by Ren Ryder
I arrived at the ramshackle pub known as The Wasted Minstrel as these thoughts were going through my mind. The signpost hanging from the eaves needed a new coat of paint and lacquer, and the building’s once-bright coat of white paint was peeling off the wood. Even the roof was bowing in the middle, making it look as thought at any moment, the whole place might cave in on itself.
Walking up to the drinking establishment’s front door, I stepped sideways as it flung open in my face. Raucous cheering and laughter flooded out from inside as a pair of drunk patrons stumbled out into the street past me. The scent of alcohol mixed with sweat wafted out the door into my nostrils, and I grimaced.
I raised an eyebrow and caught the door with my foot as it started to swing shut. “Was this place always this popular?” I asked.
Bell made a face. “Pew, it stinks!”
Psyching myself up, I stepped inside the confines of the Wasted Minstrel, wondering just what had changed since I’d last visited. Standing beside the door, I leaned against the back wall and surveyed the crowd. Despite it being before noon, more than fifty people were drinking and carousing in the bar.
Servers weaved through patrons standing around high tables while carrying multiple pitchers of frothy ale, dodging grabby hands and setting their burdens down in front of thirsty customers. I didn’t see food on any of the tables besides little dishes of nuts and chips, so the kitchen was either under construction or they no longer offered those menu items.
“I forgot how stinky humans are. Don’t these people ever bathe?” Bell asked, pinching her nose shut. “Let’s find that old guy and get out of here."
It did smell rank, but that was to be expected with so many people packed like sardines into the small space. People were huddling together for protection like animals huddling in a cave to hide from a storm. Maybe they didn’t know the true dangers that roamed the streets at night, but these people understood there was safety in numbers.
Making my way over to the bar while keeping to the edge of the room, I stepped over a passed out drunkard lying on the floor. Someone dropped a glass and the whole place broke out into laughter, condemning a small man with butterfingers as he tried to clean up his mess with clumsy hands.
I grabbed the only open seat at the right corner of the bar, settling down on the bar stool while shrinking away from the huge lumberjack-looking guy beside me.
He belched my way in greeting when he saw me. “Welcome, friend. Are you new here? Ya have a familiar face, but I can’t seem to place it.” The man screwed up his face in thought, tapping his long fingernails on the table.
Bell’s tinkling laughter competed with the din of the merry crowd. “You’re way too recognizable for your own good, Kal.”
A nervous tingle raced up and down my spine. “I’m just passing through,” I said, trying to keep conversation to a minimum.
“Well, alright, no need to be such a prickly queen. If ya didn’t want to talk, ya could’ve said so. Just because ya got a pretty face don't mean you get a free pass.”
I blinked.
Did I just get mistaken for a girl?
Bell laughed up a storm at my expense. “He— he thinks you’re a woman! He’s hitting on you!”
I spoke out one side of my mouth so no one else would hear when I said, “Yes, very funny.”
Bell giggled. “Awh, don’t be like that Kal, you’re vewy cute~”
Notwithstanding my mistaken gender, Bell was right. With my golden eyes and white-white hair and complexion, I was a little too recognizable for my own good. Maybe I needed to think about a disguise, dye my hair or something.
“Did you hear about what happened down at the Grand Library?”
My ears perked up.
“Imperial guard’s got the whole block cordoned off.”
“I heard there was a gas explosion.”
“Naw, you don’t believe that rubbish, do you? That’s just the line they peddle to us common folk to keep us from panicking.”
“If you listen to word on the street, there’s… rumors, rumors mind you— that monsters are prowling the city at night, gobbling up victims. That’s why we’ve got this blasted curfew and gotta get our drinking in during the day.”
Someone scoffed. “Yeah right, monsters eating people. You know I just saw a flock of flying pigs pass by yesterday.”
Bell jumped up and down on the bar in excitement, pointing out the gossipers. “Hey, hey Kal, did you hear that?!”
I knuckled my forehead, whispering, “I heard Bell, now can you put a sock in it? I know they can’t see you, but we’re trying to keep a low profile here.”
I leaned over the bar and waved down the nearest bartender. There were two at the bar alone, not to mention all the serving staff carrying drinks to and fro like graceful ballerinas on a dance floor. Neither of the bartenders were Rex, though, so I had to hope he was around somewhere.
“Excuse me, can I get some help over here?” I projected my voice over the din.
I managed to flag a middle-aged bald bartender down with my antics. He stepped quick over to where I was seated, then stood across from me with an expectant look. “Well, what’ll you have? Ale, beer? We got local varieties on tap if ya want the list.”
I cut my hand across my neck. “I’m not thirsty. Actually, I wanted to talk to somebody.”
The bartender gave me an evil look. “Can’t you see we’re busy here? I don’t have time to chit-chat. So are you gonna order something or not?”
Even if I wanted to humor the guy, I had no way to pay for anything.
“I don’t… I don’t have any money,” I admitted, sucking in a breath through my teeth.
The bartender squinted at me like he couldn’t believe the words that came out of my mouth. “What, no coin? What’re you even doing here if you ain’t got no way to pay?”
I placed my hands flat on the table. “Look, I know the owner, Rex. He’ll want to see me. Is he here?”
On reflex, the bartender picked up soiled mugs and started cleaning them as he talked. “Rex? How you know Rex? What’s your name, kid?”
I rushed to take advantage of his sudden interest in conversation. “My name’s Kal. Rex and I go way back, and I knew his son, Thorn. I wanted to ask him about how some kids are doing I sent to him for help. So, can I see him?”
The bartender looked me up and down with new interest. Whatever he was looking for in me, he didn’t seem to find it, because he turned his head away and snickered. “So you’re the one eh. Don’t look like much, do ya? Well anyhow, you’re in luck, cuz that old codger told me to keep an eye out for you,” the bartender said, pulling out a small parcel hidden in a space under the bar. “He doesn’t come around no more, but he told me to give you this, so take it and scram. The Wasted Minstrel serves paying customers, we don’t got room for freeloaders.”
I took custody of the small parcel the bartender extended to me, wondering what could be inside. After his clear dismissal, the bartender moved down the aisle to serve another patron.
“That guy was awful rude, don’t you think?” Bell asked.
I shrugged. “He’s paid to serve drinks, not to stroke my ego.”
Bell made a look of clear distaste. “Is that how it is?”
Not bothering to examine what it was I had in my hands, I stood and shoved the stool back under the bar with my foot. Stepping quick, I squeezed through gaps in the crowded space until I reached the doorway. With a sigh of relief, I opened the door with my unoccupied hand and stepped out into the blessed open spaces of the Lower Quarter.
Bell flew along beside me, looking underwhelmed. “What, that’s it? I thought we weren’t leaving until we saw the old guy?”
I shrugged. “That’s it. We got all we could get, you heard the bartender— Rex isn’t here, and he doesn’t stop by anymore either. If I kept pushing he would’ve just thrown me out. Best bet we have for finding him is this,” I drummed my fingers against the small parcel tucked against my chest.
&n
bsp; Somebody knocked into me from behind, and I stumbled forward a few steps with hands outstretched, trying to regain my balance. A street urchin took the opportunity to swipe the parcel from my hands with nimble fingers, peeling it out of my grasp. The thief dashed off down the street without losing a beat.
“Bell!”
“Oh I’ll catch ‘em,” Bell promised, then shot off in hot pursuit.
Wanting to scream, I stopped myself from yelling and drawing further attention to myself. Tamping down on my roiling anger, I raced after the thief.
Chapter Five
My sword’s sheathe banged against my leg as I pelted pell mell down the street, drawing many eyes as I did so. After my stint in the Otherworld, my body had undergone quite the metamorphosis. Even without my mana skin reinforcing me I felt stronger and more agile than ever. There was no way a human could outrun me in a footrace, and I was right on their tail.
Or so I thought, before I was chasing the thief down a series of narrowing alleyways that had me all out of sorts. If it weren’t for Bell flying ahead and thereby keeping me on track, I’m certain I would’ve lost the trail.
Then we reached a dead end.
“Kal, look, I did it, I’ve got him!” Bell told me with a triumphant grin.
“Yeah, great job Bell. Couldn’t have done it without you.”
Bell beamed. “That’s right~ and don’t you forget it!”
“Okay, you’ve gone far enough. Time to give it up,” I said to the thief’s back, holding my hand out in expectation of my parcel’s return.
“Who are you talking to? Freak,” the little thief turned around, giving me my first good look at him.
The thief couldn’t have been older than in their mid-teens. They had just reached puberty, and it showed in the boy’s rail-thin body. Despite all that he had a wiry strength to him that made me believe his legs could carry him fast enough to dodge my pursuit like he did. He had a hard look in his eyes that spoke to a bitter past.
I tapped the heel of my hand against the pommel of my sword. “Look, I don’t have time for this. Give that back before I come over there and take it,” I said, letting a bit of the anger I felt come out in my voice.
The thief laughed. “Pfft, what’re you carrying one of those for? They’re illegal, plus a gun would be better than that. Unless, are you The Watch?”
“No, I’m not The Watch,” I said. “What’s your name, kid?”
“I’m not a kid!” Chase denied, sounding like a little kid. “And my name’s Chase!” Chase puffed out his chest and stood up to his full height, which wasn’t saying much.
I had Chase cornered at the end of a short alleyway, pinned in on three sides by the high backs of three buildings. There were no windows to escape through, not even gutters or a pipe to climb up for escape. Why was the boy acting so high and mighty in this situation?
“That parcel was left for me by someone I know, and it might be my only way to find them. I need it back,” I said, taking a few steps forward to further corner the thief.
Chase seemed to think a moment before he stuffed the parcel under one of his armpits and said, “No. I need it, you can’t have it.”
I got frustrated. “How could you possibly—”
A shrill voice cut me off from above. “Drop your weapon and put your hands in the air. Slowly,” the voice commanded.
I looked up to find the situation turned on its head. A scruffy gang of dirty-looking teenage boys numbering… sixteen, were arrayed across the rooftops of the buildings above. Some held slings, others stones, while the gang leader and two of his henchmen held miniature crossbows. From their vantage point with the high ground, the boys could rain fire down on the alley without fear of retaliation.
All around a pretty well-planned shtick. Too bad for them though, they picked me today.
I grimaced. “You don’t want to do this.”
Chase shook his head. “No, I do! You wouldn’t understand. I need this, and I have a hard time caring about some crazy drunkard coming out of a bar in the middle of the day. What, gotta get home to beat on your family some more?”
I thought to respond, but I clacked my mouth shut. We were talking past each other.
The scruffy, dirt-clad leader with black hair and onyx eyes spoke down on us. “Chase, you did good. Welcome to the gang.”
Chase hopped up and down with excitement. “I’m in?! Thanks Blake! You won’t regret this!”
“Hey, no names! Are you stupid?” Blake hissed.
“Yeah, no names!” a few gang members echoed.
Somebody tossed a rope down the side of the building, and one end of the coiled fibers uncurled to drop beside Chase. Glancing at me, he stuffed the parcel down his pants and then climbed up the rope like a monkey. It took him all of a few seconds to climb the three-story height and pull himself over the edge on top of the building.
“Leave all your valuables on the ground if you want to leave this alley without staining it with your blood,” Blake directed me. “Your coin purse, too.”
I unbuckled my sword belt and placed it on the ground along with my pilfered wand. “I don’t have any money,” I called up to him.
I was having to admit that more often than I’d like.
“Pfft! He’s broke!”
“You picked a dud, Chase!”
“Hey, what did I say!” Blake hissed.
“Sorry boss,” the boy who misspoke apologized.
“Yeah, do what the boss says!”
“Take off all your clothes, too!” a gang member chortled.
These boys were either playing at criminals or on their way to becoming them. Chase peered down nervously at me from the rooftops above.
I stretched my back to one side then the other, then cracked my neck. “If you play adult games, you’re going to get hurt. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Oooh, scary,” one boy said.
“He’s going to get us, boys!” another laughed.
Bell winged to my side. “Why aren’t you doing anything?”
“Oh, I will,” I said.
“Will what? Who do you think you're talking to, weirdo?” Blake asked.
I heard ripping and tearing from above, and that was my cue. “Hey, look at this! There’s a letter, but look— there’s a sack of coin in here!”
“Woaahh! We’re rich!”
“Jackpot!”
“He said he was broke!”
“Liar!”
“Let me see that,” I heard Blake say.
I siphoned mana off my source and funneled it through my mana channels. Another sip of power I fed into a thin skin of mana, most of which was captured by my aura before it dispersed. Strength flooded my limbs as the magical reinforcement took hold.
Then, while the gang was distracted, I leapt at the retaining wall nearest me, then pushed off again, leaping for the sky. I rose above the height of the nearby buildings as I reached the top of my arcing jump, then fell back towards the rooftops with the calm composure of the battle-tested.
Some of the more alert members of the gang started pointing and screaming in alarm.
I landed amongst them. With casual movements, I stepped in range and flicked a boy on the forehead. He fell in a heap, knocked out. Moving fluidly, I flowed through the six boys on the rooftop I’d landed on, taking them out with minimal power. They fell like pins at a bowling alley.
“He’s some kind of monster!”
I wasn’t trying to maim or kill the boys, just teach them a lesson. One I hoped they wouldn’t soon forget.
Only a few seconds had passed by the time I’d taken out almost half the gang’s number. A palpable tension filled the air.
“Get him! Take him down!” Blake ordered.
Boys started throwing rocks at me, and others started swinging their slings, preparing to throw. Blake and his two favored cronies pointed the business end of their crossbows at me and loosed.
I leapt over the rain of fire with a short leap, then landed right
beside Blake and his buddies. Moving too fast for them to react, I took their crossbows from them and ripped them apart with my bare hands. Then I smacked all three of them upside the head, soft blows but ones that would leave a mark.
The remaining members of the gang, seeing their leader downed with such ease, scattered like rats. They dropped their weapons and escaped across the rooftops without a backward glance, fear driving them to the farthest reaches of their endurance to get away.
Chase was huddled in on himself, holding the remains of my parcel, including the sack of coins and the letter that was inside. I walked up to him and crouched down beside him, feeling pity well up in me for the kid.
“Whatever it was you hoped to accomplish by doing all this, I’d suggest you find a better way. You’re not going to gain anything going down this road, and you have much more to lose besides your life,” I told the downtrodden boy.
“What would you know, when you're the kind of crazy monster that can do all that!”
I sighed.
Bell alighted on my good shoulder. “Kal isn’t a monster! Bleh!” she stuck out her tongue at the boy.
“He can’t hear you, remember?” I reminded my sylph companion.
“I don’t care! It makes me feel better,” Bell insisted.
“Who’re you talking to?!” Chase asked.
“My sylph familiar, if you must know,” I told him.
“I don’t believe you! Faeries aren’t even real!”
I shrugged. “You asked.”
“You’re just crazy! This is all crazy!” Chase yelled himself hoarse.
“Hang on, give me a second— don’t move,” I told the boy.
“As if I could get away,” Chase scoffed, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.