Having decided that he needed some resupplies, Victor felt that now was the perfect time to ask Mr. Cooper a batch of small trinkets.

With the recent sale of the oil paintings, Victor imagined that he could afford quite a few cheaply made, but intricate goods and still be able to go to the fancy restaurant he had been daydreaming about.

Picking up his phone, Victor paced somewhat absentmindedly back and forth trying to remember where he put up his supplier's phone number.

Holy shit I really have to be more organized in some aspects… Where did I put it again?

Rummaging his memory, Victor finally had an idea of where he had put his practically unused contact book.

He walked upstairs with a brisk pace and Pepi tilted her head sideways before following Victor along.

In his bedroom, Victor spread the contents of his night table on his bed.

‘'Ahha! Found it.’’

Waving the small booklet in the air, Victor gave Pepi a hearty smile and flipped a couple pages until he found the right number and dialed it.

After holding on and hearing the beeping end, Victor started speaking.

‘’Hello? Mr.Cooper?’’ Victor held out his phone against his ear and heard only a faint breathing from the other side of the line.

‘’Hellooo can you hear me? It’s Victor, from the Ages past antique shop.’’ After receiving no answer from Mr.Cooper, Victor wondered if his phone was not working properly.

‘’Hello, Victor. It is nice to hear from the benefactor once again.’’ An aged voice finally answered.

Sighing a breath of relief, Victor knew that the other party still remembered him. Their meeting had been brief, but Mr.Cooper had helped him immensely while in turn he himself had helpt the old man in his own way.

Taking a look around the shop, Victor collected his thoughts and straightforwardly told the reason for his call.

‘’Ah, it’s good to hear your voice again. I am calling you because I could use some restock on the small trinkets like dreamcatchers, voodoo dolls etc.’’

A small silence reigned in the phone call, and Pepi once again tilted her furry head sideways, not understanding what Victor wanted from the other party.

‘’No problem. I’ll stop by today. See you soon.’’ Giving a curt answer after some thinking, Mr.Cooper decisively ended the call in a hurry.

Ending the call without giving Victor a chance to say a word was just like him. A complicated emotion bubbled in Victor’s chest as he thought back to the fateful encounter between them.

----------------------------------------

One year ago (Cooper PoV)

With full overcast clouds covering the skies of Runa, Charlie Cooper, an aged man with a spirited complexion on his face strolled the streets.

Finally! I finally have a good grasp on those old goat’s weaknesses. Oh Mary, how I wish you could have been by my side to see this. After twenty bitter years of struggling, I can finally rest easy that everything will be paid back in full.

Fondling affectionately a lone ring on his finger, Charlie raised his eyes to the skies above and shed a tear.

I feel…like I have soon achieved everything I promised you. But what then?

Melancholic and empty feelings replaced his previously cheerful mood and quickly Charlie fixed his expression of longing back to his usual look. Stoic and emotionless.

Sighing to himself, Charlie took out an expensive imported cigar from the badlands.

It was said that the cigars from Thrymis would help to process emotional and physical pain, but at the moment he thought it was just a load of bullshit.

Puff… Those blasted beastmen know only how to boast. If I had the right contacts, I would much rather have those demonsticks. At least they would make me feel something.

Puffing the cigar, Charlie’s mood dampened further as he felt a small droplet of water hitting against his custom made suit.

Having felt the droplet of water, Charlie knew that he could not even walk back home without wetting his clothes. I can feel in my old bones that soon it will pour. Sigh, should I call someone to pick me up instead of being stubborn in my old habits.

Debating internally whether he was going to walk several kilometers or cave in and call someone, a bright flash of light was reflected back from his eyes.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Fudge, that scared me. I really am old huh? So easily spooked…

Hearing the rumble that followed the flash of light, Charlie made up his mind to just keep to his old habits and started his journey towards home.

Observing the streets of Runa, Charlie was both in awe and afraid of the forces of nature.

Uncontrollable, merciless and most importantly of all: Without discrimination.

The wind soon picked up speed and the flashes of light increased in frequency; a storm was approaching.

A massive thundercloud shaped like an anvil stood out among the seemingly never ending overcast just beyond the borders of Runa.

‘’That is one big cloud. No wonder the shops are barring the windows…’’ Muttering to himself, Charlie curiously turned his head left and right and picked his pace up.

‘’Hey gramps! Get inside quickly, the officials just released a statement that the storm may bring even tornadoes!’’ An urgent voice of an immature girl called out to Charlie from the window of a somewhat dilapidated block of flats.

Turning his eyes towards the little girl, Charlie waved to her. ‘’Thanks for the warning! I can manage home just fine, be careful!’’

Seeing the old man’s insistence, the girl nodded with some uncertainty and closed the window carefully.

Untainted by the darkness of the world. The innocence of a child warms this old man’s troubled heart… If only everyone could treat each other with such an attitude, the world would be a brighter place to be. Even Mary…

Smiling kindly and waving towards the window, Charlie turned his head back to the streets and continued onwards.

The smile that was just now present was nowhere seen, as his mood was soured once again by his own lingering thoughts.

Time went on and Charlie was approaching his manor located in the wealthy neighborhood surrounded by orderly gardens and natural greenspace.

Gazing towards the skies, he was hoping that he would make it in time before the downpour started.

The dark clouds seemed to be brewing something and the wind speeds were enough to rattle small items, Charlie saw it right then.

A vortex was forming in the middle of the darkest cloud just ahead of him.

Gulping audibly, he knew that the touchdown area would be pretty darn near.

Despite his old age of 60, he was still in a fit condition. Feeling like the warning from the little girl was a jinx, he had an ominous premonition.

Breaking into his top speed he ran forward with his white, trimmed beard fluttering around the wind.

‘’DANG! DANG! DANG, I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.’’ Cursing in his own soft way, Charlie saw the vortex coming ever closer reaching for the ground like a finger from the skies above.

Resigning himself to his fate, he felt unfulfilled. Just as he found a weakness to exploit his old enemies and triumph over his quest for vengeance, the heavens themselves seemed to deny it from him.

I would give any price to see my mission to the end before resting. Please, anyone answer my prayers. God or the devil himself, I do not care.

Just as he finished the thought, the vortex twisted towards an open area about 50 meters from him. Bolts of lightning jumped soundlessly from cloud to cloud, leaving Charlie speechless and questioning his own sanity.

Looking left and right in haste for a place to take shelter, he found only a lamp post near him and unceremoniously jogged to hug it like his life was depending on it.

Feeling like having gotten a new lease on his life and quest for vengeance, Charlie thanked and praised every deity he knew of in his head. With eyes squinted, he could see that the tornado was about to be fully formed.

Holding on to the lamp post with every ounce of strength he could muster, he could see his hat flying towards the unmoving pillar with great velocity.

Droplets of sweat were starting to form on his bald head as he desperately held on to the lamp.

**Clap**

With a scarlet flash that seemed to darken the world, Charlie felt his legs and arms quickly losing strength. Ears ringing from the shockwave, laying on the ground, he quickly noticed something. The wind was gone.

Weakly struggling to get up from the street, Charlie opened his eyes and looked towards the location where the tornado had landed.

An usual circle of fire as crimson as blood surrounded something…Or someone.