The Writers' Circle

Running is generally not a difficult thing to do.  Running for twenty minutes none stop is slightly more difficult.  Running for twenty minutes none stop with the cold night air freezing your lungs is again slightly more trying.  Running for twenty minutes with the night air freezing your lungs and trying to run as quietly but as quickly as possible is in my opinion quite tough oh and did I mention that I was running from one or two black magicians, or maybe four or five, ok maybe its more like fifteen but after ten and with only the immediate thought of escaping on your mind you tend to stop counting. 
Throwing off his cloak that not only impeded his movements but made him conspicuous, Riley slipped it from his shoulders and it fell silently to the ground. He heard someone trip in its folds moments later and in another he was scaling the wall dropping into the blackness on the other side. There in the narrow alley he slid open a grate and disappeared inside.  Clutching his chest and breathing heavily he drew upon some light and healed away his tiredness.  Returning to breath at a normal pace he continued to run for several minutes.  He was running through the darkness along a winding passage until realising the passage had led him to the docks, he was no longer within the city walls and the docks was a very good place to hide.

Leaving the passageway and stepping onto the street he glared into the darkness.  Water splashed against the boats and their timber creaked but no voices could be heard.  Turning looking in every direction squinting his eyes in an attempt to see sharper he stared.
One or two black Magicians were really no match but Riley guessed that's why there was a pack of them, he was sure he could not take them all on his own but it would be fun to see.
He stepped side wards into a street, the moonlight shone threw the cloud and he glimpsed a men standing perfectly still against a wall, tall and cloaked his hood up with his head slightly bowed he held Riley's cloak in his hand.   A blue light rose into existence around him and the man began to laugh in a deep growl.  
'Nice cloak', said Riley taking a slow step back. 'yes' replied the man 'it is rather nice, I suppose you would like it back? seeing how it's a very bitter night'.  He grinned and stepped towards Riley.
Riley smiled, 'I was actually talking about yours' and he raised his hand proceeding to battered the mans shield with an assortment of strikes of blue light.  The mans shield grew brighter as he concentrated his power on shielding, it seemed all he could do against the ongoing attack and with a final strike hundreds of fine blue threads of energy rippled outwards upon impacting the mans shield which failed a split second later, the air crackled for a final time as the man stared at another strike which streaked towards him and with a look of horror upon his face he was lifted off his feet and landed heavily on the ground still clutching Riley's cloak. 
Riley walked over to the man smiling to himself, as he removed the mans cloak putting it around himself he spoke to the unconscious form which he now stood over 'will you never learn, I mean come on how stupid can you get? When the order sends fifteen of you, you really should be asking yourself I wonder why it was they did that? Maybe its because your not good enough to take me on your own' and smiling still he turned to go back down the street towards the docks.
  
The black figures stepped out from all around him, spreading out and forming a circle about him, his smile faded.  He moved his hands quickly to his hood placing it up over his head, some of the men surrounding him flinched.  'this should be fun', he said to himself