Temple Sword

Chapter 120 The Invisible Wall
The underground tavern was built to the design of old granaries, which were dated even in Arpad's time.Only the roof is raised above the ground, and simple doors open from the side, leading to the depths.

Down eight creaky steps, a new world opens up for visitors: a dark, smelly world, with only a few cheap candles to help people find their way.

Six small tables and crumbling benches, and next to the barrel at the end of the subterranean "hall" sat a scruffy man in a dirty patched apron who was the owner of the tavern.

On the lid of one of the kegs stood small cracked ceramic mugs and three crudely crafted crooked jugs, ready to pour a glass of bad beer.If a thirsty guest wants to sit down, he has to pay extra.

People can urinate, vomit and spit in it, but they can't eat or keep warm here, not even an adobe fireplace.To make matters worse, the roof here offers neither snow nor rain protection.

"Good evening, gentlemen!" cried the tavernkeeper, seeing two large men appear at the door.

The two didn't respond to him, and they walked down the rickety wooden stairs with slow and steady steps, allowing the tavern owner and a few drunks downstairs to see them clearly in the dim light.

The two didn't look like they belonged here. They were wearing nose helmets and knee-length chain mail, and they were armed from top to bottom.Their battle belts, expensive gear, gloved hands and swords strapped to their sides all prove that they are not ordinary people.

The tavernkeeper's lips stiffened, fearing that they would take his own course and cut him off.A couple of customers thought they were here to take themselves to court, or to collect debts, and they had trouble written all over them anyway.

Two armored knights walked in and walked straight to a pale man with tears in his eyes. The man was about to stand up, but the two of them pressed his shoulders back to his seat.

The others didn't know what to do anymore, they were already half standing up, their buttocks dangling in the air, trying to sneak out as soon as possible, but they didn't dare.

One of the two sat down opposite the one who had just been subdued, while the larger one was fiddling with the mace in his hand, as if to test whether the weapon was strong enough.

"Get out!" The big man's order came, and the customers dispersed in a rush, and the underground tavern was empty in an instant.

"Perhaps I can pour you some wine, gentlemen..."

"Sit down," Simon pointed his mace at the boss, "shut up!"

The tavernkeeper complied, and the page went up the stairs and shut the door.

"What do you want to do?" Laszlo asked, he had just had a drink, so he was still sober. "That's a really impressive approach, I admit, you almost scared me to death. What, do you want to kill me? If so, let's not hesitate and kill me now!"

"If you don't mind," the boss said, "Gentlemen, you should go outside to do business!"

The big knight stood up from the bench, grabbed the hand of the tavernkeeper, and pushed him up the stairs.Simon pulled him out of the tavern like a rag doll, and closed the door behind him.

"Don't even think about it," said the page, grabbing the tavernkeeper's other hand, and throwing away the knife he had concealed behind his apron. "If you don't move, we'll be done in no time. I can also chop off your hand. You can choose one of these methods."

The tavern owner was so angry that his hair was standing on end, but he didn't speak any more, nor did he act rashly.

Downstairs, Antal sat on a bench across from Laszlo, taking off his helmet.He tried to look nonchalant, but the look in his eyes betrayed his true emotion, and for a moment, he looked surprised.

"Did you spend the night in this kind of place?" Antar looked around and asked, "In this cesspit?"

"I'm leaving Timisoara soon," the knight continued, seeing that Laszlo didn't respond, "I'm going to lead the king's army north."

"I know," Laszlo said softly, turning his face away, "but I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here...here..."

He emphasized the last word with particular disgust, and Antal knew that Laszlo was not referring to the city, nor the tavern, but the deplorable situation he had been in for many years.

"You can still change your destiny." Antar tried to banish all emotion from his voice, he wanted to convince Laszlo, not plead with him.

"How much do you know about my fate?" Laszlo finally glanced at him, "You don't know anything."

"I know more than you think."

"You don't know anything!" Laszlo patted the table. "Tell me, who am I to you, and who are you to me, why do you always act superior?"

Antal almost had a seizure, but he remained calm in the end, and he said firmly and calmly:

"You are my brother, you were."

"In the previous life," Laszlo said, looking away from Antal again, "at that time, I was just a dispensable younger brother to you, a annoying guy, When you're having a thrilling adventure, or chasing pretty girls in dresses, you'll forget about me in no time..."

"I only ever courted one girl," the knight tried to ease the atmosphere, "and she is my wife now. Do you want to insult her too? The mother of your godson? She always has you in her heart, and so do I, we love you ..."

"Have me in mind? Love me?" Laszlo cried. "What love? Where have you been?"

"At home, in my manor." Antal replied immediately.He decided that no matter what his friend said, he would try to stay calm.Because if he didn't, there was no way he could bring Laszlo back to his senses, and a few minutes of offense wasn't enough for his former squire to unleash nine years of resentment.

Antal couldn't imagine how thick the wall between them was, and how many disappointments and scars there were on it.

"You left..."

"I left because I wanted peace and I wanted to go back to my family. Is that a sin? I didn't hide on the other side of the world, I just went home, back to where I grew up, back to both of us. A place where people grow up!
You know where I am, you know the way back there, it was your home too.How would I know your situation is bad?You never wrote to me, you didn't even tell me you were alive..."

"That's exactly what I want to say!" Laszlo smiled bitterly, "You didn't try to contact me at all, because you don't care at all!"

(End of this chapter)