The Exiled Gem

A Heroic Fall

Then whose hand was on her shoulder?

Alexandra didn't even stop to think, she pulled out Moira and twirled - she pulled it back, and stabbed. Right into the stomach of the man behind her. She closed her eyes as she did it and trembled more than the man did. He didn't even have time to shout ... Alexandra got lucky, she had hit some vital organ, and deep enough. He fell down.

That was when Alexandra opened her eyes. In front of her was a huge manv- his face was covered and he was spreadeagled on the ground- his eyes, the only visible part of his face, were open and unblinking. They would never blink again.

Fannel jumped up, one look at the scene- one shake of head and he pulled out the dagger from the man's wound with brute force- by this time, other men had started gathering around them. He grabbed Alexandra by the arm-

'Run!' He didn't even need to say that word, it was the only open door in this scenario.

Alexandra heard the surrounding men's voices, their footsteps. Stepping over the dead man, the two spies ran for their life.

Alexandra had always been a fast runner, but now, it was tough- the region of her diaphragm felt hollow and ached. Fannel was running faster, pulling her along. Behind them could be a hundred men. Good, they were physically compromised. Good, they were outnumbered. Good, bloodstained Moira was leaving a trail.

'Moira - the blood!' She managed panting, and snatched the knife out of her brother's grip, though it made her shiver harder, she wiped the knife on her clothes. That was when she registered how much blood was on her clothes and hands already. It was the second time she had murdered. But it was so much worse. If someone exiled her for this murder, she would feel the punishment was too light on her.

'Faster!' Fannel said, they plunged into the bushes, this time, not crawling - rather, they simply ran. It made no difference. Alexandra picked up pace, once again the merciless shrubs grazed her legs - every minute or so, one thorn imbibed deeper than the rest- the spies winced and sighed - but kept running. And so did the men behind them.

However, those Losianish were out of practice. First real good thing. Still, they couldn't outrun them. Sweat dripped into her eyes as they pulled out of the bushes and took the steep turn into the stinking street. Alexandra's throat felt constricted as the rows of huts blurred around her- she wanted to have a good cry. But this was certainly not the time. And she didn't know why, in the first place, maybe for herself, maybe for the murder she had just done.

The men behind seemed to be closing upon them. Fannel turned behind - his eyes widened, perhaps at the sheer number of them- Alexandra didn't want to turn, she didn't want to see. Even the smell.. either it had gone, or Alexandra had lost her sense of smell.

Or perhaps, neither. The stench was still there, but the bigger problem closing upon her had not allowed her brain to register it. Yes, the men were actually closing upon them - no seeming. The smaller spaces and uneven land had slowed the spies down - whereas the Losianish had full practice to run in these places. Idgardian roads ... well, Alexandra was pretty sure there were no slums in Idgard. It was huge city - and population was not all together that high. Economic activity was well divided in all the cities...

Why the hell do I care for Vedessa's economic activity right now?! Alexandra scolded herself, running faster.

Her brother, meanwhile, thrust his hand inside his cloak and pulled out a flask. It shone in the dark, and she realized it was Oil. Slippery, smooth oil. And they were on a smooth stone platform, that already skidded away beneath her hurrying feet.

'Goodness, you are brilliant!' Alexandra exclaimed, and Fannel didn't reply, he uncapped the vial and stopped momentarily to lay the trap behind their backs. Added to the advantageous location of a narrow path, the oil served its maximum purpose. Alexandra heard bodies fall, men grunt and groan. But that was only temporary, it did slow them down. As confusion reigned in their pursuers - Alexandra and Fannel picked up pace.

'It'll be fine,' Fannel assured, gripping her hand tighter, as the stairs appeared ahead of them. 'Just a bit more!' But there was more than a bit. They had to run down five hundred steps. And the men were closing up again.

They arrived at the descending staircase. Fannel looked at for a split second and shook his head, 'No.' He muttered, 'We can't take the steps!'

'Why?!' Alexandra asked, hysterical.

'We'll be caught! - the only way...' he said, and looked towards the wall at their feet, beyond which, they would be safe. Alexandra understood.

They had to jump.

'No! We can't do that!' She protested, it was almost three hundred feet down. They would break their necks.

'Mabel!' Fannel said - holding her at the arms as she shook her head, tears finally pouring down from all the pores her eyes could have possessed, and shivering. 'Do you trust me?'

'Y-yes - but here - no!'

'You do - just jump!' He ordered, and flung himself sideways, pulling Alexandra with him. They were away from the terrorists' grip - but what was ahead of them? A three hundred feet fall?

Even as they fell, at a frightening speed, Alexandra shook her head, 'We shouldn't have jumped! Now what?!' She said, her voice breaking.

Fannel peered down - he had his arms around Alexandra, under normal circumstances, being in her brother's grip would have been enough for Alexandra - but now, they faced certain death down.

'Shh,' He said, 'I'll do something. Don't argue,' Alexandra hated it when he said don't argue. Because it meant he was going to do something arguably stupid. Fannel didn't disappoint, for he did the stupid, heroic thing. As they fell, he shifted and pulled Alexandra on top of himself - now, if they fell, the whole weight: both of the fall as well as of Alexandra - would fall on him.

'No!' Alexandra cried as soon as she realized that, 'Don't you dare think of doing tha-'

'I told you- don't argue.' He warned.

And just as he did, making Alexandra swear that she would kill him, the ground came into her view. She shut her eyes and turned her face away.

BLA-AAM!

The moment they touched the ground, Alexandra rolled to the side. She stopped two feet away from Fannel. And she was not hurt at all. Alexandra got up hurriedly, almost falling back down in the process - and rushed to her brother's side. She knelt down by him - he was definitely alive. He was blinking away tears, of brutal, physical pain - his lips were pursed together and he only took ragged - shallow breaths, shaking harder with each.

'No-w you c-an ... k-ill-h me!' He managed,

'SHUT UP!' Alexandra shrieked, 'Just shut up and lie there!' She got up and ran back - a few meters- to their house and hammered at the door, the lamps were lit - somebody was definitely back.

Kane opened up, his eyes widened, ' Mabel - where had y-'

'I'll tell - first help me - Fannel's seriously hurt. He can't walk up to he-' She didn't need to complete, Kane stepped out,

'Where's he?'

Alexandra took him - together, they lifted the heroic Secret Agent and took him back inside - Alexandra kicked the door shut behind her.

'How?' Asked Kane, 'Or rather - I don't want to know. Mabel, I need to nurse him,' He said, tearing out the injured's shirt, 'this is going to be men's matter - so you better go to the hall till then.'

'Fine,' Alexandra said, even more grateful that she wasn't the one hurt - there was no woman here to nurse her back in a woman's matter...

She had to deal with Dylan as well.