Essence Chronicles Book One a New Age

A Full Agreement (view of Khar'jo)

The sweltering heat continued to beat on my back as it had done the past 3 days. Though, I could care less, because I was arriving at MY town The Town of Mercenaries Azert'hin. The first sign of my memory being correct was the weather; from frosty blizzards to the sweltering heat the weather left no comfortable place outside. The strange weather patterns of the town are caused by a certain rift in temperatures; whether or not they were a natural phenomenon or a curse of essence still eludes my knowledge.
As I continued to walk I started to see some local landmarks I remembered. Some normal markets filled with crime, the same pile of bones from a man long forgotten, to the many holes and cracks caused by battle some caused by my own work... Finally after 20 minutes of weaving between the crowded streets of thieves, citizen, and merchants all alike I saw it. The Dizzy Arrow Tavern the most horrendous part of the port city and yet my favorite. I breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of having a cold ale with some warm meat from an unknown animal whilst watching fights unfold all from my seat.
As I walked in I was immediately pissed... there in MY seat the most left to the barkeep sat a hulking man who had no expression what so ever. Even worse he could care less about the taverns most important thing, the job board despite sitting straight across from it.
I quickly walked up to the man and before getting to fully assess my situation words of a great many years taut with stress spoke," is there a problem Freoxane? You have a look of discontent on your face. How might I help remove that misplaced scowl?"
Then without thinking, as I usually do when I am agitated, I snapped,"Ohhhhh great wise one you can help me by getting out of my damned chair!!" Perhaps a bit sarcastic but whatever.
"Well there is no need to be snappy YOUNG ONE, how is this your chair? I simply walked in and saw an open spot with no reservations or rules" he softly replied. A fair response I suppose.
He was getting on my nerves despite this I tried to keep my cool and then replied," That is my chair , MY SPOT because I earned it. How? Oh I don't know maybe by returning there job after job, journey after journey, fight after fight. It is mine because I own nothing and this is all that is familiar to me, a seat that waits for my return." Only after uttering these words did I start to process what I had said and how my tone got sharp quicker than I could care to admit.
Then the aged voice shouted," You young insolent damned soul this is merely a custom to you, a chair that isn't sat on is useless. It is useless as you using your fake fame to try to bargain me out of my current seat. Now you are going to walk your cocky ass out of here with me and we will settle this like men."
I was taken a back I couldn't argue he was right and yet the mood that shifted from him also caught me off guard so I merely nodded my head and scuffled on out. My head hung in embarrassment with the whole tavern staring at me and snickering. Whatever, this would be quick and they would be praising me again in no time.
As the huge old man stepped out I saw my situation my problem. No, not a problem he was another target not a problem. My target before me: a huge at least 8 foot tall, 30ish looking man with defined muscles. But his well toned body and towering stature wasn't the most noticeable feature, it was in his eyes and embedded in his demeanor; both of them showed years beyond his of experience and pain. Lastly the important thing to the fight, he was tired, he had a slight limp and he held no weapon probably due to the fact anything useful to a normal person would be useless to him. But... I heard a steady stream almost not even a sound almost a feeling. I dismissed it. It's probably all the other energies around me.
Then before I could address him, he said, "well Freoxane you done sizing me? I know it's your specialty, but you've missed some key components. You are soft and sloppy."
What?! Buy how could he know about the Freoxane's biggest secret in battle that not even my tribe understood what it was fully! It could be a bluff but a guess on race with my cloak covering every feature of my body that'd be impossible. But for knowledge on my tribe that would mean he'd be hundreds no, thousands of years old to even have any information on that. But, he looked young like as if he was in his 30s. It was then while I was suprised he attacked....
I heard it first, a constant flow of crackling and popping not of a fire but of electricity. He was holding his hands together in a symbol of a sort. Then he spoke in a calm voice," opponent of mine why do you hesitate I know you can fight. Are you scared because this is the only chance you'll have to esca- no kill me."
Shit! He was right I must cut him down. I threw of the peasants cloak to reveal my self, my other cloak and most importantly my weapons. As I dashed forward at him I drew my sword while the ancient Gra'te'hesh fragments of a sword moved with the fluid movement of my tails. It was second nature to me to control a fight that's why I was caught off guard because I didn't start it I felt I had to catch up in prepping.
As the 9 fragments enclosed around him and I went to pierce his jugular he stepped aside into a fragment cutting his side but making me miss. I quickly recovered and went into an upper slash before I made contact I felt a jolt, blue encased my vision and mind everywhere for a split second then it disappeared. He shot me in the back with lightning and he was about to shoot again.
Well this isn't good my tails we're twitching violently so I couldn't use my fragments very well and I didn't have good armor that other mercenaries or knights of my caliber would use because I chose to sacrifice armor for mobility.
As soon as he shot of the lighting off again he called out," Byrthiest glartch!"
Now I can't use essence or magic but I understood the language of it as an assassin and merc I would need that knowledge. What he was using though was top tier it loosely translated to light ballista. I had a split second before it hit...

Without thinking I stabbed through one of my tails stopping it from twitching and at that moment momentum from the fragment for that tail caused the shard to fly in front of me and I grabbed it barely.
The momentum carried out of a direct hit and I used the shield to deflect the shot. But, he wasn't deterred he kept shooting I kept fighting for my life until I realised my tails stopped twitching.
I pulled my trump card then. The technique was called butchers cage by any other assassin that's because the didn't have what I have my version was guillotine the blades planted around him I pulled with my tails propelling me forward and pulling all the fragments in on him.
He did what I expected shoot the fragments of danger out as I shot forward aimed perfectly at his throat, a killing move for sure.
"By the God's that's the Gra'te'hesh stop it foe I need you alive!"
What a request I didn't stop for his life, I stopped because he called out its name the thing I just spent years on getting from old places and forgotten people. What did he know?
I barely stopped my sword right at his throat the 2 fragments used to propel me around the nape of his neck.
He simply said," well that was a fun fight. Anyways those fragments you have are from my old sword. I'm sure you know it's name. I'm also certain you got the fragments from strange places. Why do I know this? I planned it."
What? I thought he knew about it! He is important, if not for his skills for his knowledge on the sword, I feel this is someone I need.
He continued his speech," I used to be a great warrior I beat every foe down with that massive sword but fights like that weren't interesting anymore, my life was dull so, I destroyed it placing the fragments around the world keeping only one. I did this to find someone to change the world with me."
"What change the world? You're crazy you mad man we can't do that! This country won't even change!" I exclaimed.
"But, it can young one I've seen it happen century to century, age from age." He calmly replied.
"Who do you think you are? Your crazy and like, 30. I've been around longer" I retorted. That was a lie but he didn't know that, a worthless bluff I soon realized.
He sighed and said, " My name is Hollow one of the last druid giants cursed with immortality."
I took it, maybe I'm a fool for believing him. But, anything is possible and he had an allure around him of adventure. Was this change not a major one what scale would this be on. Regardless change from my hard lifestyle seemed calming yet I felt somehow that life wouldn't become easier on the quest offered. All this I gathered from an aura of calm and knowledge around him.
As I was about to accept he tossed me something. A triangular metal thing and I swatted it. No, not catch as I should've done... I swatted it and that caused it to lodge in my hand almost magically but it didn't hurt.
I shrugged not caring about it as if it was already distant memory. I drew closer. I then said ," Hollow you may be crazy but I'm no better I'm Khar'jo an exiled Freoxane and I accept your proposition."
Then with out another word but a silent understanding we left to get money from a bounty already accepted for our travels. I had forgotten about "my" chair.