Halo (Etrian Odyssey Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

"What's the matter with you?" Emery asked from across the table where he was sitting staring at Iliad, who had his plate shoved to the side, arms folded and face against the table.

"I hate gunners," Iliad said, his voice mumbled against the wood, and Emery rolled his eyes as Dyria sighed a little.

"He's been sulking all day," Sage noted, his hands wrapped around a warm mug, "Won't tell us what happened."

"Fucking gunners happened!" Iliad snapped, sitting up and throwing his hands out, "Fuck! What's the matter with me?!" he glared at Sage, "This is clearly your fault!"

Sage just squinted and lifted his tea up, "I've done nothing but drink my tea this whole time. Your weird issues are on you."

"Maybe if you explained what happened?" Emery offered, and Iliad scoffed and folded his arms, leaning back, and tilting his head to look at the ceiling.

"Nothing happened, I just hate gunners."

"We're aware," Emery assured, and Vien leaned forward.

"Is a gunner from town giving you problems?"

Iliad's eyes snapped open and he jerked forward, slamming his hands onto the table, "Nothing happened, I don't even know the guy, he's just an idiot!"

The table was silent until Vien stated a simple, "What?"

"Whatever!" Iliad pushed back again, "It's over anyway! Fucking dick wasn't as interested as I figured he was!"

Dyria tensed up, gaping at Iliad, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm tired!" Iliad stood up abruptly and pushed away from the table, storming for the door and leaving his guild to watch after him in utter confusion.

It was all that fucking gunners fault! Fuck! Iliad couldn't even concentrate that day because he kept waiting for the blond idiot to show up with a fucking leaf! Was Iliad looking forward to it? Or maybe he just wanted the guy to show up so he could harass him more, tell him the leaf is scratched and to fuck off. It didn't feel like that though.

Actually, the prospect of training with someone, not just Sage, was actually kind of intriguing. What if the guy could actually teach him something and help him grow as a survivalist, help him get stronger? He was still nothing but a shitty gunner, volatile and overconfident, and Iliad had never met one he trusted, but hey, if it was a good deal and Iliad got stronger from it, then what was the harm?

Oh but of course the idiot had to essentially stand him up, lying to his face saying he couldn't afford food and bullets together, what kind of idiot did Arcan take him for?! He probably found a better teacher is all. Someone who didn't give Arcan an obviously impossible task to complete if he ever wanted to train with Iliad.

It was probably better this way though. Iliad likely would have insulted and bitched every moment of their training, and no one deserved that simply because of their explorer class. Iliad was smart enough to understand not every gunner deserved his anger, but he couldn't control his bias. He watched his parents get murdered... and because of that trauma, Iliad just chased away the one person who'd ever approached him with gentle intentions of possible friendship.

"Great going, ass-hat," Iliad hissed, punching the wall, lifting his head when he heard an unfamiliar voice behind him in the entryway.

"Ah, Lynus! I'm glad I caught you!"

"Hello Angie," Iliad turned and inched back down the hall, peering into the entry at where an orange and blond haired medic stood.

He recognized the male, he was from the Guardian's guild, the one Emery mumbled about when he was stressed out. The female worked at the hospital if Iliad remembered, she was there when they brought Sage in.