Chapter 14

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Day 7: Eastbell,Icewynne,Notsuoh lounge and bar,Approaching Opening Hours,The Roof,Dark Hour

Arsen shivered. Everyone went quiet, he hated this feeling. It was the same feeling he got when he found out his Mom and Dad were getting divorced, how no one had a smile on their face, it was as if every trace of happiness had left the building.

He wanted to make it better somehow but the fact still remained. It was blatantly obvious. People were being slaughtered in this world.

Arsen had barely been here for a week, he thought this was all fun and games. He spent most of his time in Icewynne at the bar until he randomly was kicked out and sitting in front of his old desktop the familiar phrase blinking on the screen.

Login Timeout.

The only people he really talked to was Azure and other patrons of the bar, and now that Snow was back things were going to be even better, right?

Wrong.

He felt sick to his stomach. Saliva began to build up in the back of his throat, a familiar sign that he was going to throw up.

"U-Um. B-but it's going to be alright. Right? I mean Azure you said it yourself, that's why the creator called us here. To help...right?"

Arsen forced a smile while Sage stood up collecting dirty dishes.

"Yes, I suppose. But you're both weak and under experienced so what could you possibly do to help."

Why did he say that? Why was it that Sage was always the one to find a way to ruin a good mood? Arsen's sadness shifted to anger, his nauseousness soon became a pit feeling in his gut. He wanted to punch something.

"Weak?" He sneered. "I'm not weak. I am well experienced, I can fire twenty rounds per minute. I saved your sorry ass from people who tried to rob you while you stayed put. Why?! Because you were busy!"

Sage didn't respond. Which only pissed him off more.

"Do something! I'm right here I'm talking to you! You shot out an insult and now I'm shooting back so come on say something!"

He was face to face with him. Sage's face was emotionless. He had just stated that people were dying and his face contained no emotion. Arsen wanted to scream.

"I said DO SOMETHING!"

In the blink of an eye. Arsen was sprawled out on the floor. Sage had hipped tossed him with one hand while his dirty dishes remained unharmed in the other.

"There. I did something."

Arsen growled standing up and began to charge after him.

"Enough."

A blast of violet came out of Azure's hand throwing him into the back wall.

"You two wanna act like kids I'll treat you like kids. Both of you stop. Now."

Snow stared at everyone in shock, her mouth slightly agape. Arsen dusted himself off his breathing still heavy. Sage headed downstairs only to turn around. 

"Training starts tomorrow after closing."

He was talking to both Arsen and Snow but his eyes only rested on Arsen. 

"And I suggest you show up if you don't want to get laid flat on your ass again."

Arsen's mouth twitched. He leaned back against the wall and stared at the ground in a huff. 

"Don't mind him," Azure smiled softly, her voice was gentle as if she were speaking to a child. 

"Sage can be a bit harsh but his heart's in the right place. He is right though." 

Azure gave Arsen and Snow a stern look.

"You two do need training, you're going to be up against foes much worst than those punks who tried to stick up the bar last week. and you need to be able to defend yourselves."

Arsen glanced up from the picnic blanket and towards Azure who seemed to be deep in thought as she carefully picked her next words. 

"There's more to the situation"

She grit her teeth, "You two aren't safe from death. Icewynne exists in a space between the real world and the digital plane. Not quite the internet, not quite real life. If you two run out of mana you'll shatter into pieces of data so small and untraceable it would take a magician to find all the minuscule pieces of you, nevermind coding you back into your original form. You'd essentially disappear forever."

Arsen glanced at Snow, who stared back at him, her eyes were wide, she was clearly shaken up. His eyes softened a bit giving her a reassuring nod. He wasn't sure how he could help but he hoped a warm face would help to calm her nerves a bit. 

Azure clapped her hands together matter of factly, the two flinched "Oh geez you two look so grim! I'm sorry for all this depressing exposition. Look, there is a bright side to all this. You two have a purpose. As a part of Project Amnesia, it's our job to help us deliver mana for those in need. But Sage is right, delivering mana is incredibly dangerous, everyone's after it and people will take your life to get it. That's why you two need training, so you can stay alive and help us help others."

Arsen nodded sharply. This was a better speech, there was hope and a purpose. Arsen felt needed, he wasn't just told he would die and then tossed aside. 

There was a call to action and dammit Arsen was going to answer it.


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