As the last of the daylight faded, the sky above them glowed in soft purple hues. The dry stalks crunched under their shoes as Khael and Finn moved through a vast field of crops. The faint chirping of crickets beginning their nightly music mixed with the delicate scent of earth in the chilly night air.
"How far is this guy?" Khael asked, sounding annoyed. He tried to get over his boredom by walking with a goofy stance.
"Not far," Felix replied. He walked more steadily holding his grocery bag unlike Khael.
"We've been walking for hours!"
"It was your choice to meet him."
"…" Khael looked at him for a moment. "You're no fun. At least try to smile when–"
"We're here,"
Up ahead, a house stood at the border of a thick forest. Its outline was faintly visible in the small amount of light coming from the windows. The area was enclosed by tall walls, In front, a single streetlamp flashed slightly in the dark light along a short dirt lane.
Khael was absorbed with everything around him and hadn't even realized how close they arrived until he was standing in front of the main gate. As they neared the entrance, the silence was broken by the guard stationed there.
"Hey, it's rookie. Paying early this month, huh?"
The man turned to Khael. "Who is this guy?"
The guard's eyes narrowed as he studied Khael as if he were expecting trouble. Khael maintained the gaze while momentarily glancing down at the firearms that the man was carrying. It was an unlicensed machine guns that appeared old but were quite lethal. The guard was huge, with broad shoulders and dark skin that sparkled slightly in the flickering light. Standing close to him made even Khael, who was tall by normal standards, feel little. The man seemed more serious because he had shaved his head.
"None of your business,: Felix said in a cold, dismissive tone. He went past the guards without worry, as though such an encounter were common.
"Sure, sure," the guard muttered, his irritation showing as he stepped back into position. "Just get in and don't waste our time."
Khael noticed the guard's sharp stare following him as he moved forward. For a short period, it continued, but Khael avoided it and continued inside. He didn't feel impressed by the place; all he saw were a few men with rifles and keeping guard. There were maybe twenty of them spread around the entrance, watching everything.
However, the house itself was different. Made of dark, polished wood, it seemed more similar to a small mansion than a simple house. From the gate to the front door, there was a well-kept concrete path. Khael sped to catch up to Felix, who was already halfway down the path.
While few of the guards closely watched Khael, the majority of them showed little interest in Felix. They followed his every move. The fact that so many eyes were on him, almost prepared to eat him, made Khael uncomfortable.
When they reached the door, the guard standing there gave them a cold look but didn't say anything. He stood there, looking at them for some time, then stepped aside and held the door open.
There were more guards inside, some busy with household chores, while others stood still like statues or casually walked from one place to another.
It's more secure than a military base. Is this guy running a cartel or something?
Khael stepped through the door. The entire floor was made of wood, the pillars too, giving the place an old-world feel. Everything was done in the style of a traditional countryside house. The air was thick with the smoky scent of tobacco, and he could feel it clinging to his clothes. Felix led him down a dimly lit corridor. The only sound was the soft shuffle of their feet. Felix eventually stopped in front of a Japanese sliding door or so-called Shoji.
When he slid open the door, a flood of bright light spilled out, making Khael squint for a moment. The room was massive, far larger than he'd expected, with walls covered variety of paintings—some of which were abstract, some of which showed landscapes, and others of which were portraits of strangers. A few guards stood rigid against the walls and in the corners, their faces blank as statues. The thick smell of tobacco hit harder now.
An obese man was lying sideways on a carpet with an intricate pattern in the middle of the room. He was busy chugging down the glass of beer he had in his hands. A low wooden table in front of him was littered with a weird range of objects, including a huge jug that may have once contained more of the same, an empty beer bottle that had fallen on its side, and a plate of something that looked dry but was unknown.
Felix was the first to enter, followed by Khael. He held up his arm in greeting.
"Hel–"
"Heyyy, borrower! How have you been?" The man shoved the half-empty glass of beer to the floor when he noticed Felix.
"You're early this month. Feeling generous? Or did you hit the lottery?" A sly grin spread across the man's face. "You know I'd love a piece of that jackpot."
Felix seems to have heard it all before as he stood there motionless and quiet. The man got up from the ground, approached slowly, and put a big arm over Felix's back.
"Why the long face, huh? Gonna run to mommy and sob because you actually have to pay up every month?"
Felix didn't flinch. Khael, standing behind, raised a hand. "Hello–"
"She should've chosen me instead of that broke fool." The man barreled on, his words dripping with bitterness. "The first time she came to me for money, I couldn't believe it. A woman that beautiful? Like an angel had just walked into my life. I gave her everything—before she even asked. But what did she do? She ran off with him. That pathetic little devil who couldn't even afford to feed her properly?"
"Hey–"
"I didn't care, you know. I still wanted her. I decorated this entire house, planned a life together, even our room. I could already imagine the… fun. But then she ran away—with him." He slammed his fist into his palm. "HOW COULD SHE?"
"Excuse–"
"She made me a laughingstock! ME!" He slammed his fist into the table, the plates rattling. "I wanted her, and I deserved her. She should've been mine, but no—she chose some useless man. And now, you. Her kid. Her pathetic excuse for a legacy. You think you're going to repay me? HA!"
"…"
"You'll never be free," the man spat, leaning closer to Felix. "You'll grow old and die with this debt. Want a home? Forget it. Want food? Forget it. You'll crawl back to me every single month, begging for my mercy, just like your mother should have. And you'll never–"
"Heyyyyy," Khael said with a playful tone as he plopped down beside Felix. The obese man's eyes locked onto him, narrowing with annoyance.
"Who the hell is this?" he barked.
"Think of me as a stranger passing by," Khael replied.
"???"
"After hearing your touching little story, I won't argue about the debt. However, just curious, how much did you actually lend her?"
The man's face became sour. "Why the hell should I tell you?"
Khael shrugged, "I might try helping him out."
The obese man froze, then burst into laughter so loud it echoed through the room. Felix remained mute, his eyes remaining on the ground, while Khael blinked, puzzled. The man crashed his leg and coughed, his laughter turning into coughing spells. He wiped the tears from his beady eyes, still wheezing from laughter.
"You're a funny little punk, aren't you?" he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Walking in here, acting like you've got the guts to play with the big boys. I've seen dozens of kids like you—full of attitude but empty pockets."
He pointed the bottle lazily at Felix. "Look at you. Can't even make eye contact. Just like your mother—weak, useless, and full of empty promises."
The man took another swig from his bottle and slammed it down on the table, the noise echoing in the room. "She thought she was smart, you know. Coming in here all pretty, batting her eyes, acting like she was too good for me…and this one." The man turned his attention to Khael. "What's your deal, huh? Think you're the tough guy in the room? You're nothing but a mouthy little punk. I've dealt with plenty like you—acting all cocky until they're crying and begging for mercy. Maybe I should make you join him, working off that debt. How's that sound? You look like you could clean a toilet or two."
"…"
"Helping him out? What, you got some big savior complex, kid? Lemme guess, your mommy didn't hug you enough growing up. Or maybe she did. A little too much, huh?"
"…"
"Bet she's out there, spreading her legs for pe–"
Thwack!
Before the fat man could finish his vile words, Khael's fist suddenly made contact with his face. The enormous body of the man rose completely off the ground and flew back as though he weighed nothing. He struck the low table behind him, knocking the plate, beer bottle, and jug to the ground.
The only sound in the room for a moment was the man's groaning as he lay prone among the shattered furnishings.
The five guards in the room bolted toward Khael. With a baton in hand, the first guard lunged for Khael's head. Feeling the whoosh of air close above him, Khael ducked. He moved quickly, slamming his elbow into the man's ribs. With a horrible snap that reverberated throughout the room, the guard collapsed to the ground.
The second guard lunged from the side with a dagger before Khael could even retreat a step. He narrowly avoided the blade by twisting his body to the right before gripping the man's wrist in a vice-like hold. He pushed his knee tightly into the man's stomach after effortlessly snatching the knife out of the guard's grasp. The wood splintered as the guard slammed against a chair after flying backward.
Two approached him together. One aimed a kick at his legs, while the other struck wide with a punch. The guard was pulled forward by Khael, who used him as a barrier against the kick after catching the punch in midair. They both stumbled back. After spinning, Khael gave the first man a roundhouse kick to the face. The blood sprayed. Khael grabbed the second guard's collar and gave him a hard headbutt as he attempted to recover.
Khael looked around for the last one, but he wasn't difficult to locate. Already pinned beneath Felix's foot, the man was having trouble breathing.
"I knew you weren't useless," Khael remarked.
Felix didn't respond, his face still as cold as ever. But Khael's eyes flickered toward the door. The corridor rumbled with the thunderous sound of footsteps and the shouts of dozens, hundreds, and more people, growing louder by the second.