Chapter 9: A blood commotion

Under the night's light Oliver staggers down the cobbled road, supported by Pallas. The Brittle cold lingers him as he hobbles along towards the Inn. Close behind Dipp followed, unsure how to help. Too short to help carry and didn't know where to go for help. The uneasy pain the distraught Dipp lingering feeling of uselessness deep in his core.

The Dog's Mouth, laughter echoed from inside. Through the window crowds of Forrest folk were visible. Laughing, drinking and eating late into the night. With one hand supporting his injured friend Pallas clumsily pushes open the Inn door, accidentally opening it with a loud thud. All laughter and talking stopped, the room turned to look at their dramatic entrance.

"Please! He needs help! My friend hurt badly, please someone!" Pallas cried out loudly. Stumbling into the room., he staggers past the crowds, one after another, they took a step back, ignoring Pallas' cry for help. Confused, he gently puts Oliver down on a chair. Unsure how to help Dipp stands at the door, staring in disbelief,

"their's no way he could die from one stab right?." He repeated in his head over and over, praying his friend was okay.

"I'm fine,... let me rest.." Oliver said in a low and shaky voice, taking deep breaths as he spoke. His vision blurred, he struggled to look Pallas in the eyes as he spoke.

"Oliver, you don't know what's happening. Just let me help you" He said in a condescending tone. Bending down, he looked over the wound. The knife still stuck deep into his side, taking a deep breath as he tried desperately to think of what to do next.

"I said I'm fine," Oliver says with a deep and threatening tone, narrowing brow as he glares at Pallas. Oliver knew he wasn't okay, but he couldn't afford for someone to discover he wasn't a regular human. The crowd of patrons faces darken as they watch Oliver threaten the only person trying to help.

"You stupid ass human, what gives you the right to speak to him like that!" A bear-like Forrest folk roared as he stood tall. His teeth and claws in full display as he plods towards Oliver. One after another, the crowd echoed and agreed with the fuming bear man.

"Wait, please stop! Oliver isn't a bad guy! don't hurt him!" Dipp cried across the room. His arms spread wide standing before the towering bear man. His fur standing on it's ends as he stared into the eyes of the bear-man.

"You little rat, you don't understand human's don't care about us. The only thing they want is to treat us like shit and beat us down if we fight back!" He yelled, bringing his fist down on a table as he roared. Crack's radiating through the table from the force of his fist. The room goes deathly silent, as the bear-man breathed heavily, before taking a deep breath and raising his fist, threatening the small Dipp.

"Enough of this crap. take your fighting outside!" A familiar voice yelled. The bear man's hand stopped by a tight grip. Frustrated, he turns his head to see the Inn Keeper furious. "You think you can break my tables and start a fight?, pay for the table and sit the hell down" She roared. To Dipps surprise he nodded in agreement, slumping his back into a chair, passing the Innkeeper a bag of coins in defeat. The InnKeeper crouched down beside the Injured Oliver, carefully she looks over his wounds, surprised by the lack of blood from should a deep wound.

"Wait.," Oliver said in a low voice as his vision began to blur. The Innkeeper gripped the blade of the knife, with a quick yank she pulled the knife out blood coating the weapon she drops it to the floor before putting pressure on the wound. The smell of death and blood, forcing her to wince. The smell intense and overbearing her she holds her breath while wrapping and bandages his wounds, letting out a deep breath as she finishes. She knew he wasn't typical human with a smell like that lingering around him, but if Forrest folk were willing to stand up for him, he couldn't be too bad.

"Don't worry. Your friend's going to be just fine. Help him to your room and let him rest." The InnKeeper letting out a deep breath before reassuring Oliver wasn't in grave danger. Dipp and Pallas both nodding in agreement, without a word carefully rt there injured friend up the stairs being mindful of each step they take.

"What the hell was that even about?" Patrons said as they returned to their food and drink. Like nothing happened, they laughed amongst themselves, drinking away and care in the world. From the counter the Innkeeper stared blankly into the crowd of Forrest folk, her mind focused entirely on the smell surrounding those two. Throughout her life, she'd met all kinds of people, bandits, murders, adventures. She was used to the scent of blood. But the pungent odour those two carried was like pure death. Confused and frustrated, she shook her head, throwing away the thought.

"Okay boys, what can I get for yous? Another meal? Maybe refill?" she said with a broad grin, standing over a busy table, desperately trying to distract herself.

Away from the Dog mouth, deep within the bowls of Bronze. An extravagant man sat behind a lush desk. His eyes narrowed on a man kneeling on the floor before him. Frustration boiling deep inside him, he pitches his brow tightly before pushing his lavish chair back. Running his hands through his long back hair, he stands tall.

"Leon, did you think you were allowed to fail such a simple errand like dealing with a senile old man?" The man said in a deep and cold tone. His narrowed at Leon as he spoke. Slowly he walked around his deks, each step the man took the cowering Leon flinched in fear.

"Please Isen, I'll deal with him just give me another chance!" Leon cried out, begging for another chance. Isen, now standing directly in front of him, slowly he rolls up his sleeves. His sleeves rolled up. Two glowing gems radiating lights were visible, each one carved into Isen's forearms.

"Why would I trust you? Not only did you fail you, because of you two men are now in the hands of the guards. Your not good for business" He said in a low voice. Before Leon could continue to beg for forgiveness, the gems glowed brightly. A pain radiating from his chest he looked down, Isen's fist pierced through him.

"How..." Leon spoke alone low word before Isen pulled his arm out of him, leaving him to collapse to the floor. Standing over the lifeless body, Isen rolls down his sleeves, and the gems glow fading away. A quick flick of his fingers, the door of his room opened wide. Two servants walk into the room, with a deep bow they wait for their Lord's order.

"Deal with this mess, by the time I return no trace of him should be left" He orders without acknowledging their existence, walking out of the room, leaving the servants to their job. Inside the hall, two servants close the door behind their Lord.

"Oh Lord Isen, I hadn't expected to see you out of your office for quite some time. Is something the matter" A woman walking down the hall asked curiously.

"Well, Rein. The pesky Oliver issue hasn't be dealt with yet. That slow-minded Leon failed so I'll need someone trustworthy to handle it. Can you deal with it for me?" Isen asked politely with a small smile on his face. Rein's neck stood on its end as she processed her Lord's words.

"No worry's Lord Isen. I'll solve the problem right away!" She said in a flustered voice. A direct request from her Lord, the fear of failing him left her heart beating erratically.

"Alright, then. I'll leave the matter with you" Isen said in a low voice as he walked down the corridor. His footsteps still echoing around Rein long after he'd left.

"I can't end up like Leon. I need to deal with this properly." She said to her self as he scurried down the hall, the fear of failing left a heavy burden on her shoulders. At her desk, she looked over Leon's notes, to her surprise he'd gathered a large amount of information in a short amount of time. One of the reports left a smile on her face.

"With this, I'll be able to deal with them easily! Thank you, Leon, at least in death your useful" She shouted, letting out a big sigh as she began to write her plan. The frantic sound of her writing echoing outside her office.