Pocketing the large core, he pulled himself up.
The area had been destroyed, battle wounds left across the ground but the splish splash of the waterfall remained the same.
The only difference was it dropping into a lake swirling of red and black blood along scattered remains of the mermaid-like creature.
Grabbing his pistol that had fallen onto the floor during the combat, he slotted it back into his holster and walked away.
Limping as he did so.
…
Making it back into the city gates, still limping he headed towards his house.
No one bothered to look or ask him what happened as the sight was all but too common.
Eventually he turned the corner and entered his street, mostly empty during the night.
Only adventurers remained up.
As he awkwardly walked some more, the stench of rotten food invaded his nose.
He seemed to ignore it as he walked past an alley where the food was dumped in a large pile, most likely thrown out from the window above it.
Stepping in front of the antique shop he pushed open the door and the bell chimed signalling his return.
Hearing this, Bil lifted his head, seeing Flo he quickly got up and wrapped his arm around his waist, offering support.
“What happened to you then, typical adventuring stuff I assume?” He asked with some huffs as Flo released his weight onto Biland.
“Just encountered a tougher beast than I thought,” Flo said, his teeth still slightly gritted.
“Understandable,” Bil replied as he mustered up all his strength to carry Flo to his room.
A few moments of sweat and strength later, the door to Flo’s room opened and he was pulled inside and laid down onto his bed.
“Do you need anything?” Flo didn’t answer, “I’ll go and lock up then,” Bil said as he left Flo.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Flo simply rested on his bed, letting the sheets be dissolved by his dripping black blood.
Luckily, most of the blood had already slipped out and the rest dried against both his ankles.
But some still did drop onto the bed.
Continuing to catch his breath, he heard footsteps walk up the stairs to his room before quickly running back down again.
And only a few seconds later he heard a bell ringing and a banging shut of a door.
Realising that Bil had left the shop and went to his own home, he picked himself up.
Hobbling towards the door and pulling it open, just on the top of the stairs lay a large bowl filled with clear water and a towel placed across the bowl.
By the side lay two fresh green apples.
Grabbing the items, he shut the door and placed them onto the bedside stand.
Gazing out the window he looked at his own reflection.
His teeth grinded together and his eyes glazed over with a sheen of water but also a mix of hatred.
Shifting his head to look into the water, he saw his reflection again.
Again and again and again.
Droplets of water dripped carefully from his eyes as his mouth started to rest.
The room remained in absolute silence as splashes of water were added to the already full bowl.
Looking down again and seeing his reflection and his own tears, he dunked his head into the water.
Forcing his head away from the water, he jumped into his bed where the sheets were half destroyed from the black blood.
Grabbing an apple he took a bite from it before throwing it into the ball causing the water to splash across the attic’s floorboards.
His eyelids shut over his pupils as his mouth opened and he spoke clearly to himself, “yourself, do it yourself, do it yourself, yourself, do it yourself Florian… all alone, you got this Florian.
By yourself, you’re all you need.
Yourself, yourself.
I am all I need, right Flo?” The muttered ramblings wavered in pace as his voice quickened and then slowed and quickened again before questioning his own consciousness.
Slowly opening his eyes he sat upwards in a stiff motion.
…
[Job – Adventurer
Currency – 76 Shards 0 Sols 0 eEclipse Shards (Owes 250 shards to All Gunnery to be paid within 86 sunrises)
Life Core Element – Blood
Weapon Body – Gun Body
Innate Body – Marksman Rifle
Current level – Advanced Beginner Gun body
Realm – 3rd Stage of Bronze Core Gathering Realm.
Realm Stabilisation – 3rd Stage of Bronze Core Gathering Realm
Companion – None
Location – Brimnar City
Date – 19th Sunrise of Summer of Year 4032 (Meet with Catherine Today)]
The scattered rays of sunlight beamed into his circular window as he gazed out, seeing the plain brick wall of the building over.
Flo’s body seemed no different from before.
But Flo could feel the difference.
A large difference in toughness and power of his body and most importantly his blood.
Looking over to the pile of randomness, added to it was the platinum illusionists core.
Also on the pile were the half-dissolved sheets, the edges stained with the dry black blood of Flo.
Standing up and stretching his body, his eyes shifted to the bedside stand where a green apple floated inside the bowl full of water.
Collecting his gear, he looked at his green plink screen one last time:
[Date – 19th Sunrise of Summer of Year 4032 (Meet with Catherine Today)]
“Time to go see Cath, I guess,” he spiked to himself as he opened his bedroom door and walked down the stairs.
He greeted a “hello” and a “goodbye” to Biland also accompanied by a “thank you” this time as the bell chimed signalling his exit from the shop/house.
A limp remained in his gait as he walked under the early morning sun through the empty streets of Birnam.
Arriving in front of the Union building he pushed the door open and entered.
Inside were a lot less adventurers as people now got used to the new rule.
Scanning the room for Cath it didn’t take long to spot her silky black hair.
Their eyes met as Cath started to move towards him.
She waved at him as she got closer and then started to speak joyfully, “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Flo replied as they stood by the entrance of the building.
“So we have a slight problem,” she said, her face tilting slightly, “we can’t go to the dungeon right now cause the city has shut the gates.”
“I know a way out from a friend,” Flo stated and upon hearing this Cath’s face brightened up incredibly fast, as she bounced on the spot before wrapping her arm around Flo’s.
“Let’s go,” she said excitedly as they walked together and made it out of the building but it wasn’t long before Cath noticed something strange, “what’s happened to your legs?” She asked hurriedly, in a worried tone.
“Just a small wound, I’ll be fine, let’s go to the dungeon,” he replied as he pulled Cath to start walking again.
Not replying but only looking, she matched Flo’s limping pace as he directed them towards the escape route.
Treading through the same slum stench, Hydra covered his nose as he tapped on him while Cath didn’t stop the smell infecting her nose and mouth, her concentration remaining on Flo’s ankle and foot.
Fleeing from the main parts of the slums, the alleys became much more empty and then barren as they hit the large walls of the city where the same river passed through.
Carefully manoeuvring themselves down the stairway and crossing the path built on the side of the river, they came across the locked door that only Max had a key for.
Using his free hand, Flo grabbed his holster and his pistol slid out, aiming for the lock, he hesitated.
His hands untightened around his gun as he sighed into the metal of Hydra and placed the gun back into the holster, he sat down by the side of the gate pulling Cath with him.
Not questioning Florian, she simply sat beside him as they watched the river dumped with floods of waste flow by them.
Cath’s hands soothingly smoothed his right arm as a form of comfort.
…
At the same time as Flo and Cath sat down by the river, Max left his bedroom fully geared for combat.
Walking quietly to the main doors of the grand building, he spotted his father waiting for him.
His dad’s head was on a swivel constantly looking around as he waited for Max to get closer, whilst he clenched a piece of paper tightly in his hand.
Stepping down the left stairway, he arrived in front of his father, who stared at him and silently handed the piece of paper before patting his shoulder and walking off.
Looking at the piece of paper, only two words bore into his eyes:
‘Marriage Contract’