Revival

Satori weaved through the crowded streets of Telwin, his gaze scanning doorways and alley corners.

“Hmm, he’s probably in a tavern.” A sign creaked above a door that said The Drunken Ogre. He slipped inside.

“I’m looking for a man named Keisuke. Have you seen him?”

The barkeep scoffed. “Keisuke, huh?”

Satori nodded. The barkeep leaned in. “I think I may know where this Keisuke fellow is.”

“Really? Where?” Satori’s voice jumped, his brows lifting.

The barkeep’s brow fell, his gaze piercing Satori. “The stockade in the guards’ barracks.”

“What did he do?” His voice dropped, tension creeping in.

The barkeep shook his head. “Some bearded fuck called Keisuke came into my bar piss drunk. It was obvious he’d been cut off somewhere else. I told him I wouldn’t serve him, and he threw a fit. I was about to have my boys kick him out, so he decided to leave peacefully—until one of the customers made an offhand remark about him.”

Satori leaned in, wanting to hear more. “What did he do next?”

The barkeep continued. “He picked a fight with the guy.”

Satori’s eyebrows shot up. “Did he win?”

The barkeep laughed. “Hell no. He picked a fight with a B-Rank adventurer and got his ass beat. Then he puked all over my floor.”

Satori let out an exasperated sigh and facepalmed. He reached into his pocket and slipped him a gold coin. “Thanks for the information.”

“The stockades, huh?” Satori rolled his eyes and headed down the street, boots tapping against the cobbles.

As he arrived at the guards’ barracks, the two guards out front looked at each other, then back at Satori.

“Holy shit, is that Satori?” asked one.

“I think it is,” said the other.

Satori stopped in front of them. “I hear you’ve got a bearded drunken idiot who got his ass kicked last night?”

Both the guards cracked a smile and chuckled. “Oh yeah. Want us to take you to him? Are you a relative or something?”

Satori let out a low grumble. “Something like that.”

One guard waved him in. “Right this way, sir.”

The guards escorted Satori through. As they unlocked the gate to the prison ward, Satori stepped in. They led him down the hall toward the final cell of the block.

Satori gasped as he gazed upon a bearded man. The beard was stained red and yellow. Chunks of carrot and some other undigested food clung to it. The smell of vomit and iron filled the air. The man’s eyes were fixed on the ground—lifeless.

“Keisuke, is that you?” Satori stepped closer to be sure.

The man looked up. His eyes came to life and flared like fire—then dimmed again. “Satori?”

Keisuke got to his feet and approached the bars, grasping the cold metal. “How did you find me?”

Satori looked dead into his eyes. “They’re really worried about you, Keisuke. You should go back to the farm.”

Keisuke's teeth clenched. That same fire returned to his eyes. Blood dripped from his nose onto the ground. “I’d rather die!”

Satori's gaze softened. “What are you going to do? You can’t keep living like this. You’ll get into real trouble if you keep getting piss drunk and picking fights.”

Keisuke felt a pressure in his chest, a stinging in his eyes. “I don’t know what to do. All I know is that I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back.”

He gripped the bars with all his might, his teeth grinding as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. “If I see Kent, I’ll fucking kill him! That’s for damn sure!”

Satori rubbed his face, a dull ache forming in his skull. “Wanting revenge and carrying hatred isn’t worth it, Keisuke. Hating someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. The only people who’ll suffer if you seek revenge are you, Gerald, Helga, and Heidi. I understand you don’t want to return, but you have to do something with yourself.”

“What do you expect me to do?! I have no skills, no plan, nothing but a bit of gold I earned working on the farm! I’m a useless, pathetic man with no direction!”

Satori paused. “If you keep convincing yourself of that, it’ll become true.”

A slow, mischievous smile crept onto Satori’s face. “Personally, I think the answer is pretty obvious, Keisuke.”

He turned to the guard. “Is he being charged with anything?”

The guard shook his head. “Nah, he’s just here to sober up and calm down.”

A spark lit in Satori’s eyes. “Let him free, then. I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble.”

Once the cell was open, Satori wrapped an arm around Keisuke’s neck and shoulders. “Come on, pal. First, we gotta make you look presentable.”

Kei raised an eyebrow, his frown unwavering. “Where are you taking me?” he growled.

Suddenly, Satori yanked him along without a word.

Kei could barely keep up as Satori dragged him out of the barracks and into the streets. The light was blinding, but Satori didn’t slow.

“Satori, where the hell are you taking me?!” Kei demanded.

“You need a bath.” Satori kept pulling him along. Soon, a sign for a bathhouse came into view.

The man at the front took one look at Keisuke and said, “We don’t serve the homeless.”

Satori bellowed out a laugh. “Relax, he isn’t homeless. He just needs a clean-up after a wild night out.”

The owner scoffed. “Alright, but I’m charging double for him.”

Satori slammed the payment down on the counter and pulled Keisuke into the men’s bath. “All right, pal, get naked and wash all that vomit and blood out of your beard before you hop in.”

“I…uh…” He sighed. Clearly, there was no room for protest.

Satori and Keisuke removed their clothes and folded them. Kei washed his beard, grumbling like a child forced to bathe.

“You’ve put some meat on your bones since I last saw you. The twig gained some muscle.”

Kei glanced at Satori. “I’ve been training…” He trailed off, noticing Satori’s chiseled physique — he looked carved out of marble.

“Tch. I kinda hate you.”

Uproarious laughter came from Satori. “Don’t be jealous, pal. Keep working, and someday you can look as good as I do. Maybe.”

Kei muttered under his breath, “Fucking pretty boy.”

After showering and soaking in the hot water, they got out, grabbed their clothes, and got dressed.

As they stepped outside, Satori grinned. “I’ve been meaning to ask—what’s up with the beard?”

Kei let out a sigh, eyes dropping. “I wanted to look more manly for Heidi.”

Satori placed a hand on his chin and gave him an appraising look. “No offense, but you can’t really pull it off. Your hair’s a bit long too. Let’s get you to the barber.”

“I worked hard to grow this beard…”

Satori didn’t wait for him to finish and pulled him along. “Wait, Satori! I want to keep it! I look too much like a wuss without it!!!”

Satori didn’t listen. Soon, a barbershop came into view. As they entered, Satori walked up to the counter.

“I need a full shave and haircut for my friend.” He slammed down the payment. Kei grumbled as he took a seat.

“Fine. I better not look ridiculous.”

The barber gave Keisuke a glance. “Your friend’s in rough shape.”

Satori waved his hand. “He got into a fight last night. Don’t worry about it.”

The barber shrugged and started clipping away at Keisuke’s beard.

An hour later, Keisuke’s hair was clipped short, and his face was as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

“Perfect,” exclaimed Satori.

Before Kei could speak, Satori was already pulling him to the next destination.

“Wait, Satori! What now?” Kei’s eyes shot open when he saw the Adventurers’ Guild dead ahead—a massive three-story building with a logo on the front. People came and went, some armored, others with bows or staves.

“Wait, I’m not ready for this!”

Satori burst through the front doors with Kei in tow. All eyes shifted toward them. He pulled Kei to the front counter.

“Hanako! How’s my favorite guild attendant?”

Hanako, a woman in her early twenties with long auburn hair in a ponytail and a soft, pretty face, glared at him. “What now, Satori?” Then she looked at Kei. Her brows furrowed.

“Who’s this?”

“This is Keisuke. He wants to be an adventurer. Sign him up!”

Kei’s eyes went wide. “Are you insane?! You said three months ago it would take me another year to be ready!”

Satori snickered. “Oh yeah, I did say that. Well, the situation changed when you hit rock bottom. Sign him up, Hanako!”

Hanako gripped her forehead. Keisuke wobbled.

“He looks like he’s about to fall over, Satori.”

Satori shrugged. “He’ll be fine.”

He pushed Keisuke forward. “Sign him up.”

Hanako let out an exasperated sigh. “Keisuke, right?”

Kei nodded.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“Any special skills or combat experience?”

“No.”

“Magical proficiencies?”

“I have no idea.”

She sighed. “Can you fight at all?”

Kei hesitated. “Not really.”

She looked at Satori’s smug satisfied grin and already had enough. Hanako slammed her hands down on the table and stood up. “Satori, are you out of your fucking mind?! This guy is gonna get himself killed!”

Satori waved a hand. “Give him the magical proficiency test. We’ll see what he can learn.”

Hanako sat back and pulled out a strip of paper. She placed it in front of Kei. “Channel your mana into that.”

Kei glanced at Satori. “How?”

Satori raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t they teach you anything up north? Close your eyes and imagine water flowing through your arms into your hands.”

“Alright.” Kei placed his hand on the paper and visualized water flowing into his hands. A slight tingling spread through his fingers.

“You can stop now,” Hanako said.

He lifted his hands. She picked up the paper—and her jaw dropped slightly. It shimmered with twenty-one colors. She blinked.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

“Holy shit!” exclaimed Satori.

“Is that good?” Kei asked, scratching his head.

Hanako listed off the affinities. “Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Nature, Lightning, Life, Ice, Lava, Arcane, Enchantment, Augmentation, Spirit, Death, Necromancy, Illusion, Summoning, Alteration, Affliction, Holy, and Time!”

Keisuke blinked. “What does all of that mean?”

Satori put a hand on his shoulder. “It means you’re going to be a mage.”

A thrill shot up his spine. His eyes brightened. “Really?”

Satori looked at the sheet. “You have more affinities than me. I honestly don’t know how some of these are even possible with a human, but we’ll get to work right away.”

“Let him rest first before he falls over,” Hanako said.

Satori laughed. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Come on, Kei. You’re staying with me.”

All Kei muttered was, “Badass,” as he followed Satori to his new home.