Quite the Gamble (Open)

[Duma]

Duma was relieved that Undari made his way upstairs. At least now the old fool will go ahead and get his leg looked at. So there was still a chance he could still get some information off of him. However this also presented another problem. Undari would no doubt rouse the rabble upstairs to help deal with this woman. Now Duma had no intention of seeing this lady become a corpse or worse entertainment for the drunks. Duma didn't lower his blade.

"I'm aware you need that info... But you have few options m'lady. Undari's upstairs no doubt causing a ruckus about some sort of assassin woman. Probably offering a reward of some sort for your pretty little head. In a few minutes you are going to have to deal with several drunk.. but innocent men." He paused for a moment.

His mind tried to think of a few more reasonable words. When suddenly there was a noise that destroyed the table. He peered his gaze away from the fedora lady in order to investigate what broke. The woman took advantage of this to grab her bow. She fired one shot at the door and lured out young boy. Foolish kid. The woman aimed an arrow at the young child and Duma went ahead and stepped in front of him.

"I do not think you'd want to confirm.. Undari's claim about you being a horrible murderer of children now would you." He narrowed his eyes lightly. The creaking of the floorboards and knocking over of the chairs.

"We are running out of time here. Behind you is a set of stairs and cellar doors. It'll take you outside around the back. You could steal a horse and escape. Try again another day."

[Sashay]

Sashay's face turned red almost immediately when he saw that an arrow was trained on him, though he would've been more worried had the sellsword not stepped in between them. He was a bit puzzled, but was thankful for his intervention. "Hmmm I think I might be able to help. Hey sellsword, is your boss a superstitious man by chance? I think I have a solution to both of our problems." he said tugging at the mercenary's cloak while keeping his eyes trained on the arrow that was pointed at him. In truth though the current situation provided Sashay with somewhat of a rush, causing the gem in his right hand to glow with a dark purple shade. "Though if you don't trust my idea I suppose I can understand, but it will come with a price, a non-life threatening one I promise you that. It's more of a personal one." he said with a devilish grin.

[Cora von Achava]

Cora had her gaze focused right at the boy's head. It would be so simple to take him out now, but then Duma got in the way. He was telling her how options were running out for Cora. However, Cora couldn't really hear him completely. All she focused on was her arrow. This was the way Cora was brought up by her father, to kill and think nothing else. Thankfully, Cora has managed to become a bit more humane and is able to control her killing sense. She withdrew her bow as Duma said, "I do not think you'd want to confirm.. Undari's claim about you being a horrible murderer of children now would you." Cora stood up and gave him a mad look, "Of course not!" she exclaimed, "I won't hurt children or women unless it has to absolutely happen. Now you on the other hand, you're clearly not a woman, elderly, or child. I don't have a problem taking you out if needed." If it came down to it she would bring him down or at least try. However, the yeoman had some trust in the man and wasn't ready to kill this man at this moment.

"We are running out of time here. Behind you is a set of stairs and cellar doors. It'll take you outside around the back. You could steal a horse and escape. Try again another day," said Duma. He actually ... wanted to help her? Cora liked the way he was thinking though. She would have to try another day. Cora was about to agree and begin her escape, but then the boy spoke to them rather than fleeing in fear. He spouted some mumbo jumbo to Duma. Cora couldn't exactly hear him since Duma stood in between them. Cora did hear taking care of both of our problems or something like that. She didn't really trust the boy since he did sort of ruin her plan of getting information out of Undari. However, she did hold some trust with Duma. She wanted him to make the decision. Cora was positive she would come out of this situation alive. She had complete confidence in her skills. However, she didn't necessarily want to higher her kill count of innocents. Every time Cora kills, she feels like she loses part of her humanity. Cora doesn't want to become that killing machine her father wanted her to be all along. Cora looked at Duma after equipping her quiver to her belt sideways like the way she likes it. She had sheathed her sword, but still kept her bow in hand.

"What do you think Duma? What shall we do?"

[Duma]

Duma gritted his teeth. Did he not explain what he wanted the woman to do? And the child behind him said something about superstitions? Duma didn't know if Undari was a superstitious man or not and he did not care. Right now all he wanted was for this woman to be gone before the horde of people come tumbling down those stairs and make things worse. He spoke in a low voice so the walls couldn't hear.

"What shall WE do? No ma'm there is no we. YOU need to leave. Take the door out the back and GET OUT. I am going to try and buy us some time. And you.. child." He paused for a moment.

"If you wish to not be tossed out into the cold I need to follow my lead. I was defending you. Alright? Good." He didn't have time to wait for the boy to respond.

Duma put his sword away and grabbed the nearby stool from the remains of the table.

"I'm going to make it look like we had a fight."

He threw it out towards the door that lead back up to the main floor. He grabbed another stool and started to smash it around the room. He made it seem as if there was sounds of a struggle. Hopefully, it would be enough to buy them a few seconds. Duma's hands were now a splintered mess of wood and skin. But he wasn't done yet. He needed to make this struggle look more authentic. He gave himself a small but harmless cut over his eyebrow. The blood obstructed his vision, thus providing a good cover story. I couldn't see where she went! She might have left out the back! His mind rehearsed what he was going to say.

[Sashay]

"Hmm...well then I guess if we're going for your plan I might as well contribute." Sashay said before firing off a few Flux tomes around the room. Eventually he was a bit wounded and sat in the corner in an attempt to catch his breath. "Y'know *huff*huff* I'm kind of curious if you could help me to some extent. Do you know any guilds or bands of mercenaries you could point me in the direction of? *huff* Or maybe I could join the one you're with unless if you're more of a solo kind of sell sword." After wiping off some sweat from his forehead, Sashay fired off a few more tomes as his dark aura started to grow in response.

[Cora von Achava]

"What shall WE do? No ma'm there is no we. YOU need to leave. Take the door out the back and GET OUT. I am going to try and buy us some time. And you.. child." Duma paused for a moment. Cora was honestly a little taken aback. She didn't expect him to just leave her, but he was still helping her all the same. Cora nodded in response to Duma and began to rush to the back door. She could hear many men back in the previous room she was held up in. When she found the door, she only creaked it open to make sure of any enemies and such. She found that two men were standing out there with a woman pinned down against the wall. The woman seemed to be a waitress as she was wearing the appropriate garments for being one. Sadly he didn't seem too content with the situation she's in.

I need to go now if I want to escape, but I can't just leave this poor woman. She thought about it for a few seconds until Cora finally decided to help the woman. Normally Cora would just fend for herself, but she knew that women had to stick up for other women. Cora walked over trying to make no sound with her heels when she walked. She got relatively close to the two and she didn't grab their attention. However, the waitress looked straight at Cora, thus Cora stepped back immediately. The men knew something was off and turned around. They unsheathed their swords when they noticed Cora and her sword. The waitress then ran for it back into the tavern.

"Now boys, you can just let this go if you want. No need for any more stupidity. While your at it just go home and contemplate your lives and figure out how meaningless they are." Cora gave off her normal wry smile as she held her sword ready.

"Now we need new lady ta entertain us," said one of the men. The other one just looked at hm for a bit and then did a goofy smile. They were somewhat short men and had a little fat on them. With them being drunk, this wouldn't be too difficult. One of the men got closer to her and as he tried to touch her breasts, Cora lifted her sword and brought it up diagonally and cut his wrist on the underside with her sword. He yelped and fell back trying to hold his wound from bleeding. The other man rushed her and tried to jab her with his sword. Cora did brought her sword from the side and parried the man's sword. The yeoman then side stepped another jab from the man and as he missed her he fell from the momentum. She just looked at him, "Pitiful," she said.

Suddenly, much noise came from the other side of the back door. Cora was running out of time.

[Duma]

The little shaman started to talk about guilds. To which Duma had no idea what to tell him. Would he tell the boy that he had no idea what sort of guilds were in Bern? Or Would he tell him that most guilds were probably a mess considering the civil war between Bern and Illia? Or would he tell the boy that this was probably not the best time to have this discussion. Despite this the boy was proving to be useful by casting flux spells. There was something satisfying about all of the rubble of splinters and cargo around the room.

There was some rubble blocking the way towards the back door which would hopefully by the Yeo-Woman some more time. He was happy to see that she was gone. Good. One less headache. Duma took a breath and sat down on a wooden plank.

"Phew. I.. think. That's enough Kid. Just.. take a breather."

The door burst open as Undari and several men came running down. Demanding to know where the woman was. Demanding to know why all of his supplies in the basement were destroyed.

"The woman.. escaped. Towards the back.." He put his hand over his face wound. Undari looked around at all the wreckage. He pointed to the boy and demanded to know who he was.

"Relax.. the child.. tried to be.. a hero and stop the woman. And got a bit in over his head.. had to defend him from the woman. She.. didn't say much.. other then she would.. 'try again next time.'" He spoke that last bit with some spooky tone in his voice. To which Undari seemed to look shocked. [/i]Heh.[/i] It was amusing to mess with him.

"Sir.. If I may.. I'll take myself and the boy upstairs for medical attention. I... am.. exhausted." He tried to play off the fact that he was exhausted. Undari sent him upstairs. While he and the rest of the men combed through the rubble and try to head up the back way.

[Sashay]

"*huff*huff* S...sorry, she was way too fast, I don't think they can catch her on foot." Sashay said as he shed the last remnants of exhaustion "I don't think I've been hit, but...I might need to check just in case". Sashay tried to milk the act a bit more by slowly picking himself up and stood at Duma's side, he also shifted his eyes downward to look like he had expended a lot of stamina, which wasn't exactly hard to do after using an already demanding spell several times in a row. It felt like his own body was strangling him from the effort he put in. His own dark aura eventually faded and waited for Duma to help him upstairs as his arms ached.

[Duma]

Duma made his way upstairs, he occasionally glanced back to look at the young shaman as he made his way up. Eventually helping him up the stairs then guiding him over to the nearest seat. Duma took a seat across from him. The swordsman tended to his own wounds. One of the maids put down some mugs of water for them both and handed the swordsman a pair of tweezers to pull out the splinters from his hands. He would look up to check up on the boy.

"Well.. now that we are out of that basement. I suppose I.. should say thank you. But I'm not. I'm not sure what you were thinking going into the basement.. like that with two strangers with swords pointed at each other. You are very lucky not to have an arrow through your head." The swordsman kept pulling out splinters.

"To answer your prior question. No. I don't know any guilds in Bern. You might be better off asking the bar keep. Though I will say things are a bit of a mess here in Bern. With the civil war and such.." He finished pulling out the splinters from one hand. He grabbed a clean rag, wet it with the water, and wiped it over his face. By now the cut over his eye had stopped bleeding.

"Listen.. since you.. are new here. I'm going to let you stay in my room for the night. Since, i'm pretty sure Undari is going to be very upset once he realizes.. most of his store room has become trash. He might not give you a room.. and you seem really exhausted. I know how.. difficult it could be for Shamans to cast." For a brief moment, Drei's image flashed into his brain. He knew the bright haired shaman from Sacae would meditate to manage the fatigue. But this child wasn't Drei.

"Undari will probably reprimand me for that too. I don't really care. I leave tomorrow regardless." Of course I haven't exactly find what I was looking for yet. But, I fear I may have overstepped my boundaries here. With his own minor medical care out the way Duma sighed softly and took a sip of water. Refreshing. He told the boy of the living quarters upstairs. Where the necessary facilities were then handed him the key to the door.

"You should probably go before Undari comes back up. I'll stay down here and continue with the rest of my shift. Good night and Good luck." And with that Duma dismissed himself from the child's company. He had a small chat with Franco and returned to his post by the main door. He endured whatever insanity the night had for him and was gone by morning.

[Duma exit's thread]

[Sashay]

Sashay nodded at the blue haired man's words and wrapped a blanket around himself with only a lit candle and his tome to keep him company while his muscles relaxed. Occasionally his eyes would close, but only for a few seconds as the fatigue slowly took its toll. All the while his eyes read the ancient words with nearly lifeless vigor with his body bathed in the light of the candle and his body slumped over, determined to focus on the tome as much as possible. His void star dimly flickered as the aura he built up through all of the casting soon dissipated, and with that he closed his tome, figuring that he had studied enough for the night. He collapsed on the bed, completely exhausted, and drifted of to sleep as the last remnants of light in the room died down leaving only darkness and the light of the moon in it.

He would later wake up with a refreshed feeling about him before leaving the tavern, setting out to his next destination.

-Sashay exits the thread-