The room was filled with the scattering of feet, this awoke Leavis from his slumber, he knew instinctively that this was a sign that it is day and his life of being a public performer continued.
Leavis sat up, stretched and let out a long yawn of exhaustion. "Say! told you to get some rest." Stanley commented and chuckled as he got in to his gear.
Stanley worked as a guard at the castle, as a day shift worker due to his age. Martin worked at a local but popular inn as a waiter and standby chef. And Leavis... is a special case.
Martin got into his suite and the two dashed out "Take care of yourself, don't get involved in unnecessary dangers" Stanley had warned before his departure. And once again... he was alone.
'The cave of wonders, oh! How I can't wait for night fall' Leavis thought to himself as he knelt and stretched his hand under the bed, grabbing a rusty can... for work.
If there is one thing Leavis enjoyed striving for more than power, it was the compassion of younger women ages 20+, but never in his age bracket... for that would be an abomination to womanizer's world wide.
His work allowed him to interact with a vast beauty of passersby and to him, that was all he needed... a mad man. That was one of his well-known titles. And he knew it well... for he lived up to it.
It was early morning, still dark. Leavis marched out onto the porch where he was frightened by an angry mob, led my non other than Gaskarth. in the flesh. The mob was armed with rakes, hoes, torches and anything that could potentially... kill Leavis.
"Oh! Welcome our most awaited guest!" Gaskarth spoke, bowing. He hoisted himself once again, revealing his invincible nose. "What we... are here for, you know well. "He added, setting the crowd in motion as they began to mummer in anger hateful words at Leavis.
Leavis felt as though he was cornered but as usual he added another stick to the flames by lying he stuttered, "I have come to the knowledge of a cave filled with gold... if you let me live... I shall make you richer than the king!" his tongue as sharp as a devil's had them convinced.
"Gold. Jewels. Diamond... you've told us this since spring 3years ago. Prove it, show us ... this cave such that we may go, find it and make ourselves richer than the king "Gaskarth opposed, finally he seemed to have grown a brain cell. But this isn't good for Leavis who preferred him as a fool.
Leavis begun to sweat 'I'm out of lies! What should I say?' he contemplated. Then at that moment, the devil whispered into his ear and he grinned with a new lie which he spoke confidently.
"Well. You see, the cave only opens ever Wednesday ...and it's a Thursday, tell you what, you guys drop by next week Wednesday and I'll guide you there myself" he smirked.
Gaskarth glared at him feeling like a fool and then he warned "Next Wednesday.... you better be here..." he added whispering, "... or I'll kill your friends" 'then Leavis felt a chill up his spine knowing the danger foretold had come to pass his gaze to the floor, eyes filled with fear for Gaskarth.
Gaskarth signalled the mob and turned, then yelled "Leavis has promised to lead us to the cave, wait for my call patiently. For on that day, we shall be richer than the king himself!"
The mob broke into a loud cheer, hoisting their tools in the air and mummering as they slowly marched away. From the corner of his eye, Gaskarth observed the old man regretting his every lie. This made him happy.
Gaskarth followed the mob, catching up with the last to flee, Leavis watched him leave 'I sure do hope that cave is real... otherwise I've boomed us all' he thought this, now aware of the danger at hand.
The man stood there until the first rays of the sunrise set the distant hills alight, casting long shadows on the forest and cabin. 'I have to get to work.... can't miss to adore beautiful women'. he marched into the forest now sure that they had long gone.
In the medieval capital of Enix, there is a boy Leavis finds strange, he is the only one interested in what Leavis has to say. A small boy with lustrous short brown hair and passionate blue eyes ever brimming with confidence and respect.
Despite his tender age, the boy is always busy, doing work made for older men and helping the elderly, which might be one of the reasons he is ever attentive when in Leavis' presence. And he can't stand the kid's desire to learn. At times he finds the boy a pain... other times a gem, Amabilis Leonard is his name.
Well, Leavis arrived the city fountain of a fallen hero gasping for air and drenched in sweat. The marble fountain was covered in moss but contained water clear as a crystal. In its centre, lifted by a cube slightly pushed in at the top is a figure of a horse on one leg clothed in armour and on it a soldier with a bushy Mustache hoisting a sword in the air.
It is surrounded by many buildings of grave importance to the kingdom and busty with creatures, a perfect spot for begging... Leavis' work, yes, Leavis is a beggar and madman with wisdom.
Leavis stood a few meters away from the fountain and lay his rusty can down and begun to clear his throat. Standing still, he begun to teach, "When I was a boy, I asked my father for bread, he answered me not by words... but by flogging. Why? Because it was by my hands that the bread was depleted."
"I learnt from then on. The future can't be guaranteed, thus use what you have in the present sparingly just in case you see the day light once more" he glimpsed into the can and not a coin was in sight. 'It's time for faze two.' He grinned.
Phase two is where Leavis gravels on the floor, begging with a look of innocence in his mischievous eyes. Innocence was important, without it you will look nothing like a beggar but rather a leisurer who finds solace in playing them fools. Thus, no penny and starvation.
As Leavis prepared to initiate phase two, Amabilis run from an alley and threw twelve gold coins into his can smiling, bowed and dashed back into the alley where he had watched. Leavis stared at him with wide eyes, touched by this contribution to his noble cause.
These are the days Leavis found him a gem, when he gave in exchange for wisdom. He looked into his can and grinned 'works all the time'. He snatched it up from the floor and counted. 'Twelve, this could last us a month!'.
In the royal capital, gold coins were the second to diamond coins, which in terms of our world are; 1=10 billion, all royal servants are paid in gold; 1=100,000k. This made him question the boy's sources but not deep enough to begin researching into it.
In third place copper coins; 1=5,000k. And lastly stainless-steel coins; 1= 10k. The higher and rarer the better. On good days, he earns 50k, 5 steel coins. Of course there are plastic coins 1;1k the ones for change in market places.
'Well, I'm almost done here, just need to see a beautiful lady... speak to her a bit and I'll be on my way' he sat on the floor, looking on at every bypassing person, non entertaining enough for him until he saw her.
A dazzling woman with silky long black hair that stopped at her curvaceous waist that rivalled an hour glass, her shimmering purple irises that lingered with a longing for love, her short dress clinging to her as though lustfully admiring her, she wore black spects and she strode the stoney pathway with confidence and grace.
All men, including Leavis could not help but stare at her as she made for Leavis, 'She's coming to me?... Oh! Shit ... She's coming to me!' he started to rise and dust himself. Excitement griping him by the neck.
She now stood before him, and there was a clear height difference. She was the taller one, but that didn't matter to him. He noticed that she smelt wonderful, just like roses and honey, sweet and infectious.
Her voice was soft and lingered with unspoken passion "Sir! It is utmost disturbance that I've been awaiting you. dearly" 'In the name of all things good, why on earth was she waiting for me' he thought.
"As stated previously, the citizens, they find your teachings meaningless and distracting, I, as a representative of the royal guard am here to give you... a warning" the mobile crowd of citizens paused, commotion building up as the infamous received his judgement.
'So, it's true that beautiful things are dangerous, who would have thought! That this jewel is a freakin' soldier?' he knew his place in society, picked up his can and was about to leave, then, she grabbed him by the shoulder, and placed 5 diamond coins into his can, along with a note he assumed was a love letter and with that, he bounced joyfully, away from the shocked crowd. Then it dawned to him that nothing in this world is free, he'd gotten himself into some contract.
Probably a bill not to go back, 'Screw them! I'll go back tomorrow' and what's the note. As Leavis thought this heading down the streets, he noticed three men in black robes and shrouds following behind him... thugs, thugs he knew too well... daily bullies that picked on the aged.
Leavis picked up his pace and so did they, blending in with the busty crowd in the busy market place. Leavis was devising a plan to counter them. He won't lose this time.
Leavis had lost them, he was in a small clearing in the muddy dark foggy forest, sweating as he dug a hole near a tree, nervously shaking the coins into it and speedily covered it up and marked the nearby tree with a sharp stone the letter 'L'.
They caught up and paced the muddy path finding Leavis seated on a small boulder, his back facing them. The taller one with wild red eyes that overflowed with mischief signalled the others to halt.
Then in his deep voice and vibrating Russian accent commanded "Learvis! You know vhat ve're here for vright?" he grinned as his boys let out a disturbing chuckle.
Of course, Leavis knew but wasn't willing to give in his... earnings and decided to play them for fools "No, I have no idea what you're talking about" he responded.
The taller one's face instantaneously dropped to dead serious and his gaze filled with fury, he chuckled and signalled his boys to go spar with the old gas bag "Learvis! I know where you hid the money, I hope you vremember I'm clairvoyant" he spoke marching to the tree.
He crossed paths with his boys, placed his palm on their shoulders and whispered, "make it brutal, use no vweapons "he commanded, they smirked, nodded and proceeded.
Leavis felt a pat on his left shoulder, as he turned to behold, a fist thrust into his cheek, launching him off the stone, and onto the muddy floor, the taller one stood against the tree, nonchalantly observing the torment to Leavis.
They continued, one swung his foot and it connected thunderously with the back of Leavis' skull, causing him to bite his cheek and tip of his tongue, he felt like a dog being lashed. Brutally.
They grabbed his robe and raised him up, Leavis was shaky but managed to pose, barely able to see, they begun discharging fists on to his face, splashing blood as they struck deep.
Leavis winced in pain, his face numbing and swelling up, they weren't satisfied, one thrust his foot brutally into Leavis' abdomen crashing him hard, he rolled and stopped.
Then they dashed towards him, on reaching, they stomped him continuously, the felt bruises open on his skin, stinging and burning, he shed tears and coughed up a weak vibrating whisper "s-sorry". But they continued with even more aggression, the taller one grinned...