Servant Interlude: Murnia

A few days before Aegis Kan’s kidnapping.

“Young Master… Young Master wake up.”

Murnia gazed down at the youth who she was steadily watching become a young man. She still couldn’t believe that she was now working for the Kans. This all seemed like a dream to her, and she was wondering when she would wake up only to find herself back in the slums. In the years under the Kan estate her small gang had become something more. With the assistance of the Kans maybe one day they would all become heroes. She thought back to that fateful day the Young Master found her, found them.

*

A few years ago…

Murnia ran through the alleyways turning left, right, right, left. She had stolen food from an outside vendor and the bastard sent some of his assistant after her. She was becoming tired, she tried so hard day, after day, after day, yet she knew she couldn’t give up. She could always go back to the orphanage, but you’d never become somebody through the orphanage. Murnia wanted to be somebody. Murnia wanted to be a hero. Like the Shinning Sun Asrealt, or the Great Shield Vasu Kan. Their stories where some of her favorite. They never started from an orphanage, by the time they were 5 her heroes where already starting their stories.

That’s why she ran away from the orphanage. It was time to start her story. So much for being a hero though. Heroes, heroes didn’t steal. They fought for peace and justice, but Murnia had no choice, she needs the food, and her gang did too. The Slight Hands. That’s what they called themselves. She was taken in by the group once she left the orphanage. Some where kids, who like her, decided they were old enough to set out and start their own story.

Murnia could finally no longer hear her pursuers and slowed her pace to a jog and then slowly walking until she came to a stop. She started laughing. One thing about the chase was that it was always exhilarating. The chase, the hunt, it always got her blood pumping in ways that would never come in playing games back at the orphanage. She heard it could be her magi core awakening, as magi cores will respond to its host in times of need. Changing and altering their bodies in ways to better suit them.

Murnia finally returned to the Slight Hands hideout. It was an abandoned shack in the slums that was partially burnt. The original owners left, and nobody wanted to fix the small burnt district. She saw the leader Alex and the other 4 members. Ronwick, Rouge the two were twins and you wouldn’t see one without the other. Rouge was always her brother’s shadow. He would distract while she would steal. Alex, Ivy, and Nick where solo like her. They all were recruited by Alex; Alex was the one who brought her out from the orphanage in the first place.

The orphanage was nice, and they were never hungry, yet there is a price to be paid for the care they are shown. When they are older most of them are put to work in low skill and low paying jobs. Most never get to fulfill any dreams as they are to pay back for the care given to them all their years of growing up.

What hero did you know wasted their younger years basically slaving away? That’s when Alex slowly found all of them either from the streets or as an orphan and convinced him to join his gang. They stole and did odd jobs around the city to accumulate funds. Once they hit 12, they were planning to join the Empires Guild of Emergent Requests or the EGER for short. EGER was responsible for monster eliminations and ruin explorations the most famous adventures and heroes had all been part of EGER at one point, and you needed to be twelve or look it to join.

Alex and Murnia where both magi humans, so they would age faster and look the part within 1-2 years. Ronwick, Rouge, Ivy and Nick where regular humans all around the age of 11 or so and would be eligible soon. Murnia looked at Alex and smiled, he returned in kind before opening his mouth to speak.

“So, you’ve finally caught up,” Alex said turning his smile into a grin.

“Alex, you know how district Y stands are, so stingy not willing to lose anything from they stock. Not like they can’t afford it away,” Murnia said as she rolled her eyes.

Rouge spoke up in a bright and cheerful voice. “I hope you snatch some olive bread; you know what those do to me.”

Murnia flashed her a wide grin before opening her sack and presenting her spoils. Breads and meats of all shapes and sizes spilled out.

After whistling Alex spoke up. “You had quite the hall Murnia, no wonder it took you so long. At least today we actually gonna eat ’til our fill. After we finish, we got a job for us in district Y. The stall owner Guava will give us 6 gold to steal and harass from Rufus, the one who hit Nick around last time. A little revenge and a gold for each of us. The daggers Murnia wants are 15 gold for the set, and once we have them only Ronwick and Ivy will be the only ones missing weapons.”

Murnia opened her mouth to speak but before she could Ronwick interrupted.

“Guava been fishy ever since we hit Charles stall. Tried to hold back payment, ‘memeber? How you know he good for it this time Alex. Ion like the guy, always smells fruity.”

Murnia rolled her eyes and let out a small chuckle. “Ronwick, you know the man sells fruits, right?”

“Don’t matta, man a creep. I seen him licking his lips one time when Ivy passed his stall. Ion like da guy. He don’t feel right.”

“Yeah, he don’t feel right,” Rouge spoke up in agreement. The twins would usually repeat or reinforce one another in everything.

“He don’t feel right but he does pay decent and give out his slightly old fruit whenever we stop by. Last job with him then we moving business elsewhere” Alex said.

Snapping out of her thoughts Murnia returned to her duty of trying to wake the young master up. They never got that chance to move business elsewhere.

*

Murnia wiped the blood from her mouth and looked up grinning at her partner another maid and the first friend she made once she came to the Kan’s castle. Sofia the magi human looked back and raised her right hand and gave out a bring it gesture.

The Kan maids and butlers weren’t just any random woman or man. Each one was trained in the art of combat until they were at least the 10th tier. The Kans were so good in training maids in fact. That several of the western nobility sent their own servants to be trained.

Murnia stood up and clutched her two daggers in a reverse grip and Sofia warily watched her. She was fast, so fast in fact that Sofia often found herself on the defensive whenever they sparred. The major reason that Sofia could keep a handle on Murnia was the experience she got from being a Kan maid longer.

“Why are you so fast? You’re a tier behind me yet you accomplish speeds I couldn’t hope to reach without being a tier ahead. If you could get your strength up a bit more, I wouldn’t be able to compete.”

*

Sofia looked at her friend as they sat on the training fields and drank from a shared wineskin. They finished sparring roughly an hour ago and took this time to watch the various troops of the Kan castle train.

Murnia laid back on the grass looking up at the clear blue sky and the greater moons Savant and Ruina. Savant the red moon said to have been bathe in the blood of a great god. Ruina, which help the darker aligned mages to draw power from the void.

“Have you ever wondered what lies out there? Beyond the moons and into the sky?”

Sofia looked at her friend with exasperation anytime she wanted to change the topic she would do it in such an obvious manner. It was like the girl who served the Young Master and the one in front of her were two separate people.

Annoyed she got up and snatched the wineskin.

“SOOO, what do you think of Alex?”

Murnia stare at Sofia in confusion.

“The blacksmith brats? Why would I have an interest in them?”

Sofia was starting to get irritated until she saw the smile tugging at Murnia’s lips.

“Alex is just one of my best friends nothing more nothing less. If you like him then go ahead. I don’t care.”

Murnia thought on Alex their leader in the Slight Hands. She thought about all of the gang Ronwick, Rouge, Ivy, and Nick. All had been taken in by the Kans and when the Young Master announced his intentions of creating his own force. The Slight Hands had been the first to join. Then came the influence of orphans that her Young Master decided to take off the street. She didn’t understand her Young Masters obsession with orphans. The servants of the Kan were made from the sons and daughters of knights of the western nobility. Why would he look towards the street kids to recruit loyal followers?

“In that case, can you help me get closer to him? He’s constantly training, and I’ve seen several of the other girls get rejected by him. If I didn’t know any better, I think he was possessed by a demon.”

Murnia gave out a light laugh, and a smile formed on her face. Ever since the Kans had taken them in and gave them access to resources beyond what they could ever hope for Alex had been training like mad. Not even using the two-day mandatory break per week the Young Master had them follow.

“Sure.”

Truthfully speaking Murnia felt bad for her young charge. Originally when she was a child, she thought nobles where nothing special but just richer people. After joining their circle, she realized how wrong she was. Especially when it came to the Kan household. Her thoughts turned back to the time they picked her off the streets bruised and bloodied, and her eyes took on a darker shade.

*

“Murnia… MURNIA,” Alex called looking over at the girl in concern.

Murnia snapped out of her thoughts. She had been thinking over the conversation they had earlier where Ronwick was complaining about the job they were taking.

“This is the last job with him. Once we get the cash, we scram. We do this and we got your daggers. One step closer to our dream,” Alex said with a smile.

“As Ronwick said, Ion like the guy Alex. I’ve been thinking and I'm starting to really agree with him on this one. Just getting a bad vibe right now.”

“Murnia we’re already in position. It’s much too late to pull out now. Besides Nicks already pulling up on Rufus stall.”

Murnia turned her head to look, and sure enough Nick was almost upon Rufus’s stall. Rufus sold fruits like Guava, which is why they were always competing with one another. Either they were haggling a better price once someone seemed interest in the others stall or they were doing tactics like now, sending people to harass the other. Murnia took a deep breath before moving forward. It was too late to back out now as Nick was too close to successfully call him off without being noticed.

Nicks job was to get Rufus’s attention and lure him a bit out from this stall. Once that was done Ronwick and Rouge would swoop in steal what they could and topple what they couldn’t before scramming out of there. Ivy was the lookout and Murnia and Alex where the escape team. Ronwick and Rouge would head in their direction splitting the loot and Rufus attention. A simple plan, which is why it was so effective time and time again against their targets. After they finished the job Alex and Murnia would circle back to Guava’s shop and collect their payment. Everything was starting in 3…2…1…

Nick swagger up to Rufus looking confident and like he owned the place.

“Hey Rufus, you fat fuck looks like your stall ain't been doing good today. I see too much green still available let me take a couple off your hands.” Nick said as he reached forth and grabbed a few of the fruits. He then looked up and froze. Rufus was human although a well-built human. He stood around 210 cm tall and was over 350lb and he was a lot more muscle than fat. The reason Nick froze however wasn’t from a look of fury or malice coming from Rufus face. Nick froze because there was a look of joy on Rufus face.

Nick turned to run and, in the process, screamed out, “Its a tra-” was all he got to say before Rufus large hand wrapped around his face.

“I’ve got you now boy. I’ve been expecting you.” Rufus said with a twisted grin on his face as he pulled the struggling child closer.

Murnia face fell, and her body was moving before she could even organize her thoughts. They should have listened to Ronwick. It was close to closing time for most businesses so the streets weren't as filled as they usually where, and even if it was midday not many would care to stop whatever was about to happen.

Ronwick and Rouge were already on the move she glanced at their direction only to see two figures running away while being chased by another two figures. Guava had planned well, or did Rufus somehow get the jump them? Murnia had no clue. She and Alex were too far though and Rufus was dragging the struggling Nick to an alley.

Murnia sped up even faster Alex right on her heel. Their sights were focused on Nick, so focused on fact that they had no time to react to the figures that crashed into both of them. Murnia went tumbling to the ground. She just had enough time to put her arms around her head before her body bounced off the pavement. She lay there, disoriented and groaning, chest aching until a kick sent her body rocketing forward. She threw up the contents of her stomach the moment she landed. Was this how the Slight Hands came to an end? Their story over before it even began. Murnia was in no shape to tell. Her mind was screaming at her to move but her body wouldn’t respond. How did Ivy not spot any of these men. That’s when it hit Murnia. Where was Ivy, she would have given some type of signal unless… unless she was captured as well.

“Guava… Guava… GUAVA you are a fucking pig.”

“The little rat is squealing aye boys look at this!”

The man who had deliver the punishing kick to Murnia walked up to her. Slowly he bent down and grabbed a fist full of her hair before raising her head and body alongside it. The rogue licked his lips.

“Bit young this ‘un but I’m enjoy it nonetheless.”

Murnia face showed pure terror then her head dropped back down to the floor. Pushing herself off the ground she saw a severed arm with blood and pieces of hair all over. After a moment she recognized the hair as hers. In another moment she recognized the arm as the rogues that grabbed her. Looking up she stared wide eye at the rogue, who, in turn stared wide eyed at another figure. Murnia slowly turned her head and looked at tall man, no magi human, who was standing their holding a bloodied blade. Murnia instantly recognized that crest upon the man’s breastplate. That was the duke’s crest a dragon’s claw clutching a shield. Behind the man was a young boy, no a toddler was staring at her curiously. He gave her a smile then winked.

“My… my friends,” was all Murnia could manage but she let the exhaustion overcome her.

*

The rest was history from that point. The young master dispatched his guards and retrieved every member of the Slight Hands and brought them all back to the castle. Ivy had been captured by Guava and the guards arrived just in time to save her from a fate worse than just being stripped. Murnia came out that ordeal with several broken ribs. The moment she awoke she insisted on seeing the Young Master. There she took a pledge to return the favor for saving her group and somehow, she ended up being trained as his personal maid.

“Murnia… MURNIA!”

Murnia snapped out of her thoughts and gave a smile to Sofia.

“Yes?”

“Geez you’re really turning out to be like the Young Master.”

Murnia just smiled.