Perhaps my smile wasn’t as sweet as I thought, because the boy scowled.
"And why would I tell you, sissy boy?"
"..."
I blinked.
’This kid did not just....’
"Sis part of the sissy is ours." The kid continued just as I was about to get ranting.
’Oooh.’ Everything clicked as my gaze centered on the kid’s mouth. The boy was missing a few teeth, hence making his words sound like sothing else.
When I heard sissy boy, he most probably ant city boy.
So I fixed my gaze on him, and that mont swapped with my main body.
"Well, this says you’re going to tell ." I twirled my fingers, summoning a silver Knott. The kid’s eyes lit up.
"But that depends on whether you actually know where I can find him." I spoke cutting through whatever fantasy he was already weaving.
"What do you want with him?" The kid’s scowl returned.
’Great, this ans he knows him.’ I thought. The kid asking that question affird that either the kid knew the old man, or he was at least familiar with him.
"I need him to repair sothing for ." I replied. The kid frowned for a bit, his eyes darting between the silver Knott twirling between my fingers and his own hands. It was as if he was under so struggle, or was conflicted.
I patiently waited as he went through whatever he was struggling with. In the end though, his eyes steeled. I had to give it to him, he was acting a tad bit mature than the average kid.
"I can take you to him.... but... you have to promise you won’t hurt him." He said, eyes brimming with resolve.
I take it back. Mature or not, he was just a kid all the sa.
"Fine I promise." I nodded. I had no desire to hurt the old man whatsoever. Not that I could do much against a Gamma ranked aetherial to begin with.
"And I want two silvers." he added.
"Fine by ." I nodded. With my new found wealth, I was way past the point of being frugal.
"Okay, co wisz ." he said, his eyes shinning as turning to the direction he ca running from.
However just as I was about to take a step, I felt soone tugging at my coat.
I turned to find a girl, around seven or eight years old with a saddened look clinging to .
She had a ssy bowl cut, and fair skin sared with dirt, but her green eyes looked up at in nervousness and fear.
"What?" I questioned.
"D...do you have sothing we can eat?"
"No, I don’t." I said bending my knees and facing her at her height.
"But I have this though." I handed her the silver Knott I had been twirling. "This could probably buy you enough food for a week." I said.
Suddenly her eyes lustered with delight and elation before she nodded and ran off.
Seeing that, many other kids quickly sward and started begging.
Although I didn’t have much silver with , I gave away all I had before I sohow made my way out of the people swarming .
The boy for his part, waited silently by the side till I was done.
"Fuuu," as I let out a deep breath while following after the kid, as a smile ford on my face.
The deed, no matter how small, bought a sense of satisfaction.
Not long after, we reached a relatively silent area, before the boy swerved to a... shack, nestled between two other... shacks.
"..."
I was left speechless. Two of my reflections had passed through this place on two different occasions.
’How on earth did Alistair even decide there was sothing interesting about this place?’ I thought in disbelief. I also realized another thing, if I hadn’t decided to ask for directions, I would never have found this place if even hell were to freeze over.
"Is this the place?" I asked for confirmation as we stopped before the crudely built abode.
"Yes." the boy nodded.
I wanted to dismiss the boy right away, but decided to confirm first. I took a step, and knocked at the door.
It didn’t take long before I heard steps coming from behind the door. And a mont later, the door shifted inwards, revealing an old man who looked to be in his sixties, at least according to Earth’s standards.
He had shaggy grey hair crudely tied in a ssy bun. His face looked unshaven, and the clothes he wore would make rags look hella fine in comparison.
I turned towards the kid first, a gold knott appearing in my hand.
"You earned your keep kid." I handed it to the boy who stared slack jawed, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Stars literally appeared in his eyes.
"C.c..hank you." the kid said before he turned around and ran with much needed enthusiasm.
"What do you want, kid?" the grim voice of the old man sounded from behind as I watched the boy go.
"Ah, sorry about that." I turned back to the old man with the best smile I could put on. "I forgot to introduce myself."
"My na is Damon Darkfell...." I paused as I saw his eyes slightly widen as the surna. "I ca here in hopes that you could fix a little sothing for ."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about kid. I’m just a slum dweller." The old man replied dryly, and moved to shut back his door.
"The clandestine would like to disagree, old man." I said making him falter.
You see, ’The clandestine’ was the na of the organization the old man was working for, and later fled from.
"So they sent you after huh?" the Old man’s eyes narrowed, and the surroundings suddenly chilled.
Even though inwardly, I was scared as hell, I showed no such emotions outwardly.
Instead, I scoffed.
"You heard my na, did you not? Do you really think so pesky little organization could order around?"
"I see." the old man muttered, the surroundings going back to normal.
"And like I said earlier, I want you to fix sothing for ." I added.
"Sorry kid, I don’t know how you managed to find , but I’ve been long retired." the old man shook his head.
"It’s just one artifact. I can pay you any amount for it." I tried to argue.
"There’s nothing you can offer that’ll make agree." He said for the last ti before slamming his door shut. Though, shut was an overstatent, I could still catch glimpses of the inside from the sides of the door.
’Fuck!’ I exclaid. It sucked. I was once again proven that my charm was nothing next to the protagonist halo. Alistair had been able to convince the old man to help him fix the artifact with nothing but re words.
As for how Alistair realized the old man could fix artifacts, it was so bullshit about him recognizing the old man from an Artifact making contest 15 years ago. That was when Alistair was just 3, yet he miraculously rembered him. I hope now you could see why the novel was giving headaches.
Anyway, since the old man didn’t agree, no matter, I’d just have to bring out my trump card.
I sighed. A really loud dramatic sigh that I was sure the old man could hear from inside his shack.
"Little Ari would have been delighted to see her father once more. What a sha." I shook my head in mock sadness.
Clank!
The door snapped open.
"What did you just say?!" the old man was gazing at intensely, his eyes looked like they could drill holes in my body.
"Oh don’t mind ." I offhandedly dismissed the question. "Just my usual ramblings."
"Don’t toy with kid." His aura began rising.
Well as you must have heard, little Ari was the old man’s daughter. Though, calling her little was quite absurd. She was an eighty year old woman. In another life, she would be old enough to look like my great grandmother.
"Since you’re clearly interested, let’s talk business." I looked him in the eye to show that I wasn’t scared of him.
"You fix my artifact and I tell you where to find her."
In the novel, after Alistair had managed to draw the old man to House Drake, he used the resources there to search for his daughter who he had presud dead, at least for the closure.
But after all the while he had thought her dead, he finally found her after a grueling search. But that won’t be happening in this tiline.
"She’s still... she’s still alive." the old man kept muttering fervently. It took a while before he composed himself.
"I’ll fix whatever it is you want to fix, but you better not be lying, boy, or else, not even your people would be able to find you." He threatened.
I spread my arms.
"What have I to lie for?"
*********
Thanks for the support everyone. And keep.them power stones coming.
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