Chapter 31

**Merianna**

For the next few days, Noch had been making my training top priority. Heaven knew why. Well, I had a few theories as to why though.

1. He wanted to pass down his abundant wealth of ancient knowledge on to the only willing new member that was capable of harnessing said old magic (since Nelia was with the Ga's).

2. He was somewhat becoming fond of me and actually wanted to teach me for the sake of teaching and spending time with me.

3. He wanted to teach me as much as possible before I opened my mouth and became irritating.

4. He wanted to teach me enough so he could send me on my first mission, so I could be out of his hair, sight and hearing.

5. He just wanted my training to be a literal pit of Tartarus... screams, torture, flames, rattling chains and all other hellish activities included.

In my opinion I think the lower the list of theories went the more likely they were to be true.

Especially when he leapt from practical teaching to theoretical teaching. I would ask one question, just one, one itty bitty question that should in my mind have one itty bitty simple answer. Right? Apparently simple answers didn't exist in the previous cycles, and said simple itty bitty question, has a scroll's length of an answer.

It was during one of these small questions that I asked, where I immediately mentally kicked myself. Why, oh why did I have to ask a question? ANY question at all?! Why take the chance that it "might" have a short answer?

My mind was starting to wander a few seconds into his explanation of how the old elements got split up into the new elements during the last Cataclysm. All I had asked was: "So, each element we have now is in part, pieces of the old elements?".

Just yes or no. I was only wanting a YES or NO answer! He had already explained to me the in depth details between the differences before!

My mind tuned out his babble as my eyes unfocused slightly. In this way I could see the aura that encased him from head to toe. The energy hovering around his head was shining an intense vibrant shade of white as his mouth moved rapidly, which meant that he was clearly excited about what he was sagely imparting on to me. Or, hoped he was imparting on to me anyway...

I could see this latest spiel going on until nightfall. I was probably over-exaggerating but given that it had indeed happened three times already, I couldn't look past the possibility...

My eyes came back into focus and started to wander around him.

*Noch really does love his dark colored clothing. I wonder if he owns anything light colored.*

*I wonder what would happen if I were to use a brightening spell on his wardrobe? I bet he won't like that... hehe*

*I haven't seen Hixo in a long time. When is Noch going to call him again so he can take me for a ride? Hixo likes me better anyway.*

*It's a nice day today, the sun is actually shining warmly for a change and all the trainees are away on their final trails. I do not envy them...*

*The final trail that Fog talked about after I asked him sounded scary. Even for me! To think that he and the elders created an island in the middle of nowhere that crawls with demons and evil creatures of all sorts and spelled said island to nullify the drawing in of energy except for one little spot on the island that is only big enough to hold one person.*

*The bad part about that? You're divided into teams of 4. So only one person can use said itty bitty space at a time while the drawing in of said energy attracts all the evil creepy crawlies. The bad part about that? Where you can move into the energy space, the monsters can too.*

*Hence the need for a team to protect you while you draw in energy to defend yourself.*

*And the best part of this final trial? You're stuck on that pit of Tartarus for three days...*

*Yes... I am definitely not envious of the trainees at this point.*

When I asked what the "passing achievement" will be for the three days on that hell hole, Raska very sweetly told me: "If you survive the three days with good team work and we find you alive when we pick you up, you pass."

I just stared blankly at her after that revelation.

*Fog assured me that he keeps a sharp eye on the island's teams though. He promised that if someone is about to die he'll pull them out.*

*I'm still doubtful though...*

*I'm pretty sure that all the trainees thought that they were on their own with no supervision at all given Raska's way with words and her level of sadism.*

*Noch sure does like talking. It almost sounds like a beehive droning on in the distance.
*
His beard has grown in quite a bit since the last time I had 'accidently' cut it off. Maybe it's about time to try and give him a trim again? That should be fun...*

My thoughts froze for a second as my eyes caught on something small.

*Oh gods, please don't tell me*...

I squinted my eyes to see it better, and shuddered in horror.

*Oh. My. Soul. I can't believe it. That is just disgusting*...

I slowly raised my hand and Noch stopped speaking as soon as he noticed it. "Yes Merianna?" He asked in surprise. Usually when I had something to say or ask, I just interrupt him because it was entertaining when he got aggravated.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but... you have a piece of meat stuck in your beard..."

"WHAT?!" He exploded and furiously started running his hands through his long beard. A small incriminating piece of cooked meat came tumbling out from the mass and thumped to the ground.

We both stared at it for a second, then my gaze travelled back up to his with a grin spreading over my face. "You are *never* going to live this down." I said cheekily.

"You tell anyone, and I'll make sure you get the worst possible bounty imaginable." He countered.

My smile fell instantly. "But why?!" I whined.

"Because I'm petty that way." He retorted with a snide grin of his own.

I gave him a droll stare. "Granted." I agreed.

His sharp gaze suddenly flashed on me. "Were you even listening to anything I was saying?!" Clearly he noticed that I was busy noticing other things besides his lecture.

"Nope." I said honestly. "Because you've already explained that same rhyme 2 times over. I didn't see the third time repeated in depth preach as important." I said shrugging. "I asked a SIMPLE question, which only required a SIMPLE answer."

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "If you actually seemed to be paying attention the previous 2 times I might not have felt the need to explain it all again."

"I HAVE paid attention! I might not be looking straight at your ugly face every time you talk for more than an hour straight, but that doesn't mean that I am not LISTENING!"

"Then say so! I have many more important things to do than to stand here and shove some knowledge into that tiny head of yours!"

"Why don't you just ask me to write what I've learned on a scroll for you to read and see what I've picked up from your insistent droning then?!"

Noch paused. He straightened up and stroked his beard as he thought for a second.

"You know what? That sounds like a good idea actually." He said thoughtfully.

*Oh dear gods, what have I done?*

"No it isn't." I said flatly.

He looked down at me again and an evil grin started lifting his lips. "Oh yes it does. That would mean that I am free for a much needed period of time. Whereas while I'm busy, you can write down every single little thing that you have gleaned off from me in detail. And thus, I will be able to continue on with other sessions which are much more important than the basics."

"No." I said stubbornly. "I also have important things to do."

"And you can do them! As long as your wealth of knowledge is plastered onto a scroll for me to look at within a few days." His smile reminded me of poisonous spiders.

"Speaking of important things though. I do have something for you." He said as he pulled out a piece of parchment from inside his robe.

"Is that what I think it is?" I asked. My previous distress forgotten.

He smiled wickedly. "It's a Bounty. For you." He said as he wiggled the parchment in front of my nose.

With a gasp I grabbed it out of his hand and started reading the scrawled script on the thick paper. The ink was thick and scrawled in neat looped hand writing. My eyebrows went up.

"Herbs?" I asked as I looked back up at Noch. He nodded his head proudly.

"Herbs." I asked in a flat tone. Noch nodded vigorously.

Well, it seemed like Jasnine was not joking when she mentioned what my possible first solo bounty could possibly be.

"I accept it." I said as I rolled up the parchment and tucked it into the belt of my dress.

Silence filled the area around me and I looked back up at Noch who was looking at me half sceptically and half apprehensively.

"What?" I asked with annoyance.

"You are very seldom this docile. Especially when it comes to bounty opportunities. Don't think I've never seen you salivating after the members that received rescue, retrieval, extermination and guarding bounties while you were still learning." He explained while eyeing me.

"Well I have seen what a retrieval bounty was like. Jasnine showed me in frightening detail what it could entail. I am prepared to start with something small after that day." I shuddered.

Noch snorted. "Well, that settles that then. You can set out for the bounty tomorrow morning." He said as he looked at the position of the sun in the sky. I completely missed the fact that it was almost late afternoon already.

"The morning is usually the best time to set out for herb gathering. The Ladsney plant is very unusual, we actually have a few growing in the back herb gardens. Your sister can show you what it looks like. It usually only grows in very few places, luckily for you there is a forested area not too far from here that it is abundant in. I will open a gate for you in the morning."

"I should start preparing then!" I said with a smile. My smile faltered when he grabbed my shoulder as I tried to saunter right past him.

Leaning in he whispered darkly, "I expect that scroll full of your boundless knowledge on my office desk within three days."

With that done, he started walking towards his smithy with a skip and his step and a whistling tune floating from his lips.

Curse my luck.