Run

Run. Just run. He did just that right now. He ran as fast as he possibly could and it still wasn't enough. The footsteps behind him were getting louder and louder by the second and he was ready to collapse on the rooftops he was so tired. Something hit his shoulder and he felt it go numb almost instantly. Poison. They're using poison on me. He turned sharply and nearly ran into a late-night postman. "Kylar," he said nodding his head. Kylar ran past not noticing until a dagger was plunged into his back, just above the kidney. Kylar fell and rolled on the ground, stunned. He then remembered the dagger in his back. Who had stabbed him? Why had they stabbed him? The footsteps were getting closer. He had to get up now. He got up to his feet and took a step, wishing that his head wasn't swimming so much. He ignored it and started to run again. Just in time, too, he thought as the people chasing him came around the corner. "There he is! Get 'im!" Shouted a gruff voice. Kylar sprinted whilst trying to get the dagger out of his back. He ran past the inn, hoping he could find help there but this one night it was closed with no light coming out the shuttered windows. He ran past with a feeling of doom coming in from all sides. The safe house was on the other side of the city and he was too tired and sore to get there. Suddenly one of his pursuers was in front of him, bursting out of a dark alley way. The man smiled at seeing his quarry come right to him. Kylar's mind worked in overdrive to find a way past him. There was a stack of crates just in front of him that were climbable. But the man had seen them as well and was moving to block them. That left the alley the man had come through open. Kylar felt hope flare and somehow found the energy to speed up and get to the alley before the man had time to react. He realised it was a trap just before he saw the other chasers jump out from the shadows. He turned around and not surprisingly the other one was behind him. Dammit! How do I always get myself in this type of mess? Anyone else would've learnt by now. Kylar looked up at the rooftops and the walls around him. No convenient boxes, crates or weapons. But there was a window he could climb up if he moved quickly. He took a deep breath and ran to the window, pulling himself up whilst ignoring the pain in his side. "Oi, he's getting away! Stevenson, go after 'im!" A tall, lanky man went after Kylar. He pulled himself up with little effort and Kylar knew Stevenson was as used to the rooftops as he was. I really know which people to annoy. Just my luck that someone else uses the High Way. Damn! Kylar reached the edge of the roof and jumped to the next, rolling as he landed. He heard a metallic clink on the tiles next to him and pain flared in his side. The dagger. It had come loose. At least he now had a weapon. He got up and picked up the dagger with Stevenson just behind him. He ran to the edge and in the hopes of losing Stevenson, fell to the cobbled path. He saw Stevenson's shadow jump to the next roof and started running down the street. He let himself relax slightly realizing he was nearing a short cut to the safe house. Jarsha would kill him if he led these men to the safe house but that would be better than having the watch find his mutilated body in a drain somewhere. Kylar ran down a side street wondering where Stevenson got to. He laughed at the world in general and nearly ran into someone standing in the middle of the street. The dagger was in his hand instantly as he recognized Stevenson's outline. Kylar stopped just out of arms reach. "Well, this is awkward. If I don't move closer you've got to move closer, giving me the advantage. If move closer or around you I lose any form of advantage I have here, although I must admit, I don't actually have an advantage right now besides the fact that I'm incredibly stupid sometimes and always really, really annoying constantly. So, what's it going to be? Or should I run because your friends are hiding in the shadows behind me?" Kylar smiled, flipping the dagger in his hand. Throw and catch by the handle. Hopefully this'll distract Stevenson. I need to use magic but he'll know by my eyes if I do. Dammit! Kylar looked back at Stevenson to try and see if he was looking at his eyes. He nearly smiled when he saw Stevenson looking at his hand just in case he decided to throw this horribly balanced dagger. Kylar concentrated and focused on the air around him. He could feel where Stevenson was breathing heavily from their run before. He imagined Stevenson floating up and hitting the overhanging roof. He opened his eyes and thought 'go'. Stevenson flew up and his head cracked with a sickening crack on the roof. "I've got the advantage, it seems. No one told you I had magic, did they? Oh, well. I shouldn't gloat to a corpse, anyway. Even if it still is warm and mere seconds ago held lots of life. Mightn't have been a good life but, hey, I'm not God so it's not up to me to judge that." Kylar waked away slowly. A few yards away he stopped and turned around. "Y'know, if you hadn't tried to kill me we could've been best friends. It's a shame, really. Oh, well. Have fun in hell. Keep a seat warm for me." Kylar turned his back and climbed onto the roof tops once again.

He made it back to the safe house to find Jarsha pacing inside the heavy wooden door. "How'd it go? Your late." Jarsha's voice had a catch to it like he was actually worried. "Oh, it was fine. I nearly died several times, had to kill someone with my magic and my side is bleeding like a fountain. All in all, better than last time." "Oh, how I've missed your pitiful sarcasm. Did you get it?"
"No, that's why I came back. Of course I got it! Nearly cost me my life but I got it." "Ha! That's just another perk of life. C'mon, I'll got to the boss with you."

"So, Kylar. You got caught." A voice said out of the shadows of the room. "No.... Not exactly..." Kylar trailed off uncertainly. Jarsha couldn't help but think, there's a first time for everything. He instantly felt bad and edged closer to the door. "Jarsha, get back here! You said you'd stay with me."   Kylar hissed. "Yes, Jarsha, stay. A good thief never runs if they're afraid. It's why they're in the job." Jarsha blanched and nodded. "S-sorry, sir. I-it's just that- that..." Jarsha paused to lick his lips, "I never actually asked for this." He saw Kylar's face slacken and knew he'd said the wrong thing.  I'm sorry, friend. But I had to say it. I didn't choose this, neither did you. We were forced into this. "Yes, Jarsha. You didn't choose this. No one chooses this. Why would they? A life of poverty and death around every corner." The voice sounded upset and angry at the same time. "It's the high life, eh boys? Anyway, you've got a new mission. Kylar, you're to go train in the arts with Dern here. Jarsha, you are going to learn to read and write." Kylar and Jarsha were shocked to silence. Finally, Kylar managed to choke out, " w-what, sir. I-I don't deserve this. I-it... I-I... I don't know how to respond to this. I-I thank you, sir." "Don't thank me thank your mysterious benefactor. Someone wants you to train in magic." Kylar's mind raced. Who would want another magician around? "I don't see why they'd waste time on you, anyway. You're insufferable," the voice from the shadows said, half to himself. Kylar noticed that the voice had trailed off. He nodded at Jarsha and turned to the door.

"What the hell was that? Who's this mysterious benefactor he was talking about, Kylar?" Jarsha erupted with questions as soon as they were out of earshot of the room. "I- I don't know, Jarsha. I've been trying to figure it out myself but I can't think of anyone. Anyway, I should probably go see Dern now. Have fun writing!" Kylar laughed and sped away, leaving Jarsha slack faced staring at his back. "Yeah, see you later."

Kylar arrived at a wooden door and knocked politely before opening it. "Dern? Are you here? The boss said-" "I know what the boss said, you... you person." Dern stepped into the main room and looked a Kylar. "So, your meant to be a sorcerer. You. How? You've no concentration and you annoy everyone you talk to."
"Gee, thanks, Dern. I look forward to having you as a teacher and spending hours in this dump." Kylar said with a wry grin. "Ha! You insufferable ant," Dern said with a smile. He browsed the book shelf at the back of the room. It was covered with scrolls and books. Dern picked out several, muttering to himself. "I'm not sure how to teach you. I can't make you read the scrolls because you'd get bored and run off. No one at your level should constantly use magic, it could be dangerous. How to teach you, how to teach you..." His head snapped up and he peered at Kylar. "What level you are, however, I do not know. Move the candle to... put it on the window sill." Kylar nodded and shut his eyes. He calmed himself and pictured the candle. He made it float over to the window sill. His eyes opened and he thought 'go'. The candle flew to the window and Dern nodded to himself. "Good, very good. Lots of control, has some inkling of how to use his power. Couldn't have asked for a better way to start. Alright, move me next to you." Kylar looked scared but closed his eyes anyway. The next thing Dern knew he was moving upwards, so high his head nearly hit the roof. He moved over the table and landed next to Kylar, who was smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Dern. I used just a bit too much force." Dern smiled and made a waving motion, nearly slapping Kylar."That's okay. You've done well for an apparent novice. You- you use magic on your missions, don't you?"