Escaped Convict (Solo)

Era sounded like a town like any other, but upon learning its importance, it was the last place Javel ever wanted to be. It was the home of the Magic Council and any dark mages who dared to enter its premises was just asking for an immediate arrest. A crime-free territory would be hard to intrude, but there a mission assigned there that Javel couldn't easily pass up.

According to the slip, an escaped convict has recently escaped custody and is on the loose. It had to be re-read to be believed, that someone actually managed to break free out of the Magic-Council controlled prison. A feat like that in itself only screams trouble and it was a kind of trouble that had to be dealt with. Many dark mages wouldn't care, but Javel wasn't one of them. This mission reminded him of the time he dealt with the murderer Jacob Goodlight and how much people died by his hands before the dark mage stopped him. He was not going to let another potentially dangerous maniac run amok, not as long as he had something to say about it. Against his guild's wishes, Javel accepted the job and left to Era at dawn.

Era was a good distance away, so Javel was once again had to take the train to get there. Upon arrival, he left the train station and silently went about on his business, keeping his head down and making his way past the crowds of people occupying the area. Outside, he was greeted by the majestic view of a sole hill in the middle of the large town. Given that the mission was request on behalf the Magic Council, Javel would have to pay a visit to their main headquarters once he nabbed the convict. A risk that could cost him his freedom, but what mattered more importantly was that he got the job done...

Javel navigated through the wide streets and mostly kept to himself, steering clear from the more populated areas and doing his best not to catch any unwanted attention. He needed to find the convict and wondered where he would begin his search, as looking for him would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Luckily for Javel, he wouldn't have to look far in this theoretical haystack situation. The dark mage made a blind turn towards the more rural area of the town and noticed a strange man in a striped uniform in the distance. That distinctive look was a dead giveaway that he was the convict the dark mage was looking for and it was not a moment to waste. Javel narrowed his vision and silently legged over to his position.

Upon getting closer, the open situation started to change. Javel found it very odd that he was just standing there out in the open blankly staring into a window. Corrected, he staring at an open window into someone else's home. This was not a good sign and Javel quickened his pace, pulling his Berserker's Hand off his back and into his arms as he made his way closer. The convict had not noticed him and the dark mage prepared himself to swing the second he got in range...

"Daddy!" a voice cried out in joy, stopping Javel dead in his tracks. A young girl leapt from the window the convict was staring through and into his arms tearfully. The convict returned the embrace with an equal amount of happiness, catching the dark mage completely offguard. The man sobbed, "Oh, Annabelle, I missed you so much..."

'Daddy? Annabelle?' Javel thought, utterly confused and he lowered his weapon in shame. This changed the situation completely and he found himself unable to carry out his initial plan, not in front of the little girl that called the man 'daddy'. With no other option, Javel re-sheathed the weapon onto his back and approached the two carefully.

With his footsteps now within hearing range, the convict and the little girl were quick to turn to Javel's direction. The convict's expression went from joyful to fear in an instant and slowly backed up with the girl. The dark mage, deciding it was best to get some information out of him, took out his mission slip and displayed it to him. He then crumbled it and tossed the resulting wrap aside, then tilted his head to the side as if wanting the convict to come with him. The latter, still afraid, reluctantly agreed and told his daughter, "Annabelle, go get mommy and wait inside. Daddy will be right back..."

The young girl did as she was told, nervously glancing at Javel before returning back into the house. With her safe, the convict nodded to the dark mage and approached him cautiously.

"Explain yourself." Javel demanded coldly.

"P-please..." the convict begged him. "Just let me stay here a little longer - with my wife and daughter! I-I just wanted to see them one more time!"

"..."

"It's been two years ever since I've been sentenced to prison." the convict explained tearfully. "Times were hard and I did some pretty bad things, but it wasn't for my own sake. I have a family to support and I just wanted to check up on how they're doing. Please, just this once stranger, just give me this time to say my last hello and goodbyes."

Javel was silent, not one word leaving his mouth after the convict attempted to reason with him. But, the dark mage had made up his decision. He finally spoke and told the convict "One hour."

The man teared up and nodded in gratitude. "Thank you...I'll come with you and turn myself in once I'm done..."

The man turned and entered the home, leaving Javel alone out in the streets. The dark mage began to contemplate his action. He had just allowed his target to see his family for what could be the last time, at least maybe for years to come. He found himself asking one question over and over again - was it the right thing to do? This one act of kindness that he's shown to another human being, was it the correct choice? Was it wrong to deviate from the mission assigned?

Javel couldn't find an answer...


Javel patiently waited outside the home. He heard talking, then some arguing, and finally some crying. Javel waited and waited, not once bothering to enter the home to drag the man out. The radiant afternoon slowly began to set and eventually, the man left the home, leaving the front door and saying his last goodbyes to his crying wife and daughter. He accompanied the dark without a fuss and the two started walking towards the mountain at the center of town.

The convict nodded to the dark mage, "We can go now."

Both were silent as they walked; Javel staring at the setting sun as they did. It had been well past the hour he'd given to the man and the latter was very well of that. Though silently crying, he had a smile across his face, having made amends with his family and getting the chance to enjoy the last bit of time left with them. Halfway up the mountain, they were confronted by a rune knight checkpoint.

Javel handed the convict to the patrolman. The convict solemnly nodded, having resigned to his sentence, and the patrolman began to escort him away. With his mission done and payment received, Javel turned away and began to walk down from the mountain. Two steps through and he heard the convict's voice speak to him. "Til then, mage and thank you...for giving me a chance."

Javel turned around in mild surprise and got one last glance at the convict before he and the rune knights disappeared from sight. The dark mage found himself uttering the last word that the man said to him. "Chance..."