Amukelo: The Burdened Path

As Amukelo shrugged off the first armor, he rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "I worry it's too big," he admitted, shifting his arms to test the fit. The leather plates didn't quite sit right on his frame, and there was too much room in the chest area. The shopkeeper observed him with a knowing nod, already expecting that outcome.

"As I thought," the man said, rubbing his chin. "It's still worth trying, but this one was made for someone just a bit broader than you. Now, the second set, on the other hand, should fit much better."

Amukelo nodded and started unfastening the straps, letting the first armor slide off. As he moved to put on the second set, even just securing the first few pieces, he could already tell the difference. "I can already see that this will fit better," he said, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction.

As he finished strapping the last part of the armor in place, he stretched his arms out, rolling his shoulders, then twisting his torso. "Yeah," he said, his tone much more confident this time. "This is great. It barely limits my movement at all, and I can feel how much more protection this gives me compared to just the cloak."

Idin smirked slightly. "You'll get used to it. It's a nice, basic armor. Nothing fancy, but it does its job well."

Amukelo looked down at himself, still adjusting to the feeling of actually wearing armor instead of just rough clothes. He ran a hand over the leather plating on his chest, then down to the straps securing it in place. "I wish I had this when I was living in the wild," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Would've saved me from a lot of scars."

He laughed genuinely, but the others didn't quite share in his amusement. They exchanged glances, not entirely sure how he could find humor in something like that. The idea of living alone in the wilderness, facing danger after danger without protection, without help, without even proper shelter, wasn't something they could easily laugh about.

Bral cleared his throat and approached the shopkeeper. "So, how much will this armor be?"

The shopkeeper, who had been watching Amukelo test the fit of the armor, tapped his fingers against the wooden counter as he calculated the price in his head. After a moment, he gave a firm answer. "Thirty gold coins."

Bral's eyebrows lifted slightly, and he let out a low hum. "Thirty gold coins…" he murmured, rubbing his chin. "That's a little bit more than I was hoping for."

He leaned forward slightly, crossing his arms. "What about twenty?"

The shopkeeper scoffed, shaking his head immediately. "I'm not cutting off a whole third of the price. Forget about it."

Bral clicked his tongue. "Alright, alright, what about twenty-five?"

The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes. "No. Compared to my other armors, this is still one of the cheaper options. I won't go down on the price."

Bral sighed, tapping his fingers against his arm as if deep in thought. "Well, then we have a problem. Thirty gold is a bit more than I'm willing to spend at the moment."

Then, as he glanced over his shoulder, his gaze landed on the forearm pieces he had been eyeing earlier. A small grin formed on his lips, and he turned back to the shopkeeper, his expression shifting into one of easy confidence.

"But what if we make a different deal?" he proposed.

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Bral gestured toward the forearm guards on the shelf. "Those bracers over there. They've clearly been sitting here for a while. Random armor pieces like that don't sell as quickly as full sets, right?"

The shopkeeper glanced at them, and though he didn't say anything, the way his lips pressed together told Bral he was right.

Bral continued, pressing his advantage. "So, here's my offer. I'll take the armor for thirty gold, but you throw in those forearm guards too."

Idin, who had been listening to the exchange, rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go."

The shopkeeper let out a long breath, rubbing his chin as he considered the offer. He drummed his fingers against the counter, glancing between Bral and the bracers. After a moment of silence, he exhaled heavily and shrugged. "Fine. Deal."

He extended his hand for a handshake, and Bral smirked as he grasped it firmly. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, my friend."

As they stepped out of the armory, Amukelo adjusted the weight of the neatly packed armor in his arms. He couldn't hide the satisfaction on his face. Finally, he had something more than just his sword to protect himself. However, the biggest grin among them belonged to Bral, who looked as if he had just pulled off the greatest deal of his life.

Idin, walking beside him, shook his head with a smirk. "You are impossible."

Bral, still grinning, held up his newly acquired bracers. "No, no, Idin, I am amazing." He tapped the leather with approval. "Think about it. The shopkeeper wasn't going to budge on the price, so I walked away with these at no extra cost. You can't tell me that wasn't genius."

Idin exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Well, can't argue with that. Your negotiation was actually pretty solid."

Bral threw his arm around Idin's shoulder. "See? I knew you'd come around."

Bao rolled her eyes. "You two should get a room."

Pao giggled softly, while Amukelo simply watched the exchange, still adjusting to their dynamic. It was easygoing, playful, but underneath it, there was genuine camaraderie. It made him feel warm in a way he wasn't used to.

Idin, brushing Bral's arm off his shoulder, turned the conversation back to business. "So, what's next? Are we actually making Amukelo part of our guild today, or did you have something else in mind?"

Bral glanced at Amukelo for a brief second before shrugging. "Well, we could do that right away, but I say we drop off our things at the inn first." He patted the bracers again. "No need to carry these around all day."

Then his expression lit up with something close to mischief. "And after that, I say we hit a pub."

Idin raised an eyebrow. "A pub?"

Bral nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Soon it'll be afternoon, and if we don't go early, we'll get terrible seats. Besides, after all that travel, I'd say we deserve a proper meal and a drink or two."

Idin considered it for a moment before nodding. "A proper meal does sound good."

Bao crossed her arms, glancing at her sister, who simply smiled. "Fine by me."

Pao added cheerfully, "Let's go!"

With their plans set, they made their way back to the inn first, where Amukelo carefully placed his new armor in his room, making sure everything was secured properly. Bral also left his newly acquired bracers there, though not before admiring them one last time.

After dropping off their things, they headed out into the streets again, weaving through the city toward the pub Bral had in mind. The streets were slightly busier than earlier, with merchants setting up in different spots, vendors shouting about their goods, and groups of people talking amongst themselves. Amukelo took in everything—the sheer liveliness of the town was still new to him, but he liked it.

When they reached the pub, Amukelo was taken aback. He had been to a small tavern in his village before, usually with his mother or Eagor, but this place was entirely different. It was much larger, more vibrant, more alive. The wooden beams of the ceiling stretched high, adorned with simple but well-maintained chandeliers, and the scent of roasted meat and ale was rich in the air. The tables were made of sturdy wood, slightly worn but well-kept, and there was a small stage in one corner where a bard might play later in the evening.

Despite its size, the pub was still relatively quiet, given the early hour. A few patrons were scattered about, some nursing drinks, others finishing meals, but the real crowd hadn't yet arrived.

Bral took a quick scan of the room and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Let's find a good spot before this place fills up."

They walked toward a corner table, one that offered a nice view of the room while still giving them some privacy. As they settled in, Bral leaned back in his chair and exhaled. "Perfect. Hopefully, no one starts anything."

Amukelo tilted his head. "Starts anything?"

Bral chuckled. "Pubs like this always have one or two people who like to cause trouble, especially for newcomers." He glanced at Amukelo with amusement. "And you, my friend, scream 'newcomer.'"

Amukelo frowned slightly. "Do I?"

Bao smirked. "Oh, absolutely."

Amukelo sighed, slightly slumping in his seat. "Great."

A barmaid came by, and they ordered simple meals along with some ale. Bral made sure to emphasize "just a few drinks" since they had plans to start taking quests soon. "If everything goes right, we'll be questing in two days, so control yourselves."

Bao gave him a knowing side glance. "And look who's telling us that."

Bral grinned innocently. "Me, of course. Why wouldn't I?"

A collective sigh came from the rest of the group, except for Amukelo, who was still trying to fully grasp their humor. Idin just shook his head. "Yeah, yeah…"

As they waited for their food, Amukelo sat back, still absorbing everything. This was so different from the past few months. The safety of the company, the warmth of a real meal waiting for him, and the casual banter of people who weren't just traveling together but truly friends. He had always imagined his path to strength would be a solitary one, but now, sitting here with them, he wasn't so sure.