A new Day

1 Day later;
Baten; Vinmark Continent;
The Inn;

Ramiel woke up in a bed, covered in blankets, he slowly lifts them up, he gazes at his chest, noticing that he was bandaged all over his chest area, he steadily got up from the bed.

He looked around, it seems that this is a room from the Inn of the town, he goes towards the window, opening it, there seemed to be a commotion outside, people were gathering in the middle square of the town, he is soon interrupted from gazing towards the middle of the town as he heard noises from downstairs, he decided to go and take a look.

---

Unknown; “I told you, I’ve already paid this month’s taxes, I don’t understand what you want from me!”

Unknown; “Lady, we don’t care that you paid, Viscount Zellos was put in charge of your town as of yesterday, he demands payment from all the establishments, and does not care for what you paid the previews noble of the area, until the matter with Ardun is set, Zellos is in charge now, 2 gold coins, he demands from you, pay now or suffer the consequences...”

Unknown; “2 gold coins? Are you mad? I haven't even made that much in the last three months! I can’t afford that!”

Unknown; “Then close up shop lady, 50 silvers for the protection the baron offers, as a simple citizen, and I see you have a kid too, 25 for him as well, 75 in total, and close the Inn.”

Unknown; “Get the fuck out of my Inn! I ain’t paying you nothing!”

Unknown; “Then we will have to do this the hard way,” the soldier says, grabbing her by the hair.

As Ramiel descended the stairs, a distressing sight unfolded before him. Three soldiers were relentlessly striking a red-haired woman, who, in her desperation, was screaming and fiercely trying to fend them off.

Abruptly, the soldiers ceased their **** the moment they caught sight of Ramiel. The red-haired woman, battered and bruised, collapsed to the ground, the sudden pause in **** creating a tense and uncertain atmosphere in the room.

The entrance door of the Inn opens, a kid walks in.

Unknown; “Mom! What happened? Are you okay?” He shouts as he runs past the soldiers to her.

Unknown; “The fuck you mean you don’t have the money to pay us? Seems like you have guests, whatever this fucker paid you, I suggest using it to save your life and the life of your son.”

Unknown; “Get out of our home!” The kid shouts, kicking one of the soldiers.

The soldier kicks him back, the kick lunges the kid into the counter and knocks him out.

The soldier goes towards the mother and stops her from going towards her kid, pulling her by the hair and attempting to drag her out of the Inn.

She screams in pain.

Ramiel grabbed his hand, stopping him from dragging her.

The two other soldiers barely noticed him as he walked past them. As soon as they saw Ramiel grabbing the other one’s arm, they drew their swords.

Unknown; “Let go, peasant....”

Ramiel; “I promised someone dear to me that I won’t kill anyone in this town, but… I said nothing about breaking a leg or two.”

The woman stops Ramiel.

Unknown; “Please, don’t get involved with them, not for me, I’ll go with you, just please don’t hurt my son again,” she says, trembling with fear, looking at the soldier.

Ramiel; “Was it you who did this?” Ramiel ask her, pointing at his bandage.

Unknown; “Why does that matter? Yes, but please, I don’t want you to get involved, this is a matter of our town, these are royal guards send from Gazim, if you hurt them, they will put a bounty on your head and you will be hunted all your life. I don’t want to be the one that does that to you, please let it go.”

Ramiel; “Ahhhhh! So they’re not from the town? This makes what I’m about to do even easier for me,” Ramiel said, as he turned his gaze towards the two soldiers behind him.

As soon as they locked eyes with Ramiel they started quivering in fear, they understood immediately, **** was coming their way and it wasn’t going to be pretty.

Unknown; “Hey! Hey! What did I miss?” A girlish voice could be heard from outside.

Unknown; “Guild master, Marina, nothing, this woman does not have the month’s payment and we were about to throw her in jail.”

Marina enters the Inn and starts looking around, she notices Ramiel and understood what he was about to do, she sees the Inn master’s kid lying on the floor.

Marina; “How much does she owe master Zellos?”

Unknown; “If she intends to keep her Inn, 2 gold pieces.”

Marina; “Can you wait until tomorrow? I’ll personally come and pay the master.”

Unknown; “For you, Marina, yes, I’m sure master Zellos will allow that.”

Ramiel; “There will be no need for that...”

Marina, with a small gesture of her head, warns Ramiel to stop from what she thinks he was about to do.

Ramiel picks up the gold bag from his pockets.

Ramiel; “Here, for this month, here for the next, for the next one too, and here, this one for you three go make a wish with it, wish that I may never see you again, for when that happens, I won’t be as merciful as I was today,” he said, as he threw the gold coins at the guards feet.

Unknown; “Pick them up!” The guard shouted, looking at Ramiel.

Marina looks at the both of them, she turns with her back at the soldier.

She goes towards the coins, bends over and picks them up, giving them to the guard.

Unknown; “Humph….”

The guard stated, as he glanced at Marina, everything she had was in his view and he was in awe of it, licking his lips.

Marina; “There’s no need for that, you got your payment, can’t you just leave? For me, please?” Marina pleaded to the guard.

Unknown; “Sure, but this won’t be the last time we meet,” the guard stated, looking at Ramiel.

Ramiel; “I’m counting on that as well...”

The guards leave the Inn.

Marina; “Are you dumb?” Marina asked, smacking Ramiel in the head.

Ramiel; “Au! What was that for?”

Marina; “Don’t Au me, like you actually felt that, no matter who you are, don’t start a fight with the royal guards, for fuck’s sake! It’s common sense!”

Ramiel; “Why are they here?”

Marina; “Town problems, not your business, we’ll pull through ourselves, you don’t have to get involved. Thank Ariel we actually have a good healer in town right now, it took some begging to do for her to actually come heal you at first, she deals with problems of her own right now you see… she can’t be just called to whenever, but for some reason after she heard your description she came running... Now, what do I make of that? Our best healer comes out of a dungeon, the only one left alive, our master is in jail, our town is now flooded with these royal fucks, they send here Zellos of all people, and you…. you who is a human but not, who does not seem to care if he kills a royal guard, not intimidated by my aura one bit, I can’t hope and feel that all of these events are connected, and you’re at the center of it..”

Ramiel; “I can assure you that I have no idea what’s going on in this town,” he responded, shrugging.

Marina; “Yeah, right, you just happened to be here, while all of this is going on, suuure….”

Marina; “Ughh… meet me in front of the guild tomorrow morning, I will test you, and if you pass, please just create your guild and leave us, I have too much trouble on my hands right now to babysit you too…”

As she goes to the door, she opens her pouch.

Marina; “90 silver….. What am I going to do with this?” She asked herself, in frustration.

Ramiel; “Money problems?” He asked, stopping her from leaving.

Marina; “Yeah…. I had 5 gold this morning, now I’m left with this… I’ve paid what I could for everyone in the town, and there are many more who still come to me for help, these taxes that he asks, he knows we cannot pay them, tell me Ramiel since you’re so keen in helping us, what am I supposed to do?”

Ramiel; “Maybe ask for someone’s help instead of chasing him out of your town?”

Marina; “And that will be you, right?”

Ramiel; “Here, catch,” Ramiel said, throwing her the gold bag.

She catches it in her arms and opens it.

Marina; “These are like 40 gold! You could buy a mansion with this! And you’re just giving it to me? Like that? No questions asked?”

Ramiel; “I have no questions, I know what you will do with it, I want nothing back, take it all...”

Ramiel; “I have a feeling I’m going to get it back in full and more...” He whispers to himself.

Marina; “Why are you doing this for us? You don’t know anyone here, what do you stand to gain from all of this?”

Ramiel; “Someone told me that you were all good people, and I trust her judgment. What do I stand to gain from helping you guys? Maybe a little bit of her admiration.”

Marina; “You will have to tell me one day, who this person is that you keep speaking of, I’d like to thank her.”

Ramiel; “You’ll find out soon enough, see you tomorrow.”

She waves goodbye and starts flying away, going from house to house, giving money to everyone that needs it to pay the taxes.

Ramiel turns his gaze towards the Innkeeper, she was bandaging her son’s head, who just woke up from the hit.

Ramiel; “Tough one, ain’t he?”

Unknown; “Yes, much so like his father, same temperament, unfortunately,” she says, while pulling the bandage tightly.

Unknown; “Auch! Careful! Mom!”

Unknown; “That’s what you get!”

Ramiel; “Temperament you say? From where I was standing he was quite calm in the situation, any kid who sees his mother get hit, would’ve done that, I would’ve ….once …”

Unknown; “I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry that you had to see me that way,” she says, kissing him on his forehead, where the bandage was.

He smiles at her.

The scene that was happening in front of Ramiel, made him slightly frustrated, it reminded him of the times he was a kid as well, how Helena also treated his wounds in the same way. He looked away from them, not wanting to remember that time.

Unknown; “Go on, go in your room, I’ll have to talk about something with our guest.”

Unknown; “Okay, Mom!” He says as he sprints away.

She waits for him to leave, and drops down to her knees, with her hands in front of her, bowing down to Ramiel.

Unknown; “Thank you! Thank you! Not for what you did just for me, for all the people in this town,” she stated, with her forehead, scratching the floor.

Ramiel quickly moved towards her and lifts her up.

Ramiel; “You seem to take care of all the people’s injuries, who’s going to take care of yours? Sit down,” he told her, as he move her gently on a chair.

Ramiel started taking care of her wounds, gently and with care, she does not move and waits for him to finish.

Ramiel; “There, all patched up,” he said, with a bright smile on his face.

Unknown; “Thank you, You? It just came to me that I don’t even know your name,” she spoke, getting up from the chair.

Ruya; “But asking for your name without first introducing myself, seems rude, I’m Ruya Blane, the Innkeeper of Baten, and that little pipsqueak that ran upstairs is Ian.”

Ramiel; “Ramiel Pheles, I’ll be in your care for a few days, if you don’t mind.”

Ruya; “No! Stay as long as you please, you will always be welcomed here!”

They both smile at each other.

Ramiel's belly starts rumbling.

Ruya; “I’ll go cook something right now! Stay right there!” She says, running towards the kitchen.

Ramiel; “I….” He barely got time to respond, before she ran off.

Ramiel sits down at a table, waiting for her.

He start thinking.

Ramiel; “What the hell is going on in this town? I came here thinking that I will just take the test and go on about my life. Is this really related to me as Marina said? It couldn’t, right? That noble was imprisoned before I even got here… but it can be related to Meliana… Was he covering for her? Is that why he’s imprisoned? Meliana mentioned something about treason, what could that man possibly have done? Did he actually see through my disguise? He couldn’t … if he knew what I really am, he wouldn’t just let me go, I would’ve had a fight on my hand against him right then and there, he probably just knows I’m not what I seem to be, he just does not know what for sure, and these guards, the other two seemed like novices but the one that led them, seemed strong enough, still... I would've won, even in this form, he probably could’ve got a few good hits in, he also understood that fighting me there would’ve probably meant his ****, his sharp too and I’ve got a feeling he's not the best of the ones sent here either, do I really care enough for this town to save it? Or is it just my pride that wants these royal idiots begging for their **** at my feet..”

Mephisto; “Why can’t it be a mix of both?”

Ramiel; “Uhhhh…. Almost forgot about you…”

Mephisto; “Aww… that makes daddy really sad….”

Ramiel; “How am I doing so far? Enjoying yourself?”

Mephisto; “You have no idea! That’s one plump milf you got there too..”

Ramiel; “How do you even know what the term milf means?”

Mephisto; “We’ve got our fair share of milfs here in purgatory too, trust me, my mother included.”

Ramiel; “Ahahha, the great demon Mephisto, crushing on his mom.”

Mephisto; “Of course! If you could see her, you would agree with me too.”

Ramiel; “Since you’re here right now anyway, a question, can I enter demon gates?”

Mephisto; “Really? Now you ask me that? Did this question ever come up before in that little brain of yours?”

Ramiel; “Well…. I’m asking now, so tell me.”

Mephisto; “Honestly... I don’t know, I guess you should just go and see for yourself.”

Ramiel; “You’re not any help to me you know?”

Mephisto; “I can give you a piece of advice if you want it.”

Ramiel; “Ughhh…. just tell me, I really don’t care at this point.”

Mephisto; “Be careful around that noble, you’re not the only one in this world that is not what it appears to be, byeee…”

Ramiel; “Wait! Which one? UAGHHH…. so fucking useless.”

Ruya; “What? What’s wrong? You don’t like grilled pork chops? I’ll go make something else,” Ruya asked, slightly concerned.

Ramiel; “What? No, no, please you already did enough, I was thinking about something, it has nothing to do with your cooking.”

Ruya; “You did seem lost for a minute there,” she stated, sitting down near him.

Ramiel; “Thank you, Ruya,” He said, kissing her on her cheek.

She is startled by his kiss, gently caressing her cheek afterwards.

Ruya; “Do… Do, you want some wine too? I should have some left, I’ll go check,” she stated, attempting to get up.

Ramiel stops her by gently grabbing her arm, pulling her back onto the chair.

Ramiel; “Sit, please, your company is worth more than wine.”

She blushes upon hearing that.

Ramiel; “Wow, these are really good, I dabble in cooking myself quite a bit, but I’m sure I ain’t cooking something as good as this anytime soon.”

Ruya; “Thank you! Eat as much as you want, tell me if you want more.”

Ramiel; “Can I ask you something?”

Ruya; “Yes?”

Ramiel; “Ardun, your former noble, why did you guys put him in prison? What did he do? And why does he have to wait for a trial from the capitol, don’t you guys have a truth sphere? Or had…”

Ruya; “Ardun is a gentle man with a kind heart, he ruled these lands for almost two decades, everybody here loves him, I’m not sure what he did, nor will they tell us, all we know as of now is that he committed treason against the crown of Vinmark , and the crown did not trust Marina with the trial, Marina and Ardun were really close you see, they said her judgment in this matter might be clouded by their friendship, so he had to be imprisoned in order to wait for someone from the capitol to come and do the trial, now they sent these goons to pass the judgment, the trial is set for tonight, that’s why there’s that large gathering in the main square, that’s where the judgment will be revealed to the public. All we can do right now is wait.”

Ramiel; “Who is this Zellos? Have you ever heard of him before? Marina seemed to know him.”

Ruya; “He’s a former adventurer turned noble, he made his fortune mostly from the war between the races, I don’t even think he ever entered a demon gate, after the war stopped he bought land and titles with his money, close to our own, now he seeks to take this land as well, this area will mean a lot for him, he can open routes for trading from here, going straight to his mansion, at least that’s why I think he’s interested in this land. I don’t know what relationship Marina has with him or how they met.”

Ramiel; “Open routes for trading? Don’t you already have them?”

Ruya; “Not really, what we make is what we have, that’s how it always was for us, we kept to ourselves, you know how you were processed before entering this town, right? We don’t like to welcome people from outside our town, it usually never ended good for us, so that’s why we do the processing, unfortunately for me… that means bad business, honestly most of my customers are usually drunk men that want to sleep around with other women, that’s how I make my living.”

Ramiel; “And this Ardun, will he simply leave his people, what if he gets prison for life and his town is turned into Zellos’s plaything, will he just simply watch as that happens?”

Ruya; “We all trust Ardun with our lives, he always saved us from anything, you saw how our granary and fields are placed outside our town, right?”

Ramiel; “Yes, don’t you get attacked by bandits? Stealing your crops? Or worse, monsters?”

Ruya; “No, we don’t, Marina and Ardun always kept us safe, Ardun’s presence alone was enough to warn off anyone that tried to mess with us, not to mention Meliana, who always helps when she can. And as I said, we all trust Ardun, he will not abandon us, I’m sure he has a plan, he always does.”

Ramiel; “Where can I find more information about Ardun?”

Ruya; “Probably from his daughter, she’s an adventurer, you could probably find her at the guild in town.”

Ramiel; “What’s her name?”

Ruya; “Lidica Ardun, uhm…. a word of warning… she’s a bit weird.”

Ramiel; “Weird?”

Ruya; “You’ll see what I mean when you meet her.”

Ramiel; “Okay, thank you for the meal, I’ll go take a stroll around town, talk to you tonight?”

Ruya; “Uhmm…. Uhhh….. Yes!”

Ramiel; “Weird woman,” he told himself.

Ramiel meant that he wanted to talk to her after the trial, yet…. she took it as something else.

Ramiel leaves the Inn and walks towards the main square, where the people are gathered.

---

He noticed that there was a man on top of Ariel’s statue’s feet.

He started to shout.

Unknown; “Gather around! Gather around! Everyone, if you want to hear the latest news of Baten!”

Unknown; “The guild Crimson Dawn has been disbanded! Master Ardun’s trial will take place with no truth sphere! No one says why the truth sphere was destroyed! Was this the actions of the goons sent here? We don’t know! Master Zellos will conduct the trial for master Ardun! Come tonight in the town square to hear the verdict!”

Unknown; “Hey! Get down from there!” One of the royal guards shouted, as he attempted to push through the crowd.

Ramiel walks away from the crowd.

---

Ardun’s Manor,
Ardun’s office,

Zellos was sitting down on a chair at a desk, writing a letter.

Knock! Knock!

Zellos; “Yes? Come in...”

Unknown; “Master Zellos,” one of the soldiers said as he bows down to Zellos, upon reaching the desk.

Zellos; “I hope everything went as planned? How many of the women I asked for are imprisoned?”

Unknown; “None, master...”

Zellos; “What!?”

Unknown; “It was Marina, master, she paid for everyone’s taxes.”

Zellos; “Ughh…. How? By our estimates she shouldn’t have money for everyone, was our information wrong?”

Unknown; “Not at all master, there’s someone else here, he may be a problem.”

Zellos; “Who is he?”

Unknown; “We don’t know right now, master, he was strong, I don’t think I could’ve defeated him, alone that is.”

Zellos; “We only planned for Marina to be a problem, gather some men and just kill this guy, we don’t have time for him.”

Unknown; “Master, look at this,” the guard said, placing a gold coin on Zello's desk, pushing it towards him.

Zellos; “What’s this? A gold coin? Why are you giving me this?”

Unknown; “It’s the inscription, these are not from Vinmark, look at the symbol, these coins are from Ariel, this is what Marina used to pay the taxes with, gold is gold and it’s worth the same, we can’t just not accept them, that will cause too much of a ruckus, and I know you wanted to avoid that...”

Zellos; “Why does she have coins from Arthas?” Zellos asked as he grabbed the golden coin, thoroughly looking at it.

Unknown; “Not her master, that guy that I mentioned earlier had them, he gave her the coins too, to pay for everyone.”

Zellos; “Scratch that, If he has this much money to pay for everyone he must be some noble from Ariel, we can’t just kill a noble from the holy land, we don’t want that problem right now, find out who he is, then we will decide what we do with him.”

Unknown; “Understood...” The royal guard replied, bowing to Zellos before exiting the room.