The Lands of Ralosia & Ranuulo (Books 1-3)

Black Wings Chapter 9- Bar Brawl

~Chapter 9- Bar brawl~

Night fell around the Shattered Axe tavern. Moonlight bounced off the golden gauntlets Corri wore. Ralosia's gauntlets.

Platt Mountain could be seen in the distance to the west. Earlier that day, violent rumblings boomed from the mountain. Corri knew why - the Four must've found her dad there. The rumbling had stopped, so they must've stopped fighting for some reason. Regardless, her goal remained unchanged. Find the raven riders.

Within the tavern, high-spirited individuals shared drinks. Corri peered out wooden windows and saw a series of black wings descending towards the town. They were coming.

Corri and Nout took seats at the tavern's counter with their backs turned to the counter and waited patiently. Ekor asked if Nout wanted a few pints; The pink Phantine replied, "I don't drink."

A group of rowdy individuals entered the building, and Ekor gave them a nod while cleaning out a flask. Corri peeked behind her at the group; Coppah was among several men. She held a pack in her hand and set it beside her when she sat at a table.

"That's the potion container," Nout whispered to Corri.

Corri nodded, "Cover the door."

Nout stood and walked as inconspicuously as possible to the empty table near the entrance and sat down. They waited for Coppah and her crew to get comfortable at their tables and start drinking. When Corri heard Coppah slurring her words, she knew it was time.

She stood from the counter and went to one of the men standing at the table.

"Sir, can you help me?" Corri asked one of the drunk men, acting as innocent and harmless as she could. She inched closer to the potion container. She wanted to be able to grab it before things took a turn.

"What is it, little lady?" The surly bandit asked.

"My friend had his potions stolen. Would you have any idea where they are?" Corri slipped a hand on the handle of the potion container and readied herself.

Coppah stared at the red-haired girl before finally recognizing her. Corri punched both men standing beside her in the face, knocking them unconscious, before jumping back with the potion container. Coppah clambered over the table after her.

"Get her!" Coppah shouted, her movements stilted.

Several members of Coppah's crew rose from their seats and lunged at the potion container Corri now held. They were sluggish, so it was easy for her to avoid them. Corri kicked one of them, and they spiraled through the air, landing in the center of a table, and collapsing it.

The rest of the people in the tavern watched with amused looks, continuing to gulp down their drinks. They were used to seeing bar brawls like this one.

Coppah grabbed Corri from behind and tried to tear the potion container from her. Both used very controlled movements to avoid destroying its contents. Corri tossed the container across the room to Nout, who caught it with his trunk.

Coppah swung and missed, and Corri countered with her own strike to her side. When the golden gauntlets she wore made contact with Coppah, they glowed for a split second, and the Mecarne woman torpedoed through the air, breaking through the wall at the other side of the tavern.

Corri didn't mean to hit her that hard... she looked at the gauntlets she wore; they must've somehow amplified the strength of her attack.

With Coppah down, her crew bolted for the exit, the one Nout now stood in the way of. Between Corri and the pink Phantine, they made short work of Coppah's crew.

A few managed to sneak past Nout, and Corri followed after them outside. Fortunately, Temp was waiting for them. He and Kelvin had scared their ravens away. They had nowhere to run.

With Coppah and her crew subdued, they were brought to the town's jail for transport to a more secure prison later. Corri and Nout inspected the contents of the container; stolen potions were accounted for.

A tremor ran through the ground around them, and a loud boom could be heard from Platt Mountain. Corri looked at the mountain and saw bright bursts of light coming from it.

"They're fighting again!" Corri grimaced.

Temp picked up the potion container and handed it to Corri, "Take Rojo and head over there as quick as you can. As soon as Theo sees you have the potions, that should calm things down."

Corri nodded, tucked the container under her arm, and whistled for Rojo. The great red sparrow circled overhead and landed beside her. She climbed on, securing the container to a tether on Rojo's saddle, and the two took flight. Corri could feel reverberations in the air from the fight taking place on Platt Mountain. She had to hurry.