Act 2- Chapter 4: Passage of Time
Previously:
"The war! We'll find a way to stop it." Gid suddenly said, leaping from his seat and stood atop of the boulder. "We'll travel to Plant Deviluke, and make the war stop!" He said with a childlike determination.
"B-But we are children, we're powerless. Besides, isn't that what our king is supposed to do now? -"
"-Then I will become king!" Gid interrupted. "I will become king and grow strong enough to end this war!" Gid exclaimed, crimson eyes eyeing the skies.
Zastin looked up to the trident tailed Devil in an awe inspired fashion, a hidden smile of success lingering behind his face.
"Sounds like a plan." The children smiled.
*4 YEARS LATER… Moon Endurance… Trading outpost…*
(Music for Mood: Houjou no Onna Shujintei – DanMachi OST)
"DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" The people cheered, stomping and clapping. Inside the wooden tavern in the heat of the night, two Devilukeans stood atop of wooden tables, each clasping onto a small wooden keg, pouring down everything into their mouths.
"Gulp gulp gulp…" One of the people tilted his head higher and higher.
"One hundred gold on the shorty!"
"Chug like it's your job!" The people around the boy laughed and cheered. And as the boy's head tilted, his wooden keg became emptier and emptier, purple wine leaking from the side of his mouth...
But suddenly, the keg left the boy's mouth.
"Ryheaaaaaa!" The boy cheered, tossing the small barrel behind him. The others around him exploded and clapped, toasting their glasses and bottles in the air.
"woooohoooo!" The Devilukean screamed atop his lungs, wiping his mouth with the collar of his tunic. He turned to the table adjoining his, to the other boy who he had just beaten. "You... Had a gooood runn..." Gid slurred out, pointing and stumbling at the same time. "But the trick is to... you've gotta stop forcing it down... BE the wine... AY-hic!?" He said as he neared the edge, where he tumbled into the timbered floor with a bang.
The jovial tavern music halted at this point, as did the crowd's cheers. Everyone looked down at the boy who fell in silent suspense.
"Shots..." The boy stumbled and writhed back into his feet, pulling and pushing off people around him.
"SHOTS FOR ALL!"
"HOOORAAAAA!" the crowd stomped and clapped, making their way to the bar. The crowd shuffles amongst each other, patting Gid on the back as they approached the bartender, who merely deadpanned at the many tavern-goers he's about to serve.
"Gid-nii!" A voice called out, from behind him.
"Zas... I can hear you... But I can't see you...? Hic*" In response, Gid turned around, drunkenly looking around. When suddenly, he felt two hands firmly on his shoulders.
"I'm right here." Zastin reassured with a sweatdrop.
"Oh, there you are! ~" The Devilukean finally recognised. "Since when were you so tall..." The black-haired boy tilted his head sideways, squinting his eyes.
"Are you drunk?!" Zastin asked incredulously.
"I'm in a goddamn tavern Zas hic*... what do you think...hic*," the trident tailed man said. "My face feels funny... Can I feel your face? Hic*"
"You're drunk." Zastin deadpanned with a sigh, looking around the rousy inn. "Why are you wasted? You're supposed to have a shift tonight!"
"Whattt shift?" Gid slurred out.
"The bartending shift!" Zastin explained, looking around the tavern oddly. "You're supposed to be bartending tonight, along with the innkeeper!"
"Slow down and form a line please! Your drinks will be ready soon!- sir that isn't for you!- no- wait- that one is! Wait come back! Ahh... -" the inkeeper fumbled around the place, trying his best to keep order amongst the half drunk crowd.
"Why is everyone at the bar?" Zastin asked, curiously eyeing the mob of people.
"Cause I bought everyone a round…HIC!~" Gid answered in an overly calmed manner.
"You WHAT?!" The younger of the Devilukean exploded. "The one night where I go out, you spend-"
"Gid! Get your ass behind this counter RIGHT NOW and start mixing drinks or I'll fire you myself!" The two heard a hysterical voice yell behind the mob by the bar.
"This can't be happening…" Zastin mumbled, looking down with a sweatdrop by his face. "Okay, Let's get you into a bed so you can rest up…" Zastin said, putting Gid over his shoulder as he carried him to the side of the inn, where a corridor of rooms resided. Three Devilukean barmaids soon approached Zastin.
"Don't worry Zastin, we'll take Gid and put him in a bed. You can go take his shift." The barmaids offered with a smile.
"Good idea." Zastin said, passing the dosing off Gid along to the three girls.
"GID! GET YOUR ASS HERE NOW! WE'RE SLAMMED!" Zastin jumped at the inkeeper's angry voice.
"C-COMING!" Zastin replied as he turned around and took off. He couldn't help but hear the giggles of the three barmaids behind him, but he paid it no heed as he ran for the bar.
*The morning after…*
"Ugh… Mmmmm…" A pair of tired eyes opened, one blue, and the other grey. Zastin covered his eyes from the sunlight glaring through the windows. He sat up from the bar stool and looked around.
"it's morning already..." Zastin groaned, his eyes comically sagged as he scratched the back of his head. There still sound asleep on the stool next to him was the inkeeper. Zastins's widened as he recounted the events of the night before.
"Shit..." He breathed as he turned around. His jaw damn near dropped on the floor, appalled by the state of the empty tavern. Tables turned and chairs fallen. Empty hugs and beer bottles still on the tables that managed to stay upright. Drink were spilt and over the place. 'If I stay here the inkeeper WILL beat me senseless.' He told himself as he got off the stool quietly. Sneaking to the side corridor. 'Gotta find Gid-nii.'
The thirteen year old crept his way down the wooden corridor. He soon reached the end of the corridor to the last room.
He was about knock on the door when he froze. Hearing sounds emanating from the room.
"Ugh..."
"Just like that..."
"Does that feel good?~"
"Keep doing that...Ohh yeaaa that's it...~"
"Wh...what..." Zastin stuttered. He clenched the doorknob and barged opened the door. "Gid! What is going o- whaaa..."
This was followed by the collective shrieks of three women.
Zastin couldn't believe what he saw.
Gid. Three girls. naked. On the bed.
"Ah. Ohayo Zas." The rather exposed Gid greeted with a small wave.
"..." Zastins's head almost exploded from the blush as he snap turned around. "Ladies! O-Out please!" Zastin yelled.
"Let's go...~" the three girls whispered and giggled amongst themselves as they left the room, wrapping themselves up with a white towel.
"I'll see you tonight ladies!" Gid called out from the bed, winking at the door.
Zastin shut the door behind him as soon as the girls left. "Gid-nii! What the... What the fuck is going on?!"
"Ahaha... Funny story...~" The shorter of the Devilukean laughed nervously. "I was drunk as a skunk last night right. When suddenly- Three barmaids magically appeared and came up to me… carried me to my room. I thought I was seeing doubles but there were actually three of them. You know how I found out? Because the next thing I knew, we were having a foursome. A foursome Zastin! Three girls, at once! With me! Could you believe it? And that thing she did with her tail, oh my-"
"That's enough!" Zastin interrupted rudely, throwing some clothes at Gid. "Just... Put your cock away and some clothes on please!" He said with his eyes closed.
"And the best thing was…they didn't even accept my coins!" Gid muffled out from the garbs that he was getting into.
"Really?-" Zastin asked, genuinely amazed by the prospect, before snapping back to reality. "-That changes nothing."
"What I have can't be taught." Gid concluded slyly.
"Gid-nii!" Zastin said seriously, picking up a large bag and an ordinary sword from the corner of the room. "We'd best head out while the day's still young. We have things to do."
"The innkeeper was kind enough to rent us this room practically for free for four years now. You can't keep pissing him off."
"Why so serious all the time? What happened to being thirteen years old instead of thirty." Gid teased as he got up, slipping his final garments out.
"Well one of us has to be mature." Zastin sighed. "Let's go…"
"I still don't get why you're extra prickly today…" Gid mumbled, pushing the door of the inn open as they stepped outside. The air was fresh and the sky was blue, a rarity in those times.
"You missed your shift, bought everyone a round of drinks and promptly had a foursome while I cleaned up after you!" Zastin cried out hysterically. "Does this remind you of any time?"
"Only every once a while." "What's the big deal?"
"We're saving up to buy our own spaceship remember?" Zastin reminded. "We can't very well save up you keep spending all out coins on drink and sex can we?"
"Where are we going anyway?"
"We need to check the traps and lures outside town as well as hunt while the day is young. And while we're at it, maybe get some training down too." Zastin said, walking around the block of the inn, until they reached the side, where a lush and colourful garden resided. "But first…"
"You cockblocked me this morning to go gardening?" Gid asked exasperatedly, a question mark hovering over his head.
"My sword needs its daily sun and water." Zastin said, fumbling around the patch of garden, where he found an unusually shiny green sapling. Zastin uprooted the sapling, but what came buried in the earth below were no roots. It was a sword, Green and grey in its metallic shine. The thirteen year old examined the plant closely.
"How did some plant you found in some cave on this moon grow into a sword?" Gid asked with eyebrows raised. Sure he'd seen it sprout from sapling to shiv; and from shiv to knife. But to see it developing into a sword has left him with more questions than answers.
"This is the Morningstar." Zastin said, tenderly looking at the sword as it pulsated green in his hands. "It's connected to me, and stays with me like a blessing."
"You named your sword…" Gid deadpanned. "I've really got to set you up with a girl Zas~" Gid said as he bursted into laughter. Gid teased. "…If I didn't know any better I'd say you're dating your sword~"
"Am not!" Zastin responded.
"Hahahahaha~ If you say so~" Gid joked as he walked away from the gardens. "C'mon, lets check those traps you were talking about."
"Right." Zastin said, hauling the sword over his shoulder, and handed his large sack of supplies to Gid.
The small trading hub on Deviluke's Moon Endurance was a modest town. Advanced, but primitive at the same time. With the advancement of technology and space travel, there comes a certain amount of improved quality of life, yet at the base of it all is mother nature, and all she has to offer. The town stood at the bottom of several hills and short cliffs.
"Sigh…" Gid yawned, now following Zastin down a road of dust and dirt, leading outside the trading outpost. On their way, they passed many an inhabitants, each tending to their own businesses.
"Zas, look." Gid pointed with his head movement, to the two patrolling guards walking past them down the road, rifles in their hands. Their black and purple flowing behind them.
"Patrol guards. Devilukean colours." Zastin identified.
"That's right." Gid said, "If Deviluke increased patrol on this moon, then they've sure done the same everywhere else. Courtesy of the galactic war." He sighed.
*Midday… Woods on the outskirt of trading outpost…*
"God must've been merciful on us today." Zastin said, dragging a large elk-like creature with a rope tied around his body. Strapped all over the boy's brown tunic were pelts and bodies of small animals.
"Don't know about God… but we've certainly hunted more game in one day than we have in the past week." Gid agreed, dumping four leopard-like creatures on the ground from his shoulders. "But I'm not about to complain." He said offhandedly. "Right, you start skinning the game while I set up the tanning rack."
"Why do I always have to skin the animals?" Zastin huffed in frustration.
"Because you're a kid and I'm older than you, so go do as I say~" Gid replied smugly, reaching within the large sack of supplies that he carried uphill.
"We're both kids!" the thirteen year old retorted.
"True. Except this one's had a foursome with three beautiful barmaids~" Gid teased.
"Gahh!" Zastin muttered. "Pervert…"
*A while later…*
Past midday, the tailed duo had finished skinning and quartering their game. Still in the ashy woods, they remained like they always did.
"Right…" Gid said, putting the bloodied knife down. "The trading center doesn't close 'till nightfall, which means we have about five hours of free time."
"You're just itching to train aren't you." The grey haired boy smirked, taking his baggy brown tunic off, revealing the muscular build he had underneath. He walked over to the supplies and picked up two swords, one ordinary and stale in its looks, and the other grey and green.
"You cockblocked me this morning, I'm not about to let you off without a beating~" Gid warned whilst walking to a small grassy space in the woods, ripping his black tunic off, adjusting the purple sash around his waist. From his pant pocket he took out white stripped cloth, and wrapped them around his hands and forearms.
"We'll see." Zastin replied, his scorpion-like tail coiling around a sword's hilt, flinging it to Gid, which he caught.
But soon Zastin noticed several red and purple bite marks along Gid's neckline and chest. "What's all those marks on you?" The thirteen-year-old asked.
"Hickeys." The elder of the two replied. "Those barmaids bite-"
"That's enough talking-" Zastin interrupted with a small blush, warming with one hand sword flourishes, switching hands and wrapping over his shoulders and head. Finally pointing the Morningstar at Gid.
"Humph- show off." Gid muttered and smirked.
The two brothers circled each other. The trident tailed one held his aged silver sword, and Zastin his green energetic one. Slow and cautious the two took, seemingly mirroring each other, switching their sword guard whenever necessary.
"You're moving well." The heterochronic one complemented, shifting his low guard to a side guard.
"Don't get cocky-!" Gid said, lunging forward with several swings. Zastin took several steps back, responding with soft parries, merely redirecting the blade.
"Here I come-!" The heterochromic boy retorted, parrying the last strike with a bit more force, completely knocking the sixteen-year-old off balance. Zastin stepped in with a kick to the back of Gid's knee.
As Gid recovered, his eyes widened as he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the cleave for his head.
"You're improving." Zastin pointed.
"Easy for you to say. You've got your Morningstar helping you." Gid commented, once again advancing with his blade, hacking and hammering.
"Not true." Zastin defended. "My bond with my sword has made me more sensitive and attuned to pressure. But it doesn't teach me how to fight." Zastin reinforced, his blade outstretched to meet Gid's. The two pushed their blades together in a lock.
Gid pushed and struggled against Zastins's sword, trying to brute force his way through his defences. But the scorpion tailed child was too aware, too sensitive. The blades in contact made shearing rings as they slid and guided each other, not once coming off contact. But finally, Zastin capitalized on Gid's momentum forward. With a swift sidestep and pivot to the side, Zastin retreated into a low stance. He reached his left hand out and grabbed Gid's wrist, pushing it downwards. Allowing Zastin's to push his sword forward in a high guard to Gid's face.
'All in one move-!' Gid thought in surprise, looking at the pointy end of the sword that was inches away from his face.
"Once again I-"
"-I'm not done yet!" Gid interrupted, sneaking a stamp kick to Zastin's closest knee. He then swung his tail, whipping the trident tip on Zastin's sword away from his face. In response Zastin twisted Gid's hand outwards, forcing him to drop his sword as the two parted.
With his sword away from him, Gid stood empty handed, white bandages around clenched in fists. He lowered into a slight horse stance, right fist cocked by his hip, left hand outstretched, taunting the thirteen year old to advance. With a serious expression, Zastin advanced on the unarmed boy. He knew better than to underestimate Gid.
Gid stepped back and dodged, for a few moments avoiding the sword swings. But then, against an downward swing of Zastin's sword, the black haired Devilukean dropped and turned around, swinging his tail up to meet the blade. The prongs of the seemingly metallic trident tip clashed with the blade in a spark.
But amidst the surprise, it was too late. As Gid counterattacked by throwing some dirt into Zastin's face.
"Wh-!" The boy gasped. In seconds, Zastin was blinded. The dirt irritated his eyes as he staggered backwards. And with a final spin, Gid performed a low leg sweep, tripping the thirteen-year-old off balance and flat on his back.
"What the hell-" Zastin complained, starting to get up. But just as he raised his head up, he felt three particular cold sensations across his neck. His eyes widened as he saw Gid's trident tail, the three prongs pressing against the boy's neck.
"Yield." Gid told him, pushing his tail menacing forward ever so slightly.
"I…-I yield…" The younger of the two sighed, lying on the ground. Defeated.
"That's the right idea~" Gid smiled, helping the boy up with a helping hand.
"You cheated!" Zastin whined. "You threw dirt in my eyes!" He went on.
"And now you've lost." Gid replied half-heartedly, putting his black sleeveless tunic back on. "But still, how is it that you can disarm me with ease, but lose against an opponent without a weapon?" Gid muttered incredulously.
"You didn't fight with honour." Zastin complained.
"And you didn't win the fight." Gid snickered. "Why fight with honour when you can fight and win?"
"...It wouldn't have been chivalrous." Zastin replied, but stopped at Gid's tsk.
"Chivalry? Tsk. You still wanna be a knight after all these years?" The black haired Devilukean asked, picking up the sword from the ground.
"Of course! Being knight is an incredible honour. To follow the path of the great Knight Veloth of the first Devilukean empire, It is the purest representation of grace, honour and power." Zastin added. 'not to mention I have his sword...' He added inwardly.
"I'm afraid to burst your bubble. But knights went out of fashion centuries ago, with the invention of advanced handheld firearms. Using weapons like a sword in this day and age is pointless." Gid lectured on, unwrapping the white tape around his hands. "Punches, tails and kicks on the other hand, never go out of fashion, na~"
*A while later…*
"I'm still going to be a knight." Zastin huffed out to Gid.
"The position...huff...doesn't exist anymore." Gid retorted, giving Zastin a little kick.
The two were now hanging from a large tree branch, with Gid doing pull-ups beside Zastin.
"Only a king can grant someone knighthood." Gid explained as he pulled himself up.
"Only a king..." Zastin repeated.
"Well I'm sure the current king of Deviluke wouldn't mind at all to give some thirteen-year-old orphan from nowhere a non-existing position." The spiky haired Devilukean chuckled sarcastically, bringing his tail around the branch. Once secure Gid let go and drooped upside down, now hanging from his tail.
"What if... What if you knighted me?" Zastin wondered, pausing to look his brother.
"Heh? Me?" Gid questioned, now doing sit-ups upside down. "You asking me to become the king so I can knight you? Now why would I do that?"
"Because it's your destiny to become king a-"
"-and stop the war- yes you've said that like a thousand times." Gid said frustratingly, before sighing. "Don't be so naive to believe in destiny or fate Zastin. To be a king you'll need to have the right blood and the right name. Hell-" But just as he was about to continue, a great 'SNAP!' was heard the branch broke from the trunk.
"AAAAHH- Ooft!" The two screamed as they fell down onto the ground, broken branches and leaves covering them.
"...…" Zastin deadpanned with flat eyes as he blew the leaves off his face. "You couldn't find a sturdier branch?"
"I hate you..." Gid deadpanned on the ground, groaning.
*That evening… at the Inn…*
"'Scuse me! One order of spicy fries and three more of whatever this is please!" A man from a table stand called out.
"One fries and three specials coming right up!" Zastin called out, making his way to the bar. "Table five ordered three more of your special… concoction."
"Yush! Coming right up!" Gid replied, immediately getting to work as he brought out three silver mugs.
The inn was rousy and busy as usual. All chairs were filled and tables occupied as soft tavern music overlayed the scene. The aroma of food and alcohol spread everywhere in the halls, and laughter and fun filled where everywhere else.
"Ya know, after what happened last night… I'm surprised the innkeeper didn't fire us yet!~" Gid chuckled, mixing the drinks expertly.
"True, between this bartending job and our earnings from hunting, we're well on our way to buying our own aircraft." Zastin commented, leaning himself on the bar counter, looking at the dining room of the inn. "That is if you don't spend everything all the time." He deadpanned.
"Don't worry Zas, we'll see Deviluke soon." Gid replied, bringing the three mugs on the counter. "Three specials up!"
*Outside the inn…*
"Gahh we're finally here!" A voice growled tiredly. "Hopefully the boss man can stop complaining now…"
"Yaaaawn… I'm dying for a good meal… hope they got chicken…" The second yawned, his hands in his trench coat.
"The shipment was delivered on time, Boss can't say shit." The second loathed.
"Drinks on me tonight boys! We did good." The last one said, rudely kicking the door.
Bam!
Bam! The door slammed open, and four burly men stomped in, their imminent shadow covering the light from the outside. The tables and people dancing closest to them scuttled away startlingly, creating a small path from the doors to the bar. Zastin eyes widened in surprise at the four newcomers as he delivered the plates of food in his hands, handing them onto the tables. He then approached the four.
"Welcome to the Endurance Inn, how may I help-" Zastin started, but was interrupted when a hand shoved him in the chest.
"-Out of the way stretch!" The biggest of the four men casually pushed Zastin aside, making their way towards the bar through the crowded meal hall.
Gid stood at the bar, tending to the empty mugs and wine glasses with a towel when a startling boom shook the bar table. The Devilukean looked up to four menacing brutes with a feint smile. "Welcome to the Endurance Inn, how can I help you gentlemen?" The bartender greeted, smiling through his red eyes.
"Aren't you a bit too young to be working at the bar boy?" One of the four taunted as they took their seats by the bar, dragging bar stools annoyingly across the floor.
"I'm above the regional legal limit and certified sir." The boy replied. "How may I help you tonight?" Gid asked, caution on the back of his mind. 'These four men… they look like trouble.' He thought, eyes briefly flickering to Zastin.
"Hit us up with the hardest liquor in this establishment!"
"Certainly." The bartender replied as he began to work silently. As he mixed the drinks, he noticed Zastin walking by. The two brothers caught each other's attention as Gid gave out a few silent hand gestures that briefly translated to 'Watch them.' And with a silent nod, Zastin disappeared into the kitchen.
"So…" what brings four good men like you to this moon?" The bartender struck up the conversation.
"Gahh nothing much really. Just finished some deliveries and stopping by for a drink. Fuck some whores maybe tonight perhaps! Surely you've got some whores in this inn, right?~ " One of then men snickered.
"I see." Gid said with a slight disturbed expression, handing a tray of the mugs before the group. "Do you frequent this moon?" He asked curiously.
"We've been here only a couple times, the most recent being that accident four years ago."
'Four years ago… accident?' Gid contemplated, thinking back to that night. 'The fire… the orphanage… four years ago…'
"You're awfully chatty for a bartender." The large brute said, eyeing Gid with suspicious eyes.
"Stop torturing the little shit." The one next to the brute laughed, taking a mug. "Don't mind the big boss, he's just cranky 'cos he hadn't fucked anyone in seven days!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Hear hear!" The others cheered as they drank.
Gid silently sighed as he returned to his duties as a bartender. It is at times like these where he'd reconsider every life choice he's ever made leading up to this shift. Sure, the job came with complications and unpleasantries like this, but as does any job. It pays well at least. Still, life isn't without lessons; here he had learnt how to listen, gather information, to serve others.
And as the night went on, the Inn gradually mellowed along with the night. Meals were eaten and shots were taken, the music shifted to a more calm and soft tone. Gid sighed to himself in relief as he surveyed from the bar.
'Shift ending in two more hours… that's just half an hour… four times…' Gid sighed inwardly, hosing down some wine glasses. 'They're still here…~'
"Oi kid!" A brute yelled, "Another round of shots!"
"Another round coming up." Gid replied monotonously. Moments later, he carried a platter with for shot glasses on them.
"Bottom's up!" The four brutes, albeit drunk in their state, took the cups and saluted each other, before downing the shot of alcohol. "Whoooo!" They winced as their face contorted.
"That did it…" One uttered.
"We should hold back on the drrrinks… or else we can't do the *hick* deliveries tomorrrrrow…" The other tried to reason.
"And what do you people deliver?" Gid pried politely, now wiping down the table with a cloth.
"Explosives….zzzzz…" The smallest of the bunch replied, before seemingly nodding off.
'Explosives?!' Gid thought in shock. "F-For the war?"
"What else kid?! That's the money maker right there!" The other slurred.
"I… I see…" Gid trailed off.
Out of the corner of the brute's eye, he caught a glimpse of a waitress walking by, a grey-haired barmaid with a tray of dishes in her hands.
"Whao… What do we have here?!" One of the brutes said, rudely grabbing on the maid's hand, pulling her towards him.
"No…!" The maiden said, the dishes now on the floor as she now pulled in with the brutes. "Hows about we grab a couple of drinks together and then you and the boys show you a good time eh?~" The brute teased, his other hand trailing down the maid's back.
'This guy-!' Zastin raced in his mind as he approached the corner of the inn, where he had concealed his sword.
"No… please get off me- ahh!" The maid pleaded, her spine shivering as she felt hands playing with her hair and arms.
BOOM!
The four drunkards jumped in surprise and stopped as they turned around. There the bartender was, his trident tipped tail lodged itself into the wooden counter of the bar, splitting the bar. The four men found themselves drawn into the glare of a pair of red eyes. Thee barmaid looked at the boy with hopeful eyes.
"Let her go." Gid warned.
"Che." The biggest of the four pushed the barmaid away, who fell into the arms of Zastin. "What are you gunna do about it kid?" They threatened. Gid dislodged his tail from the bar table in anticipation.
But just as it got intense, a voice called out from behind them. "Hey! What going on here!?"
"Who the fuck are you huh?!" One of the drunkards asked.
"I'm the owner of this inn. And I think it's high time that the four of you leave this establishment!" The Devilukean scolded.
"Damned Devilukeans…" The man grovelled, looking back and forth between Gid, Zastin and the innkeeper. He briefly considered the possibility of a bar fight, but after eyeing Zastin and his sword by the side, and Gid's unusually shaped tail…
"Let's get out of this stinking shithole of an inn." The brute eventually said, knocking over bar stools on his way to the entrance, but not before spitting on the ground before the innkeeper. The three remaining brutes followed shortly after.
"We'll be back with blood and fire…" They mumbled drunkenly, stumbling their way out of the establishment.
With the commotion finally settling. The Devilukeans tended to one another.
"Are you alright?" Zastin asked caringly, an arm around the barmaid.
"Freya, are you hurt?" Gid asked, coming towards them.
"Mm." The barmaid shook her head.
"Leya! Keya!" Gid called for the other barmaids, who came running. "Take Freya back to a room. She's done for the night and needs rest." Gid instructed.
"Come along now Freya." The maids took her away down the corridor. "What did they do?"
"Attention all patrons and customers!" The innkeeper called out. "This is just a small complication and nothing to be worried about!" He reassured. Now he turned towards the two.
"Showtime's over kid. Get back to work. That bar isn't going to fix itself after what you just did." The innkeeper scolded.
"No fuck that!" Gid protested. "Those four idiots just assaulted Freya, slandered the Devilukean name, and spit on your establishment." The red eyed Devil said. "I'm gunna teach them a lesson."
"Gid-nii!" Zastin said alarmingly. 'This isn't good...'
"Look I'll file a complaint to the guards in the morning and they'll take care of it alright-"
"That's not enough!" Gid retorted at the adult. "When someone you care about or under you gets threatened and hurt, you don't just sit back and watch! You do something about it." Gid elaborated.
"Come Zastin, gather our things and let's go." Gid said, walking away out the door.
"E-Eh?" Zastin stuttered, looking back and forth between Gid and the innkeeper.
"If you leave now, I'll fire you." The innkeeper said threatened.
"Don't bother," Gid said, already marching out the door. "I quit."
"This brat…" The innkeeper mumbled, now looking at Zastin. "Wanna keep your job?"
"A-Ahh…" The heterochromic-eyed child was torn. Eyeing the open door and his employer. Until he finally made his decision. "S-Sorry!" He bowed, before running out the door and after Gid.
"What the hell was that?!" Zastin asked hysterically, catching up to Gid on the dimly lit dirt road leading out of town. "Did you just quit your job to go beat up someone?!"
"That's one way to look at it." Gid answered absentmindedly, looking left and right before hiding behind a tree.
"Well how the hell are we supposed to buy our own spaceship now?" Zastin asked. "This isn't the first time drunk people have done this, why now?" The thirteen-year-old asked. "This isn't safe… why are we following them?" Zastin asked.
"At the bar I overheard them talking. Those people belong to a service for delivering explosives to someone for the war. Turns out they've made deliveries through this planet before, the last one being four years ago, where one of them mentioned an 'accident'." Gid replied, moving into an alleyway.
"An accident… four years ago... here?" Zastin soon understood what Gid was alluding to. "Y-You don't mean… the fire at the orphanage..."
"Shhh!" Gid hushed, a hand over Zastin's mouth. "If we want to follow them, we have to be quiet." He said in a hushed tone. To the distance not so far from them, four figures could be seen loudly strutting about in the woods, walking out of the trading outpost.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
IT'S BEEN OVER TWO MONTHS SINCE I UPLOADED, BUT I'M PICKING UP WHERE I LEFT OF, ONLY WITH A 4 YEAR TIME SKIP.
TIME SKIPS WILL BE A USED IN THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO CAPTURE THE ENTIRITY OF THE WAR AND THE TIMELINES OF DIFFERNET KEY CHARCATERS.
LORE FACT #2: THE ROYAL SURNAME OF "DEVILUKE" IS ONLY GRANTED WHEN ONE ASCENDS THE THRONE, HE/SHE IS THEREAFTER 'MARRIED' INTO THE HOUSE OF DEVILUKE. GID IS CURRENTLY OF HOUSE LUCIONE.
BUT IM INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE THINKS ABOUT THIS CHAPTER OR IS EXPECTING, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE REVIEWS SECTION!
AND AS ALWAYS, MORE CHAPTERS STILL TO COME!
REVIEWS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATED AND LOVED!
CRITICISMS ARE ALSO ACCEPTED.