On thin ice (Gaunt)

[Anadwen]

Athran sighed. "My youth consists half of setting myself on fire, and half of setting other things on fire." he growled. Instead of the mead, he drank from the jug of wine, and stared into the crimson fluid, twisting and turning like a pool of blood.

It looked too much like a pool of blood...

[Brisinger987]

Halford, while not knowing Athran saw it, saw blood as well, although he had no qualms about drowning his sorrows in drinking blood. It was familiar. It reminded him of home.

"My youth..." For a second, Halford seemed to glaze over, a trickle of the red wine dropping onto his yeti steak, and his began eating, as if it were still raw.

He had downed another jug of wine, which was honestly enough.

"I spent my youth in Ketra. Lived there..." This lie was obvious.

"My wingman, Jahana, he was a great guy, I mean, he used to watch for guards, constantly..."

[Anadwen]

Athran only lazily poked his fish with the knife. It smelled old, and didn't seem tasty at all. "I hope you didn't watch Anoriel." he muttered, moving the fish around the plate.

The jug of mead went up once more, and Athran downed what was left in it. At this time, he didn't even think whether Halford is telling him the truth. He didn't tell him all, anyway.

His glance focused at something in the distance. "I lived with my father." When he mentioned Elesian, his face hardened. Those weren't memories he would want to bring up... He wasn't on good terms with his father.

[Brisinger987]

"I'm a lie..." Halford muttered, running a hand through his hair, and sighing.

"Ok, that's a lie. Everything about me that I've told you is a lie." Halford tried to think of how to phrase his next few words.

"My real name is Sidyrux, which means "flesh-cooker" in my tribe's language. And that boy I talked to you about... He watched our newborn ritual because he was part of it... My tribe were cannibals. The newborn ritual was a ritual where the newborn was fed it's first piece of flesh... That boy was the sacrifice. I left the tribe a few years later." Halford sighed, ordering another full jug of mead.

[Anadwen]

Athran nodded, not even appearing too surprised by it. "I understand why you lied... Don't think you'll meet with misunderstanding. I was taken as a misfit till I showed everybody that I can fight. And I've traveled enough to see stranger customs. I think I've gone through some myself..." he admitted.

It was understandable that Halford would lie about something like that, but Athran got rid of the prejudice he used to have in his youth. He was neither surprised nor disgusted... After all, he had so many secrets to hide himself.

"We're all living a lie..." He dropped his head onto his forearms, crossed on the table, and sadly glared at the wall.

[Brisinger987]

"I ate a total of 203 people. People. Some as young as infants. I would be branded a demon worshipper were it not for the fact people didn't know. It was just a missing person notice. No remains. We even put the bones to use..." Halford sighed, and kicked back in his chair.

"I only left because I had a crush on a girl we sacrificed, and in my anger, I killed the chief."

[Anadwen]

Athran look down in what could have been shame, if something would have been seen through his dark hair, falling into his face. "I don't think I'm much better. You killed for food... I kill for money... Maybe that's even worse, because I chose to do it. And what is the most terrifying thing, is that I'm good at it."

Living such a lie... How did he even sink so low from the son of a commander?

[Brisinger987]

"I chose to do it, for a while... But now is not the time and the place to reminisce. We have our death beds for that."

[Anadwen]

"I learned to regret nothing. It's no good." Athran growled, downing his wine. The jug made a loud thud as he laid it down again, maybe with more force than he should have put to it.

"Death can come and claim me, but it damn sure won't find me sorry."

[Brisinger987]

"Aye, that is a fine thought to live by. To welcoming death with a smile!" Halford raised his jug in a toast, and finished it.

The huge amount of alcohol began to take effect, and as he finished his meal, he began to laugh, at some joke that hadn't been told.

[Anadwen]

Athran ordered yet another jug of wine. If he was to get drunk, then he'll get drunk on a big scale... His mouth twisted to a grin. "I have this one friend... He follows me all around. A death god, he says. All big and strange, but he's actually quite nice. He says that if I ever die, I'm going with him. That there's no heaven or hell for me... Well, I died once, and before someone judged where to put me, I came to life again, so it makes sense, doesn't it?"

He turned the fish over with his knife, then picked it up by the tail and offered it to Halford. "I'm not going to eat this. It stinks old. Do you want it?"

[Brisinger987]

"Oh, so another mad nutter. Well, at least you know you get to join the gods. I'm going straight to Haruspex's front door." Halford grinned, obviously pleased with the thought of going to the Dark God's front door.

"Nah, I'm good. Unfortunately because of the climate, they're hard pressed to get fish round here." Halford finished off his yeti steak, and laid back, feeling the small amount of venom light up his stomach like a firework.

"Ooooh, yeti burn."

[Anadwen]

"Heh. I'm going straight to the realm of the death gods. Quite a pleasure, I'll get to be one as well... They said my cold soul would freeze hell over, and if they shoved me there, all devils would be running out of may way!" Athran laughed, appearing almost pleased with the fact that he will get an unique afterlife.

He gestured at the bartender once more. The man stumbled to him with a desperate expression on his old face, and listened to his drunk complaining. In the end, Athran shoved the plate into his hands and asked him to bring something that doesn't smell like it's been dead for a year.

[Brisinger987]

"Haha, Robert, the man would like a yeti steak please." Halford looked to ease the pressure upon the man.

"They have to import their fish from further north, or down south. Unfortunately, it never tastes very good to outsiders."

[Anadwen]

"Only orcs smell worse." Athran growled, and watched the man leave. "But I should shut up, as I can't even cook what I hunt down, shouldn't I?"

[Brisinger987]

"I'm a good cook I think. I think, haha." Halford decided to try and keep the mood light and airy.

[Anadwen]

Athran burst out laughing. "I burn whatever gets to my hands, be it a fish, or boar. I can't help it... Food is so easily forgotten when tending the weapons." he shrugged, reaching after his jug again.

[Brisinger987]

"Too true. I managed to find these weapons in an abandoned temple built by dark elves. They used to be enchanted, but they fell into disrepair. They're still in disrepair." Halford put the weapon on the table, unsheathing it, revealing extensive wear and tear.

"Needs a good servicing."

[Anadwen]

Athran scratched his head and grabbed the weapon. "Give me a forge and it will look like new." he smirked. His weaponsmithing skills were only a little worse than the excellence with which he handled his weapons in combat. He unsheathed one of his scimitars, and laid it down on the table.

"And give me three days to make it look like this. I forged that blade, and the Black Sword, too."

[Brisinger987]

"If only it were that simple. No-one can tell me what metal the blades are made of. I was hoping a fellow elf might know." Halford took the sleeve of his tunic and carefully wiped the blade clean, revealing the matte black metal underneath.

"Any thoughts?"