Epilogue
Both Roy and I got back to the cave and recovered all our belongings. We didn't say a word, but we decided we both needed a much deserved rest after confronting Norst and Mgudza, and witnessing the destruction of Lassadia. It was a lot to digest, and we had a lot of talking to do once we had completely recovered.
For all we had been through, it was one hell of a ride for a young man. Being a Knight of Ceifeed was quite the revelation, and I couldn't take it lightly. Roy had told me that lesser Mazoku were probably no challenge for me now that I had awakened as a Knight of Ceifeed, but that stronger Mazoku were probably still going to be a pain, and they were most likely gonna be coming after me, since I was some sort of embodiment of all that they hated and fought against.
We wondered for how long had Norst been planning this, observing me and thinking that I had a piece of Ruby Eye inside of me. We came to the conclusion that it definitely had something to do with my previous luck (I'm tellin' ya, it's uncanny!). Somehow the lack of jobs for mercenaries probably had something to do with Norst wanting to lure me to Lassadia. Why had he chosen Lassadia of all places? As Roy told me, if a huge grief took over my soul and I lost all hope, and if I really did have a fragment of Shabranigdu inside of me, to see all those people die and then having Roy killed in front of me would've awaken that fragment and all hell would've broke loose.
"So what're you up to now?", asked Roy. I was kind of relieved when he said that, thinking that with all the stress that we had lived this past week he had probably forgotten (or forgiven, how naive of me) about the debt.
"I don't know. I guess I'll still go working as a mercenary around" I said, grabbing my remaining stuff from the cave and starting to head out.
"Well then, let's make a plan. And please no more animal-nappings or whatever..."
WHAT?
"You didn't think I'd forget about you owing me seventy-two gold and five silver, did you? Oh, and about the inn back in town, you thought I wouldn't notice you were charging all that on me? That makes it... a hundred and thirty gold, seven silver and three copper coins you owe me now..." he smiled. I sighed heavily. "Okay then, shall we go?" he said while we left the cave behind, and headed east, as far as possible from where Lassadia once stood.