Brax had not a clue what to do, so he had decided to go back to the guild and loiter around there, waiting for Xinyu to return. He'd have loved to spend a few more gold coins on himself, but his stomach was churning and bubbling with anxiety, and he simply could not think of anything other than his fears. Anything he did or ate would have been wasted, and so he decided if he was going to be a miserable mess, he'd at least like to do so in a comfortable bed.
As he stumbled back into Avalon's guild hall, the usual loudness seemed to be drowned out by a piercing ringing in his ears. While easily depressed and quite broken, he wasn't the type to feel anxiety normally, yet Xinyu's foreboding parting words brought utter dread to his being. It was the not knowing, the fear of the unknown, that ate away at him, and not only that, but the utter helplessness he felt.
He was what he despised most, useless, and as he feared, someone who would never amount to anything more than a peasant from a no-name town. He took a deep breath in to try to calm his shuddering nerves. Helplessness. Fear. Anxiety. They all swelled. He was going to explode in his dread. Why was he born as he was, he wondered.
"Hey there!" the voice of a young man said behind him as a hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him back to reality. "You look troubled. Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Brax said, shaking his head briskly. "Oh. Uh, yeah, sorry. Was I blocking your way?"
"Of course not!" the man said. "The entrance is quite big! You just seemed troubled, and I wanted to ensure you were okay."
He had a strong jaw and wildly long coffee hair tied back into a knot with a band of string. His jacket, shirt, and pants were all orange and black– a flashy style he had never seen before. And while he had the looks of a western man, his loud and upfront manner of speaking was not native to any city Brax would've known.
"That's true," Brax said. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Thanks for concerning yourself
with a stranger like me."
"It's the least I can do for a fellow traveler! Here! You look like you could use a drink!" the man
said. "Come, let's head to the eatery. It's on me!"
Another overly joyous individual was grabbing him by the arm and pulling him in. What was it about him that made his old body so appealing to those types of people? Aziel. Christa. Xinyu. And now, the strangely cheerful man was dragging him along. Brax was a gloomy type and not someone who would usually get along with a ray of sunshine, but they seemed to be drawn to him nonetheless. It drained him to no end, yet their presence was something that comforted his soul simply because it was all he knew.
Plus, Brax would never turn down a free drink. They headed to the bustling area of the guild that served food and seated themselves in the dead center of the room.
"Two teas with extra sugar and fruit!" the man said to the waitress. "Oh, and that silky cream this city is famous for, if you have it. Make it cold as well, if you will."
"Tea?" Brax asked. "I thought we were 'bout to have a drink."
"As in alcohol? Ha! I would never," the man laughed.
"Sounds like you're missing out," Brax said.
"Really? I don't think so," the man said as the waitress put down the milky teas on the table. "Here, try some. I heard it's the recipe of a legendary chef named Rossi."
Brax took a sip and was pleasantly surprised at its flavor. It was fruity and sweet, which he liked, and at the same time, it was refreshingly cold on the hot day it was. He wasn't used to chilled, creamy tea, and the fruit was something he never would have thought of as a suitable pairing.
"It's really good," Brax said, staring into the clay cup of lightly red liquid.
"Right? I love iced sugary drinks on hot days, they hit the spot," the man said as he opened his satchel and pulled out a notebook where he began to write something illegible. He stopped to think for a minute, then stopped abruptly. He looked back up to Brax. "Say, have you heard of the legend of Titania?"
"The fairy queen who rebelled against the gods and was struck down?" Brax asked. "Who doesn't? I mean, it's probably the most famous kids' story 'round."
"That's true!" the man said. "But I don't think it's a myth, which is why I'm on a quest. I believe that they're still around and hiding out somewhere on the continent."
"Uh, okay. Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?" Brax asked.
"Is it so strange to share one's dreams with a new friend?" the man asked in return. "Sorry, I don't believe I've gotten your name."
"I-" Brax started, but was interrupted when the man got up abruptly.
"Cripes! I'm so sorry!" the man said. "I've forgotten that I've got to meet with someone important right now… if you will, please excuse me. I hope they're not too angry with me."
The strange and beautiful man then ran off in a hurry, once again leaving Brax to himself. He wasn't sure what that was, but at the very least, he felt much better than he had. Talking to a stranger, although only for a brief moment, and sharing a sweet tea with them calmed him down, and he no longer felt the dread in his stomach bubbling up to his throat. He could only imagine who that man could have been, or if he would ever cross paths with him again. Knowing his luck, which was quite voracious, he certainly would eventually.
Brax couldn't help but wonder where Xinyu could possibly have rushed off to. He decided to go into his room and wait.