Empty City (Open)

[Angmor]

Why did he always go back?
This was a question that plagued Niar's mind at every second of the day. As he walked out the back gate of the palace, showing his papers to the suspicious guards, he threw a glance back inside. He had been assigned to the imperial delegation of the surprise peace talks here in Feinster, for reasons that he dared not predict. They had simply told him to go, so he went. Shortly after arriving at the palace of lady Lorana, he had asked his superior, the leader of all the spooks that had accompanied the delegation, if he could go outside and wander the city for a few hours before the summit began. His superior knew the full details of Niar's life, that he would like nothing better to defect to the Varden side, that he was technically a military prisoner of the Empire.
And the man had granted him the request without a word about it.
"Just make sure to be back in time for the summit," He had said ominously.
"We may have some need for you."
Niar could only guess what that meant. But now here he was was, stepping out of the palace and away from his imperial masters, into a Varden-held city completely and totally without supervision, with even a little money in his pocket. He had been trained for stealth. He could walk off into this city, and the Empire would never find him again. And yet Niar knew that whatever happened, he would still go back.

Finally satisfying the guards, both Varden and imperial that he was who the set of papers said he was, he stepped through the gate and into the deserted cobblestone street. There was a slight breeze blowing in from the west, carrying a lingering winter bite along with the salty tang of the nearby sea. Niar shivered and gathered his formally embroidered cloak around himself, picking a direction at random and striding briskly along it.
The city was eerily quiet.
He knew from the after-action reports that had reached the capital that most of the civilians of the city had fled from the city after the Varden guerrillas had breached and held the front gates. The Varden special forces were very good at finding the one asset on which the Empire hung all of its tactical hopes, and then denying them that asset.
Niar knew. He had been one of the ones doing the denying.

Everywhere he looked, there was signs of a hurried departure. The abandoned street was littered with cast off flotsam, doors hung open on their hinges, either left open or broken inward by the bands of looters that he had no doubt were roaming the city, and dark windows seemed to glare at him like eyeless sockets. He shivered.
Still, he couldn't blame the civvies for running. Even if he didn't wish to live under the Empire, even that was better than living at the embattled frontlines of a war.
A war in which he was on the wrong side.

He sighed. He had hoped that coming out here to wander the city would banish such thoughts, but apparently it did not. He still just could not get around the fact that despite all of the freedom he had, he still kept on going back to the Empire he hated. But what else could he do? How could he get out, knowing exactly the consequences? If he left, then his sister would die. It was that simple. Nothing could be done to change it. And since his memory was probed after each and every operation, he could not enlist help from anyone to try and save her. And yet, he was forced to safeguard her life by helping to do the things that he had dedicated his life to fighting. Yet how could he escape an enemy that made sure to know his very thoughts?

Over and over these thoughts tumbled through his head, back and forth, to and fro until it felt as if his head would split in two. Finally, trying to block out the conflicting ideas swarming through his brain, he threw off the barriers around his mind, casting out his perception all around him. It felt like taking a veil off his eyes.
Instantly the seemingly empty world around him became teeming with life. He remembered once talking with Nyana about what it was like to have this experience. He had described it as standing in a darkened room, surrounded by hundred of pinpricks of light, like fireflies. Each point of light was the mind of a living thing. It wasn’t a perfect analogy, just something to try and describe something that could not be described in the linear three dimensions of the physical world. The truth went far beyond that. Here, colors were so vivid that they could be felt.
The smallest lights of all were the thousands of insects, swarming beneath the cobbles under his feet and in the walls around him, just begining to come active after a long winter slumber. The largest points of light, the ones that wavered and pulsed, were the people. There was far less of these. Somewhere off to his right, he found a small group of looters preparing to break into an empty house, their minds tinged with the golden mist of exhilaration, clouded by the cold grey tendrils of fear. Somewhere behind him, probably one street over, he could sense a Varden patrol, their minds held in rigid check by iron bands of discipline. Suddenly, one of them flared with a sudden red spike of hatred. Shifting his perception to towards what the Vardener was focusing on, he found what looked like a lone imperial soldier, his mind filled with thoughts of going to his father’s house to make sure that his family was all right...
Suddenly there was a flash of a memory from the Varden soldier Niar had just sensed, so intensely vivid that he could ‘see’ without being focused on it…
…A press of red armored bodies advancing behind a phalanx of shields, cutting into the crowd of protestors, cutting indiscriminately with their swords…
…Where was Loeta? She had been right behind him a second ago, but the tides of the panicked crowd had separated them…
…Loeta’s body slumped lifelessly on the stone, a pool of blood spreading from beneath her…

With an effort, Niar pulled himself away, going back into his own skull, feeling shaken. That memory had been far too vivid, too personal. His father had warned him of this, even before Niar had been taught anything about using his mind like this. His fathered had drilled it into him, over and over. Beware of this power, Niar. While it can be used for good, you will constantly tempted to use it for your own personal gain. I tell you Niar, if you do this, you will be no better than the enemy you fight. You must use this thing I will teach you to learn, and to survive. Never to attack, and never to violate another person’s memory. You must promise me this. You really should swear in the Ancient Language, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to lay that kind of responsibility on your shoulders. Will you promise me this?
I promise.

[/Color]
With a sigh, he opened his eyes. No, he couldn’t randomly going around going through people’s minds. He had promised his father. That promise was the only thing he had left to cling to. No, he would find something else to distract him. Maybe the insects, those were always interesting…
He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He whirled instinctively, reaching for the dagger at the back of his belt…
He finally saw the small dark outline of a four legged creature. He saw the slitted eyes gazing impassively up at him, the long upraised tail, swinging rhythmically. He chuckled, relaxing. Just a cat. With a sigh, he reached out with his mind, lightly touching its mind. Niar loved cats. They always had interesting personalities for him to explore. He found the overarching emotion in this one’s mind was curiosity, focused on him.
Don’t mind me, friend.[/Color] He thought on a whim, knowing perfectly well that it would not understand.
Just rather hoping you know something I don’t.[/Color][/size][/blockquote]

[Lady Nayeli]

Did I really have to even be here during this stupid meeting, which was later on today. I mean, honestly, what was the point in even being here with absolutely nothing to do but sit around and listen to people speak. There was no reason, but of course, support my Friends, my people, the Great Varden... Well, I thought they were pretty awesome, but of course, those idiot Empire people on the other hand thought we were nothing more then a rebel nation, which was slightly true, but at least we were fighting for the right cause, which was to give freedom to the people of the Empire. If they have a king, at least have a king who could die and bring forth some new ideas. I laughed at the thought. It would be nice to have that stupid king die and bring forth someone with enough smarts to bring the Empire out of Stupidity.

The Varden Guards had welcomed me with pats on the shoulders, smile as I came into their headquarters and told me my orders were to take some look around the city and learn the area. He had taken his orders with ease, gave up his sword, which he thought was pointless, but was told in secret to keep my daggers hidden in case something were to happen while I was looking around the city. This was going to be rather fun, take a look around, maybe mess with some empire stups, and then head back to the meeting with enough time for a nap. I loved that idea, it would be fun to have a nap after the long ride I had taken in here. I had left my sword and horse with the Varden Guards who had taken it to a stable dedicated to the Varden horsemen and people who brought in wagons of food supplies and such. I had followed the wagons in, mostly because I loved to be the last in, just incase something were to happen.

Nasuada had asked me to help with her guards around the city before I came into the meeting, but I doubt anything would happen. I mean, honestly, why would the empire or varden ruin something that the leaders had called to. If something went bad, there was too many 'Important' people around that could get killed, one being Nasuada, but also a lot of the dragon riders and the other leaders of both the Varden and the Empire. Nasuada... Damn she was so beautiful, I could not help but think about her as I left the headquarters and went on my way down one of the main streets. I knew where their was a town square just up and I could sit down and watch as a homeless person. I loved to watch and not do anything, it was one of my main things about being with the empire. I had learn from some elves how to touch other minds, that is why Nasuada liked me as one of her main warriors. Unlike her spellcaster I was a better warrior and yet I could still touch a mind like a elf, just not nearly as gentle. I could not help but laugh at the though of my first mind invasion, how I caused more pain then intended. Just the thought brough a smile to my face.

The square was just up ahead and I slowed some, watching the area with cautious eyes. I knew that a lot of empire people were here, which meant my father would be here as a guard and my sister possible was also, which meant I had a known Assassine not far from me. The thought gave me a few jitters running up my spin. I shook the thought from my mind and checked my two hidden daggers. The one at my boot was still in the hidden compartment, allowed my foot not to get cut up when I walked. I then checked the one that was on my belt, but still hidden right on the side under my belt and pants. I pulled my hood over my head just a little more, hidding my face to keep others from seeing who I was. I found a pole, which was holding up a over hang on a building and leaning against it before I sat down. I was slouched, looking like a hungry, homeless person. A few varden went by, talking, but keeping a very wary look on their face and then a few imperial, silent like normal. I watched them all go by and I was once again ignored, but my mind was out reached to everything. I caught bits and piece of the minds of others, the empire gave little helpful information that I did not already know and the Varden were thinking of family, which I thought of normally. It gave them a reason to fight!

The breeze was pleasant, very pleasant. The sun was shining, I loved it very much as I felt the sun hitting my feet as I set there. My boots were at least warm, the spring air was pretty nice, which was very good for the day. At least people would not be down and looking for a reason to fight, maybe they would just be happy and wanting to avoid a fight. Of course, something told me how very doubtful that was a I felt the mind of another varden and heard him cursing the imperial. I brought my mind back slightly, I did not want to hear about the reason the other hated one. It was useless to hate, even though I also hated, so I was preaching to the choir. I was kind of happy most the people of the city had gotten away before this event, just in case war was to break loose.

My mind hit one that was also outstretched and I turned my head, withdrawing my own mind and seeing a imperial. It was the one with the outreached mind and with ease I picked himself up and moved, heading down a road, looking back to make sure I was not being followed. If someone found out I was the sun of a royal family and that my sister, Nayeli, was trying to kill me because I was a traitor, I would be in certain danger. I turned, walking backward before I entered a open door. It was a empty house, but it would give me a hiding place until I was sure things were clear and I could get past that out reached mind and return to the city square or continue on down the streets.

What was a imperial doing with a out reach mind? Was he looking for someone to attack? I knew I was not, I only had it to keep others from sneaking up on me, but Imperial were common for finding people and killing them just because they were thinking the wrong thing.