"Hey, Phil, you there?" Hero walk down the stairs towards the entrance of the Inn. He expected Phil to stand at the Bar waiting for his arrival just like before, but instead of that, no one was there. All the lanterns were wipe out as the lobby was completely in darkness. No one was there, he look around, trying to reach Phil but there is no one there. He then remember about the storage room, where Phil claims that he will be there all day, restocking or whatever. He look around the lobby for a quite while before finally found a door with a sign "STORAGE ROOM" on it.
He walk towards the room as he open the door on it without thinking much. Today will be the last day he will stay at the Inn, he will leave tomorrow after he finish gathering the items he needed. "Phil you are in the-" The moment he stepped inside the "Storage room", he was terrified.
This isn't a storage room, this is a prison!
In front of him was rows and rows of room created through stone, each with a villager within it. Every one of them look skinny, working hard as they were cramped in a two by two. Some looks like they've been left without food for days while some looks like they've been tortured, with bite marks and scare all over their body, but all of them are still working, like slaves on leash, working desperately to live for another worthless day.
"What the hell" Hero's eyes grew wide by the sight in front of him. Disgusting. "PHIL!! GET THE HELL OUT AND EXPLAIN TO ME!!!" He roared as he took out his axe and strike towards the wooden pillar beside him, creating a large thump as if lightning has struck the tree. The sound echoes through the narrow corridor, before being covered by soft footsteps.
"Tap, tap, tap…."
The footsteps get louder and louder as a figure approaches. "He's coming." One of the villager beside hero whispered in fear, "Run. Run while you can." He screamed desperately as he wave his hand towards Hero before suddenly stopping, the ground beneath him starts to shake before suddenly various snake like head started to poke out of the ground, biting him piece by piece, consuming, swallowing him before what it left is only a few scrap of cloth.
"Hush my boy." The figure approaches slowly as he put his finger on his lip. "Hush." He whisper softly. Hero took his axe out, looks like a fight is unavoidable. Phil turn his head at Hero as he let out a good laugh, "Well hello, Hero. Welcome to my Storage room!" He let out his arms as he showed him the room with pride. He was wearing a black coat that touches the ground, with golden lining and a black boot, giving him a menacing look. "You like my look? Been preparing for this for Quite some time."
"For what." He crouched as he took out his shield, ready to strike or to evade any attack. "For you Hero. After years of searching, I finally found someone that I could lay my Inn on. Someone like me." "Oh for the sake of diamonds I look nothing like you." Hero said.
"Let me tell you my story, boy." Phil lean beside one of the cage as the villager inside it let out a yelp and huddle at the corner of the cave, in fear that he might lose his life. "I am a wanderer like you, when I was young, I would venture out to the world in search for a true place for me to stay. And one day, I arrive at this village. I met a woman, we get along together, and we build this in from scrap. Then one day, a villager took her life, a blacksmith was moving his anvil, and the rope broke. She was 25 at that time. And she left me all alone in this world, with this Inn, and I am just trying my best keep it living."
"Out of other people's corpse" Hero interrupted.
"It has to be done, these people doesn't deserve to live!" Phil growled. "This town isn't rich enough for us to live together, so either I leave or they do! And it didn't take much mind to tell you which option I chose. "
"These people didn't make any mistake."
"Their mere existence is, a sin." Phil roared, he was completely insane. "And I gave them a purpose to serve. I wanted you to join me, Hero, I've found you interesting, a wanderer like me searching for a home. As long as you keep the secret of mine, a secret I can help you to find one! You could settle down here with your girl, you told me you wanted a place to settle, and here it is! We can help each other, we can become friend, even brother. We can win, together."
"First of all, I am not your friend." Hero pointed his axe towards Phil. "And second of all, let these people go, before I force you too."
"Very well then." Phil smirked as he open his cloak, within him was dozen of shiny boxes. "Then let you be one of my collections!" With that, he lift up his hand and started to mumble, the boxes started to shake violently before bursting out, tiny humanoid figures, each with a sword in hand. They let out a horn like bellowing sound as smoke surrounded them.
"I've forget to tell you, Hero. During my desperate attempt to bring the Inn back to live, I've learned some dark arts, myself, serve this as my very own and probably your very last warning."
Hero dashes towards Phil as he hold up his shield and his axe high above on the other. Looks like one of them, will never make it out alive.
The humanoid figure attacks with their sword as Hero blocks it down with his shield. They may seem small, but they sure know how to blow. While dealing with the two in front of them, the other fly to his back and try to surprise him, where he blocked it down with his axe.
"They are fast." Hero thought as he tried to slash down one of them with his axe, but failed as they dodged and flew away, letting a laughing like sound as if they are mocking him.
"You like these guys." Phil laughed. "They are called vexes, they use to be guest of my Inn, to bad they didn't stay put, they should've stay put instead of wandering around in the Inn."
"Light hitters." Hero said "Should take more than that to take me down."
"Light, but fast, all I need to take down a tank like you." Phil said
"You may have underestimate me, Phil." Hero block down the attack with his shield and using the force of the attack he is able to dash towards Phil.
"YOU, may have underestimate me, Hero." Phil smirked as he started to mumble spells and suddenly the ground beneath him started to rumble, suddenly dozen snake like heads poke out of the ground in a straight line, straight towards him.
"Damn it." Hero was in mid air right now, there is no way he could stop, change direction or evade the attack. He has to think fast. He put his shield beneath his feet, the moment the snake attacked him, he was able to block it and at the same time gain enough momentum to throw up midair, and that is all he needed. He took up his shield and hold it right above his head, striking to the ground, aiming right at Phil.
The axe smashes towards him, the moment it was inches away from his head, the vexes rushed towards and all of them block the attack together with their sword, before pushing him away blocks away from Phil. And range, is all Phil needed to take this man down.
"Flying rats." Hero cursed as he tries his best at trying to pull closer their distance, but the he was held back once more. The vexes were annoying but the fang attack forces him to keep his distance. He didn't had any range attack and his heavy axe forces him to deliver blows at a slow rate, which makes attacking even harder. What makes it even worse is that Phil also threw splash potion of weakness as well as potion of slowness to him, which isn't great news for him, especially when you.
He was now forced to back up, the attacks were growing fiercer and fiercer, as his back touches the cold wall, he knew he has nowhere to hide or run.
"Hey, hero, here's something for you." Just when he thought it was fall over, a weapon smith beside him whispered to him. "Here" He threw him a saber, "I forge it out of obsidian, a balanced mixture between ice and fire, the middle is still piping hot, took me seven full days of work. It was for one of Phil's list during his deal with the Pillager but now, I gave it to you, don't let me down, boy,"
Hero catch the saber with one hand as he put his axe back to his backpack. He inspect the saber in front of him. The saber was crafted with expert craft man ship, each side of the saber is covered with golden tinted magical words, which is effective towards magical beings. The handle of the spear was covered in dragon leather, powerful and perfect at the grip. He turn his head at the blacksmith as he nodded.
He took the saber as he dashes once more towards Phil, he summon the fang attack once more, but this time he is able to cut of the being's head with one swift cut to the throat, the being let out a cry before turning into ashes. He look at the saber in hand and smiled as the villagers cheered.
Phil grunted as he signaled the vexes to attack him, but this time with the saber in hand, he is able to deal much for faster and deadlier sword. With one quick slash, he is able to slay one of the vexes with ease, it let out a deafening screech before turning into ashes. Phil starts to get frustrated as he unleash another wave of fang attack, hero dodged it fairly easily before taking down one of the vexes with a quick slash. With the vexes falling one by one, things started to look up for him.
The tables has finally started to turn.
Hero stood close to him. He was just meters away from Hero's reach. As the last and final vexes let out a screech as it turn into axes, the confident expression on Phil's face at the beginning disappeared.
"Not so tough on your own huh." Steve approached, as he slowly pointed his sword towards Phil. Phil backs up slowly, it was not long after he was pitted against him and the cold brick wall behind him. The villagers stick their head out of the cell, waiting for justice to be served right in front of their eyes.
"Please Hero, we can talk." As the footsteps approached, he finally beg for mercy.
"Hero, hero, hero, stop!" He waved his hand as he pointed his saber right at his throat.
"We can talk, Phil." Hero say softly. "If you let the people go, I would let you go unharmed. Out of this town."
"You want me to leave my inn?"
"That is the only option, the people won't forgive you for what you've done."
"You know that this inn means my life to me, Hero."
"There is no other way Phil."
"Then, I choose blood."
"Huh?"
"You know about villager's attitude right. They work harder, trade cheaper when you save their puny lives." Phil said as he took out a controller with a button on it. "And with a press of the button, all the villagers here will be infected."
"What are you trying to do Phil." Hero questioned as he approached.
"I have a zombie stored behind every single villager here." Phil threatened. "One slight push and I will unleash them all. So be wise Hero, put the saber down and leave here, I won't do anything to you or your girl."
"Well, what are you gonna do after they are infected. You cure them?"
"Yes I cure them, once a witch at the faraway south swamp taught me how to cure them, and that's what I've been repeating for the past 10 years." He said. "So now leave this Inn and never return, let's pretend that nothing has ever happened.
"You are insane, Phil." Hero whispered in shock as he look at the man in front of him.
A man, who had go so far for his twisted dream and his broken past.
A man, who serve the devils, just to hold on the last hope of his life.
A man, he once thought, they would be friend…
Hero put away his saber back, as he turn his head and leave.
The villagers all scream desperately for his name, hoping him to return, to come back, to save them from this living hell but he didn't stop. He has no choice, but now, he has a mission. As he open the door, he turn his head ever so slightly as he speak:
"I will be back, Phil. Back for your head."
He let out a grin. Phil smiled as he look at his back, he is going to make sure, he will be prepared as ever once he returns.
The moment he step out of the storage room, he bumped straight into Brine.
"Whoa, why are you roaming out here." Hero asked.
"We have to leave right now," She explained as she panted from all those running. "This is Inn is…."
"Yeah I know, we should leave." He said as he walk towards the exit of the inn.
"You knew?" She followed
"Yeah, now hop on, I will explain all of it later." He crouched down as he signaled the ride on his back. She nodded as she slowly climb onto his back and on her ride as together they head out of the Inn.
"So, where are we heading?" Brine ask as her eyes peered, scouting her surrounding, trying to adapt the bright sunlight of the blazing noon. She have been staying at that damp dim room for so long.
"To the swamp at the south, I have some answers to get."