As the crowd dispersed, they all sighed with relief.

It was over for now.

After their successful yet disappointing day, the party all decided that they needed a break. The beginning of their new quest would be harrowing and soon they would be off on their next adventure. A plan was formed in roughly a quarter of a second to find the closest tavern in town.

Moments later, they had found it. The biggest drinking establishment in the marketing district. It was called the Rimmed Mule and looked very inviting on the outside but to the dismay of the party was completely the opposite inside. Dusty, covered in filth and worst of all, it was completely empty. Not a single patron or server in sight.

To be fair, it wasn't surprising considering that the entire town was at the former mayor's five finger charity auction.

"Well, this sucks!" grumbled Derrick.

Clemiticus looked his usual cheerful self. "How so?"

"Shall we try somewhere else?" Melly asked. "Maybe there will be another one open around here."

Clemiticus shook his head indignantly. "Come on, guys. Can't you see an opportunity when you see one?"

Skittles flew towards the bar and landed on top of the highest shelf. Clemiticus casually strode towards the main bar and threw his coat over it. He then unceremoniously hopped over the bar, knocking a half dozen glasses. In a storm of shattering glass, he threw his new hat over some old tap and rolled up his sleeves.

"What'll it be? My fine customers?" he spoke cheerfully.

Melly scoffed then said, "you can't do that."

"Why not?" Clemiticus asked.

"This place is not yours. Have some respect."

Clemiticus rolled his eyes. "Melly! We just saved this entire town from utter financial destruction. I'm pretty sure they won't mind us using their facilities for a short while. Hey!" He reached into his infinite pockets and threw down a handful of old rusted coins on the counter. "We'll even pay them. Chill..."

Melly crossed her arms.

"Clemiticus has gained the profession, beginner barman," the fairy's voice echoed.

Derrick shrugged and ambled towards the new bartender.

"A tall glass of your finest!"

"Coming right up!" Clemiticus disappeared under the counter and reappeared with a tall glass and a shiny bottle that had a giant cartoon dragon on its label. It was breathing fire from the wrong end. "Spiced liquor?"

Derrick whistled. "OH! Fire Ring Rum! That's super rare."

Clemiticus turned the bottle and filled the glass.

Nuecus smacked his lips and joined them at the counter. "I'll have one as well."

Clemiticus nodded and grabbed another glass and turned the bottle over once more. It was empty.

"Oh, rotten luck bud!" Derrick spoke, "but I was here first."

Nuecus only smiled and snatched the full glass from Derrick.

"Hey!"

Nuecus winked as he placed the glass on the counter and pulled out a strange purple ring from his pocket. It expanded in size until it was rounder than a dinner plate. With a smirk on his face, the Thaumaturgist slammed the ring down around the full glass and lifted it with an audible snap.

Before their very eyes, the one glass became two. He slammed it again. Four. And again. Eight. Sixteen. Thirty-two.

Derrick roared with laughter and Clemiticus cheered. All three grabbed a glass and instantly downed the contents. All three hacked and coughed as the burning liquid seared their throats.

"Bloody fantastic!" cheered Derrick.

Melly crossed her arms. Do these three idiots want to get stone cold drunk every night? She wondered.

"Melly, come join us!" Derrick cheered.

"I'm fine, thanks."

The men shrugged together and went back to their new liquid prize. They slammed down another empty glass each. Clemiticus eyed the purple ring and his face brightened.

"Nuecus!" he spoke excitedly. "Can you do that trick with anything?"

"Only basic items. Like boring rocks, delicious foods and crap."

"That's perfect!" Clem looked around and found the door he was after.

Melly looked at him with alarm. "Don't tell me you want to copy c..."

"No, no, no." he interrupted. "Come Nuecus! Follow me to the kitchens. It's time to level my cooking skills."

Melly's stomach recoiled. Then the chef and his new supplier disappeared through the kitchen door. Skittles squawked and flew in behind them.

"This does not sound like a good idea," Melly warned.

Derrick looked at his daughter, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You have never tried one of Clemiticuses mud balls." She answered with a shudder.

Derrick flinched. "Oh."

It took only a minute for Fairy’s first announcement to echo through the space of the tavern.

"Clemiticus has learned the recipe mould and dust soup."

"Clemiticus has failed to learn the basics of cooking."

"Clemiticus has learned the recipe for buttered mould."

"Clemiticus has reached skilled cooking."

"Clemiticus can now create partially edible food."

Derrick laughed. "Sounds like he's getting the hang of it."

"At least he's not using mud." Melly sighed.

She swiped an empty glass and filled it from the water station and sat down near her diminutive father. They sat in silence for a while until a new face entered the Inn.

A large man with a mop of thick black bushy hair stumbled into the tavern. He wore a dirty apron that had enough questionable stains to be labelled as art. His eyes instantly darted towards them suspiciously.

"Customers..." he paused as he spotted Derrick's empty glass and the bottle of Fire Ring Rum on the counter then rushed towards his bar. "Not the Fire Ring!" he pleaded as he grabbed the empty bottle. "There was only one last shot left, and I was saving that for..." He paused again as he surveyed the giant mound of full shot glasses. He took one up in his hand and gasped. The man turned towards the strangers and a look of recognition filled his eyes.

"It's you!" he said Shakily. "The, the, the."

A giant blue light flashed from inside the kitchen, and Fairy’s voice echoed.

"Clemiticus has invented a new recipe!" The proprietor flinched.

The chef himself poked his head through the entrance with a cheeky grin and slowly closed the kitchen door behind him. Melly bit back the dread that had found its way into her throat. She felt like she was about to be thrown into another Coliseum tower pit episode again.

"Heroes!" the owner bellowed. His arms flew up, and he ran to their table. The man bent down and scooped up little Derrick in his arms and danced around the tavern. The barkeeper thanked them and sat Derrick back down in his seat.

"Please stay. You are more than welcome." The owner spoke while stroking his new silver rings and bracelets.

A few moments later, Clemiticus burst through the kitchen door holding a new full plate of unidentified food.

"I made Burgers!" he announced in triumph as he marched to Melly's table with Nuecus by his side.

"Oh, and it's the champion!"

"Greeting’s mate!" Clemiticus answered.

Derrick stood on top his chair and stared at the plate of what Clemiticus had called burgers. He took one in his hands and smelt it.

"Smells great." He bit down. "Oh, my lord!" he spoke with his mouth full, "what is this amazing flavour?"

Clemiticus beamed. "Soft bread with melted cheese. A slice of grilled meat and, of course, our special barbeque sauce."

The owner stared in amazement and took one for himself. The man almost cried after his first bite, then the entire thing vanished down his throat.

"That is amazing!" he said. His eyes were closed with an expression of utter bliss over his face. "Is there more?"

Nuecus laughed and ran back to the kitchen to produce an identical tray of burgers. "There are seven more trays."

Clemiticus laughed in triumph. As the blue fairy flew from the kitchen and proclaimed. "Clemiticus has mastered the basics of cooking."

The owner's eyes shot a look at the fairy as his hand flew to grab another burger. He devoured it like the first then marched towards the tavern's front door.

"Come one! Come all!" he yelled. "The Heroes of Bluehill Town are dining in the Rimmed Mule tonight. They have delivered a meal straight from the table of the Gods!"

Five minutes later, the tavern was filled with folk of every size and shape. Clemiticus went back to his kitchen station to prepare even more food. Nuecus went behind the bar and continually created a steady stream of Fire Ring Rum. The owner laughed wholeheartedly as newly rich customers filled his coffers with more and more of Fredreek’s silver.

Melly waited for Clemiticus to disappear behind the kitchen door before she braced herself and had a bite from the burger. When she finally sunk her teeth into the soft bread and tasted the divine meat underneath, she had to admit to herself that the Burger thing was amazing. It was the juiciest and most flavoursome meal she had ever eaten. She finished it quickly and grabbed another. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she bit down on her second burger.

"This stuff is bloody amazing!" she heard a man say.

She couldn't agree more.

"How did you think they made this?" A tall man in green clothes replied.

Melly looked over to see the two men talking in the corner. The first was well-muscled and had no sleeves on his faded workers' tunic. "I would say it’s grilled chicken."

The tall man shook his head. "Chicken. Since when have you seen chickens in these parts?"

Melly's eyes lowered to the tray of burgers and noticed something red between the lowest row of bread. She paused, chewing for just a second as she pulled a red feather out from under the burgers. Her eyes bulged and Melly instinctively threw the remains of her burger away, hitting a random stranger in the back of the head.

The kitchen door swung on its hinges as a voice echoed.

"Skittles has been killed."

"Skittles has been killed."

"Skittles has been killed."

"Hey!" an angry voice called out.

The muscular specimen from before stormed towards Melly covered in barbeque sauce. He brandished an angry fist and yelled, "did you just bloody throw that?" He pointed at the back of his head.

"I. I" she muttered.

Derrick watched in dizzy silence, sipping his umpteenth helping of Rum and going back to his third helping of Skittles Burger. He looked like he was about to enjoy the show.

"You wanna take this outside?" the burley stranger flexed his sleeveless arms.

Melly stood up from her chair. "I'm not going to fight!"

"Melly has entered the combat stance," Fairy the fairy announced. "Now equipping battle attire."

"Wait. Stop!" she pleaded. Concern flashed through her mind as the memory of tight leather flooded in. She was right to be worried. In the blink of an eye, her entire outfit had been replaced with her super tight black leather combat armour. There were gasps all around as the patrons witnessed her instantaneous transformation.

"Oh, freaking hell!" she shouted.

The muscled man's angry face instantly turned into one of delight.

"How bout we call it even if you come sit over with me. There are no seats, but I'm sure I can spare a lap." He spoke slowly while examining every inch of her outfit.

This damn thing shows way too much of everything, Melly thought bitterly as she desperately searched for the floating hide armour button from last time. But it wasn't there.

"Fairy, where's the hide armour button?" she pleaded.

"Your attire has been set to the ranger armour during combat. You cannot switch to your casual outfit during combat."

"Damn it!" She said furiously. "Can I remove this damn thing from my combat armour?"

"I do not advise removing your attire. Your stats will be diminished."

"I don't bloody care!" she spat. "Remove Ranger armour from combat option thingy!"

The fairy sighed. "You combat armour will be set to nothing."

"Wait! I changed my mind!" she screamed.

"Oh no fair!" the muscled idiot said.

She punched the man square in the face, knocking him out cold. Melly looked down in surprised at the strength she could wield with her combat attire.

"Melly has started the event, Bar Fight!" Fairy announced.

Seconds later, the muscled man's comrades jumped in.

And that's how the complete destruction of the Rimmed Donkey started. Derrick jumped in to defend his daughter's honour and pulled his multi-tool out. Skipping between tables, he swatted anyone who was close enough.

Clemiticus appeared with a tray of what looked like Parrot and chips. He stared at the screaming man who was brandishing a broken bottle then threw his entire tray at him.

"Kill these fine-looking scroungers!" yelled Nuecus. They turned towards the old Thaumaturge and ripped the bar apart.

The red parrot Skittles, newly risen from the dead, flew by his master's side squawking, "Come get some! Come get some!"

Skittles swooped down and grabbed a bottle of rum and dropped it into the crowd of aggressors only to hit some innocent bystanders. Fire erupted from the spilled liquor and people screamed in panic.

"NOOOO!" yelled the owner as his entire world disintegrated before his eyes.

A drunken teen stumbled forward and lunged towards Melly, and groped her around the waist.

"You little perv!" she shouted and elbowed the young man between the legs and jumped over his crumpled form. One after another, each drunken fool who stood in her way was sent flying.

"Out! Of! My! Way!" Melly screamed as she gradually made her way to the front door.

The fire lit by Skittles spilt rum roared out of control. Clemiticus ran to scoop up his Pirate things and ran out the door behind Melly.

"Holy cow!" Clemiticus shouted and coughed. Dozens of people ran out screaming of the burning Rimmed Mule. Derrick and Nuecus appeared through the crowd and gave their party members an all-knowing nod. It was time to go.

They ran to the outskirts of town as a column of flame lit the night sky. Nuecus directed them as they ran under the cover of darkness. They found their horses tied up by a tree and Nuecus maximised their transport. It took only minutes before they tied the horses to the carriage and were inside, moving swiftly north.