Giantrock City never had a large of number of city guards, now -- there were none. Most had been slain quietly in the instant following the first blade entering the Mayor General's chest, some had fought and died moments later, and the remaining few had removed their armor and insignia and dispersed into crowds in the hopes they would be overlooked or spared.
The town square had been a bomb primed to explode -- hundreds of battle hardened adventurers more than willing to turn their arrows, blades and spells upon a newfound enemy with the slightest prompting. The first fireballs erupted on stage only an instant after the agents of Morose disappeared, and already thick black smoke billowed into the sky as the fire spread.
Silas, the agent with the two-teared mask and leader of the Morose contingent within the city, had anticipated this. That was why he and his agents, after dispatching the mayor and his guards, retreated to the governmental complex at the peak of the city. It was here that they disposed of Emerald Empire loyalists and informed the rest of the mayor's staff of their new employer. Silas stood on a small balcony which overlooked the city, his hands clasped casually behind his back as the warm glow of the evening sky and the spreading fire reflected off his mask.
"Sir," a middle-aged functionary with disheveled hair and a crack in his glasses spoke nervously behind the titan, "your office is ready."
"That will be all," Silas said flatly.
"Yes sir," the functionary half nodded, half bowed before quickly retreating.
The wind that fluttered his robes slowed to a stop, and the commotion of the city in chaos dulled to a distant, muffled roar. A voice which only he could hear spoke from all around, both quiet and loud, calm and terrifying.
"You have done well, disciple."
"Thank you, my god," Silas bowed his head as he spoke.
"Consolidate my power in the region, and then appoint your replacement. Greater tasks await you."
"Yes, my god."
His robe began to flutter again and the sounds of the city returned.
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Iris and her party fled through the streets towards the city gates, joined by Cameron, Whirl and Galt. Other fleeing adventurers braved the roof tops or took flight over the city walls, many ducked inside buildings or into the carved stairwells that led down through the rock into the Underbelly below, and others still stayed behind to fight the growing fire or hunt for agents of Morose to fight.
Despite the initial chaos, the city was already growing calmer. Those searching for fights found no foes, and those fleeing for their lives soon discovered they weren't being chased. Whirl and Galt slowed to a stop as the city gates came into view, and the party soon stopped with them.
"This is the end of the line for us, Cam," Galt said.
"You're staying in the city?" Cameron asked in shock.
Galt glanced over his shoulder at the tower of smoke behind him, "if Morose wanted to kill us all, they'd be doing it now. Someone has to put the fire out."
"And we have nowhere else to go," Whirl added, "unless you expect the Shark Titan to be taking refugees."
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A somber expression crossed Cameron's face, but he didn't argue, "this is goodbye, then."
"Yeah," Galt said gravely.
Cameron crossed the distance between them in a few long steps, and pulled both his allies into a hug, "it's been a pleasure adventuring with you. Take care of yourselves."
"You too, friend," Galt said as Cameron withdrew from the hug.
"See you around," Whirl said, "one day."
Cameron nodded, and then steeled himself. He took one last look at his companions, and then turned to the others and started towards the gate, "let's move."
"Why can't we stay?" Iris asked as they picked up their sprint, "Galt has a good point about them not killing us."
"Of all people," Eli said, "you shouldn't want to be in a city held by Morose."
Cameron shot a glance towards Iris, and then Eli, "what do you mean by that?"
"There's no time," Eli said, "there might be a lockdown coming. Move faster."
As they passed under the redwood beams of the gateway, they stepped over the slaughtered corpses of the guardsmen who had posted there. A sharp turn brought them onto the descending path towards the docks, where already many boats and small ships were setting sail. In the distance, the black flag of the Gaping Maw fluttered in the wind.
It was a long trek through the disarray of the Underbelly, and the business of the streets forced the adventuring party to the rooftops as they fled for the furthest dock. Victoria was the fastest amongst them, unobstructed by terrain or crowds in her spectral form, and raced ahead in hopes of stalling for her party in case the schooners might depart without them. Iris slammed her boots into the flat wooden rooftops of the Underbelly as she leapt and blipped across the gaps. Fights were breaking out below as boats were commandeered, shop stalls were toppled and looted, and unlucky people were shoved over the edge of the docks in the chaos.
They reached the furthest dock as Victoria was pleading with the helmsman of the last schooner. He was untying the ropes and using a pole to push off from the docks as she floated beside the boat and begged for him to wait. The boat rocked slightly as Iris blipped onto it. Cameron launched himself into the air with an explosion and landed harshly beside her, rocking the boat harder. Autumn, Titus and Eli sprinted as fast as they could down the docks, leaping one after the other and barely clearing the gap to cling onto the stern of the boat and pull themselves aboard.
"You fools are trying to sink us!" the helmsman yelled, followed by shouted agreements from the other pirates aboard.
"And you were trying to leave us," Eli said, climbing to his feet and looking down at the shorter helmsman with a dangerous glare, "let's call it even."
The helmsman glanced around. He and the other pirates were certainly a more formidable force than the cocky band of adventurers, but they were nearly evenly numbered on a small and overcrowded boat. He calculated the odds, and huffed as he turned his attention towards steering the boat. Eli stepped back and took a seat near the stern, and the adventurers rode in silence across the uneasy waters.
Iris looked back as they left the long, late evening shadow of the city. She wasn't sure if this was goodbye to the city itself, but one thing was certain -- Milo was still in there, somewhere, and no force in the world would be stopping her from saying a proper goodbye to him. She only hoped he was safe.
"Guys," Autumn nudged Titus with an elbow and slapped Eli on the shoulder before pointed at the water behind them, "look."
The sky was rapidly growing darker, and it took a moment for Iris to spot what she was pointing at. There, in the distant wake of their boat, was a head poking out of the water. Messy grey hair clung to the face, and a tattered wizard hat sat atop it. It was the Fish Wizard.
"Oh no," Eli whispered.
The head dipped below the water with a tiny splash, and the adventurers nervously peered over the edge of the boat into the dark waters.
"Almost there, boys!" the helmsman shouted, oblivious to the threat below the waves, "we're coming in hot!"
A few moments later the schooner crashed against the side of the Gaping Maw. The weaker wood of the schooner splintered against the undamaged hull of the ship, and pirates immediately began departing the small boat to climb the hull towards the main deck. The party wasted no time in joining them, knowing the ship was their greatest shield against the stalking Fish Wizard.
The sun set on Giantrock Lake as the pirates climbed aboard the Gaping Maw, and the city grew dark as the raging fire at its heart was slowly quenched. The Shark Titan observed from the quarterdeck, staring up towards the governmental complex where the usual evening lights had yet to be lit.
"Will they come for us?" his first mate asked beside him.
"Only if they're fools."