10-07-2016, 11:31 AM
“What’ll you have?” the bartender asked Kuzuru.
They locked eyes for a moment before the demon answered him. The bartender nodded and set to work. Kuzuru took stock of the bartender, the man knew what to look for but was unfamiliar with the layout of the bar. A few double-takes and wasted movements as he located everything needed for the demon’s drink. He was a skinny man and his face was marked by tight skin stretched over sharp cheekbones. Hundred and fifty pounds soaking weight, maybe, but it was doubtful he even weighed that much. A starved dog in a foreign home Kuzuru thought. The demon placed a few golden coins on the counter and said, “keep the change.”
“That’s awfully generous of you,” the bartender passed him his drink and said, “thank--”
Kuzuru interrupted him, “don’t thank me just yet.”
The bartender raised an eyebrow and pocketed the extra cash. Kuzuru downed his drink in long gluttonous gulps. A bit too strong, but that wasn’t a bad thing in the demon’s opinion. He ordered another drink and again he overpaid. The demon smiled and turned his now-empty glass over. He motioned for the bartender and spoke in a low grumbling tone, “I’m looking for some information.” The demon glanced towards the bullet holes in the wall and said, “I’m pretty sure you can help me out, uhhh…”
“Dwayne, call me Dwayne” the bartender finished his sentence. He planted his boney knuckles on the counter and leaned forward. A nasty looking scar underneath his eye caught the light just right and turned a sickened purple. “Why d’ya think I can help you, pal?”
“I’m looking for a criminal,” Kuzuru answered, keeping his voice just above a growl, “he goes by the name of Ballad, he set off a bomb not too far from here. Sound familiar?”
“Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell,” Dwayne said, his eyes narrowed, “are you some kind of cop?
“I’m just a bad man that wants to make a bit of cash,” the demon sighed and continued, “I read a news article about the old bartender here, he was known as ‘Tender’. Apparently he disappeared around the same time as Ballad’s little incident. Any idea where he went?”
“Dunno, pal,” the bartender answered. His eyes flicked towards the bouncer who stood sentinel in the corner. “It’d probably be best if you left,” he said, “I can’t help you.”
“Right, I don’t think you understand” Kuzuru scowled and stood up. The bartender mirrored his movements and the two came eye-to-eye. Dwayne caught the bouncer’s eye and motioned for him to come over. Carved from marble the bouncer looked the part. Without looking over his shoulder Kuzuru threw his arm backwards towards the incoming threat. He pointed his palm towards the bouncer and an arm-length blade peaked out from beneath his flesh. The bouncer froze as the sharpened steel came within inches of his throat. Time froze. Kuzuru smiled. All eyes were on them.
“Now that we’ve got the bullshit out of the way, you’re gonna stop playing dumb and tell me what I want to know,” Kuzuru said, “or else I’ll take my frustrations out on everybody in this bar.”
“The knights will kill you.”
“Maybe, but I’ll come back. Question is - will you?”
A few of the patrons cleared out, but most of the regulars watched with a mix of morbid curiosity and paralyzing fear. The bouncer had edged away from the blade, but Kuzuru kept his arm and blade extended. Outside shouts of joy and excitement seeped in through the windows. After a few minutes of silence Dwayne spoke, “I’m not sure what happened to Tender.” Another blade erupted from the demon’s free arm and stopped inches from the bartender’s chest. He flinched and said, “really, I don’t, but him and Tender seemed to be on good terms from what I heard.”
“Keep talking.”
“Right, well you’re not the first one to come looking for Ballad, the Disciples of Camelot came hunting for him.”
“Who?” Kuzuru asked.
“The Disciples of Camelot, they’re a group of bounty hunters that give a share of their profits to the Kingdom, at least they were, no one has heard from them since Ballad rolled through town,” Dwayne answered, “I think they kidnapped Tender to get closer to Ballad, but seeing as you’re still hunting him I don’t think it worked.”
Kuzuru smiled. All he had to do was apply a bit of force and this bartender was putty in his hands. He retracted his blades and asked one final question, “know where I can find their hideout?”
“Not sure, I doubt they’re in town, with how big they were it’d be too hard to hide from the kingsmen if they were.”
The demon looked around the room and chuckled to himself. “Thanks for the information Dwayne,” he said and started for the door. “Oh,” he stopped mid-stride and said right before leaving, “next time you want to give a paying customer the run around, make sure you’ve got the cajones to back it up. The next guy might not be as kindhearted as me. Just food for thought Dwayne, food for thought. Ciao!”
One step closer. Kuzuru’s phone buzzed and he checked it. Shadow sent him a message and he slowly tapped out a reply.
S’all good, looks like we weren’t the only ones after Ballad. Another merc group was looking for him, called themselves “The Disciples of Camelot”. I’ve got a feeling that our boy Ballad took them out, or at least did a number on them. I want to find their hideout or at least their leader. Keep an eye out.
He checked the time. His little foray into the bar hadn’t taken as long as he thought. The demon pushed through the crowd and found a little alleyway to catch a breather in. This whole expedition was turning into more effort than he had hoped for. After all he wasn’t in it for the money. Sure, it was a nice cherry on top, but what really got him going was the chance to fight a worthy adversary. That electric anticipation egged him forward. How he yearned for the taste of blood, that intoxicating elixir that only grew more potent in the veins of those blessed with power. He shuddered. With renewed vigor he pressed back into the crowded streets hoping to find another breadcrumb on the trail to Ballad.
They locked eyes for a moment before the demon answered him. The bartender nodded and set to work. Kuzuru took stock of the bartender, the man knew what to look for but was unfamiliar with the layout of the bar. A few double-takes and wasted movements as he located everything needed for the demon’s drink. He was a skinny man and his face was marked by tight skin stretched over sharp cheekbones. Hundred and fifty pounds soaking weight, maybe, but it was doubtful he even weighed that much. A starved dog in a foreign home Kuzuru thought. The demon placed a few golden coins on the counter and said, “keep the change.”
“That’s awfully generous of you,” the bartender passed him his drink and said, “thank--”
Kuzuru interrupted him, “don’t thank me just yet.”
The bartender raised an eyebrow and pocketed the extra cash. Kuzuru downed his drink in long gluttonous gulps. A bit too strong, but that wasn’t a bad thing in the demon’s opinion. He ordered another drink and again he overpaid. The demon smiled and turned his now-empty glass over. He motioned for the bartender and spoke in a low grumbling tone, “I’m looking for some information.” The demon glanced towards the bullet holes in the wall and said, “I’m pretty sure you can help me out, uhhh…”
“Dwayne, call me Dwayne” the bartender finished his sentence. He planted his boney knuckles on the counter and leaned forward. A nasty looking scar underneath his eye caught the light just right and turned a sickened purple. “Why d’ya think I can help you, pal?”
“I’m looking for a criminal,” Kuzuru answered, keeping his voice just above a growl, “he goes by the name of Ballad, he set off a bomb not too far from here. Sound familiar?”
“Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell,” Dwayne said, his eyes narrowed, “are you some kind of cop?
“I’m just a bad man that wants to make a bit of cash,” the demon sighed and continued, “I read a news article about the old bartender here, he was known as ‘Tender’. Apparently he disappeared around the same time as Ballad’s little incident. Any idea where he went?”
“Dunno, pal,” the bartender answered. His eyes flicked towards the bouncer who stood sentinel in the corner. “It’d probably be best if you left,” he said, “I can’t help you.”
“Right, I don’t think you understand” Kuzuru scowled and stood up. The bartender mirrored his movements and the two came eye-to-eye. Dwayne caught the bouncer’s eye and motioned for him to come over. Carved from marble the bouncer looked the part. Without looking over his shoulder Kuzuru threw his arm backwards towards the incoming threat. He pointed his palm towards the bouncer and an arm-length blade peaked out from beneath his flesh. The bouncer froze as the sharpened steel came within inches of his throat. Time froze. Kuzuru smiled. All eyes were on them.
“Now that we’ve got the bullshit out of the way, you’re gonna stop playing dumb and tell me what I want to know,” Kuzuru said, “or else I’ll take my frustrations out on everybody in this bar.”
“The knights will kill you.”
“Maybe, but I’ll come back. Question is - will you?”
A few of the patrons cleared out, but most of the regulars watched with a mix of morbid curiosity and paralyzing fear. The bouncer had edged away from the blade, but Kuzuru kept his arm and blade extended. Outside shouts of joy and excitement seeped in through the windows. After a few minutes of silence Dwayne spoke, “I’m not sure what happened to Tender.” Another blade erupted from the demon’s free arm and stopped inches from the bartender’s chest. He flinched and said, “really, I don’t, but him and Tender seemed to be on good terms from what I heard.”
“Keep talking.”
“Right, well you’re not the first one to come looking for Ballad, the Disciples of Camelot came hunting for him.”
“Who?” Kuzuru asked.
“The Disciples of Camelot, they’re a group of bounty hunters that give a share of their profits to the Kingdom, at least they were, no one has heard from them since Ballad rolled through town,” Dwayne answered, “I think they kidnapped Tender to get closer to Ballad, but seeing as you’re still hunting him I don’t think it worked.”
Kuzuru smiled. All he had to do was apply a bit of force and this bartender was putty in his hands. He retracted his blades and asked one final question, “know where I can find their hideout?”
“Not sure, I doubt they’re in town, with how big they were it’d be too hard to hide from the kingsmen if they were.”
The demon looked around the room and chuckled to himself. “Thanks for the information Dwayne,” he said and started for the door. “Oh,” he stopped mid-stride and said right before leaving, “next time you want to give a paying customer the run around, make sure you’ve got the cajones to back it up. The next guy might not be as kindhearted as me. Just food for thought Dwayne, food for thought. Ciao!”
One step closer. Kuzuru’s phone buzzed and he checked it. Shadow sent him a message and he slowly tapped out a reply.
S’all good, looks like we weren’t the only ones after Ballad. Another merc group was looking for him, called themselves “The Disciples of Camelot”. I’ve got a feeling that our boy Ballad took them out, or at least did a number on them. I want to find their hideout or at least their leader. Keep an eye out.
He checked the time. His little foray into the bar hadn’t taken as long as he thought. The demon pushed through the crowd and found a little alleyway to catch a breather in. This whole expedition was turning into more effort than he had hoped for. After all he wasn’t in it for the money. Sure, it was a nice cherry on top, but what really got him going was the chance to fight a worthy adversary. That electric anticipation egged him forward. How he yearned for the taste of blood, that intoxicating elixir that only grew more potent in the veins of those blessed with power. He shuddered. With renewed vigor he pressed back into the crowded streets hoping to find another breadcrumb on the trail to Ballad.