You watch from atop one of the many buildings surrounding the water fountain. You’re thirty minutes early, but that doesn’t bother you much. You traveled two days to get here, what’s another thirty minutes of waiting?
Staying hidden you examine the water fountain. It’s like most of the water fountains in cities like this, some tubes that generate water and a couple shallow holes at the bottom to destroy it. The pipes aren’t connected to anything, they just have a few seals that make water and one at the back that propels it forward. And the drains are even more simple. Shallow holes that couldn’t even fit a rich man's coin purse designed to destroy any water it comes in contact with. Though it isn’t shooting out any water now, they must drain its charge at night. As a result the fountain has stale water at the bottom that didn’t have the chance to drain into the hole before it was shut off.
You see Ava, the person you are here to meet, walk upto the water fountain. You check your stopwatch, five minutes till. You decide to wait it out, not wanting to come off too eager. You like being punctual, it gives you a sense of control.
You watch Ava pace back and forth nervously, glancing around and frantically checking her stopwatch. You smile as you notice how much she’s grown. Her face is harder, and her build has gained considerable muscle in the past few years. She used to be such a tiny little thing.
You stare at your stopwatch as it rolls over to midnight. On cue you jump down from the roof and use your magic to push against the ground, slowing your fall. Typically you’re only an Artificer, not capable of using any kind of pure magic, but the engravings in your metal right hand make you capable of using some force magic to push things. Pretty rudimentary, and not very efficient. An actual mage could use way less magic than you do, but it comes in handy.
“Right on time, as usual. How long were you waiting there?”
You ignore the question, “You sent for me?”
“Yes I did. You’re hard to get in touch with. I had to…”
You cut her off, “What do you want, Ava?”
She sighs and tilts her head slightly toward the ground. She balls up her hands and her body starts shaking a little. You approach her and put a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s alright, just tell me what happened.”
She brushes off your hand and turns away, “They got Rider.”
“What?!” you’re taken aback, “Who?! Is he alive?!” You start rattling off questions without thinking.
“The enforcers got to him! I don’t know, h-he went a few cities over to deal with this gang or something and next thing I know some runner is banging on down our door to tell me he was captured by an enforcer!” She talks so fast, it’s hard to make out what she’s saying.
“Alright, alright just calm down,” you walk up to her and stand so you’re facing her again, “do you know where he was taken.”
“Yes, he…” she starts to mumble.
You cut her off, “Take a second and compose yourself.”
You watch her turn away and wipe her eyes with her sleeve. You walk up to the water fountain and press your hand to it, refilling some of its charge. As water starts flowing out of the pipes again you take your empty flask from your belt and refill it. You take big gulps and check to make sure she isn’t looking before you wipe your slightly misty eyes. Rider was a long time friend of yours, almost like a brother. But losing your composure here won’t do any good, you have to be strong.
You refill the flask and toss it to her. She catches it clumsily .
“Drink.”
“But…” she protests.
“Drink,” you repeat.
She puts the flask up to her mouth and drinks from it. She doesn’t drink much, you notice, just a few sips to placate you. You don’t push the issue as she sets it down beside her on the fountain’s base.
“Alright,” you start, “you said you know where he is?”
She nods, “They say that he’s been taken to the blacksite just north of here.”
Your heart falls. You were hoping they took him to one of their holding centers. There aren’t typically enforcers at those types of centers. But a blacksite is always run by a garrisoned enforcer.
“I’m sorry to hear the news. He was my friend as much as yours.”
“No. He’s our friend, not was. I’m going to go there and break him out.”
“What?!” You hiss. You can’t believe what you’re hearing. Killing an enforcer isn’t something people do. In fact most civilians think they’re immortal.
She steels her face and looks directly at you. She’s about five inches shorter than you, but at this moment it’s you who feels small.
“I called you here because I need your help. You’re the only person I can think of who has a chance to pull it off. If we both sneak in, we might have a chance of getting him out undetected, or fighting our way out when we are.”
“What makes you think I’m capable of fighting an enforcer?”
“You have before. Albeit a junior one, but you must’ve gotten stronger since then. Not even mentioning the fact you absorbed his strength.”
“There is a league of difference between a junior enforcer and one with enough experience to be put in charge of his own blacksite.”
In reality there are three branches of enforcers. Field enforcers are the default with their own hierarchy. Garrisoned enforcers are just field enforcers who settled for less dangerous work, or have more academic interests. The problem is the strength between garrisoned enforcers varies greatly. At least with field enforcers their rank can give you some clue.
The third are royal enforcers. There are only 12, handpicked by the king himself. Not much to worry about as they almost never leave the capitol. Though you’ve heard stories about what they’re like, and you’d never want to find yourself facing one.
“There’s also the fact that I didn’t absorb much from that junior enforcer,” you continue, “He was almost all training, without much of the king's energy.”
“Even still, we have to try! We can’t just let him rot in there!”
You consider your options for a moment. How do you respond?
