Chapter 15 The decrepit City

Two red giants were upon the horizon. My mystic powers haled from the universe, two bloated stars appeared, dying weighed upon my soul. They were once great shining stars filled with life and hope. Soon the stars would either explode, or collapse upon themselves sucking in the light from nearby stars. Fortunately, they were too far away to affect my solar system. If only, the clock could be turned back. I would have loved to see the twin stars in their truest glory.

I followed behind Emily, as we took to the streets. No one gave us a second glance, as we walked out towards the residential district. It was my hope that with what gold I had, an apartment could be rented and we wouldn’t be forced to live on the streets.

As we moved farther from the dungeon and away from the palace, the crater like design of the city became more apparent. The third ring from the center held shops and various apartments. The buildings were made from old lacquered wood. Smoke leaked from various chimneys.

Children of all shapes and sizes hid in back alleys. They watched our every move, as we approached one of the inns. Out of the doors pranced a centaur with a large swaying rack.

“Welcome good adventurers to the Centaur’s Inn. We have the most authentic straw filled beds and with a month’s purchase we include three meals a day.” I turned an eye to the alley. The centaur wrinkled her nose and flattened her ears.

“You don’t want to deal with those unsavory types. They are children of adventurers and citizens of our city. Adventurers from the patriarchy territories aren’t bound to pay for their offspring. The mothers can’t support them, so they leave them on the streets. Most die, those that don’t well they are the children of adventurers. The centaur smiled.

“Don’t let such unpleasantness discourage you, from enjoying our fair city. Twin star city can be a magical place. We have some of the best gear around. There are thousands of skilled blacksmiths more than willing to serve a man especially one led by a woman. Duos are a rarity. One from the patriarchal territories even more so.” The centaur gave a charismatic smile. I noticed the price was never given. How much gold was month worth? Would I have to pay a higher tax again? Money didn’t grow on trees. I may feel rich now, but taxes would quickly make me poor again.

I looked up at the Inn. Over the door was a picture of a bucking centaur, breasts flopping in the air, and a spear in her right hand. The doors to the inn themselves were inlayed with gold and the floors were a type of dense stone. Granite for lime stone most likely. Her hooves didn’t damage the floors.

“How much for a room miss.” Emily asked.

“Gwendy dear, and for the two of you 30silvers. No male tax needed, if you pay for the first ten months up front.” I handed over two silver bars. Each bar was 160 ounces of silver maybe giving her a little extra would earn her allegiance.

Gwendy neighed out loud at seeing the heavy bars. The blush that covered her face alone, was nearly worth the bars.

“Sorry about that. You must have journeyed deep in the dungeon to get bars of silver. How far did you go?” Gwendy probed. I rolled my eyes.

“We made it to the sixth floor. The water was a bit too much for us, so we had to head back.” Emily said. I wanted to pat her on the head and tell her she was a good girl.

Gwendy nodded. “I once attempted to make my way through the dungeon as well. The stories of the fifth floor were too much. I grinded enough silver to buy a rundown inn and fixed it up to what you see now. There is no shame in knowing when to give up. Now, come on in its cold out here.” Gwendy said with a smile.

Emily walked in with her tail wagging. I walked slowly behind her watching the children edging ever closer. They had the look of disheveled husks. The rags they wore wasn’t enough for this cold. To a one they were all boys. A mad animalistic gaze shown through their eyes. I tossed a hand full of gold to them and walked in the inn.

To the side were many guests sitting at the fireplace. Hot drinks were held and they were wrapped up in blankets and heavy clothing. A naga was curled next to the fire her snake half was a deep purple. She looked up at me and licked her lips. I turned away and kept walking.

Gwendy trotted up to me. “That’s Marris she is a literal man eater. She likes to eat the few men who walk in here, stupid enough to lay with her. Thus, far none have managed to survive a night with her. If you want to try your luck, I won’t stop you. I understand that men have needs.” Gwendy said.

Marris the Man Eater LV 170

A naga born from a noble family in the desert city of Neo Syria. She is known for her sick and twisted habits of debauchery. Many spells of paralysis and poison are known to her. From an early age, she was taught the black art of assassination. Now she enjoys a life of swallowing men alive and reveling in their screams as she slowly digests them. Will you tempt fate and challenge the eater of men? 3 quests available

“Maybe another time. I still need to get settled in my room. There is gear to buy in the upper rings, right?” A small smile spread across Gwendy’s slips. She brushed a few strands of tangerine colored hair from her face.

“Smart, not many men can resist that woman. Most don’t last a night here.” I nodded and let the centaur lead me. Emily was waiting at the door.

I looked at Gwendy’s info.

Gwendy Owner of the Centaur's Inn lv80

She is a fully-grown centaur standing nine feet tall. Her horse half is the size of a Clydesdale. She has long since retired from her old adventuring profession to enjoy a life of mediocracy. A cunning business women, she will swindle a beggar out of his last copper if she can. 10 quests available

That was good to know. If I had looked beforehand, then I might not have paid so much for the room. We opened our room door to a large room furnished with soft beds and smelling of pine. There was a single bathroom with cold running water and a truly massive tub. Beside the bed was a dresser and a full-length mirror. A single chest rested at the foot of the bed.

“You will be living here for the next 10 months, so decorate it in any way you like. There is dinner in the lobby if you want. Meal of the day is vegetable stew. If you want something with meat, you must go up to the next ring. I’m sure there is a restaurant still open. Though, you should be warry, the night walkers hunt this time of night. Vampires, ghouls, and werewolves will most likely be on the prowl. They have a license to hunt several humans a month. The inns are safe enough, be careful.” She closed the door after she walked out.

I turned to Emily.

“What are you thinking boss?” Emily asked. For a time, I sat on the bed and just felt the room. My mana could act like a sonar if I let it. Learn and inspect skills told me a lot about the room. With a thought, I opened to the deca fire within my mindscape and seared away the biting insects that lived in the hay filled mattress. A trained ear could hear the crackle and pop of the insects. I turned to Emily.

“I will have a bath. You may take a nap. There are no credible threats to us, for now.” There was a trick I saw on the old avatar the last air bender show, I was dying to try.

After water filled the massive bathtub a surprise luxury in this inn. I took a deep breath and focused on just the heat from deca fire. When I let out the breath, steam fired from my nose boiling the water rapidly. A few seconds later, I broke out in a coughing fit. When I finally calmed down, I inspected the water with my hands.

The temperature was at an acceptable level, so I stripped and got in. After a time, I realized the bath must be built for a centaur. No wonder it could fit my large body with three of me to spar. That in mind, I enjoyed my bath up until the window opened and my eyes met the cruel yellow of Marris.

The large snake woman stripped her bra off revealing a set of massive mammaries. She stripped her skirt off revealing a large slit just below her naval. She stripped off her belt and sword. The jeweled handled glowed in the dim candle light. I looked over at the closed door.

“Now, you wouldn’t want to disturb your friends slumber. Let’s relax in the tub. It’s so very cold outside. I was forced to climb up to your window. You see, when I saw you, I just knew you had to be mine. Can’t you feel it, don’t you want my body.” I lifted a hand from the water and made a comehither motion.

She smiled and climbed into the tub, her massive snake half coiled around me. Marris smiled and hugged me placing her generous chest on me. I knew what she was doing. Her slit was against me, this was her game. When we started mating, she would consume me. It was what she did.

“I was afraid you would struggle. Most do, they are so very afraid of the end. How funny, you adventurers rush into the mouths of dungeon, yet your squeamish when running into mine. Do you think you are different? You are a big boy, especially for a human. I have swallowed minotaurs whole.” Marris boasted. She smiled the opened her mouth. A pair of very sharp fangs extended from her mouth. The hard palate of her mouth was black. Drops of venom fell from her fangs making ripples in the water. Her long inhuman tongue stretched out licking her lips again.

“Different, well I am very different. I don’t feel emotions like I should. It’s hard for me to get worked up, I only get angry when someone I care for I in danger. If you had threatened to kill Emily, I would have already snapped your neck and tossed your body for the children to eat. Am I afraid of what your

body can do to me, well no.” I took hold of the side of her face and pressed my thumb against the tip of her fang. The hard scales of my dragon like flesh threatened to snap her fang. Her eyes widened at the display.

I took hold of one of her heavy tits and brought her nipple to my mouth. She scrunched her face, as I made a show of sucking on her. Placing a hand behind her head, I brought her in and kissed the naga. From there the bath got interesting.

Later after, I dried off and my guest left, I dropped on the bed next to Emily.

“Boss why do you smell like snakes?” Emily asked. I shrugged and rubbed her head eliciting purring.

Later, we pocketed our keys and left for the upper ring. It was time we found some gear. There was a chance there was a blacksmith that stayed open after hours.

We waved bye to Gwendy and Marris. The snake woman blushed when she looked at me. The adventurers nearby chuckled at the nagas expense. With jackets on generously gifted by Gwendy we headed out. The fact that there was a huge logo for the centaur’s inn had nothing to do with the gift.

The city at night was a very different place from during the day. There was a feeling of wrongness in the air. Mist flowed inward covering the streets. Various presence of high and low strength danced at the edge of my senses. They weren’t so clever as they thought. We climbed the ring without incident.

“Boss, I think we are being stalked.” Emily said. I nodded. She frowned and followed behind me.