Chapter 4: Chapter 3 – The Dead Drunk

Abba is a mountain village situated on the most Western part of the Rosevind Territory, right into the curvature of the horseshoe shaped Seni Mountains. Flanked to the West, North and South by massive mountain cliffs, few decades ago this place used to be just a mountain pass. Today it still acts like a moutain pass, but the space has been considerably enlarged. Man made efforts turned it into its current form, to serve as a mining hub, as mana crystals mines were discovered in the surrounding mountains.

Most of the people from this village are second or third generation miners but some of them chose not to follow in their parents' footsteps and took other jobs. Such as the seven soldiers from Abba that joined Stones' rescue mission.

Here, in the West, The Great Backheel Wall is sealing the tip of the curvature of the Seni Mountains. Behind the Great Wall is the Backheel City, acting as the Eastern entrance to the enclosed Backheel Plains.

To reach the Abba village you must fist pass through The Great Backheel Wall, enter the Backheel City and then cross the Backheel Plains. The entire structure was built to act as a giant fortress in case of an enemy attack.

***

In the evening, the last batch of Rosevind Soldiers is ready to infiltrate the village where the exchange will take place. They enter through the Eastern entrance, as Jacob is watching them from the village Bar. He was the first to enter and he waited until everyone else got in, to make sure it's safe and there's no problem.

"Hey, you guys... look like you're... new in these parts. Hic, hic!" says a drunk man as he approaches a merchant caravan composed of ten people, three merchants and seven guards.

"What's up with this guy?" asks one of the merchants.

"Stay away, we're not interested!" says one of the guards, as he came to stop the drunk from further approaching.

"It seems he had one too many drinks..." adds another merchant.

"Come on, gentlemen... why dont you... buy me a drink? I will show you around!"says the drunk, slurring his words.

"Here! Tell me where the inn is!" says the leading merchant, tossing a coin to the ragged drunk.

"Thank you, mister! It's just... a little bit further... on the main road."

"Let's move, people, we don't have time to waste. We barely reached the village before night time!" says the leading merchant as he drives his cart forward.

"Jackpot!" says the drunk as he enters the Bar again.

It's evening and the Bar is full with miners having a drink after working hours. The last couple of hours they've been spectating this drunk's shenanigans, as he tried to get a drink out of everyone who passed by. They even bet on the outcome, to further amuse themselfs.

"Jackpot, indeed!" says a grinning miner, as he gathers the coins placed on the table.

"Bleh, you were just lucky!" adds in another guy from the same table.

"Barman... one more glass... Leave the bottle too!" says the drunk, as he throws the coin on the counter.

"I don't mind the money, but you should go home. You're already beyond wasted!" replies the barman, as he fills one glass and sets the bottle down right beside.

"Hic! Have I... told you... how I wasted... all my fortune? Hic, Hic!" says the drunk, as he drowns the glass in one big gulp.

"Yeah, yeah, you told me more than fifty times already!" growls the barman, annoyed.

"There's no... rest for the wicked! They're all sharks... they see a man down... and they strike!" says the drunk as he grabs the bottle.

"Go home! You've drunk enough. It will get dark soon and we will close, as tomorrow is still a working day!" adds the barman.

"They're all sharks... Hic!" mumbles the drunk Jacob as he struggles to exist the bar.

He then sits on his butt, right outside, on the porch of the enstablishment, taking a big gulp from the bottle. This is the place where the exchange will happen and he knows it.

"There are not many places where you can sneek around in Abba Village to make an exchange. The Bar is both a place that is easy to find and a quiet place after a certain hour. It makes it the perfect place. Those guys from the corner table are with the enemy, they're blending in well but my nose tells me they are used to killing. The barman too is suspicious, those are not the hands of a barman" thought the disguised Jacob, as he passed out drunk on the porch.

***

Few hours later, the bar is quiet. All the lights are off as the miners left to sleep the alchohol off for tomorrow's working day. Only six figures are left inside the bar, in pitch darkens: the five betting miners from earlier and the barman.

"Stay sharp! It won't be long before they'll come." speaks the barman, in a soft voice, as he pulls the curtains from the window to take a peak outside the bar.

"Boss, can we really trust that guy's word?" says one of the five miners.

"We don't really have much of a choice. He would have killed us right away if we did not do it. Most likely that motherlover is trying to turn us into his scapegoats, if something goes wrong. But dead men have no options. If things go well, this could be our chance. A guy like him has a powefull backer. If he delivers what he promised, risking our lives would be worth it!" replys the barman.

"Dont tell me you're getting cold feet?" says another miner to the one that started the conversation.

"Heh. You know little ol' me is not scared. I'm just a very moral person. I cannot do such vile acts so easily. How can you guys be so scum?" replys the first miner smirking, with a funny face.

"Yeah right. You're such a righteous character that you'll push a baby off his mother's breasts just to feast on her milk!" speaks another miner.

"Pffft!" all of them break into a muffled laught.

"We're no saints, our life style would most likely lead to a gruesome death. But if there's a chance to gain status and gold, to live a comfty life, we'll take it. We must be careful not to expose ouselfs. We're already playing with fire as it is." says the barman as he drew the curtains back.

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"But what about that drunk, shouldn't we take care of him?" asks one of the miners.

"You're just holding a grudge 'cause you lost the bet!" says another miner, also the previous winner of the bet.

"You idiot, there must be no witness! But I can't say it won't be my pleasure." replys the previous miner, grinning, prepared to go out and dispose of the one who make him lose.

"No! It's not our problem. Let our employers do it, I wanna see how they act." speaks the barman, ending their bickering.

***

At first light, a heavy bearded burly man escorted by 10 men is approaching the village Bar. He might seem like he's the one leading, but if you look more closer he's more like a prisoner. Two men are flanking him, to make sure he's going into the right direction, just like an ox is lead by a peasant when plowing the fields.

"Wait! There's someone outside the Bar. Better safe than sorry, take care of it!" speaks the leader of the 10 men escorting the burly man, as he looks at one of his companions.

"Look like some drunk who passed out. Huh!? This guy is already dead, I can't detect neither mana nor life force from him. *Spit!* He drunk himself to death!" says the man sent to kill him, as his dagger vanishes from his hand.

"Leave him there! He's part of the decor, it would look less suspicious than moving him." says the previous guy, as he seems to be the one giving orders despite being at the back of the group.

They enter the Bar where they're being recieved by the six individuals already there. The burly heavily bearded man, that was escorted in, breaks the silance.

"Where is my son? I've done everything you asked, I want to see my son!" says Gorverner Stones.

"Don't worry, we haven't touched him. At least not yet." replays the barman, with an evil grin.

"Fetch the boy!" says the leader of the escorts, which happens to be the fattest man in the room, looking at the barman.

"Go to the storage room and get him!" orders the barman to one of his men, a little bit disgruntled about the way he was adressed by the other person, but not daring to voice it out.

Soon after, one guy comes back carrying under his armpit, like a baggage, a gagged and tied 10 years old lad with ginger head. The barman nods at him and he puts the lad on one of the bar chair, as he pulls out the gag from his mouth.

"Father, save me!" shouts the lad, as the gag was released.

"Keep it down! Don't make too much noise, kid, or I might have to ruin your family reunioun!" adds the barman as he nudges the boy.

"Renti! Are you ok, son?" says Governer Stones to his son, as the boy is trying his best to hold back his tears.

"I'm o-ok. They just tied me and dumped me into that room. I was so scared!"

"Don't worry, pops will take care of it." replys Stones, assuring his son.

"Yes, he will, if he wants his precious son back. Isn't that right, Mister Jackal?" says the barman as the puts the gag back into the kid's mouth.

"Indeed. He will get his son back eventually, I gave him my word."adds the leader of the escorting men.

Sure enough, the barman's suspicion was spot on. He did not grunt having his name called, so it must be a fake name. No one would be foolish enough to take the Rosevinds on, using their real names. And the fact that he did not use his real name, means there's a posibility he won't necesarly kill the barman and his men, as they know nothing harmful. This is the conlusion the barman got to, as he tested the response of the man self proclaimed Jackal.

"What's the meaning of this? I already did what you told me to do. Release my son!" barks Stones, visibly infuriated, releasing a red aura.

"A 7th Rank Knight!" the barman's men were mind-boggled.

The heavy beard, his animalistic crazy eyes and his tense burly body were enough to send chills to the barman and his companions, prompting most of them to take a step back. Coupled with the aura of a 7th Rank, his presence was even more terrifying. The barman, the only one who did not flinch, narrows his eyes while looking at the big guy in front of him. They all realised for the first time that they're threading on a thin line. They were expecting the danger, but expecting something and actually experiencing it it's a huge difference.

"Enough!" says Jackal, while releasing his own orange aura.

"A 8th Rank Knight! My God!" shouts one of the miners, while everyone in the room besides Jackal are getting goosebumps.

Both the barman and Stones knew that this man was strong, when they were each approached by him, but they did not expect him to be that close to the peak. A 8th Rank Knight is usually a powerhouse level entity serving under a big power. It was now more than evident that Jackal had some powerful backing and he was acting on someone's orders.

"Your son will be safe with us. There is something else I want you to do for us..." adds Jackal.

But just as he was prepared to elaborate, he was interupted by a big noise. With a bang, the Bar door is blown off and someone barges right in, attacking Jackal and his men. Just as Jackal deflected the attack sending the guy flying, the intruder uses the momentum to get close to Stone's son. He grabs him and makes his way back to the entrance.

"Stop him!" shouts Jackal.

But to no avail. The intruder is much faster and even manages to injure two of his men on his way out. He throws the boy outside, as Karl catches him and runs away in a flash. Everyone is dashing out of the Bar. While Jackal and his men are focused on chasing the intruder, behind them the barman and his group are in a tight clinch with an enraged Stones going all out.

The Bar is surrounded. The sixteen kidnappers find themselfs encrouched by close to 60 Rosevind men.

"Now, if you told us you'll be visiting we would have recived you properly. Do pardon us for not serving you some refresments. But it's also very rude not to introduce yourself as a guest, Mister Jackal." says the intruder, the death drunk from earlier, as he turns back facing the kidnappers with a wide smile.

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