I rolled as the entire class fired at me, I saw them all smiling they all were loving this. “Alright, as you can see sometimes the best thing to do is not be there.” I started to pair the students up with comparable power level partners. Shit! There was no one to pair the elder’s son with but me and I knew if I didn’t pull my punches I’d fry his ass for sure. As I walked to him I saw he too was thinking along the same lines. “I know but remember I have had a lot of time to practice pulling my punches, ask your old man some time.” I said as the memory made me smile. The rest I’d had last night had sufficiently healed the beginning of the tear in my power but I knew not to push too hard, I also knew that the elder’s son could tell my power was higher.

We started blasting away at each other, damn the pup had been doing his exercises, he’d risen his levels a few also good I wasn’t AS worried about killing him but I still could if I wasn’t careful. I’d taken my mind off the exercise at hand and let lose a fully charged blast, realizing my mistake I wrapped the boy and yanked him out of the way as the blast took out the entire back wall. ‘Ah crap,’ I thought, ‘this wasn’t going to sit well with the owner and the boss.’ Shaking my head I realized that that hadn’t come from me.

Looking around I asked, “Alright, who is the empathic? I heard that, I usually don’t but this time I did.” I was still searching when I heard it again this time it was more female sounding, <I hope he doesn’t find me, I’d be so embarrassed, plus he’s so handsome!> Smirking I looked over the class then I noticed a young teen girl in the back 18 by the look of her but I knew she was at least a hundred.

“Alright I know who it is I’ll see that student after class today,” Looking in her general direction I nodded damn! She really was embarrassed what a shade of pink she turned! I ordered the class to repair the wall I wanted to see if their animating skills were improved yet. As I watched they actually got over half the wall up before they all gave out except for the elder’s son. Though I could see that he was fading fast also. The one thing none of them realized was that this one exercise had increased their power almost a whole level, it was shocking that they had all grown at least 10 levels. Laughing, I remember the old standard of power levels let’s see. As I recall there were 40 levels of sub-mages, then there were 20 levels of mages, then there were the old clan leaders (not many of those now) there were 5 levels of those then the council.

Laughing he remembered the case of the Timmins clan, the untamed wild magic, crap now that was power. Thinking a moment damn, wish I could get Johnathon to help but he was more or less retired now working on that third child with Lana. Sighing, too bad I never got into vampires Tyrome thought, there were actually some good looking women among what was left of the clans. He’d estimate that when they started almost all of his students were level 38 or 39 sub-mage. He’d have to say that all had increased to 28 or 29 sub-mage level. Another two weeks they should move into the mage levels then at least they’d have a chance. All that is except for the elder’s son he’d started at 29 had progressed almost to sub-mage 2 yeah; he was going to have power I just had to make sure he used it right. Finally all of them sweating I called a halt to the class for the day.

“You done well so far, this is the end of the first week, tomorrow we start on increasing your knowledge, in everything,” hearing them groan I continued on, “I know, I know but believe me I also thought it was a waste of time but remember the creeping arbor spell I used earlier this week. Had you known the counter you could have performed it and been out of it a lot sooner, don’t all of you agree?” I watched them all nod vigorously especially the blond elder’s son. God I was glad he was on board now, hell hadn’t thought that the same tactics I used on the street would work with them. I guess it just went to show that everyone has a dealing point, well almost everyone thinking of my ex and Cloe. I still hadn’t figured out yet why she was so dead set against saying the safe phrase. I would though I wasn’t about to release her ’til I did and find out why she loved to torture men so much especially me. Looking at the young woman from before I concentrated, <I know you can hear me, your empathic power isn’t that strong yet, you need to keep it inside more, and though I enjoyed the compliments I am way too old for you.> I saw her turn another shade of pink nod then leave with the class.

I headed home and was maybe a block from there when another of the low lifes of the underworld again tried to put a pinch on me. I felt him long before I reached where he was actually hiding, reaching out I grabbed the snitch from his hiding place.

“Uh huh,” I said as I look at Tommy twenty toes. “Bad move Tommy, I don’t know what you’ve heard but I am several levels higher than I was. Now unless you want to die spill it. Who’s put out the bounty? That way I can take this to him or her.”

“I don’t know Tyrome, I…,” he started.

“Alright we go back a ways I owe you a few so I’ll give you one this time, I won’t ask again, next time I take your lizard head and leave the human one.” Leaning close I whispered “Could get very messing especially around the holidays as I know your kind enjoys humans.”

Sighing he started to spill his guts hmm interesting there was more than one that had put one on me, that meant they might try the school next.

Across town not too far from the club I touched a wall in a back alley, opening up I was now in what was called thieves way. Pulling my hood up, I made my way down the street, stopping at an odd restaurant. Sitting down I kept my face hidden no need to start a panic if I could. The lizard waitress came over and I handed her a card, then I waited these damn lizards had more patience than brains.

“Come with me,” a rather large almost ogre looking creature led me to a door in the back taking his place at the door I entered. Though the council didn’t condone this illegal business, they didn’t outlaw it either. I saw my target in the back as I drew my wards in tighter no sense in killing anyone if not necessary.

Jimmy the slot owned half of everything here; it seemed he was trying to get richer with the bounty on me. In my best voice I asked, “I hear tell you got a large one on that ex enforcer Tyrome Greenstick.” Jimmy nodded. “I want in.” I said.

Looking me up and down he laughed, “I’m sorry friend, you can try, but you obviously don’t realize who he is.”

“Enlighten me,” I said.

Jimmy’s eyes got big, “You never had trouble with the law obviously,” as he adjusted his huge belly on the table. “He hasn’t increased in power in a few centuries but he’s still slippery, takes a special breed to take him I suggest…”

Jimmy had stopped as I now held a powerful ward around his neck, not quite choking him but enough to know I meant business. Releasing him he drew in a deep breath then laughed, “Hell; that was a move like his; if I didn’t know better I’d say you were him but we both know that’s impossible he’d have to….”

Jimmy again stopped as I had removed my hood and was again squeezing though this time I WAS choking him.

“Ah! I see you really are familiar with my work, ok here’s what’s going to happen,” one of his guards moved toward me and was suddenly in four pieces. “Now then here’s what’s going to happen, I am going to sit here and you are going to call the other four that have a bounty on me. They are all going to cancel them or I just might pay them a visit. It won’t be as pleasant as this was, I guarantee there will be many deaths possibly the bosses themselves.”

Jimmy was on the phone calling as fast as he could three of the bosses were scared shitless the fourth well, suffice it to say I didn’t foresee a bright future for him. Thanking Jimmy I waved a hand over the mess I had made clearing it up then left. Hmmm this was a no brainer, the boss was a huge troll like creature, they were only loyal to their own kind, hardly ever backed down and I sighed, as dumb as a brick. I made my way to the territory, I was sure they had look outs now, so they knew I was coming just not who I was though I’m sure Jimmy had told all after I left.

Carefully I changed my appearance before I even ventured another foot. Thinking back I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone against a troll, I remembered they were large, brutish, foul smelling creatures. The smell wouldn’t bother me but the simple fact that the stronger ones of their kind were highly resistant to magic, the bigger and older they were the more power you’d need against them. Chuckling, it was a good thing I had been increasing my power the last few days, up 4 1/2 levels now I might be able to take the leader but still felt it was going to be a fight.

Finally half way into the territory I started to notice the stench, ok, still not too bad but I had to watch this was after all, one of their personal weapons. I stopped at the front of a dilapidated building, figures I thought they never went for safe and secure always old and falling down. Stepping to the door I was stopped by two of the leader’s guards each had at least a foot and a half on me. Their legs like tree trunks their arms not any smaller by any means.

“What you want little man, the first asked, I had to play this carefully, I still wasn’t sure I was strong enough to take them down.

“Heard your leader has a bounty on that asshole Greenstick, I want in,” I told the almost mindless creature.

“I ask you stay or make dead good dead.” The simpleton laughed at his joke then went inside. His partner eyed me suspiciously, Ha! I thought this brute could hardly think how could he be suspicious? A moment later the first brute lumbered back out, “boss say come do nothing or smash good smash, break bones make good mess.” Again the simpleton laughed at his own private joke.

I was led to a rather spacious and richly decorated room; hmmm I thought this was not the room of a troll. I was sat in a huge plush chair the kind you’d like to sleep in but were afraid the cops were going to take you to jail for loitering in. The leader spun in his chair giving me the once over, “Thud says you want in, you have to forgive the extra security, that damn Greenstick showed up at Jimmy the slot’s place, threatened him.”

I had been reading all that I could feel; something was off about this troll, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Though most of the trolls were simple minded there were a few leaders that were quite intelligent. It was actually the reason why their race had survived as long as it had. No, something was up with this one the general feel the … suddenly it started to make sense. The leader called Jimmy; Jimmy the slot, no troll would ever use a mage name for any other creature.

“I see,” I said, “so how does that effect me? I just want to kill the bastard is all reward or no, been trying for years.” I said in a whispered voice.

Laughing the leader looked at me, “Well if you have enough of whatever you’ve got, it ought to work out good for you. I have to tell you though he’s a tricky bastard, slippery as an eel. Good luck and good hunting.”

I’d been racking my brain as to the identity of this false troll but nothing came to mind. Damn it! I’d have to wait to take this one down ’til I figured out who he was. As I left I replayed every part of the conversation, still nothing came to me flashing out I appeared in my apartment. Of course Cloe was there twitching and moaning, “Have you had enough bitch? You ready to use the safe words?” I asked her.

I thought she was going to say it then her face screwed up into an almost rage as she spat out, “Never asshole you hear me?”

I was too tired to really give a shit, but I held up an enchanted dildo, her eyes got huge as I started to stuff it in her hole. “Just so you know I’ve had this enchanted, you won’t come not even close, but you’ll wish you had. Night bitch!” With that I laid down, damn it! I was frustrated I still couldn’t pierce the veil that was hiding the answer. Hell even the increased whines of Cloe brought me no satisfaction.

Finally falling asleep Tyrome’s sleep was a restless one, many times the identity of the man in the troll office would start to reveal then be snatched away. An hour before he was to actually get up to go in it finally hit him. I was remembering for the thousandth time when something he’d said tugged at my mind. {If you have enough of whatever you’ve got, it ought to work out good for you.}I’d heard that phrase before; finally I was starting to close in on who he was. Getting up I decided I wasn’t going to get anymore sleep, looking at Cloe I could see she was still quivering from the added stimulation of the dildo. Sighing I had to do something about Cloe though what I wasn’t sure I could order her to tell me why about a good many things. Then again I thought, knowing her like I do she’d share soon enough though I’d have to get her mad as hell before she did that. Shivering I wasn’t sure I was ready to do that right now, not with as much as I had on my plate. Shaking my head I reached for a bowl to eat cereal I might be a mage but I still loved my cereal.

I was pouring the bowl full when I stopped staring at the shape in my bowl. Snapping my fingers I remembered a mage ’bout 300 years ago I had put away or thought I had. I was a bounty hunter back then so I just turned them in got the reward and left, that idiot as I remember had a lot of high level contacts at least then he did. Thinking back I saw the ass again, he’d been thinner then not that powerful (I myself was at least 15 levels lower having started that year to increase) but then again I was weaker myself. I just had a lot of experience and magic restraints I used. Damn I missed them, but as my power increased I found that I really didn’t need them as much. Smiling I still had a fondness for a few of them, I’d tracked him to an abandoned building (or so I thought) knowing that I finally had him. Entering the building I soon spotted him making a move toward what looked like a human. Doing a quick read I found it was a homeless man, damn it! He was trying to increase his mass, aiming I fired the first of my restraints, a whirling bolo with stun spells built in.

Luckily I caught him by surprise and he went down as the homeless guy ran off screaming. Ah shit! I had to move quick, grabbing my now frozen capture I flashed out to the nearest concealed spot calling the council.

“Alright I got his ass! He was about to eat a homeless human who went off screaming.” I told the younger than I was used to council.

“Thank you, we’ve been after Benny for years,” I nodded, and then flashed out this part of it I wanted nothing to do with. So I thought Benny was back and obviously he remembered I was the one to catch his ass. I had a few surprises for him I was a whole lot higher than I was back then, I didn’t think that even the trolls could resist me but I’d better take along a few help aids just to make sure. I removed most of Cloe’s clips and the dildo as I thought, she didn’t move though I knew one call from the council she’d be up in no time.

Changing my appearance again I walked into the troll territory again, I could feel the new level coursing through me. Crap I thought I’d really have to watch it, I’d called Celina letting her know that today class was cancelled, also where I was and that I’d be making a memory recording for the class to watch later. I let her know that she should inform the council leader as to what I was doing. She nodded taking notes repeating things back to me that she wasn’t sure about. I signed off as the stench was starting to rise again hmmm must have had a patrol out earlier, sniffing again I nodded yup it was still fresh. I wasn’t far from the building now, I carefully went over the plan again, I’d tried to look in the building earlier but he obviously had it vision blocked, a rather strong one at that, though the closer I got the better my sight got. I was almost to the door when I saw fully into the building hmmm he wasn’t playing had at least 20 of the trolls on the floor with him, apparently another 20 above and another 20 below, smiling I thought I knew how I could get him.

The same troll Thud I think he was called stepped in front of me, “little man where go?”

“I’m here with information for the boss,” I said.

“Ha! You give me, I no smash!” Thud sneered at me.

I raised a hand and pointed at him, I saw almost instantly Thud and his companion started to shake. “Now then, “I said, “what did you say to me?”

“Thud take you now hurry up go, go!” the brute said.

In Benny’s office Thud whispered to Benny then moved outside the door.

“I have to commend you it takes a lot of power to make a terror spell work as well as it did on Thud and his companion.” Benny said.

“No one gets in my way when I have a job to do.” I growled.

“I can see that,” He chuckled. “How’d you like to work for me?”

I smiled a wicked an evil smile, Benny must have taken it to mean I wanted to work for him. “Shall we sign a contract?” He went on.

Removing my hood I saw his eyes grow huge, good I thought the ass hole was in for a big surprise. The whole time he’d been talking to me I’d been busy, busy setting the terror into all the trolls that the spell met within and around the building. Reaching I held Benny fast frozen a look of absolute terror on his face, but then again he had good reason with the look of rage that I was showing him right now.

“Alright ass hole, here’s how it’s going to go first,’ Thud came charging into the room a huge club raised ready to swing at me. Not even looking I did a chopping motion with my hand, a second later Thud screamed higher then I’d ever heard a troll scream, then a gurgle, then two thudding sounds hit the floor. “Now then if there aren’t any more interruptions I’ll continue,” looking at the open door way I saw at least a dozen trolls all looking at what was left of Thud, then at me remembering just how easily I had ended him. All of them had huge wide eyes and were shaking their heads no. “Good now then, you will remove the bounty, I am a hell of a lot higher than I was back when we last met.” I whispered.

Benny’s fake troll eyes were huge also; I could see that he was trying to speak. Freeing his mouth and vocal chords I waited, “Yes Tyrome it will be removed as soon as you release me.”

“Good,” I said, “I am not going to kill you, not now any way, this happens again I will and every troll you have in or around this building. I refuse to keep looking over my shoulder when I have Cedrick to prepare for I am not where I want to be but I will, remember , troll,” I growled in Benny’s face so as to keep his charade going. I released him and headed to the door this was a dangerous move as the trolls were packed in and a swipe at me would be easier. They parted as I moved into the hall way, as I expected a young brute tried to take my head off, feeling him I just waved my hand. There was a shrieking scream, then the sound of rending flesh and bone, then a gurgling sound, finally the sound of many body parts hitting the floor. All the trolls gasped they’d never seen anyone do a spell like I had without looking, all of them quickly backing away I finally breathed easier, it was about damn time!

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