((OOC: Read the interest check here first. OOC thread to be created later.))

Kinta sat at alone in the tavern, which is unusual enough in itself. He was at a dark oak-wood table, sipping at his drink and philosophising. It had been only five days since he'd entered this little pocked dimension of a universe, and the spiral on his back ached as if to remind him of this. Still, he could come to like it here. These people seemed to accept that he was a dimensional traveller without suspicion, which was very unusual. He smiled quietly to himself. Maybe not so unusual here, where the walls between this dimension and the next were so thin. He tipped his head back and drained the rest of his drink, putting it back down on the table with a thud. A few nearby patrons looked at him briefly, but they all turned back to their own drinks soon after. He sat back in his chair and began to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. All he needed now was some company, and he'd almost want to stay here.

The door to the tavern opened and a large shadow was cast into the room. Entering the tavern was Theg, a large ogre with skin a sickly brownish-green. His arms hung down below his waste due to a slightly humped back. They ended in hard, sharp nails. He had a large face, but had small eyes and a large nose. In his mouth were fangs protruding upward from his bottom jaw and he had large, pointed ears.Theg was very muscular and looked as if he could easily rip a man in half. He had very little clothin on his upper body and what was on his lower body was tattered and torn.

Theg observed and walked up to the bar, each step making a loud thud as he went. "Give me drink," he growled at the barkeep, "Something strong, don't care otherwise." Theg stood, waiting for his drink and observing the patrons once more, one solitary human struck him as odd. When he received his drink, a strong ale, he simply grunted his approval to the barkeep and went towards Kinta.

"You new?" Theg asked as he walked up to the man, taking a large swig from his mug, some of the liquid coming out of the corner of his mouth.

Kinta smiled slightly. An ogre. Not something you saw every day. "In a manner of speaking", he in response to the Theg's question, "yes. I've only been here for a few days. I have travelled extensively in the past however." He looked Theg up and down, and came to a conclusion. He looks trustworthy enough, thought Kinta and if he isn't... He grimaced inwardly. Outwardly, he smiled. "The name's Kinta. Kinta Zakimoto," he said, extending his hand, "pleased to meet you."

Theg set his half empty mug down on the table with a thud. With one hand, he gripped Kinta's hand tightly and shook. With the other hand, he wiped his mouth. "Name Theg," he paused a moment, "What you doin' here?" although, it sounded as if he spoke to Kinta confrontationally, it really wasn't; it was just how Theg was. "Don't get lotta travellers 'round here," he added.

Throughout the tavern people drank and talked. It was an overall merry place, except for exception. Samphire a blonde haired slave was scrubbing away at the floor sad. He never got a brake, the food was crummy, and he wasn't paid. But that wasn't why he was sad. Since he never knew anything better than the life of a slave he figured it was supposed to be this way. He was sad because of the fact he was losing his eyesight. Samphire dropped the rag into the bucket of soapy water and wiped sweat of his forehead. He rubbed his blue eyes. Still not any better. He used to have perfect vision, but now it was getting even more blurry! He looked at his pale skin, which was covered with dirt and grit. Samphire was an elf, but it's hard to tell because his ears are hidden by hair.
"Hey Sam go bring this to the human over there with that orc." said the barkeep. Samphire could hardly make out the human, but even with his newly fuzzed vision he could see the orc. He walked over to the two and handed then their ale. Normally he would turn away quickly and scamper off to another chore. But he noticed something about the human that made him rooted to the spot. Even a poor slave like Sam knew that this man was from the other world!

Theg growled slightly as Sam came up to the two of them, "Need somethin'?" Theg asked, "Oh and, tell boss, I's not orc. Disgustin' things, eatin' outta trash cans," the next statement came out of Theg's mouth proudly, "I's ogre!"

Sam eyes looked at the orc well ogre. "Yes sir!" he said. "Don't worry Sam I can hear him from hear. My apologies paying customer." said the barkeep. The only thing he cared for is money. He chuckled something about simpleton slaves and went back to serving a different costumer. "Er, Sir. Uh, do you need another?" said Sam looking at the ogre's empty glass.

Pic:

Greywhisker stepped through the threshold, blinking for a few seconds, as if making sure this was all real. Everything here felt...well...thin, like in a dream, hence his confusion. Oh, what had he stumbled into this time? He looked at the bartender and decided to sit down for a while and have a drink, maybe calm his nerves. How would he ever get home again in this mess of a place? The Rattius scratched one arm, just in case he really WAS dreaming, and sighed as it failed.

Still looking disheveled, he sat down on a stool and raised a hand timidly to get the bartender's attention. "E-excuse me, do y-you have a-a-a-anything non-alcoholic?"

The man looked at him funny. "Water."

Greywhisker shook his head. "Anything s-s-sweeter?"

"Sparkling cider's only other thing."

The rat nodded, not wanting to speak unless necessary, lest his stutter betray him anymore.

Kinta paid no mind to these events. He focused his attention on the serving boy, and his eyes widened slightly. The boy had obviously recognised that Kinta wasn't of this world. That would mean he has some ability to see the truth. Kinta shut his eyes and mused for a second. He came to a conclusion, opened his eyes, got back up, and spoke to the boy. "You work here, don't you." It wasn't a question, but the boy nodded anyway. On loser observation, the boy seemed hardly to be an employee, but more a slave. Kinta's eyes flared. He looked around at Theg. "You wouldn't mind looking after the boy for me, would you? We'll be going soon, and he'll be coming with us."

Kinta strutted up to the barkeep. "Barkeep," he said confidently, "I have a proposition to make regarding that boy. Do you have somewhere we can discuss this in private?" The barkeep nodded and indicated a small room behind the bar. Kinta followed him in, and sat down on one of the two small chairs in there. 'Do you want to buy him?" said the barkeep bluntly.
"In a manner of speaking, yes. I want to take him out of here, anyway."
"That will be fifty gold pieces," said the barkeep happily.
"Nono, you misunderstand me," replied Kinta flippantly, "my good sir. I am going to leave, and he is going to come with me."
"But..." snarled the barkeep, "that's robbery!"
"Would you rather it was murder?" Kinta questioned with an easy going psychosis, his hand on his sword. "Because if you try to stop me, I will kill you." Without a further word, Kinta left the room and walked towards the door to the tavern. "Theg, and you too, boy whose name I don't yet know, it's time for a quick exit."

Theg looked down upon Sam, "I like you! You get drinks!" when Kinta told him to look after Sam, he was unable to respond in time. When Kinta came back, announcing their leaving, Theg protested "I ain't done drinkin' yet!"

It all had happened so fast. At first it had been funny then confusing then the life altering moment had come. The funny rat man had entered the room. Sam had tried as hard as he could to stifle a laugh. He had never seen a rat man. Then the other world man got up and talked to the barkeep and now they were leaving. Had he been... bought? Sam didn't know what would lie ahead. The barkeep wasn't a bad master. The beatings weren't often and not at all severe. It wasn't very hard to work here. He'd rather this than for a master he didn't even know! Would he be brought to the other world? Sam was very excited and very scared. He figured he should obey the man and follow him out.

((OOC: I have g2g finish some homework then bed. My character will do as you say like a good slave.))

Kinta turned to Theg and the boy, a grim expression on his face. To Theg, he spoke first. "Theg," he said, "I may have the city watchmen after me for the next little while. You are quite welcome to stay with me during that time, so long as you don't mind being chased by armed men."

He turned to face the young boy. "Tell me your name, if you please," he said kindly. The young boy trembled, and answered.
"Samphira, sir."
"Don't call me sir, please. Call me Kinta, or Kin, if you want. You don't need to call anyone sir. You belong to yourself."
Sam just stared at him blankly, and he sighed.
"You don't have to come with me. You can go off on your own, if that's what you want."
More blank staring. Another sigh.
"Ok. If you do stay with me, I will protect you."
Kinta was about to continue, when a shout rang out from inside the tavern. His head snapped up and he looked inside.

Theg groaned as he looked at Kinta. "Fine. I come," he pointed to Sam, "Boy need to go. He in danger," he turned around at the shout, assuming it came from someone intending to do them harm, "Go with boy. I be close behind."

Theg growled deeply, "They interrupt drink time," he didn't like it when his drinking time at the tavern was interrupted, and was willing to show how much he didn't like it.

Kinta nodded. "Okay," he said quickly, "here's how it will go. I will take the boy and run for now. The next Royal Proclamation is in two days. Meet us in front of the clock tower then." Without further ado, he effortlessly heaved Sam over his shoulder, and ran.

Walls whizzed past in a blur of speed, and still, Kinta accelerated. He was moving much faster than any normal human could. But Kinta was the exception to this rule. His limited powers of spatial manipulation were enough to allow him to contract the space in front of him, meaning that he had less distance to cover in the same time. The sounds of shouting and fighting faded quickly, and eventually all that could be heard were the sound of his footsteps, the heaving of his breath, and the wind rushing past.

Theg glanced back for a split-second only to notice that Kinta had disappeared, "What the..?" he turned back just in time to see a large blade go past his head, "That -too- close," putting an emphasis on 'too' as he lifted the man up and tossed him through the wall of the tavern with a loud crash.

He then grabbed two more soldiers and slammed them into each other; they bounced off of each other slightly then fell to the ground limply. There were two men left and they were both archers. They fired at him at the same time, one of the arrows grazed his upper arm, leaving a large gash. The other, however, was fired accurately and hit Theg in the lower abdomen, embedding itself in his abdomen.

Theg roared in pain and hunched over the arrow slightly, before raising himself to his full height. Theg shoved the archer who fired the first arrow aside as he lifted up the other by the throat. Theg's final act in this fight was one filled with rage; he let go of the man's neck and placed his hands on either side of the man's torso. He then removed a hand from the man's back and slammed him into the floor of the tavern.

Not all of the guards were dead. The ones that weren't would think twice before attacking him again. Theg was sure that, next time these people came after him, he wouldn't leave any of them alive.

Theg staggered out of the tavern with a bleeding shoulder and an arrow stuck in his abdomen. Theg spoke to himself with large breaths between every word or two, "Royal...Proclamation. Two days...clock...tower."

He wasn't sure where he could go. Any kind of medical personnel surely would ask about his wound, about the arrow. He decided, against his better judgment, just to pull the arrow out and try to find some sort of medicine from a nearby merchant.

Theg slowly began to pull the arrow out, but as it began to loosen, he pulled it out all the way. When it came out, he gave a mighty roar of pain that could be heard for miles.

Holding his wound, he went to a nearby merchant and asked, breathing heavily, "Have pain...killers?"

"I have a potion that should ease your pain, yes!" and the merchant handed over a green potion, "Two gold," he said, holding out his hand for payment.

"Free," Theg grunted.

"No," the man insisted, "Two gold."

"Fine," he growled at the man, clearly not in the best shape to fight. He looked down at the ground, setting the potion down. He searched the area, twice bending down to pick something up. When he returned, he paid with two gold pieces he had found on the ground.

"Thank you for your business!" the man gave a superficial smile. Theg then drank the potion before tearing off pieces of his tattered pants and wrapping himself up.

The merchant had not been lying, the potions did ease the pain, but did not fully make it go away. Theg wandered, all the time repeating, "Royal Proclamation, two days, clock tower."

He soon found a place to sleep and layed down. Within minutes, Theg fell asleep, muttering things inaudible in his sleep.

Greywhisker squeaked as the fighting broke out and, without getting his drink, pushed himself against one corner, trying to keep as far away from the brawl as possible. When it stopped, the Rattius could not help but wonder at the massive being, apparently called an ogre. Curious, he stepped out from his corner and went up to him as he searched for coins.

"I-I-I c-could help y-you with th-th-that, s-sir." He pointed to the wound, and made a move to touch it, but hesitated. "M-may I?" If allowed, he would place his hand on the bloody hole, and allow magic to flow from him to the ogre, stopping the pain and healing the wound entirely. Grey felt weak at the knees, but spoke anyway. "W-why were th-those men f-f-fighting you?"

"Maybe I can answer that," spoke Kinta in response, "although he certainly won't. He's asleep." Slightly out of breath, Kinta had just arrived back from depositing Samphire at the safehouse that he had found a few days earlier. He had tried to make it clear to the boy that he was free to do what he wanted, although Kinta wasn't sure that what he said was understood.

"Theg was being attacked," continued Kinta with a hint of sadness, "for one reason only. He was with me. I tend to cause trouble, particularly when slaves are involved." He grinned impishly. "I took a slave, called Samphire, without paying. The barkeep wasn't very happy, but it looks like he wanted to wait until I was gone to start a fight."

Kinta looked the Rattius up and down, trying to glean as much information as he could from his appearance. After a few seconds deliberation, Kinta made a decision. "You look a bit out of sorts," he said sympathetically, "so if you want, you can join Samphire at the safehouse. There's food, drink, beds, and anything else you may need. Just tell them that Kinta sent you. It's right across the road from the clocktower, if you want to go." Kinta grimaced briefly. "As for myself, I have to have a few words with the barkeep, and then see what I can do for Theg here."

Without a further word, Kinta turned and headed back towards the tavern, eyes blazing. The next few moments were a collection of images and sounds. Kinta, standing in the doorway. The barkeep, eyes wide, drawing his sword. The crash of steel on steel. Kinta laughing softly. A brief scream, suddenly truncated. Kinta walking out, wiping the blood off his sword. He arrived back where Theg lay, and waited for him to awaken.

Samphire watched as around him the blurred dark shapes rushed by faster and faster. He was frightfully scared. He had never traveled far from the tavern, and never went this fast! Sam had now decided that this was all a dream and was dazed and confused when they arrived at the safe house. Since Sam had never heard of freedom and only experienced it once he didn't believe it when he was freed! He was barely listening remembering his day of freedom. The barkeep had closed the bar to go to his mother's funeral. Samphire was expected to feel gloomy, but how could he! The sun was high in the sky and no clouds could block it! Sam had just been given a day off o do whatever he liked. Sam was overjoyed and became even more elated when the barkeep had given him the coins. Sam had walked to a merchants stall and bought the most delicious kebab he had ever tasted! Well the only he had tasted. Sam had then found an old magical carpet named Jelliahous or Jelly for shot. Sam had rode him all over which was the second fasted he had ever went! (on Kinta's shoulder being the first.) Sam had let Jelly go free at the end of the day before going home and Jelly had promised him he would come back. What a funny coincidence. Right now Jelly was taping on the safe house window. Sam ran over an pushed it open.
"Hello!" said Jelly.
"Jelly! Where've you been?" asked Samphire.
Jelly told stories of many passengers who had gone to deserts and other worlds! The entire time he had been hoping to find Samphire, because he had got a gift for him. Jelly curved so the top tip of the carpet faced straight up and the contents on top of him fell down. On the ground was an amazing star.
"What is it?" Samphire asked excited and happy.
"It's a protection star. If you ever need help, just through at whatever is harming you!" explained Jelly. They thanked each other and hugged however a carpet and human can hug that is.
"Thanks! I wish I had something for you!" said Samphire.
"Well you already gave me something great! Freedom!" said Jelly. Samphire thought of Kinta and how he had given Sam freedom.
"Oh and any time you need me just hold the protection star as hard as you can." said Jelly. Sam and Jelly said goodbye and Jelly flew away.

Theg groaned as he sat up and looked around, dazed. He saw Kinta, "You...how long you been there?" he asked. Looking at Theg, it could be noticed that his upper right arm was bandaged as well as his lower abdomen. He took a deep breath and stood up, "I need armor. Never been shot by arrow before. It hurts."

The man's orders seemed to help Greywhisker think more clearly. Having a direction parted the fog around his mind, and gave him a focal point. He nodded, stuttered out a thank-you to Kinta, and then left, trying to wrap his mind around the directions. Clock tower...clock tower...Oh! There it is! Sooo...The safe-house...There! It wasn't too hard to spot, what with the flying carpet tapping on the window. As he approached, it flew off, which both saddened and confused the Rattius, but he focused on the task at hand, and knocked on the door.

"H-hello? K-k-kinta sent m-me here. He s-said I c-c-could rest a wh-while."