Avishraa Reloaded

User Tools

Site Tools

You are here: start » literature » the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies
literature:the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
literature:the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies [2021/05/07 11:01] – ↷ Page name changed from literature:the-bow-is-bent-the-arrow-flies to literature:the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies shyriathliterature:the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies [2024/01/17 14:00] (current) – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation shyriath
Line 1: Line 1:
-===== The Bow is Bent, the Arrow Flies ===== +====== The Bow is Bent, the Arrow Flies ====== 
-==== Chase ====+===== Chase =====
 The dark-blue male skidded around a corner, glanced up and down the crossroad, and then galloped along it, skidding around the very next corner in a completely different direction; the sounds of pursuit got fainter, but there were still fliers overhead tracking him. He should, he admitted wryly to himself, have changed his disguise much earlier, but he'd gotten cocky, lost his opportunity. And since then, he'd had eyes on him the whole time. Say what you like, they had an efficient Watch here in Borek. The dark-blue male skidded around a corner, glanced up and down the crossroad, and then galloped along it, skidding around the very next corner in a completely different direction; the sounds of pursuit got fainter, but there were still fliers overhead tracking him. He should, he admitted wryly to himself, have changed his disguise much earlier, but he'd gotten cocky, lost his opportunity. And since then, he'd had eyes on him the whole time. Say what you like, they had an efficient Watch here in Borek.
  
Line 25: Line 25:
 Without evident reluctance, the red extended his claws again and inflicted a few scratches and cuts over his forelegs and face. Then he tossed a purse in front of the corpse and flopped down, contriving to look exhausted and in pain, until the watchmen caught up. Without evident reluctance, the red extended his claws again and inflicted a few scratches and cuts over his forelegs and face. Then he tossed a purse in front of the corpse and flopped down, contriving to look exhausted and in pain, until the watchmen caught up.
  
-==== Escape ==== +===== Escape ===== 
-A takma lounged atop a heavy branch in a large tree. He was uniformly [[takma:scales-and-coloration|bronze-scaled]], though covered with recent scratches upon his forelegs and face, and quite young, not yet halfway through his third cycle and only barely into adolescence. His antennae seemed permanently upturned in an expression of cheery cheekiness; it was the sort of face many would happily be friends with, though possibly they would be unwise to trust it not to be behind a practical joke. He was also unusually small for his age, which was why he had covered himself in a tatty, weather-stained cloak and chosen a tree some distance away from the road. Everyone knew that stunted growth meant someone was a [[chosen:|witch]], even if it wasn't really so.+A takma lounged atop a heavy branch in a large tree. He was uniformly [[takma:scales_and_coloration|bronze-scaled]], though covered with recent scratches upon his forelegs and face, and quite young, not yet halfway through his third cycle and only barely into adolescence. His antennae seemed permanently upturned in an expression of cheery cheekiness; it was the sort of face many would happily be friends with, though possibly they would be unwise to trust it not to be behind a practical joke. He was also unusually small for his age, which was why he had covered himself in a tatty, weather-stained cloak and chosen a tree some distance away from the road. Everyone knew that stunted growth meant someone was a [[chosen:|witch]], even if it wasn't really so.
  
-The takma, whose name was [[person:zadireth|Zadireth]], knew that this was unfair. He also knew, being capable of shapeshifting - among [[chosen:magic:substance|other talents]] - that, //as// a witch, it was even less fair when it was perfectly accurate.+The takma, whose name was [[person:Zadireth]], knew that this was unfair. He also knew, being capable of shapeshifting - among [[chosen:magic:substance|other talents]] - that, //as// a witch, it was even less fair when it was perfectly accurate.
  
 Zadireth was finding himself in a difficult position, though he supposed he should count himself lucky. The stolen purse had been taken in hand by the watchmen; there hadn't been much choice. If they hadn't found it with the body, they would have searched him next anyway, and started asking uncomfortable questions. As things had stood, he was just an innocent bystander who had, however unwittingly, killed a troublesome thief and prevented the watchmen from having to continue their chase and, moreover, had volunteered to help heave the body into the river - it would've floated well out of sight before it changed back to its original appearance - thereby earning gratitude and a few coins. Zadireth was finding himself in a difficult position, though he supposed he should count himself lucky. The stolen purse had been taken in hand by the watchmen; there hadn't been much choice. If they hadn't found it with the body, they would have searched him next anyway, and started asking uncomfortable questions. As things had stood, he was just an innocent bystander who had, however unwittingly, killed a troublesome thief and prevented the watchmen from having to continue their chase and, moreover, had volunteered to help heave the body into the river - it would've floated well out of sight before it changed back to its original appearance - thereby earning gratitude and a few coins.
Line 38: Line 38:
 Shapeshifting in public, of course, wasn't to be thought of. He could also transform and synthesize various substances, feeling the changes through a sort of mental "taste", and could come up with some very rare and lucrative things that way: medicines, drugs and inebriants, even poisons. He'd made an awful lot of money on a few occasions. But he'd also found that the local authorities, however understandably, were rather inflexible on the subject of exotic substances being sold in unusual quantities, and tended to start suspecting witchcraft even before they'd worked out his own existence. But ordinary crime, now - //that//, against all sense, was safer, so long as you were careful. They might hound you, but no one ever asked questions about why you stole money or what dark magic was involved. Shapeshifting in public, of course, wasn't to be thought of. He could also transform and synthesize various substances, feeling the changes through a sort of mental "taste", and could come up with some very rare and lucrative things that way: medicines, drugs and inebriants, even poisons. He'd made an awful lot of money on a few occasions. But he'd also found that the local authorities, however understandably, were rather inflexible on the subject of exotic substances being sold in unusual quantities, and tended to start suspecting witchcraft even before they'd worked out his own existence. But ordinary crime, now - //that//, against all sense, was safer, so long as you were careful. They might hound you, but no one ever asked questions about why you stole money or what dark magic was involved.
  
-But it wasn't a living. It wasn't //life//. He found it somewhat objectionable that the [[culture:mythology:imperial_religion:siathar:|gods]], who had graced countless millions with things like purpose and structure and societies to participate in, had neglected to include himself in the list. There was no town or village he'd ever heard of where he, as himself, could just stay and live, at least not without serious abuse. So: no fixed abode, no home, no direction. Somehow it was the last one that [[chosen:srian|irked him most of all]]; he was feeling aimless.+But it wasn't a living. It wasn't //life//. He found it somewhat objectionable that the [[mythology:imperial_religion:siathar:|gods]], who had graced countless millions with things like purpose and structure and societies to participate in, had neglected to include himself in the list. There was no town or village he'd ever heard of where he, as himself, could just stay and live, at least not without serious abuse. So: no fixed abode, no home, no direction. Somehow it was the last one that [[chosen:#Srians|irked him most of all]]; he was feeling aimless.
  
 On very rare occasions, it was almost enough to make him want to go back to the Room. It was a horrifying thought, given what he'd been through there and the trouble he'd taken to escape, but at least there he'd known what his place was. It was the sort of thought he'd gotten good at avoiding.  On very rare occasions, it was almost enough to make him want to go back to the Room. It was a horrifying thought, given what he'd been through there and the trouble he'd taken to escape, but at least there he'd known what his place was. It was the sort of thought he'd gotten good at avoiding. 
Line 81: Line 81:
 And then, the entire world winked out. And then, the entire world winked out.
  
-==== Release ====+===== Release =====
 For a brief interval, Zadireth could make no sense of what he was seeing, but it all resolved itself into a stone-walled room. Though he was dizzy and confused, he lashed out with his free paw, claws extended. For a brief interval, Zadireth could make no sense of what he was seeing, but it all resolved itself into a stone-walled room. Though he was dizzy and confused, he lashed out with his free paw, claws extended.
  
literature/the_bow_is_bent_the_arrow_flies.1620399676.txt.gz · Last modified: (external edit)