This choice: Gabriel feels a little brave and takes advantage of some "favors" • Go Back... Gabriel pulled a hood over his head and slipped a dark blue balaclava over his muzzle. He decided his best course of action was to figure out just what exactly he was up against. Rumors had brought him to the town of Kotora after all. The lithe fox opened the bedroom's window and crawled on through. His hooded cloak flapped in the sea borne winds. Gabriel peeked at the ground and then back up. His breathing hastened. This was always his least favorite part of his nightly excursions.
After gathering his courage, Gabriel readied his legs. He counted down from three. Taking each breath deeper than the last. On "one," he leaped from the window. For a moment he was suspended in free fall.
"I'm not afraid. I'm not going to fall." Said Gabriel.
His throat felt hoarse. His lips were dry. Yet he knew he was going to make it. He had to believe it. Wind picked up behind him. Warmth enveloped him as his plain looking cloak caught the wind. No longer in free fall, he began to glide towards the next roof top on the magical gust of wind. Within a few seconds, his paws landed atop another roof.
The first leap was always the hardest.
"Just a hundred more times and I'm done." Said Gabriel.
The thief jumped from roof top to roof top. More nimble and swift with each jump. From the market district to the aristocrat district he went. Gabriel's last journey to this place had been an invited one. He hoped they didn't mind him stopping by unannounced. Just when he thought he had gotten a feel for the jumps, the buildings had grown twice in size. Yet he persevered still. Fleeting dreams of riches and power filled his mind. No more scrounging for food. No more death defying leaps of faith. Whatever the Orb had in store for him, he wanted it. No matter the cost.
Gabriel managed to reach the property of one Silus Mill. A rich senator with a seat high up in parliament. His chambers appeared to be empty from the courtyard. Perhaps he could bribe a servant into talking. The fox crept through past the trimmed hedges at the front of the Mill Manor house and around the side. Silus' servants were busy at work it seemed. Most looked too tired to stand. Gabriel smiled behind his balaclava. Getting by them would be no issue at all.
He clambered through an open window by the service entrance of the manor house. The fox found himself in the middle of an ornate hall. Purple was the dominate color every where he turned. Drapes, carpet, wallpaper. Gold framed portraits of Silus adorned the walls. Ever vain, the dog morph in the pictures was painted in the poses of gods. His brow always stern and his body always naked. Copious amounts of artistic license had been taken on portraying his musculature, among other enlarged bits of anatomy. Gabriel scoffed and kept on walking
"Okay, I'm in." Whispered Gabriel. "Now just to find-"
There on the opposite end of the hall stood a maid. Gabriel froze in place. This was it. He was going to get caught. Thrown in jail. Beheaded. Forced into public service.
"He's in the dining room, just take a right down this hall, can't miss it. His safe combination is 27-9-94. If you are thinking of poisoning him, his favorite wine is the Champerello. Whatever you do, I don't care. I quit."
The maid threw down a towel. It hit the ground with a thick plop noise. Gabriel covered his mouth a little while the maid brushed past him. He stood still and tried to reflect on what just happened. Dumb luck was on his side once again. In no time at all, Gabriel was standing in perhaps the shiniest dining room he had ever seen in his life.
"Suza? Come back to say sorry?"
The shirtless dog did not even bother to turn around. He just kept stuffing his face. Gabriel could not even begin to react at what he saw. Silus had changed quite a bit since they had last met. While the dog was merely plump last they met, now the only thing one could describe as "plump" on the engorged senator were his fingers. Large ponderous rolls sagged over the arm rests, while his fat neck wobbled with each bite of food. Either he was shirtless because none would fit or he was still clinging to some sort of denial that he looked like his portraits.
"I believe she just quit, and threw in the towel, so to speak."
"Well damn. You know how hard it is to find a good toweling servant around here?" Said Silus. "You the replacement then?"
The bloated dog let out a belch and continued to stuff his face. Gabriel rolled his eyes and drew his dagger. He walked slowly towards the dog.
"Not really. Doesn't seem you recognize me much either." Said Gabriel.
"Can't say I do..."
The fox grabbed the senator's meaty shoulder and held the dagger to his throat. Silus yelped and squirmed in his seat, but he was much too fat to do anything. How he survived the political battlefield so long was a mystery to Gabriel.
"Do you recognize this then?"
"Whoever sent you, I promise I can pay you double, triple, hell quadruple if it's cheap enough."
"While that offer is tempting, I'm still rather offended you don't recognize me."
Gabriel walked in front of Silus and stabbed his dagger into the large bird he had been devouring. The dog furled his brow a bit, then nodded with realization.
"The Flying Fox! Why it's been five years now! I can't believe you're still alive." Said Silus. "Did you have to do the whole assassin act?"
"Oh don't worry, I'd need a bigger knife to get through that blubber." Said Gabriel. "But I'm not here for chit chat, you owe me a debt."
There was a short pause, and a look of confusion on the dog's face. Then he began to laugh with hearty fervor. Sending ripples upon ripples through his fattened body.
"I owe you nothing, thief. If anything, you're lucky I didn't turn you in after I sustained my position."
"Ah, so it seems that not only has your power gone straight to your waist, it's stuffed that head of yours too." Said Gabriel. "I let you get away with it, Silus. You were useless to me until you gained power anyway."
"Let me?"
"Why yes. You forget, I have a certain incriminating will."
"I thought I destroyed it!"
"A fake one of course." Said Gabriel. "If that will falls into the right hands. Then you can kiss this lap of luxury goodbye."
"I admire your cunning, thief." Said SIlus. "So what is it then? You need a pardon? Money?"
"The eye of Sarcous."
Once again, the dog let out a hearty laugh. Gabriel folded his arms and kicked Silus in the shin. The dog gasped out a yelp.
"I'm serious."
"What does a whelp like you want with Sarcous?"
"So you do know about it?"
"Of course I do. You think I'd let such a powerful little trinket evade my eyes and ears?"
"I hear it's in town."
Silus shrugged and took a bite from the fat bird on his plate.
"Partially true. It is on its way to town. The location changes every month." Said Silus. "A secret circle of Mages called 'Sarcous' Acolytes' transports it to different safe houses across the empire. It will be in town by the end of the month."
"Okay, I'll sneak in and get it. No problem."
"Ah, don't underestimate them. They are trained in Sarcous secret techniques. You would be dead in an instant if you get caught."
"Perhaps with some smoke and lights, I could ambush them on the road. Grab the eye in the confusion."
"Not recommended." Said Silus.
"Then what do you recommend?"
"Infiltration. I've been studying up on these Acolytes for awhile now. If we can replicate the appearance of a member by the end of the month. Then you can snag the eye during the transaction."
"Not a bad idea."
"Just...Acolytes have a very particular look to them."
"Oh no..."
"Let's just say, if I were more skilled in magic than politics, I could fit the role of grand master." Silus said.
He emphasized his girth by grasping it with his paws. Gabriel sighed and weighed his options. He did say power at any cost after all...   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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