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『 Silver Paw, Nishtar — 26 Everi, 11:45 AM 』
Silver Paw was located in the fifth district of Nishtar. Inequality was especially stark in this district. The Silver Paw neighborhood formed the "boundary" between the rich and the poor.
To the south, the streets were flooded with alcoholics and junkies looking to escape a harsh reality. On the other side, the privileged gorged themselves on kombu steak and wine from the House of Somu.
This was the district where Silvester had met with important businessmen to sell them gems, jewelry, and other precious stones.
Silvester was a jeweler, and before that, a blacksmith. He had met Noémie during a mountain vacation. They had never left each other's side since.
Silvester had an hour and a half to rest. Exhausted, he headed to the tavern where he was staying during his short trip. He slept and ate there often; the food was good. It was also the only place where people from most social classes mingled—aside from the nobles and the bourgeoisie, of course.
Silvester walked up to the tavern, then stopped. He shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand and read the sign:
The Cheerful Grasshoppers
"The Cheerful Grasshoppers, huh?" Silvester said with a smile. "Alright, let's go grab a pint!"
The tavern was packed, but that didn't surprise Silvester. It was always like this. He stepped inside and sat at the counter with a sigh.
"A pint, Meluchius, please," he said, worn out.
Then a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Make it two pints, Meluchius, my boy!" added a deep, cheerful voice.
Silvester turned around and exclaimed:
"Oh, hey... Yocker! How are you doing?"
He stood up to shake his friend's hand.
Yocker was a burly man who had to be at least two meters tall. A long beard hung down to his chest, and his head was cleanly shaved. He wore armor that looked incredibly heavy.
"Hahaha! You should see your face! You look like you've seen a ghost! I'm doing great, and you?" he asked warmly.
"I'm doing great! A bit tired, but otherwise fine. Have a seat, please," Silvester replied, gesturing for his friend to sit to his left.
"Yeah, I can tell. You look exhausted, poor guy. You should take a vacation, seriously. It hurts to see you this tired," Yocker said.
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"That's what happens when you're under contract for several big firms now. But in three days, I get a week off. It'll be fine," Silvester retorted, sounding a bit more energetic.
"I see. How are the kids? And your wife?" Yocker asked.
"They're good. I miss them all, especially my wife," Silvester answered sadly.
"Hahaha! It'll be alright, man! Don't worry, buddy!"
Yocker gave Silvester a violent slap on the back.
He's as rough as ever.
"Ah ah... Thanks, Yocker," Silvester replied, smiling at his friend.
"What about you? You haven't told me what you've been up to. Are you still running your bar in the village of Pabish?" Silvester continued.
"Well, actually, I had starte—"
An old man screamed in the middle of the tavern:
"We are living in dark times! The world is about to face darkness again! I'd even say: aren't we already in the dark age? Where are the gods? Where are they?! The world is in grave danger!"
Both men turned around at the same time.
"Must be a drunk," Yocker said, looking at his friend.
Silvester frowned, intrigued. "Let's hear him out."
A man sitting at a table retorted:
"Oh yeah? And who told you that, you crazy old fool?" he asked, indignant.
The old man caught his breath, got up from his chair, and climbed onto the table.
"God told me!" he cried.
The whole tavern burst into laughter. The man who had heckled him asked with a sneer:
"Didn't you just ask where the gods were?"
He pounded his fists on the table and continued:
"You crazy old fool! Your gods are in your head!"
The old man looked at him and shouted:
"You'll see! You'll see for yourselves! A disaster is coming!"
He pointed at the people around him, left and right, and went on:
"All of you! You're all going to die! Me included! We're doomed!"
He started crying and screamed:
"I don't want to die! God, protect me from the disaster!"
Everyone started laughing and clapping again.
A slightly tipsy woman asked him:
"Tell me, old man, this disaster God's going to protect you from... when's it going to happen?"
The old man answered frantically:
"Today! Today! Yes! Yeees!" he shrieked until his voice cracked.
The woman scoffed.
"You hear that, guys? Gramps here says we're all gonna die today! Ooh, the end of the world is coming!" she called out.
Yocker started laughing too.
"He's a crazy old fool, probably someone from a southern neighborhood. What do you think, Silvester?" he asked.
"Silvester?"
Silvester was deep in thought, but anxious.
Yocker shook him roughly.
"Hey, you okay? You seem miles away," he said, concerned.
"It's just... I have a bad feeling. I don't know why, but I feel really awful, Yocker."
"You really believe the old man's bullshit? He just had a bit too much to drink! Like the rest of us here, hahaha!" Yocker replied, laughing.
As Silvester was about to stand up, a violent tremor shook the tavern, and the patrons started to panic.
"What's happening?!" an older man asked.
"What the hell, are we under attack or what?" another yelled.
"This joke is going on a bit too long, old man!" the drunk woman who had argued with him screamed.
"What the fuck is this?!" Yocker exclaimed.
Silvester's eyes widened. He seemed paralyzed with fear.
Noémie, the kids... What if... what if this really is my last day?
"Fuck, snap out of it, Silvester! We need to get the hell out of here!" Yocker yelled, grabbing his friend's arm.
"Shit! The roof is caving in!" Silvester blurted out, looking up.
At that exact moment, he saw a massive boulder crashing down on them.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me..." Yocker muttered in despair.
He shoved Silvester with all his might, trying at least to save his friend.
Silvester was thrown as far as possible by Yocker, but it changed nothing. He could only watch his friend's final moments end right before his eyes.
I don't know why this happened, or how... But all I know is this: the kids... and Noémie. I love you. Forgive me.
Then the boulder crashed down on them like divine judgment, without warning.
The scene looked like it was straight out of a nightmare. The bodies were crushed with such violence that it would have been impossible to recognize any of them.