It all Started in a Bar

"What do you mean, 'I'm afraid of rats.' I'm not afraid of rats! Spiders, yes but not silly rats," Merril yelled at Went.

All four were laughing and joking over dinner at the dive bar Sirens. It was that dumpy little bar near the docks, hidden behind several alleyways and two weathered and rickety warehouses in the dark, seedy part of town. Meaning the bar was well off all the normal paths traveled by most folks. The four loved coming here, always feeling welcome and at home. Bresette's bar was always warm and inviting for them. She played gruff for the random vagabond that was known to frequent the place but for those that tickled her charm, well things could be quite different.

Random bits of art flourished on the walls. Most of it featured mermaids and water nymphs. Chipped or faded, pull off some random boat or some dilapidated shop just added to the charm of this dark and dingy bar.

Few locals came to this place. It was a bar for sailors, adventures, and those passing by on their way to other places. The few locals that came here are a loyal bunch, close-knit. The four loved to feel adventurous, wanting to explore the world, and at other times just happy to be together. They dressed up as adventures here, trying to fit in with some of the crowd.

They would listen in on the adventures of others, never sure who was lying and who was recapping real grand experiences. Indeed the great oceans could not have all these giant monsters just floating about everywhere, no boat could survive once they left the riverways. Even the great lakes and seas seemed to be teaming with them if you listened to the saltiest of the sailors.

Same for the adventures, mountains teaming with giants throwing boulders, caves filled with dragon's lairs and huge caches of gold, and the flatlands filled with vast armies of orcs and trolls.

All four friends dreamed of leaving Courwood, the city of their birth, and wandering off on their grand adventure. To explore the greater world that they heard only in stories. Find treasure and protect the world from evil.

Merril was the tallest and by far the strongest of the four. She was the swordsmith's apprentice. Apprenticing since she was a very young child by starting on the bellows and shoveling coal. She learned the power of heat to the forming of steel or the shaping of softer metals. Her straight brown hair was always tied back and shiny in any light, her voice could carry over the ringing of the pounding steel, and was always a presence of calm. At her side, she wore a much-repaired and flimsy practice sword along with her trusty smithing hammer. Master Ephraim would never let her use any of the finished swords.

The master did require her to learn to fight and she trained with the city guard or the battle-trained clerics of Myra. He always says you have to know how to use what you make to make it right. So she found herself sparing from time to time, sometimes with the watch and sometimes with the clerics of the Myra.

The clerics of Myra are the protectors of the church. They were trained to spread the word of Myra, protect the interests of the church, and enforce her religious laws. The bulk of the church teachings and ministry was performed by the people of the cloth, the priesthood, more so than the clerics. The clerics were much more independent and less involved in the politics of the cloth.

This is how Merril got to know Went and his sister Adelaide. Went happily enjoyed sparing with Merril. The two would clash steal and banter with their tongue as they sparred. Soon they sparred outside of the training ring. Strangely, Merril soon stopped training with the city watch and focused all her martial training at the church. Granted, Master Ephraim thought his student was becoming more civilized and pious. The church was so welcoming since Merril and Ephraim were excellent at repairing worn equipment and arms. They showed Merril how to use all kinds of random weapons acquired over the years, mostly so she could use them against the aspirant clerics so they could get used to going against them.

The laws of Myra dictated that the clerics use a mace and shield as the weapons of the faith. Shields are always emblazed with the pouring bucket, the symbol of Myra. White and blue are the colors often used in clothing and are easy to recognize anywhere.

As one of the youngest clerics, Went had the most hand-me-down mace and the most battered shield. Most of his time was spent in pious studies and learning the book of Myra, its teachings, and laws or casting spells on the will of Myra.

The constant martial arts training kept him very fit for a man of average height and build. As required, Went was clean-shaven of all hair on his head. He looked pious and a perfect fit for temple life.

Went's sister Adelaide was sold off by their parents to the wizard Septimus at a very early age. Her older brother always kept an eye on his little sister. Septimus was the keep wizard and magically divined a search of the city for a replacement student. This brought Septimus to their parent's doors, or so he said, and Adelaide was sold off to the keep. No one knew what had happened to the previous student. Some, mostly Septimus, said he ran off.

Adelaide was well cared for and taught to read and write. Taught to weave spells and weave fabric. She was taught manners, mostly by having them beat into her by the keep staff and the ways of life in a keep. She was often quiet, listening to what others were saying and not saying. Studying the intrigue that was moving about her. The castle was full of plots and subplots, one just had to look. The hierarchy of the kitchen staff is her current line of study. At first, she had no idea why Septimus wanted her to learn this but she soon found that spells in the books had a hierarchy in their castings and flow, grafting them to the will of the caster. Only time, practice, and experience showed her how to work them to he will.

The pageboys sure loved her practicing manipulations of water to help them fill buckets faster without all the winching and throwing. That and he well practiced cantrip of cleaning and fixing small items.

Like her brother, she was average in height and build, only her hair was wild in a long, curly, dark brown coloring. Much softer than his well-trained brother, this did not mean weak but she was very proud of her more sizable breasts than the other girls her age. An asset that all the pageboys wanted to explore but are too afraid to ask. Afraid of Addie and much more afraid of Septimus.

It was in her studies that she met the fourth person in the group Phebe but everyone called her Mouse. As Adelaide was to discover, Mouse was a liaison with the Sodality of Charity. A ludicrous name for a pack of thieves and lowlifes. Mouse would often be the one sent to Septimus when he needed help acquiring something for his research such as a hard-to-find regent or often a book in someone else's library he had no access. He was thrilled with her services and how quickly she was to complete her assignments.

Mouse was named Mouse due to her tiny stature and quickness. She was short by anyone's definition of short and small in stature likewise. Mostly a tiny frame of skin and bones but a quickness that was hard to believe. Like a permanent child, Mouse was the opposite of Adelaide. This made her extra useful for getting into things the SoC, or 'sock' as often abbreviated. Much more reliable than urchins. Her blonde hair was kept short to keep it out of the way and her clothing was always boyish and tight.

Small, fast, and hard to keep track of made her useful and always sneaking up on Adelaide. Good thing Adelaide enjoyed listening and became abt at keeping track of her small friend. Soon, the two were inseparable. Mouse showed Addie more ways out of the keep than merely through the gate, much to the disdain of her master. This cause her to not always be at hand when he beckoned and led to some unpleasant beatings.

Whereas Mouse had a more carefree life as long as she paid the guild its monthly dues and did as she was told by those above her. She freely moved about and regularly showed Addie and sometimes the others the seedy less traveled parts of town. This is how they ended up in Sirens the trashy dive bar off the docks.

"You best not be working your trade here you doxies," said one of the city watch to the group at the table.

"Your mother does not like us cutting into her business?" replied Mouse. Bowen the guard corporal raised his club in anger.

"Shhh, do not engage him, Mouse," whispered Addie. "Remember what he did to Pfsteven?"

"Ha, listen to your witch friend. I bet he is still in a cell eating your family. mMmmm, more mice please!" the large guard said with a look of disdain. "I'd be happy to send you to him to find out."

Bowen bumped into Merril as he walked out of the bar, laughing and swinging his club to and fro. Two more guards walked past, leaving the bar as well.

"Bowen, he is such an ass. 'Myra's gift for combat', he says but always leads on the wrong foot leaving himself open to attack. He will never survive long in a real fight. Still bitter I always beat him sparing and losing to a mere girl," said Merril. "Unlike Went, he takes it like a Man when he loses to this girl." the group chuckled. The interruption was soon forgotten.

Went stood up to protest and point a bit of bread at Merril. Just then, the door to the bar burst open, Bowen strumbled backward, then fell to the ground dead. A large portion of his head caved in and his hair and clothing were on fire.

"Quick, Merril, put out the fire," said Went.

With that, Merril s poured her beer over the dead guard's face and shirt. Jumping to her feet so fast, the Bench fell over taking Addie with it along with the remainder of Addie's drink, Merril drew her sword.

"What's happening out here?" said the barkeep, a feisty woman with red hair of equal temperament. She ran to the door while Merril helped up her sprawled-out friend.

"Sorry."

"Gads, is he dead? Like really, really dead?" Adelaide asks once on her feet again.

"Sure looks like he ain't breathing no more. What do you think Went?"

"He is with Myra now," said Went and giving the sign to Myra.

"Let's hope not. Myra desires 'better'," said Mouse with a snicker.

"Help us, Myra, the skeletons are back and they are attacking all around us," cried the barkeep from the doorway.

"Follow me," said Merril as she stormed out the door. Along both alleyways leading to the bar courtyard were groups of skeletons. Bowen's men are engaged with one group and another group spots Merril.

Each of the groups of skeletons has one or more bearing a flaming tree stump as a club. The root ball is bound with cloth and covered in tar, burning well. The group turning towards Merril seemingly interrupted from trying to set the bar on fire.

"Die skeletal dawgs," yells Merril with less than full conviction. With the dull practice sword in front of her and an empty beer stein, she rushes towards the five boney creatures. Two had flaming tree stumps, one a military fork, and the other two had rusty old swords. Bones clanked, and rotting flesh along with moldy clothing hung from their bones.

A wave of nausea swept through the intrepid fighter as the stench hit her causing her to stumble. It was a brief falter as her mouth filled with saliva and her stomach twisted in knots. Just as the first of the skeletons reached her.

She blocked the flaming club with her sword and smashed the stein into its head, shattering both stein and skull in the process. The magic used to hold the bones together was lost, the remaining bones falling haphazardly around her.

No time to rest as a military fork was thrust in her face. Straight back and forth as she dodge left or right. One of the twines of the fork was bent, one was straight-ish, and the last was missing. She swung for the shaft as it trusted towards her, dodging.

Went had also stepped up to stand with his friend. His skeletal combatant was swinging a broken sword, rusty and dull but swung with force. At least the reach of the mace was keeping the weapon from connecting.

"Hey. HEY! Look at me," says Adelaide waving her hand in front of the skeleton attacking Merril.

The skeleton turned to look at the top half of Adelaide and turned to strike. The fork plunged deep into the completely unphased Addie.

"NOO!" Merril gasped and screamed as she swung her sword into the befuddled skeleton, crashing through its rib cage, and breaking the illusionary spell.

"Oh, you trickster." sighed Merril.

As bones and fork fell away as Merril realize that it was one of Adelaide's stupid illusions.

Beside Merril, Went, and the skeleton, he was engaged in traded attacks to each other's weapons. Each strike with the mace takes bits of the sword with it. Went was finally able to get past his attacker's defenses and destroy the offensive skeleton. It too finally ceased to be and fell discarded and lifeless at their feet.

"Two more, ready?" Merril turns to say to Went. Went nods affirmatively only for the duo to turn to see Mouse tossing a scull in the air towards them, both skeletons scattered at her feet,

"How does she do that??" Went asks confused.

Suddenly, the sound of crossbows going off behind them and bolts flying past them from behind. One sickening thud and Adelaide falls to the ground with a bolt in the back coughing foaming blood as she tries to breathe.

"Save Addie, Went!" Merril screams as she changes headfirst into four more skeletons, the bodies of the city guards lay crumpled in their wake. Three of the rotting tourist have crossbows and one has a flaming improvised club.

Diving in headstrong, Merril engages all of them, decapitating the first one as it tries to reload the crossbow. A flaming brand swung at her head and at the last moment gets the blade up to block it. The blow deflected but her sword was broken and uselessly ripped from her numbing hand.

Went grabbed the bolt and yanked, causing Adelaide to cry out, spraying blood on the ground.

"Drink this," as he hands her a vial.

With Addie in his lap, looking about, he sees Merril unarmed with three skeletons and Mouse nowhere to be seen. He begins casting.

A bucket of water forms over a skeleton and pours froth a magical fire enveloping one of the skeletons as it is about to finish reloading the crossbow. It bursts into flames. The crossbow discarded, the creature shambles about with its arms flailing and rot burning. Soon falling to the ground and its non-life was extinguished.

"Die spawns," she says while drawing her trusty blacksmithing hammer. Trading swings the two do little but begin to wear out the apprentice.

The last skeleton reloads the bow and shoots at Went. The bolt hit harmlessly into the rain barrel next to his head. He casts again, and the bucket of Myra the provider appears and pours forth more magical fire, cleansing the bones of their animation and casting them to the ground, it too lifeless, again.

Back and forth Merril and the skeleton swung at each other with Merrel getting tired with every dodge and parry.

"Hi there," says Mouse as she severs the spine of the skeleton. "I figured you could use a hand."

"Ah, oh, yeah. Thank you," panting Merril trying to get a breath.

"More are coming up behind you," Mouse says cheerfully.

"Ah, um, sure," Merril readies her hammer.

"Thank you, Went. That felt amazing. That pain, it is like a distant memory," Adelaide says.

The wizard and the cleric join the others awaiting the newest and largest pack of skeletons yet. Eight more shambling down the road. Not yet aware of the prey before them.

Merril took a moment to get a drink out of the rain barrel and picked one of the skeleton's swords. A nearly worthless piece of rust and rotten handle. Swinging it to and fro, it still had balance and while dull, could still smash bone.

"Everyone doing okay, Addie?" asked Merril.

"Went fixed me up. Tastes like gravel, piss, and old berries but wow, amazing," Adelaide retorts.

"I'm good, I've got your back, girlfriend."

"Mouse?" Merril looked about, she was nowhere to be seen. "Glad she is on our side. She is on our side, right?" A scornful look from Addie followed the last of that statement.

"3, 2, 1," Went says to Adelaide, his kid sister.

Went casts Sacred Flame over one of the approaching skeletons and Addie causes a fountain of water to shoot out of a nearby barrel and freeze inside one of the skeletons, shattering bones and breaking the enchantment on the animated dead.

Now spotted, the six skeletons race toward the group in silent screams. Just the clack and whack of bone to cobbled stone.

Running through the shadows, only five skeletons appear on the other side, one lost to something in the dark.

"I am really glad she is on our side."

"This could get dicey."

"Stand behind us, Addie," her brother says

"A fat lot of good that did me before," she says meekly as she slipped in behind the armed couple.

One of the five remaining shambling bones stepped into a puddle, a perfect time for Addie to freeze its foot into place, hoping to make a golden opportunity for Mouse to descend.

Went burned one more to the ground. The remaining three never wavered and clacked onward and were soon on them. One had a dilapidated spear, one swinking a burning tree root ball covered in rags and tar, and the last one a step behind the others but had a shield and sword.

Stepping to the left away from the trust of the spear, Merril swung and missed the spear bearer.

A flaming sapling hit Went in the shield hard. It was making Went step back from the onslaught, flailing to stop him from casting Bless, exploding blueish light all over the three friends.

Addie with a flick of the wrists shoots her firebolt at her brother's attacker, exploding the skeleton and causing a small fire at his feet.

Merril finds herself retreating as her prey trade attacks and parries. Neither gaining an advantage but continuing to push Merril backward.

The remaining skeleton stopped before Wend and bashed his sword on his shield, challenging him to come and get some with a silent scream. Its red eyes are aglow with anger and hate, its jaw moving menacingly in silent laughter.

Just as Went took the bait, the skeleton kicked out into the young man's groin.

Adelaide was frazzled as Went fell back into her. Taking a moment the skeleton spun, bashing his shield into a very surprised Mouse trying to sneak up behind him. Bloodied from a shield to the face she crumpled to the ground.

Horror filled Adelaide's eyes as her lover lay on the cobblestones, bleeding, moaning. The skeleton swung at her with his ancient blade. Expecting to feel the pain or the warm embrace of darkness, she closed her eyes.

"WHAM."

Went was on his knees and got enough of his shield up to block the strike but numbing his arm.

Awash with renewed hope, she unleashed a fire bolt. It did not seem to slow the skeleton. Only set some of the dirty rages on fire and broke a few of the ribs. The abomination at her again but she was just out of reach.

The sword swung just in front of her face as she backed away trying to prepare her next spell.

Went swung for the ankles, well below the assailant's shield. Bones shattered, and the feet were lost. Dropping it to its knees, both now at the same height with Went on his knees. They traded blows and shield strikes. Addie shot a fire bolt and more broken ribs with little impact on the resilient skeleton.

Spotting the barrel with the bolt in it, she cast her spell shooting a fountain of water at the skeleton. It turned to look her in the eyes just before the water inside the skeleton caption exploded in ice, freezing it solid and toppling backward.