Cease the Suffering - Etrian Odyssey II (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 25

AN: Happy New Year everyone! I do hope that none of you are nursing hangovers from partying too much X3 Thanks so much SakuraiYoake and Irish_Moon_Dreamer for commenting on the previous chapter! I really appreciate it. Now, please enjoy!

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Chapter 25:

The Stickleback Bar was full to capacity. Something that Cass both enjoyed and hated. He was pleased because it more people meant more drinks being sold. Annoyed because more people meant it was harder to keep everyone in check. He was still mighty pissed about the last time the Guildmaster shanghaied all guilds into the Bar in order to consider possible competitions or tests for expert and rookie explorers. He didn’t mind the odd punch up, as long as the furniture wasn’t used.

Axel watched with a mild disinterest as several rookie guilds made the outrageous, but common, boasts about being the ones to finally discover every secret the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. It was their destiny, they’re purpose.

Or so they claim.

The more experienced guilds simply rolled their eyes, trying their best to ignore them. While it was good that the younger explorers had the drive and enthusiasm, it was going to take a lot more than that to even get past the first floor.

Sharing idle chitchat with other explorers, Axel overheard Kuro, a free-for-hire wandering Ronin, a warrior far older than he, mention something about Etria. It immediately piqued his interest.

Swivelling in his seat, Axel turned his attention to the Ronin. “You’re from Etria?”

“Correct,” Kuro replied, somewhat guarded.

“I was raised in a small village near there,” Axel explained, showing that he was only interested, not being nosy.

“Ah,” Kuro uttered, nodding his head in understand. “I’ve met a few people who resided somewhere near Etria.”

Idly turning his mug of ale on the table, Axel decided to ask him a direct question. “You know of a man called Taksony?”

“Indeed,” Kuro muttered, his eyes narrowing in a piercing manner. “Not a pleasant man.”

“What do you know about him?”

“Only gossip and rumours,” Kuro answered, leaning his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand. He didn’t seem that comfortable, but he seemed willing to speak nonetheless. “He was a notorious man. Feared and respected in equal quantity. However, he was greatly hated. His cruelty was well-known.”

“Yeah,” Axel muttered as he tried to reign in his hatred toward the man they were speaking of. He pushed forward as there was a bit more information he wanted to know. “I heard he’s dead now.”

“Ah, yes, indeed.” There was an odd sense of relief in Kuro’s voice. “No one was shedding tears of mourning.”

Axel felt the corner of his mouth twitch into a smirk. Ah, so he was dead. Not entirely sure how he felt about that. While on one hand it meant that Lynus had indeed…removed him from existence, it also meant that the old bastard won’t be coming after him any time soon. As in, not at all.

“I bet there’s a tonne of gossip surrounding his death.”

“An endless list of suspects.” A smirk was also presented on Kuro’s lips. “No one is really investigating, though. More important things to do. Although, some are undoubtedly angry that they didn’t get to him first.”

Axel snorted. “No truer words.”

“Ah, you are not a fan.”

“Not even remotely,” Axel muttered as he lifted his mug, his eyes narrowing. “Bastard. However he died, it didn’t matter. Too quick and painless.”