Before he could watch it be absorbed completely the mental exhaustion forced him out of meditation. Luckily he could still feel the sensation in his body which let him know that the light was still being absorbed, and didn't just disappear.
'I got so lucky!' Keros thought to himself. From what he read in his father's book, it would be difficult to draw in any external energy in the beginning until you become proficient enough with the technique. He had been lucky enough that a light happened to enter the area that his ripple struck!
Keros spent a few moments in elation before he moved on with his morning routine and began planning out his day. He left the couch that he had been sleeping on and went to get dressed. He wore his training clothes and carried a bag with his equipment in it with him out of the house. He went towards the gym that was on base. The gym was for military personnel and their families that resided on base, and it would be where Keros trained today. It had all of the necessary equipment for his normal training as well as much more.
He began his training at 6:25. He had decided last night that he would increase his training drastically starting today. He would go as hard as he could for as long as he could. He wanted to progress as fast as possible and thanks to the years he had already spent training, he had a foundation that could support the difficulty. That wasn't to say that he was going to be reckless though. He would make sure that all of the progress he made was just as solid as his foundation.
He checked the time on his commlink, it displayed 9:05. He had been training for almost three hours this morning. He needed to clean up and head out to interview at 'Dusk Hunters'.
Keros gathered his things and went back home. He quickly showered and threw on some decent clothes before heading out. He wasn't authorized to use any military vehicles so he would have to walk. It would be quite a way to the nearest public transport.
He ran through the base to save time, and after forty minutes he made it to the train station. This was a monorail train that ran in a large circle within the stronghold. It made a stop at each district and was used often for far distance travel within Enceladus. Thankfully he only needed to go to the next district and the train was pretty quick. he arrived at the district within thirty minutes and set off to navigate the streets.
This district was named the 'Wild District' because it was a bit more chaotic than any other district. This was where all of the mercenary groups and other non-military battle groups had their base of operations. A rowdy and callous nature tended to accompany those that left the walls for pleasure and profit. When they were back in Enceladus they would let off all their pent up stress and steam, often causing fights over the smallest inconvenience. Most of Enceladus was fairly lawless, but the Wild District was on another level. If any place encapsulated the expression 'Dog eat dog world' then it would be the wild district.
Keros learned this first hand as he slowly weaved between the boisterous crowd. Shady characters were lurking all around, eyeing the others as if they were prey. Arguments were frequent and even the occasional brawl would happen. Keros had to focus on his immediate surroundings so he didn't catch everything, but he knew this would be both a dangerous and entertaining place for him. Keros didn't know why, but he enjoyed this chaos to a certain extent.
After what seemed like a long time Keros came to a fenced-off plot of land. The plot of land was medium-sized with a large rectangular building toward the back. There was a large open area in front of the building that had tables, chairs, and other furniture that seemed to be for lounging out in the sun. There was another smaller building on the far right that was also rectangular and ran perpendicular to the main building. The entire plot seemed somewhat shabby. The buildings weren't in the best shape with discoloring and some minor damage. The land out in front of the buildings was patchy and had many areas with the grass worn down.
Keros didn't think too much of it, likely this group just didn't prioritize the appearance of their base. He entered the gate and walked to the main building and banged on the door after not finding a doorbell. Uncle Rod hadn't given him any information other than the location, the name of the group, and the name of the leader. Everything else he would just have to wing.
After roughly forty seconds the door opened. A woman stood before him with medium length messy hair and an irritated expression on her face
"whadda ya want?" She asked loudly
"I'm here to see Kitty Manello"
There was a long silence.
Keros watched the young woman's eye twitch and her face to scrunch up. She started to shake a bit, and her face began to turn red before she burst out in uncontrollable laughter. Her actions became more exaggerated and she even slapped her knee in her laughter. Keros could see people coming from behind her to see what the fuss was all about.
"Shelbs, what the hell are you laughing so hard about?" One asked as his gaze shifted between Keros and the laughing woman
She continued for a short while longer before being able to compose herself enough to respond
"This... HAHA. This kid is.. Bahahaha!" She struggled to get out what she wanted to say
"Whew, This kid is lookin for the captain. Captain... Kitty." She said before breaking out in more raucous laughter.
The one that questioned her had a look on confusion on his face.
"You must be the kid sent by Rod. C'mon, I'll take you to the Captain." The man said as he pushed the laughing woman called 'Shelbs' out of the way to make room for Keros.
Keros nodded and followed him into the building and to the left. It was a large open area with some chairs, couches, and small tables. The man told him that this was the waiting area that was used to accept guests and customers. The man instructed him to wait here while he went to tell the captain. He then went through the only door on the left wall. Shortly after the door opened again.
A large man came out, followed by the man that brought Keros to the waiting room. The large man stood at around 180cm with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. His hair was thick and shaggy, and the man had it swept back almost making it look like a lions mane. He had a thick medium length beard. He was very well-kempt but he gave off a rough and wild aura.
He sat on the couch across from Keros, and observed him with sharp eyes, seemingly judging him in every aspect.
"You're Keros? Don't you know you're supposed to come to an interview while dressed in your best?" The man asked with a rough voice.
"Yes sir, Keros Vaolair. I would have worn my dress clothes, but they were ruined yesterday when fighting with my uncle... I assume you are Kitty Manello?"
The mans' countenance changed the moment 'Kitty Manello' was spoken. Anger quickly flooded his face and a shade of bright red followed.
"ITS LIONELL, YOU BRAT! HANK 'LION' MANELLO!" He bellowed, spittle flying.
Keros adorned an apologetic face.
"Ah, sorry. I thought it was weird that someone leading a mercenary group would call themselves 'Kitty'." Keros replied
"ENOUGH... with that." Hank said as he slowly calmed his tone
Laughter echoed through the building, and hank snapped his head over to look in the direction it was coming from with a vindictive expression. Soon his expression calmed but his countenance was dark. He turned back toward Keros.
"I bet that scumbag Rodney told you that was my name huh? I won't blame you this time, but never call me that again! you hear? Call me Mr. Lionell, and if we agree today, call me Captain Lionell." Hank said firmly.
Keros thought it was both amusing and admirable that his mood changed so quickly and he was able to control it. He also secretly cursed uncle Rod for playing him for a fool.
"Okay, Mr. Lionell." Keros responded respectfully
"Okay, Good... So you said your best clothes were ruined in a fight yesterday? Explain, who were you fighting with, and why?" Hank asked as he leaned back on the couch, adopting a relaxed demeanor
Keros briefly explained his fight with uncle Rod and a vague description of the reason.
"Haha! So you stood up for what you believed in, and even gave that scumbag a knee to the crotch? Good job! I'm starting to like you already." Hank said with a laugh
Hank asked Keros many questions but it seemed more like a casual conversation rather than an interview. Almost all of the questions were simple and many of them seemed completely irrelevant to being a mercenary or a porter.
"Working outside the walls is dangerous. We have to communicate well and use teamwork to survive and complete the mission. There are also times that people get separated from the team and we might not have the luxury of coming to find and assist them, so one also needs to have the ability to survive on their own. Can you accept that fact?" Hank asked while closely studying Keros
"I'm still inexperienced and I've never worked with a team outside the walls so I'm not sure how my teamwork will be. As for being separated... I know I'd likely die if that happens, but I acknowledge and accept that fact. I can't let the fear of death keep me from growing." Keros replied resolutely.
"Even birds stay in the nest until their ready to fly, kid. You could stay within Enceladus until you've grown stronger and can better protect yourself." Hank said soothingly. He was still watching Keros Closely.
Keros' face scrunched up and he gritted his teeth
"Not an option. I don't have the time to wait until I'm ready. I need to throw myself into the fire and forge myself in danger." Keros growled
"Good, you're driven. I like that. Though, when it comes to teamwork and missions you best show patience. I'll kill you myself if you put the team in danger because of your impatience." Hank said firmly
"No many teams are willing to accept someone as young as you. The inexperience, immaturity, and lack of strength can cause a lot of issues when in the wilderness. Not only can you cost us team members but you'd also ruin the reputation of my group. That being said, I'm the type of person that is willing to accept some risk now and then. Don't make me regret extending this offer to you." Hank said as he swiped his commlink
Keros' commlink lit up with a prompt asking if he would like to accept a file. He accepted it and found that it was a contract for joining Dusk Hunters as a probationer. The contract was very lax and just locked him into employment for three months as a probationer. After three months he would have the opportunity to fully join Dusk Hunters. Keros signed the contract and sent it back to Hank.
Hank raised his eyebrow
"The contract doesn't stipulate pay. Why did you sign it?" He asked
"I know you'll pay me what I'm worth and I'm fine with having to prove myself if I want more money. Besides, I'm not really in the position to negotiate." Keros replied
"Why would you blindly trust that I'd pay you what you're worth?"
"I don't trust you, but I do trust uncle Rod. He sent me to you so I don't think you'll do wrong by me." Keros said
"Naive. Very naive... I treat my team well so you'll get what you're worth pay wise, but I'll give you a bit of advice. Don't blindly trust anyone! This world is one where the weak are devoured by the strong, and the cunning will bleed you dry." Hank said before tapping his commlink a few more times and standing up
"Welcome to the Dusk Hunters. Zimmer will show you around the base, introduce you to the other team members, and give you all of the other information you need." Hank said before disappearing back through the door he came out of.
The other man stood up and gestured for Keros to follow him. He led Keros back towards the front door. This time they went through the doors to the right. It was a large lounge area, with a kitchen in the back. There were five people in the room, including the woman that had answered the door.
Zimmer introduced Keros and explained each of the five members' roles. Four of them were Combatants and one handled logistics. There were four other members but they weren't at the base right now.
"So you're joinin the team huh? I'm surprised you still have your head on your body. I thought for sure that the Cap would have killed ya for callin him kitty." Shelbs said as she grinned
"A porter is a good addition. It's pretty upsetting to leave behind so much good loot. Though, a runt like this kid will probably just hold us back." The man named Ross said to Zimmer in a dissatisfied tone
"The Captain liked him well enough to accept him, so deal with it. If he can't hang then we will just drop him like a sack of rocks." Zimmer said.
Everyone else held their tongues. Though, their expressions showed their lack of excitement over having a new teammate.
Zimmer guided Keros around the building showing him his room, the communal bathroom, utility room, and conference room. He led Keros outside to the other building. This building was for storage and contained all of their gear and goods from outside the wall. After they had toured the entire grounds, Zimmer took Keros back to the conference room and went over the necessary gear he would need for his role.
Some of the basic gear would be provided, such as bags, medical items, and an earpiece for communication with the team. Other gear he would have to purchase himself. He needed to get a weapon, combat clothes and boots, knife, and basic survival gear.
Keros set off to the shops that Zimmer had told him about. He was a bit downcast since he would likely be spending all of the money he had saved up as well as the little bit he kept that was left by his parents. He needed these things, and these were just the basics.
After some time he had finished and collected almost everything he needed. Now he just needed to find a suitable weapon and a good knife. He checked his commlink to find out where he needed to go next. Zimmer had told him about a good tech smith in the district that had good quality goods. He quickly went towards the shop.
-
Keros stared at the shop with a look of doubt. It was in an area with much less foot traffic than usual in Enceladus. The shop front didn't look grand like he had imagined, but instead very ordinary and unassuming. There was only a small sign made of engraved metal that read 'Fe-C Tech Smith' with the name 'Ekker' just below it. From the looks of it, the owner didn't care much for advertising his shop.
Regardless of how things looked, Keros had no other choice. It was getting late and he couldn't be out for too much longer. He didn't have time to look for somewhere else to buy a weapon and knife. He sighed before walking through the door. Inside, it was quite clean and tidy. The room wasn't large at all, but it was filled with different tools and weapons made from some type of metal. Keros walked up to the counter and pushed a button to ring the bell. Shortly after, a thick looking door was opened and a stout man came through. Heat wafted into the room, and a loud noise was heard through the doorway.
"Eh? What do you need?" The man asked in a gruff voice
"I need a weapon and a knife." Keros replied
"What weapon? Sword? Axe? Scimitar? Something ranged? You gotta be specific kid! Be specific about the knife too!" The man said impatiently
"I-i'm not sure... I've never used a weapon.." Keros said, slightly embarrassed.
"Bah. What type of idiot comes to a smith but doesn't know what he wants?!" The man said angrily
"Sorry. I'm going outside the stronghold soon and I need some type of weapon." Keros said
The man observed Keros for a while with his eyes squinted.
"Fine. Then I'll take some liberties and decide for you." The man said as he walked over to a display and pulled off a short spear
"This is a short spear that I crafted. It's not the best quality since it is just a common weapon, however, that doesn't mean that it isn't effective! It's good because it doesn't take much skill for a weapon like this to do serious damage. A thrusting weapon is also good because it can penetrate deeply on the larger beasts and reach their vitals. Not to mention the size will fit you well." The main said as he placed the spear on the counter
"How about a knife, any idea what you want?" He asked
Keros thought for a moment before responding
"Heavy, balanced, short serration near the guard." Keros listed off the only properties he knew of. He was familiar with the knife that his father carried with him, and he had practiced a bit with it. Having a similar one would fit him well.
"Not as specific as I would have hoped, but good enough I suppose." The man said before walking around the shop and grabbing a few knives and spreading them out on the counter.
Keros picked them up and fiddled with them each individually. The only big difference between them was size and blade length. Keros swung the knife around a bit, testing how they felt in his hand and if any would impede his actions at all. Eventually, he found the one that he thought suited him the best.
"Alright kid, the spear and knife will cost you 12,000 credits." The man said
"Uhh... I don't have that much. How much is just the knife?" Keros asked with a frown. He only had 5,200 credits left.
"The knife is 2000." The man asked with a steely gaze
"Well. I can at least afford the knife." Keros said with a mocking smile.
"I'm guessing you just joined a mercenary group?" The man asked as he pulled out a wooden box and placed the knife Keros chose inside
"Yes. How'd you know?" Keros asked as he watched. The box seemed much too large for the knife
"Well, you're in this district and you're going outside the stronghold. Only the military and mercenaries go outside the stronghold, with exception of a few fools. You look too young to be in the military, and you don't seem foolish enough to go out on your own." The man responded before putting the spear inside the box as well.
Keros watched on, confused.
"How many credits do you have?" The man asked as he closed the lid on the box
"A little more than 5000." Keros said
"Give me 4900. The knife is 2,000 and the spear is 10,000. You can pay me 2,900 for the spear now and pay off the other 7,100 when you have it." The man said as he tapped his commlink a few times and presented it to Keros so he could transfer the credits.
"Why? What if I don't make it back?" Keros asked
"Look. I'm not fond of knowing that a kid like you is going to be going outside the stronghold unarmed. So I'll let you make payments on this one. If you die outside the stronghold then so be it, I'll just chalk it up to a small loss. If you do make it back then I expect to be paid! If you try to give me the run-around, then I'll come find you myself." The man said before impatiently shaking his arm.
Keros nodded and transferred the credits. He also sent his contact details to the man's commlink at his request.
"Alright, we are good to go. I'm Reginald Ekker by the way. The best smith around these parts. When you get some more experience, you can come to me and pay me to smith you the perfect weapon!" Reginald boasted before shooing Keros out of the shop.
Keros was grateful and thought about the interaction on his walk back to the Dusk Hunters base. Even though the weapon was just a common steel spear without any tech augmentations, it would still be of great use in protecting himself outside of the stronghold. While he was now 7,900 credits in debt, Reginald had given him a tool to survive. Reginald had also, unbeknownst to him, earned Keros' loyalty when it came to buying anything that could be smithed.
