Milly led the way out of the meeting room in a calm, but rushed manner. Aegar's legs were getting a workout just trying to keep up with the the fast pace Milly was setting. He looked forward to seeing Milly's Talent for blood, he'd only seen talents up close a handful of times before.
Aegar took note that they took a left out of the meeting room and not a right. Since he had not seen it on the way to the meeting room, Aegar supposed the hallway to the right led to Hawk's personal quarters. Not that it mattered to him, he didn't personally care what his private area even looked like. Having slept in the attic back at the orphanage and not having to share a bunk with the other kids, he understood the value of privacy and having your own space.
As if to confirm his theory, a large hand grasped his shoulder and he could almost hear the grin on Hawk's face. "Hey kid, having fun on your first day?"
"I'm not sure that someone being seriously injured is fun." Aegar replied with a frown.
"Ah don't sweat it, happens at least once a week." The grin on Hawk's face never wavered for a moment.
"Once a week?!" Shock was evident on Aegar's face in the face of that fact.
"Don't be a wuss!" Hawk said before slapping a meaty hand against Aegar's back and sending him tumbling forward. Aegar was about to respond when he smacked into the middle of the back of the man who rushed into the meeting room but a moment ago.
"Argh!" Aegar cried as it felt like he had rammed face first into a brick wall. He felt something warm trickle down his face but before he could do anything about it he saw Milly's fingers twitch. The liquid travelled back into his nose which also shifted from being incredibly tender and painful to mildly uncomfortable with a slight throb.
"Hawk," Milly said with a severe tone. "the next time you want me to show off my ability for some child, I suggest we make you the subject."
"Ahh. Yeah, that's perfectly understandable." Hawk answered sheepishly. "Sorry kid, no offense."
Aegar glared at Hawk for a moment before turning away. The man he ran into on accident hadn't spared a glance his way, but spoke to him with a neutral tone. "This isn't a playground. We don't have time to babysit you. Next time you want to horse around, find someplace else."
Aegar gulped before mumbling something to the effect of affirmation. He didn't think it was fair to get a scolding like that, but at least Hawk got one too. Serves him right.
Aegar's thoughts turned to how long they've been travelling. It was dark in the underground hideout, which made time much harder to gauge, but he felt that it had only been a few minutes at most.
That was strange. Since when could he feel time? According to his education, time was a concept they used to measure the progress of the day. From sun up to sun down and even at night when the moons were out.
Yet, if only for a fleeting moment when he was concentrating solely on the thought, it was as if he had tangibly grasped a small measure of the flow of time. Just enough to tell how long he had been at something. Maybe he imagined it? He shook his head, as funny as it was, time really will tell if it was in his head or something more.
Soon, they reached an intersection and went straight ahead towards a door at the end of the intersection. He tried to peer down the left and right sides, but the man who had yet to introduce himself and Hawk had come up on his left and right sides when his attention had been stolen and blocked his vision.
"Curiosity killed the cat, kid." Hawk shook his head and frowned at him. Staring intently as if trying to piece together a puzzle.
"Some answers come later, child. And some much sooner." The man on his left said and then fell silent.
Milly opened the door and pushed through casually like it wasn't a medical emergency, then the man entered, followed by Aegar, and then Hawk last to ensure Aegar didn't try to slip down either side of the hallway to sate his curiosity.
The room was as clean as possible, sterile was the word that came to mind when Aegar thought to put a description on it. Other than a few chairs and some bookshelves, the main piece of furniture occupying the room was a huge slab of metal. He supposed that it would normally be clean, but for the heavily bleeding woman missing an arm laying on top of it.
"Oh my, that does look quite serious." Milly said upon reaching the table. "Lars, how did this happen?"
The man who had not yet given his name to Aegar grumbled a minute about operation security and spies before answering Milly. "It was a trap, Milly. They had not one but three cursed objects. Though two were fake and without the ability to see aura, well Linda grabbed the wrong one."
Hawk interjected at this point. "Where's Lianna?"
"Most likely still leading the estate security and I imagine the city guard at this point on a wild goose chase." Answered Lars.
"Hmm. Very well. I shall assume she will be back in the morning as always." Hawk turned towards Aegar. "Well kid, for the most part this is the crew. You'll meet Lianna later."
"This is Lars, our assassin." Hawk pointed at the man dressed head to toe in black garb, almost like a robe wrapped around his body instead of draped over it. Aegar couldn't even tell what color the man's eyes were because he work a mask that looked like someone had placed a grid-like veil over his face.
"Try not to get in his way, he's very serious about the job and hates obstacles and unplanned events." Hawk leaned in and whispered to Aegar, "As well he should. Assassins by nature are very studious and often take days if not weeks to plan things."
"You've already met Milly, but this unconscious woman on the table is Lianna." Hawk introduced, unbothered by the fact that she was unconscious and bleeding to death.
"Enough Hawk!" Milly said with a glare. "This isn't the time to introduce the crew to the child. In fact, why did you hire a child in the first place?"
Hawk grinned so wide Aegar swore his face would break. "Easy enough, the kid can see aura."
Everyone whirled on Aegar in shock. "WHAT?!"
Lars was the first to say anything. "The child hasn't even had his ceremony yet, what do you mean he can see aura?"
"Exactly as I said, even tested it myself." Hawk replied.
"This is not a normal child, Hawk." Milly said. "We don't have the manpower or resources to protect a child who can see aura."
"We'll talk about it later, Milly. Lars." Hawk replied. "For now, let's see to Lianna before she bleeds to death."
"This isn't over, Hawk." Milly said before turning to the woman on the metal table.
Hawk leaned over and smiled at Aegar, who was incredibly confused by the rapid fire conversation that had just happened. "Hey kid, want to see a magic trick?"
Aegar nodded his head. He was eager to see Milly's talent in action.
Milly began chanting and bright magic suffused the air before Aegar's eyes widened. He could not believe what he was seeing.