Totrium

Chapter Four: Striking a Deal

"You saved my life."

"No shit," the shorter man spat. "Isn't that what I just said?"

Adrian sheathed his sword. "But, why?"

"No, I'm going to ask the questions." He stepped towards him. "Why did you have that relic? Where did you get it from?"

"Why does it matter? Are you an expert on the Alchemists or something?"

He frowned. "It's odd that not only did you have access to something like that, but you knew to come here to place it. How?"

Adrian shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not that odd, especially since you seem to know so much about it as well."

"Why are you talking like that?" He lifted an eyebrow. "Are you even from here?" The blond's sudden rigidness seemed to answer that question. "Ah, that would make more sense. Your Venish is way too formal for a Venwickin, especially one from Elden Town, and that accent...definitely not from around here."

A slight pink filled Adrian's cheeks. He'd tried to fix his speech, he really had, but his royal Nebrasian studies held him back with an iron grip. "What does it matter where I'm from? All I can tell you is I was given the relic by someone; I followed their instructions that led me here, and that's all I know. What do you know about this place? How do I make the device work without it attacking me?"

The man exhaled quickly. "How the fuck should I know? I just saw you outside with that relic, then followed only to see you stupidly sacrificing yourself."

"How did you know the relic would kill me?" The blond placed a hand on his hip. "You could have just let me die."

"Yeah, but I didn't," he said, ignoring the first question, "because I don't believe in letting innocents die."

"You think I'm innocent?"

He shrugged. "Not sure, but I wouldn't want that on my conscience if you were. Now, next question." He stood right in front of Adrian now, looking up at him with a scowl. "Who gave you the relic and the instructions?"

"I can't tell you that. Why do you know so much about the Alchemists?"

"I can't tell you that either."

Adrian sighed. "Then we are at an impasse. Maybe it's better if we go our separate ways, since you're unwilling to share anything useful with me." He moved as if to walk away when the man drew the dual swords from his hips.

"Not happening. You're hiding something. I know it."

Adrian clenched his jaw, eyes darting to his shoulder bag that was lying on the ground away from him. The man followed the gaze over to it, and Adrian drew his own sword. "You're hiding something too," he said quickly, side stepping so the bag was now behind him, "so why are you making such a fuss?"

"Cooperate and you won't get hurt, Hon."

Blue eyes glared. "Who says I'm the one who will get hurt?"

Adrian lunged forward, and the man caught his blade with one of his own, swinging his second sword in a wide arc which the blond ducked under just in time. Adrian slowly stepped back as they fought, nearing where his bag lay, keeping the man's attention on his quick, flashy sword movements.

"You're really making this hard on yourself, you know that right?" This stranger was obviously very skilled with the blade as he effortlessly blocked and swung his swords seemingly independently of each other.

"You're the one who drew on me," Adrian breathed out between swings. "How is this my fault?"

"You should know when you've been outmatched."