Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 19 I Wasn’t Even Trying That Time.

“Thanks Miss.” Isaac said as he accepted the key to his room in the upstairs of the tavern.

“Jennie. And I’m no Miss anymore. I gotta eighteen year old ya know. I’m a tad old to be called Miss by young bulls like you.” Jennie, Chris’ mother, replied and gave him a light smile. “First night an’ a few meals are free. No drinks. I learned my lesson.”

“Well, you look young enough to be Chris’ sister if you don’t mind me saying so.” Isaac complimented with a grin while playing with the key. He noticed that despite how old she tried to play herself to be she didn’t have a single gray hair. His eyes settled on hers and their emerald green shone in the firelight.

“Nah I ain’t given ya free drinks no matter how much flirtin ya do.” She smiled at him and shook her head as she turned towards the man sitting at the bar only a few feet away from them.

Isaac’s eyes followed her lean figure and graceful movements, the grin never leaving his face. “Worth a shot. Goodnight Jennie.” He said with a suggestive tone. He pushed off the bar and headed towards the stairs with a wave.

As he started up the stairs he heard her say, mostly to herself: “That boy’s gonna get himself in trouble with that mouth.” Isaac pretended not to hear her and finished his assent. He easily found his room and once inside he was greeted by something he had only dreamed of, a bed.

There was also a lantern that was unlit on a nightstand next to the bed. On the wall was a coat hook and directly under it was a stool. Isaac stripped down to his underwear and collapsed into bed. His clothes and gear were in a heap in the corner.

—

Isaac awoke still tired. His body didn’t want to respond now that it had finally achieved rest. He opened his eyes and noticed a bit of light shining in under the door. He struggled to push himself up into a sitting position and turned on his darkvision. “I need to learn how to keep that on when I’m asleep.” Isaac said to himself.

As his gaze swept across the room he noticed that he hadn’t only said that to himself. Someone was elbows deep in his gear and now staring at him wide eyed. Isaac was instantly wide awake. The person was short. Four feet tall Isaac guessed. They were shrouded in a thick cloak and had a scarf pulled over their face.

“Not what I expected to wake up to. Something I can help you with?” Isaac said nonchalantly. He tossed the blanket off of himself and clothed himself in shadows as he rose to his feet.

The person fell backwards as they tried to stand. They got back to their feet and took one step before their foot caught on Isaac’s armor and they crashed to the ground. “Wait. Before you make an even bigger mess. Sit and explain yourself.” Isaac ordered and took a step towards the door.

The shorter person realized they weren’t going to be able to escape without first going through Isaac and carefully stood up to face him. “Listen if you were trying to rob me I’m afraid the sword is the most expensive thing I own.” Isaac told them as he set himself in front of the door.

The thief, at least that’s what Isaac assumed they were, pulled a dagger and locked eyes with him. Isaac couldn’t tell much about the thief but watching them move and seeing the small amount of their face that was visible he had some postulations.

“How would your parents feel about this kiddo? A young girl like you breaking into a suspicious traveler’s room. I don’t know a lot of things but that doesn’t seem like a very smart idea.” He commented. She lowered herself with her dagger ready to stab into his gut if she lunged.

“Also you could have at least waited until I left the room to search it. Unless… yeah that makes sense. This is your first robbery. You’re pretty bad at this.” Isaac chastised her. Her posture slumped slightly. Isaac couldn’t help himself and he smirked at her in clear amusement. Isaac crossed his arms. “Can I get dressed?”

The thief moved to the side of the room and gestured towards his clothes with her dagger. “So you can take off? I don’t think so. Just toss me my pants.” Isaac replied. The thief didn’t move but their eyes darted around the room. “What about a name? You are, afterall, a young lady, in my room, in the dark.”

Her eyes narrowed in fury at him and he immediately knew he was now on the edge of pushing her to attempt to go through him. “Alright listen. If you didn’t take anything then there’s no harm done.”

She dove at him. He knocked the dagger to the side but missed the second one until the last moment. He got his right hand in the way of the blade and it punched through with little resistance. Isaac’s smirk changed to a scowl and he punched her in the side of the head. He hit her hard enough for her to stumble into the wall a few feet away.

He took her moment of not knowing up from down to heal his bleeding hand with his death mana. That could have been bad if he hadn’t gotten his hand there in time. ‘I need to figure out a faster way to heal everywhere. Latter. Business first.’ He thought and shook his head.

“One of those was mine wasn’t it?” He asked. The thief had finally gotten her head to stop spinning enough to look at him.

“Let me go and I will give it back.” A quiet and sharp feminine voice whispered. “Do not try to find me and leave in peace.”

“I’m gonna take a guess that you are somebody important but not important enough to have money. You heard some noble found himself in town and tried to make off with whatever money he brought with him. Am I close?” Isaac prodded.

She lowered herself again, ready to pounce. “Deal?” She asked.

“Ugh… Fine. Deal.” He replied and ran his hand through his hair with a discontented look on his face. “I don’t want to get in another fight to the death just yet I do need to rest sometimes you know.”

She nodded and then motioned him away from the door. He took one step then stopped. He was still close enough to intercept her if she went for the door but had made enough space that, if he let her, she could leave. “Farther.” She ordered.

“No. Dagger first.” He insisted. “On my honor I will let you leave after I have everything you have taken.”

“Fine.” She huffed and tossed his dagger to the floor. Then she took half a step away from it. Isaac moved farther away from the door and she ran to it. She took off so fast the door almost broke off the hinges.

Isaac closed the door then got dressed. His shirt was less filthy than it had been but that gash from the basilisk had done a number on it.

—

An armored Isaac walked down the stairs to the main body of the tavern. He turned off his darkvision once in the light. Jennie was still behind the bar. She was adding something to the bottomless cauldron. As she emptied the cauldron to feed more patrons she would add more food to it. This meant that there was always food whenever anyone needed it.

“Heard some commotion a bit ago. Anythin’ excitin’?” Jennie asked.

“Somebody thought I had heavy pockets. When I didn’t she tried to steal my dagger. It was an exciting way to wake up if that counts.” Isaac replied and took a seat at the bar.

Jennie stopped and turned around to look at him. “You were robbed?!” She asked in shock. Her expression caught up a second later and her eyes were wide.

Isaac waved her off. “No. She tried though. I get the feeling I shouldn’t look into who little miss sticky fingers is however.”

“Oh? Why not?” Jennie pressed.

Isaac turned to look around the tavern. There were only two patrons and they were passed out half on a table. He looked back at making eye contact. “Four feet tall, young, told me not to look into her and to leave peacefully.”

Jennie thought for a moment. “Maybe… No, her father would kill her…”

“Whoever you just thought of is who it was. Garrison commander’s kid?” Isaac asked.

“Adventurers' Guild branch leader.” Jennie replied with a hard expression.

Isaac gestured towards the cauldron. “Can I get a bowl?” She nodded while still in thought and absently got him a bowl of warm stew. “Thanks.” She just nodded in response.

“Never got your name. Aria said it was Isaac but Greg said you were a nobleman.” Jennie asked.

“Yeah but not anymore. Aria was just getting back at me for scaring the shit out of her.” Isaac responded. He took another mouthful. He swallowed and stood. He puffed out his chest, raised his chin and looked directly into her eyes. “My name is former Lord Isaac Wexler. It is a pleasure Jennie Windwalker.” He gave her a short bow. His eyes never left hers.

She stared for a second. Staring deeply into his silver eyes as the fire behind her flickered. The dull orange light flickered in his eyes and made her feel like the being before her was more spirit than man. The ethereal feel was only reinforced by the fact that Aria had told her that they had stumbled across each other deep into the uncharted caverns.

Isaac raised an eyebrow and went to sit down. His smirk was back. “Something on my face?” He asked. Even though he had moved he hadn’t broken eye contact.

“Uh, sorry. The pleasure’s mine” She stammered out and looked away. “You still aren’t gettin’ free drinks.” She said quietly as she got back to work.

Isaac chuckled and shook his head. “I wasn’t even trying that time.”