I sat in the training room, as Murdoch had ordered me to. I nursed the wooden sword which held so many memories, with the gifted blade tied onto my waist. My mentor, now adoptive father, had given me black leggings and a black tunic with chainmail attached. I had thrown on some black boots which were too small for my father, ready to leave with my new party when the time came.
"He's a good lad. Hell of a fighter too," praised Murdoch from behind the wooden door before slinging it open, "but he's been obsessed with wanting to hunt something big for a while now." He smiled at me, and I smiled back, my eyes quickly leaving the man I had seen daily for hours on end to land on a radiant beauty.
"And he's a demon, eh?" Added the gorgeous woman, her platinum hair rolling down her shoulders onto her well-endowed chest. She was the first to enter the training room, followed by the two other party members. "He's more likely to be accepted now that they're allowed into the Capital's Academy. Why have you still got him locked up in here?"
Murdoch opened his mouth to speak, but a man, red-headed and sporting a bandana around his hairline, interrupted with a loud shout. "Because he's a fucking beast! I bet he's strong as the castle's walls, eh, Old Man?" Despite labeling me a monster, I knew he meant it differently than most people; he saw me as a gladiator-like being. I couldn't disagree.
"Shut your trap, Randall, and you too Petra" snapped another man, his bald head reflecting the torchlight surrounding him, "remember that this is a backwater village. They don't get all of the information we're privy to." The bald man nodded to me, and I waved back.
"Whatever, Kaper," dismissed Randall, kneeling next to me as he stared into my eyes, the playful glint in his voice dissipating as he asked, "do you want to spar?" A small smirk snuck onto his face, and I could feel the same appear on mine as I stood up.
"Mr. Murdoch," began Petra, standing against the wall with her arms crossed as she sighed defeatedly, "I think you should step in. Randall's quite strong." She finished, causing the black-bearded man to erupt in a fit of laughter. The length and loudness of it caught both Petra and Kaper off-guard.
"Is there something funny, Murdoch?" Asked Kaper, squinting as he looked at the man he had been on his training expeditions with. Murdoch waved his question away, wiping a small tear from his eye as pointed to me and Randall, who had both taken up a stance. "I see you're confident in Levi's strength, but he hasn't even begun training in magic yet. Randall's got the upper hand," he stated proudly, "it's over for your boy."
I stared into Randall's deep blue eyes, noting how fiercely they contrasted his hair. He shuffled on the floor, pointing his polearm towards my stomach in a stance that showed skill to even the untrained eye. I took up the loose stance I had learned when I first began training and gestured for the boy to attack. The thought of using real weapons against a future teammate caused a small sense of unease to nip at my neck.
"Cheeky bastard," he laughed, lunging forward, the curved blade of his long weapon heading directly for my stomach, "I'm not half bad myself, you know." He let go with his frontmost hand and loosened his grip to allow the handle to slip through, extending his reach.
"But I'm better," I stated, swatting the blade away with my own easily due to his messed-up balance, using the opening to charge forward and elbow him in his shocked face, "sorry to say." I finished, tugging the weapon to bring the boy nearer after stumbling back from my hit and kicked him in the genitals. He fell to the ground, clutching and heaving on the ground.
"I guess he is a monster," grunted Kaper, "never even gave Randall any time to chant." He rubbed at his testicles, as though sharing in the younger man's pain. Murdoch nodded in agreement, strangely proud of raising such a dirty fighter. Petra left her neutral stance on the wall and began walking toward me, her boots clicking with a practiced stride as she did so.
"Fight me," she ordered, glaring into my eyes, "I want to know if I'm better than him, and you seem like a good benchmark." She reached for her sword, but I sheathed mine and shook my head, causing her to startle slightly.
"You're weaker," I stated, sliding past her and heading towards Kaper, leaving the white-haired girl speechless. I walked toward Kaper and took his extended arm in a handshake. "Hello, Kaper," I spoke, my voice still holding the softness that I hated, "I've been told much about you."
"And I've heard things about you too, and it seems they were all true." He replied, causing us to both snicker slightly. The bald man turned to Murdoch and nodded, laying a hand on his shoulder. "No takebacks, now. He's coming with us."
"I'd be lying if I said I'll be alright," admitted my father, chuckling to hide his pain, "but since he's going out to realize his dreams, I can't deny it." He turned to me, smiling wider when he saw me.
"What a cheeky wee demon." Randall moaned, using Petra's shoulder as a crutch as they approached us. "Fought me like I'd shagged your sister there. I nearly had you though, and I'll rattle you well next time." He laughed, a small wheeze escaping as Petra unhooked him, causing him to stumble.
"Well, you'll have plenty more chances to fight together, Randall," muttered Petra, looking to me, "and I hope I will too, Oh Great One." She spat, striding out of the training room without acknowledging Murdoch or Kaper. Her brows were furrowed, and a fire roared within her silverish eyes.
"Excuse her, she's roaring to get to a dungeon as well. These two are the same age as you, also away on their first quests." Kaper informed me, exiting the room just behind Murdoch. I shared a smile with Randall as he joked about shaming his family by not having children, and followed out behind him.
I put my hood up as the four of us exited the hut I had come to see as home, and boarded a cart. Nothing fancy, just a large board with railings that was pulled by two large, hairy beasts with red horns on either side of their heads. I ensured that I had everything, checking I had both of my swords, then the small sack of coins that served as my allowance.
"I would say take care of him, Kaper, but I doubt he needs it!" Murdoch joked, laughing a little too hard at his underwhelming joke. Kaper nodded and shook his hand. I simply bowed from my seated position and waved. "Bye son. Come back and see your old man sometimes, eh?" He requested, practically pleading.
"Of course, father," I replied, the extent of how much I would miss the man only just hitting. "And don't you go taking a wife without me, I need to make sure they're good enough to be my mother!" I joked, earning me a laugh from the nearly-bald caretaker. "I'll see you later."
[Name: Envy (Levi Elbrus)
Species: Leviathan.
Level: 3
Magic Skills: Devour, Electric Discharge, Electricity Resistance.
Physical Skills: Transform
Innate Skills: Mountain-Splitter Style Swordsmanship (Advanced) ]