7 Chapter 07 - Call the guards!

Making his way out of the merchant's guild Balthor sets on to the packed street, he pushes his way through the bustling crowd making his way towards the inn. Damn it, I've never seen the city this packed! It's like every person in a hundred miles has decided to stay in the city. Ugh, I'm taking a shortcut.

Balthor Makes his way down one of the dark side alleys to hasten his trip back to the inn. After walking for a few minutes Balthor notices that it's quiet, way too quiet, Balthor slows down his pace wondering how these back streets aren't packed at this time by the locals. Collecting his nerve, he hastens his pace and rounds a corner. Balthor slips on the wet cobblestone paving and lands hard on his backside.

Damn it, what ass hole dumped their chamber pot, right in the walkway. Ugh disgusting, my ass is soaked.

Balthor has no choice and puts his hand down and braces himself to rise, as he stands up and takes a few unsteady steps, he notices a metallic smell he knows unmistakably is blood.

What the hell, what lost so much blood, there must be a body around here. After checking his surrounding, he didn't find a body per se, only something that once was a body it's missing the head, left arm, both legs, and its chest is torn wide open exposing the inner rib cage. Where is his heart, it normally would have been in the center but was nothing but an empty bloody hole, his heart and most of his inner organs were missing.

What did this, Balthor starts to sweat profusely, as thoughts of his own life ending in a similar way, I must flee and call the guards. the blood streaks and splashes give away the direction not to go, Balthor starts to run in the original direction he came, yelling for the guards. Guards! guards!

The noise stirred the surroundings causing some of the residents to peek out their windows at the disturbance, one man opened his window.

Frank a small-time merchant, midsized with dirty brown hair and blue eyes, was just sitting down at the dinner table to grab a needed meal with his family but as he was about to take his first bite he heard someone yelling for the guards over and over.

"Frank," Jess said as she was looking at the faces of her husband and kids with concern.

Jess don't worry I'll go take a look, stay here you and the kids eat dinner, I'll be right back. Frank grabbed his short sword and headed to the window.

"Hey Mister, what is all the noise about."

Balthor noticed someone poke their head out one of the windows and hell a few details to the man. Monster attack, one dead not sure where it is, get back inside. Balthor blew by Frank running as fast as he could for the main street and a guard station.

The color from Frank's face drained to white, Monster attacked inside the city walls what is the world coming to. Frank latched the window and closed the storm shutters and locked the bar as a Merchant, even a small one his home was built sturdier than most with lesser warding runes. Frank whispered the locking and defense runes activation phrase and rush into the dining room to check on his family. A few steps before entering the dining room, he took a few deep breaths to calm down and walked in as if nothing happened.

Nothing to worry about dear, we will talk about it later, but no one is allowed out tonight as the guards will be working nearby.

Jess knew right away something dangerous must of happened the warding runes shinned for a brief second showing they have been activated.

"oh, dear what is going on out there"

Balthor felt he did the right thing warning that guy, he lives close to the ally. As Balthor made the corner he spotted a guard hut. Guard! Guard! He yelled.

A tall well-built man leaned out the guard door dressed in full chainmail and leather armor, with a long spear and a sword on his hip. The man's armor is worn, what a few small dents and scratches showing he's experiencing and has seen action but well maintained and polished.

Gregory arrived for his posted watched early and was getting a quick dinner in while sitting in the heated hut, As he was munching on meat and beans he read today's brief on today's events, he just dismissed one of the younger guards for the night telling him good job and he's in line for a promotion if he keeps up the hard work and dedication. Most younger guards Slack off near the end of their shifts and always seem to be reprimanded but not this newbie. His report was clean and concise, he reported traffic and street trading and theft were on the rise and we may need to expand the guard post for another watcher. Gregory said the same thing to his superiors a few months back.

"Guard!"

"Guard!"

Gregory set down his stack of reports and poked his head out of the hut and noticed a well-dressed man running towards him, seemingly his hands and wrists were covered in blood. Damn another mugging or murder. Gregory grabbed the hut's warding badge and spoke an activation code followed by his hut number and informed Headquarters he's going to need backup from at least two other watchers. Normally he would wait to hear the man's story but for some reason he got a chill from seeing the fear in the man's eyes, it was just a gut feeling.

Alright, tell me what happened and what crime has taken place. Gregory stood there waiting for the man to catch his breath and report the issue. Headquarters dispatcher responded two watchers sent, ETA fifteen minutes.