Berserk : The Deviant

As he said, Barkha took possession of the mercenary's tent he had just killed and this man even had a fairly old and modest travel wagon. They were all mercenaries, that one of them died was normal so none came to seek boredom in Barkha who settled rather well, he had no problem staying with a group of people and for a killer trained in a clan of assassins, he was very sociable as no one had fun with his money.

 He spent two years in this troop and everyone ended up understanding that he was a horribly strong fighter and no one came close to him in terms of combat in the troop. He didn't have friendship with anyone except Guts now eleven years old and he 16.

He had become quite close to Guts because he was the only one practically to show him kindness in this brute band and for Guts , Barkha had become like a big brother.

 One afternoon, Barkha was isolated to train his fists on a rock. It was Tapasa training to harden fists and the results were already visible, its phalanxes, the joints of its fingers and Some areas of his body were extremely strong to give him an advantage in hand-to-hand combat and for the Aesthetics, he hid his bumpy phalanges thanks to black strips in tissue rolled on his hands.

 He repeated these movements again and again thousands of times shirtless and his eyes closed preferably for him but when he trained, he felt someone observed it and knew it was Guts, he asked to go out and that it was not good to spy on others. Guts finally approached a sword far too large for his size and it amused Barkha.

 "Isn't this weapon too much for you ? Even since all this time it always makes me laugh a little to see you swing this big sword " He said to Guts while sitting on a stone, he took his gourd to drink wine and saw the gaze of Guts on that.Barkha asked him if he wanted to taste a little and launched the gourd while waiting for Guts reaction after having tasted wine for the first time.

He had inquired about him and Guts was 11 years old, five years younger than him and at this age, he was already formed to resist alcohol and poisons.

 "Gah! It's not good ..." Guts said after having tasted and Barkha told him that he'll get used to it over time . Guts to answer his previous question told him that since the start of his training, he has been training with an adult sword and that he was now used to the size although he had some difficulty manipulating the weapon . He noticed the large number of scars on Barkha's body and asked him if he had had them during his battles in his life as a mercenary.

 Barkha: I had these scars in my training during my childhood , it was said that I was a prodigy then my training and much more hardened, even compared to the members who were considered talented before me. It was hard, very hard but it made me strong. According to Darius, we have a battle for the capture of a castle in two months and it will be a little difficult according to the rumor. He says that soon you will also start to participate in the battles, what do you think ?

 "I...I'm afraid ... " Guts said, sitting near him with a thoughtful air and Barkha told him that it was a good thing that will keep his survival instinct active, that he should not be ashamed because Fear was normal and important to outdo yourself. Guts asked him if he was afraid and Barkha drank a sip of wine again.

 "Not really, these battles are only against men. There are much more frightening things than simple humans."

 Guts: What things ?

 "Invisible things for many and if you are unlucky, one day you'll know what I am talking about but for the moment I'd like to know how you have done to find yourself in this troop. I saw you very close to Gambino and he's very severe with you. He's your father, right ?" Barkha asked Guts who lowered his head before telling him what he knew about his own origin and his life in the troop, Barkha himself was shaken by this story.

 "I too was born out of a dead mom and my mother tried to kill me in her belly for a good part of the pregnancy. She died in the long term and they had to open her belly to get me out of there. It looks like we found ourselves ahah." Barkha told him by passing the gourd to him.

 Guts: Barkha...?

 "Hmm?" 

 Guts: Do you want to teach me how to fight like you? You are so strong ...

 "If you want but you will have to do what I tell you ...". Barkha told him that he would be annoyed that his first friend died at his first battle so he was going to teach him how to move properly using a heavy weapon and how to strike, he wasn't going to teach him special techniques of his clan but just practical tips because he too had learned to fight with adult weapons despite his child size.

 During two months, Guts practiced with Barkha to the great satisfaction of Gambino who felt unloaded from the formation of a kid he hated since the death of his wife and blamed Guts that he considered it guilty by bringing them a curse.

Barkha has made his place in the troop while parallel his activities as a thief and looters. Sometimes he left the camp to come back the next evening with money and food. Obviously, he did not attack the poor but rich people and even if the others wondered how he did, nobody disturbed him with that.

 As for Guts, he was quite spoiled by Barkha in food. Barkha didn't play with money but for the rest, he knew when to be generous with those he appreciated and he loved a lot. Barkha had never been really close to other Bakiraka children first for his almost permanent particular training and then because he was considered cursed, he had never had friends of his age and the five -year -old kid Less elderly than him was his first friend. (I specify that this is a guts before its attack by Donovan and the death of Gambino).

 The day before their next battle arrived and it was the capture of a castle, it was a siege arriving in the long term and they were part of the reinforcement because the regular army was quite tired after more A month of siege. It was the first battle in the trop for Guts and He was really scared .

 "During the battle of tomorrow, the enemy will be exhausted enough thanks to the regular army but it's possible that they still have assets to extend the siege and kill some of us. Stay careful and observe your surroundings carefully , you are a talented but don't go too far from me during the scrum." Barkha said to Guts by sharpening his weapons and Guts nodded as he prepared his equipment . He stressed out and his hands trembled slightly, Barkha saw that and looked at him.

 "Don't forget what i taught you and you'll survive this battle, don't take unnecessary risks because you have only one life. You are not a knight but a mercenary, we laugh at honor so if you can trick to kill an opponent or attack from behind, do it. You're still young so they'll underestimate you then take that in advantage. Understood… ? " He asked by placing his hand on the shoulder of Guts who replied "understood" with eyes full of confidence and conviction.

 (the day after)

 *Metal shock*

 "Huaaaaaaaaaargh*

" GO FORWARD, THE RENFORCEMENTS ARE THERE "

 Chaos was raging on the battlefield and Allied forces had made their way to the ramparts and fought on the walls to try to open the doors but in vain, the enemy was also determined not to cede.

The regular army had undergone many losses because of the cannons still active in areas still well protected from the ramparts, they had themselves brought their canons but their ammunition and rations had been stolen because a traitor in their camp.

 In fact, the traitor was none other than Barkha because during the past two months, he had spied on the regular army who had hired Gambino and to sell information to the enemy camp who had to whom he had promised his services well before join this war. He did not even know that it was the conflict in which the troop would be engaged and he had his activities outside the troop as a spy or assassin, he believed that conflict would remain 'Gap because there were other battles elsewhere but Gambino had accepted this one.

 Would he have given up the gold that he was promised just because his group of mercenaries got involved ? Of course not, it would be to underestimate his passionate love for money.

He continued his spying work and reported all the information necessary for the enemy who by a secret passage from the fortress had sent troops stealing the food and the ammunition of the regular army while taking care to sabotage their cannons.

 The incompetent soldiers had not seen anything coming in the middle of the night while the attackers rested after a harsh day of siege.

The attack was fast and incredibly well coordinated to the point where they couldn't do anything. As for Barkha, he had been paid 100 gold coins for his services and it was really a large sum, a normal bonus of nearly 25 mercenaries.

 (NOW)

 Gambino explained the situation to his troops and how the enemy had managed to prolong the defense of the siege by the theft of allied resources, something that had delayed the advancing of the assaulting army whose cannons had been destroyed, they were Far from their home and the routing of other cannons and resources will take weeks or months.

 Barkha listened to all this with a slight smile on his lips when a magnificent idea delighted his mind. The troop drew up near the regular forces when Barkha went to ask the Lord who led the war councils with his knights.

He was stopped by the guards outside and said that he had information about a flaw that would allow them to enter the fortress to open the doors of the interior.

 The soldiers looked at him and made fun of Barkha but one of the knights inside heard the agitation outside and came out to ask what was going on, even before one of the soldiers speaks, Barkha explained in an innocent voice and filled with good intentions the same thing he had said to the guards.

The knight watched Barkha for a while before asking him to follow him and Barkha sincerely thanked him before following his steps.

 "Baron Octave, this boy says he has important information that will help us open the enemy doors from the inside. The knight said to the Baron , a blond and tall man with a well supplied beard who looked at Barkha on his knees in front of him in a certain way with the other knights because the boy was a stranger.

 Baron: Speak, don't waste time and if you lie then know you'll lose your head.

 "Thank you ... a thousand thanks, Lord Baron. My name Vishka and as you can notice, I am a stranger, a Kushan. My father was an assassin and he was one day hired by the lord of this fortress 4 years ago to help him create measures to strengthen his defense in the event of an enemy assassination." Barkha told his lie humbly.

 "He used the advice of experienced assassins to defend himself properly in the event of assassination against him? Lever..." The Baron thought out loud.

 "That's it, I was only 9 years old at the time and father took me with him to make sure I enjoy the experience and learned the tricks of the profession. A secret passage inside the fortress had been properly equipped under his advise, my lord. If we take this passage then your men will be able to open the doors of the interior." Barkha finished his bullshit with conviction.

 "If what you say is true then your information will be extremely precious. What do you expect from me if what you say is True ? You have to practice the same job as your father and I doubt that you give such information to just help." The baron asked and the moment he listened to this, Barkha's ears stirred while his golden eyes had a certain light.

 Barkha: 100 gold coins is the humble reward that I ask to do this job myself if you want. You'll not have to risk the life of your men and for the same additional price, I can take advantage of it to bring you the head of the enemy Lord this evening.

 "Madness !" 

 "This kid haves steel balls"

 "200 gold coins to open the doors of the interior and even kill Baron Roland ?! This foreign boy makes fun of us."

 Octave listened to the words of his knights, looking at the eyes filled with barkha confidence and conviction before asking him if he was confident in what he promised when the boy just nodded calmly while keeping the eye contact .

 "The next day at dawn I want the doors of this fortress to be opened to me and for Baron Roland, is optional. If you fail then either they kill you or we will do it, I hope I've been clear enough..." He said and Barkha thanked him. Before leaving, he told him to place observers to see the signal late at night before leaving from there.

 Back at the troop camp, Guts asked him where he was and Barkha asked him to sleep for the moment because night was going to be agitated and that he should not look for him tonight.

Guts wanted to ask him for explanations but Barkha told him that he will explain it later before going to his tent with a smile filled with greed to prepare his equipment.