The sun had begun its decent and the afternoon breeze had subsided. Flies began to buzz lower towards the hands and the air had lost the hot and stinging dryness on the back of the throat. It would be rain tonight for sure, though there was not a cloud to be seen yet.
Two figures, hooded and cloaked, stood upon the upper balcony of a neighboring residence. One leaned casually against the supporting beam of the overhang while the other rested arms along the railing and peered over the edge. They were both focused on the adjacent row of buildings, and particularly the sentry in the alley below.
He paced back and forth outside the rear entrance of the building which had been concealed by the clever stacking of crates facing the main road. A Limsan style musket was wedged between his shirt and a length of hempen rope which served as his belt. Luckily for the two above, the shadows cast by the city had left them shade to remain undetected. Even more lucky was that Shas's scouting beforehand had found them this lightly guarded portal.
The man below stopped and looked around for no apparent reason. Neither of them had made a sound to betray their positions. Coatleque leaned ever so slightly further towards the edge to spy the man as he tried to disappear further into the alley behind another stack of crates. He hefted his tunic, gave a grunt, and relieved himself on the wall. The paladin pushed herself back from the railing and looked at Shas with disgust. "Men. Think they can just piss on anything." she whispered. This was met with a knowing smirk from under the others hood.
A crack was heard in the distance, resounding off the sides of buildings and sending a few ravens alight from the rooftops. The two cloaked figures both started. Pushing off the wood railings they glanced at each other. Two more pops followed by the screams of a woman and angry yelling. The sentry below drew his pistol and stared warily towards the road. He shifted between feet as if unsure what to do before finally uttering a curse and abandoning his post to join whatever fray was developing around the front of the building.
"So much for subtlety." Coatleque hissed under her breath before turning and motioning to her companion. The two of them quickly descended the stairs from the balcony to the alley and huddled near the door. Shas turned to watch their backs while Coatleque procured a lock-pick from her belt. "Never expected tae need this again." she uttered before starting on the lock. Memories of crude manacle designs flashed through her thoughts as each pin was set. The large iron locks on the doors of the poor were not much improvement over a slaver's collar, and if she had wanted to announce their entry she could have simply smashed it.
The lock finally gave and the door swung inward. She waited just a moment to be sure nobody was waiting just inside for them before tapping Shas on the shoulder and proceeding inside. They were met with a dimly lit hallway stretching to either side. Surveying it up and down they confirmed their presence was yet unknown. The firefight out front had hopefully distracted any additional sentries within.
"I'll make my way to the front." Coatleque whispered. "To be sure the door is clear for our friends. We should split up and make sure there are no unexpected surprises." With that they separated in both directions.
The building itself was rather simply laid out. At one time it was probably a row of individual dwellings. Since then it had been re-purposed - walls having been removed at key places to join sections. Coatleque was almost impressed at the amount of construction (or destruction in some sections) that had been carried out under the noses of the Blades. "Or the housing authority." she mused to herself. Stopping at the first 'T' intersection of hallways she slid her back to the wall and rolled her head to glimpse around the corner.
Another hallway leading across the building to the front. Yet this one was nearly entirely open on the right side into what was probably a mess area. Long, crude wooden tables lined the space and the smell of stale ale wafted through the air. Two men were standing mid-way by one of the tables talking. More Limsan arms, she noted. One of them held a musket across his chest while he leaned against the central wooden column of the room, the other faced him with a drawn scimitar resting back over his right shoulder.
Straightening against the wall she cursed herself for being confined to leathers tonight of all nights. She drew her blade, a standard issue steel sword, and closed her eyes to focus. Drawing from the aether around her as she had been trained, she brought forth a minor barrier of protection around her body. She listened carefully to the conversation in the room and waited until one of the men burst out laughing. "Now!"
Turning the corner she rushed the pair in silence to take advantage of her surprise. They both jumped and the musket was raised barely in time to get a shot off which thankfully missed. Her shoulder collided with the gunman sending him prone and the gun skittering down the hall. Her sword flashed upwards in time to parry the incoming scimitar which she followed with a left hook to the man's face. Grabbing him by the back of the head she threw him forward into the pillar and watched him crumble.
His companion was backing away down the hall now on his elbows and pleading for his life. Coatleque quickly stepped over the first man and grabbed him by his collar, hoisting him to his feet. She pressed the man against the wall and pulled down her hood. Emerald eyes glared at him beneath her bangs. "Where is Randolph? Speak!"
"R-randolph? Ain't nobody h-here by that name!" he stammered.
"Scythe!" she retorted.
"H-h-he's in the main hall!"
"Show me." she hissed back before spinning the man roughly toward the front of the building and almost ushering him forward. Around another corner and they were along the front corridor of the structure. They came to a small foyer which was strangely absent of further guards. The man pointed to double-doors at the rear of the room.
"T-there!" he stammered.
"Her Grace thanks you for your honesty." Coatleque whispered over the man's shoulder with some practiced measure of sincerity. With that she clocked him over the head with the butt of her sword and sent him sprawling to the floor. Sheathing the weapon she turned to the front of the building and the door there. With no further hindrances the door swung open. She stepped to the side and leaned against the jam to regard the faces of the Dauntless who had finished dispatching the majority of Scythe's men out front.
She pointed back behind her towards the room. "Gentlemen...", she greeted them. "Our man lies within."
Two figures, hooded and cloaked, stood upon the upper balcony of a neighboring residence. One leaned casually against the supporting beam of the overhang while the other rested arms along the railing and peered over the edge. They were both focused on the adjacent row of buildings, and particularly the sentry in the alley below.
He paced back and forth outside the rear entrance of the building which had been concealed by the clever stacking of crates facing the main road. A Limsan style musket was wedged between his shirt and a length of hempen rope which served as his belt. Luckily for the two above, the shadows cast by the city had left them shade to remain undetected. Even more lucky was that Shas's scouting beforehand had found them this lightly guarded portal.
The man below stopped and looked around for no apparent reason. Neither of them had made a sound to betray their positions. Coatleque leaned ever so slightly further towards the edge to spy the man as he tried to disappear further into the alley behind another stack of crates. He hefted his tunic, gave a grunt, and relieved himself on the wall. The paladin pushed herself back from the railing and looked at Shas with disgust. "Men. Think they can just piss on anything." she whispered. This was met with a knowing smirk from under the others hood.
A crack was heard in the distance, resounding off the sides of buildings and sending a few ravens alight from the rooftops. The two cloaked figures both started. Pushing off the wood railings they glanced at each other. Two more pops followed by the screams of a woman and angry yelling. The sentry below drew his pistol and stared warily towards the road. He shifted between feet as if unsure what to do before finally uttering a curse and abandoning his post to join whatever fray was developing around the front of the building.
"So much for subtlety." Coatleque hissed under her breath before turning and motioning to her companion. The two of them quickly descended the stairs from the balcony to the alley and huddled near the door. Shas turned to watch their backs while Coatleque procured a lock-pick from her belt. "Never expected tae need this again." she uttered before starting on the lock. Memories of crude manacle designs flashed through her thoughts as each pin was set. The large iron locks on the doors of the poor were not much improvement over a slaver's collar, and if she had wanted to announce their entry she could have simply smashed it.
The lock finally gave and the door swung inward. She waited just a moment to be sure nobody was waiting just inside for them before tapping Shas on the shoulder and proceeding inside. They were met with a dimly lit hallway stretching to either side. Surveying it up and down they confirmed their presence was yet unknown. The firefight out front had hopefully distracted any additional sentries within.
"I'll make my way to the front." Coatleque whispered. "To be sure the door is clear for our friends. We should split up and make sure there are no unexpected surprises." With that they separated in both directions.
The building itself was rather simply laid out. At one time it was probably a row of individual dwellings. Since then it had been re-purposed - walls having been removed at key places to join sections. Coatleque was almost impressed at the amount of construction (or destruction in some sections) that had been carried out under the noses of the Blades. "Or the housing authority." she mused to herself. Stopping at the first 'T' intersection of hallways she slid her back to the wall and rolled her head to glimpse around the corner.
Another hallway leading across the building to the front. Yet this one was nearly entirely open on the right side into what was probably a mess area. Long, crude wooden tables lined the space and the smell of stale ale wafted through the air. Two men were standing mid-way by one of the tables talking. More Limsan arms, she noted. One of them held a musket across his chest while he leaned against the central wooden column of the room, the other faced him with a drawn scimitar resting back over his right shoulder.
Straightening against the wall she cursed herself for being confined to leathers tonight of all nights. She drew her blade, a standard issue steel sword, and closed her eyes to focus. Drawing from the aether around her as she had been trained, she brought forth a minor barrier of protection around her body. She listened carefully to the conversation in the room and waited until one of the men burst out laughing. "Now!"
Turning the corner she rushed the pair in silence to take advantage of her surprise. They both jumped and the musket was raised barely in time to get a shot off which thankfully missed. Her shoulder collided with the gunman sending him prone and the gun skittering down the hall. Her sword flashed upwards in time to parry the incoming scimitar which she followed with a left hook to the man's face. Grabbing him by the back of the head she threw him forward into the pillar and watched him crumble.
His companion was backing away down the hall now on his elbows and pleading for his life. Coatleque quickly stepped over the first man and grabbed him by his collar, hoisting him to his feet. She pressed the man against the wall and pulled down her hood. Emerald eyes glared at him beneath her bangs. "Where is Randolph? Speak!"
"R-randolph? Ain't nobody h-here by that name!" he stammered.
"Scythe!" she retorted.
"H-h-he's in the main hall!"
"Show me." she hissed back before spinning the man roughly toward the front of the building and almost ushering him forward. Around another corner and they were along the front corridor of the structure. They came to a small foyer which was strangely absent of further guards. The man pointed to double-doors at the rear of the room.
"T-there!" he stammered.
"Her Grace thanks you for your honesty." Coatleque whispered over the man's shoulder with some practiced measure of sincerity. With that she clocked him over the head with the butt of her sword and sent him sprawling to the floor. Sheathing the weapon she turned to the front of the building and the door there. With no further hindrances the door swung open. She stepped to the side and leaned against the jam to regard the faces of the Dauntless who had finished dispatching the majority of Scythe's men out front.
She pointed back behind her towards the room. "Gentlemen...", she greeted them. "Our man lies within."
