I sunk into the well worn wood of the tavern’s booth, setting my axe down beside me as I took a moments rest. I preferred this seat cause it was off to the side away from the daredevils looking for some muscle to add to their party. That, and it was right next to the cork board the tavern keep put up. Usually it just housed ads, but a lot of the time a fella from town would come in and post a flier asking for help.

I glanced over the selection for today, a few basic things, retrieve this kill that, that sort of thing. I noticed one however was covered, only its corner sticking out from beneath another flier. I separated the two, taking the one from behind before returning to my seat.

It looked standard enough,

__

_“Please Help!_

_Need pests eliminated from my stall in the market!”_

__

The market wasn’t all too far from here, the person writing it gave some additional information too so they wouldn’t be hard to locate. But strangely there was no further information on the pest part of it. I shrugged and pocketed the flier, couldn’t be anything more than a pack of goblins after their food. I slugged back the rest of my drink before lifting my axe back onto my shoulders. In the very least it’d be worth a good bit of cash to find a place to stay tonight, and maybe some free food if they felt generous enough for me saving them.

The market was already bustling with townsfolk by the time I made my way, nothing out of the ordinary though. I checked the flier again before scanning the faces of everyone running the booths. My eyes locked with a particularly small girl with red hair running a chicken stand, she mainly sold eggs and other things she made with the eggs, all pretty good stuff. I checked the flier one more time before confirming she was the client and making my way over.

I held it up to her as I approached, “You have a problem I hear?”

“O-oh! Hello!” She was fiddling with boxes of product and setting them out, “Uh yes um, there’s been something stealing my chickens at night.”

Suddenly the lack of details on the “pest” made more sense, “You’re not sure the cause?”

She shook her head, “No I’m sorry, that’s why no one’s taken this job yet. Must be hard to prepare for something you know nothing about.”

She looked wistful, her energy slowed down as she said that.

“Not true though, we know it likes chicken.” I said simply.

She smiled again, “And it only comes around at night.”

I nodded, “I can take care of this for you.”

She paused, her eyes widened as she looked at me in disbelief, “Wait r-really?!”

I nodded again, “It’s no problem. Can I come by tonight? I’ll guard your chickens and see if the beastie shows its face.”

She looked to her mini coop at her stand, it had maybe 4 left in there from what I could tell, “Tonight? Sure that’d be great uh…?”

“Zeela.” I said putting a fist to my chest.”

She bowed slightly, “Zeela. Nice to meet you, I’m Dorothy, but you can call me Dory.”

I picked up one of the tarts she had for sale, handing her some silver in exchange, “Then I will see you tonight, Dory.”

I didn’t approach the market again until it became a ghost town. Shop keeps were packing up crates and making their way into the shadows. As I approached Dory’s stand, all that was left was the chickens in the coop and a few boxes that she tucked away under the stand itself.

She waved to me excitedly, “Oh Zeela! Good you’re here. What should we do first?”

I looked her over, “You can stay behind me. Keep an eye and ear out for potential threat.” I looked around the market before spotting an alleyway, “There. We’ll hide and watch for pest.”

She nodded heading over there at a much faster pace than I. Hopefully whatever was taking her chickens wasn’t too dangerous, she didn’t even have any weapons on her that I could see.

What felt like a few hours had passed and the cover of night had fully taken over. I scanned over the dirt trails and buildings before a rustling just beyond the town line caught my attention.

“Did you hear tha-mmf!!” I covered Dory’s mouth with my hand, hoping not to blow our cover.

Slowly a hulking shadow crawled its way out of the tree line. As the dim light of the moon made its way over the creature, my heart sank.

“It’s a bewilderbeast.” I said in a hushed town.

I watched the creature approach the coop, its tendrils on its back up in attention as it looked over its easy prey.

I put a hand on Dory’s shoulder, “Stay here. Do not go out there no matter what okay?”

She looked worried but nodded.

I readied my axe, and just as the creature made its way to the coop I charged at it screaming. It looked startled initially, allowing me to slice off one its tentacles as it retreated. It’s form was still shakey but its illusions would be weaker now. I looked at the ground where the blood was pooling at its paws, that would be my ticket. It lunged at me and I held my axe high, catching its jaws on the handle before throwing it to the ground. I felt one its claws cut into my arm as it was thrown, and then I heard Dory yell out in distress.

The creature looked towards her and began the pursuit, “No!!” I went to tackle it but missed, its location somewhere else, “Dory get out of here!”

It began chasing her as I got to my feet, she was quickly cornered at a dead end, the beast pinned between us. It slowed its approach on her, reveling in what should be a sadistic kill. Giving me just enough time to get locked onto its position, I threw my arms around its neck, riding it like it was bull. It’s remaining tentacle dove for me and I snatched it out of the air, its barbs threatening to filet my skin. Dory took the opportunity to run back towards her stall and away from the fight. I wrestled with the beast till it was down, gasping for air. With one clean stroke I raised my axe and ending it.

I emerged from the alleyway a little worse for ware, but Dory seemed shockingly unphased.

“I’m so sorry. I-I had no idea it was th-that kind of uh.. Oh my gosh you’re arm!”

I looked back to my arm, it was certainly going to scar, “Are the chickens safe?”

She looked back to them for a brief moment then looked at me confused, “Just, here come with me. I’ll get you fixed up you can stay at my place tonight, as thanks for saving my life.”

She took her small hand in mine, pulling me down the road with a surprising strength.

“I just hope there aren’t more of those things around.” She said.

I shrugged, “If there are, they will smell the death of the other. If they accept the challenge I will be ready.” I said with a grin.

She laughed nervously, “Maybe after you rest and join a party.”

Perhaps that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.