Chapter 7: Off  to a Rocky Start

       Seth threw his drenched body onto the soft riverbank. He lay on his back for only a few seconds, choking on the silt-filled river water, before a sharp searing sensation pulsed from his leg. Jemme’s dagger was still firmly lodged in its temporary sheath. Seth sat up and, while exhaling deeply, pulled the dagger from his thigh. It was quickly followed with a wince and a quick grunt of pain.

As he tore a piece of cloth from his sash and wrapped it around the wound, Seth came to the quick realization that he was alone. Jemme was nowhere to be seen.

“Jemme?” he called. His voiced echoed off the rocks and trees near the river, which responded with the whistling of wind through leaves and water crashing on rock. “Damn.”

            Blankets of moss covering the rocks along the riverbank made Seth’s search a little more hindering than he first expected. He fell in the river at least two more times before he heard the distant sound of something wading through the water. Seth ran up ahead and turned around a large ash tree hanging over the bank to see Jemme, completely waterlogged, fall to her knees in frustration. She looked rather homely sitting there, in the mud and rocks or the bank. Her hair, normally crimson red, appeared a dark auburn and was plastered to the sides of her head with water. Her bangs hung in front of her face, obscuring anything above her nose. The tails of her scarf that once danced with the slightest movement now crossed over her shoulder in an effete heap. The rest of her clothing clung to her body, saturated with water.

            To Seth, this scene was rather amusing. At first only a chuckle rose in his throat, but was quickly stifled. However, the tension continued to build and eventually he burst out in laughter. Jemme’s head snapped up and he assumed she was glaring at him beneath her motley locks. She stood up and marched over to him, Seth struggling to regain his composure all the way.

            “The river?” Jemme screeched. “Your exit strategy was to jump in the river?”

            “Well what did you expect? It wasn’t like I could just ask the Red Guard ‘pretty please’ and they’d let us go. If I’d have known that it would bring this much amusement I’d have done it a lot sooner.” Seth started laughing again.

            Jemme, unimpressed, shook her head and placed a hand over her face. “You are such...a stupid boy!”

            “Well this stupid young man,” Seth continued, coughing as to add emphasis, “just saved your life. Again. I’m beginning to wonder if you were even able to function before I came along and started to help.”

            “I don’t need your help!” Seth was about to respond when Jemme stopped him. “Don’t say a thing unless you feel like loosing your tongue.”

            Seth rolled his eyes. “You know, if you’re going to make idle threats you might want a weapon in which to threaten with first.”

            Jemme reached down to pull out her dagger, instead grasping nothing but air. She looked up at Seth, who was grinning while examining her dagger. Reaching out for it, Seth pulled it away from her reach.

            “Give it back.” Jemme reached for it again. Seth took a step back and once again she grabbed the air around his face. Getting frustrated, Jemme charged at him.  She barely got a chance to blink before finding her arms pinned to her back and the cool, steel blade pressing lightly against her neck. Seth leaned over her shoulder and spoke in her ear.

            “If you want to travel with me there’s two rules that you need to follow. One: don’t try to get to know me, or think that you ever will. And two: never threaten me if you want to remain as one of the living.” With that he smiled and put the dagger in Jemme’s hands, releasing his grip. He stepped back and looked at her. All of the blood in the girl’s face had drained.

            Seth snickered, and then burst into full-fledged laughter for the second time that day. Jemme, shocked, spoke.

            “What are you laughing at?”

            “You thought that I was actually going to do it, didn’t you?” Seth could hardly keep himself from laughing enough to speak.

            “Well…yeah! You’re pretty convincing!”

            “That’s the thing about threats; you’ve gotta’ sell them to the victim.” He turned and flicked his head for Jemme to follow. “C’mon, we’d better get going.”

            He didn’t wait for her to follow, instead beginning to walk as soon as he was finished. Jemme trotted up and began walking beside him.

            “So…you were just kidding about all that rule stuff?”

            “No, I was completely serious. But if it makes you feel any better the look on your face was absolutely priceless.” Seth chuckled out loud.

Jemme stopped for a second to make a pouty face. “Ass.” Still, she couldn’t help but smile as she caught up with him.

Chapter 6: Flight from the Capitol

            Jemme was nearly knocked off her feet when Seth, instead of simply saying “hello”, grabbed her arm and began to drag her through the street. She stumbled while trying to catch her footing as he turned this way and that. In an instant she found herself propped up against an alleyway wall, gasping for air.

            “You mind telling me what the h-” She was silenced by Seth’s index finger firmly settling itself against her lips. Seconds later the guards previously trailing them ran by. After they had passed, Jemme swatted his hand away and glared. “What. The. Hell?”

            Seth chuckled. “And here I had expected a thank you.”

            “Thank you? You just dragged me halfway across the Lower Quarter!”

            “Yeah, but I did save your ass, too.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?”

            Seth laughed again. “You never cease to amuse me, girl. How often do you get out? There’s a bounty on our head. They caught me right after they found out about our little run-in with the guards in the sewers.”

            “But…I didn’t kill them. You did!”

            “True that, but you didn’t do anything to help them not get killed, either. Therefore, you’re regarded as an accomplice. Regardless, they sealed up the passageway so no one would try to escape that way again. So I tried to walk out the front door. The guards that were chasing me are the end result of that attempt. Long story short…we need to leave the city. Now.”

            A wave of panic spread through Jemme. “What? You…you’ve got to be kidding! I can’t deal with something that big! What about mom? I…I need to go down there and set things right.”

            “Good luck with that. What’s the matter? Just before I ran into you in the street there, you were craving excitement, and now…”

            Jemme looked up at him, puzzled. “What?”

            “Nothing, never mind.” Seth had the look of a young child caught in a lie, wide-eyed and astonished at what just came out of his mouth. “Regardless, talking with the Red Guard is going to get you either thrown in jail or probably killed. Our only option right now is to flee Tevias.”

            Taking a deep breath, Jemme let the panic flow out from her body through her nostrils. Her eyes now showed strong with determination. “You’re right. There’s nothing else I can do. Alright, what do you have in mind?”

            “Now that’s what I like to hear,” Seth said, smiling. “C’mon, follow me. I’ll talk you through what I had in mind…”

*          *          *          *

            Stars glistened in the cloudless Tevian sky like crystalline beads in a black tapestry. Only the sound of Seth’s footsteps and the scurrying of nearby rats echoed through the street. As he approached his destination, Seth thought to himself. If things went according to plan tonight, then he and Jemme would be nearing the nearby town of ....Ividale.... before sunrise. If everything went according to plan.

            The south gate was a small, bronze doorway that was locked shut every night. It was also the least used entryway in Tevias. Two guards lounged, half-awake, near the gate. However, as Seth approached they rose rather hastily to meet him.

            “You should be indoors at this hour, citizen. Lord Sollidor has issued a curfew.”

            “My apologies, gentlemen, but I seem to have left something rather valuable outside the gates and I must reacquire it before I return home.”

            "Sorry, the gate’s locked.”

            “Are you certain?” Seth crept closer as if to inspect the gate. Then, in the blink of an eye, he spun around the guard, taking his sword out of its scabbard at the guard’s waist and holding it up against his neck. “Now, you’re going to quietly put your weapons down and do exactly as I s-”

            “Seeeeeth!” Seth turned at his name to see Jemme running frantically in his direction. “We’re gonna’ have company!”

            Not letting go of the guard, Seth turned to Jemme, who now had her hands on her knees trying to steady her breathing. “What?!”

            “I got the key – no sweat – but someone must have seen me on my way here. Before I knew it I had the Red Guard breathing down my neck as I ran here.”

            Seth saw that she wasn’t kidding. Torchlight danced off the shuffling sets of red armor headed towards them. He quickly incapacitated the two guards and pulled their unconscious bodies to the side. As the guards approached, Seth drew Soulus, his greatsword, from its place on his back.

            “Well, there’s always plan B.”

            “Plan B?” Jemme turned to look at Seth with a confused stare.

            Smiling, Seth met her gaze. “Time for you to test out that dagger of yours.”

            “That’s your plan B?!?” But her voice fell on deaf ears. Seth was already charging the group of oncoming guards. He didn’t have to go very far. Immediately the fight began and the sound of colliding metal echoed throughout the street.

            As Seth hacked his way through a number of guards – slashing someone here, severing a limb there – Jemme tried to hold her own by the gate. She was physically outmatched, but she was much more agile and skilled than the rather clumsy, burdened guards. Instead of using her dagger and brute strength to overpower her foe, she simply dodged or moved out of the way of their attacks. The guard to her front swung at her shoulder and she swung to the side. Then she managed to spin around him and plant her foot firmly on the back of his head, her red hair swirling around her face like the torch fires behind her. She turned around she luckily parried two strikes from another guard’s sword before sliding her dagger across his neck. Her fighting became more fluent and almost dancelike as she refused to give any ground.

            Seth, on the other hand, began to realize that they were fighting a loosing battle. Felling the guard in front of him, he turned back to regroup with Jemme, who he noticed was also beginning to be overwhelmed. He called out to her as he ran.

“Jemme, to the walls!” Jemme nodded and made her way up the steps near the gate. Seth approached the steps and slew an oncoming guard with a slice across the torso. He ran up to Jemme and they turned back to back. More guards ran up the stairway and began to surround them.

“Seth, this is a bit more than I bargained for!”

Seth chuckled. “You should start expecting that if you’re gonna’ be around me. It tends to happen…a lot.” He moved to the right a bit, stepping into his swing and bringing Soulus down across a man’s shoulder. At the same time Jemme parried another’s sword and kicked him back into a group of guards coming up the stairs. For every man they brought down, it seemed that two more replaced him.

“It’s no use; they keep coming.” Seth grimaced as she spoke. Because he knew she was right.

“Well, we tried.”

“Tch. Don’t give up on me now! We just need to find another way out of this.” Seth yelled back to Jemme. He stopped to block a spear thrust when he noticed something he hadn’t before. The ....Sargheris.. ..River.... was running right next to the walls on which they stood. A light of hope in the dark night. Seth tore open the guard’s neck and returned next to Jemme.

“I found our exit.”

“Where?” Jemme turned to Seth as he sheathed his sword. He then grasped her arm firmly in his hand.

“Don’t let go.”

The next thing Jemme knew, she was falling. She fumbled around in midair, trying to sheathe her dagger. Seth drew her close as they neared the water, and as he did Jemme’s dagger found a temporary sheath in his leg. His grimace was silenced by the sound of rushing water and a large splash as the two plunged into the deep, murky water below. After the impact, all was quiet.

*          *          *          *

A man in red armor of slightly better quality emerged amongst the crowd of Tevian guards atop the wall. He removed his helmet and placed it at his hips. The face underneath had a thin, reddish-brown beard around the mouth and cropped, brown hair. The man leaned over the ramparts and stared at the running water below.

“Ardios.”

“Yes sir?”

“Go inform General Girez that the fugitives have escaped the city.”

As the messenger took off, another soldier approached the man. “Commander Zicah…how do we explain our losses? The general won’t believe that we lost 17 men to only two rebellious citizens.”

Zicah turned to the man. “Then blame it on the townspeople. We’ll tell him that White House supporters joined in the fray and helped them escape. That should keep him occupied while I search for them. I have a debt to settle with that damn pickpocket.”

Chapter 5: The Streets of Tevias
 

            “Well, c’ya around.” Seth waved and began walking off.

            “Wait, aren’t you going to stick around?”

            Seth turned back and gave Jemme a confused look. “Uh, no. I have no intention of being anywhere near this place when a patrol finds those bodies. And besides, I’ve got things to do. Unlike you, I didn’t get thrown in prison this morning. I’m going to lay low for a while, and I suggest you do the same. They still know that we escaped.”

            *Fine.* Jemme thought. *I don’t need him around anyway. Asshole.*

            Seth made his way through the crowd to a run down tavern in the corner of the lower bazaar. He stopped outside and flicked a street rat a couple copper pieces.

            “Hey, keep an eye on that old sewer entrance for me. If any guards start poking their heads in there, you come give me a holler.” The boy looked up and smiled, nodding his head.

            Seth found a seat at the bar and signaled the barkeep. He was given ceramic cup filled with Savisian Ale and continued to sit in silence until the barkeep returned.

            “Hey Peter, I need to leave town again, and I could use your help.”

            “Now, of all times? What about that protest that you had planned for…”

            “The protest will have to wait. I just broke myself out of prison and I need to get out of the public eye. When’s the earliest time you can do it?”

            Peter sighed. “Well, Seth, there’s a shipment heading out for Oden early tomorrow morning.”

            Seth smiled in response. “Thank you, my friend.”

            Just then the tavern door burst open, and in walked three Solidorian guards. One of them held the street rat from outside by the arm.

            “Any of you gents pay this rat?”

            The tavern remained silent. Seth just continued enjoying his drink. But his pulse was beginning to quicken. He knew how the guard treated the urchins in the lower districts.

            “Ah, well he must be a little thief then.” The guard threw the child’s arm down on a nearby table. “And you all know the punishment for stealing.”

            The guard brandished his sword and positioned it above the boy’s arm. He raised his weapon and was about to strike when Seth stood up.

            “I paid him. He’s done no harm, let him go.”

            “Oh, did you now?” The guard smiled and let the young boy go. The child ran out the door as the guard approached Seth. “Well then, you’re under arrest, if you are the man who paid that filth to keep the little sewer incident a secret.”

*          *          *          *        

            Boredom seemed to overcome Jemme now when she wandered Tevias’ streets. Ever since her little encounter with Seth a week or so, nothing seemed to have the same excitement. She couldn’t help but think back to the short time they spent together escaping from prison. The thrill of it all came as such a rush to her. So Jemme started causing trouble, purposely getting caught only to escape every time. But it wasn’t the same. Deep inside, she secretly hoped that they’d run into each other and have another incident like the last.

            Jemme hit herself for that last thought. It was stupid, childish, and highly unlikely. She hadn’t seen or heard anything of him since the last time she saw him. Besides, the guy was kind of an asshole. Still, she couldn’t help but admit that she missed the action. That’s why she used to wander the streets; something was always happening.

            It was then that Jemme remembered her mother waiting for her at home. Her health had been improving, but she still couldn’t do much for herself. Jemme started heading in that direction when a commotion near the end of the street caught her eye. People cleared the way for a young man being pursued by the city guard. Through the dust, the person looked familiar, slightly. As he got closer, Jemme smiled. It was Seth.

Chapter 4: Escape  

             The tunnel was pitch black, and it smelled something fierce. In spite of that, however, Seth knew exactly where he was going. Sure, it was a bit unpleasant, but it wasn’t like he cared. After all, it beat sitting back in the prison day after day. He’d had his fill of captivity for quite some time, and yet he kept getting thrown in some cell or prison. Such is the life of a liberator, he supposed. At last he caught a glimpse of the orange flames licking the stone wall. He took the torch from its post and handed it to Jemme.

            “Stay put. I’ll be right back.” He took off in the direction of a fork ahead in the passage.

            “Wait, where are you going?”

            “To get some things that belong to me.”

            *Great* Thought Jemme. *He takes me into some god forsaken, moldy, rat-infested tunnel, then ditches me halfway through. Seriously, what was he thinking? I mean…* her thoughts stopped as she felt something brush across her foot.

            “Eeep!” Jemme kicked her foot in disgust. “That better not have been a rat. I hate rats.”

            She looked back as she heard footsteps behind her. From one of the tunnels emerged Seth. But he had come back with a little extra baggage. As he approached her, Jemme noticed that there was a large sword sheathed on his back. He was strapping a belt around his waist, with a holster on his left side containing a small, flintlock pistol. He seemed to represent both styles of Pelaen combat, accepting the recent invention of gunpowder and firearms, yet still retaining the classical combat aspect of the sword. Based on appearance, however, it seemed that he rarely used his sidearm. He handed Jemme a belt as well.

            “Hey, this is actually mine. Where’d you get this?”

            “The passage down there leads to the confiscatory.”

            “Wow, I think everything’s still…hey, what about my dagger?”

            Seth twirled the small blade in his hand, and then tossed it back and forth, as if showing off. It had a small heart design inlaid on the blade.

            “You mean this thing? I have to wonder how well you handle it.”

            “Give it to me, or I’ll show you personally.”

            “Yeesh, touchy. Here. I was just toying you. Guess it’s pretty important to you. Whatever. I won’t ask.”

            “Thanks. Now let’s go. This tunnel’s starting to creep me out.”

            “What, afraid of the dark?”

            “No, not at all. It’s the…rats. I’m not so good with rats.”

            “Humph. Whatever.”

            Seth and Jemme continued on for a good half hour, before they came to a hole in the wall ahead of them. They crawled through to find themselves in what looked like a storage room. Jemme breathed a sigh of relief.

            “Glad that’s over.”

            “Not yet, girl. Watch the door, I’ve gotta’ move this.”

            Seth walked over to a large, round, stone door in another corner of the room.

            “If you thought the tunnel was bad, you’re gonna love the sewers.”

            “The sewers? That’s your way out?

            “Hey, look on the bright side – at least we can see.”

            “Yeah, but…hey, do you hear that?”

            “What?”

            “Seth, roll faster. I think we’re gonna have company soon.”

            “Great. Just what we need.”

            “Faster, c’mon! They’re getting closer!”

            “Look, I’m rolling as fast as I can!”

            “Hurry!”

            “Damnit girl, if you think that you can do it faster, be my guest.”

            The door to the storeroom opened just as the stone rolled away. Five soldiers entered the room.

            “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Guards, get backup, we’ve got a break!”

            “Aww hell. Jemme, run!”

            Jemme and Seth bolted through the door to the sewers, with the now ten soldiers right behind them. They weaved around corners, jumped gaps, and ran as fast as they could, but to no avail. The soldiers continued to bite at their heels. Finally, Seth spied their exit. Unfortunately, he still had the soldiers to worry about. Quickly he realized that there was only one option.

            “Jemme, do you see that small opening over there?”

            “Yeah.”

            “That’s our exit. You go on ahead, and don’t stop.”

            “What about you?”

            “I’m gonna’ deal with our ‘friends’ and buy you some time. Now go!”

            Seth stopped in the middle of a circular platform in the middle of a sewage line. Jemme ran ahead to the exit, only to find it barred shut and locked.

            “Seth, it’s locked!”

            “Well, try and pick it or something!”

            By now the soldiers had filled out around Seth and nearly encircled him. He stood close to the small bridge that led to Jemme’s position.

            “You’re outnumbered. Give up now, and we might not kill you.”

            “Ha. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

            Seth smirked, and drew his sword. It looked like an oversized longsword with some sort of runic inscription carved in the blade. It had a circular, medallion-like center with a semicircle handguard curving away from the hilt, which was wrapped tightly in bandages. The soldiers took this as a sign of opposition and charged Seth. Seth turned the sword perpendicular to the first soldier’s attack, blocking it and knocking him off balance so that Seth could slice his torso. One down. In the same movement he turned and cut through the next soldier in an upper diagonal motion. Two down. He then stopped and pivoted around to meet the attack of another soldier. Their blades collided multiple times before Seth’s blade met the attacker’s throat. Three down. Deflecting another blade, Seth grabbed the guard and used him as a human shield, allowing him an opportunity to cut down yet another soldier, as well as his unwilling armor. Five down. In a quick series of strokes he took down another three soldiers, leaving only two left. The first of these recklessly charged Seth while leaving his torso exposed. Seth drove his sword straight through him, then quickly pulled it out and decapitated the foolish soldier. The other, thinking himself smart for attacking Seth from behind, ended up impaled as Seth spun his sword around and stabbed behind him.

            “Hey Seth, I got the lock open! Let’s get out of here.”

            Jemme turned to see Seth walking towards her, wiping the blood splatter off his face. She was astonished when she saw the soldier’s corpses strewn across the sewer floor. Seth spoke and sheathed his sword as he walked past Jemme into the daylight.

            “Why the rush?”

Chapter 3: Discussions     

            When Jemme awoke, she was blinded by the ray of light shining down on her face, and her head was throbbing. Although her mind was still a bit hazy, she quickly remembered what had happened. She shot up, startled, and uncaringly knocked over a small, ceramic bowl of water at her side. It shattered when it hit the ground, snapping Jemme out of her painic. She looked down, examining the damage she’d done.
           “If you expect me to go and get another one, it ain’t gonna’ happen.”

            Jemme looked over to see the young man sitting, arms crossed, on a large stone in the opposite corner of the cell. He gazed at her from under his bangs. He shook his head, getting them out of the way. Startled yet again, Jemme backed up against the wall, but then relaxed. She remembered, however vaguely, his face.

            “What….happened?”

            “You were knocked out cold, girl. That’s what happened.”

            “That would explain the massive headache. You…you helped me, right?”

            “More or less, yeah.”

            “Why?

            “Old habits die hard, I guess. And I really had no desire to watch some brute fornicate all over my cell.”

            “What happened to that guy?”

            “He tried to shatter my skull. So I shattered his ribcage.”

            Jemme looked over at the man, still unmoved, against the chamber wall.

            “Did you…”

            “Kill him? No. But he’s gonna’ be in a whole lotta’ pain when he wakes up.”

            “My name’s Jemme, by the way.”

            “Fantastic,” the young man stated, plainly. Jemme stared him down in annoyance.

            “You know, you could at least give me yours.”

            “Seth.”

            “What?”

            “It’s my name. Seth.”

            Annoyed as she was, Jemme was a bit intrigued by this Seth. At least she had some company in the cell. Sure, he seemed like a total asshole, but he did save her after all. How bad could he really be?

            “So, how’d a girl like you get thrown in here?”

            Jemme looked aside. “Stole from a captain of the guard…what about you?”

            “Yeah, the soldiers don’t really like it when you stand up for a helpless man being beaten for fun. Sollidorian bastards.”

            “Yeah, well, they’re the reason that my mother can’t afford medication for her illness. They confiscated almost all of our possessions after…well…”

            “After what?”

            “My father…and my brother. They both fought in the war. And they fought for the White House. They both died in service, in the final battle of the war. After Tyrael Sollidor and the Red House seized the throne, my family was branded traitorous, and like I said before, nearly everything was taken from us. Not long after that did my mother develop her illness.”

            Seth could tell that he had hit a sensitive subject. He sat up and adjusted his posture, placing his arms across his legs.

            “I’m sorry to hear that. Forgive me for asking.”

            “No, it’s all right. In fact, I think that that’s the most polite thing I’ve heard come out of your mouth yet.”

            “I’m not just some dumb brute, girl. I’ve seen a lot. You’d be surprised at what you might find past my surface.”

            “Alright, than tell me.”

            “Tell you about what?”

            “About yourself. C’mon, I’ve already opened up a little!”

            “Fine, if it’ll get you to stop asking so many damn questions.”

            “Sure, whatever you say.”

            Seth leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. He stared up at the hole in the ceiling.

            “Not much to tell, really. I don’t know much about my family, only my first name, and that I was born in Tevias. I was adopted by a caring – but poor – couple when I was young. I lived with them for a number of years, and they loved me as if I was their own son. I grew quite fond of them myself. When I turned 18, I decided that I was going to search for my true family and get some answers to my past. I wandered around Pelaus for 2 years. It was then that I heard about the war. Over the years I had respected the White House quite highly, and I rushed home to join the fight. But by the time I arrived back in Tevias, the war was nearly over. Without a blood prince to lead them, the army was falling apart. And worse, I came home to find my adopted parents both been killed during the siege of the capitol. Enraged, I vowed to do whatever I could to end the Red House. They took what little I had from me, and I could never forgive them. But I knew that I would have to lay low for a while. So I stayed clear of Tevias for a few months, training myself for the time that I would return. And I did. Since then, I’ve been helping out the lower society of Tevias; the ones that the Red House preys on the most.”

            Jemme was surprised by Seth’s tale. She felt a little embarrassed for her previous thoughts. But she also realized why Seth was who he was. It seemed he’d been through a lot. She almost pitied him. Almost. Seth stood up and turned to the back wall of the cell. He began to feel around, almost like he was looking for something.

            “What are you doing?”

            “This isn’t the first time I’ve been thrown in here. Why do you think I call this my cell?” He pressed in one of the stones on the back wall. The wall slid back, then to the side, revealing a passageway.

            “Ok, seriously, what are you doing?”

            “I am going to escape. Whether you follow me or not is up to you.”

Chapter 2: The Prison

            The iron-barred doors clanked shut as Jemme’s body was thrown onto the dirt floor of the prison.

            “Enjoy your stay, little missy!” she heard the soldiers call as they walked off.

            Tevias’ prison was not like ordinary prisons; instead of having private cells for each convict, it was one large, circular chamber with a rectangular antechamber that contained a small pool of flowing fresh water. Both chambers had small, unbarred cells that a group of convicts could sit and relax in solitude. The ceiling had a number of large cracks in it, allowing sunlight and dirt to flow in from the world above, hinting towards the fact that the facility was underground.

            As Jemme stumbled into the main chamber, she viewed the assortment of other patrons doing time. She saw many Tevians, as well as Salonans and a handful of the sea-faring Alurans and the dark-skinned Lucari. And nearly every one of them was male. Jemme tried to hide herself as she moved towards what looked like an unoccupied cell, sensing the unwelcoming glares of the other patrons. As she entered the small inlet, she had no knowledge of the three other inmates headed her way.

            To Jemme’s surprise, the cell was not actually empty. There was a young man there that looked not too older than her. He had muddy brown hair and an unshaven chin. From this Jemme guessed that he’d been here for at least a week. He was clothed in a leather vest, cloth pants, and boots. A large cloth was tied around his waist and dropped down the side of his leg to his ankle. His elbows had leather guards wrapped around them. She also spotted the steel pauldron. His left hand was wrapped in bandages, with a leather wristband around his wrist. The other arm was fit through a worn leather gauntlet with a steel cover over the forearm and hand. The man also appeared to be in a deep sleep.

            It was during the time that Jemme was examining the stranger that her followers entered the cell. It was a rugged looking Tevian, along with two other Aluran grunts. He had the look of a beast in heat 
          “Hey there baby, how’s ‘bout you show me a good time?" Disgusted, Jemme retaliated harshly. “Screw off, prick!”
            “Ha! Nah, it ain’t like that, girl. See, I haven’t seen a woman in over four years.” He motioned his buddies forward, who easily overpowered Jemme and held her firmly against the wall. “Now, you’re gonna sit back and let me do this,” He crept closer and grabbed her face, “and you ain’t gonna fuss.”
            Jemme winced, wanting so bad to get away, but unable to do a thing. This couldn’t happen; she wouldn’t let it. She struggled, kicked, even screamed as the man got closer and began feeling her up, kissing her face, placing his hands along her sides, and then bringing them lower. However, before he began to do anything, he stopped. Jemme looked up, with tears nearly formed in her eyes. To her surprise, the man from the corner of the cell had gotten up and gotten the man’s attention.
            “I’m pretty sure I heard her tell you to back off.”
            “Piss off.”
            Jemme took advantage of the situation to get out of the man’s grip. “Get off of me!” she screamed as she broke free. Before she got anywhere, though, the man turned and smacked her straight in the face, knocking her out cold.
            Now the man was aggravated. “Wrong move.”
            The man swung at the younger one, but he was well out of reach, and the man stumbled and fell. The two Alurans charged him as well. The first tried to tackle the young man, but instead was met with the boy’s elbow, first to the face, and then to the chest. He fell down to his knees, gasping for air. The second Aluran swung at the same target. He dodged, and then grabbed the attacker’s arm, pulling it to the side, and then slamming his elbow onto the Aluran’s joint. A loud crack echoed throughout the prison, and then a blood-chilling scream. He fell to the ground as well, clutching his arm. But in the frenzy, the cellmate had forgotten about the main culprit.
            The man rose, slammed the boy into the cell wall, turned him around, and socked him straight in the face. By this time, a crowd had circled around the cell, and bets were being placed on who would win the brawl. The bets were made of rations, the only thing that the prisoners had of value with them.

The young man rose to his knees and hands, wiping the blood from his face. The man began to heft a large stone above the crouched figure below him. Once it was above the boy’s head, he let go. The falling stone kicked up a large cloud of dust that obscured the vision of both the combatants and the crowd around them. Suddenly, the crowd started to stir with excitement. People started yelling, screaming in anger, cheering in praise.

The dust was beginning to settle. The young man was in the middle of the dust cloud, clutching the rock just inches away from his head. He smirked, and then hurled the stone at the man’s chest, sending him flying across the chamber. Some prisoners swore they caught a glimpse of small blue flame emanating from the young man’s palms before the stone left then. The attacker slammed him into the wall.  He didn’t move after the impact.

As the young man rose, the crowd began to murmur. He turned, picked Jemme up, and headed towards the fountain in the antechamber. The crowd continued to whisper, looking back at the man’s unconscious body, and then returning their gaze to the young man and the girl in his arms. Some shot dirty looks at him. Others gave scheming glances at the girl. The young man was not unaware of this.

“Try anything, and you’ll end up like him.”

Sonnet I

.. ..

In a place where time, space, and worlds collide

Where shadows creep, and darkness is well hid

What little power have I to decide

Which one of us shall die and which shall live?

Woven are our two tales in one great web

But what if I were to take up the knife

And render myself among the cold dead

Would that protect the essence of your life?

I’d release my rage and bottle up my fear,

End myself with the highest respect

In order to save what I hold most dear

And to know that your life I did protect.

So, for your soul made of the purest light

I relinquish mine to the long, dark night.

Within my heart it burns so hot

A desire for needed change

Defend what's right; destroy what's not

There is no limit to my range

Corruption spreads like pestilence

Killing all of what's right and fair

Birthing mistrust and arrogance

Vainly claiming what isn't there

I seek them out with blade in hand

With distraught fear, their faces lit

Purging the face of this fair land

I control all that's left of it

Accomplished how can my task be

When the last evil is but me

Chapter I:

The Street Chase

            She knew that this was a bad idea from the beginning. It was too much of a risk, even for her circumstances. But it was desperation that had driven her to this point, maybe even a little anger. These thoughts raced through the mind of the seventeen-year-old, red-haired girl quickly weaving her way through the crowded bazaar in Tevias' Lower Quarter. The calls from the soldiers quickly followed.

            "Someone, stop that girl! Get out of my way, filth! Catch her!"

            Their voices were getting louder, which meant that they were getting closer. She looked back to see how close they were. She caught a couple of glimpses of their crimson armor bobbing through the crowd. On a whim, the girl ducked into a nearby alley and hid herself from sight. The soldiers stopped in front of the alley entrance.

            "Where'd the bloody whelp go? Damn pickpocket…Alright, split up. You two, head north and circle around. You, come with me. We'll head down this alley. I swear I saw her go this way."

            The girl cursed under her breath. She brushed her hair and sweat off of her face.

            "Alright, time for plan B."

She pulled out a dagger from its sheath at her hip. The alleyway was cool, shaded by the large apartments on its sides.  It was refreshing compared to the crowded streets of Tevias outside that were baking in the summer sun. The alley was different; the cool, quiet atmosphere helped her concentrate. She breathed – quietly – as she prepared herself for the approaching soldiers.

The footsteps grew closer, louder.

"I know you're in her, girley. We're not gonna' hurt you…we just want to talk. Oh, and I'd like my coin bag back, too."

The voice belonged to the closer soldier. He was also the one that issued the commands outside. The girl figured that he was captain. It would be easier to fight him one on one, without the interference of the grunt following him. So she waited until he passed. Shortly after, a second set of footsteps followed. This was her chance to strike.

The girl leapt from the shadows with perfect timing. In one stroke she had slit the soldier's neck. The captain quickly realized what had happened and drew his own blade, slicing at the girl. She dodged it, only to be met by a second strike, one that was far closer than what she felt was comfortable. He slashed again, but this time, the girl was able to counterstrike, resulting in the meeting of her foot and his face. Startled, the captain wiped the blood from his lip.

"C'mon bitch," he smirked, "Let's play."

This time, the girl struck first, slicing at his torso. He dodged and countered with ease, drawing blood from her free arm. He then continued by connecting his elbow with her gut, making the girl stumble back. It didn't take a second though for her to realize that he was too much for her to handle. Although she hated running from a duel, she figured that there was no other choice. She quickly turned and sprinted out of the alleyway. The captain stood up, obviously offended.

"Where the hell do you think you're goin'? You still have what's rightfully mine!" Still, he chuckled, for a few seconds later she was being hauled back by the two other soldiers.

The girl was struggling to get loose. "Let me go you brutes!"

The captain nodded. "It's all right, let her down." He bent down to her eye level.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have 'ere. It seems you've been giving the soldiers quite a headache, haven't you Jemme. It is Jemme, isn't it? You're the little rogue that's been picking our pockets, right? All of the soldiers have reported a girl that fits your description exactly. So, I'll be having my money back now."

Jemme spat at his feet. "Get it yourself."

The captain reached into her lower pouch and pulled out his coin bag. He caught Jemme's eyes looking at the dead soldier.