"I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I?" Ezrl scratched his head and dropped his thoughts down. A hint of anxiety grew amidst the veil of bravado he'd built. Noise from a rumbunctious tavern amplified as more customers arrived. In a way, there was much more noise than before.
Staxius relaxed, '-the ball is in your court, Ezrl. We can fight or we can cut tension.'
"MASTER EZRL," a messenger drenched in sweat and blood ran into the tavern, "-MASTER EZRL," he cried, breaking the advisor from a tedious question. Footsteps gathered from the hall, two thuds and the door exploded, "-Master, we need you at the castle right away," he gasped, "-I don't have muc-"an arrow stuck out his back, blood dripped, he fell onto his knee and passed away.
Staxius walked over and took out the arrow, '-a bit of resistance,' he observed and pulled the bloodied tip, "-there's a hint of green, tis a combination of Emerald and Silver," he turned to Ezrl, "-an emerald tipped arrow."
