A lonely light flicked in the dim room, Oliver and Giles sat around a dust-covered table. The two sat with a cup of tea in their hands, looking to the dingy cell.
"This tea is excellent Mr Giles. You never seem to disappoint" Oliver says in a polite voice as they sat around the dilapidated table.
"You're too nice. It's all because of the leaves. They bring out the flavour of the tea" Giles explained in a soft voice.
"No, No. I've been around for a long time and never had a drink this nice in my time" Oliver said with a smile on his face. Seconds later, the room filled with an awkward silence as they sipped on their tea's.
"Does he often suffer from nightmares?" Giles asked as he noticed Dipp toss and turn on his bed, sweat pouring down his fur. Oliver let out a half-hearted laugh as he heard Giles question. The idea of sleeping seemed almost foreign to him.
"The two of us don't sleep anymore. Master Dipp must have exhausted himself to need to rest for so long". Oliver said in a solemn voice as he watched his master struggle in his sleep. Gile's eyes opened wide as he heard Oliver's heavy-hitting words.
"I've... never heard of any humans or forest folk not needing sleep..., what exactly are you two?". Gile's hand shook in suspense. With a stiffened gaze, Giles stared at Oliver, ready for whatever answer he would give.
"Master Dipp and I are undead. We don't age, don't sleep and don't need food". Oliver said in a blunt tone. As Giles heard the answer, he struggled to hold his tea steady from the shake of his hand. Never in Gile's wildest dreams had he expected these two to be undead.
"How could you be.. undead? you look like anyone else in town!" He said in a flustered voice. Every story he had heard described undead as walking corpses, rotting limbs. But these two looked ordinary in every way.
"It's all because of Master Dipp. He isn't it any old undead. He raised me from the ground. He gave me this body. I owe him my life. Oliver smiled as he spoke about his master. Giles' eyes widened as he heard the truth. He struggled to believe that such a small creature was capable of such things.
"Did you know what he could do?" Giles asked, eager for Oliver's answer. The shock of them being undead left his system, replaced by curiosity. Oliver shook his head in denial.
"All I knew was that he raised me from the dead. His hemomancy ability was a surprise to me as well. Giles rested his hand on his chin as he thought hard. As he spoke with Oliver, he realised the two of them being undead didn't mean they were evil. Giles thought hard, trying his hardest to come up with reasons to keep Dipp locked up. Giles let out a heavy sigh before he walked over to Dipps cell. Giles Looked down at Dipp. Memories of what Dipp was capable of doing flooded into his mind. He prayed he wasn't wrong as he trusted his gut and turned the key of Dipp's cell.
Dipp awoken to the sound of the rusted cell door, confused and shocked propelled himself out of bed. Out of breath, he looked around the cell. A smile appeared on his face as he notices Oliver standing nearby.
"What happened?! Are you okay??" Dipp yelled out, as memories of the fight began to return. In a second he rushed over to Oliver, checking him for injuries.
"It's okay. My injuries healed. But how are you, for days you looked like you were having a nightmare". Oliver kneeled to Dipps level as he spoke.
"I dunno if it was a nightmare, but it was hard. I kept remembering and living through my death. I.. But it's fine it was a nightmare, and it's over now". Dipp said he in a shaky voice, his hands trembling as he spoke.
"It's okay mastered Dipp your alright now and a hero. You saved the town. Without you, who knows what would have happened. Oliver spoke in a gentle voice as he gripped Dipps fury hands tight. Dipp calmed down as he felt the reassuring Grip of his companion. From the cell door, Gile's watched surprised that these two were undead at all. Undead are only ever seen as heartless as vengeful, but these two had more heart than most people he knew. The three left the worn-down building and made their way through the town. The gaze of the town people weighed heavy on them. Their judgemental eyes burned a hole through Dipps heart. Gile's tired of the way they looked at Dipp stopped where he stood. With a deep breath, he scrunched his face.
"What the hell are you lot gawking at!. This man saved you lot while many of you hideaway!. You should be thanking him!" Giles shouted to the onlookers. Like frightened animals, the townspeople stood straight. Never before had they seen the polite Innkeeper Giles yell. They hated to admit it, but as they twiddled their thumbs, they realised he was right. They'd each heard the same thing. Dipp used demon magic to control blood. But without Dipp, they might not even be alive today. A plump man ambled over to Dipp. The man with an exaggerated groan got down to Dipps eye level.
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"Thank you. You saved my family and the town. I don't care what others say. You're a hero." The man said in a gentle voice. The townspeople watched and followed suit, slowly they flocked over to the surprised Dipp. One after another they thanked Dipp. Some showed their gratitude with a small gift of coins. By the end of their change of heart, Dipps pockets weighed heavily on his tiny body.
"Ah, Oliver. Could you hold these? It's hard to walk like this." He said as he passed the bags of coin to Oliver to hold. A broad smile plastered on Dipp's face they continued to walk through the town towards Gile's motel. At the motel, Gile's stood behind his counter. A smile on his face as he
"So what will you two do now? Will you stay in town for a while? I could set you up with a room free of charge if you'd like". Giles said in a cheerful voice.
"Wherever Master Dipp goes I'll follow," Oliver said as he shook his head. The two looked to Dipp as they waited for his answer.
"Uh, I think I'd like to explore the world some more. But I'm sure we'll come to visit again." Dipp said in a cheery tone. A smile appeared on Dipp's face as he imagined meeting all kinds of people in all sorts of places. Deep down, Giles knew they wouldn't stay but hearing it hit him deep. Although he was sad to see them go, he stood tall with a smile on his face.
"Well then, I'll arrange for supplies for you. If you don't know where to go yet, you should head towards Bonze. It's a large city to the north" Giles sais in a supportive tone with a smile on his face.
"I guess we'll head to bonze next," Dipp said confidently before rushing off to get ready. Later in the afternoon as an orange sky began to fall on the town, Dipp and Oliver stood at the edge of town. Several people gathered around them, saying their goodbyes.
"You two can keep those guns, okay but don't get into any trouble I'll chase ya down got it?" Roger said to the pair. A shaky smile rested on Roger's face as he gave his goodbye. Town's people thankful for the two's contribution waved off their town's hero's. As they walked off into the distance, the town faded out of sight. The two muddled along the road towards an uncertain destination. The two walked for hours the night sky high above them, unburdened by the need of sleep thanks to their undead bodies keeping them going.
"Hey Oliver... what do you remember about being alive? do you remember much?"Dipp asked in a stuttery voice. He twiddled his fingers as he spoke.
"Well, unlike you, I didn't lose my memories. But after spending time with you, I've come to hate my memories. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, and you wouldn't approve of." Oliver said in a serious tone as he spoke vaguely about his past. Dipp stunned, silent by the Oliver words, never had he expected such a dramatic history from Oliver. Before Dipp could think of the right words to say they spotted a group of people along the road. Three humans covered in equipment surrounded one lone forest folk.
"Looky here cat shit. I'm sure you get the drill now hand over ya stuff, and we won't hurt ya too bad" One of the men said as he pointed his shortsword up to the cat mans neck. Oliver, although disgusted by sight, turned his head to ignore the incident. He had no intention to risk his or his master's life for one person's life. Dipp face scrunched and furious, the emotion boiled up inside as he watched. Dipp no plan or though rushed over to the man in an uncontrollable anger-fueled huff.
"Get away from him or else!" Dipp shouted at the men. The sword still at the cat man's neck they looked over to the short Dipp. Unable to control themselves, they let out a burst of laughter at the angry pipsqueak in front of them.
"What the hell are you, a shitty panda racoon. You gave us a good laugh so leave, and we won't hurt ya" One of the men said in a condescending tone. Dipp's hand shook with anger. Without a thought, he gripped his pistol. Aimed it towards the thugs, frustration boiled around him as he let out a shot towards the men.
"Oh, your dead, your gonna regret being that stupid!" One of them said as a bullet flew passed them. Before he could take a step towards Dipp, the man stood tall eyes wide. Carefully he dropped his weapon and raised his hands high above his head.
"You gentlemen are going to drop your weapons and move along. Got it?" He said in an intimidating tone. Oliver stood tall and menacing behind the men. His rifle pressed to the back of one of the men. The other two followed suit dropping their weapons. The forest folk with a snowy white fur stood in awe as they stopped the men with ease. Their weapons left behind the men rushed away, leaving their dignity behind as they cried for mercy as they ran down the road and out of sight.
"You guys, are amazing. You dealt with those thugs so easily! you were so cool!" The cat man said in an excited child-like voice completely unfitting of his muscular tone.
"I' 'm sure someone of your physical calibre could have dealt with them if it was a fair fight," Oliver said politely.
"Maybe but it wouldn't have been as smooth as how you guys did it, that's for sure. Hey! if you're headed towards Bonze how about we travel there together?!" He suggested loudly.
"Sure. Let's head there together" Dipp answered quickly. Excitement oozed from him as he imagined having another companion.
"Alright, then. let's make our way towards Bonze." Oliver said as he started to walk down the road like nothing had happened unfazed by the situation that unfolded.