Alex was lost in his thoughts while walking the streets in the direction of the adventurer's guide. Thinking about this world called Tevia, thinking about what he could do to improve his life while becoming more powerful, thinking about how dangerous it could be fighting monsters in the dungeons, but not for his sake. Alex felt prepared to deal with it, but he was afraid he was helping Tina kill herself in some way.
Alex rapidly pushed these thoughts away from his mind as he remembered how the girl had emphasized that this was her dream. What could he do? Die in her place? Get in her way? If anything, the girl was a stranger to Alex. Yes, he felt sympathy towards her and didn't want her to die, but he wasn't going to jump on the bullet.
He promised not to die again. He could not afford to discover if a third life was awaiting him. He would face this life as his last one, and he pretended to die rich and powerful. For that, he needed to join the guild and somehow impede the end of the world.
When two massive arms threw Alex inside a carriage, this and other thoughts assailed the young man's mind. He tried to fix his legs on the ground but wasn't fast or strong enough. Someone hurled him inside the vehicle in the blink of an eye, and the horses started moving away.
He trashed and fought his captors with all the strength he could muster, his elbows making the two men around him growl with pain.
"Hey! Hey! Kid! Stop!" a smooth but harsh voice said in front of him, and only then did Alex look ahead to see a white elf with a smirk. Alex kept fighting, but the two men on his side finally made him halt. He clenched his teeth and looked to his captors. Alex didn't try, but the laughter would be impossible to control if he did try.
"You two!" he shouted between laughs, "You look terrible!" the young man laughed even harder.
The giant elf tried to speak on his right side, but his broken jaw didn't move. With the failed attempt, the elf made a grim of pain, and Alex erupted in laughter again. The elf shoved him firmly against the seat.
"And you!" he said, looking to the other elf, who kept a firm grip on Alex but looked to the other side. "Your face… ouch!" the elf had all his face swollen and purple. Alex didn't know how the elf could see behind the wounds or even if he was able to see. Somehow, this made him feel even better. "That's what happens when you try to kill someone who just wants to pay you!" The two men showed a new horror expression, the one who screams, 'Please, don't tell the boss we were going to rob you.'
Alex smirked and looked at the elf he assumed was the boss. Alex wasn't a snitch. He had never been and wasn't going to start now. Besides that, if they wanted to kill him, they would have already done so; there was no need to make things worse now.
The elf kept silent for several seconds. Alex used the time to breathe and calm himself, relaxing his muscles and locking gazes with the boss. Finally, the elf chuckled, producing a big laugh born in the belly, like kids smile when someone falls in class—savage laughter, uncontrollable and pleasant.
"Oh, that was impressive! When they told me what happened… I needed to see! You are truly a fighter, kid! I'm impressed." The boss said, patting his knees.
Alex remained silent. It was too soon to judge the man's character. He had been in front of dangerous men enough to know that most of them were unpredictable pieces of shit.
"I wanted to apologize for the behavior of my associates. They are not the most clever, you know?"
"I realized yesterday. The two morons gave you my payment?"
"Yes, they did."
"So, why you've kidnapped me?"
"As I said, I wished to apologize and see you with my own eyes." The elf replied, and Alex took a good measure of him. He wore a black suit with thin white lines, a shirt color of wine, and a black tie. The boss wore pants of the same fabric as the suit and black shoes, which seemed to be made of snake leather, the style all white elves used, according to Ran'D. He had a goatee and a pointed face. Both the boss' smile and purple eyes brimmed with malice. He had golden rings on almost every finger in his hand. Ahead of Alex was a dangerous individual, and dangerous men need to be treated carefully.
"Right, I accept your apologies. What else do you want?" Alex asked calmly, not trying to release himself anymore. The boss nodded to both thugs, and they released him,
"Good, now you can actually talk. My name is Kael'Talar, and I'm their boss and the leader of the Chimeras" " the man said fast in a protocolar manner as if he did that several times daily. "And you are Valther, right?" Kael'Talar extended his hand to Alex, and he shook it.
"Yes, that's me," Alex replied. He thought about saying his real name for one moment but preferred not to disclose it to a possible enemy. People would not call him Valther forever. Alex hated that name, but it was the better course for now.
"As I said before, Valther. I was impressed with what happened yesterday. Look, these two," Kael'Talar said, pointing to both the thugs, who looked down as if the man was pointing guns at them, "they're not the cleverest of my bunch, but they are definitely on the strongest side. When they told me that a kid, known as Valther the Trollhead of all people, beat them almost to death…" The man shrugged, "I needed to see it,"
"Now you saw it," Alex replied, "can I go? I have a matter to attend,"
"Oh, I know. I know." Kael'Talar smirked and pointed at Alex, "You know, kid. I like your attitude. You remind me of a younger version of myself."
"One that didn't extort his own kind?" Alex asked, thinking that maybe he had gone too far, but the man didn't seem upset with the accusation.
"That's a common misconception about me. And that's fair. I extort some of my people, but that's only one side of the job, and I don't need to explain myself to you. Even when I say I see a little of me in you."
"You are the second person that said something similar to me today," Alex retorted,
"Oh, that old goat said the same to you?" Kael'Talar laughed hard, "Do yourself a favor and don't get close to that man. He'll poison your mind," the boss put one arm over the bank of the carriage and continued, "I'm here to offer you a job. I'm always searching for young elves willing to do what it takes to strive. Contrary to what you seem to believe, I work to help our kind. Your strength, and— for all I'm seeing now, witts too would be helpful to our cause."
What cause? Alex thought, a scoff almost leaving his mouth, but he was able to turn it into a cough instead,
"No, thank you," Alex replied promptly in the most polite way possible.
"Oh, you don't need to give me a definitive answer now. I'm a patient elf. I'll give you a few days to think about it."
"With all due respect, I don't need time to think. The answer will be no, but I'm grateful. I was serious when I said I'll pay every month on the due date."
"And I believe you, Valther. But to be fair, I don't need to believe in you. I know you're speaking the truth. I know you and your best friend are going to the 'adventurer's guide.' I don't know what is more ludicrous about this situation… You two living together— and for all my fonts said, without a relationship or both wanting to join this decrepit group."
Alex hid his surprise with Kael'Talar's revelation. They were being watched or followed— or both.
"Think about this with care, Valther. I can be your greatest friend if you let me." The carriage stopped, and the elf opened the tiny door. Alex looked outside the vehicle and saw Tina holding a sword and shield. Kael'Talar looked at the scene and chuckled. "Think about it," he repeated, closing the door as Alex left the carriage.
'I can be your greatest friend…' Or he can be the worst of enemies. I'll make sure he'll be neither.