I'd only been to Karra's once, but it was as nice as I remembered, and the stranger who had given directions to Winsby wasn't lying when he'd said it had everything. It wasn't just an inn, but also acted as an eatery, a legal gambling den, and even had other games. It was the highest-end establishment, but it was considered to be the best for the price.
We got a table, and Eloria ordered dish after dish. We ate like kings, or so I felt. I hadn't eaten anything besides the food at Stoll's and no offense to Stoll, but that place did not have the best food. Here, there was a wide variety at least in comparison. I dug into meat covered in some sort of gravy, fresh bread covered in cheese, and a delicious soup alongside what were essentially garlic breadsticks.
"You eat as much as Rashid," Tenna said, getting a glare from the orc.
"It's my ability," I said around a mouthful of bread. "It empties my stomach. I think it uses it for fuel or something."
"That seems like a logical conclusion," Elorai said, taking small sips from her bowl of soup. "What do you plan on doing now? We could use you in our group?"
I frowned. "Maybe, but for now I wanna stick to the first floor."
None of them seemed offended which I was glad for. The fact was if I could increase my other attributes like I had constitution, then I wouldn't need a group, at least not one for the second floor. Eventually, I'd have to sign up with the guild, or leave because my jump in attributes would draw attention. I'd already figured that much out. Although, there was Shared Growth. I could use it with them, but I wasn't the type to make decisions like this so quickly. Besides, I like them, but we barely knew each other.
For now, I was happy with us just being new friends and allies.
After the main course was dessert which I happily devoured alongside Rashid and Eloria who seemed to have a fondness for sweet things. Tenna was the opposite and didn't touch the cake, instead having fruits brought out. Lex just had glass after glass of wine. I'd had some, but I had no desire to get drunk. He, on the other hand, seemed eager to drink as much as he could.
"I propose a toast," Lex, raising his glass which shook. "To our team and new friend."
We all raised glasses and clinked. Defeinly good friends to have.
*****
The walk home from Karra's was slow. The others had suggested I stay, but I wanted to get back to Stoll's. It was night, and while there were still people out, it wasn't as many. I stared at the night sky above as I walked. Three moons. This world had three moons. I didn't know enough about planets, and moons, only that the moon affected the tide. These three seemed to be close with two upfront, and another behind and at the center. Essenailt it looked like three rings within one another. And unlike Earth which was heavily populated making it hard to see such things in certain areas, this world's sky was clear.
I could see hundreds of stars, and lights. Like those pictures of space, you see on the internet back on Earth. I could have stared all night, but I was tired and wanted some sleep. I was just making a turn when something flew by my face.
"Damn, I missed, get 'im."
The old me would have been screwed, but even my short time in this world had made me far more aware of my surroundings, and I had naturally gravitated away from the dark alleyway, so I was able to use boost three times before any of three hooded men got to me. My sword was out in a flash and my next action was more reaction than anything. The first man had a dagger which I easily side-swept and before I could think things through his head was flying from his shoulders.
My ears rang, and my blood sang. The next didn't fair much better, and only lost an arm before my pommel hit him in his head. He dropped. The third stopped, turned, and ran. A part of me wanted to let him go, but another didn't think it was such a good idea. I picked up the dagger from the headless corpse and flung it. I didn't expect anything, but it did hit him in his lower back. He didn't die instantly like in a video game, but he did drop face-down.
I ran, catching up to him. He was still alive, and I felt queasy, but I still reached down and pulled out the dagger. He screamed and did so again when I flipped him onto his back. He was young, not much older than I, and his eyes were full of fear and pain. He looked up at me. "P-please."
"Who are you? Why did you attack me?" I wasn't sure, but he might have just been a regular criminal who killed and robbed, but maybe he wasn't.
"Paid, p-please… healer."
"Who?"
"Didn't say, paid through a go-between." He coughed out some blood. "Please, healer."
"You done this before?"
He hesitated, and that was all I needed. I turned and walked away.
"Wait, please. I can pay."
I ignored him, even as a part of me said to go help him. But he'd just tried to kill me, and I had a hunch of who had paid him. They were all done for, and even though I felt cold, and a part of me felt sick, I didn't feel guilty. It was them or me, and they'd done this before. Before I went, I searched them. I couldn't tell it was a bad thing to do, but I ended up with a gold from each and some copper. Three gold for my life.
"Damn prick."
I had known from our first altercation that he'd be a damn problem, but this was something else. Covered in some blood, I headed back to Stoll's. I took my cloak off, but there was still some blood on me, and some people noticed, but luckily it was Stoll's so nobody asked questions.
"Oh, you ok?" Susa asked, walking past me with a tray of drinks.
"Fine," I said, although I sniffed my armpits as I headed to my room. I needed another bath and new clothes. I had five gold now, and some silver. Essentially I had over 5k, plenty for some shopping tomorrow, and a bath.
I stripped out of my clothes and went to sleep in just my underwear. As I did, I couldn't help but curse Xavier. Who else could it have been? I needed to get stronger because he might very send others, and they wouldn't be as strong. These three had clearly wanted to ambush me, and it was only by luck that the first dagger hadn't hit the side of my head.