Tear A Path

For some reason the strengthening method that other squadrons and legions pa.s.sed down to their members were the kind that built up strength over time. On a day to day basis, the members of those groups became healthier, fitter and stronger.

The charging bull"s members did not have the luxury to grow that long. The method that was circulated among them didn"t even have a name. All they knew was that the increment of strength was minuscule compared to all the other squads, but it did come with a perk that most of them could only be thankful for having received.

On the first day they entered they were left to stand on their own for the rest of the day, even the whole day after and half the day after that. By then any who were still standing were close to the brink from death when a person finally greeted them.

By this time, most of the other squads had celebrated recovered and gone home, while they were met with a dwarf of a man in a cloak pulling over a rickety looking cart. "All those who moved from their spot during the past three days can go home, we thank you for trying out for this squad but your services will no longer be needed!" The man yelled into their general direction without a moment"s notice, as if he didn"t care if anyone had missed the memo.

Instantly the whole field was turned into chaos as everyone began to discuss what was going on. They"d been left to their own devices for so long, was their initiation finally here? What about those who moved!? That was almost 3/4 of the people here, they were already raking in a paltry number of recruits in the first place, were they willing to let so many go? And in the first place, who was this figure who was making the announcement to them anyway? Was he a higher up?

Countless questions crossed through their minds, questions that they found out wouldn"t be answered today. All those who had waited but nonetheless failed the test found themselves in a very tough spot and were understandably aggravated by such a turn. Who knew that such a small squadron had the ability to actually reject new blood.

And did so after three days at that! If they"d been kicked out on day one, they might"ve been able to get back to their day job. Now they were going to be out of the job and all the other squads had definitely closed down their recruitment until next year.

"Hey man! at least tell us why we failed, it"s not like we left the field!"

"Yeah and if we were going to fail anyway, why not tell us on the first day!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!..."

Instantly a crowd began to form around the announcer, asking questions, demanding for an explanation or another chance. "Hey!!" The man screamed into the growing mob. "I have no idea what you guys want! And you definitely won"t get it from me!"

Instantly the crowd went quite as they watched the figure open his hood. Everyone gasped in unison, they knew exactly who he was. Although t.i.thor had 4 gates, people rarely left through the west gate, one was because there was close to nothing around that area, and second it was because Gor the beggar was there.

He wasn"t evil or anything, just smelled like cow p.i.s.s and was very persistent. And who could blame him, he"d been banned from the other three gates and there were little who wanted to go through there, so the few who did were his sole source of income. Either way, few did not know of his reputation or his looks, whether it was because they had personally met him or just curious about his looks from the rumors.

"Look you wanna find trouble, go to the captain"s quarters and look for the leader of this squad." He explained to the downtrodden men. "As for me, they just hire me with ten silver a year to come here and announce to all the new schmucks, so I have nothing to tell you."

For the next few minutes those who were left over could only watch as the desolate figures of their comrades for the past three days walked away. But then a question pa.s.sed through their minds, what about us!? Were they going to be left there for another few days on end again?

"As for the rest of you..." Gor finally turned to them, in one motion, he kicked his own cart sideways and several flimsy books toppled over onto the ground. "Pick up one, go home and come back here in two days."

"I guess it"s lucky you didn"t turn around to greet me these past three days huh?" As Travis was lining up to pick up one of his own a familiar voice addressed him. Finally he was able to find out who had been pestering him for these past three days, as he looked behind him however, he was only able look on as no words were coming out of his mouth.