Grim Ruination, Birth of a Soul (On Hiatus)

The Small Town

The Rusty Cup had definitely gotten nicer since Darris was a  child. The once old and splintered tables had seemingly recently been replaced with more polished tables. The hard chairs had been replaced with ones made of fine wood and now had cushions on them. The walls, once lined with torches, now had been traded for lanterns.
The tables were littered with the many citizens of Vanderin. Some enjoyed a calm, late meal after a long day of labor. Others were loud and drunk after a payday from whatever sort of job they'd been at. A few others looked tired, only eating a small meal, as if soon they had to get back to work any moment.

No one batted an eye when a dark elf and a teenager walked in. Without a word Svalken took a seat at one of the tables; Darris sitting across from him. Not a moment later a young waitress walked to the table, notepad in hand. She had dark hazel skin and brown eyes with black curly hair.

She flashed a pleasing smile. "I am Enri Mathinnil; I will be waiting your table." She greeted the two of them, glancing at both of them, but never in the eyes. Or eye, in Darris's case.

"Just seared lamb, and some ale." Svalken glanced at Darris. "Two lamb actually, and a room for a night." He ordered.

Enri quickly wrote down the order on the piece of parchment with the small quill in her hand. "I'll have that out quick." She then turned to leave when Darris spoke.

"Are you related to Elmer Mathinnil?" He asked, before he knew exactly what he was asking.
Enrolst turned back, her eyes knit. "Um... yes actually. He was my great great grandpa. How did you know of him?" She asked.

Darris opened his mouth to speak, but it was that moment he'd noticed his question. Elmer Mathinnil had been a friend of his before he left to join Fame. Him, Isak, and Darris had all been in the same group in town. They had all thought of becoming adventures one day. Elmer had left before either of them had, then they simply lost contact with him. The last time Darris had seen Elmer was just before he left.

A slight but noticeable solemn expression fell upon Daris's face. "Was he an adventurer?" He asked, turning in his chair to face Enri.
She thought for a moment. "I believe he was at one point. But then he retired when he lost his leg. Then he died of old age not long after I was born."

"Oh, did you ever know how he lost his leg?" He asked. Enri just shrugged. "I think he'd said something about demons, but that's all I remember."

Darris turned away as the blood, or what was left of it, fled from his face. "Oh, that's all. You can go now." He said, trying not to look back to Enri.

She stood for about half a second before walking away, slightly confused about the encounter.
"He was my friend." Darris said faintly.

Svelkan looked to Darris, putting his feet up on the table while leaning his chair on its two back legs. "It's been over 200 years. Humans don't live that long."  He said nonchalantly.

"He lost his leg because of me." Darris said, raising his knees up to his chest in the chair.
Svelkan rolled his eyes. "He lost it from a demon. I don't see how that's your fault. Even if you died fighting some."

"It's my fault that demons have overtaken Sige." He said.

"You'd've died regardless. You can't stop a Ruin. Even I can't. The abyssal creatures would've flooded through anyways." He said. "It doesn't matter what you did or what you do now. You died. Just be glad I gave you a second chance at life." He said.

Darris sighed, setting his legs down, instead setting his head down on the table.

"Try to just forget about it. It'll be better for both of us." Svalken suggested.