Chapter 27
Forged in Steel and Trust
The first morning in their new house began not with the familiar sounds of Bluestone's roosters, but with the distant, constant hum of the city stirring to life. Sunlight streamed through the small, leaded glass windows of the main room, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Renly found Lyra and Will already up, the hearth lit and water heating.
"Lyra," he began, sipping a cup of bitter herbal tea she had prepared. "I need you to find us some local help. A stable manager, someone with experience handling horses, to look after Aethon and the mules. And a woman for the daily chores—cooking, cleaning, laundry. We need to free up our time for more pressing matters." He handed her a pouch with a few silvers. "Offer a fair wage, but be clear about the work."
Lyra nodded, her expression serious. "I'll find reliable people, my lord."
"Will," Renly turned to the young man. "I need you to go to the market and the inns. Listen to the gossip, the news. I want to know what the city is talking about. Also, purchase daily supplies and some potions—antiseptics, healing salves, anything that might be useful. And see if you can find any information on the bandit situation around the city."
With his small household mobilized, Renly made his way to the Mercenary Guild. The atmosphere was even busier than the day before. He went straight to the mission board, his eyes scanning for opportunities that would offer both coin and connection. His gaze settled on a notice pinned prominently, bearing the official seal of the City Guard.
TEAM MISSION: ELIMINATE BANDIT HIDEOUT
Location: Serpent's Pass Valley, on the trade route to Blackstone.
Target: 'The Vipers' - approx. 20 bandits. Led by an Official Knight (Bloodline unknown). Deputy: 2 Peak Squires, 1 True Warrior.
Risk: Mid (Team). Payment: 150 silvers to be split among the team, plus rights to any loot recovered.
Requirement: Minimum 10 experienced fighters. Official Knight participation preferred.
It was perfect. A team mission meant shared risk and a chance to work with others. The pay was substantial, and the location sparked a memory in Kaelen's mind—the Serpent's Pass was in the same region as the Blackwood Forest, where he had first arrived in this world as the starving scholar, Elian. Blackstone was the fortress city of Count Henry, a stark contrast to the mercantile Rose.
As he studied the notice, a voice rumbled behind him. "Thinking of taking it on by yourself, lad?"
Renly turned to face a bearded man built like a barrel, his arms covered in old scars. He had the weathered look of a seasoned fighter, his eyes sharp and assessing.
"Considering it," Renly replied evenly. "But it's a team mission for a reason."
The man grunted in approval. "Name's Bary. True Warrior. Me and my partner, Mark," he gestured to a lean, sharp-faced man beside him who gave a curt nod, "are putting a team together. We've got ten solid fighters already, and we just got a lucky break." He pointed across the hall to a woman leaning against a pillar.
She was striking. She had sleek black hair tied back in a practical braid and eyes the color of dark earth. She wore a form-fitting suit of hardened leather armor with polished steel pauldrons and greaves, the mark of the City Guard. She exuded a cool, detached competence.
"That's Anya," Bary said, lowering his voice. "Official Knight, from the Count's guard. Taking the mission privately for the extra coin. Her bloodline's 'Shadow-Step'—gives her a burst of speed and evasion that's a nightmare in a fight. With her, we have the Knight we need to counter their leader."
Renly did the math. Bary, a True Warrior. His partner, Kaelen, who Bary mentioned had a bloodline called 'Canine Sense'—excellent for tracking and ambush detection. Anya, the Official Knight. Ten other fighters. And himself. That made fourteen. It was a solid team.
"I'm in," Renly said. "Ser Renly of Bluestone. Official Knight, bloodline: Electric Surge."
Bary's eyes widened slightly at the mention of his bloodline. "Storm-Runner, eh? Rare. Good. We meet here at dawn tomorrow. The hideout is a day's hard march into the Serpent's Pass. We hit them at first light the following day." He clapped Renly on the shoulder. "Don't be late. And don't worry too much. Most of those twenty bandits are just desperate farmers with sticks. The real threats are the leader and his lieutenants. With Anya on their leader, and you and me on the deputies, we should crush them. Barring any nasty surprises."
The team dispersed to make their own preparations. The mention of Blackstone and the Serpent's Pass had sent a ripple through Kaelen's memory. That was the region where his first, terrifying projection had ended in a beast tide. The world felt strangely small.
His next stop was a weapons shop, a dark, smoky place filled with the rhythmic clang of a hammer on steel. His current sword was serviceable, but the bandit mission demanded the best. He spent twenty silvers—a small fortune—on a beautifully balanced longsword of folded steel, its edge so sharp it seemed to sing as he tested it. He already had the sleek, masterfully crafted suit of plate armor given to him by Viscount Corvan upon his knighthood, a tradition for new lords in his domain. It was his most valuable possession.
From there, he visited an apothecary, a shop filled with the pungent smells of drying herbs and strange chemicals. He purchased several vials of hunting poison, a thick, tar-like substance that could be applied to blade tips for taking down large game. It was a ruthless but practical tool for a hunter.
He returned to the house on Oak Lane as dusk was settling. The scent of a hearty stew greeted him. Lyra had been successful. A grizzled, one-eyed man named Old Thom was now tending to Aethon in the stable, and a cheerful, capable woman named Bess was stirring the pot over the hearth.
Will was full of news from his day. "The traders are all talking about Lady Elara, my lord," he said excitedly between spoonfuls of stew. "They say the Second Princess personally requested the Great Shaman take her on as an apprentice. It's seen as the Princess's return favor for the Demon Core. And the bandits! Everyone says the roads are more dangerous than they've been in years. Some are whispering that rival nobles are turning a blind eye, or even funding the bandits to disrupt the Count's trade and make him look weak."
As he ate, Renly processed it all. He had a team, a new sword, and a clearer picture of the political undercurrents. The mission tomorrow was a stepping stone. It was a chance to prove himself, to earn a significant amount of silver, and to make connections with fighters like Bary and, most importantly, a member of the City Guard like Anya.
Lying in bed that night, the weight of the new sword leaning against the wall, he ran through the plan. A team of fourteen against twenty. The odds were good, but Bary's words echoed in his mind: Barring any nasty surprises. In a world of bloodlines and beasts, surprises were almost a certainty. But as he closed his eyes, he felt the familiar, steady thrum of power in his veins. He was ready.