Close encounters

The town of Aoba was oddly quiet that night. Not even the usual drunk men were seen dragging their feet through the alleys.

The same could be said about the merchant's guild. Despite the small crowd of members present inside, not a single word was heard outside the building. That is until a young guard appeared at the front door.

"Please men, let me in. I would like to have a word with General Chow."

The two men guarding the front door shook their heads, "Shiro, the general is currently in a meeting. You can arrange an audience with him afterward."

"Who knows how long this meeting is going to take?! It's important that I speak with him as soon as possible."

"What's with all the noise?" said a man approaching the trio. 

Shiro cleared his throat as a drop of sweat rolled down his face. It was their chief officer, after all. He was not a man you should make angry. The guards at the door salute him and Shiro does the same.

"Shiro? There had better be a good excuse as to why you left your post."

"Yes, sir. It's about Ron. He hasn't been seen for more than half a day. Since his father is here, I believe he should know, so we can begin a search party."

"You mean that good for nothing man? He's probably slacking off. The general has better things to do than to go out on a search party for his useless son. That kid has embarrassed him more than enough."

"Sir, with all due respect, but you simply don't understand. Ron isn't like that. Something bad might have happened to him."

The chief looks at the worried Shiro in the eyes. It was clear he was determined to find his friend. The man took a deep breath, "Shiro, you're a good guard, but you must know your place here. Do you think a general from the capital is going to throw out a search party for his troublesome kid?"

"But sir--"

"--I would suggest not getting yourself involved with the wrong people. You show great promise. Don't let bad influences ruin it."

"... Yes, sir." he said while looking down. His hands turned into fists, irritated by his fear of confronting the person in front of him.

"All right men. I need you in your positions! We can't fail to look pathetic in the presence of our guest. If I see anyone else slacking, they'll have hell to pay for later. You got that?!"

"Yes, sir!" the duo at the door replied.

The chief let out a sigh and walked to the door between the two guards. He looked intently at Shiro, as if telling him not to interfere with the meeting, before closing the door.

"Hey, isn't that your boy over there?"

Shiro quickly turned around to look and his eyes lighted up when he saw Ron walking past the front gates. He quickly rushed towards his friend, "Ron! I've been worried sick. Where were you all this time?"

"I'm sorry for worrying you. I was doing some stuff around the village, that is all."

"You were late for your guard duty as well. I was about to go out looking for you. Out of all the days... You know the chief's opinion of you, why keep doing this?"

"I said I was sorry, okay? What more do you want from me?!"

Ron realized he had yelled at his friend and immediately turned his back on him, so he could not see his embarrassed face.

Shiro took a step back and relaxed his tensed shoulders. It was clear to him his friend's rage wasn't directed towards him, but at something else entirely, "... If you don't want to tell me what's going on with you, then fine, I respect it, but I need you to be focused tonight. The chief doesn't want anything to pass by us. Be on the lookout for anything suspicious."

"Is that why there are so many active guards tonight? Rarely anything exciting happens here. Why is he being so excessive?"

The only "excitement" the guards usually get to experience is the few instances of arguments between villagers. The village was a peaceful place. Some would say it's too peaceful. To see it so heavily guarded made the guard wonder what could possibly be so important to get this level of security tonight.

"Apparently, something big is happening soon. This brought a meeting with some nobles from the capital. That is all I know... at least that's what my father said."

Ron snorts, "Still at odds with the chief?" 

Shiro smacks Ron's head, "Like you're one to talk!"

They burst into laughter before Shiro heads back to his post, "You're assigned northwest, to the stables."

"So they assigned me to a post they knew I wouldn't mess up..."

"Don't worry, you'll find a way." He said as he winked.

"Oh, fuck off."

Shiro laughs, "Alright, I'll see you later."

"Okay, thanks."

Ron observed his surroundings as he walked to his post. There were guards in and around the building, on the gates and outside the perimeter. Additionally, there were archers on the roof positioned for combat. For the security to be this excessively high, especially for a merchant's guild, the person from the capital must be someone of very high value.

Ron had a guess of who it could be, since his father was present at the meeting. To think the person he had been avoiding all day was just past a few doors of him. Regardless, he won't initiate contact. If anything, he would remain as far away as he could.

Ron sighed, "Alright, I guess I'll get to work then."

***

Ron went to his post and found the stables to have nothing going on. There were a few carriages, horses and lizards standing by for their owner. The guard thought since it was so calm, he'd sneak out for a bit to smoke. He's not one to partake in such things, but, when stress is at an all-time high, he couldn't help but blow off some steam with some nicotine. He usually does it in hiding. He wouldn't want people seeing him in such a state, let alone Shiro. However, people have a low view of him. It wouldn't change much of other's perception of him.

He thought it was about time to get back inside. He threw the remains of the cigarette on the floor and stomped it with his feet.

As he drew closer to the door, he felt a different atmosphere from before. He could see the animals looked tense and were oddly quiet.

That's when he noticed a figure in the room. By the looks of his uniform, he was another guard.

"Hey, man. You're assigned to this place too?"

The guard turned to look at Ron. His face was mostly covered by the shadow of his hat, "Yes, I am."

"Cool, at least I won't go crazy being alone with these creatures."

"Don't underestimate them. They are the best companions one could ever have." he said, looking at them affectionately.

Ron was able to catch a glimpse of the man's face, and it made him realize, "I don't remember your face."

The guard turned his back on him and caressed the lizard next to him. "I was newly assigned."

"Were you now…"

Ron had been assigned as a guard to the village a few months ago. By now, he had memorized every nook and cranny of the place, additionally its people. Never in his time had he seen the guard's face before, let alone heard about new recruits coming in.

"So, they made you memorized that stupid pledge too?"

"Yes, the pledge."

The answer wasn't convincing to Ron, "How did it go again? 'By the lion, the serpent, the rabbit and the dragon—'"

Ron thought the guard would follow along with him, but instead the guard kept caressing the lizard.

Ron sighed, "Come on. At least indulge me a little."

"Hmph, maybe I should…"

Ron felt a very weird sensation in his gut. The animals had calmed down, but they still looked as if waiting for something to happen. The atmosphere grew quiet and eerie. He felt a piercing ring through his ears, the chills up his spine. His body was swarming him with all kinds of alarms to run.

Ron touched the sheath of his sword, "Something's not right…" and for a split-second Ron saw a flashing blade head directly towards him, and he raised his sword to block the attack. The impact pushed him back a few meters. It left him in a state of shock.

"You have incredible reflexes." said the guard.

Ron raised his sword, "You rat! Stop hiding behind the hat. Reveal yourself!"

The fake guard knew there was no point in hiding it any further from him. His cover had been blown.

The guard sighed, "I guess I'll end that trick now."

His body glowed, and his figure began to change. He got taller, slender and his hair changed from black to crimson red. His facial structure was now completely different from the one he had before. He still remained in his guard uniform even if it was a little tighter. Once the glow vanished, it revealed the true figure of the person.

The man that appeared before Ron scratched his cheek, "My clan would disown me for being caught so quickly, but it was to be expected. I was sent to do this at such short notice that I didn't even have time to properly prepare."

Ron grits his teeth, "Who the hell are you!?"

The red-haired man pointed at himself, "Hm? Me? I'm just a butler." he said as he shrugged his shoulders.

Sebastian had used one of the many ninja techniques he learned from his clan. His plan was to sneak into the merchant's guild and pretend to be one of the guards. It was supposed to be a quick and easy errand, but things took a turn for the worse.

"State your business. I will decide if to kill you or let you live for further interrogation."

As the guard made his demand, the butler chuckled, "Interrogate me? You must be joking. You're not getting anything out of my mouth. The fact that you think you can even lay a scratch on me is rather amusing. Please go ahead and try."

"Hmph, if you insist!"

The guard rushed towards Sebastian. His sword was up in the air ready to make the first strike, but the butler easily dodged it. He was faster than the guard and it agitated Ron. He kept swinging harder and faster, but the butler kept dodging them without breaking a sweat. The same could be said about the butler. He tried to strike the guard, but he had good reflexes. It wasn't as swift as Sebastian's, but it allowed Ron to dodge right at the moment of the strike.

The butler used the wall behind him to jump across the guard. In midair, he threw four of his shuriken stars, pushing Ron back to the wall. Sebastian's intention wasn't to hurt the guard, he wanted to immobilize him. The shuriken stars had dug deep in the wall. Each leg and arm of the guard's uniform was pinned. Ron was stuck and unable to move.

"The heart is where it should be, but in terms of skill... you have a long way to go."

The guard was squirming to get out, "Grr, I'll kill you!"

"You need to work and improve your technique. You have potential. If you stop wasting it on cigarettes, you might actually become good."

"I don't need life lessons from you."

The butler shrugged his shoulders, "So be it."

Ron squirmed hanging on the wall, but he wasn't able to break loose. The only thing he could do was talk to the butler to stall on time. Maybe someone would show up and help in the situation.

"What is it that you want? Are you here because of our visitor?"

"No. I didn't know anything that was happening here. I came here for a whole other reason. Not that I need to tell you, of course."

"Whatever it is, you won't get away with this."

The butler chuckled, "Let see… ah, here it is." The butler had taken out a small bag from his pocket, "I made valerian powder and added some mystery ingredients. Let's give you a nice, good sleep. You look like you need it."

Ron tried to break free, but it was useless. "Stay back!"

The butler approached the guard and raised the pouch to Ron's nose. Within seconds, the guard had fallen asleep.

"Alright, let's get back on track."

***

One of the conditions William had for Sebastian was to bring a capable carriage that could hold the minimum of three people and its cargo. The Reinsfield weren't well on the money side at the moment, despite being declared one of the wealthiest families by the public. Getting a carriage from them was out of the question. The butler couldn't burden his master with that task. The only option was to make good use of his skills and steal a carriage. No matter how much of a lowlife it made him look. When he thought of a place where he could steal a carriage, the merchant's guild came to mind. The place where the wealthiest travelers stay the night.

—Wealthy people are braggers. There has to be one who brought their best carriage to show off.

The butler had changed his body to look like the guard he left tied up and hidden in the stables and proceeded to continue as planned. He looked at each carriage one by one until he found one that pleased him. He caressed the extravagant gold design and was pleased with its intricate and spacious interior. It was clear this one was the highest priced of them all and the one that he would need for the journey to the temple.

—Now I just need to get in and leave, he thought.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

The coachman, who at some moment had entered the stables without the butler noticing, was looking at Sebastian with his hands on his back, admiring the carriage with him.

"It really is. It looks very sturdy as well, Um..." The butler scratched his cheek, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember catching your name."

The coachman bowed as he presented himself, "My name is Gustav."

"Oh please! You don't need to bow!" The butler handed out his hand towards the coachman, "My name is Ron. I'm honored to meet you sir."

The coachman smiled, "Likewise..."

— Things have gotten complicated.

The butler needed to find a way to get rid of the coachman, so he could steal the carriage. The question was, how was he going to do it?

"Say Ron, what is your position in this guild?"

"I'm just a guard. The lowest of the low."

The butler didn't see anything particular that stood out from Ron's uniform. Although his abilities showed promise, he still seemed like a new low-rank officer.

The coachman raised an eyebrow, "Really? Because to me, you seem to be the cleverest of the bunch."

The butler cocked his head, "Is that so?"

The coachman leaned closer to the butler. He got a good look in his eyes and said,

"You seem like a completely different soul from the one you are presenting to be."

The butler could feel the drop of sweat rolling down his face. He wryly smiled as he scratched the back of his head, "I get that a lot from my peers."

The coachman was very perceptive. The butler needed to find a topic to distract him, but the only thing that he knew about Ron was that he was of a low rank.

The coachman noticed the butler getting tensed, "Would you care for a drink? I got a variety of wine inside."

The butler shook his head, "No, thanks, I can't drink alcohol on the job."

"Nonsense, your chief won't find out and neither will my master for taking her drinks."

The butler chuckled. "Your master will find out eventually."

The coachman smirked, "When that happens, I would already have gotten her a new one."

The coachman poured two glasses of wine and offered one to the butler. Then they both raised their glasses and said, "Cheers."

Just as the wine was inches away from touching the butler's lips. He noticed the coachman was pretending to drink. That's when he realized his cover was blown once more.

The butler had let go of his drink. By the time their drinks hit the ground, the two men had taken out their katanas and had clashed swords with each other. Silence fell upon them. Only the sound of the glasses of wine hitting the floor rang through their ears. 

"When offered a glass, the politest thing to do is drink."

"As far as I know, drinks are supposed to be enjoyed together."

Tension grew in the room once more. Both men eyed each other as they waited to see who would make the first move.

"Something tells me you're not just a low-rank guard."

"Something tells me you're not just a coachman."

The coachman smirked and threw shuriken stars at the butler. The butler dodged them with ease as he ran towards and up the wall, headed straight to the roof. The coachman followed by jumping high in the air, going way past the roof, and in midair he released an air blade with his katana. The butler leaned back to dodge it. The attack missed him by a few strands of his hair.

The coachman lands on the roof, and he showcases his sword, "This is a special sword. It gathers air around it and turns it into sharp blades of wind. I've been able to kill a thousand with just one swing." the coachman points the katana at the butler, "You're no exception."

Strong air waves released each time their swords clashed with one another. The strength of those two was an equal match for each other. They kept going at a tremendous speed, difficult for the normal eye to follow. Neither of them seemed to be wearing themselves down.

It couldn't be said the same for the stables. Parts of its roof began falling off. It wasn't able to sustain against such powerful beings. The butler noticed that it wouldn't be too long before the whole thing collapsed.

—The carriage is inside. I can't let it get destroyed!

"Eyes on me!"

The butler wanted to jump off the roof, but the coachman didn't let him go so easily. When the butler was distracted, he kicked him down, causing him to fall on his back. The butler looked at the man on top of him as he held the sword close to his neck.

"Hm? You're not afraid of dying?"

"I've been through worse."

The coachman laughed, "You know what? How about I give you a little spectacle..." The coachman proceeded to raise his weapon up to the night sky as the weapon absorbed the surrounding air. It was getting harder for the butler to breathe. It made him wonder if the wielder of the weapon was feeling the same.

"This is the end—!" The coachman declared.

Before he could finish the butler off, the roof suddenly collapsed. Both men fell inside into the smoke and debris. The coachman couldn't see the butler. He stood still and listened to his surroundings. When he heard footsteps, he cleared the smoke with his katana, unleashing an air blade towards its direction. He quickly dashed and clashed weapons once more. The strike sent the butler flying and hitting the wall. The coachman readied his sword to end the butler's life when he noticed,

"You..."

The man in front of him was cowering in fear. Upon closer look, the coachman could see it in his eyes,

"You're not the same man from before, are you?"

The man shook his head.

The coachman looked around and noticed the butler was nowhere to be seen. Not only that, but his carriage and the lizards were also gone.

"The carriage? He was never after my master?" The coachman was in disbelief.

In between the collapsing of the roof, the butler had woken up the real Ron to serve as decoy, so he could escape with the carriage. By the time the coachman noticed, he would already be out of his reach.

After a few seconds of digesting what had transpired, the coachman laughed, "I see... I'll let you go for now." He looked at the moon, "I hope we get to meet again, impostor."

The guards chased the butler, and the archers fired their arrows nonstop. Despite the riot he caused, he was able to escape with the carriage semi-unscathed. With that, the butler had the carriage for their journey secured.

He headed to the forest, where a certain blacksmith lived, to finally start their journey.