Chapter 3
As soon as they left the door Frankie and Relic slipped into the crowd and began wandering around the city. After walking for just a few minutes, they found themselves being led to their first destination by their sense of smell. Soon, they arrived on a street with restaurants of all kinds. Frankie stopped at the first stall and order some chicken, but Relic kept walking, trying to find the best smell. He continued to follow his nose, until he ended up in a small back alley. He looked around for the entrance, but they alley was a dead end. He continued looking for five or ten minutes but he could find anything. He was about to give up when he heard laughter from the second story of the building. He looked up and saw a beautiful woman. He could tell she was much older than him but it seemed to not have affected her in the slightest. She had straight black hair, with large eyes and even from far away he could tell her skin was smooth. He was trying to figure out what to say when she said
“This must be your first time. I swear, people always send newbies to come to my bar but they never tell them how to get in.”
As soon as she finished speaking she through down a rope ladder, and he immediately climbed up. As soon as he was at the top she started speaking again
“Next time just take out the loose brick at the end of the alley and ring the bell inside it. Then you won’t have to stand around like an idiot until someone decides to look outside. With that said, Welcome to my bar, and the Kallomore office of the Blood Sworn.”
“What are the Blood Sworn?”
“Why are you here if you weren’t introduced?”
“I smelled the food.”
“ We are right in the middle of the food street. How could you differentiate one smell from another?”
“This is where it smelled the best.”
She paused before saying
“ Well this is a problem”
“Why?”
“Only members are allowed to know where the offices of the Blood Sworn are”
“So what happens now?”
“Well, there are two options. The easiest option is to make you one of use. Normally it’s hard to get in but since this is my fault I can probably let you in as a trainee. Show me your status window.”
“Ah. This is my first time using it. I wonder whats in my status window?”
“………….Well shit. If this is your first time seeing your status window is there’s no way you can join us. I guess we will have to do this the hard way.”
“What is the hard way?”
“ A blood oath. Now hold out your hand”
“What do I have to swear?”
“ You have to swear that you wont tell anyone of the location of our office”
“I don’t want to”
“ Don’t worry about it. It wont hurt. I will even throw in a meal and a chance to join us when you get stronger.”
“…”
“Plus, neither of us wants to deal with the problematic situation that will arise if you don’t”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
With the only other option seeming rather unpleasant, Relic decided that it was best to take the oath.
With that said that said Relic put out his hand. As soon as he put out his hand she cut his hand and then her own. She then took her hand and placed it on his and said
“What’s your name”
“Relic.”
“I Karla of the Blood Sworn mercenaries swear to provide Relic a meal and an opportunity to join the Blood Sworn once he has become stronger in exchange for his silence regarding all matters of the Blood Sworn. Should any party break this oath then they will be punished by a curse that grows stronger until they right their wrong. Relic do you agree to these conditions”
“Yes”
As soon as he agreed both of them were surrounded by a red mist. It started out covering a large portion of the room, but it quickly converged on them. It kept getting closer and closer to them until it closed around their left wrists. Once the mist was entirely gone he noticed that Karla now had a red ring on her left arm, and he had a red circle around his bracelet. When he looked again he saw that Karla also had a red ring on both her right arm and her neck.
“What do the red rings do?”
“They signify the oath. The importance of the oath is determined by both the location and strength of the ring. Since this is a relatively unimportant oath it is a light ring and on our left wrists. If you ever join us then you will get a ring around the neck like me. Are you ready for your meal?”
Relic was about to accept when he remember Frankie
“Actually I separated with a companion when I was trying to get here. I better get back so he can show me the rest of the city”
“Come back and get your meal soon. I’ll tell you more about Blood Sworn. I might even help you get strong enough to join.”
With that said, Relic climbed down the ladder and went back into the city. He had worried that Frankie might have missed him but it seems he had stuffed himself the entire time Relic was gone. Relic grabbed a chicken kebab for himself and then Frankie began guiding him around the city again.
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This chapter ended up being short. I meant to just make this a part of chapter three but it ended up being a lot longer than I thought and I was at a good ending point so I put it on its own. In the next chapter I plan on having him visit the library and the training center. I’m not sure if I should try and go in depth or just move on to him getting a patron god. Getting a patron god is going to be the first time I try writing combat.
Also i could decide whether to call the mercenaries the Blood Sworn or the Sworn Blood. I dont know why but deciding which way to do it really bothered me.
If you have any suggestions please leave them.
Hope you enjoy
fluflam