Lord Shadow

Chapter 1320 Hanging Head I

Azief and Katarina seems to be enjoying the walk. Holding hands together, enjoying the nice sceneries

In the eyes of the people looking at them, it must look like a grandfather holding the hand of her granddaughter.

But to Azief and Katarina right now, it was like they are in a date. The anxiousness they had in their heart had also calm down.

Katarina also not so desperate to see her brother now. From some of the conversation he heard, it seems that the Republic is still very much powerful.

Of course, she still wanted to go home but the feeling is not as urgent as before. 

And she also understood why Azief wanted to take it slow. If there is really danger to the people he loves, he probably would also not hesitate to go back.

But right now, there is still a lot of things that they did not know. While they are confident that in the past six months, their position is not easily replaceable, it did not mean nothing had changed.

Six months has passed. Certainly there is something that must have changed. But for now, Katarina did not think of that.

She is smiling. Because she is holding hands with him. She always smiles when she holds his hand. 

Katarina them remember something and she chuckles silently. When they first hold hand together, he was more nervous than her, trembling.

Azief of course did not see her smiling right now. But if he just looks to the side and look at Katarina face right now, he could see her smile.

She is smiling because she is always happy when she holds his hand. Because it proves to her that it is not a dream.

Even after all that have happened, even after all the heartbreak, even after the pain, she was glad that she had never given up.

Of course, it is not for lack of trying. She loves him so much……that it is sometimes embarrassing. 

They walk and walk until they finally reached the tavern. At first they wanted to go to the tavern near the stall

But they changed their mind halfway when they heard about the famous tavern Hanging Head. Azief and Katarina finally arrived at the tavern 

The tavern itself is large and wide. It occupied a couple shop area. And it was tall. There is nine floor of this tavern.

It is like some kind of large and tall mall.

There is a plaque on the outside of the fourth floor, Hanging Head. It is clear that business is good. And the plaque shines with purple light like it some kind of neon lights.

Azief could see that the reason the plaque shines is because there is a rune carved onto it. It is a simple rune which is light.

Or if it is translated literally, small light. 

From the outside, it looks enchanting. 

There is vines on the sides of the walls. However, these vines are not like messy or disorganized, instead it is like it was purposefully put there. 

Azief come closer to the vines and he narrowed his eyes and then he smiles. The vines seem to be alive. It might be one of the many protective measures of this tavern

If Azief is not mistaken, this vine must be able to move and attack people. The tavern looks enchanting, with all kinds of magic and ruins and formation. 

Some people below the Disk Formation level would not be able to see it but Azief could see it as clearly as day.

Katarina might not be able to see it but she was able to feel it. 

Azief himself is not that knowledgeable about formation but he does know it a bit. But he didn’t need to have deep knowledge about formation to know some things about this tavern

His eyes seem to be able to see through the essence of this tavern.

Each bricks seems to be carved with some kind of protection runes. 

Azief suspect that even if there is a bombardment of nuclear bomb toward this tavern, even if the rest of the areas were pummeled to ashes, this tavern would probably just stand here unscathed. 

’It had that same kind of properties like that of the formation of the Island of Peace’ Katarina suddenly said. Azief nodded.

He agrees with Katarina assessment. 

In other words, even if this entire port city collapsed, this tavern could float in the event that the entire port city collapsed into the sea.

’This requires resources. I didn’t think that a tavern in some unknown port city could have such resources’ Azief said. Katarina nodded. 

Azief look closer at the bricks as people come in and out of the tavern. 

Not many people seem to care about what Azief and Katarina is doing. 

This tavern doesn’t have guards out on the front.

If there is, they probably wouldn’t let Azief look at the tavern bricks. 

Or maybe that they are confident enough that they simply do not care if people could see that they imbued formation in each and every brick of their establishment.

Maybe, it acted like a deterrent to people

When Azief look closer, he smiles

’Just like I thought’ he mutters to himself. 

He could see that each bricks is also bonded together with some kind of formation. 

He sighed and then remove his gaze from the brick and look at the walls of the establishment

The walls are gray with a hint of red and the stone pillars make up most of the building outer structure. 

The windows are also beautiful, a stained glass with carved paintings. It is a weird choice, yes, but to Azief it enhances the uniqueness of this tavern.

The door is made of stone of unknown minerals

Which is peculiar considering that most of the tavern in this city uses either wood reinforced with protection formation array or metal door sprinkled with bits of magic.

Like the walls and the bricks, this stone door is also connected with the main formation of this tavern.

Azief look at the tavern for a few second and this is the things he could glean. Katarina also did the same thing but the things she sees is not the same thing that Azief was able to see.

Azief did not waste time anymore as he pushes the stone door. Amazingly enough, the stone door moves easily and without friction like someone had just oil the ground. 

As he enters the tavern through the stone door, he is welcomed by the aromas of roasted meats and music. 

’It’s lively’ Katarina commented. Azief nodded with a smile

He could see that the first floor of the tavern is full with people. It was like he is transported into some fantasy world tavern.

There is round wooden table with jugs and tall glass full of drinks. 

There are some roasted meats in the middle of the first floor on a huge wooden bowl on top of a large round table.

And in the middle of the first floor, there was something that caught the attention of both Azief and Katarina.

Some people would get up from their chair and goes to the middle of the first floor and brought their plate with him

On the middle of the first floor, there is a beast being spit roasted. 

Everyone could just take their knife and cut the meats of the beast in the middle of the room.

Azief could see that something is being roasted on the middle of the first floor. Some pirates would bring their plates and cut of some piece of this beast meat to put it on their plates.

Azief was shocked for a moment but he heard some of the people shouts

’This beast is really delicious’

’I called it Monster Cow!’ some pirates shouted and some laughed while some other said

’terrible naming sense’ one shouted back. 

And then they laughed boisterously. Some people clinked their iron cups with each other and sings songs

Azief could see the beast in the middle of the floor, spit roasted. He  and Katarina move closer to the middle and then he stopped and look at that beast

’What a magnificent beast’ he seems to muttered unconsciously.

It is five times larger than normal cows. 

But it does have the appearance of a cow. If not for the fact that the cow had a horn in the middle of its head it could really be called a cow. 

There are spices slathered all over its body, and the smell of it is making people salivate. The skin is deep golden brown 

And from what Azief could see the meat of this beast seems to be juicy. 

Azief knows that this must be one of the new beast that had appeared in the world. 

Of course, there are some monsters that appears like a cow in the past but he is quite sure that he had never seen this kind of cow-like monster before. 

It is without a doubt then that this monster must be one of the monster that comes from one of the many portals that had opened during the Multiversal Convergence

Azief also notices the music

There is a band performing under the stairs leading to the second floor. Azief could also see that there is an Isolating Noise formation on the stairs and he could guess that the noise on the first floor would not spill to the second floor

The band is a four-man band and they were playing joyful music. 

Which is unexpected. 

But then after the song ended, the bass guitar began playing and then the genre change. This time it is rock.

♪

  Listen to the wind blows

  Watch the sun rise

Run in the Shadows

Damn your love, damn your lies

♪

’Fleetwood Mac, The Chain’ Azief said even before the chorus come in. 

’Hmm?’ Katarina does not seem to know the song

Azief only chuckles at this. 

Azief was enjoying the sound as he looks at the inside of the tavern. When he thinks of tavern of course, he would think of it like some kind of bar. 

But, this tavern is a bit different. 

It had that fantasy-like qualities with wooden round tables, and even spit roasted meat in the middle of the floor. 

But it also had some modern devices like a beer maker, a band playing, and also magical stuff like formations and floating lights that are not too bright. 

There is even air conditioning that make sure that the temperature is not too hot and also not too cold. 

’It is enchanting’ he mutters to himself. 

And it is as charming inside as it is on the outside. 

Rounded wooden beams support the upper floor and there are even large candles around it. 

However, these large candles are not attached to the beams instead, it was floating around it. Some drunk pirate tries to grab the candle and the candle swiftly evaded that drunk person grasp.

Looking at this Katarina chuckles a bit. Azief smiles a bit seeing this

’At least, she could take it easy now’ One of the things that one must not do in front of Katarina is being drunk.