Kopius looked over his tattered, stained pants. In addition to the soot and piss, it now had splatter marks of the beast's blood along with whatever the slimy nature of its skin was made of. He looked longingly at the river below, but decided he would rather curl back his own nose hair with the stench than try to wash his meager clothing in those waters. He wasn't keen on coming across a healthy version of this thing, nor did he want to wander the woods in soaked clothing. He would just have to continue down the river like a vagabond.

***

Dusk had just begun to settle in as Kopius emerged from the tree line that ran along the river. Cut grass and tilled land lay before him. In the distance was a small village, smoke rising from several of the structures. He found what looked to be a well-beaten path and followed it in the direction of the town. The closer he got to the settlement the more he wondered if the place had been abandoned.

Buildings, if you could call them such, that lined the outer boundary of the town were more like poorly made lean-tos than habitable structures. Many looked as though a stiff breeze would knock them over.

Once past the clutter of crappy tee-pee's, a wooden fence made a large semi-circle around what looked like an old western town not fully built and with no clear plans of improving anytime soon.

There were many structures beyond the wooden fence that were visible. The fence was a meager barrier that looked to be designed to keep animals in rather than a defensive structure to keep predators out. Kopius found that if he remained on the path he was on, it would take him through the official opening into town.

There were no guards to be seen, nor could he make out any movement beyond the entrance until he was practically making his way through it. He paused just past the fence when he spotted the first forms of life, opting to remove his jumbled sword sheath and tie it awkwardly about his waist.

"Just in case," he assured himself, hoping the thing didn't fall off.

The small town had a straight path that led from the opening where he stood to the river several hundred yards away. The buildings that lined the street were no more than two stories in height and in varying degrees of deprecation.

Though the buildings were in vastly better shape than the lean-tos outside the fence, it was obvious that maintenance was only done out of necessity rather than preventative care.

A few torches were lit in front of stores that still had open doors. People were milling about, many coming from the direction of the river before ducking down side streets or alleys–heading home, Kopius guessed. With the sunlight fading it was hard to make out specific features but Kopius could see a range of height differences easily enough.

Casually, Kopius continued the beaten path and started to make his way to what seemed to be the only intersection in town. The wide road allowed him to keep his distance from the buildings. He would glance at windows that held candles, but he couldn't make out the interior of many of them.

A large man, standing in the doorway of some kind of shop, was watching Kopius as he passed by. Kopius gave him the universal head nod for 'Whaddup' but the man just spit on the ground, turned inside, and shut the door.

A few kids ran out of an alley not too far from Kopius, gave him a look of disgust, then proceeded down the street towards the river.

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"Welcoming sorts here, I see," Kopius said under his breath.

Before reaching the well-lit intersection, he noticed an older lady sitting in a chair on an elevated porch, petting what looked like a large dog at her side. Kopius went to approach the lady, only to stop at some distance when the animal snarled in his direction.

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am," Kopius started, his hands up to show the animal he meant no harm. "I'm looking for the tavern, the Ring Worm. Could you point me in that direction?"

The lady rocked in her chair, stroking the beast. She looked at Kopius for some time before replying.

"You smell like you're new here, friend," the lady said with a scruffy voice, emphasizing the word friend to imply anything but. "It may be a shit of a town, but you don't need to embrace it."

She chewed on her lip before continuing. "You should be looking for a place to bathe," she said in all seriousness. "I can smell you from here, and you look like a trampled turd."

Kopius knew he smelled bad. As for how he looked, he could only imagine the sight. He had piss and soot on his pants, animal innards on his shirt, and mud all about from trekking along the river for so long.

His hair was plastered back, and grime had built up along his face where he had routinely wiped away sweat. He was tired, sore, and had considered on more than one occasion to try a stamina potion to give him some kind of energy boost. He had reasoned that the potion didn't work that way, so he hadn't experimented–yet.

Kopius shrugged.

"The tavern will do for now, thanks," Kopius replied with some annoyance.

"You know you're wearing that wrong," the ladies grating voice pointed out.

Kopius grabbed the sheath as if it were a belt and readjusted it a few time before letting out a long sigh.

"So I've been told. Do you know how it is suppose to go?"

"No," the lady coughed back, "but not like that."

"For fuck's sake man," Kopius muttered under his breath, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"How bout the tavern, obviously you've been there?" Kopius asked accusatorially.

"Don't let your trousers get bunched, you smelly bastard" she replied with a raspy laugh. "The drinks in that place," she said, pointing diagonally across the street, "will burn your nose hairs, so most won't notice your stank."

Kopius looked over in the direction she had gestured and saw the tell-tale sign of swinging doors that made for most old-western bar entrances. Above the entrance was a large, off-center letter 'O' and he witnessed a few people were heading in while two came stumbling out.

"Thanks," Kopius said over his shoulder, avoiding any more insults from the old hag.

As he headed across the street, he removed his sheath and placed it back in his inventory: muttering 'not like that' with a petulant head wobble.

All four corners of the intersection had two-story buildings, and the structures looked to be the most well maintained of all that he had seen thus far. Opposite the tavern was a goods-and-supply store from what Kopius could make out through the windows.

Another corner looked like a jail or some sort of government building. Overweight men in shoddy chainmail armor sat in front. They looked uninterested, with one of the three men asleep–passed out in his chair.

The last building, opposite the jail-looking place, was possibly a lodging, but it wasn't obvious. With the night sky upon him, Kopius stepped up to the swinging doors of the tavern and looked at the sign once again. A closer inspection showed what looked more like a snake than a worm, eating its own tail; ouroboros style.

The sounds of chatter and clinking glass carried out from the inside. Sour burps and bad breath also fought their way out too. Kopius could practically taste the disappointment spewing from inside; a taste he knew well enough.

He gathered up what energy he had left and–with a deep breath–stepped inside the Ring Worm.

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