Breaking Utopia

Chapter One | Part Two: The Good Bandit

At the Bleeding Vine tavern, about six hundred miles away from Falmis in a little town, just outside of the main Arkin City known as Huxwell, was a lonely man at the bar. The man slurped down a powerful concoction he asked the barkeep for, ominously he stated it would "get him prepared for what's about to happen." It was a blend between moonshine and Nobay Whiskey, splashed with lemon juice, he called a "twin snake." It ran down his disheveled face as he threw back his head for his third shot of one.

The mysterious man was rugged looking, yet his demeanor and calm tone contrasted his renegade appearance. On face value, his unkempt stubble and beat up jacket would have you to believe he is some, dirty Casanova of the road, yet when he spoke it was in the speech of a educated man of stature. He loved to use this to his advantage, whenever he could, like convincing a bartender to waste his alcohol on a very ridiculous drink.

"So, friend." The bartender said cutting through the silence between him and the lone man at his bar. "You were in quite the rush when ya came through those doors, now you're sipping that drink like ya got nowhere to be." He stated curiously.

The man at his bar took a swig of his wicked concoction, and with a breath he gripped onto a bag on his lap. "I'm waiting." He softly said looking down to his lap, as if to make sure the canvas bag was still between his worn-down jeans.

"And what's that your waiting on, friend?" The bartender asked. He didn't have to wait long for a answer as commotion rang out from the street outside.

Large thuds and creaks of metal on metal, followed by the hiss of steam shook the walls of the Bleeding Vine. "Soren Malcoy! By the power of Tiso Reignly and the order of Vanslaught Forbe, we demand you exit this establishment and surrender!" A harsh voice wailed from behind the tavern doors. The barkeep, understandably, was left without words. The mysterious stranger who he now could identify as Soren Malcoy, also known as "The Wandering Wolf" or more commonly to Arkin loyalist as "That troublemaking pain." Simply took one last swig of his Twin Snake and looked up with a coy grin on his face.

"That's what I've been waiting for." Soren said as he hopped off the barstool and flung the canvas sack across his shoulder. The barkeep did not seem as amused as That Troublemaking Pain seemed to be.

Soren creaked the door open to reveal a small stoic looking old man with a maroon Arkin military issued Trench coat adorned with markings and medals of grandeur, and a large hulking copper monster. It was what Soren would call a "Tin man" a type of special soldier with a steam powered mechanical suit of armor. Usually, they were used on the battlefield, but today seemed to be a very special occasion. Soren never felt so special.

Soren sauntered out onto the taverns porch with a gleeful smile aimed at the man in the trench coat. "Colonel Krebs!" He called out to him. "I expected you, about twenty minutes ago, I suppose your tin headed friend has to do with your late arrival?" He said leaning against the railing.

The Colonel gave a exhausted sigh. "Mr.Malcoy, you have been found guilty of stealing collected tax from the Arkin Republic, you will surrender the stolen tax and yourself to me." He said as if he rehearsed on his way over.

Soren scoffed at the disgruntled Colonel, who seemed exasperated with the whole ordeal already. "Am I to surrender willingly or unwillingly?" Soren asked from the porch of the tavern.

Colonel Krebs seemed to have enough already and walked towards the steps of the tavern. "Willingly or unwillingly, you shall surrender the tax and yourself!" He grunted, fed up with the cocky rebel.

Soren moved closer to the outer wall of the tavern. "You see, my dear Colonel, I only ask, because I'd prefer not to surrender at all, which leaves us in a strange and peculiar predicament." Soren said, positioning himself between the window of the establishment and the Colonel.