Fog Bound

Chapter 10

"Claira!" Phillin called out to his wife. He slowly crouched over to dig through a mountain of tools in a storage closet. He never needed to organize the things within it before since everything was always conveniently where he needed it when he needed it, but not this time. "Claira, where the Hell is my hammer? Them damn chicken keep gettin' out of the coop at night. I need my hammer to board up the hole."

"Have you tried looking in the shed? Last time the chickens kept getting out you may have put it in there." Claria answered, since it was Phillin's space, she didn't want to constantly have to clean up after him. So she didn't. If he wanted a messy storage closet then that's just what he'd get. However these small spouts would happen every now and then from it.

"Eugh... I last used it to fix the kitchen countertop, you remember? It'd be inside and it ain't here." He slowly rose back to his feet, using the wall to help him up.

There was a knocking at the door that interrupted Phillin's search for his hammer. He grumbled as he waddled over to it and was greeted by two heavily armored and armed men. He was unfamiliar with the style of weaponry and they certainly weren't Iron Ridge guards. "Good morning, sir." One of the men started. "We hail from Elkwood City and we received a notice that there is a dangerous criminal settled in Fogs Brook. Have you seen this man?" He dug through his pocket for a sheet of paper and unfolded it for him. There was no doubt. It was a rough sketch of Laius.

Phillin's eyebrows briefly rose in surprise before settling back to his usual wrinkled expression. "Can't say that I have." He put simply.

The man's partner managed to peer into the house as noticed Claira sitting in her chair in the living room. "Are there other people in your house?" Without waiting for an answer, he shoved past Phillin and stepped inside.

"Hey! Get the Hell outta my house, devils!" Phillin shouted back at the man.

The armored man ignored him and approached Claira with an identical sheet of paper. "Have you seen this man, Ma'am?"

"No... I don't believe so. You said this man is a dangerous criminal? What did he do?" Claira was heavily curious. These outsiders waltzed into their town and accused Laius of some horrible crime. With how heavily guarded they were it wouldn't be out of the realm that it was something awful.

"Nothing more than a common thief who's stolen an artifact with catastrophic potential. We've been notified that he is hiding in or near Fogs Brook. If you hear or see anything about him, please let us know immediately." He folded the paper back up and stuck it in his pocket. "It is of utmost importance that he be found as soon as possible." The man stepped back outside with his partner. "You two be safe." He said before the two continued back down the path to leave the farmhouse.

"Of course... We'll let you know if we spot anything. Have a nice day." Claira replied, ushering them out. When the door finally closed behind them and they could hear them walking away, Claira took the opportunity to talk again. "'Artifact with catastrophic potential'? You should go warn them, it sounds like something bad is going to happen."

"Hmm..." Phillin watched the men walk away from his window. "That boy better not have done something stupid or I'll whip him myself." He sat down and shoved his feet in his boots. He grabbed his hoe to keep himself propped up as he stepped through the door. "Keep the door locked in case those men come back." He called back to her as he hobbled down the porch. He doesn't usually hustle but he feared that if he didn't today, something bad might become of Laius's peaceful little family.

He sped walked down the road towards the guild, stumbling over small stones along the way. He knocked on the guild door with his hoe.

Laius answered the door only a moment later. "Phillin? What brings you here?" Inside, Verri and Khan sat at the table chatting while Valus played on the floor.