Philip glanced around in the dark, feeling that someone was following him. He was carrying a bag full of groceries, simple things that most bachelors would use. He lived on macaroni and cheese and Ramen noodles, a far cry from the steak from Sweetland’s or the fancy filet mignon of the French restaurants on the quarter.
The apartment in Vibora was a leftover from a millhouse. The exposed brick of the rooms made it seem that it was old and decrepit. He got to the front door of his apartment house/Millhouse. He didn’t hear the footsteps behind him, but he felt something strange in the air. Something coming to him.
He pretended to fumble with the keys at the door. He set the bag down and started to muttering the spell of protection. Something split the air right above his temple. A crossbow bolt slammed into the door.
He whirled, looking out into the darkness. But nothing was there. He wondered for a moment who was out there, but then a second later another crossbow bolt slammed into his shoulder, pinning him to the door. His hand came up and grabbed the bolt. He tried to yank on it but it was caught too tightly into the door.
Phil looked out again into the darkness. Whoever had the crossbow now at a free shot at him. Again Philip wanted muttered spell of protection. He yanked hard again on the crossbow bolt and it came out of the door and his shoulder. He threw himself down just seconds before another crossbow bolt hit the door where his head was.
Philip yelled out the spell of light to dispel the darkness beyond. The darkness exploded into bright light and he could see the man dressed all in black, reloading the crossbow. Phil could’ve used a series of spells, but he decided not to be that fancy, considering that his life was probably endanger. Instead he simply threw a fireball, a white fireball, the hottest that he could make it, at the man with the crossbow.
The man had lost the element of surprise and dove to the ground as well avoiding the spinning white ball of flame. Phil threw another ball, this time red – not quite as hot, but still destructive. The man got into a crouch and started to run. Phil forced the ball of flame to follow the man as he himself also ran after him.
The man dove down an alleyway, jumped over a fence, and still the ball of flame followed him. Phil got to the fence and tried to climb up it but his shoulder started to howl in pain. He took a deep breath and dampened down the pain, forcing himself to climb the fence. He heard a scream and knew that the fireball had gotten to the man. Phil got himself over the fence to see about 50 yards away a man engulfed in flames. The flames were magical, with an accellerant of their own.
Phil watched as the man fell to the ground, no longer moving. Mentally kicking himself, Phil realized he shouldn’t have sent the fireball after him – especially the fireball with the accelerant. Now there was a smoking ruin of a man in front of a brownhouse. Phil thought about going to check to see if the man had any ID on him, but he probably didn’t, or it was already burned.
Phil instead climbed the fence again, leaving the hulk of a man to be discovered in the morning. However, he knew who sent it. Reynard.