By the time I finished my drink, my head was already feeling a little foggy, my senses were dampened slightly but my mood had lifted even more. To the point where if I had had the confidence I would have happily got up and had a dance, but I didn’t so I remained perched by the bar enjoying the music.

I contemplated ordering one more drink but given how I could already feel the one drink I had had affecting me I did not want to risk it, especially when we needed to be leaving.

Geovana continued to serve up the patrons as the atmosphere continued to feel charged, my chest beating in time with the drum that the blue skinned man was pounding. The music had a feel of Irish folk song, not that I had heard it frequently, it just made me think of it.

I didn’t want to leave but I knew that I needed to.

“Come on, time to go,” I said, not to me but to Raven I had no clue if she could see what I could see or even hear me as she continued to hide in my shadow so felt best to keep her up to date on what was happening.

No sooner as I took a step forward there was a commotion in the far corner of the room and the music stopped abruptly as someone fell back into the platform where the musician were. The woman stepped back, pulling her fiddle away from her chin, her expression clearly less that impressed.

“Geovana its him again.” she said with an irksome tone, this was not the first time this had happened.

My curiosity got the better of me and I stepped away from the bar to see the source of the commotion. It was someone that I recognised, or should I say I recognised their plated silver armour.

“Galahad,” Geovana said as he tutted and stepped out from the bar, “What did I say? You can only stay if you remained at your table in the corner,” He reached down to pull-up the fallen knight, who continued to stagger around like he did when he tripped over Raven.

“Don’t tell me what to do bar wench,” he said, he. Isn’t aggressive in his tone but Geovana did not appreciate it non the less. He slapped him across the back of his helmet so hard that it made my head rattle just watching it.

“Call me a wench again,” Geovana growled, his tone suddenly deeper and more menacing. “Now I said you could come back in as long as you drank a pitcher of water and kept quite, you have gone back on your word, so I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

There was a cheer from the crowd, a few fist pumps into the air too for good measure.

“What is the meaning of this, you can’t kick me out, do you know who I am.” Galahad said, he sounded even more pompous than earlier.

“Galahad, I have to kick you out most days, today, it is just a little earlier than usual.” Geovana, wrapped one of his tree trunk arms around Galahad and started guiding him to the door. Their was a kindness in Govan’s eyes, a sadness almost as he continued to walk a staggering Galahad to the front door.

“Very well, but only because I am choosing to leave.” Galahad said with a raised chin, “I have my pride after all,”

“Go on, piss off.” One voice sneered from the crowd. “Why dont you fall in the river too while you're at it, hopefully your armour will stop you from surfacing again.”

More of the rom laughed at the mans words, all I could see was the back of a balding head and broad shoulders of the person who had called out. He had some kind of black tattoo on the top of his neck, I was too far away to pick out any detail.

“You were the one who pushed me from my chair.” Galahad said in protest, I was minding my own business when you pushed me over.”

“Yeah yeah,” the man taunted.

“Come on,, it’s not worth it.” Geavana said as the two of them reached dthe door. “Is what Galahad said true?” He said as he propped the knight against the wall.

“What if I did.” The man said stepping forward, his shoulders seemed to double in size as he sized up to Geovana. “It’s not like you are going to do anything.”

Judging by Govan’s clenched fist he wanted to punch the man but was showing incredible restraint.

“I can still ask you to leave.” Geavana said, taking a deep breath. “I don’t want any trouble, not in may tavern.”

“And there won’t be, when you have kicked him out.” The man said, the atmosphere in the room had shifted to one of apprehension.

With a defeated look, Geovana turned to Galahad and said, “you best leave, before this escalates.”

“Very well, but it is out of respect for Geovana and not you,” Galahad said, “I’m in two minds to call you outside so we can settle this like men.”

Govan’s eyes almost rolled into the back of his head as he shook his head in disbelief. Galahad seemingly undoing all of his good work to calm the situation with one drunken slur. That said I kind of felt bad for the night.

The man laughed and took a step froward towards Galahad as Geovana stepped across in front oof him.

“Morgrim, he is not in any fit state for a fight. You would kill him if I allowed this.”

“Then he should go around offering people outside.” Morgrim said, his voice a low threatening grumble. It was painfully clear he was the one looking for a fight and Galahad was the one in his sights. Even I could see this wasn’t a fair fight though, Galahad was not in a fit state to defend himself against a child let alone this brute. “I don’t care about what he has done in the past, look at him, he is pathetic.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Who are you calling,” Galahad stepped forward from the door frame, wagging a finger, “I’ll have you know I am a,”

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence as my tankard soared across the room and bounced of the back of Morgrim. Time seemed to stop as it floated across the room and my heart sank, not just because I knew what this would trigger but because I knew that I had not thrown it.

The room fell completely silent as all eyes locked onto me and I wanted the ground to swallow me up, the vast majority looked at me in concern, apart from Morgrim and and a couple of other thugs beside him who looked furious.

I looked down at my shadow ready to curse Raven, I knew its as her. Had she done this to get back at me, whatever the reason she seemed more than happy to start a fight and to stay hidden.

“Well someone is feeling brave,” Morgeim said as the three thugs around him grinned while punching a fist into their opposite hand. “No weapons,” he commanded. “But feel free to break his bones.”

Morgrim Strongarm

Level nine

The label flashed above him in thick gold embossed lettering like when we fought against the Terrorminator. Morgrim grabbed hold of a smaller man who sat scared in a chair and pummelled the side of his head, causing most of the room to hastily start to leave.

Side quest activated

Survive the bar fight

This was not what I wanted as one of the men charged me down, above his head it said.

Grunt

Level 6

He ws a lower level than me, but he was still thick set with a. Menacing snarl on his face. Morgrim simply stood with his arms folded in front of him, he was wearing a leather armless jacket, it reminded me of a biker jacket but surely those didn’t exist here.

The first grunt got close and swung a punch at me but instinctively I reached out to block this before pushing him away from me, he stumbled backwards, falling over a table that tipped over with him as he crashed to the ground.

Raising my hands I said, “Look I don’t want any trouble, I just came here for a quick drink.”

“Well you should have thought about that before you threw a tankard at me.” He sneered. His scarred face was reddened, he was furious, one eye twitching, it was larger than the other. “Get him,” as he spoke the two remaining grunts rushed at me as blur of silver piled into Morgrim from the side, it was Galahad.

With no time to spare I channeled my berserker rage as Sy had been training me, using my hatred of Jerry to ignite the fires within. Activating my berserker skill, the red haze descended on my vision as I rushed forward. I wasnt’t going to sit and wait for the grunts to attack me, I was going to take the fight to them.

I grabbed the one on the right by the scruff of his neck and slammed a fist into the side of his head before rolling my body and tossing him into the grunt that was already groaning on the ground. They crashed into each other and the upturned table behind them split in half as the second grunt clattered into it. Splinters of wood sprayed through the air as the two of them grounded loudly, their health bars dropping to half.

When I spun to face the remaining grunt he speared me in the stomach but I was able to remain upright, stumping back a few steps as he pushed against me with all of his weight. Clasping my hands together I slammed them down on the grunts back between his shoulder blades. His grip loosened as he grunted and I repeated the strike. My berserker icon counter continued to drop.

The tavern door flung open and a couple more grunts stepped in, surveying the carnage before racing toward me.

Accross the room Galahad’s arms were wrapped around Morgrim, who just seemed pissed off at being held in place. He continued to struggle against Galahad who surprisingly was making to hold firm.

As the new grunts entered the tavern Geovana spun stretching out one of his arms and clothes lining both of them at the same time.

With another slam of my fists into the back of the grunt holding me he collapsed to the ground, groaning just as loud as the others who all writhed around on the ground.

I gave Geovana a worried look, “I am so sorry,”

He didn’t say anything in return instead, he barrelled down on Morgrim who had clasped his hands on Galahads forearm to pull it away from him slowly. Raising a hand he grabbed hold of Galahad’s shoulder and flung him over the top of him with surprising strength, straight into the approaching Geovana. The noise rang out as Galahad along with his metal armour clattered into the ground.

Morgrim looked incensed, he rolled his neck as it cracked multiple times as he limbered up for his next strike.

“Over here!” I said, clapping my hands together, I still had my berserker rage and wondered if I could afford Galahad and Geovana time to regroup.

“You will regret this,” Morgrim sneered, he was a higher level than me and I wondered if even with the three of us we would be able to beat him.

Galahad, climbed to his feet, his full body suit of armour, making his movement loud and clunky. “Unhand me he said,” Shrugging of Geovana, he seemed to think everyone in this situation was his enemy. Raising his fists like he was a boxer from the 1930’s he let out a huge hiccup. “I could do this all day,” he said, slurring his words. He stepped forward towards Morgrim but cought his foot on one of the grunts on the floor, tripping forward.

He hit the floor face first with an almighty clatter, his head concealed in the full headed helmet. Probably for the better goven the force of his landing. I couldn’t help but groan to myself as Galahad remained completely still, no longer trying to get up. He had managed to knock himself out.

“Shit,” I said as I watched my counter drop to it’s final second. When it hit zero my berserker mist faded and suddenly I felt completely vulnerable.

“Look’s like it is just you and me.” Morgrim grunted, slamming his knuckles into each other and clicking his neck. It snapped like a thick branch from a tree. The guy was a monster, at least twice the size of me and clearly a brawler.

“Listen up Raven,” I said, “I don’t care what the hell is going on, I understand you are pissed at me for taking a side quest, but I need your help!”

“Who are you talking to?” Morvin asked, he was clearly confused at me standing in front of him shouting to himself. It didn’t make him any less deterred to kick my ass however.

“Raven!” I shouted again, “Please!” I don’t know wether it ws out of pity or that she sensed the desperation in my voice but Raven shot out from my shadow, her scythes already drawn and by her side. She landed in front of me, half leaning forward rerady to strike and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“Thank god,” I said, “You came back.”

Morgim’s face changed in an instant from contorted rage to a look that I wasn’t expecting. Was that fear?

“What are you doing here? I didn’t know that he was with you,” Morgrim started stammering. “Forgive me,” he said, lowering his fists. All the anger all the vitriol he was showing towards us vanished like a puff of smoke, he was breathing heavily but his eyes were wide as he searched for his next words.

“I, er, we, will be on our way.” He said, scooping up a couple of grunts from the floor. The ones that could were already scarpering out of the tavern, they had no intention of fighting once they saw Raven standing side by side with me.

This whole situation was strange, I couln’t put my finger on it, it was definately her that had triggered this response and not me. I thought about the side quest, Whispers. These guys knew something about Raven and we needed to get more information from them before they piled out.

“Whoah, what do you know? Can you help us?” I asked calling after Morgrim as he bolted for the door, kicking it open.

“I’m sorry, I don’t want any bother with the Reavers.

With this Morgrim disappeared through the door.

“What the hell was that about?” I said.