Chapter Text
Mountain threw back the last few drops of the pint and let out a deep burp. He pounded his chest to get the last remains of his burp before heading upstairs into the inn. He felt more exhausted than ever. Perhaps it was the endless travel and the fact a doomsday was approaching that he felt the weight of it on his shoulders.
He tossed his gear to the side of the room and kept Flametongue close to the bed. Just a precautionary action. He flopped onto the wool sheets and stared at the ceiling.
Mountain hadn’t noticed he was rubbing the gold locket until he managed to draw every indent, every raised design and the unwelcome stains of dirt and blood. He held the jewelry up and stared at the dim shininess. He opened it and stared at the untouched picture of his wife.
“Soon.” He mumbled to himself before gently setting it on the nightstand.
The pounding at the door woke him up with a violent jolt. He rolled off the bed and grabbed the handle of his sword when he caught a whiff of smoke and heard the crackling of flames.
Mountain stood up and hastily put on his gear. The pounding and the yells persisted and he rushed to open the door. Br’aad was coughing and wheezing as an unconscious Velrisa hung onto him. “Mountain we gotta go!” He wheezed.
“Where’s Sylnan and Taxi?” The dwarf asked, covering his nose and mouth with his hand.
”They both ran to get help.”
Mountain draped Velrisa’s other arm his his shoulders and the two headed down the hall and to the stairs. The smoke was beginning to cover the ceiling and Br’aad had to crouch slightly to avoid inhaling it.
“What happened? How did this happen?” Mountain questioned.
“I..I thought I heard voices outside. Next thing I know, there was a crash in Velrisa’s room and then fire downstairs.” Br’aad choked.
They were cautious going down the creaky stairs and into the burning tavern. It was almost unbearable with the heat and smoke but they kept their heads down as best as they could and went around burning furniture.
He’s only watched a burning fire eat away at the building from the outside, but being inside was a different world.
The flames continued to lick up at them and by the time Br’aad got to the door, the half-elf was ready to collapse. The blond pushed the door open and coughed once they stepped out. Velrisa was laid next to him and the dwarf could already point to several burns on her body. it was going to leave some pretty nasty scars.
Taking out his waterskin, he had the gut feeling that something was missing from his pouch. He began searching, dumping out some of the contents of his bag. What am I missing? He thought to himself.
Mountain turned his hear towards the inn and the realization smacked him. His locket. “Br’aad, stay here and take care of Velrisa.” He ordered before sprinting back into the flames and smoke.
Sylnan and Taxi panted heavily as they ran back to the burning tavern. Pales of water sloshed and splashed around and their arms burned from carrying them.
Br’aad was trying to push himself up, continuing to cough and wheeze his lungs out while Velrisa put her hand over the red and angry burn marks scattering her skin.
Taxi dropped the pale and hunched over, hands on his knees and panting. “Is everyone out? Where’s Mountain?”
Br’aad’s eyes widened and he looked back at the building. “He’s still inside.”
The support beam had crashed and collapsed against the bedroom door, trapping the dwarf and smoke inside. Hand on the knob, he tried to push and pull it open. The smoke he inhaled was making him cough and wheeze. He felt lightheaded and he fell to his knees. Calling for help pained him and his chest cramped up whenever he tried to yell.
The locket was getting warm, almost on the verge of burning his palm as he burned it into his memory once more. He flicked it open and admired his wife. It brought back painful memories. Their own tavern burnt to ashes, being tried for a false claim, and then his wife’s dead.
Her kind eyes dripping with tears and the coarse rope around her throat as she stared at her husband. I don’t want to die , she silently begged him before she dropped.
Mountain draped the locket around his neck and traced every indent, every detail, wiped away the dirt and blood and stared at the picture. His wife smiled at him with loving eyes and wrinkles he remembered whenever she smiled at him.
He held it to his lips and gently kissed it, holding it in his palm. He turned his back to the door and coughed. He could feel the burning wood and saw the room thicken with clouds of dark grey.
“Soon."