Heulog Kari's Story

The Games not only forced the crowd to roar with the intensity of thousands but also brought on a greater feeling of longing and joy. Each of the patrons who sat at the Grunges Tavern bar raised their glasses on high and downed their drink while others who sat at tables nearby ate and drank their fill only to sing their favorite teams song while hooting and hollering their cheers as their favorite team laid waste to the opposition.

It was only then that the tavern door's flung themselves wide open letting in the light of day and the figure of an old gentleman with a large hat atop his head and an old staff betwixed his gnarled fingers.

"Barkeep!" The elderly gentleman called out over the ruckus of good times and booze. "I want something strong. Whiskey, the rocks, and lets not get to stingy with the supposed good times." Bigsby smirked and made his way over to the bar just to take a seat while the Bartender took up his order.

The elderly wizard took a quick glance around the room and took in the faces who seemed to enjoy the game. They all seemed to be having such a good time but if it was truly about the game playing on the tube above then that was a question for another time.

Not long after the wizened old man's entrance another patron stepped in, a slender cane in hand and opulent rings on his hands. He passed by the tables near the door in silence, making a few of the lesser minded patrons shiver in slight discomfort as he strode past and approached the counter.

"Bartender, your finest wine, and do leave the bottle." he said, placing a large, old looking gold coin on the counter as payment. While he waited he too observed the room, noting in particular the presence of a not altogether unknown wizard, primarily for his signature hat. His red eyes smoldered behind the dark lenses he wore, and a cruel smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Heulog dragged a crimson sleeve across his mouth, wiping away the drool from a celebratory shot. His team was winning and rightfully so! They had fought hard this season, harder than last season that's for damned sure. Maybe it was new management. Old management was notably horrible. Too weak of a heart!

"GET 'EM!" He bellowed, just as someone in a very big hat settled in beside him at Grunges Tavern and ordered a whiskey. "I'll have onnathose too, Dirk," Heulog placed the order just before the barkeep could crawl from earshot.

The corner of his conscious was being tugged by another unfamiliar figure, and as the drink was on his way he gave the stranger a glance. Who the hell was that?

The old man might have appeared to not hold sway over his own faculties but his mind was vast and ever working as to what is and was possible. His crystal blue orbs first landed upon the well dressed individual whose aura was riddled with the filth of Hell itself. The master wizard was about to say something to the Hellish thing but instead was thrown off by the drunkard to his right.

What a remarkable example of living life to the fullest. The young man wanted a whiskey and when both orders arrived Bigsby offered his as a toast.

"For the Cinnamon Stomper!" Bigsby shouted his rejoice so that he would blend in slightly with the others present. The old wizard allowed his staff to rest against the bar's counter while he took his seat and began to figure out what to do with the demonic thing to his left.

The man chuckled to himself and poured a glass of wine from the bottle, savoring its fragrance before taking a small swallow. Perhaps a game was in order tonight, taverns were often places where fun was to be had, besides, drink made mortals lax in judgement and loose of tongue.

What sort of game would be played though? And the stakes? Tough decisions when one hadn't taken the time to get to know the players deepest wants and desires. He settled himself nearby with his wine, casting his eyes to the game being watched by most of the patrons. Wouldn't it be just too bad if one side's star player were to injure his ankle on the next play, so sad indeed.

"CIMAMIM STOMPAAAAH" Cheers'd Heulog to the man in the large hat, knocking back the entire glass of whiskey in one gulp. The Cinnamon Stomper was his home team from Clacise of the Tiburan peninsula. Having been raised a farm boy, he was very proud of his home place and culture.

"They're the greatest, y'know tha', an-" Heulog began rambling to the hat man to his side, but had become distracted by the finely dressed and far more sinister fellow to the other. Was he drinking wine?

"Is tha' wine?" The disgust was hard to hide in his voice, but it was bubbled with laughter that could only come from a condescending sportsman.

Several people he see's passing the doors of what it could be a bar, filled with noises, and uproar. Cheering for something it isn't particular with, it began to go through the doors of a building that what it could have been a bar, the noise increased, it was quite obvious that it would have that the men were to be watching countless sports games, and what not. Their it laid eyes on a wizard, a very old wizard.

It would be a surprise that it could've been a young wizard seem to be in his twenty's, but it digress, it didn't want any drinks since it doesn't like any strong tasting liquid In its system, as the young unidentified witch that takes the soul of a human being, a normal human being at that. Looks to be innocent and all, takes an opened seat at the bar, as it began too scan the whole area surrounding the young witch.

"Yes I know. 19 Krieg Endings with each player always 42 stomping averages on every seat. They are quite a team." Bigsby offered his own dialogue while downing his whiskey and flagging the bartender down for another.

The large hatted wizard began to ponder what anyone would see in a pseudo-chess game that involved bits of musical chairs and a little half hazard limbo shenanigans. The Hat simply downed his second drink as soon as it was served only to motion the main to pour him another.

Upon hearing his fellow compatriot comment about the others drink of choice Bigsby decided to turn and look a the demon. Of all the obvious things the mortal man could have commented on it had to be the choice of drink for a damned thing.

"The man has a refined taste. Hell maybe we should all drink something different from time to time."

Intent smirked slightly at the ramblings of the drunken man, giving a slight point with his finger as he held his wine glass, reducing the human's next drink to water as he put it to his lips. "Funny you should chose that word Mr. Big Hat," he said, leaving it unclear if he used that in reference to the wizard's reputation or simply as an observation of the obvious piece of the old man's attire.

"Tell me, have you ever been? It's quite nice this time of year."

Huelog couldn't contain a bark of laughter that tasted like whiskey. Refined taste his cinnamon butt! Wine tasted like ass, that was for sure. He grew up drinking the stuff and could go the rest of his life without another drop. Migrating beyond his coastal farming village was the best decision of his life, if only for no more wine.

Something else entered, and Heulog raised a brow at the sight of it. The hell was that? The hell was going on in here? Instead of saying anything, he just downed another whiskey and turned attention to the screen. But the whiskey wasn't a whiskey, it was a water. Sputtering in disbelief, and almost choking on the healthy liquid, Heulog shouted down the bar for Dirk.

"Heyya ASS! Whadinthefrabledidja think this is some kin'a joke?!" Someone was about to get stomped, not just in the game!

Bigsby turned his attention to the water only to wave off the bartender and then turned to the mans drink which was now half empty and mostly on the bar counter.

"Allow me." Bigsby moved his hand over the top of the glass only to cast a minor spell of prestigitation over the water forcing its flavor to taste like the whiskey the man had just previously had. "Now give that a shot."

As for the Hell of a question Bigsby simply nodded. "I visited not long ago. Though I assure you it was never a pleasant bit of time."

"Shame, it would appear that you didn't have proper company to make it more enjoyable." The demon replied, downing his glass of wine and pouring himself a second. "What are the odds that someone of such slight renown as yourself would be found in a hovel like this?" he asked Bigsby, eyes flashing for a moment behind the crimson lenses.

It was always such fun to toy with the more powerful mortals, wizards especially. Those who wanted even more power were particularly enjoyable, and often all too willing to make a deal without thinking everything through.

"Of slight renown...."

Those words seemed to ring within the wizards ears and reverberate within his own mind as he quickly thought over the countless exploits he could plant his flag and claim as his own. Countless trips to Hell, The Shadow Emperors Bathroom, Devouring whole stars to sustain his own self interested weight gain schemes!

The Hat was more well known for some of his more light hearted shenanigans than some common bar louse! The Nerve of such a foul mouthed creature! Bigsby thought of many things he could say to wound the beasts pride.

"You wear only the cheapest Armani Suits."

"You have the audacity to come to the surface without bathing first? You smell of Hell's Natural auroma."

"What? Are we to cheap to actually find a better place to drink or does the idea of easy pickings these days bring out the lowliest amongst your kind?!"

Instead Bigsby kept his mouth shut and downed yet another whiskey. The old wizards mind began to run countless scenarios only to stop and glance upon a young girl who seemed by far to normal in a place that was a game of Cheese Mites.

"I came for the good drink and fine company." Bigsby finally offered a response worthy of any scholar. "Besides how else would I spend my time. Every person in this fine little tavern came for the exact same reason." Bigsby smirked and waved the bartender over. "Whatever that young girl there wants will be on my tab." Bigsby told the bartender while pointing to Ariata.

"Hmm...?" ariata had turned toward the old geezer that had dressed up, as a wizard. "Due call me whatever your heart desire" It says, as ariata got up out of it's seat, and faced the very old man, as a grin would appear on its lips. "Thank you, but I don't want anything here at this unsettling place, I'm here for business. Simple, as that." Ariata would open, and close its eyes.

"By the way, I'm neither male, or female, but like I said due call me whatever your heart wishes it too, I would also like to have a word with you in private. You seem to have a potential, but hopefully you won't take down this wonderful offer, and also that cute villager over there." Ariata pointed directly at him.

Heulog walked into Grunges Tavern intending, more so than usual, to drink. His team had completely, and figuratively, dropped the ball the last part 'till finals. They would not be moving on, and he owed someone two hundred big ones.

"Dirk! Ahh, hey sorry 'bout the o'er night," He slid onto a chair in front of where Dirk was cleaning the counter. Dirk sighed and threw the rag at the sink. It landed with a slap. In one fluid motion he uncapped a beer and placed it slightly rougher than normal before Heulog.

"Yeah, don't mention it," Dirk said after a long moment of regarding Heulog Kari, deciding he was best off not being in quarrel with a frequent patron and casual friend. Heulog drank deep from his beer.