Avalon/Roleplay Section/Hector/Hector returns to Cteduul

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Previous: The Battle of Norjke


Hector Returns to Cteduul

Hector marches into town following minsc and their fearless leader Grim-Reaper. His 15 men are close behind him. As they go towards the center of the city, they meet up as a platoon, and come to a halt.

Grim-Reaper ascends the city centers stairs and turns... "Men, valiant fighting... now, regroup and take the night for yourselves. Gather your equipment and muster back here at 0600 hours. Dissss-misssed!"

Hector's men break formation, and one by one come up to Hector, patting his shoulder and asking permission to go to their respective homes... "Enjoy your time men, you've earned it!"

As his men walk in different directions, back to their homes, Hector proceeds up Touriga Lane. He looks forward to seeing her. As he walks, he finds himself walking fast. His heart is beating and he is starting to sweat a bit. As he rounds the corner, he approaches the brothel, but stops dead in his tracks. He can't believe what he is seeing. How can this be?

Hector drops his pack in the street and runs up to the door; the hinges are busted off, things are scattered everywhere. No one is inside and everything is overturned. He runs upstairs, straight to room 219. The door is busted in, obviously someone kicked the door in, and someone braced the door from inside. There are gouges in the floor from high heeled boots. Caused by someone leaning hard against the door, trying to keep it from opening. The bed is flipped, the dresser is overturned. There is a huge bloodstain on the floor. Dark red. Whoever that was, they are dead, that's too much blood for anyone to have lost and lived. There is a broken lamp 3 feet from the stain, with blood on it.

Hector looks everywhere, but her bag is gone, and some of her clothes too.

Hector darts out of the door, down the stairs, sliding with both hands down the banisters and skipping steps as he goes. He leaps over the debris and into the street. He looks in both directions, and sees a homeless pan-handler on the corner, about a block away.

He bolts towards him, and the pan-handler looks frightened and stands, pulling his coat closed.

Hector lifts him by his collar up to his face... "What in the hell happened here?"

"Whhaa? I dunno? I hear tell that some of them thar varmints from Lacint.. ya know, the Grifter group... they comed down har to 'cause thar lands bein' invaded by them thar monsters... They lost all dem whores, and s'pose they need more?"

Hector tosses the man down to the ground... "Where are they said to have gone?"

"Not far sir, see, they just come in heard... ah, say, yes'r'day."

"Which way, varmint?"

"Why, eh, they... they went to the west side of town, where they have they own buildings over thar... you know, the shelters down by the plunkets shop?"

Hector looks at the man, "If you are lying sir, I will come back and cut off your arms!"

"No sir, I not lyin', I tell you all I know. I sure hope you find 'em, thems varmints if I ever saw one!!"

Hector turns around and grabs his pack he dropped. Scoops it up and runs off towards the west side, where the gangs are lords, not Nobles.

Hector enters center street and walks down the middle of town. Two large men start to approach him, but Hector looks at them as though they're already dead, and they back away.

He proceeds, deeper into town, and comes across the feed store, owned by Mr. Plunket. It's gone out of business years ago, once the gangs moved in and ruined the west side.

Hector walks up to a large door guarded by a very large, and skillful looking bailiff.

"What's your business, Noble scum?"

Hector continues to walk, making the man a little nervous as he reaches for his sword.

"If your hand brushes the hilt of that sword, it will be the last move you ever make."

The man hesitates, then draws his sword. Before he knows it, the man is lying, lifeless on the ground. Hector pulls his sword from the man's torso and kicks the door open. As he walks up the stairs, he hears loud noises, laughter and a piano playing.

Hector kicks open the door at the top of the stairs, and he sees a room full of vagrants and body guards. He sees several girls being forced to dance and he recognizes them and knows he's in the right place. The girls' eyes open wide, Hector, the legend has come to rescue them. They grow tense, sensing their freedom on the line.

Without a word, Hector walks straight at the most pompous man in the room. Sitting between three girls...

As he approaches, the man stays seated and smirks at Hector, feeling powerful and very comfortable with his room full of body guards.

"Where is she?" All of the music stops; everyone stands completely still, the body guards cross their arms and stand there, ready to make a move.

In a thick foreign accent, the pompous man replies, "Wheech whore do mean?" All his men laugh loudly.

"Room 219? The most beautiful girl in Cteduul. Where is she?"

"ch-eh, eh, I cen not be sure? Why don't you seat down, and halve a dreenk, and weal talk about eet?"

Hector picks up a bottle and smashes it. "How about you talk?"

The man laughs, "You stupid peag! Now you vill die! Kill him!"

The room erupts, men start towards Hector. He waits, patiently, standing completely still as they close in on him. The first two to reach him are the two large body guards. Hector lifts his sword and steps to the side, slicing down, and cutting off one man's arm. He steps across the 2nd body guard and turns back towards him. He slices his throat and follows up with a cut across his chest. The man collapses. 4 men leap towards hector at once. He steps to the side, allowing them all to crash to the floor. He spins and slices down 2 men who were following them, and they collapse. As the 4 men rise one by one, Hector cuts them so deeply; blood goes flying across the room. The pompous man is lifting his legs and squirming to avoid the bloodshed.

Another man rushes Hector from behind, but he draws his sword to his side and behind him, under his arm. The man runs into his sword and collapses. Two more men leap over him, both with swords swinging at Hector. He parry’s them well, and in turn slices each of them down. Another man, with a dagger throws it at Hector. He ducks backwards and rises back up, pulling his own dagger and flinging it, underhand at the man. It pierces his throat and sends him flying backwards. Two men behind the bar, pull out cross bows. They each fire, Hector spins and dives behind a table, flipping it over for protection. He pulls out another dagger and throws it just as the man behind the bar peaks up to shoot again. Slicing him right through the eye, sending the man sprawling, who twitches for a moment and then lays still. The last man with the crossbow, jumps from behind the bar, sword drawn and charges Hector. Without a thought, he slices the mans head clean off.

As the room grows still, the pompous man lifts his arm from across his face to see all his men are dead. "What sort of man are you?"

Hector walks towards the man, and picks him up by his collar. He points his sword at his face... "Where in the hell is she, or you're a dead man?"

The man whimpers for a moment... then screams in a cry, "I don't know. I went upstairs and found one of my men dead. I think she killed him and ran off." The man continues to cry.

Hector breaths deep and exhales. "That's my girl!" Then he thrust the sword down the man's throat, killing him instantly.

Hector drops him and turns to the women. "Ladies, I believe you have a brothel to clean up.” The women all cheer and run to Hectors side, hugging him.

"I knew you'd come for us, Hector, I just knew it!" A woman cries on his shoulder hugging him tight.

"Where is she?" Hector asks.

One woman, a close friend of hers looks at Hector, then back down at her boots. "She... ah... well, she probably went to... his place to hide."

Hector stares off into the distance. He looks around the room, his eyes glazing over... "Well then, that's good... let's... ah... let's get you girls home."

Hector helps the girls out, then escorts them back to their home.

His place, huh. Well, then, what can I say? I guess it's for the best. Hector thinks as he leaves the brothel. His heart is heavy and he's angry at himself. He knew this would happen, that's why he closed his heart off long ago.


Next: Hector's true love