Alchemi ( volume 1 of the "Swirdiniad " series

Soren

Soren sat on a chair inside the Wyvern Wing tavern. He took a sip of beer and slammed the mug down. A few chuckles could be heard from the group behind his table.

" Who's that Xiniang?" one of the men asked as he gestured to Soren.

" No idea. Perhaps he would refine us on the ways of becoming ' refined '. Damn annoying that is." his partner laughed.

Soren could hear the conversation loud and clear. He swallowed the urge of trying to murder them. There was a difference between insane and sadist and he did not want to cross the line.

" Mate, they're talkin' 'bout you" the bartender whispered.

Soren did not answer the question. He just sat there and pretended to stare at his mug. His vision was getting a bit blurry and he was swaying a little, but there was nothing that Fellashumy couldn't fix, except death of course.

" Ha, he can't even handle a cup. " one of the men from the table shouted. The whole table burst into laughter.

Don't kill them. Don't kill them. You don't have to kill them.

Soren tightened his grip on the mug and grit his teeth. His vision was getting more blurried by the minute. His head was aching and every second, it got worse.

"I bet he's going to puke, " the bulky patron said.

" I bet 10 Dras that he will. " a man with a bow strapped onto his back offered.

" No, I don't think he will. " said another person from the table.

Soren had enough. He flung his mug at the biggest man on the table, but with his blurry vision, he missed by a great deal and he hit a woman wearing a black cloak, a vest and a pair of pants. She pushed herself up from the chair and shouted " Who threw it?"

The bar became earily quiet and the bartender leaned closer to Soren.

" What have you done?" he whispered.

The woman walked to him and grabbed him by the collar. " Who do you think you are?" she asked with fury.

Soren smiled and gave her a wink before kicking her in the face. With a quick hand, he unseathed his dagger and pinned her to the wooden floor with a dagger on her neck. He transferred some intoxication energy to her and his vision cleared instantly. His headache was gone and he could think properly.

Soren laughed and purred, " Now who do you think is in charge?"

The woman didn't answer. She shook with fear which she didn't try to mask.

" Me." he said before driving the dagger into her windpipe.

She tried to scream,but couldn't. She stopped moving and died. Soren pulled his dagger out and shouted to the crowd " If any of you messes with me, I swear, you will die. " he gestured to the woman with the kinfe then walked out.

He infused a little of his gravitational pull energy into the door. It's hinges shook and the wooden gate fell onto the stone paved path with a loud clang.

Soren felt lighter and he jumped onto the windowsill of the bar. He grabbed the carved ledge and looked down. The bartender that talked to him stomped out and shouted " Hey you, Xiniang! " the bar keeper noticed that Soren was not anywhere nearby so he stomped back into the tavern.

Soren really needs to raise his alcoholic tolerance level if his employers will always schedule their meetings in a bar. He glanced at the establishment beside the bar and he leaped onto the highest windowsill. He hauled himself up and sat on the ledge. He absorbed the gravitational pull energy of a chime and the tribket floated. He'd have to steal the chime to cover his tracks, but now, he'll just wait for his employer to come. The pulled out an unfinished wooden sculpture from his pouch and unseathed his dagger. He started carving out the shape he intended.

Carving always calms him down for some strange reasons. It might've been because his father was a wood-worker. No, he shouldn't think about the past, it always brings sorrow. Instead, he tried to listen for footsteps.

After a few minutes of carving, he heard a faint splash. They're here. 5 hooded figures emerged from the darkness. Their faces were concealed by masks and all their exposed skin were hidden undearneath brown cloaks which reached the ground.

Soren grinned as he infused hus gravitational pull energy into the wind chime. It fell on the wooden floor with a loud ding. Soren pulled up his scarf and leaped onto the roof of the tavern's porch. One of the hooded people looked up and said in a neutral tone, " Yun-Sao-Ren, we are very delighted to speak with you. Please follow us inside. "

Soren was shocked. Only his parents and his closest friends knew his name. How could have the man, who was clearly a Swirdin, know his real name? 

He ignored the question for now, and slid down the roof of the porch. He landed in a half-crouch, got up and followed the hooded figure in. He just hoped that it would not turn out like the last meeting which involved a few dead men and showing his true potential.