Chapter 9: A Companion
𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙮
A choir of curses echoed in the hub while the platinum haired guy continued to ignore them. Some even slammed their mugs on the table.
"Another noble brat huh?" Baelnor grumbled, a frown plastered on his face.
"It is of honor for us to receive you Young Lord of Wykes," the receptionist welcomed him politely.
"Wykes? That just sounds weird," my remark evoked stares from everyone as if I had lost it.
Glaring at me, the brat said, "It doesn't seem like the others are quite honored to receive me. Specifically a certain young girl."
Each remark of his annoyed me, I could feel a vein popping up in my head.
"Huh? Anything you wanna say shitface?" I replied, gritting my teeth.
Surprised by both my sharp voice, he spoke, "Shut up you little shit, your very presence creeps me out you damned sissy."
"Oh please, at least I ain't roaming around with shit in my mouth. 'Someone seems unpleased' bitch come up with a better line when acting as a shit ass noble brat, and please don't reply with a generic line such as 'Courting Death' now."
Everyone's mouth gaped open as they tried to understand what just happened.
"The hell did you say you darned Silk Goblin?"
"Oh shut up Zapdos, just because your parents neglected you doesn't mean you get to rock around high and proudly."
With wide open eyes and gritted teeth, the brat replied, "To hell with complications, today you are dying by my hand you damned light zombie."
Lightning crackled in his hands, his eyes gleaming in a color of bright yellow. Just as he was about to throw a spell, my arm hoisted forward.
Yellow particles vibrated close and diverged outwards.
"Divergence," I chanted. A great force of gravity sweeped over both the brat and his spell as he landed outside the guild.
My legs moved forward, spells of wind and flames danced on my fingertips, each fueling the other.
The brat sat up, his eyes holding a sort of fear and a weird sense of awe in them. My brows wrinkled at his bizarre reaction. He neither counterattacked nor did he say anything.
He just sat down like that and continued staring at me. After a small pause, I asked, "Did that spell take away a portion of your brain cell or something?"
"Huh?" He replied back. Staring at his face, I once again regained my irritation as I wanted to punch him real hard.
"Okay kids, now stop fighting. We don't want any of you injured here," the receptionist said while picking both me and the brat up.
A tired sigh escaped his mouth as he threw the both of us towards Baelnor. Catching us, he made us settle on the table, Baelnor sat between the two of us.
"So, why did the two of you start fighting again?" He asked.
"This guy dared to call me a girl," I replied.
"This twerp called me by a weird name," the brat replied back.
"You called me by a beast's name twice."
He paused, with a slight frown his head shifted to the right. Baelnor continued to talk sensibly to him while the brat ignored it all.
With feigned interest, I listened to them. My thoughts continued to wander as my mind drifted elsewhere. Even with such a clamor in the place, I felt distant, as if I didn't belong here.
"A Conjurer and an Augmenter, people usually befriend each other to create a balanced team meanwhile we have you two here. I hope you do know that both of you can become really good companions?" Baelnor said, and with his remark all of the memories I tried to keep hidden resurfaced.
Companion, a word that left a bitter taste in my mouth. Gritting my teeth, I tried to shake the sour memories away.
Staring at me, the brat frowned, "The hell is up with that look on your face?"
"What look?" I asked back grimly as his brows wrinkled.
"Anyways, time for the introduction which the two of you oh-so eloquently ignored. This one here is Bairon Wykes, the eldest born of the Duke Wykes," Baelnor said while pointing at the brat.
"And here is Grey, the guy who is as grim as a zombie," Baelnor said while pointing at me.
"Who's a zombie?" I growled, my brows raised upwards.
"Anyways, ignoring that, how about the two of you-"
Baelnor was interrupted as the door slammed open. "Stampede, a stampede has been let loose."
With that the entire place went into chaos. Fear and worry plastered on everyone's face as they hurried to escape.
Like a memory coming into realization, the ground shook, the earth rumbled.
Looking out from the window, a horde of mana beasts could be seen from a distance. Clouds of dust and debris flew in tandem to each of their steps.
"...Is that a stampede?" Bairon asked, "It looks milder than what I used to hear."
"That's because it is milder than a normal one, but no one here is still powerful enough to tackle it," Baelnor answered.
Clicking his tongue, Barion picked me up and said, "This place sure is filled with cowards I see," kicking on the ground, Bairon leaped while I was still held hostage by him.
"Why am I being pulled into this? And where are we going?" I asked with an annoyed tone.
"Why?" Bairon repeated, "That's because I want to. Also, I think the two of us know where we are going to go."
A smirk was plastered on his face. Seeing that my eyes opened wide in horror as I realized what he was about to do.
Wrestling in his grasp, I struggled to get free, all to no avail.
With each passing second, the ever rising dust clouds came closer. In front of me were hundreds of beasts charging forward.
Soon, pillars of light rose, eradicating the frontline of the beasts. Just a bit ahead stood Knights equipped with armors and swords. With a loud battle cry they charged forward to fend off the stampede.
(E/n: Bring me Thanos!)
Edged blades pierced into the beats, sharp claws slashed the fine steel. Blood spewed out of wounds, bones broke, bent and finally got crushed to powders until the stampede. A stench of rotten and burnt flesh lingered in the air.
Bairon's nose wrinkled due to the foul stench, even I felt a bit disturbed by the sight. Although I had seen dozens of massacres, it still felt just as nauseating.
"Grey—Look out!" Bairon warned, a bear slashing its claws towards me.
With an exhausted sigh, I chanted, "Convergence."
A point in the bear's arm, earth mana coincided.
The arm of the bear along with the claws was flattened as a force of gravity continued to spread and pulverize its whole body.
Soon a wolf neared me as the horde of beasts parted their charge to give us space.
It was huge, its fangs protruding outside while its blood red eyes were fixed on me.
With a flick of my hand the silver divine staff materialized in my hand. Its surface being cold to the touch like always.
Cold wind brushed against my face, a chill going down my body, a sensation that proved that I was still alive. I hate this, this feeling, this sensation, everything.
Yet, why was I still struggling to stay alive? Maybe a part inside of me still hasn't given up, but I was sure of one thing. The memories of mine were going to haunt me at every step of mine.
Grasping the staff tightly with both of my arms, I pointed its tip towards the beast.
Mana hummed in a harmonious tone, my blood pulsated in tandem with the mana as flames took form. Blood red flames coalesced, forming a giant orb which shot forward engulfing the beasts and those behind it whole.
Retrieving the staff back in my ring, I let exhaustion take over me. My eyelids were barely kept open. Looking back I was met with Bairon's baffled stare. A chortle left my mouth as I felt a drape of darkness took over my vision.
𝘽𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙒𝙮𝙠𝙚𝙨
Hair that resembled silk brushed along the wind, thin pale arms that looked like it could break at any moment hoisted forward. A scene that almost resembles tales of olds.
Yet, even with such heroic traits, the look on the man in question was no less than a dead man's.
And now, lying on a makeshift bed, he looked almost peaceful, as if that fierce side of him which resembled the very image of strength didn't even exist at all
"So, this kid is a hero now huh?" The man named Baelnor said as he took a seat beside me.
In response, I simply nodded. With a dry chuckle the man continued, "I am pretty sure you have also noticed it right? That expression on the kid."
With a pause, I replied, "An expression that seemed completely unfitting of a child."
With a sharp laugh, Baelnor spoke, "So you do get it, I am almost scared that if left alone, this kid would die while overdoing himself. Want to hear a story while the maiden awakens?"
"Sure, I don't mind," I replied while Baelnor served himself another mug of beer as he continued, "There was once a girl, she was really adventurous you see. Not only was she a genius for general people, she was also quite efficient in fighting."
Baelnor continued to brag about the girl's abilities and how she rebelled against her father to join an adventurer party in quite a narrative that didn't suit any type of storytelling at all. "Of course, she visited her father every single month. And like that the father continued to wait for the day she would come back. A month passed by while the father thought that she might be busy, a second one went by as I thought she might have moved on from this place for the better until the third one hit. Her friends came with her body and the news of her death."
Balnor continued, not even bothering to keep his identity anonymous, "For days I wasn't able to keep my mind straight, the daughter who was my only ray of hope in this world. For months I kept on doing nothing but getting drunk in this bar."
"Let me tell you something, I might have somehow got up from that abyss but that kid—I can see the same eyes that I had back then on him," Baelnor's eyes were hidden by the bangs of his hair, but I could still see tears streaming down his eyes.
Those eyes, they were also familiar to me.
'Bairon.' Words that haunted me everytime. The words of the elf concubine of my father who treated me more warmly than anyone else.
"Life is harsh and cruel to everyone, but that doesn't mean the kids have to suffer," Baelnor grimaced.
"But what can we even do, Life is fair in being unfair to everyone you see," I replied grimly.
While our talking Grey's eyes opened wide, he shot out from his bed while panting. The two of us were left shocked by his sudden reaction.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked worriedly. Waving his hands, Grey said, "I am alright. Sorry for the bother."
There was the same expression again, the one which seemed as if he was bothered by living itself.
It annoyed me.
"Grey," I said, "I challenge you to a fight."
Staring at me deadpan, he replied, "No."
"Yes you are."
"Why should I?"
"Because otherwise I will make you accept by force," I replied while smiling.
Grey's eyelids twitched at my comment. Getting up from the bed he ran away. More like he tried to.
Grasping at his collar, I sneaked a lightning spell at him. Only for him to redirect it with an even stronger spell.
Getting up, I again fought with him.
I lost again, and I fought with him again. Like that the day turned to night, exhaustion seeming to take over the two of us.
"How about you stop following me now!?" Grey asked while yelling. The two of us were now heading towards the nearest town after bidding everyone there farewell.
"Nope, only when I defeat you!" With my reply I saw Grey's face grow paler,
'Listen to me Bairon, if you meet someone who you think you need to help, always do because in the end good deeds always come back in your rescue.'
Remembering my mentor's words, I moved forward, in hope that I might come to help at least one person.
Even if it was just to satisfy the selfish ego of mine.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone