As they ran, the styles of the buildings changed somewhat every few minutes or so, as if the city had been divided into different sectors based on the cultural inclinations of its inhabitants The only thing that stayed constant was the type of stone that the buildings were made out of, the same dark hued rock that was so commonly used for building within the Ash Heaps.
Right now they were in a region of soaring towers and small, elegantly built structures that were populated with beings that looked somewhat like elves. It seemed as if this was the place that most of the people living in the Ash Heaps came to. Jonathan only had a few moments to look at the sights however, as the scenery suddenly changed, and the buildings all began to transition underground, in what was presumably the beginning of the dwarven district. There were no more rooftops for them to run on, and they were forced to run along the streets, now out in the open.
As soon as they were out of the cover of the rooftops however, hundreds of guards started to come streaming down the various streets of this district, heading their way. People started screaming all around them, and a milling stampede ensued, providing them with some cover. Jonathan could hear the guards screaming for the civilians to get out of the way, and in more than one case, physically forcing them to make way, but he kept this at the back of his mind. The more pressing concern was the cloud, which now seemed to have locked onto them, and was heading their way. It looked a bit different now that they were closer to it, and Jonathan saw that it was made entirely up of tiny eyes that seemed to be made out of ancient, coagulated blood, hence the dark color. It was a uniquely disturbing sight, and Jonathan could tell that the people who had made it were quite powerful indeed. Whoever dwelt within that dark tower was a being that was far more powerful than he was.
The eyes drifted closer and closer, and Jonathan hunched over, trying to keep his profile as small as possible. He was without his armor and his weapons, so he was hopefully less recognizable, but he still was moving far faster than anyone else within this city, which was a giveaway all in itself. He was also carrying another man on his back, which was quite suspicious.
A few minutes later, he had reached the edge of the subterranean district, and finally was back into an area where there were houses. He could hear the muffled shouts of the guards, but as he rounded the corner, ducking into a darkened alleyway, he let out a sigh of relief. They were safe, for now. He let Edgar off his back, and the man dropped to the ground, shaking slightly.
“That was not an experience that I am eager to ever repeat,” Edgar said, shivering.
“What, you didn't like riding Jonathan Express?” Jonathan said, smiling.
“What? What does that even mean? Is that some manner of lewd joke?”
“Never mind. Forget that I said that,” Jonathan replied, realizing that the joke would not have made sense to anyone from this universe. “Anyway, we’re in the free and clear now, but we still need to get our stuff back. I’m sure that they took your weapons and other possessions off you as well?”
“You guessed right. My most valuable possessions are all languishing back wherever the forces of Granath keep the items stolen from their prisoners. I do not know where that is, but we must find it before we leave this city.”
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Fifteen minutes later the two men were standing outside of a derelict looking tavern, ready to go in. It was perfect for their needs, seeing as it was both out of the way, and shielded from outside views, by the virtue of the layers of grime that encrusted its windows. It was not a place that either man would have entered normally, but it was the right place for them to go now.
Jonathan pushed the door open, wincing as it squeaked loudly, moving on rusty hinges. The interior of the tavern was no better off than the outside, and mildewed chairs sat haphazardly on a sticky wooden floor, covered in unidentifiable grime. Jonathan took an apprehensive step onto the floor, and grimaced as his foot made a sucking noise as it came off. He ignored the discomfort however, and kept moving, heading for the bar. There was a sullen specimen standing behind it, absently scrubbing at a tankard with a dirty cloth. All the woman seemed to be doing was spreading the dirt around on the glass rather than actually removing it.
“Who the hell are you lot?” She asked, without looking up. “Nobody comes to my tavern these days. Are you looking for something of me? Because I can assure you, I have nothing worth stealing.”
“No, we merely need a place to lie low for a moment,” Jonathan replied, traversing the discomforting floor with some difficulty. The entire thing was covered in a half inch layer of unidentifiable gunk, and the bottoms of his shoes were starting to take on its attributes.
The woman raised one eyebrow at them.
“Oh, trying to avoid the missus then, eh? For your little liaison with this toyboy here?”
Both of the men spluttered, and Edgar seemed outraged.
“Are you suggesting that the two of us are in some sort of untoward relationship?” The man spluttered.
“I don’t know. Are you?” The woman replied, grinning wickedly. “The alternative is that you are both running from the law, in which case, I would be duty bound to report you to the forces of the lord. That is not the case though, is it? Criminals cannot pay after all.”
“We are not criminals, nor are we in any sort of relationship,” Jonathan said hurriedly, trying to set the record straight. “We both are merely in some trouble.”
"From your wives? I bet. That hunk of meat there seems like he’s been quite a hot commodity over the last few years,” the bartender said, licking her lips at Edgar, who, now that Sam was looking at him, was in fact an especially handsome specimen. The lecherous gaze caused the man to splutter, and Jonathan quickly grabbed him by the arm and tugged him over to a nearby table before a scene could ensue. The bartender kept eyeing up Edgar, but the man studiously ignored her.
“Alright. What’s the plan then? I have no idea of the layout of this city,” Jonathan said, keeping his voice low.
“I was only here for a few days before I was captured, but I know enough. The center of the city is taken up by a few of the more important buildings in the city. The palace of Granath, the citadel of his little circle of pet mages, and the repository, where the wealth of the realm is kept. I would guess that our possessions are housed within the repository.”
“How heavily guarded is this repository?” Jonathan asked, sending a wary glance over to the bartender, who was trying to pretend that she wasn't intently listening to them.
“I would guess that it has one of the greatest military presence within this world. In addition, it is right next to two of the most powerful forces of the Ash Heaps. Going there would be a risky trip indeed.”
Before Edgar could say another word, the door swung inwards violently, and a small group of guards stormed in. There were about eight of them, and they all were heavily armed and armored. Jonathan and Edgar felt naked without their own weapons and armor in comparison. However, it didn't seem like they had been recognized, as the guards were facing the other way, and the men instead walked up to the woman at the bar. The leader pulled out a piece of paper, and showed it to the woman.
“Have you seen these two men?” The man asked, showing her the picture. As soon as the woman saw it, her eyes lit up, and she began to raise her hand to point at Jonathan and Edgar.