Arya

“Ayo Misfit!” a voice raised from a table in the distance “Can we have some more ale here? Thanks”

“Sure thing”

I walked over the counter, grabbed mugs from a cupboard, and started filling them to the top with a golden liquid. A big cloud of foam formed on the edge, some sliding over the sides. I placed the over-filled mugs on the tray and rested them on my left arm.

“It’s not a bad nickname, Rei” Chevy noticed my displeased face “It’s still a title after all”

“You’re right. I would have preferred else, maybe something that didn’t make me look like a criminal”

In the days after Lua’s departure for Artoria rumors started spreading between mercenaries in the Full Moon. Apparently, I was the cause of our Unit breaking apart and Lua leaving the Guild. No one had been informed of Brad and Gray’s deaths. In just a week I transitioned from ‘Rookie’ to ‘Misfit’ and even if I had something that made me special among the others I wasn’t so happy about it.

Helping Lua by paying for her education left me penniless once again and I was forced by the demon Roxy to start working again as a waiter until she could find me a new Unit. Most of the mercenaries were out on jobs and the bulletin board was short on low-level quests. It could have been worse.

“Here you go” picking up the mugs already on the table I continued my work “I hope no one comes tonight”

The door of the Full Moon opened making a loud noise. I already had to kick out some drunk customers first thing in the morning and didn’t want to repeat that painful experience.

“Where’s my favorite gold mine?” Roxy barged into the inn

I tried to run and take cover behind Chevy hoping to save myself from the owner. Her wavy hair provided just enough space to hide me. Not reading the room at all she moved and left me out in the open. You traitor.

“I have good news for you, Misfit” she grabbed me, destroying any chances of avoiding the encounter.

“Can you at least be the only one besides Chevy to use my actual name?”

“Are you gonna cry about that?”

“Maybe. What do you need to tell me? My debt magically disappeared?”

“It’s a surprise but no, your debt is still there, strong as ever. I have to prepare something so can you do some stuff for me in the meantime?”

She gave me a couple of Karses and told me to go buy something to eat around the market. A small gift like that, coming from a person like Roxy, meant trouble was coming. It was possible that she could have arranged a forced marriage in exchange for money, or someone was coming to get my organs to sell. The combinations of bad scenarios were infinite and to avoid falling in the dark I started deciding what I wanted to eat as my last meal.

I opted for a Bovur’s tail in honor of my friend back at Corola Village. I waited ten minutes just to grab some food and chose one of the plaza’s benches to rest and think. The meat was juicy and cooked perfectly. Roxy was a good cook too but this was leagues above her. The taste was so good I wanted to savor every bite and just let myself be carried away.

My career as a mercenary was already over. It had been rather short and I would have quit too after all the events I went through if it wasn’t for the debt I accumulated. Lua had to be already in Artoria at this time.

I hope she can start anew.

My biggest problem was money. I could work under Roxy for eternity and still not be able to repay her if I could not join a Unit. I could form one if only I had people that wanted to join. The ones I had some sort of friendship with were either gone or already working.

I could ask Living Armor to join me...Nah, I don’t have the courage.

Nobles passed in front of me whispering. Some even watched me from a distance, like I was a piece in a museum. My nickname must have gotten out and spread even in the rest of Lyria. Good. I looked at one of my spectators, making him avoid eye contact. Greeted a lady standing next to me. She got up and left trying not to make it obvious that she wanted to run. It was pretty bad.

The looks of the bypassers started irritating me and since I had already finished my Bovur tail lost in thought I stood up, and after a low bow to the viewers, walked back to the Full Moon. I still had customers to serve and work to do.

“Roxy I’m back, thanks for the treat” I opened the door and took the apron I left on a stool “I’m pretty famous now in the city, some nobles…”

Next to her and Chevy stood a girl dressed in an old uniform of the inn. They were checking if the dress fit her right and were measuring her with a ruler for adjustments. I had seen that procedure in first person before when Roxy tried to make me wear one of the new ones. Just a reminder that the staff is only female.

The girl noticed my entrance and directed her attention towards me. Her red eyes were captivating and deep. You could feel a lot of relief in them. She used her hand to tuck a strand of hazel hair behind her ear. The tailbone-long hair was put up in a bun to ease Chevy tighten the corset. Her figure was small and thin, her skin smooth and almost white. The sight left me speechless.

Haru?

That was the only thought in my head as the pain grew stronger. Since I was reborn I had adapted to that even if it still hurt a lot.

“Oh come on, Larce! I told you to block him!” Chevy scolded the blacksmith already down a drink or two “Now you ruined everything”

“Hold on” he got up and tied his bandana around my eyes “There, now he can’t see”

“You should have done that sooner”

I could hear a wooden mug graze my ear and hit the wall behind. The sudden darkness scared me and inadvertently made me grip my sword. Since the “adventure” under Corola I had trouble closing my eyes even for a moment. I was always worried something bad might happen again. Calming down I let go of the hilt and slowly pulled the bandana over my eyes.

Chevy tried to recover by hiding the girl behind her. Why didn’t she do the same thing when I was the one needing it? This was straight-up favoritism. Roxy shot an Ice bullet at Larce who was already drinking from another mug and almost hit me. My left ear burned from the cold.

“Well. Ehm...Ta-da”

Chevy and Roxy parted leaving the girl alone in the room. The mercenaries and regulars at the tables cheered, toasting mugs in the air. Alcohol wet the floor and many crumbles of food followed soon after. I had to clean that up all by myself later…

“It’s not really a surprise anymore since someone” this time a tray flew in the air “Didn’t do his job”

“She wanted to see you” Roxy led the girl to me

She was keeping her head down while holding Roxy's hand. That shyness of her reminded me a lot of Lua. The girl I saved from Magnus was now standing alone in front of me. She tried to speak, her voice was as low as I remembered. She stopped, clenched her fists, and decided to look up to me. Her eyes were determined.

“T-thank you for saving me”

An awkward silence followed. Even the other people in the inn were interested in what was going on. The girl looked a bit intimidated by all those looks just like I felt in the plaza.

“I didn't have the chance to say this before so as soon as I recovered I wanted to find you and tell you” she laid on the ground bowing “Thank you”

“I’m Rei, nice to meet you” I smiled “I did what I felt right, you don’t need to thank me”

All the pain I had put into my first fight had paid off. The girl I saved was fine, her bruises and scars were gone and her appearance was much better. Not seeing a collar and shackles tied on her gave me the push to continue doing my best to try and better the lives of everyone around me.

“My name is Arya” she returned shy and muffled her own words “I heard a lot of you from Lua and the Headmaster”

So Lua talked about me.

“Ok ok the show is over” Roxy invited the guests to go back to their normal life “We have private things to talk about so come to my office”

Arya and I followed her.

“When Arya got to know that you enrolled as a mercenary here she wanted to join you but her conditions weren’t the best. Now that she recovered she’s here to follow you, Rei” Roxy started preparing the necessary for the license.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked the girl sitting next to me on the couch.

She simply nodded her head.

“Just like you, she doesn’t have any money” Roxy spoke “The cost of everything will be on you, my dear”

“I kind of expected it” I didn’t even start repaying my debt and it was already expanding “Would it be okay to share the room to avoid her paying for one? I can sleep in the backyard”

“That’s not a problem. Just don’t break some bones, you need to stay healthy for me”

Roxy started filling in the form just as she had done for me. Arya was one year younger than me and a Nameless as well. Although Roxy asked her about her parents and her native village she couldn’t remember. Telling her story, she was taken prisoner years ago and lived as a slave swapping from buyer to buyer until I managed to free her.

“Can you put your hands on this for a second?” the glass block was placed on the table.

Arya grabbed it with both hands. It wouldn’t be nice to say that I crossed my fingers the whole time hoping that she was a Springer like me. The cube shook a little and then lit up in a pale grey light. Something smokey moved inside it.

“Oh wow” Roxy made her repeat the process only to confirm the result “You’re a Laufer. And it seems that you can use Ventus magic. Do you happen to know how that works?”

Arya was clueless and Roxy started her little magic lesson. I mentally added even that cost to my debt. Ventus was a common element but could still pack a punch if used intelligently. Some mercenaries used this magic to create arrows and barriers, having that in a Unit was useful.

“We’re done here. Once Rei has the money you will get your license and will be a mercenary. If you have any questions regarding that you can ask this handsome gold mine”

“Gold mine?” Arya was obviously confused

“Forget about that” I tried to change the subject with a laugh “What about equipment?”

“I’m sorry but you will have to buy that as well”

I could have formed a Unit with Arya but without equipment, it would have been hard to complete jobs, even easy ones. Jobs that didn’t require fighting were rare and, most of the time, terribly paid.

“Um, I-I wanted to ask something” Arya noticed an open map of Lyria on the table and pointed at a location “I can lead you to where I was imprisoned...There were other girls there. They helped me escape and I want to help them in return”

“Are you sure that’s the place?” Roxy became serious

“I heard the ones that guarded us talk about this village nearby. I vaguely remember the road we took with the wagon to arrive there” her hands began shaking.

“I’ll contact the Guild and put a quest up. We will save them for sure”

“Can I take the job?” I asked “If that bastard Magnus is there I want to settle things with him”

“I can’t let you do that” Roxy blocked me before I could leave “Last time you and Lua almost died remember? It wasn't even a week ago. I can’t put you in danger again”

“But there are other girls there in the same conditions as Arya, I can’t…”

“Leave them like that? You might have a strong resolve Rei but you’re not strong enough! Do I have to remember you who was almost getting decapitated in the middle of a plaza? Who almost got killed by a single Goblin?”

“I get it, I’ll just stay put this time”

“Good, I will try and make you join the Unit who takes the job if you really want. For the time being please help Arya ok?”

“Fine”

Arya followed me out of the inn and I showed her around the town. It was her first time in a town like Lyria and stopped at every corner analyzing every little bit. We walked side by side and followed the route I took when the Full Moon had to restock. We spent the rest of the day just cruising the city and found ourselves back at the central plaza.

“This was where that white knight tried to harm you right?” Arya sat on the marble edge of the fountain “That was scary”

“Don’t tell me! I was ready to fight but we still got out of there alive”

Arya chuckled a little “Roxy is a good person”

“Sometimes...She can be a devil if she wants to. Especially if you owe her money”

“Thank you again, I can’t say it enough times”

“I’m just glad you’re here right now and not in a cage somewhere”

“Are you still going to go to that place?” I was surrounded by perceptive women.

“Probably” the sun was already behind the walls of the city and the magic lanterns began lighting up “We should go back, I’ll show you to my...well, your room”

Thank Gods I had cleaned the place of all the books just this morning. The bed was already made since I spent most of the nights on the desk. I told Arya she could use the room as she pleased and I would have come in just to grab books. I grabbed my notebook that was sitting on the bedsheets and left the room.

“See you tomorrow” Arya waved at me as I closed the door.

I had to move quickly before someone noticed my absence. Since the main entrance was in plain sight I chose to escape from the backyard that led straight to a narrow alley. I walked by the stables, an unexpected growl sent shivers down my spine. The Feather Drake I had ridden before was eating the hay shaking its tail spreading colored feathers everywhere.

“Hey buddy, want to come with me for a quick ride?”

The big lizards chewed on the lasso that was tying it to the fence inviting me to bring it with me. I made sure no one was around and untied the rope. My hand brushed on the soft plumage on the head and climbed the saddle. After detaching any excessive harnesses that could make noise I left the Full Moon, riding in the night. The Eastern Gate was always open, I greeted Frank that was standing by the door in full armor, and dashed out in the open plains.

The route was no more than 20 minutes long and using the night in my favor could have granted me some sneak attacks on Magnus and his boys. I had to stay still during the journey to avoid falling off the Drake, I had already fooled myself in front of Lua and didn’t want that to happen again.

I could see houses built on the hills pop from the trees, right where Arya had pointed on the map. I was heading to Panare Village. The village itself wasn’t that big of a deal but recently a lot of jobs were issued regarding patrolling of the village since strange noises could be heard in the night. A couple of villagers came directly to the Full Moon to ask for help, a lot of the crops and materials in the storage had vanished. Units were sent but they didn’t find any monster nor bandit roaming around.

Since Magnus and Clara seemed close they were probably protected by some sort of illusion but since the Man-eater wasn’t here anymore I could easily find their hideout. I jumped off the Drake and left it munching on some leaves near a barn. Small woods surrounded Panare and provided cover for the bandits.

“Move, we have to make it back in time or Magnus will beat us again”

A voice came from a small storage space ahead of me. Light created by fire seeped through the door and lit the place around it. Wooden boxes were tied up on a small cart.

“Let me just take on more of these booze crates. I want to have something to pass the time”

Two men left the storage hut and loaded the last box on the cart. One of them pulled it into the woods leaving trails on the ground. I waited for the light to vanish in the trees and started following them, keeping my distance. They led me to a small cave dug into one of the hills. One other bandit was patrolling the entrance, yawning. I could have easily taken them out but since I didn’t know how many people there were actually inside I preferred to wait.

A metallic sound and broken branches broke the silence of the woods behind my back. Someone was following me.

“I know you’re there” I tried to lure them in “Just come out and nothing will happen”

“Was I that loud?” a familiar voice reached my ears

“I could hear every step you took, Armor”

A man kneeled next to me observing the bandits. Living Armor had a strong presence. His metal Brooch resembled the head of a wolf and a silver pearl laid in the middle.

“Did Roxy send you?”

“Come on Misfit, everyone knew you would be here anyway” he patted my shoulder “You’re lucky to be on her good side”

“Are you here to bring me back? Because I will not do that”

“I’m just here to check on you. I don’t want you to die stupidly”

I thanked him for his support and care by not responding at all and kept looking in front of me. The guys pulling the cart talked to the man patrolling and after saying something they got in the cave.

“There’s probably 4 to 5 people in there, girls aside” Armor intervened

“How do you know that?”

“They used a kobold’s cave as a hideout. There’s not enough space for a lot of humans in there, if some of them are in cages the number just goes a little higher”

He managed to recognize the type of cave by the structure and leftovers. He was skilled. Some mercenaries relayed only on brute force but this one used his head too.

“Are you going to raid or what? Want them to offer you a cup of tea?”

“Don’t pressure me”

After hearing my response, Armor raised his arms and distanced himself. I had waited long enough and made my move. I got up and left the bushes putting the hood of my cloak on the head.

“What are you doing here slacking off” I tried my best bandit impression.

“Magnus! I-I wasn’t slacking at all...I was just getting a little bored. Can I end my shift now?”

The clothes I stole from him worked perfectly.

“Yes, tell the other to switch with you”

The man rejoiced and turned around ready to go to sleep. I unsheathed my sword and hit his head with the plate of the blade knocking him out. Even if I had the chance to kill him I didn’t want to repeat that nightmare at Corola Village. Justice had to be made by other means. The body fell on the grass without making a sound. Using some rope I had found near the village I tied the man up and hid him in some bushes, putting some cloth in his mouth to avoid him calling for help.

Checking his pockets I found some Karses and bitten pieces of stale bread which I chose to leave there. After taking his dagger and hanging it next to my sword I entered the cave.

It was as small as Armor predicted and a couple of small torches were enough to light the whole place. A bunch of boxes was stored next to one of the walls and the two bandits were unloading the crates to add to the pile. On the other side, an iron cage housed 3 girls dressed just like Arya when I found her. Their chains were tied to the bars and the keys were nowhere to be found. A small tent was built at the furthest point of the cave and a man could be seen inside it. Magnus was having a conversation with someone.

I stealthily got to the girls without anyone noticing and told them to keep quiet. I asked for the keys to open the cage but they didn’t have a clue where they were. When Arya managed to escape they were in the tent with Magnus. There was no chance for me to avoid combat.

One of the remaining bandits entered the tent to report and left his companion alone. A rock impacted near the wall where he was standing. The man looked at the entrance searching for a clue.

“Hey Jerry, did you throw the rock?” he waited for the guard’s response “Jerry are you there?”

He left the cart to check on this ‘Jerry’ and I followed him out of the cave. A beam of light made me catch a glimpse of an iron helmet in the bushes. Armor had given me an opportunity. I had to thank him after that.

“Woah Jerry, I didn’t know you were into this?” said the bandit looking at his friend tied up.

With the same procedure, I knocked out the second man and dumped him over Jerry who was trying his best to break free of the rope. He wiggled like a worm begging me with his eyes to cut his bindings. I got closer to him and whispered in his ear

“Now you can enjoy how those girls feel” and knocked him out again.

There were only two bad guys remaining. The man I had just neutralized didn’t have anything interesting on him either. This group seemed to have even less money than me.

The bandit with Magnus left the tent and searched for his friend, threatening him to get beaten up if he didn’t help him with the rest of the work. Silence. He sighed and continued unloading the cart by himself. I approached him and tried to attack him with my sword.

Crack

I stepped on a branch.

Hearing the crunch, the man turned around with his crate and bumped into my sword making it fall off my hands. He noticed me and dropped the crate on the floor trying to unsheath his dagger. The crate broke making even more sound and alerted Magnus inside the tent who complained about his underdogs not being careful enough. I quickly dodged a couple of slashes and using an opening tackled the bandit against the pile of crates. The slam made him drop his weapon which joined my sword on the ground.

We started brawling. His moves reminded me of the style Magnus used to fight and having fought him already made it easier to block and evade punches. When the fists hit my arms my whole body shook but it wasn’t as bad as parrying a full-force blow of the Goblin King.

I forced the bandit to move back punch by punch. He hit the pile of crates again with his back. The construction lost balance and collapsed burying him in wood, wheat, and thousands of fruits.

“What’s going on out there!”

Magnus lifted the tent curtain with an arm and looked outside. The noise had been too loud to think it was just someone doing a poor job and he probably decided to check what was going on. My cover was blown but the battle was in my favor, even if he managed to defeat me again I was sure Armor would have intervened at some point. A pair of brass keys swung from his belt. I had to steal them somehow to open the cage. This could have been the perfect time to get my revenge. After searching my sword in the rubble of crates I raised my hand and waved at him.

“Long time no see”

Hey! Ecspo here. Hope you liked this chapter!

Since this is my first serious work and also my first work in English I would very much appreciate any tips, critiques, comments of any kind. Tell me if the chapters are too long, short, or whatever, it would mean a lot to me.