by Reece Dinn
'Love you too,' she replied.
'For the love of the gods,' Awon's father moaned.
Ten's face flushed and he looked down at the ground. 'I'm sorry.'
Awon's father snorted. 'You're sorry?'
'Shut it, fat man,' Awon snapped. 'What's done is done, like Big Red said. Tomorrow night it'll be over. One way or another.'
His father pulled the bed covers up over his head.
The door opened and the doctor stepped back inside. His face was red and he wobbled on his feet, an empty bottle in his hand. He looked over to the broken part of the wall, staring at it for a long while.
'Did I do that?' he finally asked.
Both moons shone through the clouds of the evening sky, their combined light bathing the city in a dull brown hue, making the white stone appear dirty.
Torches burned along the deserted main road. Norox and Ten walked silently behind Awon as he rushed from one side of the road to the other kicking the heads off the flowers that lined it, chuckling to himself with each one he decapitated. Dozens of ickbits flew off them as the flower heads were booted into the air, the luminous little bugs shining bright as they buzzed around. Karrons screeched all down the road as they flew from the rooftops to gobble up the swarms of fresh prey.
'Don't be jennis,' Awon shouted back to them.
Norox grunted, then bleated something Awon didn't catch.
Awon trotted back to him. 'What yer say?'
'Doesn't matter,' muttered Norox.
'Where is everybody?' asked Ten.
'It's late. They're either sleepin', drinkin', or both,' said Awon.
Ten licked his lips. 'Should've had a drink ourselves.'
'Drink what? The doctor drank it all.'
The two boys laughed. Norox grunted, but a faint smile formed on his face for a second.
Awon kicked the head off one flower, then yelped as his foot hit a rock. He hopped around on his other foot, grumbling. The pain quickly became an annoying dull throb, the kind that made you hobble around for a day.
'That'll teach you,' said Norox.
Awon stuck his tongue out at him, then spun round and kicked the head off another flower.
Norox grunted.
They took a right off the road, heading down a dark side street. There were no lights on in any of the houses they passed by, the street even quieter than the main road. Their footsteps echoed as they walked. It was a wonder the racket they were making didn't wake anyone up. Halfway down the street they made a left down an alley, then a right at the exit, heading down another street. At the end they made a left, walking until they reached the gates of Red's warehouse.
Awon called up, expecting the two stupid jennis from last time to be on guard duty again.
No one answered.
He called again, louder this time.
No response.
'He said twenty seventh hour, right?' asked Awon.
'Yeah,' said Ten.
'Think yer hourglass is broken, Norox,' said Awon.
Norox cracked his neck, flaring his nostrils as he did so.
'What do we do now?' asked Ten.
Awon rested against the large wooden gates. 'Wait, I guess.'
'Yer late.'
Ten jumped. Norox snorted, twisting around, fists clenched. Awon pushed himself off the gates.
Big Red's guy, the woman with the cracked teeth, emerged from the shadows on the opposite side of the street. She was dressed all in black, her hair tied back.
'What yer robbin'?' asked Awon with a smirk.
She slunk forward, hips swaying as he walked. 'Yer heart.'
'Ain't got one.'
She flashed a smile at him, cracked teeth showing through. 'Quite the trouble maker, ain't yer?'
'Yeah, well. Gotta relieve the boredom somehow.'
'Where is everyone?' asked Norox.
Her smile faded. 'Come in.' She pulled on the gate and to the three boys' surprise it opened.
'Should've thought of that,' said Awon.
'Yer should of.' She slid through the parted gates.
The three boys followed after her. Red's lumber yard was even more densely packed than it had been the last time, stacks of wood piled high and haphazardly. There was barely any room to even walk through. The woman knocked once on the warehouse doors, waited, then knocked two more times in quick succession, waited, then again one final time.
The door parted and Scar Face poked his head out.
'They're 'ere,' said the woman, shoving past him.
Scar Face grumbled, opening the door all the way. Awon, Norox, and Ten went inside.
The warehouse was just as empty as it had been last time, and just as dark. A fire burned in the middle, several figures sat around it. Red sat on the opposite side of the fire, his massive body, red bandanna, and long black coat unmistakable. The fin-less yegeyor sat on his right, the old guy with the cane on his left. Left of him was the little guy with the iron ball. Two other guys sat with their backs to them.
Scar Face hurried past them before anyone else could speak, and sat down by the fire in the open space between the yegeyor and one of the other guys.
'Yer honoured guests 'ave arrived,' said the woman, gesturing vaguely at Awon and company.
'Said don't be late,' said Red with surprising calmness.
'We're not,' said Awon. 'Yer said seventeenth hour. Yer didn't say on the hour.'
'Don't be smart with me,' snapped Red. 'It's a good way ter lose some teeth.'
'So this the new lad?' said the small guy, his little snout nosed face screwing up as he chuckled, his goofy teeth bright in the firelight. 'The butcher's boy? He ain't tough.'
Awon stepped into the midst of the circle of guys around the fire. 'Tougher than you, yer jenni. If yer remember?'
The little guy's jaw dropped, exposing his ridiculous teeth.
Red clicked his fingers. 'That's enough. Gods, lad.'
'Told you this is a bad idea,' said the fin-less yegeyor.
'I'll say what's a good idea and what's not.'
'The other two joining?' asked the old guy with the cane.
'No. They're collateral.'
'Collatawhat?'
'Oh just shut the fuck up, yeah?' said Red, smacking the old guy on the head.
The woman clicked her fingers at a nervous looking Norox and Ten. 'Sit.' The two sat down behind Awon, eyeing the guys around the fire as they did.
'That's cute. They're scared,' said the woman with a smile, exposing her cracked teeth.
Red stood up. 'This aggressive little bastard here is Awon. Tenemu the butcher's son. He's the newest member of our crew.'
Everyone looked at him, but no one said anything. Only the fin-less yegeyor gave any kind of affirmation that the news had been accepted with a slight nod of his head.
Red placed a hand on the yegeyor's fin-less shoulder. 'This is Batterox. Toughest bastard 'ere after me.' He pointed at the little guy. 'That's Oaten. Keep yer eye on 'im. He'll be in yer pockets every chance he gets.' He nudged the old guy to his left. 'This is Gentemu.' He gestured to Scar Face. 'That's Scoten. An' this bitch 'ere is Farma.'
Farma flashed her cracked teeth at them all.
'She'll suck yer dick fer a yorae if yer want,' said Red with a grin.
'Fuck you,' she spat back, but didn't appear to be offended.
'Yer already did.' He clicked his fingers at the other two guys. The one next to Farma was a dark skinned man with a bright yellow tattoo depicting some kind of lizard on his face. He wore a white shirt and black trousers, and held a long curved sword, which he continuously rubbed against his leg as if it was pleasurable to do so. 'This one with the weird tattoo is Ekviv. Fuck knows where he's from, but he's good in a fight, so who gives a shit. The other one is Goten. The best bare knuckle boxer in the city. After me.'
Goten was a lean guy with short dark hair and a pale complexion. His big eyes made him appear to be permanently excited. He didn't look much of a fighter, but then Awon knew that he
himself didn't either.
'Now that the pleasantries out of the way, 'ere's 'ow this is gonna play out,' said Red, walking around the ring of guys. 'I'm gonna try and make peace. That don't work we kill 'em all before they kill us. Questions?'
Norox rumbled quietly behind Awon. Ten gulped.
'Why not jus' kill 'em straight away?' asked Awon.
'Yer not listen to anythin' I fuckin' say?' growled Red. 'Cutter said no war. So we gotta do what he says. Try ter at least. Situation ain't an easy one, we might be too far gone to make peace. But we gotta try.' He stopped behind Awon, crouched down and leaned in close. 'If yer do anythin' stupid I swear ter the gods I'll rip off yer father's cock and feed it ter yer. Understand?'
'Fat man's prick is small. Not a problem,' sniggered Awon.
Red thumped him in the back, then moved on. 'What'd I say 'bout that smart mouth?' he said over his shoulder.
Awon shrugged.
'How many are they bringin'?' asked Scoten.
'Bout the same as us, I reckon,' said Red. 'Some more hidden away too, probably. Shouldn't matter. Drowners are jennis anyways.'
Everyone around the fire laughed, except Norox and Ten. Awon felt instantly at home with these guys. They talked a good fight, he just hoped they fought as good. He fingered the blackened cleaver under his shirt. Tombu would be there at this meet, he knew it. A chance to settle the score. He smirked to himself, eager to be fighting already.
'I'm gonna take a shit,' said Red. 'If anyone else needs to, do it now. We leave when I'm done.' He disappeared into the darkness, whistling as he went.
'Think I'm gonna hurl,' said Ten. Awon twisted around. Ten's face was as white as stone. Sweat ran down the sides of his face.
'It'll be fine,' said Awon. 'If things get nasty yer run an' hide. Yer quick, yer'll be fine.'
'I hate you, you know that?' whispered Norox. 'The trouble you get me into.'
'Yer love it really. Why else yer still friends with me?'
Norox snorted, nostrils flaring.
Goten leaned over to them. 'You the one that started all this then?'
'Aye. Well technically it was 'im.' Awon pointed to Ten. 'But I couldn't let that bastard Tombu get away with attackin' my mate.'
Goten shook his head. 'You're lucky Red hasn't ripped yer balls off. Slightest bit of trouble we cause and he's on us like Nograi's Plague.'
'Must like me.'
Goten's big eyes widened. 'He must do.'
Some of the others quietly drank from a bottle of whisky, passing it back and forth between themselves. Awon licked his lips. A little whisky before a fight was very appealing. Some fire in his stomach. No one offered him any though.
A while later Red returned, dusting his hands, a satisfied look on his face. He grabbed the bottle of whisky from Gentemu, took a long draught from it, then dropped it back into the old guy's lap.
'You girls ready?' he asked, then burped.
'Aye,' several of them mumbled.
Awon sprang to his feet. 'When you are, boss?'
Red eyed him suspiciously, then smirked his approval. 'Let's finish this,' he said.
Red's crew set off across the dark, deserted city to the district wall, keeping a look out for Konar or anyone who looked liked they might report sighting a gang traipsing across the city in the dead of night. There were no eyes watching that they could see, save for the karrons on the rooftops.
The palace up above was the most illuminated part of the whole city, it glowed like a beacon from a story Awon had once heard during a sermon, back when he and his father bothered to go. He wondered what the palace was like, how many rooms it had, what paintings they hung on their walls. The highest up the city he'd been was the Upper Tier, and that had only been during Azaya-Tan the year before. Other than there being more space, and the streets a bit cleaner, Awon hadn't really seen the difference. For all he knew the palace was just a massive warehouse with some beds, carpets and statues.
Torches burned all along the district wall. He couldn't see them but he knew that Konar would be patrolling along the wall, despite the fact people could pass freely between districts at any time of day.
'Fuckin' Konar,' Awon muttered.
Norox breathed heavily beside him. He'd been in fights before, Awon was confused why he'd be nervous now. Ten dragged his heels on Awon's other side, his face still pale even in the combined brown light of the moons. Awon hoped Ten vomited at the meet. It'd be so funny.
Someone sniffed behind them. The guy they called Ekviv had a pleased look on his face. He continued to sniff the air, then sighed with pleasure.
'Like flowers, yer jenni?' Awon asked him.
Ekviv sniggered, but didn't respond.
When they neared the wall they made a left down a narrow side street. The houses here were crammed together like the wood in Red's lumber yard. No lights burned in any of the windows, no sounds save for the echo of all their footsteps and the screeching of karrons.
Oaten walked in front of them, swinging his iron ball from side to side. Awon had to resist the urge to grab it and beat him over the head with it. He wondered how long he'd be able to be in the same gang as him before he relented. Out of all of his new companions he liked him least.
At the end of the street they made a right, then took a left down a very tight alley that forced them to walk in single file. Norox's fins scraped along the wooden walls, the sound so loud it was a wonder no one came out to see what was causing the racket.
Several dogmas scurried away into small holes along the alleyway, squeaking at one another as they fled. One ran up the side of a wall, the furry tentacles on its tiny head casting long shadows in the moonlight.
They headed down another street, then another alley, until they finally reached the wall. Up ahead, in a tunnel underneath the wall, there was the glow of a fire.
'This is it,' whispered Farma behind them. Awon looked back to see a leather whip in her hand.
'How yer gonna kill someone with that?' he asked her.
'Who said anything 'bout killing? Besides, guys love it.' She winked at him.
Awon eyed the whip dubiously.
In the tunnel a group of men waited on the far side of a fire. Awon spotted Tombu immediately, the bastard's big jaw distinct, the cocky look on his face visible even from a distance. His two friends stood either side of him, looking not half as cocky as he did. Awon and Tombu's eyes locked. Tombu wanted this fight just as much as he did, of that he was certain. Awon's hand instinctively went for his cleaver.
The guy stood in the centre of the Drowner gang was easily the most imposing of them. He was tall and lean, with a long face and long white hair that came down almost to his arse. He wore chain mail over a muddy green tunic, and a long pale green overcoat. His brown trousers were ripped in several places, giving him the look of someone who'd just crawled out of the woods.
'What a cunt,' Awon said to Ten.
Ten didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the ground.
Awon nudged him in the side. 'Cheer up. This could be fun.'
He didn't respond.
'Jonbu. Still pretendin' yer one of those elf men?' Red shouted to him as he approached the fire.
'I am an elf. Half anyway,' the white haired guy replied.
'Sure yer are. An' I'm a fuckin' dragon.'
Scoten and Oaten laughed hard at that, harder than the joke deserved, Awon reckoned. Red's crew covered the opposite side of the fire to the Drowners. Awon's fingers tingled with excitement. He'd been in a gang fight before, but only one that had already been well under way. He'd never seen the start of one, much less been the cause of it in the first place. He was eager to see how this would play out.
He moved as close to Red as he could, Norox and Ten remaining close by him. He glanced back at them. The nervousness had left Norox, his face set like stone now, but Awon could still see the fear in his eyes. Ten looked ready to vomit.
'So where's the lad then?' asked Jonbu. He gestured to Tombu. 'I brought my lad
.'
'That's the bastard,' shouted Tombu, pointing at Awon.
Awon stepped up to the fire, locking eyes with him again. He brushed his fingers over the cleaver under his shirt, resisting the urge to leap over the fire and stab the prick in the face with it.
'Aye,' he said. 'I'm 'ere.'
'You killed my father,' cried Tombu, producing a club from behind him.
'What if I did?'
'Shut the fuck up,' snarled Red, raising a hand as if to backhand him.
'So he's the one who burned down Paten's bakery?' asked Jonbu.
'He didn't do shit. He jus' got a big fuckin' mouth.'
Awon pointed at Tombu. 'He attacked my fat man, an' burnt down my shop.'
Tombu swung his club over his shoulder. 'Prove it, yer cunt.'
'Enough,' said Jonbu, his voice surprisingly calm.
'You see what the problem is, don't yer?' said Red. 'A spat between two lads. Nothin' more. Nowt ter do with us.'
'My best man is dead because of this “spat”. He was a good man.'
Red dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand. 'Let's not get carried away. He was a murderer. Not a Koku.'
'Good comes in many forms.'
'That an elf sayin'?'
'Just logic.'
Red folded his arms. 'Here's 'ow I see it. We don't know who did what. What we do know is these two want ter beat the shit outta each other. I say let 'em fight it out. Winner takes all. Watcha say?'
'I promised Paten I would keep his son out of harm's way, should anything happen to him. I can't put him in a fight he might not walk away from, now can I?' He raised a hand to silence Tombu as he was about to protest. 'No matter how much he wants it? Here's what I propose. You hand over this lad, and we'll call it even.'
Red laughed at that.
'Fine by me,' said Awon. 'I'll gut you all.' He took a step closer.
Red grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him back. 'I ain't handin' 'im over, temptin' though it is. He owes me money. Ain't gettin' it back if I jus' go handin' 'im over ter yer now, will I?'
'Would a war cost you less?' asked Jonbu, folding his arms behind his back, his voice still calm.
Red grinned. 'Not 'alf as much as it'd cost you.'
'I doubt that.'
A tense silence hung in the tunnel, the crackle of the fire the only sound.
