Chapters 65: Crimson Hope
Kai stayed right by the front entrance, hovering anxiously near the door as he watched Tyler talk quietly to Hector over at the counter. He twiddled his thin fingers together, his mind racing as he remembered how Tyler had practically forced him out into the public view to get here.
At first, the sheer terror of the crowded streets had paralyzed him. He had wanted nothing more than to bolt back to the safety of his dark alley, but Tyler had simply reached out and grabbed his hand, physically pulling him all the way to the shop. Tyler’s grip had been incredibly strong. It was almost embarrassing to struggle against; Kai had felt like a helpless toddler being dragged along until he finally had to just let himself go.
Hector leaned his heavy forearms on the counter, rubbing his temples. "Just... I don't know about this, Tyler. This is just so sudden."
"Hector, think about it," Tyler urged, keeping his voice low as he stepped around the counter to map out the space. "I told you, I'm a hunter now. I can't always be around. But I can use my skill to craft things and sell them here. Kai will be working right here as the receptionist. He'll sell for the shop while you focus on crafting your weapons in the back. You'll just pay him a wage from the profits instead. It's a win-win situation."
Hector blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What?"
"Oh, what I meant to say is—"
"I understand," Hector interrupted, waving a calloused hand to cut him off. He shifted his gaze past Tyler, looking toward the front of the shop. "Your guy is gone."
"What?" Tyler whipped his head around. The space by the entrance door was completely empty.
Tyler immediately jumped over the counter, his boots slamming onto the floorboards, and sprinted out the open entrance.
Bursting into the glaring afternoon light, he scanned the cobblestone road and spotted Kai hastily trying to cross the street. A large man walking in the opposite direction collided harshly with the boy's shoulder, sending him twisting back.
"Watch where you're going, will ya?" the man barked.
Kai instinctively clutched his shoulder, shrinking into himself. "Sorry," he mumbled, continuing on as he tried to hurry away.
Tyler ran over instantly, weaving effortlessly through the dense crowd. He closed the gap in seconds, reaching out to firmly grab Kai's shoulder. "Wait. Where are you going?"
Kai looked over at Tyler, his crimson eyes swimming with panic. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I don't think I'll be able to. He's not going to agree. I heard everything he said."
"Wait," Tyler said, his grip softening. "Trust me. Have some patience, will ya? He's going to hire you, I promise."
Kai paused, searching Tyler's face. "Are you sure? I mean... I'm just a street kid."
"That doesn't matter, alright?" Tyler said.
He looked at Kai's face and recognized a heavy, suffocating shadow there, woefulness. It was a dark reflection of the exact same despair Tyler had once carried within himself. The specific reasons were different, but the crushing result was identical. It was the same agonizing feeling of having absolutely no worth, the deep-seated belief of being nothing but a burden. Kai thought he had no value solely because of how people treated him.
"Kai, you saving my life gave me another chance," Tyler said, his voice dropping to a gentle, steady tone. "And I'm trying to do the same for you. You just have to let me."
A sharp pang of guilt twisted uncomfortably in Kai's stomach. He looked down at the cobblestones. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Tyler said. A small, reassuring smile returned to his face as he gently gripped Kai's arm, guiding him around. "Now let's go back. I promise you, Hector is actually a good guy. He'll hear me out, I promise."
They navigated back through the marketplace and stepped through the open doors of the blacksmith shop. Tyler entered first, followed closely by Kai. They found Hector standing behind the counter with his muscular arms crossed firmly over his chest.
As soon as they approached, Hector let out a long breath. "Alright. I've made my decision."
Tyler's heart started beating faster, anticipating what the blacksmith was about to say.
"You're right," Hector said, giving a stiff nod. "We can hire him."
"Thanks!" Tyler blurted out, his voice echoing far louder in the quiet shop than he had intended.
Hector’s expression remained stern, his eyes shifting directly to Tyler. "But anything bad he does will be on you. Understand?"
"Absolutely," Tyler said without a second of hesitation. He turned back to Kai, who was staring at the blacksmith in stunned, wide-eyed disbelief.
"Why are you just standing there? Come and say hello."
Swallowing hard, Kai took a slow, timid step forward, looking up at the towering man. "Hello, sir. It's nice meet you."
"Likewise," Hector responded, giving a firm nod. He leaned over the counter, his sharp eyes evaluating the boy. "You're that street kid I always see hanging around the marketplace, right? Where do you come from, exactly?"
Kai immediately avoided Hector's heavy gaze, dropping his chin almost as if in shame. He locked his eyes onto the polished surface of the counter, hesitating for a long moment before speaking in a quiet voice. "I come from Nadia."
"Nadia?" Hector said, his eyebrows shooting up in genuine surprise.
"What is it?" Tyler asked, looking between the two of them, completely confused by the blacksmith's reaction.
"It's just that... that's pretty far," Hector explained, shaking his head. "That's near the central city, isn't it? Not too far from the castle."
*Is it really that far?* Tyler thought.
He didn't know how to react to the news, since his knowledge of the world's geography was practically nonexistent. The only two places he actually knew were Veridia and the hunter base; everywhere else was a complete blank map to him. He turned back to the boy. "How did you end up all the way here?"
"It's a long story," Kai said, a sudden edge of deep bitterness clipping his tone.
Hector caught the shift in the boy's demeanor and let out a long, grounding breath, pausing for a brief moment to smooth things over. "Well. You start working tomorrow. I want you here very early in the morning. I'll teach you the prices of everything then."
"Thank you, sir," Kai said, a small, tentative smile finally lighting up his face.
"All right, then it's settled," Tyler said, his broad smile returning. "Well, I have to go and get some rest now. Come on, Kai, let's go."
Kai turned and exited the shop alongside Tyler. The moment they stepped out onto the bustling main street, Tyler slid his hand into his empty pocket. With a silent mental command, ten silver coins materialized directly into his grasp, clinking softly against one another.
He pulled his hand out and extended it. "Here."
Kai stared at the small fortune, his breath catching. "Whoa, wait... you're giving all of that to me?"
"Yeah, just take them," Tyler said. He reached out, taking hold of Kai's limp hand, pressing the silver pieces firmly into his palm before folding the boy's fingers closed over them.
Kai slowly opened his hand again, his intense crimson eyes reflecting the bright glint of the silver coins.
"Put them in your pocket. You don't want to risk losing them out here," Tyler advised.
"Thank you," Kai whispered, his voice trembling. "Thank you so much." He immediately bent his waist, bowing his head deeply in gratitude.
"Hey," Tyler said quickly, his eyes darting to the nearby crowd. A few passing shoppers were already turning their heads to stare at the display. Tyler placed both hands firmly onto Kai's shoulders, physically lifting him back up into a straight standing position. "Don't do that. It's fine. I told you, this is the least I can do."
"No, this is... I don't even know what to say. I just—"
"You don't have to say anything," Tyler interrupted smoothly. He took a deep breath, looking around the vibrant market. "Anyway, now that you have that, you don't ever have to sleep outside on the dirt streets anymore. You can stay at a proper inn tonight. Somewhere warm."
Kai looked up at Tyler, a bright, completely genuine smile touching his lips. "Yeah," he said, his voice cracking under the emotional weight.
Tyler’s eyes widened in sudden surprise as he saw a glint of moisture form, tears spilling over and running down Kai's cheeks. Kai quickly lifted the sleeve of his new tunic, wiping them away. "I'm sorry... it's just... thank you."
"Hey dude, stop crying, you're embarrassing me," Tyler said, a light, teasing chuckle escaping his lips as he nudged the boy's shoulder.
Kai thoroughly wiped his eyes, clearing the last of the tears. As Tyler looked down at him, he realized Kai's eyes looked completely different than they had just an hour ago in the alleyway. They weren't heavy or clouded with exhausting fatigue anymore. For the very first time since they had met, Tyler saw a distinct, unmistakable spark of hope burning in them.