Back at camp, Kyren stood over a rack of supple pine that was over a raging fire, cooking the fish that Michael had caught earlier. "Perfect, good food for the troops... too bad our scouts will be missing out." He said, as he called over the troops, as he slapped a few peices of salted meat onto the rack, prodding them with a stick, as they cooked. Lysalia grinned. "And who says men can't cook." She said, as Kitch threw sparks on the fire to keep it alive in places where it was dying, as Lysalia used her wind magic to carry over logs into the fire. Keith though, sat besides his master, marked by death.
Sin's stomach growled. "Mn..." He said, as his fingers dipped into a passerbys wallet. "Ooo, this is a hefty one." He said, tossing the pouch up and catching it again. "Ahh, the city life is deffinitely for me... need money, just dip your hand into someone else hard earned gold." he said, turning into the nearest resteraunt, and he heard a familiar voice. "W-wait up!" a girl's voice called, and suddenly, August's arms linked around his.
"S-sin... don't... run... off like that!" She said, her eyes almost tear-filled. "I get lost in cities easy! I got lost once when I was seven, and it took a week for my parents to find me..." She said, stuttering. Sin felt horrible. "I'm sorry... well, I'm stoppign for a bit to eat, so why don;t you come with me? It'll be my apology for rushing off like that. I'll pay, and you pick whatever you want." He said with a smile, and Augusts face turned red when she realized that she was still holding onto his arm and he was looking down at her with a smile on his face.
Terra and Michael were hungry as well. "Hm, let's get this job done, and get back to camp, they're probably cooking the fish." He said, and Terra nodded. "Yeah." She said, as her eyes strayed over Michael. Cut that out, Terra, you promised yourself, fighting before boys... they're my only weakness, and I won't give in... Terra thought as she looked away. "So, let's scout out for an empty lot, ok?" She asked, and he nodded. "Yep, thats a good idea." Michael said as he turned to a civilian, and asked about an empty lot ready for development.
"Well, we're in luck, this man says there's one just down the road." He said, and Terra nodded, as they rushed down the way in order to get this finished as quick as possible in order to get back, so they could get food in their bellies. When they got there, they already found Siham at the site, prospecting it. "Oh, there you two are!" She said, cheerily. "I've been speaking with the man who owns this land, and he's willing to part with it, for our cause, and he'll even throw in some workers for some extra cash. I already talked him into coming with us back to camp to negotiate the price with the Commander." Siham said, and the two Myrmidons smiled. "Good, we get to go home, we're starved." The two said, as the myrmidons led the others back to camp.
Sin sat down at a polished wooden table. He had choosen a damn fancy resteraunt, as he thought about it. He pulled out Augusts chair for her, to be polite, and she giggled. Hey, shes kinda cute... He thought, as he called for a waiter. He might have to dip into his own money for this, and he looked into his stolen wallet from under the rim of the table where August couldnt see, to see his bounty. A merchants wallet, it seemed, lined with gold coins. Well, if he went overly extravagant, it'd only hurt his own wallet a bit.
"Hello there sir. A mercenary, are you? Would you like the cheap menu?" The waiter asked mockingly, laughing. Sin laughed with him. "No, I'd like the expensive one, you silly git, and if you call me poor once more, I will make sure to spread your brains thick around this fine establishments floor!" He said laughing still, as the waiter perked up, and stopped laughing. "Right away sir." he said, and August looked at him reproachfully. Sin looked over. "Oh, I;m sorry about the... foul language?" he said, and August smiled weakly. "It's ok, im just not a fan of uneeded violence." She said, and Sin frowned. "I'm sorry about that then. I just don't take to insults well." He said, and she nodded. "It's ok." She said, with a smile.
She is pretty, too. Maybe he'd take his mind off of Terra for once, and see what this nice girl had in store for him. But then he wouldn't be able to wallop Michael whenever he wanted... oh well, he'd work around that for the moment.
The waiter brought back menus, beautiful ones, compared to the plain cruddy ones from before. "Also, sir, I apologize for my actions earlier." He said, and Sin nodded. "It's ok, just politeness is what gets you tips. Im sure you have a family to feed." He said, throwing him a platinum coin, worth a hundred pure gold coins. "Thank you sir! What would you like?" He asked, and Sin looked over the menu. "Hmm... I'll have whatever the hell this is... some fancy name for good steak. As for an appetizer... bring me... your best soup." He said, and the waiter nodded. "Extravagant style in plain tastes... you amaze me." He said, as he took Sin's order and menu.
"Uhm..." August said, struggling over the menu. She had never seen such delicious foods, and never seen the price tag, either. Sin laughed. "Don't worry about the price tag. Buy what you want." And August blinked. "You sure?" and Sin nodded. "Yeah, go ahead." He said, and August began to chat with the waiter, discussing what was good. Sin, looking closer now at her now, was surprised at what he was missing while he was looking at Terra. This girl was an innocent beauty, filled with care for others... and he could tell by just watching her talk.
"Alright young masters, your food will coming shortly." The waiter said, as he left. "August..." Sin began. "Yes?" August asked. "...You're really pretty." He said, blunty. "Oh! Uhm, do you think...so?" She said, lowering her head, hiding her face with her hair. "Heyy! Stop hiding! I was looking at that, you know!" He said, craning his head over to get a look at her face as she kept hiding it from him. She was freaking adorable, Sin couldn't get enough of that giggle of hers. "Hey, look at meeee!" Sin said, trying to make her laugh even more. August looked up at him, ever so slightly. "You are so freaking cute!" Sin exclaimed, and she hid her face again. "Stop it! You're embarassing me..." She said, and Sin smiled. "Sorry, I'll cut it out." He said, and August looked up, and moved her hair from her face, her cheeks a red color.
"..." SIn tried not to say anything. "...What?" She asked. "Nothing!" Sin said, and the food arrived. "Perfect timing..." Sin said, trying to resist exclaiming how cute she was. The two began digging in, as they chatted about random things.
Elsewhere, while the troop assassin and healer (how opposite) ate dinner together (almost sounds blasphemous, doesnt it.) Hannah and Heresy were looking for a forge to get the order of armor and weaponry done. Eventually, the found themselves coming across a big forge, black smoke filtering out of a large chimney. "Finally!" Hannah exclaimed, as she allowed Heresy to go forward, pinching his ass. "Ho!" He said, jumping. "Was that...? I'm not even gonna ask..." Heresy said as Hanna walked in with a grin on her face.
"Allo there. Mercenaries by the look of yas." The smith said. "Yes, and we need this list of armor and weapons filled out." Heresy said, handing the list to the man. "Well, what, is a mercenary guild going to be built? This is a lot of items." He said, and Hannah and Heresy nodded. The smith beamed. "Well, whaddya know! It's about time! This town needs some hired help with things! Between the police being lax and our army shorthanded... this is a good omen!" He said. "Just pay me half the money now, and come back in... maybe two days, if i work non-stop this'll be all done." The old smith with white hair said. His soot covered face grinned as he was handed a large sum of money, and the group left. Hannah stood in the door though.
"We pray for your sake this stuff is all done when we come back, or you won't be a very healthy man." She said, and the old smith chuckled. "No no no, I don't work like that! I earn my money, not steal it.Hold me to my life, it'll be all done!" He said with a laugh, as he rushed into a backroom, and the sound of clanging was heard. "Ralf, come 'ere, take some of this money, go to our supplier of ores, and buy what we need for the list I'ma give ya." He said, and what looked like his grandson, apprentice perhaps, rushed into the room, and then out of the shop. "Finally, thats all done, let's get back to the camp for some eats." Heresy said, and Hannah nodded. "Yeah, sounds like a plan." She said.
"KYREN! WE BROUGHT THE CONTRACTOR FROM A LOT THATS FOR SAAAALE!" Terra roared as she walked into camp, sitting by the fire with Michael, as they managed to get some fish that no one had eaten. Kyren dismounted, and walked towards the contractor with Baldh and Lysalia. The contractor looked relieved. "Phew, I was fearing those two swordfighters were going to lead me into a bandit's camp." He said, and Baldh stared at him. "Are you calling up low-life bandits!" He exclaimed, and Kyren placed a hand on his chest. "Calm down, Baldh, understand where he comes from, I mean, two myrmidons, a common recruit for bandits and mercenaries, leading him out into the forest. I'd find it suspicious myself." Kyren said, and Baldh grunted as he backed down.
"I'm sorry for the offense sir... seing you all now... it seems like you're of noble heritage... but you claim mercenarydom, and I shall not poke my nose into your affairs." The contractor said, and Kyren nodded. "You're awefully wise for a contractor..." and the contracotr nodded. "I'm really a scholar in the university, but since the university closed, I turned to my family trade for money." He said, and Kyren nodded. "I see. It seems that Alsterea is falling apart since Bolstar arose." And the contractor nodded. "Yes, they pretty much sucked the life blood right out of us, being on a more convienent travelling path, Alsterea almost fell into disrepair. Hopefully, you mercaneries joining the town will do us good." He said, and Kyren nodded. As they begun talking, Hannah and Heresy walked into camp.
"We've got the order set up. Now, for food!" Heresy said, as he sat down at the fire, and ate alongside the other scouts. "It seems this town is friendly to mercenaries..." Kyren said, and the contractor nodded. "Yes, because it means revenue will return to us, from the goverment, as they will make more money from your help, and the money will go from your hands to smiths, and the smiths to miners, the miners to grocers... inevitably, it will bring the town back to life." He said, and Kyren nodded. "Thats a good thing... I just worry about if word will get out about us... we don't enjoy publicity." He said, and the scholar picked up on what he implied.
"Don't worry... I'm sure no one outside of Alsterea will know about you, as long as your mercenary group doesn't somehow achieve fame." He said, and Kyren nodded. "Well, back to our conversation... how much will it cost, an how much will the workers cost, as well?" Lysalia asked, and the contractor smiled. "Well, I'll only charge half price.. for land and workers. Your existence in town is something that Alsterea is needing. There's probably even a few warriors in town that probably would join a mercenary group, because a lot of people in town don't hold too much stock in the Alsterean army." The contractor said. "I see..." Kyren said. "Hey, where's August and Sin...?" He asked, and Siham shrugged. "I dunno..." and Lysalia looked concerned. "August gets lost in cities like that..." She said, and Kyren looked up to the sky. "If they don't come back a little before sun down, we go in questioning... and Mr... contractor, we accept your offer, here's the payment." Kyren said, handing the contractor a sack of money. "And the name's Sartis." he said, accepting the payment.
"The work will be started tomorrow morning." He said, and Kyren nodded. "Good... now we'll just have to wait for Sin and August to get back." He said, and Sartis left, and Kyren, Lysalia and Baldh joined the troop around the fire.
Back at the resteraunt, Sin and August were enjoying a delicious dinner. Suddenly, a man ran into the resteraunt. "BLACKS CREW IS BACK!" he yelled, and everyone jumped, and ran for the door, but a group of ruffians pushed them back in, one of the heavier ones, standing at the door, barring exit. "YOU! Rich little bastard." A man called, grabbing the waiter by the scuff of his neck. "Get us the best food in the house, on the house." He said, with a grin. "Y-y-yes Sir Black..." he said, and the large man threw the waiter across the room, and he got up and scrambled to the kitchens, shouting out orders.
"Pardon me, ma'am." One of the ruffians said, lifting a woman from her seat and throwing her to the ground. "This seats taken." He said, and this angered Sin. But, knowing August didn't approve of violence, he sat there, silently, like she did, enjoying their food. She was on her desert, a delicious looking cake. "Thaaaank you!" A lighter ruffian said, as he took the cake off her plate, and began eating it. Sin stood up, grabbed his empty plate, and smashed it over the ruffians head. "That's not yours, you asshole." And August looked worried, as more ruffians enclosed on Sin, who began laughing. "Low rate bandits..." he said, bursting out into laughter, as they charged at him.
The one to his right was closest, and lighter than the one who took Augusts desert. Sin swiftly wrapped his hand around his throat, and slammed his face into the table, and swung around with a right hook to the next ruffians face. August looked terrified, as Sin began smashing things over these ruffians heads, plates, glasses...
And Sin then picked up a chair and brought it down over a hunched over ruffian who he booted in the stomach. There were three left conscious, Black, and his two lackeys. The two lackeys unsheathed their weapons, and jumped at Sin who unsheathed his chained daggers. "No, don't kill them!" August said, as Black took her hostage. Sin heard her voice, as Black took her, axe blade to her throat. Sin's temper flared. Slashing at one of them, his blade slid across his throat, and the other one almost hit him with the axe, but Sin dodged quickly, and then wrapped the chain around his neck.
"Release her, and you get to keep one of your close men's lives." Sin said, and Black grinned. "I'd rather have you, instead. One man who can level my whole crew? And in unarmed combat... hah hah hah! I'll trade you yourself for the pretty maiden." He said, and Sin nodded. "Ok, but since you insist you don't want this guy..." He said, as a maniacle grin spread across his face, as he snapped his neck with a violent twist. "Ok, I'm yours, Black." Sin said, and Black held August tight. "Give me your weapons, first." And Sin obeyed, throwing his weapons down, and kicking them towards Black.
Black threw August down, and Sin walked towards Black. "Welcome to the crew, ya dumbass." He said, as he threw a forceful punch at Sin.
"Welcome to hell, you wasted soul." Sin said, as he ducked under it, and punched him hard in the... pants. Black fell down, squirming. Sin then brought down his boot on Blacks face, knocking him out. "I'll leave the police to clean this up... C'mon August, let's go." He said, and she nodded, wiping tears.
"Did you have to kill those two, though?" She asked, shedding silent tears. "Why... do you care? They were scum beneath our shoes." He said, and she wiped a tear. "They're still living people... they mightve had a family they needed to feed..." She said, and Sin's face and heart grew cold. "Then they should've picked their profession more carefully." He said, and August began sobbing. "They didn't deserve that!" She said, and Sin stopped, and looked at her, his eyes filled with pain.
"Neither did my father. Or my mother. Or my sister, for that matter. People like them, are corrupted by greed, and power. They deserved death, and if I become like that too, I'm no better. I have no qualms with killing those who are like them, like those who killed my family. And if I end up that way, I'll kill myself." He said, and she looked at him, his eyes twisted with anguish at his own memories. "I'm... sorry..." She said, as she buried her face in his shoulder, hugging him. Whenever she cried, she needed the nearest person's shoulder to cry into, she had always been this way, ever since that one day long ago...
"I'm sorry... I'm just a cold person at heart." He said, holding her until she stopped crying. "But I can't help it... c'mon, let's get back to camp, before it get's dark, and the Commander has a hissy fit." He said, and she laughed, between hiccups, as she wiped her eyes, as August thought about Sin. He may be a killer... he may be cold... but he does have a heart, down there, somewhere... maybe he can't find it... maybe he just... needs some help...