Runes - A Tale Of The Abyss 50 Chapter 45 - Descent Of The Troll King

Griff was sitting beneath a lone tree in the middle of the route leading back to Alfrum. The demi human girl had started to get restless and stopped there, so Griff decided to entertain the idea.

Griff sighed as he folded his arms and rested against the tree.

"Okay. What do you wanna know."

"First of all who the h.e.l.l are you."

"I'm Griff. Just plain Griff. I'm an adventurer from Alfrum."

She narrowed her eyes and tried to continue but Griff clicked his tongue.

"You haven't told me your name?"

"...Call me Sylvie."

She said with a whisper. She cleared her throat.

"Now why did you save me? Do you want me to be your slave? I'll give my body to you for a week if this is what you wanted... but I'm not owing any favors."

[Hm. I think this points out how out of place you are acting?]

'Oh you shut up. I know you're having fun.'

Caphriel giggled through Griff's mind.

Griff sighed and shook his head.

"Believe me when I say I honestly could care less about you after you attacked me. Why I saved you is more of a flaw I have. I'm soft no matter what I go through, and it's annoying."

[Ohoho. Trying to act cool I see.]

Griff's right eye twitched slightly hearing that but he didn't respond.

"How come you know I won't backstab you then? You might have some strength but with a mind like that you're getting no where."

"Sheesh woman. I get it. Look I'm not some charity, and if you insist I won't be nice."

Sylvie raised her left eyebrow questioningly as she folded her arms.

"...you'll become my partner."

Suddenly Caphriel who has having a laughing fit stopped and shouted through his head.

[WHAAAA]

"EEEEEEEH?!"

Sylvie joined her.

'Welp. Should have expected that reaction.'

[ARE YOU OUT OF YO G.o.d d.a.m.n MIND?! SHE OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T TRUST YOU AND IMPLIED YOUR GUARD IS DOWN!]

'That's not necessarily bad though... think about i-'

His thought was interrupted as Sylvie grunted and sat down face palming herself.

"I tried to kill you, you f.u.c.king pipsqueak."

"Yet you didn't"

"I told you I can backstab you anytime."

"Then why didn't you?"

She sighed.

"This isn't getting anywhere. I'll... just pay you twice the amount you payed the village head when I get the cash. Sheesh. I haven't met a lunatic like you in ages."

Griff smiled.

"Well thanks!"

[That was an insult you dolt.]

'I know. Just feel like teasing her.'

"Just... urgh. Okay let's go to this Alfrum something city."

Griff stood up and dusted his pants.

"Yup. You can see you're not gonna get the answers you want from me."

"You're d.a.m.n right you weirdo."

She started walking ahead with her hands inside the pockets of her rag tag clothing. It was a miracle that horribly sewn leather fabric was still holding together.

[Okay. Tell me now. Why did you even bother with her really... I want the truth.]

'Well... I think this is more of helping myself than her. I saw myself in her when I was in... some bad place.'

[Self-fulfillment. Heh. At least you're not completely soft.]

Griff shrugged.

'I try my best, but hey I'm just a kid as you said. It's hard.'

———————————————————————

A couple hours later the gates of Alfrum could be seen.

Sylvie had been walking ahead for hours now.

"Heyy! Come on. You chilled yet?"

Sylvie simply rolled her eyes at Griff's antics.

The whole beauty of the city of Alfrum was in vision now. The floating buildings where the merchants resided and the lower city where the common-folk and adventurers did.

"Welcome to Alfrum!"

He gestured enthusiastically at his current home. Sylvie was, however, unimpressed? However... that wasn't what bugged Griff. There were a lot more guards at the gates.

'That's odd.'

The guards walked up to greet them.

"Resident?"

Griff took out his guild card and handed it.

"Great... thank G.o.d, we thought we were-"

Another guard shook his head at the guard who was talking.

"If you don't have anything urgent head to the guild kid. It's important."

Griff nodded.

[Looks like something interesting is going on...]

"And the...demi?"

"Huh? You mean Sylvie?"

The guardsmen kept their distance from her.

"She's with me..."

[Just say Guild Business. Not everyone likes demi-humans.]

"Guild business."

"...we'll let her through this time."

He nodded and quickly pulled Sylvie's arm, and started running.

"What about the horse?!"

The guards shouted in confusion.

"I'll be back later!!"

"Hey! What the h.e.l.l do you think you're doing? Let me go."

"Later. It seems we don't have time. Something happened..."

Sylvie opened her mouth to protest but gave up. She internally thought '...this kid is a handful.'

The guild hall was standing strong in the middle of the town in all its glory. Griff quickly barged through the doors.

Inside was chaotic. Not a joyful chaos but the tension could be seen. Adventurers checking their gears, newbies being scolded... receptionists being bombarded by questions.

"What in the-"

"Griff! Is that you? Get over here!"

It was Reiner. He was putting on a gauntlet, and his sister Rin was helping him hoist his armor on.

Griff pulled Sylvie after him. No one still noticed her from the chaos.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on here! It's like we're heading to war."

Reiner started to put on the other gauntlet with grit teeth. His short hair was messy.

"Because we are..."

Rin quickly interjected.

"The Troll King has descended."

Troll King...

'I heard that somewhere... no I read it...'

"Wait... Truck the Troll King?"

"Looks like you know your stuff. He's marching towards Alfrum. Because we're one of the border cities of Kulva to the mountain range we're expected to defend this place... d.a.m.n politics..."

"What she's trying to say that since this is the only city that a n.o.ble doesn't rule and merchants rule, we aren't getting any help. It will take at least a week for the capitol to send reinforcements too..."

"Wait a second. Calm down both of you. I still don't get how one Troll is a menace to an entire city of adventurers."

"...we don't know too exactly but... that old mage, Alatar. He told it to Master Leebus. He knows more, but they did say they'd explain everything soon."

Griff sighed and facepalmed.

'Just when I got out of one s.h.i.+tty situation.'

[It won't be the last kiddo! Hey! Cheer up. I'm going to keep my side of the deal. This is a perfect opportunity for you to learn more about your magic. The best way to learn is practice after all!]

'Weeeelll... yeah you got a point.'

"Wait wait wait."

Rin suddenly spoke up. The young mage looked sort of...p.i.s.sed?

"Who the h.e.l.l is she? And why did you bring a demi here? WHERE DID YOU EVEN FIND HER?!"

She was pointing at Sylvia, who simply folded her arms and looked smugly.

"That's what I'd like to know."

She said.

'Ah s.h.i.+t here we go again.'

[Pfft. For a brat you ain't half bad...]