Chapter 004

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‘ ‘ for thoughts.

“ “ for speech.

* * for actions.

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After the bandits were dealt with, Labasi took the claymore used by the leader of the bandits. He asked Leofric to exit the carriage. Labasi then proceeded to routinely dismember the bandit corpses. Finally except a few moaning bandits, the scene of the conflict was filled with beheaded corpses. Ealric then ordered the Guards to loot anything of value from the bandits.

Labasi saw a long dagger on one of the bandit’s corpse. He took it, and called Leofric. The long dagger was plain and unadorned. But it was of comparatively higher quality and made of good quality steel. It was around three fingers wide and was as long as his forearm excluding the hilt. It was double edged and had a slight wavy portion at the base.

Labasi: “Young Master, it is time to continue your education.”

Leofric: “Yes, teacher.”

Labasi: “In this battle, essentially I and your father defeated the hundred bandits. Do you know what mistake the bandits made?”

Leofric: “They gave you enough time to cast Barrier?”

Labasi: “Well you can say that. But that was not the main mistake. The most important mistake they made was underestimating us! They had over a hundred people, while we had around twenty. This caused them to be overconfident.”

Labasi: *smirking* “They never considered that there would be two magi in this convey. While magi are rare true, you must never assume that the enemy party won’t have one. Always be cautious no matter how weak the enemy appears. Who knows what trump cards someone has up their sleeves? Every battle could be your last. Do you understand?”

Leofric: *gaze of concentration* “Yes teacher.”

Labasi: “They were also determined to slaughter us, whether we submitted or not. They were arrogant in their numerical superiority, making your father’s attempt to stall for time a success. If they had ambushed us arrows, we would have quite a few casualties and wouldn’t have emerged unscratched.”

Labasi: “And therein lies your next lesson. If you are determined to do battle, pull no punches! Seize every advantage you have to win, no matter how despicable or underhanded. That is the reason; I a Master practitioner used misdirection against a group of lowly bandits.”

Labasi: “Also, if you see that the situation is unfavorable, retreat immediately. If retreat is not possible, make sure to cost your enemy as much as possible. And never leave survivors or allow anyone to escape. You never know, how many of his comrades he will bring back with him, to seek revenge.”

Labasi then handed his pupil the long dagger he had. He then walked near one of the bandits who were moaning in pain. The bandit’s hair was singed, and his face was burnt. Cracks were formed all over his exposed skin, from which came the aroma of burnt flesh.

As Labasi approached, fear and panic could be seen in the bandit’s eyes. He wanted to flee for his life, but he was in no condition to do so. He gazed with disdain at the withering bandit and casually stepped on one of his wrists. He applied some force and a cracking sound could be heart as the bandit’s wrist was smashed.

The bandit let out an agonizing howl. He then methodically smashed the elbows, shoulders, feet and knees of the few remaining bandits who were still alive. The air was filled with screams as Labasi systematically crippled everyone that was alive. He and his pupil stopped near one of the sobbing crippled bandits.

Labasi: “Taking a life is usually not easy, especially at first. At a crucial juncture, hesitation to end someone’s life may just cost you your own. For your next lesson, you will kill all the remaining bandits who are left alive.”

While Leofric wasn’t someone who was inherently kind, he still hesitated at his teacher’s words. He had never killed anything, not even an animal and now his teacher was instructing him to kill a fallen defenseless foe. His hesitation was evidently visible on his face. His teacher frowned.

Labasi: *harsh tone* “Harden your heart, young Leofric and use the dagger. Who knows how many innocents these bandits plundered, killed and enslaved? Killing them is doing a favor to everyone. It is kill or be killed. If I or your father had hesitated in slaughtering them, do you think we would be alive to have this discussion?”

Ealric was watching Labasi urge his son to kill the bandits. While he was initially surprised at Labasi’s intent to make Leofric kill, he approved of the lesson. The earlier Leofric hardened his heart, the better. While in there present position there was no need to slaughter regularly to live, it wouldn’t always be so.

Labasi: “Mercy to one’s enemy is an act of folly and cruelty to oneself! Now quench your blade and temper your heart. In the path of cultivation to grow strong, slaughter is unavoidable. Life and death may hang by a thread, and hesitation is unacceptable! How will you ever become a sage if not on the corpses of your enemies?”

Hearing the mention of sages, Leofric was determined. He had heard his teacher venerating sages and of their immense prowess. He wanted to become a sage and stand above mere mortals. How could he do that, if he can’t even kill a few bandits?

With a look of grim determination in his eyes, Leofric approached a crippled bandit. There was a look of panic and a plea of mercy in the bandit’s eye. He reminded himself that his enemies wouldn’t have hesitated like he had done so far.

He tightly gripped the handle of the long dagger and stabbed the bandit’s throat and slashed it. The dagger jerkily pierced his throat, and a gurgling sound was heard as his blood flowed into his lungs and the bandit drowned in his own blood.

As the spark of life from the bandit’s eyes was extinguished, Leofric felt nauseous. He felt as if he was about to vomit. Fortunately, it had been a while since his last meal and he didn’t embarrass his teacher. Hardening his heart, he proceeded to wards the next crippled bandit and mutilated his throat.

One of the crippled bandits that Leofric butchered had retaliated in his last moments. When Leofric was about to slit his throat, a look of defiance and hatred was visible in his eyes. The crippled and half-burnt bandit used the last of his strength to spit at him.

The glob of spit and mucus landed on Leofric’s cheek. Immediately, Leofric was furious! He had never been mistreated so in his entire life! While he wasn’t pampered too much, if one took into account his status as a noble of an influential clan, he was used to having his word carry weight even at his age.

A cold fury and disdain took root in his heart. A lowly bandit had caused him such loss of face! He was spit upon this pitiful existence at the dredge of human society. Immediately he lost all hesitation, and viciously stabbed the offending bandit’s throat.

He twisted his dagger in the bandit’s throat looking into his eyes. The gurgling of his blood and his death cries caused an indescribable satisfaction to appear in his heart. He then proceeded to wipe the spit off his face and systematically butchered the remaining bandits.

The cold efficiency and ruthlessness of the young master caused the guards to shudder. They felt a foreboding chill up their spines as they observed the abrupt change in the demeanor of the eight year old child. Watching his pupil’s change, Labasi smiled. This lesson had been successful, more so than he had hoped it to be.

Leofric returned to this teacher, and attempted to hand over the long dagger. His teacher dismissed his attempt and instead gave him the long dagger’s sheath. Leofric understood his teacher’s intent and accepted the sheath. He sheathed the long dagger and attached it to his belt, keeping it vertical, almost parallel to his thigh. It looked somewhere between a short-sword and a long-sword on his frame.

Labasi: “Keep the weapon. It is responsible for your first kill, after all. There is another lesson to be learned here. Even when the enemy is on its last leg, be cautious of his retaliation. When driven into a corner, desperation can grant your enemy a surge of strength which may result in a potentially deadly counterattack. Understood?”

Leofric: “Yes Teacher.”

Hearing his pupil’s determined response, he nodded approvingly. He then turned to Ealric and addressed him.

Labasi: “I think it is time for us to leave. It might not be very wise to linger here for too long at this site of slaughter. It might attract unwarranted attention.”

Ealric: *nods* “Guards, prepare to depart!’

The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful. After the encounter with the bandits, they travelled for almost four days. In the evening of the fourth day, they arrived at the castle-city of Spirittide, the headquarters of the Wayne clan. It was much larger than his birth town of Dawndenn and covered an area of almost 1000 acres (4 sq. km), housing more than sixty thousand people.

The city had stone walls almost fifty feet (15 m) tall and wide enough for three people to walk side by side on its top. There were professional looking guards patrolling with a sword at one hit and a crossbow at the other. There were evenly placed constructions on the wall which looked to be guard towers. The top part of the wall was also filled with murder holes.

The main gate consisted of wide wooden doors and a metal portcullis. There were quite a few people crowded near the gate considering that it was sunset. As the caravan approached, it was halted by the Guards. With a quick conversation and the display of the Wayne clan heraldry, there were allowed in without any incident.

Inside the city, there were large paths made of cobbled stones, which were enough for thee horse drawn carriages to travel side by side. They were surrounded by buildings which where one to two stories tall. The unpleasant smell of rotting garbage was in the air. Evidently, the sewers had clogged somewhere nearby. Various vendors were shouting, attracting customers to their wares at their stalls.

As they went deeper and deeper into the city, the buildings got larger, with more distance between them. They started having courtyards and the stalls gave way to proper shops. They passed through the market district. It was filled with a variety of stores, most of which were closing up for the day.

Soon, they reached the most impressive part of the city, which was a heavily fortified and guarded castle. This castle took almost a tenth of the area of the city, and served as the headquarters of the Wayne clan.