“Have you used a weapon before?” Yamo opened the door to the blacksmith shop and Tsugi stepped in.
“Not really, no.”
“Hmm.” Yamo rubbed his chin and looked Tsugi up and down. “The way you were able to run and move past people with elegance, I think you will do great with a chained weapon.”
He turned to the blacksmith. “Can I see all of your weapons with chains?”
“Right this way.” The blacksmith led them to an area full of chained weapons. Yamo held his chin and gazed at each of them, picking them up and putting them back down.
“Can I have this type of chain but with this weapon instead?” He pointed to each one explaining to the blacksmith about how he would like it to look like.
“Of course.”
“When’s the soonest you can have it ready?”
“It’s very simple. I can have it within a few hours.”
“Good. I will come back tonight to grab them. Now, I need armor that is light enough for him and is still sturdy enough to protect him.”
“The only thing I have is babin armor. It’s light and sturdier than leather, it won’t protect from anything too powerful, but it can protect from at least a few slashes.”
“Very well. We will take that too.” He paid for everything and they left for another store.
“Welcome! Is there anything I can help you find?” A nice looking man approached them.
“Yes, we are looking for some clothes that will fit him. To include a cloak, and…” He looked at Tsugi’s feet. “...boots.” Tsugi looked down and saw his worn down boots also riddled with holes and frayed.
“Right away. My Lord.” The man bowed and dragged Tsugi along, measuring him before pulling out clothes for Yamo to look at. After nodding in approval, he paid for them and moved on to another place.
“What are we doing here?” Tsugi looked up toward the inn.
“Come with me to my room. You can bathe and change into your new clothes.”
Tsugi’s eyes widened in fear, not wanting to expose himself to anyone, for what would Yamo say? What would Yamo do if he found out the truth about him?
“Jeeze, I can feel your uncomfortableness from here.” He chuckled and playfully ruffled Tsugi’s hair. “Don’t worry, I’m not like that. I just want you to bathe and change. I’ll leave the room and you can lock it so you can bathe and change.”
Tsugi’s shoulders relaxed and he sighed in relief. Yamo smirked and led him up the stairs, opening the door to his room. “There you go. After you are done come on down. I will wait by the tables.”
Tsugi was skeptical and didn’t quite trust him, so he wasn’t sure how he felt about all of this. ‘Could it be another hallucination that my father casted upon me? Or is it real? Or could it be that Yamo has an ulterior motive for all of this?’
After bathing and changing, he glanced at himself in the mirror. He looked like a young adventurer, in his new clothes, and armor. He had vambraces, cuirass, plackart, a pauldron and greaves that were made of red scales like snake skin, but a lot tougher. He rubbed his fingers over the texture and wondered why Yamo would spend money on such a weakling like him. He brushed off the thought, remembering that he is here on a mission.
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The inn was loud and lively with people chattering and clinking dishes.
“Yo! Enron!” Yamo waved him over.
Tsugi walked by his father who was sitting a table away, next to Madam Maligun. Yamo was very perceptive, so he tried hard not to show any emotion and ignored his father.
“I’ve already ordered some food. We will eat before we head back to the blacksmith.” He adjusted himself in his seat. “So, tell me a little about yourself. How’d you end up here?” He took a gulp of his ale.
“I…I don’t remember.” Tsugi looked down at the table. “I just remember wandering the desert and found myself here. I don’t remember anything before that.”
“Okay.” Yamo nodded and leaned back into his seat, propping up his ankle on top of the other knee. He seemed to have bought it. “How long have you been stuck here then?”
“I don’t know. At least a few days I think. All I could keep track of was when my stomach hurts.”
“That explains how malnourished you are. Please don’t be shy and eat.” Yamo said as the food arrived. Tsugi looked up at him in shock. There was so much food on the table. “I didn’t make the food, so don’t look at me like I poisoned it.” He chuckled. “Alright, alright.” He sat up and reached over, taking a bite out of each item. “There, happy?” He said with a mouthful and chugged his ale, to down the food.
Satisfied, Tsugi munched away.
“Whoa, whoa, slow down. I know you’re starving, but take your time to savor the flavor too. It’s not going anywhere.” He laughed and shook his head, like he found Tsugi to be fairly amusing.
Tsugi nodded with a mouthful and slowly shoved more food into his mouth.
Yamo combed his fingers through his hair and leaned back into his chair, taking another gulp of his ale. “So you don’t remember if you had any parents or anyone? Not even a friend?”
Tsugi shook his head and continued to eat.
“I see.” He pressed his lips together and nodded. His eyes glanced around like he was searching for the right words to say. “It’s alright. Like I said, I will be your family.” He smiled brightly at Tsugi. It made Tsugi feel a little guilty for lying. So far, he didn’t like this whole acting thing, because the bond seemed so real. Or at least, Tsugi wanted it to be real.
Almost every morsel of food had been consumed. Tsugi leaned back in his chair and rubbed his protruding gut, groaning in pain. “If I take another bite I’m going to burst open like a bubble.”
Yamo roared in laughter. “Good! You need some meat on those bones.” He placed some coins on the table. “Let’s go.” He finished his ale and they promptly left to the blacksmith to pick up the weapon, and paid a visit to the stables before returning to the barn.
“Here.” Yamo knelt down in front of Tsugi and held out the weapon. It was kunais but with a chain attached to the end. “It’s not meant for slicing and more for piercing and throwing, hence the chain. You can pull them back and throw them again if needed. I mean, you can still slice, it just won’t do as good of a job as a sword would.”
Tsugi took them in his hands. They were rather light, even the chain felt light. He twisted and turned them to look at every little detail, not that there were many. It sent a little pain to his heart and reminded him of the gift he had received from Mare that was melted into molten iron in the blink of an eye. He didn’t want the gift he received today to end up with the same fate.
“Here.” Yamo grabbed them back. “Come outside, I will show you how to use them.” Tsugi excitedly followed him to the open desert and watched him dance elegantly, swinging the chain around his body as it wrapped and unwrapped itself, flowing smoothly like the wind kicking up a dust cloud around him. After he was done, he caught the weapons in his hands and returned the weapon to Tsugi. “Now you try.”
“But…you only showed me…I don’t even know how I can do that?” Tsugi firmly grasped the weapons in his hands.
“Remember when I said I am a good judge of character?” Yamo knelt down to look Tsugi in the eye, and placed his hands on Tsugi’s shoulders. “Trust me when I say, I know you can do it. Just relax and let it flow through you. It will come naturally. Flow with the weapon, don’t force it too much, just move with it.” His voice was calm and encouraging.
Tsugi’s heart raced with anticipation as he stepped onto the desert terrace. Taking in a deep breath, he emptied his mind, and his body moved without a single thought, nothing but peace flowed through his body. The chains danced and wrapped around his body like a tornado, whipping up the surrounding sand like a hurricane. Tsugi was filled with absolute elation to be able to dance and move so freely, his energy felt so calm and peaceful. He was able to move with elegance, producing a power beyond anything he’s ever felt before. With one last tug on the chain, the kunais returned and he caught them in the air, panting and sweating beautifully.
“Wow.” Yamo was in awe. His eyes were wide open as his jaw dropped to the ground. He snapped out of the beauty he had witnessed and clapped loudly. “See! I knew it! I knew I was a good judge of character. I just didn’t know I was this good! Woo! Go me!” He patted himself on his back and chuckled. “That was just amazing. Absolutely amazing! Are you sure you've never used this weapon before?” His eyes narrowed and the corners of his lips curled up into a smile.
“I’ve never even heard of a chained weapon before.” Tsugi wound up the chain like a lasso.
“Wow…just…wow. Especially, all of that just from observing me. I just…wow.” He couldn’t contain his excitement and clapped again with a huge smile on his face. “I’m so in awe, that I don’t even know what to say! I feel like the proudest father in the world!” He grinned from ear to ear and pulled Tsugi in for a hug.
Tsugi’s heart pounded with joy and he smiled as he returned the hug. “Thank you…father.”