“Honestly, I see her beast variant being a blessing! The power of ice and a great snow-furred beast!”
“Antatha said curses follow bad people, and that she’s doing everything she can to repent. I wonder if that’s what Jezz was doing as an overseer… repenting for her sins.”
“It doesn’t matter what society or even she thinks about herself. It’s what you think.”
“I think she’s a great person, amazing even. And I’m dying to see her again.”
“Hmm? Oh my…” Rufian cooed in a curly voice, giving me a mischievous grin. “Have you and my sister??”
“No, you pervert!” I snapped at him,feeling the heat rise up my face.
“My apologies! It’s just with the way you speak so highly of her, and traveling together alone and all, one would suspect—”
“I’m not a horn dog like you!” I hissed sheepishly.
He laughed. “With the world ending and all, I’d say you might as well let loose and live merry!”
I rolled my eyes. “You have no god damn filter, you know that?”
“Being attracted to a fae is common. Our women are pinnacles of beauty.”
“I’m not superficial like that. And neither is Jezz. She doesn’t care that I’m lower leveled than her.”
“Well, it does help that you are stronger than her.”
“Even before that.”
“And that you are the chosen savior of Senterra.”
“She was willing to party up before I told her that, too.”
“Ah, a low-standards kinda’ gal, my sister.”
I deadpanned him.
“She carries weight in her heart, just like everyone else. Cursed or not, we are at times of war. I bear no hate toward my sister, and after she tells you what she’d done, I hope you feel the same way.”
“Hmm, I wonder what else she’s lying about…”
“Don’t fixate on the truth so much. If you truly care for her, I’m sure you’re open to forgiveness. Are you worried that you won’t be able to look past her errors?”
“It’s not that. I mean… I guess I thought I knew Jezz. She’s pretty open with me. If she felt like she couldn’t tell me the truth even after everything we’d been through… I don’t know. That’s why I’m curious to know how bad it was.”
He smirked.
“If a group of humans can look past her history, so could I. For some reason, she thought I couldn’t.”
“To be fair, she probably sees you in a different light. And also to be fair, they probably don’t know. Perhaps the only detail she gave them was some light business in Mavriel. She is a fae trying to be a protector of Senterrians after all.”
Rufian offered me half of the fish, my mind thinking too much of Jezz’s big secret. Instead, I diverted from her and asked him more political questions about Mavriel and Dradersi. I knew little about this war, where it currently stood, and what the potential outcomes could be. Rufian seemed happy to talk about it, his eyes lighting up as he recounted tales of battles and strategies. His passion for politics and war was evident in his voice, and I couldn't help but be impressed by how much he knew without ever being in the military.
Clear details—he began telling me about the battle that had taken place over a month ago near orc borders. The Dradersi army had attacked one of their outposts and had managed to overpower the defenders. Rufian had been there but only as an observer, watching the defending team being plucked up one by one. Bloodshed, cries of the wounded, the smell of death and the chaos of the battlefield. “They are dangerously close to taking that dreaded country for keeps,” he said almost satisfyingly. “The more nations they consume, the less work we have to do. The battle of Ocdudacor was grave. Orcs rarely talk about it.”
“Warchiefs are proud.”
“That they are.” He chuckled. “I bet they believe the moon was upset with them that night. Foolish barbarians. They have few strongholds left. It’s gotten so bad that the shamans are thinking about getting their hands dirty. If there’s one thing you should know about Thalian it is this—when the leader of a nation gets directly involved in battle, things are grave.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s on any planet you visit.”
“What about your planet? What were you doing before you were drafted here?”
I snorted. “Nothing impressive, that’s for sure. Nothing like this.”
“Oh?”
“I was no one special. Just a high school kid trying to survive. Didn’t have much family or many friends. I kept to myself and closed the door shut. Because every time I open it to let someone in, I get hurt. I was a happy-fist-throwing type of guy, but I learned that I was more scared than I was strong.”
“How were you summoned here anyway?”
“I died.”
“Really?”
“Gerald killed me back in my world.”
“Ah, that doesn’t surprise me.”
“And the dungeon core gave me a second chance to do something meaningful with my sorry life.”