20 Kings Of The Underworld, Hogman's Friends?!!

He walked into a dark street. The area was the home to drug peddlers and burglars. He spotted many men gambling at corners of the street. They had betted on their day's earning. Most of them were drunk. There were bottles of cheap beer on each and every table. Broken pieces of glass lay unattended on the road. Smoke filled the air. Cigars were constantly lighted. Fights broke out from one or two of the gambling tables. Some well dressed men in suits came into the street, only to smuggle drugs. White-collar criminals. They were well known in the streets. People, always rose up on seeing them. They were the fuel of the street. It was from them, all the peddlers and gamblers earned money. Some well dressed ones were mafia bosses too. There were no such men to be seen there that night.

The people didn't notice this man in the beginning. He walked in confidently but hurriedly. Everyone in the streets turned their heads to look at him. They stood up as he walked and bowed respectfully. He walked without giving a second glance to any of them. He held his head high. His face was grave. He had no business with the gamblers and the peddlers that day. He was there for a more important matter. Eyes peeked from the corners of the streets. Children of the peddlers considered him as their role model. He ignored their curious glances.

That day, he was dressed in his usual black suit and Oxford style shoes. But it seemed as if he had worn them in a hurry. His tie was so tight around his neck that it nearly choked him. His suit was wrinkled and creased. His face was long. It displayed an image of dominance. His eyes were amber, which looked like burning fire when mixed with his cold expression. He was tall. Very tall. People had to crane their necks to see his face. His hands were strong and his body showed no sign of weakness. He was an ideal of strength and dominance.

He walked through the busy, filthy street and entered a lane. It was dark except for one solitary street light that was about to fuse. He walked through the lane without caring to see if he was being followed. He was sure no one would ever follow him. The lane was empty. He walked into a solitary hotel in the lane. The receptionist did not ask him anything. She knew where he was going. He was a frequent visitor in the hotel. But that day, there was something different in his appearance.

He crossed one or two doors before knocking on one of them. The door creaked open. A man about his same age opened the door. He let out a sigh on seeing his visitor. The other was rather short and stout. But his face showed signs of power and dominance too. His ears were flushed red. His cheeks were pink too. His eyes were puffy red. A clear sign that he drinks frequently. The visitor walked in without even smiling at his host. He went and sat on the chair near the wooden table in the middle of the room. The other came and sat down on the chair opposite to him.

The visitor saw that the other had set up two bottles of whiskey and two glasses on the table. The host's glass was already half-full and the cap of a bottle was nowhere to be seen. He understood that his friend was drinking. He did not mind. He believed that some alcohol would ease off tensions. He could feel the silence of the room. The room itself was barely lit. The two men could hardly see each others faces. Grim shadows covered the whole room. The two of them remained silent for a couple of minutes. They were thinking of the matter they were about to talk about. They were trying to find out solutions to those problems. No matter what, the tension gripped their hearts. For the first time in years they felt afraid. The fear of losing someone.

The stout one kept on drinking from his glass. The other's glass remained empty. He gripped on his thighs. He was unable to control his anger and fear. Suddenly, those strong hands moved as fast as lightning. His friend was trying to pour another glass for himself. A strong hand gripped the bottle and pulled it away. He brought the bottle near his nose and smelled it. The smell of alcoholhad never been so relieving for him. He moved the bottle to his lips and drank directly from the bottle. He couldn't stop himself until, he drank it full. He threw the bottle on to the floor after drinking from it. The glass bottle fell on the ground and broke into pieces. His friend watched him without speaking a word. Amber eyes glared at his friend for once and then, he used the sleeve of his coat to wipe of the whiskey from his lips. The heat of the liquid spread through his body. He began to sweat. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt half-way from the top. He ruffled his dark brown hair with his hands.

His friend was apparently drinking all the while and could feel the heat too. He unbuttoned his shirt to let in more air. Outside the room, the receptionist heard the clatter of the glass and the silence. She sensed something unusual. Her customers were two, very dangerous men. Anything could happen. But she did not dare to call the police.

The silence of the room was broken by the visitor.

"What do you think Hogman is doing? Don't that brat realise that it can kill him?"

"He has his own ways. Maybe he has a reason." The stout one defended Hogman.

The other scorned at the reply.

"REASON!! I SUCK THAT BLOODY HECK OF A REASON!!" He shouted at his friend.

"That brat is gonna get himself killed. What does he have with that boy? What was his name again? Isn't he a criminal? Isn't that why the government tried to execute him?"

"Aster...." Long silence met this reply. The stout one continued to speak. "His name is Aster. I've heard that this boy has unique abilities. That's why the ministry got jealous of him and tried to kill him."

"I've heard that, it was that damn boy who triggered the attack in the city of Xeloria on New Year." The taller one reverted.

"Rumors, I heard rumors," the stout one hushed his tone to a whisper, "that the boy is the imperial mage."

"WHAT THE HELL?! IT'S BULLSHIT!!! You think it's true? Imperial mage?! Do you believe in that? I can't believe Hogman started believing it to be true. Hasn't he had enough already? Doesn't he know such a title do not exist?" The taller one shouted again.

He fell into deep thought. His friend was in trouble because of a small misconcept. Nonsense. He still couldn't believe that Hogman still believed in those things. It was time that he moved on. That rascal!

"Now you don't endanger your life looking for him. Whoever gone is gone. We cannot get them back." The short one's puffy eyes showed disappointment as he said these. He could not risk another friend's life now.

"Hogman is now in hiding. He cannot hide for long. He will have to come out. If something happens to him when he is in hiding, whomever he is trying to protect will suffer. Mark my words." The talker one warned. He was giving a warning to the whole world.

He stood up and walked out of the door slamming the door shut. He hurried through the front door and left. The receptionist let out a deep sigh after he left. The mafia kings parted without a murder! She was highly relieved.