Chapter 9.2

Then we heard a strange noise from the main entrance of the club. 

- Baha let's go see what's going on there? - Bron got up and clutching a half-empty keg of beer turned towards the source of the noise. 

- Eh, come on. Maybe it's our heavyweight coming in? 

- I hope so. It's getting boring fighting you every day. Here's some fresh meat! Fight till we collapse! Hahaha - joking and arguing about how we would fight with the team heavyweight we reached the entrance. 

But there, to our surprise, we found not a new punching bag waiting for us, but some tall but skinny guy who was arguing loudly with Uzraz and Kazran about something. 

- Uh, Bron. What's going on? 

- Long-Ear. 

- What? 

- We've got an elf here and he seems to be looking for trouble or he wants to not die of old age by coming to us. All right, hold my beer. I'm gonna go shake his neck until it crackles. - he passed me the keg and started stretching his fists. 

Bronn was like an icebreaker as he made his way through the crowd that had gathered in front of the entrance, and thanks to that I could see the elf. 

He was tall enough, but slim enough that he looked more like a gymnast than a potential Blood Bowl player. The most interesting thing about him was his face, or rather the fact that he had hidden one of his eyes with his hair. 

 - I don't need you here! Go fuckin' play with the other pompous long ears! - Kazran's mouth was a stream of curses coupled with a clear refusal. 

- Uh-huh. We're a mixed team, of course, but if we take an elf, we'll just be prevented from playing and dragged through inspections and committees. Having an elf as a thrower or catcher in a mixed team is considered inappropriate. So, kid, pick up your stuff and get the hell off the club grounds! - Uzraz was more soft-spoken, but he didn't want an elf on his team either. 

- You fucking racists! When you see an elf, you think he's a thrower or a catcher! But I want to be a blitzer and fight face to face with the enemy, not to play passing game! - elf replied angrily. 

- Pfft. Blitzer. Kid, you don't seem to be cross-eyed and have your hands where they belong, but you want to be a blitzer on a mixed team. Are you out of your mind? Go get some fresh air or drink something to calm your nerves. - Kazran just laughed when he heard that this guy wanted to play a enforcer position for a team. 

- But they won't take me on other teams because of my oath! That's why I'm here! Look! - he abruptly removed his helmet and tilted his head back, tucking his hair back, giving us all a clear view of a eye crossed with a long scar, over which was tattooed some sort of seal. 

- Fuck. Kid, you would rather be cross-eyed or lame than fucked up in the head. - Kazran shook his head, while Uzraz just sighed. 

- Ha! I like him! That's what I mean by persistence and commitment to go all the way for the sake of your dream. - Bron said loudly, which surprised not only me, but everyone else. 

- Kazran. Uzraz. Let's take him in. At least as a candidate. What have we got to lose? We can always kick him out. - here I think a lot of dwarves watching this show wanted to shake their heads, but Uzraz was thinking about that. 

- It's true. We can always kick you out. So what's your name, long-eared one? - Kazran grinned. 

- Korhil! Son... - apparently he wanted to introduce himself according to all the requirements of elven etiquette, but Kazran stopped him with a shake of his hand. 

- That's enough, Korhil. And age? - this time Korhil hesitated and mumbled something, but no one could hear him. 

- I couldn't hear you, repeat, and don't lie to me. - Uzraz threw him a frown. 

- I'm...150 years old. - Korhil answered shyly and embarrassingly. 

- Fuck. - All the dwarves, to my surprise, cursed, while I was spinning my head trying to figure out what had happened. 

- 150 years...kid, are you sure you're not lying to us? Maybe you forgot to add a zero to your age? - Kazran asked suspiciously. 

- No. I am really 150 years old! - answered Korhil and blushed. 

- Oh ancestors. He is not only blind in one eye but also a young dumbass. Have you even finished school? - Kazran asked tiredly, apparently regretting having agreed to take him on the team. 

- Yes! And I got excellent marks in everything! And also...

- Shut up. Please shut up. Ancestors, why do I have to go through all this? - Kazran was raising his hands in the air while Uzraz was filling his pipe and I realized the reason for the dwarves' behavior and almost laughed with all the might of my lungs. 

- But I haven't told you all about myself or shown you my diplomas! - Korhil began to rummage in his bag, from which scrolls and parchments began to fall out, but nobody cared. The dwarves started treating their nerves with beer and tobacco. 

- I also brought a couple of my works from art class! - every new phrase from Korhil only made the dwarves drink more. 

- Shut up! Enough! - Uzraz was almost crying and Kazran's hand with beer was shaking. 

That's how I met Korhil, whose biography was a tragicomedy. Although after he joined our team it was mostly comedy. Except it was black comedy, hehehe.