Chapter 45

After talking to the 3 new recruits. I told them to relax and took them down stairs to the tavern part of the inn. They order some food and so did Kate and Zaya. I made sure they ate their fill so they can be at 100% for tomorrow. I'm going test them with their battle prowess with a sparring session.. They may be trained assassins but when they're in a fight that the opponent knows that it's a life and death situation, I want to know what they can do to fight. Plus I have a feeling that tonight is going to a long night since I feel that these 3 will have nightmares from the way they were mistreated during their time with the Shadow Guild. I experienced it first hand with Zaya last night.

The 3 ate their fill and so did Kate and Zaya. I paid the bill and took all of them up to the room. I told Ryan, Grace, and Erica that me, Sara, and Kate will watch over them while they sleep. All 3 nodded and laid in the bed. Because they ate until they were full. I knew that they were going to fall asleep quickly. And I was right. I told Sara to handle Grace if she starts showing signs of having a nightmare. Kate was in charge of Ryan. I will keep an eye on Erica.

I asked for a report from Kate and Zaya. Zaya was the one that went inside HQ since the Shadow Guild didn't know she was working with me. She told me that the 3 necromancers was still in their room and the whole guild was preparing for the Dark Lord's forces. However, right before she left with Ryan, Grace, and Erica, she pasted a room where she thought she heard couching and crying and it didn't sound like one person doing that either. They must have some captives and those captives are there to feed the Dark Lord's forces. I need to save those people and bring them back to my castle so Ann can work her magic.

A few hours later, I heard someone tossing and turning. It was Ryan. I nod to Kate. She goes over and lays beside Ryan, comforting him to the point of him smiling in his sleep. Next was Grace but she was saying "No", and "Stop", and "Get away from me". Again I nod to Sara this time and she goes and calms down Grace. Grace was smiling too after Sara comforted her. Then Erica started to tossing and turning. She was yelling for her sister. I go over and lay beside her to calm her down. She was the only one to open her eyes. She looked at me and then she smiled as she wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you for making me feel safe, Michael."

"It's what I do."

She fell back asleep soon after. It was then that the rest of us fell asleep. We slept for another 5 hours before the sun came up. When Ryan woke next to Kate, he looked confused. Grace was also confused to wake up next to Sara. Erica woke up and looked up at me.

"Did you sleep good after your nightmare?" I asked while my eyes was still closed.

"Yes, it was the best sleep I had in a long time. I had a dream with you in it." Erica answered back while she was looking up at my face.

I open my eyes and look down at her. She really looks like her sister. I kiss her on her forehead.

"It's time to wake up. We got work to do."

With that, everyone woke up and got ready to go. Zaya and Kate was going back to the Shadow Guild's HQ to see if they can get more recruits and to keep an eye on the activity in HQ. Sara and I was going to spar with Ryan, Grace, and Erica to what they can do in a battle. As soon as everyone was ready and we all ate some breakfast down in the tavern, we all headed out. I wanted to check something first and sure enough, a different slave trader was stationed at the same spot that the one I scared off had been. So I went and saw that he had more women than men. This one might be selling sex slaves. Once again, I was pissed off and I went and punched the slave trader in jaw but instead of letting this one go, I told Sara to get a guard. When the slave trader tried to run I punch him in the nose, breaking it. Then I put him in an ankle lock. The slave trader screamed to let him go before I broke his left ankle. Then I picked him up and dropped him in a cart full of horse shit.

"I need to put you when you need to be, with the rest of the shit!" I said loudly. I gathered the slaves and told them to follow me after the guard gets here. Finally a guard shows up with Sara and took the injured slave trader away.

"Take this piece of shit away!" I told the guard. Seeing who I was, he didn't question me and did his job.

I took the slaves to the teleportation room and like I did the day before, teleported them to my castle and Ann received them and I went back to Silverton. When Ryan, Grace, and Erica saw me walking back after observing me during the incident, I saw that they greatly respected me for my conviction and my moral standing. They also saw how I was able to limit my own strength so I wouldn't one shot the slave trader.

I took Ryan, Grace, Erica, and Sara to the south of the city so we were away from the Shadow Guild. I used my senses to check for anyone that could be watching us and there was none. I told the 3 new recruits that they were going to spar one on one with Sara. The reason I choose to use Sara instead of myself was that Sara was better trained at swordsmanship than me and she was experienced. I took out 4 wooden swords from storage and handed Sara one then handed the other 3 theirs.

Ryan was up first and he struggled from the start. I corrected his stance and had Sara show him a few of her moves. He got better quickly. My bet is that if he continues down this path, he'll be one hell of a swordsman. Erica was up next and she fared better that Ryan from the start. Sara told her where her wick areas were and she started to improve but not at the rate that Ryan improved. She's going to be a fine swordswoman. Grace was last since she was the oldest of the 3 and has the most experience. She had a few weak points but Sara showed her where she needed to improve. We stopped to have lunch and right after we were done, I sensed 3 monsters heading towards us.

They were kobolds. Something I have very little experience with as this is the first time seeing them. They look dog like but walked on 2 legs instead of 4. I got 3 steel longswords out and gave them to Ryan, Grace, and Erica. I told them to get them in an one on one battle and kill them. So they went got ready to battle. Ryan killed his pretty quickly. Erica had a little trouble but was able to handle the task in the end. Grace was able to defeat her opponent after a while. I sensed 1 more kobold and I told all for to stand back and watch the show as a reward. I would be using no weapons, just my fists and feet. It's been a while since the wrestling match I had against Kain so I need to make sure that I stay in shape.

I let the kobold come to me. Once he saw me, he stopped. He looked scared as I must be the tallest human he has ever seen. I was way taller than him. I taunted him to come get me and started to charge at me.

"Come on, you hairy mother fucker. Come get some!"

He lunged at me which I quickly side stepped him. As he turned to try to attack me again, I gave him a superkick right square on the chin. He falls to the ground as I decide to ready myself to spear him. The kobold slowly gets up and I run at him and launch myself straight into his mid section. knocking the wind out of him with a spear. He rolling from side to side, holding the area that I struck. I ready myself again to run at him. He finally starts to get back up. As he stands up, I run at him again but instead of plowing into his mid section again, I jump up and with me going forward, I land on top of him, bringing him back to the ground and begin to punch him in the head. The good old Lou Thesz Press. After punch the kobold in the head 6 times, I get off him and stand up. I start sizing him up again. I feel like it's about time I end this fight. Finally, the kobold is up on his own two feet. He looks at me but I can clearly see he's still in la la land. I flip him the middle finger with both hands and give him a stunner. He lands on his back and he's holding his neck. The kobold looked at me with tired eyes as I summon my Glock and aim towards him.

"You was great but now it's time for you to start your next great journey." I said to him before putting a round thru his head.

I walk towards Ryan, Sara, Grace, and Erica.

"Did you learn some, grasshoppers?" I asked loudly for the 4 to hear.

"Yeah, never get into a fight with you!" Ryan answered.

"Training is over. Time to head back to Silverton."

---------------A/N-------------

I wanted to get this chapter done sooner but a late night trip to the E. R. with the ex-wife and near 4 hour stay prevented that. Simply put, not a great night. I'm tired as hell and I don't know if I'll get another chapter done tomorrow. If I don't I'll try fo get 2 chapters done the day after.