Chasing Sparks

Chapter 7.2

It was getting late in the day, when Marsh walked out the main gates of the city and into the Fest. The first thing he did was look anxiously around. He didn’t feel anxious, but just wanted to look like any other roughneck mercenary making his way home after work.

There was nothing in the Fest to frighten Marsh but he didn’t want to be noticed tonight, so he wore his mercenary get up. Dirty overcoat, knee high leather boots, dusty wide brimmed hat and notched old sword hanging from his belt.

The Fest was filthy. Rumours were that the name came from a massive infestation of roaches in its early days, although, there were no roaches there anymore. They had been eaten by all the rats a long long time ago.

And the streets were full of filth despite the Fest having been connected to the city’s sewer system over seventy years ago. No-one, it seemed bothered to find a latrine. It was far easier to just lower your trousers and leave a small gift on the street. And as well as the sludge and stench, the Fest had a reputation for being a very dangerous place, especially after dark.

Marsh walked up the main street, glancing over his shoulder now and again to maintain the disguise, but despite appearances, Marsh was not alone. Gel was with him.

Gel was Marsh’s best stealth affine with an unmatched ability to meld into the shadows. He was virtually impossible to see at night. The only reason Marsh could see Gel was because he wore an artifact earring that gave him nightvision and enhanced sensory perception. With the earring, Marsh could spot, if only momentarily, Gel’s movements in and out of the shadows, and then follow on behind.

The earring was probably one of the smallest artifacts Marsh owned but it was definitely one of the most useful. And without it, he would no doubt have fallen prey to a stealth affine from another House a long time ago.

A door slammed across the street and three thugs came out. They spotted Marsh immediately and headed straight for him.

Marsh sighed, and gave a look towards where he had last seen Gel. It was hardly Gel’s fault but Marsh had hoped to avoid any kind of encounter tonight.

“Where the heck do you think you’re going?” the big one in the middle said, “This is our street. We say who goes here.”

Marsh looked at all three of the thugs. None looked like an affine, although the middle one was of a fair size and obviously pretty strong.

Marsh noticed Gel moving around behind the three of them, but shook his head slightly as a sign to the Sneak. No need for Gel to get involved.

Instead, Marsh looked at the big fellow and said in a soothing hypnotic tone, “I’m sorry. I was looking for my daughter. Have you seen her?”

The thug in the middle stopped immediately. “What does she look like?” he said, concern showing clearly in his face.

“Who gives?” one of the other two shouted from the side, “Let’s do this clown.”

“He’s not very nice,” Marsh continued in his singsong voice, looking straight at the big man in the middle. He then pointed at the man who seemed to think he was a clown, “I think he’s the one who took my daughter.”

At which point the big man in the middle grabbed the one that Marsh was pointing at and started to choke him.

“You are doing very well,” Marsh continued in a soothing tone to the big man.

The big one smiled and squeezed the neck of the other man harder and harder.

The third looked on in amazement at what was happening. He seemed on the verge of doing something when Marsh turned his attention to him and said, “I think it’s time for you to go home, don’t you?”