Hey comrades, i hope you like my story - though i write it to improve my writing speed while not looking at the screen mostly. If you have a rich imagination - feel free to pm me with characters of your own imagination (name, last name, maybe a nickname for the character and some background for it) and i will try to use it in the following chapters sooner or later. It's the hardest part for me to make new characters. If you have any ideas or suggestions feel free to post them. This chapter is just 53 words shy form reaching a 5k words mark, i consider this +/- 500 words my medium chapter length. Have fun and enjoy, because i certainly did!
p.s. some suggestions on how to make the characters seem more alive is welcome.
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At the assassins guild's base Aro received training, well at least some of it as he couldnt keep up with the rest of the new recruits, his condition hindering him. His main job like Garka said was working in place of Harold, he supplied them with potions, poisons and other consumables. All the resources were delivered straight to him, the members also helped him set up a small, but efficient alchemy lab in one of the unused rooms of their base, though there was a lot of cleaning before everything was set up.
It was early in the morning when Aro woke up, from the sound coming out of the other beds in the room designated for males – everyone else was still sleeping and quite soundly.
'So, what am I going to do today?' slow, still sleepy thought entered my head. I did some light stretches when I got out into the main room, it feels so good to get rid of that morning stiffness. I walked trough the main hallway, past the girls room and I could already hear some of them up silently talking to one another. Shrugging at their perverted talks that I heard... I made my way into the lab. During this last half a year I truly began to enjoy the smell of herbs filling the air, taking a big breath and filling up my lungs I smiled in pleasure.
All the people here in the base said I was doing a very good job keeping them supplied, so as a way of showing their thanks they somehow managed to get me a nice and comfy leather chair in witch I have just placed my bottom comfortably. As I lifted my eyes off of my notebook, that was neatly arranged with pencils on the table, that box Harold left me came into my view.
'might as well get this over with..' sighing I took the black box into my hands feeling its smooth surface, my fingers traced the side of the box, where a simple metal button acted as a switch, that opened the box.
As Aro opened the box, he saw there inside of it a small creature – the so called “ripper” that was curled up into a ball. The creature was greenish in color, no antennas eyes or anything like that could be seen on its body, one could only wonder how it sensed it's potential host's.
* Well, little guy you dont seem so menacing as your name implies? - Aro said smiling at the small creature, he was now holding in his palm.
As those words left Aro's mouth, the creature as if on queue straightened out, then it nimbly jumped off of his hand straight onto his chest. Such quick movement shocked Aro for a moment and when he finally tried to grab the creature it had already ripped past his shirt. Pain came out form Aro's chest as the parasite quickly made its way into his body.
* Oh fuck! That hurts you little shit!!! - Aro fell onto the ground rolling in pain, as he could feel the parasite moving within his body.
After a few minutes the creature seemed to settle and Aro sat down on his chair panting, while also feeling the parasite in his gut doing something, fortunately for him whatever the parasite was doing didnt cause any pain – only a slight discomfort. He took off his shirt and looked at the place the creature used to enter his body – a small wound with jagged edges could be seen on his chest at the left side.
* Fuuuck, that hurt! - Slowly catching his breath Aro looked at his shirt, that now had a bloody hole in it. - Balls, that was my favorite shirt!
Grumbling profanities silently under his breath, he made his way back into the male room, intending to grab a change of clothes.
Bern and Fallin were already up and getting ready for the day back in the room. They looked at shirtless Aro.
* Dude, what happened to you? - Bern asked a little concerned seeing his bloodied chest.
* Ha! he probably opened our old suppliers present hahaha! - Laughed Fallin, but his face quickly came back to his usual serious expression. - Get a bath Aro, Garka will be arriving today, he will want to see you. I dont think he would like to see you all bloody.
* Okay...
As he was told Aro grabbed a change of spare clothes and a towel, soon he was on his way to the baths.
The bath in the base was quite a nice one, though it had to be a pain to make it – there was a small pool carved in the middle of a separate room specially designed to be a bath. Some pipes were placed underground bringing hot water from a nearby hot stream, another set of pipes were also placed on the bottom of the pool, to allow the water freely leave this pool. Someone really worked hard to make this.
Aro undressed placing his clean clothes on one of the benches carved out of rock near the pool, then he walked up to a basked on the other side of the room and dropped his bloodied shirt there, one of the girls will wash it later in the evening.. probably..
All in his naked glory Aro stepped into the pool and relaxed, just when he was about to let out a satisfied sigh.. that damn parasite reminded him about itself as it began to stir inside his stomatch.
* Oh come on! Cant you let me rest for a bit, after all you did! - Annoyed shouted Aro into the empty room.
But apparently the parasite had some plans of it's own and continued to move around inside of his body. Aro let his body sink deeper into the water and again relaxed as much as he could.
' So Garka is coming over here today... I wonder what will he say about me using this parasite? ' Deep in his thought's he didnt notice someone entering the baths.
* CANONBALL!!! - Someone shouted behind Aro and after a second of running sounds that someone jumped over Aro's head into the pool.
That was Alex, mikes twin brother. The next second a small tsunami hit Aro's face.
* What the fuck man?! Did you really need to jump over my head?! - Fumed Aro at now laughing Alex.
* Hey, whats the problem, not like I hurt you!
* Yeah, right the view of your ass is now burned into my memory! And that is a memory I could have happily lived without!
* Bah, I bet you have never seen such a nice ass like mine! So be grateful!
* Like hell I will! Come over here you prick!
What followed, could be only described as a.. manly battle for justice!
Mike and Bern joined them a few minutes later, after their small fight in the water ended, with Aro almost drowning Alex in the water.
* So guy, Fallin said Garka is arriving today? Got anything on what took him so long to get here? - Curious Aro asked his comrades.
* Nope. - Replied the guy's in unison.
* But I guess something either important or annoying. - Smirking replied Mike knowing how annoyed Aro got when he didnt get an answer.
After that with some small talk going on about, who will do what during the day all of them relaxed, only Aro from time to time showing an annoyed expression and rubbing his stomach.
* So, Bern said you finally decided to use that thing? Did it hurt? - Mike.
* It hurt like hell for a few moment's, but that all, now it's just annoying with all that movement inside of my stomach.
* Heh, that wound looks like it hurt! Check the edges they are all jagged! - Bern.
* One thing I know for sure im never sharing my body with some creatures! Brrrr!! the thought alone gives me the creeps. - Alex.
* Yeah, well not like I have much of a choice on this matter... You know.. damaged lungs? - Aro.
* But still man... with some training you could reduce that stamina problem of yours, though yeah.. that would take you years. - Agreed Bern. - Let's end this topic.. better lets share something about ourselves? Since I suggested it I will go first, if thats alright with you attention whores!
Everybody present grunted in agreement.
* So, my name is Bern as you all should know by now, I was your average farm boy, until my village was raided... well I then left the frontier, somehow found myself in the capital and as you all can see now im here!
* Okay we are next, I and Alex both grew up near the capital to tell the truth, while out parent's were farmers we both always wanted to be adventurers right bro?
* Yep.
* So yeah, a few years back we tried out the life of an adventurer... unfortunately that almost cost us our lives, since some asshole noble wanted our land and thought that by taking us as hostages on one of our subjugation requests and asking our parents to pay some nice coin for our lives trough a proxy he used he would make them take loans to pay for us. Unfortunately for him we are strong! So we managed to escape our captors, went back home and stayed there with our parents for a while.. All our attempts to get justice failed and we were constantly pressured by that noble to sell our land to him. One day Pop's finally got tired of that and together with mother decided to move a little away from the capital and also to sell our land to that noble, no matter how I and bro were against that it was his decision to make in the end. Well, while our parents left for the west plains to start a new life there I and Alex decided to get back at that damn noble, so here we are working for the guild in exchange that once our contract ends we will get help in eliminating that fat pig.
Finally finished Mike was all out of breath, but he looked strangely satisfied.. probably he was thinking of how he will skin that noble. Aro sighed and took a deep breath as it was now his turn to tell them about his past.
-Well, I have no living relatives remaining. My father and grandfather both served all their lives in the military, my father even managed to achieve the rank of a general in the army, but he was assassinated soon after... there are no suspects. My mother died giving birth to me so I dont know much about her. I cant say I have spent a lot of time in any place during my short life, as my father was transferred form one place to another every few years, that is until one of the old generals died and a spot opened. Thats about it?
* So, what do we have here? A farmer, a son of a general and two mighty adventurers? - Laughed at all of them Talon as he entered the bath.
* Ha! tell us your story Talon. - said Mike looking at Talon who apparently was listening to them, while he was changing.
* Oh, sure! - with that said Talon turned his naked back to them... Scars, many scars were on it. - And thats about it.
Everyone was silent, after they saw Talon's back, he on the other hand didn't care and entered the pool.
* Whats with you guys? Did a troll cut your tongues out? Hahaha! - Talon.
* No man, just sorry about asking... you were a slave?.. - Mike asked yet again being unable to hold his big mouth shut.
* I was, though, not because of some unfortunate event – my drunkards parents sold me to the slavers when I was six, to settle their debt with a local inn, where they spend their time drinking. - All the guys, were looking at him shocked. - dont look at me like that guys, I got my revenge – freed my two sisters from that filth of parents and killed them myself.
* Dude...
* I know right, I had to torture them before.. but I kind of forgot, seeing my two baby sisters.. - said Talon in a sad voice.
* Thats not what I had in mind, so where are your sisters now? - Mike.
* Oh, I found a nice family and got them to adopt my sisters. Poor people – they were unable to have children of their own, so they were more than happy to accept my sisters into the family. - Said Talon now with a smile on his face.
'Yoooup... Talon is crazy – I somewhat knew that, but now im sure of it. Better not to mess with the guy.' A thought passed trough Aro's head. Nodding to himself, he stepped out of the pool, it was time to get back to work and prepare some more supplies for the group before Garka arrived.
Other guys stayed behind chatting a little more.
Humming to himself yet another unknown melody Aro entered his lab for the second time today. There was a small amount of blood on the floor that he hadnt noticed before, so he grabbed a small cloth ad cleaned it up. After cleaning up the mess he took out some of the herbs he will need and began to cut them into small strips, that would be easier to grind and extract juices from.
Aro set aside the book Harold left him, to look at one of the vials – it was about to boil and he didnt need it to, so he turned off the oil heater he was using and placed the vial in one of the small boxes to cool down, carefully taking while using tongs as to not get burned.
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He wiped the sweat away from his forehead and began to work on one more vial... 'I am sweating a lot today.. must be because of the “ripper”' he thought as he poured some water into a bottle to be distilled and later used in the potions. 'Might as well make myself something refreshing.' Aro thought as he took out a small cup from the drawer under his work desk and poured some water into it, he quickly found some herbs with minty taste, that were used in mana potions and brewed himself some tea.
The smell coming out of the cup was divine for him, actually – he really liked mint tea since forever. Guys actually began to ask him to make them some too, after Cleo had tasted it once and said it was really delicious. With that in mind and looking at the small mana watch he had placed on the wall in front of his desk he began to brew some more of his herbal tea – it should go well with almost anything the girls will prepare to eat.
As his teapot heated up Aro placed the herbs into a medium sized metal barrel that could hold up to five liters of liquids and placed his herbs into it, then he proceeded to heat his teapot a few more times, so that there would be enough tea for everyone. After that he had to use some thick gloves to not get burned while carrying this barrel into the kitchen.
The kitchen had a nice scent lingering in it. ' Nice! Chicken wings for lunch, with my herbal tea this will be divine!' Happily thinking about food he placed the barrel on the table.
* Ohoho! I thought I smelled something good! - Said Fallin as he entered the kitchen and sat behind the table.
* Yes, Cleo helped me with preparing some wild chicken wings, we will also be having roasted chicken for dinner. - said Rita as she was preparing some salad, Cleo helping her.
* Add my herbal tea to the list. - Aro said.
* OH goodness, we might get fat if we will continue to feast like this. - Smirked Fallin.
* You can have some salad instead of chicken if you are so concerned about you weight Fallin, there will be more meat for us! - Said Cleo as she placed a big bowl of finished mixed salad in front of Fallin.
* Nah, I think I will help you with eating that chicken, who knows you ladies might get too fat from overeating it. - Fallin tried to bite at the girls, only to get smacked on the head with a wooden spoon by laughing Rita.
* Aro, do me a favor and call others, before Fallin decided to eat everything himself. - Rita
* Sure thing Rita, im on my way.
Aro found Alex and Hanna sparring in the training room, while Mike and Ashe were polishing their throwing skills, Wade was doing some weight lifting and Bern was checking on his beloved swords.
* People! Rita said that lunch is ready, better goo get some before Fallin eats everything alone! - Aro shouted into the room, getting everyone's attention. - Anyone know's where Talon, Kate and Anna are hiding?
* I saw Talon back in the room taking a nap. - Wade said out of breath as he was putting the weights down.
* Kate and Anna are meditating out in the forest, they wont be back until the evening. - And apparently Ashe knew where the last two girls were.
I nodded hearing all that and turned around going back into the kitchen. Soon everyone else arrived, well except Ashe and Kate – we put some food away for them to eat later, though I dont think Fallin wont try to eat that too, but we shall see!
During lunch there was some small talk going on, everyone was quite interested why was Garka so late, Fallin also mentioned that he should be bringing Garta along, the kid was big enogh to join the ranks of the assassins now.
* Tell me guys, we have spent some time now here in the base, during all that time I have seen you going on missions only a few times, so does assassination jobs pay that well? - Aro asked about what was on his mind.
* Yeah, they pay well, but the risk is big too though, also you get payed only if you succeed so yeah... - Fallin replied.
The talks died down, everyone was a little uncomfortable now – probably remembering the lives they have taken during their career as assassins, Aro felt a little bad about his question now. Finished with food everyone went back to what they were doing previously, Aro too thought about brewing some more potions, but that parasite didnt let him focus with all it's movements so he went to lift some weight's with Wade instead.
Lifting the weights together with Wade was fun – we had a small who can lift more contest running with many breaks, for me to get some rest and regain my stamina, though I saw Wade could have went on and on – as this was all he was doing on his spare time – he wasnt your stereotype assassin, as Fallin had once told me that Wade prefers to slaughter everyone present around his target and call that an “assassination” instead of plain murder... Well our group is all crazies isnt it?
A few hours later as the evening was fast approaching all of us had gathered in the main room, near the fireplace – Kate and Anna had returned from the forest too, after finishing their meditation. Garka had arrived just half an hour earlier – his son Garta together with him. We all were ordered to gather here as we will be discussing our future plans. Soon, Garta finished with his bath and having changed into clean clothes came here into the room.
* Listen up you lot, I have some things to say! - Garka's loud voice could be heard. - First of all my son will be joining our ranks from today on.
Everyone present congratulated Garta on joining us and went back to listening of what Garka our leader has to say.
* So, first things first – we have got ourselves a job, that will need all of us, excluding Aro. - Garka said and Aro was about to ask why, but was silenced by Garka to let him speak for now. - This job comes in many parts, our time limit is five years – so we will be working quite a lot on this long term project. Our contractor has paid us full in advance, any extra expenses we might have during the job will be paid to us once we finish this.
These news were great for everyone, so our group cheered even more then when Garka announced his son joining.
* Next then, our first step will be eliminating some people in the villages around the capital – preparing positions for our contractor's people to be inserted into. All except Aro, Garta and Talon will be working on that. Next then, Aro you will prepare us enough supplies to last half a year, I have a list of what we will need for you to make ready right here. - Garka handed me a small notebook. - While Aro will be working on our supplies and consumables – Talon I will ask of you to get in touch with your contacts and get us some high quality armors and weapons, I would like you to take Garta together with you as it will be good for him to have some contacts to rely on in the future. All supplies, armors and weapons will be needed for our next stage of action.
* Okay Garka, just remember – my contact's are a little paranoid bunch... not all of them might work with Garta right from the start. - Said Talon.
* It's okay, we have some time for now, to get them used on working with him. - Garka. - Everyone else rest for tonight, in the morning I will show you our targets and we will make a plan on eliminating them. Start thinking of ways to make it seem natural and remember – if you fuck up your job's I will personally see to your training to weed out any weaknesses.
Some of the group nodded, others grunted in agreement. Garka then moved a little away form the group going into one of the side rooms, but before going there he motioned for Aro to come with him.
Inside the room Garka took a seat and motioned for Aro to take the second chair on the other side of the table. As Aro sat down Garka lifted a small backpack that was lying on the floor near the table and placed it on top of it. Opening it he took a small leather bundle, two notebooks a stone and a bundle of papers all full of writings.
* Here take this. - Garka handed the leather bundle to Aro. - It's something from me for you, hope this will help you out in the future.
Aro took the bundle saying his thanks to Garka and unwrapped it – inside it was a pair of black leather gloves both engraved with many runes and faintly glowing with magic.
* These gloves are heavily enchanted, all that you need to know about them is in that brown notebook, next then, I have quite an interesting item for you.. See this stone? It is no ordinary stone, I got it from a mage who owed me quite a bit – it is used to kick start a persons magical power or in some cases if one doesnt have any to grant it to him. Swallow it now.
Doing as Garka said Aro quickly swallowed this gray stone, his insides felt warm for a moment, then it passed, but now Aro felt filled with energy.
* So how do you feel?
* Filled with energy! - Aro replied with a smile. - Thanks, this had to cost you quite a bit.
* It did, but consider it an investment into the future for all of our well being. This notebook is something I grabbed during one of the missions I did way back in the days. This thing needs you to soul bind it to yourself, to learn what is inside.. I never bound it to myself, but you can try and learn what is written inside it. And finally this bundle of papers is from Harold, he said he didnt have much time to write all the recipes he knows into that book he left for you so, take these and copy them over into that book he left for you.
* Great! This will help me out a lot.
* I sure hope so, here - this is a list of supplies we will need. - Garka handed Aro another paper. - When you are done with these, I will send you out of the base. You should take around a month to prepare all the supplies we will need and after that you will join one of the expeditions that will be going out to the frontier.
* Eh? Why? Did I do something bad? - Surprised Aro asked.
* No, dont misunderstand this – the team will need to have their head's clear for whats coming and we will need a safe place to fall back to in case everything goes to hell. Your task with this expedition will be to find us a safe place to fall back to if needed, where we could lick our wounds and figure what to do next. I also want you to get stronger, make some connections and to during the time we will be away to figure yourself out – meaning what you want to do in life. You are still young Aro, you have a long road in front of you and I dont want you to become a part of our group while you still dont know yourself. - Garka looked at him as he told him that. - even if you will decide not to join us, I will still ask you to continue to be our supporter. Also I think some adventuring will be good for you.
* I see, if it is like this then I agree. - Nodded Aro. - Though you scared me back there, I thought you are kicking me out.. hahaha...
* Nah, you are too good of a guy to just shy away.
Both of them talked a little more after that, but Garka soon retired for the night saying he was tired after that trip to the base, apparently some bounty hunters tried to track him and his son as they left the capital so they had to take them out.
As Garka went out to get some sleep with few others Aro stayed in the main room, near the fireplace. He took out that book that Garka said needs to be soul bound, from his poor knowledge about soul bound items he knew that to bind it you need to inject your own mana into the book. Concentrating Aro tried to find his mana within himself, after a few minutes he sensed it – holding the book in his hands and concentrating he tried to send it into the notebook and after a few attempts he succeeded. The moment his mana entered the notebook a connection between him and the notebook formed, it vibrated slightly in his hands for a second and then stopped. Curious Aro opened it and began to read it's first page.
Whoever you are, if you are reading this – then I the great Douglas Gilton “the Mountain” have died. My sole desire during my life was to become the strongest earth mage, so I ask you to continue my dream, even if it is just a side goal for you. If anyone ever asks you who was your teacher tell them - “the Mountain”, so that the legend of me would live forever!
'Wow, no wonder this guy had such a nickname, I wonder if he was called “the Mountain” for his skill, or for his ego? Well, no badmouthing the dead.. not that it's hard to tell anyone that I was thought by “the Mountain”! Even if it sounds silly...” Aro thought.
Aro flipped trough a few pages of the book, looking at what spells were written there – seeing many common ones and a few uncommon he closed this now soul bound notebook and feeling sleepy went away to his bed. Good night's rest is important, even more so as he knew how much work he will have preparing all those supplies that Garka asked of. Sighing he left the main room, there now only the shadows cast by the fireplace dancing their unending dances on the dark walls of the room.
'Maaaster... master... I will wait for you to summon me master.' - a silent whisper could be barely heard coming from underground into the now empty room. - 'huhuhuhuhu.. huhu.. a mew master...'