It Started with Slime - Part 1

Interlude XIV - Epilogue - Powers Shift

"Yes, mother, I understand...."

Isabella sighed, seeing that Boren was still trying to find a way to use this newly discovered power. "Boren, what I am saying is that you have two choices here. If you feel you are ready to start training with me and working to improve yourself safely, you can start today. However, if you feel that you would like to continue to enjoy your childhood as I wish I had for a little longer, then we can begin in a few years or a few months. It does not need to start immediately." Again Boren was faced with those intense eyes.

"Okay, I understand. I would like to start today. I do not want to be weak anymore. Please, I don't have been weak anymore, and I do not want to wait, to just remain weak so that I can be a child? Remain a child so that I can play around in the palace? No. I will not do that. I cannot."

Isabella saw the resolution in Boren's eyes and smiled inwardly. Boren's return smile had a predator's edge. He would not remain weak, whatever it took. And if a little emotion was required to power through, then he would use it.

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Heads turned to regard a statuesque woman clad in an elegant dress flowed through Pravwell. She was some type of noble woman and high born. She may have been a faction leader or a relation of one such. After all no one in Pravwell wore clothes of that sort unless they had some significant backing. The residents of Pravwell might have thought her affiliated with the clergy if the churches had not given up on Pravwell many years ago. Now the city was destitute. The diametric opposite of what Brewyn represented. The grimy back alleys and poorly maintained city was no place for such a woman. She would have been better off in Brewyn. At least that's what the lowly members of the Renfay thought as they stalked their unwitting prey.

They had already collected taxes from the shops in this section of the city, their part of the city. A few idiots from the Macha had thought to encroach on their territory but they had quickly sent them packing. After all, the official boundaries between factions meant that each faction received bonuses if they were in their territory. Within theirs they got a boost to attack, defence and speed. It was not a large boost but it was definitely enough to make a difference when you had twenty of your buddies helping you out. And Pravwell was the perfect place. Whatever you wanted you could have, booze, women, weapons and most importantly bloody violence! Not like those sissies in Brewyn. They couldn't handle a day in Pravwell.

The leader of this minor band sneered and crept further forward, eyeing the expensive jewellery the woman wore. A thin smile showed yellowing teeth and nefarious intentions. Today Renfay whose name was the name of the clan would be very happy indeed with the haul they brought home tonight. A woman's fine jewellery, that would make a pretty prize for Renfay, he might reward him with some coins or perhaps something else, something more...interesting...

With a single hand gesture the individual members were sent scattering in three directions, to the left, to the right and another to cut the woman off from the front. This was going to be a good score, he could feel it in his bones and it was going to be taken well within their part of the city no chance of meddling from the other factions.

This is th' one 'at's gonna be me definin' action! The vagabond thought as he continued to creep closer, he and a few others had stayed behind the woman to get her when she inevitably turned to run. I can finally prove meself to old Renfay... the thought came to him reverently as thought of Renfay always should. It had never felt right to Per that Renfay did not get an honorific. All the other high and mighty got one why not him? Renfay didn't want one. Perhaps Renfay itself was a title; it was the only name he had been given for their all powerful leader. Per hoped one day to bask in his excellence once more. Just as I did that day when I brought her to see him, she had screamed an' spouted words like "betrayal" but what was a lad like me to do? Didn't she betray Renfay first by selling gang secrets to Macha? They was gonna give us protection from Renfay but why change? They were all the same an' I grew up 'ere with Renfay. Anyway, Macha was a weakling compared to Renfay. It had been proven by the Renfay getting bigger each year that passed. Macha was shrinking while Gongsou had pretty much stayed the same since Per had know it.