25 Chapter 14: Training Pt.2 (1/2)

'Just two more classes and I could call it a day,' Magnus thought as he trudged along to the hearth where Taylan's classes would be. Even with the reinvigoration that the meditation technique gave him when he used earlier, he was still exhausted. These training sessions and lessons were taking a toll on him even if it is great, and he was becoming stronger and more skilled. Though it came at the price of spilling his blood and sweat.

It made him weary to know, from now on that will be how his days will carry on, training after training. It was clear from the training sessions that these men knew what they are doing, and they were not joking when they said that they were professional.

Thanks to that eye opener, Magnus was starting to have some doubts, why bring along a little kid like him. They did say that they wanted him to show them around the city, but they could have found somebody else, Magnus was pretty sure that there were real, actual guides out there that make a living showing people the sights of the city. So why pick him?

Magnus will not lie to himself, he is a kid, not in the literal sense since his mind is that of a young adult but in the metaphorical sense. Just like a kid, he is still growing, not only physically but mentally, he is now truly learning first hand about the hidden, dark side of life.

He would admit, his last life was a breeze compared to this one. Right now he is an orphan that has no prospects in life and might soon end up on the streets where he will most likely starve to death or die without a roof over his head.

It really put into perspective everything for him; from the loss of this license, to that feud with Micheal, and all those other issues- it looked so small and petty to what he was facing right now.

With his new outlook on life in his hands, what Bulut, Shui, Taylan, and Soykan were doing for him went beyond and above what anybody would do for an orphan like him, and it reeked of suspicion.

Magnus could not make heads or tails why they were training him and including him into their operations when from his training it became clear that they were on a whole nother standard than him. He toyed with the idea that they were doing all this from the bottom of their hearts, but that would be foolish and he knew that could not be true, it just can't be.

If there were some natural laws that he knew with absolute certainty then it would be that there is no free lunch out there, and people always have an angle. It is in everybody's nature to get try and get something out of every situation.

The only lead Magnus has so far is Soykan, he is the one who invited him even when the others kind of flat out refused. If Magnus wants to ever find out why he was allowed into this crew then it would be through finding out Soykan reasons.

So until then, he might as well take advantage of the good stuff that is coming his way which is top of the line training with real professional thieves. Magnus does not know when it will end but he will use this training to better himself and save the orphanage.

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Magnus walked into the dining area as the hearth was lit up, warming up and lighting the area. Taylan sat on the bench fiddling away with his instrument, it looked like a guitar but quite different.

”I see that Bulut finally let you out, mhh?” Taylan asked, not looking up from his instrument.

”Yes, sir!” Magnus said consciously getting back into his soldier state.

At Magnus's response, Taylan looked up with his eyebrows raised, then he saw how rigidly Magnus stood and laughed. ”I see that he also got you standing around like a soldier and yelling yes sir, huh?”

Once Magnus saw Taylan's reaction he started to ease up, it looked like he ran things differently. But then his next few words confused Magnus, ”Did I tell you to slacken off, boy?” Taylan asked in a menacing voice.

”No, sir!” Magnus shouted, immediately standing upright and tall, for a moment there he thought the man suffered from bipolar disorder. However, his following action made it clear that the man was not bipolar but a jester.

Taylan broke into fits of laughter as he held his stomach and wiped at his eyes, the man must have found Magnus's stiff reaction funny. Though Magnus didn't like it at all, nobody likes being made the clown, and Magnus felt like walking out on him then and there.

What held him back was the lessons that he was going to receive, namely how to be a real thief. Magnus knew what a thief is and what they do, he could even call himself one, but he isn't truly one.

All Magnus knows how to do is put on an act and slicing coin purses and for that, he would need a big distraction. He does not know how to pickpockets or how to lockpick and so many other skills that come with being a thief.

So what if this is going to be the man who he is going to learn from, he going to buckle his seat belt and seek to get through it.

Though that did not stop him from wishing that is was Bulut or Shui teaching him, they took their classes more seriously than Taylan.

Taylan must have noticed Magnus's mood since he said, ”Alright, I am sorry, there is no reason to be glum but that response, hahaha!” Then he broke into another fit of laughter and Magnus just had to ask, ”When are we going to start are lessons?”

After a while, Taylan settled down and tried some semblance of formality, ”Okay, enough of that, let's get started with our lessons.”

Magnus cracked his necks, as he thought, 'finally, let's get this show on the road.'

”As you know I am going to teach you how to be a thief! The bad news is, it is going to take a lot of time and practice for you to get any good,” Taylan said.

At those words Magnus felt a little bit crestfallen, he knew deep down it will take a whole lot of time for him to be good but those childish fancies reared its ugly head up.

”However the good news is that you got what it takes to become a great thief,” Taylan then added.

Magnus was happy at that news but did not understand what it meant, so he asked, 'What do mean I have what it takes to become a good thief?”

”Well, there are really two things required for you to be a good thief; the first is quick thinking. Not that many people have that ability or even have a brain for that matter but getting back to the topic. Quick thinking is making a sensible decision very quickly in a dangerous or difficult situation. In this line of work, you will land yourself in a lot of sticky situations and you got to think on your feet or else you are dead.”

Magnus nodded his head, he could agree with that position, it is an accurate and valid point, and he made sure to store that away inside his mind like the rest of his other lessons. Though what Magnus found a bit of black humor in, is that all of his instructors delivered their lessons with the grave warning of death if he does not follow their teachings.

”The other ability required to become a good thief is acting. Acting is just pretending, that simple and easy! If you do not have this ability, you will not be able to con somebody, and let me tell you something, it is not stealing that makes a good thief but the conning.”

”I have a question,” Magnus said, Taylan simply waved his hand for Magnus to go on.

”How do you know I have these abilities?” Magnus asked he was confused, how was Taylan so sure he got what it took to be a thief. They have known each other for a couple of days and the man was going off like he knew him.

”Well,” Taylan said, ”The alley run-in we had with you when we first meet, gave you away. You never expected that we would have a run-in with us, but you played it smooth and quick thought of something to get your ass out of that sticky situation. That right there showed that you could think quickly!

Then there was your acting which is superb, I will admit, for a moment, you had me fooled back there in the alley, not because of how believable your story was, no, that needs some work. However, it was how in character you were, my mind wanted to just fall into place but a small part of me was saying no, no, no, this kid is spewing bullshit.”

At Taylan's constant stream of praises Magnus felt light headed with pride and arrogant. Thoughts like, 'maybe I got the wrong perspective of Taylan' to 'praise me MORE BITCHES!' or 'how's your daddy, now?' kept on running around inside his mind.

Codex who saw all this felt worried, she knew Magnus the best, he did his best when he was level headed, now he was becoming pigheaded.