The sun was well past its peakâprobably five or six by nowâand Leo still hadnât eaten. Honestly, he wasn't even sure if he should try and eat. They might kick him out or spit in his food.
Leo frowned. It sucked. No one wanted to even talk to a Dwendol, let alone serve one. He hasn't even seen any Dwendols around yet either, which was the scariest thing. There had to be at least one other Dwendol.
He took a deep breath. People continued to stare, trying to see through his cloak. They gossiped loud enough for him to hear, and nothing was going to change that. He flinched every time he heard the word Dwendol, and his eyes widened each time he made eye contact. Jade said he was strong. That was starting to seem wrong.
The sweet smell of pastries wafted up his nostrils as he strolled towards the Royal Crest Vault. A wave roared in his stomach. His body wanted to eat. He did as well, but decided against it. Sadly, his body couldn't understand him.
The blue shingles got closer and closer. Leo could feel his boots come loose with each step, and his sleeves rolling down over time. He grit his teeth. At this point he should just wear the clothes Jade gave him, it fit better and wouldn't piss him off.
Wait. Maybe he should've asked to work for Ellgrad instead. Why didn't he think of this earlier? This would've saved him the trouble of doing this stupid stuff. He wouldn't be pissed off walking around in gear too big for him. Instead, he could've been in the back working privately. But maybe Ellgrad wouldn't have taken him in anyway.
Leo's body jolted as his head bumped into something.
"What the. Hey! Watch where you're going!" a man yelled, turning to face Leo. The man wore light plating over his clothes with a sword attached to his side.
Leo blinked, flinching at the sudden interaction. "Sorry, I didn't mean to!" He apologized, head swiveling, looking for an exit.
"Are you trying to pickpocket me?" the man asked. His hand gripped his sword's handle. Then the man's eyes widened in realization. A grin stretched cruelly on their face. "Oh, you already did, huh?"
Leo took a step back, nearly stumbling as his feet tangled with each other. "What? I didn't do any of that, my arms aren't even out!"
The man licked his lips. "Oh, you did, though. I'm missing a potion from my belt."
Leo's eyes snapped wide. What? He didn't even touch this man with his hands, and the man didn't have any potions. It was his head that bumped into him. How was this happening?
"Look at all those potions you stole, where's mine at?" The click of a scabbard rang through Leo's ears.
He looked at the people around them. They were all staring, watching, waiting. Did they know?
"I-I promise, I didn't steal anything! I bought these myself!" Leo pleaded, voice trembling.
He flinched as a glare blinded him. After a few blinks, he saw the cause.
The man's sword was a few inches out of its scabbard, its blade reflecting the sunlight. Leo's heart turned into a drum, each beat screaming danger. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, audible in his skull. His hands grew slick with sweat. Every breath was labored, like there wasn't enough oxygen.
The man pulled his blade out further.
No. Not again.
Leo didn't want to do it again. He didn't want to see red anymore.
Please don't make him kill again.
"I'm an adventurer, I know what one looks like!" the man shouted. Spittle left his mouth as he unsheathed his sword entirely. "Do you want to die?"
Leo's mouth opened, but nothing came out. He took another step back, turning frantically, looking for an escape. Tremors shook him to his core.
"Answer me!" the man screamed with a monstrous grin. A string of spit hung on his lip as he bared his teeth.
The ground hit Leo's butt. His ears rang. He felt the heat of the sun on his forehead as a wave of gasps began. His heart sank as he pulled the hood over his head.
They saw his skin.
And that was all that man needed to swing.
A flash of silver cut through the air towards Leo. His feet pushed against the floor alongside his hands, sending him backwards. The blade whistled past his chest, slicing into the cloak.
He had to get to his feet. If he didn't, he was dead.
But how? He didn't have the upper hand at all.
The adventurer's grin grew, eyes glowing with malice. "Oh? You think you can make a fool of me?"
If Leo tried to stand up, the man would get him before he even got to his feet.
"No, stop! Please!" Leo begged, pushing himself further away, but the man marched forward.
"You should've thought about the consequences before you stole from me."
A red haze pulsed in his vision.
He could give in. He could let it happen again.
These types of people deserve it.
The healed slash in his chest ached faintly, like a memory of returning to haunt him.
That feeling of power. The strength coursing through his veins. The iron in his skin. The blood in his nails.
Another slash whistled from the side.
He had to run. It was a lose-lose situation. If he fought, he would either die or go back to prison and die, and if he tried to run, he might get killed or be a criminal. But running was safer. He forgot there was armor underneath his cloak. Even if it was just padded leather, it was good enough for adventures, so surely it could take one blow.
Fire surged through his limbs as he exploded off the ground. A bolt of lightning struck Leo's forearm, nearly toppling him. His eyes widened. The blade got blocked by the guard on his arm.
Leo's jaw clenched, using the momentum from the strike to run. His legs coursed with electricity. The instincts to run or fight push him beyond what his frail Dwendol body was capable of. He had never been this fast.
"Hey! Get him! Stop that thief!" The man's shout grew quieter as Leo ran. His heart raced as fast as his legs. Sweat soaked his pits and rolled off his face.
He had to run. Run until he was so far away that it didn't matter anymore. But did it matter how far he ran if he was a Dwendol?
His heart ached, like it was crying for his sake. The wind threatened to blow his hood off, stinging his eyes as tears filled them. He could run forever and never find a home. He would be persecuted forever.
Leo's legs slowed down from their rapid pace. His chest still heaved as he tried to push himself further, but it wasn't possible. Then his shoulder crashed into a wall as his legs gave out.
His pants were deafening. He couldn't even swallow with how dry his mouth was. The place reeked of rot and damp stone. The muscles around his stomach squeezed, pushing acid up his throat. He tried to swallow it back down, but all it did was make him cough.
He should've gone home, or somewhere, anywhere. But he was stupid. Leo's chest convulsed as he held back his vomit. He didn't even know where the Dwendol village was. He was lost.
"Mama, look! There's a man there!"
Leo wearily looked up. There was a child in front of the alley, being tugged by their mother.
"Stop that, Evelyn, let's go," the mother said, dragging her child out of Leo's vision.
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Leo's eyes narrowed. Something was pushing into his side. He reached over and grabbed it before pulling it out.
The flat of a dagger was in front of him. Its surface was slightly blue, like the reflection of the ocean was on it. Most importantly, a person was staring back at him.
Their eyes were visible inside the cloak. They were gold and youthful, but the look in them was harder than before. Hollow cheeks filled their face as cheekbones caught the shadows. Tears stained their cheeks like a dry river.
Leo's lower lip twitched. "D-damn it!" He threw the dagger. It clinked against the wall. "Why me? Why did I have to be this thing? I might as well just be dead for real at this point!"
Tears spilled over. His hands balled into fists, grabbing onto debris as they clamped shut. Pain shot through his hands as trash ripped into his palms, but he didn't care. He closed them even harder, until he couldn't. His jaw tightened like a vice, teeth pressing onto each other.
"I should be dead," Leo whispered, voice cracking. His body trembled like those words were his last.
His eyelids fluttered with weight. The pain inside his fists pulsed.
Why couldn't this just be the end? He wasn't some anime protagonist. He's an eighteen-year-old guy who was supposed to live a regular life.
He scoffed inside. How stupid was he? Thinking that it would be easy. That he would be the main character.
Stupid.
Leo stared at the floor. Bugs crawled over pieces of pottery and trash. People passed by without a word. Time moved without waiting.
His fists unfurled. Some of the trash fell, while others stuck to his palm. He winced at the pain.
Was he going to give up again?
It was easy to give up. He's done it more than he could count.
Leo shook his head, frowning.
Why was he trying to hype himself up like some anime character? Since he survived the Sewer Slime today, tomorrow can be the day he dies. For today, he should live, because at that point, why did he even kill the Sewer Slime?
Leo groaned, shifting up onto his butt. He winced every time his hand touched the ground. His back and shoulders ached.
The dagger sat there on his right. It looked perfectly fine, not even the tip was chipped.
"I guess you can work as a mirror," Leo sighed, looking at himself in the blade. "Since I'm not that ugly."
His fingers wrapped around the handle. The debris on the blade fell off as he picked it up.
He'll finish today, since it was almost over.
Leo's jaw clenched. That manâhe said he was an adventurer. If Leo went to the guild, there might be a chance he ran into them again.
His grip tightened on the handle.
But what could he do anyway? There might be worse people over there than that man. The chance anyone even stood up for him was close to none. If he wanted it, he would have to get it himself.
They could look all they wanted. It wouldn't change anything. Cloak on or off, he was a Dwendol anyway.
His knees creaked as his legs straightened. Then it hit him again.
He was a Dwendol. All this big talk was human talk. His body wasn't going to be able to back up his words. That rage was something he also didn't want to tap into. He didn't even know what it was. Was it even magic?
Whatever. Today he'll do what he can. Stay smart and vigilant.
He stepped out of the alley into the street. All he needed to do was get to the Guild.
Leo hadn't noticed this before, but a lot of people wore armor. Even if it wasn't full-plate.
It made sense, though. Today, he went to the sewers in the morning, and the day before that, he was arrested at night and thrown into prison.
A trio of armored adventurers chatted about their quest beside him, and a fully armored knight with a robe strolled past. Leo looked around and noticed the same patternsâthey were all adventurers.
He was on the right path.
Leo exhaled through his nose, glancing up. The sky had grown darker. The sun sat behind the roofs of houses, and the streetlamps weren't on quite yet. But the lights outside the Adventurers Guild were.
A group of adventurers stood outside the front of the Guild. Leo squinted as he got closer. It was a group of five. Two of them had chestplates and light armor. One of them had a bow slung over their back, and what seemed like pointy ears. The fourth had a crimson robe and a staff.
Leo squinted harder, his brows drawing into a frown. Those four were moving too much. They blocked the last person.
A sigh left his chest. It was whatever. He was close enough to hear them now.
"Hah, a Low Elf adventurer?" a young man's voice scoffed. "Who do you think you are?"
Then one of the armored adventurers shoved the last person.
"You think that because you have money, it's going to be easy?" a young lady asked. "All those fancy tools mean nothing."
Leo blinked. What was happening? He thought those people were all together, but he was wrong. They were scolding the fifth person.
He was close enough to see them clearly. The group of four consisted of a female mage, an elf archer, and what Leo thought were two male warriors, based on their gear. They looked to be around Leo's age. None of the guys had looked like men yet, and the girl looked no older than Leo. As for the elf, he seemed to be around their age, too.
The last person was an elf as well. Her pointed ears weren't as long as the bow-slinging elf's, but long, silky red hair flowed down her shoulders. Leo's mouth dropped at the sight of her gear.
She wore gear similar to the ivory robe he saw at the Armory, only this was a full set of armor. On her torso was an ivory colored chestplate embroidered with gold. Her pants were the same color and looked like slacks. Milky white boots sat on her feet, while a white hat sat on her head. In her hands was a pearlescent double-edged blade and a spear that looked like its counterpart.
What in the world? How rich was this elf? She looked like a hero, but for some reason, these amateur adventurers were bullying her. Leo couldnât tell if he was impressed or confused. Why would someone like her let that happen? She must've done something wrong if this was happening.
The red-headed elf's green eyes burned with defiance. "Just let me in, I'm not doing anything to you guys." She snapped.
"No, no, no...we have a fee," one of the armored adventurers said. "And I think I want that sword of yours."
The red-headed elf took a step back. "Who are you to even say that? You're a damn newbie."
A slap echoed through the street.
Leo's eyes widened in shock.
"Huh?" the warrior stepped forward. "Who are you? To tell me what to do? You, Low Elf. You're worse than those damn Dwendols."
The rich elf trembled, her fists clenching on her weapons. Her face reddened as she glared at them.
"You're nothing but Low Elf trash. You're like autumn leavesâswept up and burned. Useless," the elf archer butted in. "You'll never be an elf. You can't even use magic."
The elf girl's cheeks flushed as red as her hair. "Who are you to talk? Just because you're an Elf doesn't mean shit! You talk like a High Elf, yet you're a failure, just like me."
Leo's heart raced. He'd never witnessed anything like this before. Why was no one helping? Weren't there people who were going to help this elf girl? She wasn't a Dwendol, so surely someone would do something.
A thud echoed through the street. The elf girl's hat rolled on the ground.
"Fine, take it," she spat, tossing the weapons on the ground. "I don't need these anyway. Pick it up like the dogs you are."
The group of four's heads perked up.
"We're dogs?" the mage girl asked as she took a step forward.
The others followed, closing in on the elf girl.
Leo's heart stopped. This couldn't be happening. His head twisted from side to sideâyet no one batted an eye. A shot of pain wrenched through his heart.
He didn't know why he did it. He was just there.
"Stop," Leo said, pulling back one of the warriors.
The warrior turned, looking down at Leo. "Who are you, huh? You want some of what she's getting, too?"
"Take the weapons and leave," Leo demanded. His voice quivered slightly, but they didn't seem to notice.
"I said, Who are you?" the warrior asked.
A pair of hands slammed against Leo's chest, sending him to the ground. The group of four turned to face him.
"Oh, look at what we have here?" the other warrior said. "A blue worm."
Leo could feel the sweat soaking the seams of his clothes. His face burned, but it didn't matter. He stood up.
A fist met his jaw.
His hip slammed into the ground. "Take the weapons and leave, is it that hard to understand?" Leo managed to say.
Then came a footâa stomp on his chest.
"Who do you think you are, you worthless maggot?" the elf archer asked.
Leo gasped as the heel dug in deeper, pressing the breath from his chest. His ribs screamed, but the elf only grinned.
"Is it that hard for you to understand that we don't want you here?" the elf asked again. "Can you not understand that you're better off dead?"
"Let them go, take the weapons and leave," a new voice spoke.
The elf looked at the man and stopped twisting his foot. Slowly, he took it off Leo's chest.
"Let's go, we got what we wanted," one of the warriors said. Their voice laced with venom.
And sure enough, they reached for the red-headed elf's weapons and took them. But not without glaring at Leo and the elf girl.
Leo sat up, brushing the dirt off his chest. The man who stopped them was already walking away.
It was a burly man with an enormous axe on his back. Long, brown hair was tied into a bun. He didn't wear much armor, besides some pants and a tank top.
He looked at Leo. Their eyes locked. The man's eyes weren't like Roland's. They didn't shimmer with empathy. They burned with pity.
Leo stood up. His chest ached. It was probably bruised, but it was alright. As for his jaw, it felt looser than before, and it was still numb. He sighed, walking over to the elf girl.
She was already on her feet, dusting the dirt off her hat. Her green eyes shimmered with anger as she looked at Leo.
This was his first time seeing an elf up close, and it didn't disappoint. Everything about her looked sculpted from marbleâlike someone carved her with purpose. Her skin was flawless, her features perfectly balanced. She looked to be around his age.
"Why the hell did you step in? Who asked for your help?" she hissed, yanking Leo forward by the collar. "I don't need help or pity from a Dwendol like you!"
His heart dropped. What did he expect? A thank you? Surely not, she wasn't Jade. An ache in his chest pulsed with his heartbeat.
He didn't say anything.
She let go of his collar, chest heaving. "I lost my weapons and now I lost my pride, all thanks to you!"
Leo shut his eyes. He was already having a bad day, and now this happened. A spark of anger flickered inside him. Did she know what he just went through? Surely she did, she was right there. It's obvious what Dwendols go through every day, and here she was. A rich, selfish elf who wouldn't bat an eye if it was someone else in her spot.
But that wasn't true. He didn't know that. He's suffered enough already. What was a little more going to do to him? This elf looked like she had a bad day as well. She was suffering like him. If this made her feel better, then maybe it was better if his day got worse, and hers got better.
"Say something!" the elf girl shouted.
He opened his eyes, looking at her. "Sorry, I didn't know this would happen." His voice was flat, nearly lifeless.
"You better be sorry, because all you do is ruin things for everyone!" she said. "You already make it bad enough for people like meâLow Elves trying to survive."
Maybe that was true, but he didn't know. He's barely even had time to adjust to this world.
"Iâ" Leo began, but stopped.
"I hate you even more than those adventurers," she sneered.
A hand tore through his chest, crushing his heart.
The elf girl turned and left.
A small chuckle left his lips. Is it really that bad? If everything he did was hated, he might as well do it deliberately at this point.
He turned on his heel, walking towards the Guild's door.