To Kill a God

Soul Orb

Biting her lip between her two tiny fangs, she stared at the lone horse tethered to the foremost cart and then ran.

Her footsteps sounded out as soft pats on the cobblestones, no louder than a raindrop hitting dry earth, but to her attuned and nervous ears, the noise was deafening. She rounded the cart and stopped next to the horse, sticking to the shadows cast by the large animal. Her heart was trying to beat its way out of her chest, as though she had run around the city, as opposed to just a few short feet.

"Don't dwell on it, friend. I hear we're getting extra for pulling a shift this late," the elven guard said.

Mara let out a breath and tried to relax. Beside her, the horse made a breathy noise, as though imitating her sigh.

She turned to the animal, a younger draft horse that smelled faintly of sweat and manure. Mara touched its side, gently patting it as she moved an arm behind her back. With a smooth, practiced motion she withdrew the knife tucked up against her lower back and sliced apart the nearest of the leather bindings.

The horse side-stepped a little, but didn't move beyond that.

She gave it another little pat, then slipped under the cart.

Earlier, she had seen them place blocks under the wheels to prevent the cart from moving. With a few swift kicks, she pushed them out from under the wheel. The cart was now loose, and the horse held only on one side. Mara shifted her weight from foot to foot, trying to keep her muscles from tensing up in case she had to move quickly.

She replaced her knife with a different one. This one was as long as her hand, and wrapped in rough leather up to the inch-long point. The throwing knife spun on her palm as she toyed with it.

Footsteps at the front of the church announced the two acolytes bringing out another chest. They maneuvered around, heading towards the rearmost cart.

When she saw their legs not five paces from her, Mara half-turned and whipped out her hand, throwing the little knife towards the horse.

It bit into the flesh into the horse's flank--not too deep to stick, but enough to hurt--then fell to the ground. The horse spooked while Mara moved past the second cart's animal and slid under it.

With a loud neigh, the lead horse bounded forward and yanked the cart along with it. The cart, tied only on one side as it was, veered towards the right. The horse reacted, turning in the same direction, and running in a half circle to face the opposite side of the street.

The quick turn-about whipped out the cart and sent it crashing into the streetlamp. It tipped over, still being dragged by the draft horse and spilled onto its side.

Chests, rolled up carpets, and a small wooden writing desk crashed onto the street. One of the chests cracked open and let dozens of little diamond-chips spill out onto the cobblestones, their ethereal white light flashing and glinting as they tinkled across the road.

The guards were shouting and the acolytes were shouting back. All four rushed towards the disaster, one of them trying to calm the horse as it continued to drag the upturned cart along, grinding it along the road. The greenish light of nature magic began to glow next to the horse as it was gentled.

Mara bolted.

With three great strides, she hopped up the stairs leading to the entrance of the church and slipped in.

She paused, just for a second as her slitted eyes adjusted to the light.

The lobby was shaped like a V, with two passages branching out to either side and a small unevenly shaped room to one side with wooden coat racks lining the wall. It was surprisingly empty, the walls marked with squarish shadows where paintings used to hang.