Chapter 41 : The Long Journey (1/?)

"I heard you're leaving with that Shuriman merchant band?" Ashe muttered as Ajel observed the mature woman.

She had become less cold to him, and her eyes started to shine in the blue light of wisdom, contrasting with the glow of Ajel's.

"Indeed. Ionia has gotten into a conflict with Noxus." Ajel nodded his head before he sensed a presence coming behind him. "Yvonne."

An old woman went behind Ashe, her old age showing with each step she took.

Her eyes, showed a more complex and deeper colour of wisdom than Ashe's, as she nodded towards Ajel.

"You've grown up into quite a fine man. Quite tall as well."

Ajel looked towards the woman, only a warm feeling present in his eyes.

"Thank you for these two past years, Yvonne." Ajel bowed deep before getting back up and looking towards the horse that Roheen had prepared for him.

"Since when did you know how to ride a horse?" Ashe asked, as Ajel only gave an awkward laugh.

"..." Ajel looked towards the fine steed. "that's a good question."

"Well, Ajel, if there is an attribute about you, it's your adaptability." Yvonne humoured, before walking up to Ajel.

"It's for you. A good luck charm made by Ashe." Yvonne handed him a pendant, as Ajel carefully grasped it.

grabbing the pendant, Ajel observed it.

it was made out of true ice, and it seemed to be shaped into an arrow.

"Y-Yvonne! you promised not to show him that!"

"I lied." Yvonne gave a cunning smile, before shaking her head.

"Goodbye Ashe." Ajel nodded to her. "I'm sure the duel we will have once I will return will finally satisfy you."

"Buy me and Yvonne something from Ionia, will you?" She raised her head. "I read about the mystical charms used by the people there, to conjure fire water and fertile soil out of nothing more than magical paper." Her eyes conveyed a sense of interest.

"No promises, but I will surely buy something that will pique your interest." Ajel nodded to both of them, before clumsily mounting the house and groaning.

After a few more pleasantries and goodbye, Ajel managed to somehow steer the house in the direction of Roheen.

What is this feeling?

this feeling of desperation?

something called for him to go back, but his fate has already been set in stone the moment he agreed to his proposal to Roheen.

Swallowing the feelings in his heart, Ajel looked to the fairly small caravan of the merchant, coming in with 5 people.

"From today on, you are now our security detail," Roheen muttered, his eyes steady on the distant horizon. "We will be travelling east."

Ajel briefly stopped, before he stared at Roheen. "Are you a fucking idiot? why are we going into Noxus! that seems like the last thing you want to do knowing your mission."

"Trust me, friend." Roheen shook his head. "It would be a lot cheaper, and it means we get there with the first batch of troops sent to Ionia."

" "With" the first batch of troops?" Ajel looked over to Roheen, to see the classic toothy grin. "We will be riding on a Noxus Warband ship."

Ajel once again stopped, before looking back at the man. "You better have a good plan, or im gone."

"Relax, brother! , Roheen never does anything without a plan!" One of the merchants spoke out, the second of command in the ship.

"I am a recognized and permitted senior Merchant, meaning that I am eligible to a worldwide rule called "Neutrality immunity."

Ajel let the man ramble on, as Ajel's eyes sharpened on the horizon

"Neutrality Immunity means we can go onto ships and other forms of transportation with the key principles of Merchants, which is to "sell" which means we can't get arrested and we can go wherever we like. We still have to pay a fee- hey, why are you dismounting!-" Roheen's eyes sharpened on the distance.

He had keen eyes and a good sense, so he knew what was happening right now.

"Bandit attack." Ajel coldly spat out, before looking at the figures in front of him that were rapidly approaching him.

"Get ready to attack-"

"No," Ajel muttered. "Leave them to me, I need to warm up."

"More like to show off." One of the merchants said before that Roheen quickly shut them up.

"I will trust your judgement, brother."

Ajel dismounted his house, nearly falling on his face in the process.

Grabbing his pristine dagger that was shaped like a serpent's fang.

Its blade was sharp, and it had indents the blade that made it look like the blade has been pounded with a rock, but in this case, it was a lot more effective than one would think."

Ajel had practised the body technique of the man, and although he was nothing more than the first realm of three of that technique, his strength and his speed even with the liability of the leg.

Then there were the pinwheel techniques. A technique focusing on strong and agile movements, trading defensive with the offence.

The motto of the technique was "Offense is the best defence."

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The Bandits looked towards the crippled boy with laughter.

"/It's good to see that you came to us , brat. Give us all of your possessions and i may just spare your life./"

"/stealing from the crippled?/" Ajel clicked his tongue out of disgust. "/That leaves a bad taste in my mouth./"

"/What did you say to me?"/" The head bandit laughed out loud , before turning his head to his companion. "Hey , hey! did you hear what this kid just said to me!"

He had picked up a few trips from Yvonne from this time.

Rolling his sleeve down a little bit , Ajel grasped a couple of large metal spikes , something that Yvonne called "Senbon."

Ajel had studied the pressure points of the human.

"/Hey , i'm going to kill this little brat!/

A body slumped from the horse , as Ajel looked towards the remaining bandits , who were stunned by what just happened.

Taking life's of the unworthy is something that brings Ajel joy.