Benjamin Ashwood Read Online Free

behind
Farview’s timber mill.  The same mill which Ben’s father had taken a loan to
build and the one, along with their timberland, that Alistair took as collateral
on the unpaid loans when Ben’s father passed.
    Now,
Ben lived in a small apartment on the second floor of the mill and crossed the
yard every morning to the little shed that housed the brewery.  It wasn’t a bad
life though and he couldn’t complain.
    Many
people in the town blamed Alistair for their troubles and because of that
Alistair led a secluded life.  After getting to know him, Ben didn’t blame
Alistair.  It was unfortunate when it happened, but many of the people who lost
businesses would not have had money to start them if it wasn’t for Alistair’s
loans.
    He
sighed and got back to work.  He was brewing as quickly as he could but he had
to be patient and wait for the brew to mature.  Then he would transfer it to
the empty barrels he stacked up outside the brewery and deliver the final
product to his customers.
    Ben
splashed his face with water from a trough outside of the timber mill and
headed towards his second floor room.  Climbing the steps to his door, he saw
Serrot jogging towards him across the timber yard.
    Before
he came to a stop Serrot breathlessly blurted, “Ben, have you heard?  I thought
I’d see you down at the Buckhorn.  Where have you been all afternoon?”
    “Heard
what?  I’ve been working all day.  I’ve got more orders than I can possibly
fill right now.  What’s going on?”
    “The
Hunters, they finally made it and they’ve just set off to find the demon.”
    Ben
could only gape in disbelief.  Aside from the demon itself, this was the most
exciting thing that had happened in Farview in years and he was missing it! 
Then it dawned on him.  “Wait, he’s heading into the forest now!?”
    It
was early evening and already the shadows were growing longer in the timber
yard.  Out in the forest under the trees it would be nearly dark already. 
Hunting a demon in the dark was pure madness.  “Is he crazy?  It’s suicide
going out there this late!  This fool is going to get himself killed and we’re
going to have to find another Hunter.”
    Serrot
grinned and said, “it’s not just one, there were two of them that went.  One of
them is a woman and the other is a Blademaster!  They seemed pretty confident
when they left.  Barely took the time to drop the girls off at the Tavern.”
    “Girls,
what girls?  And a Blademaster!”  Ben’s head was spinning.  Blademasters were
stuff of legend and he was only half sure it was even a real thing.  He was
trying to process all of it but Serrot was already going on again, skipping
from when the group arrived to what the girls were eating at the Tavern to the
woman Hunter.
    “Wait,
wait.  Tell me from the beginning.  And don’t leave anything out!”
    “Ok,
I don’t know everything, but this is what I pieced together from what I saw and
the talk at the Tavern.  A few hours ago, five strangers walked right into the
middle of town.  There were two men, a woman and two girls.  They walked up to
the Buckhorn Tavern and asked Blevin Beerman if there was still a demon
problem.”
    Serrot
continued breathlessly, “of course that sent everyone scrambling and it wasn’t
but a few minutes before Alistair turned up and plunked ten gold coins on the
table in front of them.  The Blademaster and the woman said that they accepted
the contract.  They asked if the girls could stay in the Tavern then they had
Alistair walk them to the edge of the forest and point them towards where the last
attack happened.  The two girls and the other man are at the Tavern now.  The
man doesn’t say much, but the two girls are dressed like high born ladies.”
    “Well
what are we waiting for, let’s go see them!”
     
    At
the Buckhorn Tavern they found they were not the only residents of Farview
interested in these strangers.  It seemed like the entire town was