Fragarach

Jared Lionheart

“Ey Raven, how is the ruins? You didn’t have a bad time with it like last time right?” the guard said while smiling at the hardworking young man.

“Nothing at all, what happened last time might be a coincidence or just happened by chance.” Raven replied as he put down in the ground the large containers that he is carrying.

The guards felt a little worried that Raven might need a little help with the goods that he is carrying.

“Do you need a little help with lifting all that? The ruins is pretty far away from the city don’t you get tired?” the other guard said watching Raven carry such huge containers. “Thanks for giving me an elixir last time, I could not thank you more.” He added.

“Oh, don’t worry about me. These huge containers are nothing, they would not even make my shoulder st-“ he said then abruptly stop speaking after seeing their reaction.

[Those huge containers………are nothing?] the guard who offered to help Raven thought as he scratch his head. [Maybe I am getting old.]

“Uhhm- I mean it is okay I can still manage and I can’t bother you when you have to work here since you can’t leave your posts just for helping me carry these.” He said with an unconvincing smile.

“Are you sure you can manage? Don’t hesitate to ask us for help next time. We’ll help with everything we can okay?” the guard said as he pat the young man’s shoulders.

[Whoa! They are quite sturdy, these muscles does not seem to belong to a young man like himself.] he thought as was caught by surprise when he felt Raven’s muscles.

“By the way, are you acquainted with the son of the guild master?” he asked after Raven lift both of the containers slowly.

“Oh, you mean the men who are there at the ruins that day? I only met them once at the ruins so I would not consider him an acquaintance.” He retorted.

[That’s strange, I thought you are acquaintances since he seemed to admire you really bad or am I just imagining it?]. he thought as he recall his memory of engaging the son of the famous guild master.

[At that time]

“Didn’t he know that an elixir as clear as this can cost one hundred gold coins per drop?” the guard said as he is a bit hesitant on using a precious elixir.

[This bottle of elixir can feed my family and even my future generations. This is too good to be true and does not make any sense at all, a young man with no background carrying bottles of top grade elixirs like this? The well-known family for making the only elixirs in the whole kingdom can’t even produce such quality as much as this. But how come a young man like him have these?] he thought as he stare at the bottle.

His partner saw his confused face and sigh because he too is a bit surprised by the op grade elixir that Raven gave off so casually.

[I know this is a shocking experience; receiving a top grade elixir from someone we used to despise and we can’t report this thing to the higher ups because we cannot afford to risk the safety of the young man who is kind enough to give him a bottle of top grade elixir. We must keep this a secret.] he told himself as he pat his partner’s shoulder.

“Quit thinking too much about it, isn’t that great? You got an incredibly expensive elixir for free.” He said as he smiled. “I know but receiving something like this and not giving something equal back in return is giving me a feeling of dissatisfaction.” He said in a sad tone as he swiftly hides the elixir when a hunter passed by.

“How about this? Let’s just keep this a secret and don’t report it to the higher ups to keep the young man- Raven rather from harm. I think he would like something like that in return.” He proposed. “I think he will like that as well, but I can’t take this alone. I will give the half of it to you.” He retorted.

[Is this guy an i***t? He is giving me half of the elixir that is supposed to be his?] “Are you insane? He gave it to you so it’s yours.” His surprised voice rose a little.

“If it’s mine then it’s up to me how to use it and since I have been a very pain in the ass that you have to always rescue me from always getting punished by the higher ups and help me in times of poverty its only right for me to give you what blessings that come to me so don’t worry about it.” He insisted. “And I can’t carry this burden alone so in return you need to help me so that nobody knows of Raven’s secret.” He added.

His partner is speechless after hearing what the other one has to say. The guild master’s son heard everything as he hid from the guards’ sight.

[I want to ask them if they are acquainted with the young man in a purple hair when they suddenly talk about the same elixirs that that guy gave us so I don’t want to butt in in an important conversation as that.] he thought as he unconsciously hid himself after hearing them talk about the elixir.

(But he still ended up hearing everything despite telling himself not to butt in into an important conversation.)

[This guys is really hopeless.] he thought as he smiled to his partner.

“What can I say? Guess you need my help.” He smiled. “Thank you for everything up until now Philip.” His partner said as his eyes redden. “What are best friends for? There’s no need to worry about it John.” He replied as he himself is about to cry. “Hey, don’t cry on me you big baby.” He added as he embraced his partner.

*Hick* *Hick* *Hick*

Both of them rub their eyes off their tears.

“You really are a crybaby.” Philip said as he wipe his tears. “Says the one who cried first. I just had an insect flying straight in my eyes that’s why I cried.” John said while blowing his nose. “That’s not very convincing you know.” “Pffft.”

*Hahahahah*

Both of them laugh as they saw each other’s crying faces when suddenly the guild master’s son appeared.

“Good day fellas, can you hear me out on something? Haha!” he said with an awkward smile while scratching his head.

[They are definitely suspicious of me. I mean just look at their frozen stiff faces.]

He thought as he forces himself to laugh at nothing.

[I didn’t know there is someone here.] [So much for keeping it a secret, we blew it off right the bat after deciding to do so.]

They thought as they think of something as an excuse and what to say to confirm what he had heard from their conversation.

“Eh- what can I do for you?” John asked in panic while keeping a smiling face. [Ahhhhh! I am such an i***t! Argh! This is making my head ache.] he screamed internally.

[What kind of lame question is that?!] Philip’s jaw drop instantly after hearing what John said.

The son of the guild master saw their uncomfortable faces full of fear about what he might have heard about Raven earlier. John rightly grasp the bottle of the elixir that he held inside his pocket, the son of the guild master saw him desperately trying to hide the fact that the cat is out of the bag.

“That elixir in your pocket was given to you by the young man with the purple hair right?” the son of the guild master asked while staring at John’s pocket.

[Huh? Don’t tell me that he also saw Raven handing me the elixir earlier!] he told himself as sweat started to fall from his forehead. [No way! How did he knew about it? Did he see Raven give it to John earlier? Whatever happens, John along with Raven’s secret should be kept safe.] Philip thought as he slowly move in front of John. [Even if I have to sacrifice myself for that purpose.]

The son of the guild master saw Philip’s determined face to keep the secret from spreading so he made a move to prevent something bad to happen.

‘Please don’t misunderstand why I approach you fellows, I just happened to encounter such experience like you just did earlier you see.” He said with a smile.

He took a bottle of the same elixir that John have in his pocket and showed it to them.

“Isn’t that?” John spoke in surprise. “Yeah- that is exactly the same bottle as what you have.” Philip added.

[Great, they lowered their guard. If I didn’t pull this thing out I’m afraid something bad might have happened.] he sigh as both of the guards lowered their guards.

“You see, we owe a great deal to the young man with the purple hair that you fellows were talking to earlier so I just wanted to ask if you are his acquaintances.” He said as he smiled at the both of them.

“You can’t really call us his acquaintances since we only started to make a conversation with him recently.” John said. “We are more like strangers to each other until today.” Philip backed up.

“Is that so? Do you happen to know the name of the young man?” he asked.

“Before that, may we know the name of the requester?” Philip asked.

[Oh! I really forgot! I forgot to tell them my name before asking anything! Talk about rude!] he thought as he did a face palm.

“I am really sorry for my rudeness, my name is Jared Lionheart, and I am the son of the guild master of High Lord.” He bowed as he apologized for his rudeness.

Both of them had another shock attack after doing something unnecessary in front of the son of the High Lord’s guild master.

[No way! How can a high figure like himself owe a favor from Raven?!] John thought as he swallowed his saliva.

*Gulp!*

[I am getting a lot of shock attack today, I don’t think my body can take anymore.] Philip told himself as he hold his head. [Moreover aren’t I in big trouble? I think he felt my intimidation earlier. I am so screwed, my life is over. This is the end for me, take care John. I might get killed afterwards for intimidating him earlier, sayonara!]

Jared smiled after realizing that they might have regret what they did earlier but he understands because that might have been the request of Raven from them.

[It can’t be helped, I am indebted to the young man as well so we are on the same boat. Well, the whole guild and these guys are actually are on the same boat.] he said to himself as he smiled lightly.

“His name is Raven Oston, and I am Philip and my partner beside me is John.” Philip said in a humble voice.

“We are truly sorry for what happened earlier, Philip and I didn’t mean anything bad. We just want to protect the person whom we greatly owe a lot.” John explained with a calm tone.

“Oh it is okay, I am fine. We are on the same boat so forget about it. Moreover, please keep that elixir hidden. I trust that both of you know how much value that elixir holds but that young man seems to have known nothing of its value and we forgot to tell him about it earlier because of the shock we got.” He told them without holding back.

“Oh! We had the same reaction as well. But John pulled himself together and manage to tell Raven about it so I guess it is okay now.” Philip explained.

“Woah! Thank goodness you did. If he went everywhere and just shove the elixirs on everyone he sees in need, he might cause uproar without knowing about it.” Jared said as he shook their hands. “I can’t imagine how that young man manage to become insanely strong despite being younger than me. Oh! How I wish he can teach me a few thing as well. Do you have any clue?” he asked.

“That is- we don’t exactly know but- haven’t you heard?” Philip asked. “Raven, that young man was missing three years ago and everyone thought he was dead but he suddenly showed up only recently.”

Jared was shocked about what he heard that sent chills in his spine making the hair in his whole body stand like trees on an island.

After explaining what the guards know so far, they talked about Raven for some time.

[Present time]

After talking about what happened Raven remembered and admitted what the guards think is right.

Raven returned home afterwards after saying his good bye to the guards giving them some meat before going home.

He arrived at home with a haul of meat that he already butchered in the ruins.