"Before we talk about anything further, I will tell you my name," He paused as he stared at each of us. "My name is Reinhold Schnabel, I'm the 5th commander of the 2nd Hunter-Assassin platoon," He informed us.

"The pretty bastard you see there on the pillar is Zorion, my second in command," he said while pointing at him.

Roger, Klayden, Shael, and I looked at each other surprised. I knew Zorion was a captain but I didn't know he was a part of the Hunter-Assassin regiment.

"Alright! Let's get down to busine-"

"Wait! Don't you want to know our names as well?" I asked

"Don't worry about that Zarek, I already know quite a lot about all of you."

My eyes widened in surprise, somehow he already knew my name. It was probably Zorion who told him.

"Anyway, if you all have any questions, now would be the perfect time to ask," he said with a huge smile.

I looked him straight in the eyes, and somehow, I could tell his smile was forced. Shael soon interrupted my thoughts. "I have a question," Shael said.

He nodded, "ask away!"

"Shouldn't your regiment have more active soldiers, in my opinion, five hundred soldiers aren't enough to do the jobs you are required to do?"

The commander lowered his head and chuckled, he rubbed underneath his nose and returned at ease. "Well, Little elf girl, let me tell you something, we don't even have five hundred."

Shael had an annoyed and confused look on her face."That doesn't make sense it said on the scroll you have five hundred-"

"Well now, I'm giving you the correct information. The previous numbers we had or either dead or have left altogether. Currently, they are only one hundred soldiers left in our regiment. In my command, I have fifty, these men make up the 2nd platoon, which I command. But if you are successful, we can boost our numbers."

Shael sighed, "Well that's very underwhelming."

"It's the truth, and sometimes the truth is not what we like to hear. Now! Are there any more questions?"

I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but I had a feeling that wouldn't sit well with him. "Ok then, if there aren't anymore, then enjoy your last day at this fortress," He said.

We all left the tower and made our way toward the training yard. We sat on the benches close to the fence and for a while, we all just sat there in silence. I just stared at the ground thinking about what we will have to endure. The silence was finally broken when Klayden spoke, "I think we made a big mistake joining this regiment."

"Are you serious!? You can't go back on your word now!" I said angrily.

"Did you see that commander? I don't want to look like that when I'm older!" Klayden shouted.

Roger sighed, "I already made my choice there is no going back on it now for me."

We all sat silent again, their whining made me frustrated, "Look! Let's not worry about that, we have free time. let's enjoy it while we have it," I reassured.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Shael asked.

Klayden stood up, "I heard some of the soldiers talking about security at a festival in a town not far from here."

"I doubt we would even get permission to leave the fort," Roger threw in.

"Ya know what I feel like doing right now...sleeping. Wake me up when the commander is ready to leave," Shael said, walking off towards her barracks.

A couple of hours passed; it was now late afternoon and we were now by the black smith's workshop. He talked to us about his first time joining the black smith's guild when he was younger. He talked about how scared he was when he was told he would be working for The Order of the Sacred Hand. He almost left the guild but decided to go and complete his task. After spending many months working tirelessly building weapons for this order, he ultimately decided to leave the black smith's guild and work for them as an official member.

Outside was getting dark and unexpectedly, Zorion came to find us accompanied by Shael. Zorion was dressed in his armor minus his helmet. Shael was dressed in traveling clothes. She wore a short blue cloak with a hood, it had two golden buttons close to the collar. The edges had beautiful flower designs on them, underneath the short cloak was a long blue leather jacket that was held together with multiple rose buttons. Around the waist was a thick leather belt with a silver buckle. She wore black gloves and black leather boots.

"Well Well! Where are you headed out to?" I asked surprised at how she dressed.

"You mean where are we headed!" Shael corrected.

I looked at Zorion confused but Roger asked the question that was lingering in my mind. "Are we leaving already?"

"Yes! The Commander doesn't like wasting valuable time," Zorion said.

"Ok then, allow us to go pack our stuff," Klayden asked, ready to go.

"Don't worry lads! We already loaded your armor and weapons in the carriage. The commander already left, so I suggest we start moving."

We followed Zorion to the carriage, the gate was open and the carriage was outside waiting. Next to the gatehouse was a horse being held by one of the stable masters. Zorion hopped on the horse with ease.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked, annoyed, "Get in the carriage!"

We entered through the back. We all took a seat and we were off. Zorion sped past our carriage dirt kicking off the horse's foot as he did so, and he was headed towards the direction of the town.

It was a long time now and we hadn't seen Zorion in hours. Outside was dark, and we could barely see each other's faces. We were passed the town by miles and were headed on a road I had never seen a coachman traverse before.

"Where the hell is he?" Shael asked breaking the silence with a hint of worry in her voice.

"He's probably at a brothel I bet," Klayden said.

Roger retorted, "I highly doubt that."

I got up from my seat and propped myself beside the coachman. "Excuse me, sir, Can you tell us where we are at the moment?"

The hooded coachman didn't even look at me he kept his eyes forward and didn't utter a word. 'That's pretty rude.'

"Sir, Can you please tell us where we are!?" I shouted, hoping if he didn't hear me the first time he would now hear me the second.

What happened next was so fast I barely was able to process what happened. With lightning speed, the coachman struck the side of my head. Instantly I fell to the ground, I could hear the voices of my companions slowly fading as I struggled to move my limbs.

"Zarek!" I heard in a muffled voice. I couldn't even tell who it was. The carriage suddenly came to a stop.

Slowly my vision began to go dark. Two other men emerged from the sides of the carriage swords drawn before everything went black.

I was at a river and for some time I just stood in front of it, until suddenly, I was pushed. For some reason, my face began to turn cold. I heard a voice but it was inaudible. I heard the voice again and slowly, it became more clear.

"Hey! Wake up, boy! Ah, throw more water in his face!" The man ordered in a rough and deep voice.

Suddenly, another cold surge hit my face. I awoke the water in my eyes made everything blurry. I gasped for air as I accidentally inhaled some of the water into my nostrils; I was breathing rapidly and gasped for breath.

"Clean his face," the rough voice said. Violently my hair was held and a cloth that smelled dank was wiped across my face. I opened my eyes to a dark-skinned man. The candle in the middle of the table illuminated a brown and handsome face. The man had green eyes, a mustache, and a finely trimmed beard. His hair was dreadlocked and put into a ponytail. He wore light and black armor. The pauldrons on his shoulder were silver, they overlapped and were pointed at the end.

His chest armor was matt-black with silver designs on the edges, but I couldn't make out what they were.

The man that stood to the side was also in black but he didn't wear armor. His hair was pulled to one side and was messy with streaks of grey hair coming out. His eyes were grey and his goatee was black with grey hairs mixed in. He wore a long black trench coat. A strap crossed his body holding up a long sword that had a silver handle. He had a lot of weapons on his person an ax strapped to his left side and multiple knives on his right.

These men looked professional.

Suddenly, the man in front of me spoke, and my heart skipped a beat. "What is your name?" He asked.

"Zarek," I responded as quickly as I could as to not anger them.

"What is your rank, Zarek?"

I looked into his green eyes and then at the man next to me. My throat was dry but with a gulp, I answered.

"Sir, I have no rank I am a recruit in training." It felt wrong to give him this information but I didn't want to die.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"What unit are you in Zarek?"

"I just recently joined the Hunter assassin regiment."

He reached for something underneath the table. As he did so, my heart started to beat faster. I was relieved to see he only brought out a bottle.

"Would you like a drink, Zarek?"

I was thirsty but I didn't know if it was poisoned or not. I shook my head, "No!"

He took a good swig out of the bottle, "Ah! That's some good Castrian wine," He said, resting the bottle down on the table hard startling me. A boisterous laugh rang out from the man. For some reason, I wanted to laugh as well. I started to chuckle his; laugh having an even bigger effect on me. Suddenly his laughter turned to seriousness in an instant. I stopped laughing as well his sinister gaze piercing into me. I gulped loudly.

My kidnapper leaned back in his wooden chair not taking his eyes off me while doing so, "Listen, kid, tell me where Zorion Azyrat is, and I'll let you walk out of here free and safe."

His offer sounded like music to my ears but there was one problem, I didn't know where Zorion was and even if I knew, I wouldn't tell. "Sorry sir, but I don't know the whereabouts of Zorion."

The kidnapper scoffed, "Come on kid, what's the point of lying? All you gotta do is tell me where he is and you're free," the man said while gesturing to a door to his right.

I just stared at him and didn't utter a single word. I had nothing else to say and I didn't want to say anything that would get me killed.

With that, the man nodded to his companion. The man briskly walked toward me with a sack in his hand.

"Hey, Hey! What are you doing-!?"

The man put the bag over my head, I could barely see anything other than the outlines of their bodies. I was violently removed from my chair. We walked for a couple of seconds when I started to hear a familiar voice, it was Klayden. He was sitting on the ground hands bound behind his back. Two other people sat on either side of him. And it seems like he was causing a ruckus.

"My father can pay you a lot of money, just please, get me out of here!" Klayden shouted.

"Klayden is that you?" I shouted.

"Yes, Zarek, it's me, we thought you were dead!"

I was put next to Klayden and my arms shackled behind me.

"Who the hell even are these people–!?" Before he could finish I heard a thud and then a grunt from Klayden.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Klayden shouted. "Someone! Get me out of here!" Klayden was stood up by a burly figure, and the chain from his arm loosened. Next to the burly man was a female figure, I heard the sharp sound of a knife. I saw her hand move from her waist towards klayden's throat. "Listen here you little fucker! Keep your mouth shut or I'm going to kill you myself!" After she said this, I didn't hear another word come from Klayden's mouth.

Their footsteps slowly started to move further and further from us. I waited a couple of seconds before I spoke. "Shael, Roger, are you guys here?"

"I'm here," Roger whispered calmly.

"I'm here as well," Shael whispered also.

I looked around in the limited head movement I had to see if those men were still in the room. Through the distorted view of the sack, I saw no one. I turned my head to Roger the bag rustling as I did so. "What happened--how did we get here?"

Roger's chains clanked as he sat up while grunting. "Just after you were made unconscious, we tried to fight them off but these guys were on another level. Even with magic poured into my arms I wasn't a match," Roger whispered

I licked my lips to help with the dryness. "Ok, look we're gonna use some magic and get out of these chains-" Before I could finish what I had to say Shael interrupted me.

She whispered, "Sorry to break this to you, but magic is not going to work, have you not recognized our magic is being negated by the chains?"

I took a deep breath trying to get the magic to flow through my body, I could feel it coming from my temple towards my hands but before it could, it stopped–she was right.

"Were you guys questioned as well?" I inquired.

"Yeah, and for some reason, they skipped Klayden and dragged you to their room," Shael said.

I was about to acquire more information but I heard heavy boots stomping, and it seems they were heading in our direction. We quickly ceased all talking. Suddenly, the men were chatting as they came closer to us.

"Oda, get the girl, Mitchell and I will get these two," the man commanded. It was the voice of the man who interrogated me. He came close to me and surprisingly, he didn't stink–he smelled like patchouli. After a couple of seconds of chains clanging, I was raised to my feet with ease; this man was strong.

I slightly turned my head to my right. "What are you going to do with us?" I asked, my voice shaky from fear. The man didn't answer my question, he just pushed me to walk faster. My heart was beating uncontrollably. I was almost on the verge of passing out and the sack on my head was not making my predicament any better.

We exited the door and I was greeted with warm and bright morning light. The rays of the sun seeped through my mask making me squint a little. A giant carriage now blocked the warm sunlight.

We were in there for that long?

This carriage seemed like the one used by knights of the Sacred Hand order; it seems like they somehow commandeered it.

With a creak, the door to the carriage was opened and we were put inside one by one.

The door to the carriage was closed with a loud metallic thud and after a couple of minutes of waiting, the carriage began to move. Surprisingly, our kidnappers were not inside the carriage with us. Sitting inside was uncomfortable with my hands behind my back, and my hands were starting to become sore.

During our long ride, I heard another carriage passing; it was a civilian. "Are those prisoners yer transporting?" The man asked. I didn't hear a response from the coachman just the sound of the civilian's carriage passing.

Hearing that person made me feel hopeful, that means we were close to a town or a city--I wasn't sure. After many hours, I heard a gate open with an old and rusted screech. The carriage went on for a while before stopping.

I was going to whisper something but the coachman was still in his seat. Suddenly I heard the voices of our kidnappers coming towards us.

Damn it.

The door to the carriage was opened and we were brought out. The kidnappers didn't seem to be rough with us this time and they weren't screaming at us either. We were being led up a pebbled walkway as the rocks were scrunching underneath our feet. We passed a fountain and headed towards a giant house--its massive shadow looming over us. With a creak, the door was opened and we were maneuvered inside. In a single-file line, we were placed next to each other.

Every sound I heard made my heartbeat relentlessly. Suddenly, from the silence, I could hear the footsteps of someone coming down the stairs. I wanted to speak to let them know I didn't have any information but the fear of what they would do to me stopped me from uttering a single word. The footsteps began to get even closer to us; my heart beat-matching the sound of the person's footsteps.

The person stopped in front of me. It was a manly figure he had his arms crossed as he just stood there moving his head in each of our directions.

Was this man their leader?

He gestured to someone when suddenly, the sack was torn off my head. I was blinded by the sudden change in light and it took me a couple of seconds to readjust.

I let out a sigh of relief but my anger took over quickly and I wasn't the only one who was angry either. Klayden shouted furiously while walking towards Reinhold. "You bastard! What was the point of all this!? I'll have my father behead you!

Reinhold tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so!?" He looked at the dark-skinned man behind Klayden, "Kill him!"

Without hesitation, he grabbed the knife from his sheath and held it at Klaydens throat. His hands were tense; the veins on his hand popping out. He was ready to cut, Klaydens teeth were gritted tightly ready to feel the sting of the blade pressing into his throat. Shael looked in the opposite direction and Roger looked on with fear in his eyes.

The man moved his hand swiftly, I closed my eyes trying to shield my brain from the horror of Klayden choking on his blood, instead, I heard the sound of metal hitting the floor, I opened my eyes to find Klaydens's hands uncuffed and the man standing away from Klayden with his hand on the hilt of his dagger.

Klayden dropped to the floor holding his throat and my heart sank.

Was his throat cut? I can't see any blood.

Klayden started to breathe in and out rapidly his eyes widening in fear, he looked at his hand but there wasn't a drop of blood.

The room was suddenly filled with laughter as Roger, Klayden, Shael, and I looked at everyone with surprise.

"Did you see the look on the bald boy's face," the woman said. I'm guessing she was the one named Oda. She had dark brown hair and hazel eyes, she wore a black shirt with a chainmail coat protecting her body. She had a dagger on her waist and a sword strapped to her back with a silver pommel.

Another person I didn't recognize was a man who sat at a table drinking from a silver cup. Unlike the others, he didn't even crack a smile. His jaw was chiseled his eyes were blue and his hair was black and buzzed cut. He wore light armor with a hood that was pulled back from his head. A strap with a silver buckle crossed his body and held a sword.

"Ok, Settle down!" Reinhold commanded. "You four! Go wash up and get something light to eat, you start training with James today." He said, pointing to the man with ponytail dreadlocks.

James led us to a room with tubs of hot water ready, "Here are the bathtubs you guys can head right in and start washing up." We looked at him with eyes widened then at Shael.

"Sorry! But we can't bathe with a girl," I protested.

We shook our heads. "Obviously no!" Klayden said.

"So then what's the problem?"

I was going to try and convince him but Shael Intervened. "It's fine guys!" She assured me, but I was resolute in my decision.

"I refuse, she can go in alone and we can go after."

Hearing, this, James ultimately allowed her to go in first and then let us do our business after. After fifteen long minutes, Shael exited wearing a black front buckled gambeson and black pants, and lace-up boots. "Where'd you get that outfit?" Roger inquired, surprised at how professional she looked.

Shael pulled the bottom of the gambeson trying to make herself comfortable. "I got it from the closet close to the mirror, they are three which I assume are for you."

We quickly took our bath and equipped our clothes, and headed straight for the dining hall. Shael sat in the middle of the long table; James sat at the end and was picking his nails with a knife. When the commander told us to eat light I didn't think he meant bread and corn. Roger sat next to Shael who was picky in eating her food. Without any problems, he dug in. Klayden and I just stood at the other end of the table looking at James. After what felt like minutes he finally fixed his attention on us.

"Why are you guys just standing there? eat the food."

"Are you serious, I'm not eating this?" Klayden snapped.

James shrugged. "Ok, then, what you choose to do is not my problem, now if you have nothing else to say, wait for me in the yard."

Klayden stormed out of the dining room slamming the door behind him with a loud bang! I turned to face James his green eyes piercing into mine. "Do you want to join him as well?" James asked while twirling his dagger between his fingers.

"No, thank you!" I said while pulling a chair from the table. I happily ate the bread but left the corn untouched. After a short and horrible breakfast, James led us to the yard of the manor. Klayden sat on the steps awaiting our arrival. James called this a yard but it is more of a field that was left unattended too. The field was surrounded by trees and looked to almost stretch as far as the mountain in the background.

"Alright, let's get started." He pulled a wooden dagger from his sheath and tossed it on the ground. He then selected me and Klayden.

"Stand a couple of steps away from the knife on either side," he commanded.

Klayden and I looked at each other then fixated our sights on the knife. Without warning, he said, "Kill each other, the end of the knife must be put to your flesh for you to be victorious. And also, do anything you can to accomplish it, beat each other bloody for all I care. Last but not least, do not use magic."

Klayden and I looked at each other then looked at the wooden knife. We both ran full tilt towards the knife lying in the grass. As he got closer he started to outstretch his arms. In a short space of time, I made up my mind.

I would allow Klayden to grab the knife.

Klayden was first to grab the knife but before he could get his attack composure. I tackled him, he grunted as I knocked him on his back and pinned the hand that held the knife to his chest with my left, and began to punch him hard with my right.

His mouth began to turn bloody as I punched him continuously. This was an easy victory. I grabbed the hilt of the wooden knife and tried to pry it from his hands. His grip was tight on the wooden weapon. I was about to land another hard and final blow but before I could, Klayden blocked it with his free arm, and swiftly, he hit me in the throat.

I stepped off of Klayden as I stumbled back gasping for air. Klayden started to smile--his bloody face making him look sinister. He charged at me holding the knife in a reverse grip. If I did nothing, I would surely lose. I sucked in a huge set of air barely managing to regain my breath. Klayden strikes at me, and the knife barely misses me as I stumbled back. He then brought the knife back in the opposite direction hoping to possibly catch me off guard. I caught his arm below the wrist and twisted his arm.

I pulled his twisted arm over my shoulder. If I was able to pull this off I would be able to disarm him. With all my strength I pulled him over my shoulders. I slammed him to the ground hoping he would drop the knife but he still held on. He started to violently strike me in the face. With the hits I received, I started to see double--I was beginning to pass out. I didn't want to cause any more pain but I was on the verge of collapsing. I started to put more pressure on Klayden's wrist making him scream out in agony but it was worth it. Klayden released the knife allowing me to quickly grab it and I put the tip to Klayden's throat.