The Winged Mercenary Guild

"Winged Mercenaries?" we both asked.

"Yes, indeed," the large man bellowed, and than brandished a humongous sword from his side. The silver blade glinted in the sunlight, momentarily blinding my poor eyes. When I had blinked it back to normality, I was faced by an elaborate carving on the sword's handle. It was an elegant figure of a pair of outspread wings. "Do ya young lads know of us?"

Sneak and I looked at each other. I wasn't so sure about these mercenaries, but there was a look of recognition on the boy's face.

"I've heard tales of you!" Sneak shouted at the man excitedly. "That these men could fight like they were as light as wind, appear as gentle as a breeze, but strike down on their enemies like the storm after the calm!"

I laughed a bit, wondering how this known liar of a boy had imagined such longwinded words. But the man seemed to take them as compliments.

"I like you, lad!" The man guffawed. "And you know of us very well! So, what say ya? Will you take our test? You both seem the right age for our youngest recruits."

Sneak seemed eager when I looked at him for his thoughts. I shrugged. 'Oh well, we need to spend some of our time until the sunset comes.'

And anyway, looking at the thick, high walls enclosing what I assumed was the Winged Mercenaries' base, I would think they were a large and well-respected mercenary guild.

I nodded at the boy and said to the hairy mercenary. "Alright, dear sir! We'll gladly take you on your offer!"

~~

Looking back, I really shouldn't have agreed. The training grounds he had led us to was nothing but an empty, dust field. Even though I vowed to act like a boy, it still made me uneasy to be in a situation where I might have to roll around on dusty grounds. Even the palace fields were clean and the grass was well-maintained. This... was different than my acquired taste.

"Righty lads." The mercenary, who introduced himself as Nok, walked us into the very center of the field. I looked around shyly to find the half dozen trainings mercenaries, distinguished by their white combat gear and swords, and about twice more number of recruits looking at us curiously. Nok continued, "This ain't really a very serious test, and it's more like we're here to decide if you even have what it takes to survive our program. But, don't let that get you down. You're still young, and if you're unlucky, ya can always try your chances again next year."

That, coupled with his confident face that seemed to imply that we would both fail, filled me with a weird determination to prove him wrong. I had my pride, and a year of magic training has gotten me confident that I could at least hold my ground. In a brash tone I had never used before, I asked, "Are you fighting us then?"

Nok looked down at me with shock, and then grinned widely. "Ho! Yar a proud little lad, ya are! And much as I's like to fight ya, you'll have to content yourself with some smaller meat."

He turned his face to the side, and I followed his gaze to see two approaching young boys, probably near our ages or so. Or at least, I thought they were boys. The taller one can pass as a cold faced girl. The other simply looked like a fairy princess. But both were in combat clothes and were muddied with grime and sweat. So, I found it hard to think they were girls at all.

The man grabbed the two children with his hairy paws, and announced, "These here are Jorkin and Wells. Some of our best recruits from the previous year. If ye can hold out in a fight with them for even a minute, I might consider taking you both in the program."

"Woah there, Nok!" a mercenary with windswept sandy blonde hair shouted from the side, stopping his hands from punching at a fellow mercenary. "Don't you think that's a little too much for the wee little recruits?"

"Oh, let's just see, Miller," Nok called back. He then looked down at us with a smile. "I got a feeling these two can hold a fight."

~~

Luckily, or however one might look at it, I got the longer end of the drawing stick, so I decided to go second after Sneak. And of course, because I had the right to choose my opponent, I gladly chose the girlish looking boy with the fairy-like light green hair. He seemed weaker than the other one, and he was smaller in build too.

Sitting down with the little fairy on top of some wooden crates, I felt a little compelled to talk to him. But before I could even ask for the adorable specimen's name, Nok had already shouted the start of the first match.

I looked in front to find Sneak and the boy with the cold eyes having a stare off. I placed my chin on my hands and leaned in. I found myself getting excited.

I've never really seen a true match with combat and magic that wasn't a flashy and well-orchestrated political duel. In fact, I was never even allowed to go to the royal knight's camping grounds, just west of the palace. So, seeing an actual fight, even though it was only a friendly match, was new to me.

Sensing the seriousness in the air, I quickly hid my excitement and tried to look stoic. Even the fairy boy beside me had his electric blue eyes fixed gravely at the match.

And then, like there was some sort of starting fire, the two boys moved at the same time. It struck me how fast they both were, and before long, fists were thrown and magically aided movements were properly executed. This level of combat...

"Amazing..." I muttered.

I mean, I've sort of known Sneak might have had some magical compatibility. He was able to keep up with my speed when we had been running at the Dark Market, after all. But, to think that he would be trained to be this good...

Is this mentor he spoke of actually a combat trainor?

I started to entertain the idea that Sneak might be a guard- or knight-in-training. He might even be a noble assigned at this task, which might explain why he could even be here in the Isle of Malaya.

Firmly believing my new hypothesis, I forgot to pay attention to the match. I was brought back to reality when I heard a loud grunt of pain, thankfully from the opposing boy. Nok stopped the match with a firm hand just before Sneak was about to rain down more fists at the groaning boy.

"Winner goes to the recruit!" Nok shouted, his smile showcasing his large, hard-looking teeth. "Too bad, Wells. But I believe upping your weekly training twice will do the trick this time. So you don't go losing to random recruits."

The cold facade of the boy broke down, and he paled noticibly at the man's words. "Co-Commander... I don't think-"

"Gah! Don't blabber your high falutin words at me, lad! You lost, now ya gotta pay the price."

The boy whimpered silently, and I wondered if I really saw tears roll down his eyes.

'Is he really alright?' I thought, but I doubt that Nok would actually be such a cruel person. I simply deemed that the boy with the once cold eyes was just overreacting.

But...

I fidgeted around in my seat. If that Wells boy was that strong, I don't have enough confidence that I could hold my ground against someone who might be equally powerful to him. I sneaked a peek at the fairy boy beside me, surprised to see him looking at me blankly. He murmured something, his body shaking and his eyes round in what seems to be fear.

"Sorry." I leaned in. "C-Can you repeat what you said?"

"... -you. I have to beat you. I can't do more training. I have to beat you. I have to-"

I hastily leaned back, shocked at the monotonous fierceness of the adorable looking boy.

'I have to fight this guy?'

I probably should have chosen the Wells boy instead, because this one looked like he might actually kill me. I could sense the surge of notes around the fairy boy's tiny body.

"Alright, next match ready!" Nok shouted at us, holding up Wells by his injured arm, which was obviously making the boy groan in more pain. "Oh, sorry there, lad! Now off ya go to the infirmary."

I stood up stiffly, wondering if I could even last a minute against these monsters. In my walk of doom, I bumped into Sneak. His brown eyes were glittering from the delight of winning. He said, "you'll win too, right? I mean, can you control notes? Actually, do you even know what notes are?"

I sighed, feeling my head grow clearer from the boy's passive taunting. "Yes, yes. I can't lose to you now, couldn't I?"

I grinned to match his own wide one, and I was pleasantly surprised to feel the bubbling nerves slowly drift away from my system.

There's no better way to dispel nervousness than prideful competition. I laughed a bit and punched him on the shoulder. "You never told me you can fight. But now, I really can't lose to you."

He laughed in a light, boyish way that weirdly made my stomach flutter. "You better not... Wait, I don't even know your name!"

My eyes widened. It's true... I haven't even introduced myself to him yet. How rude... but it's not like he has told me his real name either.

I smirked at him. "If I win, you'll have to tell me your real name, alright? I'll tell you mine too."

The boy kept silent for a while, like I had said something weird, before rolling his eyes. "... Whatever you want."

I tapped at his shoulder before heading out to the open field.

"Go get him, new recruit!" a random mercenary cheered me on.

"Ha ha ha!" The sandy haired guy laughed merrily. "I'd like to see Jorkin do extra training for once. Beat him, new recruit!"

The fairy boy was already patiently waiting for me on the other side. Nok was looking at us with not so mild interest.

"Alright! Second match," he announced loudly. "Jorkin against the recruit! Ready and..."

I built up the notes within and around me, creating both weapon and shield. I breathed in deeply, sensing for the fairy boy's movements with more than just mere sight.

"... Start!"

I bursted into a sudden run, heading straight for the boy like an air ball. I knew the boy wouldn't expect such a rash move from me, because I did act all timid back then. But now, I have the advantage.

I pulled back my hand, condensed more notes into my fist, and thrusted it at the boy's stomach.

I felt hard contact, but I knew he was shielding himself with notes as well. But, my punch must've been strong enough because it had him flying back from the force. He landed with a thump on the dusty ground, and I prepared myself for my next strike. Within my expectations, he stood right back up and jumped towards me.

But...

Attacking was one thing, but having a magically empowered boy come at me at full force? Quite another.

It was frankly my first time being exposed to such a dangerous scene, so I found my concentration being broken when I got exposed to the boy's thundering notes.

I barely strengthened up my shield on my face as his palm aimed straight at my cheeks. I gasped out as pain rattled my head. But I knew it was far from over. So I willed the notes inside me to somehow... deal with the pain, and weirdly, the pain did recede somewhat.

I looked up to see the fairy boy patiently waiting for me to recover. It seems like striking when a person was down was against this boy's values.

I smiled. It seems like my opponent was a valiant person.

I gathered my notes once more and nodded my head at him. He nodded back and readied his stance.

The fight began once more.

~~

"What was that?" Sneak stared at me weirdly. "You obviously had a greater control for notes, but what was up with your stance? Your form is messed up, and you punch so weirdly!"

I looked away with slight embarrassment. I couldn't have done too bad of a job... I mean, I did lose in the end, but it was practically my first time doing actual combat. I couldn't tell that to the boy though. He might grow cocky and call me a wimp.

"So!" A loud voice called down at where we sat. We were currently in the mercenary guild's infirmary, so his voice echoed quite loudly in the otherwise empty room. "What do ya lads say? Ya both passed with flying colors, and we'll gladly take ya as our new Wings!"

I laughed wearily. "I remember I clearly lost against that boy Jorkin, though, Sir Nok."

"Ho! Well, I'd go beg at a child to join us if he could ever beat Jorkin in a match!" Nok said loudly, thumping at his chest with his fist for some reason. "That lad isn't of normal descent, and you held out on a fair fight mighty better than most!"

"Really?" I asked, wondering if his words were mere flattery or truth.

"Oh, have more faith in yeself, lad." Nok landed a heavy paw at the top of my head. "I already applaude ya for choosing to fight with Jorkin rather than Wells! That was brave of ya!"

I suppose I shouldn't say I had actually chosen Jorkin because I had thought he was the weaker one...

"Needless to say, both of ye lads are more than welcome to join us! So, spit it out now, and tell me your thoughts!"

Of course I already knew my answer. But I was surprised to find Sneak with a resigned face as well. I have always known him as a mature boy, but I had thought he would feel a bit more torn about this decision.

"I'm sorry, Nok." The boy bowed down politely. "But I have to say no to your offer. Having the chance to have a match with your trainee was definitely enlightening, and I am grateful, but I am afraid I am only passing by the flying Isle."

I quickly bowed and said the same.

I looked back up to see the man scratching at his thick stubbly chin, looking at us with curious eyes. "Haven't told ye yet, but you both do have some sweet way of talking than most children, now do ye? Like one of those ground-level nobility children."

I coughed a little, and even found Sneak sputtering even worse. I muttered after releasing some weak laughter, "That's a funny one, Sir Nok."

"Oh, well." Nok scratched at his head. "Not that it matters really. We got a few noble and royal blood here in our troops, anyway. Not... that any of ya lads would care, right?"

"Oh, absolutely not!" I answered.

"Y-Yeah. Who cares 'bout those noble... people?" Sneak followed.

I sighed inwardly, hoping we would be let out from the infirmary already so we could head on out to the streets.