Just as you go to open the door there is an odd flash as if a memory or a premonition, you see your new body open the door to a crowd of 4 men that look like town guards, “Can I help you?” You hear yourself ask them, as your nose is filled with the smell of burning lumber. The first man in the vision simply looks at your new body and replies, “Sorry about this, there can be no witnesses.” And attacks. Your new body fights like a whirlwind of motion, parrying the attacks as the men force themselves into the room, but in the small room your new body has no room to properly move. You watch as she fells the first as the last pushes in and jostles him fouling his guard. However this is her undoing as well as her rapier is pinned in the belly of the guard. Your new body fights to get to the window using the little dagger and her quickness for defense, and even manages to get it open after fighting with the latch, showing you how it works in the process. Sadly as she goes to leap out one of the guards catches her foot causing her to slap the wall now hanging from that one foot. The second guard is then on her as well and you see him spear his sword down through her leg and up into her body, the one holding her simply lets go and your new body is sent face first down to the pavement with a sickening crunch. However just as her face hits the ground, and her head begins to turn sickly to the back, the crystalline creature is there and time seems to stop. You see a blueish cloud of mist flow out of your new body and into the night, the creature then takes the doll they made in your dream and touches it against your new body. As it does time reverses and speeds up, like you were watching a movie rewind, till you see your new body grabbing the handle of the door as you are now, and you snap back to your senses.
Knowing what lies on the other side of the door, you quickly slam the small table in front of the door, causing the bowls on it to shatter against the floor, and rush to the window. Using your knowledge gained from the vision you are able to make quick work of the latch and have it open before the banging on causes the first splinters to fly into the room as the door begins to give way. Quickly you drop down till you are hanging from the window from the tips of your slender fingers. You hear the distinct sound of gunfire from the front of the building as you land in a crouch. Looking quickly left and right you are rewarded with a little memory of the layout of the city, a series of several large districts that are all walled for protection. The closest easiest way to escape rather than running into the night is to head for the waterfront and the docks. Just then you see a nearly naked woman run off into the night to the south, chased by tons of guards all demanding she stop and firing at her with bows and crossbows. Slamming yourself against the wall to hide, making yourself as flat as possible you wait till the coast seems clear and make haste to the docks.
“Hey you, where are you going?” You hear from the side as you run across the street and the thud of a crossbow bolt tells you that these people aren't really that worried about who they have to kill.
“Kill her as well, there can be no witnesses.” You hear someone else hiss through obviously gritted teeth, but you don't even dare to turn to see what they might look like, instead putting your boots to pavement, summoning all your reserves to run as fast as your legs will carry you. Thankfully your new body is in good shape, but you are dogged all the way across town.
Finally you reach the docks and see your luck has finally turned, a ship is just setting sail and is only a few feet from the end of one of the docks. Panting, you decide to try for it. Running down the wooden planks of the docks your body lets you know it is apparently used to the rocking of the seas, as your footing on the shifting wood seems almost surer here than on the stone streets. Your pursuers opt not to follow further, instead stopping to take aim. Luckily your speed, distance, and wavering path cause the bolts to miss. Then the moment of truth, calling on every last bit of energy left in your new body you leap to the ship and just miss, slapping against the side hands outstretched you are just short of the deck. Just as you are sure to fall, a hand lashes out and grabs your wrist. The strong rough hands bite in causing you to let out a yelp but it is more of gratitude and shock than actual pain. Reaching up your other hand is similarly taken by the strong hands of some unknown savior and as the guards quickly reload you are pulled up into the strong arms of someone you have never met. The two of you roll gently across the deck of the ship as you are pulled up till you find yourself pinned under the heavy heat of your rescuer. Blinking and catching your breath you finally focus your gaze on the nicest pair of big brown eyes you have ever seen. The face in front of yours is strong and handsome, yet weathered from a life at see. He has a small well manicured goatee of black hair and a short mop of similar hair on his head, obviously well tended for but wind blown constantly. “Oh my.” Is all you manage to say as you look deeply into his piercing gaze.
“I am sorry miss. You are going to have to leave, we do not allow women on board. In light of your current predicament I will make this one slight exception and take you a mile or two down the coast, but then we must part.” Saying this with a gleam in his smile, he deftly springs to his feet pulling you effortlessly up as he rises. Once again you find yourself against the chest of this magnificently sculpted man and can feel your heart flutter slightly, probably due to your recent run, as you put your hands up to catch your balance and rest them on his strong chest. He stands roughly 5” taller than you putting him right about 6' tall, and he has the statuesque build of a professional swimmer. Fighting to come up with something to make him reconsider and take you to safety, you finally come up with something to say. |