ã€ŠDragon in Disguiseã€‹


 Prologue

    Once, there was a great King¡­

    This is the story of RedScale, the dragon pirate¡­

    This is the legend of the first time a dragon flew¡­

    All these stories and more were whispered lovingly to the Egg by the Mother. The Mother paused and admired her Egg. It was a pure and unblemished white, as most Dragon eggs are. It sparkled and glimmered in an otherworldly light, and anyone who looked at it would instantly feel refreshed and restored.

    The young dragon inside was untouched by the wild magic of the world, as the Egg shielded against any and all magic. Upon hatching, the young dragon would develop an affinity, thus taming the wild magic inside him. The Mother curled up around her Egg, the last remanent of her Mate. She smiled lovingly and hummed an ancient dragon tune.

    Two months later

    The Mother was licking the bones of a mountain goat that had wandered too close to her den when she heard a cracking noise. Her head whipped around, and she saw several cracks in the shell of her Egg. She thrilled with happiness and rushed over to the Egg. The cracks grew until they wreathed the entire Egg, and the whole shell fell away. The Mother gasped in expectation and extended her neck in order to fully see her son¡¯s magnificence.

    The young dragon had four legs that weren¡¯t quite slender yet not really stubby, and a long tail that could wrap around his nose. At the end of his tail was four things that looked to be thick yet flexible fins. They were a dark sea green. His scales were a dull black that shimmered into a dark navy blue depending on how you looked at them. The frame of his wings were the same color, while the wings themselves were the same color as the fin things at the end of his tail. On top of his head were two dark grey nubs that promised to grow into intimidating horns, and the scales surrounding them were dark seafoam green. His claws were a deep black. His eyes though¡­ His pupils were a deep black that seemed to go on for infinity, and his irises were a beautiful blend of dark sea green, dark seafoam green, and seafoam green. In his irises were dark grey flecks accented by the occasional dull gold fleck.

    After fully examining the young dragon the Mother gave a roar of unabashed pride, for her son had a double affinity! Based on the patterns and colors of his scales, he appeared to have the affinities of both water and shadow. Once free from his Mother¡¯s examination, the young dragon looked around before getting to his feet. He blinked twice, then stumbled towards the deepest part of the cave, where he seemed to disappear from the eyes of his Mother. She gave a startled yelp and rushed to where her son last was. She turned her head around frantically before stopping and taking a breath. Once she had calmed down, she looked around once more, and this time her eyes landed on a faint outline in the shadows. She hummed softly and reached down to scoop up her child, who gave a chirrup of glee.

    The Mother chuckled. ¡°I shall have to keep a close eye on this one,¡± she said with a loving smile in her voice. She put the young one down and looked deep into his eyes. ¡°I shall name you Virentree, which means ¡®shadow swimmer¡¯ in the ancient dragon speak.¡± He blinked again, and she nuzzled his head. ¡°My little Virentree.¡±

    Six years later

    Little Virentree¡¯s spine prickled at the sight of the man. He did not know how to explain it at the time, but the man felt like the presence of something deathly. He was human, of course, any fool of a dragon could see that, even one as young as Viren, but even he could sense that something was wrong. Anyone, that is, except for his mother. He looked up at his mother, who was gazing into the eyes of the man with an unnatural adoration. Viren longed for his tail to wrap around himself, but, alas, he was in his human form, and did not have access to all the perks of being a dragon. He continued to stare at his mother.

    They had met the man two weeks ago when their den had been destroyed in a landslide. He and his mother had taken their human forms. His mother had been wearing the same clothes as when she had last taken her human form, but Viren had none. Thankfully, his mother had managed to trade for some with a nearby farmer.

    They had walked for nearly two days when they stumbled upon an odd castle that made the hairs on Viren¡¯s neck rise. The castle was huge and made from dark stone bricks and gave off a nefarious aura. His mother had been about to turn away when a small platoon of guards shouted. Viren¡¯s mother could have destroyed them all with her flame magic, but she decided to go along with the guards. They had been brought to the inside of the castle before the man who made Viren hide behind his mother.

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    Mother spun out a story about her being a powerful mage who had spent her entire life in isolation, and that her forest home had burnt down, leaving her and her son homeless. The man had offered for her to stay a night at the castle. She knew Viren was hungry and tired, so she accepted. They had been led to a fancy room where they were told to prepare for a dinner with the man, whose name was Master Kastra.

    His mother had changed into a dark red velvet dress with accents of gold that reached her feet. The dress suited her perfectly, matching her long brown hair and golden eyes. Viren hadn¡¯t changed, as there hadn¡¯t been any extra clothes for him. They had been led into the dining hall, and his mother had been served a glass of wine. It was then that she began looking at Master Kastra with that strange adoration. The only information she withheld from him was the fact that they were dragons.

    If Viren had been just a little bit older, he would have noticed that something was terribly wrong. However, he was still young, so when his beloved mother and the wicked man had united in marriage there was nothing he could do but watch. ¡°If mother is ok staying here, then I am too,¡± he thought. Kastra leaned down and looked him in the eye, and Viren cringed back. The man grinned maliciously and said ¡°So, this is young Virentree?¡±

    Two years later

    The nurse walked out of his mother¡¯s sickroom and whispered something to Kastra. He scowled and stalked into the room where Viren¡¯s mother had spent the last three days. Viren quietly slipped in after him, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation the nurse hurried in as well. There, his mother lay weak and pale. Kastra¡¯s scowl deepened, and he took a step forward. The nurse stopped him and fearfully started speaking with him in a hushed tone. Viren ignored them and walked toward his mother. Kastra and the nurse were too deep in conversation to notice.

    As Viren took hesitant steps to his mother¡¯s bedside she opened her eyes, revealing firry golden irises that seemed to spark and dance as only a flame could. Looking into her eyes, Viren once again saw his mother, the mother he had not seen for the last two years. He nearly sobbed in relief, not knowing until now what he had been missing. His mother drew him closer, and he fell into an embrace. She righted him and took a deep breath. ¡°My son.¡± Viren nearly sobbed again.

    ¡°My son,¡± she said again. ¡°Remember. Remember where you come from. Though you are stuck hiding in this form now, remember that you are, and always will be, a dragon.¡±

    With those words came a strange power, the confirmation that he WAS a dragon, that nothing anyone could ever do could ever take that away from him. With confidence he looked his mother in the eye.

    ¡°I am a dragon.¡±

    ¡°Good boy,¡± she responded. ¡°Now, I must ask you something very important.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You must promise me something. Promise me that you will never give up, that you will never stop fighting. Even when it seems like there is no way out, when it seems like all you can do is lose, promise me you will not give way.¡±

    A dreadful feeling came over Viren. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°Good. Stay strong, and NEVER stop fighting.¡±

    With that she let out a breath of relief.

    ¡°I love you, my child.¡±

    Tears came to Viren¡¯s eyes, and he sank to his knees and laid his head on her shoulder. ¡°Mum.¡± She ran a hand over his head and through his hair, before her eyes fell onto Kastra, and hardened with rage.

    ¡°Kastra, you dirty, evil, PATHETIC RAT!¡± Viren started. He had never heard his mother yell with such anger before.

    Kastra¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Please leave the room,¡± he said to the nurse. A look of fear crossed her face, and she swiftly left the room, only pausing to swoop Viren up and bring him with her. He knew better that to protest but felt deeply saddened all the same. Deep inside his sub-conscience he knew he would never see the firry eyes of his mother again, would never again feel her warm embrace.

    The nurse set him down outside the door and retreated into the main healers¡¯ wing. Viren listened outside the door. The voices were muffled, and he could barely make out any words. He could hear shouting and then the fwoosh of a flame. Finally, he could make out a sentence. To his disappointment, it was Kastra¡¯s voice he heard.

    ¡°I would kill your son as well, but he¡¯s too useful to me. A double affinity?¡±

    He chuckled darkly,

    ¡°How could I pass up such an opportunity? Rest assured, he will make a VERY good heir for me¡­ as long as he cooperates.¡±

    Viren heard an incomprehensible scream, and then a huge explosion that halted as quickly as it began. It was silent for a few seconds before an odd frequency made itself heard. Viren couldn¡¯t explain it, but it sounded like the embodiment of dread. Suddenly, a sound somewhere between a clap of thunder and the crackle of a flame rose up before fading away. Viren stumbled away from the door in fear, and a minute later the door creaked open. Chills raced up and down through Viren¡¯s body and nausea rose up in him.

    ¡°What have you done to my mother?¡± It came out afraid and full of dread.

    ¡°Why, my dear Viren,¡± replied the sick, malicious voice, ¡°I haven¡¯t done a thing!¡±

    ¡°Then what was that sound?¡± This time Viren¡¯s tone was accusatory.

    ¡°Sometimes, magic flares out of control.¡± Then with that none-answer Kastra strode down the hall, leaving the disremembered body in the room for the nurses to take care of.

    Viren sunk to his knees, refusing to let the tears welling up in his eyes spill out. His fists clenched at his sides, with his mother¡¯s words echoing in his head, a new determination rising up.

    ¡®Stay Strong¡¯

 Chapter one

    Seven Years Later

    Lady Starla Verenteis loved her life. Sure, it had its ups and downs, and being the second-in-line to the throne in one of the biggest kingdoms in the world could get aggravating sometimes, but she still wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything. And that¡¯s why she was sharpening her dagger and doing some last-minute meditations in her uncle¡¯s war tent. The King didn¡¯t usually fight in battles, so this was a rare occasion. It spoke to the threat that Dark Lord Kastra was becoming. He had always been dangerous, that was for sure, but as of late he was getting to be more of a threat than ever.

    Starla scowled as she stared down at her stylized dagger. ¡®That damned Lord Kastra.¡¯ She thought, ¡®I-¡¯

    ¡°Starla.¡± She looked up to see her cousin staring down at her, and quickly stood up.

    ¡°Khastri?¡± He raised an eyebrow and Starla gave a start as she noticed how cold it had gotten within the tent. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit on edge.¡±

    He gave a wry smile. ¡°Yes, I can see that.¡± He sighed, then looked her in the eye. ¡°Are you sure you want to come? I understand if you want to sit this one out. After all, he¡¯s the reason your parents are¡­¡± His voice trailed off, not willing to finish the sentence.

    ¡°Khastri, I¡¯m the one who insisted on coming in the first place, so no, I¡¯m not ¡®sitting this one out¡¯.¡± She blew out a breath and briefly wondered if it was too late to learn the sword. She would have loved to stab Lord Kastra¡¯s heart out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of the Dark Lord, Khastri. I¡¯m angry. Angry that something that evil even walks this world. Angry that he is still running around free as a wild chicken despite the best efforts of multiple kingdoms. This needs to end. Do you understand?¡±

    He looked shocked for a second before chuckling softly and shaking his head.

    ¡°Now,¡± Starla said with a wicked grin, ¡°Lets kick some Dark Lord butt!¡±

    ¡­

    Viren strode behind Kastra as they went to meet the opposing side of the battle they were about to fight. As Lord Kastra¡¯s only heir, it was a major power move to bring him out onto the battlefield. Viren eyed the three figures in front of him with surprise. ¡®A power move that the King of Aureum seems to have matched,¡¯ he thought with mild amusement.

    In front of Kastra stood King Treion, who made for an imposing figure with his broad shoulders and sharp eyes. To his right stood a young man, no older that 21 with golden brown hair and dark blue eyes. ¡®That must be prince Khastri,¡¯ he thought before looking to the King¡¯s left side. ¡®Which makes that¡­ lady Starla!¡¯

    Her wavy shoulder length dirty-blond hair stood in stark contrast to Viren¡¯s own messy black hair that reached his ears. Her eyes where an interesting mix of dark blue and a silvery white. He thought about what he knew of the royal heirs. Prince Khastri was apparently a master of the sword, as well as talented in many other weapons. Lady Starla was supposedly a very powerful mage, with a double affinity of light and ice. Viren wasn¡¯t sure if that was true, but nevertheless it was important to know your enemy and to be prepared for anything.

    His musings were interrupted when King Treion raised his broadsword majestically and pointed it at Kastra. ¡°Surrender now,¡± he said with confidence, ¡°and your death shall be quick.¡± Kastra laughed.

    ¡°You surrender, and perhaps I shall spare the girl.¡± He smirked. ¡°She would make a good wife for my heir.¡±

    Viren¡¯s vision flashed red, and he bit the inside of his cheek in an attempt to appear indifferent. It was an unreasonable thing to be angry about¡­ but he couldn¡¯t help remembering his mother¡¯s wedding day, the empty look in her eyes¡­

    ¡®First my mother, and now me?¡¯ He breathed out and attempted to compose himself. It wouldn¡¯t do to appear in opposition to Lord Kastra after all, however much Viren might hate him on the inside. His vision cleared and he glanced around, relieved. No one seemed to have noticed his negative reaction. He glanced at prince Khastri and was surprised to see him seething. Lord Kastra¡¯s comment seemed to have affected him quite a bit.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never surrender to you,¡± King Treion said. Kastra grinned, his eyes glowing a sickening red.

    ¡°Then prepare to die!¡±

    ¡­

    Starla settled into her fighting stance as chaos overtook the battlefield. The mages from both sides of the battle did not hesitate to use highly destructive spells in the undeveloped and nearly empty land. She prepared to dive into the battle to do some damage of her own when her uncle laid a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°I have a special mission for you and Khastri,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to find and kill Virentree, Lord Kastra¡¯s heir. Killing him will deal a major blow to his plans.¡± Starla nodded, and her cousin appeared at her shoulder.

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    ¡°That will be no problem,¡± he said, gripping his sword. Starla sighed. ¡®Khastri really took Lord Kastra¡¯s comment to heart,¡¯ she thought with a frown, ¡®I hope he doesn¡¯t act to rashly on our little ¡®mission¡¯.¡¯

    Khastri noticed her frown and gave her a small smile. Then his face hardened, and his expression grew determined. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren was in the middle of the chaos of battle. He was fighting a little, but aside from occasionally swinging his sword against an enemy soldier he wasn¡¯t really trying. After all, Kastra was occupied doing whatever, so it¡¯s not like he would get caught, and as long as he wasn¡¯t actively fighting against the Dark Lord¡¯s forces people didn¡¯t really notice him not doing anything.

    In other words, he was just sitting around waiting for the battle¡¯s outcome. Suddenly, the whoosh of a swinging sword broke his peace. He dodged and swung around, bringing up his own sword to meet his enemy¡¯s. Viren flinched in surprise when he came face to face with prince Khastri. What was he doing here? Viren inwardly groaned. ¡®Why did it have to be him?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Best to end this quickly.¡¯ Khastri had stepped back and dropped into a defensive stance, so Viren lunged forward, sliding along the top of the shadows like one would skate across ice.

    He was about to strike the prince when a blinding flash of light hit him. He stumbled backwards and wiped his watering eyes to find who had attacked him. To his surprise he saw Lady Starla. Her hands were glowing softly so she must have been the one to throw the light.

    The light surrounding her hands brightened, and she appeared to be preparing to hit him with another flash, so Viren manipulated the shadows around him, giving them a darker appearance and making them grow a little bit bigger. The flash of light came again and to Viren¡¯s dismay it consumed the shadows like a fire burning dried leaves.

    Prince Khastri lunged again and Viren parried before jumping back another few feet. He might be able to take Khastri alone, but with the help of Lady Starla Viren was both outnumbered and overpowered. ¡®In other words,¡¯ he thought grimly, ¡®the only thing left to do¡­ is run!¡¯

    ¡­

    As Virentree took off running, Starla and Khastri quickly chased after him.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Starla said to Khastri between breaths, ¡°He is an even better mage than I thought!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Responded Khastri, ¡°Didn¡¯t your light overpower him?¡± Starla shook her head.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s just because light naturally has an advantage over shadows in direct combat.¡± She paused. ¡°But didn¡¯t you see? He was able to manipulate the shadows without moving his hands or anything! that usually takes years of practice or a crazy natural affinity to your magic!¡± Khastri took a minute to process the information.

    ¡°Well,¡± her cousin finally said, ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of close up looks at his power, because I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going down without a fight.¡±

    They chased the Dark Lord¡¯s heir far from where the battle was raging, through some trees, and then to a rocky cliff, where he stopped, having nowhere else to run. Virentree whirled around just in time to get blinded by Starla¡¯s light. He stumbled back covering his eyes. Sometime while he was running, he had lost his sword.

    Khastri unsheathed his sword and slowly advanced on his target, with Starla standing a little way behind him, ready to use her magic. As Khastri advanced, Virentree slowly backed up. He glanced from Khastri to Starla, clearly seeing that there was no way out of this situation.

    Suddenly, without warning, he spun around and dashed towards the edge of the cliff, to where the water was crashing below. He dove off the cliff and Starla ran after him without a moment¡¯s hesitation. As she ran, she drew on her ice manipulation and a huge wave rose from the water, turning to ice as it did. With expert skill she leaped a few feet into the air, landing on the ice wave, her cousin at her heels.

    She slid down to the water, turning it to ice a few feet around her. Khastri landed beside her and steadied himself before looking around. Outside Starla¡¯s ring of ice the water was restless, and the waves were crashing against the cliff, which was casting a shadow over them. That combined with the dreary night sky made it hard to see anything. ¡°Starla,¡± Khastri started, ¡°Do you think you can light up the area?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± With a moment of concentration and a wave of her hand, the area around them glowed in a soft warm light.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Khastri said, narrowing his eyes to scan the area. ¡°There!¡± he said, pointing to a barely visible dark figure moving under the water. With a sharp upward movement of her hand Starla made a block of ice under the figure, bringing Virentree up to the surface. He took a step back and two large waves of water broke the surface and rushed towards Starla and Khastri. Starla made a motion with her hands that turned both waves into ice. Then she heard a splash. Virentree had jumped into the water!

    Starla cursed. Khastri turned to her. ¡°Can¡¯t you just do what you did before?¡± She shook her head.

    ¡°No, he has a water affinity, meaning that he¡¯s likely already swam far too deep for my abilities to catch him.¡±

    ¡°His water affinity shouldn¡¯t affect his ability to hold his breath, right? Can¡¯t we just wait ¡®till he comes back up for air?¡±

    It was then that they heard a horn being blown.

    ¡°That¡¯s the victory horn!¡± Starla said in shock.

    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think we killed the Dark Lord. He must have decided to retreat.¡± He sighed. ¡°No point in staying here any longer, we might as well rejoin father.¡±

    As Starla made the ice grow underneath them Khastri gazed down at the water. He would have liked to at least capture the Dark Lord¡¯s heir.

    ¡­

    Viren broke the surface of the water 15 minutes after he submerged. A normal human would not have been changed this way by their affinity, but because he was a dragon Viren could hold his breath for extended periods of time. Last time he checked he could hold his breath for up to five hours underwater. Of course, if someone tried to choke him out or something that was a different story.

    As he climbed up the cliffside he naturally blended into the shadows, another benefit of being a dragon with a shadow affinity. When Viren reached the top of the cliff he nearly fell to the ground then and there. ¡®The fight must have exhausted me more than I thought.¡¯ He stumbled to the tree line and leaned against a tree, letting out a long sigh and gazing at the night sky. ¡°Welp,¡± he said suddenly, righting himself. ¡°I suppose I should be getting back,¡± he said disappointedly. Viren gave one last long look to the water before heading back into the trees, melting into the shadows as he went.

 Chapter Two

    Viren was in his room doing nothing. More specifically, he was relishing the fact that he was able to easily do nothing. After he, along with Lord Kastra¡¯s army, returned two days ago the fortress had been a very chaotic place. Thus, he had been given the week off of training, news which Viren had been very relieved to hear. Because training sucked.

    Viren¡¯s room was an average size and rectangular shape. On the wall closest to the entrance was a door to his bathroom. Against the far wall was his bed and at the foot of his bed was a storage chest. Across from the door was a bookshelf taller than it was wide, and across from his bed was a desk piled with random clutter. With stone walls and a hard wooden floor the room was often cold so there was a fur carpet in front of the bookshelf and another one underneath the bed. Between the bookshelf and bed was a large window with heavy dark blue curtains covering it. Because the middle of the room was quite spacey it made for a good place to practice sword/spell work.

    While working on his skills would certainly be a good use of Viren¡¯s time, he had the week off, so he was going to laze around doing whatever he wanted. Within reason, of course. ¡®I would¡¯ve liked to spread my wings a little,¡¯ he thought, looking out at the sunny day through the window. ¡®But we can¡¯t have a dragon flying around in bold daylight, can we?¡¯ He sighed and let the curtain drop before walking over to the bookshelf and pulled out his favorite book. A book of dragon fairytales.

    It was a rare book, written by a dragon of course, and enchanted so that only those of dragon descent could open it. It had taken Viren many months to find it, and it was extremely difficult to sneak out of the castle to buy the special book, but it was worth it. Although it was extremely valuable, that was not the reason Viren treasured it. He loved it because it contained many of the tales his mother used to tell him. That, and that it connected him to others of his kind. Though there were dragon clans, which are exactly what they sound like, dragons didn¡¯t typically have much contact with other dragons. Not only are they super rare, but they also don¡¯t really get along with each other. However, one thing that dragons as a species pride themselves on are their feats. Adventures and triumphs that were turned into stories and told to young dragons. The one thing that gave nearly every dragon something in common.

    Viren settled down to read the book, happy that no one would bother him. He sat there reading for several hours before hunger caught up to him. ¡®I wonder how hard it would be to smuggle some food and a tiny cookstove up to my room,¡¯ he thought. He sat there for several more minutes, staring upward and wondering about the pros and cons of hiding a tiny kitchen in his room before getting up with a groan. He stretched and grunted. ¡°probably shouldn¡¯t have stayed in the same position for so long,¡± he said with a regretful sigh.

    Using the aid of his shadow magic to sneak through the halls, Viren made his way to the kitchens, careful not to get seen by anyone. Slipping through the fortress had become a game of sorts for Viren, a way to keep himself occupied when he was younger. Every time he successfully snuck through the fortress without getting seen gave him a thrill, even now when it was an effortless task. Arriving at the kitchens, Viren slipped in, grabbed a small loaf of bread and some jerky, and slipped out. The busy staff and cooks didn¡¯t give him a second thought. Upon reaching the safety of his room, Viren ate the food before settling back in for a long night of reading.

    ¡­

    A week passed, and it was back to life as usual. And that meant, to his great annoyance, that Viren was back to training with General Kauhea.

    Currently, Viren was doing warm up exercises in the training courtyard. None of the soldiers passing by gave him anything more than a passing glance as they bustled around the barracks. The back of the fortress opened westward to the training courtyard with the three main barrack buildings surrounding it. The front of the fortress faced east and opened up to the main courtyard. The main courtyard was where the stable and storehouse was and was where imports and other business was attended to. Surrounding the entire fortress was a thick wall with two huge wooden gates that were enchanted to be fireproof. To the south and west the fortress is surrounded by mountains and to the north was a forest. There was a dirt road leading out the front of the fortress.

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    Viren had just finished his warmups when General Kauhea arrived. ¡°What are you standing there doing nothing for? The heir of the Dark Lord shouldn¡¯t be standing around doing nothing!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. I shall remedy that next session.¡± Viren knew better than to argue, it would only be a bigger pain for him. He was used to this by now, the General always found something to criticize.

    ¡°Idiot! In battle, if you make a mistake, you¡¯re dead! There will be no chance to ¡®remedy that next session.¡¯¡± Kauhea paused to smirk. ¡°Obviously I can see that you are not going to win any battles.¡±

    ¡°How strange, perhaps that¡¯s because of who my teacher is.¡± Viren tilted his head slightly, his words like icy venom. ¡°A coward who loses his most important battle.¡± ¡­Probably shouldn¡¯t have said that.

    The general¡¯s face went red, and he clenched his jaw. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even that good of an insult! I guess his recent loss affected him more than I thought.¡¯ He groaned inwardly. ¡®I REALLY shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯ His thoughts were interrupted by the general.

    ¡°Well,¡± he said through clenched teeth, ¡°I have decided what we will do today.¡± He seemed to relax a little, and that smug smirk crawled back onto his face. ¡°We will be sparring with pikes.¡± ¡®Great,¡¯ Viren thought. He had almost no experience with a pike, and it was General Kauhea¡¯s main weapon.

    Viren and General Kauhea each got a wooden training pike with a blunted edge. The general grinned as he and Viren circled each other, while Viren kept his face impassive. He jumped back to avoid the first thrust of the spear and dodged the second one. Viren didn¡¯t know how to block with this weapon, so he was forced to dodge while keeping hold of the long and awkward thing. He fumbled, and Kauhea used the opportunity to jam his spear into Viren¡¯s ribs. He groaned as the sharp pain struck him, already dreading the bruise that would come later. Backing up a few steps, Viren took a moment to study his opponent. He might have been able to hold his own if he had his sword, or even the use of his magic, but he was allowed neither during the spar, and he couldn¡¯t exactly drop the pike to dodge easier. He sighed as he prepared for the beatdown that was about to come, cursing himself for his earlier comment.

    ¡­

    Viren was back in his room treating his injuries. There wasn¡¯t much he could do but apply ice to his bruises and a little bit of disinfecting oil to the small scratches where the pike had broken skin, but it helped. And hey, he didn¡¯t have any broken bones, which he considered a win. Although he supposed the General had taken care not to break any bones on purpose, as it would probably be frowned upon by Kastra. It wouldn¡¯t do to humiliate his heir too terribly in front of the staff, though in private was a different matter. He fell back on his bed and groaned. ¡°General Kauhea is literally Kastra¡¯s right-hand man! Doesn¡¯t he have better things to do than beat me up and call it training?!¡±

    Yes, General Kauhea was his stepfather¡¯s most trusted general and advisor. He was a brilliant general. His strategizing was only decent, but the command he had over his men was absolute, and his fighting prowess was incredible. However, none of these virtues were the reason why he was the right-hand man of Lord Kastra, though they certainly helped. Rather, they worked so well together because their goals aligned. Kastra wanted power and authority more than anything. He wanted to be a dark tyrant, conquering and ruling everything worth anything. Meanwhile, Kauhea cared about none of that. He only wanted two things in life, to fight and to be feared. You can see why they work so well together. And between the two of them, they made life for Viren incredibly difficult, not to mention literally everyone else.

    A light knock on the door woke Viren from his reverie. He got up with a grimace and opened the door to reveal a rather nervous-looking servant. The servant cleared his throat and opened his mouth, then closed it again. Viren wondered what had got him so spooked. After regaining his composure, the servant opened his mouth once more.

    ¡°Lord Kastra wants to see you. He said to be there within the half hour.¡±

 Chapter Three

    ¡°Lord Kastra wants to see you. He said to be there within the half hour.¡±

    Viren stared at the servant. He was jerked back to reality when the servant started fidgeting nervously. ¡°Oh yes, of course. You may return to your duties.¡± The relieved servant bowed and walked away fast. Viren closed the door and stared at it for a few seconds before lowering his head and massaging his temple. ¡°This is going to suck, isn¡¯t it?¡± He quickly threw on some fresh clothes and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Oh well,¡± he said to himself, ¡°It¡¯s not as if this day is going to get much worse.¡± He opened the door and left the room, pausing as he closed it behind him. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯

    ¡­

    ¡°Despite our victory, our true goal was not reached, and Lord Kastra is still as dangerous as ever.¡± King Treion crossed his arms and sighed.

    ¡°Has his armies made any more movements?¡± One of his advisors stepped forward.

    ¡°Not recently, I expect it will be a few months before he makes a move if he is left unhindered.¡±

    The King¡¯s council was standing around a large table cluttered with papers and rolled up maps. It included the King (obviously), several of his advisors, some of his high-ranking generals, one of his Shadows, and finally, Prince Khastri and Lady Starla.

    She glanced at the Shadow, a man by the name of Dan. The Shadows were the King¡¯s group of spies and stealth operatives. As the name suggested, they worked from the shadows, and went on many stealth missions.

    ¡°It appears dealing with this threat will not be as simple as we originally guessed,¡± one of the generals said.

    Khastri frowned. ¡°Perhaps we need to look at it a different way.¡± He looked at the Shadow. ¡°How hard would it be to send an assassin?¡± Dan shook his head.

    ¡°Too many defenses, both physical and magical. Even if someone could get past them and the many dark mages loyal to him, they would still have to face the Dark Lord himself, and that is a task not easily accomplished.¡±

    King Treion appeared to be deep in thought. ¡°Maybe an assassin is off the table, but perhaps a more subtle is approach is best.¡± He paused. ¡°We know next to nothing about Kastra¡¯s fortress. Would it be possible to send a group of people to gather information?¡±

    The Shadow nodded. ¡°We could spare three Shadows at the most. I think sending two mages and at least seven warriors, plus a few healers would yield the greatest success.¡±

    One of the King¡¯s advisors made a note on her notepad before looking up. ¡°I think the best group would consist of three Shadows, one senior warrior to command the other seven, and Mage Stephen and his apprentice. If the mage is willing to make a portal to a nearby location, we could send the group out as soon as tonight¡± The king smiled before turning to Starla.

    ¡°I believe Starla would make an excellent contribution if she¡¯s willing to go.¡± Starla¡¯s heart jumped in excitement, but she kept a calm outward appearance.

    ¡°I am ready and willing to help defeat the Dark Lord in any way possible.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren stood outside Kastra¡¯s office, ready to go in. His hands were clasped behind his back and his face was devoid of emotion. ¡®Bet you he wants to scold me about what happened during the battle with Aureum.¡¯ Suddenly the door swung open, and the Dark Lord was revealed, his hands surrounded by a sickly maroon mist. ¡°Ah, Virentree, you are finally here.¡±

    Viren stepped into Kastra¡¯s office, a large room with dark wooden paneling, the sole pieces of furniture a large desk and several chairs.

    ¡°You summoned me?¡± Viren stood straight, his hands still clasped behind his back. He did not meet Kastra¡¯s eyes, not wanting him to see the defiance in them. Kastra¡¯s face hardened.

    ¡°You know you are to refer to me as ¡®Lord¡¯.¡±

    ¡°My apologies, Lord.¡± Viren tried and failed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, and inwardly winced. ¡®Really gotta work on that.¡¯ The mist surrounded Kastra¡¯s hands again and Viren felt something like to a band tightening around his lungs, making it harder to breathe.

    ¡°Your attitude is not appreciated.¡± The band tightened again, but Viren did not give any reaction, merely lowering his head. Kastra scowled. ¡°I called you here to talk about your performance during the recent battle.¡± The smallest of smirks appeared on Viren¡¯s face, which he quickly wiped before the Dark Lord could notice. ¡®Predictable as always.¡¯ Perhaps he was not so predictable for others, but Viren had spent years studying Kastra, figuring out the best ways to avoid his rath, or rather, avoid him all together.

    Kastra frowned at him, probably frustrated that he didn¡¯t show any signs of fear, and stepped out from behind his desk. The door shut behind Viren and Kastra walked up to him, stopping a few feet away. ¡°I do not like how you handled the¡­ situation with Treion¡¯s heirs.¡± Viren raised an eyebrow.

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    ¡°How would you have preferred me to handle it?¡± This time he succeeded in keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. Kastra¡¯s face darkened and his jaw clenched.

    ¡°It is not fitting for an heir of the Dark Lord to¡­ run away.¡± He practically spat those words, and Viren struggled not to mention that Kastra was the one who called for a retreat.

    ¡°Would you have preferred me to die at the hands of two powerful fighters?¡± The mist returned and this time instead of the invisible band being only around Viren¡¯s lungs, it was around his entire body, holding him in place and stopping him from moving.

    ¡°No,¡± Kastra¡¯s voice came out as a growl. ¡°I expect you to fight them, and win.¡± Viren gave a single bitter laugh.

    ¡°You can¡¯t honestly expect me to fight BOTH of them and come out alive, do you? I would struggle to fight one of them, let alone two!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Kastra roared. A dark fire ignited in his hand. Its color was a mix of dark red and maroon. Viren scowled at seeing his mother¡¯s fire corrupted in the hands of the Dark Lord. His power was unique and terrifying. Whenever Kastra intentionally killed someone with a magical affinity he gained their power. Though he had denied killing Viren¡¯s mother anyone with half a brain could see what he had done when he swung around her power like that.

    Kastra whipped the fire towards Viren¡¯s face, who was still unable to move anything but his head. He leaned his head back and gritted his teeth as the magic keeping him from moving tightened once again. All at once the magic was released and Viren staggered back a few steps. He stared at Kastra with a stony expression and lord Kastra glowered back.

    ¡°Do not forget whose magic is superior,¡± Kastra growled. He waved his hand and the doors swung open. ¡°You are dismissed,¡± He said. Viren strode out of the door without a word, barely containing his anger.

    ¡­

    Viren returned to his room as quickly as possible, not wanting to be anywhere near Kastra. Apon entering his room and closing his door he let out a deep sigh of relief. He walked over to his bed and flopped onto it, only to give a muffled yelp and jerk back into a sitting position. ¡®Ah, I forgot about that.¡¯ He poked himself in the ribs and winced. The magic Lord Kastra had used on him wasn¡¯t doing his wounds any favors.

    He got up and stretched slowly, ignoring the pain. After all, he had endured far worse at the hands of both Kastra and Kauhea. After stretching all his sore muscles Viren walked over to the window and opened the curtains to look out. The sun was setting, and he could even see a few stars peeking out. He smiled. ¡®Tonight is as good as any to stretch my wings, and I could use a distraction from everything that happened today.¡¯

    Thirty minutes later the only light to be seen was the soft glow of the moon and the twinkling stars. Viren smiled and opened his window, slipping his legs out and gripping the walls. Then, with a devilish grin he leaned forward and fell. He spread his arms wide into the wind whipping past him and transformed. The transformation was almost immediate, and if anyone had been looking one moment they would¡¯ve seen a boy and the next a dragon. Viren flapped his wings without making a sound and rose until the fortress was no more than a speck below him.

    Much like his human form, Viren¡¯s dragon form had changed much since he was a hatchling. He was quite a bit larger, for one. He still stood on four legs, and his tail was long and relatively thin. It still had four fins at the end of it. His scales were the same color as when he was a hatchling, but now they had a beautiful sheen to them. His horns were long and looped around once. Their tips were not sharp, and they were a deep dark black, as were his fangs and claws. Along his spine down to the base of his tail were more fins similar to the ones at the tip of his tail. They were the same color and material, just slightly smaller. Other than being bigger, his wings were largely unchanged. The only difference was now they were a slightly darker variation of the colors they were before. His eyes had not changed and were the same in his human form as in his dragon form, although they were not as noticeable in human form.

    Easily blending into the night, Viren flew north. Usually he flew south, over the mountains, so he wasn¡¯t as familiar with the forest to the north. Once he was away from the fortress, he flew a bit lower, only about a mile above the trees.

    It was amazing to fly like this, faster and faster, soaring underneath the stars and merging with the night. With the wind roaring in his ears and open sky all around him, Viren felt invincible, like he could finally let go and just breath. It was easy to say that flying was one of the few things Viren could enjoy in life. He twisted and somersaulted through the air with glee, even doing the occasional loopty-loop. In an hour Viren had flown farther than someone traveling on foot could in a week.

    Eventually Viren slowed down a little and flew lower and closer to the trees. All of a sudden, he noticed a light shining through the trees. ¡®What? I know I¡¯ve flown far, but people avoid the land near the fortress like the plague!¡¯ Growling slightly, Viren realized that he would have to land if he didn¡¯t want whoever made the light to notice him. Even though he was a little bigger than a large bear, he could still sneak through the forest with ease. The darkness of night empowering his shadow magic certainly didn¡¯t hurt either.

    Deciding to investigate, Viren slowly crept closer, careful not to make a sound. Once he was close enough, he could smell smoke. ¡®So, it¡¯s a camp, huh? I wonder who they are and what they¡¯re doing so close to the Dark Lord¡¯s territory.¡¯ He reached the edge of a small clearing where the camp seemed to have stopped for the night. He peered through some bushes in order to get a better look.

    There were three campfires and several tents. There were also a decent amount of people scuttling around, and Viren could smell some horses. He obviously didn¡¯t recognize any of the people. Standing a few feet away from one of the fires was a man who looked to be around fifty years old with a short grey beard and long dark grey hair that still had some black strands scattered in it. He was wearing dark green robes that reached his ankles and had a powerful aura around him. Viren guessed that he was some sort of mage. He was talking to a man in his mid-thirties. The only way to describe that man was well-trained. You could easily see the thick muscles under his tunic. He appeared to be wearing light chainmail armor and carried a sword at his waist and several knives around a belt. Viren could see in his stance that he was a good fighter.

    The others milling around the camp fell into two categories. Fighters and helpers. Some of them were obviously warriors, so perhaps this was a mercenary camp. The thing that threw Viren off were the ¡°helpers.¡± People who looked like they were healers or other supporting roles. Mercenary groups usually didn¡¯t bother with people like that. Then Viren saw someone who immediately made everything clear. The one person who Viren absolutely did NOT need making his life more complicated.

    Lady Starla.

    ¡®Darn.¡¯

 Chapter Four

    Lady Starla¡¯s presence was a double-edged sword. On one hand, the first time Viren had been within fifty feet of her she had been trying to kill him. Granted, that was to be expected, due to his¡­ position, but still, he would definitely prefer to continue living. On the other hand, Viren now had a very good idea as to what the camp was doing here. King Treion had undoubtably sent them, although he was still unsure as to their definite purpose.

    With a barely audible sigh he crept backwards. There was no point in staying here any longer, and he didn¡¯t want to accidentally get caught. He doubted anyone would recognize him as Kastra¡¯s heir, but it still wouldn¡¯t be ideal. He would return to the fortress and decide where to go from there.

    He carefully slipped further away from the camp. Once he was a safe distance away, Viren launched off the ground and back into the sky. ¡®Lets see how fast I can make it back to the fortress.¡¯ Propelling himself forward as fast as he could, Viren enjoyed the sensation of the wind on his scales. Closing his eyes, he stopped flapping his wings and just glided. He took a deep breath, savoring the last moments of open sky before he returned to his human form.

    Opening his eyes, Viren took one last look at the stars before swooping around the high turrets of the fortress and dived toward his open window. Just before he would have crashed into the wall he transformed and dove into his room. He rolled twice before sitting up. It wasn¡¯t the easiest method, but it was the only one Viren had found that worked, so he just had to deal with it.

    ¡®Ok, now I can think about what I discovered and how to move forward.¡¯ He moved to sit on his bed. ¡®I know that they were sent by King Treion, but what were they sent for? I doubt they¡¯re looking to kill Kastra, Treion isn¡¯t dumb enough for that, but then what?¡¯ Viren fell backwards to lay on the bed, deep in thought. It was possible they were here for him, but Starla didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person practiced in silent killing. He sighed. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s as simple as just gathering information. Whatever they¡¯re here for, I¡¯ll have to keep an eye out. If anything happens, I don¡¯t want to get caught by surprise.¡¯ With that, Viren settled in for the night, and soon fell asleep.

    ¡­

    The Dark Lord paced in his office. Months of planning, gone! How much time had he spent, gathering troops, gaining the loyalty of powerful people? And yet, it all amounted to nothing! He gritted his teeth and replayed the battle in his head once again. Where had he gone wrong? When had Aureum assured its victory?

    And then there was the matter of his heir. The boy had a double affinity AND was a decent swordsman, and yet he still could not gain the upper hand against Aureum¡¯s heirs? He frowned. They were proving to be rather bothersome. He would probably have to deal with them himself in time. The Dark Lord paused. Perhaps that could work in his favor. ¡®Yes,¡¯ He thought, ¡®once I defeat Treion and claim Aureum for myself I will publicly execute the heirs in order to break the people.¡¯ He smirked, then frowned again. There was still the problem of his heir.

    ¡°He disrespects me at every turn and doesn¡¯t care in the slightest about my plans!¡± He paced once again. How was he supposed to command the fear of every person on this continent if his own stepson didn¡¯t fear him! Seven years! Seven years in which he had defeated the boy time and time again! And yet, he showed nothing! Not the boiling anger of one promising revenge, not the fear of one defeated, not sadness, not hope, nothing! He slammed his fist on his desk in rage, then took a deep breath. It would solve nothing if he lost his composure. ¡®There is a simple solution. I will simply show him who the superior one is, in a way he won¡¯t be able to ignore.¡¯

    ¡­

    One week later

    Viren couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling that something bad was about to happen. It left him feeling tense, almost like his fight or flight was preparing to activate. ¡®Maybe it has something to do with the camp I found last week,¡¯ he thought, ¡®they should have arrived near the fortress not too long ago.¡¯ He sighed. Whatever the feeling meant, he couldn¡¯t let it affect him. He had things to do, after all. For example, after he finished his daily training, he planned to commit himself to the VERY interesting activity of¡­ reading!

    After visiting the kitchen for a quick breakfast, Viren headed to the training courtyard. It was relatively quiet this morning, and there were only a few soldiers outside. The General arrived at the same time as him. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, ¡°Today you are going to run through some sword drills.¡± With that he backed away. Viren retrieved a sword and settled into the familiar motions.

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    There was something satisfying about doing something you know you¡¯re good at. Perhaps if he had learned the sword through the General¡¯s tactics and training Viren would feel differently, but this was something he taught himself. Sure, he only did it so Kauhea would stop kicking his butt every time they sparred, but still.

    As he ran through his drills he settled into a trance-like state. He was fully absorbed in what he was doing, and yet hyper aware of what was going on around him. Viren pushed himself to go faster, to make his strikes more efficient and deadly. ¡®Feint to the left and jump back. The weather is nice today. Lunge forward and slash down. Hmm, that soldier looks a little hungover. Watch your footwork, I don¡¯t want to trip. Oh look, there¡¯s ¡°lord¡± Kastra. Wait¡­¡¯ Viren stumbled a few steps as he did a double take, startled out of his sword work. Everyone around the training courtyard froze in shock. Kastra never came to the training courtyard, so what was he doing here? Viren had a feeling that it was nothing good. Then he chuckled to himself ¡®Of course it¡¯s nothing good, look at who we¡¯re talking about!¡¯ He frowned slightly. ¡®I¡¯ve got a feeling that it probably has something to do with me.¡¯ Kastra walked over to him.

    ¡°Virentree,¡± he said coldly. ¡®Great,¡¯ Viren thought.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Your skills are sloppy.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ok?¡± He continued to stare at Viren, his face cold.

    ¡°I expect better from an heir of the Dark Lord.¡± ¡®I am so confused right now.¡¯

    ¡°¡­Sorry¡­?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps a spar is needed to freshen your skills.¡± ¡®A spar? What is he¡­ wait, he can¡¯t be expecting me to spar with him!¡¯ Viren stared at the Dark Lord, his thoughts scrambling to catch up. And still Kastra stared back, as patient as ever.

    ¡°Uh¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°A little slow today, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You want me¡­ to spar¡­ with you!?¡± Something about this wasn¡¯t right. In response, Kastra simply grabbed a wooden sword and settled into a ready stance. Taking a deep breath, Viren did the same. Whatever Kastra had planned, he would just have to face it head on. ¡®Alright. Whatever is going on, I can take comfort in knowing that Kastra probably won¡¯t try to kill me.¡¯

    Viren and Kastra stayed in the ready position for what felt like hours but was probably only two minutes. When Kastra didn¡¯t move, Viren realized he was waiting for him to attack. In duels you typically let the lesser swordsman attack first if the difference in skill was too big. ¡®Yeah, no way I¡¯m going first, that would be suicide.¡¯  After waiting for another three minutes Kastra finally darted forward in an attempt to catch Viren off guard. It didn¡¯t work, as Viren was very alert. His plan was to try and block or dodge all of Kastra¡¯s blows since attacking him would definitely not end well for Viren.

    Kastra attempted a slash, and Viren dodged. Things went on like this for a few minutes. Kastra would advance and Viren would dodge or block the strike before retreating. Suddenly, Kastra leaped forward and nicked Viren¡¯s arm. An intense pain shot through it and Viren stumbled back, gasping for breath. Kastra smirked, then shot forward again. This time Viren blocked the blow, but now he got the feeling that Kastra was just toying with him. He had a sinking feeling in his gut, and dread was worming its way into his heart. A few back and forths later Kastra landed another hit, this time a jab to his stomach. Not only did it cause immense pain, but it threw him back several feet.

    Viren landed hard and laid there for a few seconds, trying to catch his breath. He heard a ¡®whoosh,¡¯ and barely rolled to avoid another hit. He leaped to his feet and was quickly forced to block another attack. Kastra was moving so fast, Viren didn¡¯t know how much longer he would be able to keep up. Now the fight had moved in close and personal, and no matter how hard he tried to retreat or slow things down Kastra always seemed to be moving closer. One, two, tree hits piled up, and Viren was exhausted. Suddenly, Kastra leaned in close.

    ¡°You remind me of your mother when you¡¯re in pain.¡±

    Viren froze, time seeming to stand still. ¡®WHACK!¡¯ Kastra had used Viren¡¯s moment of distraction to land a hard hit to his torso, sending him flying back until he slammed against a wall. Each breath sent shooting pain through his body. Kastra was walking towards him with a cold, eager grin on his face, a dark crimson mist surrounding his wooden training sword. With the exception of General Kauhea, the courtyard and space around it was noticeably empty, the soldiers occupying it minutes ago having fled.

    When Kastra arrived, Viren struggled to a sitting position and gave him a cold glare filled with undisguised hatred. Kastra only grinned wider and swung his sword, this time hitting Viren¡¯s cheek. His vision flashed bright white and hot, searing pain whipped through him. It took everything in him not to cry out. ¡°You will show me respect!¡± Another blow to his stomach, this one driving the breath from him. ¡°You will bow to my every whim!¡± This time the hit drew blood. When the sword came in contact with the blood, electric pain engulfed him, the result of Kastra¡¯s stolen magic. Viren was vaguely aware of his face against the cold cobblestone. Another blow reverberated through Viren. ¡°You will acknowledge my superior power!!¡± His body was on fire, and he was barely conscious. ¡°YOU WILL COWER IN MY PRESENCE!!!¡±

    Suddenly, the onslaught stopped. Viren drew in a shuddering breath, fighting to stay awake. His vision was darkening around the edges. Kastra loomed over him. His voice sounded like it was both a million miles away and right next to his ear.

    ¡°Do not disappoint me again.¡± With that he whirled around and walked away.

    Viren vaguely heard the General ordering several soldiers to carry Viren to his room before he walked away too. He vision wobbled and darkened. The last thing he felt before falling unconscious was being hefted up, the motion making the already unbearable pain flare up even more.

 Interlude

    Red. So much red. Why¡­

    With a gasp Meira sat up, her eyes wide. The burn mark on her wrist throbbed. ¡°Where¡­ Why¡­¡± She looked down at her bloody hands and it all came rushing back. The cult¡­ the cult that hunted mythical creatures¡­ and dragons. She was a dragon. They didn¡¯t know though, when they found her three years ago, that she was a dragon¡­ Stay focused! ¡®Ok, Meira, deep breath. Start from the beginning.¡¯ The cult had found her in her human form. They had taken her in, burned her wrist, and she had traveled with them, scared to leave. Then¡­ then¡­ they had discovered her true form. They had tried to kill her and drink her blood. The cult had¡­ the cult¡­ the cult that was dead¡­ why? ¡­

    Once they discovered her, she had no choice but to turn back into her dragon form, and use her telekinetic magic to kill¡­ kill¡­ why¡­ she didn¡¯t want to¡­

    ¡°No. don¡¯t think about that. Think about¡­ Flying! Right, flying!¡±

    She envisioned herself flying. A smaller dragon, about the size of a pony. Her body is a pearly white, and her horns, teeth, claws and the spikes on the bottom of her tail are deep black, almost like obsidian. Her eyes are also black with a single white speck in both of them.

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    And her black claws are soaked in something thick and sticky, her white scales stained with blood.

    ¡°NO!¡± Please¡­ why¡­

    She got up, stumbled into a small stream, and her knees gave out. She dunked herself in the water, anything to get the blood off¡­

    ¡°Hello? Miss, are you alright?¡± She gasped, standing up and whirling around.

    He walked towards her, a man of about 35 years old. He had the hardened look of a fighter, but in his eyes there was a glint of knowledge and curiosity. Meira stumbled back a few steps and he raised his hands. ¡°No no, I don¡¯t want to hurt you, see?¡± When she paused, he took a few steps forward, his hands still up. ¡°You¡¯re a dragon, right? My name is Baren, I¡¯m the biology professor at the Academy!¡± She sniffled, only now noticing the tears running down her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,¡± he said, ¡°I know you had to fight, I know they were bad people.¡± Baren was now in arms reach of her, and put his hands on her shoulders, and crouched down to be at eye level. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re gonna be ok, alright?¡±

    Blood, death¡­ burn¡­ fear, SO MUCH FEAR, WH-

    He made eye contact with her, his hands squeezing her shoulders reassuringly ¡°You¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    Finally, she responded, her voice shaky.

    ¡°Ok.¡±

 Chapter five

    Sunlight filtered into the room, making Viren stir. As he slowly drifted back into consciousness, he became aware of a steady ache in every part of his body. It was especially bad in his stomach and his face. As he woke up, he tried to open his eyes, and had to try three more times before they finally complied ¡°Nnng.¡± His room was bright with sunlight, and if he had to guess it was late morning, meaning Viren had been unconscious for an entire day and night. ¡®Uhg. I feel terrible.¡¯ He laid like that for several more seconds. ¡®Alright, that¡¯s enough of that, time to get moving.¡¯ He tried to get up and got halfway there before he fell back with a groan. ¡®Nevermind, I think I¡¯ll stay lying down for a little while longer.¡¯

    He had almost drifted back to sleep without realizing it before he forced himself back awake. Even though Viren really didn¡¯t want to think about what had happened, he still had to in order to decide what he would do next.

    Wincing, Viren quickly ran through the events of the day before. But by the time he was done he had a much better idea of what was going on. Apparently, Kastra had decided to ¡®punish¡¯ Viren for his misdemeanors. A quick rage sparked through Viren, followed by determination. ¡®He thinks he can make me cower? Make me bow to him? HA! He wishes he could control me.¡¯

    Viren¡¯s head turned towards the window, his head so filled with ideas he barely even noticed the pain. If Kastra thought he could control Viren, then he had another think coming. He let out a chuckle, imagining Kastra¡¯s reaction when he learned his only heir had disappeared. The only problem with his plan was that he wouldn¡¯t be there to see it.

    ¡®Soon I will escape. But first I need to rest.¡¯

    ¡­

    When Viren woke again it was night. He was tempted to go back to sleep, but even more tempting was the thought of freedom. He pushed himself out of his bed, and nearly collapsed back into it. He clung to the bed post for a few minutes, taking deep breaths and regaining his balance. After he was sure he wouldn¡¯t faceplant he stumbled over to his desk and fished around for the painkiller he kept stashed for when he had a particularly nasty injury. ¡®I think this probably counts,¡¯ though Viren with a wry smile. He poured a small pile of powder into his hand, then tilted his head back and swallowed the bitter herbs. Immediately he felt better, and the throbbing in his body lowered to manageable. ¡°Good enough,¡± he said, ¡°now let¡¯s get to it.¡± He spent a few minutes planning what he needed and ultimately decided to travel light.

    He soon found a satchel in his room that was big enough to store what he needed but small enough not to be a bother. And the best part? When he morphed into dragon form it would disappear just like his clothes. He then thought about what he would need. Everything he would bring was already in his room¡­ except for food. Viren sighed at the thought of running to the kitchen in this state, but nighttime was the ideal time to get what rations he needed, as there was not likely to be too many people in the kitchen, and the painkiller was most effective right now, just after he¡¯d taken it. In other words, it was now or never. Viren groaned in annoyance and headed out the door.

    He made no sound as he left his room and took extra care not to get seen. As far as Viren knew, no one had any idea he was awake, and he would like to keep it that way. He was in full sneaky mode, barely noticing as he made the shadows around a bit bigger and darker to better hide his presence. A small thrill raced through his heart. As much as he wanted and needed to rest, he loved using his skills like this, even if the circumstances were not ideal. It was what he had been born to do, after all.

    Before he knew it, Viren had arrived at the kitchen. Now came the hard part. He would have to sneak through the kitchen and into the pantry, pilfer whatever food he could get, and get back out, all without being seen by any staff that happened to be in there.

    He slowly opened the door, and slipped through as small as a space he could. Crouching in the shadows, he closed the door and looked around. There was only one person in the kitchen, a young servant cutting fruits. ¡®Likely fetching a midnight snack for one of those greedy wizards.¡¯ Viren snuck around the island counter with the uttermost care, stepping slowly and breathing steadily. His heart pounded. There was no doubt in his mind that if Kastra heard Viren had been sneaking around in the middle of the night he would immediately know what he was up to. Who knows what terrible punishment Kastra would come up with next.

    Viren reached the pantry and waited for a few seconds. He waited until the servant was occupied washing another fruit, then quickly opened the pantry door and slipped in. He kept it open just a crack. Taking a breath, he straightened and stepped further into the pantry. It was large, about the size of a small room, though perhaps a bit longer. ¡®Alright, just grab what you need and get out of here.¡¯ He compiled a mental list of the ideal foods to bring with him.

    After a few minutes he had gathered a decent pile of food and two full water skins. After a bit more searching, he found a small sack perfect for transporting his bounty. He slung the sack over his shoulder and took one last look around. He was just about to leave when something caught his eye. It was a jar of lighter oil, used to light the huge ovens. He lingered on it. ¡®No, Viren, that is definitely not a good idea.¡¯ But then again¡­

    He grabbed the oil.

    ¡®Alright, now to sneak back out and make my escape.¡¯ He opened the door wider and poked his head out. The servant was gone. Viren stepped out from the pantry, closing the door behind him. He walked to the exit, keeping close to the walls. Suddenly, the door banged open! Viren darted to the corner, heart beating loud in his ears. He held his breath as the servant walked back into the kitchen muttering. He stalked over to the counter, grabbed something and stomped back out, never even glancing in Viren¡¯s direction. He waited a good ten minutes before daring to move. With a shaky sigh he got back up and left the kitchen, making his way back to the room as quick as he dared.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    By the time Viren got back to his room it was getting close to dawn. ¡®I can only fly at night if I don¡¯t want to get discovered, and I¡¯ll need as many flying hours as possible.¡¯ But what could he possibly do while he waited? Without a second thought he jumped back into bed.

    ¡­

    Viren didn¡¯t want to get up. He groaned into his pillow. ¡°Why must escape be so exhausting?¡± He sat up with a wince. ¡®A healing affinity would be pretty useful right now¡­¡¯ With much effort he forced himself out of bed. He stood there for a few moments, gazing at it longingly. Then he turned away with a sigh.

    Looking out the window it was pitch black outside. ¡°Right, can¡¯t forget the supplies,¡± Viren said, slinging his travel pack over his shoulder. He was about to jump out the window when something caught his eye. It was the jar of oil, sitting tantalizingly on his desk.

    ¡°Nuh uh, don¡¯t even think about it, that is WAY too dangerous.¡± He stared at it, knowing he shouldn¡¯t, that just once he should ignore his crazy idea and walk away.

    ¡°Oh, whatever, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡­

    It didn¡¯t take long for Viren to sneak through the halls to Kastra¡¯s sleeping room. If he was nervous he couldn¡¯t tell over the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Even though it was late, Kastra was usually still in his office at this time of night, giving Viren the perfect opportunity to make him mad as heck.

    He drifted through the halls, silent as a ghost, until he reached a bend. Just around the corner would be the door to Kastra¡¯s room. Viren peeked around the edge, checking to make sure the coast was clear. ¡®If I do this and get caught, he will kill me.¡¯ There was no doubt in Viren¡¯s head that this was true. Every instinct in him screamed not to risk it, to not anger him anymore than he already had. But dragons do not bow down so easily, not even to their own instincts. ¡®I guess I better not get caught.¡¯

    With that thought he darted around the corner and down the hall quick as a shadow, feet hardly touching the floor. His heart thumped loudly with excitement and fear. He tested the doorknob. Locked, as expected. That was no problem, since Viren had brought some lock picks. In a few minutes he had the lock unlocked. He gently turned the knob and eased the door open, slipping inside. He closed and locked it behind him. If all went well, he would exit using the window, not the door.

    Examining the room, Viren barely held back a laugh. In the center there was a large bed covered with blankets and pillows. The bedposts were high, and the mattress was fluffy. On the far wall there was a large bookshelf. Upon closer inspection, all the books were on various types of magic. There did seem to be a common theme though. Destructive magic. Next to the bookshelf on the wall was a very fancy sword, complete with gemstones and expensive metals. At the other end of the room there was a wardrobe. Opening it, Viren smiled to see it full of robes and other items of clothing. There was a large window next to it, only a bit smaller than Viren¡¯s own. It was covered in heavy red drapes. Some of the floor was covered with a plush rug, and near the ceiling floated several light orbs giving off an eerie red glow. All in all, the room was very¡­ Flammable.

    With a grin Viren started pouring out the oil. He poured it one the carpet and bed first, then moved to the bookshelf. Finally, he started drenching the clothes in the wardrobe. He didn¡¯t stop until he used up every drop of the oil. Then he ripped down the drapes and opened the window. The chilly night air filled the room. ¡®Well, it won¡¯t be chilly in here for long,¡¯ he thought cheerfully as he looked over his masterpiece. He reached into his travel pack and grabbed the flint and steel.

    His grin widened as he started hitting them together, producing sparks. Soon one of the sparks landed on the oil. With a ¡®floomph¡¯ the fire flared up, and Viren quickly jumped out the window, changing into his dragon form. As he flew away the rest of the room quickly caught fire, and within moments there was the smell of smoke. He could even hear some faint yelling behind him.

    ¡®Wow, that was the most fun I had in ages!¡¯

    As fun as it was to set Kastra¡¯s room on fire, it was sadly time to get serious. He would probably already be furious that Viren managed to escape, and his final act would only¡­ stroke the flame.

    Viren needed to fly as far and as fast as he could before dawn, and then once morning came, he would have to figure out what to do next.

    He put all his focus into flying as fast as he could and settled in for a long night.

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey!¡± one of the Shadows said loudly. ¡°Come look at this!¡±

    He was looking through a spyglass at the Dark Lord¡¯s castle and had apparently spotted something.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Dan walked to the Shadow, who offered his spyglass. Starla looked up. Only herself and a few others were awake. ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Starla couldn¡¯t resist asking. Dan motioned her forward.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come take a look.¡± She smiled and joined them on the cliff. Their camp was currently on one of the nearby mountains, so they had a great viewpoint.

    She peeked through the spyglass and was surprised to see a bright light. On closer inspection it appeared to be¡­ ¡°Fire?¡± Dan nodded solemnly.

    ¡°I think so.¡± The other Shadow raised his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t match the descriptions of the fire he typically wields though. Could it be the normal kind?¡± Dan nodded again.

    ¡°Possibly.¡± He patted the one who first spotted the fire on the shoulder. ¡°Good work. Keep an eye on the fortress, try to see how they react. I¡¯ll confer with the other leaders.¡± Dan walked back to the main campsite and the Shadow returned to his spying. Starla sat down and looked at the castle, trying to work out what the fire meant. Suddenly, she caught a bit of movement from the corner of her eye. She frowned and searched the sky, trying to catch another glimpse, but couldn¡¯t find it. ¡®Huh,¡¯ she thought, ¡®wonder what that was.¡¯

    She didn¡¯t get long to think on it, because after a few minutes some kind of electric charge filled the air. She jumped to her feet and took a few steps back. The others came rushing out of their tents, evidently having felt it as well.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Stephen asked urgently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Starla got into a battle stance and prepared to use her magic. All of a sudden, an ear shattering noise burst from the sky. Blood-red lightning crackled, illuminating the dark night. It arched and raced, growing bigger and bigger, louder and louder. Panic started to grip the camp. Had they been discovered? Should then run? Fight? Would tonight be the night they died??

    Then, with one last thundering boom, it stopped. Simply stopped. No one spoke for a few minutes, everyone trying to catch their breath and figure out what had just happened. Then Dan straightened and offered a wry smile.

    ¡°If you ask me, that had something to do with our mystery fire.¡± Everyone looked at him. Some didn¡¯t know what mystery fire he was talking about, and those who did were still to disoriented to fully understand what he was saying. Everyone was confused. Seeing this he chuckled.

    ¡°In other words, the great Dark Lord, Scourge of Nations, just threw a tantrum.¡±

 Chapter six

    By the time the sun rose Viren could barely keep his eyes open. ¡®Alright, now to find a good place to land.¡¯ He looked around briefly. ¡®On second thought, right here is good enough.¡¯ He dove down, barely turning human in time to keep himself from crashing.

    Even in his half-asleep state, Viren still somehow managed to land on his feet. Stumbling forward a few steps, he collapsed face first at the base of a large tree and rolled over with a groan. Who knew flying all night would be so exhausting? Eyes drooping, Viren dragged himself further into the shade of the tree and curled into a ball.

    ¡®Just a few minutes of sleep, then I¡¯ll get up and be productive. Just a few minutes¡­¡¯

    ¡­

    When he awoke again it was nearly mid-day. ¡°Well, that was definitely more than just a few minutes.¡± At least he wasn¡¯t exhausted anymore.

    Standing, Viren turned in a full circle, trying to get a good look at his surroundings. He didn¡¯t recognize where he was, which was both good and bad. Good because if he didn¡¯t even know where he was there was no way Kastra was finding him, bad because¡­ well, he had no idea where he was. He crossed his arms, trying to figure out what to do. Or he was going to try before his stomach started rumbling violently.

    ¡°Well, I might as well eat something, its not like the food will eat itself.¡±

    Before long he was munching on jerky and a bit of cheese. Finishing, he licked his fingers and repacked his bag. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll just pick a direction and start walking.¡¯ Shouldering his pack, he set off. Of course, there wasn¡¯t much to do while walking, so he had plenty of time to think of what to do when he finally reached civilization.

    He kept on walking until nightfall. Then he switched to flying. He flew all night, and when morning arrived, he collapsed and immediately fell asleep yet again. ¡°You really think I would learn after the first time, wouldn¡¯t you.¡± Of course, Viren had a justification for this pattern. If Kastra¡¯s forces caught up to him, he would be in deep trouble. Oh, sure, he might survive, but he would hardly be in any shape to continue fighting. He was just one guy, and Kastra had an army. Once he managed to get to a city, he could rest a little, but until then he had to travel as fast as he could.

    He continued traveling this way for a few days, flying by night and walking by day. By doing this, he crossed a huge distance much faster than would normally be possible.

    It was the fifth night of traveling when Viren finally reached the end of the forest. About a mile away from the edge was a city. ¡®Oh nice, a city,¡¯ he thought as he flew past it. ¡®Wait, a city!¡¯ He circled back around and landed in the forest, changing into his human form. He was only walking for a few minutes when he heard voices and saw lights to his left. He frowned, wondering who was traveling this late. Or early. ¡®What if they¡¯re Kastra¡¯s minions?¡¯ No, that was ridiculous, there¡¯s no way they could have caught up with him this quickly. Curious, he veered towards them. After a short tromp through the trees, he neared the light, and the voices were clearer. Peeking out from behind a tree he saw¡­ two romping kids, play fighting with sticks.

    ¡®¡­Well, at least I won¡¯t have to fight them.¡¯

    In addition to the kids, there were two wagons rolling along, with adults walking beside them. A lady driving one of the wagons called to them. ¡°Perry! Pat! Come inside the wagon now, I don¡¯t want you two playing in the dark.¡± With sighs of disappointment and several complaints they clambered back into the wagon. Then Viren noticed the wagons were rolling on a path. A path that would be easier to walk on. A path that would lead directly to the city.

    Decision made, he stepped out onto the path. Some of the men walking alongside the wagon noticed him, and one approached him and raised his arm. ¡°Hello there. What were you doing in the forest?¡± Viren smiled tiredly.

    ¡°I was trying to find a place to make my camp,¡± he lied, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a good spot though.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t, Edgedale is less than an hour away!¡± Viren feigned surprise.

    ¡°What, really?¡± The man nodded.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why we¡¯re traveling in the dark.¡± He seemed to be thinking about something. ¡°How about you make the last leg of the journey with us?¡± This time Viren was actually surprised.

    ¡°Really? I mean, no offense, but you guys don¡¯t really seem like the most trusting folk.¡± The man chuckled.

    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re not a bandit ready to kill us all in our sleep, I think we¡¯ll be fine.¡± He stuck out his hand to shake. ¡°My name is Paul, nice to meet you.¡± Viren shook the hand.

    ¡°Viren.¡± They started walking back to the wagons. ¡°So, who are you guys anyway?¡±

    ¡°Merchants. We couldn¡¯t afford guards, so we had to learn to fight for ourselves. That¡¯s why we¡¯re so weary of bandits.¡± They arrived at the wagons, and an older man nodded to Viren. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    Viren stuck out his hand to shake. ¡°Hello. Name¡¯s Viren.¡± The older man eyed him up and down, completely ignoring his hand. Behind him, Paul sighed softly. Viren awkwardly lowered his hand. Suddenly the man spoke.

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    ¡°No last name?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯d you come from?¡±

    ¡°Forest.¡±

    ¡°Why are you traveling to the city?¡±

    ¡°Need work.¡±

    ¡°Suspicious.¡± At this Paul jumped in.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, chuckling awkwardly, ¡°Lets keep moving, shall we?¡± The old man grunted and stared at Viren, not breaking eye contact as he shuffled away. He only stopped staring when another person helped him into a wagon. Paul turned back to Viren. ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that. I¡¯m not really sure what else to s-¡± He was interrupted by one of the children leaning out of the front wagon and shouting, ¡°Daddy!¡± A relieved Paul jogged up to him, and Viren followed.

    ¡°Hey kiddo!¡± The second child also poked his head out.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°That is our guest, so be polite.¡± Paul then spoke to Viren. ¡°These are my children, Pat and Perry. My wife, Penelope, is driving.¡± One of the kids spoke up.

    ¡°And those are our horses, Paxton and Paxter!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Paul laughed. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a family tradition. The others in our group were also pretty confused when we joined up with them.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the worst tradition, I guess.¡±

    ¡­

    Although it was a short walk to the city, to Viren it seemed much longer. By the time they arrived he was nearly sleepwalking. Once they entered the city gates Paul turned to him. ¡°Well, this is where we part. Nice meeting you Viren.¡±

    ¡°You as well.¡± With a nod the two wagons started rolling again, and the merchants disappeared into the city. Viren slumped against the wall, and almost fell asleep right then and there. Trying to force himself to stay awake, he looked around the city. All he saw was people, more people, horses, more horses, and the occasional donkey. ¡°Huh,¡± he murmured sleepily, ¡°There are a lot more pack animals then I would¡¯ve thought.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only because you¡¯re right near the entrance of the city. Move in a little further and you won¡¯t find any.¡± Viren jumped and spun around, suddenly alert. The man who had spoken leaned back a little, surprised by Viren¡¯s reaction. ¡°Whoa! Hold your horses there buddy, I meant no harm.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± By the looks of it, the guy was a local, and might be able to get him some directions. That didn¡¯t make Viren any more relaxed though. As tired as he was, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Finding the merchants was nice, but now he was in the city, and in his current state he was an appealing mark to anyone who wanted to kill him, rob him, or both. Of course, anyone who wanted to try would have a very bad day, but it would be very inconvenient for Viren. The man cleared his throat, shaking him out of his thoughts.

    ¡°Sorry again sir, but you wouldn¡¯t happen to know the way to a place I could get some rest and a warm meal, would you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, to the left and just down the next road, then take a right into the ¡®silly goose¡¯. Follow me, I¡¯ll show you.¡± With that the man started down the street without waiting for Viren to follow. He hesitated briefly before shrugging. ¡®Eh, he seems nice enough, and I can keep my guard up just as well in a warm bed.¡¯

    The man, who never bothered to give Viren his name, led him up and down through the streets. Viren hated to say this, but at this point he was probably lost. Finally, the guy led him to a building. A quick look at the sign confirmed that it was indeed called the Silly Goose.

    Walking up to the door, Viren opened it before the man got a chance. Despite the fact that it was almost midnight, the place was still lit with the light of a lantern. The bar was full of people, and in the corner, there was a crowd surrounding two people arm wrestling. Turning his attention to the bar, the man walked up to the lady managing it. He pointed to Viren, and the lady tossed him a coin. Probably paying him for bringing her new customers.

    Viren dragged his feet over to the counter, where the innkeeper was waiting. She crossed her arms.

    ¡°What can I get for you? We¡¯ve got beer, or ale.¡±

    ¡°Get me a bed. Preferably soft. As soon as possible.¡± She raised an eyebrow, then tossed him a key. There was a 5 printed on it. As he headed upstairs to find his room he took one last look at the scene below, scanning for possible threats. The two arm wrestlers were now rolling around on the floor fighting, and the rest of the people in the bar joined in with a yell. ¡®Yeah, I think I¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

    Once in his room, he crashed without a second thought.

    ¡­

    While he scarfed down food Viren was deep in thought. ¡®I need money, but I shouldn¡¯t stay in one place for too long. Maybe I could become a merchant?¡¯ That was probably not what he would end up doing, but that didn¡¯t stop him from needing work. He sure wasn¡¯t gonna spend the rest of his days on a farm out in the middle of nowhere. Now that he was free from Kastra¡¯s grip he could do whatever he wanted. Within reason, of course. He couldn¡¯t go off making a big scene. Not only did Kastra undoubtedly have people on the lookout for him, but anyone who recognized him as the ¡®Dark Lord¡¯s heir¡¯ would likely turn him in to the authorities, and he definitely didn¡¯t feel like spending the rest of his days in a jail cell or worse.

    ¡®Ok, so I need a job that never keeps me in one place to long and pays a decent amount of money. Something that¡¯s lets me keep a low profile and preferable involves fighting, since I¡¯m good at that. Talk about a tall order.¡¯ He went to take another bite of porridge, only to find that he had eaten it all without noticing. Disappointed, he briefly contemplated buying another bowl, and immediately dismissed the idea. He needed to save every bit of money he could, no matter how good the food.

    After turning in his key, Viren left the Silly Goose and set out to explore the city. Maybe he would figure out what to do in a flash of inspiration! Or maybe not, who knew.

    He walked around, taking in the sights and sounds of Edgedale. Now that he was well rested Viren was much more alert to his surroundings, so he probably wouldn¡¯t get lost again. He found himself drifting to where the most people where, so it wasn¡¯t long before he found himself in the center of the city. All around there where hastily constructed stalls selling everything from weapons to books to food. At the center of all these stalls there was a large open space. People stood in groups talking, and there was the occasional person standing on a box yelling about whatever. A few guards stood in segments around the edge of the circle, encouraging people to stay out of trouble. In a few places there were large wooden boards covered in pieces of paper. Curious, he walked over and read some of the papers. For the most part they were news updates and wanted posters. There were a few ''help wanted'' posters, things that a mercenary would likely handle.

    ¡®Wait a minute!¡¯ an idea struck him. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think about it before! It¡¯s perfect, and no one will bat an eye about a mercenary who wants to avoid the law!¡¯ Plus, a lot of mercenaries were considered criminals anyway. Sure didn¡¯t stop nobles from hiring them. Rich nobles, who would pay a sweet, sweet amount of coin.

    ¡°Yes, that is the perfect job for me.¡±

 Chapter Seven

    The first thing Viren would need if he was going to try his hand at being a mercenary would be a sword. He decided to start with a lesser quality, and thus cheaper, weapon. If this thing worked out for him and he started making some coin he would buy a better one, but until then it was better to be safe than sorry.

    As he strolled among the stalls, he kept his eye out for one selling weapons. He also took in the city. This was his first time in one after all. (The few times he snuck out to buy books he picked them up from a smaller town across the mountains.) Although there was plenty of noise no merchants were yelling for people to buy their wares, and they only haggled a minimal amount.

    After wandering for half an hour and nearing the edge of the market circle Viren finally found what he was looking for. Once he spotted the weapons stall, he headed straight there. After a quick stop at the pastry stand across the street, of course. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it was possible for food to be that delicious¡¯ he thought while licking the flaky bits of crust off his fingers. ¡®Anyway, enough distractions, lets get me a sword!¡¯

    He walked up to the salesman behind the counter, who was lounging on a stool. Viren didn¡¯t even know it was possible to lounge on a stool. The swords displayed were obviously of lower quality, with some of them even having chips or cracks in the metal. Viren picked out one that appeared to be in good shape, though it was a bit dull, and pulled out his money. The man nodded to the sword.

    ¡°That¡¯ll be 40 Coin.¡± Viren looked down at the meager 47 coins in his hand.

    ¡°How abooouuutttt¡­ cheaper.¡± The merchant raised his eyebrows and sat up and raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like my price?¡±

    ¡°No, not really.¡± He snorted.

    ¡°Alright then, what do you think its worth?¡± Viren narrowed his eyes. He knew what was happening here. ¡®Alright, I don¡¯t have a lot of experience haggling, but I think you¡¯re supposed to go lower than what you want to actually pay. Sounds easy enough.¡¯

    ¡°How about¡­ one.¡±

    ¡°One¡­ coin? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The man peered at him, as if trying to make sense of a ridiculous situation.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Very well then, what do you suggest?¡±

    ¡­

    Viren ended up paying the original price.

    ¡­

    With his new sword in hand and a nearly empty coin purse Viren made his way back to the center of the city. Due to the fact that he had spent all but seven coins he needed to find a job today. Luckily, the job boards made that easy for him.

    After examining the available jobs, he decided to pick one that sounded relatively easy. This would be his first one, after all. He picked out one that seemed interesting.

    ¡°Guard/escort wanted. Pay starting at 50 Coin. Enquire at Forest Rise Tavern for more information.¡±

    That was the extent of the information on the paper, but 50 Coin was a lot, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check.

    After asking around, Viren learned that Forest Rise was a popular place, so at least the job wouldn¡¯t be super shady. Then again, most of the jobs up on the boards would likely be more on the legal side.

    Because the tavern was so popular it was easy to find. All Viren had to do was go the ¡®fancy¡¯ side of town and walk up and down a few streets. Soon enough he found a building with a large, stylized sign reading ¡®Forest Rise Tavern¡¯. The door was propped open with a paper on it that advertised ¡®First Drink Free Friday.¡¯ Inside he could hear shouting and clanging. He casually strolled inside and walked over to the crowded counter. Five frazzled bartenders were expertly taking orders and serving drinks, able to hear even the most slurred order among the ruckus.

    Viren approached the bar, and one of the bartenders stopped and looked him up and down.

    ¡°You here for a drink?¡± It was obvious that he didn¡¯t think so.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m-¡± The young barkeeper interrupted him abruptly.

    ¡°Sorry, if you¡¯re not buying a drink we don¡¯t have time.¡± With that he whirled away to get another order. ¡®¡­maybe I¡¯ll have more luck with a bouncer.¡¯

    He weaved his way through the intoxicated guests, emerging behind a stoic bouncer standing with his arms crossed. Viren stood there for a few seconds before clearing his throat. The bouncer turned quickly, surprised. Recovering quickly, his attitude turned professional. ¡°Can I help you?¡±

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    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for a guard job advertised on the job boards.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He pointed through the tavern to a table right in the middle of the tavern. Viren had to stand on tiptoes to see over the heads of the crowd. Sitting at the table were a man and a hooded figure who were both noticeably not drunk. ¡®Couldn¡¯t they have chosen some lonely booth in the corner?¡¯ He thanked the bouncer, who nodded at him, and started making his way through the crowd to the table. After deftly sidestepping several stray elbows and a few spilt drinks he arrived.

    He plopped down into an empty chair and the two already sitting at the table looked at him with interest. The man, who sported a full brown beard, pushed a copy of the job posted on the board over to Viren.

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re here about the job?¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°Good. It¡¯s relatively simple, all we¡¯re doing is guarding some noble kid while he hunts, got it?¡± Before Viren could respond Mr. Beard started talking again. ¡°Don¡¯t know why he decided to hire mercs instead of bringing some of the guards those types always have lying around, but it pays well enough so I¡¯m not complaining.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll hear no complaints from me, that pay¡¯s all I care about.¡± The man nodded in approval. The hooded figure leaned forward, revealing the face of a woman. A few tufts of flamingo pink hair fell into her face.

    ¡°You new in this business?¡± She spoke in a low voice, obviously trying to avoid attention. Was she wanted or something? Viren didn¡¯t want to reveal too much, but also didn¡¯t want to come off as an easy target.

    ¡°New in this line of work specifically, but I do have some experience.¡± She raised her eyebrow, but didn¡¯t ask any more questions, leaning back in her chair. The man cleared his throat, wanting to get back on topic most likely.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet outside the gate, on the outskirts of the forest near the path, nine in the morning sharp. Will you be able to find your way?¡± Viren nodded and the man stood up. The woman took her cue and followed.

    ¡°Good. See you tomorrow.¡± They left, briskly pushing their way through the intoxicated crowd. ¡®Great, tomorrow I¡¯ll be able to finally earn some money. Just gotta make it through the night.¡¯ There was just one problem with that. He didn¡¯t have nearly enough coin for even one night at an inn. The only ones he would be able to afford would be the really seedy ones, and those just wouldn¡¯t be worth the hassle.

    ¡®Eh, no matter, it¡¯s not like I have no experience sleeping in the forest. Too bad I¡¯ll have to miss out on a warm bed again though.¡¯

    With a destination in mind Viren got up from the table and dodged his way out of the rambunctious tavern into the quiet night.

    ¡­

    It didn¡¯t take a lot of time for Viren to leave the city, and a tension he didn¡¯t even know he had left him as he exited the gates. ¡®I guess I¡¯m more in my element out here. Literally!¡¯ It was a clear night, and the field separating the city from the forest was lit brightly by the moonlight. Viren jogged across it, thinking as he did. ¡®Its not like the city affects me negatively¡­ but I do feel much more at ease outside of it. Maybe because it¡¯s a new environment?¡¯

    He was coming up on the forest. Viren paused, enjoying the feeling of being enveloped by shadow, and set out to find a good place to sleep. He walked away from the road a little, but from there it was easy to find a good tree for sleeping. After searching for a few minutes, he found a thick tree with a large leafy crown. He climbed the branches nimbly and hefted himself into a little indent right where the branches started growing out of the trunk.

    Leaning back, Viren stared at the night through the foliage, losing himself to the stars. ¡®This would have been the perfect night for flying.¡¯ With a content sigh he curled up, and the sound of the wind rustling leaves lulled him to sleep.

    ¡­

    The mercenaries were standing at the edge of the forest, staring at the city gates, and three horses stood quietly grazing next to them. Viren silently joined them, standing to pink hair¡¯s left. A few minutes later a figure on a horse left the city. Though he was a distance away, Viren could see an orange cloak flowing from his shoulders. Then beard spoke.

    ¡°There¡¯s our client Lars. You think sir shady bailed?¡± A grin spread across Viren¡¯s face even as he leaned forward to get a better view of his face.

    ¡°Ouch, rude.¡± The man jumped back with a cry as Pink Hair whirled around. ¡®hehehe¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± He shouted, ¡°I could¡¯ve killed you!¡± sure enough, his hand was on his sword. But some opportunities were just too good to give up.

    ¡°Why do you think I stood over here?¡± The lady smirked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m any less deadly than him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see your hand on your pommel.¡± She had been petting the horses. The man scowled and muttered something under his breath, then sighed.

    ¡°Whatever. Since you were so ¡®kind¡¯ as to inform us to your presence,¡± He rolled his eyes at this part, ¡°We have plenty of time to go over things.¡± The woman leaned in and whispered,

    ¡°He¡¯s being sarcastic, in case you couldn¡¯t tell.¡± The man scoffed and continued.

    ¡°Anyway, my name is Bart, hers is Larissa. The guy we¡¯re working for is the heir of a smaller noble. We¡¯re just here to fix anything that goes wrong, he¡¯ll handle all the actual hunting. Got it? Good.¡±

    Viren wasn¡¯t able to respond as the noble rode into earshot just then. He had brown hair and laugh lines around his eyes. He looked to be in his early twenties and gave off an air of competence. All in all, a pretty average heir, though perhaps not dressed as well as one might expect. His striking orange cloak was the only thing uncommon about his clothing.

    ¡°Hello there. Thank you for accompanying me on my hunt, it is greatly appreciated.¡± Bart bowed his head a little.

    ¡°It is my pleasure, sir.¡± The noble simply nodded, and road off into the forest. Bart and Larissa each mounted a horse and followed, and Viren mounted the last horse and followed them.

    ¡­

    It had been quiet so far, peaceful. ¡®Don¡¯t get me wrong I would definitely be thrilled if I got an easy 50 coin without doing anything.¡¯ but still, better safe than sorry, right? He road up next to Larissa and matched pace with her. She gave him a side eye.

    ¡°Nice try, but I heard you this time.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡± A moment passed. ¡°So¡­ what are we protecting this guy from anyway?¡± She shrugged.

    ¡°Eh, we¡¯re more just here for safety. Bandits, wolves, things like that are unlikely to happen but still a possibility.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t nobles have guards to do things like this? Like, thanks for the money, but it seems like a waste on their part.¡± She nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, and although good pay is common amongst the rich, it still seems like a lot for a job as easy as this. Me and Bart think that there might be some corruption among the guards, perhaps even an enemy trying to take out the heir. They might be a small house, but the Suzetsonz¡¯s is the biggest one out here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± But why go out hunting when someone was trying to get rid of you? To Viren, the answer was obvious. A trap.

 Chapter Eight

    It made sense. Why else would someone knowingly put themselves in a vulnerable position in a situation like this? ¡®Bart and Larissa have probably come to the same conclusion.¡¯ It would have been nice if they had gotten a warning, but honestly? Viren would have kept the mercenaries in the dark too if it were him in this situation.

    He fell back a few paces behind Larissa and became a bit more alert. If an attack was coming, he wanted to be ready. The next hour passed by peacefully though, and Viren found himself enjoying the sights and sounds of the forest. Larissa was staring straight ahead lost in thought, and Bart was alert, constantly scanning for threats.

    They rode into a part of the forest where the trees were a bit farther apart. Suddenly six armed men emerged from the bushes and behind the trees. They fell into a formation with one of them as the leader.

    ¡°Ah, young master Suzetsonz, what a surprise.¡± He definitely didn¡¯t look surprised. Neither did ¡®master Suzetsonz¡¯ for that matter. The two stared at each other with cold eyes. The other guardsmen looked at the mercenaries, trying to assess their threat level. They were professionals, then.

    Bart and Larissa moved in front of the heir, shielding him. Viren rode to his left side, giving the others room to breathe while still protecting his client. The leader raised an eyebrow and drew his sword. The other men followed his example. On

    ¡°I¡¯m here for Suzetsonz,¡± he said. ¡°Leave now and you will remain unscathed.¡± Bart laughed. The guard scowled and looked at Larissa, who smirked with amusement. Finally, he turned to Viren. ¡°This is your last chance to leave.¡± Viren shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯d be unharmed, but I¡¯d still be broke.¡± The man huffed.

    ¡°Mercenaries,¡± he whispered under his breath in frustration. Then he raised his sword. It seemed to be some sort of signal, because all the guardsmen rushed forward at once. The mercenaries raised their swords, ready to cut down the men from their horses, when Suzetsonz shouted.

    ¡°I need them alive!¡± Bart groaned in dismay and swung off his horse while parrying a blow simultaneously. Their swords where too small to fight without killing the guards. Viren and Larissa leaped off their horses into the fray.

    He was going after the leader when he heard the whoosh of a sword behind him. He whirled around and raised his weapon to parry. ¡®Clang!¡¯ Darting forward to fast for his opponent to defend against, Viren slipped behind him and whacked the guard on the head with the flat of his sword. He dropped like a bag of rocks. ¡®Alright,¡¯ Viren thought, ¡®On to the next one.¡¯

    The next one rushed him with a large two-handed sword. The guard raised the heavy weapon and brought it down fast, forcing Viren to jump back in order to avoid getting hit. He tried to dart behind him like he did the first one but was blocked by a sweeping slash of the annoying thing. ¡®Uhg, don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m going to have to face this thing head on.¡¯ He quickly brought up his sword to meet another downward swing. He then stabbed at his stomach, only to be whacked away once again.

    Viren¡¯s opponent wasted no time in slashing forward, trying to force Viren to give more ground. He blocked all of the attacks with ease, though he couldn¡¯t seem to deliver the finishing blow. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he feinted to the left and stabbed the guard in the stomach. ¡®Finally!¡¯

    The swordsman stumbled back with a yell and Viren seized the opportunity and drove his sword through his opponent¡¯s knee. He collapsed, unconscious.

    Flicking some of the blood off his sword, Viren looked to see how the others were faring. Larissa was standing next to the heir while Bart finished off his opponent. All around them where dispatched guardsmen, and of the six that had attacked them none were conscious.

    He and Bart made their way back to the noble, who nodded at them. ¡°Just a simple hunting trip, hmm?¡± The heir smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. Bart scoffed and crossed his arms. Larissa smirked and nudged him.

    ¡°You¡¯re just mad I got the leader.¡± He rolled his eyes and reached into his horse¡¯s saddle bag. He pulled out a bit of rope and turned to Suzetsonz.

    ¡°With your permission I will tie up the guardsmen.¡± The noble nodded and Bart turned to Viren, tossing the rope to him. ¡°You heard him.¡± Viren scowled and turned to the nearest victim.

    ¡­

    The walk back to Edgedale was uneventful. Bart, Larissa, and Viren had to walk so they could carry the rouge guards back to the city on the horses. Viren didn¡¯t envy the bumpy ride they got. When they reached the city gates Suzetsonz turned so that he was facing them.

    ¡°Your pay is at my father¡¯s mansion, and I would enjoy the extra security while I am in charge of these men.¡±

    Viren sighed. He didn¡¯t want to get tied up in all this backstabbing and politics. Bart seemed to know what he was thinking because he slapped Viren¡¯s back and laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it kid. Things like this happen in our line of work all the time.¡± Well great, he definitely didn¡¯t need that.

    ¡®Whatever, its nothing I can¡¯t deal with.¡¯

    ¡­

    Baren and Meira had been traveling for a little over a week. It would have taken longer, but Baren had used his status to gain access to some teleportation circles.

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    Now they were nearing the Academy, and Meira was in much better shape. Her long white hair had been cut short, she was being well fed, and her nightmares weren¡¯t nearly as bad as they were before.

    ¡®All in all,¡¯ she thought, ¡®I¡¯m ready to take the world by storm.¡¯ Not literally of course. Baren glanced at her.

    ¡°Well you¡¯re looking upbeat today.¡± She grinned. It was thanks to him that she was this happy. In fact, it was probably thanks to him that she was even alive.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯m exited to explore this academy you love so much.¡± He smiled and ruffled her hair.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon, it¡¯s just at the end of this road.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but we¡¯ve been walking on this road for a day and a half already!¡± He just chuckled and shook his head in response.

    A few hours later, Meira caught sight of the academy. There was a large wall surrounding it, with two open gates. Inside there was a huge courtyard teeming with students and staff. There were trees and little stalls, and even a fountain in the middle! And that was just what she could see through the entrance!

    She started bouncing on her toes, excitement coursing through her veins. This place was amazing!

    ¡°Alright Meira, before you run off, we¡¯ve got to get you set up as a student. You remember the plan?¡±

    ¡°Yep! I¡¯m a talented kid who you brought back to be a student, and you¡¯re my sponsor!¡± He opened his mouth to speak again, and Meira rolled her eyes and interrupted him. ¡°And don¡¯t tell anyone you¡¯re a dragon, blah blah blah, I wasn¡¯t planning to anyway. Can we go? Pleaaaasssseee??¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, calm down!¡±

    Meira pumped her fists ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡®Look out Academy, here I come!¡¯

    ¡­

    Viren stared at the Suzetsonz mansion. ¡®You¡¯re telling me these are low level nobles?!¡¯ The mansion was huge and made of wood and white marble. There was a garden and servants and everything! ¡®Jeez, I wonder what the high-level noble houses are like.¡¯ Larissa noticed his expression and chuckled.

    ¡°Fancy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I can safely say this is the most luxurious building I have ever seen.¡±

    The inside was even better, with dark wood paneling, paintings and even a bright red carpet running up a staircase. They were in the main hall right inside the door, so Viren couldn¡¯t really see much else.

    The heir strode forward and called out an order. Several guards appeared from around the corners and stopped in surprise once they caught sight of their colleges-turned-traitors. They traitors in question looked rather worse for wear, with hastily bound wounds and bruises and scratches from being dragged around. Suzetsonz interrupted their moment of shock. ¡°Take these traitors to the basement for interrogation!¡± Some of the guardsmen hurried to comply. One stepped forward.

    ¡°Sir!¡± He addressed Suzetsonz, ¡°Should I report this incident to the city guard?¡±

    ¡°No not yet. Any further questions on this matter will be directed to my father, is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡±

    They hurried off, leaving Suzetsonz and the mercenaries alone. Viren cleared his throat. ¡°So¡­ about the pay¡­¡± Larissa coughed, trying to conceal her laughter. Their client straightened and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Please wait here while I fetch it.¡± He went up the stairs, leaving Viren and the others to wait. Viren thought about what he was going to do after this. He didn¡¯t want to stay in the city for too long, but he also needed some better supplies. The only valuable things he had to his name was a dull sword, a change of clothes, and a couple of books. He concluded that the best thing to do would be to take a few more jobs and then try to get work guarding a caravan as soon as possible. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t do to be hanging around here if Kastra¡¯s agents show up all.¡¯

    Viren¡¯s train of thought was interrupted when Suzetsonz returned. He dropped a pouch into each of their hands, which jingled merrily. He quickly opened up his to make sure the full amount was there. Not that he didn¡¯t trust the man, but it didn¡¯t hurt anyone to err on the side of caution. Sure enough, three silver coins with a 10 imprinted on them and four copper coins with a 5 imprinted tumbled into his hands. He smiled and put them back in the bag. Although it was a risky business, being a mercenary was very lucrative.

    ¡­

    After leaving the mansion Viren headed back to the market. He wanted to buy a few things before night fell, and it was already nearing sunset. The first thing he needed to buy was some first aid supplies. Today had went well enough, but if he had been injured¡­ well, Bart and Larissa probably would have at least dropped him off at a healer¡¯s shop, but there wouldn¡¯t always be a friendly person at hand. Currently the only medical things he had were a small amount of painkillers, and he had used almost all of it.

    After wandering around and finding a stall selling what he needed, Viren spent 15 coin on some bandages, disinfectant, and more painkiller. ¡®Alright, 42 coins left¡­ I still need food but it¡¯s getting dark. Eh, I¡¯ll just get it tomorrow.¡¯ Decision made he started back to the Silly Goose.

    By the time he got there it was already dark. Just like his first night there was boisterous laughing and yelling coming from the establishment. Viren shook his head and walked in. He made a beeline for the bar. ¡°Hi,¡± he said tiredly. It had been a busy day, and it was catching up to him. ¡°I¡¯ll take some dinner please.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡± She whirled through a door behind the bar. Viren took a bar seat and laid his head in his arms. Then he heard footsteps behind him.

    Suddenly a big hand grabbed his arm, sitting him upright. Rum scented breath washed over him, causing him to blink. ¡®Gross,¡¯ a deep, slurred, voice accompanied the dreadful breath.

    ¡°You new around here kid?¡± ¡®Great. What does this guy want?¡¯

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been coming here for years.¡± A few chuckles. Evidently he now had an audience.

    ¡°Oh really?¡± The obviously intoxicated man scratched his head. ¡°Huh¡­¡± He blinked and shook his head. ¡°Hey kid, you got any coin to buy a man a drink?¡±

    ¡°Nah, sorry. Go ask someone else.¡± The grip on his arm tightened, the man leaning in closer.

    ¡°You sure? You cant even share a little tiny bit?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Viren was tense and preparing for a fight. Although he wanted to avoid one if he could.

    ¡°Careful boy. If you¡¯re not nice bad things may happen to you.¡± Viren looked the man up and down. He was wobbly on his feet, barely staying upright.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take my chances.¡± He stood up, twisting his arm out of the man¡¯s grip, and turned away to find another seat. The drunken man scowled and pushed him up against the bar.

    Viren whirled around and punched him in the face without hesitation. The drunken man reeled, and Viren followed up with a swift elbow to his stomach. The man coughed and doubled over, leaving the back of his head open. Viren took the opportunity to elbow him, knocking him out.

    He collapsed like a rag doll, sprawled on the floor. The few people watching turned back to their drinks now that the scene had finished. Viren sat down once more. He didn¡¯t have to wait long for his food, and once it arrived, he scarfed it down as quickly as possible.

    Once finished Viren stood up and surveyed the room one last time. Discreetly, of course. The only thing of notice was a nervous-looking guy in the back of the building. He kept glancing at Viren and looked like he wanted to talk to him. ¡®Well, he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s here to kill me, so it can wait until tomorrow.¡¯

    With that thought he went upstairs and dropped into bed without a second thought.

 Chapter nine

    Thunder crashed as Viren flew through the dark sky. The wind buffeted him, and it was only through twists, turns, and dives that he was able to continue flying and avoid its grasp. An aura of dread and stress permeated the air, and his wings were starting to tire, growing weaker by the minute. He banked to the right to avoid a huge wave. The huge wall of murky darkness rose up higher and higher, paused at its crest for a split second, then crashed back down with a roar that nearly drowned out the continues thunder.

    Waves similar to the one Viren just dodged were rising and falling all around him like mountains that would fall on top of you at any moment, forcing him to add dodging the waves to his already hazardous task of flying with the wind. It was getting harder and harder to remain in the air. Suddenly, lightning arced not ten feet away from him. He let out a surprised roar and jerked backwards, throwing himself off balance. This of course allowed the winds to take hold of him like invisible chains and batter him around. ¡®Alright, that¡¯s it.¡¯

    With a growl he somersaulted in the air and dived straight down. As he pierced the water he swam downwards as fast as he could, using his water magic to propel him further. The water hugged him, smooth and soothing. As Viren dived deeper the shadows rose to meet him, deeper and fuller than on land. When he was far deeper than the storm could reach he let out a small breath of relief, and watched as the bubbles swirled up and beyond his sight. With both the shadows and the water calming him Viren felt at peace. He closed his eyes.

    Sunlight streaming through the window woke Viren up. He stretched contently and rolled out of the bed. ¡®It¡¯s been awhile since I had that dream. Which I suppose is partially a good thing, but I still wish I had it more often.¡¯ That particular dream tended to show up whenever Viren was having a particularly hard time. He first had it about a month after his mother died, and it had been showing up every few months ever since.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know if it has something to do with my magic, or if it¡¯s just my subconscious comforting me. I guess I¡¯ll have the opportunity to find out sooner or later.¡± Now that he wasn¡¯t subject to being Kastra¡¯s heir anymore he could do so many of the things he had always wanted to. Viren stopped getting ready for the day ahead for a second and savored that thought. Then he pulled out his money.

    ¡°Alright, so I have 42 coins left, a room here is 2 coins per night, and meals are one coin each. I could buy two weeks¡¯ worth of emergency rations for 7 coins, and I want to buy a good dagger if I have any money to spare.¡± He would be good on clothes for a little while, since the ones from the Fortress were good quality.

    ¡®I guess I should go down and buy some breakfast.¡¯

    As Viren walked quietly down the stairs, he noticed the man from last night, the one that looked like he wanted to talk to him. ¡®Oh, I forgot about him.¡¯ Viren silently walked over to the bar and ordered his food, then sat in the same place he did last night. The nervous man put on a brave face, got up, and walked toward him. Viren pretended not to notice.

    When the guy got to Viren, he sat down right next to him and didn¡¯t say anything. Gathering his courage maybe? After a moment of silence, he finally cleared his throat and stuck out his hand awkwardly.

    ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Nevron Thendall, I¡¯m a merchant of the Thendall Caravan, nice to meet you.¡± Viren shook Nevron¡¯s hand and smiled. He was a younger man, around 19 by the looks of it, and had narrower features. his thin brown hair was cut just above his eyes, which were a dull honey color.

    ¡°Nice to meet you too. How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Well, as I have already said, I am a merchant in a caravan. We are in need of a guard to protect us from the wilderness and the danger it brings.¡± Now that was interesting. Guarding a caravan would be the perfect opportunity to leave Edgedale while making some coin at the same time. He thought over it for a few seconds.

    ¡°An intriguing opportunity. How much would it be paying?¡± The merchant smiled.

    ¡°We can offer ten coins per night, plus meals.¡± ¡®Well, my last attempt at negotiating didn¡¯t go so well¡­ but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try and get a little bit more for my efforts.¡¯

    ¡°How about 20 per night. Plus meals.¡± Nevron narrowed his eyes, no longer nervous at all. He was now in his element, while Viren was most definitely not.

    ¡°I suppose I could offer¡­ 13 coin per night, only two meals provided.¡±

    ¡°Done,¡± Viren said urgently. ¡®It may not be the work of a master negotiator, but I¡¯ll take whatever I can get!¡¯ Nevron seemed surprised, then a little disappointed.

    ¡°Well, ok then,¡± he said, sounding almost downcast. He quickly shook it off, however, and got back to business. ¡°We leave in a week, I¡¯ll come back here when we are ready to go. Any other questions?¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡± This was great. A week gave Viren enough time to buy supplies and take a few other day jobs. He was definitely happy with the way things turned out. He ate the now cold porridge with a smile and headed into the city in search of work.

    ¡­

    Before Viren hit the job boards he quickly bought some rations, enough to last two weeks. The stall where he bought them was busy, so the sellers were working fast, allowing Viren to get away quickly and with no haggling. ¡®I wonder what the merchants and sellers are like in other cities.¡¯ They would probably haggle a lot more. Hopefully he would be better at it by then. Much better.

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    The center was lively today. There was even a musician playing a joyful melody on a lute. The job boards were busy as well, and Viren had to find one of the less crowded ones to even see what jobs there were.

    Guardsmen wanted ¨C Bayworth Merchant Company

    Scribe desperately needed ¨C Urgent!

    Farmhand needed ¨C inquire at Merry Times Tavern

    All of those were longer term, not what Viren was looking for. ¡®And, I probably don¡¯t have the skills for those either,¡¯ he thought, and moved on to more likely opportunities. ¡®Lets see here¡­ oh, what¡¯s this?¡¯

    Mercenary needed ¨C Ask at High Time Tavern for Dark Song Mercenary Company ¨C

    Mercenary company? Now that was interesting. It didn¡¯t occur to Viren that there would be groups of mercenaries, but it made since, and he knew they existed. ¡®I suppose I don¡¯t fully see myself as one of them yet. Which makes since ¨C I¡¯ve only completed one job!¡¯ Anyway, it sounded interesting, but as of right now, he couldn¡¯t afford to tie himself down, especially to people who might turn him into his enemies for some coin.

    ¡°Speaking of coin, I need to stop getting distracted!¡± He scanned the papers, not allowing himself to stop until he found something he could actually make use of. ¡®Here, how about this one!¡¯

    Help ¨C For the love of all that is good, get rid of these pests!

    I don¡¯t care how you do it, just get it done!!!

    15 coin ¨C meet me at Merry Times Tavern

    ¡®Well, this looks interesting enough!¡¯

    ¡­

    Merry Times Tavern was a cozy place on the outskirts of the city, though it was at the opposite end of where Viren first entered. Right outside of this end of the city were plains of empty land, with a few farms speckled here and there. Unlike the southern entrance ¨C the one he was familiar with ¨C the northern entrance had a nicer feel to it. Most of the stalls were farmers or merchants who catered to farmers. The streets were still busy, but it was not as urgent as the rest of the city.

    The inside of Merry Times was warmed by a crackling fire in the corner, and the laughter of its patrons. The air smelt faintly of barley and horse. A smiling waitress with rosy cheeks and laugh lines around her eyes came up to Viren.

    ¡°Howdy. How can Merry Times help you today?¡±

    ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m looking for the one who put out this ad?¡± He showed her the ad from the job board. She leaned forward and squinted her eyes a little as she scanned the plea for aid. Then she chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll be Bob.¡± She shook her head and laughed. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll take you to him.¡±

    The waitress led Viren around the wooden tables and to a cozy backroom. There were two large tables, and a booth. It was emptier then the main room, but still with a decent number of people. Then she led him to a man sitting at the booth.

    ¡°How¡¯s tonight¡¯s chef¡¯s special, Bob?¡± Bob sniffed.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t tell you, now can I, seeing as the chef¡¯s your husband,¡± he said gruffly. He looked to be in his early forties and was decked out in overalls and a straw hat. He had a little bit of stubble, and his face was weather beaten and tanned nearly brown. The waitress smiled.

    ¡°Aw, you know I wouldn¡¯t tell. Anyway, I¡¯ve got a kid here asking about some ad you put up.¡± Bob brightened considerably at that and seemed to notice Viren for the first time.

    ¡°Oi, you think you can take care ¡®o my pest problem?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯d need more information first, but yes, I could probably do something about it.¡± Bob beamed.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be, that¡¯s just magnificent. Sit, sit, I¡¯ll buy you some milk or something and tell you about them naughty little things.¡± Viren slipped into the seat across from the man, and the waitress sped away, presumably to get his milk. ¡°So,¡± the farmer said, ¡°The pests. I don¡¯t know what they are exactly, except they ain¡¯t no normal animals.¡±

    ¡°Not normal animals? Do you think you could describe them?¡± He shook his head.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never gotten a good look at them. But they¡¯re dang smart, distracting me ¡®n causing mischief ¡®round my farm. Wouldn¡¯t mind it enough to spend 15 coin, except they keep stealing my crops an¡¯ leaving a huge mess behind em!¡± The waitress showed up with Viren¡¯s milk, and he took a large sip.

    ¡®And here I was thinking I would be catching some foxes or rabbits!¡¯

    ¡°After I finish this, we can head out to your farm, and I¡¯ll see what I can do for you.¡±

    ¡­

    Bob¡¯s farm was pretty average. An acre or two of wheat, and a small farmhouse with a garden out back. He had given Viren a ride in his wagon, and by the time they got there it was a little after midday, and the sun was shining brightly overhead. There was not a cloud to be seen in the clear blue sky. Bob and Viren hopped out of the wagon right in front of his house. Bob clapped his hands together.

    ¡°Alright, here¡¯s my farm, the pests are in there somewhere. Have fun!¡± With that he turned around and walked into his house. Viren stared for a few seconds, then looked back over the field. ¡®Alright then, time to catch some mystery pests.¡¯ He took a deep breath and started into the field.

    ¡­

    The wind rustled around Viren, and the wheat stalks swayed softly in the breeze. The wheat smell was very thick where he was crouched in the fields. He closed his eyes and tried to hear the mystery pests, but the only sounds he heard was the whistling breeze and the rustling crops. He opened his eyes again and sighed. Viren had been sitting in this position for over an hour and had still not caught sight or sound of whatever was plaguing Farmer Bob.

    Then, to his left, Viren heard a barely perceptible rustling. He slowly turned his head. The tops of the wheat were moving slightly, almost as if something was moving through them. ¡®Finally,¡¯ he thought. Slowly, without making a sound, he started moving towards the sound. He even drew on his shadow powers to make himself blend in slightly to the shadows cast by the tall plants. He creeped further and further towards whatever the thing was. Viren carefully parted two stalks of wheat, and gasped.

    ¡®Skyotes?¡¯

    The creatures standing before him were coyotes with fur ranging from dull gold to sandy tan. The only thing to make them stand out from normal coyotes were their brilliant multicolored wings. The feathers making them up were wispy and smooth, and each was a different color. The colors ranged from bright yellow to reddish pink to light teal. Their wingspans were a bit larger than an eagle¡¯s.

    Viren had never seen one in real life, only read about them, and seeing them for the first time took his breath away. Even though they were mischievous scavengers and thieves, they were still beautiful. According to the books he read, Skyotes were incredibly rare creatures, with very weak wind or fire abilities. Although they had higher intelligence than other beasts, it was low enough that they were still animals. ¡®They don¡¯t really live up to their name though,¡¯ he thought. ¡®They can¡¯t fly, only flap a few feet like chickens!¡¯

    This pack didn¡¯t seem to be doing much. Five were napping, one was munching on some wheat, and one was snacking on a field mouse. Viren looked around the small clearing they had claimed and saw one that was on lookout. ¡®Definitely smart creatures. But how do I get rid of them?¡¯

 Chapter ten

    Skyotes were notoriously hard to get rid of. Because they were so smart it was hard to scare them away, and if they found a favorite nesting ground they never seemed to leave permanently. It was certainly possible to fight them, but they were great team fighters, and would never attack up front, more in nips and scratched until the enemy just couldn¡¯t go on. Death by a thousand cuts style.

    Viren ran through everything he knew about them in his head, which wasn¡¯t a lot. Little was known about them, and Kastra wasn¡¯t super interested in the specifics of rare wildlife. ¡®I could burn them out,¡¯ he thought, ¡®Except I don¡¯t think Bob would be to pleases about that.¡¯ He could go in, sword swinging, and try to fight them out. He would most likely come out on top with his sword skills, and his water magic would disable their fire well enough, even if it worked a lot better with a large body of water.

    ¡®But even if I come out on top, I¡¯ll likely be injured, and besides, I really don¡¯t want to kill them.¡¯

    While he was trying to think of a solution, the napping Skyotes had woken up, and were barking at each other quietly. One growled playfully to another one, and soon they were pouncing and jumping around. They rolled into the one eating the mouse, who startled and fluttered a few feet away. Its wings spread wide, and the multicolored feathers swirled in the breeze. Then it whirled around and yipped at the other two. Even though many considered them annoying pests, that didn¡¯t stop them from being beautiful and fascinating.

    ¡®I could try scaring them away.¡¯ That¡­ that was actually a really great idea. In most situations it would be really hard to scare them away, and it was anybody¡¯s guess on whether they would stay away.

    However, chances were a dragon could scare them away permanently.

    ¡­

    The clearing the Skyotes were staying in was far enough removed that no one would notice a dragon scaring away a bunch of winged coyotes. Viren chuckled softly at the thought of what chaos that would cause. Not a whole lot of people knew what Skyotes were, and dragons were rare, and generally seen as savage beasts who ate people. ¡®Totally not true, but it¡¯s hard to argue when the old wives start telling their tales.¡¯

    At least some people knew dragons were intelligent and generally minded their own business¡­ though they still considered them beasts and didn¡¯t really know about their ability to turn human¡­ but he was getting distracted. ¡®Alright, scare the Skyotes, get my coin, and get outta here. Easy.¡¯

    He shifted into his dragon form, crushing some stalks of wheat as he did, and leaped into the clearing. Every Skyote scrambled up and jumped away, the sound of wings flapping and rustling filling the air. Viren crouched in a hunting position and growled. His tail swished behind him threateningly. Several Skyotes whimpered and cowered, but some crouched, growling and barking.

    Viren snarled and stalked forward a few steps, baring his teeth and flexing his claws. The rebellious Skyotes stopped barking and cowered back with their buddies, but Viren wasn¡¯t quite done yet. ¡®Still have to make sure they never come back!¡¯ Then he leaped on the Skyotes, who yelped and flapped away franticly. A few feathers drifted through the air. The terrified Skyotes scatted amongst the crops, desperately trying to get away from the terrifying dragon.

    The said dragon shifted into human form, grinning as he did. ¡®What a rush!¡¯ he thought before heading deeper into the fields to make certain they were gone.

    ¡­

    By the time Viren emerged from the wheat field it was dusk. He was certain he had fixed Bob¡¯s pest problem. Those Skyotes would not risk coming back, that was for sure. Bob was working his garden and was on his knees in the dirt tending to it. ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of the creatures.¡± Bob stood up and turned around, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he did.

    ¡°Oh, Really? Didya get a glance at what they were?¡±

    ¡°Ah, not really. Definitely scared ¡®em real good though.¡± Bob nodded resolutely.

    ¡°Well, as long as their not destroying my crops, I suppose that¡¯s good enough fer me.¡±

    ¡­

    Bob paid Viren and was even nice enough to give him a ride back to the city. He dropped him off with a thank you and then headed back to his farm. Viren thought about returning to the small inn he was staying at, but then decided against it. Instead, he went to the market, which was less crowded now that it was a bit later. ¡®Time to buy that dagger I wanted!¡¯

    He wandered around the edge of the circle, enjoying the night air while also keeping a lookout for a good weapon shop. Although he didn¡¯t have much money to spare, he wanted a quality dagger. Eventually he came across an open shop ¨C not a stall ¨C that was right in front of a forge. Two people were at the counter, and no one was in the forge. It looked like a nice enough place, so Viren walked over.

    One of the sellers perked up when she saw Viren approaching. The other glanced over at him but didn¡¯t react. He was sitting on a stool reading a book, though the other one was standing. They both seemed about Viren¡¯s age. When he got close to the counter, the girl beamed at him.

    ¡°Welcome to Lily-Fire Family forge and shop. How can we help you today?¡±

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    ¡°Well, I was hoping to purchase a quality dagger.¡± She grinned, and there was a glint in her eye.

    ¡°Well sir, I can assure you all of our wares are of good quality, and we do indeed have daggers. The only question is,¡± she put her elbow on the counter and leaned forward. ¡°How much are you willing to pay?¡± At this the boy sighed and closed his book.

    ¡°Tessia,¡± he said, ¡°you know we aren¡¯t supposed to haggle.¡± She stood up straight and groaned.

    ¡°But I could make so much extra!¡± Then she sighed. ¡°Fine. Benny here is our resident weapons expert. Talk to him about your dagger.¡± The boy stood up and leaned over the counter.

    ¡°Just Ben,¡± He started. ¡°So, what kind of dagger are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°Something big enough to fight with in close combat, but preferably small enough to conceal to some extent.¡± He seemed to think for a second.

    ¡°I think we have something in stock for you, but it is double edged.¡±

    ¡°That would be preferred, actually.¡±

    ¡°Great, wait a second while I grab it.¡± He went into the forge and out of sight. Tessia was silent for a second. Only a second, though. Or maybe it was half a second.

    ¡°So, anything else we can supply for you today? Some horseshoes, perhaps?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t forges usually sell horseshoes to stables?¡¯

    ¡°Um, no.¡±

    ¡°But you never know when you need an extra horseshoe, wouldn¡¯t it be useful to have an extra on hand?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have a horse.¡±

    ¡°Well, then maybe you would be interested in a teapot! We have several quite nice ones for sale, and for a good price too!¡± She gave a winning smile and a wink. Viren sighed. When would he even find the time to use a teapot?! Or the money to spend on tea for that matter. He might have some decent coin, but that didn¡¯t mean he was rolling in it! Luckily, Ben came back before she could try another sales pitch. He dropped the sheathed knife on the counter and pulled it out of its sheath.

    The entire thing was made of what he assumed was iron, though the handle was wrapped in leather and a slightly darker shade. It was double edged, about as long as Viren¡¯s forearm, and as wide as three finders. One side was straight, and the other was also straight until about a centimeter and a half below the other side. There, it abruptly turned in diagonally, meeting at the top in a sharp tip. The blade was a bit thinner than that of a standard sword. He picked it up to inspect it. It was sharp, and the metal gleamed in the lantern light.

    ¡°How much for it?¡± Tessia grinned, until Ben gave her a sharp look. Then she sighed.

    ¡°Twenty coin for the dagger, sheath and a whetstone.¡± For how much she wanted to bargain, her tone was surprisingly final. Viren was thankful for that.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    ¡°And are you SURE you don¡¯t want anyth-¡±

    ¡°No, this is all, thanks.¡±

    ¡­

    Starla was lying on her bed in her room, staring at the ceiling. The morning light streaming through her window was blocked by her silk curtains. She had just returned from the mission a few days ago, and after the briefing and return dinner things had gone back to normal. Their new intelligence would be a great boon in the battle against Kastra, but the thing that affected Starla the most was that frightening night. She shuddered as the memories came back to her. The shaking, that blood red thunder¡­ But it had revealed something about him, something important, at least to Starla.

    ¡®He was angry.¡¯

    Sure, it was terrifying, but in the words of Dan the shadow, it was a tantrum! The thought of the Dark Lord Kastra throwing a tantrum¡­ ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t be so shocked about this¡­ but my image of him has been cold, calculating, and composed. That hasn¡¯t changed of course but this?¡¯ Then of course, Starla¡¯s endless brooding on the matter had led to the question of what had made him so mad.

    What could have possibly caused him to be so mad as to lose control of his magic?! ¡®I suppose,¡¯ she reflected, ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter all that much. It was just¡­ unusual, I guess. Something worth thinking about.¡¯ She got up with a sigh. ¡°Not worth sweating over too much though,¡± she murmured to herself.

    She changed out of her nightgown and into some simple mage robes. They were originally a sign of status among mages, though that was now only practiced among those born from nobility. Starla wore them for a much more practical reason. They allowed for a full range of motion while still allowing her to maintain the dress required of a young female of noble birth. She had nothing against gowns, and quite liked wearing them, but for sparring or even a more relaxed day her robes were perfect.

    This particular set had a pair of simple leather leggings, a cream-colored sleeveless undershirt that reached halfway to her knees, and a royal blue overdress with pale yellow accents. The overdress had loose flowy sleeves that stopped just above her elbows, a torso that fit comfortably and buttoned in the back, and a skirt that had four sections rather then one big skirt. The sections were separated by four slits that would have been scandalous if not for her leggings and undershirt. The fabric covered her front side, back side, and left and right sides. The entire thing allowed for easy movement and easy magic use.

    After dressing in her robes, washing her face, and putting up her hair in a high ponytail Starla left her room and went to the kitchen. There were official breakfasts every morning, but some preferred to get their food directly from the kitchen. When she arrived, the large double doors were propped open, and delicious smells of freshly baked break and jam wafted out. She knocked on the door frame, and an assistant quickly made and gave her a plate before dashing off to help one of the cooks. She ate as she walked to the combat yard, hoping to find Khastri. Her daily life included a lot of training, from how the palace was run to economics to history and math lessons. That also included keeping up with her physical training, and her cousin was one of her favorite people to spar with.

    She reached the entrance of the combat yard and handed her empty plate to a servant who walked off in the direction of the kitchen. The combat yard was situated right behind the castle. Technically there was one huge courtyard surrounding the entire castle, but the back was dedicated to combat training. The sides held various buildings, some used for storage, and some used for housing. The front was the busiest, and many things were going on there at any given time. The palace was on top of a hill, and below and surrounding that hill was Aureum¡¯s capital. The castle was surrounded by a brick wall, on top of which soldiers patrolled. In the combat yard a group of guards practiced archery, and some were doing exercises, but in the middle, there was a large group of soldiers surrounding two people sparring.

    As Starla watched the two people sparring one of them defeated the other. Anther soldier stepped up to take the fallen one¡¯s place. They began sparring, and the thunking of wooden swords filled the combat yard. Before long, he defeated that one too. She stepped forward, announcing her presence with a simple greeting.

    ¡°Hey Khastri.¡± He smiled and turned to her, composed as ever.

    ¡°Hey cuz,¡± he greeted. ¡°You here to spar?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± He smirked.

    ¡°Sorry, I meant to say eat some dirt when you lose to my superior skills.¡± A competitive gleam entered Starla¡¯s eye. The battle was on.

 Chapter Eleven

    Starla stepped into the ring carefully, her guard up. One time Khastri had nailed her with his sword as soon as she entered the ring shouting ¡°Expect everything!!!¡± He had never done it again, but Starla had never forgotten it. They circled each other slowly, never breaking eye contact, searching for weaknesses. Before Starla could find an opening Khastri flashed her a grin and leaped forward. His wooden sword flew towards her face. She dropped into a crouch and rolled backwards. When she came up her hands had a golden glow around them. ¡®How does he make a wooden sword seem so freak¡¯n terrifying?!¡¯

    ¡°Come on, Starla,¡± he teased, ¡°You¡¯re not going to let me win again, are you?¡± She laughed. ¡®and then he goes and says something like that.¡¯

    ¡°I cant believe you got that good at the sword with banter like that!¡± she called.

    ¡°Insulting my intelligence? Hardly acceptable for a lady such as yourself, you know you¡¯re supposed to be subtle!¡± She grinned and rapidly shot three bursts of light, leaving him blinded. Then she formed three thin spikes of ice and shot them at her cousin. Forming ice was one of the advantages of being an ice mage but took a high level of skill to do because it was taking water molecules from the air and turning them into ice directly. Even water mages couldn¡¯t summon water from thin air.

    Khastri heard the spikes coming, just like she knew he would, and raised his sword, shattering all three of them in one smooth motion. Then, with his eyes still closed, he rushed her with his sword raised. She quickly formed a thick ice blade in her hand and parried. With that they were locked in close combat. His sword had the advantage of long reach, but she could maneuver her ice blade much quicker because it was smaller. They darted in and out, their blades zipping and clashing against each other. Starla whirled left then right, avoiding Khastri¡¯s weapon and trying to get in some hits of her own. She was vaguely aware of the soldiers watching, but the battle was too fast and intense for her to take much notice of it. She lunged towards Khastri with her ice blade, and he swung around, swinging his sword in a wide sweeping movement. She neatly ducked under it and popped back up almost as soon as it passed over her, her blade zooming to his neck. He flicked his sword back mid swing, and it knocked the ice blade from her hand.

    ¡°Nice try,¡± he said, ¡°You almost got me.¡± She frowned.

    ¡°Almost is still not enough.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that sounded kinda depressing.¡± Starla rolled her eyes.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it in a depressing way, I was just stating a fact.¡± They had separated and stopped fighting at this point. Starla was breathing heavily, and Khastri hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. She would have been sweating, but she was already working her magic and the temperature around her lowered by a few degrees. The soldiers nodded with satisfaction, as they were used to Khastri and Starla sparring. Now it was nothing more than a source of entertainment for them. Khastri stretched and yawned.

    ¡°I guess this one ends in a tie. Or are we not done yet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re done. I¡¯m not in the zone anymore.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t wait to do battle against a real enemy until you¡¯re ¡®in the zone¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well real enemies can¡¯t seriously injure someone with a wooden sword.¡± He tilted his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt you would even suggest I would do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. Do you want to go again?¡± He frowned and shifted.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, sorry. I have to go to some meeting about the upcoming elven ambassadors.¡± Starla winced. Visiting ambassadors could be fun, but the elven ambassadors took great pride in being difficult. At least that was what it felt like.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t envy you that, planning for those guys is always a pain.¡± Khastri sighed dejectedly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he complained, ¡°And they even sent word that they wanted to discuss the Dark Lord and the threat he poses!¡±

    ¡°Oof. Well, at least they gave you a warning.¡± He moaned.

    ¡°Just lengthening the dread that I feel in anticipation.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I¡¯m going to be in the library if you need me. Hang in there!¡± She was so glad she didn¡¯t have to sit through that meeting.

    ¡­

    Viren held his weapon over his shoulder as he surveyed his handy work. He nodded in approval. ¡°Good job,¡± said a rasping voice over his other shoulder. ¡°Would you like a cookie?¡± he turned to the sweet old granny behind him.

    ¡°Yes, that would be very nice,¡± he said politely. She smiled, revealing several missing teeth.

    ¡°You did such a good job cleaning the courtyard, it feels unfair to only be paying you three coin!¡±

    ¡°It was a pleasure, maam.¡± What had started as mercenary work had quickly unraveled into a variety of random odd jobs, like fixing a broken gutter or this one, cleaning a thrashed courtyard. Oh well, at least they paid. It had been five days since he had accepted the caravan job, and he had saved up a total of thirty-five coin. He had also been forced to shell out for a new jacket after a bunch of savage dogs ripped up his old one. He was never taking a job herding crazy dogs ever again, no matter how well it paid.

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    After putting the cleaning supplies the lady had provided him with away and getting paid, Viren wandered off into the city in search of more work with a fresh, gooey cookie in his mouth. ¡®I should take more jobs with old people. Or maybe I can find a baker in need of some help.¡¯ Free lunch would be nice.

    Unfortunately, Viren couldn¡¯t find any more jobs that day. Edgedale was a rather bad place to be a mercenary, and it seemed like he had already done every odd job available in the city. All the better that he was leaving with the caravan in two days.

    ¡­

    Two days later, Viren was sitting in the main room of the inn, waiting for Nevron. He opted not to order breakfast and had instead eaten some of his rations. Soon the merchant walked through the door, his eyes scanning the room. Rather than wait for Nevron to notice him, Viren stood up and walked towards him. When he got close, Nevron spoke. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now. Do you need to get your things?¡± Viren patted his bag.

    ¡°Nope. Got everything I need right here.¡± His dagger was hidden on his person, and his sword was belted on his waist. Nevron eyed his small bag.

    ¡°Alright then. Follow me, our caravan is right outside the city.¡±

    He and Viren left the inn and walked through the city. They left through the northern entrance and walked for a few minutes into the fields. ¡°Here¡¯s out caravan. Its quite large, and we already have three other guards.¡± The caravan had 27 wagons and trailers, all of them painted in red, yellow, green, and blue. They were arranged in a big circle and in the middle were several unlit campfires and a lot of people milling about. There was also a group of horses in the middle of the circle.

    ¡°Impressive.¡± Nevron nodded.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°Now come on, I need to take you to meet my father, the leader of the Thendall caravan.¡± They walked through the circle and stopped in front of a relatively large trailer. It was painted red with some yellow accents and had a yellow door. Nevron knocked, and a voice came from inside.

    ¡°Come in.¡± He opened the door and walked inside, beckoning for Viren to follow. The inside of the trailer was lit by a lamp. It had bunk beds built into the wall and cabinets also built into another wall. There were a few trunks tied down, and a small desk. At the desk sat a man who looked a bit like Nevron, but his features were rounder. His eyes were sharp and predatory. Viren could almost sense him trying to figure out how to sell him something for a ridiculous amount of coin. ¡®I¡¯ll need to keep my coin purse closed around this one.¡¯ Nevron smiled, and his father smiled back to him, giving him a much softer look.

    ¡°This is the new guard I hired,¡± he said. Nevron¡¯s father looked him up and down.

    ¡°He looks rather young.¡± He addressed Viren. ¡°What is your name, and do you have any experience?¡± Viren cleared his throat.

    ¡°My name is Viren, sir. I don¡¯t have any experience guarding a caravan, but I can fight well, and wont require anything other than what you have hired me for.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Nevron has already explained to me the terms of what we will be paying you. My name is Taron, but you can address me as sir. Welcome to the Thendall caravan, Viren.¡±

    ¡­

    Nevron led Viren out of the trailer. They descended the steps, and Nevron stopped. ¡°I am going to leave now, but over there is the other guards.¡± He pointed to three people. ¡°I guess¡­ bye.¡± He turned and left. Viren watched him go. Then he started walking to where the other guards were. ¡®I guess I should see what being a caravan guard is all about.¡¯ He approached the three men.

    ¡°So, this is the new hire?¡± The one that spoke was dressed in plain clothes, but had a broadsword slung across his back and an eyepatch with a winding scar peeking out from below it. The second was dressed in leather and a chainmail tunic. He had a short sword on his belt and greying hair and looked to be the oldest of the three. The third was bald, had dark skin, and two small axes crossed on his back.

    ¡°Looks like it,¡± the older one said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°And how old are you, for that matter,¡± the one with the battle axes chimed in.

    ¡°My name is Viren.¡± He ignored the question about his age. ¡°What are your names?¡±

    The old one spoke first. ¡°My name is Valor.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Darmer,¡± the one with the eyepatch said. The third one spoke last.

    ¡°I am Thorn.¡±

    ¡°Alright. What are we supposed to do here?¡± Valor answered Viren¡¯s question.

    ¡°Well, obviously we guard against bandit attacks, but we also break up any fights that happen between merchants and keep dissatisfied customers from acting out. In order to better protect the caravan, we divvy out jobs such as scouting and patrolling up and down the caravan line.¡± The other two nodded.

    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Thorn said, ¡°We need to redistribute the jobs now that we have a new guy.¡±

    ¡°Simple enough.¡± Darmer crossed his arms lazily. ¡°Valor and Viren scout today when the caravan starts, and me and Thorn patrol the line. We switch every day.¡± They fell into silence. Thorn sat down and started sharpening his axes. The rest of sat down as well, and Valor passed some jerky around. Viren observed the caravan, familiarizing himself with the people, wagons, and animals.

    Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, presumably preparing to start the caravan train. A couple of people were preparing the horses, and everywhere he looked there were merchants and their staff closing trunks, tying bundles, and loading their wares into wagons and trailers. As he watched, Taron exited his trailer and gave some orders to his staff. A few other merchants rushed up to him and started talking. Everyone treated him with respect. It was clear who the owner of this caravan was.

    Merchant caravans were a bit different than, say, gypsy caravans, which had no solid leader and tended to just wander around wherever, going with the flow. Merchant caravans always had an owner, who started and managed the caravan. They required a tax for traveling with the caravan, and in exchange provided protection and almost guaranteed profit. Caravan leaders tended to be successful merchants who had a lot of contacts and a good reputation, so anyone traveling in their caravan would be bound to sell something. Viren hadn¡¯t heard of the Thendall caravan before, but then again, he didn¡¯t know of any caravans, so the Thendall caravan was probably well known and very successful, based on the well maintained and probably expensive wagons and trailers. With the way Taron acted and held himself it would be more surprising if he wasn¡¯t successful.

    Soon all the goods were loaded up and the horses were being hooked up to the trailers and wagons. The other three guards stood up and stretched. ¡°Looks like its time to start,¡± Darmer said. After he said that Taron gave a command and one of his employees started his trailer. It slowly began moving, with the others starting to move behind it. There was a little bit of shouting between wagons, but other than that the start was seamless. Soon the caravan was stretched out in a long line and starting to pick up speed. It was slow enough that people could still keep up with it on foot, and many people walked beside their wagon or with friends.

    ¡°Alright,¡± said Valor. ¡°Time to assign tasks. Me and Viren will scout ahead of the caravan, and you two can patrol along it.¡± Thorn and Darmer nodded. Thorn began walking to the end of the caravan, and Darmer gave a mock salute to Valor before heading to the front. ¡°Ok new guy,¡± Valor said once the others left. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

 Chapter Twelve

    Once Viren and Darmer got to the head of the caravan, Darmer stopped and addressed Viren. ¡°Do you know how to scout?¡±

    ¡°Check the surrounding area for any potential threats or out of the ordinary things?¡±

    ¡°Yup. You want the forest or the road and surrounding fields?¡± ¡®Well, don¡¯t even have to think about that one.¡¯

    ¡°Forest.¡± Darmer nodded without saying anything and started jogging further ahead. Viren followed his example and jogged into the forest. ¡®I¡¯d better scout a little way ahead, but stay near the tree line, in case the caravan is attacked.¡¯ He slowed to a walk as he entered the forest, keeping his eyes peeled. As the minutes went on, he allowed himself to relax a little. He remained diligent, observing his surroundings, pausing to tilt his head or look around whenever he heard a twig snap, or a bird fly off.

    He covered about six miles before deciding to go back, and by the time he returned to the caravan it was evening and they were setting up camp. ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted when he found Thorn and Darmer. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how long I was supposed to scout for, so I just came back.¡± They were setting up a fire, and Thorn answered him.

    ¡°You came back at a good time. Usually, Valor would be back by now, but the fields are nice and flat, so he probably went on a bit longer.¡± Sure enough, thirty minutes later Valor returned to camp. He sat down by the fire and stretched out, cracking some of his bones as he did so.

    ¡°Ah, nice to be back in sort of civilization. I am exhausted.¡± He barely looked a little nappish. ¡°You guys have fun standing watch tonight!¡± Viren blinked. ¡®Standing watch?¡¯ Valor noticed. ¡°Oh yeah, whoever patrolled the caravan that day keeps watch at night too.¡±

    ¡°Alright. One more question. Where do we get our food?¡± Darmer laughed.

    ¡°One of Taron¡¯s employees usually cooks a big pot of stew. It¡¯s free to the merchants in the caravan, but it isn¡¯t exactly luxury dining, so many of them cook their own meals. We can eat from there too, except we made deals for it in our contracts,¡± he said. ¡°I managed to negotiate for four meals a day.¡± Viren choked.

    ¡°Four!?¡± Valor shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he did it. All I know is that I¡¯m glad he¡¯s a mercenary and not a merchant.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thorn sighed. ¡°I only managed two.¡±

    ¡°Well, nice to know I¡¯m not the only one eating two meals a day.¡±

    ¡°Heh, yes. We can both be bad at bartering together,¡± he said with a wry smile.

    ¡°I hate to change the subject,¡± Valor started, ¡°But is there any chance one of you will grab my food for me?¡± Darmer gave him a side eye.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. Valor threw back his head and sighed for five whole seconds.

    ¡°None of you guys have any respect for your elders. Come on, lets go get dinner.¡±

    ¡­

    They walked to one of the blazing fires. Someone was standing next to the fire and hung over it was a huge black pot. A thick, hearty smell wafted up from it. They got in line behind some other people, probably employees of Taron¡¯s. When it was their turn, they each got a wooden bowl, and the cook plopped a ladle full of stew into them. Then they walked back over to their little fire and sat down to eat.

    Viren examined the stew in the bowl. Floating in a thick, brown gravy was some cubes of meat (what kind?), some cabbage, and chunks of what seemed to be carrot. He took a slurp (the cook didn¡¯t give them spoons,) and chewed it thoughtfully. ¡®It¡¯s nearly tasteless. Which is probably a blessing, it could taste terrible.¡¯ In all honesty, it wasn¡¯t too bad. The carrots added a nice crunch, and the meat wasn¡¯t too chewy. The cabbage wasn¡¯t moldy. Overall¡­ it wasn¡¯t good, but it also wasn¡¯t bad. Kinda just in between. ¡®There¡¯s probably a metaphor somewhere in that.¡¯ Darmer¡¯s voice interrupted his musings.

    ¡°Are you done contemplating that stew?¡± Viren pulled his best philosopher¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said in a solemn voice, ¡°But there is much to be contemplated in this stew.¡± Darmer chuckled.

    ¡°And is that good or bad?¡±

    ¡°Neither. Just like this stew.¡±

    The four of them bantered for a while longer. Well, Darmer and Viren talked a lot. Valor was quiet, and Thorn was idly juggling some throwing knives. Just before sunset Nevron came over to them.

    ¡°I have your wages,¡± he said, and passed out some coins.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Viren said. ¡°So, is it like today every day?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. Usually I¡¯m pretty busy learning how to run the caravan.¡±

    ¡°Cool. How often do we stop at cities?¡±

    ¡°Pretty often. Its rare for us to be on the road for more than a week at a time.¡± He paused. ¡°You went scouting today, right?¡± Viren nodded. ¡°So tomorrow, when you patrol the caravan, I¡¯ll show you what roads we take and where we stop next.¡±

    ¡°Really? Thanks!¡± Nevron smiled.

    ¡°See you tomorrow, then.¡± He waved and walked deeper into the camp circle. Viren added the 17 coins to his other coins. Thorn and Valor went to sleep, and Darmer got up with a sigh to keep watch. He would patrol around the circle to make sure no one snuck in anywhere, and at midnight he would wake up Thorn for his turn.

    Viren laid back and stared up at the stars. He¡¯d successfully gotten free of Kastra, and now that he was leaving Edgedale he could start building a life for himself. He closed his eyes. ¡®A life for myself, huh¡­¡¯ As he drifted off to sleep, deep inside something told him he would have to face his past somehow, sooner or later.

    ¡­

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    The next morning, Viren woke bright and early. Early enough to watch the sunrise, in fact. He was the first one of the guards up, except for Thorn, who was busy patrolling the circle. The caravan would depart for the day later that morning, after breakfast.

    Viren decided to wander around the camp and familiarize himself with some of the servants and employees. Many of them were waking up, some to feed the animals, others to do the various tasks assigned to them before it was time to go. He saw one person washing laundry, and another preparing breakfast. He took a breath in of the crisp morning air and started walking to the edge of the circle. He circled around the various tents making up the inside of the camp and slipped between two caravans.

    The sunrise cast a beautiful array of orange and pink across the sky, which soon gave way to a bright blue that promised wonderful weather. The caravan was traveling a little way away from the edge of a forest, and on the other side of the road they were traveling on were grasslands that covered miles and miles of land. Viren leaned against one of the wagons and just watched the sky until the sun was fully risen. Then he went back into the camp to get breakfast.

    He met up with the other three guards in the breakfast line, and together they were served a thick porridge. It was sweetened with sugar, probably to disguise the fact that it tasted like nothing without it. Viren ate it as quickly as possible because the merchants were getting ready to start. Not five minutes after he finished and returned the bowl to the cook the cry went out to start the wagons. They pulled out, stretching into a long line. Darmer and Thorn left to scout shortly after.

    Valor immediately started walking to the back of the caravan. ¡®Guess that means I get the front.¡¯ Viren started walking up the line. He didn¡¯t know exactly what he was supposed to do on patrol, but he figured it would be easy enough. ¡®Just walk up and down the caravan, right? There can¡¯t possibly be much more than that.¡¯ Easy as the job was, he made sure to keep his eyes peeled for any threats to the caravan. Remembering what Valor said, he also kept an eye out for fights among the travelers, but it was more likely for an argument to break out when they were camped. It took just over half an hour to walk the entire caravan line. He was in the middle of walking it for the fifth time when Nevron ran up to him.

    ¡°Viren! Did you still want to talk about the route we¡¯re taking?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Nevron slowed when he reached Viren and started walking beside him. He unfolded a map about an arm¡¯s length wide and a forearm¡¯s length long. It was a map of Aureum.

    ¡°Lets see¡­¡± He said. ¡°We are riiighhht¡­ here!¡± He pointed to a spot on the map near the city marked Edgedale. ¡°And our route is right up here, all the way to Blucitu City.¡± He traced a road with his finger.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Viren said. ¡°Isn¡¯t this forest usually occupied by the Dark Lord¡¯s forces?¡± He¡¯d studied enough of Kastra¡¯s various battle maps and listened to enough conversations between soldiers to know that this forest was filled with his people.

    ¡°Well, yes, we¡¯ve heard reports that this area has a lot of activity where the Dark Lord is involved¡­ But we should be fine, as we aren¡¯t traveling in the forest itself, only right outside of it.¡± Viren eyed Nevron skeptically. That reasoning was shaky at best, and complete hogwash at worst. ¡®But I¡¯m not exactly looking to get on Taron¡¯s bad side by telling him how to run his caravan¡­ lets just hope nothing happens.¡¯ He decided to change the subject.

    ¡°How long is your entire route?¡± Nevron grinned.

    ¡°Well, the Thendall caravan prides itself on traveling throughout almost the entire kingdom!¡± He used his finger to trace a long, wandering path that went all over the map, talking as he did. ¡°The fact that we stop in Edgedale speaks to how dedicated we are, because it¡¯s the last city on the southern side of the kingdom. We stop at all of the major cities, many of the medium and small ones, and even at some towns!¡±

    ¡°Woah.¡± Nevron nodded.

    ¡°Yep. Our entire circuit takes about two and a half years.¡±

    ¡°How long has the caravan been around for?¡±

    ¡°My father started it seven years ago. When he first announced how long his route would be, people called him crazy. It¡¯s one of the reasons why he¡¯s so successful and famous. He¡¯s the only one who reaches this many places!¡±

    ¡°Man, your dad¡¯s crazy in one of the best ways.¡± Nevron laughed.

    ¡°You can say that again. It¡¯s my dream to follow in his footsteps. For a while he made me learn other things, like how to wield a sword or cook food, just to make sure inheriting his empire was what I really wanted.¡±

    ¡°You can use a sword?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He folded the map back up once it became apparent he had no more need of it. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it though.¡±

    ¡°Neither was I when I first started. It took me forever to figure out even the basic stances!¡±

    ¡°When did you start learning?¡±

    ¡°When I was ten.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s young, I started when I was thirteen.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not exactly the epitome of manhood either.¡± Nevron laughed, and Viren laughed with him.

    ¡°Well, I have to get back to work, but it was nice talking to you. Maybe we can talk more tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yeah sure!¡± Nevron nodded to him and walked off to count fabric or file taxes or whatever it was that merchants did. Viren smiled and patrolled with renewed vigor. ¡®I wonder if I can count Nevron as a friend.¡¯ He thought about their conversation, how they met, and the various interactions they¡¯ve had. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure that counts as a friend.¡¯ He smiled brightly, happy to have made a friend, maybe even his first one.

    Viren patrolled the caravan into the late afternoon. ¡®I¡¯ve lost track of how many times I have walked up and down the line.¡¯ Perhaps it could have been considered repetitive, even boring, but Viren was just glad for the chance to relax a little. Then he heard a shout and spied two merchants arguing five wagons ahead of him.

    He ran over to see what the problem was. The two arguing merchants were glaring at each other and bickering. Then one of them spotted Viren. He was a portly fellow, with a distinguished brown mustache. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the new caravan guard, yes?¡± He continued without waiting for an answer. ¡°Perhaps you can resolve our argument.¡±

    ¡°Uh, what seems to be the problem?¡± The second merchant, a man with curly brown hair and a button nose, answered Viren¡¯s question.

    ¡°Well, this man right here refuses to accept the fact that that,¡± here he pointed at a dog trotting alongside the wagon train, ¡°is my dog.¡± The other one scoffed.

    ¡°Please, that poor feller came to me looking half-starved and begging for a bite of my food.¡± The button nose merchant growled in fury.

    ¡°NO! he comes to me every night when we build camp for his dinner.¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous. I¡¯m the one that gives it it¡¯s evening meal.¡± While they continued to argue Viren looked at the dog that was trotting a few feet away. Its tongue lolled out as it plodded along, looking like the happiest dog in the world. ¡®That creature,¡¯ he thought, ¡®has the look of a scoundrel who has stumbled into a banquet full of gullible nobles.¡¯

    He walked over to the next wagon and motioned to the servant driving it. ¡°Have you seen that dog before?¡± he pointed to the dog.

    ¡°Why, yes, I have. He comes to me every night for his dinner.¡±

    ¡°Ok, thanks.¡± He asked the same thing of the wagon ahead of that, and this time the woman driving it said she gave him his breakfast every morning. He slapped a hand to his forehead, thanked the woman, and trotted back to the two arguing merchants. ¡®Wait. How the heck do I convince these guys of the truth?¡¯

    ¡°Gentlemen, I think I have figured out the solution.¡± They both turned to him, red and sweating with frustration. ¡®Wow, they got really worked up about this.¡¯

    ¡°Well? What is it?¡± Viren took a deep breath.

    ¡°The solution is¡­ This fine dog has simply adopted both of you as it¡¯s owners.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± The portly gentleman looked shocked.

    ¡°What could you possibly mean by that?¡± the other asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The dog, being an animal, does not abide by human rules or logic. It makes perfect sense for it to have two owners and double the love.¡± ¡®Double the dinner as well,¡¯ he added mentally.

    The two merchants looked at each other, turning the idea over in their heads.

    ¡°Well,¡± said the button-nosed man slowly, ¡°I suppose that does make sense.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the other declared, ¡°I shall share this fine dog with my fellow merchant.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he sighed, ¡°I suppose that will suffice.¡± Just at that moment the dog woofed, and the timing was so perfect it was as if the dog agreed, and the two merchants beamed, happy they had done right by their beloved animal.

 Chapter 13

    A couple of days passed, and Viren started settling into caravan life. Keeping watch wasn¡¯t too hard (especially when you had night vision), and he was becoming fast friends with Nevron. It was dinnertime right now, and Viren was eating with Valor and the others. They were joking and talking about life as a mercenary. Viren didn¡¯t have a lot to add.

    ¡°So,¡± started Valor, ¡°How did you become a mercenary, Viren?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know,¡± he responded. Valor raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You know, refusing to answer just makes you look suspicious,¡± he said. Viren shrugged.

    ¡°I was going for mysterious, but whatever.¡± Valor shook his head. Darmer stretched and yawned.

    ¡°Well, I am going to sleep now. Have fun on watch duty.¡± Soon the others were fast asleep. Viren was on first watch, and he got up to patrol around the camp.

    As he circled the inside of the camp circle, he enjoyed the peace of nature. The moon glowed boldly, and the wind sang as it blew through the fields. The stars winked and twinkled, almost like they were dancing to the wind¡¯s tune.

    Then he reached the edge of the circle and caught a glance of the forest through the wagons. He frowned. ¡®I can¡¯t get the thought that we are in danger out of my head.¡¯ Being this close to where Kastra¡¯s forces hung out made him uneasy, sure, but it wasn¡¯t that. He sighed. ¡®Nothing I can do, I suppose. Even if I left, no one would come with me and they¡¯d be in danger anyway, except with one less person to protect them.¡¯

    ¡­

    ¡°Alright kid, ready for another long day of scouting?¡± Viren and Valor were at the front of the caravan.

    Someone shouted before Viren could answer. It came from the head trailer. Viren whirled and ran to the very front, Valor not far behind him. Taron had been the one to shout. With good reason too, because blocking the caravan¡¯s path was a group of men armed with swords and dressed in black armor. Viren immediately drew his sword, eyes narrowed. ¡®So much for hoping we wouldn¡¯t run into Kastra¡¯s army.¡¯ The soldiers had been advancing on Taron¡¯s caravan when Viren arrived, and they now turned their attention to him.

    Behind him, Valor gave a shrill whistle. It would let the others know something was wrong. Then he drew his sword as well. They stepped out a few feet in front of the trailer and waited. The soldiers didn¡¯t hesitate and rushed towards Viren and Valor. When they were close, Viren jumped into their midst and started fighting.

    He was able to quickly knock out one by slamming the hilt of his sword into his head before they could react. Then he stepped out of the way of one soldier¡¯s stab and parried another¡¯s slash. Valor was at his back. Viren didn¡¯t have time to think, so his training took over. Three soldiers came at him at once, and he parried one and dodged the other two. Quick as lightning he responded with a downward slash to the one on the right, knocking the soldier¡¯s sword away and probably taking a few of his fingers.

    The soldier cried out in surprise and pain, and Viren kicked him away before he had time to recoup. Another soldier immediately took the place of the one Viren took out and stabbed toward him. Viren ducked under and around it, moving behind the soldier quickly and swung at him. It clanged against his armor without causing any real damage, but it knocked him off balance. Then Viren circled around him and swung the flat part of his blade at one of the other soldiers closest to him, hitting his chin.

    ¡°Uhff-¡± His cry was cut short by Viren ramming into him shoulder first to avoid another sword swinging at him. The soldier went down and Viren rolled back to his feet and stomped on the soldier¡¯s face to knock him out.

    Then he was forced to quickly parry another slash, and exchanged a couple blows with another enemy. He heard another one coming up behind him and dodged out of the way. He wasn¡¯t fast enough, and the soldier¡¯s sword cut his shoulder. Viren grimaced but made use of the opening. He got up into the soldier¡¯s guard and¡­ punched him in the face. It was hard enough to send the soldier reeling, but it didn¡¯t knock him out. Viren danced back a few steps and swung his sword at the soldier¡¯s helmeted head with all his might. With a mighty clang the soldier fell.

    Then a loud yell broke through the fighting. Viren saw Darmer and Thorn. Darmer had yelled. Thorn was as silent as a shadow. A very intense shadow. Between those Valor and Viren had already taken out and the added support of Darmer and Thorn, the battle was over within minutes.

    Thorn knelt down and started removing the soldier¡¯s armor and Darmer followed with a rope to tie them up. Valor leaned on his sword tiredly. ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± he said to Viren, ¡°even with that rubbish sword.¡± Viren nodded, taking in his partner. Valor was bleeding from a stab wound to the stomach and several cuts. ¡®I was lucky to only get away with a cut to my shoulder.¡¯ Then Taron walked up to them, with Nevron close behind.

    Taron eyed the situation before turning to bark out some orders. ¡°Get someone to treat guard Valor¡¯s wounds. After he¡¯s been attended to treat the soldiers with more serious wounds as well. We¡¯ll turn them in at the next city for a bounty.¡±

    While Taron was giving orders Nevron walked up to Viren. ¡°Are you ok?¡± he asked. Viren nodded again.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing some disinfectant and bandages can¡¯t fix.¡±

    The two walked over to a quieter spot, and Viren started digging through his bag in search of the medical kit he bought back in Edgedale. Finding the kit, he started examining the wound. ¡°Looks like a clean cut. Not too deep either. Should heal quickly.¡± He frowned. ¡°Its too bad about the shirt though.¡± It was torn badly where the cut was and bloodstained. Nevron raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s the shirt you¡¯re worried about?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you try being broke,¡± Viren retorted. Nevron scoffed.

    ¡°You¡¯re hardly broke anymore, just stingy.¡± Viren rolled his eyes.

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    Once he finished bandaging the cut, Viren and Nevron headed back to where the scene of the battle was. Taron was talking with the other guards. His arms were crossed, and he had a grim look on his face. Valor was there too, despite his injury.

    Viren and Nevron walked up to them. ¡°What¡¯re we going to do next?¡± Nevron asked. Taron shifted and sighed.

    ¡°For now, we head to the next city as usual,¡± he said, ¡°but we¡¯ll need to change our route.¡±

    ¡°Is it safe to continue traveling this road?¡± asked Nevron.

    ¡°It should be alright,¡± Valor answered. ¡°We¡¯re nearly at the end of the forest border. At this point it would be more dangerous to turn back.¡± Nevron nodded and didn¡¯t say anymore. Taron spoke again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want the caravan guards scouting anymore until we are away from the forest border. You¡¯ll all stay at the caravan and take a night shift.¡± Valor nodded.

    ¡°Understood,¡± he said.

    ¡°Understood,¡± the other three repeated.

    ¡­

    The Academy is a neutral establishment that is sponsored by almost every kingdom on the continent. With a diverse student body consisting of Fay, Elves, Humans, and many more, every student is welcomed, regardless of station or species.

    We provide many scholarship options for students unable to pay the school fees¡­

    Starla put down the brochure. ¡°I don¡¯t need to read this, it¡¯s all common knowledge.¡± King Treion looked at her hopefully. Khastri took the discarded brochure and began reading it.

    ¡°What do you think,¡± he said gently. Starla shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind going. It will be a nice change of pace, I suppose.¡± Her uncle smiled.

    ¡°Great,¡± he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to put in an application for you before you agreed, but now I¡¯ll send it in.¡± Starla nodded.

    ¡°When do I leave?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The school year starts in a month, so you¡¯ll have some time to prepare.¡± Treion answered. He stood. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you Starla. You''re growing up into a beautiful young woman right before my eyes, inside and out.¡± He smiled sadly, his usually jolly eyes crinkling around the corners. ¡°Your parents¡­ they would be so proud of you.¡± For a moment his eyes went somewhere far away, as if imagining his brother¡¯s happy grin, his sister-in-law¡¯s proud smile.

    ¡°Thank you, uncle,¡± Starla said softly. He nodded and strode out of the study. Khastri dropped the brochure back onto the table.

    ¡°This Academy sounds fun,¡± he mused. ¡°Almost wish I could have gone there. You think they might have chosen a better name though.¡± Starla reclined back into the sofa.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a boarding school, so I¡¯ll live there until the mid-year break.¡± Khastri yawned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll just show up unannounced every now and then to keep you company.¡± Starla rolled her eyes. ¡°All jokes aside,¡± Khastri continued seriously, ¡°We can write, and there are plenty of visiting opportunities with all the festivals and fancy events they host.¡± Starla¡¯s eyebrows rose.

    ¡°Festivals? Fancy events? Where did you hear that?¡± she asked. He held up the brochure smugly. She huffed and looked away. Khastri laughed.

    ¡°What nothing to say?¡± he teased. He started flipping through the brochure until he found what he was looking for. He held it out, showing a picture of four smiling girls. ¡°Maybe you could make some new friends. You know, ones that aren¡¯t your cousin and years older than you.¡± She swatted at him, and he ducked back.

    ¡°Hey, I have lots of friends other than you,¡± she said loudly. ¡°You know, like Jan,¡±

    ¡°Who is your teacher,¡± Khastri said wryly,

    ¡°Marise,¡± she continued,

    ¡°The head cook,¡± he said,

    ¡°Mizri,¡± she said, ignoring Khastri.

    ¡°who is also Dad¡¯s advisor,¡± he said. Starla broke off and glared at him. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s almost like you need to socialize with people your own age more,¡± he finished, and crossed his arms triumphantly.

    ¡­

    ¡°Viren. Your turn.¡± Viren flinched awake. He opened his eyes to see Thorn standing over him. He exhaled and got to his feet. Thorn nodded at him and went to his sleeping bag. Viren stretched his arms over his head and started walking around the camp. Once he had done a loop or two, he stopped.

    Closing his eyes, he just listened. The cool night air brushed his skin, and he heard the soft munching of the few animals awake. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance. He stood still and a sort of peace washed over him. It felt like flying high, high above the clouds, where no one could touch him, where he was surrounded by sky and nothing else, where he could finally feel safe. He just stood there for a few moments, fully aware of the smallest details all around him, and yet fully consumed by the peace.

    ¡°Viren,¡± someone whispered. ¡°Viren, are you out here?¡± He opened his eyes and looked around. A few feet away stood Nevron. He was whisper-calling to Viren and straining his eyes to look for him in the dark. He was also facing the wrong direction.

    Viren silently stole up behind him. ¡°What are you doing awake at this hour?¡± he whispered. Nevron yelped- though quietly, to his credit- and turned quickly.

    ¡°Viren! There you are,¡± he said. ¡°And in answer to your question, I am looking for you. Though it seems like you found me first.¡± Viren smiled but said nothing. Nevron coughed. ¡°Well, you are on shift right now, so shall we continue patrolling?¡± Viren nodded and they started walking. ¡®Wait a minute, how did he know when my shift was?¡¯

    ¡°How did you know I would be on shift?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, I obviously listened to you when you guys assigned shifts.¡± Viren frowned.

    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t notice you.¡± Nevron snorted.

    ¡°Yeah, well you¡¯re not the only one who can be sneaky, Mister Shadow Man,¡± he said.

    ¡°Do you have a literal shadow affinity?¡±

    ¡°Um, no.¡± Nevron¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, do you?¡± When Viren nodded he gasped slightly. ¡°You never told me you had magic!¡± He paused. ¡°Does this technically make me superior to you since I didn¡¯t have magic to help me?¡± Viren gave him a look.

    ¡°No.¡± Nevron rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Well anyway,¡± he said, ¡°I wanted to ask you, do you think we¡¯ll be in any more danger before we leave Kastra¡¯s territory?¡± The question took Viren by surprise, and he thought about it for a few minutes.

    ¡°No,¡± he said finally. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We might be a pretty target, but Kastra isn¡¯t hurting for funds and the commander in charge of this area is just a few steps away from incompetent. He¡¯s probably only just realized that a scout group is missing.¡± Nevron gave him a sideways glance.

    ¡°You sure seem to be familiar with the Dark Lord and how he works.¡± Viren looked away. ¡®Sloppy.¡¯ They continued in silence for a couple of minutes. Nevron didn¡¯t push the observation. When they reached the edge of the camp Viren looked at him out of the corner of his eye. ¡®I can''t risk telling anyone, can I?¡¯ He thought back to all their interactions over the course of Viren¡¯s employment. ¡®But¡­ I can trust him, right? He¡¯s my friend.¡¯ Viren sighed.

    ¡°I¡­ am a deserter,¡± he said quietly. Nevron looked at him and hummed a question. ¡°Of Kastra¡¯s army,¡± he explained. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ you know.¡± Nevron stuck his hands in his pockets and looked deep in thought.

    ¡°Well,¡± he finally said, ¡°this doesn¡¯t actually change the way I see you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good. I guess.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute. How did you even get into Kastra¡¯s army in the first place? You¡¯re like, twelve.¡± Viren elbowed Nevron.

    ¡°My heart is broken. And I wasn¡¯t exactly a foot-soldier. Trust me, the less you know about that the better.¡± Something growled and they both paused, tense. Then the dog (that rascal), barked and some kid shushed him. Nevron and Viren looked at each other and chuckled, then continued patrolling.

    ¡°To be honest,¡± Viren continued, ¡°I could have run away at any time. At least a lot sooner than I actually did.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Nevron asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I was too afraid. Maybe I was too lazy, or comfortable, as crazy as that sounds. All I know is it finally reached a breaking point, and I either left or spent the rest of my life loyal to him.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you chose to desert. Even though we¡¯ve only known each other for a little bit, you¡¯re already the closest friend I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Viren grinned.

    ¡°That¡¯s just evidence that you need more of a social life.¡± Nevron shook his head and mumbled something under his breath.

 Chapter fourteen

    Starla crossed her arms as she examined the daggers before her. ¡°This one is of especially luxurious quality, My Lady,¡± the shopkeeper offered, pointing to a tiny dagger with a huge ruby in the hilt. She frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather something more¡­ functional,¡± she said. She needed something she could actually fight with. She examined the daggers again. ¡°How about that one,¡± she said pointing to a dagger with a simple silver hilt and floral engravings. The blade was no more than four inches long. It was thin though, more of a needle rather than a blade.

    ¡°This one is not good for combat,¡± the shopkeeper said. ¡°It¡¯s designed for stabbing.¡± Starla wanted something that would be good in an emergency, in case her magic was unavailable. Something that could parry and hold its own against even a short sword. Not that she could wield a dagger that well, actual weapons were Khastri¡¯s thing.

    ¡°If you want something for combat,¡± the shopkeeper continued, ¡°I would recommend that one.¡± He pulled the dagger he was referring to out of the glass case where the rest were and laid it on the counter before Starla.

    It had a hilt that looked to be made of silver at first glance, but shined in a pearly mixture of blue, white, and lavender. The blade was shiny steel and double edged. Like the other dagger, it was about four inches in length, though much thicker in width. A good weapon. Starla nodded.

    ¡°How much for that one?¡± she asked.

    ¡°75 coin,¡± the shopkeeper said. Starla reached into her belt pouch and got a Hundred. The shopkeeper gave her a Twenty and a Five back. She sheathed the dagger and left the shop. Outside, the sun was high in the sky. ¡®I can probably hit one or two more shops before heading home.¡¯

    She was in one of the most exclusive shopping districts in Valient, Aurum¡¯s capital city. It was known as the Gold Block, and only the nobles and the richest merchants shopped here. She didn¡¯t usually spend a lot of money, but she needed a good shopping day.

    So far, she had bought a fancy shawl beaded with pearls and opals, a history book, a book about the Fay kingdom, and a relatively simple silk dress imported from the Elven kingdom. Elven politics might suck, but they had great fashion senses. ¡°All right, where next?¡± she rubbed her hands together, and recalled hearing about a new jewelry shop all the noble ladies were fawning over. ¡°Some new earrings might be nice,¡± she said, and started in the direction of the shop, stopping every now and then to tip a particularly good musician or street performer.

    ¡­

    ¡°LAND HO!¡± Came the call. Viren raised an eyebrow at Thorn. Thorn shrugged.

    ¡°WILL YOU STOP SHOUTING THAT EVERYTIME WE REACH A SETTLEMENT,¡± another voice shouted. Viren shook his head. ¡®Merchants.¡¯

    After the attack they hurried out of the dangerous territory. Once they were safe, they slowed their pace a little, but not too much. A couple of days had passed, and now the caravan was in sight of Nuem, a craft city. Viren was hoping to buy a new sword.

    As of now they were about a mile away. Nuem, much like Edgedale, was surrounded by grassland. However, unlike Edgedale, there was nothing except grassland as far as the eye could see. No farms, forests, nothing. Nuem was a major import-export city, so they exported crafted goods and imported necessities and raw materials.

    That evening they set up camp right outside the city walls. In the morning some merchants would head into the city, but most would buy and sell right out of their trailers.

    After Viren got his dinner, he found Nevron. Nevron looked up from whatever he was doing with those papers (probably taxes or some other merchanty thing,) and greeted Viren.

    ¡°Hi!¡± he said. ¡°Are you excited for tomorrow?¡± Viren settled down next to him.

    ¡°If by that you mean looking intimidating and glaring at potential thieves, then no,¡± he said.

    ¡°Please,¡± Nevron responded, ¡°you¡¯re not going to be working all day. You¡¯ll get evenings off, and I¡¯ll show you around the city.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then maybe you can show me a good smithy. I need a new sword.¡± Viren gestured to the old, blunt sword sheathed at his waist to emphasize his statement.

    ¡°I know a couple good smithies,¡± Nevron said. ¡°But I also know some really good weapon shops. There¡¯s more variety when a shopkeeper buys from multiple smithies.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s cheaper to get it from the source,¡± Viren pointed out. Nevron sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only person I know who might possible be cheaper than a merchant.¡±

    ¡­

    The next morning, Viren woke up with the sun as usual. The only difference was that, today, every merchant in the caravan was either waking up with the sun as well, or already awake. The smell of breakfast was already working its way through the camp.

    As Viren walked toward breakfast, the camp was in such a hustle. Everywhere he looked people were rushing around, raising stalls, carrying merchandise, or murmuring about prices. It was ten times more chaotic than leaving Edgedale, and yet very organized.

    There was no line for breakfast as usual. Everyone had either already eaten or chosen to skip breakfast. As the sun fully rose the camp was transformed into a mini market. When the city gates opened for the day, people rushed out of the city to begin shopping.

    Valor strolled up to Viren. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s a really quick rundown of what we do on days like this. For the most part we patrol the ¡®market¡¯ for any trouble. If a merchant calls on you it¡¯s because there¡¯s a particularly rude customer, so usually it¡¯s enough to just stand there and look scary. Got it?¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Viren nodded. ¡°Yup,¡± he said. Valor clapped him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± he said in parting, and left. Viren stood observing for a second and started patrolling the ¡®market¡¯ as well.

    ¡­

    Viren caught the young shoplifter by the neck of his shirt. The boy squeaked and dropped the chocolates he had stolen, and a servant ran up to return them to the stall they were stolen from.

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to pay, you might as well leave the market,¡± Viren scolded. The kid nodded dejectedly. An older man came running up.

    ¡°Where have you been?!¡± he exclaimed. Then he noticed Viren. ¡°Not again,¡± he sighed. He took the kid by the hand and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, sir. It wont happen again.¡± The kid pouted.

    ¡­

    Yelling could be heard from one of the tents. Viren ran over to investigate. Inside the tent, a man with huge muscles and a thin mustache was threatening the portly merchant (the one who got in the argument over the rascal dog).

    ¡°I assure you, my good sir, that these prices are certainly fair,¡± the merchant was saying. The man with the mustache stepped forward.

    ¡°THOSE PRICES ARE RIDICULOUS!¡± he bellowed. The portly merchant gulped. Viren stepped forward.

    ¡°Sir,¡± he said loudly. The merchant sighed in relief. ¡°That is enough.¡± The man growled.

    ¡°This entire ¡®merchant caravan¡¯ is one big scam,¡± he said in a quieter voice. His fists clenched. Viren laid a hand on the hilt of his sword. The mustached man took the hint. He paused for a second, then stalked out of the tent, mumbling under his breath.

    ¡°Whew,¡± the merchant said in relief. Viren nodded and silently slipped out after the man. He would follow him out of the market to make sure he didn¡¯t make any more trouble.

    ¡­

    A young girl sat in the middle of the market wailing loudly. ¡°Hey,¡± Viren said softly, ¡°Are you ok?¡± She didn¡¯t seem to take any notice of him and continued wailing. ¡®I am so out of my league right now.¡¯ He desperately tried to think of what to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you chocolate if you stop crying,¡± he finally said. The girl sniffled.

    ¡°No,¡± she said in a very small voice. ¡°Chocolate is yucky and I hate it.¡± Someone passing by at this moment gasped loudly.

    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Viren asked. The girl sniffled again and burst into tears.

    ¡°Mammmmmmmm,¡± she wailed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, please. I¡¯ll help you find your mom,¡± Viren said quickly. The brave little girl hiccupped and rubbed her eyes. Viren took her hand and helped her to stand. ¡°What does your mom look like?¡± he asked.

    ¡°She has very long hair and is very tall and is a princess.¡± Viren stared down at the little girl for a second. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can trust that description,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Do you know your mom¡¯s name?¡± The girl nodded.

    ¡°Mam¡¯s name is Mam,¡± she said confidently. Viren thought for a moment. ¡®Surely the mom will notice her kid is missing, right?¡¯

    ¡°Ok,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re going to wait right here for your mom to come.¡±

    A few minutes later a lady of average height and hair of average length burst through the crowds. ¡°Marila!¡± she cried, almost in tears.

    ¡°MAMMMM!!!¡± the girl screamed happily and ran to hug her mother. The embraced and both burst into tears.

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness,¡± the lady blubbered through tears. ¡°Oh, thank goodness, I was so worried.¡±

    ¡­

    The afternoon sun was high in the sky and Viren was exhausted. The other guards looked tired as well, but as much so as Viren.  They were gathered to share reports and warn the others about suspicious people to watch out for. They had just finished and were about to head back to work.

    ¡°Tired?¡± Darmer asked Viren with a grin. Viren raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing (he was too exhausted to waste unnecessary words). Darmer laughed and slapped Viren¡¯s shoulder. Thorn shook his head at Darmer¡¯s antics.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Valor said with a small smile. ¡°This part of the job will get easier the more often you do it.¡± Viren groaned at the thought of more days like today. Valor clapped his hands together.

    ¡°Alright! Back to work, guys,¡± he said.

    Darmer gave a mock salute. ¡°Sir yes sir.¡±

    ¡­

    Finally, evening came, and the market was closed for the day. Viren flopped on his back by the fire and sighed quietly.

    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Nevron asked suddenly. Viren lifted his head.

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± Nevron ignored the question and nudged Viren with his toe.

    ¡°Come on. If you really want to find a good sword we should start now.¡± Viren hauled himself up.

    ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Lets be off.¡±

    They crossed the camp and entered the city. Though it was evening, the city was full of activity. At the city gates there were crates full of raw materials and multiple warehouses. Since they obviously didn¡¯t want anything in this area, they wandered deeper into the city.

    Beyond the front gates were lots of stores and small stalls. Merchants called out from the stalls, urging people to buy their wares. Viren was wide awake now. They wandered around the city with no particular direction, Nevron examining wares as they went along. It was almost funny. Whenever Nevron looked particularly impressed, Viren nodded his head and tried his best to look approving as well.

    As the sun started to set, candlelighters swarmed through the city, lighting lanterns. Most of the lanterns were plain, but some of them were in different colors. That mixed with the sun that hadn¡¯t quite set yet made the unique city a beautiful sight to behold. Eventually they came upon a small shop with a smithy directly next door. Hanging from both buildings was a sign that read:

    Melody Blacksmith

    ¡°There are some other good shops around the city, but this one has always been my favorite,¡± Nevron said as he opened the shop door and walked in. Viren caught the door before it shut and followed his friend inside.

    Inside the shop were rows and rows of knives, swords, shields, and lots of other fighting equipment. An older man sat at the counter. ¡°Well,¡± he said when he saw the customers, ¡°If it ain¡¯t a couple of whippersnappers! Try not to cut your hand off with these blades!¡± he cackled and leaned back in his chair.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t changed at all,¡± Nevron said with a grin. Viren raised an eyebrow at him and moved to look at the swords. He was debating between a sword that was longer and a tad thinner or a sword that was slightly shorter and a bit broader. He pulled them off the shelves and tested their weight, giving them a bit of a practice swing.

    ¡°Careful, sonny,¡± the old man warned. ¡°I don¡¯t want no mess to clean up, and these bones aren¡¯t too old to be chasing youngsters back to their mommas yet.¡± He popped a piece of hard candy into his mouth.

    Eventually Viren decided on the sword that was slightly longer and thinner. He took it to the counter and the old man sat up straight. He hummed and hawed before declaring, ¡°this one will be five hundred coin.¡± Viren¡¯s eyebrows shot up.

    ¡°What?¡± he said. The man cackled again.

    ¡°I jest,¡± he said, and pulled a small ledger from underneath the counter. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± he mumbled, licking his finger and turning the page. ¡°Swords¡­ Ah, here we go.¡± He looked up. ¡°It¡¯s sixty coin.¡±

    ¡°Non-negotiable?¡± Viren asked. The man nodded. ¡®Darn, there goes my plan of getting Nevron to barter for me.¡¯ He supposed it was a reasonable price for a good sword and fished the money out of his pouch. He handed it over and the old man gave him the sword. Luckily it fit pretty well inside his leather sheath once he tightened the straps.

    The man nodded to Viren¡¯s old sword. ¡°I can take that embarrassment of a sword off your hands for fifteen coin.¡± Viren nodded and handed the sword over, glad to be rid of it.

    The old man flashed them a toothy grin as they left the shop. ¡°Come again, I always love doing business with a couple of kiddies!¡±

 Chapter fifteen

    Weeks passed, and Viren worked hard. In nearly four weeks the caravan had hit three cities, four towns, and two small villages. In the villages and towns they didn¡¯t stay longer than one night, sometimes setting up, trading, and leaving in a single afternoon.

    They were about a day away from leaving their current stop, a city by the name of Darla. It was a smaller city with no particular gimmick. However, Viren wouldn¡¯t be leaving with the caravan. It was a good job that he had enjoyed, but he was ready to move on.

    Right now, he was walking around caravan as the merchants packed, wondering how to tell Nevron his plan. ¡®Eh, I¡¯ll just tell him. He¡¯ll get over it.¡¯ With that thought he continued patrolling (Nevron was impossible to find during ¡®work¡¯ hours). He would tell him that evening.

    ¡­

    Starla was debating between her trusty gold hilted dagger, or the one she had just bought a few weeks ago. ¡°Hmmmmm.¡± She glanced between the two, looking from one to the other and back again. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just bring them both.¡± She put them both in the pile she was making for things she had to bring to the Academy.

    Every student was told to bring no more than one trunk and a travel bag full of things from home. So far, she had packed a dress and a set of mage robes- the academy would provide uniforms- a couple of her favorite books, a few pieces of jewelry, and now the two daggers. The Academy basically provided everything you needed, so she didn¡¯t really know what else to pack. ¡®I guess I could ask Cook to pack me some food.¡¯ Actually, that wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    She crossed the room to her desk and grabbed some paper and a pen. She quickly scribbled a list of all the food she wanted to bring. Then she left her room in the direction of the kitchen.

    ¡­

    ¡°Cool, have fun.¡± Viren didn¡¯t know what reaction he was expecting from Nevron, but it sure wasn¡¯t that. ¡®I must have made a miscalculation. In every story I¡¯ve read, the goodbyes are always very dramatic.¡¯

    ¡°The Aureum Postal System keeps track of the Thendall Caravan, so we can keep in contact with letters,¡± Nevron continued. ¡°But,¡± he said seriously, laying a hand on Viren¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I would like to thank you¡­ for showing me that someone in existence is actually more socially inadept than me.¡±

    ¡°Will you stop with that; I am not that bad!¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Nevron said disbelievingly. Viren frowned and crossed his arms. He sat for a few minutes, contemplating life, before hauling himself to a standing position.

    ¡°Do I just go to your dad to tell him I¡¯m quitting?¡±

    Nevron shook his head. ¡°No. You just report to the senior guard, Valor, and leave.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s surprisingly simple,¡± Viren said.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try making a bunch of mercenaries comply with an actual system,¡± Nevron retorted. Viren shrugged in agreement. ¡°By the way,¡± Nevron continued, ¡°Darla isn¡¯t a good market for mercenaries. It¡¯s a smaller city, and the soldier outpost to the west is close enough to chase away any criminals.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Viren said. ¡°That would have been annoying to figure out on my own.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Nevron responded. Viren got up to leave. He had already packed his bag, so all he had to do was let Valor know he was leaving.

    ¡°Bye.¡±

    ¡°Bye.¡±

    ¡­

    Starla snapped her trunk shut with a sigh of relief. She had practically filled her entire trunk with various dried fruits, jerkies, spices, hot sauces, and other non¡ªperishable snacks. Now that she was finally done packing, she could relax. At least until tomorrow morning, when she would leave for the Academy.

    ¡°All ready?¡±

    Starla turned around to see Khastri standing in her doorway.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°I never knew packing for this would be so hard.¡± He laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s because, compared to most nobles, you¡¯re a minimalist,¡± he teased. She moved to sit on her bed, and he plopped into her desk chair. She gazed around her (huge) room.

    ¡°I wonder if they¡¯ll give me a roommate,¡± she said absentmindedly.

    ¡°I think it depends on how full they are,¡± Khastri responded. She hummed. They sat in comfortable silence.

    ¡°How are things with the Dark Lord situation?¡± she asked finally. Khastri sighed.

    ¡°As well as could be expected,¡± he said. ¡°the Elves want an alliance against him, but the other countries are being stubborn. They want more resources than they¡¯re worth.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Has he done anything recently?¡± Starla asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Khastri said. ¡°But,¡± he added after a moment, ¡°We¡¯ve gotten several reports of suspected spies in Edgedale and some of the surrounding towns.¡± His eyebrows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s odd. The Shadows we dispatched said that they weren¡¯t spying on the nobles or anything, and that there isn¡¯t anything of interest to him out there anyway.¡±

    Starla frowned as she thought. ¡®Edgedale is the closest city to the Dark Lord¡¯s fortress¡­ But what would he want there?¡¯

    ¡°Could he be preparing to invade that city?¡± she suggested.

    ¡°He might,¡± Khastri said, ¡°But he hasn¡¯t shown any interest in Edgedale before, and it looks like he¡¯s been more interested in conquering the Elves first, especially after his most recent defeat at our hands.¡± He shook his head.

    ¡°Sometimes you have to wonder what goes through that guy¡¯s head,¡± he said. ¡°What could possibly drive a person to be so¡­ so bad?¡±

    They fell into silence again, this time thinking about all Kastra had done. And for what? World domination? More power? Why would someone fall so deeply, refuse so stubbornly to fight for what¡¯s right? Why, oh why, did he have to hurt them all so terribly?

    She sighed sadly, then drew herself up. Perhaps Dark Lords would run rampant over the whole world. So what? Nothing would turn her from the path. Not evil, not ¡®hopelessness¡¯, nothing. When she met Khastri¡¯s gaze, fire flashed in her eyes. He smiled back at her, confidence once again filling his posture.

    ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± he said, getting up. ¡°you¡¯ll do great at the Academy.¡±

    ¡­

    It was only a couple hours till midnight. Viren had walked through Darla briefly before deciding to leave that same night. Now he snuck out of the city and went a little way away, where nobody would see him. He planned to spend the night flying, as he had done during his escape. Hopefully he would reach another city soon.

    He tromped through the tall grasses until the city was far enough away that he couldn¡¯t see the guards patrolling the city walls. Then he turned back into a dragon.

    With a flap of his wings, Viren flew up, and soon he left the ground far behind. He ascended higher, until he was level with the clouds. Then he dived. When the ground was in sight he broke out of the dive. It has given him momentum, and now he was soaring along very fast. Fields, then a lake, blurred beneath him.

    Viren closed his eyes. There was nothing in the air for him to run into unless a mountain sprouted out of nowhere. He was a creature of the wind and sky in this form, and more closely connected to nature than any human or elve or fay.

    He twisted in the air and flew just a little closer to the ground. He was kept in the air by his momentum and the wind, so he didn¡¯t have to flap his wings anymore. Rather, he just let himself soar along, and listened. It was quiet, but not silent. The wind whispered and sang.

    ¡®I need a map,¡¯ he thought suddenly. Right now, Viren was just planning to go to whatever city he came across next, but maybe he would go farther. Aureum had a few cities next to a sea that led to the ocean. It might be nice to settle by the sea. His water affinity worked best when he was near large bodies of water, especially the sea or ocean.

    Around midnight, when the moon was high in the sky, Viren flew over a city. It was smallish looking and surrounded by a pine forest. He didn¡¯t stop. Perhaps it was traveling with the Thendall caravan, or that it was his first time flying totally free from the clutches of Kastra, but he wanted to go farther, see what else there was.

    He wanted to go near the ocean, or wherever the wind took him. Hours past, and he only saw one other city. The deep dark blue of the night sky started to lighten, and the stars shone less brightly. The sun was not yet visible, but soon it would rise and Viren would have to land for the day.

    Then a shiver ran down his spine and the fins running down it twitched, and a moment later he smelt it. Sea. ¡®I traveled that far in one night?¡¯ It seemed that he had previously underestimated how fast he could go.

    At the smell of salt water Viren put on an extra bust of speed, and soon found himself soaring over the sea. He pulled up and flapped in place.

    The land abruptly dropped off and waves dashed against stark cliffs. Wildflowers peppered the open grasslands near the cliffs, and not three miles away a lush forest began that extended for miles. The sea was open and blue, and the pre-dawn light made it glimmer invitingly.

    Viren had only seen the sea once, at Kastra¡¯s battle against the king of Aureum, and never in his dragon form. He stared down into the waters¡­ and let himself fall. As he fell, he tucked his wings against his body and arranged himself into a diving position that felt instinctual.

    His snout pierced the water, and he slid seamlessly in with hardly a splash. He flipped his tail fin a little and it propelled him deeper into the water. There wasn¡¯t much to see, but that didn¡¯t matter. Just being in the water was pure joy. ¡®I could stay under for hours,¡¯ he thought gleefully.

    ¡­

    It was about seven in the morning. Most people were just beginning to wake up in Selsiboro, a bustling city right off the northern coast of Aureum. The northern coast was not a very significant place economically, though the view was amazing. The reason for this was that it was all high, dangerous cliffs. Sels was set on a place where the cliffs weren¡¯t so high, so the city was home to many fishermen and people enjoyed diving off the cliffs in the summer, when the water was less cold.

    Anyway, somewhere in the city was an inn. It was one of the better-known ones in the city. Jefairy, the owner¡¯s brother, was assigned the morning shift and was just beginning to take breakfast orders. Breakfast was always a busy time because lots of locals would pop in for a bite. Molly, Jefairy¡¯s sister-in-law, was an excellent cook.

    The windchimes over the door chimed as the door opened. A boy entered and walked straight to the counter. He might have been a local, except Jefairy had never seen him before. His hair was a bit damp, and he looked tired, though there was a twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°Breakfast for you?¡± Jefairy asked. The boy shook his head.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Just a room.¡± Jefairy glanced at him questioningly but didn¡¯t say anything as he handed a key to the boy.

    ¡°Room 11,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a single. I can change it if you want.¡±

    ¡°A single¡¯s good,¡± the boy said jokingly, ¡°seeing as there¡¯s only one of me.¡± Jefairy chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± he said. They¡¯d had two mercenary companies show up recently, and each had sent a single scout ahead to rent enough rooms for all of them. Just those two companies had taken up nearly all the rooms. The kid was lucky the inn had added a third floor last fall.

    ¡°How much for a week?¡± the boy asked.

    ¡°15 coin for a single,¡± Jefairy responded. The kid nodded and slid the money over the counter. Jefairy crouched to add the money to the coin drawer, and by the time he straightened the boy was gone.

 Chapter Sixteen

    Starla clutched the straps of the travel bag slung over her back. Behind her, two servants worked together to carry out her trunk. They were in the front courtyard where a carriage was waiting. It had a contractable roof, which was down currently because the day was so nice, so right now it looked like an extremely fancy wooden wagon.

    In front of the carriage stood Uncle Treion and Khastri. She speed-walked forward and wrapped both of them in a hug. Uncle Treion¡¯s strong bear hug combined with Khastri¡¯s iron grip made her almost regret hugging them both at once. Almost.

    The embrace ended and they said quick goodbyes. Khastri ruffled her hair and Uncle Treion quickly wiped a tear from his eye. She smiled and stepped into the wagon- carriage- and the driver bowed his head to her and snapped the reins. As they drove off, she turned around and saluted Khastri. With a wink and a grin, he saluted her right back before bending at the waist in a formal bow. She laughed and waved one last time before turning back forward, facing the journey ahead.

    ¡®I think¡­ I think this is the beginning of a brand-new chapter,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡­

    Viren woke up abruptly. Perhaps it was the loud noises coming from beneath the floor of his room. ¡®What is that?!¡¯ after a moment he identified it as laughter and voices. He got up with a ¡®mmph¡¯ and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t spend long waking up. Soon he slipped out his door and down the stairs. He hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to explore the inn much yesterday. The bottom floor consisted of a large central room, where the main counter and stairs were. On either side of the central room were two large wings extending out. One had a fireplace and some comfy chairs, and the other featured a shelf filled with various odds and ends. Both rooms were filled with tables and chairs. And people. Lots of people. ¡®Well, that explains the noise.¡¯

    A glance out the large windows in the central room told Viren that it was evening. He walked to the counter. There was a different person there than before. ¡°Some dinner, please.¡± The man behind the counter nodded and wrote something down in a small notebook. Viren left to find a seat.

    He chose to sit at the very end of one of the long tables in the right wing, the one with the shelf. He settled on the bench and a coupe minutes later a waitress came with his soup. While he ate, he contemplated what to do next.

    ¡®After dinner maybe I¡¯ll check out the city. Hopefully it¡¯s a good place for mercenary work.¡¯

    His thoughts were interrupted by a plate of chicken thunking down across from him. Viren looked up in surprise, meeting the eyes of the man who placed it. The man was tall, and very muscled. He was clean shaven and looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties. He also wore a black jacket. He nodded at Viren.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine sword you have there.¡± Something about his voice reminded Viren of Kauhea. Someone who was cruel for the sake of it and hurt others because they could. ¡°Do you know how to use it?¡± the man continued. Viren was silent for a moment, thinking.

    ¡°Somewhat,¡± he said. ¡°Though,¡± he added with a false chuckle, ¡°It certainly isn¡¯t my best skill.¡± The man laughed, though there was no mirth in the sound. Perhaps cruel amusement at the least.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± he said, ¡°Why¡¯s a youth like yourself sitting alone? Shouldn¡¯t you be surrounded by friends?¡± Viren shrugged but gave no answer.

    ¡°Who taught you to use the sword?¡± the man asked. Viren shrugged again and quickly drank the rest of his soup, chugging directly from the bowl. Then he got up to leave. ¡®I¡¯m definitely not hanging around this guy.¡¯ Unfortunately, the man moved to block him. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to get away from a bad smell,¡± Viren responded automatically. He winced inwardly. ¡®Well, there goes any chance to escape.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Not like it was likely in the first place.¡¯

    Meanwhile, the man¡¯s face hardened. His lips tightened, and his hands curled into fists. Viren took two steps to the side, making one last effort to avoid conflict, only to find himself boxed in by two more men, each different in appearance but also wearing a black jacket.

    With a table to his back and three men in front of him, there was only one more option. Viren lowered his stance slightly, ready to fight. The other men hadn¡¯t drawn their weapons, so he wouldn¡¯t either. Plus, his sword wouldn¡¯t be very helpful in such close quarters.

    The first man moved slightly, preparing to attack, so Viren lunged forward. His fist was centimeters from the man¡¯s face when one of the other men grabbed his wrist a whirled him around. Viren was about to twist and duck under his arm to escape when a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him backwards, out of the man¡¯s grip.

    Viren whirled around, fist already swinging. He caught the man who grabbed him square in the nose, and he reeled backwards, his hands flying to his face. Interestingly, this man didn¡¯t wear a black jacket like the other two.

    One of the black-jacket men behind him shouted and was likely about to throw another hit. The one who grabbed Viren¡¯s shoulder quickly straightened, a steady trickle of blood dripping from his nose. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he snapped loudly. Viren could sense the black-jacket men pausing. He took advantage of the moment to take a few steps back to where he could keep everyone in his sights.

    The black-jacket men glared hotly at the stranger, who glared back, but not with as much venom. Viren was nearly forgotten.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Stop meddling in situations that don¡¯t concern you,¡± one of the black-jacket men snapped.

    ¡°You stop threatening and ganging up on youngsters, then,¡± the other guy said back. People started gathering around the conflict. Black jackets intermingled with normally dressed people. Though, Viren noticed that everyone not wearing a black jacket had some sort of red and orange striped cloth on them. A cloth tied around a wrist here, a bandanna on the forehead there¡­

    Viren peered again at the stranger who pulled him backward. Sure enough, he had a red and orange striped handkerchief peeking out of one pocket. ¡®I must have walking into some sort of gang conflict.¡¯ He blinked. ¡®Or started one.¡¯

    Viren clenched his fists tighter. It was clear he was the only one without some sort of allegiance to a group. That meant, if some sort of bar fight started, he would be at a sore disadvantage.

    A huge man with slick black hair broke through the crowd. He was wearing a black coat. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, men?¡± he asked. The first man nodded respectfully -so the new guy was the leader, then- and pointed to Viren.

    ¡°This youth insulted me,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Well then,¡± the black-haired man said, ¡°It truly is meddling this Tiger Claw is doing, for the youth should receive due punishment.¡± ¡®Tiger Claw? And punishment, seriously?¡¯

    ¡°Alright, then, mom,¡± Viren said with fake sullenness. Snorts came from the group of onlookers, and the black-haired man gaped. Probably didn¡¯t think he would say anything. The man with the striped handkerchief -the Tiger Claw- shook his head.

    ¡°I saw everything,¡± he protested. ¡°You were clearly threatening this boy. And,¡± he added, ¡°Three full-grown men to one boy is hardly fair or honorable.¡± Mocking laughs came from every person with a black coat.

    ¡°Fair?¡± the black-haired man threw his arms wide. ¡°Honorable? We¡¯re mercenaries, what do you expect?¡± ¡®Mercenaries?!¡¯ Viren was surprised. Apparently these black-jacket men were part of some sort of mercenary group. ¡®A mercenary company,¡¯ he thought, remembering that advertisement at Edgedale all those weeks ago.

    Another man pushed through the crowd, drawing Viren out of his thoughts. This time it was an older man, looked less muscled than the black-haired man, but far more capable. His greyish hair was chestnut brown at the edges, and he wore a red and orange striped bandanna around his neck.

    ¡°Rickson is right,¡± he said in a powerful voice, laying a hand on the Tiger Claw¡¯s shoulder. There was no doubt in Viren¡¯s mind that this man was the leader of the ¡®Tiger Claws¡¯.

    ¡°It is not right for you Bears to attack or threaten a youth. The Tiger Claw Company will not stand for it.¡± The other Tiger Claws separated from the group to stand behind the leader, Rickson, and Viren. The black-haired man growled.

    The other black jacket people started moving to stand behind the black-haired man, though much more slowly and with less conviction than the Tiger Claws. The two groups eyed each other and glared. The leader of the ¡®Bears¡¯ looked madder by the minute.

    ¡°Disengage,¡± the leader of the Tiger Claws suddenly hissed. The Tiger Claws started moving backwards As a group. Rickson reached out a hand to touch Viren before quickly snapping his hand back.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± he said instead. Viren narrowed his eyes, his first instinct being to refuse. Then he glanced at the group of menacing people wearing black jackets and had second thoughts. ¡®Well, at least these people don¡¯t seem inclined to ¡®teach me a lesson¡¯.¡¯ With a shrug he followed the Tiger Claw over to the other wing. The Bears glared after them but didn¡¯t make a move to block or attack them.

    The entire group of Tiger Claws retreated to the opposite side of the building, at two long tables near the fireplace. It looked like this was where they were eating before they all gathered around the fight. Many Tiger Claws sat down at one of the tables to continue eating.

    Rickson grabbed a napkin and held it to his nose while the leader examined Viren. Viren glanced back at where he was sitting before. Some of the Bears were still over there, eyeing him darkly. ¡®Guess I won¡¯t be eating down here again anytime soon. Hopefully it won¡¯t be necessary to find another place to stay. I already paid for a week in advance!¡¯

    The leader spoke. ¡°Are you all-right, lad?¡± Viren turned to face the man.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said.

    ¡°Good to hear. My name is Brack, though you should refer to me as ¡®sir¡¯.¡±

    ¡°You pack a mean punch kid,¡± Rickson said around his napkin.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Viren said. ¡°So, you¡¯re all a member of a mercenary company?¡± he asked, referring to both the Tiger Claws and the Bears. Rickson nodded.

    ¡°Yup,¡± he said. ¡°We,¡± he motioned to the group with his hand, ¡°Are the Tiger Claw Company. And those scumbags over there are known as the Black Bear Company.¡± He snorted. ¡°Should be named the ¡®Cowardly Worm company¡¯.¡± Viren¡¯s gaze rested on the Black Bear Company.

    ¡°Are most mercenaries that bad?¡± he asked. ¡°The few that I¡¯ve interacted with have at least been polite.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Brack answered. ¡°Those you¡¯ve interacted with have been in a more official setting, no?¡± Viren thought about it. Taron would never hire someone like the Black Bears, and other than Bart and Larissa from his first job he hadn¡¯t really interacted with any other mercenaries. He nodded.

    ¡°Well,¡± Brack continued, ¡°most mercenaries are a lot more¡­ crude and bloodthirsty, to be frank.¡±

    ¡°In fact,¡± Rickson jumped in, ¡°The Tiger Claw Company is one of the few exceptions.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Viren asked curiously.

    ¡°We are known as ¡®the honorable mercenaries¡¯,¡± Rickson said. ¡°Granted, most companies mock us for it, but that¡¯s probably because they¡¯re jealous of all the work we get. Every single merc in the company has morals and is trustworthy, and we¡¯ll never betray or double cross someone or take a job that goes against what we stand for, no matter the coin offered.¡± Viren was silent, thinking.

    ¡°Do you live near here? I don¡¯t think it would be wise to send you off by yourself,¡± Brack said.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m staying here currently,¡± Viren said. Rickson winced.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± he said. Viren nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to avoid them while I stay here,¡± he decided. ¡®shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. I won be surprised again.¡¯ Then he frowned. ¡®Might be hard to find work with <u>two</u> mercenary companies in town, though.¡¯ It was too bad. He really liked this area, if only for its proximity to the sea.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ here on your own?¡± Rickson¡¯s voice brought Viren back to the conversation.

    ¡°Uhm, yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you have someone you¡¯re planning to stay with? Or are you meeting someone?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Rickson¡¯s eyes had widened in concern and Brack¡¯s lips had pinched together. ¡®Oh.¡¯ They were probably concerned that a ¡®youngster¡¯ such as himself was possibly all alone. ¡®Hmmm. Now¡¯s probably a good time to disengage.¡¯

    ¡°Ah, I wouldn¡¯t want to bore you guys with my arrangements.¡± Viren shifted to leave. ¡°Thanks for the save. I¡¯ll go wait out the worst of their anger in my room.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to repeat the situation, would we?¡± Brack and Rickson laughed along with him, though suspicion colored their expressions. ¡®It¡¯s fine. They¡¯ll lose interest before morning.¡¯

    When morning came Viren would slip out of the inn before he could catch any attention. He would probably be able to find a few small jobs to hold him over until his week was up. Then he would leave. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the two companies were planning to stay, but with so many mercenaries in town he couldn¡¯t possibly hope to compete for work.

 Chapter 17

    Viren spent most of the night reading, only pausing to nap briefly whenever he got tired. By the time dawn arrived he was ready to spend a full day exploring the city and finding jobs. He slipped out of his door and down the stairs, keeping an eye out for any members of the Black Bear Company. He didn¡¯t see any, and quickly left the inn.

    He would eat breakfast away from the inn. Hopefully he could avoid any more trouble if he minimized the time he spent inside the inn aside from sleeping.

    After asking for directions Viren made his way to the downtown part of the city, where people did their shopping, and many stores and stalls were located. There he purchased a berry pastry and a honey sausage. He ate it as he walked.

    After some time spent wandering around, Viren had still not found a place where he could get some work. He crossed his arms and frowned. ¡°Lost?¡± a voice said. He turned. It was a lady sweeping the step of her home who had spoken.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve lived here all my life, so I can give you some directions,¡± she said with a kind smile.

    ¡°I was looking for a place where you could post and accept mercenary work,¡± Viren said. The woman nodded.

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯re going to want to go down this street until you see the Starry Healer¡¯s Hut. Take a right at that road and then a left at the first branch off. From there you should see a large building. That¡¯s the City Center. Go in that direction. Along the way you should run into the guardhouse. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your help.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no problem. Have a nice day!¡±

    Viren went on his way, following the instructions of the lady. Soon he arrived at the guardhouse. It was a good-sized building, a little bit smaller than the inn he was staying at. In front of the building, under an awning, was a table with a guard sitting at it. A few feet away from the table was a board covered with papers. It was very similar to the ones at Edgedale.

    Viren approached the board, and the city guard studied him. ¡°You aren¡¯t part of a company, are you?¡± the man asked suspiciously. Viren shook his head no. The guard breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness. The Tiger Claws aren¡¯t too bad. But those Black Bears¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know a whole lot about your type, but work will probably be sparse with so many of you in town.¡± Viren sighed.

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± The guard looked at Viren a bit closer.

    ¡°Say, aren¡¯t you a bit young to be a mercenary? Especially a lone one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m old for my age.¡± The guard squinted.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make a whole lotta sense¡­¡± Viren moved to look at the board. He saw several bounties out for some bandits that paid well, a couple escort jobs, and some other random things that paid well. ¡°Those ones interested the companies the most.¡± ¡®Of course they did.¡¯

    ¡°That one there, the one requesting meetup at the fish market, is new,¡± the guard said helpfully. Viren found the one he was talking about.

    Good fighter needed, it read. Meet at Fish Market entrance for more info. ¡®Less information than I would like,¡¯ Viren thought. ¡®But its better than nothing. No harm in checking it out.¡¯

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fish market?¡± Viren asked the guard.

    ¡­

    The smell of fish filled the air. The fish market only had one entrance, so it was easy to find. Viren was now waiting there for¡­ someone.

    He looked around the fish market, trying to find someone who might have been the one to put up the advertisement. His eyes rested on a boy about his age. On his left stood a young girl with a backpack who looked about eight years old, and on his right was a girl who was also Viren¡¯s age.

    They made eye contact, and the girl nudged the boy. They walked to Viren. ¡°Are you here for the job?¡± the boy asked Viren.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Viren said. ¡°But before I accept it, I need some more details.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I couldn¡¯t put too much on there, otherwise the Hawk might have gotten word of it.¡±

    ¡°The Hawk?¡± The boy nodded.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the rundown. The Hawk is a dangerous man who has a monopoly on all the lending in the city. He also is the boss of the underworld around here, so he keeps stealing any proof the city guards gets, paying off mercenaries, and threatening anyone who tries to stop him. In other words, he¡¯s untouchable.¡±

    ¡°At least,¡± the older girl said, ¡°up until now.¡± She smirked. The boy nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. Anyway, my parents got into some debt with him, and when they died, he¡­ visited me, and told me it was up to me to pay it off. Long story short, I¡¯ve been late paying, and when I can pay it¡¯s not enough.¡± He paused. ¡°And, that guy is downright evil. Even if I could pay up, he would still need to go down.¡± Viren tilted his head.

    ¡°So, you want me to fight him?¡± The boy shook his head.

    ¡°No. Me and Gail can take care of that. I need someone to cover us though. The Hawk will be surrounded by fighters. If you can manage to take care of multiple men at one time and keep them off me and Gail, then you have the job.¡±

    ¡°I can do that,¡± Viren said. ¡°What¡¯s the pay like?¡±

    ¡°I can offer ten coin.¡± ¡®Not as much as I would like¡­ but I have a decent amount of money. And this job actually seems worthwhile.¡¯ The idea of helping to take down someone like the Hawk appealed to Viren for some reason.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± He stuck out his hand to shake. The boy blinked in surprise.

    ¡°Huh, I was expecting you to barter up to fifteen.¡± Viren sighed. ¡°Right! Are you good to go right now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡±

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    ¡°Follow me then.¡± The boy, flanked by the two girls, led Viren through the fish market and to a warehouse. They hid behind a nearby pile of crates and barrels just behind a shop. ¡°Here it is.¡± He turned to the younger girl.

    ¡°Sally, stay right here. If things go wrong-¡± He was interrupted by the girl speaking.

    ¡°Things won¡¯t go wrong. You¡¯re too good of a strategist for that.¡± The boy looked impatient.

    ¡°Yes, but if they do-¡± The girl interrupted him again.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go into hiding until a traveling caravan comes along. I¡¯ll join them and learn a weapon until I become a master and get a pet wolf. Then, many years later, I¡¯ll return and finish what you started.¡±

    ¡°What? No! Go to the guard house and explain the situation. They¡¯ll know what to do.¡± The girl pursed her lips.

    ¡°But that¡¯s so lame.¡± The boy sighed.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll do it?¡±

    ¡°Uhhhhggggg, fine.¡± Sally rolled her eyes and plopped to the ground, sitting crisscross-applesauce. She plopped her chin into her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll probably just take a nap or something,¡± she sighed. The boy opened his mouth to protest before closing it again, probably realizing it was a futile gesture.

    The other girl- Gail- patted Sally on the head. ¡°Come on, Jim.¡± She cracked her knuckles. ¡°I¡¯m itching for a fight against a tyrant long overdue for a beat-down.¡± Jim nodded.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. Merc,¡± he said, referring to Viren, ¡°me and Gail know how to sneak into the warehouse. You just need to follow us. It¡¯s a simple task to sneak into the backroom where the Hawk stays. From there all you need to do is keep his minions off us.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jim said, drawing a deep breath. ¡°Here we go.¡±

    ¡­

    Sneaking into the warehouse was easy to do. Gail and Jim nimbly dodged and avoided the guards, and soon the three of them stood before a set of double doors. The wooden doors looked flimsy and poorly built. Jim clenched his fists and looked at them with apprehension. Even Gail swallowed nervously before getting a determined look in her eye.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she whispered with confidence. ¡°Kicking these down will be a breeze.¡± Both Viren and Jim took several rapid steps back. Gail shook herself and bounced in place. Viren unsheathed his sword in preparation and Jim, glancing at Viren, drew a machete-like weapon.

    ¡°HYAA!¡± With a loud cry Gail took a flying kick at the door, and they splintered a little as they flung open.

    The three of them rushed in, using the shock their sudden presence bought to their advantage. Viren took in the room at a glance.

    Seated on a large chair on a platform was a huge man (with muscles, not fat). That could only be the Hawk. Surrounding him was at least twenty- no, twenty-five men. All of them were equipped with some sort of weapon, and they looked menacing enough, but as Viren met the first one in combat he quickly concluded they were not trained professionally and would not be too much of a challenge as long as he kept his guard up.

    Jim engaged the Hawk, shouting something, and Gail was close behind him, several small knives in her hands. The other minions yelled and tried to rush the two, but Viren disabled two of them quickly and caused large shadows to run across the others¡¯ feet and around them, causing panic.

    His shadow affinity wasn¡¯t harmful, but they didn¡¯t need to know that.

    Viren moved around the room, engaging men and drawing their notice away from Gail and Jim. He moved fast, his strikes quick and decisive. It was a relatively easy battle, but he didn¡¯t allow his focus to slip for a moment.

    At one time Viren was fighting five men at once. He ducked, dodging a dagger swing, and swiped his sword at the feet of his attacker, causing him to tumble over. Viren popped up just as quickly and punched another minion in the face. He heard a yell behind him, and fast as lightning he turned around and swung his sword, cutting a gash in the yeller¡¯s stomach.

    Soon enough, he had dispatched all but one of the enemies. As his last opponent dropped, he turned around to observe Jim and Gail¡¯s progress. Gail was clutching her arm, blood seeping through her fingers. She was leaning heavily on her right side and putting almost no weight on her left foot. A pained scowl was on her face as she watched the Hawk and Jim fight.

    Jim had lost his weapon and was rapidly dodging strikes from the Hawk, who was bleeding from several places on his body. As he watched Jim howled and leaped at the Hawk, punching him in the nose with a splintering crack that almost made Viren wince. The Hawk stumbled a few steps back, but Jim pressed his advantage and kicked him savagely in the left knee. The Hawk¡¯s left leg gave out for only a few seconds, but it was enough for Jim to elbow him right between the eyes.

    The Hawk was out like a light, and Jim collapsed to a sitting position immediately after he hit the ground. ¡°Jim!¡± Gail cried, and she limped over to him as fast as she could manage. Viren meandered over to the pair, eyeing unconscious and groaning minions as he did. He occasionally stopped to kick one unconscious if he showed signs of trying to get up.

    ¡°Nice finisher,¡± he said lightly to Jim, who was panting heavily with wide eyes. The comment seemed to jerk him back to reality. He looked around, then back to Viren.

    ¡°Maybe I just should have paid you to do everything,¡± Jim said. Viren shook his head. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have been able to take on the Hawk <u>and</u> his minions. Not unless I turned into a dragon, which would not be wise.¡¯

    ¡°Nah,¡± Viren said. ¡°You did just fine.¡± Jim nodded and exhaled. Viren spotted a rope and used it to start tying up downed opponents, starting with the Hawk of course. Jim stood and started looking through some crates and a desk. Gail sat down.

    Viren finished tying up the minions and walked over to Gail. ¡°Do you need help?¡± She shook her head no.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Or I will be. I already bound my arm, and Sally is good with medical stuff. She¡¯ll treat me as soon as we leave.¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s too bad I missed the last of the battle though. I was looking forward to punching the Hawk in his sneery little face.¡±

    ¡°Found it!¡± Viren and Gail turned to look at Jim, who waved some papers around with a triumphant look on his face. ¡°Evidence.¡±

    ¡­

    Somehow, they managed to drag the twenty-nine men outside using a board and some more rope they found in the rest of the warehouse. As it turns out the minions standing guard in the warehouse had joined the fight without Viren noticing, which wasn¡¯t much of a surprise considering all the commotion they had made.

    Sally promptly treated Gail and then Jim, and they started dragging the board containing the Hawk and his minions to the guardhouse. They made quite a commotion along the way, but nobody tried to stop them.

    When they finally dragged the board all the way to the guardhouse, the guard who was sitting out front jumped up in alarm. Jim dropped his rope and walked forward to meet the guard. ¡°I defeated the Hawk,¡± he said casually. The guard stood there in silent shock before he came to his senses.

    ¡°BOSS!¡± he yelled. Seven more city guards came rushing out, and a man with a slightly fancier uniform was on their heels. His eyes widened as he took in the scene, but he didn¡¯t miss a beat.

    ¡°Somebody, explain,¡± he said. Jim pulled the papers containing proof of the Hawk¡¯s crimes from his pocket.

    ¡°I have proof!¡± he said. The guard leader snatched the papers up and read them quickly.

    ¡°Jef, run these up to the city hall. Get them approved now.¡± Jef grabbed the documents and started running. The leader turned to Jim. ¡°Don¡¯t turn him in yet.¡± Jim looked confused.

    ¡°So I just¡­ stand here?¡± The leader nodded crisply. They stood awkwardly for about fifteen minutes, all of them keeping a close eye on the unconscious Hawk and his minions. A female guard came out with a medical kit to help Gail with her wounds, but Jim declined any more treatment. Sally pulled out a book from her backpack and settled down to read.

    After fifteen minutes, they heard the pounding of feet. Jef came into view, panting. ¡°They approved,¡± he gasped when he was close enough. The city guard leader turned to the man at the desk.

    ¡°Bill, write down a bounty offer, and make it snappy. Forty- no, fifty coins for the Hawk and an additional five coin for any of his underlings.¡± Bill quickly wrote out the bounty offer and stamped it with an official looking seal once he was done.

    ¡°One official bounty for the Hawk and his underlings, to be paid upon delivery to the city guardhouse,¡± he said. The leader smiled.

    ¡°Now you may turn him in,¡± he said to Jim. He paused for a moment, but Jim didn¡¯t move. ¡°Carla,¡± he said, his voice amused. ¡°Go to the bounty stash and grab¡­¡± he paused while he counted. ¡°195 coin, payable to young Jim here.¡± Jim was still in shock, and Gail looked ready to faint. Only Sally seemed unconcerned.

    ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re rich now,¡± she said. ¡°You should really do stuff like this more often, Jim.¡± Jim just shook his head. A couple of guards took charge of the criminals, putting them in temporary cells until they could be transferred to a prison.

    Carla brought out the money and handed it to Jim, who promptly turned to Viren and handed him twenty coin. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. Viren nodded and left shortly after.

 Chapter 18

    The sun was setting by the time Viren returned to the inn. After leaving Jim and his group Viren had taken some time to sit and clean his sword and buy a quick snack, though most shops were closed or closing so he couldn¡¯t find any dinner.

    Currently, he was trying to figure out how to get some dinner and sneak up to his room without the Black Bears noticing him. ¡®Maybe it would be better to skip dinner tonight,¡¯ he thought. The idea didn¡¯t please him, but if the Black Bears were the type to hold a grudge, dinner wasn¡¯t worth the potential conflict.

    Viren yawned and rubbed his eyes. ¡®I¡¯ll just have to wait and see whether there are many Bears out tonight.¡¯ He opened the door and looked around. The few Black Bear members on the main floor were gathered around something, distracted. One looked up when he heard the door open, but his eyes went straight over Viren.

    ¡°Hey, kid!¡± Viren jumped a little before he recognized Rickson¡¯s voice. He turned. The Tiger Claw company was sitting in the same spot as yesterday. Most of the mercenaries were eating, though several looked up at Rickson¡¯s greeting. Rickson waved Viren over, and after a moment Viren trotted over to join them.

    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Rickson greeted playfully. ¡°What have you been up to today?¡± Viren shrugged.

    ¡°Nothing much,¡± he said. Just then, the door to the inn burst open, hitting the wall with a ¡®BANG¡¯. A man stumbled in, red faced and panting. He wore a huge grin.

    ¡°The Hawk¡¯s been defeated!¡± he shouted joyfully. The inn exploded with noise as locals shouted in celebration or yelled questions to the messenger. The Tiger Claw and Black Bear companies looked confused.

    ¡°EVERYBODY QUIET!¡± a man who must have been the inn owner yelled. ¡°Now, Goshe, explain.¡± The man nodded breathlessly.

    ¡°I came¡­ straight¡­ from the guard¡­ house.¡± He stopped to catch his breath, and after a minute he straightened and wiped sweat from his forehead. Everybody in the inn was on the edge of their seats waiting to see what had happened.

    ¡°So, apparently, someone raided the Hawk¡¯s base and took out not only the Hawk himself, but all his men! And they found proof so the city guard could arrest him right away!¡± the inn murmured in conversation. The messenger held up a finger. ¡°That¡¯s not all! Apparently, it was a bunch of kids who did all this!¡±

    ¡°You must be joking!¡± someone yelled.

    ¡°There¡¯s no possible way!¡± another person contributed.

    ¡°But its true!¡± the messenger protested. ¡°A bunch of locals witnessed the kids dragging the Hawk and his minions to the guardhouse. I heard it was three locals and a hired mercenary.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet you it was Jim, his sister, and Gail. That group is always doing some crazy thing, and I heard Jim was in a tough spot with the Hawk,¡± a local said. Others nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Well,¡± a woman said. ¡°Whoever did it, however it happened, I¡¯m just glad the Hawk is gone.¡±

    ¡°Agreed!¡±

    ¡°Well said, Maertha.¡±

    The messenger stepped inside the inn and took a seat, where he was promptly swarmed by ten or fifteen people. A man stood up.

    ¡°Hey! We¡¯ve got two mercenary companies here right now! Was it any of you guys?¡± The Black Bear mercenaries scoffed and went back to their card game, but Brack looked thoughtful. He slowly shook his head.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t one of us. Our youngest member is twenty-one.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure what kind of kid could be a mercenary. They would have to be capable far beyond their years, and totally alone.¡± His eyes narrowed as he said this, and he glanced at Viren, who did his best to look innocent and uncapable.

    The inn was quiet for a few minutes after Brack spoke (Viren got the feeling he had that kind of effect a lot), but it soon was filled with conversation. Viren ordered some dinner, and as he ate more people filled the inn, asking things like ¡°have you heard?¡± and exchanging rumors and opinions. After he finished eating, Viren slipped back to his room, where he quickly fell asleep.

    ¡­

    The next day found Viren at the job board once again. He sighed as he looked at the empty board. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing?¡± he asked the guard on duty. The guard shook his head.

    ¡°Sorry, kid. The captain had us take down any jobs that were taken. Bad luck that you¡¯re looking for work with all these companies in town.¡± Viren nodded sadly. The guard looked around before leaning forward.

    ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s no mercenary job, but my brother¡¯s roof needs fixing, and he could always use an extra guy. You interested?¡± Viren pursed his lips but nodded.

    ¡®Looks like I¡¯m back to doing odd jobs.¡¯

    ¡­

    ¡°It isn¡¯t much, but here you go.¡± The guard¡¯s brother dropped 5 coin into his hand.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viren said. Any little bit was appreciated. He hadn¡¯t known how to fix a roof before today, but luckily, he was a fast learner, and he felt is if he had pulled his weight among the other workers and earned the 5 coin.

    It was a few hours after midday, and as Viren walked through the city, he didn¡¯t really know what to do for the rest of the day. After today, he still had four more days until he could leave (well, technically he could leave any time he wanted, but he wanted to get his money¡¯s worth out of the inn), and unless something suddenly turned up at the guardhouse, he had nothing to do.

    Viren paused when he heard a familiar voice. He stopped and tilted his head to the side, trying to place it. ¡®I can¡¯t remember¡­¡¯ He cautiously followed the voice until it was just behind an empty market stall. Peeking around the stall, he looked to see who it belonged to. Three men were talking, and all three of them were wearing black jackets. ¡®Oh. These guys.¡¯ It was the leader of the Black Bear company, the man who had threatened him the other day, and one other guy he didn¡¯t recognize. Viren ducked back behind the stall but stuck around to listen. It wasn¡¯t like he had anywhere to be anyway. They seemed to be in the middle of discussing a recent job they had taken.

    ¡°¡­ Jim and a couple other guys stayed behind to exchange goodbyes and whatnot with the client, but we got the coin. Bib took it back to the inn.¡± The leader nodded.

    ¡°And you went back to the guard house to see if there was anything else available?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing new,¡± the man said. ¡°But there was someone¡­ outside the guardhouse.¡± He paused. The leader made a noise of impatience.

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    ¡°What? I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    ¡°He offered this job.¡± There was a rustle as the man handed his boss a piece of paper, and silence as the leader read it.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money for a bounty,¡± the leader finally said.

    ¡°Mhm. One more thing. The person who gave it to me warned me that I should treat this job as illegal. Not in those exact words of course, but it was implied.¡±

    ¡°Odd.¡±

    ¡°What do you reckon it¡¯s all about?¡± the other man asked. There was silence for a beat.

    ¡°If I had to guess,¡± the leader started slowly, ¡°This kid belonged to some sort of criminal gang or something. He betrayed his boss, and now that boss is either out for revenge, or wants his asset back. I mean, a double affinity and good with a blade?¡± the leader chuckled, and Viren felt a chill go down his spine, and a sinking feeling fill his chest.

    ¡®This doesn¡¯t mean anything. Not for certain.¡¯

    ¡°Its just a guess though,¡± the leader continued. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this in my room. Good work, men.¡± Viren heard the mercenaries walking toward where he was, so he darted away. He walked fast and silently, going farther away from them than he needed to.

    He finally stopped behind a stone building, leaning against the cool wall and staring into the sky.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got to see that bounty.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren was no fool. No way was he going to seek out the man who had given the Black Bear the bounty and ask for his own copy. Rather, he would sneak into the leader¡¯s room and look at that one. Luckily, he knew where the Black Bear company was staying. He returned to the inn early. No members of either company were there, and he settled in an out of the way chair to wait.

    An hour before sunset, people started returning. At first, a few members of the Tiger Claw company entered the inn. Viren looked away, and they sat down without noticing him. Members of both companies continued to trickle into the inn after that, and Viren continued to go unnoticed. Finally, the leader of the Black Bear company arrived. He was in conversation with his mercenaries. ¡°Save me a seat,¡± he said with a wave before starting for the stairs. Viren got up and subtly followed him, staying at least fifteen steps away at all times.

    He followed the leader until he saw what room he went to. Then he slipped around the hallway and to his own room to grab his lockpicks. He stared at them in his hand. He hadn¡¯t used these since he had set Kastra¡¯s room on fire. Viren smirked a little at the memory, but it didn¡¯t fill him with the vengeful glee it had months ago. ¡®I guess I¡¯ve changed a lot. It even feels like I think differently.¡¯ He blinked and shook himself.

    Getting up, he pocketed his lockpicks and snuck his way to the leader¡¯s room. Before attempting to pick the lock he first tried the doorknob. If it was unlocked, that meant either the leader was still there, or he was an idiot. The doorknob jingled but didn¡¯t turn. Locked.

    Viren got started picking the lock, and after maybe two minutes he heard a click as the door unlocked. He carefully turned the doorknob, opening the door. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Viren¡¯s eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room instantly, and he looked around. There was an unmade bed, a nightstand covered with various weapons, and an open window. A small wooden chest at the end of the bed.

    The lid of the chest was opened, and Viren could see a messy pile of paper on top. He quietly walked to the chest and crouched to look at the papers. The top paper was a bounty offer for capturing some bandits. ¡®Not that one.¡¯ The next appeared to be some kind of contract. ¡®Not that one either.¡¯

    The paper underneath that one advertised a bounty. Viren skimmed it, before stopping with a start and going back to read it again.

    Wanted:

    Boy of about fifteen. Black hair, blueish-green eyes.

    The individual posses a double affinity of shadow and water and is proficient with a blade.

    Wanted alive. If found and captured, bring to Cronie Inn in the city of Edgedale.

    Reward: 500 coin

    Below the description was a drawing of Viren¡¯s face. His hair was shorter, his face looked thinner, and even though it was not a color picture the boy in the picture looked paler than Viren did now. Perhaps someone who met him in the street might struggle to match him to the boy in the picture unless they were held side by side, but Viren knew his own face.

    He let out a slow breath. ¡®So, he wants me back. I wonder if he actually needs me or if it¡¯s just his pride.¡¯ Viren would have to be extra careful from now on. He couldn¡¯t go back to any of the cities near Kastra¡¯s land. Couldn¡¯t spend too much time in one place. He briefly squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. ¡®I¡¯m fine. Totally fine.¡¯

    He started breathing faster, and he could feel his heart beginning to pound. He clenched his fists tighter. ¡®I can¡¯t go back there. I can¡¯t.¡¯ His hands started to tremble. Then a cool wind breezed through the open window. It flowed around him, feeling cool against his skin, like a river of sky. The air in the room didn¡¯t feel as heavy, and there seemed to be light where before there was none. Viren took a deep breath.

    ¡®You¡¯re ok. You¡¯re safe.¡¯

    The breeze stopped, and all was quiet. Viren blinked. Though his surroundings and situation remained the same, he felt different. ¡®So Kastra is hunting me. What else is new? I can deal with this.¡¯ There was a pause. ¡®I should probably leave this room now.¡¯

    After putting everything back where it was Viren left the room, locking the door behind him. As he walked down the stairs to the main room, Viren sighed. ¡®No work and a bounty on my head. Might be better to just cut my losses in this city and leave tomorrow.¡¯

    Once he reached the main room, Viren went straight to the front desk. ¡°Hello,¡± he said. The front desk person turned their attention to him. ¡°Is it possible for me to get a refund? I paid for a week, but it turns out I need to leave earlier than expected.¡± The person winced.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°But we cant. It¡¯s cheaper to pay for a week at once rather than all seven days separately, so with the way the money works out we can¡¯t give you a refund.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I thought so,¡± Viren said. ¡°Thanks anyway.¡± The person nodded.

    ¡°We¡­ we can give you a free meal though. Its not a lot, but hopefully it makes up for it a little.¡± Viren smiled.

    ¡°Really? Thanks. The food here is amazing.¡± The man smirked.

    ¡°That would be my wife, and she¡¯ll be delighted to hear that. I¡¯ll get you a plate, alright?¡±

    ¡­

    Five minutes later Viren was sitting down with a hot plate of soup with fresh buttered bread and some kind of berry that reminded him of pine trees. He sighed in contentment as he took his first bite. ¡°Viren.¡± He looked up to see Rickson seating himself across from him. Viren nodded in greeting. Rickson nodded back to him. ¡°How has your past few days been?¡± Dozens of words ran through Viren¡¯s head. Productive, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, disappointing¡­

    ¡°Busy,¡± he settled on before taking another bite. Rickson nodded with a hum. Viren watched him as he ate. ¡®He looks like he¡¯s up to something.¡¯

    ¡°What have you been up to?¡± he asked. ¡®Oh, you know, exploring the city, fixing a roof, defeating an evil crime lord¡­¡¯

    ¡°Just¡­ hanging out, I guess.¡± Rickson raised an eyebrow. Viren wondered if he should be concerned. ¡®Nah,¡¯ he decided. ¡®I¡¯m leaving tomorrow anyway.¡¯ Viren and Rickson ate in silence for a few minutes. Soon Viren felt like people were watching him. He glanced around discreetly before twisting in his chair to look behind him. He saw many of the Tiger Claw mercenaries giving him glances. They all quickly looked down at their food when they saw him watching. He turned back to Rickson.

    ¡°Ok, what is this about?¡± Rickson looked down. Then he sighed and looked Viren straight in the eye.

    ¡°Alright, give it to me straight. Were you the mercenary who helped defeat the Hawk?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Rickson stared at him. ¡°¡­maayyybee?¡±

    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Rickson hissed. ¡°What in the jolly farmer¡¯s barn is someone your age doing as a mercenary?!¡± Viren shrugged and took another bite of soup. ¡°This is a dangerous profession!¡± Viren stared at him.

    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that.¡± Rickson made a scoffing noise. He was silent for a moment.

    ¡°You¡¯re better off getting an apprenticeship and settling down in some city. We can even help you do that. We know some people.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the offer,¡± Viren said, ¡°but that¡¯s not gonna happen.¡± He felt the stares again and twisted around to look at the Tiger Claws. They stared back at him. As he watched, Brack stood up and walked over to them.

    ¡°Did you talk to him?¡± he asked Rickson. Rickson nodded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t listen to his advice,¡± he said to Viren.

    ¡°Perhaps I would if I could. I don¡¯t know. But I can¡¯t, so it¡¯s not worth thinking about.¡± Brack nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡°There is another option,¡± he said slowly. Both Viren and Rickson looked at him curiously. ¡°You could join us.¡± ¡®Join the Tiger Claw company?¡¯ ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be easy,¡± Brack continued. ¡°You¡¯d have to follow our rules, and you¡¯d have to learn how to work and live in a team.¡±

    ¡°But there are good parts,¡± Rickson said eagerly. ¡°There¡¯s safety in numbers, and we¡¯re as close as a family.¡± Brack looked at Viren expectantly. Viren thought. He weighed the pros and cons carefully, thinking through each implication of the decision.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said finally. ¡°I¡¯ll join your company.¡±

 Chapter nineteen

    Starla leaned out of the carriage. Finally, after a week of nonstop traveling and sleeping in inns, they had arrived at the Academy. Whoa, Starla thought. Well, they certainly spared no expense. The Academy was surrounded by a magnificent stone wall, with three huge buildings surrounding a courtyard with a fountain and garden and little stalls everywhere.

    As she pulled up, some attendants came out to bring in her trunk. Starla grabbed her travel bag and stepped out of the carriage. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said to the driver. He nodded and bowed in his seat.

    ¡°Good luck, Lady Starla.¡± She smiled.

    ¡°Have an excellent return drive.¡± He nodded and snapped the reins, preparing to start the long journey back. Starla set her shoulders and turned to the academy. Alright. First things first, I need to get oriented. I¡¯m entering as a second-year student, so I wont have as many resources to help get settled. She walked through the gates and made her way to the central building. The central building had a very large doorway, so she was assuming that was where she had to go.

    When Starla stepped inside the building, she had to stop for a second to take it all in. Wow. There were tall columns stretching up to a high ceiling. The walls up to her neck was made of a dark, slightly reddish wood, and everything above that was a smooth, cremeish wood that Starla recognized as rare Fadishin forest wood. Dozens upon dozens of lanterns hung from the ceiling, lighting up the room. White marble tiles stretched across the floor, and a huge velvet red carpet with gold and bronze-colored designs threaded through it covered many of the tiles. Tapestries featuring bright images hung from the walls.

    Starla gazed around the beautiful- but empty- room until she looked to her right and saw a desk that seemed tiny compared to the room. A woman with chestnut hair and glasses smiled at her. Starla smiled back, a little bit embarrassed with how long she was staring, and trotted to the desk. ¡°Don¡¯t be sheepish,¡± the lady said with a laugh. ¡°Take in the sight. It¡¯s the most luxurious room in the Academy. Every other room is a stable in comparison.¡±

    Starla grinned. ¡°Is this where I check in?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You guessed it. Name, please?¡±

    ¡°Starla Verenteis. Of Aureum. I¡¯m entering as a second year.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± the woman said. She handed Starla a key. ¡°You¡¯ll be in room 277. If you walk down the main hall and turn to the left you¡¯ll enter a room where you can gather your baggage.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± Starla said. ¡°Thank you for the information.¡± She turned to leave.

    ¡°Oh, one piece of advice,¡± the lady said. ¡°Things here usually take quite a bit of adjusting for most students. We have so many cultures meshing that new students typically go through a little bit of culture shock in the second or third week. Just be prepared for that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Starla said. ¡°I¡¯ll be prepared.¡± The lady waved and Starla started walking down the hall.

    She followed the lady¡¯s instructions and entered a room where her trunk was waiting. There was one other person there, a student with white hair and black eyes. ¡°Hello,¡± the girl said. ¡°Are you the new second year?¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me!¡± Starla said.

    ¡°Great!¡± said the girl. ¡°I¡¯m Meira.¡± She held out her hand to shake.

    ¡°I¡¯m Starla,¡± Starla said, shaking Meira¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Cool name,¡± Meira said. ¡°I¡¯ll be showing you around and helping you set up your classes, since only first years get orientation.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Starla said, smiling nervously. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t get a lot of new students other than first years.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Meira said. ¡°I joined partly through last year. I¡¯m a little bit young to be a second year, but my birthday¡¯s partly through the school year and I¡¯m particularly¡­ talented¡­ so the administration let it slide.¡± She grimaced ¡°That was a lot of unrelated information, wasn¡¯t it.¡± Starla smiled for real now.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Though I would have thought you were my age?¡± Starla was fifteen, the normal age for seconds years.

    ¡°Fourteen,¡± Meira informed her. The she flipped her hair back dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s the hair. Makes me look older.¡± Starla giggled. Then she hefted up one end of the trunk.

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    ¡°Well then,¡± she said. ¡°Should we get this tour started?¡±

    ¡­

    Meira said they would drop her trunk off in her room first. She helped Starla carry it to the other side of the building and up a flight of stairs. ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± she told Starla. ¡°There are less students this year, so you get your own room.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a roommate?¡± Starla asked. Meira smiled.

    ¡°Yeah, Margret. She¡¯s really nice. I¡¯m not sure how much you¡¯ll see her though, since she¡¯s in a few advanced classes. It really depends on how you set up your schedule.¡± Starla nodded. A boy passed them, and Starla spoke to him in a different language.

    ¡°You speak Elvish?¡± Starla asked in surprise once the boy had continued. Meira blinked.

    ¡°Yeah, do you know it?¡±

    ¡°Just a few words. Mostly official greetings and inquiries, to be honest. Aureum shares a little bit of a border with the elves, so we get a lot of elven visitors at the palace.¡±

    ¡°The palace?!¡± Meira said in surprise. ¡°Are you a princess?¡±

    ¡°Hah,¡± Starla laughed. ¡°No. Just a Lady. My uncle is the king.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Meira said. ¡°I don¡¯t really know a lot about how nobility and lines of power work, but that sounds pretty high ranking to me.¡±

    ¡°Sort of,¡± Starla responded. ¡°I¡¯m high ranking, but I don¡¯t really have a lot of power or respect because of my position alone. Most of my significance in the court is because I¡¯m a powerful mage with a good head on my shoulders.¡± Meira nodded.

    By then they had reached Starla¡¯s dorm. Starla opened the door, and the two girls carried the trunk right inside. The room was simple, but comfortable. The floor was covered by a soft carpet and the walls were beige. There were two beds, two desks, and one large wardrobe. The beds had plain white sheets, and when Starla opened the wardrobe, it was empty.

    ¡°You can decorate it however you want,¡± Meira said. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s finish the tour!¡±

    Now freed from the trunk, Starla and Meira were able to move at a much faster pace. Meira showed Starla the (very large) mess hall, and the main floor, which held around twenty classrooms. ¡°This building is mostly for the dormitories and the office rooms,¡± Meira said. ¡°Oh, and the academy will sometimes hold special events in the main hall.¡±

    Then she led Starla outside. ¡°The other two buildings are where a lot of the classes are. The Sapphire building,¡± she pointed to the one on the far left, ¡°has a hangout room for students. There is also where you¡¯ll find the history classrooms, math classrooms, finance classrooms, politic and language classrooms, etiquette classrooms, and so on.¡± Then she pointed to the building on the far right.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Orchard building. More practical or physical classes are held there, including biology, art, most of the magic classes, and so on. The combat classes are held right outside the building, but on the far side, so you cant see them from here.¡±

    Meira took Starla to see the combat yard first. It was small, with an old shed that was nearly falling apart. Starla looked around it in silence.

    ¡°Its¡­ not very impressive,¡± Meira said, looking almost embarrassed. ¡°Combat was not a very popular class. Its gotten more popular recently, so they brought in another instructor, but it¡¯s still small.¡± She turned to look at Starla. ¡°Are you going to take the class?¡±

    ¡°Uhh, probably not,¡± Starla said. ¡°Physical combat is not really my thing. I¡¯m more talented with my affinity.¡± She decided not to mention her double affinity. ¡®It would probably sound too much like boasting,¡¯ she thought. She was hoping Meira would like her enough to be friends.

    ¡°Do they have any magical combat classes?¡± she asked hopefully.

    ¡°Uh, yes,¡± Meira said, sounding hesitant. ¡°I don¡¯t take them though. Because I don¡¯t need to. Heh.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Should we finish the tour?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± Starla answered.

    ¡­

    After Meira finished showing Starla around the academy she and Starla sat at a table in the hangout room at the Sapphire building. Meira pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket.

    ¡°Ok,¡± she said. ¡°You just need to fill this out and turn it into the main desk, and you¡¯ll be all set.¡± Starla took the paper and saw that it was a weekly schedule. It was set up so that she had four primary classes every day and two electives a day that rotated every other day. So eight classes in total.

    ¡°For two of your primary classes you need math and history. It¡¯s a requirement,¡± Meira said. Starla filled out the paper accordingly. ¡°The rest of the classes are completely up to you.¡± She pulled out a thin book from another pocket. ¡°Here are all the classes available. I already crossed out the ones that are full.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Starla said. She got started browsing. Twenty minutes later she had decided on what classes she wanted. Her four primary classes were Math, History, Magic concepts (a higher leveled class), and Magic combat.

    Her four electives included Politics, Art, Fae (a language class) and Cooking (primarily because she got to eat what she cooked).

    ¡°Nice classes,¡± Meira said when Starla finished. Starla smiled.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m going to go turn this in, but thanks again for helping me. I never would have figured it out on my own.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Meira said. Starla got up to leave.

    ¡°See you later,¡± she said with a wave. Meira nodded. When Starla turned toward the main building she had a smile on her face. ¡®I think I¡¯ll like it here.¡¯ Her thoughts drifted back to Kastra, and surprisingly, his heir. ¡®One day,¡¯ she promised. ¡®One day I¡¯ll help defeat him. But for now, I think I¡¯ll just enjoy being a kid.¡¯

    ¡­

    Meira watched Starla leave. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I almost slipped up,¡¯ she thought. ¡®But I didn¡¯t. And, seriously, who¡¯s gonna suspect I¡¯m a dragon?¡± Anyway, Starla seemed nice. But¡­ something in her- her instincts, maybe- said that Starla was the start of something big. Something dangerous, and world changing. The start of an adventure where evil was slain, and unexpected allies were made.

    ¡®Or maybe I¡¯m just being dramatic,¡¯ Meira thought wryly. ¡®Anyway, I have to get to the combat yard for my combat session with Margret.¡¯ She started towards the combat yard.

 Chapter 20

    Viren heard steps coming up behind him. ¡°So,¡± Rickson said. ¡°How are you liking company life?¡± Viren had joined the Tiger Claw company two days ago. They had left Selsiboro the morning after Viren joined them and had been traveling for a day now. The company had thirty-one members other than Viren, but only two horses, so they traveled by walking. Nevertheless, they moved at a brisk pace, and each person carried their own belongings, including Viren. He had been supplied with a small tent which he carried in a backpack.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t experienced much of it yet,¡± said Viren in response to Rickson¡¯s question. ¡°What city are we going to next?¡± Rickson put a hand on his chin and made a thinking noise.

    ¡°Good question. If I remember correctly, we haven¡¯t been to Opeali in a while, so we might head there.¡±

    ¡°Opeali?!¡± Viren said. Opeali was a country known for its prosperous mines, but that wasn¡¯t why Viren was surprised. ¡°We¡¯re leaving Aureum?¡± Rickson chuckled.

    ¡°For sure. We aren¡¯t just chasing money, you know. We¡¯ve got a good amount of wanderlust too.¡± He smirked. ¡°And they don¡¯t call us the honorable mercenaries for no reason either. Nearly every country we visit we¡¯ll be sure to get a good reception in, thanks to some good deed or another.¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± Viren said. ¡®That¡¯s better than what I¡¯m used to, with my previous status of dark heir and all.¡¯

    ¡°So,¡± Rickson said, ¡°have you ever been out of the country before?¡± Viren debated how to answer. Rickson looked curious, but also a bit sly. In other words, he was fishing for information.

    ¡°¡­Sort of,¡± Viren finally said. Kastra¡¯s ¡®territory¡¯ wasn¡¯t a part of Aureum. But it also wasn¡¯t officially recognized as an independent land. However, he couldn¡¯t explain that to Rickson because it was the only free wilderness territory anywhere near Aureum, and Rickson would put together the pieces far too easily. ¡°My mom and I used to travel around a bit, but we settled down when I was really young.¡± A frown tugged at Viren¡¯s lips. It had been a while since he had thought of his mom. The most vivid memories he had of her were of when she was under Kastra¡¯s spell.

    The sadness must have shown on Viren¡¯s face, because Rickson didn¡¯t pry any further. He looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but Viren turned away. He didn¡¯t feel like answering any right now. They walked in silence for a few minutes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll probably stay at a noble¡¯s house while we¡¯re in Opeali,¡± Rickson said abruptly. ¡°He¡¯s a friend and has a son your age. Tori, the son, is at the Academy right now though, so you won¡¯t see him.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Is the culture very different from Aureum?¡± Viren asked absently. Rickson debated how to answer.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he said slowly. ¡°They eat a lot of seafood and talk differently for sure. It¡¯s a lot more settled than Aureum, so we¡¯ll be seeing more small towns and cities. They really value natural beauty.¡± Viren nodded again. The place didn¡¯t sound so bad.

    ¡°What¡¯s the work like?¡± he asked, more engaged now.

    ¡°Not too shabby,¡± Rickson said with a grin. ¡°The place attracts a lot of thieves, so we¡¯ll have plenty of business.¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± Viren said with an answering grin. Rickson opened his mouth before suddenly stopping and craning his neck.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re stopping here for the night,¡± he said. Viren looked at the front of the group and saw that they indeed had stopped. Some people were setting up tents. ¡°Come on,¡± Rickson said. ¡°After we set up our tents, I¡¯ll show you how to start the fire.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren managed to get his tent set up, and, true to his word, Rickson showed him how to start the camp fire, although it was probably large enough to be considered a bonfire. Afterward, most of the company sat around the fire to eat dinner. Viren balanced a wooden plate of roast chicken and something called rice on his lap as he listened to the conversations around him.

    ¡°Viren,¡± Brack called from somewhere behind him. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± Viren stood up and looked around. Brack was standing next to some tents, a little way away from the fire. Viren walked to where he was.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Brack corrected.

    ¡°Sorry, yes sir,¡± Viren said. Brack nodded.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he said, turning away. ¡°We¡¯ll talk in my tent. It¡¯s more private.¡± Viren nodded and followed him. Brack led him to a tent that was slightly larger than the other tents in the camp. It was big enough that there was room to stand upright. Once they were there, Brack pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Viren. Viren glanced down at it and jumped. It was the bounty. He took two steps back and stared at the company leader.

    ¡°I take it you already knew about this?¡± Brack asked.

    ¡°Yes. Sir.¡± Viren said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you did, though.¡± Brack nodded and crossed his arms.

    ¡°Whoever wrote this wants you real bad,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah, tell me something I didn¡¯t know,¡± Viren responded under his breath. Brack shot him a look but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°So?¡± said Viren when he couldn''t handle the suspense any longer. ¡°Did you invite me to join your company just so you could turn me in and collect the bounty?¡± Brack¡¯s eyebrows rose.

    ¡°Who do you take us for?¡± he asked, taken aback. ¡°First of all, Rickson practically pleaded on his hands and knees for you to join us, and that was after he practically pleaded on his hands and knees for you to get out of the merc business. Second of all, my company would never kidnap a random teenager and hand him over to some suspicious criminal, much less for an illegal bounty. Did the definition of honorable not register, or were you just not paying attention?¡±

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    Viren sighed, partially in relief.

    ¡°The primary reason for this conversation,¡± Brack continued, ¡°is for me to assess any potential threats. So,¡± he bent slightly and looked Viren in the eye, ¡°Will the person who put out a bounty for you be a threat I should prepare for?¡± Viren considered Brack¡¯s question.

    ¡°Not currently,¡± said Viren. ¡°Not once we leave the country. He doesn¡¯t have the reach to put in any real effort to look for me outside of Aureum.¡± Brack nodded stiffly and considered Viren for a minute.

    ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Viren said. ¡®It isn¡¯t necessary to tell him that the person hunting me is the Dark Lord, right?¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Viren said again.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± said Brack. ¡°You are dismissed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viren said, and turned to leave.

    ¡°Viren?¡± Brack said. Viren turned back and saw a glimpse of a grin on his face. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t forget the sir.¡±

    ¡­

    Starla dropped into her seat and pulled her textbook out of her bookbag. It was her first day of classes. Math and History had gone well, though it was interesting having a class with one teacher and many other students, rather than it just being Starla and her tutor. Now she was in Magic Concepts, the class she was most excited for alongside Magic Combat. She already knew some Magic concepts from what she had studied on her own, so she was interested to see how what she already knew held up to what was taught at the Academy.

    As she pulled out a pencil and a notebook, the teacher entered the classroom and moved up to a podium in the front. She cleared her throat, and the background chatter of the room went silent.

    ¡°Welcome to Magic Concepts,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Professor Lytes. Some information about me- I graduated as one of seven students under the head Elven enchanter. I worked as an enchanter¡¯s aid for a year, then as a royal enchanter for six years. I was the first half elve to be a royal enchanter. I started working as a professor here eighteen years ago. I¡¯ll not be so bold as to say I¡¯ve seen everything, but I have seen quite a bit, from prodigies to problem students.¡± She eyed the students. ¡°I expect a lot in this class, but I¡¯m a fair teacher, and I want the best for and from each of you. Now, with that out of the way, let''s get started.¡± She dived right into the basics of Magic concepts, talking about the Sub-Element theorem and the Biological Affinity rule.

    Starla took notes on everything, but she found that she already knew or had a basic understanding of most of the things Professor Lytes spoke about. At the end of the class Lytes assigned some reading and suggested several optional books to read. Starla wrote them down in her notebook, planning to check them out from the school library.

    ¡°The next four classes we¡¯ll continue to cover the basics,¡± the professor said as students filed out of the classroom. ¡°After that we¡¯ll begin studying how some affinities affect different people uniquely, and how affinities affect magical creatures differently than humans.¡±

    ¡­

    Starla walked into the library, and immediately wheeled around and walked right out again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± an older student asked, laughing.

    ¡°It¡¯s so big,¡± Starla responded. The older student laughed again and walked past her. Starla followed them back into the library and scanned the room until she spotted the help desk. She walked straight up to it.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said to the librarian.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the librarian greeted. ¡°How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for ¡°A Study of the Base Elements¡± by Kiyle Starn, ¡°Magic in Nature¡± by Stacee Gold, and ¡°Dragons: a Further Study¡± by Sir Fandolfin.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± said the librarian with a smile, ¡°one of Professor Lytes¡¯s students? She¡¯s always suggesting lots of optional reading.¡± When Starla nodded, the librarian winked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody,¡± she said, looking around, ¡°but Lytes puts bonus questions on the tests that have to do with the optional reading.¡± Starla grinned.

    ¡°Thanks for the tip,¡± she said happily. The librarian nodded seriously.

    ¡°It saved me from failing that class more than once. Now, you¡¯ll find the first two in section three, shelf four, and for the dragon one¡­ let''s see¡­¡± Starla listened to the librarian¡¯s instructions with a smile on her face. She was liking the Academy more and more every moment she spent there.

    ¡­

    Opeali was truly a beautiful place. The sky was clear and blue, the kind of sky that called Viren to fly. They were walking alongside a small cliff face, and below was the sea, a deeper blue than the sky. Viren was walking near the end of the company in silence, taking in the surroundings.

    A couple of birds he didn¡¯t recognize flew overhead, and Viren closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the atmosphere.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re liking Opeali so far?¡± the mercenary walking beside him asked. Viren nodded without opening his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Drew,¡± the man continued. Almost reluctantly, Viren opened his eyes and turned his head to Drew.

    ¡°Viren,¡± he responded. ¡°You¡¯d probably know me as the new guy.¡±

    ¡°More like Rickson¡¯s new best buddy,¡± Drew responded. ¡°The guy¡¯s taken a real liking to you, though that¡¯s not too much of a surprise. Rickson likes everybody. Anyway," he said hopefully, "I heard you were a mage?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Viren said. Drew pumped a fist.

    ¡°Finally! You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been alone.¡± He raised his hands to the sky. ¡°Finally, I¡¯m not the only mage here!¡± Viren had to hold back a chuckle as the thirty-something man rejoiced like a little kid.

    ¡°So, us two are the only mages in the company?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Drew said. ¡°I¡¯m a water affinity. You have no idea how exhausting it is, with the company always asking me to purify their water and such. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Shadow¡­and water.¡± Drew¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°Woah!¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re a double affinity? And water is one of them?¡± He grinned widely. ¡°That means we¡¯re affinity buddies!¡±

    ¡°My water affinity probably isn¡¯t as strong as you¡¯re expecting,¡± Viren hastened to add. He was glad to have a fellow mage among the Tiger Claws, but it did present some problems. Namely that dragon affinities were different from human affinities. For example, while Viren could hold his breath under water for quite a long time because of his affinity, a human wouldn¡¯t have that same ability. Viren couldn¡¯t purify water like humans with water affinities, and while he could manipulate water to some degree, it usually required a large body of water, unlike what he had read of human water mages.

    Hopefully, he could hide behind the excuse that his affinity wasn¡¯t as strong as Drew¡¯s. Maybe he could use that to partially explain his skill with the sword, say that he learned the sword to make up for his weak affinity.

    The difference between human and dragon affinities hadn¡¯t been a problem when Viren had been under Kastra, but that was only because Kastra hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Viren¡¯s magic beyond the fact that it was powerful. Viren had a suspicion that Drew would be far more interested in Viren¡¯s magic itself, rather than how it could be used for his own gain.

    ¡®I think that life in the Tiger Claw company will be unlike anything else I¡¯ve ever experienced,¡¯ Viren reflected as Drew dived into talking about how water affinities were much better that any other affinity. One thing he knew was that, although it would be hard, Viren could see himself building a life for himself here, among these people.

    He found himself liking the idea.

 Chapter twenty-one

    Viren stood in the shadows, watching Drew, who was searching the small forest grove. ¡°Wow,¡± Drew said. ¡°I can¡¯t see you at all!¡± Viren said nothing. ¡°Uh, Viren? You¡¯re still here, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Viren said. Drew whipped around. He squinted in Viren¡¯s direction before walking closer. He was two feet from Viren¡¯s hiding place before he finally spotted him.

    ¡°There you are!¡± he exclaimed. Viren smiled and stepped out of the shadow of the tree he was hiding under. ¡°So,¡± Drew continued, ¡°It¡¯s not total invisibility.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. And the effect is kind of ruined if I make lots of noise or move around too much, so there is some skill involved,¡± he said. Drew nodded eagerly.

    ¡°It¡¯s still amazing,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone with a shadow affinity before.¡± Viren grinned.

    ¡°What am I, chopped liver?¡± Drew rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I meant other than you.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Guys!¡± Rickson jogged into the clearing. Drew waved. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Playing hide and seek,¡± Drew informed him. ¡°Mage addition. Viren¡¯s shadow affinity is incredible!¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± said Rickson. ¡°Sounds like you two are getting along well.¡± Drew sighed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s been too long that I¡¯ve had to survive as a lone mage,¡± he continued dramatically. Rickson snorted and pulled Drew into a half hug, patting him hard on the back.

    ¡°Well, now that you have a buddy you can stop complaining about it,¡± Rickson informed him. He turned to Viren. ¡°That¡¯s the real reason we hired you,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°To get this fellow to shut up.¡± Drew scoffed, and Viren chuckled.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Rickson continued, releasing Drew. ¡°The real reason I came to find you was because we¡¯re all sparring.¡± Drew¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.

    ¡°Oh, nice,¡± he said. ¡°Those are always fun. And Jobe owes me a rematch.¡± Rickson nodded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight if you don¡¯t want to,¡± he added to Viren. ¡°It¡¯s usually pretty casual, and always lighthearted, but you can just watch if you want.¡± Viren nodded. He didn¡¯t know how sparring worked amongst the Tigers, but he was willing to bet it was nothing like he had¡­ previously experienced. For that reason, it was better to watch and learn.

    They all started back to the camp, Viren walking behind Rickson and Drew. They were talking about different types of weaponry and how they compared and measured up to each other. It was a topic Viren was familiar with, thanks to his reading, but he didn¡¯t join the conversation.

    It was less than a fifteen-minute walk to camp, and when they got back Viren saw that some of the mercenaries had made a makeshift practice ring out of sticks and small rocks. They were all laughing and talking, though when they saw Rickson with Drew and Viren conversations quieted. Some of the mercenaries let out a small cheer.

    ¡°There you are,¡± one called. ¡°Took forever!¡± Rickson shook his head with a smile.

    ¡°Well now that I¡¯m here,¡± Rickson said, ¡°We can get started!¡±

    ¡­

    Viren sat on a log with his chin resting in his hands. There had already been over fifteen bouts. At least three of the bouts had been Drew vs. a man named Jobe. As he suspected, the Tigers sparring was much different than sparring at Kastra¡¯s castle, but there wasn¡¯t much of a surprise there. With a sigh, Viren lowered his head and closed his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you feeling down?¡± Viren looked up at the sound of Drew¡¯s voice and saw Rickson standing beside him. Rickson was sweating; he had just finished a bout.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Viren said shrugging one shoulder. He looked back out over the mercs, patting each other on the back and celebrating together. He shrugged again. ¡°I wish I had grown up like this.¡± Rickson and Drew were silent. Then Drew spoke with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

    ¡°You will,¡± he said. Viren looked back up at him, frowning.

    ¡°What Drew means,¡± Rickson said, ¡°is that you still have your entire life in front of you. If you choose to, you can grow up like this.¡± He looked Viren in the eye, and Viren stared back. ¡°You¡¯re life isn¡¯t wasted, Viren.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Viren looked down, and for some reason he couldn¡¯t swallow the lump that was suddenly there. Instead, he nodded silently and looked away.

    ¡­

    ¡°Welcome!¡± enthused King Treion, spreading his arms wide to greet the elven ambassadors. Khastri hid a smile at his father¡¯s welcoming attitude. The visiting elves were far more reserved.

    ¡°Greetings, your majesty,¡± the head ambassador said with a nod of his head. Khastri stepped forward.

    ¡°Greetings. We have your rooms prepared for you,¡± he said, nodding to a servant. The servant stepped forward.

    ¡°Ah, many thanks,¡± the head elve said. ¡°However, we had hoped to begin the meetings immediately? I trust you are eager as well.¡± Khastri resisted the urge to close his eyes and rub his forehead. ¡®I¡¯ll bet Starla is glad she missed this,¡¯ he thought. They had been planning to start the meetings tomorrow afternoon and were definitely not prepared to start immediately.

    King Treion, in contrast, looked totally calm. ¡°Of course,¡± he affirmed. ¡°Perhaps you would like to briefly retire to your rooms to freshen up after you¡¯re journey?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the head ambassador agreed.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Khastri said. He waved the servant forward. The servant once again stepped forward and began guiding the ambassadors to their rooms. ¡°What now?¡± Khastri asked his father once they were gone.

    ¡°Now,¡± said King Treion, turning to Khastri, ¡°Now we run like mad.¡±

    Almost an hour later, just before sunset, they were finally ready. They had frantically set up a meeting room and gathered all the relevant noblemen and officials, who were sending grumpy looks at the ambassadors as they filed in.

    ¡°Finally,¡± one of the ambassadors complained as they took their seats. ¡°It took us forever to find a servant to direct us to the meeting room.¡± Khastri exchanged a silent smile with his father. He had ordered all servants to steer clear of the ambassadors until they were ready.

    ¡°Well,¡± said the king graciously, ¡°Now that everything¡¯s ready we can start the meeting. Refreshments will be along shortly.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± said one of the ambassadors. ¡°Though the topic of conversation is hardly one to be had over crackers and tuna. The primary- and I dare say only- reason for our visit is to discuss what is to be done with the Dark Lord.¡± The room quickly silenced. Khastri glanced at King Treion, who was rubbing his chin with a vague frown.

    ¡°I agree with you that this is an urgent issue,¡± Khastri said. ¡°However, The Dark Lord has been a problem for many years.¡± ¡®And he¡¯s been primarily targeting Aureum,¡¯ he added silently. ¡°Why the sudden urgency?¡± The ambassadors were silent for a moment.

    ¡°Well,¡± said the head ambassador slowly. ¡°As of late¡­¡± He trailed off and looked at the other ambassadors. Another ambassador sighed.

    ¡°The Dark Lord has been giving us trouble,¡± she said. ¡°Well, not him personally. His minions have been raiding our villages.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± King Treion said, rubbing his chin. One of the younger ambassadors clenched his fists.

    ¡°Do you intend to leave us to face this threat on our own?¡± he asked hotly. One of the older ambassadors cleared his throat and gave the younger ambassador a glare.

    ¡°No,¡± responded the King, ¡°not at all. It¡¯s just, the Dark Lord does not seem to have abandoned the idea of conquering Aureum.¡± He glanced at Khastri, a question in his eyes. Khastri gave an almost imperceptible shrug. He didn¡¯t know what his father was ¡®asking¡¯, but he trusted that his father knew best.

    The King gave a sigh. ¡°As a matter of fact,¡± he continued, ¡°We¡¯ve heard reports of at least three spies in our borders, though they don¡¯t seem intent on gathering information. We can¡¯t guess the reason for them being in Aureum, but it proves that we¡¯ve not chased Kastra out of Aureum quite yet.¡± The head ambassador looked thoughtful. Khastri was mildly surprised his father had told the visiting elves about the spies.

    There had indeed been three spotted so far- and in the most out of the way places. One in Edgedale, and two that had been spotted in Tywrene, a smaller trade city. Privately, Khastri thought that they seemed to be searching for something, but he couldn¡¯t think of what.

    ¡°So, Advune will aid in defeating the Dark Lord once and for all?¡± the head ambassador inquired, bringing Khastri back to the present.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said King Treion. ¡°Though,¡± he warned, ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the elve said. ¡°Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have come to you for help. Shall the discussions begin?¡±

    ¡­

    The bright stars lit up the clear black night, sparkling like the bright sun reflecting against the ocean. Looking up at a night like this had always sparked an overwhelming sense of unexplainable peace in Viren, even in the darkest of situations. He tucked his arms behind his head. The springy grass where he was laying was comfortable, and just a few steps away from camp, so he was close enough to feel safe, yet comfortably alone.

    They were planning on reaching Emreld- the city in Opeali they were traveling to- tomorrow. From there they planned to stay at the noble¡¯s house while doing a few jobs. Brack had said something about a thieves¡¯ ring, which would probably be interesting.

    Viren continued staring up at the night sky. The moon was high in the sky, making it around midnight. Everyone (except those on look-out) was asleep. Usually, such a view of the stars made Viren want to fly, but tonight he was comfortable and not inclined to get up from where he lay. He didn¡¯t have to do anything- he could just rest here and experience the night.

    ¡®rest,¡¯ said a whispering, calm voice inside him. ¡®you can let go and rest.¡¯

    Rest. What a funny thing- how that living among fighters and fighting for a living, running from a Dark Lord and hiding a true identity, Viren felt more at rest than he ever did when he belonged to Kastra, mostly forgotten except for morning training and the occasional run-in with the dark lord¡¯s attention. It wasn¡¯t an outward rest, but more of an inward peace. A true rest.

    ¡®Ok,¡¯ thought Viren, ¡®I¡¯ll rest. Maybe tomorrow or next week or months from now it will all fall apart, or Kastra will find me, or <u>something</u> will happen, but today, in this moment¡­ I¡¯ll just rest.¡¯

 Chapter 22

    Starla sat with her head bent over a book, trying to study. She wasn¡¯t really concentrating fully on her reading though. It was a beautiful day, with only a few clouds in the sky. She was sitting on a small blanket on the grass between the wall and the Orchard building, a stack of homework and assigned reading beside her. A stack that was still far too tall for the hour and a half she had already been sitting out here. She put down her current book- Skyotes and other so-called ¡®vermin¡¯ by Joy Belle- with a sigh and a half chuckle.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what I was thinking, trying to study out here on a day like this,¡¯ she thought to herself. She formed a tiny ball of light and rolled it around and between her fingers, admiring the glow and recalling an interesting theory she had read in a book about the fundamentals of affinities.

    ¡°A light affinity works somewhat like an extremely concentrated, highly powerful reflection. Magic cannot create something out of nothing. It merely interacts with- and sometimes amplifies- what is already there. Light magic does not create light. Rather, it shows the light that could be there by amplifying the light that is or was <u>already</u> there. Following this theory, in a scenario involving a complete and utter lack of light of any kind for a long enough amount of time, light magic would be rendered useless.¡±

    The theory wasn¡¯t something particularly groundbreaking for her, though it was very interesting. But light affinities were rarer than most, so there wasn¡¯t much research on them compared to other affinities.

    ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡±

    The voice startled Starla out of her thoughts. ¡°Oh, this?¡± she said, causing the ball of light to roll to a stop in the palm of her hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± She looked up at the boy who had spoken. He was around her age, with light brown ringlets and darker skin that meant he was most likely from Retherin. He had an air of nobility about him. Starla stood as gracefully as possible.

    ¡°I¡¯m Starla,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you.¡± The boy nodded.

    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± he responded. ¡°My name is Wallace.¡± He nodded to her books. ¡°Studying?¡± Starla laughed.

    ¡°Trying to,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s rather hard on a day like this.¡± Wallace smiled.

    ¡°I can agree with that,¡± he said. ¡°Hence, my lack of homework.¡± Starla grinned. ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued, ¡°I thought that today was a good day to introduce myself. I¡¯m a bit surprised that we haven¡¯t already met on some diplomatic trip or another, actually.¡± Starla tilted her head. ''Diplomatic trip?''

    ¡°Of course. I hope you wouldn¡¯t mind reminding me of your status?¡± This time Wallace laughed.

    ¡°Well said. My full name is Wallace Levenson. I¡¯m King Colin¡¯s nephew.¡± Starla smiled and held out a hand to shake.

    ¡°Well met. My name is Starla Verenteis, niece of King Treion. But I suppose you already knew that.¡± Wallace laughed again and shook Starla¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Well met, Starla. I¡¯d be pleased to call you friend and ally.¡±

    ¡°As would I,¡± Starla said with a chuckle. ¡°Friend.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren looked upon Emreld¡¯s gate with wide eyes as the Tiger Claws approached it. ¡°I knew you would like this part,¡± Drew said, nudging Viren¡¯s shoulder with a grin. Emreld¡¯s city wall was most likely made of stone, but the entire outside layer of it was covered in smooth white cement. The only part of the white layer that was dirty was near to the ground.

    It was the city gate that took Viren¡¯s breath away though. It was surrounded by sparkling shards of glass set into the cement. The glass shards were in varying shades of green, some looking almost blue. Speckled among the green were shards of glass in other colors as well. Some were pink, others red, others purple and still others were yellow. A few were even gold colored. The shards were arranged in beautiful layers, welcoming all who entered the beautiful city.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Viren said as they passed under the gate. ¡°That was¡­ like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± But Drew was already gone from his side, probably catching up with someone else in the group. It didn¡¯t matter though. Viren was busy drinking in all the sights of the Emreld gate market.

    From colorful banners and awnings to the glittering jewelry on display, the market was steeped in beautiful sights. Every few steps Viren caught sight of something new, from uncut gems to freshly cut flowers to clothes with gold and jewels sewn into them.

    Another thing about Emreld was that everything looked clean. From the street walkways to the buildings peeking from behind the market stalls, everything had little dirt. It was a clear contrast from Aureum, where even the richer cities still had dirt and grime. ¡®They must have people here to clean the city,¡¯ thought Viren. ¡®I don¡¯t know how else they would keep it this clean.¡¯

    ¡°This market is nothing compared to the one in June, the fae capital,¡± said Drew, coming up behind Viren. ¡°Constellation- that¡¯s the market there- is a real maze. At least this place is organized.¡±

    ¡°There you are,¡± said Viren. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s the place we¡¯re going to be staying?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s outside of the city,¡± responded Drew. ¡°Brack said we¡¯re going to meet some city officials first.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± said Viren. ¡°Is it for an official bounty?¡± he  twisted around to take a closer look at a stall that was selling kittens.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Drew, eyeing a shifty looking shopper trying to get a little too close to the mercenary in front of them. ¡°I think it might have something to do with that thieves¡¯ ring Rickson mentioned.¡±

    Viren swiftly bent down a picked up a small pebble, never missing a step. He flicked it at the neck of the Tiger Claw in front of them, hitting her in the back of her neck. She looked behind her with a frown and caught sight of shifty shopper, who was reaching for her belt purse. The mercenary sent the would-be pickpocket a glare that would silence thunder, and he swallowed and sulked away faster than a merchant after cheating a lord.

    Drew grinned at Viren. ¡°Nice,¡± he said. Viren shrugged.

    ¡°Gotta look out for my fellow Tigers,¡± he said lightly. ¡°Do you know anything about the thieves¡¯ ring?¡± Drew shrugged.

    ¡°Not much. It¡¯s probably a relatively new problem. The thieves also have to be pretty good. Getting away with big crimes like that is hard to do in Opeali. They take thieving seriously.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Bigger payout, bigger risk. Better thieves.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Drew said. ¡°Exactly. Unfortunately for them, better thieves also attract better mercs. And this ring has attracted the best.¡± He winked at Viren, and Viren chuckled.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit cocky? Calling our company the best?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Drew corrected. ¡°Brack calling our company the best would be cocky. Me though, I¡¯m just a humble mage speaking the cold hard truth.¡± Viren grinned.

    ¡°Well, as a fellow humble mage, you are indeed speaking the truth, and I am in total agreement with you.¡± Drew flung an arm around Viren, throwing him off balance.

    ¡°Ahh, there¡¯s your company spirit!¡± Viren laughed and the mercenary in front of them turned around, walking backwards.

    ¡°What are you two laughing at?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Just our newest recruit showing some Tiger Claw spirit,¡± Drew said.

    ¡°Ahh,¡± the mercenary said, nodding. She turned to Viren. ¡°Has he complained to you yet about how he was the only poor, overworked mage in the company until you came along?¡± Viren laughed again. He hadn¡¯t realized Drew¡¯s reputation for complaining was that widespread.

    ¡°Clara!¡± Drew said. ¡°Viren! Don¡¯t encourage her! You two wound me. Why would you laugh at my pain?¡± Clara laughed and turned back around. Viren chuckled. Drew sighed and shook his head. ¡°No one has any appreciation for my gifts,¡± he moaned.

    ¡­

    ¡°Lord Everest will see you now,¡± the clerk droned. Brack led the Tigers into a large room. The room was very grand, with a high ceiling and sparkling marble floors. At the head of the room was a large desk, and behind the desk sat a large man. Lord Everest, if Viren was understanding correctly, was the governor of Emreld, the man who took care of all the business and politics related to the city. Back in Aureum, a city was usually either run by the highest ranking noble or it was run by a city council, so the concept of governor was interesting to him.

    ¡°Greetings,¡± said Brack. ¡°I would like to enquire about the recent thieves¡¯ ring occupying Emreld. Specifically, payment in exchange for taking care of the problem.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± grunted Lord Everest. ¡°An intriguing offer. You are the same Tiger Claw company credited with apprehending the Crystal¡¯s Shadow, are you not?¡± Drew leaned close to Viren.

    ¡°The Crystal¡¯s Shadow was a famous smuggling Lady,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°We are,¡± Brack said in answer to Lord Everest¡¯s question.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Lord Everest said. ¡°I am grateful you have offered your services. I would be willing to pay up to three thousand coin for the dissolving of the ring and capture of at least half the members.¡±

    ¡°We agree to those terms,¡± said Brack.

    ¡°Very well then!¡± Lord Everest clapped his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll have the contract drawn up.¡± He motioned to the clerk, who had followed the Tigers into the office.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Brack said. ¡°I shall send someone tomorrow to get a copy.¡± He bowed. ¡°You¡¯re city shall soon be rid of its problem, governor.¡± With that, he turned around and led the Tigers out of the meeting room.

    The clerk ushered them out of the city hall and the company soon found themselves in a large courtyard just outside the building. Brack turned to address the company. ¡°Alright, everybody,¡± he shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll make our way to Lord Evenbone¡¯s house to rest and regroup. Tomorrow, our work begins!¡±

    ¡­

    Lord Evenbone¡¯s manor was probably the fanciest place Viren had ever seen. Beautiful paintings of Opeali landscapes covered nearly every wall. The softest carpets covered the floors, most featuring colorful geometric designs. Lord Evenbone himself was dressed simply compared to his house though. If Viren were to see him out in the streets, he would be surprised to learn he was a prosperous lord.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said, greeting each Tiger with a huge smile as they entered the main hall. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, my friends.¡±

    ¡°You as well,¡± Rickson said, giving the Lord a firm handshake. Most of the other Tigers simply bowed their heads as they passed him, and Viren followed their lead.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t met you before,¡± Evenbone said to Viren as he passed. He held out a hand, which Viren shook. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you¡­¡±

    ¡°Viren,¡± Viren supplied. Evenbone smiled.

    ¡°Viren,¡± he repeated. ¡°I hope you find your time at my house comfortable and hospitable. Any member of the Tigers is a friend of mine, and no stranger to me.¡± Viren smiled tentatively, surprised a little by the Lord¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°I hope you will not find me an unlikeable or rowdy guest.¡± The Lord laughed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I shall,¡± he said, and Viren continued on, a genuine smile spreading across his face. When all the mercenaries had come in, Brack stood aside talking with Evenbone. Evenbone nodded gravely, but Viren couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying. Then Lord Evenbone glanced at Viren before quickly glancing away again. Viren frowned. ¡®why do I get the feeling that they¡¯re talking about me?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t get much time to think about it though. A servant appeared to lead the Tiger¡¯s to their rooms, and Brack moved away from Lord Evenbone to follow the rest of the Tigers to their rooms.

    Viren got to share a room with Rickson and another Tiger named Tysonn, whom Viren had talked with a little on their journey from Aureum to Opeali. ¡°Hey, Viren,¡± Tysonn greeted as they dropped their bags on the floor next to their beds. Viren nodded to him and turned to survey the room.

    It was bigger than any inn bedroom, with a desk at one corner and three beds, one for each of the other corners. The walls were painted a nice green-blue color, and there was a woven carpet in the center of the room.

    ¡°Lord Evenbone always has lots of extra rooms for guests,¡± Rickson commented to Viren as he unpacked some of his gear.

    ¡°It makes for easy boarding,¡± Tysonn added.

    ¡°And it¡¯s definitely better than any inn I¡¯ve ever stayed in,¡± Viren said. Rickson laughed.

    ¡°For sure,¡± he chuckled. ¡°The food is far better too.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of,¡± Tysonn said. ¡°What do you say we head to the kitchen and see if they have anything to spare for hungry guests?¡± Viren grinned.

    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± he said. Rickson shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming too, in that case.¡± He narrowed his eyes and Viren and Tysonn as he opened the door to leave. ¡°I have to make sure you two don¡¯t eat everything in the mansion.¡± Tysonn winked at Viren.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take turns distracting him while the other person eats,¡± he whispered loudly. Viren muffled a laugh as he followed Rickson out the door.

 Chapter 23

    Viren dreamt the dream again. Like before, the terrible storm tossed him around, throwing him off balance and nearly electrocuting him. This time was different though. Just before he dove beneath the waves, a bright golden light caught the corner of his eye. He paused and flew back up, trying to get above the reach of the waves. He scanned the stormy surface of the ocean, trying to see what caused the light. It hadn¡¯t been lightning¡ªhe was strangely certain of that.

    ¡®There! I see it!¡¯

    The light had flashed for only a second, but Viren locked his gaze onto where it had come from: a ship.

    Its mast was broken, and wave after wave broke over it, almost like the storm itself was consciously trying to drown the stubborn vessel. Viren knew the ship was important, in the same odd way he had known the light hadn¡¯t been caused by the storm. He knew the ship couldn¡¯t be allowed to drown.

    As he had that thought, lightning crashed not six feet from where he was. Viren jerked to the side, which, of course, threw him off balance. He righted himself¡ªbarely¡ªand struggled closer to the ship. Before, as savage as the storm had seemed, he had only happened to be caught in it. Now though, it was almost like the storm had noticed him and was targeting him accordingly. He had to duck and dodge the lightning that struck at him every half minute.

    On the deck of the ship, he could see many people rushing around in a panic; only one stood still. It was the mage who was creating the light. He could see now that she was trying to maintain a dozen little balls of light around the deck of the ship. At the same time, she was trying to form a tall beacon of light, which kept getting snuffed out by the wind and rain.

    She was facing away from him, so all Viren could see in terms of appearance was a soaked blue dress and dirty blond hair whipping in the wind.

    He observed all this in less than a minute, before he was forced to dodge yet another strike of lightning. He avoided it mostly, but it clipped his tail, and he roared in pain. Now he was even more off balance, and he yearned to dive deep into the ocean, far away from this terrible storm. But the ship!

    He hesitated again, struggling to make a decision. Should he try and save the ship, a mission almost certainly bound to fail, and risk his life in the process, or dive into the waves and escape as he had done so many times before? Something deep inside him was torn in two; one part of him was desperate to save the ship and the other part was screaming at him to get away, to save himself!

    He woke up before he could decide.

    ¡­

    ¡°Viren, are you doing all right?¡± Viren looked up.

    ¡°What?¡± Rickson was looking at him, his head tilted slightly in concern. Viren looked back down. ¡°Oh. Yes. I¡¯m fine, I guess.¡±

    ¡°You guess?¡± Viren chuckled a little but quickly sobered. He hadn¡¯t been able to get the dream out of his head. Sure, it was an imaginary decision to save an imaginary ship from an imaginary storm, but it had just seemed so important. Why was it important? Viren didn¡¯t have a clue.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Rickson continued. ¡°You know we¡¯re here for you, right? You might be the new guy, but the Tigers protect their own.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± Unfortunately, Viren didn¡¯t think the Tigers could beat up a dream. He shook his head. ¡®Pull yourself together, Viren.¡¯ If he couldn¡¯t get the dream out of his head, he could at least hold off thinking about it until¡­ sometime later. ¡®Right now, I¡¯m going to figure out what working with the Tigers is all about.¡¯

    They were on the road leading from Lord Evenbone¡¯s house to Emreld. As Brack had said this morning, today¡¯s mission was to do some recon and familiarize themselves with the situation in the city. Maybe investigate local reports about the thieves¡¯ ring.

    It was just a little over a mile from the Lord¡¯s house to the city, and with the brisk pace the Tigers were taking Viren could already see Emreld in the distance. The western entrance, the one nearest to Lord Evenbone¡¯s house, wasn¡¯t decorated like the eastern one, which they had entered by the day before, but it was still busy.

    As the Tigers approached the western gate, Viren noted the people using it. He wondered if any of them were with the thieves¡¯ ring, smuggling goods out of the city, or maybe going to a hideout in the wilderness. Would their hideout even be in the wilderness? They weren¡¯t bandits after all, and it would probably be more convenient, although riskier as well, to have a hideout inside Emreld.

    ¡®Which would a thief prioritize more? Convenience or safety?¡¯ Viren mulled over the question as the Tigers made their way deeper into the city. Eventually they reached a small picnic area, a stone courtyard with four old wooden tables positioned under the shade of a large oak tree.

    ¡°Alright, Tigers,¡± Brack said once they were all there. ¡°Jobe and Bob, go buy some refreshments. Clara, head to the city hall and pick up the contract. Stan, Sarah, Jayso, and Lucey, you four are in charge of purchasing supplies and transporting them to Lord Evenbone¡¯s manor. Everyone got all that?¡±

    Once those named left to their assigned tasks, Brack organized the rest of the mercenaries into six groups of four, all tasked with finding more information about the thieves. Viren was grouped with Rickson, Tysonn, and a man named Marce.

    ¡°Ideas, anyone?¡± Rickson asked as the group left the courtyard. ¡°Any way we can find a lead?¡± Marce shrugged. He was generally a quiet guy.

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    ¡°Try and catch one of the thieves?¡± Tysonn half joked.

    ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Rickson responded. ¡°Maybe after we already have some background information.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk to any merchants,¡± was Viren¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t have to catch a strictly professional thief,¡± Tysonn said after a moment of thought. Rickson inclined his head at him, silently urging him to explain. ¡°Well, what¡¯s the best way to get information about criminals?¡± Tysonn asked. The others were silent.

    ¡°¡­Other criminals!¡± Tysonn finally exclaimed. Viren looked at Rickson, who was starting to get a glint of understanding in his eye.

    ¡°¡­I still don¡¯t get it,¡± Viren said.

    ¡­

    Viren stood in the middle of Market Square, trying to figure out how an attention-seeking teenager would act. He was the bait in Tysonn¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Aside from professional thieves,¡± he had explained, ¡°pickpockets and purse snatchers are big problems in the outer cities. I know that firsthand.¡± It turned out that Tysonn was actually from Opeali, though not from Emreld. ¡°They¡¯re also big gossipers,¡± Tysonn had said. ¡°Which is why we¡¯re going to catch one.¡±

    Viren was apparently ¡®perfect¡¯ for the bait, since he could ¡®easily¡¯ pretend to be a foolish teenager with a lot of coin. It hadn¡¯t been too hard to turn him into the prideful mercenary they needed, at least in terms of appearance. His orange and black striped bandana, which he usually wore tucked inconspicuously in a pocket, was tied boldly around his neck, and he had a bulging coin pouch dangling from his belt.

    ¡°Trust me,¡± Tysonn had said. ¡°You¡¯ll be irresistible. To pickpockets at least.¡±

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Viren thought now. ¡®Real reassuring.¡¯

    He spun around slowly, trying to find Rickson. The other members of his team were hiding in the crowd, ready to pounce on a potential thief as soon as they targeted Viren. He finally spotted Rickson in the crowd standing next to a well. Rickson motioned for him to get going. Viren sighed.

    ¡°Wow,¡± he boasted loudly to no one in particular. ¡°Being a mercenary is so great.¡± He jingled the coin pouch. The crowds passed him by, uncaring. He did get a few odd looks. Viren spotted a group of kids around his age watching him. With what dignity he had left dying in agony, Viren walked up to them.

    ¡°I just got paid,¡± he proclaimed loudly. ¡°Paid in coin. Coin that can be used to buy things.¡±

    ¡°How much coin?¡± A girl asked.

    ¡°Agnes,¡± a boy groaned. He obviously didn¡¯t think much of Viren. Or at least his big-ego persona.

    ¡°A lot,¡± Viren said, paying no attention to the boy. ¡°A very large amount.¡± A different girl rolled her eyes, and a few of the teenagers laughed.

    ¡°You see,¡± Viren continued, ignoring their varied levels of distain. ¡°I am a mercenary, and mercenaries are very tough. Yes. In fact,¡± he said raising his voice louder. ¡°In fact, I dare anyone to try and rob me. I will defeat¡ª¡±

    It seemed this blatant challenge (despite his probably poor acting) was finally too much for a thief to resist. He sensed the presence of the pickpocket behind him before he actually felt the coin pouch being lifted from his belt. Acting quickly, he whirled around and nailed the thief with a punch to the face. The thief reeled back, and before he could recover, he was surrounded be three other Tiger Claws who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care that your plan worked,¡± Viren said to Tysonn flatly once the thief was secured. ¡°I still hate it.¡±

    ¡­

    The group dragged the protesting thief to an unassuming alley. Tysonn bound his hands and feet, and Marce held the tip of his blade two inches from the thief¡¯s throat.

    ¡°What do you want with me?¡± the pickpocket asked with a mixture of frustration and suspicion. ¡°If you were just busting me for trying to steal from your friend you would have already dropped me at the city hall.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tysonn agreed. ¡°We want the latest insider gossip.¡± The thief gave a harsh laugh.

    ¡°Gossip? You shoulda picked up one of the old wives for that. I can tell you of a good spot near West Gate Square.¡± Tysonn raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°We want to know about the thieves¡¯ ring that¡¯s been plaguing Emreld,¡± he said. The thief clammed up quick.

    ¡°You¡¯re fools,¡± he said finally. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about the ring.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not fools,¡± Tysonn responded evenly. ¡°We¡¯re mercenaries. Experienced ones.¡± The thief frowned sullenly, his eyes darting from Tysonn to Viren to Marce¡¯s sword.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the honorable ones?¡± the pickpocket grumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t know what happens to tattle-tales in the underworld.¡±

    ¡°I know more than you¡¯d think,¡± Tysonn said. His voice was light, but Viren could hear a bit of tension in it. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of you¡ªthough you might not entirely like the solution. But right now, your choices are between our solution, and my buddy¡¯s sword.¡± Viren knew that Tysonn was bluffing¡ªbut the thief didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Fine,¡± the thief snapped. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Tysonn¡¯s response was lightning-quick.

    ¡°I want names, descriptions, and everything you know about how the ring formed.¡± The pickpocket sighed.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said again. ¡°I¡¯ve only got three names, though there are at least fifteen thieves, probably more. Dani, Shora, and Trixi.

    I used to know Dani, we would exchange tips. He always had a knack for more than just picking pockets. He¡¯s what we call a natural. Shora is from the capital. Rumor is, she crossed one of the big smuggling gangs and is hiding out in Emreld. I don¡¯t know too much about Trixi.¡±

    Rickson had pulled out a small notebook and was scribbling all this information down.

    ¡°As for how the ring formed,¡± the pickpocket continued, ¡°the details are pretty shady. Supposedly, a fellow from the Fae kingdom¡ªno one knows which province, exactly¡ªheard that Opeali was rich when it comes to precious stones. He decided that Emreld was a good place to set up shop and started the ring. How it works¡ªsupposedly¡ªis that each thief steals what they want, sometimes working together. Everything they steal is stashed away in their hideout somewhere. Once a month they somehow smuggle the goods out of the city and sell them in the capital. Each thief gets an equal cut.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Viren said. ¡°Each thief gets an equal cut? Even if one doesn¡¯t steal as much as another?¡± The pickpocket nodded.

    ¡°They probably have some other rules and deals to ensure fair play,¡± Rickson said. Marce nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything else,¡± the pickpocket interjected. ¡°What are you going to do with me now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll organize your transfer to a village,¡± Tysonn answered, glancing at Rickson. Rickson nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll serve out your sentence there,¡± Tysonn finished. The pickpocket frowned but didn¡¯t protest. Maybe that had something to do with Marce¡¯s sword still positioned at his throat.

    The Tigers hauled the thief up and escorted him to the picnic area where the company had set up. Tysonn and Marce hustled the thief away, leaving Rickson and Viren behind. Rickson glanced at Viren. ¡°I know the bandanna was just part of the disguise, but it looks good like that.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªoh.¡± He had forgotten that he was still wearing the Tiger Claw bandanna around his neck. He reached his hand up, fiddling with the material. ¡°Yeah. I guess I can keep wearing it like this for a bit.¡± Rickson smirked.

    ¡°You guess, huh?¡± Viren shrugged.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try to see what the other teams learned,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Sure, change the subject,¡± Rickson joked, but he started walking to where Brack was stationed. ¡°We also ought to share what we learned. Tysonn and Marce are probably too busy taking care of our thief.¡± Viren nodded and moved to follow him.

    ¡°And,¡± Rickson continued with a wink, ¡°maybe we can get our hands on some of the snacks Jobe and Bob bought.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Viren sat quietly at Lord Evenbone¡¯s dining table while the Tigers discussed (argued) how to best discover the location of the thieves¡¯ hideout. It had been three days since they arrived in Emreld and two since they had started gathering intel. So far, they had discovered information on the thieves¡¯ fighting abilities (little to none), motives (money, obviously), and favorite strategies. But nothing on potential hideouts or frequently visited spots, which is what they really needed in order to shut down the operation.

    So, this morning, rather than heading out to the city like usual, the Tigers had stayed at the Lord¡¯s manor to discuss a plan. They had been cooped up in the dining room since breakfast, and all the Tigers (except for Viren, Rickson, and Brack) were on their feet and in varying levels of frustration.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tysonn, but catching a thief in the act won¡¯t work,¡± Bray, a more outspoken member of the Tigers, said. Several others started to protest, but he barreled on before they could say anything. ¡°We need to infiltrate their ranks somehow.¡± Tysonn shook his head.

    ¡°Catching a thief would work,¡± Tysonn insisted. ¡°All we have to do is set a bait! We catch one on our terms.¡± Those were the two main strategies on the table. Of course, there were problems with both of them¡ªand the mercenaries knew it.

    ¡®Trying to catch a thief would only bag us one of them,¡¯ Viren thought. ¡®Chances are, the rest would hear about it and escape. And trying to infiltrate the ring might have worked if we were a bit quieter about our arrival; as it is now, they¡¯d be too suspicious to consider any new members.¡¯

    Viren looked at Rickson, who was also quiet. He caught Viren¡¯s eye and gave him a half smile. Brack sat at the head of the long table, not speaking but still involved in the conversation. He was listening to both plans carefully, his face puckered in thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s too risky,¡± Tysonn said. Viren tuned back into the conversation. ¡°They know we¡¯re here. I know how thieves think, and all they¡¯ll see is an opportunity to get rid of one of the mercenaries hunting them.¡±

    Bray clenched his teeth and crossed his arms, but didn¡¯t argue back. He knew Tysonn was right. The plan would accomplish nothing.

    Viren raised his eyes to the ceiling, trying to think. They needed most or all of the thieves in one place at one time, especially the fae who had started it all. And thieves were slippery; they had to surprise them. He closed his eyes and tapped his fingers against his leg.

    ¡®Ok, imagine you¡¯re a criminal. A thief. You find a target, steal stuff, and run away. Um. Ok, if I were a thief I¡¯d be super careful while on a job. My senses would be on extra high alert. And if I managed to get caught, I would already have a perfect escape route figured out. Once I leave the house, or mansion or whatever, I¡¯m home free¡ªwait.¡¯

    An idea began to bloom in Viren¡¯s head.

    ¡°Would a thief¡ª¡± Viren paused when everyone in the room stopped talking and looked at him. Taking a deep breath, he pressed on. ¡°Would a thief expect anyone to tail them back to their hideout? Like, would they have lookouts or traps or anything like that?¡± The room was silent in thought.

    ¡°¡­No,¡± Tysonn said finally. ¡°But only because tailing a thief is nearly impossible. Even if they don¡¯t realize anyone is following them.¡± Viren thought for a moment.

    ¡°I think I could do it,¡± he said. Drew snorted and tried to pass it off as a cough. Viren rolled his eyes. He didn¡¯t have Tysonn¡¯s knowledge about how thieves thought and worked and whatnot, but what he did have was years of experience when it came to sneaking around and losing a tail. He could manage following a thief.

    ¡°Viren.¡± Rickson¡¯s voice held a hint of amusement, but also something else. He didn¡¯t not believe Viren could do it. ¡°Tysonn knows what he¡¯s talking about. You really think you could manage?¡± Viren nodded. Tysonn shook his head and crossed his arms.

    ¡°If he could,¡± Carla started¡ª ¡°And I¡¯m not saying he can!¡± she said, lifting her arms in surrender when Tysonn glared at her. ¡°If he could though, we could just have him follow a thief to their headquarters. Our job would be leagues easier!¡±

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    ¡°Here¡¯s what we do,¡± Brack said before Tysonn could object again. The Tigers all straightened, standing at attention. ¡°We¡¯ll have Viren trail Tysonn through the city. If he¡¯s successful, and Tysonn doesn¡¯t catch him, we¡¯ll talk about a plan. If not, we¡¯ll have to figure something else out.¡± The mercenaries all voiced their hearty agreement.

    ¡°Sounds good, sir,¡± Drew said. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice, having a bit of entertainment.¡±

    ¡°We really don¡¯t have time for something like this,¡± Brack grumbled to Viren and Tysonn. ¡°So, it had better be good.¡± Viren nodded.

    ¡°It will be. Sir.¡±

    ¡­

    Viren, Rickson, and the fifteen other mercenaries who had elected to come stood under the shade of the oak tree where they had set up base the past few days. Tysonn had left to scout out his ¡®escape¡¯ route. Of course, a real thief would spend days planning an escape, but Rickson had assured Viren that Tysonn was more than capable.

    In fact, Viren was starting to suspect Tysonn didn¡¯t have the most¡­ squeaky clean background. Which would explain how he knew so much about Opeali thieves. But Viren wasn¡¯t going to start asking questions, especially with his own not-quite-legal past.

    Before long, Tysonn came jogging up to the courtyard. ¡°Finished,¡± he said. There was a spark of excitement in his eyes, and he practically radiated confidence. Viren¡¯s competitive spirit kicked in, and he grinned in anticipation.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Rickson said. ¡°Ready?¡± Both Tysonn and Viren nodded. ¡°Alright. Tysonn gets a¡­ minute head start.¡± Viren folded his arms, and Tysonn jogged off, moving at a pace that was quick but not fast.

    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Drew said behind Viren.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lose. I¡¯ve got money on you.¡± Viren laughed. Finally, Rickson counted off a minute, and Viren took off, moving at a slightly faster pace than Tysonn had been. As he rounded the street corner, he slowed, searching the crowds for his friend.

    ¡®Got you.¡¯

    Tysonn was slipping down the street, subtly scanning the people behind him, trying to spot Viren. Once Viren was sure he wouldn¡¯t lose him, he slipped to the side of the street, where he could hide in the afternoon shadows cast by the buildings. His magic was less affective, as he was constantly moving, but it still did a good job of hiding him.

    Tysonn continued down the main road for another few paces before taking a hard right down a narrow road that was far less busy. Viren followed, crouching in the shadows whenever Tysonn glanced over his shoulder. They soon came to the end of the narrow road, which led into the heart of the busy marketplace. Viren grimaced and doubled his focus on Tysonn. If he lost him here, it was doubtful he would be able to find him again.

    Tysonn wove around people and stalls, never stopping. In the rush of the crowds and his desperation not to lose him, Viren was a little less careful about keeping his distance and making sure he wasn¡¯t spotted.

    This backfired when Tysonn abruptly wheeled around, going back the way he came. With a stifled gasp and no time to think, Viren vaulted over the nearest table and ducked behind it. Not five seconds later he heard Tysonn¡¯s quick, sure footsteps. When they had passed, Viren stood and turned to the flabbergasted stall owner.

    ¡°Um¡­ Sorry.¡± Seeing that the shop sold some kind of spicy meat wrapped in bread, Viren quickly bought two to make up for the disruption and went back to following Tysonn, stuffing the food in his jacket pocket as he went.

    This time Viren was more careful, and Tysonn soon exited the market and ducked into an alley. Pausing to think¡ªit would be hard to keep from being spotted in such narrow confines¡ªViren decided the best course of action would be to continue following from the rooftops. He scrambled rather ungracefully up the wall and, rather than trailing behind Tysonn, walked alongside him. Several times Tysonn checked behind him, and every time he did Viren couldn¡¯t help grinning from above.

    When Tysonn reached the end of the alley, he stopped and turned around, checking for Viren once again. When he saw no one, he smirked, loosened his shoulders, and set off at a slightly slower pace.

    Luckily, when he turned back onto the main road, he didn¡¯t cross the street, so Viren was able to follow without trying to find his way down from the roof. A few times he had to jump a gap between buildings, but that was easily done. After a few blocks, Tysonn entered a run-down looking building. Viren was able to enter through a spot where the roof had caved in.

    Slipping in silently¡ªno use getting caught this far in¡ªViren was careful to stick to the shadows. He found a relatively sturdy spot to crouch in the rafters. The building was empty, except for a few piles of junk, and dust motes danced in the beams of sunlight filtering in through several holes in the roof.

    Tysonn stood in the center of the building with his arms crossed. He turned slowly, then sighed. After a few beats of silence, Viren concluded that he could reveal himself and found a broken piece of wood about the size of his fist. After aiming, he chucked it at Tysonn.

    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± Tysonn ducked, and Viren¡¯s projectile clattered harmlessly onto the floor. Tysonn turned fast, squinting as he peered into the rafters. Viren waved so Tysonn could see him. When he spotted Viren, Tysonn¡¯s face fell in disappointment. He groaned.

    Viren grinned and jumped down from the rafters, landing in a crouch. He stood, ignoring the way the long fall had jarred him. Remembering the food in his pockets, he carefully pulled them out, thankful they hadn¡¯t gotten too smushed.

    ¡°Want a snack?¡±