Infiniseed /

Chapter 2: The Dream

The day was slowly coming to an end, but Baddom City's shopping district was ever busy. Such was the case for the only city within 25 miles to have multiple villages on its outskirts and a huge market of various goods. 

My friends and I shopped around, making good use of the silver I painstakingly earned. Flour, potatoes, onions, butter, spices, and some other useful items that would feed us for the next couple of days. It would be nice if we could get some meat, perhaps chicken or beef, but unfortunately that would cost nearly a silver on its own. However, that didn't stop Heather from attempting to lower the price with her charms. 

She puckered her lips so they would be glossy, and made her eyes as innocent as possible. "Good sir, is there anything you can do about the price of this meat, anything at all?" She asked as she leaned in closer to him. 

Most men couldn't even look her in the eyes because of her unique beauty, but this butcher was different. "No." He replied flatly. "it's 2 silvers and 25 copper."

"I can do 20 copper...!" Heather haggled. 

The butcher took the meat away and began to leave. "No, go away if you're just going to waste my time." 

"...shit!" 

And that was that. If someone could be that easily swayed by someone attractive then the market would've crashed ages ago. Heather left dissatisfied and angry. She grumbled about meat the entire way home, but once we got there her entire mood changed at the greetings of the children. 

"They're home, they're home!" One of the children who was waiting by the window excitedly shouted as they saw our figure appear from around the trees. That was Stella, the oldest of the bunch. They all ran to us, with her in the lead, and gave us greetings and hugs. 

"Oooo they went shopping!"

"Woah, big sis are you going to make bread?"

They all spoke over each other and fought for attention. "Yep, bread and potato soup!" Heather replied. "Anyone wanna help me cook?" 

"I do, I do!"

"Me, me, me..!" 

The kids took the food and followed Heather into the kitchen as if that was the most important thing in the world. Of course, they would've been that excited considering they hadn't seen Heather ever since she left for her expedition. Before Stella could join them I called for her. 

"Hey, Stella. Thanks for holding down the fort." I said as I held out my fist to give her a fist bump.

Stella smiled brightly. "Of course, I am the oldest after all." She said as she bumped my fist.

In the end, we all helped with the cooking. I peeled some potatoes and diced the onions while Heather kneaded the dough. Aremi played outside with the children who gave up on helping after a couple of minutes, and when the time came he used his flames to heat the oven and stove. This was how we lived, modestly and together.

After a couple of hours, the sun had set, and the food was done. Even with just onions and potatoes, it smelled amazing. I found myself sitting at the end of an old dinner table. To my left and right were Aremi and Heather, and four children at each of their sides. Everyone was eating a loaf of bread alongside a simple potato soup as they joked around and smiled brightly. It was the first time in three days that they had a decent meal- if you could even call it that.

As I was about to reach for my bread I heard Stella's stomach growl and noticed she had eaten all of her food already. She was 15 and still growing, so she ate a lot more than the rest of the children. "Of course. She's still hungry..." I thought as I watched her try to mask the pains of her hunger by smiling alongside the other kids.

"Hey, could you eat this for me?" I asked as I placed it on her plate. "I don't know why but I'm having weird stomach pains and I'm certain bread will only make it worse."

Her face brightened and flushed with red as she graciously accepted. "Thanks, brother!"

I smiled and then proceeded to excuse myself and sit outside the front door. Leaning against the wall as I gazed off past the tree tops and into the starry night sky. From the far distance I could hear the melodies of the sky whales, and soon after watched as a herd of them broke through the thick clouds covering the moon. Racing past one another as if competing to see who could take the lead as the most majestic.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Aremi said as he caught my attention and handed me half of his bread loaf.

"Thanks," I said graciously and began to nibble.

Aremi's long white eyelashes nearly covered his gold eyes as he longingly looked to the sky. A fresh night's breeze flew past me and fluttered his hair. "To think we live on a planet where creatures large enough to block out the moon fly through the air as if they weigh nothing, and yet our lives are determined by predestined limits that force us to live these pathetic lives."

"Reality is cruel. In the end, it's just something we have to accept." I replied as if I had already accepted my fate. "There's no use in really thinking about it."

Turning to me, Aremi's voice became passionate. "I think you're wrong."

"What?"

"I said I think you're wrong. Don't you remember what our dreams are? We once said we wanted to be the greatest guild in the world, to change the way this world works, isn't that still your dream?"

I looked away. "Look it's just not possible, that was us... me being naive."

"It's not possible because you've already given up," Aremi replied sharply.

"What do you mean I've given up? I almost died today trying to get money for us to eat, how is that giving up?!"

A ferocity i've never seen in Aremi's eyes was suddenly directed at me. "When's the last time you attempted to level up?"

My fist curled up and my brows came together. "You, you don't know anything!" I yelled.

"...Well, I know you, and I know you want more out of your life. So, come with us on our next expedition."