Chapter 102 - The Fire (1/2)

Disgruntled, Luke began to rummage through the timbers of what had once been the entrance to the shed; at the same time, memories of his past, which now seemed distant, began to well up in his mind.

That very entrance was where he last saw his friends and where he had to say goodbye to them all. Now there was nothing there. Meredith managed to create the shoe rack with her own hands, the rug that some of them stole from some clothesline, and even the wood on the floor was almost gone. It was a long fire.

”Can you tell how many days ago that happened?” Alexis asked him, moving closer to see the destruction more clearly. The entire floor of the second floor had collapsed to the first floor, and now only the plumbing pipes were left standing.

Inexpressive, Luke turned to answer her. ”The smells from a fire only linger in the air for a few hours. After that, the soot from the smoke covers everything. Even if they died here, you won't be able to tell.”

”No, I don't think they died here. The charred bodies would still be here.”

The half-dragon was right because even though the fire was long enough to consume much of the walls and bring down the second floor, some more oversized furniture still remained left.

”Don't think the worst. It may have simply been an ordinary fire... Should we ask the people around if they know anything?” Alexis asked, pointing to a group of fishermen who were a little way off.

”No. The owner of the shed doesn't live far away, I think I'd better go talk to him.”

Praying that Mr. Lombard hadn't moved away, Luke walked with the half-dragon two streets up from the one he was on. When he found a large building with many wagons in front, he saw a short old man with gray hair inspecting them.

Walking at a strong and aggressive pace, Luke didn't care about the number of people around and lifted the old man with a single hand.

”Hey, hey, what are you doing, crazy!? Let me go!” The old man shouted in a hoarse voice, at the same time kicking Luke's resistant abdomen.

”Pay attention and answer calmly, sir...where are my friends?”

”Hey, Luke. What are you doing? Let that old man go! He'll die of a heart attack; he's so old.” The half-dragon was worried and frightened at the threatening behavior Luke displayed.

Mr. Lombard felt as if a stone had just fallen on his head when he heard the word 'old man'.

”Wait, she called you 'Luke'?” So the old man looked at the man who was lifting him and was startled when he recognized the yellow eyes in the dark hood, ”Is that you, half-beast?”

Luke released the old man and, this time, asked more politely, ”Tell me everything you know about the fire that occurred in your old shed.”

”I think it's best not to talk that sort of thing out here. Let's go inside.”

Next, Luke and Alexis enter the old man's modest home. Mr. Lombard has a large wagon and carriage shop, and thanks to this, he manages to survive well while doing what he loves.

As he walked through the front door of his humble apartment in the same building as the workshop, the old man said: ”Lucky it's late afternoon and all my employees have left. Otherwise, they would have kicked your ass, Luke.”

”Oh, excuse us again for that, old man. I'm sure it wasn't his intention to hurt you.” The half-dragon said, a little nervous about the situation.

”Look, you are well-mannered, my dear. Why are you with a rude brute like that?” Mr. Lombard said, trying to ignore that she had called him an old man.

”I'm helping him find his friends.”