Time begins to slow down as the flames lap across the dry wood like a predator licking its kill before sinking in its teeth.  The kegs of liquor only a few inches away.

"Hostage?"  The aggressive bar patron's head tilted in confusion.  "He's not a hostage.  I'm going to slice him up.  Honestly, I kind of forgot you were here."

"Hey!  What're you doing!"  The blade fell from the figure's hand.  He tries to reach up and pry Kyy's fingers off him but he's incapable of doing much.

The burning beast's tongue touches the dry wood of the keg.  It's hunger is peaked.  Ready to devour the wood the red hunter rapidly crawls up the container of explosive fluids.  The temperature inside shoots up.  The pressure inside comes to a boil.

Bill didn't make it as far as he would've liked before his body came to a stop.  It happened on its own.  He didn't command it to do so.  It was one of the legion pirates.  He could recognize the masks anywhere.  "It's them, the legion pirates."  The tavern owner swallowed.  His bladder suddenly felt fool, which was odd considering how dry his lips and throat were.  It would've been nice if the human body was designed to move fluids throughout the body where they were needed.  He licked his dry lips.  His tongue wasn't moist enough to make much difference.  Like an insane man he tried it again, hoping for a different result but not at all surprised when it was the same.  

There were men with masks, lots of them.  At first they only peaked here and there from outside corners of buildings, more from curiosity than fear, but that only kept them interested for so long.  Soon, they became bored of games and began moving forwards.  At first there was one, then two, four and eight.  Holes in the damn cracked and before anyone knew it the trickle became a flood and dozens of the masked figures started lining up, forming a circle around the burning tavern.

"What's this?"  The purple hair woman muttered.  A scythe appeared in one hand and the weighted piece of steel with the blade appeared in the other.  "Some kind of army?"

"What do we have here?"  One of the masked men said.  Several other men with metal helmets stepped aside from the one speaking to come forwards.  "You giving us some trouble again, eh Billy-boy?"  There was an eight in front of the man's mask.  "I'm surprised, honestly I am.  You'd think the lesson would've gotten through to you first couple of timestime?"  The masked man shrugged.  "I guess sometimes you've got to spank a child a few more times before they get.  And Looks like one of us already took care of your tavern.  That's great.  It'll save us some time.""  The figure raised his left hand and snapped his fingers.  The men with masks, like the waves of a storm, surged forwards.  "Alright boys, you know what to do."  Number eight called.  "I want every building within five blocks a pile of rubble before the hours over.  "