God of Mist

Chapter 4: Garrick

"What a beautiful day" thought the old man as he watered his plants along the dusty road. Sitting in front of his small hut he was a familiar sight in Jade Valley a picturesque town named for its location in a valley surrounded by high mountains and somewhat isolated from the outside world. The old man absorbed in his morning routine paused as a group of young people approached.

He hesitated his eyes widening at the sight of the youth aware that confrontation was not a wise choice. Among the group was Garrick the notorious young master of the Ironfist family. As their eyes met Garrick licked his lips menacingly eyeing the old man as his next target.

"Old man do you have a teenage daughter?" asked Garrick shamelessly. His nose flared his large body trembling as if imagining incomparable pleasure.

"Young Master Garrick I have no daughters," the old man said timidly.

Garrick had a reputation for exploiting loopholes in his family's strict rule of no sex before marriage marrying women for only a day and then divorcing them. His presence signaled potential trouble and the old man braced himself for whatever might come.

"There's no rule against how many times you can marry right?" Garrick had once smugly replied to his father in the Ironfist family leaving the older man speechless with his brazen attitude.

Entering the old man's tavern a humble place known for its common vinegar Garrick sniffed the air like a hunting dog and declared "I see... but I smell a woman here." He pushed past the old man with an air of entitlement keenly surveying his surroundings.

"Bring me the most delicious food you have," Garrick ordered loudly probably to make sure everyone in the small house could hear him. His two friends followed suit and took their seats.

Then to the old man's utter shock his nineteen-year-old daughter unexpectedly appeared from behind a door. The old man's eyes widened in alarm; everyone in the Jade Valley knew this was a sign of impending disaster especially as Garrick licked his lips with a lustful look.

"Old man you said you had no daughter right?" Garrick taunted his eyes fixed on the young woman. The tension in the tavern grew palpably as the old man tried to gauge the best way to protect his daughter from Garrick's notorious intentions.

"Then who is this beautiful woman with the big ass and the white skin? Is she your wife old man?" Garrick taunted his question followed by loud laughter from his friends.

The old man remained silent but Garrick's expression grew increasingly malicious his mind already wandering to lewd fantasies about the woman. Known throughout the city for his perverse nature Garrick delighted in such irreverent thoughts.

"Hahaha don't worry old man. I always compensate the women I marry," Garrick boasted his tone betraying a twisted sense of entitlement.

Suddenly he lunged forward and grabbed the woman's arm. She screamed her face etched with terror. Who in the Jade Valley hadn't heard of Garrick Ironfist the man notorious for his disgusting behavior?

"Young master I... I," the woman stammered fear evident in her voice.

"There is no need to be afraid my dear. Every woman I marry ends up happy" Garrick proclaimed shamelessly ignoring the well-known fact that one of his former wives had been driven mad by his actions. His words were a thin veneer over his vile intentions.

Garrick growing impatient quickly lifted the woman to her feet. She struggled in vain her strength no match for his. The old man watched helplessly fearing this would be the end of his daughter. But unexpectedly the situation took a turn.

"Hey hey... is the young master of the Ironfist family really such an asshole?" came a mocking voice questioning the notoriety of Garrick's extended family.

Garrick's attention shifted and a sardonic smile crossed his face as he saw Lucas the city's notorious garbage collector standing defiantly in his way.

"Lucas... aren't you embarrassed to be running around town naked? I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face again," Garrick sneered reluctant to release the girl from his grasp. Lucas however remained unfazed smiling sarcastically.

"Garrick I'm going to make you barren," Lucas declared boldly causing Garrick's face to turn red with anger. Lucas' sudden intervention unexpected and bold added a new layer of tension to an already tense situation.