Chapter Text
Darkness, redness, LIGHT. No. This is no way for a hero to go down . Cleo gagged, and she wasn’t sure if it was for the corniness of her thoughts, or the actual poison running through her veins.With a Heroic Surge she abandoned all pretenses of Stealth. It was time to duel in a way only a Swashbuckler can. But this time, something more. A Great flame erupted from Cleo’s body as she bit back as hard as she could, shaking off the poison. A fire whirled around Cleo, flying fast in an arcing orbit around her body, making a sort of figure eight as her eyes burned hot, glowing like coals in the embers of a hearth.
The Fire sparked onto the assassin who jumped back in surprise as he shook his hand from the sudden strike. Thief’s light was drawn, and so was sound stopper and Cleo wasn’t going to let this opportunity go to waste.The hallways was fully illuminated, waking several convicts at once who stared on in disbelief at the sight before them. Magic, wild magic like this was rare in Eberron. Ebberon was a land of order, of technology. An unwieldy flame like this was one that naturally asked for awe, wonder, and disbelief. Cleo took that advantage in full force.
Arcing her arm back as she drew her magic Scimitar, Sound Stopper, the insignia of the ship Cleo stole it from fully illuminated for all to see. Whispers wondering if Cleo truly was a member of the crew rang out across the jail. Along the hard steel of the blade 4 runes glowed ominously. The yellow highlighted by the orange light of Cleo’s flames oozing out light contrasted with the silvery metal to paint an imposing image for the lithe rogue. As her steel slashed across the chest of the assassin, a reverbing sound escaped one of the runes, ringing out so only the Assassin could hear, a dull but piercing repeated thud that wouldn’t stop, silencing the world as if a thick blanket had been put upon it.
Cleo didn’t have time to consider how cool she was being, but for the record, she was being very cool she’d like me to tell you. Instead she flipped out Thief’s light and twirled it in her hand as she cut it across the neck of the assassin, only barely missing. She was still getting her bearings after the poison.
“I’d say something witty, but it’d fall on deaf ears,” Cleo taunted and all the assassin could do was contort his face in frustration. This has become quite the sticky wicket. He’d have to kill every prisoner that saw his face. His entire job was predicated on people not knowing what he looked liked. What is this infernal woman saying. And since when was she a mage? Gods damn that man, he gave me faulty info. I guess I’ll be paying him a visit next. The Assassin contemplated as he stabbed twice with his short sword. Cleo deftly side stepped each stab. She jumped left, then right, effortlessly, never losing eye contact with him as she studied his face. What an eyesore , she thought.
Cleo wasn’t done, not by a long shot. She Slashed her scimitar again, cutting deeper. The red of the man’s blood spraying out and quickly sizzling as her flames engulfed it. The blade of her scimitar hung loose to her side, dripping deep red blood onto the granite and stone they stood on, quickly dying the ground as the assassin eked closer and closer to dying himself. Grip strong, cleo Jabbed thief’s light quickly into the man’s gut, only widening the injuries she had inflicted. The stab was critical and he dropped his short sword in surprise.
He wasn’t down, not yet no. He wouldn’t let anyone else control that. Ignoring his own blade he dived at Cleo, elbowing her hard. He cried out in pain as the flames whipped through him, burning him again. Sound stopper and Thief’s light clattered to the floor.
The assassin’s hands wrapped around Cleo’s throat, she gagged as he pressed in on her windpipe with his thumbs. The Flames whipped and licked him but he didn’t seem to care anymore. Cleo could feel the pulse of him banging, full of adrenaline through the callused texture of his two fifth digits. Cleo wasn’t done. She wiggled free an arm that was stuck under her, wildly waving it in quick, precise arcs as she chanted, “flame of salvation, renewed life, bring forth your rage, and burn,” the spell cast, a bolt of flame came jetting out of her hand, flying directly for the face of the assassin. “And kill this fucker, tonight,” Cleo finished.
The fire stuck true and he bounded back hard, sliding into his own short sword as Cleo got to her feet picking up Thief’s Light. The dull dark glow of stealth light clashing with the warm fiery glow she was now emitting. Adding a third light, her bangles glowed a bright gold, the light transferring to the blade of her trusty dagger. She tossed it over her back, not even looking at the assassin. The blade flew true, of course it did, magic guiding it directly into his throat, silencing him along with deafening him. Cleo carefully lifted the short sword, examining it. Just laced with poison, nothing magical. Disappointed, she tossed it aside haphazardly as she grabbed Soundstopper, tying it to her waist.
The moon shone through a high window. A small piece of black cloth waved as the wind whistled through the night sky. Cleo considered the position of the moon, definitely after midnight. She let out a slight sigh. The roused prisoners were making a series of loud whoops and cries. Time to act quick if I’m going to get out of this one without more trouble , Cleo thought as she sprung into action.
The hurried rush of guards in the distance clanged towards her. Cleo walked over, leaning down and Slowly, pulled out the blade of Thief’s Light from the assassin’s throat. She quickly patted his pockets, finding a note in it. Some fancy signet marker rested at the bottom of the note embossed with the traditional and distinctive red wax one associates with commands from a noble. The following was written upon it.
Find the child protected by the “Firelady” and make an example of him.
Khorvaire is a place of opportunity, you won’t just lose your home.
You will lose your life.
Kill her too. Your pay will be doubled.
Cleo sighed. Best she was going to get she figured. One, two, three , she counted in her head and the voice of a husky guard barked out, “freeze criminal, hands up!”. Rolling her eyes, Cleo complied, as she lifted her hands, she stealthily hid the note in her pocket. Turning to face them she said simply, “Can’t a girl get a night’s sleep in prison without having to defend herself from murder? This how you treat all your tenants? Or am I just special?”
The guard spat. “You’re coming with me, right to the warden missy. Unauthorized weapons, out of your cell, bars broken on the window. Murder. Clearly you were on your way out, and some gallant vigilante stopped you,”
“Yeah sure, and like, all the ladies and dudes want to fuck you”
“Add insubordination to the list”
“Yes sir,” a shorter, younger looking guard squeaked. Finally, the adrenaline wore off and Cleo felt the rush of pain as she felt the bleeding wound on her side.
“Oh right, shitballs,” Cleo choked as she fell to one knee. The sneering guard poked her with his spear roughly, not enough to hurt her, but enough to make it clear he could and would.
“On your feet maggot, on your fucking feet!” He barked again and Cleo complied as they dragged her, quite literally, to the head guard’s office. She was unceremoniously cuffed and thrown in, skidding to a halt when she hit her head against the chair she was sitting in just this morning. In a night robe, a sleepy eyed guard captain greeted her, clearly upset Cleo had roused her from her slumber.
“Cleo, what did you do?!” She now barked and Cleo winced.
“What I stayed here to do, I protected the kid. Assassin’s dead. Check my pocket,” Cleo retorted in a hushed whisper.
Silence. The guard captain did just that and leaned down to Cleo, roughly turning her over, her hand tracing Cleo’s legs till she found the appropriate pocket and took out the note. She read the note a few times, Cleo observed how pretty her eyes were as she watched the guard captain scan the note over and over again. She lit a lantern and held the note, and the seal up to it. And then she smiled.
“You did good work, let’s get you patched up,” But Cleo was already asleep. “Flame damn you woman, you are one cocky bitch,” the captain sighed, sliding the note into a hidden compartment in her desk. Best Silver she ever spent.
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The morning sun shone through a window, high in the sky for a busy infirmary. Cleo could barely make heads or tails of it all.
“Are you sure she will be ok?” A voice asked. Young, boyish.
“For sure, she’s in good hands. The poison has all been drained, she just needs more rest,” a rough orcish voice replied. Definitely this infirmary’s head nurse. Cleo’s vision was blurry, like her eyes were peering through a marbled glass full of murky sea water. Another voice now.
“She may have been crass, and the type of person we wouldn’t want influencing our child, but she helped us, so thank you for helping her,” a woman’s voice said. Definitely the boy’s mother, Attis’ mother.
Cleo wasn’t quite ready to wake, so she kept listening.
“She’s been sleeping a full day now,” Attis complained. “All through yesterday night, then the morning, afternoon, the night, and now most of this morning too, is that normal! She barely got hit at all in that fight, and she was so bad-”
“Language, Attis”
“So, cool.”
Cleo could hear the eye roll from the head nurse.
“Yes, it’s normal recovery from a deeproot poison like that. If the fight you described is real, it’s a wonder she managed anything. She should have been out like a light, instantly. These adventurer types are always surprising me though, I suppose. Now, don’t you need to go set up your new home which was so generously provided via your home insurance?”
“I kept saying we couldn’t afford a premium, but the guard captain promised me the papers were legit. Well, the premium was cancelled as soon as the house was replaced. It’s in a new district, but we’ll make do. And yes, we have to go. Say your final goodbyes, Attis.”
Cleo could hear the sigh from Attis before he released it.
“Alright, mum,” he began before going to her side. He looked her over once more and she mustered the strength to open her eyes and give him a head nod. He didn’t say anything, and she didn’t either. It was enough. She kept him safe. But still, she marveled, slept a whole day, it had been awhile since she’d done anything like that. But the phoenix, the phoenix rose again.
Her eyes flickered closed and the boy smiled broadly as he rushed off with his mother. Some time later, in the afternoon Cleo woke again. And then she remembered. She woke up with a start. “Fuck, Nova! She must be worried sick!” If Nova had sent a message, it fell on death ears, playing out on the sending stone while Cleo slept off the poison. She pulled out the stone and quickly said into it, “Nova I am safe. Had a big fight, got poisoned but it is out of my system now and the family has a new home.” It was the 4th day since she parted ways with her friends. She didn’t know how, but she now had to track them down. She didn’t have any time to be resting in bed.
Cleo sprung out of bed with a backflip.
“Oh, I see you’re up,” a hoarse voice responded and as she landed, Cleo turned on her heels to look at the head nurse. She was idly smoking a pipe, the smoke wafting out a wide open window covered with bars that not even a gnome could hope to slip through. Her attire: a simple red dress. To hide the blood , Cleo thought. There may be much different between the races, but they all bled red, at least all the ones Cleo had met so far.
“Yeah, am I still arrested - or,”
“You’re free to go. Your stuff is in the trunk at the foot of your bed. You were moved to the barracks for safe keeping. Your acts caused quite the stir. Still. From what I can tell, you helped people, so that’s good.”
“Oh not as much as-”
“100 men have tried that line on me, never works dearie,” the head nurse playfully reprimanded.
“Good thing I’m a woman then,” Cleo shot back with a wink as she made stock of her possessions. They were all there.
“Well, I’m off,” Cleo said, covering herself in her various weapons, her armour, and her plethora of hidden bags. She left the infirmary, stepping outside, planning to give some final farewells, but that wasn’t her fate. No, she stepped outside right into a teleportation circle, which lit up, and hurled Cleo to who knows where next.
The End?