They took a couple minutes to relax their arms, and then began anew. The drunk counted down, and then they started. However it was the drunk who was surprised. His hand managed to stop two inches from defeat, even with a significant amount of strength in it. He pushed back some, feeling as if he were resisting a falling wall. He gradually pushed more strength into his arm, and in a matter of seconds had forced Va’il’s arm up straight, and then over. It was over, the drunk having won. Though the look on his face was one of genuine surprise.
“A surprisingly good job, boy,” the drunk said.
“Thank you. Though I had no chance of winning. Lupus have bursts of strength at times. Maybe underestimating one could end up with a very surprised human. Though I’ve still never beaten Mum, or even Kelin, so I guess I can only go so far. But this isn’t what I was talking about,” Va’il said.
“Well boy, surprising as that was, it still wasn’t anywhere near the rest above your level. Most lupus women would still blow you over without much effort. And those Grip men, don’t mess with them still. Strength isn’t enough,” the drunk said. He laughed aloud a bit as well.
“No, this isn’t all that strong. I think I know something more about you though. You should visit Rising one of these days. I don’t think you’ve been, or at least not to the main city, recently. You don’t know what Makeen teaches. This physical stuff isn’t strong at all. It’s nice, but it has its limits. I was taught much more than arm wrestling. And now that I’ve met you, I can’t help but get a bit more annoyed. If you had just helped instead of saving me, the three of us could’ve done it. A shame,” Va’il said, and then shook his head.
“Hey boy, don’t go underestimating them people,” the drunk said.
“I’m not,” Va’il said with a smile. “You’re right, those people were strong. I would’ve had a bit of trouble handling two of them. But if you had helped with one, I could handle one, and together we could have handled the last one.
“Ha, now I know you’re insane. There were four, not three, boy. Anyways, I wouldn’t help like that. I can’t fight. I won’t harm anyone if I can help it,” the drunk said. He looked down at his own hands for a moment, but then looked up and smiled widely at Va’il.
“Four, I know. I didn’t forget about that one. And like you, I don’t want to fight or hurt anyone. Even last night, I didn’t bring out my claws. Like I said though, you and I together would handle three of them. That’d be enough, probably. For students in Rising, that is. Assuming that silly noble didn’t act like a silly noble and actually paid attention and practiced like everyone else,” Va’il said. He lost himself in thought for a moment, and then nodded strongly.
“Boy, seriously? You’re counting that woman of yours? You are crazier than I,” the drunk said. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Maybe. And stop calling her my woman. She wouldn’t… nevermind. Like I said, as long as that silly noble girl didn’t act like a silly noble in school, she’d be trained in at least a few things. Probably. Most of the nobles don’t really slack in Makeen’s training, but I don’t know about her. But don’t underestimate her. Anyways, it doesn’t change anything. I’ve been stubborn. I apologize. I’ve been rash. It wouldn’t have been a guaranteed chance of winning. It might have been half, at best, even if we were willing and prepared. I should acknowledge that. Thank you for saving my life,” Va’il said. He then bowed deeply.
“All right. Boy, you sure are something. You’re welcome. Go meet your girlfriend as soon as you can. Head toward Rising again, I know you’ll meet her. Those captors will see her there safely, that’s the job they were assigned. Against her will and into who knows what kind of peril once they arrive, but at least I know that,” the drunk said.
“One last thing though. I need to get back to that city, go back to that room. And, truthful as you are, I’ll decide on my own where to go. After all, I don’t trust you,” Va’il said while lightly smiling. The drunk laughed again.
“Fine, fine. Head directly northeast for about twenty minutes, you’ll reach it soon enough. I won’t ask you why you’re going back, but it don’t matter. After all, this is where we part, boy.”
“Thanks. We probably won’t meet again,” Va’il said.
“Kind of sad, after all that. Sure you aren’t going to beg for help, boy? I ain’t gonna help you again. No way, no how.”
“That’s fine. Though, if you ever feel like seeing Rising, I can endorse it,” Va’il said.
“Ha, after all this maybe I’ll check it out. Rising, eh? I’m always interested in tasting a new place’s finer delicacies. Plenty of people to steal from, I’d think. How about you, boy, where would you happen to be if I did want to check out how you’re living later on. Just out of curiosity.”
“Me? Hmm. I’ll either be around the city like normal, in prison, or in the palace. Ha, the last two are a joke. My home’s a normal place in the common areas of the city. But I have a feeling someone like you would be able to find me easily enough. That’s one part of you I’d say is trustworthy.”
“Ah, all right boy, thanks. Take care out there.”
Va’il nodded and took his leave from the drunk. He didn’t look back once, but he did smile as he made his way back to the city.
“So they aren’t all bad,” Va’il said aloud to himself. “Former elite soldier of Grip, how interesting.” Va’il cackled slightly and drew closer to the city while wearing a grin. Soon enough he had dropped it when he recalled what was still left for him to do. He did ponder the drunk’s words, wondering about strength and fighting. He’d been trained to hold back, in truth. Makeen taught how to fight without relying on claws and teeth, and surviving without harming others irreparably. Any fight with claws involved were ones Va’il didn’t want to be in. After all, he didn’t want to hurt others. He did look down at his hands after a while, brought them up, and let his claws extend, even locking them in place. He contemplated the claws and fangs that’d pierce and tear if used, and regrow eventually if broken or removed, sharp as ever. Va’il had to consider their purpose and use, knowing that even the animals of Fervi didn’t regrow all the things some sentient species could, and even the way they worked and were formed were different than their beastly counterparts, yet more things separating humanoid from animal.
“After all that’s happened, would using these have been better, or would they have made things much worse?” he asked himself. After pondering the question, he settled his mind and heart. He then retracted his claws.
He made his way back to the area the inn was at, and then used the surrounding rooftops to get to the third floor of the inn, the window he had so forcefully been taken from the night before. It looked like he was the first person to return to it. It was still early enough that the innkeepers hadn’t checked the room for its residents, and so there were a number of items that Va’il would have to gather before setting off again. As he gathered the bags full of food, the bags with slipskates, and the extra bit of clothing that Ruby had been so overjoyed to previously obtain, he noticed something extra. Something that incited memories and emotions in him. He reached for it, held it tight, and promised.
“Just wait. I’ll be by your side soon enough.”
