The phantom's song echoed throughout the night city. Knowing his partner meant for the sound and aware of her abilities did not help Simeon. His partner said dash, but the otherworldly shriek drowned her out with one instinctual message, [I]run[/I]. Suddenly the chilling numbness spreading from the rubies in his hands fell from thought. There was only now and the shriek and the shadows twitching in fear.

Simeon smiled as four failed shots fired far off target. No troop carried too many rifles and experience suggested maybe two left primed. He palmed Samantha's left shoulder enough that they veered in their run together. Another volley, this time two shots and an arrow flew close by killing an unsuspecting barrel. The two ran through the cloud of wood dust and ale before again drifting aside. By his count Simeon expected the more seasoned nearly finished loading the next volley. Despite the thinning cloud and the dark he could see lights pacing the outline of the Sogna just forty yards ahead. 

At thirty yards the ground shifted from packed dirt to weathered stone. Barrels, crates, nets, and unattended wooden stands littered the terrain making a challenge of just running to safety. Heart pounding high in his throat, Simeon struggled to maintain long, deep breaths. Samantha appeared out of breath too, but youth favoured his companion. With the report of a single rifle a nearby stand lost a support, its awning collapsing immediately. Several small, dark balls descended from the stand and rolled out ahead of the two. Simeon jumped over a small grouping of them alongside Samantha. Before the two landed barrels behind and beside them burst, vomiting plumes of dust and spilling their innards. Fifteen yards and every shot seemed closer to their mark. The hull of Sogna glistened in faint light of Arberth. What were floating lights at
forty yards transformed into gathered torches standing ready at the rails. Hope and power just a moment's sprint away. 

Not ten paces after the thought, Simeon's shoulder jerked forward and he stumbled. Before Samantha could register the cause, he exclaimed gruffly, "To cover!"

In one fluid motion the Wisp hopped over a curving section of the stone rail that fed into the wooden portion of the dock. Quite unlike her, Simeon met the section head on, merely rolling over shoulder and landing hard beside her. Simeon sat further ahead of the wall than her and took a deep breath. It was dark, but as he looked to meet her gaze he saw only an arched brow as if to say 'and this is him?' Pursing his lips, Simeon opened his fists and dropped the rubies in front of Samantha. He felt the burns in his hands where they'd touched, but paid them no mind as he reached for his shoulder. With a skill not unlike the Wisp's dive, Simeon gripped arrow protruding through his shoulder and snapped it in half. Wincing, he slouched forward with a hand tucked at his side as if exploring within his cloak.

"A thirty count until they're on us, is that fair?" Simeon asked, straightening himself once more and drawing out from his cloak. The pistol curved out from his hand with a circular gears on both sides and black veins running along its entire length. He could see the recognition in Samantha's eyes and wondered just how deeply she'd looked into Master Nazeek. "One of the Master's twin wheel-locks, indeed, and I'd be happy to tell you all about them -- [I]later[/I]. I need you to form something to glow. Something that I can shoot and will flash above us. If you honestly can't manage that I suggest you take arms."