The Path I Would Choose

"Of course! Your Member told me you needed to get a quick dungeon run. I heard that you only drink the blood of virgin women! You do drink blood don't you?" Crass asked as we followed him into the shop.

"I will settle for the blood of a fit and able male if you don't hurry up," I said with a devilish smile.

If the standard for virginity was male penetration, then he wasn't completely wrong, but I didn't have time for games. Crass put his hands up in surrender and then stepped to the side with a bowing flourish.

Three swords were waiting, and Lesha let go of my hand to go and examine them. There was a rapier and two long swords, none had gems or decoration, which was a good sign.

My father had always said that a weapon should not be some fanciful thing. If the blacksmith is serious, he will make a product that is strong and built to do the job it was meant to.

Killing; if the weapon wasn't strong, it could break in battle. If the weapons pommel, hilt, or guard were to shine or sparkle, it would make you a target.

Lesha picked up each weapon, but she took the rapier. That was a good choice and when she advanced past Ruby Rank she could become a Duelist.

Each class had advanced classes that were decided by your style of fighting and your weapon choice{Insert Fat Boy Slim in BG music}. If she continued with the long sword she would become a knight, and then I didn't know.

Some classes had not been discovered, or if they had we had not heard about them. Knowledge was still very limited about these things, and new classes were said to be discovered all the time using unique weapons.

"Thank you, Mr. Crass, I will get some good use, and next time we will stay longer!" Lesha said as I dragged her out of the Forge.

"Come on look at the sun," I said, starting to walk back to the group that was waiting for us.

"Coming!" Lesha said after she belted on her new weapon.

I turned to grab the brown folded paper that had the meat, but I got drawn into Lesha's body movements and almost missed grabbing the meat.

"Jeez, K, quit gawking at your girlfriend and get going, and grab ahold of the meat properly before you drop it!" Candi scolded me, coming over with Trinity.

"Awe, you were Gawking at me, baby?" Lesha said as she brushed by me.

I grinned at Tim and got a better grip on the paper-wrapped meat that was starting to make my mouth water.

"Remember, stick together," I said, before turning to jog to catch Lesha.

"Yes, boss mom, I mean Guild Leader!" Tim joked, calling out.

I really need to get a handle on these rapscallions! Each one of them had their own brand of lip, except Corbit. He was the only one out of the bunch that seemed to respect me or at least fear me enough not to give me lip like the others.

I handed Lesha two meat kabobs and she held on in her hand, attacking each, but switched back and forth. I smiled to myself as I bit into my own meat skewer. As good as it was, the other hunger made the enjoyment of the flavor was only a minor enjoyment that still left me to feel hollow and cold.

I picked up my pace and Lesha did the same, she understood what I was feeling.

As we neared the edge of town, I started to think about what kind of Guild Leader I wanted to be. Did I really want them to change? Would not every one of them fight with me if I asked? Maybe that was part of our misfit's charm, and who didn't it really matter to if I was aiming for the top?

I wanted to have happy and friendly members that could trust each other. Maybe I would just have to teach them to tone it down in public, but I don't think I wanted them to stop completely.

All these people had become my family after this short time, and I liked the relationship that we all had. I just had to become a more respectable Leader that made better choices, and this would come with practice and learning from others like Jester.

We had finally reached the dungeon; it wasn't far out of the city; less than five minutes of speed walking. Now we stood before the oily archway.

"Ready?" Lesha asked, pulling out her new rapier.

"Yes, let's go," I said, talking Lesha's left hand and stepping through.

On the other side was a wet and dank cave, with a long hall and an open doorway at the end. Great, but I should have enough. I would just have to be fast.

"I need to summon Gobby for this, but then I will need your blood after, so you have to control yourself, or I will have to order you to stay, okay?" I asked Lesha, but she nodded right away.

I put my hand out and pulled most of my remaining blood and let it pool in my hand.

"Summon Blood Gobbler!"

The ball of blood brightened and then dimmed. Then it fell out of my hand and I kicked him before he hit the ground, and he made a sickening slap when he hit the ground.

"K! I'm BACK! But, oh, you don't look so hot, colder than anything really. We need to get you one of the heated blanket things! Or maybe…"

"GOBBY! TRAPS, NOW!" I roared at the yapping ball of blood.

Then I pulled some of Lesha's oh-so-sweet strawberry silk nectar from the town holes on her neck, giving me some sweet relief from the frosty cold that was trying to take over me.

"Traps are all good, K!" Gooby called from the end of the hall, and I turned to Lesha, who was panting with glowing eyes.

"Let's go," I said as we both darted down the hall to the first room.