He set the head on the counter with a loud thud, every mercenary and warrior around to recieve their payment looked his way, despite the quantity of men around the place seemed to grow quiet for a second, but a second latter the chatter was back.
???: [We said ears didnt we? What am i supposed to do with this?]
The Pallaccian soldier looked down at the boy.
Leif: [An old man i helped said this guy was important.]
The soldier sighed and leaned over, reaching to inspect the head, his eyes widened a bit when he realised the identity of the decapitated head.
???: [Who killed again?]
Leif: [Me.]
The soldier twisted his nose.
???: [...and how did you do that?]
Leif: [Blunt... explosion...]
???: [Blunt explosion huh?]
He sighed.
???: [Well he is important, Captain Zerk Oos, id say, 20... 25 copper pieces...]
Leif felt a deep satisfaction, but it was not enough, he reached into his pocket to take out the two pair of ears, Sherpes big and round ears and Boons small and slightly burned up ones.
Leif: [I have these two aswell.]
???: [Alright, so 8 pieces, 25 pieces and 2 pieces... thats... 35 pieces... good job kid.]
The boy happily took the leather sack the man gave him, striding out of there while putting his other 6 copper pieces in there aswell, now he had over 40 pieces, on the way out he bumped with Hilt.
Hilt: [Ah! Leif boy! I see youve been paid well for this battle!]
Leif was in good mood and decided to not ignore him this time.
Leif: [Umhm.]
Hilt smiled at the content looking boy.
Hilt: [Well, i myself was payed very well...]
He pulled out his own leather sack, but his semmed to have less ppieces in it.
Hilt: [2 silver pieces and 20 copper ones to be exact, why dont you let me treat you to some food for today?]
Leif didnt allow himself to deny food, the both of them walked along to one of the food stands and Hilt ordered to lamb and pork skewer for less then 10 copper pieces, Leif handt felt it until a bit earlier but he hadnt eaten since last night and after a hard day he felt like he had a hole in his stomach, quickly devouring the meat bits.
Hilt: [So? How was your fight? Killed anyone important?]
He asked with a smile, savoring the meat, unlike Leif he could eat more then once a day.
Leif: [Some guy captain and two idiots.]
Hilt: [I see, i actually got the silver bits from the commander himself earlier today.]
Hilt said with a confident tone, while Leif chewed hungrily.
Leif: [Why?]
Hilt: [I was part of the squadron that defeated one of the the enemy commanders, i got a pretty substantial number of copper pieces just from chopping off soem ears after we were done.]
The blonde talked some more and Leif mostly heard him, the eventual boast and the laughs, Leif growed more and more fond of the common face among the camp. When the sun begun to go down Hilt had to go back to his squadrons camp, Leif didnt know where to sleep, he paced around the camp, first he tought about buying a bed with a few coppers but the tought perished quickly, he resorted to simply find a isolated place in the woods to sleep under, while pacing around, he felt the cold wind of the night as it passed throught the trees, feeling around with his feet for roots before walking due to the darkness, he walked around for a bit befire seeing something, a light, maybe someone had lit a campifire nearby, he came closer to inspect and found a tall, strong looking bald man, wearing a mix of loose cloth and silk with leather and chainmail, on his forhead a strnage symbol like an eye on fire.
???: [Hello there, fine night isnt it?]
Leif: [Sorry to bother.]
???: [Youre not bother for me young man.]
The man spoke in a strange way, his eyes where closed so maybe her had heard Leifs footsteps as he approached, but what was strangest was the way the fire moved before him, like a long and thin tail of fire wipping back and fourth and side to side, it didnt dissipate or diverge, the flames seemed to follow a path.
???: [Do the flames interest you, young man?]
For a moment Leif felt a knot in his throat and a burning sensation similar to the one he had felt before.
Leif: [I... not very much.]
The man oppened his eyes, they were green and lively, even more accentuated by the mans thick arched eyebrows, a smile formed on his lips.
???: [Lies.]
Leif felt a soft prickle of sweat on his forhead.
Leif: [W-what... who are you?]
Laymen: [My name is Laymen, is that what you ask for? Or do search for another answer?]
Leif: [What do you... what?]
Laymen: [You are confused, i see, then allow be to ask you a question boy?]
Leif scratched his head.
Leif: [Sure.]
Laymen cloee his eyes once more.
Laymen: [Tell me, do you know what a Warlock is?]
Leif: [Magicians and stuff? My mom used to tell me stories...]
Laymen: [I see, stories then? What kind of stories?]
Leif: [Uhh... tales? That they speaked tongues of fire and water and stuff...]
Laymen chuckled soflty.
Laymen: [You know boy, i saw what you did earlier this morning.]
Leif: [You mean-]
Laymen: [The little "scuffle" you had with those three men, you where victorious.]
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Leif: [What about it?]
Laymen: [Tell me, how did you win that... fight?]
Leif rubbed his forhead and looked around.
Leif: [No idea...]
Laymen: [Allow me to telly ou then, young man, you won that scuffle by speaking a rune.]
Leif: [Huh?]
Laymen: [Indeed, what i wish to know is, how do you know how to speak that rune, you seem to have no knowledge yourself...]
Leif: [What are you talking about? Runes and Warlocks... you cant actua-]
The bald man had closed his eyes, the symbol in his head glowed faintly, before him the flames on the fireplace semed to grow stronger and brighter until the flames danced up, Leif's eyes went wide as he watched the fire grow twice his height, the pillar of fire danced with the wind, releacing sparkles into the air.
Leif: [W-wha...]
The boy said as he stepped back, tripping over a rock and falling on his own ass, once he looked up again the fire went down, slowly returning to a group of small flames on the fireplace, the darkness seemed to seep back into the small clearing, as the sticks and wood on the campire crackled the man opened his fierce green eyes once more, looking at the bewildered boy with a smile.
Leif: [Wa-warlock...]
Laymen: [Indeed, and so are you, boy.]
Leif: [Wha-what... me..?]
Laymen: [You may not understand it boy, but when you were stuck under that mans body, you used it, the same thing i used just now...]
Leif: [Used it? Used what?]
Laymen: [Runic boy, the language of the runes.]
Leif felt more confused afteer each word the man spoke, Runes? Runic? Leif only knew how to speak the Pallaccian instilled in Cithroam, he couldnt even read properly since his father didn't know how to and his mother only knew the basics.
Leif: [Just what are you talking ab-]
Laymen: [Tell me boy, what was the word?]
Leif: [Word?]
Laymen: [Yes, the word, wich rune did you speak? And who was the one who taught you its meaning?]
Leif: [What? What rune?]
Laymen simply stared at the boy for a few seconds and muttered something.
Laymen: [So you simply do not know?]
Leif: [Umm.... sorry...]
Laymen smiled, a genuine smile.
Laymen: [No... no... That is... Simply marvelous young man, trully marvelous.]
Leif: [Sure...]
Laymen: [Tell me boy, is there anything written on your sword?]
The man pointed a finger at the sword Leif clutched tightly, the boy raised the sword as he unsheathed it, letting the sheath fall to the floor he ran his fingers over the engraved symbols on the base of the blade.
Laymen: [Those are the runes for Thin, Ílg, and Cut, Hy. A thin cut.]
Leif: [....Sharp?]
Laymen smiled, containing his enthusiasm.
Laymen: [ÍlHy, sharp.]
Leif: [What... does it do?]
Laymen: [Its a sword engraved with runes by a Warlock, when he used it it was probably sharper.]
He said as he looked up at the boy.
Laymen: [Tell me, young man, do you wish to learn?]
Leif: [Magic?]
Laymen: [Runic, at least, since im not capable of teaching much else.]
Leif gulped at the tought, was he gonna learn magic? Could he even?
Leif: [Yes...]
Laymen: [Very well then, sit.]
The boy obeyed his order and sat in front of him on the other side of the fire.
Leif: [So.. how are you gonna teach me?]
Laymen: [Were gonna talk, and youre gonna memorize everything you can, understand?]
Laymen and the boy exchanged looks.
Leif: [Yes.]
Laymen: [Good, now tell me, what where the runes for sharp?]
Leif: [...There were two runes right? For thin and cut.]
Laymen: [Indeed, but how do you speak those runes?]
Leif: [Ill and Hi right?]
Laymen: [Ílg and Hy, repeat them.]
Leif: [Ílg and Hy.]
Laymen: [Good, now what is the rune for sharp?]
Leif: [ÍlgHy!]
Laymen: [Wrong, its spoken ÍlHy.]
Leif: [ÍlHy!]
For atleast five hours after that Leif was forced to repeat the same words again and again, the word and its meaning, Laymen made sure the runes and their meanings where angraved into the boys mind when he allowed the boy to stand up once more, and when he did his legs where dormant, he walked around throught the silent forest deep at night, he couldnt hear the sounds of the camp nearby but believed that even this late at night there wouldnt be many around to make noise, maybe a few drunks or those who make strange sounds in their own tents, Leif enjoyed the peace he felt when the soft and cold winds of the night glided across his face, he usually didnt feel this at peace, or at peace at all in the camps, the loud talking and laughing reminded him of the mercenaries who stayed in his village after slaughtering e everyone, those werent memories he liked to remember, specially since they always bringed back the heads into his mind.
Leif managed to find a small alcove under a massive tree he layed there, clutching the sword close to his body, lately he had been feeling like the sword wasnt just a sword, he felt it like it was a extension of his body, but not like an arm or a leg, like a piece of his soul, the heat it emitted when he hugged it firmly while sleeping was something he needed to keep his heart calm, to keep those memories away from him.