Morning came quietly
Auel opened his eyes to a dull ache behind them. He stayed still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, letting his breathing settle before pushing himself up
In the bathroom, cold water splashed against his face, then he let it drip and slowly raised his head to look at the mirror
He realized something at the mirror
Between the strands of black… white
Not gray, pure white almost silver
Auel clicked his tongue softly
He opened the cabinet, reaching for a small container, a black dye
Carefully, he applied it while making sure every strand was covered
From the hook near the door, he grabbed his clothes and slipped them on
Then picked up his katana, the familiar weight settled against his side
Before leaving, he took his good and let it rest around his neck
He stepped outside already biting into a loaf of bread as he walked toward the guild
The guild bar was load as always
Laughter, chatter, and clinking mugs, nothing ever changed
He pushed the door and scanned the bar, he found Erin
He walked toward her and realized that Rikka was not there yet
Erin was eating her morning salad and looked at Auel getting closer
"G-good morning" she greeted
Auel just nodded "Where is Rikka, is he not here yet?"
"N-no, I haven't seen him yet"
Then Auel went straight to the quest receptionist
"Good morning, how can I help you?" the receptionist greets
"Yes, Last week my party was going to get a compensation for our quest?"
Recognition flashed across her face "Oh, you are the one who took the red wolf quest right?"
"Yes"
"Please wait a moment"
The receptionist stepped away, returning shortly after with a pouch
"So, the compensation is twelve gold coins and the other party said that they will give some of their reward as your too, so the total is going to be seventeen gold coins and five silver coins"
Auel took it "Thank you"
The door opened again, Rikka walked in, He scanned the before spotting Erin
He went straight toward her and greet her
"Good morning"
"G-Good morning"
"Where is Auel? He hasn't wake up yet?"
"I'm here" Auel appeared behind him "You're the one who late"
Rikka flinched slightly
"Ow… Wait, where were you?" Rikka quickly changed the topic
"Taking our compensation"
Then Auel gave their share of the quest
Rikka's eye widened "Wew, that more than I thought we were going to get"
"Gramm's party gave us some of their rewards"
"What? Why?"
"I don't know"
Rikka grinned "Hmm… The you guys ready for our next quest, right?"
"Y-yes" Erin said while Auel just nodded
"Y-you guys can take the quest; I haven't finished my food yet"
Auel and Rikka walk towards the quest board and looked at the quest paper
Rikka took one of the quests and showed it at Auel "Hey, what about this quest? Kill a white elk?"
Auel glanced at it "Aren't that thing kinda big?"
"Umm… Yeah?"
"I don't know, I'm not in a mood of doing another big creature again"
"Well, that's lame"
Auel picked another quest
"I think it's better if we take something easier"
He showed the quest and Rikka examined it
"Bandit? Isn't that too easy?" Rikka said
"And considering the reward, it doesn't worth it"
"Yeah, but we can easily beat those bandits and take another quest, right?" Auel explained
"Hmm… I guess so"
They both walked to the quest receptionist
"We want to take this quest"
"Ok, hang on a sec"
The receptionist took the paper and stamp it
"Here, good luck on your quest"
They went to Erin table and explain about the quest
"So, we are going to catch these bandits, right?" Erin asked
"Yes, there should be rope we could take from the guild storage to tie them up" Auel said
"So, are we going to do it now?" Rikka asked
"No, it's too early" Auel explained "Bandits usually gather on their base at night, so we are going to do it tonight"
"Also, it's written on the quest paper that those bandits were seen near the forest on the south of the city"
"So, we'll meet again this afternoon, right?" Rikka asked
"Yes"
"So, let me guess, you two will prepare for this quest, right? So, see you then"
Rikka then walks toward the guild door
"Wait, where are you going?" Auel stopped him
"Umm… Training"
"Where exactly?"
"I usually trained at the east of the city, why?"
"I'm just asking, if there is something that we need to talk, it's easier to find you"
"Well, Ok. Then see ya!" Then he walked outside the bar
"S-So are you going to buy instant magic again?"
"Nope, I'm broke. I think I'll only buy an oil bottle, what about you?"
"Umm… I think I'll go to Loran's house, there something I want to talk about magic with him"
"I see… Then see you this afternoon" Auel walked outside the bar
"Y-yes, see you"
It's already afternoon, Auel and Erin already waiting at the city gate
And then Rikka appeared
"Hi, am I late" he greeted
"Nope"
"Then let's go"
They walked to the forest
"By the way, what did you guys do last week?" Rikka asked
"W-well we are doing some quest"
"Wait, what? Without me?"
"N-no, it was a quest about teaching magic"
"Teaching magic? How did it go?"
"It's not great… I'm not good at teaching magic, so I ended up failed"
"Sorry to hear that, but I'm surprised that you can use magic" He glanced at Auel
"I can't use magic, I'm there just to accompanied her"
"Are you just fully training last week?"
"Of course, there's nothing else I can do"
"Alone?"
"It's not that kind of training; I just tried to learn battle technique"
"Battle technique?" Erin asked
"Yes, did you saw Auel when we fought the wolf, he suddenly moved really fast, it's called battle technique, it's like a self-buff"
"Is it the same as magic"
"Quite the same" Auel answered "Everyone has mana in their body, what make every single person different is the amount of mana they have and how good they control it"
"Someone who can't use magic like us doesn't mean we don't have mana, that's why someone developed battle technique, it's like magic but it requires a little bit of mana"
"But what make it difficult to learn is the capabilities their body. If they can't handle it, they will get tired easily"
"That's why even though magic caster can use the same battle technique that I use to increase my speed, sometimes their body couldn't handle the after effect"
"S-so instead of using mana it consumes stamina?"
"Umm… kinda"
"So does Rikka's flame also a battle technique?" She asked again
"Yes? I think… It's a special technique which use will power instead of stamina?" Rikka explained
"Will power?"
"Umm… it's something like a will of living, the bigger the will the bigger the flame"
"So that's mean you can use it to?" She looked at Auel
He silenced for a moment
"No, I'm not interested in that technique"
They reached at the forest
"So how we'll find the bandits?" Rikka asked
"Just find anything that might lead us their basecamp"
They started to search for clues in the forest
Footprints, any items that left behind, anything
Then they heard a footsteps
"Quick, hide!" Auel whispered
They slipped behind the bush
Two men walked in front of them while one of them carrying a body on his back
"Are those guys the bandit?" Rikka whispered
"I don't know" Auel replied "let's find out"
They slowly followed those guys
Those men walked through the forest until they arrived at some ruins and went inside
In front of the ruins there were some people guarding the place
Rikka counted their number "Four of them, it should be easy. Let's split into half, ok?"
Auel nodded
Then they felt water coming up from the sky, it was rain
Auel put his hood while Erin and Rikka had to use their hand to cover their head
"Dang it" Rikka annoyed "Hey I can't use my flame in this rain"
Auel stepped forward
"Let me handle this"
He took his stance and waited for an opening
One of the bandits wandered around the area
"Why does it have to rain while I'm on guard duty?"
Then he saw something on the bush, a flicker of light
"What is that?"
In a split second Auel rushed forward
A quick draw
Slash!
Right on the chest
His body dropped on ground
The other bandits looked at the source of the sound
"Who's there"
Auel sheathed his katana, and took his stance, again, waiting
2 of the bandits rushed forward, one of them using a spear while the other using a swords
One of them stayed in front of the ruin's door, a magic caster
He raised his staff ready to casted a spell
Then Auel dashed forward
"Enhance Agility"
The magic caster started his incantation
"Lightning Spark"
A bolt of lightning shot towards Auel
He half drew, blocked the attack and immediately sheathed it back
The other guys already right in front of him ready to attack
On of them swung his sword
Then, a quick draw, creating an arc attack of lightning
The attack slipped right between those melee figther, not for them, but for the magic caster
Then he blocked the attack, deflecting it
Another attack came
Thrust!
He easily dodged it and immediately launched a counter attack
Slash!
Right into their chest
His arc lighting attack easily dodges by the magic caster
Then he casted another attack
"Earth Missile"
The ground trembled and raised
A sharp ground launched toward Auel
But he didn't hesitate, he rushed forward and dodge the attack
"Tch, Lighting spark"
Another bolt of lightning
And again, Auel blocked and released another lighting arc
With their distance the bandit unable to dodge
"Earth wall"
The ground trembled once again, creating a wall and blocked the arc lightning
But it blocked his vision
Without he noticed, Auel already beside him
Quick draw
Slash
His body dropped to the ground
Auel single handed took care of them
"It's clear, come out"
Erin and Rikka appeared from the shadow
Rikka whistled
"Wew, that was clean"