Tales of Avanturia 1

Chapter 2: Gambler And Cheater

Fenrock had finally arrived in Ravigrad and was everso amazed by all those fairy lights that hung all over across the streets. He saw people laughing everywhere he looked. He didn't know, what it was, but today seemed to be a pretty happy day.

That was actually quite nice for a change.

He walked across the streets, without aim, without orientation, only looking for someone else like him. His first stop was the center, in which the gigantic cathedral was located. It was the tallest building in all of Avanturia and has been for two hundred years now. From there he had multiple options to go to. The marketplace, the redlight district with all of the gambling halls and the brothel, the industrial district, the royal districts, the list goes on. For some reason, it dragged him to the redlight district. He had the strange feeling, that something was there..

Inside a Gambling Hall...

Money's getting won and lost in equal measure in this place. Poker, roulette, black jack and more, the people loved to give their money in exchange for more. We are going to take a look at one of the poker tables, where it seemed like there was a very hot game going on.

„WHOOOOOW! Haha, another win for me!"

A man stood out amongst the rest of all those fine dressed people. His brown hair was about shoulder long and looked rather messy, but was slicked back and his anchor beard was the only thing, that looked groomed. He wore a wine red tunic with one sleeve rolled up and the other one tucked under a worn-out looking leather glove, above this an old, washed-out brown vest, that was missing a few buttons and dirty, black pants and simple brown boots. His belt had also seen better days and there were a few pieces of cloth tied to it aswell as a sword holster. Attached to a simple, black leather strap was a very high quality looking bow with ornate quiver. Above everything, he wore a dark-brown slightly torn, hodded cape.

Together with him at the table sat four other men, all of them looked like bad news, and in fact, they were. This man was sitting at a table with the bosses of criminal organisations, Mafias, people working for the Thieves Guild and the Dark Ministry and he definitely wasn't making friends.

„This can't be!" shouted one of them, „I don't believe ya!"

„Hehe, looks like luck is on my side today, guys!" he said, „Now, who wants to go for another round?"

„I think, yer cheatin' on us! I'm watchin' ye, just so ye know.."

And so the next round started. The cards were handed out and everyone took a quick peek. Five of Hearts and Seven of Diamonds.

Showing of his pokerface, the man distributed the first chips – two 100 chips.

Everyone payed the same price and he checked, the rest agreed. The first three cards were put on the table and everyone agreed to show them. The man put his right hand in front of his eyes, so that they would be shielded and not seen by anyone. Soon afterwards, they turned red and a black rose appeared on them instead of the pupil. He quickly reversed the effect and his eyes turned green again.

Jack of Hearts, Ten of Hearts, Nine of Hearts.

He took another look at his cards, King of Hearts, Queen of Hearts – perfect. A sly grin spread on his face.

„Gentlemen, your actions, please." he said.

Everyone raised to a total of ten thousand, putting a grin on their faces.

„Ok, guys, dicks out, guys, let's see what you got!"

No one could believe their eyes, as they saw what he presented them.. They complained, shouted, but in the end, he walked away with their money. The pockets full of coins and with a wide grin on his face, he left the gambling hall, where he ran into Fenrock.

„Oh, sorry, didn't see ya, there." he apologized.

„No, it's okay, I could've looked aswell." Fenrock replied.

Just then the other men joined them outside, they all were furious and had their weapons ready. The man looked at them, went „Oh oh.." and ghosted followed by the angry mob and Fenrock, who was curious to find out, what was going on there. Also, he had a strange feeling, that this guy had something familiar on him.

He ran into an alley, followed by the guys and Fenrock, his goal was to climb the wall and then over the rooftops, but there was nothing, that he could climb. Luckily, he had his hookshot with him. But he didn't have the opportunity to use it, as the others quickly caught up with him.

„We know, that you are cheating, Brynjolf." the Mafia guy said.

„And we don't like it, when someone cheats on us like that." the Thieves Guild guy said.

„So, not only will you give us our money, but you will also repay in blood." The Dark Ministry guy said.

„Oh, come on guys, I-I'm sure, we can work something out! We're all friends here, right..?" Brynjolf begged.

Then Fenrock came, he just walked past the three men and headed straight for the gambler. He eyed him up and down, to everyone's confusion, „I'll ask right away," he said, „Do you know anything about the Blood Rose curse?"

„Wha..? Wait, I have an idea, you help me out here, and I'll tell ya, how's that sound?" Brynjolf proposed.

„Sure."

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Fenrock quickly drew his gun and fired three shots, everyone a hit, everyone lethal. The three men fell to the ground, bleeding from a whole in their head.

„So, that's that, now let us talk." Fenrock said.

„Ho- I.. Sure, but, do you mind, if we get on the roofs?" Brynjolf asked.

„Fine by me." And so the two of them climbed up the walls to reach the rooftops, where they could finally talk. But before that, they went to a roof a bit away from this place, for obvious reasons.

„So, you were talking about the Blood Rose curse, why do you ask?" Brynjolf started.

„I have the odd feeling, that you possess it." Fenrock replied.

„And what makes you think that?" Brynjold wanted to know.

„Dunno, intuition?" Fenrock replied. He then took of his eyepatch, revealing his eye.

Since birth, it has always been like that, in the Blood Rose state. Ralof said, this is due to a genetic defect or something, „I have it, so, what about you?"

„Whoa, how do you manage to get it on one eye only?" Brynjolf asked as his eyes turned red aswell.

„It's always been like this, some kind of genetic defect, I guess." Fenrock replied.

„That would explain the eyepatch, huh? Anyway, I'm Brynjolf Lockser, nice to meet you..."

„Fenrock. Fenrock Stormblade."

„Fenrock! Heh, looks like we're about to become best friends, what do you think?" Brynjolf suggested.

„I guess, I could go with that." The two then shook hands.

„But tell me, Fenrock, why are you so interested in the Blood Rose curse?" Brynjolf asked.

„Well, I want to find every bearer of it, I don't know why, but for some reason, I have to do it." Fenrock explained, „So, are you in?"

„What do you do for a living?" he asked.

„I usually go on dangerous jobs, that people put on a bulletin board, putting my life on the stake to kill stuff, get stuff or destroy stuff in exchange for shiny metal." Fenrock replied.

„*laughs* I'm in!"