Conflict

Lucas's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the bone dagger lying next to Otto, unmistakably Adara's weapon. His suspicions surged, mingling with a surge of anger and concern.

"That's Adara's dagger!" Lucas exclaimed, his voice betraying a hint of accusation.

Otto's gaze hardened, and the atmosphere in the room shifted palpably. The other residents of the hall exchanged nervous glances, sensing the tension escalating.

"Where did you get that dagger?" Lucas demanded, his hand instinctively reaching for The Mentor's Hand at his waist.

Otto's eyes narrowed, his stance becoming defensive. "What's it to you, boy? This dagger came into my possession fair and square. Now, if you don't mind, I've got business to attend to."

Lucas's grip tightened on his sword, his mind racing with possibilities. Had Adara been robbed? Or worse, had she fallen into the hands of these unsavoury characters?

"I won't ask again," Lucas said, his voice low and controlled. "Where. Is. Adara?"

Otto's response was a sneer, his hand casually resting on the hilt of the dagger. "You think you can come in here and make demands? You're in no position to negotiate, boy. Now get out of my sight before things get ugly."

Without another word, Otto lunged forward, the bone dagger flashing in his hand. Lucas reacted instinctively, drawing The Mentor's Hand with lightning speed. The clash of steel reverberated through the hall, a symphony of danger and determination.

Otto swung with his free hand, his meaty fist making contact with the side of Lucas's head. Rolling as he hit the floor, the novice swordsman quickly got back to his feet as Otto leapt with the dagger again.

But this time Lucas was ready, the Mentor's Hand caught Otto in the arm, the sword's superior reach claiming blood against the bandit. Recoiling, Otto signalled for the others at the table to swarm Lucas.

As the other residents of the hall moved to join the fray, a man with a rat-like face emerged from the shadows, brandishing a broken bottle as a makeshift weapon. With a wicked grin, he charged towards Lucas, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Lucas, undeterred by the sudden onslaught, sidestepped the man's clumsy attack, the broken bottle narrowly missing his shoulder. Seizing the opportunity, Lucas delivered a swift kick to the man's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him stumbling backwards.

Seeing the Bandit on the floor Lucas took the opportunity to dispatch the enemy. With a quick slash, his opponents head rolled along the wooden planks. silence echoed in the room, suddenly everything became much more real...

Lucas stood amidst the chaos, his chest heaving with adrenaline as the gravity of his actions sank in. The air was thick with tension, the scent of blood mingling with the musty odour of the abandoned hall. The other residents, stunned by the sudden turn of events, watched in shock and fear.

Otto, clutching his wounded arm, glared at Lucas with a mixture of anger and disbelief. The rat-faced man lay motionless on the ground, his eyes wide with terror as his lifeless body lay before him.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Lucas surveyed the scene before him. He had come here in search of answers, but now he found himself embroiled in a deadly confrontation.

"Where is Adara?" Lucas demanded, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him.

Tossing the dagger at Lucas's feet, Otto readjusted what he had previously thought about the young lad. "I don't know about the girl, but the dagger came from Ellius, the local sorcerer... you'll find him pretty much straight west of here."

Without a word, Lucas bent down to retrieve Adara's dagger, his fingers curling around the familiar bone hilt. The weight of it in his hand reassured him, grounding him amidst the chaos of the moment.

"Thank you," Lucas said, his voice low but sincere.

With that, Lucas turned on his heel and strode out of the abandoned hall, his mind already racing with plans to find Ellius and uncover the truth about Adara's disappearance.

As he emerged into the cool night air, the gravity of the situation settled over him like a heavy cloak. The night seemed to stretch endlessly before him, filled with unknown dangers and obstacles yet to overcome.

"Soul-bound this item..." Urged Lucas to the system, praying a message would reward him.

★≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈★

This Weapon is already bonded to a different individual.

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Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucas went back into the town to reconvene with Titania.