The door creaked open as Aaron attempted to close the lid on the guilt and shame that brewed deep inside. He was surprised to see Tommy sitting upright in a bed. His bronze-skinned, tattooed chest was bare, save for a large patch covering his gunshot wound. The greenish-gray patch pulsed faintly as if mimicking a beating heart. Beside the bed that Tommy sat in was Tinā, or as Aaron had come accustomed to calling her, Mom.
“My son!” Tinā exclaimed when she saw Aaron step through the door. She rushed over to the dwarf and embraced him with her whole heart.
“Hi, Mom,” Aaron said as he attempted to hug her back. Dwarves did not hug; they drank and sang, cracked heads and fists, but hugging was foreign for Aaron. Receiving a hug was always an awkward experience, but at the same time, it was something that filled his soul in a way that he did not understand. Aaron never quite figured out how to hug someone back, but for Mom, he would always try.
“It has been too long, my son,” Tinā said gently. Then she pulled away to look at Aaron. “You are not eating enough. And look at your beard; it does not look well. Tommy, why haven’t you made sure your brother is eating properly?”
Tommy laughed from the bed as he leaned back. “I try Tinā, but he’s a stubborn dwarf. He does what he wants.”
Tinā turned back on Aaron. “You will not leave this house until you have had a proper meal. Is that understood?”
“Mom, I really can’t stay—”
Tinā held up her hand, cutting off any retort that Aaron had planned. “There are only two answers to my question. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mom.” Aaron’s resolve quickly deflated into a miserable mass that sank uncomfortably in his gut.
“Good,” Tinā smiled and held Aaron’s face for a moment. “I am happy to see you, my son. Now, you stay and watch your brother while I go to fix you a plate. I will be back soon.”
Despite her age and being slightly larger than Aaron, Tinā was quick on her feet and moved nimbly around the dwarf. Without further ado, she left the room, closing the door behind her.
The room was thick with an unsettling quiet that put Aaron on edge. With the door closed, it felt like his escape had been cut off. Sure, he could open the door and leave, but then he would have to face Tinā—Aaron couldn’t do that. So he stood, looking at everything and nothing in the room, so long as it wasn’t Tommy. But Tommy was huge—it was impossible not to look at the large, muscular elf sitting in a bed in the middle of the small room.
Tommy smiled as if there wasn’t any discomforting air between them. Something about that smile flipped a switch, turning all the discomfort into anger. Aaron snarled, “How can you be smiling like that?”
“What do you mean, buddy?”
“Shut up!” It came out harsher than Aaron intended, but anger was more familiar and reliable than anything else Aaron was feeling at that moment. “Don’t give me that crap. You nearly died!”
“And you saved me, buddy,” The smoothness of Tommy’s voice was like a wrench in Aaron’s gut.
“I was the one who nearly killed you!”
“That wasn’t your intent.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter! That was my gun, my bullet, my shot—me! You can’t be sitting here smiling at me. You should be angry, raging mad, and hating me!”
“I don’t hate you, buddy.”
“You better start hating me! Get up and do something with yourself. Hit me! Punch me! Kick me out and tell me you never want to see me again!”
“I’m not doing that, Aaron.”
“Do it! Hate me!”
Aaron hadn’t realized he was in Tommy’s face until the large elf placed both hands on the dwarf’s fists. The elf’s hands were calm and powerful; Aaron did not push back. The two looked each other in the eyes, each searching for their answers.
“Leave me,” Aaron whispered.
“We’re brothers,” Tommy responded evenly.
“No, we’re not!” Aaron pushed away from Tommy, turning his back to the island elf. “Not anymore.”
“You don’t get to make that choice, Aaron.”
“Damn you, Tommy! Damn you to the darkest depths!”
“No one is leaving.”
“I’m leaving!” Aaron yelled as he turned back to face Tommy. “I’m leaving. You’re staying, and I’m not coming back.”
They stared at each other, two bulls with horns locked, unwilling to yield to the other. Tommy turned to sit on the edge of the bed, feet now on the floor. He reached out, clasped Aaron by the hand, and pulled the dwarf in for a great bear hug.
“Stop it!” The dwarf struggled under Tommy’s embrace. “Stop it right now!”
“Do you remember?” Tommy asked.
“I don’t want to remember!”
“Do you remember?”
“No!” Aaron shoved himself away as Tommy released his embrace. “I can’t… please, I can’t. Don’t make me remember.”
“Why do you not want to remember where our brotherhood started?”
“Because it forces me to remember her!” Raged burned at the edges of Aaron’s eyes, but he refused to wipe away the sting.
“You don’t want to remember Molly?”
“I can’t not remember Molly!” Hysteria began to mix with the rage as Aaron found himself opening a door that had been buried deep and locked for so long. But now, he couldn’t control it, and the words came tumbling out from his soul. “You don’t understand, Tommy. She’s everywhere. I look out my window, and I swear I see her on the street below, waiting for a bus. Or she’s in the grocery store, buying a slagging cabbage. I can’t not see her because I see her everywhere! And then, when I try to get close to her, she’s gone, and I’m reminded again and again. Every time I see her, I remember that she is fucking gone. She’s not coming back! But I can’t stop seeing her—so I can’t forget! She won’t let me forget. Every time I see her, or hear her, or think of her, I am reminded that she’s gone.”
Aaron held his hands out and saw tears heated with rage fall from his face to his hands. He clenched his fists and yelled—dwarves weren’t supposed to cry, not like this. The dwarf swung his fist hard, not caring what he hit. But instead of punching something, Aaron was suddenly caught up in Tommy’s embrace. His brother held him tight, close to his heart, and Tommy whispered, “I am sorry, brother.”
Not knowing how to pour out any more of his buried soul, Aaron clung to his elven brother and wept for the loss of the woman he loved.
Tinā entered the room with two large plates piled with all manner of food. She placed both plates down and smiled lovingly at her sons. When Tommy put Aaron back down, the dwarf turned to his mom, who embraced him as well. Aaron did not think he had tears left to cry, but his eyes continued to burn, and so he continued to hold his mother tight.
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“I can’t keep doing this, Mom,” Aaron struggled to get the words through his throat. “I can’t keep going without her.”
“You can, my son,” Tinā responded. “You can, and you must.”
“But how? How do I go on?”
“We cannot live for the dead, my son. It is the dead who live on through us.”
“That sounds like a riddle,” Aaron leaned back and wiped his nose.
Tinā grabbed a nearby tissue box and handed it to Aaron. “Living for the dead will only lead to a life of death. What you must remember is that it is because of the actions of the dead that we are here today. Molly, your dear, sweet wife, and my daughter died so that we can live. Now we must live, to carry her spirit and memory through life, and fulfill her death with a life fulfilled.”
“I have no life without her, Mom.” Aaron blew his nose with one of the tissues. “I have nothing.”
“You have everything that is within your grasp.” Tinā placed a hand on Aaron’s hand. “But you have nothing that is not grasped.”
Aaron scoffed, “You and your riddles.”
“Let an old woman feel wise with her words together.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Tinā smiled, and Aaron felt something he had not felt in such a long time; it was a feeling he had when first adventuring with Molly. It was a feeling of hope.
“So, are those plates for us, Tinā?” Tommy asked. He had already settled back into the bed.
“You and your stomach are going to interrupt us, Tommy?” Tinā snapped.
Tommy ducked as if dodging a shoe thrown in his direction.
“My son,” Tinā turned back to Aaron. “Eat your food. I will bring you something to drink, and once you have filled your belly, you can decide what you will do next.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
She held his face one more time, and Aaron closed his eyes, feeling that magic the system could not touch. His eyes opened as Tinā turned, handed Aaron and Tommy a plate and fork, and left the room.
“Manuia!” Tommy exclaimed with a raised fork.
Aaron realized a slight smile had snuck onto his face. He did not wipe it away but simply shook his bowed head and raised his fork, “Manuia.”
Together, the brothers ate in the warmth of family and friendship. Their plates were covered with smoked fish marinated in a coconut-chile cream sauce, baked mackerel topped with spices, taro leaves, and glazed onions, fried vermicelli noodles with minced garlic, small chunks of beef, vegetables, and slices of ginger, several small fried balls of pastry stuffed with meat, garlic, and herbs, large slices of umu-roasted pork, rice made with coconut milk, along with sweet pastries stuffed with a crushed pineapple custard and chunks of taro chocolate. In parts where food did not cover their plates, they had slices of breadfruit, mango, banana, and papaya.
Aaron found himself lost in the incredible flavors bursting across his palate and moaned in the pleasure of the feast.
Tommy grunted with satisfaction and spoke between bites, “Ancestors, I forgot how much I missed this.”
Tinā returned to find their plates more than half empty and handed them each a cold glass of blended pineapple with coconut juice and cream. “It is good to see you two eating together again.”
“Thank you, Tinā,” Tommy said before gulping down half of his drink.
Aaron took one gulp of his drink, then paused. His mouth twisted between a frown and a smile as if conflicted with the unexpected taste. The dwarf swallowed his vailfala, then turned to Tinā. “Where’s the rum?”
“Tommy told me that you were trying to get back on your drinking,” Tinā responded happily. “I’m so proud of you, son.”
Aaron’s face quickly became set in stone as he glared angrily at Tommy, “Yeah, Mom. Thanks.”
“When both of you are finished, please join us downstairs. Many of the family hope to see you, if just for a moment.”
Tommy had a wide cheesy grin plastered across his face as Aaron continued to glower at him. “Will do, Tinā. Thank you!”
Aaron waited for Tinā to close the door after she left the room. “You’re a depth-damned bastard!”
Tommy laughed. “I’m proud of you, brother! I know it’s been hard, but you’ve been doing great.”
“Just stop talking and let me enjoy this food without the sound of you.”
Tommy silently raised his glass to Aaron, who raised his in return before drinking and eating quietly.
It was impossible to remain angry with the delicious meal that remained before them. So, while they ate and drank in silence, the smile returned to Aaron’s face, though he was determined to hold a grudge against Tommy just a little while longer.
After consuming the last bite of food on his plate, the large elf leaned back and hummed with content. He placed his plate on the nightstand nearby and gave Aaron a thumbs up.
The dwarf ate his last bite and placed his plate on Tommy’s plate. “You’re still a bastard.”
Tommy’s grin did not waiver as he sipped his drink. “If that’s the burden I must carry, I’ll gladly endure.”
Aaron took a large swallow of his drink and held it in his mouth for a moment, wishing he could suss out notes of alcohol.
“So, you’re still leaving?” Tommy asked before taking another sip.
“Yes.”
“You know I’m going with you, right?”
Aaron did not answer. He stared into his non-alcoholic drink, wishing it did not taste so good without the rum. “Yolo is coming after you, Tommy.” Aaron finally said.
“Why do you say that?” Tommy’s tone was almost nonchalant.
“That Castor person, he couldn’t have tracked us using portal magic. Tracking with portal magic is high-level stuff, and I bet his level isn’t as high as Jackie's. There had to be some other method for tracking you.”
“Why me? And why not use tech? And how do you know all this stuff anyway?”
Aaron tapped his head. “Investigative skills, my elven brother. Castor didn’t carry enough tech on himself. Watching the way he moved and fought, he is definitely someone who relies on magic.”
Tommy finished his drink and set the glass down on the nightstand. “Okay, so why do you think Yolo is after me?”
“Not entirely sure yet, but I know it has something to do with your position in the gang. You said that troll is power-hungry, and the two of you are in equal standing. If he gets rid of you, there will be a power vacuum that he can fill into.”
“Okay, so why do you want to leave without me?”
Aaron scoffed. “Because he’s trying to kill you, Tommy! I already said as much, you dumb elf. Open your long ears!”
“That troll isn’t going to kill me, brother.”
“I’m not taking that chance.” Aaron looked directly into Tommy’s eyes. “You’re not leaving me, too.”
Tommy turned and slid to the edge of the bed so that his feet touched the ground. He leaned forward and placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “I’m not leaving you, brother. And you’re not leaving me.”
Aaron placed his hand firmly on Tommy’s. “Sometimes I really fucking hate you, Tommy.”
“I’m okay with that,” The large elf smiled. “So, what do you propose we do?”
Aaron shook his head and sighed. “You better not die, you coprolite-for-brains elf.”
“Alright already! I won’t die. Now tell me the plan. What were you going to do without me?”
The dwarf leaned back and flipped open his Hacklet. “That half-elf took the gnome we were after, but there was a crucial detail that half-elf missed.”
“What detail was that?”
“Did you notice what the gnome was wearing?”
Tommy placed a finger on his mouth, and he took a minute to recall what had happened earlier in the day. “The details are fuzzy, but I think the gnome wore gym shorts and a tank top.”
“Do you recall what the gnome was not wearing?”
“Uh… shoes?”
“Well, yeah, he wasn’t wearing shoes. But there’s something else that’s more important.”
Tommy shrugged, unsure what the dwarf was getting at.
“You told me the gnome we are looking for was cursed with a hat of infinite tequila, and that hat could not come off the gnome’s head.”
Tommy’s eyes widened with realization. “And that gnome wasn’t wearing a sombrero!”
“Exactly,” Aaron smiled as he shifted to show Tommy the last gnome on his Hacklet.
“So, that’s our gnome!”
“It is indeed. Castor got the wrong gnome.”
The elf took a moment to read the information on Aaron’s Hacklet. “There’s hardly anything here, brother. And the last whereabouts of this guy are unknown.”
“Yep,” Aaron closed his Hacklet. “Which leads me to suspect how Castor found us.”
Tommy raised an eyebrow for clarification.
“I believe Castor is multiclassed and that one of his classes is a Scryer.”
Tommy rested his chin in his hand. A shadow fell over his face as he looked somberly at Aaron. “Brother, I think you’re right.”
Aaron finished his drink and looked curiously at Tommy. “I haven’t even finished telling you about my plan. This is good stuff. Why aren’t you excited?”
“Aaron, brother,” Tommy looked sternly at the dwarf. “The boss keeps small vials of everyone’s blood locked in a safe room. That blood is specifically used to scry and find gang members who need to be found. The boss didn’t need to find me, but Yolo did. The only way Yolo got into that safe is if he killed the boss.”
“But I thought you said Yolo didn’t have the guts to kill your boss?”
“He didn’t. However, if Yolo got something that would change the power dynamic where he didn’t need the boss… Brother, I think we’re in more trouble than we know.”
The glass in his hands was empty, save for the dregs of sweet pineapple and coconut resting at the bottom. Aaron really wished a few drops of alcohol were resting at the bottom of his glass. “Do you think that tequila could really change the power dynamic for Yolo?”
“No,” Tommy answered. “But I’ve seen how terrible curses can be. I don’t think Yolo is after the tequila. I think he’s after the curse stuck on the gnome’s head.”
“I still don’t think infinite tequila is a curse.”
“It’s not about the alcohol, brother. It’s about the curse.”
Aaron pondered this for a moment. “Okay, what is it about this curse that’s so special?”
“I don’t know. However, if the boss wanted this gnome, and Yolo wants this gnome, and the Yakuza wants this gnome, and MIST sent techs to find the gnome… There are a lot of people who want this gnome. I am pretty sure it’s not just for the tequila.”
“It’s gotta be some diamond tequila if they are after him, though.”
Tommy shook his head and smiled. “We need to get that gnome before everyone else does, especially before Yolo.”
“Agreed.” Aaron placed his cup next to Tommy’s. “And we’re going to find this gnome before the rest of them by acquiring our very own Scryer.”