Fall

(After talking with some company men Zarg-nar follows a lead that leads him to an encounter with a wizard)

 

Zarg-nar hated wizards. You can never trust them they always have their own mysterious agenda. Motivated by things as fickle as the whims of demons.

His ears were swept back, the wind rushing past a deafening roar. Flourescent lit offices sped past at an ever increasing rate. Flickering like a dancefloor strobe. Zargnar could see the wizards wings tucked in behind it out of the speeding wind, an attempt to gain speed.

The elf was plumetting like a stone, rapidly gaining on the winged wizard.

Zargnar did have a plan, he held a magical flying-gem in his mouth, theory was as soon as he crushed it it would enable him to fly, however what would happen at this speed, he had no idea, the gems were meant for short trips, not high-speed pursuits. Zargnar paricularly didn't like the fact that to catch the first wizard, he'd have to trust another, who'd made the gem. A life threatening conumdrum.

Three weeks ago, zargnar had been relaxing in the twincities. A town renown for it acceptance of all cultures, of magic, of technology. There are restrictions, but if you choose your locations you can pretty much do as you please. It was here that he'd bought some cheap flying gems, intending to use them for emergencies, like getting down from inn roof tops. Not 100mpg free falls through the continents deepest multi-level undercity.

Further they plummeted. The wizard had jumped off the roof top intending to fall from range then fly away to saftey. No dark-elf had the magic to pursue magically and surely none would be suicidal enough to pursue. Now he dared not slow down to divert, his magical wings not designed for this speed and any attempt to slow would bring the elf closer and him closer into the range of the elf's gun.

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Then they saw it a lone bridge stood in their way. Several other walkways had whizzed past, close but not directly in their way. The elf figured he had one more shot before he would crush the gem. Let the wizard get away.

The wizard immediately tried to divert his path, he felt a shot rush past him, he knew he had to give up his dead fall, his arms ached at the strain, the muscles even with their magical bolstering screamed. Another shot and another and another. The final two hitting their mark. He had managed to miss the bridge, the two bullets lodging in his gut. As he faded from consiousness falling into the blackness at least he knew, his objective was accomplished, the dark elf would be dead on impact.

His first shot had missed. So he fired again and again and again, he was sure he hit the wizard in stomach... The elf bit down hard and willed himself to stop.

The elf hit the ground hard. Not hard enough to kill him. But hard enough to make him wish it had.

The bridge was lined with shops and cafes. The wet thud on the concrete had made more than one skim decaf latte spill. Suicides were not uncommon, you heard about them all the time, but saw one?. There was little movement from the black shape on the footpath. Then with a silent agonising grunt it heaved itself off the pavement and staggered into the coffee shop, sitting down beside a shocked coffee stained patron.

'Can I use your phone to call an ambulance?' grunted the elf as he fainted.

So far the Day had not gone according to plan.