Calliope looked speculatively at the narrow gap above and then unclasped her sword belt and passed it to Markus. Drawing the knife from her boot she clasped it between her teeth and shimmied out onto the narrow ledge. Below in the town men and women were screaming and a bronze bell began to toll in completely unnecessary warning. From the walls there was no way to tell what was going on although Calliope saw a trio of half dressed soldiers rush from the tavern. One of them clutched at his stomach and pitched into the street, evidence that at least some of the crew were still firing.

"This seemed alot simpler when you were explaining it on the beach," she snapped and then reached up and caught the ledge with her fingertips. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself up, hanging momentarily above the yawning gulf. She pulled her stomach tight and looped one leg up and through the railing, for a moment the silk of her leggings slid on the stone but she got her other leg up in time to catch the weight. Cursing she pulled herself through the gap, scraping herself at breast and hip. She made it through the narrow oppening and stood up to find herself on a small balcony. Curtains of dirty fabric flapped in the wind across an arched stone doorway. There was another splintering crash downstairs and Markus' voice echoed up to her.

"Anny time now!"

Thinking the curtains might make a suitable rope she ran into the room. Something struck her across the jaw and she went down, crashing into the side of the arch. She bounced off the archway and tumbled into the chamber another blow swept over her head and she had the sudden smell of sweat and steel. Calliope struck out with her right foot and was rewarded with a grunt of pain as she connected with a shin. She could just make out a half dressed figure before the man threw himself on top of her, his arm closing around her throat, closing her airway. Calliope gasped and choked. Her assailant was to strong for her to fight off and she could feel spots dance across her eyes. She pressed her hand against her opponents neck and wheezed a word. There was a sudden flash of light and heat and the man screamed, the pressure on her throat vanished as the man rolled away, his face was a mask of pain illuminated by his own burning hair. Calliope snapped another word and a jet of force struck him in the chest, pitching him back into the darkness of the chamber where he crashed into one of the half seen walls.

Still gasping she rolled to her feet, dizzy from the choking and the two spells. She seized a curtain and tore it from the hooks that secured it. A quick knot secured it to the railing and she pitched it over so it spilled down like a dirty gray rope. She turned and strode across the room to where the rooms sole occupant, her attacker and she presumed, the fortress' commander, groaned feebly in pain. She grabbed a handful of the man's hair and dragged him towards the window. She touched the book through the leather of her satchel, though she didn't actually draw it forth. SHe had learned the spell she had planned to attempt during the voyage and there was little light to go by. The words seemed to hover just behind her eyes and she opened her mouth and began to chant, the words spilling from her lips like liquid. Motes of darkness began to gather around her hands as she chanted.
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