Ragnarök, Eternal Tragedy.
Chapter 45: His next move.

Chapter 45: His next move.

’He just came here for food and nothing else. He didn’t strike me as someone who would randomly kill someone.’

’So, you allowed a killer in your pub? Why didn’t you inform the authorities?’

’It’s not like he came in with his gun pointed at me. He just wanted food, and I served him food.’

’You do understand that you’re a suspect in this too, right?’

’If I’m a suspect for doing my job, then I’ll serve as many years as you want me to. I have nothing but this place to lose.’

Erling notices the pub owner being questioned and goes to assess the issue.

’What’s the problem here?’

’Oh sir, the perpetrator was reported to be eating here before he killed those men.’

’Is that so? What does he look like?’

’He’s definitely not from here. He has this weird sense of fashion and humor. You wouldn’t miss him; he sticks out like a sore thumb. He’s pretty young too, with a certain hat.’

’Did he say anything that might lead us to know why he’s here or his whereabouts?’

’Actually, yes. He said he was here looking for someone. Said it was someone I didn’t know, so I reckon it’s another foreigner.’

’There aren’t any other foreigners here, except—let’s go!’

’But sir, shouldn’t we—’

’None of that is important now. We have to find this guy before he starts killing more people.’

’But sir, where are we going?’

’I think I know where our culprit is going. Just follow me.’

The cowboy slowly walks through the crowd. While no one is paying attention to his presence, he scans through them, looking for his target. He finally stops, pulls out a small photo of Amari, and grins at the photo.

’Sir, where are we going?’

’We’re heading to Freyr’s house.’

They start running through a crowd. The cowboy spots them and attempts to hide behind two women having a conversation. They run past him, and this grabs his attention.

’May God guide me on this path.’

He starts following them. Not trying to gain attention, he walks slower until they reach Freyr’s house.

’Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on? Why such a rush?’

’There’s—where are those boys?’

’One is at the back, and the other’s reading by my office. Why?’

’Someone’s here. Looking for them. Make sure they don’t leave this house. Hey!’

’What?!’

’Come inside!’

’What? No, I’m—’

’I said come inside! Now!’

Apollo walks to the house, unhappy.

’What’s wrong?’

’Just stay inside, okay? Under no circumstances do you guys leave this house. Do you understand?!’

Apollo nods.

’Do you understand?’

’Yes, man! Damn!’

The shouting grabs Amari’s attention, and he joins them in the kitchen.

’What’s going on?’

’That’s what I’d like to know. Erling, can you tell me what in the name of Jupiter is going on?’

’I think someone is looking for one of you. And it’s likely they are here to kill you. Some sort of bounty hunter.’

’What?! How? When?’

’Someone killed a bunch of my men by the pub. Claimed he was looking for a foreigner, and these two are the only foreigners that I know are within these walls.’

’Oh my—’

’He’s not here to kill.’

’What do you mean? Do you know him?’

’No, but I know that they aren’t here to kill. But he’s here to take me back.’

’Take you back? Take you back to where?’

’Those men... the men who killed Nana and this guy—they are all working for the same people. And they were all sent to take me back to them.’

’What—’

’Amari was a slave. They... they want him back because he escaped.’

The room goes quiet. The adults look at each other.

’We should call some guards to come and look after them. And send more people out there to search for him. Make sure the civilians go to their homes and lock their doors. Make sure to leave no stone unturned.’

’Yes, sir.’

The guard leaves, and the cowboy sees him leaving the house.

’Where’s your friend? I wonder why you’re leaving without your friend.’

Erling and Freyr start going back and forth, with Freyr panicking. The noise of them arguing gets to Amari as the volume of everything around him starts increasing at a high rate. He starts getting anxious and a little afraid.

Erling attempts to calm Freyr down, and Amari takes a deep breath. He looks to his left and realizes that Apollo is frustrated. He gathers his thoughts and takes a deep breath.

’He’s close by.’

’What?’

’He’s close, around this building. I can hear him.’

’Amari, are you sure?’

’Okay, you guys stay inside. I’ll go see whether he’s out there.’

’Let me go with you.’

’Are you insane? You’re staying in here, kid. This guy is very dangerous.’

’No, I want to fight. I can protect myself.’

’Apollo, no! You’re going to die.’

’These people... these people killed my Nana; I want to fight!’

’Apollo. Not yet.’

Amari holds his shoulder and shakes his head.

’So, you’re telling me we’ll be running for our lives forever?! Allowing people we care about to die?’

’Listen, kid, I’d advise you stay inside and not get killed. I’ll go outside to see if this guy is out there.’

Erling steps outside and shuts the door. Apollo frustratingly shoves Amari’s hand off his shoulder and rushes to the room.

As Erling steps outside Freyr’s house, he sees a man standing in the distance and stops right in his tracks. The man steps closer to him and does the same.

"I’ve been waitin’ on ya."

’And I’ve been looking for you.’

’Reckon you’ve got someone inside I’m lookin’ for.’

’I don’t think they want you, mate.’

’With all due respect, your highness, I reckon neither you nor him got the say-so on whether he wants me or not.’

’I don’t care.’

’Lord above, guide this fella down the righteous trail ’fore he wanders too far off the beaten path.’

’You speak of a righteous path when you’re abducting children.’

’Just an honest cowboy makin’ his way, that’s all.’

’Enough with the chit-chat. May I have this dance?’

’Oh, we’ll be doing no dancing.’

He pulls out his gun and points it straight at him, but he shoots it at a random rock lying on the ground. The bullet hits the rock and heads for Erling’s head. Erling turns his arm into stone and blocks the bullet without paying any attention to it.

’Is that all you can do? I was really hoping for more.’

’Okay then, partner, I’d like to take your offer on that dance proposal.’