Age of Retribution Part V: The "Special" Force

[DeadJim]

"I doubt that." Gort answered.

"You never know Gorty!" The commander said as stopped and stood tall, "We will be open to any trial or tribulation that will cross our path! Any foe that will stand in our way! Any bad guys who will do bad things!"

[Tyler294]

Summer clapped.

"That's all well and good, but we should keep moving if we want to reach a village with an Inn before nightfall. I'd hate to have to sleep outside this time of year." Al stated.

[Shawnex]

"Bad things are right." Doodles agreed, "We almost got turned into pillows from that manager back in our town."

[DeadJim]

"Then let us continue!" The commander shouted as he started walking.

They continued for a few more hours till they reached Tinnersvint, a village slightly larger than Evenfeed. There was a long, narrow street which all the buildings faced. There was a sad looking Inn on the very edge of the town, which the Special Force™ then entered.

[Shawnex]

"I hope there aren't any ghost in there." Doodles said shaking a little.

[Tyler294]

Within the dimly-lit, sad-looking Inn where a handful of travelers. Oddly quite a few people were on the road these days. Among them was the man that the commander had encountered at the first village, who had directed him to the mercenary guild, though now he was no longer in travelers clothes but rather a suit of leather armor. Whether the commander recognized him or not, the man did recognize the commander.

"Ah, top of the evening to you, old being." he greeted the commander as the group walked in, "I see you managed to find some additional associates."

[DeadJim]

"Of course I did!" The commander boasted, right before pausing to try to figure out who this guy was. "Um... I remember you! Your mommy's 14th child, right!"

[Tyler294]

The man's smile turned into a confused, nervous chuckle.

"Um, I believe you have me confused for someone else. We met at the tavern in a village south of here. Cannot for the life of me remember what the place was called. Then I recommended you visit the mercenary guild." the man responded.

[DeadJim]

"Oh... of course! Well let's talk about old times!" The commander said as he put his arm around his shoulder.

"I'll go get us some rooms." Gort sighed.

[Shawnex]

"Are there any nests around?" asked Cranky.

[Tyler294]

"Old... times..." the man continued his nervous chuckle.

The commander may notice the man he was talking to was sitting with three other men. All of them well-armed. One had a Northman-style helmet and some fur-lined leather armor, while sporting a long orange beard. Another had chainmail and a nasal helmet. The last had partial chain-mail vest, but most of his clothing was baggy robes. He also was wearing a bandana. This one had the darkest skin tint.

Summer nudged Cranky and pointed at the rafters.

[Shawnex]

"Well I guess it's better than nothing." said Cranky, "Come on Doodles."

"But what if an owl or a ghost might get us?" asked Doodles.

"Relax will ya. There's nothing to be afraid of, especially for the rest of the night." replied Cranky.

Doodles gulped.

"Ok. If you say so." he agreed and they flew to the rafters.

[Tyler294]

"Perhaps we should look into settling in our rooms." Al suggested to the commander, wanting to steer him away from the rough customers at the table.

[DeadJim]

"Rooms? Oh yes, rooms! Such a smart lad, isn't he?" The commander said again to the man. He was about to say something else when Ooqi pulled him away from the table.

The Special Force™ then ascended up a narrow flight of stairs to their rooms. The commander, Al, Gort, and Ooqi went into one room, while Summer and Naeleen went to another. The rooms were dark, dusty, and full of cobwebs, while the floors creaked as they walked in.

"Well this is... cozy." Ooqi remarked as he shut the door.

***

Naeleen jumped on a bed, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

"This is awesome! I want to live here!"

[Tyler294]

"I've been in worse..." Al commented, "For about five minutes."

***

"Why? The place is full of spiders." Summer asked.

[DeadJim]

"It will do. We'll only be here one night anyway." Gort replied as he tried to brush some... something off the bed.

"I'm afraid of the dark, does anyone have a night-candle?" the commander whispered.

***

"It's spooky! And spooky makes me think of back home..." she quieted down at this point.

[Tyler294]

"Science has proven that there is absolutely nothing about the dark to fear. After all, darkness is merely an absence of light and cannot cause any form of physical harm." Al pointed out, "It's just everything else when it's dark that you have to worry about."

***

"You lived in a spooky place?" Summer asked.

[DeadJim]

The commander fainted.

"Good, now we don't need to light a stupid candle!" Ooqi said in relief.

***

"Yeah... my mom liked spooky things." Naeleen said with a touch of sadness in her voice, "some people say she had magic powers."

[Tyler294]

Al simply nodded in agreement, then climbed into one of the beds. Assuming there is more than one bed. If there isn't, then this will be an uncomfortable night.

***

"Like a witch?"

[DeadJim]

There were only two beds in the room, so Gort chose to sleep on the floor, which seemed to be cleaner. The commander was placed on one of the other beds, while Ooqi went on the other with Al.

***

"I don't know. The people in our village thought so... that's why she left, I guess." Naeleen laid down in the bed and shut her eyes.

[Tyler294]

"Where is your mom now?" Summer asked.

[DeadJim]

Naeleen didn't hear her, because somehow she had fallen asleep in ten seconds.

[Tyler294]

Summer just sighed then tried to fall asleep herself.

[DeadJim]

A few hours had gone by when the commander jolted upright.

"Did you hear that?" he loudly whispered.

[Tyler294]

"I did not hear anything, go back to sleep, sir." Al replied.