Chapter 1: To Daragon
“Why am I doing this…” The man groaned to himself. He was a messy and bearded man. With bright crimson hair and a black shirt. He had a small hood as well. He had a glass in hand. His name was Relic.
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“From a business standpoint, you coming here and drinking away is good. But from a personal standpoint, I like money so keep at it.” The bartender said. His name was Frank and he was a bald man with rather tanned skin.
“Frank was rocking aviators and had a white collar shirt as well as a bow tie and vest to boot. He looked like a stereotypical black bartender-”
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“Who the hell are you talking to?” Frank asked.
“Sorry. I’m drunk.” Relic said, burping mid sentence. Relic had a habit of describing things he saw while being drunk. As well as adding in his own personal opinion without filter.
“But honestly, to be Frank,” Frank said frankly, looking at the man as Frank as possible. “You really should lay off on the beer. It’s already been 9 months. And you’re developing a problem.”
“This is just how I mourn. It’s like I’ve been disowned.” Relic said while sighing.
“Firstly, you’re the parent. You’re the one who does the disowning. Secondly, you don’t even know if he’s dead yet.” Frank paused. “You know what. Drinks are on the house today. Just take a rest once in a while. And shave.”
“Really? Then can I have the most expensive wine you got?” Relic chuckled. Frank rolled his eyes.
“What about us? Can’t we get free drinks?” Some men asked. The bar was noisy as always.
“You all will get a free drink when hell freezes over.” Frank said simply.
“Really now?” A man said upon entering the bar. He made a beeline straight to Relic who was sitting down. He had white hair and upright hair. He had piercing blue eyes and wore a green uniform.
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“What do you want, Draken?” Relic quizzed, chugging his beer.
“You really have let yourself go. You looked much better without a beard.” Draken sat down next to Relic. “One glass of watermelon juice.”
“Again Draken, this is a bar.” Frank answered. “But if you’re a paying customer.”
Frank gave Draken a cup of juice.
“So what do you want? We haven’t seen each other in a year.”
“Well, mostly because you’ve been avoiding me ever since-” Draken paused and noticed Relic’s eyes grew more and more empty. “Nevermind. I’m here to ask you for a favour.”
“I’m not in the killing business no more.” Relic burped as he continued to lie his head on the bar, resting his eyes. “But knowing you, it probably doesn’t have anything to do with killing.”
“You’re right. It’s not a killing request, it’s a protection one.”
“For who?”
“My little brother.”
“Pass. I’m not dealing with a little Draken. Not after that time you dumped Priscilla on me. And what exactly would I be protecting him from? There’s not a single soul in the entire Malaya Colony that doesn’t know of your Eccel family.”
“Alright fine, I just need a babysitter until Tom gets back.”
“Harder pass.” Relic said, getting up to leave before Draken tugged his cloak.
“Relic, hear me out.”
Relic reluctantly sat back down after gazing at Draken’s eyes.
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“Alright. Spill it. What's the real reason?”
“I’m going to participate in the civil war in Kedah. I’m being deployed tomorrow.”
“So? You’ve always been deployed for war.”
“The thing is, Suan Ming said my chance of death is 100%.”
“100? Suan Ming doesn’t believe in 100% though. She preaches how fate is ever-changing and nothing is set in stone.”
“Yup. So, here.” Draken slides an envelope to Relic.
“Woah hold up. Are you seriously going for this? Do you not believe in her prophecies? And why me?”
“Why not?” Draken answered simply. “Suan Ming also told me that if I left the task of taking care of my brother to you, the chance he finds happiness is 98%.”
“Then why the hell are you still going? Did you forget about her Seguri? Are you that hell bent on your dream?”
“Did you forget about mine? And what’s a man without a dream?” Draken smirked as he walked off.
“So…” Frank said, “How much is in there?”
Relic took the envelope and peaked inside. He put it back down as he got up from his seat.
“Drinks on me everyone!” Relic shouted.
The whole bar cheered as everyone started partying.
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“What happened?” Relic asked, surrounded by trash bags in a back alley. His hair was a mess. He had his katana beside him with a charm attached to it.
“You went ham on drinks.” Frank answered, throwing a trash bag out and going back inside the bar.
“It’s already day time?” Relic watched the sun and estimated the time. He slowly stood up, using the ground to boost himself. His knees were shaking. ‘Damn, I’m old.’
Relic began walking away before realising he lost the envelope. He quickly strutted back to the bar to ask Frank.
“Frank! Where’s the envelope?!”
“Hm? I took the money you owe for the drinks. And I have to say, Draken is rich. I didn’t know bills even came in that denomination!” Frank told him. “Also there’s no change.”
“So you have it? Then give it to me already.” Relic ordered.
“That’s a rather rude tone. I threw onto you when you were busy dancing into the trash. It’s probably there.” Frank said as they both began walking over to the backdoor to check.
Empty. The entire place had been cleared.
“Frank. It’s not here.”
“It appears that way, yes.”
Relic grabbed Frank by his throat and began shaking him aggressively. “What do you mean it appears that way you shitter!”
“Hey calm down man! I took out all the money as a prank!” Frank tried gasping for air as Relic let go.
“That’s not the problem! There’s an envelope in there Draken left for his brother. If Draken does die and I don’t have the letter, it’ll be disastrous!” Relic exclaimed. “Wait hold up you took my money?”
“Now's not the time!”
“Fuck you mean it ain't the time? But I do need that letter.”
“If you’re that desperate, you can try and find the garbage collector.”
“Good idea. Should have thought of that but I’m too hungover.” Relic excused his stupidity. “[Speed].”
Relic put his hands in a peace sign. [Speed] was a spell that he nicknamed. He concentrated mana to coat his body to ignore friction and air resistance. The trigger was a peace sign and the name of the spell. Though, anyone can create their own triggers. Mana surely was a beautiful thing.
Relic vanished in a blink of an eye. In a matter of seconds, he found the garbageman. The man had a green uniform and cap on.
“Hello?” The man asked, puzzled.
“[Cancel]. No time to talk.” Relic muttered while crossing his fingers. He started to frantically search every bag. “Where is it? Where’s the note?”
“Sir, I need to get back to work.”
“Right. Sorry.” Relic apologised and quickly left. He went back to the bar and the sun began to set.
“Didn’t find it huh?”
“Nope. I guess future me will have to deal with it.” Relic spoke while washing his hands vigorously.
“So why did you come back then? Isn’t the job today?” Frank inquired. Relic gave him an annoyed stare and rubbed his fingers together. “Tch.”
“Did you just click your tongue at me? After taking my money?”
“Now you’re rich you don’t think about the friends that help you huh?”
“You took everything!”
Frank gave Relic his money which Relic meticulously counted it.
“Hey. There were 12 ten thousand dollar bills here.”
“Tch.” Frank clicked his tongue again, handing over another ten thousand dollar bill.
“Alright then. I’m going to see his brother. This Da-rah-gon.”
“It’s pronounced Dare-reh-gen. Daragon.”
“Whatever you say Free-ah-nek.” Relic sneered as he walked off.
And so, he ventured off into the middle of the woods. He hiked up all the way to the top. Relic didn’t really like going at full speed. He liked to take things slow. By the time he reached the top, it was late at night.
He soon reached the top. It was a big mansion, though only two stories high. It was painted white and had a modern look to it. Wooden doors. All the windows were shut.
‘God damn Draken is loaded.’ Relic thought to himself. The red haired was about to knock on the door before he heard a loud thud. He moved closer to find the source of the noise.
There he was. It was a boy with black hair and red eyes. He was on the ground. It looked like he fractured something. Relic took a picture out of his pocket which Draken gave him separately.
"Ow." The boy said.
“Are you… Da-rah-gon?”