Good Evening Everyone! I hope you are all doing well today. I myself was not feeling well yesterday so did not get to any writing, but I am once more back at it today!
I hope you enjoy the new excerpt from today (which is actually the total of what I wrote today) and I would love to hear your thoughts and comments!
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Writing Time: 30 Minutes
Word Count: 1044
Excerpt
Tanara and Maelith moved through shadows, staying low and on a few occasions stopping until guards passed. Once they were a distance from the inner walls, they replaced their cloaks and moved about the streets normally, guessing that anyone who saw them would likely assume that they had gotten through the guards at the gate and were supposed to be there. As they made it to the main road going up the hill, they had the opportunity to look down at the extremely well-guarded gate with anyone passing getting thoroughly questioned and searched. They were assured that they had made the right decision to climb, but also realized that they would likely need to go down the same way, as it seemed that even people leaving the upper city were being questioned.
Tanara and Maelith turned and made their way toward the Temple of Tengana. It was the most dominant feature on the mountain they were upon. It towered over the city. Roughly pyramidal in shape, the bottom layer of massive stone blocks with barely a window or an opening in sight housed the massive archives which were famed around the Terra, and accessible only by acolytes of the Earth Goddess. The second level, formed of more delicate and well carved stones, with many windows, several arched stone bridged from the city leading multiple entrances, and many elaborate and decorated columns, stood the great library. While requiring the approval of the servants of Tengana, it was accessible to other and was often used as a place of meeting for important negotiations, or for situations like their first meeting with Benan Veo. The final level, exquisitely carved and fashioned stones, well cared for and polished, was the primary Temple and Worship space for the patron Goddess of Valkas Cor.
The aim for Maelith and Tanara was the mid-level. They knew that they would not be able to get in across the bridges, but there were buildings that came up close to the walls of the Temple, and the lower windows might be able to be reached of the second level. They lucked out in that as they approached the temple, it seems that some of the servants who worked in the Library section were leaving for the day. Seeing the opportunity of one of the stragglers at the back. Tanara approached the young man and with a whispered conversation and the passing over of coins, Tanara came away with the knowledge that Wendon was inside and that his quarters, possibly his cell, the young servant was not sure, were down in the archive level.
Tanara and Maelith approached the temple, once more taking to moving quickly between shadows and securing the cloaks for easier movement and climbing. It took a little while, carefully moving around the massive structure, to find a place where one of the surrounding buildings was tall enough and close enough to one of the windows to allow access. Carefully climbing to the top of what looked like a stately home they moved to the edge of the roof. Luckily, the moon was on the far side of the temple, which put them well in shadows. The window nearest to them was dark, hopefully meaning no one was present, or if they were that they were well asleep.
Maelith, being able to more clearly see the ledge leapt first. Seeming to almost float in the air, they landed gripped the ledge of the window easily and pulled themselves up and stood just out of the view of the window. Taking a deep breath, Tanara stepped back several paces and, hoping that her run up would not wake those below, sprinted the short distance to the edge of the room and propelled herself across and upward.
Expert fingers snagged the lip of stone and a foot braced her from a hard impact with the wall. Tanara easily pulled herself up on the ledge which was wider than it appeared from a distance. Tanara nodded toward the window and Maelith shook their head, indicating that there was no one they could see inside. A thin knife appeared in Tanara’s hand and she slid it into the gap between the two sides of the windows. It took only a few seconds to slide the blade up, flip the catch away. Tanara gently pulled the window outward. First Tanara and then Maelith swung themselves into the room.
Being cautious, Tanara landed into a crouch and two knives were at the ready in her hands. Maelith crouched next to them and at a nod from Tanara, they move carefully toward the door. With Tanara unable to hear anything, Maelith eased the door open and slunk out first. This part of the library was dark and unlit, so Maelith led the way. They had to double back occasionally, but finally they came to a staircase which wound its way down into the depths of the massive building.
The question of how to find where Wendon was got answered as they moved into what they guessed was the upper level of the archive. Walking a dimly lit corridor ahead of them was a man in the guard of one of the priests of Tengana. With Maelith’s assurance that there was no one else about, they managed to move ahead of the man pacing the hall and, as he moved passed a particularly shadowed corner, Tanara grabbed the man from behind and pulled him into the shadows.
Tanara’s right hand had immediately clamped itself onto the man’s mouth and her left curled around his chest. The man, thought several decades older than her, clearly had some strength to him and for a moment fought hard to shake Tanara from him. Though he was larger, he could not free himself from the powerful grip of the former Forged by Fire. Expertly avoiding and ducking under the blows desperately thrown by his flailing arms. Waiting for the wave of desperation to pass, Tanara judged her moment to flow around her target, slamming him hard into the ground, crouching with a knee on his chest, and, keeping her hand clamped to his mount, produced a dagger and held the point to his throat. This had the desired effect of stilling the man’s motions.
I hope you have a wonderful day, get the chance to do or experience something creative, and I’ll catch you on the next one!
– Jon
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