Stoinis and Raylor sat in the dimly lit corner of a bustling bar, their identities concealed beneath the hoods of their cloaks. The flickering candlelight cast wavering shadows against the rough wooden walls, but the atmosphere was alive with laughter and conversation. It was the distant city of Alaric, a prosperous one. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and spilt ale, wrapping around them like a warm embrace in contrast to the chilling rumors circulating outside.
As they leaned in closer, Stoinis and Raylor caught snippets of conversation from nearby tables.
"Did you hear?" one man exclaimed, his voice rising above the din. "According yo the rumors,only two men brought Yinstin to its knees! The city lord is dead, and now the people are suffering!"
"I heard they poisoned the wells! It's devilish what they did!" another voice chimed in, filled with disbelief. "How could anyone be so ruthless?"
"Ruthless? No, they're legends! The whispers say one of them is just a boy!" came a reply, laced with awe.
Stoinis felt a swell of pride at the recognition of their accomplishments, but it was quickly overshadowed by Raylor's furrowed brow. "We need to be careful. The longer we remain in the spotlight, the easier it is for someone to connect us to those rumors. They could easily lead to our capture."
As they spoke, a waiter approached their table, eager to serve. "What can I get for you gentlemen?" he asked, barely glancing at them.
"Just some ale," Stoinis replied quickly, wanting to avoid drawing attention. He waved the waiter away with a dismissive gesture, returning to the discussion at hand.
"I don't like this," Raylor said, his voice low. "As much as I enjoy the tales of our exploits, they're becoming exaggerated. People think we're monsters!"
Stoinis frowned, realizing the truth in Raylor's words. While he initially basked in the admiration, the grotesque nature of the rumors began to weigh heavily on him. He knew they had acted out of vengeance, but the reality was far removed from the tales that now echoed in the streets. They had poisoned the wells and killed the city lord, yes, but it was for a purpose—a purpose that had been lost in the retellings.
As they continued to strategize, Stoinis's mind wandered to their dwindling funds. Though they had accumulated wealth from pillaging and collecting taxes from merchants, most of it had been taken back by the city lord. They had only brought a fraction of what they once possessed, enough for their immediate needs, but soon, they would feel the sting of poverty.
Suddenly, a figure shuffled into their view—a scraggly old man, who seemed like he had stepped straight out of a tale of old. With a crooked smile and eyes that glinted with mischief, he leaned closer, pointing at Raylor. "Though you can't participate due to your age," he croaked, "the young man here certainly can. He looks promising!"
Stoinis's interest piqued. "A tournament?" he echoed, his heart racing with anticipation.
"Aye! It's meant for the young and ambitious, and I've heard it's going to draw quite the crowd," the old man continued, oblivious to Raylor's skeptical expression. "You're just the type they're looking for."
"Count me in!" Stoinis declared, excitement bubbling within him. He yearned for the chance to test his strength, to see how he compared to others his age.
Raylor placed a steadying hand on Stoinis's shoulder. "It's a great opportunity, but you need to be careful. These competitions can be unfair. Some may resort to dirty tricks to secure a win."
"What do you mean?" Stoinis asked, his brow furrowing.
"Well," Raylor began, "there are those who will cheat. They might try to distract you or manipulate the judges. You need to stay sharp and watch for anything unusual. Keep your wits about you."
"Bur Raylor,how do you know so much about these tournaments?" Stoinis was curious."Oh didn't I tell u?" Raylor added, before I was a bandit, I used to be a trader, I wasn't born in the wild, things happened and to escape tolls, my group betrayed me and left me here. It took some time but I was still young back then, I liked the environment here, the brotherhood was strong and the people were lively, before I knew it, I became a part of the family, Brother Garrick was the first friend I had at that time, he was not yet the leader but he was hella strong, I really love these people"
As he finished, a sense of misery striked both of them, they suddenly remembered the loss they had suffered, revenge could ease out the pain but not make up for the loss, a momentary silence followed.
Raylor broke the silence, "Anyway you gotta give it your all. Our pockets depend on you"
Stoinis nodded, a sense of determination settling over him. But as they walked back through the streets, the weight of the rumors began to gnaw at him. The discussions around them had shifted from their previous feats to dark tales of brutality.
"Have you heard about rumors?" a passerby said, shaking his head. " Two devils are said to have harmed innocent children in Yinstin. They laid hands on women, too! The things they did..."
The words stung like venom, and Stoinis felt his stomach churn. Even though they were baseless rumors, they were definitely directed on them. This wasn't what they had done. They acted out of vengeance, not cruelty. The longer they remained in this city, the more twisted the stories became.
They finally reached the small room they had rented. The dim light illuminated the bare walls, and the air was thick with anticipation for the tournament. Raylor turned to Stoinis, his expression serious. "We need to prepare for what's coming. It's time you learned about cultivation."
Stoinis raised an eyebrow. "Cultivation?"
"Yes," Raylor replied, settling down on the floor and motioning for Stoinis to join him. "It's the practice of harnessing and controlling your Qi—your inner energy. To truly harness your strength, you need to learn to feel it, to meditate."
Raylor instructed Stoinis on how to concentrate, guiding him through the steps of breathing deeply and clearing his mind. "It'll take time until you get the hang of it," he cautioned. "But with practice, you'll be able to sense the energy around you, and your martial arts will become even more potent."
Stoinis sat with crossed legs, closed his eyes and tried to feel the atmosphere, he tried to feel everything around him, with his eyes closed, he could still say what was going on in about a meter radius around him but he couldn't sense Qi, to be frank, he didn't know what Qi was for not a singke bandit could use it, even Raylor couldn't, he just knew what people do that's all, how was he even going to comprehend what Qi was at this state let alone accumlate the Qi, after a few hours of vain, Stoinis gave up on the idea of Qi, the only achievement was that his senses have been raised.
He started practicing martial arts and some bare fist techniques from Raylor, they could come in handy, afterall it was a huge tournament with lots of talented kids as participants, "Only if the snake showed up again", he thought"This tournament woukd be a piece of cake". I am already a part of you" hissed the snake in his mind, "Just keep up with your training and it's a sure win". Stoinis didn't complain, nor was he startled, for some reason, he trusted the snake.
As they trained, the tournament drew ever closer, the tension palpable in the air. Stoinis felt the thrill of the impending competition sparking within him, yet he remained focused on mastering the techniques Raylor taught him.
Finally, the day of the tournament arrived, the arena buzzing with excitement. An announcer's voice boomed through the space, drawing everyone's attention.
"Welcome, one and all, to the grand tournament!" the anchor declared, his voice echoing with authority. "Today, we gather to witness the clash of champions! The strongest young fighters from across the land have come to prove their worth! Oh my! Is that the Mighty Bear Torosolla and the Snow Princess Sariella- last year's winners, Mighty Bear Torosolla won with a perfect score, not a single lossss. I see a few more promising young talents and quite a few new faces"
Stoinis's heart raced as he listened to the crowd's excited murmurs. "Who are these competitors?" he whispered to Raylor, anxiety creeping in.
"Probably strong lads," Raylor replied, squinting into the distance as the announcer continued. "The way he's announcing suggests they're no pushovers. You'd best be ready."
The announcer then began listing notable attendees. "We are honored to have the City Lord Arenar, Magistrate Tanor, and esteemed dignitaries from across the realm gracing us with their presence! Not to mention our city's pride, the strongest warriors of the entire region, the fierce Evran 'The Beast' and the cunning Selia 'Shadowblade'!"
Stoinis felt the weight of every gaze in the arena turn towards him, and he straightened his shoulders, determination flooding through him. This was his opportunity—not just to reclaim his reputation but to carve his destiny in the fires of competition. As the crowd roared and the stakes rose, he couldn't shake the feeling that the path ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty. But at the end of the day, it was a huge OPPORTUNITY!