299 Side Story: The Guardian 5 : A Deal

Standing at the threshold of the bar, Kodak half expected to see his brother walk up to him in his waiter clothes. But nothing of the sort happened, his extreme feelings of dejavu aside, he knew he could only get the answers he needed now from Bob himself. And so Kodak made his way towards the bar counter. When Kodak took a seat in front of what he could only describe as a large man with horns and numerous tribal tattoos on his body, he had no idea what to say. This place obviously had the same name as the Nexus bar, heck even the build of the bartender was the same as Bob's, but that doesn't mean they're the same person.

It is well known that Bob looked like a different person and member of a different race every time you met him. No one has ever seen Bob look like the same person twice, and in some extreme cases, some people would be seeing a different person even when they were standing side by side in front of him. But this was one of the weirder things Kodak had experienced, so he really didn't know how to start this conversation.

"What's the matter Kodak, cat got your tongue?"

Kodak had his eyes widened to epic proportions for a few seconds, before he finally manage to calm himself down and take a huge breath. Obviously the person in front of him was Bob, and Bob in one way or another was family, he was one of them. Even though till this day, nobody had even a single clue who or what he is.

"How are you here?" Kodak asked.

"You haven't seen me for almost five months and this is the first question you ask?"

"Well given the current situation, I think this is the only question that I can actually ask, at least for now anyway." Kodak replied.

"Fair enough, however I can't tell you how it's possible that I'm here when I'm still within the territory of Ethernalia Leonis. It's a trade secret, however I'll give you a hint, I'm the keeper of the Nexus. When or how you'll find out what that means is up to you, but for now young general. What can I do for you?"

Kodak has had to exchange secrets with Bob multiple times in the past. All secrets have a price to be paid, but much like somethings in life, not all secrets can be bought. So in a nutshell he was used to Bob's annoying ability to give vague answers and eloquent riddles. But Kodak was happy though, Bob was here, which means a familiar face….well sort of. So he could do what he had to do in this bloody hidden town with a little ease, because he knew he has an ally.

"I need a place to stay. Preferably long term, and it has to be protected from the sun and very defensive and secluded. Do you have a place like that for me?"

Bob raised an eyebrow and didn't say anything for a few moments as he cleaned the counter, got a glass cup and a bottle from the shelf behind him, and poured out a stream of blood that actually had sparkles in it. Then he pushed the glass of blood to a very confused looking Kodak who was looking up at him with an equally lost expression.

"That's fairy blood. One of a kind and extremely rare seeing as their kind has almost been hunted to extinction on the behest of the human race. I bought that from a slave merchant within the town, and rumor has it that he deals with exotic races, fairies, pixies, centaurs and vampires included. The cup is on the house, along with the information and the name I'm about to give, also along with the accommodation you need, though you would have to lay rent to the landlady for the entire duration of your stay." Bob said with a smile.

But Kodak was not a naïve child, he may not even be 18 yet, since that was just a month away, but he has experienced a whole lot things than to be fooled by an gesture of goodwill from anyone other than his own family. And Bob never does anything for free, in fact that's what is most known about his character, he has a lot to offer, but there was always a price for it.

"What's the price for all this 'gifts' of yours." Kodak asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Ahh! You really are as smart as they say you are. Though most would argue that your brother has you beat in that regard, however I know different. Gus has this cold intelligence that sends chills into the bodies of his enemies, your sister has the fire you both lack, but you are a weird one. There is no hot or cold to you, there's just power. And it's something you've not even realized yet or used to your full potential. Anyway what I need you to do is fight for me." Bob said as he pushed the glass of blood closer to Kodak and urged him to drink.

"What do you mean by that?" Kodak asked as he downed the entire cup of blood in one go, and had his eyes widened by the explosion of flavor on his tongue and the fire he felt at the bottom of his belly. This fairy blood was something else entirely.

"In Duwaiser there's not many ways to get money, other than the obvious killing, stealing, robbing, raping, cheating, kidnapping, gambling and prostitution. However there's a battle arenas where champions or representatives of particular organizations or businesses fight for bragging rights, money, women, and resources, especially real estate. Now the land that the Nexus stands on is quite special, I can't tell you why or how. But a lot of bad people have their eyes on it, and I can't leave the bar to go defend the Nexus, and I'm not strong enough yet to face them all on my own. So I need a champion to fight and kill for me in other to keep this place intact. In return you get paid, and have access to upper echelons of this town, and an access to three secrets and three secrets alone. And they would only be given when the Nexus is out of danger. So what do you say?" Bob asked as he refilled Kodak's glass with more fairy blood.

"That's quite the proposal, but it seems fair. I'll get what I want with some extra benefits added to it. There's no problem with that, what do you need me to do, when do you need me to do it?" Kodak asked as he looked at Bob in the eyes.

"I'll notify you when it's time, but in the meantime, get settled in and take care of the slave merchant I told you about. His name is Ramon Goldfinger, you can find his establishment on Leviathan street to the north east of the town. When you're taking care of him, it's imperative to keep your identity a secret. With what you've came here for, it would be better if no one knew who or what you were. My advice is to get a group of people around yourself, you can't trust anyone in this town Kodak, but there are people willing to fight for a righteous cause within it's darkness. The man you're after is to powerful for you to go at alone, so get yourself a gang and some territory too, that way you have a place to protect the people you rescue. In light of that, there an unclaimed territory to the west of here, coincidentally the place you'll be staying is also located there. Head to Freeway street and look for house number 33. Tell the woman you meet there that I sent you, and she should give you a room. That should solve all your problems and mine at the very least."

Kodak cocked his head one side as he looked at Bob. He seemed a lot more cheerful here than back home, but that did not reduce the aura of mysteriousness he had hanging over his head. Everything seemed to have been put in place, almost as if Bob already knew that he was coming, and that their goals would coincide this much. Kodak did not like believing in superstition, sure magic and gods existed, but that was a goal anyone can achieve with enough time, strength and a little luck. Things like prophecy and destiny sounded bogus to him, and he didn't really feel that such terms applied to him.

He couldn't completely write off their existence seeing as his King was literally reincarnated from another universe where he was actually human and the son of a pastor. But when freaky shit starts happening around him, the sort that the science of magic could explain and seemed just as fantastical to those who knew magic than those who do not, Kodak gets very nervous and apprehensive about his actions. But in this case his hands were tied, he had to go with the flow unless he wanted to ruin the mission he has been given, and that was something he couldn't let happen.

"Fine then, send for me when you need me." Kodak said as he downed a final glass of blood, loving the high it gave him as he turned and left the Nexus, going back out to the loud and rowdy town of Duwaiser.

"That man is Universal Spirit." Shao Tie spoke up. He had been completely silent throughout Kodak's exchange with Bob, and Kodak wondered why.

"Don't ask me what a universal spirit is! If I talk about him he could actually see me. All I can say is that a universal spirit and beings beyond Gods, they'retranscend the laws of the universes and answer only to the one who created everything, even the very earth itself." Shao Tie said.

"And who is this person?" Kodak asked, surprised by the frightened tone within Shao Tie's voice.

"Kodak, I don't know."