“A half pint like you shouldn't chastise people on what they drink. ” Brenn snidely remarked, before sliding a cup to Gryff. “Here you might gain some height.“ Brenn knew his companion’s stature was due to his bloodline, it was a fact he had kept hidden from him, finding it funnier to do so.

  As Brenn chuckled a piercing glare could be felt upon his neck. He simply ignored the idle threat, despite Gryff being physically stronger than him, their difference in mana and skill in combat was too vast for his short companion to do anything.

  Even if Gryff seriously tried to kill Brenn, anything he did wouldn't be effective. After all Brenn was the one who had taught Gryff everything he knew. Worse, Gryff had imparted his knowledge onto Bren as well.

  In the beginning Gryff’s tricks had worked quite well against Brenn, landing blow after blow during their spars. However, Brenn was a prodigy, after being stabbed multiple times in the back he had learned well to not trust what was in front of him, for this Brenn was thankful to Gryff.

  “An unloveable bastard like you shouldn't insult their friends, who knows I might abandon you as well. ” Gryff retaliated

  As the two bickered, Nat rolled a cart towards their table, carrying a large amount of plates. It was unknown where the crimson moon would take them, the land under its influence was large, despite humanity being its self proclaimed owner, most of the vast region was unexplored.

  There were great forests full of dangerous beats, desserts without anything to live off of, and ancient islands in the middle of lakes. Being teleported was a game of roulette, with many dying before they were even aware of what was happening.

  It was for this reason that many filled in whatever they could, from sleep to thirst, it was unknown when they would have a chance to do so again. However Gryff had not come solely for a meal, dropping half of the coins in his puch onto Nat’s cart, staring at her with a grin.

  “I might kill you, depending on what you say next.” Nat said with a glare, her previous smile gone in an instant, replaced with a look of disgust.

  “Sven would probably kill me before you could.” Gryff laughed, before asking “Would you mind telling us your experience with the moon’s call? Is there anything we should watch out for?”

  “Well, since you tipped so generously.” Nat said, signaling another waitress to take over her cart.

  Before starting her story she took a seat at the table and helped herself to their food, ripping a chicken leg from Gryff's plate.

  “I was transported to a desert area, a bit disoriented, one moment I was looking upon the moon flashing a blinding red light, before being surrounded in total darkness. Pa, said to always look for shelter before anything else, so I found an underground cavern, blasting it with fire before entering.” She said while waving a chicken leg in the air, its grease flying onto Gryffs face.

  “Ya wanna know a place is empty if leaving ain't so easy, sliding in, I simply waited, observing the type of animals that roamed during the day, before waiting till night again to fall asleep…” She paused to lick the grease of her fingers, taking a loaf of bread from Brenn at the same time, before continuing.

  “Sleep is important but ya gonna have to know what roams around before you drift off, make sure you won't die sleepin. While it's not a sure fire method, if nothing bad happened the first night, the second likely ain't gonna be different.” This time pausing to dip a loaf of bread in the soup Gryff was eating.

  Nat continued to tell her tale of survival, from hunting down enough animals to make clothes to using the moon and stars to find her relative position. As she wandered through the desert, heading towards the center of humanity, she stumbled upon other survivors before reaching a walled city.

  From there she simply followed the travel routes back home. Of course such a journey would be difficult for anyone who had not trained to make, her use of runes providing options others wouldn't have had.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  After finishing her story, Nat took her leave, rolling her cart back to the kitchen, though not before taking a bowl of soup from Gryff.

  “Hmm… what terrible service.”

  Gryff grumbled.

  He did not mind her taking portions of their meal, ordering more than enough to fill them, but…

  ‘ a please and thank you, would've been nice.’

  Gryff and Brenn began to contemplate over their conversion with Nat, most of what she had said being simple confirmations of what they already knew. However it was important to consider someone else's point of view, doing so opened new ideas for them to explore, and how others would think. After all, they would not be alone in their travels, other survivors would be teleported, likely not too far from where they would appear.

  It was unknown how hostile they would be, in Nat’s story a group of men had looked at her the wrong way, so she slit their throats in their sleep. Dragging their bodies to be feasted on wild life, pretending to know nothing of their disappearance to the rest of her temporary companions.

  Her actions may have been seen as a bit cruel, but many of the waitresses in her fathers protection had come to this city with scars from their travels. However survival wasn't easy to achieve alone, a myriad of unknowns lurked in this world. While not the best sort to be around, even scum had its uses, as long as they did not go too far.

  “Aren't you going to hit the table? ” Brenn asked, Gryff usually rushing to lose all his money by now, screaming about coming back a king or a beggar.

  “I was thinking of gambling something other than a few measly coppers tonight. Just Wait a bit”

  Gryff grinned, tonight he was either coming back a king or a corpse,

  Not long after a muscular man with a huge stomach came to their table. “Gryff, I called a few people and suffice to say you have yourself a deal. Of course I'll be holding on to your reward until you come back. ” Sven said, holding out a piece of paper.

  “It warms my heart for you to think I'll make it back.” Gryff smiled, accepting the paper before Sven left.

  “I'm not going.” Brenn knew his ‘friend’ didn't invite him out to eat to enjoy a last meal together, whatever trouble Gryff had planned needed his help. “I'm not going to risk carrying an injury into the call. ”

  “At least hear the plan out, Sven, our good friend, is in need of help.” Before Brenn could leave Gryff grabbed onto his arm. “Someone in the inner districts called in a favor, George has a few… interesting pieces of information with a bit of proof.”

  “George! Are you crazy or simply a fool?” Brenn shook his head “forget it you're both if you think i'm going with you.”

  “A shame, she might be my stray, but I seem to recall you being quite fond of Kat.” Gryff said with a smile, however unlike his usual grin Gryff’s face did not carry a hint of amusement. “Do you think they'll enjoy her first before selling her?”

  George was what Gryff called an anything trafficker, drugs, weapons, humans…

  While detestable, such practices were rather profitable, allowing the trafficker to control a large portion of the outer sectors.

  Slam!

  “You've gone too far this time! What has she done for you to keep sending her into danger, tell her the truth and let her go before I kill you” While Brenn usually said he would kill Gryff it was different this time, money was one thing but endangering a girl who saw him as her brother to traffickers?

  Gryff let go of Brenns arm, seeing that he was more likely to kill Gryff than simply leave.

  “Relax, someone as young as her wouldn't interest his men, there hasn't been enough time to find a suitable buyer eith-”

  “It's because she's young that you should be ashamed!” Brenn knew she wasn't in any real danger, Kat was constantly set on mission and never failed to return. “Did you ever stop to think how such an environm-.”

  “As I was saying, she hasn't been there long. They probably separated her from the rest to keep her ‘innocence’.” While Gryff knew none of George’s men would take interest in Kat, the same couldn't be said for the nobles he dealt with. “Probably eating better than us.”

  “Her goal is simple. Very soon there will be fires spreading throughout the outer district, some of the ‘severance’ contained instructions of where to find the actual money, along with an order to set a few fires… as well as a few threats if they don't comply. ” Gryff smiled. “The mothers and sisters were more than just a joke.”

  “When George’s men go to respond, Kat will go and destroy any communication, barrier or defense system she can find. We then rush in before they can respond and find and destroy the evidence on the noble.” Gryff finished. ‘Sometimes my genius is almost frightening’.

  “You forgot about the part where Geroge and his guards split you in half. If you wish to kill yourself, then do it alone.” Brenn knew George was likely to have a fallen noble working for him, that or someone casted out from one of the martial sects.

  “That's the funny part, George and his personal guards won't be in the outer districts tonight. His son is going to be joining the call tonight.” Before deciding whether to take the job, Gryff had been investigating George's background, while he couldn't find out his real identity, he was able to garner a few interesting tidbits of information. “He's going to be in the inner districts tonight, presumably with most of his personal guards.”

  “What about any stragglers?” Brenn was rather calm now, he still despised Gryff for involving Kat, but the plan was more thought out than he expected. “With his information network, we won't be able to take them by surprise. ”

  “George is mainly watching out for the larger gangs, he won't be expecting us.” Gryff chugged the last of his drink before slamming the empty cup into the table. “By now most of the outer districts probably heard the story about our group dissolving, most of his men will be focused on defending their turf from the neighboring rivals.”

  “Plus… I've also got an impressive alibi in my mind” Before Brenn could ask, Gryff stood up and shouted loud enough for the entire tavern to hear. “Nat! Brenns agreed to the threesom.”