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Description
I stepped inside the bar. Tarika didn't look much worried for the fact that Safire wasn't accompanying me. But I bet she could tell by my face that I did indeed find him.
"So he wasn't bothered coming in here, am I right?" she guessed it perfectly, as I expected.
I didn't reply to her. I didn't have to.
"Yeah, I thought so." she sighed, as I walked over to the front table she was currently cleaning and then I sat on the closest seat to the ginger wooden wall.
Aliana and Vath and a few casuals were in the room, drinking whatever the short-haired woman gave them.
"I can't believe you gave alcohol to that soak-face." I pointed my chin at the redhead, who stuck out his tongue as soon as he heard his nickname.
I still remember when one time he was so drunk he passed out on the floor and Aliana had to get Safire to drag him out of the Jewel up to his house and babysit him for hours. Everyone in the Nightshade wouldn't stop the chatter about it for at least two weeks. What a drunkie. I would never trust him with the alcohol, you'd only blink your eyes and he'd be on his tenth one.
"You want some too?" she smiled.
Good reflex.
"With pleasure." I smiled back.
The bar-woman walked to the shelves and put out a glass and a bottle of something. She filled the glass with the lemon-like liquid and then rushed to me with it.
I first sniffed it and then took a sip. White wine. Ma préféré personnelle.
"Oh, you're too kind." I smirked at her and so did she, then left.

It was late, and there was only me, Aliana, Vath, Tarika and some random man present in the bar. I moved to Vath and Aliana's table and just drunk my wine silently as the two had a small talk about Tarika's alcohol sources. The subject of the conversation didn't seem much interested in it, instead she began to place all the clean cups and the drinks back where they were supposed to be.
Out of the blue, Safire appeared at the doors. Tarika didn't notice him until she heard him approaching towards our drunks' table.
"Well well, look who honoured us by their presence."
So it begins...
The blonde grimaced but he snapped her off shortly.
"I can go away anytime." that didn't sound like a joke.
Tarika put a sad face, filled with hope that he was only saying that so she would just back off with the comments.
"Safire... Please don't." she begged him.
He didn't response but sat at the table next to Aliana.
We all knew what he was capable of. A few months ago he just left all of a sudden and no one knew anything about it. He wouldn't come back for weeks. Nobody knew where he went to, what was he doing and when or if he was going to come back. He left Aliana in despair, she didn't sleep a wink for the time he was away, we found her crying over nights, praying he's okay. The other times he only vanished for days, a max of a week. But at that time, we were all terrified of what might have happened to him. Callyn and Soto desperately wanted him back and sued us to go look for him. And we did look for him, miles and miles away from Nightshade and never found him. We were hopeless. Just when we were about to give up on our researches, he simply showed up at the Blue Jewel. Tarika shouted at him for hours and days, trying to get the information out of him. But he never told us where he went and why. One of Safire's big mysteries he's probably gonna bury himself with.
I came over to the bar-woman and demanded another glass of wine. She took my glass and poured the liquid in. I only managed to take one sip of it before she opened her mouth to ask me for something.
"Rushia, would you mind and run up to the Orphans' Shelter to check on the kids?"
I groaned a little but accepted the request. I turned my back on Tarika, walked away, put my glass on one of the second last tables and then ran out of the bar.

The Orphans' Shelter wasn't that far from the Jewel, only about two or three houses away. I looked at the red-glowing letters imprinted on an iron oval, hanging near the door of the two-storey house. That was a masterpiece to me, create a banner out of metal, then carve the sign on it and make the magic interact with it, to make it glow any colour that was currently needed. I have no idea how to make the colours you wanted, probably potions though. I walked inside the hideout.
Out of about thirty beds in the first level, only two were taken. By Callyn and Soto. This used to be a full-house back in a few years’ time. The upstairs which had fifteen beds in total, were full during that time too. Some kids were adopted by kind adventurers who were on their voyages. But those who weren't as lucky had a different option. When the kids reached the age of fourteen, they were no longer recognised as children but as grown-ups and could take care of themselves, so they had to leave the Orphans' Shelter and start a new, and also a possibly better life. All of the grown-ups who got out that way, had to go for a journey or commonly known as 'The Early Pilgrimage'. The Early Pilgrimage is a practise that only the orphaned children who haven't been adopted are expected to do. They need to prove that they are independent, so they go on an expedition for three years or less and achieve something worthy during that time, then come back to their hometown and show the proof to the village's representatives. If they fail, they come back to their hometown anyway and as a form of punishment, they are bound to stay there for six years, can't get married or afford any weapons during that time. Orphans have a harsh life as soon as they lose their parents but then again to me, it seems a lot more adventurous.
I've never experienced how it is going on such a journey, though I was supposed to. Eight years back, all the adults were asked to leave and join the army, leaving their kids behind with the elders. None of us was expected to go, we had to stay. Unless all the elders died, which was possible in our village, since the only elder left was the Old Mother Ahiel. But she only passed away when I was fifteen. The only way you get to go, is when your parents die or leave before you're fourteen and you're not bound to stay with the elderly. The only person I know personally that went on The Early Pilgrimage was Aliana. She killed a bear herself, brought its head with an arrow in its eye as a proof and therefore achieved something worthy.
I looked at sleeping Callyn and Soto, the orphaned siblings. They won't go on the journey either, unless Tarika goes on some sort of a voyage but that's unlikely. She would probably never leave the bar, so all the kids she might also adopt in future will be staying with her.

I walked out of the Orphans' Shelter and headed towards the Blue Jewel. Firstly, I saw the bar-woman washing the cups. I nodded at her to acknowledge her that the kids are fine. The next thing I did was to look for my abandoned glass of wine I left five minutes ago. When I found it where I left it, reckless, I took it and drank some. But the wine didn't taste like it. For the first time after drinking, I felt dizzy. I gazed at the contents of my glass. I swear I could see some undissolved white powder. The last thing I could do consciously was to set the glass on the table. Then I faltered. My vision became darker and darker with every second. I was stunned, but I could somewhat hear Aliana calling. I think it was to help me. Safire rushed to me and caught me just before I hit the floor. Tarika, Aliana and Vath reached me soon. They were talking to me but I couldn't hear them. Lying in Safire's arms, dazed, I only made one conclusion of what has just happened.
"The man." I tried to say, but I couldn't hear myself, I wonder if I said anything, "He poisoned the wine. Find him."
Whatever I managed to say it had to be enough.
I couldn't say more. My vision became black.
I passed out.

Description
I stepped inside the bar. Tarika didn't look much worried for the fact that Safire wasn't accompanying me. But I bet she could tell by my face that I did indeed find him.
"So he wasn't bothered coming in here, am I right?" she guessed it perfectly, as I expected.
I didn't reply to her. I didn't have to.
"Yeah, I thought so." she sighed, as I walked over to the front table she was currently cleaning and then I sat on the closest seat to the ginger wooden wall.
Aliana and Vath and a few casuals were in the room, drinking whatever the short-haired woman gave them.
"I can't believe you gave alcohol to that soak-face." I pointed my chin at the redhead, who stuck out his tongue as soon as he heard his nickname.
I still remember when one time he was so drunk he passed out on the floor and Aliana had to get Safire to drag him out of the Jewel up to his house and babysit him for hours. Everyone in the Nightshade wouldn't stop the chatter about it for at least two weeks. What a drunkie. I would never trust him with the alcohol, you'd only blink your eyes and he'd be on his tenth one.
"You want some too?" she smiled.
Good reflex.
"With pleasure." I smiled back.
The bar-woman walked to the shelves and put out a glass and a bottle of something. She filled the glass with the lemon-like liquid and then rushed to me with it.
I first sniffed it and then took a sip. White wine. Ma préféré personnelle.
"Oh, you're too kind." I smirked at her and so did she, then left.

It was late, and there was only me, Aliana, Vath, Tarika and some random man present in the bar. I moved to Vath and Aliana's table and just drunk my wine silently as the two had a small talk about Tarika's alcohol sources. The subject of the conversation didn't seem much interested in it, instead she began to place all the clean cups and the drinks back where they were supposed to be.
Out of the blue, Safire appeared at the doors. Tarika didn't notice him until she heard him approaching towards our drunks' table.
"Well well, look who honoured us by their presence."
So it begins...
The blonde grimaced but he snapped her off shortly.
"I can go away anytime." that didn't sound like a joke.
Tarika put a sad face, filled with hope that he was only saying that so she would just back off with the comments.
"Safire... Please don't." she begged him.
He didn't response but sat at the table next to Aliana.
We all knew what he was capable of. A few months ago he just left all of a sudden and no one knew anything about it. He wouldn't come back for weeks. Nobody knew where he went to, what was he doing and when or if he was going to come back. He left Aliana in despair, she didn't sleep a wink for the time he was away, we found her crying over nights, praying he's okay. The other times he only vanished for days, a max of a week. But at that time, we were all terrified of what might have happened to him. Callyn and Soto desperately wanted him back and sued us to go look for him. And we did look for him, miles and miles away from Nightshade and never found him. We were hopeless. Just when we were about to give up on our researches, he simply showed up at the Blue Jewel. Tarika shouted at him for hours and days, trying to get the information out of him. But he never told us where he went and why. One of Safire's big mysteries he's probably gonna bury himself with.
I came over to the bar-woman and demanded another glass of wine. She took my glass and poured the liquid in. I only managed to take one sip of it before she opened her mouth to ask me for something.
"Rushia, would you mind and run up to the Orphans' Shelter to check on the kids?"
I groaned a little but accepted the request. I turned my back on Tarika, walked away, put my glass on one of the second last tables and then ran out of the bar.

The Orphans' Shelter wasn't that far from the Jewel, only about two or three houses away. I looked at the red-glowing letters imprinted on an iron oval, hanging near the door of the two-storey house. That was a masterpiece to me, create a banner out of metal, then carve the sign on it and make the magic interact with it, to make it glow any colour that was currently needed. I have no idea how to make the colours you wanted, probably potions though. I walked inside the hideout.
Out of about thirty beds in the first level, only two were taken. By Callyn and Soto. This used to be a full-house back in a few years’ time. The upstairs which had fifteen beds in total, were full during that time too. Some kids were adopted by kind adventurers who were on their voyages. But those who weren't as lucky had a different option. When the kids reached the age of fourteen, they were no longer recognised as children but as grown-ups and could take care of themselves, so they had to leave the Orphans' Shelter and start a new, and also a possibly better life. All of the grown-ups who got out that way, had to go for a journey or commonly known as 'The Early Pilgrimage'. The Early Pilgrimage is a practise that only the orphaned children who haven't been adopted are expected to do. They need to prove that they are independent, so they go on an expedition for three years or less and achieve something worthy during that time, then come back to their hometown and show the proof to the village's representatives. If they fail, they come back to their hometown anyway and as a form of punishment, they are bound to stay there for six years, can't get married or afford any weapons during that time. Orphans have a harsh life as soon as they lose their parents but then again to me, it seems a lot more adventurous.
I've never experienced how it is going on such a journey, though I was supposed to. Eight years back, all the adults were asked to leave and join the army, leaving their kids behind with the elders. None of us was expected to go, we had to stay. Unless all the elders died, which was possible in our village, since the only elder left was the Old Mother Ahiel. But she only passed away when I was fifteen. The only way you get to go, is when your parents die or leave before you're fourteen and you're not bound to stay with the elderly. The only person I know personally that went on The Early Pilgrimage was Aliana. She killed a bear herself, brought its head with an arrow in its eye as a proof and therefore achieved something worthy.
I looked at sleeping Callyn and Soto, the orphaned siblings. They won't go on the journey either, unless Tarika goes on some sort of a voyage but that's unlikely. She would probably never leave the bar, so all the kids she might also adopt in future will be staying with her.

I walked out of the Orphans' Shelter and headed towards the Blue Jewel. Firstly, I saw the bar-woman washing the cups. I nodded at her to acknowledge her that the kids are fine. The next thing I did was to look for my abandoned glass of wine I left five minutes ago. When I found it where I left it, reckless, I took it and drank some. But the wine didn't taste like it. For the first time after drinking, I felt dizzy. I gazed at the contents of my glass. I swear I could see some undissolved white powder. The last thing I could do consciously was to set the glass on the table. Then I faltered. My vision became darker and darker with every second. I was stunned, but I could somewhat hear Aliana calling. I think it was to help me. Safire rushed to me and caught me just before I hit the floor. Tarika, Aliana and Vath reached me soon. They were talking to me but I couldn't hear them. Lying in Safire's arms, dazed, I only made one conclusion of what has just happened.
"The man." I tried to say, but I couldn't hear myself, I wonder if I said anything, "He poisoned the wine. Find him."
Whatever I managed to say it had to be enough.
I couldn't say more. My vision became black.
I passed out.