Chapter II: The Baron
As the smoke cleared, the four adventurers saw their new location. A grimy alleyway with a boy staring in awe and a collapsed old man.
"Grandpa!" Stevie exclaimed while helping his grandfather to his feet. "Grandpa, it didn't work."
Attempting to hold himself up Samuel coughed, "Maybe just not the way we wanted." The old man collapsed again.
Wilhelm rushed over, clasping the old man's other soldier. "What is happening?"
"The spell must've taken a lot out of my grandpa." Stevie nervously replied.
Wilhelm raised an eyebrow, "What spell?"
Without a reply, Stevie put his head down and began to walk into a nearby building with his grandfather. The four strangers exchanged confused looks to one another.
"Where are we?" Wilhelm broke the silence.
Talon smirked, "Must be hell. But it's a lot colder than I imagined."
Barbara shrieked, "NO! I CAN'T BE DEAD! I WAS WINNING!"
"We're not dead, you idiots." Aden scoffed.
Wilhelm chimed in, "You're right. He must've summoned us or something."
"Well wherever we are, I'm trying to get out." Talon chuckled as he began to walk out of the alley.
"Halt!" A guard came into view, followed by another, and another. Before they knew it, three guards blocked their path.
"Did you folks have something to do with that bright white light?" The leader questioned.
"No, sir." Talon lied.
The leader guard gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword, "Don't you lie to me boy-"
Before he could finish his sentence Barbara smashed a trash can into the guard's face. Aden joined in by connecting a left hook into another guard, knocking him out.
"Come on guys!" Talon complained while finishing off the final guard with a rear naked choke. "I totally could've talked us out of that!"
"I don't mess around when it comes to the government." Aden scoffed, cracking his knuckles.
"I just wanted to fight." Barbara laughed, still kicking the down guards.
Wilhelm looked in horror at the people he was grouped up with. "Uhm guys? We should get out of here."
The four vacated the alleyway, following the path of Stevie and Samuel. The building's stone floor and wooden walls were covered in moss and scarce decorations.
"Welcome to the Silver Stagg Tavern!" A friendly smile gleamed. A heavier man with a large ginger beard. "The name's Sam! What can I get ya?"
Talon set a bronze coin on the bar top, "One ale please friend."
"Same here!" Barbara ordered, waiting for hers.
"You gonna pay, miss?" Sam asked.
"Oh no my friend here has it taken care of!" She gestured towards Talon.
"Lady, I don't even know your name." He laughed at her.
"Barbara, but my friends call me Barb!" She reached out a hand.
"Talon." He met her grip.
Wilhelm ran over hearing this exchange, "and I'm Wilhelm, it's great to meet you guys." He put a gold piece on the bar top. "One for each of my new friends."
The three looked over to Aden, who had just walked over.
"You gonna tell us your name pal?" Talon questioned.
Aden gave a cautious glance, "Aden."
Barb grabbed all of them in a big embrace, "Let's figure this out together guys!"
Aden and Talon exchanged an uncomfortable look while Wilhelm cheered. In that moment, Stevie walked out of the back room.
"Sorry about that earlier. That spell really took my grandpa out. He's old ya know?" Stevie tried to explain himself to the group.
Aden gritted his teeth, "Why are we here kid?"
Stevie's face became red. Almost as if he was embarrassed of the subject, "My grandpa wished to defeat the Dark Lord and it summoned you here. That's all I know, I swear."
Sam walked over, "So this is them?"
"Yep." Stevie replied, "and this is my brother, Sam."
Wilhelm looked over to Stevie, "Where are we?"
"Fort West Branch, in the Western Providence." Stevie informed the group.
"Be careful though, the Baron here isn't a guy to mess around with. We haven't had a shipment of goods for over a month!" Sam chimed in.
A knocking came at the door, "Guards! Open up!"
The group stood up, ready for a brawl. In that moment, they kicked the door in. Over thirty guard stormed the bar. They began restraining the group; Aden and Barb went down swinging while Wilhelm and Talon surrendered themselves. The guards snatched Stevie up as well despite his brothers protest.
Within a few minutes the five found themselves at the Baron's doorstep.
"Are we screwed?" Talon whispered to Stevie.
Warm tears ran down the boy's face, "Yes."
The large wooden doors swung open, a gigantic man, even larger than Barb stood in front of them. The sun shone on his peppered beard and flowed back hair. A cloak covered the rest of his body.
"So you lot are the ones going around my fort causing a run then ey?" He questioned the group.
"Y-yes sir." Stevie looked down.
The Baron looked shocked, "Well I was just gonna kill ya, but since you were so honest I'll give ya a fighting chance."
Aden looked at the Baron, "And what is this fighting chance?"
"I want you lot to head into the Stormgrove Forest." He condescendingly replied.
Talon chuckled smugly, "That's it?!"
The Baron cleared his throat, "And to retrieve something dear to me from the goblin gang out there. You see fellas, a month ago they raided our humble fort here and killed and pillaged what they could. Including my wife."
Stevie's face lost all color. He knew the threat the goblin gang posed against them.
"And if we don't." Aden questioned.
The Baron snapped his fingers and the guards surrounded them. He then removed his cloak to reveal his left arm was missing from the elbow, replaced with a fork-like saw.
"This." He muttered.