The Gift

Roy was currently traveling with a small cohort of his minions, as they slunk through the back alleys of the slums to the more "commercial" part of the outskirts. They carefully avoided the heavily trafficked paths and scrambled across the rickety rooftops, where the long sweeping legs of the adults couldn't reach for a swift kick. Eventually reaching a large wooden shed. Even for the outskirts, it was quite dilapidated, its crumbling and rotten wood in start contrast with the (also dilapidated) brick and stone structures that prevailed it in its vicinity.

One of the bigger kids, a rarely seen blondie-blue eyes hulk of a boy (at least by slum standards) raised his fist, causing the rest of the children to scuttle into the streets, leaving only him and Roy. With a nod from Roy they walked side by side into the "building", with the larger boy holding the creaky door open.

What awaited inside was a cloud of dust and an old man with a monocle polishing an ancient looking bronze watch. Similar pre-drowning trinkets lined the walls and the two leaning shelves making the already cramped space feel even more claustrophobic. While the blondie began coughing from the dust, Roy ran his hands delicately over a set of knives, subtly sliding one down his "pants".

The old shopkeeper flicked his eyes towards the blondie before setting his watch aside and straightened his woolen vest (wool garments were quite rare in the outskirts), before setting his eyes on Roy.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite little carrot-top and his friend. Anything I can do for you? A peppermint perhaps?" he crooned taking out a small plastic wrapped mint from under his table.

Roy shrugged and pocketed the mint before firing off a string of questions. "Know anythin about da Union sending their enforcers out here? Does it have anythin to do with the new Ezereth church? What ya thin they looking for".

The old man closed his eyes and sighed.

"I don't know anything or think anything kid. Better for you and me that way. Just stay out of their buisness-"

"That's bull Davis and you know it. We be seeing their enforcers crawling all over da place for weeks, and it just so happens that a Diver popped up today, and tried to pull a slick one on me. I'm tired of not knowing." Roy slammed the flimsy counter and glared at Davis's faltering gaze before taking out a wallet full of blue paper. "Dis is city money right?" Walking up to the old man he wagged it under his face before leaving it on the table."

"Answer me Davis, and dis is yours."

Seeing the greed in the old man's eyes he was surprised when he simply clasped his hands.

"I beg you Roy don't ask this of me, this is out of our control....."

His sentence was interrupted by Roy tossing the wallet over the counter. "Talk. Its urs."

Davis grabbed it and began to fervently counted the bills before licking his lips as he leaned over the counter to whisper. "I don't know much, but I was Annie's when I overheard Tom and Harris arguing about selling some girl from the upper district. Later that day they were found in a ditch with their stomach's ripped out. Someone said they saw an undead do it, but I think its poppycock. Still better to avoid their kind. Tell you and your gang to lay low, and avoid Elmira's sanctum."

Reaching under his counter/desk he slapped a large cloth wrapped object on the table.

"Didn't think I'd see you nick that blade, eh? Well keep it." he coughed.

Roy raised an eyebrow. The Davis he knew wasn't a generous one.

"Instead take this too." He slid it across the counter and waited for Roy to grab it.

He grabbed it gingerly, as if even its touch would scald him.

"Go on, open it." Davis urged.

Unwrapping it Roy found a beautiful ornately carved short sword. But as he drew it in for a closer glimpse, it crossed a beam of sunlight and color bounced all over it.

"It's a mithril dagger, but for someone of your stature it'll do you better job than any other blade." he chuckled.

Roy found himself staring at it. In the daylight, it shone bright greens and blues, but once place in shadow it appeared like any other blade; albeit with a slight silvery glow.

Glancing at Davis then his ogling lieutenant, his eyes narrowed into slits. "Whadya you want for this. Ya this is worth more than I can afford and your not the giving kind, especially after all the shit we gib you for bothering Annie. "

Davis raised his hands in a gesture of submission. "Hey I consider the Annie incident a win for you and me. You'll had your fun, and her dog didn't didn't bite me to death."

Receiving a dubious look from Roy, he spluttered "What, you know how I act when drunk. You think I would do that if I was sober?"

Roy shook his head and threw it back to Davis. "Sorry, na can do. If ya can't tell me where ya got it, or why ya wanna give it then I wont bite."

He turned around and began for the door. Rolling his eyes at blondie's look of distraught, he murmured as he passed him "Not this one Tank. Too risky."

"ALRIGHT FINE!" Davis banged his table so hard it finally broke.

"It's my brothers. He sold his soul to a fae when he was six for some bread, and this was all we could find of him. Life wasn't always this bad ya know." His face softened as he held up the dagger. "No matter how tough you are, how unfair life is, kids are kids. You guys shouldn't be going through all this. What am I doing taking this from kids, here take your money too. All I ask of you is to live. Sell it, use it I don't care. Its a reminder of the past I want to forget. Please." He wrapped the wallet and dagger together in the same cloth, held it out and met Roy's eyes/

Roy stared at him for a second. 'Is he lying? Of course he's lying, and I'd be a fool for believing him'. But just as he was about to refuse he saw a slight glimmer of tears in Davey's eyes. Cursing, he doubled back and grabbed it. "No regrets alright?".

Then he stormed out dragging Tank with him, pausing only to slam the door as the first of Davey's teardrops fell from his cheeks.

One they were out of earshot Roy broke into a run.

"How'd you got Davey to do all that for you. That's why you da boss!" Tank exclaimed, his eyes wide in admiration as he raced after Roy.

"I didn't do anything. Dunno what happened there, but I don't feel good about it." Roy said without breaking stride.

"Here's what you did. You got Davey to hand over the money, got your info and even nicked a sweet sword! Stop walking so fast-I can't catch up and the small ones are falling behind." Tank panted.

"Nuthin I'm proud of. All I did was make im cry and took what he wanted me to take." Turning around he abruptly stopped and looked up at Tank. "Ya good?"

"Yeah, just gimme a second. The kids are running behind too. Why the rush?"

Roy looked at the bundle in his arms then back up at Tank. "Didn't wanna see him cry. Took is stuff, least I can do is lettim keep his pride."

Only the biggest and strongest ruled the streets. That was the rule that Roy had broken 4 years ago when he had taken control of district 7 of the slums, and he did it by being the smartest and meanest. But he could try to squeeze some kindness out when he could.

A group of kids barely a couple of years younger than him barreled into him from behind, almost causing him to fall over. Panting but still smiling they giggled as the peppered him with questions.

"What he say?" "Ya beat him?" "What that funny stick?" "Can we go back now?"

Roy cracked a genuine smile as he drew them into a group hug, with Tank awkwardly standing to the side. "Here's what. Tell ya later, I got a good story for you and a surprise. But first we gotta move."

Releasing them, he hefted himself up a couple crates and disappeared into the rooftops with his followers hot on his heels.

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The sky had become a dark dusky purple when Roy finally managed to get the kids to settle in their makeshift shelter. They had groaned for a fire for hours and Roy had worn himself out keeping them entertained long enough for the sun to set. Currently they were resting in an abandoned part of the district, on the fringes of the outskirts. While they did run the risk of an occasional mana beast or two, it was more preferable than having their stomachs ripped out by some random God empowered freak. Out here, where nature had almost all but taken over the city terrain, foot traffic was basically nonexistent except for the occasional herb digger or two. It would be a good place for them to lay low and live off their stored cache's of food for a couple of weeks while the Chosen took care of whatever the heck they were doing in his district.

As sun was on the verge of disappearing over the towering walls of Rodina, Roy lifted his new dagger. It was sharp beyond anything he had ever seen (already two of his crewmates had nearly lost their fingers playing with it) and shone with an unearthly glow. Perhaps this was what they were looking for? Maybe it was better to ditch it while he could.

"Dumb gits need to get their as*ses back in the walls and stay there." Leaning against a large stone he looked around to see his crew, 32 kids in total between ages 13-4 sleeping in groups of 4-5 in patches of tall grass. Noticing that the two girls he had placed on watch were watching him, he gave them a scowl and wrapped the blade back in its original cloth. First thing in the morning he would sell it off. But for now.... sleep.