Scene Three: Over Dinner
...Of Act Four: Blackness
In the eyes of Ryoku Dragontalen, we are in
Leudis, in the world of Lysvid.
It is past midnight
On November 10th, 2017.
"By my fellow gods, remind me to never cut through an alley in Lysvid again."
The silence that followed Loki's words only showed how much we all agreed. Getting out to the heavily trafficked streets felt like a close shave to what could have ended up a lot worse. I watched Sira as we walked, but she didn't return my gaze. I wondered if that was some sort of silent ending to what happened between us at the Timeless Castle. Just a brief chapter, a sneak peak, and nothing more.
The Bloody Mare was a huge building, much larger than any place we'd been to yet. Even the government buildings of Harohto threatened to pale in comparison. It stood at least three stories tall and built of dark red brick. Torchlight spilled out through the cracks of boarded windows. From outside, we could already hear the sounds of a busy place. Guildford pointed out how the entrance broke off into two doors. One led to the diner, and the other, presumably, to the hunters' den.
"You will like this place, Ryoku," Rex told me, smiling. Somehow, he was the only vampire who could do that without baring his fangs. "Loki picked it out of the inns we knew in Leudis for good reason. The Bloody Mare is a well-trafficked spot for bounty hunters to post and take on hunts, but it's also one of Leudis' most esteemed bars. My master paid for everything, so you'll have four rooms and a four-course meal at your disposal."
Food sounded good right now, I had to admit. But… four courses? Who could swallow up that much food in one sitting?
"I'm glad we have a reservation," Cleria said. At a look from Lusari, she smiled thinly. "We were on our way to meet you, anyways, so we're included. Don't you worry – we won't be sitting out this experience."
We climbed a short flight of stairs up to the main doors. We could see another set down below. Guildford noted a sign on the door decreeing it as the hunters' den. "I'll go check out the bounty boards while you guys get set up."
Loki's nose turned up like a dog smelling meat. "I'll go with you. Surely my expertise will help us find a suitable mission to embark upon!"
Wordlessly, Will joined them in rushing ahead. He didn't say why, but I wondered if he was scouting out the bounties posted about me. That left Sira, Lusari, Rex, Cleria, and I to the other door. Sira still didn't utter a word, so Rex and Lusari walked ahead with me. Rex easily opened the door ahead with one hand, and gestured for Lusari to go first. He mimicked the gesture for Cleria and Sira. Cleria happily obliged, rubbing against Rex's arm as she passed. Sira only gave us a cold stare, though, so Rex gestured for me to go ahead.
I quickly discovered that we were in for a treat. The Bloody Mare looked something like a castle. Brightly lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the flames casting pale shadows to dance across the elevated seating area and the bar. The walls and floors were hardwood, despite the exterior made of bricks, and lent the room a surprisingly warm atmosphere. The kitchen was right in the middle of it all, and vampires dressed in white chef coats bustled around, tossing heaping pans of wings on open flames, dicing vegetables at a stupendous rate, and working in flawless tandem. I watched that with more curiosity than anything when a tall, redheaded vampire came to meet us.
"Welcome," she spoke in a silvery-sweet voice, clutching a stack of menus against her chest. "A table for…?"
"Eight," Rex told her kindly, "we have a reservation."
The hostess certainly brightened up at that. "Oh, you're the, um, 'Avenging Eight,' is it?" she asked, unable to keep the hint of humor from her voice. "Reservation for the eight four-course meals and four rooms?"
Rex and I exchanged dry glances. Whether that was the Timeless One or Loki, either made sense. "Sounds like it," I replied. "The rest should be behind us shortly."
As she scribbled something on her notepad, my gaze wandered back to the sight of the kitchen, watching the bustling pace of the team as they fought to complete every bill. The six or seven vampires in tuxedos who ran the bar kept calm, easy paces, making small talk with the folk who drank there. Young-looking vampires ran the food to and from tables. I watched an elderly vampire couple anticipating the arrival of two plates, one of lobster and another of steak, each heaped with sides of mashed potatoes, rice, and vegetables. I never thought I could call a vampiric restaurant friendly.
The vampires seated at fine tables were nothing like the disturbing ilk that lurked the streets. The girls wore elegant ball dresses that glittered in the candlelight, emphasizing their ivory skin and offering deluge to their dark hair. The men were strapping, dressed in full tuxedos with their dark hair trimmed short or tied back.
"Alright, I'll take you to your table," the hostess told us with a genuine smile. She led us along past the kitchen. A vampire dicing vegetables flashed us the friendliest smile I thought possible.
"Would you like smoking or non-smoking section?"
"Smoking, if that is fine by you," Rex said, looking to me for direction. He waggled a black pack of cigarettes at me, which I saw had red filters. "Blood cigarettes. They make a meal all the more appetizing, and I'm afraid I'm rather addicted to it. But only if you don't mind."
"That's perfectly fine by me," I told him, though I wondered if I was really the one he should be asking. Sira still looked angry. Lusari was glancing around wildly, clearly never having entered such a rich place before. I could relate. Cleria, on the other hand, strutted alongside me like a fancy cat, clearly used to places like this. I wondered if she was really from some royal family in the Capital. Did that tie in with how she knew the Ritual leader, Gale?
"Very well," the vampire told us, flashing Rex a rather private smile. She led us to a table near the edge of the elevated area, overlooking much of the finer seating and the kitchen. It was quite distant from the rest of the customers. I settled in next to Lusari – Sira sat across from me, as far as she could get, next to Cleria. The server smiled around at us in a way that didn't bare her fangs. "I'll be right back to take your drink orders."
She bustled off to another table where three vampires in tuxedos waited to give their orders. Loki, Guildford, and Will returned before they took our drink orders. I didn't miss the glares Loki got for his Dracula-esque attire. Guildford, on the other hand, got a lasting look from our hostess as he walked past – he was all too ignorant to it, however, as he watched a few cooks carting out a full turkey to a waiting table. I could almost see his mouth watering from where I sat.
"We found the perfect mission!" Loki declared gallantly as he spun into an empty chair next to Cleria, who looked most displeased by this. "Tomorrow morning, we'll be headed north via train to the village of Peul, where we shall be hunting the Moonwolf."
He spoke the name as though it were some delicacy. Everyone looked to him in interest. "Trains run in Lysvid?" Sira asked, a little too surprised to keep her angry face on.
"Lysvid does seem to favor the steam era," Guildford said informatively, slinking into a chair next to Loki to practically bury himself in a menu. Will took a seat next to me, flashing me a quick, knowing grin before he disappeared into a menu, too.
"What is this Moonwolf?" Lusari popped the question. Her fingers toyed with the edge of her Lysvid-styled skirt under the table.
Loki adjusted himself in his chair. It seemed that was an attempt to get the lighting to cast mysterious shadows across his face, but it failed, and he cleared his throat. "Nobody knows. Only that the Moonwolf has been causing absolute mayhem in Peul – attacking villagers and their livestock, damaging property, and prowling the woods to effectively trap its people in the village."
Lusari emitted a shocked squeal. "That's terrible!" she exclaimed. "We must deal with it at any cost!"
More than one set of eyes turned to me. "That would be primarily up to our Defender," Loki said. "We did accept the mission, but it would be easy to resign if you wish."
I caught Will's glance next to me, and I felt a thick sense of relief. He was giving me a look that showed he'd have no respect for me if I didn't take on such a mission, no matter the danger. After all, I had him to watch my back. As long as she stuck around, nobody would mess with Sira. Then there was Loki…
"We'll do it," I said, as simply as ordering a drink. "If people are in danger, there's no question."
Will wasn't the only one who gave me an approving smile. Only Guildford looked quite worried, still. "Despite being a highly rewarding bounty, it has its due dangers. The people know little to nothing about the beast. Few have even seen it and lived to tell the tale. Mostly the tracks and the sounds tell us it is a wolf."
"We need the money," Will said pointedly. "Honestly, it was the only mission I saw that does not stink of werewolves."
Cleria looked at him from under her lashes. "But it is a wolf. How do we know it isn't a werewolf?"
Loki was the one with a telltale smirk. "Because the Ritual doesn't fund the bounty. Bastards'll back any anti-werewolf propaganda they can smell. If they're not touching it, it's because evidence says it isn't a werewolf."
"But then," Rex added softly, "what else could it be?"
Nobody had an answer. After a moment, Lusari chimed in about the menu, and the tension faded as our stomachs took over.
The three new arrivals scooped up menus just as our hostess returned for our drinks. She hung oddly close to Guildford, stooping next to him with her neckline plunging quite low. Guildford paid about as much attention to the fact as he did anyone else at the table.
Loki ordered some kind of exotic dwarven ale, while Guildford chose a delicate red wine. Will ordered some dark rum, and Sira requested something that sounded even worse. Rex and Cleria both ordered a drink that sounded like it had blood in it – it probably did. Meanwhile, Lusari and I both decided to order mango juice, an apparent favorite of the house.
Once drinks were in order, Rex pulled out one of his red cigarettes and lit it. He did so with his one usable arm – he was quite versatile with it, I was starting to see. Guildford watched him with some interest for a moment, and then glanced at me.
"Did you ever stop smoking, Ryoku?" he asked me.
I nodded. "Just after your funeral, I guess." I left out a chunk of that story, not ready to discuss the aftermath of my teacher's funeral just yet. Images flashed through my mind. The kid who brought a gun to school. Guildford confronted him. Then, the darkness.
Guildford only nodded. Whether or not he saw the look in my eyes and decided to drop it, I couldn't tell.
"Sorry," Rex told me, and exhaled away from the table. "It's just a unique way to attain blood without drinking in front of normal people. Relus invented it, I believe. It… works exceptionally well for somebody of my breed."
At my quizzical look, Will explained. In a quiet voice, so little more than the three of us could hear, he told me Rex was a hybrid – vampire and werewolf. That intrigued me. "Both? Really?" I asked curiously. "So you don't need blood as much? But, you also don't take wolf form here like the other ones."
Will gave me a sharp look to speak quietly as another table glanced over. "Don't bother," Rex told him. "Being quiet about it doesn't change it. The vampires always smell it on me. Even though I spend most of my time in vampire cities, they don't like me much. And no, Ryoku, I'm not stuck in wolf form. I can freely change into it at night, but the full moon – in some worlds – is mandatory. It'll happen either way. I have the blood lust, but I need less than most other vampires do. I have less vampiric defenses, but more werewolf strength."
I nodded eagerly, taking it all in. Being a hybrid didn't sound so bad, really, except for how his own people treated him. He should just stick around people like us, who had nothing but respect for him.
"Say, Ryoku," Rex piped up. Some of the others were dissolving into their own conversations, besides Sira, who had already closed her food menu and glared at the empty table next to us. "You used to smoke regular cigarettes? How long were you smoking for?"
I thought about it. "Since ninth grade, I guess. Two months in. So almost two years, it would have been. How about you?"
Rex looked surprised I asked. "Well, I don't think it matters. A long time. Once, tobacco wasn't such a bad thing. At least, we thought as much."
Guildford nodded in support before glancing at me. "You started shortly after you met Dagoriph, I assume. That makes sense. How is he doing?"
I cringed a little at his assumption, but answered nonetheless. He was one of the only teachers who tolerated Dagoriph. "He graduated. Just this last summer, he earned enough credits to finally do so."
Guildford looked surprised. "What a relief! I was sure he'd have at least another semester to finish. You were a great boon to him, then."
"Dagger said the same thing." I could only nod. I swallowed back anxiety. "He moved away this summer, to Abronal. He might actually go to post-secondary."
Guildford's eyes lit up, and I knew he was connecting the dots. "In the summer? Does this have to do with Varis?"
I averted my gaze. I knew he'd figure it out. I didn't want to get into the details with him right now, either.
A different hostess brought us our drinks. Our regular server remained close to Guildford, who was too busy interrogating me to pay her any mind. As I sipped on my mango juice, I noticed Loki trying very hard to look like he wasn't listening. When he saw me noticing, he balked.
"Ryoku!" he exclaimed. "Why don't you tell us about your friends in the real world? I've been so curious, what with your old teacher here now..."
Guildford didn't look surprised by this in the least. "Dagoriph – Dagger for short. Were it not for his family name, I believe the young man would have been holed up in a facility of some kind. The school held him back several years in high school, but his influence kept him in regular classes rather than independent learning. His family is one of drug lords, one of two prevalent families in Brooklyn."
Loki slammed the table dramatically, mortified. "A drug lord?" he echoed. "So he would sell to the students?"
"It was suspected," Guildford admitted. "However, there was little anyone could do about the matter. His family, the Neseru's, holds power over much of the district. Even caught red-handed with drugs, I imagine they would paint the picture quite differently. Dagger's family was very intent on his learning, even as much as the boy himself was not.
"He came close to expulsion several times for his rivalry with another student from the opposing influential family. Varis El'Salandier. I believe their hatred for the boy was what made Ryoku and Dagger such fast friends."
I could only nod my agreement. Without Dagger, I never would have made it through that day. The Day of Black, we called it now. The day of Guildford's funeral, and of our vengeance.
Loki couldn't glean much more from Guildford, and the topic eventually drifted. I saw Will studying Rex's arm, tucked away in his coat.
"How did you come to lose use of your arm?" he asked.
Rex took a long drag of his blood cigarette, and then drew his other arm out from within his jacket. I didn't realize he could still use it. He put the bare arm out on the table. There was a large, circular hole taken out of his palm. It looked long since healed over, but it must have been a gruesome injury once.
"It's called a thief's mark," he explained gently, and exhaled a drag of his cigarette, surrounding himself with the reddish smoke. "Carried in from when I was alive. Despite that our anatomies change often after we die, our scars will remain."
"What do you mean, our anatomies change?" I asked.
"Often our injuries or debilitations can heal here," Rex told me. "A missing eye. Loss of the ability to walk. When we die, such debilitations usually go away. That, and sometimes we can be different races. It's part of our soul that comes here, and it doesn't always listen to the rules of our body. I wasn't a half-breed while I was alive. I was a human, just like you. Apparently it was punishment for my sins in life."
I absently touched my face, wondering if the same applies for Defenders.
"You were a thief though," Loki remarked. "Weren't you? So becoming a hybrid could be punishment for that."
Rex didn't reply for a moment, staring deep into his dark red glass. "Sort of," he replied distantly. He took another long drag of his cigarette, and exhaled as he spoke. "I stole some things. Many things, I suppose. Life works in the way that you sometimes need to. But this?" he asked, holding up his useless hand. "What earned me this wasn't my doing. For this, I was framed."
"But you were a thief nonetheless," Loki absolved. "Perhaps that mark is merely your thefts catching up to you."
Loki clearly didn't think highly of thieves. Rex didn't respond, but I felt there was a great story behind that mark. Today, clearly, wasn't the day to share it.
"He's not quite so simple, old man," Cleria warned, sipping delicately from her glass like it was red wine. "We all carry ghosts into this world, cursed to remain unresolved for all our days."
"And what was it with you and that Gallon character?" Loki asked. "Was he a ghost of yours?"
She glanced at him sharply. "Gale Destrow, you mean. Sure. He was an ex of mine. He cut that off himself by joining that silly cult. Not that he was ever a good man. It only took that sort of edge for me to cut him off for good." Loki's expression looked curious, but Cleria stoned over. "Nothing you need concern yourself with, old man. I can take care of myself."
Another server returned to start on our orders. Everyone picked out an appetizer, but, with Lusari and I still trying to examine the full menu, we left it at that for now. I kept it safe with a starter Caesar salad, one of the few appetizers that sounded normal. I'd gauge just how normal everything else was by seeing the fancy appetizers everyone else ordered.
Shortly after that, our red-haired server abandoned trying to grab Guildford's attention and returned to her job. Loki gave Guildford an incredibly incredulous look for some time until he could finally glean the reason behind his ignorance.
"Damn it! You're married, aren't you? That's why you're ignoring our scrumptious snack of a waitress!"
Loki jabbed his finger at Guildford's hand, which had been strategically stowed in his pocket at the table until he took a sip of his wine. Guildford stared at him like Loki had just proposed to him. "The waitress? What are you going on about now?"
Loki ignored him. "How fantastic!" he swooned. "Your devotion to your beloved wife holds you to your sacred vows, even after death! Utterly incredible!"
"He has only been with us a few months," Rex pointed out, but Loki feigned deafness.
Before Guildford could find the words to stave Loki off, our 'scrumptious' waitress returned to take our dinner orders before our appetizers arrived. I picked out something that I hoped was mozzarella sticks, and some spicy-sounding pasta. At the demand to pick out a third course, Lusari and I timidly picked out a platter of what I hoped was scalloped potatoes to share between us.
"What is the matter with you?" Loki asked me callously after our server left. "That's scarcely a meal you have there! And not an ounce of meat?"
I blinked. "Loki, you ordered enough to feed that village of werewolves twice over."
Loki gazed at me incredulously. "My boy, you are surely delirious from being famished all the time! I'm on a low-carb diet!"
Once more, the Trickster left me at a loss for words. I caught Will's glance – he was near bursting with laughter. The expression made me chuckle, and then laugh outright. Soon, the laughter spread all across the table. Lusari giggled into her hands. Guildford was clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. Even Rex hid his mouth behind his napkin as he struggled to repress his laughter, and even the Trickster started to chuckle.
Of course, one person at the table didn't laugh, and nobody dared ask why. Sira kept to herself like she was at a table full of misbehaving children.
Our appetizers arrived shortly after, and Guildford studied me with interest. "That's right – you're a vegetarian, aren't you?"
I nodded. Everyone besides Guildford and Lusari shot me incredulous looks. Even Sira glanced over at this, but she quickly averted her eyes.
"You live without meat?" Will asked.
"No wonder you're so slight!" Loki declared. "How will you ever learn to flail that mighty sword with no muscle mass?"
"There are ways to cope without," Guildford remarked, notably giving Loki a dirty look. "The right diet works wonders."
"I'm the same way," Lusari piped up, perhaps to alleviate the dumbfounded expressions from me. "I grew up mostly without it. The raids in Harohto have been bad for years, and sometimes the price of meats and other commodities would climb due to unavailability."
"That is understandable," Guildford said sympathetically. "The Timeless One has told me much about the states of other worlds. Due to world-travelers and spirits, sometimes common luxuries we take for granted can be quite rare in other worlds."
"What about you, Ryoku?" Loki jabbed at me with his fork. "You're a grown lad! How could you survive like this?"
I shrugged, hesitant under the pressure. "Just... the treatment of the animals in my own world. Animals aren't cared for properly in my world. Not much is, really."
"Ryoku is something of an environmentalist," Guildford added. "He joined many of the proactive clubs in the school. Animal cruelty, fighting pollution, all sorts of things."
I didn't miss the understanding in Will's eyes. Loki, however, made a noise over his mouthful of food. "How could such a thing exist? The world's dying, isn't it? What's left to save?"
"It isn't dying!"
I found myself on my feet, and my voice came in unison with Guildford's as he, too, took offense. The two of us stared down Loki, eyes blazing. The Trickster appeared wholly alarmed by our reactions.
A hand on his shoulder from Cleria gently coaxed Guildford back into his chair. Will's hand appeared on my shoulder. "You must forgive him. Loki is a rash god. I do not believe he meant offense."
I looked Will in the eye. For the first time, I noticed empathic specks of gold in his sapphire eyes. If Will was defending Loki, then I had to concede. Not only was he not wholly approving of the Trickster, he was the most understanding out of all of us. Loki seemed to think I could do great things, but he overlooked the steadfast Syaoto soldier.
"You believe me?" I asked. "That it isn't dying?"
Will smiled. "How could I doubt your steadfast belief? If you told me the sky would turn the colors of the rainbow and stay that way for all of time, I would have to agree. Your determination would make it so."
His words made me feel a little better. I met Loki's glance as I sat back down. His eyes were apologetic, but he said nothing. If he was a major god, did he know something about it that I didn't?
Either way, now was not the time to press that. Our waitress returned with our first courses, and everyone dove in like their appetizers were made of paper mache.
Oddly enough, Guildford seemed to note something as Loki dove into his food.
"You were married once," he said, a statement rather than a question. Loki glanced over at him, and the teacher nodded to his finger where a diamond marriage band sat. With the talk of his own marriage, perhaps it was a stab at revenge.
Loki chewed his mouthful slowly. "I was married long ago, yes," he said heavily. "Early in my godhood."
Much of the usual mischief twitching behind his smile was fading. Ghosts traveled across his face like speaking about them brought them back again.
"That must have been an interesting time," Rex commented. His hand twitched near his pack of cigarettes, but he drank deeply from his glass of blood to battle that particular craving. "Godhood. Were you chosen by somebody, or were you always this way?"
"It differs for each god," Loki said. He stole a glance at me, but averted his eyes when he saw me already looking at him. "Some are chosen for their accomplishments in life. Some, by their sins. Others are born into it. As one of the 'big three' of the Norse gods, one could say I was born into it."
"Are all the legends real, then?" Lusari asked.
Loki only smiled. Much of the usual spirit behind his grin was absent. "Some. Not all. To converse about the true origins of mankind over dinner would take a much grander feast than this, my dear."
"Did something happen to your wife?" Guildford asked. "Was she... Is she a god, too?"
I realized his first inference was correct. Loki didn't reply for a moment, taking a deep drink of his ale. "You see," he spoke, and his words sounded like delicate steps on a floor of broken glass. "The trouble with being a god is often the immortality."
I saw the problem quickly, but it didn't seem to be apparent to the others. Rex finally broke and pulled a cigarette from his pack. "That would be why many want to become gods, I imagine."
"Teoe, my wife," Loki said softly, "wasn't a god like I was. I met her early on, It was among... well, most of the things you hear about in Norse legend. Many of those are recorded, but not all. Back in the days, I helped attain some of the most legendary weapons of the gods, and played a role in the building of Asgard's great wall!" He grinned, as though recalling fond memories, but it trickled away. "None of this matters anymore, since the spirit realm has quite drastically changed."
He glanced at me again, cleared his throat, and went on. "Yeah. Long, long ago, I met a girl in an old village in Midgard – the physical world, essentially, but by an old name. The gods are a fickle sort, you know. A cousin of mine slept with a giant, and my future children... well, that is a story for another day.
"The one thing," he went on, and the anger in his voice started to show, "that the Norse gods seem to have no tolerance for, is to bed a mortal. Perhaps due to our difference in lifespan, or maybe for their own good. It didn't matter long, anyway, since my own brother broke those rules later in life." He deliberately avoided my glance, now, and it took a moment for him to continue. "I kept our affair secret for a very long time. We had a daughter together. We didn't name our daughter for some time. It just seemed a difficult task to name such a girl, such an embodiment of beauty and innocence.
"It was around then," he paused, taking a deep breath, "that I decided to tell my brother about her. To seek his blessing, I guess. I thought our love was strong enough to conquer anything. Surely Odin would realize that it was meant to be."
He didn't finish his statement. To my surprise, the Trickster started to tear up, and he slowly buried his face in his arms on the table. Everyone at the table felt the Trickster's pain, if not to the same degree. Guildford and Cleria both put hands on his shoulder. Even Sira paid attention, watching Loki with true pity.
It took some time for Loki to regain his composure. Our second courses arrived just after he lifted his head. I found myself pleased with the pasta I ordered. Apparently, Loki thought the same about the large steak placed before him, plated with a bowl of rice, steamed vegetables, and a slice of garlic toast, for he seemed to brighten up then.
However, before he lifted the food to his mouth, he paused, his eyes seeing something far past the diner.
"After that happened, I finally named my daughter. Teoe – after her mother."
After effectively leaving the room floored, he kept eating. Everyone fell silent for a long time. We chose to clear their plates rather than stir the pot.
Finally, after we were well into our second courses, Will's curiosity got the better of him. "Your daughter," he asked. "Is she a god as well?"
"Yes," Loki replied, without missing a beat. "I am known as the reigning Trickster, but there are other, smaller Trickster gods who carry out my bidding – especially as of late. Teoe is one of them. She, too, is a Guardian."
That surprised me. Loki's daughter was a Guardian as well? But, to who?
Loki waved his fork at me. "Ryoku," he said, still speaking with his mouth full of food. "Tell us about your other Defender friends. Guildford mentioned them, right?"
He took me by surprise again. "Oh, okay," I murmured. "Well, what about them?"
When Loki only gave me a dirty look, Guildford cleared his throat. "That would mostly be the main three, wouldn't it?" he asked. At my expression, he turned to Loki. "Ryoku's been friends with this group for as long as I know. Katiel, Annalia, and Dawn."
I felt mixed feelings stirring up in my heart, my trepidation with the two girls. Annalia, or Anna, was the girl I'd been dating around this time last year. We dated over the winter, but her family moved across the country in the spring – just before Guildford's death. While I recalled recently still having strong feelings for her, they changed abruptly in the recent months. It was like the memories of her slipped into the gaps, replaced with her: Dawn.
Dawn and I started dating in middle school. The details about its beginning, middle, and even the ending still felt foggy to me. I only recalled how strong we had been. As strange as it felt, I knew it was real. I knew we'd been in love, somehow. I remembered standing up to her stepfather in front of her, and defending her from... somebody. Trying to recall all the details made me dizzy. I supposed the fight hadn't ended so well, but we didn't talk about it nowadays.
That, and it felt strange to think of her after whatever Sira and I sparked up. It only added more confusion to the part of my life that was easier not to think about.
"I would bet some top coin that those three are Defenders, too," Loki chimed. "Is that right, Ryoku?"
I nodded, which made everyone give me a look of interest. "Many Defenders seem to be unaffiliated with one another," Will told me. "After all, becoming a Defender is not a common phenomenon in your world, correct?"
"You must be quite close to them as well," Loki ventured. "You've spoken of Katiel before. Who is he?"
I nodded, pausing to finish a mouthful of food before I explained. "My best friend. He's something of a gamer, but he's kind, brave, and likes to keep the mood light. He's usually the peacekeeper out of us, but strong enough to have our backs if anything happens. He basically helped me get through middle school, and he's stuck around no matter what a pain I've been."
"No matter what you've been like?" Lusari asked skeptically. "It must be so hard to put up with a boy who saves girls from thugs on a semi-regular basis, or sets out on quests to save strangers."
A few laughs echoed around the table, but I blushed. "It does get old after a time," Will agreed, but couldn't hold back his chuckling.
Loki, however, remained vigil even as a grin made his lips quiver. "What about the others?" he asked. "Annalia and Dawn?"
Guildford smiled at this. "As I understand, he dated each of them at different points," he said, a little amused. "I did not know Ryoku while he dated Dawn, but that relationship was the talk of the school. He and Anna separated just before I died, when she moved across the country."
Guildford mentioned his death with relative ease, but I had a feeling he was just using the word without thinking about all it entailed. Meanwhile, Will stared at me expectantly. He knew that this was reaching what we'd briefly spoken of in the woods. I remembered his words, too.
"I guess Anna's a strong Defender, too," I told them. "All my friends seem to be. She's supposed to be this amazing archer. Katiel told me my shoddy archery would have nothing on hers. I haven't talked to her in a long time." I took a short sip of my mango juice, and saw Sira turn away abruptly, feigning ignorance. "She's a little unapproachable at times. Reserved, quiet, studious. Occasionally she opens up, and it's like a floodgate opening up. Despite that, I guess, she does care about us, I think. Still, she likes to tackle stuff on her own.
Loki got a certain look in his eyes. Before I could realize what it meant, he took a heavy swig of his ale. He slammed down his empty flagon, and our server quickly replaced it with another full one. He was drinking quite heavily, I realized – perhaps his third or fourth helping, and it was starting to show. "What about Dawn?" he demanded.
My first instinct was to smile wistfully, which made Loki raise an eyebrow. "She's like the healer of our group," I told him. "She's happy and full of life all the time, even though she's had just as fucked up of a past as we have." The last bit slipped out, and I hesitated, but nobody interrupted me. "She's the type to take care of us after a fight, reprimanding us the whole time about it. Despite that, she's sweet and caring about all of us."
"She was a known ace in all her classes," Guildford told them. "Although I believe she spent more time passing notes with Ryoku and the others than actually studying, she somehow makes it through." His smile faded a little. "Of course, much of the student body didn't seem too fond of her."
Will raised a brow. "Why on Gaia not? She sounds like a wonderful girl."
"Her father's work, I believe," Guildford explained. "He was an officer that I worked quite closely with, but he was killed in the line of duty about… perhaps four or five years ago?"
Rex regarded Guildford in a new light. "As in, a police officer? You're a police officer?"
Guildford smiled. "An auxiliary officer, mind you. It means I worked the post part-time."
"And the school didn't like Dawn for this?" Loki asked incredulously. He was starting to get quite into his mead.
Guildford sighed heavily. "Because of the likes of Dagger and Varis, both of whom come from quite illegitimate families," he said. "The two families deal heavily in substances. Even if the kids might be clean, many of their parents weren't. They programmed the bias against policing families into their children's' heads. It was easy enough, I imagine, hating on the authority figures stamping down on the drug abuse. As such, students like Ryoku and Dawn weren't quite popular among them, no more than I was as a teacher."
Will looked at me with newfound respect. "Your family was involved with the police, too?"
I nodded shortly. "My stepfather, Darrold Vornaire. The chief of police."
Will nodded approvingly, but he halted. "Ryoku, you said..."
The table went silent. Guildford picked up the silence. "Yes. An accident at home. He was a good chief, and his death fell on the same year as the death of Dawn's father. It landed the police force quite short on bodies. I took a year off to help the force. I returned just in time for Ryoku to enter my classes. He didn't know me, but I knew his stepfather and reached out to him."
Loki nodded slowly. "No wonder you were his favorite teacher." He took a long, slow dip of his drink. "Say. When, exactly, did you kick the bucket?"
My teacher flinched visibly. Will and Rex both made to step up for him, but Guildford met Loki's glance equally. "April 15th, of this year. Why?"
"Hmm," Loki murmured thoughtfully. "No reason. Merely connecting the dots in this modern little story."
I remained silent. April 15th. The day that he brought a gun to school. The Day of Black followed a week later on a rainy April day. Thinking of that month only ever succeeded in bringing me back to a time of darkness.
It was a while before our next plates of food arrived, and conversation eventually turned to a lighter, less personal, note. They discussed the Ritual, and whether or not we dissuaded their efforts to kill us. Cleria ensured us that they had thousands of numbers on us. The brawl in Xactyr and in the alley scarcely a yard from where we stood only boasted a few of their numbers.
The Ritual put up a guise as a mercenary force serving to protect the people. Behind that curtain, they worked with a darker intent: illegally claiming blood, practicing dark magic and, worst of all, converting new vampires from elves. Cleria casually revealed that the latter might have been a reason to come after me, which disturbed me to the core. Corrupting elves usually earned a priestly status of those among the Ritual. Turning an elf would almost kill them, but the resulting vampire was usually insanely powerful.
Eventually, Loki ascended from his rather sour mood and took on the full effects of his liquor. He sang at the top of his lungs, flirted with the waitresses, and danced openly until his chair toppled over. Guildford winced as Loki grabbed our server's backside. I was sure that, for a moment, the server hoped it was Guildford coming onto her, but then immediately turned sour.
At some point, Loki borrowed a vampire gentleman's top hat and took the stage on top of the table. His scrambled dancing nearly toppled everyone's' plates, who snatched them up like it was all they might ever eat in their lives. I failed to save my drink as it perished on the floor of the diner. I exchanged glances with Lusari, who nodded. We pushed our plates aside and stood.
Guildford glanced up at us. "Done already?"
I nodded, but he already had a mouthful of food. I couldn't stifle my laughter as he tried to chew as quickly as possible. "Give me a moment, and I'll go up with you," he finally blurted once his mouth was freed.
He watched Loki for a moment, amused, but quickly dived back into his meal. Lusari and I leaned against the chairs, watching Loki's antics with some amusement. Most of the diner had emptied out. Our waitress was watching our table discreetly, I noticed.
Will finished his last plate as well, rising like he actually put on a belly from his food – I wouldn't be surprised. Guildford finished right after him, and he flagged down our waitress. "May we be shown to our rooms?" he asked politely, but had to raise his voice a little – Loki just transitioned from dancer to rock star.
"Certainly," she replied with a polite smile, and beckoned us to follow her. She led us up the stairwell behind our table. I glanced behind us at the others just as Loki tried to drag Rex onto the table with him, who looked and acted like a stone. The vampire raised his single hand in defeat, easily breaking free of Loki's grip, and came to join us. Sira didn't look at us, but Cleria waved and winked at me. Loki waved enthusiastically at us as though we must be leaving on a twenty-year journey, never to be seen again. I waved back, bemused.
We took the stairs and went down the first hallway, then around the corner to the next. In that hall, she gestured to four doors in a line down the way, giving us a warm smile. To Guildford, her expression still seemed suggestive, but he paid it no mind. She lingered for a moment, and I almost wondered if she might approach Guildford – but finally, she left, returning to her duties.
"Alright," Guildford said, "room arrangement. We've got four rooms, and eight people."
"Who set that up?" Will asked wondrously. He needed no answer; the Timeless One and Loki made the reservations.
"Cleria and I will share a room," Rex told him. "Forgive me, but I'm not sure either of you would like sharing a room with a vampire. This will be easier."
Guildford cringed, but handed Rex one of the four keys. "Goodnight, Rex. I'll let the others know their rooms afterward."
"Goodnight," Rex said, and gave me a warm smile before taking the farthest room down the hall.
"I will take the room with Sira," Will said quietly. I gave him a look, surprised, but he didn't meet my glance. He gave Lusari a very subtle nod. How strange. I had a feeling they must have planned this after seeing how Sira was acting.
"And I'll pair up with Ryoku," Lusari said, stifling a yawn. When she realized who remained, however, her expression fell.
"Oh no, Guildford..." Will moaned. "I would hate to leave you with the local drunk downstairs! We could switch our arrangements..."
"That's quite alright," Guildford told him, looking past Will with a grin. He gestured behind us, where two burly vampires carried an unconscious Loki toward us. Cleria and Sira tailed behind them, both shaking their heads in pity. "Goodnight, friends."
"Goodnight," Will, Lusari, and I chorused. Will went to the third room down the hall, while Guildford directed the pair of vampires to the second room. Lusari and I made for the first. I fumbled with the key at the door and dropped it. When I picked it up, I caught the glance of Sira as she stood next to Will. For a moment, I thought I could sense the energy behind her eyes, the same feeling as when we got closer than ever before in that old kitchen – the spark, the fire that I craved about her. Then it was gone, and she disappeared into the room, leaving me feeling somehow emptier than before. Just when I thought she couldn't hurt me anymore.
Lusari and I entered our room. The place was just as impressive as the dining area. Two single-person beds faced us that looked like they could comfortably fit two each. The comforter and pillows looked like something out of a heavenly dream. One boarded-up window was above the beds facing the street, covered with a dark curtain, but even that couldn't make this wondrous room look foreboding. A large maple wardrobe took up most of the far wall, and the other side led to a white-tiled bathroom.
"A bathroom," I breathed, surprised. I went to check it out, and found myself impressed. "Running water. A shower. Sink. Toilet, even. Wow." I didn't expect Lysvid to be so accommodating. The inn at the Capital hadn't been as modern. I turned back to Lusari, who was taking in the room with just as much wonder. She didn't seem accustomed to riches or fineries, especially in other worlds. "Lusari, do you mind if I shower quickly?"
"S-Shower? Of course, go ahead," she replied, managing a smile. She sat down on the bed and hugged her legs against herself. Her snowy eyes seemed a little distant. I wondered what she was thinking about, but she smiled up at me when she saw me studying her. "Go on, silly. I'll probably get ready for bed and fall asleep in the meantime. It sounds like tomorrow will be another big day, and I have Mana to recover."
I almost obliged, but her wording caught me. "Mana?"
"That's just a name for magic energy," Lusari explained, sounding tired. Her eyelids fluttered a little, and I realized she wasn't kidding. "My sources aren't unlimited, you know. A good night's sleep will do me just right."
I only nodded. Of course, another spiritual term I didn't know. I took a minute to unpack my things near the wardrobe, and carefully placed Ragnarokkr against the wall with my staff, knife, and bow and arrows. I developed quite the arsenal, I thought, even though I could do little with what I had. I picked out the outfit I started out in the spirit realm with – a lace-up brown shirt and black pants. They seemed suitable for sleeping clothes, especially when I was sharing a room with a girl.
I caught Lusari's glance as I retreated to the shower. Was I imagining the look in her eyes? It seemed almost impatient, even lusty. She hadn't moved since I started unpacking. When I thought about it, she was the one of us I knew the least about. Will and Sira – even through the latter's mysterious behavior – seemed like they'd drilled their ways straight into my heart. After Loki vented to us, it was hard to see him as the distant and cold Trickster anymore. Even Rex and Cleria seemed quite warm with us, but there was a distant quality to Lusari. I felt close to her, still, but I wasn't sure how she felt about us.
I was almost sure I was overthinking it, so I went to shower. The hot water would surely clear my head. It sure felt relaxing once I stepped in. I hadn't realized how sore I became after the day, let alone the constant pace of action we seemed to face ever since I stepped foot in Bytold's inn. I had only been here for a few days, but the flow was starting to feel... natural.
The recently healed scar on my chest tingled oddly in the water. It didn't hurt, really, but felt strange. I could still glance down at it and picture how it looked before it healed. It was the worst of any injuries I'd gotten here so far. I washed the skin tenderly, as though it might break open on me again.
I spent much longer basking in the hot water than I intended, and caught myself before I properly dozed off. I stepped out into the cold world again, wrapping myself tightly in a plush towel to battle off the sudden chill. I caught my own glance in the mirror, and stared at myself for a long moment. Somehow, as impossible as it seemed, I thought I looked more mature than before. Had the fights with vampires, werewolves, thugs, and raiders added that darkness to my eyes? Did my cheekbones always look quite so prominent?
When I finally left the bathroom, Lusari was fast asleep on her bed, only partially wrapped up in blankets. Laying there, her silvery hair spilled around her head like snow, she looked like the innocent girl I'd seen at the mercy of a group of thugs. I smiled sadly, a little angry at myself for my concern about her. I went to adjust her blankets, but quickly realized she was mostly unclothed under them. I steeled myself, mindful of how cold the room was, and fixed them so she was fully covered. It wouldn't do any good for our mage to be sick tomorrow, I told myself.
When I laid down in my own bed, already blurry-eyed from readiness to sleep, I thought I saw Lusari turn over in her bed, facing me. I smiled wearily; I was sure I imagined how dark her eyes looked in the lack of light. I was surely already asleep.