Chapter 102 – Sonata

Sam bided his time, taking only nearby tasks while waiting for his dragon armor and weapons. 

The first mission was to the nearby town of Sonata. 

They were having problems with bandit attacks, so Sam took this mission with a several other mercenaries

There was the Level 23 barbarian Abidal, as well as the Level 20 Ranger Shrike. Surprisingly, the other mercenary taking this mission was one of the administrators of the Training Hall, Marisol who was a Level 32 Knight Paladin.

She was happy to see Sam, knowing that he was the top ranker from the Training Hall. 

However, the other two, Abidal and Shrike didn't think highly of Sam and were standoffish, treating him like a newbie. 

But he didn't mind, enjoying the company of Marisol on the way to Sonata. 

"Halt! You must pay a toll to enter Sonata" a guard near the entrance of the town said.

He had 3 other guards standing nearby, and in the near distance, more guards stood watch at the town gate.

Two towers on either side of the gate were manned by archers standing ready

Marisol frowned

"Who are you? Sonata was never like this before" she said

"The town is under new management! Pay the toll or screw off" the guard laughed

"How much?" Shrike asked

"Three silver coins" the guard said

"Three silvers? I will bash you!" Abidal raised his battle axe

The guards all drew their weapons, but luckily Marisol calmed them down by asking Abidal to lower his weapon. 

"Lets go in first and see what's going on" Marisol said. 

As the highest ranking among them, they naturally gave way to her to lead the team. 

Each of them paid 3 silver coins, Abidal was still grumbling, before they approached the town gate. 

"Halt!" the guard at the gate said

"We've already paid" Marisol said

"You have to surrender your weapons" the guard said

"Surrender our weapons?" Abidal roared

"You can surrender your weapons or leave" the guard said

Marisol surrendered her sword on her waist and shield on her back. 

Sam and Shrike followed suit as Sam gave the guard one of his common swords from his common storage ring on his finger. 

Abidal however refused

"Fuck that! I am leaving. I am not disarming for anyone!" he said and stormed off

"Abidal!" Marisol yelled after him, but he left without looking back

The 3 of them entered the town after being disarmed and were escorted to the town mayor's office

In it, a large burly man wearing a bear skin coat with a scar on his face looked at them. 

"State your business here" the man said

"We were hired by this town to....ah... help maintain peace" Marisol said, not revealing the real mission

"Oh? As you can see, we have to problems with peace here. You can go back and tell the mercenary guild the problems are solved" the man laughed. 

"Let us stay the night first. We will return tomorrow morning" Marisol said

"Sure.. sure... get out tomorrow" the man said

They were escorted to the only inn in the town. 

"You, follow me. The boss wants to see you" one of the guards said to Marisol.

She looked troubled as the guards pulled her to follow them.

"You may go to your rooms" the guard said, looking at Shrike and Sam

"No! Let me go!" Marisol said and fought back

She was a Level 32 Paladin after all, not a helpless damsel, and pushed the guard several meters back with one hand. 

The guards laughed as 3 of them faced her, their swords drawn. Most of the guards were over level 20, higher than Shrike but not as high as Marisol. 

Shrike and Sam were also facing one armed guard each.

"Now we know who the bandits are" Sam laughed

"Die!" the guard in front of Sam swung at him.

But before anyone could see what's happening, the guard's head was flying in the air with his sword cut in half

Sam was smiling at them with Dragonslayer in his hand.

He moved faster than the eye can see as the guard in front of Shrike was split in two from his neck to his waist diagonally. 

By now, Sam was already in front of Marisol, standing between her and the 3 guards. 

They charged at the same time, trying to outnumber him, but he danced through them gracefully, slicing them apart with 3 graceful strokes. 

"Pick up those swords, lets finish this mission" Sam smiled as he walked downstairs

Marisol and Shrike picked up the fallen guard's swords and ran after him. 

As they exited the inn, they saw a horse dragging in a bloodied man. He had been dragged quite far and was nothing more than a bloody piece of meat painting the path behind him with blood

"Abidal!" Shrike called out

But Sam was already landing on the ground from a great leap, and the horseman's head was spinning in the air as his neck spurted blood like a fountain. 

"Fuckers!" the nearby guards yelled as they charged at them. 

Marisol and Shrike engaged the guards as Sam checked to see if Abidal could be saved 

Unfortunately, he was already dead, and his limbs were even partially torn off while being dragged

Sam charged into the midst of battle, every strike killing a guard. 

By now, the noise had already alerted the other guards as well as their boss, the "mayor" who turned red in rage

"Fire you fools!" he yelled as the archers on the towers started drawing their bows. 

But Sam pointed two fingers in the air like a victory pose or a peace sign as two Magic Missiles were shot into the air, each hitting a guard in the tower right between their eyes. 

Their heads exploded as Sam didn't bother controlling the strength of his Magic Missiles

He then charged right at the bandit leader, mowing down several guards along the way.

Sam jumped into the air and as he landed, Dragonslayer sliced right through the bandit's sword, cleaving him down from his head to his groin, splitting him right in two!

Although the leader has been killed, the town still had around 40 or so bandits that were running to engage them.

Marisol was losing ground fighting 3 bandits while Shrike was already killed!

Keeping Dragonslayer in his hidden ring, he extended his fingers, using 40 mana to shoot 40 Magic Missiles, 4 per finger like a roman candle.

They flew and changed directions in the air, and 40 heads exploded at the same time, like a fireworks display!

Marisol and Shrike looked shocked as the enemies they were just fighting all died within a second. 

The mission was completed just like that! 

And it didn't take long for them to find the villagers all locked in cages in one of the farms. 

After releasing them, and after Sam healed Marisol's injuries, the real mayor thanked them. 

They were invited to stay a night at the inn before heading home. 

That night, Marisol knocked on Sam's door

"Yes?" he asked, wearing a towel after just coming out of the shower. 

"I wanted to stay with you for the night" she said, shoving him into the room and closing the door behind her. 

Sam looked at her. She looked beautiful in only a night gown, and her wet brown hair showed that she had just taken a bath herself. 

She walked up to him and kissed him, and he felt her touch his towel around his waist as it fell to the floor. 

Liampark