Walking out of the large room, I gave my final good-nights once again to the few who were left.
Merit, the woman who looked like a child, was slumped over one of the tables. She groggily waved goodbye, slurring as she drooled. She was drunk beyond measure, and didn't even notice she had a bunch of her silver colored hair in her mouth.
Sofia sat across from her and was laughing at Merit. The two other tables were exact opposites of one another. One table sat a man named Tosh, who was still staring into his full cup. He hadn't taken a single sip from it since sitting down hours ago. Nor had he said a word. Sitting with Tosh was Brom and a man named Lawrence. Those three had been sitting with Vim for most the night, talking quietly as they drank. The other table, where I had been originally sitting, was now mostly empty. Reatti, Herra, and a man named Wynn, were all that remained there. Though Herra was holding her head, groaning in pain from a headache that had been progressively getting worse since she started drinking.
Stepping out of the room, I released a small breath of relief. Honestly I had wanted to leave some time ago… but…
But…
"Ah she's throwing up!" someone shouted, and I heard someone hurl. I laughed softly as I headed down the hall, away from the noise.
Out of everywhere I had been so far… this place was probably the one I'd have chosen to stay at. At least… so far. I'd only been here two days so far, so there was a good chance I'd come to find something I didn't like about it… but so far…
Walking slowly down the colorfully lit up hallway, I tried to think of the things I didn't like about this place.
The work was simple. Even if I had to work in the large trade house, where they loaded and unloaded goods… I'd not find it unfavorable. I was strong enough to not be bothered much by such physical labor. And working in the center lobby, it was mostly paperwork. Administrative stuff. Most of the positions weren't even required to talk to anyone outside of the guild. Most of the people who worked in the back offices and rooms never left those rooms throughout the day.
I hadn't worked in the bank yet, but something told me it'd be similar. Easy going. Fun. A happy environment, which would end up not feeling like work at all.
Although in one perspective the work being simple made it a good thing, it also made me worry. Could I spend decades here? Working such monotonous tasks day in and out? Somehow it worried me… yet I honestly could not complain about the city, or its people.
Then of course… once you added in our members…
There were a few weird ones. Tosh, who I had just met during the dinner, hadn't even looked at me. He had entered the room, sat at his table, and only moved when Vim had put a cup of alcohol in front of him. Yet he hadn't drunk from it. Just held the cup.
Everyone seemed to be used to it, so I hadn't worried for him… but it was obvious the poor man was not okay. Something must have happened to him.
And then of course there was Merit. I wasn't sure if it was because she was stuck in a child's body or not, but she was a little… prickly. She wasn't rude by any means, but she sometimes said or did something that made me blink and pause for a moment. I felt as if she hated the world around her… which was too bad.
Then… there was Reatti.
She had taken me under her wing rather quickly. Within hours I had begun to feel as if she and I had known each other for our whole lives. She was simply that good of a person, and was amusing too. Although I really wasn't sure what to think of how she always seemed to run at Vim and hug him.
Rounding a corner, I realized I was walking in a large circle. The inside of the guild house was this area, where everyone lived… and it was basically one giant box. The hallways all met with each other, and circled around the building. There were four entrances, which were large metal doors. Vim had warned me last night to be careful opening and closing them. Which had been amusing, since as he opened one as to show me how to do it he had broken the handle.
Herra had not found it amusing at all, however, when I went to tell her he had broken it.
He couldn't leave the door until it had gotten fixed. No one could. There weren't a whole lot of rules here, but the main one was to always be very aware of the houses.
Protect the houses, as Reatti had said.
Keep an eye on the doors. The hallways that led to them. The people who lingered near them. Protect the houses, and those who lived within.
It was… odd… They had built a giant home for themselves, yet had done so by making that very home a hotbed of activity. The bank alone had hundreds of people come and go a day, let alone the workers. Then there was the large warehouses that exchanged cargo, which had dozens of wagons and carts a day pass through it.
Rounding another corner, I heard the sounds of everyone once again. I had rounded the whole house, and was about to walk in front of the large room we had all just had dinner in.
That would be embarrassing… so…
Finding the first new hallway, I decided to walk down it instead.
I knew where my room was. This place was large, but not that large. There were technically four floors, but the top was a roof. A roof garden, hidden thanks to the large building's rafters and pillars. A place that everyone could go outside, without having to worry about hiding their traits or having to act human.
As far as I was aware the third floor was mostly storage. My room was on the third and was in the southern hallway. Yet the window pointed eastward. It let me wake up with the sunrise, which was nice.
The new hallway I was walking down led to kitchens. They were all quiet and empty now, but had been noisy earlier. It seemed most of the members here wouldn't trust a human to cook them food. So because of that, during larger feasts, they made the food here. Yet I wasn't sure if they also brewed their own alcohol too. Or maybe that was something they didn't care who made? Why would food matter but not drinks?
"Funny," I whispered to myself as I rounded another corner. This time it was a hallway of closed doors… but simple doors. Not doors to people's rooms. Maybe these were storage rooms too?
Reaching the end of the hallway, I had to retrace my steps for a bit until I could find a new hallway. This one led me to a stairwell, so I went ahead and climbed to the third floor.
Once at it, I wondered where Vim was.
He had left rather early in the dinner. I had turned to find him, and he was gone, before I had even finished eating.
I was used to him being… sneaky, but that had been upsetting. I had a lot of things I wanted to talk to him about.
Especially this supposed pirate he was going to help soon.
"I know I'm supposed to be doing something for him but…" I whispered to myself as I walked down the hallway towards my room. I did my best to not talk too loudly, since I was sure there were probably a few people now trying to sleep.
As of now I had met everyone except someone named Jasna. Though Liina, a woman who everyone had said was my sister, had only visited the dinner for a short time. She had came, got food, and then left.
Reatti and the rest had said it was because she was exhausted from working the docks, but something told me it was more than that.
She had glared at me upon entering the room, rather openly too.
Hopefully I'd be able to break down whatever barrier she and I had between us. I wasn't sure yet why everyone was calling her my supposed sister… we hadn't look alike at all, but it would be interesting to find out why.
Though maybe not… since my only experience with sisters was…
Pausing for a moment, I thought of my family. It had been a very long time since I had spent a moment thinking of them… yet somehow this place reminded me of them.
Which made no sense. This place was warm. Happy. Full of life, and friendship.
My family had been nothing like this place.
"Renn?"
Blinking, I looked up and found Vim. He was standing down the hallway, at the turn that led to the hallway where our rooms were. He tilted his head as he stared at me.
I stepped forward, and for the tiniest moment… thought about rushing forward to tackle him. As Reatti did.
My feet hesitated, and because of it, lost all momentum that could have done the deed. So instead, with a little bit of reluctance, I slowly approached the man who was smiling at me gently.
"Did you enjoy meeting everyone?" he asked.
"I did. Greatly so," I said honestly.
"That's good."
Opening my mouth to agree with him, I hesitated.
Was it?
Looking down, I realized that… I should be happy. I should be joyous beyond belief right now.
This was a place I could call home. A genuine home.
Yet instead…
"Renn…?" Vim knelt a little, to try and see what was wrong with me.
"Hm… I think I'm… broken," I said as I touched my chest. My heartbeat felt fine, at least.
"Broken…?" he asked softly.
I nodded. "I should be happy, but I'm not."
"Ah…" Vim went quiet, and the two of us said nothing as we stared at each other.
We stayed still, until a sound echoed down a nearby hallway. Someone had opened a door, probably to a room.
Vim shifted. "Hm…" then he waved at me, telling me to follow him.
I nodded and did so. He led me down the hall, to our rooms.
Staring at the door to his room as he went to opening it… I wondered why it looked so different from my own. My room had large doors, and had metal reinforcing them and…
Then I realized why. His room was much simpler. Smaller. Colder.
There was no window. No other door, which meant no storage or bathroom. And his bed was… nearly not big enough for him, judging by the size of it. And odds were hadn't been used yet, since all of our weapons laid onto of it.
Vim went into the room and went to his bed. Usually I'd probably have made a… risky joke, about him inviting me to his bed. But this room made me very conscious of our differences once again.
He intentionally made sure to never let himself get comfortable anywhere. He made sure to never stay in a real room, if he could do so. He made sure to never fall in love with a singular place, or person. On purpose.
After all, I knew that even though he didn't need as much sleep as I did or anyone else… he still slept. He still grew tired. Still became weary.
Yet the odds of him actually sleeping here was small and…
Vim rummaged through the weapons, and hefted the two swords. Their hilts glimmered a little in this dark room.
He smiled at me, and I smiled back with a nod.
"Yes," I agreed.
He tossed the sword at me, doing so lightly. I caught it and stepped back as he left the room. He pointed upward, and I understood what he intended.
The roof.
I closed his bedroom door, but not before giving it one last look around. The room didn't even have rugs, or paintings. It was… bland… as if it had been left intentionally as uncomfortable as possible.
Hopefully this wasn't his typical room here. Though…
His door latched shut a little loudly, which made me wonder how he had just opened it without making it squeak.
Following him down the hall, I squeezed the familiar sheath around my sword. The leather was firm, but soft. Something that wouldn't give skin a rash if it brushed against many times. It somehow felt…
Feeling silly for letting the sword's presence relax me, I followed Vim up a small stairwell. One that was barely wide enough for Vim's shoulders.
At the top of the stairs was another metal door. This one though had a long middle handle, running across the middle of the door. Vim opened the door carefully, and the rush of cold air flushed into the stairwell.
I flinched as I followed Vim out onto the roof. The night was cold. Colder than I had thought it would be.
"I've always enjoyed the scent of the sea," Vim said as he stared up at the sky. Thanks to the walls and pillars around the roof area, we couldn't actually see the sea… but we could definitely smell it.
"It's an inland sea, though?" I said.
"Yes. But it's connected to the other seas via channels and under the earth. So it's still a sea, all the same," Vim said.
Brushing my hair out of my face, since it was a little windy up here… I looked around us. I hadn't been to this section yet. The one Reatti had taken me to had been one of greenery. There had been gardens, and plant life, and trees even. Here though… was mostly just flat stone. There were stairs to other sections though, and off in the distance I could see the rustling of the trees and bushes of the garden area.
"Been up here yet?" Vim asked.
"Just over there. And only for a few moments," I said as I pointed to the garden area.
"Hm. Take your heels off," Vim then drew his sword.
Startling at him, I realized I was still wearing them. The odd shoes had looked… impossible at first, but had actually been rather neat.
Walking over to a nearby corner, out of the way, I took my shoes off and also the socks that Reatti had forced me to wear alongside them. She had said my toenails would have drawn attention. I hadn't let them get pointy or sharp, ever since Vim had given me that present, but I had also not made them as short as the nails on my fingers… I would have to start doing so from now on.
Once they were off, and in a neat little pile, I took off the sword's sheath and laid it next to the shoes. Once ready I walked back to where Vim was. He had his sword up against his shoulder and was staring at the sky again.
Looking up, I wondered what he was staring at. The stars half hidden by the clouds? The odd glow of the city, which made those clouds a little brighter than they should be, or the moon that was half hidden in the distance?
Then I had to duck, as a sword brushed by my ears.
Huffing as I quickly back stepped, and dodged another swing of Vim's sword, I cursed at myself. Of course he'd be rude enough to ruin such a serene moment!
I swung the sword to parry the last of his chain of attacks; I took a deep breath and tried to control my now fast beating heart.
Of course I knew Vim would have never actually hurt me… but it had still been startling… and… and…
Smiling at his own smile, I nodded.
Okay. I'm ready.
Vim allowed me to charge him this time. He and I exchanged a rapid half dozen blows, all of which Vim effortlessly parried and blocked. After a few more attacks, I stepped back to collect my breath and self.
"Well?" I asked him.
"Well what?" he asked back.
"Did I forget everything already?" I asked him.
"Did you?" he asked.
Grumbling I lowered my sword a little. I'd aim for his ankles this time. He always effortlessly blocked the lower attacks, but it made him strain more than usual. It seemed he had to stretch his arms a little more to block that low of blows, and it annoyed him.
He smiled as he shifted; ready to receive what he already knew was coming. Only Vim could be amused that I'd intentionally try and annoy him in such a way.
We re-connected again, and in less than ten tries Vim forcefully put me on the defensive. All of a sudden I was being forced to block a series off straight stabs, all of which directed at my chest.
I grunted as I blocked, then side-stepped another, then barely parried the third. I spun a little, to give myself some distance but it didn't work. The fourth strike was waiting for me all the same.
Straining, I failed to block it entirely. Although I pushed the point of the blade away from the middle of my chest, I hadn't been able to block it entirely. It ended up stopping right as it poked my left shoulder, right under my clavicle.
I froze, as Vim did. I felt the point of the dull sword, as he held it there for a moment. "Hm… rather than forgotten, you simply became complacent. Though that's not your fault, really," Vim said as he slowly pulled his sword back and stepped away from me.
Complacent? "Complacent?" I asked.
"You don't recognize that word?" he asked, a little surprised.
I shook my head as I lowered my sword. Not completely… just enough to rest for a moment.
"It means without dissatisfaction. You became too comfortable within yourself. Not so much your skills, but your world. You're in a place that makes you happy, and you feel safe, so aren't as aware to the danger around you that you should be," he said.
"Oh… that's a lot for a single word," I said.
"I exaggerated a little. After all how can I blame you when you know I'd never actually harm you? I used to, you know, when I taught others. I always thought pain was the best teacher, back then," he said.
"Pain does help, I admit… but I'd like to think you treasure me too much to do such a thing to me," I said.
Vim opened his mouth to say something, and for the tiniest moment… I noticed his sword. It didn't move. It didn't twitch. Yet that was why I noticed it.
He had just considered proving me wrong.
I gulped, and was very… very thankful, that he decided not to.
For a small moment, I found myself doubting the entire relationship he and I had been forming.
Vim then looked down at his sword. He studied it as he lifted it, turning it so the moon and starlight would gleam off it.
"What do you think I can do with this chunk of metal?" The protector then asked me.
My ears perked up, and I wondered if this was a continuation of our previous conversation… or a new one.
"Probably anything," I said honestly.
He blinked, and then looked at me.
I nodded, since it seemed he wanted me to answer again. "I mean it. I can see how with that in your hands, Vim… You could accomplish almost anything. You could save us all, or kill us all. You could force anyone to do anything. You could enforce rules and laws, or break them with impunity," I said.
Vim slowly lowered the sword, until its point was a mere hair from the stone floor. He rarely if ever let it drop that low. Since it seemed he believed, likely correctly, that it meant it left you open to too many dangerous opportunities.
"Who says I need this to do that?" he asked me.
I shifted, and nodded. "I suppose so… But in my experience, one needs a symbol. For me it was a tooth. A fang. I didn't fear the strength of their arms but their long fang," I said. The sight of it, glistening red in the dark, flashed through my mind.
Even all these years later… it made me shiver.
He studied me for a moment, and I realized I had just revealed something… rather serious. Hopefully he'd not dwell too much on it. But… even if he did…
Suddenly I felt… odd. Was I willing to tell him? About my past? Really?
"A symbol. You're more right about that than you know…" Vim had obviously noticed, but seemed willing to let me keep it hidden for a little while longer. He looked away from me, to the stars again. "Do you like your room, by the way?" Vim then asked.
Squeezing the handle of my sword, I flinched. He had changed topics again. Why? Why now? Why when I had actually realized that I'd be okay with telling him everything…?
Why when he had so obviously wanted to tell me something too…?
"It's nice. The bed is one of the softest I've ever slept in. The bath is amazing, in more ways than one. It's big enough for both of us, by the way," I said.
Vim smiled at me. "It is, isn't it?"
His smile made me hesitate. Usually that smile, arriving after I made such an invitation, would make me excited or happy… yet now… "What's wrong, Vim?" I asked.
He blinked and then frowned. "Nothing," he lied.
He lied.
Vim Lied.
I knew it was possible, of course. For as much as it seemed he didn't, or wouldn't… it did happen. But it was usually never over something serious. He had never lied about something so important. So…
Had something happened? He had not been at the dinner for long… but he had smiled through most of it. He had seemed to enjoy his time with Lawrence, Brom and the silent Tosh. It was one of the reasons I had not sat with him. It was why I had spent my time at another table.
I hadn't wanted to intrude into his moment.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked him.
"You're already doing it. I'm sure you haven't forgotten, right?" he asked.
I nodded. Could I even forget anything about him? Was it possible?
"Are you leaving?" I asked him.
He nodded. "The Yin family has been my friend for… well, a long time. They've asked for my help," he said.
"Are they part of the Society?" I asked as I turned my sword a little.
"No. They're humans. Nor do they really know about the Society. They just know about me," he said.
Huh… so they were his friends. Vim's. Not the Societies.
That was… "Can I come?" I asked softly. As amazing as this place was… a family of humans who knew about him, and he called friend… was far more interesting to me.
Vim's sword rose up, and in a way that made me raise my own.
He rushed forward, and I panicked. By the time I got my sword where it was supposed to be… it was already too late.
His sword rested against my neck, undisturbed… and unstopped.
"Sorry Renn. But not this time," he said softly.
My jaw clenched, and I was about to attack him as to prove myself… but I knew it was pointless.
He had done that on purpose. To prove a point.
Wherever he was going, whatever he was doing… was something I wasn't ready for. And he had just shown me why.
"Could anyone have stopped you just then?" I asked as he pulled his sword away from my neck.
"There've been many, yes," he said.
"I doubt that…" I whispered.
"Yangli and Lilly could have stopped that attack. It hadn't been that impressive, Renn," Vim said plainly.
My stomach knotted, and I hated how cold I suddenly felt. I shouldn't be cold. I was starting to sweat.
Really…?
I replayed the last few moments in my mind. The way he had raised his sword up. The way he had stepped forward… yet somehow had stepped forward a great distance in a single step. In less than a blink of an eye he had gone from many leaps away to right in front of me. His sword looked like it had even phased through my own, it had moved so quickly.
"Brom," Vim drew me out of my thoughts. He was a few feet away now, walking around me. Staring at me, as he spun his sword.
"Brom?" I asked. Reatti's brother? A nice man, if a little loud like his sister. I knew their relationship was… genuine, and they loved one another, but it was odd to hear and see them fight so strongly.
"I've asked him to spar with you. While I'm gone," he said.
Wait… what? "No…" I barely whispered.
"I trained him. It'll do you good to spar with someone else, Renn. If even for just a short time," he said.
Short time…? I blinked away watery eyes and gulped. Oh. So he wasn't abandoning me.
"How long will you be gone?" I asked. Hopefully he mistook the odd tone in my voice for me simply being out of breath, or cold.
Like he would. Like he could. He could read me like I'd read a book.
"Not sure. Maybe a week or so. We're headed up north, near the Bell Church. On ship that's only two days away. I bet I'll be back around the time Brandy shows up," he said.
"I see," I said.
A week or so. Although to me that should be nothing… it felt like a lifetime all of a sudden.
Vim stopped walking around me, and I realized he was back in the same spot he had been when he started. He was even standing the same way, as if he had never moved.
He lifted his sword again, and I nodded. I readied myself, even though my sword felt heavy all of a sudden.
Blocking a few blows, I only lasted six before he rested the blade on my left side. I knew with his strength, it would have cleaved me in two.
I grumbled as he stepped back, to put us back into the starting positions.
"Do you need more pillows? I noticed you only had three," he then said.
"Huh…? No… I don't think so. They're huge. And fluffy," I said. In fact too fluffy. They made my ears hot. The ones on top of my head... though that was likely thanks to the fur and hair upon them.
"Hm." Vim charged in again.
I lasted nine this time. It ended with his blade on the back of my neck, and I stumbling away since I over extended my swing.
Sighing, he and I got back into positions. His question had been distracting. I could have lasted longer, if my mind hadn't been mulling it over the entire time. Why ask about my pillows? Of all things?
"You could have slept with me, you know," I told him.
"Hm?" he paused mid-raise of his sword.
"In my room. I'd not tell anyone," I said.
"Ah… I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me though," he said with a smile.
"Well…" I mean…
I had somewhat meant it as a joke, a way to tease him… but for him to have seen the truth so readily was…
He charged forward, and I ducked his first swing. At first I thought I was going to connect with his stomach, but his sword parried it quickly. This time I lasted five more blows.
"Dang," I complained as we got back into positions.
Vim chuckled at me… but this time didn't charge right away.
He turned his head at me, and in turn I turned my head back at him. What?
"If you can beat Brom before I get back, I'll reward you," he then said.
"Huh?"
He nodded, and smiled at himself. As if pleased at his idea. "That bath you want so badly? Sure. Me and you. But only if you can beat Brom before I get back," he said.
My eyes went wide, and my heartbeat not only tripled… It also made me warm again.
"Really?" I asked as I stepped forward.
He nodded. "Hm. Really."
"Really really?" I asked again.
He chuckled and nodded again. "Yes. I promise."
Taking a deep breath, I couldn't help it.
"Yes!" I screamed.