Chapter 20; Red Dragon Tavern
Uncle couldn't help but think that the two fools were right. Sending his nephew on a pointless errand was a brilliant idea! But… If Peter went on an adventure, who would be his slave… errr… helper?
On one hand, Uncle would be free of Peter´s damn fantasies and whines… On the other hand, Uncle would lose a useful slave… errr… helper.
Decisions, decisions, decisions…
"Is this the famous Red Dragon Tavern?" – inquired a Gnome.
Uncle's eyes blinked. A costumer? Damn! Uncle had been so concentrated in his thoughts, that he hadn't notice the Gnome enter his tavern.
"Indeed it is, lad. What can I get you?" – asked Uncle.
The Gnome showed the Barkeeper a smile of relief.
"Nothing, Barkeeper." – answered the Gnome.
Uncle sighed. This couldn't be happening to him… No! More tourists! More mad tourists! Damn tourist!
Would it be too much to ask for a drunkard every now and then?
Well… At least that bastard of a Halfling was saving this day from being unprofitable. The Barkeeper had never witness such an incredible amount of quaffing.
"Why in the hell would someone come into a tavern and order nothing?" – demanded Uncle.
The Gnome showed the Barkeeper a joyful nod.
"Ah! Of course! Introductions! Where are my manners?" – said the Gnome.
Uncle glared at the Gnome and sighed. Damn tourists!
"How the hell should I know?" – raged Uncle.
The Gnome looked suddenly confused.
"Know what, sir?" – inquired the Gnome.
"Where your manners are." – explained the Barkeeper.
The Gnome couldn't contain a mocking smile. Humans…
"Oh? That? Ha! Ha! You have a great sense of humour, Barkeeper!" – jested the Gnome.
The Barkeeper whispered something that the Gnome couldn't hear. Perhaps a prayer to a God of Barkeepers or something.
"My name, Barkeeper, is Daniel. I am also known as Daniel the Destructive." – stated the Gnome.
The Barkeeper shrugged and glared indifferently. Damn tourists!
"My name is Uncle." – said the Barkeeper.
"A pleasure to meet you… Uncle." - said Daniel.
"Before we move on, Daniel… I have to know something…" – explained Uncle.
Daniel was perplexed by the sudden change of subject. He nodded in agreement.
"Are you some kind of Philosopher?" – inquired Uncle.
The Gnome laughed at that comment.
"Nah! I am a Wizard, Barkeeper." – answered Daniel.
"Well… I don't like Philosophers… Especially the ones with bright ideas…" – raged Uncle.
"I am not a Philosopher, Uncle. Philosophers deal with ideas, Wizards deal with Magic. I have yet to come up with a great idea, but I can cast a Fireball before you can count to two. I am not a Philosopher. You have my word!" – explained the Gnome.
The Barkeeper seemed unconvinced. Uncle thought that the line that separated Philosophers from Wizards was very thin.
"Good. If I hear you talking like a mad Philosopher that sees Reason and Infinite Wisdom in a piece of cheese, I will club you to death." – threatened the Barkeeper.
Daniel showed him a reassuring smile, which contrasted with the sweat on his bald head.
"What do you want, then?" – inquired Uncle.
"I am looking for someone." – whispered Daniel.
The Barkeeper nodded in recognition.
"Oh, aren't we all?" – agreed Uncle.
The Gnome's eyes blinked in confusion.
"I don't know… Are we?" – asked Daniel.
Uncle laughed after hearing that question.
"Look, lad, I don't deal with that kind of goods." – explained the Barkeeper.
"What do you mean?" – demanded Daniel.
"If you wish to find yourself some company, you should go to the docks." – advised Uncle.
"That's strange… He said that I should come here." – mumbled the Gnome.
"He?" – yelled Uncle.
Daniel showed the Barkeeper a frightened look.
"Yes… My Master…" – murmured the Gnome.
"What? Oh! Wait! You weren't looking for a lady?" – demanded Uncle.
"No… Should I be?" – questioned Daniel.
"Every man should, lad. Who is your Master, then?" – inquired the Barkeeper.
The Gnome seemed to pause for dramatic purposes.
"Alan the Astounding!" – yelled Daniel the Destructive.
The Barkeeper couldn't believe his own hears. Had the drunkard spoken the truth?
"Say what?" – demanded Uncle.
"What." – said Daniel.
"No… Wait… What did you just say?" – corrected Uncle.
"I said "what"." – reminded Daniel.
"Before that!" – growled Uncle.
"Alan the Astounding." – stated the Gnome.
"Your Master is Alan the Astounding?" – inquired Uncle.
"That is what I said." – mumbled Daniel.
"Halfling?" – asked the Barkeeper.
"The last time I saw him, he was one." – confirmed Daniel.
The Barkeeper felt suddenly very cold and confused. What did the Gnome mean by that?
"Err…" – murmured Uncle.
Daniel seemed to understand why the Barkeeper was confused and gave him a reassuring nod.
"Well… With Wizards, you never know." – explained the Gnome.
"What do you mean?" – questioned Uncle.
"Oh, a wrong ingredient in a potion or a bad spelling of a Spell, and you could end up a Troll or a Politician. Magic can be a very scary and lethal business for the unwary." – whispered Daniel.
Uncle trembled after hearing the word "Politician"… Such a dark and cruel fate… Oh, the horror… The horror…
"Well… Your so called Master is here, alright." – squeaked Uncle.
Daniel showed him a bright face.
"Really?" – asked the Gnome.
"Yes." – confirmed the Barkeeper.
"Where?" – inquired Daniel.
"See that fellow over there?" – demanded Uncle.
The Gnome looked around and shrugged.
"Which one?" – questioned Daniel.
"He is the only client in the tavern besides you. It can't be that hard." – mocked Uncle.
"Oh! You mean that Halfling over there." – asked Daniel.
"Yes." – answered the Barkeeper.
"Oh, my… Has he been drinking?" – inquired the Gnome.
The Barkeeper confirmed this by pointing at the dozens of mugs on the Halfling's table.
"Oh, bugger…" – squeaked Daniel.
Daniel thanked the Barkeeper for his time and went over to his Master's table. Alan seemed quite amused and joyful. He was singing the song about a girl from Galana. Ah, yes! One of his Master's favourite songs.
"I once dated a girl from Galana; the things that she could do with a banana." – sang Alan.
"Master?" – interrupted Daniel.
The Halfling looked at Daniel and started screaming furiously.
"Damn it! My name is Alan the Astounding! Alan the Astounding! Is it so hard for you damn simpletons to memorize such a simple, yet fascinating, name?" – mocked Alan.
Daniel sighed. That's why his Master should drink ale or any other kind of alcoholic beverage. The Halfling became unpredictable and a bit crazy.
"It is I, Master… Daniel." – explained the Gnome.
"Daniel who?" – demanded Alan.
"Daniel the Destructive, Master." – added Daniel.
"Little Danny? Is that really you?" – demanded the drunken Halfling.
"Oh, Master… Drinking ale again, I see?" – mumbled the Gnome.
Alan looked at the mugs on his table and then shrugged.
"No! Of course not!" – answered Alan.
"Master… Your table is full of mugs…" – said Daniel.
"I only drank water…" – assured Alan.
"But your mug is full of ale." – observed the Gnome.
The drunken Halfling inspected the content of the mug he was holding. And against all odds it was indeed full of ale. Damn!
"Impossible!" – mocked Alan.
The Halfling quickly drank the content of the mug. Daniel couldn't hide his surprise.
"See?" – demanded Alan.
"Errr… You just drank it, Master." – stated Daniel.
"Yes! And I guarantee you that it was merely water." – lied the drunken Halfling.
Daniel sighed. What would be the point of arguing with his Master?
"Well… Why did you want to see me, Master?" – inquired Daniel.
Alan shrugged in confusion.
"I… I… can't remember." – confessed the Halfling.
"What?" – yelled Daniel.
"The… water… must have made me forget." – explained Alan.
"Damn… Was it important?" – demanded the Gnome.
"How should I know?" – mocked Alan.
"Oh, right… You have forgotten it." – jested Daniel.
"Wait a second…" – asked Alan.
"What?" – mumbled the Gnome.
"I remember something." – explained the Halfling.
"Well?" – demanded Daniel.
"Something about a vision I had… During one of my meditations…" – murmured Alan.
Wait… Something wasn't right there…
"Since when do you meditate?" – inquired Daniel.
"Shut up, you fool! Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" – raged Alan.
The Gnome nodded in agreement and apologised.
"First, I saw… A Crimson Dragon…" – continued the drunken Halfling.
"Errr… Tell me, Master… were you drinking… water… when you had those visions?" – asked Daniel.
"Maybe." – lied Alan.
"Do continue." – said the Gnome.
"I also saw… A beautiful woman…" – whispered the Halfling.
"Ah! One of those visions." – mocked Daniel.
"She was a Human… Or maybe a Half-Elf…" – mumbled Alan.
"Master, I…" – said the Gnome.
"Her race is not important! It was her eyes, Daniel… Her dark eyes..." – yelled Alan.
"Well?" – inquired Daniel.
"They reflected pure evil…" – whispered Alan.
The Halfling looked behind him, as if expecting someone to be there. Daniel was beginning to feel paranoid, too.
"She works for someone… A powerful and evil entity…" – growled the Halfling.
"Oh?" – squeaked the Gnome
"I saw terrible things, Daniel… I saw Darkness… I saw Chaos… I saw Destruction… I saw Death… And finally, I saw Emptiness…" – explained Alan.
The Gnome started to tremble nervously. Something wasn't right there… Why was his Master telling him this?
"And do you know who was standing by her side?" – inquired Alan.
"Who? Who was standing by her side?" – asked Daniel.
"It was you… Daniel." – mumbled Alan.