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gently caress, the post by the TD Twitter account summoned me here but turns out it's late and the prompt is over...
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Jul 29, 2019 04:48
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| # ¿ Jul 17, 2025 17:30 |
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Aug 2, 2019 06:24
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The Inn by the Dark Lord's Castle 793 words The innkeeper was staring at his gkass, trying to summon enough courage to drink its contents, when someone banged on the door. "Anyone in?" a woman's voice called out. "We're open!" he said, dashing to the front door. "That's surprising, I didn't expect someone would answer. Could I rent a room for the night?" "That'll be a hundred galm." The woman sighed. "It's either here or the woods. Fine. Let me take care of my horses first." --- He prepared the room, the drink never far from his mind. When he went down, the adventurer was waiting in the common room, gazing at the shield on the wall, its crest scratched out. "Traveling alone?" "Yes!" the woman said. There was a gleam in her eyes that somehow managed to piss him off. "I'm Grenda, and I'm here to defeat the Dark Lord Maliform. I was told there was an inn right by his castle, but I didn't really believe it." The innkeeper frowned. "You want to defeat Maliform? Why?" "Why? He's a Dark Lord! He's done wicked things!" "Like what?" "I don't know, raided a village? Sacrificed children?" "I'm sure you've passed a village before going inside this forest. Did it look like it was ravaged by the minions of darkness? Were there no children?" "No, and no. Someone even sold me a map of the forest." "How much?" "Two hundred galm." The innkeeper sighed. "I knew I should've raised the rate." He took a deep breath. "Listen. Maliform has been dead for years. Some hero got to him. Took his head right off his shoulders. Gods! There's an Adventurer's Code, for crying out loud." "What code?" "What, don't you have an adventurer's guild where you came from?" "We don't have a guild from where I came from. I'm self-employed," Grenda said. "The Code states that Dark Lords should only be banished or defeated, never killed! It's basic supply and demand. What kind of world would it be if all adventurers ran around without Dark Lords to fight? Could you imagine the chaos? And think about all the people who blame everything on Dark Lords instead of taking responsibility for their actions. A king who couldn't protect his vassals from raiders would rather pin the blame on someone minding their own bloody business than admit that his security policies were lacking. They are the real plague upon the land. Maliform never hurt a flea! He even sent me a cake the day I opened the inn! And now I'm all alone." "I'm very sorry. I didn't know Dark Lords could make for good neighbors. Is that why you've been eyeing that poison the whole time? Are you planning to kill yourself?" The innkeeper sighed. No use pretending anymore. "I would've succeeded if not for some overly-inquisitive guest." "Don't do it!" "I've said my piece. I'm an old man. No one will mourn me." "But you don't even have a single white hair. There's so much to live for! I know, you should join me. There's no shortage of people to help in the world." "Helping a person or two is pointless, can't you see? It's the entire system that's to blame, and unless you topple that people will still suffer anyway." Grenda was silent. I've won, the innkeeper thought. Now she just had to leave so he could die in peace. "You have a point. And we'll get there, but you have to be alive to see it! Please consider my offer! I need someone to keep me grounded, to tell me that I've got my head in the clouds. And I'm pretty strong, so you don't have to worry about safety." "Then you've got your head in the clouds. There's nothing you could possibly say to make me change my mind." Grenda shook her head. Still that infuriating, guileless smile. "I don't believe that you want to die. You could've chosen not to answer the door, but you did. There must be some part of you that wants to keep on going, and I want to believe in that person. See you in the morning." After she had left, the innkeeper stared at his glass. He got up, opened the window, and gazed at the castle a stone's throw away. He remembered the cake as if it had been yesterday. Under the moonlight he wept. --- The innkeeper didn't pack a lot. He barred the door quickly, lest he change his mind. "Said your goodbyes?" He nodded. Grenda handed him the reins. "Good. Let's ride east." As they went on the beaten path, a raven flew alongside them. As they passed the castle, it circled back, heading towards the highest spire. The echo of his departed friend whispered to his heart a single word: Farewell.
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Aug 4, 2019 18:07
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Here's my prompt
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Aug 5, 2019 02:23
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