Chapter: 4

It was still overcast and early in the morning when he finally made it to the only inn in the village.

Stumbling through the wooden door of the Snakeraven inn, Jay quickly walked towards the innkeeper standing behind the bar ready to place his order – however the middle-aged bald man with a twirling moustache took the initiative to speak first.

“Hello…? I’m Devin. How.. can I help..?” the innkeeper asked, squinting at Jay as he wondered whether he should kick this dirty mud-covered bum out or not.

“I’m not getting paid enough for this shit” The innkeeper thought, looking at the tracks of mud Jay was making through his establishment before realising he was his own boss.

“O-one room please, and a hot bath im-immediately! I’m f-freezing!” Jay said through his chattering teeth.

“Sure. That will be 25 gold.” The innkeeper eyed Jay’s waist for a coin pouch.

“It will cost you more if you stay for longer though. And about your bath, it will cost 5 gold for the ruby-bath which heats up water instantly; otherwise we normally heat up water over the fire which would take quite some time.”

The innkeeper explained, casually peering at the thick mud on Jay’s clothes.

“Ah.. would you like laundry service too? For 5 gold?”

“Obviously I want the fucking ruby-bath, I’m literally shivering in front of you, you absolute fu-” Jay thought for a moment before he exhaled angrily and then smiled with dead eyes, replying with an almost sarcastic tone.

“Yes, I would like my clothes washed and I would like the ruby tub too, p-please.” he said through gritted teeth.

“Sure. 35 gold.” Devin said before he called out for his employee.

“Tamara! We have a customer! Get the hot tub filled right away!”

“Yes sir.” A young female voice sounded from a room behind the bar.

Jay paid 35 gold as a young woman came out from a door next to the bar.

“Room 3, but take him to the ruby-bath first” Devin said as he took the gold coins and went back to cleaning glasses.

“I wonder what they did to the new recruit to make him come back like this…” Devin thought as he shrugged, putting a clean glass down and grabbing another to polish. It was not the morning as Jay had thought – he had been unconscious all day; Devin merely assumed this was some sort of training.

“Old guild leader Sully must be experimenting this year,” he shrugged with a smile, “Oh well, not my problem.”


Tamara led Jay down a hallway to a room with the ruby-bath in the centre, gesturing to Jay to enter the room. The bath tub was as big as any other bathtub – yet with a small ruby gem socketed into its base, a metal cage covering the gem to stop petty thieves.

Tamara pointed to the corner of the room “There’s a basket there to put your dirty clothes in, along with a change of clothes on that shelf. I’ve left a towel and some soap there too. If you need anything just call out down the hallway and I’ll hear you.”

Jay nodded as Tamara closed the door, leaving Jay alone in the room.

Checking that the door was locked, Jay turned around to start undressing as he noticed wisps of steam, dancing on top of the water. Enticed by the warmth, he hurriedly took his clothes off and threw them in the general direction of the basket before hopping into the bath.

At first it was hot, but soon his skin adapted to the heat and it felt comfortable. As his muscles untensed themselves from the shivering, he could finally relax.

“Ahhhh… 5 gold well spent” He smiled in delight.

Suddenly, he panicked. Grabbing the sides of the bathtub, he froze.