Chapter 54: To brawl or not to brawl?
I stood there in front of Sam with my cloak covering my wings. My hood had long since revealed my horns and I stood a good 4 feet taller than her at 9 feet compared to her 5 some feet. In the grand scheme of things I dwarfed everyone in the hall. One of the people had gotten up from the table and was checking on the guy who was collapsed on the floor. It was a young woman in a black cloak with a fang and bow emblem on it. Her hair was red with silvery grey streaks in it. I couldn't really see her face.
( He should've heeded my warning) I thought with a huff. "Marcus are you alright?!" The girl asked with a slightly surprised voice. She checked his neck for a pulse. She sighed and rose up while the rest of the table got up. There were three men and another older and more bodacious woman. The men were thicker muscled and looked alot stronger. They were about 6 feet tall and wore mail and plate armor similar to those specialising in tank jobs. They looked like a set of triplets. Short dark hair with thick jaws and deep eyes with slightly green skin. They all seemed to be a mix of something. What I couldn't tell you. Maybe another troll breed mix?
The women both wore robes and had books strapped to their sides. I didn't need to look closer to know they were spell tomes. The first girl was small with a petite figure and obviously human. The other was about 5 foot with bluish hair and a curvy figure that could make most people drool. Dark skin made her emerald eyes stand out. (Definitely a dark elf.) I thought.
They both took out their tomes and began to chant quietly as the men gathered in front. They had large shields as tall and wide as they were. They interlocked their shields as I heard the girls behind them yell something.
" Lightning Bolt!", " Flare Serpent!" They yelled together as energy gathered into two bolts of energy. One Red and made of flames. The other was Yellow and crackled with electrical energy. They shot at me with speedy precision. Unfortunately they were far too slow. My shields moved as my cloak flew around me. My tail whipped over and pulled Sam behind me as the fire bolt and the lightning hit my shields and an explosion sent smoke and dust into the air.
Smoke rose from the impact of the thunder and flame bolts against my shield shrouding us against the view of everybody. I would have moved during that time but I sensed a few presences blocking the doorway. ( Damn..... Guess I'll have to do things the hard way.) I thought frustrated at our current situation. The smoke cleared and my cloak had been blown to smoking pieces. But my shields stood as a testament to my defensive might as Sam peeked out from behind me at the people. "WHAT?! How is he still standing from that!?" Someone shouted from the crowded hall.
" He must be a monster." Another said. I moved my shields and shook them a little.
" That stung a bit." I said as I stood tall and took out my gauntlets. ( Time to get my hands dirty.) I thought. I moved toward the shield wall slowly and deliberately. One of the shield men shouted at the girls. " Blast him again Evangeline!" The curvy one was already muttering and sent another bolt flying at me. I reached up and punched it sending sparks cascading across the hall. The excess power I absorbed as I continued forward. Evangeline's jaw could've hit the floor from how open it was.
My arm stung a little but was quickly healing from the magic. / Hosts MER has grown to level 8 against lightning element./ The system chimed.
I saw another fire bolt flying at me and simply let it hit me. I ignited and the girl started laughing. " Ha! You idiot! That flame won't go out till you're dead!" I stopped and looked at the flames. I took a stance with my legs spread and started sucking on the flames. The flames started moving into my mouth and soon my body was left flameless.
The girls jaw dropped. " That's unfair!" She screamed at me. I looked at her as I moved forward. " Nothing in life is fair little one." I replied.
I finally got to the shield men and grabbed one of the shields. The man holding it started yelling at me to let go. I merely lifted him off the ground and chucked him toward the door with my left hand.
There were two men standing there with spears at the ready. They dove sideways out of the mans way when they saw him coming. He flew clean out the doors as though it was a grand exit.
"Morris!" One of the guys yelled and he jumped to tackle me. I swung my shield around and hit him in his side sending him rolling across the floor and into a table where he went limp. The last one had dropped his shield and had pulled out some special looking gauntlets. They were gold in color and set with what looked like small bones. He tore his shirt off of him and turned more green and his canines grew longer. Soon a scaled man stood before me. I had seen pictures of these things. He was an orc half breed.
" Now it's a fight!" I said as I got a little excited. He and I took boxing stances and I pulled my wings in to make things even to some extent. I had always wanted to box as a kid.
I took a couple lessons but then life decided it didn't want me to live like I wanted. In the end I had been bedridden. Now I got the chance in this life. He went for a jab to my face but I brought my arms together to block. I realized then that it was a feint and he hit my midsection. I felt the blow but it felt light.
( My body just isn't normal. Why should I be surprised.) I thought.
I was moved back a little by the force of the punch but l kept on the defensive. He kept on punching. " What are you? A boxer or a snake who thinks he's a boxer! Cant even fight back properly can you! Get him Breacher!" People shouted.
Breacher kept throwing punches and I kept defending. I wasn't really trying to throw punches. I was trying to conserve strength. It was when he started to get tired I let him have it. A shot to the solar plexus. I hammered his chest and ribs. My last punch to his midsection sent him tumbling and knocked him out. By that time the hall was in pandemonium. People were placing bets and others were cursing. People kept coming up and I kept brawling. Some came after Sam while I was busy. Luckily Sam sent them packing with a swing from the good old thunder hammer.
It was about an hour or so later that the brawl finally ended and I sat down exhausted. Any bruises, split lips, or scratches were quickly healing. My contact with the ground was sending energy through me giving me a little boost. It didn't really boost stamina, just healing ability. Suddenly a mans voice echoed through the building.
" What's this nonsense!?" It was a tall burly man covered in scars. He wore simple grey cotton clothes but his muscles were large and one could tell these clothes were just the right size to contain but not hide them.
His left eye was scarred and he had a pipe in his mouth with some smoke coming out. He surveyed the room. Chairs and tables were broken with people laying in the midst of them. All the while the damage radius had me at the center with the quest board behind me. As he looked across the hall silence fell.
It was obvious who this man was. The guild master. Right behind him stood the receptionist from earlier. She stood staring at me with a slight blush on her face.
I looked down and realized the only thing left of my clothes was my metal loin cloth that Hargo made for me. Thankfully it was an ornate piece and didn't look like boxers. Else I would have died of embarrassment. I quickly retreated behind the quest board and pulled some clothes out of my bag. When I came out again I was dressed in common clothes. The man burley man noticed and pointed at me.
" You. Come with me." He noticed Sam in the process. "And bring her too." He pointed at Sam as well. He turned and went back up the stairs. Adventurers parted like the red sea so we could go on through. They all looked beaten and bloodied. (And to think I went easy on them.) I thought. I moved slowly through them with Sam at my side. We went up the stairs and found another hallway with the receptionist standing there ready to lead us to the guild masters office. We wove through hallways and up a tower. When we reached the top of the tower we reached a massive oak door.
It was 10 feet tall by 5 feet wide. The girl moved her hand across the door and it silently swung open. Not a squeak or creak could be heard as it moved. It was eerie and disturbing to me. We entered quickly as the door closed behind us without a sound.
The room we had entered was large and filled with unique items. Stuffed monsters and paintings. They were what seemed to be various things related to what people might call a bribe. Everything had a label dictating where it had come from. Various nobles and Clergy who had sent things. You might wonder how I know clergy. Very few people can be called by the title of "Father" I'll say that much.
As my eyes took in the room I noticed the far end of the room. The guildmasters desk was large and made of a dark wood. It had a quill and a ink well set in the front on the right hand side. There was a strange set of scales. Like the ones you see lady justice hold. One side said truth while the other said lies. It was made of what seemed to be a set of bones from some beast. I finished my sight seeing quickly as the man finished scrawling something on a piece of parchment which folded itself into an origami swan and flew out a small window on his right. He sat back in his chair and gave a heavy sigh.
" You two made a fine mess of my guild hall. And my adventurers. Now.... I want to know how you'll pay me back for the repairs to the guild hall." He place his hands on the table with his fingers interlocked. I simply stood there as my temper started to rise. I had no way to compensate. ( We have to get a move on. Enemies will start showing up in droves if we stay here.) Sam stepped up and spoke for me.
" You want compensation? Why? Your adventurers struck us first. We were just passing through. We have every right to defend ourselves as is stated in the laws of this continent." She crossed her arms.
" And to make matters worse you posted my picture everywhere as missing or kidnapped. Why?" She looked at him indignantly. The man looked at her with indifference. "We post whatever the capital sends us for missing persons. Whether it's you or another it's been decided by people with more pull than me. Either way. Return home if you want that price off your head. Now back to my compensation. I want 100 silver coins for the damage done and the medical services being provided for my adventurers. I reccomend staying for a while and completing the quests I assign you until then." He went to get up. As he rose I noticed a small smirk.
I reached forward and placed my hand on his shoulder. Without blinking he grabbed my wrist and went to break it. Unfortunately for him I have stronger bones than others. All that happened was a small amount of stinging. He was surprised when my grip increased instead of decreased.
( His wrist should have broke.) He thought but his shoulder was suddenly a lot heavier as he was forced into his chair again. I leaned in close. " Your little grin just now betrayed you. Who is paying you to try to keep us here?"
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