Liberation

Famine

Dusk was near, the sun already partially bled with a crimson red as it fell behind the horizon. Zane had his back to the alley wall located near the center of town. The town square was as busy as it was noisy and Zane could not hear himself think. One of his feet rested casually against the damp alley wall creating a comfortable position for him to stand as he watched his target. He was dexterously flipping a coin around his fingers causing it to dance as it wove up and over. His eyes looked down the street, but they saw much further. They saw to the front gate. The gate to Eden was destitute, standing tall it acted as a beacon: warning all who saw that this was a wretched place.

Walking through the gate was a man who had just arrived, his two body guards lagging behind him slightly forming a triangle. The street parted and the busy townsfolk seemed to grow silent as they watched; this was the effect of a man with status. When he was no longer within earshot they would resume their bartering. Zane's target was a man by the name Godfrey, he was the Lord of Eden, Kingdom of the north, but resembled a Lord in merchant threads. Zane could relate to that, a thief was no more noble than those he stole from. The more he thought about it the more Zane found connections between the two of them. That made him drop his coin.

He wore a heavy coat made with the finest fabrics being more of a show than practical article, his rotund belly hung in front of him showing all peasants how well he ate. His posture was stern and the air about him was commanding. He steals using documents and blackmail. I steal with sleight of hand and deceit. The similarities piled on. The rules Zane had created for himself to prevent him from ever being useless again echoed in his head, reminding him he had a job to do. He continued to watch his target stroll nonchalantly down the mud street from atop his black horse passing the marketplace, then the hovels. He would glare at the occasional peasant knowing full well the effect it had. He loved his power. He dined on the envious looks and he ate well.

Finally, he arrived at the alleyway Zane stood in. He shot Zane a glare, a mocking look on his face. Zane shot a look of utter indifference back. Visually shaken but quick to recover his command of the air Godfrey stood  up little straighter and snapped his glare from Zane's eyes to the road ahead absolutely enraged.

It began. Zane stuck his hand up open palm, and brought it to eye level and used his ability to put shadows in his iris causing his vision to blur making his far sight dampen giving him the vision of a normal man as well as darkening his red iris to black. Strolling out of the alley while humming to himself, he began to follow Godfrey and his entourage. Zane had tailed important people before, they tend to be more paranoid the more important they were. Godfrey's body guard saw him right away. He leaned forward and cupped Godfrey's ear. He had too much pride to turn around but his reaction was clear to gauge. Zane increased his pace to keep up with the horses casual stride while continuing to hum to himself. The body guards noticed leaned forward again, being Godfreys eyes allowing him to save face without being in the dark. Godfrey leaned back and spoke to the guard he nodded and leaned toward the guard on his left, he nodded. Both of the guards stopped but Godfrey continued his stroll, as did Zane until he was between the two guards. They both stuck swords diagonally in front of him creating a blade shaped X in his path.

"Yes, gentlemen?" Zane asked, looking up at the guard with innocent eyes and a smirk on his face.

"You're the man on the wanted posters. Pretty high bounty for a petty thief I'd say" hissed the guard in the right. He appeared to be the one in charge. "By order of his lordship Godfrey, you are under arrest. Come peacefully or add a little chaos so we can beat you before hand," he smiled begging for a fight. Zane looked at the guard on the left. Upon noticing this the guard looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"You try to control me, you threaten to hurt me. But this one cannot even face me?" Zane scoffed and turned back to the guard on the right "if I'm supposed to be frightened I'm afraid you've fallen flat?"