Magic, Bloody Magic

Magic! Bloody Magic!

Majvoc spun around and drew his own dagger. It was nothing special, and he was certainly not an expert in its usage. Sure, he had sliced the bellies of a fair share of men and women, but that was in the dark of night and he had the upper hand. A fair fight? He didn't stand a chance.

Across the room, he could see his bow. It might be a little big for use in a room like this, he supposed, but it would be better to him than his dagger. And after all, a chest of silver for his work? Sounded like a plan, if he could survive.

"Balar!" the woman screamed as the small crowd surged forward around them.

'Right then,' growled the owner of the inn, and he swung his axe at the crowd. The sharp edge of the weapon never connected with anything, but it was enough to scare the crowd back a little.

'Come on, boy,' said one of the crowd, pointing at Majvoc, 'You don't want to stand with them!'

'Remember the chest, thief,' said the inn owner's wife, 'All of it is yours if you stand here with us.'

'Thief?!' shouted Balar, resisting the urge to swing his axe in Majvoc's direction.

'Can we talk about this later?' asked Tiella, 'You know, when we haven't got a room full of people wanting to kill us?'

'Whatever she is promising you can be yours when she is dead!' said another of the crowd.

Majvoc thought for a moment, the cogs in his mind grinding as he thought of the best plan out of his predicament.

'He's got a point, you know,' said Majvoc, standing up straight and sheathing his weapon, 'It was nice meeting you three, but my life is worth a bit more to me than a chest of silver.'

Majvoc took out the flute from his pack and began to play a lively jig as he walked away from Balar, Tiella and Luna. The crowd parted to let him pass, and soon he was safe behind the points of swords and daggers.

'Bastard,' spat Tiella as she prepared herself for the fight. But she noticed the music stopped.

Just as a member of the crowd surged forward, an arrow pierced his throat. He collapsed in a spurt of blood, leaving a gap in the crowd for Tiella to see Majvoc all readying nocking another arrow into his bowstring.

'On the other hand,' said Majvoc as the pulled the string back to aim at another of their assailants, 'I really could do with the money.'