#beef:ren

The freezing snow underneath Ren hardly eased the pain as he crawled away from the inferno erupting behind him. The sounds of voices from bystanders and authorities were faint buzzes as he kept crawling. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to keep quiet as the people came to the scene, he couldn’t be spotted by any of them so he made his way towards some buildings hoping that nobody noticed him or the trail he left as he dragged himself. Ren could only make it so far as his body gave out and darkness overtook him once again.

As he came to, Ren looked around, the smell of cinnamon filled his nose and he was wrapped up in bandages. His injuries were still warm but didn’t hurt as bad as before when he had been caught in the blaze. Before him was a dwarf with long grey braided hair and a braided beard. He had warm eyes and piercings on his eyebrows. He was smoking a pipe and checking on whatever the source of that cinnamon smell was.

He turned around and chuckled deeply “well looks like you are a tough one after all, kid” he said, a gravely tone in his voice.

Blinking the sleep from his eyes Ren looked up at the dwarf and winced as he spoke, his throat hoarse from smoke “wha- where am I?”

“You’re safe in my home, you were caught in that explosion last night” the dwarf explained “I found you passed out in the snow and so I brought you here, got you warm, and then tended to those burns you got. I’m Orik, you’re in Nix”

“Nix?” Ren asked a bit dazed still.

“The town we are in. Take it easy kid you’re in no shape to do much right now” Orik warned.

Ren nodded weakly, his injuries still felt like he was burning alive, as he coughed from the smoke he had inhaled. Orik stepped away and came back, pouring honey into a red cinnamon-y smelling liquid. He then gave it to Ren who took the mug and stared into the red liquid. It was hard to see his reflection but what he could see there were eyes of matching color to the tea, his eyes looked tired from years of fighting though there was a glimmer of hope. He had done it, Ren was finally free from his captivity.

Orik moved behind Ren and removed his bandages. Orik grabbed a wooden box and opened it scooping something Ren couldn’t see. Orik then rubbed an ointment onto his back. Ren winced and flinched as the ointment was cold to the touch but it did soothe his pain. Ren began drinking the red liquid, it was sweet and had hints of that cinnamon smell.