Sounds of clamors and voices merrily chatting over each other was heard in a large town quite a bit south of the Black Forest.
Inside of a considered average inn in the middle of the town, three new hooded guests arrived at the decent inn's doorstep.
One of them looked up at the signboard on top of the door, the sign read [Big Bird Inn]. Together, the three men walked inside. While one went to the front desk to check in for rooms, the other two found an empty table and sat down.
Sliding his hood off, numerous strands of beautiful silky hair was revealed on one of the three men who was young in appearance and possessed a pair of aesthetic violet-purple eyes that glinted with mystery.
Sitting opposite him was another man in his thirties that kept his hood up, showing no signs of taking it off and revealing his face.
A server soon came to them to take their orders.
He smiled professionally, "Two sirs, what would you like to eat?"
"What do you have that's popular among your guests?" Abner looked at the server as he asked this question.
"Our chef's specialty is his Braised Flaming Bird dish! That is incomparable to any bird meat dish in this whole town!" The server enthusiastically recommended and introduced their best dish. He added, "Although we aren't the best inn in this town, we have the advantage of having the best bird dish!!" Proudly proclaiming.
"Then we'll have that, and some salted vegetables and...what do you want?" Abner said to the server before turning to Ash in front of him, directing the question at the latter part of his sentence to him.
The server turned to Ash.
"Anything's fine. I'm not picky," was what Ash replied with, indifferently. With that, Ash tugged his hood down further over his shadowed face, that shadow which seems to hold untold sorrows and irritation.
The server with the same smile on his face that hasn't changed even a little since the time he came up to take Abner and Ash's order calmly recommended once again.
"Dear customer, I would like to recommend our boiled eggs. They are delicious, close to how fantastic our bird dishes are!" The server eagerly said as he looked at Abner with wide eyes, waiting for his decision.
It didn't take Abner long to agree. It was just ordering food after all, no need to be so serious. Whether the food they ordered was good or bad, it was a blessing just to be able to eat and be full. This was a hundred times better than eating in the Slums where one doesn't even know what it is they were swallowing down.
So the server jot down the orders in his head and walked to a door entrance, lifting up the cloth hanging there, he yelled, "One order of Braised Flaming Bird dish! Salted vegetables! Boiled eggs!"
"Got it!" Someone within the cloth-doored kitchen answered with a shout.
Listening to the hustle and bustle coming out of the kitchen close to them, Abner slowly closed his eyes.
Bam!
A body was flung onto the hard, merciless ground without hesitation. The heartless and cold throw seemed to reflect the mood of the one who had thrown the body, emotions agitated and restless.
"Abner!" Arlo screamed as he hurried over to his beaten friend in a panic.
Ash only stared, panting, his body heaving heavily---but not from exhaustion.
"Abner! You okay?!" Arlo supported Abner's upper body as he helped him sit up. He seriously could not believe what had just happened. How could Abner be defeated so easily?! Even if his strength isn't up to par with Ash, he wouldn't have lost! Thus this made Arlo feel puzzled, but he didn't let any of it show up on his face.
He believes that Abner had a reason to do what he did.
Abner had stood up, not waiting for Arlo's help. He didn't need it in the first place. He wasn't actually injured.
But he did purposefully lose to Ash. So when he was thrown, he didn't hurt himself seriously as he avoided landing on any critical part of his body. He did all this covertly so Ash had no chance to notice it. However, if Ash did by chance notice it, he would know for sure that Abner had deliberately faked his loss.
Though fortunately, or unfortunately, Ash did not find out.
So to him who continued to remain in doubt, it was a mystery whether Abner is really the one he knew or not.
In the lonesome forest, in the dark night, surrounded by only trees and the howling wind, something unsettling hovered over the trio.
Ash had turned away from Abner's stare, went back to the fireplace, and laid down on the dirt floor, unmoving, for the whole night. Gradually, Abner and Arlo also headed back to the fire and laid down. For the rest of the night, the three slept in away in silence and awkwardness.
The next day, none of them talked about what happened the night before.
Then for the next few days, they wandered around in the Black Forest to find the way to the nearest village or town and eventually arrived here. Where they are currently. In a decent inn.
At this moment in time when Abner was lost in his thoughts, a loud and playful voice jabbed into his ears.
"ABNER!! I'm back!" The third member of the hooded trio shouted as he hopped to Abner's side, the same time that their food was ready.
The green-haired young man leaned over the food sniffing them as the server put the dishes onto the table, smiled, and left after telling them to enjoy the meal.
Arlo happily let out a laugh with a wide grin spread out on his good-looking face. Taking a seat at the table, Arlo dug in.
Then as if he just remembered something, he said after swallowing his chewed up food, blatantly showing his manners, "Oh! I forgot. I got us checked in for two rooms." Saying that, he placed two long, thin, wooden plaques marked with the number of their rooms on the table. "Here."
Then while chopsticking a piece of the Braised Flaming Bird, placing it near his lips, he hummed out, "Just so you know, when I say two rooms, I mean I'll be rooming with Abner!" Then he shoved the meat into his mouth and gasped.
"Mmm...Delicious! And spicy!" Arlo exclaimed before he reached out and took another piece off the bird and stuffing it into his mouth, his mood high. He continued his humming as he ate in big but neat bites.
Abner and Ash both stayed still for a while, neither of them showing signs of wanting to eat, but they soon picked up their respective chopsticks and ate some as well.
Each of the three with their bowl of rice had a great meal, that was until.....
Slam!! Crack!!
Suddenly, out of the blue, many men in uniforms came filing into the inn from the open entrance, startling all the customers and guests staying at the inn and having their noon meals.
"Ah!" Someone exclaimed in shock at the sight of the uniformed guards filling up the dining area of the inn.
Nervousness and fear swept into the inn's guests with some even trembling. No one had a clue of what's going on, why the guards were there.
Suddenly, the sound of even footsteps rhythmically echoed off of the flooring. When it stopped, a stern looking old guard stood at the door's entrance dressed in a similar yet different uniform as the other guards. He was their captain.
Looking around the room, he scanned through all that his eyes could see. Cautiously, the inn's owner slowly approached the menacing looking captain in his 40's.
Clasping his hands together, he says as if to beg, "Sir Guard Captain, what business might you have with my humble inn?" Trembling as he spoke, not daring to lift up his head and look the other in the eyes.
This subconscious show of fear showed how much power and influence the guards and the higher up officials have over the common folks. Just the mere sight of them causes them to be filled with fear.
The captain at last halted his thorough check of the place with his eyes, but he didn't turn to look at the inn owner. To someone of his position, the inn owner was only a mere ant in his eyes.
Then with his tone full of arrogance, he commanded, "I have this place entirely surrounded! Men, search through every person here and find the killer!"
"Yes, sir!"
Some of the guards left their position next to their comrades and weaved through the tables of people, observing carefully.
Some of them even did body checks to see if there were weapons on them. The women especially were touched and harassed!
However, the captain was indifferent to it all, while the inn owner could do nothing to stop what was happening. Even the molested women didn't scream out, in fear that something worst might happen to them.
Seeing this scene, although Abner felt a little stuffy in his chest, he didn't do anything. It was none of his business after all. In the Slums, this was also a common happening.
He furrowed his eyebrows but said not a word. Ash was quiet as well. While Arlo was actually quietly eating the food like he didn't perceive the situation they were in. As if he couldn't feel the heightened with fear atmosphere.
It was then.
Someone approached Arlo from behind and placed their hand on his shoulder. Caught unaware, Arlo nearly choked on the veggies in his mouth.
"Wha...!" Before he knew what was happening, another hand landed itself on his other, empty, shoulder. Then suddenly, both hands forcefully pushed him down onto the table's surface.