I left the bar a bit woozy, I should have taken that into account (you know despite my big talk about drinking all the time I really don't, so most of the time I'm drunk on a very small amount of actual liquor, yes years and years of life and I'm still a pretty lightweight drunk). So needless to say I was stumbling a little bit, which as anyone can tell you, is a bad idea in the nasty parts of any town let alone a hole like Rolak had turned into (though to be honest most of the major cities in the empire were getting pretty ugly, sure sure it was nice in the rich areas, but outside of those? Chaos city). As one can imagine this attracted a group of men following me, I'm not an idiot (ok normally, ok not all the time, ok SHUT UP!) so I knew it was time to flee. I thought I had the advantage of knowing the city pretty well, but in my time away the city had changed some walls and added others so of course I came to a dead end (a more aptly named thing I have never run across). My followers four in all pinned me in, I could hear their chuckling as they approached.
"Get lost on your stroll?" The kind of gutteral growl associated with people who look dirtier than mud.
"Yeah you kind gentelman wouldn't happen to know the way back to my hotel would you?" I didn't have my sword with me of course. I did have my magic because I'm never without that.
"We saw you talking to the town guard, you ratting us out?" I swear the dirty poor criminals of every town are the most paranoid pieces of crap that ever existed, its almost like they think the world revolves around them! Which is totally not true, it revolves around me clearly as my stories have shown time and time again.
"To rat you out I'd have to know who you guys are, which I don't, so I think we're done here." I went to leave and they pushed me back. The nerve of some people touching others without their consent, who do they think they are? Me?
"Sorry now that you know about us can't exactly let you leave can we?"
"I know nothing of you sirs, nor do I want to or care to know who you are or what you're doing here! But if you persist be aware I am a user of magic and I'll burn you all down here you stand." I went to make some kind of magic user pose for effect (because despite what you've probably seen from magic users there is no actual point to the silly fire throwing hand waves, they are just more fun than simply standing there). They backed off a little bit, even idiots know that magic is dangerous. I went to show them a little flash to back off and I came up empty. Its a strange feeling not being able to conjure fire at will after doing it for so long, its a bit like not being able to get erection when you want to (not that I've ever had that problem at all, ever, nope, no sexual problems here ladies). I strained myself more, felt sweat beading on my brow, but came up with nothing. And the rubes clued into the fact that maybe just maybe I couldn't actually conjure fire anymore. I let out a little chuckle and went to run, this time since I was at a full on sprint I managed to break through and into the street.
I heard their calls behind me as I ran again (I swear most of my life is like this, doing the same things over and over again hoping for a new result). I found my way out of the seedy side of Rolak into the slightly better lit area and ran right to the waiting arms of the town guard, who was riding his horse looking bored as all get out. My pursuers stayed back where they had been chasing me and I heard a couple grumbled curse words.
"Problem Citizen?" His voice betrayed that bored "I don't really want to help you, but I have to ask" tone I'd found myself doing many times.
"No I uhh got lost a little bit, thanks though." I did have a problem though, I couldn't conjure fire, I hadn't noticed till now because frankly I hadn't had to use it. Sure I'd thought about fire, or burning people down, but never came to actually using it. I racked my brain to the last time I'd actually used fire and could only really remember during my dark days. I was terrified, had that blind jerk stripped me of my magical ability when he "fixed" me? My temporary problem of ruffians was solved, but my long term problem of not being able to use magic was just beginning. And here I thought I only had one issue with a traitor, but like most things in my life, its never, ever that simple.
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