Mastery Is Earned

“So when do you plan to leave?” Marcus asked. “I’m not trying to rush you. I simply want to know exactly when.”

“Five days from now,” Raymond said after some thought. “That will give us time to rest. Henk’s arming coat should be finished by then as well, so we can leave once he has it.”

Marcus looked Henk over and smiled. “Yes, you should’ve bought yourself some proper protection long ago.”

After chatting a little longer, Raymond and Henk left the town guard’s headquarters.

“We really should treat ourselves to a good dinner tonight,” Raymond said solemnly.

Henk grinned. “Agreed.”

Back at the Blackstone Inn, Raymond returned to his room and divided his money among several pouches. He made especially certain to keep the gold coin close to his body so he would not accidentally lose it.

The coin had not been minted by the Church. An ear of grain was stamped on its face, marking it as a coin of the Kingdom of Goldvale. Though both were gold coins, Raymond thought it looked slightly less pure than the Church’s coins.

After securing his money, Raymond washed his face and went back downstairs.

“Well, look who’s back. The hero of Blackstone.” Sophie teased him as he descended from the second floor.

She had probably heard the story from someone else and could not resist having a little fun with him. Sophie had been busy in the kitchen when Raymond and Henk came upstairs earlier, so she had not seen them return.

“Please don’t tease me, landlady. I’m no hero.” Raymond smiled.

“You’ve changed so much, Raymond.” Sophie propped her chin on both hands and studied him carefully. “Just over a month ago, you were such a thin, frail young man. Now you look much more like a grown man. The life of a mercenary seems to suit you. But you must be careful and protect yourself. Do you understand?”

Raymond nodded earnestly. “I understand. Don’t worry.” He took out two silver coins and handed them to her. “This is for my room over the next few days. And tonight, I intend to have a proper feast. You know what I mean, my dear landlady?”

“It would be my pleasure, dear Raymond.” Sophie winked and accepted the money.

Raymond smiled, then left the Blackstone Inn alone.

After winding through the town’s streets and alleys, he soon reached Carter’s home.

Mira was not practicing swordsmanship today. She was nowhere to be seen in the training yard. Carter sat alone in the middle of it, holding a wooden sword and staring blankly at a training dummy.

Only when Raymond approached did Carter return to his senses. His face lit up with surprise and joy. “You’re back, Raymond?”

“Yes, I’m back, Captain Carter.” Raymond entered the house, poured a cup of water, and brought it to him.

Carter looked at the cup, moistened his dry lips, and raised his eyes toward Raymond. Tears glimmered in them. “Raymond... Raymond!”

“I’m here, Captain Carter. I’m right here.”

“I heard... I heard they’re calling you the hero of Blackstone!” Carter accepted the cup with trembling hands, sending ripples across the water. “That goblin... I heard that goblin...”

“That’s right, Captain Carter.” Raymond steadied the cup and slowly guided it to Carter’s lips. “I killed it. I blinded its other eye too.”

“Good! Good!” Carter nodded repeatedly. Before he could swallow properly, the water went down the wrong way, and he broke into a fit of coughing. “Cough... cough...”

It took him some time to recover. When he looked up again, tears clung to the corners of his eyes.

Probably just from choking on the water, Raymond thought.

“Good.” Carter’s voice choked with emotion. “Tom and the others would take comfort in knowing you had avenged them.”

Raymond sighed but said nothing. He simply looked at the once-proud mercenary captain, now slumped in his chair like a worn old man.

Such was the life of a mercenary. They risked everything for a modest payment, only to end up dead or crippled.

He had to become stronger.

Much stronger.

Goblins, gnolls, fishfolk... Dragonblood Goblins and Dragonblood Gnolls. A black dragon.

The mist-shrouded Blackstone Mountains and Deepwater Lake near Brightwater had once been quiet, uneventful places. Now both seemed to be undergoing startling changes.

There was also the black dragon hidden somewhere in the depths, along with other unknown threats.

Something strange seemed to be happening to this world.

Raymond knew he could not stop it. There was only one thing he could do: grow stronger, then stronger still.

Only with enough strength could he face the unknown dangers ahead. Otherwise, he would be as helpless as any other mercenary when danger came.

But how could he become stronger?

The breathing technique? Or perhaps the magic people spoke of?

With creatures like the Dragonblood Goblin in existence, Raymond naturally thought of the magic found only in the tales of bards.

Perhaps magic truly did exist in this world. Maybe people had simply gone so long without encountering it that it had become nothing more than a tale used to fool children.

After a long silence, Raymond looked at Carter. “Captain Carter, would you like to eat at the Blackstone Inn tonight?”

“Eat? Of course! If you’re paying, I’m coming!” Carter seemed to regain his spirits and burst out laughing.

Seeing him rally, Raymond smiled as well. He brought over a chair, sat beside Carter, and told him about everything that had happened while he was away.

Evening soon arrived.

It was already dark when Raymond helped Carter into the Blackstone Inn.

The inn was especially lively that night. Almost every table was full, with the exception of one where Henk sat alone, his usual stern expression on his face. Raymond and Carter smiled and went over to join him.

“It’s been a while, Henk.” Carter smiled at him.

Henk grinned and nodded in greeting.

Raymond looked toward Anna, who was busy serving customers. She happened to glance his way, so he called out, “Anna, you can start bringing our food. I’ve already arranged everything with Sophie.”

“I know. She made sure to tell me.” Anna gave him a sweet smile.

The three men were making idle conversation when an unwelcome voice suddenly cut in. “Hey, Raymond. When did you slip away this morning? You left without saying a word to me.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from NovelPhoenix. Please report it.

Raymond turned and saw Teddy standing behind him with a blade of grass between his teeth.

Teddy glanced at Henk, then Carter, and dropped into the last empty seat without invitation. “So what’s the occasion?”

Raymond stroked his chin and grinned at him. “There really is some good news. I have a job for you.”

“A job?” Teddy’s eyes lit up. Then he saw Raymond’s expression, realized there had to be a catch, and immediately rose to leave.

Raymond reacted quickly and caught him by the arm. “I’m serious! I swear I’m not trying to fool you. Are you sure you don’t want to hear me out? This isn’t a joke.”

Teddy curled his lip. “You thought of me when something good came along? You’re not planning to send me after those gnolls again, are you? Don’t come to me with any job that will get me killed. I haven’t lived nearly long enough.”

“You’ve got me all wrong.” Raymond laughed. “I’m taking a shipment to Brightwater, and I need another person.”

“A shipment? To Brightwater?” Teddy immediately perked up. “Whose cargo? How many people are going? What’s the pay? Are food and lodging included? How long will we stay in Brightwater?”

“That’s a lot of questions. Can’t you ask them one at a time?” Raymond smiled at Anna as she approached with their drinks.

Anna returned a small smile, then walked away with a hint of shyness.

Ordinarily, Teddy would have teased Raymond about it. This time, however, all his attention was fixed on the new assignment. “Fine. First question: whose cargo is it?”

“Mine.”

“Yours?” Teddy stared at Raymond in disbelief, looking him directly in the eyes.

Raymond paid him no mind. He merely grinned and took a sip of his drink.

“Fine, let’s say it’s yours. How much cargo, and how many people?” Teddy asked after taking a drink of his own.

“Well...” Raymond looked at Henk and smiled. “Three wagons. You, me, and Henk. Three people.”

“What? Three people for three wagons?” Teddy’s eyes widened. “Who stands guard? Who takes watch at night? What about a scout? Are you sure three people are enough? Are you trying to get robbed on the road?” He glanced at Henk, then continued, “Or are you planning to let someone rob you so you can turn around and rob them instead?”

“Uh...” Raymond hesitated. He truly had not considered any of that. Three people for three wagons had seemed exactly right to him, and hiring anyone else would only waste money.

“If you’re joking, forget it. If you’re serious, I don’t have enough lives to play along.” Teddy stood and turned to leave.

Then he saw Anna approaching with a huge platter of steaming roast venison. The finest meat along the deer’s spine had been cut into one enormous steak, its surface covered with spices. The rich aroma filled the inn.

Teddy’s feet stopped moving. The other patrons turned to look as well.

“Damn, roast venison? At the Blackstone Inn? Now I’ve seen everything,” Teddy muttered. “This afternoon, I saw a hunter carrying a deer here with some men from the town guard. I wonder who...”

His voice trailed off as Anna walked directly to Raymond’s table and set the platter in the middle. Teddy stared wide-eyed at the meat as steam rose from it. The lard spread across its surface had melted and mingled with the juices dripping onto the platter.

“I heard Sheriff Marcus arranged this especially for you, Raymond,” Anna said softly beside him. She gave him a gentle smile. “The hero of Blackstone.”

Raymond waved a hand with a smile. “I’m no hero. You know that.”

Anna shook her head and looked firmly at Raymond and Henk. “You and Henk are both heroes. You’ve always been heroes to me.”

With that, she hurried away from the table without looking back.

Raymond lingered on her words. Honestly, it felt rather good to be recognized like that.

Teddy, who had been about to leave, quietly sat down again.

Carter, seated to his right, gave him an amused look. “Weren’t you leaving? Why are you...”

“Come on, bro. Raymond and I are practically brothers, bro.” Teddy grinned shamelessly.

Carter burst out laughing. He did not dislike people like Teddy. If anything, he admired the man’s ability to read a situation and act accordingly. Even so, he privately resolved to warn Raymond not to become too close to him when he had the chance.

More dishes followed the venison steak, including meat from the legs and ribs. Everything had clearly been prepared with great care, each piece roasted golden and fragrant. There were also four or five long loaves of bread, with roasted onions, carrots, and other side dishes. Each person even received a cup of warmed deer-blood wine sprinkled with spices.

The venison was tender, with a fine, even grain. Raymond cut off a large piece covered in sauce and put it straight into his mouth.

Teddy raised his deer-blood wine high and looked around the inn. “Everyone! Over here! This is Raymond and Henk! These two killed the goblin leader! Come on, raise your cups! To Raymond! To Henk! To the heroes of Blackstone!”

His words set the whole room alight. Most of the people present had noticed Raymond and Henk long ago. Once Teddy took the lead, the others raised their cups and began shouting.

“Raymond! Henk!”

“Raymond! Raymond! Raymond!”

“Henk! Henk! Henk!”

“Goblin Slayer!”

“Goblin’s Bane!”

“Heroes of Blackstone!”

As everyone raised their cups, Raymond rose with his own cup of warm deer-blood wine and spoke in a solemn voice. “Thank you, everyone. But this was not a victory worth celebrating. We lost many comrades in that battle. This drink is for the fallen!”

Raymond drained the cup. The others followed his example and shouted, “To the fallen!”

Raymond poured himself a full mug of ale and raised it. “This one is for Graypine Village!”

“To Graypine Village!”

“To Graypine Village!”

After draining two cups without the slightest discomfort, Raymond filled another large mug and called to the crowd. “And this one is for every comrade here tonight! Defeating the goblins wasn’t my achievement alone. We did it together! To Blackstone!”

“To Blackstone!”

“To Blackstone!”

“These three rounds are on me!” Raymond shouted to Sophie.

The inn erupted. Everyone cheered, calling Raymond’s and Henk’s names. From time to time, someone shouted that they were the heroes of Blackstone.

Raymond smiled and returned to his seat, ready to continue eating. Then he noticed Carter staring at him in surprise. “What is it, Captain Carter?”

“You’ve surprised me, Raymond.” Carter smiled. “You’re much more levelheaded than I expected.”

Raymond grinned and was about to reply when four men carrying cups staggered toward him.

All four were armed and appeared to be mercenaries. Their leader wore padded armor, while the others were dressed in linen. Their equipment was nothing remarkable.

Raymond stared at their leader in surprise. After a moment, he remembered them. They were the mercenary party that had competed with him for Bob’s escort job, though Bob had ultimately chosen Raymond and Henk.

“Raymond.” The leader nodded to him, then glanced at Henk. “Henk.”

Raymond raised his cup and touched it against theirs. “Good to see you again. How have you been?”

“Not well at all.” The mercenary gave a bitter shake of his head. “Never mind. There’s no point talking about it. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“You killed those goblins. One of my comrades was wounded and resting in Graypine Village that night. Then...”

His hand tightened around his cup. He tipped it back and drained it in one swallow.

The men behind him raised their cups respectfully to Raymond and Henk, then emptied them as well.

“Thank you, Raymond. You avenged my comrade.” The mercenary sighed. “There’s nothing left for us here, so we’re going to Brightwater to look for work. Maybe we’ll meet again someday.”

With that, he led the others back to their table.

Henk drained his cup, let out a heavy sigh, and resumed eating.

Teddy kept his head down, lost in thought as he silently ate.

Then something occurred to Raymond. He looked at Teddy curiously. “You said it would be dangerous for the three of us to travel to Brightwater?”

“Of course. With no guards, you’re practically announcing that you’re easy prey,” Teddy replied irritably, then glanced at Henk. “No offense, Henk.”

Raymond pointed toward the four mercenaries, who had already returned to their seats. “What if we brought four more people who were heading to Brightwater anyway?”

...

Five days later, three wagons loaded with ore, hides, animal horns, and bones rolled out of Blackstone. Raymond, Henk, and Teddy each drove one.

Henk was now wearing his new arming coat along with a pair of leather bracers. The outfit fit him well, making the already imposing half-orc look even more intimidating.

The other four mercenaries rode on the wagons’ flat wooden beds as the group left Blackstone.

On the night of the gathering at the Blackstone Inn, Raymond had approached the four men and briefly explained his plan to travel to Brightwater. He asked whether they would be willing to leave with him five days later. The offer was five silver coins for all four of them, with food and lodging covered along the way.

They were mercenaries from out of town and could find no work in Blackstone. They had finally found work hunting goblins, but even after working themselves ragged to kill more than a dozen, they had not earned enough to cover their living expenses. After losing one of their companions, they had even less desire to remain in town.

Even without a job taking them that way, they had already intended to make their own way to Brightwater. Traveling with Raymond’s group would also earn them enough to cover the journey, so they had no reason to object. They accepted his invitation immediately.

As they left Blackstone, Raymond could not help looking back at the town gates.

He wondered when he would return, and how much Blackstone might have changed by then.

During a stop along the road, Raymond waited until the others were tending the horses, then quietly took the kobold hidden beneath a tarpaulin into the nearby woods. After making sure no one else was around, he set it down. “You’re free. You can go wherever you want now.”

The kobold stared at him blankly and surveyed the completely unfamiliar surroundings. Only when it spotted the familiar outline of the distant mountains did it slowly recognize the direction of the Blackstone Mountains. “But where should I go? What place? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“I don’t know either.” Raymond sighed. “Only you can choose your own path. Do you want to follow me forever? I can’t always look after you.”

The kobold’s tail twitched. It stared toward the distant Blackstone Mountains and fell silent for a long time. “I heard them call you the hero of Blackstone.”

“They did. They think I saved many people.”

“I want to be like you. I will go and rescue my own people.” The kobold spun excitedly in place. “I’ll save them. I’ll become a hero too.”

“A hero? Good.” Raymond smiled and handed it a large sack of food he had prepared in advance. “First, make sure you stay alive, hero.”

“A hero! I’ll stay alive! I’ll save them! I’ll become a hero too!” The kobold happily hoisted the sack onto its back and spun around several more times.

Raymond smiled and shook his head before turning back toward the caravan.

The kobold hid behind a tree and watched Raymond’s figure recede into the distance.

“Farewell, hero.”

*End of Volume One*