Risk and Chase

 

The Golem was going to ram themself into the doorway of the hall, hoping it would crumble and block the invaders.

It should work, Wanderer was strong and the building looked as though it was about to do the Vessel’s job for them at any moment.

Wanderer knew what they had to do, but getting the courage to do it was another matter entirely.

It was a stupid plan, risky and reliant entirely on their own luck, they were putting their life at risk to spare that of the others.

Nonetheless, the Golem still took off their cloak and briefed Emio on their intentions.

Their Spirit disapproved, of course, they insisted there was surely a better way.

They were likely right, this was an idea that was formed in a fraction of a second by someone who had never planned anything like this before.

But the rebels had to survive, slavery like Wanderer had seen could not go on and they didn't have time for a better idea.

Emio bristled in confusion and irritation, the Golem’s actions making little sense to their mind, yet nonetheless they did not try to intervene, either because they did not understand what Wanderer was going to do, or simply because they had gotten used to the Vessel’s eccentricities, no matter how risky they may be.

A cry rang out as the first rebel was struck down, heavily injured but living, their comrades falling back past the doorway in an effort to remain longer.

The Golem pushed away any thoughts of doubt, it was now or never.

Ignoring the sound of their Spirit screaming, they stepped out of cover.

Cloak bundled into a ball in their upper left hand, Wanderer sprinted toward the fight.

They were only eight steps away from their target when the soldiers began to notice Wanderer, by the time anyone thought to do something, the Golem had already rammed their shoulder into the side support of the door as hard as they could, deforming their body a little in the process.

As the Vessel expected, the doorway collapsed like a sand castle, and most of the wall along with it, smothering everyone in a cloud of dust.

Undoubtedly, the soldiers would eventually clear the way or find another entrance to the base, but it would take them time, time that the rebels desperately needed.

But Wanderer wasn’t quite done yet.

In the dust and confusion, the Golem sprinted out of the fray and into the open, halfway between their cover and the building.

For a few awful moments, Wanderer stood there, still, waiting for one of the commanders to realise what had happened, to realise who was responsible.

If the Vessel really wanted to save their allies, they would need to split up the attacking force.

The large woman in charge of the less organised force managed to take the dirt out of her eyes first.

In her eyes, Wanderer saw a vast variety of emotions, confusion, shock and anger.

All of these the Vessel expected, all things the Golem wished to foster.

Yet among these emotions of rage and pain, the Vessel something far more unexpected, an emotion that they had never seen before in a human.

Recognition, the commander knew who Wanderer was.

That scared the Vessel far more than anything else.

And it didn't take long for the woman to act on that recognition, sprinting toward Wanderer at speeds far exceeding what any human should be capable of, while screaming to her troops to aid her, with a tone that made it very clear that insubordination would not be accepted.

The Golem needed no second warning, they flung their bundled cloak in the commander’s face and ran, the heavy fabric giving only a moment of reprieve from pursuit.

By the time Wanderer reached their previous hiding place Emio had already gotten the idea, caring little for stealth as they used their tendrils to propel themself like an arrow across the mostly empty streets.

The two swerved around a corner, following the plan and hoping they could make it to the exit from which they came before their pursuers caught up.

Wanderer knew that leading the troops to another entrance was not ideal, but they also knew that going through the front gate simply wasn’t an option and they didn't know the city well enough to try and hide.

The Vessel maintained their course, heading in as straight a line as they could manage in the unfamiliar streets, all the while trying to ignore the approaching sound of shouts and footfalls and focus on their own movement.

Eventually, Wanderer could bear it no longer and chanced a look back.

The garrison was still chasing them, but most had not been able to keep up with Wanderer’s infinite stamina and now only a third of the original pursuers were still giving chase.

Unfortunately, among that number was the commander they had angered.

Slowly yet infallibly, the leader was approaching every step taking them just a little bit closer to the goal of tearing Wanderer limb from limb.

Only now, as their pursuer was far closer than the Golem would have liked, did they notice the familiar shine of star-silver, (the same metal that was in the largest of their coins), inlaid into the legs and arms of the commander.

If they had the time, Wanderer would have sat down and considered the purpose of such an arrangement, however, in their current predicament they were far too preoccupied about the terrible fact that their pursuer was getting closer.

“I won't make it to the exit” the Vessel realised, indeed, as things were going now they would be caught long before then.

Hurriedly, they asked their Spirit for help, hoping that the Guide would be able to help as their own mind drew blanks in regards to a solution.

They replied with an order, to turn down an alley to their left, which the Golem did without hesitation.

Rearing around the corner, Wanderer came upon a dreadful scene, there in front of them, down the very route their Spirit suggested they take, was a complete and utter dead end.

On all sides of them were high, double story buildings without balconies or defects to give climbing purchase, indeed, the only feature to the whole street was a singular window and a collection of haphazardly dumped trash.

For a long, dreadful moment, Wanderer was convinced that they had been betrayed, doomed to be destroyed due to the hand of the one companion they had had all their life.

And then they realised their Guide’s true intention, and nearly stopped dead in their tracks out of anger at their own thoughts.

“Spirit would never betray me” they knew.

Picking up speed, the Vessel sent a signal to Emio to follow after them as they leaped through the closed window.

Glass shattered and wood splintered as their soft body broke the barriers, pain shooting through them as shards of foreign material lodged in their body.

But that was fine, none of the damage was permanent, they would fix it later.

Making sure that the lead they gained on their pursuers (as they would surely not follow through the treacherous opening) stuck was far more important.

For a brief instant, Wanderer noticed the eyeless, masked figure in the corner of the room they had broken into, who was standing upright in absolute shock.

A great desire to apologise for the trouble came over the Vessel, but they had no time, as it was they hardly had enough time to throw a random collection of coins (from their satchel which was, despite everything, still in good condition) over at figure before their Spirit’s demands to keep moving grew to the extent that they could not be ignored.

They burst out the door, Emio following along behind shortly as the trio were once again out in the open street.

They continued toward their goal, dodging and weaving past the slowly filling crowds of people, making sure to duck down as many alleys and back routes as they could in an effort to throw off their pursuers.

In a fraction of an hour that felt like an entire day, they had reached their destination, bursting through the dilapidated door and into the ageing ruin.

Before they escaped into the bedroom and disappeared down the tunnel, they turned back one last time, seeing the thing they most expected but least wished to see.

Led by the strange, eyeless man they had burst into the home of, their pursuers were still following, far back and missing a few members, yet just as deadly.

There was no point in dreading it, Wanderer jumped down the secret entrance to the underground base, not even bothering to recover the entrance.

With conviction they resolved that down in the ruins, one way or another, they would lose their trails.

They had no other choice.