Chapter 0: The Meeting - Part 4: Brawling

Calmly, Beef puts his marker back into the book, lowering it to the table “And you, idiots, do you mind speaking a bit lower? There are those around here that are trying to read in peace” the minotaur says, while contracting his right hand, snapping his fingers. 

The half-orc smiles, showing his rotten fangs, while drawing a dagger from his belt. “This is what I think of your book!” he proclaims stabbing the book and leaving the dagger there. 

Biff, who was relaxed and sipping his drink, abruptly stops, his expression changing from mild amusement to sheer panic. “Oh boy…” he mumbles, his hand going slowly to his shuriken pouch.

Beef, trembling, enters in a stage of denial, his hands curling in the air above the book “My… book… you… this… stab… book…” he mumbles over and over, without making much sense. The tremble heightens as he clenches his fists. With a roar, he flips the table over, the table flying over the counter of the bar, smashing against a wall full of bottles. He clenches the half-orc’s throat, lifting him and, face to face with the half-orc, he bellows “You’re mine!” spit flying against the half-orc’s face. He promptly throws the half-orc back, launching himself forward, burying the half-orc in a sea of punches and kicks.

Biff launches a shuriken at one of the kenkus, the tiny metal start burying deep into the bird-like creature’s skull and promptly throws his drink at the human, but the drink fails its target, landing instead on the face of the genasi. The genasi, soaking with ale, looks at the halfling with rage “You better improve your aim, little halfling, or you’re gonna take a trip into outer space” she says, drawing her sword and skewering a kenku in the same fluid motion, before adding “Without a spaceship!”

Wuobi Wan draws a small rod and with but a thought, he conjures a blade of pure mental energy. He turns to face the human, but, instead of a human, he’s faced with a huge rat with a vague humanoid form. The wererat launches himself at Wuobi, only to be cut down by the expert swordsman.

Seeing things go badly for his companions, the goblin at the door raises a crossbow, aiming at the genasi and firing. The bolt seems to get stuck in mid-air, as tiny starts appear in front of him. “Centaurus!” the deva says, waving her own rod in the air, while an aura with the form of a centaur starts to envelop the conjured stars “Strike that goblin down!” she bellows, and the centaur, obeying his master’s command, starts to slash at the goblin with his spectral sword.

“Why does it always escalate into violence?” the shardmind wonders aloud while looking intently at one of the kenkus, starting to intrude his mind. The kenku screams in horror at the mental intrusion, running out the door, deserting his comrades. 

Within seconds, the fight wanes down, except for the two burly characters on the back of the bar, trading punches. Ephemera starts to move towards the two combatants, but she’s stopped by Biff. “You better think twice before meddling in that fight. It doesn’t seem that my friend needs help and he can get a bit mad if someone spoils his fun.”

The half-orc is a nimble opponent, dodging under the blows of the burly minotaur and throwing some punches back. Beef finally lands a blow, but it’s an akward one without much balance. The half-orc smiles “Your punches are losing power, cow!” he says, while spinning with the punch and delivering a back-hand slap near the minotaur’s ear, stunning him for a bit. 

Beef stumbles back with the blow, his head spinning “What the… this defies all the logic!” he mumbles, trying to steady himself. The half-orc, expecting an easy prey, comes forward with a jump, his arm pulled back. He stops in mid-air, as if slamming into a wall, Beef’s fist buried deep into his face. He falls to the ground, his face a puddle of blood. 

Beef crouches besides his fallen opponent, grabs the half-orc’s vest and, pulling him closer he growls “You owe me a new book!” before punching him a final time, leaving the brute unconscious on the floor.

Clap clap clap clap.

The sound of claps echoes through the now silent bar, as everyone’s heads turn to see a huge goliath leaning against a door. He wears a Spellguard uniform, with his vest open in the front showing his massive muscles. A huge axe is strapped to his back, upside down, in a position of easy reach. “Well done, well done.” He proclaims, while moving towards a table, inviting the six warriors to join him.