"Wow, that... That smells really good..."
Klein grabbed his mug and took a look inside. He was a bit wary as the liquid inside was a bit darkish orange, maybe it was wine? Klein didn't mind either way, he was sure the innkeeper said it was 'one of the inn's finest drinks'.
"I'm a bit worried. I mean this drink is from- wha- hey!" Neil tried to protest but it was already too late, chugging down half of what was in the mug. "Klein you can't just dri-"
"Relax! It just tastes like orange juice... I could buy some of this from the market tomorrow, have some juice with your scrambled eggs and toast."
Not what I meant... Rubbing his forehead, Neil couldn't help but be stressed about this new predicament. You never know what's in this new world, especially after what had happened just after they arrived. Although, he was happy to find out that the 'demi-human' they brought back was going to be ok, with time being the only issue of the mage.
Neil and Klein had just found an inn and recently got some food and drinks. Much to the surprise of the inn-keeper when gold was put on the table, a few glances would be shot at the two in strange clothing, even after their arrival things were still a bit strange.
Whispers and murmurs were heard as soon as the brothers entered the small tavern, almost as if the village people all knew each other.
It was a little unnerving, they were the outliers right now.
Regulars, newcomers, most were staring as the brothers as they awkwardly walked inside to ask for a drink. Still wearing the same clothes they arrived in, it was hard not to stand out.
It wasn't enough to confront the two about it, but Neil hoped it wouldn't happen anytime soon.
"These guys are creepin' me out," Klein glanced around as he stretched his body, with people turning away as he was right. "-it's like they know that we know that we're not normal."
"To be fair, we're still wearing our normal clothes." Neil pointed to his hoodie and jeans, as his older brother could only agree. They'd have to change their outfits sooner or later.
Klein could see his brother's frustration , leaning forward and tapping his head to get his attention. He pushed the other mug to Neil hoping he would take a drink. "Here, take a sip. It might just help you destress."
"How can I? We've got no real home to call our own... "
"At least be glad we do have a place to stay." Klein smirked as his Neil took the mug from his hands.
Peering into the mug, he noticed how it was a more reddish-orange compared to the normal orange juice they'd drink at home. He took a sip, as the sour taste of fruit invaded his taste buds, causing the young man to flinch.
"What?" Klein asked, tilting his head in curiosity of Neil's reaction.
"It tastes sour..." His face was scrunched, barely holding his feelings towards the drink as Klein took another sip of his mug. Maybe Neil wasn't ready for the moderate stuff..
"So? Are you going to pay me? Or are we going to have a problem?"
It wasn't too long after she had finished using her medicinal potions and magic prowess to heal her. Now it would just take time until the demi-human recovers, leaving the brothers to deal with payment, she did do it for money after all.
Neil began to panic on the inside, realizing they just threw this girl onto her. How were we supposed to pay her? His questions were soon put to rest as Klein moved towards 'Florence' the alchemist, taking out his wallet and unzipping a side pocket.
Brows raised from both Neil and Florence as Klein began sifting through his wallet. A slight smile came from Klein when he found what he was looking for, tipping out almost every coin he had and putting it on the nearby table.
"I-I accept your offer, but this... This is way too much." Florence grew wide-eyed at Klein before checking the coins on the table, a bit hesitant at first before approaching them.
She didn't expect to be given so many gold coins, even if it were for the use of several potions. Florence stared back at the brothers, taking notice of Neil smiling and nodding for her to accept it. Staring back at the demi-human, who was resting quietly on the table with pillows and blankets, she began to think why they would give so much for the girl.
It was unexpected, as she went through each one seeing the coins. They really were from a different country, realizing the language and symbols were completely foreign from the ones she was familiar with.
But gold was still gold, and gold was rare in the town of Graela.
"Please do. You've done so much for us, helping her recover." Taking some from the table, he handed one to the alchemist with a smile, "From the bottom of our hearts, thank you..." Neil said, bowing slightly.
"O-Of course..." Florence being confused decided to do the same, thinking it must've been some sort of thing they did in their home country. "Well, uh... I'll gladly take it all as payment."
The potion-seller was starting to get flustered by their humongous tip, covering her coat over her face in slight embarrassment.
"Good move." Klein whispered, leaning into his younger brother. The latter nodded, the two turning their attention back to the alchemist before them.
"Is there anything else you two would like?" The lady said towards the two, prompting Neil to talk. They still needed to know where they landed.
"Could you tell us where we are exactly? We kinda got lost.." One minute they were in the library stopping some boy from doing weird occult things the next their falling from the atmosphere like an asteroid.
"You two must be new around here, judging by your..' Attire' …" Florence glanced down to their clothing, with Klein only shrugging at the comment.
"Y-yes, we came from one of the nearby villages... Though we never really got out much.." Klein said, making a weak excuse. Neil nodded, it's not like their real reason would be anymore believable.
Coming from another world? Like hell that'd be a good explanation... They still had so much more to do, as the brothers had already begun planning what to do next. A fake cough from the alchemist broke their silence.
"Living under a rock, sounds very suspicious. However, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You gave me so much after all." She said, the brothers had already given her enough. The brothers let out a quiet sigh, nodded in agreement. Taking note of the large pile that it had mustered up, Neil had wondered if their money was still valuable.
Since it's still technically 'gold' it should still work as a currency, at least he had hoped they would. A half-assed assumption on his part, but one that surprisingly worked.
Klein nudged Neil forward to the alchemist, and without a word began walking towards the door.
"-and where are you going?" Neil said, slowly getting up from his seat at the sight of his brother leaving. Florence watched as the young man named Klein shrugged, pointing outside before responding.
"I'm gonna go look around, maybe find a motel or inn we can stay in. Just stick by her until I get back." Putting on one of the hats on display and leaving a silver coin in its place, Klein had left the apothecary with Neil sighing as he was alone with the alchemist.
It would take some time before the demihuman would recover.
.......
"There you go, now then be steady on your feet-" The demihuman woke up in shock, causing Neil to come back to her. Her walking was swayed, even as she begun to take a few steps towards the brothers. Klein had already knelt in front of her, ready to catch the girl if she were to falter.
"Slow down kid, you'll tumble if you walk too fast. " Klein said, a hand already placed on her shoulder, only to be surprised as she moved away. The demihuman girl nodded in response, her expression distraught as the three watched her shuffles in-place. Klein tapped his brother's leg, queueing him in to talk with the girl as well.
"How do you feel?" Neil said, his hand gently pressing on her back as she wobbled in place. Her ears twitched, instinctively twisting her body away from the touch. She was clearly still shaken by something, as the demi-human finally gave a response.
"I... I don't know.." She said, refusing to meet any of their eyes. Continuing to stare beneath the wooden floorboards, Klein and Neil gave eachother a serious look.
She doesn't know? Neil thought to himself, while Klein was none the wiser. He was more confused by the fact that she would say that to him, especially since they had never met until that point a few minutes...Well, actually it was hours ago.
"Where's your family?" Klein felt a hand slap his chest, looking back to his younger brother who shook his head. Neil didn't like where this was going, he knew that was a dumb question judging by what they've seen so far. The line of tears were enough to give them an answer as to what happened.
Putting the dots together, Klein's heart sank as he realised what she had gone through.
Without a word, Klein stood up once again walking towards the door much to the surprise of his brother.
The demihuman, the alchemist and Neil's eyes trailed him as he stood by the entrance.
"So you were out there, all alone?" The girl nodded as she was turned away, the room growing even more quiet as Klein gripped the door handle. He felt his chest swell up inside, as he began to realise how bad it must've been for her. Those bruises all across her body, even along parts he would dare not mention to others.
So it's that kind of world... Klein thought, turning away from the others as he grit his teeth. Pieces of shit, he should've known a fantasy world like this wasn't going to be sunshine and rainbows. His first mistake was assuming everything would be handed to him on a silver platter.
Instead, he's got a former slave and his eccentric little brother.
"Stay with us." Klein said, turning around with his best attempt at a serious expression. This surprised Neil and the alchemist. Brows were raised, especially from Florence who had both risen to it's peak. Were they seriously going to take her in? Does he even know how to take care of her? Why? Florence watched how his brother quickly got up, about to say something.
The older brother gave him a glare, warning his little brother not to say a word.
Quietly complying with the expression, Neil was stopped in his tracks looking at his brother with widened eyes.
"Now I know you just met us, but from what I'm assuming you're all alone now... A little kid like you shouldn't have to suffer like this, no one should." Klein said, turning around and kneeling down. His face remained serious, reaching out a hand to the little girl whilst on one knee.
His words, actions, everything sounded so sincere to the child.
"I know what it's like to lose people important to you, so please... Join my brother and I, we'll do what we can to help you." Finishing his little speech, Klein remained in-place as his younger brother gave him a strange look.
A small whimper was heard from behind Neil, as he turned back to the demi-human. The girl looked like she was about to break down, tears starting to stream down from her face. Her eyes began to close as she blindly ran straight into his chest, gripping his shirt as soon they were flooded with tears. Weeping quietly, Klein used the chance to do the same, hugging her in a warm embrace.
"We'll help you, kid... That's a promise." Brushing his hand across her hair & ears, his heartbeat finally managed to slow down now that she was fine. A bit unsure if he was doing it right, Klein turned to his younger brother for some sort of signal. A thumbs up from Neil was all he needed to see, his head placed on the demihumans head as a form of comfort whilst he rubbed her head.
At least for now, the brothers would take care of this demi-human. Together, they were going to try and live out their lives here for now.
As they finished their embrace, Klein and Neil turned back to the alchemist with many questions. Asking her about any inns or hotels, they were told of a tavern which was just around the corner which would let them remain for awhile. A plus for giving the alchemist so much change was that they managed to get a favour from her. Picking up his phone, Klein turned back to the two with a grin, "Let's go."
Making their way upstairs at the corner of the inn, they made their way to the apartment they were staying in. A long hallway stretched in front of them, and they were staying in the door at the very end, much to their annoyance. Heading inside, Klein couldn't help but feel tired after entering the room seeing all the average furniture, all except one piece.
A queen-sized bed with blankets and pillows, just waiting for him to snuggle in and get some rest.
"We'll need to find a way back." Neil said, as Klein made his way towards the bed. His body stretched out onto it, as he was glad he could finally loosen up. Almost as if he was a bunch of rice, he wrapped himself like a sushi roll into the blanket.
"Obviously, but I'm pretty sure we need to focus on the little girl in our care." The demi-human girl was currently staying with the alchemist, as 'Florence' told us that she could take care of her while we were settling into the inn. Klein had wished she would be nice enough to let the demi-human remain with her until they were stable enough to house three, but Neil brushed off the idea.
She sent the brothers off while beginning to pack coins she didn't want, the demi-human girl remained with Florence for the time being. Klein wasn't too worried by the alchemist, she healed her, even removed the slave seal that rested on the poor girl's chest. A demihuman, the first they had ever seen with their very own eyes.
Not that it mattered, she was still a child, and one that he had decided to take care of despite their problems.
At that moment Klein realised something about their new adopted child, did they even ask her name?
Ah shit...
"Honestly Klein, I'm glad we even got help from her in the first place... If not, then... " Neil moved to the chair that sat in the middle of the room, facing an empty wall as he let himself droop onto the seat.
A long exhale echoed throughout the room, followed by a wheeze from his brother. It almost sounded like a chuckle, with Neil's somber mood quickly shifting.
"You're not taking this seriously."
Neil glared at Klein, his voice noticeably louder in tone.
"Of course I'm taking this seriously, I'm just... Very tired..." Yawning loudly, Klein turned away from Neil as his eyes closed. He wasn't too keen on chatting, prefering to sleep as much as possible before they think on what to do next.
"Klein, do you think we'll ever find a way back?" Neil said, looking down at his hands with unsuredness. He wouldn't lie, this fantasy world was already seeming pretty bad. He had hoped they would have some sort of special ability, something that could help provide for the both of them.
But it wasn't just that, it was also their home-world.
Would you even understand, Klein? They still had their family & friends back at home, and it'd only be a matter of time before they discover what's happened to them. Unless there was some sort of reality warping force keeping them in place, time would move forward on both fronts. Neil was starting to get paranoid, feeling a bit nauseous just thinking about it.
Remembering the night they came here, an unstable vortex in the middle of a library. It worried him to think about what had happened to that boy, taking note of a glowing symbol on the boy's hand. Regret began to set in for Neil, staring off into space as his thoughts began to grow darker. Maybe it would've been better if he had merely stood by and let things play out for itself.
Wow, he's really fucked right now... His distress didn't go unnoticed, as Klein had already turned back to see his little bro in the sad state. Letting out a quiet sigh, he unwrapped himself, moving to sit beside his brother in an effort to comfort him. "It's ok Neil, just don't think too hard about it-"
"Don't think too hard?! Klein we've got nothing here! NOTHING." Snapping back at Klein who watched him tense, Neil realized his outburst as his face shifted into one of regret. Resting his hands on his head, Neil fell back onto the couch, his expression now feeling tired.
"I...I'm sorry... I'm just worried... It's just I know that- that were here but.. But I..."
Klein hid his worried expression well, but a sudden spike of rage like that wasn't going to help them. He had to calm his brother down, comfort him, it would be the best way to help him right now. Moving closer to his brother, he put his hand on his shoulder. "...Neil, I know how you feel."
Neil looked back at Klein, seeing his plain expression remain, yet his voice sounded sincere compared to his deep gruffly voice he usually speaks in. A bit unsure of what to do, Neil moved aside to let Klein sit beside him on the couch. "I hate this place already, what I'd do to just fly up back into that portal and throw the other guy in here. But it's not just about us anymore."
Klein pointed out the window next to the bed, "Remember the demihuman? We both took her in and gave her a home, I dunno about you but I'm not about to abandon that little girl yet."
"Listen Neil, I know we have people we care about waiting on the other side. But don't forget that the little girl we just took in, is now a part of ours." Klein said, pointing between the two of them. Neil sat there, taking it all in as Klein kept reassuring him about everything. It started to calm Neil down as his brother rambled on, showing no signs of stopping as he rolled his eyes.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure you could've handled things no sweat. Even if you fell into this world on your own." Despite this situation they've brought upon themselves, they had each other. Not only that, but a demi-human they'll be there for. "Just one step at a time bro, we'll get through your fantasy together."
After a few seconds of silence, a nod from Neil was enough for him. Klein smiled, patting his brother's shoulder before walking back to the door.
"The kid is still at the apothecary so we gotta go pick her up. We're gonna need to get her some new clothes too, I don't want her looking like that anymore." With his thoughts spoken Klein left the apartment, leaving Neil to ponder about his brother's words.
A few seconds later Klein ran back in with an annoyed expression.
"That means you're coming too."
"Wha-" Neil felt something grab his left arm, eading him out of the room as they both exited the apartment. Leading them out of the room, Neil couldn't help but oblige as they walked through the hall and back to the entrance.
Hm...? His younger brother then noticed something on his brother's arm, moving to his right side to see the bracelet.
"Hey, what's that rosary?" Neil asked, to which Klein gave a shrug. It was more like a necklace strapped around his wrist, brown beads if he wanted to be precise on the material. Klein didn't stop walked as he raised his right hand, dangling it as the golden cross dinged onto his wristband.
"Oh, this? Just an eletronic necklace some random guy left behind, I gotta give it to him when we get back." Klein said, shaking his wrist a bit to show-off.
"if, we get back." Always the pessimist, Klein thought. Leaving the inn through the main hall, Neil noticed a paper plastered onto one of the walls as they left the building. It's condition was a bit dirty, with handprints noticeable all over it when he looked closer.
"That could be useful..."
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