:-TsavKAnz-: Did not proofead again, sorry.

“…” Ares could only sigh with an angry groan in his voice. He had given the girl his only coat and the fact he had one more arm was shockingly visible as one of the sleeves of his dress shirt was empty and flew how the wind saw fit. His black dress shirt was still buttoned to his neck and the metal covering his arm and hands glistened in the rain. The clothes couldn’t get wet, but that didn’t stop his hair from becoming a tangled mess and his body from shivering in the cold as the breeze past through. He kept a strong front and kept the shivers from displaying his weakness, another lesson he learned from Astercoth.

He swiftly grabbed his bangs and shoved them to the back of his head in one motion, esposing the whole of his forehead for the first time, but that didn’t stop a strand or two from leaving his grasp, placing themselves on his temple.

He walked the streets with a cold glare. Seeing the darkness that lay in the depths of Helgathor, Ares kept an eye out for any scum as he navigated his way around, trying to resurface any lingering memories that would help him stumble upon Gillius’s home.

After seeing a familiar textile shop, his body moved on its own. It was an odd feeling. He followed wherever the invisible pull directed him and finally saw Gillius’s home in the distance. He saw the courtyard where Sirana used to practice her swordsmanship and the barn he used to sleep in. He walked towards the door and put his fist up, ready to knock.

This was it. His fist trembled at the thought. Meeting his father after ten years… He had so much to tell him. About his arm, Myra, Astercoth, Vivian, Krystal.

He was fearful and excited at the same time. What if his father forgot about him? What if he never expected him to survive? Would he be happy to see him? He choked up and swallowed hard.

Gathering all his courage he bashed the door with all his might. Ten times at least until the door finally cracked open.

“What!?” The husky man shouted, drowsy.

Ares was surprised. He did not expect to see someone he did not recognize and he stuttered as he gathered hi s thoughts.

“I-Is Knight C-Commander G-Gillius here?” He asked. ‘What happened? What’s going on?’ Ares screamed in his mind. All this time, and he wasn’t even home. His usual demeanor cracked under the implications of his absence.

“Have you been living under a rock? He moved out ages ago!” ‘So that’s how it is’ Ares thought, dismissing his thoughts, almost thinking the worst of Gillius, believing he forgot about him as he heaved a relived sigh.

“Where is he now? Can you tell him that Ares is looking for him?” Ares asked, trying to get more information out of the stout man.

“Somewhere!” The man shouted. Before slamming the door in Ares’s face, he added one last remark. “And no!”

Ares showed a relieved grin and headed back to the Bumbling Bee after wandering for a while, deep in thought. It was a hectic day and he was in desperate need of rest.

Once he reached the entrance, he knocked once and Effari burst out the door waiting for him. He could also see Ryner and Rachel sleeping peacefully beside each other. He assumed they were waiting for him too and his face reddened as heart tightened, though it could’ve also been the blood of the scum he slaughtered a while ago.

The rain didn’t completely wash it off and he tried to rub the rest of it off before Effari noticed, but it was too late.

After her constant nagging, leaving her questions unanswered, and settling near the bar, he slumped his body as his eyes closed heavily. Before he could even dare to sleep, Effari shook his shoulder with all her might and Ares’s eye twitched in annoyance.

“Goddamnit Effari! I’m trying to sleep!” Ares said in a fit of rage, a bit of killing intent leaking out his words. Effari shuddered at his sudden outburst and ran back upstairs. He wasn’t calm and collected as seemed to be. The shock from not meeting his father and the disappointment he felt was not as small as he thought.

He woke up Ryner and Rachel, though Ryner wasn’t in as deep a sleep as Ares thought.

He quickly picked her up and followed Effari upstairs. He muttered with a comforting gaze towards Ares. “… I think you need some time alone…”

The warm feeling that accumulated in his heart was snuffed out. It was cold again. He heard the rain pitter patter out the entrance and stopped his bloodlust from spilling out.

“Damn…” He quietly grunted. He didn’t know why he was changing so much. Thinking of that dream once again on the wagon, his conscious crept away from, attempting to forget all that happened.

****

“Ezra!” The man shouted, Ryell’s body flying into his arms. “How could you throw our boy’s body like that?”

“He’s fine, Ansel.” Cedric said. “He’s a big boy. Just like my Aster.” Cedric patted Astercoth on the back with hands calloused from war.

“It’s because you’re so soft on him that he’s more interested in books than the sword.” Ezra interjected. “You useless men better have brought something good to eat.” She glared at the both of them.

“Just some bunnies.” Ansel grunted, placing Ryell beside him.

“I could’ve brought a boar if you men didn’t keep me here like some caged bird.” She hissed. “Let that bastard Gregor come for us! I’ll slit his throat!”

“Ezra!” Ansel shouted back so fiercely she flinched, but didn’t lose the fire in her eyes.

“Aster, Ryell.” Cedric called their names lovingly. “Let the adults talk privately. Let’s work on your swordsmanship in the meantime.” Before Ryell could speak, he pushed them both out the small cottage.

After walking a few minutes into the open, they finally stopped, unable to hear the voices behind them. Cedric sat on a nearby rock, only after finding some suitable sticks to practice with. He handed one to both Astercoth and Ryell.

“Are you confident? Aster’s been getting a lot better through the hunts.” Cedric said, giving Ryell a sly smile.

“I’m always confident.” Ryell replied giving Aster a mocking smile, which he returned. Aster didn’t show much emotion, but when he did, it said all he needed to say.

“Begin!” Cedric shouted. And their swords met, but Ryell was much quicker. He forced Aster a few steps back, but he deflected the blow and forced Ryell’s sword to dig into the ground. Losing control of his weapon momentarily, Aster tried to take advantage of the opening.

Ryell released his grip and spun towards Aster’s back. With Aster’s strike missing, Ryell elbowed him in the back of the neck and he fell face first. Before he got up, Ryell had the stick pointed at his nose.

“Don’t think you’ll best me in this lifetime, Aster.” Ryell said looking down at him before retracting his stick to his imaginary sheath.

“Then in the next.” Astercoth replied, grabbing the hand Ryell threw out in front of him with a warm smile.

Cedric clapped for their amazing short bout and their rivalry. But it was quickly interrupted as a cloud of dust formed in the distance along with a stampede of hooves.

****

To the jingling of keys, Ares ears perked up before he opened his eyes and saw Ryner standing over him.

“Have a nice nap?” Ryner said grinning ear to ear, pointing at the side of his face.

“Oh.” Ares swiped his arm to wipe off his drool before replying. “It wasn’t too bad.” He snatched the key from his hand and marched upstairs.

“It’s the room to the right of mine!” Ryner yelled at his retreating figure. He knew something happened last night to Ares, but he didn’t want to push him too quick. He seemed like to type to lock you out of his heart if you pushed too far or asked too many questions. He could understand why he snapped at Effari though he wasn’t too pleased with it. He had done the same to his wife in the past before they got married because he was poor and paid for him one too many times.

“This is something I shouldn’t interfere in…” He muttered and his staff came in tired just as always. He reverted to his usual self and said with a loud clap. “Come on! We have work to do!”

He heard the employees sigh, but he wouldn’t have any of that. “Get your asses in gear!” he shouted and they assumed their stations erratically.

*****

“I will be back for it.” One girl mimed, imagining how the man Silver had explained would sound.

“ Kyaaaaa!” The girls squealed in unison. They were in a public space just for them within the huge brothel. It separated the girl’s rooms and the area in which they met their ‘clients.’

“Do you think he’ll really come? I want to see him so bad!” A girl with silky blond hair said.

“I know you hate men, but you could’ve at least said thank you. Geez, Silver! He saved you from being raped!” Another protested.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” She said, her face full of cynicism. “He probably just wanted a free fuck.” She said attempting to dash her hopes as quickly as it accumulated. The girl pouted at Silver and her hairs stood up in rage. Before she could scream another girl interrupted her.

“Was he handsome, Silver?” Another asked seductively, licking her bottom lip.

“For a guy with one arm, Sapphire.” She retorted. The girls screamed again, which only irritated her further as she looked in the mirror combing her silver hair. Her owner didn’t have much of a creative bone in his body. Though he’d beat you until you thought otherwise.

“But doesn’t that make him mysterious.” A girl lying on a couch inquired, seemingly uninterested in the conversation and more interested in the book, her eye sprawled over the words.

“Not you too, Annabelle.” Silver’s eyes narrowed as she looked into the mirror, carefully applying eyeliner to make her amber eyes pop.

The girl’s continued to holler, filled with their delusions. There was no way a man would help a woman, a whore no less, without asking anything in return. She glanced at the coat he’d left behind and threw it on the ground, stepping over it and whirled her heel on top, before leaving.

“If you guys don’t have anything better to do, I’ll be in my room.” Silver said as she stalked out.

“Still as moody as always…” Sapphire muttered. She looked at the coat and grabbed it with her delicate fingers. She put it on the rack near the entrance of the Humming Bird.