The Prelude to War

After I was done giving my impromptu speech to the newly founded organization called The Five Fingers of Deimos, I promptly divided the organization in two. As stated 15 members would come with me to become members of our mercenary band, The Raiders, and 15 members would be led by a middle aged man named Ace, who has a reputation for being unbeatable in cards, to join our gambling division, called Fafnir, named after a famous dragon who hoarded immense amounts of gold. It was decided that Faceless Andrew would become my right hand man. I gave him one of the mask of the Undead Phoenix for temporary measures, but eventually I need to get him a real mask. I could heal him, but I feel leaving him like this would become somewhat beneficial in further endeavors. Once I explain to Ace that we need a bar to run the gambling racket he said he would hop to it since he has a friend who owns a bar and would be willing split the profits if we did that. Instantly I got an idea for how our smuggling department would be formed, but for now we don't have the money or connections for that. Once Ace gets his people together and leaves I grab Andrew and Boulder and tell them we need to get some gear, and with that we head out. 

Luckily from them running the protection rackets we have enough money to get the guys some decent if not low grade equipment, it's not like robbing merchants gives us a lot of money, but we have enough leeway for now. Once we get Fafnir set up we will start having lots of coin rolling in. We need to do our best to remain discreet for now, we don't need the Five Families to learn just how much we'll be making. If we can successfully hide our business ventures, we can give them the same amount of coin before and be making extreme amounts of profit, but if they learn of our deeds the game will be over before it even started. I was not kidding when I said we will rise to the top, what I desire is freedom. The freedom to do what I want, when I want, how I want, and for that to be a reality I must climb to the top, even if it means climbing mountains of corpses and crossing rivers of blood to do so. In fact, I rather hope it comes to that. 

We get the gear as I was pondering my future, and tell them to deliver it to the bar Ace's friend runs. With all that gear we are now effectively broke, however, by the time the battle is over, between the money from the Raiders and Fafnir finally getting its legs up the coin will be rolling in and we won't have to be worrying about equipment for a little while longer. I bring Andrew and Boulder to the Mercs Comp to get their tags in order and also to pick mine up. We walk in and I see Barney with his face covered in bandages. He takes a look at me, and then looks at Boulder and a look of surprise comes across his face. 

[Rocky, is that you?]

I take a look at Boulder and he seems to be freaking out too. Apparently his real name is Rocky, which only emphasizes the hilarity of the name Boulder. 

[Rocky? I thought your name was Boulder?]

Boulder gets a look of anxiety and panic in his face.

[Ah, Sisyphus, you see, Barney here is my cousin, who I haven't seen in years.]

Well, when I thought they were brothers I wasn't technically wrong in thinking they were related. Barney looks at me in confusion and says

[Sisyphus? Root said your name was Al? which one is real?]

[Al is your name? What kind of name is that?]

Misunderstandings are flowing rather freely it seems. I really hoped this wouldn't happen but here we are.

[My name is Al, my name is also Sisyphus. I am both. For conveniences sake both of you just call me however you were calling me before. Look, I came here to see Lizbeth, is she in?]

Barney finally turns professional and answers me.

[Yeah she's in, you know where she is. Just go in. And for the love of the Author don't call her a freckle bitch again, she nearly beat me to a bloody pulp while complaining about you. I got my ass beat twice yesterday, you know what that does to a man's livelihood?]

[Sounds traumatic, hope you recover, see ya]

[Boss what did you do?]

[Ah, well you see, yesterday when I came in to register, Barney got rude with me, so I got rude with him, and he tried to fight me, and I kicked his ass. Then with Lizbeth I tried to get her attention by calling her a freckle bitch, and when she needed some blood I tore a chunk of flesh out of my arm with my teeth. I seem to have made quite the impression here]

[My god. Boss, I'm going to be honest with you, I'm scared to see you fight in the battle. I feel pity towards whoever is on the other side.]

[As you should Boulder. As you should.]

Boulder, Andrew, and I go upstairs and walk into Lizbeth's room. Inside I see the same sight as yesterday. This time however, she is fully aware of my presence and glares at me so hard I feel the heat from her laser beams made of frustration and hatred. 

[Look, it's the freak of nature himself, and with him another skull mask dude and a walking ball of flesh. You have some of the greatest friends don't you?]

[I don't have friends, they were slaughtered by the Empire and I would have been too if I didn't escape. Anyway, these two need tags and I came to get mine. There will be about a dozen other guys coming too to get their tags after we're done too. Might as well get ready for them too.]

[For fucks sake you are a problematic customer. Here's yours, let me get these two guy's ready too.]

[Thank you Liz, I'm heading out guys. Boulder I'm heading over to that enchanter you were bullying yesterday to see if he'll teach me. From now on exclude his store ok?]

[Got it boss.]

[Andrew, you probably know this, but don't take off your mask without my permission.]

[I don't even want to.]

[OK, see you all the day of the battle then.]

[[See ya Boss]]

And with that I take my leave. I realize the only thing I had to eat since I escaped was that apple I bought yesterday so I decide to get some grub in the bar downstairs.

[Oi barman, you sell food here right?]

The bar tender looks nervous and replies nervously. It seems the entire building has heard about me.

[Y-yes s-s-sir, what would you like?]

[Don't be nervous man, I won't be biting you anytime soon. Give me some meat and ale.]

[What kind of meat?]

[I feel like pig today.]

[Coming right up.]

I look around and I see the other patrons were staring at me and making hushed conversations, probably talking about the rumors they heard. The bartender brings out my meal after a couple of minutes of waiting and I proceed to eat. Because of my royal upbringing, this food seems positively awful. It's not bad by any means, but when you're used to having entire banquets at your beck and call, this just doesn't seem to cut it. This is also my first time having ale, as royalty I had drunk wine before, but this is the first real alcohol I've ever had, and it didn't seem to be that bad. After eating my fill and paying, I leave and head over to that enchanters store. 

I head inside and see the wizard reading a book behind a counter. I make my way over to him.

[Ah, a customer, what can I help you with?]

[Well you see sir, I was hoping to find an enchanter who would be willing to take an apprentice, and you seem to be rather knowledgeable about the art. I was wondering if you would be willing to teach me.]

[I regret to say that I am not currently taking apprentices, running this store runs me ragged already, I just simply do not have the time to take one.]

I whisper in a hushed tone

[Is it because of the guys who come and take your hard earned money?]

His eyes go wide in surprise.

[How did you know about that?]

[Just listen, I already took care of them and they won't be coming here anymore. Are you sure you can't take an apprentice anymore?]

He mulls it over for a little and finally answers.

[I can teach you the basics. Nothing more. Will this be fine?]

[That will be just fine, the field of enchantments I want to learn isn't exactly refined anyway, so I'll probably have to pioneer it myself anyway.]

[What field would that be?]

[Secret, I'll tell you after you teach me.]

[Fine then, keep your secrets. I'll teach you.]

[How long would it take by chance? I have to leave 4 days from now, but I will of course come back.]

[I can't teach you the basics in only 4 days, you need at least a month!]

[Don't worry, as I said I will come back and continue studying under you after those 4 days. It's not like I need to learn how to enchant in only 4 days, even I know that's impossible.]

[Good, as I said, I'll teach you the basics. Come after the shop closes, at dusk, I'll show you the ropes at night.]

[Thank you very much, my name is Al, pleasure to meet you master.]

[Al huh? My name is Merlin, pleasure to teach you.]

And so I spent my days, training the Raiders and supervising Fafnir during the day, and learning enchanting at night with Merlin. On the morning of the 4th day, I gathered the Raiders and we signed up with the Empire's forces, and started riding to the Blood Soaked Fields with the other mercenary bands.