Remnant of Iron - Chapter 4: The Rat (Alt.)

The road fare better on the warm light of the sun. Far from the cold winters of death, the lonely Crimsonier, Aviel Amion, had been on a long journey, liberated and unchallenged with his new found freedom. He could get use to the lifestyle without the Masters to tie him down, following his own path rather to follow others.

Days ever since Amion slew a group of vile, bestial beasts of blackguards from the camp, he cannot help but wonder of the brown rodent, rescued and wounded and left alone to its fate. He slightly regretted over the decision, but whatever choices that were made it didn’t matter in the end. The only choice was that he had to live with it, moving forward among the many bad decisions from the past.

Although the brown rodent could have survive the injuries, Amion wasn’t well sure to be the case.

Amion looted the campsite with much food and supplies that would last him for a week. Along with a sum of wealth and jewelry, he pilfered a fine set armor with a full wolfen helmet to hide his identity.

Amion came with a realization that the Order was gone, completely destroyed by his enemies. Without proper tools or procedure to perform a new Order from scratch, the chance for success was close to zero, minimum at best. Still however, if such a chance was possible, to restart and renew the Order, he wanted no part of it. He cannot support a group that was built by lies and deceit to send thousands of devoted disciples to slaughter.

By one of the many rights of defiance, Amion surrendered his red garments and burned it to ash. He would disguise himself as a mere common mercenary wolf, hiding among the populace without the fear or suspicion of his appearance. Yet in order to mingle with the crowd, he must come to understand of the world and their inhabitants.

Throughout the miles across the land, Amion first observed a unified nation with a wide array of beasts. From every shape and size, peasants, nobles and merchants displayed a grand degree of humanlike qualities, practicing an outdated system that span in the old age. Among the many animal folk, there were some species that held the most influence.

Amion came to cross the colors of the banner, four great clans that made the nation whole. From the four, there was the Rabbit, the Bear, the Wolf and the Rat. Other species of the less remain unimportant in the mix.

The banner of the Rabbit had a distinct yellow with two of its kin grasp upon the flag. Suggesting otherwise by the traits of an animal, Amion would have to guess the rabbits to be mere diggers, builders of the stone and likely seekers to expand their territory underneath the soil.

The banner of the Bear had a pleasant green with a single creature, holding a flowery staff and two strange symbols from each side. The first on the right shaped like a tree while the other left was the sun. Amion pondered by the definition of the banner, but he could suspect that the bears held much care for nature.

The banner of the Wolf had a daunting blue with a ferocious beast in the center. There was nothing else to say about the wolves. Amion had seen countless lords, countless armies and countless worthless fools in his homeland, adopting the same animal as a symbol of power. In truth, he was quite tired of men cast wolves as there banner, unoriginal and pathetic. He would suspect the actual wolves in the land to be different, strong and ruthless with efficient drive.

The last banner of the Great Four was a Rat, vibrant red as the wine, with its kin in the middle, balancing on a round object, holding a thorn-flower with its paw while the other a sword with its tail. Amion felt some sort of deja vu the longer he stare at the banner. The description of the banner was definite. They were a group of deceptive, untrustworthy party, thieves and cutthroats with flowery words to gain from others. The compatibility between the Crimsoniers and the Rats was most eerily creepy.

While Amion understood on the who, the where and the what to expect in the kingdom, the question of the matter was the how. He met a hasty raccoon the other day, running on the road with a pouch full of letters. When the creature spoke, it had a sharp, distinct language that he could neither understand or give response to.

Amion remained absolutely silent, unbothered to make a reaction before the hasty raccoon scurried far along the road. He would have guess the raccoon desire for some direction, but how was he suppose to do that when he doesn’t know a single word of the land.

An average person might take months, even years to fully understand the native tongue. Fortunately for him, a Crimsonier would accomplish the task in less than a month.

One of the many benefits of a Crimsonier was their innate talent to translate other languages at an impeccable rate. Credited by the powers of the stone called the Heart, they became whisperers of a hundred worlds and grand polyglots to the Scarlet Order. While they served with distinction as emissaries and diplomats, they served as undercover agents, spies and saboteurs, to undermine rivals and enemies. Masters of the Flame as well as Masters of Subterfuge.

It was the entire week that Amion spend his time on the land, listening and hearing several conversations to understand their language, incorporating the tongue onto his own. He started with small words, common repetitive phrases from the animal folk that he imitated. Soon those words turned to sentences, turned to paragraphs until to speeches.

Amion’s confidence grew and grew before he could make a small conversation with some of the animal folk. At the end of the week, along with his supplies, he almost perfected their language, their Armellian tongue. With clarity, he was bold and ready to make his next step. He eyed at a nearby village, a town called Blueberry just at the outskirt in the distant.

There were several centers of civilization along in his trip, but he mostly avoided them due to his inefficient practice of the language.

With surety, Amion marched straight for the town to try and test his new language.

-----

Just at the front gate there was a tremendous roar from the town, bustled with life and wonder. From colorful sounds to every street, the town was overflow with energy, abundant enough for every animal, new or old, far or near, to come seek on their random, important agenda.

Amion’s perfect disguise among the animals worked like a charm. Outfitted as a common mercenary, he manage to pass through the front gate without rousing suspicion. He safely made his way where it was least crowded to stumble upon a tavern. There was a sign dangling outside of the building that had the name of the tavern. He didn’t bother reading the sign.

Although Amion was able to speak to the animals without a problem, his difficulty on reading such as signs or letters was a grain of salt. He wasn’t the most adaptable reader than the rest of the Crimsoniers, with them being able to read and write and speak at an inhumane feat. Still, the disadvantage didn’t bother him at all and went inside of the tavern.

The tavern inside wasn’t grand or even special altogether. The place was decent, clean but kinda average like any taverns with customers at the corner, drinking, laughing and brooding in their seat. Amion felt suspicious glares from some of the animals. He paid little to no mind of them.

“Welcome to the Lucky Foot, stranger?” A random voice called out to him.

Amion turned his focus to meet the owner of the establishment. Behind the bar was a brown rodent, a tavern keeper, wearing a simple dress of gold with hair tied behind her back.

The rodent lady made a pleasant smile. “Can I get you anything, darling?”

“Not at the moment.” Amion replied. “Although I do need some information regarding some supplies for the journey.”

“A journey, you say? My, my, you must be the busy type of sort. Where are you heading off to?”

“Just wherever the path take lead me.”

“So you’re a wanderer then? You must have some good stories in your trip.”

Amion made a light chuckle “Nothing but the ordinary, my dear, but if I did I’ll tell you about it.”

The rodent lady smiled in return. “I cannot wait to hear it. If you are looking for some supplies there is a nice place just a couple of blocks ahead. They sell at a fair discount. Also check out on a store from the hill. I hear the potion sell a mean kind of goods.”

Amion appreciated of the advice. “You are but too kind.”

The rodent lady shrugged playfully. “Meh, just helping out anyone who needed the assistance. Us adventurers needed to stick out together, you know.”

“Ah, an adventurer. Cannot wait to hear yours.”

“Like you said…nothing but the ordinary. Now get out of here, you.” The rodent lady gestured, shooing him away. “I’ve customers to attend to. You’re wasting time and money.”

Amion slightly bowed and exited the tavern on good terms. He then later heeded the advice of the tavern keeper to head straight for the supplier. The information was gold. The supplier, a merchant badger, had just what he needed at a considerable and fair price. He bought the supplies with gold that he looted from the blackguard camp.

With his purpose fulfilled, Amion headed toward to the hill that was suggested by the pig-tailed rodent lady. He was indeed curious to what the Potion Seller had to offer and wasted no time on his next destination.

-----

The shop on the hill was far from remote of the town with little to no contact. At first, Amion thought the trip to be a joke and that the information was outright false, but as he reach to the top of the hill his suspicion cease to exist.
There were a couple of customers just outside of the shop, returning back to the town with a bag of several vials. Amion couldn’t deny that the customers were satisfied in their transaction.

Amion entered the shop to find the shop to be full of bottles and vials, unique, but strange in its own right. From different types of color up to shape and size, the shop had a remarkable collection. He had no idea what was written on the label though.

“Can I help you, sir?”

Amion heard a small voice and craned his head down to find an adorable deer, a beastie, wearing green clothes with a red flower behind its ear. He had to admit that he did not suspect a small creature to be the owner of the shop.

“Are you by chance the owner of the shop?” Amion asked, kneeling down to meet eye contact.

The small deer smiled and nodded. “The one and only. Langsat is my name and don’t wear it out. How can I help you today, sir…?”

“Amion, little one. I’ve been told that this is where I could buy your strongest potion. Is that true?”

“Indeed, good sir, indeed you are correct!” Langsat the deer winked. “We had the best of the best among the rest. Nothing could beat us in our game.”

Amion smiled and stood up on his feet to check on one of the bottle. “I am glad to hear that. Potion Seller, I am going on a journey and I want your strongest potion.”

Langsat mood shifted unexpectedly from being kind and cheerful to being serious and observant. She observed at the person in front of her, wearing plated armor behind a wolfen mask. “Hmm, my potions are too strong for you, traveler.”

Amion paused and turned at her with an arch eyebrow. “Potion Seller, I tell you I am going on a journey,and I want only your strongest potions.”

Langsat sadly sighed and shook her head, jumping at an empty to meet eye contact. “You can’t handle my potions. They’re too strong for you.”

Amion couldn’t help but to chuckle in silent. He knew that shop owner was playing a joke. “Potion Seller, listen to me; I want only your strongest potion. Isn’t it more than I ask for?”

“My potions would kill you, sir Amion. You cannot handle my potions.” Langsat said with a serious look on her face.

Amion was beginning to doubt that the shop owner wasn’t kidding at all. “Alright, enough of these games, Potion Seller. I’m going on a journey, far than I could ever known. I just want to know of your strongest potion.”

“My strongest potions would kill you, traveler.” Langsat boldly declared, quick upon her decision. “You can’t handle my strongest potions. You’d better go to a seller that sells weaker potions!”

Amion cannot believe what he was hearing. Earlier, the deer was about to offer the best deal at hand only to be rebuffed by her refusal. “Potion Seller! I’m minding you right now; I’m going to a far away place and I need your strongest potions!”

“You don’t know what you ask, traveler!” Langsat stomped her hoof on the table. “My strongest potions will kill a dragon let alone a man. You need a seller that sells weaker potions, because my potions are too strong!”

Amion wondered what was inside of the potions. “Potion Seller, I’m telling you this right now that I need your strongest potions! I’m going into a dangerous peril that I may or not come back. I need your strongest potions!”

“You can’t handle my potion strongest potions!” Langsat raised her voice, glaring at him with angry expression. “No one can! My strongest potions are fit for a God let alone a man.”

Amion was at a bind, lost and confused of the owner’s peculiar attempt. He then decided to try a different tactic. “Potion Seller, please tell me, what must I do to get your potions? Why won’t you trust me with your strongest potions, Potion Seller? I have need of them if I am to be successful on the long roads ahead!”

“And I can’t give you my strongest potions because my strongest potions are only for the strongest beings and you are the weakest.”

That was the final straw for Amion. Back from his mind, he could just kill the deer and take whatever he want just like the one back at the blackguard camp. During the war, the Order would execute anyone who show disobedience, making an example to anyone that show defiance or rebellion.

Amion was this very close on killing the deer at the spot, but stayed his hand and chose a different route. “Guess that’s it then, Potion Seller. I’ll go elsewhere. I’ll go elsewhere for my potions.”

Langsat jumped out from the table and pushed the customer’s leg toward the exit. “T-that’s what you’d better do.”

Amion couldn’t help but smile at the little deer. No matter how much he wanted to kill her, he couldn’t do it against such an adorable face like that. He quickly turned to the exit. “I’ll go elsewhere for my potions and I won’t come back.”

Langsat smiled triumphantly. “Good. You’re not welcome here! My potions are only for the strongest and you’re clearly are not of the strongest…you’re clearly the weakest!”

“You’ve had your say, Potion Seller, but I shall have mine.” Amion said without looking at the deer. “You are a rascal with no respect for customers. No respect for anything…except your potions!”

Langsat glared as the man left the shop. “Why respect customers? When my potions can do anything that you can…”

The potion shop was but a fare distant dot as Amion descended towards to the town. He had nothing to say after that. It was a strange and bizarre experience that would keep in his mind for a week.

-----

Langsat the mouse deer was at the entrance of the shop, watching of the man called Amion vanish from the distant. She felt a race of adrenaline and stumbled into the ground. She could hear her heart pound madly after her cheap performance.

When the deer manage to control of her composure, she went back inside and raised her voice. “You can come out now. The stranger is gone.”

For a moment there was only silence before a door from the opposite end creaked open. Out from the door was a brown rodent, dressed in a stylish red and white attire made out of the finest silk.

Langsat breathed in and out. “You are right. He’s definitely an odd one. He didn’t even read the labels from the bottle. Either the wolf couldn’t read or not bright at all. I mean, whoever heard of a wolf to come at a shop to buy vials of poison?”

The noble rodent mischievously smiled. “And who did you say it was a wolf to begin with?”

Langsat arched an eyebrow. “What are you saying? You think he’s someone under disguise?”

“Another good theory, but tell me this? Have you notice that this person doesn’t have a tail?”

Langsat paused for a moment, but before long she came to a startling conclusion. “Oh. Oh my goodness.”

“I believe I have found my guy.” The noble rodent tossed a bag of gold and took a bottle from the shelf. “You don’t mind if I take this, would you?”

Langsat didn’t oppose, still shock over it all.

The noble rodent thanked the potion seller and left without a word. It had taken a great deal of time and coin to find the stranger, searching him for days across the land. But finally, at last, its effort was rewarded.

The rodent had found the one person that it was looking for, and it was high time for a visit.