Chapter 2 Too Convenient
A bright light appeared in front of the Hairy Bear Inn. Everyone inside jumped out of their seats, running outside, towards the bright white light. After a solid minute, Warden appeared. Everyone stepped aside.
"Sorry, just passing through," Warden said. "Can anyone point me to the hospital?"
One small girl grabbed his hand and said:" Traveler knows where the hospital is."
"I am sorry young lady; I don't know, I am new here," Warden replied.
She just kept saying that one sentence and ran away. Since everyone figured that no show would be here, they all returned inside. Warden stood there for some time, thinking about her saying. He started walking down the alley. He turned right, and he went up to the stairs. In front of him, there was a blacksmith's shop.
He walked to him and said: "Good day sir, I am just interested if you know this person. Short red hair, she is a doctor..."
The Blacksmith looked at the Warden: "Yes, I know her. Shani. She treated my wife. She lives ten houses down the street. It has a red bird on top of the roof: the second floor, door to the right. The thing is, she travels a lot. Maybe she is there, perhaps not. "
"Thank you very much," Warden thanked the man.
"One more thing," Blacksmith said," I see that you are a witcher, and you carry a bear medallion. I admire your work, and I have respect for that. You are putting your life on a line for us. Not that many people respect that. Tonight, my buddies and I will have a drink for you. Good luck, a witcher."
"Thank you very much, call me Warden. Its been a while since someone said thank you." Warden introduced himself.
"I will probably stop by later; I need to get some stuff fixed."
"For you, my friend, "blacksmith said,' it will be for free." Warden shook his hand and started walking.
Blacksmith yelled at him:" Hey, witcher, one more thing. The Snake syndicate is picking payments today, be careful. If you find Shani, tell her that I am saying hello."
"You got it, sir," Warden replied. He showed him a thumb up.
Warden walked down the street. Everywhere he looked, it looked like a Judgment day. In one of the houses, there was an art studio. But doors were locked. Since Warden never saw an art studio, he walked to the door and knocked. He turned when he heard someone talking behind him. He turned and saw three people approaching the door. Each one had a snake pin on their shirts.
"Get out of the way," the middle human yelled at him, apparently a leader of the group," it is payday. Pay, and we will leave you alone."
Warden noticed the thread and made a fist behind his back with his right arm.
"What do you guys want from this artist?" Warden asked.
"His protection payment is due," one of the figures replied.
" You guys see that he is poor. The studio is in bad shape, and you are trying to get everything he owns? What is he paying for? Protection? You know that is illegal." Warden tried to reason with them
"Yea, and who follows the law here? Only idiots." Said the middle man.
Warden thought in his mind:" I have three options, either I can leave them and go for my business. Or I can beat them up or kill them. Or I can pay for an artist's Rent."
"Did you know that I am his new security?" Warden pointed at his medallion.
"I guess you are going to die witcher," The leader replied," Get him, boys!"
Humans on both sides started approaching while the leader stood back. Warden took a knife and threw it at the leader. Dagger whistled in the air, between two humans and hit the leader right in the face. He fell backward on the ground. Two seconds later, Warden threw a Samum bomb. He turned around, and both opponents lost their sight for a moment. That moment, Warden punched one in the liver, which resulted in an immediate knockout. While the second one was regaining a vision, Warden draws his sword and chopped his head off. All of this happened in 5 seconds. One of the men started slowly standing back on his feet. Warden kicked him back on the ground.
He put his sword on man's throat and told him:" Don't you ever harass these people. In this city, I am the order. I have the law on my side. Tell your boss that I am going after him. Tell him that when I find him, I chop both of his arms, legs, and his tongue. I cut his ears, and I blind him for the rest of his life. I break his back, so he won't be able to move again. And I start with you. You can tell me everything you know about this guy. I can tell when you are lying, so tell me the TRUTH!" Warden yelled so loud that many windows and doors opened. A lot of people started approaching Warden, and this man and they formed a circle around them. Even some guards were standing there, but they didn't do anything yet.
"Please, witcher, don't hurt me. They have my family. I must collect the debt so that he can release them. The boss goes by the name Aldis. He lives close to the main gate. That is all I know. Now let me go." A man started talking.
"You could have lived, but you lied. You don't have a family. You are trying to appeal to my emotions, so I can let you go. That is not happening. Say your last words." Warden growled.
Warden lifted him with one arm and pushed him on his knees. He lifted his sword, and with one precise swing, he cut his head off.
"Go into your houses and feel safe. I am going to clean up this city from this syndicate," The crowd dispersed, and guards still didn't do anything.
An older man with a long beard and long hair shook Warden's shoulder. Warden turned, an old man told him:" Thank you very much, a witcher. Please come to my studio so we can talk."
Warden followed the older man inside of his studio. It was only one giant room full of paintings. In the middle of the room, there was a giant canvas hanging from the ceiling. Half of the image showed the Siege of La Valette Castle. So far, the painting was very detailed, showing brutality from both sides. On one of the towers, there was a dragon spitting fire all around him, burning men alive.
"I heard about that dragon. He almost won a battle for defenders, but something forced him to fly away." Warden touched the painting.
"It was a horrifying battle," An old man said: "As a defender, I knew we lost the moment they made a giant siege tower. Temeria had upper had from the beginning. When they breached into the town, that was the last time when I saw my wife and kids," …old man broke down and started crying.
Warden just stood there looking at the painting. He was there, but not here. In his mind, he was switching from both sides, living the siege all over again. After some time, Warden sat down, and a man said: "As my thanks to you, come back in one year, and this painting will be yours."
"Thank you very much, sir," Warden said, "I will be back."
He walked outside and closed the door. Those bodies were still there. Warden looted all their belongings, which wasn't that much, and continued walking down the street. Someone grabbed him by his shoulder and pushed him into the back alley. Warden recognized a knight who caught him. It was Orion's old friend Alston.
"Orion, you put up an impressive show. That will teach them. I am available to help you if you need anything," Knight said to Warden, not knowing who is it.
Warden extended his arm and told him:" My twin is Orion, I am Warden. But thank you, and I am going to need your help."
"I am sorry I didn't know," Alston was surprised. He did not know about Orion's twin.
"As a knight, how, many men you can assemble under your command right now?"
"Around twenty," Alston said.
"Good, meet me in one hour in front of the Blacksmith down the street. In 2 hours, we are cutting the head of the snake."
Warden, you are doing more stuff than some people ever do in this city." Alston waved at Warden and left him.
The house was there, as Blacksmith said. Something was just odd. A door was kicked, yet Warden's medallion wasn't humming. He drew his steel sword and entered a house. The blade reflected some of the light into the house when Warden came. We walked up to the stairs to the second floor. On the door, there was a note. It said Rent is due now a doctor. Warden kicked a door and entered the apartment. The apartment was destroyed. He opened a living room first. The bookshelves were damaged, the table was flipped, and chairs were tossed around the room. Warden walked to the bed. A lady was lying there, sleeping. She matched Averey's straightforward description. He put his sword back to the sheath and picked one of the chairs from the floor and sat next to the bed. He whispered: "Shani?"
Warden looked around and saw the papers on the ground. He picked one of them. It was an order for Shani to go to Kaedwen. Warden looked back and forth between the documents and Shani's face. He saw a dried tear. He put papers down and touched her shoulder and shook her gently. She turned and opened her eyes. Warden saw a current of emotions in her eyes. He was shocked and surprised at the same time.
"Warden?" Shani asked,
"How do you know my name?" Warden jumped.
"I know you by that sword. That hilt is only one of its kind. I heard stories about you and your twin. What was it? Destination Unknown?"
"How do you know all of this?" Warden was still processing, but he got the answer from Shani.
"Averey told me. How is he?" She asked him.
"That is why I am here." Warden said, still surprised, "He doesn't feel well, and he requested that you should come and see him. You know what to do. And he has a thing for you."
Shani slowly sat on the side of the bed.
Warden stood up. "Let's meet in the Bear Inn in two hours, and we will talk there. I have a job to do,"
"Good luck, Warden," Shani said.