Laudis woke up from a deep sleep. He hadn't met Will. The sun was shining through the window. The youth checked the time on his watch. It was nine minutes past seven. He noticed a figure sleeping on the chair. It was Udania. She decided to watch over him for the night. The woman was concerned about his well-being after he coughed with blood. Despite knowing him for less than two weeks, she already had an unusual bond with him. Not a romantic one, perhaps more like he was her younger brother. The boy didn't understand her motive, he just couldn't comprehend it. How could a person care about a stranger? He knew what empathy was, yet he lacked it. He slicked back his hair and tried to put on the eye-patch. Suddenly he felt someone's warm touch.
"You don't need to be ashamed of it. No one is perfect. I don't think it is beneficial for you to wear it. People will wonder more when they see a guy with a covered eye," she said, holding his right hand.
"That's pretty ironic coming from you. I know nothing about beauty standards, but I guess you are attractive. It's the same as the smith wondering why a crippled man hates his life. How a man with a wife, children, a well-paid job, and a house understand his struggles? Do you think I care about my looks? When I didn't wear the eye-patch everyone was too scared to talk to me. Mothers were pulling away their children, so I wouldn't eat them. People were pointing at me and whispering. You just can't comprehend what it means to be an outsider. The one without any friends, family, or anyone to rely on. The vampire, child eater, monster, devil, demon, and the freak of nature. Did you ever wonder how I felt? How it feels to be alone? How it feels to know that I don't have anyone to help me? I hate myself, I really do. Sometimes I just want to end it all, but something stops me. I just want to be accepted. I just want to be tolerated. I just want to be someone else's background. So can you answer me? How can you really understand me?" replied Laudis, looking at the floor. He wanted to focus solely on the words and not the surroundings. His empty eyes filled with melancholy.
"I can't, but I will try to. I don't need to know you to help you. I know you had a hard life. If something bothers you just say so. I really like you, Laudis," she responded with a true smile.
"You like me? Aren't I... too young for you?" he replied with a raised eyebrow.
"NO! It's not what I meant. I don't mean I don't like you, but I don't like like you. You know romantically. I don't want to have that kind of relationship with you, unless you want to. Just forget the last part. I want to become an acquaintance with you. Do you accept it?" the female said, blushing. She was embarrassed by the misunderstanding, despite her age she didn't have a single boyfriend yet.
"I know, I was joking. Shall we join the rest?"
"Yeah..."
They left the room and joined the rest of the Crusaders. They were sitting with a map of Mundusia. It wasn't an official one. The No Man's Land was named the Vampire Empire, which wasn't a custom in any of the countries.
"You finally joined us, newbie. You don't need the eye-patch anymore?" said Dantenium.
"Yeah, sort of. What's the map for? Also why is there the Vampire Empire here?"
"We are planning the first strike, precisely on the Sloth. He is currently in the capital of Carola. We need to prepare ourselves for the departure. The road consists mostly of desert, so we need to stock up on water and food. This map is the true one, as you know no ruler recognizes the vampire's country. Despite that, we need the true one to travel, so they produced a single copy of realistic borders. Nonetheless, you need to fill out the form for us," replied Gladius, handing him a pen with the blank document.
"Crusader's Card?"
"Yes, the King Leopold decided to have everyone's information in case of an emergency. You just need to fill in the necessary parts, but if you don't have a knowledge of something just leave it empty."
'Here we go. First name — Laudis. Last name — ... Place of birth — ... Date of birth — Wait, I actually know this. I had a note with it in my left pocket when I was seven, that's the first memory I remember. It's 02/07/576. The middle of the year, quite a strange date. Name of the father — ... Name of the mother — ... Current residence — ... Okay, I left more than I filled in. I don't care it's the most I can do,' thought Laudis, filling the form.
"Here," the kid passed the paper down.
"Ha, at least you know your name," the crimson-haired male replied with a smirk.
"Thanks. Wait, you have to at least fill out two things more," the captain said.
"Which one?"
"The nickname and the last name. You left them behind, I know you don't know your last name, therefore you can write anything you'd like."
"All right. Give it back. My last name... Let me think... I guess Laqua isn't that bad. You don't mind it, do you, Udania?"
"Not at all," she replied with a subtle smile.
"The nickname... What are yours?"
"He is the Warrior of Hades, like you've said during the sparring. I am the Heart of Ice. She is the Star of Piscaria. And Gladius is, Gladius is... To be honest I don't recall his nickname. Do you mind sharing it?"
"Yes I mind. I don't need to reveal my cryptonym with my subordinates," the knight responded seriously. He truly didn't want to spill it out.
"Okay. I guess I don't mind being called the Crimson Eye."
Everyone looked at him wondering whether he was joking or not. After a while they understood he was real.
"I have everything I need, thank you. So getting back, we need to prepare for the heat. We need transportation, proper clothes, and rations. Basically the essentials. I will rent out camels and horses for the Luxaris part. Udania and Solisia will get us clothes. Finally Laudis and Dante will buy us food and water. Is everything clear?"
"Yeah."
"Indeed."
"I guess so."
"I suppose."
"But before that I need to pass down something. Here, your first salary. Just remember I give you it once a month exactly on the twenty-seventh. Tomorrow we leave the city, so pack your bags," stated Gladius, handing the youth sack with coins.
"Thanks. Are you ready, old man?"
"Hey! I might be older than you, but the ladies in the brothel say I'm young and handsome stu—"
"Just shut up you idiot," the girl responded, slapping the back of his head.
"Yeah, yeah. We should leave those fools, shouldn't we?"
"If you say so..."
The two men left the tavern and headed to the food market. The vendors were looking amazed at his unusual eye. The headband on his right arm also caught their attention. The boy was a Crusader and was similar to the vampires. The whispers about his real intentions were lively. Dante was looking at him with gloom.
"Don't you feel bothered? If I were you I would just told them to shut up or show my blade. Why do you exactly choose not to defend yourself?"
"I couldn't care less for the strangers I won't meet again. Nonetheless, I wonder if there is someone capable of healing it. Carola is a pretty big country, isn't it?"
"Yeah. If you want to, the captain can request for a medic to the king. He will send it out to its capital or just pay for it. To be honest I've heard about a person who healed a blind man. He is pretty well known in the desert, maybe he can help you."
"Maybe..."
After a while they finally arrived at the stands with dried foods. Firstly, they wanted to buy meat. The smell of smoke caught their attention, thus they chose it. The seller was a man in his thirties, wearing a white apron and black trousers. He was bald with short black beard.
"Hey, I want to buy some beef and lam—"
"I'm not selling you shit as long as this freak is standing beside you! He is scaring all of my clients with his appearance!" the salesman shouted with anger.
"Excuse me?! I didn't hear you clear enough. Do you mind repeating that to my sword?! Besides he isn't your mother so they at least don't vomit when they see him!"
"What the hell was that?"
"You want to find out?!"
"Stop it," responded Laudis, stopping him from unsheathing his blade.
"I will leave you for some time. I will be back in three hours, waiting by the clock tower. Don't mind me, just do what you have to. And sorry for the trouble, I wish I could help, but... You see, people aren't fond of my appearance. See you..."
"You don't have to, really."
"Farewell," the boy said with a raised hand, leaving him alone.
The youth was walking through the market. Everyone was avoiding any physical or even eye contact with him. Almost like he was trapped in an invisible bubble. Only the animals kept in cages weren't scared off by his appearance.
'Looks are everything. If you are ugly you can't even approach people. On the other hand if you are attractive you can commit felonies without consequences. That's why I wear the damn eye-patch! When I wear it people think I am a thug, but not a freak. A huge difference... The hell with them! I completed the trials, so I can finally buy some cigarettes. I can at least chill out for a second. I should repair my shoes, because they are in poor condition. When it rained my socks were all wet. Also I can make primitive bombs by using alcohol. A variable enabling me to close distance. Pretty important one. Summarizing I need to go to the shoemaker, buy alcohol, cigarettes, thin leather to hold the liquid, thread, and needle. Oh, actually I am in front of the first stop,' the boy thought, noticing the tobacco store.
The shop was filled with various products. From the flavoured cigarettes to the classic ones. The familiar smell made him nostalgic. The shelves were overflowing with the goods imported mostly from Carola. The big jars were filled with tobacco. The smaller ones were stuffed with herbs and spices to mask the unpleasant for most smell. The salesman was dressed in a black suit with leather gloves. The male had short, black hair and tanned skin. He was cleaning the wooden pipes of dust. The man noticed Laudis looking at the glass case with the original products.
"Hello, how can I help you?" the seller asked, noticing his eye. Despite it he didn't care about it. His only goal was to sell and not to bother with the customer's appearance.
"Hi, I need a pack of cigarettes," the boy replied, surprised with his positive attitude.
"How big?"
"Now, there are sizes to it?"
"Yes, the pack of twelve, twenty-four, and thirty-six. Which one would you like to buy?"
"I guess the smallest one is going to be okay. How much is it?"
"Eighteen golds."
"There."
"Thank you, have a good day."
"You too..."
'Maybe, just maybe. People can actually tolerate me if they try. For the first time, I felt like a human and not the freak...' the boy thought, content by the experience.
Then he noticed a stand with sewing equipment and materials including leather. The merchant was a woman about twenty years old. She was wearing modest, white dress and a straw hat with blue ribbon. The female had long, straight, brown hair and green eyes. It was a self-service place. The kid didn't exactly know which products are suitable. He could tell which leather was the thinnest. He didn't know what thread is the right one to use. The youth picked two kinds: a thin for sewing and a thick one for fuse. The boy picked a middle-sized needle and went to the counter.
"Are you sure you want to buy these?" the woman asked him.
"Yes? Is there a problem?"
"Not at all, but you know you can't use them together. The needle is too big for this kind of material, you need a smaller one. You also picked two threads. One is too fragile for this kind of use and the other is way too big. You need to buy something in between or it will break apart on first use. By the way what are you planning to make? It would be easier for me to work with something I know," she replied. The saleswoman was really passionate about her job. You could tell by the look in her eyes.
"I prefer not to share this kind of information for your own safety. I want stitches to break apart on an impact, so it's a good thing. The needle might actually be a little too big for the leather. I will change this part. Thank you."
"No problem..." she was surprised by his intentions. Why would anyone sew something just to destroy it? She couldn't comprehend it.
"Here, can you also sell me a bag too? A bigger one if it's possible."
"Right, coming right for you. The total will be twenty-five golds and fifty silvers."
"There you go," he passed down the exact number.
"Bye now," the boy continued, heading to the liquor store.
"Wait," she grabbed his shoulder.
"Sorry, I shouldn't, but... I wondered... Are you perhaps the new Crusader? The first one to complete the trial?"
"Rumors are faster than I thought. Yes that's me. Now, do you mind taking your hand away from me?"
"Ah! Right, sorry again."
"Farewell."
"Bye..."
'What an arrogant woman, hm! Touching me with no permission whatsoever. Why did she? People are indeed strange. The second one, who didn't care for my looks...' he thought entering the shop. The boy didn't know whether he was dreaming or not. He couldn't believe that humans can really change.
"Welcome what would you like to bu—" the man in his forties asked. He was wearing a green shirt and brown trousers. He had receding hairline with black, slicked back hair. The male was wearing a silver ring on his left index finger. It was a sign of devotion to Zeus, precisely he was a follower of the religion — Believers of Olympus. They believe that the gods will come back at the end of times punishing the wrongdoers and cherishing those who give offerings to them. Laudis knew they were real, but he didn't practice it, because of the scandals. Recently the highest hierophant was accused of possessing illegal slaves and substances. The searches didn't find anything besides the empty cages, but without any trace of usage. Despite it the court ruled that he would be put in custody for thirty days. Besides they were created, thus they cannot be all-powerful.
"Aren't you too young to buy alcohol?" he wondered, looking at him. Despite having scars and visible jawline, the kid was still pretty short.
"No."
"Then show me a document confirming your age."
"Eh... Does this do?" the youth replied, showing him his headband with Crusaders symbol.
"So you are the new one... Okay, I shouldn't, but I can make an exception. As long as it isn't something strong, you know."
"Ha, ha, pretty funny. About that..."
"About what?"
"I need to buy the strongest liquor you have."
"Kids these days only want to get themselves drunk..."
"Look, I don't need it to drink it. I just need to use it as fuel for the flame."
"What the hel— Oh, merciful Zeus forgive my disobedience by word. What do you need to burn?!"
"The vampires, isn't it obvious? I use a sword, so I have to close distance somehow."
"Oh, I guess it isn't wrong. You know, at our temple the hermits say that vampires don't have souls. So you can kill them without consequences. Nonetheless, how much liquid do you need?"
"Three liters would be enough."
"Okay I can sell you vodka from Terminara for two-hundred-ten golds or local moonshine for one-hundred-fifty. The first one is stable and has almost identical strength. The second one is similar in terms of strength, but with possible and unknown deviation. What do you say?"
"I like to gamble, give me the moonshine. Here," the boy replied, handing the money.
"Thank you. Now, do you mind considering joining the Believers of Olymp—"
"No, farewell."
'Let me check the time... Oh shit. I have twenty minutes left. Where would I have a stand if I were him... There! Hell yeah! My senses are always right,' thought Laudis, carefully packing the alcohol into the bag. He noticed an old shoemaker with a humble stand. He was sitting on a beat-up chair next to a gate. The male had grey hair and a subtle beard. He was wearing brown trousers and white shirt with black horizontal stripes.
"Can you fix those?" the boy said, pointing at his shoes.
"Hm... How much time do I have?"
"Twelve minutes? I know it's a short period, but I have to—"
"No need to worry, take them off," the male replied, standing up. The man gave him his chair, so he could take them off.
"Thanks."
The male began to look around his shoe to find the holes. As soon as he found them he glued them with some black substance. It was gooey and smelled like rotten eggs. The shoemaker handed him a mask.
"Thanks."
"It must be hard," the man stated, using a magnifying glass.
"Hm?"
"You know, the eye. They know you aren't a vampire, but still fear you. People are cruel, too cruel. They are scared of something they cannot understand."
"I guess..."
"You are stronger than you think you are. Despite everything you don't hide behind an eye-patch."
"I actually wore it..."
"Oh, nonetheless, you aren't afraid to show the truth now. The fools live in the past, the dreamers live in the future, and the geniuses live in the present. It doesn't matter what you did yesterday, because you cannot change it. Of course it still matters in some way, but not too much. Don't worry so much, you are still young. Unlike me you have a long life before you. Here, all fixed," the shoemaker said, passing down his shoes.
"Thanks. Farewell, my friend."
The clock tower struck half past eleven. The youth made it in time, but there was not a single trace of Dantenium. The kid was breathing heavily; he had run as fast as he could. Suddenly, a figure laid a hand on his left shoulder.
"Did you miss me?" an extravagant female voice asked him.