Part 2 - Strings of Fate

Chapter 5

          The priest turns from the ogre back to the cook. Smiling he says, "Do you happen to have a local constable? I do so detest thieves. Bad for business and it spoils the digestion.

          The woman reaches the table where the two mages sit, much to their surprise and points to the one known as Moya. In a deep, husky, seductive voice she says, "We have been looking for you for a long time trickster." She smiles showing two perfect rows of pearly white teeth.

          The strange creature in the armor suddenly laughs loudly. The priest, quite amazed at the creature, suddenly feels the need for a seat. He quickly sits down and takes a drink.

          The ogre, now divest of his load looks around for a seat. Seeing an empty chair near the strange creature, he sits down and peers curiously at it. "Excuse me, but I must ask, why do you have all of that armor on? It must be terribly hot in there?"

          Near the priest, the two elves converse. Mordred says, "I am up for some adventuring, could be fun. If I have to stay here all my life I might as well become a wizard myself. Hopefully these men know anything that could be useful to do, because what is an adventuring party without anything to investigate, huh?" His companion, leans over to the priest and in a quiet voice speaks, "I’ve been overhearing your conversation. We (indicating himself and Mordred) are new in this town also. As I see there are many adventurers here. You think we could form an alliance between us since we are all looking for adventure? We could greatly benefit from each others professions."

          And at the far wall the two most uncomfortable looking men in the place converse. "I believe in the same philosophy myself. I am simply just wandering, making sure that nothing happens to the forests... if it is in my power to stop it. Otherwise I go where adventure leads me..."

          A loud protest from the back corners interrupts his whispering as the mage-hater returns again cursing all mages, as he stumbles to the door. He skirts passed the ogre, but when he sees the creature in heavy armor he stops dead.

          His face goes from flushed red to ghost white and he takes a few steps back, before he pulls out his sword and yells, "Orcs!!!!!!! That’s the armor of a..." The rest of his sentence is cut off as the creature points an arm in his direction. A distinct twang is heard and an arrow nearly half a foot long slices though his throat and imbeds on the wall in the shadows. The mage hater falls at the creatures' feet, his hand still clutching his useless sword.

Chapter 6

          As the mage hater falls the entire room seems to undergo a significant change as weapons are drawn. In more than one spot a table is overturned and the people sitting at it duck behind it. Behind one of these the thick bearded man holds a bow at ready pointed at the strange creature in armor. But it is obvious from the angle that he was not responsible for the arrow.

          The quick-thinking priest moves quickly to the side of the fallen man, but finds that he has passed on. He gives the man last rites and asks for Gaea to make sure he finds rest in the afterlife.

          Two men move from the shadows behind heavy shields, toward the strange creature and the ogre (who has a rather surprised look on his face).

          The cook who seems rather blaze about this, calls for some assistance to clean up the floor, while looking around.

          But not everyone’s attention is centered on the mess in the center of the room...

          Magnus pulls up an empty chair and offers it to the woman. Steadfastly ignoring the commotion he says, "Well met milady, please have a seat. I am called Magnus and my friend here is called…" "Moya!" the woman interrupts, "Did you really think I had forgotten that you tried to swindle me!" As she speaks, her form distorts and reforms into a large man with dark swarthy skin. "The time has come for you to pay for your misdeeds in full!"

Chapter 7

          As the two men advance, the ogre gets up from his table and slowly starts backing away from them. With a flick of his wrist a rather stout staff appears in his hand whereas before he seemed unarmed. The strange creature glances over at the two men approaching and a chuckle can be heard emanating from the armor.

          The priest completes the last rites and grabs his mace as things look to turn ugly.

          "Mordred let's stay back to back so no one can backstab us", says Mordred’s companion as he pulls his sword out and readies his shield.

          "Toros, Darya, Yancek protect me!" shouts an old man in the corner.

          Suddenly three tall, thin, and extremely pale men appear surrounding him each of the men are heavily armed.

          The appearance of these men startles a mage who moved into the shadows only a moment before, their threatening swords move him out to the open closer to the ogre.

          In the middle of all this, the cook runs for one of the walls and starts examining it intently.

          Magnus, still holding the chair, is looking confusedly between Moya, his accuser and the scene unfolding in the center of the room.

          Apparently Moya recognizes the man and tries to say something.

          Unfortunately though his lips move nothing comes out. The large man smiles and says in a flattered voice, "Oh, you remember me! How wonderful." The voice hardens, "It seems word of our deal and your punishment has gotten around. Now no one will sell me a horse! Do you have any idea how much trouble it takes to create one!"

          Moya originally making motions of pleading now seems to have abandoned this tactic. Tossing his drink at the eyes of the stranger, he moves to his pack to get something. The man is enraged by the drink and with a wave of his hand Moya stops moving. "Now I have a very nasty demise for you. Since you seem so fond of butter, I’m going to..."

          Whatever the man intended to do he doesn’t get the chance as the strange creature says, "Gorok Mortha show these pathetic humans what power is like." A figure appears in the doorway and tosses a little black box over the ogres shoulder at the two heavily armed men. The box hits the shields and explodes.

          For a moment everyone is blinded by a white flash...

          When everyone’s vision is cleared, the two men are ashes. Mordred and his companion are sprawled next to the chair of the strange creature both dizzy, but obviously unharmed. The priest has been knocked clear over to where the arguing mages are. He collides with the angry man, both of whom fall upon Magnus. The mage from the shadows is standing next to the ogre is now dividing his attentions between the strange creature and the new figure. Moya is still frozen in the position of trying to remove something from his bag.

Chapter 8

          The priest is the first one back on his feet. He staggers to his feet, mace in hand taking up a defensive position, watching everyone around him.

          Mordred stands back to back with his companion muttering, "What the hell? Stay close and look out!" Both menstand ready for battle.

          The cook makes a mad dash from the wall to the door brushing past the figure standing there. He pulls open the door and stands there staring out.

          The ogre is holding his staff at the ready, dividing his attention between the armored creature and the new figure.

          One of the two men behind a table runs out to where the two piles of ash are and bends down to examine them. He then looks up at the figure in the doorway. The other man, shoots his arrow at the armored creature and the arrow flies true. A loud clang is heard as the arrow strikes the creatures chest. But it is obvious that the arrow did not penetrate very deeply. He then pulls out a battle-axe in one hand and a bastard sword in the other and takes up a defensive position again behind the table.

          The strange creature pulls the arrow out of the armor and disdainfully throws it away. He gets up and walks toward the entrance at the front of the bar. The ogre and the mage move to one side allowing him to pass and he turns as he reaches his companion and stares silently around the room.

          Thinking quickly Magnus, grabs the swarthy stranger and attempts to subdue him while calling out, "Moya, help me tie him up…" But he never gets the chance as the mans outline blurs and he turns smoky and slips out of his grasp. He then reforms a few feet away "You also will pay!"

          A cry is heard from the front of the room. It is the cook he is still staring outside, but now he is calling for the priest.

          Moya, who apparently has regained the ability to move, has not been wasting his time. As the man reforms, Moya recites a quick rune. The stranger screams as a small red flaming ball appears in his midsection. It expands slowly engulfing him. "Noooo! I will not be denied my revenge!" The ball suddenly expands completely engulfing him it then turns into a flaming arc and surges toward Moya. The arc hits Moya covering him in seconds, several small explosions are heard. Then Moya disappears completely in one giant explosion. Magnus and the priest are knocked away toward the center of the room by the blast. The only things left are a few burning embers, remains of the tables and chairs, and a pool of yellowish liquid still burning. There is a pervasive smell of melted butter.

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