Evil is Evil

The Aegis didn't know if he or the two burlap sacks smelled worse but he didn't care. Coagulated blood was plastered like paint spots all over his armor. Dirt and mud covered what was left uncovered by his beard and long unkempt hair. He entered the mead hall mud falling from his clothes and the smell of rotting flesh and blood in his wake.

The hall slowly fell silent, the tables closest began to cover their noses and lay curses upon the Aegis. Then the poets stopped playing with their flutes and harps and then the head table took notice.

A large powerful man with no hair on the top of his head and a long stringy beard to his belt stood. He looked older than he was, the bearded and weather-beaten face did not suit his age.

Quinn glared down the long hallway staring down Hjall with each step, his eyes seemed to cut right into the soul. Hjall tried to quickly swallow the chicken he had just stuffed in his mouth and after a few attempts was successful. A banquet was being held in honor of his magnificence Baron Hjall. Quinn scoffed, he had utter hatred for the man but he paid well. The baron himself was not all evil, Quinn had not witnessed the baron outrightly do anything evil at least but… he hated him.

"Ahhhh! The Aegis returns!" Hjall bellowed as Quinn neared the head table.

Quinn let his eyes talk for him and let go of the sack he gripped in his left hand. The burlap fell unveiling a large head of a werewolf. The head hadn't fully reverted into its human form when slain, so it looked even more revolting as it was a half-wolf half-human grotesque ball of tangled tissue and flesh.

The room was silent for a few seconds and then erupted in a roar as Hjall gave a toast to Quinn's success. "A toast to Quinn, the best Aegis around!" Hjall bellowed, his wife wincing, frowned and covered her ears.

Hjall's wife a short dark-haired woman who could whirl up a storm was a pleasant enough woman although she didn't know who her husband was. She saw a strong and capable warrior where others saw a liar and deceiver.

Quinn nodded again as Hjall tossed him a coin pouch, he need not count it, despite everything the Aegis hated about the baron he never did slight on payment.

Then the room fell silent again as all eyes moved to the second blood-soaked and rotting burlap sack.

He released his grip on the other sack and the room fell to a quiet hush except for a few people who asked "what is it?" or "move I can't see."

Three heads, human heads, rolled onto the floor. One wearing the same helm that Hjalls soldiers wore. Two guards distinctively reached for their swords.

Quinn Extended his right hand and thrust his palm out softly, it did not need much for the guards were not in a ready stance. The sound like a large boulder being dropped from a castle wall boomed as a burst of energy shot from the Aegis's palm and struck the guards in their chest. Both were taken off their feet and thrown a few meters onto the now empty table as the blast had cleared all the food and drink that sat on top of it.

"Hold!" Hjall bellowed in a heavy commanding voice. His eyes flared a little then dimmed when they met Quinn's. "Why," He continued after everyone regained their composure, "did you kill three of my men?"

Quinn's piercing black eyes grilled Hjall. The Baron who was afraid did not let his face show it. He tried to hold Quinn's stare but could not, he attempted acting nonchalantly as he reached for his mug of ale and drank heavily.

"Evil is evil be it monster or be it man. These were evil men doing evil things, I suggest that you reign in your men or I'll be taking more contracts on them."

Hjall forced a smile and with a curious voice asked, "someone had a contract on my men?"

"No," Quinn replied, "an entire town had a contract on three of your men."

Hjall stood staring across the room full of peasants all waiting to see what his response would be. He weighed his options for a few seconds before replying. "I will impale their heads on spikes like the brigands they were and we will move on. Let the music begin! Let the feasting continue! Someone get the Aegis a drink!" Hjall again forced a smile, and the feasting continued.

Quinn scanned the room for a secluded place to sit. He noticed the single men huddled in a corner table. They were no doubt rating and scouting the women. Most were young but some a little older. The older ones were either too shy or too ugly to find a date whereas the younger was too adventurous and always ended on the doorstep being yelled at cursed by a woman who found out she was not the only one.

Then he found the single ladies table, laughing and giggling they were among the loudest in the room. They too rated and scouted the men. Albeit much more loudly and with much more giggling. The older single ladies were either divorced once and swore to never love again until the alcohol was flowing, that is, or like the men their age, too shy. The younger ladies were either single because of a panic range of emotion or their fathers required a large amount of gold for a dowry which the men could not provide. This usually resulted in secret marriages or being wed to someone twice their age whom they didn't love but owned land.

The drunks were loudest- and playing pinfinger? That would end a disaster. Quinn stayed far away from that group as possible. Most either wallowed in self-pity and blamed everything and everyone for their problems or just hated their life so much they couldn't think of anything better to do.

The nobles were trying to befriend other nobles while always trying to maintain an image of superiority. Thus the game of politics. Unlike politicians, the Aegis preferred to get things done rather than talk about getting things done.

Quinn finally spotted a table of card players who were so invested in their game he wondered if they even knew what had just transpired. There was an empty chair so maybe he could join the game. Quinn wove his way through the maze of tables while not apologizing to anyone he may have bumped or run into. A hooded figure sitting to his right briefly caught his attention, then again. That person wanted something from him. Pretending not to notice Quinn looked back at the gamblers. The hooded figure reached for Quinn's arm. But Quinn was to fast, he caught the wrist and twisted until it strained then shoved the cloaked character forward until their face ground into the table.

"What do you want?" Quinn growled.

"My face is smashed against a wooden table, what do you think I want?" A familiar voice from under the hood responded.