The fallen tree blocked the road. The grey, dead sky lingered overhead ominously. There was a gentle, silent breeze, but nothing more. No noise. No birds. No animals. No sounds. Ator gripped his great axe tightly as he slowly got off the wagon. Kale notched back an arrow with two on standby. Aurora stood in front frozen holding her hand up waiting for any sign or noise of movement as her horse breathed heavy. Desmond unsheathed Light Wielder as his horse slowly crept forward towards the fallen tree. Keely got into the back of the wagon and perched her rifle on a few boxes scanning the snowy tree line from behind. Her horse was tied to the side of the wagon. Audra made sure her scimitar was unclipped and that her round shield was secured to her left arm. She made sure the repeating crossbow was right next to her. Skivvy hopped off his horse with both his scimitars drawn as he smelled the air like a blood hound. He smelled something and grunted alerting everyone to look left of the road. Nikolai lowered his goggles and brought his shield in front of him.

  Aurora was listening intensely for anything. This was a classic ambush set up by bandits or highwaymen. She wasn’t scared of them. She was anxious for the first move to happen. Ator walked slowly towards the tree and looked at Desmond to see if it was alright to begin chopping the tree into small logs to roll off the road. Desmond slowly shook his head as his visor was lowered. Ator slowly walked back towards the wagon. Only the heavy breaths from the horses and oxen was heard in this moment.

  There was a snap of twig just off to the left.

  SWOOSH!

  An arrow flew centimeters away from Aurora’s head as she instinctively ducked down. A large group of bandits came running out of the tree line. Kale instantly killed three from afar as he rode around to meet them. Aurora threw her spear impaling one into a nearby tree. Three tried rushing Skivvy, but he managed to kill the first two and then block the wood axe of the third. The bandit’s head instantly exploded followed by a deafening boom as Keely fired her rifle at the attacker on Skivvy. Skivvy proceeded to throw up due to the bandit’s brain matter being on his face.

  Keely yelled, “Sorry.”

  Audra blocked an arrow and a throwing knife as she ducked down. Nikolai was pulled off his horse by two bandits, but he managed to fillet one in the gut and Ator bisected the second’s shoulder with his great axe embedding itself deep into the waist. Nikolai was thankful, but also disgusted at the same time. Desmond quickly fell one attacker and ran over another with his horse. Aurora jumped off flipping in the air slicing two attackers as she spun herself to the ground. Kale rode up and fired a few more arrows killing the bandit with the long bow.

  Desmond was about to end one young bandit on the ground until he heard a whimpering voice that sounded almost kid like with a shaky voice crack, “P-P-Please! Spare me! I’m sorry! EVERYONE! FALLBACK!”

  The rest of the bandits retreated back into the forest, but remained close by.

  “Please spare me! We’re sorry!”

  “What! Get up,” Desmond said in angered confusion.

  He grabbed the kid from the kid’s ragged jacket collar with his left hand. Desmond stared at him confused realizing that he was only a teenager amongst a gang of adult bandits. He threw him to the ground and yelled out to everyone, “They’re done! Everyone! Stay here.”

  He stared at the kid like an angered parent. “The hell are doing, kid? You want to die with these fucking idiots?”

  Desmond pointed at the freshly dead bandits. Ator removed his great axe with difficulty from the bisected bandit as he helped Nikolai up. Skivvy quickly wiped his face and shoulders with a rag. Keely was humming softly as she finished reloading and started to loot the nearest dead bandit. Kale went over to inspect the one shooting arrows. Aurora walked off into the tree line grabbing one bandit.

  Desmond sighed and calmly asked the scared kid, “How far out until the next town and how many more gangs are there if any?”

  “Just – just us and one more crew one mile ahead… We’re starving! Please. We thought you had food parcels,” the kid cried out.

  Kale pointed and arrow at him and asked, “Sir? Just say when.”

  “No,” Desmond vehemently replied. Kale shrugged and went back into the tree line.

  Desmond said, “Sigh… Kid… Get up and get the fuck out of here! Tell the rest that are hiding back there to fuck off as well… Sorry for your friends.”

  “They weren’t my friends… They just gave me a chance to get food is all.”

  “You’re from the next town up ahead?”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Why are you with them?”

  “Since the wars… A lot of corrupt empire soldiers have taken things from everyone is all. Make a profit and take advantage of since no one from the capital coming by to check.”

  “The soldiers from the garrison Vorstock? They’re exploiting the people here?”

  “Yes,” the kid said adamantly.

  Aurora came by with her spear retrieved. She also threw another ragged teenager on the ground. She said calmly, “He’s telling the truth. The other one is backing him up. Apparently, there is a new distrust in all forces in the north… I don’t like it.”

  Audra asked curiously from the wagon, “How’d you gather that so quickly, Ma’am?”

  “I asked,” Aurora said nonchalantly.

  In reality she didn’t mean to find information or ask any questions. She was just turning over what she thought was a dead bandit. Turned out it was a teenager playing dead and then he instantly spilled his guts out to her telling her everything there was to know along with his personal secrets and so forth. The only thing she told him in response was a confused hello and an awkward stare.

  Keely smirked, “Damn good interrogator I reckon?”

  Aurora shrugged pretending to be nonchalant and that she did gather information on purpose.

  Desmond stared at the two kids like a disappointed parent. He put Light Wielder away and asked, “What're your names?”

  “Harry… Name is Harry and this is Ron.”

  “Harry… Ron… Drop your weapons… Go home. We want to pass through in peace. If we are attacked again, then we will not hesitate to kill in response. You understand?”

  “Yes!”

  “We are not here to help the garrison. I swear it. We are on a different mission and we are just stopping there for a night… Now go home and tell the others what I said… I am sorry for killing these men. Now go,” Desmond said sternly.

  The two kids immediately ran away along with ten others hiding deep in the forest behind a handful of trees. Desmond walked over to one dead bandit and picked up a wood axe. He walked over to the fallen tree and asked, “Everyone alright? Need help moving this tree.”

  Ator and Skivvy walked over with axes and began chopping the fallen tree with Desmond.

  Nikolai was covered in dirt and slush, but was relatively fine as he sat himself proudly on his horse. Audra was fine, but still anxious and doing breathing exercises. Keely was humming a song while she sat back on her horse. However, her foot kept moving up and down on the stirrup bothering her horse a bit. If a horse could roll its eyes, then the horse did the equivalent of that.

  Aurora was thinking about what the two kids were talking about. She walked over to Audra scratching her chin as she planted her spear in the ground. Nikolai asked Aurora, “You think the kids are telling the truth?”

  “Most likely.”

  “Why so certain? He could be lying to only survive.”

  “He didn’t seem like a killer neither did his friend… Strange. Why would kids side with highwaymen? If what they say is true of the garrison… Maybe?”

  “They seemed more desperate to rush the supplies than to fight us it seemed. Majority of them congregated towards the wagon or appeared to be focused on it,” Nikolai noted.

  Kale came back with extra arrows and the bandit’s long bow. He gave it to Nikolai and said, “Military issued long bow with three hundred grain arrows Also, some of them have standard issue footman armor… The hell?”

  Nikolai looked at some of the arrows and the bow to confirm. He looked at Aurora and nodded in concerned confirmation.

  Audra chimed to Aurora, “What’d you think?”

  “I don’t know yet… But I feel there might be something wrong with the town up ahead,” Aurora said as she rubbed her chin ponderously.

  Keely interjected, “If they possibly stole that from the garrison supplies, then let’s hope they didn’t steal any rifles or explosives as well. We’ll be fucked.”

  “I don’t think it’s the bandits we have to worry about… They could be helpful for us if… No, but then again… Let’s not trust any garrison force even if they claim to be friendly. Call it a feeling,” Aurora said as she slowly walked to her horse.

  Audra asked, “So trust no one, Ma’am?”

  “For now, yes,” Aurora said as she sat on her horse.

  Nikolai put the bow down and went to double check the dead bandits’ armor. Kale followed closely by doing the same.

  Keely rode next to Audra and asked, “Any thoughts?”

  “Same as Aurora right now… Something feels very off here.”

  “Think we’re going to stay a little longer in then intended?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe,” Audra said pulling the arrow and throwing knife out of her shield. Keely gleefully grabbed the throwing knife from Audra.

  The tree was finally cleared after an hour of chopping followed by a thirty minute rest and a quick meal. The squad moved on ahead with weapons at the ready all along the way the closer they got to Vorstock. Vorstock was a hunting and farming town with a population of five hundred. Multiple cottage homes and cottage style buildings lined the main road. Majority of the people did not look at the squad. Some people saw the squad and immediately ran away. There were a some men and teens hanging from trees and lamp posts with signs around their necks saying that all bandits or highwaymen will be executed for stealing from the kingdom. Everyone was disgusted by the sight of it.

  Desmond and Aurora noticed this and were confused. Some older shop keepers stared with intense hatred as they slowly passed by the storefront. Nikolai tried waiving hello to some kids, but was met with animosity and fear as the kids ran off. Ator grunted quietly to Audra, “I don’t like it.”

  “I know… Something is very wrong,” she responded.

  Desmond looked back at everyone and ordered, “Park at the tavern and keep weapons holstered. Move the horses to tavern stables. I’ll ask around for the garrison or any other info we may need. For now… Secure everything and get a drink. I think we may stay for an extra night than planned… Be on alert.”

  Everyone nodded as they dismounted in front of the tavern inn. There was a broken sign that read: Vorstock Inn Friends of the Kingdom. Aurora and Desmond looked at the slash marks and faded letters with intrigue and worry. Everyone removed their helmets, besides Ator, and walked in.

  The bar and restaurant was off to the right, the stairs to the rooms were to the left, and the reception desk was up front. It was a warm and rustic feel to the tavern inn. Yet, there was also an air of animosity that could not be explained outright. There was a jaded yet kind looking old man writing things down in a ledger murmuring to himself. He appeared as if he was very worn down by life and had the posture of someone who was living out of spite.

  Desmond and the Aurora walked up to the old man as the rest of the squad walked into the bar shortly after they finished moving the horses and wagon. The old man was still looking down at the ledger, but asked tersely, “What do you want?”

  “Hello? Four multi-bed rooms for the night… Also, some questions, sir,” Desmond responded unprepared for the harshness in the old man’s voice. “What is going on here?”

  “Well why don’t ya – Oh,” the old man stuttered finally looked up and froze upon seeing Desmond and Aurora in their armor noticing their weapons and insignias on their shoulder armor. He stared in fear at Desmond and said shakily, “Forgive me! I didn’t know you were garrison. I apologize… Please make yourselves welcomed!”

  “Thanks… We’re not from the garrison here. We’re passing through. We came from the capital.”

  “The capital… You mean you’re… OH! You don’t know?”

  “Know what exactly,” Aurora asked taking her helmet and gaiter off. She undid her hair letting the golden locks flow majestically down.

  The old man’s glasses dropped slightly down his mushroom nose just as his mouth dropped. He said happily, “My what a beauty… I believe you… You are way too beautiful to be footmen. A high elf in my inn? I knew the rumors of Elvan beauty were legendary, but I must say I’m glad it’s true.”

  “Thank you kindly,” She said blushing slightly.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Desmond looked back at her and silently asked, “You’re blushing?”

  “Shut it, Desmond… Anyway… Sir, what is wrong with the garrison here? Everyone seems afraid or angered with us and we just got here,” Aurora asked nicely to the old man. “What did the garrison commander do?”

  “Oh, child… You don’t know?”

  “No? We’re supposed to?”

  “The garrison commander is a –

  The old man immediately stopped himself as two garrison footmen walked in. They were rough looking and one had a large messenger bag around his side. They also had a custom insignia on their shoulder pauldrons showing a yellow falcon with a sword in its talons. Aurora looked disgusted by their unclean appearance; if it wasn’t the sight of them that bothered her, then it was the smell of aged alcohol mixed with rotten eggs that did it. They were dirt covered and obnoxious as they loudly busted through the doors startling both Desmond and Aurora.

  One of them said in a cockney accent, “The fawk is that large cart doing here, eh? Fawking rich cunt passing through again?”

  “Nah mate. An SF group is supposed to pass through here and stop here and… AH! They fawking here,” the second one said.

  The cockney voiced one was a skeevy looking weasel of a man with no hair or eyebrows. The second and better spoken one was a hairy, but skinny man with a gold tooth. Desmond stared right through them with reserved disdain. The hairy one quickly bashed the bald one to salute. They both saluted pathetically.

  Desmond responded to them, “You privates need to watch your mouths. We have a lady present.”

  Aurora was quietly gliding her hand towards a knife hidden behind her back. The old man quietly closed the ledger books and reached his hand down for a knife in his pocket.

  The hairy one whispered to the bald one, “Way to go you jackass.”

  “Fawk you!”

  “Shut it! Sir apologies… We are here to make sure your squad is well acquainted here in Vorstock. Commander Solomon welcomes y’all to our humble town… Isn’t that right,” the hairy one said to the old man who meekly looked away as he rubbed his shoulder.

  Desmond asked, “Why are you so dirty? Aren’t footmen supposed be held to a standard? Why are you antagonizing this old man? Why all the cursing when there’s no reason for it? You’re soldiers! An example to the common folk. Act like it.”

  They both froze once Desmond said this.

  The bald one sheepishly said, “We – We just came back dealing with a… A loose herd of sheep that got out in town just before you lot got here, eh?”

  “Right,” Desmond said gripping Light Wielder tightly in his left hand. He gritted back his annoyance with them and asked, “When will I meet Commander Solomon? I need to resupply before my squad heads out of here.”

  “He’ll meet ya ere, sir. He’ll want to meet ya at his tower,” the bald one said still saluting. The hairy one rolled his eyes and shoved the bald one to put his arm down.

  Desmond said coldly, “Thank you privates… Now get lost! I have business to attend to.”

  Desmond turned slowly to the old man as the two privates quickly walked into the bar. Aurora’s hand slowly moved away from her knife. Desmond pinched his eyes slowly getting a bad impression of what is wrong.

  Aurora looked over at Desmond and asked, “You okay?”

  “Yeah… Just reminds me of a handful of men I encountered when I started out. Fucking Wynward all over again… Those assholes really make us look bad, you know?”

  “I understand. Sir? If you don’t mind, what is your name,” she asked the old man sweetly.

  He lightened up and responded, “Name is Simon! I haven’t seen those goons shut up and piss themselves that quickly before. Been awhile since I’ve seen that.”

  “What is wrong with the footmen here,” Desmond asked. “I have an idea, but what were you trying to tell us before they came in?”

  “Well… It’s a long story, but if you have the time?”

  Inside the bar and restaurant, the rest of the squad was sitting along the bar quietly and respectfully drinking ale to the surprise of the old barmaid and the few civilians inside. They were mostly surprised at how pleasant and well-mannered the squad was. However, they still stared at the squad with nervous anticipation. Kale quietly asked into his pint looking to the squad, “Why are they looking at us like that?”

  “Something about us being soldiers I guess. They think we’re garrison based off our mismatched armor and weapons,” Nikolai surmised. “Upsets me that those kids ran away.”

  “Can’t dwell on it,” Ator interjected still wearing his helmet and sipping on a glass of water through a wooden straw.

  Keely asked quietly, “What do you think, Nicky?”

  “Audra and Aurora were onto to something back at the ambush… That kid wasn’t lying. This town seems… Wrong, you know?”

  “Yeah it does,” Skivvy responded coldly from the end of the bar. He looked at the squad the way a drill instructor would look at a bunch of recruits for a unified response in understanding. “Need to keep alert and not cause too much trouble like LT said. Everyone?”

  “Right,” everyone said in unison.

  Audra leaned over to Skivvy and asked, “You think the townspeople will treat you different for being Skarin?”

  “When have they stopped treating me nicely,” Skivvy said sarcastically with a half-hearted smile. He finished his pint as the two loud and obnoxious footmen quickly walked in looking afraid at Desmond and Aurora. Everyone in the squad groaned in annoyance.

  Keely whispered to Nikolai, “They smell worse than pig shit.”

  “Yep. Don’t make it so obvious.”

  “Not my fault I can’t hide my disgust,” Keely said quietly looking away from the bar. Kale shoved her arm to be quiet as he was coyly watching the two men. The two men walked over to the end of the bar demanding ale and payment. The old barmaid looked over at the young waitress and directed her with her tired eyes. Kale looked back to see a pretty, blue-haired girl with short pointed ears.

  “A half-elf,” he thought.

  Her wavy, blue hair cascaded smoothly over her face as she brushed it back. A slim figure overall. She had kind, but broken eyes shining blue in the light of the bar like a far off lighthouse in the night. He was mesmerized by her. She was the most beautiful woman he had seen in his mind. For a moment, he felt pity for what this girl was going through and truly felt compelled to do something, but he knew he could not at this moment. She reminded him of all the times Keely and him were mistreated. The girl sighed sadly after placing a plate of meatloaf down for one of the people sitting. The person mouthed sorry to her, but she waved it off politely. She kept her head down as she slowly handed over a bag of gold coins to the hairy footman.

  The bald one inappropriately grabbed her ass and asked, “Why don’t ya give us somethin ore than this gold? That way you can save yer family’s money.”

  “Get off me,” she replied harshly.

  She proceeded to slap the bald one only to be punched in the face back knocking her down for a moment. She defiantly got up with tears of anger and turned around. The old barmaid looked concerned, but couldn’t look over at the footmen out of fear. Kale grew angered by this. Keely calmly, placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered, “No… Don’t interfere yet.”

  Kale gripped his pint tightly looking at the bar mirror. Ator was doing the same, but breathing slowly as he cracked his knuckles. Skivvy was doing his best to ignore the footmen and the girl. Audra was forcing herself to look at the ground as to not interfere at the moment as she bit the inside of her cheek in anger. She was wondering if they were about to fight, but something deep in her felt more concerned for Skivvy’s reaction to this. There was an aurora of frustration and rage from him that she felt.

  Nikolai nudged Keely and whispered, “You have your knife, right?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “Wait for Skivs.”

  Skivvy remained calm and looked mildly annoyed by them. The blue haired girl hurriedly walked away wiping her eyes. Kale looked at her with sympathy as their eyes met briefly. He wanted to apologize, but knew it would solve nothing. He also wanted to cave in the bald man’s skull, but also knew it would do nothing but traumatize her in a different way. Her eyes screamed for help whilst also screaming hatred for them doing nothing. However, she noticed his pointed ears and felt as if he understood her somewhat. She gave a brief smile as she passed by. Kale stared at the swinging kitchen door with hurt in his eyes.

  Kale remembered a time he and Keely were treated poorly for not being pure elves or pure human at school. The kids in Elvan boarding school were cruel to say the least. Keely stared with a serious focus with thin eyes at the two footmen who were sloppily drinking and counting the bag of gold. The old barmaid whispered to the squad, “It’s a weekly tithes to the garrison… I just wish that they weren’t so handsy.”

  The squad remained silent.

  Skivvy stayed calm as he asked politely for another pint of ale.

  The two footmen looked up at Skivvy and the hairy one asked rudely, “Hey lizzy! The fuck you doin ere you scaly, mohawk fuck? Can’t believe they let anyone in the army these days. Look at this shit.”

  Skivvy ignored him as he drank. His skin slowly turned maroon and back to dark green for a brief second.

  Audra noticed this and mouthed to Skivvy, “Don’t kill. Not again.”

  The bald one asked, “Oi! Scale head! Can ya hear us through that empty skull of yours? We talkin to ya! Lizzy! Fucker doesn’t even have ears. Just empty holes for an empty head, eh? Fucking liz.”

  The bald one was getting impatient. Skivvy continued to ignore them.

  Ator was quietly unclipping his serrated knife from his right side. Kale silently pulled out his knife from his arm brace and tucked it in his lap. Keely looked at the ground as her right hand was twiddling the newly acquired throwing knife in her pocket. Audra stared at the countertop doing everything in her power to hold in her rage.

  The bald one walked over to Skivvy and got into his face spilling his pint. Skivvy turned a shade of red and back to light green as he said not looking at the two garrison men, “Privates?”

  “Wot?”

  “You see this,” Skivvy said tapping his left arm showing his first sergeant rank painted on his pauldron.

  The bald one spat on the bar top and said, “Stripes on a fawking lizard? What’s next stripes on a bull? Oh wait, yer olready got one.”

  He pointed to Ator and his many scratches in his helmet. The only thoughts in Ator’s mind was how best to bash the bald man’s head against the barstools and whether or not the head would explode like a cracked walnut. However, he silently said a scripture to himself to remind himself to not cause a fight again unless attacked outright.

  Skivvy calmly replied, “Private… Do you mind? We’re trying to drink in peace. Go away.”

  “Fawk you! I ain’t listening to no lizzy.”

  Skivvy immediately grabbed the bald one’s neck without looking and smashed his head on the bar top as his large, clawed hand clamped down on his windpipe like a vice grip. All of which happened in a millisecond. The bald man was gasping for air desperately as his face was slowly turning purple and his legs were flailing. The hairy one was about to unsheathe his sword, but Ator quickly stood up pointing his knife at him. The hairy one sat back down. Skivvy’s skin changed to pure red as his arm muscles flexed and grip tightened.

  Skivvy said again with unbridled fury now looking at the bald man, “Private… We are trying to drink in peace. GO AWAY NOW!”

  He smashed the bald man onto the floor. Audra instinctively grabbed Skivvy’s arm shaking her head. Skivvy sighed and his skin turned back to light green. Desmond and Aurora finally walked in. hearing the commotion.

  The bald one quickly stood up and was about to bash Skivvy’s head with a chair. He quickly felt the sudden piercing of a knife in his right hand as Kale stood up finishing a throwing motion. Keely was about to throw, but stopped. Nikolai hopped off grasping his gladius in his hilt. The blue-haired girl stood shocked and impressed by Kale as she was just outside the kitchen door. The bald one quickly fell to the floor in a pathetic thud as he cried silently holding his hand as the chair he was holding fell on him.

  Desmond yelled at the hairy one, “Get this fucking idiot out of this tavern. NOW!”

  Kale walked over to the bald man and pulled the knife out wiping the blood on the man’s shiny head. He also grabbed the bag of gold from the bald man’s side. Kale looked at him in disgust and said harshly in Elvish, “You are a disgrace.”

  The blue haired girl perked up and smiled when Kale said this. He turned around to see the girl looking at him. He froze for a moment feeling a sense of awkwardness hit him like a chair over his head as his anger dissipated from him. He awkwardly waved at her with a half-smile. She waved back awkwardly as well. Audra and Keely noticed this exchange.

  Keely coyly said to her in Elvish, “His name is Kale and he’s single. He just sucks at introductions is all.”

  “Keely!”

  “You’re welcome. Thank me later bro,” Keely retorted sitting back down grinning proudly. Audra laughed while quietly teasing Kale of having a crush. Skivvy smirked and went back to drinking.

  Kale flipped them off and responded to the blue haired girl, “Sorry you had to see this and their immaturity… What’s your name?”

  “Zylia Egella… Half-elf. Not… A high-elf like you, but half wood-elf.”

  “That’s okay… Zylia… Pretty name… My sister and I are half-elves as well.”

  Keely gave a nod and a wink in confirmation to Zylia. She brushed back her blue hair and blushed slightly looking at Kale. He blushed as well. He undid his hair and walked over to Zylia.

  He asked tenderly, “I don’t want to be awkward, but I never seen someone as pretty as you before especially with hair this bright and wavy.… Sorry if I’m not good at this. I’m better when I’m… Never mind.”

  “It’s okay. Thank you. You seem sweet,” Zylia said happily.

  The old barmaid looked over and gave a quick, “Ahem?”

  Zylia looked annoyed. She said in Elvish, “Nice meeting you… If you are free later tonight, then I wouldn’t mind seeing you after I finish my shift? There will be a small party here tonight. Just the townsfolk. No garrison. You and your crew are invited.”

  “Okay,” Kale said rubbing the back of his head nervously. She said, “I got to go. If not tonight, then possibly if you come back through here?”

  “Okay,” he said quietly as she touched his left shoulder gently.

  Audra’s eyes’ widened and Nikolai was impressed. Keely face palmed as Zylia walked away happy with Kale standing there awkwardly feeling a sense of joy and confusion. Ator asked what was happening. Keely replied tiredly, “He’s in love again… Two socially awkward dumbasses in love. Except one of them thinks he’s the Gods’ special gift to the world yet he shrinks up once he has to talk.”

  “But he’s rather handsome and sociable what do you mean by…”

  “Not now, Ator.”

  “Okay,” Ator said still unsure of what just happened.

  Audra looked over at him and said, “I’ll explain it you later. Sibling thing, you know?”

  Ator nodded still unsure. Keely tried to elbow Audra to shut up, but missed and hit Nikolai by accident causing him to fall into a barstool. The two footmen left in a hurry as Desmond and Aurora sat down at the bar.

  Desmond said to the squad, “Okay… I’ll ask about that exchange later. Good for you Kale, I must say… Anyway, we have something that needs to be done here in this town. Call this a quick detour.”

  “Knew it,” said Nikolai proudly as he shot back up. Audra hit him from behind to not be so cheerful over it.

  Aurora noticed Skivvy looking dejected, but forcing himself to be present. She asked Skivvy, “You alright?”

  “Yeah… Just the same old stuff… Nothing fucking new. Sorry for cursing,” he said sadly as he toweled off the split ale on the bar counter.

  The old barmaid came by and finished cleaning thanking Skivvy for helping. Audra hugged Skivvy and apologized for what he had to put up with for being a Skarin. He lightly hugged her back silently as he blankly looked at the bar counter pondering why he had to put up with racism constantly especially from people in the same kingdom he swore to fight for. Desmond handed the barmaid six gold pieces for the troubles just now. Kale proceeded to toss back the bag of gold and silver coins to the barmaid as well.

  Desmond sat down and explained plainly, “The garrison commander, Solomon, has been controlling this town and the surrounding farmlands as his own little dictatorship. Due to the war raging in the south, oversight of these lands in regards to the northern forces has been unchecked for two years now. He is aware of our presence and expects us to not bother and just pass through… He wants to meet us though… The bandits and highway men are routinely fighting Solomon and the garrison forces… Hence why we were attacked. They thought us a supply train for Solomon. He has been starving the people for his own financial gain enforcing harsh tactics and tithes on everyone."

  "Figures," Kale smugly remarked.

  "Like you knew," Audra rolled her eyes.

  "Screw you."

  "Shut it," Skivvy growled forcing everyone to listen to Desmond.

  Desmond finished, "There is a bandit leader in the woods just north west of here in a cavern. Simon, the old man, suggests we meet the bandit leader first. His daughter will guide us. They may be helpful in freeing this town…We have two options… To help these people and restore the good name of this kingdom’s forces or to move on?”

  Everyone unanimously agreed to help the townspeople as if it was obvious to begin with.

  Desmond smiled and said, “Okay… Let’s meet this bastard. Nikolai, going need help planning.”

  “Got you! I have ideas.”