Chapter 6 – Shadows of the Past
At the Marketplace.
Sigh… I went out to look around and gather more information about the world…
When I asked Thorin what he intends to do with the Bodies of the Shadow a sad expression flashed down his face….
Recalling the conversation.
“What are you doing to do with the bodies though, create a new sword…?”
“Hahahaha, that would be nice….”
A sad expression filled his face, longing for something he could never achieve.
…
Something must have happened to him.
Some people having a chat nearby.
“Did you hear about the rumor of the Blacksmith”
“Yeah, I heard that he came from afar seeking for something, but never found it after many years.”
“Apparently he requested a Quest at the guild, but nobody took it, until yesterday.”
“Are you saying someone took that Quest? Does he have a Death wish?”
“Yeah, with all those rumors about him coming to Lumenvall from afar, he really must have a death wish...”
…
These people are saying that he has many bad rumors about him circulating in town.
So that is why all the people gave me a side eye, the moment I took the Quest….
“I will ask him myself to confirm the truth….”
At Thorin´s Shop.
“Oh, you are already back?”
“How did it go?”
“Found something interesting?
“I heard rumors about you…”
…
“So, you heard them….”
“Well, you better stop visiting me or you might get in trouble”
“I didn´t come all the way just to leave right away!”
“I wanted to ask you about these rumors”
Thorin´s eyes open wide as he looked Shine in the face, with an expression full of surprise.
“You didn´t come here to ridicule me and lash out on me?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I mean…. I might get into trouble for taking my quest….”
“I did that on my own volition, I didn´t do anything wrong.”
“What wrong?”
The dwarf answered in an unfamiliar voice to him, almost as if a boulder had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Nothing, something just went in my eyes….”
How long had it been since someone stayed at my site?
Ohh, it had been too long, right my love?
“So, what are all these rumors about?”
Should I trust him?
I just met him yesterday, because of a Quest...
“The rumors are true for the most part”
“But I can´t tell you the reason behind them yet...”
…
“Let´s make a deal I will help you if you forge a sword for me!”
…
“I can´t do that…”
A sad expression appeared on his face, an expression of sadness.
Thorin sparked the flame in his Blacksmith, grabbed his hammer and the needed materials.
He started melting the iron, hammering at it away for hours, as I stood there watching his smithing.
It was beautiful, the sparks of hitting the metal fluttering in the air, the glowing iron slowly forming into a sword, and the precision of each strike.
I had never seen anything like this before, but I knew immediately that before me was a master craftsman.
But there was something off, something holding him back.
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Something deep within him, he hid away for years…
And at the last strike on the iron, it happened…
It broke into two.
He had done everything perfectly, so why did this happen?
He looked into my eyes, with an expression used to failure, waiting for me to bring him down.
But after what I had witnessed, I know, If I help him overcome his doubts and worries, I will be able to see his Blacksmith to the fullest at its best!
“I will help you!”
“What, why?”
“So that I can witness the finale of your blacksmith.”
“Sigh… If you really want to help me, then there is a was… but”
“I will do everything in my power!”
“Sigh…you really are a fool.”
“Have you heard about the Tournaments held in Lumenvall each year”
“A tournament, no I haven´t heard of it.”
“It is a tournament hosted by the Duke Reginald Darkwood; he lives at the end of the road in his mansion. He always comes and visits Lumenvall when the Tournament is about to happen. He should arrive in town in about 2 months and the Tournament will be held one Day after his arrival.”
“The one that wins this tournament is able to request something reasonable from the duke.”
“I want you to win this and request a meeting with him, where I can speak with him.”
“How will you possibly be able to help me with this, you are just a E Rank adventurer…
There will be many C ranks competing in the Tournament, you don´t have a chance…...
I appreciate the spirit, but you can´t help me…”
“This Tournament is in two Months you say?”
“That is enough time for me”
“Hey old man, I will Help you get your date down with the duke just wait”
An irritated bothered face flashed down the face of Thorin.
“Give me two months and I will be as strong as a C Rank adventurer!”
“What do you plan on doing?”
“I plan to be a freeloader at your place for the next two months!”
As he stood there proud, the sun shined through the crakes of the house, giving him a spotlight.
“Where did the sudden sunlight come from”
“And why do you sound so proud about being a freeloader?”
In the room next door to Thorin workshop, a simple room, with just one bed and a carpet.
I should first distribute my available stat points.
System-
Increased Mind power by 12 points.
Your Mind power has reached 20 (21) you gain a new skill – Deep concentration.
That is exactly what I need right now for cultivating.
Let´s try this right now!
I will complete two tasks in one go.
I went into a meditation position, legs crossed sitting on the ground, clearing my mind.
System-
Starting cleaning impurities process – currently at 10%
Improving Cultivation – Your Dantian begins stabilizing.
Two Months later.
“Sigh… I made some progress but...
System-
Cleaning impurities – 10-20%.
Your Abyssal Arts -Foundation Establishment state has reached 10-20.
Your Skill inner Qi application has evolved to – Dark Qi application.
Your Mind stat has increased by 1 due to long deep concentration. Effect Eight folded because of Weak Body condition -80% Training efficiency.
but the process I am advancing at really slowed down during the last couple days.”
“There is still one day left until the Tournament, I should go see the old man.”
The Moment I left my room a smell of iron greeted me in the Blacksmith.
There were several Iron junks lying around, all of them incomplete swords.
“What happened here during the last two months?”
I saw Thorin hammering the Iron, his skin seemed burned, from all the heat he was exposed to during the last two months.
And Right before the sword was completed, the Iron broke in two.
The same expression, as always filling his face, the look of failure and despair on his face. I was able to feel the Abyss within him grow.
“Ah you are here; how did your training go?”
“It went alright, why do you forge swords?”
…
“Why…
Because it is the reason I felt alive in the past.
I was able to make the Kingdoms finest swords.
I was proud of it and treasured that feeling deeply.
Then one day someone took my ability to enjoy it.
And I wasn´t able to forge a sword since…”
“Here I wanted to give you this...”
Thorin grabbed a small bag of high quality.
And opened the small Pouch, I put his hand into the Pouch and drew a sword out of it.
It was the finest blade I have ever seen.
“This is something I forged a long time ago… I wasn´t able to forge you a new sword, but this will have to do for the Tournament.”
A pained expression on his face, unable to forge me a sword after seeing me trying to help him despite the many great obstacles.
“This was the sword the last sword I had forged, I hope it will help you.”
The Day of the Tournament
The crowd screaming in excitement on the main road to the Arena, where the Tournament will be held.
“There is the Duke Reginald Darkwood,” he is being escorted by several Knights on a carriage.
“The Tournament this year will be amazing!”
“I heard that even Lightning Spear will participate this year!”
“Really? The one that killed several C Rank Monsters by himself?”
“This is going to be the best tournament yet”
…
“So that is the duke.”
A glorified look, with fine look, a short blonde curly hair, riding on a horse.
“Yeah, that’s him…”
“Remember you need to be careful Shine; this year’s Tournament is going to be a hard one.”
“There will be many Rising Rookies participating, the Lightning spear is one of them, his spear glowing in the color yellow as he strikes you, they say his attack is so fast that they are invisible to the eye. Any many young Nobels will participate, to gain experience.”
“Then I will be careful!
These new clothes you gave me are convenient, a black robe, with light armor on my arms, Legs and shoulders.”
“I will watch from you from the Arena seats”
“I will go ahead and register for the Tournament; you just watch me win!”
As I stood in a waiting line to register, I looked at the gigantic arena.
It resembled the Colosseum.
“Oh, it is my turn”
“Hello there, I want to register for the Tournament”
Ahhh...
As I looked down, I saw a familiar face.
It was the receptionist of the Adventurer guild.
“Haha long time no see, miss”
“About the thing that happened last time….”
With a blushed face she said:” Ha-ha don´t mind it…”
“Are you responsible for the tournament to, I thought you were just a Receptionist at the Guild.”
“Yeah, something like that… your name is Shine Kage right?”
“Yeah”
“I will fill out the registration paper for you.”
“Thank you, may I ask for your name?
I didn´t catch it last time at the guild?”
“Sure, my name is Emilia D- …… just Emilia.”
“Okay, just Emilia.”
“Ahhh my name is Emilia not “just Emilia”, her face blushed in embarrassment…”
“I will get going now, just Emilia, see you later!”
As I walked into the Colosseum and took my place among the contestants, the names of the contestants and their fighting order were already decided.
“Hello, Lady´s and Gentlements, let the Tournament of the duke begin!”
A Guy standing in the middle of the Colosseum, with a fine dress in black and white.
“First up will be….”
A voice amplifying magic….
“Looks like I am the last up in the first round, who am I up against?”
“Henrick...”
“That sounds familiar….”
“Ahhh, it´s that guard I spoke with before, why does he compete in the Tournament?”
“Never mind that, there are a lot of noble names on this list.”
The commentator.
“First up, will be Ars against Aura.”
…
“Aura…She looks young,” a brownish robe, covering her face, a light armor.
“She looks strong, and her enemy is a C rank Adventurer Ars, he has some heavy armor.”
“Let the First Match BEGIN!”
As the wind blow through the Colosseums arena, a strong pressure began filling the room.
The crowd
“Where did she go?”
“She just disappeared.”
…
“No, she didn´t, she is just to fast to be able to seen by normal people.”
“She was running around her Enemy Ars, creating a dust field around him.”
She got behind them and with one leap, she was already behind him, striking him down with one powerful strike.
“…Aura won the first match!”
…
“Second up….”
“Lightning spear was able to gain an overwhelming victory.”
I wasn´t able to follow him with my eyes…he was even faster than that girl Aurelia…
He had a spiky look, with blonde spiky hair, his eyes gold, his body covered in lightning, his spear brightens the entire Arena.
…
“It’s almost my time...”
As the winning contestants gathered together after their first match, a lot of gossiping started in the waiting room.
“Hey who is that girl? I think her name was Aura.”
“I don´t know I have never heard of her, but she is powerful.”
She was sitting in the corner of the waiting room, alone with most people fearing to get close.
“Lightning spear, was amazing too, he sure lives up to the rumors.”
He was chatting with the different contestants, he was able to get along with everyone, not like a lone someone sitting in the corner…
Right, there are to such people, her and me…. Sitting alone in a corner.
“The last match for the first rounds and today´s matches, Henrick a personal newly appointed Guard of duke Reginald Darkwood, and Shine Kage.”
As I stood up and walked out of the Waiting room, to the arena.
Aura lifted her head and looked at me, as if she was watching her next prey.
Why does she glare at me?
She was looking at the floor the entire time, holding her sword in her hands.
Why look at me know suddenly?
A shiver went down my spine.
I felt a glaze from the other side too.
A lightning spear was looking at me too, but why?
On the side of the Arena, in front of me on the other side Henrick standing in armor of a knight, it was made of iron, on his chest armor, a symbol of three leaves crossing each other in gold, on the helmet an arrow aiming for the top with two leaves striking down on the side of the helmet where golden horns of an angel, in his hands a great sword.
“Who the hell is this?”
“Shine Kage…never heard of him!”
“Why don´t they give a worthy opponent for his enemy?”
“Get this over with.”
Some people reacted coldly towards me, some were watching in silence, one the two groups realized the truth and one was blinded by a lie.
“I will make them realize the truth.”-Shine Kage
The duke was watching the matches from his VIP place.
He was truly bored in all matches so far, there were only one-sided victories or an average fight between adventurers so far.
He seemed surprisingly interested in this match.
A Servant standing beside the duke, dressed in fine clothing, a white mask on his face, with black leaves around his eyes, his white hair standing out in a crowd.
“Lord Darkwood this match should be interesting, Henrick has the powers of an average knight in your forces, but that is still way beyond that of a normal knight.”
“His Victory should be already sure, but I get a weird feeling from this boy, some people in the crowd have noticed to and stayed silent.”
“Who do you think will win, my lord?”
“The Future is something you can´t foresee, it is solely depending on you to pave your path in your Future.”
“Shine Kage was his name? This should be an interesting match.”
“I hope they don´t make a move on him, but that would be very unlikely!”
“LET THE LAST MATCH BEGIN!”
End of chapter 6----------------------------------------------------------------------To be continued