Menelaus carried Kallen down the dirt road within the strange building. The air was thick with dust and sand, making the place feel stuffy and abandoned.
Kallen sneezed a few times in response.
The interior was relatively empty, with only one visible door at the back. When Menelaus pushed it open, it revealed a hot showroom lined with neatly arranged traditional weapons, each one polished to a gleam.
Kallen’s cold eyes mapped the entire space in seconds.
’A smith shop?’ he thought.
A counter stood against the wall, manned by a younger teenage orc who greeted Menelaus with a respectful nod—only to glance at Kallen with mild disgust.
Opposite the counter, an open doorway led outside the showroom to a busy street, its architecture reflecting the modernity of Ares.
People seemed to be living their mundane lives, outside, completely ignoring the forge.
It was likely the entrance they had used wasn’t the main one, as the other side where the eccentric orc had dropped him off, was completely deserted, broken, and rundown.
The difference between the two sides was clear. It was also questionable how the same shop was connected to the two places.
The room was uncomfortably hot, the source of the heat coming from a door near the counter.
Menelaus barely acknowledged the teenager’s greeting as he grunted and strode toward that door, pushing it open without hesitation.
Inside was a small compartment, almost barren and covered in soot, except for a massive metal tube pressed against one wall, radiating waves of heat.
Without ceremony, Menelaus tossed Kallen to the floor, staring down at him with open disdain.
"Stay here and don’t try anything funny," he sneered. "I won’t hesitate to kill you if you misbehave."
His smirk deepened in satisfaction as his gaze met Kallen’s cold crimson eyes.
Kallen slowly stood, brushing the dust from his clothes. He looked at Menelaus head on, his eyes frosty.
Menelaus scoffed and turned away, stepping back into the main room.
He cast a glance at the teenage orc behind the counter.
"Kill him if he does anything stupid."
Then, without another word, he walked away.
Outside, the eccentric orc still stood waiting, arms crossed over his broad chest. His beady eyes now held something far colder, and he’s entire bearings had changed.
The moment Menelaus stepped out, a sharp crack echoed through the air.
The slap sent Menelaus staggering, blood and a tooth flying from his mouth.
Menelaus gritted his teeth, swallowing the pain, and immediately bowed his head.
"I’m sorry, lord Zephyrus. This servant did not dare waste a moment of your time," he said through clenched teeth.
"Keeping me this long in this place! With your brains, I doubt you’d understand the implications that’ll result, if I’m to be spotted here"
Zephyrus regarded him with an icy stare, the playfulness from before utterly gone.
"As you should know," he said, voice low and dangerous, "unless you are stupid and want to die, no one knows about him."
A heavy silence followed. Menelaus took the moment to nod furiously, his agreement near desperate.
Zephyrus’ lips curved into a smile, but it held no warmth. Leaning in, he whispered,
"Be delicate with little smartie, alright?"
Menelaus trembled slightly. His eyes narrowed, and burned with suppressed rage, that soon gave way to rejoicing.
Since the master had said so, he would get to make that bastard pay.
Zephyrus chuckled, his beady eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Scheming and scheming and scheming... You’re quite the entertaining one, Menelaus."
The words dragged Menelaus from his sweet thoughts, and to his own horror, he felt heat rise to his cheeks. He was blushing.
The scene was one that, viewed from a certain angle, could make the stomach churn.
The image of a broad, muscular orc built like a hardened warrior, blushing under the sharp tongue of a rotund, yet undeniably dominant Zephyrus was jarring. Unsettling, even.
But such was the nature of power.
To exist under another’s heel, to grovel and scrape, to worship and kiss the very boot that pressed against his throat... such was the way of survival when dealing with those with a bigger fist.
And to scheme and sabotage, to claw and strike at others; carving a path forward for oneself while shattering the paths of others.
To laugh in solitude, yet seek comfort when dusk brought tears... such was the way of survival when facing an equal in strength.
And though many would never admit it, it was perhaps the only methods of survival. If there were others, it was perhaps not worth it, or potentially dangerous.
What was maybe unsettling in this particular case, was that Menelaus didn’t seem to mind at all.
Menelaus chuckled awkwardly, but he couldn’t hide the way his muscles tensed under Zephyrus’ gaze.
"Don’t worry about him," Zephyrus continued, in a lighthearted tone of voice.
"He’s a good lad. At least, that’s what my friend told me. And my friend..." he chuckled, eyes gleaming in reminiscence, "...is a very honest man. So it must be true."
"Just make sure not to kill him," he added, his tone taking on an edge of warning. "I can tell he’s a willful and wild one."
Menelaus’ nodding grew almost frantic, his excitement bubbling in a way that was sickening to behold.
"Good." Zephyrus gave a pleased nod, then let out a sigh of bliss and longing.
"It has been far too long since I last interacted with a human," he mused, his voice carrying a strange, almost wistful excitement. "I’m so very eager. Unfortunately, I’ve lingered here too long..."
His gaze shifted back to Menelaus, and though his smile remained easy and amused, something dangerous flickered behind his eyes.
"... I’ll be coming to see little smartie after a while. Possibly a long while, even though I don’t want it to be so." Zephyrus chuckled, then beamed sincerely. "He shouldn’t miss me too much."
Menelaus swallowed dryly, resisting the urge to shiver.
He only went back inside when Zephyrus had left, and with the level of malice, toppled with excitement, burning in his eyes, he would have to be careful not to kill that runt.
What he met when he got back however, was not what he had expected to see.
And his hand lashed out.