- Creation of Shadow

They stood outside an old, run down, out of commission tavern. A month had passed since her mother died and the two had left to establish the special force.

"This looks like..."

"Potential?" Garnell asked with a grin on his face.

"I was going to say a dump."

"You've got to look at it positively. It's old, unused, discreet. Just what we need for this thing I'm trying to create. Plus it's just south of Cranbrow, so you can check in on your brother whenever you're here. And it has four walls, a ceiling and some beds, what more could you ask for in a safehouse?"

"I guess it makes sense."

Following instructions given by the Garnell, she rolled up her sleeve and relaxed her arm.

Hestuck a small syringe into her upper arm and drew some blood, before inserting it into a disk-like device and injecting the blood. along the top face of the device lay seven lights, each representing a magical class.

The device hummed as it tested the blood. After a minute five of the lights lit up against his face.

His face flashed a stunned expression for a moment before he began laughing.

"What is it?" Tess asked, worry spreading onto her face.

"Your magical class. It's A class."

"That's good... right?"

He nodded. "Of course, magical class doesn't mean much on its own. This just means your magical potential, that being power and intrinsic knowledge can reach a pretty high level. You still have to work for it. And it can still be improved. Stamina is a factor that plays a part in it, but it's not something that we can measure."

He began to move away from the building. "Speaking of your potential, what magical elements do you have?"

"I... uh... I don't know," she said, timidly looking down to the floor in a learned reaction.

"I guess that makes sense, given where you grew up. Okay, there's a one word incantation that one can use to divulge what elements they have. First, cup your hands in front of you like this," he said completing the action as an example, holding his hands in front of himself with bent arms.

"Then just repeat the one word, loud and clear: Revlat!" he said, standing back and dropping the pose as he spoke.

"Revlat!" Tess echoed his shout.

Different actions occurred in both of her hands. In her left water began pouring out of her palm and ran out of the outside of her hand. On the right it became shrouded in darkness that smothered and formed the outline of the hand beneath.

"Two elements. How old did you say you were again, Ten?" the commander asked her.

She nodded.

"Impressive. I have no doubts that you'll be able to improve a significant amount. Anyway, come on."

"Where are we going?" she asked in a confused tone.

"There's a town not too far away from here, along the old, broken road. It's why the tavern was built in the first place. Once there, we should find an "adventurer"," he said adding air quotes to the last word.

"Why an "adventurer"?" Tess asked, imitating the movement.

"A fair amount of years back, nearly a decade now, when I wasn't in the leadership position I am now, I saved a man and his son from some nasty animals who had the gall to come onto the road to hunt unsuspecting travellers. That son swore to me that he would come if I called for him. Last I heard he had tried spreading his name as an adventurer and he was in this town."

He began walking South-East through the woods. "It's time to call, so that's why we're going there. He'll help us get this thing started."

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"Sign in and declare all weapons before entering the town," a man ordered them, entering their view from inside a small, narrow building on their left, just outside of the gate.

His short, wide stature consisted almost entirely of muscle. He greeted them with a smile, a kind gesture made menacing by the two-headed axe he clenched in his left hand.

Garnell scribbled their names down onto the sheet of parchment and gestured to his hip where a large sword hung.

"Very well," the man said, stepping aside to let them through.

"This place has a guard on the gate?" Tess wondered aloud.

"Indeed. It's a common practice in the northern territories, where the Guard is few and the bandits and beasts are many. Obviously it doesn't do much at face value, but us northerners are tough old bastards. We know how to fight for our homes, plus adventurers tend to frequent places like this," Garnell explained to her as they entered the town.

The sun had begun to set as they entered the town, casting an orange hue over the buildings and plantation. A gentle evening breeze whistled through the air, rending leaves from the trees that stood around the town.

As they entered, Tess could easily see the entirety of the town from the entrance.

A handful of stalls lined the path on her left, abandoned by their owners in favour of vices of booze, gambling and women. On the right stood the buildings that housed such vices.

Further along the road stood a little over a dozen houses, belonging to the denizens of the town.

Just inside the gate to the right stood a building labelled as an inn, large in both width and height, built from brick and mortar and finished with wood.

It was here their hunt began. The two entered and immediately went to the bar, where a middle-aged woman stood serving drinks to her patrons.

"We're here to find someone, name of Wilhelm Vos," Garnell told the woman. "Does he happen to be here?"

The woman nodded. "Second floor, room five."

"Thank you."

The pair weaved their way through the scattered tables and went up the wooden stairs, found along a wall at the back of the building Above them hung a spread of cheap-looking chandeliers around the room, spreading light to every corner. As they walked Tess picked up fragments of chatter among the patrons.

"This religion law is bullshit! Why should they get to be protected by worshipping something? For all we know, they could be making new ones just to threaten us!"

"I've spent some time over in Kerrun, and it's not looking too great over there. Mark my words, the nobility will collapse sooner rather than later."

"What's going on in the minor kingdoms? Thren, didn't you say you were there when there was a scuffle on one of the borders? I hope another minor war doesn't start, it's bad for business. BAH, it's none of our business up North."

"The Briniah mines have become active again!"

As they reached the top of the stairs, they found another flight above them. Along the other three walls were doors, each leading into a different room. There were eight rooms in total on the floor and, if the gaps between the doors were an indication, each one was of a fair size.

The picture on the floor above was similar, the only difference being the change in colour of the wooden strip placed in the middle of the beige wall.

Each door was labelled, making it easy to find the required room.

Garnell hammered on the door and was met with the muffled sounds of hasty movement inside.

The door opened to reveal a light headed man, covered only by a towel around his waist. His body showed signs of past training that had become recently neglected. Over his stomach ran a large scar, caused by a shallow wound.

On the bed visible from the door lay a naked woman, her slender body intertwined with the messy blankets sprawled over the mattress.

"How've you been, Wil?" Garnell asked him.

"M- Mr- Mr Garnell?" he stammered out.

"Hold on a second," he said as he saw Tess, before disappearing behind the door.

When he reappeared he wore a plain dressing gown that covered his entire body.

"Apologies. I didn't expect a Field Commander to be at my door, much less with a child."

"I'm no longer a Field Commander, I'm Vice-Commander now." Garnell corrected him.

"Really? Congratulations!"

"Thanks. How's your father these days?"

"He's good, at least I think. Last time I saw him he was living well in Medicia."

"Despite the hand?"

"Despite the hand," Wilhelm agreed with a nod. "Is the child yours?"

"She's my responsibility. And speaking of responsibility, I'm not just here for a quick chat to catch up."

"Naturally. Wait for me downstairs, give me five minutes."

A few minutes later he came downstairs, fully clothed in a simple outfit.

He quickly found them at their table and joined them. Once seated, he held his hand up to the bar to signal an order.

"How's being an adventurer been?" Garnell asked him as he sat.

"It's alright. Pay is a bit erratic, which is a major issue."

"If we had something that could fix that then would you take it?" Garnell asked as he leaned forward.

"I'd be interested in the idea," he replied.

"How do you feel about doing what needs to be done? About skirting the line between what is and isn't morally acceptable? About doing whatever it takes to win, to protect Rovinia?"

"I... I could do it, depending on how far across the line you mean."

"Not too far. Glad to hear you're willing."

"So what is this job?"

"A secret organisation, one that lives in the dark so the Guard can stand in the light. It'll be dirty work, assassination, coercion, infiltration."

"How big is this organisation? I've never heard of something like it, and I've heard some bad stuff."

"It doesn't exist yet. So far, it's just the two of you."

"Huh? Me and a kid? Are you serious?" Wilhelm exclaimed loudly.

"Deadly," Garnell responded in a monotone voice. "Need I remind you I shouldn't have to ask you to do this, considering you owe me?"

"No, no you don't. I'll help you."

"Great!" Garnell exclaimed with a wide smile.