New horizons (2)

It had been a while since my property had stood still in front of the collection of weapons on display. For a pacifist, he seemed surprisingly interested in weapons...

The wall was covered with a kind of black velvet and hooks to hold the weapons which were highlighted by spotlights. The whole was framed by high furniture of dark wood, like a library where books had been replaced by guns. A stuffed body of a short-tailed spotted Pendora lay atop the furniture, keeping everything in order. Its impressive head and thick front legs that protruded slightly into the void gave it an imposing appearance, even though it was no longer alive. These animals had a very peculiar appearance: their hindquarters were completely naked, showing their dry muscles through their black skin, while their forequarters were covered with a coat of fur embellished with patterns looking like runes. The front legs were as powerful as those of bears, not to mention their huge saber teeth. They were undoubtedly very aggressive creatures which, when shot, made wonderful hunting trophies.

Tapping a finger on his lips, Edwoyn thoughtfully considered the pieces one after the other. To see such hunting trophies must have been completely unremarkable for a prince who lived in the most luxurious of palaces. I returned to him after discussing the new arrivals with the seller “Well? Is there one that catches your eye?”

There is a saying that ‘the weapon reflects the assassin’. In my case, this was very true. I wondered what would best reflect the prince.

“Hmmm... What type of weapon do you think will help me survive the longest?”

“They all have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, blades are more suitable for hand-to-hand combat, while pistols require a minimum of recoil to avoid stray bullets. If you want to survive the longest... I'd say you have to master them all perfectly.”

“What if I choose a magic launcher? Isn't that better than your technological weapons?”

“Technological weapons are so rare that no one knows how to protect themselves properly. It's perfect for getting through magic protection spells, even if it doesn't do as much damage as other weapons. They are very expensive and require a lot of precision, but they have proven themselves in the field. That's one of the reasons why our organization is so biased.”

“I admit that it's clever when you look at it that way...”

Most of the weapons in this country were based on magic. This was nothing out of the ordinary in the country with the most developed magic in the world! Either the magic came out of the cannons or it made it easier to handle the weapons, especially the larger ones.

“Look, we can't spend all day trying to find a weapon to suit you!”

“There are so many of them! How am I supposed to know what to choose if I've never handled them?”

“If it's just that, I'll teach you the basics. Now that you've seen them all, we'll come back and choose one for you when you have more experience. You'll make your choice much easier.”

“I'll do that.”

The satin-gloved salesman had finished collecting the pieces I had asked him for. I led Edwoyn to the counter where he presented us with small weapons wrapped in red cloth.

“A mercenary must always carry at least one hand-to-hand weapon, a pistol, and incapacitating drugs with him on missions. We do have a weapon of choice, but we must have weapons of last resort if the usual one is unusable.”

We leaned over a long knife with a black, serrated blade “You will have two of these knives in your boots. This one is a so-called ‘butterfly knife’. It is enchanted to be sharper. It's perfect for slicing flesh. I wear it on my belt.”

“Wait, I'm not going to-“

I put the blade down and immediately grabbed a pistol with a silencer. It too was a dull, metallic black, as were all our weapons. Most people liked flashy weapons to draw attention to themselves, but for professional purposes, it was silly to dwell on the aesthetic.

“And look, this silencer is made of a lightweight material to keep you from cramping up! The handle is made of leather, so it doesn't slip out of your hands! I handle two at the same time but I think one is more than enough if you are a beginner. By the way, have you ever fired a gun?”

“Please! Let me finish my sentences, for goodness sake!” he grumbled, embarrassed to make a scene in front of the salesman.

Seeing that he had my full attention, he continued “Don't waste your money on enchantments or anything that might slice flesh more easily, I wouldn't use it. The idea of being a murderer does not motivate me at all. Make sure you don't ask me to finish anyone off. The purpose of these weapons will be to protect, not to take life.”

Clearly, the prince was not ready for the job. I realized that perhaps I skipped too many steps. The fact is that we would have passed by this shop anyway.

“If you like, but remember: you work for me, so you'll wear what I decide you'll wear. Oh, and here's the stuff that's used to clean the inside of the barrel.”

My property was eager to protest this injustice. However, he remained silent because as his new tutor, I would always have the last word.

I explained to him how many other weapons worked and then we went over the mixtures I sometimes used to paralyze or poison. Everything was put in a case protected by magic locks which I kept in my hand.

While I paid for our purchases, Edwoyn went to admire the largest weapons displayed flat in glass cases. These were the most expensive pieces in the shop. Daggers, axes, and scepters are made from the raw materials of magical creature carcasses and encrusted with magical crystals. These stones are made of crystallized incantation sand. They are programmed with magical seals that give the user control over a type of spell, often chosen to enhance the abilities of weapons. For a top-of-the-range weapon, nothing better could be done!

Although these weapons were works of art in their own right, neither I nor Justine used them because we already knew how to cast far more varied and powerful spells. They were, on the other hand, the favorite toys of the royal soldiers, or should I say, that bunch of incompetents who thought they were stronger than everyone else. I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that they thought they were making up for years of training with these weapons that were far too sophisticated for their level.

“These are the weapons that the royal army uses, I've already seen their powers by watching demonstrations by the best soldiers of the Capitol!”

“You have a good eye,” I confirmed when I reached him.

The boy was interested in a copper-colored bow with a shoulder strap. Its metal was worked by goldsmiths and it could be bent thanks to an ingenious mechanism.

“I can put a spell on your arrows to make sure they hit their target if you want?”

“Thank you, but I don't need it. Perhaps I've never been able to handle one for reasons of... um... security in the palace, but that doesn't mean I'm clumsy!”

His grimace led me to believe that he was collecting bad memories on this subject. “I'd like to see that,” I chuckled.

“Nevertheless,” he said, turning to a long sword with a blue handle encrusted with silver jewels. "With such a weapon I could defeat you right here!”

“Certainly not, where did you get such an idea? You wouldn't last a minute in a duel against my secret weapon!”

He was so curious to know my trump card that he crossed the safe distance he had naturally established between us. It would take a lot more to make me confess anything. “It's a secret! If you keep your nose clean, you'll get to see it one day...”

Believe me, if you were to see it one day, I would have failed to make you my new Big Brother. It's better for both of us if you mind your own business and chase away that nasty curiosity.

~~~~

We returned to the street and the many makeshift shops in a burst of motivation. It was always shouting and bustling, the prince was not very comfortable in this lively environment, while I was walking around carefree. The commotion affected him because he was not used to it. It was all new to him, so I let him disperse without interfering.

I knew the stall in this market by heart as it was often the same ones that came back to display their stock. The traders all knew that I was into some dirty business, but never asked about it. Because I knew exactly where to buy the rest, completing the list of a mercenary's equipment was rather quick. All we had to do was order a new uniform and the boots with soundproof soles.

The prince suddenly slowed down, shocked to see creatures sequestered and exposed publicly, ready to be sold to the highest bidder in the stalls.

“The reality is worse, this is just the beginning,” I assured him.

The boy felt a twinge of sadness when he saw a young purple dragon: these creatures were protected species because of their rarity. For their scales, dragons had been hunted too much in the past, and the colonies in the far east of the Ancestral Forest no longer dared to migrate back to us as they did every year.

This dragon was not going to lead a glorious life...

Edwoyn made a big fuss to get me to buy him in order to guarantee him good treatment, but we were not going to burden ourselves with a wild dragon that was almost impossible to educate!

You mustn't abuse my kindness, demanding a pet when you are still far from having paid off your debt! What are you going to do with it? I bet you plan to burn our headquarters with the dragon to escape...

Devastated, the midget resolved to leave the animal, held back by a harness too tight for his big jaw. I used to see this beast here often. The seller had been trying to close the deal for two months, but apparently, he was not to the taste of the collectors. The problem with dragons is that they grow at an incredible rate! I had enough problems to deal with as it was...

Two hours later, we were back at headquarters with our hands full. In addition to our levitating bags, the rest of our orders would be delivered in the coming week. I had never spent so much money on one trip!

The most expensive of our purchases was the Killer Wind's custom-made outfit that would fit him like a second skin. I liked him better in this outfit than any other, especially as I didn't have to see his stupid face anymore.

Just like my uniform, Edwoyn wore a short, tight-fitting jacket that stopped mid-chest with black leggings that had a padded knee section. His suit was covered with a blade and bullet-resistant short coat made of dragon scales. The bluish hooded armor did not even allow a glimpse of his white hair.

The rest was just storage equipment, like satchels, leather belts, or a backpack slung over the shoulder.

Our uniforms were designed to form a trio of excellence: quality, concealment, and agility. They fitted our ethos perfectly. Their complementary nature would make the recruit a credible mercenary when he put them on for his first mission.

The memory of the endless measuring and fitting of the uniform's sewing pattern was slowly evaporating from my mind. These frivolous images were replaced by empty thoughts.

Again, as usual...

But I put it into perspective: it wouldn't last, because the next activity I was going to do for him would be very fun...