1 Bloodshed - Ch 1

A well suited young man had a drink from his flask before heading deeper into the city, due to his travelling lifestyle he wasn't accustomed to crowded places. On the contrary, he loathed obnoxious civilians who had a bone to pick with everyone and thing. Keeping his visit brief, he set out to find a new blade and hunting boots.

Greeting one or two stall owners while examining their wears, he didn't see anything that tickled his fancy. He hoped there'd be a well trained blacksmith in the most populated city in the country, although, the weaponry looked okay at best. Walking the length of two streets, he entered a lively residential area, the snobs of the city gossiped shamelessly while he minded his own business.

Up ahead, some teens were putting on a show, he exited through an alleyway away from the commotion and made haste to leave the exhausting city. In the last few years, he'd encountered a fellow assassin who swore this city was the bees knees and advised him to visit around this time of year. If he ever saw them again, he'd make sure to give them a lengthy review of all the reasons why not to visit this repugnant city and stay in the countryside for two weeks instead.

"Excuse me, Sir. Will you help me?" the distressed voice of a child caught his attention.

"Piss off, Kid!" a man grumbled, shoving the boy to the ground.

He moved through the flock of people before hearing the same kid and catching a glimpse of him, wandering aimlessly down the other street.

"Please… can someone help me?" his voice trembled as he got back to his feet.

"Hey, boy!" he called out, hoping the kid would hurry over to him.

The adventurers call was heard loud and clear, the kid came running over and wiped his eyes with shakey hands. At first, the smell of blood hit his nose, the boy's ragged clothes spotted with dried blood and body covered in bruises.

'What happened to this kid?'

The same thought went through his mind for a minute until he removed his rucksack and pulled out an old clock. Tearing it in half, he wrapped it around the boy's shoulders and tied the stings at the front; people would stare if they saw a child in such a state, he didn't want any unwanted attention.

"I need your help, mommy and daddy… they, they need help, Sir!" the poor kid was in shock.

"I understand, i'll help you, alright?" using his water bottle and wetting the end of his cloak, he cleaned up the boy's face. "Where do you live, kid?" finding his house was the first step to figuring out what'd got a kid messed up like this.

"The outskirts, we own a farm there, that's where the accident happened, Sir."

"Good, we're going to head their right now, okay?"

The kid nodded and was picked up by the assassin. If they were going to walk on foot for an hour, it'd benefit the kid to get some rest and be able to tell him when they arrived what happened. Wrapping the kid's cloak over his legs, they ventured out of the city and along the back-roads until the sun set, and the mood came just into sight. The trip to a little longer than Lucius imagined, the kid wasn't heavy he'd just fell asleep, and he didn't wish to disturb him.

Approaching the first farm insight, his nose told him this was the place. The scent of blood lingered in the air and the front door was slightly agar. If a home invasion had gone wrong, it'd explain the child's distress and the door left open for anyone to come and go as they pleased. Stepping over the straw front door mat, he let himself inside and closed the door silently behind him.

In his line of work, you get used to the smell of blood and gore. He hoped the kid's parents could've been saved, but, there was no helping someone with their throat slit and multiple stab wounds to the chest. Figuring out what'd happened here was all down to the kid's recollection of events, he witnessed the gruesome murders and could point the assassin in the right direction of finding the bastard who did it.

Although, something didn't sit right with the assassin, he'd carried out forty-plus contracts, and he'd never taken the time to stab the target multiple times. Being well-trained to get it over in one blow, let alone two, you'd never stab the target once executed you'd get out of their undetected and cash in your bounty.

"Mom and Dad." he whispered.

"What happened here?" maintaining his calm tone, he hoped the kid wouldn't break down crying and would be able to explain to the best of his ability.

"… I did a bad thing, Sir." he confessed without getting emotional.

"Your quite alright, it's time for us to leave." going deeper into the house, he let the kid changes clothes and tied his cloak for him.

They travelled from town to town on horse back, leaving two perfectly healthy horses on an unkept farm was cruel, and travelling on foot was time-consuming. Stopping at a well-known town for trading, selling and buying. Lucius tied up the horses and let the kid rest on a bench beside the beautiful steeds. Using a comb on the horses and buffing their hooves with a piece of the old cloak. He used his charm to lure in a potential buyer for a pretty penny, if they wanted to sleep in a bed tonight they'd need cash for an inn.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have two gorgeous stallions up for grabs this morning! If you're interested in buying, the bidding starts at ten gold pieces?" his promotional speech gathered four or five buyers at first, his wildcard was yet to be announced. "If ten gold for one doesn't interest you, fine people. How about thirty gold for two prime stallions? They are healthier than ever and have at least three years worth of travelling in them!" grabbing the attention of two fancy dressed men, he got his first bid.

"Thirty-five gold!"

"I hear thirty-five?"

"Forty gold, Sir!"

"I'll bid forty-six and no more!"

"Forty-six gold, going once, going twice!"

"Sixty gold!"

"Sold, for sixty gold, to the women in pink!" untying the horses, he approached the generous bidder and handed the horses over to her.

"Thank you, Sir." she smiled. "I have one question, why sell such lovely animals? You could've taught your boy how to ride." her mention of the boy wasn't surprising, most women admire men who raise their children and do not abandon them.

"We're travellers, you see. Our journeys are usually on foot, or we'll take a carriage once in a while. We prefer to concern the world on foot than put animals through countless exhausting journeys!" conversing with posh individuals gave him a headache.

"I see." she faked smiled.

"Father, when are we going to eat?"

"My goodness, aren't you a precious boy!" she praised him. "What might your name be?" ruffling his hair, Lucius answered the question.

"Ryuk, it's a family name." he lied. "I thank you for your payment, but we must be going, enjoy your day, Miss!" faking smiling, he picked the boy up and headed for the town centre.

"Why did you tell her a lie? My name is Oliver, not Ryuk."

"In order to survive, you'll go by a new name, which will be Ryuk, understand?"

"I understand." he sighed.

Dealing with the kid's hungry stomach before getting two beds at an inn. Lucius hoped the boy would be able to live his new life without too many problems, he didn't know the backstory of his relationship with his parents and honestly, it didn't really matter. He committed a crime and if found, he'd be interrogated into an early death sentence. At his age he was no angel, if he forced question after question onto the kid he'd be no better than the people who took care of him.

They acquired beds for the night without nay trouble, after the last two days of chaos, sleeping in a semi-comfortable bed was a luxury. Ryuk bounced on his bed for roughly ten minutes before Lucius told him to sit down and at least take off his shoes before settling down for the night. He seemed a little too happy to be staying in an inn for the night, most kids jump on beds and go on holidays when they are five or six at least.

'Did his parents never take their kid on cheap trips?' he assumed they weren't the best parent to be stabbed by their son but, never treating him to a holiday or afternoon trip was the lowest form of parenting. "Is this the first time you've been to an inn?" untying his boots while glancing over to the kid, he hoped he'd say no.

"Yep, I've never left the farm before I met you, Papa!" removing his shoes like his father told him, he hoped they'd go on more adventures.

'Never left the farm? What monsters keep their child from experiencing the simple pleasure of learning?' putting away his rucksack, he found it odd the boy hadn't complained once this trip or swore at him. Most children detest following orders and long journeys, but Ryuk was the complete opposite. "Earlier, I gave you a new name, are you fond of it?" getting to know the boy was father son 101, if he disliked his new name, would it be so bad to allow him to use his original one. He'd been denied everything a child should have, the least he could do was let the kid decide if he wanted a new name or not.

He laid on his bed and let out an audible sigh. "Well, I guess I like it. You gave it to me, Papa!" he sounded content. "Besides, Oliver was a boring name, Ryuk sounds like a dinosaur's name!" he chuckled, crawling under his covers while staring at Lucius.

He cracked a smile and stood up, walking over to the kid's bed and tucking him in. "I'm glad, son. Get some sleep." watching his eyes close and snuggle into his duvet, he gently rubbed the side of his head.

He'd be lying if he didn't admit to feeling odd about caring for a child, when he was just a boy he was repulsed by the thought of having children and getting married. Although he'd most likely never get married, he hoped to slowly become a better father than his own and prove his younger self wrong about kids being a nuisance. Blowing out the lantern, he got into bed and planned to take Ryuk somewhere kid-orientated to make up for the things his parents denied him.