The address for the tailor turned out to be much closer to the Crystal Walk than Roze previously anticipated. She was quickly able to receive the robes Galeas described for a small fee. After a short while perusing through assorted fabrics, Roze managed to find dark cottons matching Hazel’s black and gray fur.
“I should be able to get your order finished up in about a day or two so check back in then,” The man assured Roze. The two continued to shop around before to see if they could find some new boots that might also fit Hazel when they heard another customer come in.
“I’m here to pick up some gloves. It’s a special order.” The voice sounded familiar. Roze turned to see if she recognized the man.
“You!” Roze immediately recognized the fingerless figure of Sleeper standing at the counter. Sleeper turned around to meet his prosecutor. Suddenly Hazel and Roze found themselves surrounded by the Sleeper group as the remaining two men entered into the tailor’s shop. “Back for another round?” The lights flickered as Roze spoke
All three of the men roared with laughter. “You think we’re afraid of a little thaumaturgy? You don’t get into the thieves guild by letting every little woman you pass frighten you. Wait, Where did your friend go?”
When Roze turned back, Hazel was no longer there. Her and the other three men quickly looked around and Hazel was nowhere to be found. One of the men started to pull a sword from its sheath as he stepped closer to Roze. “Looks like your friend abandoned you. She killed my cousin yesterday, you know? Blood gets blood on these streets and I would like to collect what I’m owed.”
As the man leaned into Roze’s face she matched his gaze with a hateful stare. The blade of his sword rested just on her shoulder when he began coughing blood. Hiding within the fabrics still on the hangers was Hazel, the point of her rapier fully impaled through the man's throat.
“Let’s go ahead and finish off the family tree then shall we?” spat Hazel, as she slid the blade allowing the body to drop. Roze watched as her assailant’s life slipped away before her eyes. Her head raised and turned towards the remaining man. In her hand, Roze felt the trigger form first. Shortly after, the full weight of the weapon formed. It crackled and burned slightly against her palms.
“Shoot him. End him. Fire, and I won’t miss.”
Roze raised an electrified crossbow aiming directly at the thief. She didn’t even notice the pleading until after the bolt was fired but, by that point it was much too late. A superheated bolt of magic fired into the body of the man hitting dead center. He flew clean off of his feet landing on the shelves against the wall. Roze stared for a moment realizing what she had done, the only relief was the slight rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breathe.
“Why are you holding back? Kill him like he was going to do to you. He was going to tear you from your brother. You’ll just forgive that?”
Roze grappled with the voice screaming in her head when the doors to the shop were thrown open. Standing, silhouetted against the sunlight, was Niera with her blade drawn and pointed at Sleeper.
“Sleeper! You came after me. Time to finish our fight then. Just you and me.”
“What? Um, no, definitely not. Did you not just watch your friend shoot lightning from her hand? I don’t even have fingers. No, I surrender. You win.” Sleeper tried to raise his arms slowly but Niera was already charging forward. He ducked to the side pushing the blade down.
In the opening created, Kesh'gar summoned a small mote of fire and hurled it at Sleeper. Rhenigan synced his own attack with Kesh, hurling a small bottle of chemical fluid. As the two substances collided on Sleeper they ignited causing a small smokey burst of fire in his face. The party paused thinking they had downed him until he burst from the smoke, wildly swinging his sword at Niera. The blade seemed out of control and rampant but still found its mark cutting deep through Niera's bicep. Hazel attempted to cut off the remaining hand and render Sleeper useless, but as she lunged, he turned and swatted her back onto the countertop in one swing.
Roze stood mesmerized, her mind seemed somewhere else entirely until she spoke, only saying, "Fine. I'll do it" She squeezed the trigger to her spectral crossbow and the witch bolt fired into the bandit pulsed again, electrifying the man to death. Kesh'gar watched as the man stopped moving and looked over to Roze but remained at a loss for words. Fortunately, Moss understood exactly what to say in this moment.
"Nice job Roze! Just one left now" Moss kicked up a broom as he called out. The broom landed in his hands and he channeled his power through it causing the broom to crack and harden. In two swift motions, Moss swatted and slapped Sleeper sending a mix of blood and spit flying across the floorboards. When he finished his barrage he ducked out of the way revealing Kesh and Rhen hurling another chemical cocktail.
Through the smoke the party could only listen to the sick cackling of Sleeper as the green crystal began to glow and snap in his hands. He raised the gem and charged it with as much power as he could and, for a moment, a blazing ball of fire began to form. The party watched as the ball collapsed under the weight of inexperience and exploded sending a pulse of burning magical energy through the shop.
“Roze! Move!” Kesh’gar yelled as Niera began channeling her magic through her ring. The wave of magic ruptured and scorched everything it passed through, throwing fabrics and goods from their places on the shelves and throwing everyone in the shop back. Niera and Moss we propelled back out of the windows. Roze was fully thrown off the ground and screamed as her own spell was blasted away by like a footprint facing a wave. Kesh’gar dove into the pulse, managing to catch Roze before her unconscious body could hit the floor. Hazel was thrown back into the wall but managed to land on the floor squarely on her own feet. When the smoke began to clear, she was the first one to go inspect what remained of Sleeper. Laying where he was standing was just an arm and a hand with all of the fingers cleanly sliced off. Hazel bent down and picked up the bright green crystal that laid in the scorched blood. She turned and tossed it to Kesh’gar who was still lying on the floor.
“Here. You were looking for one of these right? Seems useful.” Hazel attempted to smile as spoke but appeared in pain to Kesh who caught the gem with a horrified look.
Niera’s head poked back into the building to assess the damage. “I don’t want to alarm anybody but, there’s guards on their way.”
“I’ll handle it,” replied Hazel as she ran back onto the street. The guards were pushing through the crowd of bystanders that formed just outside the tailor’s shop. One of them began to point at Hazel and call out to her.
“Hey! You need to come in for questions!” The party witnessed the guard chasing Hazel’s feline form as they slipped out the back of the shop.
“We’re truly grateful for your discretion. You’ve been a wonderful help. Sorry about your shop though. We’ll come back to help you clean,” promised Niera.
“Oh don't worry about it. Somebody needed to deal with those thugs sooner or later so as far as I’m concerned, we’re square.”
Kesh’gar impatiently ended the conversation “Hate to be rude, but we need to get Roze to safety and those guards are still prowling.”
The party snuck back onto the road and blended with the crowd of spectators. One of the guards eventually came by to disperse the people allowing the group to discreetly head back to their guild hall. As they arrived at the stone walls they saw Hazel, still in her cat body, laying along the stones sunbathing. She opened one of her eyes and stood to stretch.
“Took you guys long enough,” she said, as her back arched.
“You can talk when you’re like that?” Rhenigan shouted in disbelief.
“No, please, bring more attention to us,” retorted Niera.
Moss placed his hand on Roze’s forehead in Kesh’gar’s arms and the smell of pine sap filled the air while her wounds sealed themselves. Roze woke in a jolt and jumped back onto her feet allowing Hazel to leap onto her shoulders. The party looked at each other with a sense of respect but none of them were able to find the words as Roze led them back into guild hall. As they reached the door Roze stopped in a panic.
“Fuck! I forgot the robes!
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