Leap of Faith -- Spare AMitA Prompt
For such a small stone, the Icon of Edass weighed heavily inside a fold of Kosh's gi. As he raced across the rooftops of Arbordeep, he had to wonder how much of the stretched truth he told to Xiolein was something he covertly believed.
It was so easy to believe the artifact was cursed. Those who sought it had killed so many of those who held it. As well as unnumbered innocent bystanders who had the bad luck of being too close to those who held it.
Now he held it.
Kosh already had assassins on his tail. Well. His true self, Viscount Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep IX, had assassins on his tail. The Adventurer Kosh only had regular, everyday speciesism to cope with. There were plenty of people who would cheerfully murder a Hellkin and feel justified. With the Icon of Edass next to his heart, he worried that someone might be tracking it.
The only way he could be safe was handing the verdammt thing across to Lord Geltpaam, where it belonged.
He kept the Palace of Lords as his goal as he raced across the Rogue's Highway of Arbordeep's rooftops. If he was fast enough, perhaps the curse would not reach him. Or, since he was already part of a curse, it might cancel out.
Maybe he did believe everything he told Xiolein.
The streets and courtyard surrounding the half-sunken building were full of elaborate coaches and magical orbs of light. It was Sparknight! The summer celebration of peace and harmony that was an excuse for all invited to show off their wealth to all the others of their class.
There was no way they'd let an Adventurer in while that was going on. They certainly would not let in a Teufel like himself, Adventurer or not.
He leaped down onto an old remnant of city wall that had since become part of a bank. He rolled and raced onwards. Searching for an open window or a balcony where he might be able to make his own entrance.
One small issue with that plan... the boulevards were purposely too wide for anyone to cover in one bound. Deliberately too far for most magic to cross, and there were always guards below wearing oculii that would cause any spellwork to stand out like a dog's bollocks. All of them armed with true-shot bows and bolts.
Kosh paused on a remnant of an aqueduct. Now part of a block of apartments. It was pointed the right way, and there was a balcony. Tantalising right in the path.
Vogel caught up with him. The birdlike man lit on the stonework and looked as winded as Kosh felt. "You're really fast, you know that?"
"I'm motivated," Kosh panted in reply. If he caught his breath, he might be able to leap and slow his fall, drifting like a mote of soot across the intervening space... and land on one of the well-lit architectural features. Right where the surrounding guard could pick him off. "I have to get this bloody trinket into the rightful hands. Before fate wakes up that I'm holding it."
Vogel ruffled and smoothed his feathers. "You... really believed all that? I thought you were spinning pure horseshit."
Kosh aimed a low glare at him. "I swore an oath to tell no untruth. I am not an oathbreaking Teufel."
"Sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Sorry." He held up hands that looked like the talons of his feet. Vogel pre-empted the next argument with, "I could fly you over, but I can't lift off with you. You'll have to run and jump."
Run, jump, and trust. "I am not a very trusting Teufel," he said.
"I know," Vogel summoned some of his Druidic magic between his claws, creating two berries on a small twig. "These can help restore your energies. Pick one for me to eat and have the other."
Kosh watched the Aviad Druid's eyes as his blue fingers hovered near one berry, then the other. No sign of eagerness nor fear, and he knew what Vogel's fear looked like.
He'd seen it every time they had to pass each other in a hallway.
Kosh put the berry into Vogel's beak at the same time he put the other in his mouth. Waited for the fellow to swallow. He felt compelled to add, "I know three ways I could have poisoned that."
Vogel's beak conspired to convey a smirk, "But you're not a traitorous Teufel. Well? Where do you need to fly?"
Kosh pointed out the balcony. "That one."
"Count five seconds and start running," said Vogel. "I will get you there." He spread his wings and launched. He would be using thermal updrafts from the city chimneys to gain height, and then his natural talents to gain speed.
Kosh backed up as far as he could. Three thousand. Four thousand. Five... He launched into the Step of Na'rutus. The fastest method of running. His shadows pushed at each of his feet. One special breath, one extra push to launch him further than any untrained adult might leap.
Gekkomen sie, Vogel... be there.
It was an immense and personal struggle to spread his arms wide. He needed his elbows close to his body to slow his fall. He needed to brace for the impact of another's touch.
He reached the apogee of his leap. Started to drop...
And the talons of an Aviad's arms wrapped around his torso, and the two of them began to rise to the beat of Vogel's wings.
"Do that thing where you float," grunted Vogel. "Might make this easier."
Kosh could ignore the stinging jangle of an unfamiliar touch. At least, he could ignore it enough to concentrate on the Stance of the Thistle Seed.
They climbed faster. Heading ever closer to their goal.
If Vogel dropped him now... it would do him no good.
[Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash]
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