"It is by no means an exaggeration to state that the impact Tunphor has had on the general populous still remains strong to this day. Verily he has become a household name with many a tale having been written of his grand feats across the continent, however, little is known of him prior to his benedictio militis by Alexandre The Faithful. Ergo, he remains ever the enigmatic figure in history, with many Seekers having debated of his very existence. From Serum's Brevis Historia to Horris' Chronica Zwelbanneir, his exclusion in the former and his inclusion in the latter serve to show us the polarising opinions this Hero has continued to accrue over the years. This is only compounded by the silence on the end of the Royal Family as they seek not to give an ounce of extra information in regards to their famed Hero. To cite my predecessor: '[Tunphor's] existence shall continue to infuriate me to no end, and the Royal Family must surely revel in my displeasure.'
[...]
Be it as it may, his story shall remain forever etched in the hearts of the people, and especially to those who dream of taking up the Path of the Warrior. What he represents, whether or not he is real or simply a fictitious character, an individual or a group, will always be the absolute pinnacle of the sword. After all, perhaps in honor of his greatest tale, many have aspired to—and will continue to— once again rend asunder the very heavens with their very own sword."
- Excerpt from Seeker of Devotion. "On Tunphor: The Elusory Blade" In Search of a Hero, pp. 41.
* * *
Finn had never had a job before.
As such, the situation at hand presented him with a newfound conundrum.
He was faced with a surprise job interview; one he was ill-prepared for.
The boy was blind-sided by the prospects of free nourishment and the confidence emitted by his peer.
But how much weight can the mere words of Isaac have on the others? Though he was several years older than Finn, Isaac was not yet an adult.
And from his own perspective, Finn held nothing of value to this prospective employer. His eyes trembled slightly at the thought.
Shaking away that thought, Finn looked around him.
The commotion in the inn had long since settled down.
The chairs, which had been strewn across the floor without any care, now sat upright and rigid. The interior no longer housed the boisterous atmosphere of which was accompanied by the loud voices of its guests, instead, what laid before Finn was an eerie stillness.
The mugs, containers of zealousness itself and the essence of joy for many, were now to be left on the tables; the golden liquid found within them had been long emptied and so the vessels found themselves bereft of purpose, the silver handles reflected now only a dismal light.
Statues sat neatly upon the chairs.
Finn looked to his left, where Isaac stood.
He looked unperturbed, to say the least, and had motioned for the three of them to continue forward.
As they pressed on, towards the counter of the inn, the peering eyes of statues followed their every movement.
Finn felt the stares upon his back, but forced his legs to move forward.
Eventually, the trio reached the counter.
The scar-faced man was now tending to the cutlery on the counter. He paid no heed to the newcomers, his back was turned and his gaze utterly focused on bringing nothing less than a pristine condition to the utensils.
The fierce looking woman was sitting in front of the counter, and in her arms was a mug still filled to the brim with liquor.
"Oh? You've gone and missed the best part of the show Isaac. Where'd you scurry off this time?"
Her eyes scanned lazily over the trio. It appeared she was much more invested in the drink than the visitors.
"Nothing much, the results matter little to me anyway. But I've come back with a proposal that is much to your interest, boss."
"Involves this brat, I presume? Cut to the chase, Isaac. You know I hate it when people beat around the bush, reminds me of those nobles and their little games."
Her gaze landed squarely on Finn, just this mere cursory glance caused him to take a step backward. His body screamed to him—run.
"Sharp as always, boss. Let's take this kid under our wing, he's got talent, that I can assure."
Isaac patted Finn's shoulder.
"Really? I trust your judgement Isaac, but don't you think we already have enough on our plates as is? Don't overstep your position, Isaac."
"Haha, how could I possibly think of overstepping? I will very much so respect your decision, its just that one of them would be... regrettable, boss."
"You've grown a spine when I wasn't looking, Isaac. D'you see yourself in this brat?"
The two continued their conversation, the contents of it were light and the words flowed with ease, but Finn could feel the pressure that exuded from both parties.
"Both of you should stop."
The scar-faced man had spoke, cutlery could now be seen neatly arranged next to him.
"Tch."
"Don't look so upset now, boss. Since it looks like you don't think this kid's the real deal, I've got just the idea that'll make sure you'll see this hidden diamond we've managed to dig up."
"And just what is that idea, our dear Isaac?"
Isaac smirked.
"A duel."
The woman had now put down the mug.