Bit darker I think. WIll end up being part of Aylix's backstory I think.
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The bar room was thick with the smoke from a dozen or more pipes and smelt like someone had broken more than just a couple of casks across it's tarred floor. It was dark, stuffy and choking; its inhabitants stunk and the beer tasted like rat piss was actually the main ingrediant.
It was what Aylix needed at this moment in time.
He sat in one corner, a distant and farway look in his eyes, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it, tried to figure out why he had killed her. Why he had killed the woman he loved. The past few months, while far from perfect had been some of his best on Arda. Travelling across country with a stunning Guiadonese woman who spoke with just the right level of sultry and sarcasm, knew how to use a decent blade and... His jaw tightened as he closed his eyes against the images of her body that flashed on the inside of his iris'. Gods above she haad been incredible.
So why had he ran the steel through her? That sword, he had barely known it two days yet he it had seemed so familiar to him. Not that it mattered now - shattered into a thousand pieces at the side of the road...
His head dropped as the scene rushed back to him. The rain, the blood, the sword... Rani, breathing her last breath... Something seemed to be missing, there must be something he was missing. He had loved her. There had been no reason for him to kill her at all...
His fist clenched tight, his fingernails digging into his flesh - trying to use the pain in his hand to drown out the pain in his heart... but there was nothing that was about to crush that.
"Well... will you look at zat..." the voice cut through the haze was smug and full of self satisfaction, causing Aylix's eyes to snap open. In front of him was two men - one short and squat, standing a head or more shorter than the Ithronian; the other towered above him, taller than Aylix by more than a foot. Marc and Luc - that was the only names they had ever learned from them - possibly the first pair of people that he had pissed off in this country with Rani. Or for Rani... he'd saved her from having to spend the night with the squat, fat bastard. "If it isn't ze Ithronian? You've abandoned ze bitch I see." Marc leered. "You both 'ave left quite ze trail across Guiadon... following you both was easy." his eye narrowed. "I swore I'd take revenge on you both... no one shows up Marc L'Gredde. But it seemes someone beat me to it with ze bitch."
From behind his back Marc drew a dagger slowly, holding it up for Aylix to see. The Ithronian's eyes widened in horror as he recognised it, before glaring so darkly at the Guiadonese man that if the mercenary had had any power, he would have killed him outright.
"Ah... so it was 'er body we found." Marc barked a laugh, glancing over the dagger appraisingly. "What 'appened? Her mouth finally get her in trouble? Did you slap 'er around? Or did she just get bored of you?"
"Put it down. And get the fuck out." Aylix's voice could barely be heard over the background noise of the bar, and Marc leant forward over the table towards Aylix, the leer growing wider.
"What was zat? I didn't hear you?"
Aylix seized the man by the back of the thinning hair at the back of his skull and slammed it hard into the rough wood of the table in front of him. There was an explosive crack as Marc's nose shattered and blood sprayed across the table in a wide spray. As he bounced up again, Aylix had already brough his fist back and punched the man hard enough to break his jaw.
"Bathtad!" Marc choked over the blood pouring down his throat.
Luc rushed forwards, making a grab for Aylix as he side stepped, swinging the chair he had been sat on round from behind him, destroying it on the larger man's stomach and chest. Luc faltered, making another less precise grab for the mercenary who blocked it forcefully with the plate bracers he wore on his wrists, following it up with two heavy punches, born of fury and anger. Luc dropped down to one knee as the breath rushed from him, giving Aylix the opened to bring his leather boot up hard into the big mans face. Luc fell to the floor as more men emerged from the gloom, surrounding Aylix.
Not even giving them time to speak, the Ithronian was amongst them like a rabid dog. Fury filled his body and his limbs struck out indiscriminantly. Any blows he took he didn't seem to feel or react to he shed the blood and broke the bones of the five or six men who rushed him.
It was over in minutes and Aylix stood in a smoke screen surounded by bodies who were all groaning and writhing in agony on the floor.
Aylix returned to Marc who was struggling to his feet which was soon stopped as he brought a heavy boot down across the Guiadonese mans back. Marc growled in pain, as Aylix followed it up with a stamp on his wrist, forcing him to let go of what had been Rani's dagger.
Forcing Marc onto his back, Aylix dropped heavily with his knee into the mans sternum, rendering him breathless.
"Zis... isn't... over..." he choked out, almost managing to sneer.
Then he noticed the expression on Aylix's face and his face fell in terror.
"Yes it is." The Ithronian snarled, ripping the dagger across Marc's throat, spraying blood everywhere.
Aylix stood and stepped the few feet to Luc. The big mans back was to him and Aylix took the chance to grab him around the throat with his forearm. "See you in Sharda." he hissed into Luc's ear before driving the dagger into the side of his neck and tearing it roughly out again.
Leaving the two men in growing pools of their own blood and masked by the screen of smoke that filled the bar, Aylix sheathed the dagger and collected his pack and hammer leaving the bar without a backwards glance.
It was time to leave Guiadon.
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