[ IP ] Happenings .

Brom and his squire, Oliver, finally came upon a town after days of traveling with no food. They were still a ways from their destination but they were feeling weary. The town seemed quiet and pleasant. Although it was mid day, the town seemed quiet. They finally saw a woman rushing somewhere. 
 “ Hello there! ” greeted Brom. The woman continued running and entered a door. The men approached the door and knocked. No one answered and the curtains were shut. Brom and Oliver continued walking through the town. Suddenly a creature ran by. 
 “ Catch that demon! ” Brom turned his head toward the location of the voice and sees a guard running towards the creature. The creature reaches the edge of the forest and turns back towards them. “ Why, it ’ s just a cat! ” notes Oliver. The cat meows then runs into the forest. 
 
 The guard turns to face them. “ Why did you two just stand there? ” Brom and Oliver looked at one another. “ There ’ s no need to chase a friendly cat ” says Brom. The guard glares at them and growls, “ THAT is not a cat, it ’ s been corrupted by dark magic. It has plagued our town greatly. ” He takes a small blade and slams it into a piece of paper against a tree. He spits at their feet and storms off. The paper reads WANTED with a picture of a cat and the name “ Mr. Snuffles ” beneath it. The reward was bigger than the warlock who nearly destroyed humankind. The two men wondered if they should travel to another town, but decided against it, for they didn ’ t know how much longer they could travel with meager supplies. They continued to walk through the town until they saw the familiar sign indicating the Inn. They imagined seeing the Inn full at this time of day, but instead seeing nobody inside. 
 
 “ Hello! ” shouted Brom. They heard a crash from nearby and then a man came running into the room covered with bandages and wielding a cross and carrying a small vial. He looked at Brom and Oliver and sighed with relief. “ What do yeh want? ” “ W-we just a room sir ” stammered Oliver. “ Jus ’ take any room ya want. Yeh won ’ t be here long anyway. Food is in the kitchen. And also, ” The innkeeper walked to Oliver and stared down at him with cold eyes. “ Be back inside by nightfall and lock and board the door ”. He gestured towards heavy boards along with a hammer and nails by the door. “ Don ’ t forget ta do th ’ same with your windows ” And he stormed off. Brom and his squire looked at each other again with raised eyebrows. 
 
 They made themselves a hefty meal and when they finished, the sun was making its way towards dusk. They went outside and saw a few frantic townspeople rushing into their homes. Brom and Oliver did the same and went to sleep. They awoke in the middle of the night to a screech that wasn ’ t human. They tore the boards off the door and ran outside to see all the doors open with light bursting from each of them. However, in one door there was not only light, but a dark red liquid which Brom and Oliver had become accustomed to in their adventures. Inside the door lay the body of the guard and the people they saw that day. They looked at the dripping blood to see paw prints running across town and back to the forest. Brom and Oliver jumped at the sound of the crying of a man. They saw the innkeeper slowly approach them. “ See? I tol ’ you! ” he said drunkenly. “ That demon ’ ll kill us next! ” The innkeeper sobbed some more. Brom put his hand on the man ’ s shoulders, “ No, my good man. Only you will be killed next ”. “ Wha ’ ar yo- “ his breathing was cut off as Brom sliced his throat and dropped his body to the ground. 
 
 Brom and Oliver walked into the forest until they reached the river where a man was washing his hands and clothes. The two men knelt when they reached the man in the river. “ Very good my servants ”, said the man in wet clothing. “ Soon, we shall arrive at our final location and take what is rightfully mine. Wait a bit longer until you arrive at the next town, I want to destroy every one personally who defied me ” he snarled as he transformed to his creature form. 

