Chapter 20: A Midnight Run
The sun rings were all very ornate while the moon charms were all very simple. Despite the hustle outside Albie touched the small pile of treasure. The sun rings were warm to the touch. The moon charms set the hair on his arm on end. Clearly, they were enchanted. Albie emptied out a bag of coins nearby and filled it with as much magic gold and silver as he could fit inside the bag. He strapped it to his harness and peaked over the stained piles of treasure to the exit.
The soldiers still weren't organizing but they all had armed themselves. Two or three men would rush through the lobby.
Bang!!!
The howl compound froze. The men Albie could see from the doorway turned to see were the shot had come from. They readied their weapons to attack.
"Gat control of yourselves," ordered a ruff voice. "Old Sergeant of Arms is in charge now! Form up now in square formation around me! Move!"
The men all started to run outside muskets in hand. Ten or twenty men all ran past the vault door. It seemed to Albie this would be his best chance.
"WHAT DID I SAY!" shouted the Sergeant's voice. "I didn't order you to form up for inspection. I said square! Four lines shaped like a square facing out! YOU how drunk are you! Did you get shot or are you just to piss drunk to stand!"
Albie made it to the back door of the building and could see the back gate. The moon despite its decline still shown bright and the city was soaked in the light of the moon and stars.
Albie moved slowly being quiet as possible. Flint lock in hand as he walked over the hard stone to the gate.
The sergeant swore and gave orders to the men. Albie could not hear what the man was saying but the sound of his voice still managed to reach over the building. The sound of horses could also be heard from the other side of the building.
The gate was still unguarded, and the young mage slipped through with a sigh of relief. He walked down the street against the banks outer wall feeling safe in his escape. he put the loaded pistol into hits bare holster and looked for the pail lurker. It did not appear, but Albie could feel its bloodstone nearby. The pail faced nightmare was a creature of the shadows and it was doing what was in its nature.
Albie turned a corner down the street he had come. The sounds of hooves on stone could be heard down the street. It was riding fast and its rider was shouting.
"All men to the bank! All men to the bank!"
A pair of riders in orange coats rode behind him and one stopped.
"Identify yourself!" exclaimed the rider.
The young mage heard two horses coming to a stop.
"Hurry up! Man," ordered a second voice. The sound of a flint lock clicking sent a jolt through the young mage's spine.
Albie reached into his coat for his pistol wondering what to say. A group of three men were leaving a building a block in front of him. They wore orange jackets and were slinking in his direction. He turned around to look at the men on their horses. Both were wearing the same clothes as every other orange coat he had seen. Both had muskets. One of the men was aiming his musket at him. When they saw his face a look of shock struck the men. The one with the musket pulled the trigger and a shadow jumped out of a nearby building removing the man from his horse.
Bang!!!
The shot echoed through the night. The horses jumped and wined at the loud noise. The other rider dropped his musket as he struggled to get control of his horse as the black shadow dragged its victim across the street into a nearby alley.
The mage took his chance and ran into a closer alley.
"A survivor," shouted the mounted man. "Survivor! Follow him! Kill him."
Albie ran down the alley and turned down a street where he saw a pair of orange coats walking lazily.
"Hear! Shouted one of the men rushing to pull his bayonet from his belt.
Albie pulled his pistol out of his coat and pulled the trigger of the device only to realize he had not charged the hammer. The other man stood startled as Albie chose to run for the next alley. He heard footsteps chasing him as he cut through the remains of a burnt building. Shouts from other buildings and streets all around him filled the night as he fused the moonlight with his muscle to give him a bit more speed. He finally managed to pull the hammer on the pistol back as he cut through an alley to get onto the previous street. Three men stood on the other side of the road and shouted. One leveled his musket.
Bang!
The stone of the building behind him splintered and pieces of chipped rock pattered against him as he turned and ran from the men. The sounds of hooves closed in from behind him. His lungs ached form exertion and the black fluid. Ahead of him the first pile of dead towns folk.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Zane_d_mad
Zane_d_mad Thanks for hanging around for another chapter everyone. I hope you all enjoy and as always I am interested in your thoughts on the story thus far. So hey comment, rate, do what you will and see you next week.
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