Manslaughter (4)
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Instead of panicking and rushing into the city without a plan I simply finished what I had come to do. I had replaced my ten books many times over when i felt the barely perceptible shift in my essence as the sun passed beneath the horizon, its scouring rays no longer illuminating Creation. When it did I closed the book I was reading and sat still for a moment, contemplating my next move.
I assumed the worst: that the Wyld Hunt could track me the moment I stepped outside whatever protections the Library Manse was sure to have. Assuming no experienced Sidereals were involved, something I had to do because if one was then I had already lost, constant movement was probably the best way to deal with the issue. At least until a more permanent solution could be found.
Leaving the books to be collected I rose from my seat, feeling just as good as when I had begun, and exited the library. Just outside the Manse, one could barely tell that the sun had fallen. Countless Essence lights and other sources of illumination kept the small square in front of the building well lit. Compared to last night, the crowd could barely be called that. The streets were mostly empty, and this still moving about could broadly be divided into two groups: those moving about with furtive fear, keeping heads low and strides long to minimize time spent outside, and the determined. Dozens of Dragon-blooded wandered the streets in full armor; some moving alone or in small groups, others in full scales. Some talked boisterously amongst themselves, gesturing wildly, others moved with military precision. I didn't think any of these groups were actually part of the Wyld Hunt, they seemed to ad hoc and ignorant of each other's movements.
No, they were dynasts out to play. All eager to find and slay an Anathema and bring glory to themselves and their families. Luckily, the Dragon-blooded themselves were the lesser threat in this case, they had no way to detect the presence of an Exaltation. The main issue would be avoiding any sorcerers or artifacts that could unveil me.
It was very likely that the Wyld hunt had set up blockades/ detection point at most of the major thoroughfares in the city, assuming any basic competency and resources in the organisation, and lacking any stealth or disguising charms as I did I would be hard-pressed to slip past unnoticed. My best option was to get off the streets.
Keeping my head low, I moved into the city itself. I found myself unconsciously flinching away from the Dragon-Blooded as I moved amongst them. Both from fear of discovery and because of the Daiklaives. Daiklaives were beyond mere swords as swords were beyond sticks, the huge weapons were often longer than I was, but the true terror lay in that each and every one of them represented a force powerful enough to level a small village singlehandedly. Those blades probably weighed more than I did, but in the hands of one of the Exalted could be used as if it was made from styrofoam.
I really needed to get one for myself.
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I moved through side-streets and alleys, away from the centre of district but carefully judging my movements as to not approach the edges either. It had only been fifteen minutes since I left the Library, but my constant fear of discovery made it feel like hours. Finally I managed to find an alley isolated enough to be completely empty and large enough to be useful for my purpose.
What I needed to do was get more mobility, and I had several different ideas on how to do that. The sewer system, might work but I had no idea how extensive it was or even how to access it. But before I went on a wild goose chase for something that might or might not be of use I decided to turn my search inward.
I knew of dozens of charms that could be of use in this situation, but there were several problems with that plan. I needed both the Essence and the ability to gain them, something that was hard to judge without hard numbers, and time to train and internalize the Charm itself. The charm I had used before to increase my strength, Corpse-Might Surge, was an athletics charm that if I knew meant several others were probably available to me.
While I lacked the time and the basic know-how of how to learn new charms I knew that at their core, charms were instinctive things. The natural abilities of the Exalted, and I suspected, possible to learn without any true study. That theory was one I was willing to put to the test.
Moving through the motions of loosening my leg muscles, I stared at the walls on both sides of me. I knew what I wanted. Taking that certainty and drive, I bent my knees in preparation for a jump. Pulling on the Essence resting within me I flushed it through my body, letting instinct guide both it and me in accordance to what I wanted.
For a second I wondered if I had accomplished anything except waste motes, then something clicked. With a blur of motion I jumped, launching myself into the air. I flew higher than was possible for any mortal, several meters into air in a single bound. I had angled my jump slightly, and just before reaching my apex, I collided with the wall. For a moment my feet scrambled for purchase, before a slight imperfection in the construction of the wall allowed me to gain a foothold.
It was a tiny crack, extending less than a millimeter from the surface, but beneath my feet it was like an immovable ledge. Two charms, Spider Pounce Technique to aid my jump and Raiton's Nimble Perch to let me stand. A vicious grin lit my face, In a single moment I had gone from a single general charm to three, all three perfect for aiding my movement and evasion.
In the Game they were limited to one Scene, and I had no idea to how that translated to reality so I made a mental note to keep an close eye on when they ended and memorize the duration. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh as I launched myself into the air again, this time aiming towards the opposite wall. Up I went, bouncing between the two buildings I had specifically chosen for their almost equal height.
I reached the top, or rather a small balcony near the top, and looked out over the city below. Lit in soft golden light, it was unlike anything I had seen before, structures that were grand from the ground level were stunning now that I could see them in their full glory. The darkness obscured much, but many of the more influential buildings were lit by various sources of light. The huge Imperial Palace dominated the city, and for a moment I thought of trying to sneak in before dismissing the thought.
With a sigh I stopped my eager sightseeing and instead returned to the issue at hand, I needed to keep moving. Tomorrow I could try procuring more funds and a more secure place to stay, but until then I would simply have to make do with my newfound mobility. With a glance I plotted my next goal, A building lit in multi hued light in the distance, and then I launched myself into the night once more.
End Manslaughter
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Hope you like it, Next chapter is named Honor Kill and I hope will showcase just why one shouldn't underestimate the Wyld Hunt. As Always, a single word is better than nothing and feedback is food.
Stunt purchases cost 1wp and must be thematically appropriate for a given situation.
