The tale of Remembrance

The tale of Remembrance (One for each year).

Slowly the beverage filled the pint standing in front of him as he eyed it
eagerly. He had already had a few, still there was this urge to swipe down yet
another one. Somehow he could hardly wait for the bartender to finish pouring
before he would succumb to the desire of tasting it.

“You seem quite thirsty today my friend,that is the third one you order since
you came in about an hour ago.” The bartender said with a delightful and
friendly voice.

“I am not sure how you do it my friend, but you most certainly can store and
sell Stinga wine like no other. That is why I have always returned to you all
these years.” The customer said before he grabbed the glass and took a large
sip.

“That is true, you have been here almost as long as I can remember, perhaps I
even got you included when I bought this place, ha ha” The bartender said as he
put the bottle away behind the counter and grabbed a freshly cleaned glass to
wipe it with his towel as usual.

“Yes, its been years haven’t it. There are things that never change, and then
there are things that never seem to have the will to stay as they are for even a
fraction of a second” the customer replied with a hint that the wine might have
started to affect him a little.

“Are you thinking about the recent happenings in Fyros?”

“That, among many things both lately and earlier. Do you remember the Tryker
lands some years ago? I believe it was just about when you had just got your
hands on this little place and was starting up your business. There was a large
invasion of the Kitins that tried to take over Bounty Beaches. Do you remember
that?” He asked the bartender that slightly stopped wiping the glass as he tried
to remember what the other Homins was talking about.

“Yes, I think so. Or, well, sure I recall it. There were no talk of any other
then this. Many came in here to have quite an amount of Stinga rum, some were
even ranting a bit about that it was all over and that we would have to succumb
into the Roots again. I suppose it was nervous times for many” Once more he
started to wipe the glass.

“Yes, that it what I was referring to; the invasion of Trykoth. And just
recently they tried another run. But this time they were not just in a few
places, they were everywhere!” The man seemed a bit upset when he spoke the last
part.

“Yes, I know that run very well. It was hard to have supplies sent here as there
were almost none being able to escape them as they exited the towns. I heard the
same from my friend that runs the Tranquil Tryker in Thesos. He said that
despite the guardian forces that were dispatched it was still hard to come by
needed goods. Luckily there were some brave Homins that managed to do enough to
keep a minimum business running for us.” The glass was quite clean now so the
bartender started on a new one before he was interrupted by another customer
calling for his attention.

“What really did happen?” he was asked once he returned to the bar disk.

“What do you mean by that?” He replied to the man whom now was about halfway
through the third pint.

“I mean, it has been some time now since we met. Or well since I first walked
into your bar. There have been so many faces that I have got to know, but these
days it seems hard to see them again. There are so many Homins out there that I
call friends, but never get to see again.” He almost seemed a bit sad when
asking the question, and somewhere inside he thought to himself why do
bartenders always get these questions?

“I think I know what you are talking about. It’s the circle of the Seed I
suppose. It is only natural that things change, otherwise we would be stuck in
the same story all over. Homins come and Homins go, that is only natural in my
eyes. Have you never been young and curios my friend? Have you never wanted to
go beyond that line that said “do not pass”?” The barman almost smiled as he put
down the glass and started wiping a new one.

“Well, I suppose that you are right about that. So what you say is that it is
part of it all to meet new friends, and some you will meet daily, while others
will remain friends in memory?” The glass was almost all empty now.

“Well, in part you are correct. What I mean is that through constant changes
something is alive. And Atys is most certain alive. And that the coming and
going of friends is part of these changes also.” There was time for one more
glass before it would be time to prepare the pint for a fourth pour.

“I see. Yes that sounds about right I reckon.” The last liquids disappeared from
the glass in a swipe.

“Do you remember the big blackness that happened just a few months back?” The
bartender asked the man that was playing a bit with his empty glass.

“You mean when it was so dark that you could not go outside? Somehow yes. I know
it was suddenly dark, but it was almost as if I had slept a bit longer because
one day I woke up in my bed as usual. Though the outside had changed much more
then a nights time. It had changed a few months, or at least so it felt. Still
everything was the same.” He said as his pint was once more filled almost to the
brim.

“That is exactly what I am talking about, the big blackness that seemed to last
for some time. Although everyone is certain that they only slept through the
night. It was odd wasn’t it? Still no one seemed to speak much of it after a
little while. Still everyone felt that it was there, but now it is behind us.” A
customer at the other side of the bar had left a used glass on the disk so he
grabbed it and started to wash it before wiping it dry.

“You mean that it was also part of the changes?” He enjoyed the first large sip
of his freshly poured pint.

“Yes, in a way that felt very strange, very unnatural. Still, now, it feels more
as if it was something that had to happen in order for us to continue to develop
so to speak. That we had to hide in the Prime Roots from the Kitins, how we
emerged back up here on the surface. Somehow it all feels connected. I cannot
put it into any better words now. Besides, do you even listen to me? I am just
an old bartender you know.” To his surprise he notices that the pint was almost
empty again.

“Yeah, I hear you. I suppose that you are right about it all. I for one can’t
say you’re wrong, so I won’t. What I can say though is that I would much love to
have one last pint before I have to leave.” He was smiling and his eyes hinted a
little that the pints had started to kick in.

“That would be your fifth my friend, that is quite an amount. But sure, knowing
you, it would not be any problem with one more.” The barman said and poured the
last pint. “How come you wished for so many today?”

“There are reasons my friend, perhaps it is fate, perhaps its today’s destiny.
Or perhaps it is part of the changes for the future to come.” He was smiling in
a way as if he had reached a very profound resolution. Half the pint disappeared
in a long sweep.

Outside the rain started falling gently onto the walkways outside and there was
soon a soothing sound of drops falling onto roofs and trees.

“Looks like it is going to be some rain tonight.” The barman said as the started
to wash the keg from which he had poured the last pint. “So, what is your
answer, why have you chosen to drink as many as five pints today? You usually
have just two, maybe three?”

He raised the glass in a cheerful move and finished it before he stood up to
leave for the night.

“One for each year my friend, one for each year” He smiled and walked outside.

The barman smiled and started to wash another glass.