Parting

"We have arrived, lad.", said Eren while shaking Azrael´s shoulder.

Slowly opening his eyes Azrael yawned a little bit and blinked a few times before he turned his head and looked over to the old man. He couldn't see the girl at the front any longer. She seemed to have gone back into the cart.

"That was quicker than I thought. Sorry for dozing off like that."

"Don't worry about that. Your journey was probably arduous enough."

Azrael started to get some sleep after noticing their destination was still a far way off even if riding a wagon. It was actually an old habit he had while being a passenger in cars. If the distance was longer than an hour he would always close his eyes and get some nap time.

"So, before I start running around like a headless chicken in the city. Anything I should consider when I want to start as an adventurer?"

The old man Eren glanced over to him.

"Hmm, well the first thing would be to join a Familia as discussed earlier. Then you would have to register with the guild to get started."

"Wait, I can´t enter the dungeon without a registration? Let me guess. They ain't going to let me register if I don't have a Familia, huh?"

"That is not correct. You can still enter the dungeon without doing any of the two options but that would be foolish. First, you want to become stronger, right? Then joining a Familia is a must. Second, the Guild can tell you how things work. You can get useful information there about the monsters or items like a map for the dungeon. And those are useful since the layout of the dungeon changes about every month. So it´s better to get in contact with them than just to ask me."

Azrael was actually surprised to hear this now. He actually thought it was a requirement to first get a Familia and then register at the Guild for dungeon entrance.

But then again, this made a lot of sense since how else would someone become stronger otherwise? There were, after all, Familia who were selfish enough to demand to be strong from the getgo as a requirement to join.

"It is also the only place where you can really get an income with the loot you gain from the dungeon. Without the guild, selling your stuff will be a hassle. It does make things easier, trust me."

Azrael sighed when he heard the last added words from him.

"I get it. But by the sound, I still get the impression they have a major monopoly over such stuff."

"That is normal since the Ouranos Familia is the one handling guild affairs. It is said their god is the one that also maintains the stability in the city as well as keeps the monsters from leaving the dungeon and wreak havoc outside."

"Oddly friendly of him...Well, it doesn't concern me I guess. So I am not going to stick my nose into that." Just when he said that they finally arrived at a gate where two guardsmen were standing on each side.

"Halt! Quick inspection." One of the guardsmen stopped them and then came closer.

"Are you a merchant?", the guardsmen asked again while his partner went and inspected the cargo.

"No, we are only here to commission something to the guild. I will only stay for a day or two."

"I see..." The guardsmen looked at his partner and he only nodded. "Everything clear. Three people. Girl, show yourself."

With those words from the other guard, Anya put her head out of the cart and looked at the guard at the front.

"Alright, you know the drill. Don't make any trouble and welcome to the City of Orario."

Then the old man Eren pushed the animal so it continued on into the city. They didn't go far and had to park their cart at a place that looked like a stable but it was bigger than what Azrael would have thought.

Azrael jumped down from the cart and stretched himself. "Thanks again for the ride, old man."

"Grandpa, let me help you." It was Anya who said those words.

When Azrael turned to Eren he could see how Anya approached and helped the old man go down from the cart. Sure he could have done so himself but Azrael also saw why his granddaughter was helping him.

It was rather to lessen the burden than anything else. Anya was bringing Eren a wooden crutch. And after he went down and placing it under his left armpit he started supporting his weight on it.

Now it was obvious to Azrael that the injury that Eren got was a lot more permanent than he thought at first.

It definitely was different than those idiotic guards talking shit about receiving an arrow to the knee and having their adventurer career cut off. For god's sake, those fuckers were still walking just fine and even fighting!

But Eren here had it worse. Azrael could even see that his left leg was rather thinner than his right. When they were sitting on the cart it was not that noticeable.

Eren saw him looking at his injury and smiled a little. "Looks weird, doesn't it?"

Azrael came back to his senses. "Sorry, didn't mean to stare."

"It´s fine. It actually should be a good example for others to see what happens when someone is foolish in the dungeon...Just... Be always careful when exploring." Eren then started to limp away to a person near the stables.

"What did actually happen?", asked Azrael himself without thinking.

"Father once said it happened when he protected grandmother..." Anya heard his question and told him what she knew in a low voice.

Azrael looked at her. ´Then why is he not against you going into the dungeon?´ Then he looked back at Eren´s back. ´I don't get this old man...´

"Alright, should we also get going?", he asked then and looked at Anya again.

"What? You really are trying to get this protecting thing going? Sorry but I already planned to go solo. As I said, I can handle myself just fine, bye-bye." Anya looked at him surprised at first that he really planned something like that but then actually started to walk after her grandfather. "Since you got your ride you can just as well now go on your own too."

Azrael looked at her walking away as well and only sighed. "She really doesn't like me, does she? Oh well, suit yourself, girl."

Then with a short shrug, he let this be bygones and started to walk on his own. He would remember this meeting.