Robin: Inevitable War

A Human's Height

Ten days had passed since Robin's first day of training. It was grueling work, but after he went through Titan's strength training (consisting of carrying heavy rocks and putting them in a pile all day long) he was able to lift and handle a sword pretty well. He had already been taught the fighting basics by one of the elites, which Robin suspected that they normally helped to train anyone who needs the extra help. 

Robin had become pretty good friends with Kamari, and they practiced every chance they got. Fighting against Kamari was extremely hard, but he was quickly rising up to his skill level. Also, Kamari's weapon of choice wasn't a sword; it was a whip. He wasn't very good at using a sword, but he had mastered ripping a weapon out of the enemy's hand with a quick flick of the wrist.

And something else had changed within the last few days. Robin now uses two swords instead of one.

Being a double wielder was so much easier for Robin. Not only did it give him more balance, it allowed him to continue fighting if he lost a weapon in battle.

I really want to move up to the redshirts so I can prove myself to the others. They don't think I can fight because I'm a cinder; made for survival, not wielding a weapon. I am finally at full-size now that I've turned fifteen. Being much faster than anyone out here is a big advantage, but they are still a lot stronger than me. Especially the redgiants. How do you go against one of those things without getting your head knocked off your shoulders? They're huge! I'm taller than the average cinder, and I'm taller than some of the humans. But the redgiants... they tower over me with a few feet to spare!

In order to advance to the next rank, I have to fight someone from the redshirts and I can't choose who I fight. It might be someone who just advanced, or someone who has been a redshirt for a long time. I just don't want to get humiliated in front of everyone by doing poorly. I can worry about this later. By the smell of it, it's nearly time for dinner.

The Mess Hall. Located near the middle of the lengthy cave, you can smell when the meal is ready from just about anywhere. Tonight they were having fish, boar, and whatever else they decided to cook up, but tonight was different. It seemed... more lively.

There were plates, food, and drinks of all kinds flying everywhere (by magic, of course) which was normal. But they were flying around as if they had a deadline, and Robin saw a few people get hit in the head with silverware if they weren't careful (which produced some laughs from the other assassins).

"Hey Robin! Over here!" Kamari shouted from across the room.

Robin jogged across the room to meet up with Kamari, dodging a roll of bread as he went.

"What's going on? Is this some sort of a special occasion?" Robin asked.

"I'm not really sure, I haven't been here long enough to see this much chaos in the Mess Hall. Maybe we're celebrating a Snake Hill accomplishment."

"Snake Hill?"

"Yeah. That's what this organization is called. Maybe 'cause we are training and living in a cave in a hill. We are also training in our enemy's land, trying to get as many supporters from King Umlaut as we can. Almost like a snake taking the mice away from a cat's food source, you know. But that's just my theory, the name probably has a deeper meaning to it. You should go to your table, it looks like we're about to eat."

Robin nodded and joined the table with a small group that he had been training with during practice. He didn't really talk to them very much, but they were the only ones who wouldn't make fun of him for having the 'deformity of having ears on top of your head and a tail coming out of your backend'.

A small bell rang from the back of the room and Esmara stood up from the head of the elite table. The assassins ate in the same groups that they trained in, and she always gave a small speech over progress before they ate.

"Today we have an important visitor eating with us," her voice projected around the room easily for everyone to hear. " and they come directly from King Hal. This is one of King Hal's closest advisors, so I want you all to be on your best behaviors for him today. Eating will start after he arrives. You may continue."

The Mess Hall instantly burst into an excited buzz when the news was told. Most of them had never seen anyone from King Hal's forces, and they were finally ready to meet a companion of the man they would soon be fighting for.

When he walked in, the room went dead silent once again. A tall, thin, and silver-haired human was all Robin could see of the man over the other's heads, and he walked in confidently as if he had done this before. He took the long way around the tables, sparking tension in the crowd. Every man in the room looked like they would jump out of their skin at any moment, waiting for the good or bad news that this newcomer brought. He exchanged a small greeting with Esmara before facing his audience.

"I mostly bring good news, and information on what your jobs will be when you join King Hal in the fight for land that is rightfully his. King Umlaut is, well... stealing the lands of those most in need of it, and then forcing its inhabitants off of it, or putting them into slavery if they refuse to leave. He takes away the farms of countries that can barely maintain a food supply, and decimates the small armies of poor countries if they try to fight back."

"The good news is, King Umlaut hasn't been able to so much as touch King Hal's land. With your help, we will drive all of King Umlaut's forces out of the countries he doesn't belong in and return peace to Feldragade."

"I understand that in order to keep training fighters here, you need coins for food and other supplies. We will continue to give this organization a certain amount of money per man sent to help us. Once you make it to King Hal's land, you will be given food and shelter in exchange for your services."

"We need some of you to come back with us, if that's ok with your leaders," he stole a quick look back at Esmara for approval before continuing. "I hope to see you all in training tomorrow. My name's Jafar if anyone cares to know, and I don't want to keep you from your food for much longer, so I'll end it at that."

Jafar took a seat next to Titan as Esmara gave the signal to eat.