Diamondeye walked through the streets to find his old fathers' house. It had been a long time since he had last visited Arete, and much had changed. There was nobody officially in charge. Diamondeye felt secure in the streets as he wore the white robe of the Head Of Faith - surely, no man, despite how desperate he was, would attack an unarmed monk with nothing of value on him. Only a few minutes in the streets proved him wrong. Two men, large and coarse raptores, held him up.
"Hand over whatever valuables you have, boy", one of them growled.
Diamondeye turned his empty palms at the man, and spoke, with some nerveousity.
"I possess nothing and needn't do."
At these words the man in frnot of him laughed. Then he hit Diamondeye in his stomach. The young man curled together as he lost his breath.
"Hand it over, now."
Diamondeye looked up at him, now with a glint of panic in his eyes.
"I am serious. I own nothing. I am a monk of the Protectors of Faith."
The two men came closer. Then one of them started feeling around Diamondeyes robes. Diamondeye was sweating. He knew he had a small piece of gold brought from New Giruvegan somewhere in his robe, and he held a small, cut stone in the shape of a fist in his hand. It was a symbol to his former position, the Hand of Faith. He could under no circumstances hand over any of the things.
The man, who had now searched the robe throughoutfully, found the small piece of gold.
"Hey, look what I said now, I knew it. Have you got any more of these?"
"No."
"Don't lie to me, kid", the man said, this time hitting Diamondeye harder, on his cheek. The young boy fell on his knees and palms, dropping the small jewel.
"Hey, what's that?" The man motioned to pick up the piece of stone.
Diamondeye hit him, right on the side of his forehead. Startled with surprise the man simply looked at him. Diamondeye kicked him in his side, just below the ribs, and then hit the man right in the face with a small but determined fist. He felt the mans' nose breaking and the murky, warm blood on his fingers. Diamondeye quickly siezed the mans' small knife, the piece of gold, and the small jewel he had lost. The other man had taken forth his own knife, and was now looking threatening at Diamondeye.
"Calm now, I am sure we can talk this over", Diamondeye said, nerveously.
The man looked at his wounded, bleeding comrade.
"I don't think so."
Diamondeye knew the man was going to kill him, even if he handed over his things. He took the small piece of gold, and held it in front of himself.
"You want this?" he asked the man.
The man nodded, keeping his knife in his hand and his eyes on the gold.
Diamondeye threw the gold in a large slopy throw, into the air above the man. The man looked up in surprise and switched his knife to the left hand in order to catch the piece of gold. Diamondeye quickly turned his own knife half a turn, so the blade was underneath his hand, and jumped forth against the man. He stabbed the mans' eye with the knife before the man could do anything. After that Diamondeye felt the sudden warmth of blood running down his right leg and saw that the man had stabbed him in his stomach, right above the right leg. Diamondeye grumbled as he knocked the man unconcious with an elbow to the head, picked up the piece of gold that had fallen to the ground, threw the knife on the ground and halted towards his fathers house.
When he entered, his father, an old man now, looked startled at his young son who had never been in a fight before. The white robe was drenched in mud and blood, and the young man was bruised and bleeding.
"Son, what has happened?"
Diamondeye looked startled at him:
"I can't recognize the city I once knew anymore..."
(OOC: To be continued)
