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The Heist - Part Two

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:29 am
by Akaver
Langley should have guessed that it would be raining. It was his sour luck spoiling everything again. Dangrel's plan had been to use the rooftops of Freeport as their means of approaching the sorcerer's house and obtaining the fist sized gem that Langley had seen earlier.<br><br> "We can avoid detection that way," Dangrel had explained once he had grown tired of listening to Langley's objections. "And what's more, it's always easier and safer to slip into the attic than to barge in through the front door."<br><br> Safe. That was the word he had used. Langley glanced about him and concluded that their path could be described as nothing short of dangerous even in the best of conditions. Many sections of Freeport contained old buildings in varying states of disrepair. The "taxes" extorted from local businesses by Sir Lucan's men left little in the merchant's coffers for maintainence of their shops and homes. Loose shingles and treacherous footing offered the unwary thief ample opportunity to inspect the cobblestones of the city's streets at a bone splintering velocity. And to make matters even worse, Dangrel actually intended to climb across the roof of the Militia's barracks house!<br><br> "But why do we have to go that way?" Langley had moaned. He had quickly given up any hope of disuading Dangrel from using the rooftops to reach their mark, but this seemed sheer madness to him. "They'll be sure to hear us up there! Do you know what Lucan will do to us if his men catch us on his roof?"<br><br> Dangrel had glared at him then, with a mix of both contempt and barely suppressed impatience. Dangrel had little use for cowards or fools and Langley was both. "We will go that way because it takes us directly toward the College of Magic and the sorerer's homes nearby." Dangrel stated his reasons with clipped syllables and a firm tone, his anger rising with each phrase uttered. "We will go that way because it offers us the cover of darkness and the shortest path to our destination. We will go that way because I've sent over a case of Blackburrow Stout to the barracks and by the time we are making our way across their roof they will be too drunk to do more than snore. And finally, we will go that way because I say we will and there the matter ends!"<br><br> Langley cursed silently and paused to shift the weight of the gear he carried before he returned to the struggle to keep Dangrel in sight. The other thief loped easily along the slippery, peaked roof ahead of Langley as though he were running through a glade in the blasted Common Lands. Langley had heard that Dangrel was good, but the man was quicker than a weasel and as sure of foot as one of those Wood Elves in their thrice-bedamned Tree City.<br><br> As he followed, Langley frowned and regarded Dangrel with a mix of jealousy and admiration. Dangrel was the embodiement of Langley's desires and a living representation of all that he lacked. Dangrel was treated with respect and occupied a position of power. He was a skilled thief, both clever and bold. He did not shy from violence or fear it. He was as far from Lagnley as a bird in the sky must seem to a fish who can only look up in wonder at the creature who soars above him as he feasts on the refuse upon the bottom of the sea floor.<br><br> Langley had never been quick, nor was he particularly strong. He had ever been the target of scorn and derision. Amongst the children living and playing in squalor within the poor quarter of the city that sprawled along Freeport's wandering wharves and harbors, he was teased mercilously and had few friends. Populated by the wandering gypsies, the disfigured and troubled veterans of the Orc Wars, and the city's criminal element, the slums of Freeport had offered Langley little education beyond the ability to take a beating and exact revenge at the earliest opportunity. However, despite all the evidence to the contrary, Langley imagined himself to be better than his peers. In his dreams, Langley acheived the wealth and power that should have been his by right of birth. He would surround himself with luxury and beautiful women and watch as those who had once held dominion over him crawled before him to beg his favor. Langley always liked those dreams.<br><br> Yet in reality, he was a pathetic and weak man bereft of even the smallest shred of bravery or intelligence. The women he knew were only willing to befriend him if his purse was full of gold. Having been deprived of any physical or mental gifts by the capricious gods, Langley had honed his anger and his envy against the whetstone of his wounded pride and blunted ambition. The result was a malicious ego driven by a rapacious desire with an edge keen enough to cut silk.<br><br> In the midst of his reveries, Langley's foot slipped and he fell to his knees. The heavy pack on his back dragged him backward until he found himself upturned and sliding uncontrollably toward the lip of the roof. A wailing scream escaped his lips as his upper body crossed the threshold of the eaves and he began his descent toward certain death. Suddenly, Langley felt his movement cease and tilting his chin to his chest he could barely perceive Dangrel holding his right foot. Langley smiled sheepishly at Dangrel and waited for the other man to haul him in. Dangrel paused though and Langley had a moment of sickening uncertainty in which he was sure that Dangrel meant to drop him. After all, who was to say that it had not been an accident. And one less person to share their treasure would mean that much more gold to line Dangrel's pockets.<br><br> Much the same thought had passed through Dangrel's mind as he held the other theif from a shoestring above a quick and painfull death. In the end, the same pack that had nearly undone Langley proved to be his salvation. For within it were all the tools that Dangrel would need to finish their mission. Cursing Langley for a fool and cursing his whore of a mother for bringing him into the world, Dangrel slowly dragged the little man upward until he was once again safe upon the rooftop. Langley began to offer his apologies for the accident when Dangrel's arm shot forward, his fist slamming into Langley's stomach forcing the wind from his lungs. Dangrel dropped down to his haunches as Langley labored to renew his breath and stop his eyes from tearing.<br><br> "That was for placing me in danger. I've been on jobs before when men lost a finger to a clever shopkeeper's trap without making as much noise as you just did from a little fall." Dangrel hissed, his breath steaming in the cold damp air. "I've no time to waste teaching you to be a man. So next time you make a mistake, you'll get no help from me."<br><br> Dangrel turned on his heel and once again took the lead. Langley struggled to his feet, his face a mask of rage and hatred. He followed Dangrel toward the College of Magic, its towers standing tall above the city and glowing with an eerie fire, all the while promising himself that once they had the diamond in hand, Dangrel would quickly find Langley's knife buried to the hilt in his back.<br><br>The End of Part Two<br><br><br>Sorry it took me so long to write this guys, but I've been a bit busy and I really wasn't sure where I wanted to take the story. Part Three should be coming soon I hope <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>Akaver Mirrorleaf<br>54'th level enchanter<br>Mystical Lightfighters <p></p><i></i>

Re: The Heist - Part Two

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 12:44 pm
by WienMT
Very well written tale. I am looking forward to installment three. Thanks Akaver. These are fun and interesting to read.<br> <p><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong> Wien Arrowsmith - Warder of Tunare<!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> Mystical Lightfighters</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> - Rangers dont get lost... they take the scenic route.<!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--> - He is one of them rangers... Dangerous folk they be.<!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--></em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

Re: The Heist - Part Two

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 12:48 pm
by Flintrok
very cool bro, keep it rollin <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><a href="http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=36384" target="newFlint">Baron Flintrok Ironforge</a><BR>Crusader of Brell<BR>Proud Guild Leader of<BR><a href="http://www.mysticallightfighters.com" target="newMLF">The Mystical Lightfighters</a><BR><BR><a href="http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.h ... 7">Trilain, Druid of Tunare</a></p><i></i>

Re: The Heist - Part Two

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:56 pm
by iluvia
Not bad at all! Very good piece of writing Akaver. Can't wait to see how this turns out. <p>iluvia Treesprite<br>55 Preserver of Mystical Lightfighters<br><br>Baking - 185<br>Blacksmithing - 188<br>Brewing - 171<br>Fletching - 190<br>Jewelcraft - 185<br>Pottery - 190<br>Tailoring - 207<br><br><br></p><i></i>

Re: The Heist - Part Two

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 1:10 pm
by GoreanMT
=) very nice story line i love the plot twists =) keep em comming! <p><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=63360" target="top">Goreanisis’s Leathers </a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE HR START--><hr /><!--EZCODE HR END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=488302" target="top">Frizzels Robe</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE HR START--><hr /><!--EZCODE HR END--><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><br><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://home.mchsi.com/~xsmokex/Sigs/newsig.gif" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--><br></p><i></i>