Hounds Rising

Mr. Muffins felt a crossbow shot hit his leg, and he grunted in pain.

How the hell did this get out of hand?

He placed three tiny red crystals into Jimbo and aimed to his side, letting three fire bolts erupt and hit his attacker. The half-elf cried out and attempted to put out the flames as her clothes started to catch. To his right, Ana had just turned into a mammoth and was wrecking through enemies, with Rhokhishi, Arric, Kanadak, and Myla all safe, it seemed. On the other side of the tavern, he saw that Leaf and Lyla were still fighting two others.

Mr. Muffins spun the barrel of Jimbo and kicked down at a chair that had been pushed over and covered in wood pieces and tankards. The items were flung, and he caught a mug and placed it over his weapon.

Jumping onto the table, he readied another shot and let the spell cast through Jimbo into the tankard. The mug shot across the room in a concussive blast, smacking into the bartender’s face and exploding, sending shrapnel out and hitting the server near him. As the half-elf was hit, Lyla swung around and punched her, causing her to drop unconscious immediately.

Behind him, Ana charged at the other server, rushing at her and pinning her into the wall. He saw life leave her eyes before Ana let go and then dropped to the ground. Ana’s form started to reduce, and he knew she was transforming back.

In front of him, Lyla held the one half-elf up, ensuring she was still alive. Leaf stood over the water genasi, ice forming on his hand as he readied a spell. The noise calmed, and he could hear Leaf talking.

“Last chance. Why did you attack us, and what is going on here?” Leaf asked him.

The bartender breathed heavily, catching his breath. He spat at Leaf’s shoes, spraying blood over the ground and on the bottom of Leaf’s robes.

“Was doing business in Aramore. Came here to keep the trade going.”

“That’s all you had to say. Look at how this turned out because of you.”

“Fuck you!”

The bartender thrust his sword forward, but Leaf was ready and faster. As he moved up from his knelt position, the ice grew from his hand and punctured the bartender’s throat. He gurgled, and Mr. Muffins watched as blood poured out of his throat and mouth, then collapsed to the floor.