He can hear the bells tolling all around the port. He gets up after a long time sitting around the ship, stretching his body and walks to the mast of the ship, where the captain is.

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  “You haven’t paid yet.”

  “You remember, huh? How much was it?”

  “30.”

  “Didn’t you say 10 back in Elddim?”

  “We’re in Aporue now, son. Things’ve changed.”

  “Hmm. You say this after we’ve arrived?”

  “Of course. My ship isn’t supposed to be here. Had to bribe to dock here.”

  “For one normally goes back and forth, you forgot to mention this crucial detail before we depart, huh? Why didn’t you say it’s 30 straight away? I don’t have enough money now because you said the fee was 10.”

  “But I saw your pouch when you boarded. I’m sure it was a little on the heavy side. I remember it perfectly. You can pay or I’m afraid I can’t let you off this ship.”

  The man reaches for his belt, for his dagger, and shows its gleam to the captain.

  “...What?”

  “I could give you 35… Do you want it?”

  “Well…. Sure. I’ll take it.”

  As the captain moves his hand to take the dagger, the man quickly tightens his grip on the dagger, and swiftly plunges it into the captain’s neck. Blood of the captain is flowing onto the wooden handle of the dagger, making it crimson-brown.

  “Here. It’s worth 35 gryd,” the man says casually. Leaving the dagger in the captain’s neck, he runs toward the starboard of the ship and jumps down onto the port.

  “Murderer!” a deckhand cries out. “Murderer! Get that man!” He points his finger at the man.

  Several people look at the yelling deckhand, several others just keep on walking. The man, the murderer, leisurely walks away from the port. He gestures to a woman sitting on a stone bench.

  “Excuse me. Have you heard something about a paymaster here?”

  “Hmm… It depends.” The woman opens her palm.

  “Very well.” The man places a coin in her palm.

  The woman nods toward a building, a tavern.

  “Ah, yes. How silly of me.”

  The man heads inside the tavern. Inside the big room, he sees that there is only a big man sitting and a woman standing beside him. The big man wears sleeveless red armor adorned with a golden lion crest on its chest, a thick brown fur garment around his shoulders, and a pair of huge gauntlets fashioned like a lion’s head. The big man’s eyes are intense, his body bursting with muscles, and his red hair is akin to that of a lion's mane. The woman beside the big man wears a red chest armor, a pair of brown vambraces, pteruges around her waist, and a pair of brown greaves. Her red hair is straight and long and forms spirals near her shoulder blades.

  “Greetings! Fine sunny day we have here, eh?” says the big man, his voice deep.

  “Have a seat.” The woman extends her hand to a chair.

  “Name’s Targarina.” He sits on the chair.

  The woman gazes upon Targarina. He wears a sleeveless purple tunic, a pair of silver vambraces, a purple pants, and a pair of silver greaves. He is carrying two swords, one on his hip, and one on his back.

  “I assume you are the paymaster here?” Targarina smiles.

  “Correct. If you are here, it means that you have heard of my call.” the big man replies.

  “I have, indeed.”

  “My name is Lionnel Liontari. And this here is my daughter, Areti.” He gestures to the woman.

  “Well met.” Targarina nods.

  “Now then, what is your rate?”

  “You decide, good sir.” Targarina smiles.

  “Me, eh? Lionnel scratches his head. “All the other sellswords said the same thing. Is this how it is these days with your type?

  “Hmm. I don’t particularly know about the others but this is the way I do things to estimate my worth to you.”

  “Just know that I will hire you for an indefinite amount of time. This job could take years.”

  “Meaning I don’t have to look for jobs for a while, then.”

  “Hmm. Very well. Each month you’ll be getting 12,000 gryd. During your time you will be expected to protect a certain individual.”

  “Who might that be?” Targarina snaps his fingers.

  “You’ll be meeting her later,” Areti chimes in. “We’re going to a village up north today.”

  “I accept.”

  “Good.” Lionnel stands up. “There are two other sellswords you’ll be working with. They are currently buying some provisions I asked for. Go join them in the marketplace. Look for someone carrying maces on his belt and a contraption on her back.”

  “As you say.” Targarina stands up and leaves the tavern.

  “What do you think about him?” Lionnel asks his daughter.

  “In what way?” She crosses her arms.

  “Hmm. He didn’t ask many questions. Not even a letter of contract like the others.”

  “Not at all, you mean. Well… It matters not. So long he can pull his weight.”

  “Hmm.” Lionnel puckers his lips and nods his head.

  ***

  Targarina wanders around in the marketplace. There are many people going about their business, some are buying food, some are buying weapons, some are buying cattles, some are buying slaves, and some are simply dead on the streets. Among all of these people, two people stand out. A wavy, soft lavender-colored, bob-haired woman and a man with black hair which has a few blue individual streaks on its left side.

  “Hey, you sellswords?”

  “What’s it to ya?” She turns around, facing him.

  “Lionnel. Ring any bell?”

  “The bells have been ringing all day. Heh.” She smirks, pointing up at a bell tower.

  “They have… Just an annoyance at this point. One would think that we got the idea that some God is born already after the first bell. But no, they must ring all day.” He crosses his arms.

  The woman chuckles quietly. “Yes. Well, who are you?”

  “Targarina. Seems I’m joining you two.”

  “Call’s Laquidra.” She puffs her chest and bends forward slightly, hands on her hips.

  “And this is…” He looks at the man beside her.

  “Annurath. Now, let’s move.” He glances at both of them, and turns his back.

  “In a rush?”

  “Not us.” He glances back at Targarina. “The paymaster is. Now let’s head to the entrance gate. He told us to meet there.” He walks away without waiting for them.

  “Why did he tell me to meet you people here if we’re all meeting him at the gate? I was just with him.”

  “You would seek to understand the mind of an aristocrat?” Laquidra chuckles.

  “Not big on pleasantries, is he?” He gestures at Annurath.

  “Hah! Believe me, I’ve tried. Let’s move, eh?” She winks at Targarina.

  The two of them follow behind Annurath, his two chained maces clattering on his hip, and his arms, also wrapped in chains, are holding a bag of provisions worth a week. Targarina looks at Annurath's hair closely, examining the blue streaks amidst the black. Laquidra takes notice of this.

  “Hmm? His hair got your attention?” She smiles.

  Targarina smiles back. “Yes… I’ve never seen black hair before… At least, not on those Vdellas.”

  “Where are you from, eh?”

  “Elddim.”

  “What? Isn’t it common there?”

  “Huh… Whatever. Anyway, what is that on your back?” He gestures at Laquidra’s back. There is something made out of steel and wood in the shape of a cross ordained with an ornate pattern on her back.

  “I call this a crossbow. My own design!” She moves her hand to take the crossbow but Annurath stops walking.

  “Enough of this jabber. I’m going to ask the real question. How much does Lionnel offer you? What did he tell you about this job?”

  Laquidra stops smiling but Targarina smiles even more.

  “12,000 a month,” Targarina replies, in a smarmy tone. “And just that I’m to protect someone during the contract.”

  “Likewise,” Laquidra says, listlessly.

  “Now, what is the duty he expects you to fulfill?” Annurath’s black left eye glares at them while his right deep azure eye stares into nothing.

  “What? I just said that I must protect someone. That is my job.”

  “How long? Until when?”

  “Huh? He said for an indefinite amount of time.”

  “That is problematic. What is your contract?”

  “What? Are you hard of hearing?” Targarina grabs the handle of his sword.

  A moment of silence, a moment of flickering fingers. All three of them stand still glancing at each other. Targarina sighs.

  “He said I need to protect some brat.”

  “You?” Annurath points at Laquidra and clicks his tongue.

  “Likewise.”

  Annurath looks at the chains wrapping his black vambraces. “It seems it’s true, we are all the same way.”

  “No we’re not. The two of us can hear just fine,” Targarina says.

  “Your annoyance speaks of the truth.”

  “I see… That Lionnel. One might even ask where his guards are. He is only with his daughter, seems like.” Targarina flicks his fingers.

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  “Hah! It seems we’re not long for this world!” Laquidra says, raising her arms.

  “12,000 for each of us. Of course we are not… You would believe that he has thousands of gryd lying around? That is a bit steep, even for aristocrats.” Annurath taps his chain. “Moreover, there is no set time for completion. I trust both of you are not given a letter of contract either? Are we not hired for death?”

  “Well, he said to me we’ll be getting that contract officially later in the village,” Laquidra chimes in.

  “Why did you accept this job, Annurath? You should’ve realized the moment he offered 12,000, and he even mentioned the indefinite time of contract.” Targarina flicks his fingers three times at Annurath.

  Annurath falls silent. His intense eyes are softening, and he continues his walk, leaving both of the sellswords.

  “Hmm. As for you?”

  “The coins are good enough for me. Too good to pass.” Laquidra winks at him, then she follows Annurath.

  Targarina looks at the sky with an inquisitive expression, and spits at it.

  Upon reaching the gate, the group of sellswords meet the Liontaris who are waiting there. Both of them are crossing their arms.

  “Provision ready?” Lionnel standing high, he is taller and bigger than all of them.

  “Should get us all through for a week,” Annurath replies to him, his tone indifferent.

  “Alright, give the bag to my daughter.”

  Annurath walks closer and lifts the bag, which then Areti takes rather carelessly with one hand. Areti attaches the bag of provisions on her belt, she is shaking a little, her hands are trembling. The 3 sellswords take notice of this. They look at each other, as if to confirm doubt.

  “So, where are we going?” Laquidra raising her hands.

  “A village up north, where your job is.” Areti points outside the gate.

  “Are we expecting trouble?” Annurath adds. He is caressing the chains on his vambraces.

  All of them are silent. Areti is in the middle of opening her mouth when Lionnel taps her shoulder.

  “We shouldn’t be.”

  “Hmm….” Annurath squints his eyes. “Being honest to your hired hand or those below you might just help you.”

  Lionnel is meeting the intense gaze of Annurath. Both of them are unflinching. Laquidra takes a step forward.

  “Well, we haven’t got all day. Let’s start now, eh?”

  “We shall.” Lionnel keeps his gaze on Annurath for a little while, then he walks outside of the gate.

  “Sheesh. Far as I know our lord over there is the only one taking the God Stone drivel seriously.” She pokes Annurath’s back. “Let’s go.”

  “Couldn’t care less what he believes. We are not even taking any carriage. He knows trouble is coming. Problem is, he’s not honest with us.” Annurath holds his fists together.

  Laquidra and Annurath follow the big man. However, Areti stays. She is looking at Targarina, who is pinching his left ear violently. His expression is blank, almost as if he has gone to another place, another time, not caring about anything happening in the present.

  “Hey!” Areti calls out to him.

  No response.

  “Hey!” she calls out again, louder this time. “We’re going!”

  In that moment, something seems to possess the unresponsive Targarina, his expression suddenly, immediately, instantly changes into a smile.

  “Of course.” Targarina smiles wider.

  He walks away, following the rest of the group going outside while Areti stays for a moment to think. She holds her double-edged glaive tightly and also proceeds outside.

  ***

  The group has been walking for a while. The sound of the ringing bells were gradually getting quieter and quieter until they finally could not hear it anymore. They are far from civilization and the morning sky is now dusk.

  “So…” Laquidra is raising her arms. “When are we taking a break?”

  Lionnel stops his walking. He looks around him, all he sees is vast green grassy plains. The group is standing in the middle of a road.

  “Not yet. There is a forest just a little further, we’ll be taking our break there. After giving an answer, Lionnel continues forward.

  “See?” Annurath comes up to Laquidra. “Did you hear that? ‘We shouldn’t be expecting any trouble’ he says,” Annurath mimicking Lionnel’s deep voice.

  Laquidra chuckles quietly in response. “Well, why don’t we keep our eyes like a hawk, eh? Keep our eyes out for this nonexistent trouble that got our lord in such a rush.”

  Areti, who has been walking behind the group all this time, comes alongside Targarina.

  “Hey. You’ve been awfully quiet,” she says to him.

  He turns to face her. “That a problem?” Targarina replies, smiling.

  “No… Those two have been talking to each other since we left. Why don’t you join them?”

  “Oh, my, my, my, my. I could ask you the same. Why don’t you talk to your father, then?”

  Targarina looks into Areti’s eyes. There is a slight twitching on her left eyebrow. Targarina flicks his fingers at her.

  “Hmm, it’s true? You two are expecting trouble? Is that why you have been walking behind us?”

  Areti is quiet.

  “You know, usually, the leader walks in the middle of the group during a trip. And… certainly not in front or back of the group, even more so for aristocrats. But so far, your father is in front of the group and you are pacing yourself to be behind the group. Why is that?”

  Areti looks away from Targarina, lowering her eyes to the ground. “The forest is near, let’s pick up the pace.” She walks slower.

  “Why don’t you pick up the pace? You are falling behind again.” Targarina holds the hilt of his sword on his hip.

  “I’m fine. Just not used to all this walking. You go on ahead.”

  “Oh, my, my, my, my! With your build?” Targarina smiles wider. He is looking at Areti’s body. Her well-toned arms and legs muscles can be subtly seen.

  “I find it hard to believe a member of the famous Liontari is not trained in the arts of combat. In other words, you are used to all this walking, girl.”

  “Girl? I’m older than you!”

  “Oh, really? How old?”

  “Twenty-five!”

  “Congrats!”

  “How old are you?” Areti points at Targarina.

  “How should I know?”

  “What? Just count from the year of your birth to this year!”

  “Like I said, how should I know?”

  “I can see the forest!” Lionnel yells out.

  “Finally!” Laquidra claps her hands.

  The group goes inside the forest. Lionnel is at the front, Annurath behind him, Laquidra in the middle, Targarina next, and Areti the last one is behind the group. Inside the forest, gentle breezes are blowing. The leaves and branches of the trees are rustling quietly. No other sounds are being heard by most of the group, especially the sound of a whistle, a very fast whistle that almost blends with all the other noises, unfortunately for it, one person hears it coming, its target. Laquidra scowls and quickly ducks out of the way. The whistling sound passes over her and stops at a nearby tree.

  “Arrows!” she yells at the top of her lungs.

  All members of the group ready their respective weapons. Lionnel his lion-like gauntlets, Annurath his chained maces, Laquidra her ornate crossbow, Targarina his swords, and Areti her double-edged glaive. More of the whistling sounds are coming their way.

  “Scatter!” Lionnel commands the group.

  Everyone gets behind trees for cover and the arrows are hitting their cover relentlessly.

  “Toothless swine! How many of these wretches are there?!” Annurath gets out of his cover and runs to where the arrows are coming from.

  “Is he insane?!” Areti yelps, looking at Annurath running.

  Then Targarina quickly joins Annurath in running towards the shooters. Both of them are not just running, they are charging at them. The bowmen, surprised, are getting out of their cover to get a better shot at the two of them. Laquidra is taking advantage of this moment to shoot her crossbow. Her bolt swiftly pierces the neck of one of the bowmen. The other bowmen are ducking for cover but Targarina and Annurath catch up with them before they can. Annurath hurls his maces, each chained to his wrist, at two of the bowmen. Their steel-plated masks are crushed by the sheer force of the hurled maces, which Annurath immediately yanks back to him, who spins for momentum and hurls the maces again at the bowmen, crushing their heads completely in a bloody explosion.

  Another two bowmen desperately reach for their arrows when Targarina jumps at them, swinging his swords. One dodges his swing, but he manages to stab the other bowman deeply in the neck. He throws his other sword at the bowman but the bowman deflects it with his bow, unbalancing him in the process and making him fall on the ground. Targarina pulls out his dagger and lunges at him, stabbing him repeatedly in the neck, blood spilling all over the ground.

  “Die!” a voice cries out from above Areti. An assassin is perching on the tree above her. The assassin throws her daggers at Areti. She swerves out of the daggers’ way and at the same time the assassin jumps down, blade in hand.

  “Look out!” Lionnel calls out to his daughter.

  Areti raises her glaive, directing it straight to the assassin. The gravity helps her and the assassin falls onto the glaive, which pierce the assassin’s abdomen violently. Areti swings her glaive at a nearby tree, and the assassin gets thrown off.

  “Wow! Look at you!” Laquidra is laughing, seeing Areti throwing another human being.

  The assassin is on the ground bleeding out, Lionnel approaches her.

  “Who sent you?!” He clenches his fist, and ready his lion-like gauntlet.

  The assassin coughs. “There will be more!”

  Immediately after speaking, Lionnel strikes the assassin hard, the sheer force shaking the ground around him.

  “Six, huh?” Laquidra stands up and gets closer to one of the bodies. Upon looking at the body, she notices that he wears a steel mask shaped like a face and a black robe covering his whole body. “How nice! Wolfpack!”

  “That explains your weird behaviour, Lionnel.” Annurath gestures his mace at Lionnel. “Now, this information would be extremely useful. Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “It’s ‘cause we’re sheep to bait the wolves, haha!” Targarina joins in.

  Annurath glances at both of the Liontaris. “So, your explanation may just make us stay here… or not. Speak, now.”

  “They don’t need to explain. The fact that they were walking in front and behind us just then already explains everything! They know the Wolfpack standard of attacking the person in the middle of the convoy first. They know!” Laquidra aims her crossbow at Areti. “How about we make this even?”

  “Stop!” Lionel commands. “It is enough. I will explain.” Lionnel clears his throat and begins, “I needed to trust you all.”

  “Oh, wow.” Laquidra rolls her eyes. “Trust? That is one hell of a way to find that out, don’t you think?”

  “And in doing so, I know. They aimed at you three, thus, I can trust you.”

  “What? You think someone is trying to infiltrate your little quest here?” Targarina leans on a tree.

  “It’s Wolfpack. It is not their way to infiltrate.” Annurath spits. “Unless….. Are you expecting multiple troubles? Is this why you are not travelling with your guards?”

  “Yes.”

  “So even your guards are compromised…”

  Annurath sighs, Laquidra scoffs, and Targarina pinches his left ear.

  “However, the 12,000 gryd per month is still on the table. ...If any of you are still up for it.”

  The group is silent. All of the sellswords seem to be in deep thought. Lionnel comes over to the shaking Areti.

  “Are you alright?”

  “I froze up.”

  “It’s okay, it’s your first ti-”

  “I froze up. This is what I’ve been training for and I froze… Standing still like an idiot! Didn’t you see what happened?! I got lucky!”

  “That’s because of your muscle memory dear… It’s skill, not luck.” He runs his fingers around his daughter’s hair.

  “Oh, Come off it!” Laquidra interrupts them. “Even a damn sightless could see that it’s luck! Now… 12,000 gryd up front.”

  “What?”

  “You said the gryd is still up.”

  “Yes, and I will give it to you exactly at today’s date next month.”

  “No. No. No. No. I want it now or never.”

  “You knowingly led us into an ambush in order to know if you can trust us, Lionnel.” Annurath fastens his chains. “However, trust goes both ways. This is simply the way for us to know.”

  “Hmm. Very well. But I don’t have 12,000 gryd for each of you at the moment. Let us go to the village first. It is still within my fief. I can scrounge up there.”

  “The exact amount. No less.” Laquidra ties her crossbow on her back.

  “Huh… Are you sure that the coffers of that village are not compromised too?” Annurath begins rummaging through the bodies.

  “As for me…” Targarina taps Lionnel’s shoulder. “I don’t need the gryd today.”

  “You don’t…?”

  “No. But… Answer this, o’ great Lionnel.” Targarina is staring straight into Lionnel’s eyes. “Is the stone real?” he says, in almost a sultry voice.

  Lionnel recoils his head slightly.

  “Are you… Are you in this for the stone?”

  Targarina smiles wider. “Is it real?”

  “......Yes. I believe so.”

  “Then… Are the Gods real?”

  “Of course. The bells are ringing today.”

  “Oh, my, my, my, my… But I’m asking you, not those who ring the bells.”

  “Do you not believe in them?”

  “Are. They. Real?”

  “Yes. Yes, they are.”

  “Then… by extension… whoever hired the Wolfpack also thinks they are real, correct?”

  “It would seem so.”

  “It would seem so, hehe.”

  Areti is looking at the exchange between her father and Targarina. Her trembling is gone and now is replaced with a feeling of confusion and dread. She gets over to them.

  “What are you getting at?” Areti speaks quietly, almost like a whisper, afraid of being heard.

  “Hmm?”

  “What are you getting at? Why are you asking these questions?”

  “Like Annurath said, this is just a way for us, for me to trust him.”

  “If you keep asking these questions, divine wrath shall befall us!”

  “Divine wrath” Targarina mimics her voice, mockingly. “Do you pray, Areti?”

  “Why, of course!”

  “So do I”

  “Then why the questions?!”

  “Exactly why!”

  “Alright, enough!” Lionnel gets between them. “Are you in or not, Targarina?”

  A breeze gently rustles the trees around them.

  “Yes. I am. Yes.”

  “Can we get a move on?” Laquidra interrupts them.

  “Yes, we shall,” Areti replies.

  Annurath is ransacking the bodies for coins and other valuables. He finds a letter in one of the Wolfpack’s pockets and proceeds to read it.

  “Listen to this: ‘Lionnel, stop the search. This is your only warning.’ Huh… Who might this be?”

  “That is for me to worry about.”

  “You have no friends and many enemies, Lionnel. We three are a testament of that fact.”

  Lionnel looks at him for a moment, then walks away. “We shall continue.”

  “Hmm… ‘the search’? It seems we are getting ourselves into a war, gentlemen.” Laquidra chuckles. “Well! So long as the pay is good, that is!”