Puzzles In Darkness: Beginning Read online

  Coach wiped his eyes off to see all the recruits shocked with their eyes and mouths wide open, Coach looked at the dummy to see the knife Kyzeip thru was stuck right in the left eye of the Broot dummy. Coach surprised said: “holy shit, we’ve got to be standing two hundred and fifty meter away at least, there's no other way you could have done that unless you used extreme electro magnetic repulse, that's an advanced skill you have”. Kyzeip said: “correct, but personally I would let the Broot come to me so I can stab them in the skull up close”. Coach said: “you're a disturbing lighting full user, I’ll pass you this time, but I will expect a little more cooperation from you next time, alright”. Kyzeip respond: “don't make hopeful wishes”. As he walked to the dummy to receive his knife back, Increst said to Maxizz: “oh fuck, you just got owned, pay up magic-dick”. Maxizz said: “I’ll get the money after the day ends”.

  Coach says: “alright, I was not expecting this at all today, you freaks managed to raise the bar excellently. I’ll put you down as team one for now, if you guys decided on a better name come to me or the Counselor to change it. Speaking of the Counselor, I’m supposed to send one team at a time to him after they pass, so take this report to him and he’ll give you all the information you need”. Coach gave the report to Rolando, Kyzeip returned to his team to hear Rolando say to him: “let us go to thee Counselor, for he shall mark our teamwork in stone”. Kyzeip said: “teamwork? we haven't even agreed if we like each other enough to be called a team”. Maxizz said: “not to mention we didn’t discuss a team name yet, were just team one which isn’t that bad, but we all agree the new team name has to sound badass”. Increst agreed with Maxizz, Rolando spoke: “Aye in favour for name to symbol our pack of Slayer honor, let us continue in speaking to one another and the bumps on our journey will flatten”. Increst yelled at Rolando: “speak fucking normally already tin head, you sound like someone's playing a fantasy book on a record player”. Rolando exhaled and said: “a long time awaits us; a long time awaits”.

  Chapter 3: The Counselor

  Maxizz said: “hello, is this the counselor's office”. A tall brown haired man sitting down answered: “yes, you would be correct, I will be your counselor, are you four... unique people the first to finish the examination”. Rolando spoke: “Aye, I bring thee the scroll of knowledge from the Constable himself”. Kyzeip puts down his head in disappointment, while Maxizz and Increst had their jaws dropped over what Rolando just said. The Counselor took a second to respond to Rolando: “I see, will I can already tell you're really into the medieval stuff”. Maxizz whispered to Kyzeip and Increst: “did he just figured that out right now”. Increst said to Rolando: hey “tin head, of all the fucking time to turn up your geekiness to eleven, why now”. The counselor heard Increst and said: “excuse me miss (Increst quietly said fuck), I will excuse Mr. Knight’s outfit, since it’s reasonable for a Slayer to have efficient/protective clothes”. The counselor stares directly at Maxizz, Maxizz says: “what, WHAT”! The counselor continued: “but there is no reason for a Slayer to swear, would you mind keeping your language clean”.

  Increst said: “why the fuck do I have to watch my language like I’m a fucking six-year-old”. The counselor said: “Miss, please, this is a well known academy with high standards, I can’t allow fowl words taint my school's reputation”. Increst talked back: “will that’s a fucking lie, what reputation does this place have, there's no other slayer academy that let’s anyone in without a background check, this is the only one”. Maxizz looked at Increst nervously, without trying to get the counselor's attention he attempted to give her the “shut up” single with his hands. The counselor said: “I’ll say this once more; would you mind keeping your language clean”. Increst said: “sure why the fucking fuck not, after all we're just fucking around and fucking doing nothing”. The counselor tried to keep calm but with an angry tone that can be hear from his voice, he said: “miss remember who you're talking to, I could have you kicked out from the Academy if you're not careful”. Increst looked like she wanted to talk back, but she ended up apologizing to the counselor in the end. The counselor said: “I hope you four wont cause me too much trouble, but I assume that might be asking too much”. The counselor read the report and asked: “excuse me, but which one of you is Kyzeip”? Kyzeip answered: “that would be me”. The counselor said: “It says here you completed the course without running, do you have any medical conditions we should know about”. Kyzeip replied: “not at all, I do what I need to do and there was need for me to run”. Maxizz says: “yeah that, and he made a bet on it”. Kyzeip said: “that also have some influence”.

  The counselor said: “well okay, your accuracy is without a doubt professional, so I trust you've been properly trained before coming here. I ask of you to try and be a little cooperative, I know it's a hassle but we can't give you an official Slayer license until you finish the three-year requirement time. I've seen plenty of overconfident rookies with amazing skills get in over their heads, hurting themselves or even worst, all for the sake of impressing others, understood”. Kyzeip with a blank face stared at the counselor and said: “you're right, I must reconsider my goals of entertaining a bunch of strangers with my deadly killing skills”. The counselor said: “well okay then, next is Maxizz, you've made an impressive time running the course, but I will have to disagree with coach Terence on this note, I think your suit fits you perfectly. I just ask you tone down on the medieval speak or I’ll have to appoint a therapist to talk to you”. Maxizz and Rolando looked at each other in confusion, Maxizz asked: “are you talking to me or Rolando”?

  The counselor laughed then stopped to respond: “this isn’t a joke is it, are you really Maxizz, you passed the course in under five minutes”. Maxizz said: “hell yeah, and I did it in style”. The counselor said: “what did I just say about keeping a clean language”. Maxizz apologized and the counselor and the counselor moved onto Rolando, he said: “I see, now this makes more sense, you follow orders like a soldier or a knight in your cause, if you can follow orders than you can make your own, I believe you might have great potential in leadership”. Rolando spoke: “Grammarcy, Ye is most kind, my lord, I shall not bring disappointment on thy kingdom”. The counselor said: “again, tone down on the old timey talk and I won't have to book a therapist”. Maxizz says to the counselor: “you mind as well save the time and book one now”. The counselor says: “well okay then, but I’m still impressed in your physical strength, I can see you making it far as a Slayer in my Academy”.

  The counselor said: “now than miss Increst, that is your name yes”? Increst was about to about to say “fuck yeah” but stopped herself from doing so and nodded her head instead. The counselor continued: “I’m not going to question why your choice to having a guitar be your weapon, but I must know, can you continue without it”? Increst says: “yeah I fu--, I mean I can use any other gun to shoot, but I like my guitar and I not letting it go”. The counselor said: “if that is what you want, I can't force a Slayer to change the weapon they most feel comfortable with. I must warn you, the examination course may look easy, but every year over 25 percent of recruits fail to make it to the final part of the course due to heavy weaponry. As a beginner you should be carrying lighter gear, during a Broot invasion, for your safety or someone else's you will need to move quickly in a dangerous situation, do you understand”. Increst replied: “yes I understand, it's very important to be fit and all that stuff”. the counselor said: “I say this because Coach Terence noted that you were lying down on the ground in exhaustion after finishing the run, this isn’t a pleasant report Miss Increst. You're in a dangerous area at the moment, you are going to need to decide to whether to lose the musical gun, or train much harder if you want to stay in this academy, understood”. Increst shook her head to agree

  The counselor continued: “I hope all of you now understand what you all need to improve on for your own futures, now that we got that out off the way, I accept you four officially as new recruit
to Evie Academy”. Maxizz says: “finally, was that all we had left to do”. The counselor said: “no not yet, there still some paperwork that need to be done, I can leave the rest to you four to finish filling out these papers by tomorrow. For now, we are going to take a picture for your ID cards, it's important you don't loose them okay”. The counselor took photos and in a minute printed out ID cards to give to Kyzeip, Maxizz, Increst and Rolando. The counselor continued: “well, before you all leave I have one last thing I need to check out with you, all I need is a yes or no to a question I’m going to ask”. Maxizz asked: “okay, hit us, what's the question”? The counselor asked: “had any of you killed a Broot before entering Evie Academy, whether it was intentional, accidental, illegally or for survival? I repeat all I need is a yes or no, you don't have to explain yourselves, only answer with one of the options provided”. Rolando said: “Aye”, Kyzeip said: “of course”, Maxizz said:” yes”, and Increst said: “oh yeah I did too”.

  The counselor said: “good, good, I will offer you four ahead start by putting you on cleansing duty”. Maxizz ask: “what, how did we go from Slayers to janitors”? The counselor said: “cleansing duty is just what we call “finishing off the remains”, it's the job were Slayer scout out and eliminated Broot that hide after a night raid. To simplify it, more experience Slayers will fight off the raid to a safer condition, than lesser experience Slayers cleans up the area from any Broots that got missed”. Maxizz said: “oh, well that makes more sense”. The counselor continued: “there's also an extra bonus of three hundred dolls added your monthly allowance, as you all may know you get a thousand dolls for food, crystals, and other needs, in short it's a good deal. well then what do all of you say, you will get more money and achieve your licenses faster, in return I get more experience Slayer's that will hopefully bring in good reputation for my academy”. Maxizz replied: “yeah you really need it, I didn't see any other instructors out in the field, what gives is Couch the only one that works here”.

  The counselor frowned and sadly told the four Slayer's the truth: “I see you noticed already, you see Evie academy has had a lot of trouble in the past and it was easier ignore the problems at the time, but now all of the problems that happened back then has cached up, leaving the Academy with budget cuts and a short staff. If any of you could go to another academy I’m sure you would, but I guarantee it won't be as easy as entering this one, all of the other Slayer academy's don't just let anyone in like we do”. Increst interrupted the counselor: “yeah we already know that much we would like to know if we're not getting boned at this dump”. The counselor said: “Language, watch your language Miss”. Increst replied: “what I can't say dump now”. The counselor sighed and continued to wrap thing up: “well than what will it be, do you want to stay at the same speed with the rest of the new Slayer's, or advance ahead”. The four Slayer's all agreed without talking it over to take the advance deal that was offered. The counselor said: “wonderful I’m glad you all like to be a part Evie’s Slayer academy”. The counselor then put out his hand out to shake with the four Slayers, all but Kyzeip shook back, Kyzeip just stood and stared at the counselor until he pulled back.

  The counselor said: “well okay than I’ll just have you four down as team 99-A1-EV, just so it's easier to search up, if you want to change the team's name any one of you can visit me any time to do so, just make sure it's something clean and you all agreed upon. Oh and remember to have your papers fished by tomorrow”. The counselor then told the team that there was nothing left to say and asked the four to leave, but Rolando had something else to say, he asked: “who shall be the holder of leadership to command thy warriors in battle”? The counselor asks Rolando to be a little clearer, Rolando spoke once more: “a leader of the four warriors that stand before thee, who will be the chosen one”. The counselor said: “oh a team leader, well we don't give out a position like that until the second year. Sorry if you got your hopes up, but I can't just assign a team leader right away, you will just have to be patient”.

  Rolando put his head down in disappointment and spoke: “I offer thee an apology for thy inpatients-ness”. The counselor with some pity said: “I can't make you team leader, but if the rest of your team agrees to it, you guys can decide on your own if you want Rolando to act like a team leader”. With nothing else to say, the counselor left the four Slayer's to go back to their room for the day. Rolando looked at his team and as he was about to speak Increst yelled at him: “FUCK YOU TINHEAD, you embarrassed us back there with the whole scroll of knowledge shit and you want to be our team leader, just no”. Maxizz agreed with Increst: “yeah it's one thing having an overactive role-player be in charge, but we haven't forgotten that you're a human, even if your dress like us you will never be like us”. Kyzeip ask: “just how often do you see Kreeton’s wear old medieval armor on the street's”. Maxizz replied: “you know what I meant”. Kyzeip replied back: “then does it really matter, I don't care what he wears or what race he is, I’m here to get a licence to kill Broots, so unless he says attack, I won't listen anything else”. Increst said: “wow gothy way to be fucking straight forward, just saying I wasn't planning on being the team leader at all”. Maxizz then said: “I guess you have point, if Rolando is actually good at direction, we can listen to him on the battlefield, and ignore him everywhere else”.

  Rolando now with a happy tone thanked Kyzeip for his kindness and even offered him a handshake, but Kyzeip didn't accept and just stared at Rolando until he put down his hand. Kyzeip said: “I don't think you heard me before, I said, I'm here to get a licence to kill Broots and nothing else”. Rolando surprised none the less and asked Kyzeip: “what make thee say such chilling words”. Kyzeip replied: “It's none of your business”. With that being said Kyzeip walked away from the group. Maxizz said: “I guess he wouldn't mind if we come up with a team name without him”.

  Chapter 4: The Fight

  Three weeks have gone by now, not much has changed from the first day other than thirty out of the fifty-five new Slayer's had drop out from the Academy. Kyzeip’s team was still in and endured tough training. Increst trained twice as hard to catch up with the other guys, Maxizz trained twice as hard to not piss off Coach even if it didn't work. Kyzeip and Rolando focused on building up upper body strength and crystal control. In the middle of the training Coach with now having an eye patched called out for team “4 of a kind” this was the name Kyzeip’s team. Without hesitation Increst ask: “what the fuck do you want with us, whatever magic dick did don't blame it on all of us”. Maxizz replied back: “I swear I didn't do anything… recently… I think”. Coach stared at Maxizz with his good eye giving him a mean look and said: “alright I'm just going to ignore that for now, for why I called you all over was to offer a cleansing mission”.

  Rolando excitedly said: “aye we accept thy quest in the name of Evie kingdom”. Increst than said: “shut the fuck up tin head you don't get to decided all of our choices, Coach dude can you give some more information”. Coach told the team that a tree of death grew near a town on Hadur, a battle was fought all night with several casualties leaving behind dozens of Broots in hiding. Team 4 of a kind was offered to go to planet Hadur to take out the remains, after some thought they accepted.

  The team was given fifteen minutes to prepare, after the preparation time was finished a jeep with the government symbol printed on the side arrived to pick up the team. As team 4 of a kind drove to the connection center, they took the opportunity to talk about the mission. Increst shook her leg as she said: “fucking hell this is too early, why are we going now”. Maxizz said: “you're not hiding the fact that you're nervous very well, what's the matter is the rock star afraid of bad criticism from the awful Broots”. Increst replied: “SHUT UP, I only ever killed a treefucker from desperation, it's weird having to go up one and attack it”. Maxizz replied: “yeah so, I killed a Broot out of self defense too and I was as claim then as I am now. It also kind of the reason why I thought I'll make a talented
Slayer, because I already have the talent before joining the academy”. Increst said back: “so it was talent that shot that firework at Coach dude during hand to hand combat practice”. Maxizz replied: “okay so I forgot to empty my suit of tricks that day, but realistically if I was to lose my pistols in a fight, I would totally cheat and use the fireworks to blast a Broot blind”. Increst replied back: “I fucking hope you don't do something that stupid today”.