After running back to Jonah’s, Liam enters the building slightly out of breath. Jonah looks up as he enters. “Not bad kid, not bad at all. There and back in under two hours by my count.” He says, visibly impressed. “You earned this.” He sets down a small stack of coins on the counter. “If you’re up to it there are a few deliveries on back order.”
Liam walks forward and takes the money. He thinks to himself, Damn, this is like a full days cleaning or moving shit around back in Esterstone. I suppose being able to run fast is a big help. “Thanks, I’ll just grab a bite to eat across at The Boarelk’s Tusk, if that’s ok. I haven’t had anything since breakfast.” Says Liam, still out of breath. “Sure kid, just make it quick. If Parker or Fernandez are back before you then the jobs are theirs." Liam quickly exists and makes his way across the street.
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After a very quick bite to eat which Godrick was happy to provide, Liam returns to Jonah’s. He enters and looks up at the owner expectantly. Jonah simply slides two small packages across the counter, next to them are a couple of pieces of paper. “Go ahead, you know the drill. These are close by to each other, might as well make it a single trip.” He looks back down at his paperwork and continues writing.
Liam exits the store and quickly makes his way to the destination, a middle-class residential area to the northeast. He stops a few times to ask directions or take a drink from public water faucets and a few hours later he has arrived. The first package goes to a bored looking woman with green hair, she quickly scribbles down her signature, confirming delivery. Five minutes later and one street away he hands over the second package to an excited teen around Liam’s age. With both slips of paper signed, Liam makes his back to Grayhawk Row.
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Jonah congratulates him on a job well done and hands over some coins. Liam places the coins in his coin pouch and snaps the latch closed. He looks up as Jonah coughs to get his attention. “One job left if you’re interested.”
“Sure thing boss, plenty of time left in the day to make one last delivery.” Liam says, eager to make more money. “Parker says he was attacked the last time he delivered in this area. It should be fine but no harm in staying cautious. Unfortunately, some folks see couriers as an easy payday.” Jonah warns. His face breaks into a smile “But that kind of thing hardly ever happens, Parker probably just tripped. Anyway, here it is if you still want to go.” He pats a small box on the counter.
Liam walks over and secures the package before reading the paper. K. Thornton, 135 Bulburry Street, deliver after sundown. “This one hardly weighs anything, what’s inside, some air?” Liam jokes.
“Never, ever ask or check what is inside. I should have made that clear right away. Our clients pay well because we are fast, reliable and most importantly, confidential.” Jonah replies in a serious tone.
“Alright, alright! I was just joking, relax!” Liam replies quickly.
“Ok, kid, just keep that in mind. Anyway, I’ll probably be closed by the time you get back, so just return in the morning to get paid. That ok?” Jonah asks.
“Yeah, no problem. I’m an early riser, I can come back tomorrow morning and start deliveries. What route should I take to get to Bulburry street?” Liam asks. “Stick to the main streets while heading south east when you reach Merrion Square take the turn after the tavern on the corner.” He pauses for a second, thinking. “Continue along that street for a bit and you should see a sign on your right. Anyway, if you get lost you know what to do. “Jonah replies dismissively. “Well… I best be off with this then.” Liam replies, patting his courier bag. The door swings closed behind him as Liam walks outside.
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Liam notes the lengthening shadows and decides it would be best to get the job done as quickly as possible. He gathers energy from the orange glow of the setting sun and spreads it throughout his body to the best of his amateur abilities.
The city blurs around Liam as he runs through the city, not quite at full speed but certainly at decent pace. Even in the new environment, years of running away from fights and taking shortcuts have honed his skills when moving quickly through urban environments. Before long, it is dark, and Liam sees a sign indicating he has arrived at Merrion Square. It seems to be a lower-class neighbourhood.
The square is mostly filled with shabby looking wooden houses, an elderly man locks the door of a general goods store before walking away. To Liam’s right a dark hooded figure enters a building. The Doghouse, it seems to be a pub. Oh right yeah, I need to take that street over there. Liam makes his way over there, fake confidence in his steps. The faint sound of voices can be heard from within as he passes the building,
Liam walks carefully down Edgefield Row, the pavement is in dire need of repair. Weeds shoot up through the cracked stone, there are many potholes and in some sections, just raw earth. This would never happen in Esterstone, those cocky Dulwick’s would have a fit if they saw part of their precious street all damaged like this. Liam smiles to himself, imagining their outrage. The street is mostly empty, the few people he does see ignore him. Minutes later he comes to fork in the road, the left path is unnamed but to his right in a faded metal sign he reads Bulburry Street.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The road here is thankfully undamaged, for the most part. Liam sees a few cracks, scorch marks and in one place, a strange purple vine growing directly out of the stone. He sidesteps this while making his way through the street. Moonlight and an occasional glowing lamppost light his way, although for every working lamp there are five or six which lay bent or smashed. Many of the buildings seem to be abandoned, across the street he sees a residence with a number seven hanging on the front door. A few paces down on Liam’s side of the street there is a boarded-up house, a metal number ‘ten’ hangs from the shabby wooden door. He sees a pair of glowing eyes peer at him from between gaps in the wood. Slightly creeped out by the eerie atmosphere, Liam increases his pace.
The young courier moves along the street toward his destination. The odd numbered buildings appear to be on the left side and even numbered on his right. After passing number twenty-two the faint sound of footsteps can be heard behind Liam. Feeling conscious about the area and Jonah’s warning, he glances over his shoulder. Thirty meters behind, dark silhouette is walking toward him, a vague hint of yellow eyes can be seen in the hooded figure. Liam quickly crosses to the other side of the street, he walks several paces before looking behind again. The figure has crossed too and has gained a few steps on him. With panic starting to set in, Liam sprint behind the next building, and after focusing for a second, activates his mirror coat. He pauses briefly to sill his beating heart and slow his breathing before walking back out on the street. With quite steps he crosses back to the side he was originally walking on.
Liam walks backwards for a few steps while making sure that the cloaked figure is no longer following him. His stalker prowls behind the building Liam hid behind moments before and disappears out of sight. With an audible sigh, Liam continues onward.
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Several minutes later, with his paranoia dialled up to eleven, the young teenager passes by number forty-two. Liam looks at the house with a forlorn expression. That was our number back in Esterstone. 42 Tyrlock Road. When I still had dad around to take care of me. I need to get strong and find out what happened, there is no way he was beaten fairly. I’m certain of it.
Liam is suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as he feels something pull at his courier bag from behind. He briefly resists before someone very strong shoves him to the ground. Liam blinks stars out of his eyes as he stumbles back to his feet. He notices that he is no longer invisible, glowing yellow eyes greet him as he turns to face his attacker. The hooded figure towers over Liam, he takes a deep inhale through his nose. “Nice trick little boy. But you just smell too good to resist” an animalist voice greets him.
Feeling thoroughly freaked out, Liam pleads “You can have the bag, I’m just a courier, take it!” The dark figure takes a step closer while Liam continues to back away. “It’s not the bag I’m after.” As Liam starts to understand exactly what is going on, he glances at the moon for a second before trying to bring energy into his body. The stranger advances slowly, he seems to be enjoying Liam’s fear. This gives Liam plenty of time to draw energy in, once he feels the tell-tale sign of the world slowing, he spins around and takes off like a peregrine-horse. The stranger lunches forward with a growl, but Liam is already gone.
With nimble feet, the young courier dashes through the street. He hears loud footsteps pound on the pavement behind him, hot on his tail. Pushing himself, Liam continues to accelerate, his vision tunnels as he continues forward. After a few minutes at this brake neck pace, Liam comes to the end of the street, without thinking he turns to the right while desperately looking around for help. Shit, nobody around, it’s not that late.. is it? Liam starts to slow down so he can listen for the pursuer, not hearing anything he risks a look over his shoulder. An empty street lies behind him and Liam slows to a stop, panting. That was close, what a fucking psycho.
Liam turns almost invisible once more with mirror coat, he turns around and starts walking back to Bulburry Street. As he passes by a stone wall his instincs suddenly cry out for him to dodge. Liam takes a step back just in time to see a clawed hand pass by where his head would have been. It smacks into the wall with a loud crunch, shards of stone clatter to the ground as the attacker steps out from the shadows. Yellow eyes peer out from beneath at hood at Liam’s invisible form. “You’re a fast little bird, but you can’t run away from me.” He takes another disturbingly long sniff. “No matter where you go. I’m going to find you, just come with me, I think you will like the other little birds”.
Fuck. I can’t escape this guy and by the sound of things he is hurting others. What the hell am I going to do. The attacker takes a step forward. “The last one got lucky and escaped. I’m not letting that happen again.” He leaps forward, a clawed hand digs into Liam’s sleeve, biting into his skin. Liam feels the world turn as he is swung into the wall. There is an audible ‘crack’ in the street. Well, there goes my good arm. With a groan, Liam walks backwards while holding up his left hand.
The stranger does not seem to be in a great rush anymore, he licks a few drops of blood off clawed fingers. “Delicious. I think I am going to enjoy this. Oh yes, so very much.” The strange creature’s creepy voice grated on the young couriers’ ears. With anger starting to stir in his heart at how the night was turning out, Liam starts to gather energy. He begs the moon for more power, drawing everything he can take, after that he digs even further, taking power from within.
Several steps later, while the attacker continues his slow pursuit, Liam stops retreating. “Has the little bird given up? Time to come back to my nest for some fun.” With his palm held out, seemingly to beg the attacker to stop, Liam looks up and makes eye contact into a pair of glowing amber eyes.
“Please, don’t do this, just leave me alone. I’ll just go make my delivery and then head home, nobody has to get hurt. I won’t tell anybody what happened.” Liam pleads.
“Oh you poor thing. You still don’t understand. You are the delivery. That package is empty.” His attacker answers with a grin. Cruel white teeth shine in the moonlit street.
Not trusting his shaking hand, Liam lowers it to the stranger’s chest. “You had your chance.” A thick beam of blinding white light bursts out of Liam’s hand. It impacts the creature’s chest in a heartbeat and he falls backwards. Liam rushes forward to ensure the work is done. He has heard too many stories of beastkin’s durability to leave this to chance.
The man is laying on his back, breathing laboured as blood seeps out of a wound just below his heart. A revolting smell of burnt hair and flesh assault Liam’s nose as he leans down. With his right arm broken, Liam awkwardly draws his dagger using his left hand. He waits a minute, listening to the man’s breathing start to gradually stabilise. Fuck. I guess I don’t have a choice here. Do I? The man clutches at his wound, Liam can already see that it won’t be fatal, it even seems to be bleeding less than a moment ago. The young man adjusts his grip of the dagger, after taking a second to still his shaking hand, he plunges it downward. It slides into the man’s heart with no resistance, ending his life.
Adult beastkin defeated. You gain a small portion of his Spiritual Power.
6,300 SP