by Tyler Wild
I thanked him, and we found a seat at a table. It felt good to get off my feet. I took a big gulp of ale and glanced around at the scenery. The pub was filled with all sorts of people. Locals, travelers, rangers, and a few less than savory characters. Bandits and marauders were common outside of controlled kingdoms. Journeying across open territory was taking your life in your hands.
"I'll probably head back to the Lorewood in the morning. You've reached your destination. You should be able to find everything you need here and secure a horse.”
A sad look played on my face. "You're not going to keep me company for the rest of my journey?"
"I've done what my father has asked. I lived up to my end of the deal. But I have no desire to spend any further time with you."
I grinned. “You could help me on my quest. You'd be a valuable asset. You're handy with a blade. Ultimately, my success is your success. We both have something to lose."
She pondered this for a moment.
“What are you going to do back in Zenduria? Sit around and twiddle your thumbs? I can see the boredom in your face. You crave adventure.“
"I do not," she protested, but her eyes betrayed her. She had barely been outside the forest, and I could tell she longed to see the rest of the world.
A buxom waitress sauntered up to our table. My eyes gravitated to her ample cleavage.
Cassandra took note of my lecherous gaze.
The waitress handed us menus. With a bright smile she said, “My name is Marissa. Just holler when you're ready."
Her dress twirled as she spun around, and I watched her hips sway from side to side as she sauntered away.
Cassandra rolled her eyes.
"She's cute," I said.
Her eyes flicked to the waitress. She made a less than impressed face. "I guess. If you're into that sort of thing."
I grinned again, watching the jealousy play on her face. "I could definitely get into that kind of thing."
Cassandra huffed. “What makes you think she’d be interested in you?"
"Is that a challenge?"
Cassandra arched a contemplative eyebrow. "Maybe."
"I like challenges. What are we wagering?"
20
Kron
“I’m not wagering anything. I couldn’t care less if you sleep with her,” Cassandra said. She handed me the pouch of gold coins.
A quizzical look twisted on my face. “What’s this for?”
“You’ll need it on your journey.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, still somewhat dumbstruck. I attached the pouch to my belt.
After a moment of silence, I said, “That's interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"I think you do care,” I said.
Cassandra lifted her eyebrows, incredulous. "You can't possibly think that I'm attracted to you? I've only known you for a few days. Two of my friends are dead because of you. A dragon will likely destroy the forest and all my people. And you think I’m going to kick back and drop my panties?“
I shrugged. "Well, when you put it that way,” I sighed. “It's probably a good thing… it would just complicate things."
She rolled her eyes. “Has anyone ever mentioned you have a way overinflated ego?"
"No. Not really."
"I sure hope you are as capable as you are confident."
"Hey, I was able to steal a dragon from GreyLake."
"We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't."
"It was only a matter of time before that dragon was unleashed on the world. I was trying to spare us all from a tyrant.”
“Instead, you created one.”
I frowned at her, then perused the menu. “What looks good to you?”
“I’m starving. Anything looks good.”
“I think I’ll have a turkey leg.”
“The lamb sounds good,” Cassandra said. “But you never know in a place like this.”
We placed our order and enjoyed our ale while we waited for our meal. My eyes glanced around, sticking on a stunning brunette that entered the pub. Every eye in the place got stuck on her sumptuous form. She wasn’t your average girl.
She sauntered through the horde and leaned against the bar. It didn't take long for the vultures to swoop in, crowding around her. Desperate guys who didn't have a chance in hell tried to impress her. I watched with amusement as she shot each one down in flames.
Her pointy ears, raven black tail, and cat-like eyes were the object of curiosity. I had heard rumors of cat-girls, but had never seen one in the flesh.
Cassandra seemed both amused and perturbed by my fascination with the brunette. "You should go for it, if you think you've got what it takes."
I gulped down the last sip of my ale. "Are you ready for another?"
Cassandra lifted her mug and took a big gulp, then handed the empty cup to me.
I stood from the table and marched toward the bar, aiming for a spot next to the intriguing brunette.
She wore a leather top that exposed her toned midriff. Her skirt looked like it had been made from deer or elk. The hide rode high on her thighs, exposing her athletic legs. Her plush tail just begged to be grabbed.
A sword hung from her belt along with a dagger. She looked like a woman that could take care of herself. As I approached, a would-be suitor crowded her space, putting his hands in places where they weren't welcome.
She quickly pushed him away which only seemed to amuse him.
He grabbed her again, attempting to pull her close. She struggled against his massive size. The guy was beefy with broad shoulders and a thick neck. He hadn't shaved in several days and looked like he hadn't bathed in a month.
"She's not interested," I said, stepping to the conflict.
The mouth- breather glared at me. "Mind your own business."
The girl broke free of his grasp. She planted her knee in his balls, and the ogre groaned and doubled over with pain.
He grimaced, and a scowl twisted on his face. After he caught his breath, he stood up and swung at the girl.
His fist was like a wrecking ball, careening through the air.
The nimble girl ducked and slipped out of the way, leaving his fist racing toward my face.
I blocked the blow, punched the jackass in the rib cage, and twisted his arm around into an extremely uncomfortable position.
I took him down to the ground, bending his wrist to the brink of snapping.
I had the situation completely under control, but the girl decided to kick the man again in his rib cage while he was down.
Ribs snapped, and he groaned again.
I was never a fan of kicking someone when they were down, but this guy deserved it. "I think you lost your pub privileges for the evening. I suggest you leave while you can still walk."
Rage crinkled on the man's face. I could see that he wanted to pummel me into the ground, but in his current position that was only a pipe dream—and he knew it.
"If I let you up, are we going to have a problem?" I asked.
He didn't say anything.
"Are we going to have a problem?"
Before he could answer, the girl kicked him in the gut.
He damn near coughed out a lung. "No problem," he said, bloody saliva drooling from his lips onto the floor.
I let go of his arm and stepped back as he staggered to his feet. The air was thick with tension as he glared at us both, then ambled toward the door.
The bar had grown silent, and the crowd stared. Once the conflict was over, they quickly resumed their banter. A mix of chatter and clinking glasses filled the air.
I was expecting a thank you, or some type of appreciative gesture, from the woman. But her face was tense with anger. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much!”
Taken aback, I said, "I'm sure you can.”
She sneered at me, spun around, and marched out of the pub.
Her ungrateful tail swished from side to side.
I shrugged it off and ambled back t
o the table. By the time I returned, the food had been served. My eyes widened with delight, and my mouth watered. But as I sat down, a hollow feeling twisted in my gut. Anger and betrayal swelled within. My encounter with the brunette was one I would soon regret.
21
Kron
“What’s wrong?” Cassandra asked, taking note of the disturbed look on my face.
"She stole the money!" I grumbled.
I launched out of my seat and weaved through the crowd, racing toward the door. I burst into the street, my eyes scanning in all directions.
I caught a glimpse of the cat-girl as she darted into an alley down the street. With a scowl etched on my face, I sprinted after her. My legs drove me forward.
I turned into the alley just as she reached the other side. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner.
I continued after her, my chest heaving for breath. She sprinted down the block, then ducked into another alley. My boots smacked against the cobblestone as I chased after her.
Rounding the corner, I finally caught up to her in the alley. But another situation had developed.
Two thugs blocked her path. She backed away from them and turned toward me, which stopped her in her tracks.
I recognized one of the goons. He was the guy that I had pummeled in the bar. It seemed he wasn't too happy with either of us.
The girl had to choose between two evils, and I guess she chose me. She backed away from the goons, drawing closer.
Two more thugs entered the alley behind me, sealing us off. We were surrounded. Suddenly, the passageway was starting to feel claustrophobic.
Before I had a chance to say anything, the girl said, “Help me take care of the goons, and I'll give you your money back."
"Give me the money back, and I'll take care of the goons.”
There was no time to debate. The fearsome thugs closed in on us, swords drawn.
I drew Asgoth and brandished the demonic blade. I could feel him tingle with excitement.
The cat-girl drew her own sword. Back-to-back, we were ready for a brawl.
I glanced around at my opponents, taking stock of the situation. They approached with confidence, and the mouth-breather from the bar was looking to redeem himself.
I hated to disappoint them, but…
Swords clashed, and the clank of metal echoed down the alleyway. Blades glimmered in the moonlight. The swish of swords cutting the air filled my ears.
I deflected the first blow, then kicked the goon in the belly. He tumbled to the ground, and I spun around in time to block a second attack from his comrade.
I batted the blade away and punched the thug in the face. My fist crunched his nose, and blood splattered. He staggered back as his comrade climbed to his feet and charged toward me.
Again I deflected the blade, then spun around and sliced the man in the lumbar spine. His flesh opened up like a gnarly valley. A sea of crimson blood spilled.
Asgoth shivered with ecstasy.
The blade carved through the thug’s vertebrae and severed his spine. He crashed to the ground like a rag-doll.
With another sweeping strike I disemboweled his comrade, the tip of my demonic blade carving across his abdomen. Intestines spilled to the ground, looking like bloodied sausage links. They hit with a wet slap as the man crashed to his knees.
His wide eyes gazed at me in horror as he clutched his insides, trying to stuff them back into his belly.
With a merciful slash, I slit his carotid artery. Blood spurted like a fountain from his neck, and he face-planted against the ground. A pool of dark blood enveloped his carcass.
The girl had her hands full, battling the other two goons. She was about to get struck from behind when I jumped in and deflected the blow. My blade blocked the attack just before it hacked her trapezius.
I batted the man's blade aside, and we squared off against each other while the girl fought with the remaining thug.
I could see the fear in my opponent’s eyes, but he was determined to avenge his embarrassment in the bar.
Rage clouded his judgment as he attacked with fury. His wild swings hammered against my blade, rattling my forearms. With crazed eyes, he looked like a man possessed.
If I had my way, Asgoth would possess his soul in a matter of moments.
I was impressed by the man’s effort. His rage made him dangerous.
Our swords continued to clatter.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the cat-girl skewer her opponent. Her blade pierced the man’s belly. He crumpled to his knees and spit blood as she pulled the blade from his abdomen. He fell to the ground and writhed in agony.
A sly grin curled on her lips, and she winked at me. “Thanks for the help. See you around!”
My jaw tightened, and a scowl lined my face. The betrayal shouldn’t have come as a surprise. My angry eyes flicked to her for a moment. Her words were just enough of a distraction to give the mouth-breather the advantage.
He sliced at me, and the tip of his sword carved into my rib cage. I had leaned back, trying to avoid the blow, but it wasn’t enough.
The wound didn’t hurt at first.
The dread was the worst part.
Soon, I could feel the warm wetness of my blood against my skin. But without looking at the wound, I had no idea how deep, or how large, it was. It allowed my imagination to run wild. The anticipation of the pain was almost worse than the pain itself.
I could see the joy curl on the mouth-breather’s face. He had struck a blow that would have brought most men to their knees.
It temporarily fueled my anger.
I attacked the man, hammering his blade with every ounce of strength I had. With a few expert swipes of my blade I had put the mouth-breather on his heels. Another strike knocked his sword aside, and I stabbed him through the heart.
Asgoth swooned.
The man coughed blood, and Asgoth’s gutter ran red.
The man’s eyes looked at me, astonished. It’s a look that most people have when they die—one of disbelief. Nobody ever thinks the end is going to come so soon.
By the time I yanked my blade from his chest, the cat-girl had vanished.
My opponent collapsed in front of me.
I glanced around the alleyway at the slain carcasses. Pools of blood collided in the middle of the alley and trickled down the drain.
The rush of adrenaline evaporated. My chest began to burn—pain finally setting in. My wound was worse than I had anticipated.
22
Kron
Warm blood ran over my fingers as I clutched the gash, trying to stem the tide.
I staggered back into the street and made my way toward the pub and stumbled across Cassandra.
Her eyes widened with concern and she rushed toward me. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing.”
She peeled my hand away from the wound. Her face twisted from the gruesome sight. The white bone was exposed. She placed her hand over the wound and closed her eyes. She focused her energy, and I felt her hand grow warm. A tingling sensation ran through my rib cage. A soothing wave of energy pulsed from her palm.
Before long, the throbbing pain ceased.
My eyes widened with astonishment. “You never said anything about being a healer.”
“You never asked.”
The healing had taken a toll on Cassandra. Her face grew pale and her knees went weak. She collapsed before me. I grabbed her before she hit the ground and held her up. Her sleepy eyes gazed at me, still woozy.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine. It just takes a lot out of me.”
“Let’s find an inn. I think we both could use some rest.”
She nodded in agreement.
I glanced down to my chest and the only thing that remained was crusty blood. The skin was smooth and healed. Not even a scar remained.
I slung my arm around Cassandra and helped her down the street. To my surprise, sh
e didn’t protest. She was weak and needed the help.
We grabbed a room at a modest inn. Fortunately, the innkeeper didn’t require a deposit. Cassandra had spent the last of our money paying our tab at the pub. I didn’t even have a chance to eat my meal.
I helped Cassandra up the creaky stairs and down the narrow hall to our room, then helped her onto the bed. She gave me a suspicious look. “Just one bed?"
“It’s all they had."
She scoffed. “A likely story. Don't get any funny ideas."
“Trust me, the thought hasn't entered my mind."
Cassandra closed her eyes and dozed off.
I sat in a chair by the window, gazing at the street below. I watched pedestrians stroll the sidewalk. Horse-drawn carriages rolled down the lane. Drunks staggered out of the pub, listing like sailboats in a heavy wind. I figured I had 24 hours to find the girl who stole our money. After that we’d be kicked out of the inn.
I rubbed my side and looked over the area of the wound again. I still couldn't believe a single touch of her hand had healed such a gnarly gash.
Elven magic, I supposed.
My eyes kept falling on Cassandra as she slept. Her chest gently rose and fell with each breath. She looked peaceful and serene. She was beautiful and looked graceful as she slept, like a princess should.
The healing energy must have taken its toll. Cassandra didn't stir once during the hours I sat by the window.
I got up from the chair and moved to the bathroom. The inn had running water. Tanks on the roof provided pressure, and furnaces heated the water. It was a luxury not often found.
I'm told that in the days before the Great Doom, hot, running water was common. Electricity powered massive cities—all of which were nothing but rubble now buried under eons of time. Rumors abounded of villages that were powered by magic, but I had yet to see one in all of my travels.
A hot shower was a luxury I couldn't pass up. Afterward, I slipped into bed beside Cassandra and fell into a deep slumber. I don't think I moved once during the night, and when I awoke, Cassandra's arm was wrapped around me. She snuggled close.