I was born as a lowly farmer, near the iron mountains. The land my family owned was fertile, yet hard to work – full of stones and pests, most of my time was consumed working in the fields form morning to late evening – as the climate was always good to plant crops. My life in my youth was nothing special as I have mentioned – a farm boy, dumb and big, with no real goals in life. My life began to change when I reached the tender age of thirty – for a normal human that would be half their life, while for some other races merely a drop in the ocean. The change in my life was caused one day – when I and my father were selling our harvested goods in the “iron town”, as always I got a share of money after we had sold our goods for all the work I did in the farm – as always when father gave me the money he said “ Just dont get any girls pregnant, unless youre willing to spend the rest of your life with the girl.”. Like always I would just laugh at my father, I thought that day that I would use the money I have received like always – for mead and women, but destiny or fate had other plans for me – you see that day out of curiosity maybe, or maybe out of idiocy I bought a book about magic! Nothing special – really, just a basic tutorial how to find out if I have any potential or not, with a few beginner spells included.

* Douglas Gilton, the beginning.

Aro read the book he had received form Garka, the man who wrote it liked to brag about himself and about his own way to power, though between all the bragging there were some very well explained spells and training exercises. Between the time he was making potions for the assassins and training he was spending all of his time reading this notebook, he was half way trough it and still havent tested any of the methods of meditating and training described in it, not even talking about the spells. But his curiosity was running rampant itching withing him to try all of the spells and training methods, but for now he didnt – why? Simply because all of them were very time consuming. When he began to read the book, he decided to first learn all the theory and only then use any of it, of course when he will be out of the mountain cave and back somewhere in the civilization.

Time passed quickly, now that the assassins had a mission the lazy atmosphere that was all around before was gone. If anyone had spare time from the tasks they have been assigned by Garka – they were training. Aro was asked to prepare meals for everybody while he was still staying with them, so that they would have more time to train and devise plans about how to take out one target or another. Talon and Garta were probably the most busy ones, as they would leave early every morning and would return only late at nigh – bringing supplies for Aro to use the next day in preparing potions, they also brought back intel on the targets form some of their hired spies or information brokers they bought it from. From time to time some unseen faces would appear in the cave, but whenever someone unseen to Aro would be coming he would be asked by Garka to stay in his lab – as Garka said, the less he knew the safer he was. 'Something big will happen in these five years, wont it?' Aro would think for himself every time, just wondering who could the assassins client be.

Aro's days were busy, to say the least – preparing meals, brewing potions and reading the journal... not to mention that annoying parasite “ripper” moving inside him from time to time, though after these two weeks since he let it enter his body it began to move inside him less and less. As Harolds notes said it was beginning to settle, in two more weeks it will stop moving at all and will be fully symbiotic with Aro's body. Aro himself couldnt wait for that time to come, he wanted to see what this symbiosis will bring him – advantages together with disadvantages, his biggest hope was that it will somehow improve his lungs, reducing his disability.

The papers Garka delivered him from Harold were quite interesting too – many more receipts were written on them, giving Aro even more work – as he made at least one of each other and by meaning made – brewed them until he succeeded as, he was brewing them for the very first time he messed up quite a few times, thankfully most of these new potions used other ingredients than the supplies the group needed. He had also quickly skimmed trough the notebook that wrote about the gloves Garka gave him – the gloves were a marvel of enchanting, well at least form Aro's perspective. They were enchanted with many basic spells, had a compass installed in them – they were called “Adventurers gloves” as the notebook said and they were no longer in production since the man who was making them died about a decade ago. Also many adventurers better used scrolls for all the basic spells than the gloves – as one needed quite a bit of training with them to be proficient in the spells that were inside the gloves – as the book wrote about half a year of conscious usage of the spells within the gloves was needed to begin to use them efficiently and with less concentration. Meaning the gloves were almost useless if you havent trained with them. Lucky for Aro – the gloves were enchanted with heat, cold and energy resistances, so for now he used them when working on his potions – taking hot flasks or sometimes using the basic spells like “Heat” or “burn” within them during his work, trying to at least become a little proficient with them.

As he had his days full of work, he had to abandon his training for the time being, only hoping to catch up later. At those rare moments, when the group had finished with their days work – including Aro they all would gather around the fireplace in the main room and would talk among themselves – unspoken rule at those rare times was to never speak about work. Everyone just wanted to forget it for a bit and relax.

The time of Aro's departure was nearing, as the crates with the supplies were beginning to pile up in his already small lab, cramping it even more. To have some free work space he even had to move some of them into the main room, though keeping them on the opposite side of the room from the fireplace, so that the flammable things wouldnt catch fire if exposed to too much heat. Days were passing quickly for him, anticipation was quickly building within him too, the question that kept popping into his mind was – 'So whats next, when I leave this place?'.

It was one week later, that Aro was woken up by one of the twins.

* Aro, wake up. - Alex spoke to the still sleeping Aro, who after those words began to stir. - Garka wants to speak with you man.

* Five more minutes father..

**Smack!**

* Get eaten by a bear you asshole! - Shouted Aro as he sat down in his bed, to see Alex laughing at him, after he smacked him on the shoulder. - I was having such a nice dream!

* Yeah, but Garka sad to get you now! So move it lazy ass!

* Fuck you.

Aro got out of his bed and began to dress up, like always he put on his dark clothes with hood all made out of leather. He walked out of the room putting on his enchanted gloves, just finishing to tighten all the small leather straps on them.

Ten meters down the corridor, still yawning and last bits of sleep leaving his mind he entered the main room – there Garka was finishing his talk with Talon as he was seeing him and Garta off.

* Ah, there you are Aro! - With his big orkish smile he greeted Aro.

* Morning for you too Garka, Alex said you wanted to see me?

* Yes, I was told you finished with all the supplies?

* Yes, all of them are ready – all thats left is to pack up my things and tidy up the lab.

* Good, good. - Garka nodded at that. - Dont bother with the lab, just pack your things.

* Uh, but I have quite some equipment there..

* No worries, I will cover all your loss. Come, lets talk in my room.

Aro followed Garka to his room, he had never been there before. Entering into the room he looked around – in the room there was a big orc sized bed, together with a mannequin that was covered in armor, that Garka used. Near a wall there was a desk covered in papers – all reports of some sort as much as Aro guessed. On the ceiling there was a big map placed – glued actually as he could see some glue on the corners of it.

* Youre looking around as if you have entered a room for a first time. Hahaha!

* Well, yeah yours for the first time.

* Nothing much to see here, but lets not waste time – work awaits. So, on to the things we need to discuss. - Garka said with a serious tone. - I have some good news and bad news for you. Witch ones do you want to hear first?

* Ah.. bad ones? - A little confused Aro said.

* Sure thing... so... Harold made quite a mess in one of the bigger towns of Selvok, so he and all know associates are now to be captured on sight, if not possible killed. - Aro's face darkened at the news. - Yes my boy.. you are now hunted.

* Fuck, what did he do?

* Blew up the current kings cousin.

* Sorry I asked. - Aro face palmed himself.

* Next bad news are that the expedition I wanted to place you in decided to leave early, but this is only a small stone in our plans – though it means more work for you.

* I see, any more bad news? - Aro asked now in a sour mood after he heard, that he was hunted.

* No, that's all of the bad ones. Moving on to the good ones... - Garka took out a scroll from one of his pockets and handed it over to Aro. - This is a scroll to change your face. I paid a fortune for it – but I was the one who fucked up when I asked that psycho to deal with the kings cousin.

* Okay, how does this thing work?

* Simply – like all the scroll's out there, you tear it apart and it will envelop you in a magic bubble, that will allow to mold your face according to your imagination. Know, that this thing is permanent.. unless you use another one later. But they are very hard to come by and illegal almost everywhere. Use it wisely. - Garka explained.

* Okay, so this will help me with my face, but I have no papers nothing..

* That's covered. - Garka gave Aro another paper. - This is a document of birth, all with official seals and signatures, imbued with magic. Write Your new desired name here and choose yourself a new family name and you my boy will become a new person.. of course when I deliver it to my contact.

* Ugh.. Okay. That's all? - Aro asked, his mind in overdrive already thinking about what new name to choose.

* Nope, not yet. - Garka took out a pouch of coins out of his endless pockets and handed it over to Aro. - Twenty gold pieces, for all your hard work and to compensate for your lab's equipment that you will be leaving behind. Do what you want with them. Now, that is all. Write your new name in the document and bring it to me this evening, then pack your things and change your face Aro, new adventure is waiting for you hehe. Oh I remember when I was your age... heh.. good times...

Aro nodded to Garka who, now seemed to be lost in his memories of “good old days”, seeing as Garka was still lost in his thoughts he quietly excused himself out of the room.

Back in his lab Aro looked at some things he had already packed up and just sighed – 'Ugh.. and I was breaking my head thinking what to pack... clothes and personal possessions now..' Nodding to himself he thought. Taking a seat at his comfy chair that he grew fond of during his stay with the group he took out the document and this face changing magic scroll. 'Maybe I should first change my appearance.. yes, lets do that.' quite exited he tore the scroll, as the scroll was torn it burned to ashes that turned into mist and began to surround Aro's body. He blinked looking at the phenomena and his vision became all white, slowly in this white his naked body shimmered into existance.

Somehow Aro felt without a body as if he was a spirit looking at his own body. 'Oh shit.. I didnt ask Garka how to do this!' A little scared he thought and looked at the image of his body, thinking how big his forehead was, remembering how he was bullied because of it as a kid – as he thought that his forehead became smaller. 'Oh! So that's how it works.. hehehe..' happily Aro went to work on his face, he was about to finish – now looking at such a pretty face, he felt warm inside.. but some thought's dark and logical in nature surfaced. 'If I use this face, however pretty it is I will attract too much attention.. damn it. Lets go with something not so flashy.... Sigh...' sighing, he began to work on his face again.

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Aro made his new faces skin rough, as if he was traveling a lot, then he made his eyebrows thick and dark, he changed his facial structure into one, that would belong to a person who liven in the mountains – strong jaw, matching cheekbones and an average forehead with brown eyes, that seemed to turn greenish at the sides of his iris. He imagined his hair growing spiky and dark, with a few strands of gray here and there – to make him look a bit older, then shortened his elvish ears a bit to make him look more like a half breed than an elf. Putting some finishing touches here and there he thought for a moment of changing his skins color, but decided against it – he grew to like his dark pale skin.

Finished with his work, he looked at his overall appearance – thinking what would one think seeing him for the first time. 'A traveler from far away.. yes – I now look like a traveler. Good, this will do.' nodding to himself he thought that he was done. As he thought that all the white began to retract and soon he found himself back in his chair at his lab, his face was tingling a bit – touching it, he could feel all the changes, his skin also felt as if it was new – quite sensitive to his touch.

In one of his desks drawers he found a small polished metal plate, holding it in front of his face he looked at his new reflection – and there he was with a new face, Aro tried to smile, to frown and many more facial expressions like a kid, soon seeing as everything turned out well he nodded to himself and put the plate back in its place.

In front of him the document was waiting for his attention, it was time to decide on a new name.

Your name defines you – his father used to say, he also told Aro that his name meant hard and harsh, he thought a bit and decided to choose a name with similar meaning – after all, he wont be able to change who he is. After some time of pondering he took the paper document and wrote down his new name. Leonardo.

After choosing a name, he thought for a bit of what family name to use, but decided against it. Many commoners didnt have a family name, maybe there will be a time when he will earn one.

Finished, Aro, no now – Leonardo left the lab and went to Garka's room, knocking on the door he heard “Enter” from inside, so he entered.

Leonardo handed over this document to Garka and turned around to leave, Garka looked at the paper and nodded.

* A good name Leonardo, I like how it sounds. - Approvingly said Garka.

* Me too. I will be ready to leave in a few hours? - questioningly asked Leonardo.

* That would be good, but dont rush, we have to wait for Talon to return – he will lead you to the capital. - replied Garka.

Nodding Leonardo left the room.

Back at the side of his bed, he took out all the clothes he owned and a big backpack that Garka had provided him earlier with. He looked over his clothes, set aside all the unnecessary ones and packed only the ones he would be using in the near future – a few pairs of underwear and socks, a spare cloak with a hood, two sets of gray shirts together with dark leather pants and a pair of simple warm gloves. He will be wearing his light leather armor with a hood when they will be leaving together with Talon – as he thought it should further add to his “wanderer's” appearance. After packing his backpack with all the clothes and also putting inside all the books and notebooks he owned after wrapping them into a bundle using some linen cloth – his backpack was ready.

With his backpack ready Leonardo began to change the clothes he was currently wearing – he put on new underwear, new socks, then changed into darkly dyed sturdy linen shirt, put on pants made out of dark thick linen too. Next Leonardo put on his good old leather shoes, that Fallin had fixed up with new soles – the guy apparently knew how to make shoes. Rummaging trough the small pile of leather armors he had collected while staying here he began to choose his what will he take with him and what will he leave. He put on his leather breastplate armor, that was a little modified by Fallin after he asked and had a hood added to it, next he fastened his leather shin guards on his legs, then put on his enchanted gloves. Leonardo wanted to take these nice leather pauldrons too, but thought that he already looked shady enough – going to the capital looking too much like a bandit wasnt too good, so with a sigh he collected all the left over armor pieces and took them to the groups armory.

* May you serve my friends well. - Sad he said his goodbye to his collection and turning on a heel left the room.

When Talon returned, he first went to Garka to deliver the new information he had gathered, after that he grabbed a bite in the kitchen and went back to the main room, where Aro – now Leonardo was waiting for him.

* Quite a fancy name you chose there for yourself Aro, or should I say Leonardo now? - With a smirk Talon said.

* Call me Leonardo or just Leo from now on – got to get used to it. - Replied Leonardo.

* Good mindset, so ready to go?

* Yeah, got my backpack almost bursting with stuff, the sooner we leave, the better..

* Very well, lets go.

With that the two of them left, Leo wondered for a moment, why Garta wasnt joining them, but just shrugged – he saw how tired the young orc was when he returned.

They moved a lot faster now, when they were leaving – Talon didnt need to check for anyone following them, though they slowed down near the exit and Leonardo was told to wait, while Talon scouted in front – looking for anything suspicious.

Leo watched as Talon seemed to blend in with the shadows, his practiced and near perfect movements. Truly a skilled assassin he thought – the wait wasnt long and after about half an hour Talon was back, the path in front of them seemed to be clear.

Going down the mountain, with more and more trees appearing as they closed to the “Widow's” forest both of them were silent – Leonardo was deep within his own thought's and Talon too seemed to be thinking about an assignment of his or something equally important. It took them less than three hours to reach the edge of the forest, there Talon stopped.

* Listen Aro, damn it – Leonardo... when we will enter town we have to act like we dont know each other – we have to make an impression, that we are just two people who met while traveling the road to capital. In the capital I will go to the red light's district, there at an inn “Twin peaks” ask for Melody if you ever need to contact us – she is the owner of the inn and our contact, other than that we will contact you ourselves. And good luck man, I dont know much about you – but I consider you a friend.

* Thanks Talon, I think of you as a friend too. - With all things said and after a manly handshake they mowed towards the capital in silence.

At the gates of the capital, the guards didnt even look at them – continuing to talk between themselves as how they will spend their evening when their shift will be over – good for Leonardo and Talon. Like Talon said, just as they entered the capital he turned into one of the small alleys leading to the red light district, Leonardo on the other hand continued to walk deeper into the capital – his current destination – one of the cheap ins near the gates at the other side of capital.

Leonardo had to make his way tough the local market district to reach the inn's, on his way trough it he browsed some of the stalls that the merchants had set up – looking at the prices and thinking about setting up his own stall to sell some goods and make some extra coin. The prices have raisen a little during the time he was away – but that was only natural as many merchants from now absorbed Shield kingdom migrated here into the capital.

Soon, when he found himself out of the market and at the beginning at the residential district he began to walk from one inn to another – looking for one not too shady and not with too much people, that would still offer fair prices for renting a room. One such inn was “Carved Tusk” - as soon as Leo entered he knew why such a name was chosen – on the counter there was a small bell made out of a boars tusk and carved nicely to call a receptionist. A young woman was walking around bringing the meals customers had ordered to their tables, when Leonardo entered she looked at him, but soon her attention was back on the customers that were still waiting for their meals.

Seeing, that he wont receive any attention form the woman Leonardo rang the small bell gently.

* Coming! Wait a second! - a male voice came from the doors behind the counter.

Soon the doors opened and a stocky dwarf entered the room, he stood up on a small chair behind the counter to be at Leonardo's eye level and looked over him, then on his face a nice warm smile – that all innkeepers and merchants seemed to make appeared.

* What can I hep you with? Looking for a place to stay the night? I Assume you are, since if you wanted to eat – you would already be sitting behind a table... hahaha. - the dwarf laughed and as he did so his stomach fat rocked. - The names Bock, owner of this little inn.

* Pleased to meet you, im looking for a room as you have guessed accurately. - Replied Leonardo, while keeping the expression of a tired traveler on his face.

* Ah, one night is five coppers without meals, ten with three meals and access to bath's included.

* Eight coppers for a room, meals and baths and I will pay for a week in advance.

* Nine and I wont go lover than that. - Said Bock not willing to go lover.

* Very well.

Leonardo took out some copper coins out of his pouch, after faked rummaging trough it – to make it look like he wasnt too well off. Who knows what people are gathered here now and are having a meal, you can never be too careful. As soon as Leo placed all of the coins he fished out of his pouch on the counter, they quickly disappeared within the hands of Bock.

* Here, the key to your room. Room nine near the end on the hall upstairs, the baths are at the very end of the hall. - Placing the key on the counter made out of simple iron with a nine imprinted on it Bock said. - Anything else?

* Thank you, I would like to ask some directions too.. if you have the time?

* Lets talk in a few hours, im a little busy back in the kitchen now. - Said Bock. - Food will be ready in two hours, I will join you then and we can talk.

* Works for me, see you later then.

Nodding to that the dwarf hopped off the small chair and went back trough the door behind him to the kitchen. Leonardo then too turned to the stairs and made his way up to his rented room.

The room was plain and simple – a small one person bed, with clean bed sheets, an old wooden table on the other side and with creaking floor. 'Fits the cost...' Leonardo thought as he dropped hi things on the table and laid back on the bed, he was hoping to nap a bit... But unfortunately the people on the other side of the wall had other ideas. Soon Leonardo found himself with a hard on in his pants as he was forced to listen to people fucking behind the wall. Sighing he sat down in his bed, reached for his backpack and took out a book about his enchanted gloves hoping to at least learn a bit more about them and their potential uses.