Sol Grim

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

Dalious

"Rats!?" Dalious spat shockingly, quickly jumping onto the desk and looking around the floor. "Where!?" He hated the little vile rodents, sickly creatures that deserved no place in this world. The large smash knocked him off the table and back to the floor, nearly toppling him to his face. He collected himself once he realized it was just an expression and that there were actually no rats.

"Sure, but if there are rats out there you lot are on your own," he muttered as he took the dagger from her. While she seemed entirely focused on the fight outside, Dalious slipped out the way he had come in. The waves made the wood of the ship slippery but he was used to it, so he climbed from outside and onto the deck where a crew mate was idly steering the ship solo. Dalious grabbed him and quickly tossed him overboard quicker than he could scream. He then ran his fingers across the ship's wheel and smirked. "Did they treat you well?"

Looking down the grate below he had a clearer view on what was going on with the fighting. Joss was about to take on the newcomer in a game of fun, which seemed to be the only opportunity they had to overtake them. He watched and waited with a hand on the anchor wheel, if things started to turn sour he would pull the lever and release the anchor. This would halt the ship and hopefully daze those below long enough, or if the newcomer gained the upper hand he would simply jump down and join in the fight.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

I went the creepy route lol!

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

"Yes I see, your friend might just be as crazy as myself," he muttered upon hearing the fight just outside. He smiled when she asked how he got out, sticking the fishbone he still had into his mouth to pick his teeth creepily. "Well, yes and no. There's only one simple reason on how I escaped, as I'm sure you'll learn soon enough. That reason, I'm Captain Dalious Durendail. No matter the odds, I will prevail. Savvy?"

Behind her back while she searched for a key, he attempted to pick one of the chests with the fishbone. However, the bone snapped in half almost instantly rendering it useless. "Blooming hell!" He looked around the room, having no clue where Joss would keep the key except on himself. "It's probably on the captain, though he is forgetful so you never know." He started going through the clothes spread about, searching the pockets as quickly as he could. He didn't know how much longer her friend would be able to distract them.

Making a disgusted face, he tossed some pirate trousers off to the side. "Ah, dirty bastards!"

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

Dalious& Gwyneria

"Ah, right where I left you," Dalious muttered aloud as he opened a drawer revealing a bottle of fine whiskey. Either Joss didn't know it was stashed here or he was saving it, either way the look of the liquor was extremely tempting. He opened the bottle and began chugging it when he started hearing some yelling and fighting coming from just outside the cabin. Good, they were distracted. He took a few more swigs of the bottle as he stood in thought of what his plan should be.

The door suddenly came open just as he was about to exit, thinking it to be Joss he panicked and fell backward. At the same time the ship took on a rough patch of waves, helping to mask the sound of his fall along with the fighting. He quickly found his footing again and saw that it was the newcomer elf instead. Dalious closed the door behind her, holding a finger to his lips to keep things quiet.

"I forgot my whiskey," was the first thing to blurt out of his mouth. If she were sneaking in here without Joss, it must have been for her and her groups equipment. "If you're doing what I think you're doing, then perhaps I misjudged the lot of you. Does this sneaking about serve purpose of a plan? While they are distracted, what's say we barge out there and start cleaning up the Libertalia?" He glanced over to a few chests, thinking them to maybe have her friend's belongings.

Pursuit of Power

Dalious

and

Laurel Mith

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

THE REDFLAG BANDITS

The gang of mercenaries and cutthroats originated from Luthra, though their members were a mix of the different kingdoms. They were known to stay on the move, terrorizing any unfortunate souls to have crossed in their path. However they had a safe haven, some place in Exodus that they always returned to. The late prince of Luthra seemed to have found that place, though was unable to see it out. It was a lumber mill, located just a few miles outside of the city. At least that was what one of the store clerks had told Dalious, once he showed them the address he had.

The leader of the Redflags was a man named Bo, the same man that had taken Melchior's eye a long time ago. This bounty was personal for the late prince, something he had been pursuing for some time. Bo had killed Melchior's men and took his eye, then fled with his own men far out of reach. Dalious wasn't there to see it transpire but the story was well known, and now it was time for it to come to an end.

Dalious stood again where the bear attack occurred, eating an apple and thinking to himself. After asking around the local stores about Melchior, he had found out that he was last seen at the old tavern. He must have been heading in to bed when the bear came, probably set on pursuing the bounty in the next morning. The pirate finished his apple then headed toward the place, thinking it best to down a few to help his unclear mind get a little worse.

When he entered the bar, he immediately noticed the Earthican girl from the arena. She had downed a drink quickly as another was being prepared. There were more of her people drinking with her, though the mood all around was not hearty and fun but instead quiet and sad. They were all in mourning while the rest of the city went on with the festivities just outside.

Dalious ordered a cup of ale and a shot of whiskey, then sat at the table nearest the Earthicans. "I'm sorry for your losses," he said and took his shot, then turned his attention toward Laurel. "I'm glad you're okay, how is your head?" He wished he were only here to flirt with the pretty girl, but seeing her again gave him a different thought this time. She fought better than most in the arena and would prove to be a valuable ally in things to come.

It was with some surprise that she recognised the Luthran from the arena sitting near them, raising a drink in commiserating toast. Gone was the jovial, blasé attitude of a swaggering pirate that she remembered him mostly for. There was pain there, fresh and raw as her own.

Some of those she sat with cast glared at the man but she waved them down. Her actions in the arena had not earned her any favours but had won some small measure of respect, for her integrity but mostly for the surprisingly brutal manner she had downed so enemies with. Her status as a huntress, a solitary archer by nature, made others look down on her manner of fighting but when it came down to it she was just as capable at heaving to in a shield wall as the others.

"Better. And worse." She downed another drink and held out the empty tankard for a refill. It barely took the edge of the fresh pain, perhaps she was becoming too used to drinking in taverns like this. "What about you? You were worse off than me by far." She glanced toward where she knew him to be wounded before back at his eyes, seeing again the pain and anger there she knew was reflected in her own. "I'm sorry for any of yours the beast slew last night. If only I hadn't been in that damned tournament!"

She slammed the tankard down on the table, a small portion slopping free onto the table. Despite the loud sound few cast glances her way; it was probably not an uncommon sight that day to see warriors frustrated with themselves at not being there for the fight. For her it was different though. She was a huntress. Slaying beasts was her speciality and her job and when one showed up she had been incapicitated from failing to be a proper guard.

Dalious quickly took down his ale once he saw her quickly drink hers. This was no time nor place for such a drinking contest, however in his mind, he could never let her beat him in drinking. Saying nothing of it, he waved over another as well. "It's just a scratch, nothing to hold me back," he spoke of his wound. His limping had stopped and he only felt the pain again when rising from a seated position. "And thank you, I lost a dear friend. The prince of Luthra."

More drinks were brought over and he realized that he had reached his budget, so he made a mental note to cut himself off any further. "If you hadn't been in that tournament, I never would have never been able to see you fight. It is because I've seen you fight, that I may have a proposition for you. A legal one to boot." He pulled out the crumpled bounty letter and set it on her table. "My friend had this letter on him when he was killed by the beast, I look to seek it out as sort of a last will. The bandits were spotted in the lumber mill outside of town, I have a horse just outside. If we hurry we could be back before nightfall. I'll give you forty percent of the earnings, what say you?"

It would have been normal to turn down his offer, both for her and any normal person but she was not in her usual state of mind. She felt useless, failing to be a proper guard, embarassing the king in the tournament and then being too injured to fight a beast she specialised in killing, resulting in the death of her mentor and Earthican pride along with him. A defeat such as this did not suit Solveig, he should have died after glorious and victorious battle or, having run out of worthy enemies, of old age. It was the last which tempted her, drew out her usual reluctance to engage.

"Fifty. I won't have people say I come cheap." She threw back the last of the ale and stood up, ignoring the noises of concern from the warriors she sat with, and left her share of payment on the table. "Solveig needs a proper send off and I'll create a mountain of corpses to send him off with." She turned to leave but a thought, a guilty one of a Princess no doubt worried at her disappearance, struck her.

"Send word to the Princess, that I'll be back before nightfall. Don't mention what I'm doing." She add the last forcefully, knowing that should Eve find out where she was the woman would follow and that was the last thing she wanted. As capable as she was, Eve was not a warrior and had not yet learned the vital skill of suppressing her revulsion at death. Laurel hoped she never would have to, either. That was her job, to keep that from the Princess.

"Let's go. Those beasts come out at night and they rarely move completely alone, I'd rather not run into one on the way back."

"Forty-five? ...fine, fifty. Fair is fair, I suppose," he said and finished his drink. He wasn't sure she would agree so easily, but she was in a delicate state of mind as he himself was. A true warrior seeking justice when there was none to achieve, he just hoped she was as good as he thought she was. They had to be at their best, even with the injuries they carried.

"Yes, tell the princess she's off on a date with the finest Luthra has to offer," he spoke to her men as he struggled to stand up again. "Actually don't tell her that either, in fact say nothing. I was never here!"

"Agreed, lets go." Dalious opened the tavern door and headed back outside. They walked over to the stables where his horse was notched, all of his belongings in the satchel. He equipped Melchior's weapons, two finely forged steel half swords and a mini holster of throwing knives that strapped around his chest. When he was ready, he got onto the horse and offered a hand to help Laurel onto the back. They trotted out of town together, and as they exited through the city's front gates they could see more and more people entering. The place was lively, regardless of the attacks last night.

"Your princess seems to care for you a great deal," he said as they passed through the many people, reaching the beginning of the large fields outside the walls. "To care for your own, must be nice. The Mother and Father both hate me and wish to never see me again, just when I started to feel like I was growing on them. Maybe they just don't get good company."

"We've known each other a long time now. It's harder now, when she's expected to be a Princess. By rights I shouldn't be here, I'm no guard." She sighed, adjusting the bow on her back so that it didn't rub with every step the horse took. "Well I managed to piss my own king off by not knocking you out after your ever-so-chivalrous gesture. Once he's had a drink he forgets about the honour he usually abides by and turns into a berserker."

"I've met the type."

Outside of Exodus the landscape stretched out into rolling fields and hills and Laurel felt a weight she had been ignoring lift from her chest. Cities like the Exodus capital were alien to her, too full of people and too removed from nature to be comfortable. Out here she could smell the clean air, unspoiled by human over-habitation, and could see as far as her sharp eyes enabled her.
A little farther on and they passed through an open orchard, filled with many fruit trees and plants. Dalious pulled the horse over to a stop near an apple tree, getting off his horse and examining Laurel's bow. The weapon was looked down upon to pirates, as they would rather kill a man face to face."Are you any good with that thing? If you're to get fifty percent, I must make sure you're the right person for the job. Good looks only get you so far, love. Trust me I know."

He plucked an apple from the tree, took a large bite of it, then held it to the top of his head. Standing a good distance away from Laurel, he gave her a nod and stood firm. "There now, shoot the apple from my head. If you kill me, you're fired!" He was fully serious, not an inkling of fear in his mind. He was confident in her skill, though did not care were she to fail. It wasn't that Dalious wanted to die, just that he believed in his god-like luck should she be poor aimed. "Alright, lets see what you've got." He held the apple as still as possible, motioning for her to go through with it.

The stop in the orchard surprised her but she conceded his need to ascertain her skill as necessary. Brawling in a tournament under strict rules and a fight to the death where they were heavily outnumbered, when injured, would require a certain level of trust between them.

She took her bow back, restringing it and then walked several places back as Dalious took position. Then she continued to walk, far beyond what she suspected he had been thinking of, before turning and noching an arrow to the string.

"That's a bit far, don't you think?"

In one smooth motion she pulled the string up, raising the bow and, releasing her breath slowly, loosed the arrow. It had all taken under a second but her arrow flew true, spearing the apple atop his head and pinning it to the tree behind him. Taking the time to aim was something that an amateur bothered themselves with; Laurel had been practicing with the bow for most of her life and it was second nature for her to pull the string of her great warbow back and hit her target by instinct alone.

For good measure she buried two more arrows in the apple, slicing chunks off which fell into Dalious' hair along with a good amount of sweet juice. Stalking towards him she yanked the arrows out from the tree and wiped their heads on the ground before placing them back in her arrow bag, only amateurs used quivers which had a habit of ruffling the feathers of even the best arrows.

"You should probably be less trusting, Dalious. Just because I'm good with a blunted axe doesn't meant I'm as good with a bow. She swung herself up into the saddle easily and motioned for him to join her. "Of course, I'm far better with it. Now let's go take our frustration out on some unsuspecting bandits."

Dalious opened his eyes after it was over, he had not expected her to fire off more than one arrow. He breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the apple chunks from his head. Lastly, he took out his flask of rum and chugged it before responding. "Ah yes, though I'm not certain if it is trust or madness yet. Perhaps we'll find out together! Anyway, you'll do just fine." He smiled and joined her on the back of the horse. "Lets go."

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

Dalious

Who knew when they would return, there was little time to waste. He looked at the dead fish lying next to him, staring deeply into its blank eyes. He grabbed the fish with only a moment of hesitation, then sunk his teeth deep into it and started eating. He ate a few large bites, gagging a few times and pausing for breaks. It wasn't the first raw fish he had ever eaten, but he was hoping it'd be the last. "Ah, fookin' horrible!" After a few bites he settled on ripping the rest of it apart until he reached the bones.

He started breaking the fish spine until he had one long pick, sharp and thin on either end. He then reached his hands out of his cell and placed the bone into the lock. Humming to himself as he worked with the pins, he eventually felt a click and the cell door simply opened. A smile formed on the pirate's face as he pocketed the makeshift lockpick and slipped out of the cell.

From above, he listened as the crew and the newcomers went to eat. They were loud for a time, but as the night drew on things became more silent aside from the crashing waves and harsh winds. They were eating and drinking themselves to sleep, though he could not tell what the newcomers were up to. Perhaps they were siding with Captain Chrom, it didn't matter. He would wait his time and then slip out unnoticed, making his way to where he believed his belongings to be.

Heading to his old captain's cabin, he hid as best he could while searching through the darkness. Hearing light footsteps, he thought Joss would be coming back soon so he gripped his fishbone lockpick tight between his fingers to use as a shiv. When the captain showed, he would make him pay for everything he's done.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

ok sorry I jumped the gun, got forced into overtime today. Will def get a post up tomorrow as I have the following 3 days off after.

Kings and Killers: A Classical Fantasy Adventure (Chapter 1)

@Sol Grim
I'll say that the fishbones work to jimmy the lock.

@Cyrania

Oh yea thanks I was going to ask about that then got overwhelmed with work. I was also waiting to see if you guys were going first, otherwise I can get something up tomorrow evening ish.

Pursuit of Power

Dalious

&

The Mother

It had felt like a nightmare, one of which he could not awake from. The longer Dalious stayed at the scene, the more he realized it was not going away. His friend's body stayed cold with the sun's rise, his weapons stuck to the ground in blood. Looking around, he saw that many others suffered a similar fate.

Eventually he began to move again. He checked his friend's pockets, not sure in why he was searching him but he felt there may be something to find. Nothing, the man didn't even carry a coin pouch. Dalious was about to give up when he found a folded paper in his jacket pocket, a bounty letter. Opening it up he quickly read it, it forcing a smile out of him in the process. "Always the persistent one," he muttered. The man was technically a prince, yet he still took on odd jobs and did his own field work. The Mother probably wouldn't approve, but he enjoyed the mercenary work all the same. The Mother...the thought of speaking with her had just occurred to him.

The pirate's head ached even more as he pocketed the letter and stood with his makeshift cane. While the bodies were being loaded up in carts and wagons, he made sure to accompany and help carry his own share of the weight. He stayed with his friend's corpse, through the long ride in the city and to the destination. The burial itself would be up to the parents, but for now the soldiers would leave the body in a temple near where the ceremony would take place later on. This is where the soldiers would tell the Mother to come should she want to see her son before. His body was covered with a royal fur blanket and the blood was cleaned up from his face.

Dalious sat and awaited the Mother, knowing she would come. It was impossible to predict how she would act, he just knew none of it would be good. He simply stared at his dead friend lying on a stone table, knowing only more death would come from this. He sighed and said a silent prayer in his thoughts.

The night had been restless, sleep never came easy in that large, lonely bed. The room itself paled in comparison to the more lucrative ones, but it was far better then what Angeline had ever been use too. Her bed back in Luthra was hard and comfortable, here the bed was soft and uncomfortable. A stark comparison of how different the Exodus world was. Yesterday had been interesting for Angeline. Once again she had to solely rely on herself, something she was no stranger too. Once Avidan had left the tournament, to check on Dalious of all people, she had not seen him the rest of the night. It was strange, but not unexpected. Avidan was headstrong man, this Festival was trying even for her, and she could only imagine what it would be like for a man who hasn't seen civilization in decades. He had his reasons, but Melchior was a different story entirely. She had noticed at first, when conversating with other Nobles, trying to strengthen ties to her Kingdom, how absent her son was.

She hadn't seen him at all during the Festival, a very maddening prospect. Of course he wouldn't listen to dear Mother, he was one of the only few who were capable of such a feat. His duty was to be here, find a Princess to woe, and marry the girl. Not drink himself to a stupor in a tavern. She had sighed many times that night, between her fierce scowl and drinking. Once the tournament had started, and Avidan left, she recognized that it had been rigged, but said nothing. It was too good to be true really, and Angeline couldn't believe this was how the Exodus would so blatantly preform. She would have to tell Avidan when next she saw him.

Once the tournament was over, and feeling considerably drained, she confined herself to Luthra quarters. It was a large room, with not much in the form of any wealth. Exodus probably thought they would steal anything not tied down. The bed was large for just one person, a fact that was not ignored. Did they actually think the Mother and Father were a couple? Her disdain for Exodus grew further with each passing minute. They were fools, all of them. She sent out her guards, telling them to find Melchior for her, but even she knew they would fail.

Now, her face was blank as she sat reading the note that had been stuck on the door. In the night the unthinkable had happened, an event that even Angeline hadn't thought possible. One of the Mutated Bears, fearsome creatures, it had came in the night and slaughtered all that came into contact with it. A part of her hoped it had murdered many Exodus soldiers, as punishment for their little display in the tournament.

She began to get ready for the day, dressing fittingly for the occasion in just one of the black dresses she had brought. Her makeup was light, and her hair was let to hang loose. As she finished, she could not help but wonder where her son was. She doubted he would have been involved with the bear, probably too drunk to really even move from where he fell.

She left her room, walking across the hall to the room she knew her son had been assigned.

She knocked.

There was no reply, so she opened the door to find the room holey untouched. Melchior had never been there it seemed. Her anger was immeasurable, her boy was an idiot, and she had a few choice words for his hungover self to bear once she found him. She left the vacant room in disgust, but stopped in her tracks when she saw a few Exodus guards knocking on her own door.

"What's the meaning of this?" she said while walking over to them.

The guards turned to her, both with solemn expressions. They wouldn't look her in the eye. The older of the two spoke, "You are the Mother, correct?" he asked.

"Of course I am, who else could I be?" she said angrily. She had just about had it with Exodus.

The guard sighed, "I bring ill tidings, my Lady. We... We were able to identify one of the bodies from the attack. I'm sorry, so very sorry, but Prince Melchior was killed in the night."

She blinked, shaking her head slowly. Her angry expression contorted into a mix of disbelief and that of sorrow. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to. Melchior wasn't dead, he couldn't be.

"S-show me." came her shaky voice.

---

The long, arduous walk to the temple felt as if each step was a mile. She held her head high with each crushing step, her heart was burdened with weight she had never felt before. They entered the Temple, walking past several corpses with blankets covering their bodies. At the end of a hallway that felt as if stretched on forever, there was a doorway and through it sat tables with more bodies. These were covered in finer blankets.

When she saw a familiar face sitting next to one of the bodies, her heart sank. Her throat felt like a lump as tears began to fall from her blue eyes. Her fingers trembled as she touched the fabric, pulling it back until she saw the pale face of her son. Her little Mel.

The lump in her throat was replaced with a heartbreaking wail as she cradled her boy's head in her hands. Touching his cold skin for any reaction, any sign that he might still be alive. But there was nothing.

"No no no no NO!" she cried out, "My son... My boy..." Angeline's voice broke as she began to weep over her dead son. She cried and cried for what felt like hours, the immense pain she felt, all consuming. Never in her life had she shown so much emotion, and the years of holding everything in popped like a cork. Chief among those emotions was her anger, and it was rising like a volcano before it erupted.

Without looking away from Mel's face she spoke aloud, her voice raw, "Why? Why did he die?" She turned to look at Dalious, her tears had stained her black eye shadow and her eyes were red with grief.

"Why are you here, Dalious?"

Dalious stayed silent. He had a lot of time to think of something to say, but in the end decided on saying nothing. For a moment he wanted to hug her and weep with her, but it was not his place to do so. Having no mother or father himself he looked up to them, but he knew the difference. Still, he was here for them still.

"I've nowhere else I'd rather be, my lady," he said calmly, his gaze stayed on her son. "He was my best friend, my only friend." He took a moment to clear his throat, then pulled out the bounty letter and set it on the table's side. "I found this on him, I think he was pursuing it on the side. Maybe that's why he was out there so late. I'm sure he would have brought me along if I hadn't lost him in the festival. I ended up getting thrown into the arena, then some healer afterward brought me to a ...her, friend's house to stay. I found him just before dawn, the bear was dead then as well."

He finally took his gaze away and looked to her. "If there is anything I can do, anything at all. I am here for you."

She did not reach out for the paper Dalious tried to give her, it was meaningless. A thousand different thoughts flooded into her head as she listened to Dalious speak. Angeline clung to his words, desperately trying to find some justification for her Melchior's death. Rational thoughts were quickly being pushed away by irrational feelings, and the only explanation she was receiving simply just wasn't good enough. She looked at the man before her, alive and breathing, then back to her son who was lifeless.

Her anger boiled over in that instant, and she lashed out at the only person who she could blame. Whether it was his fault or not, in that moment Angeline no longer cared.

Her breathing became erratic as she stood up straight and looked at Dalious with intense hatred, her voice was a Mother's scorn, "Lost him..? You LOST HIM? The Prince of Luthra? MY SON? My ONLY SON!" She yelled, moving around the table in Dalious' direction. "By all accounts you shouldn't have even been in the tournament! Yet there you were! Helping an Earthican WHORE no doubt! I don't care that you were wounded Dalious! I don't care! That's no excuse! Why didn't you search for him? You SHOULD have searched for him! You didn't even try!" She continued her ramblings, coming to stand directly in front of Dalious, her hands balled into fists at her side as she looked up at him.

"You should be ashamed to call yourself his best friend, Dalious. Where were you when your 'friend' needed you most? Not by his side, no, not with him. You were probably out fucking some whore or drinking yourself into a stupor instead! Why weren't you with HIM!" she shouted, slapping Dalious across his right cheek. There was a deep silence in the room that followed, and with that quiet, her anger washed away.

She felt numb now, the absence of feeling felt like drowning. Angeline let her hands drop to her sides limply. She looked up at Dalious, her tear stained face devoid of any emotion. Her voice was broken, and hauntingly desolate as she spoke next. "You should have been there for my son, not for me, not now. I never want to see you again. That's what you can do for me, Dalious. Do you understand?" Angeline then turned away from him and back down to her son.

Dalious stood stone still until she turned away. He grabbed the crumpled up letter and pocketed it, then nodded. "I understand." With that, he walked out of the room and made way down the long tunnel toward the outside. He had shamed both the Mother and Father in less than two days, something that used to never bother him because Melchior was always there to make things right again. Those days were no more. He knew his bad influences over their son had left him with a tainted image of himself, but even with everything, he looked up to them as if they were his own parents. Now that was lost and he was all alone again, a thought which angered him.

Pausing just before exiting out, he pulled out the bounty letter one more time and looked it over. Melchior had written down an address of where he believed this gang to be hiding just under the text that read 'Dead or Alive'. Without the Mother and Father there to hold him back or keep him well behaved, he decided to honor his late friend by pursuing this bounty. He knew he would need some help, however, but at the moment didn't much care whether he would live or die. The festivities were a good time, but they were only a distraction for things to come. It was time to implement a bit of chaos.

Pursuit of Power

Dalious

Word of the monstrous black bear had reached the boudoir, though the news changed nothing from within as everyone was told to stay put. It wasn't until just before dawn that a few Freyjan guards returned to give the news that the beast had been slain. They would need the woman working here to help the wounded, as many began preparing warm blankets and towels.

"Wake up!"

Dalious' eyes shot open and he reached for his weapon, though it was far on the other end of the room. When he saw Mahita at the door, she was fully dressed with a look of concern on her face. He gave her a polite nod and smile and then crashed his face back into the pillow for more sleep.

"I said wake up!" Mahita repeated, this time grabbing the sheets and pulling them off the bed. He opened his eyes again, his tiredness wearing heavily on him.

"It's a bit early, but I suppose if you want to go again we could," he patted the area of the bed next to him for her to lay down. "Though I fear I may not be at optimal performance, I received limited sleep." It was still dark outside, though the people talking and making noises outside the room made it seem like it was midday.

"A giant bear attacked the city last night, dozens were killed and injured," she informed him. "Everyone here is helping out, we could use you too!"

"Oh, well that's an easy one to figure out," he told her as he started to get up and put his clothes back on. "Just find a giant fish!"

There was no smile to Mahita's face, she seemed agitated and under stress. Her demeanor had completely shifted from what it was hours ago, when they were alone together. It made him take this more seriously, even though all of this felt like it were a dream. He flicked his bandage to make sure it wasn't, a flinch coming to his face from the pain. The stab wound felt worse than yesterday, though it looked to be healing properly. Mahita quickly rebandaged it for him. "The bear is dead. I'm worried about Thyrri," she said as she did so. "She went out around the time this was all happening..."

"I'm sure she's fine, probably went back to the palace," he said.

"Will you go find her for me, make sure she's okay? I must stay and prepare for the wounded, please find her!"

"Yeah, sure. I'll find her."

Mahita finally smiled again, kissing Dalious on his cheek and then parting to leave. "Thank you, you are welcomed here anytime."

"That's good because you just happen to be my favorite person in this city, sweet Melissa!"

"It's Mahita."

"Right. I'll go find Thyrri then."

The streets were alive with people just like the day before, however it was not for the festival this time. Homes and businesses opened up for the injured, with people moving this way and that. Dalious took a broom from Mahita's, breaking off the bristled end to use as a walking stick. His stab wound was piercing him with every step, and he even had to stop to take a few breaks along the way.

Nearly tripping over a large puddle, he straightened himself out and realized it was no puddle but one of the bear's massive paw prints. The wall next to him had big claw marks on it, with bricks and rubble broken down from the top. It appeared the animal had entered the city from here and then made its way through the back alleys. But why would a bear go through the trouble of entering the city? It seemed strange for even a mutated one, but perhaps someone from here killed its cub. He made a mental note to check the other side of the wall later if it deemed necessary, then kept moving toward the scene of the incident.

He could hear the gathering of people a few blocks away, some were still screaming in agony while others tried to ease their suffering. He saw the dead bear from a distance, its head cut clean off. Before he would approach, something scraped the ground nearby and it caught his attention. There was an armored man sitting against the wall of the alley, parallel to the bear's location. He sat alone, using the metal from his gauntlet to scratch at the ground in order to get someone's attention.

It was still very dark, but upon approaching the man, Dalious could see that he was wearing the crest of Luthra. His face looked familiar, though dreary and covered in a cold sweat. After a brief moment he realized that the man was the guard of his friend, Melchior the prince of Luthra. The guard attempted to speak but could not, instead he pulled down his chest plate and revealed a mass of blood. The bear had slashed him at the base of his throat, and the poor man had been struggling to stay alive the entire night.

"Oh, that's not good," Dalious muttered under his breath. He helped to take off the guard's plate entirely, then started to put pressure at the wound. More blood came out and the man started to choke, him even living this long was a miracle. Dalious pulled his flask from his back pocket and poured the last of his whiskey onto the area, but the guard grabbed it and tossed the remaining drops in his mouth. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

With a last bit of energy, the guard lifted his arm and pointed toward the massacre just a street alley away. "Mel..." he said, then his hand fell limp and his body did the same. He was dead, finally at rest. Dalious closed his eyes and looked over toward the carnage nearby, the guard was pointing at one of the many bodies.

Dalious quickly rushed over, using his stick as a cane. He wasn't able to notice anyone else surrounding him as his focus was dead set on a corpse. The body was cut in half at the waist, guts spilled out just beside it. The victim lay face first on the street, but Dalious recognized the clothing. He grabbed and turned the face so he could see, it was him. "No!" Dalious grunted and quickly backed away. He lost his balance and walking stick, causing him to fall to his knees. Tears began to swell in his eyes as he let out a thunderous scream.