Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns

Dragonia 1: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Rain poured from the sky as Devarius and Caspar entered Vaereal. The streets in the village became bare as the storm arrived, people scurrying about trying to find cover. Devarius continued on, his hand above his forehead to see ahead. The rest of his party remained in the forest north of the village. Devarius didn't want to raise suspicion until he knew for sure they were safe with the Resistance. He grinned when he saw the pub. The Galloping Horse was a small pub in the corner of an alley. Its sign was faded and barely recognizable. He stepped inside.

The inside of the pub appeared abandoned. Devarius frowned. He looked around, but no one stood behind the bar and most of the tables were empty. Only one person sat inside, his face nestled on the table in front of him. He snored loudly. Devarius bit his bottom lip as he made his way to the bar to sit.

"I don't know what I expected to find," Paedyn whispered, "but this is definitely not what I had in mind."

"Good afternoon to you," a voice said from behind them.

Devarius jumped. He spun around to see an elderly man with white hair and a large mustache standing behind them. The man asleep at the table was no longer there. Devarius tried to determine if it was the same man standing behind him.

"Good afternoon," Devarius said slowly.

"What can I do you for?"

"Are you the owner of this pub?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"How's business?" Paedyn asked.

The man raised a single brow. "Depends. You got coin you're willing to spend?"

Paedyn removed a silver dragon from his coin purse and placed it on the bar.

"Business is fine." The man grinned.

Devarius pressed his lips together. "We've traveled a long way. An old man from Kaed told us to come here."

"Did he now?" Both the man's eyebrows lifted.

"Yes," Devarius replied. "But I'm afraid that's all he told us."

"Nothing more? How interesting."

"I don't know if he planned to tell us more or not. He died trying to protect us."

The old man bit his lip. "That is ill news. Tell me ... why do you come?"

Devarius glanced to Paedyn. "I don't know if we can speak openly here. I don't know if I can trust you."

The old man nodded. "You come seeking the Resistance, do you?"

Devarius's eyes shifted to the old man. He dared not speak, but he nodded.

The old man stuck out his hand. "Name's Jonik."

"Devarius."

"Paedyn."

Both men shook Jonik's hand.

"Come to the back. We can talk more openly back there."

Jonik walked around the bar and through a door. Shrugging, Devarius and Paedyn followed him. The back room was small and the torchlight was dim, but several chairs awaited them. Jonik sat in a rocking chair that faced several others, grabbed a pipe, and used a small stick he lit in a fireplace next to him to ignite his pipe. Smoke filled the air.

"A little warm for a fire, isn't it?" Paedyn asked.

Jonik grinned and tapped his pipe in the air. "You're no longer in the north. Winter is approaching, and it gets cold down here."