Ren woke up as the morning sunlight streamed through his window, the rays hitting his face just right. He stretched lazily, rubbing his eyes.
"I should probably drink coffee or something," he muttered to himself.
After getting dressed, he headed downstairs, stepping out of his room and into the lively inn. The common area was almost full, with people chatting and laughing. Olivia was busy handling the customers, making sure everything was running smoothly.
Ren approached the counter and leaned on it, looking at her. "What's today?" he asked, rubbing his eyes again.
Olivia glanced up from her work, a smile spreading across her face. "It's festival day," she said. "Like a carnival. People take the day off to enjoy themselves."
Ren's face lit up with interest. "Sounds like a good excuse to have some fun."
Olivia nodded, her expression a mix of amusement and slight exasperation. "Just don't go causing any trouble."
Ren smirked. "Me? Trouble? Never."
He turned to grab his coffee, already thinking about how he might make the most of the festival.
Ren took a sip of his coffee, savoring the bitter warmth. The festive atmosphere outside was beginning to seep into the inn—laughter, music, and the distant clinking of bells. The usual hustle and bustle felt different today, lighter, as if the entire town was caught in a wave of excitement.
Olivia was still managing the inn's customers, directing people to tables or delivering drinks with practiced ease. Ren leaned against the counter, watching her for a moment. "You know, for someone who's always running the show, you sure don't look like you enjoy these crowds," he remarked with a teasing grin.
Olivia glanced over at him, her eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing her words. "It's not that I mind the people. It's just... chaotic, and a little too much sometimes," she admitted, wiping her hands on her apron.
Ren chuckled, sipping his coffee again. "Yeah, I can see that. So, what does the great Olivia Zylrona do on festival days to relax? Any secret festivities you're part of?"
Olivia paused, clearly thinking it over. "Usually I just take a walk, maybe grab something from the festival stalls. It's nice to get away from work for a bit."
"Walk, huh?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "I could join you, you know. Wouldn't mind checking out the stalls myself."
Olivia smiled, but there was a hint of hesitation in her voice. "I wouldn't want to drag you away from your... grand plans for the day. I'm sure you have better things to do."
Ren shrugged nonchalantly. "Nah, my plans pretty much just involve coffee and strolling through the festival. Nothing too exciting." He gave her a teasing smile. "Unless, of course, you're afraid I'll steal all the fun."
Olivia rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, alright. You can tag along, but I warn you, I'm not going to wait around while you try every food stall."
Ren held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. I'll try to be on my best behavior."
Olivia finished up with another customer, and the two of them headed out into the street. As they stepped into the sunlight, Ren couldn't help but feel a sense of freedom. It wasn't every day he got to walk around town without a quest on his back or some monster to fight.
"So," Ren began, glancing at Olivia as they walked, "what's the best part of the festival for you?"
Olivia looked up, thoughtful. "The food's always good, but honestly? It's just the vibe. Everyone's so relaxed. It's nice to be part of something for a change, instead of always running things."
Ren grinned, following her lead. "Sounds like you're actually enjoying it, then. Good to know I'm not dragging you through it against your will."
Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "I never said that. But I guess I'll take it."
As they made their way deeper into the festival, the sounds of laughter and celebration surrounded them, and Ren couldn't help but feel like this was the perfect way to spend a day off.
After exploring for a few minutes, Ren and Olivia spotted Skorn and Talos in the distance. Skorn was leaning against a nearby cart, laughing about something while Talos stood beside him, looking slightly embarrassed as usual, rambling on about some fact no one really asked for.
Ren grinned, nudging Olivia. "Looks like we found our partners in crime," he said
Olivia raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "As long as it doesn't involve getting thrown into any more walls, I think I'll manage."
Ren chuckled. "Oh, no promises there. But if anyone's going to get us into trouble, it's definitely Skorn." He nodded toward the pair, who were now arguing over something that seemed completely pointless.
Skorn was waving his arms animatedly, probably making some exaggerated claim about his strength or prowess, while Talos, looking less than thrilled, was trying to steer the conversation back to something more intellectual.
"Let's see how they're doing," Ren said, already walking toward them with Olivia following behind.
As they got closer, Skorn spotted them first and gave a wide grin. "Ah, look who finally decided to leave the safety of their little bubble," he teased.
Talos, looking up, let out a soft sigh, clearly resigned to the fact that Skorn was going to drag him into whatever Ren and Olivia had planned. "We were just discussing the best strategy for getting past the festival crowds," Talos explained, straightening up. "I was considering the quickest route, but Skorn insists that we should just 'bulldoze through'."
Ren snickered. "Yeah, that sounds like Skorn's idea of strategy."
Olivia rolled her eyes. "You two are impossible."
Skorn gave a dramatic shrug. "What can I say? I like to make an entrance."
Ren grinned, clapping Skorn on the back. "Well, you're in luck. Olivia and I were just about to cause some chaos of our own. Care to join?"
Talos sighed but couldn't hide the small smile forming at the edge of his lips. "I suppose I'll keep you from actually getting arrested then."
The group shared a moment of laughter, already plotting their next move in the chaotic festival crowds. It was clear this was going to be another day full of unpredictable adventure.
********
The four of them gathered around the fountain, happily munching on festival snacks.
Skorn was shamelessly stuffing his face with a giant turkey leg, while Talos nibbled on something far more refined—an intricately glazed pastry.
Ren was attempting to balance a caramel-covered apple with a piece of bread in one hand while gesturing wildly with the other, and Olivia, ever the sensible one, was sipping on a drink, looking amused by the bickering.
"So, if you could be any mythical creature, which one would you be?" Ren asked, taking another bite of his apple.
Talos, ever the intellectual, adjusted his glasses and began listing off a series of obscure creatures from ancient texts.
"Well, considering the complexities of interdimensional creatures, I would—"
Skorn cut him off mid-sentence. "Wait, no, you'd totally be a griffin. Why make things complicated when you can fly and claw things?"
Olivia snorted. "I think we all know Ren would be a dragon. He's already got the fiery personality."
Ren shot her a playful glare. "You're just jealous because dragons get all the best treasure. Anyway, Skorn would be a rock golem, obviously. Doesn't have the brains, but plenty of muscle."
Skorn grinned, not at all offended. "I'll take that as a compliment. You're right, though, I'd make a pretty solid golem."
The group continued to laugh and argue as the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky.
But suddenly, the festive chatter was drowned out by the sound of bells ringing. At first, it was just one, then another, and then soon, every bell in the city seemed to be chiming in unison.
It was a deep, resonant tolling that carried through the air, filling the streets with an almost eerie sense of urgency.
Ren's smile faded, and he immediately tensed. "That doesn't sound like part of the festival…"
Olivia's eyes narrowed, her usual calm expression replaced with a hint of concern. "Something's wrong."
Skorn dropped the turkey leg onto the ground and stood up, his muscles tensing in preparation for whatever was coming. "A warning bell," he muttered. "Something big's about to go down."
Talos wiped crumbs from his mouth, adjusting to the shift in atmosphere. "We should check this out. It's not normal for the bells to ring like this unless there's an emergency."
Without another word, the group immediately gathered their things and began heading toward the city center, the sound of the bells continuing to ring out in every direction. It was clear that whatever was happening, they were about to be caught up in it.