You can't afford to fire her and you don't even want to risk threatening her with it lest she call your bluff and leave.



"Will you listen to yourself for one moment? All I'm saying is to get your kids in line because they're not just fucking up MY business, but they're actually fucking up yours by proxy! If you won't do it for me, at least do it for your own self-preservation!"

"Sounds like you're threatening to fire me again. If you're going to do it, do it and stop beating around the fucking fairy bush shithead!"



You shake your head at Wendy's insults. It's obvious she isn't going to listen to reason this way, so you try another tactic.



"Look, I'm not going to fire you, but you're going to have to find another place to live. I can't have your kids screwing up my business like this. If this is unacceptable to you, well I suppose I can't stop you from quitting, but seriously I think you know I have a point here."



Wendy is a little caught of guard since she figured you might back down from this completely.



"Wha… shit. You do have a point. I know they're little monsters. Look I'll talk to them, I'll get them in line."

"I'm glad you see it my way, but the time for that has passed. I think it would be best for our future working relationship if you didn't live here anymore."

"But come on you can't fucking throw us out like this! I at least need time to find a new place!"

"I'm not throwing you out right now, but you need to find a new place by the end of next month."

"Okay…okay. But hey, if I manage to get my kids to behave within that time can we stay?" Wendy asks hopefully, which is odd to you considering how she was just behaving. You've never seen her act in such a desperate fashion before. In fact you're pretty surprised she hasn't called you a bunch of names again, though she might've realized now that isn't going to work.

You stand firm

While you hate to be uncompromising dick, you need to stand your ground on this situation. Even if Wendy does get her kids in line, who is to say they won't relapse later. Really you've got more important things to worry about than some little brats that aren't even yours.



"Sorry Wendy, it'll just be better in the long run if you don't live here anymore."



Once again Wendy is a little shocked that you wouldn't budge. She quickly gets over it though.



"Yeah, whatever. Since we're done here, I've got work to do." She says pushing you aside.



A week passes and Wendy has already found a new place and moved out. You half expect her to also quit since you know she's still pissed at you, but she doesn't. Perhaps she might know this is for the best even if she isn't going to let you know about it.



In the meantime you're worried more about your future schooling. Even with cutting back on the food, you're still understaffed and thanks to recent events, Wendy isn't quite as "enthusiastic" about her job anymore.



You just need to hold out a little longer. You figure if you can pass the remainder of your classes this year, you should be able to get a job working as an intern at the hospital while you finish your medical schooling. While that won't pay that well, you can sell the inn and live off that for quite awhile especially if you get a cheap apartment, maybe even a roommate.



All great plans, but it would help if you could get the backing from one of your professors. It's possible that one of them could really help you out if you explained your situation. You can think of two that might help you.



You advanced microbiology teacher, professor Gossey has always been a friendly sort and you know for a fact that she hasn't had a problem helping out her students in the past.



Your advanced anatomy & physiology teacher, professor Kovas isn't as friendly, but he's always made a point of praising the work you turn in.

You professor Gossey

After her class you approach Dr. Gossey about your situation, she of course is sympathetic.



"Yes, yes, I understand. It must be hard for you, running a business like that and attending school, let alone paying for it all. I'm not exactly sure how I can help though, I have hired all the student assistants I need and I doubt if you would have the time for it anyway."

"Isn't there something I could help with, I dunno like an experimental project I could participate in or something?"

"Ha ha! No, I'm not Dr. Kovas…but now that I'm thinking about it I may have something. You are aware that my other specialty is zoology right?"

"Yes, I know, you've even discovered some new species in the past."

"Ah back when I was younger and more adventurous. Nowadays I tend to hire adventurers to explore for me to find strange and new beasts."

"Wait, you don't want me to go seeking new creatures do you?"

"Oh no, again you wouldn't have the time and you could get killed without the right equipment and proper training for such a thing. However, you do own that inn of yours do you not?"

"Yes, I own it."

"Good, now I'm going to let you know something that few other do and you must swear that you will NOT mention this to anyone else on campus especially staff!"

"I won't."

I have funded an expedition to the Sotakan swamps south of here. Naturally this was incredibly dangerous for several reasons, but most of which is the capture of the elusive daquala. I'm sure you've heard the stories of the beast."

"Stories, I've heard it's more legendary than anything. Don't the Sotakans revere it as the living embodiment of one of their gods?"

"Something like that, anyway the university wasn't too keen on this expedition and refused to help, so I had to use my own funds. I've gotten word that the adventurers I hired have succeeded in their quest, but I just need some place to keep the beast for awhile before I can clear everything with the university like potentially dangerous wildlife, rogue funding, ignoring safety measures, and the rest of usual red tape shit. Your inn would be a good safe place to keep it I think and I'd certainly pay you well for your trouble, plus you'd make money on the adventurers I hired who will stay there."



This information is a little overwhelming and you have several questions.



"Okay, first of all how dangerous is this creature? I mean how do you know they got it? I thought it was more of a scary myth than anything else."

"I know they got it, because after I received a message from the adventurers that they had succeeded, I took a trip last week just outside the Elven-Sotakan warzone to see it for myself and the creature in question fits all the common descriptions of a daquala, as well as some of the more fantastic descriptions. The only reason why I didn't bring it with me is because I'm trying to keep this as quiet as possible and I can't be seen with this creature until I clear it with the university first. Plus I knew I was going to have to figure out a way to indirectly bribe the Klyton Milita not to ask any questions when this group brings the beast through. As for how dangerous the daquala is, well apparently it killed one of them, but if you're worried that this is some hulking monster, it isn't. It's about the size of a small dog. It isn't even that noisy and spends most of its time camouflaged and sleeping. The adventurers I hired will still be looking after it while they stay at the inn, so you shouldn't worry at all."



This all still sounds a bit dangerous to you, but after asking exactly how much money Dr. Gossey is going to offer you for this task, you really can't refuse. You agree and Dr. Gossey thanks you and gives you the names and descriptions of the adventurers who will be arriving to your inn in a few days.



You spend the time in between preparing your best rooms and keeping them unoccupied in preparation for the adventurers. This causes a few questions from your staff who notice you're turning people away from staying here, but you just tell them that you've got some special guests coming who are going to be spending a lot more money.



Eventually one of the adventurers arrives. He's a wiry man with a goatee and wearing leather armor with a couple of flintlock pistols strapped to his sides.



"You must be Hanon."

"And you must be the inn keeper. I trust you have our rooms ready?"

"Yes, four of you right?"

"Two actually, used to be six at one time, but more loot for the rest of us I suppose. I'm guessing you have a cellar where we can keep the beast?"

"I have a cellar, but I was told you'd be keeping with you."

"Oh no, we're not spending anymore time with that fucking thing! It might not live up to the legends, but it's dangerous enough."



You're more than a little worried now.



"Uh…should I even be keeping it here?"

"Probably not, but I'm guessing that Gossey's paying a lot so you're willing to risk it. (Sigh) Look, we've got the creature locked up in a mithril cage with three spell wards on it, it's not going anywhere, but we're just sick of damn thing and all the trouble we've had to go through to capture it ALIVE. The little bastard seems calmer in the darkness, so I figure your cellar will be a good place to keep it while we wait. I'll check on it twice a day, it'll be fine."



This is all starting to sound a little more complicated, but again you don't have much choice. You're going to have to get Alan out of the cellar though and you'll have to make sure none of the girls get any drinks from there.



"Okay, I guess bring it on in then, go around the back though, it'll attract less attention."



Hanon nods and heads outside, and you quickly go get Alan to explain to him that you need him to sleep in one of the rooms you originally set aside for the adventurers. He doesn't quite understand why, but he obeys your orders to not go into the cellar for a while.



You open up the backdoor and see Hanon and a very large man carrying a cage with a black cloth over it. He must be Benjamin. After a walk short walk, you pick an unused part of the cellar to place the daquala. No sounds have come from the cage at all.



"Is it alive?" you ask.

"Yeah, it's alive, it just sleeps a lot. Good thing too, because it's quite vicious when awake. I'll have to feed it in a few hours though…hey I see you got your own brewery here." Hanon says looking over at your stills. You didn't even think about that when you brought them down here.



"Oh yeah, that…uh I trust you won't tell anyone."

"Bah, if we're keeping this daquala situation quiet, you certainly don't have anything to worry about. Okay I think Ben and I are heading up to our rooms, it's been a damn long trip and actually sleeping in a bed instead of the fucking wilderness for once will make a nice change."



As Hanon and Benjamin head up to their rooms you immediately call the rest of your staff to tell them to not go into the cellar for awhile and if they need to refill the alcohol, you'll do it. While this creates less work for them, they're getting curious about what is going on. After all they're seeing adventurers come out of the cellar, Wendy already noticed the cage being brought into the back of the inn, and the various other changes you've been making lately.



At this point you figure there might be fewer potential complications if they know what's going on, so you explain everything.



"Oh that's fucking wonderful. You're using this place as a zoo for dangerous animals now?" Rita says.

"Shhhh! Keep your fucking voice down!" you say.

"How dangerous is this thing? I mean could it get out? I heard stories about the daquala when I was a little girl and they still scare me to this day!" Eliza mentions.

"It won't get out. Precautions have been taken. Trust me."

"I sure hope so, because if that thing gets out and attacks one of us…well I don't think I need to mention how much shit you'll be in. Did you tell Alan to get the hell out of the cellar yet?" Wendy says.

"Yes, he'll be staying in one of the rooms upstairs and I told him to not go into the cellar."

"Hmmm well I guess I'm glad you threw me out of this place when you did, because there's no way I'd live here with a killer monster in the cellar. Still, you're putting us all in potential danger so I'd say that entitles us to some hazard pay doesn't it?"

"Yeah! What Wendy said! Hazard pay!" Rita agrees.



You almost wish that they'd just refuse to work at all, but you just sigh heavily and come to a fair agreement on "danger" pay while the daquala is at the inn. You just hope it isn't too long of a stay since that money that Dr. Gossey is paying you is supposed to go to finishing up your tuition.



The next few days go by relatively uneventfully and it's business as usual. Hanon checks on the daquala periodically to feed and sedate it somehow. You wonder how he's doing it and he says with magic of course. You have to say that by his look you didn't think he was a wizard. He and Benjamin spend a fair amount of money in the tavern so it sort of offsets the danger pay you have to give your staff. Everyone stays away from the cellar, except Alan who forgot he wasn't supposed to go down there, but fortunately Eliza stops him before he got down the stairs.



After a week goes by you ask Dr. Gossey when she's going to take the thing, but she says she's still working on the university faculty, as compensation for your patience she gives half of your money now. That's great and all, but your concern is more of a safety issue now. The magical meat or whatever hell Hanon has been feeding the daquala isn't keeping it appeased anymore and it's been more "vocal" lately. Hanon's also been keeping the magical wards on it for about a month now, and he's feeling tired all the time now due to the constant drain.



Another couple of days and Hanon's ready to dump the daquala on Dr. Gossey's doorstep and be done with it. He says he and Ben have gone way beyond what they were paid to do. You sympathize and you want the daquala gone as much as everyone else, but you're concerned that if he does this, it's going to fuck up things between you and your professor, not to mention the rest of your money.

You let Hanon go to the university

You don't think you could stop him if you tried, but you do try to minimize the damage by insisting on going with him and trying to talk to your professor first. You suggest going tomorrow night when you know she'll be working late in her lab and there won't be a lot of other people around.



"Alright, but whether or not you manage to talk any sense into this bitch, she's getting her monster tomorrow and forking over the rest of our pay!"



The trip to the university is an awkward coach ride. The daquala is growling loud enough for people to know Benjamin is carrying something alive in the covered cage, but fortunately you get to Dr. Gossey's lab without incident. She of course is surprised to see the three of you.



"Uh hello, I wasn't expecting to see you three… wait did you bring the daquala with you?!"

"Damn straight! We've completed your task for you and then some! Time for you to take this fucking thing and pay us the rest of our money!" Hanon yells.

"I'll do no such thing, I haven't managed to clear things up with the dean yet and I still have some…look I don't have time for this, you tell them!" Dr. Gossey says to you in an exasperated tone.

"Uh, I don't think that's going to help professor. Look surely there's a good strong container to hold this thing in here at the university and I'm pretty sure it can just be fed any sort of meat. Can't it be held here for now? Just keep it here in your private lab until you clear things up."

"NO! If anyone found out I'd be ruined! I've risked everything to get the beast, and I won't lose it all by keeping it on campus because of stupid rules! Now get it out of here now!"



You've never known professor Gossey to be so irrational, but she's going into overkill with this daquala business. You don't really understand why she can't keep it here. It would probably be better anyway since she could study it while she tries to do whatever "red tape clearing" she says she needs to do.



"Alright fuck this stupid shit, Ben drop the cage over there, we're getting out of here…but we're also getting our money. I suggest you pay up, before things get ugly." Hanon warns.

"I'm not paying you anything else! I told you when the job is done I will and not before! What? What will you do, kill me? You'd never get away with it and I assure you I am not as defenseless as you might think! And as for YOU, if you don't stop siding with these glorified mercs you won't only not get the rest of your money, but you also won't be passing your class!"



After a couple more threats back and forth, and you trying to make peace between your professor and the adventurers, Hanon pulls out one of his pistols, Benjamin draws his axe and Dr. Gossey runs to a panel nearby which slams a adamantium shutter on the lab door sealing everyone in, she then produces a vial with a stopper on top.



"Hold it right there! One more move and I fill this place with the black pox plague!"

"Oh fuck! Come on everyone stop fighting!" you say backing away from everyone and looking for someway of getting out of the lab.

"Yeah right! Like you'd infect yourself!"

"Fool! Don't you think I've take the antidote already?"

"Bitch we just spent a month in the Sotakan swamps getting bit, stung and exposed to several diseases they probably don't even have names for yet. I'm pretty sure my magic can cure black pox!"

"Well let's find out then!" Dr. Gossey says and shatters the vial to the floor!



You can only look on in horror and sink to the floor in hopelessness. You don't even pay attention to the events that happen next.



Benjamin chases Dr. Gossey around the lab with his axe and while he's doing that, Hanon casts some sort of spell. Of course with Hanon no longer bothering with up keeping the spell wards on the cage, the daquala manages to finally bust out of its imprisonment due to ravenous hunger.



The daquala leaps on Hanon and tears into his neck releasing an arterial spray all over the surrounding area.



"NO!" Benjamin bellows and charges at the darquala who jumps away from eating Hanon's body and camouflages itself. It doesn't help it much though, the lab isn't like the dark expansive swamp and Ben is a big man with a big axe, he just starts chopping at everything and sure enough he eventually manages to graze the creature.



The daquala and Benjamin engage in a short battle, but ultimately Ben proves to be stronger and better armored. He manages to grab it in mid leap, throws it to the floor, stomps on its body with one of his heavy boots and finally brings his axe down on its head, killing it for good.



"Fuck, I told you bastards to just wait a little while! Now look what you've done! Eat lead asshole!" Dr. Gossey yells and shoots Benjamin in the head twice. He teeters a moment and then falls in a heap near the darquala.



Meanwhile you're still rocking back and forth and babbling about how all you wanted to be was a doctor and how you're going to die.



"If you're worried about black pox, you needn't be, there wasn't anything in the damn vial. I'm not crazy enough to release a plague. Now I'm sure Hanon and Ben coming here was probably out of your hands and you were just trying to play diplomat, but I suggest if you still want to be that doctor you always wanted to be, then you need to do what I say right now…"



Dr. Gossey orders you to help her clean up this mess. The corpse of the daquala is placed in a new container. She says she can probably present a dead one without as many problems. She really was hoping for a live one though.



You ask her about the bodies of the adventurers, and she tells you grab that axe and start chopping them up. She then opens up another panel, presses a few buttons to reveal a secret passage. She enters the passage and comes back out with a big dumpster on wheels.



"When you hack them into small enough pieces, put them into this dumpster and feed the wazia in the next room. Don't worry he's quite tame; just make sure you throw the parts at him from a safe distance.



You snap out of your shock. A wazia? Those huge things live in the Cloudspeak Mountains and they've been known to even prey on trolls and small manticores! You're almost about to question Dr. Gossey about how she got one of those things, but you stop yourself. The why's and how's aren't even important right now, what matters is getting out of this mess.



After stopping yourself from vomiting several times during your dismemberment of Ben and Hanon, you proceed to nervously feed the wazia, which isn't even chained up. You half expect it to gobble you up in one gulp or even Dr. Gossey shutting you in, neither happens. You toss limbs near the beast and it eats a few, and ignores the rest. You presume it will eat them later and you get the hell out of there.



"You see why I couldn't have yet another illegal creature on campus? I'm already running a risk with that wazia. If you think what happened here was bad, you should've seen what happened when the adventurers I hired were demanding payment for that thing! Speaking of which I suppose I should pay you the rest of your money. Sorry about the threats before. It was sort of a tense moment you know. I'm sure you understand."



You just nod and don't argue. It's unspoken that you won't be saying anything to anyone about this. What could you say anyway? After Dr. Gossey gives you some new lab clothes to change into, you head home exhausted.



The next day you don't even bother going to class, you sleep in late and spend a majority of the afternoon sitting in your room thinking about some of the shit you've done to achieve your goals. Serving homemade alcohol without a license seems to be the least of your crimes now.



"Okay, okay, I just did what I had to do. It's all for a good cause, I'm just trying to better myself." You say and try to wipe your concerns about the morality of it all. You then head downstairs to the surprise of Wendy who figured you were at school.



"Stayed home today eh? How come you didn't come down when I opened this place up?"

"I was busy."

"Hmm, okay then. I know you left with those two adventurers and that monster last night. I'm guessing that business is settled then?"

"Yeah, it's all settled."



True words in many ways. You have enough money to continue your education and with this financial pressure off, you easily pass the rest of your classes with no worries. You later sell off the inn (Which pisses off Rita and Wendy who now have to find new jobs, Eliza and Alan are a bit upset as well), get a cheap apartment near the campus and given your close relationship with Dr. Gossey you get a good job working at the hospital while you complete medical school. It isn't easy of course, but given what you've already been through you're able to handle it.



Eventually you do fulfill your goals of becoming a doctor. You don't stay in Klyton though. You have too many bad memories and reminders of "bad things" going on there in general. So you move to the Delantium Kingdom, specifically a border city called Sivak, which has great demand for doctors at their new hospital. The rest of your life is a relatively good one.



Still, you do have your bouts of guilt every now and then with some of your choices that got you to where you are, sometimes wondering if you could've handled a few things better at the inn.



Who can say, but in any case your days as an innkeeper are long over.