Dead Beat

Hanging, huh? At least it'll be quick. Rebecca shook her head, she couldn't think like that. Escape was still possible. She decided to play the role of submissive, beaten prisoner, hanging her head in shame. Anything to get the guards to not pay attention to her for half an hour or so. Then she'd have time enough to work.
 
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The guards seemed to be keeping a very close eye on her, they may have been barely competent at their job, but fear and suspicion could make anyone alert.
They were loud though... Boasting about their grand capture! And making it seem like some sort heroic battle rather than a knock to the head from behind.
 
Hmph. The way they're acting, you'd think they'd slain a dragon. Rebecca took advantage of the partying to formulate a plan. She could still use magic, despite the shackles, but it was going to be excruciating. Melting them was not an option- she was terrible with fire magic. Earth magic could pull them free, but she'd still have heavy weights attached to her arms and legs; she'd barely be able to shuffle. Wind and water, though, wearing the joints of the shackles away until they shattered- that could do the job. She gritted her teeth against the coming agony and got to work.
 
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As she worked the guards slowly seemed to quiet down, in fact, within a short while their boasts and general loud voices seemed to become replaced with... Snores of all things, a guard or two falling asleep was nothing new, but all of them at once was a sure sign of something out of the ordinary occurring.
That would seem to be confirmed as someone soon approached the cell, a ring of keys in their hand.
"Ahh... I wasn't too late... Those guards took a surprisingly long time to drink the wine I gave them.... You weren't ahh... Harmed were you?"
The woman asked Rebecca as she started unlocking the cell.
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The metal of the chains on Rebecca's right arm gave way, and she started in on the left as she heard someone approaching. I don't recognize this girl, but if she's willing to free me, I shan't complain. "Drugging the wine? A clever tactic, miss."
 
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AS she fumbled with the large ring of unwieldy and all too similar looking keys, one for each house and business in the town as well as for each cell, because of course the guards needed them all for well... Something? They hardly seemed capable enough to do any job that would require them.
"Well I tried bribing at first but the man in charge is an idiot and thought I was reporting a lost coin pouch I found... The 'complimentary wine was something they understood though...."
She declared, finally getting the door open after a minute of fumbling.
 
"It's not just the captain, they're all idiots," Rebecca commented as she finished freeing herself. "Not many would risk helping a condemned witch, especially considering the fact that they'd join her on the gallows if caught." The necromancer walked around the cell a few times, feeling the strength return to her legs. "You're a brave one, that's for sure."
 
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"Ahh, that explains how a murder could be committed without any of them finding evidence... Really I am surprised this town functions at all".
She stated quietly before nodding in apparent agreement.
"I have... A personal stake, the man who died was very important to me, I was far from pleased at finding him dead on my visit".
 
Alarm bells started to sound in the back of Rebecca's mind, but she paid them no heed. She was far too relieved at her rescue to listen, anyway. As they raced out of the dungeon. she asked, "How did you know Charles? And I just realized, you never gave me your name; I'm Rebecca."
 
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The woman seemed to take the lead as they left the building, she had managed to knock out most if not all the guards in the town from the looks of things, men and a few women were sprawled in chairs and on the floor with spilled mugs laying near them, a red wine laying like blood on many of them.
"Ahh! Charles was... Family I guess you could say, and my name is Manana".
She replied, leading her to an alley.
 
"Very good to meet you, Manana," Rebecca said as they made their way out of the dungeon. "And I'm sorry for your loss. Charles was a good man." She whistled upon seeing all the guards passed out from the booze. "Getting all that wine couldn't have been cheap, even if it was halfway to being vinegar."
 
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"Likewise with you, it is rare to find a human mage just hiding out in a town... Especially one with your set of... Talents".
Manana stated, she was trying make sure they stayed in the alleys, just in case one of the guards had been diligent for once and was on patrol, as unlikely as that was.
"Yes... That is why I am so intent to find the killer... And don't worry, you very clearly are NOT his killer".
She stated before grinning a little.
"Oh that's the best part... It was the captain's private collection, he was surprisingly easy to... Persuade..."
 
"So you bribed the captain with his own booze?" Rebecca shook her head in amazement. "That's audacious. I'm well and truly impressed. Do you have any plan on where to go, someone who might be willing to take me in?"
 
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"Yes, I will admit there was SOME trickery that they were not quite equipped to handle... But that was only to get the wine out of his cellar".
Manana stated before stopping a moment at the question, she hadn't quite planned that far, having had enough trouble making it this far in her rather hastily constructed plan.
"There are... Not many who would take me in, Charles was the only person I know here and I intend leave... As soon as I have found the killer".
 
"Not many who would take you in... oh." Rebecca's voice dropped to a bare whisper. "You're a fellow witch, aren't you?"

"Well, you're in luck. The killer was a woman, new in town. Can't be that many of them." It suddenly occurred to the necromancer that her traveling companion fit the description perfectly, but she didn't dare make an accusation. Not without damning evidence.
 
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Manana nodded, glad that Rebecca was smart enough to pick up on something like that, she disliked it when she had to explain everything, though of course some things were fine...
"Yes... An illusionist mainly though I have a few other tricks".
She declared, before going quiet at the woman's description.
"Hmm... Yes, that much I knew... I hope you don't mind but I am planning to perform a small murder of my own..."
 
Rebecca wasn't surprised that Manana was a witch. It was the most likely reason she would help her, after all. The second part of her statement surprised the hell out her, however. "Oh? What exactly are you planning, Manana?", the necromancer asked, a dangerous edge creeping into her voice.
 
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Manana had to hold back a laugh as she noticed the woman's change of tone, just out of prison and she was threatening her rescuer, without even knowing how powerful she was, admittedly Manana didn't know how powerful Rebecca was either...
"Oh? You seem concerned, worry not... I simply intend to kill the murderer on the loose, assuming I manage to find them of course".
 
"Alright, that's a little better," Rebecca admitted, "but we'll still have to see how this goes when we find her. If she tries to fight; well, I've got no problem with putting her down, but if she gives herself up without resistance, I'd at least consider turning her over to the guards, incompetent though they may be." The red-haired woman pursed her lips in thought. Was the risk of justice failing too great?
 
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"You know, most people wouldn't try and set terms with a known witch who just rescued them from an early morning hanging, though I guess I agree, if she surrenders, I suppose the guards can hang her instead of me, assuming the bumbling fools can even keep them in jail until morning".
Clearly she was not a fan of the guards in that town.
 
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