On came the burly man, a blood thirsty scream on his lips. That scream was quickly stopped as his head slid right off his shoulders with one quick swipe of Ezekiel’s scythe, the devilish poison seeping into the already dead body.
“Hmm…didn’t even need that.” He said as he sat back down in his chair. Faux sat on the floor for a few seconds, quite surprised. Finally, the rogue sat back in his chair as well.
“Well done. Hardly required, but at least you did it cleanly.” Faux said quietly.
“Where is our waitress? I want some ale.” Ezekiel said, blatantly ignoring Faux’s words.
Instantly, a skinny young girl came rushing to the table, many a man giving her a kind tap on the rump as she passed him. She merely smacked their hands away and gave them a quick glare. She looked at the smashed table for a few seconds before asking the adventurers what they wanted.
“A mug o’ ale for my big friend here. I’ll just take some water if you don’t mind.” Faux said as politely as possible with nearly everyone’s stare upon him and Ezekiel.
With a nod the girl spun around and headed to the bar, once again smacking away hands and giving cold glares.
“We haven’t been in this place for more than five minutes and you already decapitated a man. Quite troublesome, you are.” Faux said with a slight laugh.
“Trust me…he’s not the first.” Ezekiel said with a chuckle. A moment later he was chugging down a large mug of ale as the waitress returned. “Keep them coming, lass.” He said as she turned to walk away. With a nonchalant shrug, she continued back to the bar, returning with more ale.
Faux, who hadn’t even finished his first glass of water, looked on with amazement as his hardy friend chugged mug after mug of ale. It was quite some time, but he finally began to show signs of intoxication. “Um…perhaps you should halt with your drinking, my friend. You don’t seem yourself.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, lady!” Ezekiel snapped, pointing a finger in Faux’s face.
“Lady? Excuse me but I’m…” Faux began to respond.
“Stop sassin’ me!” His drunken friend interjected, glancing around for no real reason. “They’re bound to find us y’know.”
“Who is bound to find us?” Faux asked, quite confused but slightly amused by the show.
“Them!” Ezekiel said, smacking the back of a nearby man’s head. With a normal response, the man spun around, also drunk, and lunged at Ezekiel. Quickly, many other men jumped into the fight. In no time, it was an all out brawl, men and women punching their own friends in a drunken fury. Faux, one of the few sensible people in the tavern, found his way to the bar and slipped over it. He found huddled behind the counter the bartender and the young waitress as well.
“Oh, why hello there.” Faux said, giving a swift salute. He peered over the counter to see how his friend fair, but quickly ducked to avoid a living projectile as one man went crashing into the wall behind him, breaking many bottles of wine.
Ezekiel faired much better than the rest of the men fighting him, for even when he was intoxicated, he still had that superb fighting instinct in him. He ducked a sluggish left swipe of one man, grabbing his arm and launching him into another group of men coming his way. He took a punch in the ribs for that act, but gladly accepted the blow as he came around and blasted the man responsible in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, and the fight as well. On they came, but the wise adept never stepped down. He smashed two in the face with both fists, sending them flying into unconsciousness. A chair cracked him in the back, causing him to stumble forward. He quickly grabbed the nearest man and began to spin him around, knocking out everyone around him. That man went soaring into the wall behind the bar.
“This is going to be a long night…” Faux heard the waitress saying weakly, the bartender giving a heavy sigh in response.
“Do forgive my friend. I guess he likes bar fights.” Faux said, embarrassed. “If it would help, I’ll gladly help you clean up after this fight.”
“That would be nice, but unnecessary.” The bartender said, waving the offer away. “Can’t be asking some stranger to help me with my job.”
“It is my friend’s fault for this fight, I insist.” Faux said more forcefully.
“Ok…if you really want to.” The bartender said, surprised by the forceful tone of the rogue. The young girl beside him smiled gratefully at Faux, who returned the smile, but quickly turned away, looking back at the fight.
“A long night indeed…” The rogue said with a helpless laugh.
**********
Thalys walked into the Great Library and was instantly set back on his heels. So many books! He blinked his eyes and gave a slight laugh, reminding himself that there are far more amazing things in the world than a library. He heard a voice to the side and turned to regard a tree of a man standing beside him. Probably the librarian.
“Can I help you with anything, sir?” The old man asked politely. He gently stroked his long white beard and smiled.
“Oh, yes…I’m looking for any information you might have on the Adept’s Stone. Would you happen to know of it?” Thalys asked.
“Adept’s Stone, eh? Now, are you looking for fairy tales, or actual fact about such a stone?” The librarian asked.
“Anything. Sometimes even the fairy tales can give some clues about it.” Thalys said, an eager expression obvious on his face.
“You’d be correct in that statement, young one. Please, sir, follow me.” the old man gave a slight chuckle and began walking towards the many isles and walls of books, but it seemed like he glided, for his large robes covered up his feet.