Perhaps my smile wasn’t as sweet as I thought, because the boy scowled.
"And why would I tell you, sissy boy?"
"..."
I blinked.
’This kid did not just....’
"Sis part of the sissy is ours." The kid continued just as I was about to get ranting.
’Oooh.’ Everything clicked as my gaze centered on the kid’s mouth. The boy was missing a few teeth, hence making his words sound like something else.
When I heard sissy boy, he most probably meant city boy.
So I fixed my gaze on him, and that moment swapped with my main body.
"Well, this says you’re going to tell me." I twirled my fingers, summoning a silver Knott. The kid’s eyes lit up.
"But that depends on whether you actually know where I can find him." I spoke cutting through whatever fantasy he was already weaving.
"What do you want with him?" The kid’s scowl returned.
’Great, this means he knows him.’ I thought. The kid asking that question affirmed that either the kid knew the old man, or he was at least familiar with him.
"I need him to repair something for me." I replied. The kid frowned for a bit, his eyes darting between the silver Knott twirling between my fingers and his own hands. It was as if he was under some struggle, or was conflicted.
I patiently waited as he went through whatever he was struggling with. In the end though, his eyes steeled. I had to give it to him, he was acting a tad bit mature than the average kid.
"I can take you to him.... but... you have to promise you won’t hurt him." He said, eyes brimming with resolve.
I take it back. Mature or not, he was just a kid all the same.
"Fine I promise." I nodded. I had no desire to hurt the old man whatsoever. Not that I could do much against a Gamma ranked aetherial to begin with.
"And I want two silvers." he added.
"Fine by me." I nodded. With my new found wealth, I was way past the point of being frugal.
"Okay, come wisz me." he said, his eyes shinning as turning to the direction he came running from.
However just as I was about to take a step, I felt someone tugging at my coat.
I turned to find a girl, around seven or eight years old with a saddened look clinging to me.
She had a messy bowl cut, and fair skin smeared with dirt, but her green eyes looked up at me in nervousness and fear.
"What?" I questioned.
"D...do you have something we can eat?"
"No, I don’t." I said bending my knees and facing her at her height.
"But I have this though." I handed her the silver Knott I had been twirling. "This could probably buy you enough food for a week." I said.
Suddenly her eyes lustered with delight and elation before she nodded and ran off.
Seeing that, many other kids quickly swarmed me and started begging.
Although I didn’t have much silver with me, I gave away all I had before I somehow made my way out of the people swarming me.
The boy for his part, waited silently by the side till I was done.
"Fuuu," as I let out a deep breath while following after the kid, as a smile formed on my face.
The deed, no matter how small, bought me a sense of satisfaction.
Not long after, we reached a relatively silent area, before the boy swerved to a... shack, nestled between two other... shacks.
"..."
I was left speechless. Two of my reflections had passed through this place on two different occasions.
’How on earth did Alistair even decide there was something interesting about this place?’ I thought in disbelief. I also realized another thing, if I hadn’t decided to ask for directions, I would never have found this place if even hell were to freeze over.
"Is this the place?" I asked for confirmation as we stopped before the crudely built abode.
"Yes." the boy nodded.
I wanted to dismiss the boy right away, but decided to confirm first. I took a step, and knocked at the door.
It didn’t take long before I heard steps coming from behind the door. And a moment later, the door shifted inwards, revealing an old man who looked to be in his sixties, at least according to Earth’s standards.
He had shaggy grey hair crudely tied in a messy bun. His face looked unshaven, and the clothes he wore would make rags look hella fine in comparison.
I turned towards the kid first, a gold knott appearing in my hand.
"You earned your keep kid." I handed it to the boy who stared slack jawed, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Stars literally appeared in his eyes.
"C.c..hank you." the kid said before he turned around and ran with much needed enthusiasm.
"What do you want, kid?" the grim voice of the old man sounded from behind me as I watched the boy go.
"Ah, sorry about that." I turned back to the old man with the best smile I could put on. "I forgot to introduce myself."
"My name is Damon Darkfell...." I paused as I saw his eyes slightly widen as the surname. "I came here in hopes that you could fix a little something for me."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about kid. I’m just a slum dweller." The old man replied dryly, and moved to shut back his door.
"The clandestine would like to disagree, old man." I said making him falter.
You see, ’The clandestine’ was the name of the organization the old man was working for, and later fled from.
"So they sent you after me huh?" the Old man’s eyes narrowed, and the surroundings suddenly chilled.
Even though inwardly, I was scared as hell, I showed no such emotions outwardly.
Instead, I scoffed.
"You heard my name, did you not? Do you really think some pesky little organization could order me around?"
"I see." the old man muttered, the surroundings going back to normal.
"And like I said earlier, I want you to fix something for me." I added.
"Sorry kid, I don’t know how you managed to find me, but I’ve been long retired." the old man shook his head.
"It’s just one artifact. I can pay you any amount for it." I tried to argue.
"There’s nothing you can offer me that’ll make me agree." He said for the last time before slamming his door shut. Though, shut was an overstatement, I could still catch glimpses of the inside from the sides of the door.
’Fuck!’ I exclaimed. It sucked. I was once again proven that my charm was nothing next to the protagonist halo. Alistair had been able to convince the old man to help him fix the artifact with nothing but mere words.
As for how Alistair realized the old man could fix artifacts, it was some bullshit about him recognizing the old man from an Artifact making contest 15 years ago. That was when Alistair was just 3, yet he miraculously remembered him. I hope now you could see why the novel was giving me headaches.
Anyway, since the old man didn’t agree, no matter, I’d just have to bring out my trump card.
I sighed. A really loud dramatic sigh that I was sure the old man could hear from inside his shack.
"Little Ari would have been delighted to see her father once more. What a shame." I shook my head in mock sadness.
Clank!
The door snapped open.
"What did you just say?!" the old man was gazing at me intensely, his eyes looked like they could drill holes in my body.
"Oh don’t mind me." I offhandedly dismissed the question. "Just my usual ramblings."
"Don’t toy with me kid." His aura began rising.
Well as you must have heard, little Ari was the old man’s daughter. Though, calling her little was quite absurd. She was an eighty year old woman. In another life, she would be old enough to look like my great grandmother.
"Since you’re clearly interested, let’s talk business." I looked him in the eye to show that I wasn’t scared of him.
"You fix my artifact and I tell you where to find her."
In the novel, after Alistair had managed to draw the old man to House Drake, he used the resources there to search for his daughter who he had presumed dead, at least for the closure.
But after all the while he had thought her dead, he finally found her after a grueling search. But that won’t be happening in this timeline.
"She’s still... she’s still alive." the old man kept muttering fervently. It took a while before he composed himself.
"I’ll fix whatever it is you want to fix, but you better not be lying, boy, or else, not even your people would be able to find you." He threatened.
I spread my arms.
"What have I to lie for?"
*********
Thanks for the support everyone. And keep.them power stones coming.