#but the prompt made sense for her since she can't be in daylight anyway
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A Busy Night
Excerpt written for the weekly @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt!
Even this far down the street, her arm burned from their presence. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, Duskend was known to collect all sorts from across Esharial, with how easy it was to slip away in such a large city if you could find your way to it. Still, the strength of such wards this deeply embedded into the building was unnerving. They had to be ancient, but the power hadn’t drained out yet. Whatever was sustaining them was powerful, and whoever possessed such an object would be dangerous.
All of this to say this was the most likely place to find what she needed.
Wonderful.
At least she didn’t need to break these, just slip through a crack. Hopefully one that was already present.
The sky was pitch black overhead, but that didn’t mean a thing. Duskend was still flooded with lights, from those in the street, to the windows high overhead, to even some of the passersby carrying lanterns, shadows few and far between for a place known for hiding. Or perhaps it was due to that reputation that had led to a paranoid need to drive away the activities of some of those who had needed to. Like what she was planning.
She forced her breathing to stay steady alongside her steps as she walked until she was just across the street.
There was a thin alley that at least one other person was using to smoke. The smell turned her stomach, but she would have to suffer it for the moment, it was unfortunately the best excuse she had. The taste was worse.
Plenty of people still walked the streets, but few paid her any mind now that she was dressed plainly and without her umbrella. All of them avoided the building, not even paying it the sideways glance some gave her. An effect of the wards perhaps? Or did it or the owner just have that sort of reputation?
Closing her eyes and letting her head fall against the rough brick, she moved her sleeve just enough to press against the rune on her wrist. The burning faded as she gave into the pull in her mind.
Opening her eyes, the street was now covered in colors from the magics used for the lights, items on some of the passersby, and the vehicles, but none were more vivid than the building, now covered in a thickly woven blanket of different threads. Of course it wasn’t one or two or even three wards, the rainbow held far too many that mixed and blurred to even know one ended. No wonder it had hurt so much.
She blew a cloud out slowly, as she ground the cigarette under her foot, before she crossed the street into the opposite alley. No one was in this one, but no one even spared a glance as she entered it. Or as the dagger appeared in her hand.
The weave was tight everywhere easily accessible from the ground, the owner having done their due diligence. There wasn’t even any give with a light press of the dagger. The sheer amount of time that must have taken. Had each new owner added to it? Filling in the cracks until the current generation’s was this perfect?
If she pressed her luck, how long would she have before they were alerted or returned? Were they even gone? The windows were dark, but of course that meant nothing. If she did wait and prepare, how long would it take to create even a tear, if she even could? Or maybe…
The colors faded as she looked out at the street, but still no one seemed to be paying attention.
The building she had leaned on previously was multi-storied as well, not quite as tall, but enough that the top of it wasn’t as lit as the street. That could be enough with the thin shadow at the back of the alley.
Concentrating on the roof’s edge, she took a breath, stepped, fell into the shadow–
–and blinked into the sea of lights below, staggering back when she realized her foot was over the edge.
“Fucking Abyss,” she breathed.
Her previous opinion was wrong, Duskend was the abyssal damned worst shard.
When her heartbeat had steadied, she reactivated the rune.
From this distance, it was harder to make out the different threads again, but the colors were still unfalteringly vivid. How paranoid were these people that they warded it so far into the empty sky above the building? And to keep it just as tightly woven there too?
Perhaps it was time to give up and pray to whatever would listen that it was somewhere else.
But no, the chances of that were slim.
And no wards could be that perfect. If the top and bottom were reinforced, perhaps… There. A waver, a story or two from the top, just over a dark balcony. Almost too perfect.
She smiled.
With another breath, another step, and another fall–
–the landing was a loud thud that had her wincing more than the fall itself. But she was in.
Blinking away the colors again, she pulled open the door, and closed it with a soft click. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the…apartment? There were couches and chairs and a small table arranged like a living room. A small one too. There was even a connected kitchen.
And with a flick of the lights, a man standing in it, with a wine glass and a smile. “Tell me, little thief, why I shouldn’t end you where you stand?”
#writeblr#writing#excerpt#amwriting#wip excerpt#duskend wip#andy#yeah yeah yeah i haven't talked about this one in a bit#but the prompt made sense for her since she can't be in daylight anyway#so she gets up to some shenanigans#wow i spelled that word right?#anyway#enjoy
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