SECRETS OF EXOCLYUS

3: EASY WINS AND GRIFFIN WINGS

EXOCLYUS 3

  Stella stood infront of the bar...eatery that had been noisy since she got out of the inn, mentally preparing herself for whatever warzone laid within.

  She wasn't good with bars, she had to fight her way out of two of them. The first one happened because some fucker tried to grab her ass and after a firm warning failed she drove a knife into his thigh resulting in a battle against his goons. Luckily the bartender aided, she should stop by there and check on him.

  The second one was kind of her fault, in a drunken state she poured her drink on someone, then they fought for a bit, then they stopped to exchange stories. This country had its charm of both beauty and chaos.

  Still, if she was fortunate she'd get something to eat and drink then find a capable hunter to aid her, and if someone tries something stupid then she'll simply stab them, probably in the foot or ankle.

  So she can watch them crawl...

  Stella banished the thought, if she entered this environment with that mindset she could cause an unnecessary tussle and lose the chance to eat as well as find someone capable for her mission.

  Fortunately the moment she stepped in her reflexes kicked in and she dodged a dagger that would have sent her straight to the afterlife. The crowd standing opposite her looked both afraid and sad at how the one in their middle with knives in hand missed the painted target which was put directly next to the entrance.

  Yes. This was definitely a scene of Deratio's chaos.

  But she could use it to her advantage.

  "How much are you guys betting?" She asked.

  "Land all knives in green to get a hundred Fevs." One of them answered. "If you the pink one in the centre of the green you get three hundred fevs."

  Stella glanced at the target, that pink circle was about the size of a fly, but she was confident in her skill so she walked over and gestured for the blades, which were giving by the guy who almost killed her, he whispered a sorry and gave her space to work.

  Stella stared at the target for a moment, calculating how much strength she'll need to throw the blades properly, and at first everything seemed okay, her breath was slow as she concentrated on the pink dot right in the middle.

Then she blinked and suddenly the cold air had been replaced with a hot stagnant atmosphere, the bar switched for the open space of an archery range where she now stood with familiar sand beneath her feet.

  In Stella's hands there were still some knives, small ones, but still sharp enough to kill an unfortunate person. She looked at her target, it was empty of arrows however she had been using a bow until today for some reason she couldn't understand.

  "Why are we using these, Uncle Serzox?" Stella asked the man standing behind her, his skin shared the same colour of the sand around them, his head was bald but his chin had a bushy beard which he constantly stroked to look serious.

Wearing his armour he looked threatening, especially with that scar going through his lips, however Stella had known him since she could remember and ever since she was capable of combat he made sure she was experienced in all he could teach.

  "I asked your grandfather the same thing." Serzox told her. "Your mother and I stood in this very place with knives as our dad explained that although an arrow is great a knife is better. Something about being swift and much more dramatic against the enemy. So as tradition, I pass the skill down to you."

  "Wouldn't it be better if I learn how to use knives in close combat first?" Stella asked.

  "Haven't I taught you that already?"