Chapter 44. Shard-Crash.

  Sid glanced from tent to tent. Table to table. Rack to rack. It was all marvelous things from sweet citric cabbages, too coaled potatoes. Gloves and boots and vests. Blankets and beads. Fruits and flowers. Some even had helms of leather. The aroma was so unfair. Dusty and sweaty, yet fragrant with the floral essence of extracted oils. He could smell the smoked fish Abram told him about. Even the comforting smell of iron smelting—he wondered where the forge was, he would love to see the work, mainly to compare swords. The stables too. He could smell the animals out beyond the back of the castle. It was a long walk but smelled as if fresh droppings landed at his feet. He could also smell the fermenting of corn and potatoes and sugars. That brewery was back there too. Oh, how he wanted some fish and mead.

  “Uhh Abram?” A very confused mustache watched while the voyager went a different direction. He thought they were going to the brewery for a drink. “Where are you going the brewery is behind the castle remember?”

  “We nots getting a drink right this moment Sid we needs to really talk to someone firsts.”

  Fuck that. After everything Sid just went through to get to this damned castle. Nearly three suns in the forest. Bad dreams. Vampires. God awful squeaky wheel. Smelly donkey farts. Huge spiders—little tiny ones too. Losing a fucking eye. No. no. no. no. No way was he going to go talk to somebody to try and get him to join a game. A game he would not be playing. A game he wanted nothing to do with. It wasn’t happening. He wanted a pint of eye stinging mead.

  “Alright Abram. Well, I’ll be out there if you need me.” Unsure of why he even said that. He no longer needed to travel with Abram. This was where he would settle from now on. “Actually no. Abram our deal is done. I have brought you to the castle. Now you owe me a drink.”

  Abram blinked those tired eyes. Rubbing his face. Pinching the brim of his nose. Does Sid not understand the stakes at hand. Shit has been set into motion already. The Seven will not be delayed just because this big guy wants a drink. Because Sid didn’t want to play. Oh, poor Sid he lost some family members. Everyone does it’s life.

  “So, what Sid ye just gonna spend yer days drinkin. Doing everything ye can for a bit of trade just to get a dark one? Don’t be as stupid as ye look Sid. And honestly look at yerself. Ye look fuckin ridiculous. Dos ye really think a drink should be at the top of yer priorities. C’mon Sid please. Come with me and speaks with Scarlett. If she cants get ye to think twice about how ye want to approach things well, ….well then me be spending the rest of me days drinking right there with yas.”

  This wasn’t exactly a rewarding deal. He didn’t want to have this annoyance sitting with him while he catches a buzz. Then again. It would be but the simplest way for a lifetime of mead.

  “Fine.” The mustache practically whimpered. Following behind.

  The two walked the path. Ignoring singers and barters. Many of such who traded linens and cloth too. Some of which looked decent in Sid’s eye. There was even some who approached cautiously weary of big Sid. The man reeked of intimidation. Abram only told him to keep his items. Promising that this Scarlett would fix him up real good. Best threads he will ever wear—no Abram didn’t wear her threads himself, but he knew she was easily one of the greatest in the lands. If she was as talented as she was all that time ago, he could only exaggerate her work now.

  Sid spot Arieo at the pond—well he smelled that donkey before he seen him—the wagon was pulled along the side. He could see Fenrir’s shadow underneath still—what a good boy. That single eye watched the two. Arieo had his nose in the water. Fenrir was looking at the strange yet magnificent statue.

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  “Abram.” Sid stopped and looked out over the crowd. Out into the pond. Wondering what that statue was. “What is that?”

  “Oh it just be a statue Sid don’t worry its not real.”

  Sid sucked on his teeth for a heartbeat blinking flatly a few times, before asking again. “I meant of what?”

  Abram laughed before he started to tell of the legendary creature. Sid however, didn’t catch a single word.

  That lovely chirp of a bell sent a chill through Sid’s body. His face went flat. That single eye glossed over. Skin chilled. All while that one and only chirp pulsed with a wonderful reverberation. A single bell of request. Flinching as the snarl came. Flesh rippled. While the cold beads formed along his forehead. He rolled his eye. Watching while those odd symbols drifted through internal visions.

  “That was it.” Abram smiled. “That was it. Ye just gots a message didn’t yas.”

  Abram practically clapped and jumped. He hadn’t seen another roll their eyes with that awful expression in a long, long while. That is an expression that is hard to mimic and forget.

  “What did she say Sid. Tell me please. She only tells me to seeks yas.”

  Should he tell this man about the message? Would he be able to explain the bell? The snarl? The voices? He could feel his palms clam while he debated. Trying to look away from the voyager. Trying to blink the symbols away.

  “C’mon Sid please let me know what she says.” There was desperation in his voice. It was harrowing.

  Sid rubbed his eye. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Something got in my eye.”

  “Please Sid. Yer worse than Arieo. Seriously Sid ye act like yer fuckin allergic to destiny or somethins. I know that look Sid. Me was with Lakora, Nebuliss, Vegan, and Sylo when they wrote the system—"

  Sid though wasn’t paying attention to the voyager anymore. Instead that eye was locked on one individual. A very bald. Very crunched and curdled man. Spine curling with time. Sid was literally counting the vertebrae while they popped with that horrible walk.

  That old man walked with a real, real odd manner. Keeping his elbows high, his hand closed and clenched. Each swaying like over active pendulums. Stepping with high knees and turned out toes. Like his feet hated each other. Did I mention he was bald—no I mean he was B-A-L-D-bald. Absolutely no hair. No eyebrows. No arm or leg hair. No nose hair. No little fuzzy hairs around the shell of his ear. Not even eyelashes. Nothing. Bald.

  Not only that but that old kook only wore but one item of clothing. Just like Sid—no it wasn’t a boot. It was but only a mere disgusting ragged twist of dusty old wool. Wrapping his bottom and his front such. Phew what ugly stains had been smudged across the old wool too. What a putrid tale of soiling relief each told too. The old man wore it with pride though. No shirt or vest. No gloves or boots. No trousers. Only the grimy wool diaper.

  He was a tan and ashy skinned man. Incredibly wrinkly—carved dunes really. Each aged wrinkle would flake, crusting with bits of dead skin. Constantly lifting. Breaking away. Staining the air each time he dragged a hand from the back of his dry neck, up and violently scratching that dusty scalp. Like the thick of gnats in the wetlands, that old man left behind a foul trail of drifting bodily residue. What a goofy looking old man. Sid wondered how old he was.

  Abram blinked heavily up at Sid—how irritating he wasn’t even listening to the Legend of the Stallitusk. No bother he can tell him later. He was getting tired—not a lay down sleepy tired, his body was empty. A crash would hit him.

  The come-down from the shard was a hectic one. Honestly there really couldn’t have been a better place for it to happen either. He could feel it though. Everything was slowing. His shoulders felt heavy. Chest heaved. Heartbeat mellowed to an unlikeable pace. It was his eyes though. The colors he see. Those bright and warm colors all had become tired. Cold. Haunting. The light was dimming. Blurring. Black.

  “What the hell? Abram are you alright?” Sid snagged one of his arms so Abram wouldn’t collapse with such an impact. Some of those cobblestones could really hurt the man’s head—wait why does he care.

  Sid shook his head. He knew the crazy adventurer needed to sleep. Just look at him. The man was completely drained. It’s not healthy to venture the woods and mountain peaks. Look at him now. So completely exhausted. The way Sid shakes him did nothing. He let him go.

  Abram dropped with an easy thud. Never waking. He did curl into a tight ball though.

  Sid looked around. Where did the wagon go? Arieo and Fenrir were just sitting right across the pond. Right there. He scanned the area. Seeing that old kook again.