Usurper of Fire

Cadivus’s group walked down the festive streets. The breeze running past Thermia’s exposed skin and their own tattered or ill-fitting clothes gave them cause to find the nearest clothing store.

“Maybe we should all wear leather so we match,” Cadivus said, observing Ekio and El. He touched his womanly hips and changed his mind. “Then again, maybe we don’t all need tactical chaffing.” He looked at Ekio. “How do you avoid that anyway?”

“Drinking water,” she said.

A half smile appeared on his face.

“Yeah. Definitely no leather then.”

They entered a clothing shop, and the owner ran to meet them, going on and on about how broke he had previously been between the taxes and the monthly payment plan. He repaired Hunter’s clothes to his request, while the others picked out new items.

Cadivus found a brilliant white outfit with silver trim and matching shoes. “I must have it…Oh El!” He used as much charm as he could muster. “Perhaps I could borrow some money or you can pay me back the gold I gave you a few years ago?”

She giggled.

“Oh, you’re still going on about that? Let it go, man. I told you that you can go hit up the guy who owes me money. I think it’s easier that way.”

“Oh right. The ex-boyfriend. I remember you going on, and on, and on…and on about him.” He was reminded of the last time they hung out, and the reason his affections for her had waned. A hand tapped his shoulder, and he turned around to see Ekio holding two pieces of gold toward him without looking at him. “Wow! Really?”

“I might be dead if not for you,” she said. “Now we’re even.”

He took the coins and looked at the outfit, wondering if it was worth almost dying for.

“I hope stains come out of this thing. I’d hate to have to almost die every time I need a new outfit.”

The shopkeeper ran over to him, holding a tape measure and scissors.

“Nonsense!” he proclaimed. “Everything your group gets here today is on the house!” Yet he took the coins out of Cadivus’s hands and placed them in his own apron as he said it.

Cadivus and Ekio gave him a confused look. The shopkeeper grabbed the white outfit off the rack and held it up to Cadivus. His tailor mind observed the needed alterations. “Just give me five minutes to customize this for you.”

Thermia walked out of the changing room, wearing dark purple pants with a red blouse that matched her hair. The men’s clothing wasn’t snug, so she had wrapped a white cloth around her waist to give her some figure back. She stared at herself in the mirror with a lot of uncertainty.

El stood next to her admiring her outfit and going over each detail she liked about it. She, who was used to wearing men’s clothing, also gave her all the tips she had.

Nearby, Cadivus was looking through the other clothing, admiring the tailor’s skills and thinking of his rather large closet back home.

“Why did you do that earlier?” Ekio asked from behind him.

He glanced at her solemn face but did not stop his search.

“What are you talking about?”

She folded her arms and looked away. “I could have deflected it, you know.”

He turned around, his mouth open.

“Maybe you could have. The fact of the matter is…It wasn’t a calculated decision. More like an instinct thing. Like flinching when someone asks what’s taking you so long in the shower.”

“Do you often instinctually try to sacrifice yourself?”

“Honestly? I didn’t think a purple attack could hurt me…” he said, causing her to look at him with fake concern. “It’s not a very threatening color.” He pointed towards Thermia’s pants to confirm his assertion.

“You didn’t hear the bit about this attack kills gods?” Ekio said, mocking Alpha’s voice at the end. She laughed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. She tried to catch her breath before falling back into a laughing fit.

“Is… she okay?” Thermia asked, frowning. “She’s not laughing at my outfit is she?”

Cadivus shook his head toward her and motioned for her to turn around. He placed a hand on Ekio’s shoulder as her laughing fit concluded.

“Get it all out did ya?”

Ekio wiped the tears from her eyes.

“I just don’t get it. Why are you…you?”

He thought over her words and smiled.

“Who else am I supposed to be?” He raised his eyebrows and walked away.

She thought about the response, wondering if it was the wisdom of a sage or the ramblings of an idiot.

The tailor came back out and insisted on helping Cadivus get dressed, which he obliged. Cadivus strode back out with a confident look and a wedgie. The pants were the perfect fit and stretchy for good movement, and the top was a button-up vest that left most of his skin exposed.

He stared at himself in the mirror from multiple angles.

“My gods…I’m hot!”

The tailor, wanting his garments to look their best, pulled out some scissors and approached him.

“Um, you realize I’ve killed people today, don’t you?”

The tailor frowned.

“You're not gonna walk around in one of my signature pieces while looking like that. Now let me do my work. I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.”

Cadivus sighed and agreed. The tailor went to work, cutting his hair short while making remarks about the horrible state of his hair.

“Now, take a look, you ungrateful swine.”

He looked back into the mirror as the tailor brushed some pieces of hair off him.

“Oh wow! What a difference that makes. Who knew?”

Even Ekio raised an eyebrow at him, admiring the new look.

“Uh, literally everyone knew!” Thermia said. “I’ve been trying to get you to comb and cut your hair for years for that exact reason!”

He frowned.

“What?"

“My look is gonna be ruined the second this gets dirty, isn’t it?” he said, his enthusiasm fading.

“Actually,” The tailor said. “Omega accidentally created a potion that we use on these clothes. Makes it so they never get dirty. Heck, even blood or sweat won’t stick to it!” He reached into his apron, then held up the concoction that they used and smiled.

“Oh, fantastic!” he said. “Does it work on urine too?”

“It sure does!”

He put the chain around his neck, tying the ends together with a thinner piece of metal he could bend easily.

“Can you send a barrel of that stuff to Dreyhal?”

The tailor laughed. “No. The guy who makes it died.” His eyes watered, and he walked toward the back of his shop. “Time for you guys to go then! We’re closed!”

They exited the shop and planned their next stop to be a tavern Bradley had told them about.

But El decided she needed to get back. After she said her farewells to the group, she pulled Hunter to the side.

“What’s your deal anyway?”

He looked at her with his blank expression.

“Scuse me?”

She walked him farther from the group.

“A lawman robbing a vault? There’s only one reason that would be permitted…without it meaning your death.”

He looked at her and sighed, removing half a cigar from a pouch and lighting it.

“We need to get this Chronic guy. He’s better at rounding up hybrids than the crown. I was given orders…Any means necessary.” He took a long drag and dropped his shoulders when he blew out the smoke. “I’d go a lot further than that to take this bastard down.” El looked past him and smiled at the group eyeing them.

“Okay. Just so you know though. If you hurt him, your badge won’t protect you from me.”

He considered the threat, wondering if it was worth an ounce of worry.

She held up his potion pouch and gun and handed them to him. “We have an understanding…right?”

Hunter looked at the items and smiled, gripping the cigar in his teeth.

“I’m sure we’ll have our time…but it won’t be fer that one.” He took his items back and secured them tight. “What’s your interest in him anyway? Clearly it's not a romantic one.”

“In my world…it’s mostly about one-upping and deception. Layers and layers of bullshit on a big steaming pile of evil blood clots.”

He shuddered at the description.

“It’s nice to know there are people like him…wanting to do good.”

“Didn’t you steal his money?”

El smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, and now he knows not to trust every beautiful woman who hints at sleeping with him.”

He shook his head.

“Oh, one more thing.” El held up the tinted glasses. “Tell Thermia I’m sorry, but I need to take these back with me.”

Hunter turned to look at Thermia. “Tell her yourself, why dontcha.” But when he turned back around, El was gone.

He smirked. “I’ll catch ya later.”

Walking toward the group he spotted a figure on a nearby roof, staring at them. Dusk was approaching, making it difficult to see any detail, but an ominous feeling emanated from the figure. Yet he decided to not say anything for now. They had reason to celebrate, and he didn’t want to lessen it.