Snippet #2356125

The tavern music did nothing to drown out the sound of chairs scraping backwards and the hustle of people backing away. While the music remained bawdy and loud, a tense silence passed between the three men who had stood. Zulgos watched the two across from him, attention focused on the one in a red shirt, mark of a local gang. Taking his time, Zulgos arranged his scimitar on his belt to be seen better. "I said you're cheatin' scum that owes me fifteen gold pieces, are you deaf or dumb?"

One of the tavern wenches, Marie, ran up and took his arm, "Zul, they're not-"

The girl thought she was in love with him because he had spent his nights in this town sharing her bed. She was foolish if she thought he would be deterred by a woman.

The red-shirted man, an eager look in his eye, had been waiting for his opportunity and sprang onto the table, a stiletto appearing as if from nowhere. At the same time he gave the wench a rough shove, Zulgos stepped forward and kicked the table out from underneath the ganger. The second had already started moving toward the door.

The halfbreed's first inclination was to put a dagger between the cheater's shoulder blade's, but that would bring undue attention. Tavern brawls happened by regular course, public murder was investigated. Instead Zulgos reared back and punched the ganger as he stood, dropping him like a stone.

Checking his pockets, Zulgos found thirty gold pieces that quickly disappeared into his own pockets. The giant then turned and walked out, with nary a glance at the woman sobbing on the floor.



Zulgos hefted himself onto the rooftop with a grunt, a rope clenched in his teeth. His yellow eyes peered from the darkness at the two waiting figures. He spit the rope into his hand.

"You're early as usual, Ajax." Zulgos's face split in a predatory smile, revealing large incisors as he nodded at Korina, "Evenin', darlin'."

Turning his attention away from them Zulgos tied the rope in a loose knot that could either be tightened or undone at a moment's notice. The other end of the rope was tied to a heavy leather sack that held various tools of the trade that Zulgos personally found useful. A shovel and crowbar among other things. The rope was taut, it's length hidden behind the pole Zulgos had used to scale the structure.

"Huh. I'm usually the last one here." Zulgos commented as sat with his back against the chimney.