" A drink? " Sen wondered as he looked at the man walk out the door. He followed suite trying to catch up to the man. He watched him go down the staircase as he closed the room door behind him.
" Wait. " He shouted.
" What's wrong with this guy? " He thought as he went down the stairs.
The inn they were in had three floors excluding the tavern floor. Sen's room was in the second floor. Each floor was connected to the lower and upper floors by a staircase, which was narrow and didn't handle well morning rushes.
The inn itself housed different types of people. Mercenaries, merchants and other occupants of Laptove town. And as any economic town, early mornings were extra busy.
Sen experienced this first hand. He had hardly reached the stairs in his floor when the inn doors started flying open. In matter of seconds the corridors were filled with people all going to the same staircase. He lost sight of the man he was following as got pushed back by the rushing people.
Sen was sandwiched between two men, broody mercenaries each with gauntlets fastened to their hands. They towered over Sen their macho hands squeezing him as they went down the stairs. They were dressed in the same leather armor with their large arms hardly contained by the sleeves.
" Urgh, screw mornings. " one of them said as he stretched his hands out.
" Why do we have to wake up this early and yet the job begins at mid day? " he continued to complain.
" We don't really have a choice. " The other one said.
" It all because of that green haired imperial jerk setting the mission brief in the morning. " he added.
" But lucky enough it's easy money for us to escort an old woman to the capital. " he said the other smirking as he added.
" Yeah , we could just pull her wheelchair to the capital . " the other one said as they walked out the inn tavern door both bursting into laughter .
Sen stared at the two men leave the inn. He had heard everything that they were talking about and was curious.
" An old lady in a wheelchair? " he wondered trying to capture where he had seen such a person.
Then it hit him.
" Miss Chin. "
Sen's heart raced with every throb echoing in his ears. His eyes blurred with slight dizziness fogging his mind making him stagger. He stared down to his empty trembling palms trying to make out the floor of the inn.
" Why , what's happening to me? " he thought trying not to crumple to the floor.
Then flashes of Miss Chin lying down motionless in a pool of blood obscured mind. Then in the end falling starry shimmers of gold glimmered with a pale white lady adorned in white bathing in its shower. Sen staggered backwards supporting himself with the inn walls blinded by the temporary brilliance.
" I thought they had stopped. So why— ? "
" Why am I still scared? "
Sen clenched his fists tight. He thought that the root fear from the miasma event had been uprooted during his fight with his grandfather. So then why. Why did he suddenly feel a rush of fear when he heard the two men talk about Miss Chin.
Sen was about to make his way to the door when he heard a voice.
" Hey kid, why do you think your going? "
It was the man. In his hand was a mug of what smelled like ale. His eyes became more droopy with every gulp he took. In the back the inn keeper grouched as she watched the man walk closer to Sen.
Sen watched the man as he approached him. His steps grew heavier by the minute barely managing to get past the chairs in front of him.
" I'm following them. " Sen answered the man.
The man stood in silence. He then placed his mug onto a table near by. He then turned to Sen and said.
" That doesn't concern you. "
" They were talking about miss Chin, I have to see her and make sure she's okay. "Sen revoked.
" And what if she's not? What then? " the man asked Sen looking at his shaking hands.
Sen remained silent. He had not taken that into consideration. He clenched his fist, tight, trying to think of a possible answer but the only thing that came was a slight wave of fear crush into his heart. Based on just the physique of the two Sen was no match for them.
The man sighed and dragged his dark hair that faded in blue at the tips back.
" I understand that you still have scars from the miasma event. It's hard knowing that you're the only one who survived . "
" But that shouldn't be a reason to carry the weight alone. Well for now. " he said placing his hand on Sen's shoulder.
Sen lifted his eyes looking into the man's eyes. His shaved beard had started growing back with his hair covering most of his eyes. He seemed to understand the load that weighed down Sen's back as he gazed at Sen with a merciful and consoling look.
" Until you're ready, let others help you carry that load. " he said ending in a smile.
Sen's heart lightened. He didn't know why but the man's words seemed to carry his yoke away. He had felt the pressure to hurry and go see Miss Chin and make sure she was okay but now he had calmed down.
" I'm okay now, thanks sir. " Sen said as h smiled back.
The man then turned back to his jug. He then took a gulp and said .
" Good , now hurry to the guild before they leave. "
" The guild? " Sen asked.
" Hurry they don't have all day you know. " the man said sitting down to tend to his ale.
Sen quickly dashed to the door leaving the man asking for his next jug.
Sen raced through the town streets. They were now packed with merchants all pimping their products. Sen's mind was preoccupied with getting to the guild. He hardly noticed knocking over a merchant's stand as he was setting it up. His eyes dazzled with curiosity as he wondered who awaited him at the guild.
Sen's pace slowed down. He was panting uncontrollably as he walked into the guild compound. At the front was a carriage tethered to two horses. At the side were the two men he had encountered at the inn. They sat on wooden boxes as a woman with long black silky hair talked to them. Other than them the guild compound was rather empty. For a normal guild the members would be streaming in and out accepting jobs and submitting them. It would have been lively and smelling worse than his inn room. But after the Miasma event the work flow around the guild was stunted. But even so the Octa guild had gotten used to its member population declining.
Sen scoped the rest of the compound. At a far he spotted someone seated gazing into the sky. Her brown hair played in the wind revealing the hidden smile on her face.
" Miss Chin. " Sen thought as he made his way to her.
" Oh you've arrived, Sen. " she said as he stopped beside her.
" Yes , who are these people? " Sen asked as he gazed at them.
" No need to worry about them. They are just helping me go somewhere. " she said in a calm voice.
" But … "
" Don't worry, I'll be back. " Miss Chin interrupted.
" There is something I have to tell you, Sen… There is no need to blame yourself over the past. The only thing you can do is look forward because that's the only thing you have power over. "
" So promise me one thing,— " she said reaching out for his hands. " never stop caring about others. Okay. " she said with a vibrant smile on her face.
Sen only nodded his head trying his best to restrict the tears dammed in his eyes.
" Now then hurry along , Neil and Mira are waiting for you. "