Todays update is just a short one, as I wanted to introduce another character into the works. If there's one thing I enjoy in stories that I write, it's a decent sized cast of characters. Over the years I've tried to write many stories down, but I end up getting more excited by another story and decide to write that one instead. My mind likes fresh things, and when I get an idea, I often must do that idea. Thus, I've developed a kind of way of dealing with that - having a cast of many characters that I can cycle through to keep things fresh for me too. I also like the excitement and diversity it can bring. I hope you do too!
Sweat was running off Ealm's face in streams, her heart was pounding in her chest, her legs were burning. Ducking through an open doorway she nearly stumbled over a crate of chickens but caught her balance, barged aside an elderly customer and vaulted the counter gunning for the back door, shoulder barging it open with a crack. She paused for a second glance back into the shop, two city guard in their white jerkins, chest emblazoned with a red stylised Phoenix, came careening in.
"Hoi!" One of them yelled, pointing a gloved finger at her, "Get back here, you!" But she was gone, darting down the alleyways, springing up onto a wall, kicking off and grabbing the guttering of the next building. She hauled herself up and rolled, lying perfectly still parallel to the guttering, and smiled to herself as the two guards disappeared off down the alleyways below in pursuit.
When she was certain they were gone, she rose to her feet slowly, still watching the direction they had run off in. She wore regal blue cloth trousers and a sky blue blouse beneath a tanned leather waistcoat. She pulled the band around her blonde ponytail tighter then turned and found herself nose to chest with a man in midnight blue robes. In shock she almost stumbled backwards over the precipice, but found herself instead suspended in mid air. Her leather boots were still on the guttering of the building, but the rest of her body jutted out at a forty five degree angle, suspending her backwards over the streets below.
"Good to see you're still well, Ealm." The man said, almost deadpan, "Great to see you're still as sloppy as ever, else I'd have not had the easy trail of city guard to lead me to you."
"You gonna stand there quippin' all day, Gid, or you gonna pull me up?" She retorted.
"Not yet." Gideon replied slowly, drawing up his sleeves. His skin seemed to have an almost silvery sheen to it. "First I need to know you won't be running away, stabbing me or thieving from me if I do. Not necessarily in that order."
"You've got my word."
"No, no. You've proven to me time and again that your word is worth about as much as the parchment it's written on. What happened, Ealm? You were always such a promising-"
"Really? We gonna do this every time you come out here for a friendly reunion, Gid?"
Gideon sighed slowly, "Let me put it to you this way. You're currently enchanted with a spell that means I can rewind you right back to this position at whim, Ealm. That takes quite a lot of effort and energy from me, so I'd be quite happy to lift it, which I will as soon as I'm done with you. If you run from me or try anything, I'll pull you right back here at a time you least expect, and I'll have a couple of the city guard waiting for you. Do I make myself clear?"
She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to judge whether or not he was bluffing. His face was stern and deadpan. She decided against pushing it.
"Alright, alright, old man. You win."
He smiled almost sarcastically and offered her his hand, then pulled her upright onto the roof when she took it.
"Glad to hear it." He said.
She dusted her clothes down a little, flicked a few loose strands of hair from her face and smiled mockingly back. "You want to talk here or you got a better place, Gid?"
He chuckled, his smile flashing genuine for a moment, "I have a better place. Come with me."
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