{"id":163,"date":"2018-09-20T17:59:51","date_gmt":"2018-09-20T17:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/?page_id=163"},"modified":"2018-09-20T19:07:14","modified_gmt":"2018-09-20T19:07:14","slug":"a-mesmer-and-two-revenants-walk-into-a-bar","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/drnk-kitten-round-up\/a-mesmer-and-two-revenants-walk-into-a-bar\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 3 -A Mesmer and Two Revenants Walk Into  A Bar"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-166 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/mesandrev.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1266\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/mesandrev.jpg 1266w, https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/mesandrev-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/mesandrev-768x282.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/mesandrev-1024x376.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1266px) 100vw, 1266px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><i>2 AM, Hoelbrak, Great Lodge<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was the time of night when patrons begin to wind down, stumbling from their chairs and stools and out into the blistering cold of the night to find a warm bed and possibly a body to share it with. It was on such a night that we find a slick tongued and swift fingered mesmer leaning in towards a young pretty girl with sparkling eyes as she giggled into his ear. He nodded before gesturing for his drink to be refilled. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTell me another one Doctor,\u201d she twittered, touching his arm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAlright, alright, just promise you\u2019ll do another shot with me if I do,\u201d Doctor Mezmer winked, as a new round of drinks was placed in front of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne more can\u2019t hurt!\u201d The girl responded, taking a sip of her stout, thick and dark and leaving a foamy residue around her pursed lips. It was obvious she\u2019d had enough, but that wouldn\u2019t stop the Doctor. He had plans and she was crucial to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOk, so why shouldn\u2019t you drink with ghosts?\u201d Mezmer asked before taking a deep swig of his beer. \u201cThey can\u2019t hold their boos!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The girl erupted with laughter as she leaned closer to him and touched him again. She gasped as her hands slid right through his arm and slapped onto the bartop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWait, are you a ghost? What?!\u201d She screamed and pushed back, knocking her stool over and sending her tumbling to the ground with a loud crash. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her face stretched into a look of horror and dismay as the body of the man she had just been talking to burst into a cloud of butterflies. As she screeched and garnered the attention of the bartender and the few remaining patrons, a shadowy figure skulked over to the door leading to the wine storage. It slipped inside while everyone tried to figure out what had just happened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMission Accomplished,\u201d Mesmer grinned, surveying the wine selection. \u201cA few of these will fetch a nice price.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He began to grab a few of the bottles from the uppermost shelves, obviously the most valuable. He was finishing up when he heard the door open behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat are you doing in here you filthy mesmer!!!\u201d The bartender screamed, pitching a thick metal stein directly at his head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHey! I just took a few!\u201d He ducked quickly out of the way of the projectile and grabbed his bag heavy with wine bottles. \u201cSee ya!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He laughed as he poofed out of existence, or so it seemed. The bartender growled as he felt the space around him disturbed. He had seen these tricks before and he was ready.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cREVEAL!\u201d He boomed, slamming a talisman into the palm of his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suddenly, Mezmer reappeared, a few feet away dashing for the exit. Unfortunately, he wasn\u2019t going to make it as a few armed men were running right at him calling him a thief and demanding that he stop what he was doing. His eyes lit up, this was what he lived for. He led them around the lodge, dodging between chairs and sliding under tables. They slammed their weapons at him, leaving only broken plates and upset customers in their wake. Mezmer was a slippery man indeed and had made them run three circles around the large room before he had enough and decided to make his exit. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBye idiots! It was fun!\u201d He smirked, readying himself to \u00a0create a clone to take whatever beating they had for him so he could slip away unharmed. He backed up in a corner, his confidence was high and he was sure that they would never catch him. He readied himself, his body vibrating and disrupting the air around him. After a few seconds he knew something was definitely wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cShit,\u201d Mezmer mumbled, dropping the bag of wine and pulling out his focus, a string of bells on a string, and tried again. He shook the bells and his shoulders dropped. The normal buzz of power in his fingertips was gone. His body felt heavy and he wasn\u2019t able to breath. \u201cWhat\u2019s&#8230; going&#8230; on&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He fell to the ground as the guards descended. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGotcha!\u201d The bartender said with a smug face. He had used another talisman to immobilize him and render him powerless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr Mezmer frowned, desperately trying to think of a way out. He was too delicate of a soul to survive prison and definitely not sturdy enough to escape the beating he was about to get with his pretty face in tact. He was usually able to get out of any situation, carefully planning and casing his marks for weeks. He wasn\u2019t a traditional thief, but he liked to use the skills he learned to line his pockets and completely frustrate everyone around him. He hadn\u2019t anticipated anyone in this place knowing how to handle his gifts and now he was going to pay<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat\u2019s him!!!\u201d Screeched the woman who had been talking to his clone just a while before. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDid you just assault my wife?!\u201d A man boomed, moving in front of her with fire in his eyes. He was a barrel chested Norn with arms the size of tree trunks and fists as big as a human skull. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe did! He tried to get me drunk, baby! Get him!\u201d The woman screamed, obviously upset over the deception that had been pulled on her. It didn\u2019t matter that she had left her husband on the other end of the lodge to find someone new to talk to and had only run back to him when she had felt her pride bruised by Mezmer\u2019s illusion. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her husband roared and raged forward, ready to do maximum damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, across the room, a tiny asuran smacked his lips and opened his eyes. The ruckus has stirred him from a sweet nap and he was more than a little annoyed. He watched as Mezmer fell to the ground choking, turning purple and grabbing at his throat. Guards, obviously ready to rough him up, were approaching, not caring that he couldn\u2019t fight back. Before they could get close enough, the angered husband was on top of him, picking him up like a ragdoll. Mezmer, a human, was like a child to the massive Norn and it seemed he was about to be taught a lesson for what he had done.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell that\u2019s not very fair,\u201d the Asuran, known as Claud to his friends, said with a frown. \u201cI\u2019m really too tired for this&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He groaned and stood up anyway, just as Mezmer\u2019s body went flying into the wall and fell to a heap on the floor. The guards were ready for their turn when a wild screech filled the room and Claudius leapt through the air slamming his hammer, a brilliant glowing beast of a weapon bigger than his entire body, right in the middle of the group of attackers and sending them flying to the ground stunned and leaking blood from various wounds that ripped into their bodies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Claudius lifted his hammer again and ran towards Mezmer\u2019s limp body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWake up you fool! We gotta run!\u201d Claudius slapped at Mezmer\u2019s face. Drool slipped from his mouth as he woke up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSshluuup,\u201d He slurped the saliva back into his lips and shook his head a little \u201cWhat happened? What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWE HAVE TO GO NOW!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Claudius looked back at the destruction he had caused. Three of the guards and the husband were slowly getting to their feet, not as deterred by the multiple cuts and bruises as they should have been.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI can\u2019t&#8230; I can\u2019t really move,\u201d Mezmer said anxiously, trying to move his arms and legs but unable to. \u201cThey immobilized me! Quick! Get my focus!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He flicked his head towards the area where he had dropped his tool before the immobilization had kicked in. Claudius saw it but he knew he wouldn\u2019t be able to get to it and protect the helpless man at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI got it!\u201d A voice called out. A norn, adorned in bright pink with a flowing red beard, jumped up from the table he had been sitting at. He had watched the chase with amusement but it would seem like the fun was over. \u201cThese assholes are just a bunch of nerds!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He lept over a table and scooped up the bells. They tinkled melodically as he tossed them over to Mezmer who slowly picked them up. His body felt like it weighed a ton and every moment was slow and deliberate. The Norn knew that he needed to fight, so he grabbed his own weapon, a silver and gold hammer that lit up with an inner light as soon as he picked it up. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A commotion on the stairs signaled that the next wave was arriving. Claudius stood up at the sound. His short pointy ears twitched a little in anticipation of the fight. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou better get your shit together or we\u2019re fucked,\u201d Claudius said. \u201cGet that immobilization off and we\u2019ll fight our way out, we\u2019ll cover you until then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Claudius moved next to the Norn that had come to their aid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHey&#8230; you a rev?\u2019 he asked. He recognized his stance and the strange glow of light around him, showing that he was connected to the mists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYeah bro! You too?\u201d the stranger replied<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYeah&#8230; it\u2019s hammer smashin time,\u201d Claudius grinned, his furry face twisting into a blood thirsty grimace. He grabbed a half empty mug abandoned on a table and chugged it, wiggling with visible excitement. \u201cLet\u2019s do this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYes bro! Let\u2019s do it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou know it! I\u2019m Claud!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCall me Rocket, lets kick some ass!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They both readied for the fight, a strange pair indeed, Claudius barely reaching the norns knee in height but matching him in ferocity as they roared and rushed forward, swinging their massive hammers with easy and obvious joy. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first guard to reach them went flying backwards as Rocket\u2019s \u00a0hammer connected squarely with his chest. Claudius took his lead and did a flip through the air, letting his hammers weight take him down with a crash, sending the angry husband and two more guards stumbling back. This only served to make them more mad as they pulled out swords, maces, and hammers of their own and rushed forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What happened next was a mix of blows, blood, broken bones, and screams of adrenaline fueled aggression. Patrons of the lodge scurried to the sidelines, many of them cheering on this welcomed bit of entertainment. Claudius took a bad hit from the hilt of a sword and was kicked up into the air and slammed with a hammer that sent him flying like a baseball into the back of the bar. Bottles crashed and showered him with alcohol and glass. He shook his head, blood leaking from his temple. It splattered around him and he snarled, his sharp teeth crimson from his wounds. He grabbed one of the broken bottles, still half full with amber liquid and began to drink, each swallow seemed to rejuvenate him until his gruff growl raged and he jumped over the bar and back into the fray.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rocket was holding his own even as a sword slashed through his chest peeling back several layers of his armor which was made of plates of hardened leather. He stepped back and bellowed with a strange sort of glee. Suddenly his body was enveloped in light as he channeled the mists and brought forth the power and rush of Jalis, the legendary dwarf. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>\u201cIronhammer is ready to strike!!!\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The misty form of the dwarf rose up towards the ceiling, booming his introduction and surging his power into Rocket\u2019s waiting body. He grinned cracking his neck as he felt the wounds along his body heal and his power rise once again. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLet\u2019s finish thiiiiis!\u201d He screamed, rushing in just as Claudius leapt over the bar and channeled his own mist power, this time of the assassin Tagachi. He pulled out his sword and darted forward, his tiny body moving so fast it couldn\u2019t be seen. Slashing and stabbing every enemy he could reach, his black furry body bounded in a graceful series of jumps and flips as he sent them falling to the ground in fountains of their own pulsing life blood. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He flipped backwards with a flourish, stowing his sword and grabbing another discarded drink sending it directly into his throat. He felt alive and the power flowing through him craved even more blood of his enemies. Without missing a beat, Rocket pulled up to finish them off, pounding their bodies prone into the ground, ensuring that they wouldn\u2019t be able to move any time soon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both of them slapped a quick high five as yet another wave of guards rushed upstairs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHammer, bro?\u201d Claudius called out, swinging his hefty weapon over his head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYES! HAMMER BRO!!\u201d Rocket responded jovially. He too felt the rush for blood and nothing could stop him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was almost comical the way they bashed through the ten men that came rushing into the fight. Their weapons swung with the power of the mists fueled by their own love of the battle. Bodies hit the floor with groans and crimson splashes and soon the two were left slamming down their weapons into any head that dared to lift from the ground, like a bloody game of whack a mole.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNICE WORK, BRO!\u201d Rocket screamed from across the room as he slammed his weapon down onto the disgruntled husbands head, rendering him finally unconscious. Rocket\u2019s face and beard were soaked in blood making him look like an insane creature that had just devoured its prey. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSame!\u201d Claudius called back with his evil little grin. Rocket\u2019s gruesome bloody look wasn\u2019t a deterrent, it was a badge of honor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just then Mezmer laughed. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat was a tricky one, not like the normal immobs,\u201d He commented as he stood up and reached for his bag again. \u201cGood fighting guys, but it\u2019s time we took our leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mezmer gestured just as a troop of twenty fresh guards rushed into the room. The alarm had been sounded and there was sure to be a lot more on the way. They had caused quite a stir and the Norns of Hoelbrak were not amused. People began to to scatter, clattering over the bannisters and out of the windows to escape the second story of the lodge. The guards were surely not going to be happy being stirred from their sleep and they would probably bash heads in first and ask questions later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the three new friends, their escape seemed a lot less likely. They were cornered and their only obvious escape was straight through the new combatants. Rocket and Claudius were bleeding from numerous locations and their powers were depleted, the mists retreating back and leaving them in rough shape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI always wanted to see the inside of a Norn jail cell&#8230; \u201c Claudius laughed, obviously still a bit touched by the alcohol he kept consuming, even then reaching for another broken bottle to finish off what was left.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019ve seen \u2018em, it\u2019s not what it\u2019s cracked up to be. They won\u2019t take me without a fight!\u201d Rocket snarled, clearly ready to fight until his body refused to move any longer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI got this guys, don\u2019t worry,\u201d Mezmer said, flipping his hands palm up and watching the sparks of energy return. \u201cI got this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mezmer focused and once again the air around him began to distort. He reached up in the air as if to pluck something from the empty space and suddenly he entire room went dark and a wave of energy pulsed outwards from his body. The guards, rushing right towards him stopped. They quickly \u00a0lit torches to search the area, waving them right in front of him but not noticing him at all. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat happened! Where did they go!\u201d One of the guards raged.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFucking Mesmers and their damn magic! Let\u2019s cut them off at the door, they can\u2019t get far!\u201d Another screamed, turning to run back to where they had come from. \u201cYou, stay here and guard the windows. These assholes won\u2019t get away!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat is happening? How can I see you and they can\u2019t? And why can\u2019t they see me?!\u201d Claudius whispered, stumbling over to where Mezmer was standing. The guards were staring right at them and not reacting at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s called mass invis my friend and we have about 15 seconds to get the fuck out of here before we\u2019re toast,\u201d Mezmer explained in a low voice trying to assess the best way to exit the building. It would seem that they had all the doors covered, it was going to be virtually impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCan you do it again?\u201d Rocket asked, grouping up with them, an amused look on his face. His skin was tingling and he felt like the air around him was moving in a strange holding pattern around his body, as if he had his own personal breeze that followed the curves of his form.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNot for a while, this is powerful magic and I need some time before I can use it again&#8230; we have to move now! Get into the wine room, we can figure it out from there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat\u2019s basically a dead end! Are you crazy? They\u2019re gonna find us!\u201d Claudius protested. \u201cI say we smash those four by the windows and jump.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t think we can smash them,\u201d Rocket chimed in. \u201cDid you see their armor? It\u2019s magic and they\u2019re not gonna go down easy, we need to recover first, then maybe&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So it was decided, just as the invisibility wore off, they slipped into the dark room and closed the door behind them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHelp me move some of these,\u201d Mezmer said, shoving one of the smaller wine shelves in front of the door. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell that\u2019ll never work,\u201d A female voice said from behind them. They all spun around, whipping out their weapons ready to fight. It was one of the kitchen workers, her apron splattered with sauces and grease from cooking. Her bright pink hair was pulled up in a ponytail and her face was nothing short of amused.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWho are you?!\u201d Mezmer demanded, pulling out his focus, ready to send clones to defend them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, I can get you out, follow me,\u201d Arey gestured them towards the dimly lit back of the room. \u201cThere\u2019s another door into the kitchen here. They won\u2019t check there until last, it\u2019s really your only chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With no other options, they had to trust this woman. It wasn\u2019t clear why she would help them at all, but they decided to trust her. They followed her through a small almost hidden door and down a winding staircase that spilled out into the kitchen. The room, usually bustling with people at all hours of the day and night was quiet and almost empty. Most of the workers had heard the commotion and gone to check it out leaving a few older women who stood with huge paddles stirring vats of breakfast porridge for the soldiers who would arrive later that morning. They didn\u2019t even turn around as the group rushed through the room towards one of the doors leading outside behind the lodge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sky was a deep black splashed with stars. Clouds criss crossed in front of the moon, a storm rumbling inside them ready to break. It was a bitter kind of cold that made it hard to move, but they pushed through it into the forest to escape the guards who were securing a perimeter and would close in on them quickly if they weren\u2019t fast enough. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is as far as I go,\u201d Arey said as soon as the voices of the guards had faded. \u201cThey\u2019ll notice me missing. You shouldn\u2019t come back here for a while, you really made them mad and that husband you disrespected has close ties with Whitebear, so he won\u2019t just drop it. He\u2019ll make sure you\u2019re hunted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUnderstood,\u201d Claudius saluted the woman who had helped them. \u201cIt\u2019s time I visited my mother in Rata Sum. But I really \u00a0need to know your name so I can thank you properly. It\u2019s just polite.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arey laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAsurans are so weird!\u201d She remarked playfully. \u201cWell I\u2019m Arey and you\u2019re welcome. It\u2019s the least I could do, they were overreacting to say the least. Plus, I like to stick it to those guards every chance I get.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNumerous platitudes to you Arey, you are truly a friend. You may call me Claudius and this is my other new friend Rocket!\u201d Claudius said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGlad I could help you guys, I can see you\u2019re good people&#8230; even if you were trying to steal&#8230;Speaking of, what\u2019s your name thief?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone laughed a little and naturally looked over at Mezmer. It seemed only fair he share some of his haul with them. Oddly, the thin boned man was simply staring off into space not paying much attention to them at all. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat the\u2026\u201d Rocket said as the body dispersed into a cloud of fluttering wings. \u201cFucking butterflies\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They all looked around to see where he had gone, his clone obviously deployed to cloak his escape. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019ll pay you back one day!!!\u201d A voice said from further into the trees. Doctor Mezmer wasn\u2019t one to waste time when his life was on the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow will you even find me? I don\u2019t even know your name!\u201d Arey called back, curious. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI have my ways! You\u2019ll know me when you see me!\u201d Mezmer called out before his shadow completely disappeared in a wave of magic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, that\u2019s one way to get out of sharing,\u201d Rocket chuckled. \u201cCome on Claud, I have a friend in the Wolf lodge that\u2019ll take care of us. We\u2019ll claim self defense. Better than waiting for them to catch us and rough us up. Plus, my balls are turning into frozen grapes out here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They all shuffled as the cold air started to press in on them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThank you again Arey, we\u2019ll pay you back one day!\u201d Claudius bowed, swung his hammer onto his back, and followed Rocket deeper into the forest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arey smiled after them. It had felt good to help them get away. She wasn\u2019t sure how or why, but she knew she\u2019d see them again and she looked forward to it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h6>*Credits: Photo from <a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/3180988\/california-quake-economic-napa-valley-wine-country-billions\/\">Google Search Results<\/a><\/h6>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6>*Photo Edits and Written By <a href=\"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/2018\/09\/13\/momo\/\">Momo<\/a><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; 2 AM, Hoelbrak, Great Lodge &nbsp; It was the time of night when patrons begin to wind down, stumbling from their chairs and stools and out into the blistering cold of the night to find a warm bed and possibly a body to share it with. It was on such a night that we&hellip; <br \/> <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/drnk-kitten-round-up\/a-mesmer-and-two-revenants-walk-into-a-bar\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":166,"parent":31,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-163","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":181,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/163\/revisions\/181"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drnkguild.com\/fanfic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}