Chapter 2

Fox Masks

A/N: Thank you for reading this. I love feedback, if you want, please leave a message. I won't bite. I promise. Please don't hate me if I have grammatical errors or something. Lovelots honey bunchies :*

I don't own anything except for the plot! But how I wish I own them :)

The City of Cycas is the heart of Rothmale, one of the powerful realms in the world. The main city is a crop based city. Fruits, vegetables and livestocks are so abundant in here that city was one of the largest traders of foods. What's best is they hire people immediately to harvest their crops. Nico and Will walked into the downtown area and started to find some work while admiring the central market. Stalls of different goods and other commodities litter in every nook of the streets. People were rushing back and forth in the noisy market making purchases or sell something. Will's eye were shining. Maybe it's his first time to a country like this.

Nico was about to pick up some harvesting work when he noticed some people gather somewhere near a statue. The statue was carved in ivory which was a woman holding a basket. Queen Demeter. He recalled, the deceased queen of the kingdom of Rothmale. The one who strive the realm to be a prosperous and well known.

"What's over there?" Will pointed out.

"I don't know." Nico shrugged.

"Let's see it! Come on, Deathboy!" Will quickly stride towards the commotion.

"No! Solace! Wait!" Nico wants to dragged Will back but the guy was almost halfway there. Damn those long legs! The crowd swallowed Nico and he can't see Will even though the blonde is much more taller than him. Then, a hand grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards someone. He looked up and he saw Will's summer sky eyes. Nico blushed and wretched his hand away but Will tighten his hold.

"No, Don't. You'll be lost if I don't hold you." Will smiled kindly at him.

Before Nico opened his mouth for a retort, A loud voice came from the foot of the statue. He was wearing the same soldier uniform of Cycas except a very shiny badge. Maybe this soldier is a has a higher rank. "Folks! We have a very alarming situation here right now! Robbers are roaming around our realm especially in Cycas. Stealing our crops even livestocks. Our businessmen here are worrying because of lately, they are beginning to poison our crops which would be bad if we let this continue." The people who gathered spoke in hushed voices. "We are giving twenty gold coins to anyone who can capture these robbers." That amount of money is going to last him more than two months! "Please go to these tables here to make an agreement. Thank you." People who gathered dispersed quickly. Right. The city of Rothmale is a crop based city. Most of their people are farmers and only few of them were soldiers. Soldiers of this realm is not good with weapons or of any sorts. The did this to attract outsiders. So, they can hire outsiders to do the dirty works.

Nico is still contemplating if he want this job when Will tugged his hand. He raised his eyebrows at Will. "I know that you want this job. Twenty gold coins can last for more than two months, right? Let's grabbed this job." Nico did a double take. How on earth this blonde knows what his thinking?! Or better yet know him this easily?

Nico looked Will up and down. "This is a very dangerous job. Are you sure you're up for it? No offense but I really think that you're not a weapons kind of guy."

Will smirked at him. "You don't know me yet, Deathboy. Come on!" Will hauled him at the tables at the foot of the statue. That's when Nico realized that Will is holding his wrist the whole time. He quickly wrenched it away.

They both approached the table where the soldier was sitting. The soldier looked up and forcibly smiled. "Yes?" Nico coughed a little. "We're going to do the job." The soldier gave them a funny look. "Are you serious? You're kids."

"I'm not! I'm twenty." Nico glared at the soldier. Just because his thin and not that tall means that he is a child. "I'm sorry mister." Will interjected. "We are pretty capable of handling these robbers. I'm Will, my age is twenty-one and this is my companion. I call him death boy at the moment" Will looked at Nico and throw a weary glance. "So, what do you say mister? Can we take the job? Seeing that no one is interested except us." That's true. The crowd has vanished and no one ever dared to approached the table.

The soldier signed and write something on a paper. Which Nico guessed a contract. "Please be careful. They're dangerous." The soldier made a gesture to lean closer to him. They both obliged and the soldier whispered "They have magic, kids."

That made Nico shiver involuntarily. Magic. Magic is a taboo in their world. Magicians and Warlocks were hunted, captured and executed. If Will were surprised, he didn't show it. He just saw Will's look harden.

Nico just stared at the soldier. "We'll be fine." Will said instead, accepting the paper that contains the contract. The soldier gave out instructions but Nico wasn't listening. Magic. Of course, That is why the people were afraid. They were scared of meeting an actual magicians. He clenched his fists at the thought. "Deathboy!" Nico was snapped of his trance. Will was looking at him with worried expression. "We're going to the outskirts of the realm. That's where the robbers probably are. Targeting a wide fields of crops." Nico nodded and let Will take the lead.

They scouted the area and hide under the bushes for about an hour. "Damn! I hate waiting!" Will complained at him. Nico rolled his eyes. "You were the one to take the job. So endure it." Will pouted at him and mumbled something to himself but then he recover and started whining again.

"It doesn't mean that-mmph" Nico cut Will's rant by putting his finger less gloved hand to his mouth. Nico heard a hushed voices. "Shhh." Nico gestured the shushing motion at Will. He scanned the fields and saw the robbers with fox masks. They were two of them. He hold his Stygian iron sword firmly in his hand and signals to Will to follow his lead. Thankfully, Will catches on to his plan.

Nico dashed toward one of the robbers and beat the back of his head by the end of his sword. The first robber fell and he pointed his sword at the one who was still standing. Despite of the mask, Nico can tell that this one was surprised. The robber with a fox mask recovered and throw a somewhat powder at him but he will not be swayed at that.

Nico quickly ducked and hold the robber's wrist and kicked their shin. The robber fell down but he pointed a finger at Nico. In a very scary voice "This will be the start" and a red light hit Nico's chest. The sensation burned until Nico slowly losing consciousness.

He heard a faint "Deathboy" screaming behind him. 'Will' he remembered, then he choked out.

"Run. Will."

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