His Thoughts

[Lye]

The last of the swill remained in its wooden mug while I pushed myself out of my seat. Leather groaned and creaked off my person while the stool screeched against the overly used planks of the floor. This simple motion and gesture caught the eye of a table of men who spent most of the evening hunched over in whisper and mumble. I rose, as did they. The ghastly vision of my scarred eye light up like an angry mob, pitchforks and all.

“Fuck,” I sighed.

I made for the door and felt the presence of the lot on my heels. Each clumsy footstep lurched like apes without grace and sounded like a stampede of dead from Raiaera. Outside, faint moonlight filled the muddy dirt streets and the musk of moss, mold, and horse shit did little to transition from the scent of the tavern. Horse, as I had no reason to give him any other name, stomped disapprovingly to the several others that emerged behind me. I laid my gloved hand against his neck to calm the beast and reassure it for what would soon follow.

“Ay there, pretty boy. You look mighty familiar.” His voice exuded intelligence and confidence befitting of him and his kin. “Reckon you might settle a wager?”

They filed out and circled me and Horse. My vision identified daggers, knuckles, some chain, and a few swords from the group despite their efforts to conceal them. A dozen pairs of feet, that plus a half of lethal tools of persuasion.

“What wager might that be? Which one of you looks best in a dress?” My hand kept running along Horse’s mane. He could sense the danger as much as I.

Snickers and scoffs came from the bunch. Their leader, much less amused, continued. “Me and my boys think you’re that fellow in the posters from the mainlands. Yerolk was it?”

Ulroke, but close enough for thick skulls hollowed out.

“Never heard the name.” I tugged at the saddle straps to check their tightness. This routine reassured Horse everything was alright. His restlessness simmered just as an air of silence found its grip on the moment.

“Bullshit.” Blurted out a different buffoon to their leaders dismay. “I know it’s ‘im!”

“Listen gentlemen,” I replied. “I’d just like to forget that piss swill I just drank and get on with my evening. Why don’t the lot of you be on your way or go back inside and make a few passes at the barmaid? Surely she’s more your type.”

[Nosdyn]

It was night. Perfect time for an attempted robbery. The masked demon was there in that town for another reason. He had a contact in the area. He looked about and saw some ruffians. They had surrounded a lone noble type. Let's see how this plays out... He thought carefully to himself. It was night the star ocean lurked above. There were a few clouds that dotted the clouds. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at the ruffians.

Nosdyn knew who that man was, the ruffians stood no chance.

He looked at the fellows before him and sighed. "Let him go." Came the demon lord's sudden command. "If you value your lives you will let the man go home. That's the only way you lot are going home." Nosdyn was there on another mission and only intervened to insure the man's safety.

They had no idea who Ulroke was but Nosdyn knew...it was his business to know.

His eyes narrowed as the interloper looked at the ruffians. "I implore you all to go home and sleep it off. This man is skilled enough to best all of you." The demon lord's boasts were truth though. He heard the legends of Ulroke since his early youth.

The man was dangerous and the ruffians were out classed.

If he could avoid blood shed there it would be part of his job done.

Nosdyn kept his arms folded across his chest, his cloak dancing in the night wind.

If the hunans were smart, they'd take a hike...