The Dragon Slave. Called The Slave by the regulars. A seedy little bar that was a second home to underage and aged and useless alike. No one judged anyone here. That is, you weren't judged if you weren't different. Not physically, since everyone who came here was a little...odd, but it was the way you acted. It wasn't easy to get accepted here, but once you were in, you were in for life. Rezz was the bartender, never slept, never left. Just served the drinks and lent an ear to everyone's problems. People said he was blind, but he always knew where everyone and everything was. He knew everything that went on in the cities underground, but no one ever approached him. The patrons watched out for Rezz. Without him, where would they be? He may not be very talkative, but he never ratted anyone out.
Zolf and Rod sat at a corner table, playing poker, like always. Their tab was longer then their lives, but Rezz never bugged 'em. He never bugged anyone. Those who could pay, did. Those who couldn't did what they could. Dilgear sat by the door, reading an old paper and watching the door, playing bouncer tonight. It wasn't often unwanted people came in. But when they did, the fun started. Val sat at the bar, muttering to himself and drinking. He was powerful in the underground, but inside he was messed up. He'd been through some rough times, had some psychological 'inner-child' problems. It didn't help he was crushing on Firia, the daughter of his rival. Naga and her group sat in the booth, talking loudly and drinking. They were underage, but that didn't matter in here. Various other people were scattered about the room, making drug deals, finding hope in the bottom of a mug, the usual stuff. Rezz watched all this, kind of. He was blind, but he could see better then anyone else when it came to the important things.
The door opened, Dilgear tensed and stood. A tall scraggly man with wild red hair entered with a young boy around the age of eight or so. Dil relaxed and sat down, "Hey Gaav."
"Hey"
"Afternoon Phiz, how're you doing?" Dil's almost wolfish appearance would scare any child. Any child, that is, except Phibrezo. Phibrezo, called The Little Hellmaster by the people that knew him, looked up at Dil and smiled. Usually a child's smile is innocent, but Phiz' had dark menace lying underneath the soft, young face. Phib grew up in The Slave, another one of societies garbage, thrown in the gutter and covered up best it could be.
"I'm fine, Dilgear."
Gaav smacked the boy upside the head, hard. "You watch your manners, boy! You give Mr. Dilgear some respect, hear me?"
Phiz' hands shook, "Yes father"
Dilgear didn't think Gaav needed to hit the boy quite so hard, but he certainly wasn't one to discuss parenting tactics with Gaav. He didn't even know if he had any kids, and if he did, he certainly wouldn't've kept 'em, "Now, Hellmaster, how have things been with you? Haven't seen you around here in a while."
"Everything's good, Mr. Dilgear, nothings been going on with me lately."
Ah, so the boy was already learning. Never tell someone your plans, no matter how abstract or unimportant they might seem to be. Gaav looked at the boy, "Boy, go off and leave me to talk to Dilgear."
"Yes father"
This was what it was like all the time. Rezz almost smiled. If only these people knew what he knew, things wouldn't be quite so peaceful. But, then again, he was just the bartender. No need for him to get involved. Besides, he sensed things would get very interesting, very soon.
Zolf and Rod sat at a corner table, playing poker, like always. Their tab was longer then their lives, but Rezz never bugged 'em. He never bugged anyone. Those who could pay, did. Those who couldn't did what they could. Dilgear sat by the door, reading an old paper and watching the door, playing bouncer tonight. It wasn't often unwanted people came in. But when they did, the fun started. Val sat at the bar, muttering to himself and drinking. He was powerful in the underground, but inside he was messed up. He'd been through some rough times, had some psychological 'inner-child' problems. It didn't help he was crushing on Firia, the daughter of his rival. Naga and her group sat in the booth, talking loudly and drinking. They were underage, but that didn't matter in here. Various other people were scattered about the room, making drug deals, finding hope in the bottom of a mug, the usual stuff. Rezz watched all this, kind of. He was blind, but he could see better then anyone else when it came to the important things.
The door opened, Dilgear tensed and stood. A tall scraggly man with wild red hair entered with a young boy around the age of eight or so. Dil relaxed and sat down, "Hey Gaav."
"Hey"
"Afternoon Phiz, how're you doing?" Dil's almost wolfish appearance would scare any child. Any child, that is, except Phibrezo. Phibrezo, called The Little Hellmaster by the people that knew him, looked up at Dil and smiled. Usually a child's smile is innocent, but Phiz' had dark menace lying underneath the soft, young face. Phib grew up in The Slave, another one of societies garbage, thrown in the gutter and covered up best it could be.
"I'm fine, Dilgear."
Gaav smacked the boy upside the head, hard. "You watch your manners, boy! You give Mr. Dilgear some respect, hear me?"
Phiz' hands shook, "Yes father"
Dilgear didn't think Gaav needed to hit the boy quite so hard, but he certainly wasn't one to discuss parenting tactics with Gaav. He didn't even know if he had any kids, and if he did, he certainly wouldn't've kept 'em, "Now, Hellmaster, how have things been with you? Haven't seen you around here in a while."
"Everything's good, Mr. Dilgear, nothings been going on with me lately."
Ah, so the boy was already learning. Never tell someone your plans, no matter how abstract or unimportant they might seem to be. Gaav looked at the boy, "Boy, go off and leave me to talk to Dilgear."
"Yes father"
This was what it was like all the time. Rezz almost smiled. If only these people knew what he knew, things wouldn't be quite so peaceful. But, then again, he was just the bartender. No need for him to get involved. Besides, he sensed things would get very interesting, very soon.