Chapter 1: Scorched Mountain
The small city's bustling Butcher's Street was a carnivorous carnival, with hungry crowds lining up for succulent meats at every turn. From the pop-up vendors to the specialized carts and stands, every few feet, boasted a new meaty delight.
But among the skilled meat experts, there was one who stood out like a blazing flame on a dark night. He didn't rely on the usual tactics of savory smells, secret recipes, or exotic spices to lure customers in. No, he had a rare talent, an almost magical touch with his knives that turned even the toughest cuts of meat into tender, succulent morsels that melted in your mouth.
But despite his exceptional skill, he was an outcast among the other butchers. They didn't consider him one of their own, and their jealousy and disdain dripped from their lips like spoiled meat.
The man chopped away day in and day out, a solitary figure amidst the bustling throngs of Butcher's Street. Ignoring the disdain of the other meat experts, he honed his craft with a fierce intensity that few could match. With each cut of his knife, he infused the meat with a raw power that seemed to radiate from his very being.
But it wasn't just his knife skills that set him apart. He had a flair for the dramatic, too, tossing the meat high into the air with abandon before gracefully winding his bow and hitting it with a skill that left onlookers breathless and the meat slightly above the flame. As the meat roasted over an open fire, he sliced it with an arrow whose tip he had personally adjusted, every slice fell into the customers plate, each cut precise and swift.
And when he wasn't wowing the crowds with his dazzling display of marksmanship, he had a wooden stand that extended from his cart, showcasing the wild game he had caught himself in the early morning hours. There was something undeniably captivating about the man, a magnetic quality that drew people in despite the sneers of the other butchers.
The man's humble little shop, tucked away in a corner of Butcher's Street, was easy to overlook. But one look at his bow, a stunning blend of ebony and obsidian with the finest fibers, was enough to catch the eye of any passerby. It was a pearl in the mud, a precious gem among the rough-and-tumble meat vendors that surrounded him.
From pit to dish, the man's customers not only received a hearty meal but also a dazzling display of archery skills. He never failed to impress, even as the other butchers glared at him with undisguised envy and resentment. But he didn't care about any of them; his life was simple, he earned enough to eat, and most importantly, he was married to the girl of his dreams.
On a slow day, he decided to pack up early and surprise his beloved. It was an unusual move for the man, who usually worked until sundown, but he couldn't resist the thought of seeing his wife's face light up with joy.
The man's wooden cart creaked and groaned as he pushed it down the uneven streets, the sound was a familiar melody to his ears. But as he arrived at his humble cottage, he noticed something strange: all the lights were turned off. Had she forgotten to leave a message? Or perhaps she was out running errands?
Undaunted, he decided to surprise her by setting up a romantic evening before she returned home. Pushing his wooden cart to a nearby bush for safekeeping, he winced as the wheels protested with each step.
"That's odd Carol didn't mention she would be out. Maybe I can surprise her before she gets here." Suddenly the lights to his living room turned on making him stop immediately.
The man's heart raced as he grabbed his bow and quiver, his mind reeling at the thought of a break-in. "But I have nothing to rob," he thought. Despite his fear, he moved with a swift grace, as light and agile as an antelope.
He made his way to the back of the cottage, his bow at the ready and an arrow held firmly in his hand. The garden was small, with only one entrance - the same way he had just come in. The man knew how to sneak into his own home, and he moved with a quiet confidence.
Suddenly, the light in his living room flickered off, then back on again. The man's heart pounded in his chest as he realized that someone really was inside his home. He moved with even greater speed, grabbing a wooden crate from the garden and placing it against the wall. With a fluid motion, he climbed up the crate, using it to peek over the high window to his bathroom.
The window was open, but all he could see was the empty bathroom. However, he could hear whispers coming from somewhere inside the house. His pulse quickened as he strained to listen, his senses heightened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
With swift speed, the man moved a wooden crate from his garden to the wall of his home. He then climbed on top of the crate, using it to peer over a high window which was open. His heart pounded in his chest as he strained to listen. Although he could see only the empty bathroom through the window, he could hear whispers coming from somewhere inside the house.
Without hesitation, the man crept inside through the open window, his bow at the ready. His movements were swift and silent, his senses on high alert. He moved quietly through his bathroom he paused in front of the closed bathroom door, his hand poised on the handle.
With a gentle twist, the man opened the door, his heart racing in his chest. Suddenly, there was a loud "SLAM!" that echoed through the house, freezing him in place. He stood there for a moment, listening intently for any other sounds.
"What the hell was that noise?" he thought to himself, hesitating for just a moment before walking out of the bathroom into the living room. The living room was empty, and the outside door was shut, but the sound of someone slamming the door was unmistakable.
Without another moment's hesitation, the man moved to his bedroom swinging the door open with a sense of urgency. But instead of an intruder, he found himself face to face with a half-naked Carol who was struggling to put on the rest of her clothes.
"Joey, what the hell are you doing? You almost gave me a heart attack," she snapped, clearly shocked by his sudden appearance.
Joey looked at her in confusion, his mind racing to make sense of what he was seeing. His eyes drifted to the bed, which was in complete disarray. He felt his stomach churn as he began to realize what had been happening in his absence.
"Wait, is this really happening right now?" he muttered under his breath, his face pale and dazed.
Carol, the woman who had been with Joey since he was 16, looked at him with concern. "What's wrong, Joey? You look sick," she said, stepping towards him. "Baby, I just got out of the shower and was about to dress myself. Look, I don't know what you heard, but I was here by myself."
Despite her reassurances, Joey couldn't shake a sickening feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.
Carol moved closer to Joey, her voice softening as she tried to calm him down. But their intimate moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.
"Carol, no one is out there! I'm telling you, that dork isn't coming right now. We still have one more hour," a man's voice shouted from the living room.
Joey look down before pulling the string of his bow with an arrow and pointing it at the door to the living room. Seeing what was about to happen Carol's eyes began to water as she shouted, "Steve run he's going to kill you!" In less than a second the front door of the house slammed again, Joey silently put his bow down before looking at Carol unable to say anything, the outside door swung open again as Joey left Carol behind.
"Wait Joey it's not what you think he's just a friend! Wait, I'm sorry, please let's talk about this." Carol shouted desperately chasing after Joey, however when she got to the living room he was gone.
A small distance away on top of a small hill Joey was bent over, he was throwing up after catching his breath and cleaning up, he then looked up to the sky as dusk was falling. "What the hell do you do now Joey?" He softly said to himself.
After returning back to the cottage, he saw his wooden cart had been pushed into his backyard. It was obvious that Carol had moved it. However, Joey continued to walk toward the small city as the stars began to come out. With no direction or destination in mind, Joey walked through the streets. People were either closing up their businesses or getting ready to serve up booze for the night life.
Joey continued walking in a daze as he approached the city square. Suddenly, a dark hooded figure, who was holding his side, dashed right past him, almost knocking him over. Before Joey could regain his balance, another figure ran into him, and they both fell to the ground.
"Ow watch where you're going you damn idiot!" a hooded small man wearing a demonic mask shouted as he quickly caught up to chase after the other hooded figure. The voice sounded familiar to Joey he very quickly recognized the voice and shouted back "Rollin is that you!?"
The small man with a blood red demon mask stopped and turned to look at Joey then at his lustrous black and white bow. "Joey!? Aw great are you going to fuck this bounty up too?" the small man said before taking out a small device that seemed to be tracking something. "Agh, I guess I got some time. How about a drink and don't worry it's on me, you look like shit by the way." Rollin said as he helped Joey stand up and putting a small, serrated blade away. "Thanks, Rollin! I can really use a drink after the day I've had." Joey said.
Later that night after Joey explained how he caught his wife Carol cheating on him he had to exhaustively talk Rollin out of finding the man Carol cheated on him with and torturing him to death.
Rollin started explaining to him how his business had flourished after the last time the three of them had been together. "I'm telling you Joey I have ears everywhere and the Asutan has been running their forces thin by invading the villages on the outskirts. They are consolidating power and the state of Morroglosa is doing the same. It's just a matter of time before one state attacks the other. I have been asking around and the Asutan's treasury is going to have to send half of its forces to strengthen the state's defense." Rollin said, making sure no one in the bar could hear him.
"Oh my God, Rollin, you're insane if you're thinking what I think you are!" Joey almost shouted, looking at Rollin in disbelief. Rollin grabbed him by the shoulder and quietly replied, "Yes I am thinking what you think I'm thinking. And it's Exactly because it's so insane, why we will get away with it. You, Mortello, and I were the best to ever do it. We've never been caught. The only reason we split was because of that wretched woman, and now she's finally gone. You know Tello, he hates the state, so he would definitely be in. We just have to find him."
Joey looked at Rollin, thinking about it before saying, "Yeah, but we have never robbed from a government before. We both know how vicious the Asutan Empire can be. If we were to do this, there's no way we can remain unnoticed." Rollin brought Joey closer and whispered something in his ear, which changed Joey's expression completely to a serious look before downing his drink in one. The two then walked out of the bar.
As the door closed behind the duo, one of the men drinking in the corner of the bar said to the bartender, "Hey, isn't that the poor fellow who Carol had working for her, bringing in money and cooking for her while she was inviting the whole town over in the mornings?" The bartender nodded his head before the entire bar burst into laughter. Luckily, Joey had already left and hadn't seen or heard any of it, and lucky for them so had Rollin.
"So where do you think that crazy magician is, anyways? Last I heard was that he had refused Asutan's call for those advanced in the secret arts. The Mystery Schools even sent one of their decreed wizards just to be denied by Tello. Then, a few years ago, I heard his Scorched Mountain was on the move again," Joey said. Rollin didn't seem surprised by what Joey said and replied, "Yeah, I heard something like that too, but that edict was given about five years ago. Wherever he is, all we have to do is find that damned Scorched Mountain of his. We'll have to stop by my bunker first."
"Bunker!?" Joey said loudly, before adding, "Wow, I've been in this city for years and could barely afford the shack I have. Seems like your business really is booming," he remarked.
A couple of hours later, the two of them were outside the city. The new moon provided little luminosity, and the road had long become a narrow dirt path. Rollin held a glass crystal with a bright fire inside that illuminated their path. "We're almost there," he said.
"This isn't my actual home; it's just a base I've been using since I came to the city of Erios," Rollin explained. Suddenly, he made a right turn towards a tree that guarded a dense forest behind it. After stopping in front of the tree, he looked around before placing his hand on a particular spot on the tree. Instantly, patterns of geometric lines glowed red before flashing a bright green. After taking his hand off, the shape of a door appeared. "Alright, Joey, you know the gentleman I am. 'Ladies first,'" Rollin said, gesturing towards the door. Joey walked in after mentioning how gentlemen typically didn't kill people for money.
Once Joey reached the bottom of the stairs, lights turned on, and what he saw almost made his jaw drop. The room was filled with a giant table taking up most of the space, it was full of dismantled pistols, broken throwing knives, and all sorts of different currencies in varying amounts. Even the walls were mounted with different body gear and armor, but the most shocking sight was the man tied to a chair with a rag in his mouth who looked lifeless.
After Rollin closed the door and walked down, he saw Joey standing like a frozen statue. "What's wrong? You're not used to a messy home? Oh, is it Martin? Don't worry, he's not dead. I was just waiting for the guys who put a target on him to increase their bounty before I claimed it. But since we're putting the crew back together, I'll just drop him off and claim the bounty as we look for Scorched Mountain," Rollin explained as he walked towards the bound man.
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