Rise of Fire: Dragons Reborn [COMPLETED]

Chapter 40

Nico lifted another pint to his lips as he drank deeply from the cheap mead he had bought. How much had he drank already? His mind was buzzing, he could feel his limbs growing heavier with each gulp. It was all he could think to do after the healers had summarily tossed him out of the city. They had healed him well enough, that was certain, but now he was locked away from his friends... From Talia.

Wiping his mouth he picked at his supper, a shabby meat pie the Inn's owner had thrown together for him. Coin spent easily enough both inside and outside the city walls. He only wished his money could buy him what he was after. Information didn't come nearly as cheaply as mead and meat pies.

"You still down in the dumps there lad?" The Innkeeper smiled softly at Nico. He was an older gentlemen, probably pushing his mid fortieth year. He was thin, though not thin enough to indicate starvation. He had a rosy pallor to him, his dark brown eyes glittered with a kindness Nico hadn't seen in most Arboros folk. What was his name again? Falon? Falk? He was pretty sure it was Falk.

"Agh... Yeah." He swirled the amber liquid in his wooden mug with a sour scowl. How couldn't he be?

"I could give you some more drink but I ave a feeling it won't patch up the wounds yer tempting to drown." He held forward a pitcher which Nico accepted quite willingly. Sure it wouldn't fix his problems but if he muddled his brain enough he wouldn't have to think about them.

"Thanks for your advice anyway old man, don't take it to heart that I'm going to ignore it." The man smiled as he grabbed Nico's obviously discarded plate and turned to go.

"No offence taken young man. Food for thought at least. I'll make sure yer bed's ready for ya when you end up falling into it." How many nights had Falk taken care of him? He wasn't getting much foot-traffic considering the flying rumors of demons and plagues afflicting the city of light. Falk was running low on everything, money, drink, food, customers. It probably made him more than happy to have a job.

Nico took a deep swig of his drink, enjoying the chill of the alcohol as it both froze and burned his throat. It wasn't a cure but it would do. For now. He peered around the gathering area only to note the large absence of folks. There were a few haggard farmers drowning their own sorrows, though they weren't talkers. More than that they never stepped foot into the city, they wouldn't know thing when it came to missing dwarves or half giants.

'I need to get into the city... But they're looking for a necromancer. More than that they know what I look like.' He had already tried several times only to be turned away at the gates. He tried to sneak in once or twice as well, though somehow the city guard managed to ferret him out rather quickly. He wasn't sure what other tactics he could use, especially until he could manage to change back into his raven form.

The only upside to being thrown out of the city was his slow recovery of mana. His bones were mostly healed by now as well, once he was recovered enough to take flight he'd set to searching in earnest. The guards could try to throw out a raven but they'd look awfully foolish. Until then he was content to simply drag his feet through life.

"You look like a sorry sack of shit." He slipped, dropping his mug as he looked up to see the one person he never anticipated seeing. At least, not where he was sitting. Midnight smiled down at him with her usual cold expression. Her dark eyes were almost supernatural in their ability to instill fear and discomfort. Her black hair was pinned up into a high ponytail showcasing her neck and shoulders. How long had it been since they'd seen each other? It felt like years.

"Well... I can't tell if the gods are showing me favor or trying to finish the job." He snapped, eyeing his drink on the floor longingly. He hoped she'd finish the job, at least then he'd be put out of his misery. She pulled a chair out before plopping down with a groan.