《The Tower Must Fall - Combat Gardener》21. Heist
Advertisement
“Find anything?” Kaidu asked.
Rowan shot him a thumbs up. “I’ve got us a route.”
“What are the ants for?”
Rowan held up the bag. “Oh, these? I found their anthill--that’s the escape route. I figure we lure the combat party over toward the anthill, toss the ants at them, watch them flail and squish the ants, and the ants take care of the rest.”
Kaidu shook his head. “I found a swamp and wide-open plains, so we’ll go with your route.”
Rowan nodded. He jogged in place and clapped, killing the clap at the last second so his hands met with a quiet plop instead. “Alright. I go in through the brambles, you go in through the trees. We get the boots, grab their food, highfoot it out of there, dead ahead toward the moon. If anyone follows us, run to the cliff, toss the ants, and go.”
Kaidu nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”
Taking a deep breath, Rowan nodded and padded off into the shadows.
Crouched behind the brambles, Rowan surveyed the sleeping combat party again. The burly man nodded off against the tree, still not fully awake or asleep. Rowan frowned. Go to sleep, already.
Kaidu slipped through the trees to their edge, a shadow in the night. He slipped up behind the half-asleep man and reached toward his head.
Rowan’s heart skipped a beat. He’s going to kill him after all! He clenched his fists, tense.
Kaidu’s lips moved, whispering something. Suds appeared on the man’s hair. Kaidu gripped the man’s head. The man jolted awake. He clawed at Kaidu’s arms.
Murmuring something under his breath, Kaidu gently massaged the man’s scalp. His arms went limp. They draped over Kaidu’s arms, then slumped to his side. Bubbles floated around the man’s head. A faint pink light lit up around his hair. Every muscle relaxed. His eyes fluttered shut, and this time, a gentle snore emerged from his lips.
Advertisement
Kaidu’s illusion spell is… giving someone a nice shampoo? Rowan bit back a laugh. I guess I did relax, back when I was a kid and the hairdressers did that for me. A little magic, and why can’t he put people right to sleep?
Kaidu retracted his hands carefully. The suds vanished off his hands and the man’s head. He hesitated a moment, but the man remained asleep. He gave Rowan a thumbs-up.
Time to go. Rowan slid his trowel into a pocket and drew out the shears. Opening them wide, he whispered, “Prune.”
Again, the skill lit up the unnecessary crop-offs, the places the vines twisted back on themselves, the unnecessary branches he could remove to beautify them. Rowan narrowed his eyes. Not to beautify, to remove! I want to get rid of the brambles!
The lights blinked. They hesitated. Mana drained from his body, dropping lower and lower. At last, the lights obeyed his orders and rearranged themselves into a neat line, dancing slightly left and right across the center line. Rowan snipped as quietly as he could, chasing the lights through the vines. Brambles fell away to the left and right, swishing softly against the surrounding plants. Rowan’s eyes darted to the sleeping climbers, grip tight on the shears.
No one moved. The slender man continued to snore loudly.
Rowan sighed with relief and stowed the shears, drawing out the trowel again. He crept forward, mindful of every brush and crunch of his feet against the long-fallen leaves that blanketed the area.
A loud sigh. Rowan froze. Across the clearing, Kaidu froze as well, whites showing in his eyes.
In the clearing, the spread-eagle girl flipped over onto her side and propped her head onto her arm.
Rowan met Kaidu’s eyes. Kaidu nodded. Slowly, they pressed forward again.
Advertisement
Out into the clearing. Moonlight fell on Rowan. Completely in the open, he shivered, exposed. If anyone wakes up now…
The spread-eagle girl shifted again, rolling to face Rowan, her back to Kaidu. Rowan froze. Unperturbed, Kaidu reached out for the hanging bag and hovered the scissors over the taut cord.
Rowan bit his lip. Now or never. He high-stepped over the girl’s leg and leaned over her body. His fingertips brushed the top of the boots.
Kaidu met his eye. He nodded.
Kaidu cut the cord. Rowan grabbed the boots.
The bag rustled as it landed in Kaidu’s arms. The boots brushed against the leaves.
The girl’s eyes flashed open. She jumped up, toppling Rowan on the way, and grabbed Kaidu’s wrist. “You filthy thieves--”
Kaidu’s hand flashed. The girl shrieked and pressed her arm to her body. Blood blossomed over her shirt.
Across the clearing, the slender man and the curled-up girl startled awake. The girl blinked. “Topaz, what--”
“Get them!” the slender man shouted, jumping up.
"Run!" Rowan shouted. He and Kaidu raced out of the clearing, Rowan with the boots clutched to his chest, Kaidu hugging the bag.
"They have our shit! Fuck!" Topaz shouted.
"Are you okay? Topaz..."
"He cut me, the motherfucker!"
"I thought we agreed not to kill!" Rowan grit through his teeth, glancing out the side of his eyes at Kaidu.
"It was a disabling strike," Kaidu replied.
"Disabling--you slit her wrist!"
"If I wanted her dead, I would have gone for the throat. Or at least cut lengthwise," Kaidu replied evenly.
Rowan shook his head. "Damn... Who did this to you? Are you okay?"
"Get them!" Topaz shouted behind them. Rapid footsteps sped toward their rear.
Rowan and Kaidu exchanged a glance and sped up.
Advertisement
I Am A Hero: I Believe I Can Fly
An utopia endangered. People from various timelines are called upon to save the land called Eden from peril. Their job, to vanquish the mysterious Chimeras and restore the land communication infrastructure. But unrelated threats soon emerged, old enemies rise again to the call. In a world where the victor has rewritten all of history, the 'heroes' must find their own path or perish [Update every three days] *This is a work in progress and contain mild violence
8 194(DEMO) Colorless vol.1- Phantamoire Enigmata
This is a demo volume consisting only seven chapters. The sole reason of this publication is to show the world a glimpse of the project. Therefore, the final quality of the product will be lot more refined and polished. This demo might get deleted from RoyalRoad after the actual publication. Synopsis: "Knights wearing their shining armor serving righteous justice riding their glorious horses." We all have heard that story- Heroes who do the right in the purest way without any tampering. But, is it really that easy? Is the world and it's heroes really that pure? After all... fairytale is just a lie. I might be the first author in the world who despises writing. I haven't read any story books or novel in my entire life but children's story book (not even ten of them). So, why do I write? Simple answer- the story. Inexperienced I may be but I believe my project and it's quality. The actual story will be posted somewhere in 2019. The story will be devided into 7/8 volumes and 90 (approx.) chapters. I have been working on this project for 1 year now. It took me 5 months to finalize the concept and plot, 7 months for the story and it's already been 6 months in writing along with 2 times of total revamp.
8 192Succubi's Gift Online
A Moon Succubus?... Heck yeah! The succubi queen has been tamed and now Lanak is the master of all the succubi and the demons that were previously under the queen. Do-nothing days are taking a toll on Lanak, but when a meteorite falls from the sky and destroys the tent he was supposed to be sleeping in, Lanak might have been wiser to be thankful for the do-nothing days. Now Lanak, his giant friend and his superhuman girl must travel all the way to the moon… succubi tamers do end up in space sometimes! Grab your copy today @ $0.99! Warning: Book contains over-the-action and pulpy adventure. Read at your own risk!
8 172Mary Susan Oceanrunner and the Brutus Saint's Academy
Join Mary Susan Oceanrunner on her quest to do... erm... something really important for the world... probably... Ahem. Long gone are the days when every hero could do whatever they wanted - now, we are civilised. We have government. Law. And proper forms. Lots of proper forms. (Final episode 25/07/2022. Also - beta readers far into the book rate the 'gore' degree as below 2/10, so the warning is a bit much) Mary Susan Oceanrunner is a poor girl from the orphanage, who like many others before, has to fulfil her destiny. The prophecy had been told, and she is the only one who can make things right. Erm... probably. Anyway, she can't just go and kill monsters like in the middle ages. First, she must apply for the appropriate permissions, fill the forms, learn about the proper loot taxations... Hey, no one said adventuring would be easy, right? Disclaimers: No claim made by any character by the book should be treated as the author's or anyone else's opinion on any subject. Most likely, it was just the funniest thing the Author could think of at the time of writing. This book contains many references to other works. It will probably be best enjoyed by individuals familiar with at least some of the following: 1) Computer games2) Fantasy in general3) Science fiction4) Tabletop RPGs5) Conspiracy theories6) Corporation work life7) Long forgotten prophecies uttered millennia ago in almost as forgotten languages under a starless night three dusks before the great convergence8) Filling any government-mandated form9) School10) EnglishMy ultimate goal is to make as many people experience something akin to joy while reading (think ~a bit louder exhale through the nose). It doesn't mean every scene will be funny or joyful because that's not how this stuff works. I can neither confirm nor deny having any other hidden agenda outside of that. (11.01.2022 NEW COVER by Philippa_and_art. You can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/philippa_and_art/)
8 116Red Eyes
Devil proposes the deal to a successful criminal at death bed... What shall he do after being given the second chance to live?
8 129exchange student (cevans)
in which Y/n González, mexican exchange college student, is taken in by Lisa Evans, mother to the one and only Chris Evans.
8 314