[Jehona]
West Gate or no, the man didn’t seem to care about his subordinates’ joy. “I’m the Rosen Family’s youngest son, Kav," he introduced himself.
A Rosen? No wonder Jehona couldn’t recognize the family crest on the man’s cape on first glance.
The Rosen Family was thought of as common once, but its involvement in trade had it rising in both wealth and status. Nowadays, it was considered one of the most influential players in Ashmore Kingdom’s economic scene.
Question was: what made this rich heir abandon all he knew to side with Aldric?
“Chief!” was Quinn’s turn to say this time.
Yet again ignoring his subordinate, Kav Rosen walked deeper into the inn, the townspeople making way for him unprompted. He hummed with interest as he passed by the unconscious piles William reduced the bandits into, stopping once he stood opposite of William.
“Your opponent stated his name, it’s rude not to state yours.”
Against Kav's blinding smile, William’s expression was subdued. “William Bernard.”
Interest shone brighter in Kav's eyes. "Your accent... you're from Drakon, correct? The land of Champions' Games."
Jehona noted the change in William’s expression, from somber to cold. She frowned, both at the possibility of something in those words upsetting her companion, and also at mention of that cruel sport. “The Games had been outlawed.”
Kav sighed. “And what a shame that was. I would’ve loved to have the chance to fight my way to victory.”
“You certainly are a strange fellow,” Suspicious One said, a little amused.
“More like unhinged,” Stella corrected, the look she gave Kav wary.
Kav didn't care for their opinions, saying, “Since wagers are the theme tonight, I’d also like to participate.”
Unlike the bandits, Kav didn’t bother with making a show of his words. He only directed them to those he deemed worthy of his attention. That dubious honor appeared to fall solely on William.
“A simple sword fight. One man against another.” Fiddling with his collar for a moment, Kav brought to their attention a thin chain he wore around his neck, and from it dangled an ancient key with such intricate design and inscription that didn’t belong to this era. “The West Key will be yours if you win.”
“How do we get to determine who wins?” Suspicion One asked.
“By either disarming or killing the opponent,” Kav answered him, nonchalant.
Fair enough…
“Of course, you may choose to kill me after disarming me if you wish to do so,” Kav added on, as if the possibility of his own demise didn’t concern him. Jehona didn’t think it was wholly due to confidence in his skills.
In response to Kav’s ‘helpful’ remark, William, bewildered as they all were, only managed to say, “Alright…”
Kav’s smile brightened even more–in a feat that was by all means impossible–and declared, “Then it is settled! The time will be at tomorrow’s noon. Quinn will lead you to the location. Make sure to prepare yourself well.”
With a courteous bow, Kav bade them farewell, leaving the bandits to crawl after his trail.
[Yonten]
The stall owner's work tasted better with every visit. The four of them quickly descended into the serene silence accompanying their inhalation of whatever was offered as a meal, senses too occupied to catch what the stall owner had to say. At least until the man had enough and banged on his pan with an announcement: “There will be no seconds.”
Yonten tore his sights from his plate at that, horror-stricken. “How could you?”
Sadly, the stall owner wasn’t swayed by his heartbreak. “How do you expect me to act when I try to give a kind advice only to meet chewing noises?”
“Pleased," the Beauty replied. "As a culinary man, silence when people eat your dishes should be the highest reward you could ever achieve."
The stall owner sneered. “I would feel more rewarded with money, which you lot will never give me according to our deal.”
The Beauty looked at Yonten.
“Oh, don’t give me that look. You’re benefitting from my wits and wisdom.” Turning to the stall owner, Yonten promised him, “What do you say about this: when we get rid of Aldric, we’ll list your stall as our favorite place to eat. You’ll get customers from around the Kingdom, perhaps even beyond!”
The Beauty looked like she was about to argue his nonsense, but he diverted her attention by offering her his bowl of soup. It was now a matter of suspicion over this sudden boon instead of discrediting his sincere vows. She ended up taking it anyway. The soup was delicious, after all, and Yonten’s heart mourned the loss fiercely.
There better be seconds.
“Of course, of course…” said the stall owner, looking as though he didn’t believe a word, marking a waste of a perfect bowl of soup Yonten could’ve kept to himself.
Oblivious to Yonten’s turmoil, the stall owner finally broached the initial subject, standing before the Butcher and refilling his empty plate. “You do know that the West Gate winning means a win for the bandits following him, right? Everything you worked for will be for naught. You should take this chance to get out of here.”
The Butcher looked far more interested in his refilled plate than the stall owner’s urging. As was Yonten.
Still, the Butcher, ever the considerate man, regarded the stall owner gratefully. “You could be right, but I still accepted the West Gate’s challenge. I won’t back away from it. I don’t want my sons to think I’m not a man of his word, after all.”
Something about what the Butcher said must’ve struck a chord in the stall owner, because he merely gritted his teeth and didn’t argue his point further.
They returned to their peaceful inhaling afterwards. Yonten reached for the Butcher’s refilled portion, only to be blocked by the Coroner, who gently placed his wandering hand where it belonged.
“I would’ve expected such action from our Beauty,” Yonten whispered, and it came out as a hiss from the betrayal of it all.
“I don’t believe her approach would’ve been as mild as mine,” the Coroner shot back.
Right. The Beauty still had that blunderbuss with her.
[William]
Quinn arrived at the inn William stayed in with his companions to lead the way, reluctant but still punctual. He took them down a path at the opposite end of the town, right where Aslan would connect to the rocky Bundo Pass, the South’s gateway to the Central Plains.
Despite the lack of resources, Kav Rosen was able to make a barren piece of land into something resembling an arena. A humble one compared to the grandeur of the arenas William saw in his life, but still adequate–even if the audience lacked both number and enthusiasm, more apprehensive than excited for the upcoming show.
With a gesture of hand, Kav invited him to stand opposite of him at the arena’s center, starting, “Remember the terms?”
“I do,” William replied, bringing out the sword Yonten picked for him out of his wager’s spoils. According to him, it wasn’t the best to work with the ideas he had in mind, but it was the most suitable for a duel.
William’s three companions stayed the night sorting through various weapons, debating and arguing about each one’s merit. Despite their intentions to have him rest, their chatter still reached his ears. It was far more preferable than recollections of the past. Recollections this Kav before him unintentionally brought to surface.
“Then let us begin!”
Kav set off with a wild dash in the next breath, meeting William in the first clash of their blades. William took in the heaviness of Kav’s strike, how it clearly aimed to make the opponent submit. Considering Kav’s lean build, the formidable strength he wielded his blade with surprised him.
But appearances could deceive, and even if Kav’s sword was forged and imbued with the luxuries of his upbringing, the lines of different depths and sizes etched on its surface told silent stories to its opponents—about the duels it went through, the victories it achieved, and the dominance it settled with.
Kav laughed then, and the beat of it was unrestrained. It snapped William out of his musings, just in time to see the vicious edge in Kav’s smile when he stopped laughing to say, “Am I so boring of an opponent that your thoughts are already wandering?”
Without waiting for William’s answer, Kav pressed forwards. William resisted the onslaught for a few moments before he purposefully gave in, distorting Kav’s balance. Caught off guard, Kav barely managed to evade William’s following strike.
They parted a few strides away from each other, the silence between them heavy, before clashing anew.
Kav’s pace turned even wilder, his strikes appearing as if coming from every direction, spurred on by each one William blocked and neutralized. And when William counterattacked, managed to land a slash on him, William noted how the other didn’t even flinch, but kept moving.
In his life, William met those weary by the battlefield, and rarely those who relished in it. The latter group was more troublesome, like Kav was proving himself to be.
“How interesting,” Kav mused between his attacks. “Are you holding back?”
William didn’t answer, frowning as he blinked an image of the past away…
“Your counterattacks are always aimed at a vital spot right before you divert their path to a safer one.”
But the image was a stubborn stain. It flickered until it settled a few moments too long, clean hands ruined by crimson, a single opponent multiplying into faceless obstacles in his path. It flickered until, instinctively, William made a strike, his target a familiar spot on his opponent’s chest, through the heart.
It didn’t land on Kav, but not due to any effort the man pulled. He was quick to realize that fact, looking at William with something akin to fear for once.
But that fear soon turned into anger, fueling attacks that William blocked absentmindedly, still disturbed by the path his thoughts took. It took him until the second time Kav struck the same point on William’s blade to return to the present.
By then it was too late.
“It’s a shame, you’re the best swordfighter I ever fought.” A third strike, and William’s blade cracked halfway. “But a chained beast can never achieve victory.”
William blocked the fourth, and the crack completed its path. His blade broke.
Kav lunged for the finishing blow, only to meet metal instead of flesh.
His blade turned into a stump, William blocked Kav’s strike with its broken edge. He locked Kav's shocked gaze with his own, warning him, “Child, you know nothing about chained beasts.”
