09. Feathers and fights

In Opeka's sun-scorched square, Killyaen, the qi-blind elven prankster, lounged on a tavern barrel, his gold-flecked eyes glinting with mischief as he schemed. His split-leaf amulet pulsed faintly, a subtle tickle he ignored, too consumed by the village's chatter about his latest "Cursed Cat" prank that left Janko dusted in flour and moozze tails. His adolescent heart thrummed with the thrill of chaos, craving the tavern's cheers and the chance to provoke. A tattered book, Aeneria's 20 Meridians, lay open beside him, its talk of Qi flow mocking his qi-blindness—a scar from a mysterious ritual, worsened by Opeka's lack of an Awakening Altar. The thought of awakening his Qi flickered briefly, but his obsession with attention and the curves of tavern women buried it.Inside the Black Stone Tavern, Killyaen's lewd gaze locked onto Lila, a merchant's daughter who occasionally visited with her father, a gruff trader hauling Zenoite from Crestmoore. Lila, with auburn hair and a tight cloak, laughed at her father's tale. Killyaen sauntered over, his grin dripping intent. "Lila, that cloak's hiding a treasure I'd love to unravel," he purred, his hand brushing her hip as he whispered, "Bet I could map every curve by midnight." Lila's laugh faltered, her cheeks flushing, caught between flattery and unease. Her father, bartering nearby, didn't notice. Bera, wiping mugs, froze, her eyes blazing. "Keep your hands to yourself, Supreme Elf," she snapped, slamming a mug down, her voice thick with jealousy. Killyaen winked. "Plenty of me to go around, Bera," he teased, but her scowl deepened, her rag hitting his chest with a wet slap.Janko, seething from his "Plumed Cat" humiliation, saw his chance to topple Killyaen's fame. He'd stolen a jagged Zenoite shard from the minefield's edge and laced a tavern beam above Killyaen's usual stool with Gromble oil, rigging it to drop when disturbed. His plan: the shard would graze Killyaen, shaming him as reckless. But Killyaen's sharp instincts caught the oil's glint. When Janko nudged him toward the stool, Killyaen sidestepped, feigning a stumble, and yanked Janko into the trap's path. The beam creaked, and the Zenoite shard plummeted, slicing Janko's shoulder with a deep gash before shattering on the floor. Janko howled, blood soaking his tunic, as the tavern erupted in chaos.Killyaen, his dual Zenoite swords (gifted by Marko in Chapter 8) rattling at his hips, leaned over Janko, grinning. "Looks like you're the Bloody Cursed Cat now!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the din. The crowd gasped, some chuckling nervously, but Janko, despite his bleeding shoulder, roared in fury. Ignoring the pain, he charged Killyaen, fists swinging wildly. Killyaen's curse-enhanced agility—bolstered by N'Nazmuz's 30 kg pressure—let him weave through Janko's punches, his taunts fueling the rage. "Come on, Bloody Cat, meow louder!" he jeered, dodging a clumsy swing. In the heat of the brawl, Killyaen swung his arm harder than planned, his curse-driven strength surging. His fist connected with Janko's chest, sending him hurtling backward. With a deafening crash, Janko smashed through the tavern's wooden door, splintering it, and landed in the square, battered and bruised, groaning amidst the wreckage.The tavern fell silent, patrons' jaws dropping. Killyaen, wiping sweat from his brow, glanced at the shattered door and shrugged. "Oops, looks like I overdid it…" he said, his tone half-cocky, half-sheepish. The crowd stared, shocked, unaware of the raw power N'Nazmuz's curse granted him, rivaling a Peak Knight's strength. Bera, still fuming from Killyaen's flirtation with Lila, tossed bread rolls to calm the mob, her glare cutting through him. Goran, leaning against the bar, grunted approval at Killyaen's strength, noting his curse-driven prowess in the scuffle.By dusk, Elder Mara summoned Killyaen and Janko to her cottage, Janko's shoulder bandaged and his body aching from the crash, his eyes burning with venom. Mara's earth charms settled the square's dust, her Peak Master Earth authority slicing through Opeka's thin Qi. "Janko, your shard trap could've killed," she said. "Killyaen, your pranks and provocations—chasing skirts and breaking doors—stoked this madness. This feud ends now." Vuk, lounging nearby, spun a tale of a "glowing blue relic" in ancient ruins, his words syncing with Killyaen's amulet pulse. Mara, unmoved, declared, "Dawn brings judgment. The Zenoite minefield needs clearing. Settle this, or my charms bind you both."Killyaen's pulse quickened, not from fear but the thrill of outwitting Janko in the minefield, home to Rotting Blind Mice and whispers of "ruins of old gods" from Vuk's tales and Legends of the Middle Sea. His amulet pulsed stronger, a fleeting nudge toward Solspire's secrets, but his heart stayed locked on the tavern's roars, Bera's fiery scorn, and his fame as Opeka's chaotic Supreme Elf. Lila's flustered glance and Janko's broken sprawl only fueled his lust for attention, destiny's whisper drowned by his provocative antics.