Friends Outskirts

Walker's heart was thumping so fast as the door behind him begin to crack.

"This needs to work" He murmured raising his shivering hand to his neck.

Hearing the banging on the door He swallowed his saliva and made contact with the sharp edge of the wood he was holding

His neck wrinkled as he push the wood deep into his neck making his skin bleed.

"Urk" He pushed the pointed plank away and begin to hold his neck trying to control himself as the pain envelop his entire body.

Seeing the blood-coated wood made him sure that the pain he felt wasn't pointless.

Blood.

If the dog outside the door could smell the blood of the killer that still lingers on his neck then he just needs to hide it.

Hide it with his blood, is what Walker thought of doing.

The resistance behind the door begin to lessen when he started to rub his neck scattering the blood that was drawn from the wound he created.

But there was still resistance, the door was still trembling with a force it wasn't strong as before but it was still here, the two guardians or the dog is still present outside.

"I just need more blood" Walker murmured his eyes void of life, maybe because of losing too much blood or the anxiety of being in this situation either way Tan walker's mind was clouded.

He grab the pointed wood coated with blood from afar and nonchalantly pointed it at his neck.

"..."

At an alleyway near the guild, Johna could be seen picking up coins that were scattered on the sand.

"What time is it?" He asked looking at the yellowish sky, the eyeball sun slowly closing.

He just woke up feeling dizzy. all he could remember was trying to bribe a man working on the guild then...darkness.

He touched his swollen cheeks but couldn't feel his hand, he even try pinching it but his sensation was numb.

I was attacked.

"I fainted" Johna realized the things that happened, he looked up at the sky and couldn't help but sigh.

"Hope he's still alive"

So much time was now wasted thanks to him, if Walker is indeed inside the guild as a suspect of a crime it wouldn't come as a surprise if his already been executed like the girl he saw at the Bohera/Central Market.

That's just how strict this place is and how it doesn't tolerate crimes.

His cheek has a huge bruise that he didn't seem to mind as he ducks down picking up the golden coins on the ground.

"Is this all?" He asked looking at the pouch in his hand.

His face felt numb as if he was put under anesthesia, talking felt weird.

That guardian that punched him didn't seem to hold back.

"This should be all of it" He said to himself putting the pouch in his pocket.

"Now to free Walker-

"No need, I'm right here" A voice answered him from behind.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Johna screamed backing away he even lost his footing, he slipped on the sand head first.

"ugh!" He reacted the moment his head hit the ground.

"You okay?" Walker asked giving his hand to the poor guy, unlike johna that was surprised by their meeting Walker seemed tired.

Walker's eyes were seconds away from dozing off his skin was pale and his body reeked of blood.

Where did he go?, Johna's face seemed to ask.

"I'm supposed to be the one asking that" Johna said in disbelief sitting on the ground.

"I thought you're sent to prison"

Walker tug the collar on his shirt higher as it started to slip down his neck almost revealing something bright red.

"No, I just....explore, never knew this place could be this big" Walker said with a smile.

"...." Johna was speechless as Walker offered him his hand.

Walker took a deep breath before saying in a joyous tone

"What?, it's like you just saw a ghost" He shake his hand, and finally Johna took it.

"Haha, I'm just relieved I don't need to find you, I don't want to freeze here at night"

Johna stood up face to face with Walker as he heard him say

"Let's go home then"

Johna smiled upon hearing those words, he was the first to take action going towards the direction of mech's clinic.

While his face was away from Walker He took a breath, relief that he doesn't need to approach the guild.

'Seeing the execution in bohera, terrified him of approaching the guild, but he needs to save Walker..he needs to repay him' those thoughts died down as the two of them walked away from the guild.

"Right, let's grab something first" Johna said pointing in the direction of the clinic.

Johna sounds confident as he said "I got something you'll love"

"ooooh!, I can't wait to see it" Walker reacted walking behind him and pacing slower than johna as he couldn't keep up with the guy.

....

Ten hours earlier.

A clear field with sand carried a single hut.

It's in the middle of nowhere out of the desert city, and only the outline structures of the city could be seen from afar.

A large centipede carrying what seemed to be a wagon approached the hut at a slow speed.

The wind howled and the centipede stopped.

"Drop it"

A familiar voice comes inside the wagon carried by the centipede.

Seconds later three men exit the wagon carrying a metal barrel.

"Boss, where do we?" One of the three carrying the barrel spoke his voice filtered by the wind.

"Just drop that there, I'll talk with the client"

Laster was the last to exit the wagon, he head over to the small hut and knocked on the door while his three sons watch him from behind as they unload the barrel.

Knock.knock.

No one answered so laster tried again this time with more force making the sound louder.

Knock.knock.

The floor inside creaked and as the sound inside got closer and closer, Laster took a deep breath.

The doorknob tremble and laster fixed his loose shirt and brushed his hair as the door opened revealing a lady inside.

The one behind the door was in simple terms a fat woman wearing trousers, her face wrinkled and saggy slash mark could be seen passing through her lips and ending on her nose.

Despite what you call an old look, laster's eye shone when he saw the old lady.

It's like seeing your first love, or your lost comrade after a long time.

The old lady looked around before speaking to the one at the door.

"I thought your out of business?"

"Well an opportunity came" Laster answered calmly smiling in front of the lady.

"Good for you!" The old lady yelled in joy, she tried to close the door but laster was quick enough to slide his arm to the side.

His hand sandwiched by the wooden frame and the door, Laster spoke his voice stuttering.

"Wait...I'm not gonna do anything illegal, I mean I'm just gonna earn money"

"Do it yourself" The old lady spoke still trying to close the door even when she already saw laster's hand.

"I can't!, I need your help" Laster yelled.

"Ask somebody else, don't involve my family in anything!"

The three men holding the metal barrel lowered it down and watch their father plead to the woman inside the small hut.

"Were old friends, think of this as your last favor"

The door loosen so laster continued

"After this I won't visit you, talk to you, will be strangers"

The old lady opened the door and what was on her face wasn't anger but worry when she asked

"Revenge?"

Seeing that his old friend was hooked, he smiled his ruby eyes seemed to glow.

"I won't, it's forgotten... I'm a new man"

"I'll help you" The old lady sighed

"if someone asks a fairy helped you" The lady spoke slowly opening the door.

Laster took his numb hand he blow it with warm breath before speaking.

"Fairy, huh"

"....." The old lady was silent as she guide laster inside the hut.

Contrary to its outside structure, the space inside the hut was something comparable to a two story house.

The moment laster entered the first he noticed was the abnormally long hallway that carries doors with different names attached to them.

The old lady guided him until they arrived on an open field

A small garden field with flowers most of them roses.

In the middle of the garden was a wooden table that doesn't fit the elegant look of the field.

The old lady took a sit and laster followed behind grabbing his chair.

"What's my use?"

She asked laster and he replied pulling a flask out of his vest.

"This is herb blood"

He put the flask on the table and the green liquid took the lady's attention.

"Isn't this rare?" The old lady asked

"It is, I was lucky finding it" Laster mused.

"So you want me to buy it or perhaps the payment of the request your asking?"

The old lady asked, she looked at laster's youthful face and continue.

"Either way, you should approach my brother instead-

"Stop" Laster spoke in a deep tone the old lady's voice died as it was engulfed by the loud word.

He pushes the flask closer to the old lady.

"I need help scattering the herb blood far from the city....it's your specialty isn't it?"

"..." The old lady eyed the veil as if estimating its price, she sighed and looked at laster.

"Fine"

She spoke standing up from the chair and going towards laster.

She tightly grabs the flask and put it on his chest.

"I'm not helping you for benefits"

Hearing it, laster holds the old lady's hand.

"But you'll still have it"

"I don't need it" An immediate answer comes from the old lady.

The two of them stared at each other, the old lady her hand placed on laster's chest while laster's hand was placed on hers.

"....." The silence was deafening, but before it could get more awkward laster grab the flask that was pushed against his chest and freed the old lady's hand.

"Should I show you the product?" Laster asked.

"No need, I'll see it in delivery" The old lady spoke coldly going towards the long hall.

"The delivery will be on-

"I'll deliver it as long as you bring it here" She spoke going towards the exit door.

She was about to touch the doorknob ready to force laster out when a friendly voice greeted her and laster from behind.

"Oh, you have a visitor darling?"

Wearing an apron, a gentle-looking old man greeted the two, holding a frying pan he spoke.

"Why not join us for dinner"

"I cook too much you see" He added showing them the frying pan empty of any dishes.

"No darling, he's leaving" The old lady spoke opening the door, she looked at laster and whispered.

"Were done with the deal"

"So?" Laster whispered back. he walk towards the old man and greeted him with a smile.

"Frank!, you look good"

Seeing the young man's face surprised Frank, he pat him and the shoulder and said in joy.

"wait Isn't this laster!, you look young herb blood perhaps?"

Laster chuckled

"Why want some?"

"I can give it to you for free"

"Darling he's leaving" The old lady voiced out, she looked at laster with anger

"aren't you?"

"Don't rush, we have time why not join us for dinner, old friend" Frank spoke before the sound of running water could be heard in one of the rooms.

"About the herbs blood-

Laster spoke he put his hand in his pocket ready to take out something

but he stopped when Frank spoke rushing over to the room where the droplets could be heard.

"I don't need it, just join us"

Crack.

The doorknob cracked laster turn around to see the old lady smiling at him, it seems laster's answer will recieve a response from this lady.

"I have kids waitin-

"Let them join" Frank spoke going towards the room leaving laster and the old lady alone.

They silently stared at each other when a loud voice came from the room that frank just entered.

"Ack, it's flooding!, where's the plunger!, how do you turn this off!, fucking turn off!,....where's the plunger!"

The old lady cleared her throat before speaking calmly

"Its in the emergency drawer darling, don't use the one on the toilet"

The door creaks open and Frank's head pop out, all wet he smiled at his wife

"Thanks love" He said gently closing the door.

"Um, what's for dinner?" Laster asked

"Get your kids, it's a stew" The old lady answered

"What kind of ste-

"Its a stew" The old lady answered once more.