[Open] Through the Valley and into the Mountains

[Desman Black]

1 month earlier

The duo had just entered one of the larger secluded towns of camelot (not that that said much) hungry and exhausted, Crysis regretting not getting any bacon on that tree that they passed a couple of days ago, of course it was probably best as she didn’t know how to tell if bacon was ripe or off, but still.

“Do you see any place to get food?” Crysis asked Ordessa as she finally spoke up.

"I wasn't looking. So, no." She offered.

“Well then what does someone who hasn’t eaten in days look for when they first enter a town?” The white mage replied sarcastically as she kicked a rock across the path. She knew she would be kicking herself later for being so rude, but she didn’t have time for manners or their consequence when starving.

"Rooms." Odessa offered, a woman of few words. "Preferably an Inn with a bar that cooks." She pointed in the direction of that.

“I guess that slightly is more important…” The normally more cheery of the two mumbled as she naturally moved in the direction her partner was pointing.

No one battered an eye as the two women stepped in the door. Despite how long she had been here it still surprised her, back where she came from it would’ve been a disgrace to go outside without a male escort, and it had only been since coming to the omniverse that she had realized how backwards that view was.

“Two adjacent rooms please.” Crysis said as she got to the counter.

“I’m sorry miss but we only have one room left. It does have a queen size bed though.” The bartender replied. He was a relatively short man with a bit of a belly on him. His yellow vest, red tie and white undershirt with his easily seen grey hairs would allow him to pass anyone’s grandpa.

Crysis looked back at her companion, asking her with a look only if it would be good enough accommodations for the night. Ordessa nodded her agreement.

“Could I offer you ladies in any food or beverages?” The barkeep questioned as he gave the key if the room to Crysis.

“Yes please.” She responded, her stomach growling in anticipation. “We’ll take one glass of whiskey, one bottle of red wine, and one cooked boar.”

The man raised an inquisitive eyebrow, obviously not knowing how much the small woman could eat and drink, but gave her the drinks from under the counter anyway. “Your meal will be prepared shortly.”

“Thanks.” The white mage looked around until she saw a small vacant table in the corner, motioning her companion in that direction.

It was about half an hour afterwards that the incident happened. It started when a man walked in. He had a closely shaven beard and mustache, no hair on his head but the mullet that ran straight down the middle of his back, clothes his clothes were ripped into threads. It didn’t take long for him to notice the two women dining together at the back, his hungry smile showing of his sharp yellow teeth, if you dared to look closely enough you could just make out the fly he had in putrid yellow teeth.

“Hey there.” The man said as he got into talking distance of the two. “What are two fine ‘lil ladies such as yourselfs doing in a town like this?”

Ordessa was the first to reply, quick to turn down anything he was offering. "Drinking. What else do you do at a place like this?"

“That and -*hic*- looking for treasure.” Crysis added, most of her bottle already empty.

The man’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “Treasure?”

Odessa gave her a mean look, then looked away from it all. "Don't mind her, she's a bit mad from the drink." She reaches over to steal away the bottle.

Crysis pulled the bottle closer and hissed at her companion.

“I see what you mean…” If anyone looked closely enough, you could see that his eyes were focusing on Crysis.

Odessa wouldn't bother trying very much after that. She did glare at the girl, as if to warn her about what she said and did right now.

“Why is everyone -*hic*- staring at me?” The white mage started before taking another gulp of her wine. “I’m not -*hic*- crazy. We discussed it before we got here, they know where it is and we are here to meet them.”

Odessa narrows her eyes on the drunk mage before getting up and slapping coin down on the table. She then grabs the woman by the long ear and began to drag her away, bottle or not. "Excuse us, good night." It was the most polite the bunny-eared woman could manage.

“Sleep does sound good…” and soon, the darkness pulled over the mage's eyes...

When she woke up, she found herself sleeping in a bed, her companion on the other side. She thought about waking her but decided against it as she rolled over and placed her feet on the ground, maybe she could find what the woman did with her bottle last night. It didn’t that long for the noise of the searching to wake Ordessa up. Truth be told she probably woke up when Crysis got out of bed but was to busy trying to wake up to notice her.

“What are you looking for?” Despite a yawn, Ordessa still somehow managed to keep her cold mostly monotone voice.

“Nothing.” the mage said as like a child planning to play a prank on someone and pretending to be innocent before proceeding to open the curtain. What she found was something much worse than a missing bottle of wine. "Umm, Ordessa… please tell me this is from the wine last night..."

Ordessa didn’t even have time to ask what that meant before her concentration was drawn towards a knocking on the door, the punk from last night stepping in after them. “Good morning ladies, how was your sleep?”

The grumpy rabbit glared at the intruder and automatically took up a defensive position between Crysis and the man, wearing almost nothing she stomps the pole arm so that it spins into her hands and points the sharp end at him. “What are you doing here?” Despite there being no evidence of ill intentions from the man, her tone was almost threatening.

“Yeah! We all need to get out of here! The village outside has been completely destroyed!” Crysis added in, her tone more one of concern.

“Oh!” The man said, a twinkle in his eye as he pulled his hand out from behind his back. His smile growing to near inhuman levels as the knife was revealed, trusting and turning the the psychopath’s grip. “So you’ve seen my handywork then.”