Chapter 1: Of Beasts
Zadus descended the wine cellar steps watching, ever carefully, for the dangers within. This tavern was having a hideous rat problem, and someone had to deal with it; Zadus was more than up to the task. Humanity had yet to accept Reptilians as anything but evil, but Zadus was determined to change that image sooner or later. He had to start somewhere, and a rat problem was as good a place as any other.
The darkness encroached upon him and his vision was extremely confined. He stopped and allowed his blue eyes to adjust. Humans had a ridiculously dim vision in comparison to him. After his eyes adjusted, he could make out his surroundings fairly well. It was a typical cellar full of barrels and kegs. It appeared to be all at peace, but Zadus knew better. Rat problems were rarely just an extermination job.
A shelf stood on the far wall and he knew, only too well, what was behind it. A small crack and a slight draft signaled the presence of a passage –to where he did not know. He only knew that no matter where it went, he would follow it until he had exterminated whatever lay on the other side. He drew his greatsword, which he affectionately referred to as “Cindy, the Sword of Merciful Viciousness”.
“Cindy,” He said softly. “I’ve got to break a shelf – sorry.” He struck the wooden shelf and in a splintering second, it was no more.
“God, you could have just moved it. I mean it wasn’t that heavy for big strong you was it?” Replied Cindy. “What am I, a common hatchet?”
“Well, when you’re the warrior and I’m the sword, you can move the shelves around. I said sorry, didn’t I?”
“I appreciate the soft hearted sentiment of ‘sorry’,” remarked Cindy, “I forgive you.”
Zadus examined the crack in the wall and gently placed his hand inside. He pushed on a small section and found it to move slowly backwards freeing up enough space for him to slide into a small, not-so-well-hidden, passage way. This hall was quite dark with a series of unlit torches connected to the wall at regular intervals.
Zadus grabbed one, “Cindy, why aren’t you a flaming sword, so I can light this thing?”
“Because flaming swords have been known to be total jerks! That’s why!” Cindy retorted.
“Oh and you’re so wonderfully kind hearted, aren’t you? Why do they call you the sword of ‘merciful viciousness’ then?”
“You call me that!”
“Touché…” Zadus pulled out a small piece of flint he had always carried with him and used a rock in the walls to spark the torch and light it. He continued to light every torch he saw along the way.
“Who do you think replaces the torches down here?” He mumbled to himself not expecting an answer.
Zadus rounded a corner and saw what a “small rat problem” really was. The creature was no doubt some sort of vermin, but stood about 7 feet tall on two legs. It wore ragtag armor most likely the former possessions of fallen exterminators. Its brown fur was almost entirely stained red. In its left it held a massive battle axe and in its right a jagged sword. Both looked very heavy, but judging by the size of the creatures arms, it did not have trouble wielding them.
It growled and was obviously ready to destroy Zadus.
“Cindy, If you didn’t like that shelf, you certainly not going to like what I’ve brought upon us this time,” whispered Zadus.
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