Scourge Thirty-One - Staff

Scourge Thirty-One - Staff

Scourge Thirty-One - Staff

The girls and I walk into the weapons shop after making sure that there arent any Templars waiting for us inside.

It wasnt like being seen by a few Templars would be a huge problem. I dont think most of them would be able to tell that were secretly working for Mom just at a glance. Theyd need to ask us and then use their truth-hearing ability to discover that. But theres also a small chance that any Templar we ran across was in Montele when we were.

Or maybe theyll have heard of us? I dont think we look all that strange. Felix and Esme are pretty unique, but I think they can blend into any crowd and if Templars start questioning every group of girls they run across that might wreck their reputation.

And it has been a few years.

Basically, I give us pretty good odds of not getting into any sort of trouble if we run across a Templar out on the street.

Hello, hello! the shopkeeper says as we file in. Welcome, how can I help you young ladies?

Were just looking, Felix says with one of her more charming smiles. Thanks, old man.

Old man? the shopkeeper says. He looks a bit taken aback by that, then he reaches up to touch the bald spot on the middle of his head.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

The shops split into two sections, the entrance with a counter up near the door and a bunch of weapons on racks to the right of that. To the left is a missing doorway and another section thats filled with even more weapons, with some bits of armour on mannequins and on wall-mounted shelves.

So, youre looking for something sharp, Felix? I ask as I skip over to my friend.

She nods. Yeah. I think I could use something with a bit more reach. Daggers are nice and fast, but if were going to be aliventing more undead I want something with more range so that I can batter them from further off.

I narrow my eyes at her when she uses her made-up word again (as a verb no less!) but that only gets her to smile more.

What about you guys? I ask Bianca and Esme.

Im good, I think, Esme says. I have my magic.

I wish I were so confident with my own magical abilities, Bianca says. But Im afraid Im not quite there yet. Maybe I should get a small knife of my own? Something I can keep next to wherever Im sleeping?

I nod encouragingly. She must be thinking about that assassination attempt a few days ago. I havent asked her if shes having a hard time sleeping after that. Thats... not ideal, actually.

If you want, I say, my voice pitched a little lower. We can sleep in the same room from now on. That way there will always be two of us in case something happens.

Why is it made that way? Esme asks. Why not just have it attached?

Its actually from far to the south. Serfs are not allowed to carry a spear there. A knife is fine, of course, and no one will begrudge them carrying a staff for walking.

Felix chuckles as she finishes fixing the knife on the end. This is very neat. I like it, she says. Ill be able to practise with it as a spear, and in the meantime, I do know how to bash things heads in with a stick.

Sticks are pretty neat, I agree. Just teaching some of the cleverer monsters how to pick up sticks makes them a whole lot more dangerous, and Felix is a bit smarter than those. Do you want it?

Yeah, I like it, Felix says. It looks well-made, too.

Simple, but quality, the shopkeeper says. Can I help you with anything else?

Bianca here needs a good dagger, I say.

Were directed to a case thats filled with all sorts of knives and daggers (the difference being somewhat semantic) and Bianca stares at them all before picking one or two out and stabbing at the air with them. I dont know what Im looking for here, Bianca admits. While Im not averse to using one of these, I dont have any practical idea on where to start.

See the sharp side? Slice them with that, Felix says.

I poke her in the short ribs. Dont be silly. Youll probably want something that fits your hand well. Some of these are made for people with big hands.

It doesnt need to be pretty, Esme points out. One sided is probably best too, since youre less likely to hurt yourself, and it will be easier to maintain.

Bianca nods. Is it wrong that I also want something thats somewhat nice to look upon?

I giggle. Thats fine. Youre very pretty, so you should have a pretty dagger too, right?

Bianca chuckles. I suppose so. Ive found, over the last few days, that perhaps many of the things I cared about arent as important as I may once have thought. She plucked a dagger from the rack, a longer, narrower blade, with a reinforced middle and an inline point. It was covered in delicate filigree, but only along the spine and around the small guard. I think this will do. It has a sheath too.

Perfect, I say.

The shopkeep is all smiles and nods as I fish out the gold to pay for everything.

Where to next? I ask as we step out onto the street.

There is one place Id like to visit, Bianca says.

***