The next day, August woke up, feeling rather refreshed. The splitting headache was gone, and he actually felt like he could move his body.
Rolling over to his side, August looked at the clock on the nightstand.
The clock is 11? I think this is my first time sleeping in, I could definitely get used to this.
August was just about to get out of bed, when he heard a knock on his door.
August curiously looked over to the door, before saying.
"Yes?"
The door silently opened up, revealing a neatly dressed man with dark brown eyes.
"Well, you certainly look like a ray of sunshine in the morning." Patrick said jokingly, with his warm, deep voice.
August, meeting the man´s joke with a smile, silently sat himself up in his bed.
Brushing off August´s silence, Patrick continued "So, how does my newest recruit feel, ready to learn more?"
August silently took in the man´s words for a few seconds, before replying. "If I´m totally honest, I am rather skeptical. I mean, you´re telling me I have some sort of superpowers, and that you are going to pay me a fortune. Every year."
Patrick chuckled lightly, while looking at August and said.
"To be honest, I don't think we would be paying you Returners enough. I myself, make 5 gold units every week."
August, looking at the man that was standing there smiling, felt his jaw drop.
5 gold units a week? That´s what- almost 2000 gold units a year. Suddenly I feel kind of scammed.
Patrick noticed the shock on the boy´s face and felt a sense of enjoyment.
"It just goes to show how much the higher-ups of the kingdom values us. We are, after all, their best cards against the mirror-creatures, and the threats of other countries."
August silently nodded, feeling like he kind of understood, before saying.
"Well, it´s not like I´m going to deny the money… I guess I´ll try it out."
Patrick stood silently in the doorway. His eyes fixed on August.
August lightly ruffled his hair with a small grimace, put his hand over his heart, before mockingly saying.
"Okay, okay. I mean, I pledge my allegiance to the mirrorwalker, blablabla…"
Patrick nodded with a smile wrapped around his face.
"That´s good. Now, let´s get you out of bed, get you a bath and some food. I´m sure you´ve recovered and is feeling hungry."
August was just about to speak up, saying he wasn't really that hungry, when his stomach let out a large growl.
Patrick and August silently looked at each other, one wearing a large grin, the other getting redder by the second.
August silently said "Okay."
Patrick looked down at the all too skinny boy sitting on the bed. Thinking how hard the kid had, had it for him to not want to live anymore. He silently let out a sigh, before saying to August.
"After you´re done with that, we will be going to a tailor. Then I´ll introduce you to your new team members. That sound good?"
August looked up at the bearded man, before nodding faintly.
"Yes."
…
In a large dining hall, there was long extravagant table. The table was made of the same dark brown wood, that the floor and high ceiling were. On the large white, stone walls, there hung large paintings, and large floor to ceiling windows one of the walls, facing into a large green garden.
At the large table sat a young boy with long black hair, the young boy was sitting there, shoveling down food as if he had never eaten before.
Aah, I don't think I´ve ever tasted something as delicious as this.
August had just had the most relaxing bath he had ever had. He felt like he now actually looked like a human, and not just some wild animal.
"You sure are enjoying the food" A man´s voice said opposite from August.
August slowly stopped the shoveling of food and looked up. Opposite from him sat a young man, looking like he was in his early twenties. The man had short blonde hair, that looked nicely groomed. His eyes were dark blue, and his skin was tan, looking nothing like the normal Velmont citizen.
The man who had spoken, was the second in command of the Black Masks, the team of mirrorwalkers lead by Patrick.
William Gallo was a man from Mudenze´s southernmost city, Della Rovere, and had already been a mirrorwalker for two years.
Patrick had introduced August to him after his bath. He had told him that William, would be taking him around and teaching him all the things he needed to know.
The man known as William took a deep breath and continued.
"Well, you certainly need all the food you can get- Hell, I thought you were 13 when I first saw you. Who would have thought a 17-year-old could look that small!"
August hadn't really cared much of how he looked before. He had always been having enough trouble staying alive.
However, hearing that he looked 13 as a 17-year old, definitely hurt the little pride he had. He, of course, knew that he was on the smaller side, but where he came from, because of the little food most could afford, everyone looked that way.
He silently swallowed the food in his mouth and thought for a second, before asking William in a curious tone.
"What is the average height, like if you had to say a number?"
William leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin in thought. He sat like that for a little while before answering.
"I would say it's around 1.75m for males if I had to guess, and like what- 1.6m for women."
"And how tall was I again?" August asked hesitantly.
William´s face suddenly grew a small grin, as he said, pretending to be in thought.
"Hmm, what was it again? Around 1.62m."
August sat there silently, trying not to make a face as he thought.
I really am quite small, huh.
August was just about to say something back to William, when the man said.
"But don't worry, as you start eating more, and with all the workouts we have, you´ll grow a lot, both in height and weight. And in my opinion, with those big blue eyes of yours, with a little muscle, you´re going to become quite the ladies man."
August scoffed at William´s last remark, while giving him a doubtful look.
William clearly noticed the young boy´s reaction and said.
"I´m serious, women die for men in uniform you know, and we not only are men in uniform, we also make quite the fortune."
August looked at the short haired man, before he continued eating, while William went on and on about all the women he had met and experienced.