Chapter 26: Hot Blooded
The Lycan’s ears twitched and her tail moved. She was still crouched watching Julius.
He didn’t react to the motion. He’d put his hands on the mat to do the push-ups, managing up to three before lying on his back, allowing him to see the lycan who was fuming.
Reaching into his pocket, he willed the Draft to open. His fingers closed around the wardstone as it materialized from the Draft.
He didn’t know how the no-fighting rule was enforced but he didn’t want to die from some altercation. He recalled the contract he had signed which caused a tiny smile to appear on his face.
This only served to infuriate the lycan. She didn’t know why he was smiling or what he was reaching for. Her body was heated and her temper was near its limit and all she wanted was a reason to vent it out
She curled her fingers into a fist and raised it up preparing to strike.
"LUMI!"
Brena’s voice cut across the room. Sharp and flat.
The lycan froze and stood up.
Brena walked toward them, stopping a few feet from the mat before speaking.
"You know the rule, Lumi."
"I wasn’t going to — "
Brena raised a finger to stop her. "Go cool off."
The lycan’s jaw tightened. Her tail moved in small arcs as she looked between Julius and Brena. Then without a warning, she stormed off to the female washroom, slamming the door hard enough for it to echo through the hall.
The other patrons were silent for a moment until Brena gave them a glare and everyone returned to what they were doing.
Julius sat up slowly, letting the wardstone in his pocket fade into the Draft. He pulled his hand out empty and rested it on his knee.
Brena was watching him.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I’m fine."
"It’s your first day and you’re already making friends," Brena said.
"Yeah right." He didn’t find the situation funny in the slightest. Brena got the gist and apologized for Lumi’s behavior.
"No problem. Besides I’m done for the day," Julius replied. He picked up his things and walked to the door. Brena followed him.
He could feel the eyes of the others in the gym on him. He turned to look. The dwarf from the rack earlier and a few others gave him a nod that could only be interpreted as an apology.
Julius opened the door, moving through it. Brena stopped half way
"I hope this doesn’t affect your opinion of my gym." Brena said as she stood at the door.
"No, it doesn’t."
"That’s good to hear, if you need a place to eat. There’s a restaurant three streets away." She pointed a direction for him.
He nodded and left. She closed the door.
A screen popped up as he walked
[Your workouts have started the first stage of physiological development]
[Subsequent workouts will improve your body.]
[Iris note: As a side effect of this skill in aiding rapid body development, you may feel intense cramps during the process]
’How intense?’
[...]
No response. Julius dismissed the screen. He was too exhausted to be bothered about that now.
He had considered bathing before leaving but the Lycan had left a bad taste in his mouth. He wasn’t interested in another conflict.
The restaurant appeared where Brena told him. A bell jingled as he opened the door. The place was busy and smelled good enough to make his stomach growl in excitement.
The interior featured many tables and chairs enough to hold fifty people or more. The desk had a goblin lady with three Imps around her, busy at the register. Julius picked a corner table and sat at a chair that allowed him a full view of the entire room.
A magic circle appeared on the table as he sat, glowing a dark red and summoned one of the Imps who wanted to take his order.
The Imp wore an apron and a chef hat and had a piece of paper and a pen in its hands. Its mischievous grin as it waited for his response was unsettling.
But before Julius could say anything. A dwarf came and shooed the demon away, causing it to disappear.
He had a full beard with a dirty apron and held a clipboard. The dwarf introduced himself as Kuna and Julius replied with his name.
"Ignore the Imps. We are a bit ’short’ staffed" he said as he gave the menu to Julius. His voice was deep and full.
Julius took the menu but the items were unfamiliar to him and asked the dwarf to suggest. The dwarf happily obliged asking him if he wanted beer with it. Julius declined and paid.
In a few moments the food arrived and he started eating.
He was halfway through eating when the door opened.
A group of three walked in, Orcs. They wore leather jackets on their clothing and pants with spikes. Each of their jackets had a shield-shaped tag with a white background and the symbol of a dog. The biggest of them wore tinted glasses and stepped forward.
The restaurant got quieter.
The dwarf from earlier walked to meet them. His face did not change.
"Chef Kuna, it’s been a while, " the biggest of the three Orcs said. His voice was level.
"You came two weeks ago." The dwarf replied, arms folded.
"And we’re back again, besides that was taxes. This is a routine inspection for your restaurant." The Orc smiled revealing a couple of copper teeth.
There was a pause as the dwarf brought out a pouch. The Orc took it and weighed it in his hand. He didn’t open it.
"Light."
"It’s what we agreed."
"It’s what you agreed, before the fee went up."
"This is what I have." The dwarf protested.
"Then you have a problem." He replied, causing his companions to grin.
The restaurant was very quiet now. The dwarf moved to the desk and spoke in hushed tones to the goblin who produced another pouch which he handed to the Orc.
Julius continued eating. Observing the scene like the rest of the patrons in the restaurant.
The Orc took it and weighed both before nodding. "Your continuous cooperation with the collectors is much appreciated."
He turned and walked out. His companions followed. The door closed behind them.
The restaurant exhaled. Conversations resumed and the dwarf went to speak with the goblin at the register.
Julius ate his food.
He thought about Mudgob. The goblin’s collector problem wasn’t isolated. Whoever was running the collection wasn’t being fair in the slightest.
He noted no one at the restaurant spoke up. Bribery seemed to do more than talking in the outer ring.
As always, money answers everything. He thought.
He finished his food, taking a moment to let it settle before he left for the Inn.
Mudgob was behind the desk as usual when he arrived. The goblin looked up from the cup he was cleaning. He read Julius’ weary movements and poured a cup of Mudmilk for him before anything else.
"Rough day?" he asked. "You look like you were chased by a Tyhull."
"Did a job. Went to the gym." Julius answered as he took the cup, thanked the goblin before sitting on a stool.
"You didn’t strike me as the working out type." Mudgob replied as he wiped droplets from the desk.
"No, I don’t," Julius answered before he drank. His slim frame was proof enough.
"Anything interesting happened?"
"There was a minor incident but the owner cleared it up."
"That’s good to hear." Mudgob polished a cup. "Brena’s good. She doesn’t put up with nonsense in her gym."
"You know her?"
"Yes. Everyone who is into physical exercise on this side of the ring knows her." Mudgob replied.
"Were you into physical exercise before?" Julius recalled he hadn’t seen a goblin at the gym and he wanted to know a bit more about his Inn owner, especially if he may be stuck in this world a little longer.
Mudgob saw through it. "Getting curious about me? Mister Julius." The familiar grin spread across his face.
"I wouldn’t call it that," Julius replied.
The goblin chuckled and explained he’d gone to the gym once but he fainted after a session and had to be carried out and since then he swore never to step foot in a gym again. "Goblins aren’t built for muscle, like many other races." The goblin peered at Julius through his glasses.
Julius ignored the glance and finished the remaining mudmilk before handing the cup back to him. He needed to know more about the veshari among other things.
"I have to rest, my body aches all over," Julius said.
"Of course." Mudgob replied.
The door to the room opened. Yumiko was nowhere to be found. Julius locked the door and turned on the shower. The cool water soaked his frame.
[Foundation: Preparing to compile]
[Confirm?]
He acknowledged it and proceeded to step out of the shower
He wore his pants but before he could put on his shirt. An intense pain seized his body, forcing him to lie on the bed. The pain moved to different parts of his body. Julius could feel his muscles flexing intensely as he laid down.
After what felt like an eternity. The pain slowly faded and a wave of exhaustion caught up. A screen popped up but the edges of his vision were darkened as his body went into rest mode.
The world faded away into a dreamless sleep.
- - -
Back At The Tusker gym. Brena opened the door to the washroom. She had seen Julius out and decided to check on her hot-blooded patron.
She inspected the door. The Lycan had slammed it earlier but there was no damage.
The washroom featured a common room with lockers on one end and bathing stalls on the other. One of the showers in the stall was running.
Brena walked to that stall and waited for some moments. The shower went off and Lumi stepped out wearing a towel.
"Feeling better?"
"Not really," the Lycan responded and walked towards her locker.
"You shouldn’t have come to the gym today."
"I can handle myself."
"Like you were a moment ago?"
A long silence. Lumi went to sit on a bench near the lockers. Brena sat beside her.
"It’s getting worse right? The cycles?" Brena asked.
"Yes. Last one I blacked out and woke up to claw marks and my room was a mess. Lucky I used chains to restrain myself before, well you know."
There was a silence before Brena spoke. "Tonight’s the night, right?"
"Yes," Lumi answered.
"You sure you don’t need company or..."
"No." She answered quickly. There was a pause before she added." You have two husbands waiting for you right?"
Brena laughed. "Yes that is true. In any case, take care of yourself."
Lumi nodded. "I’ll try and, uhm, tell the others I’m sorry about the whole thing."
Brena smiled. "It’s alright, they know how it is when it’s this time of the month. If there is anyone you should be apologizing to, it’s the veshari."
Lumi scoffed as she opened her locker. "Never. He was smiling. He found the whole thing funny."
Brena laughed. "I didn’t know You read minds?"
"Shut up." But a smile had formed on her face.
Brena laughed again. "Oh yeah, how’s work? You told me about a gig you got."
"Yeah, one of my contacts reached out, not much details yet. If it keeps me busy enough, I won’t be seeing your face..." She paused for a moment before adding. "Or that annoying veshari for a while."
"If you say so. " Brena stood up and walked towards the door. She turned to look at Lumi and proceeded to give her a thumbs up gesture. The Lycan replied with a middle finger.
A laugh was shared and the Orc closed the door.
