NOVEL WEB Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Death Of Jarren Velros
Far from Reynolds croaking figure, the air was warm and easygoing in the tavern. The air smelt of beer and light sweat however three specific individuals seemed to be reveling in the moment. "Another round!" One at the middle spoke up.
On his lap a beautiful enchantress sat however her interest was lacking in the moment. Only doing it for the benefit of money. His name was was Jarren Velros, the third son of the Velros lineage. He was known around but for the wrong reasons. He was called by his fellow classmates and his teachers as rubbish and a failure, same went for his friends.
Serrant Grellion flanked his right, big and burly as he would go on about his grandfather and his participation in the war he wasn't alive for. To Jarren's left was Jovien Elbrant, a kid who wore hubris like a cloak as he deemed everyone not in the higher class a waste of air.
And now the trio were getting hammered on fine wine that they couldn't afford, only get thanks to their backings. "I still can't believe that we'll have to go to school a week from now?!" Serrant mused, his face darkening before chugging a goblet down his throat.
"I know! I still can't believe that I'll be forced to breathe the same air as commoners! It's an insult to my family name." Jovien backed Serrant up, too taking a sip of his wine. Jarren's hands however roamed the lady on his lap who was visibly distraught.
Clearly fed up with his antics, she shot up and left. "Wait?! You still have one more hour on the clock!" Jarren shouted however the lady didn't bother looking back at him. His friends barely held their laughter before bursting out like pigs. "And here I thought that it was a lady you managed to swoon with your charm, turns out it was with your money and even then she left!"
Serrant wasn't delicate about it as he laughed to his content, catching stray eyes which viewed the three with contempt. "Now don't feel so bad Jarren, I'm sure that you'll find better luck with your next girl." Jovien added to the fire which darkened Jarren's face. He chose to drown the pain of humiliation with thrill as drunk the goblet that he had been nursing.
His friends went on as Jarren stretched out at the tray of beer brought to them. "Jarren Velros, I've heard a lot about you." A simple smile was shot at Jarren who was preoccupied with his drink. His face contorted into irritation as he eyed at the waiter.
"And who the fuck are you?! Some deranged fan or what because if so then I'm not into men!" His tone sharp, clearly still sulking about the joke that lingered about. Solon simply let out a chuckle, his smile never leaving his face. He was adorned in unremarkable scrawny clothes that blended in with the mood.
"No, but I do have to say that I was expecting more from you." Solon held the tray on his lap, still facing the trio. Serrant and Jovien were locked in their own world while Jarren arched forward. "What exactly were you expecting?" His voice growing with irritated by the minute.
"More substance and less... borrowed confidence but I guess you'll do." The pair now paid attention at their waiter, wondering who had the audacity to challenge a noble's son in such a manner. The silence that followed teetered between an insult or a cruel joke at Jarren's expense.
"I'm sorry but who the fuck are you?! And what gall do you have for you to be speaking like this?! Do you know who I am?" Jarren's tone now rose above the calm air, attracting multiple eyes in their attention. "I know exactly who you are and that's why I wanted to meet the man before his fall. Maybe you'll trip or misstep but I digress."
Serrant and Jovien now had looks of contempt looking at Solon whose smile never left his face. Without saying another word, Solon took his leave from the table of three. Serrant and Jovien looked at Solon before losing interest however Jarren's eyes never left Solon's figure who slipped to the back of the tavern and disappeared.
"A bunch of crazies!" Serrant scoffed as he took another sip from his goblet. The attention had now waned and the air went back to the way it was. Jovien noticing Jarren's distressed face joked. "What? Don't tell me that you'd listen to the words of some nobody. He didn't even know what he was talking about, probably drunk on something to have the guts to say that."
Jarren relaxed before taking a heavy sip of his wine. "Serrant, didn't you say that you'd take us to the brothel near the plaza? What was the name again?" Jovien eager to change the subject chipped in. "Blushing Lantern, I've been there a couple of times myself. We should probably leave if we want to get some lovely ladies."
And with that the three took their leave, heading towards the red light district. The air was calm, the feeling relaxing as a soothing harp played at the entrance. Serrant was the first to check at the counter before consulting his friends. "You're lucky I made reservations beforehand because it's full. Here."
And with that he handed the two tag numbers, Jovien's was 21 and Jarren's 30. "You didn't consult us when choosing the ladies we're going to play around with?" Jarren asked, his face mildly annoyed. "What? I know what your tastes are. Jovien you like it packed and Jarren nimble yet alluring."
"It better not be some fifty year old hag is all I'm saying." Jarren mused as he made his way to his room. The place was lavish, a queen sized bed with all kinds of silken beddings, all crimson. There was a light tint of aphrodisia in the air to "help" with the process.
Making his way to the bed, his woman finally came. His face eager as he saw her figure. Her assets alluring already as her nimble figure drove him crazy at the thought. Without delay he took off his clothes, leaving him in shirt and boxers.
While he was lost in thought of what was to come, he remained aloof to how the lady closed the door behind him, not with casualty but with intent. Her dark obsidian eyes finally resting on Jarren's body, his boner already present as he eyes remained glued to her figure.
"I like to start with-" Before he could speak, he felt her dainty fingers brush across his chest, knocking him back onto the bed before leaping onto his figure. Jarren still ignorant couldn't sense that something was off about her, the way her eyes locked with his was too lethal for comfort.
She leaned in but not for a kiss but a whisper, her fingers brushing past his throat. "I never thought that it would be this easy to kill Jarren Velros." His brows furrowed but before he could voice his dumbfoundness, a cold serrated dagger kissed his throat cutting deep.
Gurgles of agony and blood clashed together as he tried to scream for help, his eyes wide open in disbelief.
The lady simply made another slash which brushed past his arteries ending his life. His crimson blood blending well with the sheets as the girl rose off his body and took her exit.
In his last moments, he contemplated about the waiter back at the tavern possibly warning him about his demise but now, it was too late. He was a waste of space back at school, unacquainted with any spell to save his life or prolong his death long enough to contact help.
His body, a bronze initiate, the first rank as a knight made him prone to casual physical attacks. And it was on that day that the true Jarren Velros met his end. A faint laugh echoed through the room with no audience and with a thought, Solon simply came to be in the room.
***
Jarren's figure rose from the bed, his throat completely devoid of any blood on it. The dagger's mark was absent as he took a look outside, the sun's rays beaming on his face that was completely different from that of yesterday's at the tavern. Unlike before a strange soft smile played on his lips as he hopped out of the bed.
Stretching his hands as if examining a new suit, Solon felt the difference between this new body and the old one. "Feels like a new car but needs some adjusting to get to." He folded his arm into a fist, examining every inch of it.
His dark obsidian eyes had a calming edge to them but if looked at for too long felt wrong along with his smile. The way his smile never reached his eyes didn't feel raise any alarms but was unsettling in its own right.
He made his way to the mirror and adjusted his hair that draped callously. He pulled it back into a neat but intentionally leaving two strands to droop, serving as bookmarks that held his face perfectly before staring at his abdomen.
His body was modest but nothing too eye-catching, this was thanks to the bronze initiate physique but his sloth held him back from breaking into the Iron Strider rank. "Don't worry Jarren, I'll make sure that this body and your image is put to good use." Solon smiled beneath the facade of flesh that he now wore akin to his own.
The true owner of the body was fully deceased, his soul long devoured by Solon in the void. Cracking his radius, it healed almost instantly, his face never flinching from the calm smile that was plastered on it.
"Well it's time to meet my two elder brothers." And with that, he wore his blazer and pants before taking his leave out of the tavern. He walked through the streets, strange eyes landing on him as the trudged on before before arriving at his grounds. As the son of a noble, he had his own personal mansion that had two guards at the front however he never faced the respect that came with it.
He was used to the concept of inheritance and gifts, the original Jarren never fully understood the principle of doing something for himself and because of this he became a joke to his family's name but also himself. His two elder brothers had much more successful and covetous lives.
The eldest taking part in the royal court, hoping to become a fitting successor to the family name while the second in line was a famous adventurer that travelled the world. While he, Jarren Velros, was nothing more than a disgrace meant to be frowned upon.
He was at the select few bottom of the class, barely managing to scrape by thanks to his position of coercing his fellow students to execute assignments that he barely understood and practicals he was foreign with. Such information kept on flowing through Solon's mind as he made his way to the gates of his mansion.
The guards seemed apathetic to see their lord, they along with the staff present had little to no respect to their master. They seemed expectant, as if waiting for him to threaten them for not welcoming him properly but no agonizing taunt came, he merely walked by with no hitch.