NEXUS: King of Warkinles

Chapter 2

Nexus weaved through the trees and groves of his village, lost amid fantastical daydreams. In his mind, each step was a bold stride into the unknown; every tree he dodged was another foe conquered, every log he scaled an impossible mountain to climb. His adventures took him all across Santana, from the deadly Forest of Tudar in the west to lands distant and unknown. And on the tragic day of his death, he instead rose to take his place among the gods.

"What a thought," Nexus said to himself as he leapt over a mossy log. His thoughts then wandered from dreams of a hero to being a deity.

They were dangerous thoughts though; Father Tiago had told him that such blasphemous musings might count him as a "Pagan", a would-be deity who sought the Warkinlesian's power. Such thoughts would not do, and the gods have struck down men for far less. But despite the dangers, Nexus found his mind gravitating towards the idea. He was hard pressed to think of what deity he could be; there was a god for everything you could think of, from war and peace to food and trees and love. After a few minutes, he gave up on it. He didn't like the roiling in his stomach the idea gave him. Well, not him, exactly. That strange, unknown force within him seemed to roll about in its sleep.

When winding through branch, stone, and stream, time runs by like quicksilver. With a start Nexus saw the day slipping out from under him. The sun was about to set, and panic set in. Where was he? Did he wander too far? His eyes darted to and fro, looking for a landmark. Then his ears perked up to the faint sound of music and laughter.

A sigh of relief later, Nexus made his way toward the nearby tavern, the Summer Harvest.

The music grew louder as the tavern came into view, a sprawling building of stone that could have housed a dozen families. Warmth, the soft glow of lantern light, and a barrage of noise swamped Nexus as he entered the main door into the common room. As always, the iconic building was full of patrons of all sizes, creeds, and genders. Barmaids picked through the crowd, serving drinks, smiles, and the occasional kiss.

Nexus grinned as he settled at the bar, a long stretch of polished redwood crowded by stools up front and shelves filled with bottles behind. The Summer Harvest was his favorite haunt, an opinion shared by everyone in town. And it wasn't just the drinks or the atmosphere that made it so.

"Evening, Nexus!" greeted the bartender, a porky, mustached man dubbed Franklin. "How's work on the farm?"

"Backbreaking," Nexus replied with a laugh. "But otherwise, same as always."

"Sounds like you could use a drink. The usual?" Franklin's mead was so popular in Bailnor, that he changed an order mead to "The usual"

Nexus nodded with an eager smile, and Franklin obliged, filling a cup and setting down in front of him.

"Don't drink that all in once place," Franklin said with a grin.

Nexus laughed and drank it down anyway, warmth spreading from tip to toe. Despite being old enough to drink, Nexus was not his father's son. He was what his father would call a "small bottle", but that didn't stop him from enjoying himself.

"Another, if you please!" Nexus cried out, already feeling fuzzy from the drink.

Franklin once again obliged, this time adding some flair to the serving. Cup and bottle hovering around him as Franklin juggled them with deft hands. Afterwards, the tankard landed on the bar, the bottle in Franklin's hand, and he poured the shaken mead.

"You should have stayed in the circus, Franklin!" Nexus said with a laugh.

"Too noisy," was his toothy grinned reply, which made Nexus laugh even harder. Others around him laughed too, and Franklin was more than happy to refill their glasses. Thanks to the tavern's "first drink's free" policy, veterans and newcomers alike instantly got hooked, and ensured many long, prosperous nights.

Eyes slightly crossed and laughing as easy as breathing, Nexus decided it'd be a good idea to stand on top of the bar stool. He wobbled, but did not topple as expected.

"May I have your attention, please?" Nexus called, slurring his words. Despite the boisterous evening, they heard his voice, and the tavern grew silent. Once their attention was on him, Nexus continued, "I'd like to make a toast! To the best bartender this town's ever seen. To Franklin!"

Everyone raised their glasses and roared, "To Franklin!" Heads threw back to down their glasses, and soon the tavern resumed its chaotic song. The honored bartender watched the proceedings with mirthful amusement. It wasn't his first drunken toast, and he doubted it'd be his last, yet he was touched all the same.

"Thanks, Nexus," he said, clapping his back once Nexus thudded back onto his stool. "You've warmed my heart, truly."

"It's the least I can do for Bailnor's greatest bartender!" Nexus declared, almost throwing himself off his stool.

Franklin chuckled. "If you really want to thank me, how about telling us a story? It's just what a spring night like this needs."

If Franklin was Bailnor's greatest bartender, then Nexus was its greatest storyteller. If even half of them were true, he'd be the most celebrated hero in all of Santana.

Now, this has gotten him into some trouble with the more gullible and surly patrons. But the vast majority loved them as their turned heads and eager eyes showed. Soon everyone was roaring their support, sharing Franklin's mood for a good story.

Nexus tried to protest, but it was a farce, and everyone knew it. Guided by the crowd, he staggered and swaggered over to the central fireplace. A patron was unceremoniously bucked off his chair to allow Nexus to sit in comfort.

"What story do you want to hear, ladies and gentlemen?" Nexus called out to the crowd.

Everyone shouted ideas, ranging every genre and subject you could think of: fights, adventures, damsels in distress, magical treasures. The firelight, and the attention he was getting, made Nexus seem to glow.

Then, a regal yet soft voice cut through the din into Nexus' ears.

"I would request a tale, storyteller," the owner of that exotic purr said, the crowd parting for her like water.

Nexus glanced up at her and his eyes widened before he gave a hard swallow. The owner of that voice was Lady Kristen.

Everyone-particularly the men-fell silent as Lady Kristen made her approach. Locks of hair black as pitch framed a face of tanned, noble features, and eyes liked the Darian Sea bore into Nexus'. Her statuesque beauty stood her afoot taller than most men in Bailnor and wrought envy in their wives and lovers. She stood tall above Nexus for a moment, clothed in a dark red, gold embroidered dress with her midriff exposed.

No one, not even Franklin remembers when Kristen first appeared in Bailnor. It was almost as if she'd always been there. An observant man would notice her exotic look and accent belonging to Xianjeng, the fabled Kingdom of Sand and Sea. Most assume her to be a minor noble who fell out of favor with her House, banished to the "uncivilized" north. Some doubt she's even human at all. No matter her past, men have thrown themselves at her for years, hoping to win her favor, even for a single night.

"Why don't you tell us how you got those remarkable eyes?" she asked, bending down to his level, her inscrutable, intense gaze making Nexus flush.

Nexus never considered himself much of a looker. He wasn't unattractive: tall himself, strong jawline, a farmer's build. But he never thought himself worthy of of attention from someone like Lady Kristen. To have it, and with such intensity, made poor Nexus flounder.

"O-Of course," Nexus agreed, forcing the words past his lips.

Kristen gave him a smile that'd made a dead man ache before sitting beside him, her legs crossed. Poor Nexus was still trying his best not to look too flustered, and failing miserably, to say much more.

Lady Kristen's lips quirked into a smirk, amused at his reaction. She traced her finger along Nexus' forearm and said, "It's all right, Nexus. No need to be shy." Every male eye shot dirty looks at him, no doubt imagining themselves in Nexus' place.

Save for Franklin, who shook his head and cleaned a glass.

In truth, Nexus didn't know why he had his peculiar eyes. One was the color of the earth, save being crisp and clear instead of muddy. The other eye, however, might have at one point been blue before a nasty winter covered it in frost. From what he could remember of his father's own stories, his mother had those eyes. It didn't seem blue at all, rather silver or even white. And yet, that eye had the intensity only those with blue eyes had. Blue eyes like Kristen, who waited for Nexus to recover.

Nexus cleared his throat, doing his best to block out Kristen's touch, and tried to think. He could always tell the truth; that it came from his mother, maybe string a little tale together about how his parents met.

Everyone loved hearing about Zachi and her island home. But the mead and Kristen touch emboldened him, and he thought, Now where's the fun in that?

So he fashioned another story instead. He cast his thoughts over to the local ruins, perched above the village. No one knew what they were; and because of all the ghost stories surrounding them, no one cared to find out. The pieces fell into place in his mind, almost as though they were meant to be. Almost like history. His voice, normally working the patterns of a simple farmer, changed to match the greatest of bards.

"I hope you're all sitting comfortably," Nexus said, glancing Kristen's way.

She gave a fuller, more encouraging smile and nodded.

"It's quite a tale to to tell."