Chapter 11
Fan-Min placed a muddy boot onto the old wooden floor of the Slaughtered Calf Inn. She was drenched, as was her brother, and cold. The weather around New Tristram was incredibly different than the climate she was used to at the Yshari Sanctum. She figured she might even see snow up close. She had seen it resting white atop the mountains of Tamoe, but she had yet to experience it first hand.
"Finally, somewhere warm!" Fan-Huang exhaled in glee. The roaring fire of the inn was a welcomed commodity. Both renegade wizards made their way hastily over to the fire with their arms tightly wrapped around themselves to try to ward off the chill of the wet air.
All eyes in the inn were resting on the two strange-looking foreigners. New Tristram was not a popular travel destination. It was just a small settlement outside of the Tamoe Highlands made even less desirable by the multitude of demonic assaults that had befallen it in the past and seemed to continue even to this day. Yet, now there were new faces in the cursed town, and not just ordinary faces, but arcane wielders.
"I could stay here forever." Min exclaimed, basking in the warmth of the flames.
"You and me both." Huang agreed through a chattering smile.
"Unfortunately..." Fan-Min said as she stared into the fire. "We didn't come here to sight-see. We're here on a mission."
Fan-Huang looked at his sister. She really had a way of sucking the fun out of anything. He let it go and simply agreed with her. "I know."
They remained in front of the fire long enough to let their clothing dry so they were no longer soaked, just damp. Once they were sufficiently warmed, Fan-Min wasted no time getting back on track. She approached the innkeeper. "Greetings." She said passingly. "Are we the only wizards you've seen recently?"
"I'm not really sure." The man said. "I can't say I can spot a wizard out from a crowd."
Min glared at him with icy fury. "Don't play dumb with me."
"Maybe if you offered some coins I could remember." He said with a sly smirk.
Fan-Min smirked right back to him and narrowed her eyes. "Here's the deal." She started. The innkeeper's face lit up a bit in anticipation of a quick pay. Fan-Min's hand began to burn a purple shade and she held it up to the innkeeper's face. "You tell me what I want to know and I let you live." She shrugged. "Or, you don't and I kill you." She looked around the room. "No one in this room can stop me." She looked back at the man. "Your choice."
Fan-Huang ran to his little sister's side. "Min, you can't kill him." He protested. "That'd be murder."
"No, it would be a favor to everyone here." She laughed. "Free drinks for everyone."
"It's not funny."
"No, it's hilarious." She laughed a bit more before getting serious and glaring at the innkeeper again. "And about to become a reality." Her words were confident and intimidating.
"Fine." He caved. "There were two wizards, I think."
"Oh?"
"One had long black hair and some purple robes on, kinda' like yours and the other had butterfly wings." He spoke nervously. "I don't know their names." He looked down to the ground. "Deckard Cain would have."
"Deckard Cain?" Fan-Min asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where can I find this man?"
"You can't." The innkeeper explained. "He's dead."
"How?"
"Murdered by one of the wizards."
"Which one?" Fan-Huang asked.
Fan-Min looked at him like he was an idiot. "The one with butterfly wings, moron."
"Exactly." The man agreed. "She was terrifying."
"Where did they go?" Min asked.
"I'm not entirely sure." He explained. "One left just a few days ago in a caravan. I assume she was going to Caldeum or Lut Gholein. The other one just vanished."
"Dang it!" She spat to herself. "We missed her." She walked away, dragging her brother with her. "We're going to Lut Gholein."
"Seriously?" Huang argued. "We just got here. Let's take a break!"
"The more we break the farther she gets ahead of us."
As she kicked the door to the Slaughtered Calf Inn open, the sound of screams could be heard from the far side of town. She glared at her brother and complained. "A delay..."