Walters residence, Homeless Hamlet

'Well if he's determined to become more then he is, I'll gladly guide him. A noble's favor is worth its weight in gold.' After some careful contemplation, Walter decided to continue training Seshwan to become a thief. That is if he could pass the masters test.

"Seshwan, it's not about what your origins are, what's truly important is what your future holds." Walter smiled after speaking.

Walters reassuring comment left Seshwan momentarily confused.

"You're right I'll make my own future. Thank you, Walter." Seshwan starred toward the wall of the shack his eyes gleaming with new found inspiration. He would try his best to change his future to become more than others deemed him to become.

"The test will be in a few hours, let's head to the guild hall." Walter stood and headed toward the door; leading the way out into the cistern.

After leaving the Hut, Walter froze the door closed, sealing it from anyone who may be curious. Only an essence user of equal or greater strength could break this kind of seal.

"I'm ready, lead on." Seshwan, now filled with determination, couldn't wait to see what the black lotus had in store for him.

The pair walked to the east side of the hamlet, a small stall sat at the entrance of a drainage channel. The old man from two days’ prior was sleeping in a chair behind the counter of the stall.

"Hey! Horus wake your old ass up I'm here for the tests I brought my new apprentice!" Walter slammed his hands onto the tabletop startling the old man.

"Walter you little shit get the hell away from my stall, a kid like you will scare away my customers!" Horus shouted at Walter rather gruffly, Seshwan couldn't help covering his mouth to laugh at the exchange between these two.

"Just go inside and register with your ward." Horus was old and no longer wished to deal with the antics of youth. He looked up at Seshwan and with a wink he sent chills down Seshwan’s back.

'What the hell was that?' Seshwan suddenly felt awkward and out of place. This old man had killed his confidence in a single motion.

"Hey, old man! Don't you creep out my apprentice, this kid could kill you if you’re not careful." Walter warned Horus more for Seshwan’s benefit. He didn't need this creepy old bastard hanging around Seshwan.

They passed into the drainage tunnel which was well lit with torches. Once inside Walter turned to Seshwan, "Listen, kid; I'd avoid Horus, he's kind of queer in his old age. Not sure he'd do anything to you, but old people are unpredictable and smell funny! Never trust them."

"This coming from the hundred-year-old kid." Seshwan jested at Walter only because he sounded ridiculously hypocritical.

Walter snapped about and delivered a swift kick to Seshwan’s abdomen. “Don’t call me a kid! You shitty brat!”

Seshwan dropped to his knees, he hadn’t been hit hard but Walter was a master assassin and had struck his central essence realm which knocked the wind out of Seshwan but had very little effect on his actual physical state. “You crazy old bastard! you could kill me if you’re not careful! Geez!”

After Seshwan recomposed himself they walked on for a few hundred meters till they came to a door with a guard standing by it. The guard was a giant of a man with darker skin tone and looked like he could stop Seshwan's heart with a single strike. With one glance, he knew who they were and opened the door as they approached, allowing them to pass in with no hindrance.

The Black Lotus main hall

The main hall was full of people drinking near a bar; there were three tiers and a few separate private booths on each tier. Overall the hall wasn’t too different from most guild halls; the lower ranked members used common areas and had access to some resources were as the higher ups and masters occupied the top levels and had full control on what went on in their hall.

Other passages could be seen along the wall leading to a makeshift armory, barracks, library and a few secluded training rooms.

Seshwan also came to note the pressure he had previously felt in the sewers along with that godawful smell had disappeared after entering the hall. As Walter led them through the hall many people called out and welcomed him. 'I guess Walter is popular here.' Seshwan thought this was odd because Walter could be a straight forward and uncaring jerk most of the time.

Though Seshwan had only known Walter no longer than seventy-two hours, he had learned much about his character. He could be encouraging; as he was when teaching a new technique or method of training. During training on the other hand; he would turn into a stone-cold slave driver.

‘perhaps he’s only an asshole toward me?’ Seshwan thought.

They continued deeper into the hall, up the tiers until they were on the third tier overlooking the whole hall. There were six booths on this level; four were in use.

"Welcome Sesh to our hall and the third tier; only guild masters and their parties are permitted on this floor.” Walter lifted both arms in the air as he spoke.

“Wait that means?” Seshwan asked puzzled

“Yep, I'm one of the six masters of the Black Lotus. The other heads are in their private areas. On the right, we have my booth! Next to that’s Master Devin Crest. Master locksmith and artisan, he can break any lock. Next is Master Jackson Hilliard, the master of financial services and enchantment. he provides and funds fences as well as crafting helpful tools for us to use in the field." Walter slowly went around the floor pointing out each master and explaining their roles.

"On the other side, we have the head master of the guild's main office. His names Master Lotus; that's all we know him as. He runs this place, Do NOT piss him off! Next is Master Kubard the Reaver; he's not here often as he's a blood-crazed maniac of a man. He likes to fight so when he is here the place is turned on its head. That about sums it up." Walter cupped his hands and headed toward his private booth.

A pile of herbs had already been prepared in a dish with a pipe left next to it. The caretakers would resupply the booths daily.

After settling in Seshwan scanned the room again and spotted a man across the way in a red suit with several women around him. All of them looked drunk and were fawning all over him. Other than one who looked much younger than the three others. "Master? Who's that man?" Walter had left him out of the descriptions earlier.

Walter issued a heavy sigh "That Sesh, is the Dashing "Dandy" DeRosa, sixth Master of Black Lotus. He’s a Master escape artist. He has a stand-alone escape technique that only he and his disciples can use called the [Dandy Two Step] technique it's far more powerful than our [Shadow Step Transition] because it uses essence for short range teleportation. Only an expert grade nether essence cultivator can use that technique. Seriously that man can get out of any situation! It's made his head swell up. It’s because he's so arrogant about how good he is that he renamed the technique passed down by his family. He can be a salty prick. It's best to just avoid him." Walter packed his pipe and lit it as he spoke, he had no love for DeRosa because he knew the man was a womanizer and would rather spend his days with a woman than to do his job.

Worst of all; if he wants to leave no one can stop him because of his damn nether techniques.

The girl who sat alone across the table from DeRosa got up and moved to a common area table only a few meters from the booth Seshwan and Walter occupied.

She was a beauty only around sixteenth or seventeen she had light ginger hair, she had noble facial features and her skin looked like speckled white jade. Seshwan stared at this beauty of a woman. It took more than a few moments to convince himself he had a chance to even talk to her, 'come on you idiot look at her she's stunning and the only girl your age. Just go say hi.' After much arguing with himself, he had mustered the courage to speak to her he moved to the closest seat to her table well remaining in the booth.

"Hey, you’re with Master DeRosa? What's your name?" Seshwan tried to appear calm and cool on the outside, inside he was so embarrassed and ashamed of how weak he is he just wanted to throw himself from a rooftop.

"En, I was with Master DeRosa. Also, just because I moved over here does not mean I'll talk to you. Run along and wait for your master like a good boy." She coldly cut Seshwan down. He could feel his pride and all the courage he'd mustered be destroyed in a single blow. He moved back over by Walter with his head down and a depressed look on his face.

"Well shit, Sesh not only are you trash with essence manipulation and manifestation. You also suck with women!" Walter laughed well slapping his knee. "Watch I'll get her name and essence type in under a minute!" Walter was very confident in his charming skills and fancied himself a lady-killer. Not just with a blade.

"You’re on! You old fart, two hundred silver says you can't." Seshwan was so confident Walter was not a lady killer he was willing to bet what money he had.

"Excuse me, sister? Could I perhaps know your name and essence type?" Not hesitating now that money was offered Walter tried the straight forward approach.

"Umm, little boy are you lost? And what makes you think you have a right to know!?" This girl returned Walters straightforward approach to dealing with this situation.

She turned around and stared at the pair. Walters' mouth hung open. She was his kind of woman, sassy and a body that was well fit from extensive training. 'Damn she is hot, too bad this bitch decided to not give me any face.' Walter didn't care who her master was. No one called him a little boy in this guild.

The room's temperature plummeted and a strong killing intent was released from Walter. All the disciples on the third floor gasped for air. This murderous intent was so thick they all struggled to breathe. Seshwan had already experienced worse but was still slightly effected by the aura. Frost spread across all surfaces and rolled like a frozen mist down the stairs tot eh lower tiers. The music and chatter of the patrons below came to a dead silent halt as most of the members wondered who had offended Walter! And to this extent!?

"You stuck up bitch! Who the fuck are you calling 'little boy'!?" With a small burst of Essence, Walter moved like a flash of lightning to within inches of the girls’ chair. Ice formed along the edge of his pipe, into a blade now meeting her pearl white skin and drawing blood.

Fear ran deep in her eyes as she knew now that she'd done exactly what master DeRosa had warned her to not do. She had offended Master Walter, the youthful from the northern kingdoms. This man oversaw all training within this hall, he had the highest recorded kill count of any of the Masters in this hall of Black Lotus

"Your look scared little girl? Don't worry, if you apologize and answer my previous questions I'll leave your pretty throat intact." Walter leaked frozen ice essence from an equally cold smile sending a chill through the young lady’s heart.

"I'm so sorry Master Walter! I had no idea! My names Elise I'm a student of Master DeRosa and I'm a fire type essence user!" Elise feared for her life. She had been warned by master DeRosa when they arrived that the two people to never upset were Master Lotus and Master Walter because no matter what happened, DeRosa is no match for either in a straight up fight.

The essence retracted as Walters facial features softened and he withdrew his blade. He turned around and returned to his seat. Absorbing the ice, he'd layer the booth with in his explosion of anger. "Hey, Seshwan her name Elise, she's a fire type. So, pay up." Walter extended his hand eyes closed and an enormous smile on his face.

Seshwan had no choice his master had cheated him but he did get her name and essence type.

"Hey, newbie Elise why are you being taught by DeRosa? Does that prick have no shame?" Walter couldn't figure why DeRosa would take on a fire apprentice if most of his skills were nether-based.

"Master Walter, I was brought on as an apprentice to act as a future bodyguard to master DeRosa." Elise tone had changed too respectful rather quickly.

"God I hate that man. He just wants a young girl to do as he says, what a masochist. Ugh, he just makes me feel sick." Walter truly didn't like DeRosa and did not approve of his use of this girl or her possible talents.

A break had formed in the conversation the hall had returned to its lively self only shortly after the incident earlier was resolved. Some patrons were upset they didn't get to see a fight between masters. The band counted off and continued their current piece.

A few more apprentices were scattered around the third tier. Master Crest had brought two young men, and there were two others sitting over in Master Kubard’s area. Though both looked no more than sixteen, no older than the rest of the apprentices, these two were different from the others. One had scars from extensive combat on their body. The other was completely covered in robes and sat alone in a corner

Walter glanced toward Master Kubard’s area 'If those two are the underlings of Kubard then they must see combat frequently. 'Kubard used combat as hit method to train the weak, he lived by the moto “get strong or die!”

As the music proceeded, Walter perked up and tapped Seshwan on the shoulder, "Seshwan do you feel that?"

"No, I don’t feel anything." Seshwan thought perhaps Walter was messing with him.

At that moment, a white light formed at the balcony overlooking the main hall. The appearance of this light caused silence to fall across the guild again. A form materialized in the light along with two others. The master of the Black Lotus Guild stepped out of the portal-like light onto the balcony and raised a hand as all the members burst into cheers.