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As I do every morning I started off with a quick workout. Luckily it started good since it was leg day. Following that I headed to the fight club to talk with Garret. During the jog to the town, I look at the scenery, not much but at least it stays the same every time. That’s one thing I have noticed about this world despite all the battles, the land stays the same except for a new crater here and there. SNAP. I turn around to see what it was, turn out it was only a rottleweinker, to me it has always just looked like a badger with a cat head. I walk over to go pick it up, it seems skinny and hungry. I form a backpack and put it in. Once I start to jog again, I make sure to take care. After a short ten minutes I make it to the town. Going into an alley way I see the guard asleep. However, once I get about a foot or two away, he wakes up and punches a wall. The door opens. A familiar smell wafts out of mulch, dirt, and blood. “Why thank you sir” I mutter, and he nods. I walk down the plywood stairs and the cobblestone walls are much cooler than usual. Now to think of it there’s much less noise than usual, in fact there is only a low hum. As I walk further down, I feel a familiar heat. By the time I realize what it is I’m already passing out.
I wake up normal as any other day with a warm soft bed and to the sound of banging. After a quick morning shower, I walk into my master's forge. He hears me walk in and turns around with the same unfaltering smile. His white teeth shine and his eyes twinkle. You wouldn’t expect someone so big and bulky to look as cheerful as a saint. In a fatherly, gravelly voice he booms, “Why Luk I thought you would never wake up it’s almost ten 'o'clock. Let me finish this order real quick and then we can get to work on your training.” He turns around and goes back to hammering. Sparks flight after every thunderous boom. It’s almost hypnotizing.
I go back to Master’s kitchen and start to make some omelets; I yell back to him to ask if he wants some and he replies yes. As I’m making the omelets I feel the room cool. Running back to the room to see if he stopped the fire, I see an off putting, dark, shadowy being floating in the room. Master is backed up against the wall, shivering. The twinkle is gone, he’s almost shivering. He stutters, “you said I had one more month, I promise I’ll have it to you, please not now I haven’t finished training your brother’s boy.”
The being seems to pulsate and the room gets colder. A strong voice comes from within it, “how dare you mention my brother around me old man, I know what I said, but I need it now. So do you have it done or not.”
Still stunned by what is happening, all I can do is watch Master fumble with something in his pocket and pull out a ritual ring. Its gold designs are unlike anything I’ve ever seen, being simple yet the most complex design possible. The ruby spike meant for blood withdrawal I can tell is deadly sharp. It’s entirely possible that with Master’s skill even an accidental rub could pierce even the toughest skin. The being takes it and throws it as though it is dirt. “Pathetic, I knew I shouldn’t have trusted a senile old man like you to craft something of importance. For this sin against me you shall die.”
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With this threat I can’t be quiet and stay still any longer. I charge the being and I merely go through it. It laughs as it begins to torture Master. His body first turns an unnatural greenish gray. He begins aging rapidly, his screams pierce the room. I can’t help but scream with him wailing for him to be fine. This all must be a bad dream, that’s what it is. I pinch myself till I bleed. No this is real. Right before Master dies the being disappears with a chuckle. I hear it say, “I’m coming for you next boy.” I rush over to master, and he is gasping for air. I do everything I can. I try to heal him with my blood like he taught me, but nothing works.
After what feels like centuries of his wheezing, he finally manages to say something. What he says are the hardest words I’ve ever heard. Two simple word that chill me, “kill me.” I sob knowing that is the only way his suffering will end.
I summon a scythe out of blood, sobbing I mutter, “I’m so sorry Master I was too weak to help you.”
As I wind up to strike him, he says to me, “it was never your fault, I’ve raised you since birth I can’t be disappointed, merely blinded by love.”
With these words I use them as my strength as I strike into his temple. It was the quickest death I could think to give him. His only hours ago lively body crumples down lifeless. I kneel to the ground sobbing and while grabbing at the dirt trying to find something steady, I cut myself. The ring, I pick it up and its gold is now tainted by my blood. I clasp it in my hands as everything fades out.
I wake up and I see Zineweiver his red and gold aura encapsulating him. Angered by my memories I stand up and try to punch him, tears falling from my eyes. “Why do you show me this father! Why!” He dodges both with ease. My anger while strengthening my body weakens my form.
“To remind you why you fight boy.”
“I know why I fight, and you know how much I loved him why do you torment me with memories of the man that made me who I am today.” Now I’ve tried to kick him the tears have blinded my sight, and my nose is starting to fill with mucus.
“Merely to test your emotions. While I teach emotionless, I love you enough to not tear that away from you.”
By this point I have fallen and merely am on the ground pounding it, splinters are in my hand. I don’t care that pain is nothing compared to everything else. My sobs boom throughout the dark, empty room. Loneliness overtakes me and I sob, for three minutes my cries echo through the fight club. Zineweiver attempts to comfort me rubbing my back and shoulders. It does nothing but remind me of Master when I would get angry with myself. Once I regain control of myself, I blow my nose and clear my eyes. I still sniffle and shake from the memories. Zineweiver faces me with pity, but no empathy. “I’ve let you shed your tears now it is time for you to start your revenge.” I nod merely hoping that no more memories come out of this revenge and that I finally feel some sort of satisfaction. “Good now while my brother is technically unkillable there is a way to show your mark on him. You must travel to his central church and destroy it; this will shatter his physical and spiritual essence his conscience will still float around however it cannot do anything”
As he explains the logistics of it, I feel a new sense of hope. I will avenge you master no matter how I must do it your spirit will be able to finally rest, and if I can have any sort of a goblin toe of a choice in the matter you will be brought back to the mortal realm. Your creations will forever be remembered in this new world.