Author Topic: The Radiant Gleam  (Read 538 times)

LittlestLamb

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The Radiant Gleam
« on: January 28, 2021, 11:22:39 PM »
[The subtle sloshing of the river gave her a sense of peace as she drew in a deep breath. As her blade sliced the wind, the radiant gleam of the sun's rays across the honed edge sent cascades of euphoria through her; gazing upon the knitted blue skies; now delicately divided at the seams]

"Come on, Bex! We've got something good!"

"really!?"

[she giggled with glee as her meagre knife was holstered upon her ragged sheath. Her mud stained soles clapped hard upon the cobbles of the alleys; the sun setting fast as it fled from night.]

*chit?chitt chitter chat chitter*

[The rats had always posed a danger. As the night fell upon Neverwinter, one could never count their chances in dark alley;  the ever watching eyes seeking the blood of the foolish or brave. In her youth, she would perch precariously upon the beams in an effort to escape the swarms, but now she was concerned with only one thing... food.]

"look, Bex! It's real bread!"

[the bread had been a week old, the surplus stemming  from a blunder with the dough early in the week. The quality of his products had his customers in a fit and unwilling to purchase from him for a time; allowing one of her friends to steal a much needed meal.]

[As they gorged they began to smell the most entrancing delights from within the bakery down the street.]

"isnt that the baker's new meat pies? if only we could scrape together a few coins!"

[cried Pip, a gaunt human boy who lost his parents to a burglary years before]

"aye! the bastard's figured it out he has!"

[exclaimed another friend, a kindly old rogue of a gnome, who's wisdom had brought her closer to mastering her survival]

"likely rats if you ask me"

[she uttered between strained swallows of stale, hard bread]

"come, we will feast tonight if we are brave and light on our feet!"

[she whispered through a smile]

[The sun was setting fast and she knew a shortcut that would lead them to his home, but she could only convince Pip to come help her.]

In the darkness of the crawl space they could hear them, they were loose and wild with hunger, squeaking and chittering in the dark.]

"only a taste then out we go."

[Unfortunately the rats were very hungry and with the scent of food they flew in a frenzy and began gnashing at her heels. With fear in her heard she felt a burning within her, lashing at them with her small blade; gouging a few before scurrying to the small ladder]

[She clasped the edge of the hatch just before she saw her friend Pip flee through the crawl space entrance into the alley. Too fearful to make the chance at feasting]

"chitter... chitter chit chatter..."

*creaaaak*

[as gently as she dared, she closed the hatch and began making her way to the shelf lined with slightly warm meat pies. Plucking one to gorge quickly in the shadowed corner. The hatch door beginning to rattle slightly from the force from under...]

[Just one. More... Pie.....]

*creak*

"What're ye doin' in my bakery, lass...?"

[It was the familiar dazzling... entrancing glint hinted red by the pulsing firelight: the edge of death upon every instrument of war. In his hands he held a simple meat cleaver... but it might have well been a battle axe. The long days of tireless toiling to feed the people of Neverwinter had him practically rippling in his late age.]

"j-just killin' rats, ser"

[She uttered quietly as she gently slid closer to the hatch from which she entered.]

"An eatin' my pies? Is that right?"

[The fire had caught his eyes, and she saw the coldness in them. Much akin to the swarms of rats that she would sometimes witness eating her friends.]

"Llisten, mister. I've taken care of a lot of rats down 'ere."

[She holds up her tiny knife; dotted with flecks of blood and fur]

"your bakery is safer. please sir. let me go. I'll never return, i swear!'

"Oh no yer right on that one lass... but ye not be goin' down the hatch... well... not that hatch anyways' BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! "

[As his brows raised to show his true, fear inducing madness, he cackled wildly; charging to lash a death dealing blow.]

 "HAIIIIIIIIIIIIIYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEE"

[The stroke of his cleaver was swift... but she saw it. The beautiful radiant gleam of the blade' edge whistling through the smokey haze.]

"shhhhhhp"

[she only had time for a half quick breath before her body began to seemingly move on it's own. Trailing the gleaming edge downward, her body was weightless; side stepping to slash his cheek. A worthy war wound, but the thousands of chattering teeth that lay swarming beneath the hatch was her true weapon.]

[As the cleaver dug deep into the hatch he heard them... and knew the danger; for he had dealt with them for many years,  but never in this number.]

"SKREEEskrrkrkrrreeeeEEEE kskskrEEErEEEEEsEskEEEEEEEskrekekeeeeEEEreEEskreeEEEEskrkrrEEEskre eee e ksskrreeeeee sksreeeeEEEEEEEskreEEEskree Eskre EEEEE"

[the sound was nearly deafening to the unprepared, in a figurative sense. The noise was not loud, so much as it was piercing, you knew it to be death itself screaming violently into the void]

[He was past the peak of his prime, and though he initially fared well against the rats, felling 40 of them or so; he eventually succumbed to their ravenous bites]

[His fury and might had been great, but her wits and agility had been greater, If not for the rats, however; she would have likely joined their kin in one of his wonderful new pies]

[She watched him for a time from her perch atop the rafters as they feasted heartily upon his bristling muscles; fattened by the blood of their kin.]

[As the firelight crackled she dared not to brave the floors swarming with hungry vermin. She knew they could smell her, and would look for a way to her]

"Just a few more pies... delicious pies.."

"if only the truth were out, the streets would be in a scandal"

[she giggled as she caressed the sore wounds upon her ankles and toes. They had nearly gotten her good in a few places...]

[It took some time for them to clear out, but she eventually found a spot not even they could get to, and as she slumbered, she dreamt of the insane rage in the bakers eyes, the fury that he showed her in his final moments; madly slashing and cackling as the honed edge of his cleaver cleaved droves of rats flying up from all directions. She could see it in all of their eyes... the beautiful... radiant gleam of light dancing within their souls; much like it danced within her blade.]