Chapter 10 - Snout Port Duke

As we trudge through stone alleyways, the dingey walls that stink of filth and the constantly ever present feeling of being watched creates a stark contrast to the well maintained adventurers guild that was set up in a picturesque part of the forest, even with the looming threat of monsters on the other side. Although being a monster is not so bad, having a master to serve has the benefit of mindlessly daydreaming as we walk down the dark alleys as the sun has fully set and yet Sofia has no intention on stopping.

However the world is not so kind as to let us be, as soon as we reach a slightly open area that seems to be wide enough to allow two people to stand side by side and swing a sword we are immediately ambushed from above.

*Thud *Thud

Humanoids wreathed in dark clothing that obscures their faces appear in front of us with their swords drawn and by both hands. 'Slightly unimpressive as their swords are of similar length to what Allelu wears on her hip, but I guess I should avoid getting stabbed by the pointy end.'

As I try to push forward a command stops me.

Sofia: "Halt, Zutal stay by my side."

'Ah, there is a major downside to being a monster. No fun if I have to try always obey my master but I guess I will try to find diplomatic solutions for these bandits, so much tasty meat going to waste.'

As I look back from my forward position at Sofia I can catch a scent of a third member only to realise that they all smell like humans, and without looking up I can tell his precise location. Looking Sofia in the eyes without blinking I then blink my slit eyes three times and then look back in front at the idiots trying to fool me, almost did though.

Sofia: "State your purpose dogs, I hope you know that adventurers do not play around like common mercenaries."

Slightly taller Bandit: "Do not worry gecko, we know who you are."

*Grrr

Sofia: "I will make sure that those are the last words to leave your mouth. Sick emm boy."

With my commands given I hunch down and jump up as Sofia angrily throws a ball of green energy at the two strangers in front of us. My jump carries me 4 metres directly up, allowing me to meet the human scent that was on the rooftop in the middle of his jump down at me, with two daggers the man has little defence against my claws that enter from his navel and slash upwards, getting stuck on his second to bottom ribs after cutting through the first set of ribs.

*Aaagh

Bandit tall: "Dodge."

Bandit short: "Fuck."

As I fall down in a rapid descent, with an angry and partially alive human that is incessantly trying to stab his sharp daggers through my chest, we fall in a bundle of limbs with me tearing out my claws from the man's ribs. This seems to put a stop to the flailing daggers as some of my claws rip out one of his ribs, that stunt had put quite a lot of holes in my chest but luckily nothing got past my rib cage, while bleeding I force myself to stand up and see the tall bandit rushing at me with the smaller bandit in the back stuck in a tangle of thorny vines.

The holes had put a dent in my speed, as the pain makes me flinch when I try to dodge right and instead I slightly lean over to get a sword stabbed into my left shoulder. With the attack having missed anything vital I throw my larger size down on the tall human, impaling myself on the sword fully but in exchange I am able to wrap my maw around the mans head.

Tall Bandit: "Noo, please Ill do anything, this hurts, ahh."

*Aeei

*Pop *Pop

*Snap

The mans head begins creaking as my jaw closes around his entire head and presses his own jaw into the skull. The pressure of my bite soon causes his eyeballs to pop out and is shortly followed by his skull caving in. Warm and soothing liquid pours down into my throat as I drink down his brain.

Once I pull back I notice that one of my teeth is still stuck to his head, licking my jaw I spot the empty place and grow slightly worried until I remember that lizards grow their teeth back once they fall out. After a momentary scare of having to be a denture lizard I walk over to the brambled human, picking them up with their stuff and vines and picking up the human that I gutted earlier for a snack.

Sofia: "Let me heal you up and then let us leave, before any of their friends come around to check."

The streets are not completely empty at this time of night, plenty of gang members walking and slithering about, but I ignore them and as do they with the strange lizards. Although a 2.5 metre (8 foot) tall mass of muscle and bone walking around while covered in warm blood, that is steaming in the cold autumn night, is a terrifying sight that few would challenge.

As we reach a strangely nice building in the maze of houses Sofia knocks and the door opens. Infront of us stands a red skinned demon with black horns.

Zutal: "Allelu?"

Allelu: "First time seeing me out of my suit of armour kid? Don't worry I am not going to eat your soul. Unless you want me to…?"

The teasing question is definitely tempting but my thoughts are interrupted.

Sofia: "You can't do that, not until you pass enough of Dagons challenges to become a real demon and not a demon-high elf hybrid."

Allelu: "Who said I wasn't talking about another sort of sucking?"

Sofia: "Hah, lets speak about that later. For now we have some uninvited guests, and then we need to visit Duke Vermillion about our next quest and talk about this problem."

Marie walks in while wearing a nightgown that is partially see through and flows freely around her body with every step that she takes.

Marie: "Look at what your doing inside the house! Get a bath and leave the corpse outside, for crying out loud, the blood is going to seep into the floor board like in the kitchen. I might be a wood elf but even I am less dirty than you lizard brain."

Sofia: "Thank you, I am quite capable to capture one of our assailants, but Zutal really did help out. Familiar go and make a bath for me, the bath is the first door on the right with logs and the boiler being downstairs."

Marie: "Ahh, ill do it Zutal. You just stay outside and try not to make any more messes if you encounter difficult people."

Zutal: "Alright."

Zutal waits patiently outside until he is called back inside to the sight of the living room having been moved and blankets put underneath the bandit prisoner, who has been stripped to her underwear.

At this point the blood is dried off so Zutal gets to relax in a nice warm bath.

*Aaahh

Voice: "Please help me. *Aaugh Someone, please."

'Well it was a nice bath…'

As the screams distract Zutal he can do nothing but listen and scrub himself with a sponge, getting rid of dirt and blood after years in a forest without a warm bath. As Zutal exits he is greeting by bloody blankets and a scarred ex-bandit as they will not likely to pick up the same profession with their newly mangled right arm.

Zutal: "Umm, I will go and explore the building since I am new here."

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[Map of house.]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1144329016988414084/1144725666525368383/Snout_Port_Home.png

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The attic was full of boxes and Zutal got called shortly after to help throw the bandit into the cellar with the boiler that heats water around the home.

'What an advanced and modern house all things considered, although with races like Dwarfs and elves it must be hard to forget sewage systems and basic water pipes with skilled artisans that never forget their trade. Shame that all the lighting in the house has to be made by candle.'

When the bandit is tied up to a pillar downstairs the adventurers head off to sleep, with Zutal snuggling up with Sofia in her king-sized bed.

The next day, after a snack for the adventurers and Zutal finishes off yesterday's meal, everyone proceeds back to the main road and to a large mansion by the docks. Zutal had got a loaned Robe from Sofia to keep himself warm, the green robe barely covers his upper body but in the autumn cold it is better than nothing.

The white brick mansion with far too many windows facing the main road is surrounded by a steel fence with spear tip spikes at the top to discourage climbing. After standing next to the gate a butler comes out, his appearance is that of a goblin with a brown top hat as he opens the gate and moves the party past the front lawn made up of flowers and grass to a lounge. The brown skinned goblin in brown leather shoes and brown butler clothes has a same colour theme going on, and it fits him quite well. Soon the butler leaves and a maid comes in, another goblin but green and in a maid dress to serve us tea, however before long the master of the mansion comes back inside.

Master of mansion: "Welcome esteemed guests of one of my children, my name is Dante Vermillion, or duke Vermillion. However please do call me sir vermillion, it feels less formal while within boundaries."

Allelu: "Father I left over a century ago, when will you stop embarrassing me like this when we came on important business."

Dante: "Sorry lit.. big one. Now then I see you have applied some of my personal torture techniques on this fine human, what is troubling you?"

As the red skinned demon approaches the prisoner she tries to scramble back, however the ropes binding her only let her wiggle slightly before the amber eyes of the duke turn scarlet and a mad grins spreads on his face.

Dante: "Oh my, this is certainly a little spy that you so generously warned the guild about."

Marie: "Sorry Duke Vermillion but it was a mission from the guild, not a simple sighting. We now also found 3 such people attempting to ambush two of our members, and this is the only survivor."

The duke wearing black shoes, grey pants and a dukes doublet, with a white shirt underneath rubs the top of his curled ram horns for a while.

Dante: "Worrying indeed to know that we have been infiltrated. I am assuming that you are also here about a quest that I put in the adventurers guild?"

Marie: "Yes, Sofia found your quest on the guild board for body guard duties into Deep Woods, two gold a day and safe passage through guaranteed by your own contacts with beings in the woods. Your son Colbert Vermillion wants to study an ancient temple relating to a lost draconic empire god."

Dante: "Yes that's the one. Colbert is my next heir and I need him to become stronger, his challenge is to uncover a lost ruin of the past given to him by Dagon in a dream. The passage to the temple will be safe, however what happens after is dependent on your own skills."

Marie: "That is fine, we can deal with some old traps and a golem or two."

Dante: "Good to know. You will then be taking this prisoner with you tomorrow on the mission, until then you are free to go and prepare as Colbert is still holding a siege in his own room. Colbert is trying to study everything there is to study from old archives or books mentioning the Draconic empire and their blood thirsty gods, part of the reason why you will need all the blood slaves you can get just to enter the place, they loved human blood especially for their sacrifices."