Marachius Ainsley

Hunting

Evening had fallen over city of Boralus. Many of the shops had long since closed for the day and the street lamps had been on for some time now. Guards walked the streets, passing under the street lamps and castling long shadows beneath them. Every now and then, the sounds of people would tumble out of one of the local taverns. For most, the day was done and they had retired to their homes. One had not, however.

Marachius stood in a narrow alley between two shops. The lights did not reach him there. He stood quietly, dressed in dark brown leather pants and coat with a long hood pulled over his head and hiding his features in shadow. Blending in with the darkness around him, he watched a home across the way.

As he stared at the building, his mind raced and argued with itself. He felt almost naked without his armor, but he reminded himself that he could not have worn it tonight for several reasons. His grip tightened over the wooden club that he had brought with him. 

It was so easy to find him, Marachius thought. A couple of coins and that was it. The paladin frowned as those thoughts fleeting by. Then the door to the home opened and light spilled out onto the walkway leading to the street. Marachius leaned closer to the building on his left and peeked around the corner. A man dressed in a fine jacket stepped outside, silhouetted by the light from inside the house. Marachius gripped the club tighter and started to lean forward, as if to move out of the shadows and into the street. But then he stopped.

“What am I doing here?” the paladin asked himself quietly. He hesitated, twisting the club in his hands. Taking a deep breath, Marachius started to move again.

Then there was a noise from inside the house. Someone called to the man on the front step, causing him to turn and look back inside. Marachius couldn’t make out the discussion, but it was brief and whatever was said cause the man to step back inside and close the door.

Marachius let out a deep breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding. He waited a few more minutes, but the door never reopened. “Okay,” Marachius said quietly. Tucking the club behind his arm, he checked that his hood was pulled low enough and stepped out onto the street. Without looking at the home again, the paladin quietly walked away.