He set down near the council building next to Longhold Park, letting his feet touch softly. The crowd that had been following him, shouting one thing or another, was still approaching. They tromped across the park, coming at him from all angles. Aryu didn't know which way to look first. Each was a face he'd known forever, now twisted in fear and rage, directed at him as they ran. As the crowd approached, he began deciphering words and phrases, none of which were encouraging.
“Get him out!” one shouted over the noise. “Don't let him be seen!”
“Why are you back?” said another. “Why would you do this to us?”
“Get rid of him!”
“We must hide before he's discovered! There's no time!”
Had torches and pitchforks been readily available, they would have likely all had one or the other in hand as they came.
Aryu was dumbfounded, not knowing what to make of the scene as it unfolded all around him. Without thinking, he took another panicked look around, inadvertently spreading his wings as he moved.
That was all it took to hold the mob in its tracks as they stumbled to come to a halt, tripping over one another. All he knew was that his wings were a trigger to something.
“Stop it, boy! For the sake of everyone, are you trying to get us killed?” said a familiar voice from behind him, a voice that had no right to call him ‘boy’.
He turned, finding the face he didn’t want to see, that of Esgona. Or, what was left of him.
Esgona was always brash and cocky, but popular in circles beyond the realms of outsiders such as Aryu and Johan. A smooth talker from a young age, he also fancied himself a ladies’ man thanks to his clean, curly hair, dark eyes, strong build, and handsome features.
That was certainly not the boy he saw now.
His face was badly scarred down his left side, from hairline to jaw, like he'd been dragged across broken glass. His left eye barely opened, and what eye Aryu could see was opaque. His hair was cut very short, with what appeared to be another large scar across his scalp on the right side. The clear limp he approached with served as notice that the rest of his body likely hadn't fared much better. His right eye was still good, though, and it was locked on Aryu like a dagger.
“You put those damn things away before we all suffer for your stupidity!”
Aryu turned quick, sweeping his wings around like fan blades, kicking up a stiff wind that had those in the inner circle shielding their eyes. Now was not the time for his tolerance of Esgona and his arrogance.
“You will address me properly, Esgona, before I get angry enough to make you!”
“And how would a fool like you be addressed, BOY!” He hobbled forward, his injury clearly making his life difficult, but doing nothing to stop his running mouth.
The crowd grew angrier, shouting in agreement with Esgona's words. Had Esgona gone on his quest, he should still be away. Esgona was still around when he and Johan had gone, and there was no way one would even return a day sooner than they should. Be it a day, a week, or a month, you never came back from your quest before you were supposed to. Dishonor and ridicule followed you and all your progeny if you did, just as it had Johan.
“Before I show you just how I will be addressed, you had better tell me what the hell is going on and why you dare treat me like this!”
Each word seemed to rile up Esgona even more, almost like Aryu was spitting in his face with each syllable. Esgona stared at him incredulously before making a motion towards him again, this time his intentions of expressing himself in a more physical nature were written across his face, bad leg or not.
Aryu was a much tougher man now than a year ago. He'd had many fights in that time. Stood against many foes. Won some and lost some, but learned something each time. He knew he could take Esgona at a whim, especially in his obviously weakened state. He had no desire to do so, though. All he wanted were answers, and a fight was no way to get them.
In a clean spiral motion, he pulled his wings tight around him and spun away just as Esgona had gotten within arm’s reach, the crowd cheering and encouraging Esgona with every step and hobble he made. Aryu ducked back and tried to stop him, but Esgona was clearly enraged and came at him again.
Aryu drew the sword.
He had no intention of even touching Esgona with it, but in the state of madness and confusion he currently found himself in, with unfriendly faces all around him cheering on his old bully as he tried to fight a man clearly his superior, he had no other options. His wings could glide, but he couldn’t just take off. They weren’t strong enough for that. If drawing this sword and using it to keep the masses at bay was what he had to do, then so be it.
The sword came about and pointed directly at Esgona as he approached again, bringing him to a swift standstill. His eyes widened instantly as he looked at the blade. Silence from the crowd followed as every eye locked on in horror at the weapon. Aryu at last had their attention.
“Now before you do something very stupid,” he began, “I believe we should first start with the meaning of your disrespect. I've gone too far and seen too much to be spit on by a whelp like you, Esgona.”
Esgona, still staring at the blade, stuttered as he began to look up, meeting Aryu’s eyes.
