Chapter 56: Memories of home
After having a walk accompanied by the Royal Guards who made sure that their traveler knew the main locations of the Everfall City, they moved on their way, with Erlan keeping to his promise to have some guards patrol more frequently around the Harbor.
His exploration of the town along with Eleine and Titania had always a sense of anticipation for him, and this city covered in frost wasn't something to take his interest that much, in fact nothing on this journey impressed him so far and he only focused on reaching his goal of climbing to the "Heaven's Gate".
Now that he was here, he planned to gather some information, and what a better place to start than a Tavern? A place exists for the sole reason of gathering information, eating, getting drunk, and having some sleep.
"Master, won't you first go to the Marines to claim your reward for killing that pirate?" asked Eleine walking one step behind Vlad who had the tread of a royal who was releasing full confidence in everything he was doing.
"There's no need for it, Eleine. If we go now to the Marines we will get under their attention. This isn't in Vlad's interest." commented Titania, having a somewhat understanding of Vlad's personality and thinking process.
While the two women were having their chat before entering inside the Tavern the Guards pointed out that they had the best food in the entire Sorbet Kingdom, and from what the girls pointed out reading the placard at the entrance of the tavern, mentioning its name.
[Light Snow]
Making his way inside the tavern, where the smell of both alcohol and food became apparent for the group of three. His nose twitched a bit, but at this point, barely minded. The people in the tavern were quick to turn their heads at the newly arrived and were quick to remember the news brought by some of the people who went at the harbor out of curiosity.
Vlad and Eleine's coats stood out from the entire gathering of men and women, who while having clothes for the winter they were rather old, a thing the young lady by the side of the charming man. Seeing how those people were staring at her, she wrapped her arm around Vlad's, but compared to the stare Vlad was receiving hers palled.
Moving slowly, clicking his tongue, abandoning using his walking cane as he reached a closer understanding of the Echolocation Technique learned from Athkatla about 2 weeks ago. Sitting at one empty table in the corner of the tavern, taking along the gaze of the people in the tavern with him, a young woman, later on, arrived at their table, asking with professionalism.
"What would you wish for the dine, gentleman, lady?"
"What does your place offer?"
"Borscht … from how you look at me, it seems you never heard of it. No problem, it is a dish which includes cabbage, beet-root, potato, onion, carrot, tomatoes, garlic, beef and pork."
"Mhm"
"Roasted Fish. Kholodets, hmm, for you foreigners this dish of the Innkeeper can be translated into meat jelly, being made from the meat of the cow from the leg and ears which are boiled, contains garlic, maybe a bit too much but the preferences of the Innkeeper."
"Mhm."
"Ukha, a dish made from various types of fish such as omul, sturgeon or salmon. It usually contains root vegetables, parsley root, leek, potato, bay leaf, dill, tarragon, and green parsley, and is spiced with black pepper, saffron, nutmeg, and fennel seed."
"Mhm."
"Tvorog with pickled vegetables … It's a local type of cheese from the cows in the high mountains made by the herders. There's no need to explain pickled vegetables."
"Mhm."
The young woman who had blonde hair and blue eyes was constantly following Vlad who watched her with his pitch-black eyes that had a mesmerizing feeling about them, where he was nodding interested at those dishes of Sorbet Kingdom. There was a particular dish that started whispering to him since the young woman explained to him what they contained.
"As for something to drink?"
"Vodka or water." responded the young woman in an instant, without even having to think much about what their establishment had to offer.
"Give me two portions of each dish available in this establishment since I am curious about this Kingdom's cuisine. Also one bottle of Vodka and water."
When Vlad mentioned the bottle of Vodka some of the people in the tavern, guys, began laughing at the absurdness of a foreigner drinking one bottle of Vodka alone, ignoring the fact that beside him was Eleine.
Ignoring those people, when he thought about what happened in Bulge Island where he killed that parasite for trying his luck out too much with the wrong person, he heard the server at his table ask him.
"Pay now or later?" added the woman trying to brush off some of the antics of the people in the tavern for the newly arrived guest who gave a large order.
"Now." mentioned Vlad in a stoic tone, unbothered by the laughter of people who were thrown at him, being immune to the mocking of bugs after experiencing the nightmares of his first life.
"25.000 𝔅. Also, you'll have to wait 20 minutes."
"No problem."
Giving the young woman the money using banknotes that he acquired after changing some of his coins in only banknotes of 5.000 𝔅 which made it easier for him to give money to people instead of taking forever to take coin one by one.
Bowing at Vlad who clicked his tongue feeling how the young woman looked in his mind after bowing, later on got quiet listening to Eleine and Titania's observations about this place who talked in whispers.
"They look down at you Master. Should I teach those 5 fools a lesson to not mess with us? I can always play them on my fingers and make them suffer for their arrogance."
"Ignore it. Will you lower yourself to each dog who barks at your feet when you pass by? Once it bits you, that's when you kill it with your entire force."
Some of the people who had nothing better to do but to stay in the warm tavern, couldn't help but follow what Vlad and his woman were whispering to one another, and to one specific guy who looked drunk, pointed at the black-haired man at the corner of the tavern dining room.
"Oyyy, foreigner. It is true what I heard, that you are a doctor?"
"... Sure, is there a problem?"
"How much are your fees for treating sick people?" continued the man in his late twenties to ask, not finding any problem to get angry at how Vlad responded calmly.
"Depends on the type of sickness and how complicated it will be for me to treat it. Do you by chance have some troubles requiring the assistance of a doctor?"
"It's not me, but a brother who returned from the mountains after another of his crazy stunts with his crazed buddies."
"Why ask me? I heard this town has a doctor. I wouldn't want to upset the local doctor by infringing on his territory."
"Fuck that old annoying goat fucker. He is a charlatan that is what he is. He looked at my brother once and told me he couldn't do anything to help his sickness since it was something that came from the mountain.
That goat fucker calls it "Curse of the Mountains." but to hell with it no one in today's generation believes in that nonsense."
His loud voice stirred the emotions of many of the people in the tavern who turned their attention between the drunk guy speaking and Vlad who acted like a refined nobleman seated upright on his wooden seat, which was noticed by the rest of the observers.
<Isn't the guy just like the High Nobles mentioned by Kylian on his Great Journey?>
<Shhh, don't talk about those things. It has become a forbidden subject since the King abandoned us.>
"Don't you think, ohh Foreigner Doctor, that such things like Curses and Voodoo Curses the old people are talking about is just a bunch of bullcrap? Tell us, peasants of the Sorbet Kingdom who have never seen the world."
One particular young girl who was about 14 years old, wearing simple winter clothes just like the rest of the people, yet having her head covered by a brown hood, where only some of her pink strands of hair cascaded down was munching on some of the food from the opposite side of the tavern.
Listening to the commotion in the tavern made by the drunk guy, she murmured a bit to herself.
<Of course any idiot who isn't prepared to climb The Great Yehimal would be punished by the Spirit of the Mountain. It is as simple as that. Just like those idiots of mine who tried to act strong in front of me, but now are lying in bed fighting to survive.>
"I can't say yes or no, because there are many mysteries in the world that even I can't understand. But in the case of your problem and your brother's problem, it depends also on what they did on this journey of theirs."
"I can think of many things from common sickness to permafrost microbes and ancient microorganisms trapped in ice released by your brother, for all I care."
"This might even be the reason I heard this Kingdom has been blasted with so many pandemics."
The drunk guy didn't understand much about microbes and microorganisms, but he didn't like how Vlad sounded when mentioning the blights of his Kingdom, and got up on his feet to walk toward the man who was as tall as him.
"Have I said something wrong, young man?" added Vlad calmly, not showing any signs of fear even after the man was ready to punch his table from how he looked.
"I will overlook your remark, but you have to help heal my brother."
"Man, as you can see, I am trying to enjoy some food which still hasn't arrived … even after 20 minutes passed. Besides, I want to hear more stories about this Yehimal Mountain which is said to be the biggest mountain in the world."
"What do you want to know?" asked the man who calmed down his small impulsive outburst, walking back to his table, and pouring himself another shot of crystal clear spirit, the Vodka.
"Anything you know and want to tell me. I am not picky with information. The merry it is, the more pleased I will be. The biggest chance is that I will help you."
"So, it is in your interest or any of your people's interest who have people in similar crossroads like this man, to speak."
"Legends, Myths, Real information about how climbing the mountain went, fauna, dangers."
When Vlad listed the examples for what he wanted to hear, the young girl at the opposite corner of the tavern looked at the black-haired man with his Chaperone Hat with her purple-colored eyes, where she could feel from his demeanor that he wasn't a normal person.
'Could it be, he is actually able to heal the ones afflicted with the "Curse of the Mountain"? I heard from uncle Kylian that the advancement in technology of the countries in the center of the South Sea is 100 years ahead of ours, but I always thought he was messing with me to paint a grander picture in my eyes to make me journey out on the sea'
'This man doesn't look like a pirate, nothing like him … Nor does he look like a Celestial Bastard. Heh, those pigs would wish they looked like this guy. Should I force him to look at my foolish guys if I hear he heals the brother of that drunk idiot, Ademar.'
The young girl started having thoughts about Vlad, as she watched him hidden from the sea of people inside the tavern dining and drinking, and what she didn't expect from her short observation was for the foreigner to give her the sensation he was watching directly into her soul.
Scared that she might have been discovered, she reverts her gaze from Vlad, making the black-haired man smile a bit, turning to watch at the entrance to the Tavern's Kitchen where the young woman holding various plates made her presence known.
"If any of you bastards try to mess with me and make me trip the plates. I will force you to pay triple the amount. Also, you Ademar, shut the fuck up and stop insulting old Varil. Bunch of idiots who don't know how many people that old man has healed in his life. Hmph, even your mother might have been helped to deliver you thanks to him."
"Mind your business, Lianne! It's nice to talk when it isn't your brother dying in front of your eyes. Heartless slut."
Vlad, who was welcomed by the smell of the food, immediately frowned when his surrounding was polluted with the quarrel of those two who might even be ex-lovers in his mind. But now that he had his food, he said with a cold, authoritative tone.
"You better take your love affair outside of this tavern! When I eat, I don't want to be disturbed by some foolish kids quarreling."
"Hmph, I will no longer say a thing since you paid my tavern generously." said Lianne, who took her leave, only to return with one bottle of vodka, and a smaller bottle of water.
On the other hand, Vlad who finally received some quiet after his words, took the bowl of Borscht closer to himself, moving his hand around the bowl to make the steam to get into his nose.
"Mmmm, this isn't bad. What do you say, Eleine? Does it look appealing?"
"Yea, it has a nice red color, it should be because of the beet-root, also the smell is enticing."
Eleine saw Vlad make a small smile, and as he took the first spoon of the borsch, he closed his black eyes and entered into a contemplating state which she learned not to break from Titania who watched the liquid that was akin to blood.
'This food is far away from your food Sache. Hah, I miss your food so badly, and how you made magic inside the kitchen only by talking with your ingredients.'
In those moments, Vlad had the image of a middle-aged man in his late 40s with a large belly, who smiled at him with a silly smile, calling him in a loyal manner, Your Majesty, never complaining about his harsh orders and commands, even journeying from Targoviste to Hunedoara to make a Great Feast for the Great Voidvode who stood like a wall that would constantly grind the brains of the Ottoman Sultan, Mohammed.
'Hah, how was that silly fool's spell for making delicious food?'
[ -Well, so you can see, Your Majesty, now, for example, I was staying on my knees, overwhelmed by my thoughts, and I was thinking what kind of borscht to make. Then I looked at my carrots, no worries! They were all spread out on a board, numb like after the wedding. I ask the biggest of them all "Carrot, are you in the mood for a hot bath today?"
[-And it says to me: "Yep, do I know?" … You can see it started putting on airs with me.
["Oyy, take note that soon I will let you wither there in return and I'll go to speak with your godmother, onion!" I hurried him up to say "Noo, mister, wait don't rush, I'll do it. Why shouldn't I do it? Who comes along?"
Well, there would be someone else like: the godmother, the onion, as I said she's coming, there is already some parsley sloshing around, and we're expecting two or three flayed hens this morning.]
[- Really, Sache? This is how you are speaking with your ingredients?]
[-Don't believe him, Your Majesty! When we forced our way inside the kitchen, Sache was already knocked down. What's more?!?! He wrapped around his neck a rope of garlic and on the fire, were waiting almost ready for two pots to jump on him, and scald him.]
Eleine noticed that Vlad's hand trembled a bit before getting steady as he took another spoonful of the borsch, without knowing that Vlad was playing a valuable memory from his first life which meant a lot for his younger life.
It was the moment Iancu of Hunedoara the Voivod of Transylvania and Regent of the Hungarian Crown took his last battle against the heathen, bringing yet another win for the split spirit of Christianity.
It was exactly this man that he admired as one of the greatest Vallahians and Christians to be born in the world, someone who helped him to recover the rightful throne that once belonged to his grandfather, the Great Mircea, then to his father, Vlad Voivod.
Along with his melancholy that he knew to keep it only for himself, all of the various dishes vanished from his face, as if he had the appetite of a Giant who could eat a whole cow in one go.
About two hours after he arrived in this tavern and enjoyed a decent meal, he turned his attention to the man called Ademar who still remained inside the tavern waiting for him to finish eating.
"You, man, Ademar, was your name right? Let's get going and check what your brother suffers off. Your information about the mountain was sufficient."
"Phew, great. Then let's get going. I don't live far away from the tavern."
Getting up, Vlad followed by the beautiful woman wearing the dark-green coat wrapped nicely around her body, revealing some of her curves, started to get going taking on the footsteps of the local of Everfall, while on the western corner of the Inn, the pink-haired young girl continued eating following the back of the tall foreigner.
Moving around the city for him started as a trivial thing, especially after mapping most of the central side of the Everfall using his Echolocation, like a bat in the darkness who marked his grotto.
"Don't you need some equipment? I was forced to stay away from my brother because of the fear I would get the curse. But I went to feed him, and nothing happened yet."
"... Just guide me to your brother and stop talking."
As if some thoughts started getting in his mind about what possible affliction the brother of this man could suffer, once he entered into an apartment building that had 3 stories, he later followed by stepping inside a room where some mesh-like cloth was spread around like a veil.
*COUGH*
*COUGH*
"Ade, is it you? It hurts too much. Just kill me."
"NOO, Olor, I brought a doctor from far away who is levels above that old charlatan. I am sure he will heal you, just like how Kylian mentioned he saw the doctors on his journey do."
*COUGH*
"I trust what old Varil told me. I shouldn't have stepped inside the Great Mountain and try the challenge of courage. Hah, what got me now is only death for a fake courage."
Ademar, seeing his brother looking paler than when he last saw him, turned to Vlad and with a desperate expression, he dropped to his knees, pleading with him from the bottom of his heart.
"Please, great doctor. Please, tell me you can heal my brother."
Vlad remained emotionless, even in this show of emotions from both of the brothers, and Eleine who watched everything from two steps away had a hard time hiding her smile, seeing how cool her Master was. Then, he took off the cloth obstructing him, walking casually to the bed of the sick man who was in his early to mid-twenties, pale, as if death was about to call him.
*COUGH*
"Don't bother, foreigner. I trust what old Varil told me, and this is my fate for incurring the wrath of the Mountain Spirit."
Taking his cane where he pushed the man trying to get upright on his ass, he looked a bit disgusted, pushing once again with his cane harder.
"Tell me, boy. Is this Varil of yours Saint Gabriel to do miracles? Is he Jesus Christ to make miracles? No spirit would bother with a bunch of rats even if you guys are trying to climb it because you didn't even reach the Summit."
"Now, with all your energy you'll start telling me what happened on your way to Yehimal, and make me understand, how can a healthy youngster drop sick after not even reaching 4000 meters high?"
The sick man, who was forced to stay horizontal, lying on the bed by the cold cane that was like death's grasp, did a forced laugh, before telling his version of the story. From how he and 5 buddies gathered around to attempt the Courage Challenge, where the youngsters of the Kingdom if they want to have a blessed life to attempt to summit the Great Yehimal.
The benefits gained would surmount to how much they managed to climb, and getting the full blessing of the Mountain Spirit after summiting.
Yet no one in the history of the Sorbet Kingdom was able to summit the mountain, not even the Kings and Queens, or the Princes and Princesses. Hundreds of years passed and no one was brave enough to climb it to the pinnacle.
It started with all the good signs a Shaman would call for, the ascent went smoothly since they trained a lot for this challenge, but once they reached the 3500 meters mark after a couple of more meters as they walked slowly on the mountainous pathway, one of his friends started feeling sick.
Then another one felt sick, followed by him who couldn't continue stopping at 4200 meters, requiring for 2 of his friends who were "spared" by the Spirit to take them down and face their punishment.
"When you started feeling sick, did you have a headache that you couldn't wash away even a point, nausea or vomiting? Weakness or Fatigue? Dizziness or lightheadedness. Loss of appetite?"
"I feel weak, fatigued, lost of appetite, but not nausea or vomiting. Headache, and pain all over my body as if I am on fire. Can you understand, doctor? It is not altitude sickness. This is the punishment I have to suffer, being burned alive by the spirit."
Vlad, who couldn't even see, rolled his eyes slightly annoyed by how moronic this brat was.
He quickly did an analysis using all of his cerebral power to put together the picture of that event where two guys managed to be just fine, even though they did the same pathway, ate the same, slept the same, prayed the same to the mountain for success.
Only three of the 5 guys got themselves caught by this sickness, and as if remembering the symptoms described by a type of disease, he read in one of his many old books that he picked from the Skyfruit Temple.
It made him look surprised, calling to Eleine and Titania.
"Girls, a question. Would you believe it if I told you that there exist nasty ancient bugs said to be extinct for hundreds of years?"
Ademar heard once again the voice of a woman he couldn't see, mentioning with a calm tone.
"I would believe, especially after I learnt that when someone is frozen entirely, his body doesn't die instantly, but enters in a state of cryogenics."
"We are dealing with some of those ancient bugs who weren't yet exterminated from this world, they are called Maggris Worms. Bunch of parasitic bugs who live in frosty conditions who for the most part would enter into a state of hibernation until they feel the warm temperature of possible targets. Hah, and I had my expectations going high thinking I would have to fight against Death itself.
To think I was thinking he was suffering from getting infected with Bacillus Anthracis or the Yersinia pestis, discovered by the great scientists of this world. Boya, bring me some hot boiling water, some clean towels, a glass jar, ropes, garlic, honey, and still-burning charcoal."
Receiving this list of strange orders from the black-haired man, he tried to question him, but Vlad opened his eyes and as if his head was forced by an invisible head to not look at his face, he complied taking off, only asking the doctor after he brought all the required items.
"Why do you need hot water? Or the burning charcoal?"
"Huhuhu, simple. Go grab hold of your brother and make sure he doesn't move around like a stupid fool that he is, or I will break his bones."
Saying that he rose the legs of the guy, placing the towels underneath, and later on Vlad took a cup of boiling water and grabbed hold of the man's right leg..
"Is this the leg that you felt the stinging pain for the first time which made you stop for a brief moment in your journey?"
"Yes?? Why? What's wrong, doctor?"
"Ohh, nothing much. Ready?"
Ademar wasn't stupid and understood that Vlad had good intentions at heart, and grabbing hold of his brother Olor, he, later on, heard his brother scream from the top of his lungs as Vlad poured slowly the boiling water on the man's right legs straight on his fibula which was colored into red immediately.
Void of emotions as he was administering the "torture" to this poor man, Eleine started breathing heavily for some reason as she watched Vlad at work for the first time.
She trembled in pleasure when he placed the burning charcoal on the man's end of the fibula connecting with his foot.
"ARGHHH! KILL ME ALREADY IF THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING!"
Vlad remained quiet, before removing the charcoal using his multifunctional tool, and tying the ropes brought by Ademar on some specific zones of his leg, which later on after a lot of screams of pain, curses, and all sorts of blasphemies addressed to Vlad, a new shrieking voice appeared in the mix coming from the suffering man's leg.
From the inside of Olor's leg, where Vlad worked along to boil it, fry it, as if he was burning down the house of some person, the thief who entered uninvited blasted open the door of the house open, eating its way out only to be caught by Vlad who used a pair of tweezer.
*SHRIEK!!*
"Humm, it's quite the fat one."
.
.
A/N: A rare visage of what's going on inside Vlad's mind, and some of his memories.
