Marketplace Madness

"Oh, oh!" the King cried. "We are doomed, doomed! I will never see my wife's face again, thank God. If I had known this would be my end, I would've spent more time tending to religious matters, and writing books with historical topics, perhaps."

"Worry not, my liege!" Fred chuckled lightly. "Tis but a minor skirmish compared to the great battles of old!"

A crazed peasant came bounding over the carriage. He was unshaven and stank of boiled carrots. Fred dispatched him with a sword-blow that clove his head in half, leaving most of it hanging sideways from his jaw.

"We had best be on our way." Fred said as the rioter fell. "These peasants are getting more uppity with each passing minute. Ah! Look yonder, my liege. An escape route!"

Across a burning promenade created by destroyed market stands, they saw an open manhole cover leading down into the city's famed sewer systems. It was said that they were built thousands of years ago, and yet still worked just fine, despite having seen no single human soul in at least as much time.

"No!" the King said. "I cannot stand the stench of human offal! Tis unthinkable! Produce another alternative!"

"Hmm..." Fred thought. Two female peasants came running past, screaming in terror. Fred slashed their pursuer in the belly as he went by - the man flipped in mid-air and landed on his back, bloody inestines dangling everywhere. "Perhaps that window close to the ground floor in that building over there? A goodly option indeed, for it leads to the finest brothel in the city. But it would mean for us to pass through a lengthy portion of the square, through some of the worst of the fighting."

"I... I cannot climb!" the King cried in terror. "There has to be another option!"

Two Thieves raced around the carriage, one of them hurling a throwing dagger at the King. Fred caught the missile in mid-air and threw it back, the dagger whistling into the man's mouth and lodging in his brain, spraying bloody-greyish matter out of his ears. The second Thief danced forward, slashing with his dagger like a fool, until Fred lunged forward, pinning his arm behind his back and breaking his neck with an audible crunch.

"It is not safe to stay here, your Majesty!" Fred said.

1. Proceed with the sewer-escape route.
2. Proceed with the brothel window-escape route.
3. Sit here and try to think of a third option.

Add New Option

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