Inside a shed, a man sat on a box, inspecting a sword he held. The light came from the left, shrouding the right part of his face in shadow.
He clicked his tongue.
"Damn those trainers, can't they let the newbies use wooden swords for training?"
Around him, in various other boxes, were a variety of different weapons, boxes of swords, spears, and bows, placed neatly.
He examined the blade with furrowed brows, looking at the dents and chips in it.
"Look at all this damage, such a waste, if only they were taught how to properly hold and wield a sword, all of these blades would so mu-"
"Clang."
The sudden voice startled the man, who jumped in place and dropped the sword he was holding.
A hand caught the sword before it could hit the floor.
"Danmit Place, how did you get behind me?" The man named Clang turned to his left, the light hitting a burn scar on the lower right part of his face.
"The door is open."
"It's also in front of me."
"And?"
Clang narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Are you telling me that you walked in from the door, then sneaked around me to my back, without me noticing?"
"I am."
"I find that hard to believe."
"Too bad." Place offered the sword. back
Clang snorted as he stood up and took it.
"What do you want?" He asked as he walked and put the sword in a box.
"A full set, my full set."
Clang raised an eyebrow as Place picked up a spear.
"What for?"
"A show, mostly."
"A show?" Clang asked, confused, he had never thought of Place putting on a show.
"For all intents and purposes."
"Okay..." He stopped the thought, it didn't matter what he wanted it for.
"When do you want it?"
"As soon as possible."
"Hmm." Clang mentally checked if anything needed repair or replacement.
"I'll have it ready in an hour." He would need some leeway in case something came up, and of course, for dusting it all off.
"I'll be back then." Place waved a hand in goodbye as he walked away.
Clang watched him walk away for a moment.
"A show?" He mutterred, "Poor kid." He then shook his head, clearing his mind of random thoughts.
***
Place was sparring for the second time this day, this time with only his own body.
Both he and his opponent were wearing thick, padded clothing as they went at it.
Place was on the defensive, continuously blocking and moving back as his opponent pressured him, trying to overwhelm him.
Place stumbled as he took a step backwards, and his opponent, taking advantage of the perceived opening, tried to grapple him to the ground.
Only for Place to slip back, leaving him open and diving forward.
He had not even a single moment to realize his mistake before Place spun and drove his other knee into his face.
The man rolled and made to recover, but before he could stand up and regain balance, Place's foot struck his guarding arms. Even though the attack was blocked, the hit sent him onto his back, and now there was no saving.
Place straddled his chest and started raining down blows as the man tried desperately to block and get him off of him.
"POINT!" A voice called the end of the round.
Place immediately got off his opponent as another man walked into their 'ring'.
"That makes it what? 22 to 60 in Ray's favour?"
"Not going to be in my favour for long." The man on the ground, Ray said as he sat up and crossed his legs.
"About that, what kind of elixir did the head find for you? You've been improving so fast these past few days."
Place huffed as he started removing some of the outer layers.
"I haven't taken any elixirs."
"Like Mail said, you've been improving like, stupidly fast, that's not a bad thing," Ray assured as he stood up. "But we've all noticed the difference and are more than a bit curious."
Both of them looked at him curiously, and Place kept a careful mask of disinterest and exasperation on his face.
"There is nothing to tell, maybe some deity took pity on me, but I don't feel any different." One possible truth and two outright lies.
The two men seemed to actually consider what he said.
Place dropped the padded clothing and made to leave, but he heard a part of their conversation as he walked away.
"It actually could be, it makes sense, he always was a bit..."
He didn't hear the rest, neither did he want to.
He pressed his teeth together and relaxed his fingers
"Fwoooo..." He relaxed his facial muscles, he didn't want to be seen angry.
'Damn it. Can't I improve on my own? Must everything be due to external causes?'
He paused walking and sank into thought, recalling his current situation.
'But that's exactly what's happening, isn't it? Nothing I have right now is truly mine.'
He looked down at his hand.
'All my skills, I worked hard for them, but without my family's help, how would I have gained anything? Even my recent gains are due to the Thing.'
He traced his fingers with his thumb, then closed his hand into a fist.
"No longer." No, no longer would he depend on others' charity, one of the reasons he had accepted the Thing's deal.
'From now on, I will earn my power, and then,' He started walking away, much more at peace.
'Then I will start putting my plans in action.'
He had a grin on his face as he thought this.
He couldn't help it, he was excited.