Grim Fenris and Dart traversed the outskirts of Vanheim in hopes of making their way towards Midgard.
After a couple of grueling days travelling on foot, all the while stopping by taverns and shacks to replenish their strengths and stuff their faces, they had had finally arrived at the grand city of the Kingdom of Vanheim – Midgard.
Dart's eyes glinted with excitement and joy as he saw the colorful banners, busy streets, and flocks of people making their way around the city.
Grim was only ever here when he was still a kid, well, he is still one right now but the last time he was in Midgard was when he was eight years old.
He went with his grandfather to pick up some supplies along the way.
Grim gazed at one particularly busy waiting area which had many seats on it.
He remembered the time when his grandfather wanted to take a break from all the walking and the heat. They were going to sit here, in this particular chair in the waiting shed. Under the cover of a roof to protect them against the sun.
But when they eventually sat down, a human guardsman asked them what business they had sitting there.
Grim wanted to protest that it was a chair that was meant to be sat on by anyone, regardless of their race, whether it be elf or human.
His grandfather stopped him, though. He kindly got up and apologized to the guard as they both went on their errands.
This memory brought intense anger inside Grim Fenris' heart. All the injustice and sufferings he and his late grandfather had to suffer despite being branded as 'free' people.
"Tch. Free, huh? Yeah right."
He said under his breath.
"Did you say something, Grim?"
Dart asked him.
Over the course of their journey towards Midgard, whenever there were a lot of people nearby, Grim would only ever communicate to the baby dragon on his back with grunts and coughs.
They have gotten pretty good at it.
Grim shook his head.
"Oh. Okie dokie!"
Grim snapped out of remembering those horrible memories he had of this place.
Because he was here for a new reason now, he was going to the Six Symphonies tavern and locate his parents.
Unbeknownst to the others, and even if Grim was the only one who knew of it, he was a monster tamer already. At the age of thirteen, at that.
He looked at the sun above as it beat down on the residents of Midgard. Grim smiled.
It took them two whole hours before they could finally spot the Six Symphonies tavern at last…
Exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, Grim knocked on the door.
His knocks were ignored, however.
"Maybe nobody's home…"
Dart suggested.
"It is a freaking tavern, why would it be closed at this time of the day? This is peak drinking hours, man."
Grim said as he sighed.
Just as he was about to knock once more, this time, much louder and stronger than before, the door finally opened in on him.
The person opening it was a bronze-skinned man in his forties or fifties. Definitely much younger than his grandfather.
"State your business."
His voice was very deep, quite rich in timbre.
This intimidated Grim to the point where he had to make up a voice altogether, he figured that this person would take him much more seriously if he sounded more adult-like. That was what he thought, anyway.
Grim cleared his throat before speaking.
"I-I am here to talk to the bartender…"
His attempt at an adult voice was definitely valiant, but it did not mean that the outcome was going to be accurate.
"Why do you talk like that?"
The man's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"T-Talk like what?"
Dart facepalmed himself in Grim's backpack.
"This is hopeless…"
The baby dragon said.
Grim finally dropped the act and just decided to tell the bartender the truth.
"I need to talk to the bartender, please. It is important."
He pleaded to the imposing man.
"I am the bartender, child. Now tell me already, I have lots of people lining up at the bar waiting to have their drinks filled and their bellies stuffed."
The mere thought and mentioning of food made Dart salivate.
"Food…Tell him we are hungry, Grim!"
Grim did his best to not get annoyed and ignore Dart's quippy remarks.
He handed out the letter written by his grandfather, but he cut out the part where the Fenris family's powers were mentioned. It only had the portion of his grandfather telling him about the Six Symphonies tavern and its bartender.
The man's face began to light up in joy.
"So, you're the old man's grandson, huh?"
He asked with a smile.
"Y-Yeah. I believe so."
"Well what are you waiting for? Come on in!"
Grim and Dart were welcomed into the tavern.
Inside it were several men drinking around a table.
Some were busy playing cards and other variations of it.
There were even those who were already passed out drunk.
"Jeez. Isn't it a bit too early to get wasted?"
Grim said.
"Nonsense, kid! To drink is to feel the warmth of a chug of beer or a bottle of mead! That is the way you live life!"
"Err. Okay. Can I ask you what your name is and how you knew my grandfather?"
The bartender coughed.
"Right, well, those other details will have to come later, for now, you can call me Marko."
"Nice to meet you, Marko."
Grim extended his hand out as Marko shook it in return.
"Tell you what, kid. Why don't you go rest up in my room upstairs? I'll give you food for lunch a few minutes from now. Sounds good?"
Grim's eyes now also lit up.
"S-Sure!"
Marko guided him to where his quarters were upstairs and left him there.
Grim locked the door and let Dart out of his backpack.
"Seriously, you have got to stop distracting me when I am talking to other people, it is annoying."
Grim said to the baby dragon who had a playful expression on his face.