Round two was yet again a victory for the grand duke and Sol. The humanoid-looking enough shade demon wondered what to ask.
"Favorite place that you've been?" He decides to ask lowering the standard of the questions drastically.
"Theocracy of the rising sun or more exactly "The Temple of the Early Dawn." It's magnificently built and I truly do believe that it used to be part of the floating city of "Iel" back in the day." The grand duke responds, his eyes wandering to a far distant past. His excitement as a scholar returns even farther back than the memory he retraces.
"For me, it would have to be the Grand duchy of Blechia… There is a beautiful flower field that follows the northern river… Yeah, beautiful." Hellas also seems to reminisce, his eyes more somber and emotional than those of Dalbert Estian.
"Care to explain?" Sol asks, Hellas taking another large gulp of the local mead.
"No." The blunt response follows, starting the third round. A round that ended in the favor of Hellas.
"Luck is finally on my side." The pink-haired ranger says with a visible smile, his finger tracing his lips as he thinks about his question.
"Weren't you supposed to be good at this game?" Sol asks the grand duke.
"Can't win them all, luck is a factor… Even if you have the more expensive deck."
"This is starting to sound a lot like pay to win."
"If one invests, one should receive the profit."
"Do you have any family and where are they?" The question that Hellas decided on interrupts the bickering between the two teammates.
"…"
"…"
"I have a son… And some distant family branches… Uhm... He's grown up well…. Resembles his mother." The grand duke struggles to respond, the difficulty in his reply telling enough.
"What about you?" Hellas asks Sol, still hearing no response. The emerald green eyes give a nearly hostile gaze to Hellas. Causing both of them to finish their drinks.
"I had some a long time ago... Long enough to call it a different life. A lot of things changed some for the worse, some for the better. Found someone else who I would call family, even if she is far away." Secessus thinks about the small girl and when he found her. How she had grown and how much more she will have changed the next time they meet.
"My apologies, to be honest, I thought the subject would be a bit lighter. Then again that would be ironic in my case."
"I'm laying down for two seconds, and we're sharing life stories?" The familiar deeper voice of Gunnir grabs the attention. The large man is supported by Cristal and Tika using their respective powers as they help him downstairs. They seat themselves at the table, Gunnir whilst sitting also leaning against the wall. Supporting his large frame without damaging the tavern any further.
The tavern is definitely less packed than usual, the lacking amount of furniture not helping the matter.
"I agree, the least you guys can do is send an invitation." Tika adds playfully, the table now completely filled.
"Six is way too large a number to play "Armies and Might."" Hellas responds.
"Three is also too large a number, it's a one versus one game." Cristal responds shutting down Hellas his retort. "Then we just have to switch up the game, don't we?"
"Shouldn't you be resting, Gunnir? Aren has given quite the clear warnings." The grand duke asks, looking at the mountain of a man.
"I've rested enough. Besides, it's not like I'm going to do anything reckless."
"If you say so."
"What "game" are we going to play then?" Sol decides to ask, realizing that a three versus three "Armies And Might" game is off the cards.
"Apparently you are all in the mood to share some stories. So let's play "Have I? Never!" It's a game where someone says a statement that he or she has never done and if someone else has done it they have to drink and explain." Tika beckons for the older tavern-keeping couple to bring some more drinks. They quickly do so granting everyone except Gunnir the local mead. "If you want to poison yourself some more then invite another assassin." Betzy said as Gunnir's eyes begged for an explanation, a small whimper could be heard as the old woman's semi-threat seemed to be effective enough.
"Who's going to start?" Sol asks.
"Ladies first." Hellas responds as he pours some extra mead into his cup. Tika and Cristal look at each other before Cristal takes the initiative.
"I am a non-believer." The paladin states her falsehood, looking specifically at Sol and the grand duke. Sol drinks as the only one, the rest of the group seemingly having some faith.
"I feel that this game is not to my advantage." Sol says realizing that they probably already know almost everything about each other. He and the grand duke are probably the only exceptions. "I don't believe, because it will only get you disappointed in the end."
"I wished I was magically gifted." Tika nearly immediately says after Sol's statement. Continuing the game without any follow-up questions. Her own falsehood is more aimed at the non-arcane.
Gunnir and Hellas drink this time, one water and the other continuing his eventful night with the now very trusted mead.
"I've seen mages and especially battle mages do some impressive things." Gunnir responds.
"It could help with some things." Hellas simply responds. The turn now going to the large bald ginger bearded man as the group decides to continue clockwise.
"I have never killed someone." No one drinks at the statement, some even having had to kill the night prior. "Let me rephrase that, I've killed someone who didn't deserve it."
After a short silence multiple eyes dart. Had they killed anyone who didn't deserve it? A subjective question testing morality and its perception. Both Sol and Cristal drink at the same time.
"I'm a mercenary that's done things I regret but… When have you all?" Gunnir asks his voice at the same time somber and intrigued.
"I received treatment, but the process was rather "draining." I killed one of the healers in the aftermath." Sol says abruptly, pouring more mead into his cup.
"When I was a new paladin one of the higher-ranking officials sent me to imprison a heretic. He resisted and I accidentally killed him... I learned later that the so-called heretic was actually a faithful believer who wished to expose that official and the crimes he committed." Cristal follows Sol's lead instead of taking a simple gulp, she finishes the entire cup. Pouring more mead to smoothen the tongue and lessen the lies.