The Bazaar

Randi, Nuuael, and Neona walked side-by-side through the throng of people at the annual Balmora bazaar, trying, and failing, to not get knocked around like piñatas. Randi had come to stock up her inn with as many foreign spices and foods as she could find, exotic fare brings in more customers than local slop, and Nuuael, keeping his face hidden by his hood and a pre-cast darkness spell, came looking for spell components, and perhaps a spell book or two. After making arrangements to meet up later, the trio split up, and Nuuael found what appeared to be a reputable magic vendor.

“We have all kinds of special potions and items for the discerning wizard, there a special lady in your life, try out our love potions, 2 for 10 drakes!” The vendor hawked.

“I’m looking for more basic components. Herbs and crushed stones. Do you carry any?” Nuuael replied.

“Ah, a general practitioner I see, yes, we have components, but can I interest you in this, just came in, very rare…” He produced a scroll from under the counter and placed it on the table. Even without concentrating, Nuuael could feel the magical aura surrounding it.

“May I open it?” He asked.

“Of course, but do not read it out loud, my source tells me it is a very bad idea.”

“I wonder why he would say that…” Nuuael quietly mused as he unfurled the scroll, he read for a few seconds, and smiled. A polymorph spell, could be quite useful in the future. “How much do you want for this?”

“500 drakes, final offer.”

“I’ll give you 200.”

“450.”

“250.”

“300.”

“Sold,” Nuuael smiled as he dropped a small bag of platinum pieces on the table-top.

In another part of the bazaar, Randi tried to make it through the crowd with a huge pile of spices, meats and vegetables, and as she was navigating the crowd, she felt a very distinct pinch on her backside. She whirled around as quickly as she could without dropping anything, and saw just more of the crowd. She turned back and walked directly into a towering mountain of a man, causing her to drop her groceries.

“Thanks a lot Giganto,” she muttered as she bent to pick up her supplies, but the man did not let her, he grabbed her by the chin, and picked her head up to face him.

“You’re a pretty one…” he said through a thick accent.

“And you, are hideous,” Randi replied as she pulled away from him. She pulled back right into another man, dressed similarly to the first. She looked around and there seemed to be half a dozen men in similar garb, all watching her, “What do you want? Money?”

“Nah, money we got. Pretty ladies we don’t,” The first man said through an almost toothless mouth.

“I wonder why,” Randi said, “I’m not interested.”

The second man grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, “We didn’t ask if you were interested,” as he grabbed her other arm and held her fast to the spot.

Seeing her options limited, Randi spat in the first man’s face, who then drew a sword and held it high. As he brought the sword down, it was blocked by a small man with a very pretty sword. The dark elf flung the attackers blade aside, and spun around and kicked the man holding Randi in the face, making him release his grip.

“I can’t bring you anywhere can I?” Nuuael asked quietly.

“What?!” came the reply, which went unanswered as the first man swung at Nuuael, he easily ducked under the clumsy swing, and sidestepped around and pulled his short blade across the man’s heel. The man howled in pain and dropped to the ground.

Forgetting Randi at this point, the remaining five men charged Nuuael, who hopped up and used the first man’s head has a spring board, and did a mid-air split kick to two of the others, then did a legsweep as he landed, dropping the last two. He stood to the back of the group, standing ready with his blade. At this point, the crowd had separated, forming a circular kind of ring. The five men picked themselves back up, and drew their weapons, two of them drew swords, two pulled clubs, and the last drew a fighting chain.

First, Nuuael squared off with the men with clubs, the tried to circle around and flank him, but he kept both of them in his line of sight with a defensive maneuver. One man charged, and Nuuael blocked his overhead swing with the flat of his blade, and kicked the man twice in the stomach. The man doubled over, and Nuuael brought his blade around and drove it through the man’s shoulder, he screamed and fell. The second man tried to charge, and Nuuael turned and cracked the man in the face with the hilt of his sword. The man blinked, then fell to the ground, unconscious.

Nuuael faced the men with swords, and used his sword to knock some dirt off his boots, yawning. This angered the two men who both charged at once, one man aiming for an over head chop, and the other going for a thrust. Nuuael ducked under the chop, and used his blade to parry the thrust right into the side of the first man. The first man dropped his sword in shock, then fell over, as the second man drew his fist back and punched Nuuael in the face, knocking his hood back and dispelling the darkness spell. When Nuuael recovered, he looked back at the man, who had a very shocked look on his face, he then threw his arms up and backed away

“I’m not messing with the assassin, I’m out of here!”

Upon recognizing him, the crowd gasped collectively, then whipers of “It’s him,” and “The assassin!” began to circulate through the crowd.

Seeing he was in trouble, and hearing the sound of approaching guardsmen, Nuuael scanned the crowd for Randi, and, spotting her, began to move towards her. Before he could make it three steps he had a thick chain wrapped around his neck, and was being pulled back.

“To think, I’d find you here, of all places!” The man with the chain said, Nuuael turned and glared at him.

“You think you have me?” He gasped out.

“Yes I do,” the man said has he gave the chain a tremendous tug, pulling Nuuael off his feet. Denied air and unable to do the complex gestures needed for his spells, Nuuael found himself defenseless, his sword 10 feet away. May as well be a mile. Nuuael could not do much about the beating he then received.

Through bleary eyes, Nuuael saw the large man standing over him, smiling and laughing, “You’re going away for a very long time, and I’m going to be rich! Maybe I’ll visit you in--” The man’s last words were choked off, and he gurgled his dying breath in what used to be his throat. The man fell and Nuuael saw Neona standing behind him, holding his mythril blade. Neona quickly pulled the chain from around his neck and picked him up as Randi met up with them.

“Can you do your disappearing thing?” Randi asked

Nuuael nodded weakly.

“Then do it, now!”

Nuuael closed his eyes, and suddenly the world around the three elves blurred and they reappeared in Nuuael’s room, Nuuael then promptly passed out.

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