Chapter 19- The Proposal

For the next few weeks, Wilson stayed in his room recuperating and getting back in shape. The beauty that was terrified of him provided him his meals and watched over him while the oldies in the other room observed him quietly.

After weeks of watching from afar, they all decided to send the youngest of them to visit Wilson and convince him to join in their battle against the despicable nobles.

Wilson was having his nap when the old man walked in. He looked at the young girl sitting at the farthest corner of the room. She was still terrified of Wilson and dared not leave without his permission. She looked up at the visitor when he entered and was delighted when he signalled for her to leave. Immediately, she dashed out of the room.

Wilson was annoyed when he was rudely awakened. Which imbecile dared to wake him up from his nap and so rudely? Was it that girl? Doesn't she learn her lessons? The old man kicked his bed roughly. Asking for a beating, uh? The old man kicked his bed roughly again. Wilson could not take it anymore and faced this nuisance with anger. Seeing that it was not the girl but a stranger that looked bent and old and spent, Wilson remembered his mother's words about respecting all elders with a few exceptions. He never understood what those exceptions were because she never explained them.

"Seems like this is the exception mother was speaking about." He muttered to himself looking at the old man with contempt who scowled back at him and without warning kicked his face and broke his nose.

Oh! That does it!

Wilson sprang from his lying position like an apex predator and struck at the old man's smiling face. The old man took a step back, caught his hand and swung him over his shoulder, all in one breath. Wilson landed on his back with a loud thud, making him gasp for breath. Before he could even stand up, the old man's foot was on his chest, pinning him down. Wilson squirmed and grunted. He clawed tried to bite his opponent's leg. Anything to make him move his foot away. Even just moving it an inch was enough for him to escape. The old man looked at him like he was a fool. Wilson soon realised that the man's leg was metallic and very strong. Biting it would definitely result in him breaking is own teeth. Definitely a bad idea.

"How rude of you to hit your only visitor on sight!" The old man said and shook his head to further show his disapproval.

" You wake me up rudely from sleep and complain about my being rude!" Wilson said, glaring at the old man.

' Where in the world did this bent, rejected human get that kind of strength?' Wilson said in his mind.

The old man clicked his tongue and shook his head again.

" Haven't you heard of the elder's advantage?"

" There is no such a thing!"

" Look here kid, that you have never heard o f something doesn't mean it doesn't exist!"

"Why are you here? What do you want? Where you sent here by those bastard nobles?" Wilson tried to probe for information.

" Now we are getting somewhere!" The old man said and moved to sit on the chair formerly occupied by the girl.

" Sit!" he said.

" I am not a dog! Don't tell me to SIT!" Wilson said, still furious about the rude awakening.

" Alright then. Don't sit!" The old man said and shrugged. Wilson went to sit on the bed.

"Good! Now we can talk. I came here to offer you an opportunity. An opportunity to get back at the nobles who have made your life a living hell." He paused. Wilson knitted his brows but said nothing.

" We know that you have suffered in the hands of the nobles and want your revenge. I'm pretty sure it is obvious you can't do it without any help. I have been sent here to help you avenge yourself and the people you love who they have hurt."

" Who sent you?"

" Mother Mary!"

" Who is Mother Mary?"

" The founder of the revolutionaries. The revolutionaries are a fast increasing number of people who are tired of the Noble's tyranny, have been hurt and wish to end the Nobles and their tyrant rulership once and for all. They are people just like you!"

" And how do you intend to help me?"

" I train you. To become a strong force to be reckoned with."

" So, you see me as a weapon?"

" You are like a strong piece of metal, kid. I am the blacksmith. I intend to turn you into a destructive weapon to be used against the nobles. So what do you say?"

Wilson thought hard and long about this proposal. So much that the old man became extremely impatient but did his best to stop himself from shouting at the top of his voice in anger.

" What is in it for you people?"

" That you join the revolutionaries. Join the war against the nobles and fight for the freedom of the common masses." The old man said with a cheeky smile too childish for his age. Wilson kept quiet and thought things through again. The old man was infuriated. He felt like banging his head against the wall, the floor, the chair and the bed. After what seemed like forever, Wilson gave his answer.

" I'm in!" He said but instead of the cheeky smile he expected from the old man, all he got was a deep, wrinkled frown.

" You really had to take this long to decide? Quick, go outside and run to and from the river at the other side of the forest before dusk. Your training starts now and I am gonna bend, twist and smelt you like never before." The old man said. His expression had taken a 180 degree turn. Wilson immediately realised he had made a terrible, terrible mistake.

" WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?" The old man shouted the words so quickly and ferociously, Wilson's body moved on his own and was soon in the woods headed towards the river on the other side. The old man burst into laughter.

" Old man Jenkins, you still got it!" He said and patted his own shoulder.