Broken Earth: Unveiling the Secrets of the Worlds

First commission

“Will this be alright master? I’m sure old man Han will not like this.” Rupert said as he stares in front of the store that they opened up.

POK! POK! POK! POK! POK!

              “Oi Rupert! I thought you are the one that does not complain whatever master wants so how come you are complaining now?” Ramirez said as he nails the sign for their shop. “HEUP! There, now that’s perfect.” He added as he pats the dust off his clothes. “Yup! That old guys is quite stubborn and I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave anything before his death. That must be the reason why he gave everything he had following behind his wife. But I’m just as stubborn as he is so if he is watching us now, I hope he reads the sign properly and curse us while he’s at it.” Xerxes said as he steps outside to take a good look at their new store.

“The placing of the sign is perfect Ramirez, you don’t have to move it for the 6th time.”

[The signage says “Han’s Hunter Society”]

‘You gave us everything we need to go to the next level Mr. Han so I can’t just leave you out like that you know.’ Xerxes said as he looks at the sky and enter the shop. The three opened a shop where they will accept specific request from their costumer from protecting persons and transportation of goods to hunting certain creatures that the costumer demands but the deal should be made where both parties have agreed in a specific amount.

The three did not get much costumer in there first days and spent their time sitting inside the shop, tirelessly waiting for a costumer to come in. “I did not know this is going to be hard. It’s been a few days already and we did not get a single commission. Are you sure this is a good way master?” Ramirez ask as Xerxes nods his head. “Of course, we still have not established ourselves so his much is expected but once we get a little recognition, by that time, I think you will complain about not being able to do all commissions.” Xerxes said with a smile that immediately lifts the sadness from Ramirez’s face.

The days went by and no costumers entered their shop, while the two stayed in the front. Xerxes spend his time making blueprints of the weapons that they are slowly going to make. “First we need to enhance the flintlock. There is no way we can survive fighting off more powerful monsters with that kind of low grade weapon. Against other monster if there really exists like dragons or minotaurs, these weapon is useless and might as well scratch their skins.” Xerxes said to himself as he tries to come up and think of a proper solution to somehow evolve their weapons.

After a few hours of thinking and remembering how a revolver is made since it is the most simple one out of all the firearms that he remembers, he manage to recall how  the parts look like and how the mechanism works. “Finally! A breather!” he exclaims as he leans his back on the chair. Xerxes is able to recall how explosives are made and draw a blueprint of the basic explosive that he knows, dynamite and he also remembered something dangerous along the way, molotov.

“With things, taking down a minotaur or a dragon would be easy, if the person using these things are experts, that is.” He lets out a sigh and at that moment. Rupert knocks on the door before entering his office. “Master, we have our first costumer.” A smile on Xerxes face appears as he tidy himself and follows Rupert.

A few moments later, their first costumer have made the things that he wanted for the three to get and the things are surprisingly a little easy to get. “100 live great lizards?” Xerxes said after reading the things that they need to get. “What? Is that too much?” the costumer ask with a disappointed and cocky expression. ‘Well, I can’t blame them. Great lizards have tough skin and hard to catch alive so they most hunters ended up killing them.’ The costumer think to himself as Xerxes and the two made funny expressions.

The costumer turns out to be a medical practitioner and wants to explore the medical benefits of such animals to the human body. “Well, it’s not too much but if you want us to catch you 100 live great lizards based on the time that you want them then it is going to be hard.” Xerxes said as he stares at the deadline which is only three days. “Hmmm I find it also absurd considering that most great lizards from the market are dead. So, how many days do you think you will need?” the costumer asks as Xerxes smiles.

“1 week and the 100 live great lizards are ready.” Xerxes declares boldly as the costumer chuckles. “If you are that confident then I guess I will have to try and persuade my father. Then I will sign the contract today, and I will be back 7 days later with the payment.” Both parties nodded and agrees to the price after a while.

“Master are you sure we can catch 100 great lizards within a single week?” Rupert asks as Ramirez points out that they have weapons like the gun but Xerxes brush the thought of using such a weapon. “Using the gun is pointless since it tends to kill the prey immediately and the commission says that it needs to be alive. We are going to make a special trap for the great lizards, so I want to assign you both to do something.” Xerxes said with a smile on his face.

Rupert and Ramirez went to the market where numerous hunts from the portal are sold and went to look for a great lizard. “So it’s that size huh?” Rupert said after seeing a lizard half as big as a cat. The two asked if they can get and trace how big the lizard is and the vendor allowed them. After their first errand, they both went to the meat section where  different kinds of meat are sold. The two of them bought one of every kind and brought them back to their shop where they saw that Xerxes has already modified a barrel to be used as a trap.

“You arrived early.” He said as he explains them how his modification works. “Oh! So the barrel will allow entry but restricts exit once the creature is inside?” Xerxes nods his head and explains further. “I use the concept of the door, I used the hinge and make a mini door. We are going to coat the walls of the barrels with oil so that the lizards will not be able to climb.” Xerxes saw the size of the lizards and estimated that a barrel can house ten lizards at once so they bought and modified 9 more barrels.

2 days later after the preparations are complete. The three ventured inside the portal and went straight for the place where great lizards are always seen, they placed the barrel on different locations and covered it with grass or sand to make the lizards drop their guard while the three are hiding and keep watch on the traps.

FOOOP! SCREECH!

The first lizard fell victim to their trap as they can hear it struggle inside the barrel. “It feels like we are fishing, but this time we are fishing for lizards.” Ramirez said as he looks at the meat that is wasted but its for the trap and the commission so he can’t do anything. Only a few hours have passed and 8 of the 10 barrels are full so they carried it and load it in the carriage which they brought.

“These are really heavy!” with only 2 hours left the three waits patiently as time passes by.

2 hours later, the costumer is already waiting in front of their shop but finds it close. “It’s already been seven days, how long does it need to take to finish the commission. I know that even with seven days, that request is absurd. My father really has a knack for overexerting people.” He talks to himself when he hears a carriage approaching the shop. It was Xerxes coaching the carriage while the two are looking after the barrels loaded with great lizards.

“Did you wait long enough?” Xerxes ask with a smile. As sample, Ramirez unloads a barrel and opens the mini doors that they made and reveals to the costumer that they manage to catch live great lizards who is astonished about what he witnessed. “Impossible.” He mutters in awe as the three celebrates for the success of their first commission.