If he had been one centimeter off, the dart would've reached his eyeball. Malik's eye twitched at the thought of it. Peering the drunken bar in front of him, he scanned to see where the voice came from.
Inspecting closely, he saw people that stayed completely still at the sight of him, and others that leaned forward with furrowed eyebrows. Amongst them, a young, shorter woman, sat in a higher chair.
"Not a step forward." She commanded.
A dart pierced in Malik's heart with each word she said. Looking closer, there was no mistaking it.
Nian Wei . . .
She had long-dark hair, and ghoulish pale skin, with the most condemning expression. She looked like she had just swallowed the sourest of lemons. Wearing a crop top, she looked far more ratchet than when he saw her in the golden courtroom.
Malik understood the tone of her voice, and chose not to engage.
If I'm planning to get information from her, its better that I listen to her. I'll wait for Thakal to deescalate the situation. That dart really surprised me, it was practically a sharp bullet.
Looking around, the rest of the bar had froze, but the bartender had remained calm. He kept pouring drinks in the pure silence.
Noticing the scene, he took out a four-toothed comb, slicked back his hair, and twirled his Lucious mustache.
He saw the pressure on Malik, "Now now, you can't kick out a customer."
"Quiet!" Nian Wei yelled. She gripped a bundle of small darts in her palm.
The bartender smiled, adjusting his nametag on his sleeveless tuxedo, it read, "Nadeem."
Everyone else sat a distance from her, except a burly-looking man with a dozen empty glasses laid on the table, sitting right beside her.
She turned to him, "Yona, if he doesn't leave, make them."
The spartan-looking man nodded in agreement, looking sober as if he hadn't drank a drop of liquor.
Thakal interjected, "Nian Wei. He hasn't come here for the wrong intentions. He's come here for your sake."
Nian Wei grimaced, "What could I possibly have to do with a murderer?"
Another dart plunged in his heart, and Malik felt the blood pool in his body as she spoke. He held his chest tightly, as he controlled his breathing.
Thakal thought up of a response, "He's done what the people of Marah have wanted to do, he had full right."
Nian Wei leaned forward in her stool, "Thakal. Were you there?" She clasped her hands together, gritting her teeth.
Thakal shook his head, bracing himself for her next comment.
Gulping, "You cannot possibly say that what he did there was anything except a slaughter. Its only those people that have some kind of twisted understanding of it that say that what he did was the right thing." Nian Wei forced her words.
She paused, "I swear, its only those people that weren't there from the other tribes that are culprits of praising his actions. If you were there, I promise you, you wouldn't be standing so close to him."
Thakral's exhausted eyes darted to Malik, and he saw him kneeling, hanging his head. He hid his grey gaze from the bar.
He quietly spoke through thin lips, "You're basically admitting guilt by doing that . . ."
Malik didn't respond, he simply kept bowing.
Thakal sighed, and faced the people, "Nian Wei, you said how you hated the rituals that ended in an unfortunate tragedy for your family, no?"
She nodded, hiding a brink of tears through a veil of fury.
"I know you're mad at what happened to him, but he's the only one that was able to send the message to the council about those rituals. Maybe now, they'll never take place again, saving many lives in the future. He even helped the crowned subordinate get de-crowned." Thakal negotiated.
Malik listened to his words, and could only ponder as he kept his performance.
Why is he so insistent on helping me? Did the rest of my crew put in a good word of me? I'll have the ask him that later.
Nian Wei stabbed a dart in the table, "The crowned subordinate was the main reason we were able to sleep well at night. Many don't pay attention to him, but he's the reason Marah still smiles. Without him, our smiles will hang down!"
She added, tensing her muscles, "I understand why he hurt the council . . . but what human would ever cackle at people's pain, and enjoy it? Am I supposed to celebrate that?"
Thakal attempted to be careful with his words, "I completely get it. But he did what he had to, and I heard that the none of the council died, so he essentially hadn't killed anybody."
Thwack! Thwack!
Two darts flew past, grazing Thakal's earlobes, and nearly breaking through the door behind him.
"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Her eyes began to tear.
"How can you defend him when he killed my brother? How do you think I feel when everyone on this island praises somebody who killed the closest person to me?" She questioned, the whites of her eyes quickly turned a bright red.
Snapping her fingers, Yona heard the cue, and immediately stood up, taking heavy steps towards the two.
Thakal gritted his teeth, and tapped on Malik's shoulder.
"We have to leave. She wasn't convinced." He spoke alertly.
However, Malik hadn't moved, he stayed still like a statue.
"Come on Malik!" Thakal insisted, shaking him as Yona approached.
When the large expressionless man came up to them, he ignored Thakal, acting as if he wasn't there. He only faced Malik.
"You have to go. I don't want to hurl you out unless I have to." Yona calmly said.
. . .
After a brief, Yona placed a heavy palm on Malik's shoulder, and attempted to lift him up.
For a moment, he couldn't. Using both hands, Malik didn't budge whatsoever.
Nian Wei called out form afar, "Get him out Yona!"
Yona stumbled over his words, ashamed of his strength, "I-I can't. He weighs as much as the weathered ships we used to get to this island."
Yona struggled to make Malik move an inch.
After a couple of minutes, Malik eventually stood up, emotionless.
As the bar stared at him, they were shocked as to how the behemoth of a man couldn't lift him with ease.
Suddenly-
"I apologize about your brother. It was my fault. May we talk about it?" Malik said calmly.
An assortment of gasps sprouted from the bar, and Nian Wei was left speechless.
Yona stepped back, astonished at Malik's sudden words.
After the pressure left Malik, the eyes all locked onto Nian Wei's lips, waiting for a response.
She struggled in her thought, still grasping the weight of his gaze. Whatever words escaped his lips didn't sound human in the slightest.
Eventually, "Make it quick." She said.
Malik nodded respectfully, and waved for Thakal to follow him.
As they neared the table with stools placed for them to seat, Thakal whispered to Malik.
His mouth was agape as he scratched his patchy beard, "How did you convince her?"
Malik breathed in deeply, "I listened."
On the other side of the bar, the server, Nadeem, paid close attention, and heard something worth note in his voice.
He wiped an empty glass as he smirked in a thick mustache, muttering to himself, "His voice adapted. I wonder if he met the man who taught me. I'd bet that would be an interesting exchange. Better yet, maybe they've already met, as I'd never mistake that tone."
Malik and Thakal sat in front of Nian Wei, who sat in a less aggravating posture. She slid the empty glasses aside, making space for them to lay thier arms on the table.
Adjusting herself, she cleared her throat, and wiped her eyes, "Why did you do that to my brother? Why him?"
"I had thrown a spear a second late, and it costed his life. I was unaware of the ritual at the time, and it was my mistake. I have no resentment against him, and I know how hard it must be for you." Malik answered.
He added, "I am from the tribe of Nawra, and I was dragged into it along with my friend by the once-crowned subordinate."
Nian Wei argued, "Guan Sui would never do such a thing. He's a nice man, and the only man who is genuine on the island. Everyone pretends, but he doesn't hide how he feels."
Malik interjected softly, "Were you there at the ritual?"
"I wasn't . . ." She mumbled.
The air began to freeze, between them.
"Aside from that, why would a man of Nawra be dragged into a ritual of Marah?" Malik asked.
Nian Wei began to shake her head, "I-I don't know."
I'm badgering her at this point, I need to calm her if I need the information. Oh, I have an idea, but its one I won't feel proud of.
"Your brother wanted you to be happy. He said that to all of us. He understood that Guan Sui was a big culprit in the reason for the rituals." Malik said, swallowing his throat.
Nian Wei attempted to calm her breathing, sweat began to drip down her forehead, "Brother. I hope that's true. B-But, he was always in good cahoots with the crowned subordinate."
Malik eased his voice, "Do not label this as accusing anybody, but we can both agree, that none of this is anybody's fault. The people that perished in the ritual are gone, but that doesn't mean they would want you devastated."
He remember Nodin's words and twisted them to assist him in his point.
From his silence, Thakal added, "The rituals are wrong, but that doesn't have to mean that the people affected are wrong. Its okay to find something or somebody to blame it on, but that won't give you any catharsis."
She analyzed both of thier words, and she made connections that she refused to make. Abruptly, she began to hyperventilate.
Nian Wei gulped, placing two elbows on the table, and gripping her hair, "Malik." She struggled to utter his name, "But why would you brutalize a council that only did thier job?"
Malik kept his gaze, "From your perspective in the higher floors, it may have looked like justice, but I was accused of a crime I didn't commit, and they tried to hurt someone dearest to me. Naturally, I had given them the pain they gave her."
He paused, "The moment you threw the dart at me, it was anger because I hurt somebody dear to you. Surely, you would understand that pain from my perspective."
"B-but they had no bad intent." Nian Wei mumbled.
Malik raised an eyebrow at her remark. He kept his posture straight, and locked eyes to make sure he communicated properly.
"Nian Wei, since you were there at the court, do you understand everything they said about us, especially the council?" Malik asked.
She pondered, but nothing escaped her lips for a moment. She stared at the empty glasses on the table, and rolled the darts away as if she didn't to even look at them anymore.
"I was told by Guan Sui after the ritual that the man that was going to appear in court was the same man who killed my brother in the ritual. They threw stones, so I just followed thier reactions, and landed the only stone on you."
She added, slurring her words, "I-in truth, I was so consumed in rage that I didn't listen to a word they said. I only paid attention to the ridicule against you. I-it was a weight I couldn't bare any longer, and now I realize that you bared a different kind of weight. How ignorant I was . . ."
Malik grasped the sincerity in her voice, and knew she was being genuine within her tone.
Then, she asked, "But you didn't lose anybody, so what kind of pain did you go through?"
For a moment, Malik thought about her question. Eventually, he made his decision. Quietly, he took a sharp blade out of his pocket, dangling it between two fingers.
Nian Wei saw the bayonet swing like the hands of a clock, and she was confused as to what he meant.
Malik muttered, "We all bare our weights in this life, some handle it differently than others."
Suddenly, he let go of the bayonet, as it fell, and neared the table-
Crash!
The table broke in half and all the empty bottles and darts sprawled over the bar's floor. It was a loud crash that deafened the entire room.
The blade formed a large crack in the ground where it landed.
Thakal stood back, shocked at the sudden scene. However, Nian Wei sat in her stool, enlightened.
Malik picked up the blade off the ground like it was weightless, and quickly inserted it back into his pocket.
The entire bar remained silent, unable to move a singular muscle.
Thier whispers caught in Malik's ears, "Who is he?", "What is he made of?", "What is that blade?"
The questions twisted and turned but all revolved around him and the bayonet.
Adjusting himself in the stool, Malik tilted his head, "Now, I bare a weight that needs me to find someone dear to me now. I've been told you could possibly know thier whereabouts, that is my purpose here."
Nian Wei quickly responded, "Tell me who."
Malik took the name into consideration before uttering it.
If she was in the courtroom, she obviously saw Awan gain the crown, but I wonder if its risky to mention his name here. Maybe I could twist it in a way she would understand it.
"One of the men that defended me in the court. One that stood beside me." Malik improvised.
Her eye's widened, "Ah! I know him! He's newly appointed and important. I saw him walk here last night, mumbling about delivering a letter, but I'm not sure if he left or not."
She does know Awan! That means he successfully traversed through the night! I knew he could do it, I'd never doubt him . . .
"Unfortunately, that's all I know. He could still be here, but he could've went elsewhere. However, i highly doubt Marah, since you know." Nian Wei spoke carefully.
"A shame, but I've gotten most of what i needed. as long as I know he's safe out there, I'm happy with it." Malik gave a sigh of relief.
Thakal added, "Since you came from Nawra, perhaps he made a detour here, and went back to your place, no? It would only make sense."
Malik nodded at the idea. Although he wondered how far Awan would go just to deliver a measly letter.
Delivering a letter couldn't have been that much of an effort.
As Malik left the stool, he planned to take his leave.
Suddenly, somebody whistled at him as he stared at the door with three darts lodged into it.
It was a pleasant whistle, one that wasn't blue or gold, but one that felt human.
Following the direction of the sound, Malik saw the bartender, Nadeem, call for his attention.
"That person you speak of, I know where he went. But its better you get a drink to keep the memory of my voice locked into your head." Nadeem said, shaking a bottle of wine in his arm.
Malik tilted his head, "How would you know who I speak of?"
Nadeem gave a mature grin through a thick mustache, "Nobody would mistake a voice as golden as his. There's not many out there that can replicate it."