Chapter 2 - My Clothes Smell Like Ash and Pickles

The blast from the explosion nearly knocked all four card players from their seats. The acrid stench of the fire burned their nostrils as the rapidly growing flames consumed the wooden doorway and cast an oddly orange-green light across the room.

The wood from the doorway and on the floor of the building was old. Well treated. It shouldn’t be burning so quickly. But the flames only seemed to be intensifying.

Gripping the table as he stood Witt surveyed the front of his beloved guild hall. He could smell burning tar but there was another scent too. Rotten eggs and something that reminded him of frying fish.

Before he could move Xorn bellowed and raced for the bucket at the foot of the bar. It was usually used to wash the floor at the end of the night. That is unless it had already been thrown into the face of a sleeping drunk or used to clean up an even less savoury mess earlier in the evening.

Xorn grabbed the handle of the water bucket and moved to throw the water on the fire.

“Stop you idiot!”

Xorn froze. The shock of being called an idiot by a mere human stunning him momentarily.

Before he could react Witt quickly reached behind the bar and grabbed two large ceramic jars. He shoved one into Xorn’s hands roughly, the impact pushing it into his stomach and forcing him to exhale, cutting off his retort.

Witt casually walked over to the flaming doorway and threw his jar into the middle of the flames. Xorn had the wherewithal to quickly follow his lead and the sound of his smashing jar came soon after.

The flames immediately began to hiss and sputter, seeming to recoil from whatever it was thrown into their midst. The sound made an almost painful cry. Thick white smoke began to form as a new smell blew across to everyone in the room.

Pickles. The smell of metalic tinged pickles.

Taia opened her mouth to ask what they had done when suddenly the flames began to snuff out across the whole area. Her finely sculpted brows knit as she noticed even flames untouched by whatever they had thrown were being snuffed out.

“You cut off the air to the fire! How?” Euryale’s eyes gleamed as she watched the flames die. Her curiosity was clearly peaked by whatever mechanism the guild master has used.

“I’ll explain later. First let’s get out of here in case another fire bomb comes our way.” He began to wave at everyone in the hall to leave now that the flames had been dealt with sufficiently and he moved to help the man blown down by the door to stand up.

As Xorn passed him Witt was surprised when the massive man suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close enough that their noses were nearly touching.

“Alcibiades Witt.” His name came out like an insult. “I will deal with you calling me an idiot later. But only because I have to go investigate those screams we heard outside.”

Witt could feel the hot breath against his skin. Looking into the red eyes of the man holding him he realized that, demon or not, the man stood a full head taller and his body was pure muscle. It seemed like he could crush Witt easily if he chose to do so.

Still, without showing any fear Witt calmly replied. “Well, I’m all out of the stuff we threw, so I’d suggest sand instead of water on any other fires.”

Confused by his calm demeanour Xorn pushed Witt away and stepped outside with a mumbled “Bah.”

“You’re welcome by the way!” Witt called after him.

As more patrons poured out of the building Taia walked over to Witt, her calm smile also out of place in what was an otherwise chaotic situation.

“And here I thought you’d be the first out the door my dear Alcy.”

He turned to her with a wry smile on his face “I told you Taia. You should only call me that when we’re…alone.” He whispered the last few words as he glanced at Euryale.

“Besides,” he continued, “a little fire isn’t enough to stop me and I’d be a poor new tavern owner if I left my patrons to burn, wouldn’t I?”

Taia laughed. “Ah, there it is. The self interest I can always rely on from you.” Witt merely shrugged his shoulders in response unabashedly.

“I suppose I should help too.” She lazily waved her hand towards the man as she carefully stepped around the damaged floor and left.

“Th…thank you for the game Mr. Witt.” A clearly flustered Euryale bowed slightly as she followed Taia.

Witt didn’t envy her. As Seneschal of the local Viscount he was pretty sure Euryale was about to have a lot of paperwork dealing with whatever was ocuring.

“I suppose I should see what exactly is happening myself.” Witt mumbled to no one in particular as he followed the last of his patrons out of the building.

Outside Euryale’s eyes went wide. “My library!!”

Down the street she could make out the plumes of smoke that rose from the small building where she spent much of her free time.

Nearly tripping over her own feet she dashed towards it. She quickly passed Xorn who was furiously throwing buckets of sand at what was clearly a losing battle.

“Is that the counting house?” Euryale paused to gape at the building which was already reduced to little more than a burnt frame.

Taia appeared behind her and casually walked up. “It certainly used to be.” Her voice was calm but her eyes constantly scanned the area, obviously looking for other dangers.

“But that’s where all our tax records are stored!” Euryale’s voice cracked in surprise. For a moment Taia wondered if what she saw on the demon’s face was relief instead of upset but before she could say anything a booming voice rang out across the area.

“Citizens of the city of Fulgen! Hear me!”

The women spun to look at the roof of a nearby building. Even Xorn stopped his frantic work to stare at the source of the voice several stories above them.

On the roof was man who seemed to be cloaked by the shadows themselves as his black hood and cape flapped in the light breeze. His face completely hidden, his voice nonetheless rang out clearly.

“Two years ago the scourge of demon kind infested our great nation! They killed every noble they could find, no matter how inconsequential. They killed those who didn’t even resist. Couldn’t resist! And now they strut across our world claiming to be our lords.”

As the man on the roof paused Xorn quickly looked around but couldn’t find a way up to where the man was and grit his sharp teeth in frustration.

“I am known as Warlock. I say to the good people of this City that my group - the Defiant! - will do what needs to be done to rid our cities of this filth! Today we have destroyed the very means they use to help control you all and struck back at the people who would sell their souls to live suckling at the demons’ teat!”

His hands moved to highlight each of the locations burned, though when he found the guild hall virtually intact there was an obvious pause before he continued.

“More importantly I will show you that we can end the occupation of these foul demons without the help of any so called Hero.” His voice curled into a sneer as he spoke the word. “When the demons came this time, no hero followed. But we, the peoples of Ailurus, will drive the demons out of our cities. We will snuff out each and every last one of them so that they learn of our strength! So they learn that we, the free peoples of Ailurus, are the rightful rulers of this world!”

A cry boomed nearby. Taia couldn’t make out the source but it was soon joined by another, then another, as numerous hidden voices cheered the shadowy figure.

“Well Xorn. Aren’t you going to do something about that?”

Snapped from his shock Xorn looked down at the heavy wooden bucket in his hand.

With a grunt he threw it at the man, his demonic strength carrying the improvised missile far further and faster than any normal human could throw. His aim true, Xorn smiled as the bucket closed in on its mark.

And then…the man vanished. The bucket sailed through the spot he was standing in a moment ago.

“What?!?”

“Hmm, I thought you had him there for a sec Xorn.” Taia seemed surprised as she chided him.

“Wh…what should we do?” Euryale’s small voice chirped.

“Nothing. At least for now.”

Xorn spun to glare at Taia.

“Listen Xorn. No way that man didn’t have an exit strategy after that little speech. Even if he hadn’t disappeared I doubt we could have caught up to him.”

She glanced around. “And in case you haven’t noticed, we still have fires to put out.” Her hand cupped her chin as she continued. “And for some reason neither the fire brigade nor the guards at the castle have yet arrived to help. Curious.”

“Well that all seemed rather dramatic, didn’t it?” Witt seemed to be chuckling as he approached the trio.

“Indeed. But we can discuss later. For now, grab a bucket and help.” She thrust one into his hands.

“Alright, alright. I’ll go with Eury here to see if we can save that library she seems to like. At least it’s still standing. For now.” He began to walk towards it.

His hand waved casually as he strode off. “But you should know this goes against my nature. I lost a book from there recently that I borrowed so if the place does burn down it only benefits me since they’ll never prove I had it and I’ll get to avoid paying for a replacement.”

“His payment is keeping his innards.” Xorn grumbled as he grabbed his own bucket and tried to focus on keeping the counting house’s fire from spreading to other buildings even if the building itself was a lost cause.