Before Weed could say anything a voice from behind the two lifelessly whispered, “Give….me…the dragon blades…”

Weed’s face was covered in dread. That was Arthur’s voice but the intention was Shadows’. Weed slowly turned around to see the half dead corpse crawling towards them. It was still unable to use its legs and was using its hands to move forward. Weed knew that it was still not a threat (yet) but the rate of recovery was what was bothering him. ‘Holy f*ck…that monster can heal fast…’

“Ok…let’s get the blades. Are they nearby?” Weed asked while cursing his stupidity for believing that Arthur had died.

“The blades are nearby…” Richard replied slowly.

“Good.” Weed responded impatiently. He didn’t want to kill Arthur unnecessarily.

“But the key is rather far away…” Richard grumbled.

“Key?” Weed asked. “Are the blades in a vault?”

Richard frowned. “They are in a place known as Ignot’s Vault.”

“…” Weed had never heard of this place but didn’t waste anytime, “Let’s go! He might fully recover in at worst in an hour.

Richard hesitated for a moment; he wanted to be with his brother but then agreed to get the key.

Arthur’s dead eyes were fixed on Weed and Richard escaping. His corpse like body tries to chase after them but to no avail.

“Hold on.” Richard said as he grabbed Weed by the waist and then jumped into the air.

Weed felt his heart sink into the stomach. The initial sensation of jumping was so strong he nearly threw up. With a single jump, both Richard and Weed were fifty feet into the air. Before Weed had anytime to appreciate the night view he felt a lurching feeling in his stomach…they were now falling. Richard touched the ground with a soft tap before shooting off into the air again. The abnormal sensations were tinkering with Weed’s balance; in short he was nauseated.

Richard maintained their fast pace of jumping from roof top to roof top, till they crossed the manor walls and into the city. Weed who hung loosely on Richard’s back could see that they were being followed. It wasn’t Arthur thankfully; it were the ninjas.

‘Still haven’t given up, eh?’ Weed thought to himself. He relayed what he saw to Richard who then picked up his pace. Weed wished that he didn’t tell Richard about the pursuers. The pace was just too fast for him. He kept getting messages that he was nauseated.

Since it was night most players were indoors or outside city hunting monsters. Mostly NPCs were roaming the streets and few players. Nobody noticed the chase on the roof tops. Even if some of them heard something by the time they looked up, Weed and Richard were already gone. The ninja’s were too careful to be seen by the general public. At best if someone caught a glance of a ninja they were dismissed as a black shadow of a cat jumping.

The chase continued for a while but the ninjas could not keep up with Richard. After a few quick manouver’s the town reached it’s end and the open fields lay bare. Weed recognized the area; he had come here initially when following Rodriguez to the ranch.

‘Wow…’ Weed thought, they covered the breath of the entire city nearly in a few minutes. What was (and is) still a task for Weed was nothing more than a few strides for Richard. Weed was envious of Richard’s ability.

With no more buildings to cloak them flying in the air, Richard simply dashed on the dirt trail. He was fast…so fast that he kicked up dust into the air.

‘Wait a second…’ Weed grew suspicious of his surroundings this was oddly the same path to Rodriguez’s ranch. ‘What the hell…’ They were indeed infront of Rodriguez’s ranch. The ranch seemed to have undergone several repairs since Weed had last visited. The Geomchis’ were maintain the house. In addition to repairs and maintenance they also carried out extensive upgrades. The wooden fence outside was transformed into a six feet high wall. The creaky old gate was swapped with a might iron-gate which read “Sword Training School”. There were other small changes as well like several wooden swords like in barrels and scarecrows lined up inside for practice. Richard too took a moment to absorb his surroundings.

“I am not sure if we have come to the right place…” He murmured. “There used to be a farm here…”

“Aye…” Weed replied as he got off from Richard’s shoulders. “Rodriguez lived here…I am surprised the Lord of Lavias knows Rodriguez?” Weed didn’t expect Rodriguez to be so well connected or the Lord of Lavias to have interest in his subjects.

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“You mean Holy Saint Rodriguez?” Richard asks as they scrambled to the front door.

‘Holy Saint?’ Weed wondered where that title came from.

“He is an acquaintance of mine.” Both replied at the same time.

“Why are we here?” Weed asked suspiciously. “Surely, you don’t mean to tell me the swords are here?” Weed was going crazy thinking that a key to the mighty dragon blades lay in this house completely unguarded. ‘To think one of the greatest treasures lay in this house…’

“Holy One!” Richard impatiently said as he knocked on the door.

Weed frowned. Clearly no one informed Richard about Rodriguez’s departure. “He is not here anymore!” He exclaimed, breaking up a little.

Richard frowned. “He has to be here! He has the key! It is his duty!” Richard was becoming unsightly as he lost his cool.

Weed simply turned the door knob and the front door opened. “See there is no one here…” Weed pointed. “He is no longer here…he faded away with Skyholm…”

“That cannot be!” Richard shouted as he rushed into the empty house. Richard immediately began examining bookshelves, plant pots and below the mat.

“Are you looking for him?” Weed asked cautiously as Richard began to look desperate. ‘Why would he look for Rodriguez under a doormat? Has he lost it?’

“No…” Richard replied with his tone becoming slightly more worried.

“The holy saint of Lavias was endowed with the responsibility to protect the dragon blades…Thus he was entrusted with the keys…” Richard replied. “I am looking for the key…”

At this point Weed could only think of one thing. ‘This is way too much of a coincidence…’

Weed silently pulled out the key he received from Rodriguez from his inventory and asked “This key?”

Richard exclaimed in a surprise. “Why do you have it?”

“…” Weed was unsure how he should reply. ‘Because I was rewarded with it? Maybe Rodriguez meant for me to have the dragon blades?’

“That is the key…” Richard said as he plucked the key out of Weed’s hand.

“Why did he give it to me?” Weed asked.

“I do not know…I can only assume this was entrusted with you for reasons that can be best explained by Rodriguez himself. Though I will say that this key is invaluable…and you must protect it always…”

Weed wanted to explain that Rodriguez is no more and ask a few more questions but didn’t. They didn’t have the luxury of time. Richard closes his eyes and puts the key into the door that led to the basement. Weed thought he was mad to lock an open door and open it again. However, when Richard opened it again, it was no longer heading down but straight into a corridor.

Weed’s eyes nearly popped out. “What the!” Weed was at a complete loss of words.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know what this key was?” Richard asked equally surprised.

“I had no idea…” Weed said as he quickly assembled the information but failed to come up with a reasonable explanation to what happened with the basement. His fundamental premise was that there was no magic in this world other than elemental affinity but seeing what he did see right now that premise was out the window.

As they stepped into the corridor, Richard made sure to lock the door behind them. “Always make sure you lock it. Otherwise you cannot open another door.” He explained.

“Where are we?” Weed asked in slight disbelief to the fact that they had just warped to a new location.

“You know where we are…” Richard scoffed as he quickly made his way past the corridor.

It took Weed a moment to recollect…it wasn’t a new location…no it was the Lord’s Manor. “The blades are here?” Weed asked sounding more and more confused.

“Yes and no…” Richard didn’t explain anymore. Weed didn’t ask as followed Richard into the parlous where they had their first civilized conversation. The massive painting of Richard hunting monsters hung in the room. Weed looked at the painting in new light…

“Don’t tell me…you hid the blood blades right under everyone’s noses?”

There was a twinkle in Richard’s eyes.

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End of Arc 2