Miko opened his eyes.

“Hey, you’re finally awake,” says the man in front of him.

Miko found himself in a carriage filled with men and women he didn’t know. Each one looked ragged and miserable. The man in front of him had a look of pity on his face.

“Do you know where you are?” he said concerningly.

“...” Miko didn’t reply and stared back.

“You were kidnapped by slave traders, I guess, well we all were.” The man gives a wry smile. The people around him look terrified by his reminder of their circumstances. The man looks around and chuckles.

“You don’t look terrified, perhaps you’re in shock. I understand it’s hard to believe. Your life, all of ours lives, they’re over.”

A young girl in the carriage started to tear up.

“What is going to happen to us,” she asked, struggling to wipe away her tears.

“Who knows?” he replies. “Maybe the auction house, I heard there was one opening up nearby.”

“Recently, these nobles have been blatantly violating the laws of the empire, they’ve been snatching just about anyone. I mean, I’ve got a family, friends, and my own store! I’m not some homeless bum…”

Anger began to build in the man. His breath got faster and faster.

“That’s right… I have to get out of here…” he mumbled.

The other passengers seemed to be visibly uncomfortable, squirming in their seats. He then suddenly got up

“I have to… I have to… I HAVE… AAHH” he screamed as he jumped out of the carriage. Next, there was a wooshing sound, and everything went quiet. Not a single person made a sound, for they all knew what happened to the man. Miko, unperturbed, laid back down and fell asleep.

A man was sitting on a bench inside a large, empty cathedral. The cathedral was mostly stone, except for large panels of stained glass, depicting various scenes. One showed a great king with a large crown. Then a princess, and a dark knight. Many objects were depicted too, a book, an orb, and a shining sword took center stage in some pieces. The cathedral was held up by thick stone pillars, which reached up high to the copper ceiling above. A large circular window made up much of the roof, and let a large beam of light shine through and onto the altar below.

The man had his eyes closed, deep in prayer. He had blond hair and donned a black jacket. His body was toned yet subtle, hinting at the nature of his work. He finally opened his eyes. He paused for a moment before standing up and exiting the building.

It was now night as the man stood in front of a wooden door facing a dark alleyway. With a little force, he managed to kick the door open.

The room before him was pitch black, much darker than the alleyway he found himself in. He cautiously entered the building, keeping his hand on a small dagger hidden in his coat. His steps were precise and quiet.

Once his eyes had gotten used to this new level of darkness, he spotted a large man sitting by a small candlelight in an adjacent room. He seemed to be snoring, so the man decided to continue on up the stairs in front of him.

At the top of the stairs was a large double door, leading into what seemed to be the master bedroom of this house. The man slowly pushed one of the doors open, attempting to stay quiet. Fortunately, the hinges of the door were lubricated on a regular basis, so he was able to remain stealthy.

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Inside the room was a large bed with another man asleep. This man was much smaller, with short black hair. He almost looked like a child, but the way he slept seemed adult-like.

The intruder finally pulled out the knife from his jacket and raised it above the sleeping child-man. He swiftly brought the knife down into his neck. The man-child’s eyes shot wide open, as he realized what was happening. He tried to yell out, but no words exited his mouth. That was all he could do with his meager time left on this non-descript planet/universe, as his eyes closed back up. The assassin then slipped back into the darkness.

This same assassin, sometime later, was lying fast asleep in a large and comfy white bed. The room was ornate but with minimal furniture, and what little furniture it had was either made from unfinished wood or looked second-hand. However, the walls were made of glistening marble adorned with golden accenting. A magnificent mural was plastered across the inside of the roof in this room. This motif continued throughout the rest of this luxurious mansion.

Another man quietly entered the room, moving carefully to not wake the sleeping man. He was stocky, well-built, and stood quite tall. He was dressed cleanly yet his fashion choices didn’t seem too expensive. He carried a sword to his waist and grabbed it as he got to the edge of the bed. He pulled his sword out and raised it high above the assassin. With incredible might, he brought it down onto the stomach of the assassin. This instantly woke him up, clutching his stomach in pain.

“Aghhh, that fucking hurt…” he mumbled, still half asleep.

“Be lucky it was only a wooden sword,” the large man said.

“...I’d just be dead if it wasn’t.”

“Then be glad you aren’t dead.”

“Ughh,” the assassin laid back down in frustration.

“You really need to treat your guests better Grenard, this is why you have no friends,” the assassin gave a chuckle, and looked straight at the man at his bedside.

“Well Canton, you need to be strong enough to sleep through an attack that weak. Let’s go training, get up right now,” Grenard proceeded to once again swing his sword and tried to strike Canton’s stomach. However, this time, Canton rolled out of the way. Although, unintentionally, he tumbled off the bed and landed on the floor with a thud. He clutched his head in pain and looked to Grenard.

“Fine, I’ll train with you, just let me sleep in for a few more minutes”

“...Five minutes, I expect to see you on the field by then, or else…”

Grenard holds up the wooden sword and swings it down. The sword hits nothing, however, it still creates an incredible gust of wind.

Canton takes a big gulp.

“You know what… I think I’m actually wide awake already… Let’s just go now...”

Behind the enormous mansion was a large field, boasting a beautiful garden and a spacious gravel training arena. Walking towards the arena were Canton and Grenard. Canton, barely awake and somewhat bruised kept a slow pace, which Grenard struggled to stick to.

“You know all this training isn’t for no reason right?” Grenard questioned.

“I know, not everyone has a psychotic amount of motivation like you…”

“What happened to making amends, did you stop caring about that?”

“No, I’m still committed, I’ll do what you ask of me.”

“That’s good.”

While in conversation, a group of kids runs by them, engrossed in a game.

“It still always surprises me seeing this many kids around here,” Canton remarked.

“This house represents a fair share of crimes committed by my family. And just like you, I’m trying to make amends. Turning this place into an orphanage after my father’s death seemed like the right thing to do. Regardless, it's not like the empty rooms have any use.”

“I guess you never get any nobility visiting right.”

Grenard gave out a slight chuckle.

“It’d be like reputational suicide, which is why I would welcome any noble brave enough to try.”

“I’d reckon it wouldn’t just be ‘reputational’ suicide, but actual suicide” Canton joked. However, Grenard looked serious.

“I only do what needs to be done. I hope you understand that too.”

“I do.”

“Then I have another job for you.”

“So soon?”

“It’s the same organization as last time, although as a secondary objective. There’s an underground auction house which I believe is selling slaves, some of which may be coming from my territory.”

“Seriously?”

“Well, it’s just a rumor, but I’d like to know if it’s true, and if so, how. So I want you to sneak in and get some information on the origins of the slaves on sale.”

“I can probably do that, what about that secondary objective?”

“Well… I want you to confirm that there are members from that organization who are attending this auction, and possibly record what they seem to be buying.”

“Why would they be there?”

“It seems like their organization has an affinity for slavery, as well as expensive magical items. Knowing their capabilities as well as their sins will help us.”

“Alright, consider it done,” Canton says as he bows his head slightly.

“Now, let’s train!”

Canton let out a sigh.