Chronicles of Arya

At an Ending, A New Beginning

Isaac usually loved his morning as he woke up in his cottage and have his favorite brew of coffee.

But for some reason, today felt different.

Isaac exited his home to see his lovely hometown, a small village a few kilometers outside the walls of Leadun Kingdom. The kingdom itself is one of many within the Sovereign Empire, the biggest faction in the world.

When he stepped outside of his house, a merchant cart was being pulled by a horse passed by in front of him.

"Morning sir!" The merchant waved as he passed. Isaac just waved back with a smile. The Leadun Kingdom was a popular place for commerce, so people and merchants frequented the place a lot.

And since Rost Village, the village that Isaac's living in, is close to the kingdom, merchants visited here a lot for temporary and cheaper accommodation. So the atmosphere in Rost very rarely gets old, because of all the new people he meets.

Isaac strapped on his toolbelt and went about to the village and its rocky path. He had a reputation for being the village's handyman and people often look for him to get things fixed. He had no talent for farming or fishing, but he had a knack for fixing things until they work.

He turned a few corners and greeted a few passing villagers before he arrived at the local tavern. The place where everything happens.

Despite being early in the morning, the tavern was almost full. It gets crowded at night, so the scene came as a surprise. Maybe it had something to do with the festival in Leadun, but Isaac wasn't complaining.

The rustic design never gets old. Wooden floorboards that creaked with every step, old stone walls that look weathered, and lanterns that have seen better days.

Despite that, the place holds strong, even with the lodging on the second floor.

Isaac sat on one of the wooden stools and leaned against the counter. "Hey, Big Bob."

Big Bob was the bartender of the place. He was bald, has a scruffy beard, and had a figure that could snap a person in half. If Big Bob wanted to, he could probably join the Sovereign Knights because of his strength. But instead, he chose to be a bartender. No one knew why, but no one cared. Big Bob was a nice guy, and people weren't really keen on making the big dude angry.

Because if that happens, no one is going to serve them drinks again.

"There's my favorite customer." Big Bob grinned.

Isaac rolled his eyes. "You say that to everyone."

"Yeah, but I only mean it to you." Big Bob winked. "So, the usual?"

"You know me."

"Gotcha." Big Bob said. "One White Root Ale, coming up!"

Despite his massive hands, Big Bob handled drinks well, even though he could crush the bottles with one hand. Within minutes, his drink was ready. A milky white drink that smelled like lemons. As Isaac gulped it down, he felt the familiar sourness of White Root, pounding at his taste buds before settling down.

"That hits the spot." Isaac sighed in satisfaction.

"I swear, only you drink White Root." Big Bob said.

"Cause it's good for you," Isaac said. "You got anything for me?"

The local tavern is often the most social place in any village or town. Naturally, it's also the place where tons of information flow in and out of. As the bartender, Big Bob often hears the news from other people and the villagers.

If there's someone who knows anything about their town, it's the bartender.

"Some outsiders at the outskirts of the village." Big Bob said. "Came in last night and wanted a place to stay. I was fully booked, so I sent them to the old house at the edge of the village."