A Strange Disciple
Set in a fantasy world, an adventuress encounters a strange group of travelers. One of them demands to be her disciple.
PROLOGUE:
Become my master and give me a name!
A raven sat comfortably upon a tavern’s signage that read "Boar’s End" when a strong thud that shook the walls of the establishment sent it scampering far away, cawing an annoyance as it did so.
The visitors outside the tavern all stood petrified as if something had cast a spell on all of them rendering them unable to move. One brave soul, a young adventurer with short blonde hair and piercing hazel eyes broke his petrification and decided to investigate what went on inside.
With one big gulp of nerves, he pushed the door open and went in.
Inside he saw people and demis all fast asleep. Though some are obviously hammered to unconsciousness, the other sleeping residents brought doubt. Everyone, including the taverns innkeeper and staff, were lying down on the floor of the establishment knocked out by whatever force it was that was expelled several minutes ago. All except four figures sitting on one corner and a young woman who was standing, hair even more blonde than his, her confused blue eyes looking intently on one of the sitting figures, that of a boy of perhaps twelve, who was smiling placidly at her, he had black hair and amber eyes, equally intent on staring back. The other figures sat nobly in silence, as if stunned. None of them seem to notice his slow approach.
Unknown to this young man, he is at present witnessing the very beginnings of the bond between a very confused master and one strange disciple.
"Ehem..." spoke the adventurer, his nerves still somewhat rattled as he stood before this strange group.
"I may not look like much, but I have just been knighted into the Royal Peacekeepers corp and I happen to be passing by when I heard this commotion. As part of my duty to the kingdom and its citizens, I should like to know what happened here" he spoke with forced confidence at the assembled party.
The young blonde woman turned to him as if suddenly awoken from a daze and said "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir Knight, we were just having dinner when this young boy asked to be my disciple and well...when I agreed, a strong gale suddenly erupted and well..." she looked around "knocked everyone out… "
"Huh?" he turned to the rest of the sitting witnesses, wanting confirmation. Three of them bowed in synchronization. A handsome red haired with equally red eyes, a beautiful auburn hair woman with bright purple eyes and a sly looking man with silver hair, smiling with his eyes closed, who by all accounts, also seemed to be smiling. Only the young boy with the dark black hair stayed unmoved, his gaze still fixed at the woman who was standing. Something about the boy irked him and made him feel like an inferior. He shook his head and sighed.
"I don't know what to make of this, it looks as if there hadn't been any fighting but to suddenly have a gale inside a tavern seems somewhat impossible", he continued looking at the anti magic crest on the center wall.
A lot of establishment in Panthea, with the high traffic of adventurers, had some kind of anti magic crest on them as a prerequisite by the consorting insurers guild for insurance purposes. Of course the crest themselves cost a lot of "minteir", the name of the coins that are minted in Panthea and the surrounding kingdoms of Arravin and Bygert, and needs to be maintained every three years as the spell wears out over time, leaving small stalls and businesses that couldn't afford them dealing with the outcomes of magic damages resulting from fights and brawls, all on their own.
"Really, we didn't do anything officer. We...I mean I was just as surprised myself" she corrected.
The peacekeeper turned to the rest and asked "And what about the rest of you? Does this not come to you as a surprise?"
The same group of three all shook their head in agreement. The peacekeeper turned his attention to the boy who remained unfazed, seemingly uninterested with the conversation.
"What about you?"
"..." was the response.
"You should answer when you are asked" the young blonde woman, said to the boy, slightly annoyed by his rude behavior.
The boy smiled and said "Very well, as master wishes, I was not surprised. Gales come in and out of nowhere every now and then and Panthea is a host to many other unexplained phenomenons. So really it should not come as that surprising. I'm more surprised a Knight of the Peace corp haven't heard it before" a sarcasm in his tone.
The peacekeeper annoyance grew and he felt an impulse to teach this kid some manners or two when he checked himself, remembering his station, and how it would be unbecoming for him to do so. He again sighed.
"What is your name boy?"
"Ask my master?" pointing lazily at the standing woman.
"Huh? me? I don't know, I mean..we only met an hour ago" when she stopped suddenly remembering that the boy had asked her to be named moments ago. She closed her eyes and thought then a bright cheer was painted on her face.
"Okay, I will play your little game... In that case, I will name you 'Stygian' " and then turning to the peacekeeper she said "and my name is Kaeli"
"I am Erik Lumin of the Lumin household, it is rather strange you should call him Stygian but that is not for me to decide" realizing the boy must be making this whole thing into some sort of game. He looked to the rest of the assembly and inquired for their names.
"I am Valen, this here is Mira and he is Gray" introduced the red haired man pointing to his comrades.
"Valen? Where have I heard that name before...wait... are you Sir Valen of Mea, who cleared 6 S rank dungeons in a month?" awe in his voice rising in tempo.
Erik looked to the trio and realized all too late that they really do matched the rumored description going around.
“Valen of Mea, Mira and Gray... Oh! ... You don't mean..." Kaeli broke in astonishment, pink rushing to her cheeks, embarrassed.
"You mean you didn't know who you were dining with?"
"Cut me some slack! Like I said, I only met them an hour ago and beside, Sir Great Peacekeeper himself did not know who they were either."
Sir Erik sighed, "It is an honor to meet you Sir Valen, Lady Mira and Sir Gray" Erik bowed.
"There is no need for a knighted peacekeeper to bow. Also we aren't of any noble houses for you to refer to us as such at present" remarked Valen in a clear calm voice.
"If I may so inquire, what brought you three to Panthea with this boy 'Stygian'? "
"A rather impertinent question" Stygian brusquely remarked
"Now, now Stygian.. I am curious as well" scolds Kaeli.
Stygian slightly looked taken aback and blushed, he quickly directed his gaze down. To Erik, his demeanor reminded him of his childhood when his mother had scolded him for pulling a prank on one of their servants. Erik couldn't help but smile.
"We are accompanying Stygian here for personal reasons" Valen spoke curtly
Sir Erik looked to the boy. 'He must be of some importance for three double S classed adventurers to be his companions' he thought.
"He is like a brother to us" Mira suddenly said hugging Stygian and rubbing her cheek against his as Valen and Gray looked in discomfort.
Stygian looked annoyed. Kaeli found it all too amusing.
"You have very interesting companions, boy. Very well, seeing as no one is really hurt, I see no reason to report this matter to the king. However, the presence of the infamous trio cannot be overlooked, so I will have to report you being here on Panthea to his magesty."
"Oh my, I'm afraid we can't leave it like that" Gray said in a whisper and with a swift motion that appeared to the untrained eyes as a single step, Gray was quickly beside the peacekeeper and struck the Knights right temple with his finger. Sir Erik who had been standing fell to his knees and was immediately knocked unconscious.
"What did you do?" demanded Kaeli worriedly
"Don't worry Lady Kaeli, he will come around in a few seconds" Mira said, a smile on her face.
"But still, I would like to know, also... Lll.. Lady?? I am not a Lady.." she blushed again
"It should be around now" Valen remarked as he sipped the last drop of wine on his glass.
Slowly, everyone who had been sleeping rose up hazily. As they did so, Stygian rose up and said "It's about time we go" and as if on cue, another gale rose up and swept everyone yet again to slumber just as some of the earlier sleepers began to awoken.
The establishment shook once more and everyone outside at the time was then again petrified into silence and immobility.
A raven that had just sat comfortably on the sign that read “Boar’s End”, the very same, scampered away, cursing the place and its very luck that day.
Authors note:
This is an old story from one of my journals, that I am revisiting and dusting, perhaps the story will continue here and finish on this platform
You have done it now. Better continue this and turn it into a mighty novella, worthy of Anime adaptation!