Chapter 4: Young Lady, Sign This Contract of Indenture
Asker retrieved a Soul Contract from his bag. The terms were already written out. Peggy took it and scanned through the clauses. Most were standard teamwork stipulations, such as prohibiting either party from directly or indirectly harming the other. The final clause, however, caught her eye:
This contract is valid for five years. Party A (Asker) shall provide Party B (Peggy) with sufficient knowledge and training to achieve self-sufficiency. In return, Party B shall, without violating the aforementioned terms, obey Party A’s instructions. All spoils obtained through teamwork shall be distributed by Party A.
A typical apprentice mercenary agreement.
“So, you’ll teach me combat skills in exchange for my service?” Peggy inquired.
“Precisely,” Asker replied with a smile. “You possess rudimentary supernatural power, but you don’t know how to use it. I’ll teach you how to wield your strength effectively. In return, you work for me for a period. Perfectly reasonable, don’t you think?”
“Add a clause,” Peggy stated. “Help me get revenge. Kill those vampires in your house. With a deadline.”
Clearly, the girl still harbored distrust and suspicion. Asker didn’t mind.
In the grand scheme of the main storyline, a world war was only a few years away.
No matter how powerful a supernatural being, they would eventually fall to a sufficiently large and determined force.
Therefore, Asker had every reason to assemble a highly skilled and obedient combat team.
As for his future teammates, their initial trust was inconsequential. Once they tasted the fruits of their cooperation, their self-interest would bind them together.
“Very well,” Asker agreed, adding a line to the contract. “Within one week.”
Revenge within a week? Peggy’s heart leaped. She fought to suppress her excitement, her gaze fixed on Asker as he signed his name on the Soul Contract.
“There,” Asker said, handing the contract back to her. “Take a look.”
Peggy scrutinized the document once more, confirming the key terms: Asker would train her to control her powers, and in return, she would serve him for five years. Revenge was merely a bonus.
It wasn’t an unacceptable arrangement. If she had possessed supernatural powers that night, her parents might still be alive.
And now, as a vampire herself, without the means to protect herself, she could be discovered and executed by the Church at any moment.
With that in mind, Peggy signed her name at the bottom of the contract.
“Excellent. Now we’re partners in life and death,” Asker said, a triumphant glint in his eyes. He could sense an invisible bond forming between them, a testament to the Soul Contract’s power.
“Don’t forget about my revenge, Mr. Asker,” Peggy said coldly.
“No need for formalities. Just call me Asker.” He unbuckled the short sword from his belt. “This is for you.”
“A weapon?” Peggy accepted the sword.
“Some vampires believe their claws and spells are their greatest weapons,” Asker explained. “They’re wrong. Until you reach level 5, a good weapon is essential. Do you know why you couldn’t land a single blow on me earlier?”
“Why?” Peggy asked.
“Because my reach is longer than yours,” Asker stated matter-of-factly. “My sword could reach you before you could reach me.”
“In that case, wouldn’t a longer weapon be even better?” Peggy reasoned. “Like a longsword or a spear?”
“If we’re talking about range, why not a sniper rifle?” Asker chuckled. “The greater the range of a weapon, the more vulnerable it is at close quarters. That’s the trade-off.”
“For agile vampires like yourself, short swords and daggers are ideal. Your speed compensates for the lack of reach. Daggers are all about offense, while short swords offer a better balance.”
“You’re newly turned, still unfamiliar with your powers,” Asker continued. “Supernatural power must be honed through practice, converted into physical or mental strength. Since vampires are creatures of the night and don’t require sleep, your training begins tonight.”
“Run to the other side of the cemetery, cut down a branch from the bushes beyond the fence with your short sword, bring it back here, and keep the fire going all night. That’s your first task.”
“What about you?” Peggy asked. “Will you be watching?”
“Of course not,” Asker replied. “I’m human. I need my sleep.”
He removed his dried gambeson and mail hauberk, found a flat spot near the fire, and lay down, using his armor as a makeshift blanket.
Peggy stared at him in silence. Then, she turned and walked out of the cottage, short sword in hand.
Running beneath the moonlight was a novel experience for Peggy. A well-behaved girl, she had never ventured out after seven in the evening.
Now, as a vampire, she found herself strangely at ease in the darkness. A primal urge stirred within her.
A thirst for blood, a hunger for the hunt.
She reached the edge of the cemetery. Beyond the fence lay a thicket of withered bushes. With a burst of speed, she vaulted over the fence and swung her short sword at the nearest bush.
The blade met with resistance, the bush bending but not breaking.
Peggy paused, examining the situation. Her sword wasn’t sharp enough, and the bush was too resilient. Simply hacking at it wouldn’t work.
She grabbed a branch with her free hand and sawed at the base with her short sword. Once it snapped, she sprinted back towards the cottage.
Bursting through the door, she was alarmed to find the fire had dwindled significantly. Without anyone to tend to it, the firewood had almost burned out. She tossed the branch onto the embers and sprinted back towards the cemetery.
After several trips, Peggy began to understand Asker’s training regimen. She could only carry one branch at a time, and the fire consumed wood quickly. She had to minimize her travel time, pushing her speed to the limit.
Stopping to cut the branches was inefficient. She started grabbing branches mid-sprint, her short sword positioned to slice through the base, utilizing her momentum to sever the branch without even breaking stride.
Upon returning to the cottage, she no longer ran all the way to the fire. She would toss the branch from a distance, shaving off precious seconds.
After over a hundred trips, Peggy felt a change in her body. Her legs were stronger, her balance more stable as she navigated the uneven terrain. Her reflexes had sharpened, allowing her to snatch branches and swing her sword with greater precision.
The vampire essence coursing through her veins, the vast reservoir of supernatural power, was steadily enhancing her physical capabilities.
She was getting stronger, and it was exhilarating.
Dawn arrived.
Asker sat up, his shoulders stiff and sore from sleeping on the hard ground.
He opened his eyes and looked towards the fire in the center of the cottage.
The flames had died down considerably but hadn’t vanished entirely. A few branches still crackled within the embers. A gust of wind swept through the open door as another branch landed on the fire. Peggy stood at the entrance, her expression unreadable.
“You’re awake,” she stated.
“Indeed.” Asker rose and donned his armor, securing his sword and pistols.
His mouth felt like a desert. He longed for a toothbrush.
“Training going well?” he asked. “It’s time we left this place.”
“During my training…” Peggy hesitated. “I felt… urges. A bloodlust. An impulse to tear and rend. Is something wrong with me?”
“The Flesh I trait carries traces of primal instincts,” Asker explained dismissively. “Absorbing it can sometimes affect your consciousness. However, you’re only level 1. The side effects should be minimal. I imagine you can suppress those urges with a little focus?”
“Yes,” Peggy confirmed.
“Good.” Asker stepped out of the cottage.
They descended the hill, leaving the cemetery behind. Asker purchased a black hooded cloak from a nearby clothing store, replacing Peggy’s burial shroud and concealing her features. He didn’t want anyone mistaking her for a resurrected corpse.
Their next stop was the blacksmith’s shop near Asker’s former workplace.
“Shopkeeper.” Asker strode into the shop, gesturing towards the cloaked figure behind him. “A suit of mail for this young lady. Full-steel rings, flexible enough for a full range of motion.”
“And a layer of padded leather armor underneath. Properly tanned, with articulated joints for agility, reinforced shoulders for weight distribution, and three layers of linen padding.”
“Of course, Master Achilles.” The shopkeeper bowed deeply, recognizing a lucrative customer when he saw one. “However, a full suit of mail will require custom work. It’ll take at least a month.”
“Five days,” Asker countered. “I’ll pay you 50 pounds. Source the rings from the factories across the Golden Horn. Hire additional blacksmiths to help with the assembly. I’ll return for it in five days. Here’s 20 pounds as a down payment.”
The shopkeeper’s mind raced, calculating a potential profit of 5 to 15 pounds. He readily agreed. “No problem, Master Achilles! Helga! Helga, you old bat! Get your lazy behind out here and take this fine lady’s measurements!”
“Nordric! Get your scrawny hide to the factories across the Golden Horn! Order 15,000 mail rings! And if you’re not back by five, you can kiss your dinner goodbye!”
The shopkeeper’s frantic commands sent the entire shop into a frenzy. Soon, a timid woman emerged, ushering Peggy into a back room for measurements. Asker waited outside, watching the bustling street. A while later, Peggy emerged, clad in leather armor.
“I got a mask, since you mentioned not wanting to be recognized,” Peggy said, lowering her hood to reveal a simple black mask, the kind worn by tragic actors in ancient Syris plays.
“Excellent.” Asker nodded in approval. “Now, let’s take care of your revenge.”
They arrived at the district where Asker’s family mansion stood and checked into a hotel, securing a room on the fifth floor. From their window, they had a clear view of the street leading to the mansion’s entrance.
“Are you planning to snipe them from here?” Peggy asked, gesturing towards the distant mansion.
“No.” Asker shook his head. “This room is for you. So you can watch your enemies die.”
“Oh.” Peggy blinked, understanding dawning on her. She was still too weak to participate. Asker would handle the vampires himself, while she observed from a safe distance.
Leaving Peggy in the room, Asker hurried out of the hotel and back towards the Hagia Sophia. He entered the grand cathedral, his steps purposeful.
“I have a confession,” he announced, his voice echoing through the vast hall, reaching the bishop standing at the pulpit.
