“I trained Gandand art ever since I was really young. That’s my choice of style. I don’t have a real thinsword though. Mine’s only half-metal, half-laser. It’s better for my job anyway, makes less of a mess and takes up less space.”

“Eh… I wouldn’t really call it real Gandand if you don’t have a metal thinsword…” Baata shrugged a bit.

Ted gave him a frown and nearly hissed their answer.

“Well then it’s not ‘real’ Gandand. I don’t care. I know the moves and I am professional at it. I don’t leave my targets alive after the first strike. If they scream, I count it as my own failure, even if I manage to kill them and escape unnoticed. Since you mention it, it’s not ‘real’ Gandand anyway. I’m a loner, and Baavmathans aren’t by far.”

Baata nodded a bit. “You sound pretty dedicated to your job.”

“Of course,” Ted said, a hint of bitter joy in their voice. “It’s the only thing I have in this world. I don’t have friends or a family, so. You know. What else am I supposed to do with my life if not do my job?”

“And you’re still alive and free, which must mean you do it well, yeah?”

“Pretty much. …Thanks.”

“No problem. I can always respect a fellow warrior. Sorry for asking though – did you ever get captured?” Baata raised his brow again, curious to hear the answer.

“Aw… yes, once. No, twice. I was never arrested, because I got away, but, you know… I got really, really close,” Ted said, shivering slightly.

“It was that one time I had to assassinate some business man at his home. I got in alright. He had two guards patrolling the apartment, and a butler. I knew about the guards, didn’t know about the butler. I got to the guy’s bedroom, killed him in his sleep easy, but just as I went for the door – because there was no window in the bedroom, so I couldn’t escape there – the door opened and I faced the servant, he got me startled so badly. Pretty sure both of us took like three seconds to gather what just happened, and then he called for help. I pushed him aside, didn’t kill him because it wasn’t in my contract, and went for the first window in the hall, not the one I came in through. But the guards came from both sides, and it took me too long to break the glass, when I wanted to jump out one of them got me by the leg, and I got smacked in the head really badly on the outside wall of the building, do you imagine? It hurt so badly. I lost my conscience for a few moments, because the next thing I remember was being held by my arm, sitting on the floor of the hall. I’m pretty sure that if I wouldn’t wear my helmet that hit would kill me, you know. I have a scar in the middle of my forehead, and I broke my nose. You can’t see it, but trust me, it’s there,”

Ted raised their gloved hand and rubbed where his invisible forehead was.

“Anyway, when I woke up one of the guards was calling the police. You probably think I’m pathetic for this, but I was so, so scared right then. I was never so scared before in my life. My head was bleeding, but my helmet was still on, even though it was a bit broken in the front. And the headache, it was the worst, even worse than the actual wound. I really thought I’d get in jail for life that day. It’s a good thing they underestimated me. I’m pretty sure that if I would ever be caught again, they wouldn’t repeat the same mistake... Seriously, why am I telling you this?!” Ted suddenly frowned, as if they just realized that they have been talking to Baata.

“Uh.. Because I asked? I don’t know? Why stop now though?” the Baavmathan man chuckled. “How did you escape?”

“Hmph,” Ted muttered, thinking whether they should continue or not. They decided they should at least finish what they started.

“When the police arrived one of the guards went to open the door. The butler was in too much of a shock, and no one else was in the apartment. All the time I sat unmoving, making them think I’m still out of it. Once the first guard was at a safe distance, I quickly knifed the other one in the eye and jumped out of the window. It was the worst landing I ever made, but thanks to it I’m alive now, you know?”