The Price of Revenge: A Bloodstained History {closed temp}

[Shadow Dragon]

"But before ye go," the barkeep told whoever had said that, "there's something ye must know. This tavern be the oldest in the town, and I be 4th generation to run it. Me great grand pappy, God rest his soul, took over this here tavern after the original owner died. Eventually, it was passed down to me-" he then lets out a big smirk, "-and I be running it for 200 years since."

"In the state he's in, he's not going to put two and two together," Zali told the barkeep with a smirk, "just tell him, Calhoun."

[ganondorf2]

"Well, don't ask too much into me then," the voice said and heavy armored foot steps were heard, before said person walked in.



"Oh and to the drunk that said there's no police station? There is one, it's just above your head, flying," he said crossing his arms.

[The Melee Master]

Melee took her time with her meal, and tries to discreetly listen in on the conversation at the same time, as curiosity struck, and for now, remaining out of sight of everyone.

[Shadow Dragon]

"Well laaa deee daaa!" sang the drunkard.

The barkeep chuckled, "Guess I shouldn't be beatn' around the bush in your current state. I, Calhon BlackFang, be 4th generation of the BlackFang clan; forest dragons that migrated here from Ireland...and me ancestors started a war with humans for domination over these lands," he frowned, "us forest dragons usually prefer to remain away from conflict, so I've done never forgave me family for such bloodshed and discrace. Sadly, all the hotspring water in the world ain't enough to clean the blood off me family's name."

"Believe me, he's one of us, all right," confirmed Zali, pushing the shotglass aside and pointing to an aged painting on the wall, chipped and slightly faded.

[ganondorf2]

"Wow, I stick out. Yes, I can change into a dragon, but I...I better not say too much into it. It will make your head spin, if that fellow hasn't done so with his IQ points going to the negative."

Then glares at the drunk, and asked, "Sounds like you want to see it and badly. Don't push it, little man."

[Shadow Dragon]

The taverners laugh at what had been said, but the ones whom the joke was directed to, weren't amused at all.

"That be me in me true form, posing for a self-portrait, and painted by me lovely sister-in-law as a gift to me for helping set up her and me brother's wedding in the middle ages," said the barkeep, "quite a fine artist for a dragon herself."

"Not to mention that over half the 'people' in this tavern are actually dragons, too," said Zali, "including those causing trouble."

That's when the tavern suddenly got quiet and some of the customers turned to Zali and Black Fang with angry looks on their faces.

"Way to sell us out, you two, and to dirty humans, no less...!" hissed a customer, causing Zali to sharply turn around to see the group, including some of the more drunken ones, to stand from their chairs and stumble toward the scar-faced dragon and forest dragon.

Zali rolled his eyes, not scared at the slightest, "You're clearly in no shape to take me on!" he then downed another shot.

"Like it's any big secret," hissed the barkeep, "a dragon prince be runnin' this country, for crying in the mud! Think before ye start throwing claws, laddie!"

A draconic snarl was heard by a few, officially confirming that they were dragons disguised as humans. Zali put the glass on the table, and returned the draconic snarl, showing a set of sharp teeth, but remained turned away. The human-cloaked dragons went back to their seats and meals, not wanting to start a brawlout after all.

"See? They be talkin' tough, but they be good folk," said BlackFang.

"And if the name Hydra Tavern wasn't hint enough, then my God, you outsiders are as slow as sap slipping down tree bark!" spoke a human-cloaked dragon who had remained in his seat.

[ganondorf2]

"My friend would like to meet him," the man said, "She tries to be an artist. She could use the tips."

Hearing snars he said, "Excuse me..."

He turns to show demonic dragon eyes to the drunks as well as the hooded stranger before turning back.

"I must ask you to lay the fellow on his side. Should he throw up himself, he won't have the risk of choking on it.

[Shadow Dragon]

Blackfang chuckled, "Is that so? Well then, if ye be serious, I can set ye friend up for a meetin' in the future. Right now, she be out of town on holiday."

"By the way, Mr Black Fang," Zali sighed, ignoring the taverners now, "when you get the chance, I'll take the tab for my order. I'm done for the night."

"Aye," the barkeep nods, "I'll be cuttin' ye a break and just say four shots of your usual comes to 30 gold pieces, or $15.00 of ye modern currency, as thanks for not getting into it with those taverners."

"They're not worth the trouble anyway,"

"Oh, and Zali," he then leans in at him and whispers, "come back here alone after closin' time. I have some information that ye might want to know."

Zali nods to this as he takes out a leather pouch and offers the gold, then looks in my direction as he sees me rush out the tavern, heaving, and eventually throwing up what I had eaten.

"City dragon had one too many," said a taverner.

"Zali," said Calhon.

"Yeah, he's coming with me until he sobers up,"

"Thank you. I'd take 'em, but I ain't got the space for visitors."

[ganondorf2]

"That's fair. Name's Nova by the way," he said offering his hand, "Sorry about all this, but I travel to many places because of my job. I try to prevent trouble...but as you can see, I might have caused more then you need."

[Shadow Dragon]

"The taverners be good folk when they not be drinkin' so heavily," he replied, taking Nova's hand and shaking it, "so don't be too hard on 'em. Heh, I'd much prefer them to be passed out like ye friend did...even though it's not a nice thing to say." He watches as Zali gets up from his seat and pays his tab, then grabs and slings me over his shoulder, BlackFang saying, "I really appreciate this, Zali."

"This town might be too dangerous for him to be alone in anyway," said Zali, walking out the door with me in tow.

[ganondorf2]

"Why do say that? Too many thieves or too many eyes?" he asked.

[Shadow Dragon]

"Thieves, pickpocketers, you name it," said Zali, "at least in this part of town. Only reason I'm here is because my gang and I are on vacation, at least...we're suppose to be. Turns out we had no money to scrap up for a hotel, so we had to make due with staying in an abandoned church from the 1300's. Anyway, let's hurry and get back there. You seem decent enough to trust, so come along or don't, I can't tell you what to do." Zali walks off.

[ganondorf2]

"Sorry to hear," Nova said then to the barkeep, holding out a gem. "I know I didn't buy anything but why don't you keep this? It's my region's currency."

[Shadow Dragon]

Blackfang took the item that Ganondorf had given him and takes a look, "Ye be very generous. Thank you."

[The Melee Master]

"Lord knows I don't," muttered Melee Master about alcohol tolerance, thus the tea she ordered.

Paying her tab for the food and drink, in US currency of course, she got up and walked out the pub, putting her cape over her head to keep from getting wet from the rain. She then turned and watched the group walk away, wondering if she outta follow, or not impose and find a cheap Inn for the night, if there were any in town.

Yeah, maybe later after everyone's sobered up. Besides, it would be rude to tag along when she wasn't invited in the first place, and even more awkward since she's never met the man carrying Shadow Dragon out of the pub. Heaving a sigh, she places her hands on the back of her head and looked up at the lanterns, then began walking to find a place to stay for the night, which she suspected was going to be a long one.

[ganondorf2]

"If you see any trouble, I'll be around," he said and watched Melee walk out, before he did as well, making him think, "I think I know her... by her voice anyway."

[Shadow Dragon]

"Aye," he nods, "be off with ye now."

---

Zali continues to walk through the misty rainfall, relying on smell to find the building his gang was staying at.

[ganondorf2]

Nova looks around carefully, trying to sense anything off as he walked.

[Shadow Dragon]

Finally, the building was in his sights. Though it looked a little run down, at least it was shelter from the weather, although no light source aside from the sun when it's out. Zali walks over to the building and enters it, "I'm back!"

His voice sort of echoed through the building, catching the gang's attention who were sitting on the ground, backs against the walls or anything used to prep themselves up. The gang consisted of five people; four dragons and one human.

"That you, Zali?" a voice called out.

"What do you think?" he hissed, "By the way, we got company staying with us for a while, so be on your best behavior!" He walks over to a spot against a wall and lays me on the ground. Unfortunately, I was out cold.

"You're f*cking kidding, right?!" a voice said.

"Something wrong, Sparky?"

"What the hell happened to him?!" the human of the group, Sparky, looked at me with concern.

"Drunk off his high horse," answered Zali.

That made the former BlackBlood member sigh, "What an idiot. I see he hasn't changed,"

[ganondorf2]

Ganondorf stayed quiet to everything and loosely crossed his arms. Thinking to himself that he doesn't remember anything about this. How long has this been going on since they left? He closed his eyes in deep thought on this.

[The Melee Master]

Finally finding an abandoned building of her own to spend the night, and despite the rain leaking from the broken roof, Melee then lowers her cape from her head and sat down, arms crossed and sighs as she tries to relax. Yeah, meeting back up with old friends will just have to wait. Right now, with people she's never met before, meeting back up after so long in that circumstance would be too awkward for her and everyone involved. Best not to put herself and anyone in that situation.

[Shadow Dragon]

"That's right, you two were in another gang together once, correct?" asked Tristan.

"That we were," Sparky replied, "and he's a good friend of mine."

"I think it's been over a year since we've seen that guy, Sparky," said Ed.

"Nah, it's gotta be shorter than that,"

"Doesn't seem that short to me."

"Well I don't keep track of these things," finished Zali, "just lay him someplace dry or something. I gotta run an errand real quick."

"You're going back out?" asked the female dragon, Samantha, as she stood from an old chair she was in, a book she had been reading in her right hand, "But you just got back."

"Mr BlackFang wanted to wait until things settled down before talking to me about something," he replied, "figured I'd better get down there now while the crowd's thinned out."

[ganondorf2]

"Need help? I just saved your skin from a group not long ago without your knowledge. How long will it take to before another shows their ugly mug?" Ganondorf asked.

[Shadow Dragon]

"Did you?" Zali questioned him, "Huh, so THAT'S what I was sensing back there." he smiles, "All right, I guess you can tag along as my thanks." He then walked out of the building.

[ganondorf2]

He nods with a smile of his own before standing beside Zali, walking with him.

[Shadow Dragon]

Zali reaches the tavern once again and enters it. Even though the bar was near closing hours, there were still a few stragglers having a drink and finishing their meals.

"How did you manage to clear so many out so fast?" asked Zali, sitting at the barstool as the barkeep walked over to him.

"T'wasn't easy," he replied, "anyway, I just wanted-hey," he notices Ganondorf, "why's he here?"

"Just need to have my back watched after that excitement earlier. He's fine."

"A bodyguard, eh? Oh well. Anyway-"

"If this is a trick to get me to pay for that bottle of wine I broke two years ago, I told you I paid it off already!"

"I remember, dun worry," spoke the barkeep, "that ain't what I wanted to talk to ye about. These humans...they don't suspect a thing about what has been happening, or what is about to happen. If I spoke to ye about about it earlier, one would surely overhear and cause panic."

"And...the dragons over there are, what, living statues?"

"Don't mind us, sir," said one of them, "we'll be out of here shortly."

"Well, at least the loud ones are gone,"

"Pay them no mind," said BlackFang, "anyway, I've heard from a customer that there were attacks caused by outsider dragons in one of the neighboring lands of the UK. Burned a village to the ground, they did. The dragons in here? They be survivors of that village. They had no where else to go."

"I see," Zali realized.

"And their drunkenness' be them drinking the hurt away from losing their homes. Some even lost their families, including new hatchlings, or eggs that never had the chance to hatch...so ye can't blame them for their behavior this evenin',"

"Well," Zali slammed his hand on the bar, not out of anger, but surprise, "I wish I had known that sooner, I wouldn't have aggravated them further, dammit."

[ganondorf2]

"Same," Nova said, "I'll have to apologize to them later."

He can read minds but when it's jumbled because of impairment, doesn't help. He needed to work on that.

[Shadow Dragon]

"With that group, it really wouldn't have mattered," said one of the human-cloaked-dragons to both Zali and Nova, "those drunkards were crude from the start. Trust me, with them, drunk or sober, they'll find ways to start a fight. Gets their blood pumping, or so they say."

"Yeah?" Zali turned to the one he was speaking to, "Then what's your story?"

"Bar hopping," was all he said, making Zali sigh, "hey, you asked, buster!"

Black Fang, then smiled, "Heh, pretty rare to see us dragons all bunched together in one place, eh? This tavern be a safe haven for dragons of all kinds. Even humans don't get judgement from me if ye just lookin' to get away from daily life."

"And we thank you for that, Blackfang, truly!"

"But ye got five more minutes before I be preparing to close shop," warned the barkeep, "remember that."

"So you want me to go investigate, is that it?" asked Zali.

"Just want ye to keep a lookout. I've already went to warn His Majesty on my way to open up the tavern," he puts the towel away, "and that in mind, would you do me a wee favor and do a wellness check on the prince for me?"

"So THAT'S why you wanted me to come back, just to ask me that? That's a bit out of my range, old man."

"Please, Zali," he said, "the prince's well-being means everything to the descendent of the people of the olden days. They've, myself included, thrown away modern living in favor of this ye old lifestyle, so tradition, and prince Brandon's leadership, are all we have to turn to in times of trouble."

[ganondorf2]

"Of course," Nova said, then thought, "I'm wondering how he's doing anyway. Though I sense something amiss..."

[Shadow Dragon]

Zali sighed and smiled, "All right, all right..."

"Tell him Calhoun Black Fang of Hydra Tavern sent ye. I'll be here for another hour cleanin' up after the place be empty from customers." the barkeep then looked up at Zali and Nova with a hardened look, "I be dead serious you two, there's something about the situation I don't like..."

"Right, We'll let him know."

"Thank you. I'll be figuring out a way to repay ye for this in the meantime."

"What, no round of free drinks?" Zali joked.

Black Fang laughed, "Sorry lad, this old dragon needs the gold, too, ye know."

"We're all tapped out over here, too, or we'd treat you for helping out," chuckled one in the group, "sorry sir."

That made Zali chuckle, "Worth a try. All right then," he stood up, "I'll round up the gang and we'll leave ASAP. We don't have much going on for us tonight anyway. Just staying in an abandoned building, which the rain isn't doing us any favors with anyway."

"Aye, Zali, don't be catching a cold now."