Chereads / The Ranger Of The Wilds / Chapter 4 - Chapter 3: Bounties Of Gold

Chapter 4 - Chapter 3: Bounties Of Gold

The Town Of Elderbloom, Unknown World...

Gasps had been all around as the skillful hunter Kedon made his return amid the chaos of his last visit but instead of bringing in a wild game being draped across his shoulders, he'd been pulling five dead bodies all bound by cinder vine at both sets of ankles and looped together like a fine rope that came up to his massive and strong hands. The people had not known what to make of the bloodied hunter returning as he'd once more been wearing his studded black leather armor and hood. This time he had not brought his dire wolf, much to the relief of some of the curious towns folk as he pulled his newest hull into the town square and noted the mayor coming to approach him. He'd been an old man given to girth but not overly so and wearing a fresh set of refined iron armor. His hair was long by graying and his eyes were keen. There was an expression on his face that had been difficult to read as he smiled recognizing the vile monsters that had plagued the town for months before meeting their end at the hands of the skillful hunter.

"You have my thanks for ridding the town of these burdensome thieves." said the mayor with a welcoming smile. "You certainly know your way around a good kill."

"I was simply bathing in the river, they took it upon themselves and attacked me," replied Kedon evenly.

"Of course." replied The Mayor still delighted to see justice done nonetheless. "You don't cause any trouble and you are welcome here in Elderbloom as long as you'd like to stay on."

Kedon had no plans to linger long in Elderbloom but the recent run-in with The Onyx Pincers had set his travel plans back for a time.

"All five are present and accounted for, where's the coin?" asked Kedon turning this attention back to the matter of payment.

"Yes," said the mayor coming back to his senses. "Of course, 5,000 Solaires as promised for the man to bring in all five members."

He handed Kedon a filled sack and the skillful hunter tied it to his belt and attempted to take his leave of the place. As he began to head toward the forest he got a hankering for ale and decided to make a detour to the nearest Inn.

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Ye Olde Raven Inn, Elderbloom, Unknown World..

Loud chattering and the attempt at pleasurable music had greeted the hunter Kedon's large ears as he ventured beyond the thick oak wood doors of the local Inn. The wooden sign out in front had dubbed the place Ye Olde Raven Inn and he could smell the sweat, sex, stale piss, and spilled ale the moment he stepped inside and his black boots hit the hardwood floor. He noted the minor crowd in attendance and the curious sight of elven servant girls. They had all been young looking and lovely given their natural body shape, nearly exposed breasts and long flowing locks in various colors in contrast to their different skin tones ranging from gray ash to sandy tan, to ghostly pale, and golden hues.

The Elven had been servants to Menfolk ever since they had lost the last two wars against them vying for territory in their lands and forests. The former Elven rulers had been incredibly cruel to menfolk and enslaved them for a time before the uprising had seen them becoming the new slaves and sexual servants of the still embittered menfolk. Resentment and confusion on both sides remained and the argument of who had been done wrong first persisted through the years stifling much of the compassion menfolk had for The Elven races.

Knowing the histories, it wasn't a surprise to Kedon to see elven women as slaves for the townsfolk they much preferred them for sexual purposes after all. A half-breed child born between an elven and menfolk union had been heavily frowned upon by both sides opting to kill the child should it be discovered in youth and outcast it if it survived long enough to become an adult.

The cracking of a whip had gotten Kedon's attention as he made his way toward a bar in a bid to order a round of ale for himself. It was quite a while since he last indulged among the menfolk and spent time in a town when not hunting or fighting amid the forest.

A small golden-hued elven lad with white hair and bright blue eyes had come under the ire of a rotund merchant that appeared to have been his owner. He was beaten and kicked for a folly that would have been considered minor by menfolk standards. Kedon drank down his drink and marched over toward the merchant annoyed by the noise and the overdone beating session. He caught the rotund and elegantly dressed merchant's hand as he moved to whip the young male elf once again.

"He's had enough," growled Kedon still very much annoyed. "I grow tired of the noise you make."

The rotund merchant eyed him in confusion as he pulled back noting just how large and physically built the new arrival had been.

"This filthy little shit is always mucking up something or another." he hissed. "Been nothing but a burden ever since he had come to me, but very well I have other means of issuing punishment that should not disturb your drinking, lest you be a knife-ear sympathizer."

Kedon let go of the man's hand and ventured back to his seat at the bar and continued to lift his pewter tankard filled to the brink with fresh ale. He had not wanted anything to spoil his good time after the day he had successfully hunted and slain a Karabuk and taken on five gang members and collected the bounty on their heads once he'd killed them at the river.

A round of drinks in, the hour grew later and Kedon had found himself noting the groups of men lined up in front of one of the rooms as each man seemed to be focused on the events going on upstairs.

A couple of sweat-drenched men with grins on their faces had come down ragged of breath and evidently more pleased in their manner as they sat drinking their own tankards full of ale and chatting about what they had just experienced.

"Bloody elf's got a tight arse that's for sure, Me cock barely got in deep enough." said one of the sweaty men.

"Made me spurt a lot when I was inside it." said another. "Fucking knife ears are good for something at least."

Kedon rolled his eyes and once more turned up his drink. The Innkeeper had been watching him for quite a while, he was an old sod named Melik that mostly kept to himself and out of harm's way.

"After what you did bringing in The Onxy Pincers, Mayor's decreed your room is on the house should you choose to remain here for a time," said Melik. "If you stay on do know that folk don't take too kindly to elf lovers around these parts."

Kedon turned up his tankard once more getting the froth all over his upper lip and mustache in the process.

"I don't give a shit about elves, I just don't like undue noise," growled Kedon finishing off his drink.

Melik noted he'd finished it and smirked.

"Well we ain't got much to worry about then do we?" he asked with an odd smile.

What he didn't tell his new patron was that the drink had been spiked by way of a hallucinogenic poison that made for an interesting route to killing a man. Racist fools hellbent on sticking it to Kedon for what they saw as defending an elf had taken it upon themselves to spike his ale in retaliation for his stopping the abuse of the male elf from before.

Unfortunately for them, their brand of poison did not have the effect on the skilled hunter by the name of Kedon that they had hoped it would.