An Almost Silent Night

“Iron Magic Festival?”

“Ha! You didn’t think all these people were here just because, did you?”

Ren shrugged. The man in front of him slammed down a few drinks on the bar and gave out a hearty laugh. “Well, you’re a lucky one then, if you’re only here on a whim. There’s bound to be a bunch of interesting stuff to happen. Ya already had that fancy showing at that dueling ring. I’m hearing word of a few different magic demonstrations and innovation showcases for the public.”

“Just for the public?” Ren narrowed his eyes and took a sip of his drink. It was bitter, with a rustic aftertaste.

“Ah, ya got a sharp eye. No wonder you’re keeping your hood up. Never know who’s lookin’ after all. So many different parties have taken part in the festival, it’s hard to keep track of ‘em all,” the man pulled one hand to scratch his thick beard and shot Ren an expectant glance.

Ren heaved a sigh and slipped a few silver coins across the wooden table. The barkeep took the coins in kind. “Oh, these are high quality,” he said as he held one up to the light, “you don’t see this kind of coin down here in the south. With more mercantile regions, most coins get worn down. Where did you say you were from?” He continued to hold up the coin until he noticed Ren’s silence.

“Got carried away, it seems. Didn’t mean to pry from a paying customer.” The man settled down the coin and glanced to either side of the keep. It was a quiet evening, not much movement had been going through the building. “You’ll have to forgive me, keeps been a little quiet recently, and a mind can wander sometimes.”

He bent down beneath the bar to grab some parchment and scribbled a few things down. “Here ya go.”

Ren nodded, taking a small glance at the note. The handwriting was quite messy, but he could make out a few names:

Central - West minister of magic, Lieutenant Raika, Commander Halften, Chief military advisor Sonia Kalentar

Other - South Bank and Co, Jederico the magitechnician, Thermal Magictech Corp

Rumored - Northern mercenaries, vice commander of the central magic forces

There was not a single name that he recognized.

“Just as an apology, I’ll tell ya one more thing. Stay away from this vice commander fellow if you happen to meet him. I’ve only heard rumors, but apparently, he’s stopped a tornado all by himself. Real dangerous stuff. Anyway, there’s been an uprising of kidnappings, assaults, whatnots, especially around here on the north side. Try to find an inn further out from here. Keep yourself safe y'hear?”

“I will,” Ren said, putting the note inside the inner pocket of his leather tunic. He finished the rest of his drink and put down some extra coins as payment. Just as he was to get up, he stopped himself.

“One last thing, have you heard about the whereabouts of a woman named Ashila?”

The barkeep picked up the cup and thought for a moment. “I can say that I’ve heard the name before, but I can’t say much more than that.”

Ren lifted himself from the chair. He knew he shouldn’t be too disappointed, but after asking around for the past few hours, he couldn’t help but let it seep in. He might have to stick around for a few days at this rate, and if he didn’t find any information… maybe he’d have to head north. Or wait for Nila. That was also an option. He much preferred the latter.

He swung open the door and walked into the darkness that overlapped the town. Street lamps were scarcely placed around, dimly lighting up the surroundings, but most of the town was pitch black, with the odd window shining a candlelight. It was less lively than before, but there were still sounds of activity around the nearby corners. 

Walking away, he noticed the keep door open and close behind him but didn’t pay it much attention. He noticed some eyes on him in the keep but he believed it was mostly because of the barkeep's boisterous voice. The night ahead should be quiet.

“Hey, you!”

Ok, Ren internally sighed. Turning around, a young man approached him with a wide grin. Ren raised an eyebrow, recognizing his attire. His tailored brown tunic matched the tunic of the girl he sparred with earlier that day. He had taken off the leather pads, but it was still fairly recognizable. After all, most people in the city wore baggy shirts or hoods as a top.

“I knew it, you’re the guy from the dueling ring today, right? The one who beat Inila?” he excitedly said. His clear, resonant voice bounced around the alley, causing a slight echo. It didn’t seem to bother him that people might have been trying to sleep.

“And if I am?” Ren evenly replied, glancing toward the man’s waist, where a sword was tightly wrapped with cloth.

Without warning, the man shot his arm toward Ren’s head, forcing him to raise his block. In the corner of his eye, Ren saw a leg come out fast from the same side. He was going to block and counter, but something else caught his attention. Jumping back, Ren pulled both his arms in front of his face before something lit up and an explosion knocked him into the air.

As he hit the ground, he could hear the young man laughing. “Wow, you really do have good instincts! I’m sure that- hey wait! Where are you going?”

Ren turned around. He didn’t find a reason to continue, and his bad mood was worsening by the minute. He doubt the man would bother to chase him into the night of the city.

“Hey- damn it- I can tell you some information about the woman you’re looking for!”

That caught Ren’s attention. He walked back until he was a safe distance away.

“My fault man, I just got a bit excited.” The young man’s face did not match his words, he looked more annoyed than apologetic. “Here’s the deal, I want a spar with you, tomorrow. And after that, I’ll tell you what I know about the woman you’re looking for. You can even stay with us, we have a few extra rooms currently.”

Ren could hardly believe his proposal. “Stay with the person who attacked me just now? Don’t you think you’re being just a bit too naive?”

“Look,” he crossed his arms and started to tap his foot on the ground, “I know this city, and especially now? You won’t find another place to stay this late. Merchants prepare to stay the nights in their stands, and the price of clothing and cloth skyrocket with the number of people needing some sort of bedding or covering. I can’t promise you anything you might trust, but I’ve shown my cards alright? I’ve attacked you once, I won’t do it again until tomorrow. All I want is a spar.”

Ren took a moment. He hated that the man’s proposal was even a bit considerable. It had gotten very late since he started to ask around for information, and finding a place probably would’ve been as difficult as he said. Moreover, instead of trusting him, Ren could at least trust the fact that this man, and his fellow students, were upright enough to be public. If it was between them and being exposed sleeping on the street, Ren would have to take his chances.

“Fine,” Ren reluctantly replied.

He smiled. “Smart decision. I’m Kitan by the way.”

“Ren.”