Outside and Inside

Chapter 93: Outside and Inside

/I like dogs./

Some biologist, probably.

- - - - - -

The next few days passed in a similar vain. Mercury didn't do anything extraordinary. There was nothing he really needed to do, and with the pressure gone, he decided to let meditation take as long as it needed to. He would wake up, walk to the pond, drink some water, hunt for food, work on his Skills a little, then meditate.

Of course, he didn't neglect his training either. When he wasn't meditating, he absorbed more mana, or worked on his stamina, although he still didn't quite know how he could improve it outside of just levelling his dexterity. As the days went by, he just kept taking the time to focus on ihn'ar.

Even in his dreams he worked more on that than mana itself. He was starting to see the plains again, after many quiet nights, though since the bet there had yet to be another visit from old Uunrahzil. But Mercury was sure they would return, after all, they were nothing if not a diligent teacher.

Without them though, he simply kept meditating, listening, and working on his breath. He couldn't quite pinpoint why, but it was quite fulfilling. Almost like he was letting go of some of the pressure he had been feeling, deciding that this was what he would spend his time on. For now, he still had enough to spare, after all.

Maybe he had really been in too much of a hurry to establish himself. Heck, the world was much wider than what he could even imagine, and he had scarcely seen even one continent. What kind of king new nothing about the world they walked on?

No, before he really established himself, he just needed to understand a lot more things. Get to know more people, understand some more politics, and get strong enough to stand up to other rulers as well.

Mercury smirked when comparing himself to some of the people he knew. Avery could probably still soccer-kick him to the moon. Then, Mercury shook his head, focusing back on his meditation.

He had chosen a sound to listen to by now. One that sung different tunes each passing day, being the grass he placed his feet on. The way it moved in the soft breeze, how it stretched high and laid down when trampled, how it grew through cracks in attempts to reach just a little more light, and buried traces of smaller object. It was a home to some, an aid to others, and a soft bed to those who walked.

Also, he felt it aligned pretty well with breath, grass producing the oxygen he breathed and all that. If this world had oxygen, though he guessed it did. But he couldn't be sure. Not like he could see his insides, maybe he was producing energy differently now.

Not that it mattered much. He still felt that familiarity with the grass, whether it came from his old life or the new, and so he listened to it. He heard how it was covered with a thin film of water overnight, could slowly hear the frost creeping onto its surface as darkness crawled over the sky, and he also heard that same coat of crystal crack and fall when the sun rose above the canopy.

Later, he heard how it grew, and heard how it moved, he felt the soothing touch of the sun, though the grass probably felt it far more. It would be like a breath of air after being locked in a small room for a while. He understood its woes at being stepped on and still providing a soft landing for those who walked, and he felt they weren't unlike each other, when it swayed in the passing breeze.

With time, as the cold began to creep in, late summer turning autumn, Mercury laid down one night, and slept through a whole day, tired and worn out. And when he woke up the next day, morning cold tickling his nose, and he watched as the grass hung its head low in the rain, he felt like he got it.

For just a moment, he could feel the raindrops hit him, slowly slide down with a weight that affected him more than it had any right to, and fall to the floor, releasing the load from his shoulders. And he saw as it happened a hundred times a second, thick drops falling onto thin blades that bent, yet never broke.

The water from the sky easily forced the greenery down, making it bow, in what was perhaps humility or shame, but when Mercury saw it, he knew. It was a bow of thanks. The water leaned on the plants for a soft descend, sticking together as one, before falling into the ground to let the blades grow just a little higher.

What seemed like a weight on his shoulders before now felt like a responsibility, wanting to grow for the ones that were there before, and for the ones that helped. Mercury thought he might be taking root, feeling as though something travelled into him from the floor, empowering his legs and making him want to go higher, and Mercury agreed.

Only minutes after waking up, he ran out of his log and into the rain, his fur soon staining a muddled grey, as he leapt against the bark of a tree and dug his claws in. He felt light, incredibly light, and only moments later, he was up to the first branch and leapt to the second, a jump further than he had any right to make. Then another leap followed, and soon, he had pierced the treetops, now watching the grey clouds in the sky, and far behind them, the sun.

The guiding warmth that responsibility wanted him to reach, what he wanted to feel to grow. And then, on the treetop and drenched in rain, feeling only a couple warm rays on his skin, Mercury smiled. He understood the grass, felt how it felt like, and he could hear it whisper. It thanked him, he knew that much. For showing him respect.

[The individual has acquired the ability <Grass (lowest)> through a specific action!]

In his moment of happiness, Mercury simply let himself fall, closed his eyes, and trusted his newfound companions to catch him.

And the grass, always one to find their chance, even in the harshest environments, was not one to disappoint. As Mercury fell, the ones on the ground already reached out to him, and before he even felt an impact, he landed softly on the earth, as the raindrops did next to him, and laughed.

"Ha.. Haha, Hahaha!" he laughed his heart out in joy, with adrenaline and fulfilment coursing through his veins in equal measure. Even as his fur got muddy, he simply laughed.

Time, once again, hadn't betrayed him, and neither had effort, as that moment was the one in which Mercury, against common sense, befriended grass.

- - -

The heroine felt a whisper coming from the floor, a silent hymn of joy. It was strange, quite so, since it was usually very quiet here. The wind was always chatty, wanting her to see all the places it had been, and the sea oftentimes told long and winded tales. Fire liked to exaggerate, and her own heartbeat would often seek to be more acknowledged, but rarely ever did the grasses vie for her attention.

Curiously, she shifted her eyes downwards to a single blade, slowly kneeling down towards it. For a moment, the little one stayed quiet, yet its soul's tremor gave it away, it and all the friends around it. "What is it then, little one?" she asked with a smile so welcoming, it was hard not to speak up.

As always, the grass answered. News had travelled, and there was someone else who understood it. A rare occurrence, especially for these ones, so remote and far away, she thought, and the little one elaborated on that too. Apparently, the new friend didn't just understand any single blade of grass like some people would after tending to a certain flower for the gages, but instead, they chose to accept the responsibility of the grass as their own.

The new one was similar to them, the little one spoke excitedly to the heroine. They bent and they bowed, and they trusted and carried on another's work. They stayed strong, even when the time wasn't easy, and they wanted to give shelter in the future too. It was admirable for little ones such as these, admirable to know that such a person was now their friend, perhaps even as much as family.

When the little one had finished, the heroine gave a wide smile. She was happy for them, truly, and gave the small blade a pat on the head, thanking it for the story. She was curious as to this new friend, yet she wouldn't need to seek them out. If fate willed it, they would meet, and if not, then such was fine as well. After all, that friend now had found others to rely on, and with a little luck, her services would not be needed there.

"Now, now," the heroine said to the wind, who was already at it again, dancing wildly in her hair and seeking to carry her away. "Be calm for a moment. There is no rush and you may show me all the things you wish," she said comfortingly, instead looking over the vast landscape below her.

After telling the wind she enjoyed high places, she rarely ate somewhere close to the ground. Instead, it would take her to mountaintops and cliffsides, overlooking fields of flowers and vast swathes of emerald ocean. The heroine saw a whale dance, somewhere in the distance, and she waved to it, grinning like a kid when it splashed some water to greet her back.

Then, when hearing her stomach growl, she raised her hand and a tree close to her bore fruit, handing the newly grown grendle over to her. The fruit was deliciously sweet, and very soon she had eaten it all, feeling full again.

As thanks, the heroine listened to the tree and guided some more sunlight onto its drying leaves, letting its old wood relax a little longer. Then, when she was ready, she beckoned her hand, and the wind swooped her up again, carrying her away to a tomorrow she did not yet know. But if it was an adventure, she would be happy to live through it.

- - -

Avery sighed when he looked at the person sitting in his office. "What's the price?" he asked. The option presented to him was like a golden goose, deciding to give him every bit of the reward for none of the work. He hated geese. Little monster with their serrated tongues, fucking gave him nightmares.

"What do you mean, guild master? I am offering this all for free! All the spoils from the arch will be yours, I only care about the safety of the city," the man opposite from him said with a smile. He was older than Avery, but not yet old, maybe in his late fourties or so. The woman besides him was unarmed, her hands behind her back, yet Avery could feel the fire in her eyes.

Slowly he shook his head. "Count I'htar, with all due respect, such an offer is truly too generous," Avery said, laying the hones onto his lips as was considered proper talking to pompous asses.

"No, truly guild master. I insist. Let us take care of your problem and please continue what you do best," he said, his hands pressed together, looking for a chance to seal the deal once and for all. Avery wouldn't give him one.

The guild master wore his sunglasses, yet his gaze pierced through them. He could see I'htar. Hear the noble's heartbeat, the sheen of sweat so thin a normal person would never even see. Avery noticed how his pupils were just a little too dilated to be making a truly generous offer, and Avery also felt how his feet were slowly moving side to side.

In short, I'htars behaviour was almost impeccable. It would fool anyone in the realm of merchants and businessman, in fact, almost every adventurer too. But Avery wasn't run of the mill, even for a city as large as Stormbraver, his strength should be more than adequate for the job. He had trained his senses to a level most humans would never reach within their lifetimes, never even worth bothering getting close to.

Very slowly, he leaned back into his chair, reaching out onto a bowl on his desk, where he grabbed a small loaf of soft, milky bread with raisins in it. He took a bite, and chewed. He heard the woman's fist clench just a little tighter as her eyes narrowed. He saw the count move his finger by maybe a little over a millimeter, and listened as the woman's heartbeat slowed a little.

Avery slowly smiled again.

"Count," he said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table, "I fear your offer is too generous for a mere guild master like me. This is an offer so generous it would be hard for anyone to refuse, yet that generosity would make me feel like a beggar. It is almost as if you're trying to sleight us, no?" Avery's voice was calm and smooth. He only dared lightly poke at advances he considered too fast, giving half a step while taking a full one in the duel of words.

As he spoke, for a moment, Avery felt the shifting of the count's feet stop, and he could hear a sinew in one of his fingers grew tight. The older man applied light pressure onto his thumbs underneath the table, probably a habit he hadn't shaken since he hadn't noticed. The count was good, yet he was merely a noble.

"Guild master, please, allow us this opportunity," the woman pressed out. She forced the speech through her teeth, in a manner more befitting a northerner than one from this city. Avery took note of it. "It has been long since my companions experienced a real combat scenario, and we could use the chance to prove ourselves to the count."

"By no means do I wish to sour your relationships, yet I fail to see how this upkeep of cordiality between employee and employer falls within my responsibility. And I assure you this is a matter of responsibility." There was a sign of weakness, and Avery pounced. They had tried to talk to his person rather than the guild master, and it had opened an opportunity for him to strike.

"Attempting to coerce me into such squabbles is quite inconsiderate in these tense times, count. Please keep your guard in check."

"I shall, guild master. Apologies."

For a moment, the room rang quiet, yet Avery heard. The woman's heartbeat and her breath quickened, her fist clenching tightly in frustration now, and he thought that perhaps he could even hear her skin tear underneath her nails. She was not ready for a stage of politics, and Avery had exposed it. I'htar would certainly be unhappy with her.

"Truly, guild master, we simply wish to help you. Is there no way we can be of assistance in this mission?" the count asked after a moment to catch his thoughts.

Avery wanted to click his tongue, but he held back. Caught on a technicality, the ball was in his court. He could request any support, but now the question of price was out the window. Before it was apparently free, yet he would have owed a favour to a snake. Now, it was charged with even more venom, and Avery was keenly aware that if he gave a finger now, his arm might be swallowed.

"I fear I might need more time to think on this, count."

"Yet your time is approaching fast, guild master. The arch needs exploring, you know that much as well as I do."

"Indeed," Avery nodded. "Which is why delays like this are difficult. If you truly, truly wish to help, I believe it would be easiest for you to attach-"

Avery stopped talking as a cup shattered on the floor. Marcel had come in, seen the woman by I'htar's side and dropped Avery's tea. "Nutcase?" he whispered, and immediately, she spun around.

"Trashcan?" she asked, her eyes wide open.

"I see our partners are acquainted," I'htar said then, turning to Avery with the smile of an angel.

However, the face of the man he turned to was grim. "It would appear so, count. Well, if your company is trusted by my aid, then perhaps they might be of help yet. I still cannot fathom sending them into danger with my own adventurers though, and leaving the whole break to them is unthinkable. Perhaps it would be best if they helped establish a supply line inside? The journey may be far."

The words were more hastily picked, no veiled blades hidden there, but it was the best shield he could conjure up in the moment.

"Of course, this is an incredible chance to truly assist the city. I shall personally see to it that all your seekers' needs are covered."

"Thank you. We will pay a fair price for the goods," Avery replied, and he almost cracked a smile when he heard the old man's jaw creak ever so slightly.

"I suppose I cannot convince you otherwise on that. I look forward to working with you," I'htar said, shaking Avery's hands, before leaving the room, yet when the old man was gone, Marcel and the woman still stood there like statues.

"Close the door," Avery said, his voice slightly colder, and Marcel followed.

"Hey, who do you think you're commanding around?!" the warrior-woman's temper flared up at Avery as soon as the discussion was gone. It seems the leash on her neck was not as tight as he would have thought.

But the Avery she was facing now no longer did politics.

"Marcel, sit down. Lady, you as well. Tell me your name again?"

"I will not listen to some stupid-!"

"Please, nutcase. It's my job on the line right now, not yours," Marcel sighed, sitting down on the couch opposite of Avery with a defeated look on his face. Kaga paused, looking over at the idiot she had fought with before. She didn't owe him anything, yet there she was, sitting down.

"Glad we're all being polite," Avery said, his elbows on the table and his hands clasped tightly together. "Marcel, care to share a story?"

"Yes, Avery. Fine. It was when the northerners came into Stormbraver and messed shit up with the bombs. I was fighting some elites, maybe recently risen heroes of theirs, and nutcase over there saved my ass," he explained.

"Is that correct?" Avery said, turning to face the woman.

"It is," she nodded with a sigh. "The trashcan was decent to work with. Good timing and decent support skills, though his output was lacking."

"That's a fair analysis," Avery said. He grabbed another loaf of bread and wolfed half of it down in a bite. Then he chewed, and swallowed.

"Alright, fine, slip of the tongue. Didn't think you were one to remember people on the battlefield, Marcel," Avery said, leaning further back in his chair and relaxing slightly. A mistake had been made, but as long as it was an honest one, there was nothing he could do about it. Not like Marcel intended to fuck things over.

"I'm usually not. She left an... impression."

"Good, I assure you, guild master," the woman said, flashing a smile.

"So, what should I call you then, lady?" Avery asked, slightly tilting his head.

"Kaga, at your service."

"She's a nutcase," Marcel added. "Don't call her that though, or she might try to stab you."

"Fine then, Kaga. What do you think of count I'htar?" Avery asked calmly. This woman was too free-spirited to want to serve under someone.

"Sleezy. Clever, but his words are laced with poison," she admitted openly.

Bingo, Avery thought.