They could see blood from outside the pub. Blood was flowing down from the doorsteps. It had already begun to clot in the cold environment.

"Who did this?" Saer hasted while searching for any living being in the reception.

The nice woman had a missing piece of flesh on her chest.

Mugs were scattered everywhere.

Smell of alcohol and blood made Fierlo feel nausea.

Saer pushed the door open to see corpses.

One thing amused him the most. None of them had taken their swords out.

Every blade remained in the sheath.

"Didn’t they try to defend themselves?" Fierlo was unable to understand the situation.

Saer was no different.

He walked over bodies, looking at any movement in chests of people.

Saer found a breathing person nearby the fireplace.

Even though the man was in the pool of blood, he had life yet to leave him.

"Who did this?" Saer asked, hoping for an answer.

"Are you insane?" Fierlo rushed to the injured man as soon as he got wind of his voice, "Stop his damn bleeding."

Fierlo put his hand of his blood leaking chest. But the man was puking blood already.

"Who did this?" Saer repeated himself.

"O-old Calajhan." Wounded cut-throat let words out from his bloodied mouth.

"This is why none of you raised your swords?" Saer questioned.

He didn’t answer, but both knew what the case was.

"Why did he do this? Doesn’t he know we are sworn to protect his family?" Saer had to say.

"H-he d-doesn’t un-understand."

"Looks like he perceived us differently. First, he hangs our man and then kills everyone." Saer sighed.

"Protect them, no matter what he did to us."

"Was he alone or his son was also here?" Saer asked as Fierlo tried hard to stop his blood loss.

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"He was enough."

"I would have cut his fucking arm if I was here." Saer grinded his teeth in rage, "At least it would have prevented his teleportation sorcery."

"T-teleportation?"

"Yes. Calajhan disappeared with his house."

"He needs a doctor." Fierlo interrupted by showing him his palms drenched in blood.

"I won't survive." Man's words were losing strength.

"Neither will we. Calajhan is gone." Saer sat down with a palm on his forehead.

"No. Go to Pryeg. A-ask where Tadeas is." His strength was giving up. "He will tell you where Calajhans might be."

"Will he help us?" Saer was skeptical.

"Take my name. He will help you in this. Tadeas is well aware with the situation about Calajhans. But don’t tell him I am dead."

Fierlo stopped working on him after he said so.

"Why so?" Fierlo asked.

"Because I am his son." The cut-throat coughed.

"Thank you Hames." Saer whispered and got up.

"Please stay with me for a while." Hames shed tears of agony, "I don’t want to die alone. Be with me till I sleep."

"You won't see us wailing though." Saer warned him.

"Doesn’t matter." Hames uttered and coughed a big clot of blood.

From there on, he did not speak much.

In front of the dying fire, he took his last breath.

His open mouth confirmed his death.

It had taken over two hours.

"Let's keep moving." Saer stood up.

"What? We should bury him. Don’t keep him deprived of his last rites." Fierlo had to say.

"How many should we bury then? Look around." Saer spread his arms, "They were ready to die anyway. Do you think the enemies would give them burial?"

"It is an afterthought. Only Lord knows when it will happen."

"We have to reach Pryeg by noon. Either follow me or find a shovel from somewhere." Saer said and marched without waiting for Fierlo.

Fierlo sighed in anger but followed him to the stable from where they took two horses and set off for the city.