Lyn awakens in a field of grass staring up at the night’s sky with starlight illuminating the black inky void. Her sore body struggles against her as she rises to check her surroundings and sees Rayne sleeping at her side and with a soft smile she falls and simply looks up.

“you're awake.” She says to Rayne.

“Yeah, I thought if I faked being asleep you’d just lay there for a minute instead of trying to get back to town.” Rayne lifts her head and looks down at Lyn. “You really should just stay there, there aren’t any monsters in this area right now so we’ll be safe to rest.”

“I would, but I’m sure my landlord would toss my stuff out on the streets if I did,” Lyn says forcing herself to raise once again.

She looks around and finds the sword shiny and like new in her hand as with her other hand she grips the hilt. “Oh yeah, you pulled it out of the stone. And in accordance to Adventurer’s rule number three it’s yours to keep.”

Lyn stares at the blade as she opens her right hand and sees the runes embedded in her palm.

“About those, I’ve been staring at it, and I have no idea what it is.” She says standing up. “I can assure you at the least that it’s not a curse or some kind of trap brand, it’s something else entirely.”

“Well if you’re sure it’s not a curse, then we’ll worry about the specific what’s later,” Lyn says standing up and stretching out her body. “Everything still hurts, but I have to get moving sooner or later.”

“Fine, let’s get back to town then,” Rayne says annoyed as she walks off.

Lyn looks down and sees broken shards of blue crystals on the ground and smile as she grabs the sword and rushes to Rayne’s side.

A while later the pair walks closer and closer to the city’s gate as the guards come into view and stare at the pair. They see Lyn and Rayne injured and bruised from their battles in the cave and rush to them concerned as they examine the pair.

“Are you two okay?” One asks staring at the gashes on Lyn. “Those injuries seem pretty harsh, what happened?”

Lyn rubs the back of her head. “We found some cave with treasure and there were a lot of monsters so it got a little dangerous.”

“A little, we almost died,” Rayne says annoyed. “Twice.”

“Well it’s best you get inside so you can rest a bit, the Captain was looking for you because someone stole a sword from the armory. But in this case, I think we should take you right to the doctor.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“What was that?” Captain Ronah rushes out of the gate and looks at the four. “So, you finally turned up Lyndis, and you look like crap too.”

“Hey, Captain,” Lyn says nervously.

“Oh, for the love of, we’re both injured someone take us to the doctor already!” Rayne yells out annoyed.

“Fine, I’ll interrogate you two later, for now, go get healed up.” The Captain says seriously.

After a quick healing session, Lyn and Rayne sit around in the doctor’s office with the nurse looking over the pair. She pulls out a piece of paper and takes notes as she looks at the pair’s conditions.

“Rayne Lanier, you only have a few burns and scrapes, alongside Mana depletion you should heal up completely after a good rest.” She says before turning to Lyn. “Lyndis Mackel, some minor burns, broken bones, and scratches and cuts along your torso. The bones should be healed quickly, the burns have already healed, but a few of those cuts will leave scars.”

Lyn looks at the large cut on her right arm as it slowly heals. “I’m fine with that, I’m not even a super feminine woman, to begin with.”

“Whatever you two did, you almost died for it. I hope it was worth all this pain and suffering.”

Lyn looks at the sword resting near the doorway. “I think it was, hopefully.”

“Well, we still don’t know what we’re going to do about your rent or your docked pay,” Rayne says seriously.

Suddenly the Captain enters the room and looks on the pair holing out a sack of coins and placing it next to Lyn. “Here, I heard your story and I believe you.”

“You believe me?” Lyn asks curiously.

“You’re not as creative to think up a lie like that, fighting some giant monster and finding some incredibly rare magic sword. It’s almost like a story an actual Adventurer would say.” He says looking down on Lyn.

“Well it happened, or else we injured each other on purpose.”

“That’s true too, but having killed a lot of Monere and even one that was most likely on its way to becoming a full Daemon, that deserves a reward.” He says with a slight grin on his face as he points to the sack of coins.

“Well, extermination missions are a necessary part of being an Adventurer,” Rayne says happily. “Oh, and you’ll be splitting that with me, as per the rules of an Adventurer.”

“Of course!” Lyn yells out seriously. “And that’s good because I’m getting tired, I could use a nap.”

“Fine go home and hit the sack, we’ll discuss more about that sword of yours later and the one you stole.”

Lyn rushes to snatch up the sword as she moves opens the door. “And I’ll be seeing you later Captain.”

“Just don’t hurt yourself on the way home.”

Rayne smiles and walks off with her. “I’m watching her don’t worry.”

Lyn and Rayne move through the streets before separating as she rushes down the city’s back alleys. She rushes to her ragged apartment building and opens the front door with the landlord rushing out of his room to meet her as she holds out the sack of coins. She tosses a few coins his way, and she rushes up the stairs as he counts the coins in his hand.

“Good, you just didn’t pay late fee.” He says as she clutches the coins. “But we’ll talk about that later, rest, for now, you look terrible.”

Lyn rushes into her room not even bothering with the faulty doorknob as she lays back onto her bed. She pulls out the sword and stares at the runes etched into its side that match the ones burned into her hand.

“Well I found you, now I have to figure out what exactly to do with you.” She says as she puts it back into its sheath as she closes her eyes. “This is only the beginning of my legend, I’ll make sure of that.”

As she drifts off to sleep voices echo through her mind, with incomprehensible gibberish filling her head.

Where am I? Are the only words she understands as they repeat time after time in her mind.