《Runeville》 Chapter 1: Good night for a drink Cold. An unnerving pain that seeps into the skin, eating muscle and bone. That dead air shoulda stayed down in the riverbank, wearing hard leather in this frozen wasteland makes me so pissed. And the best part? Water. I''ve been to the deserts, it rains once every few years. Just my luck that this place is all about rain. Maybe I should be thankful that it''s not snow or hail. With so much trash littered in the streets and these vermin, whom I have no pride in saying are of the same race as me, diseased and wasted, each a fraction of their once human conditions, ugh, maybe they are fit for living in this shithole after all. They stink, and it''s gonna get worse. Tomorrow at dawn their corpses will clutter the alleys,hope the rain washes them to the lower burgs. I don'' wanna get home pinching my nose like a boy who never seen a dead body. I make my way through the dirty water, soon it will reach to my boots, gotta get to the Sleeping Beauty before then, really need some good ale to stomach this night. Nah, that ale ain''t worth horse piss, but whatever, can''t expect much from cheap stuff. I don''t usually drink, don''t trust the taverns here, gotta put some greens on my milk to make sure I''m still alive after chugging. - Ah! I''m sorry! - Get the fuck off me, bitch! I kick the whore in the guts and send her rolling. Damn woman got my coat dirty. This woman... Tsk, afraid of a little bolt of lightning. Guess she said something before falling, but I don''t give a damn, rain is too thick, can''t hear much from below. Chicks from this side of town ain''t got much to say anyway. I can see a red light. One of the only things good in this place are those red lanterns, they don''t go off even when splashed with water, though sometimes I wish they could burn things, wouldmake my life easier. The sign of the Sleeping Beauty is still cracked, that gets on my nerves whenever I drop by. Paid that bitch some money to fix it, guess she''s spending it on that stupid daughter, heh. Sometimes I think the girl on the sign might be her from ten or so years before. She insists that it looks more like her daughter, but I don''t dig teenagers. Mature ladies are the best, they know how to swing and there''s no bullshit involved. Don''t have patience for little girls with giant dreams. Whores are good too, but I have to clean them before doing anything, don''t wanna catch something nasty. Too much trouble. Worth it? Sometimes. There''s some noise coming from inside. Door is locked shut, but it''s old rifted wood, laughter and chatter just fly from the crevices. I don''t dislike hearing people drink happily, it makes for good air. I reach the door and knock on it a few times, don''t wanna break the damn thing. The small shuttle on the top slides to the side, welcoming a pair of hazel eyes and some freckles. - Hello, daughter, nice weather for a walk, eh? - Shh! Get in from the back door, people are scared of you... I am scared too... Way to kill my mood... Never touched a hair of those suckers and they''re afraid? Pft, I spit on the ground. - Fine, bunch o'' pussies. It''s pouring even harder now, I''ll catch a cold if it goes on like this. I circle the tavern to the other side. It''s not really the tavern anymore, just the kitchen of that lady''s house, but having something to drink I''m not complaining. The noises two rooms from here I can barely hear, that''s not what I like when I''m drinking. It''s way too calm, way too silent, and it''s getting on my nerves. All I hear is the prickling of rain which reminds me of how much I hatewearing wet clothes. I take off my coat and leave it in the hanger. - You''re soaked! I''ll get you a towel and something warm to drink. I smile. That voice of hers... I don''t know, just feels good to hear. I guess that''s what happens when you become a mother and a widow, because I''ve never met that combination before. Strange, since it''s so common in this world. - Nah, just fetch me some ale. There''s nothing here that could satisfy my palate, ''cept for you of course. - Hmph. If I didn''t know you, Runeville, I would have slapped you. - Hehehehehe... You''re a strong woman, I like that. But really, stay with me for a bit, I''ve already taught your daughter to take care of my drinks when we''re alone. - I can''t, today is crowded. - They''re all drunk, just let Melissa shove some more down their throats. I know what you''re thinking, but please, just please don''t sayit... - One person isn''t enough, and you know how the guys are. They won''t leave her alone. Haah... Damn it!Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I move my hand and throw a dagger at the door. - Bitch, you scared of me, too? Well I''m giving you a reason to be scared now. Sit. On. That. Chair. Now. She listens to me and obediently sits. Fuck, that''s not like you, goddamnit, can''t you act normal around me? We''ve known each other for five years. - I''m gonna give you some money to repair the front door, it''s getting on my nerves how racked up it is. Hell, I could''a probably break that thing with two pushes. - ... - Oh and don''t go spendin'' it like last time. That girl ain''t worth the investment. - ... Silence, silence, silence... I feel the urge to stab a knife in the table and maybe, just maybe, for the sake of the moment, that cold rain outside would collaborate with some thunder. Instead, I bang on it with my palms. - Speak to me dammit! The table is creaking. Why is everything so damn fragile here? Are you that short on cash? You could''ve asked my help, dammit. - ... And what do you want to talk about? - Anything! I just wanna hear some noise... Only now I noticed how desperate I sound. Tsk, so pitiful, and Sheyla must think so too, she''s giving me that look of someone who can''t blame another for his actions. Blame me. Hate me. Curse me. What are you afraid of? - That''s not what you want. Alex... We''re both been going at it for a long time, don''t you think it''s enough? - Ahh? - What happened today... You almost killed him. That''s the second time this month that you almost crossed the line, the authorities will go for you, I have no doubts. - What''s your point? Sheyla stands up, I told her to sit down before, but now she doesn''t care. I''m angry,I don''t know if she''s afraid still or thought I looked weak and took advantage. - What I''m telling you, is that you are tired... You are so aggressive, so irritable, so petty. I thought it was just you being a dick as always, but it''s not about this anymore, is it? You want people to hate you, you blame yourself for something you have done and you''re asking to be caught... Stop! Just stop it! Have some rest! Give yourself some rest... Give us a rest... I hear the doorknob turning but it''s not Sheyla, it''s her daughter bringing my drink. For a moment I can hear the guys in the other room cheering, at least someone is having a good night. - Is everything okay? She asks her mom anxiously. - I don''t know. Is it, Runeville? I try to retort with a low-end joke, or a sarcastic comment instead. That me that is bitter and salty, I can''t be that person right now. I don''t feel like It. - Yeah. Putit on the table Mel, I''m going home early tonight. - Okay... She puts the drink awkwardly in front of me and parts with Sheyla. I don''t give a shit anymore, I pick the iron mug and put a few herbs on it, don''t even know if I wanted them today, maybe I''m better off dead after all. I stare at the dark liquid in the mug, wanting to think of something but not thinking on it at the same time.I just hope it''s enough alcohol to get me off. It''s okay, it''s always like this. Tomorrow I''ll wake up feeling like trash, go down the slope, work, pick some fights, maybe drink. Today will pass. I down it in one gulp and sit my head on the cold wood. It''s not much better than outside, but at least I''m not getting wet. The back door opens with a loud bang. I turn my head to see who was the crazy fuck who did it, and I just can''t put my mind to it. Impossible... There''s no way it can be true. I flash my fingers in front of my eyes to see if I''m still sane, how many I have on my left? I think I didn''t lose any, so if I''m seeing five it''s alright. I turn my head again. Maybe I lost some after all. - Runeville? Oh, that voice. I could never forget it. - Get out of my head, Ethan, I''m in the middle of drinking. - I see nothing in that mug. - First we drink, then we keep looking at a point somewhere nearby, but we ain''t looking at anything, and afterward, you wake up with memory loss. I''m in the middle of the process, so pardon me but fuck off. - Your voice is softer... Oh what am I saying, you''re in your twenties, that can''t be. I hear his slippery steps making their way towards me. - Close the door, you dimwit, it''s cold as fuck! And don''t sit with me, pick another table. - If it makes you feel better... - Tsk, makes me feel better... The sound of rain diminishes. - I was looking for you... - Well I wasn''t. - ... It opened again. - ... What? - Just what I said, it opened. Again. - No... No no no no no... It can''t be... I''ve... I''ve finished the last floor... That''s impossible... Ethan is quiet, maybe he gave this issue as much thought as I am giving right now, but you''re the one who told me this, man, you must know about something. Open your goddamn mouth and speak! Why am I not saying anything either?! - I also thought it was impossible... But it''s true. There''s a new gate. - What, it''s just a new gate then! - No, you have to listen to me. I passed by it on my way here, the entrance looks exactly the same. - It''s just the entrance! - Alex, it''s true, you have to trust me. - Even if it''s the one, so what? What do you expect me to do? To go back there again? Are you out of your mind? I hope this is a nightmare. This is a nightmare. It has to be. Disappear Ethan, say something strange, make me doubt it''s you. Tell me this is not happening. - ... I don''t know what happened down there, Al, and seeing you like this, I''m glad I don''t... But there is no one else I can go to. A month from now, many people will go there to explore, you think any of them is prepared? My book can help them, but I just wrote what I''ve heard from you... Only you know what it really is like... - ...Is someone you know going down? - I don''t know what you''re talking abo- - You''re avoiding the question, Ethan... - ... My son and daughter. They dreamt of being adventurers since they were little, haha, and they graduated from the academy just recently. But they''ve been assigned to that gate... Heh, so that''s what''s going on. I close my eyes, I close them and think of how bad that ale tasted like, and I find it funny. The worst drink of my life. - Leave me alone... - Al... - Get out... I hear his steps again, he opens the door but the rain doesn''t disturb me as much anymore. It has been some time since I''ve felt so clear headed, and I blame it on Ethan. There are drops of water hitting the floor, he must be soaked too, and his constitution isn''t very good. What was the distance from here to his home? I can''t remember, maybe he moved to another place... You were desperate, weren''t you, Ethan? You still are... - I may have my reasons, Al, but all I askof you is... To consider it. - Get. Out. - ... Alright. Bye, Al. The door shuts. Silence. You have a way with your words, Ethan. That''s why we told you to record our journey. It was a way to get you to quit. You had a wife and kids, thinking about it you were the oldest by a large margin, I and the others were all young shitty bastards looking for riches and fame. And now your wife is dead and your kids go around risking their lives, just like we did back then. Hehe, life sucks, eh? The door opens. - You should go now, Alex. - Listening on other people''s talk? Not like you. - I''m not going to sit here and watch as you destroy yourself. I stay silent for a while, thinking on what she said. I stare at the bottom of the mug, it''s empty. Just like me. - Sheyla, darling, care to get that dry towel for me? She sighs. - So you''re staying. I lift my head and give myself a good, hard slap. - No, I''m going. When I return, I want that door and sign both fixed. - Haha, okay, Alex, okay, I''ll do it. She fidgets, afraid, and I''m thankful that it''s not of me, though I don''t know the reason why. - When... Are you coming back? I pick my coat, I guess it doesn''t matter how soaked it is, and throw some golden coins at the table. - I''d like to know that too. Chapter 2: Born in Raven Sleep. I forgot the meaning of this word, but Ethan said that to me before closing his eyes some time ago. He seems alright. Doesn''t know the deserts as I do, people ain''t very nice back home. Nice people die early. Wood rolling on dust, hooves clasping on earth. I like the rhythm of travel. Everything seems still when I''m moving. and I like it when it''s morning and the sun blinds my eyes, we from Raven prefer the light, though we make a living in the shadows. I slap Ethan''s face to wake him. Not so hard, don''t wanna leave a mark for his kids to see, but he''s sure to be annoyed now, I would be if he did the same to me. The catch is that I can do it while he can''t, and that''s good enough reason for me to slap him. Feels like that''s how things should be, the relationship between the strong and the weak as dictated by good ol'' nature. The moment Ethan looked me in the eyes confused and decided to say nothing, I got proof of his weakness. If he was strong, he would find a way to get back at me, it''s what I would do in his place. If he was strong, he wouldn''t need me anyway. Weak ask for protection. That''s all they can do. - Morning, little Ethan. - Morning Runeville... The carriage stops, we''re finally there. I drop out from the back, so damn good to step on flat rock again, the road''s been cleared too, didn''t pay attention before. Those guys did a good job in this junkyard. Gates are still rusted but the walls are intact. - Take care of your papers, I''m going in. I go to the guards and leave Ethan to his own devices. A Ravenborn has no need for papers here. We''re special, in a way. I take off my hood and give a clear view of my left eye. - Oh, a local. We''re seeing fewer of you each passing day, doesn''t help much that your people are all thieves and murderers, hehe. - Jones, that was rude! - What, you sayin'' I''m wrong? Or maybe you don''t know how they''ve got the marks. - That... Has nothing to do with this. - Alright, lemme tell you how it works. Every Ravenborn has a golden body part that shows a number. It starts from zero and it keeps going up. What is it for? - I don¡¯t know... Age maybe? - Does he look like age X to you? It¡¯s a count for bad things they did. I¡¯m not sure how it works with letters, but that¡¯s what happens when it gets too big to account for. Before you is first class scum. I stare at this Jones. He is quite cocky for a weakling, but it''s always nice to hear they didn¡¯t forget about us. If they had lived in our world before the gates appeared, they would¡¯ve known better. They have yet to understand the true value of this gift. - Cool story, bro, now open up, you¡¯ve said enough. Jones and his little mate exchange a look, and oh I know that look, I¡¯ve seen it countless times. They¡¯re not gonna let me pass, how cute. - Sorry, we¡¯ve got enough problems in the city already, turn around and start walking, unless you wanna chat with us in the prison. I look at the other guy. - So, you not gonna follow the rules? - I... I agree with him. - What a pity. It was a cool story, I liked it, really, but now you must ¨C - Stop! Oh, Ethan, here we go again. I hope you finish your good deed of the day before I run out of patience.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He rushes to the guards and starts to whisper. He knows I don¡¯t like secrets between friends, what he doesn¡¯t know is there¡¯s no secret he can hide from me. - Don¡¯t be foolish, apologize and let him go. You¡¯re dealing with more than you can handle. - What the fuck are you- - Shh! The guild has a peace treaty with the citizens, so long as both keep their customs to themselves they can collaborate on a few tasks, that balance is far from perfect but blocking a local¡¯s passage to Raven signifies that the guild has complete control over the city, meaning that Ravenborns are weaker than you and must comply. If you don¡¯t want a group of backstabbing, battle-crazed and power-hungry psychos going wild inside the walls, I advise you to let him go. The two guards gulp down their saliva and give me passage. I¡¯ve said it once, but I¡¯ll say it again: Ethan has a way with his words. There was some truth to what he said, but he covered up the big and most important part, which was I could kill them right now and nothing would happen to me here, the leaders of the guild wouldn¡¯t bat an eye. - Good job Ethan, now you can feel good about yourself. Since the show is over, I¡¯ll see you later. - Haha, of course, Runeville... I strode past the duo of apes as they open the doors. The screech is unpleasant, but bad things turn into good things here, something in my blood just makes it so I can¡¯t dislike this place, though at the same time I don¡¯t wanna be here. I guess it¡¯s in our nature to leave eventually, but we¡¯ll always like it home. Inside the city is noisy, too many people, it wasn¡¯t like that before. Before, the guild was located outside because they couldn¡¯t afford control over the gates, and no way in hell would merchant caravans pass by Raven. They had to keep constant watch for the threat on the walls. It seems to me they¡¯ve achieved their goal, I can¡¯t see anyone with a number. Most of us have it on their left eye, over time it proved to be the most effective in this mixed reality we¡¯re living in, but the others ain¡¯t bad either, especially those with numbers on their palms or forehead, they¡¯re probably the only ones who can contest with me. The city is divided, but I don¡¯t think it will last. They¡¯re way too different from us. It¡¯s easy to navigate this place, signaling is always present. I¡¯m supposed to meet Ethan¡¯s kids at the first area, which is exactly where I am. The establishments set into this place initially were inns, and they¡¯re still very popular because of cost and location. They must be in one of these spots. I visit a few places until I find something that fits the description Ethan gave me of their caravan. It wasn¡¯t hard, the guild offers many benefits to guys out to explore new gates, which comes with a lot of fanfare. Place is old, I see some painting going off the wall, and it looks terribly messy, but it¡¯s moderately clean and it doesn¡¯t creak when I walk the stairway, very different from the Sleeping Beauty¡­ Hope that bitch fixes those things, can¡¯t even walk stairs anymore without thinking of how much time is left until her place goes down. Kinda suspicious, no one held me at the entrance, barged in without saying anything, but they can¡¯t actually hurt me, so I¡¯m okay with this. Second floor now. Ethan¡¯s kids should be in room 208, the signs are painted on the doors and some of them can''t be recognized anymore, but it should be right about¡­ Here. I¡¯m about to knock at their door, but they do the job for me. Ethan¡¯s boy looks exactly like him, dull, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s got his father¡¯s lips for trouble. - Uhh, hello? I stare at him. - Yo, what¡¯s up, where your sis? Someone else comes out of the room, a young woman, that should be her. - Who are you talking to? I blink twice. I think I remember that person, she shouldn¡¯t be here. Agh, my head hurts like hell. I put my hands on it and try to lessen the pain, but the sounds keep flowing in my brain. - Are you okay? Her voice, I¡¯ve heard it before elsewhere. Damn it, why can¡¯t I remember? Nah, if I don¡¯t then it''s better it stays here, buried with many others. I wave off the pain, I try to do it, it lessens a little but it¡¯s still here, and that boy is ugly like Ethan but not by that much, they don¡¯t have a lot in common, he doesn¡¯t even look like his father, actually he¡¯s not even human, he¡¯s just a pink beige blurred thingy and the girl is still there looking at me as if everything is fine and dandy. It¡¯s all blurred and now my eyes hurt. Everything is black. Everything is gone. Everything is dead. And I¡¯m still in pain. Fuck, feels like I¡¯m drunk to the clouds, and I don¡¯t remember what happened after I¡¯ve left Sheyla that night. What is happening now I can¡¯t imagine. Then all goes back to normal and I understand that I understood shit. - Runeville? - Damn, Ethan, you¡¯re quick. Were they scared of you, too? - No¡­ You¡¯ve been standing there for a few minutes; Sarah and Nathan didn¡¯t know what to do and led you inside the infirmary with help from the attendants¡­ I take a look at the place. Walls should be white, but they''re yellow from dirt, guess this place wasn''t used in a long time. Heh, what infirmary, this is just a random room they must''ve used once. - How many minutes? - About twenty¡­ Shit, twenty minutes... At least they haven''t put anything on me, bastards shouldn''t even know the color of blood. Gotta know what happened back there, mess up again and I''m not waking up anymore. - Fuck¡­ Whatever then, when are we gonna meet the guys? - Tomorrow. We got here sooner than I expected¡­ Ethan fidgets awkwardly. Oh I get it, you didn¡¯t tell them beforehand. - Hey, is that guy really going to help us? He seems to be out of it. - Now wait a moment, sis. We didn¡¯t train hard so that dad could send a nobody he found on the streets to monitor us. - Shut up, you two! Oh wow, Ethan, you so afraid of me? It¡¯s kinda funny, even though I don¡¯t do my friends any harm. - I know, I know, it looks like I don¡¯t trust you¡­ But this gate you¡¯re going into, it is very dangerous. Remember my book? Though most of it I¡¯ve changed for the plot, the dangers I¡¯ve portrayed, they¡¯re close to what you¡¯ll face, and that¡¯s because that gate really existed¡­ And it is much similar to the one you¡¯ll venture into. And unlike my story, not everyone gets out alive. - Then, those who made it through¡­ - ¡­ He¡¯s the sole survivor, Sarah. Chapter 3: Night before the raid Nights in Raven used to be quiet, in an eery way, now it''s the same thing as every other city. Not bad in my opinion, I get to enjoy some drinks, and people know better than to mess with strangers. Pretty run down tavern, this one, but it''s good to taste some Scorpion''s Tail again. No one else but us can appreciate this bitter scorching drink. It''s heavily concentrated, and for the pussies of the guild it''s poison pretty much. To each their own, I guess. I fill another small glass and down it in one gulp. Damn, I love it. - Been a while since I''ve seen a local, you''ve come to join the guild? I stare at the old man behind the counter. He''s polishing some bottles of liquor you could only find around here. - Nah, here to solve some issues. He takes out my glass and brings a whole fricking bottle of ST. I smile and play with it in my hands. Know what? I like this old man. - It''s near closing time, there''s only you and that girl hiding behind the door. You know her? I turn back to stare at the doors. I knew she was there the whole time, It''s just the habit of checking twice. - I do. - Come here, lass. It''s getting cold outside. Cold here is bearable, I find it kinda hot actually, but I don''t say anything. Don''t dislike her, maybe ''cause she''s Ethan''s kid. - Want something to drink? Don''t worry, it''s on the house. - Thanks... I don¡¯t drink. - Have some water then, people come here to drink something, whatever it is. - Alright... The man puts some water in a glass and pushes it towards her. We exchange looks for a moment, he knows I don¡¯t mind her overhearing. - You have the Gift of the Watcher, I see. Quite lucky. I chug down the liquid and savor it as it burns my insides. I feel like crying but I can¡¯t get enough of this bottled fire. I glance at the old man, he¡¯s drinking some other thing, don¡¯t remember the name since I don¡¯t fancy it, but it¡¯s sweeter than ST, though it also carries the tempting bitterness from the alcohol right at the spiky end. Flows easily, not a bad choice. - Your right eye... Gift of the Seer, not bad. - Yeah... Not as useful as in the days of old, but I still see bits of the future... That¡¯s not really what I wanted to talk about. - Oh? Then what is it you wanna talk? - I figured you came back after a long time... Things changed, and Ravenborns along with them. We don¡¯t need to kill, steal and betray anymore, we can use other things to get the numbers up. Now we¡¯re seeing a wider range of gifts, and most of them aren¡¯t golden. I stare at him with suspicion, don¡¯t get anything of what he¡¯s sayin''. - You tellin¡¯ me there are other colors? - You¡¯re young, you don¡¯t know much of the past since we don¡¯t talk about it frequently... The gift aids in our survival, it changes according to our needs, and currently, we¡¯re seeing fewer struggles for our lives, we¡¯re safe. The golden color is bestiality, it¡¯s mighty but unstable, and the way it powers up... It doesn¡¯t fit in with the current state of the world. - So the golden color is dying... Why does it matter? The old man takes the last sip of his drink before putting it down and cleaning the table. - It¡¯s dying but it¡¯s still there, like you and me. I¡¯m an old fool that¡¯s tired of living, all I want is to drink in peace and die alone. But you youngsters think nothing¡¯s changed, that life is still a desperate fight for survival... People adapt over time, but scars don¡¯t heal. They will always see us as a bunch of cruel bastards that kill without batting an eye. It¡¯s easy to go along with whatever you¡¯ve been doing before our worlds mingled, hard is swimming against the current.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I quickly drain the bottle and now that I think of it, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to get wasted on the night before going inside the gate, but I¡¯m listening to this guy and I can only move my head matching his words, like he¡¯s singing me some lullaby I¡¯ve not heard in the past and that I enjoy a bit ¡®cause I didn¡¯t have that in my childhood. And a piece of me is in that lullaby, but I¡¯m probably drunk and talking nonsense. - And why you tellin¡¯ me this? The man stays silent for a while, I look at my side, I forgot Sarah was there. Didn¡¯t know why I''ve let her be, but she¡¯s just a kid, can¡¯t do any harm. - Try not to blow it with the guild. Sure, they can¡¯t do much against us, but they can help us a lot, and it¡¯s not just your life at stake here. There¡¯s many of us working hard to earn their trust, don¡¯t ruin our efforts. Fuck... I¡¯m about to pass out... - Heheheheh... I¡¯m gonna sleep... For... A... Bit... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I watch Runeville talking to this mister, or rather listening to him, he¡¯s drinking that thing right out of the bottle, I can¡¯t understand why people enjoy shortening their lives like this... Well, at least dad drinks moderately. I wasn¡¯t sure about who was that person until father told me he was Randeville. Haha, that name is really fitting for his character, but Randeville from the book was a mystery. He didn¡¯t talk much and was usually off doing his own thing. The time he opened his mouth to say something was to convey that not one of the others were his friends, and to bother him not. Kayl was the most likeable character of the group, and he was a good leader, but when things didn¡¯t turn out as expected, and that happened many times, Randeville would always appear out of nowhere with some kind of master plan and save everyone from the jaws of death, only to disappear again without saying anything. Throughout the book, I thought he was just a character father made to guarantee the main group wouldn¡¯t die, his trump card, so to speak, but he said that Randeville was portrayed exactly as he appeared in front of him, and he didn¡¯t hide any of his moments, especially the tactics he employed and his conflictual relationship with the other members of the team. One of the few passages where Randeville talks to Entoan, the name father had given himself, and I feel humored that he portrayed Entoan as quite funny and strong-willed, although weak and with little contributions under his belt, he says ¡°you¡¯re a good man, Entoan, I don¡¯t dislike you. That¡¯s why you should get away from me¡±. What was the actual Runeville doing on times he went like smoke? I don¡¯t know, father has no idea either, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad man. Father says he¡¯s not the same after clearing the portal, and I find it impressive that he managed it, but I don¡¯t know how it was possible, because he never said anything... I might look into the guild¡¯s archives later. Bringing up the past... It should be painful. Runeville is now sound asleep. His face is a bit girlish, I giggle to myself, he looks much better like that, sleeping I mean, not passed out. Technically... He is passed out, but I think it counts... Maybe. - It¡¯s pretty late, I¡¯m closing the tavern now. Want some help carrying him out? I pick up Runeville, he¡¯s surprisingly light, but I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯ve gained some muscles back in the Academy, so I should be able to lift him easily. Regardless, I welcome the help, it is always appreciated. - Yup! The mister finishes cleaning the table and helps me lift him, but trips and falls. I catch him before he hurts himself. - Are you alright? He seems disoriented, or frightened, I¡¯m not sure, but his face is stiff as a rock. - Umm... Yes, I just had a vision... Didn¡¯t have one in a long time... I help the man onto a chair. Damn it I¡¯m so stupid... I forgot about Runeville. I check on Runeville hastily, thankfully he¡¯s not bruised anywhere, oh my God it scares me that he could¡¯ve hit his head and have a major problem. I¡¯m so exasperated, my heart is beating so fast... - Girl... Be careful around this man. I was not going to tell you this, not something we tell strangers... But this man is not someone fit for living with humans. - Huh? What do you mean? - Girl... Do you know why I have this symbol on my right eye? - Symbol? Isn¡¯t that because you did a lot of bad in your life? - Hehe, that¡¯s not wrong in my case, cough cough, but that¡¯s not it... A symbol means that I¡¯ve made a sacrifice to further enhance my gift... Mine is the tear, the betrayal of someone... Someone who had infinite trust in me... And that I also held dear. He grabs his chest, I can see his heart aches behind that robust body whittled down by time. So even Ravenborns experience regret... I feel like I¡¯ve misjudged them all this time... - But then, what does Runeville¡¯s symbol mean? - Runeville? Is his name Runeville? I remember this kid... He was the one who finished that portal... Now I know why he¡¯s got the cross slits... The man makes an ugly face. - Cross slits? So what did he do? He looks at me, I don¡¯t understand that look on his eyes, but when he stares at Runeville... I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve got a bad feeling just thinking about what¡¯s going on inside his head right now. - I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve spoken too much. When we get old... We forget that some things... Some things are better left unspoken... Forget what I¡¯ve said, just don¡¯t get too close with him. Here, I¡¯ll help you out. I walk with Runeville back to the inn, the lights of the houses are almost all out. I didn¡¯t push that mister for answers, I can¡¯t force him to speak if he doesn¡¯t want to, but I also can¡¯t forget what was said. I watch over Runeville, he looks so frail in this moonlit night, it doesn¡¯t strike me that he could bring me any harm, and I want to believe in that feeling, but at the same time, I worry... That father might be wrong and that bringing him with us could be a bad choice. I don¡¯t know, thankfully I¡¯m not the only one that gets to decide. We¡¯ll know it by tomorrow, for now, we should go back to sleep.