Chapter 20:

A Nice Meeting

Powerless

Dust and dirt.

Gravel and pebbles.

Finally rock and brick. The ground changes for the last time as the three slouching adventurers look up, their sorrowful uncertain faces looking for any signs of entry. The gate protecting the inside from the out, gaping open and surrounded by scaffolding.

Two men seemed to approach them, more of those soldiers. They made eye contact and continued on, turning away. Their faces had been filled with worry, the whole area silent after the defense force returned from their meeting.

Kaito’s eyes shot around, being the first to take a step into the city, not a soul giving him attention. He searched for the boy he’d seen, being positive it was him; yet something kept him from restating what he'd said moments ago.

The way he moved, it’d seemed unnatural, like a walking robot—but he couldn’t tell them that.

They walked around the city, great big streets charred at the floor, and many buildings with nothing but piles of rubble or works in progress with many children working alongside the adults. The night rose and very few forms of light lit their path.

“We need to turn in for the night.” Kaito said.

Ansel and Eira seemed empty, a face of disorientation shining through. They found an inn run by a dwarven lady. She carried a baby in her arms as they walked in, seeing the dejected looks on their faces, the lady encouraged them to stay for the night, reassuring them that they could pay her the following day. They all shared one room, Ansel and Eira sleeping each on their own single-sized bed, whilst Kaito slept on the floor.

The three laid down in silence, their exhaustion hitting them like a ton of bricks. Kaito plopped on the makeshift bed and hurt his hip on the way down. He groaned for what felt like a few minutes despite only lasting a couple seconds, Kaito refocused himself and sat up straight.

“Ansel…Eira”

The room was dark. Yet, a pale moonlight peeked through the curtains. They could hear the cheery voices of the restaurant downstairs, the dwarven lady yelling orders and more customers laughing. Dishes clinked and clanged, and the muffled sounds of conversation made their way up to the room.

“It was him.”

“...”

“The one who melted the ice, he was taller now, but it was him.”

Eira pulled the sheets to cover her mouth, a pointless action. No one could see her tears yet she hid her face further— thinking about his words.

“I know… I need you to believe in me.”

“It’s been a long day. We can… I don’t mind searching tomorrow. At least we’ll have some closure.”

Ansel turned in for the night, leaving Kaito with a torn face. His bed in between the two, on the ground, reminded him of how much time they’d spent with Talos. He’d offered himself to sleep on the ground but that was because compared to the other two, he’d contributed less and was less exhausted than them, partially because of his greater endurance.

He looked up at the ceiling, nothing but black filling his view. The bed to his right creaked, and a head smothered in sheets looked down to face him, peeking out the side of the bed.

“I believe you.”

Her eyes glimmered in silver, the moonlight casting onto them in the dark. She gave a smile, unnoticed by Kaito, then turned away and slept her tears away.

—--

Kaito woke to a smothering light, his eyes protected by a blanket that’d fallen on him during the night. He already knew it was Eira’s having always seen it magically appear on the ground back in Kamar.

He heard the snores of his family, Ansel and his snores of paper which were so quiet and faint that he often thought it was just a strong wind leaking through. He got up and dressed himself as quietly as he could. Putting on his leather boots, he heard a familiar bed shaking snore.

The culprit tossed around her bed and somehow managed to throw her pillow away, now left with nothing but the mattress to sleep with. He reached down and grabbed the sheet that could have suffocated him to death if fate had wanted him to. Grabbing it as it Kaito threw the sheet at her, a silky fabric hitting her square in the face. She continued to snore and reached back, seemingly scratching an itch whilst sleeping.

Kaito smiled warmly and headed out, down the stairs and out the inn. He’d decided to walk around and collect his thoughts in the ginormous capital. Many people were already up, much of which were humans with much more varying characteristics. Brown, blonde, red, and grey hairs traveled down the roads, many elves still in sight yet much more rugged and diverse than the populous in Kamar. The wind breezed and caressed those who walked, the road unending in the distance, pointing to a giant castle further into the city.

—--

“What?!”

A stern and cold voice resounded throughout the throne room.

“The visitors we had thought to be from Jandra, they were from elsewhere and had simply walked through the land in search of their sibling.”

“And you took them at their word, Derco Fonsei?!”

“N-no sire. However…”

The kneeling mustached man, Derco, opened his eyes, the ground staring back at him as he remembered the day prior.

“They stated that The Battle City of Jandra had fallen. More importantly…they said it was a pile of rubble and ash.”

The words made the prince’s eyes nearly pop out of his skull. The events of the last few months had cemented the idea that Jandra was a traitorous nation. This newfound information, no matter the credibility, was enough to upset the entire city against their favor.

“I see.” The prince said, raising his arm to his chin, the throne domineeringly above the rest of his subjects.

“You are to keep quiet about this matter. Now take your leave. I require silence."

“Yes, your highness.”

Derco stood and bowed deeply, then turned and walked out of the room filled with knights.

“All of you.”

Derco was only a few steps out of the closed door when he heard the clanking of armor growing louder. The knights in the room were also exiting, lining up outside the throne room.

“What have we done?”

—--

Kaito strolled through the city, his eyes darting from place to place in search of any leads. He’d decided to head to the gates of the castle in hopes of meeting a knight or someone of military status that could tell him about those kids, the ones Talos had appeared with. Making his way up the tattered road he heard a yelp. Stopping to process he walked backwards, looking into an alley he’d just passed.

There he found a girl and two men who were obviously not looking to ask for directions or have a conversation.

“P-please! You really don’t want to do this!” The girl said.

“Aww don’t be like that!”

“We just want to have a little fun!”

The men had sinister smiles and one even reached back to grab something shiny.

Kaito thought of what he should do. Should he call for help or rush in, or he could also just ignore it. He was significantly weaker and Ansel and Eira, still stronger than he was, yet not a “strong” person comparable to this world's standards.

I should leave, it's not like I could do anything but run.

He slouched back into a walking pace and started for the castle.

“P-please! I don’t want to have to-”

“Hey man. She said stop.”

The men looked at the “hero,” a 5’ 11” man with shabby clothes and spiky hair. He looked at them sternly, neither cold nor nervous, a poker face of sorts holding back the man's true nature. They looked at each other then back at the man, now extending his arm in front of the woman they’d been trying to pick up.

His eyes were a dark hue of brown, they scrunched and his eyebrows furrowed. The “hero” was nothing but an ordinary man, someone who had just been passing by but had something to prove.

“Pffft! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!”

“Yo, you see this prick?”

“Oh I see him yo, let’s teach him a-”

The “Hero” unsheathed his sword and attacked almost silently. Taking a step and slicing some of the mens skin giving them deep scratches, the “hero” swiftly went under and around their arms, cutting into the underside of their shoulders and into their sides. They looked back to see the “hero” standing behind them, his sword still raised and ready.

The movement was quick and concise, his master having taught him that the best time to strike was when words were being said. It’s actually super annoying when they monologue for no reason. What actually goes through someone's mind when they do that sort of thing. She would then have him practice speaking and movement, training not only his sword but his breath and exertion, attempting to have a seamless transition to the point where he could make sudden forceful movements without so much as his voice breaking or breath being interrupted.

Before they knew it, a cold sensation dripped down from their arms and pooled at their shirts. The cold turned to a burn and soon they yelled at the amount of blood that was coming out of them. They hurriedly ran away seemingly aware that their rapid loss of blood could result in catastrophic consequences.

The girl seemed to be lost in thought, looking directly at him but not showing any signs of reaction. The “hero” stepped closer, which immediately brought the girl back to her senses and prompted a show of appreciation.

“Ah s-sorry! Thank you for… saving me!” she bowed profusely.

A resurgence in the “hero’s” habits occurred and he replied to her in a bow of his own.

“Ah, yeah likewise. I mean, I’m glad I was able to help.”

The two rose and smiled awkwardly. The girl seemed no older than 16, with long black sleek hair and a shine that was almost out of this world.

“My names’ Kaito, nice to meet you.”

He raised his arm to the back of his neck and awkwardly scratched it, not knowing what else to do. The girl looked at him with empty eyes once more, the face of someone deep in thought, or more commonly, spaced out.

She snapped back to her senses moments later and looked around, before locking eyes with Kaito—a sense of familiarity washing over them as.

—--

“Mannnnnnnn, it should’ve been me!!!”

“Yes. It really should have. But because of your slip up, those things are now protecting that damned city”.

“Whoopsy.”

“And your face is the target of hatred everywhere in those walls.”

“I said I’m sorry,” the demon rolled his eyes, “At least they think their own military betrayed them, what ff they started a coup, I’d say that would be worth the trouble.”

“Well now because of it, our king is forced to gather more current intel.”

“Mannnnnn,” the demon looked at his right leg, a metal peg now its place bringing back one of the demon’s more enjoyable memories.”

“Could you stop that.”

“Nah sis, this Locke Wilmheart body is influencing my decisions. FOR MY KING! I SHALL AWAIT YOUR RETURN MY-”

Smack!!

“OW!! What the hell!”

“Shut up!”

Knock knock knock

“YOU MAY EN-”

Smack!!

Thud.

“Come in!”