Chip looked down at the blood on his palms. It had frozen to his skin when he was outside, but now that he was warm again, the red liquid was dripping from his fingers and leaving bloodied fingerprints all over his cup.
"Huh. I didn't even notice," the drunken Master shrugged. "Guess I've killed critters like that before."
"So, the blood belongs to Nightmare Creatures?" Noble's tight smile relaxed slightly.
"Of course. What, do you think I murdered people and then ca in here for a casual drink? I'm not a psychopath." Chip picked up his glass and snorted.
Then he guzzled greedily and refilled the cup with his mory. His short attempt at sobriety had ended almost as quickly as it began.
"It doesn't matter what I think," Noble could feel the man's emotions on the brink of breaking. "Tell what actually happened, please."
"I don't have to explain myself to anyone," Chip looked her up and down. "But I will, only because you asked nicely. I'd been wandering in the wilderness outside Ravenheart for a few days when this nasty snowstorm hit. And while I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of the Queen, I did want to see the town she was making. So I started heading toward that famous bridge of hers."
The Master's feet stomped the ground as if reenacting the scene. The floor rumbled, making the mundane patrons scoot even farther from the table.
"Maybe let's leave out the sound effects for now," Noble suggested.
Chip grunted. "Can't have fun anywhere." Making his feet still, he continued. "Anyway, I got past the wall down at the bottom of the mountain and wouldn't you know, so blasted Nightmare Creatures made it past the line of defense. White as the snow, they were, and so they were nearly invisible except for their black, beady eyes. It's a good thing I don't have to see to find things."
The inebriated Master puffed out his chest.
"I slaughtered the lot of them before they could reach the lower village. The battle made thirsty for sothing warm, so I dug out a few shards from the beasts to buy myself so coffee. Then I followed my keen sense of sll right here."
Chip dumped out the soul shards on the table. They glittered like priceless jewels in the firelight.
Noble's smile beca more genuine. While nothing he had said had co off as a lie, the man's ntal state of drunkenness could have made him believe things that weren't true.
The shards were proof that whatever he had killed had, in fact, been corrupted.
"You ca to the right place," Noble waved at Sarai and pointed at her hands. "Now that you are here among friends, maybe we can help you get cleaned up."
The baker brought a wet towel and offered it to Master Chip with a small bow.
"I don't really do baths," Chip chuckled, "but I'll concede to cleaning up for the sake of you ladies."
He took the cloth and began ssily wiping at his hands. The once white cloth beca marred with blood.
Sarai pushed back her braid as she straightened her back. She reached for the man's cup.
"Let get you a fresh coffee. It's on the house."
"Very kind of you," Chip tried to mop the table after wiping his skin, but only succeeded in saring the red streaks.
"Rain, could you get another towel while I make this drink?" Sarai rattled the cup with a wink.
The teen jumped slightly but ran to complete the task. She brought a new towel and helped clean up the extra ss.
"Thank you, little Sheila," he nodded haphazardly.
"You are wel..." Rain glanced at him and her face turned green. She gagged. "Excuse ."
She tried to leave when Chip caught her arm. He squinted as his vision went in and out of focus.
"What happened to you?"
"It's nothing, I just..." Rain looked away, but Chip caught her chin with a firm yet gentle grip.
His face was full of anger.
"Who hit you?"
The question caught Noble and Rain off guard. The inebriated Master touched the top of her forehead. Thanks to the healer there was no mark or even any pain in her head anymore, yet Chip found the spot with ease.
"Is she yours?" Chip cut his gaze toward Noble and she had to fight the feeling of unease.
"She is my daughter," Noble confird. "This is Rain. Rain, this is Master Chip. We t in Crestfall."
Finished with his assessnt, Chip relaxed his grip on Rain. He turned to the mother and asked seriously.
"Have you already killed the one who hurt her or do you need so help?" Chip seed suddenly giddy to perform the task.
"It was an accident. It happened in a practice ring!" Rain explained quickly. She pulled away, retreating to the company of the other patrons.
The fear in her eyes made the drunken Master look away with a sigh. He tossed her a soul shard.
"You're a sweet girl. If what you say is true, I guess we won't kill them. That's a sha. I do like swift justice, especially the murder-y kind." Chip leaned back in his chair dejectedly.
Noble couldn't tell if it was the alcohol talking or his eccentric personality shining through. After all the first thing he had ever said to her was about a suicide mission.
"We will not be murdering anyone today," Noble shook her head.
"Maybe tomorrow then," the unhinged warrior clicked his tongue.
"Who knows what tomorrow may bring?" Noble answered noncommittally.
"It won't bring back Jo, will it?" the Master raised one eyebrow.
The professor's heart sank. "No, I don't think it will."
"Then tomorrow is just as terrible as today. I don't need it." Chip waved his hands in resignation.
Noble turned to look for Sarai. She should be returning with the fresh coffee any mont. The redhead was apparently having to brew a fresh pot while Abyss served the other custors. One of the patrons was not secretive in his distaste for how things were developing.
"Why is he still here? You should have tossed that hideous monster out the mont he ca in." A patron whispered to Abyss as he accepted his order.
Chip's eyes sharpened. His mind might have been impaired, but his hearing was not.
He banged his fists on the table and stood.
"What did you call ?"
His face beca red, and his eyes turned blacker than coal.
"A monster?" Chip's voice lowered.
Where his mouth had been suddenly elongated to vaguely resemble a hyena. Pointy teeth lined the snout, ready to rip flesh from anything that moved. Chip released a bestial roar.
The air around him beca thick as those closest to him felt the need to vomit. Even Noble had trouble resisting the man's overwhelming flaw.
Ignoring the effect he was having, Chip snarled in the direction of the rude stranger.
Screams erupted as he jumped on the table, knocking his canteen and the soul shards from the surface. The bottle clattered to the ground, spilling like a waterfall onto the floor before landing upright.
But Chip didn't notice, his dark eyes were fixed solely on the stranger who had besmirched his na.
"You think I am a monster?" His body swayed dangerously. "Seems you are in luck, mate. I will show you what a monster really is!"
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