Johan continued for a while reading the news until he had read them fully, and there was not much happening, so he got up and started walking, looking all over the city. The city appeared to be more familiar to him with every step or turn, as if the Johan he was before had liked walking the streets once again. Then, in the square, he saw a building that felt like he had been there before, and as he looked around, he remembered that it truly was the same street where the bearded man from yesterday punched him. In that moment, Johan had died or done something that led me to take Johan's body as mine!
The pub called 'Wolf's Hearth' was a few decades old inn that clearly had the best times behind it. The outside was made of stone that was colored in some weird-looking text, something that was both abstract and familiar to Johan.
"Graffiti?" Johan said quietly. "Graffiti at this time doesn't seem to be done by spray or brush. Rather, someone somehow was flaying the colors, and then someone drew the letters into it! " Johan thought to himself, and then another memory arose in his mind: 'I know someone who works here!'
Johan slowly walked to the main entrance door and smiled as his palm snapped the knot. He pulled the door towards him and opened it . A warm and pleasant aroma of meat, ale, and more struck his nostrils, making Johan gulp in desire to taste a fine dish!
Johan entered the inn, looking around. The interior looked pristine, yet it was messy, dirty, and a little unkempt. The floor creaked under his few steps. The thick and robust pillars that held the upper floors seemed to have their best days behind them, and it didn't look like it was in any good shape. It's an old inn for the locals anyway. Johan's main objective now was to find the person he knew worked here, and that meant one thing...
Answers.
Johan walked to the main bar and looked around often to find the person; for some reason, he couldn 't remember who or what that person was. For now, Johan hoped it was a friend.
Suddenly, a loud THUD resonated close to Johan, making him turn his head and face the source of the noise. It was a fist that landed not too far from him, and Johan remembered that fist well; it belonged to the employee of this inn called Merin Llorn. He had a scary, menacing face that showed nothing but years of hard labor and no hesitation to beat the crap out of people he didn 't like!
"What do you want here, Johan, with your bum-looking ass? I doubt you have enough to purchase a glass of ale!" Merin said , then followed with a loud chortle, which he quickly covered with his hand over his mouth. Johan turned his face , knowing there wasn 't much for him to say; he was broke, with just eight Prafa in his pouch. "Y-you are absolutely right! Mister Llorn, I am still poor and weak compared to a man like you!" Johan replied in a meek and timid tone, making him appear weak and pathetic, hoping that nobody might notice that the Johan they knew was gone or had been replaced!
Merin sighed, clearly satisfied with Johan's reaction, then he sighed again and walked away. But before that, Merin leaned to Johan and said, "Get the fuck out, Johan, before I make you like Auswirl did yesterday." Merin took a piece of old, used cloth and wiped the counter table clean. Johan felt anxious, of course; clearly, he was hated here and maybe hated by many. But why? What did Johan do to get such a negative approach?
"Is that you, Johan?" A woman's voice reached Johan's ears, and finally, the memory snapped back into place as Johan turned to face a young woman who was not much older or younger than he himself-around 16, maybe 17 years old.
Johan looks at the woman and remembers that this is the person he is looking for. "Yes, thats me!” johan replied the girl was wearing a tunic that seemed to be clean and washed often but getting old with some places the threats were pointing out and it seem to be tugged really often with that around her waist the apron is tied around her neck and behind her back the apron then blends with the skirt of the same color that on other hand seem messy like it was used like a cloth to clean hands or other kind of mess.
"Are you doing well, Lona?" Johan asked. Finally, he knew who he was looking for, and it was this young girl named Lona Olodi. Lona was a cute young lady with long brown hair tied in a ponytail, her green eyes staring at Johan, who felt a warm, gentle skip in his chest. Her chest was not flat yet not too striking; it was a firm chest of the young girl hidden under the working tunic and apron. Johan glared at her and felt his lips go dry; it was hard to swallow when he was close to her. Then he shook his head gently to get his feet back on the ground.
"Lona, may I ask you a question? I don't know why, but I can't remember anything from yesterday other than getting beat up by Auswirl," Johan asked while Lona thought for a while, a gentle smile on her lips. As part of her work, it was possible for her to keep smiling to maintain a high mood.
"Yesterday, you said I do know a few things, Johan. It started around seven when the Auswirl group returned from hunting, and as they began drinking, they started gawking at me and got playful in their drunken state, but..." Lona paused and sighed as she shook her head in disapproval. "But you stepped in and told Auswirl to stop it and that you wouldn't stand for such behavior, so he dragged you out and beat you. That's what I heard after he took you out."
Johan was suddenly struck by lightheadedness and a strong headache. He remembered the whole of yesterday as he had lived through it; indeed, he didn't like the way Auswirl touched Lona and stepped in, and then it happened. But whatever was before yesterday remained cloaked in dark fog.
"Lona, can I as-" Johan was cut off while speaking by Morin . "Johan! Stop annoying Lona and get out. I told you to leave, didn't I? So do it before I make you relive yesterday!" Merin said in a loud and menacing tone, clearly pissed that Johan was still in his inn and talking to Lona.
"Yes... I am sorry for my behavior," Johan said, looking at Lona. "I would like to speak with you. I really just want a small help, that's all," Johan said quietly so Merin couldn't hear him on his way out. But as he reached for the door, it opened wide and hit him right in the face, causing him to fall to the floor.
The group that entered seemed to be a band of heavily clothed men with weapons at their sides: swords, spears, axes, and others. The leader looked at Johan , who was looking up; the strike of the door was enough to draw blood from his nose. 'Ah... another bully? Do I know him? I don't think so; his look rings no bells.'
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It was an old man who clearly had strength for someone his age; he was at least around his fifties! He was clearly eating well. His posture was molded by years of hard training and labor, but one thing was strange about him: he was not tall; rather, he was quite short!
"My apologies , Stout-mate," the leader said to Johan as he offered him a hand to help him back to his feet, which Johan accepted, and the man pulled him up as if he were a feather!
Merin looked pissed at the sight of someone helping Johan but sighed and followed. "Be welcome back, Bruk!" Merin said, glancing at the man. 'Bruk? That 's a weird name,' Johan thought.
Bruk looked at Meril, Lona and Johan and smiled widely despite the short look he seemed to be different from others and it was because he showed empathy to Johan. “Come Join me and my group at the lauch as payment for what I did to you!”
‘Lauch? me? I mean, is it crazy to accept such an offer from someone who could snap my neck with ease? I can decline and hope Meril wont poison me but a good stew or give me a thick and massive steak that would be amazing and hard to not risk!’ Johan was thinking to himself and was nervous but curious about it.
with a single inhale Johan looked at the leader Bruk “I am not sure Ser! it was my fault i didnt check the door and you open them in the right time to put me back to reality yes yes! I was just dazed off and not paying any attention!” Johan lied and looked away so he could see Meril's expression and hoped there was no killing intent but then Bruk hand smacked Johan back making him choke on air “Sorry lad! I do not know whatcha hiding there but i said we eat! So. We. EAT!” Bruk said out loud making Johan try worthless in the end.
“Yes SER!” Johan replied on the way to the empty table Johan couldn't help but look at Bruk, his long bronze colored beard, small size and really powerful build. Is it possible this person is a Dwarf? Like the one in fantasy? Johan's mind swirls with possibilities and interest spies on him. Think if this really is a new word there can be magic or any possible way to get his name high not as a writer but as a hero, maybe a heroic poet!
The other members of the group were three men both in their twenties up to forties, The group was made of the leader Bruk his right hand and tracker specialist Calak who seems really chill and talkative who spits one story after another at the table and mostly to johan who seem to be dragged into this storytelling. Then there was Rynm and Pali; they both joined a few weeks as replacements for their fallen or those who left the group out of injuries or just retirement.
Lona then came with her bright smile as always even though Johan knew that smile since today, “what it will be Gentlemen?” Lona asked the group.
“I want a Beef steak with Potatoes and ale! Lots of Ale” Bruk shout out.
“I'll take a mushroom soup with salad and water” Calak followed.
“I would like Pigeon breast with spices and potato stew and with that Ale or wine but also I would like bread with garlic butter!’ Rynm said clearly he was the muchlack of this group.
“And I would like to take Boar Slidder! At least two or three with water and ale” Pali Followed with his order.
Then Lona and the group looked at Johan “And you Johan?” Lona asked, leaving Johan a little stunned and lost “I-i would like to take the steak as well?” Johan said nervously as he looked down but then Bruk laughed loudly "Wonderful choice mate! They are doing the best stakes that I've ever had!"
With that Lona left and decided to set the order While the group was talking Johan looked at them.
“May I have a question? Why all this? I mean I am not gonna pay you back because I am poor. I can't repay it since I have no job and I have nothing in return. Is this all worth it for getting hit by someone by a door right to the face?” with that after listening a few seconds later Calak replied, “It's not worthy to do good deeds? we heard what happened and now when we did something bad to you too we want to repay you not you to us!” Calak said and johan look away unknow what to say but then Pali replied
“you see Auswirl Is nothing But a power obsessed bastard who seeks nothing but entertainment he is a bastard in both literal and metaphorical sense he is a bastard of royal blood of Vylan Alaldsen and some whore who came from west so for him this is all but a child play…”
‘Bastard you say? Alaldsen? A loyal family? I see Johan think to himself and listen “thanks for clarification Ser Pali and i would like to ask another question, what are you hunters hunt?” Calak and the rest looked at Bruk.
“Yes a bastard who beats weak because he is able to use Eljun that's it” bruk said but johan looked at them “Sorry? Eljun? wait is that?” Johan asked and got curious of course why wouldnt he this sound like something to magic or maybe even something different!
“Eljun is a well inner energy that comes from the main source Flóa which is within all of us this Flóa is then divided into two paths the one being Eljun and the other Megin” Bruk explains and showed his arm “you see this” he said and take a bone from his back that was thicker than most of the human bones, “this is bone of iss Skógbj?rn its a Niten.
“Niten?” Johan replied but immediately Bruk followed, “With Eljun you channel your inner Flóa and trigger it!” he snapped the massive and thick bone with ease like it was a toothpick “Thats Eljun but then there is Megin and that works outside of the body its like magic you could call it!”
“And Niten are Flóa corrupted beasts that we Eljun users hunt and gain fame and money! you see, those who use Eljun are called Brion which means Strength in old Skjarn so it's a traditional title left to us by our ancestors!” Bruk stopped and looked at Johan but imminent Calak followed in the short silence, “Megin or those who can use it are called Dryw Which in old Skjarn mean The one with nature” Calak replied leaving Johan thinking to himself.
‘So there is magic and just that a body amplifies magic as well and that Dryw sounds like this world name for mage or magician… Can I learn this? Can I become Dryw?'
While Johan stayed silent while Lona brought the food to the table, the sweet food aroma made all of Johan shiver in anticipation and desire to eat!
Everyone started to eat right after the plate was set on the table with laughter and a nice mood around Johan he could not still believe there was someone who was kind to him.
“Bruk how can I learn that thing? I want…! I want to become a Brion or even Dryw i would like to join your group!” Johan said out loud making Merin raise his eyebrow, ‘Him… wants to join the brion? do i finally see that little shit kill himself!’

