Taking The Trail

[Deleted]

"Aw, no," Alexi muttered, pulling Lars up to look upon the Force Home he had followed the clues to. "Not this place."

Mentis. Probably one of the most boring places Alexi had ever visited. Everyone was just so.... reserved and studious. His loud ways had offended a lot of people, and he hadn't even been thanked when he'd taken out the criminal he had been after.

Since then, Alexi had avoided Thuoth's home, but he had come a little too far to let the criminal go now. With a sigh, he nudged Lars into a canter and sent them both into Mentis.

[Kender Bard]

The place was just as reserved as it had been the last time. People went about their business in the fringe-city that surrounded the libraries. The library-temple itself stood tall and imposing in the distance. Everything was mildly subdued.

Like many major cities, and unlike most of the other force homes, Mentis had a stable near the gates. A groom, his duties done for now, leaned against the barn-like structure and called out, "Need to stable your horse, sir?"

[Deleted]

Quick as the wind, Alexi hid his left hand, thanking Taed he looked younger now. If he put up a good act, he could pass himself as another visitor, and hopefully no one would remember him. "Yessir," he replied, slurring his words a bit more as he dismounted. "Ol' boy could use a rest; we came a long way, yanno. 'Ow much fer a coupla days?"

[Kender Bard]

"Oh fifteen copper should cover it," the groom replied, leaving his spot to inspect Lars curiously. "Nice horse. We'll take good care of him. First time visiting Mentis?"

[Deleted]

"Fifteen? Tha's a ripoff," Alexi said indignantly, honestly believing it. He got better rates in Khelek, for crying out loud. "C'mon, ten copper should be fine. I ain't gonna be here that long." Hopefully.

[Kender Bard]

"Ten then," the groom grudgingly conceded. Sometimes he got lucky, sometimes he didn't. "What are you in town for?"

[Deleted]

Smiling charmingly, Alexi handed over ten coppers. "I'ma lookin' for a man," he said, truthfully enough. "He gypped my mama outta her life's savin's, so I gotta get it back. I think he might be here, but I dunno. Trail got cold." He gave the groom a hopeful look. "Don' suppose ya seen any other travelers c'min lately? I'll take anythin' at this point."

I oughtta get an award for this performance.

[Kender Bard]

"I see travelers all the time," the groom remarked, taking the reigns. "This is a place where pilgrims come and go all the time, sir. I don't suppose you could give me a little more to work with?"

[Deleted]

Alexi gave the description as he knew it, adding "I didn' get a good look at the guy, but I saw 'nough. 'Nough to lead me here, anyway."

[Kender Bard]

The groom nodded, recalling the man. "Aye he comes by here regularly. In fact he's here now. I'm not sure where, of course, I'm but a groom. But rest assured, he is in the city."

[Deleted]

"Reeeally?" Alexi grinned darkly, completely in character for himself and for the persona of the doting son he had adopted. "Well that makes this all kinds a' easier," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Thanks a lot, man; you just made my mama very happy."

With a wave, he confidently strode into the city. And if the guy puts up a fight, that'll make ME all kinds of happy. Now, where should I ask for him next?

[Kender Bard]

One of the taverns Alexi nosed around turned up the usual suspects found in a low class watering hole; shady looking individuals, men who would either scrunch down in their seats when passed by or look boldly and defiantly anyone in the eye, issuing challenges left and right. There was a perpetual air that the place was about to break out into a fight.

[Deleted]

A few peeks into the windows of the tavern confirmed Alexi's gut feeling: His target was in there, easily identified by his pale hair.

Now, how to get to him? And should Alexi kill him now, or drag him back to Ilyamen for justice?

Nah, best to just kill him and take the head back to Ilyamen. It was too long a ride, and there were too many chances the other man might try something.

Besides, the temptation to have a good all-out brawl was just too irresistible.

"Gya ha ha ha ha," Alexi chuckled to himself, and strode to the door, smashing it open with one powerful kick. "All right, boys! There's a murderer in your midst, and I'm here to kill him," he said loudly as he swaggered into the tavern. The Firestorm snatched a mug from a startled man's hands, and held it up with a dangerous grin. "And I gotta tell ya, I have no problem burning this place down if it gets me what I want."

Alexi had a gulp of the wine, spat it out, and snapped his fingers in time to set the sour, low-grade fluid alight. Several other customers yelled and dove out of the way of the liquid fire as it spattered about.

"So!" He strode to the table where his target sat, slamming the mug in front of the man. "You wanna die here?" the Elder purred, still grinning, eyes dancing with malicious delight. "Or should we take this outside, and I give you a head start? Not that you'd get far, oh no. Not far at all. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

He was enjoying this far too much. This thrill, this bloodlust, this anticipation all set his blood ablaze. Alexi had forgotten how much he loved it all.

[Kender Bard]

The target was as frightened by the big, booming, imposing bounty hunter as many of the other patrons. But not all the other patrons were frightened.

"Who dya think you are, comin' in here and upsettin' things!?" one hulking, bald man roared as he stood up. He reached back and jerked out a hunting knife that was so big, it could almost be a short sword.

The target that Alexi had singled out touched behind his ear lightly and gave a whistle so piercing that it made the windows shiver before shouting at the top of his lungs, "BAR FIIIIIGHT!"

The place erupted.

[Deleted]

Even with his ears ringing so loudly it was like being inside a belfry, Alexi understood what was going to happen. He unsheathed his claymore and whirled to meet the man with the hunting blade. "Don't you know you should never bring a knife to a sword-fight?" he mocked, and gave the man a good slash across the opposing forearm.

The huge baldy stumbled back, tucking the limb against his chest, and Alexi sensed someone else coming and whipped the claymore over his head to deflect the chair aimed at his upper body. The poorly-made furniture splintered, and Alexi quickly turned, brutally smacking the assailant on a temple with the flat of his blade. That man went down hard, and from there Alexi was transformed into a whirlwind of gleaming steel and flying cape.

One man dove for his supposedly unguarded ribs on the left, only to have the hunter high-kick the thug in the jaw, actually lifting him off the floor and breaking his neck. Another yanked out a length of chain and threw one end at Alexi's right hand, which he held the claymore with, but the Firestorm spun fast, letting the flare of his cloak tangle the chain and yank the wielder close enough to be stabbed.

Through it all, Alexi just kept grinning like a fiend. He was having the time of his life.