15 Second Spin

"A Skill Wheel?" Mark asked.

"Yes Mark, a wheel with skills on it, crazy to imagine isn't it" Wilson replied sarcastically.

"Ok, let's spin!" Mark asked.

A tiny illusionairy spinning wheel appeared in front of Mark, It was around the height of a human adult hand. The wheel wasn't glamorous like the wheel of life, but instead was very plain. It was manufactured from wood and was nothing exciting to look at. The thousands of segments it was split in to were coloured in red and blue, with the occasional flutter of purple.

"That's a bit anticlimactic." Mark commented.

"Some people just can't be pleased." Wilson replied. "Give it a spin."

Mark grasped the illusionairy wheel and span it. It was much easier to grasp this time in his hand than the giant one from earlier.

"Spin, spin, spin oh mighty spinner." Wilson exclaimed.

The wheel clicked and clacked, spinning faster than Mark could keep track off. Glints of red and blue flashing in his eyes. The wheel continued to spin causing a spiral of colours that span in Mark's eyes.

"Close your eyes, and breathe." Wilson joked.

"These wheels spin for a long time." Mark commented.

"Don't they always." Wilson replied, "Now look in to the wheel, look in to my wheel, you are now under my control, I mean the wheels control."

The wheel continued to spin.

"Seriously Wilson will it ever stop?" Mark asked.

"Luckily time stops for everyone else when I spin my wheels." Wilson replied.

The wheel eventually slowed down and clicked through the different segments. Before finally coming to a stop on a purple segment.

"Congratulations on your new skill, The Lucky Spinner. This skill can be used when you are in a dire or emergency situation, you can choose to spin the Lucky Spinner and depending on your luck something will happen that will help you. Be wary though, if the situation isn't dire or your luck is bad, there can be side effects." Wilson explained. "This has almost unlimited uses, as it's your skill, but the risks increase every time for some bad luck."

"That's sounds ominous." Mark replied, "but also very useful!'

"Purple are rare skills so you could say your luck is good so far!" Wilson replied.

Mark sat pondering for a while, trying to plan the training for the morning, he wanted to have everyone doing some basic team building, getting to know one another would improve their teamwork on the field.

He also pondered how he would manage his team, He wanted to use those with high potential as commanders who could pull up the rests of the members skill levels. Little Tai, Gan Ning, Tsubotai, Boudica, Bertrand and Sakura were his only 4 star or above members, with the rest all 3 stars or below.

"Wilson, can you improve potential?" Mark asked.

"Me? No. You can though through hard work, remember, Rome wasn't built in a day." Wilson replied.

Mark nodded his head in agreement, he was thinking too far ahead.

There was a knock on the headquarters door, before it slightly opened. The moonlight shone in the room, surrounding the silhouette of Sakura as she headed in. Sakura had replaced her pirate gear with a flowery kimono. Her long black hair blowing in the gentle breeze.

The spinner disappeared as Mark looked at her entering. He smiled, suspecting an interesting conversation.

"Take a seat." He ordered.

She paced over to him and sat opposite. Placing her right leg atop her left.

"How did you know I wasn't a pirate?" She politely asked.

"How do you know my true goals?" he replied.

She smiled in response. Staring in to his eyes. Mark smiled back, refusing to answer first.

"Very well then." She laughed. "I heard your discussions in the Rupert's Rage with Edward Teech. I also want to fight for a new kingdom. The Honda Clan must die."

"Well that was more honest than I expected." Mark replied. "What's your story?"

"I don't see the point in lying, if you ever betray me or go in a direction I don't agree in I can kill you or leave." She replied, "My story? I was from a small clan in the north, we trained in subterfuge and assassination, loyal to the Honda Clan above anything else. They sent my clan on a mission against the Saladin Clan, they completed the mission, assassinating King Saladin's two sons, leaving on his sickly daughter alive. Upon their return, to make sure nothing leaked, he sent an army against our little clan. There was only a handful of survivors and we have all separated in the wind."

"So revenge for your clan is what you wish for?" Mark asked.

"Only the death of the Honda can wash away the shame of betrayal and defeat." She replied honestly. "Now how did you know I wasn't a Pirate?"

"I have an eye for understanding the basics of people." Mark replied, "I don't intend to lie to you, it is just hard to explain. But I knew you was not a Pirate, but I also knew you were not a bad person."

"I will support you until the Honda Clan is dead. After that I will help you build a kingdom free from betrayal." She added.

"Very well Sakura, you are now my head of intelligence, Congratulations on your new role." Mark stated, having decided then that having an expert in assassination and intelligence gathering could only be a good thing.

Sakura was taken aback. She hadn't expected Mark to give her a position of importance, let alone so soon.

"Thank you." She replied honestly.

"I am happy to see you have accepted. Your first mission is to go have fun tonight and learn more about our fellow members." He ordered.

She stood up from her chair, bowing slightly. She turned and walked to the door of the headquarters, only turning as she reached the exit.

"I won't let you down Mark." she offered, before her silhouette disappeared back in to the fort beyond.

Mark sat there alone for a few minutes, happy with the new developments. This Honda Clan really were bad, killing off their own people. As someone with a good knowledge of history and strategy he understood the move and it's merits, he just couldn't be that type of person himself.

Mark reached in to his pocket and pulled out Jama's letter. He placed it on the table and started to unroll it. The paper was crisp and seemed to have been written quite recently. Mark however wasn't sure as he didn't know the value of paper in this world yet.

He looked down and started to read:

Dear Jama,

I am writing to inform you that we have need of the Mount Tai Wood Bandits for an upcoming attack on Runetown. The Honda Clan have decided that the lack of respect and tax paid by these miscreants and pirate scum is unacceptable any more. They have agreed to pay a tithe of 1000 gold to any mercenary group that can conquer Runetown for the Honda Kingdom, and kill all those that dare to disrespect it's rule. We at the Wolfhead Mercenary Group would appreciate the support of the Mount Tai Wood Bandits due to their knowledge of the area and strength in battle. I would message Little John myself, but I appreciate you have a better relationship with us. The attack will commence on the next full moon, I expect to meet you at the edge of the forest at that time. There is 100 gold in this agreement for your bandits and a chance to permanently become part of the Woldheads. Maybe there is space for a new senior among us Jama.

The Clan have mentioned to keep Crassus and his belongings away from the fight, he is a loyal trader and worth keeping alive.

Yours Sincerely

Henry McIver.

An attack on Runetown? It was too early to declare against the Honda Kingdom, but he couldn't allow the town to fall. He had only been here for a few days, but the people he had met there were kind, and he needed that town so his Ravens Peak could grow. He needed to discuss this with his men tomorrow.

He stepped to the entrance and looked to the sky, the moon was but a small smile, but he didn't know how time traveled here, did he have a week, a month?

Mark headed to his room at the top of the headquarters, looking for some paper and a pencil. He started to sketch out the area he had traveled so far, creating a small map including Runetown, Ravens Peak, The Woods and Mount Tai. He marked key locations such as the fork in the road, the place the bandits had attacked them earlier, Ruperts Rage and Crassus Slave Market. He also drew how the fort looked now from above, and how he wanted it to look as it grew.

For now he would join the new recruits for a few cups of ale before heading to sleep. For tomorrow he would train and grow his force some more.