《Tales of Lost Men》The King Meets his General
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In an early morning a few days later, an awkward atmosphere could be felt in the Nest. It was far too early to open so the only people inside were its proprietor and the two vagabonds he housed. Johnny was uncertain whether he could address the elephant in the room. He felt slightly betrayed by the man he could've called one of his best friends only days before. For how long could he understand us? Why didn't he talk before? Does he even consider us friends or he just here for the beer? The more he thought about it, the more insecure Johnny grew. He would try to start a conversation but he felt a strange divide between them. He was at a loss at what to do. They had been like this for a couple of days now. Interestingly enough, it was Suturis who broke the silence.
"Is it true that you could get to the moon? You said before that you could fly to the moon." - Suturis
Suturis asked as he looked at Johnny with expectant eyes.
"What, I ahh, when did I say that I..." - Johnny
Johnny was confused with the sudden question. He had thought out how the next conversation with Suturis would be like. He had prepared answers and questions the nights before but this was out of his expectations. He recovered quickly from his confusion and became slightly angered.
" Oh no, you ain't getting out of this one by trying to be slick. Do you think I'm just going to accept the fact that you could talk all this time? I've been trying to talk to you for the past year without so much as an answer. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep up a one sided conversation without sounding insane?" -Johnny
Suturis paid close attention to Johnny as he went on. His eyes looked at him apologetically. Johnny could feel Suturis puppy dog eyes on him. They were the eyes of his friend that he had rescued and lived with for more than a year. Johnny's temper was somewhat pacified but he wasn't going to let it go just yet.
"Hey, don't you look at me like that, I'm being serious here. You're going to answer my questions or else I'll, I, . . . I'll think of something ok, but you better answer me" -Johnny
Suturis and Johnny looked at each other as old Kit simply continued about in the shop. He could hear the conversation but he simply decided to let things take their course.
"For how long have you been able to talk, or even understand us?"- Johnny
"I understand, two seasons ago. I talk, hard, if I no thought."-Suturis
"Wait, you're not playing with me now right? You were talking just fine a moment ago and yesterday."-Johnny
"I talk ok if prepare but I talk bad if not. I prepare for fight and talk of moon, but not talk this."- Suturis
Johnny looked at Suturis seriously. He was in so much shock that Suturis could speak, he never noticed his terribly think accent. The night of the fight, he only spoke twice and now he could see him trying to piece sentences together. Johnny at the very least relaxed a little.
"So you have to prepare beforehand but otherwise you're ok. Well, how come you never said anything before then, we could still talk like now. You obviously need the practice."- Johnny
" Me no know what to say"- Suturis
Johnny felt dumb for a second. Even if Suturis could learn how to speak the language better, he probably wouldn't talk much either way. All the accumulated stress he had built up the night before left Johnny in that moment.
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"Ok, ok. Suturis, I actually had more questions about the way you fought the other day but since I'm the one that patched you up last time, I could see that you were covered in scars. I'm sure you lived a violent life before but I can see you're a good person so just promise me you won't be so . . . violent anymore ok? It's not good for my heart."- Johnny
"Yes, me fight less, but now talk of moon."- Suturis
Suturis cleared his throat and looked intently at a very confused Johnny.
"I mean, sure, let's talk about the moon?"- Johnny
"Can you fly to the moon? You said before that you could. Can you take me there?"-Suturis
Johnny was lost. He could see that Suturis was being very serious. A certain intensity surrounded him that made Johnny nervous. Suturis said that he needed time to prepare in order to talk so he must have been thinking about this for quite some time. He only had a moment to choose his words.
"Cmon, Suturis, that's just something we say, you know, fly me to the moon, aim for the stars. All that nonsense is just, ahh, metaphors and stuff. I ain't got wings so I can't fly you anywhere I'm afraid, haha."- Johnny
"Did you know that you talk quite a bit when you're drunk? The brew you make and only drink on occasion makes you especially talkative. You talk about all sorts of interesting things. Impossible things. I'm guessing that's how you got the name of Crazy Johnny but I don't care about that. You talk about kingdoms unheard of, machines that do the impossible, metal men that control entire cities. And most impossibly, you talk of ships capable of traveling between worlds. That fly to the moon and back." - Suturis
Johnny was under heavy fire. Suturis' stare bore into him, looking for truth. He didn't understand where Suturis was going with this. It seemed to be extremely important to him but Johnny could not figure out why. He began to panic a bit.
" And you believe me? You believe all the shit I say in my drunken rants? Cmon, Suturis, they are just ramblings of a drunk" - Johnny
" I believe you." - Suturis
" Why" - Johnny
"Because you're different." - Suturis
"You're also different, why can't you do it"- Johnny
"Tell me no, tell me it's impossible and I'll stop asking you about it. Just promise me you aren't lying and I'll trust you. Give me your word. But if it's possible, I will swear my life to you for this dream."-Suturis
Johnny was taken aback. Suturis was being wholeheartedly serious. He was backed against the wall. What is he saying? Is he actually insane? I can't read him at all. Swear his life to me? Johnny, however, quickly resolved himself to face Suturis honestly.
"It's possible"- Johnny
Suturis nearly jumped from excitement. The fire in his eyes burned to even greater degrees than that night before. A broken man was pieced back together in an instant. However, he was quickly interrupted.
"BUT, it's not possible to us. I can't take you to the moon."-Johnny
"We can, you said it was possible"- Suturis
" Yes, it's possible, in theory and theory alone. It's impossible for US to do it" -Johnny
" Why? You very smart yes? You can"- Suturis
"NO, I can't Suturis. Look at us, we are beggars literally trying to touch the moon. It's also physically possible for me to marry an Elven princess but that ain't ever happening. We would need nearly unlimited resources for research, materials, testing, permission from I don't know how many government organizations which would NEVER let humans get the upper hand on anything and a thousand other things. Why do you even want to go to the moon? It is just a USELESS ROCK"- Johnny
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"Because I promised my wife"- Suturis
" Wife..., you're married?"- Johnny
"Was; Widowed."- Suturis
"Oh" - Johnny
Silenced settled between the two. Johnny could feel Suturis' loss from just those two words. Suddenly, his friend's downtrodden attitude made more sense. Some men don't get back up from a loss that hard. He sympathized with his friend but needed for him to see the reality of the world.
"Look, ok, I get it. This is important to you but it's as I said. It's theoretically possible but not for us. We are just two vagabonds. Look at us, we couldn't rub two dimes together. We simply don't have the money, power, or influence necessary to pull that off. Think about it. If the Draekons and the Elves haven't done it, what chance do we have?"-Johnny
Suturis sat silently for a second. He pondered a bit and he thought so more. After a while, he turned to Johnny and smiled.
"But it's possible."-Suturis
"You're not giving up on this? Please, Suturis."-Johnny
"If you had all that could you do it?"- Suturis
"I mean, yes, if I had unlimited money, power, and influence, yes, I could do it."-Johnny
Johnny didn't understand where Suturis was going with this. Getting all that would be more difficult than getting to the moon itself. We're two dirty, hairy, bearded, unkempt, poor, and irrelevant vagabonds in a city filled to the brim with corruption and crime. If anyone tried to rise to power and gather money, they would be beset at all sides by very violent and scheming enemies. It's already practically suicide to get into politics without Family backing and approval. What is Suturis trying to get me to do.
As Johnny pondered all this, Suturis had stood up and gone to the cellar. Johnny was just waiting to see what his crazy friend had up his sleeve. What he never expected was to see him come back in full plated armor while holding several valuable looking things. Suturis placed down what seemed to be a green and white battle standard.
"My name is Suturis. Once Gate Keeper of the Walls of Atrous. Mad Defender. Bloody Widower. Son of Storms. Born of Fire. Heir to the Pillars of Heaven. Master on the Mountain. . . ."- Suturis
Johnny held up one hand to stop Suturis from talking. He stared blankly at him. Johnny studied his armor. Genuine. He studied the valuables that he had brought. Jewels and precious metals. Make up unknown. He looked at the battle standard. The background, green, few symbols. Main design appears to be roots. Strange words. Maybe names? But he didn't say any other name besides his first. Maybe not his name at all? Title. Johnny's mind slowly turned.
" Can you bring more of this stuff, maybe different things? "-Johnny
"Different?" -Suturis
"Yes, different things. More variety, you know."- Johnny
Suturis nodded and went back to the cellar. Johnny sunk more deeply into thought. Old Kit looked at all the things Suturis brought. I hope the they don't make too much of a mess. He continued his work after such a thought. However, he hands stopped when Suturis had comeback with a rather elegant looking tankard along with his growing pile of shiny things. What a beautiful thing. Ah, to own a thing like that. He walked towards it and held it in his hands. Cool to the touch. Beautiful craftsmanship. It's weighted just right. These carvings are a masterpiece. The wood appears to be ancient. Burned? Strange treatment. The metal, I've never seen it before. In all my years. His thoughts trailed off. Such a thing would be a treasured heirloom in any family. Despite the fact the tankard looked stronger than most walls, old Kit still held it delicately.
"Suturis, may I have this?"- Old Kit
"I present it to you with great honor."- Suturis
"Thank you"- Old Kit
Just like that, old Kit was given such a valuable thing. He accepted it and placed in a very special spot on his shelf. Yes, you'll be the crowned jewel of this place for quite a while, Hehe. Johnny was irritated by old Kit's lack of interest in all the this.
"Old Kit, you just found out Suturis could not only talk but appears to be some sort of rich mercenary that wants to go to the moon. And you just asked him for a tankard. Can you please explain to me your thoughts in all this madness."- Johnny
" At least he is being honest, and it only took him a little over a year. After more than four years of living here, you have yet to tell where you're from, why you're here, and why you, such an educated man, choose to pretend to be a crazy nobody."- Old Kit
Old Kit struck Johnny out of the blue. There was truth behind his words. Suturis and him were no different so he had no place to criticize Suturis. Johnny was reeling back from the attack when old Kit spoke up again.
"You know, I get the feeling two aren't human. I don't mean that you're half breeds or something but you two aren't like the other humans. Your bones are all wrong. The way you walk and talk are different. I'm not just saying it because you're both rather large but I always get the feeling you two just are strangers if you get my meaning. Now see, when I took you in, I took my chances with you. And when I took Suturis in, I also took my chances with him. I know you aren't actually crazy and finally some else sees that too. Mind you, he terrified me at first, with being another giant and all but I trust him now. You are very smart and he is very strong and I am getting old."- Old Kit
"Why are you telling me all this. You have a point in all this right?"- Johnny
"Because my boy just got his contract broken, on his very first day actually. They started him with an increased workload and hours down at the factory. Not a lot, but enough for me to notice. But he won't me tell that, no. Because there is nothing he can do about it. Everybody knows it but they won't call it what it is. They call it an adjustment. You were right. Things are only going to get worse so I'm putting my bet on whatever it is you all are up to. I actually have no idea what you two are up to but anything you do is better than what those crimes families are up to."- Old kit
"You do know he wants to go to the moon right?" -Johnny
"Are you gonna go?" - Old Kit
". ..Yeah, yes. We are going to the moon."-Johnny
"That's good. Doesn't make much sense, but it seems good." - Old Kit
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