Remember, the art is not an exact representation of what you see in the story!
Hours pass and Saul wakes up lying in a bed with the Deva sitting next to him. He doesn't say anything and neither does she. She questions if he feels better and Saul looks away not saying a word. She apologizes for nearly killing him and Saul just sighs.
"So I figure I am captured?" Saul says this with a sigh and waits for what she has to say. She says he isn't captured and just wanted to know why he was snooping around the Elven camp alone. But, Saul ignores the second part and asks where he was then.
She says he is in the nearest town's Greenback Tavern. Immediately he asks if that means he is free to go. She looks at him with a devious smile and he realizes he isn't free yet. He questions what she is going to do with him. She doesn't say anything for a moment but afterward, she says she isn't quite sure yet. A moment of silence fills the room and suddenly, Saul's stomach growls like a lion's roar.
She reaches over to a table next to the bed and shows him an apple. She tosses it to him and he begins eating it like he hasn't eaten for days. She says he can have more if he behaves and Saul glares at her with an evil look. She just smiles watching him eat with that horrid look on his face. She explains that he has been unconscious for a few days but the rest has mostly healed his body.
After he finishes the apple, she hands him his water skin and he begins to drink the water in it. After a few minutes, he says he won't say why he was there because it is none of her business for being a Deva. She then explains just because she is a Deva, it doesn't mean she hates humans. She tells him he should be more open minded and not lump them into one category.
Saul then says he still doesn't trust her. After a moment of thinking, she says she would like to have a chance to earn his trust. Saul just looks away with a hateful look and relaxes on the bed.
"Fine then, be a jack ass. You attacked me first so it's not like I had a choice in fighting back." She turns away from him angry and he doesn't say a word.
He gives her a bit and says he may tell her if he gets to know her better. He says his name is Saul and sighs after saying this. As a reply, she says it's nice to meet him and her name is Arcaena. Saul doesn't respond to this but notes the name.
After a bit, Saul then sits up and is about to attempt to leave the room. Angry, Arcaena asks Saul where he is going and he responds with, "Taking a walk." Arcaena then stands up and says she will follow him. He shrugs his shoulders and exits the room with her.
Going downstairs, Saul finds a nice group of humans and immediately, they all glare at him and Arcaena. Saul sits down at the bar and ignores the glares. She asks him why he is sitting at the bar and he says he wants a drink before going on his walk. She offers to buy him the drink and he pulls out a few gold coins saying he can buy his own drink but thanks her for the offer.
She sits down beside him and they both wait for the bartender. Suddenly, a rare creature slithers to get them a drink. It is a male Medusa with Emerald Green snakes for hair. He looks at them and asks what they want to drink.
Arcaena gets a light Elven wine and Saul asks the bartender to choose. He wants something nice to drink while walking but doesn't want to get dead drunk. He also doesn't want to get lightly buzzed by the whole bottle. The bartender gets him a light mead and Saul pays him for the drink and gives him a tip. The Bartender thanks him for the tip as a valued customer and Saul fills up his flask.
As Saul stands up, a group of Elves enter the bar and Saul decides to sit back down biting his lip. Arcaena moves closer to him and one of the elves walk up to the bar. After a moment, the bartender walks up asking what the elves wanted to drink. The elf laughs and says, "I want all your earnings today to keep my men from burning down your tavern here snakey!"
The bartender says if he isn't going to buy a drink, to get out and if they damage the bar in any way, he will hunt down all of their species. Immediately, the elf grabs a war-hammer and smashes a support pillar with a smile. "What is a worthless snake man going to do to me and my men, huh?"
Remember, the bartender has a tail and snakes for hair!
The bartender attacks the elf with his tail and the elf backs away with a grin. The other men of the tavern throw down some gasoline and some other elves from outside throw in some torches. The bar catches on fire and the human drunks attempt to flee. The elves begin to cut down the humans and Saul immediately flanks the elf the bartender missed.
Saul's rapier swiftly passes by the elves neck and slits his throat. The elf falls down and reaches towards Saul with great hatred. Meanwhile, Arcaena grabs some of the water of the tavern and begins to put out the flames. While this is going on, the bartender thanks Saul and begins to put some rags into the top of multiple bottles.
One of the elves notices what the bartender is doing and decides to attack him. He attempts to pass by Saul and he gets his chance to stop the Elf. Saul uses his Reaping Strike technique and slashes down the second elf in one attack. The bartender says he owes him a drink now and Arcaena says he needs to protect her in a joking way. Saul blushes a little at the thought and the drunks look at the bartender now having the will to fight back knowing killing an elf will get them a drink.
Arcaena finishes putting out the fire and begins dragging the hurt drunks out of the way. Meanwhile, the bartender asks the remaining Elf inside the tavern (there are more outside) if he will continue to cause trouble. The elf exits saying, "We will just burn it down from the outside!" The bartender heads outside and with a pissed look, he begins to throw the bottles at them. The elves run as the first bottle hits the ground now realizing the bartender has Molotov Cocktails. Several elves begin to burn while Saul and Arcaena go outside to assist the bartender.
Suddenly, an elf shows up and uses a fire spell on the tavern. The fire spreads quickly and immediately, Saul realizes the tavern cannot be saved as the supports fall blocking the doorway. Several drunks are now trapped inside and the magic using elf isn't going to let anybody get inside. Arcaena now has the goal to get in there and save the drunks while Saul and the bartender have sights on a strong enemy.
To Be Continued...
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