My search for something to eat had not gotten very far, it was severely hampered by the attention I had drawn, it was hard to pilfer food when you were being watched. With the dust in my hair and the smears across my face I was a sight even in the slums. It might have been wise to find something to steal and sell before I began my experimentation, then I could have bought food now.

I had just moved through one of the empty side alleys opening onto the southern parts of the docks, where some stalls were situated to cater to sailors just coming into port and much attention was drawn to any incoming ship. It was also the only part of the docks that connected somewhat to the slums. That was when I spotted some of Syvon's goons between me and the nearest stall. That in it self was not a big deal, of far more concern was the fact that they spotted me as well.

Syvon was the most influential of the criminal elements in the slums, most of the beggars, the thieves and the brothels in both the slums and at the docks paid him off, if they were not owned outright. Just about everyone had the good sense keep their heads down around him, and anyone associated with his operations.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

I watched one of them swagger forward into the alley I was still in, as the rest of the gang fanned out behind him. He acted out the very cliché he represented, as he tried to act tough and frightening. His worn clothes and his skeletal frame did not help in his attempt, rather they told a story of being as much a victim in some ways as everyone else. The difference was that he chose to be an active participant in the abuse heaped upon the poor. In the end though, it did not look like he got much out of that arrangement. By the way he leered at me, being as filthy as I was did not seem to be a deterrent, or perhaps being alive and a person was all it took.

The thing that confused me though, was that they did not seem to be ready to chase me. Similar things had played out many times before with one gang or another, and I had always just ran away. The whole situation seemed strange and contrived somehow, as if they did not really care what I would do, which did not fit the modus operandi for Syvon's goons at all.

I fished out a handful of Stones of Fire Burst from my pocket, probably far more than I would need to defend myself, but my sense of unease was not letting up.

That is when I felt it, a use of power forming behind me, just at my neck. The goons were not alone. The feeling was different than either of my previous experiences, colder and sharper somehow. But it was also faster, whatever was coming was forming quicker than the ghostly claw or the whirl from before. I had almost no time to react. As I did not have the room to duck and roll without ending up among the approaching goons, I leaned forward and then twisted to the side while turning on my toes, to get my eyes on whoever was behind me. As I did, my stomach cramped up in terror and I felt close to losing control of my bladder.

Behind me was Jab, one of Syvon's helpers. Jab was not one to start a fight and then let it go, he just killed people, pure and simple. Any excuse was a good excuse. Syvon mostly kept him close and in check, but this was obviously not one of those times. It was not like I could call foul though, it was of little concern to their operations if people got killed in the slums, the Guard would not come here to investigate after all.

All that went through my mind as I finished my turn and met his cold eyes and his wide happy smile. The man was insane and he would kill me. I grabbed as many Stones of Fire Burst as I could with my free hand, fumbling some in my haste and threw what I had in both hands at him. I kept my momentum going trying to get as much distance between us as possible without bumping into the wall of the nearest building.

I could see his hand holding a knife that glowed with a sickly gray-black light on my far side and he had just twisted his shoulder and arm so that the edge was once more facing my direction. No doubt the next slash was coming my way in just a breath.

Truth be told it should already have hit me, he was by far the superior fighter, but the expression on his face told quite clearly he was enjoying toying with me far too much, and he relished in my fear and panic.

Then the Stones of Fire Burst reached him, only two whirled past on his left side, the rest smacked into his chest with dull popping sounds before erupting into gouts of flame. The eruption seemed odd, just before the stones turned into fire there had been a flash of light that expanded outward, then it had distorted somewhat before collapsing back in and bursting into flame.

I stood and stared, eyes wide with shock, all my thoughts of flight forgotten. I had seen horrible things before. But Jab was on fire, his Health kept the horrible damage to his torso from killing him outright. His body tried to equalize the damage and keep him alive as his flesh charred and burned. In the end he lost the fight to live and all that was left of him was a burned out husk slowly falling to the ground as a stench of seared meat clung like tar in the air.

I tried to breathe, and started panic as I gulped for air and not getting enough. It seemed like all of it had just left the area near the macabre spectacle that had been a man just a short while ago.

I finally got out of my daze and I turned on my heel and ran, the goons stood with mouths agape and eyes wide as I ran past them onto the docks. Heedless of where I was going, I just wanted to get away from the horror.

I could not get the scene of his death out of my head.

**

I was not sure how long I had been running. The dockhands were shouting angrily, as they had to stop moving to not bump into me with the cargo they carried, as I half-stumbled half-ran past them, panting. My head felt stuffed and a headache pounded behind my eyes.

I took a bleary-eyed look around and realized that I had left the slums and lower end of the docks far behind. I was further through the affluent part of the docks than I had ever been before. Enough so that I did not actually know where to go now. One thing was for sure, if I went back to the slums I was dead. Syvon would have everyone hunting for me, as soon as he found out what had happened to Jab. My head was really killing me and I found it difficult to focus and think. Though I did have the presence of mind to move away from the water as to not fall in.

I stumbled towards a nearby building before slumping down against it, leaning forward and holding my head in my hands. My short hair made a pathetic attempt of falling across my face, throwing up a small shower of white dust in the process, making me sneeze and causing yet another spike of pain to lance through my skull.

"Get away from here you drunk fool!"

It took me until a kick hit the side of my leg, hard enough to bruise the bone and make me yelp in shock, to realize that the shout had been directed at me.

I looked up, trying to focus, but my vision swam.

"A'em noth dunk." My words were slurred and everything was becoming strange and distorted. I felt another pain in my leg, before everything faded away.

**

I woke with a start as my stomach screamed in protest. I could not recall when I had last eaten well, and skipping food entirely for however long it had been, made me feel horrible. I rubbed my eyes as memories came back to me, burning Jab, the running, the dizziness, the shouting, the kick and then nothing.

The smell of Jab burning came back to me, and with it the unwanted thought that he had not smelled that different from any other meat sold at the market. I rolled over as my stomach rebelled. I fell off whatever I had been lying on, landing on hard on cold stone and started to dry-heave as tears ran down my cheeks.

He deserved it. He deserved it. He deserved it!

I was rocking back and forth heedless of my surroundings.

He deserved it. He really did.

I was trying to convince myself I had not done anything wrong. Jab had been a monster. I had seen and heard of him and all the others of his kind doing horrible things. He deserved it.

I slumped against the floor, my heated cheek lying against the cold stone as my head felt funny. I made an effort to shift my mind into seeing what the Order was conveying.

You are suffering from Infusion Sickness.

Effect: -3 Dex, -3 Agi, -2 End, -5 Int, -3 Wis, -10 Will

Duration: 6 hours, 22 minutes, 11s

I did not know what Infusion Sickness was, but the effects of it would explain why my mind felt so strange. With a far greater effort than usual I got up of the floor and looked around.

I was in a cell. Not surprising if I had been thought to be running drunk through the rich part of the docks. With my luck I might even have caused damage. If that was the case I would probably end up in the slave market. I did not have any coin, never mind the amount needed to pay for whatever fancy cargo the wealthy might have.

There was no window in my cell, a quick check showed that all my clothes were in place, though my pockets were empty. I hesitated a moment, but the idea of meeting whatever would come without even the option of defense did not sit right with me. I might not have a chance to escape, but if what lay before me was bad enough, I could always fight and let come what may.

The thought made me almost start gibbering in fear, and it took a frustrating amount of effort to get off the bunk again and start searching for something to enchant. How did people with low Will manage, when even the inside of your own head rebelled against you.

My plan did not go well. Having crawled across the whole floor, interspersed with bouts of panic, I found some dust, a very small piece of cloth and nothing else. I did not see myself putting a Fire Burst enchant on cloth or the hay, surprisingly lacking in mold, that made up the mattress on the bunk. With a sigh of surrender I lay down and closed my eyes.

I sat up again with a start as the world started shimmering brightly enough to sear my eyes at first. The walls of the cell were being washed away like a new painting someone poured water over.

Welcome! Welcome!

A creepy sounding, jovial voice greeted me as I could see a figure approaching at fantastical speeds, starting from little more than an outline until I had his widely grinning face just in front of mine, nose to nose.