It was the next morning following Titan’s raid of the tower Greed and Titan was sitting at his desk finishing up sorting through spread sheets.
Titan suddenly remembered something. He looked up at the calendar nailed to his wall beside his door and he read a short message on it.
Charlie is coming today, remember what I told you to ask him. Tell Rick thank you for the daggers. You impressed him. - Dad
There was a knock at his door.
“Come in, Uncle Charlie.” Titan said.
Charlie came into the room shaking his head.
Charlie was dressed in a cream white shirt and leather jacket and jeans.
A pale thin hue of a magical glow was around his body.
Titan focused on Charlie but he couldn’t see Charlie’s system menu.
“Did you hear me thinking or something? How did you know it was me?” Charlie asked.
Titan turned around his chair toward him. “I was expecting you. I’ve been done organizing the books. I’ve made some suggestions on shit you could do to cut expenses.”
Charlie sighed. “Okay. Give me a spread sheet of it.” He said.
Titan passed a large stack of papers to him.
Charlie sighed and took the papers. “Thank you.” He said.
Titan nodded. “No problem. I am going to need at least two and half days to work out everything else.” He said.
“How are you doing?” He asked.
“Good. How’s the guild?” Titan asked.
Charlie shrugged. “Working. We’re all just waiting for you to get rested up to join the gang again.”
Titan grinned. “Me too.”
“I heard from your mother that you found out about Wade.” He said.
“Yeah. Not a big deal. He isn’t going to change my plans much.” Titan said.
Charlie stared at him. “You’ve talked to him again?”
“Yes. I still have no idea why he singled me out but I have my own dreams and plans. I don’t need his help to win at the game.” Titan said.
Charlie smiled and chuckled lightly. “What is that game you're trying to win?”
Titan sat back folding his fingers together as his elbows rested on his arm rest.
“I told you already. I need to pay off the mortgage and put my sister through college. What is the better question?”
“How do you get more money?” Charlie said with a smile.
“Right on, Uncle Charlie. How do I do that?” Titan said.
Charlie whistled. “You have to advance your rank or in your case experience level and skill set ranks. The higher your level and rank skill the valuable treasures drop you get. What’s your system menu looking like now?”
“I’m sitting at level six. My ranking system only advances my skills which are at level 2. It’s a slow growing.” Titan said.
Charlie nodded. “I hear you but the guild has more than enough members to help you get to your goal. What about Glenda?”
Titan stared at him. “What do you think of her?”
Charlie shrugged. “She’s young, beautiful and powerful. I expect you're going to marry her. She isn’t perfect though.”
Titan smiled. “Why do you say that?” He said.
“I think she has been watching you and waiting to recruit you into the government for her own reasons.” Charlie said.
“I will take that into consideration.” Titan said.
“What do you think of her?” Charlie asked.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“I like her. She has a pretty smile and we have interesting conversations.” He said.
Charlie nodded. “Okay. I got your pay from Rick for the job.” He said.
Titan started to nod but then he frowned. “Wait a minute. Rick said my payment for the job was going to be the gold coins. Ron got the coins.”
Charlie reached into the pocket of his white jacket and took out two ebony daggers with silver white grips.
Titan caught the daggers in his hands and admired the look of them. “They’re beautiful.” He said.
Charlie smiled. “Rick said, you might like them. They’re not enchanted like the ones you used in the tower of greed.”
Titan tested the daggers in his hands and they felt right. He smiled. “Yeah. I like these. I can put them to good use.”
“You can get them enchanted in the future. Oh my one thing.” Charlie said.
Titan reaches up and catches his magic bag. “Thanks. Everyone got their cut.” He said.
“What?” Charlie asked, staring at him.
Titan motioned with his hand. “You know the gold coins and items Ron put in the bag. Did everyone divide everything up?”
Charlie stared at him and covered his mouth for a second. “Yeah. We all divided everything up in the bag.”
Titan frowned at him. “What the hell is so funny?” He asked.
Charlie smiled but he shook his head. “Nothing. Nothing. So. Tomorrow you should be finished up with the paperwork.”
Titan studied Charlie with narrowed eyes. “Yeah. I should be done unless you have business you want me to clear up.”
“I want you to consider going on training exercises with Hank for shooting. In a day or so we’ll have another big dungeon run to head to. Hopefully it won’t be long.” He said.
“Okay. Tell Hank to pick me up tomorrow.” Titan said and turned back around to his desk.
“Well that was easy. One more question. What did you think of Wade?” Charlie asked.
“He’s an asshole but I like him.” Titan said.
Charlie reached for the door. “Yeah. That is the general impression he leaves people with when they meet him. Get some rest.” He said before leaving Titan’s room.
Titan is left alone in his room. He glanced back up at the message on the callender.
"Thanks Dad." He said quietly.
Titan then stared at the paperwork on his desk before he pushed back from his desk and looked at his new daggers.
He looked around his room and then noticed a dart board hanging from the back of his bathroom door. He walked toward it and saw a sticky note attached to it.
Titan snatched if off to read the short note.
- Every Rogue needs a practice board.- G. Wade.
Titan balled up the note and threw it in a waste can. He took a few steps away from the board.
Titan stared at the center of the target and then held up his dagger. The dagger flew out of his hand and landed on the center.
A few seconds later his door opened and his mother Caroline appeared on the other side. She studied him. ”What are you doing son?”
Titan held up a dagger. “Practicing throwing but something is wrong.” He said.
“What is it?” Caroline said.
“It’s too easy. How do I make it more difficult?” He said.
Caroline stared at him. “Aim at the third area.”
Titan threw his dagger hitting the third target area. He frowned. “That’s not good.” He said.
Caroline walked into his room and took off the daggers from the target.
“What are you doing?”
She placed one dagger on the floor and she held the other dagger behind her back.
“Throw the daggers and plant them on the target on the three area and center target. Ready. Go.”
Titan moved diving for the dagger turned but then he was pushed over.
He looked up to see Caroline pointed the dagger at him. She frowned at him.
“Are you out of energy?”
Titan shook his head. “No. You surprised me. I lost my focus.” He said.
Caroline nodded. “Get up. We’ll start from the beginning.” She said and stood up.
Titan got to his feet. “How did you hit me?” He asked.
Caroline shook her head. “Figure it out. Remember your mission and try not to waste energy from your starting position.” She said.
Titan was on his feet again. He walked back to the spot he had started from.
Titan took a breath and he moved. He blinked and appeared behind Caroline.
He couldn’t see the dagger. He moved as his mother twisted around to kick him.
Titan was already moving. He picked up the second dagger on the floor but still ended up being pushed down to the floor.
Titan lay on the floor a few seconds then he was standing in front of the target. He planted the dagger in the target.
Caroline tapped a finger to the back of his neck. “Got you.” She said.
Titan signed. “Yep. You changed the location of the dagger. How? Where is it?” He said.
“Nope. You’ll have to figure out where to get the item. How’s your energy?”
Titan’s stomach growlled. He glanced back at her. “I could use something to eat.”
Caroline grinned at him and poked his nose gentle.
Titan sighed, coming to his feet. He looked around his room until he found the extra dagger on his bed.
He picked it up and noticed a glow to the blade. He sniffed the blade.
“What are you doing?” She asked as he reached for the door.
“You used magic on the blade. It smells like sunshine and honey.” He said.
Caroline stared at him and raised a single eyebrow. “Thank you. I think. I used a bit of magic on the blade. When did you start to have that ability? I didn't see it in your system menu.”
Titan shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess you could relate it to my passive ability of physical enhancement. My senses and speed are enhanced a little.”
Caroline nodded and waved a hand at herself. “When you look at me what do you see differently that you didn’t see before?”
The sun shined into the room. The light was cast on Caroline in her white dress and rebounded off a thin barrier of white magic around her body.
“There is a thin barrier of magic surrounding your body. When the light of the sun touches it makes your body glow in a pretty light.” Titan said.
Caroline studied his eyes. “Your eyes are enhanced too? It is possible that with more enhancement level ups you'll able to see and hear magical effects more clearly over time?”
Titan frowned, shaking his head. “Wait a minute. Doesn’t everyone see magic?”