Burp
The beer here was too foamy. When I down my mug half of it flys back out with a misty spray.
"Another!” I say as I slam the empty mug back down.
The tavern keeper was a stocky dwarf. With a barrel for a chest and tree trunks for arms, his beard was long and braided. Much more impressive than my scraggly facial hair.. He laughed and poured another mug for me.
“Brother, you've had nine mugs so far, sure you can keep it up? I'll make you clean up your own vomit, you know.”
I stood to my feet, my head instantly spinning as I did so. I performed a little jig I loved performing and stuck a pose after. Many onlookers cheered and applauded.
“If I can jig, I can drink," I said with a burp.
The atmosphere in the tavern was merry, with a collection of travellers and local workers all taking respite after their days of hardship. This was a popular location due to the live music that kept the spirits high and the beer flowing. Today a collection of elves were playing flutes and strumming harps. Wood elves thankfully, their music was joyous and upbeat. High elves usually preferred calm and serene music, which has a time and place, but tonight was neither. The doors to the tavern swung open. The laughter and ramble of the place died down to a whisper. In walked a tiefling, a drow, and a goliath that had to duck his head to fit through the door. They all had tattoos of a snake eating its own tail.
“Not tonight boys, haven't I paid up already.” The tavern keeper's voice grumbled.
“The price has increased, we are just trying to keep you safe after all.” The drow said with a mocking smile. He made sure the sword at his hip was visible as he sauntered up to the bar.
“Listen, why don't we get that sorted in the morning. Everyone here is just trying to get some rest.”
“Oak, break something.” The drow said.
A cruel smile spread across the goliath’s scared face. He didn't carry any weapons, but his size and bulk were probably enough for a small town like this one. He kicked the bottom of a table where some humans were looking around weary. Sending drinks and plates spilling into the air. The tavern keeper's face was drawn tight in anger, as he tried to keep it in. I finished drinking my beer and the frothiness made my stomach churn. I walked up to the bar to get another when I keeled over and heaved vomit all over the drow’s leg. I shot up an apologetic smile at the drow. He looked down at me like I was a cockroach.
“Oak.” He said with a snarl.
The goliath came up to me, grabbed the back of my shirt and flung me into a wall of the tavern, knocking off the paintings that were hung there. I slumped down, head dizzy and back hurting.
“For that I'm doubling the fee, cleaning this vagrant bile costs extra.”
Vagrant? Is he talking about me. I hazily looked down at my disheveled look, well not too far off.
“Ten gold pieces is ridiculous, even for you lot.” The Tavern keep was saying to the drow.
“That's more than we make in a week.”
“Well dig into your savings then.” The drow replied.
I got up dizzy, and walked over to the drow.
“Ill pay for him.” I said about to put my hands on the drow’s shoulder.
hiccup
“If you touch me with those filthy green hands of yours I'll cut them off.” He snarled.
The Tiefling laughed and said.
"Where would you get ten gold coins? Raided a local village?”
Talking wasn't going to work.
“I'll fight you for it, let's take it outside though.” I said being mindful of the already damaged tavern.
“Oak, get rid of this drunkard, kill him if you want.”
Two goliaths moved towards me. Wait, it was just one, I laughed out loud. I was drunk. He came at me with a wild swing, I stepped inside giving him a hug. His fist swung through the air I was in, hitting nothing. I took a squat and wrapped my arms around his waist, with a grunt, I swung my back in an arc pushing off with my legs, suplexing the goliath. He slammed head first into the floor behind me going limp. The other two looked at each other confused, I stumbled towards them now. The sudden movement made me feel sick, good thing I already emptied my stomach. The tiefling pulled his hand crossbow up and loaded a bolt, the sound of its cord rang throughout the tavern, I stumbled to the side when my right arm reflexively caught the bolt. Using the torque of my body I spun around and launched the bolt from my hand into the tieflings knee. He crumpled over with a cry of pain no longer able to support his own body weight. The Drow drew his scimitar from his belt, it hummed with the magic of an enchanted weapon. He took some careful cuts at me, not wild like the goliath was. He was careful and maintained the distance between us, wary of me. I didn't close the distance yet, I waited for an opening. A bottle of booze cracked against the side of the drow’s head. He turned his head at the tavern keeper who wanted to do that for a while. The drow realised too late that I didn't hesitate as I rushed in. He made a horizontal cut in panic. I focused the Ki in my body to my hands and smacked the bottom of his wrist in motion with an open palm, sending the sword flying out of his hands and into the ceiling. With another step I unleashed a flurry of blows, Ki empowering each strike. Two to the chest, where I felt the familiar feeling of ribs crack. As a bonus I gave him one palm strike to the temple. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed into my pool of vomit. The tavern erupted into cheers, and the elves began to play a triumphant melody.
“Thanks for the help” The dwarf said.
“My pleasure.”
“I've never seen an orc monk before.”
“I'm a half orc actually. Get my good looks from my mom, she the orc.” I said with a smile.
The dwarf laughed and poured me another glass. Although happy he had a worry about his features.
“Think they will come back with more men?” I asked.
“Yeah this might make them more mad.”
“Don't worry about it, this is what brings me here. These guys are just a small branch of a bigger group, I'm going to find their leader and question him. Once that's dealt with the remnants should disperse on their own.”
“Did the guild send you?”
“Na, you and I both know they don't care about remote places like this. It's a personal request.”
“Well I wish you luck friend. Be safe.”
I downed the mug of beer, and dragged the delinquents outside. Only the tiefling was awake. Ne nursed the wound on his knee.
“Alright now, you will tell me everything you know about your boss.”
He looked nervously at the unconscious drow.
“You more scared of him than me?” I said as I poked his good knee.
Sweat beaded his forehead, as he considered. Then he began to talk. They always do.
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