The monk stepped into the crowded tavern, his eyes tracing every shadow and
patron. He walked very slowly and calmly to the bar, still glancing at the
shadows that flickered in the dim torch light of the tavern. He sat at the
bar and ordered some water and cheese, which the tender happily filled the
order and held out his hand. The monk looked at the green and gold scale
patterns of his kimono and pulled a platinum piece, which he gave to the
tender with out thought of what it was worth. The tender clamped his teeth
down on the metal and placed five gold coins, twenty silver pieces, and
five coppers on the table before the monk.
The bartender put on a stern face and spoke, "please do be trying to keep yer weapons at yer side while here in my tavern."
The young man nodded and went back to his meal, dipping his head so his silvery white hair would fall over his shoulders, revealing his soft obsidian elfin ears. There it was, the silence of a group of people realizing that a dangerous being had walked into their lives. But, how dangerous was he? The elf thought to himself, as he never really doubted what would happen after the gesture. Some swords moved in their scabbards but the harsh whispers ceased the ever so slight clicking sound. With a soft enchanting voice he spoke voice he spoke. "What happened to all the music, the conversation?"
A brave soul wearing a shirt of chain mail finally got enough courage to speak "it went out when you came in elf." He stood a towering 6 feet tall and had shoulders the size of the young elf's head. He faltered only once, though it was probably because of the "Dragon Fire" ale he had finished a few moments ago was starting to take effect.
The elf turned sharply, his stern gaze matching his in a contest of wills. He did not wish to fight a meaningless battle, but he growled the words before even thinking about his tone, "I don't wish any trouble, but if you want it." he let the words hang ominously as the man slinked back into his seat. He turned to the barkeep, watching the scowl form on his face. "I'm looking for a shadow dancer; his name is Wu Fei Tsung."
"I don't know no Wu Fei, please leave. The patrons are about to start the mother of all bar brawls." He nodded to the people unsheathing their weapons as quietly as possible.
With a quick note of a flickering shadow the monk leapt from his bar stool toward a half-orc a full three heads taller than the elf, wearing no armor but light clothing and a short sword at each hip. Screaming at the top of his lungs, channeling his "ki" or inner spirit, the elf slew in a grace full line to the orc, to be met with a flurry of punches, kicks, head butts, knees, and elbows. He worked to pick off as many of the blows as possible and only tow blows got through his defenses. Both seemed to drain the life from him.
"Wu Fei, why do you have your shadow's do your dirty work for you?" the elf asked, backing away from the giant.
His voice was an extremely loose command of the common tongue "Just come in'ere to 'ave drink. You fight. I defend"
The barkeep pulled the combatants aside. "Get out, don't come back, first a drow and now a shadow dancer, I'll loose all my business! Now leave."
With a nod the elf walked outside and to the road he had found the killer of his master but he had also found a much tougher opponent as well. He walked the opposite direction of Wu Fei Tsung, perhaps it was fate; perhaps it was the ancestral weapons of the Dragon Fang Clan, two hooked swords of gleaming silver and jade, as long as those swords were his allies he would eventually persevere. But for now. more practice.
The bartender put on a stern face and spoke, "please do be trying to keep yer weapons at yer side while here in my tavern."
The young man nodded and went back to his meal, dipping his head so his silvery white hair would fall over his shoulders, revealing his soft obsidian elfin ears. There it was, the silence of a group of people realizing that a dangerous being had walked into their lives. But, how dangerous was he? The elf thought to himself, as he never really doubted what would happen after the gesture. Some swords moved in their scabbards but the harsh whispers ceased the ever so slight clicking sound. With a soft enchanting voice he spoke voice he spoke. "What happened to all the music, the conversation?"
A brave soul wearing a shirt of chain mail finally got enough courage to speak "it went out when you came in elf." He stood a towering 6 feet tall and had shoulders the size of the young elf's head. He faltered only once, though it was probably because of the "Dragon Fire" ale he had finished a few moments ago was starting to take effect.
The elf turned sharply, his stern gaze matching his in a contest of wills. He did not wish to fight a meaningless battle, but he growled the words before even thinking about his tone, "I don't wish any trouble, but if you want it." he let the words hang ominously as the man slinked back into his seat. He turned to the barkeep, watching the scowl form on his face. "I'm looking for a shadow dancer; his name is Wu Fei Tsung."
"I don't know no Wu Fei, please leave. The patrons are about to start the mother of all bar brawls." He nodded to the people unsheathing their weapons as quietly as possible.
With a quick note of a flickering shadow the monk leapt from his bar stool toward a half-orc a full three heads taller than the elf, wearing no armor but light clothing and a short sword at each hip. Screaming at the top of his lungs, channeling his "ki" or inner spirit, the elf slew in a grace full line to the orc, to be met with a flurry of punches, kicks, head butts, knees, and elbows. He worked to pick off as many of the blows as possible and only tow blows got through his defenses. Both seemed to drain the life from him.
"Wu Fei, why do you have your shadow's do your dirty work for you?" the elf asked, backing away from the giant.
His voice was an extremely loose command of the common tongue "Just come in'ere to 'ave drink. You fight. I defend"
The barkeep pulled the combatants aside. "Get out, don't come back, first a drow and now a shadow dancer, I'll loose all my business! Now leave."
With a nod the elf walked outside and to the road he had found the killer of his master but he had also found a much tougher opponent as well. He walked the opposite direction of Wu Fei Tsung, perhaps it was fate; perhaps it was the ancestral weapons of the Dragon Fang Clan, two hooked swords of gleaming silver and jade, as long as those swords were his allies he would eventually persevere. But for now. more practice.