Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-29461586-20140925102931/@comment-24696651-20141003222923

The explosion threw Nande back several meters. His head was ringing, his vision but a field of white stars. The force of it had caused his armour to cave in, painfully digging into his belly, but it had protected him. The guard was in pieces. He hauled himself up, but vomited, the acrid smoke of Dwarven oil stinging his throat. He heard footsteps. Guards, most likely, but at this time at least most people would be so drunk they couldn't escape. He stumbled to the library, and looked for an exit. Even the least decisive person wouldn't pause here - there was no decision. Either go through the library, stay and burn, or try to escape to the tunnels through burning oil. He got to the door, and, steadying himself against dizziness, opened it right as the guards came to check.

The guard was fast, but Nande was faster. He pulled up the crossbow, which he didn't have a pouch for, and pulled the trigger. He hoped it wasn't broken. The effect was spectacular. The recoil threw Nande back, who was still unsteady due to the explosion, and the bolt perforated the guard in front and skewered the one behind. The other guard ran forward to press the advantage, but just as he raised his axe to strike, Nande grabbed his ankle and cast Discharge, the energy nearly melting his foot. He screamed with pain and fell down. Nande got up, and ran through to the banquet hall. The banqueters, who had been drinking, were floundering in panic, and Nande pressed through the crowd, trying to find Naarfin, who'd be with Arienne if she was here. But what if she wasn't? He paused, and a guard ran at him. Nande got his sword out just in time for the guard to run into it, and he fell backwards, slipping off the sword, and intestine hanging out. This just panicked the banqueters more. He saw Naarfim, pulled out his bow, and in one swift motion nocked the arrow and fired, the arrow hitting him in the neck. The woman next to him screamed.

"Arienne, we must leave!" a man next to her yelled.

He smiled. Arienne was here. He ran towards her, the banqueters tripping over themselves to get out of his way, and just as he reached her, he stretched out his hand and fried her heard. The man next to her yelled, a piece of brain hitting him in the eye. Nande looked around, looking for an escape. The guards were closing in on him. Why the hell couldn't they be more worried about the fire? He looked and saw he could either go through the front door, or up the stairs and into the tower. The front door was closer but the tower would have less guards. Which one should he go in?

Too late.

The guards had encircled him, their axes drawn. He ran to the first one and jumped, his foot landing on his shoulder. He kicked down and rolled as he hit the ground, then ran up the stairs. He collapsed halfway up, panting, and tried to cast Shadow to conceal himself. He couldn't. He was too tired. He got up and walked slowly, waiting to regain his breath, when a guard walked up. He grinned and swung, the blow landing squarely in his abdomen. Nande stumbled back, and managed to bring his sword up for a parry on the next strike. The guard swore, holding his harm - it had jarred his shoulder. Nande kicked, and the guard fell backwards down the stairs, knocking over anyone who had been behind him. He walked up the final thirty steps, and stepped out, gasping the clean air. He was perhaps fifteen metres up, but the fort was built in the sea. The water was deep. He steeled himself to jump, and dived off, making sure he wouldn't hit the water too hard. He plunged under, and arched his back upward. He emerged gasping for air, and climbed into the nearest boat.