บท 36: The King’s Call
The very next morning after the visit to the maze, a messenger from the king rode up to the Boartooth saddled on his wyvern mount. With a letter of announcement and a fire-dragon horn in hand, he blew into the horn to wake up everyone from inside.
Awoken by the ear-piercing noise, the first to wake up was the owner of the Boartooth–a man who didn't appreciate his sleep being cut short. Stomping out of his bed, while the messenger named everyone from the Hero's party, Dune Boartooth was about to unleash hell on the unexpected visitor.
"And lastly Raven the mage–the king has summoned you all to his grand–" Before the messenger could finish the letter, Dune slammed the entrance door wide open.
As massive as a troll with but a loincloth around his waist, he was a demi-human pure and pure with grey fur all over his skin. Had it not been for his human face with all the fur-trimmed every day, he could've easily been mistaken for a werewolf.
"THE HELL YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Slamming his feet on the ground, he knocked not just the messenger but his wyvern off balance. And the man tried to compose himself again, Dune rushed towards him with his massive arms ready to unleash the strength behind his muscular body.
"FATHER WAIT!" Thankfully, however, having followed her father storming away in fury, Moxy managed to stop his fist inches from the messenger's face. Rushing down the steps, the demi-fox quickly walked up close and pulled his hand away from the man. "HE'S OBVIOUSLY HERE WITH A MESSAGE FROM THE KING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
"Y-yeah!" Witnessing his life flashing before his eyes just moments ago, the messenger pleaded alongside Dune's daughter. "T-the king won't appreciate that! Please!"
With his hand being squeezed by Moxy's, Dune's rage slowly dissipated. Even so, growling at the messenger, he warned her with a gaze sharp enough to chill the bones of the dead. Turning around, the demi-fox male finally left the messenger to do his job.
"Hey, you!" Staying behind after her father left, Moxy glared at the messenger with her hands folded tight. "Next time you pull that crap, I won't stop him!"
Parting with those words, she was just about to leave, but that's when she noticed Raven and his party already walking out of the Inn. Knowing exactly what the summon was about, they were already ready to leave.
"Oi," clad in his leather armor with a few new accessories made of silver chains with skulls dangling by his side, Raven moved closer to the messenger, his eyes glaring him down as well. "This isn't your upper city, if you wanna blow everyone's ears out then be ready to eat a punch and have all your teeth knocked out. And don't go calling for the guards, you're the folks who've made them incompetent of policing anything."
'What the fucks?!' Thought the messenger, unaware of his wrongdoing as he–much like most people living in the upper city, never thought of those living by the gates as anything more than footsteps for monsters.
"Now, now, everyone calm down, okay?" Feeling awkward about the whole encounter, Erika nervously scratched the side of her face as she made her way towards the shaking wyvern. Brushing her hand on the legged lizard–she comforted it with her touch as well as a low-level spell to soothe its heart. "Be a good girl, okay? No need to worry."
"Can we go already? I can't wait for the king to have us get rid of that monster in that ring after all," Aria, on the other hand, had far more nefarious thoughts.
"I thought you agreed that you didn't wanna kill her?" Asked Raven, standing right in front of the petrified messenger.
Rolling her eyes, the dark elf curled up her fists and slammed them together.
"I said I don't wanna kill her, I never said I would save her if the king wants her dead!" She replied with a gleefully murderous look reflected in her eyes.
As the entire exchange took place, both Mel and Amedith remained quiet. Still, both bothered by the events of yesterday, neither of them was in any mood for talking. If anything, Mel couldn't care less about what happens at the castle, all she wanted was for Amedith to make up for doubting her loyalty as soon as possible.
'This bitch!' However, Amedith himself, glaring at Aria's back, was focusing on something entirely different. 'It's all her fault and she still keeps complaining!'
Still blaming Aria for what happened, he really wanted to take out his frustration in some way. But alas, with the king's summon, he knew he couldn't spare any time to do something stupid.
"Fine, let's get going," taking charge as the new leader of the group, Raven had his whole party stuffed inside a carriage to make their way directly to the upper city.
On their way, however, he had the coachman stop by Darius's shop, but since it wasn't yet opened and he didn't seem to be inside, Raven had them continue their ride. The messenger rode before them on his wyvern, he was helping the coachman traverse through the upper city streets. After all, commoners like him weren't allowed in the upper city, and had it not been for the Hero's party riding in his carriage, he would've never been allowed to even step foot into that region.
'Last time I brought Mel here to confess my love…' Reminded of their date as they passed by the same hotel, the hatred in Amedith's heart burned a new flame. Glancing sideways at Aria looking out the window, he wanted to the very least scream right into her face.
"Hey look! The upper church!" Erika yelped with joy, breaking Amedith's and everyone's attention from whatever they were watching. "I wanna go there! Can we?"
"As if they'll let us orphans inside," Mel responded in the most monotone of voice. Shifting her gaze toward Amedith right after, she added. "Only the chosen were allowed in even after we were graced with divine blessing, remember?"
"Special treatment as always," muttered Raven, looking at the church with Erika.
"It's not my fault, alright? The head priest was looking down on me as well when I went in!" Though he tried to relate to the rest, Amedith's pleas fell on deaf ears. And he wasn't blind to the shift in the dynamic of the group either.
Aria had always been a free bird, and Raven was rowdy but at least he tried to help him before the incident at the cave. Erika on the other hand, never truly placed her trust in him–but rather it was the fact that he was the goddess's chosen that made her keep her lips shushed against him.
"Whatever, Amedith…" And with that last line from Mel, the carriage fell silent until the party was finally at the castle.
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