∼ The Dregs ∼

Chapter - 053

The tumble of dirt, gravel, and crumbling debris trickled down the incline as one foot was placed in front of the other. Eric and Aria had to exert quite the effort in scaling this steep collapse whereas Nigel and Nyx were making short work of this otherwise troublesome terrain. It had admittedly taken a bit getting through the winding tunnels of the Lane, with how rundown and caved in they were.

But with Nigel's trusty guidance, his knowledge of this underground labyrinth that he called home, they went without harm or getting lost. And after having traveled just a very small part of the Lane, Eric and Aria could definitely see why Suller had warned them of trying to get down here alone.

If they got lost down here, they would never be able to get out on their own. It was a sobering thought.

Squinting at the faint light shining through the top of some broken and crossing beams of dark and wet wood, Eric felt a little more pep in his step as he could not wait to be rid of the dank and dark. Nigel was just ahead of him, and he saw the ratkin barely stick his head out into the light, looking around with his nose twitching at the air. Coming back, he perched himself on a perch of the collapse just at the egress. "T-t-this is it!" He said fidgeting.

Eric glanced back to see if Aria was still just behind him and she offered him a weathered smile as she nearly stumbled on a loose patch of dirt. Nyx was just beside her, sitting and waiting as comfortably as Nigel did, making sure Aria didn't end up tumbling back into the tunnels.

"You got it?" Eric asked, a little anxiously at how she swayed. After all, she had been put through quite a lot over the last couple of weeks, and she had barely gotten any rest or food today.

"Y-yes... I am fine. Just need some sleep." She assured him.

Granting her a helping hand, Eric guided her up beside him to the egress of the collapse. Eric looked to Nigel. "Do you know any place where we can get some lodgings for cheap? We have very little coin. But we just need a bed for the night and a hot meal."

The ratkin twitched thoughtfully. "I-I haven't really b-b-been to the surface. So I-I don't know..." He explained apologetically before lighting up a little. "B-but I can give some advice! Yes-yes, some advice! Y-you're new to Boreas, right?"

"Yeah, came in just today, any help would be of use," Eric said gratefully as he himself felt a little overwhelmed at the concept of finding his way around a city that was thousands upon thousands of times greater than his little hometown of Aemsburg.

Nigel turned to glance at the light spilling into the dark again. "T-this is just on the edge of the D-Dregs and the Little Market is just a stone's throw from here-here. But y-y-you should only be out in daylight here, and ke-keep to the streets. D-d-dangerous it is. We should be r-right in between the Dredgers and The Stained T-Tooth's territory! As long as you don't do anything to anger them, you'll be fine-fine."

"Dredgers, Stained Tooth?" Eric voiced questioningly.

"They're t-two large gangs. Very-very d-dangerous people. Stay clear-clear of them."

"I see," Eric nodded thoughtfully. "I guess, that's it then."

Aria piped up, giving the startled ratkin another hug. "Thank you, Nigel. Stay safe, okay?"

"Y-y-yes! Safe. I-I'll stay s-safe!" The flustered ratkin stuttered out.

From the side, Nyx grumbled. "Squirrel Thief..."

As they watched the ratkin depart back into the darkness, they turned to the light. Exiting the collapsed tunnel was as like entering a whole new world as everything hit them at once. The ubiquitous city sounds that dazed them, the noisome smell of the back alley that made their noses curl in on themselves, and the biting cold wind that send a chill down through their bones.

They were stunned for a good moment, as the cold wind of Boreas they had been foretold of ruffled through their clothes. The merchant really hadn't been talking out of his ass when he had insisted. It was shocking just how cold this wind coursing through the city was. As Aria had explained, it was the Spine itself that cast these winds down into the city, apparently enchanted by the mana vein itself. It made it feel like they were in the dead of winter though it was only early fall.

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Glancing around, Nyx couldn't help but smirk. The stench of this alley almost reminded him of the one time he had accidentally wandered into a den of many small newborn monsters wallowing in their own shit and piss. It brought back good memories. He ate well that day, despite the foul smell.

Eric rubbed his hands together. "Come, let's get moving. We don't have that much daylight left. And I'd rather not stay to see if Nigel's warnings were warranted or not."

Walking out of the alley that had ramshackle houses stacked up high, the sight that met them was a torrent of people streaming up and down a muddied dirt road. From horses tugging along wagons of wheat to street peddlers displaying their wares to any passerby. There were so many things to look at as they passed by in a rush that it all felt a bit overwhelming. Especially so for Eric and Nyx, both of whom had never even stepped a foot inside a city, let alone a place this densely populated.

It took Aria and Eric a while to find some directions as the people here in the Dregs were definitely not the talking kind. They would either ignore or just scowl at you. So Aria found it rather hard to speak with any of them. Luckily, Eric gave much less of a shit, and his stern demeanor quickly fished out the needed information from the surly locals.

There were quite many inns and similar. But unfortunately, they were pitifully low on money. They only had on them what was in their pockets from when they had been pursuing the refuge market of Guard's Crossing. So finding one that could accommodate them wasn't easy. Having been turned away multiple times already. So they even had to venture a bit into some of the darker and narrower places of the Dregs which was a less than pleasant experience.

Before Eric pushed open, he eyed the poor sod sitting against the wall. He was wearing only tattered clothes on bony limbs that did little to dispel the cold, a distant gaze in his dull eyes. Most distinctly, was the strip of cloth covering the lower half of his face. There were disturbingly many of these people in these parts, however, neither Eric nor Aria knew why. They weren't just homeless people. They were downright wretched in appearance and health.

They all just looked to have been cast to the bottom and left there. Eric doubted even if any of them would survive a winter in Boreas, much less the coming month. It was strange, for Eric couldn't even make out the eye color of this person, so washed out were their eyes. He even wondered if there was still someone in there. They were all like this, most still breathing. The people living on the streets and in alleys alike, whether they had the peculiar cloth around their mouths or not.

Pushing through into the inn, Aria and Nyx followed Eric. It was darkly lit, the night having already drawn on. Unlike most other inns they've attempted, this one wasn't filled with patrons. There were only a couple of dozen shady, and ragged men sitting around tables speaking in hushed voices.

All sound in the already quiet inn died down the moment the three of them entered. Feeling eyes boring into them all the way to the counter, Eric wondered where the innkeep might be. But the moment they got close to the counter, a stout and rotund man popped up from behind it, bringing with him a strong smell of some very unpleasant cologne that he clearly had used way too much of. Even so, he still failed to mask the underlying stench of sweat that he was trying to cover up.

"Argh! Young master, what can I do for you?" The man smiled, hoisting up a crate of bottles onto the counter from below with a clatter. The way the fat man's body jiggled with every movement and word was rather uncomfortable. With his greasy, slicked-back, and balding black-hair, his pasty white skin, and sweaty body, it quickly made Eric second guess whether or not it had been smart to go deeper into the dregs to find a cheaper inn. This was truly scraping the bottom.

"One room and a hot meal for the night. Anything that three gaels can get us." Eric offered still, laying the coins on the counter and ready to leave the moment he the innkeeper would reject.

But before even Eric managed to retract his arm, the fat man, in a surprising display of speed, had swept up the coins and leaned in to give a sickly sweet smile, giving the three of them another punch of his terrible cologne. "Of course! Of course, young master. One night, and a hot meal for three it is."

Although Eric was relieved that the innkeeper actually accepted the offer, the man really made Eric sick to the stomach. From the way he spoke to how that greedy glint gleamed in his eyes. But they could not afford to be picky, and they had finally found a place to rest their heads. Eric gave another glance at the half-empty inn, recognizing the lack of business was probably why they got it so cheap. However, it was still odd since the inn itself was in a good shape and looked stocked up. At outward appearances, it was rather well-kept. Especially for where it was located.

"Eadal!" The innkeep suddenly barked with a note of cruelty before turning back to congeniality as slick as an eel. "Show our esteemed guests to their rooms..."

From the back door came a little blonde-haired boy. He was well-fed and clothed, however, he had this dead look in his eyes. It startled Eric and Aria, and they both could only wonder; "just what in the world had happened to that boy?"

But they did not get enough time to think, as the boy simply began walking to a flight of stairs. From behind the counter, the innkeep gave another one of his sickening smiles which quickly put some haste in their step as they went to follow.