Today was the day Kien had been dreading. No amount of magic, training, or bravado could distract him from the weight sitting in his chest. He kept replaying the plan in his mind, hoping it would somehow make him feel ready.
A warm candle lit the crowded bar. Men and women sat around the wooden tables. The smell of booze was overwhelming.
Kien walked in with a small gust of wind. No one seemed to mind him. At least not yet.
The boy trotted up to the tavern keeper behind the wide stand. Behind the counter, the keeper held barrels of booze.
Kien sighed deeply. "I'll get it this time." He mumbled to himself.
The tavern keeper was pouring another drink for a larger man. "Just one second, sir." The tavern keeper stated without even looking at Kien.
Momentarily afterward, the tavern keeper turned his head towards Kien. The tavern keeper's warm smile instantly faded. "No, you're not getting a drink." He narrowed his eyes. "Get the hell out of here, kid."
"What do you mean you won't give me a drink!" Kien slammed the table. He could feel eyes watching him. Kien turned around for only a moment before returning his attention to the tavern keeper. His cheeks turned red.
The plan had failed.
The tavern keeper sighed. "Well let's see. Last time I gave you a drink you stood on the table, pulled down your pants and started splashing everyone like it was piss."
"Well, I-"
"Let's not forget about the time you didn't have any money in your inventory so you thought seducing me would work."
"Hold on!" Kien yelled back at the tavern keeper. "First off, the pee joke was funny, and the seducing didn't happen." Kien began to chuckle. "It was way worse."
"Jesus Christ, kid."
A tall and skinny lady began to sob in the back corner. Kien turned his head to see a middle-aged woman surrounded by around four drunk men.
"Sorry, but I have better stuff to deal with than your booze." Kien waved off the tavern keeper.
But before the keeper could retaliate, Kien was already across the tavern. He slowly walked up to them.
However, as he approached, the lady looked directly at him. Kien froze. 'Oh, shit… what do I do now? Think quick! Think quickly!'
Kien scanned the area. He located an empty chair and, without thinking, sat down. The boy sighed. He crossed his arms and legs, tilted his head down, and started to drink the booze on the table. 'Now this is badass.'
The lady continued to sob. "It all happened too fast. My husband Albert… he was something. I'm not sure what, exactly. He never told me his job. But man he was hot." She forced a sorrowful chuckle. "After the slime attacked our house, things have never been normal. It's hard to walk without my feet sticking."
Kien was finishing up the drink. He slammed it on the table, trying to act tough, only to come face-to-face with three titans of men staring at him from the other side of the table. "You want to die that badly?" One threatened.
The air tightened around Kien's chest. He held his hands up in surrender. "Not at all." Kien began to back up.
Kien watched as one of the men patted the sobbing ladies' short blonde hair. "We tried Kate, but y'know this is a really sticky situation."
Someone groaned loudly from another table. "Boo! Worst pun of the night!"
Kate's eyes widened. Ignoring the titan of men, he approached the four men and Kate. It was his moment. He could feel the tension in his heart.
The four men had already locked eyes with Kien. Kien pointed. "Hey, you-" He paused, "don't even think about doing anything funny!" The men and Kate looked at each other, puzzled.
A silence brushed around the tavern. Kien could feel everyone staring. Kien clenched his fists. A small chuckle exited his voice, turning into a stream of laughter. "You dare challenge me!" Kien punched his fists together. "Do you even know who I am!?"
The men held a blank face. "Uhh, what?" One answered. "I didn't even spe-"
Kien laughed even louder. "Good, good, this is perfect." He took a deep breath. "My technique is one of the eternal monks, passed down from generation to generation."
People in the tavern began to mumble. "Is this guy an idiot?"
Another mumbled, "That would be a compliment."
One of the men next to Kate stood up. "Are you ok?" He paused. "I mean mentally ok?"
Kien ignored the question. "Hmph, it seems you have been troubling this lady." He pointed again at the men and turned his head towards Kate, who stood in shock. "And about your husband. Think about it like this, at least you're single now."
She burst into tears so dramatically that even the drunkest man sobered up for a second. "What the fuck is your problem!" Kate barked.
"Wha- why are you crying? I'm literally saving your sorry ass." Kien stood puzzled.
But before anyone could answer, Kate stood up from the table and ran out the door so angrily she knocked two chairs over.
The tavern erupted. "Oh, fuck you man." A man yelled.
"Were you dropped as a child!?" Another added.
Behind them, another voice yelled. "I'm gay!"
Kien stood tall in accomplishment. "Ah, it seems like I have saved the day once again." He turned around only to stand face to face against the tavern keeper.
"Get out." The tavern keeper remarked.
But, Kien could only smirk. "And what makes you think you can defeat me?" He jumped into a fighting stance with his arms still low. "I come from an ancient family. One of pride and most importantly the technique of the eternal-"
Before he knew it, Kien was on the tavern keeper's shoulder. "Yeah, it's not like I have heard the same story for the fifteenth time."
Kien was enraged. He began to kick and scream, but to no avail. "Oh, screw you, you little shit-eating rattlesnake, two-fished goat humping goldfish!"
Before long, they both arrived at the entrance. With one gigantic push, the tavern keeper launched Kien off his shoulder as he rolled into the street.
"Don't even think of coming back." The tavern keeper slammed the door shut, and behind the door was met with cheers.
Kien sighed. "Man, being a hero fucking sucks." He looked at the hp of his health decrease ever so slightly.