“Well then Greed, I suppose I should first off tell you what I was dealing.” Anthir started talking to me while we walked around the streets. “What I was dealing there was a drug called ‘Dragon’s fire’, it is a drug that makes the user into a berserk state as well as enlarging their body mass, downside though is that it is highly addictive, and overuse will result in death. That is, if they don’t kill themselves in a fight.”
“Sounds dangerous, how much of a profit is made from it?” I asked while trying to gain a bit of a perspective on the local economy.
“To get the stuff takes about 20 gold a kilogram (2.2 pounds), and we sell it by the gram for about 10 silver.”
“Wow, so you make about 80 gold per kilogram! that is quadruple your starting costs!” Surprised I did the math in my head and saw the huge profits that were to be made.
“Don’t be yelling out that stuff you little shit! Thieves are everywhere looking to get as much cash as they can. Anyways, yes, it makes huge profits, but the demand isn’t steady. As I told you before the users develop an addiction and eventually die from fighting or overuse, which means we can’t get them again.” While admonishing me, he continued on while saying the downside of this trade.
“I see, so what other activities do you do to earn gold?”
“We also deal in a couple other drugs, as well as brothels, and hitmen. I myself though, just stay on the drug side of things.” Anthir answered me, but the mention of ‘we’ caught my attention.
“Since you said we that must mean you are part of a group then?”
“Yep, without an affiliate, dealing drugs is as good as digging your own grave. I myself am part of the ‘Dancing Daggers’. We are one of the mid-sized groups here in the red light district, but the large groups are on friendly terms with us for now.”
Interesting, it seemed as if I started at a nice mid spot. Large groups would be what other players would try to get into, and small groups wouldn’t be as profitable. This works out rather nicely.
“Anyways, you will be meeting the rest of us Daggers in a moment here. You see that building with the girls up front? That is one of the brothels we have here in town.” Anthir continued on while saying our destination.
“Anything I should keep in mind before entering?” Feeling nervous I asked Anthir what I should and should not do.
“Just don’t be stupid, you caught my eye with your wits, so do the same for the rest of us.” Anthir praised me in a rather round about method, but I’ll take it with grace.
“We’re here, follow me and don’t speak until I tell you you can.” Anthir approached the doors and entered the building.
Inside the building was a reception desk in front of some stairs, while two doors stood on either side with body guards standing in front of them. From above I could hear the floor creaking and moans of pleasure, so I guessed that would be where the brothel is situated. That left one of those two doors being our destination.
“Why hello Anthir, how nice to see you! Do tell me though, whom might your guest be?” The receptionist said this while smiling, but her eyes were like daggers being pierced through my skull.
“This is Greed, he seems to be interested in becoming a member of ours.” Anthir answered without missing a beat as if he was prepared for this conversation beforehand. In fact, he probably was now that I think about it.
“I see, I see. Now, do you think he can be trusted as a member?” The receptionist dropped the smile and went completely into a business state.
“Trust I’m not sure of, but usefulness I can vouch for.” Anthir offered his honest opinion, and while I felt hurt for not being trusted, I honestly could not refute his statement in any manner.
“Hmm, useful eh? In the end all that matters is that he brings in cash, so he may pass. Besides, he is cute enough to be used in at least one section of the group.” The receptionist said this while sending me a wink, which in turn sent shivers down my spine. Sure she was relatively good looking, with long black hair, bright eyes, and slender limbs. But the fact that she was a lamian sort of was a turn off for me.
“Thank you Annal, but I think he would rather work in my department.” Anthir said this while flashing a smile. “Also, here are the earnings for today, I will spend the rest of today teaching and preparing him.” Anthir then handed her a bag of presumably gold coins, which jingled a tune to my ears unlike any other.
“Hmm, alright, carry on then. You’re blocking the door after all.”
After entering the door on the right, I was met with a long hallway, lit by stones inbedded in the walls. We walked down the hall until we came across a side hall to our right, which then led to a door.
“From here on out, you can speak, but only when spoken to, and make sure that you are not rude in any manner. I know death is trivial to you, but these folks will make long and painful.” Anthir said this to me without any hint of a lie at all. When I looked into his eyes, the only thing I could see, was fear.
“I understand, but first off, who will I be meeting?” I asked this so that I can know what to say, and how to say it before coming face to face with whomever they are.
“The person you will be meeting in the leader of the group. He should be in there with his body guards and a couple section leaders. They personally talk to each recruit found, and if you don’t measure up…” Letting his voice trail on Anthir slid his finger across his throat in the universal indicator of murder.
“I see. Well, I better hope they find me cute then.” Anthir chuckled at this and knocked on the door in front of us.
After waiting for a few moments the door opened and a giant of a man appeared in front of us. Covered in scars and tattoos from head to toe, this man radiated danger on so many levels that I felt like bolting the moment I laid eyes on him.
“Hello Anthir, is this the new recruit that Annal messaged us about?” Hmm so it seems like there is a way to quickly send messages for the citizens in this world, as the guard knew about us coming before hand.
“Yes he is. Come on now, introduce your self.” Anthir said this while tapping my back, and I was brought back from my thoughts.
“Ah, um, yes. I am Greed, I wish to join the Dancing Daggers and work with you.” I stumbled over my words at first, but found my pace and expressed myself swiftly and concisely.
“Hmm, Understood. You may enter, but Anthir, please stay out here until we are done alright?” The man, who I will refer to as ‘Hulk’ until I learn his name, expressed his commands while opening the door for me to enter.
“Understood.” Anthir said this while moving to go sit on a bench a few feet away from the entrance.
Once inside the room It seemed as if I was transported into the palace of a sultan. The walls were lined with gold and exquisite drapery lined the walls. In the center was a large rectangular table, with men and women of various races lining the sides, and a single elderly man at the head. The only thing These people seemed to have in common, was that I had no doubt they could kill me in an instant. Even without seeing weapons, or them glaring at me, I could tell, this would be dangerous.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Come in, come in! No need to be shy! We won’t bite, well, as long as you don’t mess up that is.” A female harpy, seated closest to me on my left, said this while gesturing for me to approach the table and stand opposite the head.
“Please, tell us your name.” A human seated directly to my right said this while looking bored out of his skull.
“My name is Greed, sir, and I wish to become a member of the Dancing Daggers.” I answered in a manner that I hoped would not trigger any negative responses.
“Become a member eh, and why is that?” The same man said this while studying me from head to toe, his eyes feeling like they were stripping me naked.
“To put it bluntly, I wish to join in order to earn money.” Lying and sugar coating would definitely get me killed, so saying things simply would hopefully be enough.
“How fitting your name is then!” The harpy from before chirped up while seeming amused over her putting the pieces together.
“But tell me, why do you want to make money? You can’t just be greedy can you?” The man from before continued on, while glaring at the harpy women who had interrupted him.
“In the future I will be using the money I earn to support and work with my friends, whom are in various other cities across the world. Until that time comes though, I always enjoy having money in my hands.”
“Is that so, well, atleast your motives don’t seem to conflict with ours.” The man said this while leaning back into his chair. “Anyone see any problems with him so far?”
“Yeah,” A centaur seated near the middle of the table spoke up, “He seems to be a child of the gods, how do we know we can trust him?” He brought up a good point, but that question was one that I had hoped for.
“You see sir, being a child of the gods I cannot die, however, I will always return in the cathedral of the city I was last in. Due to this, if I ever betray you, you can continuously kill me over and over again, until I lose all of my abilities, items, and become worthless in the eyes of the gods.” I answered them with my weakness, and the weakness of all the children of the gods, since it would mean they hold the power to reduce me to nothing if they so choose.
“Hmm, so your immortality comes with a cost then, tell me, does this apply for all of you children?” A dark elf seated to the right of the head spoke up.
“Yes maam, all of us will become worthless if we are killed enough times. Know though, that some of us will last longer than others.”
“One last question, before the head of us daggers makes his decision. Tell me, are you willing to be marked with our symbol, in order to show you will not betray us?” A lizard man situated a few seats down from me, asked such.
“Yes sir, although I would like to know what this symbol is, even if I don’t know I will still accept it with honour.” Humbleness and chivalry I hoped would earn me some points before the decision was to be made.
“Well then sir, what do you think of this dwarf?” The human to my right asked this to the head, while everyone in turn focused their eyes to the same man.
Standing up, the elderly man whom I assumed to be the head, was revealed to be a dwarven, whose voice bellowed across the room, “Welcome Greed, I, Aznaz Dagger, accept you as one of us, the Dancing Daggers.”
The rest of the room stood up and faced me while clapping, and I bowed while feeling a bit overwhelm bit this all.
“Also, you will be assigned to work under Dierphy as an assistant at her establishment.” Aznaz said this while pointing at the harpy whom had been speaking before. Dierphy then waved to me and licked her lips.
“Understood sir, and thank you for accepting me,” I answered while bowing once more towards the head.
“Don’t worry about it Greed, you still are not completely in, you still have to receive the symbol after all.” The elder said this while making a nod towards the guard who had let me in before.
“Pardon me sir, but what is the symbol?” Curiosity getting the better of me I asked the head, but was answered by the centaur who was now standing and walking towards me.
“The symbol is a mark, or tattoo that will be etched into your back and if we ever choose to, we can use it to kill you instantly. It shows devotion to us, and can only be removed by at least six of us leaders of the family, as well as the current head.”
“I see, thank you for the information, may I see yours so that I know what it looks like?”
“Sure,” the centaur then turned around and lifted his shirt enough for me to see a dagger, wrapped in blood soaked cloth, and surrounded by a circle of words in a language I could not read., “The words say, ‘For the dance of daggers is the dance I choose’, Just in case you were wondering.”
“Thank you Mr…?”
“Call me Thane.” The centaur, Thane answered me just as the guard returned holding a tray of tools.
“Now, let the marking begin.” The head said this while all twelve of the leaders, not including himself, made a circle around me.
Aznaz then walked behind me and picked up the tools. I could then feel a needle or a blade tracing on my back, until I could then feel a warm, wet brush trace those lines as well. “Now hold still boy, this will hurt quite a bit.” Aznaz warned me just before I felt a blade penetrate my back, and a yell escape my lips as my health dropped by almost 95 points!
“There, now stay still for a bit, while we apply the seal onto you.” Thane said this to me since he was standing directly in front of me.
The sealing was a simpler and much less painful event, and they all chanted a spell I could not understand, before something else was applied to my back, sealing the tattoo there forever.
And with that, I became Greed of the Dancing Daggers.
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A longer chapter today, showing Greed entering the group he will be with. Once more, if you notice any mistakes or have suggestions post them in the comments. Also, just out of curiosity, I want to see how many of you can guess what Pride and Greed’s jobs will be. I won’t say if you guys are correct or not, but I am still curious none the less. Thanks for reading!