Running errands is something Gino has done a multitude of times for the Vultures. Granted, most of those errands involved going to pces and stealing something. Now though? Now he o spend moo buy an item and deliver it. Specifically a rapier.

  He knows what a rapier is on at of growing up in Gdius. The problem though is that it’s not a popur on by [Gdiators], thus finding one is difficult. A smithy could make one for a price, and a ons dealer could procure one- but actually having one on hand is unlikely. Instead, Gino rushes to a man known for having nearly everything on hand.

  “Orman!” Gino rushes ihe man's store. I need a rapier!

  Orman immediately grimaces at his presence. “Get the fuck out of my sight.”

  “It’s important!”

  “Yea? So is seeing Julias smile- which I doubt I’ll ever see again no thanks to you.”

  “Please! It’s an emergency. I have !”

  “Yeah, but no sister!” He ters, not even deigning to look at the kid.

  “Orman, I’m trying to make it right. I’ve joihe [Gdiator] tour and I pn to win enough to buy her freedom.”

  This time Orman looks at Gino with a gre. “And what? You want to learn to fight with a rapier? You think training with a stabbing stick is going to let you win against hardened fighters?”

  “I-I I’m going to win, Orman. I swear I’m going to set her free.”

  “Or die trying.” Orman snarls.

  “Yeah,” Gino looks Orman in the eyes. “Or die trying.”

  Orman shakes his head.

  Gino sighs. “Fine. Just tell me if there's anyone else I buy a rapier from.”

  “Shut up, kid.”

  “Look, I nee-”

  “Shut up and wait.”

  Orman leaves into a ba and pces a dusty, embroidered rapier on the ter. “Take it and don’t fug return unless its with Julia.”

  “How much.”

  “Just take it!” Orman pushes the on into his hands. “You either get her back or you die, you got it!”

  Gino feels the cold steel of the on in his hand for a moment. He matches eyes with Orman, and then slowly nods.

  “I’ll have her back.”

  He turns and rushes out of the store. Orman watches him leave with a sad smile on his face. Internally, the old man hopes that the kid at the very least survives.

  ____________________________________________________________

  Just before the fight is about to begin, Gino arrives with the on in hand. He immediately notices the tall blonde woman as she turns to ehe arena. “Stop! I o give you something.”

  The woman halts her steps and turns towards him, as does a Phytonid, Gemma, and a masked [Mage].

  “Quasi wants me to give you this.” He extends the rapier to the woman.

  The woman frowns and blinks. She grabs the on and frowns. She retrieves a handkerchief from a pocket and wipes the dust off. She does a practice lounge, and then nods. “This is well made.” She ents.

  “Good ruoo.” The Gemma points at what seemed like engravings to Gino are actually runes.

  The woman fihe ruhen she looks at Gino. “I thank you for this delivery.”

  “Oh, uh.” Gino kneels doulls out his own dagger. He used to have a runed one, but that was taken away once he was captured. “He also said to give you this- though I back after.”

  The woman accepts the dagger and flicks it across her hand. “Good weight. Not a stiletto, but the guard will serve well as one. Have you anything else?”

  Gino shakes his head. “No. That’s all he told me to give you.”

  “Good.” She turns around and starts walking into the arena.

  While she does, Gino rushes away to rejoin Quasi at the vantage for a better view.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  By the time he arrives, the duel is about to begin.

  “Looks like you delivered it tard on time. Good job,” Quasi says with a grin.

  “Thank you. Umm,” Gino gnces about, “Where is the uy?”

  “Cillian? He went to check the bets. Apparently everyone is betting on that Gorbi guy to win.”

  Gino tilts over the railing to look at the impending fight. “The Lions gao win more often than not. He’s also against women, who are weaker than men.”

  Quasi chuckles. “If they want to uimate her, go ahead.”

  “You think she’ll win?” Gino asks.

  “Just watch. The fight’s beginning.”

  Gino watches Irmgard take a stah a rapier extended and dagger at the ready. Gorbi does something simir where he has both axes armed alongside a lower stance. He’d seeance before in [Barbarians]. They are aggressive, fast, and are good at overwhelming foes.

  The sound of a bell dings to start the fight. Gorbi rushes towards Irmgard, but the woman waits. As he gets close, she stabs forward while stepping back. He tries to parry the on to the side, but it’s already being pulled back. She straps again with such speed that Gorbi tries to lean to the side. The bde misses, only for it to retrad attack again. He parries again, but the Rapier is fast and effit, rec immediately to attack again. Gorbi is, to his surprise, forced back while the ushes forward with stabs. Her distance is kept outside his own but inside her longer on.

  While the battle tinues, her dagger has yet to move. Everything is done by footwork and single-hand stabs.

  Realizing that he’s losing. Gorbi rolls away and then pounces forward. One axe parries the rapier, the oes for the kill.

  It is here where the dagger moves, tg onto the sed axe and tilting and twisting it around. At the same time, she hops in the same dire of the swipe and takes the opportunity to stab his thigh. Before he react, she hops away and creates the distance again- only to re engage her assault. With the injury to his this, his footing slows and dodging grows more and more difficult. Her stabs start to find flesh- first light, but they soon grow deeper as his movement slows from the loss of blood. Eventually, he trips and Irmgards rapier stops at his throat, signaling her win.

  “YYYEAAAHHHHHH-,” Gino screams and then sputters as he finds himself to be the only one. He gnces about at the audience, only to find them gring at him. “What?”

  Cillian chuckles o Ginhtening the young man. He’d not heard the short maurn with how engrossed he was in the fight. “Everyone expected Irmgard to lose. They put money on him winning and now they lost a good helping of .”

  When Gino looks at the audience again, he feel a great deal of enmity from their gazes.

  Quasi hops abino’s shoulder. “Lets go gratute the winner. Cillian, collect the winnings and put it on Boriss.”

  “Will do.”

  Leaving Cillian, Gino makes his way to where Quasi’s crew is located. Now, without the rush to get the rapier to the woman, he ow truly appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of Quasi’s crew. He’s got a Gemma, a Phytonid that looks like she could be an Ioid, a masked [Mage], and the tall blond human woman who looks like she should instead be the [Captain]. On top of that, he’s already met Boriss- who took out someowice his level. And finally Cillian, a short plump man that just put a massive target on his back with his gambling.

  “Irmgard, a bit slow for my preference, but good fight heless.” Quasi says with a grin.

  The woman turns to the Cat. “I prefer to avoid needless risks to expedite bat.”

  “I don’t take risks!” Quasi excims.

  Every member of Quasi’s crew looks at the cat, seemingly thinking the same thing.

  “They’re tactically sound pns that just so happen to be risky,” He says nervously. “Anyway, how's the Rapier?”

  With her handkerchief, she wipes the on down slowly and with utmost respect. “Exceptional, though not required. The cutss alone would have beee enough to beat my oppo.”

  “But riskier.” Quasi adds with a grin.

  “Correct.” She assuages.

  “Where’d you get it?” Emma asks. “The Runes are quite potent.”

  “Runes?” Quasi asks. He focuses on the rapier for a moment.

  Name

  Rapier of Stabbing

  Rarity

  Exceptional - 8 Runes.

  1(1-Durability)1(1-lightweight)1(6-Greater Pierg)Description

  This Rapier is +30% more durable, +30% lighter i, and has +300% Peion.

  Sustain

  0.20% Mana regeion per minute.

  “Oh damn. That’s nice. Very nice, actually.” Quasi says, then frowns as he looks at Gino. “Where the hell did you get the rapier from and how much did it cost?”

  Gino looks down. “I was given it for free to practice with.”

  “I see. Do you want it back for the tour?” Quasi asks.

  Gino shakes his head. “I ’t use it for the tour and after looking at hard fights, I don’t think I have the time to learn before tomorrow. I do want my dagger back, though.”

  Irmgard reaches into her coat arieves the dagger. She hands it to the kid, who quickly sheathes it into a sheathe hidden in his leg.

  Just then, Cilliaurns with a grin on his face. “[Captain], the bet has bee for the first round- though Boriss is going to o take out at least five batants otherwise we will actually lose money.”

  “Five? Lose? What are you talking about? Doesn’t he have to win all the rounds?” Quasi asks.

  “The first round of the tour is a free for all to reduce the number of fighters to a more manageable level.” Gino expins.

  Quasi blinks. “Oh. That makes sense. How many fighters for the first round? Actually, describe the first round and all its rules. I was uhe impression these were going to be one versus ones.”

  Gino nods. “The first round is generally two-hundred fighters enter and only fifty leave. No armor and ons are allowed to be taken with you except for whatever you find otlefield. After the first five minutes, water will be introduced into the arena from the outside to force the arena to bee smaller. If your body touches the water, you are immediately disqualified. Once fifty fighters are left, a horn will sound and those remaining will be allowed into round two.”

  Quasi nods slowly. “Simple enough, though I o go warn Boriss and tell him he o take out at least five of the hters.“

  The cat hops off Gino’s shoulder and then nds on the Phytonid. “Aight. If we’re done here, let's head out. Gino, stay safe and thanks for being a good mount. It was fun and I wish you lu the tour and I hope you buy your sister's freedom. If the Fmingos give you a hard time, fi my ship, the Timbergrove. I’ll make sure they ply with their promises.”

  Just as the group begins to head out, Gino remembers the weight on his hip. For a moment, he debates about staying silent about it, but immediately decides against it. Quasi opened a way for him to save his sister. Going against that just doesn't feel right.”

  “Quasi, wait,” He calls. He reaches for the pouch at his hip. “I o gi-”

  “Keep it.” Quasi interrupts Gino. “And thanks for the rapier.” The cat grins, waves a paw, and then the group leaves.

  Gino g the bag filled with hundreds of trist for a moment. He then gnces once more at the backs of Quasi and his crew before rushing off to make bets with his newfouh.