Ruins

As the last rays of the sun were shining through the clouds, Lionel and Drindle made it back into Astia. The wagon clattered down the main road as they moved towards the center of town. Most homes had a flickering candle lighting their interiors when the duo finally reached the shops of Astia. There was a hostel across the street from where the two got bread and sweet cakes earlier that morning.

"Looks like a good as place as any." the old man spoke while looking at the well lit interior. People were walking into the hostel. "Go in, get us a room, and stay in it until I get back." the old man spoke while handing Lionel a handful of small silver disks.

"Where are you going?" Lionel asked taking his eye from the small medallions. They had nothing stamped on them; they were just a smooth piece of silver.

"I am going to take the wagon around back and tie up Harthling. I will be in directly." The geezer seemed on edge and looked around as he spoke.

Lionel hopped down from the wagon and walked up the 3 steps to the covered porch. The hostel was a 2 or 3 story building from what Lionel could tell. It was made of wood with stone cladding. The door stood open as Lionel walked through it. There was a boisterous noise of people enjoying a beer after work.

Lionel saw the bartender and started towards him. The bottom floor was a bar. It was about as big as Drindle's hut. Rough hewn beams could be seen running along the ceiling. Lionel stepped up to the bar. He stood next to a fellow with his face down looking asleep. the Barkeep spotted him and walked over. "I would like to get a room with two beds for the night."

The barkeep turned to Lionel and eyed him for a moment. A rough voice with a thick accent responded from the big bearded barkeep. "That'll be two silver mint. If ya want dinner and breakfast it'll be an additional mint each."

Lionel removed two silver pieces from his pocket and laid it on the bar top. "We'll just take the room."

"Righ' sir. Here's the key to the second room on the right, upstairs." The bearded man grabbed a key off the wall behind him and handed it to the boy. "Gracie will show you to your room."

Lionel turned to see the same girl from the bakery. "Sir right this way." The girl smiled while recognizing Lionel as the boy called Dimwit. She turned from the bar and walked towards the stairs on the other side of the room. Lionel followed after her. The girl was just a little shorter than him. He could see the swell of her budding bosom under her dress. she had her hair down and it came to her mid back. As Lionel followed he could smell a faint trace of bread.

She turned her head and spoke once she reached the stairs. "Your name really isn't Dimwit is it?" a smile spread on her face as she spoke. Lionel was captivated by her light brown eyes staring into his.

"No, that's just what Drindle calls me when he knows I'm not paying attention." he spoke without paying attention to what he said.

The girls eyes lit up when she heard the name, Drindle. Lionel realized he had just been a Dimwit again.

"Is he the Drindle?!" the girl spoke loudly and the whole room grew quite to stare at the girl who just said the famous name.

Lionel could do nothing as a sinking feeling enveloped him. The room became even louder than before. Everyone began to talk rapidly and spread rumors of the deeds that they heard of Drindle. The Dimwit only stood there while the girl smiled from ear to ear. Lionel didn't feel like talking anymore. He barely paid attention as he walked up the stairs and was led to his room.

The room was barren save for two beds on either wall. Lionel sat on one while putting his face into his hands. He felt incredibly stupid.

a few minutes after sitting on the bed Lionel could hear a commotion downstairs. He walked to the door and opened it. He stepped out and peered towards the stairs. "Would ya Shut up?! I'm not that Drindle, My name is Bastion Drindle!" the old man could be heard down stairs. It seemed Drindle was having a heck of time trying to convince everyone in the bar that he wasn't 'The Drindle'. Lionel saw the thin wisp of hair on the other wise bald cranium start up the stairs. He soon saw the eyes of the now incredibly grumpy old man.

"Dammit Dimwit. I can't even have you perform a simple task without you screwing the pooch." The crooked old man spoke with a cold gleam. "So much for getting where we are going without anyone recognizing me.." The old man spoke under his breath as he walked towards the open door behind Lionel.

Lionel kept his face turned down as he followed the old man into the room. "I'm sorry.." He didn't know what else to say as he sat on his bed.

"You were too busy looking at brown eyes, huh? shoulda known you little dove-eyed nincompoop." The old man grumped as he laid down on his bed across the room from Lionel. "Would ya open the window I want some fresh air?" Drindle spoke while repositioning himself on the bed.

Lionel got up and went to the window between the two beds. He pushed the Window up and pushed the shutters outward and fastened them open. Drindle could be heard breathing in deeply, Lionel thought it was the same way he would breath to sense for something.

"Hhhuuumm. May not be such a bad thing." As the old fart spoke he rolled to face the wall. Lionel knew he was done talking. He went and lay on his bed thinking.

"Drindle does Dextera Domini mean anything to you?"

"Boy, go to sleep while you can." the old man made no other noise.

*

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*

The fat guard, Gary, walked back to his post on the western side of Astia. it was the middle of the night. He was taking a double shift. Gary needed the money to make sure his mother and father were able to eat.

His parents were both infirmed and not doing well. He had been taking extra shifts for the last few months and it was wearing on him. He was tired and grumpy as he reached his post. The area was lit with a torch on either side of the opening in the wall.

The leather cap he wore always pinched his neck where it tied beneath his chin. He kept thinking it wouldn't be long before either his mother or father would pass on. He couldn't wait. He was tired of putting up this farce, he only wanted to do as least amount as possible to get by. His parents were taking away from his sedentary life.

There was never anything that happened near the interior provinces of Wastial. Gary felt like it was a waste of time to put guards on duty twenty four seven, but he would gladly accept the pay. He stood there trying not to doze off.

" 'oy fat boy. How long you been a guard?"

Gary could feel his face turn red as he glanced at the other guard. he hadn't seen him before. He was slightly shorter than Gary but built muscularly. it must have been a new guy.

"Long'r 'an you, so respek' ur' elder or I'll getcha fired."

"What'd ya say fatty? I think that coif might be a bit too tight. cutting off the circulation to your fat tongue."

Gary just stood there irritated. he knew he was fat but he could care less he only liked to read most of his life. He stared at the short muscular man when they both heard a loud growl coming from the forest. They both turned toward the noise.

the half moon provided a small amount of light. The sparce tree line could be made out by the two guards. It seemed the breeze was just rustling the trees. Gary held one of the torches up in the air to provide more light.

The ring of light extended out twenty meters or so.

A black shadowy figure on four legs entered the ring of cast light. Gary's heart skipped a beat. It was a hellhound. The beast stood a meter and a half tall. It appeared to be a large dog but it's hair was pitch black and seemed to catch the light. The eyes gleamed red when the torch caught them just right. it's mouth was pulled back into a snarl and massive yellowed fangs could be seen.

Gary had heard stories of the beasts before but he hadn't ever seen a hell hound. The creatures were thought to have been extinct. Hell hounds were descendents of beings from the demonic realms and struck fear in the hearts of all men who saw them. A growl emanated from the beast's snarling mouth. three more Hellhounds and more than ten Gardgans entered the circle of light. More lumps of shadows could be seen further away. they were making their way to the town.

Gary screamed "WE.. WE'RE UNDER ATTACKKK!!"

Two nearby patrol guards inside the town heard the cries. "You head to the gate I'll notify the captain!" The older of the two yelled while he headed to the guard house.

As the older guard ran to the guard house he glanced towards the wall behind him to see a bright flash of light. He didn't know what was happening but he needed to get to the guardhouse and ring the warning bell.

*

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*

Lionel woke from his sleep to a loud bell ringing nearby. He had lain in bed after Drindle rolled over for only a few minutes before he drifted off. It was probably Midnight or a little later. Lionel rolled to look at the old man already up and whispering to a small box. When he finished speaking he hid the box into the folds of his robe.

"Looks like I was right. We need to get going these people will hold off the underbeings until we are long gone." as he spoke the old man picked up his cane and started towards the door.

"What are underbeings?" Lionel was just becoming coherent from being awoken suddenly, he didn't understand the situation at all.

"Eh, they're groups of beasts that are descendents from the original demonic realms forces." as he spoke Lionel began to follow him down stairs. The bar was barren save for a few people sleeping on tables.

"Your not gonna help these people?" Lionel just realized that the old man had mentioned that the people would basically be fodder to keep the underbeings busy.

"Not my problem." The old man spoke while walking out the door and down the porch. He headed around back of the hostel. Lionel was dumbfounded and stood there in the doorway for only a second before sprinting after the codger.