This specific morning was slightly different from Rand’s normal mornings. In fact the whole week had gone to hell. The Young Lady ran away, and then everyone dropped whatever they were doing and rushed around trying to find her before Baron came back home.

Tina, the nanny, neither slept, nor ate as she kept scouring the neighborhood for two days straight. The Didot estate was in the outermost part of the Nobles’ district, and it took too long for them to realize that their Young Lady had run away into the neighboring Merchants’ district.

In the end they’d failed to find Young Lady in time. Baron returned home, and he was furious. Tina, the poor thing, was still being gang-raped in the dungeon and as for himself and Jack, Rand was certain they would be fed to the dogs as well.

However, Baron decided to spare them for now. Last night the man had ordered them to go and kill the street urchin Young Lady had associated with. Rand hoped Baron would spank Young Lady Annabelle until her ass bled, but didn’t dare entertain any thoughts of personally getting revenge for poor Tina. Working for a crime lord like Edwin the Hook was great as long as everything was going well. You were well fed and well taken care of, but as soon as things turned south you’d regret ever being born.

Still thinking whether or not he should escape, Rand followed Jack into the carriage.

After bouncing their asses for a couple of hours they came back to the bridge where they had picked up Young Lady yesterday. The pair split up, and went to search for Young Lady’s knight. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t find a trace of him by noon.

“That tavern over there has a good view of the bridge and the surrounding area,” Jack offered. “How about we sit there, and wait for him? People have seen that kid skulking around that creepy bridge quite a few times.”

Quick witted Jack proposed and, like always, the slow but steady Rand didn’t have a better idea. So, the two of them settled down in a tavern overlooking the bridge and ordered some cheap wine to pass the time.

While looking at the bridge and its dark underside, Rand once more thought about going under it to check whether that was where the boy was hiding. However, the place’s smell was nauseating, and just thinking about going there made Rand’s skin crawl. Gods know what kind of nasty, slimy things he’d see down there.

***

Ever since Anna had left, Wolf was trying to learn Antimagic Zone. He was now painfully aware of what would happen if a Mage were to come after him. While only an Archmage could threaten Wolf personally, the boy believed that he couldn’t protect someone else even from a Fifth or Sixth Order Mage.

The loss of his father was still a raw wound, and Wolf couldn’t come to terms with being unable to protect someone he cared for.

Wolf kept learning and experimenting. In the late afternoon he consumed one of the potions Roger had found for him. Wolf closed his eyes, and entered his Mind Hall. After messing around, and chatting with Silver for a while, he looked at the sixth column with exasperation.

Roughly a fourth of the damn thing was finished. The carving so far revealing nude bodies of men and women of the ten races entangled in various ways that left Wolf feeling… strange. This strange sensation made Wolf feel extremely hot and pleasant and yet embarrassed at the same time, but he did not know why.

The reason Wolf looked at this column with such a serious expression was because carving the bloody thing had become even more troublesome about a week ago. Whenever Wolf’s Mental Aspect touched it he was drawn into a fantasy.

He was surrounded by beautiful women and handsome men. They constantly beckoned Wolf to join them. The boy would cave in each time. The only question was whether it was sooner or later. He would give up on his work and join them in on their strange, carnal activities.

While the feeling was pleasant, it was also extremely irritating. Wolf could hardly make more than a couple of dozen strokes with his chisel before losing focus, and dazedly standing as he was drawn into the illusory orgy.

Ever since these phantasies began, Wolf had barely made any progress in his carving, no matter how much time he’d spent on it. He felt that the whole situation was embarrassing. The worst part of it was that Wolf didn’t know why he felt ashamed.

The boy opened his eyes after yet another evening of embarrassing meditation. His face was flushed, which was unfortunately normal nowadays, but this morning he felt somewhat different.

After a short round of introspection, Wolf had found that his Internal Energy capacity had significantly increased! He gulped down three potions to restore himself to his peak, and then easily executed a Fifth Order maneuver, confirming that he was at least a fifth Order Sword-Sage.

If only I had this kind of builtin knowledge about magic and not martial maneuvers! Wolf thought with regret. And really, if he could’ve advanced in magic in such a cheat-like manner, he would’ve become a True-Namer by now.

Wolf downed another Least Energy Restoring potion. The downside of using Internal Energy on maneuvers was that the energy expenditure was huge. Recovering the energy used on this one maneuver required a whole potion. In an energy poor environment, such as Silver City, using maneuvers was incredibly wasteful, and the main reason why there were no Sword-Sages around.

By the time Wolf was done messing around it was already nine in the morning. He still had a couple of hours to practice Antimagic Zone before he had to run his chores.

It was two in the afternoon when Wolf got up. In an hour it was time for him to trade food with the Merchants’ quarter beggars.

Wolf left his lair and nimbly climbed onto the bridge.

As soon as he did, two pairs of eyes noticed him. Wolf paused for the briefest of moments before he continued walking. He’d actually felt faint murderous intent directed towards him. This was the first time Wolf’d sensed that someone was after his life and not his possessions or body ever since he had arrived in Silver City.

The boy played dumb, and leisurely walked into the nearest alley. He’d made sure that whoever was after him had enough time to catch up. His father used to say that if you can do something today, you shouldn’t leave it for tomorrow. Meaning you should deal with your problems as soon as they pop up.

And the problem was after him, slightly drunk.

“Follow him! Hurry!” Jack shouted as he ran after Wolf. Rand on the other hand moved considerably slower. He left a handful of coins to settle the bill, then unwillingly followed.

Jack had pulled one over on him yet again. But this time, Rand didn’t mind being behind. He didn’t even mind paying the bill. His gut told him that being behind Jack wasn’t good enough this time. The feeling from this morning had only gotten stronger, he should ditch everything, and run away immediately.

“You’re more than enough to handle a little boy, right?” Rand asked hesitantly as they ran, “I’ll keep watch, and make sure nobody enters the alley.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea!” Jack exclaimed. “You came up with it yourself? I think you’re right. We have to make sure we handle this properly, otherwise we’re both fucked.”

Rand cringed at the poor choice of words, Tina’s wails still echoing inside his mind. But he didn’t say anything, just trotted after Jack.

Finally they reached the alley. One man ran inside, while the other turned his back towards the dark passage and acted as a lookout.

Wolf was surprised when he saw the face of the man that entered the alley. “Oh, it’s you guys? What are you doing here?”

The question actually shook the tipsy Jack. This kid was waiting for me here?

“You’ve got some good senses on you kid. Too bad you don’t have common sense to complete the set.” Jack had heard someone say that back when he was still a street thug, and always wanted to use it, but never had the chance.

Wolf frowned. This guy was quoting novels?

“Are you looking for trouble with me?” he asked, ignoring the poorly worded misquote.

Jack shook his head, as if pitying Wolf. “If you want to hate anyone, hate our Lord Baron’s bitch daughter and your bad luck. Nothing personal, I hope you understand. It’s not like a beggar can spend time with a Baron’s daughter and live to tell the tale, they have their reputation to consider you see…”

With that Jack unsheathed a dagger, ignoring the sword at his hip. In his opinion the alley was too narrow to use a sword. If he got stuck mid swing the kid could run away.

Wolf wasn’t nervous one bit and just looked at the man with interest.

“You know, you are making a serious mistake here–” Wolf tried to issue a warning, but Jack ignored him completely and lunged towards him.

Wolf sighed before quietly muttering a chant. He waved his hands as subtly as possible while easily dodging the clumsy attack. While they were talking Wolf had already cast Subtle Swiftness. Despite his effort to conceal the fact that he was casting a spell the bodyguard still noticed him.

Shit! The kid is a Mage! What is he casting? Grease? Magic Missile? Such thoughts swarmed Jack’s mind as he swung his dagger towards Wolf’s throat.

Wolf ducked under the blade in a nimble fashion, without pausing his chant and mudras. Completing the spell he pointed towards Jack.

A spectral skeletal hand manifested before the terrified bodyguard’s eyes. It was as big as he was. The hand was clenched in a fist, its index finger hooked. As soon as it appeared the skeletal hand swiped towards Jack, its hooked index finger stabbing straight into Jack’s heart.

Before the man could act the ghostly hand had already passed through him. Even though the thug bodyguard had great reflexes and tried to jump out of the way he didn’t stand a chance.

What the hell is this? Jack thought as he felt the skeletal finger tug him backward. Then, in the next moment, Jack saw his own body collapse two steps in front of him as the skeletal hand dragged him away into the void.

***

Rand watched as the giant hand drew out a ghostly copy of Jack from his body. Then the body fell to the ground. It still spasmed as it struggled to stretch its hand towards the disappearing hand of death. Jack’s body continued reaching out for his soul for a moment, before slumping lifelessly to the ground.

Rand quivered and his skin crawled as he watched the haunting sight. The urchin was more terrifying than he had dared imagine.

“Young man–” he stuttered, but Wolf didn’t care about what this weakling had to say.

“I didn’t feel any murderous intent from you. And your baleful aura is very weak. You’re not a murderer by trade, like that guy was.” The beggar, who appeared so tame and helpless a moment ago, kicked Jack’s body to the side, and unleashed a terrifying baleful aura. It was a suffocating presence of a man that had reaped more than a thousand lives already.

“Since you didn’t harbor any real malice from the start I can give you a chance,” Wolf smiled, but this smile combined with the aura the boy projected had Rand covered in cold sweat in an instant.

“You have three choices,” Wolf stretched out his hand showing three fingers.

“The first option is the most straightforward one. I kill you where you stand. I promise you won’t feel any pain.” After stating the first option, which nobody else would consider an option, Wolf paused with two fingers remaining.

“Two, I place you under Compulsion. The terms of the compulsion are that you leave Silverhound never to return, and that you never mention that you have seen me. With that I will leave you alone. Oh, right, if you break the terms you die.” Yet another option which had dying as a part of it.

“Three, I also place a Compulsion on you. The terms of the compulsion are that you go and protect a small settlement in my name. In return I will consider you as one of my people, and if there are any problems you have, or if you need protection I will do my best to help you out," Wolf made a slight pause for the options to set in before saying a simple sentence. "Now choose.”

In general, Rand wasn’t a gambling man. He hated taking risks, so he was naturally inclined towards the second option. However his gut told him that the third option was the way to go. Not to mention that dying was mentioned in the other two.

“I think I would prefer the third option,” Rand said carefully, his body still trembling. “If possible I would like to serve you as my master, and perform whatever task you have for me from now on.”

Wolf nodded and retracted his aura. “Good. In that case attack me with everything you’ve got. Don’t worry, I’ll hold back, and I promise not to use any magic.”

Sheepishly nodding, Rand asked without a hint of underestimating his new master. “Sword or dagger Master?”

“Use whichever you are more comfortable with. I want to see how capable you are.” Hearing Wolf’s words Rand once again nodded.

He wasn’t the least offended hearing those lines from a child. It was only natural for a lord to know his retainer’s power. He unsheathed his sword. Unlike Jack, Rand used a short sword, and his movement was less restricted in narrow spaces, like this alley.

Wolf didn’t bother drawing his sword. He fought unarmed, and even dismissed Swiftness. After a dozen blows were exchanged Rand ended up on the ground, clutching his stomach. His lord’s fist was as terrifying as someone smashing a mace at you with all their might.

“You’re not bad,” Wolf praised, ”and you’ve got some talent that’s still unused. Come with me.”

Rand followed Wolf to his lair. For some reason he still felt fear and disgust as he approached, but didn’t dare say anything.

Once they’d arrived Wolf seated himself in his armchair in a lordly manner before asking, “What’s your name?”

“Randal my lord, but everyone calls me Rand.” Rand fidgeted a bit. He didn’t know whether he was supposed to kneel before his new lord. The boy even had a throne-like chair set up here. Was he some underground boss like Baron Didot?

“Tell me Rand, do you know how to read?” Wolf asked.

“A bit my Lord, I can read, but I’m not that fast.” Rand replied honestly.

Wolf produced three scrolls out of his Ring of Holding. “Take these and read them. They are an introduction on how Internal Energy gathering works. They are decent, and have the basics covered. Once you read them you can drink these.”

A couple of potion vials appeared in Wolf’s hand.

“If you follow the instructions from those scrolls, you should be able to perform maneuvers of First and Second Order. Maybe even Third if you’re a stunning talent, but I doubt it.” With that Wolf gave three bottles of Energy Expanding potions to Rand.

Those vials were among the Johns and Josh merchant group’s potions he’d kept for himself. As for the three scrolls, two were Lonely Eagle’s techniques, while the third one were Wolf’s notes he’d written after figuring out how gathering Internal Energy works.

Rand took the scrolls and the potions, then bowed. “Thank you master. May I ask what is in the bottle?”

“It’s an advanced Energy Expanding potion, a Moderate grade potion,” Wolf replied nonchalantly, but as soon as he heard those words Rand went down on his knees.

He didn’t know how valuable the scrolls were, but the potion had a price tag of at least fifty gold coins. It would take him seven years worth of saving to earn enough to buy these, yet his new master, who looked like a beggar, tossed it to him as if it was an apple he’d picked up by the side of the road.

“Master, I don't know how to repay this kindness,” the guard exclaimed, his head muddled from everything he’d just witnessed.

“Just be diligent in your training. If you have the potential I’ll provide you with whatever resources you need. I’ll even show you some moves. Now come over here, I need to put that Compulsion on you. Just so you know breaking this contract will slowly eat at your life force until you are turned into a shriveled corpse.” Wolf felt happy with how things were going. This was exactly how heroes in books earned their trusted retainers!

“Yes Master, thank you!” Rand shouted enthusiastically and moved in front of Wolf, waiting for the boy to do whatever he wanted. Rand had a feeling that this was a lucky break for him. He had found a master worth following.