Chapter 14

The Snake's gaze was like a viper's, cold and piercing, as he strode into the tavern. The room grew silent, the patrons shrinking away from the man's presence. Ken and the guard stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the Snake as he approached.

"Well, well," the Snake purred, his voice like silk over sandpaper. "Looks like we have some newcomers in our midst." He paused, taking in the sight of the two men, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "And what might I call you two gentlemen?"

"The name's Ken," Ken replied, his voice strong and confident despite the nerves fluttering in his stomach. "And this is my friend, well... let's call him... Bill."

The Snake's smile broadened. "Ken and Bill, is it?" He leaned in closer, his eyes glittering with curiosity.

"And what brings you to my little establishment, Ken and Bill?"

Ken hesitated, his mind racing for a convincing story. "We were just passing through," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Thought we'd stop for a drink before moving on."

The Snake's eyes narrowed, his gaze roving over the two men. "Passing through, you say? And yet, you find yourselves in the heart of the city, in the depths of my humble den." He paused, letting the silence hang heavy in the air. "I must say, gentlemen, I am not convinced."

Ken swallowed, trying to keep his composure. "I'm not sure I understand," he said, keeping his tone neutral. "Are we not allowed to be here?"

The Snake's smile turned predatory, the room seeming to shrink around them.

"Oh, you are certainly allowed," the Snake said, his voice smooth and dangerous. "But that doesn't mean you're welcome." He leaned back, surveying the two men with a calculating gaze. "You see, I am a man of information, and I know much about the comings and goings in my city. And I know that there have been some...disturbances of late."

Ken's heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his face calm, his eyes on the Snake. "Disturbances?" he asked, his voice level.

"Indeed," the Snake said, his voice dripping with menace. "Strange happenings. Assassinations. Uprisings. And two men, traveling together, who seem to be rather out of place in my humble city. Do you not think that is...curious?"

Ken felt the sweat bead on his forehead, but he forced himself to remain still. "We know nothing of these things," he said, his voice steady. "We are just travelers, seeking shelter for the night."

The Snake's eyes bored into Ken's, searching for a hint of weakness, of fear.

"Travelers, you say?" the Snake repeated, the word tasting like poison on his tongue. "And yet, I sense there is more to you than meets the eye." He stepped closer, the air between them crackling with electricity. "Perhaps I should ask you again, Ken. Why are you really here?"

Ken stood his ground, his face unreadable. "We are simply looking for rest and shelter," he repeated, his voice strong. "We mean no harm."

The Snake's lips curved into a smile that was more a baring of teeth than anything else.

"Rest and shelter, you say?" the Snake replied, the words rolling off his tongue like a serpent's hiss.

"And yet, I cannot help but wonder...what might you be willing to offer in return for this hospitality?"

Ken tensed, his hand inching towards the hilt of his sword. "We have nothing to offer," he said, his voice hardening. "We are not men of wealth or power."

The Snake chuckled, a low, dark sound that sent shivers down Ken's spine.

"Oh, but you are wrong, Ken," the Snake said, his voice dripping with malice. "You have something far more valuable than gold or jewels. You have knowledge. Information. And that, my friend, is worth more than any treasure in this world."

Ken's heart was pounding now, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "What do you want with us?" he demanded, his voice shaking with barely contained anger.

The Snake's smile widened, his eyes flashing in the dim light of the tavern.

"Why, Ken," the Snake said, his voice a silky whisper. "What I want is simple. I want the Blood Sword." He stepped forward, his face inches from Ken's. "I know you have it. And I want it. Now."

Ken's eyes widened, his shock and fear mingling with the heat of anger. "You're wrong," he said, his voice barely more than a growl. "I don't have the sword."

The Snake's smile turned into a sneer, his hand darting out to grab Ken's throat.

"Lies," the Snake hissed, his grip tightening on Ken's neck. "I can see it in your eyes. You have the sword, and you will give it to me. Now."

Ken choked out a strangled reply, his hands scrambling to pry the Snake's fingers from his throat. "I won't," he gasped, his lungs straining for air. "I can't."

The Snake's smile turned cruel. "Then you leave me no choice."

"Bill!" Ken croaked, his voice raspy with desperation.

"Help!"

Bill moved swiftly, springing into action with a warrior's grace. He drew his sword, a gleaming blade flashing in the darkness, and lunged at the Snake.

But the Snake was faster, sidestepping the attack with a dancer's grace. His hand flashed, a dagger appearing in his grip, and he slashed out, leaving a thin red line across Bill's arm.

The Snake laughed, a cruel, triumphant sound that echoed in the silence of the tavern.

The tension hung heavy in the air, like the stillness before a storm. And as the silence stretched on, the words of the Snake lingered in their ears:

"Choose wisely, my friends. For your lives are in my hands."

(Author's Notes: The characters do not know how the blood sword looks like, they just only know it because they've always heard about it in rumors. Which is why, characters ask his about the blood sword like he isn't with it, which is because they don't know how it looks.