“K’lorkanto, it’s me.”
The Crimson Flash had replaced the string across the door before it even began to glow faintly blue, and he crouched to pull up the trap door. He had been down a few times since Gnarshl the kobold had led him there those months ago, so he did not feel the need to take his time on the stairs, and descended down into the cavern below the ruined building in seconds. Running might still jostle injured ribs too much to be comfortable, but the speedster could still walk at an impressive pace.
“Ah. Flash, hello. What brings you to us this evening?” The wispy tuft of light gray hair on the lapsed mage’s chin swayed as he walked forward to meet the scarlet speedster. He glanced to the sides, taking note of the people milling about the cavern looking that way. The speedster’s visits were occasional enough that many there had not seen him before. When the pale blue eyes swept back under the bushy brow, they were dancing. “Not that we mind your presence, of course.”
“Wish it was just a social call. I should have thought to come talk to you a while ago, but…well, I’ve had other things on my mind…” He took a moment to adjust his mask, as he cast a look of his own around the cavern, dark eyes drifting. “But I was wondering if anyone here, ah, might remember something from a couple of months back. There were some murders, pretty brutal ones. They happened not too far away…” He trailed off, a frown drawing across his face, tugging at the mask. “Nothing’s happened for a while. Kind of feels like the calm before the storm, if you know what I mean.”
The older man nodded, fingers moving through the wisp of hair on his chin. “I do seem to recall something about that bit of nastiness. I certainly did not see anything amiss that related to such things. Someone else might, though…” And he gestured over the cavern, as though to indicate the others around.
Crim nodded and stepped away. He saw Gnarshl sifting through some stones, likely looking something precious or semi, so he moved that way. “Good evening, Gnarshl.” He nodded to the kobold, as the reptilian head rose. “Was wondering if you might remember anything from a few months back.”
The kobold nodded, teeth revealed in something like a grin. “Oh, yes, yes, I heard. I saw nothing, no, no. But Karas may have. She spoke of such things.” He turned peering about, then pointed. “She is there. Sewing. She can help, yes.” He nodded, then went back to his stones. He had been there every time Crim had visited, and so had gotten used to him.
The Crimson Flash had replaced the string across the door before it even began to glow faintly blue, and he crouched to pull up the trap door. He had been down a few times since Gnarshl the kobold had led him there those months ago, so he did not feel the need to take his time on the stairs, and descended down into the cavern below the ruined building in seconds. Running might still jostle injured ribs too much to be comfortable, but the speedster could still walk at an impressive pace.
“Ah. Flash, hello. What brings you to us this evening?” The wispy tuft of light gray hair on the lapsed mage’s chin swayed as he walked forward to meet the scarlet speedster. He glanced to the sides, taking note of the people milling about the cavern looking that way. The speedster’s visits were occasional enough that many there had not seen him before. When the pale blue eyes swept back under the bushy brow, they were dancing. “Not that we mind your presence, of course.”
“Wish it was just a social call. I should have thought to come talk to you a while ago, but…well, I’ve had other things on my mind…” He took a moment to adjust his mask, as he cast a look of his own around the cavern, dark eyes drifting. “But I was wondering if anyone here, ah, might remember something from a couple of months back. There were some murders, pretty brutal ones. They happened not too far away…” He trailed off, a frown drawing across his face, tugging at the mask. “Nothing’s happened for a while. Kind of feels like the calm before the storm, if you know what I mean.”
The older man nodded, fingers moving through the wisp of hair on his chin. “I do seem to recall something about that bit of nastiness. I certainly did not see anything amiss that related to such things. Someone else might, though…” And he gestured over the cavern, as though to indicate the others around.
Crim nodded and stepped away. He saw Gnarshl sifting through some stones, likely looking something precious or semi, so he moved that way. “Good evening, Gnarshl.” He nodded to the kobold, as the reptilian head rose. “Was wondering if you might remember anything from a few months back.”
The kobold nodded, teeth revealed in something like a grin. “Oh, yes, yes, I heard. I saw nothing, no, no. But Karas may have. She spoke of such things.” He turned peering about, then pointed. “She is there. Sewing. She can help, yes.” He nodded, then went back to his stones. He had been there every time Crim had visited, and so had gotten used to him.