then turns his head back to them.

"It's good to see you again, Marne."

Puzzled, Marne watches the man step out of the tavern and vanish beyond the windows' view, where he continues to stare for several moments.

"Have you two been acquainted in the past?"

"I don't believe so." Marne blinks rapidly, now realizing that he had recognized the man's voice, but could not quite place it. "But... perhaps I am wrong."

*****

As night falls over the city, the duo ventures off into the darkness, guided only by streetlights, cobbled sidewalks, and what moonlight reflects off The Bethel's towers. Using this guidance, they continue to close the distance between themselves and the dungeons somewhere beneath their feet. Having been unable to conclude a plan earlier on, Yuler remains uncertain of what their next move will be. Marne, however, has already made his decision.

"We must keep out of sight if we are to find the entrance without being captured." Yuler reminds, locking her eyes onto each end of the street as they march on.

"Of course." Marne gulps harshly as an odd sense of shame and regret wash over him. "We should seek a higher vantage point."

"What for? We can see The Bethel from here. Should we not just continue on our way?"

"Of course, but if we can traverse the roofs overhead, then we are less likely to be seen."

Yuler, seeing the brilliance of Marne's plan, agrees immediately. The pair approach the nearest alleyway, where Marne gives Yuler a leg-up, allowing her to get atop the lowest roof first. Then, has her assist him in also reaching the shingled surface.

"Now, we continue on." Marne takes the lead, being careful not to lose his footing or miss a leap between buildings as they attempt to keep the sounds they make at a minimum and avoid the attention of the Nostrum below.

"What is the plan for when we reach The Bethel? Should we attempt to find an entrance from outside the walls, or seek out an entrance from within?"

"Fortunately, I believe the answer we seek will show itself quite nicely."

"By what means?" Yuler asks with unquenched curiosity.

"Trust that it will happen." Marne steps over another gap and takes Yuler's hand, assuring that she too makes it safely across.

With the base of The Bethel now in sight, Marne hunkers down low and Yuler does the same. The pair of them watch a posse of Nostrum pass them by three stories below. Once they are out of sight, Marne stands up right, breathes heavily, then turns to Yuler.

"I am truly sorry, but you must do this next part on your own."

"What? For what reasons?" Yuler, baffled by the idea, jabs at Marne for answers. "What is it you're planning on doing exactly?"

Marne does not answer. Instead, he offers a faint smile, then turns his back towards Yuler. Letting out a cooing sound, like that of an owl, he launches himself from the roof.

"Marne!" Yuler shouts, now standing at the edge of the building and looking down at a carriage. The horse at its front begins to panic and let out high-pitched whines as Marne bursts through the fabric roof.

"What was that?"

"Over there!"

The voices of the men who had already gone passed come from around a corner, followed by the sounds of footsteps and crackling torch fire.

"There, the carriage!"

Yuler looks from the men to where Marne had landed. Now being outside of the carriage, he watches the horse frantically run from his location and clatter the carriage wheels against stone as it rushes down the street and away from the presumed threat.

"You, stop right there!"

"It's one of the fugitives!"

Marne does not attempt to flee the men. Instead, he tosses his weapon down and raises his hands high into the air. Dropping to his knees, he lowers his head and awaits his capture. The men swiftly apprehend him and begin dragging him off towards The Bethel while Yuler watches from overhead. Her heart now pounding in her chest as she is left alone in an unfamiliar place. Rage, annoyance, and fear all build within her as she watches the back of Marne's head disappear beneath a hatch door just outside of The Bethel's gates. Something she is sure they would have overlooked, as it has been decorated to look not unlike the rest of the streets surrounding her.

With two Nostrum staying behind to guard the hidden entrance, Yuler remains tucked away behind a shabby chimney. Examining the routes in which The Bethel's men take and ensuring that she knows them well enough to plan her next move. Yet, many factors remain uncertain. Such as what lies in wait for her once she gets passed the guards. No matter what she learns about the patterns on the surface, she will be unable to prepare herself for whatever resides neath that hatch.

Feeling somewhat defeated, she locks her knees and begins searching for a way off the roof. Once she has found it, she begins following the patterns she had examined. Knowing that she must wait no more and no less than three minutes for the next patrol to pass before advancing towards the hatch. Once the time has gone by, she moves closer. Leaving only a street's length between herself and the entrance. Now, only the trickiest part remains; Getting the guards to leave their post. Yet, this turns out an easier thing than she had expected. The men become alerted to something some ways down the road, where they immediately begin their shouting once more and rush off in a westward direction. Yuler, curious as to what could have caused such a swift change in their orders, looks in the direction they have begun to run off in. To her surprise, the man they had met in the tavern stands before the Bethel Nostrum in an unintimidated manner. Once they are within reach, a blade is quickly made visible in his hand. The men immediately stop in place and Yuler's eyes widen.

"A Chokutō?

A Ryoushi!"

With his blade at his side, the man begins approaching the Nostrum, who in turn back away. After a brief moment of contemplation, one attempts to attack the stranger but is quickly disarmed and brought down by two clean slashes. With the first falling limp, the second attempts an attack of his own, but once again, the Ryoushi comes out victorious with very little effort. The stranger then stomps out the torches of the men and Yuler can see that he is looking in her direction. With a blacked-out face, he turns and points at the hatch. Then moves back into the shadows, where he remains unseen for the rest of the night.