Thon's emotions got the better of him and tears rolled down his cheeks. This was his dear friend's last will and testament. One he was going to fulfill with every ounce of strength he had. Then he heard a voice crying out in the distance. The voice was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
"HELLO, ANYONE THERE!?" the voice cried out.
"YES! Keep talking so I can follow your voice," Thon answered.
"I'm Katherin Hamsten, please hurry," Katherin pleaded.
"Stay calm, I'm coming," Thon replied in a comforting tone.
Careful not to upset their unstable surroundings, Thon made his way to Katherin's location. He found her in a partially collapsed tunnel. To his surprised Katherin was pinned under the rock troll's armpit. The two locked eyes and a glint of joy sparkled in her eyes.
"Bone magus. Enhancement."
He reinforced his skeleton using mana without need for a chant, something he learned to do as a child through experimentation and vigorous training. His unique magic afforded him superhuman strength that was far greater now than before his transformation.
A troll is three times the height of the average human and weighs equal to a full grow bison some two. Katherin would have been flattened if it had fallen directly on top of her. However, Thon could lift its arm almost effortlessly. His strength startled Katherin, which was understandable considering his unimposing athletic build. That was not all.
Dead centre under the troll was the pancaked body of lord Clain. Looking at his corpse, it seemed he had pushed Katherin out of direct harm.
"Ow! My legs hurt," Katherin shrieked.
"They might be broken don't try to move them," Thon cautioned.
He took a closer look and confirmed his suspicions. Using scrape wood and stripes of his shirt, he made a brace for each of her legs. Thon then picked Katherin up and put her on his back. Together they explored different tunnels in search of a shaft leading to the surface. Every now and then, the walls around the shook with unrest.
Fortunately, they came under a crooked shaft which had light at its end.
"Hold on to me tightly, we're going to climb our way out of here," Thon said.
"You and what climbing gear?" Katherin critiqued.
"These," he replied.
Thon closed his eyes then imagined the flow and amount of mana he was channelling change.
"Bone magus. Shape change."
Instantly, the tips of his finger and toe bones protruded through the skin and elongated. They continued until they grew into claws and talons one handbreadth long.
"Urgh, that was hard to watch," Katherin remarked.
"Huh, it's much more unpleasant doing it," Thon groaned.
So, he began climbing, it was a strenuous ascent up the shaft. Thon lost his grip and slipped a few times. Katherin could do nothing except hold on tightly to him. The higher they got the brighter the light and the wider the shaft became. After a while they came out into a crater.
Thon then let Katherin down gently and retracted his bones to their original form. The skin around the wounds proceeded to heal leaving a very faint scar.
"Your magic is quite bizarre mister," Katherin commented.
"My name is Thon," he responded.
"I will remember that you are my saviour after all," she said.
Her observation was apt. Mana flows all around as particles called manacules. They are in the atmosphere and in both living and non-living things. Living beings are born with life energy stored and circulated from their heart. Whereas manacules are absorb from nature around them and store it in their mana pool found in the liver as mana.
Magic is the result of a living being channeling a mix of life energy and mana within themselves and then releasing it. There are different types of attack, defense, support and irregular magic with varying spells. Dragons possess the greatest life energy and largest mana pools, followed by demons only because they live off life energy taken from other beings. Then come elves, dwarves, beast kin, sea folk and lastly humans respectively. In the reverse, magic ability increases from humans all the way up to dragons.
A goblin stood up at the top of the crater. Thon immediately drew out his claws, but just then a lance pierced through the goblin's chest and felled it. Its body dropped and rolled down to Thon's feet. A heavy knight also bearing the Hamsten crest on their armour was responsible.
"You there, step away from lady Katherin!" the heavy knight ordered.
"Stand down, Lorrein. This is not a mere slave but my saviour. Treat him as such," Katherin spoke up.
She and a man came down and took Katherin up out of the crater. The mine base was in shambles, Thon and Katherin were shown to a safe area outside. Bodies of the deceased had been lined up along the damaged wall, while monster carcasses were burning in a pile. The tall slender man in a black three-piece suit with a monocle cleared his throat.
"How wonderful it is to count you among the living lady Katherin. A wounded soldier brought word of this disaster, and we came with reinforcements as soon as possible," he said.
"Good work Oliver, I see rescue efforts are under way," Katherin commended.
"Yes, however our mage skilled in earth magic informed us we would have to recover survivors by hand or risk a second cave in," Lorrein reported.
"Leave that to me, I'll just need that earth mage to accompany me. I'm sure whomever is in charge will oblige," Thon insisted.
Oliver starred down the slave dressed in tattered clothes. He wondered how this young man could speak with such command towards the head butler of the Hamsten family. Thon was not fazed by Oliver's attitude. He stood his ground and repeated himself.
This caught to attention of two soldiers nearby. They cut their conversation short and confronted him.
"Oi slave, stop stinking up the air here and go help clear rubble with the others," one soldier instructed.
Thon did no such thing. The other soldier drew his sword and pointed it at him; Thon's defiance angered him. Lorrein stepped forward intervened before things escalated.
"I, Lorrein Morgan, vice-captain of the Hamsten's personal guard, am in charge," Lorrein stated.
The two soldiers promptly disengaged out of their respect for her.
"Ah, I had a feeling it was you. Since, you already heard my request; I assume you're fine with it. We should hurry if we want to get to as many people as possible," Thon replied.
"By whose authority do you speak so boldly?" Oliver questioned.
"Mine! His case hold merit, we must act fast," Katherin interjected.
She sat up from the stretcher she was on to say her piece. Lorrein, Oliver and the soldiers complied and took action. Five minutes later, a soldier with a cape pinned to his armour was brought forward. Thon gave Katherin a respectful nod and then they both descended down the way he came up.
Half an hour had not passed before Thon remerged with two survivors. The crooked shaft was fortified into a slant tunnel with steps by the earth mage. One survivor was lady Lasha, the other was Sheba. Lady Lasha had a gash along her hairline and a broken arm. Sheba was bleeding from her side.
Soldiers rushed over to take them to a tent where healers were tending to the wounded. Thon and the earth mage dove back down in search for others. All the way into the evening, this routine would repeat itself. Additional reinforcements increased the number of people able to put out fires, clear rubble, tend to the wounded, rescue survivors and organise bodies. It was encouraging that the survivors significantly outnumbered the casualties.
By first moon every soldier who accompanied Thon had given up from exhaustion. He was fine, so he went in all. The first place he spotted by was where the rock troll's carcass lay.
"If my assumption going of the vague and confusing conversation with the god of chaos'. I can grow stronger by increase my mana pool. All I must do is eat the liver of another being. I'm nauseated just think about eating raw flesh again. However, my life won't change for the better if I remain weak," he thought to himself.
Thon formed a knife with the bones of his right index finger and cut into the troll's belly. He opened up its whole abdomen and separated the entrails until he found the liver. It was the size of a wagon wheel and had an off-putting smell. Thon turned all his fingers into claws and enlarged his canines into fangs. Before he could rethink his decision, he tore into the liver and ate it like a feral animal.
When Thon was done, he felt no change, only bloated.
"That's disappointing," he said followed by a burp.
Pain gripped his stomach, and his heart began to beat with a loud thud. Thon hunched over in agony, for the next few moments he was frozen in place from the pain. Then it subsided as quick as it came. His body reverted to its original form but was also surging with mana. Thon could sense he had grown stronger just like before.
This success excited him; he went on to search for any goblin carcasses well into the night.
"One more," he kept thinking.
Satrda, 9th day of Ichigatsu, year 2314
First light over the horizon illuminated the battered mountain top. Every fire from yesterday's events had died out in the night. A short distance from the improvised camp, Thon was rinsing himself with a bucket of water. Oliver, a group of handmaids and the soldiers on watch were the only other people awake. Once Thon dried off, he put on a clean change of clothes.
After which, he loaded the rock troll's carcass and a bag of goblin ears onto a wagon. Lorrein walked out of the tent the female soldiers slept in dressed and ready for a new day. To her amazement she saw something incredible along the wall. Overnight the bodies of the deceased had been stripped of armour and wrapped in clothes with their personal effects on top. Also, second pile of burning monster carcasses and a pile of unearthed tools and weapons had appeared.
"When, who?" Lorrein stammered.
"I too was at a loss for words. The soldiers on watch told me that young man did all this and secured the storehouse which saved the inventory awaiting collection," Oliver marveled.
The surviving Hamstens arose shortly. They had their breakfast in a separate tent from where everyone else ate. Recent events did not seem to bother them. Money and status afford such families the privilege to weather any storm. However, the loss of their head lord Clain guaranteed trouble in their future.
News, of the disaster at the mine and the loss of Clain Hamsten, who was also the lord of Aagard had already begun to spread in information circles. At the manor of count Borgus, an important meeting of two was unfolding in a secluded study. Hushed voices were discussing something in this room.
"Are you sure this information is credible Pius?" one of the men asked.
"Yes, Sir Franco. Lord Clain is dead, and his mine will be in operable for some months. This is the opportunity we needed to overtake the Hamstens and get your brother chosen as the next lord instead of Clain's boy," the other man assured him.
Back at the mine, the Hamsten family was about to departure for home. Slaves were clearing rubble and closing up sink holes with magic, while Lorrein readied her soldiers. The carriages lined up and slowly set off. Sayali and Gladys headed out on a horse beside their convey, with Thon following behind them on a donkey drawn wagon. The window of the last carriage opened and Katherin popped her head out.
"Hey mister!" she called out.
Thon slowed his pace and drew close.
"Have you already forgotten, my name is Thon?" he asked with sigh.
"Why are you being so familiar with that slave all off a sudden?" Klaus questioned.
"Ignore my bull-headed brother. When will I see you next?" Katherin asked.
"Quite soon, I don't plan to leave without a proper goodbye" Thon replied.
At noon they all arrived outside the city. Aagard was a lovely city with cobble stone streets and polished buildings, coined the gem of southern Ebion. It was ever bustling with activity because all the best smiths and smithies were in Aagard. The infrastructure was well maintained, something its nobles did not slack on. The gatekeepers the Hamsten carriages in, Gladys, Sayali and Thon had to present their identification.
"Where to?" Thon asked Gladys.
"The adventurer's guild. I've got a bone to pick," she answered.
Aagard's adventurer's guild was the third largest building in the city. A sculpture of a roaring minitour stood before the steps of the entry way. The interior had bronze and wood décor with numerous trophies of slain monsters hung along the walls. Humans, beast kin and dwarves were among the patrons. All eyes turned to watch Thon pushing in the rock troll's large carcass.
The three of them walked up to the reception desk where Sayali slapped down a bloodied quest poster. A captivating brunette with long black hair in a uniform fit to every curve on her body served them.
"Gladys, Sayali, I'm so glad to see you. You had us worried," she said.
The three ladies seemed well acquainted with one another.
"Good to see you too Taniyah. Can we speak with Thesin?" Sayali requested.
"No problem, follow me please. The wagon can stay behind," Taniyah replied.
The wagon was taken into a back area by another guild employee while Thon followed them. Taniyah lead them to an office on the second floor where they waited in a seating area. Someone entered after a few minutes, a thirteen year old boy by the look of him. He wore a bright coloured suit and had on a cape with the adventurer's insignia. He quite the commanding presence him.
"Sayali, Gladys, I'm so glad to see you. Where is the rest of Storm Shadow?" he inquired.
"Dead, thanks to the guild's shoddy intel Thesin," Gladys said with a growl.
"Not now here, Gladys. Vice guild master we came here to formally declare our failure to complete the exploration of the mini dungeon near Zign village," Sayali reported.
Thon noticed the two ladies were holding back their emotions and putting on brave faces.
"Really? That is a shame. I'm sure an accomplished bronze level party such as Storm Shadow did all they could," Thesin responded.
"Also, our party is disbanding, and we are retiring as off today. After losing our friends the way we did, Gladys and I agreed to rethink what we want to do with our lives. I never imagined goblins would be cunning enough to co-habitat with a rock troll of all monsters," Sayali continued.
"I see, this is sad to hear. I do give my sincerest apologies for your lose on behalf of the guild," Thesin said with a heavy heart.
"Still, it didn't have to end this way damn it! They died in that dungeon because your scouts missed a rock troll in their investigations!" Gladys lashed out. "Let's go Sayali, before I do something I can't take back."
Gladys got up and stormed out the room. All this news took Thesin by surprise.
"Mister Thon, we appreciate you help at the mine," Sayali thanked.
Sayali gave him and Thesin a quick bow and ran after Gladys. Thon sat quietly across from Thesin who was scratching his head. A guild employee entered the room and approached Thesin. She whispered something in his ear then left the room.
"Hot dung on a stick! What a day this is!" he cursed, "Do you have anything to say about this?"
"The name's Thon. I don't much about those ladies, I can give you a detailed account of yesterday's misfortune," Thon replied.
The handed Thesin two adventurer's cards belonging to Gladys and Sayali, then told him what happened at Hamsten mine. He went on further to tell him that they wanted the money from the sale of the troll's carcass and the goblin ears to be given to the families of their deceased comrades. Thesin had a sullen expression on his face after hearing what Thon said. He got up slowly and took a deep breath.
"I know this may be presumptuous, but I believe I can help," Thon proposed.
"What do you mean?" Thesin wondered.
"I plan to dissolve my bondage tonight and, in the morning, register my own company. My company will go about retrieving the bodies of people who died in dangerous places, like dungeons, so that their families can carry out their final rites. You can be my first client on Storm Shadow's behalf," Thon explained.
"Hm, tell me more," Thesin replied.
Thon proceeded to explaining his rescue effort at the mine and how his company will provide this as a service. Thesin was intrigued by his business proposal. So much so he made an exclusive contract with Thon for the adventurer's guild to receive priority and a discount in future commissions. By the end of their talk, the two of them had built a repour.
"So when will you begin?" Thesin asked.
"Tomorrow," Thon answered.
"Great. I look forward to a lasting partnership," Thesin remarked.
They shook hands and Thon returned downstairs to the reception desk. He handed her a letter that Thesin wrote. She read it and stamped it before handing it back to Thon along with one gold coin.
"This should help get you started," she said.
"Thank you," Thon replied.
He left the guild and took walk. There was a tailor's shop at one street corner that caught his attention and so he decided to go in.
"Hello and welcome to Madai's, what can we do for you," a young woman behind the counter greeted.
Standing at 160 centimetres with a slender yet athletic build, she had a youthful energy about her. Long, curly brown hair tied up in a ponytail, with a few stray strands framed her heart-shaped face. Bright hazel eyes sparkle with creativity, and her small nose is slightly upturned, giving her a perpetually cheerful appearance.
"I would like two things; your finest premade suit and a custom outfit in my size including shoes, sock and underwear to go with them," Thon ordered.
Showing him to what they had in store. He made his picks and immediately changed out of his slave clothes. When he came out of the changing room, he looked like a dashing young man from a decent family.
"How do you like it?" she asked.
"A fine fit. I will pick up the rest tomorrow morning, do as you please with my old clothes," Thon complimented.
After which, he left holding a small bag that he carried since leaving the mine. Cities in Ebion were built like a three piece hexagon. Commoners lived on the outer ring. Baronet, baron, viscount and earl families lived in the inner ring. While marques', counts' and the lords' families lived in the centre. Thon took a carriage from the outer ring into the centre.
Dusk bathed the city in its light by the time he arrived at the Hamsten estate. Two guards who stood at the gate stopped Thon.
"State your name and business," one guard inquired.
"Thon Soko, here to see lady Katherin," Thon answered.
The other guard took out a magic communication to similar to those used at the mine. It was a direct line to Oliver. He was walking into the foyer as the guard described the situation at the gate. A handmaid descending the front staircase overheard this and immediately ran to Katherin's room. She knocked and entered after being invited in.
"Pardon the intrusion lady Katherin, but I overheard a guard informing Oliver of a guest at the gate. From his description, I presume it is the slave, who you told me about," she relayed.
"Thank you, Stella. Tell the kitchen staff to add an extra place setting for my guest," Katherin instructed.
Katherin had just come from taking a bath wrapped in a towel. She rushed to put herself together while Stella laid out her evening wear. Once Katherin was ready she left Stella in the room and went to meet Thon. She exited the manor with her personal guard Anthony through a side entry way leading to a small garden. All to avoid her crossing paths with Oliver, who would send her back to her room.
They made it to the gate unobstructed to find Thon waiting outside the gate.
"Let him in, he is my guest!" Katherin ordered.
"Lady Katherin," the surprised guards greeted.
The guards opened the gate and let Thon in without delay. He walked in and greeted Katherin with a respectful nod.
"You forgot to mention it would cost me so much coin just to visit you," Thon complained jokingly.
"Don't fuss over small detail. You're here are you. Come in, dinner is about to be served," Katherin replied.
"Wonderful. Who's the boy soldier with you?" Thon asked.
"I'm Anthony Maon, personal guard to lady Katherin," Anthony answered.
"We grow up together on the estate, his father was the captain of my family's personal guard," Katherin explained.
The guards at the gate exchanged stunned looks. It was unheard off to address any noble so familiarly unless you were of the same stature of higher. Human society run on a clear principle of knowing ones place. One's standing was dependent on the wealth and status of their family. Seeing Thon's relationship with Katherin vexed them.
Katherin escorted Thon up the love carriageway to the manor, passing rose hedge and lush greenery. Oliver came out to meet them at the entrance. The three of them were laughing about something. They entered the manor, walked down a corridor off the foyer and came to the main dining hall. Every bit of the interior was dazzling to the eyes with all its fine décor.
Lady Lasha, lady Marielle, Klaus and Tomny walked in at the same time. They had confused expressions at the sight of Thon. No one said anything, everyone just took their seats. On one end sat lady Lasha, Klaus, Katherin and Thon, opposite them were lady Marielle and Tomny. The seat at the head of the table was left empty.
"Katherin my dear, why have you brought home another stray?" lady Lasha questioned.
"You mean this man who saved all our lives," Katherin retorted.
"Which is expected of a slave and certainly doesn't warrant sharing a meal with one," lady Marielle stated.
A brief yet awkward silence filled the hall. Even the guards and staff felt uneasy.
"Then maybe I should have stopped him rescuing anyone else and ruled the family myself," Katherin wondered.
"You envious shrew," Klaus hissed.
Thon never stopped eating his fill, enjoying the delicious roast hog with baked potatoes and steamed greens coated in a sweet and savoury sauce. Everyone else ate begrudgingly. The tension was thick enough to cut with a streak knife.
"You there, I apologies if my daughter leads you on with her interest in you. However, saving one's master should not give them the false assumption they are entitled to a seat at the table," lady Lasha expressed.
"My name is Thon, Thon Soko," he corrected her.
"Well, what a surprised. One of our bond slaves happens to be the son of a baron family," lady Marielle snickered.
Klaus gave a hearty laugh at Thon's expense. Though he was not bothered, he finished his meal and gulped down a glass of wine. Thon then took out the small bag he was carrying and emptied out two slave collars onto the table. They landed with a dull thud, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Regardless of station, a life debt owed must be paid or should I lodge a formal complaint," Thon pointed out.
"There is no need for that, do excuse my grieving mothers. What do you wish for?" an amused Katherin responded.
"To have Barett and I's bondage dissolved and a month's wages as a token of good faith," Thon replied.
"Is that all?" lady Lasha asked with skepticism.
"Yes, my lady. This and the survival of the Hamsten family are quite satisfactory," Thon answered with all sincerity.
Lady Lasha snapped her fingers and Oliver who was standing in the corner came to her side. She whispered something to him and he walked out of the dining hall. He returned minutes later with a tray carrying stationery and parchment on it. Lady Lasha put her signature on each paper and stamped them with lord Clain's seal.
Oliver then presented them to Thon who placed the sealed papers in the small bag. He proceeded to stand and bow before leaving the dining hall. Katherin followed after him.
"Bravo! I've never seen anyone other than my father handle those two so tactfully," Katherin praised him. "Do you really have to leave? I wanted us to have more fun together."
"Well, there is something you can do for me," Thon replied.
"Really, what is it?" she asked eagerly.
"Don't turn into your mother. Treat everyone you meet with decency regardless of their standing. I promise your life will be a whole lot more interesting that way," Thon petitioned her.
"Oh that, I can do that," she promised.
Thon gave her a loving pat on the head then let himself out. Anthony and Oliver stood beside Katherin.
"What a peculiar man," she remarked.
"Indeed, he is, whenever I'm around him he keeps me on my toes," Oliver said.
"I like him," Anthony added.
It was dark out at this hour. Thon took a carriage back to the outer ring. When he arrived, he walking into the closest inn and got a room for the night. For two silvers which is equal to sixty coppers, he had a spacious room with a wash tub in the corner and breakfast the next morning was included.