Training?

A girl in a monk's robe, another in a plain black robe, and a third in high-quality, custom leather armor stood together under a blazing sun in a large field behind the guild. 

The motley trio stood across from a young man in hard leather armor. He had a round shield strapped to his back and a sword at his belt. His face was sharp and attractive.

His hand slowly scratched his chin as he seemed to be sizing up the three girls. Then he snapped and made an announcement. 

"You three look great! I can already tell this will be a fun squad to mentor!" the man suddenly shouted with a jovial smile. "My name is Fenn. I'm a mentor by choice and a fighter by necessity. Beginning today, I will guide you three to a successful induction into the glorious annals of the guild's history!"

Gwen turned to look at the two beside her, who returned the uneasy look.

"I've already read up on your past, your levels, and your classes. And, it seems you've been acquainted." 

This was true. The Petra, Anne, and Gwen had spent several hours last night getting to know each other. Petra was the noble's daughter looking for adventure. Anne was a wizard prodigy who never took a break from studying. Gwen told what she could of the monastery, but withheld what she had learned previously about her level, and especially her specialization.

"Today we will be doing an introduction to weapons!"

Fenn raised a fist as he made the announcement, but the three girls only groaned.

"We know all about weapons," Petra complained. "Swords and bows and daggers and wands and - who cares! I thought adventurers fought monsters!"

Gwen and Anne didn't want to make a scene, but they had to agree with Petra. Learning about weapons seemed awfully mundane. 

"Oh! I'm sorry, I thought I would start you off slow. This is my first year as a mentor, you know!" Fenn thought for a moment before smiling a sinister smile. "I know just the place to give you a real adventurer experience!" 

○○○

Kai followed a tall wiry man with wild black hair from five paces back. The man had been adamant that they keep themselves spread out in case of an attack. 

But here, at the base of the city walls, his advice seemed like a bad joke.

His introduction this morning was curt and without pleasantries.

"I am Tharon, your mentor. I am a rogue of level 45, the highest in this town besides the garrison general. You are alone because you are weak and misguided by monks, and now you have the misfortune of being my pupil."

"Nice to meet you, Tharon. I'm Kai -"

"I know who you are. The first rule of an adventurer is to always be prepared. Leave your armor here, it will only slow us down today, and I'm of no mind to teach you to use it. We have a mission to complete."

Even though Tharon's demeanor was a bit discouraging, his mention of a mission made Kai's heart jump. This was what the warriors from before had talked about!

Tharon had briefed him on the mission details only once. Kai made sure to remember them.

The local guard has hired Tharon to investigate reports of manipulation of one of the city walls. It seems someone was preparing them to be scaled at night, in order to sneak into the city. Searching for clues of a break-in was natural to a rogue - who may just as easily be on the other side of the investigation come nightfall. 

Kai was unsure what "manipulation of the wall" meant, but he hoped to learn much from observing today.

Tharon suddenly stopped in front of the wall. Kai did his best to search for anything useful, but he could only see bricks and stone. Suddenly, Tharon thrust out his arm and pointed to a brick just above his head, and traced a line to the top of the wall.

"Handholds have been chipped into the cracks of these stones. The guard was right, for once."

He leaned over and picked up a rock and showed it to Kai.

"Smooth edge with chisel marks. These handholds were made by someone careless enough to leave behind evidence." Stooping low, Tharon looked closely at the grass and slowly walked away from the wall. 

"And careless enough to leave a trail, too. Come, Kai. Today you learn the difference between the strong and the weak."

○○○

Kai was still mulling over Tharon's words when he got the signal to stop. He immediately froze in place, not daring to disobey Tharon.

"There is a natural order in the world. Strength will crush weakness and beget more strength. A bear does not rule the forest by diplomacy; she and her offspring rule because she crushes her opposition."

By curling two fingers, Tharon motioned for Kai to creep toward him. 

Two rogues sat beneath a tree in a small clearing ahead of them. They discussed something in whispers as they ate a cooked hare.

"The mission is paramount; it is more important than your scruples or emotions. Failure is worse than death."

Tharon put two elongated fingers together and pointed to the rogues. 

Kai took a deep breath and unsheathed his broadsword. In the next instant he broke into the clearing with a shout, giving the two seated men a jolt.

The broadsword made a loud whoosh as the inexperienced user brought it down with a crash, splintering one of the logs used as a seat just moments before. 

Both men had pulled out small chipped daggers and stared at Kai.

"I don't care how you found us, kid, but this is your chance to leave." The man that dropped the cooked hare motioned with his eyes to where Kai had rushed out from.

"Our Lord's return is more important than whatever petty mission you have. Now run along before someone gets hurt here."

Kai thought of the pupil at the monastery that died in the dining hall. He was probably one of the undead now.

He rushed again towards the two men, "I will never be weak!" 

A sweeping strike with the broadsword caused both of the rogues to leap backward, dodging the sloppy attack for a second time. Its mass alone could eviscerate an unarmored man even in the hands of a novice. 

"Just kill him, Lon. He has no clue how to use that thing."

The man who spoke threw a hidden knife at Kai's hands, forcing him to drop the sword to avoid it. Before he could pick it back up, Lon was upon him.

"You never should have followed us!"

Kai dropped to a defensive stance and drove his palm upward into the lunging rogue's leading elbow, instantly snapping his arm. He strode forward again half a pace and spun an elbow into the rogue's face, cracking his jaw.

The rogue fell like a bag of fruit with a thud.

Spinning quickly, Kai faced the second man only to find Tharon standing over a corpse, wiping his short sword.

"Good job keeping one alive, but it will be useless to question him with that broken jaw. Finish it."

Kai picked up his broadsword and hesitated.

"He wouldn't think twice about doing you in."

He brought down the blade and crushed Lon's head.