It was quite a pleasant trip to Azthryua; we filled the evenings and long droughts with conversation. My only dislike? His pace. A naiser, for lack of better words, was short. His legs could only carry him so far before he needed a break, and this was usually every 2 hours; I never needed more than a night's rest; this body of metal could never tire. The demon told me a little bit about his life; for how much he spoke and conversed, many of our conversations were my ignorance being answered with endless monologues and tangents from him. His frustration with my ignorance didn't make all that much sense to me; I quite enjoyed being ignorant. I knew nothing, and I was nothing. I cannot name a bigger freedom.
"Now... ha...here... Man, I'm tired... HERE IS AZTHRYUA." A naiser barely blurted out between his shallow breaths; his entire body was seconds away from collapsing.
"I thought you'd be more used to these long trips on foot," I questioned jokingly as I focused on the view ahead of me. Tall mountains with a singular path that awaited us; I felt a sense of fantasy wash over me; a truly brilliant light shone over the city; the stone buildings and houses shone with such ecstasy for being built, each one decorated in asymmetrical manners, hand-done and poorly kept. Yet the imposed jewels on them shone more than any star as they reflected the sun's energetic rays. I allowed myself to breathe for a moment as I stared at the sun. I felt any remains of that invasive water evaporate in the sun's rays; I felt a smile crack in my head before turning back to my new employer, who was still crumbling under the sun's heat as he mumbled and grunted about the difference in his flesh and my metal when it comes to stamina.
"Now that's neither here nor there," he finally coherently said after catching his breath.
"Now brush! Our plan is simple: step 1, enter Azthryua; step 2, sell stuff; step 3, become the richest demon and machine duo on the island." He exclaimed proudly as he began to walk once more despite the silent complaints of his knees and back.
"And after he became rich?" I questioned as I followed him, attempting to slow down even further to match his pace.
"We stay rich," he smirked.
I felt the words reach my body and engrave them on me; a plan now turned dream and purpose for me, and I followed him with that same internalized passion.
Azthryua appeared to be quite pleasant, and I am yet to hear a single threatening sound as the both of us began to enter the city; the jewels that decorated the exterior of every house only served to confuse and blind us as we walked, I'm sure of it. Once, as we wandered for whatever our destination had been, my eye stumbled on a temple where I saw the silhouette of Mary inside conversing with someone. But I didn't give it a second thought. I tried at least, with little success.
"So where are we headed?" I questioned quickly changing my internal discussion.
"My shop!" he exclaimed proudly, breaking out of a walking haze.
I looked at him with as much disbelief as my featureless face could muster.
"I know it's impressive I own some land! I'm only a traveling merchant on special occasions."
I had believed him to be homeless, but it felt evil to correct myself after how proudly he spoke about himself.
"And since you're properly employed now, it's only logical you get the proper tour of your future workplace."
He continued, now walking with the same passion and motivation that appeared in his voice. I couldn't help but mimic it.
With no more information or chatter to be exchanged, we simply kept walking. I heard grunts and complaints from A naiser; even if he was used to the walking, his body still ached and was tired, and besides, I remembered that day. I saw a beautiful painting. and kept walking for years before I woke up.
After a few sharp turns, we stumbled upon a humble shack. The door had a simple sign that read
"Rob me if you're that broke."
He reaches his hand upwards with his palm to the sky as a small metallic key manifests into his hand, which he gently places into the door and opens it even slower, his head quickly moving around to check his stash and products, and then a sigh of relief as he beckons me inside. It appears the sign's simple accusation prevented any robbers.
The shop was decorated with all sorts of storage units on both the walls and shelves that turned the open space into a makeshift maze. All sorts of junk and magical incidents filled the place, and as A naiser checked on each shelf and box, he seemed to indulge in a sort of nostalgia, a smile forming on his face the longer he looked at these products. He was squatting down and admiring a box next to the counter.
"Each item here has a story."
He sighed happily as he put down an iron mask next to what appeared to be a small ceramic statue of a blue lobster before standing up.
"Do you have a favorite item?"
He appeared to grow fierce as he returned to the back of his store, returning with a shine in his eyes. He was carrying 8 nails.
"These 8 nails were created by L.O.V. I accidentally found his underground chamber and stole these off him!"
"love?" I couldn't help but question as I idly stepped across the shop, observing all the trinkets he had for sale.
"Nah, nah, sound it out. L. O. V., he's some blacksmith or something; anything he forges is indestructible. It's a name I throw out to any adventurer dumb enough to believe it."
He sighed as he crashed onto the chair behind his desk.
"'Not these though; these are genuine from him. I was walking around the sides of this town when BAM, the ground collapsed from under me. I found myself in some weird tunnel, and I decided to follow it. I found him in the flesh, slamming away mindlessly at some metal, so I thought, "He wouldn't miss a few items if I took them," so I tried to do so. If it weren't for him tripping over his anvil, I would've been thrown into that furnace." A naiser countined with a smirk on his face as he calmly put the nails back into a drawer in the table. His entire body was animated as he talked about the story, moving with every sentence before his gaze returned to me, awaiting my reaction.
"You've got quite the mindset, huh? and some confidence to walk in there and just rob him blind."
"It comes with the work, you know! As I say, confidence is the truest strength."
At the thought of that, I felt my head drop a bit low. That day flashed in my head again, and I began to wander back to that day at the Enkidu.
"Strength is a curse I am willing to bear."
That curse began to consume me, and I've let it feast on me for days now, but what strength do I have to show for it?
"Ah, why the long face, lad? You're not a horse. I know I may be the most amazing and shining example of confidence, but through this job you'll end up the same as me in no time. Trust me!"
The thought to be just as he was, but taller, was my main focus as I turned my face to him again and nodded.
"Pfft, I'll surpass you in no time."
"You don't know what you're saying, lad," he commanded as his face and body all turned rigid, glaring at me with eyes that had seen the open markets and hell and couldn't tell the difference before returning to normal with a chuckle sounding out as he leaned back.
"I won't open shop for an hour or a couple of hours, so we've got time to train your skills up. You're going to be making the sales." A naiser began to get up from his seat as he checked the inventory behind him.
"mak- making the sales? I don't know how!"
"You'll learn, metal man; don't be so nervous."
"I'm not good with people either."
"Everything is a skill that can be taught."
I had more excuses to throw, but I decided to just trust him with it, perhaps in extension trust myself.
He glanced back at me and offered me a thumbs-up and a smile.
"Let's get started then."
YOU ARE READING
the garden within the wasteland
Mystery / Thrillerthis land used to be beautiful, a land filled with life, plants, and animals, Now what's left of it is the machines, man-kind, and the final form of art and self expression, war. (inspired mostly by Elden Ring, bleach and ultra kill)
