Aashex pushed through the wide doors of the building, straight to the stairs. He stopped in front of an open door.
"These stairs feel longer each time."
"Why do you think I stay here?" The man inside chuckled. "Varen and I were just talking about you. Thought you finally kicked the bucket."
"I'm 72, not 92," Aashex replied, settling into a chair. "And where is the brat?"
"Hell if I know. He basically lives out there." He put two eggs in a cup of water and handed it to Aashex. "Do me a favor and cook those, please."
Aashex looked at the cup, then at the man before taking it. The water in the cup had begun boiling.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
"About your house guests? I know I said the last ones would be the ones, but I needed someone to keep an eye on them."
"So you exploited a finished arrangement. Can't say I didn't expect it, but why did you need someone to watch them?"
"They were carrying this." He showed Aashex a book from his table.
"Wow, that's great. A nameless book."
"You don't know what this is, do you?"
"I don't have all day, Dougryn."
The man stared at Aashex and sighed.
"It's one of the Ledger's journals."
"What? How do you know?"
"His handwriting."
"That's not enough."
"It is, for me at least."
"Can you read it?"
"No."
"Then it's useless."
"For now, yes." Dougryn placed the book on the table. "How are they?"
"The man didn't seem like the kind of person that would come here, and the girl... Do you know what kind of Haima she is?"
"Not really. And the man has a bounty on his head. Came in a week ago."
"A few years ago and you would have. What's the bounty price?"
"One million Rells."
"And you waited this long to tell me?"
"I expected you to come earlier."
"That wouldn't matter if you went out more than three times a year."
The water in the cup stopped boiling. Aashex stretched out his hand.
"Here."
Dougryn took one egg out of the steaming water.
"The other one is yours," he said, cracking off the shell.
"No thanks." He set the cup down and stood up. "Let's go."
"Where?" Dougryn asked, eyes narrowing.
"To get food. You're paying and carrying it."
"No."
Aashex walked towards the shelf and emptied the bowl of eggs out the window.
"You need to restock too."
"When I was your age, I was less irritable."
"If you say so," Aashex replied, walking out.
Dougryn followed behind him.
***
"He searched through what remained, covered in soot, dust, and blood. The blood beneath his skin boiled as bodies lay scattered across the village, tears flowing down his face.
He noticed the armor of the soldiers, each bearing the same crest, then saw a smoldering flag.
Morning came, a sickening light cast over his path. His legs grew weak, his body starved, yet he continued, clenching the flag he bore no remorse for.
It hung in the town ahead.
A town that was still thriving, though signs of the struggle remained.
He found a place among them, searching for the one who caused it.
An old recruiter, cornered and weak.
He had never held a sword. He had never seen the battlefield.
He wasn't the one who killed them.
But his head still rolled.
The man left feeling worse, knowing his enemy was not one man."
***
Ria turned to the side, dropping the book.
Then why even kill him? she thought to herself.
The coin rolled off the bed.
A rather delayed lash out?
CLINK
.....
"You fools, all of you!" yelled the man, his frost-blue eyes bloodshot with rage.
"Sir, please—"
"Shut up!" he cut the soldier off.
"Do you know what you have just allowed to happen?"
"We had inaccurate information on—"
"Do you know what you let happen?" He pushed the soldier, who barely moved.
"I apologize for my incompetence."
"Your damned apologies don't bring back my asset, so push it down your throat!" he spat.
"We didn't know it would be a Stage 4."
"Didn't know?" he scoffed, running his hand through his white hair. "You would have, if you did your job right."
"With all due respect, seven others besides your asset died as well," a girl spoke from behind him. "It isn't the corporal's fault. You should—"
CRACK
The man's hand crashed into the girl's face. She barely turned.
He held his shaking hand, red and broken.
"You don't talk to me." He turned to the soldier. "Put her in the box."
The girl's glassy eyes watched him walk away.
.....
Ria's expression darkened. She got up, picking up the coin.
Better get something.
She stretched, looking at Niri, who stared back at her as she left the house.
The sun had risen higher now, covering the town in a bright glow.
I preferred the cold.
Ria went through the streets, watching as others passed her by, noticing the marks on their bodies.
She held a man.
"How did you get this?" she asked, gesturing to the back of his palm.
"None of your business." He pulled it free from her grip. "You lot must think you're hot stuff, damn Haima," he muttered, walking away.
Ria stared, puzzled, before continuing on her way.
She tried asking others but was met with similar replies.
"Who do you think you are, asking me that?" another spat before walking away.
I should punch someone next time.
"You there," a voice called out from between the buildings.
She headed towards it.
"You seem tense," a man wrapped from head to toe remarked.
"Why did you call for me?" she asked, taking deep breaths as she rested against a wall. "Who are you?"
"Think of me as a friend." He brought out a small transparent bag with tiny balls in it. "Why don't you take this? It'll help you smile more."
Ria reached out, but he pulled it back.
"Do you have money?"
Ria gave him the coin and took the bag.
"Is this thing good?"
"It's the best quality, for sure," he replied. "Thank you for the business, and come again."
Ria walked away, examining the small bag. She took one of the tiny balls in it.
"Hmm, this doesn't taste good," she said to herself as she continued on her way.
People here didn't stare at her like the people from the towns she had been to.
Her tongue felt numb.
She stopped at a missing persons poster.
Did you leave? she thought to herself before moving on.
She came across a vehicle, a thick metal frame wrapped around oversized wheels, dark plates covering the hood and canopy.
This is...
She walked closer to study it. She was certain.
...our car.
Ria climbed in, trying to turn it on, but it didn't respond.
She heard voices coming from the corner of a nearby house.
"You always get the easy opponents, Varen," a young man with black hair and brown eyes remarked.
"I wouldn't say always," Varen replied.
"Aaniv is right," another with brown hair and brown eyes spoke. "You would have had more trouble if you were up against that animal that attacked Ozic."
"I can't deny it," Varen chuckled. "Sorry about the injury," he said to another young man with black hair and dark brown eyes.
"It's not your fault, and it's almost healed up except for the scar." He pointed to his face, close to his eye. "Besides, I still won my fight unlike those two."
"That's true, they're—" Varen stopped halfway.
"Ours wasn't even a fai—" Aaniv did the same.
The others looked toward where they were staring.
"It's a girl, probably here for Varen as usual," Ozic spoke up. "It's a shame, 'cause she's really pretty and..." His eyes widened. "...familiar."
Ria's eyes landed on Varen.
"Did you break our car?"
"Hello to you too. Did you try to steal it?" Varen inquired.
"Isn't she the girl from the bridge?" Ozic whispered to Aaniv.
"Yes."
"The one who beat both of you?"
"Yes."
"The one that—"
"Shut up, Ozic," Aaniv replied, annoyance in his voice.
"Just wanted to clarify," he chuckled.
"Answer my question," Ria demanded.
"It's not broken. The battery is beneath my seat, to prevent thieves"—Varen gestured to her—"from taking it."
"I wasn't stealing it. It's not even yours."
"I know, but I'm sure I rented it, so for now, it is."
A truck stopped at the alley entrance.
"Great, the food is here early. Why don't you eat with us and calm down?" He gestured to Rhade. "Pass her a chair."
Rhade pushed a wooden chair in her direction. She looked from it to them before sitting.
A boy stepped out of the truck carrying a large box.
"I have the delivery for someone called Rhades. If you are not called Rhades, point me in the direction of a Rhades. If you did not—"
"Quiet down, Kharce. Nobody wants to hear all that," Rhade said, taking the box from him.
"Sorry. I just have to say it in case I made a wrong turn somewhere," Kharce replied.
"This isn't your first delivery here, though."
"And you're early this time," Aaniv remarked.
"We got another chef today, so everything went by quicker."
"Makes sense," Varen said, giving him money.
"Alright then, I'll be on my way."
Kharce went back into the truck and drove away.
Rhade gave each of them a serving. Ria stared at them as they ate before eating her own share.
It's good.
Her expression brightened slightly as she ate.
"How do I get more of this?" Ria inquired.
"Grymsly's Meal Hall. It's on the other side of town," Ozic replied.
"Grymsly's Meal Hall," she muttered. "I wish I had gotten something from there instead of this."
She brought out the small transparent bag.
"What is that?" Varen asked.
"I don't know. He said it would make me smile, but it just made my tongue numb."
"Aaniv, take a look at that, please." Varen turned to Ria. "Who's 'he'?"
"A random man. Now, would you give me the battery?"
"What? No."
He looked to Aaniv.
"Do you know it?"
"This is the first time I've seen it."
He brought out a tiny ball and licked it.
"Oh wow, this thing is strong. You could overdose by taking one or two of these."
He turned to Ria.
"How many have you had?"
"Four."
"Four?! Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. I just want the car."
"Forget about the car for a moment. Do you remember where you got this?" Varen inquired.
"Yes."
"Aaniv, are there any instructions on it?"
"Nothing," Aaniv replied. "Do you think they already spoke with your dad?"
"You said you don't know it, so it's probably new. No one has come to see my dad in a while, so they might not be accepted. Either way, I'll check on it. You all want to come?"
"Sure, we have nothing better to do," Aaniv remarked.
Ozic and Rhade nodded in unison.
"Take us to where you met this random man," Varen said to Ria.