I opened the door of the canteen, belonging to the white wolf and almost had a deja vu of the days long forgotten.
The bar was exactly the same one i saw in that vision of the fallen king of Uriel. The same table arrangement and the same bar. The only thing that was not the same was the bartender and the people inside.
Werewolves.
For the first time in a couple of millenniums, i felt like i could finally taste the drink this place offered. I walked in and the werewolves took a peek at me and turned back to their plates.
I walked to the bar and sat on the last seat on the row and the bartender walked up to me. "I've never seen you here, what would you like?"
I looked at him and wondered what i would like. For a moment, i thought he looked like the younger version of the old man who saved me when i was first shot. He even had his scar on the chin.
"What would you suggest for a weary traveller?" I asked and he smiled.
"Depending on your looks, a glass of beer wont just do. Something stronger would do. A few scars, so you've fought battle, a bit old, so some familiarity is in order. i would suggest..." he smiled and and turned to his alcohol collection. He browsed through it for a while and shook his head.
"This won't do." He took a look at me and took out a gin and a shot glass and put it in front of me. "Can you help yourself to this for a sec, I'm going to get something you will like."
"Debby, I'll need a plate here, Hunters special." He shouted as he left the bar through the door next to me.
"Coming." A voice, the very same like Ariana's shoited from the kitchen. A moment later, a girl walked out of the other door at the end.
I took my head up and my heart almost stopped. I gulped a shot of gin I've poured myself and coughed as it burned my chest.
"Hello, you look weary." She said and i looked down. she looked at my clothes and added.
"Does the keeper need something or you are just passing through?" She asked.
"Passing through." I said and took a look at her. How could someone look as cunningly similar to someone like this? I wondered. Was this what Caryon and Khumat meant by reincarnation? I passed her a crystal coin and pushed it back.
"No thanks, this is too much for just a meal. Anyway first time, its free. Enjoy your meal." She smiled and left. The kid returned with a bottle and placed it in front of me as i put the coin back.
"Look what i found." He said proud of himself. I looked at the bottle. It was wine. It's glass was green, a bit messy but it looked familiar.
I looked beneath it and my heart leapt. This was it. The very first bottle of alcohol i drank in Arga.
I looked at him and he smiled. "Have you ever heard of Arga? The land of mystic beasts?" He asked. I frowned. Not a lot of people I knew knew of Arga. She has long fallen over four thousand seven hundred and ninety eight years ago. What did this kid know of it?
"What about the last stand of Aries against the guardians and the entire civilizations of Arga including the assembly of Angels?" He twirled the bottle and showed the old crest of the Swans. "This bottle of wine was the first bottle made before those wars in the winery of the Angels when they left heaven."
"Where did you get it?" I asked and he smiled. And where did you hear those stories?"
"Well what would you say if i said i know of an eternal who has seen both the first of the battles that caused the guardians to go head to head with the gods, and the last battle that the guardians fell?" He asked.
"I'll say Keeper Caryon taught you well."
"No, have you ever heard of the one the guardians call the Viking? Even the keepers call him a myth." He took a card from his pocket and put it beneath the bottle.
"But believe me, he's like the saint, everywhere and nowhere." He whispered hidding his mouth as if the werewolves in this room couldn't hear him.
Plates fell and we turned to see Debby crying as she saw the girl who just walked in. The wolves into the room surrounded her and prepared to pounce on anyone who meant her harm and i smiled.
Like Ariana's last days, she was being protected. She froze for a minute and when she unfroze, she apologized and ran back into the kitchen. I looked at the girl wondering who she was.
But i didnt know her.
He left to tend to some girl who walked in as i poured myself a glass of a five thousand year old wine.
Just as the sweet wine caressed my throat, he shouted, "Hey boys, any of you ever seen a glass coin being used in town?" He asked showing the light blue crystal coin around.
I got up and went to look at it. There it was. In its utmost glory. The guardian princess's gem, with all the marking in it. The markings i remebered.
It wasn't supposed to be in the hands of anybody. It was supposed to be in the throne room of Acadia along with the crown jewels.
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"Laurent gave it to me." She responded calmly.
""wait, Laurent, As in the Laurent?" I asked and she nodded. I scoffed and passed her coin back. I guess rumours were true. The beast is back in town. I thought. That also meant his promise to bring the queen of Acadia back into the throne was about to take effect. Was she the queen?
I took off my beanie and added, "This coin is one of the oldest coins there is on this land. It belongs to the keeper and it's only used to trade anything with the keepers and his people. Tell Laurent not to use this coin for petty reasons like transport. It's worth more."
I said and left the canteen.
After a while i remember, i didn't eat and i was still hungry. That bottle. The one I've missed, was still there.
I walked back to the canteen just as the girl left chasing after someone who smelled a lot like Laurent trying to hide. The plate and bottle were still there and so was the crystal coin on the table she probably have sat on.
I took the coin and ate my meal. The meal was tasteless and a bit cold but the wine kept up its promise. It was good. Better that any crap I've tasted over the last thousand years.
As i took the bottle to leave, the card fell out.
I took it and read, "Next time, stop complaining about the food and finish it in one sitting, don't leave and return when its cold. Oh, congrats guardian of Arga, send me the invitation when you decide to marry, I'll send another bottle." Signed, V.King.
I laughed. A myth, yeah right!