The dimly lit tavern resonated with the sound of clinking mugs and hushed conversations. Roxy, her eyes ablaze with frustration, faced her companions, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Are you guys fucking mad?" she seethed.
Ben, taken aback by her outburst, responded, "What? You're the one who's been urging us to seek out a dungeon."
Roxy's voice rose with exasperation. "Yeah! A dungeon, preferably a small one, not FUCKING HELLSCAPE! It's practically a gateway to damnation! Hell is literally in its name!"
Arthur, his gaze fixed on his untouched ale, attempted to reason with Roxy. "Come on, Roxy. We've grown stronger since..."
"Since?" Roxy interjected sharply. "Since Arie's life was cruelly snuffed out, beaten to a pulp by a vengeful ogre? All the while you stood trembling in the corner, drenching yourself in fear?"
Arthur swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah... since that..."
"Come on, Roxy, don't go there" Ben pleaded.
Roxy scoffed, her eyes burning with contempt. "Go where? Point out how Arthur is a pathetic coward? How he literally urinated in terror instead of aiding Arie? The audacity." She downed her pint of ale in one swift motion, the bitterness resonating with her frustration.
Arthur, his face tinged with shame, sat in silent contemplation, slowly sipping his ale.
"Listen, Roxy" Ben interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension, "Hellscape is the closest dungeon for miles, and we need the coin."
Roxy slammed her empty pint onto the table, the sound echoing through the tavern. "Why in the hell are we so desperately in need of coin?" she demanded.
Arthur began to speak, but Roxy cut him off sharply. "Shut the fuck up, Arthur," she spat, her aggravation palpable.
Arthur fell silent, his gaze fixated on the table before him.
Ben leaned in, his voice carrying a hint of desperation. "Where do you think your new staff came from? I took out a loan."
"A loan?" Roxy exclaimed incredulously. "Why the fuck would you resort to that?"
Ben's voice quivered with determination. "You said it yourself, Roxy. We're weak, and we need all the help we can get. You're the sole reason we've survived this far. With your new staff and the improved weaponry for both me and Arthur, we won't be as feeble."
Roxy sneered, her disbelief mixed with begrudging admiration. "You're an idiot, but your logic is sound. So, who did you get this loan from?"
"Vex," Ben replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Roxy's eyes widened with incredulity. "VEX? The fucking psycho? The man who slaughtered his entire party?"
Ben attempted to downplay the rumors. "That's just hearsay."
Roxy, her patience worn thin, made her final declaration. "Fuck this. I'm done. I can't bear you motherfuckers any longer. I'm going to retire for the night, perhaps find solace in the arms of a lady friend, and I'm leaving tomorrow."
Ben and Arthur were left dumbfounded, their mouths agape.
"You can't leave!" Ben protested desperately. "You're the only reason we're still breathing!"
Arthur's voice cracked with desperation. "You can't just abandon us like this!"
Roxy's face hardened, her resolve unyielding. "Kiss my ass. You two have
brought nothing but trouble since I joined this wretched party. You're both imbeciles, and I've had my fill." She drained the last drops of her pint, slammed it onto the table, and with a final glance of disdain, she turned on her heels. "Oh, and I'm keeping the staff."