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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

“Gale! These are rescued prisoners! Who knows what horrors they've experienced? Show some decorum!”

“...spoilsport.”

Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

Durand's grumbling was cut short as the stone gates carved into the cliffside ground open. He tensed himself to charge, Gale nocking an arrow beside him. Both relaxed when they saw Shear walking out. As they broke cover to meet him, they noticed Loken following, and then behind him...

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

“I'd threaten to make you walk home naked, but you'd probably enjoy that.”

“You know me so well, dear.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with 'T'”

“Gale, if it is 'tree' again, I swear to Kiri-Jolith...”

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

“Hello dear. Ready to tell me what a great plan 'Paladin in a bottle' is?”

Shear sighed as he stooped and retrieved the keyring from the unconscious Galrug's belt.

“Let's wait until we've actually got everyone out, shall we?”

“I'm not hearing a 'no'?”

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

The orc had a moment to stare at the figure in shock before a backhanded swing of the shield sent him flying into the wall, knocking him out cold.

Loken smiled and stood up, moving to lean against the bars of the cell, unbothered at being fully on display.

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

Galrug pulled the cork, subsequently dropping the flask as the gas exploded forth, swirling past him. In a process somehow both crystal clear and instantaneous, it coalesced into the towering form of an armoured draconian, sword and shield in hand.

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

“I can do whatever I want and you can't do anything about it!”

“That certainly seems to be the case.”

“So if you're trying to trick your way out, you're trying to make me not open the flask because you need it to stay shut, so I should open it!”

“That is certainly a theory.”

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

The prisoner casually raised his hands in appeasement.

“Okay, just trying to be helpful.”

Galrug scowled. He couldn't shake the feeling he was being mocked.

“You think you're so smart? I'm the guard and you're the prisoner!”

“Indeed.”

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

Galrug picked up the flask, staring at how its contents swirled. His fingers clenched on the stopper.

“Wouldn't do that if I were you...”

Galrug looked at the prisoner, who was sat against the far wall of his cell, smiling serenely.

“Shut up, shorty! No talking!”

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

Galrug decided to distract himself by going over the prisoner's equipment: two finely crafted short swords, a strangely light chainmail shirt, a cloak that seemed to shimmer oddly in the torchlight, and a glass flask with some sort of silvery gas in it.

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

The standard practice of stripping captives of their clothing and fitting them with a magic-nullifying collar tended to either unnerve or enrage. This weird little thing though? Nothing.

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Bloodied @sanguinepostsun.bsky.social · Sep 30

#septENMber 30: Great Escape

Galrug decided that he didn't like this prisoner.

There was just something about him that set the orc on edge. It wasn't that they'd caught him snooping around the dungeon; there were plenty of prisoners that had 'arrived' that way. No, it was just how calm he seemed.

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