The Dower’s Inn was always rather empty at this time of night, but at least it was open. The bar was designed to cater towards young, studying Ksithans, who often studied online part time, often late at night after work, and because of this, every table was fitted with various cables and power banks. Still, none of this was very useful to the four visitors, who had just sat down to have a drink or two.
“You STILL think this is all coincidence?” Nyssi raised her voice, but there was no one else around to annoy. She was already down two bottles of beer and had just opened a third.
“Yes.” Retvik bluntly replied. He was also drinking, but was only halfway through his first bottle, which looked rather small in his hands. “Coincidence is a very common thing.”
“No, you now what? I’m with Nyssi on this!” Kayel exclaimed. He rarely drank, but was equalling Nyssi in alcohol consumed, and seemed mostly unaffected. “We all somehow survive various catastrophes despite stupid odds, we all bump into survivors of other catastrophes…”
“We were all at a hospital, where survivors tend to go after something bad happens…” Retvik interrupted. “That is how things normally are. Especially since the Arksini Hospital is the main hospital in the area.”
Kayel was unswayed by Retvik’s comment. “Yeah but that doesn’t explain how all four of us miraculously survived and ended up with awesome almost instant healing powers, and it certainly doesn’t explain how we ran into the fucking God of fucking Decay, who saved our damn lives from a big fiery explosion from a suicidal Spast with some sort of agenda, and then turned around, gave us money and told us to go and drink away our memories! That’s more than just coincidence!”
“See, the kid gets it!” Nyssi smiled.
Kayel glanced at Nyssi. “I’m in my thirties, I’m not a kid.”
“You’re…” Nyssi paused. “Eh, you Skyans all seem young to me. How about you, mystery Spast, what do you think your friend was up to, with a suicide bomb that only we seem to know about?”
The Spast frowned, blinking each of his eyes independently. His memories had been slow to come back, even with medication, and because of this, he had opted out from drinking alcohol. “You assume I know what every other Spast is thinking.”
“Well, they did shout something about traitors and circles before spectacularly blowing themselves up. Maybe you know about that?”
“Ugh… The stupid Kinigian Circle or whatever they’re called. Stupid cult that wants to get rid of our monarchy…” The Spast paused, looking down at his hands. For a moment, his eyes flashed blue, before returning to red. “Would be fine if they wanted a democracy, but they just want themselves to be in charge.”
“I assume they are behind the hotel explosion then…” Retvik added. “That would fit what you just described. Although I do not know why they would target a Ksithan hospital.”
“They’re terrorists. That’s what terrorists do, cause death and destruction in order to push their agenda.”
“It’s a good thing we ran into Arkay then!” Kayel chirped, before taking another sip of his drink. He couldn’t decide if he was enjoying it or not. “Vok give him shit, but he’s really not so bad. Just doing his job.”
“Your Death God kills everything…” Nyssi grunted.
“Firstly, he’s not MY Death God, he just adopted us Skyans when the other gods rejected them. Secondly, there’s so much more to it than that. Arkay’s domain isn’t just death, it’s the conversion of one form into another. After all, the grass an alogan eats gets converted into energy, then you eat that alogan and that gets turned into fuel for you! Meanwhile the Allbirther just makes you pump out more and more kids, perpetuating this cycle!”
Retvik raised a hand, halting the conversation. “This is not a good time. It is getting late, and I have work tomorrow. Or today, as it is… early. Do you all need a place to stay?”
“Are you offering?” Nyssi asked. “Because, I, uh, probably had one too many and it’s an hour and a half back to my place.”
Retvik nodded. “I am. You are all welcome.”
“See, this isn’t just coincidence!” Nyssi grinned. “The four of us, us four survivors, all grouping up.”
“Do not make me rescind my offer, Temthan…” Retvik warned.
“Sorry. But yeah, if I can stay the night, that would be great. I’ll have to leave early as I need to go back to the village and help with repairs, but still.”
“Alright, let me-”
Retvik was about to get up, but the Spast got up instead. “Let me pay the bill. I owe you all.”
“Nah, mate!” Nyssi thrust a wad of cash into the Spast’s hands. “Let the Death God pay our tab