The Journey

Chapter 5 - The Encounter

     Raj and Dhon traveled for many a day, and thankfully didn't encounter any more bandits. Water was running low, and they probably would be dead if it wasn't for the fact that vampires didn't need water anyway, so the five water bags Raj had packed were all for him. Luckily for the two young men (Raj especially) they came across the city of Vanguard, which, unlike the town, had a larger population than sixty people.

     This checkpoint was more thorough than the last one, though it took under ten minutes because they were riding simply on horses, Raj had seen some merchant cars being pulled over to the side and examined for a good hour. The line before inspection was enormous, and a huge variety of people were in the line, from farmers, merchants, (a few) vampires, and Dhon said he thought he saw a werewolf once. Upon entering the city, Raj stopped to fill his water bags in a clean public well, and Dhon said he'd meet back up with him at the local inn after he drained a few minor pickpockets.

     Raj wasn't very pressed for time, and it was only a tad bit past noon, so he could slow down and admire the city. In the central city square, a large temple for the Maker decorated with aged stone bricks and glass of many colors loomed above the people, smells from good shops wafted into Raj's nose, but it was one shop in particular that held his interest. It was a sword shop, some of the swords were made out of simple iron, and were sold at outrageous prices! Hells, Raj thought that even he could create better swords!

     Either way, he had no idea of what things were like in the city, and perhaps his particular Slade blade made him look at other blades of possible good quality in a different way. He marched with purpose across the courtyard, and opened the door to the inn. Raj had almost been overcome by the smells of alcohol last time, but this was even worse! Men lay wasted across counters and the floor, some were dizzily attempting an indoor duel, which Raj predicted at best would result in at least two men dying, and a few were beating up an unknown creature in a corner. Raj did not feel safe in this inn, so he decided to do a little cleanup.

     He unsheathed his sword, letting its characteristic glow bathe the tavern in soft golden light. A few gasps came from the more sober men, and the ones with sense filed out warily, unsure of the young warrior's intentions. Raj cleared his throat and walked up to the bartender, about to ask for a room, when he felt a rough tap on his right shoulder. Turning, he saw a tall military man, whom, judging by the medals that decorated his standard issue vest, was a lieutenant.

     The man coughed, then pronounced shakily, "Uh... S-Sir, could I see the paperwork for this blade". The lieutenant was scared beyond wit, and was still not sure if the young warrior that carried none other than a Slade blade was a result of having too much whiskey, but he knew that if the warrior did not have the correct paperwork, he would definitely have the means to slay the lieutenant. Slowly sheathing his blade, whereupon the lieutenant visibly relaxed, he reached into his bag and procured the correct paperwork. The soldier gave a slow exhale of breath in relief, and went back to his table for another round.

     Raj was also scared, though he tried to give off a stoic impression. If he did not have the correct paperwork, even if he had lost it, the lieutenant was required by law to attempt to kill him, and slaying bandits was one thing, a member of the king's militia was another. He turned back to the visibly shaken innkeeper, and asked for a room, the innkeeper shut his trap and simply nodded a no. The young man was disappointed, this was the best inn in the city, and the other options weren't much better than stables, riddled with fleas, mice, and other annoying fauna, and didn't the keeper owe him a favor? He had just cleared out a third of the non-paying customers in the inn, either way...

     He was about to turn around to leave, when a familiar voice spoke out next to him "I think you'd be better off giving us each a room, if not, you might not live to see another day", hissed Dhon's voice. Raj was grateful for his friend's timing, if not, they might have found themselves keeping watch over each other again, and Raj wanted a bed after the week he had spent on the road. The innkeeper bobbed his head, and retreated into the back room to fetch their keys. "Thank you Dhon, I thought we'd have to sleep in the stables tonight!", Raj said "No problem, I wouldn't have killed him anyway, too much trouble with that lieutenant two meters away, and I'm already full anyway.", responded Dhon.

     Raj replied, "I'm grateful either way". When the innkeeper returned, they both took their respective keys, agreeing to meet up for breakfast downstairs, and then went up to their rooms to sleep. Waking up, Raj judged by the position of the sun, that he'd overslept an hour or so, and started to make his way down when he heard a voice, "stinking vampire, you shouldn't have come here..." followed by the hissing of metal. Raj was familiar with that sound, it was the sound of a knife being drawn, and he knew that his friend was in trouble.

     Rushing down the stairs, Raj drew his sword and lifted it, so it would hover next to the man's neck, but far enough so the man could see it. He growled out, "I think you'd better leave my friend alone, or he'll be feasting on you for breakfast, instead of a nice egg." The man turned, re-sheathing his knife, and spat, "What's it to you, he's only a vampire, they're scum, they eat our kind." "Not true, if you had gotten to know vampires, before becoming their hunter (deciding that the man was probably a vampire hunter), you'd know that they only do that when someone pisses them off...". The man blanched as he finally realized what kind of blade was being held at his neck, and told them that he'd be on his way.

     "Sorry pal, but you're not getting off that easy, attempted murder is a very serious offense, and you might find yourself decorating this city's gibbet if you don't listen to me very carefully...", he trailed off. The man paled even further, how he did this, Raj had no idea, but what he knew, is that this man had threatened his friend, and he did not take kindly to that, or the idea that this man killed without reason. "Now, you have a few choices, you can either accompany me and my friend as we turn you in to the lieutenant I met the last night, who will gladly bring you to the gallows, or..." the man shook his head no several times, apparently not enjoying the idea of being hung. "you could dump your money on this counter, save yourself ten coppers, just because I'm nice, and you can find a new occupation".

     Now, quite a few thoughts were going through the hunters head at this moment, the foremost was that if he tried to kill or double cross this man, he'd most likely find himself dead. The next thought that entered his mind was the concern for money, ten coppers was enough to survive until he got a new occupation, the youth was showing plenty of mercy considering the situation, but he came to a decision, he could not lose the small fortune he'd built up.

     Raj carefully watched as the man started to empty out his money sack, when he came charging at him, armed with a knife. Raj was caught totally unprepared, and his sword was sheathed, so he had no means of defense. He was about to get a stab to a major artery, when the waste-of-space of a man took his last breath, a vampire on his back, literally sucking the life out of him. Shocked, Raj thanked Dhon, Dhon replied saying that they were even, and that it was his honor to avenge his dead brothers.