The escort - Chapter 1/5

“Um… I’m terribly sorry, but to prove a point I had to steal your money pouch.” said Odorf while handing back the little pouch filled with a few coins. He would never do such a thing under normal circumstances; however, he knew that Scarlett was watching him. He did not yet know the extent of her abilities, but he was scared. He expected yelling and kicking, but he certainly did not expect the innkeeper to smile. The innkeepers face, decorated with scars and wrinkles, stretched into a sincere smile; Odorf was confused. “That’s alright.” said the innkeeper calmly. “I knew all along that you were trying to prove a point. I may be old, but back in my days, we used to do the same thing.” Odorf was dumbfounded; his jaw fell to the floor, and his eyes wide open. He did not know if he was out of shape or if the old innkeeper is more than meets the eyes. ‘I should definitely keep an eye on him. I might learn something useful.’ He went back to the others and sat down. “Everything alright?” Scarlett asked, seeing that Odorf looked like he saw a ghost. “Huh? Yes, yes. Everything is perfectly fine. I… just god distracted for a moment. Everything’s perfect.” he grinned while trying to behave appropriately. He got back to his ale. Scarlett turned back to Ziel and continued chatting about her past and how they could help her reach her full potential. Dylan was looking like he was ready to go under the table like Jacques. ‘How in the Nine Hells am I gonna survive this?’ pondered Odorf while drinking his ale.

A few moments later, the door to the inn opened and a flamboyant, very colorful stranger entered. Odorf noticed him immediately, although probably everyone noticed him. A tall figure, dressed in loose pants with all the colors of the rainbow depicted. His white shirt was loose, yet somehow captivating. He was protected from the elements by a simple dark-purple colored cloak. Odorf immediately noticed that the stranger was an entertainer of some sorts, he was carrying a lyre. The stranger went to the innkeeper, talked for a while, shook hands and went over next to the fireplace, readied his lyre and started playing. The melody was soothing and very sweet, Odorf was reminded of his childhood; running through lush green fields of grass. Scarlett and Ziel also stopped talking to listen to the sweet melody, they too were reminded happier days. Scarlett remembered the precious moments she has spent with Dylan and their parents. Ziel, on the other hand, remember only a strange sensation, as if she was not herself, rather cocooned into some kind of shell, surrounded by warmth; the air smelled of sulfur and felt boiling, but she felt right at home. Dylan also felt the song take over his senses, he remember the days he spent with Scarlett as kids, happy, carefree and just playing around. Suddenly, the whole inn fell silent; everyone was listening to the captivating melody of memories.

For a moment, what seemed like an eternity, everyone was happy. However, Odorf felt a sudden rush down his spine. Something was going to happen. Even Scarlett seemed distressed, as if she could feel something happening. Ziel was phased by the music but she could clearly hear a voice suddenly breaking the euphoria: “We found her!” She immediately jumped from her chair, and started breathing frantically. “What is wrong Ziel? Calm down!” Scarlett was trying to help Ziel calm down. “No, you don’t understand. They are coming for me! They found me!” Scarlett sensed danger. Odorf was already reaching for his daggers.

Ziel was frantically trying to get away from everyone, she ran for the exit, Scarlett running after her to try and calm her down, by now everyone in the inn was watching them, trying to figure out what was going on. “No! Let me go! I don’t want to die!” Ziel was yelling without letting Scarlett get to near. Dylan, still groggy from all the drinking, looked around to make sense of all the ruckus going around him. The only thing he could see was that Ziel and Scarlett were running for the door, Odorf missing and Jacques still passed out on the table; that made him feel good on the inside. The next thing Dylan remembers is that he was on the floor, and in pain.

As Ziel and Scarlett got to the door, it suddenly swung open. “There she is.” thundered a black-hooded man, and immediately started chanting something, at that moment, the table where Dylan and Jacques were, exploded. Scarlett looked around and noticed three more hooded figures around in the inn; one was standing next to the now gone table and apparently cast a spell. The other two were taking care of the commoners sitting at the other tables, one was wielding a longsword and the other was brandishing a giant war axe. Without even thinking she pushed Ziel aside and fashioned her mace aimed at the hooded figure but missed by a hair’s length. Ziel managed to keep her balance but she was still in shock to do anything. The hooded figure near Dylan finished chanting a spell and aimed his hand at Dylan, but before he could unleash a deadly barrage of magic, Odorf suddenly jumped from behind, landing on the hooded figure’s back, driving one dagger through his spinal cord and the other all the way around through the eye socket. Blood sprayed everywhere, and it seemed like Odorf was enjoying himself too much, Dylan took notice of the grin on Odorf’s face and the joy in his eyes. For the time being, Dylan thought that it must be because he is drunk and he cannot see straight. Without wasting any more time, Dylan got up, pulled out his sword and went for the nearest hooded figure.

The hooded figure with the longsword was slicing through the patrons, sparing no one, as he got to the bard singing in the corner, Jacques stood in front of him, and barely standing he managed to fend off the attack with his sword. “Get…get to safety…” he managed utter these words, visibly staggering and hardly being able to talk, let alone fight. The bard took up on his advice and ran from them. “You think you can stop me?! Foolish human…” without hesitating, Jacques managed to drive his sword through the hooded figure’s stomach, spilling his intestines all over the floor, blood and innards fell from the now dead man once Jacques pulled out his sword. “JACQUES! WATCH OUT! BEHIND YOU!” Ziel yelled.