Challenge

Fate has the worst humor.

After Brio left, the young man calmed himself down and asked the other person for some time for him to contemplate. Of course, this other person didn't give a damn. He could slit his throat in front of her and she wouldn't even flinch. First and foremost, Rumi bought a new set of clothes. He doesn't plan to travel with a bloody, tattered clothes, much more with an unknown woman. His new outfit consisted of an unbuttoned short-sleeved denim paired with black arm warmers, black inner shirt and cropped pants. He also bought thing he would need for their journey. A backpack is the most suitable luggage during long travels and so, he got one. While sorting his things, he can't help but to think about this karma.

Three days ago, he was a proud leader of Gyro a, a group of bandits from the town of Inez. Without a single doubt in his mind that the mission will turn 180 degrees and hit him right in the face. Rumi never doubted his leadership much more his skills nor his plans. But what hit him the most was his father's decision. His honor was stripped away from him. Since he was a child, his relationship with the person he called 'father' was always turbulent. He disliked him for being an insensitive, uncaring father but despite all of this, he is still the person he respects the most.

However, it was also thanks to him that he is stuck with a mysterious assassin. Brio already feed him the available information about the task: take the jar of Vernacutta, location: unknown.

None of them knows the exact details of the jar and they were chosen to obtain it, great. Very helpful details from this client , really. How is he going to take something he cannot locate? What a joke.

Rumi halted from his tracks when he was met by a pair of seemingly dead grey eyes. He stared at the woman leaning on the wall from the exit gate. Her arms folded over chest. He is bothered by her mere presence. In all honesty, he thought he was going to die back in the cell. He thought of any possible measures for him to escape to no avail. Janus security was no joke and if he was alone, he wouldn't be able to infiltrate the mansion to begin with. Rumi glanced back at the city. Janus, the city of beginnings and endings as they say. Named after the two faced god Janus.

Sentimentality washed him over when the woman stepped forward, taking her leave. He watched her back filled with uneasiness and soon reluctantly followed.

-xxx-

The Black Region was a vast landmass located at the Northern part of Armaggia continent. It is composed of numerous cities, towns, nation, forests, jungles, mountains and unexplored areas. Finding a piece of jar in such a wide extent seems impossible - if not, painfully difficult.

Their first stop was a small town miles away from Janus. Rumi and his companion never shared a word along their way. All the while, as a keen observer that he is, just one look was enough for him to assume that the woman is someone not to be messed up with. He didn't know her complete background but his intuitions were telling him to be wary of her.

Be on your best behaviour as possible, brat.

Rumi understood exactly what Brio meant by that - a warning about the woman. According to Brio, her name is Noriko Arezana, a hired assassin. Other details pertaining about her is a mystery.

"Now what?" He asked after hours of silence. They were standing in the middle of a marketplace with lots of people. Around them were different sizes of white, stone buildings. The townspeople were about to start their day as the sun has just risen up. Rumi raised an eyebrow after receiving no response while the silver haired assassin continued on her way.

"Hey! I am talking to you!" He shouted, the woman finally paused.

"Look, I have a feeling you do not want this assignment at all. Likewise. I'm not planning to get entangled with you forever." he clicked his tongue and she just stared into the void as he speaks. Rumi got a feeling that it is either she was also forced on this mission or she doesn't like the idea of teaming up with him. He also got a feeling it could be both and he cannot blame her for it is the same for him.

"I want this crap to end as soon as possible, that is why if teaming up with you is the only way then so be it."

His eyes widened after hearing a brief chuckle coming from the woman. She faced him amidst the sea of people.

"Alright." She smirked and Rumi can tell that it means something. Her lips curved into an unreadable, silly way and it brought shivers to his spine.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Rumi followed her, it annoyed him that he looked like an idiot who was trying so hard to be understood by a person who doesn't seem to cooperate.

Rumi gulped heavily and breathed in and out before saying it..

"Noriko!"

Again, she paused and slowly turned to face him.

"It's your name, right? I am Rumi." he extended his right arm for a handshake. A gesture everyone uses whenever they meet someone for the first time.

He inwardly screamed at himself for the act. Yet he has no other choice but to try to get along with his now companion. All for the sake of the damn mission. Noriko glanced on his hand but extended her right arm nonetheless.

"Okay."

"........."

-xXx-

Noriko said it would be better if they split up to gather any possible intel on the town. Whether that's an excuse to avoid him or not, he's thankful to be at peace. Rumi was still uncomfortable around her and he's unsure if that would ever change.

He went near a small creek with a stone, curved bridge. There were fewer people though he noticed that the town was pretty populous. More people means more chances for them to meet someone who could have a knowledge about the jar. He nodded, the first step to accomplish the task wasn't that bad. 

He saw an old merchant on the side of the creek. His robes were so long that one might mistook it for a blanket wrapped around his body. The merchant was selling different kinds of lucky charms and based on his appearance, he was not from the town.

"Excuse me, I would like to ask for something."

The merchant sleepily looked up to meet the gaze of a redhead, flipping a coin on his hand. Clearly, the young man knows business. Rumi squatted down to see the lucky charms up close. He can tell that the merchant's goods were a mix of real and fake ones. A good thief can tell the difference of each.

"Do you know something about the jar of Vernacutta?"

The merchant blinked and Rumi could sense that the words were familiar to the man and put the coin over his table.

"I have heard of it but not that much."

"Go on."

The man raised a finger as Rumi took another coin from his pocket. The redhead was baffled when the man motioned a hand signaling him to get closer and whispered something on his ear.

"I heard it was cursed."

His brown eyes flickered in surprise. He became a failure, got imprisoned, was demoted and now he has to deal with some cursed object. Rumi realized that his luck was going south.

The merchant eyed on his neck and on an instant, Rumi moved for a distance between them.

"Ohoho~ a rare carnelian stone! what a beautiful necklace you've got there, boy."

Rumi frowned , the carnelian stone necklace that his father told him to never let go of was often noticed by numerous people he encounter. He was informed that carnelian were pretty rare but this is the first time someone actually told him about it.

"You know this?"

"Of course! I traveled around the continent to find some but without so much luck. Since what happened in Altopino, carnelian stone becomes a rarity. Such a pity."

The merchant shook his head in a manner of feeling sympathy and he genuinely looked sad as if tremendous mischief happened. Rumi held the pendant of his necklace and fumble it, the tear shaped,deep red carnelian stone matched the color of his hair perfectly. It has a triangular gold connector that links it to its gold cord.

"That's the only thing I know about the jar of Vernacutta. But.." the merchant stared at his neck again and Rumi grasped it and hid it inside his shirt.

"If you give me that carnelian necklace, I might consider helping you to find it."

"And what can an old merchant like you do about it's curse? heh, there is no way I would give this to you or to anyone," Rumi placed the second coin the table. "Thanks anyway." then, he took his leave.

The merchant gazed upon his departing figure and stared up in the cloudy sky.

"That might be the only carnelian stone in the world today." he mumbled, shaking his head.

-xxx-

After hours of probing the town, Rumi went back to the place where they separated. It was near the entrance of an inn along a cobblestone covered street. There are people everywhere and vendors on each sides. In front of it was a tavern and while looking at it, Rumi's nose wrinkled as he was reminded of the last time he went on a tavern.

He was indeed lucky that his injuries regenerates faster without the aid of medicines. Since he was little, Rumi prided himself of his fast recoveries unlike his brothers after getting a wound from their indoor games as children. He should be thankful for that, but just recently, he noticed an abnormally fast regeneration when he was stabbed and was beaten of to pulp in Janus. Normally, it will take him a few days to fully recover but at that time, it was mere hours. It was also the first time since forever that he was wounded.

Curiosity arose and he checked his face on a near fountain at the crossroads while waiting for Noriko.

"What the?"

His bruises were not there anymore. One could no longer tell that he was victimized by a group of guards. Rumi touched his face, thankful that it wasn't severely abused.

Another hour have passed and he started to wonder if the woman got lost or abandoned the mission. He waltzed sideways, starting to lose patience in waiting.

"What is taking her so long?"

The sky became dim, dark clouds scattered above, completely covering the light. A raindrop soon fell and Rumi looked for a roof to shield himself from the rain. Vendors quickly evacuates as the rain was so heavy, accompanied by strong winds and thunders. The nearest place he can run to is the inn but he cannot enter without checking in. Rumi scanned the surrounding, the tavern was his last resort.

Without further ado, he sprinted across the local tavern. He can grab a food while waiting for the rain to stop. After all, he was never a fan of alcoholic drinks. He was not the type to sit and drink with some brawny man looking for trouble or make a gamble by playing cards despite being raised in an environment like that. The tavern was just like any other tavern he came across with, but what shocked him was what he found inside, or rather, who.

A familiar silver haired woman sitting alone in the corner most side of the bar, sipping white wine.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Oh, you're here."

Rumi stared at her and after a few seconds, marched going to his companion, his lips were shut but was obviously twitching in irritation.

"How did it go? did you find something?" Noriko asked while putting some ice cubes on a glass together with the wine, relaxed as if discussing the weather. Rumi gritted his teeth in annoyance. He tried - but failed to control himself and slammed the wooden table by his hand.

"I was waiting for you outside for an hour!" He shouted, but the woman didn't bat an eye on his actions even after her drink spurted on the table. Any normal girl would have flinch if not shriek in the act. There was no question that the woman was far from normal.

Noriko closed her eyes and stood to meet his glare. He was about seven inches taller than her. Rumi was still trying to control his temper as he got a feeling that the woman was doing this on purpose.

"I thought you are going to do everything for this mission to end right away? so what is the issue here?"

Her tone of speaking, if not way too sarcastic, was way too lifeless. Her monotonous voice was starting to irk the heck out of him. Not just that, her extremely obvious derisive smile will make anyone run without looking back but to him, it only fuel his irritation more and how he wished he could wipe it off and never see that again.

"You let me look for information alone even after you told me that we should split to maximize our chances of gathering data when in reality, you were here all along and waited until I come back?" Rumi asked, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.

"Correct."

Rumi breathes in, Calm down, he and said to himself. He was always a patient guy, being able to wait for the perfect moment to strike for the target during missions. One of his greatest attributes was his leadership skill and as a leader he must possess incredible patience to lead his people. Ruling his brothers despite each and everyone's differences. They were a pain in the butt but Rumi managed to teach them and hone their skills so that they can show the best version of themselves and they were still striving for it. It was all because of him and his dreams. But this time was different.

He felt that his patience was being tested and how he was right about that. He ultimately knows that the woman have no qualms to have a teamwork with him. They were not 'partnered' by choice, it was all a matter of 'business' so at the very least, he was expecting her to do it for the sake of the mission - just for that. From the start, their meeting was terrible. She was a part of the reason why he was demoralized, she is strange, their mission - the worst part of it all, is a total mystery. But then again, he needs to complete the given task for the sole purpose of getting back the leadership that was stripped away from him. He had no other choice and that is why he was here.

And by that, he meant the words he said before.

"I want this crap to end as soon as possible, that is why if teaming up with you is the only way then so be it."

"What's the matter? cat got your tongue?" Noriko fully faced him and squinted her grey eyes, tilted her head up waiting for the man to speak up while Rumi stood in silence. She can feel his growing temper and was waiting until he lose control.

"Someone said it was cursed."

She had anticipated him to throw some nagging or better yet get violent and challenge her into a duel. Noriko's smile slowly turned into a thin, straight line. She stared at his brown eyes. What she saw was not the eyes of a defeated man, not the one she met in the tavern playing along with deadly strikes even after knowing he can't win. The person in front of her was someone else.

His breathing was calm and collected. His eyes were as if looking straight into the path - a path where victory lies. This man stared at her like he can see the future. A visionary fool but knows what to do and when to act.

She never showed it, but she was taken aback.

Noriko remained standing when Rumi pulled out a paper which consists a detailed summary of what he gathered about Vernacutta jar. He didn't paid attention if she was listening or not. She failed to see the thing she was expecting but instead of getting disappointed, Noriko felt that this challenge in a form of a young man with adamant determination was indeed worthy of her time. He continued to talk but she only paid attention to his guts.

Let's see what you've got.

Noriko smiled at her own thoughts. Surely, their journey will be one hell of a ride. 

-xxx-

A/N: Not much happened in this chapter, forgive me. I want to introduce the setting and the characters slowly (but oh well, if you dig deeper xD). The first three chapters serves as the introduction of the setting and some characters. 

Oh btw, in order to help your imagination, I asked my artist friend to draw the main protagonists (YAY!) I will upload it with the future chapters. Uh, I swear if I can only draw this will be a manga instead. LMAO.

Thanks for reading!