The Dragon’s Embodiment

Esecleus woke up to the sound of his door banging. He groaned, his face getting licked by Lynx. It was something his cat does every morning when he is too lazy to get up when he is supposed to.

”Ugh! Lynx, stop it. ”

Someone was knocking on his face. He opened his eyes but he was facing the window. The sun was coming through the thin light blue curtain hanging by his window.

”Tsk! Who the hell is here this early in the morning? ”

His eyes glanced over his side. A small table clock was ticking. Its long hand was pointing at 12 whilst its shorter hand was at 11.

”11:01 is still early for me. ”

Annoyed, Esecleus gets the door, peeking through the peephole to see who was bothering his peaceful sleep. Lynx, on the other hand, was rubbing her furry head onto Esecleus leg.

”Meow~! ”

Whenever she does this, she is hungry and wants something to eat. Esecleus and Lynx always eat together. Esecleus won eat without her every time he is in his house. And he always makes sure that his cat does not get too hungry and too full.

”Hmm? The twins? What are they doing outside my house? ”

Esecleus opened the door, meeting the twins gazes. He was not wearing anything on his upper half and has only his pajama on.

”Ahri, Ihra, what are you two doing here? ”

Ahri was wearing something gothic and Ihra has his usual comfortable clothes on. He fancies suits and jackets so much that he has a collection of them.

[Ahri, a twenty-three-year-old woman, Ihras twin, and into metal. Most of her fashion style comes from gothic girls she sees online.]

[While Ihra, on the other hand, was more into retros and vintage looks. He fascinates masculinity but also supports womens empowerment if its appropriate and is beneficial to both genders.]

While Ihra is an extrovert, Ahri is quite the opposite. They were the perfect contrast to each other. Like two broken pieces put together, creating a perfect combination.

”Hello, Esecleus, ” the two of them greeted the still-sleepy and yawning Esecleus. ”Sorry for waking you up in your deep slumber. ”

”What can I do? Im already awake by the noise. So, just tell me what the two of you want with me. ”

Even Esecleus knows how to be hospitable. He let Ihra and Ahri inside his house, and have them seated on the sofa while he went on his way to brew themselves a cup of coffee.

”Are you two fine with black coffee? ” He asked, looking back at them, peeking behind a wall as he walked over the counter. ”

”Uh, you don have to bother. We ate before we came here. Ahri and I just wanted to let you know about the news we have for you. ”

Esecleus took out his breakfast; a pack of sliced bread, peanut butter, and strawberry jam. He placed them on top of the counter and spread three sliced of bread with peanut butter and strawberry jam.

The kettle he had on his stove wheezed. He turned off his stove and brewed three cups of black coffee.

”You guys don refuse a hospitable mans offer. Thats disrespectful. Now here, eat and drink this. ”

Ahri and Ihra just looked at each other and were coerced to eat breakfast with Esecleus while the latter put food in Lynxs bowl. However, Lynx was looking at Ahri, meowing, then she jumped on the sofa.

”I think Lynx likes you. ”

It was their first time in Esecleus house. Even after being members of the Lions Mane guild for 2 years, they haven taken the time to drop by Esecleus house. Well, it was because they were not so close with each other, and Esecleus always isolates himself.

Lynx climbed up to Ahris lap, then lazily lay there, looking for the woman to pet her. And so Ahri did, which sparks up the tired look in Lynxs eyes.

”Well, Lynx will eat when she gets hungry. ”

Esecleus remained standing, holding the cup of coffee in his right hand while he was eating the sandwich in his left hand. He took a sip and let out a relieved look on his face.

While he was doing his usual routine, casually eating while drinking coffee, he noticed that Ahri kept taking quick glances and was feeling awkward. Then he realized what he was wearing.

”Ah, excuse me for a minute. ”

He went inside his room and took whatever clothes he had on the rack, then put them on. A white t-shirt with Lynxs picture printed on it and a khaki pants.

Silently, Ahri kept petting Lynx, running her fingers on the cats soft neck that Lynx likes. And every time Ahri runs her fingers on her back, her tail straightened, like Lynx was having shivers being sent to her core.

”Oh, seems like the two of you are enjoying PB&J, yeah? You can always ask for seconds. ”

”Yes, thanks for the food. Anyway, lets get on the topic. ”

Esecleus sat down on the other end of the glass table, sitting down on a single sofa and crossing his legs as he took a sip of his coffee.

”This morning we received an email from the father of the deceased Vylan. He asked us a few questions when we arrived at his office and sent us to your house to talk to you next. ”

Esecleus was kind of expecting Vylans father to make his move, but it was so soon. Well, it does not really matter to him since he wished for this.

”And the two of you are here since the two of you do not know my number, correct? But they could have just used their power to get my number and directly contact me. Sending the two of you here interrupted my slumber. ”

”We
e very sorry about that, but we were just following orders from them. ”

”In our contracts, it stated that if the guild leader is killed or had died, they will become under the supervision of Vylans father. ”

Ihra and Ahri were not aware that Esecleus contract was different from theirs. Now, he is not bound by the hands of Vylans family and has become a free man once again. Working under Vylan for five years taught him many things he needed to learn.

”I am now free of the leash while your leash was passed onto a much cruel owner. How much longer do the two of you have before your contracts end? ”

Lynx finally got hungry. She jumped off the floor and went to fill her stomach with her favorite snack.

”Our contract is about to end. We have, like, less than a month. ”

Ahri does not talk that much. It was all Ihra who did the talking. His other half would speak when she deemed it necessary.

”Hmm, quite unfortunate, Id say. You two might come across my path these coming days. But lets not talk about that since I know the two of you already know. Darius, Vylans father, is suspecting me of wiping out the whole Lions Mane guild, right? But I didn kill them. ”

The twins knew exactly what Esecleus meant by coming across him. And if the accusation of him killing his guild members and leader. Then they are kind of afraid to deal with him.

For a lone man to wipe out a top guild, Esecleus is someone not to be underestimated.

Ihra leaned his back and comfortably sat on the sofa.

”Sir Darius wants to meet you, Esecleus. Tomorrow… He wants to meet you tomorrow. ”

When the conversation ended, Ihra and Ahri drank the remaining black coffee in their cup out a respect for the hospitable manner of Esecleus. He was accommodating and kind.

”Thats all we have to say. ”

The twins got up from their seats.

”Thank you for the breakfast, ” Ahri demurely said, slightly bowing her head to Esecleus. ”We will be taking our leave. Be careful, Esecleus—always. ”

”Tell Darius I got the message. ”

When they were about the door, Esecleus called out to them.

”Oh, and learn to refuse next time. It won hurt to do so. ”

Simple yet meaningful. Esecleus left them with the advice they would need in the near future.

”We will, and thank you again. ”

Esecleus threw himself back on his soft and relaxing bed, lying on his stomach. He sighed, feeling sleepy and all.

Just when he was about to close his eyes to sleep for another few hours, another three consecutive knocks on his door irritatingly echoed in his ears. His earlier sigh turned into a pissed groan.

”No ones home! He went out and slept! ”

When he didn tend to the door, another couple of knocks reverberated.

”Ugh! Why can people leave each other alone?! ”

Lazily, he got up and angrily opened the door. And to his surprise, the vice-chief of the Hunters Organization paid him a visit along with his trustworthy men.

Esecleus already has an idea why the vice chief himself had gone to his house. Among the members of the Hunters Organization, those of high position, only Vice-Chief Wright saw the potential in Esecleus and completely understood him.

”How was your sleep? ”

”It was shit. I was supposed to wake up later but got woken up by the twins. ”

”Hahaha! Sounds like a pain. Sorry to intrude on your peaceful day, then. ”

”No worries, vice-chief. I completely understand why you
e here. ”

~